# Geek Pulse: Geek desktop DAC/AMP by Light Harmonics



## m-i-c-k-e-y

*Geek Pulse*_ _is a high-definition DAC and 3W headphone amplifier from LH Labs that was crowd-designed and crowd-funded  on Indiegogo. Since its launched, word has spread quickly and Geek Pulse has become the most successful crowd-designed high performance audio component in the world.
 
Geek Pulse decodes both PCM (the most common music format, the one used in your CD's and MP3's) and DSD music files (a rapidly-growing digital download format that audiophiles tend to love). It uses a converter that can convert bit rates of 1 bit, 16 bit, 24 bit, or 32 bit. It decodes sample rates of 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz, 352.8 kHz, 384 kHz, 2.822 MHz, 3.072 MHz, 5.644 MHz, and 6.144 MHz
  
*What input can we connect it with?*
  
 Geek Pulse has several digital inputs, whether it's a server, and computer, a CD transport, or a smart devices like iPhone/iPad and Android phones?Tablets. It has one USB 2.0 input, two S/PDIF RCA inputs, one TOSLINK optical input, and one AES/EBU balanced input.
  



  
*Outputs?*
  
 Geek Pulse has two ways to get music out of it. First, it has a world-class headphone output that puts out 3,000 mW through a pure class A amplifier into your headphones. Second, it has line level outputs for you to connect to your home stereo. Standard RCA for the base Pulse and additional XLRs for the Pulse X.
  
  


  
*For Updated Features and Specification see:*
  
http://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AljAXIFo7qVqdFdmVUoxOXB1VzFPaGtkQXdRa01ibUE#gid=1
  
​  
Geek Pluse X Infinity Board​  ​  
​  ​ Standard Geek Pulse with optional LPS (Linear Power Supply)​  
​  ​ Geek Pulse X (front)​  ​ ​  ​ Geek Pulse X (back)​  
  
*Geek Pulse differences*​  ​ ​  
 ​  
 ​  
*Interesting Features:*
  

*Fully Balanced*
 Fully balanced internal circuit.
  

 *Super Quiet DC Power Circuit*
 Since Geek Pulse isn't USB powered (like Geek Out is), we'll make "Da Vinci magic" again with a quiet and proven super regulator that uses a large bank of capacitors, providing the best power supply in its class.
  

*Femto Clocks*
  
​  
  
*New Addon Products*
  
*Geek Blue*
  
Geek Blue is a Bluetooth 4.0 addon with the aptX codec so you can stream your tunes from your Android, iDevice, and any other Bluetooth-compatible device.
  
*Geek LPS and LPS4*
  
 Geek Pulse has a friend named Geek LPS. LPS stands for "linear power supply." If you really want to get the most out of Geek Pulse, Geek LPS is a must.
  
 Geek LPS takes dirty AC power from the wall and delivers clean DC power to Geek Pulse. This clean DC power has very low noise, which improves the sonic quality of the music coming out of Geek Pulse. With clean power, you get more natural music.
  
 As an added feature, Geek LPS can be used to clean the noise off of the USB connection from your computer to Geek Pulse. Just connect your computer to Geek LPS using a USB cable, then connect Geek LPS to Geek Pulse (or any USB DAC, for that matter) using a second USB Cable. When you do this, Geek LPS disconnects the 5V power coming over the USB cable from the computer and replaces it with clean (under 6uV noise) 5V power coming from its super-regulated power circuits.
 ​ ​  ​ Geek LPS​  
​  ​ Geek LPS4 (4 outputs)​  
  
*Benefits of a Linear Power Supply*

No switching power noise!
Unlike a battery, no need to recharge.
Unlike a battery, a LPS has excellent system grounding.

  
_*Special note:* If you live in a country where your power is not one of the ones specified (Japan or Brazil, for example), please don't buy Geek LPS. Also note that the 110V/120V and 220V/240V is jumper switchable (inside) ._
  
 ---------------------------------------------------------
_Will update periodically._
  
_Just here for the music._
  
_Reason for Edit: Updated Pictures_


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## FraGGleR

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> A new campaign for a desktop version of their Geek Out portable DAC/Amp will start very soon in Indiegogo watch out!
> 
> *Geek Pulse*_ _is a high-definition DAC and 3W headphone amplifier.
> 
> ...


 
 Very excited.  I just really hope they don't stick with shiny acrylic for the faceplate.  A gain switch would also be crucial so that more sensitive headphones and IEMs could be used with the 3W headphone out.


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## sling5s

Anyone know the expected release date for this?


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Campaign will start 29 October midnight (Pacific). Delivery will be April 2014


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## sling5s

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Campaign will start 29 October midnight (Pacific). Delivery will be April 2014


 
  
 Ahhh.  Thanks


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## zerodeefex

Wait, tonight or tomorrow night? I am assuming tomorrow night.


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## charlie0904

is this sabre?


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## Zoo Animal

fraggler said:


> Very excited.  I just really hope they don't stick with shiny acrylic for the faceplate.  A gain switch would also be crucial so that more sensitive headphones and IEMs could be used with the 3W headphone out.


 
  
 +1 on both of those.

 That faceplate has a good dollar store aesthetic


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## brunk

subbed. looking at the back, it appears to use an external PSU, hopefully linear and not SMPS. However, this could make a sweet little transportable setup to run off a battery pack


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## Zoo Animal

brunk said:


> subbed. looking at the back, it appears to use an external PSU, hopefully linear and not SMPS. However, this could make a sweet little transportable setup to run off a battery pack


 
  
  
 It will be SMPS, they have plans to release a LPS of their own later.
 I like the idea of low cost and upgrade path being up to the user. They also have a battery option included if they make funding goals.

 It sounds like they are also planning to use the same Sabre dac chip as their Geek Out.


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## brunk

zoo animal said:


> It will be SMPS, they have plans to release a LPS of their own later.
> I like the idea of low cost and upgrade path being up to the user. They also have a battery option included if they make funding goals.
> 
> It sounds like they are also planning to use the same Sabre dac chip as their Geek Out.


 
 OK cool, atleast they give you options to "soup it up" a bit 
  
 I'd like to make two requests though. Please put the power switch in the front and  _please please please _do NOT make that blue LED a retina burner. Thanks!


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## gikigill

Already in for 2 plus hopefully the battery pack. Also got a Geek on order.


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## Exesteils

And we're live! Anyone who's getting it, feel free to PM me for a referral.


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## blessingx

In for one. Halfway to their goal in :30 and surprising few perk levels choosen. An awful lot of $199 and $239 'donations' though. Wonder what that could be?


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

blessingx said:


> In for one. Halfway to their goal in :30 and surprising few perk levels choosen. An awful lot of $199 and $239 'donations' though. Wonder what that could be?


 
  
 Done!!


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## FlySweep

blessingx said:


> An awful lot of $199 and $239 'donations' though. Wonder what that could be?


 
  
 Kickstarter backers of the Geek Out can pledge at $199 or $239 (addt'l $40 is for int'l shipping).  Kickstarter backers got an email explaining this last night.. so that's why you're seeing a lot of those specific pledge amounts.  Pretty cool move by the LH folks (of course I'm happy cause I'm a KS backer of the Geek Out.. LOL).


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## tomscy2000

So it's an oversized GEEK with desktop components (as opposed to an SMD-fest)? Not personally interested, but that's cool.


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## vincent215

Hey guys,
  
 Light Harmonic, the company that successfully funded their Geek Out, now release their desktop version, call Geek Pulse on Indiegogo.
 The specs is just as impressive as the Geek Out version, and you have 4 choice of digital input with headphone out.  
Here's why you should buy it: The DAC natively decodes PCM files up to 32-bit/384kHz, as well as native decoding of DSD64 and DSD128 files, and features the patent-pending 3L buffer introduced by Light Harmonic in Da Vinci DAC
Check it out here!!! http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-a-digital-audio-awesomifier-for-your-desktop


  


> Technology Breakdown
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> ...


 
 Update: this project is now funded <10 hours!!! Light Harmonic break their breakcords.
 There's still stretch goal left guys!!! I expect that we will at least to get the usb cable.


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## BenF

Does anyone know which DAC chip is used? The specs are too low for ESS9018 family.


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## jaywillin

well, i couldn't make it to launch last night, but i got in firsting thing this morning, i'm also a geek out backer, so i got the REALLY super, early, special deal !! lol


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## jaywillin

i'm in !!!


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## tomscy2000

benf said:


> Does anyone know which DAC chip is used? The specs are too low for ESS9018 family.


 

 Those are real world measurements, and serious designers take the lowest SNR figure as opposed to A-weighted (typical) or highest value.
  
 Most manufacturers don't bother with stating real measurements either and aim to impress people with the numbers listed by the chip manufacturer.
  
 What is with your ESS obsession?


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## rodge827

Looks like they made their goal at 7:50am EST!
  
 Bravo Gavin!


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## vincent215

I was so excited that I have to set an alarm for it, and espcaily the notification that Gavin posted to Geek backer in advance makes me so happy.
 I buy it for the Dac function alone: The DAC natively decodes PCM files up to 32-bit/384kHz, as well as native decoding of DSD64 and DSD128 files, and features the patent-pending 3L buffer introduced by Light Harmonic in Da Vinci DAC


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## sling5s

subscribed.


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## Suopermanni

Just a question to anyone who is backing this but when exactly does the money come out of your appointed account? Is it at the end of the funding period OR when you make the decision to back? I couldn't find the answer on the FAQ.


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## FraGGleR

suopermanni said:


> Just a question to anyone who is backing this but when exactly does the money come out of your appointed account? Is it at the end of the funding period OR when you make the decision to back? I couldn't find the answer on the FAQ.


 
 You pay via Paypal right away.


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## rodge827

Anyone know the voltage input needed to power the Pulse?
  
 DC?    AC ?   Amount of voltage?
  
 Couldn't find it in any of the details.
  
 Chris


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## blueangel2323

3W?


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

benf said:


> Does anyone know which DAC chip is used? The specs are too low for ESS9018 family.


 
  
 I'll paste what Gavin responded:
  



 Creator Gavin Fish about 14 hours ago _We'll still be using the mobile Sabre, I think. That may change depending on the input we get, but we like how it sounds in combination with our analog stage._


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## Sweden

If the 3D soundstage processing is done right it sounds interesting indeed.
 Maybe it's similar as iFi iCAN.
 Some headphones/music really benefit from this type of thing and for others it can mess up fidelity.


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## blueangel2323

sweden said:


> If the 3D soundstage processing is done right it sounds interesting indeed.
> Maybe it's similar as iFi iCAN.
> Some headphones/music really benefit from this type of thing and for others it can mess up fidelity.


 
 iCAN's soundstage enhancement is analogue, while this will be DSP. I'm hoping it will be like a mini Smyth Realiser, obviously without the ability to create your own profiles and the head tracking gimmick.


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## Beachhead1

It looks good.  I'm probably not going to get it since I ordered a super geek on the kickstarter.


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## uzi

Wow, not even 9 hours past going live and they're already over $56k and well past the $38k goal.  And this thing is open 'til December 20th, so plenty of time to go well beyond that.
  
 Here's hoping some Geek Out samples go out before then (since Gekk Out is due in January) and get rave reviews.
  
 I decided to go in on this one as well.  I got in on the Geek Out at $119... worth case, I can probably sell for more than I paid in the end.


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## FraGGleR

rodge827 said:


> Anyone know the voltage input needed to power the Pulse?
> 
> DC?    AC ?   Amount of voltage?
> 
> ...


 
 It takes DC from a switching power supply.  Some specs might not be set yet, as they are taking suggestions from backers for additional or different features.


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## swifttal

3W @ 8 ohms? 3W @ 50 ohms? What are the power specs? Definitely interested, thanks!


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## vincent215

Any body here notice the 3 buttons in the front?
 I hope their is a switch for low-high gain.


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## vincent215

beachhead1 said:


> It looks good.  I'm probably not going to get it since I ordered a super geek on the kickstarter.


 
 I also ordered the Super Geek.
 But I still order the Geek Pulse. At 200usd, it's hard to beat, it has more power than the Schiit Magni and Asgard 2. Half power of the Lyr, there times more powe than the Geek Out. That will make me happy for a while until the next upgrade, and I still can use it as a dac.
 Besides, the size is smaller than the Magni & Modi combo.


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## jaywillin

vincent215 said:


> Any body here notice the 3 buttons in the front?
> I hope their is a switch for low-high gain.


 

 power, volume up down i believe


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## FraGGleR

swifttal said:


> 3W @ 8 ohms? 3W @ 50 ohms? What are the power specs? Definitely interested, thanks!


 
 Keep tabs on the Indiegogo page.  That is where all specs are as they come out or change.  For the GEEK they reported power into 16ohms.  Possible they are doing that again.


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## FraGGleR

jaywillin said:


> power, volume up down i believe


 
 Power is on the back.  Probably the "awesomifier" button.


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## vincent215

jaywillin said:


> power, volume up down i believe


 
 I hope he make some change in desgin to have low/high gain switch


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## FragmentedGod

There isn't that much info yet but this is what it currently says:
  

Analog OutputsLine Out: Single-ended, gold plated RCA
 Output Impedance: 47 Ohm
 Output Voltage: 4Vrms fixed

 Headphone: 1/4" stereo jack
 Output Impedance: 0.47 Ohm
 Output Voltage: 7Vrms max variable
  
 So if the output is 3W for headphones then that implies that it's at 0.47 Ohm.  Obviously wait for firm confirmation from them, as they are responding to feedback in the comments already to inform the design so it clearly hasn't been finalised yet.  I expect that aspect of it is closer to being set in stone than other parts due to their experience with the Geek Out, but it's early days yet.


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## vincent215

Does this consider cheating ?


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## FraGGleR

fragmentedgod said:


> There isn't that much info yet but this is what it currently says:
> 
> 
> Analog OutputsLine Out: Single-ended, gold plated RCA
> ...


 
 Power isn't spec'd on the output impedance.  It is listed into a specific load like 4 or 8 ohm for speaker amps, and anything above that for headphones.


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## jaywillin

fraggler said:


> Power is on the back.  Probably the "awesomifier" button.


 

 yes,i spoke too soon, power is indeed to the rear , and it being the "awesomifier" button would be better


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## bhazard

Subbed. If they decide to make it a balanced input/out DAC, oh man.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

I'm at work now....thinking when coming back  will make a poll for our suggestions (esp. those who backed up). How about it guyz?
  
 Was suggesting for:
 - Balanced outs. Mini xlr at the back and a mini 4 pin in the front beside the 1/4 jack.
 - Full desktop ES9018 version (and if they will go multi-channel)
 - Gain Switch


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## FraGGleR

Hmm, we have two threads going about the Pulse.  I wonder if a moderator can merge the two.


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## FraGGleR

I like the idea of a poll.  There is another discussion thread a few posts deep that has started for the Pulse.  Can you contact a moderator to join the two threads?


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## FragmentedGod

OK, thanks for clarifying.  I clearly need to keep learning!


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## bhazard

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I'm at work now....thinking when coming back  will make a poll for our suggestions (esp. those who backed up). How about it guyz?
> 
> Was suggesting for:
> - Balanced outs. Mini xlr at the back and a mini 4 pin in the front beside the 1/4 jack.
> ...


 
 I like the idea of a poll, but I want all of those to happen 
  
 -Balanced outs at current prices would be incredible.
 -They could sell a multi-channel version separately, at a higher cost. The DAC chip alone would add $50.
 -Gain switch would be awesome.


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## FraGGleR

With something as powerful as this is, a gain switch has to happen.  3W is overkill for 90% of headphones.
 Balanced would be killer, but honestly, they could leave it as it is (with the gain switch, of course), and I would be happy with it. 
  
 The RCA output voltage seems really high, too.
  
 For the price they are giving to backers and the final price they are shooting for, I honestly don't think anything beyond a gain switch or tweaking power will be changed.  A full sized dac chipset and accompanying electronics probably wouldn't fit into that chassis and would increase costs.  Balanced could happen, but they'd have to redesign the front panel entirely along with the circuitry (more costs).
  
 I will go ahead and say that I would very much have them add a knob for volume, but again size and complexity constraints.  They already look to have everything that I want covered (other than the gain switch).  Powerful headphone out, good DAC chipset, analog out in the rear, very small footprint.  It is sad that there are basically no other devices that do this in this kind of a package.


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## Taowolf51

I wonder why they decided to not put a volume knob on it, I don't see the benefit of not having one, especially considering they have no display to show you what the volume level is.


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## Sweden

blueangel2323 said:


> iCAN's soundstage enhancement is analogue, while this will be DSP. I'm hoping it will be like a mini Smyth Realiser, obviously without the ability to create your own profiles and the head tracking gimmick.


 
  
 I def put more faith advanced DSP than analogue when creating the next level soundstage experience.
 The head tracking is not a gimmick, and unfortunately an essential part of how the HRTF in Realiser work. This is one of the biggest hurdles in creating something similar to the Realiser but without the fine calibration and the head tracker.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

fraggler said:


> I like the idea of a poll.  There is another discussion thread a few posts deep that has started for the Pulse.  Can you contact a moderator to join the two threads?


 
 Sent PM


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## HiFiRobot

Backed the project. Now a big vote for gain switch.


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## bmoura

Backed the project here as well.  Would like to see LH tackle a Multichannel DAC for DSD and PCM music next.


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## jexby

I backed the project as well, voted for
  Gain Switch
  informative LEDs
  desktop ESS  (although I'm not sure why, felt like the right thing in a non (super) portable form factor)
 long wait until April 30.


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## sbradley02

I would substitute "rotary volume control" for "analog volume control"
 I really don't care if there is a pot or a digital encoder behind the knob, I just find knobs much nicer to use than up/down buttons.
  
 Everything else is perfect


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## FraGGleR

jexby said:


> I backed the project as well, voted for
> Gain Switch
> informative LEDs
> desktop ESS  (although I'm not sure why, felt like the right thing in a non (super) portable form factor)
> long wait until April 30.


 
 Heh, I just waited 11 months for my HifiM8.  If LH hits their delivery target, then it will be easy.  Plus I will have a GEEK in Jan to occupy my attention for a little bit


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

sbradley02 said:


> I would substitute "rotary volume control" for "analog volume control"
> I really don't care if there is a pot or a digital encoder behind the knob, I just find knobs much nicer to use than up/down buttons.
> 
> Everything else is perfect


 
  
 Sorry I tried. It doesn't give options to edit polls.


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## Currawong

I've merged both threads about this. 
  
 I've checked and I can't edit the poll either, by the way.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thanks!


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## sbradley02

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Thanks Admin!


 
 Mostly I meant my post as a comment, not expecting a change - but thanks for the effort 
  
 I added that because I know the Geek folks are using a digital volume control in the laptop version and I imagine they are doing the same in the Pulse. They could keep that in place using a rotary encoder in place of the up/down buttons. Might be a bit more expensive though.
  
 I am a backer BTW, along with the original Geek (SuperDuper version). The Pulse is more in line with my needs so I am looking forward to it.


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## swifttal

A gain switch I think would be a must. Balanced would be fantastic as well


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## swifttal

Also, just curious why mini-xlr?


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Larry Ho has difficulty to squeeze in regular sized sockets, esp. at the back .


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## Larry Ho

Hi,
  
Everyone!   Gain switch, you got it... 
  
Larry


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## Larry Ho

For the back and front panel connectors, I would gather all the good opinions and try to fit them all at once.
  
 Not easy, but doable. And Juha, our super ME, could help me with this.
  
 Cheers,
  
 Larry


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## Larry Ho

Geek Pulse takes 12V DC input. So the regulator version will have switching power (universal, 110V ~ 240V. 50Hz ~ 60Hz)...
 Linear power supply or battery will be even better. But that will depend on how good Indiegogo campaign goes....


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## Larry Ho

vincent215 said:


> Does this consider cheating ?


 
  
 LOL
  
 I need to show how supportive I'm to our own campaign, right? 
 Tell you what, the music will be great!
  
 Larry


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## FraGGleR

larry ho said:


> Hi,
> 
> Everyone!   Gain switch, you got it...
> 
> Larry




Fantastic! Great to see you on the forum!


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## bhazard

We are very happy to see you here Larry. Taking our suggestions and implementing them into your products is why I am very excited for my Geek Out and Geek Pulse.
  
 Keep up the good work!


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## M3NTAL

Poll option for the use of fancy clocks like the Crystek ones?


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## flipper2gv

gain switch and analog volume are a must !


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## Ebonyzer

The added digital ins and the outputs are nice over the Geek Out, but besides additional power, are there are significant improvements in audio quality in the Geek Pulse? Since the chipset is similar (the same?), would sound quality likely be hard to distinguish?  
  
 And good to see you on the forums, Larry.


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## eliwankenobi

I just backed for a super early bird! Im excited!! Last time i missed the chance to back the Geek and this product seems to be even better! I hope it gets into my hands in time for My B-Day!!

Now what if want to change to the geek/pulse combo?


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## Ebonyzer

I don't believe you can change your pledge on IndieGoGo the way you do with Kickstarter. You make a pledge, pay for it immediately, and then watch the campaign.


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## eliwankenobi

Well that sucks...


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## santacore

I'm in.......again....


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## vincent215

I prefer Kick Starter over Indiegogo.
 The design is much more intuitive and flexible for contributor/backer to support the campaign, because the product is still in their early stages, so change can happen any minutes, and us, as user change our mind according the information that we get.


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## DizzyD

Guys
  
 Very new to such funding arrangement. 
  
 Do I register my interest to buy now and pay now for delivery in 2014? If Geek cannot deliver I will get my initial funding back?
  
 Thx
 DD


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## a_recording

dizzyd said:


> Guys
> 
> Very new to such funding arrangement.
> 
> ...


 
  
 This is a crowdfunding campaign. You are not technically ordering or pre-ordering a product. Essentially you are making an investment in this venture and in exchange for your pledge you might receive a finished product. If the product is never delivered you won't necessarily get your money back. Hopefully that won't happen and given that Light Harmonics is a company that has delivered a finished product (the DaVinci) before, the chances of this venture being successful seem promising. Don't let me be your financial advisor though


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## vincent215

dizzyd said:


> Guys
> 
> Very new to such funding arrangement.
> 
> ...


 
 Yes, you will need to buy and pay now!
 If Geek can't be delivered, I believe that Gavin will refund it. However, given their reputation in the market and expertise with delivering Geek Out and their Da Vinci Dac, it is certainly that they will deliver an awesome product.


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## FraGGleR

dizzyd said:


> Guys
> 
> Very new to such funding arrangement.
> 
> ...


 
 Very much like others have said, Kickstarter and Indiegogo are very much like baby venture capital websites.  The only difference is that we get product, not ownership should the company/product be successful.  You have to be prepared to lose whatever money you put in, however.  There are many reasons for a product or company to fail, so if you back at this early of a stage, you have to be prepared to lose your money, and Indiegogo requires your money at time of backing through Paypal.  I have most likely lost my investment in a previous Kickstarter campaign.  The product was supposed to be delivered Fall of 2012, and a year later, they are no closer to finishing than they were then.  But I have also successfully backed two others.  
  
 Oh, and make sure you are supporting because you really want the product.  If you are trying to get in early to flip once it hits retail, you will definitely not be alone and the margin for flipping will be much lower than you would think.  It is going to be funny to see how many GEEKs hit the FS forums within a couple weeks of launching.


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## FraGGleR

I don't think an analog volume control necessarily makes sense here since this is based on a 32-bit chipset with digital volume control built in.  I would love an actual knob to control the digital volume though.


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## FraGGleR

And are people voting for MUST haves, or NICE to haves?  I think it is more useful for Light Harmonic if we are distinguishing between those.  Some of the popular poll items don't seem to make sense as dealbreakers or sensible items for this kind of product.


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## Zoo Animal

It sounds like the gain switch and mini-XLRs will be part of the design now.

  
Larry Ho said 29 minutes ago
 Hi, all
 Balance output, we hear you. Actually our internal circuit is fully balance from beginning all the way before headphone driver. So line out could have balance output for sure.
 So my plan for now is two configuration. One RCA version, one mini XLR version…
 Give us few days. We will work it out. 
 Larry


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## FraGGleR

zoo animal said:


> It sounds like the gain switch and mini-XLRs will be part of the design now.
> 
> 
> Larry Ho said 29 minutes ago
> ...


 
 Good stuff.  I am wondering if they will lower the output on the RCA to closer to the Redbook standard of 2V instead of the listed 4V, which is closer to normal balanced/pro output.  Hope that a balanced out for the headphone is doable, too, as that would be more useful for me than the balanced output.


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## Zoo Animal

fraggler said:


> Good stuff.  I am wondering if they will lower the output on the RCA to closer to the Redbook standard of 2V instead of the listed 4V, which is closer to normal balanced/pro output.  Hope that a balanced out for the headphone is doable, too, as that would be more useful for me than the balanced output.


 
 I took that to mean for the headphone out, as he mentions it is balanced to the headphone driver. But you are right it could be either.


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## angelo898

Looks good


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## FraGGleR

zoo animal said:


> I took that to mean for the headphone out, as he mentions it is balanced to the headphone driver. But you are right it could be either.


 
 Larry mentioning RCA makes me think he is only talking about balanced line out, not headphone.  No one that I am aware of yet has used mini XLR for headphones (a damn shame).


----------



## BaTou069

Hello Guys
  
 I'm a backer from their kickstarter project and I'm wondering if supporting their new project makes any sense for my system:
  
 In my living room I use 
  
 Harman Kardon AVR 146
 Yamaha Speakers that are for Home Theater (5.1), dont remember the model.... ( here a pic: http://inglele.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/ns-p270.jpg )
  
 I would either listen to CD's connected with optical cable, or connect my PC to it. PC connection normal coax or when the small geek arrives, with this pre-connected....
 I dont have any optical outpout from my pc
  
 Do i need a better setup in order to take advantage of an DAC like this?
  
 Thanks


----------



## FraGGleR

batou069 said:


> Hello Guys
> 
> I'm a backer from their kickstarter project and I'm wondering if supporting their new project makes any sense for my system:
> 
> ...


 
 I'd say almost any aftermarket DAC, especially ones commonly found on Headfi will be certainly better than a computer onboard audio system and most likely better than most AVRs.  Cirrus Logic isn't that popular a chip manufacturer around here, so most likely you will get better performance from a new DAC.  One issue is that you will only be able to use the GEEK products for 2 channel listening.  You would have to bypass the GEEK for surround sound.  
  
 The Pulse looks like it is going to scale well.  You will most likely get an improvement with your current setup, but might see even better improvements as you upgrade your receiver and speakers.


----------



## alvin1118

Hi Larry,
  
 Good to see you here! 
 It's really exciting to participate in these GEEK OUT and GEEK PULSE champions, you guys REALLY rock !
  
*Suggestion for GEEK PULSE:*
  
*1. *Adjustable Fixed / Variable Line-Out - Allow user to utilize GEEK PULSE as pure DAC or DAC + Preamp
  
*2.* Optional Linear PSU - TO bring GEEK PULSE SQ to another level !!
  
*3.* Volume Knob - Can be analog / digital. Personally like the volume knob kind of convention way to adjust volume instead of push buttons
  
*4.* Automatic Source Selection based on prefix priority. Whichever connected source detected will be selected i.e. First (USB), Second (Coaxial 1), Third (Coaxial 2), Forth (TOSLink)
  
*5.* OLED Display of selected source, volume info, sampling rate etc
  
*6. *Active I/V & LPF
  
*7.* Audiophile grade 3.3VDC & 5.0VDC voltage regulator - LT1117 series? 
  
*8. *Full aluminium / alloy chassis
  
 Too much things to list down... 

 The hard truth is, to squeeze all these features into GEEK PULSE cost money. As a backer at USD249 price point, it's really rightful to request for so much? Or we should think & suggest as if it's MSRP $499 ?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

fraggler said:


> And are people voting for MUST haves, or NICE to haves?  I think it is more useful for Light Harmonic if we are distinguishing between those.  Some of the popular poll items don't seem to make sense as dealbreakers or sensible items for this kind of product.


 
  
 I too want to have also a Rotary Volume Control instead of pushing buttons. Don't care if its analog or digital as long that its sound good.
  
 However, the system won't let me edit  the Poll I created. Sorry! Even currawong, an administrator can't. So we're stuck. And I don't want to loose the data other's have already created.
  
 At least we do have a trend on what backers wants.  We'll leave up to developers to decide. And they are listening. We still can express our other desires thru our posts here and thru their campaign site.  
  
 Thanks!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@ Alvin 
  
 They have a Linear DC PSU instore for the Geek Pulse.  Hoping they will send in it next or the battery pack as an add-on.
  
 Let me post what Gavin has said...
  



Creator Gavin Fish 1 day ago
We have several components on the drawing board which will be affordable to more folks and still have LH Labs performance. The next two we'll release will probably be a bluetooth stage and an Airplay stage (if MFI gets approved). We also have plans for a pre-amp, an amp, a phono stage, and a linear DC power supply. Geek Pulse really will be a family of products.


----------



## Rayvolution

So I can use the RCA out to connect to a dedicated headphone amp right? Or is it still acting as an amp too over RCA?


----------



## sbradley02

fraggler said:


> I don't think an analog volume control necessarily makes sense here since this is based on a 32-bit chipset with digital volume control built in.  I would love an actual knob to control the digital volume though.


 
 Yes, this is exactly what I have been requesting. Should be straightforward. An absolute encoder would be best but likely too expensive, but even an incremental encoder would be a big improvement over up/down buttons which are very inconvenient to use...


----------



## rdsu

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @ Alvin
> 
> They have a Linear DC PSU instore for the Geek Pulse.  Hoping they will send in it next or the battery pack as an add-on.
> 
> ...


 

 Maybe a new Stretch Goal!?
 ----
Larry Ho said 3 hours ago
  Yes. We will have 220V version as well in linear power supply configuration (stretch goal). For normal power input, it is 110V/220V compatible.
 Cheers,
 ----

   

 I made that suggestion, and maybe they accepted it...


----------



## lauandyuen

no dont use mini xlr, it is not standard hi fi audio plug. It must use original  xlr .
 I still wait original  xlr + volume control.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

rdsu said:


> Maybe a new Stretch Goal!?
> ----
> Larry Ho said 3 hours ago
> Yes. We will have 220V version as well in linear power supply configuration (stretch goal). For normal power input, it is 110V/220V compatible.
> ...


 
  
 One of their stretch goal is a rechargeable SLA battery pack. But its way up there I doubt we can catch it, who knows. If not hoping it will be an add-on later for those who wants. I believe the Linear DC PSU is separate component that they will develop along with others (blutooth/airplay, preamp, amp) to complement Geek Pulse (see Gavin's post above).


----------



## eliwankenobi

Larry Ho

Please make volume control available for line out as well. Add a switch to bypass volume control so as to have the option of just DAC or DAC + Pre.

Add a small LED screen between the "V" to make it look more like flagship DaVinci DAC.

Just my suggestion.


----------



## flipper2gv

sbradley02 said:


> Yes, this is exactly what I have been requesting. Should be straightforward. An absolute encoder would be best but likely too expensive, but even an incremental encoder would be a big improvement over up/down buttons which are very inconvenient to use...


 
 I don't think they have the room though.

 A digital rotary volume control would be very appreciated now. And that would be the last thing I'd ask.


----------



## jaywillin

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Creator Gavin Fish 1 day ago
> We have several components on the drawing board which will be affordable to more folks and still have LH Labs performance. The next two we'll release will probably be a bluetooth stage and an Airplay stage (if MFI gets approved). We also have plans for a pre-amp, an amp, a phono stage, and a linear DC power supply. Geek Pulse really will be a family of products.


 
 i kinda had a hunch there was a plan !!


----------



## sbradley02

flipper2gv said:


> I don't think they have the room though.
> 
> A digital rotary volume control would be very appreciated now. And that would be the last thing I'd ask.


 
 You need a way to control the volume on the chip using a rotary knob, hence some kind of encoder.
 An absolute encoder (which is large and expensive) works like an analog pot with the position relating to volume
 An incremental encoder would be much more likely, this would work like the up/down buttons, but with an analog interface.


----------



## Wil

Hi all, i'll side track alittle here pardon me...
  
 This is my first time using indie gogo and I forgot to sign up  for an account before i made payment (i.e. i  just keyed in my details and Credit card number) but I made a contribution to the Super Early Bird Geek Pulse perk but forgot to add $40.00 for international shipping.
  
 And because i forgot to sign up for an account, i can't contact Gavin to ask about it (I need to be connected to the campaign before i can email Gavin).
  
 I wonder if i use the same details as before (same credit card number etc) to contribute $40.00 to the project, will it count towards my order as international shipping paid for?


----------



## akarise

I'm not sure if this was mentioned before, but how long does the special $199 deal for the Geek Out backers last? Is it until the end of the campaign?


----------



## jaywillin

wil said:


> Hi all, i'll side track alittle here pardon me...
> 
> This is my first time using indie gogo and I forgot to sign up  for an account before i made payment (i.e. i  just keyed in my details and Credit card number) but I made a contribution to the Super Early Bird Geek Pulse perk but forgot to add $40.00 for international shipping.
> 
> ...


 

 what about setting up your account now , and posting on the message board in indiegogo ?? or just email light harmonic directly ? gavin seems to be pretty accessible


----------



## eliwankenobi

wil said:


> Hi all, i'll side track alittle here pardon me...
> 
> This is my first time using indie gogo and I forgot to sign up  for an account before i made payment (i.e. i  just keyed in my details and Credit card number) but I made a contribution to the Super Early Bird Geek Pulse perk but forgot to add $40.00 for international shipping.
> 
> ...




I went through the same thing. By doing a pledge you already have an account. Just go to the login and follow the instructions for the forgot password process. Then contact Gavin.


----------



## Argybargy

I'm in. Hoping for rotary volume control and xlr balanced output.


----------



## junker

Standard XLR out on rear


----------



## Joamonte

Agree, standard XLR line out please....no need 2 version, XLR to RCA adapter can do the job.

Of course , AES/EBU in is even better....


----------



## frank2908

Please vote more for the es9018 reference dac chip


----------



## fengwei007

It'd be perfect for me if it got preamp output option ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So far an update of the many request/suggestions:
  
*Updated Features:*

Gain Switch_ - _either on PCB board or Dip Switch at the back.
Two Planed Versions - RCA or mini-XLR model. (to be finalized, definitely having a balanced out)
  
*In development:*

Volume Control Knob (headphone output)
Display suggestions
Mute output with headphone jack insertion 
  
 @ fengwie
 They have plans for a pre-amp, an amp, a phono stage, and a linear DC power supply. Geek Pulse will be a family of products.


----------



## FraGGleR

Honestly, I hope they don't go with the larger desktop 9018.  It is very difficult to get to sound right and for a $500 ($249 for early backers) device this small, I would rather them use a chipset much better suited to the product and one that they already like the sound of.  There would have to be compromises somewhere.


----------



## FraGGleR

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So far an update of the many request/suggestions:
> 
> *Updated Features:*
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for keeping on top of the updates!


----------



## Zoo Animal

fraggler said:


> Honestly, I hope they don't go with the larger desktop 9018.  It is very difficult to get to sound right and for a $500 ($249 for early backers) device this small, I would rather them use a chipset much better suited to the product and one that they already like the sound of.  There would have to be compromises somewhere.


 
  
 +1

 At $249 would rather see the portable 9018 go right than the desktop version go wrong.


----------



## kallekutta

akarise said:


> I'm not sure if this was mentioned before, but how long does the special $199 deal for the Geek Out backers last? Is it until the end of the campaign?


 

 I'm also wondering this!


----------



## dcpoor

Well the Pulse will be priced at more than 2x the price of the base Geek Out, so I'm hoping for good implementation of the Sabre 9018 desktop chip and balanced outputs.


----------



## eliwankenobi

The ConceroHD/HP uses the mobile ES90182kM, just like the current prototype of the Pulse, and all reviews are very positive, maybe even rave!

 I don't see it as a bad thing to keep using the same chip. It's all about how it is implemented. The ES9018 has been implemented in many DACs in many price points from $800 to $5000 and they don't sound the same because of their implementation. The new Pulse should sound better thanks to the use of bigger and higher performing parts that would allow LH to get the most out of it. And that's where the extra money over the Geek is going I believe. 

 I used to think that they should change to the desktop too, but the more I think about it, the more I tend to echo what others have said... I rather have the best a 90182KM DAC can be than a ES9018 gone wrong or with limitations that would prevent it from achieving its best performance. 

NOW, If Larry Ho and the rest of the team manages to put the desktop es9018 in there and get better performance than they could ever get out of the ES90182KM given the design limitations... Bring it ON!!


----------



## eliwankenobi

I do wonder how is it going to play DSD... Is it through ASIO or DoP?

I also think that one of the most important things here are solid drivers so we don't get problems when switching between different sample rates of PCM and DSD


----------



## Johnnyhi

fraggler said:


> Honestly, I hope they don't go with the larger desktop 9018.  It is very difficult to get to sound right and for a $500 ($249 for early backers) device this small, I would rather them use a chipset much better suited to the product and one that they already like the sound of.  There would have to be compromises somewhere.


 
  
 Whichever works best...


----------



## sbradley02

Could someone elucidate the differences between the mobile and desktop chipsets?
 I tend to agree that implementation is more important than the exact silicon chosen


----------



## eliwankenobi

sbradley02 said:


> Could someone elucidate the differences between the mobile and desktop chipsets?
> I tend to agree that implementation is more important than the exact silicon chosen




Here: http://esstech.com/index.php?p=products_DAC

In essence the mobile version is only stereo instead of 8ch and has a little less snr... But still pretty good. Other than that, less power consumption and smaller size. If there is something more, I missed it


----------



## sbradley02

eliwankenobi said:


> Here: http://esstech.com/index.php?p=products_DAC
> 
> In essence the mobile version is only stereo instead of 8ch and has a little less snr... But still pretty good. Other than that, less power consumption and smaller size. If there is something more, I missed it


 

 Yes. The SNR difference is completely meaningless in the real world. There was a mention in the desktop chip about Time Domain Jitter Eliminator. Maybe that is a real difference.


----------



## Icenine2

This thing is too cool.  I think I'll buy one for my daughter and when she doesn't use it I will for late night listening off the laptop instead of the Liquid Fire!


----------



## sbradley02

icenine2 said:


> This thing is too cool.  I think I'll buy one for my daughter and when she doesn't use it I will for late night listening off the laptop instead of the Liquid Fire!


 
 I would love to read a comparison of the two 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 The Liquid Fire is my favorite headphone amp, but I haven't had a chance to direct compare it to the other amp I have really been impressed with recently.


----------



## FraGGleR

Already contemplating what to sell off and when in anticipation of this guy.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I am not an engineer, in another forum Larry Ho was talking that his system (Geek Pulse)  is _*full quad phased balanced*_. Any light of this?


----------



## a_recording

Set phasers to FULL QUAD BALANCED!!!

 Sorry, I know that wasn't helpful.


----------



## eliwankenobi

sbradley02 said:


> Yes. The SNR difference is completely meaningless in the real world. There was a mention in the desktop chip about Time Domain Jitter Eliminator. Maybe that is a real difference.


 
  
 The ES9018-2KM also has the Time Domain Jitter Eliminator.  (check here: http://esstech.com/PDF/ES9018-2M%20PB%20Rev%200.8%20130619.pdf)
  
 But I believe most of the recent DACs that use the Desktop ES9018 have that feature disabled and choose to use the chip in synchronous mode with an external clock from any of the asynchronous USB implementations.  People find that running the chip that way with a very low noise power supply are key in getting the best performance out of the chip.


----------



## dclaz

Realistically, how would you think this compares to the ODAC/O2 ? Definitely looks interesting.
  
 I must say that the 'anti resonance feet' stretch goal looks a bit like voodoo


----------



## digitalzed

dclaz said:


> Realistically, how would you think this compares to the ODAC/O2 ? Definitely looks interesting.
> 
> I must say that the 'anti resonance feet' stretch goal looks a bit like voodoo




Probably better answered when people can actually listen to both units for comparison.


----------



## NinjaHamster

My personal suggestion, though it is not listed on the poll, is that one of the S/PDIF inputs be used as an S/PDIF output. This would allow the Geek Pulse to be used as a USB to S/PDIF converter.
  
 From all reports of the Resonessence Concero (which, in its "HP" guise is the most similar product available), it can serve as a USB to S/PDIF converter of similar quality to the under $500 dedicated converters.
  
 Given lead designer Larry Ho's background, there would be few people in the world more qualified to work on the USB interface, so I would think the Geek Pulse could be made to perform this function better than most, even at the low price.
  
 That would mean the Geek Pulse would have feature parity with the Concero HP (using the same DAC chipset etc.), with a much more powerful headphone amplification, and at a lower price.
  
 Not to mention, potentially extending the useful life of the product and making it somewhat of a digital "Swiss Army Knife".
  
  
 PS.  I also hope that the rechargeable SLA-battery pack is offered as an (extra cost) addition, even if they do not get to $500,000.  Getting a good supply of clean power is more than half the battle in making good sound. Most people would be surprised by how "dirty" their AC power truly is - especially around their computer equipment !


----------



## theory_87

larry ho said:


> Geek Pulse takes 12V DC input. So the regulator version will have switching power (universal, 110V ~ 240V. 50Hz ~ 60Hz)...
> Linear power supply or battery will be even better. But that will depend on how good Indiegogo campaign goes....




I do hope that you guys will stick with the mobile version dac. Else the battery draw may be too great for the sla battery pack to be really useful. 

Btw, anyone know the dimension of the casing? 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## Sweden

Both 6.35mm and 3.5mm jacks is a good idea.


----------



## music lover 2

It seems that Geek Pulse is going to be a Super DAC and headphone amplifier.
 I was wondering if the power supply will be switching or linear.
 A battery would probably improve sound quality, but at the expence of a specific battery lifetime, and probably a fast time from charged to discharged time.
 Wouldn't it be simpler and better to create a linear supply and to further improve its' multistage isolated power instead even more (just like the DaVinci Dual DAC)? 
 I also hope that the company will also put a HDMI in input on Geek Pulse, so that the DAC will be able to play DSD directly from a universal blue ray disc player/ DVD player.
 Finally, playback directly from a USB stick connecting directly to the Geek Pulse would be nice, without the need for a computer's presence, so that someone could use Geek Pulse as a multi-purpose DAC, simply anywhere.


----------



## FraGGleR

music lover 2 said:


> It seems that Geek Pulse is going to be a Super DAC and headphone amplifier.
> I was wondering if the power supply will be switching or linear.
> A battery would probably improve sound quality, but at the expence of a specific battery lifetime, and probably a fast time from charged to discharged time.
> Wouldn't it be simpler and better to create a linear supply and to further improve its' multistage isolated power instead even more (just like the DaVinci Dual DAC)?
> ...




It will come with an external switching psu. If they hit $500k in funding they will include an SLA battery pack. A separate linear PSU is planned along with other components as a family of add ons. Your other suggestions are interesting but will likely be a very far stretch based on the cost of the device.


----------



## likes2hike

I agree.  I would also prefer a rotary volume knob.
  
 Mark


----------



## belisk

standby mode is a terrible feature, if the DAC clicks in any way or the lock-on signal is slow, this will be a no-deal for me.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Agree... Nobody wants a DAC that has clicks or any sort of noise whenever you hit pkay in your software, or changr sample rates, etc


----------



## travelfotografe

dclaz said:


> Realistically, how would you think this compares to the ODAC/O2 ? Definitely looks interesting.
> 
> I must say that the 'anti resonance feet' stretch goal looks a bit like voodoo


 
  
 About the effect of isolation/resonance footers on audio components. Until about a month ago, I thought they are voodoo too, until I tried, and the effect was shocking (in the positive way).
  
 I currently have a $600 set of footers under my $2k DAC


----------



## brunk

travelfotografe said:


> About the effect of isolation/resonance footers on audio components. Until about a month ago, I thought they are voodoo too, until I tried, and the effect was shocking (in the positive way).
> 
> I currently have a $600 set of footers under my $2k DAC


 
 I'd like to see the $600 footers. Magnetic levitation?


----------



## bhazard

travelfotografe said:


> About the effect of isolation/resonance footers on audio components. Until about a month ago, I thought they are voodoo too, until I tried, and the effect was shocking (in the positive way).
> 
> I currently have a $600 set of footers under my $2k DAC


 
  
 Subwoofers and vibration devices like Buttkickers use these to somewhat good effect. $6 of rubber feet are used for large enclosures that physically vibrate to accomplish this. Even then, they aren't truly needed. I have 4 under my 160lb dual opposed 18" subs.
  
 Your $600 footers on a small device that does not physically vibrate, will do no better than rubber feet in isolation no matter how much you try to explain otherwise. Don't fall for snake oil devices.
  
http://www.parts-express.com/cat/case-cabinet-feet/3467
  
 The more you know.


----------



## travelfotografe

brunk said:


> I'd like to see the $600 footers. Magnetic levitation?


 
 Diamond coated discs with ceramic ball bearings. A review: http://singaporehifi.blogspot.no/2012/08/darcz-footer.html
  
 I first heard their effect at a hi-fi show, and I was pleasantly shocked. Found a 2nd-hand set for sale and I bought them knowing I can resell them if they do not work in my system.
  
 Made by Ansuz Acoustics from Denmark. Sister company of Raidho Acoustics that make speakers with diamond coated cone drivers. Folks that buy LH's DaVinci DAC are very likely no strangers to accessories and equipment like these, and very often swear by them.
  
 Anyway, lets not take this thread off topic. But I supported the Geek Pulse kickstarter in part because all the bonus items are interesting to me and I can see them being used in my both my speaker and headfi systems.


----------



## Zoo Animal

ninjahamster said:


> My personal suggestion, though it is not listed on the poll, is that one of the S/PDIF inputs be used as an S/PDIF output. This would allow the Geek Pulse to be used as a USB to S/PDIF converter.
> 
> From all reports of the Resonessence Concero (which, in its "HP" guise is the most similar product available), it can serve as a USB to S/PDIF converter of similar quality to the under $500 dedicated converters.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 +1

 So many people recognize the value proposition/upgrade path with the Concerno in this respect. Realizing they may want to upgrade the DAC section later but will still be able to use it as USB-SPDIF converter. I am surprised more manufactures/designers don't do this at the entry/mid level.


----------



## Sonicmasala

Just ordered mine! Wonder will there be any digital filters? Something along the line of their Duet Mode!


----------



## Sweden

travelfotografe said:


> About the effect of isolation/resonance footers on audio components. Until about a month ago, I thought they are voodoo too, until I tried, and the effect was shocking (in the positive way).
> 
> I currently have a $600 set of footers under my $2k DAC


 
  
 If it works for you good, it's a subjective pleasure we are talking about here after all, but 600 dollar feet for a device that don't have moving part is snake oil if the expression snake oil mean anything.
 I bet dem feet look good though. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 It's because of stuff like this I will never call myself an audiophile. The term comes with too much baggage. It's like feminist.


----------



## blueangel2323

Vibration absorbing feet make sense for vacuum tubes because of microphonics. For SS it's absolute baloney.


----------



## belisk

$600 for feet? and i thought audio fidelity network cables was bad.

what sort of USB chip is being used? if its Tenor, no thank you, i've never seen a Tenor implemented properly

would like to see XMOS


----------



## NinjaHamster

blueangel2323 said:


> Vibration absorbing feet make sense for vacuum tubes because of microphonics. For SS it's absolute baloney.


 
 So, solid state has no vibrations - not only internal, but external - you can just pop one onto a subwoofer with no concern then ?  Transformers don't vibrate ?  Electricity has no mechanical properties ?  Well, rest my soul in the bosom of Abraham.  All the world's ills have just been cured.  It would be wonderful to be an oblivious objectivist.  Cables don't matter as it doesn't make sense that they should (let's ignore the actual "sound" here, I'm reading from a textbook ... a textbook which weighs a lot and is therefore valid - especially from my limited understanding of what it says).  Isn't there a "sound science" forum where these people can "hang out" ?  If you can't hear it - don't buy it ... but if other people can, well ... they spend their money where they perceive it is best spent. Amen.


----------



## germay0653

Just put in my order also. Looking forward to seeing the final product.


----------



## dclaz

Is there much reviews or consensus of the quality of their other GEEK product?


----------



## sbradley02

dclaz said:


> Is there much reviews or consensus of the quality of their other GEEK product?


 
 None have been released.
 This will be the first: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gavn8r/geek-a-new-usb-awesomifier-for-headphones


----------



## rdsu

dclaz said:


> Is there much reviews or consensus of the quality of their other GEEK product?


 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/canjam-rmaf-2013-light-harmonic-geek-out-usb-ampdac
http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/10/11/rmaf-2013-rise-of-the-geek/
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/105#post_9892500
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/120#post_9893177
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/120#post_9894583
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/285#post_9930761


----------



## head-hi

Thanks for doing this thread. I'm in for the $398 bundle.
  
 Please keep us informed as to the feature updates and such.


----------



## digitalzed

dclaz said:


> Is there much reviews or consensus of the quality of their other GEEK product?


 
 Not on Geek products since they haven't been released yet, but the company behind geek is Light Harmonics and they make a very well regarded high end DAC called the DaVinci. So these guys have credibility coming into these projects. Sure, they could not deliver, but I personally think the chance of them delivering a crap product is very low. And some people have heard the prototype of the geek portable DAC have returned positive initial impressions.


----------



## Johnnyhi

belisk said:


> $600 for feet? and i thought audio fidelity network cables was bad.
> 
> what sort of USB chip is being used? if its Tenor, no thank you, i've never seen a Tenor implemented properly
> 
> would like to see XMOS


 
 i think is a TI with Geek custom code/software...  
 TI,XMOS,VIA,C-MEDIA make good chips...


----------



## rdsu

johnnyhi said:


> i think is a TI with Geek custom code/software...


 

 Is XMOS.


----------



## Johnnyhi

rdsu said:


> Is XMOS.


 





 LOL... i thought this was the normal geek/geek out thread.... i see i'm not the only one, Sonicmasala posted on the wrong thread too...


----------



## dclaz

rdsu said:


> http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/canjam-rmaf-2013-light-harmonic-geek-out-usb-ampdac
> http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/10/11/rmaf-2013-rise-of-the-geek/
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/105#post_9892500
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/120#post_9893177
> ...


 
 thanks


----------



## richbass

Is this good for High Impedance HP's  ? 150,250,300 and 600 ohms ? As in, Better and more powerful than E9 ?


----------



## NinjaHamster

It should be able to drive headphones of any impedance and sensitivity, given that there is a gain switch and the headphone amp section puts out 3w of Class A power (probably specced at 16 ohms).


----------



## belisk

lets hope theres at least 1W into 300ohms for our beloved HD800's


----------



## richbass

belisk said:


> lets hope theres at least 1W into 300ohms for our beloved HD800's


 

 If its 3W @ 16 ohms then @ 300 ohms it will be more like 200 mW maybe.


----------



## belisk

richbass said:


> If its 3W @ 16 ohms then @ 300 ohms it will be more like 200 mW maybe.




thats my guess as well


----------



## superachromat

richbass said:


> If its 3W @ 16 ohms then @ 300 ohms it will be more like 200 mW maybe.


 
  
 Will it be "not enough" for the HD800 then?


----------



## NinjaHamster

I think you'll find voltage is more important than current with an transducer at 300 ohms.  It should have more than enough voltage swing to drive the HD-800's, however I'm sure it won't beat a GSX II for instance ... but noone should expect that at the price. Whether it is "good enough" is unknown.  Whether it will drive them properly ... without knowing for sure (as noone has tried the combination, obviously) ... I'd say "yes" - most likely ... and if not, it is $250 at the moment - sell it and move on ...


----------



## vincent215

I want to lower my contribution amount, is there any thing that we can do with it?
 Thanks.


----------



## Ebonyzer

You can contribute any amount you'd like, but you are charged when you make your contribution. I would research which amount you want to contribute before taking action so you can be sure of your decision.


----------



## vincent215

ebonyzer said:


> You can contribute any amount you'd like, but you are charged when you make your contribution. I would research which amount you want to contribute before taking action so you can be sure of your decision.


 
 I did make a contribution on the fist day already, but now I need the money to be relocated some where else so I want to make change to the contribution that I made.


----------



## Asr

I must not be getting something here with the contribution thing. Can someone explain why anyone would contribute for any other reason than to get the product early? Because it sure doesn't look like you save any money:
  

Contribute $398 for the Geek Pulse + Geek Out bundle and get the Pulse for $199 and Out for $199: this adds up to the same price ($800) as the MSRP of the Pulse ($500) + Out ($300) anyway.
Contribute $249 for half off the MSRP: which adds up to exactly the MSRP of the Geek Pulse ($500).
Contribute $299 for 40% off the MSRP: so you end up effectively paying the MSRP anyway, because $299 + $200 = $499.
Contribute $349 for 30% off the MSRP: $349 + $150 = $499, which is the MSRP.
  
 So why should I contribute now when I can just wait until it's out next year? And this whole crowdsourced funding is rubbing me the wrong way as well. They're taking money upfront from people to develop a product before it's out? What if the product never comes out or gets drastically changed? That totally smells of a class-action lawsuit waiting to happen. The site fails to explain why I should give them even $1. It's not like they're a non-profit charity, they're a business! What are they taking money for?


----------



## sorue

Asr, I have completely no idea what you're talking about, and i read what you wrote a few times.


----------



## vincent215

asr said:


> Contribute $398 for the Geek Pulse + Geek Out bundle and get the Pulse for $199 and Out for $199: this adds up to the same price ($800) as the MSRP of the Pulse ($500) + Out ($300) anyway.
> Contribute $249 for *half off the MSRP:* which adds up to exactly the MSRP of the Geek Pulse ($500).
> Contribute $299 for *40% off the MSRP:* so you end up effectively paying the MSRP anyway, because $299 + $200 = $499.
> Contribute $349 for *30% off the MSRP:* $349 + $150 = $499, which is the MSRP.


 
 I think youalready explain yourself: it means that you are looking to buy product at that that discount price. Pay now, get it later, like how it's work with your pension plan: contribute now, the reward comes later.


----------



## gikigill

The $398 is all you pay for the combo and no more. The $249 nets you a Geek Pulse with no extra cost.


----------



## Asr

gikigill said:


> The $398 is all you pay for the combo and no more. The $249 nets you a Geek Pulse with no extra cost.


 
  
 Ok that makes sense, and if that's true, then I totally mis-read their contribution site. Seems like it's more of a pre-order going on then?
  
 I still don't get what it is that people are "contributing" to though, and why I should bother to contribute $1. What are they doing with the $1 and all the other money that they're taking upfront? Why does a company need "contributions" from the consumers that it's selling to? It still just seems really odd to me. Is the Geek Pulse still a prototype or is it in production?
  
 I've just never heard of a company taking this level of money upfront for anything before, and if I were to "contribute" anything I'd sure want to know what they're doing with my money for 6 months!


----------



## gikigill

The $1 is for those who have already ordered the Geek Out. They pledge $1 and contribute $198 to secure a Geek Pulse for themselves. They get a special price of $199. 
The $1 pledge is just to show support.


----------



## FlySweep

From what I can tell.. Light Harmonic builds their most popular (and accomplished) product to date, the Da Vinci DAC, _by hand_.  This is something they're able to do in house due to the cost of the DAC ($30K?) and the smaller/more manageable demand.
  
 They wanted to develop a DAC/amp 'for the masses'.. and something that's much smaller in size.. which means SMD parts and such.. so they need enough 'backers'/capital to make mass production of the Geek products a reality (opposed to building each Geek Out/Pulse unit by hand, in house).  So, the crowd sourcing campaigns' intent is to raise money so they can produce the Geek Out/Pulse in (relatively) large volumes via mass production techniques.
  
 ..or so I gather.


----------



## NinjaHamster

You are almost certainly misreading their contribution site.  Yes - it IS more of a "preorder" thing.  They are using the money to develop the product - it is prototype only at the moment (and when it is in production it will retail for $500).  You get the benefit of a lower price, but assume certain risks - one of which is that the product might never come to fruition.  The company benefits by getting funds to establish tooling etc. up-front.  This is becoming a more common arrangement.  Surely you have heard of "Kickstarter" before ?
  
 Contributions of $1 are just contributions, at the moment a contribution of $249 will get you one of the final products.  Contributions of $50 or $100 get you a "gift card" to purchase the product when it is finally available for (nominally) $349 instead of $500, then MINUS the $50 or $100 you have already contributed.  I promise you, it makes far more sense than you are thinking at the moment.  I'd re-read the website (especially the sidebar on the right) again.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Hi Guyz!
  
 Just sent and been received, our ongoing polls (as of 05-Nov-2013)  to the Geek Pulse Team.
  
 Sorry that we could not edit our poll to reflect various changes/additions.
  
 However we could still convey out thoughts here, or through their IGG page, or directrly thru _geekpulse@lightharmonic.com_
  
 Thanks!


----------



## FraGGleR

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Hi Guyz!
> 
> Just sent and been received, our ongoing polls (as of 05-Nov-2013)  to the Geek Pulse Team.
> 
> ...




Thanks for the efforts! This is one problem with polls, since they cant be changed mid stream. They can end up not reflecting what people really want. This happened with the HifiM8. Somehow a mini xlr was left off of the original choice list for balanced out and it turned out the had it been there a good number of people would have picked it over other choices that ended up going to production.


----------



## Zoo Animal

fraggler said:


> Thanks for the efforts! This is one problem with polls, since they cant be changed mid stream. They can end up not reflecting what people really want. This happened with the HifiM8. Somehow a mini xlr was left off of the original choice list for balanced out and it turned out the had it been there a good number of people would have picked it over other choices that ended up going to production.


 

 They mentioned that they were setting up their own website with polling. They were looking to have it live sometime this week. Hopefully, with a good starting point here, they can flush out what is possible at their price-point and get more accurate results.


----------



## Icenine2

What about the power supply?  Just a wall wart?


----------



## Zoo Animal

I think it's anyones guess at this point. My guess is that it will come standard with a SMPS (wall wart) and you will have the option to upgrade to linear power supply once the campaign has ended and they send out backer kits. Similar to what they did with the small Geek Out and upgrading it to super or super-duper.


----------



## brunk

asr said:


> Ok that makes sense, and if that's true, then I totally mis-read their contribution site. Seems like it's more of a pre-order going on then?
> 
> I still don't get what it is that people are "contributing" to though, and why I should bother to contribute $1. What are they doing with the $1 and all the other money that they're taking upfront? Why does a company need "contributions" from the consumers that it's selling to? It still just seems really odd to me. Is the Geek Pulse still a prototype or is it in production?
> 
> I've just never heard of a company taking this level of money upfront for anything before, and if I were to "contribute" anything I'd sure want to know what they're doing with my money for 6 months!


 
 Yep I agree, which is why I don't "invest" in vaporware. Until the product actually ships out, that's all it is. That may sound harsh, but it is what it is, and going the crowdfunding route from a business such as this is borderline IMO.


----------



## Asr

ninjahamster said:


> You are almost certainly misreading their contribution site.  Yes - it IS more of a "preorder" thing.  They are using the money to develop the product - it is prototype only at the moment (and when it is in production it will retail for $500).  You get the benefit of a lower price, but assume certain risks - one of which is that the product might never come to fruition.  The company benefits by getting funds to establish tooling etc. up-front.  This is becoming a more common arrangement.  Surely you have heard of "Kickstarter" before ?


 
  
 So if "the product might never come to fruition", everyone is effectively funding vaporware, as stated above? That makes absolutely no sense to do and I think I'm going to keep my money until the product is out.
  
 No I've never heard of Kickstarter before, but honestly this whole thing still just seems completely ludicrous to me. If Light Harmonic needs venture capital, there are venture capitalists for that, I don't know what makes them entitled to ask consumers for money and why anyone with a sane mind is giving them hundreds of dollars without knowing for certain that the product will come out next year, or at all.


----------



## jwong

Well, that is the whole point of these types of fund-raising sites... to bypass the venture capitalists. Usually it is for people who have an idea but not the means to bring it to fruition. In this case it is an established company, so I think they certainly could have raised the money in more traditional ways. However, taking the money and not delivering would be corporate suicide for the company and the reputation of its founders, so I wouldn't be overly worried. But those averse to any risk might want to stay away.


----------



## bhazard

asr said:


> So if "the product might never come to fruition", everyone is effectively funding vaporware, as stated above? That makes absolutely no sense to do and I think I'm going to keep my money until the product is out.
> 
> No I've never heard of Kickstarter before, but honestly this whole thing still just seems completely ludicrous to me. If Light Harmonic needs venture capital, there are venture capitalists for that, I don't know what makes them entitled to ask consumers for money and why anyone with a sane mind is giving them hundreds of dollars without knowing for certain that the product will come out next year, or at all.


 
 You have every right to not to back it and eventually pay the $500 retail for the unit if you choose. They are giving an incentive in exchange for early backing.
  
 It is in the best interest of the company to actually deliver a product, and they have done so successfully in the past. How is that ludicrous? Nothing in life is guaranteed.
  
 I applaud having the choice to back them, or decide on paying retail later, instead of having no choice and paying retail. I also applaud the fact that they use backer's input to improve upon the final design. This is how many small start ups will begin, because most "venture capitalists" could care less about such start ups.


----------



## jaywillin

asr said:


> So if "the product might never come to fruition", everyone is effectively funding vaporware, as stated above? That makes absolutely no sense to do and I think I'm going to keep my money until the product is out.
> 
> No I've never heard of Kickstarter before, but honestly this whole thing still just seems completely ludicrous to me. If Light Harmonic needs venture capital, there are venture capitalists for that, I don't know_* what makes them entitled*_ to ask consumers for money and why anyone with a sane mind is giving them hundreds of dollars without knowing for certain that the product will come out next year, or at all.


 
 well its america, and no one is making anyone do anything, no arms being twisted. we all have the option of saying no.
 i can just speak for myself, its kinda fun. i've certainly wasted more money on something fun before.
 hell, one meal for two at a nice restaurant can be more than that.
 now having said that, i would really hate to throw away $300-$400 and not get  product.
 i feel that an established company, who hand builds $30k dac's to order, who is well known in the hi-fi industry,
 and hopes to sell more of them, isn't going to leave a bunch of folks flapping out in the wind.
 i've been wrong before, and some folks have said i'm not quite sane.
 to each his own , and its just for fun, its a hobby, no big deal, just my $.02,


----------



## sbradley02

bhazard said:


> You have every right to not to back it and eventually pay the $500 retail for the unit if you choose. They are giving an incentive in exchange for early backing.
> 
> It is in the best interest of the company to actually deliver a product, and they have done so successfully in the past. How is that ludicrous? Nothing in life is guaranteed.
> 
> I applaud having the choice to back them, or decide on paying retail later, instead of having no choice and paying retail. I also applaud the fact that they use backer's input to improve upon the final design. This is how many small start ups will begin, because most "venture capitalists" could care less about such start ups.


 
 Big +1 to this.
 I have backed a couple of dozen Kickstarters. Of those who have funded none have failed to deliver (being late is common but so far no actual defaults - even in cases where issues arose in production).
 Of course it isn't guaranteed but neither is the stock market. I consider it as an investment (and in fact that is how it is usually presented).


----------



## Zoo Animal

bhazard said:


> You have every right to not to back it and eventually pay the $500 retail for the unit if you choose. They are giving an incentive in exchange for early backing.
> 
> It is in the best interest of the company to actually deliver a product, and they have done so successfully in the past. How is that ludicrous? Nothing in life is guaranteed.
> 
> I applaud having the choice to back them, or decide on paying retail later, instead of having no choice and paying retail. I also applaud the fact that they use backer's input to improve upon the final design. This is how many small start ups will begin, because most "venture capitalists" could care less about such start ups.


 
  
 The ventures capital comes with huge strings, typical majority shares and fingers deep into daily running of the business. Profit motive will always come before quality design in these cases. There are actually very few independent equipment manufactures left around. Many of these have been sold off to venture capital and carry little left of the original product except exterior design, name badge and high retail prices.
  
 Myself, I wouldn't fund every project the comes along through crowd funding but this seems like a natural for audio between gauging support, getting some feedback before production actually begins and keeping original design intent intact. You are directly voting with your dollars without the typical static of funders, distributors and retailers all having their say.


----------



## Asr

Ok I'm starting to understand why some of you have decided to contribute. The counter-arguments are valid and would be compelling but I for one will not give them any money until the Geek Pulse is out next year.


----------



## brunk

asr said:


> Ok I'm starting to understand why some of you have decided to contribute. The counter-arguments are valid and would be compelling but I for one will not give them any money until the Geek Pulse is out next year.


 
 Yep, I'm in the same boat too. and who said you would have to pay retail when it's released? $500 is Light Harmonic's guess at what the customer would be willing to pay, not what we will actually pay. Plus, there's the second-hand market, and there is usually finer revisions from the 1st gen product. There are of course exceptions to these things, but i am in no rush to pre-order a question mark.


----------



## bhazard

What I do like, is that they can possibly provide some heavy competition in an industry that is quite fond of overcharging the customer. There is no reason quality sound can't be affordable.


----------



## brunk

bhazard said:


> What I do like, is that they can possibly provide some heavy competition in an industry that is quite fond of overcharging the customer. There is no reason quality sound can't be affordable.


 
 +1 to that. Out of frustration through all the years and money and effort spent, I have gone DIY to satisfy quality sound that is sanely priced. Knowing i have built it myself too is very rewarding.


----------



## bhazard

brunk said:


> +1 to that. Out of frustration through all the years and money and effort spent, I have gone DIY to satisfy quality sound that is sanely priced. Knowing i have built it myself too is very rewarding.


 
  
 +100
  
 DIY is a progression. I think anyone really into audio does it at some point, and recognizes the rewards.
  
 My build is a good example. Cost me ~$1,000 in parts for my tower speakers, and a few months time of modeling/building whenever I had free time. Exceptional sound. They were measured and tested against brands like Legacy Audio's Focus SE ($10,000), and they destroyed them.
  
 A few weeks ago I found a company which based their speaker design off mine, used a lower quality woofer, used MDF instead of Baltic Birch, and charges $5,000 for the pair. $6,000 with wood baffles. Markup much?


----------



## blueangel2323

^ That's very impressive! But it takes a lot of technical expertise in order to do something like that. Building an amp from a kit that comes with instructions is a bit easier.


----------



## bhazard

blueangel2323 said:


> ^ That's very impressive! But it takes a lot of technical expertise in order to do something like that. Building an amp from a kit that comes with instructions is a bit easier.


 
 Luckily, there are.
  
 Here ya go: 
http://www.diysoundgroup.com/waveguide-speaker-kits.html
  
 Buy parts, buy the flat pack enclosure, glue, screw, and enjoy. It costs 10x the price of these kits or more to achieve the same SQ from a commercial speaker. I think its even easier than a Bottlehead Kit.
  
 Now, run the Geek Pulse into these via a professional audio amp (200-300W per channel), balanced, and things will get awesome very quickly.
  
 Geek Pulse ($199, balanced) -> Behringer INuke1000 ($199, balanced) -> SEOS speaker kit ($300-400 per speaker, Speakon or XLR terminals, balanced) = ~$1,000 reference class system that can hit 115-120db cleanly with ease. A T1, HD800, or LCD-X themselves cost more than that.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

bhazard said:


> Geek Pulse ($199, balanced) -> Behringer INuke1000 ($199, balanced) -> SEOS speaker kit ($300-400 per speaker, Speakon or XLR terminals, balanced) = ~$1,000 reference class system that can hit 115-120db cleanly with ease. A T1, HD800, or LCD-X themselves cost more than that.


 
  
 Let me post what Gavin said a while ago...
  





Gavin Fish said 19 hours ago

 Regarding other Geek Pulse components (such as bluetooth), I’ve updated the FAQ(http://igg.me/at/geekpulseaudio#faq) section of the campaign. While I’m still purposefully being vague, _*I want you all to know that our plan is to build a complete audio system out of components. More will be announced in the next week or so.*_


  
 What your hoping might not be that far after all.
 Hoping for a Linear Power Supply, I will need that for the Pulse.


----------



## bhazard

As long as they don't overshoot with too many projects, keep the quality high, and keep prices affordable, I keep my interest.


----------



## digitalzed

200k will be no sweat. Hope they can hit 500k. Should mean maximum feature inclusion and the battery pack.


----------



## vincent215

digitalzed said:


> 200k will be no sweat. Hope they can hit 500k. Should mean maximum feature inclusion and the battery pack.


 
 I dont have so much hope for 500k, and 300k to get a bumper was quite of useless for me.


----------



## zenpunk

New investor here so keeping an eye on that thread.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

And we have the usb cable!


----------



## Mihis

Hiya all.
  
 I checked the geek out and geek pulse box couple days ago. Massive wait for them to actually land on my doorsteps, but hey, that's entertainment!
  
 I think there is no question about their capability to deliver their promises. SQ is the only issue that's seriously open I think. Is it as good as they claim or just on par with other similarly prices stuff. Time will tell. And it's subjective so...


----------



## Zoo Animal

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> And we have the usb cable!


 
 I am as curious about the cable as the dac. The LH senior cable is well received, a blue moon award and thumbs up from nearly every reviewer. Most of the reviews mention "different" and "excellent", whatever this means. The bottom line...I don't have 1K for a usb cable but hoping this junior model has some of that goodness.


----------



## flipper2gv

asr said:


> So if "the product might never come to fruition", everyone is effectively funding vaporware, as stated above? That makes absolutely no sense to do and I think I'm going to keep my money until the product is out.
> 
> No I've never heard of Kickstarter before, but honestly this whole thing still just seems completely ludicrous to me. If Light Harmonic needs venture capital, there are venture capitalists for that, I don't know what makes them entitled to ask consumers for money and why anyone with a sane mind is giving them hundreds of dollars without knowing for certain that the product will come out next year, or at all.


 
 It's also marketing. It creates hype. The fact that their project took 10 hours to reach their funding minimum is/will be talked around technology websites. People waiting for the product talks about it to their friends and such. It's a GREAT way to start a medium sized project. It's useless for bigger things, and not very appealing for small projects, but for things like these, it's perfect.


----------



## superachromat

ninjahamster said:


> I think you'll find voltage is more important than current with an transducer at 300 ohms.  It should have more than enough voltage swing to drive the HD-800's, however I'm sure it won't beat a GSX II for instance ... but noone should expect that at the price. Whether it is "good enough" is unknown.  Whether it will drive them properly ... without knowing for sure (as noone has tried the combination, obviously) ... I'd say "yes" - most likely ... and if not, it is $250 at the moment - sell it and move on ...


 
  
 Ar yes. You are right. At the end of the day, its around $250 and can be sold in the 2nd hand market easily. Maybe I shall move on for the pledge too.


----------



## dclaz

I just commited to one. Going to be a nice surprise when I get it in the mail sometime next year


----------



## eliwankenobi

Hopefully it will cone in time for my birthday!!


----------



## NinjaHamster

eliwankenobi said:


> Hopefully it will cone in time for my birthday!!


 
 Well, have a "cone" for me, if it does !!


----------



## eliwankenobi

ninjahamster said:


> Well, have a "cone" for me, if it does !!




Lol !


----------



## sbradley02

I am guessing that with the Pulse my Musical Fidelity V-Link will be obsolete.
 However will probably keep it as that will allow me to use the Pulse to switch between two USB sources rather than having to use a USB switcher. One source is my laptop (music) the other is a video conferencing unit. The question will then be, would it be better to use the straight USB in for the laptop or would it not matter?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

*UPDATE:*
  
 LH Labs will be formally announcing the first milestone of product specification changes. Stay tuned.
  
 





Larry Ho said 1 day ago
 Hi, everyone.
 Thanks a lot for all your opinions and feedbacks.
 We had few product meetings already and will continue to discuss in next few days. After that, we will formally announce the first milestone of product specification changes.
 Enjoy!
 Larry


----------



## eliwankenobi

Do we know when exactly? I'm guessing not gonna happen this week


----------



## one-eyed-xander

OK I'm in.
  
 Hesitated too long to get in on the Super Early perk, but it's still looking like a pretty good deal on a very nice piece of kit.
  
 Now, assuming there's a balanced output, what amplifier to go with it? V181? Mjolnir? BHA-1? NFB10? Something else? Too early to say?
  
 [Edit: s/Gungnir/Mjolnir/ ]


----------



## NinjaHamster

Too early to say, but the Gungnir is the worst amplifier I've ever heard ... the Mjolnir is much better ...


----------



## sling5s

ninjahamster said:


> Too early to say, but the Gungnir is the worst amplifier I've ever heard ... the Mjolnir is much better ...


 
 you mean dad?  You may just not like Schiit's house sound.  It's either on the thin side or bright side.  Maybe except for the Lyr.


----------



## NinjaHamster

sling5s said:


> you mean dad?  You may just not like Schiit's house sound.  It's either on the thin side or bright side.  Maybe except for the Lyr.


 
 LOL - Yes (well, I meant DAC - not dad), I was just being silly as one-eyed xander had mixed up the Gungnir with the Mjolnir - easy enough to do with those Norse names !!  The Gungnir would make a bad amplifier.  No, I love all of Schiit's amplifiers that I have heard - I haven't actually heard any of their DAC's yet.  Love the Lyr !!


----------



## sling5s

ninjahamster said:


> LOL - Yes (well, I meant DAC - not dad), I was just being silly as one-eyed xander had mixed up the Gungnir with the Mjolnir - easy enough to do with those Norse names !!  The Gungnir would make a bad amplifier.  No, I love all of Schiit's amplifiers that I have heard - I haven't actually heard any of their DAC's yet.  Love the Lyr !!


 
 I was sure I wrote Dac not dad?  LOL.


----------



## ylingf

I would love to see the volume being displayed and be able to control with volume and switch inputs using something like a Apple remote.  It will make the product more versatile in other usage scenarios, such as driving active speakers like Linkwitz Orion/LX521 or JohnK's Note II RS.


----------



## Sopp

Update
 
*Changes & Updates to Geek Pulse*
 This is not a final list of changes, this is just what we can commit to right now.

 1. We're removing the decorative "V" on the front panel.
 2. We're changing from a glossy acrylic front panel to a metal one.
 3. We're changing the volume control buttons to a large control knob.
 4. We're adding informative LED's to the front panel to display sample rates, etc.
 5. We're adding a gain switch so all ya'll with IEM's won't blow your ear drums out. We're thinking three positions: 3 W, 1 W, and 100 mW.
 6. The headphone output and the line output will have discrete analog circuits.
  
*Geek Blue - A Bluetooth Stage that is Rad*
 This idea came from you! Geek Blue is a Bluetooth 4.0 stage so you can stream your music right into Geek Pulse.


----------



## vincent215

sopp said:


> Update
> 
> *Changes & Updates to Geek Pulse*
> This is not a final list of changes, this is just what we can commit to right now.
> ...


 
 Light Harmonic becomes ambitious and overwhelmed. They expand into new areas so quick. I both have good and bad feeling about this.
 Good marketing strategy though.


----------



## dclaz

I'd probably grab the Blue to muck around with, but an additional $40 in shipping is a dealbreaker


----------



## vincent215

dclaz said:


> I'd probably grab the Blue to muck around with, but an additional $40 in shipping is a dealbreaker


 
 I think if you are already paid for the international shipping for the Geek Pulse, you shouldn't have to paid it again. 
 Contact with LH team to have these ship together should avoid paying shipping fees twice.
 LH is not good with return payment, though.


----------



## dclaz

vincent215 said:


> I think if you are already paid for the international shipping for the Geek Pulse, you shouldn't have to paid it again.
> Contact with LH team to have these ship together should avoid paying shipping fees twice.
> LH is not good with return payment, though.


 
 Indeed, I'll try contact them and see what can be arranged.


----------



## digitalzed

vincent215 said:


> LH is not good with return payment, though.


 
 I don't think this has as much to do with LH as it does the rules the programs their doing funding through. But it sure couldn't hurt to ask to ship product together to help save on shipping.


----------



## bhazard

I would need to know the difference between the Blue and a device like this (or one with optical out), which are 1/4th the price. $160 seems a bit high.
http://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Saturn-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Incoporated/dp/B0085HOM4K


----------



## vincent215

bhazard said:


> I would need to know the difference between the Blue and a device like this (or one with optical out), which are 1/4th the price. $160 seems a bit high.
> http://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Saturn-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Incoporated/dp/B0085HOM4K


 
 It's the technology that Gavin mention, bluetooth 4.0 allows better audio quality transmit, plus they have balance out, which will use the Geek Pulse Dac to process data.
 Besides, they also include their low noise patent stuff. 


digitalzed said:


> I don't think this has as much to do with LH as it does the rules the programs their doing funding through. But it sure couldn't hurt to ask to ship product together to help save on shipping.


 
 yeah, I prefer Kick Starter over Indiegogo. Why do they switch anyway?


----------



## digitalzed

vincent215 said:


> It's the technology that Gavin mention, bluetooth 4.0 allows better audio quality transmit, plus they have balance out, which will use the Geek Pulse Dac to process data.
> Besides, they also include their low noise patent stuff.
> yeah, I prefer Kick Starter over Indiegogo. Why do they switch anyway?


 
 Gavin explained that Kickstarter would not allow them to do another project so close from Geek Out. It's Kickstarter rules. So they went to Indiegogo because they didn't want to wait.


----------



## bhazard

vincent215 said:


> It's the technology that Gavin mention, bluetooth 4.0 allows better audio quality transmit, plus they have balance out, which will use the Geek Pulse Dac to process data.
> Besides, they also include their low noise patent stuff.


 
 You don't seem to understand how Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX works.
 The device I listed for $39 also has BT 4.0 and aptX. There is no balanced out via the Bluetooth stage.
 A BT4.0 receiver with an optical (or coaxial?) output would input the same digital signal into the Geek for a lot less than $169-249.
 The jitter correction is minimally noticed, and doesn't warrant the extra price (to me anyway).


----------



## Zoo Animal

bhazard said:


> I would need to know the difference between the Blue and a device like this (or one with optical out), which are 1/4th the price. $160 seems a bit high.
> http://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Saturn-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Incoporated/dp/B0085HOM4K


 
  
 I don't think this is for me. I could see it for non-audiophile but music loving friends where convenience, no cords, and stuffing this out of site are more important than ultimate sound quality.
  
 When I heard they were working on a streamer, I was hoping for something more like the SOTM mini-server or Beaglebone Black/MPD server. 

http://www.sonore.us/SOtM1.html

 http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/533-geek-speak-how-build-beaglebone-black-mpd-music-server/


----------



## vincent215

bhazard said:


> You don't seem to understand how Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX works.


 
 Yes, I dont understand it. I repeat what Gavin said in the video though.


----------



## NinjaHamster

vincent215 said:


> Yes, I dont understand it. I repeat what Gavin said in the video though.


 
 I can't remember Gavin saying the Blue has "balanced output".


----------



## vincent215

ninjahamster said:


> I can't remember Gavin saying the Blue has "balanced output".


 
 Sorry, confused with Geek Pulse balanced output. But there is Digital Out.
  
*Geek Blue*
Input

Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX

 
Outputs

Analog Line Out: Single-ended, gold plated RCA
 Digital Out: RCA SPDIF

 
Super Quiet DC Power Circuit

Da Vinci DAC-based super regulated DC power circuit

 
Jitter Removal Technology

Patent Pending: 3L buffer by Light Harmonic
 Dual loop re-clock


----------



## NinjaHamster

Cool.  But let's not forget that the Pulse itself doesn't even have a "balanced output" yet ... it is under consideration - they are trying to figure out a way to include it ... not yet a "done deal" by any means !


----------



## JWahl

I think the riskiest part would be the rare situation that happened to the Sicphones project, where the key feature, the Silicon Carbide transistors, had to be changed at the last minute due to their supplier going belly up.  No fault of there own though.  I'm gonna keep a close eye on this one, could be an interesting budget alternative to something like the Concero I once owned.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

*Larry Ho's argument on ES9018M and Geek Blue*
  




Larry Ho said 3 hours ago
 Few quick answers:
 1. ES9018M has balance output (pos and neg) and have some good features I like for Geek Out (can go stand by mode) and THD compensation. And as you will see in our testing results for THD+N, ES9018M is really a good fit here.
 2. In Bluetooth standard, the highest sampling rate is 48K/44.1K.
 3. Yes. Mac OS has the ATPX codec implemented which will improve the sound quality significantly.
 Larry



  



Larry Ho said 3 hours ago
 Well… Geek Blue’s target is to let more smart phone users could start enjoy the best sound quality. It’s a not easy approach, but we have the determination to bring more and more people into our world.
 Larry


----------



## NinjaHamster

I am more than happy with the 9018M, so I hope he "sticks to his guns" here.  The Blue doesn't interest me at all, but that's fine too.  The airplay module might interest me - I'm not sure.  Get the Geek Pulse right, then move on to the next thing.  I wish I had a turntable.  The Phono stage has some great (cheap) competition in the IFI Phono.  Provided they don't "over extend" themselves by trying to expand too quickly, I'm sure they'll do very well.  But self-interest prevails ... they need to make the Geek Pulse all that it can be ... then they'll have garnered good will and will have established themselves at the lower end of the market ... we'll see what comes next.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thank you for your votes/suggestions. Just to recap so far what we have...
  
*Updated Features:*

Removed decorative "V" on the front panel.
Changed from a glossy acrylic front panel to metal.
A large volume control knob (controls both headphone and line out).
Informative LED's to the front panel to display sample rates, etc.
Gain switch, three positions: High (3W) Medium (1W) Low(100mW).
Headphone Mute
3D Awesomifier On/Off
Input Selection
The headphone output and the line output will have discrete analog circuits.
 ​
*In development (and continually taking other suggestions):*

Balanced output - On process


----------



## NinjaHamster

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Thank you for your votes/suggestions. Just to recap so far what we have...
> 
> *Updated Features:*
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yep - they're all new ... apart from the 3d Awesomifier On/Off and Input Selection, which were always part of the original specs - they haven't been updated at all (can you really imagine a multi input device with no ability to select between the inputs - LOL).


----------



## gikigill

Anyone else getting a poor response over email from Light Harmonic. Enquiries about a bundled purchase of all three items and postage have been met with canned responses or silence.


----------



## FraGGleR

Patience. They are a small company that is juggling 2 big projects. The CEO has been answering my emails, but I have had to wait multiple days for responses.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

ninjahamster said:


> Yep - they're all new ... apart from the 3d Awesomifier On/Off and Input Selection, which were always part of the original specs - they haven't been updated at all (can you really imagine a multi input device with no ability to select between the inputs - LOL).


 
 Yep you're right!....I'll edit it..


----------



## Larry Ho

gikigill said:


> Anyone else getting a poor response over email from Light Harmonic. Enquiries about a bundled purchase of all three items and postage have been met with canned responses or silence.


 
 Hi, Gikgill
  
 Sorry for our late response, we are making a much better web forum system for backers like you to put questions there.
 Individual emails really kill us... 
  
 Answering your question, we could do combined shipping, but the cost of shipping international for you will remain the same after we checked with shipping company. Since we will pack individual 
 very well and the weight is the same even if we combined all together, their rate is the same.  So $40 for Geek Pulse, another $40 for Geek Blue, and $20 for Geek Out. Sorry about that.
  
 Cheers,
  
 Larry


----------



## gikigill

Thanks Larry, putting my order shortly.


----------



## Larry Ho

Our new forum web site is online now!
  
 Welcome to post there... www.LHLabs.com
  
 Thanks,
  
 Larry


----------



## germay0653

larry ho said:


> Our new forum web site is online now!
> 
> Welcome to post there... www.LHLabs.com
> 
> ...


 

 Hi Larry,
  
 I registered and got a link in an email to activate my account but when I clink the link I get a "403 - Access forbidden".  Is there a problem with authentication to the site?
  
 Thanks,
 Gery


----------



## dclaz

germay0653 said:


> Hi Larry,
> 
> I registered and got a link in an email to activate my account but when I clink the link I get a "403 - Access forbidden".  Is there a problem with authentication to the site?
> 
> ...


 
 Same issue here.


----------



## FraGGleR

No problems when I signed up.


----------



## vincent215

germay0653 said:


> Hi Larry,
> 
> I registered and got a link in an email to activate my account but when I clink the link I get a "403 - Access forbidden".  Is there a problem with authentication to the site?
> 
> ...


 
 I signed up and received activation email after 8-9 hours and get the same problem when click on the verification link


----------



## Mihis

I guess there is a reason why it's beta
  
 I signed in without bigger trouble and verification came instantly. I think I came in during low traffic.


----------



## Zoo Animal

I get the 403 error with Chrome. You may want to try a different browser.


----------



## zenpunk

Same error message here, using Safari.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Has anyone actually listened to these? I'm very tempted to buy them but considering the fact that it hasn't exactly come out yet makes me a bit doubtful. For example, how would it compare to the resonessence concero?


----------



## eliwankenobi

Nobody has listened to it... but considering the company's reputation and progress they've made with these products, there is no reason why they should not deliver and no reason why they should not sound just as good as the Concero.


----------



## Zoo Animal

rdsu said:


> http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/canjam-rmaf-2013-light-harmonic-geek-out-usb-ampdac
> http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/10/11/rmaf-2013-rise-of-the-geek/
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/105#post_9892500
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/120#post_9893177
> ...


 

 There are some listening impressions here that rdsu posted


 Also, Zen Punk - I cleared the cookies from Chrome and was able to get in with that browser without the error page.


----------



## germay0653

zoo animal said:


> I get the 403 error with Chrome. You may want to try a different browser.


 

 I've tried Chrome, IE and Firefox all with the same result!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Try clearing your browser cache.
  
 If problem exist i suggest post your problem in IGG or PM any Geek team members.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Try clearing your browser cache.
> 
> If problem exist i suggest post your problem in IGG or PM any Geek team members.


 
 Tried that too.  I'll try PMing Larry!


----------



## vincent215

Do you notice that they have the option to pledge for get the LightSpeed cable?
  
MSRP is set at $99 (1 meter), $139 (2 meter), $169 (3 meter), and $219 (5 meter). Backers of our campaign can add-on LightSpeed Jr. at 40% off of retail prices.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So I was looking at the bundle that you can buy for $398 and I was wondering which version of the geek out you get.


----------



## superachromat

dclaz said:


> Same issue here.


 
  
 Me too~


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

For those who have problems on activating their account on LH Labs. 

They have removed the activation process. You can login directly after registering.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For those who have problems on activating their account on LH Labs.
> 
> They have removed the activation process. You can login directly after registering.


 

 Thanks m-i-c-k-e-y!  Larry sent me the same info and I was able to login just fine!


----------



## SaLX

Glad to see they dropped the 1980's decorative "V" on the front panel - slight whiff of Van Halen.
  
 Highly intrigued by this product - very promising. Glad you've got a Toslink in there which leads me to ask - any thoughts on whether the Geek might work well with 2 channel surround-sound gaming on PC and Consoles?
  
 Anyway, best of luck with this.


----------



## Spadge

vincent215 said:


> [COLOR=222222]Do you notice that they have the option to pledge for get the LightSpeed cable?[/COLOR]
> 
> [COLOR=222222]MSRP is set at $99 (1 meter), $139 (2 meter), $169 (3 meter), and $219 (5 meter). Backers of our campaign can add-on LightSpeed Jr. at 40% off of retail prices.[/COLOR]




I'm not sure I understand the exact nature of 'Stretch Goals'... but I think because the funding has passed $200k everyone who has chosen the Geek Pulse reward will get a free lightspeed Jr?

EDIT: Confirmed on the Campaign Page


> *Do I Get LightSpeed Jr. for Free?*
> Yes! Because we achieved our stretch goal of $200,000, everybody gets a 1 meter LightSpeed Jr. USB Cable for free. But just in case you wanted another one (maybe you want a different length), we're offering it as an add-on, too.





Paul


----------



## brunk

salx said:


> Glad to see they dropped the 1980's decorative "V" on the front panel - slight whiff of Van Halen.


 
 Not only that, but it reeks of a lawsuit from V-Moda


----------



## germay0653

brunk said:


> Not only that, but it reeks of a lawsuit from V-Moda


 





  
  
 Which came first, the Da Vinci DAC (actual shape of the corner of the case is that V) or V-Moda and is there a copyright on the logo? Actually, it's a moot point since LH is not using the V logo anymore.


----------



## Greggo

Do we know for sure yet about the option for variable line level output on back of chassis?  Why on earth go fixed if you have an analog input back there?  Are most customers looking to integrate into an already acquired stereo system of separate components, or would most be looking to have a computer sourced "do it all" that is DAC, headphone amp, and preamp that directly drives active speakers (lots of good active monitors out there...) or a plain power amp driving passive speakers?  Even if I had a current component set up, I would go in the latter direction.... And if Geek is playing to the new generation crowd, this has to be the dominant thinking?  (I am an old guy, so I ask the question since I don't rep).  Anyways, I am really close to pulling the trigger on the Pulse, but I hate the idea of not being able to build my main speaker rig around this as simply as possible.
  
 Hey, if I am going to "pick really good ones" for computer speakers, the trend seems to be moving away from volume controls on front of speakers.  But then again, I like the idea of "really good active studio monitors" much more than computer speakers.
  
 Greg Jensen


----------



## NinjaHamster

Yes, it has variable line out (though I think on the specs list it in the first page it still says it is fixed at 4v).  This was one of the changes to design they announced.
  
 EDIT: Wait, I had to search for it (as I knew I'd read it), but it is not on their "list of changes".  Larry Ho, the lead designer, covered it in a response buried within the comments section, where he said:
  
Larry Ho said 5 days ago
 HI, Benjamin Cheong
 Yes. Volume Control will have effects on both headphone output and line out.
 Larry


----------



## Greggo

NinjaHamster,  thanks for digging that up for me.  I tried searching and couldn't find anything… but of course, I will feel a lot better when the LHS folks update the web pages to reflect exactly where things are at, maybe even including a final decision around the XLR, mini XLR, RCA and headphone jacks.  Either way, this Pulse looks very interesting and is currently the front runner for me, though I am still considering Emotiva Stealth dc-1, Yulong D18 and Schiit Bitfrost/Asgard2 as contenders… need to make up my mind soon.


----------



## jaywillin

greggo said:


> NinjaHamster,  thanks for digging that up for me.  I tried searching and couldn't find anything… but of course, I will feel a lot better when the LHS folks update the web pages to reflect exactly where things are at, maybe even including a final decision around the XLR, mini XLR, RCA and headphone jacks.  Either way, this Pulse looks very interesting and is currently the front runner for me, though I am still considering_* Emotiva Stealth dc-1*_, Yulong D18 and _*Schiit Bitfrost/Asgard2 *_as contenders… need to make up my mind soon.


 
 i have the bifrost and the lyr. they are super, and an asgard that'll be here sometime today, to see if i like it better for my newly aquired LCD2.2's
 i actually visited the kind folks at Emotiva yesterday, very nice folks, gave me a quick little tour, listened to the stealth dac, a couple of the stealth monitors
 had a blast !!
 now having said all that, i'm a backer of the geek out, and pulse, what if the pulse/out makes my bifrost, explorer , LD 1+ , lyr/asgard2 expendable , i might be having a big sale ! lol


----------



## Argybargy

Any indications from LH of what a redesigned non-V-Moda front panel might look like?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Just learned that Geek Pulse has three (3) TCXO clocks:
  
We will have 3X clock inside Geek Pulse as well. Still TCXO in very good grade. Made in Japan.

Larry


----------



## Johnnyhi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Just learned that Geek Pulse has three (3) TCXO clocks:
> 
> We will have 3X clock inside Geek Pulse as well. Still TCXO in very good grade. Made in Japan.
> 
> Larry


 
 1 for each input.?


----------



## Currawong

Usually there is one clock for multiples of 44.1 and 48 kHz respectively. Not sure why there would be three though, but I'm sure we'll get an explanation about that eventually.


----------



## NinjaHamster

currawong said:


> Usually there is one clock for multiples of 44.1 and 48 kHz respectively. Not sure why there would be three though, but I'm sure we'll get an explanation about that eventually.


 
  
_our Triple (3X) Clock architecture divides the tasks usually handled by one clock among three clocks — one for 44.1K audio, a second for 48K audio, and a third for USB signal transmission_


----------



## eliwankenobi

Larry Ho commented on the lhlabs forum the following:

For Geek Pulse Balance, I think mono-mono ES9018K-2M will be even better.

ES9018 is a nice chip, but need quite a lot (or could I say too much) dedicated care for power supply and analog stage.
The overall implementation especially analog stage will occupy too much space for Geek Pulse.

Again, don't judge the performance by SNR or THD or DR numbers only. ES9018M sounds very good to me after some good tweaks.

Cheers

Larry


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

eliwankenobi said:


> Larry Ho commented on the lhlabs forum the following:
> 
> For Geek Pulse Balance, I think mono-mono ES9018K-2M will be even better.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice right? I hope they materialize it. And hopefully an upgrade option.
  
 Would get it in a heartbeat.


----------



## eliwankenobi

No, no upgrade... I'm hoping it is the pulse we will all get... Also make the performance gap between this and the geek out that much bigger!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

HA HA HA!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 If that is the case it will be an early Christmas treat for me!


----------



## NinjaHamster

Well, a LATE Christmas present for you ...


----------



## eliwankenobi

A great present for everyone!!
  
 This and the hope to reach the stretch goal for the battery pack... come one people jump in!!


----------



## uncola

Excited for this as a dac.  The only thing I don't get is the smps wall wart.. isn't that only for super low end cheap stuff?


----------



## NinjaHamster

uncola said:


> Excited for this as a dac.  The only thing I don't get is the smps wall wart.. isn't that only for super low end cheap stuff?


 
 Almost as bad as using USB for power ?  
  
 http://resonessencelabs.com/concero/
  
 There are many ways to skin a cat.
  
 There is a linear P/S coming.  They may also sell an SLA battery as an option.


----------



## Zoo Animal

SMPS is pretty common for that price point, whether it is internal or an external type. Schiit Bifrost and Peachtree DAC IT are in the same.
 Cool that they will be offering an in-house/optimized LPS as an option for it though.


----------



## uncola

Well I hopped on this at the early bird price.  You'd think with how many hours I browse head-fi every day, I'd have known about this early enough to get into super early bird but I guess you can't read every thread   Main thing that drew me to it is the positive reaction to the geek out in the head-fi meet threads and the emphasis on having a good usb input, since that's my input of choice.  Also supporting every bitrate and dsd, I feel like that's what I need to upgrade from my hifimediy dac which seems to do everything I need it to.  
  
 I guess having the external PSU is a good choice because they can use a smaller enclosure with less heat generated by the psu being inside and that saves money for other components


----------



## Joamonte

Hey guys,

Would like to know does geek pulse accept DSD DoP over the SPDIF connection...?


----------



## eliwankenobi

joamonte said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Would like to know does geek pulse accept DSD DoP over the SPDIF connection...?


 
 No, only USB.
 



Larry Ho said 21 hours ago
  @Dave
 We will only accept DoP via USB.
 Thanks,
 Larry


----------



## Joamonte

Sigh...it would really become a giant killer if it does.,too bad.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

More on USB receiver of Pulse:
  

 _LH,

 What USB receiver is being used in the Geek Pulse? Is it XMOS and are you using the Thesycon driver?

 Thanks,

 Gery_


 It's XMOS. And Yes, we will use Theyscon Windows Driver.

 Larry


  
 Lead Engineer/ LH Labs


----------



## earfonia

Ordered!  Waiting patiently 
  
 I guess Geek Pulse doesn't need the USB power from the computer right?  Is it possible to add a small switch to disconnect the USB power from the computer?  Or maybe just disconnect the USB power pin permanently since they are not required for Geek Pulse to operate?
  
 Some people said it will lower the noise hence improves the sound quality.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

To confirm your statement, in the LH Labs forum Larry indeed said that Geek Pulse doesn't require power from USB for operation. It uses its grounding though. 

The only time it uses the 5v is during its handshake operation.

Larry suggested a DIY switch to cut off power after handshake.


----------



## earfonia

In that case, maybe a relay, controlled by the system to cut off the usb power would be better  
Whenever the dac need a handshake, the system set the relay to connect the usb power, and disconnect when no longer required.


----------



## eliwankenobi

The stretch goals have changed now. 
  
Stretch Goals 
(top) We've changed the $350,000 and $500,000 stretch goals according to your requests. Thanks Geek Force!


----------



## uzi

eliwankenobi said:


> The stretch goals have changed now.


 
 How have they changed?  I thought that's what they already were.


----------



## fuzzyash

uzi said:


> How have they changed?  I thought that's what they already were.


 
 used to be anti vibration feet and power supply for the top 2 stretch goals


----------



## eliwankenobi

fuzzyash said:


> used to be anti vibration feet and power supply for the top 2 stretch goals


 
 Not power supply but a battery pack...
  
 Still, a second year warranty is nice...but I don't feel it should be something that merits to be on a stretch goal.. If you feel confident in that your product will work good for at least two years.. then you just do it and don't ask more money for it.
  
 I was really looking forward for the usb cable, and like the spdif out idea... but I'm not super excited to get a second yr warranty. Shouldn't it be something one is looking forward to?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I need my battery pack back!  Please.....


----------



## digitalzed

eliwankenobi said:


> Not power supply but a battery pack...
> 
> Still, a second year warranty is nice...but I don't feel it should be something that merits to be on a stretch goal.. If you feel confident in that your product will work good for at least two years.. then you just do it and don't ask more money for it.
> 
> I was really looking forward for the usb cable, and like the spdif out idea... but I'm not super excited to get a second yr warranty. Shouldn't it be something one is looking forward to?


 
 +1. I don't think an additional year warranty is worth adding as a stretch goal. SPDIF and battery pack, please.


----------



## frank2908

I think they will offer the battery pack as an option, therefore its removed and since ppl who ordered the geek pulse will likel to buy it, they will increase the raising money


----------



## Larry Ho

frank2908 said:


> I think they will offer the battery pack as an option, therefore its removed and since ppl who ordered the geek pulse will likel to buy it, they will increase the raising money


 
  
 Hi, we remove that because there are a lot of people need 'linear power supply' rather than battery pack.
 And we are finalizing the linear power supply part as a good option which could provide the DC power with
 noise feature lower than SLA battery.  
  
 Stay tuned.
  
 Larry


----------



## eliwankenobi

Larry

Why not have the power supply as a bigger stretch goal?


----------



## frank2908

H





larry ho said:


> Hi, we remove that because there are a lot of people need 'linear power supply' rather than battery pack.
> And we are finalizing the linear power supply part as a good option which could provide the DC power with
> noise feature lower than SLA battery.
> 
> ...



Hi Larry,
If you can make the linear power supply unit small enough, can you make a switch for 5 vdc and an optional cable for thegeek out? That woud make a killer transportable system too.


----------



## Larry Ho

frank2908 said:


> H
> Hi Larry,
> If you can make the linear power supply unit small enough, can you make a switch for 5 vdc and an optional cable for thegeek out? That woud make a killer transportable system too.


 
  
 Great idea. Why not?   Maybe I could leave a 5V power-only output connector in the front and 12V DC in the back. Let them both have power on the same time.
  
 The cost will somehow higher, but you are right. It will help Geek Out users! 
  
 Let me think and plan more, but the possibility is 90% here.  
  
  
 Larry


----------



## germay0653

larry ho said:


> Hi, we remove that because there are a lot of people need 'linear power supply' rather than battery pack.
> And we are finalizing the linear power supply part as a good option which could provide the DC power with
> noise feature lower than SLA battery.
> 
> ...


 

 I like the idea of a LPS!  Hopefully, it will be competitively priced.  What's the amperage rating for the 12V power  on the Pulse?


----------



## dclaz

What would people be using the digital out for?


----------



## Johnnyhi

dclaz said:


> What would people be using the digital out for?


 
 Beats me... i think they should raise it to 1,000,000


----------



## Zoo Animal

dclaz said:


> What would people be using the digital out for?


 

 For a transport/usb-spdif convertor 

 You could use the Pulse to use either with an existing DAC that has no or poor USB implementation, or future proof a little and relegate the Pulse to transport duties if you purchase an upper level dac which needs better usb.


----------



## dclaz

zoo animal said:


> For a transport/usb-spdif convertor
> 
> You could use the Pulse to use either with an existing DAC that has no or poor USB implementation, or future proof a little and relegate the Pulse to transport duties if you purchase an upper level dac which needs better usb.


 
 rightio, makes sense.


----------



## vincent215

> What is Geek Pulse X?
> (top) Geek Pulse X is a balanced version of Geek Pulse. The differences between the two on the outside are easy to spot. On the front panel, instead of a standard 1/4” stereo headphone jack, you’ll find a 4-pin balanced output. On the back panel, you’ll find two XLR outputs, one AES digital input, one RCA digital input, and one TOSLINK input. But these external differences only scratch the surface of the design change inside.
> In order to accomplish a true balanced design, we have to nearly double the internal components, including the DAC IC and the analog signal amplifiers. This means that Geek Pulse X uses a dual mono (sometimes called “mono-mono") design. There are other internal component upgrades as well. Geek Pulse X will employ Nichicon Muse capacitors in the decoupling stage, and the analog stage will feature a dual mono, high-bias class A module with high-precision, non inductive Caddock resistors. This is all geek-speak for “this sucker’s bad to the bone.”
> *Should I Choose Geek Pulse or Geek Pulse X?*
> ...


 
 
New output, but power remain the the same. The Geek Pulse X seems to be expensive for me.


----------



## dclaz

I read that as the Geek Pulse X having NO USB input?
  
 As much as I want balanced outputs, I'm not sure its worth the extra cash? At least for me - I'd still want unbalanced outputs too.


----------



## Joamonte

I don't understand, so now Geek pulse not XLR out? We need to buy Pulse X at 3 time more price if we want balance out??

And Larry, why is it not possible to add the DSD DoP SPDIF input? It is the design group do not have the technology to do it?


----------



## Sopp

I hope they are not going to downgrade the Geek Pulse. LH labs said the internal circuit of Geek Pulse was fully balanced from beginning all the way before headphone driver. The announcement of Geek Pulse X makes me think that they will do balance only on the X.


----------



## sorue

Quite a bitter pill to swallow, this topping up business. Balanced output only without any unbalanced out is a bad idea, it gives us less versatility. Yet we have to pay extra money? Doesn't make any sense to me. If they want to do balanced, then have both balanced AND unbalanced. Then the extra cost would be justified properly.
  
There's no other dacs around that have balanced out only, without unbalanced. Why break this trend (in a bad way)? I get that the balanced version costs more, parts-wise, fine. Just don't take away the unbalanced connectivity while they're at it. Quite disappointed, to say the least.


----------



## Greed

sorue said:


> Quite a bitter pill to swallow, this topping up business. Balanced output only without any unbalanced out is a bad idea, it gives us less versatility. Yet we have to pay extra money? Doesn't make any sense to me. If they want to do balanced, then have both balanced AND unbalanced. Then the extra cost would be justified properly.
> 
> There's no other dacs around that have balanced out only, without unbalanced. Why break this trend (in a bad way)? I get that the balanced version costs more, parts-wise, fine. Just don't take away the unbalanced connectivity while they're at it. Quite disappointed, to say the least.


 
  
 100% agree. I'm a bit uneasy now about my investment. I was under the impression that the overall design was finalized and that the quality of this product was the highest possible (with value in mind of course). I now feel LH is taking advantage of how big this movement has become... not liking the direction LH is going with this product line.


----------



## vincent215

The Geek Oulse's enclosure size is small. How many parts can it fit?
 I dont mind the size a bit bigger so that it has more features. For $500, I would have just bought a Cectrance M8, if I want to drive my headphone balance.


----------



## frank2908

greed said:


> 100% agree. I'm a bit uneasy now about my investment. I was under the impression that the overall design was finalized and that the quality of this product was the highest possible (with value in mind of course). I now feel LH is taking advantage of how big this movement has become... not liking the direction LH is going with this product line.



Larry will make balanced out for the amp section, and going the dual mono path. That justify the cost of the X. Howeverif you (me included) would like the balanced out for the dac only on the standard pulse, i agree that should not increase the cost. The problem is there enough vote for that for Lhlabs to change?


----------



## FlySweep

dual-mono.. cool.. that's what my portable amp, the Neco V4, has (though its output is single-ended/unbalanced).  It offers terrific stereo separation and power.


----------



## Joamonte

The Pulse X thing make me feel that this is a much better buy.

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.91.GtoXop&id=21710800457&_u=l1o2v3kpeb84

Above using Dual WM8741 XMOS

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.52.Ye5CNl&id=18012850492&_u=l1o2v3kpa2a5

Above using ES9018 Sabre Reference 32bit

If the Chinese can make a USB DSD at $275 USD, with so many fund in hand, the $600 price tags seem too much for me, I sure we can get a very good headphone amp with the additional money after purchase the China DAC.

Unless the Geek pulse X have some feature that most USD DSD DAC don't have , for example the DSD DoP SPDIF and AES/EBU...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

For me its not just price or numbers. 

Am contended already with the current Pulse. 

BUT.. Geek Pulse X w/ usb and additional 1/4 single ended output next to Balanced. Will make me one happy monkey.


----------



## Joamonte

frank2908 said:


> Larry will make balanced out for the amp section, and going the dual mono path. That justify the cost of the X. Howeverif you (me included) would like the balanced out for the dac only on the standard pulse, i agree that should not increase the cost. The problem is there enough vote for that for Lhlabs to change?




Double the internal need to triple the selling price?

Even double the selling price also don't make sense to me.......not everything is double cost when go balance---chassis, wire, power supply , PCB board etc....


----------



## NinjaHamster

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For me its not just price or numbers.
> 
> Am contended already with the current Pulse.
> 
> BUT.. Geek Pulse X w/ usb and additional 1/4 single ended output next to Balanced. Will make me one happy monkey.


 
  
 I'm pretty sure the Geek Pulse X will still have USB input - it was never mentioned that this would be taken off ... and why would they ?  Most people will be using this with a computer, whether it is unbalanced or balanced.


----------



## NinjaHamster

joamonte said:


> I don't understand, so now Geek pulse not XLR out? We need to buy Pulse X at 3 time more price if we want balance out??
> 
> And Larry, why is it not possible to add the DSD DoP SPDIF input? It is the design group do not have the technology to do it?


 
  
  


joamonte said:


> Double the internal need to triple the selling price?
> 
> Even double the selling price also don't make sense to me.......not everything is double cost when go balance---chassis, wire, power supply , PCB board etc....


 
  
 How does a change in Retail price from $500 to $699 equate to "triple" the price ??  $500 times three equals $1,500.  If you are going by the current pre-release prices, then $299 versus $439 - an extra $140 ... Three times $299 is $897 ... there is no "triple price" anywhere !


----------



## Joamonte

I just get inform that the early bird of pulse X is USD $489.

The Geek Pulse is USD$249 for super early birds, while the X is USD$489 for early bird.
So it's 2 x the price.

Earlier I am comparing the $249 with the $695 MSRP.

Not sure where you get $435 , but even is $435 early bird price, it is still $186 more than $249, almost double the price my friend.


----------



## NinjaHamster

joamonte said:


> I just get inform that the early bird of pulse X is USD $489.
> 
> The Geek Pulse is USD$249 for super early birds, while the X is USD$489 for early bird.
> So it's 2 x the price.
> ...


 
 Let's say you got your Pulse for $249 as a super early bird.  You then add $140 to this to make it a Pulse X ... that is $389 that you have paid altogether ... it is not even nearly "almost double the price" (which would be $498... it is approximately 50% more.  I urge you to read the details again.


----------



## Joamonte

ninjahamster said:


> Let's say you got your Pulse for $249 as a super early bird.  You then add $140 to this to make it a Pulse X ... that is $389 that you have paid altogether ... it is not even nearly "almost double the price" (which would be $498... it is approximately 1/3 more.  I urge you to read the details again.




Add $140? Why is the info I get is different from you, the price I get for early bird is $489. Which mean I need to top up $489-$249 = $240 different ?

Can the Lavy clarify? How much do we need to top up exactly?


----------



## Joamonte

Also, I would like to emphasize that the reason I feel quite uncomfortable is our impression of before announcing the pulse X, our understanding is that the XLR and other feature can be added into the Pulse , "yes XLR can be added into the pulse because it is a class A balance design"

All the while We thought only that it will have 2 version of pulse , we never expected the XLR version is not just another "version" , it is a more expensive model...


----------



## germay0653

dclaz said:


> What would people be using the digital out for?


 

 To use the Pulse as a USB to S/PDIF converter.


----------



## NinjaHamster

joamonte said:


> Add $140? Why is the info I get is different from you, the price I get for early bird is $489. Which mean I need to top up $489-$249 = $240 different ?
> 
> Can the Lavy clarify? How much do we need to top up exactly?


 
 No.  Check the page on Indiegogo.  If you have already put money down for the Geek Pulse at $249, you need only add an extra $140 to convert this to a Geek Pulse X (balanced) - this info is not different from what they have on their Idiegogo page.  My info is the same as their info (although my info may actually be more clearly presented than theirs - communication skills are, unfortunately, not their "strong point" to say the least).  
  
 No, you don't need to pay for the Geek Pulse X and then subtract the price you have already paid for the Geek Pulse. Just add $140 to your "Contribution amount" and I PROMISE you, you will be entitled to a Geek Pulse X (balanced).
  
 As regards your other expression, yes - I share your discomfort and you absolutely have a valid point.  However, this will be a true balanced (dual mono) update, and the balanced output was never absolutely promised for the Geek Pulse (though they did state it may be an option).  I can understand your frustration at having this option cost so much more, but at least it will be done right.  Truly this is an exercise in how NOT to run a successful (other than money garnered) campaign, and it creates all sorts of "bad will" amongst the customers.  Sufficed to say though, that if you want, or need, balanced outputs and have already paid $249, you need only contribute $140 more to receive the Geek Pulse X (balanced).


----------



## one-eyed-xander

Not quite sure why there is such resistance to this upgrade. Perhaps people were expecting there to be a balanced output included in the existing Pulse? I also had this expectation, but it was based on the assumption that it could be done cheaply, given the existing capability of the ES9018M. Maybe I was wrong in this assumption.
  
Anyway: a dual mono implementation has the potential of sounding much much better, and a $140 upgrade is easily justifiable.
  
I'll be upgrading, for sure.
  
(Obviously a SE 1/4" headphone output would be desirable, but it's not a deal-breaker for me)


----------



## uncola

This is the perk to upgrade to geek pulse x.  Can we please stop filling up this thread with misinformation?
  

  
  
 My reaction to the Pulse X, I'm a little disappointed in how much more it costs, I thought it was already a balanced design so I was hoping the cost would just be for the xlr jacks.  I use a schiit mjolnir so it would be nice to have xlr outs on the pulse to use with it.  If I knew how much it would cost I might have just bought a emotiva dc-1 that comes with more bells and whistles.  I guess I'm just going to stick with the standard Geek Pulse and hope the audio quality is high.  I've heard very good things about their high end da vinci dac.


----------



## NinjaHamster

I think the resistance stems from the points you have already articulated - primarily, the expectation that this change could be done for no, or for little, additional cost.  
  
 The other resistance seems to be that people believe the USB input has been removed from the Geek Pulse X.  I do not believe the later to be true, but I can see where any reasonable user of the English language might find this to be a contentious point.  
  
 I believe I am going to upgrade too, and I believe the additional cost to be reasonable; however place yourself in the position of a non-native English speaker, or somebody whose English skills are not at the best level - you would be misunderstanding their posts and updates too.  Do YOU know for sure that the USB input has not been removed from the "Pulse X" ?  I'd wager a bet that it hasn't, as that would not make sense and because LHLabs were talking merely about the "differences" between the "Pulse" and the "Pulse X", but I have a lawyer's mind - most people don't and wouldn't.


----------



## frank2908

Im gonna wait for the linear power supply


----------



## Zoo Animal

I get the feeling they have already sprung for design and perhaps have begun aspects of the manufacturing process with the chassis. The answer on a couple of fronts is to enlarge it to allow more options or just more room but they seem to hold to their guns here. Dual dac chips, upgraded caps & resistors are easily worth the $160 extra to me. But, I still wish it could have RCA output along with the balanced outputs just for versatility, even though it has been said numerous times that there just isn't space. 
  
 +1 on the shaky communications - an average consumer who natively speaks english is going to get a little lost.


----------



## NinjaHamster

I think the real difficulty is that it is a relatively young company which wishes to expand rapidly - and they will do so - but they need some form of "Customer Service" department ... as ego-boosting as it is to speak to the lead designer - Larry Ho - that should not be occurring ... it is not his area of expertise ... these are the normal "growing pains" of a young company, and I"m sure their consumer communications will improve as they are able to grow their funding and add to their staff.


----------



## uncola

I hope I didn't sound too disappointed or harsh about the Pulse X change, I think it's definitely a good price if you're going to use the built in headphone amp, but I was just going to use the dac portion with my mjolnir so for me it doesn't make sense to pay for the upgrade.  Hehe I think most people using balanced outs have tons of money so I can see why they did this.  My dream would be to receive a personal PM from larry ho, "Hey I saw you're going to use my dac with a mjolnir, I'll make a few of the stock version with xlr instead of rca outs on the back and make sure you get it."  and then I'd like damn you truly are a great company I will sing your praises forever.  and then he'd be.. oh by the way I'm really a beautiful woman and I live near you.  Do you want me to come over?  and then...


----------



## sorue

The reason why some of us have a sour taste in our mouth is because all this while, we've been told that they have been saying stuff like, " we've been working on balanced / balanced is achievable / confident it can be done", and making it sound as if this feature was going to be included inside the vanilla geek pulse.
  
 To quote Larry,
  
 "Larry Ho said 22 hours ago
 Hi, all
 Balance output, we hear you. Actually our internal circuit is fully balance from beginning all the way before headphone driver. So line out could have balance output for sure.
 So my plan for now is two configuration. One RCA version, one mini XLR version…
 Give us few days. We will work it out. 
 Larry"
  
 Larry said that quite some time back, during the early stages of the campaign. I don't think it's presumptous on my part to read what he said then and come to the conclusion that i don't need to top up to get balanced, because the original circuit design is already fully balanced.
  
 There's been so many official messages from the LH team specifically about balanced. Yet none of these messages brought up the subject of extra cost. I think they could have communicated this aspect much, much better to everyone.
  
 I'm not topping up for the balanced. It's not even an upgrade. I'm paying extra money to restrict myself to only balanced outputs. Sure, there are adapters, but then there's no point.


----------



## bhazard

Although I wanted the balanced output option for my HE-500, I *NEED *the 1/4" analog headphone output as well. I cannot limit myself to only balanced, and no RCA. If the enclosure needs to be bigger, so be it. The increased cost of the upgrade should be able to handle that.
  
 I don't like the decision of different units, not at all. I *CAN'T *upgrade now, even if I wanted to.


----------



## FraGGleR

Man alive the expectations on this thread are out of control.
  
 I'll admit that I was hoping to keep RCA output on the balanced option, but I understand the limitations of the design and the size.  Even for the extra cost, the Pulse is still very cheap for a full dual mono balanced amplifier (with tons of power) based around a top line ESS Sabre chipset that can handle nearly every format out there.


----------



## zerodeefex

vincent215 said:


> The Geek Oulse's enclosure size is small. How many parts can it fit?
> I dont mind the size a bit bigger so that it has more features. For $500, I would have just bought a Cectrance M8, if I want to drive my headphone balance.




I wouldn't. The m8 sounds terrible.


----------



## swapper

larry ho said:


> Great idea. Why not?   Maybe I could leave a 5V power-only output connector in the front and 12V DC in the back. Let them both have power on the same time.
> The cost will somehow higher, but you are right. It will help Geek Out users!
> Let me think and plan more, but the possibility is 90% here.
> Larry


 
 ---
 I love this idea!


----------



## FraGGleR

zerodeefex said:


> I wouldn't. The m8 sounds terrible.


 
 A lot of folks would disagree with terrible.


----------



## tomscy2000

fraggler said:


> Man alive *the expectations on this thread are out of control*.
> I'll admit that I was hoping to keep RCA output on the balanced option, but I understand the limitations of the design and the size. Even for the extra cost, the Pulse is still very cheap for a full dual mono balanced amplifier (with tons of power) based around a top line ESS Sabre chipset that can handle nearly every format out there.


 

 +2...
  


fraggler said:


> A lot of folks would disagree with terrible.


 
  
 +4... I'm not actually a big fan of the M8, but it definitely doesn't sound "terrible".


----------



## FraGGleR

BTW, for those who have single ended amps that they want to use with the fully balanced Pulse, here are some questions I asked with Larry's answers:
  
_Larry,

 I'm excited for the dual-mono, especially for the headphone out. For the balanced line out, I have two questions: 1) Will the gain control also effect these? 2) Will using an XLR-RCA adapter harm the DAC in any way?

 I have some fairly sensitive desktop speakers that are single-ended only and would like to know if the balanced Pulse will work ok with them.

 1) Yes. Gain control still works here! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

_2) Nop. XLR-RCA adapter is fine._

3) Geek Pulse X will work with your desktop speakers.

Larry


----------



## zerodeefex

fraggler said:


> A lot of folks would disagree with terrible.


 
  
 The DACport was a great price/performance item and, based off the 2 weeks I spent with one, I'm picking one up to do a direct comparison to the other competitors in the space. The M8 suffers from trying to appeal to all the random input from folks on HF. It definitely is not a priceerformance king.
  
 Given how favorable the impressions are of the GEEK Out by some very very picky individuals, I suspect the balanced Pulse at the early adopter pricing will be a stellar deal.


----------



## FraGGleR

zerodeefex said:


> The DACport was a great price/performance item and, based off the 2 weeks I spent with one, I'm picking one up to do a direct comparison to the other competitors in the space. *The M8 suffers from trying to appeal to all the random input from folks on HF*. It definitely is not a priceerformance king.
> 
> Given how favorable the impressions are of the GEEK Out by some very very picky individuals, I suspect the balanced Pulse at the early adopter pricing will be a stellar deal.


 
 A danger that the Pulse could succumb to if LH tries to please the folks in this thread.  Quasi-open source design is hard because once you ask everyone's opinion, you will get too many that aren't practical, and everyone is going to be insulted if their suggestion isn't taken.
  
 Personally, I enjoy the M8 and think it provides good performance and flexibility for the money.  I don't expect every device to be some sort of giant killer.  I think that the Pulse has the chance to surpass the M8 on value in my anticipated setup, so I am excited.


----------



## zerodeefex

fraggler said:


> A danger that the Pulse could succumb to if LH tries to please the folks in this thread.  Quasi-open source design is hard because once you ask everyone's opinion, you will get too many that aren't practical, and everyone is going to be insulted if their suggestion isn't taken.
> 
> Personally, I enjoy the M8 and think it provides good performance and flexibility for the money.  I don't expect every device to be some sort of giant killer.  I think that the Pulse has the chance to surpass the M8 on value in my anticipated setup, so I am excited.


 
  
 Agreed with you on this point. I suspect that Larry will go the direction that he thinks is best. It's pretty clear so far that the LH team takes input but doesn't seem to stray very far from their initial vision.


----------



## NinjaHamster

fraggler said:


> A danger that the Pulse could succumb to if LH tries to please the folks in this thread.  Quasi-open source design is hard because once you ask everyone's opinion, you will get too many that aren't practical, and everyone is going to be insulted if their suggestion isn't taken.
> 
> Personally, I enjoy the M8 and think it provides good performance and flexibility for the money.  I don't expect every device to be some sort of giant killer.  I think that the Pulse has the chance to surpass the M8 on value in my anticipated setup, so I am excited.


 
 Yes, there is a danger that if LHLabs is stupid, that that stupidity could destroy the company. Do you REALLY think that this is a danger - that LHLabs will implement every suggestion, without performing some form of analysis ?  If so, they deserve to die as a company.  LHLabs will implement only those suggestions which are sensible and "doable" for the price. Some people will be happy, some won't. I'm pretty sure this is all understood.


----------



## FraGGleR

ninjahamster said:


> Yes, there is a danger that if LHLabs is stupid, that that stupidity could destroy the company. Do you REALLY think that this is a danger - that LHLabs will implement every suggestion, without performing some form of analysis ?  If so, they deserve to die as a company.  LHLabs will implement only those suggestions which are sensible and "doable" for the price. Some people will be happy, some won't. I'm pretty sure this is all understood.


 
 No, I don't think they are stupid at all, but you don't have to be stupid to make a mistake or miss something in the market if you have a really small team or are doing something for the first time (new product, new target market, different funding campaign, etc.)  I think LHlabs is doing very well right now and am happy with their decisions.  Mainly, I brought this up for consideration as a counterpoint to what Zerodeefex had said.  I personally don't think CEntrance screwed up with the M8 at all, and if he thought that they did, then it is certainly a possibility here since it is still early.
  
 I brought this stuff up because many of the comments here and on the LHlabs site show that very few people understand all of this.


----------



## NinjaHamster

fraggler said:


> No, I don't think they are stupid at all, but you don't have to be stupid to make a mistake or miss something in the market if you have a really small team or are doing something for the first time (new product, new target market, different funding campaign, etc.)  I think LHlabs is doing very well right now and am happy with their decisions.  Mainly, I brought this up for consideration as a counterpoint to what Zerodeefex had said.  I personally don't think CEntrance screwed up with the M8 at all, and if he thought that they did, then it is certainly a possibility here since it is still early.
> 
> I brought this stuff up because many of the comments here and on the LHlabs site show that very few people understand all of this.


 
 I agree with you.  I think that LHLabs are failing a little in the "simple communication to existing/potential customers" at the moment.  I'm hoping they clear up all confusion shortly - as you said, they are a small team, and far from perfect. Provided their responses are direct, honest and forthcoming, I'm sure that few of us will have a problem.


----------



## Zoo Animal

I do wonder if this is what has happened with this upgrade. With all the requests for the desktop version of the Sabre chip/upgraded dac section and all of the sudden we have a cost upgrade that is affiliated with the balanced version. I am sure the dual dacs sound better and make more sense in a balanced design but it also sounds like the similar balanced output could have been achieved without upgrading the dacs. 

 From my own work, when you start incorporating ideas that aren't your own/non-linear to your way of thinking, it's easy to get thrown a little off balance. Typically, a little break brings everything into perspective but then they have that Indiegogo clock ticking down and staring right at them. 

 They have already implemented nearly everything off our poll list. That is quite a few new things to think about at once.


----------



## Joamonte

ninjahamster said:


> No.  Check the page on Indiegogo.  If you have already put money down for the Geek Pulse at $249, you need only add an extra $140 to convert this to a Geek Pulse X (balanced) - this info is not different from what they have on their Idiegogo page.  My info is the same as their info (although my info may actually be more clearly presented than theirs - communication skills are, unfortunately, not their "strong point" to say the least).
> 
> No, you don't need to pay for the Geek Pulse X and then subtract the price you have already paid for the Geek Pulse. Just add $140 to your "Contribution amount" and I PROMISE you, you will be entitled to a Geek Pulse X (balanced).
> 
> As regards your other expression, yes - I share your discomfort and you absolutely have a valid point.  However, this will be a true balanced (dual mono) update, and the balanced output was never absolutely promised for the Geek Pulse (though they did state it may be an option).  I can understand your frustration at having this option cost so much more, but at least it will be done right.  Truly this is an exercise in how NOT to run a successful (other than money garnered) campaign, and it creates all sorts of "bad will" amongst the customers.  Sufficed to say though, that if you want, or need, balanced outputs and have already paid $249, you need only contribute $140 more to receive the Geek Pulse X (balanced).




I think you are a more better communicator than me , so I hope you don't mind help me to check with the LH lab directly what is the reason they unable to provide DSD DoP over SPDIF or AES/EBU, I have ask a few time but they don't seem to interested in answer me.

I need this function because my Soundaware D100 pro music server do not have USB out, and I need a DAC that able to receive the music server DSD by AES/EBU like the Mytek DAC.

TIA


----------



## Joamonte

sorue said:


> The reason why some of us have a sour taste in our mouth is because all this while, we've been told that they have been saying stuff like, " we've been working on balanced / balanced is achievable / confident it can be done", and making it sound as if this feature was going to be included inside the vanilla geek pulse.
> 
> To quote Larry,
> 
> ...




+100

Can't agree more.....LH lab, I hope you can hear us, $140 is really a huge different for a $249 Product, it is more than 50% so to say...


----------



## jexby

fraggler said:


> A lot of folks would disagree with terrible.


 
  
 Perhaps my request for some less-than-awe-inspiring reviews should be moved to the M8 thread instead of here,
 as I too haven't seen many detractors of the CEntrance M8.
 sure, nothing is perfect or giant killer.  but some balanced reviews of the M8 would be appreciated elsewhere if ya'll have the inclination.
 thanks.


----------



## Charnwood

I've gone with the Geek Pulse X upgrade but I'm annoyed that we loose the USB input and the DSD functionality as a consequence. Why an AES input? Who are they targeting this at?


----------



## Zoo Animal

There is still confirmed USB and the defacto DSD

  
Larry Ho said 2 hours ago
 Hi, all
 Yes. Geek Pulse X still has USB input.

 For 1/4’’ headphone output, let’s study it more.
 But at least, there are cheap and good adapters 
 that could let you still use original 1/4’’ headphone.
 No worry and stay tuned.
 Larry


----------



## Charnwood

zoo animal said:


> There is still confirmed USB and the defacto DSD
> 
> 
> Larry Ho said 2 hours ago
> ...


 
 Thanks for that, but they need to update their description of the Geek Pulse X to reflect the fact because USB is not mentioned as being an input.


----------



## FraGGleR

joamonte said:


> +100
> 
> Can't agree more.....LH lab, I hope you can hear us, $140 is really a huge different for a $249 Product, it is more than 50% so to say...


 
 This is a $500 device.  Dual mono balanced is a $700 device.  You are getting a significant discount by backing the device.  Even at full retail it is a very good deal.  What other devices even have the same feature set?  $140 to cover doubling up chips and related circuitry (plus upgrading parts of it) is a pretty low price for the upgrade.
  
 I understand that some of you thought it would be a free upgrade, but not talking about the price of an upgrade isn't the same as saying there isn't one.  Plus, everything is in flux as they take suggestions and see if they can make it happen both from an engineering and business side.  How can you reasonably expect them to keep adding features for free?


----------



## FraGGleR

.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

*My thoughts....*
  
 I for one at the beginning was bit sensitive.
  
 But having to look at it after awhile, to me they we're doing their best to come up and please everybody.
  
 At first I was already "contented". That is why with no hesitance, I backed the product.
  
 There we're "minor" details suggested; and, some "hopes".
  
 Some "minor" but significant details we're implemented thanks to our poll and suggestions of others.
   
 And then the "hopes". Wishes. I know there will be trade offs but still a hope/wish:
  

*Battery pack and spdif out*
 I can buy a 12v battery in ebay for around $25. Thus spdif would mean a better choice.
 Plus, having the LPS as a purchase option. Of which will be buying.
  

*Balanced and ESS9018 desktop version* 
 Was bit disappointed for them sticking to ES9018M since I have Geek Out.
 But hoped it would be better because of better implementation. Then suggested for balanced.
 As noted on the survey, the highest was for a desktop version of ES9018.
 Was suggesting these before. A dual-mono ESS or similar that will kick some a##.
 And behold a dual mono ES9018M with upgraded parts.  Asked why ES9018M?
 LH reasoned out it sounded better with some tweaks and can be managed better (electrically).
 The desktop version is a resource hog.
  
 This is the thing that I was hoping for them to come up in the first place.
 If I will need RCA and 1/4, then there are adapters. Well, we can bother them again
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.
  
 Right now if you we're a former backer its: 199 + 140 = 339 (add 40 international)
 If not, its 299 (early bird) + 140 =  439 (add 40 international)
  
 At these price points I still won't argue. Is it still ok when at MSRP? Well that will be THEIR problem.
 Perks? Are just perks, that will not sway my decision for the main product.
  
 To sum up did I upgrade? YOU BET!


----------



## bhazard

4 pin XLR, or dual 3 pin? or both? I like 4 pin better, but understand why 3 pin is needed too.
  
 4 pin would be easier for me to make an adapter for with my stock HE-500 cable


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Back                                     Front


----------



## dclaz

Just to be sure, using an adaptor you can use unbalanced headphones with the 4 pin balanced port?


----------



## Greed

dclaz said:


> Just to be sure, using an adaptor you can use unbalanced headphones with the 4 pin balanced port?


 
  
 No


----------



## sbradley02

greed said:


> No


 
 Might be nice to go into a little more detail. What is referred to as "balanced" in the headphone world is usually (though not always) really referring to a bridged amplifier configuration. You are using 4 amplifier sections to drive 2 channels. The issue is when you connect to a common 3 wire headphone, you are then connecting the two "negative" amps together. Few amps will suffer this without damage. If there was a 5 wire connector or two 3 wire connectors (are any amps wired with either of these?) you could do it. The only other option would be to use balun transformers, but can't imagine that this would be desirable. All "balanced headphones" refers to in this respect is a headphone wired without a common return for the two channels. Nothing special about the headphones themselves.


----------



## Greed

sbradley02 said:


> Might be nice to go into a little more detail. What is referred to as "balanced" in the headphone world is usually (though not always) really referring to a bridged amplifier configuration. You are using 4 amplifier sections to drive 2 channels. The issue is when you connect to a common 3 wire headphone, you are then connecting the two "negative" amps together. Few amps will suffer this without damage. If there was a 5 wire connector or two 3 wire connectors (are any amps wired with either of these?) you could do it. The only other option would be to use balun transformers, but can't imagine that this would be desirable. All "balanced headphones" refers to in this respect is a headphone wired without a common return for the two channels. Nothing special about the headphones themselves.


 
  
 Ah, but how much of that is someone that is asking such a question going to understand? Wasn't trying to be snarky, just a simple no.


----------



## sbradley02

greed said:


> Ah, but how much of that is someone that is asking such a question going to understand? Wasn't trying to be snarky, just a simple no.


 
 Understood - it's just that balanced headphones are much over-hyped IMO, and I like to present more information so people can make more informed choices.


----------



## dclaz

greed said:


> No


 
  
  


sbradley02 said:


> Might be nice to go into a little more detail. What is referred to as "balanced" in the headphone world is usually (though not always) really referring to a bridged amplifier configuration. You are using 4 amplifier sections to drive 2 channels. The issue is when you connect to a common 3 wire headphone, you are then connecting the two "negative" amps together. Few amps will suffer this without damage. If there was a 5 wire connector or two 3 wire connectors (are any amps wired with either of these?) you could do it. The only other option would be to use balun transformers, but can't imagine that this would be desirable. All "balanced headphones" refers to in this respect is a headphone wired without a common return for the two channels. Nothing special about the headphones themselves.


 
  
 Cheers. I got a little confused. But balanced headphones can accept unbalanced inputs though right? HD650/800 and LCD-2's etc come with standard unbalanced cables, but appear to have aftermarket balanced cables?


----------



## dclaz

sbradley02 said:


> Understood - it's just that balanced headphones are much over-hyped IMO, and I like to present more information so people can make more informed choices.


 
 Cheers. It helps make my decision on whether or not to upgrade to the Pulse X easier


----------



## FraGGleR

sbradley02 said:


> Understood - it's just that balanced headphones are much over-hyped IMO, and I like to present more information so people can make more informed choices.


 
 No one was over-hyping anything here (surprisingly).  I think balanced can definitely sound better, but it is all based on implementation.  A good design can reduce crosstalk and noise while providing more power to the headphones that need it.  It will be audibly subtle, though and the value from a $ standpoint of going balanced belongs to the individual.
  
 More importantly, I can use my balanced cable with hefty XLR on it as a nunchuck should someone sneak up on me while I am listening to music.


----------



## bhazard

Ok, I'm confused now.
  
 If I go with the Geek Pulse X, I know I can use the balanced headphone out with my HE-500, that's a non issue, and I do want that.
  
 I have lots of unbalanced headphones though. The XLR in the back is line out, so even with XLR -> RCA -> 1/4" female adapters, I would be skipping the hefty amp section of this unit in order to connect to the unbalanced phones correct? I don't want to have to go from the 3W of this, to the 1W of my other amp, but I would have no choice?
  
 This is what is keeping me from upgrading just yet. If a front panel headphone out can be done, I would immediately upgrade.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

That is why we're pushing them to include at least a single ended 1/4 headphone out next to the balanced 4-pin xlr.


----------



## bhazard

I believe in your engineering skill Larry. Make this happen so I can give you guys more of my money!


----------



## jexby

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> That is why we're pushing them to include at least a single ended 1/4 headphone out next to the balanced 4-pin xlr.


 
  
 yup, I'm in the same boat-  put a 1/4 out on the front and I'd upgrade to Pulse X as well.
 Larry H sounded hopeful but I won't jump at $140 until I see this written in blog-stone.  ha!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Noticed that the balanced XLR out at the back are FEMALE (why did I not saw it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)


----------



## eliwankenobi

Somebody tell Larry Ho please!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Emailed them!


----------



## germay0653

They're probably just mock-ups.  They got it right on the Da Vinci so it should follow suit on the Pulse.  I wouldn't worry too much.


----------



## rdsu

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Noticed that the balanced XLR out at the back are FEMALE (why did I not saw it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I'm sure this is just a picture! 
  
 They didn't have it done for sure...


----------



## NinjaHamster

Beautiful ... just ... Beautiful !!


----------



## Zoo Animal

Has a Russian military aesthetic to it. Minimal, purpose driven and the hex bolts are just frosting on this.


----------



## Charnwood

zoo animal said:


> Has a Russian military aesthetic to it. Minimal, purpose driven and the hex bolts are just frosting on this.


 

 I'm not sure that the first sentence quite reflects the look that they were aiming for.


----------



## uncola

Heh they went from super stylizing with that crazy V to this very functional look.. I hope they can jazz it up with like.. some rounded edges or something.  I went for this instead of a bifrost uber because an extra $100 for the usb input seemed crazy since that's the ONLY input I'm gonna use.  I was also considering the emotiva dc-1
  
 here's my guesses for what the front panel stuff is:


----------



## Joe-Siow

They truly can't please everyone
 I suggest they pick a design and stick with it


----------



## Zoo Animal

The toggle is the gain switch - people were wondering if the rear may be better for that. Undecided here
 One of the LED displays on the input button/knob if for the 3-D awesomifier
 Thinking the LED over the headphone jack confirms if phones are plugged-in or not

 Chord does the same with informative LEDs indicating incoming format/resolution but uses one window and different colored LEDs. 
 This Jules Verne porthole window becomes part of the Chord branding but perhaps a more elegant way of doing the same thing as the 8 faceplate LEDs on the pulse.


----------



## sbradley02

zoo animal said:


> The toggle is the gain switch - people were wondering if the rear may be better for that. Undecided here
> One of the LED displays on the input button/knob if for the 3-D awesomifier
> Thinking the LED over the headphone jack confirms if phones are plugged-in or not
> 
> ...


 
 The Chord headphone amp costs $1500. The Pulse DAC/Amp is targeted at $600. I personally prefer my money to go into sound quality over bling.


----------



## uncola

We can't just put a cmoy board inside a CNC aluminum death star with an OLED?


----------



## Johnnyhi

i prefer the Benchmark design over the Chord's... size too...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

This one more or less comes close...imagining it right now.


----------



## eac3

If they put a balanced and a 1/4" jack on the front, then I am sold. Until then, I will be watching this...subbing to this thread.


----------



## Larry Ho

uncola said:


> Heh they went from super stylizing with that crazy V to this very functional look.. I hope they can jazz it up with like.. some rounded edges or something.  I went for this instead of a bifrost uber because an extra $100 for the usb input seemed crazy since that's the ONLY input I'm gonna use.  I was also considering the emotiva dc-1
> 
> here's my guesses for what the front panel stuff is:


 
  
 Almost 100% correct. The toggle switch is for High/Mid/Low Gain settings...


----------



## earfonia

Coming back to the option of disconnecting USB power from the PC to reduce noise, since the USB power is still required for handshaking, maybe USB isolator is a better option.
 Something like this:
http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=122
  
 It would be nice to have a USB isolator built-in in the Geek Pulse


----------



## dclaz

need a button/switch for the 'awsomeifier' too no?


----------



## dclaz

Can the balanced 1/4" output can be used with unbalanced headphones?


----------



## rdsu

For those who want a Geek Pulse X with RCA and TRS outputs, please vote here:
http://lhlabs.com/voice/wishlist/143-geek-pulse-x-please-add-rca-and-1-4-trs-next-to-the-balanced-connectors-or-include-adaptors


----------



## uncola

dclaz said:


> Can the balanced 1/4" output can be used with unbalanced headphones?


 
 dclaz the 1/4" is the UNbalanced output, the geek pulse X will have 4-pin xlr output on the front for headphones with a balanced cable.  Gavin Fish said he'll do a video explaining the difference between balanced and unbalanced on monday


----------



## dclaz

uncola said:


> dclaz the 1/4" is the UNbalanced output, the geek pulse X will have 4-pin xlr output on the front for headphones with a balanced cable.  Gavin Fish said he'll do a video explaining the difference between balanced and unbalanced on monday


 
 ahhhhh ok. I thought it was a balanced TRS port. ta


----------



## HPiper

I am really liking what I see on this dac, but I have a few questions, first who/what is this company. I never heard of them before, is it some kind of charity or what? Second what is a Geek Out, I see it looks like some type of usb device but I couldn't find anything on their web site describing it. Lastly I am assuming if you order the unit, they take your money now, but you don't actually receive it until April or so? Sure sounds like a very nice dac though, that is for sure.


----------



## Johnnyhi

hpiper said:


> I am really liking what I see on this dac, but I have a few questions, first who/what is this company. I never heard of them before, is it some kind of charity or what? Second what is a Geek Out, I see it looks like some type of usb device but I couldn't find anything on their web site describing it. Lastly I am assuming if you order the unit, they take your money now, but you don't actually receive it until April or so? Sure sounds like a very nice dac though, that is for sure.


 
  Geek is a brand by Light Harmonic, LH  makes the best or one of the best dac's in the world.
  Geek makes different products. 
  
 words from larry:
_"Hi.  LH Labs sees the great value of crowd funding campaign because we could get the best product requirement inputs there. Know the market and our user more. It's people's DAC." _
_Larry _ 
 
Geek out is a High performance USB DAC..  
The Geek out will start shipping on January, Geek pulse on April... 
  
*The company: *
http://www.lightharmonic.com/  
  
*Geek out  *
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gavn8r/geek-a-new-usb-awesomifier-for-headphones  
  
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gavn8r/geek-a-new-usb-awesomifier-for-headphones/posts 
  
http://mustgeekout.com/   
  
*Geek pulse *
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-a-digital-audio-awesomifier-for-your-desktop
  
 if you going to order i suggest waiting until Black Friday...


----------



## HPiper

johnnyhi said:


> Geek is a brand by Light Harmonic, LH  makes the best or one of the best dac's in the world.
> Geek makes different products.
> words from larry:
> _"Hi.  LH Labs sees the great value of crowd funding campaign because we could get the best product requirement inputs there. Know the market and our user more. It's people's DAC." _
> ...


 

 Thanks for the tip...will do.


----------



## FraGGleR

hpiper said:


> I am really liking what I see on this dac, but I have a few questions, first who/what is this company. I never heard of them before, is it some kind of charity or what? Second what is a Geek Out, I see it looks like some type of usb device but I couldn't find anything on their web site describing it. Lastly I am assuming if you order the unit, they take your money now, but you don't actually receive it until April or so? Sure sounds like a very nice dac though, that is for sure.


 
 And because this is crowd funding, there is a chance that you will never receive anything for your money.  For this product from LHlabs, I'd say the chance of that happening are close to zero, but you never know.  This isn't a pre-order or other such purchase agreement.


----------



## FraGGleR

Upped my contribution to get a Pulse X.  Kills me that I have to wait until May, but at least I have a GEEK Out coming in Jan to play with in addition to a Schiit Vali coming hopefully early next week.


----------



## jexby

fraggler said:


> Upped my contribution to get a Pulse X.  Kills me that I have to wait until May, but at least I have a GEEK Out coming in Jan to play with in addition to a Schiit Vali coming hopefully early next week.


 
  
 wow man, it's like we're twins !   haha!
 same situation here, based on all the good advice from experienced folks-
 and the fun Vali listening at RMAF helped seal the decision as well.


----------



## dclaz

fraggler said:


> Upped my contribution to get a Pulse X.  Kills me that I have to wait until May, but at least I have a GEEK Out coming in Jan to play with in addition to a Schiit Vali coming hopefully early next week.


 
 Likewise. But gives me time to save up for a set of HD800's or LCD-2/X's.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

dclaz said:


> Likewise. But gives me time to save up for a set of HD800's or LCD-2/X's.


 
 Same for me.....saving. HD800 or LCD-X? Leaning on former. (They use it also for testing. Price/Aftermarket support)


----------



## Anvil

Hmmph, didn't see this until just earlier today. I'm interested in getting a new DAC, so I think I might keep an eye on this, and make that remaining early bird pricing of course.


----------



## Icenine2

Wow!  Geek Pulse X has really piqued my curiosity here.  What about a better power source?  Is there anymore talk about that?  To me that would put this in the killer category!


----------



## Icenine2

Sorry.  I misspoke.  Looks like they have the power source down.


----------



## FraGGleR

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Same for me.....saving. HD800 or LCD-X? Leaning on former. (They use it also for testing. Price/Aftermarket support)


 
 As much as I like the LCD-X (my preferred Audeze), I still like the HD800 best.  Only real reason I could see to go ortho is if you needed more bass (I do not think the HD800 is bass light, it is bass neutral).
  
 And I also like that LHlabs is using the HD800 as a reference.  Hopefully this means that the Pulse doesn't end up too cold or analytical.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@Icenine2 - They will be having a Linear Power Supply as option. Bundled is a universal SMPS.
  
@FraGGleR - Been reading and reading... Yep, HD800 is for me and esp. on the music I listen to. A plus that LHlabs people uses it also for testing.
  
 I'm not a designer. Just killing time today with Photoshop.
 But my preference would be along Schiit/Mac like. May be if I have time again...


----------



## Greed

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @Icenine2 - They will be having a Linear Power Supply as option. Bundled is a universal SMPS.
> 
> @FraGGleR - Been reading and reading... Yep, HD800 is for me and esp. on the music I listen to. A plus that LHlabs people uses it also for testing.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Not too shabby. Great job!


----------



## FraGGleR

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @Icenine2 - They will be having a Linear Power Supply as option. Bundled is a universal SMPS.
> 
> @FraGGleR - Been reading and reading... Yep, HD800 is for me and esp. on the music I listen to. A plus that LHlabs people uses it also for testing.
> 
> ...


 
  Looks fantastic!   Better than the proposed faceplate.  Is yours about the same size?


----------



## NinjaHamster

Personally, I don't like the colours - but everything else looks amazing.  Well done !  Love the idea of using seperate PCM and DSD lights with a simple 44.1, 48, 1x, 2x, 4x arrangement etc.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Rough Draft..
  
 Power/DSD/PCM indicator is at Volume (Changes Color, PCM - Amber, DSD - Blue).
  
 Other LED colors - Off White
  
3 Buttons (Source, 3D, Gain)

When Source is depressed, overrides LED Sample Rate to choose Input.

3D LED lights up when on.


----------



## Greed

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Rough Draft..
> 
> DSD/PCM indicator is at Volume (Changes Color, PCM - Amber, DSD - Blue).
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hire this man LH.


----------



## eac3

greed said:


> Hire this man LH.


 
  
 Listen to this man LH.


----------



## Anavel0

Looks oddly familiar . . . *looks at Schiit Ragnarok and Yggdrasil* but I can't quite place it.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yikess! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Yes it does!
  
 Will change it but the idea is there.


----------



## brunk

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Yikess!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Very nice indeed! If I may provide some input, it should be a female XLR jack, gain button so close to volume knob is asking for trouble, LEDs are nearly useless in dark i think a simple LCD would be much more intelligible and give a cleaner look IMO. Having small buttons in a vertical fashion for gain/source/3D next to LCD near the edge will give more space for large hands with the volume knob.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Had more time today...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Based on a guessed faceplate dimensions based on pictures 1.25H x 3.75W?
  
 From left to right:
 1/4 TRS, 4-pin XLR, Gain. LEDs (Bitrate, Source when Source button is depressed), 3D switch, Volume, Source.
  
 Led Color (Suggestions?)
 BIT Rate: off white.
 Volume LED on G, PCM: Off White  DSD: Amber.  
  
 Led display is Sample rate by default, indicates source when pressed (overrides sample rate).
 Depress once, indicate current source. Succeeding, changes source. After a few seconds reverts to sample rate.
  
 For volume I think the Geek logo with indicator will suffice. 
 If ever, with another override function, number of Leds increases/decreases when Knob is turned. Reverts to sample rate after few seconds. 
  
 Geek Pulse
  

  
  
 Geek Pulse X - _Turned On_
  

  
  
 Another version ...
  

  
 Some Da Vinci lovin'


----------



## earfonia

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Had more time today...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Any indication between DSD 64 and DSD 128 ?  
 My Mytek showing DSD for DSD 64, and HDSD for DSD 128.
  
 Since Geek Pulse X is a pretty much different beast than the Geek Pulse, any new kick starter project for this model and early backer opportunity?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

This is just for fun...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Larry, likes it.
 Volume control knob (G) changes color. If ON/PCM - Off White, DSD - Amber. Plus Bitrate LEDs.
 For DSD: DSD64 no LED, DSD128 - 2x, DSD256 - 4x etc...
  
 Geek Pulse X is an upgrade of Geek Pulse for $149...
  
 See their IGG Geek Pulse campaign: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-a-digital-audio-awesomifier-for-your-desktop/
  
 You must have backed Geek Pulse - $299 (early bird) to avail an upgrade to Pulse X - $140. Total: $439 (add $40 for International)
 They have currently a Black Friday offer for buying additional. See LHlabs site.


----------



## eac3

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> They have currently a Black Friday offer for buying additional.


 
  
 Or for contributing for the first time. The only requirement I saw was that you needed to be a GeekForce member, a forum user of their website. Their description makes it seems that they assume you have already contributed for one unit already but they don't list it as a requirement.
  
 Feel free to correct me please.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

On what I understood (English is not my native language), you have to be only a Geek Force member (Forum member) and that's it.
  
 Choose from the perks entitled for forum members (add shipping if international) and that's it.
  
 Limited quantities though...


----------



## Icenine2

Hey mickey.  How about a mini-your-take-on-Pulse in the DaVinci DAC style design?  I'd like to see that!


----------



## Icenine2

I wonder if the linear power source is going to match the design?  Hope so.


----------



## uncola

eac3 said:


> Or for contributing for the first time. The only requirement I saw was that you needed to be a GeekForce member, a forum user of their website. Their description makes it seems that they assume you have already contributed for one unit already but they don't list it as a requirement.
> 
> Feel free to correct me please.


 
 I'm 100% sure the black friday things are for geek force members to get 2nd amps.. maybe you can get both your first and 2nd amp today but you definitely can't just get one amp at the special price without already contributing for one at the normal price


----------



## eac3

uncola said:


> I'm 100% sure the black friday things are for geek force members to get 2nd amps.. maybe you can get both your first and 2nd amp today but you definitely can't just get one amp at the special price without already contributing for one at the normal price


 
  
 I emailed them to get clarification on it.


----------



## eac3

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> On what I understood (English is not my native language), you have to be only a Geek Force member (Forum member) and that's it.
> 
> Choose from the perks entitled for forum members (add shipping if international) and that's it.
> 
> Limited quantities though...


 
 This is exactly what they confirmed.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

icenine2 said:


> Hey mickey.  How about a mini-your-take-on-Pulse in the DaVinci DAC style design?  I'd like to see that!


 
 See previous post....well? done in a hurry...


----------



## jwong

That's cool for people who didn't get in before, and also cool for those who want more units, but it kind of dings those of us who had the faith to put in cash earlier. Not that I'm greatly upset or anything, but just saying...


----------



## FayeForever

^^Same here.


----------



## rdsu

> Originally Posted by *m-i-c-k-e-y* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Some Da Vinci lovin'


 
  
 This is one is my favorite until now...
  
 Something close to Da Vinci DAC...


----------



## NinjaHamster

jwong said:


> That's cool for people who didn't get in before, and also cool for those who want more units, but it kind of dings those of us who had the faith to put in cash earlier. Not that I'm greatly upset or anything, but just saying...


 
 Me too - Steam does a similar thing with their "sales", where if you buy a game on sale one day, they often have it for a better price a couple of days later (which is actually encouraging you NOT to buy) ... you effectively get punished for being an "early adopter". Why would a company wish to punish those people who were first to back their campaign ?  It seems a counter-productive marketing and customer relations decision to me.  Still, its their company, not mine.


----------



## Anavel0

It's for people that have already bought bought 1 DAC already. It's not punishing anyone.


----------



## NinjaHamster

anavel0 said:


> It's for people that have already bought bought 1 DAC already. It's not punishing anyone.


 
 No it is not ... do some research. You could either read the last 10 posts in this thread (I know, I know - what a huge trial - it's almost like "homework"), or you could go to the Idiegogo webpage, or even to the LHLabs website. It is for anyone who signs up to the website - requirement to do so ... A) create a User Name B) create a Password.


----------



## Anavel0

"As a Geek Force member, we want you to be able to get ANOTHER Geek Pulse, Geek Pulse X, and/or Geek Blue at an even lower price than we've offered before. We don't plan on doing this again because each unit is going to cost us a lot to build (depending on a lot of factors). So if you want to get a second, third, or even a fourth unit, now's the time. Heck, at these prices, you can give them as away as gifts!"

Straight from their website.


----------



## NinjaHamster

anavel0 said:


> "As a Geek Force member, we want you to be able to get ANOTHER Geek Pulse, Geek Pulse X, and/or Geek Blue at an even lower price than we've offered before. We don't plan on doing this again because each unit is going to cost us a lot to build (depending on a lot of factors). So if you want to get a second, third, or even a fourth unit, now's the time. Heck, at these prices, you can give them as away as gifts!"
> 
> Straight from their website.


 
 LOL - I was actually waiting for you to post exactly that quote !  Where in what you have quoted does it state that you need to have previously purchased a Geek Pulse or Pulse X or Blue to receive that offer ?  It doesn't.  In fact, on the Indiegogo page they state there is a secret offer and the only requirement is that you "register for an account" - which is exactly as I stated above.  Not only that, but you refused to even read the last 10 posts in this thread from my prior response in which eac3 (who sent an email to LH Labs about this matter) confirmed that the offer is available to anyone who registers on their website - once again, exactly as I stated.  Where does your belief that this is only for people who have made a prior purchase actually come from ?  What proof, if any, do you offer in support of your contention ?
  
 Here's eac3's message, so that you don't need to click back to page 29 of this very thread: 
  


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> On what I understood (English is not my native language), you have to be only a Geek Force member (Forum member) and that's it.
> 
> Choose from the perks entitled for forum members (add shipping if international) and that's it.
> 
> Limited quantities though...


 
 This is exactly what they confirmed.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Ok minor revisions....changed LED bulbs to backlight characters...cleaner look..
  
 Happy Weekend!


----------



## NinjaHamster

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Ok minor revisions....changed LED bulbs to backlight characters...cleaner look..
> 
> Happy Weekend!


 
  
  
 OMG - that is pure GENIUS ... SOLD !!!!


----------



## Anavel0

ninjahamster said:


> LOL - I was actually waiting for you to post exactly that quote !  Where in what you have quoted does it state that you need to have previously purchased a Geek Pulse or Pulse X or Blue to receive that offer ?  It doesn't.  In fact, on the Indiegogo page they state there is a secret offer and the only requirement is that you "register for an account" - which is exactly as I stated above.  Not only that, but you refused to even read the last 10 posts in this thread from my prior response in which eac3 (who sent an email to LH Labs about this matter) confirmed that the offer is available to anyone who registers on their website - once again, exactly as I stated.  Where does your belief that this is only for people who have made a prior purchase actually come from ?  What proof, if any, do you offer in support of your contention ?
> 
> Here's eac3's message, so that you don't need to click back to page 29 of this very thread:
> 
> This is exactly what they confirmed.




And had you read the thread on the Geek Force site, Larry Ho said you need to be a backer already to get ANOTHER Geek Pulse on the Black Friday sale price.

Also, got an email from Larry Ho saying that yes you need to already have ordered one Geek Pulse.


----------



## eac3

anavel0 said:


> And had you read the thread on the Geek Force site, Larry Ho said you need to be a backer already to get ANOTHER Geek Pulse on the Black Friday sale price.
> 
> Also, got an email from Larry Ho saying that yes you need to already have ordered one Geek Pulse.


 
  
 Its funny, I just  received an email from Larry "correcting their confirmation" from the other day. Now they are telling me different (what you said), and told me they made a mistake because...well..here is the e-mail:
  



> Sorry for making you confused, because we replied too many emails a day.
> 
> You need to be the Geek FORCE member and back up BEFORE either in Kickstarter or Indiegogo to get the deal.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks.


----------



## gikigill

Basically you need to be either a Geek Out buyer from Kickstarter or have contributed to the Geek Pulse already. I was almost tempted but already have the Geek Out on the way and contributing to Geek Pulse too.


----------



## FayeForever

I just noticed that LH increased the number of BF deals again, I remembered it started from 50 units each for Pulse and Pulse X, guess they aren't afraid they are going to lose money then.


----------



## Anavel0

"we want you to be able to get *another*"

I don't know what is hard to understand about that word. It's been on the site since the sale started. 

Glad your confusion has been cleared up.


----------



## Larry Ho

Hi, everyone
  
 Here I want to clarify the rules again. For Black Friday special deal, you need to either back Geek Out in Kickstarter, or Geek Pulse (including Geek Blue) in Indiegogo. 
  
 And every Black Friday perk will still have the same stretch goals. e.g. LightSpeed Jr. USB Cable, and very possibly 2-year warranty.
  
 Final thing, thank you so much for the support and trying very hard to explain the details.  We usually are quite on hand but really this
 is a typical 'black-out' 4 day long holiday.
  
 This wonderful campaign taught us endless stuff and the momentum is still so strong that we will try to keep up with every minute we could.
  
 My warm regards,
  
 Larry


----------



## Larry Ho

fayeforever said:


> I just noticed that LH increased the number of BF deals again, I remembered it started from 50 units each for Pulse and Pulse X, guess they aren't afraid they are going to lose money then.


 
  
 Everyone is afraid of losing money... ;-p
  
 But we really tried our best to fulfill backers/ Geek Force's requirements, and hang-on few more there  at least until the end of Black Friday or weekend.
  
 Cheers,
  
 Larry


----------



## goldendarko

So is this BF deal only good for people who have already backed it? I'm considering backing my 1st one at the BF price but don't quite understand with all the confusion going on here if you do or don't need to have already backed them for 1. I have no interest in 2 of them, just looking to back them for 1.


----------



## goldendarko

larry ho said:


> Hi, everyone
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


When you see you need to either back Geek Out in Kickstarter or Geek Pulse in Indiegogo, do you mean to say you need to have ALREADY backed one of them, meaning your backing your second unit, or is this deal truly open to 1st time backers, im still confused after reading this thread multiple times.


----------



## jaywillin

goldendarko said:


> larry ho said:
> 
> 
> > Hi, everyone
> ...


 

 if you are a backer of either project, and you register at the website, you are a member of the geek force, and thus eligible for the black friday deal


----------



## germay0653

jaywillin said:


> if you are a backer of either project, and you register at the website, you are a member of the geek force, and thus eligible for the black friday deal


 

 The key to getting the Black Friday deal is you have to be a Geek Force member AND you had to already have backed (key word here is backed, not back) the Geek Out in the original Kickstarter campaign or the Geek Pulse in the original Indiegogo campaign.  The Black Friday deal is to purchase additional/subsequent, not your first, unit(s).
  
 I believe people are getting confused with the language tense in which the word *back (present tense)* / *backed (past tense)* is used.


----------



## jaywillin

jaywillin said:


> if you* are a backer *of either project, and you register at the website, you are a member of the geek force, and thus eligible for the black friday deal


 
  
  


germay0653 said:


> The key to getting the Black Friday deal is you have to be a Geek Force member AND you had to already have backed (key word here is backed, not back) the Geek Out in the original Kickstarter campaign or the Geek Pulse in the original Indiegogo campaign.  The Black Friday deal is to purchase additional/subsequent, not your first, unit(s).
> 
> *I believe people are getting confused with the language tense in which the word back (present tense) / backed (past tense) is used.*


 
 yes, this is what i was trying to clarify, i maybe should have included *ALREADY A BACKER,  *hopefully all this confusion will settle down ! lol


----------



## goldendarko

How do they plan to handle those who backed it at the Black Friday price who weren't backers before then?


----------



## uncola

Those *censored* just lost their $6 or whatever they paid I guess.  Indiegogo doesn't refund.  That's the price of not having basic reading comprehension.  I hope they burn in hell for the ignorance and uncertainty they spread over multiple pages in this thread.
 edit: just kidding?


----------



## goldendarko

Basic reading comprehension? If u read lhllabs offer it says nothing about having backed one already. They vaguely mention that if u want a second unit but it says nothing other than u must sign up. It seems they made it intentionally vague to confuse people and get their money, not sure I want anything to do with this shady company


----------



## rdsu

goldendarko said:


> Basic reading comprehension? If u read lhllabs offer it says nothing about having backed one already. They vaguely mention that if u want a second unit but it says nothing other than u must sign up. It seems they made it intentionally vague to confuse people and get their money, not sure I want anything to do with this shady company


 
 The confusion are only on your heads, because you don't read before make decisions...
  
 Just read:
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/348-confused-about-the-black-friday-special?start=24#1609
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/348-confused-about-the-black-friday-special?start=24#1610
  
 And then the whole thread:
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/348-confused-about-the-black-friday-special
  
 The only issue about this was the fact that LH didn't protect from users that doesn't have already a Geek Pulse...


----------



## goldendarko

The point is that you shouldn't have to read a whole thread to know the details and requirements. The other thing is that knowing it has caused this much confusion, why have they done nothing about it? The terms still read exactly the same, just leading new people to being confused by the offer. And all they have to say is we will look at it on a case by case basis after the holidays. I'm sorry but I find that to be bad business and just unacceptable. They need to fix the offer site to make it more clear, not just say yeah we will look at it later.


----------



## rdsu

goldendarko said:


> The point is that you shouldn't have to read a whole thread to know the details and requirements.The other thing is that knowing it has caused this much confusion, why have they done nothing about it? The terms still read exactly the same, just leading new people to being confused by the offer. And all they have to say is we will look at it on a case by case basis after the holidays. I'm sorry but I find that to be bad business and just unacceptable. They need to fix the offer site to make it more clear, not just say yeah we will look at it later.


 

 I just point you to the obvious explanations, but those statements aren't from that thread!
  
 The rest I agree with you, except about bad business, because everyone can make mistakes, and since the beginning, after read about this promotion, I known that I should be a backer first!


----------



## FraGGleR

goldendarko said:


> Basic reading comprehension? If u read lhllabs offer it says nothing about having backed one already. They vaguely mention that if u want a second unit but it says nothing other than u must sign up. It seems they made it intentionally vague to confuse people and get their money, not sure I want anything to do with this shady company


 
  
 Here is what is on the site:
  
As a Geek Force member, we want you to be able to get *another* Geek Pulse, Geek Pulse X, and/or Geek Blue at an even lower price than we've offered before. We don't plan on doing this again because each unit is going to cost us a lot to build (depending on a lot of factors). So if you want to get a second, third, or even a fourth unit, now's the time. Heck, at these prices, you can give them as away as gifts!
  
 "Another" is the key word.  It implies that you have already backed the project in some way.  That is what reading comprehension is.  Not just understanding the explicit statements, but also the implied ones.  Accusing them of being dirty and scamming people is a little irresponsible since many people had no problem understanding the deal.


----------



## goldendarko

Right but why make it so vague, and then not take action to correct it when it has been causing this much confusion. Just look at the LHLabs.com site and there is even a thread about all the people who signed up, like myself, who are now being told that Indiegogo won't refund their money and that they will do "what they can" after the Holidays, another vague statement. That IS ABSOLUTELY bad business. Fix the part that is causing people confusion, and either refund people their money, or let us know that they will take corrective action and the people that did back it at those prices, will still get it and not just lose their money.


----------



## jaywillin

goldendarko said:


> Right but why make it so vague, and then not take action to correct it when it has been causing this much confusion. Just look at the LHLabs.com site and there is even a thread about all the people who signed up, like myself, who are now being told that Indiegogo won't refund their money and that they will do "what they can" after the Holidays, another vague statement. That IS ABSOLUTELY bad business. Fix the part that is causing people confusion, and either refund people their money, or let us know that they will take corrective action and the people that did back it at those prices, will still get it and not just lose their money.



Patience


----------



## goldendarko

jaywillin said:


> Patience



 


NEVER!

I just don't want to lose the $300 i spent for the Pulse-X, it's a lot of money to me, so I am upset with they way they are handling this situation.


----------



## jaywillin

goldendarko said:


> jaywillin said:
> 
> 
> > Patience
> ...


 

 i'm just saying its a holiday weekend, they(LH) said they'd see what they could do right ? its a holiday weekend, they(LH) didn't set this up to scam anyone, getting all upset and making accusations probably isn't going to help your situation , i'd be willing to bet it works out


----------



## goldendarko

jaywillin said:


> i'm just saying its a holiday weekend, they(LH) said they'd see what they could do right ? its a holiday weekend, they(LH) didn't set this up to scam anyone, getting all upset and making accusations probably isn't going to help your situation , i'd be willing to bet it works out



 


Your right, I know I'm being unreasonable and that it is a holiday weekend. I'm just afraid i lost my money and there doesn't seem to be anything being done about either fixing the site or reassuring those of us who spend $200-$300 on a hot batch of nothing!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

How about some Green ECO / Bamboo lovin....


----------



## Larry Ho

goldendarko said:


> jaywillin said:
> 
> 
> > i'm just saying its a holiday weekend, they(LH) said they'd see what they could do right ? its a holiday weekend, they(LH) didn't set this up to scam anyone, getting all upset and making accusations probably isn't going to help your situation , i'd be willing to bet it works out
> ...


 
  
 Hi, there
  
 Wow.. a lot happened here during this holiday.
  
 No worry. You won't lose a penny. Either you will get full refund or we will have some other solution for you. 
 Just give us some reasonable time to find out the solution.
  
 It is NOT the vague statement. If you want your money back, just send us your Paypal account, and we will transfer the exact amount of your money back.
 And just for your information, we will loose roughly 7% of processing fee (deducted by Indiegogo and Paypal) of that amount.
  
 So we have no intention to make any confusion here.


----------



## jaywillin

larry ho said:


> Hi, there
> 
> Wow.. a lot happened here during this holiday.
> 
> ...


 

 thanks larry,!!
 as i said, it'll work out
 as for me, i saw no vagueness in the offer, pretty self explanatory, glad to be involved, so, back to more pleasant issues !!


----------



## Icenine2

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> How about some Green ECO / Bamboo lovin....


 
 That is pretty cool looking for sure.  How about a bright *RED* like the DaVinci?  I'd like to see that!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Another....With Brushed Aluminum and Rosewood...
  

  
 Anodized Red, for a while please...


----------



## digitalzed

Got to give a +1 to m-i-c-k-e-y for all the PS work and patient explanations he's done since starting this thread. Thanks!


----------



## Mihis

My problem was that I wasn't able to hop on board of this BF deal:I Too much hifi shopping for my credit card to handle I suppose
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Maxed out
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Oh well. I don't really _NEED_ headphone system in every room....
  
 Cheers


----------



## Mihis

Seems like the special offer is still on the table..
  
  
 ClickclickclickaAAAARRGH.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@digitalzed Thanks Bro! Just here for the music! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Ok *RED*
  
 Controls: Aluminum Faceplate: Anodized Red
  

  
 Controls: Black Acrylic Faceplate: Anodized Red(brighter shade), Da Vinci inspired design


----------



## Icenine2

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @digitalzed Thanks Bro! Just here for the music!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Closer but..........................


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Ok get ya! Well more or less....


----------



## Icenine2

Cool!


----------



## brunk

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Ok get ya! Well more or less....


 
 Now you're talking. Very impressive  Functional and stylish!


----------



## frank2908

Really like this. And I also wouldnt mind a blue version


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Blue? Experimented with Amber lights


----------



## uncola

Maybe you can do an Audeze themed or Sennheiser themed one?  Seems like those are the main headphones people want to pair it with.  Or maybe fostex th900 themed one.
  
 Like.. Light Harmonic is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Audeze.  Starting April 1st you can now buy LCD-2 and LCD-X bundled with the Geek Pulse.  These will be special limited edition versions to match the headphones.  The LCD-2 version comes complete with a wooden volume knob made from the same rosewood the enclosure of the earcups are made from.  LCD-X comes with new gunmetal grey faceplate.  "When Larry Ho sent us an evaluation copy of the Geek Pulse, one listen we knew it was the perfect match for our orthodynamic drivers", Alex Rossun of Audeze.
  
 "After hearing my Sennheiser HD800 with the Geek Pulse, I decided to shave my head and become a Franciscan Monk", Jason Stoddard of Schiit Audio.
  
 "I realized my skills were no longer needed in the audio community any longer.  So I've decided to stop designing amplifiers and will only sell Light Harmonic Products", Justin W. of Headamp.  "Furthermore I will now be pursuing my lifelong dream to be a stand up comic and a woman.  Please address me as Roberta"


----------



## eliwankenobi

Lol!


----------



## alvin1118

Just contributed another Geek Pulse X. Black Friday deal couldn't resists 
  
 In total i'll have 1x Geek Out, 1x Geek Pulse, and 1x Geek Pulse X !
 Will I be ended up owning with too many DACs from a single manufacturer Light Harmonic? Awesome !
  
 I've *faith** *in Gavin & Larry Ho that all of the GEEKs will sound good & should be a future proof product!
  
 Now it's time to get rid of old DACs...


----------



## brunk

Too funny uncola!


----------



## Anaximandros

They posted the clarification about the Black Friday "confusion" at lhlabs.com.
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/announcements/359-geek-force-black-friday-clarification#1813
  
 Only Geek Pulse backers at Indiegogo were allowed to use the special perks. Kind of sad, because Larry posted that people who backed their kickstarter campaign could also
 use the special Black Friday deals.


----------



## swapper

Too much confusion for my taste...


----------



## goldendarko

well at least they cleared it up, i guess should hope to still get the amp from what i understand


----------



## earfonia

anaximandros said:


> They posted the clarification about the Black Friday "confusion" at lhlabs.com.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/announcements/359-geek-force-black-friday-clarification#1813
> 
> ...


 
  
 Confusing and disappointing 
 They should implement a system to avoid unqualified buyer from making the purchase.
 I bought GEEK out from their website, and GEEK Pulse from a friend who bought reseller pack, I tought that qualify me part of the GEEK Force 
 I also have purchased the GFOX perk for the Geek Pulse X, but now I'm not sure if I will get it... 
 I've emailed Gavin yesterday, haven't received any reply yet....


----------



## goldendarko

Exactly, I understand they are a relatively new company but this whole promotion was not very well set up or handled after it was proved to be a big debacle.


----------



## eac3

earfonia said:


> Confusing and disappointing
> They should implement a system to avoid unqualified buyer from making the purchase.
> I bought GEEK out from their website, and GEEK Pulse from a friend who bought reseller pack, I tought that qualify me part of the GEEK Force
> I also have purchased the GFOX perk for the Geek Pulse X, but now I'm not sure if I will get it...
> I've emailed Gavin yesterday, haven't received any reply yet....


 
  
 I would e-mail them at the "gimiegimie" address they have in that clarification post. They responded relatively quickly and are very understanding of the situation. I am just sad I will have to wait for such a long time to see if I will like them or not.


----------



## earfonia

eac3 said:


> I would e-mail them at the "gimiegimie" address they have in that clarification post. They responded relatively quickly and are very understanding of the situation. I am just sad I will have to wait for such a long time to see if I will like them or not.


 
  
 Right thanks!  I wrote to that gimiegimie address as well, waiting for their reply... hopefully I don't loose my money due to this confusing promotion


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

*Quick Update on Geek Pulse X:*
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
We will use 4 pin female connector in the front panel for Headphone output.

Also, just new update here: _We think we could add standard 1/4'' single ended output in front panel as well_.... ;-p

Larry


----------



## bhazard

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> *Quick Update on Geek Pulse X:*
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> We will use 4 pin female connector in the front panel for Headphone output.
> ...


 
 They get my upgrade money once they do. Really looking forward to this happening.


----------



## dcpoor

hope momentum keeps up and the project hits the $500k mark to unlock that last goal.


----------



## slingshot80

That would be wonderful, would make it that much more versatile. Just made my contribution for the Pulse X.


----------



## earfonia

earfonia said:


> Right thanks!  I wrote to that gimiegimie address as well, waiting for their reply... hopefully I don't loose my money due to this confusing promotion


 
  
 The deal is done!  To be fair to everyone, they just asked me to made some additional contribution to the project.  Fair solution I would say.


----------



## earfonia

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> *Quick Update on Geek Pulse X:*
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> We will use 4 pin female connector in the front panel for Headphone output.
> ...


 
  
 Glad to see this update!  Most balance headphone cables I have are with 4 pin male XLR connector, so I need 4 pin female XLR connector for the balance headphone output 
  
 I hope they would integrate USB isolator as well in Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse X to reduce noise from PC USB port.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Just playing retro the other day....


----------



## frank2908

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Just playing retro the other day....



Really really dig this, since i have a vintage sansui amp


----------



## uncola

these designs are great mickey, keep em coming


----------



## frank2908

The only criticism is the furutecj gt40 volume knob, any normal aluminium knob is fine


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I think i'm spamming already....
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
*1. Confirmed on 1/4 TRS *
 Larry Ho 





 Newbie Join Date
 Sep 2013

 Location
 Sacramento

 Posts
 23

  


 


> _
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 




> ---
> Engineer, programmer, entrepreneur and music lover
> Light Harmonic Labs
> www.Lightharmonic.com


 

*2. Current OpAmp for Geek Pulse is OPA1652*
 Don't want to be an 100 page OpAmp discussion thread with no conclusion.
 I trust and leave LH on this, of giving their best or better at this price point.  
  
FYI: In our current testing prototype, I'm using OPA1652 from Burr-brown in SOIC-8 package.
The sound and performance is very nice.

Thanks a lot,

Larry
  
3. *An SE on the brew.*
Sorry, very limited units available only. 
  
Release Plan for Special Edition

0. Based on Geek Pulse X
1. Crystek CCHD 957 clock * 2
2. AD797 * 4 in analog amplification
3. Elna RFS decoupling cap
4. Hand picked Caddock MK132 None-inductive resistor matched in 0.1%
5. Hand picked ES9018K-2M matched in 0.1%
6. Cardas and Neutrik connectors
And some key fine tunes

Cheers,

Larry


----------



## jaywillin

seriously considering keeping the lcd2 i have, and upping my geek pulse to the geek pulse x,
 i have no experience with balanced headphones, gear, this may be a good way to experience it


----------



## krikor

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> >
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 So at some point the discrete analog outputs have been dropped ilo opamps? Didn't see this elaborated anywhere lhlabs or indiegogo.
  
 EDIT: Actually I see it now on the Geek Force forum, though kind of buried in other topics.


----------



## uncola

oh I thought they said it was discrete outs..  opamps


----------



## dcpoor

http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/240#post_9974733
  


> Originally Posted by *m-i-c-k-e-y*
> 
> 
> Thank you for your votes/suggestions. Just to recap so far what we have...
> ...


 
  
 ??


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Why don't you ask them...
  
 Thought that "Updated Features" will be self explanatory to mean "continually ongoing and not necessary Final".
 Sorry for some misunderstanding.
  
 Guess I have to update the first post again.
  
  
*Source*: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-a-digital-audio-awesomifier-for-your-desktop/x/5193144?c=activity#
  
 Copied and pasted here from Update No. 5:
  
*Changes & Updates to Geek Pulse Thanks to You!*
This is not a final list of changes, this is just what we can commit to right now. We'll continually take your suggestions throughout the campaign.

1. We're removing the decorative "V" on the front panel.
2. We're changing from a glossy acrylic front panel to a metal one.
3. We're changing the volume control buttons to a large control knob.
4. We're adding informative LED's to the front panel to display sample rates, etc.
5. We're adding a gain switch so all ya'll with IEM's won't blow your ear drums out. We're thinking three positions: 3 W, 1 W, and 100 mW.
6. _The headphone output and the line output will have discrete analog circuits._

We hear you on the balanced output idea. Stay tuned as we figure that out.


----------



## AxelCloris

I recently backed the campaign on Indiegogo and I've noticed the GFOX has a few remaining to purchase. But as I'm a recent backer I'm not quite sure what it is. I'm gathering from reading this thread that it's something about pre-purchasing another unit at a reduced price, is that correct? The Geek Force forums seem to lack a search function; a feature no forum should be without. Is the GFOX buying for $7 the option to buy a Geek Pulse X for $489? I'm a tad confused.


----------



## goldendarko

No, that was a Black Friday special, and it was $300 for the Pulse X if you had already backed them I believe.


----------



## AxelCloris

Appreciate the response, thanks much!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

*Larry's response:*
  

  Hi,

 Few quick clarifications:

 (1) There are several analog stages inside Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse X. The AD797 related question was only in ONE stage only. The rest remain the same.

 (2) Even when I use OpAmps, I will make it always bias at Class-A mode... Class-A!! It is.

 (3) Analog stage design is all about the 'synergy' all together, it is not for the testing numbers, it about the best sound.
 I will get the best combination for you guys. That is our job!

 Cheers,

 Larry

  
 Lead Engineer/ LH Labs


----------



## Suopermanni

It's probably been asked before but if I wanted to, can I use another DAC and RCA into this?


----------



## Zoo Animal

suopermanni said:


> It's probably been asked before but if I wanted to, can I use another DAC and RCA into this?


 

 Nope

 If I am understanding correctly you just want to use the headphone amplifier section of the Pulse and use your own dac...correct?


----------



## Zoo Animal

Not sure if it got mentioned or not but an additional 1/4" TRS output was confirmed on the Pulse X....good news


----------



## Suopermanni

Yes, that's right. I also have another question that's only partly been answered by the FAQ on the Indiegogo site.
  
 If I decide to buy the Geek Out and Geek Pulse package before the campaign ends but later want to add perks to my order, will Light Harmonic be offering a way to do that?
  
 I'm trying to figure out what the best deal is for the Geek Out EM and the Geek Pulse. I need the Geek Out EM with the Slacker extension and the Geek Pulse with the USB cable and both with shipping. Should I pre-order the Geek Out EM from the mustgeekout site and then order a Geek Pulse from the indiegogog site OR order both from the indiegogo site?


----------



## miceblue

Can the Pulse be used just as a DAC without being powered (i.e. wall outlet)?


----------



## Zoo Animal

suopermanni said:


> Yes, that's right. I also have another question that's only partly been answered by the FAQ on the Indiegogo site.
> 
> If I decide to buy the Geek Out and Geek Pulse package before the campaign ends but later want to add perks to my order, will Light Harmonic be offering a way to do that?
> 
> I'm trying to figure out what the best deal is for the Geek Out EM and the Geek Pulse. I need the Geek Out EM with the Slacker extension and the Geek Pulse with the USB cable and both with shipping. Should I pre-order the Geek Out EM from the mustgeekout site and then order a Geek Pulse from the indiegogog site OR order both from the indiegogo site?


 
 I think the combination pack for $398 will be cheapest because you will only get charged once for international shipping $40.00
 They have mentioned that there will be chance to upgrade Geek Out and choose color once the campaign has ended...just a guess but you will most likely be able to add perks like extra cables then too. I am fairly sure the Geek Out will come with the Slacker, and the Pulse will come with 1 USB with additional ones being available to purchase on the indiegogo site now. You may want to ask them just to confirm that the Geek Out and Slacker come combined still..about 99.9% sure on this.
  
  
  


miceblue said:


> Can the Pulse be used just as a DAC without being powered (i.e. wall outlet)?


 

 Yes, with a battery pack. It's drawing 12V/800ma which isn't a huge amount of current so it should open up many choices. I think for LiPo you would need a 3s pack which bounces between 12.5-9.5 volts during a charge. I would ask for suggestions from Larry Ho on either the Indiegogo site or lhlabs forum.


----------



## Suopermanni

Does Light Harmonic have a forum? I'm pretty sure there was a link somewhere to it but I forgot where it was. Also, I don't know if it's backers only or not.

 EDIT: Sorry if I sound a bit...silly but I'm not completely with it today.


----------



## Zoo Animal

suopermanni said:


> Does Light Harmonic have a forum? I'm pretty sure there was a link somewhere to it but I forgot where it was. Also, I don't know if it's backers only or not.
> 
> EDIT: Sorry if I sound a bit...silly but I'm not completely with it today.


 
 lhlabs.com and it's open whether you're currently a backer or not.


----------



## miceblue

zoo animal said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Can the Pulse be used just as a DAC without being powered (i.e. wall outlet)?
> ...



Ah mmk.

I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not to go for the Indiegogo pledge for the Pulse/Out. I currently have the Objective 2 and ODAC and I love them as separate units. The only things I don't like about it are the messy front panel of the O2 and the lack of DSD playback with the ODAC. >.>


----------



## earfonia

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> *Larry's response:*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 x1  Very true!


----------



## Larry Ho

zoo animal said:


> I think the combination pack for $398 will be cheapest because you will only get charged once for international shipping $40.00
> They have mentioned that there will be chance to upgrade Geek Out and choose color once the campaign has ended...just a guess but you will most likely be able to add perks like extra cables then too. I am fairly sure the Geek Out will come with the Slacker, and the Pulse will come with 1 USB with additional ones being available to purchase on the indiegogo site now. You may want to ask them just to confirm that the Geek Out and Slacker come combined still..about 99.9% sure on this.
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hi, Zoo Animal
  
 You are 100% correct!  
  
 For battery stuff, I really suggest to use Linear Power supply here. Less hassle, and cleaner power.
  
 Cheers,


----------



## AxelCloris

Hi Larry,
  
 It's awesome to see the main brain behind the Geek Out/Pulse here on Head-Fi answering questions about the development. That shows some serious class and dedication to customers. I do have a quick question which doesn't seem to have been answered yet. I've backed the combo Pulse/Out pack on Indiegogo and I've seen online that Light Harmonic is still on track for a January release to Kickstarter backers. Will those that have a Geek Out backed on Indiegogo have their Outs shipped shortly after the Kickstarted backers or will they be held to ship the same time as the Pulse when production is complete?
  
 Also, I can't wait to see what develops with the linear power supply. Really looking forward to any forthcoming announcements.


----------



## Larry Ho

axelcloris said:


> Hi Larry,
> 
> It's awesome to see the main brain behind the Geek Out/Pulse here on Head-Fi answering questions about the development. That shows some serious class and dedication to customers. I do have a quick question which doesn't seem to have been answered yet. I've backed the combo Pulse/Out pack on Indiegogo and I've seen online that Light Harmonic is still on track for a January release to Kickstarter backers. Will those that have a Geek Out backed on Indiegogo have their Outs shipped shortly after the Kickstarted backers or will they be held to ship the same time as the Pulse when production is complete?
> 
> Also, I can't wait to see what develops with the linear power supply. Really looking forward to any forthcoming announcements.


 
  
 Thank you so much for the kind words. 
  
 Your first Geek Out from Kickstarter campaign will be shipped on time in Jan.
 The second combo Geek Pulse/Out will be shipped out on April as planned. 
  
 The Linear Power Supply announcement will be release tomorrow by Gavin. I think you will like it.
  
 Larry


----------



## AxelCloris

larry ho said:


> Thank you so much for the kind words.
> 
> Your first Geek Out from Kickstarter campaign will be shipped on time in Jan.
> The second combo Geek Pulse/Out will be shipped out on April as planned.
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for the quick response. Now to monitor my mail constantly starting at 12:01 AM.


----------



## Zoo Animal

larry ho said:


> The Linear Power Supply announcement will be release tomorrow by Gavin. I think you will like it.
> 
> Larry


 
  
 Spill the beans here Larry, we won't tell Gavin


----------



## Sonicmasala

Any special edition of the Geek Pulse with upgraded parts and specs?


----------



## FraGGleR

sonicmasala said:


> Any special edition of the Geek Pulse with upgraded parts and specs?


 
 There is going to be one, but apparently it will only be available to friends and family of LHlabs and winners of the referral competition.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

My take from a barrowed concept from the Geek Force forum.


----------



## AxelCloris

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> My take from a barrowed concept from the Geek Force forum.


 
  
 This is my favorite mock-up of yours yet.


----------



## miceblue

How come all of these mockups have both a balanced output and a 6.3 mm output? I thought it was one, or the other.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> How come all of these mockups have both a balanced output and a 6.3 mm output? I thought it was one, or the other.


 
  
 The Pulse X has been confirmed to come with a 6.3mm output in addition to the 4 pin XLR


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > How come all of these mockups have both a balanced output and a 6.3 mm output? I thought it was one, or the other.
> ...



Oh has it? :-o
That just increased my chances of getting it. XD

Oh wait, what about inputs? Will it be balanced inputs only?


----------



## Argybargy

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> My take from a barrowed concept from the Geek Force forum.


 
  
 Nicely done!  A very balanced layout.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Oh has it? :-o
> That just increased my chances of getting it. XD
> 
> Oh wait, what about inputs? Will it be balanced inputs only?


 
  
 It still comes with USB input, but I think the audio out are 3-pin dual mono. Inputs I'm not sure if it still has the toslink and 2 spdif, but I would hope it does.


----------



## FraGGleR

miceblue said:


> Oh has it? :-o
> That just increased my chances of getting it. XD
> 
> Oh wait, what about inputs? Will it be balanced inputs only?


 
 There are no analog inputs.  This is pure digital input only.


----------



## Zoo Animal

axelcloris said:


> It still comes with USB input, but I think the audio out are 3-pin dual mono. Inputs I'm not sure if it still has the toslink and 2 spdif, but I would hope it does.


 
 One of the SPDIF/RCAs is switched for balanced AES input


----------



## miceblue

fraggler said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Oh has it? :-o
> ...



Right. I realised I said the wrong thing. The analog line out option is what I meant to ask and it looks to have the RCA line out. I'm not sure why 2 RCA line out options were in the Pulse.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Right. I realised I said the wrong thing. The analog line out option is what I meant to ask and it looks to have the RCA line out. I'm not sure why 2 RCA line out options were in the Pulse.


 
  
 There's only 1 RCA out, it's a L/R output to interconnect with an amp. The other 2 RCA connections are 2 SPDIF in. If the last stretch goal is reached it'll have a digital out as well. So 2 outputs, 4 inputs.
  
 I use the colors to tell me what's what with inputs/outputs. Easiest way to be lazy


----------



## rdsu

zoo animal said:


> One of the SPDIF/RCAs is switched for balanced AES input


 
  
 About convert the S/PDIF output to AES-EBU input, on Pulse X:
  
 Quote: Larry Ho, from LHLabs: http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/315-geek-pulse-rca-version-dual-mono?start=30#2262 





> > *Larry B wrote:*
> > The voltage levels of AES/EBU are higher. You may be able to convert from higher voltage down to S/PDIF, but I don't think you can't go the other way. At least not with a simple adapter.
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## bhazard

axelcloris said:


> The Pulse X has been confirmed to come with a 6.3mm output in addition to the 4 pin XLR


 
 It was confirmed? Link?


----------



## Zoo Animal

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/light-harmonic-geek-pulse-dac-campaign-live-17971/index2.html#post276514


----------



## avaddon

from technical viewpoint which better, geek pulse or http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB1132/NFB11.32EN.htm ?


----------



## miceblue

Oh dang, nice find! Audio-gd makes some really well-received products.


----------



## Zoo Animal

The LPS is up on the Indiegogo site $289 for the first 50 backers, 23/50 are already taken. The price will then go up to $399


----------



## dclaz

The Geek linear power supply has just been announced. I'm curious as to whether people think this represents a significant upgrade, considering it costs $400, more than the Pulse DAC itself and a good portion of the Pulse X.
  
 Would it be too much to ask for measurements for the Pulse/Pulse X with and without the LPS?


----------



## miceblue

Wait, it's $289 for a power supply, and $299 for the Geek Pulse itself? T_T
*Indiegogo pledge pricing

Or am I just totally misunderstanding it and it's a Geek Pulse with a special engineered power supply?


----------



## FayeForever

I think it is just a power supply.
 Even the USD 289 early bird price is bit too expensive for me, I'll just build my own then.


----------



## AxelCloris

I can pick up a generic 12V LPS locally for about $50. What's improved with the Geek LPS that makes it worth nearly 6x the cost? I understand it has a 5V connection for the Geek Out, but I doubt I'd travel with it.


----------



## FraGGleR

axelcloris said:


> I can pick up a generic 12V LPS locally for about $50. What's improved with the Geek LPS that makes it worth nearly 6x the cost? I understand it has a 5V connection for the Geek Out, but I doubt I'd travel with it.


 
 From what I gather, the Pulse uses both the 12V and 5V.  It will be difficult to find an off the shelf supply that does both. 
  
 The specs on the LHlabs one is likely to be much better than an off the shelf as well.  The $289 early bird price is too much for me to get one, but having built high end LPSs before, it isn't actually that bad a price.


----------



## Zoo Animal

Like DACs these come in all different price points and topologies. This one is on the low side of average if you look at Paul Haynes, Teddy Pardo or the King Rex units. The Meridian LPS that matches the Prime headphone dac/amp is $1250.00.


----------



## AxelCloris

It looks like we'll definitely hit that $500k stretch goal. The LPS will definitely get us there. Wonder if they'll add another stretch goal around $650-700k. Still 10 days to go they might be able to make that.


----------



## jaywillin

just went  "X", and LPS


----------



## Sonicmasala

fraggler said:


> There is going to be one, but apparently it will only be available to friends and family of LHlabs and winners of the referral competition.



 Wish it is open to the rest of us who don't. mind paying a bit more for the Special Edition.


----------



## Zero106

sonicmasala said:


> Wish it is open to the rest of us who don't. mind paying a bit more for the Special Edition.


Agree


----------



## Larry Ho

Actually, if we cheap out like some others, $80 could be done. But it will bring no improvement. 
 So again ,quality first. Check the details in content, you will know the difference.
  
 The high quality transformer itself will cost us (and you) at least $30. Capacitor will be $2 each if not more.... add everything up,
 you will know...


----------



## digitalzed

larry ho said:


> Actually, if we cheap out like some others, $80 could be done. But it will bring no improvement.
> So again ,quality first. Check the details in content, you will know the difference.
> 
> The high quality transformer itself will cost us (and you) at least $30. Capacitor will be $2 each if not more.... add everything up,
> you will know...




Larry, it may only be me, but I'm having a hard time picturing the LPS. Do you have a drawing or something you could share?


----------



## Zoo Animal

They are usually not too exciting visually. Hopefully it will come in the same chassis as the Pulse so they are identical size.
 3-prong plug in the back. On switch and USB 5V output for the front. They always look understated and refer design aspects to the DAC.

 A stack is usually bad for sound quality here, so considerations for a side-by-side arrangement are always welcome.


----------



## uzi

... and there it is... $500k... digital output achieved.
  
 Hey Larry, are you guys going to update the specs on the IGG site to reflect the addition of the 1/4" jack on the Pulse X?
  
 And can someone confirm that simple adapters for the analog output on the Pulse X will give me RCA out so I can use the unit as a simple DAC with a separate amp?
  
 Thanks!


----------



## digitalzed

zoo animal said:


> They are usually not too exciting visually. Hopefully it will come in the same chassis as the Pulse so they are identical size.
> 
> 3-prong plug in the back. On switch and USB 5V output for the front. They always look understated and refer design aspects to the DAC.
> 
> ...




Thanks Zoo Animal. The LPS early backer deal is now sold out. So I'd still hope Larry replies but I'm definitely out at the regular price!


----------



## Ranza

Too bad I live in Japan so no LPS for me anyway....


----------



## FraGGleR

uzi said:


> ... and there it is... $500k... digital output achieved.
> 
> Hey Larry, are you guys going to update the specs on the IGG site to reflect the addition of the 1/4" jack on the Pulse X?
> 
> ...


 
 Larry confirmed with me a while back that an XLR to RCA adapter will work and not harm the DAC.
  


zoo animal said:


> They are usually not too exciting visually. Hopefully it will come in the same chassis as the Pulse so they are identical size.
> 3-prong plug in the back. On switch and USB 5V output for the front. They always look understated and refer design aspects to the DAC.
> 
> A stack is usually bad for sound quality here, so considerations for a side-by-side arrangement are always welcome.


 
 It will come in the same chassis based on the announcement.  They are using a shielded transformer, and given that they are trying to go for a small footprint system, I would hope that stacking would end up being ok.  Worse come worse, you would need to put them side by side.


----------



## FraGGleR

Also, I have faith in Larry and the team.  If he says a normal LPS wouldn't make a difference, then the power filtering is already quite good on the Pulse and is likely good enough for most people who are buying the Pulse (value or space conscious buyers).  I have used LPSs that cost almost as much to have built and while I saw improvements on a DAC/amp combo that I was using it with, I don't know if it made enough of a difference to justify the cost, especially if the LPS costs as much as the unit itself.  I feel like it could be one of those "peace of mind" type purchases for those with the money to make sure they are getting the "best" performance out of their gear.
  
 Again, the LPS is most likely worth the cost as far as quality goes, and for some as far as added performance goes.  But for those worrying about the cost or whether they "need" one, relax and enjoy your gear.


----------



## vincent215

larry ho said:


> Actually, if we cheap out like some others, $80 could be done. But it will bring no improvement.
> So again ,quality first. Check the details in content, you will know the difference.
> 
> The high quality transformer itself will cost us (and you) at least $30. Capacitor will be $2 each if not more.... add everything up,
> you will know...


 
 Larry, we need a new stretch goal.
 How about remote control?


----------



## rdsu

vincent215 said:


> Larry, we need a new stretch goal.
> How about remote control?


 

 That will be amazing!


----------



## dcpoor

Wow, how fast did the early bird price on the LPS sell out? less than 6 hours? 4 hours?
  
 I was hesitating when reading the email announcement, but without the early bird price I guess that decision is made for me.


----------



## AxelCloris

dcpoor said:


> Wow, how fast did the early bird price on the LPS sell out? less than 6 hours? 4 hours?
> 
> I was hesitating when reading the email announcement, but without the early bird price I guess that decision is made for me.


 
  
 I believe it sold out around 2am here in Ohio, so around 11pm Cali time.


----------



## Charnwood

There were 11 left out of 100 at 5:50am here in the UK.
  
 It didn't say, but I assume an extra 40$ was required for international shipping.


----------



## Mihis

Moar powers coming up for NON US timezone peeps


----------



## AxelCloris

charnwood said:


> There were 11 left out of 100 at 5:50am here in the UK.
> 
> It didn't say, but I assume an extra 40$ was required for international shipping.


 
  
 The $40 shipping was confirmed in a recent post by Gavin. So don't forget to add it if you're picking up one of the discounted backing spots tomorrow.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Here is Gavin's announcement.
  
 Cheers!
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  




Gavin Fish posted an announcement 1 hour ago
  
*Special Announcement!*
  
 Last night, when we released Geek LPS, we didn't consider that the 100 units we made available at $289 would sell out before our friends in Europe and Asia were awake enough to take advantage of the launch.  We sold out in 3 1/2 hours!  That possibility didn't occur to us.
  
*Tonight at midnight on the US West Coast, we are going to release 100 more units at $289.  It will be 8:00AM in London and 5:00PM in Tokyo.*
  
 International backers, please remember to add $40 for shipping.


----------



## bhazard

Grabbed one of the last few Pulse X upgrades, even if the TRS headphone out isn't confirmed on the campaign page yet.


----------



## Muinarc

I am on board as well. Thanks for all of the updates Larry!


----------



## BaTou069

What is the LPS good for?

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk


----------



## AxelCloris

batou069 said:


> What is the LPS good for?
> 
> Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk


 
  
 Absolutely nothing.
  
 Musical reference aside, an LPS gives consistently regulated power to the device. No audible changes in the sound as it always gets 12V. Cleaner power = cleaner sound.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@bhazard
  
 TRS headphone out is confirmed on Pulse X, the campaign material is not just updated.
  
 LH's take on having LPS
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Free up the highs
2. Sound stage will be deeper
3. Smoother string instrument (e.g. Guitar, Violin...)

For some others, they will feel even better at bass response and strength.

And there is some good reasons behind it:

Lack of high frequency noises generated by switching power and intermodulation, more linear output impedance of power supply over frequency, lower equivalent output resistance as well...
 .
 .
 .

Larry


----------



## AxelCloris

So the new stretch goal, or "goal" as they say, is $750k for a remote. I could see that being useful, especially if using it with a speaker system. For me it doesn't really add any value as I'd be using the Pulse at my desk with headphones but I'm glad that they've given us somewhere to reach.


----------



## miceblue

Are the specifications for the Pulse/X fully fleshed out? They only list the THD+N value and it's lower on the X than the Pulse. I probably won't upgrade to the X simply because I don't have a need for balanced connections yet and when I do get some, if I ever do, there will probably be an upgraded version.


----------



## dclaz

axelcloris said:


> So the new stretch goal, or "goal" as they say, is $750k for a remote. I could see that being useful, especially if using it with a speaker system. For me it doesn't really add any value as I'd be using the Pulse at my desk with headphones but I'm glad that they've given us somewhere to reach.


 
 I would absolutely LOVE a remote


----------



## eac3

A remote? Oh well. Someone will appreciate it. Haven't visited their forums for the past week or so, so I had no idea this was heavily requested. I certainly would appreciate some design prototypes they are thinking for this device. Or are they still collecting ideas from the community  (if they are)?


----------



## miceblue

I personally wouldn't have a use for it since my stuff lies right next to me, but I guess some would use it.


----------



## Zoo Animal

LH is checking for interest on a Femto Clock upgrade for the Pulse. Price would be around 130.00 perhaps lower depending on numbers.

 Femto clocking is the stuff of 3K+ dacs, the little Pulse will be quite a destroyer with this option. 

 Give them a "Me Too!" on the LH labs forum if you are interested.
http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/403-the-last-big-request-crystek-clock


----------



## BaTou069

axelcloris said:


> Absolutely nothing.
> 
> Musical reference aside, an LPS gives consistently regulated power to the device. No audible changes in the sound as it always gets 12V. Cleaner power = cleaner sound.


 
 If there's no audible change with or without LPS, whats the interest of having one? Does it "save" the device for longer time? Don't get it


----------



## dcpoor

the heck? I check at around 12:15am PST, 15 minutes after midnight, and the 100 additional LPS are already sold out?


----------



## Zoo Animal

dcpoor said:


> the heck? I check at around 12:15am PST, 15 minutes after midnight, and the 100 additional LPS are already sold out?


 
  
 They put another 50 in the pool...there are a a few left still


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

LPS is selling like mad. The Femto clock upgrade (.082ps) campaign is gathering momentum too.
 (If you want the upgrade to happen, express it: http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/403-the-last-big-request-crystek-clock?limitstart=0&start=66)
  
 This mean a lot of people cares for good sound. Very good sound. Hey at this price point? 
  
 Geek + Pulse X Upgrade + LPS + Femto Clock Upgrade
 All less than 800 is never been sweeter.  
  
 Can wait on their shootout with $2K - $5K DACs with this baby.


----------



## Ranza

> It’s $40 for each piece because our plan is to ship them all separately.


 
   
As Gavin said...I thought with the perk Geek Out + Geek Pulse bundle ( and plus Pulse X Upgrade ), it will be sent in one package and only cost 40$, no more ?

 Sorry because English is not my native language and I didn't quite catch that...


----------



## uncola

So many optional upgrades now..  Which upgrade do you guys think gives the biggest improvement?  pulse X, LPS or clocks?


----------



## nicolo

uncola said:


> So many optional upgrades now..  Which upgrade do you guys think gives the biggest improvement?  pulse X, LPS or clocks?


 
  
 1) The LPS should give the biggest upgrade in sound. Another advantage is that you can use it with other DACS, amps etc
 2) THe Pulse X upgrade would improve the sound, perhaps not as much as the LPS. It definitely will smoothen the treble and provide a blacker background (less harshness, noise etc)
 3) The clocks will help. But it's not really needed. Some people may not be able to make out the difference.
  
 Hope this helps.


----------



## FraGGleR

uncola said:


> So many optional upgrades now..  Which upgrade do you guys think gives the biggest improvement?  pulse X, LPS or clocks?


 
 It is hard to say since we don't really know how well the Pulse performs without the upgrades.   I'd say the clocks would offer the least amount of noticeable difference since the Pulse is already supposed to be using good clocks.  The LPS could make a large difference if they cheap out on the Pulse's power filtering to justify the upgrades.  If they have good filtering, the differences will be much more subtle.  Going balanced is an easy recommend if you have balanced headphones, but again, will be subtle.
  
 It is still contested as to how much all of the measureable improvements that each bring are actually audible.
  
 If you want a great value DAC/amp, then don't upgrade.  If you want something that will be on par with products in the $1000-1500 range, then max out your Pulse.


----------



## AxelCloris

batou069 said:


> If there's no audible change with or without LPS, whats the interest of having one? Does it "save" the device for longer time? Don't get it


 
  
 It seems I chose my words poorly. Sorry for the confusion. I meant to explain that standard AC power causes a change in the sound. It's considered dirty power by many. Since you get DC out of the LPS then it's constantly regulated, clean power. An LPS doesn't change the sound, it prevents it from changing in the first place. So what you get when you use an LPS is a better sound. DC is better than AC when sound is involved.


----------



## bhazard

axelcloris said:


> It seems I chose my words poorly. Sorry for the confusion. I meant to explain that standard AC power causes a change in the sound. It's considered dirty power by many. Since you get DC out of the LPS then it's constantly regulated, clean power. An LPS doesn't change the sound, it prevents it from changing in the first place. So what you get when you use an LPS is a better sound. DC is better than AC when sound is involved.


 
 I don't understand the reasoning why people are going nuts to spend more on a LPS than the DAC itself.
  
 You can get 8 outlet power conditioners that filter dirty AC for as low as $65. It won't be as pure as 12V DC, but you'll be hard pressed to notice the difference, especially a $300+ one. Output won't be limited to 12V or USB either.


----------



## Icenine2

This thing has gone beyond cool.  Makes you wonder what else we could get going for product?  Some killer planar headphones?  A dedicated DAC?


----------



## FraGGleR

bhazard said:


> I don't understand the reasoning people are going nuts to spend more on a LPS than the DAC itself.
> 
> You can get 8 outlet power conditioners that filter dirty AC for as low as $65. It won't be as pure as 12V DC, but you'll be hard pressed to notice the difference, especially a $300+ one. Output won't be limited to 12V or USB either.


 
 I think some people are confused as to what the power supply does.  I am far from the ideal person to explain it, but I will give it a shot based on what I learned when I built a couple.
  
 Power conditioners can filter out some noise on the AC lines, but the powers supply must still covert AC to DC that is usable by your amp.  This is where the quality of the power supply comes in.  In general for audio, you want as stable and as quiet a DC feed as you can get.  Switch mode power supplies, by their very nature, generate noise that gets passed on to the amp.  Good filtering (like what I hope the Pulse will have) can reduce the impact of this noise, but it can't get rid of it entirely.  A linear power supply has the ability to deliver quieter power with less noise and fewer fluctuations.  The better supplies have less measurable noise and tighter regulation on the voltage.  What this means is that your amp has ideal power conditions to operate within.  Constant power available for large dynamic swings, a quieter background, and sometimes better bass are the main benefits I have heard.  
  
 The main point of contention is at what point the measurable improvements are actually audible.  Different power grids, different equipment, different ears, different wallets all play into whether or not something is worth it for people.  
  
 BTW, the 12VDC is the operating voltage of the Pulse.  There is no option there.


----------



## AxelCloris

bhazard said:


> I don't understand the reasoning why people are going nuts to spend more on a LPS than the DAC itself.
> 
> You can get 8 outlet power conditioners that filter dirty AC for as low as $65. It won't be as pure as 12V DC, but you'll be hard pressed to notice the difference, especially a $300+ one. Output won't be limited to 12V or USB either.


 
  
 I have a stage 2 power conditioner for my cinema setup. Retail price was $300 6 years ago. You can pick it up for about $100 now. I will agree that it does make a noticeable difference. So I can understand why someone would pay $300 for an LPS. At a certain point people come to want the best and they're willing to pay more for it. With a high enough end system the differences are obvious. I have multiple sound systems, one nice and two cheap. The cheap units make no difference on the conditioner vs straight power. However my DefTech Pro 1000 system gives me a better sound when conditioned, and they're not what I would call high end speakers. So while it may not be worth it to you, it's apparently worth it to others enough to be paired with over 250 Geeks.
  
 Edit: Apparently it was $300 when new.


----------



## bhazard

fraggler said:


> The main point of contention is at what point the measurable improvements are actually audible.  Different power grids, different equipment, different ears, different wallets all play into whether or not something is worth it for people.


 
  
 Exactly. The value isn't there for what would be a very small improvement for me. It is nice to have the option available though.


----------



## Muinarc

I'd rather pay the $300 of the LPS to upgrade the Pulse's chassis to a solid chunk of billet aluminum or something 

This is where Hi-Fi shows us where our priorities and beliefs lie.


----------



## FraGGleR

miceblue said:


> While in concept the linear power supply makes sense, but how much of a difference does it make upon real [insert sound science only term here] listening tests?
> 
> Spending nearly as much money on a power supply as the amp itself makes little sense to me.
> 
> As mentioned, we don't even know the performance of the stock Pulse.


 
 I was looking for a small footprint, high value device.  So at roughly $350 for a 3W balanced amp with a high quality Sabre chipset from a company that makes a very good, high end DAC, I am set, regardless of how the other upgrades would impact the performance.  I can appreciate what a good LPS can do, but no way does it fit into my current value system.


----------



## zenpunk

According to LH Labs: "Since Geek Pulse isn't USB powered (like Geek Out is), we'll make "Da Vinci magic" again with a quiet and proven super regulator that uses a large bank of capacitors, providing the best power supply in its class." 
So if that is really the case I don't see how the LPS would improve anything but maybe LH would care to explain.


----------



## jexby

zenpunk said:


> According to LH Labs: "Since Geek Pulse isn't USB powered (like Geek Out is), we'll make "Da Vinci magic" again with a quiet and proven super regulator that uses a large bank of capacitors, providing the best power supply in its class."
> So if that is really the case I don't see how the LPS would improve anything but maybe LH would care to explain.


 
  
 Zenpunk-  I completely agree,
 I passed on LPS for exactly their earlier statement above!
  
 can you add this exact wording, clarification issue to the LH Geek Voice thread please?  would love to see Larry's reply.... there or here.


----------



## bhazard

No need for them to reply. They are simply responding to market demand.
  
 There is a $399 power supply waiting for everyone who also uses $200+ cables on their $700+ headphones, and want the "best". Measurements and blind A/B testing be damned.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Another thing that wasn't mentioned.
  
 Geek LPS will use R core Transformer similar found in their Da Vinci DAC.
  
 Geek LPS will have alla Aqvox/iFi iUSB function.
  
 Plugin your USB source to Geek LPS and will replace it with clean 5V power + Data.
  
 (Now need to add that second Lightspeed Jr. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)


----------



## miceblue

bhazard said:


> No need for them to reply. They are simply responding to market demand.
> 
> There is a $399 power supply waiting for everyone who also uses $200+ cables on their $700+ headphones, and want the "best". Measurements and blind A/B testing be damned.



I think it would be fair to know more information about something before shelling out $289 that can't be refunded.

As stated, the Pulse itself was advertised to have "clean power" in the fist place.


----------



## bhazard

miceblue said:


> I think it would be fair to know more information about something before shelling out $400 that can't be refunded.
> 
> As stated, the Pulse itself was advertised to have "clean power" in the fist place.


 
 It should regulate the AC power on its own well enough with a good design, which I have no doubt they will provide.
  
 The LPS is for people who think that isn't enough. It was requested, so they provided. It doesn't mean that it is needed, or if it will even be an audible difference in your setup. It may provide a boost for one person, while offering nothing for another.


----------



## Zoo Animal

miceblue said:


> While in concept the linear power supply makes sense, but how much of a difference does it make upon real [insert sound science only term here] listening tests?
> 
> Spending nearly as much money on a power supply as the amp itself makes little sense to me.
> 
> As mentioned, we don't even know the performance of the stock Pulse.


 
  
 LPS is a good thing to read about, not just in this case but to know what you're buying/how to upgrade what you've got, further down the road. 
 Some Dacs below $2K will have an LPS included, some will stick the wall wart in the chassis to make it look like they have an LPS. Your audio dollars will be better spent if you know which is which and why to care.
  
 Fraggler put it well that at $299 it's a great value piece, as you add the upgrades you will get better audio but further away from the basic value. Also what cans are you going to be listening to this thing through and are they transparent enough to show the differences. I love my HD600s but they would probably fail in the transparency dept as far as some of these upgrades are concerned. 

 Here is some things to start reading about if you're interested, maybe not in this case but later

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_power_supply#Linear_regulated_power_supply

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripple_(electrical)
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise_(electronics)
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltage_regulation


----------



## Argybargy

Quite a bit of budget-fi audio can be bumped up to mid-fi by tossing the crappy switching wall wart and feeding the unit a clean robust linear power supply.

Mid-fi dacs should already have a linearpower supply in the chassis or in a separate enclosure. I would not consider running a geek pulse from a wall wart. A good power supply is easy DIY. Even the cheap $25 units from amazon or parts express are noticeably better than a wall wart.

I will be building my own. For me the only reason to buy the LH power supply would be to have a matching enclosure, which is not importantt to me.

It has been my plan to build a LPS for the geek pulse from day one, weeks ago.


----------



## uncola

This is showing my ignorance, but when an amp has one of those big copper ring transformers in the case, is that considered a linear power supply?  I actually haven't seen much mentioned about linear power supplies, usually they just say they have class A transformer instead of a walwart.  But i guess most of the stuff I shopped for was cheap


----------



## Zoo Animal

argybargy said:


> Quite a bit of budget-fi audio can be bumped up to mid-fi by tossing the crappy switching wall wart and feeding the unit a clean robust linear power supply.
> 
> Mid-fi dacs should already have a linearpower supply in the chassis or in a separate enclosure. I would not consider running a geek pulse from a wall wart. A good power supply is easy DIY. Even the cheap $25 units from amazon or parts express are noticeably better than a wall wart.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Me too, although I had planned to pick up something like a Keces just to see where the Pulse could be pushed. Glad they offered one, as it ended up being cheaper and possibly better.

 This sounds like a good intro DIY project though which is something I've been keeping an eye out for.


----------



## Argybargy

RE R core transformers: theres nothing inherently special or superior about them. You can buy a small one for $30. I have 4-5 in my parts bin.


----------



## uncola

The thing I like about having a transformer in the case is that way I can't lose the wall wart.  Which I tend to do a lot


----------



## brunk

What is the Geek using for LPF?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Added another perk:
  
 Femto Clock Upgrade $119
  
 2 x 82 fSsec (.082ps) RMS @ 100MHZ  Crystek CCHD-575-100M TXCO Clocks
 Sub 1.0uV voltage reference supported dedicated clock power shunt regulator


----------



## AxelCloris

Backed the clock upgrade. Hoping I didn't give in to a silly impulse.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

For me its no brainer...at this price level.
  
 Exasound have this as an upgrade to their e20 mkIII they say.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> Backed the clock upgrade. Hoping I didn't give in to a silly impulse.



Likewise. It may not even do much for the sound quality. >.>


----------



## Ethereal Sound

What benefits does the femto clock add to the geek pulse? There have been so many options lately that I don't know which ones I should get.


----------



## digitalzed

ethereal sound said:


> What benefits does the femto clock add to the geek pulse? There have been so many options lately that I don't know which ones I should get.


 
 No kidding! When this Femto clock upgrade first came up yesterday I think some people posted that it won't be an audible difference for many people. I think all these upgrades are for those looking to eek every possible bit of SQ out of the unit. It's tempting to jump in but I have to balance my wants with my equipment, my needs, and my means. By the time I upgrade my headphones to another level there will be another Pulse (or similar) out and I think I'll deal with that, then.


----------



## brunk

digitalzed said:


> No kidding! When this Femto clock upgrade first came up yesterday I think some people posted that it won't be an audible difference for many people. I think all these upgrades are for those looking to eek every possible bit of SQ out of the unit. It's tempting to jump in but I have to balance my wants with my equipment, my needs, and my means. By the time I upgrade my headphones to another level there will be another Pulse (or similar) out and I think I'll deal with that, then.


 
 Yeah, I would be careful with all the upgrades. No sense in spending $2k on a $500 unit when you could just jump up a notch or two IMO.


----------



## dclaz

I'm so tempted to drop the extra cash on the clock upgrade but I'm extremely skeptical of any audible improvement. 
  
  
 I'd love to see some measurements of all the Pulse variations, with/without LPS and upgraded clocks.


----------



## eac3

Backed for the clocks perk but passed on the LPS. I guess I am not too worried about noise over USB and/or the regular power cord. I am done.
  
 Quote:


dclaz said:


> I'd love to see some measurements of all the Pulse variations, with/without LPS and upgraded clocks.


 
  
 And that probably won't happen after 8 days from now


----------



## germay0653

dclaz said:


> I'm so tempted to drop the extra cash on the clock upgrade but I'm extremely skeptical of any audible improvement.
> 
> 
> I'd love to see some measurements of all the Pulse variations, with/without LPS and upgraded clocks.


 

 If anyone has an Audiophilleo 1 please jump in here as it has the ability to induce jitter to demonstrate the difference between more and less and the audible effects.


----------



## FayeForever

Backed the clock, because from my perspective top-notch clock would cost more than this. Also this is something you wouldn't add on easily afterwards.
 One reason I wouldn't back the LPS is that I think there are voltage regulators inside Pulse, or even rail splitters. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.


----------



## M3NTAL

Quit with all the dang upgrades and perks already! So is the Femto clock upgrade better than the clock in the SE version? Too many versions!


----------



## DannyBai

I feel like the original pulse I ordered is becoming an inferior product now. I thought we were getting a great deal with the pulse. Has this become a game to see how much money can be raised or to bank as much as possible from the backers? Don't want to sound negative or make accusations but this is almost getting out of hand. Can Larry or anyone with a good knowledge base explain the increments with these upgrades? I just want an amp/dac to use with my computer with my headphones and have it sound good. I don't really care about the X version or power cable but the new clock has my interest but I have no clue if I really need it.


----------



## vincent215

m3ntal said:


> Quit with all the dang upgrades and perks already! So is the Femto clock upgrade better than the clock in the SE version? Too many versions!


 
 After watching these upgrades came out for a while, I realized that the people who made these upgrades have good knowledge about what they are getting, and they are true innovators/ very early adapters who willing to spend the money for the unknown. So the logic of performance for the money won't apply to them, give them a break people 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
 The final specs for the Pulse has not yet been finalized, and the process of building a product is a mess anyway. It's a good thing that LH team listen to us, consumer have the voice to make it a better product, and fit our needs. Just wait until they are official for the mass market, I believe there will be only the Pulse and Pulse X.


----------



## Zero106

axelcloris said:


> I have a stage 2 power conditioner for my cinema setup. Retail price was $300 6 years ago. You can pick it up for about $100 now.


 
     



  What power conditioner do you use?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

dannybai said:


> I feel like the original pulse I ordered is becoming an inferior product now. I thought we were getting a great deal with the pulse. Has this become a game to see how much money can be raised or to bank as much as possible from the backers? Don't want to sound negative or make accusations but this is almost getting out of hand. Can Larry or anyone with a good knowledge base explain the increments with these upgrades? I just want an amp/dac to use with my computer with my headphones and have it sound good. I don't really care about the X version or power cable but the new clock has my interest but I have no clue if I really need it.


 
 This is what Gavin was saying in the LH forum. He doesn't wan't to be misunderstood as taking advantage of us. And he appealed for us to be prudent/wise on our contributions.  
  
 Lets remember its all backer driven thing. Just like the polls we set up at the start. 
  
 A lot made requests (and some...) and they have accommodated.
  
 For these we had options (If we NEED to).
  
 Its not that the original product is inferior (Larry's goal for it is to be best in its class), some of us just wanted more.
  
 Even them (on the LH forum) they (Larry/Gavin) are telling us there's no pressure/if we really need it, sort of thing. 
  
 Cheers!


----------



## Ranza

After all of those upgrade and perk, I think I'll pass...you must have a golden ear to hear the different with the clock upgrade....
 And I believe most of us don't have that kind of ears anyway, still...sell like hotcakes


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep, glad we have options.
  
 You could combine depending on your needs.
  
 Pulse only, Pulse + Clock, Pulse - X + LPS etc.


----------



## Zoo Animal

Parttime audiophile has a run down of the upgrades which might help clarify 

 http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/12/12/lh-labs-their-crowd-funded-geek-pulse-and-a-bunch-of-updates/


----------



## Case

Arrgh couldn't resist - Geek Pulse X Femto it is!

With all this commotion, was a decision ever made regarding the ES9018 desktop chip?


----------



## Zoo Animal

case said:


> Arrgh couldn't resist - Geek Pulse X Femto it is!
> 
> With all this commotion, was a decision ever made regarding the ES9018 desktop chip?


 

 It sounds like they are sticking with the 9018K2M version for a long time...this and any future products. I think they are preferring the sound "character" of it over the desktop version.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Larry made a comment (in the LH forum) that it's funny. On his tests, with some tweaks, on his opinion, the mobile version sounds better than the desktop version.

That is why, it was not changed. In fact, as Zoo has stated, expect future products on this chip.


----------



## DannyBai

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> This is what Gavin was saying in the LH forum. He doesn't wan't to be misunderstood as taking advantage of us. And he appealed for us to be prudent/wise on our contributions.
> 
> Lets remember its all backer driven thing. Just like the polls we set up at the start.
> 
> ...



Thanks m-i-c-k-e-y


----------



## bhazard

I went from a Super Duper Geek Out and standard Geek Pulse, to a Geek Pulse X with Femto and LPS upgrades right at the last minute. How did they know I can't resist a good limited time deal?
  
 I handled my end dropping about $1,000+ in backing, now it is up to them to deliver audio bliss. If they can get it to compete with $1.500+ level dac/amps, we are getting a heck of a deal for early backing, and they'll be getting massive praise. I can even use the LPS for my other DACs, which was the deciding factor for me.


----------



## AxelCloris

zero106 said:


> What power conditioner do you use?


 
  
Monster MP HTS 1600


----------



## Greed

Maybe I can get an answer here...
  
 Is it normal for me to have only been charged $7 for the black friday deal "GFOX"? Are they going to charge me the remaining sum after the campaign is over? I backed the Geek Out + Pulse Bundle when this campaign initial started, and became a Geek Force member when the deals came up during black friday. I should be good to go, correct?


----------



## AxelCloris

greed said:


> Maybe I can get an answer here...
> 
> Is it normal for me to have only been charged $7 for the black friday deal "GFOX"? Are they going to charge me the remaining sum after the campaign is over? I backed the Geek Out + Pulse Bundle when this campaign initial started, and became a Geek Force member when the deals came up during black friday. I should be good to go, correct?


 
  
 You should have added the full value of the item. So since you went with the GOFX then they wanted a full pledge of $299, not the $7 that's there. I think the reason they did that was to know who read the posts as a Geek Force member. I would email them and ask, but I think you'd be fine just adding the additional $292 to your pledge.
  
 I think he GFOX was $299, you'll want to confirm that. It was posted a couple pages back in this thread.


----------



## Greed

axelcloris said:


> You should have added the full value of the item. So since you went with the GOFX then they wanted a full pledge of $299, not the $7 that's there. I think the reason they did that was to know who read the posts as a Geek Force member. I would email them and ask, but I think you'd be fine just adding the additional $292 to your pledge.
> 
> I think he GFOX was $299, you'll want to confirm that. It was posted a couple pages back in this thread.


 
  
 Ugh, alright I'll email them to confirm. Thanks!


----------



## Larry Ho

vincent215 said:


> After watching these upgrades came out for a while, I realized that the people who made these upgrades have good knowledge about what they are getting, and they are true innovators/ very early adapters who willing to spend the money for the unknown. So the logic of performance for the money won't apply to them, give them a break people
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  


vincent215 said:


> After watching these upgrades came out for a while, I realized that the people who made these upgrades have good knowledge about what they are getting, and they are true innovators/ very early adapters who willing to spend the money for the unknown. So the logic of performance for the money won't apply to them, give them a break people
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  


vincent215 said:


> After watching these upgrades came out for a while, I realized that the people who made these upgrades have good knowledge about what they are getting, and they are true innovators/ very early adapters who willing to spend the money for the unknown. So the logic of performance for the money won't apply to them, give them a break people
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yes. You are right.
  
 We will keep some key upgrades as Indiegogo or Geek Force only. And go to mass market in Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse X.


----------



## AxelCloris

Any time, Greed.
  
 The Part Time Audiophile article was a neat quick read. It doesn't really touch on how the sound is improved in the end much with the clock upgrade, but it's certainly enthusiastic about it. I pledged with the reasoning that a clock isn't something that can be upgraded easily after the product is manufactured. Adding an LPS or the Blue are as simple as ordering and waiting for it to arrive. At least at this point I'm confident that I got the one upgrade I should during the campaign.


----------



## vincent215

larry ho said:


> Yes. You are right.
> 
> We will keep some key upgrades as Indiegogo or Geek Force only. And go to mass market in Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse X.


 
 No need to quote me 3 times Larry 
 If you agree, help me to post my referal link to your FB though..... JK, maybe real


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> Any time, Greed.
> 
> The Part Time Audiophile article was a neat quick read. It doesn't really touch on how the sound is improved in the end much with the clock upgrade, but it's certainly enthusiastic about it. I pledged with the reasoning that a clock isn't something that can be upgraded easily after the product is manufactured. Adding an LPS or the Blue are as simple as ordering and waiting for it to arrive. At least at this point I'm confident that I got the one upgrade I should during the campaign.



Likewise for me.

As much as I would like to get the X, having no unbalanced analog out makes it kind of useless for me since I don't have any balanced amps, not headphones for that matter. I don't plan on switching to balanced any time soon either as the benefits are really mainly for longer cables.


----------



## dcpoor

for those needing a rca out for the Pulse X
  

  
 http://www.fullcompass.com/product/297748.html


----------



## uzi

miceblue said:


> Likewise for me.
> 
> As much as I would like to get the X, having no unbalanced analog out makes it kind of useless for me since I don't have any balanced amps, not headphones for that matter. I don't plan on switching to balanced any time soon either as the benefits are really mainly for longer cables.


 
 1) There are XLR to RCA adapters/cables
 2) The X is going to also have a 1/4" headphone out


----------



## miceblue

Man I hate you guys. XD

I'll think about it, but I still don't see myself using balanced gear any time soon. It would be nice for others during local meets since people often have balanced stuff, but it won't help me and my wallet so much.


----------



## brunk

dcpoor said:


> for those needing a rca out for the Pulse X
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.fullcompass.com/product/297748.html


 
 That may not be safe to use for this unit. You need to verify with the manufacturer before doing such a thing, else you risk damaging your DAC.


----------



## dcpoor

brunk said:


> That may not be safe to use for this unit. You need to verify with the manufacturer before doing such a thing, else you risk damaging your DAC.


 
 http://lhlabs.com/force/groupbuys/413-high-quality-xlr-to-single-ended-output-adapter


----------



## brunk

dcpoor said:


> http://lhlabs.com/force/groupbuys/413-high-quality-xlr-to-single-ended-output-adapter


 
 Nice to see it's ok to use then


----------



## bhazard

brunk said:


> Nice to see it's ok to use then


 
 Remember, it bypasses the beefy internal amp though, which is why the 1/4" TRS headphone out in front is key.


----------



## miceblue

How does the unbalanced TRS work in a balanced amp anyway?
3 more spots for the X upgrade...have not decided yet. >.>


----------



## uzi

Damn it.  What the hell... besides the two Geek Outs I have coming (one regular, one super duper), I'm now in for two Geek Pulse X units (one for home, one for work), both with the Femto clock upgrade, and one Geek LPS.
  
 I figure I'll upgrade my Mad Dog to a balanced Alpha Dog by then, convert the cable on my HE-500 to be both balanced and not via a pair of neutrik 4-pin xlr connectors, a wire cutter and a soldering iron and perhaps get a balanced cable for my HD650.
  
 Hopefully these units turn out as well as we all hope.


----------



## bhazard

uzi said:


> Damn it.  What the hell... besides the two Geek Outs I have coming (one regular, one super duper), I'm now in for two Geek Pulse X units (one for home, one for work), both with the Femto clock upgrade, and one Geek LPS.
> 
> I figure I'll upgrade my Mad Dog to a balanced Alpha Dog by then, convert the cable on my HE-500 to be both balanced and not via a pair of neutrik 4-pin xlr connectors, a wire cutter and a soldering iron and perhaps get a balanced cable for my HD650.
> 
> Hopefully these units turn out as well as we all hope.


 
  
 Wouldn't it be easier to just make the end of the HE-500 cable a balanced 4 pin XLR? That's what I'll be doing.


----------



## Icenine2

Femto clock............you usually have to spend major $$ for that.  I'm sure everyone knows there regular DAC is like $10K.  Talk about great trickle down.  This is really shaping up to something beyond great.


----------



## miceblue

See that's the thing i don't get about this campaign. With the stuff found in multi-thousand dollar equipment, that doesn't necessarily mean the Pulse will be up to par with them. Otherwise the Pulse would be an end-game piece of gear that OHKOs anything in its path and obliterates all other competition.


----------



## bhazard

miceblue said:


> See that's the thing i don't get about this campaign. With the stuff found in multi-thousand dollar equipment, that doesn't necessarily mean the Pulse will be up to par with them. Otherwise the Pulse would be an end-game piece of gear that OHKOs anything in its path and obliterates all other competition.


 
  
 That's what they are trying to do.
  
 There are way too many form over function, overpriced pieces of equipment out there. There is a barely tapped market for top notch performance at affordable pricing, and they have the opportunity to seize it.
  
 Implementing the community's suggestions into their products makes us feel like we are part of the development, and builds a closer attachment to the success of the product as well. Another big benefit is the discount of early backing. It is genius.


----------



## uzi

bhazard said:


> Wouldn't it be easier to just make the end of the HE-500 cable a balanced 4 pin XLR? That's what I'll be doing.


 
 Yeah, I'll do that and also make the XLR to 1/4" adapter cable.  I'd still like to be able to use it with my Burson Soloist, for example.  In essence, I'll just be recreating the stock HE-6 cable.  (Or maybe I should just go buy one of those...)


----------



## dcpoor

miceblue said:


> See that's the thing i don't get about this campaign. With the stuff found in multi-thousand dollar equipment, that doesn't necessarily mean the Pulse will be up to par with them. Otherwise the Pulse would be an end-game piece of gear that OHKOs anything in its path and obliterates all other competition.


 
 in a fantasy world, the Pulse will better everything up to the DaVinci.


----------



## miceblue

bhazard said:


> That's what they are trying to do.
> 
> There are way too many form over function, *overpriced pieces of equipment out there.* There is a barely tapped market for top notch performance at affordable pricing, and they have the opportunity to seize it.





dcpoor said:


> in a fantasy world, the Pulse will better everything up to the DaVinci. :tongue_smile:



Pretty much that what the Pulse seems to be doing. The DaVinci is even too expensive for Tyll of Innerfidelity since it's the price of an arm and leg, literally, at 20000 USD.

Also, Pulse X seems to have 100 spots added.


----------



## brunk

icenine2 said:


> Femto clock............you usually have to spend major $$ for that.  I'm sure everyone knows there regular DAC is like $10K.  Talk about great trickle down.  This is really shaping up to something beyond great.


 
 It's just a telecom clock with marketing splashed in


----------



## Zoo Animal

brunk said:


> It's just a telecom clock with marketing splashed in


 

 You've just described what an entire dac is....Telecom components with marketing


----------



## brunk

zoo animal said:


> You've just described what an entire dac is....Telecom components with marketing


 
 Audio-based DAC chips and opamps? No...


----------



## miceblue

Looks like the Indiegogo campaign has been extended another week.


----------



## uzi

Is it me or has the $750k perk also changed?  It used to look like they were going to supply the remote control... now it's just going to be the IR port.  (The old image also had a typo where they misspelled "goal" as "gaol", I think.)  Not that I mind -- I don't plan to use the IR port.


----------



## miceblue

uzi said:


> Is it me or has the $750k perk also changed?  It used to look like they were going to supply the remote control... now it's just going to be the IR port.  (The old image also had a typo where they misspelled "goal" as "gaol", I think.)  Not that I mind -- I don't plan to use the IR port.



I didn't even notice that. Good eye.

And yeah it used to be "gaol."
Old


New.


----------



## brunk

Oh, so are they using a Vishay IR, and letting the customer pick an Apple or some other remote? I like that idea since you get to choose your remote.


----------



## germay0653

uzi said:


> Is it me or has the $750k perk also changed?  It used to look like they were going to supply the remote control... now it's just going to be the IR port.  (The old image also had a typo where they misspelled "goal" as "gaol", I think.)  Not that I mind -- I don't plan to use the IR port.


 

 The 750K Bonus Goal is still the remote.  I just checked!


----------



## uncola

That is awesome because I have an apple remote!  Also they are cheap and easy to source replacements
 edit:  also they are made from metal which is pretty cool


----------



## AxelCloris

Looking around the internet and getting a feel for DACs that have Femto clocks in them. Am I right in seeing that the cheapest on the market with the upgraded clocks is the Auralic Vega at $3500?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

And it is this price range Larry Ho said will sound...
  
 Well, will wait for the surprise.


----------



## ceausuc

looks like the usb input will be based on xmos receiver. I think something better, like the Amanero board should be used... the quality of the usb input is very important, more important than the remote


----------



## negura

So what's the best bundle for Geek Pulse X + Femto? Can you just buy multiple bundles and you get the version with stacked benefits?


----------



## Currawong

ceausuc said:


> looks like the usb input will be based on xmos receiver. I think something better, like the Amanero board should be used... the quality of the usb input is very important, more important than the remote


 
  
 I've had DACs with the XMOS that sounded terrible and ones with it that sounded great, so the big question will, for me at least, definitely be how well they manage to implement all these features.


----------



## miceblue

I read XMOS as XMAS and I thought, "what's a Christmas receiver?" :s


----------



## agisthos

Guys I don't have time to read this whole thread so forgive me if this has been asked before....
  
 I will not be using USB as the input, but spdif from my transport. Does this mean the volume control will still work?
 because the description is not totally clear - it talks about the volume level being changed via the OS, which obviously will not be happening if someone uses the Coax or optical inputs.
  
 What is also not clear to me, is the volume control 64-bit attenuation or 64 steps? I have read both figures. Just because volume control is 64 steps does not mean its 64-bit....


----------



## germay0653

currawong said:


> I've had DACs with the XMOS that sounded terrible and ones with it that sounded great, so the big question will, for me at least, definitely be how well they manage to implement all these features.


 

 Larry Ho confirmed they will be using the Thesycon driver for the XMOS USB implementation.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> And it is this price range Larry Ho said will sound...
> 
> Well, will wait for the surprise.


 

 Come on m-i-c-k-e-y....please tell us it will sound as good as the AURALiC!


----------



## Currawong

germay0653 said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > I've had DACs with the XMOS that sounded terrible and ones with it that sounded great, so the big question will, for me at least, definitely be how well they manage to implement all these features.
> ...


 
  
 In all honesty, that doesn't mean anything. What I'm saying is, until we all get our units and actually listen, the upgrades wont mean much. I've assumed they know what they are doing and ordered all of them though.


----------



## miceblue

It feels like a gamble really. We're shelling out so much money on something we don't know much about. If they poop out and give us a a lame product, the only thing at risk is their reputation. XD


----------



## EraserXIV

They are way too many versions of this device now, whatever happened to "Keep it simple, stupid." I was initially interested in this but have lost interest in all the hype.
  
 $199 here, $250 there, another $119 there, and so on.. it adds up. They've successfully created enough hype that people are eating it all up and dropping extra money that they weren't originally planning on spending. Marketing genius I guess. What ever happened to the no-frills under $300 giant killer? It seems like people could be spending close to $1000 now. Marketing genius. Kudos to you LH, kudos.


----------



## uncola

germay0653 said:


> Larry Ho confirmed they will be using the Thesycon driver for the XMOS USB implementation.


 
 what can you tell us about the Thesycon driver?  is it better than others?  is there a generic xmos driver?


----------



## Argybargy

eraserxiv said:


> They are way too many versions of this device now, whatever happened to "Keep it simple, stupid." I was initially interested in this but have lost interest in all the hype.
> 
> $199 here, $250 there, another $119 there, and so on.. it adds up. They've successfully created enough hype that people are eating it all up and dropping extra money that they weren't originally planning on spending. Marketing genius I guess. What ever happened to the no-frills under $300 giant killer? It seems like people could be spending close to $1000 now. Marketing genius. Kudos to you LH, kudos.




I get where you're coming from. I'm also a little turned off by the hyper excited carnival barker marketing. That said I'm in it for $508 for the balanced option and the femto clock. 
I'm more annoyed that I'll be waiting until July 2014 for my unit, which knowing how these things go probably means delivery in September '14.

If after all this hype and hoopla they deliver a mediocre product their reputation will be shot. I don't think they'll get a second chance, at least not on HeadFi.


----------



## Currawong

People on their forum asked for all this stuff and were willing to pay for it.


----------



## Zoo Animal

currawong said:


> People on their forum asked for all this stuff and were willing to pay for it.


 
  
 Their forum and this one, as you can see from the poll above.
  
 If you are willing to not only take suggestions from crowdsourcing but implement them before production, you can count on things drifting north in features and price points. I think they are trying to get version 2.0 before 1.0 has even materialized past Larry Ho's breadboard. Not a bad thing in my mind but not too hard to see where it leads to confusion. 

 The whole project started out as a Geek Out version that takes wall power and has RCA outs. Very tempting to add more to a platform that basic.


----------



## ceausuc

currawong said:


> I've had DACs with the XMOS that sounded terrible and ones with it that sounded great, so the big question will, for me at least, definitely be how well they manage to implement all these features.


 
 of course that implementation is important but lately everyone is using other receivers. see shiit, burson, audiogd, youlong, amimusik. i wonder why
  


eraserxiv said:


> They are way too many versions of this device now, whatever happened to "Keep it simple, stupid." I was initially interested in this but have lost interest in all the hype.
> 
> $199 here, $250 there, another $119 there, and so on.. it adds up. They've successfully created enough hype that people are eating it all up and dropping extra money that they weren't originally planning on spending. Marketing genius I guess. What ever happened to the no-frills under $300 giant killer? It seems like people could be spending close to $1000 now. Marketing genius. Kudos to you LH, kudos.


 
 I was thinking the same thing.. obviously they are very smart.
 On the other hand this smart marketing is a double-edged sword. Buyers will expect something extraordinary for their money.
 A 500$ dac that will beat *good* 2500$ dacs. Is that possible? Very difficult task...Besides that, 6 months from now, there will be other dacs with this new ESS chip. So.. more competition.


----------



## germay0653

currawong said:


> In all honesty, that doesn't mean anything. What I'm saying is, until we all get our units and actually listen, the upgrades wont mean much. I've assumed they know what they are doing and ordered all of them though.


 

 Agreed.  We'll all find out how they sound when we get them. I believe Larry is looking also into the Amanero board.  Synergy, synergy, synergy is what Larry will work towards with the implementation.  You could have the best parts inside but unless implemented properly it might not sound good.


----------



## miceblue

germay0653 said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > In all honesty, that doesn't mean anything. What I'm saying is, until we all get our units and actually listen, the upgrades wont mean much. I've assumed they know what they are doing and ordered all of them though.
> ...


*

That's what I've been trying to say. You can pack all the fancy equipment you want in a product, but that doesn't really mean anything.

i.e. Two amps can have the same op-amp, but one sounds and measures really good, the other doesn't. Both marketing teams can say "includes the highly praised XXX op-amp with YYY THD+N and whatnot," and it will be true for both amps.*


----------



## Icenine2

axelcloris said:


> Looking around the internet and getting a feel for DACs that have Femto clocks in them. Am I right in seeing that the cheapest on the market with the upgraded clocks is the Auralic Vega at $3500?


 
 Yes.  Plus these guys have one of the best DAC's made in the WORLD so no worries here.  This may end up being a giant killer.


----------



## brunk

icenine2 said:


> Yes.  Plus these guys have one of the best DAC's made in the WORLD so no worries here.  *This may end up being a giant killer.*


 
 Lol, didn't people say the same for ODAC, Modi, Gungnir, and so on? Hype train full steam ahead...


----------



## bhazard

brunk said:


> Lol, didn't people say the same for ODAC, Modi, Gungnir, and so on? Hype train full steam ahead...


 
 They may have said it, but Schiit and the ODAC creator don't actually have a $30,000 money no object, world class DAC like Light Harmonic does.


----------



## AxelCloris

brunk said:


> Lol, didn't people say the same for ODAC, Modi, Gungnir, and so on? Hype train full steam ahead...


 
  
 But it's better than ANY DAC under $3000!


----------



## brunk

bhazard said:


> They may have said it, but Schiit and the ODAC creator don't actually have a $30,000 money no object, world class DAC like Light Harmonic does.


 
 I'm sorry, but that still means squat lol. You can't correlate between a $30k and a $300 DAC....


----------



## brunk

axelcloris said:


> But it's better than ANY DAC under $3000!


 
 Right...because vaporware makes perfect sound. I knew that, silly me


----------



## bhazard

brunk said:


> Right...because vaporware makes perfect sound. I knew that, silly me




Ouya was crowdfunded vaporware at one point, but it actually exists now.

You have a point with it not being out yet, but considering LH already has a world class DAC that exists for sale now, the risk is much less. I consider it a pre order.


----------



## brunk

bhazard said:


> Ouya was crowdfunded vaporware at one point, but it actually exists now.
> 
> You have a point with it not being out yet, but considering LH already has a world class DAC that exists for sale now, the risk is much less. I consider it a pre order.


 
 Yeah, I hear ya, but there are some wild justifications going on. Does anybody else get the feeling that these "upgrades" is like going to a car dealer to buy a Corolla and you end up tacking on leather, chrome etc when you could've gotten a Lexus. lol
  
 Brilliant marketing for sure.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Better for me to buy $300 DAC from Light Harmonic, dCS, MSB Technology, Luxman
  
 Than a $30K DAC from Musiland, SMSL, Topping etc.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

....its called a funnycar, dragster...


----------



## Andrew_WOT

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> ....its called a funnycar, dragster...


 
 Great analogy, I think I'll take Lexus after all.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y




----------



## sling5s

If their using same Dac chip in this as in the Geek Out, besides the benefit of the RCA out, will the Geek Pulse (as a Dac) sound significantly better than the Geek Out (as a Dac)?
 I know it's about implementation but just wondering...


----------



## miceblue

I dunno. Nobody knows really. They claim "the power makes a difference."

But tell that to someone else and they'll think you're crazy. 

"Electricity is 50 per cent of the sound."

[video]http://vimeo.com/m/25761812[/video]


----------



## zenpunk

Night and day as they say on here...


----------



## FraGGleR

sling5s said:


> If their using same Dac chip in this as in the Geek Out, besides the benefit of the RCA out, will the Geek Pulse (as a Dac) sound significantly better than the Geek Out (as a Dac)?
> I know it's about implementation but just wondering...


 
 Better power supplies, less cramped traces, different opamps, etc.  It will definitely sound different, and most likely better.  When you use a word like significantly, you are asking for a judgment call that no one can make since the unit doesn't exist yet, and different people have different opinions on what is significant.


----------



## uzi

Well, looks like we're all about to get Remote Control IR ports.  (We're $220 away as I type this.)


----------



## AxelCloris

uzi said:


> Well, looks like we're all about to get Remote Control IR ports.  (We're $220 away as I type this.)


 
  
 $750,299 currently. We've reached the third 4th stretch goal. Now to see if they have any plans for a $1M. I'd love to see another stretch, but unless some new upgrade is announced alongside it I doubt we'll hit that mark.


----------



## FraGGleR

I never would have asked for one, but I am actually really excited for the IR sensor now.  
  
 This now hits everything on my checklist that I have been wanting in a compact desktop package and at a price that is lower than I could have expected.  So as long as it isn't worse than my Nuforce HDP, I will be very happy with it.


----------



## AxelCloris

> *$750,000 Stretch Goal Achieved!* *WHAAAAAAAAA?*
> *THANK YOU!!!!!!!!*
> (At 9:00PM Pacific time, we'll be posting another fun announcement.  Hint: it could involve a $1M stretch goal.  If you want your say on what that stretch goal might be, please tell us over at lhlabs.com.)


 
  
 So it seems we are indeed getting a $1M stretch goal. Wonder what it will end up being. I'm hoping for something that will boost sound quality. And that it's able to raise enough money to reach the goal.


----------



## hydesg

isnt this similar to the yulong DA8


----------



## brunk

hydesg said:


> isnt this similar to the yulong DA8


 
 Feature-wise yes. Internal-wise, no.


----------



## Ebonyzer

Can anyone help explain to a newb -- I had intended on getting the Geek Pulse unit but amidst the furor and requests for a balanced device, I am now considering the Pulse X upgrade. 
  
 I do not currently have any balanced headphones, but I am considering picking up some planars in the future. If I am willing to spend the price upgrading to the balanced Pulse X, is there any apparent trade-off I am making to use regular unbalanced headphones with the amp -- something I am giving up that I wouldn't have lost had I stuck with the unbalanced non-X version in the first place? 
  
 I have a Peachtree DAC-it now which I enjoy, but my uneducated guess is that this Geek Pulse X may end up being a better DAC, although I don't know anything about the internals of the DAC-it. 
  
 Any info/perspective is much appreciated.


----------



## AgentXXL

ebonyzer said:


> Can anyone help explain to a newb -- I had intended on getting the Geek Pulse unit but amidst the furor and requests for a balanced device, I am now considering the Pulse X upgrade.
> 
> I do not currently have any balanced headphones, but I am considering picking up some planars in the future. If I am willing to spend the price upgrading to the balanced Pulse X, is there any apparent trade-off I am making to use regular unbalanced headphones with the amp -- something I am giving up that I wouldn't have lost had I stuck with the unbalanced non-X version in the first place?
> 
> ...


 
  
 As the Pulse X comes with both a balanced XLR 4 pin output and a single ended (SE) 1/4" TRS output on the front, you'll easily be able to use your current headphones with the Pulse X. And of course you'll be able to use the Pulse X with balanced headphones (or amplifiers when using the balanced line-outs on the back) should you buy any or upgrade the cables on your existing headphones.
  
 As for what you'll be giving up - only one thing that I can think of - that's the possible loss of one extra RCA SPDIF digital input. On the Pulse X, one of the RCA SPDIF digital inputs is replaced by an AES/EBU input, although one of the engineers (Larry Ho) thought it might be possible for him to design it such that the AES/EBU input will accept either the higher voltage AES/EBU signal or the lower voltage SPDIF signal. Hopefully he can make this happen.
  
 As for sound quality, the dual DACs in a mono-mono configuration are likely to improve it, over the standard Pulse which has only one DAC. That's about all I can think of. I went for the Pulse X if you hadn't guessed... 
  
 Dale


----------



## goldendarko

My copy of Stereophile just came in the mail today and it has 2 featured articles on the Geek Pulse project, as well as an afterword from Larry Ho. I think they may reach that goal of $1 Million now that some of the old geezers that probably don't know about kickstarter are now aware of it!


----------



## Larry Ho

goldendarko said:


> My copy of Stereophile just came in the mail today and it has 2 featured articles on the Geek Pulse project, as well as an afterword from Larry Ho. I think they may reach that goal of $1 Million now that some of the old geezers that probably don't know about kickstarter are now aware of it!


 
  
 Thanks!  And we just announce our $1M stretch goal.  This journey is quite amazing!


----------



## goldendarko

larry ho said:


> Thanks!  And we just announce our $1M stretch goal.  This journey is quite amazing!


 




  
 Improvements to both the Pulse & Pulse X, everyone wins!


----------



## brunk

Those Nichicon caps are a very nice upgrade. Kudos to them.


----------



## AxelCloris

Yay! Better sound!


----------



## uncola

New perk, linear power supply with 4 outlets..  what would the extra outlets be useful for?  To power a seperate amp?  or phono preamp?


----------



## goldendarko

axelcloris said:


> Yay! Better sound!


 

 You almost wonder if they will be making any money with all of these stretch goals being reached?


----------



## brunk

uncola said:


> New perk, linear power supply with 4 outlets..  what would the extra outlets be useful for?  To power a seperate amp?  or phono preamp?


 
 Maybe 1 for DAC, 1 for preamp, and 2 for mono amps?


----------



## uzi

goldendarko said:


> You almost wonder if they will be making any money with all of these stretch goals being reached?


 
 Sure.  It'll get cheaper for them both in terms of parts and production in volume.


----------



## ULUL

Apologies - I read about 10 pages and realize I don't have time to get through it all. 
  
 If I understand correctly, with this Kickstarter project, a supporter pays up front with a credit card.  This is then released at a later date, say April 2014 in this case.   Lets say $1 million raised. And the money is given to those raising the funds. 
  
 If the project never materializes and the company receiving the fund walks, does the public get a refund?  Or do they just loose the money?
  
I guess I am curious as the Geek Out kickstarter is done, but that product is not done yet and now there is this kickstarter. 
  
I just found out about both  Geek Out and Geek Pulse this evening.  Curious if anyone has actually heard these products and reported on it, even if it is in prototype stage? 

Thanks,
UL


----------



## likes2hike

For possible future Pre-amp, Geek Air, and other items


----------



## Larry Ho

uzi said:


> Sure.  It'll get cheaper for them both in terms of parts and production in volume.


 
  
 Most of things: Yes. Some key parts, it won't get any cheaper. 
  
 Anyway, we just hope to let this $1M stretch goal to return some good favor from our backers. And hopefully we will bring more wonderful new friends in this campaign. 
  
 The most valuable thing we got from this campaign is... Knowing the potential power of crowd designing!
  
 We got great design idea for balance DAC, great idea for front panel, wonderful usage of how they use LPS + LPS4.
 We gather the buying power for the the Femto clocks so the price is much much affordable. (from thousands to hundreds)
  
 This journey is truly AMAZING!!!!!!


----------



## Zoo Animal

ulul said:


> Apologies - I read about 10 pages and realize I don't have time to get through it all.
> 
> If I understand correctly, with this Kickstarter project, a supporter pays up front with a credit card.  This is then released at a later date, say April 2014 in this case.   Lets say $1 million raised. And the money is given to those raising the funds.
> 
> ...


 

 They brought the Geek Out to RMAF and some reviewers got a listen, all favorable reports.

  
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/canjam-rmaf-2013-light-harmonic-geek-out-usb-ampdac
http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/10/11/rmaf-2013-rise-of-the-geek/
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/105#post_9892500
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/120#post_9893177
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/120#post_9894583
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685524/canjam-at-rmaf-october-2013-impressions-thread/285#post_9930761


----------



## digitalzed

ulul said:


> Apologies - I read about 10 pages and realize I don't have time to get through it all.
> 
> If I understand correctly, with this Kickstarter project, a supporter pays up front with a credit card.  This is then released at a later date, say April 2014 in this case.   Lets say $1 million raised. And the money is given to those raising the funds.
> 
> ...




Both geek Out and Geek Pulse have reached their goals and the money is, or will be given to to LH at the end of the campaign. Some people have heard prototype of the geek Out and have a very enthusiastic impression, but no one has heard the real deal yet. Same for geek Pulse. Since the project has met its funding goal, there will be no refunds. Since LH is an already established company building and shipping product (visit their web site to see the DaVinci DAC), many backers of both campaigns feel they are pre-ordering, more than funding a project that may or may not materialize. Others feel the risk is worth it regardless and can afford to lose that money if it comes to that. If LH delivers, and they are building the geek Out now for January shipment, then those that backed get a potentially great product at a great price. If they don't backers are SOL.


----------



## ULUL

Thanks everyone for the replies. 
  
 So the draw is that these people KNOW what they are doing given that they produced the $20K DaVinci Dac. 
  
 Final question, reading through the thread, there seem to be something about joining as members somewhere to get a better deal.  As a new 1st time supporter, what's the best way to get the best deal possible?
  
 Thanks again everyone.
 UL


----------



## vincent215

ulul said:


> Thanks everyone for the replies.
> 
> So the draw is that these people KNOW what they are doing given that they produced the $20K DaVinci Dac.
> 
> ...


 
 They have a forum where you can post your ideas. It's www.lhlabs.com
 I think the best deal is the Geek Pulse & Out combo, since it's only an addition $50 from the lowest price Geek Pulse, and you can resell the Geek Out later.
 The Black Friday deal is now gone.


----------



## Zoo Animal

ulul said:


> Thanks everyone for the replies.
> 
> So the draw is that these people KNOW what they are doing given that they produced the $20K DaVinci Dac.
> 
> ...


 
  
 If you are a member of their lhlabs.com product forum you can get the linear power supply for $299 vs $399


----------



## ULUL

Thanks everyone. 

I looked at their various pricing structures again, and some past offers, and it just has an odd feel that something doesn't seem to add up. Either their cost of production is crazy cheap, or they are willing to loose money on some of the deals. I assumed that their cost of production is cheaper than their cheapest offers so that they are not loosing $ on any of their deals - now of the past. This is not criticizing - just ruminating that the whole pricing structure is unusual. It just has the feel of seeking to raise maximum $, even at the expense of profits. BUT then.....I'm new to this product . I'll zip my lips after this post...

UL


----------



## Zoo Animal

They are doing large production runs of these and there is a huge economy of scale to the components. If you're ordering 5000 at a time, the price can be 1/2 or 1/3 the price of ordering a single item. The same goes down the line from manufacturing boards to the cases. It is another benefit of crowd funding, you can do a large run and simply fulfill orders instead of producing some number and hoping you sell them. At this stage there is also no retail mark-up or distributor mark-up...it is completely buying direct and I would guess they are foregoing some manufacturing/producer mark-up as well since you are funding in advance. 

 My guess is over-all they aren't going broke with this though


----------



## vincent215

ulul said:


> Thanks everyone.
> 
> I looked at their various pricing structures again, and some past offers, and it just has an odd feel that something doesn't seem to add up. Either their cost of production is crazy cheap, or they are willing to loose money on some of the deals. I assumed that their cost of production is cheaper than their cheapest offers so that they are not loosing $ on any of their deals - now of the past. This is not criticizing - just ruminating that the whole pricing structure is unusual. It just has the feel of seeking to raise maximum $, even at the expense of profits. BUT then.....I'm new to this product . I'll zip my lips after this post...
> 
> ...


 
 Your statement is true! They are a company, and they have to make a profit, because they spend their time, heart, mind and resources to dedicate for these products. 
 We are searching for the best deal available, but that doesnt mean we have to gain at the expenses of others.
 You are still welcome to ask any question here


----------



## Ranza

1M$ Stretch Goal look sweet but honestly I don't think they can make it in the next 11 days...
 Give them 10 more days, maybe...


----------



## earfonia

With the Femto clock upgrade, I would like to have a BNC world clock output for those Pulse and Pulse X that upgraded with Femto clock. 
So we can use this low jitter clock for other equipment with world clock input


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Waiting confirmation of Geek Pulse S (Single Ended, a lot we're asking these)
  
 Dual mono design single ended outs


----------



## Currawong

That wouldn't be any different to a balanced version but with only half the output circuitry, which is what you'd get by simply not using the balanced out. I'm not sure ultimately that it would save much money per amp. Larry would have to answer on that one though.


----------



## miceblue

The Pulse S sounds good, and will likely be something that I would use if the dual mono design works out.

On the other hand, having the X, which has both the unbalanced and balanced connections, would make it more versatile. I'm still undecided if I want to upgrade to the X because of this reason. You can always have balanced to unbalanced, but not the other way around.

I don't see myself using balanced headphones any time soon, but having the balanced out connections would be more future-proof. The benefits of balanced cables still remains a mystery to me for the typical lengths of cable used for headphones (~3 meters max?).


----------



## bhazard

1 mill is a huge stretch, but those upgrades would be nice.


----------



## Anaximandros

The new strech goal is nice, but I don't think, that they can make it to 1 mil.
  
 Most of the people got their upgrades, some spent more than 2000$ on upgrades. It started with a 299$ no brainer which is supposed to sound awesome and now the "no brainer Pulse" seems a bit like something insignificant if you don't get the upgrades.
  
 It's like you should upgrade or it will sound less good. That's something keeping people away from funding imho.


----------



## bhazard

anaximandros said:


> The new strech goal is nice, but I don't think, that they can make it to 1 mil.
> 
> Most of the people got their upgrades, some spent more than 2000$ on upgrades. It started with a 299$ no brainer which is supposed to sound awesome and now the "no brainer Pulse" seems a bit like something insignificant if you don't get the upgrades.
> 
> It's like you should upgrade or it will sound less good. That's something keeping people away from funding imho.


 
 $$ plays a factor in each price point.
  
 For example, if the LPS costs them over a hundred just for parts, do you honestly expect them to include it into the $299 product? Should the Pulse X not cost more even though they have to double the component count? They have to make some sort of profit.
  
 The upgrade options help satisfy diverse wants and needs for different customers, and helps with different budget levels. For those wanting a no frills great DAC, the Pulse is available. For those seeking a $1,500+ DAC killer, the LPS, Femto, and Pulse X are available.


----------



## AxelCloris

I'll be honest, I'd prefer the $1M and $750K goals were swapped. But that's just my wishful desires. I really hope we're able to hit the $1M mark as those upgrades would be beneficial to everyone rather than to just some.


----------



## Anaximandros

bhazard said:


> $$ plays a factor in each price point.
> 
> For example, if the LPS costs them over a hundred just for parts, do you honestly expect them to include it into the $299 product? Should the Pulse X not cost more even though they have to double the component count? They have to make some sort of profit.
> 
> The upgrade options help satisfy diverse wants and needs for different customers, and helps with different budget levels. For those wanting a no frills great DAC, the Pulse is available. For those seeking a $1,500+ DAC killer, the LPS, Femto, and Pulse X are available.


 
 Don't get me wrong.
  
 Sure the upgrades should cost more. That's not the problem here. I never mentioned, that all the upgrades should be implemented withoug extra money. I upgraded my Pulse and have no problem with it. People who want the best options should jump in. The cost is low, I mean a nice LPS for only 299$. That's cheap.
  
 It is just that new people can be overwhelmed by the updates and might think, that the normal Pulse is much inferior to the Pulse X + Femto + LPS upgrade.
  
 Light Harmonic want to adress people to high res music and they did really well with their Geek Out campaign and what they did with the Pulse is really amazing. I like them and I really hope, that they can get to 1 mil.


----------



## FraGGleR

anaximandros said:


> Don't get me wrong.
> 
> Sure the upgrades should cost more. That's not the problem here. I never mentioned, that all the upgrades should be implemented withoug extra money. I upgraded my Pulse and have no problem with it. People who want the best options should jump in. The cost is low, I mean a nice LPS for only 299$. That's cheap.
> 
> ...


 
 I have had mixed feelings as we went along, but now that it is all but over, I appreciate what they have done.  For those who wanted good performance at a great value, the baseline Pulse should be a really good component.  For those who want more, there are upgrades available to incrementally get there.  I ended up contributing more than I originally intended, but in the end, I still have paid only a little more than other components that I have bought in the past and this one has everything I have wanted and looks to be at minimum just as good as anything I have owned.
  
 As much as it has been confusing for a lot of people, I don't think they could have done it any differently since they were bending over backwards to give us what we were asking for on the fly.
  
 I'm very excited and next summer can't get here soon enough.


----------



## bhazard

The benchmark will be the Geek Out. If it kicks all sorts of ass when they release it next month, then Pulse backers are going to be very excited.


----------



## digitalzed

bhazard said:


> The benchmark will be the Geek Out. If it kicks all sorts of ass when they release it next month, then Pulse backers are going to be very excited.


 
 +1


----------



## Argybargy

It's pretty much acknowledged that the Geek Out pre-production samples kick ass.  The question is will the production unit be exactly the same.


----------



## ULUL

vincent215 said:


> You are still welcome to ask any question here


 
 ..LOL.
  
 OK, a couple more. 
  
 1. Anyone ever heard the 'awesomifier' effects?  
  
 2. It looks like Geek Out was a Kickstarter project while Geek Pulse is a Indiegogo project?  Curious why. 
  
 Thanks,
 ULUL


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Discussing if we can have the $1M perk as an upgrade now.
  
 Refund or coupon if hit $1M...
  
 here it goes!


----------



## AxelCloris

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Discussing if we can have the $1M perk as an upgrade now.
> 
> Refund or coupon if hit $1M...
> 
> here it goes!


 
  
 I'd back it.


----------



## FlySweep

ulul said:


> It looks like Geek Out was a Kickstarter project while Geek Pulse is a Indiegogo project?  Curious why.


 
  
 Kickstarter rules don't allow LHLabs (or anyone else) to start another campaign (Geek Pulse) immediately after one has completed (Geek Out).. which is why they went with Indigogo for Geek Pulse.


----------



## miceblue

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Discussing if we can have the $1M perk as an upgrade now.
> 
> Refund or coupon if hit $1M...
> 
> here it goes!



What was the point of making it a $1 million stretch goal then?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Stretch Goal was Light Harmonics idea....
  
 Backers (we) are requesting to upgrade now.
  
 Its NOT FINAL. LH proposing refund or coupon if we meet the goal.


----------



## jaywillin

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Stretch Goal was Light Harmonics idea....
> 
> Backers (we) are requesting to upgrade now.
> 
> Its NOT FINAL. LH proposing refund or coupon if we meet the goal.


 

 i'd be interested


----------



## digitalzed

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Stretch Goal was Light Harmonics idea....
> 
> Backers (we) are requesting to upgrade now.
> 
> Its NOT FINAL. LH proposing refund or coupon if we meet the goal.


 
 Sorry, what do you mean by refund or coupon if they hit $1,000,000?


----------



## skeptic

A LH coupon has a lot less value than a free upgrade.  Conversely, a refund is much worse for LH because the upgrade cost will contribute towards hitting the $1m goal.  A sensible off the cuff alternative would be for them to offer the upgrade at some appropriate set price IF the $1m goal isn't met as of the date the crowd funding campaign closes.  
  
 It will be fun to read all the Geek Pulse reviews in six months and to find out whether any/all of these upgrades really make an audible difference, or whether, all said and done, this is just one more relatively good, mid-priced, 9018 dac in a flashy case, subject to all the same nonlinear distortion issues as other dacs with this chip - which have apparently been acknowledged in some manner by ESS.  (See post 137 in http://www.head-fi.org/t/693798/ranking-of-17-dacs-and-dac-configurations/135 )


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

As said above.
  
 Its NOT final. They are still discussing it.  
  
 One proposal is to be made available in Geek Stop (Their online store).


----------



## digitalzed

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> As said above.
> 
> Its NOT final. They are still discussing it.
> 
> One proposal is to be made available in Geek Stop (Their online store).


 
 I understand nothing has been decided, just want to understand coupon for what, and refund why?


----------



## skeptic

It was in recognition of that lack of finality that I proposed the alternative above.
  
 What is "final" though is the perk they already offered at the $1m point.  Having published that info and solicited contributions on that basis, LH will be stepping in something very unsavory if it attempts to change the terms to something less valuable (i.e. a coupon) for its "backers."


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Its official from Larry:
  
We heard you... We will start preparing.

12:00AM at Dec 19, 2013. (Pacific Standard Time) We will add a new perk (assume me and Gavin could still survive throughout this crazy work load) called 'Instant $1M upgrade Perk'


----------



## vincent215

ulul said:


> ..LOL.
> 
> OK, a couple more.
> 
> ...


 
  
 1. Go to here, and search for "Geek USB Headphone Awesomifier", it's pretty long. They are a group of headfier reviewers.
  
 2. Because Kickstarter limit how on long they can post the next campaign, and Gavin said they don't want to wait.


----------



## digitalzed

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Its official from Larry:
> 
> We heard you... We will start preparing.
> 
> 12:00AM at Dec 19, 2013. (Pacific Standard Time) We will add a new perk (assume me and Gavin could still survive throughout this crazy work load) called 'Instant $1M upgrade Perk'


 
 It's getting crazy over on the lhlabs.com forum!


----------



## Larry Ho

currawong said:


> That wouldn't be any different to a balanced version but with only half the output circuitry, which is what you'd get by simply not using the balanced out. I'm not sure ultimately that it would save much money per amp. Larry would have to answer on that one though.


 
 Sorry, that I remember I answered in detail somewhere in lhlabs.com but could not find it... basically the only difference is output configuration. Two full differential output pair vs balance to single-ended output buffer.
  
 Cheers,


----------



## miceblue

[quote="Larry" post=4449][quote="miceblue" post=4334] [Geek Pulse S] sounds good, and will likely be something that I would use.

On the other hand, having the X, which has both the unbalanced and balanced connections, would make it more versatile. I'm still undecided if I want to upgrade to the X because of this reason. You can always have balanced to unbalanced, but not the other way around.

I don't see myself using balanced headphones any time soon, but having the balanced out connections would be more future-proof. The benefits of balanced cables still remains a mystery to me for the typical lengths of cable used for headphones (~3 meters max?).


Will the S's sound quality be comparable to that of the X with the unbalanced output?[/quote]



Theoretically, and I believe so, should be 95% the same.

The only difference will be, in Geek Pulse X, each pos and neg phase has difference amp to handle. And in Geek Pulse S,
there will be a summing amp to convert the balance signal to single ended output.

The slight difference will be the sound character of that final stage amp. That is it.[/quote]




[quote="Larry" post=4523] Good news: Our crazy wonderfully mechanical engineer, [name], just said he might found a way to squeeze in a pair of RCA output for Geek Pulse X.

Not 100% confirmed yet.

Stay tuned.[/quote]


----------



## Larry Ho

miceblue said:


>


 
 Thanks...


----------



## Muinarc

....All's quiet on the western front......


----------



## AxelCloris

Probably because everyone is waiting until 11:59 PM PST tonight to see what the big announcement is.


----------



## AgentXXL

larry ho said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
  
 So Larry - just one question - why did you happen to choose my posts to reply to for announcing both the upgrade availability and the possibility of the RCA jack addition to the Pulse X? Not that I'm complaining, but it's crazy to see my name referenced in so many quoted posts! My Google ranking just sky-rocketed!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Definitely waiting for 12:59am Mountain time tonight.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Dale


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

muinarc said:


> ....All's quiet on the western front......


 
  
 They are wooing their wives.....


----------



## miceblue

In case people are curious:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-a-digital-audio-awesomifier-for-your-desktop?c=activity


> Gavin Fish posted an announcement 1 minute ago
> 
> This is Very, Very Important
> 
> ...


----------



## AxelCloris

It would seem I have put my money into their wallets once more; taking both a Pulse X upgrade and the instant $1M pledge. Now the next bit of information I want is what they consider to be "the best under the sun" active components. Hopefully that reads as "large/massive soundstage" and "orgasmic."


----------



## dclaz

I have done the same. I just can't help it


----------



## Ranza

Passed LPS but upgrade the clock and this...
 Pray for the " limited edition " thing...


----------



## AxelCloris

ranza said:


> Passed LPS but upgrade the clock and this...
> Pray for the " limited edition " thing...


 
  
 To me the upgraded active internals sounds like it's an indiegogo bonus only (assuming we hit $1M) and if so that would qualify in my book as a limited edition.


----------



## vincent215

Too many versions:


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

To each his own flavor....


----------



## dclaz

On the Pulse X, does the volume knob control both line out and headphone out?


----------



## uncola

Grr they finally won me over with the rca ports on the geek pulse x.  I'm getting the geek pulse x now!  Here's hoping we hit 1 million dollars!


----------



## AxelCloris

uncola said:


> Grr they finally won me over with the rca ports on the geek pulse x.  I'm getting the geek pulse x now!  Here's hoping we hit 1 million dollars!


 
  
 Same. I was holding off on upgrading to the X but since I'm pushing everything else to get upgraded sound (skipping the LPS for now) I figured I may as well get the X upgrade. I've been considering balancing my HD650s and now it seems like I will.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well, what can I say guyz....Merry Christmas?


----------



## jaywillin

I'm all in, X, clock, 1mil up, 1 mini, 1 2m Jr, up LPS, sigh, come on million, I WANT IT ALL!


----------



## Currawong

anaximandros said:


> The new strech goal is nice, but I don't think, that they can make it to 1 mil.
> 
> Most of the people got their upgrades, some spent more than 2000$ on upgrades. It started with a 299$ no brainer which is supposed to sound awesome and now the "no brainer Pulse" seems a bit like something insignificant if you don't get the upgrades.
> 
> It's like you should upgrade or it will sound less good. That's something keeping people away from funding imho.


 
  
 $2k? $1015 here. I'm not sure if there isn't something I've missed. That's enough I reckon. If it results in me getting a very good DAC/amp in the next couple of months or whenever, I certainly wont complain. If it has a remote, it'll go into my living room system. I think the new options, upgrades and whatnot need to stop and the device needs to be made now. With $1m funding they are setting themselves up for either huge success or a huge fail. I really hope the former.
  


skeptic said:


> It will be fun to read all the Geek Pulse reviews in six months and to find out whether any/all of these upgrades really make an audible difference, or whether, all said and done, this is just one more relatively good, mid-priced, 9018 dac in a flashy case, subject to all the same nonlinear distortion issues as other dacs with this chip - which have apparently been acknowledged in some manner by ESS.  (See post 137 in http://www.head-fi.org/t/693798/ranking-of-17-dacs-and-dac-configurations/135 )


 
  
 I have had quite a bit of experience with them in other DACs. The power supply is a big one. Better clocks and components can help. It depends how good the design is to start with and where the weaknesses are. I've had each type of upgrade make from barely any to a lot of difference.


----------



## Ranza

My plan at first was saving for Schiit's Yggdrasil...
 So I hope that Geek Pulse will be great enough so that I won't be regret for coming this far with all of the upgrade perk...


----------



## FraGGleR

I had really hoped to be done after the Pulse X, as $350 for a dual mono balanced DAC/amp sounded like an awesome deal.  I feel a little silly now that I am in for another $200 for upgrades I don't know will actually make a justifiable (for me) difference.  I will never know since I am not going to be able to compare, so I guess the $200 was mental insurance at this point.  Still on the fence about the LPS.  I know they can sometimes improve the sound, but at $399, adding it takes this out of the high end of budget fi into the low end of midfi where the competition is much stiffer.


----------



## bhazard

I like how they gave the option to purchase the upgraded components, offered a refund if it hit 1m, and offered even more upgrades if you let them keep the money. Well done.
  
 Super Duper Geek Out + Pulse X fully upgraded + LPS here. That's a nice chunk of change and trust. Deliver on the promises, and both the consumer and company will win big.


----------



## jaywillin

jaywillin said:


> I'm all in, X, clock, 1mil up, 1 mini, 1 2m Jr, up LPS, sigh, come on million, I WANT IT ALL!


 

 oh and i forgot the super geek, and i don't really do the portable thing at all lol


----------



## jwong

So what are we talking about if the active component upgrade comes to pass? What does that mean exactly?


----------



## FayeForever

I think it means components consume power, Op-amps, transistors, etc...
 But I think active components upgrade will change the sound too much to call it an "upgrade".


----------



## uncola

Hey guys I submitted an idea in geek voice.  I suggested the geek pulse use a USB 3.0 B connector instead of USB 2.0 B.  I saw the new AMI dac uses one.  Here's the rationale behind it:  "As you can see, it's using a USB3 B connector even though it's a USB2 XMOS audio controller, I asked my reseller about this and he told me that it's a good way to be future-proof, it provides a more secure fit than a USB2 B connector and USB3 cables have to be seriously built and heavily shielded due to the ten times higher speed rate compared to USB2. It's the first time I see this trick being used and that's a really great idea IMHO, it's also fully backward compatible with USB2 B connectors of course."
  
 If you think it's a good idea vote here http://lhlabs.com/voice/ideas/199-usb-3-0-b-port-instead-of-usb-2-0  I guess the Lightspeed JR would also have to be usb 3.0 for this reason so maybe they wouldn't want to do it.  Anyway maybe they'll like the idea
  
 this is the other dac that has a usb 3 b port  http://www.head-fi.org/t/682667/ami-musik-ddh-1-xmos-pcm1795-usb-s-pdif-dac


----------



## Muinarc

Man I'm on the fence with the new perk, it would put me over the $600 mark, if I go over that there's no telling what else I'll add lol.


----------



## miceblue

I went with a Pulse/Out combo + femto clock upgrade + precision part upgrade (1 million perk) + Pulse X upgrade.

I'm still not sure about the linear power supply and whether or not it'll make a difference to justify spending $300 on. Apart from the Geek Pulse, I don't know if I'd use it for anything else, and that by itself is kind of a bummer for me.


----------



## Muinarc

I know where you're comming from. I don't know how many hours per week of use I'd get from the pulse. If I use it at work I'd get dozens of hours a week...but it's not exactly the place for critical listening where I'd notice the gain from the LPS. At home it's a toss up if I'll be using the Pulse enough to warrant that extra investment.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Just changing my avatar for the rest of the campaign. My part of giving support...


----------



## jaywillin

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Just changing my avatar for the rest of the campaign for their support...


 

 may the force be with you.......... yes, geeky i know  lol


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y




----------



## miceblue

When I first saw the logo I thought it was Google. When I first saw the Pulse, I thought it was V-MODA. 

-_-






Geek on!


----------



## vincent215

muinarc said:


> I know where you're comming from. I don't know how many hours per week of use I'd get from the pulse. If I use it at work I'd get dozens of hours a week...but it's not exactly the place for critical listening where I'd notice the gain from the LPS. At home it's a toss up if I'll be using the Pulse enough to warrant that extra investment.


 
 Buy a basic Geek Pulse for office use and buy a max out Geek Pulse one for home use. There you go


----------



## germay0653

vincent215 said:


> Buy a basic Geek Pulse for office use and buy a max out Geek Pulse one for home use. There you go


 

 Why not maxed out for both?  I did!


----------



## miceblue

Not everyone has a spare $500 lying around. XD


----------



## Angular Mo

I went with a Pulse/Out combo + femto clock upgrade + precision part upgrade (1 million perk)

 I'm still not sure about the linear power supply, either.
  
  
 Pulse + Out                      =  USD  398
LightSpeed Jr. Add-on       =  USD     59   (maybe I did not need this, as it comes with the Pulse, IIRC.)
Slacker mini extension      =  USD      10
 Femto upgrade Pulse&Out =  USD    238  (did I really need this?)
Instant $1M Upgrade         =  USD    88
                      total          = USD   793
  
  
 The Bluetooth remote looks interesting, too.
  
and...I never heard of these guys before this campaign.
Sure, Light Harmonic makes things I could never dream of owning.
 Da Vinci, at $20k ?  Yeah, that halo was an influence...
  
They sure know how to roll out upgrades and suck money out of folks.
  
And to think, I could have had a Centrance HiFi-M8 for the price.
  
  
  
Here is to hoping that I won't need another DAC nor amp for a while.  
  
And to think, I had always promised myself to never buy a DAC/Amp combo device for desktop ever.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> I went with a Pulse/Out combo + femto clock upgrade + precision part upgrade (1 million perk) + Pulse X upgrade.
> 
> I'm still not sure about the linear power supply and whether or not it'll make a difference to justify spending $300 on. Apart from the Geek Pulse, I don't know if I'd use it for anything else, and that by itself is kind of a bummer for me.


 
  
 I did the exact same combo. The other stuff I can add later, but every upgrade on that list should be done at the time of purchase if I don't want to buy a whole new unit down the road. Get the upgrades now, get the addons later was my thought process. And if the campaign ends over $1M, I'll be taking the upgraded opamap. I'm really hoping we do and that the opamp has an amazing soundstage and energy.


----------



## JWahl

angular mo said:


> I went with a Pulse/Out combo + femto clock upgrade + precision part upgrade (1 million perk)
> 
> I'm still not sure about the linear power supply, either.
> 
> ...


 
 In that configuration it should handily outperform the Centrance, assuming it's not just a poor desgin, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.  I'm kind of bummed they released the upgrades so late and now I want to jump in but would have to wait for the 1st, in which case the campaign will be over.  I'd love to go for Geekpulse S + Femto + internals upgrade.  Though if I could get it at retail for the extra $200 if they still have similar upgrades, it might still be around the same price as the Concero HD I'm alternatively considering.


----------



## Anaximandros

angular mo said:


> I went with a Pulse/Out combo + femto clock upgrade + precision part upgrade (1 million perk)
> 
> 
> I'm still not sure about the linear power supply, either.
> ...




Did you really pledge 238$ for femto clocks for your Pulse and your Geek Out? 

The Femto clocks upgrade is only for the Pulse, Pulse S and Pulse X. It is not an upgrade for the Geek Out. You can upgrade the Geek Out to a Geek Out M (750mw) for 50$ or to a Geek Out EM (1000mw) for 100$


----------



## goldendarko

what the heck is a femto clock anyway?


----------



## FraGGleR

jwahl said:


> In that configuration it should handily outperform the Centrance, assuming it's not just a poor desgin, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.  I'm kind of bummed they released the upgrades so late and now I want to jump in but would have to wait for the 1st, in which case the campaign will be over.  I'd love to go for Geekpulse S + Femto + internals upgrade.  Though if I could get it at retail for the extra $200 if they still have similar upgrades, it might still be around the same price as the Concero HD I'm alternatively considering.


 
 Well, certainly at the fully upgraded price the hope is that it outperforms the HifiM8, but I will wait and see so I can personally make that judgement call.  My M8 is quite the performer for the size and price, with a lot of options for tweaking the sound produced.  It was good enough that I sold my original Concero.  Once my Pulse X gets to me, I will put them through the paces side by side and sell the loser (I don't use the M8 portably).  
  
 Now I just need to decide whether or not to snag an LPS before the campaign closes.  It is about twice as much as I was hoping to pay (could build a very nice DIY LPS for a little over $100), but my OCD compels me to get matching components.


----------



## FraGGleR

goldendarko said:


> what the heck is a femto clock anyway?


 
 Was covered earlier in the thread and in depth on the LHlabs forums.  Basically, super duper precise clock for the DAC, theoretically minimizing the impact of jitter.


----------



## snip3r77

Whatever it is femto is OOS


----------



## Muinarc

Fine I'll bite. Just upgraded for the 3rd time, you GEEKS are a bad influence!


I have not requested anything in this campaign, as I feel like I am getting everything I would need and much, much more. .....but, looking at the totals and the time left, I am left wondering if we'll get the $1M goal. 

That leads me to my one desire out of the campaign at this point. I would really like to have the Pulse bought by all of these backers reflect that we put our faith in this project, and by that I mean I wish the first run of the (so far 700+ by my unscientific count at the indiegogo site) pulses ordered had something that really did make them a limited edition. Maybe something like a gold volume knob, a special serial number on the case, etc... it wouldn't have to be another internal upgrade like the current stretch goal.


----------



## Angular Mo

anaximandros said:


> Did you really pledge 238$ for femto clocks for your Pulse and your Geek Out?
> 
> The Femto clocks upgrade is only for the Pulse, Pulse S and Pulse X. It is not an upgrade for the Geek Out. You can upgrade the Geek Out to a Geek Out M (750mw) for 50$ or to a Geek Out EM (1000mw) for 100$


 
 uh oh, I sent them an email. Hopefully they will allow me to reduce my contribution toward the femto clock upgrade down to $119 USD


----------



## Zoo Animal

muinarc said:


> Fine I'll bite. Just upgraded for the 3rd time, you GEEKS are a bad influence!
> 
> 
> I have not requested anything in this campaign, as I feel like I am getting everything I would need and much, much more. .....but, looking at the totals and the time left, I am left wondering if we'll get the $1M goal.
> ...


 

 I think they are doing some sort of badge for the femto version/Pulse X/Pulse S
 You might bring up a serial number to them again, I know they talked about that with the GeekOut Kickstarter campaign but I am unsure where it was left.


----------



## dcpoor

7 days left, gonna have to do a bit over 15k a day to make it to the 1 million mark.
  
 wonder if they have any more surprises for us to help the campaign move faster. heh.


----------



## sbradley02

fraggler said:


> Was covered earlier in the thread and in depth on the LHlabs forums.  Basically, super duper precise clock for the DAC, theoretically minimizing the impact of jitter.


 
 Big emphasis on theoretical. The stock clocks are already high spec, I see no benefit to going to a femto clock for audio.
 I am sure lots of people will disagree


----------



## goldendarko

I always like spending big money on theoretical improvements


----------



## miceblue

XD

You guys, hahaha. So funny, yet so true.

A higher signal-noise ratio and lower noise floor are good and all, but can people actually hear that difference?


----------



## goldendarko

Exactly, if money was no issue I would go for it, but I think the whole idea of a value device gets thrown out the window when you start adding in all these incremental improvements.


----------



## Currawong

If it is any comfort, every time there has been a community-led project such as this one people have gone overkill. I started something similar back in 2009 to encourage a manufacturer to make something for around $200 to replace an un-reliable $99 product people were buying and upgrading like crazy. By the time we finished it was around $350 and had everything and the kitchen sink built-in, except balanced outputs. 
  
 A more recent example is the Centrance M8. Notice that it too has everything and the kitchen sink built in and is available in no less than 8 different combinations with balanced outputs. 
  
 --
  
 About "femto clocks": Since digital data is based on taking samples of audio at precise times and and a DA chip has to receive those digital samples with precise timing, a clock chip is used that can provide timing for the signal. Imperfect timing will result in a change in the frequency of the analogue output. The more accurate the clock (and design of the circuit) the more accurate the analogue output. 
  
 Of course this is a gross over-simplification and how good is "worth it" is a complex argument and, I think, only worth pondering on a DAC-by-DAC basis. I'd say if Larry reckons he can get a significant improvement in the sound quality from the upgrade _in his design_, then it would be worth it.  I'll take him at his word on that, because he stakes his, and his company's reputation and livelihood on everything he says.


----------



## hydesg

anyone getting the LPS?


----------



## AgentXXL

hydesg said:


> anyone getting the LPS?


 
  
 I broke down and bought the Geek Blue + Geek LPS bundle - and then upgraded the LPS to an LPS4. Definitely pricey, but as I'm somewhat OCD, I'll pay the premium to have some nice matching gear. The Geek Blue is particulary overpriced in my mind, but at least buying it as part of the bundle reduces the sticker shock.
  
 I'm in for just over $1300 of gear and international shipping....
  
*Geek Pulse fXe + Geek Blue + LPS4*
  
*fXe *= Pulse X balanced with femto clock and $1m upgrade perk (e for 'enhanced')
  
 I'm obviously taking a small chance that they won't deliver, but given their history with the DaVinci, I'm feeling fairly comfortable.
  
 Dale


----------



## dclaz

hydesg said:


> anyone getting the LPS?


 
 I am not. I hope to some day build one as a little project. I'm in for the Geek Pulse fX^e (to use the notation of AgentXXL). I'm wary of the ability to hear any difference with the improvements, but I'm a sucker for 'nicer' things.


----------



## paradoxper

For those who don't want to back will be there other units available at MSRP?


----------



## AgentXXL

paradoxper said:


> For those who don't want to back will be there other units available at MSRP?


 
  
 Indeed there will - but probably not until the June-July 2014 time frame. And MSRP will be on average $200 more than if you contribute during the campaign. You'll be able to pre-order from the Geek Stop store on the lhlabs.com website, after the campaign ends.
  
 Dale


----------



## paradoxper

agentxxl said:


> Indeed there will - but probably not until the June-July 2014 time frame. And MSRP will be on average $200 more than if you contribute during the campaign. You'll be able to pre-order from the Geek Stop store on the lhlabs.com website, after the campaign ends.
> 
> Dale


 
 Thanks.


----------



## miceblue

No linear power supply for me either. I've got no more money to spend on audio gear, but at least I hope the enhanced Pulse X and Out will keep my wallet happy in the long run. I mainly bought the Pulse for DSD playback since the Objective DAC can't play those files, and the Geek Out so I have a convenient portable DAC/amp combo that I can carry around and whip it out whenever I use my laptop.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> No linear power supply for me either. I've got no more money to spend on audio gear, but at least I hope the enhanced Pulse X and Out will keep my wallet happy in the long run. I mainly bought the Pulse for DSD playback since the Objective DAC can't play those files, and the Geek Out so I have a convenient portable DAC/amp combo that I can carry around and whip it out whenever I use my laptop.


 
  
 The Schiit Loki is a dedicated DSD DAC at only $149. But I'm glad you're going with the Geek Pulse as you'll get so much more than just DSD playback with it. I honestly can't wait to hear this baby. And I have to wait all the way until June for mine. /sad


----------



## AgentXXL

miceblue said:


> No linear power supply for me either. I've got no more money to spend on audio gear, but at least I hope the enhanced Pulse X and Out will keep my wallet happy in the long run. I mainly bought the Pulse for DSD playback since the Objective DAC can't play those files, and the Geek Out so I have a convenient portable DAC/amp combo that I can carry around and whip it out whenever I use my laptop.


 
  
 I struggled hard while making the decision to add the Geek Blue + Geek LPS bundle... although I know I could build my own LPS quite easily, and there are lots of products on the market that compete with the Blue for quite a bit less, it all came down to wanting a nice looking setup. My OCD won out and I was convinced into contributing the extra just so I'd end up with a system that matches. Of course once I added the bundle, it was a no-brainer to upgrade the LPS to LPS4.
  
 After adding $50 for international shipping, we're now $610 closer to the $1M mark. That also helps me justify the addition of them to my pot. I will admit that I'm a little 'eeked' by the cost of shipping. One flat rate charge of $40 for the Pulse and another $40 for the Blue/LPS bundle plus another $10 for the LPS4 upgrade and it comes to a total of $90 for shipping. And I'm only in Canada. Definitely pricey for me, because I'll also end up paying customs fees too. And shipping from the US to Canada shouldn't be anywhere near as expensive as shipping from the US to say, Australia.
  
 That said, I still consider it very fair for the overall contribution made for this system. Just over $1300 US is pretty sweet for what I hope to end up with. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Dale


----------



## ed45

I came here 3 months ago as a newbie, looking at the least expensive Audioengine and Audio_GD DAC/Amps, and the Modi/Asgaard 2 combination, all very respectable choices at their price points - for my first external DAC/Amp/Preamp.  I ended up backing a Pulse X with every available added option.  I'm patient enough to be able to wait until June, and now I hope that I have a built in upgrade path for speakers and headphones that's going to extend into the foreseeable future.


----------



## uncola

I hope there aren't too many people new to crowdfunding who are counting on these shipping exactly when estimated.  I think most kickstarter/indiegogo things don't ship on time.  Hopefully we won't get people posting "omg this is an outrage, I've been scammed!  how can they lie to us like this?!  light harmonic murdered my children! let's hire a hitman to find larry ho" if these don't ship on april 1st


----------



## Mihis

Upgraded and then upgraded again. Delivery time is somewhere in July.. I hope.
  
 Second 1M upgrade was easy, cos I took the bullet on the delivery date with Femto clock. No X for me. LPS yes.
  
 Waiting will be painful, but hopefully/sadly there will most likely be other FOTM stuff coming along to keep me interested tho Hopefully as in damn this is interesting and fun and sad as in my walleeeeeet


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > No linear power supply for me either. I've got no more money to spend on audio gear, but at least I hope the enhanced Pulse X and Out will keep my wallet happy in the long run. I mainly bought the Pulse for DSD playback since the Objective DAC can't play those files, and the Geek Out so I have a convenient portable DAC/amp combo that I can carry around and whip it out whenever I use my laptop.
> ...



This is true. However, I would rather have just a DAC and amp (or combo like the Pulse/Out) than to tack-on another thing to the system that takes up desk-space for a feature I will rarely use (it's not like DSD is that common or anything). And like you said, for the price of what I got the Pulse for (minus upgrades, minus the Out, I paid $199), it's much more worth it if it delivers.


----------



## germay0653

uncola said:


> I hope there aren't too many people new to crowdfunding who are counting on these shipping exactly when estimated.  I think most kickstarter/indiegogo things don't ship on time.  Hopefully we won't get people posting "omg this is an outrage, I've been scammed!  how can they lie to us like this?!  light harmonic murdered my children! let's hire a hitman to find larry ho" if these don't ship on april 1st


 

 Sounds like a plot for Spin on an Alex Cross detective story. Instead of "Kiss the Girls" it'd be "Kiss the DACs"!


----------



## AxelCloris

I'm curious who/what LH is considering their competition for the Geek Pulse. I've seen a couple devices that can do DSD under $300 and several over the $1000 mark. But those devices may not have crossfeed, or they may be dedicated DACs without any amp built in, or they don't sample as highly as the Geek. So I'm wondering where LH wants to fit in the market with the Pulse.


----------



## Greed

axelcloris said:


> I'm curious who/what LH is considering their competition for the Geek Pulse. I've seen a couple devices that can do DSD under $300 and several over the $1000 mark. But those devices may not have crossfeed, or they may be dedicated DACs without any amp built in, or they don't sample as highly as the Geek. So I'm wondering where LH wants to fit in the market with the Pulse.


 
  
 Seems like it would compete with the usual suspects - WA7, Yulong stuff (DA8, D100 MKII), Burson HA-160D (Conductor?) etc.
  
 None of which do DSD, but I don't feel like the average Head-Fi member is going to care much about that feature. DSD is gimmicky and at the moment FOTM.


----------



## FraGGleR

axelcloris said:


> I'm curious who/what LH is considering their competition for the Geek Pulse. I've seen a couple devices that can do DSD under $300 and several over the $1000 mark. But those devices may not have crossfeed, or they may be dedicated DACs without any amp built in, or they don't sample as highly as the Geek. So I'm wondering where LH wants to fit in the market with the Pulse.


 
 Hard to say since the basic Pulse is quite a bit different in price to the fully loaded with LPS Pulse X.  I would think they were going after different devices.  I think anything from a baby Schiit stack, to the Audio-Gd, Yulong, Matrix, Anedio stuff right in the $1000-1500 range.  For a fully loaded investment, I would hope that it would play even higher, but if it competes well in that range, I think it will be a success.  I think Larry does have his sights set higher for the fully loaded, as he mentioned retail pricing could be in the Auralic range.


----------



## AxelCloris

greed said:


> Seems like it would compete with the usual suspects - WA7, Yulong stuff (DA8, D100 MKII), Burson HA-160D (Conductor?) etc.
> 
> None of which do DSD, but I don't feel like the average Head-Fi member is going to care much about that feature. DSD is gimmicky and at the moment FOTM.


 
  
 Estimated retail of $500 to take on big boys in the $1000 range? Boastful. Hope they can pull it off.


----------



## miceblue

I'm just curious about DSD and how it sounds, but yeah it seems very FoTM-worthy.

The newest portable media players play back DSD. Ooooh, there's so much music that's in that format! Therefore it MUST be a good player.

But yeah, a single-purpose tack-on like the Loki wasn't appealing to me, as mentioned earlier.


----------



## FraGGleR

axelcloris said:


> Estimated retail of $500 to take on big boys in the $1000 range? Boastful. Hope they can pull it off.


 
 Retail hasn't been set for a fully loaded Pulse X with LPS.  It will easily be over $1000.


----------



## AxelCloris

fraggler said:


> Retail hasn't been set for a fully loaded Pulse X with LPS.  It will easily be over $1000.


 
  
 Ah, that makes much more sense. I'd love to back the LPS but right now I just don't have the cash to do so. I'm guessing then that the Pulse X without LPS would be taking on the M8, just not really on a portable level.


----------



## FraGGleR

axelcloris said:


> Ah, that makes much more sense. I'd love to back the LPS but right now I just don't have the cash to do so. I'm guessing then that the Pulse X without LPS would be taking on the M8, just not really on a portable level.


 
 That is exactly the matchup I am interested in, as I have a M8 that I like very much.  I think that is an appropriate comparison to make (portability notwithstanding).


----------



## Greed

fraggler said:


> That is exactly the matchup I am interested in, as I have a M8 that I like very much.  I think that is an appropriate comparison to make (portability notwithstanding).


 
  
 I'd hope the Pulse X with all the upgrades would be much better than the M8. We shall see..


----------



## AxelCloris

greed said:


> I'd hope the Pulse X with all the upgrades would be much better than the M8. We shall see..


 
  
 I'm hoping so as well, considering this is meant as a desktop unit. You make sacrifices when you try to fit everything in a small portable package.


----------



## tuckers

I've been lurking with interest looking at the Geek Pulse.  I am interested in reading some reviews of the Geek Out Dac, but I can't actually find any reviews on this site on on the Internet in general.  Can anybody point me in the right direction?


----------



## Greed

tuckers said:


> I've been lurking with interest looking at the Geek Pulse.  I am interested in reading some reviews of the Geek Out Dac, but I can't actually find any reviews on this site on on the Internet in general.  Can anybody point me in the right direction?


 
  
 Hasn't been official released yet. Expected deliveries in early January. There are a few impressions of the prototype in the CanJam thread and maybe a few in some recent meet threads.


----------



## AxelCloris

tuckers said:


> I've been lurking with interest looking at the Geek Pulse.  I am interested in reading some reviews of the Geek Out Dac, but I can't actually find any reviews on this site on on the Internet in general.  Can anybody point me in the right direction?


 
  
 We absolutely can, unfortunately they're first impressions only. The Geek Out won't start shipping to backers until January. So all that's been reviewed was pre-production. You can find early impressions in the CanJam Impressions thread.
  
 [Edit] GREEEEEEEEEEED! *shakes fist*


----------



## tuckers

Then I withdraw my question!  I wouldn't be interested in the Pulse without knowing that the Geek Out was exceptional, and it's too early to tell I guess.  Still looking for my best fit  usb dac/headphone amp


----------



## AxelCloris

tuckers said:


> Then I withdraw my question!  I wouldn't be interested in the Pulse without knowing that the Geek Out was exceptional, and it's too early to tell I guess.  Still looking for my best fit  usb dac/headphone amp


 
  
 Hey there's no shame in waiting until the Pulse or Out are available and reading some reviews before deciding. You'll still be able to get a great product when the Pulse hits shelves. The only difference is price. That's why a bunch of us have backed the campaign, to help LH have the funds for production and to score ourselves units at a discount when production is underway. There are many reasons to be cautious so I can fully understand wanting some tangible evidence that it'll turn out well.
  
 As for me I'm using the DaVinci as my evidence. It's highly praised and the Out and Pulse are coming from one of the very brains behind the DaVinci DAC.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Just a side note. For those who's in in their Geek Force forum, How much Larry dedicates his time discussing and explaining with other forum members? 

Too much is an understatement. 

And they're stakes are far greater than ours. Name, Company, future sales etc. 

Those alone gives me assurance. 

And its not IMO, a $300-$1000 product anymore. It has become a community effort. We have become involved. 

And this has reflected on the various options available because we suggested it. From the basic to the advanced. To each his own. 

It's funny that in my original post, I stated that 'I'm here only for the music'. Never expected that I will be hearing it with new friends. ^_^


----------



## bhazard

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Just a side note. For those who's in in their Geek Force forum, How much Larry dedicates his time discussing and explaining with other forum members?
> 
> Too much is an understatement.
> 
> ...


 
  
 The Geek Out and Geek Pulse campaigns remind me of how I became able to build my DIY speakers.
  
 The DIY speaker community came together in an idea for a waveguide, which then turned prototype, and is now being sold. I purchased it and built my speaker based off the designs, and I now have some of the best speakers in my home theater that I have ever heard in my life. Everyone who comes over thinks I'm bs'ing when I say it sounds better here than the movie theater, and they leave stunned. They will probably sound even better if I run the Geek Pulse through them. Info on the SEOS waveguide and speaker kits (measurements, kits, etc). http://www.avsforum.com/t/1291022/hey-guys-we-need-a-little-rallying-here
  
 So based on my success from a previous crowdsourced project in audio, I know it can be wildly successful and highly rewarding if done right. The community feels like part of the project, and some great ideas happen because of it. The early discounts add even more value.
  
 I'm thinking they can pull off a "Mini Da Vinci" of sorts. You start with a great basic Pulse, then with add on options you can build a DAC that can compete and beat similar component DACs on price and performance. A fully loaded Pulse X that can beat a $3,500 Auralic would be amazing.
  
 I'm rooting for them to pull it off. Their success will also be ours.


----------



## uncola

It's up to $917k.   omg please make 1 million


----------



## jaywillin

uncola said:


> It's up to $917k.   omg please make 1 million


 

 i do believe there's a chance !


----------



## AxelCloris

Well, Larry and Gavin have been talking about getting with Crystek and ordering another batch of femto clocks, if they're able in budget. And if they can then that will lead to more femot upgrades (obviously) as well as new members joining the Geek Force. That will be a nice push towards the $1M mark if they're able. I've also been spamming my social media connections. I'm sure by now they're tired of the links but I keep going because I want to get the most out of this project that I can.


----------



## Zoo Animal

The Geek Out added a lot of funds the last 2-3 days - http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/gavn8r/geek-a-new-usb-awesomifier-for-headphones/#chart-daily

 Finishing up after Christmas should help quite a bit too, holiday bonus, gift cash or just buying something better than sox for yourself.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

We'll doing my share of spreading the good word. Because, I looovee to have that "active components" upgrade... He he he


----------



## AgentXXL

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> We'll doing my share of spreading the good word. Because, I looovee to have that "active components" upgrade... He he he


 
  
 Me too... I'm sharing it with everyone that I think might have the slightest interest, and a lot who simply don't care. But I'll admit it's for the mostly selfish reason that I too would like to have the best possible unit with the best sound as determined by Larry Ho - come on $1M mark and those 'active component' upgrades!
  
 Dale


----------



## CanDude

axelcloris said:


> Well, Larry and Gavin have been talking about getting with Crystek and ordering another batch of femto clocks, if they're able in budget. And if they can then that will lead to more femot upgrades (obviously) as well as new members joining the Geek Force. That will be a nice push towards the $1M mark if they're able. I've also been spamming my social media connections. I'm sure by now they're tired of the links but I keep going because I want to get the most out of this project that I can.


 
  
 So I missed the femto clock upgrade. Without it no $1k from me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Well, I wouldn't have gotten it before next autumn anyway, and who knows what other new DACs are available by then...


----------



## AxelCloris

candude said:


> So I missed the femto clock upgrade. Without it no $1k from me.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Keep an eye on the campaign. Less than a week left and Larry said they're trying to source more femto clocks if they can. I'm hoping they get a great big "yes" from Crystek.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

agentxxl said:


> Me too... I'm sharing it with everyone
> 
> Dale




Hi Dale! Happy Holidays! 

Michael


----------



## jaywillin

its going to be close guys, 926k+,   5 days left


----------



## AxelCloris

I'll probably be adding in another $50 soon to upgrade my Geek Out to the Super Geek Out. Or maybe I'll go the full $100 for the SDGeek. But I'd use it with my HD650 and 1964-Q, so I doubt I really need the SD version.


----------



## campj

Can someone please help me understand this fundraising thing? Will this product be available in the future to people who aren't involved in the fundraising, or will only people who have contributed prior to the release be the ones to get one? I'd like to possibly buy one once they are released and there are some impressions, but I'm not dropping money on something before I can get a solid idea of what I'm buying.


----------



## goldendarko

campj said:


> Can someone please help me understand this fundraising thing? Will this product be available in the future to people who aren't involved in the fundraising, or will only people who have contributed prior to the release be the ones to get one? I'd like to possibly buy one once they are released and there are some impressions, but I'm not dropping money on something before I can get a solid idea of what I'm buying.


 

 You will be able to buy them after they are released, but at retail prices. For example, the Geek Pulse will retail for $499 but as a backer, you can pick one up for $299 - assuming it releases, which at this point looks like a given. But you will also have no idea how it sounds or be able to read any reviews on it first, so it is a bit of a gamble but being that they are a legit company, should be an excellent value at these early backer price points. Hope that helps!


----------



## campj

Hey, it helps a lot! Thanks for the info, this one will be on the radar.

Oh, when is planned release date? I'm sure it's buried somehwere in this thread, but my search function is disabled on this network.


----------



## Muinarc

They have mentioned shipping dates between May and June quite often, but then someone said they are giving almost a worst-case scenario....so I don't really know haha.


----------



## Zoo Animal

The basic version ships in April. The femto upgrade models are dependent on Crystek and less on LH, so they've added extra time there just in case.


----------



## AxelCloris

muinarc said:


> They have mentioned shipping dates between May and June quite often, but then someone said they are giving almost a worst-case scenario....so I don't really know haha.


 
  
 For now I'm just going by the estimates on the campaign page. With mine having a femto clock the estimate is June (1st batch). If it's sooner than that I'll be elated. If it's around June-August that's about par for the course with my backing history. If it's past August I'll be sad but I can understand things may happen in production.


----------



## AgentXXL

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> agentxxl said:
> 
> 
> > Me too... I'm sharing it with everyone
> ...


 
  
 Same to you and everyone else! Have a safe and happy holiday season everyone!
  
 Dale


----------



## dcpoor

we're gonna need an injection of new blood and interest to hit 1 million.
 do your best everyone. 
  
 hopefully larry or gavin has some last minute updates that help.


----------



## goldendarko

dcpoor said:


> we're gonna need an injection of new blood and interest to hit 1 million.
> do your best everyone.
> 
> hopefully larry or gavin has some last minute updates that help.


 

 Yeah spread the word at Christmas parties dudes!


----------



## Anaximandros

71000$ in 4 days. They can do it, if they would add new perks. Maybe a 100$-200$ coupon for their new crowdfunding campaign ( Geek Mini/ Pulse Mini / Geek Air etc...)
  
 Maybe they have something up their sleeves.
  

 Happy Holidays to all of you! I hope they can make the 1.000.000$ goal.


----------



## AxelCloris

goldendarko said:


> Yeah spread the word at Christmas parties dudes!


 
  
 You assume we've been invited to any. Shame on you.


----------



## goldendarko

axelcloris said:


> You assume we've been invited to any. Shame on you.


 
  
 Yeah, everyone knows audiophile's don't leave the house! Too much music to listen too


----------



## AxelCloris

Something is getting announced on the Indiegogo page at 6PM PST/9PM EST tonight. Wonder what Larry had in stock for us this time. More femto? New accessory? Geek Out Mini? A "major award?"
  
 Here's Gavin's quote from the page:
 Quote: Gavin 





> Hey there.  Yes, I'm in the office.   Thank you so much for your continued support on our campaign during this busy holiday season.  With 4 days left, we're within spitting distance of $1,000,000!  Amazing!
> In about 2 hours and 20 minutes, I'm going to be adding some new perks for our final push, including some more femto clock upgrades.  Keep an eye on the campaign at about 6:00 PM Pacific time to see those changes.
> All my best,
> Gavin


 
  
 New perks! And more femto clocks. I'll be watching very closely to see if they can magically make money disappear from my wallet.


----------



## kenshinhimura

these guys know how to keep you interested. =)


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> Something is getting announced on the Indiegogo page at 6PM PST/9PM EST tonight. Wonder what Larry had in stock for us this time. More femto? New accessory? Geek Out Mini? A "major award?"
> 
> Here's Gavin's quote from the page:
> 
> ...



Or 5 PM Pacific time according to Larry in the forums. XD


> Hi, Force
> 
> Come to check the Indiegogo page this 5PM PST.
> Something cool for you there.
> ...


----------



## snip3r77

Is GFOLPS and Geek LPS the same thing?
If I were to add the above, I need to get another Lightspeed Jr?

BTW, is the Linear Power Supply worthy to get or should I just get a 3rd party one?


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Or 5 PM Pacific time according to Larry in the forums. XD


 
  
 Yeah, he corrected it afterwards. 
  
 "6PM. Corrected."


----------



## AxelCloris

snip3r77 said:


> Is GFOLPS and Geek LPS the same thing?
> If I were to add the above, I need to get another Lightspeed Jr?
> 
> BTW, is the Linear Power Supply worthy to get or should I just get a 3rd party one?


 
  
 GFOLPS is for Geek Force members only. If you're a member help yourself and save $100! If you're not you can join for free a lhlabs.com. Come join us on the force! As for the Lightspeed Jr. cable you only "need" one, but if you want to clean the line coming from your computer you'll "want" a second one to run from the LPS to the computer. It's certainly not a requirement.


----------



## snip3r77

axelcloris said:


> GFOLPS is for Geek Force members only. If you're a member help yourself and save $100! If you're not you can join for free a lhlabs.com. Come join us on the force! As for the Lightspeed Jr. cable you only "need" one, but if you want to clean the line coming from your computer you'll "want" a second one to run from the LPS to the computer. It's certainly not a requirement.















So I can use either the 12v DC out from the backpanel to the Geek Pulse DAC to the port below the on/off switch without a 2nd Lightspeed Jr?


----------



## Ebonyzer

Do we know if both the balanced and unbalanced sides of the X will use the femto clocks? I don't know enough about this sorta hardware to know if that's easy and expected or complicated and more expensive/etc.


----------



## AgentXXL

snip3r77 said:


> axelcloris said:
> 
> 
> > GFOLPS is for Geek Force members only. If you're a member help yourself and save $100! If you're not you can join for free a lhlabs.com. Come join us on the force! As for the Lightspeed Jr. cable you only "need" one, but if you want to clean the line coming from your computer you'll "want" a second one to run from the LPS to the computer. It's certainly not a requirement.
> ...


 
  
 To connect your Pulse to the LPS(4) you will use a 12V power cord [presumably provided with the LPS(4)] that goes from a 12V output on the back of the LPS(4) to the power input jack on the back of the Pulse (below the power switch). Then you still need to connect your Pulse to a USB port from your source, i.e. a Mac or PC. If you're concerned that the USB port on your source might introduce noise into the Pulse, you can run a USB cable (i.e. Lightspeed Jr.) from your source USB port to the type B USB input on the LPS(4). Then use a 2nd USB cable (i.e. Lightspeed Jr.) from the type A USB out port on the LPS(4) to the USB type B input on the back of the Pulse.
  
 Computer/Music Source (USB) --> LPS(4) USB B Input --> LPS(4) USB A Output --> Pulse USB B Input
  
 LPS(4) 12V Power Output --> Pulse 12V Power Input
  
 Those are the two connections you should make to have the cleanest solution, but be aware that the Pulse only uses USB power during initial handshaking. After that, it only uses the USB data signals. If you do decide to 'filter' your USB, you can purchase a 2nd Lightspeed Jr. for $30 as an addon to your LPS(4) purchase. Just use the $1 Big Thanks perk if you didn't add the 2nd Lightspeed Jr. amount ($30) to your LPS(4) perk contribution. When LH Labs sends an email to confirm your contributions after the campaign ends, you can let them know what the $30 Big Thanks perk was for.
  
 Dale


----------



## AgentXXL

ebonyzer said:


> Do we know if both the balanced and unbalanced sides of the X will use the femto clocks? I don't know enough about this sorta hardware to know if that's easy and expected or complicated and more expensive/etc.


 
  
 The femto clock will replace/upgrade the standard clock used in the Pulse (X). It will be used for all circuitry, balanced and unbalanced, wherever the clock is required.
  
 Dale


----------



## AxelCloris

snip3r77 said:


> So I can use either the 12v DC out from the backpanel to the Geek Pulse DAC to the port below the on/off switch without a 2nd Lightspeed Jr?


 
  
 That's how it's intended. The USB won't carry power for the Pulse. The benefit of running through the LPS is to clean up a noisy USB port on a computer, and those are quite common. Only 1 Lightspeed Jr is required. If you're getting an LPS it wouldn't be a bad idea to pick up a second Jr cable while you can snag them at a discount.


----------



## Anaximandros

200 new Femtoclocks, if someone needs them.
  
 I don't know how to feel about the USB cable.


----------



## AgentXXL

anaximandros said:


> 200 new Femtoclocks, if someone needs them.
> 
> I don't know how to feel about the USB cable.


 
  
 200 femto upgrades, plus you can also buy the Pulse with femto bundle (no limits shown, but delivery not until July 2014). As for the Lightspeed Jr. 2G, not sure that I'm up for it either. While I have some tolerance for the idea that a well designed USB cable will help, I'm still of the opinion that digital is digital. Jitter is the worst enemy, but I suspect the standard Lightspeed Jr. that already has twice the standard USB bandwidth will be more than sufficient. If the signal arrives cleanly, the 'bits are bits' argument can be used. In extreme cases you might be able to hear the difference, but not me with my deteriorating hearing (with age). I can still hear the difference between a single-ended and balanced system, but I'm not sure I'll notice the improvements from the femto and passive components. If we do get to the $1M mark and they offer active component upgrades, those can definitely be audible.
  
 Interesting to see how these new perks work - I'm sure just the additional femto clocks and Pulse with femto bundles will help us meet the stretch goal.
  
 Dale


----------



## snip3r77

Femto is out!!!!!


----------



## miceblue

Wait, what the heck just happened? The perks have been reset......so does that mean I have to re-pledge for things that I already paid for?

And 23 pledge tiers...holy cow that's a lot, not to mention confusing even for me to take in.


----------



## Anaximandros

miceblue said:


> Wait, what the heck just happened? The perks have been reset......so does that mean I have to re-pledge for things that I already paid for?
> 
> And 23 pledge tiers...holy cow that's a lot, not to mention confusing even for me to take in.


 
 You don't have to replegde. Gavin just set up new ones to make it look cleaner. Your data is still in the data bank and backed up.


----------



## CanDude

I'm in! Got the first Geek Pulse X f!
 Plus Instant $1M Upgrade plus LPS...
  
 Two questions:
 1. Do you still get the standard wall wart(?) PSU even though you also bought LPS? I really hope so since I'm planning to use it when travelling.
 2. What will Geek Pulse weigh?
  
 I hope Gavin will be at the next Stockholm High-End show so I can talk to him. Last time I didn't know who he was, I just told him that the room with the Da Vinci DAC and the room with the Wavelit speakers had the best sound on the show.


----------



## AgentXXL

candude said:


> I'm in! Got the first Geek Pulse X f!
> Plus Instant $1M Upgrade plus LPS...
> 
> Two questions:
> ...


 
  
 Yes, you get the standard SMPS (switch mode power supply) wall wart as well as the LPS, which is handy if you decide you want to take the Pulse 'on the road' with you. As for the weight of the Pulse, that's not yet determined. The design is not yet finalized. If you're not already a member of the 'Geek Force' go sign up at LHLabs.com and you too can have your input on the final design. It's getting close, but Larry Ho (the lead engineer) is amazingly open to suggestions.
  
 Dale


----------



## Currawong

ebonyzer said:


> Do we know if both the balanced and unbalanced sides of the X will use the femto clocks? I don't know enough about this sorta hardware to know if that's easy and expected or complicated and more expensive/etc.


 
  
 Clocks are used to time the digital signal for the DAC chip. That has nothing to do with the balanced output, which is analogue.


----------



## zenpunk

I must be thick but I how do you choose more then 1 perk? I want to upgrade to S with Femto clock.


----------



## Spadge

zenpunk said:


> I must be thick but I how do you choose more then 1 perk? I want to upgrade to S with Femto clock.




Go through the process twice, choosing a different perk each time.


----------



## zenpunk

Cheers but that can't be right, surely. 
 I am incredibly lazy so I won't bother but I would feel terrible it they miss their $1M target by $200, just because of me.


----------



## uncola

That is how it works. Pledge now I want those passive upgrades bad


----------



## Muinarc

Inching ever closer to that goal.... and my "add perk" finger is getting twitchy too!


----------



## Za Warudo

Any guesses on whether this will be better than Audio GD NFB 11.32? It seems like the price, specs on the amp, and the DAC chip are similar.


----------



## vincent215

za warudo said:


> Any guesses on whether this will be better than Audio GD NFB 11.32? It seems like the price, specs on the amp, and the DAC chip are similar.


 
 The dac is not exactly the same. The Audio NFB 11.32 use the desktop version.
 The Geek use the mobile version, and with upgrade to Geek Pulse S or X, you will have dual dac chip.
  
 Here's the specs of each Geek available.


----------



## AgentXXL

zenpunk said:


> Cheers but that can't be right, surely.
> I am incredibly lazy so I won't bother but I would feel terrible it they miss their $1M target by $200, just because of me.


 
  
 That's correct - I've contributed 7 times for all the perks I want...
  
 Dale


----------



## dclaz

Passing on the upgraded cable. Depending on where I put the DAC, I may not be able to use the lightspeed jnr cable it comes with. It's competing with my Asus E1 for the desktop.


----------



## Suopermanni

Hey Head-Fi, just wondering what the payment plans are like? What's the due date of payment on those plans?


----------



## FraGGleR

suopermanni said:


> Hey Head-Fi, just wondering what the payment plans are like? What's the due date of payment on those plans?


 
 Probably better to ask on the LHlabs.com forums or email them directly.  While Larry does swing by here on occasion, he and the rest of the crew are far more active over there.


----------



## Ranza

Just wonder if the Lightspeed 2G is the same as this unit ?
 http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2013/10/light-harmonic-lightspeed-usb-cable-meta-review/


----------



## AgentXXL

ranza said:


> Just wonder if the Lightspeed 2G is the same as this unit ?
> http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2013/10/light-harmonic-lightspeed-usb-cable-meta-review/


 
  
 Not quite - that's the original Lightspeed. There are 3 cables now on the LH menu:
  
 Lightspeed Jr - 1Gbit/s bandwidth, non-split design, retail $99 for 1m
  
  

  
 Lightspeed 2G - 4Gbit/s bandwidth, split design - dual type A connectors - no spacers, est. retail $379 for 1m - IMAGE NOT ACTUAL CABLE, but representative of design:
  

  
 Lightspeed - 10Gbit/s bandwidth, split design - dual type A connectors - with spacers, retail $999 for 1m
  

  
 Dale


----------



## AxelCloris

Welp, my impulses got the better of me just now; I backed the LPS and an additional Lightspeed Jr. cable. I really want to see this campaign hit the $1M mark. Going with the best opamp Larry can find will help make the Pulse my end-game. And getting in on the LPS during the campaign will save me money in the long haul. Unfortunately this also means that anything else that may come along from here forward will be unavailable to me as I'm not going to be able to add any more funds. But with us in the last 61 hours I don't think we'll see anything new.
  
 Let's push to the $1M mark!


----------



## Anaximandros

I am also struggling with buying a Pulse for my stereo system. I have got the Pulse X with all the upgrades just for my headphones including a LPS and I will keep it stationed in my working Room where I can just relax and read a book or something.
  
 The Pulse will be connected to a raspberry pi for music und movie streaming through my NAS but I don't really have money for any upgrades. What do you think? The normal Pulse should be a "no brainer" and should be sufficient for a stereo system without high end speakers.


----------



## Larry Ho

axelcloris said:


> Welp, my impulses got the better of me just now; I backed the LPS and an additional Lightspeed Jr. cable. I really want to see this campaign hit the $1M mark. Going with the best opamp Larry can find will help make the Pulse my end-game. And getting in on the LPS during the campaign will save me money in the long haul. Unfortunately this also means that anything else that may come along from here forward will be unavailable to me as I'm not going to be able to add any more funds. But with us in the last 61 hours I don't think we'll see anything new.
> 
> Let's push to the $1M mark!


 
  
 Hi, AxelCloris
  
 Really appreciate your support. And please don't stretch your budget too much. 
  
 We will get there, and you will get your best sounding active components. Don't worry, be happy!
  
 I just thought this Friday night will be an exciting night for a lot of people.... if we could set this new record in Indiegogo history?


----------



## eac3

suopermanni said:


> Hey Head-Fi, just wondering what the payment plans are like? What's the due date of payment on those plans?


 
 Did you find your answer as I didn't see a topic started on this same question (over at lhlabs)


----------



## Larry Ho

Every backers choose the payment plan should have another two payments done in Feb. 1st and March 1st....


----------



## Drsparis

Does the Geek pulse x have XLR and TRS up front?


----------



## Zoo Animal

drsparis said:


> Does the Geek pulse x have XLR and TRS up front?


 
  
 Yes, both types headphone out are on the front for the Pulse X


----------



## Zoo Animal

Here is a proto-type image from one of the lhlabs forum members. I don't know how much/if any of this will be adopted by LH but it's looking great.


----------



## Greed

zoo animal said:


> Here is a proto-type image from one of the lhlabs forum members. I don't know how much/if any of this will be adopted by LH but it's looking great.




They should take some of the ideas from Mickey that were posted earlier. Some of them were simply stunning.


----------



## Drsparis

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






zoo animal said:


> Here is a proto-type image from one of the lhlabs forum members. I don't know how much/if any of this will be adopted by LH but it's looking great.


 
  





> Wow that looks fantastic! I've seen it mentionned a few times but can't find it officially. Hmmmm god my wallet is going to hate me lol


----------



## AxelCloris

I'm still super fond of this design. Simple, informative, with light accents on the dark background. Geek logo could be a power button.


----------



## Drsparis

axelcloris said:


> I'm still super fond of this design. Simple, informative, with light accents on the dark background. Geek logo could be a power button.


 
 OMG can I vote somewhere? that looks even better... and i just bought one, with all the bells and whistles ... Darn-it


----------



## AxelCloris

drsparis said:


> OMG can I vote somewhere? that looks even better... and i just bought one, with all the bells and whistles ... Darn-it


 
  
 I don't know of any formal votes. Most of the design ideas are being submitted in a thread over on lhlabs.com. Larry and his team have the final say, but I love that they're willing to take our suggestions into consideration when designing the final enclosure. The design above is from a fellow named Vitto and I absolutely love it. Simple, elegant, informative. No disrespect to m-i-c-k-e-y's designs as I like them too. But so far this is my favorite. A lot more of the recent stuff I think is almost too minimalistic.


----------



## miceblue

greed said:


> zoo animal said:
> 
> 
> > Here is a proto-type image from one of the lhlabs forum members. I don't know how much/if any of this will be adopted by LH but it's looking great.
> ...



I concur.

I tried looking through the design thread on the Light Harmonic forums, but they don't have a convenient carousel like Head-Fi for images posted in the thread. XD


----------



## vic2vic

anaximandros said:


> The Pulse will be connected to a raspberry pi for music und movie streaming through my NAS but I don't really have money for any upgrades. What do you think? The normal Pulse should be a "no brainer" and should be sufficient for a stereo system without high end speakers.


 
  
 Connecting a Raspberry Pi for NAS streaming is also my plan: Wi-fi to access NAS and Bluetooth connection to control the play from my phone.
 As I never used a R.Pi before (but having one on my way just after Christmas), do you have any link to guides on how to setup this solution ? Thanks


----------



## miceblue

I'm about to bite the bullet on the linear power supply. Is there any reason why someone would want the LPS4 over the original one? The down-payments seem like a nice option, but at the same time, I probably won't use the LPS4 as the LPS*4*.

And whenever I see that I think L-something (lame?) PlayStation 4.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> I'm about to bite the bullet on the linear power supply. Is there any reason why someone would want the LPS4 over the original one? The down-payments seem like a nice option, but at the same time, I probably won't use the LPS4 as the LPS*4*.
> 
> And whenever I see that I think L-something (lame?) PlayStation 4.


 
  
 The reason to get the LPS4 is if you're planning to power multiple devices like the Geek Blue, Geek Air and Geek Phono off the LPS in addition to the Pulse. I'm not getting either streamer and I don't have a vinyl collection so I snagged the single LPS myself.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep, Vitto's are swell. I'm good at computers but an artist?

Sorry if I'm not posting some designs. I'm in a place far from technology right now. ^_^ But I did post my last set @ LH Labs before going. Will post here tomorrow, when I can have a computer. 

NEWS: For those who wants the "$1 Million Upgrade Now" perk of $88 better do it now. It will be $99 after when we hit $1M mark (active upgrade). 

Background: LH Labs promised a "passive" upgrade on all Geek Pulse when we hit $1M. The $88 Upgrade promises on a "Passive Upgrade" Now and an instant "Active Upgrade" AFTER we hit the $1M mark. 

Larry wanted to share this "Active Upgrade" to everybody but wanted to reward those who opted to support early. Hence the $11 difference. 

Happy Holidays!


----------



## ceausuc

What does it mean: "Active Upgrade"?
  
 Quote:


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Larry wanted to share this "Active Upgrade" to everybody but wanted to reward those who opted to support early. Hence the $11 difference.


----------



## Anaximandros

vic2vic said:


> Connecting a Raspberry Pi for NAS streaming is also my plan: Wi-fi to access NAS and Bluetooth connection to control the play from my phone.
> As I never used a R.Pi before (but having one on my way just after Christmas), do you have any link to guides on how to setup this solution ? Thanks


 
 I will use XBMC on my Pi http://mymediaexperience.com/raspberry-pi-xbmc-with-raspbmc/
 There are tons of tutorials, haven't decided yet which OS to use. I'll try different ones and keep the system I like.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Better OpAmps AD797,OP827,LME49990 etc. and corresponding upgrades on the "ac
tive" pati.


----------



## jaywillin

we've hit the million !! wow


----------



## rdsu

jaywillin said:


> we've hit the million !! wow


----------



## jaywillin

$1,001,997_USD_
 Raised of $38,000 Goal
 41 hours left


----------



## Anaximandros

Hell yeah! The hardest part will be the wait till the Pulse arrives at our front door


----------



## bhazard

Congrats to all of us for spending a massive amount of money. Now it is LH's turn to wow us. Around $1.5 million in USD from Geek Out and Geek Pulse campaigns should give them plenty of cash to get the initial batch of products out to us.
  
 I'm hoping for some game changing, top of its class product quality. Make it happen


----------



## uncola

I'm also super happy they hit 1 million.  Now what the hell do these passive upgrades do?  Since I'm getting the X I also get the upgrades:  
Nichicon Muse capacitors in the decoupling stage, and the analog stage will feature a dual mono, high-bias class A module with high-precision, non inductive Caddock resistors. 
  
 are the new capacitors and resistors better or worse than the ones for the X?
  
 Super-low ESR grade Nichicon capacitors in the power rails.  
 Upgraded film capacitors to power supply bypass & decoupler.  
 Upgraded COG ceramic capacitors near all critical digital IC's.  
 0.5% tightly-matched resistors throughout the signal path.


----------



## ceausuc

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Better OpAmps AD797,OP827,LME49990 etc. and corresponding upgrades on the "ac
> tive" pati.


 
 Do you know the exact list of mods?
 So.. the output stage is op-amp based? that's not exactly high-end
 Will these opamps be socket-ed?
 Ah, and the promo message said "best". What are the best opamps? Maybe Muses ....


----------



## Anaximandros

ceausuc said:


> Do you know the exact list of mods?
> So.. the output stage is op-amp based? that's not exactly high-end
> Will these opamps be socket-ed?
> Ah, and the promo message said "best". What are the best opamps? Maybe Muses ....


 
 Here is the link to the LH Labs thread http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/432-the-1m-bonus-goal-suggestion?start=276#4919
  
 The Opamps won't be socket-ed.


----------



## ceausuc

anaximandros said:


> Here is the link to the LH Labs thread http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/432-the-1m-bonus-goal-suggestion?start=276#4919
> 
> The Opamps won't be socket-ed.


 
 Thank you. It means that the upgrade is kind of mandatory...
 Femto clock and output through 1$(default) opamps sounds funny


----------



## JWahl

ceausuc said:


> Do you know the exact list of mods?
> *So.. the output stage is op-amp based? that's not exactly high-end*
> Will these opamps be socket-ed?
> Ah, and the promo message said "best". What are the best opamps? Maybe Muses ....


 
 It can be if implemented properly.  The Resonessence Labs Invicta uses opamps and I don't think anyone accuses it of not being high end.


----------



## FraGGleR

Well I went all in to do my part getting over $1M. I really was going to stop after the Pulse X, but now I'm in for the Femto, active components, LPS, and an extra Lightspeed Jr. Sigh.


----------



## miceblue

Nice! I knew Light Harmonics could hit the $1 million mark after Christmas. XD


----------



## Muinarc

Good job everyone!


----------



## AxelCloris

fraggler said:


> Well I went all in to do my part getting over $1M. I really was going to stop after the Pulse X, but now I'm in for the Femto, active components, LPS, and an extra Lightspeed Jr. Sigh.


 
  
 I'm in the exact same position. I started out backing the pulse/out combo and "that was it." Then they introduced the LPS. "Yeah, I'm good with the SMPS for now, maybe get the LPS later." Then the femto clock came. "Well, I can't add this after the campaign, so I'll get it now." Afterwards it was confirmed that the Pulse X would have RCA out. "Well, I do have Alpha Dogs coming soon and I've wanted to balance my HD650s. May as well upgrade to the X." A short while later information about the $1M stretch goal and the Instant $1M perk was made available. "Hot damn, yes I want the best opamp I can get in my Pulse. Count me in!" At this point I was done. I was positive, 100% certain, that I wouldn't spend more. But the tides made a twister turn when those marketing geniuses at LH Labs unveiled the LPS payment plan. "My wallet! Come back! Don't leave me!" It was then that I found myself yet again spending my precious currency on an LPS and an additional USB cable.
  
 At this point in my journey I am 120% certain that I need not spend any more funds on upgrading the Pulse. But I fear that my Larry and his team may once more squeeze a little bit of life from my wallet. To quote the siren of my billfold, "So I post a question in another thread inside Indiegogo campaign category. Is there any perk we left behind that you guys think we should add in? During last 24 hours, sometimes little miracle will happen. " How will this story end? Only Larry and crew know. As for me, I cower in fear in the corner; clutching my pocketbook closely to my chest in terror that it may betray me yet again. What will happen? When will it end? Oh the humanity!
  
 Ok Larry, bring on the perk if you have one in mind.


----------



## JFK

Just a small question. I do not need an headphone amp (my SR-80i isn't a power greedy) but I could be interested in the RCA output of the Geek Pulse.
  
 I currently own an ESI Juli@ that happily feeds my hi-fi setup (Rotel+Focal). To me the clear difference this board has with Light Harmonic is on audio format compatibility, but so far I do not own any DXD files (or infact any audio stream that go above 24-bit 192Khz).
  
 So technically speaking I do not need the Geek Pulse... but here comes the sound part. I know the following question is always difficult, highly contextual at least: could I hear or not a significant sound difference between the ESI and a Pulse? What do you guys think?


----------



## uncola

Focal speakers are very good, I'd think you would be able to distinguish quality differences between dacs and this dac should be extremely good


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@AxelCloris and Fraggler
I'm with you Bro! 

About OpAmps, few pages back, Larry answered of his implementation. 

Well what can I say.... 

Congratulations to US! It has been truly a Magical Ride. 

Now I can have my Active components! Ar Ar Ar Ar..


----------



## JWahl

I really wanted to jump on the Geek Pulse X plus pay plan but I don't get paid until the monday after the campaign ends.  If they had put these perks out earlier I would likely have sold my Soloist to fund it and make do with a Schiit Magni in the meantime.


----------



## miceblue

My brother is playing a massive online multiplayer game and one of the user's name is "da vinci." All I see in my head is the "Da Vinci" DAC. XD


----------



## Mihis

Moar perks! Wooo
  
 Just few hours to wait


----------



## sling5s

Hi Larry,
  
 Is the Geek Out shipping out next week?


----------



## Larry Ho

sling5s said:


> Hi Larry,
> 
> Is the Geek Out shipping out next week?


 
 We will post some final enclosures and PCBs picture in LHLabs.com forum this Friday. According to production plan, first batch will be shipped out before the end of Jan.


----------



## sling5s

Thank you Larry.


----------



## eac3

larry ho said:


> We will post some final enclosures and PCBs picture in LHLabs.com forum this Friday. According to production plan, first batch will be shipped out before the end of Jan.


 
  
 Hello Larry, is there really and difference between the path of the 1/4" headphone jack on pulse X versus the Pulse S. Is the only difference between the two devices the XLR on the Pulse X?


----------



## Drsparis

eac3 said:


> Hello Larry, is there really and difference between the path of the 1/4" headphone jack on pulse X versus the Pulse S. Is the only difference between the two devices the XLR on the Pulse X?


 
 The left and right channel should be processed and grounded independently, leaving less cross talk and interference.


----------



## eac3

drsparis said:


> The left and right channel should be processed and grounded independently, leaving less cross talk and interference.


 
  
 Sorry it is not obvious to me but which product are you referring to? 1/4" on Pulse X or Pulse S?


----------



## PowerNerd

Good evening, sorry if this should be posted elsewhere, but would the Geek Pulse X be a good beginner unit? I am very interested in contributing, and I have looked around at other units but I feel for the price and the possibility that when it is tested, it would be well worth the risk. I plan on purchasing the Audeze lcd-2 to accompany this unit. Any feedback is welcomed. Thank you in advance.


----------



## goldendarko

powernerd said:


> Good evening, sorry if this should be posted elsewhere, but would the Geek Pulse X be a good beginner unit? I am very interested in contributing, and I have looked around at other units but I feel for the price and the possibility that when it is tested, it would be well worth the risk. I plan on purchasing the Audeze lcd-2 to accompany this unit. Any feedback is welcomed. Thank you in advance.



 


I'm also planning on using this with my Audeze LCD-2's. I currently use a Burson Conductor, but I want to get a 2nd amp for my computer with the Burson being my main listening amp. I am also curious to know if the Pulse will power the LCD-2's sufficiently as I don't recall the power output every being discussed in this thread.


----------



## dclaz

Glad it hit 1mill.  Any word on what the improvements to the amp will be?


----------



## goldendarko

dclaz said:


> Glad it hit 1mill.  Any word on what the improvements to the amp will be?



 


I think that is what they are annoucing at Midnight (or 3am EST)


----------



## miceblue

Hm, I got a Wii U for Christmas. Would I be able to control the Pulse with that? :-o
It's already super awesome being able to control the TV with the GamePad.


----------



## Drsparis

eac3 said:


> Sorry it is not obvious to me but which product are you referring to? 1/4" on Pulse X or Pulse S?


 
 Both should although I hadn't read your question right. I would assume most of the benefits should be canceled out by the grounds converging into the TRS.


----------



## AxelCloris

New Perks coming at 12:00AM! 





 Original LightSpeed USB Cable - $699 Many Geek Force members have requested a special deal on LightSpeed USB. For only 24 hours, you can purchase LightSpeed at a *very*good price.
 Paul Candy said, "I never thought that a bloody USB cable would have such an enormous impact on my enjoyment of file playback." 6moons gave it their Blue Moon Award. LightSpeed USB uses a unique topology, which we call Ultra-high Speed Differential Pair (or USDP). USDP gives LightSpeed 20 times the bandwidth of USB 2.0 high speed, which ensures optimal signal clocking. In fact, LightSpeed's astounding 10 Gigabits per second bandwidth is twice as fast as USB 3.0! Additionally, its 2-in-1 architecture physically separates the signal leg from the five volt power leg, preventing source-generated noise from disturbing the digital signal. The result: a bit-perfect USB cable.
 You can choose either the standard or split configuration (for more about this, visit our website). It comes with a "No Questions Asked Warranty," which means if you break it, we'll replace it. The warranty is lifetime and transferable, no matter how many times its been traded, sold or given away. No sales receipt or proof of purchase needed.
Please DO NOT pledge for LightSpeed USB if you are thinking of using it for your Geek Pulse. It's "way overkill." LightSpeed Jr. or LightSpeed 2G are the cables for you. If, however, you are a rabid, crazy, foaming-at-the-mouth audiophile with a $50,000+ audio system, this cable's for you. 
 MSRP starts at $999. You can purchase them here for $699 (0.8 meter), $979 (1.6 meter), $1399 (3.8 meter). Each cable sold will be delivered very quickly through our network of dealers and distributors.
_Special note: _If you want to upgrade your LightSpeed Jr. or LightSpeed 2G to the original LightSpeed, please email cable@lightharmonic.com and we'll help you do that.

 
 





 LightSpeed AES/EBU Cable - $179 Larry Ho and his team have been working on this project for over a year. The goal is to design a balanced cable that can transport a digital signal from the source to the load with as much accuracy as possible. In digital cable design, we've found that most cables on the market today do reasonably well at low sampling rates. But the higher the sampling rate, the more distortion occurs in the cable because of impedance mismatches. After careful measurement and study, we believe more distortion and jitter are created in the cable because most cables are designed to transport CD-quality audio, which is too slow for high resolution audio.
 LightSpeed AES/EBU is engineered to have a perfect impedance match (within a tight tolerance) at 192 kHz, the sweet spot for most high resolution music on the market today. It performs best between 96 kHz and 192 kHz.
 In a new age of audio, we need a new generation of digital audio cables that are perfectly designed for high speed, high definition, and high resolution audio transmission. Like LightSpeed USB, LightSpeed AES/EBU provides 20 times the bandwidth of its competitors. _It's a born leader._
 MSRP is expected to start at $399. You can purchase them here for $179 (0.5 meter), $249 (1 meter), $389 (2 meter). Estimated shipping date will be April, 2014, and we will not release LightSpeed AES/EBU to the general public until all backers have received their cable first.
Technology details below.

 
 





 LightSpeed S/PDIF Cable - $139 As is the case with LightSpeed AES/EBU, Larry Ho and his team have been working on this project for over a year. In this case, their goal is to design a single-ended cable that can more accurately transport a digital signal from the source to the load within the specification of S/PDIF. Most S/PDIF cables do pretty well at low sampling rates, but like their AES cousins, they aren't very good at transporting high resolution audio. Once again, impedance mismatches at higher speeds cause distortion.
 LightSpeed S/PDIF is engineered to have a perfect impedance match (within a tight tolerance) at 192 kHz, the sweet spot for most high resolution music on the market today. It performs best between 96 kHz and 192 kHz.
 In this high resolution age, we need a digital audio cable that is perfectly designed for high speed. Like LightSpeed USB and LightSpeed AES/EBU, LightSpeed S/PDIF provides 20 times the bandwidth of its competitors. _It's a born leader._
 MSRP is expected to start at $299. You can purchase them here for $139 (0.5 meter), $199 (1 meter), $299 (2 meter). Estimated shipping date will be April, 2014, and we will not release LightSpeed S/PDIF to the general public until all backers have received their cable first.
Technology details below.

 
 





 2 Year Extended Warranty - $79 Each Geek Pulse /S /X, Geek Blue, Geek LPS, and Geek LPS 4 comes with a two-year, transferrable limited warranty, thanks to you helping us hit our stretch goal of $350,000. Seems like a long time ago, right? Now you can add another transferrable two years to your warranty for $79.


----------



## goldendarko

That's cool, some good deals on cables, although that USB one for $699 makes my eyebrows raise right off of my head


----------



## miceblue

Honestly, I'll pass on these. LPS it is then.


----------



## goldendarko

miceblue said:


> Honestly, I'll pass on these. LPS it is then.



 


They will not quit until they've sucked your wallet bone dry!


----------



## miceblue

goldendarko said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Honestly, I'll pass on these. LPS it is then.
> ...



It's a good marketing tool, but I'm not in the market for it.

Yes, our device does 24/192, BUT the standard cable doesn't do it justice. Therefore we can offer you this specially-designed cable.


----------



## goldendarko

In fairness I think they said that cable was for systems over $50k, which for me, personally, makes my eyebrows explode.


----------



## miceblue

@ LPS
Why is the LPS's scheduled shipment date in May 2014 with the holiday payment option (3 payments, $299 total), but June 2014 with the normal, single payment option?
Is this a typo, or is this done on purpose?


----------



## Larry Ho

miceblue said:


> @ LPS
> Why is the LPS's scheduled shipment date in May 2014 with the holiday payment option (3 payments, $299 total), but June 2014 with the normal, single payment option?
> Is this a typo, or is this done on purpose?


 
 Sorry this is a mistake. We will synchronize all shipping of LPS in one batch. Now schedule at May 2014.


----------



## charlie0904

hi, how choose whether we want refund or amp upgrade for 88 dollar perk?


----------



## uncola

charlie there's going to be a post indiegogo survey sent out I think.  once the indiegogo campaign ends.  and then larry ho will parachute onto the roof of your house and hand solder the amp on your dining room table.  one of these things is true


----------



## Muinarc

How tall is Larry? I don't know if my table can handle it.


----------



## PowerNerd

goldendarko said:


> I'm also planning on using this with my Audeze LCD-2's. I currently use a Burson Conductor, but I want to get a 2nd amp for my computer with the Burson being my main listening amp. I am also curious to know if the Pulse will power the LCD-2's sufficiently as I don't recall the power output every being discussed in this thread.


 
 I was watching the video and looked on the indiegogo website and it will have a 3 watt  headphone amp. Are you aware if that mean 3 watts per-channel or for both?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Hey guys, I just got the holiday geek pulse special and I have one quick question. Which of the perks would give me the biggest upgrade? Femto clock, or Geek pulse S. Or is it worth it to upgrade both? I don't have a balanced system so X is out of the question and I'm not interested in LPS.


----------



## uncola

I'm too lazy to find the post for you but larry basically said these are the improvements from the upgrades in order of biggest change to smallest
 Geek Pulse X/S
 Femto
 LPS
 Active components
 Passive components
  
 but my friend who is an amateur amp/dac designer suggested the LPS will make a bigger difference than anything else in a system that is otherwise well designed.. so there you go.. two opinions.  Also my opinion is that if you can afford the S you may as well get the X, it contains BOTH types of ports and is only 20 bux more.. that way if you upgrade other stuff in the future you can use the xlr ports


----------



## AxelCloris

LPS shipping date estimate of May. Pulse Xfae shipping estimate of June. Oh how they love to tease me.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

uncola said:


> I'm too lazy to find the post for you but larry basically said these are the improvements from the upgrades in order of biggest change to smallest
> Geek Pulse X/S
> Femto
> LPS
> ...


 
  
 Wait so does the geek pulse x have all the same inputs and outputs as the S?


----------



## germay0653

goldendarko said:


> That's cool, some good deals on cables, although that USB one for $699 makes my eyebrows raise right off of my head


 

 And the sound quality coming from that $699 USB cable will singe the hairs as they come off too!


----------



## uncola

Here's what the plain geek pulse and the S have:
 Inputs:
 coax spdif
 coax spidf #2
 optical toslink
 usb
 outputs: 
 rca out on back
 1/4" headphone out on front
 optical toslink on back
  
 the X has:
 Inputs:
 coax spdif
 aes/ebu
 optical toslink
 usb
 outputs:
 rca out on back
 dual 3 pin xlr on back
 1/4" headphone out on front
 4 pin XLR out on front
 optical toslink on back
  
 so if you get the X you can still use your single ended equipment but you also have the option of using balanced xlr equipment in the future..  I'm pretty sure that's right, maybe someone else can verify my listing of ports


----------



## HiFiRobot

uncola said:


> Here's what the plain geek pulse and the S have:
> Inputs:
> coax spdif
> coax spidf #2
> ...




And digital out since it was the $500k stretchgoal. Or have I missed something?


----------



## PowerNerd

I created a poll if anyone is willing to share their input on what they would choose, if they were to buy there first setup all over again and in my shoes. Thanks http://www.head-fi.org/t/697018/invest-in-geek-pulse-or-save-up


----------



## miceblue

They stated that the LightSoeed cable isn't really built for the Pulse, but you're welcome to use a cable that costs more than the DAC/amp itself. XD


----------



## JFK

I'm late at this indiegogo backup, so I am in this thread, so I beg you pardon if the point has already been mentionned.
  
 About the standard Pulse vs. S / X versions :
 The "balanced" concept looks like a marketing gimmick to me.
 XLR cables have important advantages over really long distances, mainly to fight noise. It's infact a plus when you do pro audio, creating the sound system for a concert hall, even recording live events, etc.
 For us home persons there's pretty close to no sense to use those balanced cables, so to buy balanced systems.
 Just my 2 cents.


----------



## Muinarc

Yes there is of course an on-going debate as to whether or not balanced audio setups for home use provide any benefits. 


....but must of us here in Head-Fi are audiophiles which means you have people from both sides of that arguement, that is why there is the standard Geek Pulse as well as the Pulse X.


----------



## uncola

Whether or not the xlr cabling gives a sound improvement, running two dac chips in dual mono differential mode gives higher SNR and reduced noise floor, I've heard anyway   Plus the highest end equipment uses xlr and it opens up those options to you.  Also usually the connection between the xlr connector and the pcb is better than the connection between the rca and pcb I've noticed in general.  No reason technically for it to be that way but in testing it usually is for some reason
 edit:  another advantage of the X I just thought of.. the line outs are both active at the same time so you could run the RCA to one device like a subwoofer and the XLR to another device like powered monitors


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

And ALL Outputs have GAIN settings. So you can tune your Pulse to your Cans, Preamp, Amp, Integrated Amp.


----------



## Argybargy

uncola said:


> I'm too lazy to find the post for you but larry basically said these are the improvements from the upgrades in order of biggest change to smallest
> Geek Pulse X/S
> Femto
> LPS
> ...




I would also put the LPS at the top.


----------



## GaryWA

I feel like this has gone much too far. It started out as a $300 DAC/AMP that was well priced for the features. Now it has turned into, I don't even know. Anybody else in the same boat?


----------



## kenshinhimura

not really. they still have the basic if you want that, and the upgraded if you want more. pretty much covering all their bases the best way possible so no one is left out.


----------



## uncola

Heh yes I feel like all the new cables are a bit too much for a crowdfunding campaign.  They should have stuck with pulse, pulse x, femto, lps


----------



## AxelCloris

garywa said:


> I feel like this has gone much too far. It started out as a $300 DAC/AMP that was well priced for the features. Now it has turned into, I don't even know. Anybody else in the same boat?


 
  
 I still think the base spec will be very impressive for $300. They've released additional options and upgrades to improve on it. I feel if you came for a $300 DAC/amp then you won't be disappointed. But I also wouldn't expect that $300 DAC/amp combo to take on the same competition that it's bigger siblings are targeting.


----------



## miceblue

garywa said:


> I feel like this has gone much too far. It started out as a $300 DAC/AMP that was well priced for the features. Now it has turned into, I don't even know. Anybody else in the same boat?



Did you get a basic Geek Pulse unit? Fellow Seattle-ite here. I went with pretty much all the upgrades....my poor wallet. 
Maybe we can have a local meet some day to compare the two units [upgraded vs basic]!


----------



## bhazard

garywa said:


> I feel like this has gone much too far. It started out as a $300 DAC/AMP that was well priced for the features. Now it has turned into, I don't even know. Anybody else in the same boat?


 
 You may feel that way, but 425+ other people felt otherwise for Femto clocks. Another 400+ felt that way for the LPS, X, etc. You also get the option to not get stuck with extra options that you don't want. With multiple versions/upgrades, everybody wins.
  
 It wasn't like they just added them all randomly. They were requested, and they made it happen. Kudos to them for listening to the community, which is very rare nowadays.


----------



## AxelCloris

In the past 48 hours I've made it half way to a free Geek Out. Too bad I won't make the freebie. But hey, more people are getting a Pulse, huzzah!
  
 Quote:


miceblue said:


> Did you get a basic Geek Pulse unit? Fellow Seattle-ite here. I went with pretty much all the upgrades....my poor wallet.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I would love to see those two compared side by side. I support this meet idea.
  
 [edit] Random idea. If I receive enough referrals to get a Geek Out I could donate it in a Head-Fi giveaway. Thoughts?


----------



## RHMMMM

In for a Pulse X with Femto clock, upgraded opamps and the LPS. Seems like a great deal. I hope sound quality and build quality are up to par and of course it would be a nice surprise to get more than I bargained for (or at least feel that way after delivery). Buying it for my small office system. Will compare in my main system with the Meitner MA-1 when I get it and post impressions.


----------



## avaddon

garywa said:


> I feel like this has gone much too far. It started out as a $300 DAC/AMP that was well priced for the features. Now it has turned into, I don't even know. Anybody else in the same boat?


 
 not further than you want, i backed in last hour just for simple pulse


----------



## uzi

Now that the campaign is over, and in honor of my kids, I'll ask the age old question of the impatient:
  
 "_Are we there yet?_"
  
 Stay tuned for tomorrow's episode, where once again I ask the question:
  
 "_Are we there yet?_"
  
 Larry, congratulations on a very successful campaign, and good luck with the work still ahead!  All kidding aside with the impatience thing... I think most would agree with me when I say that we're more interested in things being done right than done fast.  I look forward to getting some awesome products from you in the coming year!


----------



## Larry Ho

uzi said:


> Now that the campaign is over, and in honor of my kids, I'll ask the age old question of the impatient:
> 
> "_Are we there yet?_"
> 
> ...


 
  
 Uzi,
  
 I completely understand and agree.
  
 In modern design and engineering, we always face the de Lima of quality vs speed. 
 This campaign has created enough awareness in the general public, not only inside audiophile circle. So this is the project that we could not fail. 
  
 From the day one, my vision is to make more people believe that music's sound quality should be more important than convenience. 
 MP3 was a great invention.  But we should not and no need to use it any more.  44.1K was a good compromise in 1980. But we should not and no need to limit ourselves there any more.
  
 This vision sounds so easy inside computeraudiophile.com... but trust me, for most people, they still don't understand what we are fighting for. 
  
 Geek Out/Pulse is the first battle. We can not lose. Geek Out is not against the other portable DAC in Hi-end audio industry. 
  
 The most powerful enemy for Geek Out is: Computer lap top's headphone jack and the 50-cent ICs behind.
 We don't even need to talk about iPhone, Android combo. 
  
 If you know my whole logic here, you will understand why Light Harmonic choose Kickstarter and Indiegogo as our product launching and design platform. And you will know why I still put that terrible sounding Dr. Dre in Kickstarter's introduction video.


----------



## uzi

Yep, I definitely agree.  In my ideal (and realistic) world, music streaming services like the one I work on are there for music discovery and casual listening, and high resolution music downloads are what people buy and download instead of mp3s.  (And don't get me started on the fact that many albums can be bought at Amazon on CD with a free mp3 copy for cheaper than just the album in mp3 format.)
  
 In other news, the "My Impact" page on Indiegogo shows a "$2,539 USD" value in the "Funds Contributed" column.  I figure the extra Geek Pulse will go for upgrading my wife's setup at work.​


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So just a quick question: I bought the geek pulse holiday special with femto and X upgrade and I was wondering how I pay the second and third payments for the holiday special. Also, Does it make a difference that I bought the holiday special or will I still get a Geek pulse x with a femto upgrade?


----------



## eac3

uncola said:


> Also my opinion is that if you can afford the S you may as well get the X, it contains BOTH types of ports and is only 20 bux more.. that way if you upgrade other stuff in the future you can use the xlr ports


 
  
 I was of the same opinion. This is why I was asking about it as it didn't make sense to me. 
  
  


eac3 said:


> Hello Larry, is there really and difference between the path of the 1/4" headphone jack on pulse X versus the Pulse S. Is the only difference between the two devices the XLR on the Pulse X?


 
  
  


drsparis said:


> The left and right channel should be processed and grounded independently, leaving less cross talk and interference.


----------



## AxelCloris

ethereal sound said:


> So just a quick question: I bought the geek pulse holiday special with femto and X upgrade and I was wondering how I pay the second and third payments for the holiday special. Also, Does it make a difference that I bought the holiday special or will I still get a Geek pulse x with a femto upgrade?


 
  
 The second and third payments will automatically come out on Feb 1st and March 1st. If you chose the Geek Pulse X + Pay Plan at $329 then yes you'll be getting the Pulse X with a femto clock and an LPS4.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

I 





axelcloris said:


> The second and third payments will automatically come out on Feb 1st and March 1st. If you chose the Geek Pulse X + Pay Plan at $329 then yes you'll be getting the Pulse X with a femto clock and an LPS4.




I bought just the geek pulse but I also bought the upgrade for 140 and the femto for 120. Does it work that way?


----------



## AxelCloris

ethereal sound said:


> I
> I bought just the geek pulse but I also bought the upgrade for 140 and the femto for 120. Does it work that way?


 
  
 Yep, if you bought the Pulse and then added the $140 and $120 you'll get both. Make sure when the survey gets mailed out that your amount matches what they have and then confirm what you had backed.


----------



## uncola

Larry posted the initial plans for the LED Layout on lhlabs in this thread http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/336-geek-pulse-design-ideas
 The only thing I didn't like was the plans to change input by pushing in the volume knob.. I suggested a button instead.. here's what he wrote
  
*Larry Ho wrote:*
_This is an important information.

 Here is the final draft of LEDs on the front panel... Welcome good feedback.

 <Sample Rates>
 44.1K
 48K
 x2
 x4
 x8

 <PCM/DSD Indicator>
 DSD (off means PCM)

 <3D Indicator>
 On/ Off

 <Volume Indicator>
 Total 8 LED levels. When all LEDs off, means MUTE.
 All LEDs being on means -0dB FS (Max volume)
 each level is -12dB...
 So level will be -0dB, -12dB, -24dB.... -96dB and MUTE

 <Input Indicators>
 USB
 Digital 1
 Digital 2
 Toslink

 Welcome to freely distribute these LEDs to proper place. Just don't get too close to the edge. Also, leave some space around the knob. 
 Volume Knob will have Switch function by pressing the top.
 Single press means input switching... 1 ~ 4
 Double press means turn the 3D on and off.

 So we could keep front panel clean, use one knob only.

 Enjoy!_


_Oh, almost forget, do you guys like 'Power On' indicator? Or 'Music On' indicator?_


----------



## Ethereal Sound

axelcloris said:


> Yep, if you bought the Pulse and then added the $140 and $120 you'll get both. Make sure when the survey gets mailed out that your amount matches what they have and then confirm what you had backed.


 
  
 Does it matter if it was the pulse in 3 payments (holiday special)?


----------



## AxelCloris

ethereal sound said:


> Does it matter if it was the pulse in 3 payments (holiday special)?


 
  
 Shouldn't. But may be wise to keep an eye out for the survey to make sure your info is correct. If there's any kind of mix-up I'm sure Gavin and team can get it sorted. Larry's going to be too busy working with his team testing everything.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Design I submitted on the LH forum before I went for the holidays days back... 

*CLEAN*


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

*DA VINCI V *


----------



## goldendarko

Awesome. Any of those will do


----------



## Drsparis

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> *DA VINCI V *


 
 Am I the only one that thinks the usb ports on the LPS on the front is a bad idea? I mean I'm just imagining the wire sticking out and bending backwards to plug into the behind of the Pulse .... 
  
 Edit: Forgot to mention that the this Da Vinci V model looks incredible


----------



## AxelCloris

drsparis said:


> Am I the only one that thinks the usb ports on the LPS on the front is a bad idea? I mean I'm just imagining the wire sticking out and bending backwards to plug into the behind of the Pulse ....
> 
> Edit: Forgot to mention that the this Da Vinci V model looks incredible


 
  
 The USB ports are being moved to the back of the LPS. Source: Geek Temple


----------



## Drsparis

axelcloris said:


> The USB ports are being moved to the back of the LPS. Source: Geek Temple




Yay I'm in love again :-D lolol


----------



## Muinarc

My vote is for a case made from synthetic saphire 

..but really, I just want the Pulse to perform and last a long time, that would make me happy.


----------



## miceblue

I like the yellow or silver Da Vinci mock ups the most. The yellow one reminds me of cork wood, and I'm all up for having wood in audio products.


----------



## LucasB

Gives a really good feeling that things are moving! I like the plain metal on the great photo-mock-ups! All metal looks great! Spend my money on parts instead of color!
  
 I vote as well for a separate input-push-button on front. Anyway I personally turn down the volume when i switch input, but "mute" or something like it would make more sense on the volume-push-knob for me. I am skeptical about the idea of double use the volume as an input switcher too. For me those are two separate things. A highly integrated interface is maybe on the long run a bit too much to learn.
  
 Somebody some information where the decent on/off-switch and the gain-adjust for the headphones is?
  
 How about two more leds on the front that lid up when "bypass" is active or mute is set - would make it 10 for the volume - to give some lowest/highest-bit-crunch feeling!
  
 Would be nice to have more of the geekforce-stuff with read-rights to everybody.


----------



## HiFiRobot

>


 
  
 Mmm this one. I like it alot. There is something about this retro-hitech 1990 design.
 The other silver one was good aswell.
  
 Lets just hope LH do not put the Geek logo on the final design, that one I do not like


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

axelcloris said:


> The USB ports are being moved to the back of the LPS. Source: Geek Temple




Forgot about that one. 

Back in the Geek Force forum. They were talking about LEDs around the volume knob as Volume indicators. 

Here is one design by Vitto.


----------



## uncola

I like that black design by vitto a lot.  I like how nothing is vertically stacked on it.  I think that will make it easier to mount all the leds to the PCB won't it?  When they are veritcally stacked, usually they have to run a wire to the led.  The pro input source button committee seems to have given up, looks like we're getting a push-in volume knob to change source.  oh well I guess if it's implemented well it might be ok


----------



## miceblue

I just hope the Pulse comes in different colours. There are too many black audio products out there! That's part of the reason why Schiit's products look so stunning: simple and different.


----------



## Muinarc

I'm sure it will come in any color you want, as long as what you want is black or silver


----------



## LucasB

Looks really good, even I would like it more in plain metal (aluminum?).
 All money on good parts - that is my vote!
 Am I the only one who might get confused in 2 or 3 years to remember if double-click or single-click on the volume-button was input-switching or 3D? I am sure we will all know when we get the device, but seriously this is too clean to understand!
 1+ for a separate input-source-select button! Come on, this means 1 pushbutton more on the pcb for less confusion.


----------



## CanDude

And here is my latest version from the Geek Force forum:


----------



## CanDude

... available in the same anodized colors as Geek Out, of course!


----------



## Larry Ho

Just roughly check the vote here... From the beginning to the end of this campaign, we confirm 7 out of the votes here.
 Also, in lhlabs.com, we confirm quite a lot of requests too.
  
 One reviewer call Geek Pulse: People's DAC.   That is really lovely.


----------



## miceblue

candude said:


> And here is my latest version from the Geek Force forum:



The space under the V looks a bit bare. Maybe the input indicators can be moved there? Otherwise I like the volume knob LEDs except there was debate as to whether there should be 9 LEDs.
0 dBFS (all 9 lights on)
-12 dBFS (8 lights on)
-24 dBFS (7 lights on)
-36 dBFS (6 lights on)
-48 dBFS (5 lights on)
-60 dBFS (4 lights on)
-72 dBFS (3 lights on)
-84 dBFS (2 lights on)
-96 dBFS (1 light on)
Mute (no lights)

Unless one of the lights turns red/orange/rainbow, such as the last one when becoming muted.


----------



## AxelCloris

larry ho said:


> Just roughly check the vote here... From the beginning to the end of this campaign, we confirm 7 out of the votes here.
> Also, in lhlabs.com, we confirm quite a lot of requests too.
> 
> One reviewer call Geek Pulse: People's DAC.   That is really lovely.


 
  
 If there's an official vote we'll be sure to take part! I imagine it would be sent out in the survey or sometime thereafter.


----------



## CanDude

larry ho said:


> Just roughly check the vote here... From the beginning to the end of this campaign, we confirm 7 out of the votes here.
> Also, in lhlabs.com, we confirm quite a lot of requests too.
> 
> One reviewer call Geek Pulse: People's DAC.   That is really lovely.


 
  
 How do you intend to change the gain setting? Not a switch at the back, please...
  
 "People's DAC", hmm, should be good for China...


----------



## nicolo

larry ho said:


> Just roughly check the vote here... From the beginning to the end of this campaign, we confirm 7 out of the votes here.
> Also, in lhlabs.com, we confirm quite a lot of requests too.
> 
> One reviewer call Geek Pulse: People's DAC.   That is really lovely.


 
  
 Hi Larry,
  
 Is there a problem with the lhlabs site. Cannot access it at all.


----------



## miceblue

I was going to post exactly that.


----------



## Zoo Animal

larry ho said:


> One reviewer call Geek Pulse: People's DAC.   That is really lovely.


 
  
  
 That was my thought too, it does everything at a very respectable price. 
 It's like the design idea behind the original Beetle. Is there a better compliment than that?


----------



## LucasB

I like the symbols below the leds for input-selected! Great idea! Symbols for all inputs!
  
 Quote:


> _Oh, almost forget, do you guys like 'Power On' indicator? Or 'Music On' indicator?_


 
  
 Yeah. I like indicators and separate switches! A 2-color LED for power-on is even greater to see between "standby" and "full" on, or "bad" and "good" power.
  
 Music on means music detected on selected input channel? Yeah, have a decent led for that, to be able to track down bugs in a setup!
  
 As mentioned earlier I would rather have a "bypass" led but now that I got the concept of the vol-knob I can live as well with all diods lit on the knob to know it bypasses sabres digital volume control. Maybe the last of the 8 or 9 diodes around the knob can have some writing like "0db - v direct" or something shorter. If we talk about high-res I think it is worth mentioning, that it gets through the dac with 1 step less processing (volume).
  
 I like the idea to put all volume-functions in the volume-knob. Like volume mute, volume off/on, volume 3DA/stereo, volume high/low. But packing the input-source-select-switch there confuses me. Anybody any comments on that?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Happy New Year Guyz!


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Happy New Year Guyz!


 
 Happy New Year to everyone!!
  
 What's going on with the www.lhlabs.com site?  Are they updating/doing maintenace?


----------



## uzi

germay0653 said:


> Happy New Year to everyone!!
> 
> What's going on with the www.lhlabs.com site?  Are they updating/doing maintenace?


 
 A couple of hours ago in the IGG comments, Larry said:
  
 "Web hosting company of LHLabs.com has some issues. We are fixing it…
Happy New Year!"


----------



## Anaximandros

Well, I wish you all a happy new year. Full of joy and audiophile Nirvana


----------



## germay0653

uzi said:


> A couple of hours ago in the IGG comments, Larry said:
> 
> "Web hosting company of LHLabs.com has some issues. We are fixing it…
> Happy New Year!"


 

 Thanks uzi!


----------



## miceblue

I think I probably missed it somewhere, but will a gain adjustor be in the Pulse?

If not, I remember seeing people request an impedance switcher. Are these two features essentially the same in function?
Wait, scratch that. That was a stupid question. XD

Why would anyone want a different output impedance?

Well scratch that too:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/601669/impedance-adapters-cables-explained-listed/75#post_8409890

I've just confused myself now. >.>
Doofus December will get the last of me. XP

From what I understand, wouldn't an impedance switcher be cleaner than a gain switcher since an op-amp's higher gain also means the noise is being amplified?

Or maybe not...with the Geek Pulse's 3 W output at 16 Ω, that means the low-impedance headphone will be really loud in volume, no? If an impedance adaptor is used, increasing the amp's output impedance, the volume will be decreased but the magical 1:8 damping ratio would be broken.


----------



## CanDude

*Happy New Year!*


----------



## dclaz

That's a great design.


----------



## CanDude

dclaz said:


> That's a great design.


 
  
 Thanks!
  
 (I also think so... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 )
  
 The real box is tiny though, the above picture size (unexpanded) on a 13" monitor is actually a tiny bit larger than real size, I think. I think my sockets are too small...


----------



## LucasB

Happy new year everybody! Gets all the time better.
  
 As said before I think they should go for at least a longer housing if they do not want to use a bigger one. For the super-portable-version they have geek-out. I guess most of us will use geek-pulse on the desktop, near laptop or similar, so if the housing would be a bit bigger that would not really matter. BUT if they have to compromise on quality because of space, that would not make sense.
  
 Found these things on the web which might be really interesting parts for the dac or clock voltages:
 http://www.ti.com/product/tps7a4700?DCMP=pwr_lp_ldo_lownoise_eu&HQS=tps7a4700-pr-eu
 Does anybody know, what is currently planned to be used in geek pulse and any suggestions if there is anything better out there? (I know there are good discussions at diyaudio about this)


----------



## CanDude

Updated:
  

  
 Correct scale for hight/width ratio and socket size (the faceplate's actual with is 5", the above picture expanded is almost real size on a 13.3" screen).


----------



## dclaz

candude said:


> Updated:
> 
> 
> 
> Correct scale for hight/width ratio and socket size (the faceplate's actual with is 5", *the above picture expanded is almost real size on a 13.3" screen*).


 
  
 That depends on the resolution.
  
 The unit is quite small. Is there a reason they are going for a small form factor?


----------



## uncola

I really like this design..  notice it has 3 feet instead of 4 for true audiophile class.  Although I'm not sure it really does anything since this isn't a turntable heh.  Also I like the orange text for the input source and sample rates, it really helps with legibility.  The light harmonic logo looks good too.. it's nicer than the geek logo I think


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thanks!


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> I really like this design..  notice it has 3 feet instead of 4 for true audiophile class.  Although I'm not sure it really does anything since this isn't a turntable heh.  Also I like the orange text for the input source and sample rates, it really helps with legibility.  The light harmonic logo looks good too.. it's nicer than the geek logo I think



It has 3 feet...that you can see. For all we know, it could have 5 total. The middle foot is still in the middle of the unit and it would be stupid if there weren't any feet on the very back-end of the device in this configuration.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It was more of a drawing error. Not intentionally intended. 

I'll try to cover them next time (middle feet, right side face) to depict a more accurate intention.


----------



## Muinarc

As the volume knob is going to be the most used item on the device, I hope the final design has a large one. If I had my way I would want one close to 3" (~7.5cm) in diameter. If I had to guess, the design of Mickey's above would have one closer to 1" diameter and that's a tad small (for my tastes).


----------



## Zoo Animal

I was just thinking the same. The design from CanDude is larger but still doesn't break the boundaries of the box.


----------



## miceblue

A larger volume knob would be nice, but if they plan to have LEDs around it, it's going to be hard to find a volume knob that fits the chassis and the LEDs. >.>

Just don't make it a dinky knob like on the Objective 2 and I'll be happy.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

A small enclosure and LEDs around the volume knob are the design constraints for a larger Volume knob. 

But i have an idea similar to that of Fiio above. We'll see how it goes.


----------



## CanDude

zoo animal said:


>


 
  
 Maybe we could have a rubberized volume knob like this and _two_ plastic feets so that you can turn the whole box to change the volume... hmm, nah, bad idea.


----------



## vincent215

The follow up campaign is up. Do we still earn rewards by combining impacts of the 2 campaigns?
  
 Thanks.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Black is Black...I want my baby back...


----------



## miceblue

I never thought to bring this up until now. Is it of any use to know the input of the device? I mean it's not like I'm going to look at my system and be like "ooooh yeah, I totally forgot I was using the coaxial input!"


----------



## FlySweep

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Black is Black...I want my baby back...


 
  
 Lovely.. one of my favorite designs right here!  I much prefer the italic "Light Harmonic" text vs the "Geek" script (I just don't like the idea of the word "Geek" scribbled across the front of my amp/dac, too).  I prefer the volume knob in the middle of the unit so it makes placement of the unit on the left or right hand side of a PC/rig a non-issue).


----------



## miceblue

flysweep said:


> m-i-c-k-e-y said:
> 
> 
> > Black is Black...I want my baby back...
> ...



Most headphone amplifiers have it off to one side or another. It is kind of annoying though...


----------



## Muinarc

miceblue said:


> I never thought to bring this up until now. Is it of any use to know the input of the device? I mean it's not like I'm going to look at my system and be like "ooooh yeah, I totally forgot I was using the coaxial input!"



 


I would agree, even if you are using multiple inputs, they would all be going to different sources most of the time, and I would think you know what source you are using. More lights = more better?


----------



## LucasB

Design looks great, although I like the symbols more from can dude regarding input selection. I find input selection very important, because as far as I know there is some idea that all unused ports will be switched off with audio-grade relais to avoid any electromagnetic interference (emi) to the dac on all unused ports.
  
 Sure the auto-switch would work but even the autoswitch would get confused over time if leave toslink from my radio and spdif from my cd-player and the usb-cable from my computer all connected and I do not switch off everything I do not use or if I switch off I always have to do it before switching on the other unit or some ripple and noise will be induced to the dac and a big plop will be heard on the speakers or anything like it. Way to complicated. As well in the x f a I ordered I do not want any - even unused - cable to destroy the hard earned money bought THD and SNR on my dac by induced electric disturbance on the other ports. So for the simple pulse I do not really know, but for the x f a I hope this is integrated. Why buying a sub 1.0uV regulator feeding a femto-clock  feeding dual-dac if all cables have direct access - even with galvanic isolation - to the circuit. Just imagine not you but somebody else in the house turns on the device that feeds some of the other ports. Or you want to plug or unplug on any port while the device is converting on the other without hearing any plop on the speakers. Only possible with relais or a manual switch and some sort of sign to be sure which one is playing and used and which are good to go. Audio-grade 4-position switches can get quite expensive so maybe this is the reason why all electronic, as well the relais can have a better position on the pcb I guess immediately after the input.
 I hope our units will feature off-switch relays on all unused inputs and therefor we would need some sort of understanding which input is used. Some years ago we would have got a rotary switch with 4 engraved symbols like most hifi features, nowadays we have relais and electronic status symbol leds I guess. Do you know the old braun radios, they have nice simple round dials. Total analog! Maybe a "cheap" 4-position switch could be used not for the audio signal but to switch the relais! How simple would be that, then no need for led, but only laser the names or symbols on the plate. Only Larry Ho can tell.
  
 Is anybody in geek force to get this straight if I am wrong?


----------



## stainless824

i would like to see more a da vinci jr kind of look


----------



## Larry Ho

vincent215 said:


> The follow up campaign is up. Do we still earn rewards by combining impacts of the 2 campaigns?
> 
> Thanks.


 
  
 Yes. We will use the same rules to calculate! 
  
 Thanks for your support...


----------



## vincent215

@m-i-c-k-e-y I love that black design!


----------



## vincent215

larry ho said:


> Yes. We will use the same rules to calculate!
> 
> Thanks for your support...


 
 Will you combine the impacts of 2 campaigns or count separate?


----------



## AxelCloris

For those who are not registered over on the Geek Force forums (and why aren't you?), Geek Out has made its way onto the Wall Street Journal. It beat out the Dragonfly as their recommendation for entry level high res music playback. Now let's do the same thing with the Pulse!


----------



## vincent215

Look like someone won an Abyss.


----------



## AxelCloris

Pretty sure the contest rules stated that had to be discussing the Pulse, not the original Geek.


----------



## Icenine2

There was an Abyss giveaway?  I wish for a LCDX giveaway!


----------



## justin w.

vincent215 said:


> Will you combine the impacts of 2 campaigns or count separate?


 
  
 Are you going to keep spamming every website? 
  
http://www.soundonso...51&Main=1074826
http://www.rig-talk....hp?f=3&t=146122
http://audioshark.or....html#post40145
 and the one already deleted at the site that can't be named here
  
 interesting that a few years ago stuff like this meant a ban, and now it's revered


----------



## belisk

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Black is Black...I want my baby back...




extremely nice design, take my money now!


----------



## uncola

It's nice but I still think the colored V designs are the best.. I like how metallic the faceplate is


----------



## AxelCloris

I know this pair was mentioned in a post around the time the LPS was announced, but I came across this article on the lhlabs forums. Pretty interesting, and seems like the Geek Pulse is going to be better than the Prime at a fraction of the cost. What is the MSRP for an upgraded Pulse with the LPS4, $1200 or something?
  
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/552-meridian-prime-headphone-amplifier-review-prime-power-supply-sneak-preview/


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Added link to Google Doc (made by a GF member) on first post. On Features and Specification of all Geek products and it's derivatives. 
  
 It will be updated periodically and its NOT FINAL.


----------



## blueangel2323

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Black is Black...I want my baby back...


 
 Wow that looks really sexy! Wouldn't hurt to be shorter and wider though.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thanks! 

We'll it depends on the final case measurements. 

Last time I heard, they opted for a wider case to accommodate more connections at the back.


----------



## uncola

My vision board.  Hey the secret worked for oprah


----------



## eliwankenobi

Lol!

There should be enough space for the Pulse and the LPS next to it


----------



## jexby

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Added link to Google Doc (made by a GF member) on first post. On Features and Specification of all Geek products and it's derivatives.
> 
> It will be updated periodically and its NOT FINAL.


 
  
 thank you!  was very excited to find/link this google Doc.
  
 a quick aside, as I can't discern and haven't found an answer from Larry H on this:
  
 is the Headphone Out Max Power (mW at 16ohm) for Geek Out,
 a *combined* mW value for BOTH Left and Right channels ?
  
 ie.  Geek Out regular says 450mW at 16ohm.
 so is that
 a) 225mW to left ear cup and 225mW to right ear cup?
 or
 b) 900 mW "total" (450mW x 2) output to the headphones?
  
 I'm guessing it's a).
  
 for Geek Pulse google Doc,
 the max Headphone Out values in question (summed or not?) appear to be:  100mW, 500mW, 3000mW.


----------



## miceblue

It's the total output power derived from the maximum output voltage at 16 Ω. So A is correct.

V = I * R (Ohm's Law : voltage in volts equals current in amperes times resistance in ohms)

I = V / R (re-arranged version of Ohm's Law)

P = I * V (power equation for electricity: power in watts equals current in amperes times voltage in volts)

P = (V / R) * V (substituting the re-arranged version of Ohm's Law into the power equation

P = (V^2) / R


Since music varies over time, we can find the average power with respect to an average voltage (volts root mean square, or VRMS).

P_average = (VRMS^2) / R


The Geek Out is rated to have a maximum output voltage of 2.65 VRMS at 16 Ω. Plug away!

P_average = ([2.65 VRMS]^2) / 16 Ω

P_average = 7.0225 VRMS^2 / 16 Ω

P_average = 0.43890 watts, or 438.90 milliwatts


----------



## nick v

I put my order in yesterday for a Geek Out + Geek Pulse bundle with the Geek Pulse X upgrade. I'm really excited for both of these products!! Nothing on the market seems to compete as far as features, parts quality, technical specifications and price.
  
 I have a couple questions:
  
 If you purchase as part of the second indiegogo campaign (that's on right now) do we still get to capitalize on the stretch goals that were achieved before the initial campaign expired? (Lightspeed Jr. USB Cable, 2 year warranty, Digital Out, Remote Control port and internal parts upgrades)? I sure hope so!
  
 Also, I've been reading an obscene amount about these products for the past few days but haven't seen mention of any specifics on the $119 USD 'Internal Amp Upgrade'. Is this the op-amp upgrade? It would sure be nice to see the http://bursonaudio.com/DIY_HD_Opamp.htm as an option or at least the OPA 627 Dual op amp modules. Is there any info on where they're going with this?
  
 Thanks


----------



## miceblue

nick v said:


> Also, I've been reading an obscene amount about these products for the past few days but haven't seen mention of any specifics on the $119 USD 'Internal Amp Upgrade'. Is this the op-amp upgrade? It would sure be nice to see the http://bursonaudio.com/DIY_HD_Opamp.htm as an option or at least the OPA 627 Dual op amp modules. Is there any info on where they're going with this?
> 
> Thanks



Yes, the internal amp upgrade is the op-amp upgrade.

I don't recall seeing a post about what specific amp is to be chosen as Larry is still determining which op-amp to use.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Yes, the internal amp upgrade is the op-amp upgrade.
> 
> I don't recall seeing a post about what specific amp is to be chosen as Larry is still determining which op-amp to use.


 
  
 Larry has given us a list of about 5-6 opamps that he's testing but he hasn't confirmed what he'll be using just yet. It's probably going to be a bit before he confirms which is the regular and which is the Indiegogo exclusive upgrade.


----------



## nick v

I found this over at the Geek Temple:
  
 "Here is the list from my past experience. All Amp here will be bias into class A and put the best decoupling and shortest pcb trace...
 * AD797 (precise, clean, almost could not be wrong choice. pin8 tweaking is the key)
 * OP827 (a little bit more euphonic, makes music. JFET input!!)
 * OP1621 (endless highs, solid bass, not so good in mid as OP827)
 * LME49990 (after output RLC compensation, it kills the giants)
 * LME4562 (TI, ESS loves it in reference board, pretty numbers, not much characteristics...)
 ...
 Just want you guys to know, this final approach is getting to the fun part. A lot of subjective stuff here.
 And this is also the place that test the cook how to make the best meal."
  
 I was hoping to see the OPA 627 or better yet upgrade to Burson discrete op amps (would surely be more expensive) but I'm sure Larry knows what he's doing!


----------



## dclaz

Are the op amp upgrades the only improvement with the 'internal amp upgrade' perk? I didn't think those components cost 'that' much, but I could be thoroughly mistaken.
  
 I hope that they end up using whatever op amp results in the output with the best measurable properties.


----------



## Currawong

I'd leave worrying about opamps to them.


----------



## nick v

currawong said:


> I'd leave worrying about opamps to them.


 

 That's an awfully strange perspective when it comes to an upgrade that we'd be paying extra money for. I'd kind of like to know what op amps will be in the standard version and what they'll be using in the 'Internal Amp Upgrade' to make the determination whether or not it's worth my extra money. Seems rational to me, no?
  
 Although, admittedly they do seem to be offering tremendous value here and I will likely add the upgrade without knowing exactly which parts they're using. I would just prefer to know...


----------



## germay0653

Larry is also considering a Muses op-amp.


----------



## Currawong

nick v said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > I'd leave worrying about opamps to them.
> ...


 
  
 Now I think of it, only the OPA627 or two best MUSES opamps would actually cost significantly more. I can think of opamps that would sound significantly worse, rather than better than the usual well-known models, but I don't consider it that big of a deal as I used to. It was only cheap, lousy designs I noticed differences in opamps. In good designs all the good opamps sounded about the same.


----------



## Larry Ho

germay0653 said:


> Larry is also considering a Muses op-amp.


 
 Muse kindly provide me three models totally 10+ pcs to test... TI also sent me some nice samples too...
  
 When our EP2 boards comes in with these goodies, it would be FUN to listen.
  
 Before I went to CES, I just found another good tweak to make ES9018K-2M sound even better in Geek Out.
 I will use that to Geek Pulse as well... 
  
 Still in the middle of CES, talking, watching, learning, thinking! 
  
 Cheers,


----------



## Muinarc

Thanks for the interesting update Larry. Hope you are having a good time at CES.


----------



## digitalzed

larry ho said:


> Muse kindly provide me three models totally 10+ pcs to test... TI also sent me some nice samples too...
> 
> When our EP2 boards comes in with these goodies, it would be FUN to listen.
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks Larry, good information. Curious, any update on when Geek Out will ship to the original Kickstarter backers?


----------



## earfonia

larry ho said:


> Muse kindly provide me three models totally 10+ pcs to test... TI also sent me some nice samples too...
> 
> When our EP2 boards comes in with these goodies, it would be FUN to listen.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hi Larry, I've been comparing Op-Amps using Fiio E12DIY amplifier for the last few weeks, and I found AD8599 to be one of the best Op-Amps I ever tried so far.
http://sg.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=AD8599ARZvirtualkey99990000virtualkey584-AD8599ARZ
  
 It really compares well with AD797, if not better.  AD8599 has more low bass, and more transparent and spacious compared with AD797.  Hope you would give it a try


----------



## m17xr2b

The implementation matters more than the Op-Amp used, different implementations will give different results when comparing op-amps.


----------



## miceblue

m17xr2b said:


> The implementation matters more than the Op-Amp used, different implementations will give different results when comparing op-amps.



Exactly. That's why I was opposed to having op-amp rolling in the Geek products.

Op-amp rolling = convenience over optimisation.


----------



## Larry Ho

earfonia said:


> Hi Larry, I've been comparing Op-Amps using Fiio E12DIY amplifier for the last few weeks, and I found AD8599 to be one of the best Op-Amps I ever tried so far.
> http://sg.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=AD8599ARZvirtualkey99990000virtualkey584-AD8599ARZ
> 
> It really compares well with AD797, if not better.  AD8599 has more low bass, and more transparent and spacious compared with AD797.  Hope you would give it a try


 
 If my memory serves me right, AD8599 sounds warm and involving. But need some good caps surrounded to reveal the details. Not a bad choice. 
  
 AD797 is not easy to get it sound right... You need to find a good supporting circuit to give it the justice.


----------



## Larry Ho

Yes!


----------



## AxelCloris

Viito just posted this design on the Geek Temple, and oh my god is it gorgeous. I want to put all my votes towards this.
  

  
 It has rounded corners, similar to a Mac Mini. So lovely... I'm just going to stare at this for a while now...


----------



## miceblue

Yeah I saw that. I thought the white on the base was part of the white background, so I thought the unit was "floating" with the black bottom being the only thing keeping it up. XD


----------



## AxelCloris

It looks to be a brushed aluminum color from what I can see, but monitor calibration may be off. But I can see what you mean, it does somewhat blend in with the white background. The shadows and reflection are what I noticed to see it was rectangular.
  
 So pretty. I'd actually be willing to pay a bit more if it looked like this.


----------



## kugino

just backed the geek pulse + geek out combo, with upgrades to the pulse x and the upgraded amplifier. at a total of $677 it's cheaper than the mjolnir i was looking at...i'm really interested in the oppo ha-1, but with estimated $1200 price, i think i'll try the geek pulse at half that...


----------



## AxelCloris

kugino said:


> just backed the geek pulse + geek out combo, with upgrades to the pulse x and the upgraded amplifier. at a total of $677 it's cheaper than the mjolnir i was looking at...i'm really interested in the oppo ha-1, but with estimated $1200 price, i think i'll try the geek pulse at half that...


 
  
 The Mjolnir puts out 8W RMS at 32Ω where the Pulse puts out 1.5W, assuming the quoted 3W output is at 16Ω like the Geek Out. So the Mjolnir will put out more power. But in many situations that much power can be overkill. I agree with your choice to back the Pulse over buying the Schiit. You'll get an incredible DAC from a great company, a pretty powerful amp with a high quality USB receiver. Add on the integrated crossfeed, free high bandwidth USB, and all while saving quite a few bucks then you're coming out well in the end. You'll have a bit more jitter with the standard X than you will with the femto upgrade but many won't even notice the difference.
  
 The Oppo looks quite interesting as well, but I don't think the LCD is a bit overkill. Still, a gorgeous looking product.


----------



## miceblue

Geek Pulse is rated at 3 W at 16 Ω yeah.
7 VRMS maximum output voltage

3 W = (7 VRMS)^2 / R
R = ((7 VRMS)^2) / (3 W)
R = 16.3 Ω


----------



## kugino

i'd have jumped on the mjolnir if it had a SE headphone output. i'm not one to have a multitude of devices (i used to, but now am in favor of one amp, one dac, and a few select headphones)...the most difficult headphones i have to drive will be the alpha dog, but i think the pulse x will have more than enough oomph for them. and while the femto upgrade would be nice, i don't think it will make that much of a difference to me. 
  
 and by opting for the pulse/out package, i in effect get the geek out for $70, which isn't a bad thing.


----------



## AxelCloris

kugino said:


> i'd have jumped on the mjolnir if it had a SE headphone output. i'm not one to have a multitude of devices (i used to, but now am in favor of one amp, one dac, and a few select headphones)...the most difficult headphones i have to drive will be the alpha dog, but i think the pulse x will have more than enough oomph for them. and while the femto upgrade would be nice, i don't think it will make that much of a difference to me.
> 
> and by opting for the pulse/out package, i in effect get the geek out for $70, which isn't a bad thing.


 
  
 Haha, sounds like our setups will be fairly similar. Balanced Alpha Dogs running off my Pulse Xfe at home and the Super Duper Geek Out when traveling. I'll also have an open pair to go with them. Currently using the HD650 as my open set, but the newly announced HE-400i are quite intriguing as well.


----------



## kugino

axelcloris said:


> Haha, sounds like our setups will be fairly similar. Balanced Alpha Dogs running off my Pulse Xfe at home and the Super Duper Geek Out when traveling. I'll also have an open pair to go with them. Currently using the HD650 as my open set, but the newly announced HE-400i are quite intriguing as well.


 
  
 nice. not sure what i'll do with the geek out at the moment. rarely listen to headphones when i'm out these days as my son requires most of my attention...and i can't remember the last time i was able to spend a few hours alone in a coffee shop with my MBA. i guess i can always sell it...
  
 look forward to hearing your impressions of the pulseX/AD combo once you get your pulse.


----------



## AxelCloris

kugino said:


> nice. not sure what i'll do with the geek out at the moment. rarely listen to headphones when i'm out these days as my son requires most of my attention...and i can't remember the last time i was able to spend a few hours alone in a coffee shop with my MBA. i guess i can always sell it...
> 
> look forward to hearing your impressions of the pulseX/AD combo once you get your pulse.


 
  
 Work computer? I use a pretty cheap setup at work but it gets me by. I may transport my Geek to work when I'm in town and take it with me when I travel. But for now it'll be my main card as it's coming long before the Pulse is. And believe me, I'm looking forward to my own impressions of the X/AD combo.


----------



## Mackem

I know nothing about amps/DACs so a few quick questions. I can connect this to my PC and listen to my IEMs / headphones with it right? Is it a case of connect to computer via USB and plug phones into the front? Also, what sort of headphones can the regular Pulse power? I'd imagine my 16 Ohm IEMs would be fine but how high impedance headphones can it power?


----------



## miceblue

mackem said:


> I know nothing about amps/DACs so a few quick questions. I can connect this to my PC and listen to my IEMs / headphones with it right? Is it a case of connect to computer via USB and plug phones into the front? Also, what sort of headphones can the regular Pulse power? I'd imagine my 16 Ohm IEMs would be fine but how high impedance headphones can it power?



 I can connect this to my PC and listen to my IEMs / headphones with it right?
Yup.


Is it a case of connect to computer via USB and plug phones into the front?
Pretty much.
1. Plug in 12 V AC-DC wall adaptor into wall outlet
2. Plug in 12 V power cable into Geek Pulse
3. Plug in USB cable into the Geek Pulse
4. Plug in other end of USB cable into your computer
5. Turn on Geek Pulse
6. Set up Geek Pulse on your computer if needed
7. Plug in headphones into Geek Pulse
8. Play music


Also, what sort of headphones can the regular Pulse power? I'd imagine my 16 Ohm IEMs would be fine but how high impedance headphones can it power?
Light Harmonic claims that pretty much any headphone you throw at it that can work with the Geek Pulse. The regular Geek Pulse uses a 6.3 mm jack whereas the Geek Pulse X uses both a 6.3 mm jack as well as a 4-pin XLR balanced jack.

From the Indiegogo page, the Geek Pulse outputs 7 VRMS, which is about 3 watts of power at 16 ohms.


----------



## Muinarc

miceblue said:


> Is it a case of connect to computer via USB and plug phones into the front?
> 
> Pretty much.
> 
> ...



 


Step 8 is my favorite step!


----------



## walfredo

So, has anyone heard it yet?


----------



## AxelCloris

I'm hoping some Geek Force members from CES will be able to shed some light on how the Geek EM sounded. I'm crossing my fingers for more great impressions.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> I'm hoping some Geek Force members from CES will be able to shed some light on how the Geek EM sounded. I'm crossing my fingers for more great impressions.



What does the EM stand for anyway? I still call it the Super-Duper Geek Out.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> What does the EM stand for anyway? I still call it the Super-Duper Geek Out.


 
  
 I dunno, actually. But that's the technical name that Light Harmonic has given it, so I'm getting into the habit of saying it.


----------



## Muinarc

Pretty quiet in here while we play the waiting game. Are there any new case designs to share?


----------



## CanDude

muinarc said:


> Pretty quiet in here while we play the waiting game. Are there any new case designs to share?


 
  
 My idea for a backlit volume knob, mounting the LEDs on the faceplate behind the knob that reflects the light back on the faceplate:
  

  
 And...
  
  
               ...then....
  
  
                                   ....hmm...
  
  
  
  
 Oh, here they come:
  






  





  
 The black ones seem to be most popular.


----------



## tomscy2000

candude said:


> My idea for a backlit volume knob, mounting the LEDs on the faceplate behind the knob that reflects the light back on the faceplate:
> ​


 
  
 That rotary knob is similar to the ones used on Resonessence devices like the Concero HP and Invicta. Not sure if it'll serve LH well to use a knob that is so similar in design.


----------



## Muinarc

I like that check-mark in the designs of the bottom two CanDude, looks like it's off of a headphones FR graph


----------



## Icenine2

I like the RED!!


----------



## walfredo

Number 2 and 4 (top to bottom) look awesome.


----------



## CanDude

Adapted the scale to the real size (6.76" x 2.3"), sockets towards the bottom and four screws at the corners:
  

  
 I made the volume knob big as this is the only control we have.
 And I persist to use 17 volume LEDs, only 8 LEDs would look ridiculous.
 I'm not sure about the bolts, black is probably better.


----------



## AxelCloris

Quote: Larry Ho 





> I feel lucky today.
> 
> Because whiling starting testing the Muse01 Amp, I found another goodies in the package.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Taken from a thread over at the Geek Temple. Dagnabit Larry, you finally got me to upgrade to the LPS4. Now I'm really hoping that the Muses7001 make it in.


----------



## tomscy2000

Schottky Diodes are great; I've encountered them in optoelectronic spectroscopy applications --- always wondered how they could be applied to audio...


----------



## Larry Ho

axelcloris said:


> Taken from a thread over at the Geek Temple. Dagnabit Larry, you finally got me to upgrade to the LPS4. Now I'm really hoping that the Muses7001 make it in.


 
  
 May I humbly say: I'm innocent! 
  
 I'm glad to see that NJR finally address this issue: Good power, start from the rectify diode!


----------



## AxelCloris

Of course you're innocent, I'm just being American and passing the blame.  I've been on the fence about the LPS4 for a while now and I figured "why not?" This will allow me to have the connections should I need them down the road. I'm sure I'll come across something that uses 12V power on my desk at some point. The 5V connection on the LPS4 is going to be powering my USB interface. Should I upgrade from my Scarlett 2i2 to something like the 18i6 then that will be able to use one of the 12V spots.


----------



## JWahl

Just noticed today that this is open back up again.  I think I'll finally be joining the backers at the end of the month.  It will be Geekpulse X + Femto + upgraded amp for me.  I'd love to back the LPS4 as well but this is all my budget will allow for now, at least until tax refunds.  But if those new Muse rectifiers are added, I may still be willing to pay retail for it later on.  I think between that and the LPS4 transformer and the "super regulators" this could be a very impressive PS, even at retail.  Priced too high though, and it will start to cross into High Current battery supply territory, in which transformers, rectifiers, and regulators are irrelevant:
  
http://redwineaudio.com/components/black_lightning


----------



## AxelCloris

jwahl said:


> Just noticed today that this is open back up again.  I think I'll finally be joining the backers at the end of the month.  It will be Geekpulse X + Femto + upgraded amp for me.  I'd love to back the LPS4 as well but this is all my budget will allow for now, at least until tax refunds.  But if those new Muse rectifiers are added, I may still be willing to pay retail for it later on.  I think between that and the LPS4 transformer and the "super regulators" this could be a very impressive PS, even at retail.  Priced too high though, and it will start to cross into High Current battery supply territory, in which transformers, rectifiers, and regulators are irrelevant:
> 
> http://redwineaudio.com/components/black_lightning


 
  
 We'd love to have you join the Geek Force family! Hope you do decide to get the Pulse X.
  
 You're not the only one who is saving a few products for retail. And after launch you'll probably find a used LPS more easily than a fully upgraded Pulse X. The Ingiegogo campain gets you a fully decked out unit for $747. Tax free and no shipping costs since you're in the US. Current MSRP estimate is $699 for the Pulse X and that's without the added items. Factor in any potential sales tax and shipping fees and they're pretty close. So now is definitely time to at least get the Pulse. The other items don't look to have any special bonus to the Indiegogo run aside from the savings. Get a Pulse now and get all accessories later if you want. I know I'd want to get the add-ons anyways so I went ahead and backed pretty much all of it.


----------



## JWahl

axelcloris said:


> We'd love to have you join the Geek Force family! Hope you do decide to get the Pulse X.
> 
> You're not the only one who is saving a few products for retail. And after launch you'll probably find a used LPS more easily than a fully upgraded Pulse X. The Ingiegogo campain gets you a fully decked out unit for $747. Tax free and no shipping costs since you're in the US. Current MSRP estimate is $699 for the Pulse X and that's without the added items. Factor in any potential sales tax and shipping fees and they're pretty close. So now is definitely time to at least get the Pulse. The other items don't look to have any special bonus to the Indiegogo run aside from the savings. Get a Pulse now and get all accessories later if you want. I know I'd want to get the add-ons anyways so I went ahead and backed pretty much all of it.


 
 Thanks, I'm looking forward to it.  Luckily, this time the campaign end AFTER I get paid and I'll have a larger than usual paycheck that I can expend for it.  After just missing the main campaign I ignored the thread for a bit and then came back to find it was up again so I was quite excited.  Looking to also preorder a Hifiman HE-560 when it's available as well so the balanced drive will come in handy.  
  
 I love my Soloist as a headamp but if the balanced amp drives the Hifiman's well enough, I could even sell the Soloist also to recoup some cost.  I've already made a few posts at the Geekforce forum and look forward to following the progress to see how it turns out.  I figure worst case scenario, it just ends up being "worth the price", at best a great value.  I'm personally always searching for ways to squeeze more performance/value into my setup since I'm very much a "wine taste on a beer budget" type of person.


----------



## kugino

Just saw that they added 50 backers for the femto upgrade. Wasn't there earlier in the campaign. But count me in as one of those who can't hear the effects of jitter, so I'll put that money toward the LPS instead.


----------



## AxelCloris

Huh, I didn't realize they had a cap on the femto clocks. It makes sense, limited supply from Crystek and what not. Just hadn't noticed there was the counter. When did they add the cap?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So the official dimensions are:

Height: 2.3" Width: 6.76" Depth: 8"


----------



## AxelCloris

Plus whatever height the feet add.


----------



## CanDude

Buttons for 3D and power on/off, input switching still via pressing the volume knob:


----------



## Suopermanni

Hey guys, not sure if this has been asked but has it been confirmed how much power the amp section of the Pulse will put out at different ohm levels?
  
 Last time I checked, it was roughly 3000mW/3W at 16 ohms, though I don't know if anything more has been said. Is there a formula to estimate the power output at different ohms like 32, 150 and 300 ohms?


----------



## miceblue

Power (watts) = [voltage_RMS (volts)]^2 / resistance (ohms)

This is only for estimates though since we don't know how the amp behaves for different loads. It could be voltage or current-limited for example. 

The output voltages for the Pulse S/X have been provided by Larry somewhere in the LH Labs forums, but it's hard for me to grab it using a mobile device. >.>


----------



## Muinarc

Anyone that was a part of the Geek Out or has done a crowd funding thing before know what kind of ETA we would expect to receive the emails from LH to confirm/verify what we backed/perks/etc? I've never done one of these so I have no idea.


----------



## AxelCloris

muinarc said:


> Anyone that was a part of the Geek Out or has done a crowd funding thing before know what kind of ETA we would expect to receive the emails from LH to confirm/verify what we backed/perks/etc? I've never done one of these so I have no idea.


 
  
 With crowd funding it's pretty much a case by case basis. Some companies are excellent about updating, others may go weeks/months in between updates. I didn't take part in the Kickstarter campaign since I found out about it too late so I don't know what information has been sent to backers, just the information that I can publicly see in the updates. I would imagine we'll get the emails confirming the Pulse information some time after the end of the second Indiegogo campaign since people are still able to upgrade their units until Feb 2nd.


----------



## kugino

muinarc said:


> Anyone that was a part of the Geek Out or has done a crowd funding thing before know what kind of ETA we would expect to receive the emails from LH to confirm/verify what we backed/perks/etc? I've never done one of these so I have no idea.


I've backed a few kickstarter campaigns and, as one might expect, actual delivery times are beyond the original ETAs. Sometimes by half a year. I backed the geek pulse in the second offering and that's a July ETA. I'm not expecting my devices until October or November, realistically. Any sooner and I'll be pleasantly surprised.


----------



## Muinarc

Funny you say that because I have my expectation set for November, that'll be a year and we all want the Pulse done right rather than rushed. Lucky for me in this instant gratification world, I have decent patience


----------



## kugino

muinarc said:


> Funny you say that because I have my expectation set for November, that'll be a year and we all want the Pulse done right rather than rushed. Lucky for me in this instant gratification world, I have decent patience


That's great perspective and a realistic set of expectations. I'm sure we'll be pleased when we finally get to listen to it.


----------



## GaryWA

miceblue said:


> Power (watts) = [voltage_RMS (volts)]^2 / resistance (ohms)
> 
> This is only for estimates though since we don't know how the amp behaves for different loads. It could be voltage or current-limited for example.
> 
> The output voltages for the Pulse S/X have been provided by Larry somewhere in the LH Labs forums, but it's hard for me to grab it using a mobile device. >.>


 
  

 They are both 7Vrms, but on the X, it is halved on the 1/4" headphone output due to the dual mono balanced design, so it is 3.5Vrms on the unbalanced output.


----------



## earfonia

garywa said:


> They are both 7Vrms, but on the X, it is halved on the 1/4" headphone output due to the dual mono balanced design, so it is 3.5Vrms on the unbalanced output.


 
  
 On the Pulse X, 3.5 Vrms is ok, loud enough for T1 and HD800, but only average listening volume for orthodynamic like Hifiman HE5-LE or HE6.  That means, with Pulse X, ortho must use the balance output to get sufficient loudness.
  
 Actually it would be better for 5 Vrms on unbalanced, and 10 Vrms on balanced.  High enough for some headphones that require high voltage.


----------



## GaryWA

earfonia said:


> On the Pulse X, 3.5 Vrms is ok, loud enough for T1 and HD800, but only average listening volume for orthodynamic like Hifiman HE5-LE or HE6.  That means, with Pulse X, ortho must use the balance output to get sufficient loudness.
> 
> Actually it would be better for 5 Vrms on unbalanced, and 10 Vrms on balanced.  High enough for some headphones that require high voltage.


 

 Don't stop there! I would LOVE a 15V/7.5V amplifier section...


----------



## akarise

Does anyone know if the $199 Geek Pulse deal for the original Geek Out backers still applies for their followup campaign?


----------



## uncola

Are you talking about the $199 black friday deal?  That was only for black friday and only if you wanted a second geek pulse.. afaik


----------



## Anaximandros

He is talking about the deal kickstarter backer got back then when the first Pulse campaign was launched. We could get the Pulse for 199$. I think the deal is still available for the 2nd campaign. Better ask Light Harmonic 

Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk


----------



## AxelCloris

I'm thought that the Geek Force Only perks don't apply to the follow-up campaign but it won't hurt to email them at geekpulse@lightharmonic.com and ask.


----------



## Anaximandros

The 199$ Pulse deal is not a Geek Force only Deal. It's a kickstarter backer deal for those who backed the Geek Out at their first crowd funding campaign.


----------



## AxelCloris

Sorry, I was thinking about the Black Friday GFOP perk.


----------



## akarise

Got a confirmation from Larry that the $199 Geek Pulse deal for the Kickstarter backers is still available for anyone else that was wondering.


----------



## miceblue

I'm confused. Geek Pulse was never on Kickstarter?


----------



## Zoo Animal

If you funded the GeekOut from Kickstarter there was a lower price on Indiegogo for continued supporters


----------



## miceblue

Ah okay, that makes much more sense now.


----------



## GaryWA

Question question about the LPS.. I have a UPS, the Cyberpower 1350AVR to be exact, would it essentially do the same thing as the LPS?


----------



## FraGGleR

garywa said:


> Question question about the LPS.. I have a UPS, the Cyberpower 1350AVR to be exact, would it essentially do the same thing as the LPS?


 
 Not at all.  While your UPS might clean up and regulate the AC delivery to the power supply, it doesn't convert AC to DC which is what the Pulse uses.  A good power supply is still needed to convert the AC to DC and filter out all of the noise that comes from that process as well as deliver that power with tightly regulated voltage and the proper amount of current.


----------



## miceblue

Gah, I've been way too busy to check the LH Lab forums recently, but an update has just been posted from the Indiegogo campaign:


> Geek Pulse (/S /X) is very different from our original idea. At the end of the campaign, it was like starting from scratch. We have the PCB’s laid out and our first few EP2 ("Engineer’s Prototype 2") boards are on their way, each one slightly different for the component options we need to listen to. All parts for assembly of the PCB’s have been ordered. We know that we’ll go through at least one more EP version before we move on to a release candidate because of the listening process. We have a couple of different extrusion samples in for the chassis, too. Which one we use will depend largely on the final PCB boards (there are going to be two of them in each unit). The front panel design will be finalized by the end of this month.
> Geek Blue is going through the same process as Pulse. It’s a little different now that the original prototype due to likely chassis changes. So we had a little more room to play with. The PCB is laid out and parts are ordered. We’ll do a thorough listening test and if we like what we hear we’ll build RC1, which will likely become the “golden sample.”
> Geek LPS & LPS 4. I hate to sound like a broken record, but we’re going through the exact same process as Pulse and Blue. The difference here is that LPS is based on Da Vinci’s power circuit, so we know what it sounds like. There is going to be a change or two in the layout in order to fit it in a smaller chassis, so we want to prove through a prototype process that they new circuit layout will perform to our standards. The only other variable is the new 5V circuit for the USB power part that Larry has designed. After we have a listen, we can give you an update on that, too.
> LightSpeed Cables. All LightSpeed USB cables (the big daddies) have shipped! Check out http://bit.ly/1l3K1Og to see what one Geek Force member shared on Computer Audiophile about his initial impressions. All other LightSpeed cables, including Junior and 2G, have been designed. We’re waiting for final tooling to be done so we can listen to the first prototypes.
> ...


----------



## Muinarc

Thanks for forwarding that update to us miceblue


----------



## flipper2gv

garywa said:


> They are both 7Vrms, but on the X, it is halved on the 1/4" headphone output due to the dual mono balanced design, so it is 3.5Vrms on the unbalanced output.


 
 So for the S, even though it's dual mono, it's still gonna be 7Vrms?


----------



## sling5s

Any update on Geek Out?


----------



## Anaximandros

Quote from Kickstarter Update 35
  
 Quote:


> Hey there. Thanks for your patience as we get this snafu sorted out.
> 
> In the end, we've confirmed the whole problem is related to the USB connector soldering process. We are in the middle of a sample test run to make sure the process is correct before we move forward. That test run is scheduled to be finished tomorrow and we’ll see the results on Monday. We’re pretty confident we’ll be able to start mass production on Tuesday.
> 
> ...


----------



## sling5s

thanks.


----------



## AxelCloris

Welp, we're down to the last week in the Pulse follow-up campaign. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with regards to the most recent update from Larry.
  
 Quote: Larry 





> Geek Pulse (/S /X) is very different from our original idea. At the end of the campaign, it was like starting from scratch. We have the PCB’s laid out and our first few EP2 ("Engineer’s Prototype 2") boards are on their way, each one slightly different for the component options we need to listen to. All parts for assembly of the PCB’s have been ordered. We know that we’ll go through at least one more EP version before we move on to a release candidate because of the listening process. We have a couple of different extrusion samples in for the chassis, too. Which one we use will depend largely on the final PCB boards (there are going to be two of them in each unit). The front panel design will be finalized by the end of this month.
> Geek Blue is going through the same process as Pulse. It’s a little different now that the original prototype due to likely chassis changes. So we had a little more room to play with. The PCB is laid out and parts are ordered. We’ll do a thorough listening test and if we like what we hear we’ll build RC1, which will likely become the “golden sample.”
> Geek LPS & LPS 4. I hate to sound like a broken record, but we’re going through the exact same process as Pulse and Blue. The difference here is that LPS is based on Da Vinci’s power circuit, so we know what it sounds like. There is going to be a change or two in the layout in order to fit it in a smaller chassis, so we want to prove through a prototype process that they new circuit layout will perform to our standards. The only other variable is the new 5V circuit for the USB power part that Larry has designed. After we have a listen, we can give you an update on that, too.
> LightSpeed Cables. All LightSpeed USB cables (the big daddies) have shipped! Check out http://bit.ly/1l3K1Og to see what one Geek Force member shared on Computer Audiophile about his initial impressions. All other LightSpeed cables, including Junior and 2G, have been designed. We’re waiting for final tooling to be done so we can listen to the first prototypes.
> Passive and Active Upgrades. We have some of the various candidates in the office now! We can’t wait to listen to all of them and make our final decisions.


 
  
 So it sounds like we'll know by the end of the follow-up campaign how the Pulse will look. As for everything else it's all changing. And on a semi-related note, what do you guys think of the MIT power cable they have offered on the Geek Temple?


----------



## Anaximandros

I don't want to rant about the MIT power cable, but Larry and Gavin indicated that  the price should be 100$ for a cable as this would be the 'sweet spot' talking about the overall ratio Pulse / Cable price.
  
 I still think buying cables >> 100$ or even 50$ is overkill for a product which was originally 299$ or 250$ for early birds and 199$ for kickstarter backer. They lost some sympathy on my side when they introduced their special AES, S/PDIF, Lightspeed 2G cables at Indiegogo and advertised them. Sure they are a company and they want money but as someone who really doesn't believe in cable sound this is just over the top. The cables are more expensive (if you get them all and many did because they were made by Light Harmonic) than the Pulse itself ( basic Pulse, S, X without upgrades).
  
 There were really good alternatives for power cords like Shunyata Venom-3s ~ 70$ but given that Gavin and Steve worked for MIT it was clear that they would choose MIT for power cables. Still I don't believe in cables and active filtering etc.. but that's just me. There are enough people who can appreciate them and are willing to spend xxx$ on cables and autosuggestion can make a difference in SQ if you just believe in it


----------



## Zoo Animal

Keep in mind that the cable is for the Pulse with LPS and not the $199 smps only Pulse.
 Pulse + LPS + Other upgrades, and it starts making more sense for $800-1000 worth of Pulse and upgrades.

 I've had 2 pair of MIT speaker cables, 1 was excellent the other not so much. A mixed bag from experience.
 Unfortunately, I've actually heard a good difference with power cables. Whether it's my older house with it's poor electric or something else I can't say but, for the price I am considering group MIT buy.  As a general rule, I would never buy a cable without a return policy. But weighing price vs. used market, it will likely give it a go and see if it fits best with the Pulse or another piece of gear.


----------



## kugino

axelcloris said:


> Welp, we're down to the last week in the Pulse follow-up campaign. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with regards to the most recent update from Larry.
> 
> 
> So it sounds like we'll know by the end of the follow-up campaign how the Pulse will look. As for everything else it's all changing. And on a semi-related note, what do you guys think of the MIT power cable they have offered on the Geek Temple?


 
 a number of years back we had a group buy here for hospital-grade power cables...i think they were in the $20-something range each. they are as much as i would pay for a power cable. just my .02


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> Welp, we're down to the last week in the Pulse follow-up campaign. I'm interested to see what's going to happen with regards to the most recent update from Larry.
> 
> 
> So it sounds like we'll know by the end of the follow-up campaign how the Pulse will look. As for everything else it's all changing. And on a semi-related note, what do you guys think of the MIT power cable they have offered on the Geek Temple?


 

 I've never had the opportunity to use an MIT cable but from what Larry has indicated it's not just a cable.  I've also read that it's got filtering and conditioning which makes it more than just a cable.  The proof will be in the listening but Larry and Gavin use them when demoing their equipment at shows so there has to be some merit to the claims and I, for one, am willing to take a chance and give it a try.  Others may be skeptical and that's understandable but you never will know for sure unless you use it in your system.  It would be nice if there were a money back guarantee.  That way there's little to no risk but realize we're also getting a price that's more than 50% off MSRP and you could sell it on ebay for sure so I'm going for it.
  
 For those that might be skeptical of the "Black Box" on the power cord I believe the technology is the same as what's demonstrated in this youtube video. It not only works on what the cord is powering but other units connected near to it on the same circuit. Make your own decision.
  
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJI24Lu2U-o


----------



## Icenine2

Which MIT cable is the one you guys are writing about?
  
 I switched over to Shunyata Venom 3's a few years ago with great results to my ears.  I was really skeptical at first but for about $100 I gave it a shot.  I'd be totally open to trying other cables for sure.


----------



## germay0653

This is the cable:  MIT SL Z‐Cord 3fp


----------



## dclaz

What's everyones thoughts on the Geek Blue? It feels like a lot of money for a blue tooth receiver. I'm assuming something like this:
 http://www.insidecomputer.com/New_Bluetooth_4_0_Music_APT_X_Audio_Stereo_Wireles_p/adpiskintx.htm 
 will do a fairly identical job.


----------



## miceblue

XD

I just found out something. Larry replied to a similar question for a different potential product and it was basically along the lines of "but it's not Geek."
BING - But It's Not Googleek


----------



## AxelCloris

My thoughts on the Geek Blue are mixed. Personally I'd just love to see the Blue and future Air in one unit and call it there.


----------



## miceblue

The deadline for the front panel design of the Pulse is getting closer. I can't wait to see how it looks in the end. There are a lot of fantastic ideas/mockups out there!


----------



## Muinarc

miceblue said:


> The deadline for the front panel design of the Pulse is getting closer. I can't wait to see how it looks in the end. There are a lot of fantastic ideas/mockups out there!



 


Yes there are, budget permitting, I think it'll be hard for them to go wrong if they use what we've been seeing from the mockups.


----------



## AxelCloris

Quote: Gavin Fish 





> *"The 1500ers"*
> Larry and I have mentioned that we have something special in mind for our esteemed Geek Force who have contributed $1,500 or more to our Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns. We've decided *exactly* what we're going to do, but I'm afraid you're going to have to wait just a little longer while we implement our plan. The first phase will involve something here in the Geek Temple (keep your eye open for that-- it'll happen quietly), but there's something else that we have to do, too. All you have to do is exercise just a bit more patience.
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 This just posted over at the Geek Temple. Interested in seeing what's coming.


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> This just posted over at the Geek Temple. Interested in seeing what's coming.


 

 i'm at $1407 , lol, i'll be damned


----------



## AxelCloris

jaywillin said:


> i'm at $1407 , lol, i'll be damned


 
  
 I'm guessing if it's something on the forum that it'll just be a special title or something. I dunno if that's worth $93. Then again, could be something else more awesome.


----------



## miceblue

I think about $1000 is plenty for me thank you. I'm not made of money, nor do I have spare pocket change, unlike some people. XD


----------



## GaryWA

$700 here. Already over the cost of my headphones.. not sure what I was thinking.


----------



## kugino

garywa said:


> $700 here. Already over the cost of my headphones.. not sure what I was thinking.


 
 yeah, i'm at around $700, too. and if i get the LPS4, i'll be well over a grand. this thing better be worth it...


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> I'm guessing if it's something on the forum that it'll just be a special title or something. I dunno if that's worth $93. Then again, could be something else more awesome.


 

 oh i'm not going to just find someway to spend $97
 and actually i upgraded the lps, when afterwards realized i didn't need to, i emailed to see if there was a way to get a refund, or credit for something else, haven't heard back yet


----------



## AxelCloris

Looking at the numbers, I'm in the 1500 club if they count funds from the payment plan but fall short of it if they don't. I pretty much went with the whole package. Upgraded to the LPS4 since I can use it with my USB interface. It may even help make my recordings sound better, which would be awesome. And down the road it sounds like I'll be wanting the Geek Server when their team gets around to making it.
  
 I have spent a lot of money on this puppy.


----------



## eac3

axelcloris said:


> Looking at the numbers, I'm in the 1500 club if they count funds from the payment plan but fall short of it if they don't. I pretty much went with the whole package. Upgraded to the LPS4 since I can use it with my USB interface. It may even help make my recordings sound better, which would be awesome. And down the road it sounds like I'll be wanting the Geek Server when their team gets around to making it.
> 
> I have spent a lot of money on this puppy.


 
  
 Geek server?


----------



## AxelCloris

Yeah, Larry's been talking about their next step after the Geek Air comes about. It could be a device similar to the Auralic Aries.


----------



## Anaximandros

jaywillin said:


> oh i'm not going to just find someway to spend $97
> and actually i upgraded the lps, when afterwards realized i didn't need to, i emailed to see if there was a way to get a refund, or credit for something else, haven't heard back yet


 
 Me too, upgraded something in the follow up campaign and there are family issues now and I asked them for a refund.
 No answer yet.


----------



## jaywillin

anaximandros said:


> Me too, upgraded something in the follow up campaign and there are family issues now and I asked them for a refund.
> No answer yet.


 

 i'm not specifically wanting a refund, i just think having the extra outlets would be wasted i guess, i'm cool with whatever LH wants to do
 it semms they've been more than about taking care if issues like this


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Hey guys, I have a question. I bought the geek pulse holiday special meaning I still have 2 remaining payments due. However, I don't know how it works. Will I automatically be charged the following payments or do I have to do it myself?


----------



## AxelCloris

That's a good question. I haven't seen confirmation about that. I know they're going to charge on Feb 1 and March 1, but I don't know if it's automatic or an invoice. Since Indiegogo uses Paypal, I'd assume it's an invoice since I don't believe they can't automatically charge your card.


----------



## CanDude

axelcloris said:


> That's a good question. I haven't seen confirmation about that. I know they're going to charge on Feb 1 and March 1, but I don't know if it's automatic or an invoice. Since Indiegogo uses Paypal, I'd assume it's an invoice since I don't believe they can't automatically charge your card.


 
  
 As far as I remember they will send you Paypal invoices.


----------



## CanDude

axelcloris said:


> This just posted over at the Geek Temple. Interested in seeing what's coming.


 
  
 What about $1200 and countless sleepless nights making mockups for the faceplate design?


----------



## CanDude

Since I'm spamming the forum with my latest designs I may spam this thread as well...


----------



## AxelCloris

candude said:


> What about $1200 and countless sleepless nights making mockups for the faceplate design?


 
  
 You'll have to take it up with Gavin and see if those hours are worth $300.


----------



## uzi

So is that $1500 combined or $1500 on one of them?
  
 Edit: It's because I tossed in $1072 on the kickstarter campaign (buying on behalf of friends and coworkers) and $1351 on the indiegogo campaign, getting two loaded Geek Pulse Xs and an LPS.  Also, my inpact on the indiegogo campaign is showing "$2,539", which would suggest I'm getting another free plain Geek Pulse, but I haven't seen any confirmation on that.​


----------



## CanDude

axelcloris said:


> You'll have to take it up with Gavin and see if those hours are worth $300.


 
  
 Well, if he is visiting the Stockholm High End Show (where I'll be "working") as he did last year I sure will!


----------



## eac3

candude said:


> Since I'm spamming the forum with my latest designs I may spam this thread as well...


 
  
 Seeing that all of designs have this unlit/lit display (I am not sure what to call it) for USB, 3D, bitrate, I am guessing this is what they have told the community that this is the display they are using as opposed to a LCD.


----------



## AxelCloris

uzi said:


> So is that $1500 combined or $1500 on one of them?
> 
> Edit: It's because I tossed in $1072 on the kickstarter campaign (buying on behalf of friends and coworkers) and $1351 on the indiegogo campaign, getting two loaded Geek Pulse Xs and an LPS.  Also, my inpact on the indiegogo campaign is showing "$2,539", which would suggest I'm getting another free plain Geek Pulse, but I haven't seen any confirmation on that.​


 
  
 It's combined between both Kickstarter and Indiegogo. So you should easily be in the 1500 group. As for the freebies, there hasn't been an update on who has earned what in a long while, but I'm sure we'll hear something once the campaign ends. I'm hoping to get some more in referrals myself for a free Pulse. That would rock.


----------



## miceblue

eac3 said:


> Seeing that all of designs have this unlit/lit display (I am not sure what to call it) for USB, 3D, bitrate, I am guessing this is what they have told the community that this is the display they are using as opposed to a LCD.



Right, it's not an LCD screen, but rather lights that light up for certain conditions. 

Sample rate, input mode, and volume LEDs were the specified lights.


----------



## CanDude

eac3 said:


> Seeing that all of designs have this unlit/lit display (I am not sure what to call it) for USB, 3D, bitrate, I am guessing this is what they have told the community that this is the display they are using as opposed to a LCD.


 
  
 Larry has actually said that they will use LEDs, but I and all/most others think that it is a better design to put the LEDs behind a piece to acrylic so that the text is lit up instead of just a LED with a printed label under it. I think they want to put as much money as possible into the sound, so the budget for the faceplate design is limited.


----------



## CanDude

We have also talked about "invisible LEDs" à la Apple, but that is patented and I guess the production cost would be too high. But it would have been awesome!
  
 Maybe for the Light Harmonic Sire DAC...


----------



## dclaz

the gain switch is on the back correct?


----------



## CanDude

dclaz said:


> the gain switch is on the back correct?


 
  
 No, sadly it will be a jumper on the circuit board. For highest sound quality. I think it will be a con in every review, not so handy if you use several headphones.


----------



## AxelCloris

I don't think jumpers are all that inconvenient. Switches are convenient, sure, but this isn't a DAC/amp built around convenience; it's intended to be one of the best sound for the buck systems that you can get. If they're seriously looking to take on $3k systems I'm all for doing everything to improve the sound, including going with the jumpers.


----------



## CanDude




----------



## AxelCloris

Ooooh, carbon fiber. That'll make it lighter so it'll be faster!
  
 ...wait...


----------



## Muinarc

I always wanted a fast Geek Pulse


----------



## LucasB

Does anybody know what kind of led ring they use?
 Something like this:
 http://www.top-up.com.tw/front/bin/ptlist.phtml?Category=336089
 Or this:
 http://mayhewlabs.com/products/rotary-encoder-led-ring
 Seems like it could be off the shelf some more leds?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

For those who does not frequent the Geek Force forum.
 Here are the latest I submitted (sorry its long).
  
 They will be setting up a voting system. So if you own a Geek Pulse and would like to participate, register there and vote.
  
*(A)  Black is Black                                                                        (B) Balck is Black V *

  
*(C)  Black with embossed V                                                         (D) Satin Aluminum V *

  
*(E) All Black V - Integ. Feet                                                          (F) Satin Aluminum V - Integ. Feet*

  
*(G) Carbon Fiber                                                                          (H) Perforated Steel*
 
  
*(I) Perforated Steel w/ Feet (to be decided what)*


----------



## GaryWA

Very nice Mickey,
  
 However, I do prefer this one most, but I do like your Black is Black as well


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

We're here to share what we can...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Vitto is the real artist, I am just good in computers.


----------



## miceblue

garywa said:


> Very nice Mickey,
> 
> However, I do prefer this one most, but I do like your Black is Black as well



That would be a super slick design!


----------



## germay0653

.


----------



## CanDude

Updated...


----------



## AxelCloris

Out of these 3 designs the top is my personal favorite.


----------



## FraGGleR

candude said:


> Updated...


 
 I like these, particularly this one much better with the more subdued logo.  Big script just doesn't look good to me on an audio device.  I think Audio-gd would look 100% better if they just changed the font on their logo and labels.


----------



## AxelCloris

Just a quick update for anyone who may be on the fence about upgrading to the LPS4 like I was.
  
 Quote: Cor 





> I'm also still curious if the OFC transformer alone in LPS 4 makes it worth the upgrade? Will the special transformer result in cleaner power than LPS?


 
 Quote: Larry Ho 





> It will be... but you need some good DAC like Geek Pulse to start hearing some difference. Transformer is hard to simulate in computer model and testing results varies in different AC input situation. Human ears seems fit here best!


 
  
 So it looks like there is a benefit to upgrading to the LPS4 if you have a fully upgraded Pulse X/S but maybe not as much of one if you're using the entry level version. With only 2 days left in the campaign there's not much time left to decide. Good luck all!


----------



## Drsparis

axelcloris said:


> Just a quick update for anyone who may be on the fence about upgrading to the LPS4 like I was.
> 
> 
> So it looks like there is a benefit to upgrading to the LPS4 if you have a fully upgraded Pulse X/S but maybe not as much of one if you're using the entry level version. With only 2 days left in the campaign there's not much time left to decide. Good luck all!


 
 ... Damn you...


----------



## miceblue

I don't know what I would use the LPS4 for though...I only have 1 thing that uses a 12 V DC input (Geek Pulse X).


----------



## AxelCloris

It also looks like the femto clocks have sold out once again. I doubt with only 62 hours left that they'll petition Crystek to get more so they may be gone for good.


----------



## Drsparis

miceblue said:


> I don't know what I would use the LPS4 for though...I only have 1 thing that uses a 12 V DC input (Geek Pulse X).




Should work well with my millenia mg3 and a lot of people seem to mention the geek server or whatnot. I'm sure in the future it will be useful.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

On LPS4 upgrade,,,
  
 I am still waiting news for the MUSE7001s...
  
 But its just too big (LPS4) on my desktop. Or else, I need to move away something.


----------



## kugino

axelcloris said:


> It also looks like the femto clocks have sold out once again. I doubt with only 62 hours left that they'll petition Crystek to get more so they may be gone for good.


 
 this was one upgrade i decided against. i think the amount of jitter in the standard DAC is more than low enough to be undetectable - at least by me. of course, YMMV...still on the fence about whether to spring for the LPS4...i guess i have a couple more days to decide.


----------



## jaywillin

hey what is the email to get in touch with the geek gang ??
 i've tried a couple of times, over about a 2-3 week period
 i don't know if i'm having an email problem or my question
 has just slipped through the cracks.
 i was going to try again


----------



## AxelCloris

Try geekpulse@lightharmonic.com


----------



## CanDude

Why not pollute this thread too... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Some updates and crazy stuff...


----------



## Anaximandros

axelcloris said:


> Try geekpulse@lightharmonic.com


 
 They don't answer... I tried it too.


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> Try geekpulse@lightharmonic.com


 

 thanks, and i think that is different to the one i used


----------



## CanDude

Our designs start to inbreed...


----------



## goldendarko

not a big fan of the latest one CanDude, a little snore-inducing for me....


----------



## dclaz

I actually prefer those to almost everything else. I like the multipurpose displays, everything else is just too cluttered/messy.
 I also prefer the Light Harmonic Branding to 'geek'


----------



## AxelCloris

I prefer the look of the dot matrix style display over the LED option. That said, there's been talk on the LH forums that those types of displays were canned early on.
  


> _I believe a dot matrix is some form of LCD... LCD were removed from the design due power and shielding considerations because of the noise it creates... If it isn't, and its not a big rfi source, a proper display to show info would be preferred in my opinion._


 
  
 I can't speak to the accuracy of the statement but it does make sense. If that's not the case, bring on the dot matrix please! So much cleaner looking.


----------



## Muinarc

Looking good, there really haven't been any designs shown that I totally dislike!


----------



## CanDude

Probably my last...


----------



## walfredo

Curiosity:  Are you guys doing these designs because LH asked for input?  Is there any chance the final product will use some of them?
  
 BTW, I like the designs a lot.  They are much better than what LH shared in the indiego campain.


----------



## AxelCloris

Yep. The LHLabs team will be taking the top 5 designs that work with their boards and put them up for a vote on their forums. They were saying that it should be this week when that happens. I think tomorrow was the day they said it should begin, but haven't heard any confirmation. I have a few favorites in mind that I want to see in the voting.


----------



## Drsparis

Probably your best!

 Quote: 





candude said:


> Probably my last...


----------



## Drsparis

This too 

 Quote:


candude said:


> Why not pollute this thread too...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## CanDude

Oh, couldn't resist... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Kids edition:

  
 Carbon fiber edition:


 Bubinga edition:


----------



## goldendarko

I'll take one bubinga please...


----------



## TopQuark

Today is the voting day.  5 designs will be posted by LH.  Keep an eye of it.


----------



## eac3

topquark said:


> Today is the voting day.  5 designs will be posted by LH.  Keep an eye of it.


 
  
 And they are posted now:
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/797-geek-pulse-design-finalists-please-vote


----------



## uncola

Voting 4 because I want a white dacamp also front facing power button is huge convenience for me


----------



## jaywillin

numero uno


----------



## walfredo

#5
  
 Although #3 was also very cool
  
 My least favorite one was #1


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Very nice that we have options...truly crowd funded, crowd designed, crowd loved.
  
 Oh, just go over it with (poll) and let's have a listen! Can't wait!


----------



## Greed

#5 all day


----------



## miceblue

I like #5, but I prefer the colour scheme of #4.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

In my opinion, number 1 is the best. I find number 5 to be far too plain.
 Though I do have to admit that the geek logo on the top left of it is kind of bleh


----------



## TopQuark

I like this but it was not in the vote


----------



## kugino

i'm a fan of #5 as well. kudos to all the top 5, though. i wouldn't hate any of those designs should they win...just like #5 the most.


----------



## dclaz

Very happy with 5 so I voted for that one


----------



## FraGGleR

greed said:


> #5 all day


 
 Yep.


----------



## jaywillin

walfredo said:


> #5
> 
> Although #3 was also very cool
> 
> My least favorite one was #1


 
  
  


greed said:


> #5 all day


 
  
  


miceblue said:


> I like #5, but I prefer the colour scheme of #4.


 
  
  


kugino said:


> i'm a fan of #5 as well. kudos to all the top 5, though. i wouldn't hate any of those designs should they win...just like #5 the most.


 
  
  


fraggler said:


> Yep.


 

 5 was my very close second


----------



## FraGGleR

Group design and voting is always tough, because unless one design completely dominates the voting, a ton of people are going to be unhappy that "their" choice didn't win.  If LHlabs just put out a design, some people may not like it, but it would be much easier to accept because their was no choice.
  
 Personally, I think 5 looks the best because it is clean, simple, and maybe even a bit boring (though it is quite close to what I would have designed for myself).  I know people wanted to keep some sort of reference to the Da Vinci in the design, but I think the Da Vinci is hideous.  Also, I don't like high contrast or two tone faceplates.  I am a bit OCD when it comes to aesthetics and don't want any single piece outside of my headphones to make too large a design statement on my desk or rack.  While I do wish they had black as an option, I think Schiit nailed it with simple, classy design.  It might bore a number of people, but I think boring is better to suit the masses and allows for more money and effort to be put into the guts of a device.  
 I will say that any of the designs would work for me if they were available in black to take away the two tone look.  
  
 Oh, and kudos to all people who submitted designs.  Wonderful that you put in the effort and shared it with the community.


----------



## germay0653

I was really torn between #1 and #5.  There are aspects of both that I like.  Regardless of what design is chosen it would be wonderful to have an option for some color choice, anodized or painted (powder coat please).


----------



## Muinarc

They all have a nice sized volume knob, so I'll be happy with any of them!


----------



## sbradley02

Has anyone gotten an end of campaign survey?
 Has LH done any pre-production demos?
 I am hoping this amp will be a proper match for my new LCD-XCs (my current Asgard isn't)


----------



## Za Warudo

Did anyone here who bought the holiday package with 3 separate payments get an email for making the 2nd payment?


----------



## kugino

fraggler said:


> Group design and voting is always tough, because unless one design completely dominates the voting, a ton of people are going to be unhappy that "their" choice didn't win.  If LHlabs just put out a design, some people may not like it, but it would be much easier to accept because their was no choice.
> 
> Personally, I think 5 looks the best because it is clean, simple, and maybe even a bit boring (though it is quite close to what I would have designed for myself).  I know people wanted to keep some sort of reference to the Da Vinci in the design, but I think the Da Vinci is hideous.


 
 looks like #5 is starting to pull away as the overwhelming favorite (and "overwhelming" in this case is about 50% of the total vote).
  
 and i agree that the da vinci is "hideous"...i guess if you can afford a DAC like that, you want it to, um, stand out.


----------



## AxelCloris

za warudo said:


> Did anyone here who bought the holiday package with 3 separate payments get an email for making the 2nd payment?




Yeah. I received mine today asking for the second installment.


----------



## miceblue

Mine appeared in the junk e-mail folder, so be sure to check that before doing your daily "junk dump" routine.


----------



## Muinarc

kugino said:


> looks like #5 is starting to pull away as the overwhelming favorite (and "overwhelming" in this case is about 50% of the total vote).
> 
> and i agree that the da vinci is "hideous"...i guess if you can afford a DAC like that, you want it to, um, stand out.



 


Yeah, not looking like much of a race now, #5 has a commanding lead.


----------



## ansedor

As I just missed out on the 1500 $ bonus, I am curious as to what it was. So I  know if I can relax or kill myself.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Could someone please tell what it was?


----------



## jaywillin

ansedor said:


> As I just missed out on the 1500 $ bonus, I am curious as to what it was. So I  know if I can relax or kill myself....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 same here, i coulda bought one more thing, like $90 something , i just said enough is enough, and now i wonder.........


----------



## AxelCloris

From the looks of it, there's a private thread for people who contributed over $1500. That said, there are many people who did contribute over that number still can't view that sub-forum. Honestly I'd just relax if I were you. I doubt you're missing out on much. I spent more and I'm still "missing out."


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> From the looks of it, there's a private thread for people who contributed over $1500. That said, there are many people who did contribute over that number still can't view that sub-forum. Honestly I'd just relax if I were you. I doubt you're missing out on much. I spent more and I'm still "missing out."


 

 i am one of the "300", i guess that's something


----------



## AxelCloris

jaywillin said:


> i am one of the "300", i guess that's something


 
  
 I'm not entirely sure what the 300 are aside from 300 people on the Geek Force.  All I know is that I am not one.


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> I'm not entirely sure what the 300 are aside from 300 people on the Geek Force.  All I know is that I am not one.


 

 i think it's the first 300 to post on lhlabs, i didn't even know about it, and it said somewhere if you can see this, you are one
 i could see it


----------



## germay0653

jaywillin said:


> i think it's the first 300 to post on lhlabs, i didn't even know about it, and it said somewhere if you can see this, you are one
> i could see it


 

 You're correct about the 300.  It was members that were the first 300 to create/post a topic on the forum.  I'm a member of both and the most info I have regarding the "item" for being member of the $1500 club is a "laser sintered thing" whatever that is.


----------



## AxelCloris

germay0653 said:


> You're correct about the 300.  It was members that were the first 300 to create/post a topic on the forum.  I'm a member of both and the most info I have regarding the "item" for being member of the $1500 club is a "laser sintered thing" whatever that is.


 
  
 Well that sounds interesting at least. Hopefully they get mine updated soon since I've paid my whole pledge now and total over $1500. Didn't want LH to deal with a second helping of paypal fees next month.


----------



## LucasB

I am quite looking forward how the big fully extended unit will measure up against e.g. the Yulong SABRE DA8 or some other SABRE-DACs! Anybody any news regarding the amp section?


----------



## Dallas21

without question the Femto clock is better ,just look up a Femto second  vs Pico seconds . this more accuarate the signal
 the more information, as well as less jitter-digital noise.how much is the upgrade $150?  the prices have come way down 3 years ago this clock would cost $3,000 before installation. MSB they should spellit back wards BS for they Machine a Big red cover for the Gallaxy clock it is only 5 Femto seconds less and want like $5,000 so what a separate bigger power supply maybe $500 in total parts X 10 markup.
 This is extreme I am making a point .for $150 or les go for it is a state of the art upgrade.


----------



## dclaz

dallas21 said:


> without question the Femto clock is better ,just look up a Femto second  vs Pico seconds . this more accuarate the signal
> the more information, as well as less jitter-digital noise.how much is the upgrade $150?  the prices have come way down 3 years ago this clock would cost $3,000 before installation. MSB they should spellit back wards BS for they Machine a Big red cover for the Gallaxy clock it is only 5 Femto seconds less and want like $5,000 so what a separate bigger power supply maybe $500 in total parts X 10 markup.
> This is extreme I am making a point .for $150 or les go for it is a state of the art upgrade.


 
 Technically, sure, but does it make an audible difference? Hell I'd even love to see good evidence of a measurable difference.


----------



## AxelCloris

Here's a decent video that goes into a little detail about how jitter impacts the sound, and why a high grade clock is important.


----------



## kugino

axelcloris said:


> Here's a decent video that goes into a little detail about how jitter impacts the sound, and why a high grade clock is important.




  
  


dclaz said:


> Technically, sure, but does it make an audible difference? Hell I'd even love to see good evidence of a measurable difference.


 
  
 i did not opt for the femto upgrade. like dclaz, i understand that technically, a femto clock is "better" than a clock that ranges in the pico range. however, i am dubious that anyone can hear the difference between a well-designed DAC that utilizes a femto clock vs. a well-designed DAC that uses a clock that "only" registers in the pico range. i believe that the standard clock employed in the geek pulse is more than adequate. i understand that there are people who want to have the best of everything so as to maximize the potential of their system, and i have no problem with that. but i remain dubious that 99.9% of people can hear the difference between the clocks in question.


----------



## nick v

It's an interesting conversation. You could literally say that about every single part inside of a DAC. Dubious as to whether or not 99.9% of people can hear the difference in a well designed DAC between better power supply components, better diodes, capacitors, resistors, op amps, dac chip, etc... But obviously by that logic, at some point you end up with a completely different product.
  
 I agree that sometimes in a well designed product, the sum is greater than the individual parts. Having said that, I'm on board for maximizing the potential of this thing!


----------



## miceblue

Yeah I'm skeptical of the femto clock upgrade as well. It reminds me of the limits of human hearing, which is related to this video that a fellow Head-Fier posted. It may seem better in theory and on paper, but can it actually be heard?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoiiKZkcHME[/video]


----------



## kugino

nick v said:


> It's an interesting conversation. You could literally say that about every single part inside of a DAC. Dubious as to whether or not 99.9% of people can hear the difference in a well designed DAC between better power supply components, better diodes, capacitors, resistors, op amps, dac chip, etc... But obviously by that logic, at some point you end up with a completely different product.
> 
> I agree that sometimes in a well designed product, the sum is greater than the individual parts. Having said that, I'm on board for maximizing the potential of this thing!


 
 but isn't that the whole "problem" with this jitter business? that people are pinpointing a minuscule part of the whole system and claiming such large sonic differences? and then people are willing to pay relatively large sums of money for this one change? i suppose it's no different than me opting for the best caps and resistors, etc. when i build my DIY amps, but even then i know that the sonic differences are probably not going to be minimal at best and most likely will be inaudible - i just want to build the "best" amp i can for the money.
  
 like i said, i have no issues with people upgrading to the femto to get the best possible system...i'm just skeptical of some of the claims that people make about the differences they hear. that's all...


----------



## eliwankenobi

I did get the femto clock upgrade... I did not get the lightspeed 2G usb cable, mainly for lack of money, but also for the same reasons you guys just talked about.


----------



## uzi

eliwankenobi said:


> I did get the femto clock upgrade... I did not get the lightspeed 2G usb cable, mainly for lack of money, but also for the same reasons you guys just talked about.


 
 Likewise... although I was at the Bay Area meet yesterday, and I won the grand prize in the raffle: a Lightspeed USB cable (you know, the split one that is 0.8 meters long and costs $1k).


----------



## AxelCloris

uzi said:


> Likewise... although I was at the Bay Area meet yesterday, and I won the grand prize in the raffle: a Lightspeed USB cable (you know, the split one that is 0.8 meters long and costs $1k).


 
  
 Whoa, congrats Uzi! That'll pair nicely with your Pulse X. Jealous that people at the meet got to see the Light Harmonic table. Anything excellent on there, such as a completed Geek Out for demo? I've been watching for an impressions thread but I haven't seen one pop up just yet.


----------



## eliwankenobi

uzi said:


> Likewise... although I was at the Bay Area meet yesterday, and I won the grand prize in the raffle: a Lightspeed USB cable (you know, the split one that is 0.8 meters long and costs $1k).


 
 Congratulations uzi!
  
 Again, if I had the money I would have upgraded, even if I was doubtful of its performance over the LightSpeedJr. which should still be perfectly fine for the Pulse.  Could you share some quick comments on its benefits to your system?  PLEASE!


----------



## uzi

axelcloris said:


> Whoa, congrats Uzi! That'll pair nicely with your Pulse X. Jealous that people at the meet got to see the Light Harmonic table. Anything excellent on there, such as a completed Geek Out for demo? I've been watching for an impressions thread but I haven't seen one pop up just yet.


 
 Hah, even the Pulse indiegogo campaign page says:
  
Please DO NOT pledge for LightSpeed USB if you are thinking of using it for your Geek Pulse. It's "way overkill." LightSpeed Jr. or LightSpeed 2G are the cables for you. If, however, you are a rabid, crazy, foaming-at-the-mouth audiophile with a $50,000+ audio system, this cable's for you. 
  
 So now I have "way overkill" and will try to decide if I want to have "way overkill" or to sell "way overkill".  The warranty is amazing as it states:
  
 "No Questions Asked Warranty.  If you break it, we'll replace it.  Warranty is lifetime and transferable, no matter how many times its been traded, sold or given away.  No sales receipt or proof of purchase needed."
  
 There doesn't seem to be risk in hanging on to it and testing it out for now. 
  
 Meanwhile, yes, I got to listen to a beta Geek Out unit they had on display.  It was smaller than I expected, and had a sticker on the bottom which said which model it was ("Geek Out", "Geek Out M", or "Geek Out EM").  There are two buttons on the side, which controlled the volume.  Pressing both at the same time turned the "3D awesomifier" on and off.  I reported a bug in that pressing both buttons cycled it quickly rather than a single state change, sometimes making it difficult to change the state.  I listened to it briefly (with an LCD-XC they had connected to it) and it sounded pretty decent... but I was running around and trying to see what else was at the meet, so I didn't listen to it nearly enough to give an impression I'd want to stand by.


----------



## uzi

eliwankenobi said:


> Congratulations uzi!
> 
> Again, if I had the money I would have upgraded, even if I was doubtful of its performance over the LightSpeedJr. which should still be perfectly fine for the Pulse.  Could you share some quick comments on its benefits to your system?  PLEASE!


 
 Hah, you'll have to give me some time.  I have the day off today, but the wife doesn't... so it's just me and the kids and no headphone listening for now.
  
 On some quick listening, it seemed that maybe things were slightly crisper and clearer... but don't quote me on that 'til I've had a chance to really listen.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Take your time Bro, better than nothing..


----------



## kugino

uzi said:


> Likewise... although I was at the Bay Area meet yesterday, and I won the grand prize in the raffle: a Lightspeed USB cable (you know, the split one that is 0.8 meters long and costs $1k).


 
 that's awesome! congrats!


----------



## germay0653

eliwankenobi said:


> I did get the femto clock upgrade... I did not get the lightspeed 2G usb cable, mainly for lack of money, but also for the same reasons you guys just talked about.


 

 I thought the same too with regard to the USB cable.  I previously had the highly regarded JPLAY JCAT USB cable and thought I could not do better or that the difference would be miniscule but, to my ears and in my system, the difference was not small.  I have the 1.6M Split Lightspeed and all I can say is that it was not just a small increment but a larger order of magnitude better.  Too many reviewers have indicated the same with relation to SQ improvement (more detail, more sound stage - almost 3D like for me).  You have to weigh the cost with the improvement.  Yes, it's not cheap but, for me, it was a well spent investment.
  
 Let us know what your experience is uzi!!


----------



## dclaz

kugino said:


> i did not opt for the femto upgrade. like dclaz, i understand that technically, a femto clock is "better" than a clock that ranges in the pico range. however, i am dubious that anyone can hear the difference between a well-designed DAC that utilizes a femto clock vs. a well-designed DAC that uses a clock that "only" registers in the pico range. i believe that the standard clock employed in the geek pulse is more than adequate. i understand that there are people who want to have the best of everything so as to maximize the potential of their system, and i have no problem with that. but i remain dubious that 99.9% of people can hear the difference between the clocks in question.


 
 For the record though, I did splurge on the femto clock because I was seduced by the fact that DAC's with a similar feature cost a lot more and I am a sucker for things that are _technically_ better....
  
 However I find it impossible to justify the cost of of fancier cables.


----------



## kugino

dclaz said:


> For the record though, I did splurge on the femto clock because I was seduced by the fact that DAC's with a similar feature cost a lot more and I am a sucker for things that are _technically_ better....
> 
> However I find it impossible to justify the cost of of fancier cables.


 
 i can totally respect that. i had my cursor over that femto button numerous times, but just couldn't bring myself to pay for it.


----------



## FraGGleR

For me it was a peace of mind type thing. Like others have said, a device with a number of similar features would cost a significant amount more and are generally well regarded. Also, I figured I'd grab every internal upgrade at the reduced prices since you can't add them after the fact.


----------



## nick v

I started with the Pulse X, then over the following weeks I bit the bullet on the Femto Upgrade, the Internal (op-amp) upgrade, the LPS and the LightSpeed 2G. I couldn't help myself. I hope I made a wise decision.


----------



## eac3

nick v said:


> I hope I made a wise decision.


 
  
 I believe only you can answer that question.


----------



## AxelCloris

nick v said:


> I started with the Pulse X, then over the following weeks I bit the bullet on the Femto Upgrade, the Internal (op-amp) upgrade, the LPS and the LightSpeed 2G. I couldn't help myself. I hope I made a wise decision.


 
  
 I think many of us in the thread have taken the same path. I've passed on the LightSpeed 2G cable but I understand the benefit it provides. I started with the Geek Out/Pulse and thought two $200 units will be awesome. Then I upgraded to the X, added the Femto, active components, LPS and eventually took that to the LPS4. Then I upgraded my GO to a Super GO and bought a couple extra units to give as gifts. So my initial $400 purchase became a much, much larger investment.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I think we need to delete the poll right now since its already irrelevant...right?


----------



## nick v

eac3 said:


> I believe only you can answer that question.


 

 It will be tough to answer that question before I have the chance to hear it playing in my system. Even then, it will be impossible for me to compare it to a standard unit to see if all the upgrades paid off.
  
 It will be more about comparing it to other gear (My local hifi shop wants me to bring it in once I have it to compare to Burson, Audiolab M-DAC, Naim, YBA, Cambridge, Micromega, Woo WA7) they carry lots of gear!
  
 I feel pretty good about my decision, I had a bigger than expected Christmas bonus that paid for all the extras.


----------



## eac3

nick v said:


> It will be tough to answer that question before I have the chance to hear it playing in my system. Even then, it will be impossible for me to compare it to a standard unit to see if all the upgrades paid off.
> 
> It will be more about comparing it to other gear (My local hifi shop wants me to bring it in once I have it to compare to Burson, Audiolab M-DAC, Naim, YBA, Cambridge, Micromega, Woo WA7) they carry lots of gear!
> 
> I feel pretty good about my decision, I had a bigger than expected Christmas bonus that paid for all the extras.


 
  
 I live in Arkansas and I am jealous of the fact that you have a shop that carries such things and the fact that you can demo it.


----------



## nick v

eac3 said:


> I live in Arkansas and I am jealous of the fact that you have a shop that carries such things and the fact that you can demo it.


 

 They also sell some mega-buck gear (Dynaudio, Focus Audio, Modwright, etc..) so it will be interesting to potentially hear it in a super high end system. I'll be demo'ing balanced headphones there (that's why they're letting me take it in) to see what I want to buy. Right now I only have low impedance Sennheiser Momentum over-ear's and HD360Pro's. I know they carry Grado, Audeze, Sennheiser and others so I'm excited to get a pair of phones that will show off the capabilities of the pulse (hopefully).


----------



## AxelCloris

Quote: Gavin 





> I got this from Juha, our mechanical engineer, today. He took the front plate design that was voted on by you and implemented it in our CAD program, making very minor changes in order to accommodate the circuit board layout. Take a look-see!


 
  
 Front view.

 Rear view.

 View through the Pulse from the rear, without the backplate.

 I'm interested in finding out exactly what kind of display method is being used here. Maybe these could be small seven-segment indicators.


----------



## miceblue

Honestly, I don't like the chassis too much. It looks a lot like a standard D.I.Y. amp kind of design.
http://cdn.head-fi.org/e/e2/900x900px-LL-e20224cc_O2.jpeg


----------



## kugino

it does kind of look like a standard hammond case, doesn't it? i have faith that the actual hardware will be a bit more "professional" looking.


----------



## sorue

That's exactly what i thought - hammond case. All the voting trouble for a hammond case, man.


----------



## stainless824

EWWWWW
  
 They managed to fund CNC machining for their geek outs. I don't get why they can't do the same with the same equipment for the pulses. I would happily pay the price difference.


----------



## goldendarko

I feel like they are playing it safe. The mock designs were pretty exciting but this looks boring to me if it is indeed the box they end up using.


----------



## walfredo

Well... that was the vote, right?
  
 FWIW, the mock looks better than the CAD design, but I take they are just the rendering of the same thing with different purposes.


----------



## FraGGleR

It will be a CNC machined front and back plate with a fairly standard chassis.  To get a completely custom chassis, the price could easily be a couple hundred more.  While I understand many people would be happy to pay that for a nicer chassis, don't forget this started life as a $250 product.  They have listened and given us a lot of upgrades that should raise the performance to a much higher level, but keep in mind their target audience and price point before complaining too much.  A lot of people here and on the LHLabs forum have off-base expectations of what a company can make at a certain price point.  For me, I would love a fancy milled chassis like the Matrix X-Sabre or Resonessence Conceros, but as long as the front looks nice and it sounds good with all the upgrades, I am ok with a plain box since this will be on a rack or shelf where it will be hard to notice anything but the front.


----------



## zenpunk

It also now appears the case is more wide than deep unlike the mock-up they have shown initially. I would have preferred a narrow and deeper unit to fit with my existing gear.
 I still hope the final product will look nothing like the CAD because it looks dreadful.  I wish I didn't see it to be frank..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 They could have at least coloured it in.


----------



## tigon_ridge

People don't realize how expensive a sophisticated looking chassis can cost. A good chunk of the production cost of a piece of gear is often due to the fancy looking chassis/interface alone. If you want a sweet looking DAC/amp of this size, be prepared to put down at least an extra $70. I personally don't buy gear that just looks nice - I buy gear that sounds nice that isn't outrageously expensive. I'd rather save that $70. Btw, it doesn't look that bad at all. Just plain jane and unassuming... but I like plain and unassuming!


----------



## Anaximandros

fraggler said:


> While I understand many people would be happy to pay that for a nicer chassis, don't forget this started life as a $250 product.


 
 I am just quoting this. Yes it started with a 250$ product, even less (200$) for people who backed the Geek Out at kickstarter. But the MSRP was set at 499$, don't forget this. The low price on indiegogo is like a pre-order price for a fictional product to raise money. They provided many updates and I bought all of them, because still at >800$ the price was still better than products with nearly the same internals from competitors 
  
 But even cheaper DAC's look good or have good housings. Keep the MSRP in mind, the Pulse X is listed at 699$ and the Pulse S is at 599$ if I remember correctly. If a consumer buys the DAC for 699$ he can surely expect a nice housing and not something resembling a <200$ DIY Kit.


----------



## zenpunk

Agree. How much a fully upgraded Pulse S would retail for? 800-1000$ ? I haven't seen many units in that price range that look that bad ...well the original Metrum Octave come to mind.
 Anyway, I am pretty convinced it is very early stage in the drawing and that the final unit will look a lot better. I hope so anyway.


----------



## FraGGleR

I hear you guys, I do.  I love strong aesthetics, especially for pride of ownership and agree that this shouldn't look like I built it.  But I still think you miss the point that this was supposed to be a larger version of the GEEK out that had a bit more power and ins and outs to accommodate desktop use.  It was going to be relatively cheap and simple (you have seen the original design idea right?) and be perfect for entry level folks.  That they gave us internal improvements to take it away from that original vision and have it compete with higher end gear is awesome, but I believe they are trying to keep it as simple to manufacture as possible to keep costs down (and I think they are right to do that).  To buy something with as many features as the upgraded versions have AND to have a custom case, I think you are looking at $1500-2000 devices, and now you are in an entirely different market than original.  Yes, for $700-1000 you want something that looks nice, but there are very few products on the market for that price that have the feature set and quality of components that the Pulse has.  I would love to see some examples (really, I am in the market for a high performance combo under $1000 that won't take up my entire desk).  I know some people have $2000 to spend on a DAC and want what they want, but they aren't even close to the market that this product was intended for.  Having run my own small company and done product development before, I am fascinated by their decisions and really look forward to how they decide to market this as they leave the crowd-funding level and go retail.  I think they will move a lot more of the budget versions than the high end ones.  I know what I want as a consumer, but I try to balance that with what I know as a businessman so that I can have accurate expectations.  I know I am in the minority, but that is where I am coming from.
  
 Also, just to stick up for the DIY crowd, even basic CNC machining for a DIY amp is expensive as hell.  Trying to get a B22 to not look like a DIY effort would cost several hundred dollars at a minimum.  Volume obviously will impact pricing, but good looking, custom anything is too expensive to produce for a tiny company with small margins.
  
 I am also hopeful, like zenpunk and others, that the CAD drawing doesn't accurately depict what the final product will look like.  Seeing a rendering of the brushed aluminum and beveling and how it integrates with the chassis will help alot.  Personally, I'd love the faceplate to be flush with the chassis for a more integrated look, but I know how much people like big, thick sheets of aluminum.


----------



## FraGGleR

axelcloris said:


> Front view.
> 
> Rear view.
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks, by the way, for keeping this thread updated with LHlabs.com info.  I check both forums, but am here more often.
  
 And I also heard holograms like from Star Wars was being considered for the indicators


----------



## AxelCloris

No problem, I know many people only check one or the other so I'm just trying to keep information available between them both.


----------



## Muinarc

fraggler said:


> I hear you guys, I do.  I love strong aesthetics, especially for pride of ownership and agree that this shouldn't look like I built it.  But I still think you miss the point that this was supposed to be a larger version of the GEEK out that had a bit more power and ins and outs to accommodate desktop use.  It was going to be relatively cheap and simple (you have seen the original design idea right?) and be perfect for entry level folks.  That they gave us internal improvements to take it away from that original vision and have it compete with higher end gear is awesome, but I believe they are trying to keep it as simple to manufacture as possible to keep costs down (and I think they are right to do that).  To buy something with as many features as the upgraded versions have AND to have a custom case, I think you are looking at $1500-2000 devices, and now you are in an entirely different market than original.  Yes, for $700-1000 you want something that looks nice, but there are very few products on the market for that price that have the feature set and quality of components that the Pulse has.



 


I agree. This reminds me of Audio-GD stuff, which all "looks" cheap to me, but tend to have the internal components to back up the prices they are asking.


----------



## zenpunk

I am not that vain or superficial. If it is really ugly I will cover it with a towel and put my heaphone amp on top of it.


----------



## FayeForever

For quality of the chassis, I think we can use Schiit Audio as a reference. I think they did a pretty good job even though I haven't seen one in real life.
 I rarely check lhlabs, I just prefer here bit more, so please keep updating this thread!


----------



## tigon_ridge

We need a manufacturer to design a franken-DAC/amp that is purposely made to be as hideous as possible - just for the silly novelty factor. I mean, there's already an audio company named Schiit (albeit these guys back up their fun silliness with decades of knowledge and experience)... anything is possible, now.


----------



## TopQuark

fayeforever said:


> For quality of the chassis, I think we can use Schiit Audio as a reference. I think they did a pretty good job even though I haven't seen one in real life.
> I rarely check lhlabs, I just prefer here bit more, so please keep updating this thread!


 
  
 +1 on Schiit.  Bifrost is only a $349 device and looks great.  If only the Pulse looks half as good looking and better than a DIY device, that should be good enough.
  
 To be honest, I don't think LH Labs strength is in box aesthetic.  The initial proto that had the blue V lights on the face plate and side looks cheezy.  To me, their $25,000 Da Vinci looks cheezy as well.
  
 Funny that people mention Sabre.  Made in China!  Are the Chinese better than USA now?


----------



## LucasB

A thick front plate can look very good, as companies like primare have it. If it is well done with care to the details I am sure it will work. Hope they take smoked acrylic like harmann&kardon have it, because see-through always lets you see the technic behind.


----------



## Muinarc

I'd love to see some teaser photos of a prototype's guts or something


----------



## kugino

so is there an over/under for when the pulse will start shipping? i realistically think i'll get mine in october...over? under?


----------



## AxelCloris

kugino said:


> so is there an over/under for when the pulse will start shipping? i realistically think i'll get mine in october...over? under?


 
  
 I'm expecting under, I think I'll be getting mine in August and it was projected for June.


----------



## Greed

axelcloris said:


> I'm expecting under, I think I'll be getting mine in August and it was projected for June.


 
  
 The Geek Out was projected for January, here we are...


----------



## AxelCloris

greed said:


> The Geek Out was projected for January, here we are...


 

 And if they deliver in March then my time estimate for the Pulse could be spot on.


----------



## Suopermanni

Hey guys, if you look at the Geek Out's Kickstarter Page, you will notice that Gavin has updated it saying that they are to start shipping on 28th Feb.


----------



## zenpunk

No news on the LH Labs forum sadly. Are you sure it is not old news that's failed to be updated?


----------



## rdsu

zenpunk said:


> No news on the LH Labs forum sadly. Are you sure it is not old news that's failed to be updated?


 
 http://lhlabs.com/force/announcements/851-first-shipment-set-to-go-out-on-friday


----------



## jaywillin

zenpunk said:


> No news on the LH Labs forum sadly. Are you sure it is not old news that's failed to be updated?


 

 i got the kickstarter email update this morning, i believe this is fresh info


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Finally!
  
_Quick update on thread:_ Removed poll


----------



## zenpunk

Apology. My bad.
 Fantastic news.


----------



## krikor

axelcloris said:


> I'm expecting under, I think I'll be getting mine in August and it was projected for June.


 
  
 I don't post here often, but have been following with great interest here and over at the LHlabs forum given that I'm in for a Geek Pulse X. Just noticed on the "Geek Stop" page, where you can pre-order the Pulse if you did not take part in the campaign, that it currently says "Geek Pulse will begin shipping in May 2014." Perhaps that is being a bit too optimistic?
  
 http://lhlabs.com/stop


----------



## FraGGleR

krikor said:


> I don't post here often, but have been following with great interest here and over at the LHlabs forum given that I'm in for a Geek Pulse X. Just noticed on the "Geek Stop" page, where you can pre-order the Pulse if you did not take part in the campaign, that it currently says "Geek Pulse will begin shipping in May 2014." Perhaps that is being a bit too optimistic?
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/stop


 
 Probably.  Or that is the base model that doesn't have all the tweaks.  I know that the Femto clocks are supposed to delay the models with them due to the manufacturer's ability to make and deliver them.  I'm actually thinking about buying a second one that is the base balanced model to both get it quicker and to see if all the tweaks actually make a noticeable difference.
  
 Nevermind, they are $700.  Lol.  Should have gotten a second at the $350 point during the campaign.


----------



## Zoo Animal

krikor said:


> I don't post here often, but have been following with great interest here and over at the LHlabs forum given that I'm in for a Geek Pulse X. Just noticed on the "Geek Stop" page, where you can pre-order the Pulse if you did not take part in the campaign, that it currently says "Geek Pulse will begin shipping in May 2014." Perhaps that is being a bit too optimistic?
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/stop


 
 -
 They added the Pulse to the Geek Stop early on in the first campaign and I don't think timelines have been updated since.. Unfortunately, I think it may be on the optimistic side. A take-away from the GeekOut may be that manufacturing and production vs. quality control will take longer than they had originally estimated. 
  
 By the time they finish runs of standard Pulse, Pulse X & S, Femtos, IC upgrades, and LPS efficiency will be up and they will be old hands at this. It may be a little later in the year than anyone expected though.


----------



## hydesg

anyone received any emails that asks you what exactly you have funded in the campaign?


----------



## walfredo

@hydesg:  I have not received anything like this.  I assume you have?
  
 @all:  I ordered the combo pulse + geek out in the pulse campaign.  Do you know if I am going to receive the geek out first and the pulse later?  Or if they are going to delay the shipment until they have both?


----------



## FraGGleR

walfredo said:


> @hydesg:  I have not received anything like this.  I assume you have?
> 
> @all:  I ordered the combo pulse + geek out in the pulse campaign.  Do you know if I am going to receive the geek out first and the pulse later?  Or if they are going to delay the shipment until they have both?


 
 It's been assumed that the GEEK Outs ordered from the Kickstarter campaign will be fulfilled first, then the ones from combos and pre-orders.  Not sure how the timeline will line up with the Pulses.


----------



## krikor

hydesg said:


> anyone received any emails that asks you what exactly you have funded in the campaign?


 
 I've received zero communication since the campaign ended. I thought there was going to be confirmation of what you have ordered, but I have seen nothing like that as of yet. A little disconcerting, but then I am sure they are very very busy.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

They waited for the second campaign to end (Feb 2) before consolidating the data.
  
 Right now they are finishing on a survey system that will accommodate our tons of options.
 And giving finishing touches on a site/forum where we they (LH Labs) can interact further with us consumers (current forum is beta).
  
 If you go to the GF forum. Larry, Gavin and Kim are there always to help, interact, and, give updates.


----------



## AxelCloris

fraggler said:


> It's been assumed that the GEEK Outs ordered from the Kickstarter campaign will be fulfilled first, then the ones from combos and pre-orders.  Not sure how the timeline will line up with the Pulses.


 
  
 This. Larry confirmed on the LH forums that they will be shipping to Kickstarter backers, then Indiegogo backers, and lastly the pre-ordered units. Looking at the number breakdown, the first two shipments, 100 and 200 respectively, line up perfectly with the super early adopters (100) and the early adopters (200). Going off the assumption that they'll be following that pattern then we can expect many Kickstarter backers, Indiegogo backers and those pre-ordered to be arriving around the same time end of March into April. And for those who backed the combo on Indiegogo will receive their GOs before the Pulse.
  
 I really hope I'll have mine in hand by the start of April since I'll be traveling for 20 days that month between my anniversary and working at PAX East. Having the GO will make the traveling much nicer.


----------



## walfredo

Thanks, AxelCloris and *FraGGleR*


----------



## kugino

axelcloris said:


> This. Larry confirmed on the LH forums that they will be shipping to Kickstarter backers, then Indiegogo backers, and lastly the pre-ordered units. Looking at the number breakdown, the first two shipments, 100 and 200 respectively, line up perfectly with the super early adopters (100) and the early adopters (200). Going off the assumption that they'll be following that pattern then we can expect many Kickstarter backers, Indiegogo backers and those pre-ordered to be arriving around the same time end of March into April. And for those who backed the combo on Indiegogo will receive their GOs before the Pulse.
> 
> I really hope I'll have mine in hand by the start of April since I'll be traveling for 20 days that month between my anniversary and working at PAX East. Having the GO will make the traveling much nicer.


 
 rough count puts the number of units of the geek out from the kickstarter campaign to be over 1800, not including the first 100 and 200 in the early adopter set. that means some from the kickstarter campaign, as well as the few from the indiegogo and the preorders have no set date as to when their units will ship. i wonder if the 1700 group also includes those who ordered a super and super-duper geek...or if they're just the standard geeks.


----------



## Larry Ho

The shipping order is exactly like what you guys wrote here... thanks a lot for helping clarification.
  
 Also, Super-Duper Geek, which we make the formal name as: Geek Out 1000, will be shipped out with other two models. Geek Out 450, and Geek Out 720. 
  
 And we just test the final golden samples in UK and got some very nice feedbacks. I believe you will love this super powerful little geek.
  
 Enjoy!
  
 Geek Pulse?  We are in the middle of it, analog stage test, EP2, Front panel prototyping and some key component testings... all go on parallel. 
  
 And when some 'stuff' are ready, maybe I could give you some more good surprises... 
  
 Larry


----------



## Exesteils

Looking forward to the Pulse, tho like many here already said, do agree that the previous front panels looks way better. Looks like I will be getting my Geek Out sometime around March, and with all the good stuff written about it, I can't wait to get my hands on it


----------



## Muinarc

larry ho said:


> The shipping order is exactly like what you guys wrote here... thanks a lot for helping clarification.
> 
> Also, Super-Duper Geek, which we make the formal name as: Geek Out 1000, will be shipped out with other two models. Geek Out 450, and Geek Out 720.
> 
> ...



 


Thanks for the update over here in Head-Fi Larry. I like surprises


----------



## miceblue

Nice update. Geek Out, Super Geek Out, and Super-Duper Geek Out were names that are easier to remember though. XD

I'm probably going to forget 450 and 720 to be honest.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Nah, numbers are better!! I would love my pulse to be the PulseX 3000!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

or Pulse _f_xa


----------



## FraGGleR

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> or Pulse _f_xa


 
 I like this better.  Or if we could create a new symbol entirely so we could talk about it like "the device formerly known as the Pulse."


----------



## superachromat

larry ho said:


> The shipping order is exactly like what you guys wrote here... thanks a lot for helping clarification.
> 
> Also, Super-Duper Geek, which we make the formal name as: Geek Out 1000, will be shipped out with other two models. Geek Out 450, and Geek Out 720.
> 
> ...


 
  
 That sounds good. Thanks for the update, Larry.


----------



## cimbolic

One can't join/back the Pulse anymore, right?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Pre order yes @ $499. Balanced version +200.
  
 Ship date (well as posted) May 2014.
  
 How: http://www.lhlabs.com/stop


----------



## cimbolic

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Pre order yes @ $499. Balanced version +200.






Which version is the $499, Pulse or Pulse S?

What about amp and femto clock upgrades?

I presume the +$200 is for the Pulse X?

Thanks.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Better email geekpulse@lightharmonic.com and ask them directly.


----------



## cimbolic

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Better email geekpulse@lightharmonic.com and ask them directly.



 



Ok. Thanks Mickey.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yes, because i could not confirm it for you if those upgrades/femto clock be included when the Backer Kit arrives. Better ask them directly.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Lhlabs is down.


----------



## Zoo Animal

There was a notification they would be down for maintenance today. Think they said around 3 hours.


----------



## AxelCloris

Yup, should be back around 8pm PST I believe.


----------



## germay0653

Not sure I like the new format.  I don't mind change but feel this needs to evolve since it's beta.  Too much Orange makes it difficult to distinguish changes, a little slower response and it all seems to blend together so it's tedious to navigate.


----------



## GaryWA

60+ days until shipping confirmation system is up.
  
 Anybody else getting the feeling they are in over their heads on this? At this rate, we'll be lucky to get the first Pulse's by next year.


----------



## kugino

garywa said:


> 60+ days until shipping confirmation system is up.
> 
> Anybody else getting the feeling they are in over their heads on this? At this rate, we'll be lucky to get the first Pulse's by next year.


When I pledged on indiegogo, I realistically thought I'd be getting the amp in the fall, maybe octoberish. I've been a part of a few crowd sourced products and they're always delayed, whether they're clothing, electronics, etc. that being said, I do think they've bitten off a bit more than they can chew...they have the geek outs still not shipping, then the pulses, and they're also working on BT modules, PSUs, etc. that's a lot for a small company. Even apple works on one or two shipping items at a time.


----------



## walfredo

So, I got a combo geek out + geek pulse.  From previous posts, I was expecting the geek sooner, in the end of March shipment.
  
 But this is imcompatible with a 60+ day for the shipment confirmation system to go up. 
  
 Anyone know the new date for the geek out for those who got the combo?


----------



## LucasB

Compared to the price of what is else available, if they come up with what they froze as concept at the end, I do not mind getting it as some time around christmas. 60+ days is just for this "customer-system". I rather have them tune the stuff some month and make one more sample then shipping out stuff worth hundreds of dollars in a rush. I ordered in a christmas-mood, so why not get it in a christmas-mood.


----------



## LucasB

Hope they do not put everything on one pcb again, seeing the probs that occurred with geek out. Could have, lets say 3 pcbs, 1 for interface, 2 for dac, 3 for analog would at least mean there is no total loss again if anything goes wrong in the production line and maybe all the different versions could be even faster assembled. I remember they said sonically they want everything of course sound wise on one pcb, but are´nt there any high-grade internal connectors to take care of a good interconnection?


----------



## ed45

lucasb said:


> Hope they do not put everything on one pcb again, seeing the probs that occurred with geek out.


 
  
 Actually, Gavin Fish has already stated that the final design that was chosen requires the use of two boards:
  
http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/797-geek-pulse-design-finalists-please-vote?start=250#12451


----------



## LucasB

Discovered a few dacs with a "warm-up"-diode. Like that feature, even though I read somewhere the xfa won´t need warm-up, it gives it some nice feeling, having a diode lit up at start and after some minutes go off.
  
 Even so it seems this is not included in the first run, I would really like to have it on my femto-dac maybe later by software-update at least somehow on the display.


----------



## miceblue

I never understood why solid state components need to "warm-up."

Unless the capacitors are gigantic, they shouldn't need that much time, no? I mean, it's not like we boot up our modern computers and give it 10 minutes for it to perform at its best after booting; and I would say a whole computer is far more complex in terms of circuitry than a DAC or amp.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I'm not worried about the delay... yes, I am saddened that I will have to wait more.. and unfortunately the delay has nothing to do with LHLabs not being able to deliver the product but with their system for setting up the orders... Still, I believe Larry Ho will take this time to tweak more and more the design and keep refining it the same way he found a tweak to squeeze a little bit more out the Geek Out a little before going into production.


----------



## LucasB

Well I didn´t grow up with stuff that takes 10 minutes, everything above 15 seconds is long for me. But where would be the problem to have a indication? They way I suggested it would allow just immediately to turn on the sound and play, I had in mind only an indicator that is not a prohibitor. For those of us who believe in well-tempered, we have for example a line of dots (if it will be a matrix display) slowly vanishing and just wait those 60 seconds to turn on the volume. So only an indicator - nothing else.
 I do not understand anything about solid-state stuff, but I read some of the data sheets of some audio-clocks and other parts, that do maybe not meet the car-industry -40 up to +85° Celsius. And when I open my window in germany in the winter it might just have some degrees celsius minus. In Bavaria sometimes around -30 for example - hope I explained it well enough.


----------



## kugino

Apparently some of the femto clocks in other DACs require an hour before they are active. Thermal stabilization is necessary for them.


----------



## Zoo Animal

walfredo said:


> So, I got a combo geek out + geek pulse.  From previous posts, I was expecting the geek sooner, in the end of March shipment.
> 
> But this is imcompatible with a 60+ day for the shipment confirmation system to go up.
> 
> Anyone know the new date for the geek out for those who got the combo?


 
  
 Does anyone know if you ordered the combo (Pulse & GeekOut) if they ship out separately?
 I assumed they would ship together as shipping was the same price as a single unit.


----------



## walfredo

zoo animal said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > So, I got a combo geek out + geek pulse.  From previous posts, I was expecting the geek sooner, in the end of March shipment.
> ...


 
  
 It was mentioned here that they would ship separately, the geek out first.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

From Larry:
  

  



Larry Ho
Moderator





OFFLINE
Karma: 32  
   Geek Out and Geek Pulse will share the same driver!
 384K/32 bit...

 And one more thing: next week, I will start working on DSD256 with that driver.

 Cheers,

 Larry

  
  2014 projects begin! Lead Engineer/ LH Labs


----------



## LucasB

That will be great! But so far there are almost no records on that format. Hope Larry can transform his insights when working on the driver to get the hardware implementation done in a way that it is very good supported! For me the real support for this could even be released 2015 by software update, because there is not really any stuff to play so far. Comparing some plots on different forums it seems like dsd128 is already pretty good if implemented right, but there it is great that it will have the possibility to play back even higher resolution. Man that means the pcb will now have to be made super good: matched impedance on related traces and things like this.
  
 Meanwhile: I really hope they pick a digital-encoder with shielding (metal house around with separate pins for ground) for low emi and something around 24 steps. I read that around 24 steps is what a human in average can sense on a circle. Some of them have better bounce and some worse. Guess one has to test them all.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Update:
  

 
Larry Ho
Moderator





OFFLINE
Karma: 32  
   I'm totally focus on Geek Pulse/ LPS4 and new cables now...
 We are happy about the current progress.

 Next new EP should be here soon.

 Larry

  
  2014 projects begin! Lead Engineer/ LH Labs


----------



## rdsu

I really don't understand the lack of information since the campaign is over... 

I'm sure they are working hard, but keep us informed about what's going on is not their best quality... 

They also said that they will be shipping Geek Out during this month, because of the building quality, and now we know, from other source, that 1500 units where already sent!!!


----------



## AxelCloris

rdsu said:


> I really don't understand the lack of information since the campaign is over...
> 
> I'm sure they are working hard, but keep us informed about what's going on is not their best quality...
> 
> They also said that they will be shipping Geek Out during this month, because of the building quality, and now we know, from other source, that 1500 units where already sent!!!


 
  
*Potentially* 1500 units were shipped. I haven't seen any other source confirm that indeed 1500 units did go out, just the one article. And since the press release wasn't made public we can't confirm if that person is correct or was just misreading. My money is on misreading since LHLabs themselves have said they were only shipping 100 units first. Plus if 1500 did go out we'd more than likely see a lot more first impressions than we currently are.


----------



## TopQuark

rdsu said:


> I really don't understand the lack of information since the campaign is over...





> I'm sure they are working hard, but keep us informed about what's going on is not their best quality...


 
  
 You guys should go to the geek force website.  Gavin has an update there.  They have a full time customer support there.  People are also receiving their geek outs...


----------



## rdsu

axelcloris said:


> *Potentially* 1500 units were shipped. I haven't seen any other source confirm that indeed 1500 units did go out, just the one article. And since the press release wasn't made public we can't confirm if that person is correct or was just misreading. My money is on misreading since LHLabs themselves have said they were only shipping 100 units first. Plus if 1500 did go out we'd more than likely see a lot more first impressions than we currently are.



That was already talked in the forum, but no one from LH said something about... 




topquark said:


> You guys should go to the geek force website.  Gavin has an update there.  They have a full time customer support there.  People are also receiving their geek outs...



I'm always there, since the beginning...


----------



## AxelCloris

rdsu said:


> That was already talked in the forum, but no one from LH said something about...


 
  
 Yes, it was discussed there by fellow Geek Force members, but since the original person who made the claim hasn't cited his information properly and since LHLabs hasn't commented on the topic then the most likely scenario is that the article's author provided incorrect information as fact and that we should trust what LHLabs have said they've shipped: 100 units.


----------



## Larry Ho

axelcloris said:


> Yes, it was discussed there by fellow Geek Force members, but since the original person who made the claim hasn't cited his information properly and since LHLabs hasn't commented on the topic then the most likely scenario is that the article's author provided incorrect information as fact and that we should trust what LHLabs have said they've shipped: 100 units.


 
 You are right. And we start to get some nice feedback from backers. 
 Next week will have anther 100 ~ 200 if not more. 
  
 Every unit sent out has been through a detail testing procedure and record the full report in our file server.
 And I'm glad that our backers who receive it really likes it.


----------



## rdsu

larry ho said:


> You are right. And we start to get some nice feedback from backers.
> Next week will have anther 100 ~ 200 if not more.
> 
> Every unit sent out has been through a detail testing procedure and record the full report in our file server.
> And I'm glad that our backers who receive it really likes it.



Larry, 

Just give us more information, when really matters, and this and other issues will not happen... 

This is the only thing I asked since the beginning...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Ok so here is Larry's update 4 min. ago:
  

 
Larry Ho
Moderator




OFFLINE
Karma: 32  
   You are right. I should post a good progress last week.

 So here is it.

 * Geek Blue: Audio output quality is nice. But output voltage is not high enough, so we will keep fine tuning the output stage. Re-clock of digital output stage by our LH technology will be there by the end of this month.

 * Geek Pulse: EP2 board will come in soon. And we will test another round of OpAmps in analog stage.
 Now, my preference is
 * Top 1: OP1612 + LME49710
 * Top 2: Muse02 + LME49710
 * Top 3: Muse01 + OP1612
 And I found no matter what, JFET input combined with BJT input OpAmp seems always could deliver more balance sound. And we will keep going on in this journey on EP2 board since analog path has changed a little.

 * Geek Pulse X/S: We found some issues with balance configuration. Still working on it. It's NOT easy to make it right.
 Can you believe that, we still don't have quite enough PCB estate for balance version DAC. And I don't want to put components on the back side......

 * Windows Driver and DFU testing went nicely. So now have a formal 'universal' Windows Driver for Geek Out/Pulse and Da Vinci.

 * Geek LPS4/LPS: Will start heat testing and noise test again when the new PCB come in. That should be in 3rd week this month.

 -- 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 so many updates here ---

 * LS JR./2G USB cable. ---> Tooling is on going. And we are making the final adjustment of marketing related technical specs.

 Enjoy!


----------



## Larry Ho

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Ok so here is Larry's update 4 min. ago:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thank you for helping repost here... many forums need to cover.


----------



## eac3

I am sure this has been discussed over at LHlabs forums but I would be highly interested in a portable audio player by LH labs provided that I do like the Pulse whenever I get it. I haven't been following the FiiO X3 and other DAPs so I don't know what options are out there.


----------



## miceblue

I would love to see Light Harmonic and the Geek Force make some sort of portable media player. All of the ones I've heard recently either 1) don't sound very good, or 2) have an absolutely terrible user interface.


----------



## LucasB

Great news. That is solid progress. Since Mr Larry Ho didn´t found the company to become head of press-department as far as I read on the webpage, I guess no one would ask for more. But since we are kind of crowd-stakeholders - not in the company, but - in the products, I appreciate like others reading some news.
  
 The pulse: Bigger/Longer housing +1


----------



## Exesteils

miceblue said:


> I would love to see Light Harmonic and the Geek Force make some sort of portable media player. All of the ones I've heard recently either 1) don't sound very good, or 2) have an absolutely terrible user interface.


 
 even the X5?


----------



## miceblue

exesteils said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > I would love to see Light Harmonic and the Geek Force make some sort of portable media player. All of the ones I've heard recently either 1) don't sound very good, or 2) have an absolutely terrible user interface.
> ...



To me yeah. Even if the X5 sounded better than a $239485729038 system *random numbers yay,* the user interface was extremely frustrating. It's usable sure, but far from being anything I would ever use in reality.
http://www.head-fi.org/products/fiio-x5-high-res-portable-music-player/reviews/10602


----------



## nicolo

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Ok so here is Larry's update 4 min. ago:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Can you provide the thread link. Though i check the forums every day, i missed this


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Here it is bro.:
  
http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/710-charting-production-and-delivery-milestones?limitstart=0#13569


----------



## miceblue

Thanks for keeping us updated! I've been really busy lately and I haven't had a chance to even post in the new Geek Force forums. 

I do miss the place though. I was literally learning new things in every other thread.


----------



## nicolo

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Here it is bro.:
> 
> http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/710-charting-production-and-delivery-milestones?limitstart=0#13569


 
 Thanks


----------



## Muinarc

Interesting updates! Not that surprised to see PCB space is at a premium on the balanced version of the Pulse, there's a lot of stuff they want to cram into that box.


----------



## FraGGleR

muinarc said:


> Interesting updates! Not that surprised to see PCB space is at a premium on the balanced version of the Pulse, there's a lot of stuff they want to cram into that box.


 
 I want them to do what they need to do to make sure they don't compromise sound quality with the layout of their boards, even if it means making the boards and boxes larger.  I will be disappointed since I wanted a really compact solution.  I kind of wish they had stopped listening to people after they went balanced.  Adapters are easy enough to make to go from balanced to single ended.  I didn't need them duplicating outputs and crowding the boards.  In the end I probably didn't need any of the upgrades beyond going balanced.  Oh well.


----------



## AxelCloris

fraggler said:


> I want them to do what they need to do to make sure they don't compromise sound quality with the layout of their boards, even if it means making the boards and boxes larger.  I will be disappointed since I wanted a really compact solution.  I kind of wish they had stopped listening to people after they went balanced.  Adapters are easy enough to make to go from balanced to single ended.  I didn't need them duplicating outputs and crowding the boards.  In the end I probably didn't need any of the upgrades beyond going balanced.  Oh well.


 
  
 I can understand the desire for a compact footprint. Desk space is at a premium for many people. Luckily I am not one of them and I'd be perfectly fine with seeing the Pulse end up at a medium size. Having a slightly larger enclosure could give the Pulse a bit more presence on a desk or other open surface. But for me the key thing is that they make the best sounding product they can. After all that's why everyone here backed their campaign. I've seen several other DAC/amps that use a handful of PCBs. The new Denon uses 5 if I'm not mistaken.


----------



## FraGGleR

axelcloris said:


> I can understand the desire for a compact footprint. Desk space is at a premium for many people. Luckily I am not one of them and I'd be perfectly fine with seeing the Pulse end up at a medium size. Having a slightly larger enclosure could give the Pulse a bit more presence on a desk or other open surface. But for me the key thing is that they make the best sounding product they can. After all that's why everyone here backed their campaign. I've seen several other DAC/amps that use a handful of PCBs. The new Denon uses 5 if I'm not mistaken.


 
 I backed it because I basically wanted a GEEK Out in an enclosure only big enough to support the normal ins and outs of a desktop combo.  At the beginning, this was the vision sold and was exactly what I wanted.  Cheap, compact, and with the promise of great sound for the money.  As we all know, it has become and entirely different beast, quadrupling in price (for hopefully at least that much improvement (not like we can measure it)), and now possibly growing in size (who knows how much bigger if they stick (rightly so) to maximizing sound quality).  It is less about actual space for me, and more about how much space I want something to occupy.  I could fit an Audio-gd Master unit if I wanted to, but you will never see that happen.  I have even avoided the Schiit midrange stuff because I thought it took up too much space.
  
 Don't get me wrong, I am still a huge fan, and very excited for the end product, I am just a tiny bit disappointed in the developments since the original vision was exactly what I was in the market for.


----------



## AxelCloris

fraggler said:


> I backed it because I basically wanted a GEEK Out in an enclosure only big enough to support the normal ins and outs of a desktop combo.  At the beginning, this was the vision sold and was exactly what I wanted.  Cheap, compact, and with the promise of great sound for the money.  As we all know, it has become and entirely different beast, quadrupling in price (for hopefully at least that much improvement (not like we can measure it)), and now possibly growing in size (who knows how much bigger if they stick (rightly so) to maximizing sound quality).  It is less about actual space for me, and more about how much space I want something to occupy.  I could fit an Audio-gd Master unit if I wanted to, but you will never see that happen.  I have even avoided the Schiit midrange stuff because I thought it took up too much space.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I am still a huge fan, and very excited for the end product, I am just a tiny bit disappointed in the developments since the original vision was exactly what I was in the market for.


 
  
 I agree completely. I've heard the Audio-GD Master 7 and it was excellent, but not worth using in a desktop system. Maybe if you have a dedicated component room, but I wouldn't want that out in the open as it's not attractive at all and has such a large footprint. If they can keep it smaller that's wonderful since it'll look better for most people. And with their current size, if they only add an inch to the width it'll still have a shorter width than depth. Some may not agree but I'd prefer wider and less deep than the other way. Either way, as long as the Pulse sounds excellent I'll be happy.


----------



## FraGGleR

axelcloris said:


> I agree completely. I've heard the Audio-GD Master 7 and it was excellent, but not worth using in a desktop system. Maybe if you have a dedicated component room, but I wouldn't want that out in the open as it's not attractive at all and has such a large footprint. If they can keep it smaller that's wonderful since it'll look better for most people. And with their current size, if they only add an inch to the width it'll still have a shorter width than depth. Some may not agree but I'd prefer wider and less deep than the other way. Either way, as long as the Pulse sounds excellent I'll be happy.


 
 I laughed out loud in disbelief the first time I saw the Master 8 amp in person.  It sounded great, but had such a large footprint I knew I would never buy one regardless.
  
 I agree with you on width vs depth, especially since cables (some rather thick) will be jutting out and take up even more space on a shelf or rack.  And yep, if it sounds good and doesn't end up larger than a shoebox, I will be happy.


----------



## grizzlybeast

is there anyway to buy this thing right now? I cant find a way to purchase anywhere!!!


----------



## AxelCloris

grizzlybeast said:


> is there anyway to buy this thing right now? I cant find a way to purchase anywhere!!!


 
  
 The Geek Pulse doesn't exist currently and won't be available for purchase until later this year. Backers of the Indiegogo Campaign could start receiving theirs as early as June. At the moment LH Labs has a pre-order available for the portable Geek Out, but the Pulse pre-order won't be available for at least a month according to the company.


----------



## grizzlybeast

axelcloris said:


> The Geek Pulse doesn't exist currently and won't be available for purchase until later this year. Backers of the Indiegogo Campaign could start receiving theirs as early as June. At the moment LH Labs has a pre-order available for the portable Geek Out, but the Pulse pre-order won't be available for at least a month according to the company.


 
 Thank you so much for saving me a lot of research. I appreciate it!


----------



## LucasB

Hey,
 I read on the forum that aes/ebu will be on board. Looked it up on wikipedia: and it says usually aes/ebu uses 110Ohm with XLR-Connector on balanced cables. 75Ohm and BNC and twisted pair cables. 
 Will the xlr be matched to those standards or how will it be done? I saw there are quite a few companies selling adapters to convert between the two or converting only the 110Ohm to 75 or things like this, but it would be nice if both implementations meet up to the standard, which I hope is here in europe same as in North America.
 Since there are different norms, which one will it lean on:
 - AES as AES3

 - EBU as Tech-3250E

 - IEC as IEC 60958-4

 Since after reading more and more how good ads/ebu can be for high-resolution-audio it would really interest me how it is done.
 How I cam to this question, well after reading around on this:
 http://lampizator.eu/lampizator/TRANSPORT/CD_transport_DIY.html


----------



## FraGGleR

Looks like I will have my LPS several months prior to my Pulse X:
  
"Projected Shipping Dates Over the course of the campaign, we went from offering one product to offering 21! Obviously, this presents us with a bit of a logistics challenge. So let me start the update by giving you projected ship dates for all the different products.

*Music:*The recording had to be pushed back from December to April due to scheduling conflicts between our recording company and the school. Our recording date has been scheduled for April 11, 2014. It will take us at least until the end of April before we can start sending out download links. We anticipate delivery between April 30th and May 15th.
*Geek Pulse, Geek Pulse w/ femto upgrade, Geek Pulse w/ amp upgrade, and Geek Pulse w/ both femto and amp upgrades:*For Geek Pulse products, our vendors have repeatedly told us that they prefer to do one product at a time in order. We've decided that the order will be Geek Pulse, then Geek Pulse X, then Geek Pulse S. We anticipate_ Geek Pulse_ units to ship between June 15th and July 15th.
*Geek Pulse X, Geek Pulse X w/ femto upgrade, Geek Pulse X w/ amp upgrade, and Geek Pulse X w/ both femto and amp upgrades:*We anticipate_ Geek Pulse X_ units to ship between July 15th and August 15th.
*Geek Pulse S, Geek Pulse S w/ femto upgrade, Geek Pulse S w/ amp upgrade, and Geek Pulse S w/ both femto and amp upgrades:*We anticipate_ Geek Pulse S _units to ship between August 15th and September 15th.
*Geek Blue:*We anticipate_ Geek Blue _units to ship between April 30th and May 30th.
*Geek LPS:*We anticipate_ Geek LPS _units to ship between April 30th and May 30th.
*Geek LPS 4:*We anticipate_ Geek LPS 4 _units to ship between April 30th and May 30th.
*LightSpeed USB 1G (LightSpeed Jr.):*We anticipate_ LightSpeed USB 1G_ units to ship between April 30th and May 30th.
*LightSpeed USB 2G:*We anticipate_ LightSpeed USB 2G_ units to ship between April 30th and May 30th.
*LightSpeed S/PDIF:*We anticipate_ LightSpeed S/PDIF _units to ship between April 30th and May 30th.
*LightSpeed AES:*We anticipate_ LightSpeed AES _units to ship between April 30th and May 30th.
*Slacker Mini:*We anticipate_ Slacker Mini_ units to ship between April 30th and May 30th."


----------



## eliwankenobi

Yeah, a big bummer for us backers... Hopefully this extra time due to delay can bring Larry Ho the chance to squeeze the most performance out of the design..


----------



## AxelCloris

Whoa, that's a big difference. Getting my LPS4 and Geek Blue in April and the Pulse X in July is kinda backwards, but what can you do?  And I'll have my MIT power cable even before those. Oh well, at least I'll get to read about the Pulse before mine arrives.


----------



## LucasB

For me that sounds almost too fast, let´s see.
 If they do not want to use the pcb both-sides (I guess because of solid ground planes and ease of manufacturing) and if they do not want to make the enclosure bigger, they can maybe stack the pcb´s. A good consumer-product I had in my hands and saw on this was the "old & original" big external firewire iSight from apple. It is crowded inside, all stacked up and sidewards. There are really good industry connectors nowadays. Some of the big audio-receiver feature as well "slot-card" places. Would keep the unit small and handy even though for repair or maintenance it would be a bit more difficult. The only thing with that is corrosion on contacts over time, but if - what I hope - the pcb´s get the industry gold-immersed guess corrosion is less likely.
  
 Now it is too late, but the more I think about it i2s via an ethernet-plug would have been more future-proof then toslink. Sad nobody suggested it back last year, when there was time for suggestions.
 After reading again around and seeing more and more dacs with an USB-A input for iDevices, I am glad the unit does not feature this like some others do, because it seems even with "onkyo hf" there is still no real way to get high resolution audio out of such a device.
  
 YBA´s latest dac has very similar I/O like xfa-version, would be a nice comparison.


----------



## uncola

Two or three months delay is ok by me.  As long as the dates don't keep getting moved.  The positive impressions of the geek out on lhlabs have me excited.  Can't wait for my pulse x


----------



## kugino

gavin has a new video explaining the current situation with the geek pulses.
  
 http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-a-digital-audio-awesomifier-for-your-desktop-2?c=activity


----------



## walfredo

uncola said:


> Two or three months delay is ok by me.  As long as the dates don't keep getting moved.  The positive impressions of the geek out on lhlabs have me excited.  Can't wait for my pulse x


 
  
 Where did you find impressions, uncola.  AFAICT, there is only one post the geek out thread.  I am really curious about impressions, but apparently most of the 100 people who received theirs are keeping it for themselves...


----------



## uncola

walfredo it was just the one poster on lhlabs, Anthony S.  he said he has dt770 250ohm.  he didn't mention if he ever heard a headphone amp before so for all I know he's a noob.  Here's what he posted, again this is about the geek out 1000ma edition not the geek pulse.  link http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/kickstartergeekout/866-who-received-the-geek-out?start=50#13508
  
 "installed the driver and am giving it a test run as I type. This is truly a magnificent little device. The sound is crisp and very alive. I listen to chillout/chillstep music typically, some very experimental sounding music. Currently I'm listening to Gravity by ChouChou and it's like being transported to another space entirely. The music envelops the entire headphone space, the bass is rich, the mids are present but not overpowering, the treble is perfect and crisp, everything works together evenly to create a rich atmosphere of sonic goodness.

The only thing I'd have concern about is the heat, when plugged in this can get rather hot. If it's elevated on a cooler surface that helps tremendously. Testing out 'Moon City' by Atlum Schema next. I've been using FLAC and Ogg Vorbis files. Extreme clarity. As a producer myself this will be interesting to use. Might test out my song 'People Will Do People Things' and see how that sounds through the GeekOut as well. It's like hearing with new ears. I've been using an X-Fi GoPro HD for quite awhile because my headphone jack died, there was a lot to be desired but it allowed me basic listening.

The GeekOut is immersive and intense. Be careful though, mind the warning in the package about volume. The Super Duper Geek will blast you out of your chair if you make a mistake with it. I pushed one of the buttons on the side of the device and the volume lunged in intensity. Well worth the wait. I'm glad the driver issue was resolved in a timely manner also.

Edit: Listening to my track currently and it definitely emphasizes all that I put into it as far as detail goes. Nothing gets lost in the mix, just flows steadily. The bass is quite rich and expanding. When the kick hits it's as if it moves outwards, something I didn't notice or couldn't notice with my former setup. Attaching this as well for those who may want to listen."


----------



## Case




----------



## smial1966

*Very well spotted! *
  
 Missed those when I watched the update.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Quote:


case said:


>


----------



## vincent215

It's much longer than I expected!


----------



## miceblue

That was pretty much the one thing I was looking at for the whole 8-minute video. Were you guys staring into Gavin's geek face or something? XD


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep was looking at those and not Gavin's face. Gives you an idea but those are old designs.
  
 Interesting that "triangle" design at the bottom.


----------



## uncola

Found another Geek Out 1000ma impression in the SF Bay Area Meet impressions thread.. this time by ZeroDeefex who I think is a well known guy
 edit: sorry if this is old news, miceblue even posted on this page of this thread hah
  
 "Quote:


miceblue said:


> Oooh, exciting. Light Harmonic was there with their Geek Out (1 W power output), no?
> 
> Did anyone get the opportunity to try that with headphones other than the LCD-XC?



  
 As a preview, yes, I tried the high powered Super Duper Geek Out variant with my HD800s. Absolutely stomps on the Herus, MicroStreamer, Audioengine D1, Audioengine D3, DragonFly, Explorer, and DACPort when paired with the HD800. I own all of them and will be selling the lot once I get the Geek Out and post my review."


----------



## walfredo

Thanks, uncola.  Looking forward to more impression...
  
 Has any one else got their geek out?  Please share some impressions...


----------



## nick v

EDIT
 Quote:


> _Gavin Fish_
> 
> Measurements are an indication of what a device will sound like. Engineers will make decisions to purposefully make their device sound the way they think it should sound. In the case of Geek Out, we've striven to engineer a device that could rival Da Vinci Dual DAC. In fact, we've come short of this ideal. But Geek Out comes close— uncomfortably close. *Larry and I had been concerned that we made it too good, thinking that it'll be too difficult to top it. But with the initial listening tests and measurements of Geek Pulse, we've laid those concerns to rest.*


 
  
 With how incredibly well the Geek Out measured and in seeing these types of comments, I'm pretty excited about having a Geek Out and upgraded PulseX and LPS on the way.


----------



## zenpunk

Wrong thread. Those measurement are for the Geek Out and have already been linked in the relevant thread.


----------



## LucasB

I do not know what some of this thread-followers think, but posting measurement results of others I personally think is somehow difficult.


----------



## miceblue

lucasb said:


> I do not know what some of this thread-followers think, but posting measurement results of others I personally think is somehow difficult.



Difficult? How so? Don't you literally just replace your product with a different one in the testing aparatus?


----------



## uncola

Maybe he means difficult to trust.  Personally I find the measurements incredibly encouraging.  If they get such great results with usb power in such a tiny enclosure, the geek pulse will be super amazing!  It's pretty cool that they can engineer a top dac in both super high end and entry level price points.  Usually a company specializes in one or the other.  I'm also pretty excited about their integrated amp.  I use a 2.1 setup in my home theatre so if their integrated amp is good and has a subwoofer out maybe I'll replace my receiver with it so I can have a  light harmonic setup in both my home theatre speaker area and my computer desk


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Larry is deciding to implement the *Minimum Phase* digital filter. 
  
 This could remove digital artifacts and pre-ringing (more musical esp. instruments and voice). 
  
 Unless you prefer *Linear Phase *filtering.
  
 Source: http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/908-minimum-phase-digital-filter


----------



## miceblue

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Larry is deciding to implement the *Minimum Phase* digital filter.
> 
> This could remove digital artifacts and pre-ringing (more musical esp. instruments and voice).
> 
> ...



So what is pre-ringing and how does a minimum phase filter reduce it?

https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/filters/Definition_Minimum_Phase_Filters.html
https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/mdft/Linear_Phase_Terms.html


----------



## eliwankenobi

Regarding the whole thing of measurements... To me, publishing the measurements of their audio products to back up their published specs says a lot of good towards a company. Other companies that do this are Emotiva and Ascend Acoustics. 
  
 Comparing one's products against the competition is OK in my opinion as long as everybody is measured with the same ruler. The comparisons made between the Geek Out 1000 and the rest are fair measurements. Yes, LH used the GeekOut 1000 against the competition, but as long as the ruler is the same for all, its a fair comparison to show the superiority of their higher spec'd unit.


----------



## georgelai57

Silly question. Does our Geek play DSD?


----------



## AxelCloris

georgelai57 said:


> Silly question. Does our Geek play DSD?


 
  
 Copying from the other thread: It most certainly does. 64 and 128 at launch, and a 256 update is planned down the road.


----------



## Larry Ho

uncola said:


> Maybe he means difficult to trust.  Personally I find the measurements incredibly encouraging.  If they get such great results with usb power in such a tiny enclosure, the geek pulse will be super amazing!  It's pretty cool that they can engineer a top dac in both super high end and entry level price points.  Usually a company specializes in one or the other.  I'm also pretty excited about their integrated amp.  I use a 2.1 setup in my home theatre so if their integrated amp is good and has a subwoofer out maybe I'll replace my receiver with it so I can have a  light harmonic setup in both my home theatre speaker area and my computer desk


 
  
 Forget to say, our U.K distributor actually use Geek Out in their $100,000 home stereo system to demo and get blowed away!
  
 Don't let the size fool you. 
  
 If I'm the 'marketing' person, I would use Geek Out measurement and listening tests to against a lot of $3000 DAC out there.  
  
 One of our kind Geek 300 member promised to send me another 3+ great portable DACs to play. Herus, D3 and etc...
  
 So maybe in next few weeks, I could publish the most comprehensive test results, also a very fair one, for top 7 ~ 8 current portable DACs.
 Saem Audio Precision, Same computer, Same cable, Same tester in a short period of time. 
  
 Stay tuned.


----------



## rdsu

I'm sure of that Larry Ho, that is why I'm more than anxious to get mine...


----------



## eliwankenobi

larry ho said:


> Forget to say, our U.K distributor actually use Geek Out in their $100,000 home stereo system to demo and get blowed away!
> 
> Don't let the size fool you.
> 
> ...


 
 That would be very cool Larry!
  
 Like I've said in my earlier post, you don't see this very often from many companies....I'm not talking about publishing how their product compares against the competition, but simply publish how well it measures...period. So customers can make a better, more informed decision. Now, on top of DAC publishing how well it fares against the competition, its another plus!
  
 I would recommend, in order to prevent disbelief from other people, to also include some pictures? and also include the other members of the Geek Family? the 450 and 720?
  
  
 Oh... and patiently waiting to see how well the Pulse and all its variantas fare in the measurements as well


----------



## LucasB

Had no doubt about the performance, not a second - that´s why I backed "pulse" (though not yet sure if I have to nickname mine)
 (Just wanted to say, if I will ever have a possibility to do a test for some sort of self-designed product, I would politely put "competitor 1"… enough about my opinion)
  
 Cannot wait to see comparisons for the pulse! I am sure it will be a really good sabre implementation out there!


----------



## Larry Ho

eliwankenobi said:


> That would be very cool Larry!
> 
> Like I've said in my earlier post, you don't see this very often from many companies....I'm not talking about publishing how their product compares against the competition, but simply publish how well it measures...period. So customers can make a better, more informed decision. Now, on top of DAC publishing how well it fares against the competition, its another plus!
> 
> ...


 
  
 Agree. 450 and 720 will be publish with the other similar products! 
  
 Actually, I plan to publish the Geek Out Nano vs Herus. Because the price range and output voltage is the similar. And we will put out simple raw test results with some simple explanation. You are the final judge... 
  
 Larry


----------



## jexby

larry ho said:


> Agree. 450 and 720 will be publish with the other similar products!
> 
> Actually, I plan to publish the Geek Out Nano vs Herus. Because the price range and output voltage is the similar. And we will put out simple raw test results with some simple explanation. You are the final judge...
> 
> Larry




Larry,

I'd appreciate the Herus measurements due to not being impressed with the amp section of that unit during my trial period.

But WHAT again is the Geek Out Nano especially with the recent news of a Geek Out Aria?
The same product with differing names or ???
Confusing again.....


----------



## walfredo

Geek Out Nano?  Geek Out Aria?
  
 I hope the LH guys don't spread too thin...  The pulse already has tons of variants.  It is hard to make progress in so many fronts.


----------



## zerodeefex

Geek out is the basis for all of them. The only product I'd worry about are the balanced pulse variants.


----------



## sbradley02

I have seen a few versions of the Pulse specs. Anyone have a link to the (hopefully) authoritative version?
 Still hoping the X in balanced will have more output than the S...


----------



## jaywillin

i just filled out my survery for the pulse


----------



## Ranza

Received the email but didn't see any link for the survey :/


----------



## Larry Ho

walfredo said:


> Geek Out Nano?  Geek Out Aria?
> 
> I hope the LH guys don't spread too thin...  The pulse already has tons of variants.  It is hard to make progress in so many fronts.


 
  
 Geek Out Nano is 'one headphone output' without '3D awesomifier' version of Geek Out. Keep it super simple version and performance will be in the same level like Geek Out and expect to sound nicely too.
  
 Geek Aria (project name, not the formal product name) is in our plan for almost two years. 
  
 Every product in this series share the same core tech. and DAC design. The difference is power supply, with or without battery, and analog stage enhancement. 
  
 Regarding Geek Pulse, we just add the minimum phase digital filter there and has some good progress regarding the jitter removal circuit for SPDIF input too.... It's pretty much on track.


----------



## Larry Ho

zerodeefex said:


> Geek out is the basis for all of them. The only product I'd worry about are the balanced pulse variants.


 
  
 This is valid. 
  
 But the worst case only will be: We need a bigger chassis. And you will still get the balanced DAC out there.. LOL
  
 Give our Gerber design guy few more days, he is trying hard to put a pretty layout there within such a limited space.
  
 Cheers,


----------



## BenF

larry ho said:


> This is valid.
> 
> But the worst case only will be: We need a bigger chassis. And you will still get the balanced DAC out there.. LOL
> 
> ...


 

 Any chance for an IEM-only Geek Out with a very weak amplifier?
 Every Geek is more powerful than DragonFly, and it is already way too powerful for any of my IEMs, have to put the volume at -40dB, which is 1% of the power.
 A Geek Out with 30mW-50mW output would be great - you can call it Geek Pico.
  
 Take a look at how Head-Direct does it:
http://head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=156


----------



## walfredo

Thanks for the response, larry. Good to know all is under control.


----------



## amham

For the Geek Pulse, has the upgraded active components been settled upon?  If so, what are they for the extra bucks or did i miss that discussion?  Thanks


----------



## Larry Ho

benf said:


> Any chance for an IEM-only Geek Out with a very weak amplifier?
> Every Geek is more powerful than DragonFly, and it is already way too powerful for any of my IEMs, have to put the volume at -40dB, which is 1% of the power.
> A Geek Out with 30mW-50mW output would be great - you can call it Geek Pico.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Good idea and this is very easy to do... let me check more details... And get back soon.
  
 Larry


----------



## Larry Ho

amham said:


> For the Geek Pulse, has the upgraded active components been settled upon?  If so, what are they for the extra bucks or did i miss that discussion?  Thanks


 
 $88 goes to Active components. Now we have several good candidates and already announced in Geek Force forum. Sorry that there are so many forums out there, I hardly have the chance to post every where... 
  
 OPA1612 and MUISE02 seems the top match now. 
  
 Enjoy!


----------



## amham

Wow, looking up the Muse 02 Digikey wants $50 each with minimum 100 pieces...that will eat up the $88 fast...


----------



## BenF

larry ho said:


> Good idea and this is very easy to do... let me check more details... And get back soon.
> 
> Larry


 
 You can drop the "awesomefier", line out and volume buttons from it.
 It could be a huge hit around 150$, especially if it will work with smartphones.


----------



## Larry Ho

benf said:


> You can drop the "awesomefier", line out and volume buttons from it.
> It could be a huge hit around 150$, especially if it will work with smartphones.


 
 The first line you wrote is exactly our product plan for Geek Out Nano. 
 $150?  I don't know. I won't decide the price tag, it's the job for accounting and sales department. 
  
 For output wattage. I would like to take your proposal and make the Geek Out 100mW here.
 So it is 50mW output at 32 Ohm, 100mW output at 16 Ohm. With more than 114dB SNR and the best class of THD+N. 
 That should be a nice fit with the most IEMs.
  
 Larry


----------



## tomscy2000

larry ho said:


> For output wattage. I would like to take your proposal and make the Geek Out 100mW here. So it is 50mW output at 32 Ohm, 100mW output at 16 Ohm. With more than 114dB SNR and the best class of THD+N. That should be a nice fit with the most IEMs.


 
  
 Just gotta make sure it has high current delivery capability...


----------



## BenF

larry ho said:


> The first line you wrote is exactly our product plan for Geek Out Nano.
> $150?  I don't know. I won't decide the price tag, it's the job for accounting and sales department.
> 
> For output wattage. I would like to take your proposal and make the Geek Out 100mW here.
> ...


 

 Sounds great!


----------



## BenF

So will Geek Out Pico be a real product?


----------



## miceblue

Nano, Pico, Micro.....there's too many.


----------



## kugino

miceblue said:


> Nano, Pico, Micro.....there's too many.


Agreed.


----------



## BenF

miceblue said:


> Nano, Pico, Micro.....there's too many.


 

 Nope.
 Pico would fill a niche that is completely empty on the market right now.
 Every USB DAC in this form with integrated amplifier is too powerful for IEMs.
  
 I thought Dragonfly would rid me of the need to use ODAC+E12, but it's just too strong.
 Geek Out (all of them) is even more powerful.
 The Pico could be a huge hit, beyond the small audiophile market.


----------



## miceblue

benf said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Nano, Pico, Micro.....there's too many.
> ...



My point was that most people don't know the differences between them and the names are not very easy to remember.

What's the Nano, what's the Pico, what's the Micro, what's the Aria?

If there's going to be a stripped down version of the Geek Out, why not call it something simple like Geek Out Mini?


----------



## Exesteils

They'd probably need to put examples of headphones/audio gear to use with each version of the Geek line-up.

Not sure if anyone still remembers but in the Kickstarter vid, Gavin sounded like he's aiming it at the general public, what with the beats and talk of not enough bass.


----------



## kugino

miceblue said:


> My point was that most people don't know the differences between them and the names are not very easy to remember.
> 
> What's the Nano, what's the Pico, what's the Micro, what's the Aria?
> 
> If there's going to be a stripped down version of the Geek Out, why not call it something simple like Geek Out Mini?


I was talking about the naming convention. Let's get beyond the apple-ification of naming these products.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

UPDATE:
  
 1. Confirmed to use on USB Input - XMOS with their 3L buffer. Instead of Amanero due to higher jitter based on in house testing. 
  
 2. Based on in house testing, the Digital output vs input's THD+N is nicely at -140dB. (from 44.1K ~ 192K and Larry tested it all the way up to 216K in Audio Precision)
  
 3. Geek Pulse S and Geek Pulse: Will add one AES/EBU over XLR (FREE!!)
     Geek Pulse X will add one SPDIF over RCA (FREE!)
  
4. The AES/EBU connector will accept SPDIF signal level as well.... Fully tested! It works.... 
  
 Link: http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/646-google-doc-to-share-geek-product-updated-spec.html?start=50


----------



## miceblue

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> UPDATE:
> 
> 1. Confirmed to use on USB Input - XMOS with their 3L buffer. Instead of Amanero due to higher jitter based on in house testing.
> 
> ...



You should have put that into context. XD


> And I decided to add One AES/EBU input for every Geek Pulse DAC users. (Happy?)
> So every configuration's digital input will add one more
> Geek Pulse S and Geek Pulse: Will add one AES/EBU over XLR (FREE!!)
> Geek Pulse X will add one SPDIF over RCA (FREE!)




From the original wording, I thought things would be replaced. So, Pulse and Pulse S will have an additional digital input via AES/EBU XLR, and Pulse X will have an additional digital input via S/PDIF RCA. Were these changes due to the fact that they had trouble getting the balanced outputs crammed into the original chassis?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Sorry Bro., done it to simplify things. 

Thought it was clear.... "add one". Something was added, nothing was replaced or taken out.
Did not took into account "over", but thought it was self explanatory regarding the connectors.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Hello all!

Well I think the original chassis had to be changed to a bigger one to house everything. The added connector so all Pulse DACs have the same input configuration also reduces manufacturing costs.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> From the original wording, I thought things would be replaced. So, Pulse and Pulse S will have an additional digital input via AES/EBU XLR, and Pulse X will have an additional digital input via S/PDIF RCA. Were these changes due to the fact that they had trouble getting the balanced outputs crammed into the original chassis?


 
  
 More than likely this change was brought about to simplify production by only needing to machine a single back piece for all 3 pulse models. But whatever the reason, it's an approved and welcomed change.


----------



## Larry Ho

benf said:


> Nope.
> Pico would fill a niche that is completely empty on the market right now.
> Every USB DAC in this form with integrated amplifier is too powerful for IEMs.
> 
> ...


 
  
 We have an internal marketing meeting for this. And I agree with your inputs...
  
 So there will be a new model in Geek Out product series....
  
 Originally, we got Geek Out 1000mW   720mW  450mW... 
  
 Now for IEM users, we will have Geek Out 100mW!
  
 No new names, the number there is easy to remember.  
  
 We build several prototypes in the lab, and result is promising. For IEM users, the criteria of headphone amp is different, so we will test it more....
  
 Geek Out 100... Here you go!


----------



## miceblue

larry ho said:


> benf said:
> 
> 
> > Nope.
> ...



That's good news! Thank you for taking the suggestions from users and making a more appropriate name.


----------



## junker

sbradley02 said:


> I have seen a few versions of the Pulse specs. Anyone have a link to the (hopefully) authoritative version?
> Still hoping the X in balanced will have more output than the S...


 
 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AljAXIFo7qVqdFdmVUoxOXB1VzFPaGtkQXdRa01ibUE&usp=drive_web#gid=1


----------



## zenpunk

How long for the Geek out 100? Can I swap my pre-order 450 for a 100?


----------



## sbradley02

larry ho said:


> We have an internal marketing meeting for this. And I agree with your inputs...
> 
> So there will be a new model in Geek Out product series....
> 
> ...


 
 Hi Larry
  
 I see the X still has a maximum output of 7V in balanced - is this final? If so it means you must use balanced to get the same output level as the S has single ended.


----------



## BenF

larry ho said:


> We have an internal marketing meeting for this. And I agree with your inputs...
> 
> So there will be a new model in Geek Out product series....
> 
> ...


 
  
 Dream come true...
 What's the ETA and the estimated price?


----------



## Larry Ho

benf said:


> Dream come true...
> What's the ETA and the estimated price?


 
 ETA will be soon... We are testing our final RC in labs.
  
 We are looking for 3 beta testers as well, who is serious IEM users. 
  
 After that, we will launch it.


----------



## Larry Ho

sbradley02 said:


> Hi Larry
> 
> I see the X still has a maximum output of 7V in balanced - is this final? If so it means you must use balanced to get the same output level as the S has single ended.


 
 Geek Pulse X will have max 7V in Balance, 3.5V in Single-ended headphone output. 
 Geek Pulse S and Geek Pulse will have 7V in Single-ended headphone output. 
  
 We could not change that due to the current design structure...


----------



## BenF

larry ho said:


> ETA will be soon... We are testing our final RC in labs.
> 
> We are looking for 3 beta testers as well, who is serious IEM users.
> 
> After that, we will launch it.


 

 Obviously, I volunteer.
 Check my profile for the IEM inventory. I also have Geek Out 1000 coming in.


----------



## Exesteils

larry ho said:


> ETA will be soon... We are testing our final RC in labs.
> 
> We are looking for 3 beta testers as well, who is serious IEM users.
> 
> After that, we will launch it.


 

 This is like a dream come true, one for my laptop and another when I'm just city-roaming. 

 I have a Geek Out 720 incoming. but I'd be more that happy to beta test for you.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

LH* Geek Out* has its own thread here -> http://www.head-fi.org/t/677263/light-harmonic-geek
 Please direct your concerns regarding Geek Out 100 there.
  
 Let's keep this thread for *Geek Pulse* to avoid confusion and overlaps.
  
 Thanks Guyz!


----------



## Muinarc

Wonder how the survey beta test is going. I wasn't a part of it ;(


----------



## AxelCloris

Quote: Larry Ho 





> Hi, guys
> 
> We are finalizing the integration of Geek Pulse enclosure and PCB boards. I need one good idea here.... I want to replace the SPDIF output (not input),the stretch goal in IGG campaign' with something better...
> 
> ...


 
  
 Here's an update from Larry on the LHLabs forums. Linked below should you guys have ideas to help out.
  
 http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/947-anything-that-is-better-than-spdif-output.html


----------



## miceblue

Good that he didn't post that on April 1, but still kind of a bummer to those who wanted it as it was one of the stretch goals. I personally don't mind if it's taken out.


----------



## AxelCloris

I agree. It doesn't impact me personally to have it removed, but I know some people were really looking forward to using the SPDIF out. The issue I forsee is from the people who don't visit the forums or don't look at all of the threads and won't find out about it until much later.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> I agree. It doesn't impact me personally to have it removed, but I know some people were really looking forward to using the SPDIF out. The issue I forsee is from the people who don't visit the forums or don't look at all of the threads and won't find out about it until much later.



I was just thinking that Gavin should post an update on the Indiegogo campaigns. It's kind of a big deal to exclude something that was going to be included as part of the stretch goals.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It was just today Larry posted in the Geek forums _for asking suggestions _in lieu of the Spdif.
  
 Think its to early for an IGG update?


----------



## Anaximandros

LHLabs could do a simple update over at IGG with a link to a survey. The results should be pretty clear, what the backers want.
 I for myself don't need the SPDIF out, but I know many liked it and it was a stretch goal.


----------



## Larry Ho

anaximandros said:


> LHLabs could do a simple update over at IGG with a link to a survey. The results should be pretty clear, what the backers want.
> I for myself don't need the SPDIF out, but I know many liked it and it was a stretch goal.


 
  
 This is a good idea. 
  
 I will let the forum run for few days. Pick few smart ideas then let everybody vote. 
  
 But one thing I want to emphasize here: I want to get rid of that SPDIF output because I want this DAC to have $3000+ level of performance. So every digital lines should have tight impedance control and minimize the length and potential jitter add-on there. 
  
 Actually, one lazy little dark evil in my heart saying... Larry, put SPDIF output back. Your life will be easier... blah blah blah... I try very hard to ignore it.


----------



## jwong

I think that's a good call. I'm all for leaving SPDIF out if it has even a miniscule effect on performance.


----------



## walfredo

jwong said:


> I think that's a good call. I'm all for leaving SPDIF out if it has even a miniscule effect on performance.


 
  
 Me too.


----------



## adrian0115

Larry,
  
 As one of the 1500ers, I've already posted on the "force" and like everyone else, I'm all for the sound quality so I say can the spdif out go all out to achieve the $3k+ level of performance that we all look forward to.  In addition to driving my HD650's, I'll also be using the XLR outputs to drive a couple of amps so I hope you can optimize the analog line outs.
  
 Cheers!


----------



## junker

Good riddance SPDIF out!


----------



## ansedor

I see no use for  SPDIF out myself, and it uglifies the appearance. If it in any way compromises sound it should go.


----------



## taz23

I also do not need any SPDIF out, especially if introduces jitter.


----------



## kugino

so those who wanted the SPDIF out, how would it be used? to feed another DAC in the living room? computer desk? i guess my view on the geek pulse is that the DAC portion of the pulse will probably be kicka$$ since that's their specialty...if anything, i worry about the amp section. i would want good balanced outputs so that if the amp section leaves me wanting, i could mate it to a better amp. but i don't see the need for a SPDIF out, really. but i'm sure there are reasons for it and i'm sure people will tell me i'm wrong. won't be the first time.


----------



## junker

kugino said:


> so those who wanted the SPDIF out, how would it be used? to feed another DAC in the living room? computer desk? i guess my view on the geek pulse is that the DAC portion of the pulse will probably be kicka$$ since that's their specialty...if anything, i worry about the amp section. i would want good balanced outputs so that if the amp section leaves me wanting, i could mate it to a better amp. but i don't see the need for a SPDIF out, really. but i'm sure there are reasons for it and i'm sure people will tell me i'm wrong. won't be the first time.


 
 No, you're right! ;p


----------



## AxelCloris

kugino said:


> so those who wanted the SPDIF out, how would it be used? to feed another DAC in the living room? computer desk? i guess my view on the geek pulse is that the DAC portion of the pulse will probably be kicka$$ since that's their specialty...if anything, i worry about the amp section. i would want good balanced outputs so that if the amp section leaves me wanting, i could mate it to a better amp. but i don't see the need for a SPDIF out, really. but i'm sure there are reasons for it and i'm sure people will tell me i'm wrong. won't be the first time.


 
  
 My suggestion, and I hope this makes the voting that should be coming shortly, was for more power output. I'd love to see them double the output. Then we'd be getting 3W @ 32Ω which is a great plate to be. Sure it still won't be as powerful as something like the Mjolnir, but in the size bracket they're targeting the Pulse, I don't really see something as powerful as the Mjolnir working it's way in while maintaining audio integrity.


----------



## Larry Ho

adrian0115 said:


> Larry,
> 
> As one of the 1500ers, I've already posted on the "force" and like everyone else, I'm all for the sound quality so I say can the spdif out go all out to achieve the $3k+ level of performance that we all look forward to.  In addition to driving my HD650's, I'll also be using the XLR outputs to drive a couple of amps so I hope you can optimize the analog line outs.
> 
> Cheers!


 
  
 XLR analog output? You got it... The new output amp combo I tested sound so good.  JFET + Bipolar seems gave us the best results....
  
 We test the Geek Pulse with $350,000+ equipments including Wilson, Vitus, Pass, Ayre, MIT, Cardas and tons of goodies... I really enjoy the process.
  
 Larry


----------



## adrian0115

Larry,
  
 You're da man!  I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to receiving the end product!  Planning to hook the GPX up to a couple of Hypex NC400s.  I look forward to a chance to meeting you and the team in Sacramento or at a hifi meet.   
  
 Cheers!
  
 Adrian


----------



## miceblue

I just checked my e-mail and this was in the inbox:


> Things are picking up steam here at LH Labs. While we've had one team focused on delivering Geek Outs to our backers, we have another preparing to launch an Indiegogo campaign, and another compiling all the data from our listening tests to finalize the Geek Pulse family. I have some fun news in this regard.
> 
> First, we've decided to include a couple of new inputs. For Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse S, there will be an AES/EBU digital input included that we hadn't planned on before. For Geek Pulse X, there will be an additional S/PDIF input that wasn't included in the initial design. By doing this, there's greater flexibility for all of our backers and future consumers, and it helps us to standardize the BOM's across the product line, making it less expensive to make chassis components, and easier to train our assembly staff. It's a win-win!
> 
> ...



My vote goes for the user-selectable filter. I would be interested in comparing filters as only the Cambridge Audio DacMagic can do that as far as I know. I can't tell a difference between the linear and minimum phase filters with software under an ABX test.


Or maybe improved connectors would be a better choice in the long run for product durability.
http://hifiduino.blogspot.com/2009/05/wm8741-digital-filters.html


> I can hear some differences if I focus on specific instruments. I've compared filter 5 with filter 1 and at the time, filter 1 had a bit more "reverb" or "echo". Filter 1 and 3 was hard to tell apart. If I listen to the performance of the music as a whole, I couldn't tell the difference between the filters. However, it would require a lot of patience to listen to these filters. Stereophile did some experiments on these type of filters and published some results. Search for "apodizing" or "minimum phase" in Stereophile




http://www.stereophile.com/content/ringing-false-digital-audios-ubiquitous-filter-filter-listening-impressions
http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/cambridge_audio_azur_dacmagic_da_converter/index.html


It seems to me that these filters have very minimal impact in the sound quality, in which case I probably wouldn't bother with them after the first month of playing with them, and having better connecters would have been a better choice.


----------



## kugino

thanks for the update...heck, i have no clue which option i'd prefer. i was thinking that removing the SPDIF out was already a feature in itself and happy about that decision. anything else is, as they say, gravy.
  
 p.s. i'm really really excited about the potentially awesome DAC capabilities of this thing... "<$5000 range?" geez, i'll take that range any day.


----------



## TopQuark

So the Pulse is compared to a $120,000 Sire DAC.  Cool...


----------



## germay0653

topquark said:


> So the Pulse is compared to a $120,000 Sire DAC.  Cool...


 

 They're using the Sire as a reference to see how the Pulse compares to it.  They're not saying that the Pulse will be as good as the Sire.


----------



## kugino

germay0653 said:


> They're using the Sire as a reference to see how the Pulse compares to it.  They're not saying that the Pulse will be as good as the Sire.


Exactly.


----------



## TopQuark

germay0653 said:


> They're using the Sire as a reference to see how the Pulse compares to it.  They're not saying that the Pulse will be as good as the Sire.


 

 Hmmm.  I thought that what it said... "compared" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  Anyway, the fact that it is "compared" against the Sire is interesting enough.  But...
  
 ...who have heard the Sire?  I don't think it is available yet except perhaps to Bill Gates?


----------



## Zoo Animal

kugino said:


> thanks for the update...heck, i have no clue which option i'd prefer. i was thinking that removing the SPDIF out was already a feature in itself and happy about that decision. anything else is, as they say, gravy.
> 
> p.s. i'm really really excited about the potentially awesome DAC capabilities of this thing... "<$5000 range?" geez, i'll take that range any day.


 

 I've seen Larry mention he was shooting for the 3K-5K price range before. Honestly, I thought it was very likable and a little funny that he takes so much pride in his own product. After hearing the GeekOut, I can see he is not being funny at all. It is pretty stunning and my expectations for the Pulse just went up 10 fold. Things got a lot more exciting all the sudden.


----------



## kugino

zoo animal said:


> I've seen Larry mention he was shooting for the 3K-5K price range before. Honestly, I thought it was very likable and a little funny that he takes so much pride in his own product. After hearing the GeekOut, I can see he is not being funny at all. It is pretty stunning and my expectations for the Pulse just went up 10 fold. Things got a lot more exciting all the sudden.


 
 i've been looking at $1000 DACs and haven't bit on any yet. ideally, i'd want something like the Auralic VEGA, but it's more than i want to spend...if the pulse x can get near the VEGA, i'd be really impressed.


----------



## Zoo Animal

kugino said:


> i've been looking at $1000 DACs and haven't bit on any yet. ideally, i'd want something like the Auralic VEGA, but it's more than i want to spend...if the pulse x can get near the VEGA, i'd be really impressed.


 
 Ask me a week ago and I would have said probably not...those are really big shoes to fill. Now, I think it's going to be close. 
 Hold on to your cash until some Pulse reports start coming in..I think it will be worth it.

 There is some Larry Ho magic going on with the GeekOut. Meaning, something different is going on and I can't quite get my finger on it. Reviews of the high-end LH cable are a bit similar to my impression/confusion. It is massively detailed and yet somehow still smooth and not aggressive for all that info it is pulling up. 

 Add dual-mono for the Pulse X over the GO, LPS instead of USB power and on and on...I am excited


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Update from Larry!
  

 
Larry Ho
Moderator




OFFLINE
Karma: 38  
   But I think Geek Force worth to make it happen.

*In Geek Pulse key analog stage supply part, I decide to add 4 Elna RFS II Capacitors there.* It provides the final silky touch and the magic sound I want. It will increase the cost quite a bit. But I think for the Geek Pulse and Geek Force. You worth it.

 FYI, this Elan RFS II Silmik cap usually be put in the devices more than $10K, Da Vinci use it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That is Larry's little update for today... Saturday Night.

 Good Weekend!


----------



## uncola

Nice!  Hehe the sound is literally silky
  
Elna Silmic (ROS Series) & Silmic II (RFS Series) Electrolytic Capacitors

*High-grade Silk fiber capacitors for Audio.*
 The *SILMIC* series are Elna's highest grade audio capacitors that exhibit superior acoustic characteristics. An entirely new type of electrolytic separating paper is used, containing silk fibers. The extreme softness of silk can mitigate vibrational energy (generated by the electrodes, by external vibrations and by electromagnetic fields). Due to it's new electrolytic and foil design the signal propagation speed has increased (the ESR is reduced) and a more powerful, yet-mellow, sound is possible than before. When these capacitors were subjected to aural evaluations, the high range peak and midrange roughness were reduced substantially. Also, the low range richness and power were increased in the obtained high-quality sound.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Update from Larry!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks go out to Larry!


----------



## miceblue

Interesting. How much were the capacitors before this decision was made? Mouser has those capacitors at $0.30-1.30 a piece if not purchased in bulk. Capacitors are usually at around this price, no?
http://www.mouser.com/search/refine.aspx?Ntk=P_MarCom&Ntt=165227470


[rule]Also interesting is that the JDS Labs C5D I have can have a normal FIR filter or a low-latency (read: minimum phase filter) configured via Arduino programming interface. On default it's set to high, or the minimum phase filter. I e-mailed them and they said that they couldn't hear a difference between the filter being on high or low.
http://www.ti.com/lit/gpn/pcm5102a
^ go to page 15

Yet more evidence that the filter type doesn't make a whole lot of difference in the sound quality...


----------



## Larry Ho

miceblue said:


> Interesting. How much were the capacitors before this decision was made? Mouser has those capacitors at $0.30-1.30 a piece if not purchased in bulk. Capacitors are usually at around this price, no?
> http://www.mouser.com/search/refine.aspx?Ntk=P_MarCom&Ntt=165227470
> Also interesting is that the JDS Labs C5D I have can have a normal FIR filter or a low-latency (read: minimum phase filter) configured via Arduino programming interface. On default it's set to high, or the minimum phase filter. I e-mailed them and they said that they couldn't hear a difference between the filter being on high or low.
> http://www.ti.com/lit/gpn/pcm5102a
> ...


 
 Hi, there
  
 Don't just grab the direct cost from mouser. That is through hole caps, you need skill people hand solder these caps there and manually tested each solder points.

  
 PCM5102 is just like ESS9023.... Well they are direct-voltage-output DAC ICs. Cheaper to make, easier to implement for normal designer, but since it combined so much analog stage INSIDE a single IC, I doubt the digital filter difference will reveal.... 
  
 Cheers,
 Larry


----------



## Drsparis

larry ho said:


> Hi, there
> 
> Don't just grab the direct cost from mouser. That is through hole caps, you need skill people hand solder these caps there and manually tested each solder points.
> 
> ...


 
 But these skilled people were already soldering/testing each solder point with cheaper capacitors...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Your right, just like other manufacturers...who short changes you and not telling what's in your overpriced DAC.
  
 At least Larry is transparent and get us involved in his $299 (IGG price) DAC.


----------



## walfredo

Thanks for the posts, Larry.  It is exciting to see the Pulse taking shape.
  
 So, I read the Geek Out thread that this is going to be a big production week.  Will it cover the people who ordered the out + pulse combo?


----------



## Muinarc

miceblue said:


> {...} having better connecters would have been a better choice.



 


I would put my vote on better connectors as well.


----------



## Larry Ho

walfredo said:


> Thanks for the posts, Larry.  It is exciting to see the Pulse taking shape.
> 
> So, I read the Geek Out thread that this is going to be a big production week.  Will it cover the people who ordered the out + pulse combo?


 
  
 Yes... And 720 450 model will be here too....


----------



## Larry Ho

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Your right, just like other manufacturers...who short changes you and not telling what's in your overpriced DAC.
> 
> At least Larry is transparent and get us involved in his $299 (IGG price) DAC.


 
  
 For your reference: Besides IGG backers, no one in the world will see this $299 price tag again... 
  
 We will decide the final retail price after the material cost and assembly/QC cost is confirmed. 
 But from what I see now, it seems won't go under $1000.
  
 Geek Pulse actually is THE upper level in our original plan now.
  
 Larry


----------



## Exesteils

larry ho said:


> For your reference: Besides IGG backers, no one in the world will see this $299 price tag again...
> 
> We will decide the final retail price after the material cost and assembly/QC cost is confirmed.
> But from what I see now, it seems won't go under $1000.
> ...





And now I'm regretting not getting the Out + Pulse X bundle... 1k for it. Ouch.

Still looking forward to my 720 though.


----------



## cimbolic

larry ho said:


> For your reference: Besides IGG backers, no one in the world will see this $299 price tag again...
> 
> We will decide the final retail price after the material cost and assembly/QC cost is confirmed.
> But from what I see now, it seems won't go under $1000.
> ...


 
  
 >$1,000? Disappointing.
  
 But yea, its great news for initial backers...


----------



## FayeForever

I am so glad I jumped into the boat early.


----------



## AxelCloris

larry ho said:


> For your reference: Besides IGG backers, no one in the world will see this $299 price tag again...
> 
> We will decide the final retail price after the material cost and assembly/QC cost is confirmed.
> But from what I see now, it seems won't go under $1000.
> ...


 
  
 Larry,
  
 I know this is just an estimate on your part since obviously final components haven't been selected, but is your idea of the $1000 price tag potentially for the Pulse or the Pulse X/S?


----------



## bhazard

Hope my Geek Outs ship this week. They'll hold me over until my Pulse package ships


----------



## miceblue

larry ho said:


> For your reference: Besides IGG backers, no one in the world will see this $299 price tag again...
> 
> We will decide the final retail price after the material cost and assembly/QC cost is confirmed.
> But from what I see now, it seems won't go under $1000.
> ...



: -o

How will quality control be different for Indiegogo backers (who are expecting it to be shipped sometime near summer and might suggest a rushed production) compared to retail purchases (when you'll likely have the time to get manufacturing process down and bugs ironed out)? My guess is that people will be seriously deterred by a $1000+ unit if the Geek Pulse receives a lot of positive reviews, especially considering they received the unit for ~$300.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I believe what Larry says. Considering the upgrades done to the vanilla Pulse, like the added inputs, better clock power supplies and possibly internal shielding, bigger housing, gain stages for analog stage and headphone amp, etc... I believe its gonna end up closer to ~$850 than $1000. You then add the LPS, femto clocks, etc and price should hike up nicely from there. During the campaign, the Pulse became a whole different product. 

I believe they will take the original idea for the Pulse and just produce it for the intended $500. Which is to just take the GeekOut and put it in a bigger case with more powerful headphone amp, which shouldn't be bad at all as the GeekOut its making a name for itself as one of the better if not the best portable DAC/Amp


----------



## miceblue

eliwankenobi said:


> I believe what Larry says. Considering the upgrades done to the vanilla Pulse, like the added inputs, better clock power supplies and possibly internal shielding, bigger housing, gain stages for analog stage and headphone amp, etc... I believe its gonna end up closer to ~$850 than $1000. You then add the LPS, femto clocks, etc and price should hike up nicely from there. During the campaign, the Pulse became a whole different product.
> 
> I believe they will take the original idea for the Pulse and just produce it for the intended $500. Which is to just take the GeekOut and put it in a bigger case with more powerful headphone amp, which shouldn't be bad at all as the GeekOut its making a name for itself as one of the better if not the best portable DAC/Amp



That may be true, but I still feel that people will be seriously disappointed.


----------



## eliwankenobi

To me there is no question there will be a $499 dac,


----------



## nick v

miceblue said:


> That may be true, but I still feel that people will be seriously disappointed.


 
  
 Who will be disappointed? The average customer that failed to pull the trigger on IGG?
  
 At the end of the day, the proof will be in it's performance! If it performs better than other $1,000 DACs then why would anyone be disappointed?


----------



## miceblue

nick v said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > That may be true, but I still feel that people will be seriously disappointed.
> ...



Had I not backed the Pulse on Indiegogo, yeah I would be pretty disappointed, as would anyone else who didn't back it. If a manufacturer is going to say something is $500 MSRP, the customers expect it to be that price, not twice or thrice the price. If Apple says their next generation Mac Pro's pricing starts at $2999, I expect it to be that price, not $5998. I don't care if it performs better than $10,000, if I expected it to cost $3000, I likely planned my budget around that value. Simple as that. If people were planning for the Pulse to be $500 like it was originally intended to be, people aren't going to buy it if their budget won't allow for it when it's twice the price. Not everyone is made of money.


----------



## kugino

miceblue said:


> Had I not backed the Pulse on Indiegogo, yeah I would be pretty disappointed, as would anyone else who didn't back it. If a manufacturer is going to say something is $500 MSRP, the customers expect it to be that price, not twice or thrice the price. If Apple says their next generation Mac Pro's pricing starts at $2999, I expect it to be that price, not $5998. I don't care if it performs better than $10,000, if I expected it to cost $3000, I likely planned my budget around that value. Simple as that. If people were planning for the Pulse to be $500 like it was originally intended to be, people aren't going to buy it if their budget won't allow for it when it's twice the price. Not everyone is made of money.


Prbly one of the dumbest things I've read in awhile.


----------



## walfredo

> Had I not backed the Pulse on Indiegogo, yeah I would be pretty disappointed, as would anyone else who didn't back it. If a manufacturer is going to say something is $500 MSRP, the customers expect it to be that price, not twice or thrice the price. If Apple says their next generation Mac Pro's pricing starts at $2999, I expect it to be that price, not $5998. I don't care if it performs better than $10,000, if I expected it to cost $3000, I likely planned my budget around that value. Simple as that. If people were planning for the Pulse to be $500 like it was originally intended to be, people aren't going to buy it if their budget won't allow for it when it's twice the price. Not everyone is made of money.


 
  
 Dude, you get disappointed way too easy.   If you get disappointed about a promised price for a product that does not exist yet, I can only imagine how you feel when a manufacturer actually raises the price of an existing product.


----------



## miceblue

kugino said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Had I not backed the Pulse on Indiegogo, yeah I would be pretty disappointed, as would anyone else who didn't back it. If a manufacturer is going to say something is $500 MSRP, the customers expect it to be that price, not twice or thrice the price. If Apple says their next generation Mac Pro's pricing starts at $2999, I expect it to be that price, not $5998. I don't care if it performs better than $10,000, if I expected it to cost $3000, I likely planned my budget around that value. Simple as that. If people were planning for the Pulse to be $500 like it was originally intended to be, people aren't going to buy it if their budget won't allow for it when it's twice the price. Not everyone is made of money.
> ...



I didn't think something called a budget was such a hard concept to understand. Apparently I was wrong. XD

Maybe people nowadays don't use those foreign concepts.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Sorry, a bit of OT. Let me get this. 

You will be contended on a $4k sounding DAC costing $300 priced at $3k than
A $4k sounding DAC costing $300 originally priced at $500 now upped at $1k.
Because the former marketed and asked you to pay at that fixed price,
while the later, 'doubled' it's price.


----------



## mtruong34

Miceblue,
You failed to account for the evolvement of the original concept of the Pulse when it was envisaged originally at $499. Now it has evolved to include a free but high end USB cable, multiple extra inputs & outputs, upgraded passive components, remote capability, upgraded Elna caps, etc. We as backers got rewarded for these as perks but these upgrades cost money and it's only fair that retail purchasers bear the cost of this extra benefit. Why would they get perks for free that backers were responsible for? Seems fair to me. Don't know why you're belly aching. You were also the one who took offense to LH putting out measurements of the competition.


----------



## Johnnyhi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Sorry, a bit of OT. Let me get this.
> 
> You will be contended on a $4k sounding DAC costing $300 priced at $3k than
> A $4k sounding DAC costing $300 originally priced at $500 now upped at $1k.
> ...


 
  
  IDK... a $1k dac beating a $3k or $4k dac... sounds more like pure marketing to me...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well that's what they say. 
 We've got initially all high praises right now regarding SQ with early receivers of Geek Out.
 We'll see.


----------



## cimbolic

Well, I have a friend who plans to make some cash by selling his $299 Geek at $899.
  
 Will the ~$1,000 RETAIL version be *distinguishable* from the initial test batches that people backed for $299?
 Packaging? Accessories? Markings? Etc...


----------



## BaTou069

The $300 was only in the beginning. The perks changed with time:
  
 Geek Pulse as a Geek Out backer and shipping: $239
 Instant $1M update: $88
 femto clock: $119
 Geek S upgrade: $120
 Slacker Mini: $10
  
 Together: $576
  
 Way over MSRP, so yea, expect a totally upgraded Geek Pulse S to be more them $499


----------



## Anaximandros

batou069 said:


> The $300 was only in the beginning. The perks changed with time:
> 
> Geek Pulse as a Geek Out backer and shipping: $239
> Instant $1M update: $88
> ...


 
 The $499 MSRP was for the standard Pulse without upgrades.


----------



## Muinarc

cimbolic said:


> Will the ~$1,000 RETAIL version be *distinguishable* from the initial test batches that people backed for $299?
> 
> Packaging? Accessories? Markings? Etc...



 


That would be nice, but we'll have to wait and see. I personally would love it if the backer versions had one component that will never be in a Pulse again, like the Silver gain relay array that Larry mentioned a while back or something. It's wishful thinking but we can dream can't we?



@Miceblue: I know you ordered an almost maxed out Pulse, you are proof of what the device is "worth" and what the market can bear. About $1,000. Now if we had the device pictured on the first page of this thread with no indicators, knobs, or buttons, and a minimum of inputs and outputs, then I would think you would be less willing to pay $1,000 for it. The reality is we are getting a product that is a far cry from the initial prototype.

This is weird for a crowd-funded device though. You can see the "hobbyist" nature of LH in that they were so receptive to adding and tweaking things. This feels more to me like a crowd hobby product than a mass-produced device like you would normally expect. I have enjoyed the whole process myself, even if my wallet is mad at me


----------



## miceblue

muinarc said:


> cimbolic said:
> 
> 
> > Will the ~$1,000 RETAIL version be *distinguishable* from the initial test batches that people backed for $299?
> ...



Yes, but 1) I ordered upgrades to make it $1000, the default Pulse was set to launch at $500; I would certainly not pay $1000 for any single device, 2) no one here knows what the Pulse sounds like except for Larry, so no one can accurately say "oh yes, of course it'll be worth $1000;" you all are just making wild assumptions that the stock unit's 100% price increase is somehow justified.


----------



## Muinarc

It (the price of a optioned-out version) is justified by you paying that much. We all justified it, even with no one hearing it. Did someone say the base Pulse would be $1,000? I read the earlier remark as being for the upgraded uber models most people seem to have bought. If I read that wrong and they meant the Base model is now $1k.... well that seems a little steep to me too.

It would be interesting to know how many people bought only 1 base model Pulse in the campaign, I wouln't be surprised that it's a small number, most people that I saw mention getting a base model were getting it as a 2nd unit.


----------



## Zoo Animal

My guess is that they will come out with something similar to the original Pulse idea which was a GO with RCA outs. 0% frills and a very low price
  
  
 The Pulse got frilly b it by bit as time went on. I do like all those frills though and looking at the competition it's not hard to imagine $1K


----------



## LucasB

According to this test
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/528380/electrolytic-capacitors-used-in-audio-dc-blocking-comparison-tread
 elna silmic seem to be one of the best to get, really good! Just depending if "warmer" (old) or more "neutral" (new)
 Wow!


----------



## sbradley02

lucasb said:


> According to this test
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/528380/electrolytic-capacitors-used-in-audio-dc-blocking-comparison-tread
> elna silmic seem to be one of the best to get, really good! Just depending if "warmer" (old) or more "neutral" (new)
> Wow!


 

 Are they using them for DC blocking? If they are using a bipolar supply which I truly hope is the case, they would not be required.
 looking at the original post I highly doubt these are being used for coupling:
 "In Geek Pulse key analog stage *supply* part, I decide to add 4 Elna RFS II Capacitors there."


----------



## walfredo

> Yes, but 1) I ordered upgrades to make it $1000, the default Pulse was set to launch at $500; I would certainly not pay $1000 for any single device, 2) no one here knows what the Pulse sounds like except for Larry, so no one can accurately say "oh yes, of course it'll be worth $1000;" you all are just making wild assumptions that the stock unit's 100% price increase is somehow justified.


 
  
 I agree having this discussion before people actually hear the product is a bit silly.
  
 But, since when price has to be "justified"?  This is not how free market works.  Sellers are free to charge whatever they want.  Buyers are free to buy what they want.


----------



## Larry Ho

sbradley02 said:


> Are they using them for DC blocking? If they are using a bipolar supply which I truly hope is the case, they would not be required.
> looking at the original post I highly doubt these are being used for coupling:
> "In Geek Pulse key analog stage *supply* part, I decide to add 4 Elna RFS II Capacitors there."


 
 DC blocking cap?  Oh... no. I only use them in tube circuit and I still prefer the sound of IT. 
  
 Bipolar power supply is my favor.   
  
 Geek Out, Geek Pulse, Geek Wave's signals are ALL direct coupled. No Caps in signal chain.


----------



## LucasB

Oh!
 Thanks!
 Didn´t check where implemented. But good raising the question and thank you Larry Ho, now we even know more.
 I am not so much into audio circuits, but nice to learn something again!


----------



## sbradley02

Here is a good article
 Hopefully my addition below is mostly correct
 There are two cases where you need a coupling capacitor. All single supply circuits must use them because otherwise the AC signal cannot go negative in respect to ground. Also in a bipolar supply circuit, small circuit differences can cause a DC offset. This is usually eliminated through the use of some form of DC servo.
  
 Only film capacitors are reasonably linear with audio signals, and since the value must be high to avoid bass roll-off, an appropriate film capacitor would be enormous so these end up typically being some form of electrolytic which are notoriously non-linear with respect to AC. Portable devices that use these should be avoided IMO. As a personal example my Fiio (DC coupled) X3 blew away my previous Colorfly C4 (capacitor coupled).
  
 It would be interesting to hear how LH is deriving V- from a single 12V supply. There are a few different approaches.


----------



## FraGGleR

miceblue said:


> Yes, but 1) I ordered upgrades to make it $1000, the default Pulse was set to launch at $500; I would certainly not pay $1000 for any single device, 2) no one here knows what the Pulse sounds like except for Larry, so no one can accurately say "oh yes, of course it'll be worth $1000;" you all are just making wild assumptions that the stock unit's 100% price increase is somehow justified.


 
 I have only read the last couple pages or so, but where does it say that the Pulse base model is going to MSRP at $1000?  And if you are paying $1000 through the campaign, then you have the maxed out version with LPS, and that bundle certainly isn't going to retail for what you paid for it.  It would be hard to imagine it retailing for less than $2K.  Since everyone is basically talking out of their arses right now, so will I.  There was no price increase.  The most basic Pulse will remain at $500 MSRP, and if you got in as a GEEK Out backer, it was a steal at $200 (based on reviews of both the Da Vinci and the GEEK Out, LHLabs seems to know what they are doing).  The MSRP of a fully loaded Pulse X with LPS will likely be north of $2000, which would still be a relative bargain when you have zero DACs that use femto clocks retailing for under $3.5K.  I can't debate if femto clocks are actually worth it, but since I paid less than $200 for them instead of $2000 for them, the Pulse is already a screaming deal in my mind.  Once we finally hear it, we can scream bloody murder or weep tears of joy, but until then, based on the cost of components and what products that use them retail for, we are definitely getting a very good deal (ie. it is worth the price).  I think people on both extremes of the spectrum need to chill for a bit.


----------



## miceblue

larry ho said:


> For your reference: Besides IGG backers, no one in the world will see this $299 price tag again...
> 
> We will decide the final retail price after the material cost and assembly/QC cost is confirmed.
> But from what I see now, it seems won't go under $1000.



$299 was the early backer price for the stock Geek Pulse, so I'm interpreting that the stock Geek Pulse will be over $1000 retail.


----------



## FraGGleR

miceblue said:


> $299 was the early backer price for the stock Geek Pulse, so I'm interpreting that the stock Geek Pulse will be over $1000 retail.


 
 Thanks.  I will be pretty surprised if the stock Pulse is priced at $1000 retail.  But then again, the Concero HD/HPs are the only devices that I have seen out so far that use the mobile 9018 chipset and those go for $800+ each and the Pulse is a combo unit.  Well, then as an early backer, we are getting an even better deal than I originally thought.  A fully loaded is probably going to be over $2500 retail if the base pricing holds.  This will be going up against PerfectWaves and Master 7s now.  REALLY interested to see those comparisons.  Kind of mad at myself for not getting an additional one for the office now.
  
 Just keep in mind that LHLabs is doing something very out of the ordinary by including us in the design of their devices.  I know a lot of people, even backers of their products, can't handle that kind of uncertainty and fluidity, but I am very grateful that they are listening and am happy to be patient and give them the benefit of the doubt.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I'm with you on that one... When I backed the Pulse initially I was like: "dude, its like the ConceroHP and HD in one box, what a deal at $500 and even better at the super early bird price!!!" 

But then came the X version and I thought, "well now we'll be getting into x-matrix territory".. But after LPS, lightspeed1G, femto clocks, analog stage upgrades, etc.... And the Larry's words like "This IS our next level DAC" and "We are aiming at the $2.5k to $3.5k crowd"....... The fully loaded Pulse will not be less $2000....

But if the Pulse does comes out at around $850.... It will be right against the Concero an will be basically both models together


----------



## LucasB

Interesting, very good to know all this. I remember switching gear for head-phone out from laptop to an old Yamaha amp and still the old and used amp's out was better then modern laptop's one. Will take a look inside and maybe I will discover it has one of the better implementations! Only it is 20 years old doesn´t mean it's not good.
 I am really thrilled to know we get such a quality dac, since I read on lhlabs that firmware can be updated. So software can be updated in the future. Would be good to know if this includes only interface and on-board stuff or as well audio-filter and things like that.
  
 (Comparing the dac to what´s out there I do not only look for the same dac-chip but also the price. I personally think even big consumer companies like sony, onkyo, teac, ... have good dac´s at this price point comparing to the basic pulse - but with all the latest improvements here I guess the pulse will be better. Have you seen this for comparison for the dual-mono: http://www.head-fi.org/t/697035/ibasso-dx90-dual-sabre-es9018k2m-new-amp-section-review-1st-page-post-your-impressions)


----------



## amham

My problem with the LH gang is they had a weak product plan to begin with...just a bare outline of a product which they did not have fully fleshed out.  So, they lost control of the project with innumerable add-on's. updates and perks.  This ballooned into some 20 plus varieties.  Who can keep track of such a monster in development and production?  With all these varieties they have to somehow maintain the quality/performance across all the possible complications and interactions.  This is tough to do with a single design but with all of their models, what kind of product will emerge?  I bet they are kicking themselves for letting this get so out of control!


----------



## LucasB

I can see your point, but In my opinion you are a bit fast-judging. The variations have been added because of demand not because of try and error. I dealt a little bit with product "families" - every company has it if you look around: From small to big car. From heavy to light bicycle. From mediocre to accurate dac. If you have spent time on a subject switching only one part on a product cost- or performance wise is actually not so hard. The difficulty is to only offer where there is a demand, otherwise it gets ridiculously. And exactly that they have done. As far as I know compared to 90% of all crowd-funding-campaingns out there they are good in time! But I would agree that there is improvement on the timetable. But said again, most crowd funding-campaings lack that, because the future is just so hard to predict.


----------



## eliwankenobi

The Pulse, very much like the Geek Out and now the Wave, were also a market research project as much as a different way to launch a product. LH Labs was like: "Well we have this product idea and we are thinking on this....,but please tell us what you think and how we could make it better". The community who backed the project gave their options and the Geek Out ended up with 3 variations and a different DAC chip than what was originally plan.... Yes Pulse put that on steroids if you will. I personally give my kudos to LHLabs to try to please with the different configurations of the Pulse. Sure its difficult, but after all is said and done they will have a rather large installed base of probably happy customers (extrapolating from GO reports). 

The wave, which is their last campaign will be no different and they say so in their campaign, "we want your suggestions on how we can make it better". They already have different configurations and I believe those will grow over the course of the campaign. Wouldn't be surprised if we end up seeing a dual mono Wave too!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Don't remind me eli..
  
 Geek Wave Xfi !!
 Dual-mono ES9018K2M + fpga + femto +  Active/Passive component.
  
Its just like my maxed out Geek Pulse made to a portable multifunction DAP.


----------



## LucasB

Although I would agree with amham, that with the wave online, it is hard to imagine the pulse gets all attention. But I think and hope it is only the communication that moved on to the next project while the design&engineering stays with pulse. At least that is how I understood Mr Larry Ho from his last posts. I really hope they think about the firmware good: Having a powerful processor would enable future features and filters (if only the interface would´t be so clean). Different dedicated settings for the headphones would be great. Now with the display this could be even further taken to mono-originaldirect(stereo)-3dA-3dstandardCross-...
  
 Just saying because if the dac will be really that good I am thinking to investing maybe in something like a miniDSP(+dirac) between source and dac or dac and amp and that makes me think, why the pulse cannot perform more onboard processing before heaving the notoriously good outs at the end, why just have this processor only doing the 3da? Then most would not need any further signal processing. Maybe at least one of the 2spdif rca-style-in could be changed to bnc-style-in(also spdif) (or a whole different story: i2s direct-in or a world clock, but I guess it is too late).
 That way it would feature the whole palette of spdif:
 -rca&toslink
 -bnc
 -aes/ebu
 And in additional:
 -usb
  
 I hope the processor will be the the thing that makes it future-proof and adds some features!
  
 If even the wave has now a dedicated fpga: Can't the "duet engine" be integrated in the pulse as well (with a dedicated bypass for direct dac)?


----------



## Muinarc

I'm just hoping I get mine by around November


----------



## Case

muinarc said:


> I'm just hoping I get mine by around November


 

 Pulse shipping before Christmas would be a surprise at this point.
  
 On another note, it seems lhlabs forums are now censored, posted messages do not appear before they are approved by a mod.


----------



## miceblue

case said:


> muinarc said:
> 
> 
> > I'm just hoping I get mine by around November
> ...



Wow, that's pretty lame.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep mine are posted as I hit it send...
 Mice's have posted some strong arguments/insights and are still there.


----------



## Argybargy

Anyone have an updated ETA for the balanced Pulse with femto clock?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Last update is that Larry will publish some pics and measurements before sending a beta unit. (from GF forum)


----------



## eliwankenobi

lucasb said:


> Just saying because if the dac will be really that good I am thinking to investing maybe in something like a miniDSP(+dirac) between source and dac or dac and amp and that makes me think, why the pulse cannot perform more onboard processing before heaving the notoriously good outs at the end, why just have this processor only doing the 3da? Then most would not need any further signal processing. Maybe at least one of the 2rca digital could be changed to bnc-in or i2s direct-in or a world clock, but I guess it is too late (why 2 rca?). So I hope the processor will be the the thing that makes it future-proof and adds some features!


 
 You know, you can just buy the Dirac software and create filters that you can load directly into JRiver Media Center.


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Last update is that Larry will publish some pics and measurements before sending a beta unit. (from GF forum)


 
 The day a picture is posted, will be the day I change my profile picture here!


----------



## Muinarc

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Last update is that Larry will publish some pics and measurements before sending a beta unit. (from GF forum)




I like pictures


----------



## germay0653

eliwankenobi said:


> The day a picture is posted, will be the day I change my profile picture here!


 

 I bet they're just pictures of the PCBs.


----------



## eliwankenobi

germay0653 said:


> I bet they're just pictures of the PCBs.




Oh great, DAC Porn! Oh la la! LOL!!


----------



## germay0653

eliwankenobi said:


>


 

 Yeah, baby, yeah.  Does it make you randy?


----------



## eliwankenobi

germay0653 said:


> Yeah, baby, yeah.  Does it make you randy?




Something like this (jump to 2:50)

http://youtu.be/dJ62VrJ7XC8

;-p


----------



## germay0653

eliwankenobi said:


> Something like this (jump to 2:50)
> 
> http://youtu.be/dJ62VrJ7XC8
> 
> ;-p


 

 Oh, that's just classic!   I got a good yuck out of that and on Newegg no less.


----------



## eliwankenobi

germay0653 said:


> Oh, that's just classic!   I got a good yuck out of that and on Newegg no less.




I know right?! It's a good little show about tech stuff in general... Wish someone would do that for DACs and headphones... The PulseX next to some hd800s or LCD-X.

So funny, yet so true


----------



## Muinarc

Did we ever find out what decision was made re: SPDIF out?


----------



## RHMMMM

Yeah, they removed it and I am quite sure the consensus from voting was to replace the option with a Mu metal shield over the clock. If you are interested in this DAC, you need to sign up over at the Geek Force forums at lhlabs.com and follow the threads there. It is the defacto source of information on this.


----------



## Muinarc

Thanks, I would but I have accounts in like 20 forums and I'm happy enough getting 2nd hand info here in Head-Fi lol.


----------



## uncola

eliwankenobi said:


> I know right?! It's a good little show about tech stuff in general... Wish someone would do that for DACs and headphones... The PulseX next to some hd800s or LCD-X.
> 
> So funny, yet so true


 
 This is very offtopic, but there was a video series about this called Unboxing Porn on revision 3  https://revision3.com/unboxingporn


----------



## LucasB

Hope the shield is not only over the clocks, but also over the part the clock is going to: the dac IC, so clock and dac are under one roof.
 A 2 Layer shielding will be really good. The outer case as general shield and the mu-metal for the high-precision parts. Wow!


----------



## eliwankenobi

Afaik, the mu metal shield will cover the clocks only


----------



## LucasB

So at least the generation of the signal is immune to emi - guess a bigger mu-metal-housing would cost maybe too much? At some point it is maybe just good enough - if the signal is strong and the path is short from clock to dac that is maybe sufficient.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

eliwankenobi said:


> Afaik, the mu metal shield will cover the clocks only


 
  
 And the super quite clock power supply too...


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> And the super quite clock power supply too...




Ah, yes!! The power supply as well

Grazie mille!


----------



## LucasB

Anybody knows if of all that spdif as well a bnc-spdif will be onboard? I have one specific item in mind for connecting to the pulse that only features bnc-spdif.


----------



## RHMMMM

I don't think it has BNC, but BNC to RCA adapters do exist and work fine. In fact they came with my Stereovox XV2 coax digital cable...


----------



## LucasB

Yeah I know. But I looked it up on wikipedia and even if both are 75OHM in the spdif-specs, the bnc-style has a little bit different voltage levels. I just thought since we all have 2 rca, I would be up for switching one. Buying another adapter is possible but just thinking why… I do not know why some source-drivers (multi-disc or sd-players) feature only bnc-style out. We will see. Anyway it is a good dac already.


----------



## germay0653

lucasb said:


> Yeah I know. But I looked it up on wikipedia and even if both are 75OHM in the spdif-specs, the bnc-style has a little bit different voltage levels. I just thought since we all have 2 rca, I would be up for switching one. Buying another adapter is possible but just thinking why… I do not know why some source-drivers (multi-disc or sd-players) feature only bnc-style out. We will see. Anyway it is a good dac already.


 

 I asked Larry to include a BNC S/PDIF connection way back in the beginning of the campaign but he stated that most people use RCA therefore BNC would not be included.


----------



## pearljam50000

Humm i missed the campaign, is it possible in anyway to still buy for 300$?


----------



## LucasB

They always intended to sell it afterwards on a regular way. You find information on their website.
  
 Mu-metal even over the clock-supply is really good!
  
 Anybody knows if the case ground-lift-switch from the ideas back in 2013 made it to the model?


----------



## AxelCloris

pearljam50000 said:


> Humm i missed the campaign, is it possible in anyway to still buy for 300$?


 
  
 While there's been no official word on it I would venture to assume no. They had two Indiegogo campaigns, the original and then a second one for those who were late to the party and missed the first one. They may do something for those wanting a Pulse during the Wave campaign, but I would say the odds are against that.


----------



## pearljam50000




----------



## kugino

Does anyone know what connection the pulse will use with the LPS? Is it the same that the Woo WA7 uses? If so, I'm wondering if the wa7 LPS or the new tube power supply would work with the pulse.


----------



## AxelCloris

kugino said:


> Does anyone know what connection the pulse will use with the LPS? Is it the same that the Woo WA7 uses? If so, I'm wondering if the wa7 LPS or the new tube power supply would work with the pulse.


 
  
 The umbilical cable will be using a standard 12V round DC connector on the Pulse side and this Molex connector on the LPS side.


----------



## Watcherq

pearljam50000 said:


>


 
 Don't worry, keep monitoring; I'm sure someone wants to bug out of their order as time goes by...


----------



## AxelCloris

For those who use the list functionality, the listing for the Geek Pulse has been created. Unfortunately there's no images of the finalized Pulse design just yet so it's devoid of any photos. But that'll change once the LHLabs team releases them on the forums.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/lhlabs-geek-pulse


----------



## musicinmymind

There are so many Geek products coming out, difficult to track for an new entry guy like me.
  
 is this site I need to place the pre-order?  http://geek.lhlabs.com/
  
 [size=x-small]also where can I order Super speed USB cable, what are SQ [/size]benefits because of super speed?[size=x-small] [/size]


----------



## eliwankenobi

musicinmymind said:


> There are so many Geek products coming out, difficult to track for an new entry guy like me.
> 
> is this site I need to place the pre-order?  http://geek.lhlabs.com/
> 
> also where can I order Super speed USB cable, what are SQ benefits because of super speed?




Yes, the LHLabs website is the official site for anything geek out, pulse and wave.

That's not too many products is it?

From there you can pre-order a geek out. They used to have a Geek Stop where one could preorder cables and stuff too, but its not there anymore. Perhaps they will make a new store for that, when all cables become available with the Geek Pulse.

The promise of the lhlabs usb cables is higher bandwidth than usb2.0 spec and data cables isolation from power. All in the the of reducing jitter.

Their only available usb cable is the lightning usb cable. There are several reviews online


----------



## pearljam50000

Humm where can i order the Pulse?


----------



## AxelCloris

Currently there is no place to order the Pulse. But if they do like they did for the Geek Out, they should have a pre-order available in the near future.


----------



## germay0653

pearljam50000 said:


> Humm where can i order the Pulse?


 

 You could email cs@lhlabs.com and ask but there are no guarantees that they will let you.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

In case it hasn't posted yet....
  
*Updates (from GF Forum):*
  
  

 
Larry Ho
Moderator




OFFLINE
Karma: 41  
  *Hercules Cheung wrote:* _Geek Wave campaign seems steering both of your away, time to wrap up or provide update on Geek Pulse Project

 Larry:
 1. Op-Amp selection / Active Components upgrade result
 2. Muses 7001 test and upgrade on LPS/LPS4

 Gavin:
 1. Backer Survey
 2. Updated rewards list from referral program
 3. incorrect contribution in Beta Survey still not corrected.

 Any body can add more if not covered above._


 MUSE7001? I found a good one that is the same quality in my ear, but doesn't cost that much.
 Next two weeks, we will do the combination test Geek Pulse + Geek LPS to confirm.

 OpAmp selection. I seems update somewhere is other forums (Head-Fi?)
 Sorry, after making 100+ posts per day, my memory is full... LOL

 The OpAmps selection will be finalized by the end of this month. Now, my top pick is
 * LME49990 as line driver plus the Elna Silmik Cap, and Murata C0G by passing cap.
 (Yes. Cap and Amp needs to consider together)
 * A surprising candidate just sent to Lab for current to voltage analog part. ADA4898
 Very high bandwidth and smooth in high frequency.
 So for IV, we have MUSE, OPA1612 and this one... It's a tough choice, I have to say.
 * For the gain stage, I love to use LM4562 in balanced (and maybe AD827 in Single-ended)
 (Yes. The amp sounds its best in the right topology)

 Without getting too technical here, conclusion: We are on the very right track!

 Enjoy!


----------



## Muinarc

Thanks for that update mickey. Lots of tweaking going on still it seems.


----------



## LucasB

Just stumbled arcross this:
 http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/documents/uploads/data_sheets/en/WM8804.pdf
 Anybody knows if the spdif is directly feed into the sabre or by some part like this spdif receiver with pass-through-option? Or is this part of light-harmonics re-clock patent?
  
 And there seems to be a new kid on the block regarding ldo:
 ADM7150
  
 Is the pulse using any ldo (I guess yes?) and anybody any information which one?
  
 Best


----------



## D3Seeker

I want this. Seem to be close with the thread skimming I've done (not a lot admittedly)


----------



## Muinarc

Depends on what you call close 


I want one too!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Update: Femto in FFT graph.
  

 



Larry Ho
Moderator





OFFLINE
Karma: 42  
   Finish few good tests for Femto. In FFT graph, it looks AMAZING!

 Now this weekend, time for listening... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Gosh, I would really love to let you guys hear it ASAP.

 Larry


----------



## Muinarc

I wonder what Larry likes to listen to when he evaluates this stuff? Has anyone asked him in the LH forum?


----------



## germay0653

muinarc said:


> I wonder what Larry likes to listen to when he evaluates this stuff? Has anyone asked him in the LH forum?


 

 Larry likes a lot of stuff.  Look at his Facebook page!
  
 https://www.facebook.com/larry.ho.heyuan/music


----------



## eliwankenobi

germay0653 said:


> Larry likes a lot of stuff.  Look at his Facebook page!
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/larry.ho.heyuan/music


 
 NICE!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

As a following on the last update about the Femtos, Larry H. did had some listening during the weekend on the Pulse and Pulse X with Femtos.
  
 And here is his response from the GF Forum,
  

 
Larry Ho
Moderator




OFFLINE
Karma: 42  
   I took a lot of time 'resting' by listening to the new Femto clock.
 So nice that I forget I need to do the A/B test for around two hours.
 Just keep switching tracks to tracks, albums to albums....
 I hate that I need to stop myself for turning myself back to 'working' mode.

 So here is what I got. Sorry, I'm not professional reviewer and short of punching words. I just wrote what I hear directly.

 <Femto Clocks in Geek Pulse X>
 1. It adds the final touch of the sweet and natural mid range that I tried to get. For dual mono, full balanced circuit, the sound stage and accuracy will never be a problem if properly designed. With Femto clocks there, finally we have a natural mid range and sweet vocal there. A lovely surprise.

 2. Back ground is definitely darker. But not in the silence middle of the notes, it is within the few mini seconds right after the music notes. It's subtle in the beginning, but you could hear that in few minutes. Every notes seems could stop when it should stop, no further then that...

 <A/B Test for With and Without Femto>

 The major differences are
 1. High frequency transicient and smoothness. This is the most talked-about and easy to tell... If you love violin or guitar like me, bingo!
 2. Again, darker background.
 3. The coherence of music really gets to another level.

 Sound stage is still nice and wide and deep, with or without Femto. Or should I said, improvement is subtle.
 Also, I need to check Femto with Geek Pulse S in next few days to see how it goes.

 I know, I got lucky. I could hear this good device before you guys. But I work hard for this one too... Right? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 For the rest or good descriptions, I would rather to let you guys write it when you hear it.

 Next step: I think I would give some different configuration for Amplification Stage for the DAC with Femto clocks.
 It should has more potential. I just need to dig it out. Also, maybe LPF need to fine tuned the corner frequency up a little bit.

 When we settle the first version. I think following the schedule, we should have few nice Beta units sent out for Geek Force next month.

 Larry


----------



## eac3

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> As a following on the last update about the Femtos, Larry H. did had some listening during the weekend on the Pulse and Pulse X with Femtos.
> 
> And here is his response from the GF Forum,
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Thanks. I am not sure if this makes sense but would really like to see a similar comparison done with Pusle X and Pulse S...both with Femto upgrade. I no longer have balance headphones and all of the other headphones I am currently looking at for a future purchase are single-ended (HE-400, Fostex TH-600)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

In due time Bro....And its not Beta yet.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So just wondering, if one were to buy the Geek pulse X instead of the S, does that mean if you ever wanted to use a separate amp you would have to use a balanced amp?


----------



## kugino

ethereal sound said:


> So just wondering, if one were to buy the Geek pulse X instead of the S, does that mean if you ever wanted to use a separate amp you would have to use a balanced amp?


 
 not sure exactly what you're asking. are you asking if you want to attach another amp to the pulse x, would that amp have to be balanced? the answer is no. i believe the pulse x will have both balanced and single-ended outputs, so you can attach a SE amp to the pulse x.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

kugino said:


> not sure exactly what you're asking. are you asking if you want to attach another amp to the pulse x, would that amp have to be balanced? the answer is no. i believe the pulse x will have both balanced and single-ended outputs, so you can attach a SE amp to the pulse x.


 
  
 Yeah, what I was asking is if I use the pulse X as a standalone DAC, would the separate amp have to be balanced as well?


----------



## AxelCloris

ethereal sound said:


> Yeah, what I was asking is if I use the pulse X as a standalone DAC, would the separate amp have to be balanced as well?


 
  
 The Pulse X has both balanced 3-pin XLR and stereo RCA outputs. Both of those will be balanced outputs but you can still connect to a non-balanced amp and get great sound. A balanced amp will pair a little better since it will maintain the separation throughout, but if you want to use it with a non-balanced headphone amp it'll still work.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

axelcloris said:


> The Pulse X has both balanced 3-pin XLR and stereo RCA outputs. Both of those will be balanced outputs but you can still connect to a non-balanced amp and get great sound. A balanced amp will pair a little better since it will maintain the separation throughout, but if you want to use it with a non-balanced headphone amp it'll still work.


 
  
 Oh, one more thing. I was checking out the indiegogo site and I noticed that the Geek pulse X has 1/4 headphone jack. I thought that the X only had the 4 pin jack. Is this and update or something and does it mean that you don't need a balanced cable to use the X


----------



## AxelCloris

ethereal sound said:


> Oh, one more thing. I was checking out the indiegogo site and I noticed that the Geek pulse X has 1/4 headphone jack. I thought that the X only had the 4 pin jack. Is this and update or something and does it mean that you don't need a balanced cable to use the X


 
  
 They added a 1/4" output near the end of the first IGG campaign, so Pulse X users get both. One thing to note is that the 1/4" has 3.5 Vrms output where the 4-pin XLR has 7. You certainly won't need a balanced headphone to use the X, but the power difference could have a small impact on your experience. But it certainly won't be a drastic change between them.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Also, Larry is optimizing both 1/4" and balanced output with different components. So its not like they are just taking the positive leads and ground and called it a day


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Just a follow up on my post on: http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/1590#post_10499712
 Regarding on Larry's weekend listen on Pulse/Pulse X with Femto.
  
 There were questions after, was there Mu shielding, filter used, opamp used etc.
  
 So here are other parameters during that event
  

 



Larry Ho
Moderator





OFFLINE
Karma: 42  
   Good questions:

 1. Mu metal shield? Not yet... They are making it. Well... Since I'm EE, I always said: Why you ME guys are so slow? LOL...
 And I got some rolling eyes.

 2. This is ESS Linear Filter. So with M.P filter, it will be even better! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 3. LME49990 and OPA1612 in this configuration.

 From the feedbacks of the Geek Out first time users, most of them express the excitement of sound for its wide, expanded sound stage, natural and extended highs and very dark background.
 We heard the same feedbacks three years ago, when a lot of senior audiophile listen to our Da Vinci DAC debut in Axpona.

 I'm glad to know that we could achieve a relatively consistent Light Harmonic House sound from products to products.

 Geek Pulse with Femto.... Let's wait and see.

 Larry


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## Muinarc

Nice stuff. What is the "M.P filter" he mentions? I don't know much about filters, just what they do/how they work.


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## junker

muinarc said:


> Nice stuff. What is the "M.P filter" he mentions? I don't know much about filters, just what they do/how they work.


 
 Minimum phase. Steep filters "ring" when there is an impulse signal like a sharp spike. Real world things ring all the time after an event... think a drum whack as it decays or a piano note as it hangs.
  
 The problem is with a normal "linear" filter is that the ringing happens *before* and after the event. A decaying tail isn't that big of a deal, but the pre-ring sounds really weird and unnatural. The minimum phase filter shifts the pre-ring over to the post ring. And there are other considerations as well so as to not make the tail longer than necessary.
  
 With normal 44.1HKz material that is when the slope is crazy steep, but with higher res material gentler filters can be used. With, 44.1 KHz the slope (steepness) of the digital filter can be relaxed a little and started a bit earlier to really knock down the ringing. This usually sounds a lot more natural if you don't mind losing a dB or so at the very, very top. ESS has a fast and slow linear filter baked-in but no minimum phase filter. 
  
 This is the Ayre paper on their filter that is a pretty good primer:
  
 http://www.ayre.com/pdf/Ayre_MP_White_Paper.pdf
  
 Cheers.


----------



## Muinarc

Ah got it, I've actually read that Ayre paper before but I will probably re-read it later so thanks for posting it!


----------



## Muinarc

Received the campaign update last night, saw that the Pulse front panel is due in soon? I'd love to see pictures of that when it's in!


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## eliwankenobi

Yeah! We all are!!


----------



## Muinarc

Almost slipped off the front page of this forum section, we can't have that! 

I was looking into the Mu metal shields, are there any DACs using this that anyone knows about? Thought I'd do some more reading on the subject.


----------



## junker

muinarc said:


> Almost slipped off the front page of this forum section, we can't have that!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 MSB Diamond


----------



## Muinarc

junker said:


> MSB Diamond



 


Thank you for that. Looking at a review; "MSB upgraded this model with these options: FemtoSecond Galaxy Clock ($9950)..." I'm into HiFi so the $20+ thousand dollar price tag doesn't surprise me, but $10k just for that option, hah.


----------



## eliwankenobi

speaking of which,
  
 I think we are due for a PCB picture aren't we?


----------



## Larry Ho

eliwankenobi said:


> speaking of which,
> 
> I think we are due for a PCB picture aren't we?


 
  
 Waiting for that mu metal shielding... Gee... We need a high precision one, and that vendor failed us two times.
  
 Hope we could get it right in third times.
  
 Larry


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## eliwankenobi

larry ho said:


> Waiting for that mu metal shielding... Gee... We need a high precision one, and that vendor failed us two times.
> 
> Hope we could get it right in third times.
> 
> Larry




Third time is the charm!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

No it its not Pulse....Hoping!!


----------



## germay0653

I think I see 5.1 SE outputs there!!


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## uncola

I love the look of those square housings around all the ports


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## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> No it its not Pulse....Hoping!!




Yeah, I thought for a moment it was our beloved Pulse, but nope, it's the Sire! If you zoom enough, you can spot the HDMI input there.

Now where is our picture of the Pulse PCB?


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## Muinarc

If the connectors used on the Pulse were as nice as those, I would put it on my desk backwards!


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

*FEMTO Update (from Larry):*
  

 



Larry Ho 
Moderator
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





   Femto Clock Test Part 2...

 Friday night.... A good time for listening some nice music and THE clocks.

 Now I'm using pre-production of LightSpeed USB 2G cable + Geek Pulse S + Femto * 2 + new hand wire tweaked on new power supply of Femto clocks. Cardas Clear cable, Ayre/Pass and Wilsons as usual.

 Sweet. But not too sweet.
 The extension of highs are still so nice.
 And one major difference is "the back ground is blacker then the pre-power-tweak"....

 So Geek Pulse X + Femto + power supply v2 compares to the current Geek Pulse S + Femto + power supply v2.5,
 who is the winner? I don't want to make the final judgement now. Expected to make the final components + circuits by the end of this month. So next month we could start the beta.

 I'm complete happy with the LightSpeed USB 2G and output stage of Geek Pulse S.
 And I would like to spend two more weeks with Femto to squeeze out its last bit of maximum performance.

 Larry


----------



## kugino

I have no idea what that means.


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## eliwankenobi

kugino said:


> I have no idea what that means.




Larry is referring to different component changes and different protoypes of advertided products for the campaign.

The femto clock
The power supply for the femto clock
Femto clock mu metal shield
Lightspeed 2G usb cable (2Gbps bandwidth)
External Linear power supply
The geek pulse x model (dual mono xlr)
Geek pulse s model (dual mono rca only)


----------



## EraserXIV

Wow, this still isn't out? Dodged a bullet with this one.


----------



## nicolo

eraserxiv said:


> Wow, this still isn't out? Dodged a bullet with this one.


 
 They had posted the schedule for delivery a while back, starting June/July. Nobody expected delivery before that anyway.


----------



## kugino

nicolo said:


> They had posted the schedule for delivery a while back, starting June/July. Nobody expected delivery before that anyway.


 
 back in january i said that realistically, i expected delivery in october. i think it'll be closer to october than june...i hope they prove me wrong.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Femto Clock Test Part 3
  
Want to see Geek Pulse's femto clock direct performance test result from Agilent E5052A?
  
Crystek Literature: http://www.crystek.com/crystal/spec-sheets/clock/CCHD-575.pdf
  
Phase Noises vs frequency.


----------



## pearljam50000

It's a bummer i cant orde it or even know how much it costs /:


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## eliwankenobi

The original suggested price of the Pulse was gonna be $499, but now after all the changes applied, it is expected to go higher, but a final figure is hard to tell.


----------



## pearljam50000

I hope it's lower than 499$


----------



## AgentXXL

pearljam50000 said:


> I hope it's lower than 499$


Good luck with your wish but based on how much the device changed over the course of the campaign, I wouldn't be surprised to see the price closer to double that. The Geek Force and the LH Labs design team really worked cooperatively to enhance the product so it's likely that only the campaign funders will get such a low price. Those that missed out on the campaign might get lucky watching for one in the used market, but I highly expect full retail to be higher. Just can't wait to hear and see it! 

Dale


----------



## kugino

agentxxl said:


> Good luck with your wish but based on how much the device changed over the course of the campaign, I wouldn't be surprised to see the price closer to double that. The Geek Force and the LH Labs design team really worked cooperatively to enhance the product so it's likely that only the campaign funders will get such a low price. Those that missed out on the campaign might get lucky watching for one in the used market, but I highly expect full retail to be higher. Just can't wait to hear and see it!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 yeah, i agree with you that the retail price will likely be higher.  but let's also remember that for the geek out, they said that the retail price would be $299+, but now the retail price is pretty much the same as most geek out backers paid (not counting the super duper early backers)...


----------



## germay0653

pearljam50000 said:


> I hope it's lower than 499$


 

 You might want to email them to see what you can purchase it for.


----------



## pearljam50000

germay0653 said:


> You might want to email them to see what you can purchase it for.


 
 lol, i don't think they have time for my emails with all the work they have....


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## eliwankenobi

I think maybe your best bet is find someone who might not have liked or has a need for his/her Pulse and wants to sell it


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

That will be very difficult you know. 

Sent thru my Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 ed.) using Tapatalk Pro


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## AxelCloris

I dunno, I would imagine that there will be people who will find they like something they already own more than the Pulse. So I wouldn't be surprised to see some available for sale second hand shortly after they've been shipped.


----------



## kugino

Yeah, just like the geek out, you'll find a lot of pulses on sale in the FS forum. Normal stuff around here.


----------



## jaywillin

i'm pretty sure i'll have something to sell, either a maxed out pulse x and power supply, or the gear i can replace


----------



## walfredo

So... anyone has an update on how the Geek Pulses are coming up?  Any new estimates on when they will start to come out?


----------



## mtruong34

walfredo said:


> So... anyone has an update on how the Geek Pulses are coming up?  Any new estimates on when they will start to come out?


 
 On the LH Labs forum, they post updates on project progression every Tuesday but they don't give completion updates.  Just stuff like "We'll be getting prototype 2 boards next week"  or "Round 2 of listening tests this week."


----------



## eac3

FYI:
  
  
 Quote:


> Jun 3rd update
> Larry Ho
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## walfredo

Thanks, guys!!
  
 But I really have no way to translate these updates into an ETA.  I have no idea of the impact of "We expected to see the Geek Pulse EP2 board show up on Monday but it didn't", for example.
  
 I know product development is hard and estimate dates ares just that... estimates.  But it would be cool if LH would update their delivery estimates, say, monthly or so. 
  
 Love,
 Walfredo


----------



## eliwankenobi

walfredo said:


> Thanks, guys!!
> 
> But I really have no way to translate these updates into an ETA.  I have no idea of the impact of "[COLOR=080808]We expected to see the Geek Pulse EP2 board show up on Monday but it didn't", for example.[/COLOR]
> 
> ...




I think the reason they havent is because in fact, they dont know. Not that its a terrible thing, certainly not what we want, but as you said, developent time is hard to estimate... There are always bumps along the way, and as we've seen, they get stuck whenever the new revision boards get delayed... Not their fault really, but I'm sure they are doing their part in getting their suppliers to hurry as much as possible.


----------



## Type35

Well, I beg to differ. LH Labs launched the Pulse campaign in December 2013 by showing a prototype. Larry Ho, the main developer, posted that Geek Pulse circuit is 60% similar to Geek Out and the power supply stage is supposed to be inspired from their Da Vinci DAC so how much R&D is really going on here? More than 5 months later, we still have yet to see a final rendering of the product, we have no clear idea about what the components are going to be (I am referring to the passive and active component upgrades for example), and last but not least, we still don't have a clue about the shipping time frame. In the meantime, LH Labs is launching other campaigns with new products when the original one (Geek Out) is still not enterily fulfilled (not everyone received their Geek Out, many open tickets for defective units, buggy volume control and driver). Even the new campaigns discount is not enticing: I bet once the products are launched, you'll be able to get the same discount during holidays specials and you won't bear the risk of buying a dud since reviews will already be out. If my money wasn't on the line, I might have been laughing.


----------



## jaywillin

type35 said:


> Well, I beg to differ. LH Labs launched the Pulse campaign in December 2013 by showing a prototype. Larry Ho, the main developer, posted that Geek Pulse circuit is 60% similar to Geek Out and the power supply stage is supposed to be inspired from their Da Vinci DAC so how much R&D is really going on here? More than 5 months later, we still have yet to see a final rendering of the product, we have no clear idea about what the components are going to be (I am referring to the passive and active component upgrades for example), and last but not least, we still don't have a clue about the shipping time frame. In the meantime, LH Labs is launching other campaigns with new products when the original one (Geek Out) is still not enterily fulfilled (not everyone received their Geek Out, many open tickets for defective units, buggy volume control and driver). Even the new campaigns discount is not enticing: I bet once the products are launched, you'll be able to get the same discount during holidays specials and you won't bear the risk of buying a dud since reviews will already be out. If my money wasn't on the line, I might have been laughing.


 

 this was my first crowd funding campaign to participate in , i really didn't expect that there wouldn't be issues. i participated in both campaigns , and, like lending money, only spent what i could afford to loose. i won't be real happy if i loose all that money, or if i get a crappy product, but no one forced me to spend anything, and i knew there would be risks
 thats the way i approached it


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

And some treat its as an item "purchase" rather than as a project "fund". 

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## TopQuark

They have a Pulse X plus Wave X128 on sale right now for $899 in Indiegogo.  This combination is about what I paid in February for the Pulse X so I do not see the benefit of early backers.
  
 I think LH Labs is trying hard to make their supporters happy but the manner they do it, the absence of functional details, how it is communicated, and pricing structure is providing a lot of confusion.  It seems they do everything in haste without careful planning before launching new products, upgrades, and perks.
  
 Geek became the talk of the town mainly when the Pulse was introduced.  Lots of free perks and reasonably priced add-ons - free Lightspeed Jr. USB cable, extended warranty, IR port, matched resistors, COG ceramic capacitors, low ESR capacitors, etc.  With this they were able to achieve over $1 million in sales very quick.
  
 They were trying to duplicate the same feat with the Wave and also driven by the success of Pono that raised over $6 million but, despite the clear superiority of the Wave, the campaign didn't pan out well because of the higher price of the units.  They tried to mitigate that by introducing the lower priced Wave 32 and 64 but by that time, it was already too late.  It even pissed off some backers who wanted the lower priced units to begin with.  In short, the fire that is in the Geek name fizzled out. 
  
 In as much as I want them to be successful because I supported both Pulse and Wave, the current $220,000+ (as of June 8) contribution for the Wave, to me, is not a success.  Having 27 variants or even possibly 51 variants of the unit will make manufacturing more costly with minimum lot charges and adds complexity in administration and distribution that is going drain margins.  The latest perks didn't helped either.  It alienated those who are using both IEM's and headphone because they started to market IEM-specific or headphone-specific models.  If I want the best player today and I am using an IEM for travel and using a full can at home, I'm caput.
  
 Marketing, marketing, marketing... They need to get prototype units out for people to start reviewing and listening to.  Get it to the hands of the reviewers fast.  Do this while the campaign is still going on.  Make Geek exciting again by making the contributors happy and they will spread the word.  I can get a free Wave if I tell it to several of my many friends but, at this moment of confusion and without hearing a single Geek unit myself, I didn't.


----------



## jaywillin

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> And some treat its as an item "purchase" rather than as a project "fund".
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


 

 exactly


----------



## miceblue

topquark said:


> They have a Pulse X plus Wave X128 on sale right now for $899 in Indiegogo.  This combination is about what I paid in February for the Pulse X so I do not see the benefit of early backers.
> 
> I think LH Labs is trying hard to make their supporters happy but the manner they do it, the absence of functional details, how it is communicated, and pricing structure is providing a lot of confusion.  It seems they do everything in haste without careful planning before launching new products, upgrades, and perks.
> ...
> They were trying to duplicate the same feat with the Wave and also driven by the success of Pono that raised over $6 million but, despite the clear superiority of the Wave, the campaign didn't pan out well because of the higher price of the units.  They tried to mitigate that by introducing the lower priced Wave 32 and 64 but by that time, it was already too late.  It even pissed off some backers who wanted the lower priced units to begin with.  In short, the fire that is in the Geek name fizzled out.



I agree with this. One of my friends saw the Geek Wave campaign and was so confused by it that he decided not to back it. These campaigns have gotten so ridiculous, out of hand, and are in such a disorganised mess it's not even funny. Another one of my friends is amused by the whole Geek campaigns because of how poorly delivered and organised they are. Yes, let's announce another product before delivering our first product! Yay for logic. Not to mention making 2 campaigns for basically the same thing: Geek Wave and Geek Wave. That's not confusing at all, nope.

I still have yet to receive my Geek Out, you know, the first product they wanted to make and they're already working on their next product after the Wave. What, are we going to expect the Geek Stream in 2016 while people are just receiving their Geek Pulse in 2015?


----------



## jaywillin

miceblue said:


> I agree with this. One of my friends saw the Geek Wave campaign and was so confused by it that he decided not to back it. These campaigns have gotten so ridiculous, out of hand, and are in such a disorganised mess it's not even funny.
> 
> I still have yet to receive my Geek Out, you know, the first product they wanted to make and they're already working on their next product after the Wave. What, are we going to expect the Geek Stream in 2016 while people are just receiving their Geek Pulse in 2015?


 

 i don't disagree, so i didn't back geek wave, and if i had known about geek pulse, i would have never backed geek out, i sold it in about 2-3 days lost about $15 bucks including shipping
 everything i did, i understood the risk's, and it was/is kinda fun


----------



## smial1966

Let's not be too harsh on the Geek team as they are treading pretty much uncharted water with the crowd funding platform. So whilst I agree that their multitudinous marketing options are confusing, I tend to think that this is genuninely due to attempting delivery of a top notch product with various sonic enhancements commensurate with a backers ability to pay. Of course if I'm wrong then Pono becomes my sonic panacea!


----------



## TopQuark

^^^ This.  I can't agree more.
  
 We want them to be successful and many people are willing to help.  Before the Wave "Rebooted" was publicized, they provide the details to the forum and everyone started to chip in.  They fixed A LOT of errors and made the rebooted campaign more organized.  They did a great job there is putting it up to the forum first.
  
 Then, boom.  The latest perks came out to the surprise of many.  Back to the old ways and back to square one.  I'm not someone who will get them to put it in the forum every time they introduce something out.  It's a leadership thing.  Needing to be more decisive, firm, and right which to be honest a severe weakness in their structure.
  
 LH today is technology driven.  That's what keeps it going.  I can understand why.  Da Vinci, after all, got their mark moreso on the merits of its technical excellence than anything else.  There is nothing to market or manufacture in a low volume, high margin type of business.  High volume and low margin products is a different animal that the rest of the components within the company needs to catch up.


----------



## miceblue

Yeah, I want LH to be successful, there's no question about that, but their campaign execution has been pretty mediocre.

Beginning of campaign, begin with cool idea.
Half way through that, add A, B, C D, E options.
Near end of campaign, add F, G, H, I options.
After campaign, oh, let's create this new idea.

During product development, cool idea 1 gets more fleshed out.
Later in the product development, actually, we change our mind and we should do this instead.
While people are patiently waiting for something to be made, "oh it looks like X, Y Z companies couldn't give us the parts on time and things will be delayed a month."
A month later, something gets something and it gets delayed again.
Meanwhile people are still waiting and are getting slightly frustrated.
Oh, let's launch the campaign for the next idea.

From 3 months ago: "In other news, I'm finishing up the survey right now. I'm very confident I'll have it emailed to you this week. Did you realize we offered 71 different perks?"
You would think from that campaign they would have learned their lesson about having too many options for too many products for too many people. The survey is still missing in action with no recent update about it other than "We're also working to perfect the survey system. As you know, this campaign got pretty complex. These complexities are challenging our web engineers' ability to make a system that works in all cases."

In response to this, they decide to make another complex product campaign (twice) and now they just added a bunch of things that people obviously don't understand. e.g. backed an XD Geek Wave thinking it was the best and now they have to purchase an additional perk to get what they originally wanted





So all in all, sure, I want LH labs to be successful with their products, but someone should seriously sit down and get things straight before primitively launching random campaigns with a million different add-ons. The information about the Geek Wave in its current state is very scarce and people are still confused as to what exactly it is. What the heck is Geek Aria, what the heck is Geek Wave, what the heck is this new Geek Wave, what the heck is the Geek S? The Geek Aria concept was made because LH strongly believed having another DAP is not needed and things should work from your smartphone. I guess they changed their mind once again. There are simply too many things and I think they should really focus on getting one thing right before moving on to the next.


----------



## jaywillin

you know, when both the geek out, and geek pulse campaigns were open and going , it was the greatest thing since sliced bread, and we are the ones who bought, asked for perks, made suggestions for perks .
 i remember folks saying during the campaign on this website, "be cautious" crowd funding sometimes is difficult, and doesn't pan out, i remember folks saying how they hoped they wouldn't loose money .
 and yet, we paid, and now are getting antsy , worried, second guessing LHlabs.
 the geek out i had, and sold, was better in my ears than i thought possible, and better than all the mini-dacs i've heard, for what i gave lhlabs, for what they delivered to me(i was a pretty early backer), was outfreakingstanding.  i say bravo, and i'm happy


----------



## AxelCloris

Yeah, crowdfunding does have issues. I backed a Macbook Pro dock over a year ago on Kickstarter and have yet to see anything more than "here are the cables that we're testing," come out in the updates. These things can take a long time. The original delivery estimate for the ZenDock was October and they are still nowhere near delivery as the parts they ordered don't even fit together. At least with LHLabs the Kickstarter backers are pretty much 100% done now aside from a few extraneous cases. With that done, the Indiegogo backers can finally start receiving theirs.
  
 In a nutshell, I'm still having a better experience with the Geeks than I have other KS projects.


----------



## Larry Ho

miceblue said:


> I agree with this. One of my friends saw the Geek Wave campaign and was so confused by it that he decided not to back it. These campaigns have gotten so ridiculous, out of hand, and are in such a disorganised mess it's not even funny. Another one of my friends is amused by the whole Geek campaigns because of how poorly delivered and organised they are. Yes, let's announce another product before delivering our first product! Yay for logic. Not to mention making 2 campaigns for basically the same thing: Geek Wave and Geek Wave. That's not confusing at all, nope.
> 
> I still have yet to receive my Geek Out, you know, the first product they wanted to make and they're already working on their next product after the Wave. What, are we going to expect the Geek Stream in 2016 while people are just receiving their Geek Pulse in 2015?


 
 Hi, Miceblue
  
 Thanks for your constructive criticism. But I do care about one thing here, you didn't get your Geek Out yet?  Is that shipping address issue? or anything else?
 Did you get your trouble ticket open? Could you let me know the number.
  
 Also, just FYI. We got really quite a lot "Thank you" email and message from every where.  I believe this is a good way to let 'early adopters' get a good taste of state-of-the-art technology in a related easier price.  Many of them express the same feeling here, they don't like delay, but Geek Out is making them happy. We don't want to compare ourselves with those over-one-year delay campaign. Geek Out start shipping on Feb. And finish up 99% by the end of May. 
  
 LH Labs will keep delivering. And you are welcome to let us know about how we could do it better!
  
 Thanks!
  
 Larry


----------



## Larry Ho

topquark said:


> They have a Pulse X plus Wave X128 on sale right now for $899 in Indiegogo.  This combination is about what I paid in February for the Pulse X so I do not see the benefit of early backers.
> 
> I think LH Labs is trying hard to make their supporters happy but the manner they do it, the absence of functional details, how it is communicated, and pricing structure is providing a lot of confusion.  It seems they do everything in haste without careful planning before launching new products, upgrades, and perks.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for your advice. And Gavin brought a good sounding prototype with him in New Port Beach Show. I will let Gavin updates what people said... 
  
 Larry


----------



## jaywillin

larry ho said:


> Hi, Miceblue
> 
> Thanks for your constructive criticism. But I do care about one thing here, you didn't get your Geek Out yet?  Is that shipping address issue? or anything else?
> Did you get your trouble ticket open? Could you let me know the number.
> ...


 

 larry,
 i didn't contact y'all to say thank you, so i'll say it here, publicly, THANK YOU !
 the geek out was far better than i hoped.
 now, i'll wait patiently for my maxed out geek pulse x, take your time, i know we will be rewarded !!
 pass along my thanks, to all the geeks there ! you are or doing just fine !!
  
 -jay


----------



## kugino

miceblue said:


> Yeah, I want LH to be successful, there's no question about that, but their campaign execution has been pretty mediocre.
> 
> Beginning of campaign, begin with cool idea.
> Half way through that, add A, B, C D, E options.
> ...


 
 i don't usually agree with things you say, but this time, i say you have a strong point on many of these issues. i certainly understand how crowdfunding campaigns go as i've backed about 10 of them now. only one (so far) was a complete fail (i.e., did not ship at all). still, i think LH hasn't learned much from their different campaigns...totally being overwhelmed the first time is to be expected and understandable. to do the same mistakes again and again? irresponsible, IMO.


----------



## AxelCloris

larry ho said:


> Hi, Miceblue
> 
> Thanks for your constructive criticism. But I do care about one thing here, you didn't get your Geek Out yet?  Is that shipping address issue? or anything else?
> Did you get your trouble ticket open? Could you let me know the number.


 
  
 I may be overstepping here slightly, but I believe Miceblue is like me and joined during the IGG campaign. I do know he also won one of the Geeks from the CES contest. He has opened tickets in the past and spoke with Manny on multiple occasions.


----------



## MikeyFresh

jaywillin said:


> you know, when both the geek out, and geek pulse campaigns were open and going , it was the greatest thing since sliced bread, and we are the ones who bought, asked for perks, made suggestions for perks .
> i remember folks saying during the campaign on this website, "be cautious" crowd funding sometimes is difficult, and doesn't pan out, i remember folks saying how they hoped they wouldn't loose money .
> and yet, we paid, and now are getting antsy , worried, second guessing LHlabs.
> the geek out i had, and sold, was better in my ears than i thought possible, and better than all the mini-dacs i've heard, for what i gave lhlabs, for what they delivered to me(i was a pretty early backer), was outfreakingstanding.  i say bravo, and i'm happy


 

 +1, I backed a GO1000 at $219, and it is a stellar bargain in terms of sound quality at that price.
 Far and away surpassing my expectation level, you can connect it to a very high-end system and it does not call any negative attention to itself, more than holds it's own a multi-kilobuck setting.


----------



## miceblue

larry ho said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > I agree with this. One of my friends saw the Geek Wave campaign and was so confused by it that he decided not to back it. These campaigns have gotten so ridiculous, out of hand, and are in such a disorganised mess it's not even funny. Another one of my friends is amused by the whole Geek campaigns because of how poorly delivered and organised they are. Yes, let's announce another product before delivering our first product! Yay for logic. Not to mention making 2 campaigns for basically the same thing: Geek Wave and Geek Wave. That's not confusing at all, nope.
> ...



Hi Larry, thanks for taking the time to read my post. This is part of the reason why I have faith in LH to make high quality products, they listen to the people and they incorporate suggestions in their products. I really do hope you guys can improve the organisation of your campaigns and provide more transparent communication with what's going on.

As Axel mentioned below, I was one of the CES winners for the Geek Out. Originally I was told the GO would be shipping near the end of April and after waiting a few months. Then I was told the GO would be shipping the first week of June after not receiving any information about the GO being shipped near April. The first week of June has passed, and I still haven't heard anything about the GO being shipped so I've been kind of frustrated with the lack of communication. I'm fine with waiting for a product, and I'm sure you guys are spending a lot of time trying to make the best products possible, but without communication from the seller, it can make the customer feel a bit uneasy as to where things are and the status of the products they're expecting.

I did provide the shipping address to Manny via a ticket, and colour preference to Kim when she informed me about winning the CES opportunity back in January, so my information should be in your records.





axelcloris said:


> I may be overstepping here slightly, but I believe Miceblue is like me and joined during the IGG campaign. I do know he also won one of the Geeks from the CES contest. He has opened tickets in the past and spoke with Manny on multiple occasions.


----------



## hydesg

Anyone received news on the survey form ? Its been a while and i have not heard anything.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Not yet, He had promised it last week, but they were having problems with 2 logic flows.
  
 Gavin was also a bit frustrated of finding other problems after every solution.
  
 For other updates see this page: http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/progressreports-pulse.html


----------



## richbass

So when is the Geek Pulse S and X coming out finally?


----------



## kugino

richbass said:


> So when is the Geek Pulse S and X coming out finally?


No one knows. I've contended all along that we'll see them in september or October. Nothing has happened to convince me otherwise.


----------



## walfredo

kugino said:


> richbass said:
> 
> 
> > So when is the Geek Pulse S and X coming out finally?
> ...


 
  
 What makes you think we're receiving it so soon?  Please share the good insight.


----------



## kugino

walfredo said:


> What makes you think we're receiving it so soon?  Please share the good insight.


 
 yeah, i guess i'm just an optimist


----------



## dclaz

I backed a maxed out Geek PulseX with femto clock + other upgrades, and I guess I'll be happy if it arrives before xmas.


----------



## eliwankenobi

type35 said:


> Well, I beg to differ. LH Labs launched the Pulse campaign in December 2013 by showing a prototype. Larry Ho, the main developer, posted that Geek Pulse circuit is 60% similar to Geek Out and the power supply stage is supposed to be inspired from their Da Vinci DAC so how much R&D is really going on here? More than 5 months later, we still have yet to see a final rendering of the product, we have no clear idea about what the components are going to be (I am referring to the passive and active component upgrades for example), and last but not least, we still don't have a clue about the shipping time frame. In the meantime, LH Labs is launching other campaigns with new products when the original one (Geek Out) is still not enterily fulfilled (not everyone received their Geek Out, many open tickets for defective units, buggy volume control and driver). Even the new campaigns discount is not enticing: I bet once the products are launched, you'll be able to get the same discount during holidays specials and you won't bear the risk of buying a dud since reviews will already be out. If my money wasn't on the line, I might have been laughing.




The Pulse that is now and the Pulse originally planned are very different.... Many things in the design were changed, optimized (in planning stage) or redone... Including the different added perks like the LPS, femto clock options, analog stage upgrades, the change from the digital out to the clock shield and the new power supply.... Gavin himself said this Pulse is now THE next level desktop DAC they were going to develop instead of a desktop GeekOut... 

All thiose changes, plus delays in parts supplies, etc took more time than we all would have liked, but its a risk we all take when backing these sorts of projects... Nothing uncommon..


----------



## pearljam50000

They could at least announce the price.


----------



## eliwankenobi

topquark said:


> They have a Pulse X plus Wave X128 on sale right now for $899 in Indiegogo.  This combination is about what I paid in February for the Pulse X so I do not see the benefit of early backers.
> 
> I think LH Labs is trying hard to make their supporters happy but the manner they do it, the absence of functional details, how it is communicated, and pricing structure is providing a lot of confusion.  It seems they do everything in haste without careful planning before launching new products, upgrades, and perks.
> 
> ...




$899 is about the price for a PulseX with all the upgrades; LPS, femto clock, analog stage upgrades, etc... The perk is only for a PulseX with standard SMPS and no extra upgrades....

Regarding the different versions in question, I agree... It's almost like Burger King's "have it your way" campaign... Its nice that a company is open to do this sort of thing for those who only this and that feature, but as mention, its expensive and takes a lot of time.... But as with the GOs and the color schemes, both the Pulse and Wave products shall be limited to 2 or 3 models each and it will be a more standardized operation from there on....

I do would like them to stop after this campaign (wave) concentrate on delivering the products and then start working on the next campaign


----------



## uncola

Did you guys see the June 2 and June 10 progress reports?  on june 2 larry said they might add an OLED display and on june 10 they said the prototype 2 board should be delivered on june 11!


----------



## kothganesh

FWIW,
 my experience with LH reflects what has been posted on this thread. I was an early backer of the Out and have backed the Pulse X and the Wave. Until last week, I had very little information on whether/when the Geek Out would be shipped. I finally wrote a frustrated-sounding email to Gavin Fish who replied promptly. On his advice I opened up a ticket and lo and behold, I had the Out shipped to me (an upgraded one) the same day with tracking notification.
  
 I am sure the logistics need to be straightened out but this episode has sustained my hope for the other two products. I am hoping the Pulse shows up by Thanksgiving.


----------



## kugino

kothganesh said:


> FWIW,
> my experience with LH reflects what has been posted on this thread. I was an early backer of the Out and have backed the Pulse X and the Wave. Until last week, I had very little information on whether/when the Geek Out would be shipped. I finally wrote a frustrated-sounding email to Gavin Fish who replied promptly. On his advice I opened up a ticket and lo and behold, I had the Out shipped to me (an upgraded one) the same day with tracking notification.
> 
> I am sure the logistics need to be straightened out but this episode has sustained my hope for the other two products. I am hoping the Pulse shows up by Thanksgiving.


 
 i am glad you received your GO.
  
 but for me, this gives me less faith in the company and makes me look at them with even less respect. it seems like they are shipping off GOs to those who make a big stink and open a ticket...this does not solve the bigger issue of getting their survey done so that we can all receive our GOs.
  
 i received an email eons ago telling me that they were ready to ship out the GOs but needed to know whether i wanted to upgrade my order. so i paid $50 to the the wave campaign (that itself is a big dubious) to upgrade my order to the 720 GO. but no GO in sight since then, despite a number of emails making promises that have come and gone.


----------



## kothganesh

kugino said:


> i am glad you received your GO.
> 
> ...........


 
 Well, I live in India and this was shipped out late last week so....
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. I am hoping that there are lessons that have been learnt from this episode. I also believe that at some point in the product development process, there should be a stop to more and more features whig have the same person/persons ordering multiple times and then wondering later what the hell they just ordered. When I go to my indiegogo page, I see three contributions to the same product and I go "eh, what did I do there". My own $ 0.02.


----------



## nicolo

kothganesh said:


> Well, I live in India and this was shipped out late last week so....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I am in India too
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Waiting for the the fully Pulse Xfem + Wave X. On the Indiegogo page, you can see what you have ordered under the Perk button.


----------



## snip3r77

I'm very happy if I can get it before Christmas lol


----------



## MikeyFresh

nicolo said:


> I am in India too
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I see no Perk button on the IGG page, where are you seeing that?


----------



## nicolo

mikeyfresh said:


> I see no Perk button on the IGG page, where are you seeing that?


 
  
 First login into IGG. Then click on the down arrow next to your name at the top. Then click "My Contributions".
 On this page, there will be a table showing the Date, Campaign, Contribution, Amount, Perk and Visibility.


----------



## kothganesh

Well,
  
 I received the Geek Out 720 this afternoon.My tip of the hat to the LH team that got it out to me on priority mail. Putting it through its paces through my Macbook Air and the Senn HD 650. Its been about 15 minutes now so will get back later for any views. Right now, its running pretty warm.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It's warm/hot depending how you describe it, because it's all Class A amp. It's normal. 

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## MikeyFresh

nicolo said:


> First login into IGG. Then click on the down arrow next to your name at the top. Then click "My Contributions".
> On this page, there will be a table showing the Date, Campaign, Contribution, Amount, Perk and Visibility.


 

 Thanks, that's exactly how I had always done it.
  
 The other post suggested there was a more direct "Perk button" I could hit, but I didn't see one ('cause there isn't one).


----------



## junker

Can't imagine there being more than a couple version when the dust settles. Let's hope they can keep a basic value version down around this price when it's retail but also offer an upgraded version with the upgraded clocks, dual mono, passive components, and op-amps, OLED, etc.


----------



## kothganesh

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> It's warm/hot depending how you describe it, because it's all Class A amp. It's normal.
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


 
 Thanks man. Completely forgot about the Class A.


----------



## kothganesh

nicolo said:


> First login into IGG. Then click on the down arrow next to your name at the top. Then click "My Contributions".
> On this page, there will be a table showing the Date, Campaign, Contribution, Amount, Perk and Visibility.


 
 I did that. The issue with that it does not tell you what you have been upgraded to (if any). It looks more like a log of contributions. Unless I'm missing the obvious (which is entirely possible).


----------



## kugino

i just went over to the LHlabs forum (try to avoid it as much as i can b/c it's terribly organized). wanted to check on the status of the GO bundles...they're saying that bundle GOs should ship at the end of june. don't hold your breath, as i've been given a few dates in the last few months...just reporting what they're saying. i'll be shocked if i get a shipping notification next week.


----------



## Ranza

I just got the email notified me that the Geek Out is ready to ship but next week I need to move to a different city for new job and don't have a specific address for now, will they wait until I settle it down ? I sent an email to them but still no reply yet.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Open a support ticket

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## Ranza

Thanks, guess I will do just that and hope they will understand my situation.


----------



## walfredo

Did anyone get the survey yet?


----------



## Anaximandros

The survey is still in Beta. Last week 100 people got it to see if there are still bugs, and there are still bugs...


----------



## walfredo

anaximandros said:


> The survey is still in Beta. Last week 100 people got it to see if there are still bugs, and there are still bugs...


 
  
 I am really curious to see what is so complicated about this survey.  Putting simple forms in the web is easy.


----------



## kugino

walfredo said:


> I am really curious to see what is so complicated about this survey.  Putting simple forms in the web is easy.


 
 i'm not sure it's as simple as that, but yeah, i agree that this survey is much ado about nothing. i think it's a nice and convenient excuse to keep things delayed.


----------



## snip3r77

I think if there were to do it manually, it could have been completed already.


----------



## Za Warudo

Has anyone gotten the survey, and on the contributions page the amount is less than what you actually contributed?


----------



## miceblue

It looks like I have been selected to be one of the 100 testers for the current iteration of the survey.

There wasn't any sort of non-disclosure agreement for it, so I'll just post the important parts of the survey so that people who haven't seen the survey yet have an idea of what they're doing:


> Dear Mr. or Ms. Awesome,
> 
> On behalf of LH Labs, thank you so much for your patience as we've slogged through the long process of creating this survey.
> 
> ...




Keep in mind this is what the survey is right now for me and it might change a bit here and there in future versions.

 Make password for account
 Confirm shipping address and contact information
 Contributions summary via itemized table and perk confirmations via drop-down menus (I'm going to guess this where things get troublesome and confusing because some people like myself forgot what they pledged for and the many different combinations of things don't make it any easier....*cough like the Geek Wave campaign cough*)
And I'm going to stop right here at the moment and post a screenshot.


The next page of the survey is an "any notes you want to add" page and they ask for the voltage and power cord plug you need for your DC and/or AC power supplies for the Pulse and/or LPS. They specify that if you need anything else urgently, you can open a new support ticket (I need to open one for clarification on the Geek LPS Holiday Special payments that I sent to LH).

Finally, the last page of the survey offers more offers in case you want to add anything else (e.g. upgrade to Geek Pulse X, special Geek Out discount, LightSpeed cables, etc.).



Hopefully this will give people a better idea of what to expect from the survey and what kinds of information you should get ready to fill out.


----------



## lramirez1959

I did today, and honestly didn't understand it, I expected several questions but it only contained a perk confirmation page and one blank field for comments.
 Maybe there is more in the making ?


----------



## miceblue

za warudo said:


> Has anyone gotten the survey, and on the contributions page the amount is less than what you actually contributed?



Yes, but only because my payments and perks got screwed over. For one, as you can see in my screenshot, the first Slacker Mini cable payment is obviously meant for the Geek Pulse/Out combo. That was my first time using Indiegogo and I had no idea what I was doing, so that was my fault. Secondly, the Big Thanks perk only asked for $1 and I contributed $100. Thirdly, the Geek LPS perk asked for $299, which is totally false as it should have been $99 + 2 separate payments of $100, and I paid $99 + 2 separate payments of $100.


----------



## Za Warudo

miceblue said:


> Yes, but only because my payments and perks got screwed over. For one, as you can see in my screenshot, the first Slacker Mini cable payment is obviously meant for the Geek Pulse/Out combo. That was my first time using Indiegogo and I had no idea what I was doing, so that was my fault. Secondly, the Big Thanks perk only asked for $1 and I contributed $100. Thirdly, the Geek LPS perk asked for $299, which is totally false as it should have been $99 + 2 separate payments of $100, and I paid $99 + 2 separate payments of $100.


 
 Well, I only went for the plain vanilla Pulse holliday deal (3 $100 payments) and they still screwed it up.


----------



## AxelCloris

I think any form of payment plan will experience issues with the on-screen math. Just have an excel spreadsheet or something handy with what you pledged and it'll work out, that's how I did mine.
  
 Mice, any word on the CES Geeks? I gave them the details for my backed and referral GO in the notes section but I left out the CES stuff since that's not really relevant to the IGG campaign.
  
 In hindsight, I should probably go back and note what colors I wanted on the survey too, just for good measure.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> I think any form of payment plan will experience issues with the on-screen math. Just have an excel spreadsheet or something handy with what you pledged and it'll work out, that's how I did mine.
> 
> Mice, any word on the CES Geeks? I gave them the details for my backed and referral GO in the notes section but I left out the CES stuff since that's not really relevant to the IGG campaign.
> 
> In hindsight, I should probably go back and note what colors I wanted on the survey too, just for good measure.



Yeah that would have been a Geeky smart thing to do, hahaha. I just looked through my payment history and that was enough to jog my memory of what each payment was for.

No word on the CES Geek Outs yet...I've exchanged a few e-mails with Manny, but alas, nothing about their shipments yet. It's now the last week of June, almost July, and I haven't received any news about when it will ship, if ever...

I went ahead and confirmed the Big Thanks contribution for the Geek Out 1000 and colour preference as part of the Geek Pulse/Out Indiegogo campaign, but like you, I didn't mention the CES Geek Outs.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Yeah that would have been a Geeky smart thing to do, hahaha. I just looked through my payment history and that was enough to jog my memory of what each payment was for.
> 
> No word on the CES Geek Outs yet...I've exchanged a few e-mails with Manny, but alas, nothing about their shipments yet. It's now the last week of June, almost July, and I haven't received any news about when it will ship, if ever...
> 
> I went ahead and confirmed the Big Thanks contribution for the Geek Out 1000 and colour preference as part of the Geek Pulse/Out Indiegogo campaign, but like you, I didn't mention the CES Geek Outs.


 
  
 From what you said in your survey post about opening a ticket I may do that for the CES GO. They've said that they're shipping pre-orders now, there can't be too many pre-ordered GO 1000 in red, right?  I know you've opened one before but that was last month, I believe, and they were saying it'd ship in the first week of June.


----------



## kugino

I got the survey today too. Can't drag things into the grey box on my phone, though. Might need to wait til Thursday when I get back home from vacation.


----------



## Ranza

Got the survey too, but because of my work...well, better do it next week...
Look like things start to moving again...


----------



## dclaz

kugino said:


> I got the survey today too. Can't drag things into the grey box on my phone, though. Might need to wait til Thursday when I get back home from vacation.


 
 Yeah that part is stuffed for me too. There is no 0 in the drop down menu's for the items so at the moment it looks like I'll have 1 of everything, haha.


----------



## snip3r77

I got the survey too.

The payment via indiegogo is correct but manual payment via invoice request is inaccurate.
How to report this?

What do I do with the selected items ( gray area that is blank ? )


----------



## AxelCloris

snip3r77 said:


> I got the survey too.
> 
> The payment via indiegogo is correct but manual payment via invoice request is inaccurate.
> How to report this?
> ...


 
  
 The gray area is where you place your choices. You drag from the left and drop it to the right.
  

Find each product associated with the perk(s) you selected during the campaign.
Use the drop-down list next to the perk name to select the quantity of the product you contributed to.
In the case of LightSpeed cables, also select the length of cable you want.
In the case of T-shirts, also select the size you want.

Drag the product name onto the shaded box.
To delete a product, drag it from the shaded box onto the trash can.
Click Save


----------



## miceblue

There are instructions for the grey box thing. You drag-n-drop items from the left into the grey box.

A bit unintuitive compared to just using the drop-down menus, yes?

I have to wonder what kind of feedback beta testers gave because this iteration of the survey still seems really rough...


----------



## AxelCloris

I agree. I wonder how much time was spent coding the drag and drop rather than just using a drop down or even radial selection.


----------



## head-hi

I got the same survey email 5 times (no schiit) in one hour today, after answering the one last week and paying the tab, which wasn't reflected in today's. Still waiting for my GO 450.


----------



## dclaz

miceblue said:


> There are instructions for the grey box thing. You drag-n-drop items from the left into the grey box.
> 
> A bit unintuitive compared to just using the drop-down menus, yes?
> 
> I have to wonder what kind of feedback beta testers gave because this iteration of the survey still seems really rough...


 
 I thought so too. But I guess this make it easier if you had ordered multiple items, but of different lengths/sizes.


----------



## uncola

I got the survey, the only problem I had was I couldn't delete something from the grey box after accidentally dragging over a lightning usb cable.  but I Just went back to the previous screen and started over and it worked.  My contribution was very simple, just the geek pulse, then the x upgrade..  the survey got me excited enough that I started shopping for a nice RCA cable for when my pulse gets here.  ela-audio has some nice custom stuff


----------



## Muinarc

Yay I got my survey and it went smoothly (I think).
  
 *edit* It didn't give me a page or chance to add anything to my order, but I wasn't planning on it anyway.


----------



## jonbernard

I'm amazed at how bad the survey is. Supposedly the GOs bought as part of a bundle were being held up because of the need to account for them in the survey, and yet the survey doesn't even mention them, or indicate how we're supposed to specify the colors that we want. Of course, I put it in the notes, but I'm hardly reassured that that will be the end of this, after already having answered their emails in April about what I wanted, and after putting in a ticket when email support was abandoned.


----------



## M3NTAL

I think they "accidentally" sent the survey to more than 100 people.


----------



## kothganesh

I think we should all fly out to LH, show them our contributions and take physical delivery of our products
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. Game, anybody?


----------



## Suopermanni

Anyone here know about consumer law in the US? I would like to know what rights I have in regards to my pre-order transaction. They have continuously promised me my two Geek Outs on a continuously revised timeline and I am losing hope that I will ever see it. So, I would to know my rights to see if I am entitled to a refund due to failure to supply my product.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Here is the tricky thing about crowd funding campaign.
 Technically, you did not order a product, but donate to the company for them to build that product.
 The 'perks' we get, is just technically a gift in exchange for us helping out the company, I am not sure whether we can sue someone for not delivery a gift.
 Though.. not being able to receive your Geek out this far down the campaign, do sucks.


----------



## lramirez1959

I am confident LH to fulfill the perks, but in case you paid via paypal, your are somehow protected and you can issue a claim.
 Hope it doesn't come to that.


----------



## Suopermanni

dslayerzx said:


> Here is the tricky thing about crowd funding campaign.
> Technically, you did not order a product, but donate to the company for them to build that product.
> The 'perks' we get, is just technically a gift in exchange for us helping out the company, I am not sure whether we can sue someone for not delivery a gift.
> Though.. not being able to receive your Geek out this far down the campaign, do sucks.


 
  
 Actually, I never contributed to the Kickstarter campaign but ordered it through the pre-order website set up after the campaign.


----------



## zenpunk

I have also pre-ordered and loosing patience and confidence in this firm. The unsafe volume implementation and report about hiss with  iems after claiming their unit was so much better than the competition regarding noise floor doesn't help.
 I think it is too late for claiming a refund with Paypal but let us know if they are willing to offer refunds.


----------



## Anaximandros

The Geek Out 450 in silber is in Stock at Amazon.uk
  
 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Geek-Out-Silver-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00JD0CQ6E
  
 I would raise a trouble/support ticket. This is not how to do business. Kickstarter, IGG, Pre-Orders first and after that it is dealers and stuff.


----------



## ed45

anaximandros said:


> The Geek Out 450 in silber is in Stock at Amazon.uk
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Geek-Out-Silver-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00JD0CQ6E


 

 That got my attention until I looked closely at the Amazon ad and saw that only one UK Amazon storefront is listed as being a seller, and exactly one unit is listed as being available.  My guess is that the source is most likely a backer reselling their unit.


----------



## Anaximandros

Anthem AVS Ltd is an official Dealer.
  
 http://www.lightharmonic.com/dealerlocator.html


----------



## ed45

I'm an IGG bundle backer waiting for a GO 720, and the ad doesn't raise any red flags for me.  The ad, unless I'm misinterpreting it, seems to indicate that there is one unit in stock, selling at 170% of the pre-order price, and it's been available since April 1.  Dealer or not, the seller is not a big company, (check out the Amazon storefront) and probably obtained it through Kickstarter.  If the seller had many units in stock and was selling in high volume then I would be concerned. Is there any evidence of that?


----------



## AxelCloris

Quote: Gavin Fish 





> *There's a New Kid in Town*
> 
> During the Geek Pulse campaign, we were asked to add a music server to the Pulse family.  At the time, we weren't ready to commit to such a project.  But now, after lots of work by Larry, Eric, Ben, Tom, and Jeff, we're just about there.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Waaaaaaat?


----------



## walfredo

So... I wonder if LH is going to become an audiophile ponzi scheme.  Probably not intentionally by the people running LH, but they seem to have a much bigger appetite to lunching new projects than finishing existing ones.
  
 They launched Geek out, Pulse, Wave, Stream... and now Source.  But AFAICT, they're still working on Geek out.  Many have bought it but not received it yet.  An over promising communication strategy does not help to build confidence either.
  
 I wonder if they are lunching Geek Source to make up for previous, unfilled campaigns they realized they need more money to complete.
  
 I hope I am wrong!


----------



## DannyBai

Reputation will go down the drain if they don't fix their mistakes before adding perks and new products.


----------



## kugino

dannybai said:


> Reputation will go down the drain if they don't fix their mistakes before adding perks and new products.


Done.


----------



## kothganesh

Did all of those on this thread that contributed to the Geek Pulse get their survey? I just filled out a ticket since I was supposed to get one but didn't.


----------



## zenpunk

It seems that this company is mainly motivated by greed and hooked on the easy money provided by crowdfunding.


----------



## kothganesh

axelcloris said:


> Waaaaaaat?


 
 I just got the email.


----------



## kugino

i just finished my survey. so they owe me $40. anyone know how that's going to happen?
  
 also, wondering if i should upgrade to the femto clock...i didn't originally, but thinking about it. i honestly don't believe i can hear the difference between the regular clock and the femto clock, but perhaps i might as well upgrade this thing to the max since i'm already in neck-deep. any thoughts?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Might as well. Better than nothing. 

Me, just don't want be bothered at the middle of the night and thinking the "What ifs". 

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Might as well. Better than nothing.
> 
> Me, just don't want be bothered at the middle of the night and thinking the "What ifs".
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


 

 +1


----------



## MikeyFresh

kothganesh said:


> Did all of those on this thread that contributed to the Geek Pulse get their survey? I just filled out a ticket since I was supposed to get one but didn't.


 

 I too have not received a Pulse survey email, and have raised a ticket.


----------



## M3NTAL

http://pulsesurvey.lhlabs.com
  
 But, you will need a "start code"... not sure if they are all the same code or different.


----------



## lramirez1959

I completed the survey, and the day after received an update asking about an address confirmation email.
  
 I raised another ticket, and now it seems the address has being confirmed, and the delivery date of my geek out 1,000 has being pushed a third time, from the original week 2 june to week 4 june or week 2 july the latest.
  
 I hope the sound quality compensates for the waiting.


----------



## jaywillin

geek pulse survey complete !!


----------



## mattelka

I got my Geek Out 1000 in a timely manner. As for the Geek Pulse/X/Femto/$1M Instant upgrades, I have yet to receive the survey though. Sent LHLabs a ticket yesterday.


----------



## lramirez1959

Hi mattelka, kudos. Hope the geek sound great !!!!


----------



## miceblue

Since LH seems to have opted out of updating their backers via Indiegogo for any Geek Pulse updates (a very a poor and foolish choice in my opinion) and is instead updating the Geek Force forums, I thought I'd post these.

[rule]Geek Pulse:
June 27


> Geek Pulse Production
> 
> Progress is going smoothly. Larry and the engineering team are set to finish final tweaking and will send out BETA units to a few Geek Force members in the third week of July. Then we will have a one-to-two week beta period. In the mean time, we have a 90% confidence level that we can start PCB production before July 31st.; the pilot run will be 100 boards. We’ll use that process to figure out any production-related issues, if any. Then we’ll go full speed ahead!





June 24


> Hi, Force
> 
> Today we fine tuned the negative power trail and very satisfied for the results.
> 
> ...





June 17


> Femto Clock power circuit is done. I'm super happy for the result.
> 
> I'm fine tuning the Geek Pulse Standard and S's power rail supply, I saw slightly more noise on negative part.
> We need to dig out the reason.
> ...





May 21


> Hi, there
> 
> Here is the summary of Femto clock progress.
> 
> ...








[rule]Geek Blue:
June 17


> We will do the listening test next week. If everything is right, then we will start the production too!





June 3


> Hello,
> 
> The circuit board has been assembled and we tested to following to be working fine:
> Power supply
> ...








[rule]Geek Linear Power Supply:
June 24


> Hello,
> 
> I attached a photo showing the LPS4 during thermal testing. There is a lot of energy we need to test. We continue testing this week.





June 17


> Hi,
> 
> We have the final test run for LPS and LPS4... Both could pass 800mA loading test and heat stress test.
> 
> ...








[rule]LightSpeed cables:
June 25


> Hello,
> 
> We anxiously await the LightSpeed 1G Cable. After we complete the thoroughly detail test procedures, then we will start preparing SHIPPING!!!
> 
> :cheer:





June 17


> LightSpeed 1G past the listening test. I compared with several nice cables I have. We are the winner, at least in my ear...
> 
> But LightSpeed 2G still not here yet. I think They need a little bit more time to make sure 2G speed test could pass our standard. Will keep you posted.
> 
> Larry





June 10


> Hello,
> 
> Larry and Gavin have tested the 1G cable and we are pleased to report that it works great (as expected) : )
> 
> The 2G is on its way here and will be fully tested as well.


----------



## kugino

i try to avoid the LHlabs forum as much as possible. it's impossible to find anything there...thanks for posting the relevant bits, miceblue.
  
 so back in january i mentioned that we'd realistically see the pulse in october/november. i don't think 2015 is beyond the realm of possibility, either.


----------



## kothganesh

Mice,
  
 great job. Thanks. I do get into the Geek force forum but that's very rare so this helps.


----------



## jaywillin

miceblue said:


> Since LH seems to have opted out of updating their backers via Indiegogo for any Geek Pulse updates (a very a poor and foolish choice in my opinion) and is instead updating the Geek Force forums, I thought I'd post these.  Geek Pulse:
> June 27
> June 24
> June 17
> ...


 
  
  


kothganesh said:


> Mice,
> 
> great job. Thanks. I do get into the Geek force forum but that's very rare so this helps.


 

 i'm getting email notifications for updates, i too rarely hit the forums


----------



## miceblue

Just so you guys know in case you don't get the e-mails, LH is launching their Geek Source music server device in 20 minutes on the Geek Wave campaign.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-wave-it-s-not-a-next-gen-ipod-it-s-a-no-compromise-portable-music-player


> We've developed a bit of a notoriety (or maybe we're just notorious) in the industry for pushing the envelope on product design and product features. Well, we're at it again.
> 
> We'd like you to meet Geek Source, the "soul mate" your Geek Wave & Geek Pulse are destined to be paired with.
> 
> ...


----------



## BaTou069

miceblue said:


> Just so you guys know in case you don't get the e-mails, LH is launching their Geek Source music server device in 20 minutes on the Geek Wave campaign.
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-wave-it-s-not-a-next-gen-ipod-it-s-a-no-compromise-portable-music-player


 
 4real, I dont know what to think about this. Out and Pulse backer got angry when they launched the Wave campaign, because they start a new product when they havent finished yet the first ones. In Updates by Email LH wrote, that they dreamed about this perfect set of DAC products, a portable, a desktop unit, and a DAP. So they should be finished by now, having the geek, pulse and the wave. but out of the blue, there comes the source, and they expect to what,? people to pay around $1k blindly? again? 
 Really, I cant wait to get the pulse s /f /i, but I wont be backing any more of these folks. I completely stopped trusting them.
 Also, how hard can it be to ship so expensive stuff with an US certificate of origin for export for Canada, Israel etc...? 
 I'm a backer of the Kickstarter Tubecore campaign, and he is shipping all of the units with this cert... When I opened a ticket on LH, the answer I got was:
  
  
 ------------------------------------------
Carlos Jones 27 Jun 17:12

Hello,

Our shipping policies are contracted thru our distribution department. I will bring this to their attention but I'm not sure if they will proceed with it . Its a totally different department and they do things they're own way but I will send them an email regarding your question.

Best Regards,
Carlos Jones
Light Harmonic

  
 
My questions was:

Please look into this thread,
 
http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/geekout/692-please-add-u-s-certificate-of-origin-for-export.html
 
I just filled out the pulse survey, and would like to know, if you will ship it with an US cert. for export to israel?
You know, the tubecore guy (also a kickstarter project) ships all his units with this cert., so maybe ask him how to do this:
 
www.facebook.com/*tubecore*
 
*thanks*


----------



## smial1966

I'm somewhat bewildered by this latest development too, as much as I desperately want LH Labs to succeed and produce great sounding products at fair prices, I wish that they'd concentrated on wrapping up their previous crowd funding campaigns before embarking on yet another one. In my opinion they should have stuck to producing what folks have already paid for, thereby satisfying customers and generating goodwill. Good as this new `Source' might be, it's going to really antagonize backers who are still waiting for their Pulse surveys to be sorted out. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


batou069 said:


> 4real, I dont know what to think about this. Out and Pulse backer got angry when they launched the Wave campaign, because they start a new product when they havent finished yet the first ones. In Updates by Email LH wrote, that they dreamed about this perfect set of DAC products, a portable, a desktop unit, and a DAP. So they should be finished by now, having the geek, pulse and the wave. but out of the blue, there comes the source, and they expect to what,? people to pay around $1k blindly? again?
> Really, I cant wait to get the pulse s /f /i, but I wont be backing any more of these folks. I completely stopped trusting them.
> Also, how hard can it be to ship so expensive stuff with an US certificate of origin for export for Canada, Israel etc...?
> I'm a backer of the Kickstarter Tubecore campaign, and he is shipping all of the units with this cert... When I opened a ticket on LH, the answer I got was:
> ...


----------



## AxelCloris

I'll be passing on the Geek Source. For what it does and what I need it's a bit much. It did a wonderful job of getting my Wave the upgraded enclosure, and now I'm wondering what their next stretch goal is. Hopefully they don't skip the $666,666 marker like they did the $444,444, but I'm suspecting that they will.


----------



## snip3r77

LH Labs should pull up their socks before creating more crowdsource projects.


----------



## digitalzed

smial1966 said:


>


 
 I agree. I'm skipping the Source for a variety of reasons both financial and for the points you've brought up. For what it's worth for anyone considering the project, Larry Ho has stated that the Source layout and enclosure was actually done before the Geek Out was conceived because it's based on the design of their higher end LH products. Larry optimistically predicts March 2015 delivery of the Source. Here's Larry's post:
  
The ship date actually will be more accurate than Geek Wave 





Because we have the design/module even earlier than Geek Out.
Currently our team set it at 2015 March.


----------



## snip3r77

These are all vaporware. even if it's $200 cheaper. (i.e $599 ). I would not be paying for it.



digitalzed said:


> I agree. I'm skipping the Source for a variety of reasons both financial and for the points you've brought up. For what it's worth for anyone considering the project, Larry Ho has stated that the Source layout and enclosure was actually done before the Geek Out was conceived because it's based on the design of their higher end LH products. Larry optimistically predicts March 2015 delivery of the Source. Here's Larry's post:
> 
> [COLOR=080808]The ship date actually will be more accurate than Geek Wave [/COLOR]
> 
> ...


----------



## uncola

Anyone know what gold contact relays do?  I tried googling and found one reference on the T+A dac page saying it's used to bypass the volume control without signal loss.. so maybe it's for higher quality line level out on the rca and xlr out ports?  It sounds good to have
  
 http://www.taelektroakustik.de/index.php?id=350&L=1
  
 edit:  confirmed they are "It's gold plated silver alloy contact points, to be exact. From Omron." which will be used to adjust headphone out gain with no signal loss


----------



## germay0653

uncola said:


> Anyone know what gold contact relays do?  I tried googling and found one reference on the T+A dac page saying it's used to bypass the volume control without signal loss.. so maybe it's for higher quality line level out on the rca and xlr out ports?  It sounds good to have
> 
> http://www.taelektroakustik.de/index.php?id=350&L=1
> 
> edit:  confirmed they are "It's gold plated silver alloy contact points, to be exact. From Omron." which will be used to adjust headphone out gain with no signal loss


 

 Gold doesn't oxidize so the contacts don't degrade over time and better contact means less noise over the long haul. Oxidation causes degredation of signal between the two contact points.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Geek LPS4 EP2


----------



## dcpoor

Is the gold contact relay replacing the mu-metal shielding? or is it in addition to?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

"Seems" a replacement. And costlier.
  
 But I trust LH's judgement.
  
 Thanks Larry!


----------



## germay0653

dcpoor said:


> Is the gold contact relay replacing the mu-metal shielding? or is it in addition to?


 

 I believe it's in addtion to.  Amplifier gain relays have no relation to mu-metal shielding for femto clocks.


----------



## uncola

They posted some pics of the front panels, the beveling on the sides looks a little rough so I think these are just prototypes/samples.  Metal looks nice and thick and I like that it's mostly silver, I voted for the light color 
  




  
 edit:  This is going to be the nicest dac I've owned so I'm pretty excited.  Originally I thought it was going to be on the level of the audio-gd 11.32 and 15.32 dac/amps but it seems way higher end now.. mu-metal shielding of txco clocks, gold plated silver alloy contact point relays for the gain switching.. I only hope the mu-metal was sourced ethically.  Think about the cows.


----------



## rdsu

Link?


----------



## uncola

Here's the link http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/progressreports-pulse/1590-july-2-update.html
  
 Also I just noticed this


----------



## rdsu

Thanks!
  
 Let us see the final result...


----------



## rdsu

Geek LPS4... 
  
 http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/progressreports-lps/1589-july-2-update.html#24745


----------



## MikeyFresh

rdsu said:


> Geek LPS4...
> 
> http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/progressreports-lps/1589-july-2-update.html#24745


 
  
 Bitchin'!


----------



## rdsu

It's only the prototype, but it's getting close...


----------



## pearljam50000

What's the price of the base model?


----------



## rdsu

MSRP $499
  
 But after a lot of upgrades, also on base model, they think will cost much more...


----------



## walfredo

pearljam50000 said:


> What's the price of the base model?


 
  
 As they are not for sale now... no one really knows.


----------



## pearljam50000

rdsu said:


> MSRP $499
> 
> But after a lot of upgrades, also on base model, they think will cost much more...


 
  


walfredo said:


> As they are for sale now... no one really knows.


 
  
 I hope it stays at 499$


----------



## walfredo

I meant to say "as they are *not* for sale now, no one knows".  Edited my post.


----------



## rdsu

pearljam50000 said:


> I hope it stays at 499$


 
 Do you believe in miracles!?


----------



## lramirez1959

I think I will sell mine as soon as I get it, having second thoughts on a more traditional option like Burson.
 Will keep the geek out though, for traveling.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## grizzlybeast

Is there an official geek site with product info and release dates. The only site I see just has the USB geek out or whatever.

This thing is taking forever to come out.


----------



## AgentXXL

grizzlybeast said:


> Is there an official geek site with product info and release dates. The only site I see just has the USB geek out or whatever.
> 
> This thing is taking forever to come out.


 
  
 Yes, the official site for all LH Labs Geek products is:
  
 http://geek.lhlabs.com/
  
 Sign in to become a Geek Force member to take advantage of future product offers! As for delivery, the Geek Pulse won't start shipping in full release until late August or September. There are about a 100 beta testers that will start receiving units at the end of July or early August. Here are the available progress reports:
  
 http://geek.lhlabs.com/force/progressreports.html
  
 Dale


----------



## grizzlybeast

^thanks dale


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> They posted some pics of the front panels, the beveling on the sides looks a little rough so I think these are just prototypes/samples.  Metal looks nice and thick and I like that it's mostly silver, I voted for the light color
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I hope they make the aluminum with a nicer finish in the future. I'm not really liking the whole "galvanized steel" texture and 1-inch thick block.


----------



## pearljam50000

Where can i find the Specs?


----------



## kugino

miceblue said:


> I hope they make the aluminum with a nicer finish in the future. I'm not really liking the whole "galvanized steel" texture and 1-inch thick block.


 
 so far it looks like a glorified hammond enclosure. i'm sure these are just prototypes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 so i'm still on the fence whether i should add the femto clock upgrade to my existing x/amp upgrade order. i think i have til the end of july to add it on...worth it?


----------



## miceblue

kugino said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > I hope they make the aluminum with a nicer finish in the future. I'm not really liking the whole "galvanized steel" texture and 1-inch thick block.
> ...



I'd honestly say go for it if you can afford it even if it won't do much in the end for the sound quality. I got it more for peace of mind. I won't be buying another DAC/amp in the future as I'm thinking I've pretty much reached the end game in terms of dynamic headphones and amps/DACs for performancerice ratio. I have yet to find a planar magnetic headphone that really suits my taste and I'm more than satisfied with the entry-level STAX electrostatic headphone system.

I just received the Geek Out 450 yesterday and it's a nice unit but if you already own a good DAC/amp, you're not really missing out on much in terms of sound quality to be honest. I have an ODAC/O2 with me and I find them to sound similar to each other, with the GO being slightly more refined-sounding.


----------



## Larry Ho

This case is really the 'functional' prototype... The final will be much nicer surface treatment and anodized!
  
 Larry


----------



## dclaz

larry ho said:


> This case is really the 'functional' prototype... The final will be much nicer surface treatment and anodized!
> 
> Larry


 
 Can't wait!!


----------



## germay0653

larry ho said:


> This case is really the 'functional' prototype... The final will be much nicer surface treatment and anodized!
> 
> Larry


 

 Thank you Larry!


----------



## snip3r77

Again, Maybe next time the update post information can be more accurate. 

Thanks for the explanation though 



larry ho said:


> This case is really the 'functional' prototype... The final will be much nicer surface treatment and anodized!
> 
> Larry


----------



## eac3

Latest update:
  
 Quote:


> Hello,
> 
> We ran into a problem today that will likely affect the delivery schedule of Geek Pulse. We'll work hard to speed up the process as much as we can. Here's what happened:
> 
> ...


----------



## miceblue

Might as well post the other updates too since I'm looking at them.

Geek Linear Power Supply


> Hello,
> 
> My computer is still in the shop but the update is here.
> 
> ...






Geek Blue


> Hello,
> 
> We have the display firmware written and have programmed the circuit. It works for the person who wrote the program but it is not working for us. Today we discovered that the programmer is using a different version of software than we are. We have both downloaded the newest version of software so we can eliminate that as a potential problem and hopefully solve any discrepancies between the two versions.
> 
> Rich






LightSpeed cables


> Hello,
> I'm actually on schedule for the weekly update
> Here's where we stand. The 2G cables are estimated to be released from customs next week. We hope to ship soon after arrival.






I think LH needs to do some planning ahead for any future products it plans to release. These problems should have been ironed out ages ago. A different version of the software? Really guys? And a transformer that's in short supply? I could have sworn they said they would have the LPS delivered in April. What happened between then and now, nothing?

May, close enough to April.
May 1 update
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-a-digital-audio-awesomifier-for-your-desktop#activity


> 3. Geek LPS/LPS4: This BIG heavy power plane will start running continuously from tomorrow and over the whole weekend. Then we will start the final DC voltage and noise spectrum tests. Again, if we are satisfying for the result. The full production cycle begins.
> 
> (Sorry, it seems LPS/LPS4 will be really faster then Geek Pulse DAC, although we tried very hard to catch up the schedule on DAC part)


----------



## mtruong34

miceblue said:


> Might as well post the other updates too since I'm looking at them.
> 
> Geek Linear Power Supply
> Geek Blue
> ...




I think some of the problems LH have been experiencing are very amateurish.


----------



## snip3r77

I'm giving myself the shipping date is before Christmas ( if it's possible ).
Lowering my expectations , any earlier would be one up. 

I think you guys should too.


----------



## vic2vic

snip3r77 said:


> I'm giving myself the shipping date is before Christmas ( if it's possible ).
> Lowering my expectations , any earlier would be one up.
> 
> I think you guys should too.


 
  
 Christmas 2014 ?


----------



## lramirez1959

Good advice, Christmas 2014 sounds feasible.
 I am still waiting for my geek out, dates are being pushed and pushed and.......


----------



## pearljam50000

delete


----------



## RadioWonder737

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Campaign will start 29 October midnight (Pacific). Delivery will be April 2014


 
 Oh no!


----------



## valve5425

I'm losing the will to live with all this waiting and promised delivery dates! Any counselling would be gratefully received.
  
 I must say I was tempted recently with the Geek Source, as it's well within my server budget, but, with the experience so far, I just can't see them delivering that before Autumn next year. The Pulse/GO bundle was my first crowd funding foray and I'd have to think long and hard before repeating the experience. (Still waiting for my GO despite the promise of this being delivered first.)
  
 During the campaigns it was quite easy to get sucked into the feeding frenzy of various upgrades, add-ons and new products, and LH Labs exploited this to the full. I can't really blame them, but I do think that they should have considered the logistics before launching more and more (potential) products. I realise now that I was just funding ideas, easy to come up with, but infinitely harder to convert into consumer products. The problem they appear to have now is dealing with the tsunami of queries from all the backers. The campaigns are touted as great successes, but, to be fair, I wouldn't call them a success until all the backers have their perks!
  
 I'm fairly confident that they will deliver, and I guess that when the Pulse actually arrives, I'll be more than happy with it. Seems like that may be a while off yet. I guess you live and learn.


----------



## kothganesh

valve5425 said:


> I'm losing the will to live with all this waiting and promised delivery dates! Any counselling would be gratefully received.
> 
> I must say I was tempted recently with the Geek Source, as it's well within my server budget, but, with the experience so far, I just can't see them delivering that before Autumn next year. The Pulse/GO bundle was my first crowd funding foray and I'd have to think long and hard before repeating the experience. (Still waiting for my GO despite the promise of this being delivered first.)
> 
> ...


 
 Oh completely agree. I hope to be surprised by an earlier than expected (my expectations) for the Pulse X/f/i that I ordered but my other equipment keeps me going 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I just wish LH would clear out what they need to deliver first without any major hitches ( I do expect some delays but not this much). For this reason, I have stayed away from the Source altogether.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

radiowonder737 said:


> Oh no!


 
  
 Yep sad but its true.
  
 Have a Pulse XFI + LPS4 + Lightspeed 2G in waiting.
  
 Just shelled out a fully tricked Geek Wave.
  
 My GO1000 and some, keeps me happy for a while.


----------



## kothganesh

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Yep sad but its true.
> 
> Have a Pulse XFI + LPS4 + Lightspeed 2G in waiting.
> 
> ...


 
 You've got company friend! I kept it simple on the Wave though...


----------



## valve5425

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> My GO1000 and some, keeps me happy for a while.


 
  
 I'm hoping my GO720 comes soon to keep me occupied. I would rather LH Labs turn round and say "Sorry guys, we've got issues and it will be with you 'whenever'" rather than giving unrealistic delivery dates which keep getting put back.
  
 Anyway, that's my rant over, honest!


----------



## AxelCloris

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Yep sad but its true.
> 
> Have a Pulse XFI + LPS4 + Lightspeed 2G in waiting.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Glad your GO is holding you over Michael. Hoping mine will get here soon. Then at least the wait for the Pulse and Wave SE will be more enjoyable.


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> Glad your GO is holding you over Michael. Hoping mine will get here soon. Then at least the wait for the Pulse and Wave SE will be more enjoyable.


 

 My GO 720 keeps me happy too.  Blew an absolute $WAD on Pulses, Waves, LPS's and Source.  Fortunately, I had been saving for quite some time!


----------



## AxelCloris

germay0653 said:


> My GO 720 keeps me happy too.  Blew an absolute $WAD on Pulses, Waves, LPS's and Source.  Fortunately, I had been saving for quite some time!


 
  
 But you've been pretty active over on the LHLabs side of things. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a nice chunk of change from referrals to bring that cost down a little.


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> But you've been pretty active over on the LHLabs side of things. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a nice chunk of change from referrals to bring that cost down a little.


 

 Actually, not as much as you might imagine.  Yes, I've been active there by my name certainly wasn't in that list that earned enough to get a free Wave 32.  Lucky if I get a $60 credit.  Not great but not bad.  I'll take it.


----------



## junker

Hey Gery! Good to see you over here. You'll probably be seeing more over here on the flip side while waiting for the X/f/i and LPS(4)...


----------



## AxelCloris

Oh crap, it's Josh. Everyone hide the good stuff!


----------



## junker

axelcloris said:


> Oh crap, it's Josh. Everyone hide the good stuff!


 
 Oh Mr. Fancypants too! Nice! =)


----------



## germay0653

junker said:


> Oh Mr. Fancypants too! Nice! =)


 

 Hey Josh, I've been on this board for about 5 years.  Pretty much on the Burson Conductor and Fostex TH900 threads prior to all the Geekiness.  Also over on CA occasionally.  Tried (The lightest element)audio for a while until I fell off the flat edge of the earth.  Bits is bits ya know.
  
 That De la Cruz guy is over here too. You know, the Italian that doesn't drink grappa.  Shameful!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

That's not true!! (^_^). 



Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## AxelCloris

I sneaked into Michael's cellar and found this...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Ha ha ha!! 

I wish I could have a 'proper' response guyz. Still here in a middle of an outdoor dinner. 



Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## germay0653

I'm sure you'll think of something Michael.  Especially after a few Limoncello's.


----------



## miceblue

Updates from today:

Geek Pulse:


> Hello,
> 
> We've been testing the analog circuit and it's looking very good. The headphone signal is great and the line out is perfect. Once everything in the analog section meets all our requirements we will move to testing the digital section.
> 
> ...







[rule]Geek Blue:


> Hello,
> 
> The pairing works, sleep works, audio analog out works. The firmware still needs work. Our software engineer discovered he could not get the firmware to run form the new software so he is working on resolving this.







[rule]Geek Linear Power Supply:


> Hello,We found a transformer that can be used for the LPS and LPS4. We decided to use the new transformer for the LPS and find a bigger transformer for the LPS4. The LPS4 is the higher power product so it will have the bigger transformers. We have been running the new LPS transformer with good results. We are now looking for a bigger OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) transformer for LPS4.We are also adding venting to the front and rear cover plates to allow air flow through the chassis.Once we have completed all of the testing to ensure a high quality product we will have a better estimate for a delivery date.







[rule]This is random, but earlier during the Geek Pulse campaign, some people were suggesting having vibration-reduction feet be an added feature as a stretch goal. Does this actually do anything useful, and quantifiable? I've done a basic Google search and I get a lot of snake-oil-sounding things, and I would have to agree. Put your DAC/amp on a speaker and listen to music for a worse-case scenario and then do the same test but with the DAC/amp on foam or something and see if there's a difference in sound. We're not listening to music during an earthquake, so I really don't understand how vibrations can affect the sound quality at all.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> This is random, but earlier during the Geek Pulse campaign, some people were suggesting having vibration-reduction feet be an added feature as a stretch goal. Does this actually do anything useful, and quantifiable? I've done a basic Google search and I get a lot of snake-oil-sounding things, and I would have to agree. Put your DAC/amp on a speaker and listen to music for a worse-case scenario and then do the same test but with the DAC/amp on foam or something and see if there's a difference in sound. We're not listening to music during an earthquake, so I really don't understand how vibrations can affect the sound quality at all.


 
  
 I'm not sure if they make a difference either, but then again nothing I've owned has been in the same class as the Pulse so I've never bothered looking into dampening feet. I would think that any improvement would be incredibly small and not really worth the upgrade but I could be completely wrong on that. Maybe it's worth $75-150 for peace of mind?


----------



## uncola

I thought the feet were only for tube amps because of microphonics in the tubes?  I read in speaker amps the transformers can vibrate.. it seems like it wouldnt' be an issue for a headphone amp


----------



## snip3r77

Hi guys,

I'm doing the survey half way and abit confused.

There is no lightspeed jr 1m ( the one that is free ). Do I need to add it?

Thanks


----------



## miceblue

snip3r77 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm doing the survey half way and abit confused.
> 
> ...



You don't need to do anything since it comes with the Geek Pulse. : D


----------



## Anaximandros

Manny told me, that we should add everything we are expecting to receive, even the free Lightspeed Jr. (Lightspeed 1G).
 I posted that at the LHLABS forum, don't know exactly where.
  
 It was a trouble ticket response.


----------



## germay0653

snip3r77 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm doing the survey half way and abit confused.
> 
> ...


 
 It now named the Lightspeed 1G, not Jr anymore.


----------



## snip3r77

germay0653 said:


> It now named the Lightspeed 1G, not Jr anymore.







anaximandros said:


> Manny told me, that we should add everything we are expecting to receive, even the free Lightspeed Jr. (Lightspeed 1G).
> I posted that at the LHLABS forum, don't know exactly where.
> 
> It was a trouble ticket response.




Sorry in this case.

OK so basically the freebie that we need to self add is the 1m Lightspeed? Anything else that I missed?


----------



## miceblue

anaximandros said:


> Manny told me, that we should add everything we are expecting to receive, even the free Lightspeed Jr. (Lightspeed 1G).
> I posted that at the LHLABS forum, don't know exactly where.
> 
> It was a trouble ticket response.



I saw otherwise. XD
I don't see why everyone would need to add that if it was included as one of the stretch goals. So for people who didn't include it such as myself, does that mean I don't get one now?

Ah what the heck...I accessed the survey again and filled out everything. It looks like they updated my payment section to include the post-campaign payments and is now correct.


----------



## Anaximandros

Interesting to see, that there are some contradicting answers out there regarding the freebie xD. Not very assuring...


----------



## rdsu

Adding the free/strech goals items doesn't make any sense!!!
  
 It only add confusion, a lot of users doesn't know that, and where is the remote control!!!???
  
 Completely nonsense!!!


----------



## Anaximandros

There is no remote control. The stretchgoal was for a remote control IR port, so that you can use your own remote.


----------



## eac3

rdsu said:


> Adding the free/strech goals items doesn't make any sense!!!
> 
> It only add confusion, a lot of users doesn't know that, and where is the remote control!!!???
> 
> Completely nonsense!!!


 
  
 It sort of made sense for me since I pledged the difference of the 1m and 2m lightspeed jr cables during the campaign.
  
  
 Thinking about it further, it would have been nice if the free stretch goals just autopopulated in the survey for everyone ordering the Geek Pulse ....considering how long they took to design those webpages.


----------



## rdsu

That is different thing that they must handle. 

And at the forum they said, few minutes ago, that the stretch goals aren't to be added!


----------



## germay0653

The only thing we should be confirming is the perks themselves and the way we want them to be configured.  Any stretch goal items that were gained should come by default. 
  
 The area that will have problems is if you bought multiples of a base product, like a wave 64, opted for different perks/configurations for each one.  For example, if I opted for two Wave 64's and a bunch of perks like 1 - Dual DAC, 2 - THDs, 1 - IEM  and 1 - Stand Alone DAC.  How will they know how we want each Wave 64 configured?
  
Maybe I want them configured this way:
  
*Wave 64 #1:*

Dual DAC
IEM
THD
  
*Wave 64 #2:*

THD
Stand Alone DAC
  
Or maybe I want it configured another way:
  
*Wave 64 #1:*

Dual DAC
THD
  
*Wave 64 #2:*

THD
Stand Alone DAC
IEM
  
 How will they know?  Unless there is some way to link the add-on perks to each base product perk it's going to be very confusing!!


----------



## germay0653

Apparently, the survey will have an option to link for configuration purposes.  Great news!


----------



## snip3r77

germay0653 said:


> Apparently, the survey will have an option to link for configuration purposes.  Great news!




Link please?


----------



## AgentXXL

snip3r77 said:


> germay0653 said:
> 
> 
> > Apparently, the survey will have an option to link for configuration purposes.  Great news!
> ...


 
  
 The survey for the Wave/Source campaign hasn't been released yet - what Gery mentioned is what I and many others expect to see once the survey is available.
  
 Dale


----------



## germay0653

Thanks Dale.  snip3r77, please reference my last post on the previous page regarding what I'm referring to about survey functionality.


----------



## nicolo

Hi,
  
 I think the best way to link the add-on perks to the base product would be obviously to fill in the Survey form they will send out.
 After that, i think we should open a trouble ticket detailing the perks paid for with the appropriate Paypal transaction ids for confirmation. This way, there shouldn't be any scope for confusion left.
  
 Just my opinion though.


----------



## kugino

have they said how they're going to deal with reimbursements? I have some money coming my way...I wish I could put it towards an upgrade or another add-on, but it seems like that's not possible.


----------



## AxelCloris

I believe they're just sending us a single PayPal payment to give the referral rewards. That's how I understood the update, anyways. I'm hoping they come soon since I had to over-extend my reach to get the final upgrade. Thankfully some people were kind enough to use my referral link and help me get enough to cover most of the signature upgrade in the final hours.


----------



## miceblue

Updates from July 18

Geek Pulse:


> Today, I almost finalized the analog output amp component selection.
> 
> Final three candidates for output are:
> (a) MUSES 8920
> ...








[rule]Geek Linear Power Supply


> Hi, guys
> 
> This week we got the new calibrated and upgraded Audio Precision....
> It could measure all the way up to 1M Hz. Perfect candidate to let you "SEE" the switching power noise.
> ...







[rule]LightSpeed Jr.


> LightSpeed 1G is completed. Ready to ship!! :cheer:
> 
> LightSpeed 2G final production sample is here... Sounds great. Need few more test.
> If no problem, we will get that by the end of this month.
> ...




"On track" with what? If it was with delivery, they're 3 months off track from that date.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-a-digital-audio-awesomifier-for-your-desktop


> Estimated delivery: May 2014


----------



## kugino

so i just went back to my survey to add the femto clock (this will delay my pulse another 6 weeks but at this rate, i don't care) and i looked at my payments and it's changed since the first time i went through the survey. the first time, it showed an "Amount Owed" of $40, but now it shows "$0". anyone else see this...is something wrong with the survey or are they just not offering refunds now?
  

  
 UPDATE: so i paid for the femto upgrade. fine. now i'm trying to create an account for the LHlabs forum so i can create a support ticket. but i can't create an account because their captcha field is screwed! i request a new captcha and each time, it says that the field is invalid. stupid forum system. stupid site. i'm ok getting my stuff whenever, but the way the've been running things, the poor communication, the awful survey, terrible CS, etc. is poor form. if anyone can tell me how to create a geek force account, please let me know. i'm using chrome on the mac...maybe that's the problem?


----------



## gyx11

if I've just backed the geek pulse during the wave campaign, where do I go to access this survey? or should I wait for LHL to push out the surveys for the whole group of pulse backers during the wave campaign? any hell is appreciated!


----------



## germay0653

gyx11 said:


> if I've just backed the geek pulse during the wave campaign, where do I go to access this survey? or should I wait for LHL to push out the surveys for the whole group of pulse backers during the wave campaign? any hell is appreciated!


 

 You should have gotten an email with a link to the survey.  If not, and you are a forum member, submit a support ticket to let them know.


----------



## gyx11

ahh alright. I had assumed that the ppl who received the survey were those who backed it during the original geek pulse campaign. from my understanding, the beta survey was sent out even before the pulse option had reappeared on the wave campaign. but no matter, I'll drop them a ticket to clarify matters


----------



## AxelCloris

gyx11 said:


> if I've just backed the geek pulse during the wave campaign, where do I go to access this survey? or should I wait for LHL to push out the surveys for the whole group of pulse backers during the wave campaign? any hell is appreciated!


 
  
 You won't get a survey until later. The current survey is only for backers of the Pulse campaigns. You'll get your survey some time after the current survey is completed.


----------



## dcpoor

After multiple delivery deadlines missed and pushed back.
 After being told weeks ago I can't get my Geek Out 450mw in Black like I originally wanted.
  
 It's the end of July and I'm still waiting for it!
  
 Very disappointing.


----------



## uncola

Geek Pulse roadmap published http://lhlabs.com/updates/pulse-production-roadmap.html
  important part:  
 Update 7/23/2014: Shipments are expected to begin on week 4 of August 2014. At the anticipated assembly rate, we will finish shipping by week 3 of October 2014. We will ship in order of first contributions received.
  
  
 and with luck the Geek Pulse X will start shipping in October?


----------



## AgentXXL

uncola said:


> Geek Pulse roadmap published http://lhlabs.com/updates/pulse-production-roadmap.html
> important part:
> Update 7/23/2014: Shipments are expected to begin on week 4 of August 2014. At the anticipated assembly rate, we will finish shipping by week 3 of October 2014. We will ship in order of first contributions received.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Just as I expected... I hope they manage to maintain this schedule, but at worst I'd like to receive my Pulse X /f /i before Christmas 2014. Fingers crossed... 
  
 Dale


----------



## kothganesh

On an encouraging note, the Geek Out 720 does a commendable job driving the HD 800. The soundstage is a little more closed compared to my desktop rigs but the SQ does not suffer at all, IMO.


----------



## miceblue

kothganesh said:


> On an encouraging note, the Geek Out 720 does a commendable job driving the HD 800. The soundstage is a little more closed compared to my desktop rigs but the SQ does not suffer at all, IMO.



What's your desktop rig?
I find the GO to sound similar to the Objective DAC/Objective 2 but with a more closed-in, but more rounded soundstage.


----------



## kothganesh

miceblue said:


> What's your desktop rig?
> I find the GO to sound similar to the Objective DAC/Objective 2 but with a more closed-in, but more rounded soundstage.


 
 Macbook Air --> Schiit Bifrost Uber (Gungnir)--> BH Crack/Lyr/Zana Deux--> HD 800


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

FINAL OP-AMP CHOICE:
  
  
24 Jul 2014 23:35​#28196 

 
  Posts:1690Thank you received: 1949​



Larry Ho
Moderator





OFFLINE
Karma: 70  
   Hi, Everyone

 Here is the final list of OpAmp we picked for "Upgrade perks".

 Analog Output Stage (Bias into Class A)
 * AD827 in Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse S
 * LME49990 in Geek Pulse X

 Current to Voltage Conversion
 * OPA1612

 Also, we decide to upgrade the amp of DC Servo too....
 LM4562, it is.

 Enjoy!

 Larry


----------



## earfonia

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> FINAL OP-AMP CHOICE:
> 
> 
> 24 Jul 2014 23:35​#28196
> ...


 
  
 Looks like a good choice!
 Even better if the Op-Amp is user replaceable, with Op-Amp socket


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Nope, we suggested that last year. 
  
 LH declined for better SQ.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Nope, we suggested that last year.
> 
> LH declined for better SQ.


 

 I wish Larry would reconsider.  This product could alleviate his concern regarding quality of the connection at the contact points.  Yes, the owner would need to apply but it should provide the advantage of a soldered joint.
  
_Posthorn Stabilant 22

 One point is of critical importance: Stabilant 22 is not “just another contact cleaner.” It is an initially non-conductive long-chain organic block polymer that switches to a conductive state only when used in a thin film within the interstices of a contact pair. It remains non-conductive on the insulating surface between adjacent contacts. Thus, by remaining resident within the contacts, it improves connector reliability within a contact set without causing signal leakage problems between adjacent contacts.

 Its advantage lies not in making new contacts better, but in keeping contacts operating as if they were new, while making old contacts function perfectly despite the ravages of time and adverse environments. In simple terms, *Stabilant 22 provides the reliability of a soldered joint without producing a mechanical bond.* It also exhibits excellent lubricating properties, but does not creep; it is exceptionally stable, and has a very low vapor pressure. Its continued regular use will enhance contact reliability for many years._


----------



## AgentXXL

Gery Mayes wrote: _Junker wrote: Totally! Suggested this to Larry too. He could see field upgrades to custom the sound and to just play around with different flavors. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 YK wrote: I suggest to include opamp sockets for opamp rolling.

 This was the owner can tweak it according to his taste and system setup.
 This flexibility may be one of the selling points of the pulse.

 With the many varied system out there, it is impossible for Larry to cater to all. With opamp rolling
 capability, we will have system matching and synergy made easier.






 If, and this is a BIG if, Larry were amenable to the rolling, the end user could incorporate this product to ensure the contacts act as a solder joint. I use the following on some of my interconnects (RCA's, BNC's and XLR's) and it seems to perform as advertized.

Posthorn Stabilant 22_


 While I too have used Stabilant 22 (and other similar 'contact restorers', I would much rather see the op-amps soldered onto the PCB. It's entirely possible to do op-amp rolling with a soldered PCB, you just have to be very careful and skilled in the art of SMD rework. I agree that won't apply to all users, but the number of users that will roll op-amps is to my opinion quite limited.

 I'm very pleased with Larry's choices for the final upgraded op-amps in the various portions of the circuit. I'm hoping that the LM4562 in the DC Servo circuit adds just a bit of musicality and warmth to the transparency of the LM49990 in the final output stage. But regardless, given what Larry has decided on is what I plan to live with. If I truly find the combination not to my liking, I'll have to decide if I want to do some SMD rework and roll away.

 Dale

  
 Geek Pulse X /f /i + Geek Blue + LPS4, 2 Lightspeed Jr 1G, 1 split Lightspeed Jr 2G, 1 Lightspeed SPDIF and a set of Lightspeed AES/EBU cables. And from the Wave campaign - a Geek Wave XD 128+DAD+THD+IEM+ZJW+ZJB+CF1W+ Geek Station X + Lightspeed 1G micro + Source 4TB w/Plus+Femto


----------



## uncola

I think another reason some ppl wanted nonsocketed opamps was that it expanded Larry's choices because some opamps were solder type only.


----------



## uncola

Do you guys think this would work as a poor man's linear power supply for the pulse?  or waste of time?  It says it does 12v 1.25 amps.. the transformer is only 7.5va though.. the real lps has a 30va one and is 12v 800ma.  also not sure what size power tip the pulse will need
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hifi-linear-power-DC-1-USB-amp-DAC-external-power-supply-digital-display-SN-/191265584682?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item2c8851362a
  
 the real LPS specs are:
 110V/120V or 220V/240V 50/60 Hz AC input.
 12V DC, 800mA output (uses the notoriously good power supply technology inside Da Vinci DAC)
 5V DC, 500mA output in front panel via USB-A connector (Can be used with Geek Out via split USB cable to reduce power noise from computer.)
 47,000uF Reservoir Capacitor (4700uF * 10) with zero switching off noise Schottky diode
 30VA High Quality Noise Shielded Transformer


----------



## MikeyFresh

uncola said:


> Do you guys think this would work as a poor man's linear power supply for the pulse?  or waste of time?  It says it does 12v 1.25 amps.. the transformer is only 7.5va though.. the real lps has a 30va one and is 12v 800ma.  also not sure what size power tip the pulse will need
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hifi-linear-power-DC-1-USB-amp-DAC-external-power-supply-digital-display-SN-/191265584682?pt=US_Amplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item2c8851362a
> 
> ...


 

 It would appear to be compatible, though no way to tell if it would deliver high quality/low noise performance. A relatively small gamble at $55.
  
 I believe their DC plug size is correct at 5.5 x 2.1mm, but you should double check that on the LH Labs forum.


----------



## uncola

geek pulse showed up on instagram this week, maybe a prototype


----------



## uncola

Less than a month before the first units ship!  Surprised there's not more activity here.  I guess we all have anticipation fatigue.  You can only maintain a level of excitement and optimism for so long.  Since today is the very last day you can change your survey entries, I encourage you all to double check your choices and add any notes at the end.  Here's the url http://pulsesurvey.lhlabs.com/
 I start my new job tomorrow which means I'll finally have money for hifi stuff again!  I decided to add the femto upgrade to my geek pulse x, since it's a backer only upgrade and this way my geek pulse x will be different from everyone else who buys one after the campaign.


----------



## RHMMMM

Fun stuff!  There doesn't seem to be the flurry of activity I'd anticipated over in the lhlabs forums, either.  I have a Pulse X /f /a with LPS.  I'm thinking of upgrading my LPS to an LPS/4, but not sure if it's worth it at this point and what realistically I would invest in elsewhere in the "Geek" ecosystem.  The Source looks promising, but I'm not so sure I care about having a super-duper power supply hooked up to that if I use the USB connection to the DAC. At that point, I'd be hitting diminishing marginal returns.


----------



## jexby

uncola said:


> Less than a month before the first units ship!  Surprised there's not more activity here.  I guess we all have anticipation fatigue.


 
  
 I don't believe for a second that LH Labs will ship the first Pulse units in less than a month.
  
 and who knows when the Pulse Xfi would get out the door with it's Femto and balanced goodness inside?
 my bet is they will need Elves to help to even deliver before Xmas.
  
 yes, call me a pessimist based on their previous track record and "un-forseen or vendor" delays/mistakes.


----------



## Case

uncola said:


> Less than a month before the first units ship!  Surprised there's not more activity here.  I guess we all have anticipation fatigue.


 
 Why would you believe their ridiculous lies? Those estimates are just wishful thinking by someone with neither education nor experience in project management. Despite multiple promises I still haven't received my Geek Out - which I will probably have to sell anyway since it turns out not only do they suck at customer relations, they also suck at engineering. The Geek Out has a higher noise floor than any of the competition and can't drive IEMs. I don't expect a Pulse in 2014 anymore.


----------



## bhazard

case said:


> Why would you believe their ridiculous lies? Those estimates are just wishful thinking by someone with neither education nor experience in project management. Despite multiple promises I still haven't received my Geek Out - which I will probably have to sell anyway since it turns out not only do they suck at customer relations, they also suck at engineering. The Geek Out has a higher noise floor than any of the competition and can't drive IEMs. I don't expect a Pulse in 2014 anymore.


 
 LMAO
  
 I actually own the GO1000, and none of that is true. Noise floor is no more than any other amp in its class, and it drives my iems with ease. I like it more than my old Audio-GD 11.32, but to each their own.
  
 Instead of complaining, open up a ticket with them like they've stated 100 times so they can fix your issue.


----------



## Case

> Instead of complaining, open up a ticket with them like they've stated 100 times so they can fix your issue.


 
 They copy-paste a generic response blurb ("we'll get to it right away" etc.) and immediately close the ticket every single time. They've been about to "ship it tomorrow" for weeks now - while selling the exact same silver Geek Out 450 on Amazon with 1-2 business days shipping. My first and only bad crowd-funding experience.
  
 As for the noise floor, I was referring to the Geek Out 450, see these threads:
 http://lhlabs.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&view=topic&catid=6&id=1800&Itemid=388
 http://lhlabs.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&view=topic&catid=6&id=1802&Itemid=388
  
 Their forums are full of people not getting their tickets answered. I think it's only fair to point this out. I pity the people in the Geek Wave/Source campaign who will have to live through the same pain in the future.


----------



## No_One411

Quote:


bhazard said:


> LMAO
> 
> I actually own the GO1000, and none of that is true. Noise floor is no more than any other amp in its class, and it drives my iems with ease. I like it more than my old Audio-GD 11.32, but to each their own.
> 
> Instead of complaining, open up a ticket with them like they've stated 100 times so they can fix your issue.


 
 I don't think the noise floor issues occur on the GO1000, and so far, I don't seem to have any problems with noise on my GO720. However, there are documented cases of the noise floor issue with the GO450. 
 Quote:


case said:


> They copy-paste a generic response blurb ("we'll get to it right away" etc.) and immediately close the ticket every single time. They've been about to "ship it tomorrow" for weeks now. My first and only bad crowd-funding experience.
> 
> As for the noise floor, I was referring to the Geek Out 450, see these threads:
> http://lhlabs.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&view=topic&catid=6&id=1800&Itemid=388
> ...


 
  As for opening up support tickets, I think their support staff (2 people!!!!) are being flooded with requests everyday. I guess my patience threshold is a little bit higher than others. They promised me they would ship near the end of May, but I only just received my GO720 last week. You just gotta be patient I guess....


----------



## miceblue

I own a GO 1000 and a GO 450 and there is audible background noise with both units when using the Shure SE215, slightly more so with the GO 450 than the GO 1000.

I'm hoping the Pulse will have better performance in this regard.


----------



## jexby

miceblue said:


> I own a GO 1000 and a GO 450 and there is audible background noise with both units when using the Shure SE215, slightly more so with the GO 450 than the GO 1000.
> 
> I'm hoping the Pulse will have better performance in this regard.


 
  
 If there is ANY noise with Pulse Xfi, there out to be a revolution against LH Labs.
  
 GeekOut as a "entry level" DAC/Amp to get the public interested in the technology and features is one thing to not perfect,
 but their desktop unit damn well better be flawless.
 and not after +X months of "firmware upgrades will fix the Pulse" in the future.


----------



## uncola

Miceblue could the hiss be ac line noise? When I got my mjolnir it had buzzing when my other amp had none. I tracked it down to my living room dimmer switch. Maybe class a amps are more sensitive? You could try running geek out from a battery. My theory might be dumb, I don't know


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> Miceblue could the hiss be ac line noise? When I got my mjolnir it had buzzing when my other amp had none. I tracked it down to my living room dimmer switch. Maybe class a amps are more sensitive? You could try running geek out from a battery. My theory might be dumb, I don't know



Maybe? I'm not really sure. Others have suggested it's due to the laptop providing non-clean power to the Geek Out, but that doesn't explain why every other USB DAC I've heard doesn't have this issue.

Something like the iPurifier or that Schiit Audio decrapifier thing may work, but I see no reason why I would need to go out of my way to buy these products when every other USB DAC is just fine without them.


----------



## adrian0115

The noise floor and volume control implementation are starting to concern me.  I check up on lhlabs.com when I have time and this all seems to boil down to the digital volume control implementation.  I really hope Larry and team will look into this for the Pulse since I believe people have high expectations for their products.  
  
 I can say for a fact if I hear a noticeable hissing background with the Pulse, I will get rid of it.  It's that simple.  None of the fancy parts/components matter if I'll be hearing hissing.
  
 I know the team at LH Labs have been comparing their kit to competitors products but I can tell you that using a Dragonfly 1.0 + SE215, I hear no hissing regardless of the volume being low or high.  
  
 To LH labs, you guys posted supposedly 'superior' measurements to all your competitors so how do you explain this problem?!  
  
 The Dragonfly supposedly uses a 'crappy' headphone amp but I'll stick to using this because I hear no hiss with SE215/HD650s.


----------



## zenpunk

As a GO450 owner and a backer of the Pulse with full upgrade I am also quite concerned as it is now quite clear the Geek Out issues  with the high noise floor and the dangerous and poorly implemented volume are related and due to a faulty design.
 Sadly, there is still no solution coming out from LH Labs as they seem to be too busy with other projects or they just don't know how to fix it, which isn't encouraging for future projects.


----------



## earfonia

adrian0115 said:


> The noise floor and volume control implementation are starting to concern me.  I check up on lhlabs.com when I have time and this all seems to boil down to the digital volume control implementation.  I really hope Larry and team will look into this for the Pulse since I believe people have high expectations for their products.
> 
> I can say for a fact if I hear a noticeable hissing background with the Pulse, I will get rid of it.  It's that simple.  None of the fancy parts/components matter if I'll be hearing hissing.
> 
> ...


 
  
 +1
 Whenever we reported high floor noise, they just claim it is a faulty unit.
 I really doubt their 'superior measurement result' as many of us clearly hissing noise floor from GO 450, and quite background from Dragonfly.
  
  


zenpunk said:


> As a GO450 owner and a backer of the Pulse with full upgrade I am also quite concerned as it is now quite clear the Geek Out issues  with the high noise floor and the dangerous and poorly implemented volume are related and due to a faulty design.
> Sadly, there is still no solution coming out from LH Labs as they seem to be too busy with other projects or they just don't know how to fix it, which isn't encouraging for future projects.


 
  
 I'm also regular Pulse and Pulse X full upgrade backer, and I'm started to worry now... 
 Should have spent my money for iFi iDSD Micro instead...


----------



## uncola

My theory is that class a amps allow you to hear more detail including dirty ac power, so it's a feature not a bug   But there seem to be enough happy owners that it's not a universal flaw in the design.. I don't know.  I Just hope my Geek Pulse XF is perfect and when I open the box I'm blinded by a jj abrams lens flare


----------



## zenpunk

You are right! a fantastic feature: extra noise...for free.


----------



## earfonia

uncola said:


> My theory is that class a amps allow you to hear more detail including dirty ac power, so it's a feature not a bug   But there seem to be enough happy owners that it's not a universal flaw in the design.. I don't know.  I Just hope my Geek Pulse XF is perfect and when I open the box I'm blinded by a jj abrams lens flare




My DACport also feature class A headphones amp, and the noise floor is lower.


----------



## MikeyFresh

earfonia said:


> My DACport also feature class A headphones amp, and the noise floor is lower.


 

 And this is audible when listening to music, or only when no music is playing?
  
 I'm asking purely out of curiosity, not to start a war of words.
  
 I own a GO1000, and a CEntrance HiFi-M8, they seem very similar in terms of a low noise/quiet background, either when listening to music or at idle.
  
 The M8 is battery powered, the GO1000 of course is bus powered and logically should be noisier because of that, but I use an iUSBPower inline to mitigate any potential noise issues from the computer (actually ground related noise as EMI is ultrasonic).
  
 I'm also not suggesting all Geek Out owners "need" to run out and buy an add-on such as the iUSBPower to solve some sort of inherent noise problem. ALL of my USB DACs benefit from he iUSBPower, not just the GO1000.


----------



## Anaximandros

What bugs me with this noise and hiss from the GO is, that it is dependable of which GO you are using. There are far more complaints with the GO 450 and the GO 720 than with the GO 1000.
  
 LH provided measurements against other competing DACs and stated, that theirs is supperior regarding noise floor. Larry used a "real world" 300 Ohm load. But what is a "real world" load compared to the headphones a normal consumer would use? Regarding the small size of the GO and how it was advertised as being comaptible with iOS + CCK and Android via OTG the GO should be a portable DAC and used preferably with portable Cans / iems / ciems.
  
 Then there was the demand for more power to drive larger cans. But still, it is a portable DAC. I can't belive, that the noise floor is higher with "dirty" usb power provided by the pc/mac/laptop, because other DACs are noise free.
  
 And the 3D Noisifier (I call it Noisifier because of the noise ) should not make a hissy background. I am happy with my GO 1000, as I don't have sensible headphones, but I can understand the frustration of those, who have GO 450 / 720.
  
 They better make the Pulse hiss/noise free, as this is their midfield DAC. And the firmware should be tested thoroughly regarding the volume jumping to max sound with windows OS. Their volume knob is a digital attenuator and works like the buttons on the GO if I remember correctly. Don't want to fry my headphones, because the volume jumps to 100% (7 Vrms) by touching the volume knob...


----------



## zenpunk

I tried a usb isolator and it made no difference. This is self noise due to poor design.


----------



## jexby

anaximandros said:


> What bugs me with this noise and hiss from the GO is, that it is dependable of which GO you are using. There are far more complaints with the GO 450 and the GO 720 than with the GO 1000.
> 
> LH provided measurements against other competing DACs and stated, that theirs is supperior regarding noise floor. Larry used a "real world" 300 Ohm load. But what is a "real world" load compared to the headphones a normal consumer would use? Regarding the small size of the GO and how it was advertised as being comaptible with iOS + CCK and Android via OTG the GO should be a portable DAC and used preferably with portable Cans / iems / ciems.
> 
> ...


 
  
 1.  while my GO450 has a black background with Heir Audio 4.AiS and NAD HP50, it appears others aren't so lucky.
 which is sad.  and either speaks to QA issues or an inconsistent design across 450/720/1000 models.
 still waiting for that audiostream update to provide "independent" measurements of GO450 against other mini DAC/Amps.
  
 2.  3D noisifier is right!  it's a completely broken feature for a majority of headphones I suspect.  the fact that it was touted during the kickstarting campaign again points to Gavin the Marketeer hyping and the GO design not living up to it.
  
 3.  for 2 days I tried a Schiit Wyrd with my GO450 (and macbook pro retina 13") and Wyrd did nothing to improve sonics or eliminate 3D noisifier.  must mean either macbook pro usb ports are decent quality, or GO450 does a decent job with average USB ports.
  
 4.  while I was excited to back Pulse Xfi, am now very worried about their digital volume knob. and another broken 3D "feature".
 almost am preferring to re-sell my Pulse Xfi before opening it, and be done with experimenting with their products.
  
 Plenty of other reputable and great sounding companies out there like iFi Audio, CEntrance, Schiit
 without the headaches or design issues.


----------



## zerodeefex

anaximandros said:


> What bugs me with this noise and hiss from the GO is, that it is dependable of which GO you are using. There are far more complaints with the GO 450 and the GO 720 than with the GO 1000.
> 
> LH provided measurements against other competing DACs and stated, that theirs is supperior regarding noise floor. Larry used a "real world" 300 Ohm load. But what is a "real world" load compared to the headphones a normal consumer would use? Regarding the small size of the GO and how it was advertised as being comaptible with iOS + CCK and Android via OTG the GO should be a portable DAC and used preferably with portable Cans / iems / ciems.
> 
> ...


 
  
 The reason you see more reports on the 450s is the majority of sales were the 450.
  
 I've owned five 450s (3 for friends, 2 for me, all of them I've used), 2 GO 1000s, and beta tested the GO 100. I also just purchased a 720 off the forums and will have that soon to test as well.
  
 As you move up the line, there is more noise. The crappier my machine, the more noise I get. All of them (AND my other USB powered DACs) improve with my previous iFi iUSB and now my Schiit Wyrd.
  
 I own:

Dragonfly 1.0
Herus
Explorer
Audioengine D1 and D3
ODAC
Centrance DACPort
HRT MicroStreamer
  
 Almost all of them produce some audible hiss (varying in level) when used with my UERMs, especially out of my laptops (Surface Pro 3, previous Macbook Air, and a Macbook Pro). 
  
 What I will say is that the Geek Out units have the best SQ of the bunch, both tonally and in terms of overall resolution (with the possible exception of the ODAC on a good USB port), especially the Geek Out 450.


----------



## kugino

zerodeefex said:


> The reason you see more reports on the 450s is the majority of sales were the 450.
> 
> I've owned five 450s (3 for friends, 2 for me, all of them I've used), 2 GO 1000s, and beta tested the GO 100. I also just purchased a 720 off the forums and will have that soon to test as well.
> 
> ...


 

 i contacted LH about my green GO 720...and they informed me that the company is no longer producing the green ones...but that they would send me a black one ASAP. hmm, there was no mention of problems with the production of the green units in any of the threads i had read. wish these kinds of hiccups would be made public as soon as they happen - perhaps in a message to all pulse/GO backers? (duh)
  
 anyway, i hope to receive mine soon and compare against the ifi micro idsd and check out the noise floor both with and without the iusb


----------



## AxelCloris

kugino said:


> i contacted LH about my green GO 720...and they informed me that the company is no longer producing the green ones...but that they would send me a black one ASAP. hmm, there was no mention of problems with the production of the green units in any of the threads i had read. wish these kinds of hiccups would be made public as soon as they happen - perhaps in a message to all pulse/GO backers? (duh)
> 
> anyway, i hope to receive mine soon and compare against the ifi micro idsd and check out the noise floor both with and without the iusb


 
  
 Pulse combo backers weren't offered green as an option. The green was limited to Kickstarter backers only.


----------



## kugino

axelcloris said:


> Pulse combo backers weren't offered green as an option. The green was limited to Kickstarter backers only.


 

 when they offered the upgrade to 720 or 1000 for pulse combo orders, they said pick a color. they never mentioned that the available colors were limited. so if indeed green was only available to KS backers, then they should have mentioned that. second, if that was the case, when i put in my order and paid for it, someone should have told me that green was not an option. third, if indeed there were issues with green production and no greens were being offered, they should have notified people about that, too. so there were many areas in which they failed to keep the customer informed.


----------



## earfonia

mikeyfresh said:


> And this is audible when listening to music, or only when no music is playing?
> 
> I'm asking purely out of curiosity, not to start a war of words.
> 
> ...


 
  
 It has been asked a few times, me and @miceblue have described it here and in LH Labs forum, but let me describe it again.
  
 Mine is GO 450 that seems to have higher noise floor than your GO 1000.
 The background noise mostly heard with sensitive IEM, such as my DUNU DN-1000 and DN-2000, and less heard on headphones, especially high impedance headphones. For example, I cannot hear the noise on my HD800.
 The background noise especially heard when there is no music, the moment I'm plugging in the IEM. It's quite clear the changes from silent before plugging, and hearing 'hisss' noise after plugging to the headphone output of GO 450.
 It is also heard during the soft passages of music.
  
 I don't have any of that hiss problem with my other portable DACS such as Dragonfly, DACport, as well as DAPs, using the DUNUs.  The hiss problem is only on my GO 450.
 I hope that's clarify.
  
 I have requested for second unit of GO 450 from the referral program, and Manny Tores has agrees to send me the second unit. I will compare the second unit of GO 450 with my current GO 450 to see if there is any problem with my current GO 450.
 I've waited for more than 3 weeks for it since I reported this problem, but so far no news when it is going to be delivered.  As usual, wait, wait, and wait....
  
 I'm going to write a review of GO 450 compared with my other DACs, but waiting for the second unit of the GO 450, for a fair comparison.


----------



## uncola

I wonder if the noise is because of the current mode output stage.  Found this on lhlabs forums posted by Larry in a thread talking about the questyle and bakoon current mode amps
  
 "(1) Current feedback of amplification is usually faster in slew rate, which will make the signal trace the original music signal in much higher rate in time domain. And that is good for sound quality.

 (2) But current amplification also has an issue of current noise and it could not have capacitance in the loop to avoid any potential oscillation. Both are not good for sound quality.

 In Geek Out, we use current feedback topology in final analog output stage. It sounds much better than simple voltage buffer output.

 In Geek Pulse, since we finally have more PCB space. I will add two more important stuff right after IV signal chain and before analog output."


----------



## dclaz

I'm just hoping I get the right model shipped to me at this point. Paid for the Pulse X/f/i + 2m Lightspeed 1G, hope the survey and my inputs worked properly.


----------



## junker

No noise with a 1000 running into a home stereo with 97 db speakers...but a much easier load than headphones I guess?


----------



## zenpunk

You are right, the line out has no issue, especially when feeding an extremely high impedance input such as a receiver. But the Geek Out is a portable Dac/amp designed to be used on the move with a laptop and headphone/iem.


----------



## miceblue

Updates from today:

Geek Pulse:


> Update 8/07/2014: We've been doing some final tweaking to the Pulse, Pulse X, and Pulse S boards this week and have applied the tweaks to one more Prototype board. The new board's schematic and Gerber layout are done and have been sent to the PCB fabrication shop. The reason we decided to do this is because femto clock shipments have been delayed once again, so we have a chance to sneak in one more improvement to the design. Femto clocks are scheduled to arrive on August 18th now. We don't think this will affect the shipping schedule.




Geek Linear Power Supply:


> Update 8/7/2014: After a long test under load, Larry's team decided that they needed to increase LPS and LPS4's current capability to 1200 mA constant and 1500mA peak @ 12Vrms. This has added the concern of managing heat, which we're trying to resolve. The chassis must remain the same shape, but we have some ideas to use convection the way we do in Da Vinci to keep the heat down. This does put us a little more behind, but we think we can make up some time and still make our shipments happen on the same schedule we announced on 7/24.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I like the idea of having a beefier power supply. Even if just a little bit


----------



## uncola

I can feel the release getting closer..  hopefully the beta people won't be under NDA and can tell us how awesome we are for backing this dac amp


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## walfredo

Interesting to hear so many reports on noise.
  
 My GO 450 has no noise whatsoever.  My headphones are sensitive, although not IEMs.
  
 Maybe this is an issue that varies with sample?


----------



## Trav

I bought in I think back in September or October with a delivery of June, it's now August.....not.....pleased.


----------



## kugino

trav said:


> I bought in I think back in September or October with a delivery of June, it's now August.....not.....pleased.


 

 just wait til 2015 arrives and you still don't have your unit...


----------



## vic2vic

Quick question on a cheper option for remote treaming into Geek Pulse: if I buy something *like this* (aptX Bluetooth adapter with coax/optical digital out), would it stream digitally my FLAC files from my PC/iPAD (and eventually even from Geek Wave, with BT stream) into Pulse ?
 I guess this solution will not differ too much from the Geek current Bluetooth solution, and it would cost to me almost 3x less.
  
 Or will the files be converted in the PC/iPAD by their own DAC, streamed as analog signal, reconverted with by ADC in the BT receiver and re-reconverted again with Pulse DAC (so basically losing the benefit of a higher end DAC) ?
  
  
  
 As an alternative for remote streaming with Pulse, I was also thinking to use a Raspberry Pi connected to the Pulse (RPi USB out into Pulse USB in, and RPi connected to my home NAS), but I'm not sure if RPi will be able to cope with the stream rate of 24/96 or DSD files.
 And I never setup a Pi ( just ordered one), so I'm not sure how easy this solution will be to implement.


----------



## uncola

Yeah those will both work, for the rpi you just have to load some music playing rom like mpd or daphile or one of those


----------



## walfredo

"Week 4 of August 2014" is Monday.  http://lhlabs.com/updates/pulse-production-roadmap.html
  
 Does anyone know if they are on track?


----------



## uncola

They updated the roadmap on 8/04/2014 so they can't be too far behind.. they're close enough to shipping the first units that I'm definitely able to stay positive but I decided to cancel my post survey femto because I want my GPX to ship sooner.  I'm ready for this baby to be given birth already


----------



## dclaz

At the same time, I REALLY hope they don't rush it to get it out due to demand.
  
 This is easy for me to say though because I'm really don't need it right now. My Asus E1 is doing a brilliant job with my PC.


----------



## FangJoker

I'm not familiar with how crowd funding works.  Well I know that if you buy ahead of time you get a good deal, but will it be on sale to the general public after all of the crowd funding people have gotten theirs?  I have only found this thread recently and it looks like something that I would purchase.


----------



## AxelCloris

vegasf1 said:


> I'm not familiar with how crowd funding works.  Well I know that if you buy ahead of time you get a good deal, but will it be on sale to the general public after all of the crowd funding people have gotten theirs?  I have only found this thread recently and it looks like something that I would purchase.




Most crowd funding campaigns are made available for retail after the product comes out, but some are limited to the campaign only. I have backed 2 kickstarters that cannot be purchased.

I can say with absolute certainty that LHLabs wants to sell this at retail.


----------



## uncola

New updates, posting for the people who unsubscribed from indiegogo email
  
 Geek Pulse
 Update 8/18/2014: Femto clocks have arrived! Well, 900 of them, anyway. It may seem like a small thing, but we've been waiting on these things for a LONG time, so we're pretty excited. All of the upgraded opamps have also arrived. Geek Pulse boards are officially being assembled. Now we're just waiting for the new Pulse X / S boards to show up (the ones we snuck in some changes to while we were waiting for the femto clocks) so we can start that assembly run.
  
  
 LPS/LPS4

Update 8/18/2014: In order to lower Johnson noise throughout the 12V supply in LPS4, we decided to make a change to two out of LPS 4's 12V outputs down to a power rating of 500mA. These two 500mA outputs are to be used with lower power consumption devices from the Geek Pulse family. The other two 12V outputs will have their power output raised to 1200mA!

  


Output 1 (1200 mA): Geek Pulse DAC
Output 2 (500 mA): Geek Blue/Geek Air
Output 3 (1200 mA): Geek Preamp (formal name TBD) / Geek Dedicated Headphone Amp (formal name TBD)
Output 4 (500 mA): Geek Phono (formal name TBD)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I'm interested on that Geek dedicated headphone amp....
  
 Now I am happy why I upgraded to LPS4.


----------



## jaywillin

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I'm interested on that Geek dedicated headphone amp....
> 
> Now I am happy why I upgraded to LPS4.


 
 i had emailed gavin early on, kinda regretting having upgraded, and i was wondering if i could just go go back base model.
 he talked me out of downgrading ,  now i'm kinda glad he did !!


----------



## uncola

Hey they posted new pics of the chassis and front/backplates.   Looks like they are going with angular corners but this might not be the final finish so please chill out.  manny had this to say "the machined chassis is done but the aesthetics is off site and getting worked"


----------



## jexby

Based on the size and (unfinished) looks, I predict my fully loaded Pulse Xfi will be available for sale without even listening to it...


----------



## miceblue

You forgot to state the estimated delay time. 


> As you know, we had our first engineer's prototype circuit boards before the campaign ever started. These boards include the DAC, the amplification stage, and the battery management circuit. Since all that is done, the most challenging part we're facing is the user interface and the data management piece.
> 
> We expect to receive the first complete prototype with the screen, data management, and user interface on September 15th. It will use components that are larger than what the final unit will have, so it will be about the size of a piece of type paper. This prototype is being hand assembled and tweaked right now by our engineer, Jeff, right now. I can't wait for it to be done because I want to share photos with you.
> 
> For now, that's all I have to share with you, but I'll set up an update page on our website the same way we did with Geek Pulse and Geek LPS so you'll always be able to see what's going on. Each time I update the page, I'll alert you here. I should have that page posted on the website this week.


----------



## uncola

Is that for the geek pulse or the geek wave?  They mention a battery management unit so it sounds like the geek wave?


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> Is that for the geek pulse or the geek wave?  They mention a battery management unit so it sounds like the geek wave?



Oh, you're right, my bad. I got 3 e-mails from Light Harmonic and they pretty much all look identical. -_-


----------



## AxelCloris

The Pulse looks somewhat generic in its current state. Hopefully Manny's comment that the aesthetics are still being polished holds true. But honestly as long as it sounds excellent I don't care too much about the looks. Sound quality and a functional interface above gloss and shine. Hopefully it blows everyone away. Also hopefully they'll have one at RMAF for me to demo.


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> The Pulse looks somewhat generic in its current state. Hopefully Manny's comment that the aesthetics are still being polished holds true. But honestly as long as it sounds excellent I don't care too much about the looks. Sound quality and a functional interface above gloss and shine. Hopefully it blows everyone away. Also hopefully they'll have one at RMAF for me to demo.


 
  
 AxelC,
 would love to demo a Pulse Xfi myself at RMAF, so I'll see ya in line- as I bet they will be scarce.
 should we bring our own HE-560s or hope to borrow some?   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 However, I'm resigned to selling mine already based on that size and look, unless somehow it beats every other DAC + Amp combo out there by a mile in every aspect of tone, musicality, soundstage, balance, etc.


----------



## walfredo

uncola said:


> Is that for the geek pulse or the geek wave?  They mention a battery management unit so it sounds like the geek wave?


 
  
 But, anyhow, the update for geek pulse did not mention estimated shipping time either, did it?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

jexby said:


> AxelC,
> would love to demo a Pulse Xfi myself at RMAF, so I'll see ya in line- as I bet they will be scarce.
> should we bring our own HE-560s or hope to borrow some?
> 
> ...


 
  
 Can you explain what you mean? Do you mean that you're going to sell the Pulse for aesthetic reasons or is it something more?


----------



## uncola

Heh I tried to minimize the freaking out and alarmist hypercriticality when I posted the case pics.. Here's a quote from the movie Henry Fool I find to be meaningful "Certain work needs to be experienced all at once in order for one to appreciate the full force of its character."  Although that's not a good example since in the movie the authors magnum opus novel was a sham.  Hopefully that's not the case with the Geek Pulse


----------



## jexby

ethereal sound said:


> Can you explain what you mean? Do you mean that you're going to sell the Pulse for aesthetic reasons or is it something more?


 
  
 Summary:  without knowing how Pulse Xfi sounds (yet), here is my basis for possibly selling it:
  
 1.  it looks huge in the pictures, don't have room on my desk with iMac for that beast.
 2.  in it's present state, it looks like a DIY unit not a professional product.
 3.  balanced aside, I suspect it may not beat out Concero HD + Lyr 2 with HE-560.
 4.  balanced aside, if I want powerful clean SS amp and great DAC, iFi micro iDSD may compete with Pulse Xfi.
  
 if I open up the box and listen to Pulse Xfi and it blows my other set ups away, I'll retract.
 all speculation right now.  including the shipping date.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

jexby said:


> Summary:  without knowing how Pulse Xfi sounds (yet), here is my basis for possibly selling it:
> 
> 1.  it looks huge in the pictures, don't have room on my desk with iMac for that beast.
> 2.  in it's present state, it looks like a DIY unit not a professional product.
> ...


 
 Ah I see. Well it'll be interesting to see how it turns out as many people (myself included) seem to have very high hopes for it.


----------



## zenpunk

Many people, including myself, had high hope for the Geek Out, but it turns out to be a very poorly designed and dangerous product.


----------



## germay0653

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and your concern regarding possible unexpected high volume is very valid.  It's a firmware issue that will be resolved with the next release, supposedly within the next week or two.  I would venture to say the design isn't bad, they didn't design it to do that, but it was definitely not *tested* properly with windows.  There has been plenty of communication regarding the volume flaw using the buttons.  Until the new firmware is released just don't use the buttons, plain and simple.  Use software to control the volume and it works great.  Other than that, it sounds pretty darn good to my ears.


----------



## bhazard

I've never seen so many whiners. It's hysterical.



jexby said:


> Based on the size and (unfinished) looks, I predict my fully loaded Pulse Xfi will be available for sale without even listening to it...



 


It's not even released or finished, yet you're already selling it? LOL. I guess you can predict the future and already know the sound signature isn't to your taste too.



zenpunk said:


> Many people, including myself, had high hope for the Geek Out, but it turns out to be a very poorly designed and dangerous product.



 


Completely overblown. "Poorly designed" "Dangerous"? Keep away from those thug Geek Outs, they be dangerous. Setting the volume in software before you listen takes 2 seconds. Not that hard. 

I am disappointed that they haven't issued a bug fix firmware however. If they don't maintain the Geek Out, I will be selling it eventually as well... however, for the price paid and the SQ of my current GO1000, nothing touched it in price/performance for months.

Let the Pulse release and then make a judgement. The iFi is some serious competition now, so LH will need to step it up a bit to retain customers. They were the only game in town before value wise, but not anymore.


----------



## jexby

bhazard said:


> I've never seen so many whiners. It's hysterical.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 1.  it's "not even released or finished" is EXACTLY the reason I have other good-to-great rigs now, because I'm tired of waiting and based on what's been show so far- not excited for their supposed "great sound beyond $" when others are doing the same.  (see #3 below)
 I don't know the future- but ears will tell me.
  
 2.  while the Geek Out is good, it's not exactly earth shattering or blowing everything else away.  see:  iFi nano iDSD.  (and #3 below)
  
 3.  Bingo, iFi is the serious competition. exactly as I stated about iFi micro iDSD.


----------



## CharlesJohnson

I understand the the geek pulse will take a 12v input as a power supply, so I was wondering if using a battery pack (I'm considering this one in particular: http://www.amazon.com/20000mAh-Multi-Voltage-External-Netbooks-Notebooks/dp/B00B45EOYS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408872314&sr=8-2&keywords=anker+20000) will allow the pulse to be powered without the wall socket adapter, since my wall sockets are filled near my desktop. Also, will it provide better sound quality since a battery should be less noisy than a wall supply?
    
 I also heard that there is to be a proprietary battery supply for the geek pulse, so is that still true as of now?
  
 Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks .


----------



## germay0653

charlesjohnson said:


> I understand the the geek pulse will take a 12v input as a power supply, so I was wondering if using a battery pack (I'm considering this one in particular: http://www.amazon.com/20000mAh-Multi-Voltage-External-Netbooks-Notebooks/dp/B00B45EOYS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408872314&sr=8-2&keywords=anker+20000) will allow the pulse to be powered without the wall socket adapter, since my wall sockets are filled near my desktop. Also, will it provide better sound quality since a battery should be less noisy than a wall supply?
> 
> I also heard that there is to be a proprietary battery supply for the geek pulse, so is that still true as of now?
> 
> Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks .


 

 Hey Charles,
  
 The Pulse comes standard with a AC powered switching power supply.  There will be two proprietary AC powered Linear Power Supply's (1 output LPS & 4 output LPS4), not a battery, available as separate products for the Pulse.  However, that Anker battery pack should work just fine and it's just a matter of how long it will last while powering the Pulse.  You would just need the proper connector (standard 2.1mm DC) on the end that plugs into the Pulse.


----------



## Ranza

Sooo...after a month still have not received my Geek Out, out of curious I contacted with the tenant in my old address and....
 ...it delivered to my old address, although I already opened a support ticket told them I moved to a new address...hope this will not happen again. I really, really hate to go back 240Km and get my Geek Out, though in the survey of Geek Pulse I wrote down the new address.


----------



## m17xr2b

Well at least they delivered yours. They forgot about mine completely...


----------



## jazzflav

Hey m17xr2b,
  
 I'm here for you do you have an open ticket if not I need you to open a support ticket.  Give me your Full Name Email Address and Shipping Address and I will take care of it for you immediately. Just address the ticket to Carlos my friend


----------



## BaTou069

bhazard said:


> Completely overblown. "Poorly designed" "Dangerous"? Keep away from those thug Geek Outs, they be dangerous. Setting the volume in software before you listen takes 2 seconds. Not that hard.


 
  
 In my case, I control the volume with the LH Control Panel, because sometimes a DSD file might play which will play in full volume, if the device is set to full and volume is controlled over software only.
 In this case, when turning on the 3d option, the volume will most probably jump to the max. This happend to me several times, using IEMs. It sucks


----------



## m17xr2b

When I first backed the Geek Pulse I said to myself this will be a worth while investment. They presented themselves as professionals and there only purpose would be to build the ultimate dac and provide exceptional customer care.
 Well now I still have not received my Geek Out as part of the bundle which they completely forgot to ship and after many discussions if I still want it I have to pay 100$ more in addition to another 40$ shipping otherwise no Out and I doubt there will be a refund. As far as they are concerned the matter is closed,speechless ... WHAT THE HELL MAN?


----------



## Anaximandros

Why do you have to pay more, if you want it? You already paid the bundle price.
 Are you sure their customer support understood your trouble ticket?


----------



## m17xr2b

Official reply is:
  
_I just had my manager take a look at your ticket and he stated that the minimum for the Geek Out 450's are $199 at this point due to changes that have been made to the circuit boards.
 If you would like to still order this item at $199 plus $40 international shipping we can send you a paypal invoice to your email address. I will be closing this ticket for now however feel free to re-open it if you have any questions or concerns or just would like to purchase a item._
  
 And now I see there are allot of problem with international shipments that are overvalued. For those who payed 100$ for the geek they had to pay tax for 300$ since that is the value they declared.


----------



## zenpunk

Import Tax are to be paid on the value paid, that is made very clear by custom officials. I also got overcharged due to more incompetence on their part. 
 I am dreading receiving the Pulse now and being hit by silly import duty.


----------



## Anaximandros

I received 3 Geeks, a 450, 720 and a 1000. All of them had the same value - $199. 
 But I still don't understand, why you have to order another Geek Out, if you backed the Bundle and did not receive your GO yet. 
  
 Show them a receipt from PayPal/IGG for the Pulse/GO perk and everything should be fine and they should send you the GO ASAP!


----------



## m17xr2b

Already did all of that. The bundle was ordered by email after the first campaign ended and before the second one started.
 I sent them the email conversation and the paypal reference. It's silly that instead of giving them more money I would rather buy one from the FS forum or something else. My only consolation is that I will be in California this fall and may pay them a visit so at least I will have a more detailed explanation of what and why. 
 The sad thing is that I had all my hopes in the out and pulse dacs and for the past year I am using a generic sound card which does not do well with the LCD-3F.
  
 Is there anyone else that has not received the Out as part of the pulse bundle?


----------



## uncola

Larry posted a pic of the geek pulse pcb.  Can someone smarter than me use ms paint and circle the femto caps etc 
  
 "See two nice Femto clocks there? Four Elna caps with RIFA.
 WIMA on the other end.
 MELF Ultra Low noise resistors, you could see there too."


----------



## uncola

Disclaimer: this is a guess and I don't know anything!  thanks to cetoole on IRC for the help identifying chips


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Below the Bar Code its says STD - FEMTO - AMP

So its a Standard Pulse with Femto and Op-Amp upgrade (Geek Pulse X and S will come next week).

Let me add Larry's descriptions:

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

White lines are for Mu Metal shielding alignment.

ESS DAC with sophisticated power supply in the middle.

12V input and -12V power section on the upper left side.

Also with 4 audio input sections there...  Complete ground isolation for each input.

Also, silver contact point relay array (white one) are in headphone section.


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Below the Bar Code its says STD - FEMTO - AMP
> 
> So its a Standard Pulse with Femto and Op-Amp upgrade (Geek Pulse X and S will come next week).
> 
> ...




Hey mickey!

Can you post the link please?


----------



## pedalhead

Here you go...
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/1943-gpu-002-is-ready-start-testing


----------



## miceblue

Just received an e-mail regarding updates for the Pulse and Linear Power Supply.
Pulse


> Update 8/29/2014: The first batch of Geek Pulse boards have arrived at our office from the assembly house. Half of them are standard Geek Pulses and the others are Geek Pulse /I, Geek Pulse /F and Geek Pulse /I /F. Larry and his crew are measuring them to ensure the assembly house put everything together correctly. So far, it looks good.
> 
> Boards for Geek Pulse X, Geek Pulse S, and their /I /F variants are at the assembly house now. We expect those boards to be shipped to us from Reno in 8 business days.
> 
> ...




LPS


> Update 8/29/2014: Our biggest concern with Geek LPS / LPS4 has to do with heat management. These guys really heat up! We’re working on exhausting hot air without the use of external heat sinks or fans. We’re having to change the process of machining the extruded aluminum chassis, which may cause a slight delay, but we’re still shooting for the 4th week of September. We’ll keep you posted.









What's silly to me is why they even bothered with the OLED displays on the Pulse. That wasn't a feature to begin with and upon relaunching the Wave campaign, they added it as a free bonus feature. Now they're saying the manufacturer is discontinuing it....I sense a lack of communication here.


----------



## AxelCloris

So we're back to getting the LPS before the Pulse. Awesome. I'm going to end up using the LPS4 to power my Geek Out for a while I guess. Certainly a bit overkill but I guess go big or go home. At least it's still looking like I'll get the GO SE before the LPS as well. Assuming the testing goes smoothly it'll be shipped once they all have the stamp of approval.

Pretty sure we all called BS on the "last week of August" as soon as they announced it. Yay for realistic deadlines!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Since July I was setting my self for Christmass...


----------



## junker

Yeah exactly hahaha!  The Geek Out will keep me pretty much happy until the Pulse is fully developed and optimized for release. I'm not too concerned about it if the final product is better for it.


----------



## zenpunk

You would think that the first thing you check when designing a new product is that the components you have spent time- and money- testing won't be discontinued in the near future and that the manufacturer will be able to supply the quantity needed...


----------



## valve5425

miceblue said:


> Just received an e-mail regarding updates for the Pulse and Linear Power Supply.
> 
> Pulse
> 
> ...



 


I believe the original reason for not incorporating a display was noise. Not sure what changed there. Maybe they thought they were lagging behind the competitors.

Still, only 117 shopping days to Christmas now!


----------



## uncola

I think it was LCDs they said were noisy. Oleds are superior! I'm actually surprised people didn't react more positively to the screen addition. Screens on DACs are awesome. I hope it shows volume in db and the input gain setting etc. It would be cool to set the rear outputs to fixed or variable too but not a dealbreaker


----------



## germay0653

Growing pains!  It makes your bones hurt.  Eventually, they'll get it under control.


----------



## snip3r77

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Since July I was setting my self for Christmass...




same to receive during christmas ( that's my earliest )


----------



## uncola

I'd be pretty sad if my gpx didn't come by xmas


----------



## jexby

uncola said:


> I'd be pretty sad if my gpx didn't come by xmas




I could care less when my Pulse Xfi ships, complete emotionally un invested in LH Labs now after all their insanity of follow on campaigns, inconsistent customer support and lack of deliverable progress updates in the past.

Besides, my Concero HD to Lyr 2 is blowing the doors of HE-560, and I don't expect Pulse Xfi to sound better anyhow.


----------



## grizzlybeast

uncola said:


> Disclaimer: this is a guess and I don't know anything!  thanks to cetoole on IRC for the help identifying chips


 
 Is this how far they got after all this time?


----------



## Ultimate Mango

I think there are going to be a lot of GEEK products up for sale here when they actually do get to us. At this point I will consider myself lucky if I can just get back what money I gave to those crooks.


----------



## zenpunk

While I understand you can't judge the performance of a unit on the number of components, that Geek Pulse board looks very sparse and basic.
 You can't help to wonder what's up when comparing it to similar device such as the Audio GD Compact or MDAC:


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Or a $3500 Exasound e22


----------



## m17xr2b

Keep in mind that is the standard Pulse. The Pulse S/X should have twice the components in some places.


----------



## m17xr2b

ultimate mango said:


> I think there are going to be a lot of GEEK products up for sale here when they actually do get to us. At this point I will consider myself lucky if I can just get back what money I gave to those crooks.


 
 I second that, asking for more money for an already payed product is unacceptable.  Should have listened to the little voice in my head


----------



## uncola

Maybe the lower amount of chips is for less things in the signal path to increase transparency like a point to point tube design does 
Kind of like how on top chef some chefs style is very few components executed perfectly to complement each other instead of tons of complexity on a plate. Maybe it's a sign of a more mature engineer 

To the guy who got asked to pay more for a geek out you never fully explained the situation. Can you link to the story? If it makes sense maybe you can contact Gavin directly with a concise explanation and he can help or give Carlos/Manny permission to make an exception for you


----------



## jaywillin

ultimate mango said:


> I think there are going to be a lot of GEEK products up for sale here when they actually do get to us. At this point I will consider myself lucky if I can just get back what money I gave to those crooks.


 
  
 "crooks"   how are they crooks ??


----------



## pedalhead

Indeed, let's not get carried away here.  Whatever communication & production issues there have been and continue to be throughout the Geek [insert catchy product name] campaign, it's really a bit much to accuse them of being "crooks".  Strikes me that's it's more accurate to say that LH have bitten off a bit more than they can chew with all these crowd funded product releases so close together and they're learning the game as they go along.  It's hard to blame LH for giving in to the temptation...I mean, if thousands of eager audio nerds stuffed money into your pockets on the back of a promise for a product sometime in the future...what would you do?    I suspect catchy named Geek product number ten further down the road will probably have a perfectly smooth funding through to order fulfilment process because of all the growing pains they're going through right now.


----------



## jaywillin

pedalhead said:


> Indeed, let's not get carried away here.  Whatever communication & production issues there have been and continue to be throughout the Geek [insert catchy product name] campaign, it's really a bit much to accuse them of being "crooks".  Strikes me that's it's more accurate to say that LH have bitten off a bit more than they can chew with all these crowd funded product releases so close together and they're learning the game as they go along.  It's hard to blame LH for giving in to the temptation...I mean, if thousands of eager audio nerds stuffed money into your pockets on the back of a promise for a product sometime in the future...what would you do?    I suspect catchy named Geek product number ten further down the road will probably have a perfectly smooth funding through to order fulfilment process because of all the growing pains they're going through right now.


 
 +1, well said


----------



## m17xr2b

jaywillin said:


> "crooks"   how are they crooks ??


 
 Well I opted for the Geek bundle when I bought the Pulse Xfi. Did not receive the Out and I made a support ticket to check what is the status of the shipment. Short story is they forgot to send it to me and if I still want it I would have to pay 100$ extra besides the original 100$ and another 40$ shipping.


----------



## jaywillin

m17xr2b said:


> Well I opted for the Geek bundle when I bought the Pulse Xfi. Did not receive the Out and I made a support ticket to check what is the status of the shipment. Short story is they forgot to send it to me and if I still want it I would have to pay 100$ extra besides the original 100$ and another 40$ shipping.


 
  
 i had seen your situation, and that isn't right, i'd pursue it,
 i had emailed gavin about opting out of an upgrade i had made, and he was willing to do that,
 and i had just changed my mind. ultimately i kept the upgrade. my point is my experience was
 they wanted me to be happy.
 have you posted your situation on the lhlabs forum ??


----------



## zenpunk

The $500 M1 Dac from Music Fidelity, with integrated PSU, is another example of sparse design that received quite a few glowing review.
  

  
  
 The most fascinating thing is that most people  wouldn't be able to tell those very different  design apart in a simple ABX test...


----------



## germay0653

What you're also failing to see is that a lot of the pictures contain power supply components.  The Pulse's design is different in that there will be an external SMPS or LPS as it's main source of power and those components, if included in the main case, tend to take up space making it look more populated.  Like M.I.C.K.E.Y. said the picture of the LH Labs board is the plain vanilla Pulse, not the X or S versions which will have more components.
  
 Crooks?  Give me a break.  Are there some problems with the Out?  Yes, but they are being worked on with a new firmware release.  Are there delivery issues?  Yes, they're learning!  Set your expectations appropriately (there will be kinks to work out) and you'll be pleasantly surprised with what you get for your money.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

jaywillin said:


> i had seen your situation, and that isn't right, i'd pursue it,
> i had emailed gavin about opting out of an upgrade i had made, and he was willing to do that,
> and i had just changed my mind. ultimately i kept the upgrade. my point is my experience was
> they wanted me to be happy.
> have you posted your situation on the lhlabs forum ??


 
 I also have a complex situation wherein I have paid extra upon extra and have not received the support needed from LH Labs to make things right. In another thread I went into a little more detail, but I have tickets, I have asked for support, and I had to come here to get any kind of response. 
  
 It is unfortunate that these guys were able to raise so much money and aren't putting forward a public image of being good stewards of the funds, but instead are challenged to communicate with trust and transparency. Now it seems that their statements are met with skepticism rather than enthusiasm. 
  
 It is sad that we should be eager and anticipating exciting new gear, but instead we are here asking 'where's the beef?'


----------



## jaywillin

while i sympathize with those having troubles, i've had a few before i was actually able to get a response from gavin, i have to remind myself
 and i think its important to remember, we didn't "buy a finished product" we participated in a crowd funding campaign. lhlabs didn't take our
 money, we gave willingly. crowd funding projects are a gamble, not a sure thing.
 between the geek out, and now the pulse x with all the upgrades, i've spent a tidy little sum of money myself, and i am confident that lhlabs will come through
 with flying colors, it may be slow, but i am patient.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

zenpunk said:


> ..... another example of sparse design that received quite a few glowing review.


 
  
 Audio design could be related to good food.
  
 It's not the number of ingredients how you judge a good brew. But how it taste.
  
 How do you cook a freshly catch fish or a newly slaughtered meat?
  
 It's how you differentiate from wannabes to true masters....
  
 We'll give it a taste...let's see how it fare.
  
 But on my experience I know it will taste good. Enjoying right now its 'appestizer' (Geek Out 1000).


----------



## Hercules

My USD6000 PS Audio DirectStream DAC have nothing inside... no DAC chip too.....
  

  
  
 Quote:


zenpunk said:


> While I understand you can't judge the performance of a unit on the number of components, that Geek Pulse board looks very sparse and basic.
> You can't help to wonder what's up when comparing it to similar device such as the Audio GD Compact or MDAC:


----------



## uncola

They released how many versions of each geek pulse got ordered..  very surprising to me that more geek pulse xfi got ordered than the stock model.. I thought only insane audiophiles would get that one 
  
 quote:
 Here's what we have slated to build in the first round of production. We've padded the numbers so we have some room for failures, and so we can have review samples, etc.

 Geek Pulse: 557
 Geek Pulse /f: 76
 Geek Pulse /i: 49
 Geek Pulse /f /i: 101

 Geek Pulse S: 15
 Geek Pulse S /f: 19
 Geek Pulse S /i: 10
 Geek Pulse S /f /i: 115

 Geek Pulse X: 67
 Geek Pulse X /f: 82
 Geek Pulse X /i: 18
 Geek Pulse X /f /i: 663


----------



## AxelCloris

What may be more interesting is a post from earlier today by Gavin:
  
 Quote: Gavin Fish 





> As for MSRP's, we've been crunching the numbers. Pricing is based on a lot of factors. We use both a bottom-up and a top-down approach.
> 
> First (bottom-up), we look at hard costs, which include everything from packaging and attendant literature to human resources. Then we look at costs associated with selling the units, taking into consideration volume or lack thereof. Then we look at distributor and dealer markups.
> 
> ...


----------



## miceblue

Mind = blown at the suggested prices



miceblue said:


> eliwankenobi said:
> 
> 
> > I believe what Larry says. Considering the upgrades done to the vanilla Pulse, like the added inputs, better clock power supplies and possibly internal shielding, bigger housing, gain stages for analog stage and headphone amp, etc... I believe its gonna end up closer to ~$850 than $1000. You then add the LPS, femto clocks, etc and price should hike up nicely from there. During the campaign, the Pulse became a whole different product.
> ...


----------



## kenshinhimura

Guess I should've gotten in when they had the payment plan for the Pulse. Definitely not getting it now.


----------



## Anaximandros

The new MSRP for the different Pulse models are over the top. The competition at around $500 is very strong and the Pulse was intenionally made for the mass market at the beginning.
  
 Now it just seems like an expensive DAC/AMP like others. Rather disappointing to see those prices. I got in early and got a very very good deal, but I'd definitely not buy the Pulse if it really comes out for $1199. 
  
 There are other low priced very good DAC/AMP combinations out there, like the new iFi micro iDSD and there is just no point buying into the Pulse variants comparing the features and price of their competition.


----------



## TopQuark

anaximandros said:


> The new MSRP for the different Pulse models are over the top. The competition at around $500 is very strong and the Pulse was intenionally made for the mass market at the beginning.
> 
> Now it just seems like an expensive DAC/AMP like others. Rather disappointing to see those prices. I got in early and got a very very good deal, but I'd definitely not buy the Pulse if it really comes out for $1199.
> 
> There are other low priced very good DAC/AMP combinations out there, like the new iFi micro iDSD and there is just no point buying into the Pulse variants comparing the features and price of their competition.


 
  
 Can't judge the price until we hear the units.  LH Labs is aiming for the $5000 sound in a mass market price and not the mass market sound.


----------



## AxelCloris

topquark said:


> Can't judge the price until we hear the units. *LH Labs is aiming for the $5000 sound* in a mass market price and not the mass market sound.


 
  
 They're aiming for products in that price range with the Pulse Xfi/LPS combo, $3,199 for those two together. The standard Pulse was supposed to take on the $500-800 range and be budget friendly for the majority of people out there. But LHLabs is in it to make money, and if they think they can make money at the prices listed above then power to them.


----------



## rdsu

axelcloris said:


> What may be more interesting is a post from earlier today by Gavin:



Can you provide the link?


----------



## AxelCloris

rdsu said:


> Can you provide the link?


 
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/1973-pulse-oled-screen-assignment#31033


----------



## rdsu

axelcloris said:


> http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/1973-pulse-oled-screen-assignment#31033



Thanks


----------



## snip3r77

axelcloris said:


> They're aiming for products in that price range with the Pulse Xfi/LPS combo, $3,199 for those two together. The standard Pulse was supposed to take on the $500-800 range and be budget friendly for the majority of people out there. But LHLabs is in it to make money, and if they think they can make money at the prices listed above then power to them.




Anyway this is msrp and you guys know that street price is different. No? I would think its about 20 to 30 off for street price


----------



## dclaz

snip3r77 said:


> Anyway this is msrp and you guys know that street price is different. No? I would think its about 20 to 30 off for street price


 
 Still, I don't think anyone saw these prices coming.
  
 At least I can brag about how I have a $2k DAC+Amp for my headphones


----------



## eliwankenobi

Me too! With the 1k$ LPS. That puts it right against the Auralic Vega


----------



## snip3r77

dclaz said:


> Still, I don't think anyone saw these prices coming.
> 
> At least I can brag about how I have a $2k DAC+Amp for my headphones


 
  
 haha something that they announce to make you feel better but deep inside the ETA is Xmas ( hits you back to reality )


----------



## kothganesh

snip3r77 said:


> haha something that they announce to make you feel better but deep inside the ETA is Xmas ( hits you back to reality )


 
 Exactly...we don't have it yet...


----------



## Currawong

A couple of random thoughts: 
  
 Comparing the number of components between components is meaningless, especially if one uses primarily SMD parts and one uses full-size parts. Also, the Pulse board doesn't include the PSU, which is separate. 
  
 It wouldn't surprise me if this didn't end up a year late. As much as I agree about LHLabs having bitten off more than they can chew, more than anything I'd not want to be them right now. They have to live with their reputation. We can just say "I want a refund" and bail out.


----------



## dclaz

snip3r77 said:


> haha something that they announce to make you feel better but deep inside the ETA is Xmas ( hits you back to reality )


 
 I can wait. I'd rather they took their time instead of rushing it


----------



## MikeyFresh

currawong said:


> Comparing the number of components between components is meaningless, especially if one uses primarily SMD parts and one uses full-size parts. Also, the Pulse board doesn't include the PSU, which is separate.


 
  
 I couldn't agree more, and was surprised that anyone thought there was some correlation between the number of components on the board and the quality of the circuit. If anything, its the opposite of what was being said, the _fewer _parts needed to make a circuit perform at a high level, the better.
  
 Certainly in high-end circles, simpler is always viewed as better, because each and every part on the board has it's own inherent noise/distortion characteristics, the more you add the more there is. There's also an additive effect with heat, and thus distortion, nearly every part will contribute to this. The fewer parts you have, the better the layout can be and more room between parts generally means less thermally induced distortion.
  
 And last but not least, as @Currawong noted, there is no PSU in the main Pulse chassis, it is external. So apples to oranges as compared to the layouts of many other circuits that are using the main chassis to also house the PSU, the Pulse design is superior in that respect too, external PSU is almost always markedly better sounding for a variety of reasons.
  
 I for one hope we keep seeing pictures of sparsely populated Pulse boards (std; S, and X) that show a whole lot of empty real estate, all the better for sound quality.


----------



## germay0653

mikeyfresh said:


> I couldn't agree more, and was surprised that anyone thought there was some correlation between the number of components on the board and the quality of the circuit. If anything, its the opposite of what was being said, the _fewer _parts needed to make a circuit perform at a high level, the better.
> 
> Certainly in high-end circles, simpler is always viewed as better, because each and every part on the board has it's own inherent noise/distortion characteristics, the more you add the more there is. There's also an additive effect with heat, and thus distortion, nearly every part will contribute to this. The fewer parts you have, the better the layout can be and more room between parts generally means less thermally induced distortion.
> 
> ...


 

 I agree with @Currawong as I mentioned the PSU observation back on page 131 post #1963!


----------



## DSlayerZX

Here are a few thoughts reading through the few recent pages.
  
 1. Number of components =/= sound quality. It's all about how they are implemented, a designer can break down all the chips and op-amps into a bunch of resistor, cap, and transistors and occupies the entire board, but it doesn't mean it will sound better.
  
 2. MSRP is what the manufacture believe what it should be sold for, and let's be honest here, in today's market, do we buy more items based off of their MSRP or the street price more often?
  
 3. Larry has added a few more components/changes into the final design phase of the circuits. The Geek Pulse current in production is not the same as the one as what was originally when the campaign ended.  I am not sure if the new MSRP has considered all those changes or not, but it's something to consider.
  
 But honestly thought, it seems that more and more manufacturers are jumping into the better C/P factor audio equipment market, I, off course does not know how well they will fair against their competition when the product is finally release... but only time will tell.


----------



## uncola

What's C/P factor?


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> What's C/P factor?



Cost/Performance ratio.


----------



## miceblue

Updates for the Geek Pulse:


> Update 9/16/2014: We're getting close to the beginning of Geek Pulse deliveries! All we're waiting on now is the OLED screens. As you know, we'll be getting a batch of those on the 28th of this month.
> 
> Larry has been busy taking measurements of Geek Pulse to ensure that the boards we're getting in from the assembly house are passing muster. He's published those measurements here. Please have a look!





Measurements:
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/1943-gpu-002-is-ready-start-testing?start=25#31644


Spoiler: test results 1: line out with pulse f/i






> Hi, Everyone
> 
> Here is the first complete testing report of production version of Geek Pulse. (with Femto and Amp upgrade option on)
> Pretty amazing.
> ...








Spoiler: test results 2: headphone output of pulse f/i






> Let's see the Headphone results.
> 
> Normal Gain Setting: Output = 3V rms.
> 
> ...





^ read: sensitive headphone and earphone friendly! (not like the Geek Out); 3 VRMS output seems really low for a desktop amplifier though (562.5 mW output at 16 Ω)




Spoiler: test results 3: harmonic distortion ratios, fft, IMD ratios






> A little bit more deeper....
> 
> Harmonic Distortion Ratio: One of the most important thing I love to "see" how does this unit sound...
> 
> ...








Spoiler: test results 4: jitter (still pulse f/i)






> Jitter performance... Actually, something we could see from the "skirt" around 1K center frequency. Reminding: This is the femto clock performance.
> 
> 
> 
> ...






Extra quote regarding the DAC performance


> We will know by Friday...
> 
> Also, ESS people are quite amazing for our Geek Pulse's result too. Because our test results are from real life...
> 
> ...





Quote about the harmonic distortion ratios


> The structure almost complete cancel out 2nd harmonic due to "full balance" structure. So when sum up at the output stage, it cancel out the 2nd harmonics.
> 
> The more important thing is: You could see a sky clear HD above 5th. No high order distortion is a must for great sound. (Quote from John Curl or Pass or?) And I also found this truth about 12 years ago.





*Pulse f/i = Geek Pulse with femto clock and internal amp upgrade


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Knob is temporary and not final


----------



## kugino

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Knob is temporary and not final



good. b/c that knob is hideous.


----------



## pedalhead

Knob notwithstanding, I reckon it's looking good so far.  Shame we can't see the full chassis, but I like the clean faceplate.  It's very cool to have the oled display...hoping it'll show us sampling/resolution info as well as volume.


----------



## jaywillin

its taking shape !


----------



## eliwankenobi

M





m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Knob is temporary and not final




Mickey! Link!!


----------



## pedalhead

Here you go...     
  
http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2039-first-photo-of-geek-pulse-x-on-the-bench


----------



## eac3

About damn time.


----------



## uncola

The faceplate looks great in black.  Now they just have to ship it to me


----------



## AxelCloris

pedalhead said:


> Knob notwithstanding, I reckon it's looking good so far.  Shame we can't see the full chassis, but I like the clean faceplate.  It's very cool to have the oled display...hoping it'll show us sampling/resolution info as well as volume.


 
  
 The chassis had to be redesigned on the LPS to solve a heat issue so I imagine that's why we can't see it in this shot, it might not be ready yet.


----------



## HiFiRobot

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Knob is temporary and not final




Hmmm better than expected. They should post this kind of progress on their Facebook instead of the "Geek Out $199" + pick random picture of the two available. =)


----------



## uncola

gavin posted pics of the entire thing.. backplate is black too!  also larry said the oled will be white text not blue, the blue is just a sample they had.  Also they said black screws will be used not silver.  I love it!  ready to incorporate it into my setup!


----------



## dclaz

Definitely shaping up! 
  
 I can't identify any obvious buttons though, how will one change inputs and or outputs?


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## uncola

I think they said you push in the volume knob then turn it to change input, gain, crossfeed.
  
 Ok guys let the nitpicking begin!  But I think this is the final design with no time to make changes so everything you say will make Larry cry hot tears of pain.
  
 Ok here are the nitpicks my friends came up with on irc:
  
 1:  1/4" headphone jack should be higher to match xlr jack, they could have used a spacer to raise it but keep it pcb mount
  
 2:  since the oled isn't that wide, they should have moved the knob and headphone ports closer to the center
  
 3.  screws should not be phillips head and instead a flat type and black
  
 4. their melfs don't have enough thermal inertia????  my electronics friend said this I don't know what it is
  
 5. knob blows


----------



## uncola

I really like the sharp chamfered edges.  to me it makes it look muscular and industrial kind of like the old kawasaki ninja or the mv agusta brutale


----------



## Trav

Need contact from ANY Geek Pulse reps here on Head fi. PM me please.


----------



## FayeForever

Hi, want to update pics posted by Larry a few hours ago.
  


> Larry:
> 
> 
> Hi, Force
> ...


 
  
  

  


> This is a close up for Geek Pulse X Fi... You could see 4 routes of total balance output with Dual mono ESS DAC there.


----------



## Muinarc

Glad to see some pictures of the X Fi boards. Maybe in a month or 2 I can start thinking of clearing a spot on my desk for mine. I backed this I think on the day after Thanks Giving and kind of planned for it to take up to a year so we're surprisingly close to that schedule.


----------



## HiFiRobot

No rush for me. I'd rather have a bug-free, fully working and great sounding product than something released on time. I would even prefer not being in the first batch to be safe. If my PCB says v1.2 I sleep better at night =)


----------



## nicolo

hifirobot said:


> No rush for me. I'd rather have a bug-free, fully working and great sounding product than something released on time. I would even prefer not being in the first batch to be safe. If my PCB says v1.2 I sleep better at night =)


 
  
 I am so utterly disappointed by you. As a Windoze user, you should have trained yourself to sleep only after v3 has been released.


----------



## uncola

First 100 geek pulse boards being made at assembly house.. I guess they then ship them to LH Labs who puts them in the enclosures.. then on to the customer.. so close to shipping.  Hopefully they work out all the kinks in the geek pulse so my geek pulse x is perfect


----------



## AxelCloris

uncola said:


> First 100 geek pulse boards being made at assembly house.. I guess they then ship them to LH Labs who puts them in the enclosures.. then on to the customer.. so close to shipping.  Hopefully they work out all the kinks in the geek pulse so my geek pulse x is perfect


 
  
 Agreed. I'm happy that I have a Pulse X and that they're not being manufactured first. The standard Pulse can be the guinea pig that identifies any production issues before my Pulse X ships. I'm hoping that they have a finished Pulse X on the floor at RMAF and that I can give it a listen off the LPS/4 to know what's coming towards the end of the year.


----------



## uncola

haha yeah I'm hoping they learned their lesson about bugs and quality control testing from the geek out and the pulse has no hiss or volume issues or mechanical problems now that they expanded from a simple usb powered thing to a multi input device.  I've already mentally prepared to go nuclear if that happens haha 


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



LH Labs = Loud Hiss Labs


  
 Here's the indiegogo update in case anyone didn't see it
  
*First Batch of Geek Pulse OLED's Have Arrived!*

Back on August 29th, I told you there was an issue getting OLED's for Geek Pulse and that our supplier would ship the first 100 pieces on Spetember 28th.  Well, they arrived today.  100 glorious, low-noise OLED's.  So what's next?

Rich is super-busy getting the parts kits (including those elusive OLED's!) together to ship out to our assembly contractor.  The kits will ship out tomorrow and will arrive in Reno, NV on Wednesday.  Then our vendor has the job of going through all the parts they receive, then setting up the pick-and-place machines.  They're rushing as quickly as they can to get the first batch done so we can package them up and ship them your way.

It feels so good right now to be so close to shipping you your Geek Pulse DAC's!


----------



## snip3r77

uncola said:


> First 100 geek pulse boards being made at assembly house.. I guess they then ship them to LH Labs who puts them in the enclosures.. then on to the customer.. so close to shipping.  Hopefully they work out all the kinks in the geek pulse so my geek pulse x is perfect


 
 If I can choose, I don't want to be having the first 100 pcs.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Arent they going to test each one before shipping them?


----------



## miceblue

An update from Larry regarding the Geek Pulse X's performance:
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2063-pc-gpx-002-start-testing?start=50#33056


> I got flu...  So before the fever spikes too high. Let me post some test results here... then I need to go to bed...
> 
> GPX, Here you go!!
> 
> ...


----------



## uncola

Sexy new pcb pics at the assembly house, and three geek pulses plus the lps pcb being burned in for rmaf.. only 9 days til RMAF and we get our first listening impressions of the geek pulse!


----------



## jaywillin

uncola said:


> Sexy new pcb pics at the assembly house, and three geek pulses plus the lps pcb being burned in for rmaf.. only 9 days til RMAF and we get our first listening impressions of the geek pulse!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
  
 i too anxiously await !!


----------



## miceblue

Get hyped!

[video]http://youtu.be/yQlvjqQnzME?t=24m59s[/video]


----------



## HiFiRobot

miceblue said:


> Get hyped!


  

  
 Geek Pulse volume pot...... better than before but still not sure if I like it......


----------



## uncola

Screencapped for more convenient ogling and hypegrowing!  Looks like jude has a prototype model with the blue oled but it's a regular geek pulse, no xlr on the front like the one we saw on lhlabs forum.  I was just getting used to the silver knob too, but black looks good as well


----------



## HiFiRobot

uncola said:


> Screencapped for more convenient ogling and hypegrowing!  Looks like jude has a prototype model with the blue oled but it's a regular geek pulse, no xlr on the front like the one we saw on lhlabs forum.  I was just getting used to the silver knob too, but black looks good as well


 
  
 The black knob looks like plastic. Oooh the horror!


----------



## uncola

Too hard to tell from the pics but I doubt they'd use a plastic knob


----------



## grizzlybeast

I am confused about the price. Wasn't it listed cheaper in indigogo and didnt ppl get it for like 299 or something like that in the fund raiser? Are those ppl still getting it at that price?


----------



## nicolo

grizzlybeast said:


> I am confused about the price. Wasn't it listed cheaper in indigogo and didnt ppl get it for like 299 or something like that in the fund raiser? Are those ppl still getting it at that price?


 
  
 The price was cheaper on Indiegogo as it was a crowd funding campaign. A crowd funded campaign is risky as there's no promise of delivery. It's an investment and thus the company which will create the product is not liable for non-delivery and cannot be forced legally to return the money you had invested in them. That's why products are priced much lower than the eventual market prices, to attract people, create buzz and generate investment for the machinery and other production equipment. Now that they have started producing these, the prices are going to shoot up.
  
 During the campaign, L Labs had also received a lot of feedback from the Geek forum members and substantially reworked the original design, which meant that it became more expensive and complex to produce, thus raising the retail price higher than what they had planned initially. Also during the campaign, they were selling to us directly, which meant that prices would be much lower as they didn't have to go through intermediaries like dealers which would have raised the prices. Since they selling the Pulse, LPS etc through the dealer network now, the retail prices will now include dealer margins, distribution costs etc.


----------



## kothganesh

nicolo said:


> The price was cheaper on Indiegogo as it was a crowd funding campaign. A crowd funded campaign is risky as there's no promise of delivery. It's an investment and thus the company which will create the product is not liable for non-delivery and cannot be forced legally to return the money you had invested in them. That's why products are priced much lower than the eventual market prices, to attract people, create buzz and generate investment for the machinery and other production equipment. Now that they have started producing these, the prices are going to shoot up.
> 
> During the campaign, L Labs had also received a lot of feedback from the Geek forum members and substantially reworked the original design, which meant that it became more expensive and complex to produce, thus raising the retail price higher than what they had planned initially. Also during the campaign, they were selling to us directly, which meant that prices would be much lower as they didn't have to go through intermediaries like dealers which would have raised the prices. Since they selling the Pulse, LPS etc through the dealer network now, the retail prices will now include dealer margins, distribution costs etc.


 

 I went back and took a look at how much I paid for the Pulse X/f/i with the LPS. Let's just say its not cheap at all


----------



## nicolo

kothganesh said:


> I went back and took a look at how much I paid for the Pulse X/f/i with the LPS. Let's just say its not cheap at all


 
  
 True. But then you would have paid less than $1000 for the Pulse Xfi + LPS. The basic Pulse on it's own has a retail price of $1299 now while the retail price of the LPS is now $799 (i think) while the LPS4 will be priced $1499.
  
 Ouch


----------



## kothganesh

nicolo said:


> True. But then you would have paid less than $1000 for the Pulse Xfi + LPS. The basic Pulse on it's own has a retail price of $1299 now while the retail price of the LPS is now $799 (i think) while the LPS4 will be priced $1499.
> 
> Ouch


 

 Oh OK...I paid $1100+ for the combo...fair enough


----------



## nicolo

kothganesh said:


> Oh OK...I paid $1100+ for the combo...fair enough


 
  
 The retail price for the Pulse Xfi is going to be :2,199
 LPS: $999
  
 Which means that we got both of them at a $2000 discount. Based on the retail price of course.


----------



## kothganesh

nicolo said:


> The retail price for the Pulse Xfi is going to be :2,199
> LPS: $999
> 
> Which means that we got both of them at a $2000 discount. Based on the retail price of course.




That is awesome. Now we need to get it in our hands


----------



## eliwankenobi

nicolo said:


> The retail price for the Pulse Xfi is going to be :2,199
> LPS: $999
> 
> Which means that we got both of them at a $2000 discount. Based on the retail price of course.




Now I wonder how the Pulse Xfi would stack against the Auralic Vega or even the Invicta? Guess I might be too hopeful but I believe in Larry Ho! Haha


----------



## rdsu

eliwankenobi said:


> Now I wonder how the Pulse Xfi would stack against the Auralic Vega or even the Invicta? Guess I might be too hopeful but I believe in Larry Ho! Haha



 


Larry and Gavin said the Pulse X fi + LPS can compete with DAC's up to 8K$...


----------



## eliwankenobi

rdsu said:


> eliwankenobi said:
> 
> 
> > Now I wonder how the Pulse Xfi would stack against the Auralic Vega or even the Invicta? Guess I might be too hopeful but I believe in Larry Ho! Haha
> ...


 
 WOW!


----------



## jaywillin

i'm considering letting my whole package go, if there is someone who would be interested shoot me a pm.
 i've got the pulse x/f/i, lps 4 , lightspeed jr, and 2g usb cables, over $1000 invested, and i might be willing to take  LITTLE loss
 so for those who didn't jump on board early, and want the maxed out geek pulse, this might be your chance


----------



## nicolo

jaywillin said:


> i'm considering letting my whole package go, if there is someone who would be interested shoot me a pm.
> i've got the pulse x/f/i, lps 4 , lightspeed jr, and 2g usb cables, over $1000 invested, and i might be willing to take  LITTLE loss
> so for those who didn't jump on board early, and want the maxed out geek pulse, this might be your chance


 
  
I am curious. Why?
  
 Edit: Just saw your profile. That's an insane amount of equipment. 
  
 I would be interested in the 2G cable. Have everything else on your list. I am in India though. Will you be willing to ship the 2G?


----------



## jaywillin

nicolo said:


> I am curious. Why?
> 
> Edit: Just saw your profile. That's an insane amount of equipment.
> 
> I would be interested in the 2G cable. Have everything else on your list. I am in India though. Will you be willing to ship the 2G?


 
  
 nah, sorry , if i was going to keep something it might be the 2g cable


----------



## nicolo

jaywillin said:


> nah, sorry , if i was going to keep something it might be the 2g cable


 
  
 Waah


----------



## AxelCloris

rdsu said:


> Larry and Gavin said the Pulse X fi + LPS can compete with DAC's up to 8K$...


 
  
 I'll be comparing the standard Pulse (and hopefully the Pulse X off an LPS) with many other systems at RMAF. I'm excited, cannot wait. Let's see if it really sounds as good as things in the $8k range.


----------



## uncola

Anyone else going to rmaf here's some stuff I think we'd all like to know more about
  
RMAF testing checklist:
 1 - knob feel, material and volume increase linearity at top and bottom of dial, any crackling etc
 2 - feet - number, color, material, height?
 3 -  enclosure finish quality, screws color and phillips or allen?
 4 - oled display - too bright/just right, viewing angles from the side good, text sharp or jaggy?  any lag when changing volume etc
 5 - what menus can you access by pushing in the knob, filters, gain, input, variable rca out/fixed out, pc volume or knob only volume etc
 6 - where is the IR sensor for the apple remote, in the oled display?  in the acrylic?
 7 - how weighty is the geek pulse?  dimensions in general?
 8 - can you take pics of the silkscreened labels maybe or ports in back?
 9 - on low gain do sensitives IEMs sound good, any background noise?
 10 - what's the startup like, any cool bootup animation or countdown or progress bar type thing, this is only interesting to me probably 
 that's all I can think of other than the sound quality.  I guess if it sounds super amazingly incredible then appearance and feature usability are not very important as long as it doesn't have showstopper bugs like geek out did for some people.


----------



## miceblue

Well regarding the volume knob, Pulse backers just got an update from Indiegogo:


> Good afternoon!
> 
> It's getting crazy around here. Rich has sent a large shipment of parts to our assembly house, and his crew is organizing the final assembly stations so when the boards come back to us, they can be tested and put into their chassis. This is what it looks like in Rich's area:
> 
> ...


----------



## germay0653

I'm  really looking forward to listening the Pulse Xfi!


----------



## uncola

Cool I like that the knob is shiny and it looks like it has 3 round bottomed isolating feet.. Not sure about the font on the logo.. 
 the logo reminds me of the triforce


----------



## junker

kothganesh said:


> I went back and took a look at how much I paid for the Pulse X/f/i with the LPS. Let's just say its not cheap at all


 

 Maybe not in Rupees but a dual mono balanced DAC with Crystek femto clocks, minimum phase digital filter, and 4 channel linear 5/12v linear power supply for under a grand is a crazy good deal. Now let's just hope that the aesthetics of the final product look the part.


----------



## kothganesh

junker said:


> Maybe not in Rupees but a dual mono balanced DAC with Crystek femto clocks, minimum phase digital filter, and 4 channel linear 5/12v linear power supply for under a grand is a crazy good deal. Now let's just hope that the aesthetics of the final product look the part.


 

 +1. And if it indeed competes with the DACs in the $ 3K - whatever range, that's a bonus as well...


----------



## pedalhead

I think it's safe to say that the latest (final?) design is not going down well with the Geek Force! Pretty much four pages of hate... 

http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2039-first-photo-of-geek-pulse-x-on-the-bench?start=250


----------



## smial1966

This is true and hardly surprising as the latest design bares scant comparison with the one voted for by the Geek Force. Personally I'm not too vexed by the knob as it's easily changed, but having GEEK emblazoned on the units front panel is a very poor design choice.  
  
 Quote:


pedalhead said:


> I think it's safe to say that the latest (final?) design is not going down well with the Geek Force! Pretty much four pages of hate...
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2039-first-photo-of-geek-pulse-x-on-the-bench?start=250


----------



## pedalhead

smial1966 said:


>


 
 Absolutely, I'm one of the haters on that thread   Very poor design choices indeed...especially considering these are easy things to get right, but have a huge visual impact if they are wrong. LH have even been spoon-fed a design by Candude that the vast majority seemed to like, and indeed voted for earlier in the campaign.


----------



## nicolo

I really hope that the Pulse X image is something they put together for Canjam only, and not for the backers. They only had a Geek Pulse before and may have decided to add the Pulse X as a last moment decision. I am also one of the haters on that thread.
  
 Another thing: They had a design contest at the beginning, and said that the design with the most votes would selected for production. If they were going to do what they wanted, why solicit our opinions in the first place?


----------



## uncola

I think the poll was just to choose the "direction" of the final design.  But yeah if you look at the current design and candudes design.. candudes is clearly prettier.. the font, port centering and knob.. also I think the orange oled text adds some needed color to it.  So it's kind of sad to think they started with that high quality of a design and every aspect was made less pretty in the real product.  Concept art always looks better than finished products though, e.g. cars.  Maybe at this point we should focus our input to things that we can still change.. like getting a bigger knob


----------



## Anaximandros

I think the Pulse will be my last Light Harmonic product, I just got banned over there...


----------



## AxelCloris

anaximandros said:


> I think the Pulse will be my last Light Harmonic product, I just got banned over there...


 
  
 I didn't realize you were one of the people banned. Damn.


----------



## jexby

anaximandros said:


> I think the Pulse will be my last Light Harmonic product, I just got banned over there...


 
  
 they can't ban you from visiting them at RMAF can they?





  
 short of vulgarity or overt rudeness, really a sad move by LHLabs Mods without prior warning or some real legit reason.
 I'd love to know the details of why,
 as i've got a negative karma there for trying to introduce reality instead of constant spin-marketing-cheerleeding...  and now knob gate.


----------



## Anaximandros

Well, I am just a bit sad, because I did not get a warning. They deleted my post and it was not that offensive, just a bit 
  
@jexby
  
 Well, they can't "ban" me from visiting them at RMAF, but I am from Germany, the distance is keeping me away 
  
 Xuan


----------



## AxelCloris

Yeah, I went back to try and see what post triggered the ban but they had already deleted it at that point.


----------



## Anaximandros

Well, it was a comparison I made.
 In short I criticised the look like many other Force members did. A product that pricey has to look good. Even if it is going to sound awesome the look is still going to keep away new customers, if you look at Oppo, Auralic and other DAC/AMP combinations in that price category.
  
 I compared it to intercourse with a man/woman who can take you to heaven with her/his godly skills  but looks ugly and very unappealing...
 No offense, but maybe that was too hard.


----------



## miceblue

Karma doesn't really mean anything, in those forums at least. I have -43 karma.....dem karma trolls will be a trollin.


----------



## Anaximandros

Well, the Karmasystem is broken. Carlos was at -30 and after 5 min it was at 0 and now it is positive. LH staff is not allowed to have negative Karma 
  
 But I still don't unterstand how you and jexby got so damn low on Karma. Even Larry B was kissing the bottom of Karma hell.


----------



## jexby

anaximandros said:


> Well, the Karmasystem is broken. Carlos was at -30 and after 5 min it was at 0 and now it is positive. LH staff is not allowed to have negative Karma
> 
> But I still don't unterstand how you and jexby got so damn low on Karma. Even Larry B was kissing the bottom of Karma hell.


 
  
 exactly, karma there broken and rigged, don't care.
 and actually if miceblue and I have similar karma values it means I'm in good company!





  
 hoping for -100 someday.


----------



## Anaximandros

I can still bump your Karma up jexby despite being banned


----------



## jexby

anaximandros said:


> I can still bump your Karma up jexby despite being banned


 
  
 no seriously! please don't.
 i wear the negative as a badge of honor.


----------



## labjr

Pretty sure the karma at LH is rigged by the wizard himself. I can't believe he had the audacity to send me a PM telling me how low it was.


----------



## alvin1118

Any of you have slight thought that they are making this ugly looking chassis for all indigogo backers ONLY. 

Once they fulfil backers' orders, they will overhaul the chassis to new look to match it's new price tag ?

Evilly


----------



## eac3

alvin1118 said:


> Any of you have slight thought that they are making this ugly looking chassis for all indigogo backers ONLY.
> 
> Once they fulfil backers' orders, they will overhaul the chassis to new look to match it's new price tag ?
> 
> Evilly


 
  
 Of course.
  
 I only hope that we 
 1) have the option to wait longer (for those that don't want it now). Highly unlikely...
 2) Send in back our units for an upgrade for a reasonable price...similar to what Dan Clarke does over at Mr. Speakers.
 3) ....


----------



## Ranza

My 2 cents, if LH want to sell them for 1000$+, they better make it look like one...the Zodiac's price is about the same price of Geek Pulse's retail price, and yet....
 http://www.antelopeaudio.com/en/products/zodiac-dac
 I truly do not mean to be offensive but the final product look like something cost less than 700$, will my friend believe me if I say my DAC cost more than 1000$+ ( I ordered a fully upgraded Geek Pulse ) ? I doubt so....
 Sound wise, it maybe extraordinary, but the look is a big turn off....


----------



## pedalhead

alvin1118 said:


> Any of you have slight thought that they are making this ugly looking chassis for all indigogo backers ONLY.
> 
> Once they fulfil backers' orders, they will overhaul the chassis to new look to match it's new price tag ?
> 
> Evilly


 
  
 Almost certainly, I'd say. I suspect the crowd funded part of the Pulse product cycle is now overshadowed by the enormous juicy carrot that the department stores are dangling in front of LH Labs' salivating mouth. LH have already proven that they will milk the golden cow of business opportunity to it's maximum extent - look at the enormous scope creep of the Pulse specification; the multiple crowd funding product releases in quick succession - they rode that wave extremely well indeed, and I suspect Nordstrom et al are the next wave/golden cow (why use one metaphor when you can have two 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).
  
 Not that I blame them one little bit...I'd love to see LHL's books for last year and this...talk about a massive spike in turnover. They must see this as their chance to turn the company into something they probably only dreamed about a couple of years ago, and who can blame them?  Clearly the whole "rebranding" thing has been on the back of the discussions with the big retailers, and I suspect the poor "final" design we're seeing is simply the result of rushing through the first phase of the product (crowd funding fullfillment), allowing the company to move onto the juicy carrot of retail deals with big customers.
  
 Let's face it, as audiophiles, us crowd funders must be extremely happy about the scope creep of the Pulse campaign (I know I am!). Unless something goes very wrong, we should all be receiving a dac/amp that offers exceptional audio quality for the money we paid.  My own view is that we can directly attribute this to Larry. As far as I can tell, Larry basically _is _LH Labs (the clue is in the name!)...and from what I've seen so far, he is without a doubt their biggest asset from an audiophile customer's point of view. Clearly he has had the technical quality of the Pulse as his top priority since day one and that shows in the "finished" product. Unfortunately, the rushed final design touches have undermined what was shaping up to be an all-round awesome product...especially as these design issues were introduced *despite* Candude's excellent and classy design is objectively vastly better looking.
  
I keep putting "finished" in quotes because I will be amazed if the chassis and faceplate are not redesigned before the Pulse and other family products are sitting on the department store shelves. I mean, there are some beautiful products out there at this price point and, outside of a specialist audio shop, consumers are likely to put "ooh that's pretty" above "minimum phase digital filter" when holding a fist full of credit card.


----------



## Za Warudo

I didn't know Nordstrom sold niche audiophile dacs/headphone amps.


----------



## pedalhead

za warudo said:


> I didn't know Nordstrom sold niche audiophile dacs/headphone amps.


 
  
 Apparently they sell them so long as they look cheap on the outside


----------



## Ranza

So are you implying the first batch of Geek Pulse, for Geek Backers is a " prototype " and the final product, with everything nice and all ( I mean the look, the internal material may be still the same ? ) is for market :/ ? Weird....I don't think LH could pull out such bad move....they are a company and they need reputation for other campaign projects too.


----------



## pedalhead

ranza said:


> So are you implying the first batch of Geek Pulse, for Geek Backers is a " prototype " and the final product, with everything nice and all ( I mean the look, the internal material may be still the same ? ) is for market :/ ? Weird....I don't think LH could pull out such bad move....they are a company and they need reputation for other campaign projects too.


 
  
 I should have put a smiley at the end of my previous post (there, done  ).  I'm really just thinking aloud...I can't see how this can be the final final design considering the price tag and what it's up against in the marketplace.  Of course, perhaps they're banking on the fact that there won't be many/any other similar products on the same shelf at these retail outlets, so all they'll lose are the sales from clue'd in geeks like us. It'll be interesting to see how this pans out.


----------



## valve5425

anaximandros said:


> I think the Pulse will be my last Light Harmonic product, I just got banned over there...



 


You're just a very naughty boy!! Grossly unfair though, to get banned without fair warning.

___________________________________


I just want my Pulse. It's getting rather tiresome now and takes me back to my days as an instructor, when I came across Betari's Box. The more we bitch and moan, the more LH Labs seem to respond negatively and the circle continues. I hope the Pulse sounds as good as the retail cost would suggest, and it will be interesting to get feedback from RMAF. I think LH Labs just want to clear the IGG Pulses and start making some real dosh. Aesthetics is the last thing on their, mind considering what we've paid them. After all, the price I've paid is pretty low and I don't think I could build a Pulse Xfi myself for the same money. (and I'm sure it wouldn't sound as good.) 

They took on too much, at the behest of the Geek Force, and now they're scrabbling to get straight.

The GO720 is my first DAC and I'm chuffed to bits with it. I'm looking forward to stepping up a notch (or two!) with the Pulse, just a shame it's not been all sweet and rosy along the way.


----------



## uncola

This is the current design for anyone who doesn't like to visit lhlabs forum.  It seems it changed from black to grey since the last prototype we saw.  I don't know if it's Casey's photography compared to Gavin's, but the black prototype looks much better finished than the graphite grey one to me.  Like it looks WAY better.  Even the silver unfinished front plate looks better than the graphite grey to me.  I personally don't care _that much_ about looks as long as it sounds good and is functional but I can understand why people are upset.  The knob had to be shrunk because the IR port is in the acrylic circle above it and a bigger knob would block it. It seems like the design is finalized and the only thing they're changing is the front plate colors, logo and volume knob.
UPDATE:  false alarm, Casey confirmed it's black.  The grey pic must be with some kind of 10,000 watt bulb aimed at it fading out the color  
  

 here's the older black prototype to compare


  
 here's deathson's marked picture of the inside of the front panel showing why the volume knob can't be bigger.  the red circle is the IR port.  You can see it above the hole for the volume knob in the 2nd picture.


 I think this front plate is an unfinished linear power supply


----------



## uncola

I just realized the current graphite grey actually closely matches the xlr explanation picture from the original indiegogo page.. funny


----------



## MikeyFresh

uncola said:


> This is the current design for anyone who doesn't like to visit lhlabs forum.  It seems it changed from black to grey since the last prototype we saw.  I don't know if it's Casey's photography compared to Gavin's, but the black prototype looks much better finished than the graphite grey one to me.  Like it looks WAY better.  Even the silver unfinished front plate looks better than the graphite grey to me.  I personally don't care _that much_ about looks as long as it sounds good and is functional but I can understand why people are upset.  The knob had to be shrunk because the IR port is in the acrylic circle above it and a bigger knob would block it. It seems like the design is finalized and the only thing they're changing is the front plate colors, logo and volume knob.
> 
> 
> here's the older black prototype to compare
> ...


 
  
 Both I and others have wondered whether the apparent color difference is just all down to different lighting in the various pictures. I'm not suggesting they don't look very different, they do, but lighting can absolutely have that kind of photographic effect.
  
 I don't think LH Labs has come out and said they've changed the color to a graphite grey, their stance was black and I believe it still is, albeit a flat/matte black finish as opposed to a deeper glossy look.
  
 I guess we'll know more in a couple of days, when people see it and photograph it at the RMAF.


----------



## uncola

It would be nice if LH Labs would tell us :/  Casey said he was going to take a high quality pic and then posted that one though.  I notice the inner black plastic part of the XLR port looks grey in the graphic grey front panel pic, and it's black in the black front panel pic.. it seems unlikely they could get a custom grey xlr port so maybe the grey is just lighting and it really is still black?  But why would they post a picture that makes it looks so grey?  Surely they'd notice the color being totally messed up?
 Update:  nevermind, Casey confirmed it's black.  I hope it's the same black as the pics Gavin took.  "It is indeed black. The picture truly doesn't do it justice, you're going to have to take my word for it on this.'


----------



## pedalhead

uncola said:


> It would be nice if LH Labs would tell us :/  Casey said he was going to take a high quality pic and then posted that one though.  I notice the inner black plastic part of the XLR port looks grey in the graphic grey front panel pic, and it's black in the black front panel pic.. it seems unlikely they could get a custom grey xlr port so maybe the grey is just lighting and it really is still black?  But why would they post a picture that makes it looks so grey?  Surely they'd notice the color being totally messed up?
> Update:  nevermind, Casey confirmed it's black.  I hope it's the same black as the pics Gavin took.  "It is indeed black. The picture truly doesn't do it justice, you're going to have to take my word for it on this.'


 
  
 I was thinking the same thing, so I asked the question...expecting to get an "it's grey of course, are you blind?!" answer.  Umm, not quite...!
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2039-first-photo-of-geek-pulse-x-on-the-bench?start=500#33896


----------



## jaywillin

while don't want "ugly" or "plastic" looking, i'm not going to worry too much about how it looks, "feeling like quality" and sound , and function are what i will focus on.
 too often times "high-end" is based more on looks than sound.
 look at schiit gear,not glamorous at all, no muss, no fuss looks, but quality beyond its price


----------



## smial1966

Still think that it's a very lacklustre interpretation of many great and far more aesthetically adventurous designs submitted by the Geek Force in the competition. But I guess that if it sounds amazing then I can always drape a copy of Playboy over it!   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Quote:


pedalhead said:


> I was thinking the same thing, so I asked the question...expecting to get an "it's grey of course, are you blind?!" answer.  Umm, not quite...!
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2039-first-photo-of-geek-pulse-x-on-the-bench?start=500#33896


----------



## MikeyFresh

pedalhead said:


> I was thinking the same thing, so I asked the question...expecting to get an "it's grey of course, are you blind?!" answer.  Umm, not quite...!
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2039-first-photo-of-geek-pulse-x-on-the-bench?start=500#33896


 
  
 And depending on the lighting at RMAF, it may still appear to have a greyish look to it in those forthcoming photos, but it's matte black.
  
 I was actually hoping for a graphite/gunmetal grey, as that would more or less split the difference between silver and black, and probably better "match" everyone's current crop of components whether they be black or silver.
  
 No dice, it's black.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

The one with Jude's and on the photo they presented is different.


----------



## miceblue

Hm yeah, I prefer the silver/black early prototype too over the current dark grey/graphite one. >.>


----------



## uncola

It seems to be greyish when lighting is pointed directly at it but it's definitely black as can be seen in most of jude's pictures/video and gavin's photos with the silver knob.. a nice black finish too I think.


----------



## eac3

That XLR jack looks really out of place to me.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Yeah... I gotta agree it looks out of place, it's cut right into the middle of that acrylic strip.
  
 Heck.. if they made it a bit higher and place it right in the middle of the strip i wouldn't have as much problem as where it is now.... oh well.


----------



## labjr

Yeah that's a screw-up. Though LH won't admit it. They're in spin/damage-control mode.


----------



## miceblue

labjr said:


> Yeah that's a screw-up. Though LH won't admit it. They're in spin/damage-control mode.


It was actually in one of the designs that someone made in the LH forums, so that was done on purpose to keep it similar to that design, which got a lot of votes for I believe.


----------



## labjr

The reason the XLR jack ended up in the wrong place is a screw-up by whoever was responsible for the mechanical design. Someone gave the green light to continue even though it wasn't right. The product was rushed even though they spent a year on it.  A damn shame if you ask me.


----------



## uncola

If anyone needs help finding the Light Harmonic table/booth they put up a picture on instagram.  Based on the banner on the left, they are next to the Pendulumic bluetooth headphone booth.  Looks like the triangle logo is pretty official now and they are doubling down on their hybrid crossfeed being called the awesomifier   I wonder what the Keep is, maybe that's the name for the Source since you keep your music files on it?  Or uh.. it's like the keep of a castle, it's a fortress that protects your music?
  
 "A *keep* (from the Middle English kype) is a type of fortified tower built within *castles* during the Middle Ages by European nobility."
  
 Reminder please be polite if you do go talk to them at their booth.  I'm sure people will be more polite in person than they will behind the anonymity of the internet anyway but it would be pretty silly to get thrown out of RMAF for ranting about a font and challenging Gavin to a fencing duel

  
  
  


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Internet Detective work:  the banner on the left shows part of a word ending in MIC - and a quote with the words "full and musical" in orange, I googled pendulumic and "full and musical" and found audio360 reviewer Kevin Venable's 2014 SoCal head-fi meet impressions where he says about Pendulumic "In bluetooth mode the sound was full and musical"   http://www.head-fi.org/t/708832/official-2014-socal-head-fi-meet-impressions-thread/180#post_10404242


  

  
 LH Labs will also have this mystery device there(pic from facebook) so bring IEMs to test


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> It was actually in one of the designs that someone made in the LH forums, so that was done on purpose to keep it similar to that design, which got a lot of votes for I believe.


 
  
 To which option are you referring to?
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/797-geek-pulse-design-finalists-please-vote


----------



## eac3

labjr said:


> The reason the XLR jack ended up in the wrong place is a screw-up by whoever was responsible for the mechanical design. Someone gave the green light to continue even though it wasn't right. The product was rushed even though they spent a year on it.  A damn shame if you ask me.


 
  
 I thought it was due to the internal board layout or something.
  
 Quote Casey Hartwell: 





> Headphone Jacks - Placement of the headphone output jacks are limited by where the circuit board is inside the chassis, mounting bracket and how high the standoff is.


 
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2039-first-photo-of-geek-pulse-x-on-the-bench?start=400#33740
  
 Quote Gavin Fish: 





> I got this from Juha, our mechanical engineer, today. He took the front plate design that was voted on by you and implemented it in our CAD program, making very minor changes in order to accommodate the circuit board layout. Take a look-see!


 
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/839-geek-pulse-front-plate-layout-drawing


----------



## labjr

Most of what comes out of LH is hype/spin and most likely has to be reviewed by Gavin before it can be posted. Whatever Gavin quoted from Juha is a poor excuse at best. If the stand-off was too high they could have exercised a couple more brain cells to cut the PCB back and put the jacks on a sub board or P2P wired them.
  
 Juha supposedly worked for Threshold. I don't remember ever seeing anything that poorly done coming from of Nelson Pass and company.


----------



## miceblue

eac3 said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > It was actually in one of the designs that someone made in the LH forums, so that was done on purpose to keep it similar to that design, which got a lot of votes for I believe.
> ...



Oh you're right. I voted for option #5.






I guess the change makes sense since the XLR jacks definitely look raised from the PCB based on the PCB photos.


----------



## labjr

I wouldn't call it a change. It's a mistake which wasn't corrected.


----------



## eac3

Looking at those boards miceblue linked/attached above, I am trying to figure out why they couldn't just lower it in the case so the large XLR headphone jack won't intersect with the acrylic. Are the standoffs from the chassis to the board that tall? Is there something underneath the PCB board?
  
 What also bugs me is that they are using a picture of the wining design on their product page:
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/marketplace.html
  
 This tells me that they will redesign the faceplate (and board) after delivery to IGG backers.


----------



## smial1966

If the design that early adopters receive is substantively different from the version that's eventually retailed, it proves that LH Labs garners feedback from initial project funders and ostensibly ignores it, whilst releasing an ''It'll do" version for us duped cashcows, before disingenuously realising a finalised product based on the Geek Forces design recommendations. But this is pure speculation on my part, so please feel free to ignore it! 




eac3 said:


> Looking at those boards miceblue linked/attached above, I am trying to figure out why they couldn't just lower it in the case so the large XLR headphone jack won't intersect with the acrylic. Are the standoffs from the chassis to the board that tall? Is there something underneath the PCB board?
> 
> What also bugs me is that they are using a picture of the wining design on their product page:
> 
> ...


----------



## eac3

CanDude, and Shaw noticed the "raised" XLR headphone output in this thread that unfortunately didn't get as much attention as whether the case was going to have "fins" or not:
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/839-geek-pulse-front-plate-layout-drawing?start=50#12950
  
 Original CAD drawing:

  
 CanDudes render:
  

 Notice the XLR jack.


----------



## FayeForever

I am fine with the location of the XLR output, but I still don't like the logo and typography, and I hope they put on metal feet afterwards.


----------



## walfredo

So, has anyone heard it at RMAF?  Please tell us...


----------



## jexby

walfredo said:


> So, has anyone heard it at RMAF?  Please tell us...




I listened for about 5-10 minutes today with my HE-560, and will have some thoughts later. But to temper everyone's urgent pleas by saying a group of us were initially trying to figure out the beta firmware feature set before getting the music rolling.....

Also big thanks to Gavin and Larry for being gracious and having a nice q&a dialog between some of us Geek Force members afterwards.


----------



## AxelCloris

I can say for certain that the Geek Pulse is not grey. No, it is absolutely not gray. It's BLUE!
  

  
 BLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUE!


----------



## FayeForever

We want impression!


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> I can say for certain that the Geek Pulse is not grey. No, it is absolutely not gray. It's BLUE!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You forgot this tidbit since it's kind of on topic with the discussion right now. XD


> And I'll cap off my day 1 report by talking a tiny bit about LH Labs. Yes yes, I'm sure you already know about the Geek Pulse so I'll keep this portion brief. First, the design. Many backers have been upset with the final design and early photos were less than flattering. Heck, even the one above isn't all that great looking. But in person it looks less DIY design than photographs have shown. It's stacked on top of the LPS in the photo and the two do look pretty nice together. They'll fit in perfectly at home on my desk. If you're not a fan of the design well I have good news. Gavin and Larry from Light Harmonic/LH Labs confirmed for me today that if you want to replace the knob you can at the expense of covering the IR port. If you don't need the remote capability it's a very simple process to change the knob for a larger one. Easy. They also mentioned that we may see swappable face plates in the future in case you don't like the current styling, but that wasn't a promise.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> You forgot this tidbit since it's kind of on topic with the discussion right now. XD


 
  
 Oh, I totally forgot to talk about the sound. Oops.  This is what happen when I do stream of consciousness writing.
  
 Edit: Here you go.
  


> Second, the sound. I'm going to keep this brief because the product still has a few more tweaks in the firmware before it's 100% ready so this particular one isn't complete. I listened to a couple of tracks using the Alpha Dogs since that's one of the headphones I have at home and I'm pretty used to the sound. It was run SE off the Pulse Xfi. From my brief time it seemed that both the treble and the bass have nice extension and the sound is very natural across the board. It seemed to pair very well with the Alpha Dogs. I didn't try to mess with the TCM or FRM settings and I can't say how it would sound off the standard switched mode power supply. But from my short time with it at the show I'm starting to get a bit excited for when mine finally arrives. That's about all I want to say on the Pulse until mine arrives and I can spend time critically listening.


----------



## jexby

AxelC,
  
 dang man, didn't bump into you at any time - sorry about that.
  

 I spent about 20min at the LH Labs booth, first 10 were trying to figure out the volume settings which were amiss due to some early firmware bugs and GeekPerfect needing a relaunch.  once the reboot fixed things, I plugged in my HE-560 4pin balanced and let a few lossless 24/96 tracks rip from the laptop.
  
 very early impressions were that the extension (treble to bass) was good as you mention, and evenly presented.  instrument separation was obvious and vocals were rich.
 soundstage was actually a bit wider than I expected, which was a nice bonus.  not sure it had a ton of height tho.
 certainly didn’t have the warmth of emersion of a tube amp, nor should one expect such.
  
 one thing that might be concerning tho, is that I though I cranked knob to “max power” and it certainly lit up the HE-560, but not to the point of yanking the headphones off in pain of excessive loudness.  Yet that also may not have been “true" max volume as the spinning of the knob at different speeds adjusted volume gain differently, again- a firmware adjustment to solve that soon.
  
  
 the box is deep black (Darth Vader like), and yes the color is decent looking.
 no way I’d prefer any gray + black mix now.
 while the knob size may not be ideal to most, my knob gripe is more that it lacked “weight” or resistance to turning.
 it was “too easy” to over rotate, or press incorrectly 
 luckily Larry H visited from the booth and said the sensitivity will certainly be fixed in firmware updates.
 After all, this firmware version was labeled as v0.0.   





  
 the box is actually smaller than expected as well, which was nice to see.
 esthetically it would have been rad to make it a perfect square.
 still don’t like the faceplate overhang, but oh well.
  
 also very happy that Gavin hosted a few Force members in the room for a demo listen and good open discussions on past lessons and future methods.
 sure wish I could attend the rest of the weekend, but crammed as much time in Friday as possible….
  
 Thanks again to Larry, Gavin, Casey and crew!


----------



## uncola

Good to hear it can power he-560 which I've seen some say is harder to power than he-400i for example.  Was it on max gain?


----------



## jexby

uncola said:


> Good to hear it can power he-560 which I've seen some say is harder to power than he-400i for example.  Was it on max gain?


 
  
 indeed the Pulse Xfi may NOT have been on Max gain.
 we found the menus via knob press, and did change values:  low/med/high
 but was uncertain we selected values properly.  combining that with the laptop+GeekPerfect software reboot, unsure where Gain was at the "knob crank" test.
 Larry H was happy tho that someone plugged into 4pin balances so early in the afternoon.   
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 there's no way just by looking at the Pulse faceplate you can tell what the current "config" is:
 gain setting, filter enabled, input selected, etc.


----------



## Larry Ho

Some Geek Force pictures...



  
 These will be my personal wonderful collections!


----------



## jexby

Thanks Larry!  
 except whoa I've been captured now in photo, no room to hide now on head-fi. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 it was a great day of listening to music and discussions with the entire LH team.
  
 hope ya'll survive the weekend!


----------



## labjr

jexby said:


> Thanks Larry!
> except whoa I've been captured now in photo, no room to hide now on head-fi.
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Surprised they let you in the room with your karma!!


----------



## jexby

labjr said:


> Surprised they let you in the room with your karma!!


 
  
 ha true that!
 except the LH Labs crew is even keeled, sane and friendly, unlike some crazies in Geek Force.   
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Gavin chatted about the goods and bad of Forums, customer service, crazy crowd funding campaigns- which provided good dialog in both directions.


----------



## AxelCloris

jexby said:


> Thanks Larry!
> except whoa I've been captured now in photo, no room to hide now on head-fi.
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 You are forever immortalized on (virtual) film. The camera now holds your soul!


----------



## snip3r77

Need more impressions 
Keep them coming


----------



## sorue

jexby said:


> the box is actually smaller than expected as well, which was nice to see.
> esthetically it would have been rad to make it a perfect square.
> still don’t like the faceplate overhang, but oh well.


 
 Thanks for the impressions.
  
 I totally agree with what you said about the over hang.
  
 I believe the excess over hang is what makes the entire enclosure look ugly and DIY.
  
 If they had made the faceplate have minimal overhang, it would look great.


----------



## labjr

sorue said:


> Thanks for the impressions.
> 
> I totally agree with what you said about the over hang.
> 
> ...


 

 A lot of things could have been different. I was for a simple anodized brushed aluminum faceplate from the start. This casting looks nasty.


----------



## mtruong34

Yea. I think the overhang is the worst part of the bad aesthetics than the logo or the smallish knob. The overhang makes it look like an old car stereo.


----------



## jexby

Agreed, dimensions of that faceplate fit feel rushed.

Luckily it isn't bas bad as this:

http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Pre-Box-S-Line-Preamp


----------



## mscott58

Was one of the lucky Geeks who got a listen/peek at the mysterious Room 1110 at RMAF this weekend as well as auditioning the Geek Pulse/LPS combo at the CanJam table. 
  
 Have to admit that while I was very happy with the sound of the Geek Pulse connected to the Alpha Primes as well as my own LCD-3F's I brought along, that I didn't really spend a huge amount of time with it since I'm not a backer of that unit (but am all-in on the Wave and Source). So the combo was good, but didn't stick so heavy in my memory (which is a very high bar given the stuff you are able to listen to in that paradise of equipment!). 
  
 However, having spent time "center-chair" at the 11th floor LH Labs room (was able to get one of the rare private appointments) listening to the Geek Keep, it totally was lost on me until later that the diminutive little "Keep" amps (hidden within a huge Krell-like enclosure to allow you the "aha" moment of seeing what you were actually listening to - nice marketing move Gavin and Larry!) were being driven by the Geek Pulse/LPS combo, taking their 1's and 0's from a Mac Mini. Wow, and I mean WOW did that set-up sound nice. So looking back I was very impressed by the time I spent with the Pulse/LPS in the 2-channel system, which points towards the capabilities of the unit (assuming that the one they were using wasn't some hyper modified version). 
  
 Thanks!
  
 PS - Feel safe mentioning the "aha" moment stuff about the enclosure now that the show's over!


----------



## jexby

mscott58 said:


> However, having spent time "center-chair" at the 11th floor LH Labs room (was able to get one of the rare private appointments) listening to the Geek Keep, it totally was lost on me until later that the diminutive little "Keep" amps (hidden within a huge Krell-like enclosure to


 
  
 so did your ears detect that one of the speakers was busted?


----------



## labjr

Did you see the amp PCBs?  Maybe Class D by Bruno Putzeys Ncore?


----------



## walfredo

mscott58 said:


> Was one of the lucky Geeks who got a listen/peek at the mysterious Room 1110 at RMAF this weekend as well as auditioning the Geek Pulse/LPS combo at the CanJam table.
> 
> Have to admit that while I was very happy with the sound of the Geek Pulse connected to the Alpha Primes as well as my own LCD-3F's I brought along, that I didn't really spend a huge amount of time with it since I'm not a backer of that unit (but am all-in on the Wave and Source). So the combo was good, but didn't stick so heavy in my memory (which is a very high bar given the stuff you are able to listen to in that paradise of equipment!).
> 
> ...


 
  
 geek keep?


----------



## valve5425

I'm not finding many reviews of the "Pulse sound."

Is it that bad?


----------



## jaywillin

The only folks that have heard it really are lhlabs and folks who were at the RMAF this past weekend
I believe and those would be mostly brief impressions I'd think


----------



## mscott58

jexby said:


> so did your ears detect that one of the speakers was busted?


 
 Not at all! When did you hear it?


----------



## miceblue

walfredo said:


> geek keep?



It's supposedly a speaker amplifier that's in the size/form of the Geek Pulse.

I'd be curious to learn more about it, but I'm not in a situation to get speakers any time soon.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

And so therefore...a Headphone Amplifier....


----------



## walfredo

miceblue said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > geek keep?
> ...


 
  
 Sweet!  I am curious too.
  
 Thanks for answering...


----------



## miceblue

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> And so therefore...a Headphone Amplifier....



Unless it's an electrostatic headphone amplifier, I probably won't be too interested in it, honestly. STAX and the HE-560 are probably my end-game headphones and the Pulse X/i should do just fine with the HE-560.


----------



## uncola

I'm pretty underwhelmed with how few impressions got posted too.  Oh well.  Won't be too long til they ship to us *fingers crossed*


----------



## uncola

Some pictures from RMAF courtesy of Hifi Foundations https://twitter.com/HiFiFoundations


----------



## jexby

mscott58 said:


> Not at all! When did you hear it?


 
  
 in the room Friday afternoon.  standing in back while a "known" audiophile web/reviewer guy sat in the chair and listened to the big speaker sound.
 I'm no golden ears and don't know opera/classic, but I did step forward more into the sound field to see if a slight imbalance was just "back of the room acoustics" or not.
  
 I honestly had no clue of the cause or real delta, but Mr. Audiophile in the chair depicted a -dB  channel imbalance between Left and Right speakers.
 Gavin seemed to confirm (or at least go along with) the finding, mentioning that one speaker had a rough ride into Denver and was "off a bit".





 
  
 edit: don't know if that imbalance was fixed for Sat and Sunday.


----------



## hydesg

i wish they can do something to the terrible customer service.
 The tone of Carlos Jones in his reply is really bad!


----------



## Larry Ho

miceblue said:


> Unless it's an electrostatic headphone amplifier, I probably won't be too interested in it, honestly. STAX and the HE-560 are probably my end-game headphones and the Pulse X/i should do just fine with the HE-560.


 
  
 I tested our Geek Pulse X/FI with HE-560 in CanJam. End up, I decided to buy that HE-560 back home... ;-p
  
 The sound is really..... open and rich.


----------



## jexby

larry ho said:


> I tested our Geek Pulse X/FI with HE-560 in CanJam. End up, I decided to buy that HE-560 back home... ;-p
> 
> The sound is really..... open and rich.




Glad to hear this Larry!

Perhaps the Friday visit with my HE-560 and balanced cable was the first, but now not the last, connected into Pulse Xfi.
Wish I had set the Pulse on medium or High gain tho during my brief listen...


----------



## miceblue

larry ho said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Unless it's an electrostatic headphone amplifier, I probably won't be too interested in it, honestly. STAX and the HE-560 are probably my end-game headphones and the Pulse X/i should do just fine with the HE-560.
> ...



Nice nice. I really like the sound out of the HE-560. It's probably my favourite headphone out of the dynamic and planar magnetic driver headphones that I've heard.

I can't wait to hear how the Pulse X sounds with balanced headphones since it'll be my first amp with balanced outputs!


----------



## head-hi

mscott58 said:


> Was one of the lucky Geeks who got a listen/peek at the mysterious Room 1110 at RMAF this weekend as well as auditioning the Geek Pulse/LPS combo at the CanJam table.
> 
> Have to admit that while I was very happy with the sound of the Geek Pulse connected to the Alpha Primes as well as my own LCD-3F's I brought along, that I didn't really spend a huge amount of time with it since I'm not a backer of that unit (but am all-in on the Wave and Source). So the combo was good, but didn't stick so heavy in my memory (which is a very high bar given the stuff you are able to listen to in that paradise of equipment!).
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm very curious about the Alpha Prime/Pulse combo, as I have both on order. The APs are suppose to ship by 12/8, but who knows about the Pulse?


----------



## chartwell85

head-hi said:


> I'm very curious about the Alpha Prime/Pulse combo, as I have both on order. The APs are suppose to ship by 12/8, but who knows about the Pulse?


 

 Pulse will begin shipping in the next few weeks and it paired BEAUTIFULLY with the AP's.


----------



## head-hi

chartwell85 said:


> Pulse will begin shipping in the next few weeks and it paired BEAUTIFULLY with the AP's.


 

 Well alright, alright, alright.


----------



## MikeyFresh

chartwell85 said:


> Pulse will begin shipping in the next few weeks and it paired BEAUTIFULLY with the AP's.


 
  
 The statement "in the next few weeks" is not terribly encouraging. "Few" is generally understood to mean 3 or more, with "couple" meaning two.
  
 So we went from the Pulse starting to ship the 2nd week of October as the last official statement made on 8/29, to now 3 (or so) weeks from today Oct. 16th... or roughly November 6th?
  
 Communication continues to lag well behind reality. Why not post the above as an actual update *Here*, but do it on 9/30?


----------



## chartwell85

hydesg said:


> i wish they can do something to the terrible customer service.
> The tone of Carlos Jones in his reply is really bad!


 

 Hydesg,
  
 As a young company, we're constantly growing and expanding each department and the functionality they control.  
  
 LH Labs strives to exceed the standards set by our customers in every aspect from the customer service experience all the way to delivery and overall impression of our products.  We take it wholeheartedly when our customers feel we are missing a beat and address the issues they raise with the utmost haste as to not repeat them again.
  
 Please know that I will personally review this issue with Carlos and that you'll see improvements moving forward.


----------



## chartwell85

mikeyfresh said:


> The statement "in the next few weeks" is not terribly encouraging. "Few" is generally understood to mean 3 or more, with "couple" meaning two.
> 
> So we went from the Pulse starting to ship the 2nd week of October as the last official statement made on 8/29, to now 3 (or so) weeks from today Oct. 16th... or roughly November 6th?
> 
> Communication continues to lag well behind reality. Why not post the above as an actual update Here, but do it on 9/30?


 

 From our experience at RMAF there a few minor tweaks Larry is making to the Pulse based on our feedback from the crowd.  
  
 If I posted a SOLID date and we took a day or two longer to begin shipments, I'd rather not have to go back on my words so I'm going to leave it at a few.
  
 Once I'm 100% confident in a shipping date I'll update this thread and the many others centered around the shipping dates for Pulse.
  
 Thanks for understanding.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So is it He-560 or Alpha Prime for Geek Pulse (and later XD128 Wave)? 

Hmmm... decisions decisions...


----------



## chartwell85

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So is it He-560 or Alpha Prime for Geek Pulse (and later XD128 Wave)?
> 
> Hmmm... decisions decisions...


 

 That's going to be a tough choice....Just get both


----------



## AxelCloris

chartwell85 said:


> That's going to be a tough choice....Just get both


 
  
 Agreed.


----------



## uncola

I'd get the 560 for sure. Open back ftw. Hard to imagine an alpha prime is worth two alpha dogs


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> I'd get the 560 for sure. Open back ftw. Hard to imagine an alpha prime is worth two alpha dogs



I thought the Alpha Dog was pretty darn good, after the addition of the Doggie Treats mods. I think the HE-560 blows it out of the water though from memory. I've read elsewhere from a well-respected Head-Fier that the Alpha Prime is only a minor upgrade in sound quality compared to the Alpha Dog.

The HE-560 is the closest planar magnetic headphone to the sound quality of the STAX e-stat headphones, which is quite a feat in my opinions because I always find something I really don't like about other planar magnetic headphones (i.e. annoying treble spike, or similar).


Were the gain settings ever finalised with the Pulse, or are those still being tweaked? I don't recall hearing specific values reported for the gain.


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> I thought the Alpha Dog was pretty darn good, after the addition of the Doggie Treats mods. I think the HE-560 blows it out of the water though from memory. I've read elsewhere from a well-respected Head-Fier that the Alpha Prime is only a minor upgrade in sound quality compared to the Alpha Dog.
> 
> The HE-560 is the closest planar magnetic headphone to the sound quality of the STAX e-stat headphones, which is quite a feat in my opinions because I always find something I really don't like about other planar magnetic headphones (i.e. annoying treble spike, or similar).
> 
> ...


 
 Gain settings are being improved upon from the feedback we received at RMAF.


----------



## chartwell85

uncola said:


> I'd get the 560 for sure. Open back ftw. Hard to imagine an alpha prime is worth two alpha dogs


 

 The 560's sounded AMAZING! However, the primes were superb as well....It's such a tough choice.


----------



## hydesg

Chartwell thanks.
 Appreciate if you could answer my private message.
  


chartwell85 said:


> Hydesg,
> 
> As a young company, we're constantly growing and expanding each department and the functionality they control.
> 
> ...


----------



## chartwell85

hydesg said:


> Chartwell thanks.
> Appreciate if you could answer my private message.


 

 Answered


----------



## DSlayerZX

Just received the a new update from LH.
  
 It looks like the new shipping date is now on Nov. 14th due to the sound tweak.
  
 Personally.. I'm perfectly fine with that, but just figures to let everyone know.
  
 Just hope they will finish shipping all devices before the Xmas shipping craze starts.


----------



## eac3

Update from IGG:
  
 Quote:


> Hi there backers,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Can we make minor tweaks to the faceplate while you are at it?


----------



## nicolo

The HE-560 is definitely much better than the Alpha Dogs. Before getting the HE-560, i had looked at getting the Alpha Dogs as it was a closed planar. However i felt that the balance was off. IMO the soundstage of the Alphas didn't seem coherent with a recess between the mid-range and lower treble. The HE-560 on the other hand has a very transparent and perfectly proportioned sound.


----------



## MikeyFresh

chartwell85 said:


> From our experience at RMAF there a few minor tweaks Larry is making to the Pulse based on our feedback from the crowd.
> 
> If I posted a SOLID date and we took a day or two longer to begin shipments, I'd rather not have to go back on my words so I'm going to leave it at a few.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks, I see there is now an official update on the Pulse Production Roadmap page, still an estimate rather than a solid date for shipments to begin.
  
 My calculation of a few weeks from now was off a bit, not Nov. 6th but Nov. 14th.
  
 I think Pulse S/f/i backers are very likely looking at 2015.


----------



## dclaz

I'd love to know what "add a little weight to the bottom end" means. Don't we just want flat response? And shouldn't that have been the goal from the start?


----------



## walfredo

Given that the original date was May 2015, postponing further for a few tweaks is highly disappointing.  
  
 Sound quality is very elusive.  If LH goal is to hear feedback until people are fully, 110% satisfied and have no feedback to offer, they will never ship.


----------



## miceblue

Speaking of sound quality, an update from Larry:
http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/1943-gpu-002-is-ready-start-testing?start=125#34958


> I did a in depth listening test for Geek Pulse with and without Geek LPS.
> Also Geek Pulse S/X with and without Geek LPS.
> 
> One interesting finding is: Geek Pulse seems need Geek LPS more. The difference is more significant than Geek Pulse S/X.
> ...




http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2063-pc-gpx-002-start-testing?start=100#34957


> Now, we are using Pass Preamp compare with Geek Pulse digital volume control with our prototype power amp.
> 
> Result is interesting...
> 
> ...


----------



## uncola

I guess we're all going to be together a little longer since shipping had a small delay 
  
 I'm confused by the final tweak.. "Larry decided to add a little weight to the bottom end. ... These tweaks have added a few parts to Geek Pulse: a pair of caps and a few resistors on the analog stage."
 Didn't the boards already get finalized and 100 of them were sent to the board house to be populated with chips?  Is it easy to add a few resistors and a pair of caps to a board without having to revise the pcb?
  
 Here's some stuff to help us stay positive:
 Look at all these enclosures ready to go

  
  
 Larry confirmed some specs for the Geek Pulse X:
  
 4V for XLR Line out. (Actually it is 4.1V)
 2V for RCA Line Out (2.1V here)

 Low Gain in Headphone: 1.8V
 Mid: 3V
 High: 7V

 [New-added] -- On balanced headphone output

 Low Gain in Headphone: 3.6V
 Mid: 6V
 High: 14V


 IC: Class-A biased TPA6120A2 (Geek Pulse X has TWO of it for balance out)

 Enjoy!

 Larry


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> Low Gain in Headphone: 1.8V *[maybe 202.5 mW @ 16 Ω, 10.8 mW @ 300 Ω]*
> Mid: 3V *[maybe 562.5 mW @ 16 Ω, 30 mW @ 300 Ω]*
> High: 7V *[maybe 3.0625 W @ 16 Ω, 163.33 mW @ 300 Ω]*
> 
> ...



I added possible power outputs at 16 and 300 Ω in bold. I might be incorrect about this since amp manufacturers usually list the highest voltage out possible, but that doesn't mean at 16 Ω it'll be that high since small loads are current-limited rather than voltage-limited for larger loads.


----------



## nudd

Can I ask where you got these numbers, because it seems higher than what was actually in the initial spec sheets?
  
 Quote:


uncola said:


> I guess we're all going to be together a little longer since shipping had a small delay
> 
> I'm confused by the final tweak.. "Larry decided to add a little weight to the bottom end. ... These tweaks have added a few parts to Geek Pulse: a pair of caps and a few resistors on the analog stage."
> Didn't the boards already get finalized and 100 of them were sent to the board house to be populated with chips?  Is it easy to add a few resistors and a pair of caps to a board without having to revise the pcb?
> ...


----------



## uncola

Sure, Larry posted the numbers in this post http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2146-pulse-x-output-levels-and-poweramp-stage-config#34821
  
 That's why I posted them, the balanced headphone out numbers seem higher..


----------



## Anaximandros

Information scattered everywhere over there ... I don't like this.


----------



## vincent215

I need to make a change on shipping address and I reopened their survey link (I am one of the first 100 people that LH sent out survey links), and the page requested me to go back to their support system. I opened a ticket in the support system, and I haven't heard back from them in the last 24 hours. I tried to email to cs@lhlabs.com, and I got the same result.
Anyone here know if there's a better way to communicate with LH customer service department? Thank you.


----------



## Anaximandros

I changed my shipping adress via Support Ticket.
 Carlos changed it in 24 hours, but that was two weeks ago before RMAF. You can try and send Casey a PM.


----------



## vincent215

anaximandros said:


> I changed my shipping adress via Support Ticket.
> Carlos changed it in 24 hours, but that was two weeks ago before RMAF. You can try and send Casey a PM.




Thanks. 
I just notice that chartwell85 is a LH representative in HF. I wonder if Casey and chartwell85 is the same person?


----------



## Anaximandros

He should be, his last name is Hartwell. But you can also pm him at lhlabs.


----------



## mscott58

Casey Hartwell = chartwell85. Yep


----------



## uncola

my tickets got answered in about 4 days.. if that's any help


----------



## Ranza

Look like Larry really like the HE 560, the new gain makes it more easier to drive HE 560.


----------



## valve5425

vincent215 said:


> I need to make a change on shipping address and I reopened their survey link (I am one of the first 100 people that LH sent out survey links), and the page requested me to go back to their support system. I opened a ticket in the support system, and I haven't heard back from them in the last 24 hours. I tried to email to cs@lhlabs.com, and I got the same result.
> 
> Anyone here know if there's a better way to communicate with LH customer service department? Thank you.



 


I've PM'd you Manny Torres's email. May be of use to you.


----------



## snip3r77

vincent215 said:


> I need to make a change on shipping address and I reopened their survey link (I am one of the first 100 people that LH sent out survey links), and the page requested me to go back to their support system. I opened a ticket in the support system, and I haven't heard back from them in the last 24 hours. I tried to email to cs@lhlabs.com, and I got the same result.
> Anyone here know if there's a better way to communicate with LH customer service department? Thank you.


 
  
 Is the weekend right???


----------



## vincent215

snip3r77 said:


> Is the weekend right???




Actually I opened the ticket on Thursday. I will patiently wait this time. Hopefully I catch somebody attention before LH have the chance to ship my Geek Pulse out.
Thanks so much guys.


----------



## nicolo

I just saw at John Darko's website (Digital Audio Review) that the Pulse Xfi is going be priced at $3500
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Wow!!


----------



## labjr

nicolo said:


> I just saw at John Darko's website (Digital Audio Review) that the Pulse Xfi is going be priced at $3500
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I saw that! At the rate the rate the price is rising, I figure I'll be able to sell mine and buy a new Ferrari by the time they ship.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Seriously! What the heck are they thinking! What happened to their idea of reasonably priced digital audio for the average person? Did that go out the window?
  
 They show up at RMAF with prototypes of everything including a circuit board duct-taped to the back of a phone. But nothing ready to ship. Yet they plan to start another indie-go-go campaign between now and Christmas and CES.
  
 This company doesn't seem to know where it's going. What a disappointment! Really!


----------



## Ranza

nicolo said:


> I just saw at John Darko's website (Digital Audio Review) that the Pulse Xfi is going be priced at $3500
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I hope this is just a joke, it almost double the price of Schiit Yggdrasil, and I doubt that it sound better than Yggdrasil....
 And yeah, if anyone insist, I will gladly trade my Pulse Xfi for Schiit Yggdrasil.


----------



## FayeForever

Just received this update from indiegogo campaign:
  


> I know it's only been since Friday that I posted an update, but I'm so proud of our team for all their hard work this weekend that I had to tell you what they've been up to.
> 
> As you know, it's crunch time on the production of Geek Pulse.  We're working hard to get everything assembled, staged, and ready to ship out.  One of the challenges we've run into time and again on this project is that we're competing for parts _and_ sharing assembly space (on our vendors' assembly lines, that is) with some of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world.  For us, we feel that we're manufacturing a LOT of devices, but for our vendors, we're just a very little fish in a large ocean.  It's been tough to get the parts in the quantities that we need_, _but the hardest part has been to get in the queue with our vendors without getting pushed to the back of the line when a big job comes their way.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Damn...
 It is already going to miss my birthday and now I am just hoping that I can receive it before Christmas.


----------



## mscott58

labjr said:


> They show up at RMAF with prototypes of everything including a circuit board duct-taped to the back of a phone. But nothing ready to ship. Yet they plan to start another indie-go-go campaign between now and Christmas and CES.
> 
> This company doesn't seem to know where it's going. What a disappointment! Really!


 
 While I agree that more communication would be a good thing from LH Labs (and the have gotten better at this - for example the update on the Geek Wave sent out this morning to backers), you have to remember that they are operating (purposefully) totally different from most other electronics companies out there. The whole concept of the crowd-funding/crowd-development model of LH Labs products is that the community both helps to fund the R&D and also provide input on the development of the products. This is not Apple or Sony, nor even Audeze or Schiit, but some people are still holding them up to some of the similar standards of those different operating models. 
  
 I absolutely love that Larry brought the PCB with the Geek Wave/Stream analog and DAC sections to RMAF, even if it was attached to a piece of cardboard. I got to play with it and give some feedback and talk directly with the designer - it's like being allowed into the top-secret labs. And Gavin and Larry and the rest of the team authentically want our feedback and input. Regarding the Pulse, the units I got to experience were great, but I also love that Larry wanted to take the recent feedback and make them even better, even if it means pushing out the shipment dates again. 
  
 I also love that LH Labs continues to innovate and drive the whole community forward. The Geek Keep was amazing, and that was just an early prototype. Now I do agree that I hope they don't get overly distracted by too many efforts, but don't lose momentum either. 
  
 I have yet to be part of a crowd-funding campaign (and I've done about half a dozen) where they came anywhere close to the initial shipment dates suggested during the campaign - that's part of the risk of being a member of the "crowd". If you don't want to have these types of issues (product development and manufacturing is hard and almost always faces delays) then don't participate in crowd-funding initiatives - go buy something off the shelf. And heck, even some companies who are operating under the standard "internal development" model have been facing product delays and bringing unfinished prototypes to shows, even some of the names included very recently in this very thread. 
  
 I know I'll likely get flamed for this post, but it really seems like some are holding LH Labs (and other crowd-funded companies) to an unreasonable standard. Okay, I'm off my soapbox now - flame away. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## jaywillin

mscott58 said:


> While I agree that more communication would be a good thing from LH Labs (and the have gotten better at this - for example the update on the Geek Wave sent out this morning to backers), you have to remember that they are operating (purposefully) totally different from most other electronics companies out there. The whole concept of the crowd-funding/crowd-development model of LH Labs products is that the community both helps to fund the R&D and also provide input on the development of the products. This is not Apple or Sony, nor even Audeze or Schiit, but some people are still holding them up to some of the similar standards of those different operating models.
> 
> I absolutely love that Larry brought the PCB with the Geek Wave/Stream analog and DAC sections to RMAF, even if it was attached to a piece of cardboard. I got to play with it and give some feedback and talk directly with the designer - it's like being allowed into the top-secret labs. And Gavin and Larry and the rest of the team authentically want our feedback and input. Regarding the Pulse, the units I got to experience were great, but I also love that Larry wanted to take the recent feedback and make them even better, even if it means pushing out the shipment dates again.
> 
> ...


 
 no flames here mrscott58, i'm in agreement with you !


----------



## walfredo

Sure, no flames. 
  
 But let me present a counter-point.  Of course people know crowd-sourcing is different than buying.  There are more risks, and hopefully more rewards, including the possibility of contributing in the design/specs.
  
 But this is not the issue here.  The problem is that LH appears to have no clue on any real delivery plan.  It feels they think they can delay indefinitely and believe backers are to remain happy, cheering and fanboying the awesome company LH is.
  
 []s
 Walfredo


----------



## nicolo

I am in for the Pulse Xfi, LPS, Wave and Source. Will be in for the Keep too when they launch that campaign.
  
 I think one of the reasons so many people are complaining is because it's an audio product.With so many products being available and being launched on an almost daily basis in this space, most people have become less patient. Since this is such an incredibly personal pastime, delays lead to a lot of anger and disappointment. And this hobby being a luxury for most, there are always second thoughts on having fed this addiction whenever money becomes tight. That's just the nature of the beast. Of course LH Labs could have communicated better. But this is a crowd-funded campaign by a small company having growing problems!! I understand that people are annoyed that LH Labs are planning a new campaign when most of the promised products are still to be shipped. However most people fail to appreciate that there is a distinct difference between the product design team and production team. We are funding the design part while also helping LH Labs grow their operations and become faster and more efficient. Production/Operations Design is always something every company learns the hard way. In some ways trying to move into the mid-fi, semi mass market for a boutique manufacturer is much tougher than being mid-fi from the beginning.


----------



## jaywillin

walfredo said:


> Sure, no flames.
> 
> But let me present a counter-point.  Of course people know crowd-sourcing is different than buying.  There are more risks, and hopefully more rewards, including the possibility of contributing in the design/specs.
> 
> ...


 
 and that's true, would i like my pulse to be delivered sooner rather than later ? would i like more updates ? yeah, i guess so
 am i out there touting LHlabs to be the latest greatest ? nope
 it does me no go good to either pissed at them, or be a fanboy, and think they can do no wrong.
 my point it is what it is, and i'll chalk this up to experience. 
  
 it is what it is


----------



## head-hi

I was just hoping my Pulse would arive by the time my Alpha Prime did. Oh well.


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> While I agree that more communication would be a good thing from LH Labs (and the have gotten better at this - for example the update on the Geek Wave sent out this morning to backers), you have to remember that they are operating (purposefully) totally different from most other electronics companies out there. The whole concept of the crowd-funding/crowd-development model of LH Labs products is that the community both helps to fund the R&D and also provide input on the development of the products. This is not Apple or Sony, nor even Audeze or Schiit, but some people are still holding them up to some of the similar standards of those different operating models.
> 
> I absolutely love that Larry brought the PCB with the Geek Wave/Stream analog and DAC sections to RMAF, even if it was attached to a piece of cardboard. I got to play with it and give some feedback and talk directly with the designer - it's like being allowed into the top-secret labs. And Gavin and Larry and the rest of the team authentically want our feedback and input. Regarding the Pulse, the units I got to experience were great, but I also love that Larry wanted to take the recent feedback and make them even better, even if it means pushing out the shipment dates again.
> 
> ...


 

 No flames here either.  It's the nature of the beast and have know it from the start!


----------



## labjr

The problem is not that it's taking so long. It's that it's taking so long and it looks hacked. So they're not keeping their eye on the ball. This didn't happen with the Geek Out. Or at least not while the aesthetics/ mechanical design was being completed
  
 Starting another crowd sourced project before the holidays and CES makes no sense.  Waiting until after the new year and more products are delivered makes far more sense because happy customers would buy more.
  
 To just say "Our goal in crowdfunding isn't to dig deeper into the pockets of our current backers. We'd mostly like to bring new people into the fold.", makes no sense. You want every possible buyer including those currently waiting for products. Why would new customers commit to put their money up when current customers have been waiting for multiple products. Some more than a year with delays that seem to be getting longer?
  
 Seems to me like they're running out of money for day to day operations and are scrambling to keep it going. Not a good thing when they still have all those unfinished & undelivered products. I hope I'm wrong since I'm still owed thousands of dollars worth of products. I will not be extending myself any further.


----------



## MikeyFresh

> I know it's only been since Friday that I posted an update, but I'm so proud of our team for all their hard work this weekend that I had to tell you what they've been up to.
> 
> As you know, it's crunch time on the production of Geek Pulse.  We're working hard to get everything assembled, staged, and ready to ship out.  One of the challenges we've run into time and again on this project is that we're competing for parts _and_ sharing assembly space (on our vendors' assembly lines, that is) with some of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world.  For us, we feel that we're manufacturing a LOT of devices, but for our vendors, we're just a very little fish in a large ocean.  It's been tough to get the parts in the quantities that we need_, _but the hardest part has been to get in the queue with our vendors without getting pushed to the back of the line when a big job comes their way.
> 
> ...


 
 Strange there is no real mention about what having been bumped to the back of the line again by their assembler means in terms of actual additional delivery delays.


----------



## Muinarc

mikeyfresh said:


> Strange there is no real mention about what having been bumped to the back of the line again by their assembler means in terms of actual additional delivery delays.




It means we will look like this by the time it ships to us


----------



## miceblue

Regarding the availability of the Pulse, Gavin just posted this:
http://lhlabs.com/force/welcome/2134-all-things-rmaf-rmaf-pictures?start=200#35333


> I'm working on some content for Geek Pulse to be used on Indiegogo's soon-to-be-released "Forever Funding" platform, which will turn our campaign page into an order-taking page. Basically, the idea is to use a place where we already get tons of traffic to convert those visitors into sales. Don't worry, we'll avoid the "Amazon.com fiasco" that we suffered through during Geek Out.


----------



## eliwankenobi

muinarc said:


> It means we will look like this by the time it ships to us


 
 LOL!!


----------



## miceblue

An update from Gavin:
http://www.lhlabs.com/force/welcome/2134-all-things-rmaf-rmaf-pictures?start=225#35475


Spoiler: long post






> Let me jump in and, hopefully, not add too much fuel to the fire in regards to the way Geek Pulse looks. Often times what I write doesn't properly express the spirit of what I'm trying to say, so let me preface this by saying that I'm not trying to be snarky or combative. I'm just trying to communicate what's in my heart.
> 
> I've been working in the manufacturing sector of high-end audio for about 15 years now. To my ear, Geek Pulse (let alone Geek Pulse Xfi) sounds like a $3500 DAC. Everybody gets to make his or her own call, but this is my judgment all day long and twice on Sunday. We do a lot of critical listening around here and, thanks to a few key Geek Force members and industry friends who loan us their gear, along with gear that Larry & I purchase ourselves, we compare our products to our competitors extensively. That's why I'm so confident in the way our products sound. We use measurements to confirm what we hear, not the other way around.
> 
> ...


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> An update from Gavin:
> http://www.lhlabs.com/force/welcome/2134-all-things-rmaf-rmaf-pictures?start=225#35475
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Wow, I like where they're going with this one.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Wow, I like where they're going with this one.


 
 Concur.


----------



## nicolo

mscott58 said:


> Concur.


 
  
 Me too. Now if they could do an R Core transformer with the Pulse Xfi instead. And at the same cost as the LPS too.


----------



## jaywillin

miceblue said:


> An update from Gavin:
> http://www.lhlabs.com/force/welcome/2134-all-things-rmaf-rmaf-pictures?start=225#35475
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  


axelcloris said:


> Wow, I like where they're going with this one.


 
  
  


mscott58 said:


> Concur.


 
 i too like the sound of this !
  
 its discouraging to see so many folks getting upset enough to say such derogatory things in public no less about lhlabs, and the way they have "conducted business"
 sure, changes, delays, and other things can be discouraging , but in launching a new product , and in this manner (crowd funding) aren't those things to be expected , and if they don't 
 happen , then that's a bonus.
 i think in a situation like this, the phrase "expect the worst, hope for the best" applies, if you can't accept the worst, then don't participate in crowdfunding.
 its like lending money to a friend, don't lend what you can't afford to lose.
 now, do i want to throw away $1000+ , hell no, i like and money as much as anyone, and i admit i got caught up in the hype, i really shouldn't have spent that much BUT
 no one made me, i did it all by myself. 
  
 yes, i've said before i might want to sell my package , but that's just because i'm impatient, its a fault of mine. 
 i believe i'll hang tight right where i'm at, and with gavin's latest update, even better things may be on the horizon !
  
 lastly,* let me say here in public, i think larry, gavin, and the whole LHlabs team are doing a great job ! perfect ? nah, but no one is.*
 now if all that makes me a fanboy, so be it, i've been called worse !! lol


----------



## valve5425

Hmmm? Sounds good, but we ain't got prices yet!

If the Pulse is good enough to retail at up to $3.5K, then how much will a modified (again) Pulse cost. I've always been keen to keep the PSU separate in my gear, and this proposal does seem to go against that principal. I feel that If LH Labs want a product which could well end up $2-3K more expensive, (my wild guestimate!) then why not go the whole hog and create a new product?

Just go for it and push it up a notch, rather than tweaking the Pulse which, I'm hoping, is already excellent.


----------



## Muinarc

This announcement made my head hurt. All that 120% math and guessing at what it would cost to have (if I am understanding correctly) the retail unit.... o_O

Challenge accepted Gavin!


----------



## eac3

valve5425 said:


> Hmmm? Sounds good, but we ain't got prices yet!


 
  
 Exactly. The gap between the "steal" of a price we got Geek Pulse for vs the retail prices seems too high, which is fine for me as I have already secured my Geek Pulse X. But, if the retail prices are almost 5-10x the price we contributed for the Geek Pulse, then giving back 1.2x of what we originally contributed doesn't seem appealing. These new units should surely be heavily discounted or I just may be thinking about this the wrong way.
  
  
 Either way, thanks lhlabs for the effort.
  
 EDIT: just noticed someone made the same comment on lhlabs forum.


----------



## eac3

wait a sec
  


> Most of you purchased Geek Pulse and Geek LPS at below cost.


 
  
 You mean to tell me some of us didn't during the Indiegogo campaign? Really? This confuses me.


----------



## junker

The main problem is that the early-adopters who jumped on the "early bird" pricing and have been waiting the longest would get the least favorable trade-up value. Hoping they just do fixed upgrade pricing.


----------



## FayeForever

So how many of our fellow backers are thinking to upgrade to the retail version?
 I don't understand why do we even want to do it, if LH won't improve the performance much over the indiegogo version for the retail ones.


----------



## jexby

fayeforever said:


> So how many of our fellow backers are thinking to upgrade to the retail version?
> I don't understand why do we even want to do it, if LH won't improve the performance much over the indiegogo version for the retail ones.


 

 not I.
  
 with no LPS purchased (via IGG), no need for trade ins, spending more $$$ on more expensive revisions or all-in-one-cases that won't fit next to my computer anyhow.
 pass.
 although I can understand why some folks building their entire audio-room around Geek Pulse+ are intrigued.
 good for them.


----------



## nicolo

I am actually thinking of the upgrade more in terms of resale value than performance improvements. I don't expect that there will be any increase in performance. I am not looking to sell my Pulse Xfi+LPS. But if something urgent comes up, it will be easier to sell these than a standalone Pulse or LPS. As long as the upgrade cost is reasonable, why not go for it?


----------



## jaywillin

while the possibility of an option to upgrade to a "fancier" or more polished retail model is interesting, i can't say i'm all in on it yet, just not enough info
 more will be revealed in due time


----------



## Currawong

The reason people are upset is because it was supposed to be a $399 product, and now it is a $3500 product with 21 (IIRC) variations that have resulted in extensive delays. It really boils down to that.


----------



## georgelai57

currawong said:


> The reason people are upset is because it was supposed to be a $399 product, and now it is a $3500 product with 21 (IIRC) variations that have resulted in extensive delays. It really boils down to that.


 

 And to add further insult to injury, some of us have received emails asking us to upgrade our Pulse configuration to a higher spec one as they won't be producing my PAID FOR configuration. In my case for my (basic) Pulse with Internal Amp Upgrade, I have been asked to pay another $99 to get a Femto upgrade.


----------



## BaTou069

nicolo said:


> I am actually thinking of the upgrade more in terms of resale value than performance improvements. I don't expect that there will be any increase in performance. I am not looking to sell my Pulse Xfi+LPS. But if something urgent comes up, it will be easier to sell these than a standalone Pulse or LPS. As long as the upgrade cost is reasonable, why not go for it?


 
  
 Why should selling the Pulse Xfi withouth LPS be a problem?
  
 I have a Pulse S/f/i in the pipeline, and since these will  be produced for IGG backers only and wont go retail, these will have collectors value also


----------



## valve5425

batou069 said:


> Why should selling the Pulse Xfi withouth LPS be a problem?
> 
> I have a Pulse S/f/i in the pipeline, and since these will  be produced for IGG backers only and wont go retail, these will have collectors value also



 


Yes, Pulse futures! I wish I'd bought more now. A massive gap between price paid and retail, so I can't see any problems in selling at a reasonable profit, if, and a big if, the sound lives up to that price.

Looks like this is the current Pulse line-up;

1. Pulse
2. Pulse fi (femto + internal amp upgrade)
3. Pulse Sfi (femto + internal amp upgrade)
4. Pulse X
5. Pulse Xfi (femto + internal amp upgrade)

A bit more sensible, but unfortunate for those who backed the other configurations.

There's a little devil on my shoulder suggesting that this could be a way of extracting a little more cash out of people, and to enable LH Labs to produce a "pretty" version of the Pulse which will be easier to manufacture and sell. Maybe I shouldn't listen to the devil, and believe that this is a generous gesture to give the Geek Force a better, more rounded, product.

BTW, I'm just in this for a decent DAC, so if the Pulse Xfi does the job, it would have to be "not too much money" to persuade me to upgrade yet again. Damn, that tube buffer sounds tempting.

If it carries on like this, we'll all end up with Da Vinci's in around ten years time!


----------



## kothganesh

valve5425 said:


> batou069 said:
> 
> 
> > Why should selling the Pulse Xfi withouth LPS be a problem?
> ...


 
 True dat. I've always wanted to get to play with different DACs and this was funded long before Yggy came closer to reality.  Love the comment on the Da Vinci


----------



## labjr

I thought LH's reason for doing crowd-funding was to bring affordable high resolution to the masses. Now they're jacking the prices to the stratospheric high end levels which they were supposedly against. I expect the one box model to cost even more. The new price tag doesn't make me feel like I got a better deal on the Pulse. It makes me wonder what they're going tell us next?
  
 Why did it take a year to realize they needed to have a retail 5X what they originally planned? I'd like to see the BOM and cost estimates to make these things. Not including all the money wasted on overhyped marketing and day to day operational costs from their massive expansion, TV interviews & catered office parties. 
  
 Mytek has had a Sabre based DSD dac on the market for years @  $1,500. So it can be done. LH thought it could be done for even less when they started the campaign. What happened?
  
 At $3,500+ there are other options from companies which are more organized and know where they're going. Sorry but I have serious doubts in the abilities of LH to properly plan, follow through and deliver products.


----------



## valve5425

It's going to have to be something special to retail at $3.5K, and I hope it is.

To be fair, if you look at BOM's for any expensive audio gear, you'll be hard pressed to justify the asking price. I know there are substantial other costs involved, but I guess, at the end of the day, they sell for what they think we're prepared to pay!


----------



## chartwell85

A quick peek behind the curtain.....


----------



## chartwell85

labjr said:


> I thought LH's reason for doing crowd-funding was to bring affordable high resolution to the masses. Now they're jacking the prices to the stratospheric high end levels which they were supposedly against. I expect the one box model to cost even more. The new price tag doesn't make me feel like I got a better deal on the Pulse. It makes me wonder what they're going tell us next?
> 
> Why did it take a year to realize they needed to have a retail 5X what they originally planned? I'd like to see the BOM and cost estimates to make these things. Not including all the money wasted on overhyped marketing and day to day operational costs from their massive expansion, TV interviews & catered office parties.
> 
> ...


 

 Our goal is still to create affordable high-end audio for the masses.  Geek Pulse backers still received an amazing deal and with the new offerings they're going to be able to trade in and upgrade with a 120% credit moving forward if they choose.  
  
 As for office parties - I guess I've been missing out on these as I've not been to one yet. 
  
 Yes, we have expanded the team by a few people, however, the team is still incredibly small.


----------



## Muinarc

The corners remind me of the chassis to my Marantz SA-14.





A note on the upgrades:

If I was reading the LH announcement correctly, it would be 120% trade and selling the NEW combined/retail/whatever Pulse (per Gavin) after "heavily discounting" and "you’ll still be at or below cost for the new unit". This is after they described the 5:1-11:1 reseller stuff. So I believe the $3,500 quote everyone tosses around to be essentially the MSRP. Cost could and probably is considerably less. Upgrading might not require all that much more out of pocket. I guess we'll see.

I need the desk space, so I don't know if I could swing a full size rig...but I'll see what I can do lol.


----------



## mscott58

labjr said:


> I thought LH's reason for doing crowd-funding was to bring affordable high resolution to the masses. Now they're jacking the prices to the stratospheric high end levels which they were supposedly against. I expect the one box model to cost even more. The new price tag doesn't make me feel like I got a better deal on the Pulse. It makes me wonder what they're going tell us next?
> 
> Why did it take a year to realize they needed to have a retail 5X what they originally planned? I'd like to see the BOM and cost estimates to make these things. Not including all the money wasted on overhyped marketing and day to day operational costs from their massive expansion, TV interviews & catered office parties.
> 
> ...


 
 IMO there are lots of companies/options at every price-point and we should all vote with our wallets. Have personally met Gavin, Larry and Casey and also working in my business with entrepreneurs and start-ups all over the world, I would say that they know what they are doing (as much as any early entrepreneur does!). Also their hearts/ears appear to be in the right place, which I can't say is always the case with all start-ups. Additionally, in the whole scheme of things $3,500 is not near the "stratospheric" level of high-end audio. Pricey, yes - anywhere near as expensive as they come, no. 
  
 I'm not a fan-boy (from my perspective) but I am a pragmatist. Anything LH Labs does at this point is sure to excite some, and piss-off others - and I think they know that. The gear I've heard (Pulse, Stream, Out & Keep) all sounded very good if not amazing and I hope it continues, as I have very high expectations for my Geek Wave XD128 Ultimate! If they make promises they can't keep, then I'll be disappointed.
  
 Cheers


----------



## chartwell85

Thank you for the very kind comment mscott58.
  
 The entire LH Labs team stands behind our products and the business model that we have all contributed to build.  
  
 In the end, however, it's our customers, backers and supporters that truly determine the success of what we are striving to achieve.  Without each of you, none of this would be possible and our goal of re-vitalizing the industry would have fallen on deaf ears.


----------



## labjr

muinarc said:


> A note on the upgrades:
> 
> If I was reading the LH announcement correctly, it would be 120% trade and selling the NEW combined/retail/whatever Pulse (per Gavin) after "heavily discounting" and "you’ll still be at or below cost for the new unit". This is after they described the 5:1-11:1 reseller stuff. So I believe the $3,500 quote everyone tosses around to be essentially the MSRP. Cost could and probably is considerably less. Upgrading might not require all that much more out of pocket. I guess we'll see.
> 
> I need the desk space, so I don't know if I could swing a full size rig...but I'll see what I can do lol.


 
 120% trade-in off of what?  The retail for pulse and PS is now around $4,400. If they gave you 300% trade-in value off of the $4,400 would it be worth it to have the same sound quality? If you could get  200% trade in toward dealer cost of 50-60% of the $4,400 would you do it?
  
 The actual cost to manufacture the units is minimal when you compare it to the retail prices.
  
 What Ayre does is a bit different. You pay $3,200 for the DAC but the updates are basically a main board swap-out for $200-300 every couple years or so. Do you think they lose money on the swap? No!
  
 Is the Pulse a good value. Probably(we don't actually know yet because we're still waiting).  Will the new Pulse be a good value at $3,500-4,400. Not in my opinion.


----------



## Muinarc

labjr said:


> 120% trade-in off of what?  The retail for pulse and PS is now around $4,400. If they gave you 300% trade-in value off of the $4,400 would it be worth it to have the same sound quality? If you could get  200% trade in toward dealer cost of 50-60% of the $4,400 would you do it?
> 
> The actual cost to manufacture the units is minimal when you compare it to the retail prices.
> 
> ...




Well that's the point really, we're waiting to see how these numbers pan out. I don't care about LH Labs being able to sell or market the Pulse at $3,000+, that's their problem and decision to make. What I DO care about is if said "at or below cost", which is not going to be $4,400, is within reach of what I have already paid +20%. If I have to double or triple my original investment, then no it probably will not be worth it to me, but at least the option is there.


----------



## snip3r77

labjr said:


> 120% trade-in off of what?  The retail for pulse and PS is now around $4,400. If they gave you 300% trade-in value off of the $4,400 would it be worth it to have the same sound quality? If you could get  200% trade in toward dealer cost of 50-60% of the $4,400 would you do it?
> 
> The actual cost to manufacture the units is minimal when you compare it to the retail prices.
> 
> ...


 
 The 120% trade up is just an OPTION. IF you think it's not worth it be happy to whatever that you're purchasing at IG. They didn't force the upgrade man.


----------



## labjr

snip3r77 said:


> The 120% trade up is just an OPTION. IF you think it's not worth it be happy to whatever that you're purchasing at IG. They didn't force the upgrade man.


 

 I'm just pointing out things that seem illogical. Nobody is forcing you to read or respond man.


----------



## snip3r77

labjr said:


> I'm just pointing out things that seem illogical. Nobody is forcing you to read or respond man.




Not logical don't bite then. Why do you care about their cost? When doing a business, profit has to be made. If you think ayre is good and has cheap progressive upgrade , why buy geek pulse ? Pulse is cheaper ? 

Most likely I will not trade up, unless the ID for the one box design is damn good and the sound improvement is epic.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Sorry need to chime in...its the beer(s) from pizza during dinner so my apologies.

1. As per IGG price its was $299 for a base Pulse.
Then you have upgraded premium parts + faceplate free.

2. Now they have published their MSRP at $3,500.
This includes Distributor's and Retailer's cuts etc.

3. And now they have added two more on the line up.

So I don't get what's the fuzz....

A. Why should I be pissed on the price tag of 3,500 since I paid it for 300 on IGG?
Was the product feels less than I paid? Hell no!

B. On MSRP pricing. Their decision, their problem. If for them it sounds and feels like a 3,500 (or more) well why not.
Good for us IGG backers.

C. If somebody was pissed off because they haven't jumped the wagon on IGG, Well..."Better luck next time!" 

D. On the two new Pulse lineups. Well, more choices for those who haven't got it yet.
 They are ADDED, nothing was taken out (well on the IGG side, they are dropping the S line because of very low funders). 

E. On faceplate design. We voted, we decided. And its much better than that acrylic alla VModa faceplate. And btw its free. 

E. My only apprehension was on delivery time, but with respect to other IGG projects they are doing fine ( 'Hello Olive One users!"). And the other - product updates.
 But on my experience with their Geek Out campaign. They DO deliver. And if you compare Geek Out's performance, its true value is more than twice you paid. 

my 0.02€


----------



## labjr

snip3r77 said:


> Not logical don't bite then. Why do you care about their cost? When doing a business, profit has to be made. If you think ayre is good and has cheap progressive upgrade , why buy geek pulse ? Pulse is cheaper ?
> 
> Most likely I will not trade up, unless the ID for the one box design is damn good and the sound improvement is epic.


 
 Regardless of whether I or anyone does a trade-in or not, I questioned the cost because they claim to be bringing affordable high resolution digital to the masses which would set them apart from the rest. However, It appears they're becoming like those they expected us to loathe only a few months ago as we bought their products. I'd think it's normal for someone to question this when they raise prices and change plans every other week. And now talking about trade-ins when we haven't yet received a product we paid for more than a year ago. As a customer who's waiting for delivery of goods I'm wondering if the company will stay afloat the way they're going. Sorry but it's a genuine concern.


----------



## frank2908

I too dont care about how much they retail for, since I backed them up on igg, but the message from lhlabs is clear:
IF THEIR NEXT PRODUCT IS CROWDFUNDED, GRAB IT WHILE YOU CAN.


----------



## eac3

A few questions (some of which probably have been answered already):
  
 A) What is the status of the feet, are they rubber feet? Are they glued on? From the looks of it, they seem to be the rubberized semi-circle feet Link EDIT: Yup, it appears so: Link
 B) Did they mentioned if they were going to label the inputs/outputs on the rear?
 C)  Did they mentioned if they will be switching out the 4 silver screws in the back? Link


----------



## jaywillin

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Sorry need to chime in...its the beer(s) from pizza during dinner so my apologies.
> 
> 1. As per IGG price its was $299 for a base Pulse.
> Then you have upgraded premium parts + faceplate free.
> ...


 
 that pretty much sums up my $.02


----------



## uncola

some RMAF video coverage by Steve from www.enjoythemusic.com
  
 here's the video set to the exact time he covers Light Harmonic
  
  
 and here are his other RMAF videos  http://www.enjoythemusic.com/canjam_2014/


----------



## miceblue

Wait what? This is news to me.
http://lhlabs.com/updates/geek-lps-roadmap.html


> Update 10/16/2014: Heat management issues have been completely solved! This has taken much longer than we anticipated, and we apologize for not giving you an update before now. We were focused on achieving this result and just had our noses to the grindstone. Now that we've overcome the heat issues that have been plaguing us, we are buttoning up production and anticipate first shipments leaving our fulfillment center's dock on October 24.




I have my doubts that they started shipping out units today.


----------



## thune

"Heat management": is this code for "the $3500 price-point thing didn't lead to as many upgrades as we hoped, so we're just going to ship."?


----------



## mtruong34

thune said:


> "Heat management": is this code for "the $3500 price-point thing didn't lead to as many upgrades as we hoped, so we're just going to ship."?




This update was referencing the LPS. You're confusing between the LPS and Pulse.


----------



## MikeyFresh

thune said:


> "Heat management": is this code for "the $3500 price-point thing didn't lead to as many upgrades as we hoped, so we're just going to ship."?


 
  
 They haven't actually even offered the upgrade as yet, i.e. there is no pricing or timetable for availability, only an announced plan to do so.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

LPS / LPS 4 shipment update (from Geek Forum):
  

 



Sean
Moderator






NOW ONLINE
Karma: 3 
  I'll chime in here, because I was on the phone with our packaging company.

 We received a call at 1:30 last Friday saying the packaging wasn't going to be ready, and therefore not delivered that afternoon. Also, they were very sorry, as they hate missing deadlines. Ummm, yeah, we know the feeling...

 They arrived this morning and we've been very busy getting units ready to ship. There have been several pics taken, though having just jumped in here, I"m not sure if anything's been posted yet.

 It's a good day GF!


----------



## miceblue

miceblue said:


> Regarding the availability of the Pulse, Gavin just posted this:
> http://lhlabs.com/force/welcome/2134-all-things-rmaf-rmaf-pictures?start=200#35333
> 
> 
> > I'm working on some content for Geek Pulse to be used on Indiegogo's soon-to-be-released "Forever Funding" platform, which will turn our campaign page into an order-taking page. Basically, the idea is to use a place where we already get tons of traffic to convert those visitors into sales. Don't worry, we'll avoid the "Amazon.com fiasco" that we suffered through during Geek Out.





eac3 said:


> A few questions (some of which probably have been answered already):
> B) Did they mentioned if they were going to label the inputs/outputs on the rear?



The answer lies in their updated Forever Funding campaign.
http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AVTS-d5_A4[/video]


Geek Pulse's front





Geek Pulse's back





Geek Pulse's front and back split





Geek Linear Power Supply's front





Geek LPS's back





Geek LPS4's back






Geek Pulse X's front





Geek Pulse X's back






Femto clocks






17-inch Geek Pulse and Geek LPS combined into one chassis: codename Geek Soul





Geek Soul's optional tube buffer stage





About the Geek Soul


> Coming soon.
> Geek Pulse is already pretty frickin' great, right? Well, we don't like to stop at mere greatness; we want to create a legend. So we've taken Geek Pulse Xfi, added a few little sumpin-sumpins, integrated Geek LPS, and put it all into a completely new 17'' wide body that's perfect for your home stereo. We call this tricked-out model Geek Soul.
> 
> Something magical happened when we were co-developing Geek Pulse with our Geek Force: we were given some crazy-insane feature suggestions! We were able to fit a lot of them into Geek Pulse, but some we just couldn't fit into the original desktop chassis. With Geek Soul, you get all the technology of Geek Pulse Xfi and Geek LPS, plus:
> ...






Physical dimensions of each enclosure:


> How much is shipping?
> It really depends on where you live and what shipping service you choose. Rather than include an average shipping cost in the perk price, we prefer to give you shipping weight and dimensions so you can get a shipping quote. When it's time to ship, we'll ask you to choose a carrier and will send you a PayPal invoice to cover our costs.
> 
> Geek Pulse: 14" width, 14" depth, 5" height, 8 lbs
> ...





Summary of each version of Pulse:


----------



## miceblue

Just received an e-mail update:


> Here are some photos from our shipping party today:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: large photos that I don't feel like resizing
> ...


----------



## sbradley02

Where again are all the new MSRPs for the various models?
 Can't find it on LH Labs


----------



## AxelCloris

sbradley02 said:


> Where again are all the new MSRPs for the various models?
> Can't find it on LH Labs


 
  
 Miceblue shared a link 2 posts back.
  
http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/
  
 You can also find these prices on various threads over on LHLabs' forums.


----------



## eliwankenobi




----------



## sbradley02

axelcloris said:


> Miceblue shared a link 2 posts back.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/
> 
> You can also find these prices on various threads over on LHLabs' forums.


 

 Didn't even notice that he had updated the MSRP on the IGG page, thanks. So my Xfi/LPS will MSRP for $4K.
 If we ever get a meet-up in Portland again, I can see how it compares to one of my personal favorites, the Bryston (assuming someone brings one).


----------



## uncola

hehe it shows the geek pulse x is $1059 and $1799 MSRP, that means I'm going to own a $1799 dac/amp!  I'll be able to lord it over all my friends.  except the one who has an all luxman setup


----------



## d1sturb3d

^ why are the perks 0 claimed? are they running another campaign??


----------



## MikeyFresh

d1sturb3d said:


> ^ why are the perks 0 claimed? are they running another campaign??


 
  
 Yes, something IGG calls a "Forever Funding" campaign, I believe to be launched tomorrow.


----------



## miceblue

Oh, I guess they're shipping out the LightSpeed cables too:


> Today we began shipping Geek LPS, LightSpeed 1G, and LightSpeed 2G. Diana (a new teammate) it taking the lead on shipping, and has a system all set up and ready to go. We're not far from beginning the shipments of Geek Pulse.
> 
> We've also added a teammate named Tony who is coding an addition to our website that will show you your projected ship date. This isn't quite finished, but you should be looking for it.
> 
> ...




Their website:
http://lhlabs.com/


----------



## Ranza

Anyone know Geek Pulse's size ? Is it the same size as Centrance Dacmini ?


----------



## walfredo

ranza said:


> Anyone know Geek Pulse's size ? Is it the same size as Centrance Dacmini ?


 
  
 Geek Pulse: 14" width, 14" depth, 5" height, 8 lbs


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Those are shipping dimensions...


As per Deathson's document: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AljAXIFo7qVqdFdmVUoxOXB1VzFPaGtkQXdRa01ibUE#gid=1

2.3" (Height) [MAYBE not include Feet size, only front panel] x 6.76" (Width) x 8" (Depth) [Not Confirmed Size]


----------



## jexby

walfredo said:


> Geek Pulse: 14" width, 14" depth, 5" height, 8 lbs


 
  
 where did you get these measurements?
 from my photo at RMAF, it's a rectangle- not a square.


----------



## pedalhead

jexby said:


> where did you get these measurements?
> from my photo at RMAF, it's a rectangle- not a square.


 
  
 I believe they're the overall dimensions of the packaging (for shipping purposes), not the device itself.


----------



## Muinarc

miceblue said:


> The answer lies in their updated Forever Funding campaign.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/
> 
> ...



 


I want to thank miceblue for the update posts and especially for this MONSTER post.


----------



## Muinarc

I just got the Forever Funding email. Judging by the prices for the early bird perks.... my wild guess as to what the Soul will be offered to us early backers is going to be like $2500. We'll see, I was expecting a Thanksgiving delivery last December, so they still have time to meet my original estimate!


----------



## mcullinan

Are the Geek Pulses being shipped yet? If not when?


----------



## labjr

mcullinan said:


> Are the Geek Pulses being shipped yet? If not when?


 

 It doesn't matter if they ever ship. Clicking for pledges on crowdfunding sites is how you get the high.


----------



## AxelCloris

They took feedback given at RMAF and tweaked the Pulse based on what the listeners heard. This pushed back the expected delivery. I don't know specifically when they'll start shipping the Pulse. The LPS units just began shipment.
  
 According to their website's production map, shipping is currently targeted for November 14th.


----------



## Muinarc

labjr said:


> It doesn't matter if they ever ship. Clicking for pledges on crowdfunding sites is how you get the high.



 


Yeah man, come join us as we ride along with my friend Mr. Facefish. Just added 5 LPS's to my cart and I'm FEELING it!


----------



## miceblue

muinarc said:


> Just added 5 LPS's to my cart and I'm FEELING it!




[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsdIRN6DJo8[/video]


Sorry, just had to. XD


----------



## walfredo

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Those are shipping dimensions...
> 
> 
> As per Deathson's document: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AljAXIFo7qVqdFdmVUoxOXB1VzFPaGtkQXdRa01ibUE#gid=1
> ...


 

 Oops.  I was confused.  Thanks for correcting me, m-i-c-k-e-y.


----------



## uncola

If it ships in mid November I'll be very happy. If it sounds good I'll be interested in the Keep too


----------



## deathson

jexby said:


> where did you get these measurements?
> from my photo at RMAF, it's a rectangle- not a square.


 
 Great! GeekOut Size is 2.5"(L) x 1.25" (W)
 it look like PULSE Depth is 3 x GeekOut (L) and Width is 5 x GeekOut (W), 7.5"~8" Depth and 6.5" Width =]
 Match LHlab information~


----------



## longbowbbs

The Geek Pulse is in the wild!  The Pulse X-fi with the Linear Power supply. review will be up on Headphone.guru next week.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

ENVY!


----------



## pedalhead

longbowbbs said:


> The Geek Pulse is in the wild!  The Pulse X-fi with the Linear Power supply. review will be up on Headphone.guru next week.


 
  
 Fantastic...I'm waiting for a Pulse Xfi + LPS as well.  I'm sure there are a LOT of people who will be excited (or maybe a bit nervous!) to read that review


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> The Geek Pulse is in the wild!  The Pulse X-fi with the Linear Power supply. review will be up on Headphone.guru next week.


 
  
 we're getting closer ! yeah, it could be "fancier" looking, but honestly, i don't care a whole lot about that 
 thanks for the pic !


----------



## chartwell85

Now that's one good looking setup!


----------



## longbowbbs

chartwell85 said:


> Now that's one good looking setup!


 
 It's my "Semi" portable rig...


----------



## eac3

Initial thoughts on Geek Pulse with/without LPS?


----------



## longbowbbs

eac3 said:


> Initial thoughts on Geek Pulse with/without LPS?


 
 Listening to the 24/96 FLAC of Steely Dan's "Hey Nineteen" from _Gaucho _The soundstage is very expansive. Cymbal details are terrific with appropriate decay. The song has a coherence that allows you to enjoy the performance rather than focus on individual parts. I am going to enjoy writing the review. This is a sweet piece. I will be reviewing the Geek Pulse with the LPS as I do not have the other basic power supply. it is serial number 002 after all...


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> Now that's one good looking setup!


 
 now i'm ready for mine, i have a space cleared !


----------



## jexby

longbowbbs said:


> Listening to the 24/96 FLAC of Steely Dan's "Hey Nineteen" from _Gaucho _The soundstage is very expansive. Cymbal details are terrific with appropriate decay. The song has a coherence that allows you to enjoy the performance rather than focus on individual parts. I am going to enjoy writing the review. This is a sweet piece. I will be reviewing the Geek Pulse with the LPS as I do not have the other basic power supply. it is serial number 002 after all...


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> eac3 said:
> 
> 
> > Initial thoughts on Geek Pulse with/without LPS?
> ...



Have you heard the Geek Out before? I'm curious to know how the Pulse compares to the Geek Out...I basically paid 4 times as much for the Pulse Xfi/LPS as I did for the GO, so I'm hoping it does sound better considering the Pulse is based on the GO and they share similar technology.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Assuming you're excitement, it is safe to say it lived all the hype? ^_^


----------



## FayeForever

longbowbbs said:


> Listening to the 24/96 FLAC of Steely Dan's "Hey Nineteen" from _Gaucho _The soundstage is very expansive. Cymbal details are terrific with appropriate decay. The song has a coherence that allows you to enjoy the performance rather than focus on individual parts. I am going to enjoy writing the review. This is a sweet piece. I will be reviewing the Geek Pulse with the LPS as I do not have the other basic power supply. it is serial number 002 after all...


 

 Hi, could you pleas go through the trouble for us to measure the dimension of the Geek Pulse? 
 Thanks


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > eac3 said:
> ...


 

  

 GeekOut 1000 in Red GeekOut 100IEM in Black. Sound wise the pulse is not 4X better. However, it does more as a pre-amp and more connectivity. Two different purposes. Both offer strong value in different forms.
  
 Check out the review on Headphone.guru
  
 http://headphone.guru/geeking-out-on-the-road/


----------



## longbowbbs

fayeforever said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Listening to the 24/96 FLAC of Steely Dan's "Hey Nineteen" from _Gaucho _The soundstage is very expansive. Cymbal details are terrific with appropriate decay. The song has a coherence that allows you to enjoy the performance rather than focus on individual parts. I am going to enjoy writing the review. This is a sweet piece. I will be reviewing the Geek Pulse with the LPS as I do not have the other basic power supply. it is serial number 002 after all...
> ...


 
Pulse measures:
Depth: 8.25 inches
Width: 7.375inches 
Height: 3inches
 
LPS measures:
Depth: 9.75 inches 
Width: 7.375 inches 
Height: 3 inches


----------



## FayeForever

Thank you.
  
 Add: it is substantially larger than my DIY psu and barely fits my desk shelf. Need to figure out a way to stack them together.


----------



## longbowbbs

fayeforever said:


> Thank you.


 
 No problemo.....


----------



## germay0653

Can't wait.  I have two sets of those suckers coming!


----------



## labjr

*"[My] very early impressions were that the extension (treble to bass) was good... and evenly presented. Instrument separation was obvious and vocals were rich. Soundstage was actually a bit wider than I expected, which was a nice bonus." - J Exby, Geek Pulse backer"*
  
 In their Indiegogo campaign, they're quoting someone who has *-58 karma *in *their own *forum!


----------



## chartwell85

labjr said:


> *"[My] very early impressions were that the extension (treble to bass) was good... and evenly presented. Instrument separation was obvious and vocals were rich. Soundstage was actually a bit wider than I expected, which was a nice bonus." - J Exby, Geek Pulse backer"*
> 
> In their Indiegogo campaign, they're quoting someone who has *-47 karma *in *their own *forum!


 

 He must not be very popular with our forum users but he obviously was impressed by the sound of Pulse.  I think that's saying a lot.


----------



## labjr

chartwell85 said:


> He must not be very popular with our forum users but he obviously was impressed by the sound of Pulse.  I think that's saying a lot.


 

 I think what it really says it that, *LH themselves was slamming members' karma *in attempt to smear them and discredit their opinions, but now wants to uses the same member's opinion to paint themselves in a positive light. Would be a pretty low thing to do wouldn't it!


----------



## miceblue

labjr said:


> I think what it really says it that, *LH themselves was slamming members' karma *in attempt to smear them and discredit their opinions, but now wants to uses the same member's opinion to paint themselves in a positive light. Would be a pretty low thing to do wouldn't it!



I'm pretty sure it's just karma trolls paTROLLING the forums. I myself have -47 karma points at the moment, maybe -48 by now, but those points really don't matter in the LH forums unlike other online forums I've seen.


----------



## chartwell85

labjr said:


> I think what it really says it that, *LH themselves was slamming members' karma *in attempt to smear them and discredit their opinions, but now wants to uses the same member's opinion to paint themselves in a positive light. Would be a pretty low thing to do wouldn't it!


 

 I can assure you that we don't ever "slam" or "smear" anyones karma or credibility on our forum.  That specific user is actually an incredibly nice guy that our team had the pleasure of meeting at RMAF.  The assumptions you're making are completely out of line with our ethics and code of conduct at LH Labs.


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> labjr said:
> 
> 
> > I think what it really says it that, *LH themselves was slamming members' karma *in attempt to smear them and discredit their opinions, but now wants to uses the same member's opinion to paint themselves in a positive light. Would be a pretty low thing to do wouldn't it!
> ...


 
 I would find that kind of forum policing by the LH folks a complete break with their policies. Great engineers and even better people. Chill......


----------



## labjr

chartwell85 said:


> I can assure you that we don't ever "slam" or "smear" anyones karma or credibility on our forum.  That specific user is actually an incredibly nice guy that our team had the pleasure of meeting at RMAF.  The assumptions you're making are completely out of line with our ethics and code of conduct at LH Labs.


 
 Has you or anyone at LH Labs ever used the web site controls to increase or adjust yours or their own Karma?


----------



## FayeForever

I don't think anybody from LHlabs would need to "slam some member's karma"...It is totally unnecessary and absurd.
 I am sure it is just some people trolling around, and TBH this whole karma thing we don't need to take it seriously.


----------



## Currawong

It is just a number guys and it doesn't affect anything (other than one's ego). We have the same thing here, but it isn't publicly visible as we felt it would result in similar problems. I think my karma is negative on their forum too, but I'm sure it is because members there who had invested a lot into the Geek Pulse and decided to stick with it didn't want to see anything other than positive comments, and I wasn't particularly happy when I posted there last.


----------



## miceblue

currawong said:


> It is just a number guys and it doesn't affect anything (other than one's ego). We have the same thing here, but it isn't publicly visible as we felt it would result in similar problems. I think my karma is negative on their forum too, but I'm sure it is because members there who had invested a lot into the Geek Pulse and decided to stick with it didn't want to see anything other than positive comments, and I wasn't particularly happy when I posted there last.



I remember when you posted there about the Geek Out delivery schedule. I gave you a +1 karma there for being honest about your concerns. : )


----------



## Currawong

@miceblue Thanks. Given the kinds of criticism I (and Head-Fi) receives about groups of people who are fans of a company or product and their behaviour, it was interesting to be on the other end of that.


----------



## longbowbbs

I find that in many cases people are not accustomed to waiting for either new gear or custom gear. We are used to walking into a store and walking out with what we want. Waiting through development and beta testing (in the case of a crowd funded product) or waiting for something to be built like a custom amp or cable causes a lot of frustration for some people. Emotions get frayed and off to the troll races we go. 
  
 One of the challenges with Forums. Has been since forever......


----------



## jexby

labjr said:


> *"[My] very early impressions were that the extension (treble to bass) was good... and evenly presented. Instrument separation was obvious and vocals were rich. Soundstage was actually a bit wider than I expected, which was a nice bonus." - J Exby, Geek Pulse backer"*
> 
> In their Indiegogo campaign, they're quoting someone who has *-58 karma *in *their own *forum!


 
  
 Hey labjr, back off my -58 karma man.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I wear it as a badge of honor, knowing that while trying to reign in the insanity of rebooted/combo/piggyback campaigns,
 or chastising fan-boys for their non-sensical over-rah-rah of every perk just to rack up their posting count, or to call out the lack of LH support in the early days, or confusing perk information as it related to audio-improvement - yah it ruffled feathers.  I'm good with that.
 if other users want to ding me for not having an pro-bias agenda or asking for real improvement, info or details- so be it.
  
 online bbs karma ranking is another not-super-hugely-relevant to real life metric, and I've got thick skin.


----------



## jexby

miceblue said:


> I'm pretty sure it's just karma trolls paTROLLING the forums. I myself have -47 karma points at the moment, maybe -48 by now, but those points really don't matter in the LH forums unlike other online forums I've seen.


 
  
 miceblue,
 i'll start giving you more negative karma points starting tonight, and we can race to the bottom together!
 ha!


----------



## longbowbbs

jexby said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > I'm pretty sure it's just karma trolls paTROLLING the forums. I myself have -47 karma points at the moment, maybe -48 by now, but those points really don't matter in the LH forums unlike other online forums I've seen.
> ...


 
 I'll let you guys race...I am busy...


----------



## jexby

chartwell85 said:


> I can assure you that we don't ever "slam" or "smear" anyones karma or credibility on our forum.  That specific user is actually an incredibly nice guy that our team had the pleasure of meeting at RMAF.  The assumptions you're making are completely out of line with our ethics and code of conduct at LH Labs.


 
  
 Casey is just tossing out compliments since I measured equally as tall as his own bad self while watching amp+speaker demos in the LH room at RMAF.
 kept the possibility of fisticuffs to a draw.   








 ha!
  
 seriously tho, at RMAF brought my HE-560, balanced cable and spent a good while at the Pulse Xfi table.  fiddling with features and adjustments, as much as trying to hear sonic details in a busy and loud space.
 after what I could discern, and more importantly that I couldn't hear any aspect "lacking" I am once again re-energized for the Pulse Xfi arrival.
  
 some folks aren't keen on the "Sabre chip sound", either maybe I can't detect it or Larry H has tweaked sufficiently that it doesn't exist in the Pulse lineup.....
 more experienced ears than mine listening to Pulse Xfi in the coming weeks/months will make for great reviews and comparisons IMO.


----------



## jexby

longbowbbs said:


> I'll let you guys race...I am busy...


 
  
 dude you are KILLING me.  get that review going ASAP, even if it only comes in short chapters at first!


----------



## uncola

I'm going to wear out my f5 key until that review is up!


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Just a random question but are they still going to be shipping out Geek pulse S/fi? I don't seem to see it on their site and iirc I vaguely recall something about geek pulse S not being available anymore or somehting


----------



## uncola

Yes they are still going to produce the Geek Pulse Sfi but only for people who backed it in the first campaign, it won't be for later retail sale.  the ones that got dropped were the half upgraded ones.. the models with only femto or only opamp upgrades, and the regular geek pulse S
  
 I can see the classified ads that will go up in the year 2025 now:  RARE Geek Pulse SFI limited edition only a few of these were produced, legendary amp designer larry ho's only balanced single ended design from 3 years before he died in the Mutant Wars


----------



## walfredo

uncola said:


> Yes they are still going to produce the Geek Pulse Sfi but only for people who backed it in the first campaign, it won't be for later retail sale.  the ones that got dropped were the half upgraded ones.. the models with only femto or only opamp upgrades, and the regular geek pulse S
> 
> I can see the classified ads that will go up in the year 2025 now:  RARE Geek Pulse SFI limited edition only a few of these were produced, legendary amp designer larry ho's only balanced single ended design from 3 years before he died in the Mutant Wars


 
  
 LOL!!!!!!


----------



## kothganesh

Hi guys:
  
 Is Carlos (or Manny) still sending individual emails to Pulse backers? I have a Pulse X/f/i but no mail yet. I have asked that question to them but would like to get your feedback. Thanks.


----------



## uncola

what kind of email?  the xfi is definitely being made so he wouldn't ask you to upgrade your model...
 longbowbbs maybe you can tell us.. is there an option for fixed output for rca/xlr so you can use geek pulse as a pure dac or do you have to just put volume to 100% if you're using it as a dac only?


----------



## mtruong34

longbowbbs said:


> The Geek Pulse is in the wild!  The Pulse X-fi with the Linear Power supply. review will be up on Headphone.guru next week.


 
  
 Could you also please post impressions of GO with LPS? And provide how much improvement, if any.  Much appreciated!


----------



## frank2908

longbowbbs said:


> The Geek Pulse is in the wild!  The Pulse X-fi with the Linear Power supply. review will be up on Headphone.guru next week.


 
 is this the version after RMAF, when Larry applied some modification to add more weight in the bottom end?


----------



## longbowbbs

mtruong34 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > The Geek Pulse is in the wild!  The Pulse X-fi with the Linear Power supply. review will be up on Headphone.guru next week.
> ...


 
 I have to use the LPS as they did not send the wall wart. So the review will be from that perspective.


----------



## longbowbbs

Several good questions coming from everyone. I have passed them along to the Geek team for clarification.


----------



## longbowbbs

frank2908 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > The Geek Pulse is in the wild!  The Pulse X-fi with the Linear Power supply. review will be up on Headphone.guru next week.
> ...


 
 My understanding is that this unit (The X fi) is stock with no mods.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Can we let go the chap, so that he can finish the review? ^_^

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## longbowbbs

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Can we let go the chap, so that he can finish the review? ^_^
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## mtruong34

longbowbbs said:


> I have to use the LPS as they did not send the wall wart. So the review will be from that perspective.


 
 Hello, you may have misunderstood my question.  I meant can you power the Geek Out using the 5V USB output of the LPS and compare to sound quality versus straight from the USB port or slacker.  Many will be interested as the LPS is shipping now but Pulse may not be delivered until 1 or 2 months from now so I assume those backers with Geek Out will be able to put LPS to use.  Thanks again.


----------



## longbowbbs

mtruong34 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I have to use the LPS as they did not send the wall wart. So the review will be from that perspective.
> ...


 
 (Note to self...Never answer questions immediately after getting out of bed.....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )
  
 Yes it does power the GO.

  

  
 I am currently listening to Lyn Stanley's _Lost in Romance. _DSD64 files (Note the blue light on the GO). The MacBook Pro is controlling the volume. Everything is working well. As to sound quality, I need some time to review that. I have a bunch of travel today so I won't have much new to comment on for a couple of days. 
  
 The good news is that the LPS can work just fine with the GO and the Geek Pulse! Nice to know it is a versatile device.


----------



## mtruong34

longbowbbs said:


> (Note to self...Never answer questions immediately after getting out of bed.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Awesome!  Thank you.  My fault for posting from GMT+1 time zone.


----------



## Ranza

I'm fighting with my inner self to buy a LPS, but LHLabs already said it's not gonna work with Japan voltage....
 sigh...guess I will just use iUSBPower as a replacement, but still....want to have a matched LPS.


----------



## labjr

ranza said:


> I'm fighting with my inner self to buy a LPS, but LHLabs already said it's not gonna work with Japan voltage....
> sigh...guess I will just use iUSBPower as a replacement, but still....want to have a matched LPS.


 

 So get a US model and use a 100v to 120v step-up transformer. Or get a 220v model and appropriate transformer if you think you'll be also using it in Europe.


----------



## labjr

The line frequency of the LPS you use in your area may be important for best performance. I'm not sure how critical line frequency is for filtering, regulators, circuit design etc. I think they're pretty tweaked for best performance. And according to Wikipedia Japan has 50hz in some areas and 60hz in others. So you should probably ask before you buy.


----------



## junker

It also appears to have the prototype blue display rather than the white.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Yes, I noted that too...
  
 But good to see it "in the wild" !


----------



## jaywillin

just received this update


----------



## themad

That's a nice video with interesting information. Even though I do not possess enough knowledge to judge if everything is true or not, most of the things Larry explained seem reasonable.


----------



## miceblue

I really enjoyed that video. It's not every day that a PCB designer explains what goes on in the actual DAC/amp. This is also one of the reasons why I chose to back the Geek products: they're extremely transparent when it comes to their design choices, at least in comparison to pretty much any other manufacturer I've come across.


----------



## labjr

I just have one question. Does Larry Use Titleist Pro V1 golf balls?


----------



## Muinarc

labjr said:


> I just have one question. Does Larry Use Titleist Pro V1 golf balls?



 


He better if he knows what's good for him!


----------



## uncola

Possible first appearance of the switching power supply!  It may not be the one that ships, could just be a temporary one but I did notice the cord is nice and long.. I hate when the cord is short and you have to either move the power strip or the device because of that


----------



## uncola

I didn't think I'd cause such a negative reaction.  The reason I posted was because I LIKE that switching power supply.  It has a long 6 foot looking cable which is a relief to me.  And it doesn't have the brick in the middle of the cable the way some laptop ac/adapters do, which is good because having a brick in the middle can cause a problem if you're hanging a cable off the back of a desk/table because the weight pulls on the device or pulls the cord out.  So to me this looks like a good practical power supply they chose.  
 Anyway, I'm super excited to receive my pulse x plain vanilla version.  It's going to be used for dac/headphone amp and also a dac for my small integrated amp.  And eventually I hope it will be a preamp for my Keep, although not sure I have space for monoblocks


----------



## pedalhead

jaywillin said:


> just received this update




  
 Excellent video, cheers for the link. Out of everything in the Pulse campaign, I'm particularly enjoying the transparency and insight we're getting into the whole process. I'd particularly love to see more of these nerdy tech type videos from LH.  I suspect many (most?) backers would get a kick out of them


----------



## pearljam50000

Humm i got a little confused with all the options, what is the lowest priced Geek Pulse that you can buy as a new customer? (I have a Geek Out, but i bought it used)


----------



## FayeForever

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-ultra-high-def-audio-for-your-desktop/
 $489 or $399 if you are a GF member, plus shipping, of course.


----------



## LargoCantabile

What exactly is a Geek Force member? I have backed over 2000 USd Geek Wave. Does that make me a Geek Force member?


----------



## nicolo

To be a Geek Force member, you have to register at
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Lowest price right now for Geek Pulse is the $99 payment plan. $99 now plus 3 equal monthly instalments.

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## LargoCantabile

Ah so I am a member of the LH Forums so that means I am a Geek force member? Hmm Its not all very clear on the websites.
 But it s only the lower end one that has a discount. Hmm. I wonder if I need this as well as the Geek Wave X128? Sorry I am thinking out aloud as I am not expert,,,It would make no sense to connect Geek Wave to it via USB as that wpould drian the Geek Wave's power right?
 If I connect a computer via USB cable then the Geek Pulse will use power from the computer and not need the Geek LPS? Is that correct or does it also need a power source in addition to the digital audio input?
 If only a USB connection is needed for audio and power then presumably one must also go for the Lightspeed cable?
 Ok now the next problem is what type of connector...they mention micro and USB2? I suppose for a computer like a laptop USB 2 is needed but aren't a;ll new laptops going to come with USB3 by the time this product ships?
  
 I don't live in the US but a 220/230/40 volt country Thailand, not sure which. Hmm essentially I would like but don't think I can afford an LPS right now. So can a I manage with a Geek Force reduced Geek Pulse only...? Someone else mentioned that they cannot use it in Japan and need a step up converter...why?


----------



## nicolo

If you are using headphones which are inefficient and need a lot of power, you may need to get the Pulse. Otherwise just stick with the Wave.
  
 Also, do you have the Wave or Wave XD?
  
 If you have the Wave XD, you can connect it to a computer and use it as a USB DAC+Amp for headphones or as a USB DAC to an external amplifier. In that case it will use the computer's power without draining the Wave XD's power.
  
 They also bundle a USB cable with the Wave. So you don't need to buy one separately. Plus there are no sonic benefits in getting an expensive USB cable for use with any of the Wave models.
  
  USB 3 ports are backwards compatible with USB 2. So all the Wave models will be compatible with USB 3. Not a problem.
  
 All Geek Wave models will probably come with a universal adapter which will work with both 110/120 - 220/240 voltages, so it will work in Thailand without any problem. All Wave models are portable and have an inbuilt battery, so you don't need an LPS at all.
  
 The Geek Pulse will work without an LPS in 110-240V countries. The LPS is just a luxury and not required for making the Pulse work. Japan uses a different voltage standard, which means that the Geek Pulses cannot function at that specific voltage.
  
 Hope this helps.
  
 Regards.


----------



## labjr

I'm guessing LH didn't make an LPS version for the Japan market because it wasn't worthwhile. LPS uses a conventional linear transformer. At 100v input the transformer won't output enough voltage for the regulator circuit to properly function. Thus a step-up transformer would be required to supply the correct input voltage. The switching supply is universal and works everywhere.


----------



## longbowbbs

I am mid review...Here are a few more pics...
  

  

  

  
 Geek Pulse X Fi with LPS. Light Harmonic Lightwave USB cable. Stillpoints Ultra SS four pack. Toxic Cables Silver Widow Balanced HD800 cables.
  
 Current track: Soundgarden Spoonman _Superunknown 2014 Remaster_ DSD64


----------



## jexby

Why isn't the LPS feeding clean USB to the Pulse?!


----------



## longbowbbs

jexby said:


> Why isn't the LPS feeding clean USB to the Pulse?!


 
 That is not how it connects. Note the lower left corner of the LPS is the power out to the pulse. It feeds the 12v power in for the pulse.

  
 The USB A input allows for you to use the LPS with the Geek Out. For example; MacBook Mini USB B out to LPS USB A in Geek Out from LPS USB B. That allows the LPS to power the Geek Out with clean power rather than connecting directly to the Mac
  

 Like this.....


----------



## LargoCantabile

My question still stands.
 You say
 "That is not how it connects. Note the lower left corner of the LPS is the power out to the pulse. It feeds the 12v power in for the pulse."
  
 BUT is that 12volt in NECESSARY to operate the ULSE? Or is Audio {PLus POwer input form a computer via USB SUFFICIENT?
  
 I ask becasue I cannot afford both PULSE and LPS. But there is no point in buying PULSE if it needs a separate LPS for me.


----------



## AxelCloris

The Pulse can operate without the LPS using a switched power supply. The USB can run from a computer (USB A) to the LPS (USB B) and then from the LPS (USB A) to the Pulse (USB B). This does not give power to the Pulse but it completes the handshake (5V) from a computer to the Pulse. Running through the LPS is supposed to clean/filter the USB signal and improve sound quality. Note that the LPS cannot be used with a Geek Out when wired in that fashion.


----------



## jexby

LPS is completely optional. Pulse will work with regular switching supply if you didn't order an LPS.


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> The Pulse can operate without the LPS using a switched power supply. The USB can run from a computer (USB A) to the LPS (USB B) and then from the LPS (USB A) to the Pulse (USB B). This does not give power to the Pulse but it completes the handshake (5V) from a computer to the Pulse. Running through the LPS is supposed to clean/filter the USB signal and improve sound quality. Note that the LPS cannot be used with a Geek Out when wired in that fashion.


 
  
 Axel,
 EXACTLY the answer I was expecting!  this usb-reconnect is what we were trying to accomplish at RMAF table, but were missing a second USB cable.

 I hope the reviewer actually uses the LPS to feed USB to the Pulse as you mention (and unplug the GeekOut for now), to help discern the overall impact of Pulse Xfi with AND without the LPS (for power AND USB).


----------



## longbowbbs

jexby said:


> axelcloris said:
> 
> 
> > The Pulse can operate without the LPS using a switched power supply. The USB can run from a computer (USB A) to the LPS (USB B) and then from the LPS (USB A) to the Pulse (USB B). This does not give power to the Pulse but it completes the handshake (5V) from a computer to the Pulse. Running through the LPS is supposed to clean/filter the USB signal and improve sound quality. Note that the LPS cannot be used with a Geek Out when wired in that fashion.
> ...


 
 Lucky I have a spare Lightwave USB cable around here......


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> Lucky I have a spare Lightwave USB cable around here......


 
  
 Wouldn't the optimal setup be Computer > Lightspeed 10G > LPS > Lightspeed 1G > Pulse? You'd at least be maximizing the transfer between the computer and LPS before dropping in quality. The other way around just seems like overkill to me.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Lucky I have a spare Lightwave USB cable around here......
> ...


 
 I'll give both ways a try Brian. Either way we have massive bandwidth to play with.


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> I'll give both ways a try Brian. Either way we have massive bandwidth to play with.


 
  
 Just know that I'm anxiously awaiting your impressions. You're one of the lucky few who get to listen to the Pulse in a properly controlled environment. I know that CanJam didn't do it justice thanks to the outside noise, even on the Primes.


----------



## head-hi

I'm pretty anxious, too, and looking forward to this. Got my Prime and waiting on a Pulse.
  
 I don't have an LPS on order, but can I use a Schiit Wyrd in its place?


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## head-hi

Not to power the Pulse, just to filter the USB. I use it from PC to DAC. Although GO450 doesn't like it.


----------



## MikeyFresh

head-hi said:


> Not to power the Pulse, just to filter the USB. I use it form PC to DACs. Although GO450 doesn't like it.


 

 Hmmm, I wonder why GO450 doesn't like it?
  
 Yes it should work fine in filtering the power to the Pulse.


----------



## head-hi

mikeyfresh said:


> Hmmm, I wonder why GO450 doesn't like it?
> 
> Yes it should work fine in filtering the power to the Pulse.


 

 Sorry about not quoting.
  
 Yes, I wonder, too. It works fine for other DACs I've tested (Dragonfly, Stoner Acoustics, Hifimediy, Aune T1).


----------



## FayeForever

longbowbbs said:


> I am mid review...Here are a few more pics...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Keep it coming!
 Thanks!


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I'll give both ways a try Brian. Either way we have massive bandwidth to play with.
> ...


 
 CanJam was a great place to meet friends and play with gear. However no show is good for careful listening. I am enjoying the Pulse a lot now that I have it in my own room and no distractions.


----------



## snip3r77

longbowbbs said:


> CanJam was a great place to meet friends and play with gear. However no show is good for careful listening. I am enjoying the Pulse a lot now that I have it in my own room and no distractions.




Can you provide an early impression? A one or two liner is sufficent.thanks


----------



## longbowbbs

snip3r77 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > CanJam was a great place to meet friends and play with gear. However no show is good for careful listening. I am enjoying the Pulse a lot now that I have it in my own room and no distractions.
> ...


 
 It will be competitive at it's retail price point. At the currently available Indiegogo price it is a flat out steal.


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> It will be competitive at it's retail price point. At the currently available Indiegogo price it is a flat out steal.


 
  
 Coming from you that says a lot. People who are interested in this and haven't backed are crazy if they miss the active IGG campaign. I'm looking forward to the Soul pricing that they're announcing on Wednesday to see if it's reasonable on my wallet to have looks that match the level of sound the Pulse produces.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > It will be competitive at it's retail price point. At the currently available Indiegogo price it is a flat out steal.
> ...


 
 The Soul will be interesting. I am curious what they are going to cram in the box. I am in the market for a Pre-Amp.


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> The Soul will be interesting. I am curious what they are going to cram in the box. I am in the market for a Pre-Amp.



can't the pulse itself be used as a preamp ?


----------



## eac3

jexby said:


> I hope the reviewer actually uses the LPS .....<snip>.... to help discern the overall impact of Pulse Xfi *with AND without the LPS* (for power AND USB).


 
  
 What he said.


----------



## Kyno

Do we know until when we will be able to pre-order it at that price? 
  
 I'd like to wait the review, but I don't know if I should!


----------



## nicolo

The campaign has been rebooted. Here's the link:
  
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-ultra-high-def-audio-for-your-desktop


----------



## Anaximandros

jaywillin said:


> can't the pulse itself be used as a preamp ?


 
 Yes it can be used as a preamp.
  
 The Soul is a Pulse X or Pulse Xfi + LPS in one chassis with some minor tweaks. The tweaks are explained in the Forever Funding campaign.


----------



## jaywillin

anaximandros said:


> Yes it can be used as a preamp.
> 
> The Soul is a Pulse X or Pulse Xfi + LPS in one chassis with some minor tweaks. The tweaks are explained in the Forever Funding campaign.


 
 i was pretty sure it could


----------



## Anaximandros

Hm, my post is a bit misleading I guess.
  
 The Pulse is going to work fine as a pre-amp and was advertised that it could be a pre-amp.
  
 The Soul is just Pulse + LPS in one chassis with the larger case.


----------



## krikor

Just to be clear, the Geek Pulse is a *digital* preamp - it does not have any analog inputs and incorporates digital domain volume control.
  
 On a related note, I'm not clear on how volume attenuation is implemented on DSD sources without converting to PCM.


----------



## nudd

only if you enjoy digital attenuation.


jaywillin said:


> can't the pulse itself be used as a preamp ?


 

 Only if you enjoy digital attenuation.


----------



## mscott58

How about using the Pulse only for the DAC section? Any way to get it to "line out" status to feed into another amp, bypassing the Pulse's volume control?


----------



## MikeyFresh

mscott58 said:


> How about using the Pulse only for the DAC section? Any way to get it to "line out" status to feed into another amp, bypassing the Pulse's volume control?


 

 It's a digital volume control, which means it is bypassed when at zero attenuation (volume at maximum).


----------



## valve5425

longbowbbs said:


> It will be competitive at it's retail price point. At the currently available Indiegogo price it is a flat out steal.



 


Hmmm. Maybe I should be buying another Xfi!

I wasn't convinced by the LPS and intend to knock up my own for less money. However, it would be useful if you could give the LPS a try with some other suitable equipment to see where it sits as a stand alone PS. If that lives up to it's MSRP as well, then I may be persuaded to save some solder and go for one on the latest campaign.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## longbowbbs

valve5425 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > It will be competitive at it's retail price point. At the currently available Indiegogo price it is a flat out steal.
> ...


 
 I appreciate the interest in the capabilities of the LPS and the LPS 4. Clean power has a role in quality sound for sure. However, This review is focused on the Pulse X-Fi primarily. From a practical stand point, I would be at this for several weeks to consider the differences and implications of the LPS and its properties. I have to draw the line somewhere considering the time constraints of the review due date.


----------



## valve5425

Yep, no worries. I get your concerns. If you delay your Pulse review much longer, you'll be having other members knocking on your door in the early hours!!!


----------



## mscott58

Does anyone know how long the Geek Pulse "Forever Funding" program is going to to be open? Thanks!
  
 And yes, the slope is looking quite slippery...


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> Does anyone know how long the Geek Pulse "Forever Funding" program is going to to be open? Thanks!
> 
> And yes, the slope is looking quite slippery...


 
 You know you want it Mike.....Slippery slope indeed.....


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> You know you want it Mike.....Slippery slope indeed.....


 
 Ha! You got me. Guilty as charged. 
  
 But seriously, I'm currently running my Burson Conductor just for the USB and DAC sections, feeding my Bakoon HPA-21 which drive my LCD-3F's. Am wondering if a Pulse Xfi with LPS would beat out the Burson for USB/DAC duties? I'm guessing so. The outside stretch would be if the Pulse Xfi/LPS would make my Bakoon amp irrelevant. Any thoughts?


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > You know you want it Mike.....Slippery slope indeed.....
> ...


 
 I have seen a lot of happy posts regarding the Bakoon. I do think the Pulse would out perform the Burson for DAC duties. The Pulse with LPS is an impressive DAC/Amp combo. Plenty of power yet great nuances and coherence. We are all using some great gear. The Pulse is hanging with my big boys just fine so far.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> I have seen a lot of happy posts regarding the Bakoon. I do think the Pulse would out perform the Burson for DAC duties. The Pulse with LPS is an impressive DAC/Amp combo. Plenty of power yet great nuances and coherence. We are all using some great gear. The Pulse is hanging with my big boys just fine so far.


 
 Okay, here's the next step on the slope that's so slippery. USB cables - Lightspeed 1G versus 2G? I've pre-ordered the Lightspeed 1G Micro for my Geek Wave, but now that I'm considering the Pulse Xfi and LPS it looks like I'll need 2 additional cables (and not micros) for that setup. So is the 1G at $59 the better buy or the 2G at $259? I do believe in the power of good cables, but have no experience with Larry's wires. Thanks again!


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I have seen a lot of happy posts regarding the Bakoon. I do think the Pulse would out perform the Burson for DAC duties. The Pulse with LPS is an impressive DAC/Amp combo. Plenty of power yet great nuances and coherence. We are all using some great gear. The Pulse is hanging with my big boys just fine so far.
> ...


 
 Cables!! Are we going to have a cable discussion on Head-Fi??  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 OK...The 1G is an easy comparable to say the Audioquest Carbon (Which I have) It is a very nice USB cable. The big boy I am using is the full 10 GPS Lightspeed. It is not part of the campaign. It is the single best USB cable I have ever used. I plugged it in and turned on my Vandersteen's and just stood there unable to believe what I was hearing. It was the only change to the system. Holy cow!
  
 So, anyway, given the value proposition we are seeing from LH, I would feel comfortable with the 2G as being worth the extra $$. The Lightspeed is another conversation.
  
 BTW, nice writeup about the Big Lightspeed by John Darko. 
  
 http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2013/10/light-harmonic-lightspeed-usb-cable-meta-review/


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Ha! You got me. Guilty as charged.
> 
> But seriously, I'm currently running my Burson Conductor just for the USB and DAC sections, feeding my Bakoon HPA-21 which drive my LCD-3F's. Am wondering if a Pulse Xfi with LPS would beat out the Burson for USB/DAC duties? I'm guessing so. The outside stretch would be if the Pulse Xfi/LPS would make my Bakoon amp irrelevant. Any thoughts?


 

 Mike, when you get it you could try it both ways.  Straight Pulse Xfi/LPS to yours cans or use the line out to the Bakoon to see which HA is better!


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> Mike, when you get it you could try it both ways.  Straight Pulse Xfi/LPS to yours cans or use the line out to the Bakoon to see which HA is better!


 
 Yeah, that's what I was thinking as well. Thanks!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Cables!! Are we going to have a cable discussion on Head-Fi??
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for the input. 
  
 Have to admit I haven't been paying as much attention to the development of Larry's cables as I have the rest of the LH Labs lineup. I seem to remember there being debate about whether the 2G was going to be a split configuration or not. How did that turn out? Will all 2G's be split, or is that just an option? If the 2G is split I'll definitely take the jump from the 1G (but the 10G is a little too rich for my blood). 
  
 Thanks again


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Cables!! Are we going to have a cable discussion on Head-Fi??
> ...


 
 I do not know all the iterations of their cables. I am enjoying a 10G atm along with a 1G. Both part of the review gear. Fun to play with high end toys!


----------



## nudd

If I recall correctly, Larry eventually decided to do 2G either as a split configuration option, or ONLY as a split configuration. Your best bet is to open a support ticket and also post to the forum. 
  
 Their support is the worst I have ever experienced in any industry and are apparently still clearing out a huge backlog of support tickets (and with the indiegogo campaign, it will get worse before it gets better). 
  
 Quote:


mscott58 said:


> Thanks for the input.
> 
> Have to admit I haven't been paying as much attention to the development of Larry's cables as I have the rest of the LH Labs lineup. I seem to remember there being debate about whether the 2G was going to be a split configuration or not. How did that turn out? Will all 2G's be split, or is that just an option? If the 2G is split I'll definitely take the jump from the 1G (but the 10G is a little too rich for my blood).
> 
> Thanks again


----------



## pbear

Yes, the 2G is split: http://lhlabs.com/force/lightspeed-usb/450-split-lightspeed-jr-usb-cable?start=6#10336
  
 Quote:


mscott58 said:


> Thanks for the input.
> 
> Have to admit I haven't been paying as much attention to the development of Larry's cables as I have the rest of the LH Labs lineup. I seem to remember there being debate about whether the 2G was going to be a split configuration or not. How did that turn out? Will all 2G's be split, or is that just an option? If the 2G is split I'll definitely take the jump from the 1G (but the 10G is a little too rich for my blood).
> 
> Thanks again


----------



## grizzlybeast

I guess I am subbed again.
  
 $777 for the geek pulse x seems like a good buy and that they are ready to ship soon. I am wondering how important it would be to buy the lps and if the audio gd-28 was the best you have had so far would this, without the LPS make a huge difference. 
  
 I am most definitely a noob when it comes to buying gear above a 1000 if its not a headphone.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> I do not know all the iterations of their cables. I am enjoying a 10G atm along with a 1G. Both part of the review gear. Fun to play with high end toys!


 
 Got it. 
  
 And in order to fully utilize the capabilities of the LPS, you would want to have it not only supply clean 12V to the Pulse via the umbilical, but also filter out the USB signal as well. And to do this would require two USB cables (one end with a USB A connector and one end with a B), the first to go from the source to the LPS, and then the second to go from the LPS to the Pulse, correct? Or is that even necessary if you use a split cable with a self-powered DAC since then the power isn't even running on the same line as the signal and isn't even needed to run the DAC? 
  
 Thanks again for your help!


----------



## eac3

grizzlybeast said:


> I am wondering how important it would be to buy the lps and if the audio gd-28 was the best you have had so far would this, without the LPS make a huge difference.
> 
> I am most definitely a noob when it comes to buying gear above a 1000 if its not a headphone.


 
  
 I am in the same boat as you. Have a NFB-28 and thinking about selling it just to get the LPS and another 2m long USB cable. I am also concerned whether my current cans (and my ears) will be able to pick up any differences by adding an LPS.


----------



## grizzlybeast

eac3 said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > I am wondering how important it would be to buy the lps and if the audio gd-28 was the best you have had so far would this, without the LPS make a huge difference.
> ...




Yeah we may have to ask again later and use discernment when we see the answer. Of ourse they will say it sounds better but will the pulse x without the lps still punch way above the current indiegogo price is the real question.


----------



## DSlayerZX

well, according to Larry's own listening session, the LPS helps out the base pulse unit more than it does for the X and S unit.
  
 If  the new deadline becomes an reality, then some member should get their hands on the Geek pulse
 and give us some quick compare between w/ LPS and w/o before the end of the month..
 and hopefully by then there will still be enough spots for the LPS is anyone decides to get one.


----------



## grizzlybeast

I wonder if the pulse x will still be there(indie) on friday. If so i can get it then.


----------



## AxelCloris

grizzlybeast said:


> I wonder if the pulse x will still be there(indie) on friday. If so i can get it then.




Yeah, it'll still be there on Friday. LHLabs was talking about the forever campaign at RMAF and they plan to have it running up until the last possible minute.

From their official forums, LHLabs expects the campaign to remain active until Jan or Feb 2015.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I do not know all the iterations of their cables. I am enjoying a 10G atm along with a 1G. Both part of the review gear. Fun to play with high end toys!
> ...


 
  
 The best configuration would look like this:


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> The best configuration would look like this:


 
 That's a 10G to the LPS, then a 1G to the Pulse, right? And at the source how do you have the two USB plugs attached, or do you only have one plugged in?  
  
 Still smiling and tapping your toes with that setup? 
  
 Cheers


----------



## eac3

mscott58 said:


> And at the source how do you have the two USB plugs attached, or do you only have one plugged in?


 
  
_Probably _both plugged in: 1 just dedicated for power, and 1 for data.


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> The best configuration would look like this:



That looks like a cable nightmare. Just saying. XD

LH should have considered making cables specifically for the Pulse/LPS combo. A 1 meter cable for a stacked system makes no sense to me in terms of cable management because, quite frankly, that cable mess looks atrocious. And if their new cables are as stiff as the LightSpeed one, then that's even worse because those cables were really difficult to work with.


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > The best configuration would look like this:
> ...


 
 I am sure they will consider it. Consider that my review is primarily focused on the Pulse, not on the various power configurations. So, I used what cables I had to effect this result.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > The best configuration would look like this:
> ...


 
 The 10G cable(red split) is plugged into the MacMini then to the USB Source input on the LPS. Then the 1G (Yellow not split) is plugged into the USB Dac output from the LPS to the Pulse USB input. 
  
 It am loving the unit. It is a very sweet presentation!


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> That looks like a cable nightmare. Just saying. XD
> 
> LH should have considered making cables specifically for the Pulse/LPS combo. A 1 meter cable for a stacked system makes no sense to me in terms of cable management because, quite frankly, that cable mess looks atrocious. And if their new cables are as stiff as the LightSpeed one, then that's even worse because those cables were really difficult to work with.


 
  
 I spoke with Gavin about cable length at RMAF. In order for them to order cables they have to meet a certain total length requirement with their manufacturer. For a 1M cable it's not difficult to reach that length considering that one comes with every Pulse. For a shorter jumper between the Pulse and LPS they would require a good number more. For example they would need to order twice as many cables in 0.5M to reach the MOQ. If they did a 0.25M cable (about 10") they'd need 4x as many.
  
 Gavin said he'd look into it but that he didn't think it would be feasible to produce a Lightspeed 1G cable specifically to run between the Pulse and LPS. If you're looking for a short jumper you'll probably be looking elsewhere.


----------



## pbear

I don't think that's the optimal cable hookup for a split cable (either the 10G or the 2G), but it's not clear to me exactly how the red 10G cable is hooked up. It has three connectors (data, power, and combined), but you only talked about connecting it to the MacMini and the LPS. What's the other leg connected to?
  
 If I understand it correctly:

The data connector (USB Type A) of the split cable should be plugged into the MacMini
The power connector (USB Type A) should be connected to the USB DAC output of the LPS
The combined connector (USB Type B) should be plugged into the Pulse.
  
 According to Larry, the cable hookup I described sounds slightly better when using the split 2G than using two 1G cables in series (one from the MacMini to the LPS, and one from the LPS to the pulse). That's probably partly due to the 2G cable being higher quality, partly due to the physical separation between the power and signal legs of the cable, and partly because the signal isn't passing through the LPS.


----------



## longbowbbs

pbear said:


> I don't think that's the optimal cable hookup for a split cable (either the 10G or the 2G), but it's not clear to me exactly how the red 10G cable is hooked up. It has three connectors (data, power, and combined), but you only talked about connecting it to the MacMini and the LPS. What's the other leg connected to?
> 
> If I understand it correctly:
> 
> ...


 
 Geez you guys.....The red split 10G cable has one connector only for each end a USB A and a USB B.


----------



## AxelCloris

Exactly. The 10G has different legs for data and power but they're running through the same connector. The 2G is the only Lightspeed available in a split V design.


----------



## pbear

Ok, I understand now. There are two different configurations of the Lightspeed 10G cable:
  


> *Two Configurations*
> LightSpeed USB comes in a standard configuration, and a split configuration. Standard LightSpeed is used similarly to most USB cables: one connector on each end. Split LightSpeed has one USB-B connector and two USB-A connectors: one for signal, one for power. This configuration can be used with self-powered DACs, such as Da Vinci DAC.


 
  
 Since you referred to it as a split cable, I assumed it was the split configuration, but it's actually the standard configuration.
  
 Given that, I agree that your current cable hookup is optimal. With the LightSpeed 2G split configuration, the hookup I described would still be appropriate.


----------



## miceblue

Now you all are confusing me, is the LightSpeed "10G" the same thing as their normal LightSpeed?
As far as I'm concerned there's only a LightSpeed Jr./1G, LightSpeed 1G Micro, LightSpeed 2G (separate split cables), and LightSpeed (separate split cables or split cables combined).


----------



## AxelCloris

Yeah, the 10G is the original LightSpeed cable. They've taken to calling it 10G to easily differentiate it from the other LightSpeed cables.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> Yeah, the 10G is the original LightSpeed cable. They've taken to calling it 10G to easily differentiate it from the other LightSpeed cables.


 
 The 10G cable runs from $999 to $1999 depending on cable length. It is not part of the IGG campaign. I am using the big boy $1999 3.8 Meter cable atm. It is the red one in the photo. The yellow cable is the 1G which is available for $59 in the campaign.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

You guyz might be thinking of the *split *configuration of LH's Lightning cable.
  
 Light Harmonic's 10G cable has two configurations:
  
 Standard (of which *longbowbbs *has):
  

  
  
  
 And the Split (Data and Power):
  

  
  
 Of which IMO the ideal config for a Pulse/LPS setup. LH's 2G cable is split (Data/Power) type.


----------



## Muinarc

Just give me all of the Gs.


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> You guyz might be thinking of the *split *configuration of LH's Lightning cable.
> 
> Light Harmonic's 10G cable has two configurations:
> 
> ...


 
 Great pictures. Thanks.
  
 So then how would you hook the split cable up to the source? Would you plug both of the split ends (sorry for the bad hair pun) into your PC/Mac/Geek Source or just the signal side? Wonder if the source would sense the connection without the power side? Sorry for the questions, I've just never tried a split cable before in all of my prior audio adventures.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> m-i-c-k-e-y said:
> 
> 
> > You guyz might be thinking of the *split *configuration of LH's Lightning cable.
> ...


 
 The split cable would only plug into the Computer. The LPS needs the USB B to output the DAC to the Pulse.


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> Exactly. The 10G has different legs for data and power but they're running through the same connector. The 2G is the only Lightspeed available in a split V design.


 

 The 10G comes in two forms:
  
 Separated (Red) but not split via connectors.  1 Type A with two cables coming out of it, one for power and one for data, which then converge into 1 Type B.
  
 Split (White) cable has two Type A's (1 Power - black strip and 1 Data - no black strip) that converge into 1 Type B connector.
  
  
 Using the split cable you could hook one Type A (Data) to the PC and one Type A (Power), with black strip, into the LPS, then plug the Type B into the Pulse.


----------



## miceblue

Here's a "split" LightSpeed cable that someone had at a local Head-Fi meet:




I'm still confused as to how a "split" cable is setup in a PC/Pulse/LPS rig.
Where do the two Type A connectors of the "split" cable go? One goes into the PC, the other goes into...?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

As Gery had stated above. And also the picture. 

Type A - Data to PC/Laptop
Type A - Power to LPS (as on the picture iFi USBpower)
Type B - Data+Power to Pulse/DAC

This will be true also (I think) with the Geek 2G USB Cable


----------



## miceblue

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> As Gery had stated above. And also the picture.
> 
> Type A - Data to PC/Laptop
> Type A - Power to LPS (as on the picture iFi USBpower)
> ...



Oh wow, okay then. I was thinking way too hard about the setup then. XD

So if we only have the LightSpeed 1G, we would need two cables then (1 for PC to LPS, 1 for LPS to Pulse)?


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> m-i-c-k-e-y said:
> 
> 
> > As Gery had stated above. And also the picture.
> ...


 
 yes


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> As Gery had stated above. And also the picture.
> 
> Type A - Data to PC/Laptop
> Type A - Power to LPS (as on the picture iFi USBpower)
> ...


 

 There is no think.  The 2G is the same, physically, as the split 10G.  The only difference is the bandwidth.


----------



## kenshinhimura

@longbowbbs looking forward to review. thinking about getting in on the campaign. any time table when it will be up? how big is the difference with geekout 1000 as far as dac section is concerned.  thanks.


----------



## longbowbbs

kenshinhimura said:


> @longbowbbs looking forward to review. thinking about getting in on the campaign. any time table when it will be up? how big is the difference with geekout 1000 as far as dac section is concerned.  thanks.


 
 I do not know what the LH Labs timetable is for the IGG campaign. Better to be early rather than regret missing out. 
  
 The Pulse with the Dual Femto's (Geek Pulse X-Fi) is definitely superior to the Geek Out 1000. As usual, the improvements are not linear to price. The GO is a fantastic value. Step up to the GP XFI and you have a superior unit in every way except portability.


----------



## kenshinhimura

in my case, it would be for the regular geek pulse or the geekout 1000. the dac section matters more to me since it will mainly be used in the house and if i need power i can connect it to my vintage receivers. currently using a Modi and looking for a great upgrade, so was looking between this and bifrost uber.


----------



## longbowbbs

kenshinhimura said:


> in my case, it would be for the regular geek pulse or the geekout 1000. the dac section matters more to me since it will mainly be used in the house and if i need power i can connect it to my vintage receivers. currently using a Modi and looking for a great upgrade, so was looking between this and bifrost uber.


 
 For DAC only use I would expect them to be more similar that different. I would go with the Geek Out so that I would add portability to similar performance.


----------



## kenshinhimura

thanks. i'll keep that in mind while waiting on review.


----------



## longbowbbs

A bit more info from the IGG campaign site:
  
*What is the difference between Geek Out, Geek Pulse and Geek Soul?*
Geek Pulse is a desktop version of Geek Out; the conversion and analog circuits are shared by both products. The difference between them is mostly in the power circuit. The USB bus powers Geek Out. A very clean DC power circuit powers Geek Pulse. Additionally, Geek Pulse has multiple digital inputs and has both a headphone output and a line stage output. Geek Soul is the home stereo version of Geek Pulse. It integrates the linear power supply of Geek LPS and the digital and analog circuits of Geek Pulse into one chassis. It comes with an option tube output stage.


----------



## kenshinhimura

great info. looks like i'm going to lean more toward geek out after reading that. thanks for the hard work.


----------



## longbowbbs

kenshinhimura said:


> great info. looks like i'm going to lean more toward geek out after reading that. thanks for the hard work.


 
 Glad I could help, Ken!


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> yes



Darn you Head-Fi. I might go for a 2G cable then............my poor wallet. $260 for a cable is mighty expensive for me but I don't want to wait until the campaign ends and I'd have to pay $500. >.>


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > yes
> ...


 





  
 Sorry about your wallet......


----------



## uncola

Don't do it miceblue!  I'm sure you can think of easier ways to improve sound for $260 than a usb cable
 *not starting cable sound debate*


----------



## mouwen

Interesting.. Is it still available for order?


----------



## germay0653

uncola said:


> Don't do it miceblue!  I'm sure you can think of easier ways to improve sound for $260 than a usb cable
> *not starting cable sound debate*


 

 Not debating, just pointing out that if the 2G performs anywhere near the 10G then even you would be surprised at the improvement in sound.  Maybe it's me, probably not because some very accomplished reviewers observed the same result, but I couldn't believe the improvement of going from a > $400 highly regarded cable to the 10G.  $260 isn't chump change but if your downstream equipment is of high enough resolving quality it will be money well spent!


----------



## stefan534

I'm thinking a natural competitor  for Geek Pulse xfi and LPS $3200 + $900, to try and pip would be Auralic Vega and Taurus Mk II  $3500 + $1900.


----------



## walfredo

I realize this may be a hot topic, but after many page on cables, I got really curious.  So, I humbly ask:  
  
 - How can a digital cable make a difference?


----------



## longbowbbs

walfredo said:


> I realize this may be a hot topic, but after many page on cables, I got really curious.  So, I humbly ask:
> 
> - How can a digital cable make a difference?


 
 Partly materials, partly bandwidth. Some people say it is impossible. For me, the right cable can complete a great system chain. Some can brighten or darken the sound. Others, like the Lightspeed 10G, can open the soundstage.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Longbowbbs, just curious, is there a relay within Geek pulse to select Headphone/speaker output?
  
 or is a -plug-it-in-and-you-get-headphone design?


----------



## longbowbbs

dslayerzx said:


> Longbowbbs, just curious, is there a relay within Geek pulse to select Headphone/speaker output?
> 
> or is a -plug-it-in-and-you-get-headphone design?


 
 ATM, I believe they are all hot all the time. I will ask and follow up when I get an answer.


----------



## mscott58

So decided not to take the plunge on the Pulse at this point. Realized that with my Wave XD128 Ultimate (all upgrades - IEM, THD, DAD, ZTJWifi, ZTJBT, Carbon, etc.) mated with the Station X and the Source Plus that I would likely be enjoying all the LH Labs goodness and Larry's magic already. Hope I can use the Wave for portable play and then have it in the Station for desktop use. Thanks all


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> So decided not to take the plunge on the Pulse at this point. Realized that with my Wave XD128 Ultimate (all upgrades - IEM, THD, DAD, ZTJWifi, ZTJBT, Carbon, etc.) mated with the Station X and the Source Plus that I would likely be enjoying all the LH Labs goodness and Larry's magic already. Hope I can use the Wave for portable play and then have it in the Station for desktop use. Thanks all


 
 I put my foot down and went Pulse vs Wave....I think we both win!


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> Don't do it miceblue!  I'm sure you can think of easier ways to improve sound for $260 than a usb cable
> *not starting cable sound debate*



I did hear the original LightSpeed cable as I posted earlier, and I did like the results. However, I wasn't too familiar with the rig so I would be interested in seeing how it sounds on the Pulse/LPS rig. If I don't like it, I can always sell it and it would probably be worth the difference in price just to hear for myself whether or not a digital cable can make a difference.

That being said, I don't know of an accurate way to test digital cables to one another unlike analogue cables where you can measure the resistance pretty easily with a digital multimeter and do appropriate volume matching.








longbowbbs said:


> mscott58 said:
> 
> 
> > So decided not to take the plunge on the Pulse at this point. Realized that with my Wave XD128 Ultimate (all upgrades - IEM, THD, DAD, ZTJWifi, ZTJBT, Carbon, etc.) mated with the Station X and the Source Plus that I would likely be enjoying all the LH Labs goodness and Larry's magic already. Hope I can use the Wave for portable play and then have it in the Station for desktop use. Thanks all
> ...



Well I put my foot up and went for a fully decked-out Pulse X/f/i+LPS and basic Wave 32 + dual DACs. : p
Personally I don't need all of the fancy tech for a portable media player and would much rather spend money on a serious listening rig than one that I would use casually in a bus/airplane/traveling. With 128 and now 256 GB SD cards, I don't see a reason to upgrade to the 64 GB model either.


----------



## Larry Ho

I don't know if any smart eyes found the THD+N testing numbers on Geek Pulse Fi (Not Geek Pulse X Fi)
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIAqtblSmjQ
  
 With proper femto clock and 10G cable, the test results already shown the facts. 
 And there is one Geek force member point out I didn't install the bridge between 10G power leg and signal leg yet... 
  
 I got a lot of people, not including myself, to do a A/B test between LightSpeed 10G, 2G.  The most common reaction is the "SIZE" and "DENSITY" of sound stage.
 Also, how airy of high for some specific albums for that people loves.... Of course, we are seeing the limit of diminish return on investment when we approaching the theoretical limit of necessary transmission bandwidth.
  
 In network theory, or many other similar places (WiFi, Ethernet....) . In order to transmit 480M bps packages in precise timing, you can not just have 480M bandwidth in the cable. A lot of people know that. But the question now becomes... How many time is enough?  In my mind, at least twice as start. So that is the reason we have LightSpeed "1G".
 The sweet spot should be 4 times to 8 times in general theory. So there is LightSpeed "2G"... And in 10G, we have 20 times. 
  
 Larry


----------



## longbowbbs

larry ho said:


> I don't know if any smart eyes found the THD+N testing numbers on Geek Pulse Fi (Not Geek Pulse X Fi)
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIAqtblSmjQ
> 
> ...


 
 Great info! Thanks Larry!


----------



## longbowbbs

The review is in...Now we all wait for editing.....


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> The review is in...Now we all wait for editing.....



very cool, looking forward to it


----------



## Currawong

Just a note people: igg.me referral links CANNOT be posted on the forums. Posting them is breaking our rules.


----------



## eac3

Latest email: subject "Geek Pulse Shipment. Please Advise.", yet no discussion of the shipment of the Pulse. Am I missing something?
  
 Quote:


> Hey Geek Force,
> 
> Man, you are one dedicated bunch! In the past few days the forum has been completely taken over with discussions regarding the LAST CHANCE deals on Geek Pulse and the imminent release of Geek Soul. Frankly, it's been magnificent!
> 
> ...


----------



## DannyBai

Yeah exactly.


----------



## greenkiwi

walfredo said:


> I realize this may be a hot topic, but after many page on cables, I got really curious.  So, I humbly ask:
> 
> - How can a digital cable make a difference?


 
 I would absolutely love to see a test on the AP machine with the same device, with only the cables separated.  And/or even better, I would love to be able to capture the digital output from the USB XMOS from two different cables and see what the actual difference is.  i.e. if timing is actually improved, or fewer bit errors, etc.


----------



## miceblue

greenkiwi said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > I realize this may be a hot topic, but after many page on cables, I got really curious.  So, I humbly ask:
> ...



I'd be more curious to see what tests Larry thinks are appropriate for measuring digital cable performance. I recall someone posting in the LH Forums a link to a website where the writer analyzed different digital cables and found no discernible difference between cheap-o printer USB cables and more expensive ones. I forgot the name of the test that was done, J-test or something like that.

I think Larry commented in that thread saying that the tests done weren't an accurate measure for the cables.


I'm doing some Google searches for the blog and/or test and the whole expensive HDMI cable thing like from Monster doesn't really help.....


Found the blog post, and it is a J-test (jitter test):
http://archimago.blogspot.ca/2013/04/measurements-usb-cables-for-dacs.html

and here's Larry's response to it:
http://lhlabs.com/force/lightspeed-usb/530-lightspeed-2g?start=25#9126


> I saw that article before... Before we even use our sensitive ears to do the major test.
> In pure 'objective test' requirements, several issues in that article.
> 
> (1) sampling rate used there is under 96K/24
> ...


----------



## dclaz

I am looking forward to deciding which high end headphones I'll be pairing with my Pulse Xfi...


----------



## jaywillin

eac3 said:


>


 
  
  


dannybai said:


> Yeah exactly.


 
 it could be this :
  
*I Want to Wait Policy*
If you decide that you want to upgrade to Geek Soul, and if you'd prefer to not receive Geek Pulse or Geek LPS first (to avoid import duties and shipping charges, for example), we'll give you that option at the same time we publish the Geek Soul perk by visiting lhlabs.com/tracking after 9:00 AM Pacific time, November 5th, and selecting the option that best suits your needs.


----------



## pedalhead

dclaz said:


> I am looking forward to deciding which high end headphones I'll be pairing with my Pulse Xfi...


 
  
 Same here...waiting for my Pulse Xfi/LPS to arrive before deciding on what it's perfect partner will be...


----------



## germay0653

walfredo said:


> I realize this may be a hot topic, but after many page on cables, I got really curious.  So, I humbly ask:
> 
> - How can a digital cable make a difference?


 

 Just realize that a digital cable is not really transmitting actual zeros and ones but an ANALOG SIGNAL REPRESENTING zeros and ones which is subject to bandwidth, timing and even skin effect that can cause jitter.  The better the materials and design the less jitter is introduced and better sound is produced.


----------



## walfredo

germay0653 said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > I realize this may be a hot topic, but after many page on cables, I got really curious.  So, I humbly ask:
> ...


 
  
 Sure, but AFAIU as long as the zero and ones are represented well enough (i.e. one is not mistaken for the other) the quality of the analog signal does not matter.  
  
 And I understand that jitter can be a problem.  But isn't the point of asynchronous DAC to reclock the signal in the DAC side, thus making transmission jitter irrelevant?
  
 Finally, to Larry's point, higher bandwidth does require a better cable, yes.  But USB has CRC to detect package corruption, right?  If the cable is not up to task, it should drop packages and the result will be "broken music", not "smaller soundstage", "a bit more congested", and so on.
  
 What am I missing?


----------



## Muinarc

I just realized that the Geek Soul renderings don't have a volume knob.... that's a bummer.


----------



## pedalhead

muinarc said:


> I just realized that the Geek Soul renderings don't have a volume knob.... that's a bummer.


 
  
 In the true crowd-sourced design tradition of the Pulse to date, there's currently a lot of discussion on the LH forum around where to locate the headphone sockets and volume knob (if indeed there will be one of the latter). Why not join in? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2238-continue-the-geek-pulse-3rd-wave-campaign
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2287-geek-soul-design​


----------



## chartwell85

Hey guys,
  
 We just released the perks for Geek Soul about 10 minutes ago and everything is almost gone already.  Talk about people picking these things up quick!  Any who, give it a look when you get a chance and let us know what you think of Geek Soul.
  
http://bit.ly/geekpulse


----------



## Muinarc

pedalhead said:


> In the true crowd-sourced design tradition of the Pulse to date, there's currently a lot of discussion on the LH forum around where to locate the headphone sockets and volume knob (if indeed there will be one of the latter). Why not join in?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


I would but I am a member of too many forums and I had to draw the line somewhere. Thanks for the links!

....well I am pleasantly surprised by the Soul pricing, was going to do the upgrade but there were only 5 (?!) Soul Xfi available and the tube version sold out while I was logging in lol. I hope they plan to offer as many Souls to as many Pulses that had been contributed pre Feb.


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> We just released the perks for Geek Soul about 10 minutes ago and everything is almost gone already.  Talk about people picking these things up quick!  Any who, give it a look when you get a chance and let us know what you think of Geek Soul.
> 
> [COLOR=3B5998]http://bit.ly/geekpulse[/COLOR]



Hey Casey,

I should open a support ticket, but I might as well ask here since I'm probably not the only one. If I backed the Pulse/Geek Out perk in the original Indiegogo campaign, how does that factor into the 120% trade-in? Do you count for the entire $398 perk, or just the $199 for the Pulse?

Also, if you backed both the Pulse and the LPS, does the 120% trade-in include the price paid for both total, or just one or the other?

Thanks

*and yes I realise all the Souls have been filled right now


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I have no more Soul....


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> Hey Casey,
> 
> I should open a support ticket, but I might as well ask here since I'm probably not the only one. If I backed the Pulse/Geek Out perk in the original Indiegogo campaign, how does that factor into the 120% trade-in? Do you count for the entire $398 perk, or just the $199 for the Pulse?
> 
> ...


 

 Hey miceblue,
  
 The trade-up program will only work with products within the same "family" as each other.  You can trade up your Geek Pulse/LPS for a Geek Soul but won't be able to trade-up your Geek Out, for example, to Geek Soul.  
  
 As far as the 120% goes, you'd receive that value on the original pledge price of Pulse, LPS or the combination of the two.  Whatever you spent on Pulse or LPS take that and multiply it by 1.2 and you'll have your trade in value.
  
 Hope this helps.


----------



## valve5425

Seems a load of extra dosh for essentially a new chassis. Nice as it is.


----------



## Muinarc

valve5425 said:


> Seems a load of extra dosh for essentially a new chassis. Nice as it is.



 


Lucky for me I am an audiophile that openly admits that I'll pay more for something that looks pretty


----------



## chartwell85

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I have no more Soul....


 

 I have a Soul for you bud


----------



## jexby

chartwell85 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> We just released the perks for Geek Soul about 10 minutes ago and everything is almost gone already.  Talk about people picking these things up quick!  Any who, give it a look when you get a chance and let us know what you think of Geek Soul.
> 
> http://bit.ly/geekpulse


 
  
 wow, some barn burning sales going on for those Souls!   with good pricing tiers and trade-ins.
 I'll be sticking with Xfi for desktop space reasons mainly, and to feed a tube amp as headphones (not speakers) is where I need that tube sound.


----------



## pedalhead

jexby said:


> wow, some barn burning sales going on for those Souls!   with good pricing tiers and trade-ins.
> I'll be sticking with Xfi for desktop space reasons mainly, and to feed a tube amp as headphones (not speakers) is where I need that tube sound.


 
  
 My exact position as well....whilst I'd love to have a Soul to replace my CI-Audio DAC in my main system, what I really need right now is a desktop DAC/AMP, and the two-box Pulse Xfi/LPS fits the bill (and the desk) perfectly. I am also hoping for a little break to save up a few more quid before LH bring Larry's tube HPA to IGG.  I suspect that is one toy I will not be able to resist


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> Hey miceblue,
> 
> The trade-up program will only work with products within the same "family" as each other.  You can trade up your Geek Pulse/LPS for a Geek Soul but won't be able to trade-up your Geek Out, for example, to Geek Soul.
> 
> ...



Okay so the $398 Pulse/Out bundle had the Pulse's price point at $199
($199 + $119 femto + $88 internal parts + $140 X + $99+$100+$100 LPS) * 1.2 = $1014
$1969 - $1014 - $588 = $367
or
$1699 - $1014 - $488 = $197

Given that I'd need to pay about twice as much money for the Soul Tube, and more for the non-included tubes, I wonder what advantages the tube output stage has compared to the solid state. Larry has already stated multiple times that "tube sound" is not for everyone.
And there's this post too:
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2238-continue-the-geek-pulse-3rd-wave-campaign?start=100#36493


> Put a pair of tubes in current Geek Pulse chassis is tough. I tried, didn't fit. :sick:
> Someone just suggested me to make that chassis longer. I humbly will try that and think how to make it if possible.
> 
> Before the critical answer show up. Here are few key facts for tube lovers to take away.
> ...





I'm still confused as to what the tube buffer output actually means. It will replace the single-ended headphone out amplifier circuit. Since the analogue portion of the normal Pulse is class A biased, will the tube replace this part of the circuit since class A amplifiers are the most similar to a vacuum tube-based amplifier?



The Forever Funding campaign is expected to end on January 1, 2015, so I guess I have some time to decide whether or not I want to get the Soul.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

pedalhead said:


> My exact position as well....whilst I'd love to have a Soul to replace my CI-Audio DAC in my main system, what I really need right now is a desktop DAC/AMP, and the two-box Pulse Xfi/LPS fits the bill (and the desk) perfectly. I am also hoping for a little break to save up a few more quid before LH bring Larry's tube HPA to IGG.  I suspect that is one toy I will not be able to resist


 
  
 Yep saving up for that Geek HPA Tube.


----------



## valve5425

jexby said:


> wow, some barn burning sales going on for those Souls!   with good pricing tiers and trade-ins.
> I'll be sticking with Xfi for desktop space reasons mainly, and to feed a tube amp as headphones (not speakers) is where I need that tube sound.



 


Same here. I've just picked up some boards and tubes for a KGST electrostatic amp, so my Pulse Xfi will do very nicely for that, thank you! Small Pulse footprint gives me more room for my head amp.

Another mad Geek buying frenzy and no-one's even seen a prototype Soul Chassis, yet alone the real thing. Hope it goes well for backers.


----------



## longbowbbs

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> pedalhead said:
> 
> 
> > My exact position as well....whilst I'd love to have a Soul to replace my CI-Audio DAC in my main system, what I really need right now is a desktop DAC/AMP, and the two-box Pulse Xfi/LPS fits the bill (and the desk) perfectly. I am also hoping for a little break to save up a few more quid before LH bring Larry's tube HPA to IGG.  I suspect that is one toy I will not be able to resist
> ...


 
 That would float my boat....Bring it!


----------



## jexby

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Yep saving up for that Geek HPA Tube.


 
  





 Balanced ?


----------



## jaywillin

well damn ! i go to the doctor, and when i get back, all the souls are taken !!


----------



## jaywillin

jexby said:


> wow, some barn burning sales going on for those Souls!   with good pricing tiers and trade-ins.
> I'll be sticking with Xfi for desktop space reasons mainly, and to feed a tube amp as headphones (not speakers) is where I need that tube sound.


 
 i was thinking the same thing , pulse pre ounts to my lyr, or maybe get a valhalla 2, and then come out of them to my psb P1's


----------



## germay0653

walfredo said:


> Sure, but AFAIU as long as the zero and ones are represented well enough (i.e. one is not mistaken for the other) the quality of the analog signal does not matter.
> 
> And I understand that jitter can be a problem.  But isn't the point of asynchronous DAC to reclock the signal in the DAC side, thus making transmission jitter irrelevant?
> 
> ...


 

 Timing, timing, timing.  If the original doesn't get to the DAC within the proper timeframe it doesn't matter how good the signal is.  Example: Your PC is busy doing other work while trying to send a signal to the DAC.  If that timing of off, even a little, sound quality suffers!  It's not like a printer that can ask for a resend if an error is detected.


----------



## miceblue

jexby said:


> wow, some barn burning sales going on for those Souls!   with good pricing tiers and trade-ins.
> I'll be sticking with Xfi for desktop space reasons mainly, and to feed a tube amp as headphones (not speakers) is where I need that tube sound.



Good point. Thank for saving my wallet! XD
I'll likely be using the Pulse Xfi mainly as a DAC anyway, so stacking things on/below the Soul (e.g. my STAX amplifier) makes zero sense for me.

I'll probably upgrade my second LightSpeed 1G cable to the 2G variant though to avoid a rat's nest with all of the cables.


----------



## rdsu

Any of you already received the shipment notification for LPS?


----------



## germay0653

I have not received any notification Rui but I had LPS4's.


----------



## longbowbbs

germay0653 said:


> I have not received any notification Rui but I had LPS4's.


 
 What other devices are you going to plug in?


----------



## FayeForever

Geek Blue or any future Geek products as mentioned by LH I guess?


----------



## longbowbbs

fayeforever said:


> Geek Blue or any future Geek products as mentioned by LH I guess?


 
 Nothing bad about planning ahead.


----------



## grizzlybeast

when I go to indiegogo it shows the ship dates for the payment plan options but not for the regular buys. Those show next year 3/2015 for the payment plan options. 
  
 I really want to know  what the shipping date is for the geek pulse x.


----------



## No_One411

Ugh, I would like to make the upgrade to Geek Soul, but the sell out like instantly. 
  
 It literally is the equivalent of "Coming Soon" to "Sold Out".


----------



## Larry Ho

Some nice headphone amp is coming and will works perfectly with LPS4. Also, one ADC too...
  
 These will show up sooner then you expected... 
  
 Larry


----------



## jaywillin

larry ho said:


> Some nice headphone amp is coming and will works perfectly with LPS4. Also, one ADC too...
> 
> These will show up sooner then you expected...
> 
> Larry


 
 a separate headphone amp ??


----------



## LargoCantabile

On IGG page:
  
 "As an added feature, Geek LPS can be used to clean the noise off of the USB connection from your computer to Geek Pulse. Just connect your computer to Geek LPS using a USB cable, then connect Geek LPS to Geek Pulse (or any USB DAC, for that matter) using a second USB Cable. When you do this, Geek LPS disconnects the 5V power coming over the USB cable from the computer and replaces it with clean (under 6uV noise) 5V power coming from its super-regulated power circuits."
  
 This means I can use computer as source for audio digital and feed it through LPS in by one USB and out via another USB to DAC and from DAC to Headphones, right?
  
 I am beginning to wonder why if I have ordered a Geek Wave x128 with power boost for Headphones and etc etc I would need a LPS plus Pulse...isn't Geek Wave doing all that work already?
  
 The only difference is that the Geek Wave has to be charged but I think it can play anyway while in its charging cradle doing both charging and playing direct?
  
 Then the only reason for a Pulse plus LPS is to feed speakers not as Headphone AMP?
 Why the proliferation of products?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Oh no! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Give us a breather first!  Divorce is costly...
  
  
 Quote:


larry ho said:


> Some nice headphone amp is coming and will works perfectly with LPS4. Also, one ADC too...
> 
> These will show up sooner then you expected...
> 
> Larry


----------



## pedalhead

Lol, yes what Mikey said... Please give us a little time to save up and gain WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor)


----------



## uncola

Largo they're completely different products. i.e. geek wave 128 is 320mw of output, geek pulse 3000mw etc.


----------



## LargoCantabile

uncola said:


> Largo they're completely different products. i.e. geek wave 128 is 320mw of output, geek pulse 3000mw etc.


 

 Yup but what does this mean in practical terms? Is pulse meant to be used with speakers? I thought my HD800 were supposed to work with geek Wave as they had a powerful Headphone perk I went for.


----------



## germay0653

larry ho said:


> Some nice headphone amp is coming and will works perfectly with LPS4. Also, one ADC too...
> 
> These will show up sooner then you expected...
> 
> Larry


 

 Larry,
  
 Can you give us some specifics as to what makes the stand alone headamp better that what's already built into the Pulse?
  
 Gery


----------



## miceblue

Maybe it'll be a tube amp? People were requesting a tube option for regular Pulse, but that would require making the chassis longer.


----------



## pedalhead

germay0653 said:


> Larry,
> 
> Can you give us some specifics as to what makes the stand alone headamp better that what's already built into the Pulse?
> 
> Gery


 
  
 Tubez!!!! (I hope)


----------



## LargoCantabile

What does mW mean? No explanations on Google.
 What difference does more mW versus less mean for audio equipment?


----------



## jaywillin

largocantabile said:


> What does mW mean? No explanations on Google.
> What difference does more mW versus less mean for audio equipment?


 
 miliwatts


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Let me paste here from the GF forum what Larry had said...
  

 
Larry Ho
Moderator
 
For tube headphone amp, I have two good circuit in my stash...
  
 1. Two Parallel parafeed SE circuit which will go for most of headphones that has more then 50Ohm impedance.
 Pro: More flexible then the below circuit, a little bit more power consumption. So not only big can, some middle level impedance headphone will work happily too.

 2. Higher voltage active bias SE circuit which will work with headphones that has more than 100Ohm, 200Ohm better.
 Pro: We will have high voltage output which will be even better for big cans.

 Need some of your feedbacks... And we don't need to rush it.


----------



## deathson

largocantabile said:


> What does mW mean? No explanations on Google.
> What difference does more mW versus less mean for audio equipment?


 
  
 Hope the link can help you know more audio power
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_power
  
 1000mW = 1W


----------



## Muinarc

Has Larry ever posted measurements of Pulse power output at various impedences? All this talk got me curious as to the actual output figures.


----------



## longbowbbs

The Geek Pulse review is up:
  
 http://headphone.guru/geek-pulse/


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> The Geek Pulse review is up:
> 
> http://headphone.guru/geek-pulse/


 
 nice review !


----------



## longbowbbs

Thanks Jay, it was fun to do!


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> Thanks Jay, it was fun to do!


 
 YW
 question for you, 
 i'm a tube guy myself, and have had only one solid state amp that i really loved, and that was the bryston.
 when used as an amp/dac, would you say it leans a little more to the warm side ?


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> The Geek Pulse review is up:
> 
> http://headphone.guru/geek-pulse/



Not too bad. To be honest, I usually skip reading over reviews that describe specific tracks their rig because 99% of the time I don't know the music. I'm lucky that I at least know "Quiet Winter Night" since I have the album in DXD. I don't mean to take a shot at you, but the description you make of that album can easily be applied for other DACs I have at hand. The recording and arrangement for the album by itself is spectacular, so I can't actually decipher how much of the Pulse's sound is contributing to it compared to say the Geek Out.

Here's a photoshoot from when they recorded that album. Pretty impressive setup if you ask me.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150356191859319.403752.659934318&type=3&l=076467cf46


And for those who don't know of the album:
https://shop.klicktrack.com/2l/411252/

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umohQECJ_rc[/video]


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks Jay, it was fun to do!
> ...


 
 Larry is a tube guy. I think he was trying to get away from a straight SS sound and he has accomplished that. There is some warmth to the character. Not as much as my tube system (Naturally) but I was not turned off by the lack of tubes in the Pulse.


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > The Geek Pulse review is up:
> ...


 
 MB, the English language is currently comprised of over 400,000 words and it is still tough to adequately describe what a person can hear! I struggled with how to convey the sonic image. I like the presentation I get from my W4S DAC and the Pulse does an equally satisying job using the ESS9018 Sabre's 
  
 I was e-mailing back and forth this week with Morton Lindberg from 2L. He is using the Geek Out 1000 for his portable DAC. He said that while he recorded in DXD he prefers the DSD128 presentation for his own listening. That is what I was using for that session. The Pulse conveyed the space clearly. 
  
 I hope that helps. I appreciate the feedback!
  
 Eric


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> MB, the English language is currently comprised of over 400,000 words and it is still tough to adequately describe what a person can hear! I struggled with how to convey the sonic image. I like the presentation I get from my W4S DAC and the Pulse does an equally satisying job using the ESS9018 Sabre's
> 
> I was e-mailing back and forth this week with Morton Lindberg from 2L. He is using the Geek Out 1000 for his portable DAC. He said that while he recorded in DXD he prefers the DSD128 presentation for his own listening. That is what I was using for that session. The Pulse conveyed the space clearly.
> 
> ...



Yeah it's not your fault at all. Writing reviews for audio products is no trivial task by any means and the slight variances of terms that people use to describe audio can make or break a decision sometimes (e.g. one person's definition of "smooth" could mean no frequency fluctuations, another's "smooth" might mean warm and tube-like, while another person's "smooth" could mean no treble peaks/emphasis).

The sense of space, depth, and instrument separation are the strengths for that album, so if the Pulse does that clearly, then I would say that's a mission accomplishment right there.

Interesting about the DSD128 part. Larry seems to say the opposite. XD
http://mail.lightharmonic.com/force/geekpulse/1778-dsd-vs-pcm-sound#27872


> I used 2L's DSD and DXD music to compare the playback results.
> And interesting thing is: 2L's recording head engineer, Morten, is using Geek Out for similar test too.
> 
> Our result is similar: DSD sounds more smooth, a little bit more like Vinyl. But DXD sounds more like the 'live sound'. And Morten slightly prefer DXD better.




Aha, there's that "smooth" word again. I have no idea what it means in this case because I stick with Stereophile's definition of smooth for describing high frequency peaks, but since Larry is a tube-lover, maybe it means warm and tube-like.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> Aha, there's that "smooth" word again. I have no idea what it means in this case because I stick with Stereophile's definition of smooth for describing high frequency peaks, but since Larry is a tube-lover, maybe it means warm and tube-like.
> ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


 
 How about "No nails on the chalkboard!"


----------



## pedalhead

longbowbbs said:


> The Geek Pulse review is up:
> 
> http://headphone.guru/geek-pulse/


 
  
 Excellent review, an entertaining and informative read...thanks!  Good to see Fiona Apple getting some love, and quite frankly any review that starts off by quoting The Godfather is fine by me .  Can't wait for my Pulse Xfi to arrive now!


----------



## longbowbbs

pedalhead said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > The Geek Pulse review is up:
> ...


 
 Considering the timing of the campaign the GF3 quote was supremely warranted!


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> Larry is a tube guy. I think he was trying to get away from a straight SS sound and he has accomplished that. There is some warmth to the character. Not as much as my tube system (Naturally) but I was not turned off by the lack of tubes in the Pulse.


 
 thanks eric, 
 when ever my pulse x/f/i , lps4 gets here, i'm going to have to move some gear, and i just got a woo wa6se (which money wise, i shouldn't have bought) but damn it's good !
 with the geek gear coming, it may be fire sale time


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Larry is a tube guy. I think he was trying to get away from a straight SS sound and he has accomplished that. There is some warmth to the character. Not as much as my tube system (Naturally) but I was not turned off by the lack of tubes in the Pulse.
> ...


 
 That will be fun running the Woo alongside the Pulse. The Woo's are wonderful tube lovin' joy.


----------



## grizzlybeast

That was a well written review but unfortunately I wasnt able to draw out distinct sonic attributes from it. Bass heavy, bass light, bright, neutral, fast, smooth, aggressive, nuanced or very transparent of the actual recording. I need to read it again to milk out distictions. It just reads as it being a clear and cohesive sound vs analytical and one that works well with his hd800.


----------



## longbowbbs

grizzlybeast said:


> That was a well written review but unfortunately I wasnt able to draw out distinct sonic attributes from it. Bass heavy, bass light, bright, neutral, fast, smooth, aggressive, nuanced or very transparent of the actual recording. I need to read it again to milk out distictions. It just reads as it being a clear and cohesive sound vs analytical and one that works well with his hd800.


 
 It was not heavy or light. It was appropriate and not annoyingly analytical.


----------



## LargoCantabile

Can It be used with IEMS or would its 3000 odd mW blow them to smithereens?


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> It was not heavy or light. It was appropriate and not annoyingly analytical.



Speaking of "heavy" or "light" in literal terms, how "heavy" is the Pulse Xfi? Nobody has commented on that to my knowledge.

Also, I see that the Pulse link you posted on your review is your reference link.


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > It was not heavy or light. It was appropriate and not annoyingly analytical.
> ...


 
 It is not very heavy...I do not have a scale for this...a couple of lbs maybe?


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> Also, I see that the Pulse link you posted on your review is your reference link.


 
  
 THIS!
  
  
 Thanks for the review.


----------



## head-hi

Has there been a confirmation or denial of shipment date for the Pulse? I've read the 14th, and also about a PCB delay, but nothing definitive. There's been a lot of requests for clarification, but no answer from LH.
  
 Gettin' antsy, I guess. Those Alpha Primes are ready. And all the 24bit needledrops.


----------



## FayeForever

It is confirmed by Casey Geek pulse will start shipping on 14th.
 But nobody knows how they gonna ship(Pulse and Pulse X simultaneously or first Pulse then Pulse X, or ship in the order of the IGG contribution...etc).


----------



## chartwell85

head-hi said:


> Has there been a confirmation or denial of shipment date for the Pulse? I've read the 14th, and also about a PCB delay, but nothing definitive. There's been a lot of requests for clarification, but no answer from LH.
> 
> Gettin' antsy, I guess. Those Alpha Primes are ready. And all the 24bit needledrops.


 
  
 Geek Pulse will begin shipping November 14th.


----------



## chartwell85

fayeforever said:


> It is confirmed by Casey Geek pulse will start shipping on 14th.
> But nobody knows how they gonna ship(Pulse and Pulse X simultaneously or first Pulse then Pulse X, or ship in the order of the IGG contribution...etc).


 

 We plan on shipping in the order they were pledged for on IGG.


----------



## FayeForever

Hi Casey,
  
 When can we see where is our shipping standing in your tracking system?


----------



## chartwell85

fayeforever said:


> Hi Casey,
> 
> When can we see where is our shipping standing in your tracking system?


 

 Funny you should ask.  I'm actually sitting across from Gavin right now as he is coding away on the tracking system.  Dude is a BEAST!


----------



## FayeForever

Hi Casey,
  
 It is good to know the progress and I hope you could understand there are many of us are very anxious for the incoming excitement for the 14th and Thanksgiving is close!
  
 Good luck.


----------



## head-hi

chartwell85 said:


> Geek Pulse will begin shipping November 14th.


 

 Well, alright. You made my night. A little red wine, a little Jack Bruce and Robin Trower, and we're off.


----------



## greenkiwi

My guess is that they will have build queues for each model, Pulse, Pulse X, Pulse Xfi, etc.  And then for each queue, the products will be shipped roughly in the order that they were purchased via IGG.
  
 So shipping within a product line will be in order, but the different product lines will ship at different rates and times.


----------



## uncola

in accordance with Murphy's Law they will probably ship mine last despite me wanting it the most


----------



## kothganesh

uncola said:


> in accordance with Murphy's Law they will probably ship mine last despite me wanting it the most


 

 Deep abdominal breathing helps


----------



## graham508

longbowbbs said:


> It was not heavy or light. It was appropriate and not annoyingly analytical.


 
  
 Me also wanting to know more about its colour/flavour - review is a tease I reckon. 
  
     Conclusion reads: "Gear that integrates easily with my other components and yet brings it’s [sic] own flavor to the event."


----------



## stefan534

Agreed, more of a teaser than a full-review. Direct comparison with other SS gear around the same, low and higher price range is warranted (where does it fall short, for example??). It would also be great to know how well it pegs down other headphones and how it performs  as a standalone DAC.
  
 Nevertheless -  that depth of review and comparison takes time, and everyone wanted the review pronto!


----------



## valve5425

longbowbbs said:


> The Geek Pulse review is up:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


Much appreciated. Just makes me even more impatient to get mine!


----------



## uncola

I created a countdown timer to November 14th 
 If they miss the deadline that's still ok with me, that will just mean my pulse x will be a xmas present to myself
 http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20141114T09&p0=217&msg=Geek+Pulse+ships&swk=1


----------



## rdsu

uncola said:


> I created a countdown timer to November 14th
> 
> 
> If they miss the deadline that's still ok with me, that will just mean my pulse x will be a xmas present to myself
> ...



 

Great!


----------



## valve5425

Hopefully it's only me that missed this, but if you're not interested in the Soul, and just want your Pulse to ship ASAP, you need to let LH Labs know at http://lhlabs.com/tracking


----------



## jaywillin

valve5425 said:


> Hopefully it's only me that missed this, but if you're not interested in the Soul, and just want your Pulse to ship ASAP, you need to let LH Labs know at http://lhlabs.com/tracking


 
 i did that first thing this morning !!


----------



## kothganesh

valve5425 said:


> Hopefully it's only me that missed this, but if you're not interested in the Soul, and just want your Pulse to ship ASAP, you need to let LH Labs know at http://lhlabs.com/tracking


 

 You're a life saver. I just completed mine. Thanks pal.


----------



## valve5425

You're welcome. I suspected it may not just be me. I guess there would have been a few angry backers come the 14th Nov, when their Pulse's weren't being sent out.


----------



## longbowbbs

stefan534 said:


> Agreed, more of a teaser than a full-review. Direct comparison with other SS gear around the same, low and higher price range is warranted (where does it fall short, for example??). It would also be great to know how well it pegs down other headphones and how it performs  as a standalone DAC.
> 
> Nevertheless -  that depth of review and comparison takes time, and everyone wanted the review pronto!


 
 Bingo......I had to go at it from one direction or it would have taken a month or more. That is one of the challenges with reviewing gear that has several component variables.


----------



## germay0653

longbowbbs said:


> Bingo......I had to go at it from one direction or it would have taken a month or more. That is one of the challenges with reviewing gear that has several component variables.


 

 Great review!  Thanks for your impressions and getting it done in such a short period of time.  It just confirms the value proposition, for early backers, with the Pulse.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Bingo......I had to go at it from one direction or it would have taken a month or more. That is one of the challenges with reviewing gear that has several component variables.


 
 Thanks for the great and timely info Eric!


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Bingo......I had to go at it from one direction or it would have taken a month or more. That is one of the challenges with reviewing gear that has several component variables.
> ...


 
 Your welcome Mike!


----------



## frank2908

So what is the point of the "100 lucky contributors" that were selected for the survey? Looks like we all have to wait till they are delivered in order.
 I contributed for the pulse very early in the campaign, then upgraded to xfi in the last minute, I hope they don't mess up the queuing list. Can't wait until the day its on my desk


----------



## Muinarc

Wow that's a nice price they put on the geek force Soul perk..... kind of a bummer actually. After all is said and done I will have only saved like $150... If I had never backed anything and just now signed up to GF and got that perk. I guess a year of my time and being an early backer isn't worth all that much lol. 



..... unless they decide to make that 2nd payment for the Soul less..... *hint* *hint*


----------



## Za Warudo

I don't really like the form factor of the Soul, it looks too wide to put on your desk.  The Pulse shape makes more sense.


----------



## jaywillin

za warudo said:


> I don't really like the form factor of the Soul, it looks too wide to put on your desk.  The Pulse shape makes more sense.


 
 the souls is designed more for a rack, not desktop


----------



## eac3

I really wish we could "trade-up" to a redesigned chassis for the Geek Pulse....
  

 http://www.lhlabs.com/marketplace.html


----------



## LargoCantabile

Don't understand.....is this a pic of the chassis we are getting or is this different?


----------



## uncola

Largo the picture is a concept render created by a backer that won a vote for best design on lhlabs forum.. there were a lot of concept renders created for fun in this thread.  The actual case we're getting is based on it but not exactly the same.
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/336-geek-pulse-design-ideas?lang=en
 I can't find the thread where we voted but the black one won.. I voted for white.. it had a power button on the front 
  
 I can see Geek Soul fitting on a rack next to an odyssey audio amplifier..  if Keep wasn't coming out that's possibly the amp I'd get.. a khartago b-stock


----------



## grizzlybeast

germay0653 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Bingo......I had to go at it from one direction or it would have taken a month or more. That is one of the challenges with reviewing gear that has several component variables.
> ...


 
 its not that its ugly at all but it doesn't elicit its msrp


----------



## longbowbbs

grizzlybeast said:


> germay0653 said:
> 
> 
> > longbowbbs said:
> ...


 
 Hence one of my "Cons".  No bling for those bucks...


----------



## miceblue

I remember in the Geek Force forums that people were making comparisons of the Geek stuff to the Auralic Vega and/or Taurus. Does anyone know what the comparisons were about?
A local speaker shop sells the two and if they still have it when I get the Pulse Xfi/LPS, I'd like to make a comparison between them if the shop will let me. XD


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> I remember in the Geek Force forums that people were making comparisons of the Geek stuff to the Auralic Vega and/or Taurus. Does anyone know what the comparisons were about?
> A local speaker shop sells the two and if they still have it when I get the Pulse Xfi/LPS, I'd like to make a comparison between them if the shop will let me. XD


 
 That would be a fun comparison. I was really impressed with the Auralic gear both individually and as a tandem system. I think I would be a happy camper either way.


----------



## chartwell85

Hey guys,
  
 I've had a bunch of people asking about the release times for the Geek Soul perk over the next few days and just wanted to post it here to avoid anymore confusion.  Geek Soul will be released twice daily, first at 9AM PST and then at 9PM PST.  
  
 You can also check here for more details: http://igg.me/at/geekpulseaudio/x/6993509
  
 Any questions? Ask away!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

At the price we've got from the Pulse/LPS combo and its variations, think we're happier. And happier still if it arrives before Christmas.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

You asked... 

Casey, for 100 Souls (when campaign ends) will you shave again your beard?


----------



## chartwell85

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> You asked...
> 
> Casey, for 100 Souls (when campaign ends) will you shave again your beard?


 

 I will NEVER make a bet with you guys again LOL
  
 Honestly, I'm pretty sure the girlfriend dumped about $20K to blow by the beard stretch goal and ensure it was met.  She's just that cynical


----------



## FayeForever

She's a keeper.


----------



## uncola

Miceblue I think the Taurus comparison was made because it's a high end amp also based on opamps


----------



## pedalhead

Sweet, LH have posted a new vid, this time Larry's talking tubes...


----------



## gyx11

Has anyone here who has ordered either the Geek Pulse/LPS/Source/Wave tried to amend or cancel their order?

I'm not too sure about all the nitty gritty stuff about Indiegogo policies or fair business practices, but I was discussing this issue with a few of my friends whom I know through this hobby, and a few of us have tried to make amendments to our orders, either through cancellation or tweaking.

Supposedly, because of IGG's terms and conditions, there will be no refunds allowed, hence no order cancellation is possible, and we are all stuck with our original orders.

There's plenty of ways to pour in more $ and invest in more stuff and more perks, but not a single way to cut down or withdraw. We kinda came to the consensus that this is almost like a $ snare.

It's not as if we backed products that were custom fitted to individual specs, like CIEMs, or a specialized order. And it's also not as if the cancellation of an order poses a huge loss to them in any sense. With the forever funding campaign, they're having more and more orders coming in, so I don't quite think they'll face problems of a surplus in stocks.

A friend of mine who ordered the Geek Source didn't want it any longer because his needs have changed, and because he's recently run into some problems with cash. LHL won't let us cancel the order, and although we tried to find ways to help him, none of us were keen on the Geek Source. 

Because a couple of us pooled used the same email to pledge, I didn't mind taking over his contribution if they'd allow me to swap the Geek Source for something else (I enquired about combining the Source with the Pulse xfi, and either using my marketplace credits, or simply using some $ top up to upgrade to a Geek Soul). Unfortunately, I was simply told that it can't happen.

The reason given was that the Soul is currently limited in quantity. Which baffles me because although it's technically true that there are currently limited units of Soul (0 to be exact), isn't the whole point of a pre-order to plan for making more units in the future? I stated up front that I didn't mind be put last priority because I'm still studying and in no rush to receive my xfi anyway, but apparently, it wasn't enough.

One thing additionally that irks the heck out of me is their marketplace credit system. The few of us who pledged during the Geek Wave campaign only did so towards the tail end of the campaign when they offered the late backer benefits, like $100 Geek market credits for every $500 you contribute between now and the end of the campaign. Many of us were actually pushed off the edge to take the plunge because we just wanted value for our $, and it's not like university students can really afford high end stuff when we aren't having any income. That was also the reason why we chose to commit using the same email account, because doing so would allow us to accumulate more Geek marketplace credits.

Unfortunately, LHL did not at that time specify anything about Geek marketplace credit. How to use it, when to use it, what it could be used for, or anything remotely related to useful information. Even today, we are still completely in the dark as to how it even works. We just assumed rather logically that a marketplace means you could choose what you wanted, even if it meant being more expensive than the campaign prices. But everything we've enquired about using it, it's just met by the same 'you-can't-use-it-like-that' rejection, with no further comment or clarification. I'm not sure if anyone else here has faced this issue, but it honestly feels like we'll never see a single $ of our marketplace credits, and that the concept behind it was simply means to egg people sitting on the fence at the end of the camping to just go all in.

Using the LHL support system has also driven us mad. I don't really have any qualms because it so happens that my ticket posts there are quite few, and always happen to be answered by Manny, who's always rather polite. My friends are less enamored with their experiences. Things like auto-closing your ticket in your face when the issue hasn't even been resolved. Not bothering to check up on old tickets. Having written in detail, but rudely being told to phrase it simpler for them to understand, when they haven't even taken the time to read through your previous tickets or real through with any patience or diligence to try make sense of your post before asking the customer to rephrase.

This has turned out to be somewhat a collection of our concerns/ mini-rant, and I'm just interested to know if others have felt the same way or encountered similar issues.

I personally applaud LHL for taking on the crowdfunding concept. It's a great idea, and they are slowly streamlining and refining their modus operandi. They do also seem like great guys genuinely passionate about what they do. But some of the issues we're facing honestly doesn't make any sense to us at all.


----------



## jaywillin

gyx11 said:


> Has anyone here who has ordered either the Geek Pulse/LPS/Source/Wave tried to amend or cancel their order?
> 
> I'm not too sure about all the nitty gritty stuff about Indiegogo policies or fair business practices, but I was discussing this issue with a few of my friends whom I know through this hobby, and a few of us have tried to make amendments to our orders, either through cancellation or tweaking.
> 
> ...



Im pleased with lhlabs so far ,no real complaints here


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> gyx11 said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone here who has ordered either the Geek Pulse/LPS/Source/Wave tried to amend or cancel their order?
> ...


 
 Same here....No issues so far.


----------



## head-hi

Quote:Originally Posted by *pedalhead* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
   Sweet, LH have posted a new vid, this time Larry's talking tubes... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
 "Airy and warm". I like it. So are they making a tube stage for the Pulse? That would be where I put my money.


----------



## labjr

I have a pretty good tube preamp (Wavelength) which slightly colors the sound. However, I don't see the need to put the signal through an extra stage after it comes out of the Pulse. Anyone know if this is what they're doing with the Soul? or does the tube stage take the place of an opamp buffer stage?


----------



## snip3r77

I think the tube would be a cool upgrade if one is using the Pulse as a all in one system ( source, amp ).

To me I'm also using it as a source for my hifi systems and I already have a SET amp and hence I didn't really want to add anther tube on the chain so I guess solid state to me is a better/correct choice.


----------



## gyx11

jaywillin said:


> Im pleased with lhlabs so far ,no real complaints here


 
  


longbowbbs said:


> Same here....No issues so far.


 


 Appreciate the replies!
  
 Can you guys then better explain how the marketplace credit works, and how all the issues you had were resolved when you attempted to cancel (or tweak) an order? Just want some insight as to how their policy works. That way we can know how to proceed in a proper manner, assuming there is a way to.
  
 Cheers!


----------



## longbowbbs

gyx11 said:


> jaywillin said:
> 
> 
> > Im pleased with lhlabs so far ,no real complaints here
> ...


 
 I have not spent any time with the marketplace credits so I can;t help there. I did upgrade from base pulse to X-Fi during the campaign. it seemed to go through without issue. Now that I have returned the review unit, I am in line again like everyone else waiting for my new Pulse to arrive!


----------



## chengka7

I am confused about how to purchase Geek Pulse X or Xfi, so if I want to buy one the only way is through Indigogo? And what is the expected delivery time for Geek Pulse X and Xfi?


----------



## Black sound

Yes, you need to register at http://lhlabs.com/force (forum) then at indeigogo and select the perk. Geek pulse xfi is at 1399, but the Geek Soul are the better price/performance deal at this point - if you do not need the small form factor. Notice there are versions with tube(1969) and without(1699). Some of the versions are sold out but new ones are added 9.00 am and pm pst. Until who knows?


----------



## Ranza

If you order it by now, the delivery time should be around May 2015 ( I don't think March 2015 on indiegogo will be an accurate date )


----------



## coletrain104

I;m ready to buy the Geek Pulse X, but I don't see a gain switch anywhere on it. I thought the specs indicated switchable gain. Does it have switchable gain? It would be awesome if someone could comment quickly


----------



## labjr

The gain switching is now done in the menu settings using silver contact relays.


----------



## longbowbbs

coletrain104 said:


> I;m ready to buy the Geek Pulse X, but I don't see a gain switch anywhere on it. I thought the specs indicated switchable gain. Does it have switchable gain? It would be awesome if someone could comment quickly


 
 The volume knob clicks into a menu. There are 3 gains settings Low, medium and high.


----------



## chengka7

Thanks guys, but according to indigogo, there is no estimated delivery for Pulse and Pulse Xfi, it is also on May 2015? Then it would be too long for me, I am so bad at waiting.


----------



## head-hi

chartwell85 said:


> Geek Pulse will begin shipping November 14th.


 
  
  


chengka7 said:


> Thanks guys, but according to indigogo, there is no estimated delivery for Pulse and Pulse Xfi, it is also on May 2015? Then it would be too long for me, I am so bad at waiting.


----------



## eliwankenobi

The shipping of units in november are for the original campaign backers


----------



## Ranza

Just read the trade up program over and didn't quite get it....hmm...for example, I backed my Geek Pulse Xfi last year and now I want to trade it for a Geek Soul Xfi, the amount 488$ deposist is all I need to pay for, ( shipping cost will be separate ) or anything else ?
 And is there any limited time to use Geek Pulse until you decide to trade it ? I guess we will all have our Geek Pulse before Christmas but release date for Geek Soul is around May 2015 ( hope so ), so we have 6 months to use it whatever we want, and then send it back to LHLabs to get a new Geek Soul ? ( Maybe the inner part is the same, we only get a new chassic and a LPS for god sake ? )
 Sorry for asking too much....oh and Geek Soul will have a fixed voltage or we can switch it ? I will hate it if I need a step up/down transformer....that thing is heavy as ****.


----------



## deathson

ranza said:


> Just read the trade up program over and didn't quite get it....hmm...for example, I backed my Geek Pulse Xfi last year and now I want to trade it for a Geek Soul Xfi, the amount 488$ deposist is all I need to pay for, ( shipping cost will be separate ) or anything else ?
> And is there any limited time to use Geek Pulse until you decide to trade it ? I guess we will all have our Geek Pulse before Christmas but release date for Geek Soul is around May 2015 ( hope so ), so we have 6 months to use it whatever we want, and then send it back to LHLabs to get a new Geek Soul ? ( Maybe the inner part is the same, we only get a new chassic and a LPS for god sake ? )
> Sorry for asking too much....oh and Geek Soul will have a fixed voltage or we can switch it ? I will hate it if I need a step up/down transformer....that thing is heavy as ****.


 
  
 Hi, Ranza
 The upgarde perk $488 of soul xfi, it just a first payment, you need to do down payment via Paypal.
 Down payment Formula of Upgrade Soul Xfi : GeekForceOnly Price $1699 - [ (Geek Pulse / LPS / LPS4 IGG 1st/2nd CONTRIBUTE total) X 120%] - [First Payment $488] = [Down Payment]
  
 In my understand, shipping cost will separate~ And then Trade in period will be available a long time, but the GeekForecOnly Price will available how long I didn't know....


----------



## Ranza

Thank you....hmm...is the perk Geek Pulse + Geek Out Bundle also count ? I backed it before for a Geek Pulse and Geek Out with only 199$ for each, good deal ( Although I had to went back my old address to received my Geek Out )


----------



## deathson

I think it need to open a ticket to ask LHLabs support team for Pulse + Out combo package trade-in problem


----------



## mcullinan

Im eyeing the Geek Soul. Its just a DAC? Is it the same DAC in the Pulse plus tubes?
 M


----------



## MikeyFresh

ranza said:


> Thank you....hmm...is the perk Geek Pulse + Geek Out Bundle also count ? I backed it before for a Geek Pulse and Geek Out with only 199$ for each, good deal ( Although I had to went back my old address to received my Geek Out )


 
  
 I believe LH Labs have said they will only credit the Pulse itself, and not the Geek Out part of that bundle.


----------



## eac3

Quote:


ranza said:


> so we have 6 months to use it [Geek Pulse Xfi and/or LPS/4] whatever we want, and then send it back to LHLabs to get a new Geek Soul ?



  
 Yes, at your own expense.
  
 Quote:


ranza said:


> ( Maybe the inner part is the same, we only get a new chassic and a LPS for god sake ? )


 
 ​
 Yeah, pretty much. 
  

A new heat and air-flow optimized T-6061 Aluminum chassis with non-parallel walls that was inspired by Da Vinci DAC's industrial design.
An ultra-low-noise bipolar power circuit.

 Not sure if the second point is brought in from the LPS or not.


----------



## jexby

mcullinan said:


> Im eyeing the Geek Soul. Its just a DAC? Is it the same DAC in the Pulse plus tubes?
> M




Soul is more than just a DAC, it's an all-in-one chassis containing:
the DAC + Headphone Amp (solid state), LPS, balanced output (solid state) and single-ended outputs (SS in Geek Soul or Tubes in Geek Soul Tube).

(corrected many posts from now)


----------



## germay0653

jexby said:


> Soul is more than just a DAC, it's an all-in-one chassis containing:
> the DAC + Headphone Amp (solid state), LPS, balanced ouput (tube optional or solid state based on your purchase) and single-ended outputs (solid state).
> 
> believe I have the order right as to which outputs have the tube stage....
> ...


 

 Geek Soul Tube:
  
 From IGG page
*Geek Soul Tube*
 Tube lover, eh? Yeah, you are. What we've done here is replaced the single-ended output from Geek Soul Xfi with a *single-ended no-negative feedback tube buffer stage*.
  
 Larry has indicated that the Balanced XLR output, on the Soul Tube, will be solid state just like the Soul Xfi and Pulse Xfi so on the Soul Tube version.
  

07 Nov 2014 01:28  
Larry Ho



  Geek Soul, to Tube or not ?! 
 And one thing I don't know if I write clearly enough here:

 Geek Soul Tube will give you the flexibility of both Solid State and Tube. Matching SS with Balance and Tubes with SE is the way to go. If you don't like the tube, you could un-plug it and using balance out of Geek Soul Tube, no problem.
 And vise versa. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Also, I want to confirm that again. In SQ point of view, Geek Soul X fi will be exactly the same like Geek Pulse X fi.

 Cheers,
 Larry


  
 Single Ended RCAs = Tube Output
 Balanced XLRs = Solid State Output


----------



## jwong

Am I the only one who just wants my plain vanilla Pulse? You know, the original idea of a good quality DAC and headphone amp for a reasonable price? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 It's now been over a year since I put up my cash, and I'm hoping they'll actually ship soon. I'll leave the fancy $2K tube models to those of fatter pocketbooks and more rarified ears....


----------



## jexby

jwong,

The good news for you is the simple vanilla Pulse is the model destined to start shipping Nov 14.


----------



## krikor

jwong said:


> Am I the only one who just wants my plain vanilla Pulse? You know, the original idea of a good quality DAC and headphone amp for a reasonable price?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nope, you are not the only one. I don't know how, but I was able to resist the urge to take advantage of the seemingly endless stream of upgrades and perks.


----------



## jwong

jexby said:


> jwong,
> 
> The good news for you is the simple vanilla Pulse is the model destined to start shipping Nov 14.


 
  
 I certainly hope that is the case! The post on the forum about still needing a screw and a sticker makes me wonder...


----------



## jwong

krikor said:


> Nope, you are not the only one. I don't know how, but I was able to resist the urge to take advantage of the seemingly endless stream of upgrades and perks.


 
  
 Ah, greetings fellow holdout! I must admit I got pretty tempted a few times along the way as well.


----------



## miceblue

jwong said:


> I certainly hope that is the case! The post on the forum about still needing a screw and a sticker makes me wonder...



Sticker? I certainly hope it's not one of these stickers...they annoy the heck out of me.






Or maybe one of those Windows computer stickers lol


----------



## Muinarc

Some people like stickers. You have seen those laptops around school I'm sure miceblue. Put some rainbow and star stickers on your pulse and LPS!


----------



## No_One411

muinarc said:


> Some people like stickers. You have seen those laptops around school I'm sure miceblue. Put some rainbow and star stickers on your pulse and LPS!


 
 I have a Apple sticker on my Lenovo laptop, and it annoys people to no end.


----------



## walfredo

jwong said:


> Am I the only one who just wants my plain vanilla Pulse? You know, the original idea of a good quality DAC and headphone amp for a reasonable price?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I am with youn, man.  I just want a vanilla pulse.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Geek Soul prototyping...
  
 No surface finish yet, rougly milled.
  




  
 With Larry and Kayla (designer)


----------



## uncola

The chassis does look pretty cool, if I was a high roller I'd have upgraded already


----------



## CanDude

Note that Geek Soul will not have a SE headphone output, and the balanced headphone output may be placed on the side or even on the back since Geek Soul is not primarily targeted for headphone listening.


----------



## miceblue

candude said:


> Note that Geek Soul will not have a SE headphone output, and the balanced headphone output may be placed on the side or even on the back since Geek Soul is not primarily targeted for headphone listening.



Wait really? At one point I was considering jumping the gun on the Pulse Soul Tube. Now I'm really glad I didn't because this whole time I thought they were just replacing the solid state single-ended headphone/line out amplification section with the tube stage buffer.

I kept asking what the tube output buffer actually means and no one answered me. I thought it was just replacing the Class A amplifier section.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Wait really? At one point I was considering jumping the gun on the Pulse Soul Tube. Now I'm really glad I didn't because this whole time I thought they were just replacing the solid state single-ended headphone/line out amplification section with the tube stage buffer.
> 
> I kept asking what the tube output buffer actually means and no one answered me. I thought it was just replacing the Class A amplifier section.


 
  
 I'm waiting for the standalone tube buffer stage for my Pulse Xfi. I'm happy that I have the LPS4 coming because it should power the tube buffer stage as well.


----------



## frank2908

on the first picture of indiegogo, i thouth the tube version of Geek soul would have the tubes hidden away, but on these new prototype, one of them has 2 holes cutout for the tube to protrude. I think it will be the best looking amp out there (with tube), too bad cannot afford the upgrade


----------



## head-hi

Get ready to open your wallet, people.


----------



## dclaz

The new Geek Pulse + HifiMAN HE-560 - $968 combo is amazing value.
  
 Wish I could add the cans to my existing Pulse Xfi order.


----------



## bhazard

dclaz said:


> The new Geek Pulse + HifiMAN HE-560 - $968 combo is amazing value.
> 
> Wish I could add the cans to my existing Pulse Xfi order.




Oh man I'd love that too.


----------



## jexby

head-hi said:


> Get ready to open your wallet, people.


 
  
 HiFiman bundles go up on IGG at 9am Nov 11.
 un. real.


----------



## miceblue

dclaz said:


> The new Geek Pulse + HifiMAN HE-560 - $968 combo is amazing value.
> 
> Wish I could add the cans to my existing Pulse Xfi order.



Holy moley. The HE-560 alone is $900! At that price, that bundle is an absolute steal, literally.


----------



## head-hi

And my wife just found my Alpha Prime box. This schiit never stops.


----------



## jexby

to clarify which line-outs get the Tubes, answer = Single Ended.
  
 From Larry H tonight on the LHLabs forums:
  


> [Corrected Version]
> 
> * Geek Pulse Xfi
> DAC IC --> Analog Stage 1: IV --> Analog Stage 2: Gain & Analog LPF --> Analog Stage 3 #1: Balance Output buffer via OpAmps (LME49990). Analog Stage 3#2: Single Ended output via OpAmps (OPA827).
> ...


----------



## miceblue

Oh just F.Y.I. for anyone else who might be interested, since I was a backer from the first Pulse campaign, the upgrade price from the second LightSpeed 1G cable to the 2G was only $100 to match the original campaign price of $159 instead of the revamped one of $259, which is nice.


----------



## LargoCantabile

jexby said:


> HiFiman bundles go up on IGG at 9am Nov 11.
> un. real.


 

 Why would Lh Labs bundle with a competitor to their own DAP Wave?
 Which IGG URL?


----------



## taz23

largocantabile said:


> Why would Lh Labs bundle with a competitor to their own DAP Wave?
> Which IGG URL?




HE-560 is a headphone, not a DAP.
Hope this helps.


----------



## kothganesh

taz23 said:


> HE-560 is a headphone, not a DAP.
> Hope this helps.


 
 I don't think he was referring to the 560. HFM makes their own DAPs and hence a perceived competitor to LH.


----------



## Anaximandros

Why shouldn't they bundle up? Publicity for both of them.


----------



## taz23

kothganesh said:


> I don't think he was referring to the 560. HFM makes their own DAPs and hence a perceived competitor to LH.




I believe I read that Larry bought a HE-560 to pair with the Pulse. Perhaps the bundle is because of their great synergy.


----------



## eliwankenobi

miceblue said:


> Oh just F.Y.I. for anyone else who might be interested, since I was a backer from the first Pulse campaign, the upgrade price from the second LightSpeed 1G cable to the 2G was only $100 to match the original campaign price of $159 instead of the revamped one of $259, which is nice.




Did you open a support ticket for the upgrade?


----------



## kothganesh

taz23 said:


> I believe I read that Larry bought a HE-560 to pair with the Pulse. Perhaps the bundle is because of their great synergy.


 

 Yes, I think I read the same as well.


----------



## krikor

Since my browser keeps crashing every time I try to post a question at the LHLabs forum, I'll post these questions regarding the HiFiMan package deals here. Just want to make sure there are not surprises if I take advantage of one of these deals.
  

I assume any of the package deal orders go to the back of the shipping queue, correct? Seems obvious and fair.
What is the expected ship date of these packages? Not clear when new orders will be shipped.
Will ordering one of these packages affect my place in the shipping queue for any previous Pulse order? I would think not, but...
And the big one - can I have the HiFiMan headphones shipped with a previous Pulse order so that I can begin listening right away? Probably not, but I have to ask


----------



## germay0653

head-hi said:


> And my wife just found my Alpha Prime box. This schiit never stops.


 

 You're in deep without a paddle, aren't you?


----------



## labjr

Is LH Labs turning into QVC!
  
 Enough already! Time to start delivering some of the goods!


----------



## jexby

labjr said:


> Is LH Labs turning into QVC!
> 
> Enough already! Time need to start delivering some of the goods!


 
  
  
 This isn't a new product launch, so I have no idea why you are complaining.
  
 LPS have already started shipping to some (if they didn't chose Soul upgrades) and in 3 days the vanilla Pulse start shipping out as well.
  
  
 the reactions about shipping delays are warranted somewhat if you bought in during the early days, but folks need to settle down.
 it's not like LH labs is the worlds only supplier of oxygen and we all die if they don't deliver today.


----------



## Semont

Where can I purchase one?
  
 I see their indiegogo page...
  
 But which one should I get..?
  
 Edit: What! I already have the He400i but they're offering the 560 + the Geek pulse for the price of a 560?
  
 WHAT
  
 Augh they're all so expensive. My wallet can't handle it.


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> Oh just F.Y.I. for anyone else who might be interested, since I was a backer from the first Pulse campaign, the upgrade price from the second LightSpeed 1G cable to the 2G was only $100 to match the original campaign price of $159 instead of the revamped one of $259, which is nice.


 
 Do you remember the price of a 2m 2G cable. I got the 2m 1G cable.
  
 Also, I assume you opened a ticket to request this upgrade?


----------



## miceblue

eac3 said:


> Do you remember the price of a 2m 2G cable. I got the 2m 1G cable.
> 
> Also, I assume you opened a ticket to request this upgrade?



Hm, no I don't unfortunately. If you open a new support ticket about it, they'll likely respond back.
I actually didn't specify the length when I sent an inquiry about it, but I'm assuming that since I backed the 1 meter 1G cable, I'd probably want to upgrade to the 1 meter 2G cable.


----------



## AxelCloris

From Casey:
  


> Faithful Geek Pulse & LPS Backers,
> 
> The time has come, we are about to start shipping Geek Pulse this Friday, November 14th. If you haven’t already, please head over to www.LHLabs.com/tracking to confirm your shipping address so we can get the ball rolling on delivering your much anticipated gear. By visiting the link above, you’ll also have the ability to place a hold on shipping your Geek Pulse/LPS if you’ve already backed and wish to wait for the upgrade to Geek Soul.
> 
> ...


----------



## coletrain104

axelcloris said:


> From Casey:


 

 I tried to use the link, but I never answered a survey about the Pulse, and when I ask it to send my password (which I never made, because I didn't do the survey) to my email, I don't get anything (have waited a whole day). I want mine to ship ASAP and I don't want to upgrade to the soul, but idk how to let them know


----------



## AxelCloris

When did you back the Pulse?


----------



## Boban85

I simply couldn't resist, borrowed money from a bunch of friends and pulled the plug on the Pulse & HE-560 bundle... I just hope my wife will understand...
  
 I am currently enjoying a Sony MDR-900 from an Asus Xonar DX and think the new gear should make a noticeable improvement. Thanks for all the info and interesting posts from all the gang here at head-fi, it really helped me and I learned a lot from you guys (except how to resist temptation). And don't worry, when my wife kills me tomorrow I won't mention any head-fier names  
  
 Also, does anyone know if the bundle can be upgraded to Pulse X (this hobby really suck you in, doesn't it) and when it will ship?


----------



## coletrain104

axelcloris said:


> When did you back the Pulse?


 I backed it about a week ago, but the quote above makes it sound like all contributors who want their pulse to arrive sooner (I know it won't be soon) should go to the tracking page /confirm that they won't be upgrading to the Soul


----------



## eac3

It seems like the Geek Pulse X are delayed for another 2 weeks now according to the latest IGG update.


----------



## AxelCloris

You won't have received a survey yet so you shouldn't be able to log into the tracking link. The survey that's been mentioned was only for backers of the first and second Pulse campaigns. Backers who joined during the current Forever Funding campaign won't be receiving a survey until later. Since you joined during the current campaign I'd expect that you would get a survey some time after the campaign ends, but I wouldn't expect it to be immediately afterwards; probably February of March. It's going to be some time before the current campaign ships since they have a lot to get through from the previous campaigns. Since you're not really on the list yet there's no reason to confirm if you're going to need LHLabs to hold back the Pulse or send it when it's ready. After all, you could simply back the full Soul itself during the campaign if you wanted it.


----------



## RingingEars

I just got in on the pulse+HE-400i deal.
 I wanted to try the 400i and I'm on the hunt for dacs so win-win


----------



## RingingEars

Also does the bundle ship together or separate? No biggie either way. April/May will be here soon enough


----------



## Larry Ho

According to Gavin an Casey. We will ship out Hifiman separately... 
  
 Larry


----------



## Larry Ho

boban85 said:


> I simply couldn't resist, borrowed money from a bunch of friends and pulled the plug on the Pulse & HE-560 bundle... I just hope my wife will understand...
> 
> I am currently enjoying a Sony MDR-900 from an Asus Xonar DX and think the new gear should make a noticeable improvement. Thanks for all the info and interesting posts from all the gang here at head-fi, it really helped me and I learned a lot from you guys (except how to resist temptation). And don't worry, when my wife kills me tomorrow I won't mention any head-fier names
> 
> Also, does anyone know if the bundle can be upgraded to Pulse X (this hobby really suck you in, doesn't it) and when it will ship?


 

 Yes. You could upgrade your Geek Pulse to Xfi.
  
 Also, thank you for being a user of Xonar series. And actually that is part of my previous team's great work 6 years ago.


----------



## RingingEars

larry ho said:


> According to Gavin an Casey. We will ship out Hifiman separately...
> 
> Larry


 
 Great thanks Larry


----------



## Semont

Wait. What is the geek pulse?
  

  
 This or
  

  
 This?
  
 I've seen them both being referred to as the Geek Pulse.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It's then (before IGG) and now (after crowd designing/inputs from backers). 

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## AxelCloris

The second design is the final Pulse. The first design was the image when they launched, but you won't be getting anything resembling that.


----------



## LargoCantabile

Re Customs and Tax issues for Overseas Backers.
  
 In two other IGG campaigns I have "backed" I have received the following the notice which implies that becasue one was a backer not a buyer, what one gave the Campaign Producer was a GIFT and hence the object received is not taxable by international Law. If so then products we receive from rather expensive individual campaign backings should also this be exempt from local customs duties which seems to depend on what is filled in on the mailing form.. See message below as an example from other IGG Campaign Owners:
 QUOTE
"For contributors outside the US, we have now shipped almost _x number of_ perks. We know many of you have received messages from UPS asking for duty and tax; this was not our intention. As you know, you did not purchase a product from us. Instead, you contributed to our campaign and to show our thanks, we are providing you with a gift.
Unfortunately while working with UPS to fulfill our international perks, the spreadsheet cell showing amount contributed was added to the UPS invoice as the dollar value of the box contents. And, the check box with the option to *Bill Duty and Tax to Receiver* was checked instead of left blank so we could assume these charges.
We take full responsibility for these issues and if you are willing to cover the duty and taxes to get your box that is wonderful and we will consider it an additional part of your contribution. But, if you want us to pay duty and customs as was expected, please send a receipt with your costs to support@_X._com so we can send you the amount via PayPal.  All additional non-US orders will be marked as *Bill Duty and Tax to Sender.*: END QUOTE Whether the campaign backers actually end up having to pay import tax I don't know, but maybe *not* if this whole thing is a backer/gift structure rather than a purchase.
And indeed this has been the case with the other campaign products not from LH Labs I have already received on which I paid no import duty tax or was asked for any. product was just delivered into my hands at my home by TNT in those cases. I mention this as in fact I have declined to join in some of the GEEK PRODUCT campaign perks after joining one because I calculated that  it would cost me too much in local duty in addition to the product however eager and hungry I was for it.


----------



## Ranza

Nice, was worried if I needed to paid the tax or not....in Japan, import taxes, especially electronics hit you hard in the face.


----------



## pedalhead

International Geek Out backers (including me) have been charged import duties...frankly, as I expected would be the case.  Clearly this isn't the case with some other campaigns...and I suppose simply boils down to how the items are declared at time of shipment. This does rather sound like a loophole that's waiting to be closed by recipient countries' customs policies 
  
 Perhaps you could raise the issue on the LH Labs forum?


----------



## smial1966

I don't think we should assume that importing our Pulse units (into countries where punitive import taxes are applied) will NOT incur additional charges. As whether import duty is levied depends on how the packages export documentation is written and how the customs department interpret it. In my experience UK Customs invariably ignore what's written in the export paperwork description field and instead look at the numerical value of the item. Thus I've even been charged import tax on a warranty repair that I'd already paid duty on as the manufacturer inadvertently wrote the full retail value of the item on the packages paperwork. 
  
 Unless LH Labs assign a low value to the Pulse of $20 USD or less UK customers can expect to pay import tax/fees of around 30% 
  
 Quote:


ranza said:


> Nice, was worried if I needed to paid the tax or not....in Japan, import taxes, especially electronics hit you hard in the face.


----------



## mandrake50

larry ho said:


> According to Gavin an Casey. We will ship out Hifiman separately...
> 
> Larry




This is quite good to know. I backed the limited Pulse and HE 560 bundle as well. It would be really great to get the 560 to listen to while waiting for my Wave and Pulse!

Thanks Larry!


----------



## lsh12

No real competition between HiFiMan and LH Labs atm. HiFiMan does have a couple decent DAPs, but portables are not desktop/system-component level DACs, and the Wave is several months out. Until then, there's money to be made on headphones (and maybe some of us who back one of the LH bundles will buy a HiFiMan DAP once we hear how great the phones are).


----------



## Boban85

larry ho said:


> Yes. You could upgrade your Geek Pulse to Xfi.
> 
> Also, thank you for being a user of Xonar series. And actually that is part of my previous team's great work 6 years ago.


 
  
 Larry, thank you for clarifying that.
  
 It seems I have been unwittingly following you audio exploits since days past. Thank you and keep up the good work. 
  
  


ranza said:


> Nice, was worried if I needed to paid the tax or not....in Japan, import taxes, especially electronics hit you hard in the face.


 
  
 Ranza, do you know the exact amount/percentage of import fees/taxes one would pay for having a pulse delivered in Japan? I am thinking of having it shipped to Japan and then have a friend bring it to me, since I'll have to pay taxes and fees between 40% and 50% from the value of the product in my home country, which is a robbery. Thank you.
  
  


mandrake50 said:


> This is quite good to know. I backed the limited Pulse and HE 560 bundle as well. It would be really great to get the 560 to listen to while waiting for my Wave and Pulse!
> 
> Thanks Larry!


 
  
 Mandrake, that was quite the deal, wasn't it  Now, I am tempted to upgrade to Pulse X for additional $288 and call it a day.


----------



## miceblue

Interesting. I just discovered this DAC and they publish AudioPrecision measurements like the Geek Pulse:
http://www.exasound.com/e20/e20Measurements.aspx

Does anyone know how to get the exaSound software without having to purchase one of their DACs? Apparently it has a mode called Mac ASIO:
http://www.exasound.com/Blog/tabid/74/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/139/DSD-256-Available-on-Mac-for-the-First-Time.aspx


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> Interesting. I just discovered this DAC and they publish AudioPrecision measurements like the Geek Pulse:
> http://www.exasound.com/e20/e20Measurements.aspx
> 
> Does anyone know how to get the exaSound software without having to purchase one of their DACs? Apparently it has a mode called Mac ASIO:
> http://www.exasound.com/Blog/tabid/74/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/139/DSD-256-Available-on-Mac-for-the-First-Time.aspx


 
  
 This?
  
 http://www.exasound.com/Blog/tabid/74/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/155/Decibel-13--The-First-Audiophile-Player-with-Mac-OS-X-ASIO-Support.aspx


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Exasound was one of my very shortlist when someone shopping for a DAC. Jumped to Geek Out/Pulse mainly due to Larry's success on Da Vinci. 

Sent thru my Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 ed.) using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## miceblue

eac3 said:


> This?
> 
> http://www.exasound.com/Blog/tabid/74/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/155/Decibel-13--The-First-Audiophile-Player-with-Mac-OS-X-ASIO-Support.aspx



Oh wow, I didn't know Decibel supports the Mac ASIO pathway. Very interesting. Thanks for pointing that out!
Right now I'm using Audirvana Plus 1.5, which works just fine for my needs, but it doesn't support DSD256 (A+ 2.0 has untested support for it) and I don't know what methods it uses for DSD playback, whether it's DoP or ASIO. It looks like it's DSD over PCM (DoP).

Not that I need DSD256 support since I have a whopping 2 files that are in that format, but it just makes it a bit more future-proof-ish. I don't even know if the Geek Pulse is going to support DSD256 in future firmware updates.


----------



## DoctaCosmos

Couldn't pull the trigger this morning when I initially saw the email as I had to have the wife's ok first lol. I informed her of how much I would be saving and how I could sell my other gear to which she said ok.  Im afraid it's more than likely to late isn't it?


----------



## RingingEars

doctacosmos said:


> Couldn't pull the trigger this morning when I initially saw the email as I had to have the wife's ok first lol. I informed her of how much I would be saving and how I could sell my other gear to which she said ok.  Im afraid it's more than likely to late isn't it?


 
 What do you mean? Too late to get in on the dac or to upgrade an existing order?
 You can still get in on one of the dac deals/combos. I just joined last night


----------



## mandrake50

ringingears said:


> What do you mean? Too late to get in on the dac or to upgrade an existing order?
> You can still get in on one of the dac deals/combos. I just joined last night


 

 Maybe he was talking about the Pulse/560 package? If so, that was limited to 20 sets. They are gone.
 Other deals, such as the Geek Force $399 for the Pulse is still out there last I checked. Other deals too...
 If one is interested.


----------



## RingingEars

mandrake50 said:


> Maybe he was talking about the Pulse/560 package? If so, that was limited to 20 sets. They are gone.
> Other deals, such as the Geek Force $399 for the Pulse is still out there last I checked. Other deals too...
> If one is interested.


 
 That was good deal.... Maybe they bring it back?


----------



## chartwell85

ringingears said:


> That was good deal.... Maybe they bring it back?


 
 It was limited to 20 only.  We're not going to be adding anymore.  But there are still a few other HE-400i bundle deals to be had.....These are some sweet combos!!


----------



## zellhy

For the HE400I + Geek Pulse deal, does it include international shipping/ duty payments too?


----------



## eac3

zellhy said:


> For the HE400I + Geek Pulse deal, does it include international shipping/ duty payments too?


 
  
 No, I don't _think _so.


----------



## RingingEars

I know a few of you have got to demo the pulse.
 My Teac ud-501 showed up today. I sounds pretty darn good. Any of you that have heard the pulse also heard the teac? can you tell me what you think of both? 
 I want an honest, no holds barred opinion.


----------



## RingingEars

zellhy said:


> For the HE400I + Geek Pulse deal, does it include international shipping/ duty payments too?


 
 I think I read that they will send a separate email with a shipping quote when it's ready to ship...


----------



## zowki

What is the latency of the DAC in the Geek Pulse? I'm planning to use the Geek Pulse for music production and monitoring which needs very low latency.


----------



## dclaz

zowki said:


> What is the latency of the DAC in the Geek Pulse? I'm planning to use the Geek Pulse for music production and monitoring which needs very low latency.


 
 I should hope very low. I dare say a lot of us intend to use it while watching movies or playing games...


----------



## Semont

Anyone know the output impedance for the pulse? The indiegogo page says it cab drive iems so I assume it can go extremely low.


----------



## zellhy

ringingears said:


> I think I read that they will send a separate email with a shipping quote when it's ready to ship...


 
 It's that so? Then when are they shipping the units? They are shipped together as a bundle?


----------



## Boban85

zellhy said:


> It's that so? Then when are they shipping the units? They are shipped together as a bundle?


 
  
 Zellhy, they will not ship together, as Larry Ho mentioned a few pages back. Probably they will first ship the HiFiMAN's and later the Pulse, which will first be shipped to early campaign backers.


----------



## zowki

semont said:


> Anyone know the output impedance for the pulse? The indiegogo page says it cab drive iems so I assume it can go extremely low.


 
 0.47 ohm for the single ended output and 0.9 ohm for balanced output according to this PDF:
 http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/Geek_Pulse_Soul_Technology_Breakdown.pdf


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Geek Soul chassis pics....


----------



## zellhy

WOW, that's huge! But i feel it might look kind of awkward putting that on my desk. It almost looks like transfomer-ish. Or even an UFO


----------



## miceblue

Woah, that looks incredibly nice! Too bad it can't fit on my desk though, as mentioned ^.

Here's for hoping that the non-Soul units can get some sort of aesthetic makeover since the Soul makes the Pulse look like a cheap audio product. >.>


Say, whatever happened to the idea of having LEDs around the volume knob for volume level indication? There was quite a large discussion about that both in terms of how it'll be implemented and how it'll be incorporated into the design. It just disappeared off the face of the earth as far as I'm concerned. Something like this:


----------



## germay0653

Kayla, Gavin, Casey and Larry have been placed in the Phantom Zone!


----------



## RingingEars

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Geek Soul chassis pics....
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 Wow. I don't know about putting that on my desk next to my headphone amp, but it would look great in TOTL 2 ch rig...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Geek Soul is optimized for rack based systems. For desktop we have Geek Pulse. 

In fact Larry said Pulse+LPS and Pulse Xfi+LPS has very little difference to Geek Soul and Soul Xfi respectively. Only Soul Tube with its TBO is different. But again it depends on preferences... 

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## RingingEars

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Geek Soul is optimized for rack based systems. For desktop we have Geek Pulse.
> 
> In fact Larry said Pulse+LPS and Pulse Xfi+LPS has very little difference to Geek Soul and Soul Xfi respectively. Only Soul Tube with its TBO is different. But again it depends on preferences...
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


 
 Thanks Mickey. 
 I have the Pulse on order. I'm going to have to look into the LPS...


----------



## lsh12

Got Xfi versions of both Pulse and Soul coming, one for the office and the other for the entertainment system. Before the Pulse's look changed from post-modern dynamic to plain brick, I'd planned on it taking up some desk space, but now will put it on a shelf in the return next to the desk. Yeah, I like unusual shapes -- one of the reasons the current Soul design attracts me.

I'm a bit torn, though, about where to put the Soul -- it rightfully belongs top center of the console rack where my preamp/controller now sits, but don't think I'll enjoy the wild reflections when the big screen above is turned on. So, either put it on the shelf below the preamp/controller or put it on top and cover it with a black cloth


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> Here's for hoping that the non-Soul units can get some sort of aesthetic makeover since the Soul makes the Pulse look like a cheap audio product. >.>
> 
> 
> Say, whatever happened to the idea of having LEDs around the volume knob for volume level indication? There was quite a large discussion about that both in terms of how it'll be implemented and how it'll be incorporated into the design. It just disappeared off the face of the earth as far as I'm concerned. Something like this:


 
  
 If LH labs is listening..... again, it would be nice to offer a trade-up option for a redesigned chassis for the Pulse even if it means shelling out additional funds at a reasonable cost.


----------



## Anaximandros

I am going to cover the Soul, if it's going to be that shiny for retail. Can't stand reflections and I have background lighting behind my couch and passive lighting under my couch table


----------



## mcullinan

I have to agree. Reminds me of the BattleStar Galactica Cylons. 

 What about a matte striated metal black


----------



## uncola

The soul looks amazing with the mirror finish.  Anyone need a kidney?  Or an immortal soul?
 I just ordered a 48mmx22mm volume knob to try knob rolling when my pulse x gets here.  Willing to sacrifice remote functionality since it will be on my desk.  If I move it to my rack I'll just swap knobs back


----------



## RingingEars

Maybe this was already addressed in this thread, but do you get any kind of confirmation from LH? I got one from indiegogo, but nothing from LH.


----------



## lsh12

The Indiegogo confirmation is your receipt. Probably won't hear from LH Labs until closer to shipping. They have a process they call the "survey" where you'll get a chance to verify your shipping address and the configuration of stuff you've ordered, and perhaps add to the order. If you think you've ordered the wrong thing, missed an upgrade, or have some other problem, you can join the Geek forums at http://www.lhlabs.com/createanaccount.html and open a trouble ticket.


----------



## RingingEars

lsh12 said:


> The Indiegogo confirmation is your receipt. Probably won't hear from LH Labs until closer to shipping. They have a process they call the "survey" where you'll get a chance to verify your shipping address and the configuration of stuff you've ordered, and perhaps add to the order. If you think you've ordered the wrong thing, missed an upgrade, or have some other problem, you can join the Geek forums at http://www.lhlabs.com/createanaccount.html and open a trouble ticket.


 
 Nope no trouble at all. 
 You actually answered two questions for me. Thanks.
 I may actually add an LPS to it


----------



## lsh12

If you've only ordered a Soul, the LPS is built in, but if you ordered a Pulse (any version), adding an LPS or LPS4 is a good idea. There may be additional devices coming that will take advantage of the ultraclean 12VDC out from the LPS/LPS4, but it's hard to tell with the info given in their current product roadmap.


----------



## Verloren

lsh12 said:


> If you've only ordered a Soul, the LPS is built in, but if you ordered a Pulse (any version), adding an LPS or LPS4 is a good idea. There may be additional devices coming that will take advantage of the* ultraclean 12VDC out from the LPS/LPS4, but it's hard to tell with the info given in their current product roadmap.*


 
  
 This part is what has me thinking about whether to go for a LPS4 or save the money with the regular LPS right now.


----------



## jexby

verloren said:


> This part is what has me thinking about whether to go for a LPS4 or save the money with the regular LPS right now.


 
  
 Larry has stated that any upcoming dedicated headphone amp (tubes)
 (NOT Soul!)
 would be a great candidate to connect to the LPS4 also.
  
 no LPS for my Xfi as of now.
 hopefully an LPS4 in the future somehow.


----------



## FayeForever

I personally would prefer a tube amp with a proper transformer instead of taking 12v dc in. Also I am not so sure the output current ability of lps4 could cover the tube amp.


----------



## Larry Ho

fayeforever said:


> I personally would prefer a tube amp with a proper transformer instead of taking 12v dc in. Also I am not so sure the output current ability of lps4 could cover the tube amp.


 

 Yes. LPS4 could cover our tube buffer nicely...


----------



## Boban85

Guys, if someone is still interested in those Pulse + HE-560 bundles for $968 [I got mine ], make sure you visit the indiegogo page 9AM 14th of November PST - a perk will be waiting for you for a period of 24 hours only.


----------



## cupofjoe

Would love to know when the 20 HE-560 heaphones from bundles that were first ordered will be shipped.  I read where Larry responded that they wold be shipped first, but no date was provided.  t's not like we have to wait for a build on those so they should go out right away.


----------



## Boban85

cupofjoe said:


> Would love to know when the 20 HE-560 heaphones from bundles that were first ordered will be shipped.  I read where Larry responded that they wold be shipped first, but no date was provided.  t's not like we have to wait for a build on those so they should go out right away.


 
  
 Casey from LH Labs mentioned yesterday that he is trying to schedule the headphones to be shipped right away.


----------



## cupofjoe

Great news, Thanks!  The early shipment from Larry prompted me to place my order, otherwise I would've waited for a black friday deal elsewhere.  All I saw was Larry's comment, but none from Casey.   Can you post a link to that conversation so I can follow it for updates also.  I looked on the LHlabs forum but didn't see anything.  I can't wait to listen to the He-560.


----------



## Boban85

cupofjoe said:


> Great news, Thanks!  The early shipment from Larry prompted me to place my order, otherwise I would've waited for a black friday deal elsewhere.  All I saw was Larry's comment, but none from Casey.   Can you post a link to that conversation so I can follow it for updates also.  I looked on the LHlabs forum but didn't see anything.  I can't wait to listen to the He-560.


 
  
 Cupofjoe, you can find the comment on the Comments page of the Pulse Indiegogo campaign. Just scroll down a few times and you can see Casey's comment from 1 day ago. I am eagerly anticipating the HE-560 as well


----------



## chartwell85

We just posted a bundle deal for the HE-560's paired with Geek Pulse Headphone Amplifier & DAC for the all in one price of $968
  
 The bundle deal is only active for 24 hours starting at 9AM PST, November 14th 2014.  
  
 Give er' a look: http://bit.ly/HE560GeekPulse


----------



## chartwell85

Looking to get the headphones shipped out this December once we have a final order total.  I'm looking forward to getting my own pair as well


----------



## Muinarc

Did LH make the deadline to start shipping Pulses today? Fingers crossed that people start receiving shipping notifications soon.


----------



## q2klepto

Geek Pulse is that top box? DAC + 3000mW amp?  I already have the 400i which i got for $395 from razor dog..but damn the $698USD for both is even sweeter...
  
 I wonder how it compares to Project Ember or Lyr 2


----------



## RingingEars

chartwell85 said:


> Looking to get the headphones shipped out this December once we have a final order total.  I'm looking forward to getting my own pair as well


 
 Awesome news. I'm really interested to hear these. I've never owned a planar headphone.
 I was looking at the 400i a couple months ago when I started to piece together a new rig. Then I looked at the 560 then the LCD-2 and it kept escalating up to the HD800 
 I still want to try a planar though. The Pulse+400i deal was perfect timing...


----------



## walfredo

So, is it really shipping today?


----------



## chartwell85

Pulse is shipping today.  I'll post pictures ASAP.


----------



## Clemmaster

What is the expected shipping date for the recent Hifiman package deal?


----------



## chartwell85

December 2014


----------



## chartwell85

Hey guys,
  
 Here's a quick tutorial on using Geek LPS with Geek Pulse & Geek Out.


----------



## Clemmaster

chartwell85 said:


> December 2014



Thanks. Does that include the pulse, too? Or the headphones only?


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> December 2014


 
 if i missed it, my apologies , but what about the pulse x/f/i ?


----------



## chartwell85

clemmaster said:


> Thanks. Does that include the pulse, too? Or the headphones only?


 

 Headphones only.  Geek Pulse will ship once your unit is ready.


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> if i missed it, my apologies , but what about the pulse x/f/i ?


 
  
  
 What can I help you with on it?


----------



## RingingEars

chartwell85 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Here's a quick tutorial on using Geek LPS with Geek Pulse & Geek Out.
> 
> ...




 Thanks for the vid. Nice to see you using the 400i


----------



## Muinarc

Wonder who is getting the first one. Probably isn't even a Head-Fier


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> What can I help you with on it?


 
 oh,sorry, any shipping date estimate ? i know its later


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> oh,sorry, any shipping date estimate ? i know its later


 

 It will be very shortly.  Looking at about 2.5 weeks out.  Larry wants to be 100% content with the board QC.


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> It will be very shortly.  Looking at about 2.5 weeks out.  Larry wants to be 100% content with the board QC.


 
 thanks !


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> It will be very shortly.  Looking at about 2.5 weeks out.  Larry wants to be 100% content with the board QC.


 
 and lps4, and perks are going out now , correct ?


----------



## Muinarc

Well that's true longbowbbs. Here's to hoping I ordered an X early enough to have my spot in the line for shipping come up before 2014 is up.


----------



## longbowbbs

muinarc said:


> Well that's true longbowbbs. Here's to hoping I ordered an X early enough to have my spot in the line for shipping come up before 2014 is up.


 
 I had to send the review unit back, so I am in line with everyone else now. It'll be nice to have it back on the desktop!


----------



## quietstorm

Congratulations to all those who's products get shipped out today!
  
 I just got to know about Geek Pulse campaign today, so I'm rather new to this but I've already read many hours about it 
 Conclusion: I'm thinking of upgrading the sound at home with one of Geek's products and at first I thought that the Pulse at $399 would be good enough but I would like to confirm with the wise community if I'm making a good decision.
  
 I listen to music with headphones 50% of the time and with stereo sound system 50% of the time so it's important that the dac drives both systems well.

 Headphones I use: Fischer Audio FA-003, Sony MDR-V6 & Custorm Art Music Two (ciem)
 Soundsystem: Technics SU- 8600 (amp) & Olle Mirch OM 61 (speakers).
  
 At the moment, I'm using a dj controller's dac (16 bit/48 kHz) to make the stereo system's sound a little better - http://www.reloop.com/reloop-mixage-ie-mk2 
 Stereo amp (rca) -> (rca) dj controller -> usb -> macbook air (flac music files)
For headphones I sometimes use my old dacs, PA2V2 or Fiio E3.
  
Would a Geek Pulse be a good improvement to my current system ? I understand that I could use the Pulse for both hearing requirements: headphones + laptop & stereo sound system + laptop.
 Or would the Pulse be totally pointless and I should definitely be looking at some other Geek product (Pulse X etc) ?
  
 Just some images of the back of the stereo amp:
 http://images10.fotosik.pl/2786/cbfb4ec6b56eb395.jpg
 http://audio-database.com/TechnicsPanasonic/amp/su-8600-e.html


----------



## Muinarc

I would think the Pulse would be an improvement. Not many people have heard one yet since they only now just started shipping. So you connect other things to the Technics amp? If not, you might look into just the Geek Out, it would save some $$ and desk space over the Pulse. If you need the RCA outs for other equipment, then the Pulse could work well as a preamp.

The Pulse X is a balanced design and what you currently have would not take advantage of that. So only consider the X if you want to go balanced in the future.


----------



## quietstorm

muinarc said:


> I would think the Pulse would be an improvement. Not many people have heard one yet since they only now just started shipping. So you connect other things to the Technics amp? If not, you might look into just the Geek Out, it would save some $$ and desk space over the Pulse. If you need the RCA outs for other equipment, then the Pulse could work well as a preamp.
> 
> The Pulse X is a balanced design and what you currently have would not take advantage of that. So only consider the X if you want to go balanced in the future.


 
  
 Thank you very much for such a quick reply, Muinarc!
  
 Yes, I connect other equipment to the Technics when listening through my Mirsch speakers.
 Technics amp (rca) -> (rca) dj controller -> usb -> macbook air (flac music files). 
 So, along this logic, I was thinking of replacing the current dac (dj controller) with the Pulse.
  
 And to be honest, I dont use the Tehchnics when listening with headphones. It doesn't sound good. So when listening with headphones I currently just use the headphone amps (PA2V2 or Fiio E3) with my laptop.
  
 Yes, I was actually thinking about the Geek Out as well as I understood that the sound should be similar to the Pulse but it costs less. But if I'd like to make my stereo system listening experience better with the Geek Out then I guess I'd have to have Technics rca->3,5mm into the Geek Out -> usb laptop. 
 I'm still baffled when I read that the Geek Out probably sounds almost the same when compared to the Pulse. The difference being mostly in the power circuit. The USB bus powers Geek Out. A DC power circuit powers Geek Pulse. But of course, additionally, Geek Pulse has multiple digital inputs and has both a headphone output and a line stage output. 

 I don't really use all the rca out's at the same time but the idea of Pulse working as a preamp sounds interesting.
 Thank you for the Pulse X heads up. No plans for going balanced at the moment.


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Here's a quick tutorial on using Geek LPS with Geek Pulse & Geek Out.



Thanks for putting that video together. I think that helps clear some things up for people who are confused about how to hook things up (myself included).

That being said, if we ordered the LightSpeed 2G cable, which has 2 USB A connectors and 1 USB B connector, we will not need to use the umbilical cord from the LPS to the Geek Pulse, correct?


----------



## eac3

Does anyone know how much was the Geek LPS advertised at the first time around?


----------



## miceblue

eac3 said:


> Does anyone know how much was the Geek LPS advertised at the first time around?



I did the holiday package, so it was $99 + $100 + $100, or $299 total.


----------



## longbowbbs

ringingears said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > At least a Head-Fier got to play with one first!
> ...


 
 It was the X-Fi. I have the W4S DAC2 DSDse with Femto as well. It was upgraded to Femto and the Femto's definitely clean things up. The Pulse was very similar to the DAC2. Both have  the ESS Sabre 9018 chips so no surprise,


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> we will not need to use the umbilical cord from the LPS to the Geek Pulse, correct?


 
  
 The pulse needs power and a source (in this case, via USB) from my understanding. This umbilical cord provides power. So yes, you will still need it. I doubt the Pulse can be powered by USB alone.


----------



## longbowbbs

eac3 said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > we will not need to use the umbilical cord from the LPS to the Geek Pulse, correct?
> ...


 
 The Pulse either uses a Wall Wart or the LPS for power.


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> I did the holiday package, so it was $99 + $100 + $100, or $299 total.


 
  
  
 Just out of curiousity, I opened a ticket asking if they would offer the same price to an original backer....If so, then I may pick up the LPS and an extra lightspeed Jr. 
  
 Thanks.


----------



## miceblue

eac3 said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > we will not need to use the umbilical cord from the LPS to the Geek Pulse, correct?
> ...



Oh I see. That makes sense now.
LightSpeed 2G just eliminates the need for the two LightSpeed 1G-like cables and that's it.

I started a thread on the LH forums about USB cables, but maybe someone here knows the answer to a question that just came up in my mind. What does USB power have to do with anything if the USB cable being used is only meant for data transfer like from a MacBook to the LPS and from the LPS to the Pulse since the Pulse is powered by the umbilical cord in this case?

The thread I started (if you can chime in, that would help too)
http://lhlabs.com/force/lightspeed-usb/2394-how-do-usb-cable-work-for-audio-applications


----------



## uncola

I was expecting more fanfare for the shipping of the Pulse!  LPS got a party.  I'm sure we'll have some impressions and pics up as they start getting delivered soon


----------



## eac3

Lightspeed 2G connects to Pulse, and then splits: 1 going to the LPS (for providing power) and the other to the PC, providing Data.
  
 With that in mind, a quick question: Does the data side on the Lightspeed 2G connecting to the computer..completely drop off the power line connection then? Will it not be prone to the power line at the computer. In which case, wouldn't it be better to run 2 cables since LH claims they will remove the power from the USB connection.


----------



## eac3

uncola said:


> I was expecting more fanfare for the shipping of the Pulse!  LPS got a party.  I'm sure we'll have some impressions and pics up as they start getting delivered soon


 
  
 EDIT: pure speculation below....
  
 There is probably a small minority that backed the vanilla willa pulse. Most of us probably have an upgraded version...of which the Xfi version is delayed by 2 weeks (according to Casey..2.5 weeks now).


----------



## mandrake50

eac3 said:


> There is probably a small minority that backed the vanilla willa pulse. Most of us probably have an upgraded version...of which the Xfi version is delayed by 2 weeks (according to Casey..2.5 weeks now).


 

 Just curious, do you have numbers on that? We tend to think that everyone is as obsessed with the pursuit of differences not heard by the vast majority, as we are and with the same reckless disregard for having a realistic, practical budget.
  
 The reality is that the vast majority of music lovers are not so afflicted!
 I am a realist. More than likely, IMO... vanilla is king!


----------



## nicolo

Here are the numbers:
  
 Here's what we have slated to build in the first round of production. We've padded the numbers so we have some room for failures, and so we can have review samples, etc.

 Geek Pulse: 557
 Geek Pulse /f: 76
 Geek Pulse /i: 49
 Geek Pulse /f /i: 101

 Geek Pulse S: 15
 Geek Pulse S /f: 19
 Geek Pulse S /i: 10
 Geek Pulse S /f /i: 115

 Geek Pulse X: 67
 Geek Pulse X /f: 82
 Geek Pulse X /i: 18
 Geek Pulse X /f /i: 663

 Total: 1772
  
  
 Note that the Geek Pulse S is for early IGG backers only and will not be produced for retail. It's not available on the current IGG campaign page.
  
 Here's the link:
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/1973-pulse-oled-screen-assignment#30954
  
 Edit: Forgot to mention that they are rationalizing the Pulse range to just 3 models: Geek Pulse, Geek Pulse X and Geek Pulse Xfi.
 I believe that they have sent mails to people who have ordered variants different to these 3 models, asking them to upgrade to one of these models. For example; a Pulse S buyer would be asked to upgrade to the Pulse X. Not sure how many have done so yet. So while the total number of initial backers would remain the same, the number of buyers will change for the consolidated buckets.


----------



## eac3

mandrake50 said:


> Just curious, do you have numbers on that? We tend to think that everyone is as obsessed with the pursuit of differences not heard by the vast majority, as we are and with the same reckless disregard for having a realistic, practical budget.
> I am a realist. More than likely, IMO... vanilla is king!


 
  
 Numbers on the minority you mean? Of course not! I suppose I hear more comments on the Pulse Xfi version or upgraded versions of the plain vanilla and less on those who just bought the vanilla version. 
  
 EDIT: Yup, completely wrong. Thanks nicolo


----------



## eac3

uncola said:


> I was expecting more fanfare for the shipping of the Pulse!  LPS got a party.  I'm sure we'll have some impressions and pics up as they start getting delivered soon


 
 I just reread your comment and totally read it the wrong way the first time around when replying to you....ignore that comment please


----------



## miceblue

asdf never mind


----------



## walfredo

chartwell85 said:


> Pulse is shipping today.  I'll post pictures ASAP.


 
  
 Great!  Thanks for the update.  Looking forward to receive mine.


----------



## Anaximandros

eac3 said:


> Just out of curiousity, I opened a ticket asking if they would offer the same price to an original backer....If so, then I may pick up the LPS and an extra lightspeed Jr.
> 
> Thanks.


 
 They don't I asked them the same thing. A couple of days before the Forever Funding campaign went live, they offered me the Pulse for $1199. Thats $200 more than the MSRP for the Pulse in the forever funding campaign.


----------



## Larry Ho

nicolo said:


> Here are the numbers:
> 
> Here's what we have slated to build in the first round of production. We've padded the numbers so we have some room for failures, and so we can have review samples, etc.
> 
> ...


 

 The final result is: We are making
  
 Geek Pulse
 Geek Pulse fi
 Geek Pulse S fi
 Geek Pulse X
 Geek Pulse X fi
  
 Totally five models.
 Larry


----------



## nicolo

larry ho said:


> The final result is: We are making
> 
> Geek Pulse
> Geek Pulse fi
> ...


 
  
 Hi Larry,
  
 According to the roadmap, there are only 3 Pulse models. Does that mean that the Pulse fi and Pulse S fi models will only be produced for early IGG backers and will not be produced for retail?


----------



## JoeyGS

Is the Geek Pulse /f/i also being shipped now?




chartwell85 said:


> It will be very shortly.  Looking at about 2.5 weeks out.  Larry wants to be 100% content with the board QC.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So does anyone know when the pulse Sfi's are going to be shipped?


----------



## sjp770

So ive just bought the HE560 + Geek Pulse set. quite a jump for my first high qual headphones + amp.
  
 Being that im in australia can I confirm when the headphones and amp are sent separately the customs reported value will be roughly ~$500 on each delivery and not the total invoiced amount?
  
 The reason I ask is if you send 1x package with the indiegogo reciept i'll get hit with import duties and GST.


----------



## Boban85

sjp770 said:


> So ive just bought the HE560 + Geek Pulse set. quite a jump for my first high qual headphones + amp.
> 
> Being that im in australia can I confirm when the headphones and amp are sent separately the customs reported value will be roughly ~$500 on each delivery and not the total invoiced amount?
> 
> The reason I ask is if you send 1x package with the indiegogo reciept i'll get hit with import duties and GST.


 
  
 A very good question sjp770. I also had the same thought, maybe divide the value in half or deduct from the amount of the bundle ($968) the "value" of the headphones and then when sending the Pulse declare the amount that's left (I hope I am making sense). By the way, I am in the same position as you, my previous gear cannot compare. Having high hopes


----------



## jaywillin

has anyone received their lps/lps4 yet ? i don't think i've seen anyone mention it here, i guess its off to the lhlabs forums to see !


----------



## germay0653

eac3 said:


> Lightspeed 2G connects to Pulse, and then splits: 1 going to the LPS (for providing power) and the other to the PC, providing Data.
> 
> With that in mind, a quick question: Does the data side on the Lightspeed 2G connecting to the computer..completely drop off the power line connection then? Will it not be prone to the power line at the computer. In which case, wouldn't it be better to run 2 cables since LH claims they will remove the power from the USB connection.


 

 Don't assume there are 4 wires in each leg.  The leg going to the PC should have only 2 wires, one for Data + and one for Data -, effectively removing the influence of dirty power from the PC.  The leg going to the power source, LPS, should only have +5V and GND.  If you're using the Pulse then after the USB handshake initialization takes place then you should be able to unplug the power leg.  The reason for the split is to effectively isolate any RF or EMI on the power leg from affecting the Data leg.  Understand that the Pulse does not use the USB power leg to power it's USB XMOS chip.  That power comes from the LPS via the 12V (umbilical) input.  Hopefully, that makes sense.


----------



## Larry Ho

nicolo said:


> Hi Larry,
> 
> According to the roadmap, there are only 3 Pulse models. Does that mean that the Pulse fi and Pulse S fi models will only be produced for early IGG backers and will not be produced for retail?


 

 You are right. Geek Pulse S fi and Geek Pulse fi will be IGG only.
  
 Initial phase of crowd designing will be always a little bit divergent, which is healthy.
  
 Then we comes to normal sales channel, we will consolidate into 3 if not less models.... 
  
 So Geek Pulse S fi and Geek Pulse fi backers are unique! 
  
 Larry


----------



## Larry Ho

jaywillin said:


> has anyone received their lps/lps4 yet ? i don't think i've seen anyone mention it here, i guess its off to the lhlabs forums to see !


 

 We got quite some thank you letter.... Casey is sorting that out and might publish soon next week.
  
 Larry


----------



## jaywillin

larry ho said:


> We got quite some thank you letter.... Casey is sorting that out and might publish soon next week.
> 
> Larry


 
 larry, are the lps/lps4 both now shipping, or just the lps ?


----------



## RingingEars

So I couldn't bare the thought of running such a fine dac off a wall wart so I just upgraded to the LPS


----------



## JoeyGS

Is the Geek Pulse /f/i also being shipped now?


----------



## flipper2gv

larry ho said:


> You are right. Geek Pulse S fi and Geek Pulse fi will be IGG only.
> 
> Initial phase of crowd designing will be always a little bit divergent, which is healthy.
> 
> ...


 
 You mean me and my Pulse Sfi will be super special snowflakes???

 NICE!


----------



## uncola

Its just the pulse and LPS


----------



## MaximPrime

sjp770 said:


> So ive just bought the HE560 + Geek Pulse set. quite a jump for my first high qual headphones + amp.
> 
> Being that im in australia can I confirm when the headphones and amp are sent separately the customs reported value will be roughly ~$500 on each delivery and not the total invoiced amount?
> 
> The reason I ask is if you send 1x package with the indiegogo reciept i'll get hit with import duties and GST.


 
 Yeah i was also wondering this as i have brought the same package and live in australia.
  
 LH would love an answer to this as anything shipped of a declared value of $1000 AUD carries tax charges.
  
 Being as the He560 - Geek pulse will arrive in separate shipments would be good if the invoice price could be split in half.


----------



## smial1966

Gosh you're lucky, UK Pulse/LPS buyers will be paying import tax of around 30% of the items declared value, as we get charged on non European Union imports worth £15 ($27 AUD) or more.   
  
 Quote:


maximprime said:


> Yeah i was also wondering this as i have brought the same package and live in australia.
> 
> LH would love an answer to this as anything shipped of a declared value of $1000 AUD carries tax charges.
> 
> Being as the He560 - Geek pulse will arrive in separate shipments would be good if the invoice price could be split in half.


----------



## RingingEars

Boy this thread got quiet.
 How many got their shipping notifications?


----------



## frank2908

Not me, I think they should post a waiting list. I backed the campaign in October 2013 but no idea if I was in the first shipment.


----------



## graham508

smial1966 said:


>


 

  I second that!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Got shipping notification on my 2 meter 2G USB cable Nov 15. And now in route.

On LH Labs Tracking service says my perks are in que..


----------



## marflao

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Got shipping notification on my 2 meter 2G USB cable Nov 15. And now in route.
> 
> On LH Labs Tracking service says my perks are in que..


 
  
 So in the tracking sytem it´s mentioned that your cable has been shipped?
 Or are you assuming that it will be the cable?
  
 I´m just asking this because there is already a discussion at the LHlabs forum what kind of information is provided in the tracking system.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

The sent me an email on merchandise shipped with tracking info..


----------



## marflao

Quote:


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> The sent me an email on merchandise shipped with tracking info..


 
  
 cool..clarified 
 Thanks for that.


----------



## jaywillin

how does one find the  tracking/shipping  system at lhlabs ?


----------



## marflao

jaywillin said:


> how does one find the  tracking/shipping  system at lhlabs ?


 
  
 http://lhlabs.com/tracking


----------



## uncola

Lhlabs.com/tracking and use indiegogo login


----------



## RingingEars

uncola said:


> Lhlabs.com/tracking and use indiegogo login


 
 How long does it generally take for LH to send a survey to get the password?


----------



## mandrake50

ringingears said:


> How long does it generally take for LH to send a survey to get the password?




Yeah ... that is my problem. I just backed the pulse recently, so I have not seen any survey. They want a password that was setup when taking the survey, NOT the Indiegogo password.


----------



## Anaximandros

Only backers from the first and second IGG Pulse campaign received a survey link to check their perks. 

The only thing you could do is to open up a support ticket to request a login to the tracking page.


----------



## jaywillin

marflao said:


> http://lhlabs.com/tracking


 
  
  


uncola said:


> Lhlabs.com/tracking and use indiegogo login


 
 thank y'all !  so far nothing for me, and i was an early backer, i'm ready to get this show on the road


----------



## RingingEars

anaximandros said:


> Only backers from the first and second IGG Pulse campaign received a survey link to check their perks.
> 
> The only thing you could do is to open up a support ticket to request a login to the tracking page.


 
 Oh ok.
 Well I would like to formally petition that LH do the survey again for late backers. Please


----------



## Anaximandros

It depends on when you actually backed the Pulse. Wave campaign backers are manually contacted by Manny via mail to confirm their perks. If you recently backed the campaign I'm the forever funding campaign, then I'm pretty sure you will receive the survey after it ends in January


----------



## RingingEars

anaximandros said:


> It depends on when you actually backed the Pulse. Wave campaign backers are manually contacted by Manny via mail to confirm their perks. If you recently backed the campaign I'm the forever funding campaign, then I'm pretty sure you will receive the survey after it ends in January


 
 Ah ok.
 Yeah I just backed the Pulse+400i deal a few days ago and then backed the LPS on Sat.


----------



## pbear

I also received a email notification on Friday that LH Labs has scheduled my order for shipment. In my case, it was for two 2G Lightspeed cables (2 meters each), which is great but I'm also waiting for them ship the 2xLPS I ordered early in the first Indiegogo campaign.
  
 The email says "Please allow up to 24 hours for tracking updates to appear." So far, there haven't been any tracking updates, and My USPS.com doesn't show any packages pending.
  
 Hopefully both the cables and the LPS will actually ship this week.


----------



## chartwell85

By popular demand, we're bringing back the HiFiMAN Headphone bundle deal beginning on November 21st at 9AM PST.  We'll be offering the bundle deals for 48 hours only and with no limit on how many can be purchased.  Headphones will begin to ship as soon as we have a final quantity on what we'll be ordering.  
  
 The bundle deal we'll be featuring will be the Geek Pulse + HiFiMAN HE-560 for the IGG only price of $968
  
 This has by far been the most popular bundle deal we've featured in this campaign which in turn makes it a great opportunity for you to to rack up your referral reward payouts by sharing news about this deal with anyone and everyone who cares.  Think Facebook, Twitter, Head-Fi, ComputerAudiophile, Instagram etc. etc. 
  
 Simply paste your IGG link to the Geek Pulse campaign anywhere you plan on sharing and each time someone clicks your link and pledges for any item in the campaign, you'll earn 10%!  
  
 Check out the deals here: http://bit.ly/GeekPulseBundle


----------



## krikor

So much for a "strict limit of only 20 available."  




  
 Not complaining, just saying...


----------



## chartwell85

krikor said:


> So much for a "strict limit of only 20 available."
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 We had such an overwhelming amount of people that emailed, called and just generally expressed interest in the deal after it sold out.


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85
Hey Casey, since you seem to check this thread from time to time, do you mind taking a look at support ticket #3246 with regards to upgrading the Geek LPS to LPS4? Carlos replied to my ticket, but answered the question other than the upgrade one, and the upgrade question is of urgency since LPS units are starting to be shipped.

Thank you.


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> @chartwell85
> Hey Casey, since you seem to check this thread from time to time, do you mind taking a look at support ticket #3246 with regards to upgrading the Geek LPS to LPS4? Carlos replied to my ticket, but answered the question other than the upgrade one, and the upgrade question is of urgency since LPS units are starting to be shipped.
> 
> Thank you.


 

 Manny is responding to you right now.  But that option is available in the campaign for $170.


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> Manny is responding to you right now.  But that option is available in the campaign for $170.



Got it. Thanks Casey!


----------



## mark5hs

Hmm is the LPS really worth $470? I'm tempted to buy either the Geek Pulse alone for $400 or the HE-560 bundle when it ships. But $470 for a power supply seems pretty steep... will it really make that drastic a different? Or would I still be entirely satisfied with the Geek Pulse alone? My current amp is the relatively low end EF2A, so I don't exactly have trained ears for that kind of thing. I've had some problem with USB noise in the past but clearing out all the ports around where I have the amp plugged in has basically solved the issue. 
  
 Also, should I go for the HE-560 bundle? I know those headphones go for $900, so it would essentially be getting $300 off compared to just getting Geek Pulse. Worth it or are there better headphones for $600? My current set up is HifiMan EF2A amp + HE-400. Is the 560 a huge jump over the 400 and the lower priced 500? I listen mostly 320kbps mp3 with Google Music, but I'm trying out Tidal right now, which is lossless streaming. 
  
 And lastly, I notice the Geek Pulse has stereo out jacks... would it do a good job of powering a pair of Klipsch R42 speakers?
  
 Thanks


----------



## mandrake50

mark5hs said:


> Hmm is the LPS really worth $470? I'm tempted to buy either the Geek Pulse alone for $400 or the HE-560 bundle when it ships. But $470 for a power supply seems pretty steep... will it really make that drastic a different?


 
 Just get something like this:
 Pyramid PS9KX  I see them for under $35 all of the time. Less than 3 mV ripple at rated output. Fully Regulated and  non-switching. The video about the pulse used a Wall Wart switching supply and noise was at the limits of measurement. They were illustrating how good the internal power supply and regulation is.
 It sure isn't as pretty as the LPS, nor as sophisticated. BUT, you can get it and a Pulse... and have beer money left...


----------



## mandrake50

chartwell85 said:


> We had such an overwhelming amount of people that emailed, called and just generally expressed interest in the deal after it sold out.


 

 Does this mean that shipping all of the 560s will be delayed now ?
 Just setting my own expectations.


----------



## mscott58

mandrake50 said:


> Does this mean that shipping all of the 560s will be delayed now ?
> Just setting my own expectations.


 
 Great question mandrake! Curious to find out the answer myself.


----------



## coletrain104

so, who thinks the pulse X will work with the RE-600S (16 ohm impedance) without the LPS? Anyone think I should be worried about the noise floor?


----------



## FayeForever

No, I would not worry about the noise floor.


----------



## RingingEars

mandrake50 said:


> Does this mean that shipping all of the 560s will be delayed now ?
> Just setting my own expectations.


 
  
  


mscott58 said:


> Great question mandrake! Curious to find out the answer myself.


 
 I think it was mentioned somewhere the HE-560/HE400i will ship in early December once they compile the numbers sold...


----------



## mandrake50

ringingears said:


> I think it was mentioned somewhere the HE-560/HE400i will ship in early December once they compile the numbers sold...


 

 True, but in the pulse thread LH said that now... they would sip the 560 as soon as they had final totals for the orders...
 Apparently this will now be after the end of the 48 hours of the next bundle offer..
 November 24.
 Notwithstanding the comments at one point that vaguely mentioned December. So out of curiosity I ask the question.
 It makes a bit of sense to think that if they need a complete total before getting things going with Hifiman, that would delay the whole process...
 Yes?
  
 But, If they already placed an order based on previous numbers, maybe this is all BS. Worth asking I would think... especially because I am real impatient to get the 560s around my head!! Whatever is, just is, and I will deal. But "I gots ta know"..


----------



## RingingEars

mandrake50 said:


> True, but in the pulse thread LH said that now... they would sip the 560 as soon as they had final totals for the orders...
> Apparently this will now be after the end of the 48 hours of the next bundle offer..
> November 24.
> Notwithstanding the comments at one point that vaguely mentioned December. So out of curiosity I ask the question.
> ...


 
 I hear ya.
 I'm a little anxious to get my 400i. I've never had a planar headphone so I can't wait to compare it to my HD800(I know. different leagues, but still...).
 It's going to be a long cold winter until my Pulse/LPS comes in this spring so I'll just have to figure out a way to keep myself busy until then. Shovel snow I guess


----------



## BaTou069

To all Pulse Backers outside US, feel free to visit this TOPIC: LH not helping backers to save on tax? in the LH Force Forum/Pulse Product subforum
  
*What is it about?*
 AFAIK Canada and Israel have special agreements with the USA: If at least 35% of the raw materials of a product was manufactured in the USA, the exporter/seller can add a "US certificate of origin for export to Canada, Australia, Israel,".
  
*What is it good for?*
 Not having to pay taxes!
  
 For the Geek out, there were already two threads and LH didn't act. Anyone who is aware of their contries laws, and if this applies to their country, is invited to help me waking LH up about this issue. 
 LH is making me pay taxes on a product, where the laws explicitly say that I don't need to. But LH is not ready to add this document to the shippment. Without this document, the Law won't apply.
  
 I would appreciate any help,
 thanks!


----------



## georgelai57

It would be better if one also presents the other side of the coin, in that what would it cost LH to get this Certificate of Origin, and who would bear the cost thereof. For the record, I live in Singapore and I have no issues with LH.


----------



## Za Warudo

mark5hs said:


> Hmm is the LPS really worth $470? I'm tempted to buy either the Geek Pulse alone for $400 or the HE-560 bundle when it ships. But $470 for a power supply seems pretty steep... will it really make that drastic a different? Or would I still be entirely satisfied with the Geek Pulse alone? My current amp is the relatively low end EF2A, so I don't exactly have trained ears for that kind of thing. I've had some problem with USB noise in the past but clearing out all the ports around where I have the amp plugged in has basically solved the issue.
> 
> Also, should I go for the HE-560 bundle? I know those headphones go for $900, so it would essentially be getting $300 off compared to just getting Geek Pulse. Worth it or are there better headphones for $600? My current set up is HifiMan EF2A amp + HE-400. Is the 560 a huge jump over the 400 and the lower priced 500? I listen mostly 320kbps mp3 with Google Music, but I'm trying out Tidal right now, which is lossless streaming.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I've been wondering that about the LPS myself, and ultimately I'd rather not pay more for a power supply than what I paid for the pulse itself (original $300 Pulse backer).  I no longer own the HE400, but I can easily say that the HE560 bests the HE400 in everything except bass quantity.  That bundle is a steal and if I had not already bought the HE560 and backed the Pulse I would not hesitate to get it.


----------



## FraGGleR

Got my LPS yesterday after a shipping notification on Friday.  So stuff is definitely shipping.  I have a Pulse X and and Xfi ordered as a super early backer, but don't expect those to ship til end of the year.


----------



## Boban85

Does anyone know if there is a 230V version of the LPS, or if the 240V will function as it should on 230 volts? The campaign page and the pictures only show 120V and 240V.


----------



## FayeForever

Hi,
  
 I backed the vanilla Geek Pulse on 31st Oct as one of the super early bird stuff and I got the information from Manny through email that I am currently order 474 and it won't be shipped out until the first week of December, and that is I quote " assuming production and fulfillment keep up the pace without any hiccups".
 I am still working how did I end up in order 474 given I am in the super early birds (only 250 IIRC). But it could give you guys a basic idea.
 TBH now I am just hoping my Black Friday special Geek Pulse Xfi could show up next year February, and the vanilla Geek Pulse turns from a Birthday present to a Christmas present. Do you give presents on New Year's day? whatever...


----------



## eac3

yayyy!!!
  
 Time for consumer first impressions/quick reviews of the LPS. Everything I have been hearing so far is either from LH labs claiming better "spatiality" for the Pulse and "does more for the Pulse than the Pulse X", or from other third-parties: "peace of mind/throwing the best at my rig"
  
 Did LH mentioned how many they shipped (Puse and/or LPS on Friday, and yesterday)?


----------



## eac3

fayeforever said:


> TBH now I am just hoping my Black Friday special Geek Pulse Xfi could show up next year February


 
  
 Yeah, it would have been nice to receive these items (for the early backers as in last year) before this forever campaign ends (or started)..


----------



## RingingEars

fraggler said:


> Got my LPS yesterday after a shipping notification on Friday.  So stuff is definitely shipping.  I have a Pulse X and and Xfi ordered as a super early backer, but don't expect those to ship til end of the year.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 One in the wild. Nice.


----------



## Ranza

Almost jump on the Geek Soul train, almost....
 ...and then I suddenly remembered about Schiit Yggdrasil....could somebody give me a reason why I choose Geek Soul over Yggdrasil ?


----------



## valve5425

boban85 said:


> Does anyone know if there is a 230V version of the LPS, or if the 240V will function as it should on 230 volts? The campaign page and the pictures only show 120V and 240V.


 

 No problem using the 240v on a 230v mains. Certainly in the UK, the mains (which used to be 240v BTW)  is currently required by law to be delivered at 230 Volts, (50hz) within a tolerance of +10% / – 6%, that is, within the range 253 Volts to 216.2 Volts.
 The value of 230 Volts is a ‘nominal voltage’ It went down to 230v to standardise with the rest of Europe. (which went up from 220v to 230v.) The mains voltage in my home never really shifts from 247v, way over the standard!
  
 Check the wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country to find your own countries info.
  
 Hope that helps,but if you're still not convinced, just email LH Labs!


----------



## uncola

I just realized its been exactly a year since my first contribution to the pulse campaign. I hope some positive user reviews start showing up as the pulse gets delivered


----------



## RingingEars

I think I'm going to upgrade my Pulse to the X, but I may wait until next week to see if they run any kind of turkey deals


----------



## Clemmaster

ranza said:


> Almost jump on the Geek Soul train, almost....
> ...and then I suddenly remembered about Schiit Yggdrasil....could somebody give me a reason why I choose Geek Soul over Yggdrasil ?


 
  
 While both DACs pursue the same goal of achieving the highest fidelity, they use rather antithetical approaches:
 - The Geek follows the modern trend (and marketing fluff) with super High-res and DSD capability, using Delta-sigma DAC chips for a ultra clean, ultra sharp sound.
 - The Yggy gives a middle finger to this (stupid) trend and rather re-set the bar of traditional redbook playback, featuring an architecture from the 90s (the golden era, where R2R was the way to go), with modern R2R chip and DSP processing that - by all indication - are much more potent than what was available in the 90s.
  
 While I don't fall in the "every sigma-delta DAC is crap" category, I must admit that I had way more success with my various R2R DACs than sigma-delta ones, which tends to give me headache and overall sound "gray" (as in lack of texture) and mechanical. Not to say I did not enjoy my NFB-27 or the Ayre QB-9 DSD, I really did. But they are more the exception than the rule.
 From what I read, LH labs know their schiit and produce good S-D DACs with very little of what makes these DAC annoying to my ears. I just bought a Geek Out IEM and backed up the Geek Pulse, to confirm with my own ears.
  
 Having said that, I recently acquired an old Theta Gen Va DAC, which was designed by Schiit's Mike Moffat and use a similar architecture than the Yggy (the Gen V is actually the DAC I mentioned earlier. The Yggy is like the modern version of it).
 Nothing I heard in the past comes close to this DAC's performance with redbook. Period. Neither the Master-7, nor the QB-9 DSD (the latter from memory) can touch it. Bass, tone, dynamics, transparency, SOUNDSTAGE. No compromises.
  
 The Yggy is said to improve on the Gen Va. I personally can't wait to finally have a listen. In the meantime, I will continue enjoying this superb dinosaur DAC... until it dies on me


----------



## longbowbbs

ranza said:


> Almost jump on the Geek Soul train, almost....
> ...and then I suddenly remembered about Schiit Yggdrasil....could somebody give me a reason why I choose Geek Soul over Yggdrasil ?


 
 Both are formidable.... Geek is DSD capable and is both a DAC and an Amp, Ygg is not DSD capable and is a stand alone DAC only. Otherwise you are considering sonic character differences of two very strong pieces of gear.


----------



## Boban85

valve5425 said:


> No problem using the 240v on a 230v mains. Certainly in the UK, the mains (which used to be 240v BTW)  is currently required by law to be delivered at 230 Volts, (50hz) within a tolerance of +10% / – 6%, that is, within the range 253 Volts to 216.2 Volts.
> The value of 230 Volts is a ‘nominal voltage’ It went down to 230v to standardise with the rest of Europe. (which went up from 220v to 230v.) The mains voltage in my home never really shifts from 247v, way over the standard!
> 
> Check the wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country to find your own countries info.
> ...


 
  
 Thank you Valve5425 for a very informative post. Cheers! 
  
  


ringingears said:


> I think I'm going to upgrade my Pulse to the X, but I may wait until next week to see if they run any kind of turkey deals


 
  
 Same here


----------



## mark5hs

za warudo said:


> I've been wondering that about the LPS myself, and ultimately I'd rather not pay more for a power supply than what I paid for the pulse itself (original $300 Pulse backer).  I no longer own the HE400, but I can easily say that the HE560 bests the HE400 in everything except bass quantity.  That bundle is a steal and if I had not already bought the HE560 and backed the Pulse I would not hesitate to get it.


 
 Thanks! I think I'm just gonna get the Pulse by itself. The 560s would be nice, but I have no complaints with the 400 and I don't have a ton of money right now... I think I'll wait a couple years till I'm out of school and see if they have anything new. I did just order myself an RE-600S for $200.


----------



## walfredo

ranza said:


> Almost jump on the Geek Soul train, almost....
> ...and then I suddenly remembered about Schiit Yggdrasil....could somebody give me a reason why I choose Geek Soul over Yggdrasil ?


 
  
 How can one say anything about them yet?  Neither exist as of now.


----------



## mandrake50

mark5hs said:


> Thanks! I think I'm just gonna get the Pulse by itself. The 560s would be nice, but I have no complaints with the 400 and I don't have a ton of money right now... I think I'll wait a couple years till I'm out of school and see if they have anything new. I did just order myself an RE-600S for $200.




Must be terrible to be a starving student....
:wink_face:


----------



## jexby

walfredo said:


> How can one say anything about them yet?  Neither exist as of now.




I listened to both Pulse Xfi and Ragn and Yggy at RMAF, for 10 min each with my own balanced HE-560.
But the listening was so short, without common material in a noisy environment it would not be fair to claim any comparison winner until final products are in the wild.


----------



## eac3

mandrake50 said:


> Must be terrible to be a starving student....


 

 1st world problems


----------



## FraGGleR

jexby said:


> I listened to both Pulse Xfi and Ragn and Yggy at RMAF, for 10 min each with my own balanced HE-560.
> But the listening was so short, without common material in a noisy environment it would not be fair to claim any comparison winner until final products are in the wild.




This is Head-Fi! Do it anyways!


----------



## Boban85

+ 1
  
 We would love to hear your impressions on both rigs  Pretty please...


----------



## nicolo

ranza said:


> Almost jump on the Geek Soul train, almost....
> ...and then I suddenly remembered about Schiit Yggdrasil....could somebody give me a reason why I choose Geek Soul over Yggdrasil ?


 
  
 The Yggdrasil is not a sigma delta DAC like the Geek Soul/Pulse and 99.99% of all the other DACs. Sigma Delta DACs reduce the original data stream to 1bit width and use interpolative algorithms to "guess" at the constituents of the output signal. Some DACs d it better than others, while some do it differently. Why do all of the above? Because it's cheaper than the earlier multi-bit DACs.
  
 The Yggdrasil retains the signal as is from source input to output without any conversion steps like upsampling/oversampling etc, which all Sigma Delta DACs have to do. If i were you, i would save up the cash and wait for Q1 2015 when the Yggdrasil is slated for production.


----------



## mandrake50

nicolo said:


> The Yggdrasil is not a sigma delta DAC like the Geek Soul/Pulse and 99.99% of all the other DACs. Sigma Delta DACs reduce the original data stream to 1bit width and use interpolative algorithms to "guess" at the constituents of the output signal. Some DACs d it better than others, while some do it differently. Why do all of the above? Because it's cheaper than the earlier multi-bit DACs.
> 
> The Yggdrasil retains the signal as is from source input to output without any conversion steps like upsampling/oversampling etc, which all Sigma Delta DACs have to do. If i were you, i would save up the cash and wait for Q1 2015 when the Yggdrasil is slated for production.


 

 Unless, for some reason, as it has become boutique, you want/need high bit rate(HD?) and DSD/DXD capabilities.
 Just a thought.


----------



## miceblue

nicolo said:


> The Yggdrasil is not a sigma delta DAC like the Geek Soul/Pulse and 99.99% of all the other DACs. Sigma Delta DACs reduce the original data stream to 1bit width and use interpolative algorithms to "guess" at the constituents of the output signal. Some DACs d it better than others, while some do it differently. Why do all of the above? Because it's cheaper than the earlier multi-bit DACs.
> 
> The Yggdrasil retains the signal as is from source input to output without any conversion steps like upsampling/oversampling etc, which all Sigma Delta DACs have to do. If i were you, i would save up the cash and wait for Q1 2015 when the Yggdrasil is slated for production.



Not quite accurate there. It's close, but most ΔΣ modulators use multi-bit technology now, which is far superior to 1-bit streams. 1-bit = DSD, which is not what the modern DACs do for PCM data. Only PS Audio's DirectStream DAC does that as far as I know.


----------



## Ranza

Thank you all for the reply, I backed a geek pulse xfi already and thinking about getting another for my home audio system, and I'm not that much interested in dsd, in my ears the difference between flac and dsd is not that big to change the game. The release date for Yggdrasil and Geek Soul is pretty close so I guess I will wait for Yggdrasil. Larry even said Geek Pulse xfi + lps and Soul is actually the same thing...


----------



## eliwankenobi

I ordered my Pulse also as Super Early Bird.. on Oct 29 last year....
  
 I don't even know where am I in line nor received any notifications.... Opened a ticket some time now and have not received any updates....I was hoping to get my LPS early


----------



## DannyBai

How do you find out where in line you are.


----------



## MikeyFresh

dannybai said:


> How do you find out where in line you are.


 

 You don't.


----------



## DannyBai

mikeyfresh said:


> You don't.



I thought so but I swear I read something a few pages back saying someone was # 473 or something like that.


----------



## FayeForever

I contacted them by email asking what is my standing.


----------



## eac3

germay0653 said:


> Don't assume there are 4 wires in each leg.  The leg going to the PC should have only 2 wires, one for Data + and one for Data -, effectively removing the influence of dirty power from the PC.  The leg going to the power source, LPS, should only have +5V and GND.  If you're using the Pulse then after the USB handshake initialization takes place then you should be able to unplug the power leg.  The reason for the split is to effectively isolate any RF or EMI on the power leg from affecting the Data leg.  Understand that the Pulse does not use the USB power leg to power it's USB XMOS chip.  That power comes from the LPS via the 12V (umbilical) input.  Hopefully, that makes sense.


 
  
  
 Thanks germay,
  
 I believe I am understanding now..maybe not. I thought you would achieve the same clean power regardless of the split USB or not. But as you pointed out, if utilizing two USB cables...between the PC and LPS, and the other between the LPS and Pulse, in both of those cables, they have both power and data...so even though the LPS may "clean up" the power provided in the cable....the data will still be subject to things like RF or EMI.
  
  
 So what if what is providing the data (the PC has been affected by RF or EMI before leaving the PC....would it matter which Lightspeed cable you get?


----------



## germay0653

eac3 said:


> Thanks germay,
> 
> I believe I am understanding now..maybe not. I thought you would achieve the same clean power regardless of the split USB or not. But as you pointed out, if utilizing two USB cables...between the PC and LPS, and the other between the LPS and Pulse, in both of those cables, they have both power and data...so even though the LPS may "clean up" the power provided in the cable....the data will still be subject to things like RF or EMI.
> 
> ...


 

 To answer your last question, IMO , yes and it's a matter of degrees of improvement.  The PC, internally, is notorious for emitting all kinds of RF and EMI.  I've read on some forums where individuals go to extraordinary levels and apply shielding to internal portions like the CPU and memory, including internal power and SATA cables, of their PC's to reduce those emissions.  You have to be EXTREMELY careful when doing this as you can damage internal components if not done properly.
  
 One thing I have not compared is the split LightSpeed 10G (White) to the semi-split LightSpeed 10G (Red) cable so I can't comment on which one "sounds" better.  Every little bit helps but only you can decide on whether the cost benefit is worth it to you.  Theoretically, the split version should reduce that interference a bit more than it's non-split counterpart.


----------



## schneller

You all have been waiting for over a year?
  
 Feel sorry for those who put down more than $1.00...


----------



## jaywillin

schneller said:


> You all have been waiting for over a year?
> 
> Feel sorry for those who put down more than $1.00...


 
 its not too bad, the payoff could be huge


----------



## Boban85

What's the jury on the upgrades the Pulse Xfi brings over the Pulse X? All I could gather is that internal (passive and active) components have been upgraded and you get the Femto clocks instead of the TCXO. The pdf of the key features of the models only notes that the transconductance amp has been upgraded and we get the Femto clocks. Is there any other info on the difference between these models? My friend, who is better informed than me, is skeptical that the Femto clocks will make an audible difference alone, so that leaves the other upgrades to make the difference sound quality wise. Are the changes worth the current $622 upgrade from Pulse X to Pulse Xfi? I am sure they are worth considering the retail price difference between the models, but how about the campaign price of the models: the X - $777 and the Xfi - $1399? What are your opinions, can someone chime in?


----------



## germay0653

The Xfi will be dual mono for each channel through the entire signal path.  The X only has separate Op-Amps at the end of the signal path for balanced output.


----------



## jaywillin

boban85 said:


> What's the jury on the upgrades the Pulse Xfi brings over the Pulse X? All I could gather is that internal (passive and active) components have been upgraded and you get the Femto clocks instead of the TCXO. The pdf of the key features of the models only notes that the transconductance amp has been upgraded and we get the Femto clocks. Is there any other info on the difference between these models? My friend, who is better informed than me, is skeptical that the Femto clocks will make an audible difference alone, so that leaves the other upgrades to make the difference sound quality wise. Are the changes worth the current $622 upgrade from Pulse X to Pulse Xfi? I am sure they are worth considering the retail price difference between the models, but how about the campaign price of the models: the X - $777 and the Xfi - $1399? What are your opinions, can someone chime in?


 
 IMO, until the pulses are out in the wild, with many different people relating their findings, any opinions as to whether the upgrades are "worth it" is pretty much conjecture
 having said that, i have the pulse x/f/i coming, so i hope so ! lol


----------



## pauldgroot

germay0653 said:


> The Xfi will be dual mono for each channel through the entire signal path.  The X only has separate Op-Amps at the end of the signal path for balanced output.


 
 Not true, the X will be fully mono. The fi adds femto clock and upgraded components plus more digital inputs.
  
 http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/Geek_Pulse_Soul_Technology_Breakdown.pdf


----------



## coletrain104

germay0653 said:


> The Xfi will be dual mono for each channel through the entire signal path.  The X only has separate Op-Amps at the end of the signal path for balanced output.


 

 I thought all types of the pulse were dual mono...?


----------



## krikor

pauldgroot said:


> Not true, the X will be fully mono. The fi adds femto clock and upgraded components plus more digital inputs.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/Geek_Pulse_Soul_Technology_Breakdown.pdf


 
 Correct on the fully mono. But where are you seeing more digital inputs? They are shown to be the same across all of the models - 1 USB, 1 TOSLINK, 1 AES/EBU, 2 SPDIF Coax.
  
  
 As for how the transconductance amp is upgraded, that technology breakdown is not exactly clear. I thought different opamps were being used, but the same are listed across all the models from Pulse X through Soul:
 OPA1612, LM4562, TPA6120A2, LME49990, AD827
  
  
 And perhaps the following has been covered before, but it just crystalized for me looking at this chart:
  
 There is an interesting situation for those who are considering the Soul -_* no single-ended headphone output is provided*_. You must have headphones wired for balanced use (no, a simple 1/4" TRS to 4-Pin XLR adapter will not do it since the TRS shares a common ground between the left and right channels). May not be a concern for those who can afford the Soul as many will already have balanced cans, and it is intended as a DAC and not necessarily a headphone amp. But I have several different pairs of cans, some that can be easily wired for balanced use (Sennheiser), others that need modification (Beyerdynamic).
  
 Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but given that the headphone out is only balanced, you will not be able to listen to the tube output stage of the Soul Tube via headphones (unless of course you connect the single-ended outs to a separate headphone amp).


----------



## FraGGleR

boban85 said:


> What's the jury on the upgrades the Pulse Xfi brings over the Pulse X? All I could gather is that internal (passive and active) components have been upgraded and you get the Femto clocks instead of the TCXO. The pdf of the key features of the models only notes that the transconductance amp has been upgraded and we get the Femto clocks. Is there any other info on the difference between these models? My friend, who is better informed than me, is skeptical that the Femto clocks will make an audible difference alone, so that leaves the other upgrades to make the difference sound quality wise. Are the changes worth the current $622 upgrade from Pulse X to Pulse Xfi? I am sure they are worth considering the retail price difference between the models, but how about the campaign price of the models: the X - $777 and the Xfi - $1399? What are your opinions, can someone chime in?


 
   
 Only you can decide if it is worth it, right?  The upgrades do make the Pulse Xfi better in theory, but as your friend pointed out, we might not hear the differences.  And each person will hear those differences differently and to different extents and will have to assign their own dollar values to those differences. 
  
 Curiosity got the best of me, so I ordered both a Pulse X and an Xfi so I could compare them myself.  I will sell off whichever one presents the least value for me.  I am 100% positive there will be someone who will feel the exact opposite of me.


----------



## FraGGleR

schneller said:


> You all have been waiting for over a year?
> 
> Feel sorry for those who put down more than $1.00...


 
 Why?


----------



## jexby

fraggler said:


> Why?




Because we didn't get immediate gratification of buying off the shelf.
And instead paid around $600 for a product that's going to sell at 2x-4x the price.


----------



## germay0653

pauldgroot said:


> Not true, the X will be fully mono. The fi adds femto clock and upgraded components plus more digital inputs.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/Geek_Pulse_Soul_Technology_Breakdown.pdf


 

 I stand corrected.  I was thinking of the Wave!  My mistake.


----------



## germay0653

krikor said:


> Correct on the fully mono. But where are you seeing more digital inputs? They are shown to be the same across all of the models - 1 USB, 1 TOSLINK, 1 AES/EBU, 2 SPDIF Coax.
> 
> 
> As for how the transconductance amp is upgraded, that technology breakdown is not exactly clear. I thought different opamps were being used, but the same are listed across all the models from Pulse X through Soul:
> ...


 

 Breakdown for the OpAmps:
  
The upgrades cover op-amps in the most critical current to volgate and first stage of amplification

 Here is the final list of OpAmp we picked for "Upgrade perks".

 Analog Output Stage (Bias into Class A)
 * AD827 in [Geek Pulse] and [Geek Pulse S]
 * LME49990 in [Geek Pulse X]

 Current to Voltage Conversion
 * OPA1612

 Upgrade the amp of DC Servo too.... LM4562, it is.​  
Source of info:​  
 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AljAXIFo7qVqdFdmVUoxOXB1VzFPaGtkQXdRa01ibUE#gid=1


----------



## eac3

germay0653 said:


> To answer your last question, IMO , yes and it's a matter of degrees of improvement.  The PC, internally, is notorious for emitting all kinds of RF and EMI.


 
  
 I guess a general follow up question, that will help me tie up this confusion. If the signal is affected for RF and EMI somewhere in the chain (i.e. the source/PC),  but the other half, or third, or X% of the chain is not due to the necessary precautions...such as split USB cables for example,...does it still not matter if part of the chain was affected from RF and EMI?
  
 My understanding from your explanation leads me to believe that the data signal can be affected by the PC...but once it leaves the PC, the signal goes back to its original form due to a split USB cable....how does the cable somehow reconstruct the original signal?


----------



## FraGGleR

jexby said:


> Because we didn't get immediate gratification of buying off the shelf.
> And instead paid around $600 for a product that's going to sell at 2x-4x the price.


 
 Man, when you put it that way, I do feel sorry for myself...


----------



## germay0653

eac3 said:


> I guess a general follow up question, that will help me tie up this confusion. If the signal is affected for RF and EMI somewhere in the chain (i.e. the source/PC),  but the other half, or third, or X% of the chain is not due to the necessary precautions...such as split USB cables for example,...does it still not matter if part of the chain was affected from RF and EMI?
> 
> My understanding from your explanation leads me to believe that the data signal can be affected by the PC...but once it leaves the PC, the signal goes back to its original form due to a split USB cable....how does the cable somehow reconstruct the original signal?


 

 No, it doesn't go back to it's original form but there is no more "damage" done to the signal from that point forward.  One can go to extremes.  Some people use Linear Power Supplies to power their PC's to provide the "cleanest" power going in but most motherboards and internal components weren't designed for audio playback. 
  
 Bear in mind, your PC wasn't designed to just play audio so in most cases the EMI and RF interference isn't causing degradation.  As an example, using a spreadsheet program like EXCEL isn't like to be adversely affected by it. 
  
 I imagine LH Labs, specifically Larry Ho, when designing the Source, a purpose built computer for audio, will use components and layout the PCB (motherboard) where these components are located with these considerations in mind as he is very aware of their adverse affects.


----------



## eac3

germay0653 said:


> No, it doesn't go back to it's original form but there is no more "damage" done to the signal from that point forward.  One can go to extremes.


 
  
 Thank you very much germay.


----------



## greenkiwi

> There is an interesting situation for those who are considering the Soul -_* no single-ended headphone output is provided*_. You must have headphones wired for balanced use (no, a simple 1/4" TRS to 4-Pin XLR adapter will not do it since the TRS shares a common ground between the left and right channels). May not be a concern for those who can afford the Soul as many will already have balanced cans, and it is intended as a DAC and not necessarily a headphone amp. But I have several different pairs of cans, some that can be easily wired for balanced use (Sennheiser), others that need modification (Beyerdynamic).
> 
> Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but given that the headphone out is only balanced, you will not be able to listen to the tube output stage of the Soul Tube via headphones (unless of course you connect the single-ended outs to a separate headphone amp).


 
  
 Correct on the tubes not being in the path to the headphones, which I think is a really big bummer.  I would rather have a SE headphone output with tubes, or selectable tubes than a balanced w/o tubes.
  
 As for the connector.  I imagine that you could have an adapter that used the shell of the XLR for ground.  You'd pull the positive R & L and use the shell as a common ground.


----------



## mandrake50

jexby said:


> And instead paid around $600 for a product that's going to sell at 2x-4x the price.




Maybe.. from what I have seen, the Geek Out is not fetching what they projected would be full list.
We have no clue whether the list that they show now will ever be supported in the market.
Looking at it that way sure does make one feel better and is the way they get people to buy into these "perk" schemes...
But it may well be just marketing speak in the end.


----------



## DSlayerZX

jexby said:


> Because we didn't get immediate gratification of buying off the shelf.
> And instead paid around $600 for a product that's going to sell at 2x-4x the price.


 
  
  
 Well...some of my other hobby is much, much more geeky.
  
 To some people, they just want instant gratification on everything, but for some other hobbies... it's almost always "the wait game"
  
 The practice of pre ordering for something that cost 200+ then having to wait for another year to receive them is very common.
  
 Let along delays, missing shipment, natural disaster that delay production, etc, etc etc.
  
 So for some people, we are already used to it by now.
  
 Though seeing how many ppl get riled up and being angry on production delay did entertained me to a certain degree.


----------



## FraGGleR

mandrake50 said:


> Maybe.. from what I have seen, the Geek Out is not fetching what they projected would be full list.
> We have no clue whether the list that they show now will ever be supported in the market.
> Looking at it that way sure does make one feel better and is the way they get people to buy into these "perk" schemes...
> But it may well be just marketing speak in the end.




Based on current IGG pledge levels, the original early backers should probably feel good about a 2x return if they sell. But I certainly don't expect to see anything close to retail pricing on the used forum.


----------



## pauldgroot

Check the table I posted above..


----------



## flipper2gv

fraggler said:


> Based on current IGG pledge levels, the original early backers should probably feel good about a 2x return if they sell. But I certainly don't expect to see anything close to retail pricing on the used forum.


 
 It depends, I ordered a Pulse Sfi, since it's a model that won't be available in the future, it could retain a pretty good value. But, I don't expect to sell it.

 Also, the fi upgrade is 600$ now? Makes me happy I got it when I could, it was somewhere around 200$ when it was announced.


----------



## jaywillin

Here’s an update for you from the ‘Geek Pulse: Ultra High Def Audio for Your Desktop’ team:
1 new Announcement:
 
*Ya’ll Want A Stretch Goal?*
 
So we’ve been tossing this idea around for a while and Larry has finally agreed to do it.  We’re going to offer a tube buffer stage for Geek Pulse, in its current form factor size, as long as we can reach the stretch goal of $1,600,000. As soon as that stretch goal is reached, we’ll unlock that perk and it’ll be yours for the taking.  No word on price yet, but Larry is committed to making it as affordable as possible without compromising an ounce of quality.


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> Here’s an update for you from the ‘Geek Pulse: Ultra High Def Audio for Your Desktop’ team:
> 1 new Announcement:
> 
> *Ya’ll Want A Stretch Goal?*
> ...


 

 You guys are quick! I just posted that a few minutes ago


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> You guys are quick! I just posted that a few minutes ago


 
 lol, we try 
  
 i don't know about most everybody else, but i'm just sitting here waiting for a shipping notice to appear in my email, i haven't hardly moved since stuff started shipping, and i'll probably be here a while longer, i have a pulse x/f/i , although my lps could arrive i suppose


----------



## RingingEars

jaywillin said:


> Here’s an update for you from the ‘Geek Pulse: Ultra High Def Audio for Your Desktop’ team:
> 1 new Announcement:
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Oh man that sounds cool. I was looking at the MHDT Stockholm2 because of the tube buffer before I committed to the Pulse.


----------



## jaywillin

i'm guessing that it would be just for the line out, which i already have a tube amp(or maybe two soon) 
 but this still should be interesting to see how it pans out


----------



## FraGGleR

jaywillin said:


> Here’s an update for you from the ‘Geek Pulse: Ultra High Def Audio for Your Desktop’ team:
> 1 new Announcement:
> 
> *Ya’ll Want A Stretch Goal?*
> ...


 
 Would only be interested if it also impacted the headphone output.  That's a lie, it if were reasonably priced and switchable, I'd be interested, though it would be redundant since I would be outputting to a tube amp.


----------



## jaywillin

fraggler said:


> Would only be interested if it also impacted the headphone output.  That's a lie, it if were reasonably priced and switchable, I'd be interested, though it would be redundant since I would be outputting to a tube amp.


 
 same here, i'll be watching, but i think i'm going to be ok tube wise


----------



## FayeForever

I think it will be only for single-ended line out like the geek soul, which I personally couldn't care less for.
 Also I couldn't understand why the offer another perk at this point, Geek Pulse has begun shipping. This is indeed "forever campaign"...


----------



## FraGGleR

fayeforever said:


> I think it will be only for single-ended line out like the geek soul, which I personally couldn't care less for.
> Also I couldn't understand why the offer another perk at this point, Geek Pulse has begun shipping. This is indeed "forever campaign"...


 
 Yeah, a little curious how they are going to handle that for people who are receiving or will receive their Pulses prior to the tube output being available.  Send the units back to LH for an upgrade?


----------



## FayeForever

fraggler said:


> Yeah, a little curious how they are going to handle that for people who are receiving or will receive their Pulses prior to the tube output being available.  Send the units back to LH for an upgrade?


 
  
 I guess they think that 1. Not many Geek Pulse has shipped at this point, I guess it will be around 100 units. 2. This upgrade is more for Geek Pulse S/X, which are still in production. Send in units could be an option but it adds up complexity...I don't really know if LHL can handle this judging from the Geek Pulse shipping situation.


----------



## RingingEars

jaywillin said:


> i'm guessing that it would be just for the line out, which i already have a tube amp(or maybe two soon)
> but this still should be interesting to see how it pans out


 
 Ah. So it's not buffing the dac end? Nevermind, I'm out. I have a tube amp also...


----------



## Anaximandros

I am intrigued by this statement from the update
  
_In fact, I recieved a PM just yesterday raving about how blown away a an LPS backer was, “the quality and improved sound dynamics while pairing my Geek Out with LPS were completely unbeknown to me prior to Gavin’s update video.  First thing I did was connect my Geek Out and try it right away.  I had no idea that it was possible to improve my already perfect sounding Geek Out 1000, this little bundle of joy sure did it.  What is this black magic!!_
  
How come the only feedback they receive is from PMs and not feedback at head-fi or lhlabs.com? The first Pulse units were shipped on friday, but where are the proud backers who got theirs? No comment, no statement, no raving pre reviews or first listen feedback.


----------



## walfredo

anaximandros said:


> I am intrigued by this statement from the update
> 
> _In fact, I recieved a PM just yesterday raving about how blown away a an LPS backer was, “the quality and improved sound dynamics while pairing my Geek Out with LPS were completely unbeknown to me prior to Gavin’s update video.  First thing I did was connect my Geek Out and try it right away.  I had no idea that it was possible to improve my already perfect sounding Geek Out 1000, this little bundle of joy sure did it.  What is this black magic!!_
> 
> How come the only feedback they receive is from PMs and not feedback at head-fi or lhlabs.com? The first Pulse units were shipped on friday, but where are the proud backers who got theirs? No comment, no statement, no raving pre reviews or first listen feedback.


 
  
 Related questions:  How many pulses were already shipped?  Is there an estimate on when all original backers are going to receive theirs?


----------



## digitalzed

chartwell85 said:


> You guys are quick! I just posted that a few minutes ago


 

 We're quick because when we see a Pulse update we hope it will be about our shipments, not yet another perk. Casey, why no updates on shipping and why no actual Pulse sightings from those that have actually been shipped? I can't speak for others but I can say without reservation that I'm more likely to consider buying another LH Labs product if I feel my current experience with the company warrants repeat business. I had really hoped you all had learned from the Geek Out shipping fiasco. So far you've done nothing to address my (and others) concerns about shipping and que updates on the original Pulse. Getting that information out to us would go a long way in getting me to reach into my wallet again.


----------



## jaywillin

digitalzed said:


> We're quick because when we see a Pulse update we hope it will be about our shipments, not yet another perk. Casey, why no updates on shipping and why no actual Pulse sightings from those that have actually been shipped? I can't speak for others but I can say without reservation that I'm more likely to consider buying another LH Labs product if I feel my current experience with the company warrants repeat business. I had really hoped you all had learned from the Geek Out shipping fiasco. So far you've done nothing to address my (and others) concerns about shipping and que updates on the original Pulse. Getting that information out to us would go a long way in getting me to reach into my wallet again.


 
  
 you have a point there , i'm about perked out until i can feel something in my grubby paws
 still interesting to see though, but I WANT MY PULSE X !!! lol


----------



## digitalzed

jaywillin said:


> you have a point there , i'm about perked out until i can feel something in my grubby paws
> still interesting to see though, but I WANT MY PULSE X !!! lol


 

 Ha Ha! ! Yep.


----------



## walfredo

digitalzed said:


> chartwell85 said:
> 
> 
> > You guys are quick! I just posted that a few minutes ago
> ...


 
  
 Exactly my feeling!!!  No more launches until you guys deliver what you already sold!


----------



## jaywillin

the natives are restless !


----------



## jexby

Not I. Ship according to plans and if updating every 100 users every day takes human time away from real shipping then skip micro managing updates.
I realize folks are getting anxious but raising temperatures won't get product moved faster, assuming LH is operating a peak shipping ability.

That beins said- my Xfi isn't due immediately and existing rig is doing just fine.
Not like I'm music less.


----------



## jaywillin

all in good fun here !!


----------



## mscott58

Loved Larry's motto "keep focused, keep shipping". 

That's the focus we need.


----------



## digitalzed

jexby said:


> Not I. Ship according to plans and if updating every 100 users every day takes human time away from real shipping then skip micro managing updates.
> I realize folks are getting anxious but raising temperatures won't get product moved faster, assuming LH is operating a peak shipping ability.
> 
> That beins said- my Xfi isn't due immediately and existing rig is doing just fine.
> Not like I'm music less.


 

 I agree on the micro managing of updates, but not a general update on shipping. LH opened the door to this by saying they've begun shipping.  The update section on their forum remains unfinished with no update happening in weeks. I won't assume LH is at capacity or actually shipping anything out until someone posts a real time shipping update or photos of their Pulse. It isn't so much the timing of the delivery as it is the lack of accurate and timely information.


----------



## FraGGleR

At this point, why worry?  I have been looking forward to the Pulse since before the campaign even launched.  After over a year of waiting, what is another few weeks/couple months?  They ship when they ship.


----------



## digitalzed

fraggler said:


> At this point, why worry?  I have been looking forward to the Pulse since before the campaign even launched.  After over a year of waiting, what is another few weeks/couple months?  They ship when they ship.


 

 Hard to argue with that FraGGleR. Obviously I'm not happy. I used to feel exactly the same as you. Guess I've just hit my tipping point.


----------



## dclaz

For comparison, what are the cheapest DAC's that come with femto clocks?


----------



## greenkiwi

jexby said:


> Not I. Ship according to plans and if updating every 100 users every day takes human time away from real shipping then skip micro managing updates.
> I realize folks are getting anxious but raising temperatures won't get product moved faster, assuming LH is operating a peak shipping ability.
> 
> That beins said- my Xfi isn't due immediately and existing rig is doing just fine.
> Not like I'm music less.


 
 To be fair, I bet that people would be happy if they even announced that they had shipped 50 pulses... or 100.  Doesn't have to be a micro update.


----------



## Larry Ho

The current QC and manufacturing speed for Geek Pulse is roughly 20 per day. And expect to double the speed from next week.
  
 The first 300 units will be crazily tested to spot any potential early errors. 
  
 And yes - stay focused, keep shipping!
  
 Larry


----------



## goaliedad39

Totally unrelated to anything but whenever I look at the Geek Soul it reminds me of a stealth jet fighter.  Or like something that would be in Batman's audio set up.  "Alfred, I feel like listening to something dark and moody.  Fire up the Bat Dac".   Sorry...... just some brain droppings I'm throwing out there.   Carry on.


----------



## Ranza

A new power amp for driving passive speaker ? Oh boy here we go another year of waiting in vain.....


----------



## jaywillin

goaliedad39 said:


> Totally unrelated to anything but whenever I look at the Geek Soul it reminds me of a stealth jet fighter.  Or like something that would be in Batman's audio set up.  "Alfred, I feel like listening to something dark and moody.  Fire up the Bat Dac".   Sorry...... just some brain droppings I'm throwing out there.   Carry on.


 
 good one !!


----------



## jaywillin

larry ho said:


> The current QC and manufacturing speed for Geek Pulse is roughly 20 per day. And expect to double the speed from next week.
> 
> The first 300 units will be crazily tested to spot any potential early errors.
> 
> ...


 
 thanks larry, thanks should have a calming effect on the restless natives ,


----------



## snip3r77

larry ho said:


> The current QC and manufacturing speed for Geek Pulse is roughly 20 per day. And expect to double the speed from next week.
> 
> The first 300 units will be crazily tested to spot any potential early errors.
> 
> ...




Ok not beating around the bush.

What's the chance of us getting the XFI before Xmas?


----------



## FraGGleR

ranza said:


> A new power amp for driving passive speaker ? Oh boy here we go another year of waiting in vain.....


 
 If you are talking about the monoblocks, those at least have working prototypes that have already been shown at RMAF.  One would hope for a slightly quicker turnaround.


----------



## FraGGleR

digitalzed said:


> Hard to argue with that FraGGleR. Obviously I'm not happy. I used to feel exactly the same as you. Guess I've just hit my tipping point.


 
 Fair enough, every has their limits.  I'm more amazed by the people who have been complaining for 10 months straight and still expect it to help.


----------



## walfredo

larry ho said:


> The current QC and manufacturing speed for Geek Pulse is roughly 20 per day. And expect to double the speed from next week.
> 
> The first 300 units will be crazily tested to spot any potential early errors.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks, Larry.  20/day is not bad, specially for the beginning.
  
 Could you share how much units were shipped?


----------



## digitalzed

larry ho said:


> The current QC and manufacturing speed for Geek Pulse is roughly 20 per day. And expect to double the speed from next week.
> 
> The first 300 units will be crazily tested to spot any potential early errors.
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks Larry. Since this information varies greatly from what has been included in the updates it would be very good if someone could put out a real update reflecting the current state of the situation on Pulse in an indiegogo update, not scattered across Head-Fi or the LH Labs forum.


----------



## MikeyFresh

larry ho said:


> The current QC and manufacturing speed for Geek Pulse is roughly 20 per day. And expect to double the speed from next week.
> 
> The first 300 units will be crazily tested to spot any potential early errors.
> 
> ...


 

 Are the Pulse S/f/i boards to be produced in the same run as the Pulse X/f/i boards, or are those S boards in a separate production run which will only commence after the X boards are produced?


----------



## nicolo

Pulse S and it's variants will be produced only after all the Pulse/Pulse X variants have been produced.


----------



## lsh12

larry ho said:


> The current QC and manufacturing speed for Geek Pulse is roughly 20 per day. And expect to double the speed from next week.
> 
> The first 300 units will be crazily tested to spot any potential early errors.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Might help if LH Labs added a "Current Backing Date Being Shipped" item to the Pulse and LPS update pages -- would only take an admin a couple of minutes to look at who the last shipment of the day was going to and the order date, then update the pages as needed.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

nicolo said:


> Pulse S and it's variants will be produced only after all the Pulse/Pulse X variants have been produced.


 
  
 Does that mean that the pulse S backers will be getting theirs last?...


----------



## digitalzed

fraggler said:


> Fair enough, every has their limits.  I'm more amazed by the people who have been complaining for 10 months straight and still expect it to help.


 

 No joke.


----------



## lsh12

ethereal sound said:


> Does that mean that the pulse S backers will be getting theirs last?...


 

 Not exactly, because there were a lot of Pulse backers in the Geek Wave campaign and the current "Forever Funding" extension that will be getting theirs until long after the S's have shipped.


----------



## marflao

walfredo said:


> Thanks, Larry.  20/day is not bad, specially for the beginning.
> 
> Could you share how much units were shipped?


 
 If they started last friday as announced, they might approach the 100 threshold.


----------



## labjr

lsh12 said:


> Not exactly, because there were a lot of Pulse backers in the Geek Wave campaign and the current "Forever Funding" extension that will be getting theirs until long after the S's have shipped.


 
 I imagine they'll make all of the Pulse DACs in one run with some to spare, and probably start shipping the ones to the latest backers before some of the Xfi and S customers get them.


----------



## valve5425

snip3r77 said:


> Ok not beating around the bush.
> 
> What's the chance of us getting the XFI before Xmas?


 

 Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho HOOOOOO!
  
 Which Xmas???


----------



## Muinarc

I think that last delay in Pulse X improvements/QC killed my hopes of getting mine in 2014. Oh well, really enjoying my Garage1217 amp and he560s in the meantime


----------



## jexby

Ember or Solaris or ?

Heard great things about both, might grab the cheaper Polaris one day if 400i fall into my lap.

My HE-560 permanently attached to Lyr2 for now.


----------



## DSlayerZX

muinarc said:


> I think that last delay in Pulse X improvements/QC killed my hopes of getting mine in 2014. Oh well, really enjoying my Garage1217 amp and he560s in the meantime


 
  
 I rather LH lab delay the shipment until new year if they were to ship the pulse X a week before Christmas.
  
 Give everyone in LH lab a break, and also, the chance of packages getting damage and gone missing is just too high during the Christmas rush.


----------



## jexby

+1


----------



## miceblue

I'm just hoping for a *Geek Pulse X*mas. Sorry, I had to. XD


----------



## snip3r77

valve5425 said:


> Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho HOOOOOO!
> 
> Which Xmas???


 
 If you opt for the Tube Buffer it could be the latter.


----------



## labjr

dslayerzx said:


> I rather LH lab delay the shipment until new year if they were to ship the pulse X a week before Christmas.
> 
> Give everyone in LH lab a break, and also, the chance of packages getting damage and gone missing is just too high during the Christmas rush.


 

 They go to CES from Jan 6-9 and probably arrive a few days early to setup. Last Year Gavin went to the grand canyon for a week after CES. So now we're into February if no other problems arise.


----------



## uncola

Only 67 geek pulse X's ordered!  They should just go ahead and knock those models out now   *this is not motivated by self interest at all, no sir*
  
 Geek Pulse: 557
 Geek Pulse /f: 76
 Geek Pulse /i: 49
 Geek Pulse /f /i: 101

 Geek Pulse S: 15
 Geek Pulse S /f: 19
 Geek Pulse S /i: 10
 Geek Pulse S /f /i: 115

 Geek Pulse X: 67
 Geek Pulse X /f: 82
 Geek Pulse X /i: 18
 Geek Pulse X /f /i: 663

 Total: 1772


----------



## junker

Just looking at those numbers it's interesting that about 7-8% have upgraded to the Soul or Soul Tube.
  
 Pulse users will be happy...very soon. Just received the LPS a couple days ago and the Geek Out SE is sounding better than ever. Not using a split cable yet...just have a 6" Belkin Gold going to the LPS from a MacMini and then a 6" Media Bridge USB extender cable (similar to a DragonTail) so it's nice, clean, and short but I'd really like to try out the split 2G or 10G sometime...


----------



## lsh12

@uncola-- just wondering if those numbers include Pulse backers from the Geek Wave campaign.


----------



## nicolo

Nope. The numbers are for the Pulse backers from the Pulse campaign only and do not include later campaigns.


----------



## walfredo

So, the first batch was shipped a week ago.  Hasn't anyone got one yet?


----------



## RingingEars

walfredo said:


> So, the first batch was shipped a week ago.  Hasn't anyone got one yet?


 
 Kinda what I was wondering. Not that I'm in a hurry. I'm at the back of the line so..., but  I would like to hear some impressions


----------



## mark5hs

Would the Pulse be an ok amp for Klipsch R42 speakers?


----------



## eac3

mark5hs said:


> Would the Pulse be an ok amp for Klipsch R42 speakers?


 
  
 As far as I am concerned, there are no speaker terminals in the back of the unit.


----------



## lsh12

mark5hs said:


> Would the Pulse be an ok amp for Klipsch R42 speakers?


 
  
 The Pulse output is only 3 Watts -- you might hear it in your R42's, but you won't be happy.


----------



## greenkiwi

Nobody has one in the wild yet?  Please please please... we need to have some impressions....


----------



## mark5hs

lsh12 said:


> The Pulse output is only 3 Watts -- you might hear it in your R42's, but you won't be happy.


 
  
 Hmmm what are the RCA outs on the back meant for? Would it work as a pre amp sort of thing? I mostly use headphones, so I really don't know much about speaker set ups... Thanks


----------



## FayeForever

Yes the RCAs are for power amplifier or integrated amplifier.
 You could drive speakers if they are super efficient and high impedance, but I am not sure what your Klipsch R42 is like.


----------



## lsh12

fayeforever said:


> Yes the RCAs are for power amplifier or integrated amplifier.
> You could drive speakers if they are super efficient and high impedance, but I am not sure what your Klipsch R42 is like.


 

 The R42's have good efficiency (95bB/1m), but they are designed for 75W output -- sound great when driven by 30W amp, but 3W just not enough volume.


----------



## FayeForever

Yeah I would expect that.
 The only speakers I think are OK to use would be tiny desktop 3-inch full range.


----------



## junker

Or maybe something like vintage Altec, Zu Audio, or Klipsch Heritage...


----------



## digitalzed

walfredo said:


> So, the first batch was shipped a week ago.  Hasn't anyone got one yet?


 

 It's very odd that no one has posted anywhere here or other forum that they've received theirs. No one has even claimed they received shipping information from LH Labs. Even though I'm hugely disappointed at the communication on this project from LH Labs I'd be very happy for whoever received theirs and would like to hear about it. The fact that no one has posted makes me question what, if anything, has really been shipped.


----------



## Muinarc

jexby said:


> Ember or Solaris or ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


Sunrise, I heard all 3 and preferred this one's sound. Despite what people say, you don't need 5billion watt to run headphones to ear-bleeding levels. Preferred the Ember to Polaris if thats worth anything to you.


----------



## Samuel777

Hello everybody,
  
 What do you think of this : https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-ultra-high-def-audio-for-your-desktop/contributions/new?perk_amt=698&perk_id=2489966
 is it a good opportunuity or not ?
  
 how if compared to :  GEEK PULSE + HIFIMAN 560 at 960 USD ?
  
 which one is the best ?
  
 regards
 sam


----------



## eac3

valve5425 said:


> vincent215 said:
> 
> 
> > I need to make a change on shipping address and I reopened their survey link (I am one of the first 100 people that LH sent out survey links), and the page requested me to go back to their support system. I opened a ticket in the support system, and I haven't heard back from them in the last 24 hours. I tried to email to cs@lhlabs.com, and I got the same result.
> ...


 
  
 Would you mind PM'ing me Manny's email as well?


----------



## uncola

new video showing part of the QC process for the geek pulse pcb


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Man your quick!


----------



## RingingEars

uncola said:


> new video showing part of the QC process for the geek pulse pcb
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!




 Awesome. It's nice to see these guys are willing to give their followers an inside view into what they do...


----------



## Zenifyx

samuel777 said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> What do you think of this : https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-ultra-high-def-audio-for-your-desktop/contributions/new?perk_amt=698&perk_id=2489966
> is it a good opportunuity or not ?
> ...


 
  
 The more expensive one is obviously better, while the cheaper one is better value. As it usually is with audio stuffs.
  
 From the reviews of these two tho, it seems that the HE-400i is easier to drive while HE-560 is more power hungry, but better overall.
 AKA the HE-400i would probably be fine paired with your portable DAP, whilst a HE-560 needs to be driven with enough power.
 Assuming that the Pulse can drive the HE-560 comfortably, that should be the better pairing.
  
 I'd say grab that if you have the budget to, it's easily the best improvement overall, much better value than any other upgrade you could pledge for in the campaign.


----------



## miceblue

RE: Geek Pulse shipments
http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/2469-this-is-a-long-one-folks#40444

Photos of Pulse and LPS units being shipped:







I personally disagree with their decision to silkscreen the LPS on the back, and I would prefer to see the logo on the front for others to see what it is, but I guess that decision can't be changed now.


----------



## RingingEars

miceblue said:


> RE: Geek Pulse shipments
> http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/2469-this-is-a-long-one-folks#40444
> 
> Photos of Pulse and LPS units being shipped:
> ...


 
 Oh man that looks nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I can't wait to get my Pulse/LPS


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So just a quick question. Would the geek pulse Sfi be able to properly drive the He-500's or will I have to get a separate amp for it?


----------



## Zenifyx

ethereal sound said:


> So just a quick question. Would the geek pulse Sfi be able to properly drive the He-500's or will I have to get a separate amp for it?


 
  
  
 HE-500 requires 2.04mW to achieve 90dB SPL.
 Let's take 300mW of power, that would be enough to achieve peaks of 111dB SPL
 (Note that 110dB is the sound level of a jet flyover at 300m, really loud)
  
 Geek Pulse is stated to have a headphone output with up to 3000mW of power, which should be able to drive the HE-500 fairly easily, as long as it manages to produce ~300mW at the 47Ohm impedance of the headphones.
  
 TL;DR: The Geek Pulse should technically be able to drive the HE-500 comfortably at its stated spec of 3000mW, unless you like your music really loud


----------



## eac3

I agree with miceblue. I think the logo looks fine. But would want the display to have white text to match with the white/silver lining.
  
 Has anyone explored purchasing an alternative knob?
  
 Also, can someone remind me about the remote capability stretch goal. We have an IR sensor but will the pulse ship with a remote. There was some mention about the apple remote.


----------



## snip3r77

What about Audeze's at 15ohm?

How do you do the wattage required calculation using db and ohm?


----------



## nicolo

Go to the following link to calculate power requirements:
  
 http://headphone-amplifier.com/calculator.htm
  
 Note that planars are MUCH more current hungry than dynamic headphones.


----------



## miceblue

nicolo said:


> Note that planars are MUCH more current hungry than dynamic headphones.



Actually, while we're on this topic, for those who don't understand why current is needed:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/how-planar-magnetic-headphone-drivers-work


> The importance of the isodynamic field is to ensure that the relationship of current flow to force exerted on the diaphragm is constant regardless of the position of the conductor in its excursions through the field. The quality of the isodynamic field partly determines the linearity, and therefore contributes to the harmonic distortion content of the reproduced sound.





Noting this, how does volume correlate to properly driving a headphone in this case? As in, what does the headphone sound like if it can't produce enough current to create the isodynamic field?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Light Harmonic 2mt. 2G USB Cable unboxing.
  
*Sent* 14-Nov-2014  
*Received* (Italy) 21-Nov-2014
*Notes:* Now with full tracking service, last time w/ my Geek Out it took a month ro receive w/ partime (US only) tracking.


----------



## jsiegel14072

chartwell85 said:


> By popular demand, we're bringing back the HiFiMAN Headphone bundle deal beginning on November 21st at 9AM PST.  We'll be offering the bundle deals for 48 hours only and with no limit on how many can be purchased.  Headphones will begin to ship as soon as we have a final quantity on what we'll be ordering.
> 
> The bundle deal we'll be featuring will be the Geek Pulse + HiFiMAN HE-560 for the IGG only price of $968
> 
> ...


 

 Back up again for the combo with 560 or 400
 http://bit.ly/GeekPulseBundle


----------



## pauldgroot

This is just silly, why promote a 48h only deal when it reoccurs throughout time?! I thought I had to jump on board for this deal but now I feel like I could have just waited a bit to see if something else comes up.
  
I thought they would offer the deal, close it, contact HifiMAN about it and ship them out. The more they keep doing this deal, the longer backers will have to wait. I don't get it.


----------



## themad

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Light Harmonic 2mt. 2G USB Cable unboxing.
> 
> *Sent* 14-Nov-2014
> *Received* (Italy) 21-Nov-2014
> *Notes:* Now with full tracking service, last time w/ my Geek Out it took a month ro receive w/ partime (US only) tracking.


 
  
 Wow, that's a nice box!
 So the products are really starting to reach backers...hmm..interesting.
  
 When you can, post your impressions.


----------



## jaywillin

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Light Harmonic 2mt. 2G USB Cable unboxing.
> 
> *Sent* 14-Nov-2014
> *Received* (Italy) 21-Nov-2014
> ...


 
  
  


themad said:


> Wow, that's a nice box!
> So the products are really starting to reach backers...hmm..interesting.
> 
> When you can, post your impressions.


 
 second that !!
 that is a VERY nice job of packaging !! can't wait to here impressions too


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## Zenifyx

miceblue said:


> Actually, while we're on this topic, for those who don't understand why current is needed:
> http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/how-planar-magnetic-headphone-drivers-work
> Noting this, how does volume correlate to properly driving a headphone in this case? As in, what does the headphone sound like if it can't produce enough current to create the isodynamic field?


 
  
 Simple.
 Volume is related to power. Power is then related to current through the equation P=I²R.
 Simply put, you would require a high enough current to drive the headphones at the volumes you need.
 If the current is insufficient, the volumes you require cannot be achieved anyways.
  
 Also, no current is necessary to create the isodynamic field.
 It is produced by the permanent magnets in the headphone.


----------



## Muinarc

Voltage can get you there too, current isn't the only factor unless you reconfigure P=IV into what you did.


----------



## Zenifyx

muinarc said:


> Voltage can get you there too, current isn't the only factor unless you reconfigure P=IV into what you did.


 
  
 Note that the 'P' used to calculate dB SPL is the power produced at the impedance of the headphones.
 In this case, the 'V' in the equation P=IV refers to the potential difference over the impedance of the headphones.
 Take the equation V=IR.
 Taking the impedance R to be a constant, we have V proportional to I.
 Now how do you suppose we increase V without increasing I?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

zenifyx said:


> HE-500 requires 2.04mW to achieve 90dB SPL.
> Let's take 300mW of power, that would be enough to achieve peaks of 111dB SPL
> (Note that 110dB is the sound level of a jet flyover at 300m, really loud)
> 
> ...


 
  
 So does that mean that the geek pulse S with internal amp upgrade should be more than adequate?


----------



## Muinarc

zenifyx said:


> Note that the 'P' used to calculate dB SPL is the power produced at the impedance of the headphones.
> In this case, the 'V' in the equation P=IV refers to the potential difference over the impedance of the headphones.
> Take the equation V=IR.
> Taking the impedance R to be a constant, we have V proportional to I.
> Now how do you suppose we increase V without increasing I?


 

 If you want to call R constant I guess. Though close in Planars, it's still not constant over all frequencies.


----------



## lsh12

pauldgroot said:


> This is just silly, why promote a 48h only deal when it reoccurs throughout time?! I thought I had to jump on board for this deal but now I feel like I could have just waited a bit to see if something else comes up.
> 
> I thought they would offer the deal, close it, contact HifiMAN about it and ship them out. The more they keep doing this deal, the longer backers will have to wait. I don't get it.


 
  
 They probably had to make these deals with HiFiMan in advance and offer no more than what HiFiMan would commit to delivering.  The first round could be seen as a test case, and since it was successful, HiFiMan might have "found" more stock to do it again.
  
 Also, a "limited time sale" is standard practice in the retail and marketing industries; used to generate buzz and create sense of urgency among potential buyers.


----------



## pauldgroot

Yes but we are here to back their product. It's a community effort and they are abusing that power I think. Oh well, whatever. LHL is a weird business.


----------



## Zenifyx

muinarc said:


> If you want to call R constant I guess. Though close in Planars, it's still not constant over all frequencies.


 
  
 And how does that prove your point?
 R (the impedance) is still independent of V & I, thus V (the p.d) is still directly proportional to the current (I).
 Just because R varies over frequencies does not magically make them inversely proportional.
  
 Anyway, let us derail this thread no further.
 If you have a 56 page thesis disproving Ohm's Law, feel free to PM me.
 I would love to give it a read.


----------



## nudd

I can't find the post now, but according to Larry:
  
 - the Pulse is current constrained so that it will max at around 3 Watt total output (regardless of voltage), or otherwise, it will be voltage constrained to 1.8v, 3.5v or 7v in SE mode (or 3.6, 6 or 14v) depending on the gain setting.
  
 - power will keep going up as the headphone impedance goes down until it hits the 3 Watt limit.
  
 I think this means it will drive the HE-500 more than comfortably as this implies that at 50 Ohms (somewhere around the HE-500's nominal impedance), it will be able to generate around 1 Watt of power in SE mode and the full 3 Watts in balanced mode. Assuming the HE-500 can survive it, that implies SPLs that is louder than any reasonable listening levels.
  
 That's all theoretical of course, but on paper there is nothing to say the amp stage is not more than capable of driving the HE-500 to any level you want, maybe up to 10 times over.
  
 I think LHL tests the Pulse with HE-560s so I am sure the same is true of the HE-560 (although anecdotal evidence is that the HE-560 is much harder to drive than the HE-500 even if on paper it doesn't seem to be the case).
  
 What is MUCH more of a worry to me is sensitive IEMs, as the GO 720 and 450 I have are quite hissy with sensitive IEMs and the concern is even 1.8v is too much for things like the Shure 535s, Jerry Harveys and less than 16 ohm impedance headphones of the world


----------



## snip3r77

.


----------



## snip3r77

nudd said:


> I can't find the post now, but according to Larry:
> 
> - the Pulse is current constrained so that it will max at around 3 Watt total output (regardless of voltage), or otherwise, it will be voltage constrained to 1.8v, 3.5v or 7v in SE mode (or 3.6, 6 or 14v) depending on the gain setting.
> 
> ...




Shouldn't be an issue as Larry actually uses the HE560.

But what about Audezes @ 15ohm. Anyone has a calculation on this?


----------



## Zenifyx

snip3r77 said:


> Shouldn't be an issue as Larry actually uses the HE560.
> 
> But what about Audezes @ 15ohm. Anyone has a calculation on this?


 
  
 Which Audeze are you talking about?
 Audeze headphones are generally less power hungry than the Hifiman-560 tho.
  
 To demonstrate, from measurements taken from innerfidelity, the power required to achieve 90dB SPL are as follows:
 LCD-2 - 0.75mW
 LCD-3 - 0.66mW
 LCD-X - 0.22mW
 HE-560 - 2.53mW


----------



## snip3r77

zenifyx said:


> Which Audeze are you talking about?
> Audeze headphones are generally less power hungry than the Hifiman-560 tho.
> 
> To demonstrate, from measurements taken from innerfidelity, the power required to achieve 90dB SPL are as follows:
> ...




OMG HE560 is insane. The LCD-X is so much easier to drive.


----------



## lsh12

And the best of the HiFiMan breed, HE-6, only take 19.69mW for 90dB SPL.


----------



## Clemmaster

snip3r77 said:


> OMG HE560 is insane. The LCD-X is so much easier to drive.


 
 In practice it is not.
  
 Are those measurement taken at 1kHz? If yes, some headphones might require to play louder to achieve the same overall volume across the bandwidth. Audeze are dark, if you want the same treble quantity as the HE-560, you need to push it way past the 1kHz rating.


----------



## Verloren

GS = Geek Soul
 GFO = Geek Force Only
 GTB = Geek Tube Buffer
  
 Quote:


> PERKS GO LIVE @ MIDNIGHT NOVEMBER 26
> 
> Geek Pulse / Geek Soul Black Friday Deals
> 
> ...


 
  
 From http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2494-black-friday-sneak-peek#40979


----------



## coletrain104

soooo, I could've had the 2G cable for free with my pulse X but because I bought early I can't?...
 That kinda sucks


----------



## Verloren

Further updates - all 10G cables are split config.
 Monoblocks power ratings are for 4Ohm.
  
  
 IMO, The Xfi + cable deal doesn't look that good.
  
 Early bird XFi (full payment) = 1400. Add the 2G cable, and it has to be >3m long to make it worthwhile. Currently, it looks like it is cheaper to get the X + cable combo, then pay for an upgrade to Xfi.
  
 The Geek Pulse deal though, is a steal. EB Geek Pulse is currently @ 489USD.


----------



## Verloren

Another update on the 2G cable package - it is only 1m in length.


----------



## nitin1980

hi, reaching out to you for your extra greek pulse, can you pm me?


----------



## smial1966

All these permutations have given me serious brain ache! Is there some mad marketing guru ensconced at LH Labs beavering away concocting all of these irresistible perks?!?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  
  
 Quote:


verloren said:


> From http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2494-black-friday-sneak-peek#40979


----------



## miceblue

Yeah I thought the perks were fine up until this point. Now I'm just plain confused.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

smial1966 said:


>


 

 Yeah. I used to want a dac/amp. Now I don't know what I want...


----------



## Ranza

Wait....so....according to this


> This mono block design is fully balanced and dual mono for the positive and negative phases of this channel and provides you a hefty 100W continuous and 200W of instant power for each channel of your system (MSRP $1,199). *These will work perfectly with your home stereo system (needs two) or home theater system (needs five or seven)*. We’ll invoice you separately for shipping.


 
  
  
  
 We need *one for each* passive speaker ? And it cost $719/piece even with GFO ? Need 1440$ to drive a pair of speaker ?
 ....dang....


----------



## jaywillin

ranza said:


> Wait....so....according to this
> 
> 
> 
> ...



welcome to "high end"


----------



## Verloren

ranza said:


> Wait....so....according to this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Technically, yes. However, a lot of it will depend on the setup. I have a set of passive bookshelves hooked up to a 140W amp, but I probably could get by with 60W considering it is a nearfield setup.


----------



## nicolo

Was looking to get 4 at least. 2 for my LS50's. Then 2 for the Definitive Tech Mythos ST-L towers. Probably 2 for the surrounds.
  
 Oh well!! Will look at Emotiva amps now!


----------



## krikor

verloren said:


> From http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2494-black-friday-sneak-peek#40979


 
  
 More perks and the fog grows thicker.


----------



## RingingEars

krikor said:


> More perks and fog grows thicker.


 
 Agreed.
 The new perks are tempting, but I'm not letting go of another penny until the first Pulse batch that shipped more than a week ago gets into peoples hands.
 I'm sure the Pulses are going to be great, but it seems like LH is starting to trip over themselves with all these perks.


----------



## Ranza

jaywillin said:


> welcome to "high end"


 
  
 Rogue Audio can do pretty much the same....and " high end " too...
 http://www.rogueaudio.com/Products_sphinx.htm
 hmm....look like invest a pair of powered speaker will be more efficiency, if you want a nearfield setup =/....


----------



## valve5425

coletrain104 said:


> soooo, I could've had the 2G cable for free with my pulse X but because I bought early I can't?...
> That kinda sucks


 

 My thoughts exactly! And to rub salt in the wound, after reading Gavin's post that all 2G cables would be shipped by this Wednesday, I decided to submit a ticket to ask when mine ships. I then get told by Carlos that they are scheduled to start shipping early December. Huh??
  
 So, the Black Friday deals look good, (even if they are on a Thursday) but I'm just not prepared to plough any more money into this company. There's too much going on and something's got to give. If I'd actually got my hands on my Pulse Xfi, then I may have been a little more willing to part with some cash.


----------



## jaywillin

ranza said:


> Rogue Audio can do pretty much the same....and " high end " too...
> http://www.rogueaudio.com/Products_sphinx.htm
> hmm....look like invest a pair of powered speaker will be more efficiency, if you want a nearfield setup =/....


 
 i have a pair of psb ps1's they are pretty dang good !


----------



## AxelCloris

I'm tempted by the GTB. I have no idea if I want to go balanced or SE, probably balanced. Going to have to think on it for a bit.


----------



## mscott58

Brian - Would you be planning to use the GTB for head-fi or hi-fi? Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving! Michael


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Brian - Would you be planning to use the GTB for head-fi or hi-fi? Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving! Michael


 
  
 I'd like to use it for both if possible, which is why I'm considering the balanced version more than the SE. The SE would pretty much be relegated to headphone duty only while balanced could run out to a nice speaker setup.


----------



## eac3

Meanwhile, no one has received their vanilla pulse yet (checked on lhlabs last night).


----------



## krikor

axelcloris said:


> I'm tempted by the GTB. I have no idea if I want to go balanced or SE, probably balanced. Going to have to think on it for a bit.


 
 I was tempted for a moment, but at this point I don't see spending more on a tube buffer than I've spent on the Pulse X. At least not until I've got the Pulse in my hands.
  
 I would also like to know how exactly the balanced tube buffer is configured. Are they (1) the singled-ended buffer with a pair of Lundahl transformers on the output to convert it to balanced OR (2) is it a true balanced buffer, double the tubes, XLR in and  out? I think number 1 based on how the Soul Tube Balanced output is described (I've asked the question in a related thread over at LH forum, but nothing yet).
  
 With every perk comes more questions


----------



## labjr

krikor said:


> With every perk comes more questions


 

 Yeah like how many new perks will be coming next week!
  
 How can they possibly make all these products which, BTW, are only concepts? 
  
 How can they even keep track of all of this? Becoming very suspicious.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> I'd like to use it for both if possible, which is why I'm considering the balanced version more than the SE. The SE would pretty much be relegated to headphone duty only while balanced could run out to a nice speaker setup.


 
 Unclear to me how the GTB would work with headphones. Seems like Larry is saying it's primarily for speaker set-ups?


----------



## themad

mscott58 said:


> Unclear to me how the GTB would work with headphones. Seems like Larry is saying it's primarily for speaker set-ups?


 
 It's just a tube buffer. It goes between the DAC and the amplifier, whatever amplifier it is. It makes no difference if it's a headphone or speaker amp.


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Unclear to me how the GTB would work with headphones. Seems like Larry is saying it's primarily for speaker set-ups?


 

 You could feed the SE or Balanced (using XLR --> RCA adapter) outputs of the GTB to your Conductor and use it as the headamp.


----------



## FayeForever

I think once again LHL made thing much over complicated than they could handle. It is not as easy as you simply put up a perk, it will arise questions, doubts, and even conflicts to prior perks, and all these will go to the already less than ideal CS.
 This forever campaign doesn't really make much sense to me either, who will really purchase the Geek Pulse at retail price when they show up at retail channel next year...


----------



## vhsownsbeta

Am I crazy for just sticking with my pulse xfi? My original intention was to buy small footprint desktop dac/amp, but now there is lps, tube stage etc...
  
 Shouldn't the some of the upgrades on the xfi mitigate the issues with a switching power supply? What is the likelihood of a tangible difference in switching vs LPS?
  
 There is this overbearing sense that you need to BUY NOW otherwise you will 'pay through the nose' later...


----------



## miceblue

I'm sticking with my original Xfi. I don't know why they don't have a GTB upgrade though. Instead I have to buy a whole separate unit that is redundant with the Pulse.


----------



## MikeyFresh

vhsownsbeta said:


> Am I crazy for just sticking with my pulse xfi? My original intention was to buy small footprint desktop dac/amp, but now there is lps, tube stage etc...
> 
> Shouldn't the some of the upgrades on the xfi mitigate the issues with a switching power supply? What is the likelihood of a tangible difference in switching vs LPS?
> 
> There is this overbearing sense that you need to BUY NOW otherwise you will 'pay through the nose' later...


 

 I've always found the biggest problem with a SMPS isn't necessarily that it won't perform well in the circuit it was intended to power, but rather, how it will infect the AC power line with switching noise that can contaminate and compromise the performance of other components that are also connected to that same AC line.
  
 If you use a power conditioner with complete isolation between outlets, this isn't a big worry. But otherwise it very much is unless you already have all kinds of other SMPS "wall warts" connected to that same AC circuit, in which case you've already got that problem and might just be adding to it.


----------



## jexby

vhsownsbeta said:


> Am I crazy for just sticking with my pulse xfi? My original intention was to buy small footprint desktop dac/amp, but now there is lps, tube stage etc...


 
  
 sticking with Xfi myself also.
 not into building a stereo channel setup for an entire room, just want my HE-560 and Lyr 2 to pair well with Xfi DAC.


----------



## bhazard

My LPS has shipped!


----------



## uncola

Congrats bhazard!


----------



## lsh12

vhsownsbeta said:


> Am I crazy for just sticking with my pulse xfi? My original intention was to buy small footprint desktop dac/amp, but now there is lps, tube stage etc...
> 
> Shouldn't the some of the upgrades on the xfi mitigate the issues with a switching power supply? What is the likelihood of a tangible difference in switching vs LPS?
> 
> There is this overbearing sense that you need to BUY NOW otherwise you will 'pay through the nose' later...


 
  
 I'm keeping by Pulse Xfi, and will triple-stack it with LPS4 and GTB so the footprint remains small.  I've also ordered a Soul Xfi for my home system, and thinking about getting a GTB and LPS4 for there as well.
  
 There are several differences between a switching and a linear power supply, and even though the switcher may be operating at a frequency well above human hearing, there are harmonics and EMI that can affect the unit it's driving as well as other components connected to the same AC power.  The linear is about 10,000 times "quieter."  Also, think about headroom (yeah, power supplies need it, too) -- for an instantaneous 50% change in power draw (not uncommon for audio amps), the switcher will take as much as 3 milliseconds to recover the drop in voltage (like adding one cycle of a 300 Hz tone every time your player is called on to boom the bass), while the linear will recover in about 50 microseconds (can't hear that).


----------



## mandrake50

lsh12 said:


> I'm keeping by Pulse Xfi, and will triple-stack it with LPS4 and GTB so the footprint remains small.  I've also ordered a Soul Xfi for my home system, and thinking about getting a GTB and LPS4 for there as well.
> 
> There are several differences between a switching and a linear power supply, and even though the switcher may be operating at a frequency well above human hearing, there are harmonics and EMI that can affect the unit it's driving as well as other components connected to the same AC power.  The linear is about 10,000 times "quieter."  Also, think about headroom (yeah, power supplies need it, too) -- for an instantaneous 50% change in power draw (not uncommon for audio amps), the switcher will take as much as 3 milliseconds to recover the drop in voltage (like adding one cycle of a 300 Hz tone every time your player is called on to boom the bass), while the linear will recover in about 50 microseconds (can't hear that).


 

 Sure, but you can get a 9 amp peak power supply.. Linear, with very low ripple, for well under $100... well under. 18 amps peak 12 amp continuous for not much more.
 Not as pretty for sure, but they can be on the floor or somewhere out of view. $1300 for a power supply that delivers what the LPS4 does is close to insanity. Diminishing returns laws are well violated.


----------



## walfredo

I wonder if http://www.ebay.com/itm/191265584682?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT would work with the Geek Pulse.  Is there any potential electrical problem?  Does anyone know the DC head size of the Geek Pulse?


----------



## bhazard

I cannot wait to rock out with the Pulse X fi, LPS, and Massdrop AKGs. Would be a wonderful Christmas gift to myself.


----------



## chartwell85

Just updated the $1,600,000 stretch goal perks on the IGG campaign.  There are limits associated with them.
  
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-ultra-high-def-audio-for-your-desktop/x/6993509#home


----------



## FayeForever

walfredo said:


> I wonder if http://www.ebay.com/itm/191265584682?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT would work with the Geek Pulse.  Is there any potential electrical problem?  Does anyone know the DC head size of the Geek Pulse?


 

 It will work, the head size is as listed in the description.


----------



## georgelai57

chartwell85 said:


> Just updated the $1,600,000 stretch goal perks on the IGG campaign.  There are limits associated with them.
> 
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-ultra-high-def-audio-for-your-desktop/x/6993509#home


 
And I just sent you a PM on the LH Forums page. This $1.6M spam keeps coming into my inbox and there is no unsubscribe button. In fact there is a subscribe button. Come on please sort out these spam.


----------



## chartwell85

georgelai57 said:


> And I just sent you a PM on the LH Forums page. This $1.6M spam keeps coming into my inbox and there is no unsubscribe button. In fact there is a subscribe button. Come on please sort out these spam.


 

 Hey George,
  
 If you're looking for the unsubscribe button, you'll find a variety of options.  Here are some screenshots for your reference.  If you have further issues with this please don't hesitate to contact me directly.
  
 The very top of the thread:
  

  
 The bottom of the thread:


 And finally, there is also information on how to unsubscribe in the body of the email you received:


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## georgelai57

@casey hartwell - yes I know where the unsubscribe button is as I have used it in the past but there's a bug here. Here are two screenshots - one with my name showing I'm signed in. And the other showing only a Subscribe and a Favorites button and that I cannot reply to that thread!


----------



## walfredo

Thanks, folks!!  I searched the indigogo page and did not find this info.
  
 I think I'll try it... after I receive my geek pulse.


----------



## chartwell85

georgelai57 said:


> @casey hartwell - yes I know where the unsubscribe button is as I have used it in the past but there's a bug here. Here are two screenshots - one with my name showing I'm signed in. And the other showing only a Subscribe and a Favorites button and that I cannot reply to that thread!


 
 George,
  
 Are you on a mobile device? If so, what browser?  
  
 I just tried to duplicate your issue utilizing an iPhone6 & Samsung S4 in Safari & Chrome.....


----------



## georgelai57

chartwell85 said:


> George,
> 
> Are you on a mobile device? If so, what browser?
> 
> I just tried to duplicate your issue utilizing an iPhone6 & Samsung S4 in Safari & Chrome.....



Hi Casey,

Yes iPhone 6+ on Safari and iOS 8.1.1. I believe there's a bug hence my highlighting to you guys. Normally the Unsubscribe is there. 

George


----------



## Verloren

Casey, I think he's referring to the IGG newsletters containing project updates.
  
 George - If you are referring to the emails from IndieGogo with project updates, go to IndieGogo, log in, and click on your name in the top right corner before going to My Campaigns. Unfollow the projects you don't want.


----------



## greenkiwi

ranza said:


> Wait....so....according to this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah, the Emotive XPA-1 (1000W @4ohm & 60W class A $850/piece) & XPA-1L (500W @4ohm - $475/piece 1st 35w class A) give these some serious competition...


----------



## greenkiwi

axelcloris said:


> I'm tempted by the GTB. I have no idea if I want to go balanced or SE, probably balanced. Going to have to think on it for a bit.


 
 My understanding is that the balanced is going to be SE with a transformer to make the output balanced.  Not sure what I think about that.


----------



## greenkiwi

> Both versions will use a pair of 6922/6DJ8 tubes.



  
Looks like it's a SE buffer with a transformer on the output.


----------



## georgelai57

verloren said:


> Casey, I think he's referring to the IGG newsletters containing project updates.
> 
> George - If you are referring to the emails from IndieGogo with project updates, go to IndieGogo, log in, and click on your name in the top right corner before going to My Campaigns. Unfollow the projects you don't want.


 

  @Verloren - the emails are from "Geek Temple". In any event, I've logged into IGG and go to My Campaigns and unfollowed everything. The problem with that is that now I have to log in to IGG to keep an eye on what's happening. In my view LH is using the IGG "follow" feature wrongly. They should use it to announce a news item but not use that for people's comments on it. For example before this, there was Gavin's "Unhappiness" news and I received a flood of emails from Geek Temple.


----------



## Verloren

georgelai57 said:


> @Verloren - the emails are from "Geek Temple". In any event, I've logged into IGG and go to My Campaigns and unfollowed everything. The problem with that is that now I have to log in to IGG to keep an eye on what's happening. In my view LH is using the IGG "follow" feature wrongly. They should use it to announce a news item but not use that for people's comments on it. For example before this, there was Gavin's "Unhappiness" news and I received a flood of emails from Geek Temple.


 
  
 Then it's probably the forums.
  
 Profile > Subscriptions tab.


----------



## miceblue

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL0TTnJfDYs[/video]



So..........................................................the power leg is useless after the handshake. T_T
Why would someone, such as myself, want the 2G cable instead of the 1G then? The 1G would actually require "less" cables in the end since the power cable can just be removed completely from the system instead of having some cable dangle off the edge of the table or whatnot. >.>

If this is the case, is there a point to having the iFi iUSB Power in this setup since the power leg is only needed for the initial handshake, and nothing else?


miceblue said:


> Here's a "split" LightSpeed cable that someone had at a local Head-Fi meet:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Larry Ho

miceblue said:


> So..........................................................the power leg is useless after the handshake. T_T
> Why would someone, such as myself, want the 2G cable instead of the 1G then? The 1G would actually require "less" cables in the end since the power cable can just be removed completely from the system instead of having some cable dangle off the edge of the table or whatnot. >.>
> 
> If this is the case, is there a point to having the iFi iPurifier in this setup since the power leg is only needed for the initial handshake, and nothing else?


 

 Not EVERY USB DAC could play this trick... 
  
 Geek Pulse is perfectly working in this mode because we tested it. I can not guarantee the rest... 
  
 Also, LS 2G will give you a isolated data leg which tested in DOUBLE speed. This is not available in LS 1G. 
  
 Enjoy!


----------



## miceblue

larry ho said:


> Not EVERY USB DAC could play this trick...
> 
> Geek Pulse is perfectly working in this mode because we tested it. I can not guarantee the rest...
> 
> ...



Hi Larry, thanks for the quick reply. So is the connection dependent on the USB DAC's XMOS (or similar) interface, or is it something else? From what Gavin said in the video about the handshake, it sounded like it could apply for any DAC, but I could be mistaken.

This might be a stupid question to ask, but can one use the LightSpeed cables for normal data transfer (e.g. from my computer to a hard drive) and if so, does the bandwidth of the cable matter in this case?


----------



## uncola

miceblue I told you so 
  
 This is how I understand it..  You can use that lightspeed 2g cable on other dacs that are able to cope with the data leg being disconnected after the initial handshake and that will free you from dc noise from the pc..some dacs can't cope with it though and wont' function.  but since your lps already isolates the geek pulse from the pcs noisy power it's of less use in that application.. but you do still get to take advantage of the nice 2g cable in the data leg I guess so it still has some advantage


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So just wondering, is the lightspeed 1G cable an USB A to B? Additionally, would using an USB hub affect anything when using the geek pulse?


----------



## uncola

lsh12 said:


> I'm keeping by Pulse Xfi, and will triple-stack it with LPS4 and GTB so the footprint remains small.  I've also ordered a Soul Xfi for my home system, and thinking about getting a GTB and LPS4 for there as well.
> 
> There are several differences between a switching and a linear power supply, and even though the switcher may be operating at a frequency well above human hearing, there are harmonics and EMI that can affect the unit it's driving as well as other components connected to the same AC power.  The linear is about 10,000 times "quieter."  Also, think about headroom (yeah, power supplies need it, too) -- for an instantaneous 50% change in power draw (not uncommon for audio amps), the switcher will take as much as 3 milliseconds to recover the drop in voltage (like adding one cycle of a 300 Hz tone every time your player is called on to boom the bass), while the linear will recover in about 50 microseconds (can't hear that).


 
 damn, now I I feel intense switching power supply inferiority complex.. you know ncore monoblock power amps use switching power supplies and no one says those are bad


----------



## Schopenhauer

chartwell85 said:


> Hey George,
> 
> If you're looking for the unsubscribe button, *you'll find a variety of options*.  Here are some screenshots for your reference.  If you have further issues with this please don't hesitate to contact me directly.
> 
> ...


 
 Any of those options include an LPS and/or Tube Stage buffering?


----------



## Verloren

schopenhauer said:


> Any of those options include an LPS and/or Tube Stage buffering?


 
 The BF sales?
  
 From page 196
  


> GFO GTB Single Ended $599
> 
> This perk is for members of our Geek Force Only (that’s what “GFO” means). If you’re not a member of the Geek Force, you’re not entitled to this special price. Membership is easy and FREE: just register on lhlabs.com. That’s it! This perk is for a new Geek Tube Buffer (GTB) that works with Geek Pulse DAC, outfitting it with a single ended tube buffer output stage. The warmth of tube audio in a desktop size footprint (MSRP $998). We’ll invoice you separately for shipping.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Only options are tube buffers.


----------



## mscott58

So Casey just posted an update on IGG stating that due to "overwhelming feedback" they've changed their Black Friday offerings somewhat. So they might have actually listened to the s***storm on the LH forums. We'll see what comes to be in a few hours when the actual offers come out. Fingers crossed.


----------



## snip3r77

mscott58 said:


> So Casey just posted an update on IGG stating that due to "overwhelming feedback" they've changed their Black Friday offerings somewhat. So they might have actually listened to the s***storm on the LH forums. We'll see what comes to be in a few hours when the actual offers come out. Fingers crossed.




I don't know about you guys. Upgrade whatever perks even if it's free, I just want want my LPS and Pulse XFI and be done with this.


----------



## nicolo

Same here. I was looking to get the monoblocks, but they are too expensive for my taste.
 Now just waiting for my LPS/Pulse Xfi/Source/Wave.
  
 Too many products, too many variants/perks, too many rah-rah communications.


----------



## Ranza

Don't know if I can receive my geek pulse xfi before New Year, I want to end my house contract soon and move to another place, yet I still stuck here waiting for my god-know-when-arrive geek pulse. Do anyone know how long for the geek pulse shipping from USA to Japan ?


----------



## jaywillin

All the 2g cables have shipped ? I haven't received any shipping notification nor 2g cable


----------



## snip3r77

jaywillin said:


> All the 2g cables have shipped ? I haven't received any shipping notification nor 2g cable




My friend's LPS has been shipped but no fun for him as he doesn't have the Pulse.


----------



## nicolo

@Ranza
  
 According to Gavin, the Pulse Xfi's are supposed to be shipping from mid-December onwards. If they ship on time, you may get it before year end if you are one of the first campaign buyers. If you bought the Xfi in later campaigns, you probably will not get it before New Year. In that case, open a ticket giving them your new address. If you were in the US when backing the Pulse, you probably did not pay for shipping. So you would need to pay for shipping now if you want it shipped to Japan.


----------



## miceblue

jaywillin said:


> All the 2g cables have shipped ? I haven't received any shipping notification nor 2g cable



No tracking update for me either.


----------



## Verloren

mscott58 said:


> So Casey just posted an update on IGG stating that due to "overwhelming feedback" they've changed their Black Friday offerings somewhat. So they might have actually listened to the s***storm on the LH forums. We'll see what comes to be in a few hours when the actual offers come out. Fingers crossed.


 
  
 One of Gavin's posts heavily implies that there are no more bundles involving free 2G cables.


----------



## bhazard

snip3r77 said:


> My friend's LPS has been shipped but no fun for him as he doesn't have the Pulse.


 
 You can use it with other DACs for now, like the Geek Out, which I'll be doing soon while I wait for my X fi.


----------



## mscott58

verloren said:


> One of Gavin's posts heavily implies that there are no more bundles involving free 2G cables.




Interesting. Which post? Thx!


----------



## Verloren

mscott58 said:


> Interesting. Which post? Thx!


 
  
 Thread >> http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/2523-my-order-on-indiegogo-for-pulse-and-x-upgrade
  
 TL;DR - Person asks if they can get the free 2G cable even though said person pledged before BF deals were up. General response was no. Gavin posts at the end saying that due to community feedback, it got cancelled.


----------



## jaywillin

miceblue said:


> No tracking update for me either.


 
 i just checked the tracking system, it says my perks are in que, but that it, at least that's progress, it had been showing "no information"


----------



## Schopenhauer

verloren said:


> The BF sales?
> 
> From page 196
> 
> ...



It wasn't serious.


----------



## Verloren

schopenhauer said:


> It wasn't serious.


 
 Ah. Hard to tell sometimes.


----------



## mscott58

verloren said:


> Thread >> http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/2523-my-order-on-indiegogo-for-pulse-and-x-upgrade
> 
> TL;DR - Person asks if they can get the free 2G cable even though said person pledged before BF deals were up. General response was no. Gavin posts at the end saying that due to community feedback, it got cancelled.


 
 Thanks for pointing me to the thread. Had somehow missed that one. Glad to hear they came to their senses and removed that perk. "Cable-Gate" had started to become a bit of an issue.


----------



## miceblue

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p8H4YC0nL8[/video]


----------



## marflao

Posted this already in the IGG comments but due to the fact that I haven´t received any answer yet maybe someone here can enlighten me.
  
 So far I thought the dimension for the LPS/Pulse package is 14x5x14in.
 Having a closer look at the pic from Gavin´s update #104 it appears to me that they have different sizes. At least it looks like that the 4 boxes in the lower right (with the white box on top) are taller than the two ones for instance.
  

  
 Or is the pic distorted and they are all the same?
 If not what´s in those boxes??


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Its just how you look at it perspectively...Nearer is larger/taller. And farther a way, it gets smaller/shorter.


----------



## marflao

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Its just how you look at it perspectively...Nearer is larger/taller. And farther a way, it gets smaller/shorter.


 
  
 yes ...you´re probably right. Just found Junker´s pic of his arrived LPS again...looks like the same box.
  

  
 Guess it´s about time to do a check-up at the ophthalmologist


----------



## georgelai57

Well I received a similar box this evening, thousands of miles here in Singapore, and my first thought that it could be the Pulse, WAS TOTALLY WRONG.


----------



## marflao

So ..LPS instead?


----------



## georgelai57

marflao said:


> So ..LPS instead?



My daughters' shoes ;-(


----------



## marflao

lol


----------



## georgelai57

It's alive https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-ultra-high-def-audio-for-your-desktop#perk-select


----------



## valve5425

jaywillin said:


> All the 2g cables have shipped ? I haven't received any shipping notification nor 2g cable


 
  
  
 Quote:


miceblue said:


> No tracking update for me either.


 

 I think they mean all but 3 shipped. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Stephanie's pushed my 2nd ticket, regarding this, up to Manny to sort. I ain't got mine yet! Nothing on tracking either. TBF, it might be my own fault for mine not coming, as originally I'd asked for everything to be sent out as one package. Changed my mind for the Geek though, as I realised the Pulse Xfi was a looooong way off. My main concern, when I saw that ALL 2G's were sent out, was that I'd been overlooked. Submitted the tickets just to see what was actually going on. As I mentioned in an earlier post, it's a shame Carlos responded to the first ticket with "_non of those have been shipped out but are scheduled to start shipping in early December_."
  
 After forking out $160 to upgrade to the 2G, I'm pleased they've seen sense and withdrawn the free 2G. I must say I was a little taken aback by that one.
  
 Anyway. Considering the number of Pulse's which should have shipped since 14th November, why is there so little feedback? Are people just keeping them to sell on later, at the MSRP?


----------



## eac3

valve5425 said:


> Anyway. Considering the number of Pulse's which should have shipped since 14th November, why is there so little feedback?


 
  
 Little? You mean none..for the Pulse that is? I have no idea.


----------



## Anaximandros

Light Harmonic are getting personal thank you PMs on how awesome the Pulse is and how it changed their listening experience to a whole new level of audio bliss. 

They are sorting out the best PMs to publish and that of course takes time. 

Remember that they received lots and lots of PMs for their LPS and how proud Larry was sharing this information with us.


----------



## eac3

anaximandros said:


> Light Harmonic are getting personal thank you PMs on how awesome the Pulse is and how it changed their listening experience to a whole new level of audio bliss.
> 
> They are sorting out the best PMs to publish and that of course takes time.
> 
> Remember that they received lots and lots of PMs for their LPS and how proud Larry was sharing this information with us.


 
  
 Are you referring to this:
  


> *LPS In The Wild*
> 
> Geek LPS has already received tons of praise from those of you that were fortunate enough to be among the first backers.  People are talking, and frankly, we love it!  If you haven't already hopped in on LPS, or even if you have, check out the Geek Force Forum for user reviews and updates.
> 
> In fact, I recieved a PM just yesterday raving about how blown away a an LPS backer was, “the quality and improved sound dynamics while pairing my Geek Out with LPS were completely unbeknown to me prior to Gavin’s update video.  First thing I did was connect my Geek Out and try it right away.  I had no idea that it was possible to improve my already perfect sounding Geek Out 1000, this little bundle of joy sure did it.  What is this black magic!!”


 
  
  
 anyways....
  
  
 I also appreciate Gavin working on the tracking system and adding the ability to see where you are in the queue. If Gavin/Larry/Casey is reading this. Thank you.


----------



## Anaximandros

Yes I meant this comment. Also note that my post above is purely ironic and sarcastic.


----------



## mtruong34

anaximandros said:


> Yes I meant this comment. Also note that my post above is purely ironic and sarcastic.


 
  
 I called Casey @ LH out on this and he admitted there were about 6 PMs he had received which in my book does not qualify as tons.  I wish they would reign in their marketing a bit as that has been a big area of criticism.  Just let your products speak for themselves and stop the guerilla marketing.


----------



## chartwell85

Just added new Black Friday options.  Give er' a looksy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-ultra-high-def-audio-for-your-desktop/x/6993509#home


----------



## digitalzed

chartwell85 said:


> Just added new Black Friday options.  Give er' a looksy
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Casey, since the tracking system is down, how is LH notifying people that they have been shipped? Through the notifications system the USPS provides? A separate service LH employs? Hand written cursive notes that are then attached to carrier pigeons and dispatched from a secret location by monks? Curious minds NEED to know.


----------



## labjr

mtruong34 said:


> I called Casey @ LH out on this and he admitted there were about 6 PMs he had received which in my book does not qualify as tons.  I wish they would reign in their marketing a bit as that has been a big area of criticism.  Just let your products speak for themselves and stop the guerilla marketing.


 

 Yeah, and I wish they'd stop pushing their stuff in this forum. Is it against the rules?


----------



## jaywillin

casey,
 any idea as to why i haven't received any notice of my 2g cable shipping, when it was posted all the 2g cables had shipped, and everything on my survey is correct ? 
 somewhat curious here
  
 EDIT
 the tracking system is down ? how about the notification system, i'd take the carrier pigeon method, at least that's something


----------



## chartwell85

digitalzed said:


> Casey, since the tracking system is down, how is LH notifying people that they have been shipped? Through the notifications system the USPS provides? A separate service LH employs? Hand written cursive notes that are then attached to carrier pigeons and dispatched from a secret location by monks? Curious minds NEED to know.


 

 Our internal tracking system is what we're using for the time being.  Once an order is shipped the backer will be provided with an update as well as the USPS (or other) tracking information associated with their purchase.


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> casey,
> any idea as to why i haven't received any notice of my 2g cable shipping, when it was posted all the 2g cables had shipped, and everything on my survey is correct ?
> somewhat curious here
> 
> ...


 

 Hey Jaywillin,
  
 Shoot me a PM and I'll look into your details when I get in the office.


----------



## walfredo

chartwell85 said:


> digitalzed said:
> 
> 
> > Casey, since the tracking system is down, how is LH notifying people that they have been shipped? Through the notifications system the USPS provides? A separate service LH employs? Hand written cursive notes that are then attached to carrier pigeons and dispatched from a secret location by monks? Curious minds NEED to know.
> ...


 
  
 Casey:  
  
 Do you have an estimate when the Pulse (vanilla version) of the original campaign will complete finish?  Is there a way to know one's position on the queue? 
  
 []s
 Walfredo


----------



## digitalzed

chartwell85 said:


> Our internal tracking system is what we're using for the time being.  Once an order is shipped the backer will be provided with an update as well as the USPS (or other) tracking information associated with their purchase.


 

 Thanks for replying Casey. If anyone has received notification please let us know. I know I'm anxious to actually see a Pulse in the wild. Hoping someone here on Head-Fi will oblige.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

A VEIL HAS COME OFF!!

 Well the adapter came.

 Upon plug-in initial impression with the LS 2G USB cable: Hefty increase in detail/definition, clarity, separation, spatiality. Seem a veil had came off.
 Now I am hearing a lot of things.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And the separation...For example on orchestra, I am hearing not just a choral group but individual singers in a group. Not just the string section, but individual musicians in a group.

 A bit "digital"/bright to my taste though.

 Well its just minutes...Let's see during break-in...


----------



## digitalzed

That's good news! Give it time to break in m-i-c-k-e-y. Should open up nicely.
  
 Did you get a shipping notification or did this just show up?


----------



## valve5425

mtruong34 said:


> I called Casey @ LH out on this and he admitted there were about 6 PMs he had received which in my book does not qualify as tons.  I wish they would reign in their marketing a bit as that has been a big area of criticism.  Just let your products speak for themselves and stop the guerilla marketing.


 

 The truth is, they haven't got that many products, Just lots of concepts and a DAC and some cables "in the post."
  
 Thanks to Jeremy Anderson for posting this on the Geek Forum. http://igg.me/at/lambert/x/5196195
  
 It's interesting to see that they promise to deliver within 4 months "_So-- unlike many crowd-funding campaigns, you won't have to wait very long to receive the perks that you’ve backed so generously._" I hope they're not having a dig at anyone in particular there.
  
 Nice looking design at the price.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

digitalzed said:


> That's good news! Give it time to break in m-i-c-k-e-y. Should open up nicely.
> 
> Did you get a shipping notification or did this just show up?


 
  
 Got shipping notification on Nov. 14th arrived in my dorstep here in Italy Nov. 21.


----------



## digitalzed

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Got shipping notification on Nov. 14th arrived in my dorstep here in Italy Nov. 21.


 

 Well, nice to know you got a shipping notice. Still find it difficult to believe no one has posted receiving their shipping notifications for any of the products that are said to be shipping. No choice but to ride it out.


----------



## marflao

Maybe only overseas backer got/ will get one?!?!


----------



## mandrake50

eac3 said:


> I also appreciate Gavin working on the tracking system and adding the ability to see where you are in the queue. If Gavin/Larry/Casey is reading this. Thank you.


 
  I would appreciate it, as would many, many others that have pledged/backed since the original campaign, just being able to access the tracking site.. or at least being told of some method to see their status in the queues.


----------



## eac3

That's weird, I am able to login using my login credentials I used for the survey.  They did mention Gavin would be working on the tracking site...so perhaps its down for some.


----------



## mandrake50

eac3 said:


> That's weird, I am able to login using my login credentials I used for the survey.  They did mention Gavin would be working on the tracking site...so perhaps its down for some.


 

 I opened a ticket asking why I could not access the page. Carlos specifically said it was only active for the original backers. Backers after that apparently, none of whom have received surveys, have no access.
 Others can logon, but according to many, the information is not being updated or is not accurate.
  
 Casey just said they are only using their internal tracking system at this point.


----------



## bhazard

My LPS has arrived and is going into my PC chain with my Geek Out 1000 as we speak.
  
 EDIT: Oh hell yes, it was so worth the wait.
  
 Overall distortion and the background seems to have cleared up by a noticeable degree. The background is Wesley Snipes black. I can't think of anything blacker so I'm going with that.


----------



## junker

Yeah the LPS really kicked-up my Geek Out - really happy with it right now... I'm just using a 6" Belden Gold to the LPS and a 6" MediaBridge "DragonTail" type extender from the LPS to the GeekOut.


----------



## jexby

junker said:


> Yeah the LPS really kicked-up my Geek Out - really happy with it right now... I'm just using a 6" Belden Gold to the LPS and a 6" MediaBridge "DragonTail" type extender from the LPS to the GeekOut.




Junker,
With no LPS in my immediate future due to lack of funds, any interest in shipping my Wyrd to you for comparison to LPS with Geek Out?

With Wyrd and GO450 to my HP50, didn't really detect a huge sonic improvement. But also didn't sprend more than 3 hours in the back and forth analysis, so 
A solid compare with your LPS might be a first?


----------



## FayeForever

jexby said:


> Junker,
> With no LPS in my immediate future due to lack of funds, any interest in shipping my Wyrd to you for comparison to LPS with Geek Out?
> 
> With Wyrd and GO450 to my HP50, didn't really detect a huge sonic improvement. But also didn't sprend more than 3 hours in the back and forth analysis, so
> A solid compare with your LPS might be a first?


 

 I am interested in this as well as a Wyrd owner.


----------



## germay0653

Give it at least 2 weeks of break-in Michael!


----------



## digitalzed

bhazard said:


> My LPS has arrived and is going into my PC chain with my Geek Out 1000 as we speak.
> 
> EDIT: Oh hell yes, it was so worth the wait.
> 
> Overall distortion and the background seems to have cleared up by a noticeable degree. The background is Wesley Snipes black. I can't think of anything blacker so I'm going with that.


 

 Wesley Snipes black. Classic.


----------



## junker

Always bet on black.... (backgrounds)
  
  
  
 I'd be up for putting the Wyrd H2H against the LPS... In fair disclosure I'm weird though... I'm the person that doesn't make snap judgements. During Christmas when asked how I like a gift I'm often found with a with a befuddled look thinking how can I answer that until I have a chance to fully evaluate something. I'm honest like that to a fault.
  
 You're in Colorado? I used to live in Glenwood Springs back in the day. Wonder if there was anyone from RMAF close where you couldn't need to deal with shipping and could sit in on the comparison in person.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

germay0653 said:


> Give it at least 2 weeks of break-in Michael!


 
  
 You bet!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

digitalzed said:


> Well, nice to know you got a shipping notice. Still find it difficult to believe no one has posted receiving their shipping notifications for any of the products that are said to be shipping. No choice but to ride it out.


 
  
 Well yesterday I had my shipping notice for my T-Shirt...(waiting for my Xfi, LPS4 and Blue...)


----------



## junker

Hey Michael, Does the tracking # show any package received or in the system? :incredulous:


----------



## digitalzed

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Well yesterday I had my shipping notice for my T-Shirt...(waiting for my Xfi, LPS4 and Blue...)


 

 T-shirt and a cable...yay...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

junker said:


> Hey Michael, Does the tracking # show any package received or in the system? :incredulous:


 
  
 Just like on my cable..Email sent to me by LH Labs with the description of merchandise and tracking number with link to USPS tracking service.


----------



## bhazard

If the Geek Out gets such a nice bump from the LPS, I can't wait to see how the Xfi performs. Exciting.


----------



## Larry Ho

I bumped into a nice USPS delivery man in our office two days ago. From his tired face, I could tell... Thanksgiving shopping season really make the USPS system a hard time. And he told me more and more work load in past few years during this season. They will try their best, but won't guarantee the perfect time...


----------



## digitalzed

larry ho said:


> I bumped into a nice USPS delivery man in our office two days ago. From his tired face, I could tell... Thanksgiving shopping season really make the USPS system a hard time. And he told me more and more work load in past few years during this season. They will try their best, but won't guarantee the perfect time...




Larry, once I get my tracking number I can stop harassing you and start harassing my postman!


----------



## jexby

junker said:


> Always bet on black.... (backgrounds)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 1.  it would be a no rush loan to get adequate comparison.
  
 2.  anyone in Denver/Boulder area with a Geek LPS already?
 (or want to help fund LPS4 for myself ha!?)
  
  
 ps.  Glenwood remains a great town on the Western Slope.  just there this summer.


----------



## FlySweep

I got my LPS today, too.. haven't taken it out of the box yet.. but I'll be sure to provide comparisons vs the GO1000 w/ the Wyrd.


----------



## head-hi

larry ho said:


> I bumped into a nice USPS delivery man in our office two days ago. From his tired face, I could tell... Thanksgiving shopping season really make the USPS system a hard time. And he told me more and more work load in past few years during this season. They will try their best, but won't guarantee the perfect time...


 

 Is this LHspeak for "expect more delays"?
  
 How many Pulses have shipped since 11-14?
  
 I've heard nobody say they've received one.


----------



## digitalzed

flysweep said:


> I got my LPS today, too.. haven't taken it out of the box yet.. but I'll be sure to provide comparisons vs the GO1000 w/ the Wyrd.


 

 Congrats! You're one of the lucky few so far.


----------



## jexby

flysweep said:


> I got my LPS today, too.. haven't taken it out of the box yet.. but I'll be sure to provide comparisons vs the GO1000 w/ the Wyrd.




Awesome to hear of LPS arrival.
Your review is due in 2 weeks. Ha!


----------



## Levanter

Anyone knows what comes with the Geek Pulse package? Will there be any power adapter or cables included?


----------



## marflao

SMPS & power cord. 
The early IGG backers (1st campaign & 2nd(?!?)) will get a 1G USB cable in addition.


----------



## Levanter

marflao said:


> SMPS & power cord.
> The early IGG backers (1st campaign & 2nd(?!?)) will get a 1G USB cable in addition.


 
  
 Thanks for the reply, though it shouldn't be costly for them to include generic cables though lol


----------



## marflao

Yeah... There was/is already a discussion about that in the Geek forum: http://lhlabs.com/force/lightspeed-usb/2536-where-are-the-1g-junior-cables#41711


----------



## Levanter

marflao said:


> Yeah... There was/is already a discussion about that in the Geek forum: http://lhlabs.com/force/lightspeed-usb/2536-where-are-the-1g-junior-cables#41711


 
  
 Thanks for the info!
 Is there any links on reference on the 1G vs 2G cable? I've read the difference is obvious against the 10G but nothing much compared to generic USB cables vs 1G and 2G.


----------



## valve5425

flysweep said:


> I got my LPS today, too.. haven't taken it out of the box yet.. but I'll be sure to provide comparisons vs the GO1000 w/ the Wyrd.


 

 Looking forward to hearing what you think.


----------



## snip3r77

valve5425 said:


> Looking forward to hearing what you think.




Let him PM lhlabs first


----------



## walfredo

marflao said:


> SMPS & power cord.
> The early IGG backers (1st campaign & 2nd(?!?)) will get a 1G USB cable in addition.


 

 I didn't know there has been multiple campaigns.  I backed late December 2013.  Which campaign is that?


----------



## marflao

walfredo said:


> I didn't know there has been multiple campaigns.  I backed late December 2013.  Which campaign is that?


 
  
 If I´m not mistaken, the first campaign went until Dec. 31st 27th 2013.
 Just googled and found this which had to be the second one.
  
 Edit: Corrected end date of the 1st campaign based on this


----------



## marflao

levanter said:


> Thanks for the info!
> Is there any links on reference on the 1G vs 2G cable? I've read the difference is obvious against the 10G but nothing much compared to generic USB cables vs 1G and 2G.


 
 Hmm.....Larry said once the following:
  
_LightSpeed 2G USB cable vs. LightSpeed Jr. (1G) cable differences

 1. Double the data bandwidth.
 2. Add one power noise eliminator ferret
 3. Split the data and power lines_


----------



## valve5425

Gavin did say early on in the campaign, that the 10G was overkill for the pulse. Don't know if that would still apply to the pimped up Xfi though. I guess we'll only know when someone hears one.


----------



## mandrake50

valve5425 said:


> Gavin did say early on in the campaign, that the 10G was overkill for the pulse. Don't know if that would still apply to the pimped up Xfi though. I guess we'll only know when someone hears one.


 

 All of them are probably overkill, especially for the price.
 One is hard limited by the USB 2 protocol. If you have more bandwidth than you ever can use...
  
 No cable flame wars desired..
 Just saying..  A great way for LH to have a major profit center... 10 dollar to make cables for hundreds.


----------



## hoo7h

How well you guys think it will sound with the hd 650? I know that the impedance is a bit too low.
 On a side note I have a small n00by question: Can I use the DAC in the geek pulse without the amp?, meaning that I can use my Little Dot MK III as the amp and the geek pulse as the DAC.


----------



## coletrain104

hoo7h said:


> How well you guys think it will sound with the hd 650? I know that the impedance is a bit too low.
> On a side note I have a small n00by question: Can I use the DAC in the geek pulse without the amp?, meaning that I can use my Little Dot MK III as the amp and the geek pulse as the DAC.


 
 The impedance may not be too low, as it has switchable gain and should work well with most headphones. to use just the DAC, you'll need two RCA to RCA connector cables (or some other form of output, god knows the Pulse is loaded with them, especially X and upwards) to go from the DAC to your Little Dot.


----------



## valve5425

> Can I use the DAC in the geek pulse without the amp?, meaning that I can use my Little Dot MK III as the amp and the geek pulse as the DAC.


 
 As coletrain104 points out, no problem with that. Personally I'll be using my Pulse Xfi's line out, (when it turns up!) via RCA, into my Stax SRM-313 amp. (I can't see me using the Pulse's head amp any time soon.) I'm just getting parts together to build a KGST electrostatic amp, so, when that's finished, I'll be able to take advantage of the Xfi's balanced out.
  
 It will be interesting to know how the sound quality of the Pulse head amp section compares to the Little Dot.


----------



## sjp770

So I understand the Pulse (and variants) will come with a 1G USB cable, but will the LPS/ LPS4 come with a USB cable as well?  I've backed the HE560, Pulse X and LPS4 but there isn't enough info out there on whats included etc. Logged a support ticket and they closed it without answering all the questions I had. The only answer was updates will happen once the campaign has closed.


----------



## junker

I do not believe that the LPS will come with an USB cable.


----------



## Levanter

sjp770 said:


> So I understand the Pulse (and variants) will come with a 1G USB cable, but will the LPS/ LPS4 come with a USB cable as well?  I've backed the HE560, Pulse X and LPS4 but there isn't enough info out there on whats included etc. Logged a support ticket and they closed it without answering all the questions I had. The only answer was updates will happen once the campaign has closed.




The free 1G USB cable is only for the early backers in the earlier 1st and 2nd campaign. I don't think the Hifiman bundle includes the cable


----------



## AxelCloris

junker said:


> I do not believe that the LPS will come with an USB cable.


 
  
 It's not supposed to. They offered a discounted cable to backers of the LPS in the first and second campaigns.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> junker said:
> 
> 
> > I do not believe that the LPS will come with an USB cable.
> ...


 
 Brian, you need to be the official historian for this IGG campaign...


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> Brian, you need to be the official historian for this IGG campaign...


 
  
 Nooooope. I've made mistakes before when commenting on the campaign. I do err at times and I don't like misleading people. But I know of the discounted 1G because I took them up on the "special."


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Brian, you need to be the official historian for this IGG campaign...
> ...


 
 I lost track when they added the Fi to the X....LOL!!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Brian, you need to be the official historian for this IGG campaign...


 
 Totally agree! Brian for Historian! Four more years, four more years...
  
 Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Brian, you need to be the official historian for this IGG campaign...
> ...


 
 It is unanimous! !


----------



## vhsownsbeta

mscott58 said:


> Totally agree! Brian for Historian! Four more years, four more years...
> 
> Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving




I hope you are not implying that this IGG campaign is going to go on for four more years ;o)


----------



## mscott58

vhsownsbeta said:


> I hope you are not implying that this IGG campaign is going to go on for four more years ;o)




Ha! Freudian slip?


----------



## digitalzed

vhsownsbeta said:


> I hope you are not implying that this IGG campaign is going to go on for four more years ;o)


 

 Good one. And maybe true!


----------



## sjp770

So was the consensus that the 1G cable is needed?  I have the LPS4 coming so i'd need 2x 1G cables i guess


----------



## walfredo

longbowbbs said:


> axelcloris said:
> 
> 
> > longbowbbs said:
> ...


 
  
)))))))))))))))))))))))


----------



## walfredo

sjp770 said:


> So was the consensus that the 1G cable is needed?  I have the LPS4 coming so i'd need 2x 1G cables i guess


 
  
 Define "needed".


----------



## vhsownsbeta

mscott58 said:


> Ha! Freudian slip?




Imagine. Four more years of perks. Total. Worldwide. Marital. Disharmony.


----------



## sjp770

walfredo said:


> Define "needed".


 
 "If you dont get a USB cable of this / similar quality why are you spending money of a high end DAC???"
  
 -- or --
  
 Not getting these cables or similar high end cables will create a noticeable noise and create a weak point in a Geek Pulse X + LPS4 + HE 560 system
  
 If either holds true then I'll get em. If a monster USB cable works i'll put out a WTB on my local forum to save exchange rates / post. (Australia here)


----------



## Levanter

sjp770 said:


> So was the consensus that the 1G cable is needed?  I have the LPS4 coming so i'd need 2x 1G cables i guess




You can get the 2G cable which is a splitter so you don't have to get 2 1G cables.


----------



## sjp770

Not really a more economical solution...


----------



## AxelCloris

If you want to run through the LPS I'd advise having 2 USB cables of identical or at least similar quality. The reasoning is that with 2 different cables one will effectively become a bottleneck and reduce any quality advantage the better one has. I have 2 Lightspeed Jr 1G cables coming; one included with the Pulse and one I ordered separately when I backed the LPS. You don't need to step up to the 2G to have a killer system. Sure the 2G has improvements but if you're looking to save some money for now go with two 1G cables.
  
 Alternatively you can stick with a single 1G cable and bypass the LPS completely. Then the LPS just provides power to the Pulse and doesn't try to clean out the noise from the USB controller. It'll still sound great, again just not as nice as the other options that require additional funds.


----------



## sjp770

axelcloris said:


> If you want to run through the LPS I'd advise having 2 USB cables of identical or at least similar quality. The reasoning is that with 2 different cables one will effectively become a bottleneck and reduce any quality advantage the better one has. I have 2 Lightspeed Jr 1G cables coming; one included with the Pulse and one I ordered separately when I backed the LPS. You don't need to step up to the 2G to have a killer system. Sure the 2G has improvements but if you're looking to save some money for now go with two 1G cables.
> 
> Alternatively you can stick with a single 1G cable and bypass the LPS completely. Then the LPS just provides power to the Pulse and doesn't try to clean out the noise from the USB controller. It'll still sound great, again just not as nice as the other options that require additional funds.


 
 Cheers, I'll grab 2x 1G cables as the separate power run sounds like a great idea. Monster cables wont have that.


----------



## walfredo

sjp770 said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > Define "needed".
> ...


 
  
 I am still looking for *any* evidence that a digital cable affects sound.  And by "any evidence" I mean either:
  
 1.  An explanation that my poor brain can understand.
  
 2.  A trial that my poor ears can listen any difference.
  
 So far, alas, I have not found any.  If people have (1), please share.  As of (2), I'll keep looking in head-fi meetings.  And, of course, I'll receive a 1G cable when my pulse eventually arrives.  I'll try an A/B against a cheap USB cable.


----------



## earfonia

walfredo said:


> I am still looking for *any* evidence that a digital cable affects sound.  And by "any evidence" I mean either:
> 
> 1.  An explanation that my poor brain can understand.
> 
> ...


 
  
 +1
 The only 'expensive' USB cables I have ever tried, costing only in the range of $75, and I couldn't hear any difference with sub $10 cables (using pretty good gears, HD800, T1, etc). But I'm open and really eager to find the truth or to hear any difference between sub $10 good quality USB and those > $100 USB cables.  I know SPDIF coaxial cable might have problem with reflection, thus there might be differences between cables. But for USB, I don't see any good explanation so far. Probably good conductor for the power section might cause a different, but that would apply only for DACs requiring power from USB port.


----------



## miceblue

Yeah I've inquired why bandwidth would have anything to do with the sound quality.

Say we have a DSD128 track playing on the Geek Out or Pulse.
44.1 kHz * 1000 Hz/kHz * 128 times the sampling rate of CD * 1-bit audio * 2 channels = 11289600 bit/s = 11.2896 Mbps

A standard USB 2.0 cable should have more than enough bandwidth for this type of music so why does Light Harmonic insist on creating a USB cable that has 4 times the bandwidth of USB 2.0 specifications (480 Mbit/s for high-speed applications)?

And I thought USB interfaces use some sort of checksum-like process for verification of accurate data.


----------



## junker

miceblue said:


> Yeah I've inquired why bandwidth would have anything to do with the sound quality.
> 
> Say we have a DSD128 track playing on the Geek Out or Pulse.
> 44.1 kHz * 1000 Hz/kHz * 128 times the sampling rate of CD * 1-bit audio * 2 channels = 11289600 bit/s = 11.2896 Mbps
> ...


 

 No,isochronous doesn't have any check-sum or packet resend functionality - the goal with this is to have timely data rather than total data integrity. How many data errors really occur in most cases I'm not sure, but Larry said he likes to keep very tight impedance tolerances as well(2%?).


----------



## mandrake50

Besides, what other item can you have made for $10 and charge north of $500 for?


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> I lost track when they added the Fi to the X....LOL!!


 
 lol, i barely know what i actually have ! 
 i have to look from time to time


----------



## krikor

sjp770 said:


> "If you dont get a USB cable of this / similar quality why are you spending money of a high end DAC???"
> 
> -- or --
> 
> ...


 
  
 I've hear this argument quite a few times with regards to USB cables in this thread (and/or at LHLabs?). But in my mind shouldn't the 3L buffer, asynch transmission, LPS4 and any other pixie dust sprinkled in the circuit make the Pulse _*LESS*_ sensitive to USB cables? That is, assuming there is any noise or distortion that we can actually hear/perceive in the first place - oh boy, here we go on the cable debates


----------



## jaywillin

walfredo said:


> I am still looking for *any* evidence that a digital cable affects sound.  And by "any evidence" I mean either:
> 
> 1.  An explanation that my poor brain can understand.
> 
> ...


 
 i was somewhat skeptical about cables in general, i figured i'd just make sure any cables (usb included) were of good quality 
 i started with audioquest forest, and then tried a audioquest carbon, no real difference that i could hear.
 i happened upon a good deal on a nordost blue heaven usb cable, i heard a definite improvement , not night and day, but a more open sound. 
 now i wouldn't "bet my "paycheck" on that, but i kept the cable ! just my experience , as they say, YMMV


----------



## krikor

junker said:


> No,isochronous doesn't have any check-sum or packet resend functionality - the goal with this is to have timely data rather than total data integrity. How many data errors really occur in most cases I'm not sure, but Larry said he likes to keep very tight impedance tolerances as well(2%?).


 
  
 Yes, but the Pulse uses asynchronous USB transmission in which the data packets are checked.


----------



## krikor

axelcloris said:


> It'll still sound great, again just not as nice as the other options that require additional funds.


 
  
 In theory... or as the marketers would have you believe. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 As of yet, I do not know of any actual customer impressions, reviews, comparisons, blind testing, etc. I'm not one to discount the difference cables and other measures can make, I even have a Quantum Symphony plugged into my system which can seem like borderline snake oil. But we need to some actual experiences (which there should be since Pulses have shipped, yes?).


----------



## germay0653

longbowbbs said:


> It is unanimous! !


 

 Yes, Mr. Fancypants needs to step up and be the historian.


----------



## walfredo

junker said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah I've inquired why bandwidth would have anything to do with the sound quality.
> ...


 

 But Pulse is asynchronous, right?


----------



## FayeForever

http://www.chord.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/HFN_USB-Cable-GT_Chord-Co.pdf
  
 Here is a part of a USB cable group test from HiFi News.


----------



## AxelCloris

krikor said:


> In theory... or as the marketers would have you believe.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have the GO SE and it spanks the GO 1000 that I had before. Considering that the SE contains several things that my Pulse Xfi will have (for example femto clocks and upgraded active components) I have no doubt that the Pulse will sound excellent.


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> I have the GO SE and it spanks the GO 1000 that I had before. Considering that the SE contains several things that my Pulse Xfi will have (for example femto clocks and upgraded active components) I have no doubt that the Pulse will sound excellent.


 
 i missed this, you have received a pulse ??


----------



## krikor

axelcloris said:


> I have the GO SE and it spanks the GO 1000 that I had before. Considering that the SE contains several things that my Pulse Xfi will have (for example femto clocks and upgraded active components) I have no doubt that the Pulse will sound excellent.


 
  
 Sorry... I misread your original post. When you said "other options that require additional funds" I thought that you were referring to the USB cables.


----------



## AxelCloris

jaywillin said:


> i missed this, you have received a pulse ??


 
  
 No, but I've heard the Pulse Xfi/LPS combo in a non-controlled environment and I really enjoyed what I heard. I own the GO SE which is pretty much a mini Pulse fi.
  


krikor said:


> Sorry... I misread your original post. When you said "other options that require additional funds" I thought that you were referring to the USB cables.


 
  
 That was what I was saying at the time. A Pulse with an LPS and a single USB will sound fine. You'll get a marginal upgrade by adding a second USB to the equation and you'll get a marginal upgrade over that using an even higher bandwidth USB cable like the 2G. The "other options" will sound better but will cost more. And in the realm of high end audio most improvements are subtle.


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> No, but I've heard the Pulse Xfi/LPS combo in a non-controlled environment and I really enjoyed what I heard. I own the GO *SE* which is pretty much a mini Pulse fi.
> 
> 
> That was what I was saying at the time. A Pulse with an LPS and a single USB will sound fine. You'll get a marginal upgrade by adding a second USB to the equation and you'll get a marginal upgrade over that using an even higher bandwidth USB cable like the 2G. The "other options" will sound better but will cost more. And in the realm of high end audio most improvements are subtle.


 
 i got confused, i was thinking "pulse SE" as in single ended


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> No, but I've heard the Pulse Xfi/LPS combo in a non-controlled environment and I really enjoyed what I heard. I own the GO SE which is pretty much a mini Pulse fi.


 
  
 the GO SE is dual-mono, has a 3 layer elastic buffer for USB and balanced outputs?
 (just kidding)


----------



## junker

I think a good quality cable can make a difference, but the best cable is no cable. So, I'm having good luck with a 6" Belkin Gold ($7) and a 6" Mediabridge USB extension (for the GeekOut). It's so short that I am less concerned with voltage drop, noise emission/absorption, impedance tolerances, and impedance based digital "reflections" which cause jitter. Less is more IMO...


----------



## germay0653

junker said:


> I think a good quality cable can make a difference, but the best cable is no cable. So, I'm having good luck with a 6" Belkin Gold ($7) and a 6" Mediabridge USB extension (for the GeekOut). It's so short that I am less concerned with voltage drop, noise emission/absorption, impedance tolerances, and impedance based digital "reflections" which cause jitter. Less is more IMO...


 

 Can't wait to hear your impressions of the 2G, if you ordered one!


----------



## junker

germay0653 said:


> Can't wait to hear your impressions of the 2G, if you ordered one!


 

 No, I'm pretty happy with what I have. Also, that is too much cable - and far to bright - for me to use it in my open console. Back when we were discussing cables for the campaign I pushed for a short jumper cable but nothing ever came of it so the 6" cables I'm using are clean and tidy.


----------



## germay0653

Far too bright as in cable color, lime green, or too bright sounding?  If sounding, then you have heard it, correct?


----------



## jaywillin

Casey must have cracked the whip , my 2g cable has shipped ! There's progress!


----------



## mscott58

The total $'s contributed has disappeared from the Geek Pulse IGG campaign page - now it just says _"Act Now! This campaign has ended, and is still offering perks."_
  
 Wonder what is up? I was kind of having fun watching it tick up towards $2M!


----------



## eac3

That's a pretty hefty discount on the IEMs they are offering. I don't particularly like sticking things in my ear but considering the retail price (if it will even retail for that much), seems like a good deal.


----------



## mscott58

eac3 said:


> That's a pretty hefty discount on the IEMs they are offering. I don't particularly like sticking things in my ear but considering the retail price (if it will even retail for that much), seems like a good deal.


 
 Yeah, it's a pretty low risk investment, especially if you live in the States (and avoid the $15 international shipping charge).


----------



## Boban85

For the chaps that ordered the Pulse + HiFiMAN bundle and are concerned with customs and import tax, I just learned from Manny that the HE-560 will be declared at $779. Seems that they are going ahead with declaring all Pulses at $189, so to calculate your HiFiMAN just deduct that amount from the bundle amount.


----------



## miceblue

fayeforever said:


> http://www.chord.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/HFN_USB-Cable-GT_Chord-Co.pdf
> 
> Here is a part of a USB cable group test from HiFi News.



Like all cable comparisons from hifi sources, the testing protocols and methods are not specified. i.e. the most notable things are switching times, trial number, sample size; heck they say it's a blind test but they don't list any procedures for how the blind test was conducted; likewise, they say the different volumes perceived are the result of the cable, which would make the test unfair to begin with, similar to analogue cables having different resistance values and thus different perceived volume of things

I'd take that article with a few kilograms of salt.


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> Like all cable comparisons from hifi sources, the testing protocols and methods are not specified. i.e. the most notable things are switching times, trial number, sample size; heck they say it's a blind test but they don't list any procedures for how the blind test was conducted; likewise, they say the different volumes perceived are the result of the cable, which would make the test unfair to begin with, similar to analogue cables having different resistance values and thus different perceived volume of things
> 
> I'd take that article with a few kilograms of salt.




Not exactly precise scientific method, but at least they tried some comparisons, which is more than most do.


----------



## FayeForever

junker said:


> I think a good quality cable can make a difference, but the best cable is no cable. So, I'm having good luck with a 6" Belkin Gold ($7) and a 6" Mediabridge USB extension (for the GeekOut). It's so short that I am less concerned with voltage drop, noise emission/absorption, impedance tolerances, and impedance based digital "reflections" which cause jitter. Less is more IMO...


 

 Yes, my opinion is that all cables will do harm to the signal, the difference is which do the least...


----------



## tRuE008

Alright, if someone can help me, that would be great.
  
 My issue is I want to back the Geek Soul Xfi, but not sure what kind of output there is. Will there be SE, and balanced XLR out to headphone? Will there be RCA and XLR output to connect to different amps? I am assuming the Soul Xfi does have all those outputs because it's basically the Pulse Xfi and LPS in one, right? Just want to verify.
 So, if the Pulse Xfi + LPS = Soul Xfi, will it be more reasonable to get the Pulse Xfi? And does the Pulse Xfi come with a LPS or do I have to buy the LPS also? And why are there two perks for the Pulse Xfi? The early bird Pulse Xfi is $1399, and the non early bird Pulse Xfi is $1869. Why is that? Do I have to buy something first to get the early bird special?
  
 I was so close to backing the Soul Xfi a few weeks back, but saw the bundle with the Pulse X and the HE560. Was going to get the Pulse X + HE560, but really wanted the Pulse Xfi instead. Yes, I saw the upgrade option, but thought that was only for early backers from the kickstarter campaign. Wasn't sure if we can back the bundle, then upgrade right away to the Pulse Xfi? So was just wondering, will there be a bundle with the Pulse Xfi also in the near future? Or a bundle with the Soul Xfi? Either would be great.
  
 There are just so many perks, it's confusing. I've been trying to read up on the options, but I'm still lost. 
 Last question, which could probably only be answer by a staff at LH Labs, Can I come pick up the product? I live in Sac and was hoping to avoid shipping cost. Sorry one more question, Can I come in and test the products before buying?
  
 Sorry to put this here. I did PM one of them, but didn't get any answer.


----------



## krikor

true008 said:


> Alright, if someone can help me, that would be great.
> 
> My issue is I want to back the Geek Soul Xfi, but not sure what kind of output there is. Will there be SE, and balanced XLR out to headphone? Will there be RCA and XLR output to connect to different amps? I am assuming the Soul Xfi does have all those outputs because it's basically the Pulse Xfi and LPS in one, right? Just want to verify.


 
  
 Technology breakdown here: http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/Geek_Pulse_Soul_Technology_Breakdown.pdf
  
 Both Pulse X and Soul have balanced and single-ended outputs for connection to a preamp/amp. Pulse X has both a balanced and single-ended headphone output. Soul has only a balanced headphone output (no single-ended).


----------



## krikor

true008 said:


> So, if the Pulse Xfi + LPS = Soul Xfi, will it be more reasonable to get the Pulse Xfi? And does the Pulse Xfi come with a LPS or do I have to buy the LPS also? And why are there two perks for the Pulse Xfi? The early bird Pulse Xfi is $1399, and the non early bird Pulse Xfi is $1869. Why is that? Do I have to buy something first to get the early bird special?


 
  
 Pulse X does not come with an LPS, that's extra. Early Bird perks are limited in number (13 of 20 claimed, not sure why two people have selected the non-early bird pricing since the lower price is still available).


----------



## miceblue

true008 said:


> There are just so many perks, it's confusing. I've been trying to read up on the options, but I'm still lost.



lol


> We’re trying very hard to make this campaign as understandable as possible to newcomers.




Looks like that didn't work out as well as they thought.

The Soul is meant to be put on an audio rack, so it's not something you would just have on a work desk like what I intend to do and that's what the Pulse is for.

Sorry, I had to edit my post 5 different times because even I didn't know what headphone output options the Soul/Soul X have until I saw that comparison chart.


----------



## tRuE008

@ KriKor
 I'm assuming you are also referring to the Pulse Xfi, when talking about the Pulse X right? So if I also want the LPS, it'll be $1868 for both. The Soul Xfi is $1699. Isn't the Soul Xfi better? It supposed to have a unique chassis with ultra low noise bipolar circuit. Why doesn't the price reflect that? Or maybe it just doesn't matter to them.
  
@miceblue
 Yeah, I've been trying to figure this out ever since the article by eric neff came out on Nov. 6 on headphone.guru.
  
 It seems like the campaign has ended. I'll think about it for a day or two, and if there are still perks available, I might jump on the Soul Xfi. Really want to try it first though. I do live in Sacramento. Hopefully I can get a chance to.
  
 Thanks a lot guys.


----------



## mscott58

true008 said:


> @ KriKor
> I'm assuming you are also referring to the Pulse Xfi, when talking about the Pulse X right? So if I also want the LPS, it'll be $1868 for both. The Soul Xfi is $1699. Isn't the Soul Xfi better? It supposed to have a unique chassis with ultra low noise bipolar circuit. Why doesn't the price reflect that? Or maybe it just doesn't matter to them.
> 
> @miceblue
> ...




Will be hard to try the Soul as it's not out yet and it might be a while. The only thing "out" so far are a few LPS units and shipping notices for some base Pulse units. None of the Pulse X or Xfi to be sent to backers have even been built yet. Not even sure what the timing of the Soul is yet.


----------



## tRuE008

mscott58 said:


> Will be hard to try the Soul as it's not out yet and it might be a while. The only thing "out" so far are a few LPS units and shipping notices for some base Pulse units. None of the Pulse X or Xfi to be sent to backers have even been built yet. Not even sure what the timing of the Soul is yet.


 

 I'm sure they have a few samples laying around in the office and to reviewers. Eric Neff seems to like the Pulse Xfi, so there must be a few built. Maybe not to backers yet, but they should have some in house. In the case of the Soul Xfi, they should at least have a prototype to even start asking for contribution, if not a few final versions already. If I remember correctly, the first few "lots" of the Soul Xfi were scheduled to go out in April, maybe even earlier. The 5th lot right now is scheduled to go out in June. With that in mind, I would assume the Soul Xfi is already done, maybe just some quality control and such. Yeah, forget it. I don't need to try it. I feel like I'm asking too much. I would like to know If I can pick it up to avoid shipping though?


----------



## taz23

I just saw this announcement that another 16 Geek Pulses are going out today.
 http://lhlabs.com/updates/pulse-production-roadmap.html
  
 Can't wait to hear real-world comments by users...


----------



## Levanter

Anyone has any thoughts on their Power Amps? e.g. S100?
 Worth getting to pair with Geek Pulse for home stereo speakers? Or better options with 3rd party ones?


----------



## preproman




----------



## jaywillin

fayeforever said:


> Yes, my opinion is that all cables will do harm to the signal, the difference is which do the least...


 
 agree !


----------



## snip3r77

levanter said:


> Anyone has any thoughts on their Power Amps? e.g. S100?
> Worth getting to pair with Geek Pulse for home stereo speakers? Or better options with 3rd party ones?




Lip of faith and If you can wait 1 year for it


----------



## kostaszag

levanter said:


> Anyone has any thoughts on their Power Amps? e.g. S100?
> Worth getting to pair with Geek Pulse for home stereo speakers? Or better options with 3rd party ones?


 
 Nope, not for me. I took the red pill and am out of the lhlabs Matrix. I won't even go for the IEMs, however tempting they might be.


----------



## mscott58

levanter said:


> Anyone has any thoughts on their Power Amps? e.g. S100?
> Worth getting to pair with Geek Pulse for home stereo speakers? Or better options with 3rd party ones?


 
 If they're the same technology as the Geek Keep prototype that Larry and Gavin showed at RMAF they sounded quite nice! Of course they were also playing on Wilson speakers, which aren't too shabby. The rest of the chain was LH Labs, with a Mac (mini?) feeding a Geek Pulse Xfi with LPS and then straight to the Geek Keeps.


----------



## mcullinan

Have people received their Pulses yet? Lots of carrots dangling. There was a review of the Pulse here. Though it really doesn't say too much. I like Darko and Srajans and projects reviews as they paint a picture of Dac sound and capabilities.


----------



## snip3r77

mcullinan said:


> Have people received their Pulses yet? Lots of carrots dangling. There was a review of the Pulse here. Though it really doesn't say too much. I like Darko and Srajans and projects reviews as they paint a picture of Dac sound and capabilities.




Most of the reviews are via PM to LHLABS and they will publish excerpts through their daily infinite indiegogo campaign


----------



## jaywillin

snip3r77 said:


> Most of the reviews are via PM to LHLABS and they will publish excerpts through their daily infinite indiegogo campaign


 
 i'm curious as to why any "reviews" or impressions are in private messages to lhlabs, and not a single one here, other than eric's.
 that i know of,


----------



## Zenifyx

jaywillin said:


> i'm curious as to why any "reviews" or impressions are in private messages to lhlabs, and not a single one here, other than eric's.
> that i know of,


 
  
 I believe he meant that as sarcasm.
 Look at this excerpt from one of the recent campaign updates:
  


> *LPS In The Wild*
> 
> Geek LPS has already received *tons of praise* from those of you that were fortunate enough to be among the first backers.  People are talking, and frankly, we love it!  If you haven't already hopped in on LPS, or even if you have, check out the Geek Force Forum for user reviews and updates.


 
  
 I believe someone on head-fi called them out on this, and it turns out that '*tons of praise*' here refers to no more than 6 PMs.
 Ahh the exaggerations.


----------



## mtruong34

zenifyx said:


> I believe he meant that as sarcasm.
> Look at this excerpt from one of the recent campaign updates:
> 
> 
> ...




Yea I was the one that called them out on this. The way they made it sound there was significant thread action of backers posting reviews and impressions on their forum. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It's crickets over there and here regarding actual impressions. This definitely put a bad light for LH in my eyes. They’re looking more and more like a hype machine.


----------



## mtruong34

mtruong34 said:


> Yea I was the one that called them out on this. The way they made it sound there was significant thread action of backers posting reviews and impressions on their forum. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It's crickets over there and here regarding actual impressions. This definitely put a bad light for LH in my eyes. They’re looking more and more like a hype machine.




Hmm to be honest, the more I re-read that announcement, the less I'm convinced it's an exaggeration and appears more like an outright lie. They’re telling us to jump over to their forum because people are talking, giving impressions and reviews. And that was over a week ago and still no chatter of real products in the wild except the USB cable and LPS.


----------



## jaywillin

zenifyx said:


> I believe he meant that as sarcasm.
> Look at this excerpt from one of the recent campaign updates:
> 
> 
> ...


 
 oh yeah, i remember now, 
 sometimes sarcasm loses its bite here


----------



## snip3r77

mtruong34 said:


> Hmm to be honest, the more I re-read that announcement, the less I'm convinced it's an exaggeration and appears more like an outright lie. They’re telling us to jump over to their forum because people are talking, giving impressions and reviews. And that was over a week ago and still no chatter of real products in the wild except the USB cable and LPS.




Actually I thought the LPS is ready weeks before the first Geek Pulse was shipped? Seems like there's minimal shipment of the LPS and the Geek Pulse ( plain ). Not sure if they can even complete their initial Geek Pulse ( from plain to XFI ) by the end of Q2 or not.

Honestly, those that wanted to back their perks do think thrice before doing it since the lead time could be very very very long.


----------



## bhazard

Easy people. I have the LPS (initial backer), and it is absolutely worth the wait.
  
 Would I spend $500+ on it? No. My budget minded limited wallet would not allow it.
  
 The difference in my GO1000 with and without using it is definitely noticeable.


----------



## eliwankenobi

bhazard said:


> Easy people. I have the LPS (initial backer), and it is absolutely worth the wait.
> 
> Would I spend $500+ on it? No. My budget minded limited wallet would not allow it.
> 
> The difference in my GO1000 with and without using it is definitely noticeable.




Thank you for this! I am also one of the first backers and have not had any update... Am getting a little frustrated but patiently waiting for it and trying not to think about it.... Man the wait is killing me


----------



## Muinarc

I was aiming to get my Pulse in January, starting to doubt that now. I guess I'll set my new expectation to May. Backed 12/10/13, probably like 5millionth in line.


----------



## mscott58

Just got the shipping notice for the 10G cable I got during the BF sale. Excited to get something from LHL! Now if I only had my Xfi and LPS4 to use with it...


----------



## miceblue

Geek Pulse X progress:
http://lhlabs.com/force/shippingissue/2588-what-progress-on-the-pulse-x


> Boards are coming in this week. Will begin final QC process and assembly. Hang tight, Larry will begin working his magic and getting ready to hand everything off to the assembly and shipping team.
> 
> As far as the 2G cable goes, you might want to open a ticket with Manny as these cables have shipped.
> ...
> It is still on the same schedule date around Dec. 10, we will start shipping...




I opened a ticket regarding the 2G shipments and Casey said:


> The 2G cables have/are shipping. The vast majority of 2G's went out last week and we still have a very limited amount that are trickling out this week.


----------



## jaywillin

miceblue said:


> Geek Pulse X progress:
> http://lhlabs.com/force/shippingissue/2588-what-progress-on-the-pulse-x
> I opened a ticket regarding the 2G shipments and Casey said:



my 2g has shipped


----------



## digitalzed

levanter said:


> Anyone has any thoughts on their Power Amps? e.g. S100?
> Worth getting to pair with Geek Pulse for home stereo speakers? Or better options with 3rd party ones?


 

 I think both the S and M versions will be pretty cool. The S probably won't power a medium to large room, but for an office or bedroom 50W should be plenty. Paired with a Pulse will be good at least aesthetically as I can't comment on the sound not having heard an S yet. And of course there's the wait...
  
 If you don't wan to wait PS Audio has a product that's intrigued me called The Sprout. And thee's the venerable NAD 3020 in a small form factor. All within pricing of the S100.


----------



## digitalzed

muinarc said:


> I was aiming to get my Pulse in January, starting to doubt that now. I guess I'll set my new expectation to May. Backed 12/10/13, probably like 5millionth in line.


 

 Since they claim to be making 20 or so a day, I'd say February or even March. And that's optimistically unless they can really get production staffed, up and running, and smooth delivery of parts.


----------



## digitalzed

mcullinan said:


> Have people received their Pulses yet? Lots of carrots dangling. There was a review of the Pulse here. Though it really doesn't say too much. I like Darko and Srajans and projects reviews as they paint a picture of Dac sound and capabilities.


 

 There has been confirmation over on the Geek forum that at least one person has received a shipping notice for their Pulse.


----------



## eac3

omg


----------



## eac3

Also, I see that they updated the tracking page to now list the perks I selected. Unfortunately, it doesn't show cable length. Just need to display position in the queue now....


----------



## digitalzed

eac3 said:


> Also, I see that they updated the tracking page to now list the perks I selected. Unfortunately, it doesn't show cable length. Just need to display position in the queue now....


 

 +1


----------



## krikor

eac3 said:


> Also, I see that they updated the tracking page to now list the perks I selected. Unfortunately, it doesn't show cable length. Just need to display position in the queue now....


 
 OK, now I'm worried. My tracking page has been updated with a "Perks List" but nothing is listed in that column. And yes, I completed the survey months ago.
  
 Perhaps the Pulse X is not yet listed among the perks since it isn't shipping yet?


----------



## miceblue

krikor said:


> eac3 said:
> 
> 
> > Also, I see that they updated the tracking page to now list the perks I selected. Unfortunately, it doesn't show cable length. Just need to display position in the queue now....
> ...



Obviously they're sending you nothing.





Just kidding, that was terrible. You should probably open up a new ticket to confirm what you pledged for and provide them with your transaction details to possibly avoid longer wait times between ticket responses. My perks list (with the Pulse Xfi) has the 1G cable listed because that's what I originally backed, but I think they know they're sending me a 2G cable instead since they provided me with a queue number on my inquiry about the 2G shipping.


----------



## digitalzed

I just received an e-mail from LH confirming shipment of my standard Pulse. I'm stoked!


----------



## krikor

miceblue said:


> Obviously they're sending you nothing.


 
  
 Very funny 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Ticket submitted... we'll see what happens.


----------



## mscott58

digitalzed said:


> I just received an e-mail from LH confirming shipment of my standard Pulse. I'm stoked!


 
 Congrats! Great news and enjoy


----------



## jaywillin

the tracking system has my list up now
  
 Geek Pulse X /f /i
 Geek LPS 4
 LightSpeed 1G
 LightSpeed 2G
  
 my 2g cable shipped yesterday
 finally, some progress we can actually see !


----------



## krikor

Well that was quick... Casey updated my tracking page and it now lists my Pulse X as in the queue!


----------



## AxelCloris

Pulse X in the queue, well now I'm jealous.  I'll be waiting for your impressions later this month.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

jaywillin said:


> the tracking system has my list up now
> 
> Geek Pulse X /f /i
> Geek LPS 4
> ...


 
 Did you order your 2G before the Black Friday special? I ordered mine as soon as that special opened up, and it's not showing in the tracking system.


----------



## walfredo

krikor said:


> eac3 said:
> 
> 
> > Also, I see that they updated the tracking page to now list the perks I selected. Unfortunately, it doesn't show cable length. Just need to display position in the queue now....
> ...


 

 I had something similar.  I was worried and opened a ticket.  They fixed it.
  
 I asked about a shipping estimate.  They said they cannot give one, but told me my number is the queue is 231.  Assuming they are indeed doing ~20 day, it is not bad.


----------



## walfredo

digitalzed said:


> I just received an e-mail from LH confirming shipment of my standard Pulse. I'm stoked!


 

 Excellent!!  Finally coming!


----------



## zerodeefex

LPS waiting patiently. Just got a shipping notice for my regular Pulse! It will tide me over until my XFi arrives.


----------



## jaywillin

discosmoke said:


> Did you order your 2G before the Black Friday special? I ordered mine as soon as that special opened up, and it's not showing in the tracking system.



im an original backer, first campaign
Order placed about a year ago


----------



## mtruong34

krikor said:


> Well that was quick... Casey updated my tracking page and it now lists my Pulse X as in the queue!




I don't think that means much. The "queue" could be 1 week, could be 2 months. Who knows. My Pulse Xfi shows as being in the queue but I'm not any more excited nor expecting it this year.


----------



## sci80899

It's great to hear that sets are being sent out. 
What about those who bought the geek pulse + HE560 combo. Is it possible to at least send out the headphones before Christmas


----------



## pauldgroot

Casey said last night that the final order of the headphones will go out today and they will ship them out as soon as they recieve them.


----------



## kothganesh

Got my Geek T-shirt today. The LPS is in the sub-continent somewhere so its closer home. Its getting there lads. Don't lose the faith. I have the X/f/i on order so ....


----------



## jaywillin

mtruong34 said:


> I don't think that means much. The "queue" could be 1 week, could be 2 months. Who knows. My Pulse Xfi shows as being in the queue but I'm not any more excited nor expecting it this year.


 
 same here


----------



## krikor

mtruong34 said:


> I don't think that means much. The "queue" could be 1 week, could be 2 months. Who knows. My Pulse Xfi shows as being in the queue but I'm not any more excited nor expecting it this year.


 
 Yeah, I realize that and I'm not expecting receipt this year either. My concern was that nothing was showing in my Perks list even though I had completed that survey over the summer. I was worred that something got lost in the shuffle, but Casey quickly remedied that and it's nice to finally see some acknowledgement that what I backed is recorded in their system.


----------



## jaywillin

it's reassuring to see our stuff, in print, on the lhlabs website !


----------



## chartwell85

mtruong34 said:


> Hmm to be honest, the more I re-read that announcement, the less I'm convinced it's an exaggeration and appears more like an outright lie. They’re telling us to jump over to their forum because people are talking, giving impressions and reviews. And that was over a week ago and still no chatter of real products in the wild except the USB cable and LPS.


 
  
 The announcement was for LPS reviews and the PM's that I received were from LPS users.  There have been more public reviews of LPS throughout our forum since.  
  
 For example: http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/2476-lps-in-da-haus


----------



## miceblue

Knowing me, I intend to write out all of my thoughts and impressions (good and bad) for the Pulse Xfi, LPS, and 2G cable whenever I receive them.
I like to put my thoughts out there since not everyone has the chance to listen to them and it can be beneficial. I still need to find the time to write the Geek Out review, but maybe I'll just hold that off until I get to try it with the LPS in case the noise issue is indeed due to my MacBook's USB (I don't want to write that the GO has noise problems when it's due to my computer for example).


----------



## jaywillin

got a little something in the mail today !


----------



## AxelCloris

jaywillin said:


> got a little something in the mail today !


 
  
 Now to unscramble your address and send you embarrassing love notes.


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> Now to unscramble your address and send you embarrassing love notes.


 
 folks might try to sweet talk me out of my 2g !
  
 now i just need something to use this beauty with , that box is swanky !


----------



## digitalzed

Beautiful!


----------



## DiscoSmoke

Any suggestions on a power cord for the LPS4? A good ebay seller perhaps, since I'll have some ebay bucks to burn. I see a few with steel screens. Is this important?


----------



## mscott58

jaywillin said:


> got a little something in the mail today !


 
 Congrats! Hope to get my Lightning cable soon.


----------



## pbear

discosmoke said:


> Any suggestions on a power cord for the LPS4? A good ebay seller perhaps, since I'll have some ebay bucks to burn. I see a few with steel screens. Is this important?


 
  
 I received my LPS on Nov 28, and tested it in several ways that day with my LightSpeed 2G cable > USB B to A adapter > GO 100 IEM > JH Roxannes:
  

Connecting both the power and signal legs of the 2G to my laptop. Flat and lifeless.
Connecting the power leg of the 2G to a USB battery. Better, starting to sound musical.
Connecting the power leg of the 2G to the LPS, using the stock power cord that came with the LPS. Better still, with more details and air.
Connecting the power leg of the 2G to the LPS, using the MIT SL Z-Cord 3fp power cord I got through the LH Labs group buy. This was a lot better, the music really came alive.
  
 The MIT cable was definitely worth the upgrade, especially at the group buy price! Just waiting for the Pulse Xfi, now, which shouldn't be too long since I was a very earlier contributor to the first IGG campaign.


----------



## doctorjazz

I was checking this thread, to see if anyone has received any version of the Pulse yet, and if there are any impressions if someone did. Here's my issue (if it sounds confused, that's about right  )
I was in for the Pulse when it first was offered, and went for all the upgrades, Xfi, LPS4. Then the Tube was offered, and I jumped again (someone once said "look before you leap", but the offers were for such small #s of units initially, and went so quickly, seemed appealing, and I went for it). Now, it really is more of a rack/stereo unit. What I started out looking for was something for my harder to drive headphones (specifically, the Hifiman 560 and the Senn 650), to use with my computer in my guest room, so after the upgrade, I was back to not having such a unit. Now, the same Geek gear is more expensive (about $2000 to buy the same system I had ordered initially). (to make matters more complicated, I have the GO 1K and the GO Special Edition; when I balked on buying another Pulse Xfi/LPS4, I got a Massdrop Centrance M8 XL4. which has gotten some stellar reviews (Massdrop can take a while, like Light Harmonic, until you actually get a unit). (I also have the Ray Samuels HR-2 amp hanging around)
So, being the lunatic that I am, I'm still lusting after the Pulse. After all, until the amp, there wasn't an offer they made I didn't go for, all sounded great. 
So, what does this have to do with the price of tubes? Well, I didn't know if anyone actually has heard the Pulse, and had impressions. I was also curious about if anyone had comparison listening to the Pulse, Pulse X, and Pulse XFi (maybe, though it goes against my nature, the basic Pulse might be enough for my needs). I'm guessing no one knows about the higher Pulses yet, but if anyone did, I was interested in the comparison.
To make life even more interesting (or confuslng), there is now the option, if one wishes, to cancel the Soul, and get the Pulse Xfi, LPS4, and the Tube buffer instead, another crazy making option.
So, there's my tale of woe (talk about 1st world problems...), it is so convoluted, I wouldn't be surprised if no one has anything to say about it, but I'd be interested in feedback/opinions (aside from see a good therapist) anyone has on the matter.
Thanks


----------



## miceblue

^ Woah. The formatting could use a little work there, hahaha.
I agree though, the campaign is really confusing now.

They should really just overhaul the campaign description. Information is all over the place with seemingly no organisation, and likewise for perks.

 [COLOR=34DDDD]Geek Pulse[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]Geek Linear Power Supply[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Geek Soul[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]Geek Tube Buffer[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Geek Power Amp[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]LightSpeed cables[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff69b4]Geek In-Ear Monitor[/COLOR]
Each section should have their own background colour like what the Soul has right now to clearly break down the separate products.


Geek Pulse?

 [COLOR=34DDDD]Geek Pulse[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]What is it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=34DDDD]Geek Pulse X[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]What is it and how is it different from Geek Pulse?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=34DDDD]Geek Pulse Xfi[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]What is it and how is it different from Geek Pulse X?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=34DDDD]Perk options[/COLOR]

Boom! Everything about the Pulse is all there, black and white, clear as crystal!

[video]http://youtu.be/zSQNl4V_R88?t=49s[/video]



Geek LPS? Copy-pasta.

 [COLOR=0000ff]Geek Linear Power Supply[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]What is it?
 [COLOR=0000ff]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=0000ff]Geek Linear Power Supply 4[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]What is it and how is it different from Geek LPS?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=0000ff]Perk options[/COLOR]

Boom! Everything about the LPS is all there, black and white, clear as crystal!


Geek Soul? Copy-pasta.

 [COLOR=ff0000]Geek Soul[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]What is it and how is it different from Geek Pulse?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=ff0000]Geek Soul Xfi[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]What is it and how is it different from Geek Pulse Xfi?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=ff0000]Geek Soul Tube[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]What is it and how is it different from Geek Soul X or Xfi?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff0000]Perk options[/COLOR]

Boom! Everything about the Soul is all there, black and white, clear as crystal!


Geek Tube Buffer? Copy-pasta.

 [COLOR=551a8b]Geek Tube Buffer[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]What is it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=551a8b]Geek Tube Buffer X[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]What is it and how is it different from Geek Tube Buffer?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=551a8b]Perk options[/COLOR]

Boom! Everything about the GTB is all there, black and white, clear as crystal!


Geek Power Amp? Copy-pasta.

 [COLOR=ffa500]Geek Power S100[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]What is it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=ffa500]Geek Power M100[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]What is it and how is it different from Geek Power S100?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=ffa500]Geek Power M200[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]What is it and how is it different from Geek Power S100?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]I/O options and possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ffa500]Perk options[/COLOR]

Boom! Everything about the Geek Power Amp is all there, black and white, clear as crystal!


LightSpeed Cables? Copy-pasta.

 [COLOR=32cd32]LightSpeed 1G (previously known as LightSpeed Jr.)[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]What is it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=32cd32]LightSpeed 2G[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]What is it and how is it different from the 1G?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Perk options[/COLOR]

 [COLOR=32cd32]LightSpeed 10G (also known as LightSpeed)[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]What is it and how is it different from 2G?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Possible setup of rig[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=32cd32]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]

Boom! Everything about the LightSpeed cable is all there, black and white, clear as crystal!


Geek In-Ear Monitor? Copy-pasta.

 [COLOR=ff69b4]Geek In-Ear Monitor[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff69b4]What is it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff69b4]Why would someone want it?[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff69b4]Specifications[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff69b4]Technology breakdown[/COLOR]
 [COLOR=ff69b4]Perk options[/COLOR]

Boom! Everything about the Geek IEM is all there, black and white, clear as crystal!


Consistency all across the board.


----------



## walfredo

LH should definitely hire you, @miceblue


----------



## doctorjazz

nice layout, would be helpful if they had something similar


----------



## valve5425

@miceblue. Now why do you want to go and spoil everything?
  
 I spend hours on the Geek forum trying to make sense of things, find out what's going on and find where my stuff is. If they implement this, I'll need to get a life, find a job, get another hobby, etc, etc, etc. See where I'm coming from?
  
 Oh, and I'm still waiting for my 2G.


----------



## chartwell85

Hey guys,
  
 We're making progress on the Geek Pulse shipment tracking page.  
  
 Just for clarification, this tracking page is only valid for those of you who backed the FIRST Geek Pulse campaign.  If you backed anything in the current Forever Funding Campaign it will NOT show in the tracking info on this page.  All of the current Geek Pulse Forever Funding campaign info will be loaded into our system once the current Forever Funding campaign is closed.  
  
 We will continue to update this tracking page and load in the queue system once it's finalized.
  
 Check it out when you get a chance: http://www.lhlabs.com/tracking


----------



## valve5425

chartwell85 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> We're making progress on the Geek Pulse shipment tracking page.
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks for that Casey. The queue system may make the tracking page more useful, and I know you're working hard to implement it. Currently though, all the tracking page does is reassure me that you'll be sending me the right perks.
  
 Thinking I may have been forgotten, I opened tickets regarding my 2G cable after reading Gavin's post that they had all been despatched. The result of the tickets, answered ultimately by Gavin, was that I was 54th in the queue? Doesn't really tell me anything, as I don't know how many you're shipping each day!
  
 I know I shouldn't really say this, but I'm not too concerned when it comes, provided it doesn't arrive after my Pulse Xfi. The point is, you currently seem to be unable to give backers an estimated delivery date, which I'm guessing is what they would prefer.


----------



## chartwell85

valve5425 said:


> Thanks for that Casey. The queue system may make the tracking page more useful, and I know you're working hard to implement it. Currently though, all the tracking page does is reassure me that you'll be sending me the right perks.
> 
> Thinking I may have been forgotten, I opened tickets regarding my 2G cable after reading Gavin's post that they had all been despatched. The result of the tickets, answered ultimately by Gavin, was that I was 54th in the queue? Doesn't really tell me anything, as I don't know how many you're shipping each day!
> 
> I know I shouldn't really say this, but I'm not too concerned when it comes, provided it doesn't arrive after my Pulse Xfi. The point is, you currently seem to be unable to give backers an estimated delivery date, which I'm guessing is what they would prefer.


 
  
 We're working on implementing the estimated delivery date portion of the page right now.  It's taking some time to fine tune it.


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> We're working on implementing the estimated delivery date portion of the page right now.  It's taking some time to fine tune it.


 
 now that would be cool !!
 oh, and i received my 2g cable casey, appreciate the effort ! 
 i know yall catch a lot of hell, so i just wanted to give y'all a "atta boy" and gals, i don't want to leave anyone out !!


----------



## valve5425

chartwell85 said:


> We're working on implementing the estimated delivery date portion of the page right now.  It's taking some time to fine tune it.


 

 Brilliant!! That's great news. Thanks.


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> now that would be cool !!
> oh, and i received my 2g cable casey, appreciate the effort !
> i know yall catch a lot of hell, so i just wanted to give y'all a "atta boy" and gals, i don't want to leave anyone out !!


 

 Nice!! Post your thoughts on the 2G when you get a chance.
  
 Thanks for the positive feedback jaywillin! We're working hard to get everything out to each of you.


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> Nice!! Post your thoughts on the 2G when you get a chance.
> 
> Thanks for the positive feedback jaywillin! We're working hard to get everything out to each of you.


 
 will do casey, i'm coming from a nordost blue heaven, so the 2g has some stiff competition


----------



## uzi

Looks like my LPS and LightSpeed 1G cable just shipped.  I still have two Pulse Xfi and one vanilla Pulse to come.


----------



## Verloren

Latest update is that full MSRP comes into effect on Dec. 27.


----------



## FayeForever

Yeah, finally...


----------



## walfredo

uzi said:


> Looks like my LPS and LightSpeed 1G cable just shipped.  I still have two Pulse Xfi and one vanilla Pulse to come.


 

 Dude, what are you going to do with 3 pules?  (Just curious


----------



## uzi

walfredo said:


> Dude, what are you going to do with 3 pules?  (Just curious


 
 One Xfi for home, one for work... and the vanilla one either for my wife at work or my brother.


----------



## walfredo

uzi said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > Dude, what are you going to do with 3 pules?  (Just curious
> ...


 

 Thanks for answering, uzi.


----------



## greenkiwi

uzi said:


> One Xfi for home, one for work... and the vanilla one either for my wife at work or my brother.


 
 Ha!  Glad I'm not alone.
  
 Same for me.
  
 Got a vanilla one... then couldn't pass up the GFOX deals, so I got two Pulse Xs rather than upgrading.
  
 It's going to be one at work, one at home... then depending on how the volume behaves.  i.e. does it mute the line outs,  when you plug a headphone in (like it should), I'll use one for home headphones.
  
 (I also have a 4th pulse from referral bonuses)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I had one Pulse from referral bonuses also. Had it downgraded for a Blue. 

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## zerodeefex

GEEK PULSE HERE!


----------



## marflao

Nice 
  
 btw...was an invoice attached/included?


----------



## taz23

Congrats! Now, some initial impressions will be nice.


----------



## uncola

Finally someone who uses forums got one. Zerodeefex can you tell me if the volume knob has a hole on it for a set screw or is it press fit to the rotary encoder shaft?


----------



## earfonia

zerodeefex said:


> GEEK PULSE HERE!


 
  
 Cool! Finaly someone received his Pulse!
  
 Waiting for mine now, haven't got any email from LH.


----------



## jaywillin

it's great to see pulses arrive where they are supposed to ! maybe this is the beginning of a trend !  
  
 i've just sold off my woo wa6se and my wadia 121 to make room for my pulse x/f/i and lps4, so i hope it won't be long,
 while my little stack o' schiit is pretty damn good, and dependable substitute , i'm ready to have my pulse


----------



## labjr

I thought the production unit was going to have a white display?


----------



## pedalhead

labjr said:


> I thought the production unit was going to have a white display?


 
  
 It was confirmed in the LH forum thread of these pics that the blue tint on the display is just a trick of the camera sensor...the display is indeed white.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Yeap, me too.


----------



## hoo7h

What are your thoughts guys on base model vs the x or x-fi? When used for headphone I would imagine that the balanced output will help in driving the headphone, meaning it is basically more like an amp upgrade while the DAC parts are the same I would imagine. I am kind of debating with my self if I should upgrade my base or not. What do you think?


----------



## valve5425

hoo7h said:


> What are your thoughts guys on base model vs the x or x-fi? When used for headphone I would imagine that the balanced output will help in driving the headphone, meaning it is basically more like an amp upgrade while the DAC parts are the same I would imagine. I am kind of debating with my self if I should upgrade my base or not. What do you think?


 

 Check out the specs at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AljAXIFo7qVqdFdmVUoxOXB1VzFPaGtkQXdRa01ibUE&usp=drive_web#gid=1
  
 X has dual mono design, so basically 2 pulses in 1! (OK that's simplifying things a bit!)
  
 I went Xfi rather than Pulse, just to future proof really and, at the time, the cost difference was not that great. Just got to decide if you're going to treat yourself for Christmas!!
  
 Edit; Forgot to mention that the X has single ended RCA's as well as balanced XLR outputs.


----------



## eac3

So the Pulse will have the logo on the front of it now? Not that I don't mind.
  
 That note applied to the LPS.
  


> *Front Plate Silkscreened Logo*
> Geek Pulse’s logo has been silkscreened onto the front of the faceplate (see the photo below). We decided, though, that Geek LPS would not get the same treatment because when you stack the two units, the branding becomes overwhelming. Kayla made this decision for us; Larry and I stand behind it. LPS and LPS4 are clearly branded on the back plate.


 
  
Source


----------



## walfredo

zerodeefex said:


> GEEK PULSE HERE!


 
  
 Awesome!!  Congrats!
  
 Maybe we can have first impressions over the weekend? ~


----------



## digitalzed

walfredo said:


> Awesome!!  Congrats!
> 
> Maybe we can have first impressions over the weekend? ~


 

 Congrats on getting the Pulse and yes, impressions please!


----------



## FayeForever

WANT!!!!!


----------



## zerodeefex

holy balls detailed. background much blacker than the geek out. Bass is articulate and it's definitely not a lush sound (was worried when Gavin mentioned they were tuning it a little warmer). A great DAC, doesn't make a huge amount of errors trying to cover the SABRE-ness (looking at you X-Sabre). So far, so good!
  
 My chain is slightly unfamiliar right now, just got my SWA Klone back from an upgrade and I'm having a hard time determining what caused what improvements. I ordered a sys so I can A/B against the gungnir easily.


----------



## greenkiwi

Can't wait!!!!


----------



## walfredo

zerodeefex said:


> holy balls detailed. background much blacker than the geek out. Bass is articulate and it's definitely not a lush sound (was worried when Gavin mentioned they were tuning it a little warmer).


 
  
 That gets me a bit worried.  Geek out was too lean/cold/clinical for my taste.  I had hopes on Gavin comment.


----------



## zerodeefex

walfredo said:


> zerodeefex said:
> 
> 
> > holy balls detailed. background much blacker than the geek out. Bass is articulate and it's definitely not a lush sound (was worried when Gavin mentioned they were tuning it a little warmer).
> ...


 
  
 I'll compare against the geek out, probably a little less lean. My chain is pretty lean/analytical right now so it's harder to discern what is the DAC and what isn't.
  
 You would probably be a good candidate for the tube buffer, honestly. You can't get detail and resolution back, but you can warm up things after the fact.


----------



## mscott58

zerodeefex said:


> I'll compare against the geek out, probably a little less lean. My chain is pretty lean/analytical right now so it's harder to discern what is the DAC and what isn't.
> 
> You would probably be a good candidate for the tube buffer, honestly. You can't get detail and resolution back, but you can warm up things after the fact.


 
 +1. Exactly my thought. Add the GTB if you want inject some extra warmth.


----------



## miceblue

Or you can EQ it without having to spend $600?


----------



## mcullinan

The Yulong DA8 is a bit lean. Great control over music it just squashes some of the decay in the music. Im not sure if its a Sabre thing or a specific manufacturer thing. Id like more warmth too, being a tube guy. Id go with a tube preamp vs a buffer, but the Pulse is a preamp already isn't it.


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> Or you can EQ it without having to spend $600?


 
  
 Blasphemy!


----------



## jexby

zerodeefex said:


> I'll compare against the geek out, probably a little less lean. My chain is pretty lean/analytical right now so it's harder to discern what is the DAC and what isn't.
> 
> You would probably be a good candidate for the tube buffer, honestly. You can't get detail and resolution back, but you can warm up things after the fact.


 
  
 nice comments!
 looking forward to my Xfi feeding a Lyr 2 for some of that warm tubez into HE-560....


----------



## nudd

You can use the rca or balance line out for a direct line out I think at around 2v fixed. I believe Larry has said this is the output with the highest possible quality.
  
 Having said that it is a SABRE so it will be on the lean and bright side and if badly implemented will have fatiguing glare. If you want something with more warmth then maybe a non sabre DAC would have been a better bet?
  
 For me I would be happy with a neutral sound and no glare. I am for a neutral sound but would like it a touch warmer than the GO with less propensity to hiss.


----------



## eliwankenobi

mcullinan said:


> The Yulong DA8 is a bit lean. Great control over music it just squashes some of the decay in the music. Im not sure if its a Sabre thing or a specific manufacturer thing. Id like more warmth too, being a tube guy. Id go with a tube preamp vs a buffer, but the Pulse is a preamp already isn't it.




The Pulse uses the volume control from the Sabre chip, but its not a preamp perse... They will release a proper analog preamp at some point, so you can add analog sources to it


----------



## hoo7h

valve5425 said:


> Check out the specs at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AljAXIFo7qVqdFdmVUoxOXB1VzFPaGtkQXdRa01ibUE&usp=drive_web#gid=1
> 
> X has dual mono design, so basically 2 pulses in 1! (OK that's simplifying things a bit!)
> 
> ...


 
  
 So the rca is connect do duel DAC as well, interesting.
  
 Anyone have any thoughts about how much it will increase the performance? I am still deciding if it worths the $280 extra.


----------



## walfredo

zerodeefex said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > zerodeefex said:
> ...


 

 Yeah, I have tubed pre-amp and headphone amps.


----------



## labjr

zerodeefex said:


> I'll compare against the geek out, probably a little less lean. My chain is pretty lean/analytical right now so it's harder to discern what is the DAC and what isn't.
> 
> You would probably be a good candidate for the tube buffer, honestly. You can't get detail and resolution back, but you can warm up things after the fact.


 

 A little less lean than the GO with original firmware or the upgrade?  I prefer the original GO firmware which I believe uses the Sabre internal digital filtering. To me, Larry's digital filtering algorithms don't sound as good. Too warm, too much mid bass and lacking detail, less involving. I went back to the original firmware and  hear gobs more detail as did my friends who use the GO. I'd rather neutral sound. Larry seems to like added harmonic distortion which to me isn't natural. 
  
 If the Pulse doesn't have the ability to switch to the original Sabre filtering and uses the same algorithms, I'll be selling it.


----------



## doctorjazz

The change wasn't for the sound, it was for the volume problems, which blasted my ears many times. I like the choice of filters as well. Can't comment on the change in sound, I had to stop using the GO and hadn't heard it for awhile until the firmware update came.


----------



## labjr

doctorjazz said:


> The change wasn't for the sound, it was for the volume problems, which blasted my ears many times. I like the choice of filters as well. Can't comment on the change in sound, I had to stop using the GO and hadn't heard it for awhile until the firmware update came.


 

 Whatever the reason for the change, the filters don't sound as good to me. Try the original firmware and hear more detail.


----------



## miceblue

It must be the filters then. I was a beta tester for the firmware and the beta firmware didn't have the different filter settings.


miceblue said:


> I've been comparing the original firmware to the beta firmware for sound quality instead of volume control like I was earlier and I'm pleasantly surprised! Music seems to be more spacious to me and the instrument separation is better (so instruments are better-defined within the soundstage). It's like the difference between listening to music in a narrow corridor and listening to music in a large room (I always found the Geek Out to sound narrow-sounding, this effect is removed with the beta firmware). Also, a kind of harsh sound that I'm used to hearing with the original firmware is now removed, which is really great news!




Other beta testers have said similar things in the LH forums.


----------



## doctorjazz

That implies that you liked the newer firmware better for sound. I obviously don't know how it was implemented in the Pulse/Soul, but, since it has its own volume comtrol, the issues with volume blasts the Geek Out had should not be an issue with these units. So, they could use the original firmware. But, as with all things Geek, it's basically wait and see.....


----------



## b0bb

mcullinan said:


> The Yulong DA8 is a bit lean. Great control over music it just squashes some of the decay in the music. Im not sure if its a Sabre thing or a specific manufacturer thing. Id like more warmth too, being a tube guy.




I made a mod to the Yulong master clock to fix some of what you described. This is written up in the DA8 review thread if you are interested.


----------



## nudd

I thought the TCM filter sounder better to my ears than the original and in any case the original firmware was totally unusable for me because of the possibility of auto-resetting to 100% volume. I am sure I am still recovering from tinnitus because of that fricking unusable firmware.
  
 Pulse has been confirmed to have two modes of volume control. First mode is the computer volume will always be 100% direct pass through to Pulse, which will then set the volume internally to whatever you set on the rotary volume dial using the volume control implementation on the firmware side. I understand that using this mode the windows master volume is not useable and you will need to use your playback software volume implementation for volume control. The other method is it will follow whatever the computer volume is set through the USB interface.
  
 I think I will stick to the knob to avoid any risk of computer/usb funny business blowing my ears out.


----------



## miceblue

Thought this was pretty interesting. Hopefully the Pulse addresses some of the shortcomings of the FRM filter.
http://bit.ly/1s3HRgC

And yes, I think the Pulse is using the same filters as the Geek Out.


----------



## labjr

To me, the best filter would be the one that sounds most neutral and true to the original recording. Something I'll probably never get to compare.


----------



## jexby

nudd said:


> Having said that it is a SABRE so it will be on the lean and bright side and if badly implemented will have fatiguing glare. If you want something with more warmth then maybe a non sabre DAC would have been a better bet?


 
  
 to my ears and rigs- the GeekOut has none of the Sabre problems you mention, and has a good full sound- especially with the new filters in firmware v1.5.
 no way the Pulse Xfi will be lean or bright either with fatiguing glare.
  
 I heard the Xfi for about 10-12minutes at RMAF, detected no lean/bright there either.
 yet I still think the Lyr 2 hybrid tube amp is a better pairing for my HE-560, hence why the stellar DAC in Xfi feeding Lyr 2 is likely my end game.
  
 will know more in the coming weeks....


----------



## jexby

miceblue said:


> And yes, I think the Pulse is using the same filters as the Geek Out.


 
  
 Believe you are correct miceblue!
  
 I was also told the upcoming Geek Stream will have the same filters as Geek Out too.


----------



## doctorjazz

It seems they came up with a successful formula for Geek Out and they're sticking to it. I like the sound of the Geek Out 1K with new upgraded software, or at least I did, until I got the Geek Out Special Edition, haven't listened to the 1K much. I promised someone to compare them, hopefully I can get some time to do that on the weekend.


----------



## zerodeefex

labjr said:


> To me, the best filter would be the one that sounds most neutral and true to the original recording. Something I'll probably never get to compare.




You're coming at this all wrong. What is your neutral reference? I'm doing my testing on recordings like SFS Mahler's first where I was present for the performance(s) as well as tracks others have helped me find over the years.

I think you might be mistaking the harsh, empty sound of something like the Mytek for neutral. That thing sounds like a piece of garbage.

The new firmware brings a ton of improvements, it was definitely not a step back in resolution or clarity.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to trust my ears along with folks like CEE TEE and Anaxilius over you and your friend.


----------



## coletrain104

What's all this about filters? Like a mode to shift the pulse to that sounds different than another? I gather that it's some sort of software change or something of the like, but how is it changed? Just curious


----------



## miceblue

coletrain104 said:


> What's all this about filters? Like a mode to shift the pulse to that sounds different than another? I gather that it's some sort of software change or something of the like, but how is it changed? Just curious



With a firmware update, you have the ability to change digital things within the DAC. In the case of the Geek Out, and Pulse for that matter, the digital filters are one thing that can be changed.

In digital signal processing, the digital filter affects what frequency signals are rejected from an audio signal.
Here's a nice and simple article about the TCM filter (minimum phase) and FRM filter (slow roll-off)
https://www.ayre.com/pdf/Ayre_MP_White_Paper.pdf


----------



## Larry Ho

Hi there,
  
 When you got your Geek Pulse, welcome to play around the two enhanced filter mode there: FRM and TCM. 
  
 And when time is ready, we will have SSM for Stream music....
  
 Cheers,


----------



## doctorjazz

Most of the time, on the GO1K, I preferred the TCM, which seems more open sharp detailed. Sometimes the FRM, which tends to smooth things out, would be good to take the edge off an edgy recording. With the GO Special Edition (probably the GO analog of the Pulse Xfi), my preferences weren 't quite so clear, some music/headphones did better with the TCM, others with the FRM, the negatives are less negative and I'd often just try one, then the other.


----------



## greenkiwi

mscott58 said:


> +1. Exactly my thought. Add the GTB if you want inject some extra warmth.


 
 I'm skipping the GTB and hoping to wait for a geek tube headphone amp.  I do hope that they release it via some not MSRP vector, otherwise, I'll be out... or I'll be getting a Liquid Glass.


----------



## walfredo

labjr said:


> To me, the best filter would be the one that sounds most neutral and true to the original recording. Something I'll probably never get to compare.


 

 Define "true to the original recording"!  
  
 It sounds like "the photo that captures reality, without changes or processing"....  It just does not exist!!!  The very act of recording reality deviates from the reality.   We are all left with flavors of interpreting it.


----------



## doctorjazz

That's the way I understand it as well...there has to be a filter, and it always affects the sound in some way.different people will prefer one change over another.


----------



## nudd

I didn't say the GeekOut had problems, but the GO is definitely NOT a warm sounding DAC. That's all I am saying.  My own personal experience with them is that they are a well implemented version of a Sabre DAC, and I like them except for the uncomfortably high noise floor with sensitive IEMs. I especially preferred the TCM filter (especially with electronic music and the first time I installed the new firmware and switch to TCM I literally couldn't stop listening to the thing for like 3 hours straight). But that still doesn't mean it is in any way a warm or relaxed DAC. .
  
 The jury is still out on the Pulse because nobody has heard it and reported on it under good listening conditions except for 1 review and 1 brief report on a recently shipped unit.
  
 By all accounts it will be slightly warmer than the GeekOuts because Larry has said they tweaked the analog stage to add a bit more warmth after RMAF.
  
  
  
 Quote:


jexby said:


> to my ears and rigs- the GeekOut has none of the Sabre problems you mention, and has a good full sound- especially with the new filters in firmware v1.5.
> no way the Pulse Xfi will be lean or bright either with fatiguing glare.
> 
> I heard the Xfi for about 10-12minutes at RMAF, detected no lean/bright there either.
> ...


----------



## longbowbbs

nudd said:


> I like them except for the uncomfortably high noise floor with sensitive IEMs.


 
 Remember that they have the GO100IEM version. It has a much lower noise floor and is positioned as an IEM specific version. Very quiet with IEM's
  

  

 Red is GO 1000, Black is GO100IEM.


----------



## digitalzed

larry ho said:


> Hi there,
> 
> When you got your Geek Pulse, welcome to play around the two enhanced filter mode there: FRM and TCM.
> 
> ...


 

 Larry, how do you change filters in the Pulse?


----------



## longbowbbs

digitalzed said:


> larry ho said:
> 
> 
> > Hi there,
> ...


 
 The volume knob is also a menu selector knob. You press it to get to the menu area. From there you can select filters and what type.


----------



## digitalzed

longbowbbs said:


> The volume knob is also a menu selector knob. You press it to get to the menu area. From there you can select filters and what type.


 

 THNAK YOU! How the heck did I miss this in all the build up?


----------



## longbowbbs

digitalzed said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > The volume knob is also a menu selector knob. You press it to get to the menu area. From there you can select filters and what type.
> ...


 
 Hard to say. I liked that they kept the front nice and clean. Once you press the volume know it cycles through Gain, Filters and a couple other menu categories. Easy to use.


----------



## digitalzed

The mail just dropped this off. Needless to say, I'm stoked. Will be trying this out with my LCD-X's, HD 700, and Audioengine A5+ desktop speakers. But not today, the wife and I have plans. More tomorrow.


----------



## jonbernard

When did all of you who have received your stuff place your orders?


----------



## snip3r77

jonbernard said:


> When did all of you who have received your stuff place your orders?




F88king more than a year


----------



## longbowbbs

I was #740 in the Queue and I ordered December 13, 2013. I am still waiting. At least I got to play with the Pulse for a few weeks to write the review!


----------



## zowki

When will the Hifiman headphones ship?


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> I was #740 in the Queue and I ordered December 13, 2013. I am still waiting. At least I got to play with the Pulse for a few weeks to write the review!


 
 how's you get your order # ??


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I was #740 in the Queue and I ordered December 13, 2013. I am still waiting. At least I got to play with the Pulse for a few weeks to write the review!
> ...


 
 I asked while I was working with Gavin and Casey during the review process. I was curious about where i was in line and they looked up the number. I don't think they were planning on providing it to everyone. A bit manual I assumed. Anyway. I hold out a small hope for receiving the unit by Christmas. My LPS4 won't be here until spring....


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> I was #740 in the Queue and I ordered December 13, 2013. I am still waiting. At least I got to play with the Pulse for a few weeks to write the review!


 
  
 That's like having the cake in front of you, taking a bite, and then having to save the rest for later.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I was #740 in the Queue and I ordered December 13, 2013. I am still waiting. At least I got to play with the Pulse for a few weeks to write the review!
> ...


 
 IKR!! It almost seems like I never had it....I'll have to live with my other rig....1st world problems...


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> I asked while I was working with Gavin and Casey during the review process. I was curious about where i was in line and they looked up the number. I don't think they were planning on providing it to everyone. A bit manual I assumed. Anyway. I hold out a small hope for receiving the unit by Christmas. My LPS4 won't be here until spring....



that's was my guess
i have the x f/i and lps4 coming
i got my 2g cable its very good
I'm using it with my modi , the cable retails for more than what I'm using as my setup until the pulse arrives


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> IKR!! It almost seems like I never had it....I'll have to live with my other rig....1st world problems...


 
  
 Agreed! I'm being forced to live with my GO SE until I get the Pulse as I sold off my other desktop gear in preparation. First world problems indeed.
  
 Granted, the SE is handling everything I throw at it without complaint and in many ways it's superior to my former main rig.


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I asked while I was working with Gavin and Casey during the review process. I was curious about where i was in line and they looked up the number. I don't think they were planning on providing it to everyone. A bit manual I assumed. Anyway. I hold out a small hope for receiving the unit by Christmas. My LPS4 won't be here until spring....
> ...


 
 I have a 1G and a 10G coming. Maybe I should grab a 2G and have the set?


----------



## AxelCloris

zowki said:


> When will the Hifiman headphones ship?


 
  
@chartwell85 mentioned that they will be shipping as soon as they arrive at the LHLabs warehouse. I believe it's supposed to be some time this month.
  


jaywillin said:


> how's you get your order # ??


 
  
 I'm actually afraid to find out where I am in the list, and I'm a somewhat early backer of the first Pulse campaign (a year yesterday) but I'm certainly not up at the front of the list.


----------



## jaywillin

Im using a little schiit stack .
vali/modi/wyrd and im having a ball with it
its making selling the wadia 121 and wa6se bearable 
its silly good for the money


----------



## doctorjazz

Try to go into detail later, but I did abut off listening, had been asked to compare Geek Out 1k to Geek Out Special Edition, the sort answer: GO1K Sounds really good, but the improvement with GO SE is not subtle. Probably similar differences in Pulse and Pulse xfi, but who knows. Guessing circuits and upgraded components are similar. At dinner with friends (bathroom break), go into more detail tomorrow or late tonight if anyone is interested.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

What I want to know is how good the built in amp (with the internal amp upgrade) sounds. Is the Pulse a viable all in one solution?


----------



## eac3

longbowbbs said:


> I was #740 in the Queue and I ordered December 13, 2013. I am still waiting. At least I got to play with the Pulse for a few weeks to write the review!


 
  
  
 They told me I was in the 1300+ range when I originally backed on Dec 3rd. 2013
  
 I am confused.


----------



## longbowbbs

ethereal sound said:


> What I want to know is how good the built in amp (with the internal amp upgrade) sounds. Is the Pulse a viable all in one solution?


 
 I would say yes...Talking about the Xfi....I wish I had a pair of HE-6's handy. The Pulse has great power, (3 or 4 watts...I can't remember which) and it is a strong all in one solution. It can also be a digital pre-amp for an external amp and speakers.


----------



## longbowbbs

eac3 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I was #740 in the Queue and I ordered December 13, 2013. I am still waiting. At least I got to play with the Pulse for a few weeks to write the review!
> ...


 
 They did not specify which version. I started with the base unit then upgraded to the Xfi. I suspect that may have something to do with whatever number they came up with.


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> I would say yes...Talking about the Xfi....I wish I had a pair of HE-6's handy. The Pulse has great power, (3 or 4 watts...I can't remember which) and it is a strong all in one solution. It can also be a digital pre-amp for an external amp and speakers.


 
  
 3W into 16Ω.
  


eac3 said:


> They told me I was in the 1300+ range when I originally backed on Dec 3rd. 2013
> 
> I am confused.


 
  
 The 1300 is probably total number of Pulses ordered, not where you fall within your specific build.


----------



## eac3

axelcloris said:


> The 1300 is probably total number of Pulses ordered, not where you fall within your specific build.


 
  
 You know what, you are right. Where the hell was I when they told me I was 1300 in the queue? 
  


> Geek Pulse: 557
> Geek Pulse /f: 76
> Geek Pulse /i: 49
> Geek Pulse /f /i: 101
> ...


----------



## head-hi

I believe I'm #639 and ordered the Pulse/Out combo on Oct 30, 2013.
At 20 shipments a day, well, it'll be awhile.


----------



## AxelCloris

Well, it's 20 shipments a day of the Pulse. The Pulse X combinations start this week (I believe) so if the same people aren't handling both lines the production should increase. Even if they only ship 20 X's a day that's still 2x the output. And Larry said that they plan to increase to 30 Pulses a day soon. They're testing with very low tolerances before shipping and as they get into the swing of production it should be possible to hold 30/day at those same stringent guidelines.


----------



## Levanter

I'm quite far behind on all the new coming stuffs coming from LH Labs.. Anyone knows what's the Vi Amps and Keep all about?
And I heard there's a baby Da Vinci coming out mid next year too.. I'm assuming the price for that would be at least $5,000 at super early bird price or something..


----------



## FayeForever

If the baby Da Vinci will exist, I would presume that it will be sold under Light Harmonic, not LH Labs.
 Hence no "super early bird" stuff and it will go to retail channel directly.


----------



## uzi

I ordered a pair of Xfi units... one on October 28, 2013, and the other on November 28, 2013... it'll be interesting to see if I get one first or both at the same time.
  
 Meanwhile, my LPS showed up today... but I'm not sure that it's working.  I plugged in the power, turned it on, plugged a USB cable from my laptop to the unit and a USB DAC into the unit... aaaaaaand nothing.  My laptop doesn't see the USB DAC through the LPS.  I sent LH support an email...


----------



## Jupiterknight

axelcloris said:


> Well, it's 20 shipments a day of the Pulse. The Pulse X combinations start this week (I believe) so if the same people aren't handling both lines the production should increase. Even if they only ship 20 X's a day that's still 2x the output. And Larry said that they plan to increase to 30 Pulses a day soon. They're testing with very low tolerances before shipping and as they get into the swing of production it should be possible to hold 30/day at those same stringent guidelines.


 
 Please, don't say or calculate that, unless you truly have a personal and inside knowledge regarding their production/shipping time frame, better than all the guesses? 
 It will just make many sad or maybe truly surprised if you're right..


----------



## cbreeden

digitalzed said:


> The mail just dropped this off. Needless to say, I'm stoked. Will be trying this out with my LCD-X's, HD 700, and Audioengine A5+ desktop speakers. But not today, the wife and I have plans. More tomorrow.




YES, please tell me how these sound on your HD700s. I'm wondering if it would be good for mine. Also, let me know what PS you are using. Thanks!!


----------



## dsound

Well I sprung for the BF Pulse deal.  I know I'm close to last in line but I'm still excited.  
 I'm interested to hear what people thing of the Pulse (Single-ended) / LCD-2 combination.


----------



## digitalzed

jonbernard said:


> When did all of you who have received your stuff place your orders?


 

 Just after midnight on the 29th of October, 2013.


----------



## digitalzed

jaywillin said:


> that's was my guess
> i have the x f/i and lps4 coming
> i got my 2g cable its very good
> I'm using it with my modi , the cable retails for more than what I'm using as my setup until the pulse arrives


 

 LHL has said they plan to update the tracking page with que information. They made steady progress last week so hopefully this feature will go live soon.


----------



## digitalzed

jupiterknight said:


> Please, don't say or calculate that, unless you truly have a personal and inside knowledge regarding their production/shipping time frame, better than all the guesses?
> It will just make many sad or maybe truly surprised if you're right..


 

 LHL has posted on their updates page and Larry and Casey have both posted in this and other forums that the average number at this time is about 20 units a day when everything is running smoothly. One day Gavin posted they got 16 units out the door. Another over 20. I'm sure there are a lot of variables. I was also told by Casey that they are adding production personnel to increase production. While none of this is an absolute, it does come from the company itself.


----------



## jaywillin

digitalzed said:


> LHL has said they plan to update the tracking page with que information. They made steady progress last week so hopefully this feature will go live soon.


 
 i'd seen that, just wondered how some were getting a number
  


digitalzed said:


> LHL has posted on their updates page and Larry and Casey have both posted in this and other forums that the average number at this time is about 20 units a day when everything is running smoothly. One day Gavin posted they got 16 units out the door. Another over 20. I'm sure there are a lot of variables. I was also told by Casey that they are adding production personnel to increase production. While none of this is an absolute, it does come from the company itself.


 
 yeah, the guys at lhlabs have said que numbers would be eventually added


----------



## digitalzed

I think anyone who has received a que number  at this point has talked directly with someone at LHL. My guess, anyway.


----------



## jaywillin

digitalzed said:


> I think anyone who has received a que number  at this point has talked directly with someone at LHL. My guess, anyway.


 
 yep, at least the one i asked, longbowbbs


----------



## doctorjazz

If anyone is interested, short comparison GO 1K and GO SE
http://www.head-fi.org/t/711267/light-harmonic-geek-out-em-1000-impressions-thread/1500


----------



## digitalzed

cbreeden said:


> YES, please tell me how these sound on your HD700s. I'm wondering if it would be good for mine. Also, let me know what PS you are using. Thanks!!


 

 Hi cbreeden. First, I have to say I like the HD700's. Few headphones seem to be as polarizing as these are and I'm well aware of their strengths and weaknesses. After several hours with the Pulse, I feel the headphones are a great match. Out of the box the Pulse was a little bright but it settled down quickly. I an really enjoying the sound between the two. II don't have a dedicated power supply, so the Pulse is plugged into a good quality surge protector only at the moment.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

zerodeefex said:


> GEEK PULSE HERE!




Congratulations! I can't wait for in depth impressions, especially headphone output.

A couple of questions, what are the dimensions of production units? Are the pulse and LPS still different in length?

What length was the lightspeed included with the pulse?

Thanks.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

digitalzed said:


> Hi cbreeden. First, I have to say I like the HD700's. Few headphones seem to be as polarizing as these are and I'm well aware of their strengths and weaknesses. After several hours with the Pulse, I feel the headphones are a great match. Out of the box the Pulse was a little bright but it settled down quickly. I an really enjoying the sound between the two. II don't have a dedicated power supply, so the Pulse is plugged into a good quality surge protector only at the moment.




I would be really interested to hear impressions of switching vs LPS...


----------



## jonbernard

digitalzed said:


> Just after midnight on the 29th of October, 2013.


 
  
 Thanks - then I am much further down in the queue than I had hoped.


----------



## digitalzed

vhsownsbeta said:


> I would be really interested to hear impressions of switching vs LPS...


 

 I'll have my LPS in March.


----------



## pbear

uzi said:


> I ordered a pair of Xfi units... one on October 28, 2013, and the other on November 28, 2013... it'll be interesting to see if I get one first or both at the same time.
> 
> Meanwhile, my LPS showed up today... but I'm not sure that it's working.  I plugged in the power, turned it on, plugged a USB cable from my laptop to the unit and a USB DAC into the unit... aaaaaaand nothing.  My laptop doesn't see the USB DAC through the LPS.  I sent LH support an email...


 
  
 Did you try plugging the USB DAC into the LPS _after_ turning on the LPS? I've been connecting my GO 100 IEM > USB A to B adapter > 2G cable > LPS. If everything is connected before turning on the LPS, my laptop doesn't recognize the GO. I have to disconnect the 2G cable from the LPS and plug it back in again for the GO to work.


----------



## AxelCloris

uzi said:


> I ordered a pair of Xfi units... one on October 28, 2013, and the other on November 28, 2013... it'll be interesting to see if I get one first or both at the same time.
> 
> Meanwhile, my LPS showed up today... but I'm not sure that it's working.  I plugged in the power, turned it on, plugged a USB cable from my laptop to the unit and a USB DAC into the unit... aaaaaaand nothing.  My laptop doesn't see the USB DAC through the LPS.  I sent LH support an email...


 
  
 Someone on the LHLabs forum had this exact same issue. It recognized external HDDs through the LPS, but not DACs for whatever reason. Could be the start of a pattern.


----------



## digitalzed

uzi said:


> I ordered a pair of Xfi units... one on October 28, 2013, and the other on November 28, 2013... it'll be interesting to see if I get one first or both at the same time.
> 
> Meanwhile, my LPS showed up today... but I'm not sure that it's working.  I plugged in the power, turned it on, plugged a USB cable from my laptop to the unit and a USB DAC into the unit... aaaaaaand nothing.  My laptop doesn't see the USB DAC through the LPS.  I sent LH support an email...


 

 Larry posted this with someone having a USB issue over on the LHL forums:
  
 Please use the following steps...

 1. Connector USB connector on your Geek Pulse first.
 2. Then connect the USB-A to your Geek LPS.
 3. Then connect another USB cable from Geek LPS to your computer...

 And see how it goes.


----------



## Golliwog

Hi everyone,
 How does the Geek Pulse (base model) stack up value wise purely as a DAC? I recently supported the indiegogo campaign for a Lambert Play It By Ear headphone amp and am looking for a source around the same price range. Do any of you headphone.guru guys think it would be a good pairing?

 Driving HD800s

 Cheers, Alex


----------



## uzi

pbear said:


> Did you try plugging the USB DAC into the LPS _after_ turning on the LPS? I've been connecting my GO 100 IEM > USB A to B adapter > 2G cable > LPS. If everything is connected before turning on the LPS, my laptop doesn't recognize the GO. I have to disconnect the 2G cable from the LPS and plug it back in again for the GO to work.


 
  
 I've tried all orders of things and none of them work.  I just retried your suggestion and no dice.  In the end, should things be so finicky anyways?


axelcloris said:


> Someone on the LHLabs forum had this exact same issue. It recognized external HDDs through the LPS, but not DACs for whatever reason. Could be the start of a pattern.


 
 For kicks, I just tried connecting a USB powered flash drive and it worked through the LPS... just not my DACs.  Actually, there is something I got to work -- if I plug in a GO directly into the back of the LPS without one of the short blue extension cables, it works... if I try with the extension cable (which works directly to the laptop), then it doesn't work.  Likewise my other USB DAC to try (HRT MSII+) doesn't work.


digitalzed said:


> Larry posted this with someone having a USB issue over on the LHL forums:
> 
> Please use the following steps...
> 
> ...


 
 I don't have a Pulse yet -- I'm trying with Geek Outs and the HRT MSII+ in the meantime to test.  I tried this order with the Geek Out and it didn't work... thanks, though.


----------



## doctorjazz

Sorry you're having problems...based on the early Geek Out experience, and now this, maybe it IS better to be later in line for delivery of LH items....


----------



## uzi

doctorjazz said:


> Sorry you're having problems...based on the early Geek Out experience, and now this, maybe it IS better to be later in line for delivery of LH items....


 
 Thanks Dr. J,
  
 I'm sure we'll work out something with LH... if there is something wrong, hopefully we catch it here early in the process.  Hopefully it helps, but I made a crappy video showing the issue and posted it at http://youtu.be/dhUUzKDq9hE.  The problem happens with both my Geek Out 1000 and 450, and with any of the three extension cables I have... and with the other USB DAC I have to try here, the HRT MS II+.  I can't say if it's a problem it has with USB-powered DACs or in general.  Anyways, you'll see...


----------



## longbowbbs

uzi said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry you're having problems...based on the early Geek Out experience, and now this, maybe it IS better to be later in line for delivery of LH items....
> ...


 
 I shot an e-mail over to LH about your video. I am sure you will be helped soon.


----------



## uzi

longbowbbs said:


> I shot an e-mail over to LH about your video. I am sure you will be helped soon.


 
 Appreciated.  I have a post on their forum and opened a ticket with their support as well.  I'll keep you all posted on whatever happens.


----------



## pedalhead

Uzi...what happens if you plug the Mac end of the lightspeed into the USB adapter cable, and then plug the adapter into the Mac (with the Geek Out connected directly into the LPS)?


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm sure they'll help as well, still usually upsetting(at least to me) when your brand new toy doesn't perform as expected.


----------



## mcullinan

b0bb said:


> I made a mod to the Yulong master clock to fix some of what you described. This is written up in the DA8 review thread if you are interested.


 

 Ill check it out.. Thanks!
 Sounds interesting..


----------



## uzi

pedalhead said:


> Uzi...what happens if you plug the Mac end of the lightspeed into the USB adapter cable, and then plug the adapter into the Mac (with the Geek Out connected directly into the LPS)?


 
 A fine and interesting question... in that case, it does not work, but in an interesting way.  If the Mac has seen the device without the extension cable, but then I disconnect and reconnect with the extension cable, it acts as though it sees the device, but I cannot adjust its volume.  The lights on the GO show the initial state rather than resetting to 44.1k if I have things plugged in via the extension on the Mac side and the GO directly plugged in.
  
 I also want to reiterate that I have both  LightSpeed 1G (came with the LPS) and a LightSpeed 10G (won in a head-fi meetup raffle).  I've tried the 1G form the Mac to the LPS and the 10G from the LPS to the HRT MS II+, and it didn't work.  You'd figure if cables were the issue, then LightSpeed cables throughout would work.


----------



## pedalhead

uzi said:


> A fine and interesting question... in that case, it does not work, but in an interesting way.  If the Mac has seen the device without the extension cable, but then I disconnect and reconnect with the extension cable, it acts as though it sees the device, but I cannot adjust its volume.  The lights on the GO show the initial state rather than resetting to 44.1k if I have things plugged in via the extension on the Mac side and the GO directly plugged in.
> 
> I also want to reiterate that I have both  LightSpeed 1G (came with the LPS) and a LightSpeed 10G (won in a head-fi meetup raffle).  I've tried the 1G form the Mac to the LPS and the 10G from the LPS to the HRT MS II+, and it didn't work.  You'd figure if cables were the issue, then LightSpeed cables throughout would work.


 
  
 That's bonkers...I was guessing the little extension cable was the weak link, but clearly not as you've tested with both Lightspeeds in place.  Smells more like a logic/software thing to me now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 .


----------



## mscott58

So an Abyss/Geek Soul bundle. Hmmm... 

Anyone's wallets not already empty?


----------



## walfredo

mscott58 said:


> So an Abyss/Geek Soul bundle. Hmmm...
> 
> Anyone's wallets not already empty?


 
  
 Mine is surviving.   Although tempted, I am only getting more stuff from LH after I receiving my pulse and wave.


----------



## AxelCloris

I've heard the Abyss. I enjoyed it but I cannot justify the price with my wallet. I appreciate what goes into it and I love to support family businesses but it's just not on my list of feasible purchases.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> I've heard the Abyss. I enjoyed it but I cannot justify the price with my wallet. I appreciate what goes into it and I love to support family businesses but it's just not on my list of feasible purchases.


 
 Agreed. I spent a lot of time with the Abyss using several TOTL amps and it would not be a can I would buy.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Agreed. I spent a lot of time with the Abyss using several TOTL amps and it would not be a can I would buy.


 
 I actually enjoyed the Abyss quite a bit, although as an LCD user I found the fact that it kind of perches on your head and doesn't seal against your ears to be a bit disconcerting. Also don't see the value in spending that much more on a set of cans.
  
 Am very happy with my LCD-3F's (and very soon K10 CIEMs!) and am playing with my source gear now, hence all the Geek stuff. 
  
 Cheers all


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> I actually enjoyed the Abyss quite a bit, although as an LCD user I found the fact that it kind of perches on your head and doesn't seal against your ears to be a bit disconcerting. Also don't see the value in spending that much more on a set of cans.
> 
> Am very happy with my LCD-3F's (and very soon K10 CIEMs!) and am playing with my source gear now, hence all the Geek stuff.
> 
> Cheers all


 
  
 The fact that they're designed not to seal did take a little getting used to but once I had worked through the setup I found them to be quite comfortable. And I understand that if you spend the time to adjust them perfectly they'll be one of the most comfortable headphones available. I prefer the comfort of the HD700 to what I experienced from the Abyss, though not by much, but I didn't put forth the effort to get the perfect fit at RMAF.
  
 Congrats on the forthcoming K10. The universal I heard was absolutely wonderful and I can only imagine how the comfort of a custom will really seal the deal, pun intended.


----------



## doctorjazz

Omg, good thing I already have a soul (some may disagree), probably wouldn't go for Abyss , too much to spend.


----------



## miceblue

I guess I'll just be Soul-less for the rest of my life. XD
The Abyss was okay to me, but I like the HE-560 a lot more for my personal tastes.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> The fact that they're designed not to seal did take a little getting used to but once I had worked through the setup I found them to be quite comfortable. And I understand that if you spend the time to adjust them perfectly they'll be one of the most comfortable headphones available. I prefer the comfort of the HD700 to what I experienced from the Abyss, though not by much, but I didn't put forth the effort to get the perfect fit at RMAF.
> 
> Congrats on the forthcoming K10. The universal I heard was absolutely wonderful and I can only imagine how the comfort of a custom will really seal the deal, pun intended.


 
 Thanks Brian - well played! After having to do the impressions three times (one error on Brannan's part and the other on my audiologist) they better fit well!


----------



## FayeForever

Sorry, for $5000 I will definitely go for speakers.
 I use my $250 studio monitors much more often than my HD800s already, though this might change after I receive my Xfi.


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> I've heard the Abyss. I enjoyed it but I cannot justify the price with my wallet. I appreciate what goes into it and I love to support family businesses but it's just not on my list of feasible purchases.


 

 +10^2
  
 cripes, what a far reaching $ exhausting perk.  not a wise choice at all IMHO.


----------



## gyx11

jexby said:


> +10^2
> 
> cripes, what a far reaching $ exhausting perk.  not a wise choice at all IMHO.




You just got caught up in the wave that many on here already riding. Funnily enough, what you're saying about the Abyss-Soul bundle is basically what many went up in arms about when the whole Soul concept first came about.

There's definitely still going to be a group of backers who have the purchasing power to afford this deal and won't understand what this big almighty moan is for -- until the next level Orpheus-Soul bundle (or whatever) surfaces


----------



## digitalzed

gyx11 said:


> You just got caught up in the wave that many on here already riding. Funnily enough, what you're saying about the Abyss-Soul bundle is basically what many went up in arms about when the whole Soul concept first came about.
> 
> There's definitely still going to be a group of backers who have the purchasing power to afford this deal and won't understand what this big almighty moan is for -- until the next level Orpheus-Soul bundle (or whatever) surfaces


 

 It will be interesting to see if they sell all 10. I wouldn't bet against it.


----------



## jexby

miceblue said:


> I guess I'll just be Soul-less for the rest of my life. XD
> The Abyss was okay to me, but I like the HE-560 a lot more for my personal tastes.


 
  
 will add that I love the HE-560 a lot more for the PRICE!  and personal tastes. 
  
 ps. souls are over rated.  existence unproven, function undetermined.


----------



## nicolo

That's the devil in you speaking!!


----------



## NinjaHamster

nicolo said:


> That's the devil in you speaking!!




[VIDEO]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbmDfuavx8g[/VIDEO]


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> So an Abyss/Geek Soul bundle. Hmmm...
> 
> Anyone's wallets not already empty?


 

 My coffers have been cleaned!


----------



## kothganesh

I plan to issue a 30 year bond


----------



## longbowbbs

kothganesh said:


> I plan to issue a 30 year bond


 
 We see you are a Headphone fan...Clearly you cannot resist another headphone purchase...Junk Bond status....


----------



## Boban85

longbowbbs said:


> We see you are a Headphone fan...Clearly you cannot resist another headphone purchase...Junk Bond status....


 
  
 LOL


----------



## kothganesh

longbowbbs said:


> We see you are a Headphone fan...Clearly you cannot resist another headphone purchase...Junk Bond status....


 

 Oh come on...I can post some collateral...


----------



## longbowbbs

kothganesh said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > We see you are a Headphone fan...Clearly you cannot resist another headphone purchase...Junk Bond status....
> ...


 
 We will accept Woo 234's as collateral.


----------



## Lceaucx

Seems like no takers so far.... no one with 5k to throw around?


----------



## Muinarc

lceaucx said:


> Seems like no takers so far.... no one with 5k to throw around?



 


Give me a minute, I'll check my couch cushions.....


----------



## eac3

Any followup over at lhlabs forum on the weather problem/ shipping status? They shipped out 16 units last week Monday, Tuesday = ?, Wednesday = inclement weather, Thursday = ?, Friday = ?


----------



## head-hi

eac3 said:


> Any followup over at lhlabs forum on the weather problem/ shipping status? They shipped out 16 units last week Monday, Tuesday = ?, Wednesday = inclement weather, Thursday = ?, Friday = ?


 

 Any request for build/shipping status gets avoided. No follow up. No replies, except why they couldn't ship. The dog ate my homework. Sorry, the mailman is too busy.
  
 Here come the flames.


----------



## chartwell85

head-hi said:


> Any request for build/shipping status gets avoided. No follow up. No replies, except why they couldn't ship. The dog ate my homework. Sorry, the mailman is too busy.
> 
> Here come the flames.


 
 Hey Head-Hi,
  
 Anything I can help you with that pertains to your order, please feel free to open a support ticket or contact me directly.


----------



## chartwell85

Geek Pulse + Audeze Bundle Deal: http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2676-headphones-for-the-holidays-audeze


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> Geek Pulse + Audeze Bundle Deal: http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2676-headphones-for-the-holidays-audeze


 
 casey ,
 those of us who have already backed pulses , any options for adding a headphone to make a "bundle" 
 or something of "grandfather" deal ?


----------



## Chikolad

chartwell85 said:


> Geek Pulse + Audeze Bundle Deal: http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2676-headphones-for-the-holidays-audeze


 
  
 Now that sounds interesting...


----------



## AxelCloris

jaywillin said:


> casey ,
> those of us who have already backed pulses , any options for adding a headphone to make a "bundle"
> or something of "grandfather" deal ?


 
  
 It's been confirmed elsewhere that the bundles will need to be purchased as they are and cannot be modified for those who have already backed a Pulse. Now if you want to get the bundle and in the process a second Pulse, go for it! But Gavin has stated that there will be no "retroactive bundles" for previous backers. This topic came up when they introduced the HiFiMan bundles.


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> It's been confirmed elsewhere that the bundles will need to be purchased as they are and cannot be modified for those who have already backed a Pulse. Now if you want to get the bundle and in the process a second Pulse, go for it! But Gavin has stated that there will be no "retroactive bundles" for previous backers. This topic came up when they introduced the HiFiMan bundles.


 
 i thought i'd seen that, but i didn't pay a lot of attention when the hifiman bundles were announced but the audeze bundle got my attention !
 it does make sense though


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Does anyone know if the pulse will still be coming with a remote control or did they remove that from the milestone goals?


----------



## AxelCloris

ethereal sound said:


> Does anyone know if the pulse will still be coming with a remote control or did they remove that from the milestone goals?


 
  
 They're compatible with the Apple remote but will not be supplied with one. You can get them for about $25. You can also purchase any remote that's compatible with Apple products (ones that use Apple codes, basically) and usually save a few bucks.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

axelcloris said:


> They're compatible with the Apple remote but will not be supplied with one. You can get them for about $25. You can also purchase any remote that's compatible with Apple products (ones that use Apple codes, basically) and usually save a few bucks.


 
 Interesting. I'm almost positive that at the beginning of this campaign they said that they pulses would be supplied with remotes. I may be mistaken though.


----------



## AxelCloris

I believe that you're right. I think at one point the stretch goal was worded in a way that seemed a remote would come with the Pulse. But the final word was that it would support remotes without including one. It makes sense in a way since not everyone will use the remote. Give them the option but it's up to them to buy the required hardware to use it. Keeps the cost of the Pulse lower both for LHLabs and the buyers who are getting the Pulse at retail. And I've certainly saved enough off the retail price to cover the cost of a remote if I want one.


----------



## head-hi

chartwell85 said:


> Hey Head-Hi,
> 
> Anything I can help you with that pertains to your order, please feel free to open a support ticket or contact me directly.


 

 Thanks. I've already got my queue number from a ticket. What I don't see are the daily numbers of shipments, to be able to have a timeline. Why is that so much to ask? This keeps getting requested without an answer.


----------



## chartwell85

head-hi said:


> Thanks. I've already got my queue number from a ticket. What I don't see are the daily numbers of shipments, to be able to have a timeline. Why is that so much to ask? This keeps getting requested without an answer.


 
  
 Our entire focus is on shipping Pulse/LPS and providing backers with the products they've ordered.  As soon as Gavin has some free time he'll trick out the tracking page with as many requested features as possible.


----------



## vic2vic

chartwell85 said:


> Our entire focus is on shipping Pulse/LPS and providing backers with the products they've ordered.  As soon as Gavin has some free time he'll trick out the tracking page with as many requested features as possible.


 
 Hi Casey,
 are Pulse Xfi still on track to start shipping on Dec 16th ? Thanks


----------



## head-hi

chartwell85 said:


> Our entire focus is on shipping Pulse/LPS and providing backers with the products they've ordered.  As soon as Gavin has some free time he'll trick out the tracking page with as many requested features as possible.


 

 Somebody shoot me.


----------



## jaywillin

pulse x/f/i the 16th ??


----------



## vic2vic

jaywillin said:


> pulse x/f/i the 16th ??


 
 I think I remember a post from Gavin in LhLabs forum mentioning that date... but it's almost impossible to find things back in that forum.


----------



## jaywillin

vic2vic said:


> I think I remember a post from Gavin in LhLabs forum mentioning that date... but it's almost impossible to find things back in that forum.


 
 we'll see, that'd be nice


----------



## labjr

ethereal sound said:


> Interesting. I'm almost positive that at the beginning of this campaign they said that they pulses would be supplied with remotes. I may be mistaken though.


 

 I thought a remote was a stretch goal too. Wasn't there a picture of a remote in the campaign?
  
 Which Apple remote is compatible? 1156?


----------



## AxelCloris

The remote is the MC377LL/A. There was indeed a picture of it on the campaign, but the wording was clarified to let backers know the Pulse would not come with one included.


----------



## mscott58

$2M has been achieved!!!


----------



## NinjaHamster

axelcloris said:


> It's been confirmed elsewhere that the bundles will need to be purchased as they are and cannot be modified for those who have already backed a Pulse. Now if you want to get the bundle and in the process a second Pulse, go for it! But Gavin has stated that there will be no "retroactive bundles" for previous backers. This topic came up when they introduced the HiFiMan bundles.




Keep it on the down-low, but Gavin has changed his mind on that one


----------



## AxelCloris

ninjahamster said:


> Keep it on the down-low, but Gavin has changed his mind on that one


 
  
 That's terrible news. Absolutely horrible. My wallet is screwed.


----------



## NinjaHamster

labjr said:


> I thought a remote was a stretch goal too. Wasn't there a picture of a remote in the campaign?
> 
> Which Apple remote is compatible? 1156?





No. They said it would have "remote capability" as a stretch goal ... although in all fairness, they did have a photo which showed a remote control (remote control not included) 

Still, Apple remotes aren't THAT expensive.


----------



## NinjaHamster

axelcloris said:


> That's terrible news. Absolutely horrible. My wallet is screwed.




Luckily I already have a pair of Audeze 2.2's ... and no money ...


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> That's terrible news. Absolutely horrible. My wallet is screwed.


 
 i've got a kidney that's doing nothing !!


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> That's terrible news. Absolutely horrible. My wallet is screwed.


 

 Brian,
  
 My wallet was screwed a long time ago and there's little wiggle room left.  If I were to spend that much on transducers it would be for full size speakers but that will have to wait until I can save up that much.  I'm very happy with my current cans.


----------



## krikor

vic2vic said:


> Hi Casey,
> are Pulse Xfi still on track to start shipping on Dec 16th ? Thanks


 
  
 I remember seeing Pulse X by Dec. 15th (or something to the effect that QC issues pushed things back to that date at the earliest) but I don't think it specified between Pulse X and Pulse Xfi.


----------



## AxelCloris

germay0653 said:


> Brian,
> 
> My wallet was screwed a long time ago and there's little wiggle room left.  If I were to spend that much on transducers it would be for full size speakers but that will have to wait until I can save up that much.  I'm very happy with my current cans.


 
  
 It all comes down to what headphones are paired with the Pulse. If I could have gone in on the 560 bundle I'd have done that in a heartbeat. If it's the LCD-3 like the poll is indicating I'll have to pass. If it's the LCD-2f I may go for it depending on how the deal is worked out.
  
 For speakers I'm really eyeing those Linkwitz LXmini. I'm probably going to build a pair of them in 2015 and possibly the full size LX521 some time later. If all goes as I hope over the next few weeks I'll be forced to move, and I'll get a house with a dedicated audio room rather than having everything in the family room and the office like I do now.


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> It all comes down to what headphones are paired with the Pulse. If I could have gone in on the 560 bundle I'd have done that in a heartbeat. If it's the LCD-3 like the poll is indicating I'll have to pass. If it's the LCD-2f I may go for it depending on how the deal is worked out.
> 
> For speakers I'm really eyeing those Linkwitz LXmini. I'm probably going to build a pair of them in 2015 and possibly the full size LX521 some time later. If all goes as I hope over the next few weeks I'll be forced to move, and I'll get a house with a dedicated audio room rather than having everything in the family room and the office like I do now.


 

 For speakers, I'm interested in the Revel Performa F206's.  They're at about the $$$ level I'm willing to spend, in a few years, at my ripe old age!  It's that or something with an AMT for the upper end and some fast midranges to keep up with them.


----------



## AxelCloris

germay0653 said:


> For speakers, I'm interested in the Revel Performa F206's.  They're at about the $$$ level I'm willing to spend, in a few years, at my ripe old age!  It's that or something with an AMT for the upper end and some fast midranges to keep up with them.


 
  
 You don't say...
  

  
 That's what came up when I did a product search for those speakers. I think we can all see what's going on here...


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> You don't say...
> 
> 
> 
> That's what came up when I did a product search for those speakers. I think we can all see what's going on here...


 

 Yeah, baby, yeah!


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> ninjahamster said:
> 
> 
> > Keep it on the down-low, but Gavin has changed his mind on that one
> ...


 
 ??? Like this is news? YOU ARE ON HEAD-FI Man!!! It is assumed your wallet is screwed.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> germay0653 said:
> 
> 
> > Brian,
> ...


 
 I am saving up for the Vandersteen Treo CT's.....Hopefully soon.


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> I am saving up for the Vandersteen Treo CT's.....Hopefully soon.


 
  
 Ooooh, those are lovely.
  


longbowbbs said:


> ??? Like this is news? YOU ARE ON HEAD-FI Man!!! It is assumed your wallet is screwed.


 
  
 I've done well so far, my wallet has only cried a few times in the past 3 years.
  
 Out of curiosity are any Pulse backers going to be at the SoCal CanJam in March? It's looking like I'll be in attendance, waiting on a few more details before I officially confirm but odds are good.


----------



## miceblue

No love for Maggies or Martin Logans? XD
I mean they have the super awesome planar magnetic and electrostatic speaker technologies respectively. : p


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> No love for Maggies or Martin Logans? XD
> I mean they have the super awesome planar magnetic and electrostatic speaker technologies respectively. : p


 
  
 Martin Logans have been in my system before and I do miss their sound. I've been eyeing the Mini Maggies for a future office upgrade.


----------



## chartwell85

axelcloris said:


> Ooooh, those are lovely.
> 
> 
> I've done well so far, my wallet has only cried a few times in the past 3 years.
> ...


 

 Brian, I EXPECT to see you in SoCal!


----------



## longbowbbs

chartwell85 said:


> axelcloris said:
> 
> 
> > Ooooh, those are lovely.
> ...


 
 I have a room booked...Trying to make the calendar work....I will be at Axpona.


----------



## eac3

krikor said:


> I remember seeing Pulse X by Dec. 15th (or something to the effect that QC issues pushed things back to that date at the earliest) but I don't think it specified between Pulse X and Pulse Xfi.


 



jaywillin said:


> pulse x/f/i the 16th ??


 


vic2vic said:


> I think I remember a post from Gavin in LhLabs forum mentioning that date... but it's almost impossible to find things back in that forum.


 
  
  
 From Gavin:
  


> *Geek LPS4 Shipments*
> Geek LPS4 units will begin their journeys to you by December 10.
> 
> *Geek Pulse X Shipments*
> These units will begin shipping out by December 16.


 
  
  
Source
  
  


head-hi said:


> Somebody shoot me.


 
  
 lol.
  
 Here is an update on Nov 26th? that Casey sent out:
  


> *Tracking System Update*
> 
> Gavin has been coding away inside the shipping system and implementing a few new features that* will now allow you to see exactly where you’re at in line for the shipment of your products.*  While Gavin has made a tremendous amount of progress,  *we’re looking at finishing up the tracking system update shortly after the Thanksgiving Day weekend.*


----------



## chartwell85

longbowbbs said:


> I have a room booked...Trying to make the calendar work....I will be at Axpona.


 

 Looking forward to catching up with you in person!  Have a lot of stuff to fill you in on


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> I have a room booked...Trying to make the calendar work....I will be at Axpona.


 
  
 That's one that I should be able to make without problem. Chicago is only about a 5 hour drive for me. Heck, I've driven to Chicago for a show and home in the same day before.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I have a room booked...Trying to make the calendar work....I will be at Axpona.
> ...


 
 I have the Westin booked for that too....I had fun this year. They had a tiny CanJam wanna be room. It should be better next year from the press stuff I have been receiving.


----------



## chartwell85

Hey guy,
  
 The Geek Pulse + Audeze bundle is now live on IGG http://bit.ly/PulseAudezeBundle


----------



## tRuE008

OMG, they just have to get a bundle with the LCD3, right after I decided to back the Pulse xfi on Sunday.
 There must be a way to still get in with the LCD3 bundle, even after I backed the Pulse Xfi, right?
  
 I should have waited. I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. I even PM them, a few weeks ago, asking if there would be bundle like this. And obviously got no respond.


----------



## doctorjazz

true008 said:


> OMG, they just have to get a bundle with the LCD3, right after I decided to back the Pulse xfi on Sunday.
> There must be a way to still get in with the LCD3 bundle, even after I backed the Pulse Xfi, right?
> 
> I should have waited. I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. I even PM them, a few weeks ago, asking if there would be bundle like this. And obviously got no respond.




If you haven't gotten an email from them, send them a ticket, they say they will accommodate backers.


----------



## sujitsky

true008 said:


> OMG, they just have to get a bundle with the LCD3, right after I decided to back the Pulse xfi on Sunday.
> There must be a way to still get in with the LCD3 bundle, even after I backed the Pulse Xfi, right?
> 
> I should have waited. I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. I even PM them, a few weeks ago, asking if there would be bundle like this. And obviously got no respond.


 
  
 from Gavin's email:
  
_*What about backers who’ve already purchased a Geek Pulse?* Can they bundle the Geek Pulse they’ve already pre-ordered with a pair of Audeze headphones?_
In order for us to feel right about this deal, the answer has to be YES.
*If you’re a Geek Force member and you’ve already pre-ordered a Geek Pulse*(Pulse, Pulse S, Pulse X, etc.) on any of our campaigns (Geek Pulse, Geek Wave, Forever Funding, etc.), you can bundle it with the Audeze LCD-3’s for $1,746 or the Audeze LCD-XC’s for $1,600. Basically, we’ve just subtracted Geek Pulse’s Geek Force-Only price of $399 from the bundle price.
We’ve set up a special perk for you to use to bundle your Geek Pulse with your new Audeze headphones. It’s called “*Old Friends*.” Just select this perk and contribute either $1,746 for a pair of LCD-3’s or $1,600 for a pair of LCD-XC’s.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

sujitsky said:


> from Gavin's email:
> 
> _*What about backers who’ve already purchased a Geek Pulse?* Can they bundle the Geek Pulse they’ve already pre-ordered with a pair of Audeze headphones?_
> In order for us to feel right about this deal, the answer has to be YES.
> ...


 
  
 The backer's price for the Audeze LCD-XC's (which I'm in the market for) isn't really a deal for me here up in Canada. With the exchange rate, it's only about $25 off the retail price I can get for new up here. And I wouldn't have to wait until January to have them shipped 
  
 But I do appreciate LHLabs at least recognizing that they need to make them available to their original backers...only seemed fair.


----------



## mscott58

You guys are making it hard for me to stay away from SoCal. Now if I can just swing some business meetings in the area on the right dates...


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> You guys are making it hard for me to stay away from SoCal. Now if I can just swing some business meetings in the area on the right dates...


 
 We're getting the band back together....


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> We're getting the band back together....


 
 Seriously! Can feel magnetic pull getting stronger...resistance is futile!


----------



## mscott58

Also just found out my BF Lightspeed 10G will be delivered on Saturday. Woo-hoo! My first piece of LHL gear (but certainly not the last)


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > We're getting the band back together....
> ...


 
 You will need another pair of CIEM's by then I am sure....


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> You will need another pair of CIEM's by then I am sure....


 
 Let me get my K10's first! Should hopefully be very soon.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > You will need another pair of CIEM's by then I am sure....
> ...


 
 I am very interested in your impressions!


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> I am very interested in your impressions!


 
  
 Pretty sure those were destroyed in the process.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Pretty sure those were destroyed in the process.


 
 Ha! Nicely played Brian. 
  
 Actually, due to the issues Brannan had in making my impressions and then the challenges my audiologist had in making them both deep enough in my ear canal and complete enough in my outer ear I had a pile of around 6 sets of impressions for a while. Nice heap of silicone. Decided that they were a bit creepy to leave sitting around though, so I chucked them. Seeing that I actually used to sell silicone I liked supporting the industry!


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I am very interested in your impressions!
> ...


 
 Nice one!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> I am very interested in your impressions!


 
 Eric - Will definitely share. And I can't wait to try them with my XD128 ultimate! Hopefully will be my end-game TOTL portable system (assuming there is such a thing as end-game in this hobby!). Cheers - Michael


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I am very interested in your impressions!
> ...


 
 Can't wait!
  
 Here is a gratuitous Geek shot for the evening....

 Geek Out 100IEM, JH16's with Toxic Cables Silver Widows, Audirvana+


----------



## sbradley02

miceblue said:


> No love for Maggies or Martin Logans? XD
> I mean they have the super awesome planar magnetic and electrostatic speaker technologies respectively. : p


 
 I used to own Maggies and while they are awesome, they are challenging to get working right in smaller rooms like I have now, especially with HT.
 Currently own Newform Research, and have no desire to upgrade.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Can't wait!
> 
> Here is a gratuitous Geek shot for the evening....
> 
> Geek Out 100IEM, JH16's with Toxic Cables Silver Widows, Audirvana+


 
 Nice!!!


----------



## mscott58

sbradley02 said:


> I used to own Maggies and while they are awesome, they are challenging to get working right in smaller rooms like I have now, especially with HT.
> Currently own Newform Research, and have no desire to upgrade.


 
 For small rooms I went a different direction, combining Merlin TSM's and Atma-sphere M-60's. Talk about an OTL combination made in heaven! Very good stuff.


----------



## miceblue

sbradley02 said:


> I used to own Maggies and while they are awesome, they are challenging to get working right in smaller rooms like I have now, especially with HT.
> Currently own Newform Research, and have no desire to upgrade.



Good point, and that's what I've heard too.

Newform Research makes some nice speakers! One of my friends has one and I always ogle at the ribbon tweeter towers. : D


----------



## woodcans

Any more impressions from Pulse owners? The relative lack of feedback from current Pulse recipients seems (more than) a bit unusual.....


----------



## Chikolad

woodcans said:


> Any more impressions from Pulse owners? The relative lack of feedback from current Pulse recipients seems (more than) a bit unusual.....


 
  
 +1


----------



## kothganesh

longbowbbs said:


> We will accept Woo 234's as collateral.


 

 Shucks..for every offer, there's a bid...how about some Stax headphones?


----------



## miceblue

kothganesh said:


> Shucks..for every offer, there's a bid...how about some Stax headphones?





miceblue said:


>



Still waiting to see if LH makes an e-stat headphone amp.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> sbradley02 said:
> 
> 
> > I used to own Maggies and while they are awesome, they are challenging to get working right in smaller rooms like I have now, especially with HT.
> ...


 
 I love Ralph's work. We sold his prototype's back in 81 in the store in St.Paul. Great amps!


----------



## longbowbbs

kothganesh said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > We will accept Woo 234's as collateral.
> ...


 
 Sorry, the spread is too wide....Perhaps add a Cavalli Liquid Lightning 2 to your bid?


----------



## doctorjazz

chikolad said:


> woodcans said:
> 
> 
> > Any more impressions from Pulse owners? The relative lack of feedback from current Pulse recipients seems (more than) a bit
> ...




It is kinda strange it's so quiet on the Pulse front, I'd expect gushing reports by now. Curious.
thinking about the Geek LCD-3 deal for previous backers...it's not that great. They say it's$400 off, but every site selling them is asking $1945, making the discount about$200. It's still really money, I suppose, but not enough to get me to jump in.


----------



## kothganesh

longbowbbs said:


> Sorry, the spread is too wide....Perhaps add a Cavalli Liquid Lightning 2 to your bid?




Man, you are a good trader. I'll try the offshore market, maybe Japan. They know the collateral.


----------



## Chikolad

doctorjazz said:


> It is kinda strange it's so quiet on the Pulse front, I'd expect gushing reports by now. Curious.
> thinking about the Geek LCD-3 deal for previous backers...it's not that great. They say it's$400 off, but every site selling them is asking $1945, making the discount about$200. It's still really money, I suppose, but not enough to get me to jump in.


 
  
 Maybe $400 off considering the retail price of the Pulse as well? I haven't done the math, I'm just guessing


----------



## doctorjazz

I wasn't referring to the combination deal, does seem better. I meant the deal for people who already backed the Pulse, who get $399 off list price. I was just pointing out that I haven't seen them for more than $1945, which is$200 less than the list LH is using, so in the real world it is a discount of $200 rather than $400.


----------



## ejong7

Anybody have one of these babies in London who doesn't mind me having a test run with this? =P


----------



## Boban85

The bundles just got updated. We've got the LCD-2 + Pulse for $999, and the LCD-XC and LCD-3 bundles got upgraded to Pulse X + the headphones. Nice! Would be all over the LCD-2 had I not got the HE-560 bundle previously. I have to resist now...


----------



## tRuE008

Ok so how would this work?
 Before it was the Pulse + LCD3 bundle, and since I backed the Pulse Xfi, I just need to contribute $1746 to get the LCD3 ($2145 - $399).
 Now, the bundle was upgraded to the Pulse X + LCD3. The Pulse X goes for $777 on the early bird special. I haven't contribute yet, but if I still want the LCD3, I need to contribute $1368 ($2145 - $777)?
  
 Or should I just wait until they upgrade the bundle to include the Pulse Xfi?


----------



## AxelCloris

LCD-2 is in a bundle now? Well damn... Guess that means I'm going to be making a purchase soon.


----------



## jaywillin

i don't have to worry 'bout doing no bundling now, the lcd2 i had i sold , i just bought back


----------



## Eustachian

What is the best amp to purchase at these price levels?


----------



## goaliedad39

Hi All,
 Just double checking, they are shipping the Pulse's via USPS?  I should have a Pulse x/f/i coming, I backed on 12/5/13 if I remember correctly.  Not sure where that puts me in the que.  I don't really expect mine to ship until after the first of the year  But my concern is that I will be out of town for several days around Christmas.  If it ships via USPS, I don't have a problem, it will be held with the rest of my mail.  If it ships via another carrier then I may be a bit worried.


----------



## jwong

goaliedad39 said:


> Hi All,
> Just double checking, they are shipping the Pulse's via USPS?  I should have a Pulse x/f/i coming, I backed on 12/5/13 if I remember correctly.  Not sure where that puts me in the que.  I don't really expect mine to ship until after the first of the year  But my concern is that I will be out of town for several days around Christmas.  If it ships via USPS, I don't have a problem, it will be held with the rest of my mail.  If it ships via another carrier then I may be a bit worried.


 
  
 I wouldn't worry about it. I backed a month before you and was told I would be in the third batch, whatever that means. No sign of anything happening soon...


----------



## goaliedad39

Thanks, I figured about as much.


----------



## digitalzed

woodcans said:


> Any more impressions from Pulse owners? The relative lack of feedback from current Pulse recipients seems (more than) a bit unusual.....


 

 Hi woodcans. I posted my first impressions over on the LHL forum here:
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/2659-pulse-received-first-impressions


----------



## woodcans

digitalzed said:


> Hi woodcans. I posted my first impressions over on the LHL forum here:
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/2659-pulse-received-first-impressions




Thanks!


----------



## digitalzed

woodcans said:


> Thanks!


 

 I also posted the impressions review here on Head-Fi under full size amps. Don't know why I didn't do that sooner.


----------



## eac3

digitalzed said:


> Hi woodcans. I posted my first impressions over on the LHL forum here:
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/2659-pulse-received-first-impressions


 
  
 Thanks. Does the umbilical cord (for use with the LPS/4) come with the Pulse? I couldn't tell based on the listing of package contents.


----------



## digitalzed

eac3 said:


> Thanks. Does the umbilical cord (for use with the LPS/4) come with the Pulse? I couldn't tell based on the listing of package contents.


 

 No, it does not. A basic umbilical cord is shipped with the LPS. The Pulse has it's own power cord and that's all.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Well... just a fair warning to everyone.
 Looks like the Christmas shipping craze has already started over there at USPS.
 I had a package shipped out from San Francisco TO orange county.
 It has stuck in the SF sorting facility for two days....
 Stuck in the LA sorting facility since Monday.... (today is Thursday)
 and it's by 2 day priority shipping.

 So.... for anyone expecting to receive your Geek Pulse from now till the end of the year....
 You probably have to be patient and expect the delays.


----------



## digitalzed

dslayerzx said:


> Well... just a fair warning to everyone.
> Looks like the Christmas shipping craze has already started over there at USPS.
> I had a package shipped out from San Francisco TO orange county.
> It has stuck in the SF sorting facility for two days....
> ...


 

 I'm near San Francisco and experienced a similar situation so I feel you. Also, Gavin has warned that the next several days will be sketchy due to the heavy storms in the area affecting power and shipping.


----------



## miceblue

I got a tracking e-mail today!
I checked it to see what was being shipped............and it's just the slacker mini cable. >.>


----------



## mscott58

Got a package from LHL today! Woo-hoo
  
 10G in the house baby!

 Will play with it a bit and get back to you all, but it looks really nice. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Got a package from LHL today! Woo-hoo
> 
> 10G in the house baby!
> 
> ...


 

 Wait till you hear it.  I believe you'll be impressed!


----------



## chartwell85

mscott58 said:


> Got a package from LHL today! Woo-hoo
> 
> 10G in the house baby!
> 
> ...


 

 Looking forward to reading your impressions


----------



## mscott58

chartwell85 said:


> Looking forward to reading your impressions


 
 Thanks Casey!


----------



## walfredo

@chartwell85:  Can you give us an update on the production is going?  How many pulses you guys have been able to put out yet?


----------



## longbowbbs

I received my 10G Monday, but I did not get home until tonight. It is a White Split dual USB-A version. Cassandra Wilson is breaking it in for me...


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> I got a tracking e-mail today!
> I checked it to see what was being shipped............and it's just the slacker mini cable. >.>


 
 I got mine too!.....It was the T-Shirt.....Still, the 10G came today. Not a bad day!


----------



## mscott58

chartwell85 said:


> Looking forward to reading your impressions


 
 Just plugged my LH 0.8M Lightspeed 10G USB cable in and within the first 10 seconds had a "what was that - where did that sound come from?" moment with one of my reference tracks. Even without any break-in I'm really happy with it. Extra resolution, range and emotion, similar to the jump in going up to a higher quality amplifier. Spent ~$2K on an amplifier to get a similar bump, not bad for a $1G cable, but freakin' awesome for one that at the BF price was only $299! Now am going through my catalog of reference tracks as it's drawn me in. Seems like I won't get as much sleep tonight as planned, which is saying something given that I came in from the West Coast on a red-eye last night. Given what others have said about a little of a break in period am now eager to see what else this cable has up its sleeves.

 Also good news in that my DAC (Burson Conductor) is self-powered so I don't need the power leg to be plugged in while it''s playing. We'll see how that works out in the long term.

 Thanks LHL!


----------



## Paspasero

Can someone help me out? I am interested in purchasing just the base Geek Pulse from IndieGoGo. What does GFO mean? Is the standard Geek Pulse the $399 option on IGG? What is included in that package? I got really lost reading all the stuff on the infinite funding page on IGG...


----------



## Levanter

paspasero said:


> Can someone help me out? I am interested in purchasing just the base Geek Pulse from IndieGoGo. What does GFO mean? Is the standard Geek Pulse the $399 option on IGG? What is included in that package? I got really lost reading all the stuff on the infinite funding page on IGG...




Just PM ed you 
Basically it's Geek Force member. Whatever is included is the same as the standard package for all Geek Pulse models.


----------



## doctorjazz

Becoming a Geek Force member is just signing up at the LH website, get username and password, and you're in.


----------



## jaywillin

mscott58 said:


> Just plugged my LH 0.8M Lightspeed 10G USB cable in and within the first 10 seconds had a "what was that - where did that sound come from?" moment with one of my reference tracks. Even without any break-in I'm really happy with it. Extra resolution, range and emotion, similar to the jump in going up to a higher quality amplifier. Spent ~$2K on an amplifier to get a similar bump, not bad for a $1G cable, but freakin' awesome for one that at the BF price was only $299! Now am going through my catalog of reference tracks as it's drawn me in. Seems like I won't get as much sleep tonight as planned, which is saying something given that I came in from the West Coast on a red-eye last night. Given what others have said about a little of a break in period am now eager to see what else this cable has up its sleeves.
> 
> Also good news in that my DAC (Burson Conductor) is self-powered so I don't need the power leg to be plugged in while it''s playing. We'll see how that works out in the long term.
> 
> Thanks LHL!


 
 i almost went for that deal 
  
 i've been using my 2 cable for about a week now, and i wish i had the nordost blue heaven i'd been using so that i could make a direct comparison . but i sold it along with my wadia 121 in preparation of incoming geek gear !
 the blue heaven was the first cable, of any type that i had that "oh wow" moment .
 being that the nordost and the wadia are both gone, i can't really comment too much being that my dac and the cable i've been using is different.
 i'm using the modi with a pangea usb cable(come on pulse x) the improvement over the pangea is not subtle. 
 more open, texture, more fleshed out sound , the pangea's sound is "squeezed" to me
 one area that the 2g is HUGE improvment over  the nordost, or any other usb cable i've ever used is ergonomics 
 ITS FLEXIBLE !!!  finally !!
 i'm very pleased with the 2g !


----------



## germay0653

longbowbbs said:


> I got mine too!.....It was the T-Shirt.....Still, the 10G came today. Not a bad day!


 

 You're going to love the 10G.  It's a real ear opener!


----------



## longbowbbs

germay0653 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I got mine too!.....It was the T-Shirt.....Still, the 10G came today. Not a bad day!
> ...


 
 It is extraordinary. Great upgrade to the system!


----------



## Paspasero

So I want to get in on this.. But since its that time of year.. my wallet doesn't exactly have the full $399 to cover the "GFO Geek Pulse" price... Does anyone know if you can put down smaller amounts and get billed later like some of the other options?


----------



## digitalzed

paspasero said:


> So I want to get in on this.. But since its that time of year.. my wallet doesn't exactly have the full $399 to cover the "GFO Geek Pulse" price... Does anyone know if you can put down smaller amounts and get billed later like some of the other options?


 

 They did offer a Pulse payment plan but that is gone now. I think you'll have to go $399.00 if you want in.


----------



## hoo7h

Guys is the LPS worth the money? I mean how much improvement does it add


----------



## uncola

Gavin posted a video showing how to use the apple remote with the geek pulse.  It also shows all the menu options


----------



## digitalzed

That video was very helpful.


----------



## georgelai57

I presume after pairing, the Apple Remote will still work with the Apple TV?


----------



## greenkiwi

Cross feed is effectively officially gone.


----------



## eliwankenobi

FINALLY!!

My LPS shipping notification came through!!!
Now I need my Pulse Xfi and 2nd lightspeed 1G


----------



## uzi

Iiiiiiinteresting... I just got an email from lhlabs that they have shipped me a "PULSE":
  


> DescriptionQty​Price​Total​ PULSE1​$999.00​$999.00​


 
  
 I have two Xfi and one plain unit coming (the plain one is from referrals), so I'm not sure which it is -- I didn't pay $999 for any of the units.  Anyways, I'll keep you guys posted when I know more and/or receive it.  It was shipped USPS Priority Mail (2-3 Days) and I'm about a 90 minute drive from them, so I'd expect to get it Tuesday... maybe Wednesday.


----------



## longbowbbs

uzi said:


> Iiiiiiinteresting... I just got an email from lhlabs that they have shipped me a "PULSE":
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 It will be the base unit. They have not started shipping Xfi's yet.


----------



## uzi

longbowbbs said:


> It will be the base unit. They have not started shipping Xfi's yet.


 
 Yeah, I had heard that.  Their support had told me that I wasn't going to get my referral unit for a few months, so it'd be a pleasant surprise either way.  At least I'll be able to test if my LPS is working with an externally powered DAC.


----------



## longbowbbs

uzi said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > It will be the base unit. They have not started shipping Xfi's yet.
> ...


 
 That will be nice. Plus you can get familiar with the base unit and compare with the Xfi when it arrives. That will be fun!


----------



## eac3

hoo7h said:


> Guys is the LPS worth the money? I mean how much improvement does it add


 
  
 We all have no idea. I got one at a more reasonable price to judge for myself. According to LH labs, it does more for the Pulse (and evidently, the Geekout) than the Pulse X


----------



## senorx12562

New perks at indiegogo, lcd2+ pulse, $999.00. Couldn't resist.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Man, people here getting their pulses and I'm just waiting eagerly for my Sfi...


----------



## dclaz

Would have loved to get on the LCD2 deal but they won't ship to Australia


----------



## greenkiwi

Ditto. I added an LCD-2 to my pulse order. Can't wait. I live my LCD-XC at work and wanted something for home.


----------



## kostaszag

ethereal sound said:


> Man, people here getting their pulses and I'm just waiting eagerly for my Sfi...


 

 Same here. you are not alone.


----------



## smial1966

A Troika of pain including me!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Quote:


kostaszag said:


> Same here. you are not alone.


----------



## kostaszag

smial1966 said:


>


 

 Hi smial, I don't want to start discussing politics here, but I am Greek and the word "Troica" has some negative flavour for me. Just google the words "troica, Greece, austerity measures" and you will understand. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Still, I do hope we'll get our Pulses some time soon. The Geek Out is really excellent and makes me hope for the best.


----------



## smial1966

No offence intended kostaszag, as Troika is the Russian collective noun for groups of three things. 
  
 Quote:


kostaszag said:


> Hi smial, I don't want to start discussing politics here, but I am Greek and the word "Troica" has some negative flavour for me. Just google the words "troica, Greece, austerity measures" and you will understand.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## kostaszag

none taken
 Quote:


> Originally Posted by *smial1966* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> No offence intended kostaszag,
> ...


----------



## smial1966

Glad to hear it. Enjoy your weekend.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


kostaszag said:


>


----------



## ejong7

If anybody who owns both the Pulse and the TH900, impressions are welcomed =D


----------



## Hercules

Me!


----------



## doctorjazz

Boy, way overspend, one of those Audeze deals seems really appealing (as does the 1964ears, which is about to close, but that is another obsession...)


----------



## mandrake50

Has anyone here been contacted about shipment ...or even confirmation on the Hifiman package perk. It was mentioned last weekend that LHL was intending to issue the purchase order last Monday.
 If they are going to ship from the Illinois warehouse for the US buyers... and Hifiman keeps the amount to fulfill the orders on hand, I can see them arriving at LHL soon.
 I have not been contacted and I bought the 560s close to the top of the list on the first batch offered.


----------



## sci80899

mandrake50 said:


> Has anyone here been contacted about shipment ...or even confirmation on the Hifiman package perk. It was mentioned last weekend that LHL was intending to issue the purchase order last Monday.
> If they are going to ship from the Illinois warehouse for the US buyers... and Hifiman keeps the amount to fulfill the orders on hand, I can see them arriving at LHL soon.
> I have not been contacted and I bought the 560s close to the top of the list on the first batch offered.




I received an invoice earlier this week to pay for international shipping. During the payment process, I indicated my shipping address.


----------



## mandrake50

sci80899 said:


> I received an invoice earlier this week to pay for international shipping. During the payment process, I indicated my shipping address.


 

 Was that invoice from Hifiman or LHL? I understand that Hifiman is delivering the headphones directly for people in Asia. LHL is to distribute the headphones in the US.


----------



## sci80899

mandrake50 said:


> Was that invoice from Hifiman or LHL? I understand that Hifiman is delivering the headphones directly for people in Asia. LHL is to distribute the headphones in the US.




I do live in Asia but the invoice was from LHL.


----------



## Boban85

That's curious. I was also among the first to buy the HE-560 bundle and I haven't received a word about it from LHL. I did open a ticket and change my shipping address from European one to Asian a week back, though. I was told that shipping should commence from around 10th to 12th of December.


----------



## Boban85

mandrake50 said:


> Was that invoice from Hifiman or LHL? *I understand that Hifiman is delivering the headphones directly for people in Asia*. LHL is to distribute the headphones in the US.


 
  
 It certainly makes sense logistically. Where did you get this info, Mandrake?


----------



## mandrake50

It was something that Gavin said (or maybe Casey... but it was definitely written)  somewhere on the GF forums.
 I suppose I could dig it up.
 There is a thread there called something like HE 400I shipping ideas. That may be where I read it.
 You should find it easily under the recent posts tab.
 I posted there awhile ago this morning to ask a similar question.
  
  
 I think shipping in the US does not have an additional charge, so_  am not expecting any invoice, but I would expect them to contact me prior to shipping!!_
_I was in the first batch of the HE 560 bundle perks. Nothing from them yet._


----------



## Boban85

Thanks Mandrake, I'll look it up. Cheers!


----------



## digitalzed

paspasero said:


> So I want to get in on this.. But since its that time of year.. my wallet doesn't exactly have the full $399 to cover the "GFO Geek Pulse" price... Does anyone know if you can put down smaller amounts and get billed later like some of the other options?


 

 Geek Pulse payment plan now an option on the IGG page. $99.00 down.


----------



## llama_egg

I think I might cave and pledge for the Pulse Xfi, I mean, as long as the build quality is good and I decide I don't want it after the fact it probably wouldn't be too hard to re-sell.


----------



## Paspasero

Thanks for the heads up!


----------



## derek1ee

I opt for the $999 LCD-2 combo, since I've been thinking about LCD-2 for a while, paying its MSRP and get a free DAC/Amp sounds like a good deal. Looking forward to getting both.


----------



## MaximPrime

I was in the first round of he-560 i think and have not got an email about shipping either.

Being from australia i was under assumption hifiman was sending them direct also. They really should have just included shipping in the perk. This could get messy with hifiman trying to organise shipping with each of us


----------



## Hercules

Please take extra consideration if USB is not your primary connection on Geek Pulse
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/2753-quick-impression-on-geek-pulse#45051


----------



## Chikolad

hercules said:


> Please take extra consideration if USB is not your primary connection on Geek Pulse
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/2753-quick-impression-on-geek-pulse#45051


 
  
 Thank you Hercules for your impressions!
 Did you use it with LPS or with the regular transformer?


----------



## Hercules

Original SMPS only.


----------



## Chikolad

hercules said:


> Original SMPS only.


 
  
 Good to know it sounds great even without the LPS


----------



## BaTou069

Question: Where doest the Geek Pulse S stand , shipping wise, relative to the vanilla Pulse and the X?


----------



## greenkiwi

S is the single ended version of the X.
  
 The X has dual mono w/ balanced out.
  
 The S has dual mono with the balanced signals summed before the SE output.
  
 In theory, if you only are going to do SE in your system, then the S will have better SE performance than the X.
  
 (Also, I don't believe that the S is available any more, I think that it was only in the first two rounds...and wasn't popular enough to stick around.)


----------



## nicolo

batou069 said:


> Question: Where doest the Geek Pulse S stand , shipping wise, relative to the vanilla Pulse and the X?


 
  
 I think Larry said in one of the threads that the Pulse S will be manufactured along with the Pulse X. So it should ship around the same time the Pulse X starts shipping. In terms of shipping, the base Pulse and it's variants will be shipped first, then the Pulse X & Pulse S variants.


----------



## Hercules

ejong7 said:


> If anybody who owns both the Pulse and the TH900, impressions are welcomed =D


 
 Geek Pulse sound nice with TH900 to my ear, no harsh high, good mid and density, lovely sounding


----------



## jonbernard

For any one trying to figure out their place in the queue, I just got a shipping notice for a Pulse ordered December 3 of last year.


----------



## germay0653

hercules said:


> Geek Pulse sound nice with TH900 to my ear, no harsh high, good mid and density, lovely sounding


 

 Thanks Hercules.  If the standard Pulse sounds good with the TH900 I can't wait to see how it pairs with the Xfi!


----------



## greenkiwi

jonbernard said:


> For any one trying to figure out their place in the queue, I just got a shipping notice for a Pulse ordered December 3 of last year.


 
 Huh... looks like I need to file a ticket.  My order was on Oct 29th and no shipping information.  I'm glad you're getting yours...


----------



## eac3

So today, marks the day that Geek Pulse X will start to ship out.


----------



## jaywillin

eac3 said:


> So today, marks the day that Geek Pulse X will start to ship out.


 
 maybe


----------



## krikor

eac3 said:


> So today, marks the day that Geek Pulse X will start to ship out.


----------



## m17xr2b

Just got an email from LH Labs that they scheduled the shipment and gave me a tracking number. Hope it arrives to EU before the new year.


----------



## FayeForever

m17xr2b said:


> Just got an email from LH Labs that they scheduled the shipment and gave me a tracking number. Hope it arrives to EU before the new year.



Hi, when did you back the campaign?
Thanks.


----------



## Clemmaster

The one from 1979...


----------



## krikor

Regarding when the Pulse X will start shipping, I just got a response from Casey at the Indiegogo "Forever Funding" page that "We are finalizing firmware for Pulse X."


----------



## labjr

krikor said:


> Regarding when the Pulse X will start shipping, I just got a response from Casey at the Indiegogo "Forever Funding" page that "We are finalizing firmware for Pulse X."


 

 What does that mean? A few hours? a month? How is it different than the non-X Pulse?


----------



## chartwell85

labjr said:


> What does that mean? A few hours? a month? How is it different than the non-X Pulse?


 

 That means a few days at most.  It might even be solved today and then its just a matter of flashing the firmware onto each board.
  
 The boards for GPU & GPX are completely different.  GPX board features more inputs and outputs, multiple clocks and numerous other variations.
  
 Shall I pull out your soapbox now or are we good?


----------



## labjr

chartwell85 said:


> That means a few days at most.  It might even be solved today and then its just a matter of flashing the firmware onto each board.
> 
> The boards for GPU & GPX are completely different.  GPX board features more inputs and outputs, multiple clocks and numerous other variations.
> 
> Shall I pull out your soapbox now or are we good?


 

 I imagine everyone is wondering why there is still firmware issues being worked out at this point?
  
 Dude,  maybe you should stick to waxing surfboards. Comedy isn't your bag.


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> That means a few days at most.  It might even be solved today and then its just a matter of flashing the firmware onto each board.
> 
> The boards for GPU & GPX are completely different.  GPX board features more inputs and outputs, multiple clocks and numerous other variations.
> 
> Shall I pull out your soapbox now or are we good?


 
 when we say "pulse x" that's the plain pulse x ? how about the pulse x/f/i ?


----------



## chartwell85

labjr said:


> I imagine everyone is wondering why there is still firmware issues being worked out at this point?
> 
> Dude,  maybe you should stick to waxing surfboards. Comedy isn't your bag.


 

 That's an incredibly simple answer labjr.  We found an issue and chose to resolve it before we sent out the units in order to bypass the hassle of having our users send them back to be flashed.  I think the majority of folks would rather have their Geek Pulse perfected _before_ being delivered.  
  
 Dude, I can assure you each of my surfboards are pristinely waxed. 
  
 PS. I'll leave the soapbox out for you......fire away


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> when we say "pulse x" that's the plain pulse x ? how about the pulse x/f/i ?


 

 Pulse X and Xfi utilize the same board.


----------



## llama_egg

Man, all this talk about different versions and what's being released when is definitely getting oddly confusing.


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> Pulse X and Xfi utilize the same board.


 
 ok cool, i just didn't know , was thinking with the parts upgrade, it might come later
 how's that que system coming along ??


----------



## chartwell85

llama_egg said:


> Man, all this talk about different versions and what's being released when is definitely getting oddly confusing.


 

 Pulse GPU aka Geek Pulse aka "Vanilla" Pulse has been shipping and will continue to ship until all orders are fulfilled.
  
 Pulse X & Xfi firmware is being finalized as we speak.  Once it's working perfectly, we'll begin shipping those units as well.


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> ok cool, i just didn't know , was thinking with the parts upgrade, it might come later
> how's that que system coming along ??


 

 Queue system is a work in progress.  We didn't like the layout so Gavin has been working on the backend coding whenever he has a free moment which are few and far between presently.  
  
 It will be done! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (that's me beating Gavin)


----------



## jexby

labjr said:


> I imagine everyone is wondering why there is still firmware issues being worked out at this point?
> 
> Dude,  maybe you should stick to waxing surfboards. Comedy isn't your bag.


 
  
 1.  would you have complained louder if the firmware contained a bug upon arrival on your doorstep?
 or are you contributing to the QC in some unknown way?
  
 2.  reasonable expectations aren't in your bag.
 take a breath.


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> Queue system is a work in progress.  We didn't like the layout so Gavin has been working on the backend coding whenever he has a free moment which are few and far between presently.
> 
> It will be done!
> 
> ...


 
 lol, harder !
  
 crack that whip !


----------



## labjr

jexby said:


> 1.  would you have complained louder if the firmware contained a bug upon arrival on your doorstep?
> or are you contributing to the QC in some unknown way?
> 
> 2.  reasonable expectations aren't in your bag.
> take a breath.


 
  
 I backed this product in 2013 and we're heading into 2015. Any firmware issues should have been solved many months ago. There are no acceptable excuses at this point. This is unreasonable and I know I'm not the only one who thinks so. And trashing someone in a public forum for pointing it out? What are they thinking?


----------



## jaywillin

labjr said:


> I backed this product in 2013 and we're heading into 2015. Any firmware issues should have been solved many months ago. There are no acceptable excuses at this point. This is unreasonable and I know I'm not the only one who thinks so. And trashing someone in a public forum for pointing it out? What are they thinking?


 
 i backed 10/29/13
 i hoped the product would come to fruition , and it is, there are NO guarantees in crowdfunding. 
 if i'm not mistaken isn't part of the reason of getting the merchandise at such a low price point is that
 the contributions are funding a "start up" design, r&d, etc ? 
 i'm as eager as anyone, but i'd like my pulse to arrive when its ready, all the "i"'s dotted, and "t"'s crossed
 and not sooner
 and i don't see how it's unreasonable, no promise of delivery dates were given to my knowledge, just estimates
 it's all part of the risk of crowdfunding, just an opinion  from a guy who has waited for over a year


----------



## walfredo

Just got a tracking number for my pulse.  Hopefully I will have it by Christmas!


----------



## chartwell85

labjr said:


> I backed this product in 2013 and we're heading into 2015. Any firmware issues should have been solved many months ago. There are no acceptable excuses at this point. This is unreasonable and I know I'm not the only one who thinks so. And trashing someone in a public forum for pointing it out? What are they thinking?



 


Despite your constant barrage of negative posts and the endless amount of LH Labs bashing, nobody from LH Labs (myself included) has ever "trashed" you in any public forum. 

Believe me, you a would know if I was "trashing" you. 

But thanks again for your continued commentary, Larry. It's always a pleasure.


----------



## FayeForever

greenkiwi said:


> Huh... looks like I need to file a ticket.  My order was on Oct 29th and no shipping information.  I'm glad you're getting yours...


 

 I backed on Oct 31st, also no sign...
 I remember somewhere in a post a member mentioned his order # was 90ish and no shipping info either.
 Casey care to shed some light?


----------



## FayeForever

And after a whole month of shipping, we still don't know how many units have been shipped.


----------



## chartwell85

fayeforever said:


> I backed on Oct 31st, also no sign...
> I remember somewhere in a post a member mentioned his order # was 90ish and no shipping info either.
> Casey care to shed some light?



 


PM your details and I'll take a look


----------



## Levanter

chartwell85 said:


> fayeforever said:
> 
> 
> > I backed on Oct 31st, also no sign...
> ...




Hi Casey. Could you take a look at my ticket #4026?


----------



## greenkiwi

I opened a ticket, Stephanie sorte it out and I got my shipping ingot for my original vanilla pulse. 

Should arrive in 2-4 days. 

I'm very excited.


----------



## chartwell85

levanter said:


> Hi Casey. Could you take a look at my ticket #4026?


 

 Just had Stephanie hop in and take a look.


----------



## DannyBai

Been using the geek out all these months patiently waiting for the Pulse and it will be here in a couple of days. Looking forward to using it. Will patiently wait for the wave to finalize my geeks.


----------



## mscott58

jaywillin said:


> i backed 10/29/13
> i hoped the product would come to fruition , and it is, there are NO guarantees in crowdfunding.
> if i'm not mistaken isn't part of the reason of getting the merchandise at such a low price point is that
> the contributions are funding a "start up" design, r&d, etc ?
> ...


 
 Well said Jay. 
  
 I know a lot of campaigns (including several I've personally backed) where the end product was both delayed and also didn't meet their commitments to features and functionality. Larry, Gavin, Casey and the LHL team are doing something that is incredibly hard (developing these products) and another thing that is even harder (dealing with all of us!) and I tip my hat to them. Having been an engineer and having worked on product development teams unexpected issues always come up and lead to delays. This has happened with Pono (who had tons more resources) as well as Schiit (when is the Ygg coming?) and will happen to all companies who hold a high bar on quality. 
  
 So let's all take a breath, decompress a bit, and realize that while we get worked up now and then, that our receiving these gifts (remember in crow-dfunding we actually have not purchased anything) is not the end of the world. As my wife (the doctor in the family) likes to remind me all the time "Has anyone died? No? Is anyone at risk of dying? No? Then relax!". 

 Cheers


----------



## longbowbbs

chartwell85 said:


> labjr said:
> 
> 
> > I imagine everyone is wondering why there is still firmware issues being worked out at this point?
> ...


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


>


 
 Dude, totally gotta keep your stick waxed man...
  
 How else you gonna ride the gnarly tubes...
  
 Wait, what was I talking about?
  
 No problem, it's all good.


----------



## chartwell85

LMAO ^^^^^

With all the fresh snow in Tahoe Im actually breaking out the good stuff


----------



## mscott58

chartwell85 said:


> LMAO ^^^^^
> 
> With all the fresh snow in Tahoe Im actually breaking out the good stuff


 
 Snow? You mean blow, right? Now wait, what?


----------



## eliwankenobi

Hello All!
  
 Last night I received my LPS
  

  
  
 I gotta say my GO450 does sound better.... what took me by surprise was that I played a track and all of a sudden I hear sound coming out of nowhere!!.... which took me by surprise because that's when I realized that before, as I hit play there was some noise I didn't realize was there right before the track started!
  
 Operation is more stable too, I haven't had a any of those hiccups that I would get sometimes.  So I guess my Dell's USB ports are noisy and not very well power regulated.  First time I realize how important it is to have clean power! Very impressed!
  
 Thank you LH Labs!
  
 Now I am even more excited about my Pulse Xfi!!


----------



## jexby

fayeforever said:


> And after a whole month of shipping, we still don't know how many units have been shipped.


 
  
 so. what.
  
 unless you know all details such as:
 - WHO got the products shipped to them
 - WHERE their order was in line with respect to your place in line
 - WHEN that value actually can be extrapolated without error due to USPS, staffing levels, holidays, QC issues, etc.
 - HOW many orders were made in total, and of what kind

 all of this "tell us what shipped" is meaningless to your product's delivery date.
 relax listening to some music and wait for your shipping email.


----------



## mscott58

jexby said:


> so. what.
> 
> unless you know all details such as:
> - WHO got the products shipped to them
> ...


 
 Totally agree. 
  
 Are products shipping? Cool. 
  
 Is production ramping up and getting more efficient? Cool. 
  
 Are the larger set of products (e.g. Pulse X/Xfi) getting ready to ship soon? Cool. 
  
 Do people want to know exactly where they are in line and whine about it? Not so cool.


----------



## jexby

jaywillin said:


> i backed 10/29/13
> i hoped the product would come to fruition , and it is, there are NO guarantees in crowdfunding.
> if i'm not mistaken isn't part of the reason of getting the merchandise at such a low price point is that
> the contributions are funding a "start up" design, r&d, etc ?


 
  
 Bingo man!  you hit it on the head- I'm in the same timeline of early backers as well somewhere.
  
 heck, I'm in on a smart-lamp LED product on kickstarter, and they can't figure out power-supply, usb, bluetooth speaker interference after 8 months!
 never mind a balanced DAC implementation with headphone amps built in.
  
 frankly, for the prices early backers paid for a quality (based on early impressions) we should be thanking LH as long as the product is delivered.
 no reason to be busting balls based on late QC finds or delivery delays, unless you truly can't afford a simple $100 DAC during the wait time.


----------



## FayeForever

jexby said:


> so. what.
> 
> unless you know all details such as:
> - WHO got the products shipped to them
> ...


 

 I mentioned that to illustrate that LHL is behind in communication. How much we know since the shipping started? Only a few updates by Gavin.
 I agree that it is not very useful not knowing all the detail, but more info about the fulfillment is always better.
 I am relaxed, I am even prepared to receive nothing due to the nature of the crowd-funding.
 TBH I don't really care about WHEN it is shipped, but I want the shipping to be organized, and focused. It would also be better if backed can be kept updated.
 It is what I want LHL to be, hence the feedback and question, IMHO all the feedback and questions from all the backers are helping the company to improve.


----------



## miceblue

eliwankenobi said:


> Hello All!
> 
> Last night I received my LPS
> 
> ...



Does the LPS lower the noise floor of the GO at all? I'm a bit curious to try the GO with the LPS since I find it to have some noise when using it straight from the USB port and I'm wondering if it's due to the USB port itself, or the GO.

Also, how warm does the LPS get? Cooler than the GO I hope because having that kind of heat source for that size might be a bit problematic for me with my current desk space.


----------



## eliwankenobi

miceblue said:


> Does the LPS lower the noise floor of the GO at all? I'm a bit curious to try the GO with the LPS since I find it to have some noise when using it straight from the USB port and I'm wondering if it's due to the USB port itself, or the GO.
> 
> Also, how warm does the LPS get? Cooler than the GO I hope because having that kind of heat source for that size might be a bit problematic for me with my current desk space.


 
 In my experience, yes.. But I believe this is due to the USB ports on my laptop than any inherent noise on the GO itself. This would be different depending on the computer and the USB port used. It's something very subtle. I didn't notice it before until I noticed it upon first listen.
  
 The LPS is very cool after a couple of hours of continuous play. The GO450 is hardly a big load for it.


----------



## miceblue

eliwankenobi said:


> In my experience, yes.. But I believe this is due to the USB ports on my laptop than any inherent noise on the GO itself. This would be different depending on the computer and the USB port used. It's something very subtle. I didn't notice it before until I noticed it upon first listen.
> 
> The LPS is very cool after a couple of hours of continuous play. The GO450 is hardly a big load for it.



Ah okay. I'll have to experiment with it then when the LPS arrives.
Personally it's not a big deal for me, but it is one of those nagging issues that I tend to be critical about.

And that's good to hear. Hopefully the LPS with Pulse isn't super duper hot like the GO is.


----------



## m17xr2b

m17xr2b said:


> Just got an email from LH Labs that they scheduled the shipment and gave me a tracking number. Hope it arrives to EU before the new year.


 
 I backed the a pulse Xfi in December last year. Upon reading the email more carefully they are just sending the slacker mini. It's something I guess.


----------



## eac3

eliwankenobi said:


> Hello All!
> 
> Last night I received my LPS
> 
> ...


 
  
 One thing I was worried about was would I be able to discern any noticeable improvement whenever my LPS comes around with my Phillips Fidellio X1. (Generalizing and too lazy to look back) I feel that those who have received/tested the LPS thusfar have more high-end headphones (not that the higher cost equates to performance). Seeing your signature showcasing a Senheiser HD600 gives me hope.


----------



## jexby

miceblue said:


> And that's good to hear. Hopefully the LPS with Pulse isn't super duper hot like the GO is.


 
  
 Miceblue,
  
 don't take this the wrong way as I live in Northern Hemisphere, but I don't understand the complaints about the GO being a (Class A) too hot device.
 Darko basically wrote (tonight) he won't review the GeekOut because it gets "too hot to touch"?
 um what?  touch a button a change filters you'd get a blister?  hardly.
  
 once the stove burner is on do you really need to touch it at all? no.
  
 ok yah, GO gets hot when in use but it's not in your pocket.
 put a small heat sink underneath it during the summer months?
  
 hardly seems like a deal breaker to me, unless it melts.


----------



## eac3

Man,
  
 It sure would go a long way to include in the "more perks" updates to say, "Hey Geekforce, we know we said we would be shipping the Geek Pulse X by Dec 16th. Unfortunately, X, Y, and Z. We will keep you updated...".
  
 In no way do I want confuse some of you to say that I don't appreciate additional opportunities to acquire the pulse (and additional gear). 
  
 Regardless if we got it as a steal or not, regardless if you are patient or impatient, I think it's just professional to mention this since LH labs was the one that set this date.


----------



## eac3

I am not sure if the Audioengine A5+ and Vanilla Pulse is a better combo price versus purchasing them separately: the Geek Pulse at $399 on IGG and the audioengine A5+ through massdrop (which usually goes for $299 + shipping I think) whenever it appears.
  
 Seems to work out to be the same for those who only have half that much, but would like to ultimately add those speakers to their system.


----------



## miceblue

jexby said:


> Miceblue,
> 
> don't take this the wrong way as I live in Northern Hemisphere, but I don't understand the complaints about the GO being a (Class A) too hot device.
> Darko basically wrote (tonight) he won't review the GeekOut because it gets "too hot to touch"?
> ...



Ah it's not a deal-breaker for me by any means, just that I don't feel as comfortable putting things near a super hot device on my messy, small desk. XD


----------



## jaywillin

jexby said:


> Bingo man!  you hit it on the head- I'm in the same timeline of early backers as well somewhere.
> 
> heck, I'm in on a smart-lamp LED product on kickstarter, and they can't figure out power-supply, usb, bluetooth speaker interference after 8 months!
> never mind a balanced DAC implementation with headphone amps built in.
> ...


 
 yep (i sold the wadia 121, and i'm happily using a modi atm)


----------



## Phishin Phool

So I have received some extra X-mas bonus funds and was considering picking up a base unit Pulse for $399 as that option is still open on indiegogo. Any thoughts as to why I shouldn't. Is this as good a value as it seems at $399 . Also exactly how hot does this thing get?
  
 I had been looking to get a  modi /magni combo then the modi 2 uber/magni2 uber were announced and so now for an uber schiit stack I am looking at $300 so at $399 this looks like it may be a better deal for me.


----------



## greenkiwi

Inthink that it is still a very good deal. 

Depending on how you use it, and features etc, it might not be for you. I.e. if you need the plugging in of headphones to mute the line outs. Etc. that being said, if you aren't using it in a dual use environment get it. And if I were getting it now, I most certainly would be getting one of the bundles. You get a considerable discount that way.


----------



## Phishin Phool

greenkiwi said:


> Inthink that it is still a very good deal.
> 
> Depending on how you use it, and features etc, it might not be for you. I.e. if you need the plugging in of headphones to mute the line outs. Etc. that being said, if you aren't using it in a dual use environment get it. And if I were getting it now, I most certainly would be getting one of the bundles. You get a considerable discount that way.


 
 It would be a single headphone listening station (den/study) with the only need being to accept a variety of inputs (usb, line in, s/pdif) from different devices Tablet/phone/laptop/disc player and power 32 -250 ohm cans. My Home Theater AVR along with separate hp tube amps takes care of everything else. I have no need of any other bundle aspects unless they were to offer a geek blue bluetooth pairing.


----------



## krikor

phishin phool said:


> It would be a single headphone listening station (den/study) with the only need being to accept a variety of inputs (usb, line in, s/pdif) from different devices Tablet/phone/laptop/disc player and power 32 -250 ohm cans.


 
 If analog line in is a necessity, you'll need to look elsewhere. The Geek Pulse inputs are digital only.


----------



## Phishin Phool

No analog is why I would like the geek blue (bluetooth adapter) but can use usb otg for phone or tablet, everything else I would use has digital out


----------



## digitalzed

phishin phool said:


> It would be a single headphone listening station (den/study) with the only need being to accept a variety of inputs (usb, line in, s/pdif) from different devices Tablet/phone/laptop/disc player and power 32 -250 ohm cans. My Home Theater AVR along with separate hp tube amps takes care of everything else. I have no need of any other bundle aspects unless they were to offer a geek blue bluetooth pairing.


 

 I have a Pulse and for $399 you would be hard pressed to find a better option, especially since Pulse handles DSD and Schiit does not. Schiit makes great stuff but the Pulse is a one box stop.


----------



## Phishin Phool

Yea I noticed that - currently I have no dsd tracks but in case I consider any I certainly am not dropping another $100 on a loki.


----------



## greenkiwi

phishin phool said:


> No analog is why I would like the geek blue (bluetooth adapter) but can use usb otg for phone or tablet, everything else I would use has digital out


 
 I would probably get either a BT device or a AirPort Express/AppleTV and be done with it, for connecting phones/tablets to the pulse.


----------



## DannyBai

Wow, I got the vanilla Geek Pulse and the sound just blows me away.


----------



## chartwell85

dannybai said:


> Wow, I got the vanilla Geek Pulse and the sound just blows me away.


 

 Very happy to hear that!!!


----------



## digitalzed

dannybai said:


> Wow, I got the vanilla Geek Pulse and the sound just blows me away.


 

 Wait until it really warms up


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> Very happy to hear that!!!


 
 how's the pulse x coming ???


----------



## greenkiwi

jaywillin said:


> how's the pulse x coming ???


 
 Presumably the next thing we will hear is either that the firmware has been updated and is good... or that it's delayed further.  We're all just in a holding pattern waiting for that for now.


----------



## jaywillin

greenkiwi said:


> Presumably the next thing we will hear is either that the firmware has been updated and is good... or that it's delayed further.  We're all just in a holding pattern waiting for that for now.


 
 yeah, he'd said yesterday it was very close do being done


----------



## DannyBai

chartwell85 said:


> Very happy to hear that!!!


 
 The long wait paid off.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  


digitalzed said:


> Wait until it really warms up


 
 Looking forward to it.


----------



## chartwell85

Just a heads up, I'll be closing down the Audeze bundle deals at the end of the day.  This is your last chance to get them before they're gone.


----------



## Clemmaster

chartwell85 said:


> Just a heads up, I'll be closing down the Audeze bundle deals at the end of the day.  This is your last chance to get them before they're gone.


 
  
 When are the headphones expected to ship?
  
 The HE-560 / 400i was expected to ship early December. Haven't heard back from you and still waiting...


----------



## chartwell85

clemmaster said:


> When are the headphones expected to ship?
> 
> The HE-560 / 400i was expected to ship early December. Haven't heard back from you and still waiting...


 
 Headphones will begin shipping this week to China, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.   We're waiting on the delivery from HiFiMAN to our warehouse in California to begin fulfilling orders to our other backers.  
  
 Audeze headphones will begin shipping in January.


----------



## mandrake50

chartwell85 said:


> Headphones will begin shipping this week to China, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.   We're waiting on the delivery from HiFiMAN to our warehouse in California to begin fulfilling orders to our other backers.
> 
> Audeze headphones will begin shipping in January.


 

 Casey, You mentioned you might be able to get some further status on the delivery from Hifiman to your warehouse. Did that work out?
 Can you give us a hint?


----------



## chartwell85

mandrake50 said:


> Casey, You mentioned you might be able to get some further status on the delivery from Hifiman to your warehouse. Did that work out?
> Can you give us a hint?


 

 Once I have a solid timeframe I'll update the Geek Force Forum and then hop over to here to provide the details.


----------



## TopQuark

jaywillin said:


> yeah, he'd said yesterday it was very close do being done


 
 Sorry to say the news today shows Pulse shipments could be further delayed due an issue on DC power supply shipments.


----------



## jaywillin

topquark said:


> Sorry to say the news today shows Pulse shipments could be further delayed due an issue on DC power supply shipments.


 
 oh well, at least they're working on it, and we're inching closer and closer


----------



## doctorjazz

Question...saw the announcement about the special edition Pulse, no details on what the upgrade consists of, and whether it applies to the Soul. Price is also not mentioned. Any information available yet?


----------



## pedalhead

doctorjazz said:


> Question...saw the announcement about the special edition Pulse, no details on what the upgrade consists of, and whether it applies to the Soul. Price is also not mentioned. Any information available yet?


 
  
 Sounds like you know everything there is to know right now


----------



## doctorjazz

Sure, I was hoping Casey might let us know a bit more...


----------



## mandrake50

chartwell85 said:


> Once I have a solid timeframe I'll update the Geek Force Forum and then hop over to here to provide the details.




Thanks Casey!
I bumped the thread that was discussing this over on the Geek Force forums... prior to seeing your response here.


----------



## mtruong34

jexby said:


> so. what.
> 
> unless you know all details such as:
> - WHO got the products shipped to them
> ...


 
  
 So what?  Gavin's latest update on the Force forum indicates roughly 9 units shipped per workday so far (204 total as of Dec 17).  So obviously, this tells us LHL is waaaaay behind schedule and will continue to be given the slower than anticipated production rate, weather related issues, power supply issues, etc.  Time to radically readjust my expectations to April or May 2015 for my Pulse Xfi from first IGG campaign.


----------



## DSlayerZX

mtruong34 said:


> So what?  Gavin's latest update on the Force forum indicates roughly 9 units shipped per workday so far (204 total as of Dec 17).  So obviously, this tells us LHL is waaaaay behind schedule and will continue to be given the slower than anticipated production rate, weather related issues, power supply issues, etc.  Time to radically readjust my expectations to April or May 2015 for my Pulse Xfi from first IGG campaign.


 
 To be honest with you, that might actually be better if they ship out our units after new years.
  
 Trust me... you dont' want to go through the frustration of tracking down lost packages during christmas season.....(like I just did)


----------



## jexby

mtruong34 said:


> So what?  Gavin's latest update on the Force forum indicates roughly 9 units shipped per workday so far (204 total as of Dec 17).  So obviously, this tells us LHL is waaaaay behind schedule and will continue to be given the slower than anticipated production rate, weather related issues, power supply issues, etc.  Time to radically readjust my expectations to April or May 2015 for my Pulse Xfi from first IGG campaign.


 
  
 ok, your expectations should be adjusted.  I'm still of the expectation/perspective of "so what".
 the delays aren't causing loss of life, starvation or lack of music in of our lives.


----------



## longbowbbs

When you back a campaign you are part of the development process, not simply a consumer. As such you deal with the inevitable delays just like all companies do. You are part of that team. If you are not interested in that level of participation then buy a developed product and pay full retail.


----------



## jaywillin

^^^^^^+1


----------



## bhazard

Seriously. Whoever is still complaining from being a first run backer really needs to reevaluate how they look at things.
  
 My GO1000/LPS/Pulse Xfi price paid is almost less than half of what current backing prices are. My delivered GO1000 and LPS are a complete bargain at the price I paid compared to current competitor offerings. I have no worries that my soon to be shipped Xfi will be the same. I could see a reason to complain if the wait caused competition prices to decline and overtake what LH Labs is offering, but that is not the case here.
  
 If after delivery the whole process still bothers you, sell the equipment at the price you paid to someone who will appreciate it instead.


----------



## TienV1125

a day late for the Audeze bundle. oh well.   although i'm very interest about the Geek Pulse and the Geek Soul. i do like the cool look of the Geek Soul over the convention look of the Pulse. and is there any comparison between the Pulse and Soul. 
  
 thanks. and happy holiday season


----------



## Zenifyx

tienv1125 said:


> a day late for the Audeze bundle. oh well.   although i'm very interest about the Geek Pulse and the Geek Soul. i do like the cool look of the Geek Soul over the convention look of the Pulse. and is there any comparison between the Pulse and Soul.
> 
> thanks. and happy holiday season


 
  
 This should help:
 http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/Geek_Pulse_Soul_Technology_Breakdown.pdf
 Also, from the indiegogo page:


> With Geek Soul, you get all the technology of Geek Pulse X or Geek Pulse Xfi and Geek LPS, plus:
> A new heat and air-flow optimized T-6061 Aluminum chassis with non-parallel walls that was inspired by Da Vinci DAC's industrial design.
> An ultra-low-noise bipolar power circuit.
> A high-bandwidth, ultra low noise, active cathode biased tube output stage. (Optional)


 
  
 In short, if you want something for your desk, go with Pulse w/ LPS.
 If space isn't a constraint, or its gonna go on a rack, get the Soul.


----------



## walfredo

*GEEK PULSE VERY FIRST IMPRESSIONS!!!* Hi Folks!
  
 My Pulse is in!!
  

  

  

  
 As I know many people are eagerly waiting for theirs, I will share some very first, initial, changable impressions.  Take it with a HUGE grain of salt.  I've being listening to it for 3 hours.  It just came out of the box.  No burn-in whatsoever. 
  
 I am not using special cables or power supplies.  (I will try the 1G cable later.)  I used FRM filter after a very quick pass to pick one.  Gain was set to low.
  
*In a nutshell:  Pulse is a much better Geek Out!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



*
  
 I had a Geek Out 450 for a while.  I liked its clarity and definition, but in the end I found it to be colder than I'd like.  A friend of mine liked it better and I passed it away to him.  My initial impressions are that the Pulse is every bit as detailed, but more musical than the Out.  The Pulse seems to have more body and better musical flow.
  
 I listen to it in main system, Audio Note AN-E speakers driven by Peachtree Nova.  After the kids wen to slept, I moved to my favorite headphones, the beautiful Audio Technica W1000X.
  
 It has a very nice synergy with the W1000X.  Tone, texture, clarity, rhythm and musicality.  All is there!  For this alone, I think the Pulse is a keeper.  Very nice!!
  
 I was a bit less less impressed with my speakers.  While it sounds very nice and clean, I miss the warmth of my Aune T1 with Philips PCC85 tube.  That said, the Pulse is really nice on its own.  There is some possibility that I will find it to be different, but not worse.  The jury is out.  But this possibility is high praise.  No other solid state has got to that in my main system.
  
 Non-sound wise:  
  
 Packing is functional and solid.  Very well done, without being posh (which I actually prefer as I am paying for packing too .
  
 IMHO, it looks really good!  Understated and elegant.  The matte black is really nice.
  
 Firmware is a bit flimsy, but not bad.  If you leave it alone, it appears to work fine.  If you go exploring and changing all options over and over, it may freeze (happened once).
  
 Love,
 Walfredo


----------



## georgelai57

@walfredo - can you tell me the exact height of the Pulse on your desktop? I want to know it it will fit under my iMac. Thanks.


----------



## walfredo

georgelai57 said:


> @walfredo - can you tell me the exact height of the Pulse on your desktop? I want to know it it will fit under my iMac. Thanks.


 
  
 76 mm


----------



## georgelai57

walfredo said:


> 76 mm


 

 Thank you. It doesn't fit under my iMac. Maybe I'll remove its feet when it comes!


----------



## walfredo

georgelai57 said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > 76 mm
> ...


 
  
 You actually put its feet on.   Anyhow, it will save you little.  Maybe 5 or 6 mm.


----------



## georgelai57

walfredo said:


> You actually put its feet on.   Anyhow, it will save you little.  Maybe 5 or 6 mm.


 
 I see. Ok maybe I'll shave down the feet a bit!


----------



## llama_egg

So, with all this talk about the firmware being rough to start, and that updates are being planned, this _does_ mean we're able to update it on our end right? We're not stuck sending a expensive piece of equipment back and forth everything a new update comes out right?
  
 I still got a couple days to decide if I want to back Pulse Xfi as my first balanced amp to go with my LCD-2's.


----------



## Zenifyx

llama_egg said:


> So, with all this talk about the firmware being rough to start, and that updates are being planned, this _does_ mean we're able to update it on our end right? We're not stuck sending a expensive piece of equipment back and forth everything a new update comes out right?
> 
> I still got a couple days to decide if I want to back Pulse Xfi as my first balanced amp to go with my LCD-2's.


 
  
 It should be possible to update the firmware on our end.
 Larry has mentioned that the SSM filter will be implemented in the future, which I think will likely come in a firmware update.


----------



## Case

walfredo said:


> I had a Geek Out 450 for a while.  I liked its clarity and definition, but in the end I found it to be colder than I'd like.  A friend of mine liked it better and I passed it away to him.  My initial impressions are that the Pulse is every bit as detailed, but more musical than the Out.  The Pulse seems to have more body and better musical flow. [...] While it sounds very nice and clean, I miss the warmth of my Aune T1 with Philips PCC85 tube.  That said, the Pulse is really nice on its own.  There is some possibility that I will find it to be different, but not worse.  The jury is out.  But this possibility is high praise.  No other solid state has got to that in my main system.


 
 This is great news to me, since I am liking my Geek Out 450 better than my Aune T1 even though I too appreciate a bit of warmth. So the Pulse Xfi should not disappoint 
 Thanks for the first impressions.


----------



## krikor

llama_egg said:


> So, with all this talk about the firmware being rough to start, and that updates are being planned, this _does_ mean we're able to update it on our end right? We're not stuck sending a expensive piece of equipment back and forth everything a new update comes out right?


 
 Quote:


zenifyx said:


> It should be possible to update the firmware on our end.
> Larry has mentioned that the SSM filter will be implemented in the future, which I think will likely come in a firmware update.


 
  
 I would hope that the firmware could be updated by the end user, but Casey mentioned the following regarding a final firmware issue they are working through on the Pulse X, which has me thinking otherwise:
  


chartwell85 said:


> We found an issue and chose to resolve it before we sent out the units in order to bypass the hassle of having our users send them back to be flashed.


----------



## eliwankenobi

That was related to the bug where you have to lock the signal (play music) with USB connection before you can go and use the other inputs. 

But I believe that just as it was with the GO and the release of formware 1v5... We are gonna be able to update the firmware ourselves. As far as I know, the Pulse uses the same driver interface we already installed with our GeekOut right?


----------



## walfredo

case said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > I had a Geek Out 450 for a while.  I liked its clarity and definition, but in the end I found it to be colder than I'd like.  A friend of mine liked it better and I passed it away to him.  My initial impressions are that the Pulse is every bit as detailed, but more musical than the Out.  The Pulse seems to have more body and better musical flow. [...] While it sounds very nice and clean, I miss the warmth of my Aune T1 with Philips PCC85 tube.  That said, the Pulse is really nice on its own.  There is some possibility that I will find it to be different, but not worse.  The jury is out.  But this possibility is high praise.  No other solid state has got to that in my main system.
> ...


 
  
 FWIW, the Aune can change a lot depending on the tube.  I went to over 10 tubes, before settling with the Phillips PCC85.  That said, you won't be disappointed indeed.


----------



## walfredo

eliwankenobi said:


> That was related to the bug where you have to lock the signal (play music) with USB connection before you can go and use the other inputs.
> 
> But I believe that just as it was with the GO and the release of formware 1v5... We are gonna be able to update the firmware ourselves. As far as I know, the Pulse uses the same driver interface we already installed with our GeekOut right?


 
  
 Yes.  I installed the latest drive for the Geek Out.


----------



## eliwankenobi

walfredo said:


> Yes.  I installed the latest drive for the Geek Out.



I'm curious, does it show up as Geek Pulse on your computer and playback software?


----------



## FayeForever

zenifyx said:


> It should be possible to update the firmware on our end.
> Larry has mentioned that the SSM filter will be implemented in the future, which I think will likely come in a firmware update.


 

 Hope they can come up with DFU for OS X then, can't find Windows computer easily now for me.


----------



## MaximPrime

chartwell85 said:


> Headphones will begin shipping this week to China, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.   We're waiting on the delivery from HiFiMAN to our warehouse in California to begin fulfilling orders to our other backers.
> 
> Audeze headphones will begin shipping in January.


 
  
 Would Australia be coming from the Hifiman also? would seem silly to ship from Asia to US then back to Australia.


----------



## walfredo

eliwankenobi said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > Yes.  I installed the latest drive for the Geek Out.
> ...


 
  
 Yes, Geek Pulse.  (AKAIK, the string used to identify the device comes form the DAC itself, not form the driver.)


----------



## walfredo

zenifyx said:


> llama_egg said:
> 
> 
> > So, with all this talk about the firmware being rough to start, and that updates are being planned, this _does_ mean we're able to update it on our end right? We're not stuck sending a expensive piece of equipment back and forth everything a new update comes out right?
> ...


 
  
 I think SSM is already there.  I'll check when I get back home.  But there are four filters for sure.
  
 BTW, what are the expected changes in switching filters?


----------



## digitalzed

krikor said:


> I would hope that the firmware could be updated by the end user, but Casey mentioned the following regarding a final firmware issue they are working through on the Pulse X, which has me thinking otherwise:


 

 The firmware on Pulse (all of them) will be user upgradeable. This issue Casey was talking about had to do with the Pulse x and x/f/i matrix board itself which had to be fixed in house and is not something that can be addressed over USB like other firmware updates.


----------



## krikor

digitalzed said:


> The firmware on Pulse (all of them) will be user upgradeable. This issue Casey was talking about had to do with the Pulse x and x/f/i matrix board itself which had to be fixed in house and is not something that can be addressed over USB like other firmware updates.


 
 Cool, thanks for the clarification.


----------



## llama_egg

digitalzed said:


> The firmware on Pulse (all of them) will be user upgradeable. This issue Casey was talking about had to do with the Pulse x and x/f/i matrix board itself which had to be fixed in house and is not something that can be addressed over USB like other firmware updates.


 

 Awesome to hear, one less thing I need to worry about then.
  
 I guess at this point it's a question if I really want to go with a solid state amp or not, have really only experienced tubes.


----------



## chartwell85

fayeforever said:


> Hope they can come up with DFU for OS X then, can't find Windows computer easily now for me.


 

 We have a beta program we're running for the GO firmware upgrade for OS X
  
 Email info@lightharmonic.com if you want to participate in this beta program.


----------



## chartwell85

maximprime said:


> Would Australia be coming from the Hifiman also? would seem silly to ship from Asia to US then back to Australia.


 

 Australia backers will be shipping from LH.  Don't kill me..........


----------



## snip3r77

Received an email stating my LPS is shipped.

Next hopefully is the Geek XFI?


----------



## mandrake50

maximprime said:


> Would Australia be coming from the Hifiman also? would seem silly to ship from Asia to US then back to Australia.


 

 Casey said on the Geek Force forums that the shipments to Australia would come from their warehouse in the US
  
  
 OOPS, I missed Casey's response here...


----------



## marsellus

Hey guys, I'm looking for some advice here, if I may. I currently own an Audio-gd 15.32, which runs a D5000, an Ultrasone 2900 and an Audeze LCD 2 v2. Would the geek pulse be a sidegrade, or an upgrade? Just wondering if I should get one, or perhaps look into its more expensive brothers.


----------



## Verloren

So there's going to be another potential upgrade for the XFis - THD Performance Enhancement (168USD).


----------



## bhazard

verloren said:


> So there's going to be another potential upgrade for the XFis - THD Performance Enhancement (168USD).


 
 Link?


----------



## jexby

tonight
  
 <http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details>


----------



## jonbernard

jexby said:


> tonight
> 
> <http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details>


 
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=50#45974


----------



## eac3

Quote by Gavin Fish:


> Lastly, we've been asked if we could provide one last perk that's not quite an SE, but has some of SE's features. I talked it over with Larry, and the answer is yes, we can do that. We've decided that the most impact we can make on Geek Pulse Xfi without going all the way to SE will be in the already crazy-nuts THD+N performance. So we may do a "*THD Performance Enhancement*" for Geek Pulse Xfi only. We're thinking the lowest we can charge for that is $168, considering the extra time and different parts we'll need. I'd like to put this to a vote, too, before we commit. So I'll put that as an option in the poll that I mentioned earlier.


 
  
Source
  
 It seems like the Pulse Xfi is delayed enough such that they can (possibly) offer this perk.


----------



## tRuE008

jonbernard said:


> http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=50#45974


 

 I already sent a ticket to support regarding this issue, but maybe you guys can help clear somethings up for me. Looking at Gavin's post, to upgrade the Pulse to Pulse Xfi would be $506. To upgrade the Pulse X to Pulse Xfi would be $218. If I understand his post correctly:
  
 Pulse + "moving on up" Pulse Xfi: $399 + $506 = $905
 Pulse X + "moving on up" Pulse Xfi: $777 + $218 = $995
 I paid $1399 for my Pulse Xfi.
  
 It seems to me like it is cheaper to upgrade from a Pulse or Pulse X, rather than buying the Pulse Xfi directly, right? I am assuming those who joins the "moving on up" perk are expected to buy the Pulse Xfi SE, but even that is still an incredible price reduction. And I'm sure not everyone who upgrade will be buying a Pulse Xfi SE, but just to get the "THD Performance Enhancement" perk, which is $168.
  
 I don't know, kind of feel like I got screwed. Can anyone explain to me the reasoning behind the prices for the "moving on up" perk?


----------



## Lohb

subbed.


----------



## eac3

true008 said:


> It seems to me like it is cheaper to upgrade from a Pulse or Pulse X, rather than buying the Pulse Xfi directly, right? I am assuming those who joins the "moving on up" perk are expected to buy the Pulse Xfi SE, but even that is still an incredible price reduction.


 
  
 You're going to be spending more with them, so I guess they can afford  that much of a loss/discount on the Pulse Xfi as you are supposed to then fork up another $2,500 more:
  


> If you want to upgrade from Pulse Xfi: $2489


 
  
 yikes


----------



## mtruong34

eac3 said:


> You're going to be spending more with them, so I guess they can afford  that much of a loss/discount on the Pulse Xfi as you are supposed to then fork up another $2,500 more:
> 
> 
> yikes


 
  
 Why would LH Labs think that those who didn't orginally jump on a few hundred dollars upgrade from nonXfi to Xfi all of a sudden be interested in a several thousands dollar upgrade.  All this does is cause more confusion, mayhem, resentment and those trying to skirt the system to get better deals. Exercise some sensibility guys.


----------



## longbowbbs

I need to quit sleeping....Every time I go to bed I wake up and there is an addition to the campaign and I am hours behind....


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> I need to quit sleeping....Every time I go to bed I wake up and there is an addition to the campaign and I am hours behind....


 
 gavin and larry want ALL your money ! don't look them in the eye !!  look away eric, look away before it's too late  ,


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I need to quit sleeping....Every time I go to bed I wake up and there is an addition to the campaign and I am hours behind....
> ...


 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYk56jemsbU


----------



## jaywillin

longbowbbs said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYk56jemsbU


 
 i about spewed coffee on the computer !!


----------



## labjr

Is it $2,500 for the upgrade with WBT jacks and a faceplate?


----------



## Anaximandros

labjr said:


> Is it $2,500 for the upgrade with WBT jacks and a faceplate?


 
  
 No, it's a new PCB layout with a different dielectric material and more stuff.
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details


----------



## tRuE008

eac3 said:


> You're going to be spending more with them, so I guess they can afford  that much of a loss/discount on the Pulse Xfi as you are supposed to then fork up another $2,500 more:
> 
> 
> yikes


 
  
 But going through the thread, this is what I gathered:
  
 1. There will only be 12 Pulse Xfi SE. (And 2 will be for Gavin and Larry)
 2. Based on the poll and comments in the thread, seems like anyone can jump on the "moving on up" perk. (more than 12 can upgrade)
 3. The "THD Performance Enhancement" perk is only available for the Pulse Xfi. (Only $168)
  
 This to me means that the Pulse Xfi SE is irrelevant. The "moving on up" perk is probably more likely to be used to get the "THD Performance Enhancement" perk. And quite frankly, that is still cheaper than what I paid.
  
 I was already a little upset for joining the Pulse Xfi perk two days early, and wasn't able to get the Audeze bundle at the same price, but now this is crazy. Kind of feels like they are trying to get as many new buyers as possible before the 27th cut off, even if it means leaving previous backers behind.
  
 Edit:
_So we may do a "THD Performance Enhancement" for Geek Pulse Xfi only_. -Gavin
_We can do the THD package for Soul. No problem there. Thanks for bringing it up._ -Gavin
  
 Guess The THD package is for the Soul also, not just the Pulse Xfi.


----------



## germay0653

anaximandros said:


> No, it's a new PCB layout with a different dielectric material and more stuff.
> 
> http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details


 

 But that $2500 upgrade also includes the WBT RCA's and Cardas XLR's.  See below:
  
 Here's a list of features of the Geek Pulse Xfi SE:

*Naked Resistors:* SE uses TX2725 current to voltage descrete resistors from Texas Instruments. Nicknamed "naked resistors," these bad little mamma-jamma's are known by audiophiles to provide the most transparent sound due to the fact that they're completely non-inductive.

*Upgraded Connectors:* SE uses chassis-mounted Cardas XLR connectors and WBT RCA output connectors.

*Individual Component Matching:* As much as we'd like to think differently, each circuit board is slightly different. SE's board is measured first, then matched to the proper component values. Then, each component pair is precisely matched. Then they're soldered onto the PCB. This is all done by hand by our R&D manager, Eric Carrasco.

*DAC IC DPLL Fine Tuning:* Each SE has its ESS IC DPLL fine tuned to match the dual femto clocks.

*Transmission Line Impedance Control: *Each unit is individually measured and tweaked until each digital transmission line's impedance is ideal. Each square wave must be perfect no matter how fast it is. This takes hours of tuning for each board.

*Front Panel:* Right now, SE looks like any other Pulse. But Kayla is working on a refinement for the faceplate to distinguish Pulse Xfi SE from all the rest.

*Optional customization:* While we're building the SE's, we'll be in constant contact with their owners to make sure SE is optimized for their systems. These options include:

*Line out output voltage: * We can set it to either 1 Vrms or 2 Vrms on the single-ended outputs, and either 2 Vrms or 4 Vrms on the balanced outputs.
*Headphone gain settings:* Having the ability to switch gain settings is cool, but taking out all those relays makes the output sound SO much better. Larry and I have each fixed our headphone output gain to low. You can choose to leave it stock, or fix it where you want it.
*Choose Your Analog Amps:* Larry and I will talk you through the way each option sounds and will let you pick what you like the most. We have six different options for you to choose from, and hundreds of hours subjectively listening to each. We'll find the one you'll like the best.
*Headphone output circuit:* We'll let you choose your favorite output capacitors for the headphone output. Again, we have tons of hours listening to several different configurations and will help you choose the ones that you'll love the most.


----------



## FayeForever

I now really think LHL is so good at sales.
 Releasing a very expensive upgrade, then come up with another 1/10 of the price, then everybody will think the latter is a no-brainer.
 I am not judging anything, just what I feel.


----------



## ejong7

So can we actually get the pulse now then upgrade it to xfi rather than jump straigjt on the xfi as said above? Thatll place the xfi comfortably in my price range while being able to consider the THD upgrade


----------



## miceblue

What benefit does the THD package do exactly? Larry measured in their on video on YouTube that the Pulse Xfi has a THD+N measurement of 0.0009% at 90 kHz bandwidth (rounding up).


----------



## tomscy2000

miceblue said:


> What benefit does the THD package do exactly? Larry measured in their on video on YouTube that the Pulse Xfi has a THD+N measurement of 0.0009% at 90 kHz bandwidth (rounding up).


 
  
 It always makes people feel better about themselves to have a device that measures 0.0009% instead of 0.0018%. So one clear benefit is increased self-esteem, and that's actually quite an important enhancement, because the better you feel about yourself, the better you'll feel about your gear, and the music it reproduces. Psychosomatically, your improved self esteem will allow your endolymph to flow with laminar smoothness, reducing the occurrence of eddy currents around your stereocilia and improving K+ ionic flow across the apical membrane. Duh!


----------



## mandrake50

miceblue said:


> What benefit does the THD package do exactly? Larry measured in their on video on YouTube that the Pulse Xfi has a THD+N measurement of 0.0009% at 90 kHz bandwidth (rounding up).


 

 Yes... at what point do vanishingly low numbers start to be irrelevant to what we here?
  
 I am really fighting with myself to decide whether it is even worth going for the $218 upgrade to Xfi from the X  that I have pledged for already. Is it really going to make a difference for me?


----------



## goaliedad39

I am waiting for the Pulse xfi.  I'm going to hold with what I have (or more acurrately what I hope will be coming at some point).  Don't really feel the need to upgrade to the THD package.  Note really sure that my ears would be able to discern the difference.  AND I've already given LHL quite a bit of my money.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

mandrake50 said:


> Yes... at what point do vanishingly low numbers start to be irrelevant to what we here?
> 
> I am really fighting with myself to decide whether it is even worth going for the $218 upgrade to Xfi from the X  that I have pledged for already. Is it really going to make a difference for me?


 

 Just a heads up, the $218 X to Xfi upgrade will only be applicable if you are buying an SE...
  
_"We'll only allow upgrades to Geek Pulse Xfi SE from Geek Pulse Xfi. If you haven't backed a Geek Pulse Xfi and you want to get yourself a Signature Edition, here's how you'll need to do to move up. We'll make a perk called, "Movin' On Up" in which you'll need to contribute the following"_


----------



## kenshinhimura

They are way too confusing with their pricing.
  


vhsownsbeta said:


> Just a heads up, the $218 X to Xfi upgrade will only be applicable if you are buying an SE...
> 
> _"We'll only allow upgrades to Geek Pulse Xfi SE from Geek Pulse Xfi. If you haven't backed a Geek Pulse Xfi and you want to get yourself a Signature Edition, here's how you'll need to do to move up. We'll make a perk called, "Movin' On Up" in which you'll need to contribute the following"_


 
 The way they wrote this, you don't know if you need to buy Xfi SE or not. Not the clearest post ever written.


----------



## ejong7

Interested to know as well. I already put up a ticket for that.


----------



## tRuE008

kenshinhimura said:


> They are way too confusing with their pricing.
> 
> The way they wrote this, you don't know if you need to buy Xfi SE or not. Not the clearest post ever written.


 

 Agreed
  


vhsownsbeta said:


> Just a heads up, the $218 X to Xfi upgrade will only be applicable if you are buying an SE...
> 
> _"We'll only allow upgrades to Geek Pulse Xfi SE from Geek Pulse Xfi. If you haven't backed a Geek Pulse Xfi and you want to get yourself a Signature Edition, here's how you'll need to do to move up. We'll make a perk called, "Movin' On Up" in which you'll need to contribute the following"_


 
  
 Still seems cheaper to upgrade from a Pulse though:
 Pulse + "moving on up" Pulse Xfi + Pulse Xfi SE: $399 + $506 + $2489 = $3394
 Pulse Xfi + Pulse Xfi SE: $1399 + $2489 = $3888
  
 You save $494 if you want the Pulse Xfi SE, and will be upgrading from a Pulse rather than a Pulse Xfi. I'm not getting the Signature Edition, but thought it was interesting how the weird the pricing is. People who got the Xfi are being punished.
  
 They should stop with all these perks and upgrades, and just focus solely on pushing out the products to current backers.
  
 That being said, still excited about the Pulse Xfi though. Just not sure if I got the best deal.


----------



## mandrake50

vhsownsbeta said:


> Just a heads up, the $218 X to Xfi upgrade will only be applicable if you are buying an SE...
> 
> _"We'll only allow upgrades to Geek Pulse Xfi SE from Geek Pulse Xfi. If you haven't backed a Geek Pulse Xfi and you want to get yourself a Signature Edition, here's how you'll need to do to move up. We'll make a perk called, "Movin' On Up" in which you'll need to contribute the following"_


 

 Yes, but there has been speculation on whether you "have" to buy the SE to be able to use the upgrade path..


----------



## mandrake50

ejong7 said:


> Interested to know as well. I already put up a ticket for that.


 

 Please let us know what the response is..
 I think for my purposes the X will be fine, but if the $218 upgrade is allowed for everyone, I just may do it.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

true008 said:


> Agreed
> 
> 
> Still seems cheaper to upgrade from a Pulse though:
> ...




Good point. I hadn't actually worked out the pricing on the whole upgrade path. Lucky for me SE is out of my price range so I won't be punished for having an Xfi.

Yes. We all know LH can make fall-off-the-summit-fi. Pulse was supposed to bring this expertise 'to the masses'. They have squeezed way more money out of me than I orignally planned, but I am still looking forward to my Xfi/LPS.

Well played LH.


----------



## tRuE008

mandrake50 said:


> Please let us know what the response is..
> I think for my purposes the X will be fine, but if the $218 upgrade is allowed for everyone, I just may do it.


 

 I also opened a ticket, but based on previous tickets I've opened. They don't reply over the weekend. They probably have the weekends off. I live pretty close to their building, should I drive by and check? Lol, jk.


----------



## ejong7

Drive by and take an SE for yourself. Maybe even Larry's personal one.


----------



## kenshinhimura

I don't think you need to buy the Xfi SE. Aren't they only making 10 total of them?


----------



## vhsownsbeta

mandrake50 said:


> Yes, but there has been speculation on whether you "have" to buy the SE to be able to use the upgrade path..


 

 The quote from Gavin seems pretty clear to me.
  
_"If you haven't backed a Geek Pulse Xfi and you want to get yourself a Signature Edition"_
  
 'Movin' On Up' is only for people who want to buy SE but don't have the minimum requirement of Xfi.


----------



## nudd

llama_egg said:


> So, with all this talk about the firmware being rough to start, and that updates are being planned, this _does_ mean we're able to update it on our end right? We're not stuck sending a expensive piece of equipment back and forth everything a new update comes out right?
> 
> I still got a couple days to decide if I want to back Pulse Xfi as my first balanced amp to go with my LCD-2's.


 

 It depends on what is causing the freezing. If it is the firmware for the LCD and UI, this is NOT user-upgradeable and I think we are all stuffed. If it is the actual firmware for the audio board itself, then that is user upgradeable.


----------



## mandrake50

vhsownsbeta said:


> The quote from Gavin seems pretty clear to me.
> 
> _"If you haven't backed a Geek Pulse Xfi and you want to get yourself a Signature Edition"_
> 
> 'Movin' On Up' is only for people who want to buy SE but don't have the minimum requirement of Xfi.


 

 Not that clear to many others I am afraid... and I have read the statement myself many times now.
 This is your quote, correct?
 "'Movin' On Up' is only for people who want to buy SE but don't have the minimum requirement of Xfi."
 No question on the Xfi being required for upgrade to an SE... it is the first part that is not clear.
  
 The only way to know is to get an official answer from LHL. Saying the same thing repeatedly does not make it any more accurate. I can see where you might think this though. Like many written statements, especially from LHL, this one is still open for interpretation in my opinion.


----------



## llama_egg

OK, great, now I'm confused what the crap is what again. I was going to jump on the Geek Pulse Xfi, now there's a different version of the Xfi that's getting releases? Rabble, rabble, rabble.


----------



## mandrake50

If you are talking about the Xfi SE... I hope you have in excess of  $3000 to spend...


----------



## miceblue

topquark said:


> jaywillin said:
> 
> 
> > yeah, he'd said yesterday it was very close do being done
> ...



Just saw the update today:
http://lhlabs.com/updates/pulse-production-roadmap.html


> Update 12/17/2014: We have good news and bad news. First the good news. As of this afternoon, we've shipped out 204 Geek Pulse DAC's from our facility here in Sacramento! It's a little behind where we'd like to be, but it's not too shabby. We'll continue speeding up the pace for the forseeable future. We've also received a shipment of parts that had us a little worried that we might experience another slowdown . But the shipment came in today. I snapped this pic of a staff meeting a couple hours ago with all the boxes in the background:
> 
> Now the bad news. We ordered a large batch of DC power supplies from our vendor overseas months ago and have been chasing our tails trying to figure out why they aren't here. Our order landed in the US weeks ago, and nobody could tell us why it hadn't cleared customs. Today we received the following letter from our vendor.
> 
> ...


----------



## Lohb

Is there a  time-limit on the $777 price of the Geek Pulse X ? Any geeky route to getting it less than that e.g. upgrade options/other site deals?


----------



## Levanter

[/quote]





lohb said:


> Is there a  time-limit on the $777 price of the Geek Pulse X ? Any geeky route to getting it less than that e.g. upgrade options/other site deals?




PMed you. There might be a chance


----------



## AxelCloris

Well this is a pleasant surprise. I return from my vacation to find a Pulse waiting for me on my doorstep, delivered this very afternoon. I was out of the country and outside of cell coverage so I didn't get the email notifying me that it had shipped until today. Let the burn-in begin!


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> Well this is a pleasant surprise. I return from my vacation


 
  
 "Exciting and new!  Come Aboard!  the Pulse has been expecting You!
 the Love Boat......"


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Well this is a pleasant surprise. I return from my vacation to find a Pulse waiting for me on my doorstep, delivered this very afternoon. I was out of the country and outside of cell coverage so I didn't get the email notifying me that it had shipped until today. Let the burn-in begin!


 
 Congrats Brian and welcome back! Hope you had fun on the cruise!


----------



## Golliwog

Is it possible to get a mono pulse with the femto clock upgrade or could anyone possibly tell me the advantages of balanced in this model? Between the long explanation of the Benchmark DAC guys against any possible advantages of balanced along with many top end amps not seeing it as an advantage (WA5 / ALO6) I dont think i really want it. Id like the upgraded clocks though. If LHLabs could chime in and educate me id be appreciative.


----------



## digitalzed

axelcloris said:


> Well this is a pleasant surprise. I return from my vacation to find a Pulse waiting for me on my doorstep, delivered this very afternoon. I was out of the country and outside of cell coverage so I didn't get the email notifying me that it had shipped until today. Let the burn-in begin!


 

 Great news! Enjoy!!


----------



## Verloren

golliwog said:


> Is it possible to get a mono pulse with the femto clock upgrade or could anyone possibly tell me the advantages of balanced in this model? Between the long explanation of the Benchmark DAC guys against any possible advantages of balanced along with many top end amps not seeing it as an advantage (WA5 / ALO6) I dont think i really want it. Id like the upgraded clocks though. If LHLabs could chime in and educate me id be appreciative.


 
  
 Not anymore. IIRC, all customers who ordered for a Pulse w/ femto clock were given the option of adding more money for a X/XFi or receiving store credit with a regular Pulse.
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2814-geek-pulse-f-will-not-be-produced


----------



## bitsnbytes

I think someone asked in the LH forum about the THD option being available for the Sfi and Larry responded yes.


----------



## bitsnbytes

bitsnbytes said:


> I think someone asked in the LH forum about the THD option being available for the Sfi and Larry responded yes.


 
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=150#46237


----------



## bitsnbytes

bitsnbytes said:


> I think someone asked in the LH forum about the THD option being available for the Sfi and Larry responded yes.


 
  
 Post #46237


----------



## Maelob

i just finished going over the last 50 pages of this thread Lol wow what a roller coaster of a ride. so many perks, updates, upgrades, upgrades of upgrades, headphones tubes, i just totallt forgot what did i contributed to. so many perks and upgrades blowing money away. i even contributed to perks by mistake . my wife is going to kill me if she finds out. credit to LH for keeping riding the wave and getting more customers and money. it is in their interest to deliver, i sure hope so. they have created a monster!!! lol


----------



## kenshinhimura

axelcloris said:


> Well this is a pleasant surprise. I return from my vacation to find a Pulse waiting for me on my doorstep, delivered this very afternoon. I was out of the country and outside of cell coverage so I didn't get the email notifying me that it had shipped until today. Let the burn-in begin!


 

 Looking forward to your impressions. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Not enough of them here, and I want to know if it's worth getting regular Pulse while having Geek Out 720 already. If you can do a comparison with Geek Out 720/1000 it would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## jexby

It's already been stated elsewhere that the Pulse blows the doors off a regular GO450.

Other than power, the 450/720/1000 all have the same core sound.
Deduction should be fairly easy.


----------



## AxelCloris

kenshinhimura said:


> Looking forward to your impressions.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I plan to compare the standard Pulse with SMPS against my GO SE, I think that head-to-head would be more interesting. Since others have compared the GO with the 450 already it's pretty easy to extrapolate from there how the 720 and 1000 will fare, maybe even the 100. My 100 hasn't come yet from the IGG campaign so I haven't yet had a chance to hear how it fares with IEMs over the bigger siblings. I should be able to start listening to the Pulse this evening, here's to hoping.
  
 And here's a general question for all. The Pulse does come with 4 small adhesive domed "feet" to raise the Pulse a short distance and reduce some vibrations. I'm looking to get something with a bit more substance that would better dampen the DAC and also maybe add a tiny bump to its aesthetic appeal. I'm considering these or maybe even these, any thoughts?


----------



## kenshinhimura

jexby said:


> It's already been stated elsewhere that the Pulse blows the doors off a regular GO450.
> 
> Other than power, the 450/720/1000 all have the same core sound.
> Deduction should be fairly easy.


 

 Off the top of my head, only one person has compared them on this thread so more impressions would be great. I'm more interested in if there is a sound signature difference as I use it mainly as a DAC for my AVR/vintage receiver. Only have a few days left to order from campaign, so not much time to decide.


----------



## FayeForever

axelcloris said:


> I plan to compare the standard Pulse with SMPS against my GO SE, I think that head-to-head would be more interesting. Since others have compared the GO with the 450 already it's pretty easy to extrapolate from there how the 720 and 1000 will fare, maybe even the 100. My 100 hasn't come yet from the IGG campaign so I haven't yet had a chance to hear how it fares with IEMs over the bigger siblings. I should be able to start listening to the Pulse this evening, here's to hoping.
> 
> And here's a general question for all. The Pulse does come with 4 small adhesive domed "feet" to raise the Pulse a short distance and reduce some vibrations. I'm looking to get something with a bit more substance that would better dampen the DAC and also maybe add a tiny bump to its aesthetic appeal. I'm considering these or maybe even these, any thoughts?


 

 The sorbothane is pretty decent and I think you better go with the domed version. Those you listed are really for speakers.
 I have a set of A&B abs-02 feet for my upcoming pulse.
 The problem with Pulse is that I doesn't have screw holes for feet and it is too light to stay stable on non-adhesive feet.
  
 Add: you can also try vibrapods.


----------



## doctorjazz

axelcloris said:


> kenshinhimura said:
> 
> 
> > Looking forward to your impressions.  Not enough of them here, and I want to know if it's worth getting regular Pulse while having Geek Out 720 already. If you can do a comparison with Geek Out 720/1000 it would be greatly appreciated.
> ...





axelcloris said:


> kenshinhimura said:
> 
> 
> > Looking forward to your impressions.  Not enough of them here, and I want to know if it's worth getting regular Pulse while having Geek Out 720 already. If you can do a comparison with Geek Out 720/1000 it would be greatly appreciated.
> ...




I have the GO SE, it is a major step up from the GO 1K, which I also have (but don't use since I got the SE), this comparison will be of interest.


----------



## AxelCloris

kenshinhimura said:


> Off the top of my head, only one person has compared them on this thread so more impressions would be great. I'm more interested in if there is a sound signature difference as I use it mainly as a DAC for my AVR/vintage receiver. Only have a few days left to order from campaign, so not much time to decide.


 
  
 That's the very reason I'm hoping to get first impressions up quickly. I want people to be able to get in on the campaign now and snag the crowdfunded price if possible. I'll be using my HE-400i, Alpha Dogs, and 1964-Q for initial listening.
  
 I don't own the 450 so I won't be able to do a comparison since I only demo'd it at a Head-Fi meet. I can compare with the 1000 so I'll try that. Keep in mind that tonight's first impressions will be with barely any time on the Pulse, so no major burn-in should have occurred.


----------



## jexby

kenshinhimura said:


> Off the top of my head, only one person has compared them on this thread so more impressions would be great.


 
  
 yes, 1 on this thread.
 find some other threads at LH Labs or other audio forums, more than a couple folks who own GeekOuts have had their Pulse already.


----------



## kenshinhimura

axelcloris said:


> That's the very reason I'm hoping to get first impressions up quickly. I want people to be able to get in on the campaign now and snag the crowdfunded price if possible. I'll be using my HE-400i, Alpha Dogs, and 1964-Q for initial listening.
> 
> I don't own the 450 so I won't be able to do a comparison since I only demo'd it at a Head-Fi meet. I can compare with the 1000 so I'll try that. Keep in mind that tonight's first impressions will be with barely any time on the Pulse, so no major burn-in should have occurred.


 

 Thanks. I'll be waiting patiently, but not too patiently.


----------



## eliwankenobi

axelcloris said:


> And here's a general question for all. The Pulse does come with 4 small adhesive domed "feet" to raise the Pulse a short distance and reduce some vibrations. I'm looking to get something with a bit more substance that would better dampen the DAC and also maybe add a tiny bump to its aesthetic appeal. I'm considering these or maybe even these, any thoughts?




In my opinion the bundled feet are very nice. I use them with the LPS and it sits very stable on my desk. I don't even feel any vibration from my external hard drive that I have close by. I would try those first and the decide if you want to upgrade.


----------



## M3NTAL

Is this "THD" add-on live, or just up in the air at the moment? LH is making this hard to be a backer. I keep adding perks thinking that they can't add anything else into this little box and the campaign finally ends... so I though... and then more carrots are added for me to chase!


----------



## AxelCloris

eliwankenobi said:


> In my opinion the bundled feet are very nice. I use them with the LPS and it sits very stable on my desk. I don't even feel any vibration from my external hard drive that I have close by. I would try those first and the decide if you want to upgrade.


 
  
 Thanks for the info. They didn't look impressive but if they work well then that's good enough for me, I'll give them a go.


----------



## Lohb

doctorjazz said:


> I have the GO SE, it is a major step up from the GO 1K, which I also have (but don't use since I got the SE), this comparison will be of interest.


 

 Hi there, what does the SE bring to the table over the 1K ?


----------



## llama_egg

Has there been anyone who's actually used one with LCD-2's? I know they had the bundle, so I would reckon they must play nice, but curious to see those who've gotten their Pulse have had a chance to match the two?


----------



## germay0653

Looking forward to your impressions Brian!


----------



## eac3

axelcloris said:


> That's the very reason I'm hoping to get first impressions up quickly. I want people to be able to get in on the campaign now and snag the crowdfunded price if possible.


 
  
 That is very kind of you. Thanks for your efforts.


----------



## doctorjazz

lohb said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > I have the GO SE, it is a major step up from the GO 1K, which I also have (but don't use since I got the SE), this comparison will be of interest.
> ...




Haven't used the 1K in a bit, never put it in the system since I got the SE, but when I compared them, the detail, richness of instruments, bass control, soundstage...the SE just sounds BETTER (and I really liked the sound of the 1K, that's what got me to jump at the SE offer)


----------



## greenkiwi

I've been wondering whether to only put one foot at the back. That way it would always be stable.
  
 you know, "3 points define a plane, the 4th just f's it up."


----------



## Ranza

Day 32...still nothing new about shipment....a few people in this thread confirmed they got their Geek Pulse but compared to the rest of the world....nah.
 At this rate I lost all hope for my Geek Pulse Xfi before X'Mas, just want it before Valentine.....and I'm not sure about it too....
 I just hope LHLabs stop pull out new " plan ", new " perk " from their ass and focus thing before their eye first : ship the damn thing, how can we give feedback ( good and bad one ) if they let us wait in vain like this -__- ?
 I think LHLabs is really good at marketing but time management is terrible...


----------



## digitalzed

ranza said:


> Day 32...still nothing new about shipment....a few people in this thread confirmed they got their Geek Pulse but compared to the rest of the world....nah.
> At this rate I lost all hope for my Geek Pulse Xfi before X'Mas, just want it before Valentine.....and I'm not sure about it too....
> I just hope LHLabs stop pull out new " plan ", new " perk " from their ass and focus thing before their eye first : ship the damn thing, how can we give feedback ( good and bad one ) if they let us wait in vain like this -__- ?
> I think LHLabs is really good at marketing but time management is terrible...


 

 I think someone over on the LH Labs forum said they received their Pulse and it was #200. This was a few days ago and Gavin updated over on the forum also that they had their biggest shipping day and the total number of Pulse shipped is 233 as of the 19th. Not where any of us wanted them to be but they are shipping. How many went to resellers or such and why more people have not decided to comment is a question I wish I had an answer to.


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> I plan to compare the standard Pulse with SMPS against my GO SE, I think that head-to-head would be more interesting. Since others have compared the GO with the 450 already it's pretty easy to extrapolate from there how the 720 and 1000 will fare, maybe even the 100. My 100 hasn't come yet from the IGG campaign so I haven't yet had a chance to hear how it fares with IEMs over the bigger siblings. I should be able to start listening to the Pulse this evening, here's to hoping.
> 
> And here's a general question for all. The Pulse does come with 4 small adhesive domed "feet" to raise the Pulse a short distance and reduce some vibrations. I'm looking to get something with a bit more substance that would better dampen the DAC and also maybe add a tiny bump to its aesthetic appeal. I'm considering these or maybe even these, any thoughts?


 
 i've used the "isolate it" products for several applications, they're great !
 the speaker spikes look good too


----------



## tRuE008

The "movin' on up" perk is live, and it looks like anyone can join.
  
  
 Pulse + "movin' on up" Pulse Xfi + THD: $399 + $506 + $168 = $1073
  
 Pulse Xfi + THD: $1399 + $168 = $1567
  
  
 Looks like anyone who got the Pulse Xfi early got the bad end of the deal, including me.
 I'm disapointed in LH Labs for doing this.


----------



## krikor

Has anyone hear/seen an update on the Pulse X shipping status?


----------



## vhsownsbeta

true008 said:


> The "movin' on up" perk is live, and it looks like anyone can join.
> 
> 
> Pulse + "movin' on up" Pulse Xfi + THD: $399 + $506 + $168 = $1073
> ...


 

 Damn, you are right.
  
 The 'movin on up' announcement seemed to indicate that it was for SE backers only, but now the perk is live it looks like anyone can pick it up...


----------



## Chikolad

true008 said:


> The "movin' on up" perk is live, and it looks like anyone can join.
> 
> 
> Pulse + "movin' on up" Pulse Xfi + THD: $399 + $506 + $168 = $1073
> ...


 
  
 If I were you I would email them and demand to be able to get the upgrade for the lower price. If they have any decency they will agree.


----------



## Zenifyx

> Larry Ho    2 hours ago
> 
> 
> Hi, everyone
> ...


 
  
 Source: https://www.indiegogo.com/individuals/4611669/activities
  
 Looks like everyone can now get Pulse Xfi at the price of $399+506.
 Leaves a sour taste for those that already backed the Pulse X at $777 or Pulse Xfi at $1399.


----------



## Maelob

just when thought they were done are u kidding me. i am broke!


----------



## llama_egg

OK, so I don't feel so bad, it seems like even the people over at LH Labs forums are also confused over the wording of the moving on up perk. By my understanding, if you're looking to snag a Pulse X-Fi, there's no reason to back either the default Pulse Package (or the payment plan for the Pulse) and snag the Moving on Up Perk. Which seems weird.


----------



## M3NTAL

[nevermind] - this is all too confusing.


----------



## AxelCloris

m3ntal said:


> Are there still two different "XFi" models? If I remember correct there was the perk for around 1 million that you could pledge for if they didn't reach 1 million and if they did, they would apply that to active upgrades. It seems like ALL XFi's get that perk - so what happens with that money I pledged?


 
  
 The Instant $1M perk was the i portion of Xfi. If you backed it before the $1M was reached you got it for a cheaper price ($88 I think) and after they hit $1M the price went to $99 (again, I think. Too lazy to fact check). So by backing the Instant $1M perk you got the i. Everyone gets upgraded passive internal components thanks to the $1M goal. Xfi is X, femto, and upgraded active components.
  
 An Xfi is an Xfi; there are not 2 different versions, just different price points to getting there.


----------



## M3NTAL

Thanks for the reply Axel.  Are they going to make the new perk a Xfit now?


----------



## eliwankenobi

m3ntal said:


> Thanks for the reply Axel.  Are they going to make the new perk a Xfit now?




Haha! Xfit! Nice!


----------



## eac3

m3ntal said:


> Are they going to make the new perk a Xfit now?


 
  
 Probably. Not trying to be funny, but it would make sense for newcommers who want to go straight to a fully "decked out" Pulse rather than some convoluted way by backing multiple perks to get the best deal.


----------



## eac3

krikor said:


> Has anyone hear/seen an update on the Pulse X shipping status?


 
  
 No. Trying to capture more business, they probably don't want to spoil/slow-down their big marketing/sales run for these last few days with an official (and not some forum post) update on delays --specifically for the Pulse X. 
  
 EDIT: Whatever the reason, I am sure we will hear something eventually.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> The Instant $1M perk was the i portion of Xfi. If you backed it before the $1M was reached you got it for a cheaper price ($88 I think) and after they hit $1M the price went to $99 (again, I think. Too lazy to fact check).



Yup, that is correct. The "instant $1M perk" was the first thing I got after backing the GO/Pulse combo. XD


----------



## Maelob

I just pulled the trigger, so basically I upgraded from the Plain Pulse that I already contributed to the to the XFI via the moving up perk for 506.  The default was 4 dollars and I changed to 506. I am such a sucker, this things is driving me crazy LOL. From an innocent 399, is turning out into a whole range of products.  IT better blow away the Benchmark DAC1 that I was using.  These guys are taking advantage of all the hype, but to be fair how many companies update you step by step during the research, development and manufacturing with inputs from the community.   They have exploited a consumer need in the audiophile community for value and performance.  And Suckers like me keep contributing LOL - It is in their best intererest to deliver, if not nobody will ever buy anything from them again LOL Oh and the forever campaign for WAVE will start tomorrow.  Watch out Astern and Kern, who know what they will offer.  It seems they are perfecting the art of using Indiegogo to continue adding cash after a campaing is funded.  wow totally incredible.


----------



## miceblue

maelob said:


> I just pulled the trigger, so basically I upgraded from the Plain Pulse that I already contributed to the to the XFI via the moving up perk for 506.  The default was 4 dollars and I changed to 506. I am such a sucker, this things is driving me crazy LOL. From an innocent 399, is turning out into a whole range of products.  IT better blow away the Benchmark DAC1 that I was using.



If the ODAC/O2 was blind-tested to the DAC1 and no audible difference was heard, then I think the Pulse Xfi will blow the DAC1 out of the water based on my experience with the ODAC/O2 and Geek Out (preferring the latter to the former).


----------



## labjr

Let's see if they offer the $148 Wave.


----------



## miceblue

Is it just me or am I always confused by "Geek Force Only" perks?
It's free to sign up for the GF so I'm really confused why they even have an option for such perks. Literally anyone can make an account at the GF, get the "GF Only" perks, and never post in the GF. Seems a bit stupid if you ask me.

Also, how is anyone supposed to know what the "Old Friends" perk is? I'm am member of the GF and I have a good amount of posts there. I have no idea what the "Old Friends" perk is despite this. For all I know, it could be buried in some thread that I don't look at like the Geek Pulse Xfi Signature Edition Details thread. It's not really fair for Geek Pulse and GF backers/members if there's no official place for it. Not only that, who's going to stop someone who does read through those threads but isn't a member to get the "Old Friends" perk?

Oh never mind, I found it with the forum's search feature, which anyone can do.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Is it just me or am I always confused by "Geek Force Only" perks?
> It's free to sign up for the GF so I'm really confused why they even have an option for such perks. Literally anyone can make an account at the GF, get the "GF Only" perks, and never post in the GF. Seems a bit stupid if you ask me.
> 
> Also, how is anyone supposed to know what the "Old Friends" perk is? I'm am member of the GF and I have a good amount of posts there. I have no idea what the "Old Friends" perk is despite this. For all I know, it could be buried in some thread that I don't look at like the Geek Pulse Xfi Signature Edition Details thread.


 
  
 I imagine the GFO perks are to increase the size of their community. Potential investors and business partners love to see those kind of numbers in slide show presentations. It shows "growth" when they're trying to sell the product to distributors.
  
 The Old Friends perk is for backers who have participated in "every crowdfunding campaign" but I don't know if that means someone has to participate in all of the different Pulse campaigns, multiple Wave campaigns, Stream campaign, etc. It may just mean that you took part in the GO (Kickstarter), Pulse (any) and Wave/Stream (any). I'm sure the answer is somewhere on their forums but due to the fact that their forums automatically mark threads as read after a certain amount of time I missed a lot of stuff when I came back from vacation.


----------



## georgelai57

Is the $4 Movin' On Up perk a bargain or is it not?  I can't keep track. I backed a Pulse fi and now for $288 more I can upgrade to a Pulse xfi. Thanks in advance. I'm just getting lost in all these perks and upgrades.


----------



## Levanter

georgelai57 said:


> Is the $4 Movin' On Up perk a bargain or is it not?  I can't keep track. I backed a Pulse fi and now for $288 more I can upgrade to a Pulse xfi. Thanks in advance. I'm just getting lost in all these perks and upgrades.




It is a huge bargain for me. As I only backed the Pulse X, the upgrade to Xfi was a no brainer. Couldn't pull the Xfi upgrade before as it was too damn expensive.


----------



## georgelai57

levanter said:


> It is a huge bargain for me. As I only backed the Pulse X, the upgrade to Xfi was a no brainer. Couldn't pull the Xfi upgrade before as it was too damn expensive.


 

 Hi,
  
 So now you pay $218 for the upgrade but what would it have been previously?


----------



## miceblue

georgelai57 said:


> Hi,
> 
> So now you pay $218 for the upgrade but what would it have been previously?



In the original, very first campaign, the total damage on your wallet would have been $140 for the Pulse to Pulse X upgrade. No one except for Light Harmonic knows how the Xfi sounds, so no one can really say if it's a bargain or not, unfortunately.

I got the Geek Out/Pulse bundle from the very first campaign, so my Xfi unit "only" cost my wallet $538. When just comparing prices alone, the X upgrade now is a bargain compared to after the Forever Funding campaign is over, so it's really an investment on your part with no promises being made.


----------



## Anaximandros

axelcloris said:


> I imagine the GFO perks are to increase the size of their community. Potential investors and business partners love to see those kind of numbers in slide show presentations. It shows "growth" when they're trying to sell the product to distributors.
> 
> The Old Friends perk is for backers who have participated in "every crowdfunding campaign" but I don't know if that means someone has to participate in all of the different Pulse campaigns, multiple Wave campaigns, Stream campaign, etc. It may just mean that you took part in the GO (Kickstarter), Pulse (any) and Wave/Stream (any). I'm sure the answer is somewhere on their forums but due to the fact that their forums automatically mark threads as read after a certain amount of time I missed a lot of stuff when I came back from vacation.


 
  
 The Old Friends perk is for backers who already bought a Pulse.
  
 As of now there are 6470 members. Roughly 5000 have 0 Posts, and roughly 1000 have under 10 posts. Numbers are fine and the Force is growing, but quality > quantity.


----------



## georgelai57

miceblue said:


> In the original, very first campaign, the total damage on your wallet would have been $140 for the Pulse to Pulse X upgrade. No one except for Light Harmonic knows how the Xfi sounds, so no one can really say if it's a bargain or not, unfortunately.
> 
> I got the Geek Out/Pulse bundle from the very first campaign, so my Xfi unit "only" cost my wallet $538. When just comparing prices alone, the X upgrade now is a bargain compared to after the Forever Funding campaign is over, so it's really an investment on your part with no promises being made.


 

 Hi,
  
 Actually what I meant by bargain was from the financial angle. Like you mine was the GO/Pulse bundle except my Pulse is the fi version. So if I pay $288 more what I meant, and I think @LEvantar meant that too, is this, IS this upgrade price now a lot more affordable than if I had done it months ago. Thanks


----------



## DSlayerZX

SIgh.. I am not entirely caught up on the campaign on the last few days..
  
 so can someone please explain ot lead me to where it would explain exactly what is the "THD" upgrade?
  
 searching for them is a bit difficult since the letters are too short...


----------



## Levanter

georgelai57 said:


> Hi,
> 
> So now you pay $218 for the upgrade but what would it have been previously?




I think around $688. The $218 still doesn't beat the earliest 1st/2nd campaign, but it gets much closer compared to the forever funding campaign.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> In the original, very first campaign, the total damage on your wallet would have been $140 for the Pulse to Pulse X upgrade. No one except for Light Harmonic knows how the Xfi sounds, so no one can really say if it's a bargain or not, unfortunately.


 
  
 Anyone who listened to it at RMAF head the Xfi. It wasn't under ideal conditions but I can say that I'm certainly happy I have one of my own coming. If it sounds better than my GO SE, and I suspect that it does under critical listening, damn...


----------



## georgelai57

dslayerzx said:


> SIgh.. I am not entirely caught up on the campaign on the last few days..
> 
> so can someone please explain ot lead me to where it would explain exactly what is the "THD" upgrade?
> 
> searching for them is a bit difficult since the letters are too short...


 

 The THD package will be live within the next 24 hours. Check their Updates page on the Indiegogo campaign.


----------



## DSlayerZX

georgelai57 said:


> The THD package will be live within the next 24 hours. Check their Updates page on the Indiegogo campaign.


 
 Oh.. I received that notification email.. that's why I was asking..
 So.. so far there are no details given on exact what the upgrade is? hmmm.


----------



## longbowbbs

levanter said:


> georgelai57 said:
> 
> 
> > Is the $4 Movin' On Up perk a bargain or is it not?  I can't keep track. I backed a Pulse fi and now for $288 more I can upgrade to a Pulse xfi. Thanks in advance. I'm just getting lost in all these perks and upgrades.
> ...


 
 My guess is they are getting some economies of scale at the Xfi build that's help with their overall costs. Good deal for folks. That is OK.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

THD upgrade is live. Limited to 100.


----------



## tRuE008

chikolad said:


> If I were you I would email them and demand to be able to get the upgrade for the lower price. If they have any decency they will agree.


 

 I did open a ticket last Friday, and only got a response yesterday. I was told that costumer service will report it to Gavin and maybe he will do something.
 I highly doubt anything will be done though.
  
 I had a similar issue with their Audeze LCD XC/3 bundles. Since I backed too early, I had to go through the "Old Friends" perk to get a LCD3. However, it was $378 more than what bundle was going for. I emailed them, both Casey and Tami told me I had to pay that difference still. I decided not to join the "Old Friends" perk, but didn't mind because I rather have the Pulse Xfi instead of the Pulse X anyways. And maybe it was because I have the Pulse Xfi.
 I opened another ticket, explaining the situation for those who got the Pulse X:
 Pulse X + LCD3: $2145
 Pulse X + "Old Friends" LCD3: $777 + $1746 = $2523
 Stephanie, who answered this ticket, told me she'll talk to her supervisors. Then the very next day, they closed the Audeze bundles.
  
 Now they decided to add the "movin' on up" perk. People who joined the Audeze LCD3 (which was only one I think, but still), not only got the LCD3 for $1368, but now they can upgrade their Pulse X to the Pulse Xfi for a lot cheaper than what I paid for the Pulse Xfi.
  
 This, to me, is just ridiculous.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

vhsownsbeta said:


> THD upgrade is live. Limited to 100.


 
  
 28/100 already taken. It wouldn't surprise me if they release another 'batch', but you never know.
  
 I figure, I have come this far already, I may as well go all the way (stopping short of SE...)


----------



## doctorjazz

They've never made it clear if the THD applied to Soul Tube as well, though some think the Tube wouldn't benefit the same way. Anyone have any information on this?


----------



## longbowbbs

THD Perk is up!


----------



## vhsownsbeta

doctorjazz said:


> They've never made it clear if the THD applied to Soul Tube as well, though some think the Tube wouldn't benefit the same way. Anyone have any information on this?


 
  
 Larry stated that their are plans for a Soul Tube SE, but nothing specifically regarding Soul Tube THD.
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=75#46060
  
 THD improvements would kind of be negated by the tube though...


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> THD Perk is up!
> 
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-audio-a-crowdsourced-high-rez-sound-system



You're not allowed to post your personal reference links on Head-Fi. ; )


----------



## vhsownsbeta

miceblue said:


> You're not allowed to post your personal reference links on Head-Fi. ; )


 

 Hehe, clickbait


----------



## AxelCloris

anaximandros said:


> The Old Friends perk is for backers who already bought a Pulse.
> 
> As of now there are 6470 members. Roughly 5000 have 0 Posts, and roughly 1000 have under 10 posts. Numbers are fine and the Force is growing, but quality > quantity.


 
  
 Oh, you're right. That's for getting certain items that are not Pulses but are associated with the Pulse and shouldn't be mentioned in public. *cough* Thanks for the correction Xuan!
  
 The thing I mentioned, where you backed all previous campaigns, was something Gavin mentioned as a possibility for future projects. I mixed them up.
  
 And you guys wanted me for historian/keeper.


----------



## Maelob

@#%%# just upgraded to THD!!! Man, I will be selling a lot of used gear in the near future to keep funding this crazy campaign LOL.


----------



## Golliwog

Can anyone who was at the HeadFi meet or has had a listen possibly post their thoughts on the Xfi. I hope to have a DNA stratus incoming soon (with unbalanced in) so the balanced nature would be of no use to me right? Its hard to understand just how much upgrade I'm buying in "upgraded capacitators + femto clocks".


----------



## AxelCloris

Well, I went for the THD upgrade. I have it on my Wave XD Ti SE and GO SE, may as well have it on my Pulse Xfi. At least I have the standard Pulse to hold me until the Xfi with THD arrives. I'm not bothered if it pushes my Xfi back in the queue.
  
 Speaking of listening to the Pulse... soon. I'll have some first impressions up tonight and then hopefully a comparison in the next day or two. I feel like I have an obligation to the yet-to-be backers; I need to get impressions out for all of you so that you can get in before the forever campaign "ends." I'm guessing that they're going to turn the Pulse Forever Campaign into the Wave Forever Campaign on the 28th.


----------



## Zenifyx

miceblue said:


> You're not allowed to post your personal reference links on Head-Fi. ; )


 
  
 Could you edit out that link in your post?
 I don't know if that's your referral link or the original poster's, but that's a referral link in there.
 (It has a '/x/5205194' ninja-appended to the back of the original link)


----------



## miceblue

zenifyx said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > You're not allowed to post your personal reference links on Head-Fi. ; )
> ...



Ah, fixed. I originally just had the hyperlink text edited, but not the actual link. I fixed the actual link now, so it shouldn't be the referral link.
Thanks for catching that!


----------



## M3NTAL

I already solidified my shipping+perks months ago. Do I have to update that again with new perks?


----------



## Verloren

dslayerzx said:


> SIgh.. I am not entirely caught up on the campaign on the last few days..
> 
> so can someone please explain ot lead me to where it would explain exactly what is the "THD" upgrade?
> 
> searching for them is a bit difficult since the letters are too short...


 
  
 Different resistors added into the signal pathway.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

93/100. Almost gone...


----------



## georgelai57

vhsownsbeta said:


> 93/100. Almost gone...



4 more to go. Quick, grab it so that I cannot be tempted!


----------



## eac3

I was unable to resist.....(sigh)
  
  
  
Second round of THD perks incomming


----------



## longbowbbs

All gone in under 2 hours!


----------



## AxelCloris

georgelai57 said:


> 4 more to go. Quick, grab it so that I cannot be tempted!


 
  
 Until they open the second round and you're tempted once more, eventually succumbing to peer pressure and an inflated post-holiday wallet.


----------



## georgelai57

axelcloris said:


> Until they open the second round and you're tempted once more, eventually succumbing to peer pressure and an inflated post-holiday wallet.




Yay, they're all gone. Phew.


----------



## Verloren

doctorjazz said:


> They've never made it clear if the THD applied to Soul Tube as well, though some think the Tube wouldn't benefit the same way. Anyone have any information on this?


 
 From the IGG comments:
  
 Casey Hartwell 1 hour ago


 THD perk does not apply to the Geek Soul or Soul Tube. We’ll have separate perks for Geek Soul THD at a later time.


----------



## eac3

georgelai57 said:


> Yay, they're all gone. Phew.


 
  
 The video from Larry will be coming in shortly discussing this, and they will open up a new round..and you will have to go through this process over and over and over again.
  
 That's just brutal.


----------



## eac3

FYI: Another 100 THD perks


----------



## FayeForever

not surprising...


----------



## jexby

eac3 said:


> FYI: Another 100 THD perks




Rinse and repeat.


----------



## FayeForever

May just add more pics to this thread...


----------



## eac3

fayeforever said:


> May just add more pics to this thread...


 
  
 Nice shots. Thanks.


----------



## BobJS

zenifyx said:


> Source: https://www.indiegogo.com/individuals/4611669/activities
> 
> Looks like everyone can now get Pulse Xfi at the price of $399+506.
> Leaves a sour taste for those that already backed the Pulse X at $777 or Pulse Xfi at $1399.


 
  
 I don't understand the 'movin on up' for $4.
  
 If I own nothing now and have not contributed, and I want to end up with a Pulse Xfi at $399 + 506, how do I that?  Do I put the Pulse @ $399 in may cart first and buy?  Then buy 'movn on up' for $4?  But how do I indicate I want to move up from Pulse to Pulse Xfi for $506 and when/where do I input that?
  
 Does this appear to be a shell game by design, or am I just not understanding something basic here?


----------



## Ranza

Sooo.....we will have a new Geek Pulse XfitHD ?
 ....what's next ? Geek Pulse XfitHD Ultra Mega Uber ? This one just keep evolving, you just take your eyes off a little bit and....tah dah !! New perk, better " Geek Pulse ", " limited "...


----------



## georgelai57

Geek Pulse WTHOMG


----------



## FayeForever

This whole forever campaign thing is going to end in a few days so I think this is it, by the way the campaign should've ended long time ago IMHO.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

bobjs said:


> I don't understand the 'movin on up' for $4.
> 
> If I own nothing now and have not contributed, and I want to end up with a Pulse Xfi at $399 + 506, how do I that?  Do I put the Pulse @ $399 in may cart first and buy?  Then buy 'movn on up' for $4?  But how do I indicate I want to move up from Pulse to Pulse Xfi for $506 and when/where do I input that?
> 
> Does this appear to be a shell game by design, or am I just not understanding something basic here?


 

 Buy pulse then 'movin on up' and adjust payment on the next page to $506.


----------



## Ranza

Sigh....not that I want to whine all over this, but I ordered a Geek Pulse Xfi, a year ago I thought Geek Pulse Xfi " may be " will arrive before October, my birthday....but nope, well, they have their reason so yeah, " may be " before Thanksgiving ? But nope, ok.... " may be " before X'Mas...nope, sorry again. But the new perk, new feature, new product keep coming, new bundle such as LCD bundle, Abyss bundle, Audioengine bundle....they keep the newcomers on a roller coaster ride but it's not like everyone have money and time for that roller coaster ride. Someone just want what they ordered, nice and neat like what LHLabs promised them, not some new " perk " and " feature " that want more money from your wallet.
  
 Sorry for my negative post, I was just frustrated and feel tired for waiting so long.


----------



## gyx11

If the base Geek Pulse is indeed an amazeaballz desktop DAC/Amp as it was first touted to be at the start of the original campaign...

then the Geek Heart Soul Brain Tube xfi Gold Ultimate Ltd-Ed Ltd-time-only 5-in-the-world-only with Quad Femto Clocks, Diamond-Encrusted Knobs, Ultracircuitry, Megacomponent All-in-One Ultima-giga-ownagery-THD-SNR-Interstellar-Plasma-Upgrade must surely be a teleportation device which transports you right in front of your favorite artists for them to perform right in front of your face.


----------



## miceblue

georgelai57 said:


> Geek Pulse WTHOMG



You mean, Geek Pulse:
W: tungsten (W) bulb
T: Tube
H: Harmonic distortion (2nd order)
O: Oxygen-free wires
M: Mu shielding
G: Gain-optimised
?


----------



## jexby

fayeforever said:


> This whole forever campaign thing is going to end in a few days so I think this is it, by the way the campaign should've ended long time ago IMHO.


 
  
 The Pulse campaign will end on Dec 27.
 the next LH campaign on IGG is sure to follow in 2015.


----------



## nicolo

LOL. The Geek wave campaign has already started.
  
 By the way, anyone who's got the Wave XD from the earlier campaign shouldn't get heartburn after seeing the new Wave XD at a lower price point. The new one doesn't seem to have Femto clocks.


----------



## jexby

Geek Wave campaign is over isn't it?
  
 February 2015 appears to be the prime time to begin a new
  Geek Cloud 
 campaign on IGG!
  
 all your devices held in the amazing intranets cloud, along with your streaming Library content for a year, or 3!
 as long as North Korea doesn't hack your content first.


----------



## Chikolad

true008 said:


> I did open a ticket last Friday, and only got a response yesterday. I was told that costumer service will report it to Gavin and maybe he will do something.
> I highly doubt anything will be done though.
> 
> I had a similar issue with their Audeze LCD XC/3 bundles. Since I backed too early, I had to go through the "Old Friends" perk to get a LCD3. However, it was $378 more than what bundle was going for. I emailed them, both Casey and Tami told me I had to pay that difference still. I decided not to join the "Old Friends" perk, but didn't mind because I rather have the Pulse Xfi instead of the Pulse X anyways. And maybe it was because I have the Pulse Xfi.
> ...


 
  
 You're absolutely right. What this tells the backers is "Next time we do a crowd-funding campaign, don't be early backers because it doesn't pay off".
 I hope this time, because you want the exact same item for the lesser price (with the bundle you wanted to "downgrade" from the Xfi to the X), they will agree.


----------



## greenkiwi

vhsownsbeta said:


> Buy pulse then 'movin on up' and adjust payment on the next page to $506.


 
 Note, the "movin on up" would appear to require that you get either the THD or SE upgrade as well.  So you would have to commit to the additional $168.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

greenkiwi said:


> Note, the "movin on up" would appear to require that you get either the THD or SE upgrade as well.  So you would have to commit to the additional $168.


 

 At announcement, 'movin on up' seemed to be specific to those buying an SE, but there is nothing to suggest that now.


----------



## Chikolad

Does anyone know what the estimated shipment times for the "Moving on up" perk are?
 And is everyone who's upgrading to the Xfi getting thrown to the back of the line?
  
 I'm considering getting in but would like to know roughly how much longer I'll have to wait...


----------



## greenkiwi

chikolad said:


> You're absolutely right. What this tells the backers is "Next time we do a crowd-funding campaign, don't be early backers because it doesn't pay off".
> I hope this time, because you want the exact same item for the lesser price (with the bundle you wanted to "downgrade" from the Xfi to the X), they will agree.


 
 Actually, it seems to be backers in the middle that take more of the brunt of it.  If you were early, you made out well. $299 for a Pulse X last black Friday, I believe.  And it had the right rule, you had to have already backed a Pulse before you could back this. I thought that was quite reasonable and didn't cause any distress, or feeling like you had paid more for your pulse than someone else, since everyone had to pay the regular price for their first pulse.
  
 That being said, I definitely understand the pain of some of the people in the middle.  I actually didn't really have a problem with the 'movin on up' when it was for people getting to the SE.  Though they could have handled it a few different ways. At any rate... the campaign will be over sooner rather than later.


----------



## miceblue

miceblue said:


> In case people are curious:
> 
> 
> > Gavin Fish posted an announcement 1 minute ago
> ...



So much for the bolded part. XD


----------



## uncola

I'm once again considering upgrading from my Geek Pulse X to the Xfi now that movin' on up is available.
  
 One of the original stretch goals was upgraded passive components.. but I notice one of the details of the XFI is upgraded passive components.. does that mean the stretch goal only applied to the xfi or does it mean the xfi has even better upgraded passive components than the stretch goal upgrade?
  
*Geek Pulse Xfi:* This is Geek Pulse X on steroids. Remember that optional dual femto clock upgrade? This is where you get it. It also has upgraded passive components (capacitors and resistors) as well as upgraded active components (opamps and controllers).


----------



## Chikolad

greenkiwi said:


> Actually, it seems to be backers in the middle that take more of the brunt of it.  If you were early, you made out well. $299 for a Pulse X last black Friday, I believe.  And it had the right rule, you had to have already backed a Pulse before you could back this. I thought that was quite reasonable and didn't cause any distress, or feeling like you had paid more for your pulse than someone else, since everyone had to pay the regular price for their first pulse.
> 
> That being said, I definitely understand the pain of some of the people in the middle.  I actually didn't really have a problem with the 'movin on up' when it was for people getting to the SE.  Though they could have handled it a few different ways. At any rate... the campaign will be over sooner rather than later.


 
  
 I guess you're right greenkiwi, but it's still annoying and just seems unjust. And I'm not even affected by it, I got the vanilla Pulse in the recent BF for $379 and can upgrade now for another $506, which is pretty good... but I'm still annoyed for the others who already got the Xfi for a much higher price, like *tRuE008*


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> I'm once again considering upgrading from my Geek Pulse X to the Xfi now that movin' on up is available.
> 
> One of the original stretch goals was upgraded passive components.. but I notice one of the details of the XFI is upgraded passive components.. does that mean the stretch goal only applied to the xfi or does it mean the xfi has even better upgraded passive components than the stretch goal upgrade?
> 
> [COLOR=333333]*Geek Pulse Xfi:*[/COLOR][COLOR=333333] This is Geek Pulse X on steroids. Remember that optional dual femto clock upgrade? This is where you get it. It also has upgraded passive components (capacitors and resistors) as well as upgraded active components (opamps and controllers).[/COLOR]



The "i" in Xfi is the passive/active component upgrade that used to be called the "Instant $1M" perk in the original campaign and it was $88 early bird, $99 normally.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

greenkiwi said:


> Actually, it seems to be backers in the middle that take more of the brunt of it.  If you were early, you made out well. $299 for a Pulse X last black Friday, I believe.  And it had the right rule, you had to have already backed a Pulse before you could back this. I thought that was quite reasonable and didn't cause any distress, or feeling like you had paid more for your pulse than someone else, since everyone had to pay the regular price for their first pulse.
> 
> That being said, I definitely understand the pain of some of the people in the middle.  I actually didn't really have a problem with the 'movin on up' when it was for people getting to the SE.  Though they could have handled it a few different ways. At any rate... the campaign will be over sooner rather than later.


 

 Yes. A lot of lessons to be learnt. For LH and for their backers...


----------



## AxelCloris

First impressions based off questions I imagine everyone will ask. These are dirty and quickly formed but here you go.
  
Is it worth the $400 IGG price?
 Short version: *yes, buy now if you haven't yet. *Time is running out.
 Long version: please continue reading. This is seriously a very impressive DAC/amp combo and I think $400 is a killer price. But there are a few things that make it feel like it's not entirely complete, more on that in a moment.
  
How does it sound?
 I'm still getting a feel for the Pulse but first listen is very promising. Nice big soundstage without sounding artificially large. Beautiful deep black background. Nice even sound across the whole range without negatively over/under emphasizing any area of the spectrum. Low end is nice and full but not big enough to bleed into the mids. Bass extension could reach a bit deeper but that's probably something that will improve with time. I think at the moment that the same is true for the high end, I expect a DAC whose price is flirting with $1k should have a very impressive treble extension. Again this is my first listen with effectively no burn-in whatsoever yet. Larry has recommended a burn-in period for the Pulse and I believe he stated it would be around 2 weeks to completely bloom. Someone may be able to correct me on that. Mids are nice and smooth, almost silky at the moment. I wouldn't say that it makes them lush and I quite like where they're sitting. If they improve further with burn-in then I'll be one very happy customer.
  
What are you using for the first listen?
 I'm currently listening to the HE-400i and bouncing genres from jazz to classical to ska to alternative rock to soundtracks and more. Hiromi, Rachmaninov, and Five Iron Frenzy to name a few.
  
Is it intuitive?
 Kinda. I got sound from the Pulse within moments of connecting it to my computer. But so far I haven't gotten the Pulse to operate volume by the dial properly. Without a user manual to consult I'm toying around trying to figure out why it's not changing volume. The menu indicates that it's set to dial control but I'm changing everything on the computer. As I continue to play I'll probably come across the correct configuration for volume control via the knob, or maybe other owners can chime in with their experiences. I'm currently consulting the Mac setup thread for the GO hoping that the information there can get me going in the right direction.
  
How does it feel during operation?
 Well that's where I feel the Pulse could use a little improvement. Basic setup is simple plug and play on a Mac. After telling the playback software to use the Pulse it began playing without a hitch. I'm currently testing with the streaming service Tidal and it was easy to begin playback through the Pulse. The volume nob feels a bit unresponsive but I know exactly why I feel that way and I'll talk about that below. The menu system also feels slightly unresponsive but it's the same cause as the volume's feel. There's currently no user manual on LH Labs' support page and that would be nice to have for anyone that may have questions about operation.
  
 Thankfully I believe that my minor complaints above can be remedied simply. The volume knob feels slightly unresponsive to me because you move the knob 2 clicks to get it to visually show the .5dB step. There's no display change when you're landing on the .25 or .75dB stops. It would be great if that could somehow be indicated. For example they could go -78.8 to -78.5 to -78.3 to -78.0 as the volume climbs. I'd also like to see no latency in the change. When you move quickly you'll get the volume numbers to jump. A moderate turn of the wrist made mine go from -88.5 to -85.0 to -83.5 to -81.5. I would prefer that the display show every step smoothly as it changes. Obviously these are only my thoughts on the topic and others may not agree but I think if they're really targeting the $999 price point that the Pulse's display should feel smooth and flow gracefully through the information. That brings me to the menu. When you're in the menu it takes 2 clicks of the dial to change between the categories and sub-category options. I feel that the each click should be a change rather than every other click. Of course, as I use the Pulse more my feelings on this topic may change.
  
How does it compare to [insert DAC/amp here]?
 I don't know. Right now I'm burning in the Pulse so that I can let the sound open up a bit more before doing any kind of critical listening and comparisons. Check back later.
  
What color is the display?
 In the current lighting mine has a blueish-white hue. It may show white under other lighting conditions.
  
What's in the box?
 Mine came with the Pulse, the SMPS power supply, a Lightspeed 1G cable, 4 adhesive half-dome feet, and a warranty card. Pretty standard. I don't believe that the retail Pulse is supposed to include the Lightspeed 1G cable.
  
When do you think I'll get mine?
 No idea, best ask LH Labs if you're curious.
  
Will you buy me a hot dog?
 Nope.
  
 So that's my first impression of the Pulse. I'm going to let it continue burning in so I can see how it changes. More later. Now back to trying to figure out volume control.


----------



## miceblue

You forgot to mention what headphones and what kind of music you're listening to. It's arguable that those have the most impact on the sound, so without that background knowledge, I have a hard time grasping what your reference is and whatnot.

Thanks for posting your impressions though. It should help out some people.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> You forgot to mention what headphones and what kind of music you're listening to. It's arguable that those have the most impact on the sound, so without that background knowledge, I have a hard time grasping what your reference is and whatnot.
> 
> Thanks for posting your impressions though. It should help out some people.


 
  
 I've updated the post with some of that information. I'm not listening to a specific genre because I'm trying to get a feel for how it handles everything I may want to throw at it. I started with the 400i because they're my open headphones with the longest burn-in period, they've been broken in completely.


----------



## Chikolad

axelcloris said:


> First impressions based off questions I imagine everyone will ask. These are dirty and quickly formed but here you go.
> 
> Is it worth the $400 IGG price?
> Short version: *yes, buy now if you haven't yet. *Time is running out.
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for this!
 If you got spare time and the ability, I would like to know what the sound is like using it as a pure DAC, i.e. through the line-out.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

axelcloris said:


> I've updated the post with some of that information. I'm not listening to a specific genre because I'm trying to get a feel for how it handles everything I may want to throw at it. I started with the 400i because they're my open headphones with the longest burn-in period, they've been broken in completely.


 

 Thanks for the impressions. Very promising.
  
 When you get a chance, can you give impressions with 1964-Q?


----------



## Verloren

jexby said:


> The Pulse campaign will end on Dec 27.
> the next LH campaign on IGG is sure to follow in 2015.


 
 The Pulse campaign won't end. LHLabs will continue to use IGG & Forever Funding as their storefront, with the prices updated to full MSRP.
  
  
 The way they currently describe the Movin' On Up perk, it looks like it is open to all users. Even Gavin's previous post on the forum was very open ended. I'm currently on the fence for getting a XFi, mostly because I will be using USB to connect to the Pulse X I ordered.


----------



## Chikolad

verloren said:


> I'm currently on the fence for getting a XFi, mostly because I will be using USB to connect to the Pulse X I ordered.


 
  
 Are the additions of the 'f' and 'i' less relevant for USB?


----------



## dclaz

So, I take it the Pulse survey doesn't need updating to reflect whether or not people get the THD upgrade?


----------



## Verloren

chikolad said:


> Are the additions of the 'f' and 'i' less relevant for USB?


 
  
 Femto clock (f) only benefits the AES/optical inputs.
  
 The i upgrade would benefit USB and optical.


----------



## Chikolad

verloren said:


> Femto clock (f) only benefits the AES/optical inputs.
> 
> The i upgrade would benefit USB and optical.


 
  
 Really? I did not know that.
 Why is that? don't the femto clocks replace the "regular" clocks?


----------



## ejong7

Ive sent in a ticket to ask but they first checked and asked whether i had an order under my geek account. I explained the movin uo situation and they are yet to reply me.


----------



## Verloren

chikolad said:


> Really? I did not know that.
> Why is that? don't the femto clocks replace the "regular" clocks?


 
  
 Finally found the post.
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geek-source/2487-current-hardware-specs-of-geek-source-2014-nov?start=25#41034
  


> USB interface's master clock is ON DAC side. So you don't need Femto clock there.
> 
> But AES and SPDIF's master clock is on server side. So you definitely need to put the best clocks there.


----------



## pedalhead

verloren said:


> Finally found the post.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/geek-source/2487-current-hardware-specs-of-geek-source-2014-nov?start=25#41034


 
  
 Larry is talking about the Source there (not the Pulse).  I also thought the femtos in the Pulse were for all inputs...


----------



## Verloren

pedalhead said:


> Larry is talking about the Source there (not the Pulse).  I also thought the femtos in the Pulse were for all inputs...


 
 Crap. Lemme dig some more.


----------



## Chikolad

verloren said:


> Crap. Lemme dig some more.


 
  
 lol. And I thought you solved my dilemma on whether to upgrade or not...


----------



## kenshinhimura

well i decided to go for it. thanks @AxelCloris for the early impressions, but i ask that you reconsider getting me a hotdog.


----------



## Verloren

chikolad said:


> lol. And I thought you solved my dilemma on whether to upgrade or not...


 
  
 Welp. Haven't been able to find anything definitive beyond femto clocks reducing jitter and noise.


----------



## longbowbbs

verloren said:


> chikolad said:
> 
> 
> > lol. And I thought you solved my dilemma on whether to upgrade or not...
> ...


 
 That is generally the point of the Femto....


----------



## AxelCloris

Femto will help for every input, including USB. My GO SE has femto clocks and there were immediately obvious changes when I listened against the 1000. Thanks to Larry I'm now a believer in the power of a well implemented femto.


----------



## llama_egg

Welp, I think by the end of today I'll decide if I'm going to take the plunge or not. Going the Pulse+moving on up is a real hard deal to pass up, especially as my first dual amp/dac.


----------



## Levanter

llama_egg said:


> Welp, I think by the end of today I'll decide if I'm going to take the plunge or not. Going the Pulse+moving on up is a real hard deal to pass up, especially as my first dual amp/dac.


 
  
 I took the plunge when the moving up perk was released. I know you will too... it's hard not to resist


----------



## mcullinan

So any comparisons to other DACs would be great. Im on the fence... The Sabre DAC is thin sounding per my experience with a lack of detail and loss of instrument attack/decay. These issues were present on both the Yulong and Resonessence I owned.
  
 Is the Dac warm, full with lots of detail and decay.


----------



## ejong7

Is the movin on perk still workable? The thd perk is already filled so i wanna know if it works. Woulnt mind the thd add on though. And do we have to buy the 1G cable separately? I know early backers dont have to.


----------



## Verloren

longbowbbs said:


> That is generally the point of the Femto....


 
  
 Agreed. Just trying to find out if it is really worth upgrading to the XFi from a Pulse X.


----------



## Maelob

What's next a Speaker system? I would not be surprised lol


----------



## pedalhead

Another round (3rd?) of the THD perk has been released.  There must be a lot of people out there with ultra-golden ears!


----------



## bitsnbytes

verloren said:


> Agreed. Just trying to find out if it is really worth upgrading to the XFi from a Pulse X.




You also get the upgraded active/passives. 

I personally got the "middle backer" perk at $622...mainly for those because I know upgraded a/p's can make a difference. The femtos for me was a bonus. 

At this point I will not spend more money on LH's schemes (because I'm extremely annoyed with them) but I think you are in a better position to get a deal that I'd go for.


----------



## jonbernard

pedalhead said:


> Another round (3rd?) of the THD perk has been released.  There must be a lot of people out there with ultra-golden ears!


 
  
 We're just measurement geeks.


----------



## bitsnbytes

jonbernard said:


> We're just measurement geeks.




especially thinness in the wallet


----------



## llama_egg

bitsnbytes said:


> especially thinness in the wallet



And my wallet shrunk 3 sizes this day.


----------



## bitsnbytes

fayeforever said:


> May just add more pics to this thread...




May I ask how the non-LPS power supply is working for you? How does it compare to the stock one that came with the pulse?

BTW, what's the plug size...thinking of a DIY project


----------



## krikor

levanter said:


> I took the plunge when the moving up perk was released. I know you will too... it's hard not to resist


 
  
 I'm not finding it hard to resist at all. Though it's never been mentioned what happens when you select additional perks, I don't want to risk having my place in line moved further out.


----------



## llama_egg

krikor said:


> I'm finding it hard to resist at all. Though it's never been mentioned what happens when you select additional perks, I don't want to risk having my place in line moved further out.


 
difference is that I haven't put anything in yet, so I'll already be at the back of the line, and as a new pledger the price point is real hard to say no to.


----------



## Phishin Phool

So I have been on the fence about getting a newly released Schiit Modi2 Uber/ Magni2 Uber stack for $300 (instead of the Modi/Magni original @ $200) but with the payment plan I decided to go ahead and take the plunge on the base model Geek Pulse for $400 no frills as car repairs and kid in college keeps me perpetually poor. I got the very last opening a couple hours ago so now that perk is closed. I hope I made the right call but this looks to be a better piece of equipment than the Schiit stack and self contained. 
 Up till now I have been using whatever line out my device had with a splitter for analog into a an analog line in on my headphone tube amp so I am looking forward to a quality external dac and hopefully the amp portion is great as well. If not I can still feed my tube amp via line outs (or even my HT amps). All in all pretty happy even wothout upgrades as I would never have been able to afford even the base model at MSRP or street prices.  I was wondering though if the amp will drive orthostatics as well as dynamics. Have no interest in IEM's. Hopefully the noise floor is low as well.


----------



## krikor

phishin phool said:


> I was wondering though if the amp will drive orthostatics as well as dynamics.


 
  
 It's got a 3000mw headphone amp (which sounds way beefier that just saying 3 watts). I don't recall seeing the specs into different impedances, but I think you'll be fine


----------



## eac3

Does anyone know when the second payment of the Geek Pulse payment plan would be invoiced? Jan 31st?


----------



## dsound

krikor said:


> It's got a 3000mw headphone amp (sounds so much more better than 3 watts). I don't recall seeing the specs into different impedances, but I think you'll be fine


 

 I think it's 3000mW @ 16Ohms.  So by my rough math that's 750mW into 64Ohms (for the Vanilla Pulse, not sure if the Pulse X's numbers differ).


----------



## walfredo

mcullinan said:


> So any comparisons to other DACs would be great. Im on the fence... The Sabre DAC is thin sounding per my experience with a lack of detail and loss of instrument attack/decay. These issues were present on both the Yulong and Resonessence I owned.
> 
> Is the Dac warm, full with lots of detail and decay.


 
  
 The Pulse is incredibly detailed.  But it is lean and somewhat cold.  Definitely not warm.


----------



## doctorjazz

axelcloris said:


> Femto will help for every input, including USB. My GO SE has femto clocks and there were immediately obvious changes when I listened against the 1000. Thanks to Larry I'm now a believer in the power of a well implemented femto.




I'll second the difference in the GO SE versus the 1k...not sure what other improvements went into SE, but it is waaaaaaaaaay better sounding than the 1k (which is pretty good sounding).


----------



## DSlayerZX

walfredo said:


> The Pulse is incredibly detailed.  But it is lean and somewhat cold.  Definitely not warm.


 
  
 well..... we can always add warmth to the system... but not detail XD


----------



## walfredo

axelcloris said:


> Femto will help for every input, including USB. My GO SE has femto clocks and there were immediately obvious changes when I listened against the 1000. Thanks to Larry I'm now a believer in the power of a well implemented femto.


 
  
 Alex, could you please elaborate on the improvement femto brought up?  
  
 I am enjoy my vanilla Pulse, but it is more cold/analytical than I'd prefer.  I wonder if any modification (femto, LPS, ...) would make it more musical/full bodied.  Or they are going to "improve" by adding even more detail.


----------



## uncola

Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in.  Went for movin on up to go from X to Xfi.  These femto clocks and opamp upgrades better be audible


----------



## AxelCloris

walfredo said:


> The Pulse is incredibly detailed.  But it is lean and somewhat cold.  Definitely not warm.


 
  
 What I heard last night I wouldn't really call cold, but you're right that it's definitely not a warm sound. My first impressions where that it's a neutral DAC/amp, which is excellent. If you want coloration you can add a different amp or EQ to get the desired effect. If a DAC is too analytical or too warm it's often harder to get the sound you want. With a neutral DAC it's not difficult at all. I'll see how it changes with some burn-in.
  


dslayerzx said:


> well..... we can always add warmth to the system... but not detail XD


 
  
 Also true.


----------



## FayeForever

bitsnbytes said:


> May I ask how the non-LPS power supply is working for you? How does it compare to the stock one that came with the pulse?
> 
> BTW, what's the plug size...thinking of a DIY project


 
  
 Compared both for another fellow Head-fier this morning, the difference is very noticeable. The switching power is plain, dull, lifeless in comparison, the bass is also weaker.
  
 OD 5.5 ID 2.1 I believe.


----------



## walfredo

fayeforever said:


> bitsnbytes said:
> 
> 
> > May I ask how the non-LPS power supply is working for you? How does it compare to the stock one that came with the pulse?
> ...


 
  
 This sounds interesting.  I could use a bit more life in my Pulse.   Thanks for sharing FayeForever.


----------



## Maelob

eac3 said:


> Does anyone know when the second payment of the Geek Pulse payment plan would be invoiced? Jan 31st?



sometime i jan i was told by lH labs


----------



## walfredo

walfredo said:


> fayeforever said:
> 
> 
> > bitsnbytes said:
> ...


 
  
 Question on LPS for the Geek:  The wallwart that comes with it is rated at 12V 2A.  But looking at the pictures of Geek LPS, it says 1.2 A.  Therefore I conclude that 1.2 A is enough, right?


----------



## jaywillin

just got a shipping notice for my lps4


----------



## AxelCloris

jaywillin said:


> just got a shipping notice for my lps4


 
  
 Ooooh, yay! Hopefully it won't be too long before I have the LPS to pair with my Pulse. Mine's a 4, so I've been waiting for confirmation that they're shipping those.


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> just got a shipping notice for my lps4


 
 Excellent! Won't be long now!


----------



## mscott58

jaywillin said:


> just got a shipping notice for my lps4


 
 Sweet! Now I'm only like 1000th in line...


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> Ooooh, yay! Hopefully it won't be too long before I have the LPS to pair with my Pulse. Mine's a 4, so I've been waiting for confirmation that they're shipping those.


 
  
  


longbowbbs said:


> Excellent! Won't be long now!


 
 now i just need something to plug into it


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> axelcloris said:
> 
> 
> > Ooooh, yay! Hopefully it won't be too long before I have the LPS to pair with my Pulse. Mine's a 4, so I've been waiting for confirmation that they're shipping those.
> ...


 
 I will plug the GO into it for a start. Someday the Pulse will arrive....


----------



## jaywillin

i sold my GO for some reason, i just should have held on to it


----------



## chartwell85

New perks have been posted along with some more LightSpeed 10G's
  
 http://bit.ly/LS10GS


----------



## mscott58

chartwell85 said:


> New perks have been posted along with some more LightSpeed 10G's
> 
> http://bit.ly/LS10GS


 
 Casey - Thanks for the heads-up! Now I get to do a shoot-out of my 10G split (from Black Friday which I love and is reference in my system currently) and the 10G standard (from this batch). Might come down to what color I like best! Cheers - Michael


----------



## mscott58

Only 3 of the 0.8M's left now (out of 14). Plenty of 1.6M and 3.8M's though (at the proportionately higher price of course).


----------



## mscott58

mscott58 said:


> Only 3 of the 0.8M's left now (out of 14). Plenty of 1.6M and 3.8M's though (at the proportionately higher price of course).


 
 And now they're gone!


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> New perks have been posted along with some more LightSpeed 10G's
> 
> http://bit.ly/LS10GS


 
 i just received notice that my lps4 has been shipped, so now i'm only interested in one more perk !


----------



## mcullinan

-


----------



## Maelob

After i sold my Benchmark and Bel Canto amp to pay for the GEEK perks, I just got a used GO 450 to drive my Alpha Dogs with a new Emotiva a-100 for 189 to drive my speakers, and to be honest I am having fun with it. So no hurry for me LOL I will probably get my stuff who knows when.  These cheap buys make me feel guilty about spending close to 2k on Geek stuff, I will be waiting patiently.


----------



## miceblue

Compared to the ODAC (ES9023 DAC)/O2, the Geek Out sounds a bit warmer. I'm expecting the Pulse Xfi to have a similar sound to the GO but more refined in the treble hopefully as I find the GO's treble to have a bit too much bite/brightness to my ears.

I guess it depends on your personal preferences. I don't find the GO to sound lean at all.


----------



## head-hi

fayeforever said:


> Compared both for another fellow Head-fier this morning, the difference is very noticeable. The switching power is plain, dull, lifeless in comparison, the bass is also weaker.
> 
> OD 5.5 ID 2.1 I believe.


 

 I was curious about this, also. Where can I purchase this unit? I've already got a Teradak USB decrapifier kit (the Wyrd doesn't work with the Pulse for me).


----------



## vhsownsbeta

THD explanation video up
  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2enmDDzVKww


----------



## mscott58

vhsownsbeta said:


> THD explanation video up
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2enmDDzVKww


 
 Good video from Larry and Gavin. Hope it helps answer some questions, I know it did mine.


----------



## miceblue

vhsownsbeta said:


> THD explanation video up
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2enmDDzVKww



Why is the THD reading on that with the Pulse Xfi + LPS and balanced output higher than the THD reported here with the Pulse fi without the LPS and unbalanced output?

[video]http://youtu.be/HIAqtblSmjQ?t=7m5s[/video]


----------



## mandrake50

Because they are selling something now ..in addition the Xfi....
  
 ??
 It has to be better, it is more money...right?
  
 Can you hear it?? He mentions that we should not get lost in the specs.. It is about the music...
 So, is it worth the upgrade to an Xfi and $168 ??
  
 If you are a obsessive compulsive audio freak with lots of disposal income... sure!
 If you are insecure if you can't say that you have the "best"  sure!
 If not, maybe not.
 The question is...can you hear it?? Who knows... no one has had the opportunity.


----------



## llama_egg

Welp, I caved. Only time will tell if it was a silly choice or not!


----------



## kenshinhimura

llama_egg said:


> Welp, I caved. Only time will tell if it was a silly choice or not!


 
 well the X-fi has been reviewed at least, so i wouldn't worry that much. good luck.


----------



## llama_egg

kenshinhimura said:


> well the X-fi has been reviewed at least, so i wouldn't worry that much. good luck.


 

 Really? I thought only the vanilla Pulse has seen the light of day?


----------



## AxelCloris

llama_egg said:


> Really? I thought only the vanilla Pulse has seen the light of day?


 
  
 Check out Eric's review.
 http://headphone.guru/geek-pulse/


----------



## longbowbbs

Watching the THD video reminds me I am Pulseless again...


----------



## walfredo

>


 
  
  
Questions on LPS for the Geek:  

1.  The wallwart that comes with it is rated at 12V 2A.  But looking at the pictures of Geek LPS, it says 1.2 A.  So I conclude that 12V 1.2 A is enough.  Right? 
  
2.  Would a battery would be as good as LPS?


----------



## FayeForever

1. Yes
 2. Not necessarily.


----------



## AxelCloris

Time for my day 2 impressions! Like day 1 these are simple and quick impressions.

 First thing that immediately jumps out over yesterday is the low end. It's starting to fill out in a very pleasing way. No, it's not a warm sound but it's gaining body and it's producing a sound that sounds more complete compared to yesterday. At the moment I'm listening to Rinzler from Daft Punk's Tron: Legacy soundtrack and it's close to how I want to hear the song every time. It's not quite there though. Further burn-in may help or maybe I need the LPS/4 to pair with the Pulse to get that extra bit of low end.

 Highs seem to have improved as well. I'm getting a bit more detail but not a dramatic improvement over yesterday. Still, improvement is improvement. Along with the highs I'm noticing a small improvement in the separation. It's not currently up to the separation quality of my GO SE but honestly I don't expect that from the base Pulse. Soundstage is about the same as yesterday but the separation helps place instruments better within it. Overall it sounds like the last 24 hours of burn-in have been kind to my Pulse.

 To any current Pulse owners I do have a recommendation. Listen to _Here We Go Again_ by Ray Charles and Norah Jones. I very much like it on the Pulse.

 So to re-emphasize my earlier point,* i**f you're considering the Pulse you should stop deliberating and back it*. There are only a few days remaining at the crowdfunding pricing so get it while you can get the better price. On sound alone I feel that the Pulse hits well above the $400 price point. Then once you factor in the Pulse's additional features it's a no-brainer. At its current $400 price tag the Geek Pulse is an absolute steal.


----------



## walfredo

fayeforever said:


> 1. Yes
> 2. Not necessarily.


 

 Please elaborate, FayeForever.  I thought the point of a LPS was to provide constant DC (instead of switched at a high frequency).  A battery does the same, doesn't it?
  
 Thanks,
 Walfredo


----------



## FayeForever

walfredo said:


> Please elaborate, FayeForever.  I thought the point of a LPS was to provide constant DC (instead of switched at a high frequency).  A battery does the same, doesn't it?
> 
> Thanks,
> Walfredo


 

 Generally speaking the battery is not as liner as regulated LPS, has higher output impedance, not worth the hassle IMO.
 You can definitely try it out.


----------



## miceblue

I have some good news for original Pulse backers.
http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=475#47343


> Larry Ho said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Although my questions are still largely unanswered, Larry did reply:


> Really? We only promise 0.5% there?
> 
> Damn, I use 0.1% grade here for everyone.



and
http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=475#47345


> [quote="Larry Ho" post=47345] You are 99% correct but one thing: We will use best grade of MELF resistor here. At least 0.05% grade or better to get the number done.
> 
> Then your question might be: What is the original Geek Pulse Xfi people got? They already got the MELF resistor from Vishay.
> 
> ...


[/quote]
[/quote]


----------



## Levanter

Original Xfi?
So what resistors are the current/new Xfi getting?

Or are all Xfi members now getting the MELP Vishay resistors?


----------



## uncola

sweet, thanks for following up on that Miceblue.  oh well I'm now in the Xfi camp so I hope I get the majority of the cool stuff now


----------



## miceblue

levanter said:


> Original Xfi?
> So what resistors are the current/new Xfi getting?
> 
> Or are all Xfi members now getting the MELP Vishay resistors?



Good question, and I'm not sure.
The $1M perk was for the original backers I believe, so those folks will be getting the 0.1% resistors. For the THD perk, it sounds like LH will be using 0.05% resistors.

What I still don't understand are the THD numbers reported from the THD video that was just posted on YouTube.


miceblue said:


> vhsownsbeta said:
> 
> 
> > THD explanation video up
> ...





For newer backers from the Forever Funding campaign, I don't know what resistors are being used. As for those videos, I don't know if the Pulse fi unit used in that video is a $1M board, or Forever Funding board and vice versa for the board used in the THD video. As I stated though, the THD numbers in the Pulse fi with unbalanced outputs video are lower than the ones from the THD video when using the Pulse Xfi + LPS with balanced outputs, which is disconcerting news to me as an original Pulse Xfi backer.


----------



## bitsnbytes

walfredo said:


> [COLOR=222222]Questions on LPS for the Geek:  [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]1.  The wallwart that comes with it is rated at 12V 2A.  But looking at the pictures of Geek LPS, it says 1.2 A.  So I conclude that 12V 1.2 A is enough.  Right? [/COLOR]
> 
> [COLOR=222222]2.  Would a battery would be as good as LPS? [/COLOR]




I'm not an EE but the amp rating from the PSU should at least match the equipment's requirement (on the Pulse). The 1.2a means you need to have a PSU with at least 1.2a (you can go 1.5a or 2.0a etc) but don't go overboard with something like 5 etc unless the psu is powering other equipment at the same time. 

Battery--different makes will have different discharges and when you are nearly drained of juice it will drop quickly. If you use rechargeables, the juice is usually less than rated and they degrade with use.

Those more knowledgeable than I please correct me.


----------



## bitsnbytes

head-hi said:


> I was curious about this, also. Where can I purchase this unit? I've already got a Teradak USB decrapifier kit (the Wyrd doesn't work with the Pulse for me).




eBay is your friend


----------



## uncola

Just noticed the mu metal shield on the pulse xfi boards in the new thd explanation video.. looks pretty cool..


----------



## ejong7

Im ready to plunge in. Should i get thd 1G perk as well or is it included. And can anybody teach me how do i get from pulse>xfi>thd perk? Thanks!


----------



## vhsownsbeta

ejong7 said:


> Im ready to plunge in. Should i get thd 1G perk as well or is it included. And can anybody teach me how do i get from pulse>xfi>thd perk? Thanks!


 
  
 1. Join 'Geek Force' at http://lhlabs.com/force/index
  
 2. Go to Geek Pulse indiegogo page at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-audio-a-crowdsourced-high-rez-sound-system
  
 3. Select 'GFO Geek Pulse $399'
  
 4. Select 'Movin' On Up $4' then on next page add $502 to total $506
  
 5. Select 'THD Performance Upgrade Pkg $168'
  
 Done.
  
 No 1G included for late backers.
  
 I don't necessarily think the 1G cables are any better than many others.
  
 You will need two cables if you intend to use the LPS's functionality in cleaning the USB signal from your computer to the Pulse.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have a 'Geeky' Christmas everybody! 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## Phishin Phool

I know the info is buried here somewhere or on the site but sometimes it easier just to ask- is the line out on the pulse active when headphones are plugged in or only when they are not  (either/or   or   both active)? Thanks.


----------



## mscott58

Both are active, no link to disconnect one when the other is active as that circuitry risked interference with the signal and SQ. Lots of talk about this in the LHL forum.


----------



## Phishin Phool

Thanks - I knew I saw it mentioned before but couldn't remember the answer and wasn't sure where and feeling a little lazy today - that is good news though as I prefer that.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> Both are active, no link to disconnect one when the other is active as that circuitry risked interference with the signal and SQ. Lots of talk about this in the LHL forum.


 
 Are you going for the XfiSE?


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> Time for my day 2 impressions! Like day 1 these are simple and quick impressions.
> 
> First thing that immediately jumps out over yesterday is the low end. It's starting to fill out in a very pleasing way. No, it's not a warm sound but it's gaining body and it's producing a sound that sounds more complete compared to yesterday. At the moment I'm listening to Rinzler from Daft Punk's Tron: Legacy soundtrack and it's close to how I want to hear the song every time. It's not quite there though. Further burn-in may help or maybe I need the LPS/4 to pair with the Pulse to get that extra bit of low end.
> 
> ...


 

 Brian,
  
 What USB cable are you currently using with the Pulse?


----------



## AxelCloris

germay0653 said:


> Brian,
> 
> What USB cable are you currently using with the Pulse?


 
  
 Lightspeed 1G.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Are you going for the XfiSE?  :evil:




Nope, just the lowly Xfit for me! You?

Loving my K10's by the way. Listening them right now poolside in the Bahamas!


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Nope, just the lowly Xfit for me! You?
> 
> Loving my K10's by the way. Listening them right now poolside in the Bahamas!


 
  
 Which pool? I quite liked the one that was near the locker area. Not a lot of people there.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Are you going for the XfiSE?
> ...


 
 Very sweet!  I am going with the XfiT as well. Other things on my shopping list...(Just dropped some at Brooks Brothers...)


----------



## walfredo

bitsnbytes said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > Questions on LPS for the Geek:
> ...


 
  
 That is my understanding too.  But I could not find the Pulse equipment requirements.  So, I am using the output of the LPS as an indicator of that.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Welp... looks like I am a bit too late.
  
 Got a Bonus check that is a lot higher than I expected, so I had some spare spending money
  
 But looks like the THD perk is completely sold out.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Which pool? I quite liked the one that was near the locker area. Not a lot of people there.


 
 I was right near the kids "Splasher" pool (a scene of great craziness) and that all the more testament to the isolation powers of the K10's! Was off in my own little space listening to well recorded music. Went from Bollywood (Lagan soundtrack), to metal (Ministry) to Prog Rock (Peter Gabriel). All good. 
  
 Can't wait to be powering my Noble's with my Geek Wave Ultimate CF instead of my X3/Arrow 4T combo!
  
 Cheers and Happy Holidays everyone!


----------



## jbr1971

mscott58 said:


> Nope, just the lowly Xfit for me! You?
> 
> Loving my K10's by the way. Listening them right now poolside in the Bahamas!


 
  
 I have the K10 Universals and they sound great with my Korg ds-dac-100. I can only imagine how much better they will sound with my Pulse.
  
 The isolation has been great listening to my Fiio X5 on airplanes.


----------



## mscott58

jbr1971 said:


> I have the K10 Universals and they sound great with my Korg ds-dac-100. I can only imagine how much better they will sound with my Pulse.
> 
> The isolation has been great listening to my Fiio X5 on airplanes.


 
 Totally agree. The pool was in a kids area and thus lots of noise, but yet I was in my own little 'cocoon of sound' with my K10's! Cheers and happy listening


----------



## ejong7

Got the pulse>movin up xfi. Waiting to see if there's a THD package again. If I were to get the 1G Cable could I ask them to delay the shipment until the xfi is done?


----------



## Levanter

ejong7 said:


> Got the pulse>movin up xfi. Waiting to see if there's a THD package again. If I were to get the 1G Cable could I ask them to delay the shipment until the xfi is done?


 
  
 Nope, i asked before and gotten no as the answer. Wanted to ship both together to save cost but oh well..


----------



## ejong7

Okay. That kinda suck a little. Double international shipping is not something im looking for. Any good substitute from other brands for the 1G?


----------



## vhsownsbeta

ejong7 said:


> Okay. That kinda suck a little. Double international shipping is not something im looking for. Any good substitute from other brands for the 1G?




If 1G is your price range try Wireworld ultraviolet

http://www.wireworldcable.com/hi-res-digital-audio-cables.html


----------



## Ultimate Mango

I am a glutton for punishment and did the moving on up from X to Xfi. Best I can figure that moves me to the end of the shipping list. Maybe for Christmas 2015?


----------



## Zenifyx

ultimate mango said:


> I am a glutton for punishment and did the moving on up from X to Xfi. Best I can figure that moves me to the end of the shipping list. Maybe for Christmas 2015?


 
  
 Still gonna be ahead of us THD perk backers =P
 Hopefully not 2016


----------



## Ultimate Mango

zenifyx said:


> Still gonna be ahead of us THD perk backers =P
> Hopefully not 2016 :blink:


I thought about grabbing THD spot 99 but thought better of it. The X was all I really need but given that I may just sell it having Xfi would be crucial for resale value. I did the original pulse campaign, then the X upgrade, and now with the addition of fi upgrade I should be able to get my money out of it with a sale.


----------



## ejong7

vhsownsbeta said:


> If 1G is your price range try Wireworld ultraviolet
> 
> http://www.wireworldcable.com/hi-res-digital-audio-cables.html




Thanks for replying most of my queries btw. Erm ill look into it. Might be different range in the UK


----------



## smial1966

Don't forget the 30% taxation for UK purchasers to account for VAT duty and the obligatory courier/delivery charge too. Which kind of sours any deal, so please be aware of these punitive surcharges. 




ejong7 said:


> Okay. That kinda suck a little. Double international shipping is not something im looking for. Any good substitute from other brands for the 1G?


----------



## ejong7

smial1966 said:


> Don't forget the 30% taxation for UK purchasers to account for VAT duty and the obligatory courier/delivery charge too. Which kind of sours any deal, so please be aware of these punitive surcharges.




Yeah i took account that. Made me debate about getting the pulse but at the movin up perk price its too good that I'm willing to risk it. Probably search some alternative for the lps and cable. Lps is optionL anyways.


----------



## uncola

Wasn't there going to be an announcement tonight?  Or no?
  
 referring to this post: http://www.lhlabs.com/force/announcements/2887-holiday-break#47470
  
 "PS - We're 24 hours into our 48 hour Geek Pulse update hiatus. We'll have something very special to tell you tomorrow evening."


----------



## bhazard

No more perks, just get me my Xfi+THD soon


----------



## vhsownsbeta

So who wants to get naked?

_Naked Resistors

We’ve decided to release one more part of the Signature Edition as an upgrade to Geek Pulse Xfi. Tomorrow only, you can choose to replace four of Geek Pulse Xfi’s current to voltage resistors with TX2725 discrete “naked” resistors. These bad little mamma-jamma's are known by audiophiles to provide the most transparent sound due to the fact that they're completely non-inductive. Each pair will be hand matched and attached to the board using WBT Silver solder._


----------



## ejong7

My wallet is getting naked inside.


----------



## Anaximandros

The most interesting announcement is the soon to be crowd designed headphone amplifier. Larry told us, that the headphone amp inside  the Pulse Xfi is already ridiciously good and that it is going to be very hard to beat.
  
 Lets see, if there may be a tube version.


----------



## Boban85

How much of a difference can those new resistors to make? Perhaps someone with experience in resistor rolling or knowledge of the Naked TX2725 can chime in  Thanks!


----------



## bitsnbytes

Anyone willing to hazard how much the resistors will set us back?

Anyway, I find the WBT silver solder for the resistors gimmicky...unless they use it throughout the board.


----------



## FayeForever

For the headphone amp in the Xfi, I wouldn't expect it to perform better than HDVD800, which also used TPA6120A2.


----------



## miceblue

bitsnbytes said:


> Anyone willing to hazard how much the resistors will set us back?
> 
> Anyway, I find the WBT silver solder for the resistors gimmicky...unless they use it throughout the board.



My guess is that the perk will cost around $100. I think the TX2575 resistors are around $15 a piece maximum.


----------



## bitsnbytes

anaximandros said:


> The most interesting announcement is the soon to be crowd designed headphone amplifier. Larry told us, that the headphone amp inside  the Pulse Xfi is already ridiciously good and that it is going to be very hard to beat.
> 
> Lets see, if there may be a tube version.




I think you're right. I remember that a tube hpa is in their roadmap.


----------



## bitsnbytes

miceblue said:


> My guess is that the perk will cost around $100. I think the TX2575 resistors are around $15 a piece maximum.




Thanks for the reference.

I'd have a think about it if it's $100. Some how, the gimmicky "WBT silver solder" makes me think it's going to be north of that.


----------



## dclaz

As much as I would love a heavily upgraded Xfi, I think I have to draw the line here.


----------



## head-hi

Should I upgrade my sfi to xfi for $168? I know the difference, just need some feedback.


----------



## labjr

bitsnbytes said:


> Anyone willing to hazard how much the resistors will set us back?
> 
> Anyway, I find the WBT silver solder for the resistors gimmicky...unless they use it throughout the board.




Gavin likes to sugar-coat everything.


----------



## miceblue

bitsnbytes said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > My guess is that the perk will cost around $100. I think the TX2575 resistors are around $15 a piece maximum.
> ...



$129. Close enough.
Still not going to get it. It'll probably delay the shipping another half a year.


----------



## DSlayerZX

still debating oh whether I should get the THD + Resister perk....
  
 since my friend just reminded me....
  
 at 129 + 168...
  
  
 That's the cost of the the intro price of the Geek pulse.....


----------



## Levanter

Just woke up and immediately jumped on the naked perk lol.
Damn I have really spent more than what I initially plan to on the Xfi. This should definitely be my last pledge into this campaign...


----------



## bitsnbytes

miceblue said:


> $129. Close enough.
> Still not going to get it. It'll probably delay the shipping another half a year.




I know exactly how you feel...but I got it grudgingly. I think mine is already delayed till summer with the THD.


----------



## Anaximandros

dslayerzx said:


> still debating oh whether I should get the THD + Resister perk....
> 
> since my friend just reminded me....
> 
> ...




You mean that's nearly the Pulse X during the black Friday time. GFOX $299. 

I can easily ignore the THD and resistor upgrades. THD is important, but the Pulse Xfi is tested very well and I somehow doubt, that 4 resistors are going to have a huge impact on the SQ. We are way beyond the point of dismishing return for both upgrades. 

Another force member was comparing the resistor upgrade to high end cables and that's where I laughed a bit and deleted even the smallest thought about backing up the resistor upgrade.


----------



## bitsnbytes

head-hi said:


> Should I upgrade my sfi to xfi for $168? I know the difference, just need some feedback.




Only you can truly answer that.

I got the X version because I have balanced cans, and I think it's worth it. It will at least make your Pulse a bit more future proof. I think the latest upgrade perk for $168 is cheaper than what I paid.

BTW if you decide to upgrade and need balanced cans, I will be letting go a nicely modded AKG that's being replaced by an expected LCD from the Old Friends perk :-D


----------



## mandrake50

But he said that different cables made significant differences in sound... or so he thought.
 Not up for the naked resistors I am afraid.


----------



## mandrake50

bitsnbytes said:


> Only you can truly answer that.
> 
> I got the X version because I have balanced cans, and I think it's worth it. It will at least make your Pulse a bit more future proof. I think the latest upgrade perk for $168 is cheaper than what I paid.
> 
> BTW if you decide to upgrade and need balanced cans, I will be letting go a nicely modded AKG that's being replaced by an expected LCD from the Old Friends perk :-D


 

 Don't let your AKG go too soon. I have been waiting almost 7 weeks for the HE 560s from them to show up.
 No one has even contacted me for confirmation, nor have I got an invoice for shipping.  A bit disheartening...


----------



## bitsnbytes

anaximandros said:


> You mean that's nearly the Pulse X during the black Friday time. GFOX $299.
> 
> I can easily ignore the THD and resistor upgrades. THD is important, but the Pulse Xfi is tested very well and I somehow doubt, that 4 resistors are going to have a huge impact on the SQ. We are way beyond the point of dismishing return for both upgrades.
> 
> Another force member was comparing the resistor upgrade to high end cables and that's where I laughed a bit and deleted even the smallest thought about backing up the resistor upgrade.




I can barely resist (pardon the pun). I thought about modding it myself for $60 in parts but it would null the warranty and I'd probably burn myself.


----------



## bitsnbytes

mandrake50 said:


> Don't let your AKG go too soon. I have been waiting almost 7 weeks for the HE 560s from them to show up.
> No one has even contacted me for confirmation, nor have I got an invoice for shipping.  A bit disheartening...




I feel for you.

I guess I don't need to tell you the 560s are awesome, and worth every penny at the retail price (and maybe a bit more). You are going to absolutely love them.


----------



## mandrake50

Thanks!!!
 I really think that, had I known that there would have been this kind of delay, I just would have ordered them directly form Hifiman or other stocking dealer.. I would have had them and been able to listen to them for the last 6 weeks


----------



## M3NTAL

Now we need another name creation!   XFITTX2725 -  Or just called it the Playboy/Penthouse/Hustler


----------



## labjr

The problem is every time you add an option, it adds months of delay to an already long overdue product. All they have to do is keep adding perks and you'll never get it. Should be called Forever Paying or Forever Waiting.


----------



## miceblue

bitsnbytes said:


> I guess I don't need to tell you the 560s are awesome, and worth every penny at the retail price (and maybe a bit more). You are going to absolutely love them.



Until you hear the entry-level STAX system at 2/3 the price. : p





labjr said:


> Should be called Forever Paying or Forever Waiting.



I LOLed at that. Nice one.


----------



## bitsnbytes

miceblue said:


> Until you hear the entry-level STAX system at 2/3 the price. : p




Please! I don't want to know!! LOL

Seriously, those who got the HE560 bundle got a great deal. If either the Pulse Xfitr or HFM will show up


----------



## snip3r77

That's why I'm not adding anything on my xfi . I max out last year and still waiting for it lol


----------



## Levanter

Is the Xfi last year and the current campaign exactly the same internally?
THD and Naked resistor aside.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Yes they are.... the only difference are these new perks now...


----------



## Levanter

eliwankenobi said:


> Yes they are.... the only difference are these new perks now...


 
  
 lol now to see if they'll return back the extra upgrades on the Geek Wave which they did on the 1st campaign to their current forever campaign...


----------



## hemtmaker

Is everyone getting the LPS? It seems quite long and I wonder how much improvements can be heard. Also, I am torn btw X and Xfi......help please


----------



## uncola

no lps for me.  just xfi.  I can always get an LPS later from a third party but the femto and opamp upgrade is something I can't easily do myself


----------



## Zenifyx

hemtmaker said:


> Is everyone getting the LPS? It seems quite long and I wonder how much improvements can be heard. Also, I am torn btw X and Xfi......help please


 
  
 Think about it this way, for an extra $218 you will get a feature (femto) that is only present in DACs thrice the price you paid for your Xfi. 
 It all depends on how much value you would place on the femto and opamp upgrades.


----------



## bitsnbytes

hemtmaker said:


> Is everyone getting the LPS? It seems quite long and I wonder how much improvements can be heard. Also, I am torn btw X and Xfi......help please




As previously mentioned you can go 3rd party. I personally didn't get the LPS. Yes, an external linear power helps.

X to Xfi...the current Moving On Up deal is good IMO. But as others implied, this might put you at the back of the line. I wish I had known about the Moving perk earlier and saved a lot of dough...the perks updates just keeps 'moving' . Ultimately it's your hard earned cash and time so I/we can't advise if you should go for it.


----------



## hemtmaker

uncola said:


> no lps for me.  just xfi.  I can always get an LPS later from a third party but the femto and opamp upgrade is something I can't easily do myself


 
  
  


zenifyx said:


> Think about it this way, for an extra $218 you will get a feature (femto) that is only present in DACs thrice the price you paid for your Xfi.
> It all depends on how much value you would place on the femto and opamp upgrades.


 
  
  


bitsnbytes said:


> As previously mentioned you can go 3rd party. I personally didn't get the LPS. Yes, an external linear power helps.
> 
> X to Xfi...the current Moving On Up deal is good IMO. But as others implied, this might put you at the back of the line. I wish I had known about the Moving perk earlier and saved a lot of dough...the perks updates just keeps 'moving' . Ultimately it's your hard earned cash and time so I/we can't advise if you should go for it.


 
  
 Thank for all the inputs. I am getting confused with the "move on up". Doesn't Pulse Xfi costs $1399? If I first get the standard Pulse ($399) then select the "move up" to xfi with $506. Isn't that significantly cheaper? I haven't bought any perks yet btw. Thanks


----------



## Zenifyx

hemtmaker said:


> Thank for all the inputs. I am getting confused with the "move on up". Doesn't Pulse Xfi costs $1399? If I first get the standard Pulse ($399) then select the "move up" to xfi with $506. Isn't that significantly cheaper? I haven't bought any perks yet btw. Thanks


 
  
 Yes, it is.
 The current best deal for the Xfi is getting the base Pulse, then the Movin' On Up perk for a total of $399+506.


----------



## hemtmaker

zenifyx said:


> Yes, it is.
> The current best deal for the Xfi is getting the base Pulse, then the Movin' On Up perk for a total of $399+506.


 
  
 Thanks. I will go for it then. By the way, should I do $4 + $506 for the upgrade? Or $4 + $502? Thanks


----------



## Boban85

$4 + $502 for an overall of $506.


----------



## hemtmaker

Cheers. I bit the bullet and ordered a Geek Pulse Xfi. Hopefully it sounds miles better than my AK240 =)


----------



## bitsnbytes

hemtmaker said:


> Cheers. I bit the bullet and ordered a Geek Pulse Xfi. Hopefully it sounds miles better than my AK240 =)




Congrats! You can now agonize in the wait with the rest of us


----------



## hemtmaker

....... yeah, patience is not my strong point....... anyways, i read from the LHlab forum that when the geek pulse is turned on, the volume is set to 0 dB. Isn't that a crazy idea if people leave their headphones plugged in?


----------



## Ranza

When you upgrade to Xfi, I think the internal is already good enough, the naked resistor look more like a " bait " for ppl have too much money and don't know where to spend it.


----------



## pauldgroot

Same here, I also think that the naked Xfi is close to being overkill for me so the upgrades would most definately be. I hope it will be possible to get a objective answer since people who invested 300 extra dollars into it want to hear a (big) difference.


----------



## miceblue

Well I decided to go for the naked resistor upgrade after all. A local Head-Fier will be getting the regular Pulse Xfi, so we can make comparisons between the two units. Doubt I can hear a difference between the two but Larry said the resistors would improve the IMD performance.


----------



## BobJS

I am SURE nobody here wants to hear this, but I came SO close to pulling the trigger (from scratch... I'm not in at all) on a brand new pulse plus perk upgrade to Xfi.
  
 Upon closer browsing of this thread, I see how long people have been waiting and on how this seems to be a moving target, and it just smacks of 'Ponzi' scheme.
  
 Anyway, I'm just glad I showed some restraint for once in my life.... for all your sakes I hope I'm way off base here.
  
 Good luck!


----------



## pauldgroot

Yeah but all values should already be under the hearing thresholds. Still, interested to read about your comparisons.


----------



## Incognito73

Over a year waiting time for DAC is a long lifespan. It's rapidly changing, ever developing technology (compared to other HiFi venues) and prices are going down. These days you can buy pretty much transparent DAC for decent sum and competition is already doing some rather interesting things. There is a danger that when Geek is out it would not be "geekish" enough or competent any more. It's pure principle based on rapidly developing DAC market. I guess that VFM for early backers is absolutely fine, but people jumping late into the game may think twice actually.
  
 Don't get me wrong. Not trying to bash LH Labs. It's just general perspective about the DAC market and funding the DAC projects in general. Let alone immense waiting time.


----------



## doctorjazz

Last few minutes of offer, whew! Actually already in for Soul Tube, took all my will power to hold off getting the Xfi with upgrades, especially since the step up deal. If I can get through the next few hours...working this morning, probably keep me too busy to obsess over it until it's over.


----------



## longbowbbs

I think we should come up with a Geek Pulse Perk version of 12 Days of Christmas......
  
 "Five Naked Resistors!"
  
  
 (You know you read it like the song!)


----------



## kenshinhimura

bobjs said:


> I am SURE nobody here wants to hear this, but I came SO close to pulling the trigger (from scratch... I'm not in at all) on a brand new pulse plus perk upgrade to Xfi.
> 
> Upon closer browsing of this thread, I see how long people have been waiting and on how this seems to be a moving target, and it just smacks of 'Ponzi' scheme.
> 
> ...


 

 i wouldn't say that exactly since people are receiving their regular versions already, but they are only doing about 20 units a day so it will take a while.


----------



## chartwell85

Just posted the latest update to the Geek Pulse campaign. All of the new perks are active for the FINAL day. Prices go up to retail at midnight tonight. Get what you can while you can. 

http://bit.ly/GeekPulseFinalDay


----------



## head-hi

chartwell85 said:


> Just posted the latest update to the Geek Pulse campaign. All of the new perks are active for the FINAL day. Prices go up to retail at midnight tonight. Get what you can while you can.
> 
> http://bit.ly/GeekPulseFinalDay


 

 Does the Movin' On Up option change your queue position?  I'm considering movin' my SFI up to XFI.


----------



## AxelCloris

Anyone else seriously interested in the Geek HPA? I've been waiting for that for a while. I'm hoping that Larry intends to use tubes and from what we were discussing at RMAF this year it seems highly probable.


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> Anyone else seriously interested in the Geek HPA? I've been waiting for that for a while. I'm hoping that Larry intends to use tubes and from what we were discussing at RMAF this year it seems highly probable.


 

 +100 to all of that!
 that's why I paid the $9 to get in on that info early and often.  
  
 I suspect the SS headphone amp in Xfi (thd + NakedResistor) will be pretty good by itself, and external Geek Tube HPA would be a great external component.
 but I'm not sure it would beat out my Lyr 2 !
 time will tell.


----------



## mandrake50

head-hi said:


> Does the Movin' On Up option change your queue position?  I'm considering movin' my SFI up to XFI.


 

 I have no direct knowledge of this, so take this in that light. When I upgraded, my thought was that I would be put to the tail end of the line...
 I think that they may treat it like a new order from a new (forever) campaign.
  
 I would love to be wrong on this... but I don't think that I am. I also went with the THD perk... so I now am thinking March or April 2015 for delivery.


----------



## monoxyde1234

so its the last day of the campaign and i've been on the fence if i should get the "movin' up perk" ever since it went live. i'm currently backing the base pulse and ive decided to stay where i'm at for a couple of reasons.
  
 i'm not exactly what you'd call a audiophile head-fier and still on the journey of refining my tastes/preferences to what my personal perfect sound is.
  
 while i do appreciate good sound and the technology behind these audio systems, i feel that my ears are still not experienced enough to go all in and appreciate, let alone, hear the improvements of TOTL gear therefore im holding on to my base pulse. i might be missing out on an outstanding deal at the moment but down the line, there's bound to be another campaign like this one, be it from lhlabs or a different company, and hopefully by that time, i'll be ready to go all in and enjoy the improvements.

 another reason is that, as many have said before, getting perks and upgrading means getting pushed back in line and having to wait a little bit longer. and well, i dont want to have to wait a little bit longer 

 sorry it got TL;DR, just want to share my 2 cents.

 P.S. if only the he-560 bundle came up before i bought mine, i probably end up upgrading to xfi


----------



## AxelCloris

To keep this thread focused on the Pulse I've made a thread for the HPA.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/747942/geek-hpa-by-lh-labs
  
 Back to your regularly scheduled Pulse talk.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

mandrake50 said:


> I have no direct knowledge of this, so take this in that light. When I upgraded, my thought was that I would be put to the tail end of the line...
> I think that they may treat it like a new order from a new (forever) campaign.
> 
> I would love to be wrong on this... but I don't think that I am. I also went with the THD perk... so I now am thinking March or April 2015 for delivery.




I wouldn't be so sure about being bumped for the THD or naked perk. Larry said on the LH forums that they are hiring someone to help undertake the work. 

http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=625#47898

It kind of makes sense that they would just get it done...

I don't think they will confirm/deny any of this because people would be upset either way.



axelcloris said:


> To keep this thread focused on the Pulse I've made a thread for the HPA.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/747942/geek-hpa-by-lh-labs
> 
> Back to your regularly scheduled Pulse talk.




It will be interesting to see what Larry does with this... See you in there.


----------



## mandrake50

monoxyde1234 said:


> P.S. if only the he-560 bundle came up before i bought mine, i probably end up upgrading to xfi


 
 That would definitely put you at the tail end of the line. You would also be still waiting for your 560s.
 This is making me unhappy. All they needed to do was get them from Hifiman and ship them. Closing on 8 weeks later... nothing!
  
 I tend to think your idea of staying with the standard Pulse is a good one. I was going to blow off the pulse completely until the 560 package.
 Then I decided to go with the X so I could run in balanced mode. Then moving on up... Oh well Xfi.. darn THD sounds so cool... go for that too.
 I did manage to keep my obsessive compulsive behavior in check enough to not go for the naked resistors...
  
 I can wait for the Pulse, but really, really wish I had my HE 560s!


----------



## miceblue

pauldgroot said:


> Yeah but all values should already be under the hearing thresholds. Still, interested to read about your comparisons.



Yeah, probably. My guess is that it won't make very much of a difference at all when volume-matched. >.>
I guess we'll see when I get mine. Either I was foolish to get it and delay the shipment of my Xfi, or it was a worthy investment and those four resistors actually do make a difference.

I'm not in a rush to get a new DAC since I've been busy with the OPPO HA-2.


----------



## doctorjazz

monoxyde1234 said:


> so its the last day of the campaign and i've been on the fence if i should get the "movin' up perk" ever since it went live. i'm currently backing the base pulse and ive decided to stay where i'm at for a couple of reasons.
> 
> i'm not exactly what you'd call a audiophile head-fier and still on the journey of refining my tastes/preferences to what my personal perfect sound is.
> 
> ...


----------



## digitalzed

head-hi said:


> Does the Movin' On Up option change your queue position?  I'm considering movin' my SFI up to XFI.


 

 I don't think so. There's been no mention that being part of the perk.


----------



## mandrake50

digitalzed said:


> I don't think so. There's been no mention that being part of the perk.


 

 AND, you think they would mention it ...and maybe reduce the money that they take in??
 Really ??
  
 And communications from LHL has been so perfect... everyone knows that is not the case.
 So think what you like... maybe it will make you feel better during your wait. But basing it on not hearing from LHL on it..
 Well it puts you on shaky ground!


----------



## digitalzed

mandrake50 said:


> AND, you think they would mention it ...and maybe reduce the money that they take in??
> Really ??
> 
> And communications from LHL has been so perfect... everyone knows that is not the case.
> So think what you like... maybe it will make you feel better during your wait.


 

 Actually, it could cause more money to flow in from those wanting to move up the line. Personally, I can't see how that would be part of the perk because it would cause mass hysteria with those early contributors still waiting for their units. You are where you are in the que.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

mandrake50 said:


> AND, you think they would mention it ...and maybe reduce the money that they take in??
> Really ??
> 
> And communications from LHL has been so perfect... everyone knows that is not the case.
> ...





digitalzed said:


> Actually, it could cause more money to flow in from those wanting to move up the line. Personally, I can't see how that would be part of the perk because it would cause mass hysteria with those early contributors still waiting for their units. You are where you are in the que.




Stand down, I think head-hi was talking about moving back in the queue and you are actually agreeing with each other.


----------



## chartwell85

Your queue position will not change.


----------



## longbowbbs

chartwell85 said:


> Your queue position will not change.


 
 Ahem... Casey...I have fresh donuts.....they are yours.....


----------



## mandrake50

chartwell85 said:


> Your queue position will not change.


 

 Now that solves this one.
 Glad to hear it. I really am!!!
 Some communication from the source..
 Good stuff !!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Thank You Casey!!


----------



## head-hi

chartwell85 said:


> Your queue position will not change.




Thanks for answering. You have my purchase.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I extra people were hired to do these thd and resistor upgrades, then the other staff working on shipping can continue uninterrupted. So yeah, I hope I still get my Pulse Xfi-nt (Pulse Supreme?) on time by february then...


----------



## jexby

chartwell85 said:


> Your queue position will not change.




Now this is some awesome news, thanks Casey!
Very glad to be in the THD and naked pool. Oh wait, that doesn't sound um proper.

Santa's elves are unemployed this time of year, so hand them a soldering iron and AP tester, bingo!


----------



## hemtmaker

"Special note: to order the Geek Pulse Xfi Signature Edition or the THD Performance Package, you must start from Pulse Xfi"


"which will give your Geek Pulse Xfi less than half the THD (distortion) of the standard Geek Pulse Xfi. This perk is only available on Geek Pulse Xfi. If you have a Geek Pulse model other than Xfi, you’ll need to upgrade first"


Guys, I am really confused. If I upgraded from Pulse to Pulse Xfi, can I select the THD package or not?


----------



## Anaximandros

Yes you can.


----------



## dclaz

Can I still get the HE-560 using the old friends perk (+$619) if I live in Australia? Or is there constraints on shipping?


----------



## Boban85

No constraints Dclaz on the HiFiMANs, you can still get them if you already have a Pulse on order by backing the Old Friends perk of $2 and adding additional $617.


----------



## dclaz

boban85 said:


> No constraints Dclaz on the HiFiMANs, you can still get them if you already have a Pulse on order by backing the Old Friends perk of $2 and adding additional $617.


 
 Wonderful. Thank you.


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> Your queue position will not change.



What about if I was an Xfi backer from the first campaign and decided to get the resistor upgrade from the current campaign? It's literally just the standard Pulse Xfi with the exception of the 4 resistors.

Also, on behalf of others who backed the THD perk, how will getting that perk affect their queue if they were also an original Xfi backer from the first campaign?


----------



## longbowbbs

Geez guys...
  
 and if I was on a train going 55 miles per hour on a Tuesday would the full moon impact my THD and OR my Nakedness, er Naked resistors?


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> Geez guys...
> 
> and if I was on a train going 55 miles per hour on a Tuesday would the full moon impact my THD and OR my Nakedness, er Naked resistors?


 
  
 I would think your nakedness would impact the full moon.


----------



## Lohb

This is one hot thread vs the others I'm subbed to !
 Think I'm just going to step back till they iron out all these supply and endless upgrade options... Looks like it will be a killer amp for planars though, with the current domain dual-mono amping.


----------



## chartwell85

THE FINAL Geek Pulse update has been posted and it's a really good one! Free is always good, right?

Give it a look let us know whatcha think! 

http://bit.ly/GeekPulseFinalDay


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> What about if I was an Xfi backer from the first campaign and decided to get the resistor upgrade from the current campaign? It's literally just the standard Pulse Xfi with the exception of the 4 resistors.
> 
> Also, on behalf of others who backed the THD perk, how will getting that perk affect their queue if they were also an original Xfi backer from the first campaign?




Queue position will not be affected THD and resistor backers will experience no delay in receiving their Pulse.


----------



## AxelCloris

For those who haven't checked their email or the IGG page:
  
 "Guys, we’re really thankful for your enthusiasm and support. As a token of our appreciation, we thought we’d give a little something-something away. This is what we came up with: A free LightSpeed 2G USB cable for every Geek Pulse Xfi backer who also backed the THD Performance Package Upgrade. By our calculation, that’s about $180,000 in gear we’re giving away. We hope you enjoy the LightSpeed cables very much."


----------



## eliwankenobi

I am so excited now after reading this update!!! A free 2G cable coming my way!!


----------



## Chefano

Im much more interested in delivery time...


----------



## alvin1118

ZBox CI320 (DAPHILE with DIY Walt Jung LPS) - USB 1G - Geek Pulse Powered by Jay's Audio LPS

  
  
 Had been using non-stop since Christmas Eve. Each day i listen to the music, it gives a big smile on my face!


----------



## eac3

That is great news. Now I can compare for myself how much of a difference it would be between 2G cable , 1G cable, 1G cables w/ LPS, 2G cable w/ LPS.


----------



## mandrake50

longbowbbs said:


> Geez guys...
> 
> and if I was on a train going 55 miles per hour on a Tuesday would the full moon impact my THD and OR my Nakedness, er Naked resistors?


 

 It would absolutely make a difference... possibly avoiding Armageddon.


----------



## mandrake50

eliwankenobi said:


> I am so excited now after reading this update!!! A free 2G cable coming my way!!


 

 Maybe dumb question..
 I have a decent regulated supply set at 12.9 V for the Pulse. I think the 2g cable is setup for using the LPS...
 I really like that they are going to include it... as a split cable, how would it work in a system with no LPS..??
  
 Thanks LHL !!


----------



## eliwankenobi

eac3 said:


> That is great news. Now I can compare for myself how much of a difference it would be between 2G cable , 1G cable, 1G cables w/ LPS, 2G cable w/ LPS.




Me too! I originally backed for a second 1G to use with LPS and the included 1G with the Pulse (now Xfint). With the 2G cable now included as part of the THD performance package, I can put my doubts at rest with my own testing..!! fun times coming ahead! Now the wait until probably March or even April


----------



## Chefano

Is that right, 1991 USD for the SE upgrade ?  Are you *** on me?


----------



## coletrain104

chefano said:


> Is that right, 1991 USD for the SE upgrade ?  Are you *** on me?


 
 Only 22 will exist. On the perk there is a link that should explain the difference between Xfi and Xfi SE


----------



## Lohb

****, so there is a cut-off date on buying one of these and it's today !


----------



## longbowbbs

lohb said:


> ****, so there is a cut-off date on buying one of these and it's today !


 
 They have been building towards today for some time now. At least you have a chance to think about it. I am done with the THD and Naked Resistors. I did get a free 2G cable! Nice last surprise for THD/NR backers!


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> They have been building towards today for some time now. At least you have a chance to think about it. I am done with the THD and Naked Resistors. I did get a free 2G cable! Nice last surprise for THD/NR backers!


 
  
 Just think, this is going to sound better than the Pulse Xfi we heard. Man... The free 2G cable is a very welcomed surprise as well.


----------



## eac3

longbowbbs said:


> They have been building towards today for some time now. At least you have a chance to think about it. I am done with the THD and Naked Resistors. I did get a free 2G cable! Nice last surprise for THD/NR backers!


 
  
 According to the update...a nice last surprise for only THD backers. You are covered but to avoid any last minute confusion.


----------



## Chefano

coletrain104 said:


> Only 22 will exist. On the perk there is a link that should explain the difference between Xfi and Xfi SE


 

 Ive read it.
 That price on a product nobody ever listened to its insane!!  If you sum the price you paid for the XSi (my case) with $1991 you start entering in the big dog dacs market.. Geezz


----------



## AxelCloris

chefano said:


> Ive read it.
> That price on a product nobody ever listened to its insane!!  If you sum the price you paid for the XSi (my case) with $1991 you start entering in the big dog dacs market.. Geezz


 
  
 Most haven't heard the Xfi and yet they're throwing down a large chunk of change for it. As someone who has heard the Xfi and as someone who owns one of Larry's signature devices I can assure you that once he works his magic the device will be in a league of its own. The improvement of the GO over the 1000 model is staggering, so I hope I get to hear one of the Pulse SE at some point.


----------



## Chefano

axelcloris said:


> Most haven't heard the Xfi and yet they're throwing down a large chunk of change for it. As someone who has heard the Xfi and as someone who owns one of Larry's signature devices I can assure you that once he works his magic the device will be in a league of its own. The improvement of the GO over the 1000 model is staggering, so I hope I get to hear one of the Pulse SE at some point.


 

 So, you are saying that an almost 4k device that uses opamps (that you can choose 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 LOL) will create a league of its own. 
 I can't wait


----------



## AxelCloris

chefano said:


> So, you are saying that an almost 4k device that uses opamps (that you can choose
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I absolutely am, if the GO SE is anything to go by. I have yet to find another device in the USB stick DAC/amp class that can outclass it.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > They have been building towards today for some time now. At least you have a chance to think about it. I am done with the THD and Naked Resistors. I did get a free 2G cable! Nice last surprise for THD/NR backers!
> ...


 
 The 2G is a great last minute surprise! It will be a welcome addition to the Listening room for sure!


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> For those who haven't checked their email or the IGG page:
> 
> "Guys, we’re really thankful for your enthusiasm and support. As a token of our appreciation, we thought we’d give a little something-something away. This is what we came up with: A free LightSpeed 2G USB cable for every Geek Pulse Xfi backer who also backed the THD Performance Package Upgrade. By our calculation, that’s about $180,000 in gear we’re giving away. We hope you enjoy the LightSpeed cables very much."




Holy cow that is an amazing surprise from LH Lab crew!

Thanks Gavin, Larry and Casey!


----------



## longbowbbs

chefano said:


> Is that right, 1991 USD for the SE upgrade ?  Are you *** on me?


 
 Powdered Unicorn horn is expensive!


----------



## doctorjazz

Oh darn, not out of the woods yet (just came back from seeing Into the Woods, really great,btw). Wondering if the warranty extension works for the Soul Tube. Also wondering if I can hold out the last hours of the Pulse offer. Hey, I'm in for the Soul Tube with the tube upgrade), the fully tricked out Wave, fully tricked out Source (unless more tricks are offered...this was as of the initial offering). Also have Geek Out1k and Geek Out SE (what was said previously about the SE leaving the 1k in the dust IS true, and the 1k is sweet sounding. But, what was said about cost was also true...at about $5k for the Xfi SE, we're talking serious competition from well regarded dacs, without the ability to hear it or compare it). So, anyway, talk me out of spending more Geek money!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Powdered Unicorn horn is expensive!




Thought it was dragon heart-string. Or was it phoenix feather?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Backed the THD and Naked Resistor upgrade.
  
 Saving the rest for the Geek HPA. Where I think is a much better upgrade/addition.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Powdered Unicorn horn is expensive!
> ...


 
 I think those are for the inevitable Soul upgrades...


----------



## head-hi

alvin1118 said:


> ZBox CI320 (DAPHILE with DIY Walt Jung LPS) - USB 1G - Geek Pulse Powered by Jay's Audio LPS
> 
> 
> 
> Had been using non-stop since Christmas Eve. Each day i listen to the music, it gives a big smile on my face!


 

 I just purchased 2 of the Jay's Audio LPS's. Thanks, Alvin.


----------



## lobehold

Screw all those perks, I'm stopping at Xfi, no way I'm spending almost 50% more for just minor THD tweak and 4 pieces of naked resistors.
  
 The Geek Pulse (X) was never designed to be a top of the line amp from the very start, paying more for exotic tuning and upgrade is akin to turbo boosting a family sedan - makes no economical sense.


----------



## Chefano

lobehold said:


> Screw all those perks, I'm stopping at Xfi, no way I'm spending almost 50% more for just minor THD tweak and 4 pieces of naked resistors.
> 
> The Geek Pulse (X) was never designed to be a top of the line amp from the very start, paying more for exotic tuning and upgrade is akin to turbo boosting a family sedan - makes no economical sense.


 

 You don't understand.. its magic.. Lol


----------



## mandrake50

It is marketing... and us obsessive compulsive souls... they have taken in millions because of it..


----------



## labjr

It's a $199 DAC that cost 4 grand


----------



## mandrake50

No one has answered me that I saw on using the 2g cable without the LPS. Nigel over on the geek forums wrotet the following.
 I hope it helps any other poor lost souls such as myself..
  
_The Pulse requires the 5 V connection for the initial handshake, after this has taken place it only needs the 12 V supply from the LPS or the SMPS. (Note that a Geek Out would require the 5 V supply for its operation.)

 Using a single non-split cable (eg LightSpeed 1G or non-split Red LightSpeed 10G) to connect the computer source to the Pulse is not recommended as this brings both the noisy computer 5 V power and noise cross-talk from the power lines to the data lines (minimised on the 10G due to the separate power and data legs).

 Using two non-split cables via the LPS USB connectors removes the noisy computer 5 V supply, replacing it with the supply from the LPS. This is a significantly better option than the single non-split cable. However, there is still potential cross-talk from the power lines to the data lines in the cable between the computer and the LPS.

 The best option is a split cable (eg the LightSpeed 2G or split White LightSpeed 10G). This is best used with the data leg (which contains no power lines) connected to the computer and the power leg to the LPS. The third common connector is the input to the Pulse. Once communication has been established the power leg can be disconnected. However, this is likely to have minimal effect with the clean 5 V from the LPS.

 If one does not have an LPS, the split cables can be used with the power leg plugged into a second computer USB. In this case unplugging the power leg after communication is established would have a much greater effect on the sound quality. "_


----------



## mandrake50

head-hi said:


> I just purchased 2 of the Jay's Audio LPS's. Thanks, Alvin.


 

 Where did you find them...
 I searched, but found nothing.


----------



## snip3r77

Sh1t just got the thd package. Free 2g cable.
Will the eta for my pulse is slower now due to more upgrades ?


----------



## head-hi

mandrake50 said:


> Where did you find them...
> I searched, but found nothing.




PM alvin1118 for info.


----------



## Chefano

I have to chime here again. I forgot to tell, each resistor (TX2575) 2 years ago had cost me $9,40. To a final customer like me, would cost $37.60 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.... against LH $129.00.
 I think that difference could be justified if Larry himself could touch each resistor with his magic wand...
  
 Again, they are profiting on us millions of dollars... Geez lord


----------



## longbowbbs

chefano said:


> I have to chime here again. I forgot to tell, each resistor (TX2575) 2 years ago had cost me $9,40. To a final customer like me, would cost $37.60
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Um...Someone actually has to then hand match them and take the time to properly put them in each device....A bit of a per hour there for a competent tech. It is not just parts.


----------



## Chefano

longbowbbs said:


> Um...Someone actually has to then hand match them and take the time to properly put them in each device....A bit of a per hour there for a competent tech. It is not just parts.


 
 Actually not.
 1. you are in an assembly line, you just changed the resistor type.
 2. those resistors are the type you do not find on the shelf, you have to order them based on your specs. So you don't have to manually match them.


----------



## Zenifyx

snip3r77 said:


> Sh1t just got the thd package. Free 2g cable.
> Will the eta for my pulse is slower now due to more upgrades ?


 
  Probably.
 It was mentioned that the THD upgrade would probably delay shipment by around 30 days.


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > What about if I was an Xfi backer from the first campaign and decided to get the resistor upgrade from the current campaign? It's literally just the standard Pulse Xfi with the exception of the 4 resistors.
> ...


----------



## chartwell85

chefano said:


> Actually not.
> 1. you are in an assembly line, you just changed the resistor type.
> 2. those resistors are the type you do not find on the shelf, you have to order them based on your specs. So you don't have to manually match them.


 
  
 Tech's hand match and test via AP for each unit.


----------



## labjr

No Delay? You mean no further delay? They could say anything at this point because there is no control to measure against.


----------



## jexby

labjr said:


> No Delay? You mean no further delay? They could say anything at this point because there is no control to measure against.


 
  
  
 and you Bob could continue to troll without providing any content or valuable information.
  
 LH Labs keeping the queue intact despite these additional perks has done The Right Thing.
 the proof will be when the earliest backers (like myself) get the Xfi + THD + NakedResistor soon, before other Xfi (late order) customers.
 you can wipe the egg off your face then.


----------



## AxelCloris

chefano said:


> Actually not.
> 1. you are in an assembly line, you just changed the resistor type.
> 2. those resistors are the type you do not find on the shelf, you have to order them based on your specs. So you don't have to manually match them.


 
  
 Those that back the THD and/or naked resistors will be made on an assembly line, yes. Then they will be taken apart at the LH Labs offices, desoldered, fitted with hand matched components, soldered, tested, packaged, and then finally shipped out to the backer. This is not something as simple as changing out resistors in the initial assembly process. And even resistors made in the exact same factory from the exact same production run in the exact same batch won't necessarily have the same sound when implemented in a product. Hand matching is important to get the absolute best sound. Not everyone needs that so there's no need to spend the money for some. For me I absolutely want that in my system.


----------



## labjr

jexby said:


> and you Bob could continue to troll without providing any content or valuable information.
> 
> LH Labs keeping the queue intact despite these additional perks has done The Right Thing.
> the proof will be when the earliest backers (like myself) get the Xfi + THD + NakedResistor soon, before other Xfi (late order) customers.
> you can wipe the egg off your face then.


 

 We aint trolling pal. Just being realistic. You don't like it then don't comment.


----------



## jexby

labjr said:


> You don't like it then don't comment.


 
  
 now if that ain't the pot calling the kettle black.


----------



## eac3

mandrake50 said:


> No one has answered me that I saw on using the 2g cable without the LPS. Nigel over on the geek forums wrotet the following.
> I hope it helps any other poor lost souls such as myself..
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 This was discussed many pages ago but this answer that you got from whoever is very succinct. Thank you.


----------



## uncola

I'm getting paychecks again so I splurged and Got Xfi+naked resistors like Miceblue.. I assume he researched it obsessively and decided the resistors mattered more than thd so just copied him


----------



## Chefano

chartwell85 said:


> Tech's hand match and test via AP for each unit.


 
 So, you are rematching a resistor that comes out the factory within your specs (let me say at least 0.1% tolerance). I thought that all boards passed through the AP.


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> I'm getting paychecks again so I splurged and Got Xfi+naked resistors like Miceblue.. I assume he researched it obsessively and decided the resistors mattered more than thd so just copied him



With the free 2G cable that comes with the THD perk, I actually decided to back that as well. If you remember earlier in the thread, I upgraded my 1G cable to the 2G one, so I can just leave that one unopened and sell it.

Jeremy Anderson posted this, which can help clear things up for the THD, naked resistor, and THD+naked resistor perks:
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=750#48185


> As you all know, the THD perk is about matching the resistors to the active components. It uses better-than-stock, high-precision MELF resistors.
> 
> The Naked Resistor perk does replace the same stock resistors, but instead of high-precision MELF resistors, it will use TI "Naked" Resistors.
> 
> ...


----------



## jexby

uncola said:


> I'm getting paychecks again so I splurged and Got Xfi+naked resistors like Miceblue.. I assume he researched it obsessively and decided the resistors mattered more than thd so just copied him


 
  
 good move and choice of miceblue as your Mentor!
  
 except I think Miceblue got naked resistors after I did.





  
 we'll all be soaking in Xfint music soon....


----------



## chartwell85

chefano said:


> So, you are rematching a resistor that comes out the factory within your specs (let me say at least 0.1% tolerance). I thought that all boards passed through the AP.


 

 I'll refer you to a post that just went up in our forum regarding this topic.
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=750#48188
  
 Jeremy nailed it with his post.


----------



## jexby

chartwell85 said:


> I'll refer you to a post that just went up in our forum regarding this topic.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=750#48188
> 
> Jeremy nailed it with his post.


 
  
 for the love of all that is holy, Larry finding "other places" on the board to re-use those resisters is just flipping un-real!
 maybe it is rocket science, thanks LH.


----------



## Chefano

chartwell85 said:


> I'll refer you to a post that just went up in our forum regarding this topic.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=750#48188
> 
> Jeremy nailed it with his post.


 
  
 Im talking about the resistor upgrade package. Ive highlighted a few words...
  
_1. __Naked Resistors, no THD__. Naked Resistor will be used instead of the stock resistors, *but *_*no attempt to do active component matching & pairing will be done*_*,* so expect __very little or no change to THD__. (The other benefits of the naked resistors (primarily lower apparent noise floor and slightly lower IMD) will still apply)._
  
 So $100 for assembly..


----------



## alvin1118

I do not know whether is it my imagination or is it because of the results of burning in the PULSE. 
 The musics sounded very grand-like with the well extended full-bodied bass I had never experience in my system. 
  
 Not that it only good at reproducing bass, the vocal, details are equally as good. 
  
 I really wonder how good will be the Xfi and the SE ?!
  
 p/s: I'm listening while i type


----------



## miceblue

alvin1118 said:


> I do not know whether is it my imagination or is it because of the results of burning in the PULSE.
> The musics sounded very grand-like with the well extended full-bodied bass I had never experience in my system.
> 
> Not that it only good at reproducing bass, the vocal, details are equally as good.
> ...



How does the stock Pulse compare to the Geek Out?


----------



## alvin1118

Geek Out is great little USB DAC for mobility. In fact I use them for my stereo while waiting for PULSE the past months. 
 It sounded good, but not great (good enough if you don't compare). The weakness is it has a little grainy high and less low octave bass reproduction. I did not use any LPS with the Geek Out, it was plugged to my ZBox CI320 USB directly though the ZBox is benefiting from my DIY LPS but the USB 5v in ZBox is SMPS from the power input hence i presume it's not as clean. 
  
 Standard PULSE on the other hand, comes with properly designed line-out stage which i believe was fine tuned by Larry; and is powered up by my Jay's Audio LPS. I'm using it for stereo at the moment, despite it's a solid state throughout the signal chain, it sounded very analog-like. I guess was the intended results of the choice of Elna Silmic II caps at the output stage. The bass is also noticeable more prominent, and lush. 
  
 I'm an engineer, i like to stripe open electronics gears to see what's inside (too bad i cannot open my pulse, it will void the warranty!) 
 Here is the photos of pulse posted in LHLabs. 

  
 It's a full-scaled DAC with headphone stage and line-out stage. With bear eye analysis, it will surely sounds better than Geek Out 
  
 Best purchase in 2014!


----------



## miceblue

Grainy highs are somewhat characteristic of the ESS DACs from what I've read and experienced myself. The Geek Out does a better job at the graininess, but it might be due to the custom-built digital filters too.

When you say more "analog-like," what exactly does that mean?


----------



## uncola

Haha I already regret the naked resistor upgrade so soon after the moving on up upgrade.  The description jeremy posted of the naked resistor upgrade sounds pretty uninspiring. I don't regret my Jays audio LPS though, it looks awesome.  I swear I should ban myself from head-fi until my bank account hits a decent threshold of money


----------



## dclaz

Looks like I missed out on jumping on the HE-560, all the perks are gone


----------



## uncola

The campaign is over!  My bank account is finally safe from impulse purchases!


----------



## pauldgroot

Just woke up, the 2g cable with the thd perk looked interesting. Too bad I was asleep.


----------



## Levanter

Wow awesome part on the free 2G cable. Now I have 2 2G USB cables! 
Hopefully I'll be able to sell my spare one to save some cost...


----------



## uncola

Yah it's crazy about the free Lightspeed 2G cable, I think the thd perk is cheaper than the actual cable by itself?


----------



## bitsnbytes

It's very generous 

Thanks guys


----------



## Verloren

uncola said:


> Yah it's crazy about the free Lightspeed 2G cable, I think the thd perk is cheaper than the actual cable by itself?


 
 168 for THD vs 229 for the 2G.


----------



## snip3r77

Ma





verloren said:


> 168 for THD vs 229 for the 2G.


maybe matching is easy we are just paying for 2g ?


----------



## Arinko

snip3r77 said:


> Ma
> maybe matching is easy we are just paying for 2g ?


 

 Ma: Have a read here
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=475#47334


----------



## Verloren

snip3r77 said:


> Ma
> maybe matching is easy we are just paying for 2g ?


 
  
 IIRC, the THD components are up to 100USD, and the rest of the money goes towards labor costs (desoldering XFi boards and soldering on the changed components).


----------



## pauldgroot

THD is only matching, no upgraded components IIRC.


----------



## Mike-WI

See this post...
 http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=750
  
 Excerpt...
  
 As you all know, the THD perk is about matching the resistors to the active components. It uses better-than-stock, high-precision MELF resistors.

 The Naked Resistor perk does replace the same stock resistors, but instead of high-precision MELF resistors, it will use TI "Naked" Resistors.

 This creates 3 Options:
  
 ...


----------



## destrozer

Sorry,
  
 haven't been catching up since I first backed this project, but can anyone answer if there is still femto upgrades for standard pulse backed at the very start of the campaign?
  
 I heard that all standard pulses will NOT be getting femto upgrades regardless of whether you purchased the upgrade or not.


----------



## longbowbbs

destrozer said:


> Sorry,
> 
> haven't been catching up since I first backed this project, but can anyone answer if there is still femto upgrades for standard pulse backed at the very start of the campaign?
> 
> I heard that all standard pulses will NOT be getting femto upgrades regardless of whether you purchased the upgrade or not.


 
 The upgrade door is closed. It ended last night at midnight PST. So whatever version you have will be the one you get. Even the base Pulse is a very nice unit. Enjoy!


----------



## destrozer

longbowbbs said:


> The upgrade door is closed. It ended last night at midnight PST. So whatever version you have will be the one you get. Even the base Pulse is a very nice unit. Enjoy!


 
  
 sorry, i might not have been clear in what i was asking.
  
 i was enquiring if at the start of the campaign i ordered a pulse with femto upgrade, will i be getting the femto upgrade on it?
  
 It seems like midway during the campaign, it was announced that they ran out of femto clocks and decided that all standard pulses will not have femto upgrades and the amount we topped up will be returned via store credits. Or so i was told. I just wanted to confirm if this was true.


----------



## NinjaHamster

destrozer said:


> Sorry,
> 
> haven't been catching up since I first backed this project, but can anyone answer if there is still femto upgrades for standard pulse backed at the very start of the campaign?
> 
> I heard that all standard pulses will NOT be getting femto upgrades regardless of whether you purchased the upgrade or not.




If you backed a standard Pulse at the start of the campaign, you would be best off using the current perk to trade up to an Xfi (which is a great deal at the moment).

The Pulse will not be made just with a Femto upgrade (if you had already purchased these two items, you should have received an email from LH by now). You can get a standard Pulse or (I think) a Pulse Fi (Femto + Internal Upgrades).

If you wanted to get the Pulse Fi, then just use the current upgrade package to the Pulse Xfi - it shouldn't be too much more expensive and will give you more versatility regarding outputs etc.


----------



## Verloren

ninjahamster said:


> If you backed a standard Pulse at the start of the campaign, you would be best off using the current perk to trade up to an Xfi (which is a great deal at the moment).
> 
> The Pulse will not be made just with a Femto upgrade (if you had already purchased these two items, you should have received an email from LH by now). You can get a standard Pulse or (I think) a Pulse Fi (Femto + Internal Upgrades).
> 
> If you wanted to get the Pulse Fi, then just use the current upgrade package to the Pulse Xfi - it shouldn't be too much more expensive and will give you more versatility regarding outputs etc.


 
 Adding on to this - contact support ASAP. IIRC, the latest offer to those who got a Pulse F was a standard Pulse with in store credit, or upgrade all the way to a Pulse XFi.
  
 This has to be done via support, as no upgrade options are available on the IGG page.


----------



## Anaximandros

destrozer said:


> sorry, i might not have been clear in what i was asking.
> 
> i was enquiring if at the start of the campaign i ordered a pulse with femto upgrade, will i be getting the femto upgrade on it?
> 
> It seems like midway during the campaign, it was announced that they ran out of femto clocks and decided that all standard pulses will not have femto upgrades and the amount we topped up will be returned via store credits. Or so i was told. I just wanted to confirm if this was true.


 
  
 That is a false information! They did not run out of Femto clocks.
  
 If you backed a Pulse in the first campaign and the Femto clocks, then you have 2 possibilites to upgrade/downgrade.
 Light Harmonic cannot manufacture the Pulse F (Pulse with Femtoclocks alone) because the quantity of that combination was not high enough for their manufacturer to assemble the boards.
  
 Backers, who only backed a Pulse with the Femtoclocks and without the "Active internal upgrade perk" were asked to either downgrade to their base models e.g. Pulse, Pulse S, Pulse X or upgrade their Pulse to Pulse Fi, Pulse Sfi, Pulse Xfi for another $88.
  
 Open a ticket @ lhlabs.com and get your problem resolved.


----------



## Phishin Phool

Well it seemed as if there were a thousand different perks and config options. Was only able to get (afford) a vanilla pulse so no more enticement- phew. Since prior to this I was only using the DAC of either my AVR for computer audio or internal DAC of my disc player I think I‘ll be happy. Also will be my only solid state amp as I traded my fIII and only have a garage1217 tube amp left.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

phishin phool said:


> Well it seemed as if there were a thousand different perks and config options. Was only able to get (afford) a vanilla pulse so no more enticement- phew. Since prior to this I was only using the DAC of either my AVR for computer audio or internal DAC of my disc player I think I‘ll be happy. Also will be my only solid state amp as I traded my fIII and only have a garage1217 tube amp left.




LH 'knocked the ball out of the park' with the vanilla pulse. They set out to bring high end audio 'to the masses' and the vanilla pulse does that spectacularly You will be more than happy.

With X/f/i/n/t they slowly started to put their Light Harmonic hats on and 'diminishing returns' started to creep in. I ended up backing an X/f/i/n/t and have no regrets. It has allowed me to buy into audio technology that I had never though I would be able to afford, but it's a long way from the astounding price/performance ratio you have with the vanilla pulse.

The fact that they have added a free 2G at the 11th hour is pretty amazing though, and a nice end to a long and sometimes bumpy ride


----------



## Anaximandros

vhsownsbeta said:


> LH 'knocked the ball out of the park' with the vanilla pulse. They set out to bring high end audio 'to the masses' and the vanilla pulse does that spectacularly You will be more than happy.
> 
> With X/f/i/n/t they slowly started to put their Light Harmonic hats on and 'diminishing returns' started to creep in. I ended up backing an X/f/i/n/t and have no regrets. It has allowed me to buy into audio technology that I had never though I would be able to afford, but it's a long way from the astounding price/performance ratio you have with the vanilla pulse.
> 
> The fact that they have added a free 2G at the 11th hour is pretty amazing though, and a nice end to a long and sometimes bumpy ride


 
  
  
 "To the masses" with a MSRP of $999 for the vanilla pulse. Really? Masses? 
 It was intended to be for the masses in the beginning of the initial campaign, but now it's more directed to the audiophiles who are willingly going to spend >$500 on a DAC + headphone amp 
  
 Also with the X/f/i/n/t, in particular the thd and nr perk it is purely dimishing returns. Though it was affordable, but those 2 perks were as expensive as a Pulse X during the black friday holidays last year during the campaign 
  
 The free 2G cable is amazing and very generous of LH, although it's just an overpriced USB cable (I don't believe in cables, sry ).


----------



## TopQuark

I was surprised by the amount of kudos to LH Labs on the "free" 2G cable.  This is my understanding unless someone refutes it.
  
 The THD is suppose to cost $106 in resistors.  Gavin said it.  But if you upgraded to naked resistors, those $106 worth of resistors will be used somewhere else in the system.  So pay first and fix it later by trying to squeeze the "excess" resistors you paid for to justify the price?  LH made a boo boo here.  They are making it up by offering a "free" 2G cable.  If you cannot see it like it is, my ears are all open.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

anaximandros said:


> "To the masses" with a MSRP of $999 for the vanilla pulse. Really? Masses?
> It was intended to be for the masses in the beginning of the initial campaign, but now it's more directed to the audiophiles who are willingly going to spend >$500 on a DAC + headphone amp
> 
> Also with the X/f/i/n/t, in particular the thd and nr perk it is purely dimishing returns. Though it was affordable, but those 2 perks were as expensive as a Pulse X during the black friday holidays last year during the campaign
> ...




If pulse trades blows with 'high end' DAC/AMPs as suggested then 1k MRSP is an 'attainable' entry point to that level of performance. Whether or not this is the case is really yet to be seen.

At the crowdfunding price of $399 pulse is great value.


----------



## Chefano

topquark said:


> I was surprised by the amount of kudos to LH Labs on the "free" 2G cable.  This is my understanding unless someone refutes it.
> 
> The THD is suppose to cost $106 in resistors.  Gavin said it.  But if you upgraded to naked resistors, those $106 worth of resistors will be used somewhere else in the system.  So pay first and fix it later by trying to squeeze the "excess" resistors you paid for to justify the price?  LH made a boo boo here.  They are making it up by offering a "free" 2G cable.  If you cannot see it like it is, my ears are all open.


 
 The THD package uses MELF resistors, each cost about maximum $3. Do you know where Gavin said that?
  
 REgards!


----------



## Anaximandros

vhsownsbeta said:


> If pulse trades blows with 'high end' DAC/AMPs as suggested then 1k MRSP is an 'attainable' entry point to that level of performance. Whether or not this is the case is really yet to be seen.
> 
> At the crowdfunding price of $399 pulse is great value.


 
  
 At the crowdfunding price it is definitely a great value. But not so much at the targeted MSRP. The competition is huge. 
 The Pulse still has firmware bugs which are annoying, but nothing that can't be fixed. I'll see how the Pulse can compete with the so called hig end DACs/Amps.


----------



## TopQuark

chefano said:


> The THD package uses MELF resistors, each cost about maximum $3. Do you know where Gavin said that?
> 
> REgards!


 
  
 Here you go!
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=50#45983
  
 LH Labs owes everyone an explanation!


----------



## doctorjazz

It's belaboring the point (but I love doing that), but $399, while it may be a very good price for a good performing DAC/AMP, and may be much better than anything in the price range (and, while I have read many raves about it, I haven't read many comparisons to things in the general price range, such as CEEntrance M8, for example), this is not a price "for the masses", much less $999, where the price is now headed. From reading around Head Fi, most Head-Fiers, if they use anything like a DAC/AMP (or some combination) at all, the price most likely spent is in the $50-$200 range, your Fiio and such, and these are "fan boys", people who believe the better gear will get better sound than just the phone they have on contract. Sure, there are some who have spent much more, but, on average, my sense is $399 is an indulgence (not to be snobby about it, just an observation. Some of these people will go for $1000 headphones, and still want to power them with phones, though, once the taste of better sound is acquired, the way to upgrades and the poor house is a natural path to follow). Stands to reason, if people with an INTEREST in good sound feel spending more than $200 is indulgent/exhorbitant/looses too much in "diminishing returns"/foolish/lacking any benefits, than the average Joe or Jane, listening to the enclosed ear buds that came with the phone (and believing MP3 is the ultimate in sound) is really very unlikely to go for any of these gadgets, even at the "reasonable" price of $399.


----------



## Anaximandros

I'd say one of the strongest competitor for the "$399" crowdfund special price Pulse will be the iFi micro iDSD. That beast has Femto clocks! besides the different filter, perfect connectability for android and iOS devices, 8W instant power, iem mode, double DXD and octa DSD ...
  
 If I had to choose now between a $399 Pulse or a $999 Pulse at full MSRP, I'd choose the iFi over it, period! And regarding the $999 MSRP, look at the Oppo HA1. I auditioned both units (iFi & Oppo) and hands down, the iFi was marvelous.


----------



## FayeForever

For $399 I'll start looking for some Chinese Dac/Amp.


----------



## senorx12562

anaximandros said:


> I'd say one of the strongest competitor for the "$399" crowdfund special price Pulse will be the iFi micro iDSD. That beast has Femto clocks! besides the different filter, perfect connectability for android and iOS devices, 8W instant power, iem mode, double DXD and octa DSD ...
> 
> If I had to choose now between a $399 Pulse or a $999 Pulse at full MSRP, I'd choose the iFi over it, period! And regarding the $999 MSRP, look at the Oppo HA1. I auditioned both units (iFi & Oppo) and hands down, the iFi was marvelous.


 
 I have the iDSD already and love it. I would never pay $1k for a dac. But $1k for a dac and lcd2? No brainer IMO.


----------



## jexby

iFi micro iDSD is superb for sure! Even at $499. Dual mono, great DAC, superb filters and features with power from IEMs to HE-560.
Love mine and it will remain my transportable as Pulse Xfi is much bigger and doesn't run off battery.


----------



## miceblue

Has anyone compared the iDSD to the Geek Out?


----------



## jexby

Well I could put some time to that, owning both. Except GO450 doesn't do great with IEMs or HE-560, so NAD HP50 is only common headphone of mine that works well with both DAC/Amps.


----------



## mandrake50

doctorjazz said:


> It's belaboring the point (but I love doing that), but $399, while it may be a very good price for a good performing DAC/AMP, and may be much better than anything in the price range (and, while I have read many raves about it, I haven't read many comparisons to things in the general price range, such as CEEntrance M8, for example), this is not a price "for the masses", much less $999, where the price is now headed. From reading around Head Fi, most Head-Fiers, if they use anything like a DAC/AMP (or some combination) at all, the price most likely spent is in the $50-$200 range, your Fiio and such, and these are "fan boys", people who believe the better gear will get better sound than just the phone they have on contract. Sure, there are some who have spent much more, but, on average, my sense is $399 is an indulgence (not to be snobby about it, just an observation. Some of these people will go for $1000 headphones, and still want to power them with phones, though, once the taste of better sound is acquired, the way to upgrades and the poor house is a natural path to follow). Stands to reason, if people with an INTEREST in good sound feel spending more than $200 is indulgent/exhorbitant/looses too much in "diminishing returns"/foolish/lacking any benefits, than the average Joe or Jane, listening to the enclosed ear buds that came with the phone (and believing MP3 is the ultimate in sound) is really very unlikely to go for any of these gadgets, even at the "reasonable" price of $399.


 

  We all often forget that the HeadFi folks.. especially those that subscribe to threads dealing with expensive gear... are really well into the minority of people that listen to music. I have many friends that are music lovers. They listen to music on a budget, but still Love it. When I mention something about ...and even let them listen to, electronics or headphones that cost, hundreds, let alone thousands of dollars, ..often they say that sounds good... but you are frigging nuts for spending that kind of money to listen to music.
  
 In fact, as I spend more money on this stuff, I come to know that going from $300 to $1200 does not bring much to the party.
  
 Yeah...I am stupid... compulsive... obsessive...
 So I got sucked in because of the HE 560 deal. I was going to blow off the Pulse completely. Then...just have to get the upgrade to X...
  
 Still have no headphones TWO months later...bad decision if I just wanted the 560s..
 I could have saved lots of money!!
  SO X upgrade... sucked in again.. personal failure!
  
 Why, not sure, except that I am curious about using balanced out.
 Then got sucked into the "movin up".. get an Xfi.. then THD..
  
 Wow, with nothing to even listen to...nor any reviews, I am over $800.
 I might get something in a few months...guess I am nuts.. I suppose I fit in well here, but it is what it is... nuts!
  
 For lots of you folks  anything  is real cheap for anything sound related... for me, it is a huge chunk of money.
 It is not required for survival!
  
 It is all relative... for guys in school using their daddy's money...or guys with nothing else to use their money on...they have rent, groceries, and saving for their kids education covered..... it may be cheap.
  
 In any case... for the masses, $400 is out of range. $1K is ridiculous. That will pay the months rent... or groceries and utilities.
  
 We tend to have a very, very limited perspective on these things...
  
 I would have been much better off staying away from the Pulse.. using what I have (which I like) and investing the money.
 If I wanted the HE 560 (again an unwarranted expenditure) I should have just bought them. I would have had them by now and saved a bunch of money!!!
  
 Sour grapes... no, just an acknowledgement on my weaknesses.. and reality!
  
 OK.. $400 may get some of the masses, not many. $1000 leaves them way behind. $5000 plus for an SE... maybe less than 0.001 percent of the musicc listening public!


----------



## mandrake50

senorx12562 said:


> I have the iDSD already and love it. I would never pay $1k for a dac. But $1k for a dac and lcd2? No brainer IMO.


 

 Let us know when you get the lcd2...
 I hope the wait is worth it!


----------



## germay0653

chefano said:


> Im talking about the resistor upgrade package. Ive highlighted a few words...
> 
> _1. __Naked Resistors, no THD__. Naked Resistor will be used instead of the stock resistors, *but *_*no attempt to do active component matching & pairing will be done*_*,* so expect __very little or no change to THD__. (The other benefits of the naked resistors (primarily lower apparent noise floor and slightly lower IMD) will still apply)._
> 
> So $100 for assembly..


 

 No, not $100 for assembly. The resistors are now $16.95 (inflation) if you purchase from partsconnexion, so about $60 - $70 matching, desoldering, re-soldering and testing.


----------



## mandrake50

germay0653 said:


> No, not $100 for assembly. The resistors are now $16.95 (inflation) if you purchase from partsconnexion, so about $60 - $70 matching, desoldering, re-soldering and testing.


 

 In bulk.. which I am sure LHL will but them.. probably closer to $6 to $8


----------



## germay0653

mandrake50 said:


> In bulk.. which I am sure LHL will but them.. probably closer to $6 to $8


 

 What are the bulk quantities required for that price, 5K, 10K, 100k?  They only need several thousand to fulfill the number of perks offered.


----------



## FayeForever

I've posted on LHlabs, buying naked resistors from Texas Components for 250+ you get 34% off.
 http://webdirect.texascomponents.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1824
 From the number of perks backed I wouldn't be surprised to see the price drop to $8


----------



## mscott58

Not really sure why everyone's debating what the naked resistors will cost LHL. They offered a perk, set a price and some people bought it and others didn't - nobody was forced. The market has cleared, so why the ex-post analysis? If Larry, Gavin and crew make a decent profit off of us, then I'm happy for them! They provide great products, they operate unlike any other audio firm I've dealt with across my many years in the audiophile hobby and they're genuinely nice guys who know what they're talking about. In fact if they didn't make a profit off of us, then I'd really be worried.
  
 The talk about Ponzi schemes drives me nuts as well. A Ponzi scheme is just that, a scheme, and is an illegal way to cheat investors out of their money, using newly invested money to pay out older investors their supposed "gains", which in reality do not exist. If people are using "Ponzi" to describe a scenario where LHL is using the money contributed by one group to help fund not only the production of that product but also the development of other products, then that's called business. Even if they are using the money of new contributors to offset the production costs of prior contributors then there's nothing illegal about that. Heck, even if they get themselves short on cash and can't fulfill all of their commitments they won't get thrown in jail the way a financial fraudster might, that's simply called bad business and will get them a ton of bad press and maybe some people some refunds (read the terms of IGG if you want the full details). 
  
 Many people (including me) have said it before, and we'll surely have to say it again, but if anyone was looking for a product that would 100% get there on time and not have development hiccups/headaches along the way, then go buy from retail stock and stay away from crowd-funding/crowd-developing. 
  
 Off my soapbox now.
  
 Cheers and happy listening


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> Not really sure why everyone's debating what the naked resistors will cost LHL. They offered a perk, set a price and some people bought it and others didn't - nobody was forced. The market has cleared, so why the ex-post analysis? If Larry, Gavin and crew make a decent profit off of us, then I'm happy for them! They provide great products, they operate unlike any other audio firm I've dealt with across my many years in the audiophile hobby and they're genuinely nice guys who know what they're talking about. In fact if they didn't make a profit off of us, then I'd really be worried.
> 
> The talk about Ponzi schemes drives me nuts as well. A Ponzi scheme is just that, a scheme, and is an illegal way to cheat investors out of their money, using newly invested money to pay out older investors their supposed "gains", which in reality do not exist. If people are using "Ponzi" to describe a scenario where LHL is using the money contributed by one group to help fund not only the production of that product but also the development of other products, then that's called business. Even if they are using the money of new contributors to offset the production costs of prior contributors then there's nothing illegal about that. Heck, even if they get themselves short on cash and can't fulfill all of their commitments they won't get thrown in jail the way a financial fraudster might, that's simply called bad business and will get them a ton of bad press and maybe some people some refunds (read the terms of IGG if you want the full details).
> 
> ...


 
 +1.... I have met these guys. I like them. They really want to do what is right and they genuinely get a kick out of implementing one more great idea. I am happy to fund their project.


----------



## jexby

+1
Or
+100 actually.

Backers are getting some legit gear here at great early pricing.
All their intentions and yes, profit making are in line even if some of the IGG rules make things/perks difficult to track or execute as a pure business model.


----------



## FayeForever

I personally did the price investigation to make a choice among do it myself/back the perk/do nothing at all.
 Then after some debating with myself I backed the perk.


----------



## mandrake50

mscott58 said:


> Not really sure why everyone's debating what the naked resistors will cost LHL. They offered a perk, set a price and some people bought it and others didn't - nobody was forced. The market has cleared, so why the ex-post analysis? If Larry, Gavin and crew make a decent profit off of us, then I'm happy for them! They provide great products, they operate unlike any other audio firm I've dealt with across my many years in the audiophile hobby and they're genuinely nice guys who know what they're talking about. In fact if they didn't make a profit off of us, then I'd really be worried.
> 
> 
> Many people (including me) have said it before, and we'll surely have to say it again, but if anyone was looking for a product that would 100% get there on time and not have development hiccups/headaches along the way, then go buy from retail stock and stay away from crowd-funding/crowd-developing.
> ...


 

 if we did not babble about inconsequential crap... this place would be real dead!
  
 Why must some always defend, regardless?


----------



## mscott58

fayeforever said:


> I personally did the price investigation to make a choice among do it myself/back the perk/do nothing at all.
> Then after some debating with myself I backed the perk.




Ha! Expect many of us have had those same types of internal debates. 

In fact I'd expect many people to be going through detox at this point. Maybe call it "post hypnotic perk withdrawal syndrome" or something. Seem to remember having the same issue after earlier campaigns ended.


----------



## mandrake50

It should be called Crowd FRENZY... and LHL are masters at whipping us up!
 Next day... we wonder how we got there...
 ??


----------



## mscott58

mandrake50 said:


> if we did not babble about inconsequential crap... this place would be real dead!
> 
> Why must some always defend, regardless?




True, true. Babble, complaining, defending, pushing, sharing - it's what these forums are all about. 

And "regardless" is definitely not the case. Just ask Gavin and Casey who have received a share of my mind a number of times! They're great guys, but by no means perfect. 

Cheers


----------



## eliwankenobi

mscott58 said:


> Not really sure why everyone's debating what the naked resistors will cost LHL. They offered a perk, set a price and some people bought it and others didn't - nobody was forced. The market has cleared, so why the ex-post analysis? If Larry, Gavin and crew make a decent profit off of us, then I'm happy for them! They provide great products, they operate unlike any other audio firm I've dealt with across my many years in the audiophile hobby and they're genuinely nice guys who know what they're talking about. In fact if they didn't make a profit off of us, then I'd really be worried.
> 
> The talk about Ponzi schemes drives me nuts as well. A Ponzi scheme is just that, a scheme, and is an illegal way to cheat investors out of their money, using newly invested money to pay out older investors their supposed "gains", which in reality do not exist. If people are using "Ponzi" to describe a scenario where LHL is using the money contributed by one group to help fund not only the production of that product but also the development of other products, then that's called business. Even if they are using the money of new contributors to offset the production costs of prior contributors then there's nothing illegal about that. Heck, even if they get themselves short on cash and can't fulfill all of their commitments they won't get thrown in jail the way a financial fraudster might, that's simply called bad business and will get them a ton of bad press and maybe some people some refunds (read the terms of IGG if you want the full details).
> 
> ...


 
 I also agree with this statement! 100% But the fact is that sometimes they have done things at their cost without making any profit at all (like Mu Metal shielding, silver relays, etc)
  
 They've delivered with the Geek Out... We'll see how the Pulse and its variants fare once it we start receiving them...but early impressions are positive... they are delivering and I'm sure they will still deliver with future products. It will take time, and there will be delays. It happens all the time... I'm sure the iFi Micro iDSD was not free of delays and other setbacks.. that devices was also crowd designed...


----------



## alvin1118

Guys, i get really overwhelmed responses of the Jay's Audio LPS25VA! Yes, I'm doing a third Mass Order of the LPS in other forum (here in the sunny Singapore). If you'd like to join , pls PM me.

Im using it to power up my pulse. The music sounds better each day as i burn in them with STS DIGITAL Burn-In tracks! 

Enjoy the musics!


----------



## eac3

fayeforever said:


> I've posted on LHlabs, buying naked resistors from Texas Components for 250+ you get 34% off.
> http://webdirect.texascomponents.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1824
> From the number of perks backed I wouldn't be surprised to see the price drop to $8


 
  
 Where did you post this? I would like to eavesdrop on that conversation as its more likely Gavin or Larry will respond there than here.


----------



## FayeForever

http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=600#47807
 I don't think anybody is gonna respond to that post.


----------



## eac3

topquark said:


> I was surprised by the amount of kudos to LH Labs on the "free" 2G cable.


 
  
 Really? surprised? Now you are able to sell the free 2G cable at $168, hence getting that perk for free.
  
 But I digress from your actual main point.


----------



## miceblue

alvin1118 said:


> Guys, i get really overwhelmed responses of the Jay's Audio LPS25VA! Yes, I'm doing a third Mass Order of the LPS in other forum (here in the sunny Singapore). If you'd like to join , pls PM me.
> 
> Im using it to power up my pulse. The music sounds better each day as i burn in them with STS DIGITAL Burn-In tracks!
> 
> Enjoy the musics!



Hm, that LPS has more current output than the Geek LPS with the 12 VDC/2A output. Interesting.


----------



## snip3r77

I think most of the THD upgraders bought it for the cable lol. So it could be buy USB free thd lol


----------



## eliwankenobi

Before they announced they were gonna gift the 2g cable, i beñieve more than half of the total backers of the thd perk had already done it..


----------



## bitsnbytes

alvin1118 said:


> Guys, i get really overwhelmed responses of the Jay's Audio LPS25VA! Yes, I'm doing a third Mass Order of the LPS in other forum (here in the sunny Singapore). If you'd like to join , pls PM me.
> 
> Im using it to power up my pulse. The music sounds better each day as i burn in them with STS DIGITAL Burn-In tracks!
> 
> Enjoy the musics!


 

  Hi Alvin, is it possible to get that box to host a 12v + a 5v for the usb (a la LPS4)? If so, PM me!
  
 bnb


----------



## TopQuark

eac3 said:


> Really? surprised? Now you are able to sell the free 2G cable at $168, hence getting that perk for free.
> 
> But I digress from your actual main point.


 
 That's the point!  THD does not cost $106 for the resistors if you got the naked resistors.  Now you have to go through the pain of selling the cable when a lot will be doing the same.


----------



## zellhy

Has the Hifiman's headphones been shipped? Received an invoice on the 12th of Dec for shipping and have paid for it. Received a confirmation for phone number on 19th of Dec and have updated them. Are they not starting to ship to the Asian region yet?


----------



## Boban85

zellhy said:


> Has the Hifiman's headphones been shipped? Received an invoice on the 12th of Dec for shipping and have paid for it. Received a confirmation for phone number on 19th of Dec and have updated them. Are they not starting to ship to the Asian region yet?


 
  
 Zellhy, I have a Japanese shipping address and ordered the HE-560 in the first batch and haven't received a shipping invoice yet, nor any kind of notification regarding the cans. I think it is safe to assume they haven't started shipping. Maybe they waited for the campaign to finish, since they offered the HiFIMAN bundle again for the last days of the campaign, and send the final number of orders to HiFiMAN. I assume we can expect the HiFiMANs after New Year.


----------



## Anaximandros

alvin1118 said:


> Guys, i get really overwhelmed responses of the Jay's Audio LPS25VA! Yes, I'm doing a third Mass Order of the LPS in other forum (here in the sunny Singapore). If you'd like to join , pls PM me.
> 
> Im using it to power up my pulse. The music sounds better each day as i burn in them with STS DIGITAL Burn-In tracks!
> 
> Enjoy the musics!


 
 I'm more interested in your ex-audiophile supplier hohodiy. Couldn't find him on google.


----------



## sci80899

zellhy said:


> Has the Hifiman's headphones been shipped? Received an invoice on the 12th of Dec for shipping and have paid for it. Received a confirmation for phone number on 19th of Dec and have updated them. Are they not starting to ship to the Asian region yet?


 
 Same situation as you, still no progress on the headphones.
 Have opened a ticket, person in customer service said he/she will check with Casey and get back to me.


----------



## alvin1118

anaximandros said:


> I'm more interested in your ex-audiophile supplier hohodiy. Couldn't find him on google.


 
  
 Oh man, I miss hohodiy too. Very sad that hohodiy was closed since 2009.
 They switch their business to focus in smart-phone accessories and software development. 
  
 Glad to know someone in the forum remember me !


----------



## Anaximandros

Yep I do. Didn't know hohodiy closed 
 I'm looking for a good diy supplier, you know some good contacts Alvin?


----------



## eac3

topquark said:


> That's the point!  THD does not cost $106 for the resistors if you got the naked resistors.  Now you have to go through the pain of selling the cable when a lot will be doing the same.



In your opinion, How much does it cost with the addition of the naked resistors?


----------



## zellhy

Too bad for us then, i did remembered LH Labs said they were shipping the Hifimans to Asian countries (Malaysia included) in Defcember


----------



## Boban85

zellhy said:


> Too bad for us then, i did remembered LH Labs said they were shipping the Hifimans to Asian countries (Malaysia included) in Defcember


 
  
 Well maybe they will, there is still time


----------



## Verloren

zellhy said:


> Too bad for us then, i did remembered LH Labs said they were shipping the Hifimans to Asian countries (Malaysia included) in Defcember


 
  
From LHLabs
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2418-he-560-he-400i-shipping-suggestion
 NA/SA/EU from LHLabs.
  
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2418-he-560-he-400i-shipping-suggestion?start=25#42591


> HiFiMAN will be fulfilling certain orders for our backers in China, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan etc. etc.
> 
> All other order will be fulfilled by LH Labs.


 
  
 Someone in the HE thread on the LHL forums said he received an invoice for shipping on Dec 11.


----------



## Boban85

verloren said:


> From LHLabs
> http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2418-he-560-he-400i-shipping-suggestion
> NA/SA/EU from LHLabs.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Verloren, thanks for the link mate, was not aware of it. Cheers!


----------



## zellhy

Yeah actually I did received their shipping invoice, and I have paid for it. They even asked for a confirmation of my phone number a few days later. Guess December is officially not over until 2 days later. We can still hope lol


----------



## FayeForever

alvin1118 said:


> Oh man, I miss hohodiy too. Very sad that hohodiy was closed since 2009.
> They switch their business to focus in smart-phone accessories and software development.
> 
> Glad to know someone in the forum remember me !


 

 I purchased several Beta22/Sigma22 PCBs from neochen right before he closed his door.
 He is also another nice man to deal with.
 Glad to know he is still doing good in different area.


----------



## head-hi

If anyone is thinking about getting one of the Jay's LPS units for your Pulse, only 2 units are left before this round of orders is closed. PM alvin1118 for details.


----------



## georgelai57

head-hi said:


> If anyone is thinking about getting one of the Jay's LPS units for your Pulse, only 2 units are left before this round of orders is closed. PM alvin1118 for details.


I got mine from alvin1118 and just have to wait for the Pulse now ;-(


----------



## doctorjazz

I ordered one, seemed like a cool thing to get (and I don;t even have a Pulse coming, just-eventially-a Soul Tube).


----------



## mandrake50

boban85 said:


> Zellhy, I have a Japanese shipping address and ordered the HE-560 in the first batch and haven't received a shipping invoice yet, nor any kind of notification regarding the cans. I think it is safe to assume they haven't started shipping. Maybe they waited for the campaign to finish, since they offered the HiFIMAN bundle again for the last days of the campaign, and send the final number of orders to HiFiMAN. I assume we can expect the HiFiMANs after New Year.


 

 All of this would have been fine had the communicated. Soon after the first batch, Larry mentioned that he thought that they could ship as soon as that was finished and they got the 560s in. Then they opened another round. Casey said the PO would be issued as soon as that batch was done and that they would ship immediately upon receipt. Deliveries to Asian customers would be done directly from Hifiman. One would think that, as soon as LHL paid Hifiman and got shipping invoices out, it all would be good to go.That was a few weeks ago. I have been pressing him to let everyone know at least when LHL was supposed to receive the headphones. he said he would check and let us know in a few hours. After four days, I asked again, he said they were in transit but could say no more...
 So now it is almost two months since I pledged and I have not heard anything form them on my order... no confirmation, no shipping invoice. I also bought my set early in the first round.
  
 BTW, the first PO was supposed to have been issued from LHL to Hifiman  for the first two rounds of 560s at least a couple of weeks before the last batch of 560s were offered on the forever campaign.
  
 In any case... it is another example of the lack of communication making people unhappy with LHL. I mentioned that, had I bought these from a dealer and they were backordered... I am positive that I could call them and would be told, at least, when they were promised to arrive. It is hard to imagine that LHL could not do at least that much.
  
 Also, one person on the Geek forums , an Asian member, said he contacted Hifiman directly and was told that the bottleneck was LHL. I have no idea if that means funding the purchase... or getting the shipping part together.


----------



## Levanter

Any link on more details of Jays LPS and the price?


----------



## coletrain104

http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=190397.0


levanter said:


> Any link on more details of Jays LPS and the price?


----------



## walfredo

jexby said:


> iFi micro iDSD is superb for sure! Even at $499. Dual mono, great DAC, superb filters and features with power from IEMs to HE-560.
> Love mine and it will remain my transportable as Pulse Xfi is much bigger and doesn't run off battery.


 

 How does the iFi nano compare?


----------



## Lceaucx

georgelai57 said:


> I got mine from alvin1118 and just have to wait for the Pulse now ;-(


 
 Heh same here! I got 2 from him. One is sitting pretty in my cupboard, the other is powering my external HDD...hee


----------



## pedalhead

Shameless plug for our event, but it looks like the 2015 UK Head-Fi meet is shaping up to be, amongst other things, a great place to compare lots of different Geek kit.  The thread's only been open two days and so far we should have a Pulse in vanilla / Xfi / Xfitr flavours, with & without LPS, plus GO450, GO1000.  Any more UK Geek's on this thread who fancy taking a look, head on over to http://www.head-fi.org/t/748039/uk-2015-head-fi-meet-cambridge-saturday-25th-april  Cheers


----------



## Levanter

coletrain104 said:


> http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=190397.0




Thanks for the info!
Any other comparisons on Jays LPS vs Geek LPS?


----------



## BaTou069

What kind of LPS would I need for the Pulse? 5VDC/3.5A, 9VDC/2.5A, 12VDC/2A , 18VDC/1.4A?


----------



## mscott58

12V version. Cheers


----------



## rdsu

If you also want one to clean the USB power, then go also with 5VDC...


----------



## jexby

walfredo said:


> How does the iFi nano compare?




It's good if your headphones pair well in terms of impedence and power requirements, but there can be hiss with sensitive IEMs and NAD HP50.
There are no 3D or Xbass features, but the sound is quite amazing- especially DSD playback.
It benefits a bit from a Wyrd in the usb chain- slight improvement to clarity and soundstage.

I find the micro iDSD is worth the extra features, dual mono DAC and flexibility for every headphone under the sun, including IEMs.


----------



## zerodeefex

pedalhead said:


> Shameless plug for our event, but it looks like the 2015 UK Head-Fi meet is shaping up to be, amongst other things, a great place to compare lots of different Geek kit.  The thread's only been open two days and so far we should have a Pulse in vanilla / Xfi / Xfitr flavours, with & without LPS, plus GO450, GO1000.  Any more UK Geek's on this thread who fancy taking a look, head on over to http://www.head-fi.org/t/748039/uk-2015-head-fi-meet-cambridge-saturday-25th-april  Cheers




We had a pirate mini meet at my house last weekend and had

Geek Out 450, 720, 1000, SE
Geek Pulse, XFi SE, LPS, LPS4

You have to outdo 12 dudes in the SF Bay Area . Come on!


----------



## pedalhead

zerodeefex said:


> We had a pirate mini meet at my house last weekend and had
> 
> Geek Out 450, 720, 1000, SE
> Geek Pulse, XFi SE, LPS, LPS4
> ...


 
  
 Haha!  Getting the manufacturer to attend with all their unreleased toys could be considered an unfair home advantage


----------



## llama_egg

rdsu said:


> If you also want one to clean the USB power, then go also with 5VDC...


 

 Would that mean you would be running to of them for one device? :s


----------



## FayeForever

My Pulse has been running for ~180 hrs, the sound is much improved now, driving HD800.
 The sabre sound is still there but much less than when it is new, I would even say it is okayish smooth. The sound still lacks a bit weight or body, also the imaging is not that great, but I am quite happy now.
 I prefer FRM filter here. TCM felt warmer and the bass is punchier but also is more "distorted" to me.


----------



## rdsu

llama_egg said:


> Would that mean you would be running to of them for one device? :s



If you have some LPS like the Geek LPS, that have two outputs for that goal, yes... 

Take a look at this video, talking about the split usb cable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL0TTnJfDYs

This is with a normal usb cable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6neiU-4jlRg


----------



## zerodeefex

fayeforever said:


> My Pulse has been running for ~180 hrs, the sound is much improved now, driving HD800.
> The sabre sound is still there but much less than when it is new, I would even say it is okayish smooth. The sound still lacks a bit weight or body, also the imaging is not that great, but I am quite happy now.
> I prefer FRM filter here. TCM felt warmer and the bass is punchier but also is more "distorted" to me.


 
 It's smooth but lifeless. Non-aggressive and boring to listen to. 
  
 The FRM is way more resolving as well. It's SABRE-y but better.
  
 I wish the FRM was closer to the geek out 450 or my 2V SE. It sounds much better on those unit and the resolution hit is not as big, especially out of the LPS.


----------



## FayeForever

Don't have geek out so I can't compare, I also wish Larry can tweak the filter further.
 I agree that it is lifeless, no body in the sound, but it is already improved compare to just out of the box. I'll just let it burn-in further.


----------



## walfredo

fayeforever said:


> My Pulse has been running for ~180 hrs, the sound is much improved now, driving HD800.
> The sabre sound is still there but much less than when it is new, I would even say it is okayish smooth. The sound still lacks a bit weight or body, also the imaging is not that great, but I am quite happy now.
> I prefer FRM filter here. TCM felt warmer and the bass is punchier but also is more "distorted" to me.


 

 Very close to my impressions, Faye.  Excepet that I prefer TCM.  (People do vary. 
  
 Are you using an LPS?  People have reported the Pulse gets more weight and produces a more "robust" sound with it.  I am hoping that getting one will help with its lean nature.


----------



## jexby

zerodeefex said:


> We had a pirate mini meet at my house last weekend and had
> 
> Geek Out 450, 720, 1000, SE
> Geek Pulse, XFi SE, LPS, LPS4
> ...


 
  
 having a legit Engineer or two in the house had to add to a stellar meet up!
  
 saw a bit of photos and descriptions from this mini-epic event, hoping to read more when additional attendees chime in??


----------



## FayeForever

walfredo said:


> Very close to my impressions, Faye.  Excepet that I prefer TCM.  (People do vary.
> 
> Are you using an LPS?  People have reported the Pulse gets more weight and produces a more "robust" sound with it.  I am hoping that getting one will help with its lean nature.


 

 I have been using Jay's LPS since day 1, I posted pics earlier in this thread. I also posted very brief impression vs SMPS.


----------



## jexby

fayeforever said:


> Don't have geek out so I can't compare, I also wish Larry can tweak the filter further.
> I agree that it is lifeless, no body in the sound, but it is already improved compare to just out of the box. I'll just let it burn-in further.


 
  
 are you saying the Vanilla Pulse is lifeless?  or that the filter makes it sound lifeless?
 In your opinion, is this more a function of the DAC or the SS amp?
  
 I didn't think the Xfi at RMAF sounded bodiless with my balanced HE-560 during my 10-15min trial.
 never listened to HD800 much, but can they not sound lifeless via many amps?
  
 my ears prefer some tube-sound with HE-560, so one day the Xfi (+nt) will be a DAC feeding Lyr 2 at home.


----------



## FayeForever

jexby said:


> are you saying the Vanilla Pulse is lifeless?  or that the filter makes it sound lifeless?
> In your opinion, is this more a function of the DAC or the SS amp?
> 
> I didn't think the Xfi at RMAF sounded bodiless with my balanced HE-560 during my 10-15min trial.
> ...


 

 My evaluation is done on the headphone output of the vanilla Pulse. The filter didn't make big difference.
 I have a Xfint coming so that is what matters to me.


----------



## miceblue

What in the heck does "lifeless" mean? Sterile and neutral? Lacking in dynamics? No depth in the soundstage?

It doesn't turn on?


----------



## DannyBai

That's odd, I found the vanilla pulse to sound amazing.  It does have the femto clock upgrade but I thought everyone got that.


----------



## digitalzed

walfredo said:


> Very close to my impressions, Faye.  Excepet that I prefer TCM.  (People do vary.
> 
> Are you using an LPS?  People have reported the Pulse gets more weight and produces a more "robust" sound with it.  I am hoping that getting one will help with its lean nature.


 

 I also agree that the the vanilla Pulse needs some significant burn in time and will benefit on its own from that alone. I received my LPS/4 about 2 weeks after receiving the Pulse and there is a very noticeable difference in the the weight, lower end, and silence. I go back and forth on the filters depending on which headphones I'm using but seem to prefer the TCM mostly. I think an LPS (Geek or other) is a great addition to the Pulse.


----------



## AxelCloris

dannybai said:


> That's odd, I found the vanilla pulse to sound amazing.  It does have the femto clock upgrade but I thought everyone got that.


 
  
 The vanilla Pulse doens't have a femto upgrade. If you selected the femto during the campaign then it should be included in your unit but it won't be in all of them. My vanilla Pulse doesn't have any upgrades whatsoever. My Pulse X will have everything apart from the SE upgrade.


----------



## DannyBai

axelcloris said:


> The vanilla Pulse doens't have a femto upgrade. If you selected the femto during the campaign then it should be included in your unit but it won't be in all of them. My vanilla Pulse doesn't have any upgrades whatsoever. My Pulse X will have everything apart from the SE upgrade.


 
 I was an early backer and I don't remember selecting the femto upgrade but it says it's the Pulse fi so I thought it was a perk for meeting a goal.  It's been so long since the start of the campaign I don't remember most of it.


----------



## AxelCloris

dannybai said:


> I was an early backer and I don't remember selecting the femto upgrade but it says it's the Pulse fi so I thought it was a perk for meeting a goal.  It's been so long since the start of the campaign I don't remember most of it.


 
  
 It's possible someone in the warehouse made a mistake when shipping. Or maybe you backed the upgrade and forgot. But the key thing is that the Pulse fi isn't the vanilla Pulse as it has 2 upgrades applied.


----------



## chartwell85

HiFiMAN just confirmed they're shipping the headphones from Delaware and they'll arrive in our office by Monday. For our customers throughout Asia, they will begin receiving their headphones this week or early next.

 Just confirmed and this info is only 10 minutes old. You're the second (after the Geek Force) to know!


----------



## greenkiwi

Thanks @chartwell85
  
 Any timeline for the Audeze headphone bundles? (well, the HP parts?)


----------



## chartwell85

You mean *these *Audeze headphones.....They'll be picked, packed and shipped ASAP.


----------



## DannyBai

I think during the Pulse campaign Larry decided to use femto clocks on all the Pulses because it sounded better to him.  My guess is that all vanilla Pulses should have the femto upgrade.  I could be mistaken though.


----------



## zerodeefex

> Originally Posted by *jexby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> are you saying the Vanilla Pulse is lifeless?  or that the filter makes it sound lifeless?
> In your opinion, is this more a function of the DAC or the SS amp?
> ...


 
  
  
 TCM filter is lifeless in my opinion, it sounds great with some headphones, but not with others. Dynamics are weak and seem compressed, there is a general smoothing character that reduces overall resolution. Sounds very much designed to use with the stock HD800s.
  
 Either way, though, the Pulse is a competitive unit at it's asking price.  It was easy to compare against the ridiculous kilobuck rigs to find these things but I'm probably pickier than most. These opinions should be taken with a grain of salt as the reference is much more expensive, much larger, and much hotter rigs.


----------



## Zenifyx

dannybai said:


> I think during the Pulse campaign Larry decided to use femto clocks on all the Pulses because it sounded better to him.  My guess is that all vanilla Pulses should have the femto upgrade.  I could be mistaken though.


 
  
 I think you are mistaken.
 The vanilla Pulse only has TCXO clocks.
 lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/Geek_Pulse_Soul_Technology_Breakdown.pdf


----------



## mandrake50

chartwell85 said:


> HiFiMAN just confirmed they're shipping the headphones from Delaware and they'll arrive in our office by Monday. For our customers throughout Asia, they will begin receiving their headphones this week or early next.
> 
> Just confirmed and this info is only 10 minutes old. You're the second (after the Geek Force) to know!


 

 Thank You Casey VERY much!
 Does that mean I might hear form some of your folks soon for confirmation and shipping info??


----------



## senorx12562

chartwell85 said:


> You mean *these *Audeze headphones.....They'll be picked, packed and shipped ASAP.


 
 Sorry Casey, I guess I should have posted your reply to my pm so you didn't have to answer the question again.


----------



## chartwell85

mandrake50 said:


> Thank You Casey VERY much!
> Does that mean I might hear form some of your folks soon for confirmation and shipping info??


 

 Shipping info is based off of what you included in the IGG campaign.  If you need to update your shipping info please open a ticket ASAP


----------



## chartwell85

senorx12562 said:


> Sorry Casey, I guess I should have posted your reply to my pm so you didn't have to answer the question again.


 

 All good!  Multiple posts reinforce the reality of the situation


----------



## zerodeefex

Major props for being so present here to answer questions, Mr Hartwell.


----------



## DannyBai

zenifyx said:


> I think you are mistaken.
> The vanilla Pulse only has TCXO clocks.
> lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/Geek_Pulse_Soul_Technology_Breakdown.pdf


 
 Alright, thanks for that.  I guess I got one heck of a deal then.


----------



## chartwell85

zerodeefex said:


> Major props for being so present here to answer questions, Mr Hartwell.


 
  
 I gotta be in the same place all my peeps are at!


----------



## greenkiwi

chartwell85 said:


> You mean *these *Audeze headphones.....They'll be picked, packed and shipped ASAP.


 
 Just saw this over in the lhlabs forums!!!  Wonderful!


----------



## miceblue

Looks like the Pulse Xfint is now officially called the Pulse X infinite (i = internal op-amp upgrade, f = femto clock, n = naked resistor, t = THD).
http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=800#48797
[quote="Larry Ho" post=48797] Hi, everyone

Thanks for your support. For the people who back both THD and NR perk, we decide to make it even better. And again, it is FREE. And we decide to call this version 'Geek Pulse X infinite' ... Here is what it will have.

* Current to Voltage section right after DAC IC. We will use Texas Component's Z-Foil "Naked" resistors two pairs. 
* Also by hand matching, we expect to lower the THD at least -3dB if not more.
* We will use Vishay's 0.01% MELF resistors (which I only saw that twice in some >$15K Pre-amp) in your line-out analog stage. Again two pairs. 

Let me post two screen captures here...











Enjoy!

Happy New Year![/quote]



Texas Corporation TX2575 information:
Prices: http://webdirect.texascomponents.com/searchresults.asp?cat=1821
Data sheet: http://www.texascomponents.com/pdf/tx2575.pdf

Vishay UMA 0204/UMB 0207 information:
Prices (you have to send a request for a quote): http://www.vishay.com/product?docid=28715
Prices from Mouser: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Vishay-Beyschlag/UMA02040G1001HAU00/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsU0eETUM64J%252btsDIlfFjA47gThFcEhjwI%3d
Data sheet: http://www.vishay.com/docs/28715/umx020x.pdf


----------



## digitalzed

^^Thanks Larry!!^^


----------



## miceblue

And to stay on topic with the discussion of the different filters, I just saw this today:
http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2736-few-additional-features-for-you-to-explore


			
				Larry Ho said:
			
		

> Hi, Force
> 
> Here is the 'wish' list from you that we decided to put in your current Geek Pulse, Geek Pulse X/S...
> 
> ...





I really don't like how information is scattered everywhere throughout the LH forums...


----------



## dclaz

miceblue said:


> And to stay on topic with the discussion of the different filters, I just saw this today:
> http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2736-few-additional-features-for-you-to-explore
> I really don't like how information is scattered everywhere throughout the LH forums...





> *4. There should be slightly different sound characteristics when you set headphone gain to HIGH and LOW. Not only the volume difference. *


 
 Point 4 is a bit curious. 'Should' be? Surely not be desire?


----------



## Chikolad

dclaz said:


> Point 4 is a bit curious. 'Should' be? Surely not be desire?


 
  
 I agree. First thing that crossed my mind when I read it was "why the hell?!".
 But it seems that they did it on purpose for some strange reason.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

How will the people who did the 'moving on up' perk know that their order has been modified? I did my survey months ago and upgraded last week...


----------



## greenkiwi

ultimate mango said:


> How will the people who did the 'moving on up' perk know that their order has been modified? I did my survey months ago and upgraded last week...


I'm wondering the same thing. 

Do we all need to go file support tickets?


----------



## Larry Ho

chikolad said:


> I agree. First thing that crossed my mind when I read it was "why the hell?!".
> But it seems that they did it on purpose for some strange reason.


 
  
 Well... the reason is simple and straight forward ---
  
 Gain setting HIGH: Means you need more 'power' and punch for your headphone. I pick the right passive resistors to fit this requirement.
 Gain setting LOW: You are using high efficiency IEMs.  I pick the super quiet ultra low noise components associate with it.
  
 It's all about details.


----------



## Larry Ho

dclaz said:


> Point 4 is a bit curious. 'Should' be? Surely not be desire?


 

 Because we have relay array there for switching different GAIN. So I could pick the good passive components for different gain settings.


----------



## Chikolad

larry ho said:


> Well... the reason is simple and straight forward ---
> 
> Gain setting HIGH: Means you need more 'power' and punch for your headphone. I pick the right passive resistors to fit this requirement.
> Gain setting LOW: You are using high efficiency IEMs.  I pick the super quiet ultra low noise components associate with it.
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for the clarification. I thought the purpose was to actually change the sound characteristics. If it's a matter of noise that makes more sense


----------



## bitsnbytes

miceblue said:


> Looks like the Pulse Xfint is now officially called the Pulse X infinite (i = internal op-amp upgrade, f = femto clock, n = naked resistor, t = THD).
> http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=800#48797
> Texas Corporation TX2575 information:
> Prices: http://webdirect.texascomponents.com/searchresults.asp?cat=1821
> ...




I still like Pulse Xfitr or Xfint

To infinity and beyond!


----------



## Levanter

Interest check, anyone wants a brand new Lightspeed 2G USB cable for less than $200? Shipping and paypal fees not included.


----------



## Boban85

levanter said:


> Interest check, anyone wants a brand new Lightspeed 2G USB cable for less than $200? Shipping and paypal fees not included.


 
  
 I think all of us here have two of those already  Cheers!


----------



## Chefano

Everyone who upgraded the Xfi must open a support ticket?


----------



## pedalhead

I see the THD + Naked resistor upgrade is about to be re-released.  Hmmm, I've sat it out this far, but getting tempted...particularly if the 2G cable is still included as a sweetener.  I'll admit I'm well into "might not hear a difference" territory, but there's more than a small element of just wanting the top model (other than the bonkers SE) in order to eliminate future doubt.  I wonder if this'll delay shipment of my unit beyond April when the UK meet I'm organising happens.  Hmmmm.....


----------



## marflao

Hmm... Where did you get the info of the re-release of those perks, Mark?


----------



## Boban85

marflao said:


> Hmm... Where did you get the info of the re-release of those perks, Mark?


 
  
 Geek Pulse IGG campaign update tab - Gavin's last update video.


----------



## pedalhead

marflao said:


> Hmm... Where did you get the info of the re-release of those perks, Mark?


 
  
 Gavin uploaded a new video a few hours ago...


----------



## marflao

Boban/Mark, 
Thanks for that. 

I thought the campaign was over and didn't expect any updates anymore.


----------



## pedalhead

Same here!  Markus, are you already in for the THD+naked perks, or did you manage to resist as well?


----------



## marflao

I resisted so far, too, Mark. 
I'm tempted but not 100% convinced yet


----------



## bitsnbytes

No mention of the usb cable being in the offer, was there? Anyway, it's still a good opportunity for those on the fence IMO.


----------



## hemtmaker

I wonder if the new THD + Naked resistor perk will include a free 2G cabe?


----------



## rdsu

hemtmaker said:


> I wonder if the new THD + Naked resistor perk will include a free 2G cabe?



If has THD, then yes...


----------



## pedalhead

marflao said:


> I resisted so far, too, Mark.
> I'm tempted but not 100% convinced yet


 
  
 Likewise...I do wonder about the effect on resale value of not having them though.  I'll jump if you jump 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 .


----------



## jexby

pedalhead said:


> Likewise...I do wonder about the effect on resale value of not having them though.  I'll jump if you jump   .




Hey cmon, I jumped earlier!

There plent of room in the pool- jump in!


----------



## pedalhead

jexby said:


> Hey cmon, I jumped earlier!
> 
> There plent of room in the pool- jump in!


 
  
 hehe 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Well, if they're still giving away the 2G cable...I'm almost a dead cert.


----------



## marflao

pedalhead said:


> Likewise...I do wonder about the effect on resale value of not having them though.  I'll jump if you jump   .




Hmm... 2G should still be included AND a "later backer advantage of a reduced price compared to the earlier backers" would be great  
I know... I'm a dreamer...


----------



## pedalhead

marflao said:


> Hmm... 2G should still be included AND a "later backer advantage of a reduced price compared to the earlier backers" would be great
> I know... I'm a dreamer...


 
  
 Lol!  It wouldn't be the first time


----------



## marflao

Yeah... Let's see... but Gavin hasn't mentioned yet when they "launch" them, or? He said something about tomorrow and 48hrs but not the precise time?


----------



## AxelCloris

jexby said:


> Hey cmon, I jumped earlier!
> 
> There plent of room in the pool- jump in!


 
  
 Um, where are your trunks? O_o


----------



## pedalhead

Agh!  Get out everyone!  John just pee'd in the pool! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Ahem, anyway, yeah I don't think Gavin mentioned specifically when it was to be opened up again, only that it'd run for 48 hours.  I got the impression there would not be limited numbers within that time period.


----------



## jexby

pedalhead said:


> Agh!  Get out everyone!  John just pee'd in the pool!


 
  
 pedalhead, I am blaming you !
  
pool video


----------



## pedalhead

jexby said:


> pedalhead, I am blaming you !
> 
> pool video


 
  
 haha, classic clip there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Apologies for derailing the thread, people...I guess we're _treading water_ until the perks are re-released. (see what I did there?)


----------



## Verloren

Larry's last post regarding XFi:
 Yes. These units in under production and QC and I think we could start shipping on Week 1 Jan.


----------



## ejong7

The infinity perk is back up on indiegogo! Didn't they also wanna release the slacker perk again? Am waiting for that.


----------



## pedalhead

Hmmm, no mention of the 2G in the Infinity perk though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Slacker 1G perk is also up, Corate.


----------



## doctorjazz

Just watched Gavin's video, seems I have another 48 hours to obsess over getting another Geek Pulse (have a Soul ordered)...he didn't say when, though. Wondering when I can start obsessing and getting agida again.


----------



## doctorjazz

Ok, just saw the post, only applies to people who already have the Xfi, whew! I can wait until the Soul upgrades go up to start making myself crazy again.


----------



## ejong7

Just to be sure the slacker 1G is different than the slacker provided in the geek out box?


----------



## miceblue

ejong7 said:


> Just to be sure the slacker 1G is different than the slacker provided in the geek out box?


Correct. The slacker is just a short male USB A to female USB A so that you can reduce the stress on a USB port with something like the Geek Out.


----------



## hemtmaker

So no 2G cable this time round?


----------



## longbowbbs

ejong7 said:


> Just to be sure the slacker 1G is different than the slacker provided in the geek out box?


 
 The Slacker 1G is the 1G USB cable with Male/Female USB A plugs. The GO Slacker is not up to this level at all.


----------



## mandrake50

dclaz said:


> Point 4 is a bit curious. 'Should' be? Surely not be desire?


 

 I asked the question on the Geek forums. No reply. Why would you want to have a different sound when changing gain??
 An example, I am happy with the sound for a given setup, headphones, etc. I need a bit more drive. I change the gain and it messes with the sound.
 Now this seems like a real bad idea to me. Not sure who would have asked for this or why.
 He claimed the change was made per request (s).
  
 My question was whether this was really a request... or maybe a design artifact.
 An artifact that is now being touted as a "feature" ??


----------



## digitalzed

mandrake50 said:


> I asked the question on the Geek forums. No reply. Why would you want to have a different sound when changing gain??
> An example, I am happy with the sound for a given setup, headphones, etc. I need a bit more drive. I change the gain and it messes with the sound.
> Now this seems like a real bad idea to me. Not sure who would have asked for this or why.
> He claimed the change was made per request (s).
> ...


 

 Larry says high gain is for harder to drive headphones and low gain is for IEM's. Not a sound signature change.


----------



## mandrake50

digitalzed said:


> Larry says high gain is for harder to drive headphones and low gain is for IEM's. Not a sound signature change.


 

 In his features post... he just said "slightly different sound".
 Even if it is IEM versus headphones (a typical scenario for reducing gain) Why would you want a different sound?
 Makes no sense to me.
 Where did you see this other information?
  
 This is the quote:
*4. There should be slightly different sound characteristics when you set headphone gain to HIGH and LOW. Not only the volume difference. *

 Nothing about IEMs or headphones...


----------



## miceblue

I don't recall my circuit analyses classes very well, but I'm guessing high gain is optimised for larger impedance headphones and/or planar magnetic headphones, meaning it has better delivery of higher voltage and higher current. 

Low gain is meant for more efficient headphones with low impedance, so I'm guessing that mode is optimised for better current delivery rather than voltage.


----------



## digitalzed

miceblue said:


> I don't recall my circuit analyses classes very well, but I'm guessing high gain is optimised for larger impedance headphones and/or planar magnetic headphones, meaning it has better delivery of higher voltage and higher current.
> 
> Low gain is meant for more efficient headphones with low impedance, so I'm guessing that mode is optimised for better current delivery rather than voltage.


 


 I meant to reply to mandrake, sorry miceblue. Wrong reply.


----------



## pedalhead

Oh well, if the 2G isn't included this time I don't think the deal is sweet enough for this Geek. Reckon I'll stick to the Xfi.


----------



## digitalzed

mandrake50 said:


> In his features post... he just said "slightly different sound".
> Even if it is IEM versus headphones (a typical scenario for reducing gain) Why would you want a different sound?
> Makes no sense to me.
> Where did you see this other information?
> ...


 
 Page 276, post 4133 of this thread.


----------



## mandrake50

OK fine.. What you said is accurate! However, the feature announcement is MUCH more recent!
 BUT, why the sound difference???
 And why is it a desirable  "feature"


----------



## uncola

I got my email offering to give me the THD perk since I only have naked resistors.. it says to contact them asap but doesn't say how.  I guess a ticket?  I already have a ticket trying to cancel my naked resistors hehe.. 
  
 Mandrake if you read larry ho's post 3 pages ago he just says the low and high gain use different resistors so that accounts for the slight differences.  You're making a big deal over something described as _slight_.  I think it basically means they aren't the same resistors with different values but maybe resistors from different brands, the low gain one is better for iems because of lower noise that's why he went with a different brand?  I'm just speculating


----------



## Zenifyx

mandrake50 said:


> OK fine.. What you said is accurate! However, the feature announcement is MUCH more recent!
> BUT, why the sound difference???
> And why is it a desirable  "feature"


 
  
 The feature announcement you are referring to is dated 13 Dec btw.
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2736-few-additional-features-for-you-to-explore
  
 I think Larry did a good job of explaining this in these two posts:
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/4125#post_11175274
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/4125#post_11175277
  
 It isn't a complete overhaul of the sound signature, but just different components placed after the relay optimized for different gain settings that may result in *slightly* different sound characteristics.
 It is desirable simply for the fact that it is optimized (for each gain setting).
 Think about it this way, would you buy a Geek Out 1000 for use with your IEMs?
 Or would you say the different variants of Geek Out (100, 450, 1000) have totally different sound signatures?


----------



## mandrake50

It may or may not be a big deal. That was not my point at all.
 The question is, why was the difference announced as a "feature".?? One that was "requested" !!
 If you speculate correctly. It is a design artifact and not a feature, and not likely anything that anyone would actually ask for!
  
 BTW, people at Headfi obsess over "slight" (inaudible to most) differences constantly.
  
  
 In any case, I have a level of confidence in what Larry does. I would not have bought into this whole thing if I did not.
 In a few months, maybe I will be able to judge for myself whether this "feature" is a good thing.
  
 BTW, I use my GO 1000 for IEMs quite a bit. I had a 450 for awhile here to compare. I found very, very little difference in the sound signature.


----------



## germay0653

THD&NT to Pedalhead: I'm calling your name....buy me, buy me...please.


----------



## uncola

Mandrake, some people asked larry to make sure the low gain setting would have a low noise floor for use with sensitive IEMs because the geek out had audible noise with some iems since it was designed mainly for full size headphones.  I think that's what he means by it was a requested feature.  I remember a lot of people asking him for that..


----------



## mandrake50

uncola said:


> Mandrake, some people asked larry to make sure the low gain setting would have a low noise floor for use with sensitive IEMs because the geek out had audible noise with some iems since it was designed mainly for full size headphones.  I think that's what he means by it was a requested feature.  I remember a lot of people asking him for that..


 

 Got it. So in the interest of reduced noise, he had to make changes that also change the SQ.
 Why didn't he just say so..
 ??


----------



## RingingEars

Hey all.
 I've been on hiatus for a few weeks so forgive me if this has been asked a million times, but anyone know when the hifi man bundles are being shipped?


----------



## longbowbbs

ringingears said:


> Hey all.
> I've been on hiatus for a few weeks so forgive me if this has been asked a million times, but anyone know when the hifi man bundles are being shipped?


 
 Sounds like next week. They arrive from Delaware at LH Labs on Friday.


----------



## RingingEars

longbowbbs said:


> Sounds like next week. They arrive from Delaware at LH Labs on Friday.


 
 Nice. Thank you.
 See you guys in another few weeks


----------



## mandrake50

longbowbbs said:


> Sounds like next week. They arrive from Delaware at LH Labs on Friday.


 

 Gavin said that they have them and would start to Ship Monday..
 According to his latest video.
  
 Regardless, It sound like it is pretty close to actually happening.


----------



## longbowbbs

mandrake50 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Sounds like next week. They arrive from Delaware at LH Labs on Friday.
> ...


 
 I thought it was the Audeze's that were in already. Won't be long now though! Nice to see the units and perks shipping!


----------



## eliwankenobi

Confirmed by Gavin in the IGG comments... YES the 2G usb cable is still included in the Pulse Infinity upgrade perk!!


----------



## Maelob

Don't get it how do I get the infinity upgrade I already have thd but no naked resistors. I saw the email from Gavin but perk is not showing?


----------



## jexby

maelob said:


> Don't get it how do I get the infinity upgrade I already have thd but no naked resistors. I saw the email from Gavin but perk is not showing?




People,
The answer is always the same- open a new support ticket and ask!


----------



## ejong7

maelob said:


> Don't get it how do I get the infinity upgrade I already have thd but no naked resistors. I saw the email from Gavin but perk is not showing?


 

 According to Gavin in the video you'll be contacted by the LH Labs team personally.


----------



## hemtmaker

Does anyone know what the MSRP of Pulse infinity will be?


----------



## longbowbbs

hemtmaker said:


> Does anyone know what the MSRP of Pulse infinity will be?


 
 They have not stated a price. Just the Xfi at $3199.


----------



## AxelCloris

jexby said:


> People,
> The answer is always the same- open a new support ticket and ask!


 
  
 I believe the ticketing system is supposed to be closed until LH Labs returns to the office.


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> I believe the ticketing system is supposed to be closed until LH Labs returns to the office.




Indeed true, so a reply might be delayed.
But with IGG not having a perk to address his issue, either LHLabs Support contact him first. Or he contacts them.

Signing off until next year, Happy 2015 to all!


----------



## vhsownsbeta

jexby said:


> People,
> The answer is always the same- open a new support ticket and ask!




Perks? Tickets? I backed and Xfi and upgraded to THD/naked before the campaign finished. Will my Xfi automagically become an Infinity?


----------



## longbowbbs

vhsownsbeta said:


> jexby said:
> 
> 
> > People,
> ...


 
 Yes. If you backed both THD and Naked Resistors then you have an Infinity version.


----------



## Larry Ho

vhsownsbeta said:


> Perks? Tickets? I backed and Xfi and upgraded to THD/naked before the campaign finished. Will my Xfi automagically become an Infinity?


 

 Yes!


----------



## vhsownsbeta

longbowbbs said:


> Yes. If you backed both THD and Naked Resistors then you have an Infinity version.






larry ho said:


> Yes!




Great, thanks!


----------



## uncola

Cool I found a post from Tami Rhoades on lhlabs forum, she says if you get the email asking if you want to add the THD perk to your naked resistor perk, just reply to the email with your preferences.
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/2969-xfi-purchase-challenges#49020
  
 "Rich, sorry for the confusion. Just respond to that email and we'll invoice you through PayPal for your upgrade."
  
 No need to open a ticket guys


----------



## pedalhead

Gavin confirmed the 2G is included, so I'm in for the Infinite. Happy New Year, Geeks!


----------



## uncola

New years resolution:  spend less on audio gear
  
 new years prediction:  I will spend more on audio gear


----------



## pauldgroot

I really had to resist the infinity upgrade. Man, I hope a $3199 MSRP DAC/AMP doesn't need the inifinity perk to sound amazing. If so then the whole campaign has been a scam. Then there is the 2G cable, yes it will have a MSRP of $299 but the parts alone should be like what $10-$20. Anyhow, I hope that there will be a difference for the people who ordered it but I expect that the Xfi will sound amazing!


----------



## Maelob

Should I be concern, Ive never received and email or filled an survey from anybody from LH, at what point should I expect an email LOL. I am not in a hurry, I am just curious, I backed the Pulse XFI THD, LPS, 2G cable, mono amps, stereo amp, WAVE etc.....


----------



## pauldgroot

I didn't get any confirmation myself yet. They said it would come some time after the IGG campaign ended because they need to merge it with previous backers.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

pauldgroot said:


> ...If so then the whole campaign has been a scam. ...




There have been many posts and heated discussions on this. I think the LH Labs people are decent human beings and might have the ability to design good products (time will tell), but could do a lot better in the areas of customer relations, communications and generally coming across as scammy. 

That being said, I backed the original pulse campaign, eventually upgraded that to Xfi, the original wave campaign and the subsequent wave and stream campaigns, also with lots of upgrades. When people give money, repeatedly and lots of it, and don't have anything to show for it, they feel scammed. When we get the final product we will all have to fight hard against confirmation bias and raw emotion to convince ourselves that it was or was not worth the time and money and frustration in the end. 

If I can resell my products right out of the gate for what is quoted MSRP, I may do just that, and use the profit to just get other products that meet my needs just so I don't have to look at a reminder of this campaign every day.


----------



## pauldgroot

I wouldn't feel scammed in that way. I just think that the plain Pulse Xfi priced at $3199 should sound like a dac/amp that costs $3199. If it does I would be very happy and wouldn't feel like I've missed out on the THD/NR perks.
  
 The bad thing is that there haven't been any objective comparisons of the Pulse X/Xfi/Infinite so nobody would know if the upgrades are worth it except Larry and Gavin but they are biased as they want to sell them to us. If LHL would let some people review the units and let me know that the Infinite actually sounds a lot better than the Xfi does then I might still want to get the Infinite perk.
  
 Right now I feel hesitant to invest more because of diminishing returns but reviews/previews/measurements might actually change this.


----------



## doctorjazz

Happy New Year, all!
This is crowdfunding. You don't get something for nothing. You want comparison to similarly priced items, instant availability, hands on customer service, home auditions in your own system? This is called buying from a dealer. It's not a bad thing at all, just costs more. When I went in for this stuff (and, like many, I'm in for the Geek Soul Tube with tube upgrades, fully tricked out wave, fully tricked out source...almost went for another Pulse when the upgrade path and bundled deals were out there, held back by the skin of my teeth), I just wanted a $400 desktop amp/dac for my headphones. I already had the Geek Out 1K and Special Edition, and they sound great (but are not with out usability problems...I'm sure everyone has heard about the volume issues, changes in firmware to change the volume buttons to filter changers. Well, I still have some volume issues with them, and neither has the juice to properly drive the Hifiman HE-560, which I bought shortly before the bundle was offered  ). So, I'd love my stuff now like everyone else, but, I don't know how this stuff will sell at the predicted list price (these guys are great marketers if nothing else, may manage to sell them), but the price of getting all these audiophile approved goodies at a fraction of list is the wait, the confusion, the upgrade offers. If it really does go well for LH Labs, and they sell well even at the list, I'm not sure you'll get to make double what you paid (I wouldn't buy one for list price if I can get it for the same from a dealer or manufacturer), but should at least be able to break even, maybe make SOME profit. But even that is a bit of a crap shoot. Maybe most of the people who wanted them will have gottten them in the Indiegogo program, maybe some people will write them up badly (doesn't seem likely, but who knows?).
I'm just trying to be patient and figure I'll enjoy the toys (and the savings) whenever they come.


----------



## greenkiwi

The thd perk comes with the MeLF resistors, right? These just get reused if you also get the naked perk? There isn't anything additional if you get both, right?


Additionally, Larry recently announced in the Geek Force forum that anyone who backs both THD and NR perks is in for a pleasant surprise, because we have made it even better. For FREE. This version will be called Geek Pulse X infinity and will include these additional upgrades: 
Current to Voltage section right after DAC IC. We will use Texas Component's Z-Foil "Naked" resistors, two pairs.
· Also by hand matching, we expect to lower the THD at least -3dB if not more.
· We will use Vishay's 0.01% MELF resistors in your line-out analog stage. Again two pairs.


----------



## mandrake50

ejong7 said:


> According to Gavin in the video you'll be contacted by the LH Labs team personally.


 

 I got an email form them yesterday to add the NR to my THD perk. I replied that I would do it. A few hours later I had a Paypal invoice.
 Which I paid for $129.
  
 If anyone is interested and didn't get an email, maybe wait a day or two, they are closed for the Holiday... then open a ticket.
 At least that would be my suggestion on how to proceed.


----------



## isquirrel

Thought I might chime in here,
  
 In my experience Larry has been extremely helpful to me, he sent me out a firmware file to fix a small issue on certain tracks, when I heard it I was surprised as the SQ improved quite considerably (& it was hardly bad before) I pestered him until he cheekily mentioned he had taken some personal time to make some changes in light of new research no doubt. He is also working on new firmware to support higher DSD sample rates. So they are still continuing development on older products.
  
 I understand people will say oh but its a much higher price point but he didn't have to do that especially when LH are clearly so busy. They also sent me a new remote free of charge because I damaged the previous one. 
  
 Larry is sending out a Geek Source to try as I am interested in the DaVinci source to pair with my DAC. He emails comparing notes on Turntables and Valves. The guy is an enthusiast.
  
 It seems to me that LH are genuinely interested in their customers.


----------



## longbowbbs

isquirrel said:


> Thought I might chime in here,
> 
> In my experience Larry has been extremely helpful to me, he sent me out a firmware file to fix a small issue on certain tracks, when I heard it I was surprised as the SQ improved quite considerably (& it was hardly bad before) I pestered him until he cheekily mentioned he had taken some personal time to make some changes in light of new research no doubt. He is also working on new firmware to support higher DSD sample rates. So they are still continuing development on older products.
> 
> ...


 
 +1 to that!


----------



## Maelob

To be honest, i am loving this crowdsourcing. Total credit to LH labs for using that type of medium. Once all the products are done and delivered and reviews start coming out a lot of people will wish they contributed. time will tell. i feel like i am now part of the company and wish them to succed.


----------



## smial1966

I don't think that any LH Labs backer doubts Larry's enthusiasm and dogged commitment to offering us the absolute best in sound quality that's attainable at a given price. The sticking point for me and no doubt other crowdfunding contributors is the almost incessant upgrade treadmill that we're cajoled into post product release. Given Larry's electronic engineering chops, he must have a pretty good idea of what XYZ component is capable of before offering it to market. So why play on crowdfunding contributors paranoaia with these periodic upgrades? Surely, it's more apposite to initially offer a basic unit and then an upgraded version based on Larry's product performance findings, rather than these continual upgrade perks based on naked whatnots and other THD performance claims that are milking contributors wallets dry! 




isquirrel said:


> Thought I might chime in here,
> 
> In my experience Larry has been extremely helpful to me, he sent me out a firmware file to fix a small issue on certain tracks, when I heard it I was surprised as the SQ improved quite considerably (& it was hardly bad before) I pestered him until he cheekily mentioned he had taken some personal time to make some changes in light of new research no doubt. He is also working on new firmware to support higher DSD sample rates. So they are still continuing development on older products.
> 
> ...


----------



## isquirrel

smial1966 said:


> I don't think that any LH Labs backer doubts Larry's enthusiasm and dogged commitment to offering us the absolute best in sound quality that's attainable at a given price. The sticking point for me and no doubt other crowdfunding contributors is the almost incessant upgrade treadmill that we're cajoled into post product release. Given Larry's electronic engineering chops, he must have a pretty good idea of what XYZ component is capable of before offering it to market. So why play on crowdfunding contributors paranoaia with these periodic upgrades? Surely, it's more apposite to initially offer a basic unit and then an upgraded version based on Larry's product performance findings, rather than these continual upgrade perks based on these naked whatnots and other THD performance claims.


 
  
 Have to agree with you there, I looked at the site and was confused about the options and it occurred to me that commentary on the upgrades offered would be useful. Its a familiar problem with a company growing so fast. I understand that they have addressed and continue to add to the resources required to execute the BP.


----------



## amham

The shameless/endless marketing of "perks/upgrades" is a naked attempt to extend the revenue juggernaut they find so intoxicating.  No doubt Larry is a techy more interested in the performance aspect however Gavin is out of control and needs a hefty dose of adult supervision.  Of course, those unsophisticated backers afflicted with "audio nervosa" can only blame themselves.


----------



## Anaximandros

Well, nobody is forced to buy or upgrade anything. The marketing speech however is well and that's a huge selling point.


----------



## TopQuark

amham said:


> The shameless/endless marketing of "perks/upgrades" is a naked attempt to extend the revenue juggernaut they find so intoxicating.  No doubt Larry is a techy more interested in the performance aspect however Gavin is out of control and needs a hefty dose of adult supervision.  Of course, those unsophisticated backers afflicted with "audio nervosa" can only blame themselves.


 
  
  


anaximandros said:


> Well, nobody is forced to buy or upgrade anything. The marketing speech however is well and that's a huge selling point.


 
  
 Marketing at it's best. Hit the consumers where they are weak at - fear of losing a sale, make it look like some perks are freebies (2G cable from THD perk), hit the emotions like "start press releases like you guys are amazing.., we are not in this for the money...), unfair pricing tactics, perks to mask missed target dates, etc.
  
 This technique is revolutionary in a sense that everything is done is within the lax rules of crowdfunding and IGG.  FTC is not into this yet so why not take advantage of it.


----------



## TopQuark

isquirrel said:


> Thought I might chime in here,
> 
> In my experience Larry has been extremely helpful to me, he sent me out a firmware file to fix a small issue on certain tracks, when I heard it I was surprised as the SQ improved quite considerably (& it was hardly bad before) I pestered him until he cheekily mentioned he had taken some personal time to make some changes in light of new research no doubt. He is also working on new firmware to support higher DSD sample rates. So they are still continuing development on older products.
> 
> ...


 

 And you have a Da Vinci DAC, right?  I wouldn't be surprised by Larry's action to you then since you are not part of the majority...


----------



## zerodeefex

Larry, Gavin and Casey drove to my house for a meet. They're always sharing new, cool developments with me and I find the whole crew to be excited to produce the best sounding stuff they can.

They pretty much genuinely want to see what they can do to improve the products. I don't always agree with the constant evolution of the gear, but I like the end results, especially at the early price points. If anything, they're taking more input than I would from the community.


----------



## Maelob

To be fair to them, is in their best interest to deliver an amazing product.  The future of their company is riding on this campaign.  Once they deliver a great product, all the issues with the campaign will be a mute point.  However if for some reason they dont deliver an amazing product, the company and their professional reputation is the one thats going to suffer.  I dont think they want that.


----------



## Chefano

amham said:


> The shameless/endless marketing of "perks/upgrades" is a naked attempt to extend the revenue juggernaut they find so intoxicating.  No doubt Larry is a techy more interested in the performance aspect however Gavin is out of control and needs a hefty dose of adult supervision.  Of course, those unsophisticated backers afflicted with "audio nervosa" can only blame themselves.


 
  
 Someone that is still thinking.


----------



## hemtmaker

Just upgraded to infinity. Hopefully the upgrade + 2G cable will yield a noticeable sonic difference without the LPS. Fingers-crossed. 

Happy New Years everyone


----------



## eliwankenobi

maelob said:


> To be fair to them, is in their best interest to deliver an amazing product.  The future of their company is riding on this campaign.  Once they deliver a great product, all the issues with the campaign will be a mute point.  However if for some reason they dont deliver an amazing product, the company and their professional reputation is the one thats going to suffer.  I dont think they want that.




Yeah, the Pulse and all its variants is going to be a defining product in the company's history. They started it before months before they started shipping the GeekOut and it is now a done deal and you can buy it from Amazon and all. But there is still people who feel they will loose their money and not get the product, etc etc.

I'm sure they will deliver as they have done in the past with the GO as said before. Once all the Pulses are done and reviews start coming in and the fears are put to rest once the people see the Pulse can throw punches (beat?) with the competition (especially the Xfi and Infinity)... The rest of the camapaigns are not gonna be an issue at all for people.. They will know LHLabs delivers


----------



## zerodeefex

hemtmaker said:


> Just upgraded to infinity. Hopefully the upgrade + 2G cable will yield a noticeable sonic difference without the LPS. Fingers-crossed.
> 
> Happy New Years everyone


 
 You probably want an LPS as well. You can use it with the 2G cable as the clean power end of things as well.


----------



## mscott58

Looks like the first Pulse has made it to Ebay. 

Geek Pulse #333 is listed as a B-I-N for $475.

 Cheers


----------



## lobehold

Btw. how many people are aware that the 3D Awesomefier (aka. cross-feed) have been removed from the Pulse?
  
 This has been done under the radar with the campaign page redacted of all hint of it's existence.
  
 Part of the reason I would be very hesitant to spend any more money with LH Labs.


----------



## jexby

lobehold said:


> Btw. how many people are aware that the 3D Awesomefier (aka. cross-feed) have been removed from the Pulse?
> 
> This has been done under the radar with the campaign page redacted of all hint of it's existence.
> 
> Part of the reason I would be very hesitant to spend any more money with LH Labs.




Whatever,
The 3D feature was nothing special in GeekOut. And it was worse with IEMs,
Glad it's gone.

If LH Labs motto is: "if it can't be great, don't do it at all"
I'm in agreement.


----------



## snip3r77

Am I correct?

1) naked resistor. What is the original perk upgrade cost?
TX2575 upgrade

2) THD 
Hand Matching, no better components

3) Infinity package ( naked + THD + FOC Melf Resistor ? )
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=800#48797


----------



## lobehold

jexby said:


> Whatever,
> The 3D feature was nothing special in GeekOut. And it was worse with IEMs,
> Glad it's gone.
> 
> ...


 
  
 First, Geek Out has class A circuit in a thumb drive sized enclosure, that doesn't mean the same noise problem will occur with Pulse.
  
 Second, the problem is not just that it's gone, it's that it's gone without a freaking word, do you understand the difference here?
  
 Finally, "if" LH Labs motto is? IF?
  
 You're just making stuff up and agreeing with the stuff you just made up, which is screwed up.
  
 I've been seeing too many of these kind of behaviors over at the Geek Force forums, where some community members became some kind of volunteer enforcer keeping other community members "in line" by inventing excuses and hypothesizes answers and beating down any and all legitimate criticisms.


----------



## jexby

LH doesn't need to explain why they drop a feature in a project that has been developed over 12 months.
Pulse campaign was never a fixed product purchase.

I don't care about 3D, nor your argument for it.


----------



## hemtmaker

Yeah, perhaps a third part product later. The LPS on offer is a big bulky for my desktop.



zerodeefex said:


> You probably want an LPS as well. You can use it with the 2G cable as the clean power end of things as well.


----------



## jexby

lobehold said:


> You're just making stuff up and agreeing with the stuff you just made up, which is screwed up.




What is screwed up is YOU deciding what I should care about or how LH Labs needs to justify feature decisions.
I despised 3d on my GO450. I want no part of it on Pulse.

If I want effects it will be from software like JRiver on a computer that has way more CPU cycles than a DAC.

Sell your Pulse if 3D was the killer feature you needed.


----------



## miceblue

snip3r77 said:


> Am I correct?
> 
> 1) naked resistor. What is the original perk upgrade cost?
> TX2575 upgrade
> ...



Original Naked Resistor perk price was $129, original THD perk price was $168, combined "infinity" perk is $297.

Naked Resistor perk uses the 4 Texas Corporation TX2575 z-foil resistors yes.
THD perk has both hand-matched active components as well as low-tolerance 0.01% MELF resistors (probably to help speed-up the hand-matching process compared to the stock 0.1% resistors; for example, it makes the hand-matching process easier when you have 25 kOhm resistors with a tolerance of ±2.5 ohm [0.01%] compared to a tolerance of ±25 ohm [0.1%]).

If you backed both the THD and Naked Resistor perks, the TX2575 naked resistors will be used in the same area of the PCB where some 0.01% MELF resistors are from the THD perk, but Larry stated that he will recycle those replaced 0.01% resistors to other areas of the PCB.






lobehold said:


> First, Geek Out has class A circuit in a thumb drive sized enclosure, that doesn't mean the same noise problem will occur with Pulse.
> 
> Second, the problem is not just that it's gone, it's that it's gone without a freaking word, do you understand the difference here?



Noise was a problem with the filter, I don't think I has anything to do with the amplifier architecture nor the power source.

Also,
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2063-pc-gpx-002-start-testing?start=75#34092


			
				Larry Ho said:
			
		

> And the answer is both Geek Out and Geek Pulse use the XS1-U8A-64-FB96. The reason is simple,
> adding more cores in this situation won't give what we need: FASTER DSP power. We need more clock speed in one thread. Unless we need to control multi-channel or have some other control features.
> 
> Actually, last week I just have a good top level meeting with XMOS friends in Silicon valley. I address my need for higher speed, not more cores. They told me in 2015 Q1, they will have something nice for me. Speed grade jump from 500MHz each core to 700MHz each core.
> ...




http://lhlabs.com/force/geekout/2106-3d-awesomifier-has-been-dropped-why#33334


			
				Larry Ho said:
			
		

> In this particular situation, the current CPU/APU is not fast enough...
> MP filter + 3D over 192K Fs.... or DSD (DoP) 128 + TCM + 3D
> 
> So in the end, I am forced to let out with one.... then 3D is that one.
> ...


----------



## pearljam50000

There are too many campaigns and info and I got confused /:
1.What was the lowest price during the crowdfundig campaign?
2.what is the current price?
3. Will there be another campaign to buy it on low price again?
4.is there a full review?
Sorry for the many questions!


----------



## lobehold

@jexby
  
 Nobody is forcing you to use cross-feed, you are not negatively affected by a feature you don't use, yet you're advocating hindering other people without any benefit to yourself.
  
 My post was not directed towards you, if you do not care about it why did you comment at all?
  
@miceblue
  
 I applaude you for your detective skills, but again I want to emphasize, DETECTIVE SKILLS.
  
 How the heck do you expect regular backers who do not read the forum 24/7 even in forums for the product they did not back (Geek Out) to figure this out?


----------



## jexby

pearljam50000 said:


> There are too many campaigns and info and I got confused /:
> 1.What was the lowest price during the crowdfundig campaign?
> 2.what is the current price?
> 3. Will there be another campaign to buy it on low price again?
> ...




If you are confused do your homework, we aren't here to catch you up after 14 months,
But anyhow:
1. Who knows, irrelevant.
2. MSRP
3. Not for Pulse
4. Google it


----------



## jexby

lobehold said:


> @jexby
> 
> Nobody is forcing you to use cross-feed, you are not negatively affected by a feature you don't use, yet you're advocating hindering other people without any benefit to yourself.
> 
> My post was not directed towards you, if you do not care about it why did you comment at all?




Because if the Pulse only has cycles for TCM and PCM and SSM filter, the it WILL benefit me for dropping 3D cross feed.

I commented on it because:
1. LH Labs is not beholden to you for approval when a feature decision is needed.
2. As miceblue showed, Larry did explain why 3D was dropped. Sorry they didn't sent you a direct memo.


----------



## lobehold

jexby said:


> Because if the Pulse only has cycles for TCM and PCM and SSM filter, the it WILL benefit me for dropping 3D cross feed.
> 
> I commented on it because:
> 1. LH Labs is not beholden to you for approval when a feature decision is needed.
> 2. As miceblue showed, Larry did explain why 3D was dropped. Sorry they didn't sent you a direct memo.


 
  
 First, you had no idea why the feature was dropped before miceblue showed his great detective work, you've made no attempt to hide your "screw you, got mine" attitude and don't try to spin it the other way.
  
 Second it was always about proper notification of changes, don't try to spin it as "they need my approval", you know darn well that wasn't my gripe about it.
  
 Third, there was NEVER a proper explanation of why 3D was dropped for the PULSE, miceblue showed two separate posts buried in two different product forums when put together, infers an explanation.
  
 That is in NO WAY proper communication.


----------



## miceblue

pearljam50000 said:


> There are too many campaigns and info and I got confused /:
> 1.What was the lowest price during the crowdfundig campaign?
> 2.what is the current price?
> 3. Will there be another campaign to buy it on low price again?
> ...



No doubt about it, the campaign was confusing as heck.

 The absolute lowest price was $199 USD on the very first campaign with the Geek Out/Geek Pulse bundle for $398 total. The normal early bird pricing were $249, $299, and $349. These were the prices for just for the plain, vanilla Geek Pulse (before the giant hurricane of perks arrived on shore).
 The campaign is over now, but the plain, vanilla Geek Pulse was $399 during the Forever Funding campaign. Now that the campaign is over, the current price will be bumped up to the suggested MSRP price of $999.
 Most likely no. The Forever Funding campaign that just ended was probably the last chance you'll see the lower prices. You might be able to try eBay in the future to see if anyone is selling their units (though you have to be careful since people will likely try to profit there), or in the For Sale section here on Head-Fi (a safer bet since the rules of Head-Fi's For Sale section say you can't sell things for profit).
 There are impressions scattered throughout the Interwebz, some here in this thread, others on the Light Harmonic forums like here. The only official review is for the Geek Pulse Xfi on Headphone Guru: http://headphone.guru/geek-pulse/.







lobehold said:


> miceblue
> I applaude you for your detective skills, but again I want to emphasize, DETECTIVE SKILLS.
> 
> How the heck do you expect regular backers who do not read the forum 24/7 even in forums for the product they did not back (Geek Out) to figure this out?



Yeah that's a tough question to answer. There is a search feature on their forums, but just like people here on Head-Fi, the search feature is often overlooked and unused because 






I myself don't like digging through the forums to search for information that really should be published in one area, but I guess if you really want an answer for something, that's the best thing to do, unfortunately. A lot the information Larry posted about the THD and Naked Resistor perks for example are in the Pulse Xfi Signature Edition thread. No practical outsider is going to search through that, let alone the some 36 pages of posts in that thread (36 pages * 25 posts per page = 1260 posts total). I was just lucky that I happened to post in that thread and receive an avalanche of e-mail updates whenever someone posts in there.


----------



## jexby

lobehold said:


> First, you had no idea why the feature was dropped before miceblue showed his great detective work, you've made no attempt to hide your "screw you, got mine" attitude and don't try to spin it the other way.
> 
> Second it was always about proper notification of changes, don't try to spin it as "they need my approval", you know darn well that wasn't my gripe about it.
> 
> ...


 
  
 1.  I knew why Larry H dropped 3D as I'm a regular on LH Labs forums.  typing on my iPad I had no need/time/desire to explain it to you in detail.
  
 2.  true, this was not about approval. but "proper notification".  i mixed the topics.
  
 3.  ok, it was not proper enough for you.  it was proper enough for me because I read it on LH Labs forums weeks ago.


----------



## pearljam50000

@miceblue
Thanks for the effort!!!
Really appreciate it ^_^


----------



## jexby

pearljam50000 said:


> @miceblue
> Thanks for the effort!!!
> Really appreciate it ^_^


 
  
 indeed! I should have known better and let miceblue take on this entire thread tonight.
 lesson. learned.


----------



## Verloren

miceblue said:


> The absolute lowest price was $199 USD on the very first campaign with the Geek Out/Geek Pulse bundle for $398 total. The normal early bird pricing were $249, $299, and $349. These were the prices for just for the plain, vanilla Geek Pulse (before the giant hurricane of perks arrived on shore).
> The campaign is over now, but the plain, vanilla Geek Pulse was $399 during the Forever Funding campaign. Now that the campaign is over, the current price will be bumped up to the suggested MSRP price of $999.
> Most likely no. The Forever Funding campaign that just ended was probably the last chance you'll see the lower prices. You might be able to try eBay in the future to see if anyone is selling their units (though you have to be careful since people will likely try to profit there), or in the For Sale section here on Head-Fi (a safer bet since the rules of Head-Fi's For Sale section say you can't sell things for profit).
> There are impressions scattered throughout the Interwebz, some here in this thread, others on the Light Harmonic forums like here. The only official review is for the Geek Pulse Xfi on Headphone Guru: http://headphone.guru/geek-pulse/.


 
  
 4 - I always thought that the review was for the vanilla Pulse, not the XFi.


----------



## miceblue

verloren said:


> 4 - I always thought that the review was for the vanilla Pulse, not the XFi.



Indeed that was confusing too.


longbowbbs said:


> ringingears said:
> 
> 
> > longbowbbs said:
> ...


----------



## greenkiwi

And I think that the lowest pulse xfi pricing was
$299 pulse X gfox + $218 FI

I couldn't pass up the gfox deals so I got two rather than upgrade my vanilla pulse.


----------



## greenkiwi

Thanks for the info on the thd perk. That it does have the MeLF resistors. That was what I was assuming and that the free additional upgrade for the infinite was to have those reused.


----------



## hoo7h

Should the Pulse XFi be noticebly better than the vanilla Pulse? Kinda of having regrets here so I thought I ask for your inputs guys :/


----------



## Currawong

hoo7h said:


> Should the Pulse XFi be noticebly better than the vanilla Pulse? Kinda of having regrets here so I thought I ask for your inputs guys :/


 
  
 I think those things can be pondered once they are all actually shipped.  The real regret will be if this campaign goes on for many more months without customers receiving a product.


----------



## Levanter

currawong said:


> I think those things can be pondered once they are all actually shipped.  The real regret will be if this campaign goes on for many more months without customers receiving a product.




I'm curious. Did you back any of their Pulse too?


----------



## snip3r77

Just received the LPS 

Now thinking if I should go for the Naked Resistor. Anyone in their hifi journey did they encounter the improvement on the naked resistor , SQ and not spec wise? I already gotten the THD perk.


----------



## ejong7

I really pondered upon getting the LPS, but it's just gonna be too bulky for my setup. Gonna be able to listen to it at the end of the month, hoping that it won't tempt my already heavily damaged wallet. Or hopefully they do make a smaller version of it,as hard as it sounds lol. Patiently waiting for the inifinity.


----------



## snip3r77

ejong7 said:


> I really pondered upon getting the LPS, but it's just gonna be too bulky for my setup. Gonna be able to listen to it at the end of the month, hoping that it won't tempt my already heavily damaged wallet. Or hopefully they do make a smaller version of it,as hard as it sounds lol. Patiently waiting for the inifinity.




It's meant to be stacked


----------



## Boban85

Since there are many questions about the LPS, let me share that when Larry got a direct question (on the comments page of the IGG campaign for the Geek Pulse) which is a better upgrade for a Pulse X, the Xfi or adding the LPS, Larry's answer was "the LPS, no doubt" (quoting from memory). 
  
 By the end of the campaign I had a Pulse Infinity and was really debating with myself if I should get the LPS and that was the comment that swayed me. I didn't have the cash for it (it was the end of the campaign, any backers who did) so I opened a ticket and asked for a payment plan for the LPS which was approved by Manny (thank you mate). 
  
 If you have the Pulse Infinity and want to get most of it and don't have the LPS but can afford it now - open a ticket with LHL and try/beg to get it with the IGG campaign perk price. It is touted by Larry (from my reading of his posts) to be a greater upgrade than the "fi" upgrade or the "Infinity" upgrade. 
  
 If you have a Pulse and can't afford the LPS now - you are still getting a great product, a steal for the campaign price, don't worry about the LPS. You can borrow it and try it in the future and if you think it's worth it you can get it at a latter date. It would probably feel like a significant upgrade. Also, you can compare it with cheaper LPSs from other manufacturers and decide what suits you the best. 
  
 IMO.


----------



## ejong7

I do need to lug it around so its not about it being stacked. Thanks for your reply though!
  
 Yeah my wallet died by the end of the campaign so I took it as a sign for me not to get the LPS. I'll open a ticket to ask though.


----------



## ejong7

The tickets are closed for holiday but if Casey or Gavin or Larry or anybody from the LH Labs team can be contacted (don't wanna disturb your own holidays) holla.


----------



## pedalhead

Don't forget, there are many LPS units out there, from many manufacturers, that will work just fine with the Pulse.  Admittedly, a matching chassis is nice to have, but if you can't afford the Geek LPS right now there are many more options out there when you can.


----------



## Levanter

I'm hoping the SQ for Pulse Infinity will kick Chord's new desktop DAC's ass all the way back to UK...


----------



## Currawong

levanter said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > I think those things can be pondered once they are all actually shipped.  The real regret will be if this campaign goes on for many more months without customers receiving a product.
> ...


 
  
 Yes. But when I realised they didn't even know what I had ordered in the campaign, I requested a refund and received it.


----------



## Levanter

currawong said:


> Yes. But when I realised they didn't even know what I had ordered in the campaign, I requested a refund and received it.


 
  
 LOL, but wow they actually did refund you


----------



## pedalhead

levanter said:


> LOL, but wow they actually did refund you


 
  
 In fairness to LH, I've also had positive experience here...they refunded the excess customs charges I incurred because their shipper incorrectly marked the value of my GO450 too high.


----------



## Levanter

pedalhead said:


> In fairness to LH, I've also had positive experience here...they refunded the excess customs charges I incurred because their shipper incorrectly marked the value of my GO450 too high.


 
  
 Ooh i think that's only proper, and i don't doubt on their services too. Though i've never heard of them refunding during a campaign period on pledges.


----------



## hoo7h

Well I am not that much of an old backer. But seriously thou. $400 something for a 10G cable. $400 something for a power supply. $297 for an upgrade. I mean SERIOUSLY. It seems that those who backed these will back everything LH will throw at them. I am sure that LH will produce an overall good products, with a small dish of placebo upgrades.


----------



## pedalhead

levanter said:


> Ooh i think that's only proper, and i don't doubt on their services too. Though i've never heard of them refunding during a campaign period on pledges.


 
  
 Indeed, I've heard the message repeated a number of times from LH "Sorry, Indiegogo don't allow refunds".  Obviously, they still have the freedom to suck up the losses by refunding and taking the hit themselves if they choose to do so, which I guess they did in Currawong's case.


----------



## georgelai57

They won't refund for mere mortals like me. I asked. 

Having said that, when the various products are launched, I hope I can sell them to latecomers at the prices I paid. I don't want a profit and they save on the new MSRP. That's the only way I guess for me to get my money back.


----------



## Anaximandros

They refunded my upgrade from LPS to LPS4, but that was a along time ago. It was in May I think, because I did not see any products to be connected to the additional LPS4 which I'd eventually need. Bought the LPS4 for future plans of buying the Source. But the Source is way too expensive and can't even be powered by the LPS4.


----------



## longbowbbs

verloren said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > The absolute lowest price was $199 USD on the very first campaign with the Geek Out/Geek Pulse bundle for $398 total. The normal early bird pricing were $249, $299, and $349. These were the prices for just for the plain, vanilla Geek Pulse (before the giant hurricane of perks arrived on shore).
> ...


 
 My review was the Xfi. It was serial #2. The unit was the same one I listened to at RMAF. A lot more fun to use outside of show conditions. I went for the Infinity but the Xfi was terrific as it was.


----------



## hemtmaker

longbowbbs said:


> My review was the Xfi. It was serial #2. The unit was the same one I listened to at RMAF. A lot more fun to use outside of show conditions. I went for the Infinity but the Xfi was terrific as it was.


 
  
 Did you also went for the LPS Eric?


----------



## jexby

hoo7h said:


> Well I am not that much of an old backer. But seriously thou. $400 something for a 10G cable. $400 something for a power supply. $297 for an upgrade. I mean SERIOUSLY. It seems that those who backed these will back everything LH will throw at them.




There are exceptions as I did not go for: Geek Wave, Source, Soul/VI DAC, mono block amps, nor expensive cables, warranty extensions.
A superb sounding Pulse X Infinite is all I need/expect.


----------



## longbowbbs

hemtmaker said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > My review was the Xfi. It was serial #2. The unit was the same one I listened to at RMAF. A lot more fun to use outside of show conditions. I went for the Infinity but the Xfi was terrific as it was.
> ...


 
 I have the LPS4 coming. I was using an LPS for the review.


----------



## digitalzed

lobehold said:


> Btw. how many people are aware that the 3D Awesomefier (aka. cross-feed) have been removed from the Pulse?
> 
> This has been done under the radar with the campaign page redacted of all hint of it's existence.
> 
> Part of the reason I would be very hesitant to spend any more money with LH Labs.


 

 I believe this was discussed over on the LH forum and here towards the time the firmware revision for the Geek Out last year.


----------



## mandrake50

zerodeefex said:


> You probably want an LPS as well. You can use it with the 2G cable as the clean power end of things as well.


 

 For the pulse, all you need 5 volts for is the hand shake. That lead can be disconnected after that.
 Any linear ... non-switching, supply of the correct voltage can be used to power the pulse itself... and maybe be an improvement over the wall wart.


----------



## mandrake50

digitalzed said:


> I believe this was discussed over on the LH forum and here towards the time the firmware revision for the Geek Out last year.


 

 In any case... it is gone! No awesomefier (crossfeed)  now. (for the pulse nor the GO with current firmware)
 There were problems reported with it in any case. In the GO they decided to use the buttons for filter selection.
 Not sure why it still could not be still included in the Pulse, unless they simply could not make it work correctly.


----------



## FayeForever

From my intuitive point of view, for Pulse X, the upgrade goes  LPS>fi>Naked resistors>THD.
 Getting a proper liner PSU is a must do. Electricity is everything in audio chain.


----------



## mandrake50

fayeforever said:


> From my intuitive point of view, for Pulse X, the upgrade goes  LPS>fi>Naked resistors>THD.
> Getting a proper liner PSU is a must do. Electricity is everything in audio chain.


 

 Sounds about right...maybe. But this does not mean that the supply has to be one of the ones that LHL sells.
 A good linear supply with enough current and low ripple should be fine. Fine supplies that meet those requirements can be had far cheaper than the LHL LPS.
 I don't recall seeing any real specs on the LHL supplies...


----------



## FayeForever

Sure, that's why I used linear PSU instead "LHL LPS" in my post. But there are too many things to be judged for a PSU, all the hi-end manufacturers pay lots of attention there.
 I remember somewhere in the LH forum Larry posted that the noise of LPS is something like 5uv, I forgot if it is loaded or not, but then again it is long time ago.
 I didn't bother paying much for the LPS, because I feel like the DC converter in Pulse will introduce some noise any way.


----------



## digitalzed

mandrake50 said:


> In any case... it is gone! No awesomefier (crossfeed)  now. (for the pulse nor the GO with current firmware)
> There were problems reported with it in any case. In the GO they decided to use the buttons for filter selection.
> Not sure why it still could not be still included in the Pulse, unless they simply could not make it work correctly.


 
 I'm not sure either but it didn't seem to be overly popular anyway. I never thought much of as anything but a gimmick. I'd rather see useable gain and filter settings as LH has implemented in the Pulse than what I saw as questionable effects.


----------



## longbowbbs

digitalzed said:


> mandrake50 said:
> 
> 
> > In any case... it is gone! No awesomefier (crossfeed)  now. (for the pulse nor the GO with current firmware)
> ...


 
 I certainly like the filters vs the original "Awesomeifier" concept. I played with it when I first received my GO1000 from the Kickstarter campaign. It was not something I used after a little playing around. One less thing to get in the way of a short signal path.The Pulse certainly did not need it.


----------



## digitalzed

longbowbbs said:


> I certainly like the filters vs the original "Awesomeifier" concept. I played with it when I first received my GO1000 from the Kickstarter campaign. It was not something I used after a little playing around. One less thing to get in the way of a short signal path.The Pulse certainly did not need it.


 

 +1. I used it once on my GO 720 and that was enough.


----------



## mandrake50

Same here with my GO 1000. I tried it, but did not like the effect...and it seemed to increase noise.
 It is not something that I miss at all with the GO! I am sure that this will be the case for  the Pulse as well.
 The point for the OP on this topic is, I don't think this was kept a secret.


----------



## miceblue

Yup I agree too. The Awesomifier feature of the GO didn't really do much for me, one of my non-audiophile friends, nor another local Head-Fier who borrowed my GO 1000.

If the crossfeed was like the Chord Hugo where it has different levels, then maybe that would be worth considering. Personally I found the Hugo to have one of the best crossfeed implementations I've ever head.


----------



## bitsnbytes

longbowbbs said:


> My review was the Xfi. It was serial #2. The unit was the same one I listened to at RMAF. A lot more fun to use outside of show conditions. I went for the Infinity but the Xfi was terrific as it was.




Thanks for that review--I went ahead to upgrade to an Xfi after reading it.


----------



## longbowbbs

bitsnbytes said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > My review was the Xfi. It was serial #2. The unit was the same one I listened to at RMAF. A lot more fun to use outside of show conditions. I went for the Infinity but the Xfi was terrific as it was.
> ...


 
 I am sure you will enjoy it. We should all have them in the next 90 days or so. I know I cannot wait!


----------



## senorx12562

I just got my tracking number from lhl for my lcd2 from the headphone bundle. Should be here next week.


----------



## bitsnbytes

digitalzed said:


> I'm not sure either but it didn't seem to be overly popular anyway. I never thought much of as anything but a gimmick. I'd rather see useable gain and filter settings as LH has implemented in the Pulse than what I saw as questionable effects.




Agree

Companies ought to be applauded IMO for simplifying things if the features are not all that good nor well implemented.


----------



## bitsnbytes

longbowbbs said:


> I am sure you will enjoy it. We should all have them in the next 90 days or so. I know I cannot wait!




When you do, I'd love to have your assessment of any improvements the "infinity" will have over the Xfi


----------



## Phishin Phool

For those of us on a payment plan - how are we invoiced - do we constantly check paypal and it shows up there or do we get an e-mail ??


----------



## miceblue

phishin phool said:


> For those of us on a payment plan - how are we invoiced - do we constantly check paypal and it shows up there or do we get an e-mail ??



I backed the LPS payment plan in 2013. LH sent me an e-mail about it and asked me to send a payment to them via PayPal (since that's what I used on the Indiegogo campaign).


----------



## digitalzed

phishin phool said:


> For those of us on a payment plan - how are we invoiced - do we constantly check paypal and it shows up there or do we get an e-mail ??


 

 You should get an invoice through your e-mail. The invoice will be from LH Labs.


----------



## Maelob

I hope that they dont change their return policy at the last minute, according to the policy I have 7 days to return for a refund. 
 http://lhlabs.com/return-refund-policy.html
  
 I tried to get a refund on the mono amp I bought by accident thinking it was the stereo version and was told no because campaign expired. So I am waiting to get it and return it, however,  I wont be surprise if they tell me no because it was part of the indiegogo campaign. Either way, I have a feeling there will be a lot of LH gear for sale once stuff start getting delivered.


----------



## miceblue

: o
I just got a tracking e-mail regarding the shipment of my LPS4. I haven't heard very many people talk about the LPS4 yet despite some being shipped out.


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> : o
> I just got a tracking e-mail regarding the shipment of my LPS4. I haven't heard very many people talk about the LPS4 yet despite some being shipped out.


 
  
 We know we will eventually hear from you about it. So thanks in advance


----------



## ejong7

The support tickets have been reopened and (at least for me) the tickets are slowly being solved.


----------



## digitalzed

miceblue said:


> : o
> I just got a tracking e-mail regarding the shipment of my LPS4. I haven't heard very many people talk about the LPS4 yet despite some being shipped out.


 

 Hi miceblue. I received mine about 2 weeks ago and I was very surprised at the difference it makes with my Pulse. The unit itself feels substantial especially compared to the Pulse. I'm not a big measurements guy but I can tell you it gives the Pulse's sound more overall weight without accentuating any specific area. And the depth goes beyond lows, mids, or highs but into the silence between tracks also. I know that's not very technical!


----------



## walfredo

maelob said:


> I hope that they dont change their return policy at the last minute, according to the policy I have 7 days to return for a refund.
> http://lhlabs.com/return-refund-policy.html
> 
> I tried to get a refund on the mono amp I bought by accident thinking it was the stereo version and was told no because campaign expired. So I am waiting to get it and return it, however,  I wont be surprise if they tell me no because it was part of the indiegogo campaign. Either way, I have a feeling there will be a lot of LH gear for sale once stuff start getting delivered.




Maybe... But hundreds of vanilla pulse had been delivered already and afaik none had popped up yet.


----------



## alvin1118

submitted a ticket also. The lightspeed USB 2 meters supposedly to be 3nos but only 1nos delivered.


----------



## AxelCloris

Huzzah, email confirmation that my LPS4 is inbound. Going to see what it does for the standard Pulse.


----------



## greenkiwi

miceblue said:


> Yup I agree too. The Awesomifier feature of the GO didn't really do much for me, one of my non-audiophile friends, nor another local Head-Fier who borrowed my GO 1000.
> 
> If the crossfeed was like the Chord Hugo where it has different levels, then maybe that would be worth considering. Personally I found the Hugo to have one of the best crossfeed implementations I've ever head.




I was certainly hoping for an implementation that was on this level. 

You would want a top level implementation. Not just something thrown in.


----------



## sci80899

currawong said:


> Yes. But when I realised they didn't even know what I had ordered in the campaign, I *requested a refund and received it. *




Would be great if someone can share what I need to do to get a refund. Thanks.


----------



## uncola

Well looks like my naked resistors perk can't be cancelled so I'll be going with the THD perk as well.  To infinity and beyond! (my poor wallet)


----------



## bitsnbytes

head-hi said:


> I just purchased 2 of the Jay's Audio LPS's. Thanks, Alvin.


 
  
  


head-hi said:


> PM alvin1118 for info.


 
  
  
 FYI - This is the last day for any Jay's Audio LPS orders through Alvin if anyone is interested in a 3rd party LPS.
  
 (I have no affiliation...I took part in the order)


----------



## bitsnbytes

uncola said:


> Well looks like my naked resistors perk can't be cancelled so I'll be going with the THD perk as well.  To infinity and beyond! (my poor wallet)


 
  
 The wallet is unfortunately finite 
  
 It's perverse to think that it's money well spent, but with the THD you are going to get a 2G cable and upgraded parts as well.


----------



## Currawong

sci80899 said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > Yes. But when I realised they didn't even know what I had ordered in the campaign, I *requested a refund and received it. *
> ...


 
  
 While in my case it was possible, I am not sure it would be in everyone's case.  IMO, if someone pledged for something and then was told it couldn't be delivered without paying more money, in that case I believe that it would be reasonable to ask for a refund. IANAL but there is an expectation that you were going to get the product you had pledged for (or something equivalent to it) irregardless of the Indiegogo T&C and I'd go straight to Paypal or my bank as appropriate if I was refused one in that case. The other case, which is connected with a post I made earlier regarding my concerns about the reason for the headphone campaigns, is if they were accepting pledges for the campaign knowing that they were unable to deliver the goods because, for example, they didn't have enough money to manufacture them. Again IANAL but that would surely be illegal.
  
 The usual note goes here that I'm posting this as a member and that this is all theoretical.


----------



## hemtmaker

Does it replace the PC USB power with LPS power like the LH lab ones as well? 



bitsnbytes said:


> FYI - This is the last day for any Jay's Audio LPS orders through Alvin if anyone is interested in a 3rd party LPS.
> 
> (I have no affiliation...I took part in the order)


----------



## hemtmaker

Those are certainly valid concerns that associated with crowd-funding campaigns in general. 



currawong said:


> While in my case it was possible, I am not sure it would be in everyone's case.  IMO, if someone pledged for something and then was told it couldn't be delivered without paying more money, in that case I believe that it would be reasonable to ask for a refund. IANAL but there is an expectation that you were going to get the product you had pledged for (or something equivalent to it) irregardless of the Indiegogo T&C and I'd go straight to Paypal or my bank as appropriate if I was refused one in that case. The other case, which is connected with a post I made earlier regarding my concerns about the reason for the headphone campaigns, is if they were accepting pledges for the campaign knowing that they were unable to deliver the goods because, for example, they didn't have enough money to manufacture them. Again IANAL but that would surely be illegal.
> 
> The usual note goes here that I'm posting this as a member and that this is all theoretical.


----------



## taz23

hemtmaker said:


> Does it replace the PC USB power with LPS power like the LH lab ones as well?


 

 My understanding is that there are various options (i.e., voltage).  Mine is a 12V one, meant to supply DC directly into the Pulse.
  
 You can order a separate one for 5V and use a USB cable that separates the power leg from the signal leg.  For that, the power leg has to be modified somehow to get the 5V supply from the linear power supply as it does not have a USB female socket for the DC.
  
 I hope this helps.


----------



## hemtmaker

Thanks for the info. I guess for a split usb cable, the power end can be plugged into anything even the noisy PC USB jack as the pulse isn't a USB-powered DAC, that the USB power is only needed for the initial handshake.

It's really difficult for me to decide. The jay's one is nice and compact but I really want to see the noise performance figure of the two in order to decide...



taz23 said:


> My understanding is that there are various options (i.e., voltage).  Mine is a 12V one, meant to supply DC directly into the Pulse.
> 
> You can order a separate one for 5V and use a USB cable that separates the power leg from the signal leg.  For that, the power leg has to be modified somehow to get the 5V supply from the linear power supply as it does not have a USB female socket for the DC.
> 
> I hope this helps.


----------



## bitsnbytes

hemtmaker said:


> Thanks for the info. I guess for a split usb cable, the power end can be plugged into anything even the noisy PC USB jack as the pulse isn't a USB-powered DAC, that the USB power is only needed for the initial handshake.
> 
> It's really difficult for me to decide. The jay's one is nice and compact but I really want to see the noise performance figure of the two in order to decide...


 
  
 Between the Jay's and the LPS4?
  
 I think those would be hard to come by because the Jay's is made to order. 
  
 The fact is that both are linear, which will mean quieter power compared to the wall wart. 
  
 The price of the LPS4 is several times more. But you do get 12vdc and 5vdc outs. For the Jay's you need separate units. And unless you live in Asia like I do, the shipping will be expensive for 2 units delivered to outside of the continent. So it's worth considering the LPS4.
  
 If you can live with just the 12v, you can get a nice set of cans or cables with the money you save...


----------



## FayeForever

The noise of Jay's is 5mv under full load(12v 2A).


----------



## mandrake50

I bought a $35 5A Pyramid power supply that is rated at 3 mV ripple/noise at rated output.
  
 Just a bit of a warning, after reading Larry's comments about using a battery... the pulse has some sort of protection to limit input voltage, I went inside my unit and set the voltage to 12.8 volts from the stock 13.8 that it measures from the factory.
  
 It is not as nice looking as the Jays unit, but I got a price shipped for the Jays unit and it ended up being close to 5 times as much.
 I plan to have the thing out of sight anyway.
 In any case, for the price it seems worth the purchase and should be better than a switching Wall Wart for anyone wanting to save a few dollars and still have clean power for their Pulse.
  
 It is interesting that one of the videos that Larry did using the switching supply showed residual noise way, way below audibility.
 There appears to be pretty good internal filtering in the Pulse. I am curious as to why people are hearing some of the claimed differences in the sound versus the wall wart and the LHL LPS. Unless the wall wart simply does not provide sufficient power...


----------



## uncola

pyramid power makes me think of this:


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Can we focus on the thread's topic? Thanks! 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## hemtmaker

Thanks for the responses. Does anyone know what's the noise level of the LH lab's LPS?

Cheers


----------



## greenkiwi

fayeforever said:


> Sure, that's why I used linear PSU instead "LHL LPS" in my post. But there are too many things to be judged for a PSU, all the hi-end manufacturers pay lots of attention there.
> I remember somewhere in the LH forum Larry posted that the noise of LPS is something like 5uv, I forgot if it is loaded or not, but then again it is long time ago.
> I didn't bother paying much for the LPS, because I feel like the DC converter in Pulse will introduce some noise any way.




Here's one saying 5uv


----------



## hemtmaker

greenkiwi said:


> Here's one saying 5uv



Thanks, I also found this from the IGG page but it refers to the 5V USB and I don't know whether it is under maximum loading or not.


----------



## miceblue

fayeforever said:


> The noise of Jay's is 5mv under full load(12v 2A).



Is that supposed to be 5 millivolts, or 5 microvolts? 5 millivolts = 5000 microvolts, which is an insane amount of noise since 23 microvolts is what my Geek Out 450 is rated at and is noticeable.


----------



## eliwankenobi

miceblue said:


> Is that supposed to be 5 millivolts, or 5 microvolts? 5 millivolts = 5000 microvolts, which is an insane amount of noise since 23 microvolts is what my Geek Out 450 is rated at and is noticeable.


 
  
  
 It's 5 micro-volts
  
 Larry posted here: http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=850#49019
  
Geek Pulse Xfi Signature Edition Details 31 Dec 2014 17:54​#49019 

 
  Posts:2448Thank you received: 5532​



Larry Ho
Moderator





OFFLINE
 
 





 You need to let the 5V/Gnd wire has a reference with differential signal pair FIRST. Then you could remove them.

 If we use internal power of Geek Pulse for that 5V. Then there is no solid reference for differential pair.

 Actually, you could leave the 5V power leg there if you really need connivence , since it will use for hand shake. And LPS 5V output's noise is micro volt level *(under 5uV as I remember)* so the impact is really minimum.

 Larry


----------



## eliwankenobi

I should also add that using my LPS with my GO450 has significantly improved the performance. Not only a blacker background (less noise)...but more stable operation.  Other users reported it even makes the 450 more suitable for more IEMs than before...


----------



## hemtmaker

eliwankenobi said:


> It's 5 micro-volts
> 
> Larry posted here: http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2797-geek-pulse-xfi-signature-edition-details?start=850#49019
> 
> ...



I believe miceblue is referring to jay's audio LPS


----------



## eliwankenobi

hemtmaker said:


> I believe miceblue is referring to jay's audio LPS




Ah, gotcha! 

Sorry miceblue! At least those who didn't know have a reference now.. Lol! 

The LHL LPS is a very well designed power supply!


----------



## hemtmaker

eliwankenobi said:


> Ah, gotcha!
> 
> Sorry miceblue! At least those who didn't know have a reference now.. Lol!
> 
> The LHL LPS is a very well designed power supply!




Thanks for your input. Would be great to find out the noise level of the 12v output of the LH lab LSP. And whether JAY'S LPS noise level is 5mV or 5uV?


----------



## Levanter

Anyone knows how many microvolts on the Pulse Xfi alone?


----------



## snip3r77

Those that wants the Jay's LPS can you promote them at another thread?


----------



## hemtmaker

snip3r77 said:


> Those that wants the Jay's LPS can you promote them at another thread?



Sorry for being off topic a bit. But I guess people who are interested in the pulse wants to know the effect of LPS on their system.


----------



## FayeForever

5 millivolts, not 5 uv, This is at full load though, there is a huge difference.
 Larry's post is about 5V output, not 12V.


----------



## greenkiwi

I am definitely interested in alternative LPS options for the pulse. Maybe we should start a separate thread for discussing them. Not that I think that it is bad to discuss them here.


----------



## walfredo

IMHO, discussing LPS options for the pulse makes total sense in this thread.  
  
 I bought http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Digital-display-Hifi-linear-power-DC-1-USB-amp-DAC-external-power-supply-/291344316952?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d5797a18.  I can post impressions when I receive it.


----------



## doctorjazz

I did opt for Jay's version, but I'd be curious what you think about the ebay version you bought. I also don't see why these can't be posted here, the main reason people are interested in them here is for use for Pulse or Geek Out. This isn't the LH lab website (and, this sort of thing comes up there as well).


----------



## miceblue

doctorjazz said:


> I did opt for Jay's version, but I'd be curious what you think about the ebay version you bought. I also don't see why these can't be posted here, the main reason people are interested in them here is for use for Pulse or Geek Out. This isn't the LH lab website (and, this sort of thing comes up there as well).



The one on eBay is also used by someone who has the same STAX system as me, and that member seems to really know its stuff when it comes to the STAX SRM-252S. I wonder how the LPS4 will do with the setup.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/676272/the-entry-level-stax-thread/1380#post_11158426

Speaking of which, that reminds me, I need to get a polarity reverser for the LPS4's umbilical cable since the STAX amp uses a positive outside barrel, negative inside one, which is the opposite of the norm.

I guess for the time being, I can try LPS4 + Geek Out + SRS-2170 while I wait for the Pulse to be shipped.


----------



## alvin1118

The one on ebay i had it for awhile. It's merely a LT108X based regulator. Voltage fluctuations is crazy. That cannot compare to LHLABS LPS and Jay's Audio LPS.


----------



## uncola

My amateur amp designer friend told me not to get the cheap ebay one, so I waited until I found one that looked a clear big step up and got the Jay's Audio LPS.  We'll see when it gets here, also I hope to have the pulse in the next couple months


----------



## TopQuark

For another reference point, the HDPlex LPS which is quite popular in the "other" forum has 2mV ripple noise up to 12V.
  
http://www.hd-plex.com/HDPLEX-Fanless-Linear-Power-Supply-for-PC-Audio-and-CE-device.html
  
 Pricing-wise, this is at the mid point between the Jays and LHLabs.


----------



## nicolo

Guys, this is a thread for the Geek Pulse. Can we move the discussion of stuff not related to the Pulse to another thread. Yes even the Geek LPS/LPS4.
 This thread was started for Pulse impressions, reviews etc.
  
 Can anyone who's received the Pulse post their impressions.


----------



## Levanter

No, LPS + Geek Power Amps etc are all part of the Pulse package and is relevant in this thread IMO.


----------



## Currawong

@nicolo I think it might be better the other way around, that people who want to post impressions start a dedicated impressions thread.


----------



## nicolo

@Currawong
  
 Since we have separate threads for the Geek Out, Wave, i thought that this thread should be focused on the Pulse and it's variants only.Otherwise what's the point in starting a thread with the product title.
  
 I agree now that we should start a separate impressions thread now. I will do so once i receive my Pulse, or at least add to one once it's started.
  
@Levanter
  
 I consider the Geek amps and LPS to be separate products. While it's true that almost all who bought the LPS/LPS4 would have bought them for use with their Pulse, it's not a 100% certainty, is it? My friend's already got a DAC he was pretty happy with, so he only got the LPS4. As for the amps, i was the only one among my friends who had bought the Pulse. They got the amps only because they are deep biased Class A/AB amps.
  
 Just my 2 cents. Can't afford anymore after all the campaigns


----------



## Levanter

@nicolo
 While they are separate products, if they are used together with the Pulse i think it's quite legitimate to post impressions/etc on the Pulse thread as well. Unless discussion on the LPS + Geek Amps are used with other DACs then perhaps a separate thread or discussion in that specific DAC thread is appropriate. 
 I myself only got the Geek DAC. Their amps doesn't look very impressive to me and i'm still having lingering thoughts on a LPS - having no reviews on the Xfi vs Xfi + LPS doesn't help either.


----------



## nicolo

Another thing about the reviews/impressions. Oh boy are they gonna be confusing.Just listing out below the ways in which confusion will be sowed:
  
  
 Pulse and variants: How does the Pulse/X/Xfi/S/Sfi/X Infinite/S Infinite sound. Which filter did we use for comparison? Is FTM (Femto Time Mode according to Larry) better than TCM/FRM? If yes in which genres etc? Does it sound better with the LPS vs. LPS4 vs. power conditioner?
  
 Wave and variants: Where do you even start with the number of variants?


----------



## Zenifyx

I think starting a new impressions thread is the best way.
 This thread has been cluttered with 290 pages of which 99.9% of the posts do not contain impressions/reviews.
 (well we couldn't have had impressions for a product in progress anw)
  
 It's best to leave this thread for us to discuss other related stuff
 (restricting this thread to ONLY impressions would not make sense, I dare say 99% of us do NOT own a Pulse yet)
  
 Hope this is not too off-topic, but I just received my HE-560 here in sunny Singapore! (from the Hifiman-Pulse bundle)
 I didn't receive a shipping notification, so it was a pleasant surprise when the postman showed up!!!


----------



## hemtmaker

nicolo said:


> Another thing about the reviews/impressions. Oh boy are they gonna be confusing.Just listing out below the ways in which confusion will be sowed:
> 
> 
> Pulse and variants: How does the Pulse/X/Xfi/S/Sfi/X Infinite/S Infinite sound. Which filter did we use for comparison? Is FTM (Femto Time Mode according to Larry) better than TCM/FRM? If yes in which genres etc? Does it sound better with the LPS vs. LPS4 vs. power conditioner?
> ...



Yeah, also which lightspeed USB cable(1/2/10G) is used.


----------



## nicolo

Yup. Forgot about the Lightspeed cables. The questions be like:
  
 Is effect of 2G no different from 10G? Is 10G split better than 10G single ended?
  
 For me personally, the cheapest and probably the most effective solution for someone without a 2G/10G cable and LPS would be to get a Schiit Wyrd and then run the 1G cable (default cable provided with the Pulse) from it. Nobody will be tell the difference unless someone they have bat-like ears. Unfortunately such wisdom came after the campaigns were over


----------



## pkwak

I wonder how pulse fxi would compare to headamp audio GSM MKII considering they are about same full retail price.


----------



## nicolo

In fact, if i had read about the Schiit Yggdrasil earlier (pre Dec 2013), i would have saved up for it instead. I am going to get the Ragnarok anyway. Would have made for a great Schiit combo.
  
 Sigh


----------



## ejong7

Can the wyrd provide enough power for the pulse though.


----------



## nicolo

Nope. You would need to connect the Pulse to the mains power for that. All the Wyrd will do is clean up the USB signal of noise from a computer port and then send the cleaned signal to the Pulse. The Pulse is supposed to have a very quiet power supply inbuilt anyway. In my experience, most of the noise comes from the USB port rather than from mains power. Even if mains power is dirty, a cheap solution would be to get something like a Tripplite Isobar power strip which removes most of the line noise from mains power.


----------



## mandrake50

That is the 5 volt line that has 5 uV noise, correct? The one that you need not use for the pulse other than the handshake.
 I am curious about the 12 volt line specs.


----------



## mandrake50

nicolo said:


> Nope. You would need to connect the Pulse to the mains power for that. All the Wyrd will do is clean up the USB signal of noise from a computer port and then send the cleaned signal to the Pulse. The Pulse is supposed to have a very quiet power supply inbuilt anyway. In my experience, most of the noise comes from the USB port rather than from mains power. Even if mains power is dirty, a cheap solution would be to get something like a Tripplite Isobar power strip which removes most of the line noise from mains power.


 

 The thing is, once the handshake is complete, one can disconnect the USB power leg of the cable. At that point, dose not the Wyrd become a non-factor... rhetorical question there!
  
 Of course this assumes that you have a split power/signal cable.


----------



## Phishin Phool

walfredo said:


> IMHO, discussing LPS options for the pulse makes total sense in this thread.
> 
> I bought http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Digital-display-Hifi-linear-power-DC-1-USB-amp-DAC-external-power-supply-/291344316952?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d5797a18.  I can post impressions when I receive it.



Please do, I wasn't able to afford the lps but could do one of those. Did you order 12v 1.2a version? Also is the polarity on the stock cable correct for the pulse?


----------



## walfredo

phishin phool said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > IMHO, discussing LPS options for the pulse makes total sense in this thread.
> ...


 
  
 Yes. Yes.
  
 I'll post impressions as soon as I have it.


----------



## Stealer

I just received my he400i from the bundle...
Still waiting patiently for the X...


----------



## sci80899

I received my HE560 this morning. Finally, for a while I was getting abit worried.


----------



## MaximPrime

Where are you located Sci80899? im guessing these are all the asian delivery's coming direct from hifiman


----------



## sci80899

maximprime said:


> Where are you located Sci80899? im guessing these are all the asian delivery's coming direct from hifiman




Yes in Asia. I'm located in Singapore.


----------



## hemtmaker

Does anyone know if the 1G cable is included in the pulse? I backed it around the Christmas time. Cheers


----------



## nicolo

mandrake50 said:


> The thing is, once the handshake is complete, one can disconnect the USB power leg of the cable. At that point, dose not the Wyrd become a non-factor... rhetorical question there!
> 
> Of course this assumes that you have a split power/signal cable.


 
  
 I was referring to the 1G cable with the Wyrd. Of course with the split 2G/10G cables you could remove the USB power leg.


----------



## zellhy

Received my he400i all the way from malaysia


----------



## Verloren

hemtmaker said:


> Does anyone know if the 1G cable is included in the pulse? I backed it around the Christmas time. Cheers


 
  
 It is only included for people in the first campaign (2013), not for the Forever Funding campaign.


----------



## hemtmaker

verloren said:


> It is only included for people in the first campaign (2013), not for the Forever Funding campaign.



Thanks. I backed the 1G cable and wondered if I will get 2


----------



## mandrake50

stealer said:


> I just received my he400i from the bundle...
> Still waiting patiently for the X...




Can I ask, did you get any kind of shipping notice before you got them?
What part of the world are you in?

THX


----------



## Stealer

mandrake50 said:


> Can I ask, did you get any kind of shipping notice before you got them?
> What part of the world are you in?
> 
> THX


 

 Well, a month and a half ago..I received a email to pay for the shipping cost.
 In the email .. they did mentioned that they are gonna to ship the He400i.
  the email was from LHlab.com
  
 My location..Singapore


----------



## mandrake50

Thanks!
 Casey said they would send out a shipping confirmation. But, I think that was regarding the ones that they will be shipping out.
 I am glad to hear that people are getting their headphones. Casey, then Gavin said they would start getting those out this week.
 If they use USPS first class... there is a possibility that I may get my 560s this week... Not holding my breath though..
 No word from them yet.


----------



## Maelob

I am a GEEK XFI THD backer, still waiting on the email asking me if I want Infinity.


----------



## DSlayerZX

maelob said:


> I am a GEEK XFI THD backer, still waiting on the email asking me if I want Infinity.


 
 I received that email a while back...
  like...
  Before new year.
  
  
 I would suggest you to send them a ticket to find out what happens...


----------



## uncola

Maelob I'd open a ticket.  hehe I'm currently trying to add thd to my naked resistors


----------



## Maelob

I just did as well as ask in the LH labs forum, thanks


----------



## DSlayerZX

Welp... looks like the crowd funding phase is over... Everything is on MSRP now.
  
 (now I wonder how many ppl are gonna buy them at msrp, I guess it depends on how well they do on the Vegas show)


----------



## Levanter

Looks like they reduced the MSRP price on their Xfi?
 Pulse Xfi went down from $3,199 to $2,999 while they included the Infinity at $3,599. I thought the Infinity is a limited Indiegogo only model along witht the SE, looks like it'll be their highest Pulse DAC config to be retailed now?


----------



## uncola

I hope they sell a ****load at MSRP, that will only do good things for our indiegogo priced units   Not that I'd ever swap out gear in my system


----------



## Anaximandros

I personally don't see them selling this much Pulse Units at MSRP.
 It's still way too expensive in my opinion compared to the competitors.
  
 But I wish them the best and success. But $999 for a plain Pulse... that's way too much considering the firmware bugs which are going to be fixed at some time. The GO firmware was fixed after a couple of months I think and it was a "minor" volume bug.
  
 Instead of focusing on implementing the new filters, like the SMM, they should focus on the firmware first. Maybe that's what they're doing and have two dedicated teams working on it.


----------



## Levanter

Not to mention the features on the Pulse is very minimal compared to others at that price range.
 If i'm not mistaken, wasn't the original MSRP for all the Pulse models much less by 1/2 of what the current MSRP is now? How do they justify doubling the MSRP from it's original MSRP?


----------



## Anaximandros

The MSRP was $399 for the plain Pulse. 

They justify the cost, because the Pulse evolved during the campaign to what it is right now. New case, new features like the filters, gain stage - but I thought the silver array was going to be IGG only as a gift from Larry. 

Well let's see how this all works out.


----------



## Levanter

anaximandros said:


> The MSRP was $399 for the plain Pulse.
> 
> They justify the cost, because the Pulse evolved during the campaign to what it is right now. New case, new features like the filters, gain stage - but I thought the silver array was going to be IGG only as a gift from Larry.
> 
> Well let's see how this all works out.


 
  
 I thought the older case looked better/pricier than the plain one now.. But with those new features it doesn't seem to be 2.5x the original MSRP? Unless they upgraded the whole internal and circuity/PCB boards to a whole new level..
 I missed the silver array part, any link on that? Is it permanent on all base pulse now?


----------



## Anaximandros

levanter said:


> I thought the older case looked better/pricier than the plain one now.. But with those new features it doesn't seem to be 2.5x the original MSRP? Unless they upgraded the whole internal and circuity/PCB boards to a whole new level..
> I missed the silver array part, any link on that? Is it permanent on all base pulse now?


 
  
 I think the Silver Array is a permanent feature now, as for the Information there was an IGG update long time ago.
 Here is the link to the LHlabs Forum http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/1569-gold-or-silver-contact-point-relay-Arrays
  
 Unfortunately the update for the Array at IGG is not accessible anymore. That's another downside for IGG. Old updates are unavailable...


----------



## mscott58

anaximandros said:


> The MSRP was $399 for the plain Pulse.
> 
> They justify the cost, because the Pulse evolved during the campaign to what it is right now. New case, new features like the filters, gain stage - but I thought the silver array was going to be IGG only as a gift from Larry.
> 
> Well let's see how this all works out.


 
 This wasn't the MSRP, the $399 was the IGG contribution amount for a standard Geek Pulse. The plan was always to up the amount to the price they would be selling at retail, which LHL said for as long as I can remember was $999. Cheers


----------



## Anaximandros

mscott58 said:


> This wasn't the MSRP, the $399 was the IGG contribution amount for a standard Geek Pulse. The plan was always to up the amount to the price they would be selling at retail, which LHL said for as long as I can remember was $999. Cheers


 
  
 It was the MSRP during the first IGG Pulse campaign, where the Pulse was offered for $299 or $200 for Kickstarter backer.
  
 The MSRP of $999 resulted because of the last changes to the Pulse during the campaign and when the campain ended and even more features were added.
  
 The Price for the Pulse at $399 was for the Forever Funding campaign and for Geek Force members only at the beginning, before adding the Payment Plan Perk as a Pre-Sale price.


----------



## uncola

the igg page originally said $499 for pulse and $699 for pulse x msrp.  Then they made changes:  a bigger enclosure, gain switching, volume knob, screen etc


----------



## Anaximandros

Ok, my bad. Then $499 it was...


----------



## Phishin Phool

All I see everybody talking about is DAC DAC DAC DAC DAC. Isn't a 3w dedicated headphone amp worth something as well? ( I think I could probably get ample volume out of a string and paper cup) I would assume if they spent all this time on a product that is intended to compete at the $1k range the amp would be very good if not excellent as well so I see added value there. Although I have yet to receive my unit (vanilla pulse) I still think I come out ahead @$399 vs buying two Schiit products  (magni2/modi2 uber versions) for $300.


----------



## Anaximandros

3W @ 16 Ohm. We don't know the power into different loads. But it is still powerful.


----------



## AxelCloris

anaximandros said:


> 3W @ 16 Ohm. We don't know the power into different loads. But it is still powerful.


 
  
 1500mW @ 32Ω
 750mW @ 64Ω
 160mW @ 300Ω
 80mW @ 600Ω
  
 Assuming my math is correct. I'm almost positive it is but I haven't had my coffee yet today.


----------



## Anaximandros

axelcloris said:


> 1500mW @ 32Ω
> 750mW @ 64Ω
> 160mW @ 300Ω
> 80mW @ 600Ω
> ...




Thanks for the math. I also did the same calculations if we can assume that it's a linear power distribution. 

Doesn't look that good anymore seeing the numbers for the different loads. 

I'm glad I went for the Xfi for double the power and voltage.


----------



## krikor

I don't think it is as simple as halving the power for every doubling of impedance. It depends upon how the amp is designed to deliver power into different impedances (take a look at the Schiit amps and how their outputs change by headphone impedance).


----------



## FayeForever

The thing is that, there are tons of products already in the Geek Pulse price range.
 Even though only the BMC Pure Dac offers balanced headphone output I can think of right now, if you don't consider Chinese offerings.


----------



## Phishin Phool

krikor said:


> I don't think it is as simple as halving the power for every doubling of impedance. It depends upon how the amp is designed to deliver power into different impedances (take a look at the Schiit amps and how their outputs change by headphone impedance).


 
 I believe you are correct also looking at Garage 1217 amp specs (since I own one I had it handy) there is actually an increase in power from 16 -120 ohms before a decrease occurs all the way to 600 ohms. The steepness of this curve and the overall power changes significantly as well based on the variable selectable output resistance settings. ( I assume however the output impedance on the pulse is fixed- looking at the specs sheet it appears that the output impedance is fixed @ 0.47 ohms with switchable voltages of 1.8v, 3v, 6.8v single ended and 0.9 ohm impedance with variable 3.5v,6v,13.8 v for balanced output but I have no idea how that influences the wattage)
 . Suffice to say I think these will power any phone I have to ear shattering hearing loss volumes if  I were that foolish. 
  
  
 tl;dr - there is a good/great (hopefully) amp as well as a DAC


----------



## uncola

Woot, I'm in the Infinity club now.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Great! Got email that my LPS4 is shipped.


----------



## uncola

Nice mickey, you can try it out with your geek out


----------



## DSlayerZX

hmm... I just checked my shipping information.
  
  
 Just curious, has anyone's infinity/NR/THD upgrade been reflected on their shipping info yet?


----------



## jexby

dslayerzx said:


> hmm... I just checked my shipping information.
> 
> 
> Just curious, has anyone's infinity/NR/THD upgrade been reflected on their shipping info yet?


 
  
 not on mine.
 I suspect it might streamline traffic to request:
  
 "Please reply to this question IF your Infinity/NR/THD DOES display on your tracking/shipping info page."


----------



## valve5425

dslayerzx said:


> hmm... I just checked my shipping information.
> 
> 
> Just curious, has anyone's infinity/NR/THD upgrade been reflected on their shipping info yet?


 
 Nor mine. I'm not holding out much hope for it being updated soon, but will be interesting to see if any have. (Sorry Jexby, just seen your "request" after I posted. Promise I'll pay more attention next time!)
  
 I did get my 2G cable yesterday though. Shame I bought it, seeing as I'm getting a free one now with the THD perk! £32.00 tax and courier fees on it as well. Damn!!


----------



## AxelCloris

Shipping tracker says that my LPS4 is out for delivery. Whee!


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Shipping tracker says that my LPS4 is out for delivery. Whee!


 
 Congrats Brian! Enjoy it and fill us in when you get it and mate it up with your GO SE. Cheers


----------



## pedalhead

valve5425 said:


> Nor mine. I'm not holding out much hope for it being updated soon, but will be interesting to see if any have. (Sorry Jexby, just seen your "request" after I posted. Promise I'll pay more attention next time!)
> 
> I did get my 2G cable yesterday though. Shame I bought it, seeing as I'm getting a free one now with the THD perk! £32.00 tax and courier fees on it as well. Damn!!


 
  
 Whilst I finally caved & got the Infinite + free cable deal, I'd be pretty miffed if I'd already splurged on the 2G itself. To be honest though, I'm not much into cable-fu, so getting the 2G for "free" was about £10 less than I'd be prepared to spend on a USB cable anyway.  Valve - can I tempt you to come along to our UK meet?


----------



## miceblue

My LPS4 is supposed to arrive later today (probably in 2 hours if the mail man is going through his normal delivery schedule). I didn't think about this earlier, but with a 2G cable...you can't use the Geek Out.

Oh well, I'll just use a standard printer cable to do the tests. At least the 2G can be used with the LPS and Pulse.


----------



## Clemmaster

Any news on shipping or delivery of the Hifiman headphones in the US?
  
 I still haven't received any email from LHL...


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Great! Got email that my LPS4 is shipped.




Get ready to be blown away when using it with your GO1000


----------



## uncola

Nice to see lots of things shipping out from LH Labs.. I notice on http://www.lhlabs.com/support/shippingstatus.html the numbers for lps and lps 4 increased!
  
 Geek LPS

 59% shipped

  
 Geek LPS4

 45% shipped


----------



## jonbernard

uncola said:


> Nice to see lots of things shipping out from LH Labs.. I notice on http://www.lhlabs.com/support/shippingstatus.html the numbers for lps and lps 4 increased!
> 
> Geek LPS
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 59% and 47% as of right now. Any of you recent recipients willing to let us know when you made the LPS4 contribution? I made mine on 12/21/2013 (my LPS contribution was 12/15).


----------



## pedalhead

Just fired up my new LPS (not 4) for a first listen via GO450 and HE-560/Draug 2 (using 3 metre usb cable from my printer for now) and have been switching between LPS and direct laptop connection for a while.  Crikey, people aren't kidding when they say the LPS makes a big difference...improved dynamics are immediately apparent and the 560 sounds even faster. Definitely not a subtle improvement, which can't always be said in this game. I previously felt that the GO450 struggled to drive these cans adequately well...now I'm not so sure.
  
 Incidentally, I'm getting the same issue as many others have reported in that using the slacker cable in the back of the LPS prevents the GO450 from being recognised by my OS.


----------



## germay0653

miceblue said:


> My LPS4 is supposed to arrive later today (probably in 2 hours if the mail man is going through his normal delivery schedule). I didn't think about this earlier, but with a 2G cable...you can't use the Geek Out.
> 
> Oh well, I'll just use a standard printer cable to do the tests. At least the 2G can be used with the LPS and Pulse.


 

 Why do you think you can't use the 2G with the GO?  All you need is a female Type B to female Type A adapter.


----------



## Verloren

germay0653 said:


> Why do you think you can't use the 2G with the GO?  All you need is a female Type B to female Type A adapter.


 
  
 The 2G has a split output for power (handshake) and data.


----------



## dclaz

Do others have the X infinite and 2g cable under perk information in the tracking page? Mine still says Xfi and a 1g cable...


----------



## uncola

Mine also says xfi and 1g cable.. and I did the THD and NR upgrades


----------



## nicolo

Same for me too!


----------



## germay0653

verloren said:


> The 2G has a split output for power (handshake) and data.


 

 And you can use two USB Type A ports, one for power and one for Data, on a laptop or PC and get an adapter (Female USB Type B to Female Type A that the cable and GO plug into.  You can also use a Linear Power Supply or a Battery to supply power for the power leg.
  
 2G cable:
  
 1) First Male USB Type A on cable with black strip (Power leg) plugs into female USB Type A on PC, LPS or Battery
 2) Second USB Type A on cable no black strip (Data leg) plugs into another female USB Type A on PC or Music source
 3) Male USB Type B on cable plugs into USB adapter > Female Type B to Female Type A > connects with Geek Out
  
 I use this setup every day.


----------



## Verloren

germay0653 said:


> And you can use two USB Type A ports, one for power and one for Data, on a laptop or PC and get an adapter (Female USB Type B to Female Type A that the cable and GO plug into.  You can also use a Linear Power Supply or a Battery to supply power for the power leg.
> 
> 2G cable:
> 
> ...


 
 Huh. Never thought about using it in reverse. My original thoughts were that 2G was best off with single end on the source, rather than on the DAC.


----------



## nicolo

Any impressions about the Pulse/Wave from CE 2015 from anyone who went there? Can someone point out the best websites/blogs which are covering audio equipment. Thanks.


----------



## germay0653

verloren said:


> Huh. Never thought about using it in reverse. My original thoughts were that 2G was best off with single end on the source, rather than on the DAC.


 

 Hi Valoren,
  
 I don't know of any source, PC or other, that uses a Type B connector for output.  Most Desktop DAC's have a Female USB Type B for input.  The difference with the Geek Out is that it has a Male Type A that was intended to plug directly into the PC or Source's Female Type A connector.


----------



## Maelob

did I miss something? Is threre a tracking page for individuals too look at all the perks they got? Or that's just the indiegogo page? I am still waiting to hear from Tami with my Infinity Upgrade, per ticket sent an email, hopefully they answer, I guess if not I will remain XFI THD.


----------



## Anaximandros

There is a page: lhlabs.com/tracking.
 But it is only accessible for Pulse backers before March 2013 - those who participated in the first and second IGG campaign.
  
 LH has to source the data from the forever funding campaign for "Newcomers" and then you should be able to Login.


----------



## eliwankenobi

pedalhead said:


> Just fired up my new LPS (not 4) for a first listen via GO450 and HE-560/Draug 2 (using 3 metre usb cable from my printer for now) and have been switching between LPS and direct laptop connection for a while.  Crikey, people aren't kidding when they say the LPS makes a big difference...improved dynamics are immediately apparent and the 560 sounds even faster. Definitely not a subtle improvement, which can't always be said in this game. I previously felt that the GO450 struggled to drive these cans adequately well...now I'm not so sure.
> 
> Incidentally, I'm getting the same issue as many others have reported in that using the slacker cable in the back of the LPS prevents the GO450 from being recognised by my OS.




Yeah man, its not subtle... As I said in my thread with my impression of the LPS.. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of a mini LPS or LPS-GO... To use with our GeekOuts... Something with a socket or dock where the GO would integrate with it as one slightly bigger unit...


----------



## miceblue

germay0653 said:


> And you can use two USB Type A ports, one for power and one for Data, on a laptop or PC and get an adapter (Female USB Type B to Female Type A that the cable and GO plug into.  You can also use a Linear Power Supply or a Battery to supply power for the power leg.
> 
> 2G cable:
> 
> ...



I didn't even think about that. Thanks for the tip!



[rule]
Weeeeeeeelp that didn't turn out at all. I would have been better off recording with a potato. : (

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MuExiwdfGA[/video]


Since not every will understand what's going on, here's a table of contents for your convenience:
2:20 - Top of the box
4:01 - Underneath the box's top
4:13 - Voltage warning label
4:35 - Warranty card (it has a satin finish or something that makes it sparkly/shiny...I tried to get it to reflect light there)
4:57 - The rest of the box contents
5:31 - 4x 12 V DC "umbilical cords"
6:54 - DC barrel plug
7:04 - LPS "dual-square" connector thing
7:23 - Grounded 3-prong AC cable
7:53 - 4x adhesive rubber feet (these things are massive...)
9:01 - Geek Linear Power Supply 4
9:20 - Removable acrylic faceplate sticker (a tried and failed attempt)
10:18 - LPS4's back panel
10:27 - Plugging in the AC power cable and turning the unit on
10:45 - Front panel LED indicators
11:20 - Plugging in the Light Harmonic Geek Out 1000


This box is pretty heavy. It weights about 5 pounds (~2.2 kg). I'll get around to listening to it eventually, but I've got some other stuff on my plate at the moment.


----------



## Jupiterknight

I received a Geek Pulse today. I have quite enjoyed the Geek Out for many months particular after the latest FW was finally released that fixed the max. volume issue.
  
 Just to sum it up, when the Geek Out was connected it would go straight to maximum volume and if anyone by coincidence had their favorite headphones or whatever implanted in their ears they would experience a mind blowing or ear shattering experience..
  
 This was fixed with the latest FW release around September 2014 and it is all good.. Geek Out is a lovely unit.. IMO
  
 Okay, so I plug in the Geek Pulse and after it is finally accepted on my PC, same Win 2,23 driver etc. and the Geek Pulse was recognized . 
  
 So what happened.. I had one of my favorite headphones plugged in and was expecting glorious sound nirvana, but instead I (almost) feel backwards out of my chair if the airbag hadn't saved me..
  
 Okay, I survived, but it appears that a similar issues as with the "very early" release of Geek Out is appearing once again or it is some leprechauns messing with my gear..which I won't rule out!
  
 Anyhow, due to my experience as a "Geek" I got it figured out and how to use the Geek Pulse even without a manual. I assume a manual will be released when the "beta testing" is over.
  
 Despite these "minor" functional issues that I can somewhat ponder about why it wasn't addressed or recognized earlier on. I did almost instantly (took an hour or so) recognize the Geek Out sound quality/performance carried along to the Geek Pulse, which was what I personally was looking for since I will take the SQ 5-10% increase anytime.. (not really, since $$ matters)
  
 Early stage of listening to the Pulse and I'm not even slightly depressed about the sound quality, actually very positive  but I'll keep the Pulse turned on since I'm very afraid what will happen if I don't!


----------



## frankrondaniel

jupiterknight said:


> I received a Geek Pulse today. I have quite enjoyed the Geek Out for many months particular after the latest FW was finally released that fixed the max. volume issue.
> 
> Just to sum it up, when the Geek Out was connected it would go straight to maximum volume and if anyone by coincidence had their favorite headphones or whatever implanted in their ears they would experience a mind blowing or ear shattering experience..
> 
> ...


 

 I had the same volume issue with my first usage.  I was likewise surprised after all of the Geek Out volume problems.  Just remember to adjust the volume dial before listening - that'll reset it from full volume (at least on mine).  I recall reading on the LH Labs site that it's a known issue that they're going to address.


----------



## FayeForever

Such issue was reported multiple times by me and many others on the LHL forum. 
 Another bug is that sometimes Pulse will stop taking input from knob but the display will response, I found out that changing the volume rapidly will be more likely to cause this.


----------



## frankrondaniel

fayeforever said:


> Such issue was reported multiple times by me and many others on the LHL forum.
> Another bug is that sometimes Pulse will stop taking input from knob but the display will response, I found out that changing the volume rapidly will be more likely to cause this.


 
  
 I've experienced the control knob becoming unresponsive numerous times.  Appears to take a reboot to get it working again.


----------



## FayeForever

Yes, and the reboot will cause the max volume bug again...
 Been burnt thrice.


----------



## Jupiterknight

frankrondaniel said:


> I had the same volume issue with my first usage.  I was likewise surprised after all of the Geek Out volume problems.  Just remember to adjust the volume dial before listening - that'll reset it from full volume (at least on mine).  I recall reading on the LH Labs site that it's a known issue that they're going to address.


 
 Oh, I somehow figured that out, but others may not for various reasons, and since it is a product that many (some) are looking forward to it should be solved before it hits a "mainstream" market and not just a few reviewers that seemed to ignore this issue. I could be wrong since I haven't read all or the few reviews and maybe their units didn't have this issue.


----------



## greenkiwi

Have mac users had this problem too?  Or only windows?
  
 Is it an issue if the volume control is set to not use the USB v. use the USB and not the knob?


----------



## hemtmaker

jupiterknight said:


> Oh, I somehow figured that out, but others may not for various reasons, and since it is a product that many (some) are looking forward to it should be solved before it hits a "mainstream" market and not just a few reviewers that seemed to ignore this issue. I could be wrong since I haven't read all or the few reviews and maybe their units didn't have this issue.




I have actually asked Eric (headphone guru reviewer) before whether the volume will start at maximum upon turning the device on and he said no and it behaves just like everything else. Maybe yours had a older firmware loaded by mistake?


----------



## pedalhead

I think Larry mentioned somewhere that the firmware bug was squashed but then reappeared again. I'm guessing the headphone.guru review unit had the older firmware (it was an early Xfi). 

I was a bit vocal about the original volume bug on the Geek Out. When you have a potentially headphone and ear-damaging bug like that, to my mind it needs to be fixed as a priority above all else. It took months for the GO firmware to be updated IIRC, and although it was requested, no warning was sent out to owners. That was irresponsible then, and it is again now with the Pulse. 

A simple email to all Pulse owners informing them of the bug is all that's required. If your going to send product out to customers with no user guide or bug notification in the box, that's the least that should be done. For about the millionth time, customers should not have to live on the LH forums to find important information, particularly around safety issues - and a max volume bug IS a safety issue.


----------



## llama_egg

Man, all this talk about the LPS makes me wish I jumped on it when I backed my X-fi, but couldn't justify another XXX dollars at the time, between bills, Christmas and needing to dish out $500 to repair my LCD-2's money was a bit tight. Bummer.


----------



## jaywillin

Product

 Status

  
 Geek Pulse

 44% shipped

  
 Geek Pulse fi

 January W3

  
 Geek Pulse X

 January W2

  
*Geek Pulse Xfi*

*January W2*

  
 Geek Pulse Sfi

 February W2

  
  
  
 next week is week 2 if i'm not mistaken , let's hope !


----------



## hemtmaker

pedalhead said:


> I think Larry mentioned somewhere that the firmware bug was squashed but then reappeared again. I'm guessing the headphone.guru review unit had the older firmware (it was an early Xfi).
> 
> I was a bit vocal about the original volume bug on the Geek Out. When you have a potentially headphone and ear-damaging bug like that, to my mind it needs to be fixed as a priority above all else. It took months for the GO firmware to be updated IIRC, and although it was requested, no warning was sent out to owners. That was irresponsible then, and it is again now with the Pulse.
> 
> A simple email to all Pulse owners informing them of the bug is all that's required. If your going to send product out to customers with no user guide or bug notification in the box, that's the least that should be done. For about the millionth time, customers should not have to live on the LH forums to find important information, particularly around safety issues - and a max volume bug IS a safety issue.



well said +1


----------



## Ultimate Mango

I got to stop by LH Labs at CES. They weren't in the audio hospitality suites, which is where they frankly should have been set up. Instead they were in the giant main hall of miscellaneous and small vendors. They had a laptop with an LPS 4, Pulse, and LCD-XC headphones. There was also an X or Xfi unit that was not connected. There were also shells for the Soul and Wave on the table. Most of the crew you would recognize was there at the 'booth' table. 
The hall was so loud I put the demo phones on for a few seconds and gave up. The hall was loud, the music was loud, and there was no sense in it at all.
I mentioned that I was one of the original backers of the first campaign, and upgraded to X and Xfi and backed the Wave and other perks and upgrades. I basically got a response of 'oh, you didn't upgrade to infinity version? You should have gotten an LPS4...' Finally Larry stepped in and said that I would be very happy, so that was something. Otherwise response from LH Labs in person was the same as here and elsewhere: terrible. 
I did ask on all of our behalf when the X and Xfi units were shipping. They said that people who upgraded at the end of the campaign got a new position at the end of the line based on the last thing you backed (I was shocked speechless and literally respond to that). Then Larry jumped in and said not to worry that they had stock for the units, they just needed to sort through all the data to make sure people were sent what they actually backed and upgraded over time. 
Seeing how long it has taken them to sort through backer data in the past and how professional the staff wasn't (aside from Larry, for whom I have a newfound sense of respect), I wouldn't expect anything this month.


----------



## doctorjazz

I still have the same issue with my Geek Out 1K and Special Edition...if I disconnect and reconnect to my PC, the default is maximum volume. I did upgrade the firmware when the change from "awesomefier" to filter was made for the buttons. I use JRiver 19, and the volume in JRiver, and the PC master volume doesn't do anything, the only working volume while using the GO is the LH slider in the LH app. Never have figured out how to change this, the LH site is useless for this, I love the sound (especially the LH), but this has honestly kept me from buying another Pulse/LPS (don't worry for LH labs, I already am in for the Soul Tube, Source and Wave, but I was, and still am considering another Pulse of 1 flavor or another as a desktop unit, bought the CEntrance M8 LX instead...)


----------



## bitsnbytes

ultimate mango said:


> I got to stop by LH Labs at CES. They weren't in the audio hospitality suites, which is where they frankly should have been set up. Instead they were in the giant main hall of miscellaneous and small vendors. They had a laptop with an LPS 4, Pulse, and LCD-XC headphones. There was also an X or Xfi unit that was not connected. There were also shells for the Soul and Wave on the table. Most of the crew you would recognize was there at the 'booth' table.
> The hall was so loud I put the demo phones on for a few seconds and gave up. The hall was loud, the music was loud, and there was no sense in it at all.
> I mentioned that I was one of the original backers of the first campaign, and upgraded to X and Xfi and backed the Wave and other perks and upgrades. I basically got a response of 'oh, you didn't upgrade to infinity version? You should have gotten an LPS4...' Finally Larry stepped in and said that I would be very happy, so that was something. Otherwise response from LH Labs in person was the same as here and elsewhere: terrible.
> I did ask on all of our behalf when the X and Xfi units were shipping. They said that people who upgraded at the end of the campaign got a new position at the end of the line based on the last thing you backed (I was shocked speechless and literally respond to that). Then Larry jumped in and said not to worry that they had stock for the units, they just needed to sort through all the data to make sure people were sent what they actually backed and upgraded over time.
> Seeing how long it has taken them to sort through backer data in the past and how professional the staff wasn't (aside from Larry, for whom I have a newfound sense of respect), I wouldn't expect anything this month.


 
  
 The bright side is that any delay would allow them time to fix the volume issue. 
  
 Facetiousness aside, I'd rather wait to have a proper unit than one that would be potentially damaging.
  
 But it would be refreshing if there's a little more transparency on what's happening, and come out saying "we're sorry, we're slipping our targets, but this is the right reason we're doing this..." etc.


----------



## digitalzed

greenkiwi said:


> Have mac users had this problem too?  Or only windows?
> 
> Is it an issue if the volume control is set to not use the USB v. use the USB and not the knob?


 

 I've had this issue also and I use a Mac. If you never close your computer or playback software you're good. But any time you shut down the computer or close then open whatever program you use for playback the volume issue can happen. I've trained myself to turn on the Pulse, and manually adjust the volume a few clicks so I don't get blown out. And this can happen no matter what volume selection you're suing, USB or knob. It's an inconvenience for sure and one I hope LH will address as they did with the GO.


----------



## digitalzed

ultimate mango said:


> I got to stop by LH Labs at CES. They weren't in the audio hospitality suites, which is where they frankly should have been set up. Instead they were in the giant main hall of miscellaneous and small vendors. They had a laptop with an LPS 4, Pulse, and LCD-XC headphones. There was also an X or Xfi unit that was not connected. There were also shells for the Soul and Wave on the table. Most of the crew you would recognize was there at the 'booth' table.
> The hall was so loud I put the demo phones on for a few seconds and gave up. The hall was loud, the music was loud, and there was no sense in it at all.
> I mentioned that I was one of the original backers of the first campaign, and upgraded to X and Xfi and backed the Wave and other perks and upgrades. I basically got a response of 'oh, you didn't upgrade to infinity version? You should have gotten an LPS4...' Finally Larry stepped in and said that I would be very happy, so that was something. Otherwise response from LH Labs in person was the same as here and elsewhere: terrible.
> I did ask on all of our behalf when the X and Xfi units were shipping. They said that people who upgraded at the end of the campaign got a new position at the end of the line based on the last thing you backed (I was shocked speechless and literally respond to that). Then Larry jumped in and said not to worry that they had stock for the units, they just needed to sort through all the data to make sure people were sent what they actually backed and upgraded over time.
> Seeing how long it has taken them to sort through backer data in the past and how professional the staff wasn't (aside from Larry, for whom I have a newfound sense of respect), I wouldn't expect anything this month.


 

 Ugh. I hate hearing that you were responded to this way by staff in the LH booth. And that they're giving incomplete and seemingly conflicting information. The show should be an opportunity to put some confidence in those that stop by and solid relationships. Not alienate backers and customers.


----------



## chartwell85

ultimate mango said:


> I got to stop by LH Labs at CES. They weren't in the audio hospitality suites, which is where they frankly should have been set up. Instead they were in the giant main hall of miscellaneous and small vendors. They had a laptop with an LPS 4, Pulse, and LCD-XC headphones. There was also an X or Xfi unit that was not connected. There were also shells for the Soul and Wave on the table. Most of the crew you would recognize was there at the 'booth' table.
> The hall was so loud I put the demo phones on for a few seconds and gave up. The hall was loud, the music was loud, and there was no sense in it at all.
> I mentioned that I was one of the original backers of the first campaign, and upgraded to X and Xfi and backed the Wave and other perks and upgrades. I basically got a response of 'oh, you didn't upgrade to infinity version? You should have gotten an LPS4...' Finally Larry stepped in and said that I would be very happy, so that was something. Otherwise response from LH Labs in person was the same as here and elsewhere: terrible.
> I did ask on all of our behalf when the X and Xfi units were shipping. They said that people who upgraded at the end of the campaign got a new position at the end of the line based on the last thing you backed (I was shocked speechless and literally respond to that). Then Larry jumped in and said not to worry that they had stock for the units, they just needed to sort through all the data to make sure people were sent what they actually backed and upgraded over time.
> Seeing how long it has taken them to sort through backer data in the past and how professional the staff wasn't (aside from Larry, for whom I have a newfound sense of respect), I wouldn't expect anything this month.


 

 Very sorry to hear about your poor experience at our CES booth.  I'd be more than happy to meet with you in person and discuss whatever issues or questions you might have that have not been communicated clearly enough.  Unfortunately I have not been able to be at our booth for the majority of the show but I do plan on being in the general area of the Venetian if you're free today.  
  
 Shoot me a PM and we can set something up.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

chartwell85 said:


> Very sorry to hear about your poor experience at our CES booth.  I'd be more than happy to meet with you in person and discuss whatever issues or questions you might have that have not been communicated clearly enough.  Unfortunately I have not been able to be at our booth for the majority of the show but I do plan on being in the general area of the Venetian if you're free today.
> 
> Shoot me a PM and we can set something up.


 

 It would have been really nice if there had been the ability for community members to request these sorts of meetings in advance. Perhaps there was and I just missed it(?). 
  
 For the general public walking by the booth, it was a poor showing for sure (as I commented earlier). For actual backers and community members, perhaps my experience was unique. What was said was extremely clear, make no mistake about that. There was no confusion.
  
 I'm not interested in making the effort to have even more dialogue on this with the LH Labs team. I know I am not alone in my fatigue in trying to force a better relationship as a backer.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

jaywillin said:


> Product
> 
> Status
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 T.T I have to wait until February W2...


----------



## doctorjazz

Gee, wonder where the Soul fits in to all this...
Oh well, not much to do but wait.


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm really disappointed in the report from the show, but seems they are better on the PR end than the customer service/relations front. They even started a thread on their site, something along the lines of "Tell Us What We're Doing Wrong", or something like that, a vent thread as so much was appearing on the regular threads. Seems that not much has changed, though. They seem to be more likely to get back later in an effort at "damage control" than managing things nicely or promptly the first time. You can give them a partial pass, say they are overwhelmed by the rapid success, and the difficulty of now getting multiple versions of multiple products to market. But, one of the problems with internet purchases, no dealer, is not having that support network if you need it. You do save money, but sometimes it costs you in other ways (having some problems along the same lines with another manufacturer, so it is not unique to LH)>
 (And, I'm still trying to figure out if there is a way to got the Geek Out (and, it seems the Pulse does the same thing) not to default to maximum volume, or to be able to enable volume control from something other than the LH App).


----------



## bhazard

I'm ok with their recent handling of everything. I was promptly contacted to upgrade my THD to the infinity. The status page shows a hopeful ship date of sometime next week, and my GO1000 and LPS absolutely rock.
  
 The Pulse ~ will be my first high end DAC/Amp, so it will be an exciting experience.


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm sure it will sound great, and you will really enjoy it. I really like the sound of the Geek Out 1k, and the GO Special Edition is so much better than the 1K, the full Pulse upgrade should be a great listening experience indeed, enoy!



bhazard said:


> I'm ok with their recent handling of everything. I was promptly contacted to upgrade my THD to the infinity. The status page shows a hopeful ship date of sometime next week, and my GO1000 and LPS absolutely rock.
> 
> The Pulse ~ will be my first high end DAC/Amp, so it will be an exciting experience.


----------



## pedalhead

ultimate mango said:


> I got to stop by LH Labs at CES. They weren't in the audio hospitality suites, which is where they frankly should have been set up. Instead they were in the giant main hall of miscellaneous and small vendors. They had a laptop with an LPS 4, Pulse, and LCD-XC headphones. There was also an X or Xfi unit that was not connected. There were also shells for the Soul and Wave on the table. Most of the crew you would recognize was there at the 'booth' table.
> The hall was so loud I put the demo phones on for a few seconds and gave up. The hall was loud, the music was loud, and there was no sense in it at all.
> I mentioned that I was one of the original backers of the first campaign, and upgraded to X and Xfi and backed the Wave and other perks and upgrades. I basically got a response of 'oh, you didn't upgrade to infinity version? You should have gotten an LPS4...' Finally Larry stepped in and said that I would be very happy, so that was something. Otherwise response from LH Labs in person was the same as here and elsewhere: terrible.
> I did ask on all of our behalf when the X and Xfi units were shipping. They said that people who upgraded at the end of the campaign got a new position at the end of the line based on the last thing you backed (I was shocked speechless and literally respond to that). Then Larry jumped in and said not to worry that they had stock for the units, they just needed to sort through all the data to make sure people were sent what they actually backed and upgraded over time.
> Seeing how long it has taken them to sort through backer data in the past and how professional the staff wasn't (aside from Larry, for whom I have a newfound sense of respect), I wouldn't expect anything this month.


 
  
 So, just to be clear...did you come away with the impression that early backers who added upgrades later on would lose their place in the build queue..?
  
 From the past 12+ months on the LH forum, I've developed the impression that Larry is a level-headed, highly knowledgeable designer who is truly interested in producing a fine product. It's just a shame the company's marketing is so at odds with that approach. I reckon there could have been a lot less focus on hard sell and manipulative marketing and a lot more on Larry himself and his ideas - in this customer's eyes at least, he's their biggest asset by a mile, both technically and in terms of marketing the brand.


----------



## Anaximandros

Who were you talking to? Manny, Gavin, someone else?
 Would be good to know who is the root of your bad experience with their stuff at the booth.


----------



## Chefano

LH labs so far... Too many talk  only a few results.


----------



## digitalzed

ultimate mango said:


> It would have been really nice if there had been the ability for community members to request these sorts of meetings in advance. Perhaps there was and I just missed it(?).
> 
> For the general public walking by the booth, it was a poor showing for sure (as I commented earlier). For actual backers and community members, perhaps my experience was unique. What was said was extremely clear, make no mistake about that. There was no confusion.
> 
> I'm not interested in making the effort to have even more dialogue on this with the LH Labs team. I know I am not alone in my fatigue in trying to force a better relationship as a backer.


 

 Sorry, but seriously? You have a great original point that the people in the booth did not meet even basic expectations for visitors but then Casey reaches out to you personally and tries to make amends and you turn your nose up at it? You have every right to be frustrated with your original treatment but now it just sounds like sour grapes.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

I do not know any of the LH Labs staff personally. They may have been wearing small name tags, but it was extremely crowded and noisy, and no introductions were made. I recognized Larry from the videos and posts. Gavin was there, I recognized him from a few meets and such. I think I recognized Manny. The designer was there. There may have been one or two other people I did not recognize. Its not like I was able to have a single threaded conversation with each person one at a time. It was more like a bunch of people standing around (including several other CES attendees) and when I would ask a question the answer would come from anyone in the group. Of all the people who spoke, Larry was calm and had a reasonable response. The rest was somewhat chaotic. I don't know Casey and would not have recognized him if he was there. 
  
 I believe it was Gavin and Manny who gave the impression that backers of perks would get a place in line that corresponded to the last date you backed something. I asked several times if my backing the 'Moving on Up' perk meant I was at the back of the line and they said YES consistently. That was when Larry jumped in and said that I need not worry that there was stock enough for everyone and that we would all get it our stuff quickly. Larry said that they intentionally did NOT start shipping early to make sure they did it right and had all the final perks tallied for everyone and had a chance to resolve issues. 
  
 For those of you who were at CES, you will understand how chaotic it can get at times and how it might not have been super clear, easy communication. For those of you who think my recounting of my experience seems a little odd. Yes, it was a little odd. Sorry. 
  
 Yes, maybe I do have a little sense of sour grapes over the whole thing. Its a shame that my personal experience with LH Labs here, on the LH Forums, via email and their ticketing system, and yesterday at CES, that all of those leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. Sour grapes indeed. Yet I still spent more money over time in hopes that the end result is something special that I enjoy using. 
  
 In other news, the Wave may be Class A. Someone made a joke about it giving people blisters on their legs if they use it when in their pants pockets!


----------



## digitalzed

ultimate mango said:


> I do not know any of the LH Labs staff personally. They may have been wearing small name tags, but it was extremely crowded and noisy, and no introductions were made. I recognized Larry from the videos and posts. Gavin was there, I recognized him from a few meets and such. I think I recognized Manny. The designer was there. There may have been one or two other people I did not recognize. Its not like I was able to have a single threaded conversation with each person one at a time. It was more like a bunch of people standing around (including several other CES attendees) and when I would ask a question the answer would come from anyone in the group. Of all the people who spoke, Larry was calm and had a reasonable response. The rest was somewhat chaotic. I don't know Casey and would not have recognized him if he was there.
> 
> I believe it was Gavin and Manny who gave the impression that backers of perks would get a place in line that corresponded to the last date you backed something. I asked several times if my backing the 'Moving on Up' perk meant I was at the back of the line and they said YES consistently. That was when Larry jumped in and said that I need not worry that there was stock enough for everyone and that we would all get it our stuff quickly. Larry said that they intentionally did NOT start shipping early to make sure they did it right and had all the final perks tallied for everyone and had a chance to resolve issues.
> 
> ...


 

 I may have called you out a little bit but I do understand your frustration as I myself am no stranger to it when it comes to LH Labs. But an olive branch (of sorts) was offered and you declined. That is your prerogative. Just surprised that when you're finally getting what you wanted and deserved, some personal attention from the company, you decline.


----------



## Chefano

ultimate mango said:


> In other news, the Wave may be Class A. Someone made a joke about it giving people blisters on their legs if they use it when in their pants pockets!


 
 Maybe using Fento Clocks, maybe using metal foil resistors, maybe using SIT transistors, maybe some SE triodes, maybe maybe specially tunned by Larry.


----------



## Jupiterknight

hemtmaker said:


> I have actually asked Eric (headphone guru reviewer) before whether the volume will start at maximum upon turning the device on and he said no and it behaves just like everything else. Maybe yours had a older firmware loaded by mistake?


 
  
 I don't know and how would I know? So of course possible and how can I find out? FW installed Main 1.0. MCU 1.9. PC LH control panel shows v.1.01


----------



## miceblue

Hm, well the Geek LPS4 + STAX amp will need to hold off since I hear a very noticeable buzzing sound with that setup plus a DC polarity inverter adaptor I got from eBay (STAX amp uses a positive barrel, negative pin, which is the opposite of what most electronics use, including the Geek Pulse).

With the Geek Out though, it really helps out.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/711267/light-harmonic-geek-out-em-1000-impressions-thread/1620#post_11205331

I'm certain it will make a difference with the Geek Pulse too.


----------



## doctorjazz

Stupid question, I'm sure, but I'm using a Vaunix Lab Brick usb hub with my GO SE. Is that significantly different than the/an LPS?


----------



## miceblue

doctorjazz said:


> Stupid question, I'm sure, but I'm using a Vaunix Lab Brick usb hub with my GO SE. Is that significantly different than the/an LPS?



It looks to have a similar function based on the description.
http://vaunix.com/products/usb-hubs/overview/


> the Lab Brick 4-port USB hub delivers clean, highly regulated power to audio


----------



## kostaszag

jupiterknight said:


> hemtmaker said:
> 
> 
> > I have actually asked Eric (headphone guru reviewer) before whether the volume will start at maximum upon turning the device on and he said no and it behaves just like everything else. Maybe yours had a older firmware loaded by mistake?
> ...


 

 you can see on your control panel. If you have the old firmware you see Geek Out 1.0, new firmware is 1.5. From your description you should upgrade to the new firmware ASAP.


----------



## miceblue

miceblue said:


> Knowing me, I intend to write out all of my thoughts and impressions (good and bad) for the Pulse Xfi, LPS, and 2G cable whenever I receive them.



Yup......and for some bad news. It looks like I may have found a grounding issue with the LPS4.
http://lhlabs.com/force/techsupport-geeklps/3071-lps4-grounding-problem-with-usb-output


> lhlabs.com/force/geeklps/2402-can-i-use-...ith-a-stax-amplifier
> 
> Problem: loud buzzing sound can be heard through my SRS-2170 system if I use the LPS4 to provide power to the SRM-252S amplifier as well as to the Geek Out 1000
> 
> ...




Another LPS4 user has confirmed that the same thing happens with their gear, and figured out that if you use the LPS both as a power supply (12 VDC output) for an amp and as a source for clean USB power (anything connected to the USB output, including a flash drive) at the same time, you will hear the same buzzing sound from the amp's output.



Does anyone with a Geek LPS (not LPS4) also have this issue?


----------



## Jupiterknight

kostaszag said:


> you can see on your control panel. If you have the old firmware you see Geek Out 1.0, new firmware is 1.5. From your description you should upgrade to the new firmware ASAP.


 
 I'm not sure, but I don't think that the FW 1.5 from the Geek Out can be used/installed on the Pulse?


----------



## kostaszag

jupiterknight said:


> kostaszag said:
> 
> 
> > you can see on your control panel. If you have the old firmware you see Geek Out 1.0, new firmware is 1.5. From your description you should upgrade to the new firmware ASAP.
> ...


 

 OMG I am sorry, I thought I was writing on the Geek Out thread (that is what you get for subscribing to multiple threads). The talk of an earlier post about older and newer firmwares brought more confusion. Well FWIW, there is at the moment no new firmware for the Geek Pulse, they claim to be working on it as we speak. I sure hope so.


----------



## frankrondaniel

miceblue said:


> Yup......and for some bad news. It looks like I may have found a grounding issue with the LPS4.
> http://lhlabs.com/force/techsupport-geeklps/3071-lps4-grounding-problem-with-usb-output
> Another LPS4 user has confirmed that the same thing happens with their gear, and figured out that if you use the LPS both as a power supply (12 VDC output) for an amp and as a source for clean USB power (anything connected to the USB output, including a flash drive) at the same time, you will hear the same buzzing sound from the amp's output.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm using the LPS as both USB source and power to Pulse, using both headphone out of Pulse and RCA out to an external amp.  I don't believe that I hear any buzzing sound.


----------



## miceblue

frankrondaniel said:


> I'm using the LPS as both USB source and power to Pulse, using both headphone out of Pulse and RCA out to an external amp.  I don't believe that I hear any buzzing sound.



Hm, what's connected to the USB output?
Someone at the LH forums drew this up





Where PSU is a wall wart or other built-in power supply, not the Geek LPS.


----------



## frankrondaniel

miceblue said:


> Hm, what's connected to the USB output?
> Someone at the LH forums drew this up
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have computer -> USB to LPS -> USB to PULSE powered by LPS -> Pulse's internal headphone amp.  When using an external amp, it's connected to Pulse using RCA outs but the external amp is powered by it's own PSU (similar to scenario B above).  Looks like I've never set up scenario A where the external amp is powered by the LPS.


----------



## mandrake50

Sorry to break the flow here on the LPS(and 4) buzzing, but I am curious.
 Has anyone in the US (or even Australia) heard anything at all from LHL on their Hifiman headphones?
 The claim was that they would begin shipping them last Monday. I have got no shipping confirmation nor any headphones.
 Typically from CA to here is two to three days... even if they use USPS first class.
 I think I was around number 10 on the first round of the bundles for the HE 560.


----------



## longbowbbs

mandrake50 said:


> Sorry to break the flow here on the LPS(and 4) buzzing, but I am curious.
> Has anyone in the US (or even Australia) heard anything at all from LHL on their Hifiman headphones?
> The claim was that they would begin shipping them last Monday. I have got no shipping confirmation nor any headphones.
> Typically from CA to here is two to three days... even if they use USPS first class.
> I think I was around number 10 on the first round of the bundles for the HE 560.


 
 They are coming home from CES today. Expecting anything from an Audio company during CES is just not realistic.


----------



## mandrake50

Really? They took their entire shipping department?  All they needed to do was to put labels on the boxes and put them into the mail.
 In any case, the statements that were made by Casey and by Gavin were that they would start shipping last Monday.
 They had to be well aware that some employees would be going to CES..
  
 In any case my question was simply whether anyone else in the US had either got a confirmation or received headphones... not whether LHL had yet another excuse for not doing something on time and per their own statements!


----------



## longbowbbs

mandrake50 said:


> Really? They took their entire shipping department?  All they needed to do was to put labels on the boxes and put them into the mail.
> In any case, the statements that were made by Casey and by Gavin were that they would start shipping last Monday.
> They had to be well aware that some employees would be going to CES..
> 
> In any case my question was simply whether anyone else in the US had either got a confirmation or received headphones... not whether LHL had yet another excuse for not doing something on time and per their own statements!


 
 After 15 months you are getting worked up over this? Dude relax....


----------



## Ebonyzer

While I don't want to minimize the importance of clearly setting expectations and good communication, there are whole industries that revolve around the challenges of logistics, of moving lots of things from here to there. Boiling down the hundreds (or thousands) or orders and variants of orders to simply putting on a stamp and dropping in the mail seems overly simple.


----------



## uncola

Did you guys see this review of an upcoming Audio Technica dac/amp?  I hope we get some reviews like this of the geek pulse/xfi/infinite.  It's so detailed and well organized with comparisons of competing gear.  LH Labs should mail this guy a pulse review model
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/749555/sneak-peek-of-audio-technica-at-ha5050h-pre-production-unit


----------



## shutterbox

germay0653 said:


> And you can use two USB Type A ports, one for power and one for Data, on a laptop or PC and get an adapter (Female USB Type B to Female Type A that the cable and GO plug into.  You can also use a Linear Power Supply or a Battery to supply power for the power leg.
> 
> 2G cable:
> 
> ...




Thanks for the tip


----------



## Chefano

uncola said:


> Did you guys see this review of an upcoming Audio Technica dac/amp?  I hope we get some reviews like this of the geek pulse/xfi/infinite.  It's so detailed and well organized with comparisons of competing gear.  LH Labs should mail this guy a pulse review model
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/749555/sneak-peek-of-audio-technica-at-ha5050h-pre-production-unit


 
  
 Drooling! 
 Looks like a mini accuphase 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Me want!


----------



## greenkiwi

That is a beautiful device


----------



## walfredo

So, I am afraid my Pulse is malfunctioning.
 
It started with little pops during play.  Kind of like an LP pop.
 
But then it started halting altogether.  It can no longer play for more than half an hour without freezing.  (And at 88K, apparently takes only a few minutes.)  When it halts, foobar playback freezes too.  If I stop foobar and play again, I get "Unrecoverable playback error: Could not create ASIO buffers".  I have to reset the Pulse for it to play again.  Also, in this frozen state, when I turn the Pulse down, the pop is loud enough for the protection circuit of my power amp to trigger and shut it down.
 
I have reinstalled the driver with no effect.  The problem happens the same in ASIO, WSAPI, and DS (except that in DS I don't get the "Unrecoverable playback error: Could not create ASIO buffers" message).  My system works fine with my other DACs.
 
I don't see how this can be related, but all this started happening when I decided to give the SPDIF input a try.
 
Any ideas?
 
[]s
Walfredo


----------



## Boban85

chefano said:


> Drooling!
> Looks like a mini accuphase
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 That sure is pretty... I have always had an affection for Audio Technica gear and the brand even though I have not owned anything up until now. Just browsing their stuff at Yodobashi or Bic Camera makes me feel like it is something special. But I don't just want to get anything from Audio Technica just for the sake of it. I guess I am waiting for a product from them that will blow me away and that can confirm my high esteem for the brand. This DAC/amp might be it, or the new W1000Z, which I hope to hear on my next trip to Japan. I just hope that they don't price this at $6000 as the reviewer mentions and hope it will be significantly cheaper in Japan so we can order it directly from there like usual with Japanese gear. Thanks for the post uncola!


----------



## flipper2gv

ultimate mango said:


> I got to stop by LH Labs at CES. They weren't in the audio hospitality suites, which is where they frankly should have been set up. Instead they were in the giant main hall of miscellaneous and small vendors. They had a laptop with an LPS 4, Pulse, and LCD-XC headphones. There was also an X or Xfi unit that was not connected. There were also shells for the Soul and Wave on the table. Most of the crew you would recognize was there at the 'booth' table.
> The hall was so loud I put the demo phones on for a few seconds and gave up. The hall was loud, the music was loud, and there was no sense in it at all.
> I mentioned that I was one of the original backers of the first campaign, and upgraded to X and Xfi and backed the Wave and other perks and upgrades. I basically got a response of 'oh, you didn't upgrade to infinity version? You should have gotten an LPS4...' Finally Larry stepped in and said that I would be very happy, so that was something. Otherwise response from LH Labs in person was the same as here and elsewhere: terrible.
> I did ask on all of our behalf when the X and Xfi units were shipping. They said that people who upgraded at the end of the campaign got a new position at the end of the line based on the last thing you backed (I was shocked speechless and literally respond to that). Then Larry jumped in and said not to worry that they had stock for the units, they just needed to sort through all the data to make sure people were sent what they actually backed and upgraded over time.
> Seeing how long it has taken them to sort through backer data in the past and how professional the staff wasn't (aside from Larry, for whom I have a newfound sense of respect), I wouldn't expect anything this month.


 
  
 Is it really that surprising? Larry is the designer, the other ones are business people that are in there to make money, especially after a campaign that was this successful. Money brings greed, with more money, more greed. Don't worry, the only thing that matter is if the product will be good and considering the Geek Out sounds good, we shouldn't worry too much.


----------



## doctorjazz

flipper2gv said:


> ultimate mango said:
> 
> 
> > I got to stop by LH Labs at CES. They weren't in the audio hospitality suites, which is where they frankly should have been set up. Instead they were in the giant main hall of miscellaneous and small vendors. They had a laptop with an LPS 4, Pulse, and LCD-XC headphones. There was also an X or Xfi unit that was not connected. There were also shells for the Soul and Wave on the table. Most of the crew you would recognize was there at the 'booth' table.
> ...




Not sure I agree with this...sure, enjoying the sound of the player is the main thing in the end, but, you are dealing with someone who is already a PAYING CUSTOMER, has put what is not insignificant money into LH and it's promised products, and, to get nothing but the feeling of recriminations, that you made a mistake not going higher in the LH chain (except for Larry), I think is bad manners and bad business (salesmen are not exempt from some manners, and should be congratulating a backer instead of trying to guilt/worry him into buying more). It does have a bit of the feel of the Indiegogo campaign to it, but I don't blame Ultimate Mango, and the subsequent attempts to make amends were deserved imo (I might have taken them up on the later meeting, but I wasn't there, I could also have been as angry...)
Just my $0.02 as a substantial backer myself.


----------



## Chikolad

walfredo said:


> So, I am afraid my Pulse is malfunctioning.
> 
> It started with little pops during play.  Kind of like an LP pop.
> 
> ...


 
  
 That's quite worrisome.
 I'm sure you have already went to LHLabs with this? I hope they or someone else here is able to help you with it.


----------



## walfredo

chikolad said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > So, I am afraid my Pulse is malfunctioning.
> ...


 
  
 Just opened a ticket with LH.


----------



## upsguys88

which specifications of the jay's lps should I get to work best with the  my geek pulse?


----------



## Ebonyzer

Also, when I look for Jay's LPS, I only find that one mass-buy that is already closed and seemed to be for Asia only? Is there a reliable place to pick one up?


----------



## Chikolad

walfredo said:


> Just opened a ticket with LH.


 
  
 Good luck! keep us posted on whether it has been resolved.


----------



## Lceaucx

The 12v one. If you are concerned with the usb power handshake, you need a split 2G or 10G cable, and a second 5v lps with the USB port, though I don't think its all that necessary... 
  
 Not sure if Alvin still has any available though, the MO ended awhile back. You should PM him to ask


----------



## uncola

Ebonyzer the jay's audio LPS mass order is over.  You would have needed the 12V version.  You can PM Alvin1118 to find out if he's going to do a new 4th mass order, I believe he's the only source for it  http://www.head-fi.org/u/80443/alvin1118
  
 edit:  woot, Earfonia, the guy who wrote the super long and detailed Audio Technica AT-A5050H review says he's waiting for a Pulse XFI and will also review it


----------



## bitsnbytes

I think Alvin was offering to ship outside of Asia as well, as long as you will pay for the postage.

How many would be interested in the Jay's LPS?

(Asking because enough show of hands might convince him to start another MO)


----------



## pauldgroot

I ordered an LPS from alvin too and I live in the Netherlands. I just got word from him that the manufacturer is probably gonna ship them out in about a week and that this third batch will have a blue and more dim voltage LCD since the first ones were bright green.


----------



## upsguys88

I just ordered today he was making another order.


----------



## chartwell85

ultimate mango said:


> I got to stop by LH Labs at CES. They weren't in the audio hospitality suites, which is where they frankly should have been set up. Instead they were in the giant main hall of miscellaneous and small vendors. They had a laptop with an LPS 4, Pulse, and LCD-XC headphones. There was also an X or Xfi unit that was not connected. There were also shells for the Soul and Wave on the table. Most of the crew you would recognize was there at the 'booth' table.
> The hall was so loud I put the demo phones on for a few seconds and gave up. The hall was loud, the music was loud, and there was no sense in it at all.
> I mentioned that I was one of the original backers of the first campaign, and upgraded to X and Xfi and backed the Wave and other perks and upgrades. I basically got a response of 'oh, you didn't upgrade to infinity version? You should have gotten an LPS4...' Finally Larry stepped in and said that I would be very happy, so that was something. Otherwise response from LH Labs in person was the same as here and elsewhere: terrible.
> I did ask on all of our behalf when the X and Xfi units were shipping. They said that people who upgraded at the end of the campaign got a new position at the end of the line based on the last thing you backed (I was shocked speechless and literally respond to that). Then Larry jumped in and said not to worry that they had stock for the units, they just needed to sort through all the data to make sure people were sent what they actually backed and upgraded over time.
> Seeing how long it has taken them to sort through backer data in the past and how professional the staff wasn't (aside from Larry, for whom I have a newfound sense of respect), I wouldn't expect anything this month.


 

 After further research on the statement that people that upgraded were moved to the back of the line I have come up empty handed with anyone form the LH Labs crew that was present during CES that made that statement.  
  
 As we've stated during the campaign, upgrades will not impact shipping schedules.  All units will be produced in parallel to their upgrade routes.  
  
 Hope this clears things up.


----------



## zerodeefex

Just wanted to update this thread:
  
 My LPS + Pulse is my main DAC right now and I've really been enjoying it with my $100 Crown power amp and some speakers from Dennis Murphy. One hell of a DAC, nice and aggressive with really tight bass and amazing resolution from that 9018k2m mobile chip! I am finding that I prefer the sound to any other SABRE DAC that has been in my system so far, including the XSABRE.


----------



## chartwell85

zerodeefex said:


> Just wanted to update this thread:
> 
> My LPS + Pulse is my main DAC right now and I've really been enjoying it with my $100 Crown power amp and some speakers from Dennis Murphy. One hell of a DAC, nice and aggressive with really tight bass and amazing resolution from that 9018k2m mobile chip! I am finding that I prefer the sound to any other SABRE DAC that has been in my system so far, including the XSABRE.


----------



## Clemmaster

Got a reply to my ticket regarding the HE-400i bundle deal.
  
 It seems LH did not receive the headphones, yet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Didn't Gavin mentioned the shipment was on its way couple weeks ago? How long does it take?
  
 Something's fishy here...


----------



## Ebonyzer

Are you saying a giant crowdfunding effort with thousands of customers and hundreds of parts in lots of different configurations with a bunch of extra add-ons and several bundle options may have resulted in some kind of miscommunication?
  
 That seems ridiculous, we should jump to foul play first. And to be safe and to cover all of our bases, we should be smug at the same time.


----------



## hemtmaker

ebonyzer said:


> Are you saying a giant crowdfunding effort with thousands of customers and hundreds of parts in lots of different configurations with a bunch of extra add-ons and several bundle options may have resulted in some kind of miscommunication?
> 
> That seems ridiculous, we should jump to foul play first. And to be safe and to cover all of our bases, we should be smug at the same time.




LoL


----------



## mscott58

ebonyzer said:


> Are you saying a giant crowdfunding effort with thousands of customers and hundreds of parts in lots of different configurations with a bunch of extra add-ons and several bundle options may have resulted in some kind of miscommunication?
> 
> That seems ridiculous, we should jump to foul play first. And to be safe and to cover all of our bases, we should be smug at the same time.


 
 Effin' brilliant. Well played sir.


----------



## snip3r77

zerodeefex said:


> Just wanted to update this thread:
> 
> My LPS + Pulse is my main DAC right now and I've really been enjoying it with my $100 Crown power amp and some speakers from Dennis Murphy. One hell of a DAC, nice and aggressive with really tight bass and amazing resolution from that 9018k2m mobile chip! I am finding that I prefer the sound to any other SABRE DAC that has been in my system so far, including the XSABRE.




What is the characteristics of the Pulse ? Warm or neutral ?


----------



## Clemmaster

snip3r77 said:


> What is the characteristics of the Pulse ? Warm or neutral ?


 
 I'd say invisible.


----------



## uncola

My recollection is people who got their pulse thought it was lean and cold


----------



## Maelob

As far as I know, I have not heard anybody in this forum saying the pulse is  lean and cold, just that is not warm.


----------



## AxelCloris

Mine's certainly not lean and cold. It's not a warm signature either. It's a very natural and neutral signature with hardly any coloration. Just the way I like a good DAC. I'm listening to the HE-5LE through a standard Pulse at the moment and trust me this is not a cold sound.


----------



## Jupiterknight

I believe that whatever opinion can reflect where we are coming from etc. In my case I don't consider the Pulse to be lean and cold or warm. Which means I'm ending up in the the neutral territory, and probably slightly lesser warm sounding than my Geek Out, although much more transparent and detailed, relative speaking.
  
 I do find the Geek Pulse to be a very decent upgrade over my Geek Out 450, as it should be. Although I of course can't tell if it is related to a better implantation of the DAC part or the amplification section. It could very well be a bit of both... 
  
 I feel or experience that the music I listen to are presented in a a more effortless way with the Geek Pulse vs. Out and at the same time revealing more micro details and better imaging.
 On some tracks the Geek Out sound more constricted, less dynamic although the Geek Out on its own is quite unique.
  
 Now, if anyone is listening? I would very much like to see a better FW arrive to fix a bunch of bugs.


----------



## snip3r77

axelcloris said:


> Mine's certainly not lean and cold. It's not a warm signature either. It's a very natural and neutral signature with hardly any coloration. Just the way I like a good DAC. I'm listening to the HE-5LE through a standard Pulse at the moment and trust me this is not a cold sound.




What about brightness? Does it work with all songs? Is there any instances that there is sibilance and piercing highs?
*Just Cheking*


----------



## miceblue

I started a new thread for the Geek LPS by the way, so please feel free to chime in for any relevant discussion about it.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/750577/light-harmonic-geek-linear-power-supply-lps-and-lps4-impressions-discussion


----------



## Madeupword

Haven't seen any that mention lean and cold. I believe Gavin and Larry's taste are a combination of analytic with a touch of warmth.


----------



## uncola

I think I was remembering Walfredo's impressions of the pulse where he calls it lean/cold but he seems to be in the minority now.  Most people say neutral/slightly warm now that I did a search of the thread


----------



## MaximPrime

Whats happening with the HE-560's i saw quite a bit ago people in asia getting theirs.
  
 Has LH still not received their ones to ship out yet? Really sucks Australia didnt come from the asia shipments.


----------



## Phishin Phool

Anybody know how long it normally takes LH to respond to a ticket ? I opened one yesterday morning and have not heard from them at all. Considering it is a payment issue and they want their money  I would think they would respond.


----------



## Levanter

phishin phool said:


> Anybody know how long it normally takes LH to respond to a ticket ? I opened one yesterday morning and have not heard from them at all. Considering it is a payment issue and they want their money  I would think they would respond.


 
  
 Should be faster now that CES is over... i opened 1 before CES and it took over a week for a response. Other than that usually a couple of days plus or minus..


----------



## Boban85

phishin phool said:


> Anybody know how long it normally takes LH to respond to a ticket ? I opened one yesterday morning and have not heard from them at all. Considering it is a payment issue and they want their money  I would think they would respond.


 
  
 They usually respond within three days. I've had tickets that stayed unanswered longer but usually during the holiday season and or events like CES.


----------



## Anaximandros

axelcloris said:


> Mine's certainly not lean and cold. It's not a warm signature either. It's a very natural and neutral signature with hardly any coloration. Just the way I like a good DAC. I'm listening to the HE-5LE through a standard Pulse at the moment and trust me this is not a cold sound.


 
  
 How is the synergy between the vanilla Pulse and the HE-5LE?


----------



## Zenifyx

maximprime said:


> Whats happening with the HE-560's i saw quite a bit ago people in asia getting theirs.
> 
> Has LH still not received their ones to ship out yet? Really sucks Australia didnt come from the asia shipments.


 
  
 I'll quote the relevant updates here for your perusal, from *here*
  


> Originally Posted by *Casey Hartwell*
> The headphones have not arrived to our office yet. We met with the hifiman team while at CES to remedy the shipping delay.


 


> Originally Posted by *Casey Hartwell* Yes, actually. My time spent at CES doing my job. This is the first time I've had a chance to get in the forum.


 


> Originally Posted by *Casey Hartwell* Wether or not it will be received well is up to each of you to decide. The simple fact that the headphones have not arrived at our facility is the reason shipments have not begun. As I stated earlier, we met with Hifiman @ CES to discuss where our shipment was and they are looking into the shipping status on their end.
> As far as the direct shipment you speak of, that was simply not an option for Hifiman as they would not ship outside of Asia. The amount of bundle deals offered has absolutely no affect on the shipment of products as we submitted a PO en mass. In fact, the third and final PO was submitted directly after the campaign ended for the last bundle deal offerings.
> If this has become such an issue for you I'd suggest that you look into other means of purchasing your products.


 


> Originally Posted by *Casey Hartwell* As far as your question goes, the shipment itself is not lost. From my understanding, there was a miscommunication which happened to occur during the busiest time of year (CES) for both of our companies. After speaking with their team they have committed to give us an update on the outstanding shipment by tomorrow. The Hifiman crew has been EXTREMELY cooperative and I can not emphasis enough of how much of a great partnership we've been able to develop with them. Were there some bumps along the way? Sure. But it's nothing we can't overcome.
> I want each of you to have your headphones more than ever for the simple fact it's what we promised to each of you.
> 
> For those that have been put off by this I'm very sorry and wish there was something else I could tell you besides hold tight and wait to be informed.
> ...


----------



## AxelCloris

anaximandros said:


> How is the synergy between the vanilla Pulse and the HE-5LE?


 
  
 It's looking like they pair quite well. The amount of detail that the HE-5LE is showing is pretty surprising. I think the two make a very nice pair.


----------



## Anaximandros

Thanks Brian 
 Colour me excited. The wait is killing me... the vanilla Pulse is on the way to me and it has not landed in Germany yet.


----------



## uncola

wow, that didn't take long.  Looks like the Jay's Audio LPS's are complete.  Maybe we should start a thread for Jay's Audio


----------



## greenkiwi

I think that a separate thread would be great.


----------



## dclaz

I'd love to see some measurements with and without the LPS.


----------



## sjp770

zenifyx said:


> I'll quote the relevant updates here for your perusal, from *here*




Cheers for that. I'm in australia too and haven't heard a peep from lhlabs re collecting money for shipping, an ETA, notification of any delay, follow up lps4 payment plan invoices etc. Not looking to great from my side but I'm holding my breath they will respond to my ticket soon.


----------



## Maelob

Have anybody else having bug issues with the pulse, I read about the volume bug "monster" was showing up. Something about the volume resetting to full.


----------



## labjr

Maybe LHlabs should contract these guys to do assembly. We could actually receive our products before the second year goes by.
  
  
  
 Quote:


uncola said:


> wow, that didn't take long.  Looks like the Jay's Audio LPS's are complete.  Maybe we should start a thread for Jay's Audio


----------



## frankrondaniel

maelob said:


> Have anybody else having bug issues with the pulse, I read about the volume bug "monster" was showing up. Something about the volume resetting to full.


 
  
 Yep - have the volume bug where the Pulse starts up at full volume.  Just need to adjust the volume know a click and it'll return to the volume indicated on the display.  I always make it a habit to touch that knob before doing anything else.  I've also experienced another documented bug where the Pulse becomes unresponsive to input.  Just have to reboot at that point.


----------



## Maelob

Thanks, I hope those bugs get fixed soon. Already read of somebody that damaged his speakers


----------



## greenkiwi

frankrondaniel said:


> Yep - have the volume bug where the Pulse starts up at full volume.  Just need to adjust the volume know a click and it'll return to the volume indicated on the display.  I always make it a habit to touch that knob before doing anything else.  I've also experienced another documented bug where the Pulse becomes unresponsive to input.  Just have to reboot at that point.



Please report those other undocumented bugs so that they can start working on fixes. They can't fix what they don't know is broken.


----------



## eac3

To be clear, this (volume reset to maximum when first turning it on) is affecting those using Windows as their OS?
  
 I have noticed on the tracking page that the percentage of the Geek Pulse has not changed for a couple of days now. Hopefully this is indicative of them working on fixing these bugs but it could just mean something else (returning home from CES, etc.)


----------



## frankrondaniel

greenkiwi said:


> Please report those other undocumented bugs so that they can start working on fixes. They can't fix what they don't know is broken.


 
  
 They're both documented bugs - hopefully they'll be fixed soon.


----------



## mscott58

eac3 said:


> To be clear, this (volume reset to maximum when first turning it on) is affecting those using Windows as their OS?
> 
> I have noticed on the tracking page that the percentage of the Geek Pulse has not changed for a couple of days now. Hopefully this is indicative of them working on fixing these bugs but it could just mean something else (returning home from CES, etc.)


 
 According to Tami they've had some issues with some suppliers meeting their commitments, although they're working on resolving this ASAP. I would expect Gavin and/or Larry to update us in the next day or so on this. Have also heard that Gavin's also been sick since coming back from CES. Vegas will suck the energy (and of course money) right out of you!


----------



## greenkiwi

frankrondaniel said:


> They're both documented bugs - hopefully they'll be fixed soon.



Cool sorry thought I'd read it as undocumented.

Looking forward to then getting these bugs pushed out.


----------



## AxelCloris

eac3 said:


> To be clear, this (volume reset to maximum when first turning it on) is affecting those using Windows as their OS?


 
  
 Volume reset is a result of powering down the unit. It happens in both Windows and OS X environments because it's the device itself resetting to -0dB on boot.


----------



## greenkiwi

axelcloris said:


> Volume reset is a result of powering down the unit. It happens in both Windows and OS X environments because it's the device itself resetting to -0dB on boot.



Doesn't it store this in memory for restarts? 

Does it matter if the volume setting is set to knob or USB?

Also, does anyone know whether the other inputs continue to be knob control when USB volume control is turned on?


----------



## eac3

According to this post, it seems the volume bug appears to be fixed (internally at LH labs) and is undergoing additional testing before being released:
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-bug-reports/3013-status-of-the-firmware-update#50341


----------



## AxelCloris

greenkiwi said:


> Doesn't it store this in memory for restarts?
> 
> Does it matter if the volume setting is set to knob or USB?
> 
> Also, does anyone know whether the other inputs continue to be knob control when USB volume control is turned on?


 
  
 Nope.
  
 Nope.
  
 Haven't tried that one yet.
  


eac3 said:


> According to this post, it seems the volume bug appears to be fixed (internally at LH labs) and is undergoing additional testing before being released:
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-bug-reports/3013-status-of-the-firmware-update#50341


 
  
 The fix is to have the default set to around -80dB.
  
Larry


> Now the default changes from -0dB to -80dB. So this is VERY safe for anyone.
> 
> If -80dB still too high for you, I would suggest you change gain settings to LOW.


----------



## digitalzed

axelcloris said:


> Nope.
> 
> Nope.
> 
> ...


 

 Knob works for other functions when USB volume is selected.


----------



## greenkiwi

digitalzed said:


> Knob works for other functions when USB volume is selected.


 
 Thanks.  I was hoping that would be the case (as it is the right implementation)... but you never know.


----------



## greenkiwi

axelcloris said:


> Nope.
> 
> Nope.
> 
> ...


 
 I hope that this is just temporary, until they just store and remember the volume


----------



## AxelCloris

greenkiwi said:


> I hope that this is just temporary, until they just store and remember the volume


 
  
 Larry did mention that they have a plan to test a memory option but it's only a plan at this point, they haven't begun testing that capability.
  
 I want to see future firmware adjust the issue I have with the volume control. It's not smooth. This isn't a bug, but a design flaw in my mind. When I rotate the knob volume should change smoothly, both on the display and on the headphones. Currently it doesn't. It either moved in big steps or won't change until you've finished turning the dial if you do so quickly. I like the Pulse quite a bit but it doesn't feel like a $999 device as it's currently programmed. The good thing is that I'm sure they have the capability to make that change, so they can make it feel like a more expensive device with a little work on the code.


----------



## walfredo

greenkiwi said:


> axelcloris said:
> 
> 
> > Volume reset is a result of powering down the unit. It happens in both Windows and OS X environments because it's the device itself resetting to -0dB on boot.
> ...


 
  
 No, it does not store the previous volume.  No it does not depend on the setting for volume knob. 
  
 If you leave volume setting = knob, you have to remember to move it a little bit after turning the Pulse, before playing music.  Otherwise, it will blast your headphones and/or speakers. 
  
 It a dangerous usability problem.


----------



## Maelob

wow, not good, my old Benchmark 1 volume was rock solid, why did I sell it LOL. I hope it get resolved soon, however I was planning to get the little Ifi Itube buffer to control the volume. But man, they better fix all those issues soon, that's why I am not in a hurry to receive the XFI if those issues are not fixed.


----------



## digitalzed

Pulse firmware will be available here tomorrow (Jan 15th) 
  
 http://lhlabs.com/support/geek-pulse.html


----------



## AxelCloris

digitalzed said:


> Pulse firmware will be available here tomorrow (Jan 15th)
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/support/geek-pulse.html


 
  
 Hot damn, awesome. Thanks!
  
 Looks like I'll have to boot into Windows to update, as the tool doesn't exist for the Mac as far as I know.


----------



## DSlayerZX

new email suggest further delay for xfinity units.....kinda suspect this already. but prepare for **** storm on the forum


----------



## chartwell85

dslayerzx said:


> new email suggest further delay for xfinity units.....kinda suspect this already. but prepare for **** storm on the forum


 

 Breaking out the sandbags


----------



## AxelCloris

chartwell85 said:


> Breaking out the sandbags


 
  
 [Insert generic complaints about things that require additional work taking additional time to complete]


----------



## pauldgroot

So why no word about the Xfi shipping out? I thought that was supposed to be in parallel right?


----------



## chartwell85

pauldgroot said:


> So why no word about the Xfi shipping out? I thought that was supposed to be in parallel right?


 

 Pulse X and Xfi are the same category.  We just internally refer to the board as GPX aka X


----------



## grizzlybeast

I wonder if you selected to make payments on the xfi, when invoices will be sent out.


----------



## chartwell85

CS team is aiming to submit invoices for payment plans on the 20th, however, they aren't actually due until the 27th.


----------



## eac3

Hooray!


----------



## germay0653

chartwell85 said:


> Breaking out the sandbags


 

 Just don't turn on the fan!


----------



## uncola

haha I'm a moron I was trying to figure out how many resistors were going to be set aside because they said they have 500 and that was enough for 125 pulses for hand matching.  Then I realized 500/4 is 125.  I guess 500 resistors is a high enough number that they should be able to closely match them all


----------



## digitalzed

axelcloris said:


> Hot damn, awesome. Thanks!
> 
> Looks like I'll have to boot into Windows to update, as the tool doesn't exist for the Mac as far as I know.


 

 Axel, I know they're working on a Mac DFU.


----------



## jexby

digitalzed said:


> Axel, I know they're working on a Mac DFU.




And are stuck after reporting OS X USB bugs to Apple.
Think Cupertino has this atop their priority list?


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> [Insert generic complaints about things that require additional work taking additional time to complete]


 
 Nice one Brian! You forgot to add [general comments about this being some type of Ponzi scheme]!


----------



## TopQuark

uncola said:


> haha I'm a moron I was trying to figure out how many resistors were going to be set aside because they said they have 500 and that was enough for 125 pulses for hand matching.  Then I realized 500/4 is 125.  I guess 500 resistors is a high enough number that they should be able to closely match them all


 

 True.  How do they define "matching"?  To what tolerance?  Anyone knows?


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> The fix is to have the default set to around -80dB.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What are the power specifications for low gain? With the GO 1000 and fairly sensitive closed-back headphones, -80 dB on the LH Control Panel is my normal volume level with modern music. :/


----------



## Boban85

miceblue said:


> What are the power specifications for low gain? With the GO 1000 and fairly sensitive closed-back headphones, -80 dB on the LH Control Panel is my normal volume level with modern music. :/


 
  
 Miceblue, that's good news for you, no need to adjust the volume, just turn on the Pulse and you are good to go


----------



## uncola

Guess who agreed to do some googling and reading on diyaudio, amb.org, diyparadise, audiocircle, audiogon and audioasylum and compile all the subjective impressions of improvements after people installed tx2575 naked resistors to get us salivating for our upgrade?  They also read chinese so they'll be able to post impressions from erji.net, china's biggest headphone forum.  This person is imaginary but I wish he was real.  C'mon someone do the leg work for us


----------



## topgunsphd

Did know where else to ask this question:  Has anyone heard any updates on the geek pulse iems?  They were estimated to be shipping out sometime this month?


----------



## Boban85

topgunsphd said:


> Did know where else to ask this question:  Has anyone heard any updates on the geek pulse iems?  They were estimated to be shipping out sometime this month?


 
  
 Larry stated on the IGG Pulse Campaign comments tab that the IEMs are already done and are currently being tested. They had some problems with delivery of boxes and packaging materials from their supplier, which is dragging things a bit.


----------



## longbowbbs

topgunsphd said:


> Did know where else to ask this question:  Has anyone heard any updates on the geek pulse iems?  They were estimated to be shipping out sometime this month?


 
 I have a review pair arriving tomorrow that is 98% or more final voicing.


----------



## ejong7

Are these geek Pulse iems the same as the one on offer with the geek wave?


----------



## longbowbbs

ejong7 said:


> Are these geek Pulse iems the same as the one on offer with the geek wave?


 
 There are two versions coming out. One traditional and the other using the new 1/8" balanced connector we are seeing in the Astell & Kerns and a few newer DAPs'. I am getting the regular connector version as I do not have a device with the new balanced connector.


----------



## ejong7

Cool. Waiting for impressions. If its good I might invest.


----------



## longbowbbs

ejong7 said:


> Cool. Waiting for impressions. If its good I might invest.


 
 I am hoping they measure up. I am tired of sending Etymotic more money for crappy cables that split.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> I am hoping they measure up. I am tired of sending Etymotic more money for crappy cables that split.




My Ety's aren't getting much play since I got my K10's!!!


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I am hoping they measure up. I am tired of sending Etymotic more money for crappy cables that split.
> ...


 
 What? I cannot imagine that? 
  
 I have to be very careful at CanJam in March!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> What? I cannot imagine that?
> 
> I have to be very careful at CanJam in March!




Guard thy wallet well from the powerful spells of the Wizard...


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > What? I cannot imagine that?
> ...


 
 The Wizard, and Larry and JH and Schiit and Cavalli.....Geez now I am getting nervous and my Visa card seems to be melting!


----------



## ejong7

Can't believe your Visa is still intact! Mine was lone gone after December 27,2014. RIP


----------



## chartwell85

Pulse firmware update is LIVE! 
  
 http://lhlabs.com/support/geek-pulse.html


----------



## uncola

Sounds like it fixes a LOT
  
 Geek Pulse Firmware Update 1.1

 Special note: All Geek Pulse units shipped after 1/15/2015 have firmware version 1.1 pre-installed. Additionally, these units have version 2.0 of the display circuit board firmware installed. The display board firmware is not field-upgradeable. Should you with to upgrade the firmware on your display board, you must return your unit to the factory.

 Display Board 2.0 Updates:

 1) When input is SPDIF/AES/TOSLINK, it will show the input source instead of USB sampling rates

 2) Will memorize USB volume settings. For Knob volume, will low that to -80dB in when device boot up

 Firmware 1.1 Changelog

 1) Update USB interface to Version 1.1

 2) Update Main Version to 2.0

 3) Fix the SPDIF/AES can not be used unless USB is plug-in

 4) Further optimized the TCM and FRM and related buffer

 5) For Femto clock, it will enable the FTM (Femto-Time Mode)… — Only available for Geek Pulse S Fi, Geek Pulse X Fi and Geek Pulse Infinite

 — Further reduce the time related distortion by Femto Clock source

 — Further fine tune ESS DPLL matched with Femto clocks. Even better jitter performance

 — FTM also bring the essence of TCM and FRM together

 * Every shipped out Geek Pulse could upgrade by DFU. They could see 1V1 on USB, and 2V0 on Menu to check.


----------



## chartwell85

Also, please cycle power once you've updated your firmware.


----------



## miceblue

uncola said:


> The display board firmware is not field-upgradeable. Should you with to upgrade the firmware on your display board, you must return your unit to the factory.
> 
> 2) Will memorize USB volume settings. For Knob volume, will low that to -80dB in when device boot up



I was going to say...if the display needs to be fixed, people can't do that with just a firmware update.

That kinda really sucks for people who have the Pulse already.


----------



## digitalzed

Updated with no issue here. Volume stays set and also seems more responsive by knob or USB.


----------



## Dsnuts

Anybody got instructions on how to upgrade firmware? I have to get rid of that nasty volume spike when I turn on my pulse.


----------



## DannyBai

I suppose mac not supported?


----------



## digitalzed

dannybai said:


> I suppose mac not supported?


 

 Nope. The Mac dfu won't happen anytime soon because Apple won't respond in a timely manner. Everything has to happen through them.


----------



## digitalzed

dsnuts said:


> Anybody got instructions on how to upgrade firmware? I have to get rid of that nasty volume spike when I turn on my pulse.


 

 Same as for the Geek Out. Here's a video:
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeLfQclI-oU


----------



## DannyBai

Thanks digitalzed.


----------



## Maelob

Is it ok to leave the Pulse on all the time, my old Benchmark didn't have a power switch.


----------



## digitalzed

maelob said:


> Is it ok to leave the Pulse on all the time, my old Benchmark didn't have a power switch.


 

 Larry says he never turns his off. So I think so.


----------



## digitalzed

dannybai said:


> Thanks digitalzed.


 

 Glad to help.


----------



## AxelCloris

maelob said:


> Is it ok to leave the Pulse on all the time, my old Benchmark didn't have a power switch.


 
  
 Mine stays on. It shouldn't cause any issues at all. Just unplug headphones when not in use.


----------



## uncola

Woo, geek force cornered the market on naked z-foil resistors


----------



## paul66

Well I just upgraded the firmware from stock V1.0 to the new firmware V2.0 and can confirm that my volume issues are gone now.
 But have to test more.
 Becoming slightly happy now


----------



## pedalhead

paul66 said:


> Well I just upgraded the firmware from stock V1.0 to the new firmware V2.0 and can confirm that my volume issues are gone now.
> But have to test more.
> Becoming slightly happy now


 
  
 Good to hear. Pity about the display issues that can't be fixed without sending back to base.


----------



## Arinko

maybe there should be a micro usb port to connect to the the display board to allow upgrading and nothing else.


pedalhead said:


> Good to hear. Pity about the display issues that can't be fixed without sending back to base.


----------



## AxelCloris

I'm going to wait for the display update that makes the Pulse controls feel smoother and more solid before sending mine back. I'm really digging the Pulse, especially after adding in the LPS, but it's not quite there yet. I am happy about the firmware update so that'll be happening tonight.


----------



## greenkiwi

arinko said:


> maybe there should be a micro usb port to connect to the the display board to allow upgrading and nothing else.



This isn't a case of " maybe " it is a case of, there definitely should have been. Or a connection to the main board that could push the update across.

I'm thinking about delaying shipments of my X infinite do that it would have any possible display updates it needs


----------



## eliwankenobi

greenkiwi said:


> This isn't a case of " maybe " it is a case of, there definitely should have been. Or a connection to the main board that could push the update across.
> 
> I'm thinking about delaying shipments of my X infinite do that it would have any possible display updates it needs


 
 Going by the updates... All units shipped starting 1-15-15 (yesterday) will Pulse AND display firmware installed. No need to worry!
  
 I do feel sorry...a firmware change to fix something that should not have happened...does give the impression of backers getting a product that's not fully baked.. I hope my Pulse Infinite is well done by time we all get it!


----------



## Anaximandros

eliwankenobi said:


> Going by the updates... All units shipped starting 1-15-15 (yesterday) will Pulse AND display firmware installed. No need to worry!
> 
> I do feel sorry...a firmware change to fix something that should not have happened...does give the impression of backers getting a product that's not fully baked.. I hope my Pulse Infinite is well done by time we all get it!


 
  
 But there is still the possibilty for new firmware updates and upgrades adding new features, which aren't implemented into the display. Thus the need for ship the Pulse back.
  
 I don't want an outdated display and that's going to be a PITA...


----------



## krikor

Geek Pulse X is shipping!
  
 http://lhlabs.com/support/shippingstatus.html
  
 Less than 1%, but at least it's a start


----------



## eliwankenobi

anaximandros said:


> But there is still the possibilty for new firmware updates and upgrades adding new features, which aren't implemented into the display. Thus the need for ship the Pulse back.
> 
> I don't want an outdated display and that's going to be a PITA...


 
  True!  I know I would hate it if a couple of months after we get our units, there is a display update that adds more useful information...
  
 To me, the goal always was at least show [Input -- S.Rate -- Vol]  But apparently there no space in the display.. as I see no other reason why these 3 useful pieces of info are not displayed. 
  
  
 Please LH Labs, if you do manage to keep improving the display performance, please do so.... don't mind me complaining about it!!!!


----------



## Anaximandros

They should keep improving the display performane and update it when necessary.
 But I'd still like to know who is going to pay the shipping cost. If the customer has to pay both costs for shipping the Pulse to Light Harmonic and the return shipping, then I'd never even suggest buying a Pulse.
  
 Do you know how expensive this is going to be? It's at least 47€ from Germany to LH and at least $40 from LH to Germany. That's $95 only for updating the display unit. Not counting the 4-5 weeks the Pulse is going to be away from the customer.


----------



## eliwankenobi

anaximandros said:


> They should keep improving the display performane and update it when necessary.
> But I'd still like to know who is going to pay the shipping cost. If the customer has to pay both costs for shipping the Pulse to Light Harmonic and the return shipping, then I'd never even suggest buying a Pulse.
> 
> Do you know how expensive this is going to be? It's at least 47€ from Germany to LH and at least $40 from LH to Germany. That's $95 only for updating the display unit. Not counting the 4-5 weeks the Pulse is going to be away from the customer.


 
 Absolutely agree... Puerto Rico is not that close either


----------



## greenkiwi

Yeah, the lack of user updatable displays is a big planning mis-fire, given that the display actually controls the logic, for example volume memory.
  
 It's too bad they didn't design it  so that the main firmware would simply load all the appropriate menus and memorized settings on each load.  Then the display board wouldn't have to have any business logic.
  
 Has anyone confirmed whether or not the pulse remembers the last input or always reverts to USB?


----------



## AxelCloris

eliwankenobi said:


> Absolutely agree... Puerto Rico is not that close either


 
  
 Well stop voting to remain a commonwealth and you can get USPS shipping.  2012 was a step in the right direction, at least.


----------



## eac3

I take it that there is a separate microcontroller just for the display (and possibly volume knob and IR receiver) on a separate PCB, and to flash it with new firmware is going to require 1) opening the device, voiding the warranty and 2) using some custom hardware interface to flash it?
  
 Am I even close?
  

  
 Image taken from first post


----------



## mscott58

krikor said:


> Geek Pulse X is shipping!
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/support/shippingstatus.html
> 
> Less than 1%, but at least it's a start


 
 Cool! However, technically speaking 0 is also <1%...


----------



## Anaximandros

Answer from Gavin.
  
 Sorry guys, If you want the Display firmware upgrade, you'll need to pay for shipping both ways.
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/3124-closed-geek-pulse-display-updates#51055
  
 Serious?


----------



## Chefano

RLY?
  


anaximandros said:


> Answer from Gavin.
> 
> Sorry guys, If you want the Display firmware upgrade, you'll need to pay for shipping both ways.
> 
> ...


 
 RLY?


----------



## miceblue

Shipping for both ways? That's ridiculous.

Is a display firmware update not included in the warranty?


----------



## marflao

Does anybody know how this kind of display upgrade will be done by other manufacturers as for instance Auralic or others? Or is this only needed with the Pulse? 

So far nobody has bought a Pulse at the MSRP prices at IGG. And this display topic cost is not very conducive to change this. 

My 2cts.


----------



## Anaximandros

Well, it's bugged and a defect. So LH should cover the shipping cost for both ways, because it's a reason for a RMA.
 Reading the feedbacks about the new firmware, after turning it off and on the Pulse remembers the volume settings or for knob control it is set at -80dB. But the display shows the value before turning it off and on again.
  
 After using the knob to change the volume, it is going to "spike" to the value on the display. Is that right? I don't have a Pulse to try it out.


----------



## smial1966

So if the innumerable product delays weren't enough, backers are now expected to remedy a defective product at their own expense.

GET REAL LH LABS! What the feck is a warranty for? Besides which, if a product has a known fault cease distribution and repair the fault before shipping any more units. 

LH LABS initially had a truly innovative product/business model based on their enthusiasiastic zeal for audio purity and for offering audiophiles exceptional gear at relatively low cost. Then their coffers swelled expotentially and profit margins invariably clouded their purist intentions. Now Pulse adopters are being screwed for every cent.

I SAY NO! LH LABS DO THE DECENT THING AND RECTIFY DEFECTIVE DISPLAYS AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE! 

ARE YOU WITH ME?!?




anaximandros said:


> Answer from Gavin.
> 
> Sorry guys, If you want the Display firmware upgrade, you'll need to pay for shipping both ways.
> 
> ...


----------



## Anaximandros

It feels like beta testing again. Same for the Geek Out, which had a fatal flaw with the firmware, although it was fixed via firmware.
 Strange, that the problems discovered by force members where not caught by Light Harmonic.


----------



## Phishin Phool

Hey can somebody confirm for me I was nearly certain that the payment plan for the vanilla pulse was $99 with THREE additional payments of $100 for $399 total which would seem to confirm what this chart show the price to be
  
 http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/perk_selection_guide.jpg
  
  
 I wanted to pay off my entire balance after having made my initial payment last month but LH is saying that I owe them 4 additional payments for the vanilla pulse. If I have to I'll pay it but I certainly would not have committed had that been the case as I was looking at another DAC/AMP combo at $300 and was willing to go up a hundred to grab the pulse but would not have dealt with the hassles and wait and an additional $200.


----------



## Anaximandros

It was $99 downpayment for the perk and three additional payments of $99. That somehow changed in the 3rd lot and was corrected again in the last lot.
  
 I'm 100% sure, that it was three downpayments, because I did not have the $399, so I chose the payment plan.


----------



## Phishin Phool

Thanks that was my understanding as well so I should owe LHlabs $300 (since I paid the initial $99) and not $396 as they claim.


----------



## Anaximandros

Yes. But it depends on which Payment Plan lot you are. 1st and 2nd were $99 + 3 x $99, then they changed it.
 Problem with IGG is, that they took down the perk description and I forgot to make a screenshot before...
  
 //edit
  
 I found the discussion about the Payment Plan
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/2270-geek-pulse-payment-plan-cheaper-than-gfo-perk
  
 Initial Question:
  
_Regarding the newly created Geek Pulse Payment Plan, I just realize that it is much cheaper than not only the Early Bird Geek Pulse, but also a bit cheaper than the Geek Force Only Geek Pulse. This new perk is not very fair to people who pledged the Early Bird and the GFO perks before the payment plan becomes available. Would something be done about this?

 Geek Pulse Payment Plan: $99 + $99 x 3 = $396
 Early Bird Geek Pulse: $489
 Geek Force Only Geek Pulse: $399_
  
 And that's Larry's answer.
  
_These $3 difference is definitely a bug. For next batch, I will let them fix it. It's the round down issue._

_Larry_


----------



## grizzlybeast

I have a standard pulse at home waiting for me to give it a listen, but I also have a pulse xfi down the pike halfway paid off. I really want to know how much of a difference the lps will back. I plan on comparing both and just keeping the xfi. I hope I can trade the pulse for an lps if it makes much difference. 

Anybody try the pulse with and without the lps and find it to be a negligible difference? As many ppl as have recieved thiers yet I am surprised at the scarcity of impressions.


----------



## AxelCloris

grizzlybeast said:


> I have a standard pulse at home waiting for me to give it a listen, but I also have a pulse xfi down the pike halfway paid off. I really want to know how much of a difference the lps will back. I plan on comparing both and just keeping the xfi. I hope I can trade the pulse for an lps if it makes much difference.
> 
> Anybody try the pulse with and without the lps and find it to be a negligible difference? As many ppl as have recieved thiers yet I am surprised at the scarcity of impressions.


 
  
 Nope. It makes absolutely no difference at all. None whatsoever. You're good.
  
 Now if you were able to tell that I'm lying, congratulations! The LPS does make a difference. A very obvious one, in fact. Blacker background, better separation and retrieval, and it seems to empower the lows that you are known to love oh so much. Many people have received one or the other. Not all that many have received both as far as I'm aware.


----------



## digitalzed

axelcloris said:


> Nope. It makes absolutely no difference at all. None whatsoever. You're good.
> 
> Now if you were able to tell that I'm lying, congratulations! The LPS does make a difference. A very obvious one, in fact. Blacker background, better separation and retrieval, and it seems to empower the lows that you are known to love oh so much. Many people have received one or the other. Not all that many have received both as far as I'm aware.


 

 I agree with AxelCloris 100% BIG difference.


----------



## hemtmaker

axelcloris said:


> Nope. It makes absolutely no difference at all. None whatsoever. You're good.
> 
> Now if you were able to tell that I'm lying, congratulations! The LPS does make a difference. A very obvious one, in fact. Blacker background, better separation and retrieval, and it seems to empower the lows that you are known to love oh so much. Many people have received one or the other. Not all that many have received both as far as I'm aware.



that's a shame. I thought the Femto clock upgrade makes a noticeable difference too....


----------



## chartwell85

smial1966 said:


> So if the innumerable product delays weren't enough, backers are now expected to remedy a defective product at their own expense.
> 
> GET REAL LH LABS! What the feck is a warranty for? Besides which, if a product has a known fault cease distribution and repair the fault before shipping any more units.
> 
> ...


 

 We'll cover the warranty repairs at ZERO cost to you, all you have to do is pay for the shipping both ways.  This type of warranty repair agreement exists in almost every industry.


----------



## sjp770

If there is a real bug in the display firmware then I agree LH should pay return shipping. BUT if its a feature addition they most definitely shouldn't. 

What I would like to see is a mail back your pulse and they swap the display and front plate so it has a USB micro underneath for updating and they offer different coulors to help sell the upgrade. Imagine that upgrade for $199 including return shipping and you have a choice of colours, red, blue, green, orange or white. I'd say they would sell a lot and if they put it up now there would be a lot of people that would hold off shipping the units, especially if the was a 50% off if they dont need to supply the original screen.


----------



## alvin1118

Perhaps for the display firmware, user can just dismantle the display (relatively small) to ship it back to LHLabs. People living outside US like me really feel the pains of high shipping cost, not to mention paying shipping cost BOTH way. 
  
 I recall most manufacturer will bear the return shipping cost, no ?


----------



## AxelCloris

hemtmaker said:


> that's a shame. I thought the Femto clock upgrade makes a noticeable difference too....


 
  
 I've heard the femto in the Pulse Xfi and even though I was at a tradeshow/convention of sorts the sound was noticeably better than my current Pulse. That said I heard the Xfi running off an LPS as well and the LPS is said, by Larry himself, to improve the standard Pulse more than it does a fully decked out Pulse Xfi. If you think about it, a fully decked out Pulse Xfi doesn't have as much room to improve as a stock Pulse would, so it makes sense.


----------



## Anaximandros

alvin1118 said:


> Perhaps for the display firmware, user can just dismantle the display (relatively small) to ship it back to LHLabs. People living outside US like me really feel the pains of high shipping cost, not to mention paying shipping cost BOTH way.
> 
> I recall most manufacturer will bear the return shipping cost, no ?


 
  
 European standard. If you have to return your product because of a defect, the shipping cost is on them during the warranty. No questions asked. 
 That also applies for asien countries like Japan and China.
  
 In fact I don't even know a company, which does not cover the shipping cost during the warranty.


----------



## mscott58

anaximandros said:


> European standard. If you have to return your product because of a defect, the shipping cost is on them during the warranty. No questions asked.
> That also applies for asien countries like Japan and China.
> 
> In fact I don't even know a company, which does not cover the shipping cost during the warranty.


 
 Must be a difference in US and European (and possibly other geographies) standards. I don't know of many companies here in the states that would pay for shipping. Guess it's all relative to what you are used to.


----------



## greenkiwi

I know a few companies that pay return shipping... But I don't know if that applies to international orders.

Emotiva certainly pays return shipping in the states.

They also allow for international users to replace individual parts, on a case by case basis. The shipping just the face plate back would be the example of this.


----------



## sjp770

Even if the unit was replaceable out of warranty for international customers.


----------



## Anaximandros

mscott58 said:


> Must be a difference in US and European (and possibly other geographies) standards. I don't know of many companies here in the states that would pay for shipping. Guess it's all relative to what you are used to.


 
 Well, maybe. But that sets a normal company apart from a good company. The normal route would be to send the unit to an authorized distributor, dealer or business partner in that country and they send it back to where it comes from for the RMA.
  
 Hifiman, Audeze, Emotiva, Apple are doing that to ensure customer happiness. I don't even want to think about what would happen, if I have to send back the Soul. That's 70€/$80 only to ship it back to LH at the slowest pace. Return shipment would be the same, so $160 for repairs during the warranty.
  
 I'm really sorry for ranting. But the inabilty to upgrade the display, which is one of the core items in the Pulse is leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Can't you find a way for us to upgrade the display? What is necessary to do it?
  
 If the unit is out of warranty, the the customer normally pays for the shipments. But it should be natural to cover the cost for a company during the warranty.
  
 Speaking of warranty, what about the non transferability if I were to gift a Pulse or something else to a friend?
 That question was never answered at lhlabs even after the promise to get back to us/me.


----------



## mscott58

anaximandros said:


> Speaking of warranty, what about the non transferability if I were to gift a Pulse or something else to a friend?
> That question was never answered at lhlabs even after the promise to get back to us/me.


 
 I agree that the transference of warranty if the product is given as a gift is a big deal.


----------



## zerodeefex

This is ridiculous. Its the display, not the actual unit. Blah blah blah, there wasn't originally going to be a display,just LEDs. There is no warranty work occurring, they're offering to update your display firmware as a courtesy on a product most folks paid $400 or less at this point. Are you suggesting they eat another 10% of what you paid for shipping to do a courtesy upgrade? 

I don't know about you but this thing competes favorably against my previous x-sabre and bests it in a lot of ways. I paid $200 for the Pulse and $800 used for the X-Sabre. I've also been enjoying my unit for weeks now. I'd rather have my old display firmware until now and enjoy my pulse than have the new firmware and have had to wait.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> hemtmaker said:
> 
> 
> > that's a shame. I thought the Femto clock upgrade makes a noticeable difference too....
> ...


 
 When I upgraded my Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 DSDse to the Femto clocks it was very noticeable. I cannot imaging anyone regretting the Femto additions.


----------



## Anaximandros

zerodeefex said:


> This is ridiculous. Its the display, not the actual unit. Blah blah blah, there wasn't originally going to be a display,just LEDs. There is no warranty work occurring, they're offering to update your display firmware as a courtesy on a product most folks paid $400 or less at this point. Are you suggesting they eat another 10% of what you paid for shipping to do a courtesy upgrade?
> 
> I don't know about you but this thing competes favorably against my previous x-sabre and bests it in a lot of ways. I paid $200 for the Pulse and $800 used for the X-Sabre. I've also been enjoying my unit for weeks now. I'd rather have my old display firmware until now and enjoy my pulse than have the new firmware and have had to wait.


 
 Tell me what'S so ridiculous about the display upgrade? With the new firmware the pulse's volume is set to -80dB on power up but the display shows you the value before turning it off.
 After two ticks of the knob the volume is then jumping to the value which is displayed on the display e.g. a "minor" volume spike.
  
 Yes, it was cheap. Yes it may compete very well, but that does not justify that ****ty behaviour, which the force found out after nearly damaging their gear. In fact there was damage for some backers. That's clearly bugged and falls under warranty issues. Or is the software not part of the Pulse?
  
 But I guess some people are just fine with partial funcionalities. It's nice to hear, that you have been enyoing your unit. At that's not sarcasm. I know, that it's going to sound good, because I own the GO.


----------



## FayeForever

I am not surprised that the customer has to pay the shipping.
 For the display board you are left as what it is, and I still remember that somebody in LHL forum argued with me that we by the nature of crowdfunding projects are "beta testers".


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> When I upgraded my Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 DSDse to the Femto clocks it was very noticeable. I cannot imaging anyone regretting the Femto additions.


 
  
 Agreed. The femto clocks in the GO SE make a very noticeable difference in terms of separation, placement, and overall timbre over the GO 1000. Femto all the way.


----------



## FayeForever

Actually I find the current behavior better because I normally listen at ~30-20db. Dial from -80db is PITA. But then again, I rarely turn off the Pulse.
  
 What bugs me is the upper case/lower case font in the menu, it really felt half baked/poorly executed. I just really can't believe niche audio company can let this happen, they don't have OCDs? But I can live with it no problem, it just felt less polished.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> Agreed. The femto clocks in the GO SE make a very noticeable difference in terms of separation, placement, and overall timbre over the GO 1000. Femto all the way.



But is it the femto clock that's responsible for that particular sound difference, or is it the whole package? ; )
As far as I can tell, no one has actually compared solely a femto to non-femto Geek device before, so the conclusion that the femto clock makes a big difference in sound isn't exactly accurate.


----------



## Maelob

fayeforever said:


> Actually I find the current behavior better because I normally listen at ~30-20db. Dial from -80db is PITA. But then again, I rarely turn off the Pulse.
> 
> What bugs me is the upper case/lower case font in the menu, it really felt half baked/poorly executed. I just really can't believe niche audio company can let this happen, they don't have OCDs? But I can live with it no problem, it just felt less polished.




Especially if you compare it to the Oppo Dac which looks incredible.


----------



## senorx12562

miceblue said:


> But is it the femto clock that's responsible for that particular sound difference, or is it the whole package? ; )
> As far as I can tell, no one has actually compared solely a femto to non-femto Geek device before, so the conclusion that the femto clock makes a big difference in sound isn't exactly accurate.




It might be accurate, but it is not proven.


----------



## germay0653

longbowbbs said:


> When I upgraded my Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 DSDse to the Femto clocks it was very noticeable. I cannot imaging anyone regretting the Femto additions.


 

 The DSDse also has the addition of Naked Resistors!


----------



## snip3r77

If you





miceblue said:


> But is it the femto clock that's responsible for that particular sound difference, or is it the whole package? ; )
> As far as I can tell, no one has actually compared solely a femto to non-femto Geek device before, so the conclusion that the femto clock makes a big difference in sound isn't exactly accurate.


 if you use USB, femto is of no use . Only coaxial needs femto? Correct ?


----------



## uncola

I knew the non firmware upgradeable display was going to bite LH in the butt.  They should have done more extensive beta testing   I guess with all the anger over delays they had to make a hard choice on who to please.  On the other hand, I can't wait to receive my quiet naked geek
 snip3r77 he's talking about the geek out which only has usb.  but if you're talking about the pulse, only the usb uses the built in clock, coax and toslink use the clock from the source device.. I think.


----------



## FayeForever

snip3r77 said:


> If you
> if you use USB, femto is of no use . Only coaxial needs femto? Correct ?


 

 No, it is for all inputs.


----------



## Zenifyx

snip3r77 said:


> if you use USB, femto is of no use . Only coaxial needs femto? Correct ?


 
  
 Quite the opposite really.
 For USB, the master clock is the DAC. (hence benefiting from femto in the Pulse)
 For SPDIF, AES/EBU and TOSLINK, the master clock is the source. (hence it will not benefit much from femto in the Pulse, rather in the source)
  
 Here is a relevant post by Larry:
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geek-source/1576-upcoming-femto-clock-for-geek-source-perk.html#24727


----------



## uncola

Hey take it easy on Natalie Portman, she's not a Professional and doesn't deserve this kind of Heat


----------



## snip3r77

zenifyx said:


> Quite the opposite really.
> For USB, the master clock is the DAC. (hence benefiting from femto in the Pulse)
> For SPDIF, AES/EBU and TOSLINK, the master clock is the source. (hence it will not benefit much from femto in the Pulse, rather in the source)
> 
> ...




Thanks I read that comment by Larry too.

If all things being equal, in theory USB or coaxial will yield better result.


----------



## pedalhead

zenifyx said:


> Quite the opposite really.
> For USB, the master clock is the DAC. (hence benefiting from femto in the Pulse)
> For SPDIF, AES/EBU and TOSLINK, the master clock is the source. (hence it will not benefit much from femto in the Pulse, rather in the source)
> 
> ...




This quote of Larry's is in reference to the Geek Source. I seem to recall it was determined elsewhere that the femto in the Pulse was used for all inputs. I'll try and dig up the original post.


----------



## longbowbbs

germay0653 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > When I upgraded my Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 DSDse to the Femto clocks it was very noticeable. I cannot imaging anyone regretting the Femto additions.
> ...


 
 Yes it does. It has a bunch of them! Vishay al the way!


----------



## hemtmaker

longbowbbs said:


> Yes it does. It has a bunch of them! Vishay al the way!



How does it sound compared to the Pulse Xfi + LPS review unit? Which one do you prefer? Thx


----------



## longbowbbs

hemtmaker said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Yes it does. It has a bunch of them! Vishay al the way!
> ...


 
 Pure DAC vs DAC/Amp so what I can say is that They were similar in extracting detail. I had the Xfi unit so I had the Femto's in both. I did prefer my W4S but I attribute that somewhat to familiarity and that it did have the Vishay's in place already. It was more precise.
  
 I am really interested to compare the infinity once it arrives!


----------



## TopQuark

longbowbbs said:


> Pure DAC vs DAC/Amp so what I can say is that They were similar in extracting detail. I had the Xfi unit so I had the Femto's in both. I did prefer my W4S but I attribute that somewhat to familiarity and that it did have the Vishay's in place already. It was more precise.
> 
> I am really interested to compare the infinity once it arrives!


 

 Nice input!  In what way did you prefer the W4S?  What's the difference in sound signature?


----------



## longbowbbs

topquark said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Pure DAC vs DAC/Amp so what I can say is that They were similar in extracting detail. I had the Xfi unit so I had the Femto's in both. I did prefer my W4S but I attribute that somewhat to familiarity and that it did have the Vishay's in place already. It was more precise.
> ...


 
 Given the same DAC Chips, it was more about increased top end air and detail. I would relate that to the Vishay's in the W4S vs no Vishay's in the Xfi. Both were excellent. the W4S just went farther in that iteration.


----------



## ejong7

Off topic, but just wondering, does the TRRS connectors on the Geek IEM-X work on single ended outputs like the ones on the DX90 and Calyx M?


----------



## krikor

longbowbbs said:


> Given the same DAC Chips, it was more about increased top end air and detail. I would relate that to the Vishay's in the W4S vs no Vishay's in the Xfi. Both were excellent. the W4S just went farther in that iteration.


 
  
 Same family of DAC chips, but not exactly the same chip. Unless I'm mistaken, the W4S DAC2 uses a single ES9018S "Classic SABRE32" series chip whereas the Pulse X uses a pair of ES9018K2M "Mobile SABRE" series chips. 
  
 http://esstech.com/index.php?p=products_DAC
  
 I owned the original DAC2 for quite awhile and it is an excellent performer. Looking forward to hearing what the Pulse X sounds like.


----------



## ejong7

nvm. found the answer to my question. new question : does the geek iem comes with its own TRRS to TRS adapter?


----------



## longbowbbs

krikor said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Given the same DAC Chips, it was more about increased top end air and detail. I would relate that to the Vishay's in the W4S vs no Vishay's in the Xfi. Both were excellent. the W4S just went farther in that iteration.
> ...


 
 At this level it is as much about implementation of each chip as anything else. Both EJ and Larry know what they are want so I trust their approach using the Sabre chip of their choice.


----------



## krikor

longbowbbs said:


> At this level it is as much about implementation of each chip as anything else. Both EJ and Larry know what they are want so I trust their approach using the Sabre chip of their choice.


 
 I agree completely. Just saying, they are not exactly the same DAC chips as you indicated. Difference may be minimal since they are so closely related, but that is a factor in addition to the implementation as well.


----------



## walfredo

chikolad said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > So, I am afraid my Pulse is malfunctioning.
> ...


 
  
 So, the most strange thing happened.  I opened a ticket.  Manny came back and asked to "select a lower buffer setting" to help diagnose.  I haven't turned it on for a few days.  It just worked!
  
 Very low buffer settings create distortion, of course.  But from 1024 and up, it appears to work fine.  I left is playing overnight and was still going in the morning.  No more freezing followed by "Could not create ASIO buffers"
  
Any one has an idea of what could have happened?


----------



## miceblue

walfredo said:


> So, the most strange thing happened.  I opened a ticket.  Manny came back and asked to "select a lower buffer setting" to help diagnose.  I haven't turned it on for a few days.  It just worked!
> 
> Very low buffer settings create distortion, of course.  But from 1024 and up, it appears to work fine.  I left is playing overnight and was still going in the morning.  No more freezing followed by "[COLOR=222222]Could not create ASIO buffers"[/COLOR]
> 
> [COLOR=222222]Any one has an idea of what could have happened?[/COLOR]



I usually select minimum latency and 8192 samples.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan05/articles/pcmusician.htm

I think Larry said that if you have minimum latency selected, you should select the highest sample size, so that's what I've been doing and I haven't had any problems (with the Geek Out).


----------



## Chikolad

walfredo said:


> So, the most strange thing happened.  I opened a ticket.  Manny came back and asked to "select a lower buffer setting" to help diagnose.  I haven't turned it on for a few days.  It just worked!
> 
> Very low buffer settings create distortion, of course.  But from 1024 and up, it appears to work fine.  I left is playing overnight and was still going in the morning.  No more freezing followed by "Could not create ASIO buffers"
> 
> Any one has an idea of what could have happened?


 
  
 Good to know. What was the buffer size before?


----------



## pauldgroot

Just got word from Alvin that the power supplies are done and will be shipped today or tomorrow! Just wanted to share.


----------



## uncola

Awesome!  Now we just need the pulse boxes to arrive at lhlabs so they can start shipping xfis and infinities


----------



## Phishin Phool

A couple of things. The first Geek Pulse has shown up for resale on Ebay.
 Also I opened a ticket with LH [to pay off my balance] and after about 3 days they responded to which I added additional response(s) the ticket hasn't shown as closed but it has been another 3 days so far so do I need to open another ticket or will they respond to the original ticket until it is closed?. Essentialy the bean counters are telling me I owe an additional $400 ($396 technically) when I know I specifically signed up for a plan that was $99 down and $99x3 and now should have only $300 (tech $297) remaining.
  
 Unfortunately LH did not leave the completed perks up on IGG for recall. No way would I have cancelled an order I already had pending for different gear and switched to Pulse had that extra $100 been there. Hopefully this gets resolved but after all the confusion from LH I see in this thread I am getting worried and trying to decide if they refuse to acknowledge the agreed to price if I just say screw it and eat the $99 I put down and tell them to pound sand or pay the extra $100 and then try to sell the unit for what they charged me as at that point I would have no use for it.


----------



## germay0653

phishin phool said:


> A couple of things. The first Geek Pulse has shown up for resale on Ebay.
> Also I opened a ticket with LH [to pay off my balance] and after about 3 days they responded to which I added additional response(s) the ticket hasn't shown as closed but it has been another 3 days so far so do I need to open another ticket or will they respond to the original ticket until it is closed?. Essentialy the bean counters are telling me I owe an additional $400 ($396 technically) when I know I specifically signed up for a plan that was $99 down and $99x3 and now should have only $300 (tech $297) remaining.
> 
> Unfortunately LH did not leave the completed perks up on IGG for recall. No way would I have cancelled an order I already had pending for different gear and switched to Pulse had that extra $100 been there. Hopefully this gets resolved but after all the confusion from LH I see in this thread I am getting worried and trying to decide if they refuse to acknowledge the agreed to price if I just say screw it and eat the $99 I put down and tell them to pound sand or pay the extra $100 and then try to sell the unit for what they charged me as at that point I would have no use for it.


 

 You should be able to find all of the perks you opted for on IGG regardless of campaign. Just login, click on your name in the upper right then click "My contributions".  The list that comes up is everything your perked for on all campaigns.  It even has the campaign name on each line item.


----------



## Phishin Phool

germay0653 said:


> You should be able to find all of the perks you opted for on IGG regardless of campaign. Just login, click on your name in the upper right then click "My contributions".  The list that comes up is everything your perked for on all campaigns.  It even has the campaign name on each line item.


 
 All it says is :

Geek Audio: A Crowdsourced High-Rez Sound System$99USDGeek Pulse Payment Plan #3
  
  
 It doesn't show anything else and if you click on the link it takes you to the current page which has none of the old plans listed.


----------



## walfredo

chikolad said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > So, the most strange thing happened.  I opened a ticket.  Manny came back and asked to "select a lower buffer setting" to help diagnose.  I haven't turned it on for a few days.  It just worked!
> ...


 
  
 It was 2048.  It now works fine at this setting.  Go figure...


----------



## Anaximandros

phishin phool said:


> A couple of things. The first Geek Pulse has shown up for resale on Ebay.
> Also I opened a ticket with LH [to pay off my balance] and after about 3 days they responded to which I added additional response(s) the ticket hasn't shown as closed but it has been another 3 days so far so do I need to open another ticket or will they respond to the original ticket until it is closed?. Essentialy the bean counters are telling me I owe an additional $400 ($396 technically) when I know I specifically signed up for a plan that was $99 down and $99x3 and now should have only $300 (tech $297) remaining.
> 
> Unfortunately LH did not leave the completed perks up on IGG for recall. No way would I have cancelled an order I already had pending for different gear and switched to Pulse had that extra $100 been there. Hopefully this gets resolved but after all the confusion from LH I see in this thread I am getting worried and trying to decide if they refuse to acknowledge the agreed to price if I just say screw it and eat the $99 I put down and tell them to pound sand or pay the extra $100 and then try to sell the unit for what they charged me as at that point I would have no use for it.


 
  
 I received a response here. http://www.lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/3146-geek-pulse-payment-plan-lot-1.
 If you went for the first an second lot, then it's $99 downpayment and 3 x $99 additional monthly payments. Lot 3 is with 4 additional monthly payments and lot 4 was $148 downpayment + 3 x $99 additionale payments.


----------



## walfredo

Naive question:  How do I install the new firmware?  I downloaded a bin file.  How do I transfer it to the Pulse?
  
 It is really a shame that the volume bug requires us shipping the Pulse to LHLabs.  If it was just an improvements (as in better filters) that would be fine.  I'd just skip it.  But this is a serious bug.
  
 The thing that baffles is that they have exactly the same bug in the Geek Out.  I'd expected than to have learned and avoid the exact same thing.  I hope they don't repeat in the Wave.


----------



## digitalzed

walfredo said:


> Naive question:  How do I install the new firmware?  I downloaded a bin file.  How do I transfer it to the Pulse?
> 
> It is really a shame that the volume bug requires us shipping the Pulse to LHLabs.  If it was just an improvements (as in better filters) that would be fine.  I'd just skip it.  But this is a serious bug.
> 
> The thing that baffles is that they have exactly the same bug in the Geek Out.  I'd expected than to have learned and avoid the exact same thing.  I hope they don't repeat in the Wave.


 

 Here's a video showing you how to do it. The video was produced for the Geek Out but the process for the Pulse is the same:
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeLfQclI-oU
  
 You don't need to send the unit back to LHL for the volume issue. This firmware takes care of that. It's only the display issue you would need to send the unit back to LHL to have them update.


----------



## Phishin Phool

anaximandros said:


> I received a response here. http://www.lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/3146-geek-pulse-payment-plan-lot-1.
> If you went for the first an second lot, then it's $99 downpayment and 3 x $99 additional monthly payments. Lot 3 is with 4 additional monthly payments and lot 4 was $148 downpayment + 3 x $99 additionale payments.


 
 Well that sucks because it shows me as #3 with 4 payments but I am CERTAIN that when I signed up it said $99 with 3 additional payments or I NEVER would have authorized/pledged this. I understand that IGG doesn't refund but if I were to pay in full does LH do refunds because I am either going to get send it back for a refund or just eat the $99 if LH won't budge.


----------



## Chikolad

walfredo said:


> It was 2048.  It now works fine at this setting.  Go figure...


 
  
 Well, whatever works


----------



## Maelob

You have 7 days to return the item, once you get it, unless they change their policy.  I bought a mono amp by mistake and they would no refund, so I will be returning it when i get it.


----------



## walfredo

digitalzed said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > Naive question:  How do I install the new firmware?  I downloaded a bin file.  How do I transfer it to the Pulse?
> ...


 
  
 Awesome!!  I can live with a sub-optimal display.  Thanks!


----------



## Phishin Phool

That will be what I do then most likely but it seems stupid that rather than cancel an order (if this doesn't resolve) it must get shipped to me upon which I immediately send it back. Are there any restock fees (the LH page does not show any ) and is a RMA necessary? 
  
 I was initially so excited about this product but after just a month in this thread I am beginning to wish I had never heard of LH Labs or Geek anything.


----------



## Anaximandros

maelob said:


> You have 7 days to return the item, once you get it, unless they change their policy.  I bought a mono amp by mistake and they would no refund, so I will be returning it when i get it.


 
  
 That only applies to products you are buying in their marketplace I guess. Not for IGG. You comitted to it and there is no refund.


----------



## Phishin Phool

anaximandros said:


> That only applies to products you are buying in their marketplace I guess. Not for IGG. You comitted to it and there is no refund.


 
 Are you certain?- their page states nothing of the sort just:
  
 LH Labs

 If you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, we're here to help.

 Returns
 You have 7 calendar days to return an item from the date you received it.

 To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it.

 Your item must be in the original packaging.

 Your item needs to have the receipt, proof of purchase or confirmation code associated with your item.

 Refunds
 Once we receive your item, we will inspect it and notify you that we have received your returned item. We will immediately notify you on the status of your refund after inspecting the item.

 If your return is approved, we will initiate a refund to your credit card (or original method of payment). You will receive the credit according to your card issuer's policies.

 Shipping
 You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non­refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

  

  

  

 I understand they won't do an IGG refund but are they not accepting returns?


----------



## Anaximandros

Yes I'm pretty sure about that. IGG and the LH Marketplace are two different things and the campaign has  nothing to do with their forum and website.
 It's just the IGG policy, there is no refund and if you are going to send your product back, a refund is not ensured.
  
 You are not shopping with LHlabs at IGG. 
  
 Open a ticket, if you want to be sure if you can return the product.


----------



## wingsounds13

Return it and LH Labs will probably give you a refund. I am sure that they don't want bad karma. Or... When you get it, sell it on feebay for $600. I think that odds are fair that you can get more than your money back by reselling it. Third option... Keep it and be pissed about how much you paid for a "$999" DAC and enjoy the great sound quality. 

By the time the forever funding campaign DACs ship they should be on their next firmware rev. At least I hope that they figure out the remaining bugs and get a new version out soon.

J.P.


----------



## Phishin Phool

wingsounds13 said:


> Return it and LH Labs will probably give you a refund. I am sure that they don't want bad karma. Or... When you get it, sell it on feebay for $600. I think that odds are fair that you can get more than your money back by reselling it. Third option... Keep it and be pissed about how much you paid for a "$999" DAC and enjoy the great sound quality.
> 
> By the time the forever funding campaign DACs ship they should be on their next firmware rev. At least I hope that they figure out the remaining bugs and get a new version out soon.
> 
> J.P.


 
 Unfortunately the ticket system is currently disabled and nobody has responded to my open ticket in nearly 4 days now. I was hoping for what looked to be a great product but after the barrage of 'upselling' , potential equipment and hearing damaging bugs (volume) which are repeats of previous mishaps from GO, and tales of generally poor customer support and appreciation I am trending toward just being done with them. If they honor what I was signing up for all is good and the wait won't matter. If not and a return is enabled all is still well.
 If the Pulse currently on ebay sells that may be an option but after paying for shipping and paypal and ebay fees it would have to be for ~$50 more than I paid so we can see what happens. If they refuse to budge there is no way I will jeep it feeling that I was deceived and not valued as a customer.
 I may have to decide if waiting a couple of months and then issuing a return (after paying for shipping twice - once to me and once back) is worth trying to recoup the $99


----------



## Maelob

anaximandros said:


> Yes I'm pretty sure about that. IGG and the LH Marketplace are two different things and the campaign has  nothing to do with their forum and website.
> It's just the IGG policy, there is no refund and if you are going to send your product back, a refund is not ensured.
> 
> You are not shopping with LHlabs at IGG.
> ...


 

 Well,If now they are going to play those kind of games, that's totally messed up.  Clearly IGG is no longer involved, money already went to LH Labs, it is up to them to honor a  a refund when they deliver the product, nowhere in the policy makes a distinction about IGG or marketplace, if they are going to play that game oh well.  whatever, a lot of people will not be happy. what's next no "warranty" because it was an IGG product? However still have my finger's crossed that my XFI INFINITY will be awesome.  I am sure we will start to see professional reviews soon. A lot of eyes are on this campaign.  I am sure they are feeling the pressure.


----------



## mscott58

phishin phool said:


> A couple of things. The first Geek Pulse has shown up for resale on Ebay.
> Also I opened a ticket with LH [to pay off my balance] and after about 3 days they responded to which I added additional response(s) the ticket hasn't shown as closed but it has been another 3 days so far so do I need to open another ticket or will they respond to the original ticket until it is closed?. Essentialy the bean counters are telling me I owe an additional $400 ($396 technically) when I know I specifically signed up for a plan that was $99 down and $99x3 and now should have only $300 (tech $297) remaining.
> 
> Unfortunately LH did not leave the completed perks up on IGG for recall. No way would I have cancelled an order I already had pending for different gear and switched to Pulse had that extra $100 been there. Hopefully this gets resolved but after all the confusion from LH I see in this thread I am getting worried and trying to decide if they refuse to acknowledge the agreed to price if I just say screw it and eat the $99 I put down and tell them to pound sand or pay the extra $100 and then try to sell the unit for what they charged me as at that point I would have no use for it.


 
 Good catch. If you're referring to auction # 251797030513, then that's actually not the first unit on eBay. Another Pulse sold for $475 on Jan 2nd (auction #161543777459) and there might have been one before that as well. Either way, it was bound to happen! 

And hope you get your payment plan straightened out. Can see how that would be hugely frustrating. 
  
Cheers


----------



## longbowbbs

Anyone waiting for IEM's? Here is the first "In the Wild" Geek Verb Universal IEM's. These are pre-production. Final version due shortly.


----------



## digitalzed

longbowbbs said:


> Anyone waiting for IEM's? Here is the first "In the Wild" Geek Verb Universal IEM's. These are pre-production. Final version due shortly.


 

 Thanks for this. I am waiting. Are those the stock cables? First impressions?


----------



## Phishin Phool

Good news - seems like sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Somebody from Lh labs was kind enough to get back with me after a bunch of posting in the forums over there (and here) and it seems there was a bit of confusion and Lh made a mistake (it happens) and my payment plan/balance was indeed what I had remembered. The kind folks there are going to send me a correct invoice and everything should be fine. A lot of this could have been handled with a lot less aggravation and worry if the communication was better but as long as LH makes good like they claim then all is well.


----------



## longbowbbs

digitalzed said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone waiting for IEM's? Here is the first "In the Wild" Geek Verb Universal IEM's. These are pre-production. Final version due shortly.
> ...


 
 Stock is all you will have. They are not replaceable. Remember these have the Mic and smart phone controls built into the cable. The version I have is the single ended. The balanced should be out soon for testing. Very solid bass for a small IEM. I think people are going to like them.


----------



## digitalzed

phishin phool said:


> Good news - seems like sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Somebody from Lh labs was kind enough to get back with me after a bunch of posting in the forums over there (and here) and it seems there was a bit of confusion and Lh made a mistake (it happens) and my payment plan/balance was indeed what I had remembered. The kind folks there are going to send me a correct invoice and everything should be fine. A lot of this could have been handled with a lot less aggravation and worry if the communication was better but as long as LH makes good like they claim then all is well.


 

 That is good news.


----------



## tomscy2000

The Verb is bigger than I anticipated.


----------



## digitalzed

longbowbbs said:


> Stock is all you will have. They are not replaceable. Remember these have the Mic and smart phone controls built into the cable. The version I have is the single ended. The balanced should be out soon for testing. Very solid bass for a small IEM. I think people are going to like them.


 

 Thanks. Interested to see how they stack up to any other IEM's you have.


----------



## walfredo

phishin phool said:


> Good news - seems like sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Somebody from Lh labs was kind enough to get back with me after a bunch of posting in the forums over there (and here) and it seems there was a bit of confusion and Lh made a mistake (it happens) and my payment plan/balance was indeed what I had remembered. The kind folks there are going to send me a correct invoice and everything should be fine. A lot of this could have been handled with a lot less aggravation and worry if the communication was better but as long as LH makes good like they claim then all is well.


 
  
 Great!!  It is always when mistakes get fixed.


----------



## uncola

Verb is a cool name.


----------



## Anaximandros

phishin phool said:


> Good news - seems like sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Somebody from Lh labs was kind enough to get back with me after a bunch of posting in the forums over there (and here) and it seems there was a bit of confusion and Lh made a mistake (it happens) and my payment plan/balance was indeed what I had remembered. The kind folks there are going to send me a correct invoice and everything should be fine. A lot of this could have been handled with a lot less aggravation and worry if the communication was better but as long as LH makes good like they claim then all is well.


 
  
 Very happy to hear that 
 Glad it worked out for you, but the stress and hassle still leave a sour taste.


----------



## germay0653

longbowbbs said:


> Stock is all you will have. They are not replaceable. Remember these have the Mic and smart phone controls built into the cable. The version I have is the single ended. The balanced should be out soon for testing. Very solid bass for a small IEM. I think people are going to like them.


 

 Surprised the cables aren't replaceable but I suppose they were never intended to be in the company of higher end IEM's that have that feature, especially at that price point.


----------



## mscott58

At this price point I would have been surprised to see removable cables. As I understand it these are essentially very good replacements for earbuds, not TOTL IEM's.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> At this price point I would have been surprised to see removable cables. As I understand it these are essentially very good replacements for earbuds, not TOTL IEM's.


 
 Exactly. The will compete with things like Etymotic HF2's and HF3's.


----------



## Maelob

Just wanted to let everybody know, I just asked in the Geek Forum., about the return policy. There is some confusion if items ordered thru IGG campaign qualify for return/refund. In my opinion any new item received from LH labs should qualify for return/refund per their policy posted on their website. If not, I believe that would be bad business practice, and should be spelled out clearly on their page. I hope that's not the case. I am still rooting for these guys to succeed, but wont be to happy if I cant return the stuff. I guess is not a big deal, I could sell it anywhere else, but usually companies that are sure about their products have a more lenient return policy, such as 30 days and even 45 days. 
I will keep you informed.


----------



## Clemmaster

So? Hifiman headphones anyone?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So just out of curiosity, would the schiit wyrd accomplish the same thing as the geek LPS? If not, what are the differences? Sorry if this has been covered already.


----------



## nudd

They are overlapping in functionality. 

I think the Wyrd reclocks the signal and supplies clean power out of one USB port. 

The LPS does not reclock (i think) but does supply clean power. 

The LPS has multiple USB ports so you can use a split usb cable to totally isolate the power leg from the data but the Wyrd does not. 

The LPS does clean 12v power but the Wyrd does not do that either.


----------



## uncola

I think the wyrd does USB-B input, then USB-A output just like the LPS.  It supplies clean power but I think their power supply is just a wall wart not a high end/sophisticated one like the LPS has.  LPS doesn't reclock though.  Depends on your belief system which is more important, clean power or reclocking 
  
 Clemmaster an update on the hifiman headphone shipping was provided yesterday:  http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2418-he-560-he-400i-shipping-suggestion?start=125#51500
  
 From Casey "Latest Update: The headphones are in Oakland sitting in Customs. Delivery should take place by Wednesday. I'll work with our shipping crew to get them out of the door as quickly as possible."


----------



## pauldgroot

So funny, Hifiman China -> LHL US -> me Europe. Idiotic..


----------



## Clemmaster

uncola said:


> I think the wyrd does USB-B input, then USB-A output just like the LPS.  It supplies clean power but I think their power supply is just a wall wart not a high end/sophisticated one like the LPS has.  LPS doesn't reclock though.  Depends on your belief system which is more important, clean power or reclocking
> 
> Clemmaster an update on the hifiman headphone shipping was provided yesterday:  http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2418-he-560-he-400i-shipping-suggestion?start=125#51500
> 
> From Casey "Latest Update: The headphones are in Oakland sitting in Customs. Delivery should take place by Wednesday. I'll work with our shipping crew to get them out of the door as quickly as possible."


 
 Thank you kindly


----------



## mscott58

pauldgroot said:


> So funny, Hifiman China -> LHL US -> me Europe. Idiotic..




Think it was limited by their dealer agreements in different countries.


----------



## snip3r77

pauldgroot said:


> So funny, Hifiman China -> LHL US -> me Europe. Idiotic..




Perfectly normal.I think you're the noob.


----------



## pauldgroot

Lol, it's just silly man. I know about the agreements but still.


----------



## mscott58

Kind of like flying from New York to Chicago via Denver...


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> Kind of like flying from New York to Chicago via Denver...


 
 That is something you do in December when you need a couple more segments!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> That is something you do in December when you need a couple more segments!




Exactly!


----------



## FayeForever

Wyrd has clean power supply using LM723


----------



## coletrain104

maybe I'm wrong, but couldn't all this USB business be avoided by using a different input type? like Toslink?


----------



## germay0653

coletrain104 said:


> maybe I'm wrong, but couldn't all this USB business be avoided by using a different input type? like Toslink?


 

 Toslink will not do DSD, period, end of story!


----------



## mscott58

Know this is the Pulse thread, but for those also getting Waves here's more info (also posted on Wave thread):

New info on the IGG page for Geek Wave! New video content (including prototype images) as well as info on the new DAC chip. 

Also says "New for 2015, ESS has released the 9018AQ2M, which boasts even better harmonic distortion characteristics than its predecessor, as well as a lower noise floor and greater dynamic range. If you've selected Geek Wave XD128 or higher, you have the option to utilize this new chip." 

Guess that limits the options on who can perk up to the new Sabre technology. 

Check out the IGG page for more. 

Cheers


----------



## chartwell85

mscott58 said:


> Know this is the Pulse thread, but for those also getting Waves here's more info (also posted on Wave thread):
> 
> New info on the IGG page for Geek Wave! New video content (including prototype images) as well as info on the new DAC chip.
> 
> ...


 

 It's available for Geek Wave 64 and up now. Sorry....


----------



## jaywillin

Casey, whats happening with the x , xfi?


----------



## germay0653

chartwell85 said:


> It's available for Geek Wave 64 and up now. Sorry....


 

 Good news...drum roll please...now what will the perk cost be (since I have three I might possibly upgrade)?  Guess we'll have to wait and see!


----------



## mscott58

No need for the drum-roll, it's only $22!


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> No need for the drum-roll, it's only $22!


 

 Fantasitic!  Cymbal crash!


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> Fantasitic!  Cymbal crash!




I know. Cheapest perk yet I think!


----------



## coletrain104

germay0653 said:


> Toslink will not do DSD, period, end of story!


 
 interesting, I wasn't aware of this. So is USB the only input that allows DSD? And if said person isn't interested in DSD, wouldn't I be right about toslink (meaning it shouldn't have noise or jitter issues, at least not nearly to the extent of USB)?


----------



## doctorjazz

I didn't get an email, was this announced? Am I going to have trouble figuring what is being offered/changed at LH?


----------



## uncola

it's higher jitter than usb and doesn't support above 24/96 usually either.  some ports support it but I think it's non standard and doesn't test well for performance.. could be audiophile myths though.
  
 That's cool about the new dac chip perk for the wave, that price seems very reasonable.  I hope everyone upgrades


----------



## miceblue

germay0653 said:


> Fantasitic!  Cymbal crash!



[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h73kd6wsBq0[/video]


----------



## Levanter

Would be nice if the Pulse infinite gets the dac upgrade as well. I wouldn't mind a month delay..


----------



## uncola

I think the pulse x PCBs have as already been produced...


----------



## Levanter

Except that pulse infinite requires some desoldering from their pcb due to change in some parts. They could add in the new DAC imo.


----------



## wingsounds13

No, they could not add the aq2m DAC chip to any of the current Pulses as the new chip has a different footprint, with 32 pins as opposed to 28 pins on the k2m. It just would not fit!

J.P.


----------



## jbr1971

levanter said:


> Except that pulse infinite requires some desoldering from their pcb due to change in some parts. They could add in the new DAC imo.


 
  
 It is not a simple in-place replacement as the pins for the chips are not identical. There would need to be some re-routing done on the PCB which would require a new board be produced.
  
 Based on what I have read so far, I would not hold my breath on seeing the new chip in any Pulses anytime soon.


----------



## Levanter

jbr1971 said:


> It is not a simple in-place replacement as the pins for the chips are not identical. There would need to be some re-routing done on the PCB which would require a new board be produced.
> 
> Based on what I have read so far, I would not hold my breath on seeing the new chip in any Pulses anytime soon.




That depends on the complexity of the routing I think. If it's minor, they could use the software on the interactive routers.
And it will take a while before they produce the Infinite, so there's still time to make adjustments.


----------



## bitsnbytes

It might not be as easy to just drop in a new chip even if it fits. LH has already put in a lot of time to tune the existing chip and the components around it. Putting in a new chip might require a lot of additional tweaking. And newer doesn't necessarily mean better.


----------



## germay0653

coletrain104 said:


> interesting, I wasn't aware of this. So is USB the only input that allows DSD? And if said person isn't interested in DSD, wouldn't I be right about toslink (meaning it shouldn't have noise or jitter issues, at least not nearly to the extent of USB)?


 

 Hi coletrain104,
  
 Any implmentation, be it USB, S/PDIF (coaxial) or TOSLINK if done right should not cause noise.  TOSLINK, by nature, since it's optical, not electrical, is less prone to noise but it's max sampling rate is 192kHz but more often, for TOSLINK, the limit is 96kHz.  S/PDIF goes up to 192kHz and I2S & USB allow for much higher rates needed for ultra hi-res like DSD and PCM above 192kHz.  The problem with the Pulse doesn't seem to be the digital input itself but rather with the grounding scheme, which is causing the noise.


----------



## uncola

My Jay's Audio LPS shipped

  
_[Mod Edit: Please don't post pictures with swearing in them.]_


----------



## doctorjazz

Same here.


----------



## alvin1118




----------



## head-hi

Right on. Two coming' to Vegas. Thanks, Alvin.


----------



## uncola

new campaign update.. highlight is they will start shipping units again next week including the geek pulse xfi since they found a local supplier of shipping boxes
  
Well Hellloooo Backers!

Just wanted to provide some quick updates on the latest happenings at LH Labs.

*Shipping Update*

We have Geek Pulse’s, Pulse X’s, LPS’s & LPS4’s piling up all over the office.  It’s pretty rad to see em’ everywhere but we’d be happier if they were sitting in your home setup instead of our office waiting for boxes.  Yep, that’s right, we’re still waiting for boxes that are stuck in the Port of Oakland.  But we’ve had a stroke of luck (finally) and are working with a local manufacturer to produce a quick and effective run of packaging that will allow us to begin shipping as soon as they’re able to be delivered early next week.  The new packaging won't be nearly as pretty but it will do the job.  Just wanted to throw that out there.

 







 ​ 
  






 ​ 
  






 ​ 
  
  
*Geek IEM Earbud*

In order to speed up the delivery process of Geek IEM’s, we’ll have them shipped directly to each backer from our factory so we can skirt this Union strike at the ports that’s slowing everything down for us.  However, this means that we WILL NOT be able to offer combined shipping of product.  We’ve weighed the options and this one came out on top.  Keep on the look out for your color choice survey which will be sent out in the next week.

*Geek Pulse Xfi in the Wild*

We LOVE reviews.  Especially reviews of our own products.  In the next few weeks we’ll be receiving reviews from two very notable sources and we’re incredibly excited to see what they have to say.  As soon as the reviews hit, we’ll post links to where you can check them out and provide your own feedback as well.

*LPS Plugs*

We’ve ordered cables in the different country configurations for Geek LPS, however, due to the Union strike in the port we can't get them.  We’ve shopped EVERYWHERE and cannot find a single dealer willing to work with us on pricing.  As a result of this, we’ll be shipping every LPS with the standard US power cords from now on.  This means you’ll have to utilize another cord or an adapter for your own power requirements.

That’s all for now folks!


----------



## vincent215

Uncola, thanks for the update.
Can you tell me when will the rewards that people earn from the first campaign will be shipped?
Thanks mate


----------



## Ultimate Mango

It would be nice to know how much has been fulfilled from the original campaign, or where you are in terms of original purchase date (how far you have gotten). I was a pretty early backer in the first campaign but have no idea where I sit in the queue. I can see the tracking page, and it looks correct, but there is no sense of if it will be weeks or days or months.


----------



## Maelob

just got a response from lh labs- no returns/refund on any item purchased thru IGG. they will replace it but no refund if you are not happy with the product. so for all backers, i guess there is no way out except selling. Why i am not surprised!!!


----------



## greenkiwi

They do seem reasonably flexible if you want to switch perks, if you contact them early enough.


----------



## Maelob

Correct, but I wish they were a little more flexible regarding returns, but I guess we are all learning about this crowdfunding model.  I for one learned to be really careful selecting perks after the campaign was funded.  I was so into the hype of the limited offers for "limited time" that  I bought an item by mistake, and off course no refund.  I kind of prefer the kickstarter model when they don't charge your credit card until the last day of the campaign so if you make a mistake there is time to change it.  The forever campaign was really dangerous because they were technically funded and the money goes to LH right away. and off course no refund.  
 I will be selling some mono amps whenever i  get them. Hopefully they get good reviews and somebody buys them.


----------



## digitalzed

maelob said:


> Correct, but I wish they were a little more flexible regarding returns, but I guess we are all learning about this crowdfunding model.  I for one learned to be really careful selecting perks after the campaign was funded.  I was so into the hype of the limited offers for "limited time" that  I bought an item by mistake, and off course no refund.  I kind of prefer the kickstarter model when they don't charge your credit card until the last day of the campaign so if you make a mistake there is time to change it.  The forever campaign was really dangerous because they were technically funded and the money goes to LH right away. and off course no refund.
> I will be selling some mono amps whenever i  get them. Hopefully they get good reviews and somebody buys them.


 

 You could get 120% of their value with the LH trade up policy. That is if something they do in the future holds any interest to you. Of course you may prefer cash-in-hand.


----------



## Lceaucx

I dont think it is a flat 120% anymore.
  
 Not too sure if many people noticed this, but under 'sound promise' in the support page at their webpage, they have this new chart that shows the various tiers of their products, and how much you can get from it when you trade up. The amps are not listed in it yet though, but i'm guessing it would fall around the tier 3 or 4 range...


----------



## nicolo

It's definitely a flat 120% credit if you move up a tier, within 3 years i think.


----------



## RingingEars

I got my shipping invoice for the 400i last night... They are starting to ship in the US everyone


----------



## mscott58

Same with my 560 package. Good to see movement!


----------



## Maelob

I got my first 99 bill payment yessss LOL


----------



## Phishin Phool

maelob said:


> I got my first 99 bill payment yessss LOL


 
 I got one too, the only thing is that I am already paid off in full


----------



## Currawong

So where are we at with this now? We have a few pictures of amps and power supplies ready to ship but they aren't being shipped because LHLabs don't have any boxes?


----------



## FayeForever

Yes, that is correct.


----------



## digitalzed

currawong said:


> So where are we at with this now? We have a few pictures of amps and power supplies ready to ship but they aren't being shipped because LHLabs don't have any boxes?


 

 According to an update they've made arrangements for packaging stateside and are going to start getting units out come Monday. The dock strike has really hurt a ton of businesses and LH is one of them.


----------



## labjr

digitalzed said:


> According to an update they've made arrangements for packaging stateside and are going to start getting units out come Monday. The dock strike has really hurt a ton of businesses and LH is one of them.


 

 This might have been okay 6 months ago. But it seems every time they have a problem it's always someone else's fault. It's just poor planning.They're great at marketing but can't seem to follow through and get products finished and out the door.


----------



## walfredo

labjr said:


> digitalzed said:
> 
> 
> > According to an update they've made arrangements for packaging stateside and are going to start getting units out come Monday. The dock strike has really hurt a ton of businesses and LH is one of them.
> ...


 
  
 I can totally understand and empathize you fell this way, labjr.
  
 But, to be fair, I think it is a little better than that.  I have supported 3 of their products.  I have received 2.  (Received out and pulse vanilla, waiting for wave 32.)
  
 My impression is that LH has awesome, world-class engineering and generates great products... but it has a marketing department 100X more ambitious than that.   
  
 IMHO, it is really a pity.  Having marketing extract the last dollar from obsessive-compulsive audio folks (= us at head-fi and similar souls) by creating a 1000 options seems very short-sighted.  Delivering good stuff is hard... even with an awesome, world-class engineering.   1000 options slows things down and lacks scale.
  
 Anyhow, it is the path they've chosen.  May the force be with them!!!  (And I still have the wave to receive.


----------



## labjr

At some point, and it we'll be there soon, people aren't gonna care how good it is. They'd rather pay more and not have to deal with this BS.


----------



## digitalzed

labjr said:


> This might have been okay 6 months ago. But it seems every time they have a problem it's always someone else's fault. It's just poor planning.They're great at marketing but can't seem to follow through and get products finished and out the door.



How is the dock strike their fault? What a ridiculous thing to blame LH Labs for. It has nothing to with planning and no one can forsee when it's going to end.


----------



## Levanter

Well I know me and others are pushing for the new ESS DAC on the Infinite model even if it'll delay shipping for a month or 2.
Larry did say it was possible.


----------



## greenkiwi

I'll let mine be delayed and someone can get theirs sooner.


----------



## Levanter

I don't mind delaying till they have a better looking chassis and display option...


----------



## Ebonyzer

It is worth reminding ourselves every so often that we chose to save money by taking on risks in production/fulfillment schedule and ultimately delivery at all. I'm not concerned that they won't deliver since they have on previous projects, but we decided to pay money for a product that didn't exist and that we didn't get to hear or test, all for the chance to spend less than retail.
  
 Some risks pay off, like reaching funding goals that result in upgrades or free cables. When I pledged for an original vanilla pulse, I had lower expectations for the product I would receive than the one they have put together subsequently. Some risks don't pay off, like the manufacturing timeline being delayed or shipping being affected by strikes.
  
 But to accept only the positive risk payoffs and reject the negatives after willfully engaging in a risky transaction from the start rather than buying a more expensive product off the shelf seems intellectually dishonest. We are funding the development and creation of a product from the ground up and going along for the ride with all delays, mistakes, surprises, or disasters that result. 
  
 That said, I'm really looking forward to getting my stuff and would appreciate clearer setting of expectations and communication.


----------



## bitsnbytes

levanter said:


> I don't mind delaying till they have a better looking chassis and display option...




I'm not sure if everybody feels the same, especially for the early backers

If Larry can make it more awesome within a reasonable time, I'm up for waiting 2-3 more months myself


----------



## wingsounds13

Thank you Ebonyzer, that was beautifully stated. People are impatient and it is unfortunate that some become obnoxious and abusive when they don't get what they want when they want. I see this a lot recently in the LH Labs forum and more than enough here too.

I am a fairly patient person and have waited over a year for other products that I have heard about and wanted, so the wait for the Pulse is not a new thing except for the little detail of having already paid for it. This crowd funding thing and our involvement in the development process is different and quite interesting.

That said, my patience is wearing thin and I am torn between having the newest and possibly best DAC chip version and having my Pulse X∞ a month or two earlier. I am sure that either way my Pulse will be excellent and I do wonder if I could even hear the difference between the two DAC chips in a direct A/B comparison. I joined in the campaign Nov. 13 2013 so it has been quite a wait. I guess we will just have to see what LH Labs decides to do and I will be happy with the results either way.

J.P.


----------



## valve5425

ebonyzer said:


> It is worth reminding ourselves every so often that we chose to save money by taking on risks in production/fulfillment schedule and ultimately delivery at all. I'm not concerned that they won't deliver since they have on previous projects, but we decided to pay money for a product that didn't exist and that we didn't get to hear or test, all for the chance to spend less than retail.
> 
> Some risks pay off, like reaching funding goals that result in upgrades or free cables. When I pledged for an original vanilla pulse, I had lower expectations for the product I would receive than the one they have put together subsequently. Some risks don't pay off, like the manufacturing timeline being delayed or shipping being affected by strikes.
> 
> ...


 
  
  


wingsounds13 said:


> Thank you Ebonyzer, that was beautifully stated. People are impatient and it is unfortunate that some become obnoxious and abusive when they don't get what they want when they want. I see this a lot recently in the LH Labs forum and more than enough here too.
> 
> I am a fairly patient person and have waited over a year for other products that I have heard about and wanted, so the wait for the Pulse is not a new thing except for the little detail of having already paid for it. This crowd funding thing and our involvement in the development process is different and quite interesting.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sensible responses which I wholeheartedly agree with. Whilst it would be great to have the latest chip, I look at the journey we've had getting the Pulse to where it is now, and wonder if it's worth the hassle. After all, who's to say the new chip will make any discernible improvement. Unless it's implemented and compared to the old chip, nobody knows, and how long would that take with all the other projects chugging along. I can't see this being done for free either, it's just too much work, so do we get to the stage where we shell out more cash to add yet another pulse variant to the list?
  
 Just wait for Pulse Mk 2 to hit the shelves in twelve months or so, and buy that!


----------



## jexby

My desire is not for the newest chip, but for the best sounding DAC.

Larry has spent months tuning the Pulse and current chip to sound as best as possible.

While a new chip may have newer tech, the time spent re-tuning to ensure same or better sound is a large unknown.


----------



## FayeForever

I really think the Geek Pulse design is frozen a few months ago. I don't understand why Larry would even consider to change the DAC chip in IGG. Listening is good, but most of the time you don't have to act. Read the post by Schiit.
 As confirmed by Larry the pin lay out is different, I would think changing the DAC chip will push at least 3 months back and 2X the SKUs.
 I am not even slightly interested in the new chip even thought I jokingly started a thread in LHL, and I don't think it would be wise for LHL to offer more SKUs and alter the design.
  
 1. Polish the firmware.
 2. Focus on producing and shipping.
 3. Send out for review.
  
 That is what I think LHL should really do now.
 This campaign is well over a year and you are wearing off the patience/attention. You can't sell much if you: 1. you has buggy firmware. 2. The thread is a year long and no many products show up/discussion, people who was interested are not. 3. New DACs coming up everyday, time is not waiting.


----------



## mscott58

fayeforever said:


> I really think the Geek Pulse design is frozen a few months ago. I don't understand why Larry would even consider to change the DAC chip in IGG. Listening is good, but most of the time you don't have to act. Read the post by Schiit.
> As confirmed by Larry the pin lay out is different, I would think changing the DAC chip will push at least 3 months back and 2X the SKUs.
> I am not even slightly interested in the new chip even thought I jokingly started a thread in LHL, and I don't think it would be wise for LHL to offer more SKUs and alter the design.
> 
> ...


 
 Totally agree on this one with regards to the Pulse. 
  
 Completely different situation with the Wave, where the PCB is still in development and such a change is much easier to make.


----------



## lobehold

I think some people are forgetting that just because you are a backer of a crowdfunding campaign and accepted that there are risks involved you're not obligated to be happy customer when the campaign turned out to be badly run/managed.
  
 Also it does not take away your right to voice criticisms.
  
 A lot of backers are too quick to beat back any criticism - including legit ones - towards the company like some sort of volunteer bouncer, perhaps falling victim to the stockholm syndrome, feeling protective of the kidnapper of their money/investment.
  
 As for more revisions, I say fix any bugs/problems and just ship our products. No more delays.


----------



## valve5425

Just been checking when I jumped in on this Pulse campaign. Nov 17th 2013. Wow. Doesn't time fly when you're having fun!


----------



## coletrain104

fayeforever said:


> I really think the Geek Pulse design is frozen a few months ago. I don't understand why Larry would even consider to change the DAC chip in IGG. Listening is good, but most of the time you don't have to act. Read the post by Schiit.
> As confirmed by Larry the pin lay out is different, I would think changing the DAC chip will push at least 3 months back and 2X the SKUs.
> I am not even slightly interested in the new chip even thought I jokingly started a thread in LHL, and I don't think it would be wise for LHL to offer more SKUs and alter the design.
> 
> ...


 
 I wish LHL would take this opinion to heart. It's gonna bug me if my $1000 purchase has firmware bugs that were present and known about from past products, and its just been a long time. If they move back and change the chip, that wouldn't be the same as the product I paid for and has been previously reviewed, and I'd really like to have mine this summer


----------



## eac3

lobehold said:


> I think some people are forgetting that just because you are a backer of a crowdfunding campaign and accepted that there are risks involved *you're not obligated to be happy customer when the campaign turned out to be badly run/managed.*
> 
> Also it does not take away your right to voice criticisms.


 
  
 Agreed. Oh, and the other thing I have seen in this thread is:
  
 I think some people are forgetting that just because you are a backer of a crowdfunding campaign and *you got an amazing price,* *you're not obligated to be happy customer.....*


----------



## lobehold

eac3 said:


> Agreed. Oh, and the other thing I have seen in this thread is:
> 
> I think some people are forgetting that just because you are a backer of a crowdfunding campaign and *you got an amazing price,* *you're not obligated to be happy customer.....*


 
  
Whether the price is amazing will be decided by actual performance, not because LHL jacked up MSRP to the stratosphere.
  
 And I don't think most people would agree to save a lot of money in exchange for getting their balls twisted, whether it's physically or emotionally.


----------



## mscott58

lobehold said:


> As for more revisions, I say *fix any bugs/problems and just ship our products. No more delays.*


 
 Not really sure how you reconcile these two points. Fixing bugs and problems takes time. Ship now and you're bound to get a product with more problems. Fix all the problems and it's going to take more time. I'd prefer to wait and have a product that's a bit more bulletproof, but I know that many others have different points of view, which is totally cool. Cheers


----------



## Larry Ho

coletrain104 said:


> I wish LHL would take this opinion to heart. It's gonna bug me if my $1000 purchase has firmware bugs that were present and known about from past products, and its just been a long time. If they move back and change the chip, that wouldn't be the same as the product I paid for and has been previously reviewed, and I'd really like to have mine this summer


 
 In new released firmware 1V1, the majority about power up volume and input switch has been addressed. 
 And basically I agree with you, the new ESS IC will work with Geek Wave which we still have good time to fine tune the sound.
 For Geek Pulse, design has frozen for quite a while.


----------



## Larry Ho

levanter said:


> Well I know me and others are pushing for the new ESS DAC on the Infinite model even if it'll delay shipping for a month or 2.
> Larry did say it was possible.


 

 I'm still waiting ESS for their final delivery time and schedule. Schedule wise, it fits perfectly with Geek Wave but for Geek Pulse Infinity. We need to see. 
  
 We already place the orders for Naked Resistors and MELFs. Next three weeks, we will see the first batch of them in our lab. And 500 pieces per 2 weeks (more or less. We need to give them some buffer too) 
  
 I hope Geek Pulse backers could get their DAC soon. 
  
 Cheers,


----------



## Chefano

Do you really think we only have to blame the marketing team ?
 Larry is the owner, he is aware of every decision....
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Thats why, more and more, I like Shiit audio designs and their commitment, support and product quality!


----------



## bhazard

Larry has been fantastic. If you feel the need to be angry, he's not the person it should be directed towards.


----------



## Chefano

bhazard said:


> Larry has been fantastic. If you feel the need to be angry, he's not the person it should be directed towards.


 

 Im not angry.... I was angry, but not anymore. Im only waiting to see when this going to end 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 The good guy and the bad guy, Larry the fantastic good guy, Gavin the bad greedy guy... yeah


----------



## greenkiwi

Finally got my pulse, it is sitting at my office, so I haven't been able to give it a really good listen yet, but my initial listen had definitely peaked my interest


----------



## miceblue

greenkiwi said:


> Finally got my pulse, it is sitting at my office, so I haven't been able to give it a really good listen yet, but my initial listen had definitely peaked my interest



Surely your interest has been piqued and not peaked, amiright? I would be a bit worried if your interest level was peaked from just the first listen. XD


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> greenkiwi said:
> 
> 
> > Finally got my pulse, it is sitting at my office, so I haven't been able to give it a really good listen yet, but my initial listen had definitely peaked my interest
> ...


----------



## germay0653

miceblue said:


> Surely your interest has been piqued and not peaked, amiright? I would be a bit worried if your interest level was peaked from just the first listen. XD


 

 Uisrite!


----------



## greenkiwi

larry ho said:


> I'm still waiting ESS for their final delivery time and schedule. Schedule wise, it fits perfectly with Geek Wave but for Geek Pulse Infinity. We need to see.
> 
> We already place the orders for Naked Resistors and MELFs. Next three weeks, we will see the first batch of them in our lab. And 500 pieces per 2 weeks (more or less. We need to give them some buffer too)
> 
> ...




@larryho if you do offer it, I'd definitely be game with both of my remaining pulses.

I'm assuming it would only make sense if you guys were planning on moving future pulses to the new chip.


----------



## uncola

Does anyone remember how many thd, naked and infinity perks were bought?  trying to figure out how big the queue will be.. I know they sold like 300 sets of naked resistor perks but then they offered the infinity as it's own perk later


----------



## pauldgroot

Probably enough for me to get my Xfi soon!


----------



## wingsounds13

I think that there were about 385 THD perks sold. Most of those also got the naked resistors. A few of us only got the naked resistors without the THD during the campaign. After the campaign those of us who got only one of the two perks were by email offered the opportunity to add the other perk. I think that most of us took the offer... I did. That makes about 400 THD+naked but I don't remember how many ∞ perks were backed. Perhaps 100~150??

I was a late backer of the naked resistors perk, thinking like you that my Xfi would be moved up the shipping que. Unfortunately I was too tempted and finally succumbed to the naked resistors perk...

J.P?


----------



## wingsounds13

Of those THD, naked and ∞ perks, what I am curious about is what the distribution was between the first Pulse campaigns and the Forever Funding campaign. That too would have a significant effect on the queue position of the Xfi units.

Fun, isn't it?? :-D

J.P.


----------



## PacoTaco

phishin phool said:


> I got one too, the only thing is that I am already paid off in full


 
 I did too. Actually opened up a ticket asking to pay it in full, which I did. She marked me as paid, and I went about my day. Then, on Friday, I got the payment plan invoice, and immediately emailed the customer service email. Tami answered, asked for the ticket number/invoice receipt, and I haven't heard much since.


----------



## walfredo

chefano said:


> bhazard said:
> 
> 
> > Larry has been fantastic. If you feel the need to be angry, he's not the person it should be directed towards.
> ...


 
  
 Interesting point, Chefano.
  
 But I think the original comment in the thread is about LH as a whole:  Engineering produces great production, marketing overshoots it.  
  
 AFAICT, Larry is involved in marketing as well.  Also, AFAIT, both Larry and Gavin are great guys.   It is just that some of thing think they are marketing it a bit too aggressive.
  
 Best,
 Walfredo


----------



## Jupiterknight

How does the LH Da Vinci DAC compare vs. the Geek Pulse or Geek Out? Any opinions/impressions? I'm fully aware of that it is very different pricing situations, but somehow one unit doesn't exist without the other and maybe part of the whole (versatile) picture. I'm not complaining or worried, just curious to a level where my brain may offer me more thoughts than I can handle...


----------



## greenkiwi

I'm sure the pulse will mop the floor with the da Vinci  

Ok... Nope... 

Given that they are really two totally different systems, with completely different dacs, etc... I'm guessing that there really isn't too much in common. Other than the designer having a preferred voicing, that might come out in both implementations.


----------



## senorx12562

jupiterknight said:


> How does the LH Da Vinci DAC compare vs. the Geek Pulse or Geek Out? Any opinions/impressions? I'm fully aware of that it is very different pricing situations, but somehow one unit doesn't exist without the other and maybe part of the whole (versatile) picture. I'm not complaining or worried, just curious to a level where my brain may offer me more thoughts than I can handle...


 
 I find it amusing that you would even think to compare them.


----------



## Phishin Phool

pacotaco said:


> I did too. Actually opened up a ticket asking to pay it in full, which I did. She marked me as paid, and I went about my day. Then, on Friday, I got the payment plan invoice, and immediately emailed the customer service email. Tami answered, asked for the ticket number/invoice receipt, and I haven't heard much since.


 
 Same thing - I got a message (explanation) from Tami explaining how the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing . Essentially Stephanie had invoiced me but at the same time all the payment plans were being readied. Since there was very little time in between and the two invoices were within hours of one another I can see how this could happen but once one is paid you would think something  would show in the system to catch that balance is paid and prevent invoices from going out. Unless they are doing everything by hand computers should be able to manage these things. It is *hopefully* remedied now but time will tell. I wasn't a big fan of being chastised for posting in the LH forums about my issues since the ticket system is disabled instead of e-mailing cust service directly but oh well- the last thing I will listen to is LH telling me how to conduct my business. (Once again another 4 days from payment and LH posting before being acknowledged.) - The biggest thing is the lack of timely communication between LH Labs and the customer.
  
 At this point all I want is a functional unit and my dealings with LH will be done. I am more recent to this campaign and understand the diff between crowd funding and retail channels but having joined during the IGG forever fund campaign after initial units began to ship I thought "how much risk or dysfunction can there be after nearly a year and a half and units are ready?"- well now I know".
  
 When I receive my pulse I am hoping it will be so grand as to forget all my misgivings and just be happy but at this point I would tell any potential customer (retail as well as crowd funded) to stay far far away.
  
 EDIT: BTW the e-mail Tami gave me to respond to directly and to not post in the forum (cs@lhlabs.com) is returned by MAILER_DAEMON as non-existent/undeliverable.


----------



## longbowbbs

The LH Labs guys went to a meet in late December and brought one of the Modded Xfi's. The impressions were strongly favorable vs a number of other top amps and DAC's. Given the experience of the attendees this bodes very well for us.


----------



## ejong7

Hey Eric could you update us with some impressions on the Geek Verb IEM please =D?


----------



## longbowbbs

ejong7 said:


> Hey Eric could you update us with some impressions on the Geek Verb IEM please =D?


 
 Certainly. I am working on my preliminary review atm....
  
 The very is comfortable for long sessions. The phone and mic controls work perfectly. Callers can hear me clearly during conversations at highway speeds in the car. Lots of good bass and highs.  Remember this is a pre-production unit and I am in contact with LH Labs. It needs some adjustment in the mids. They have a tendency to be overwhelmed by the lows and highs. it do not expect this to be a big deal for them.
  
 I have used it for about 15 hours now listening to Audible.com downloads and the narrator is clear and easily understandable. I have also used them for about 20k of running and they do not fall out and still deliver good quality sound without a bunch of adjusting as I run.
  
 Once they have the mid range adjusted they are going to have a very competitive iem!


----------



## ejong7

That's good to hear. I don't remember the MSRP of these but I want to invest just to have them for sports. Sounds like theyre a good pair for me! Anybody having trouble accessing indiegogo though? I cant read the Story/Update page and the Support page though very responsive havent been able to help me with my problem.


----------



## longbowbbs

ejong7 said:


> That's good to hear. I don't remember the MSRP of these but I want to invest just to have them for sports. Sounds like theyre a good pair for me! Anybody having trouble accessing indiegogo though? I cant read the Story/Update page and the Support page though very responsive havent been able to help me with my problem.


 
 Retail is projected at $159. You can still order at $39 via the IGG page:
  
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-wave-a-no-compromise-portable-music-player


----------



## ejong7

I would love to contribute (OMG my wallet seriously, another save up commencing) but I have trouble with the Indiegogo page. I'm still in contact with their support team but in general I cant browse nor select perks.


----------



## Chefano

longbowbbs said:


> The LH Labs guys went to a meet in late December and brought one of the Modded Xfi's. The impressions were strongly favorable vs a number of other top amps and DAC's. Given the experience of the attendees this bodes very well for us.


 

 I keep thinking about that kind of strategy.
 Just wondering... I have an unique product on the market (its a promise) why on earth I should keep it on really restrict circle?
 Why not send one pré-production unit to a decent review?


----------



## zerodeefex

The meet was at my house. A lot of folks enjoyed the XFi SE that showed up (unsure if it was Gavin's or Larry's unit). I think they're really focused on Pulse, Pulse X, and then Pulse XFi deliveries . 
  
 As for reviews, I think it probably makes MORE sense to drop units out for review closer to shipping.


----------



## chartwell85

And an awesome meet it was!  
  
 Review units have already been sent to a variety of outlets.  We're just waiting on their reviews to come in.  Reviews are something that we prefer not to rush.


----------



## FayeForever

If it is the changxxxx meet then I think it is a Geek Pulse X SE, which costs ~3K. For DAC alone I think most people reported that they prefer the Schiit Yaggy.
  
 ^^ They beat me to it.


----------



## longbowbbs

yggy was really interesting at RMAF. I am anxious to get my hands on it after release.


----------



## zerodeefex

fayeforever said:


> If it is the changxxxx meet then I think it is a Geek Pulse X SE, which costs ~3K. For DAC alone I think most people reported that they prefer the Schiit Yaggy.


 

 BUT, to be clear, this is a different form factor and different purpose device (all-in-one in a small, desktop form factor). Bill-P really enjoyed the XFi with his modded HE-560s which are the best HE-560s I've heard.
  
 I'm going to own both. Geek Pulse X Infinity + LPS AND the Yggy/Rag + some EC amp in the future stack. One is going on my desk and one setup is going in my rack. Can you guess which one will fit on my desk?


----------



## FayeForever

Yes, the form factor also plays a major role in my decision. That's why I never bother with the Geek Soul. The Pulse is just perfect for me.
 I was also interested in Rag/Yaggy but I can never find place to put them on my cheap Walmart desk.


----------



## miceblue

fayeforever said:


> I can never find place to put them on my cheap Walmart desk.



I guess that means you should upgrade to an IKEA one. ; )


----------



## Currawong

digitalzed said:


> labjr said:
> 
> 
> > This might have been okay 6 months ago. But it seems every time they have a problem it's always someone else's fault. It's just poor planning.They're great at marketing but can't seem to follow through and get products finished and out the door.
> ...


 
  
 Sorry to bring this up again, but a dock-workers' strike doesn't affect non-international delivery, only bulk goods delivered by ship. It wouldn't even affect international shipping through FedEx, USPS, UPS or similar, as those services don't use the docks. As well, according to the news services, the workers aren't striking, just deliberately slowing things down, as they have contract re-negotiation approaching. They aren't allowed to strike under contract. If I'm wrong, please link me to more info. 
  
 Anyhow, it's Monday. I look forward to reading customer impressions this week.


----------



## greenkiwi

@currawong - the strike effected all deliveries because the boxes used for delivery were sitting in containers at the docks. (I believe)

They found a local source and are working around it


----------



## digitalzed

currawong said:


> Sorry to bring this up again, but a dock-workers' strike doesn't affect non-international delivery, only bulk goods delivered by ship. It wouldn't even affect international shipping through FedEx, USPS, UPS or similar, as those services don't use the docks. As well, according to the news services, the workers aren't striking, just deliberately slowing things down, as they have contract re-negotiation approaching. They aren't allowed to strike under contract. If I'm wrong, please link me to more info.
> 
> Anyhow, it's Monday. I look forward to reading customer impressions this week.


 

 You are correct that it is not technically a strike. However my business has been affected first hand by the slow down and the dock workers started this last summer in anticipation of the contract negotiations. It's not unusual for containers to sit in the port yard for 4-6 weeks on the average when normal turnaround time, including customs clearance is 1-2 weeks once a container reaches it's U.S. destination. According to LHL they had ordered bulk containers out of Asia and those are being help up by the slowdown in ocean freight. Airfreight by UPS, FedEx, DHL is not affected but as you can imagine only adds significantly to the cost of the product, making it a non-option for most companies even if they could pull the product off ships.


----------



## Currawong

digitalzed said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry to bring this up again, but a dock-workers' strike doesn't affect non-international delivery, only bulk goods delivered by ship. It wouldn't even affect international shipping through FedEx, USPS, UPS or similar, as those services don't use the docks. As well, according to the news services, the workers aren't striking, just deliberately slowing things down, as they have contract re-negotiation approaching. They aren't allowed to strike under contract. If I'm wrong, please link me to more info.
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for that info.  Due to previous major issues with vendors promising and never delivering, I'm very wary of potential issues. Excuse my excessive caution if these issues turn out to be unfounded.


----------



## pauldgroot

Got my Jay's Audio LPS-25VA in yesterday, now I'm just waiting for my Pulse Xfi.
  
*Impressions:*
  
 The build is amazing, it's quite heavy and the case aluminum seems very thick with big rubber feet under it. The display is now a blue, dimmer one instead of a green bright one on the earlier batches. It could even be less bright for me but I don't know how it compares to the Xfi yet. I'll might just add a resistor to the LCD in order to dim it if it doesn't match the Xfi.
  
 I couldn't really test the LPS on anything except a homemade dual TA2024 boombox that normally runs on a 12V 7Ah battery. It sounded pretty good out of it and with less noise than when I use a generic 12V 3A switching power supply on it. Even better is that after two hours of playing the LPS didn't even get warm so it looks like it's pretty efficient!
  
 That's all for now, for further impressions I'll sadly have to wait for a while. Here are some pictures I took though.


----------



## FayeForever

I just unplugged the display on the LPS long time ago. 
Too bright and if the main voltage fluctuates, it drives my OCD.


----------



## FayeForever

By the way you can't simply dim the display further by adding a resistor, or perhaps I am not smart enough.
The LPS will get warm connected to plain Pulse. I expect it to get warmer connected to X infinity


----------



## doctorjazz

Pretty cool looking, can't wait to get mine, though I'm not sure why I really needed it 
Still kicking around the idea of buying a Pulse of some flavor, they come up in the for sale section periodically (have a Wave Tube on order, but that is pretty much for the rack-"not the rack".-and I do much listening at my computer or other places. Using the Geek Out Special Edition there plugged into a Vaunix Lab Brick, pretty sweet sounding, but slightly underpowered for something like the HE-560 (listening to it now, pretty sweet sounding, but volume close to the max, and I believe it is working a bit more than it would like to).
I'm hesitant though, because my experience with LH and the ticket system has been not the best. I have never gotten the volume issue on the GO to work despite installing the upgraded firmware. The volume is only managed through the LH app slider, nothing else works. If the unit is disconnected then reconnected, it defaults to maximum volume, which was the original issue that brought about the firmware "upgrade", which has blown my ears out on occasion (not a problem using the HE-560, as it needs almost full volume anyway). The GO also has a tendency to "crash" Ponoplayer 20 or JRiver19, especially if I change headphones. A few things may happen: 1)JRiver won't play at all, have to reboot the computer 2)I get sound, but it sounds distorted, like the sound of an LP playing with a very dirty stylus (for those of you who know what that sounds like. It's the closest I can get to describing the sound. Maybe clipping?)
(I'm using Windows 7 Professional, JRiver19 or Ponoplayer20). 
I also have an issue with the about to get crazy (if past experience is any guide) Wave campaign. I've been in on most of the crowdfunding offeres from the beginning, and the Wave had upgrade after upgrade in it's initial days, with a "Father's Day" special, many others, that I went for, including one to add a switch that gave the option of high or low (regular cans or iems) from the same unit, which I went for. When I check out the Indiegogo campaign as it now stands, I note that this option for 1 unit doesn't exist, rather the top of the line unit is offered for iem's or regular headphones separately. I also find that, when I add up my contributions, I spent about 50% more as an "early backer" than the current top model is sold for. Something is wrong with this picture.
The main issue is that, when I sent in a ticket about this, I did get a fairly quick reply initially, asking the usual questions (what OS, what player, etc). I answered these (replied to the email), heard nothing for 4-5 days, sent another with the info (getting a bit miffed), heard nothing, then yesterday, saw I had received an email from Gavin that, since I didn't reply, they consider my issue/ticket closed. This is not the first time this has happened with these guys, and it makes me wish, at times, I could cancel my whole current and future orders from them. This is no way to build a company, imo. And, I really do like these guys, the enthusiasm, love the sound of the Geek Out Special Edition, but customer service HAS to be there, especially if you are an on line vendor, where the customer can feel left out in the cold.
My $0.02


----------



## pauldgroot

It depends how it gets it's power. I can ask Alvin if he can check with Jay's Audio but like I said, it's not super bright or anything so it probably wont be an issue for me next to the Pulse. My TE2024 boombox uses about 500-1200mA when playing at normal volumes (up to 3A when loud) and it didn't get warm then. I don't know how much current the Pulse draws though.


----------



## mandrake50

I just wanted to mention that I got my shipping notification for the HE 560s yesterday... well it was an automated notification that a shipping label had been created.
The tracking number has still not been scanned as being picked up. It looks like they could not get the package out of their shipping area from the 10:45 AM time when the label was printed until now..

Oh well, at least I am seeing some progress.

Is anyone else any further along in the process... folks in the US that is??


----------



## DiscoSmoke

Paid the shipping invoice #0457 on my HE-560's about two hours after receiving it on Jan. 22. Have not seen a shipping notification.


----------



## head-hi

pauldgroot said:


> Got my Jay's Audio LPS-25VA in yesterday, now I'm just waiting for my Pulse Xfi.
> 
> *Impressions:*
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice pix.
  
 I got my 2 units yesterday, as well. Nice and solid. Hooked one up to a Pulse and everything is good so far. The display is a little bright, but a very nice color of blue. The Pulse display is very dim in contrast. Fluctuates between 12.00 and 11.99 (or 12.00 and 12.01), so I can understand FF's OCD statement.
  
 I couldn't tell an obvious difference in sound, but I do have a Teradak USB decrapifier hook-up, which has made an obvious improvement on most PCs I try it with. More A/B'ing might tell more.
  
 Thanks again to Alvin. The packaging was solid, also.


----------



## miceblue

Hm, I didn't know we were in the Jay Audio LPS thread. I must have misread the title or something.


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> Pretty cool looking, can't wait to get mine, though I'm not sure why I really needed it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Wave Tube???  The Geek Wave (portable/mobile device) doesn't have a tube option.  Did you mean to say (Vi or Soul, Pulse)?


----------



## pauldgroot

Please complain somewhere else. People also talk about other amps and dacs here. If the LPS improves the Pulse then it's relevant to the thread.


----------



## zerodeefex

I think my Jay's LPS is incoming today for my regular Pulse. I have LPS and LPS4s for my XFi units, though.


----------



## miceblue

By the way, if anyone needs to open a support ticket, LH's system is back online and revamped. You have to make a new account to open a new support ticket, and all previous tickets that were in their old system are no longer accessible.
http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000548291-before-you-open-a-ticket-please-read-this


----------



## doctorjazz

Sorry, don't mean to derail the thread, but I find I only hear back from LH when I'm having problems by posting on these related threads
And, hey, people who are interested in the products should know the down side...
And, my error, added that in rush, yes it is the Soul Tube


----------



## pedalhead

miceblue said:


> By the way, if anyone needs to open a support ticket, LH's system is back online and revamped. You have to make a new account to open a new support ticket, and all previous tickets that were in their old system are no longer accessible.
> http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000548291-before-you-open-a-ticket-please-read-this


 
  
 A fine way to "catch up" with the ticket backlog.  Close the system and start again from scratch 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.
  
 It's good to see the appearance of an FAQ on that new support site. So many tickets must have been opened requesting info that's buried in the forum somewhere.


----------



## nudd

Does anyone have their infinity perk plus free 2G cable reflected in their tracking page yet? Mine still says i backed an xfi only. 




pedalhead said:


> A fine way to "catch up" with the ticket backlog.  Close the system and start again from scratch  .
> 
> It's good to see the appearance of an FAQ on that new support site. So many tickets must have been opened requesting info that's buried in the forum somewhere.


----------



## pedalhead

nudd said:


> Does anyone have their infinity perk plus free 2G cable reflected in their tracking page yet? Mine still says i backed an xfi only.


 
  
 Not I.  The info on my tracking page is unchanged since months ago - no mention of the Infinite & 2G.


----------



## DSlayerZX

I just got my Jay's Audio LPS as well.. Though.. mine isnt' showing 12V... it's showing 11.99V under no load.
  
  
 Orz (close enough.. but still XD)


----------



## pauldgroot

There is a small screw on the back, turn it to alter the voltage up to +/-10%.


----------



## DSlayerZX

ohhhhhhhh alright. I'll adjust it once I can find a small screw driver
  
 Thanks.
  
  
 Also.... since my Geek Pulse infinite isn't going to start shipping until the third week of Feb...
  
 May I asked, how does a LPS faired with the wallwart on a Geek pulse so far?


----------



## Phishin Phool

dslayerzx said:


> I just got my Jay's Audio LPS as well.. Though.. mine isnt' showing 12V... it's showing 11.99V under no load.
> 
> 
> Orz (close enough.. but still XD)




Apparently you didn't sign up for that new LH labs 'electrical perk' For only $24,500 they will come and replace your electrical supply from the main breaker all the way to your listening environment. for an additional $9000 you get a special distortion-free naked wire coating guaranteed to enhance your listening. Hurry only 22 left


----------



## longbowbbs

phishin phool said:


> dslayerzx said:
> 
> 
> > I just got my Jay's Audio LPS as well.. Though.. mine isnt' showing 12V... it's showing 11.99V under no load.
> ...


 

 Resistance is futile


----------



## DSlayerZX

phishin phool said:


> Apparently you didn't sign up for that new LH labs 'electrical perk' For only $24,500 they will come and replace your electrical supply from the main breaker all the way to your listening environment. for an additional $9000 you get a special distortion-free naked wire coating guaranteed to enhance your listening. Hurry only 22 left


 
  
 ....... as a electrical designer.. that is actually right within my area of expertise..
 and sadly.. there is only so much I can replace living in an apartment .
  
  
 Let's see, when I get my own place.... i will......
 run 99.99% oxygen free copper from the utility meter to my panel. 
 Use audio grade special lugs to tap to the main panel with a copper "audio only" panel with isolated ground system.
 and at the end... any electrician here can tell me what is the maximum  size wire can you fit onto a typical receptacle?
 (and no.. i'm not doing that... at most i am going to do is pull a dedicated circuit for the audio equipment. )


----------



## nicolo

nudd said:


> Does anyone have their infinity perk plus free 2G cable reflected in their tracking page yet? Mine still says i backed an xfi only.


 
  
 Yup. It's showing up for me now.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

Has anyone else, who paid the shipping invoice for their HE-400i/HE-560's, still not received a shipping notice? I'm still waiting on mine.


----------



## FayeForever

nicolo said:


> Yup. It's showing up for me now.


 
 Mine not showed up yet.


----------



## mscott58

discosmoke said:


> Has anyone else, who paid the shipping invoice for their HE-400i/HE-560's, still not received a shipping notice? I'm still waiting on mine.


 
 Still waiting as well...


----------



## uncola

I saw the FedEx truck pass by just as I left for work. I bet he drops off my jays audio LPs on the way back . Tracking says it's out for delivery


----------



## bitsnbytes

discosmoke said:


> Has anyone else, who paid the shipping invoice for their HE-400i/HE-560's, still not received a shipping notice? I'm still waiting on mine.


 
  
 I'm still waiting for my invoice to be sent.
  
 I had an old ticket that was raised, but was closed, saying that they will invoice me when they sort out their shipment. This was last week.
  
 I'm patient, but concerned.


----------



## alvin1118

pauldgroot said:


> Got my Jay's Audio LPS-25VA in yesterday, now I'm just waiting for my Pulse Xfi.
> 
> *Impressions:*
> 
> ...


 
  
 Amazing photography skills, Paul! The LPS looks gorgeous!
 Hope you'd get your PULSE soon, enjoy the music!


----------



## adrian0115

Guys,
  
 I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt to LH and ask to see if anyone has run into the same problems.  Can't get much help on the LH forums so going to try head-fi.  
  
 I've got 2 x Geek LPS on hand and in my extremely simple setup, none of them work.  
  
 My setup right now is a Thinkpad X220 (Win7 64-bit Ultimate, 240gb SSD, 8gb ram) and it's hooked up to the LPS USB Source connector with a USB2.0 cable.  
  
 I've got a Audioquest Dragonfly that is hooked up directly to the USB DAC port.  There's power but It doesn't work.  I tried a USB thumb drive and it doesn't work. 
  
 I've already tried having the LPS powered on before connecting the Dragonfly to try and initiate USB handshaking but that doesn't work either.  I've used 2 perfectly fine USB2.0 cables to for hookup between the laptop and the LPS.  One of the cables have ferrite chokes on both ends.  Computer doesn't see any USB device connected to the LPS.  
  
 I've already retested both of the cables in each and everyone of the 3 USB ports on my laptop with an external HDD and the cables work fine.  I plugged my Dragonfly into each and everyone of the 3 USB ports on my laptop and it works fine.  Needless to say, my laptop is working fine as I'm typing this up and foobar (wasapi) is playing music through the Dragonfly.  
  
 I backed 3 x LPS and 3 x Pulse X Infinity and like most everyone else on the Geek Force, I had full confidence in Larry and the team but am currently highly unsatisfied after waiting a year to receive these LPS's that don't seem to be working.  
  
 If somebody is able to point out how stupid I am for hooking things up wrong, please feel free and I will correct my statements.
  
 I can't insert photos due to permissions for some reason so I'm going to include a flickr link to the pics I took:
  
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/86238880@N07/


----------



## pedalhead

adrian0115 said:


> Guys,
> 
> I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt to LH and ask to see if anyone has run into the same problems.  Can't get much help on the LH forums so going to try head-fi.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I think there have been a lot of reports of third party DACs not working via the LPS. Strange stuff...even my GO450 doesn't work unless it's connected directly to the LPS.  If I use a short USB cable or adapter in the back of the LPS to the GO, it'll power up ok but no comms to my laptop.  Bit of a pain, especially because I have to remove and reinsert the GO every time I power up the laptop and/or LPS in order for it to be recognised.  There's some weird USB malarkey going on with this thing.


----------



## adrian0115

Hi pedalhead!
  
 Having to power on the LPS before connecting the Geek Out is now a "by design" feature and it's posted on the support FAQ.  I don't even have a problem with that but basically I almost feel like the data lines in the LPS aren't hooked up since my computer doesn't detect anything connected to the LPS.  DAC/USB thumb drive etc.  I see reports where people have the LPS working with other 3rd party kit and some some people say USB thumb drives are suppose to be detected as well when connected to the USB DAC connector.  So far, the only thing that doesn't seem to work are the LPS's.


----------



## pedalhead

adrian0115 said:


> Hi pedalhead!
> 
> Having to power on the LPS before connecting the Geek Out is now a "by design" feature and it's posted on the support FAQ.  I don't even have a problem with that but basically I almost feel like the data lines in the LPS aren't hooked up since my computer doesn't detect anything connected to the LPS.  DAC/USB thumb drive etc.  I see reports where people have the LPS working with other 3rd party kit and some some people say USB thumb drives are suppose to be detected as well when connected to the USB DAC connector.  So far, the only thing that doesn't seem to work are the LPS's.


 
  
 Hi Adrian.  Well, it may be "by design", but it's crappy design imho. I don't fancy the long term wear & tear on the USB port that I'm currently unplugging and re-plugging once or twice a day. I've just tested a few thumb drives, and two out of three were recognised ok when plugging them into the LPS.  Unfortunately I don't have any other USB DACs to test here.


----------



## adrian0115

Pedalhead,
  
 My point exactly.  I guarantee you I'm not a fan of plugging/unplugging because of a 'by design' feature.  As of this moment, nothing is detected when going through the LPS.  I've opened up a support ticket on their site and I already said specifically not to put the blame on my laptop/usb cable/dragonfly because these are all working for me.  I've tested using a Sandisk extreme 3.0 flash drive as well as SD cards in a card reader.  Of course, those are also working when plugged into my computer instead of  going through the LPS.  Right now these are paperweights and I really can't imagine who would pay $899 for them.


----------



## pedalhead

adrian0115 said:


> Pedalhead,
> 
> My point exactly.  I guarantee you I'm not a fan of plugging/unplugging because of a 'by design' feature.  As of this moment, nothing is detected when going through the LPS.  I've opened up a support ticket on their site and I already said specifically not to put the blame on my laptop/usb cable/dragonfly because these are all working for me.  I've tested using a Sandisk extreme 3.0 flash drive as well as SD cards in a card reader.  Of course, those are also working when plugged into my computer instead of  going through the LPS.  Right now these are paperweights and I really can't imagine who would pay $899 for them.


 
  
 Indeed.  Best of luck getting it sorted with LH.  Keep us updated!


----------



## Anaximandros

I wrote a review of my impressions with the Pulse, LPS and GO1000 at lhlabs.com
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/3269-impressions-of-geek-pulse-lps-go-1000
  
@adrian0115
  
 I'll try to get another USB DAC to connect it to the LPS. A friend has an ODAC. I'll get back to you as soon as I tested it.


----------



## uncola

Nice review Anaximandros.  I read your comparison of the geek out with and without lps, was your experience with the pulse the same or did you only have the lps with the pulse and not the smps?


----------



## Anaximandros

There is a Little paragraph about the Pulse + LPS. Problem is, that I don't have 2 Pulse units on Hand to do a side by side comparison.
 The soundstage seemed wider, bass was a bit more punchy and the dark Background was even a bit darker. But that could be due to auto Suggestion, knowing that the LPS should improve the sound and the high expectations I had.


----------



## adrian0115

@Anaximandros Hi Xuan, I've read your review and I can deal with the DIY appearance etc as long as the SQ is there which is what you you've described. I know you're a mech.eng working for a prominent company and I'm a network engineer working for a prominent network company as well. I coouldnt believe it when nothing works when going through the LPS. I expected to just plug and play and use the LPS as USB filter but I guess I was overly optimistic.


----------



## marflao

So the only flawless use case right now is to connect the LPS via the umbilical cable to another device/DAC, right?
  
 At least that´s how I use the LPS (connected to a DAC and the Dac is connected via Toslink to my CD player). This works fine...no humming...no other issue yet.
 But I haven´t tested any other (USB) scenario right now so I don´t know for sure if my LPS is 100% fine.


----------



## adrian0115

@marflao This is exactly what I'm trying to figure out right now. Whether I have 2-3 defective LPS or they're just not compatible with 3rd party kit (which doesn't make sense to me). The third LPS is with my friend but his meridian explorer has a faulty volume control. Will see if he has the same issue.


----------



## Chefano

Interesting review Anaximandros.
 When I get back home I will test my LPS with DragonFly.


----------



## jbr1971

adrian0115 said:


> Hi pedalhead!
> 
> Having to power on the LPS before connecting the Geek Out is now a "by design" feature and it's posted on the support FAQ.  I don't even have a problem with that but basically I almost feel like the data lines in the LPS aren't hooked up since my computer doesn't detect anything connected to the LPS.  DAC/USB thumb drive etc.  I see reports where people have the LPS working with other 3rd party kit and some some people say USB thumb drives are suppose to be detected as well when connected to the USB DAC connector.  So far, the only thing that doesn't seem to work are the LPS's.


 
  
 There is nothing in that LPS FAQ post that says it is a "by design" feature. It is just a by-product of powering cycling the LPS in that it takes time to initialize, and it misses the handshake request from the Geeks to be able to pass it on to the computer. Hence the need to reconnect the Geek.


----------



## DSlayerZX

hmm... is the geek pulse survey page works with anyone else atm?
  
 because I just went there to check out and see if my geek infinite has been updated onto the status, but the page seem to be down.


----------



## Anaximandros

Which Geek Survey page are you referring to?
 The survey page from the 1st and 2nd IGG campaign? That site was taken offline a long time ago.


----------



## DSlayerZX

anaximandros said:


> Which Geek Survey page are you referring to?
> The survey page from the 1st and 2nd IGG campaign? That site was taken offline a long time ago.


 
  
  
  
 hmm.. the page that we are able to access and see our shipping status and item order.
  
 I think we are no longer able to edit them... but still able to see them at elast two weeks ago..
  
 I lost the link to it though...
 and the ones I find online are all taken down.


----------



## Anaximandros

That should be www.lhlabs.com/tracking


----------



## eac3

dslayerzx said:


> *hmm.. the page that we are able to access and see our shipping status and item order.*
> 
> I think we are no longer able to edit them... but still able to see them at elast two weeks ago..
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 http://lhlabs.com/tracking
  
  
 I am able to see it, and log on.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Thanks Anaximandros and eac3
  
 Able to log in and check my order.
  
 It looks like the Xfi infinite is still yet to register on my product.


----------



## ejong7

Did everyone received their Pulse survey yet? I dont think I have.


----------



## pauldgroot

The Indiegogo campaign backers haven't been imported into their system yet I think.


----------



## uzi

adrian0115 said:


> @marflao This is exactly what I'm trying to figure out right now. Whether I have 2-3 defective LPS or they're just not compatible with 3rd party kit (which doesn't make sense to me). The third LPS is with my friend but his meridian explorer has a faulty volume control. Will see if he has the same issue.


 
 Same problem here -- I posted on their forum:
  
   http://lhlabs.com/force/geeklps/2654-lps-weirdness
  
 posted a video online
  
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhUUzKDq9hE
  
 and opened a support ticket.  I have an RMA with them to ship the unit back along with the little blue extension cables that  came with the Geek Outs I have... but I'm wondering what's the point if everyone else has the same problem.  Doesn't work with my HRT Musicstreamer II or II+ either.  Even if it works beautifully with the Pulse (I guess I'll find out when the two Xfi units I bought and the one X unit I should be getting as referral show up) -- it still seems a flawed unit.  They seem to be blaming the blue extension cables, but the problem is clearly not there.


----------



## uncola

My Jay's Audio LPS got delivered!  A third party accessory ecosystem is a sign of a good product, is how I'd look at it 
  


  
 2 pounds 7.7 ounces - I'm a proud papa to an LPS

  

  
 future home of my geek pulse ∞  - to the right of the lps


----------



## greenkiwi

I'm definitely looking forward to the three way review between the stock smps, the geek lps and the Jay's lps.

The interesting question is whether or not the Jay's lps noise is below the noise rejection capability of the pulse.


----------



## pauldgroot

My Jay's LPS doens't make any noise at all!


----------



## Muinarc

LH has been pretty quiet with the updates lateley. Maybe CES burned em all out.


----------



## Greg121986

chartwell85 said:


> We'll cover the warranty repairs at ZERO cost to you, all you have to do is pay for the shipping both ways.  This type of warranty repair agreement exists in almost every industry.


 
 Guys, stop beating up LH for making you pay shipping! If you don't want to pay shipping then drive the Pulse to their facility yourself. Otherwise, you are on the hook the pay shipping costs both ways. This is an unfortunate remnant of nation-wide business and client base. 
  
 That being said I am having a strange issue with my Geek Pulse. I'm not sure if it's an issue people know about or not because all I am reading here is arguing back and forth. 
  
 I am feeding my Pulse with USB via a Linux server running MPD. I have configured the MPD.conf appropriately and it works with PCM to the DAC. DSD does not work, but that is less of a concern for me right now. The main problem is that I will be listening to the DAC and it will suddenly stop playback. The log file for MPD indicates that the device is unavailable and not responding to any transmission of data. Sometimes I can power cycle the DAC and it will start playing again, but lately I have power cycled the DAC over 10 times and it still does not play. At this point I got too annoyed and shut the whole thing down. The DAC is connected via RCA output to my stereo integrated amp. I have it configured for Knob Volume Control and I turn the knob to 0.00 db. I have also tried USB Volume Control, but this is not ideal for MPD since I want the USB to be bit perfect without attenuating. Sometimes if the DAC plays back after a power cycle it will appear to be at half volume. If I just touch the volume know a bit it will go back to the proper 0.00 db volume, but most of the time this will cause the DAC to cut out completely.
  
 Can anyone help me to understand if this is an issue related to what others are experiencing right now? Is this something that I have to send the unit back for the screen to be updated, or is this an issue that can be fixed with a user-updated firmware that I can do myself? Either way, I want to do what I need to do to get this fixed!


----------



## jbr1971

greg121986 said:


> I am feeding my Pulse with USB via a Linux server running MPD. I have configured the MPD.conf appropriately and it works with PCM to the DAC. DSD does not work, but that is less of a concern for me right now. The main problem is that I will be listening to the DAC and it will suddenly stop playback. The log file for MPD indicates that the device is unavailable and not responding to any transmission of data. Sometimes I can power cycle the DAC and it will start playing again, but lately I have power cycled the DAC over 10 times and it still does not play. At this point I got too annoyed and shut the whole thing down. The DAC is connected via RCA output to my stereo integrated amp. I have it configured for Knob Volume Control and I turn the knob to 0.00 db. I have also tried USB Volume Control, but this is not ideal for MPD since I want the USB to be bit perfect without attenuating. Sometimes if the DAC plays back after a power cycle it will appear to be at half volume. If I just touch the volume know a bit it will go back to the proper 0.00 db volume, but most of the time this will cause the DAC to cut out completely.
> 
> Can anyone help me to understand if this is an issue related to what others are experiencing right now? Is this something that I have to send the unit back for the screen to be updated, or is this an issue that can be fixed with a user-updated firmware that I can do myself? Either way, I want to do what I need to do to get this fixed!


 
  
 Unfortunately I have forgotten way too much about Linux to be able to help out with that. However, if you are able to specify the DSD setting as DSD over PCM (DoP), that may help.
  
 What version of the Pulse firmware are you running? The new version 1.1 fixes issues with volume spikes after power cycle, but one of the protection features is that regardless of the volume displayed at power on, it is actually set to -80dB. You must turn the volume knob 2 clicks either direction to resume at the volume displayed.


----------



## Phishin Phool

@Greg121986 
 I think I can answer a little bit of that. I believe that when you turn the pulse off and then back on (with the newest firmware) the volume automatically is set to -80db regardless of what the display shows and after you turn the knob two clicks the correct volume registers. That part is normal but the cutting out is not and I can't help with that -sorry


----------



## Greg121986

Now that I investigate further it seems my issue is more severe. Before reading further, take note that the Pulse had worked and initially indicated it was on firmware version 1V1. I have NOT attempted to update the firmware or manipulate the Geek Pulse in any way. 
  
 When I turn it on I now find that it is not recognized by my Linux/MPD server. Also, and more alarmingly, when I check the firmware version on the Geek Pulse it shows Firmware Main 0.0, MCU 1.9. It seems to me that the Pulse firmware has corrupted itself. 
  
 Do I dare re-flash the firmware?
  
 EDIT: Well, it seems I've got a really ugly paperweight now. When I connect the Geek Pulse to my Windows PC the driver does not even recognize the device so I cannot attempt to update the firmware or reflash it at all. This is pretty poor. A high performance device that is capable of wiping its own firmware is a remarkable issue to have.


----------



## greenkiwi

I have the same issue with the flash going to 0.0. Multiple flashes didn't fix it.


----------



## wingsounds13

When you have a problem this serious you really should open a support ticket on the LH Labs website. This will get you the help you need and alert LH Labs to a problem. This one seems pretty serious, so they REALLY need to know that several people are experiencing similar issues.

J.P.


----------



## miceblue

It seems like LH's products sound good, when they work. I'm quite worried about how many bugs the Wave will have.

Pulse seems to be having issues; LPS seems to be having quite a bit of issues too; Geek Out had its issues.


----------



## Levanter

Makes me wonder if their customers had issues with their Da Vinci DAC too


----------



## greenkiwi

greg121986 said:


> Now that I investigate further it seems my issue is more severe. Before reading further, take note that the Pulse had worked and initially indicated it was on firmware version 1V1. I have NOT attempted to update the firmware or manipulate the Geek Pulse in any way.
> 
> When I turn it on I now find that it is not recognized by my Linux/MPD server. Also, and more alarmingly, when I check the firmware version on the Geek Pulse it shows Firmware Main 0.0, MCU 1.9. It seems to me that the Pulse firmware has corrupted itself.
> 
> ...


You should go file a bug in their new support system so that they can help trouble shoot and track the issue


----------



## jbr1971

greenkiwi said:


> You should go file a bug in their new support system so that they can help trouble shoot and track the issue


 
  
 It has already been picked up through the Geek Force forum and sent to Larry for review.


----------



## nudd

I don't think Geek Out had hardware issues though. They had weird firmware design choices (incomplete, noisy cross-feed implementation, bizarre decision to make volume default to 100% all the time) but not outright hardware failure.
  
 In this case, it looks like outright hardware malfunction that is causing the failure to pass on the handshake from the device ... One solution if it is possible for the LPS to implement is to not actually pass any power or data to the USB port until it has completed its own startup so the USB device doesn't try to do a handshake too early?


----------



## Madeupword

What about continuous handshake attempts until successful?


----------



## dclaz

My Pulse X infinity is not showing up on the tracking page. Should I be worried?


----------



## Anaximandros

dclaz said:


> My Pulse X infinity is not showing up on the tracking page. Should I be worried?


 
  
 No, LH still has to source all the data from the forever funding campaign. Based on the time LH needed to source the data and make a survey for the first campaign, they need roughly 1-3 months to have the new perks showing on the tracking page.


----------



## uncola

my infinity upgrade isn't showing up either, I wouldn't worry about it though


----------



## Greg121986

greenkiwi said:


> I have the same issue with the flash going to 0.0. Multiple flashes didn't fix it.


 
 To be clear, I did not attempt to update the firmware when my Pulse showed Main: 0.0. I was simply playing back music from my Linux MPD server. After several instances of the DAC suddenly stopping playback altogether, I now find that the firmware has been wiped. 
  
 I submitted a ticket to the Geek Force forum. Everything I read indicated that they had closed the ticket system so I didn't bother to submit a ticket until a moderator asked me to do so. It turns out they've turned the ticket system back on. LH Labs is taking care of me on this issue and I'm happy to report they are taking great strides in ensuring my issue is resolved. I will update here once everything is resolved.


----------



## Ungie

greg121986 said:


> To be clear, I did not attempt to update the firmware when my Pulse showed Main: 0.0. I was simply playing back music from my Linux MPD server. After several instances of the DAC suddenly stopping playback altogether, I now find that the firmware has been wiped.
> 
> I submitted a ticket to the Geek Force forum. Everything I read indicated that they had closed the ticket system so I didn't bother to submit a ticket until a moderator asked me to do so. It turns out they've turned the ticket system back on. LH Labs is taking care of me on this issue and I'm happy to report they are taking great strides in ensuring my issue is resolved. I will update here once everything is resolved.


 
  
 If LH Lab's firmware is capable of corrupting itself, will they also consider this a "warranty" issue and ask us to pay shipping both ways if it requires a trip to fix the bricked device?


----------



## Anaximandros

As I understand their warranty, you have always to cover the shipping cost both ways.
 One Person at lhlabs mistakenly flashed the GO Software on the Pulse and it's bricked now. The warranty does not cover the falsly flashed firmware and he has to cover the shipping cost including repair cost.
  
 It is basically the fault of the user, to flash a false firmware, but the fact that he could flash a firmware for another device through the DFU software makes me uneasy. Normally the software has to tell the user, that certain firmware files are not compatible with the device...


----------



## uncola

Yeah I've been checking these firmware 0,0 threads on lhlabs to see if more people mistakenly flashed the geek out firmware but can't tell..  Usually firmware checks the hardware id of the device it's flashing to see if it's compatible..  LH labs should definitely add that to the firmware updater


----------



## mscott58

Agree. Sounds like a good safety step and idiot-proofing. Cheers


----------



## chartwell85

The warranty DOES NOT cover flashing the wrong firmware and bricking your Pulse.


----------



## Anaximandros

I never made that assumption Casey.
 But it's going to be an annoyance, that you can flash with Pulse with a wrong firmware.


----------



## Phishin Phool

So LH can send you a faulty unit (and apparently they have done so many, many, many a time both in final distro and crowd funded and rely on you to help fix the problem and pay S+H) but god forbid you accidently flash the wrong firmware (which should have some sort of prevention) that they help you out.


----------



## smial1966

For goodness sake, the more that I read about Pulse and LPS glitches, the more that I wonder whether LH Labs are releasing partially formed or incomplete products. Surely the reported glitches should have been ironed out by issuing beta units to willing participants to test and report problems back. Shipping purportedly fully functional units to backers with these faults is disingenuous at best, downright shameful at worst. 

This sucks BIGTIME LH Labs! :mad:


----------



## chartwell85

anaximandros said:


> I never made that assumption Casey.
> But it's going to be an annoyance, that you can flash with Pulse with a wrong firmware.


 

 I didn't mean to intend that anyone made that assumption.  Was just simply stating what the warranty covers to head-off any further questions surrounding it.


----------



## chartwell85

phishin phool said:


> So LH can send you a faulty unit (and apparently they have done so many, many, many a time both in final distro and crowd funded and rely on you to help fix the problem and pay S+H) but god forbid you accidently flash the wrong firmware (which should have some sort of prevention) that they help you out.


 
  
  
 There's actually a less than 1% failure rate on Pulse and the numbers on LPS reside around 2% currently.
  
 Flashing the wrong firmware is in no way something that LH Labs can control.  Do you hold the auto manufacturer responsible when you put diesel into your gas tank?


----------



## chartwell85

smial1966 said:


> For goodness sake, the more that I read about Pulse and LPS glitches, the more that I wonder whether LH Labs are releasing partially formed or incomplete products. Surely the reported glitches should have been ironed out by issuing beta units to willing participants to test and report problems back. Shipping purportedly fully functional units to backers with these faults is disingenuous at best, downright shameful at worst.
> 
> This sucks BIGTIME LH Labs!


 
 You can see my latest comment below which addresses your concerns as well


----------



## zerodeefex

Testing out the Jay's LPS at work at so far, my opinion is pretty favorable!
  

  
  
 I would put it on par with the regular LPS without the 5V filtering. Need more time with a windows machine (stuck


----------



## smial1966

If that's so, why have there been so many complaints from Pulse/LPS recipients and yet so few positive reviews posted here? Moreover, we don't know how many Pulse's have been delivered, nor do we know the same for the LPS. So to claim such low failure rates (between 1%-2%) and extrapolating the number of complainants here suggests that many hundreds of Pulse's/LPS have been delivered. Is this the case?!? 




chartwell85 said:


> You can see my latest comment below which addresses your concerns as well


----------



## Phishin Phool

chartwell85 said:


> There's actually a less than 1% failure rate on Pulse and the numbers on LPS reside around 2% currently.
> 
> Flashing the wrong firmware is in no way something that LH Labs can control.  Do you hold the auto manufacturer responsible when you put diesel into your gas tank?


 
 If that failure rate is correct than by all means I can understand your point but the myriad of reports both on head-fi and LHlabs forums leads me to believe that there is a much larger widespread distro of faulty units (of one type of issue or another) - If this only affects < 3% of units like you claim then the numbers of incorrect firmware flashes would be a tiny number of that (so in the end < .5% of units shipped I would venture if your numbers are correct) so for LH to make those people whole after all the terrible customer service and the horrendous reputaion hit that lh is suffering certainly doesn't seem unreasonable to me but you are free to run the company however you see fit and deal with the reputation it earns you. Especially since the volume bug certainly has/had the potential to damage somebody's hearing or headphones. Same thing with shipping  out units not just one or two but all at the  initial release that have faulty firmware so they all need to be returned (display firmware can't be flashed ) and then charging the customer shipping 2 ways due to faulty QC on LH part seems disingenuous as well.  
 Certainly LH could control/prevent faulty firmware flashes with some sort of software check?
  
 Your analogy to me is like you labeling tanks "diesel fuel only" incorrectly on the tank but buried somewhere in the manual fine print "unleaded fuel only" then upset when people put diesel fuel in.


----------



## chartwell85

smial1966 said:


> If that's so, why have there been so many complaints from Pulse/LPS recipients and yet so few positive reviews posted here? Moreover, we don't know how many Pulse's have been delivered, nor do we know the same for the LPS. So to claim such low failure rates (between 1%-2%) and extrapolating the number of complainants here suggests that many hundreds of Pulse's/LPS have been delivered. Is this the case?!?


 

 My findings come from analysis of number of units shipped compared to RMA's received as well as tickets processed and issues resolved. 
  
 The numbers of Pulse's delivered are most definitely in the many hundreds plus......same for LPS/LPS4
  
 As far as positive reviews go, we've had many posted both here on Head-Fi, LH Labs forum, Headphone Guru etc. etc.  
  
 We also have a number of units out for review with our media partners who will be publishing their findings in the coming weeks.


----------



## smial1966

Forgive my scepticism, but thus far the number of complaints from Pulse/LPS recipients here FAR outweighs the relatively few positive reviews posted. Which posits me to suggest that LH Labs are engaged in a process of fault catchup and rectification. 




chartwell85 said:


> My findings come from analysis of number of units shipped compared to RMA's received as well as tickets processed and issues resolved.
> 
> The numbers of Pulse's delivered are most definitely in the many hundreds plus......same for LPS/LPS4
> 
> ...


----------



## chartwell85

phishin phool said:


> If that failure rate is correct than by all means I can understand your point but the myriad of reports both on head-fi and LHlabs forums leads me to believe that there is a much larger widespread distro of faulty units (of one type of issue or another) - If this only affects < 3% of units like you claim then the numbers of incorrect firmware flashes would be a tiny number of that (so in the end < .5% of units shipped I would venture if your numbers are correct) so for LH to make those people whole after all the terrible customer service and the horrendous reputaion hit that lh is suffering certainly doesn't seem unreasonable to me but you are free to run the company however you see fit and deal with the reputation it earns you. Especially since the volume bug certainly has/had the potential to damage somebody's hearing or headphones. Same thing with shipping  out units not just one or two but all at the  initial release that have faulty firmware so they all need to be returned (display firmware can't be flashed ) and then charging the customer shipping 2 ways due to faulty QC on LH part seems disingenuous as well.
> Certainly LH could control/prevent faulty firmware flashes with some sort of software check?
> 
> Your analogy to me is like you labeling tanks "diesel fuel only" incorrectly on the tank but buried somewhere in the manual fine print "unleaded fuel only" then upset when people put diesel fuel in.


 

 Terrible customer service and horrendous reputation hit? I'm not one to argue points with customer (especially in a forum)............but really??? Really?????
  
 Guys I've reached the end of my rope with this one and will conclude this post with this simple statement.
  
 If you're not happy with the services provided please proceed to move along to another product offering or service provider.  This continual process of beating a dead horse has become tiresome and uneventful.  If you don't like the product or the process, nobody is forcing you to stay involved.


----------



## zerodeefex

If you actually read the number of people complaining, it's low. The same people are complaining over and over again and the threads both here and on LH Labs are full of the same group of folks.
  
 I've also noticed that some people have various things that aren't really product failures that are getting conflated with actual issues. I see bugs or handshake issues (which I've experienced on various platforms with a lot of higher end DACs due to differences in the way different platforms handle USB transmission) muddying up the threads and the folks complaining about flashing the wrong firmware, etc seem to be aggregating those items in the "warranty failure" pile as well.
  
 Honestly, for a new product line to have such low EFF rates, it's pretty damn solid. I've run a lot of consumer product launches in my life and this seems to be a pretty good launch.


----------



## smial1966

So are you offering refunds to disgruntled customers? As I'd definitely like my Pulse/LPS contributions refunded, as the prospect of receiving glitchy products isn't very appealing, especially given the marketing pizzazz that LH Labs deluged us with. 




chartwell85 said:


> Terrible customer service and horrendous reputation hit? I'm not one to argue points with customer (especially in a forum)............but really??? Really?????
> 
> Guys I've reached the end of my rope with this one and will conclude this post with this simple statement.
> 
> If you're not happy with the services provided please proceed to move along to another product offering or service provider.  This continual process of beating a dead horse has become tiresome and uneventful.  If you don't like the product or the process, nobody is forcing you to stay involved.


----------



## FayeForever

Hi,
  
 Do LHL acknowledge that sometimes the Pulse will stop taking inputs from the knob?


----------



## Phishin Phool

chartwell85 said:


> Terrible customer service and horrendous reputation hit? I'm not one to argue points with customer (especially in a forum)............but really??? Really?????
> 
> Guys I've reached the end of my rope with this one and will conclude this post with this simple statement.
> 
> If you're not happy with the services provided please proceed to move along to another product offering or service provider.  This continual process of beating a dead horse has become tiresome and uneventful.  If you don't like the product or the process, nobody is forcing you to stay involved.


 
 I would gladly except you already have my money and I have no product and there are no refunds so we are left to deal with LH -
  
  
 Chartwell - pm sent


----------



## frankrondaniel

I'm not prepared to do any kind of review at the moment but in defense of LH, I'd like to say out side of a volume issue and an occasional issue with the Pulse becoming unresponsive to knob adjustments (as someone noted above) that the Pulse/Lps combo has worked well for me. Likewise, using the Lps Usb support with other Usb DACS has been flawless - I haven't had any issues with my DACS failing to establish a connection with my Windows 7 Pro machines.


----------



## bhazard

smial1966 said:


> If that's so, why have there been so many complaints from Pulse/LPS recipients and yet so few positive reviews posted here? Moreover, we don't know how many Pulse's have been delivered, nor do we know the same for the LPS. So to claim such low failure rates (between 1%-2%) and extrapolating the number of complainants here suggests that many hundreds of Pulse's/LPS have been delivered. Is this the case?!?


 
 You sound like someone that has neither product and are casting your opinion on those having issues as being the vocal majority. Did you ever stop to think that there are many customers (like myself) who have fully functioning GO and LPS units that are working as intended, have said so many times, and simply just don't need to continually say it over and over?
  
 As for flashing the wrong firmware, there's a pretty simple solution, check which firmware you download before you install! Crazy thought right? Many products will break if you flash the wrong firmware, for many devices. A security feature would be nice, but really, it takes 5 seconds to check what file you are about to flash. Why should LH pay for that person's mistake?
  
 The latest round of bashing seems to be coming from a lot more people that don't seem to own or have backed any of the products. I wonder what their true intentions are for being so vocal and negative?


----------



## Anaximandros

fayeforever said:


> Hi,
> 
> Do LHL acknowledge that sometimes the Pulse will stop taking inputs from the knob?


 
  
 They acknoledged that problem. http://www.lhlabs.com/force/techsupport-geekpulse/3175-windows-volume-level-bug


----------



## jbr1971

In my long and varied experience in tech support and customer service, the number of people that take the time to make complaints are much higher than those that take the time to provide praise.
  
 It is just one of those givens in any industry.
  
 Using the number of complaints found in a forum or two to say there is a widespread problem with a product is, in my opinion, foolish and just plain irresponsible. Especially when you do not even have experience using those products.
  
 Just my $0.02.


----------



## smial1966

You are very much mistaken, as I backed the GO, Pulse (infinite plus naked resistors) LPS and Wave. Therefore I should surely have the right to question publicly whether or not I'll receive a glitch free product from LH Labs or a buggy unit that requires fixing. 

Yes, my comment is negative, but only because I've invested many hundreds of dollars into LH Labs products and I expect to receive fully functional units and not glitchy products. Or is this simple wish too much to ask?!?




bhazard said:


> You sound like someone that has neither product and are casting your opinion on those having issues as being the vocal majority. Did you ever stop to think that there are many customers (like myself) who have fully functioning GO and LPS units that are working as intended, have said so many times, and simply just don't need to continually say it over and over?
> 
> As for flashing the wrong firmware, there's a pretty simple solution, check which firmware you download before you install! Crazy thought right? Many products will break if you flash the wrong firmware, for many devices. A security feature would be nice, but really, it takes 5 seconds to check what file you are about to flash. Why should LH pay for that person's mistake?
> 
> The latest round of bashing seems to be coming from a lot more people that don't seem to own or have backed any of the products. I wonder what their true intentions are for being so vocal and negative?


----------



## miceblue

smial1966 said:


> Yes, my comment is negative, but only because I've invested many hundreds of dollars into LH Labs products and I expect to receive fully functional units and not glitchy products. Or is this simple wish too much to ask?!?



Technically that might not be the case actually.
https://www.indiegogo.com/about/terms


> Contributors
> 
> Contributors are solely responsible for asking questions and investigating Campaign Owners and Campaigns to the extent they feel is necessary before making a Contribution. All Contributions are made voluntarily and at the sole discretion and risk of the Contributor. Indiegogo does not guarantee that Contributions will be used as promised, that Campaign Owners will deliver Perks, or that the Campaign will achieve its goals. Indiegogo does not endorse, guarantee, make representations, or provide warranties for or about the quality, safety, morality or legality of any Campaign, Perk or Contribution, or the truth or accuracy of User Content posted on the Services. Contributors are solely responsible for determining how to treat their Contributions and receipt of any Perks for tax purposes. If a Contribution is returned to a Contributor, the associated Perks, if any, shall be canceled.


----------



## Phishin Phool

miceblue said:


> Technically that might not be the case actually.
> https://www.indiegogo.com/about/terms


 
 Just because Indiegogo can't and doesn't guarantee you anything (simply isn't within ther power to do so) doesn't mean you don't have the right to set that expectation on the campaign sponsor. Everybody who paid for a product IMHO has the right to expect that product. Especially those of us who signed up in the forever funding campaign after units were already shipping (this combined with the RETURN/REFUND policy LH has displayed on their website which was declared null and void after LH got people's money- that is one of my biggest grievances).  I realize that the complainers may be a small minority and I had such high hopes but after being invoiced wrong on more than one occasion and chided by cust service for trying to remedy the problem and given improper solutions and wrong information to remedy the situation it has left my faith in LH shaken to the point that no matter how great a product I get eventually (hopefully) I will be unable to support LH in the future and most likely will look to immediately sell my unit.
 How I wish I were wrong, I want to love the pulse and LH but I have been thwarted at every turn.


----------



## krikor

chartwell85 said:


> Flashing the wrong firmware is in no way something that LH Labs can control.  Do you hold the auto manufacturer responsible when you put diesel into your gas tank?


 
  


phishin phool said:


> Your analogy to me is like you labeling tanks "diesel fuel only" incorrectly on the tank but buried somewhere in the manual fine print "unleaded fuel only" then upset when people put diesel fuel in.


 
  
 Bad analogy all around - in the U.S. the diesel filler nozzles are larger in diameter than gasoline. It is not possible accidentally put diesel fuel into a gasoline vehicle when filling up at a station, unless the manufacturer installed a diesel-sized fuel filler tube on a gasoline car.


----------



## chartwell85

krikor said:


> Bad analogy all around - in the U.S. the diesel filler nozzles are larger in diameter than gasoline. It is not possible accidentally put diesel fuel into a gasoline vehicle when filling up at a station, unless the manufacturer installed a diesel-sized fuel filler tube on a gasoline car.


 

 Ok....so putting gas in your diesel tank.....You get my point.


----------



## Ebonyzer

Clearly, there is some minority of customers that are experiencing problems. And from what I've read, LHLabs appears to be addressing those concerns. My fingers are crossed that the unit I receive is in full working order and won't need a return. 
  
 I am not suggesting that customers' concerns aren't important or that problems shouldn't be addressed; however, within 90 minutes, you've gone from "much larger widespread distro of faulty units" to "I realize that the complainers may be a small minority". Perhaps a bar or a bus-station might be a more appropriate venue for your angry and constantly-changing rantings than a semi-permanent record in a forum?


----------



## zerodeefex

krikor said:


> Bad analogy all around - in the U.S. the diesel filler nozzles are larger in diameter than gasoline. It is not possible accidentally put diesel fuel into a gasoline vehicle when filling up at a station, unless the manufacturer installed a diesel-sized fuel filler tube on a gasoline car.


 
  
 He got it backwards. I've definitely heard of people whose significant others or family were borrowing their DIESEL car and put unleaded in. That doesn't make it a bad analogy.


----------



## pedalhead

Well, I've filled my diesel up with super unleaded before (it was the expensive high octane stuff too).  In fairness, I was just back from Australia having driven a petrol car for a few weeks and I was highly jet lagged.  Morale of the story...don't flash your firmware when you're jet lagged.  Or something.  
  
 (I still don't buy that there can't be a sanity check in the firmware installer to check what hardware you're applying the firmware to).


----------



## pedalhead

Referring to this post... http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-bug-reports/3304-resolved-unable-to-reply-posts-on-my-own-forum-thread
  
 Wow, is it really the case that new users on the LH forum now have to have their first *30* posts manually approved before being able to post freely??  I can think of so many reasons this is a bad idea, but won't list them yet in case I have the wrong end of the stick.


----------



## head-hi

zerodeefex said:


> He got it backwards. I've definitely heard of people whose significant others or family were borrowing their DIESEL car and put unleaded in. That doesn't make it a bad analogy.




Especially when it's the significant others' family doing it. A real ball deflator.


----------



## chartwell85

pedalhead said:


> Referring to this post... http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-bug-reports/3304-resolved-unable-to-reply-posts-on-my-own-forum-thread
> 
> Wow, is it really the case that new users on the LH forum now have to have their first *30* posts manually approved before being able to post freely??  I can think of so many reasons this is a bad idea, but won't list them yet in case I have the wrong end of the stick.


 

 This is mainly to stem the unnecessary flood of new topics being created by users who don't know how to navigate the system.  I personally moderate every single post and thread creation.  Believe me, it's not something I "enjoy" doing but if it cleans up the forum just that much more I'm all for the extra time spent doing it.


----------



## DSlayerZX

jbr1971 said:


> In my long and varied experience in tech support and customer service, the number of people that take the time to make complaints are much higher than those that take the time to provide praise.
> 
> It is just one of those givens in any industry.
> 
> ...


 
 30 is a bit extreme.
  
  
 But i know some forum does require at least 3, 5, or 10 and above to make sure you can post.
  
 Especially when the moderator start to notice spamming, trolling, etc. becoming rampage on the forum. 
  
  
 Complains are almost always done by the vocal minority, and in this case, vocal minorities who are not familiar with how crow funding project works.
  
  
 As for failure rate vs review rate.
  
 let's look at it from the Geek Out campaign.
  
 Was there glitches and bug being posted and discussed? Yes.
  
 Was it many different ones? No.. no really... often the same bug or the same person posted on different forums.
  
 Now let's look at the amount of Geek out shipped vs. reviews.
  
 Was a good sized amount of them shipped? Yes.. Perhaps in Thousands, but how many actual review write up do we have?
  
 oh yeah....on this site/forum. 2, and a few there and here on major audio sites.
  
 I'm sorry, but assuming the product is having high failure rate by comparing reported failures vs review is not in anyway, shape, or form an accurate estimate of products's actual failure rate and quality control.


----------



## chartwell85

dslayerzx said:


> 30 is a bit extreme.
> 
> 
> But i know some forum does require at least 3, 5, or 10 and above to make sure you can post.
> ...


 

 If you're looking for an approximate number of reviews its around 30+ mainstream and tech media reviews for Geek Out with more flowing in.


----------



## Muinarc

Maybe those that fear bugs can request to be placed at the back of the line, then when theirs ships it might be a rev. B Pulse or something 

...this way I can possibly get my Pulse sooner!


----------



## DSlayerZX

chartwell85 said:


> If you're looking for an approximate number of reviews its around 30+ mainstream and tech media reviews for Geek Out with more flowing in.


 
  
 welp. you got me there, I guess the one in charge of customer relationship will always know how many reviews there are.
  
  
 But my point still stands the number of reviews still doesn't come close to how many being shipped ..... trying to judge a products reliability based on number of review vs negative complains..... really doesn't work.


----------



## Phishin Phool

when I get my pulse if it is everything it's cracked up to be I will gladly issue an apology and a mea culpa. this is not my first experience dealing with a crowdfunding or a small audio company. In the past I've had small and not so small issues arise with both garage 1217 and Schiit. both of those instances they responded in a timely manner and treated me in a way that made me feel valued as a customer. LH labs however has not extended me that courtesy and I have had to open multiple tickets with multiple errors in billing and invoicing as well as erroneouus instructions from LH and as a result I turn to posting on this forum to relay my disappointment and experiences. Perhaps by extrapolation has made things seem a little more rampant the reality but logic tells me that if there were problems with initial firmware they went out on all those units shipped and I consider those faulty units. I am glad that LH is trying to make everything right with everybody however IMHO they need to be a more responsive with better communication and perhaps a little more stringency exercised on the QC and units not shipped until they are. a little more bug free. still dealing with customer service to get my invoicing issues resolved seems to educate me on a daily basis perhaps when all that is settled it will be a little easier to focus on what matters most and that is the music


----------



## Phishin Phool

I have made the suggestion to LH labs that they change their return refund policy on the website to clearly state that IndieGoGo and IndieGoGo forever funding campaigns are excluded from the return policy. I had waited until units were being shipped and was in the forever funding stage believing and understanding that although it wasn't getting the lowest initial price offered it was still a bit of a bargain and that if there was an issue that return option would be available to me. knowledge to the contrary certainly would have affected or influenced my decision. I don't know about a lot of you but this is a considerable large purchase for me and my concern seems very real and tangible at this point.


----------



## chartwell85

dslayerzx said:


> welp. you got me there, I guess the one in charge of customer relationship will always know how many reviews there are.
> 
> 
> But my point still stands the number of reviews still doesn't come close to how many being shipped ..... trying to judge a products reliability based on number of review vs negative complains..... really doesn't work.


 
  
 I agree with you.


----------



## Maelob

phishin phool said:


> I have made the suggestion to LH labs that they change their return refund policy on the website to clearly state that IndieGoGo and IndieGoGo forever funding campaigns are excluded from the return policy. I had waited until units were being shipped and was in the forever funding stage believing and understanding that although it wasn't getting the lowest initial price offered it was still a bit of a bargain and that if there was an issue that return option would be available to me. knowledge to the contrary certainly would have affected or influenced my decision. I don't know about a lot of you but this is a considerable large purchase for me and my concern seems very real and tangible at this point.


 

 I totally agree with this, from no refunds no returns etc etc, all that stuff needs to be clear.  Especially when most of their products are INDIEGOGO, so please don't tell me I have 7 days and that satisfaction is guaranteed.  This is the end of crowdfunding from me.  Still, it was one of the best marketing campaigns ever, thanks to DAVINCI, LOL, I fell for LEAONARDO!!!!!. Larry you da man!!!!


----------



## mscott58

maelob said:


> I totally agree with this, from no refunds no returns etc etc, all that stuff needs to be clear.  Especially when most of their products are INDIEGOGO, so please don't tell me I have 7 days and that satisfaction is guaranteed.  This is the end of crowdfunding from me.  Still, it was one of the best marketing campaigns ever, thanks to DAVINCI, LOL, I fell for LEAONARDO!!!!!. Larry you da man!!!!


 
 Last one until the next one?


----------



## pedalhead

I have a feeling the Indiegogo forever funding policy of no refunds would not be permitted in the UK. Strikes me as simply a way for a manufacturer to sidestep their responsibilities to their customers. It also appears to directly conflict with the legislation on consumer statutory rights over here.


----------



## Dithyrambes

I just wish I could see more personal reviews of the few hundreds of people that received the pulse in this thread instead of so much salt(which is understandable). I've also checked LH forums and there are more threads on refunds and lots of issues. I was considering backing the wave campaign but ended up only backing a geek iem, which may come sometime in the next year(just decided to forget about it). I think LH Labs has a lot of recovering to do for their reputation. It seems Casey is fed up here, but tbh even if there are 9 great reviews, even one or two terrible statements on quality can make people skeptical if the product is truly the "best". I don't take sides, but reading LH lab forums and all the forums at head-fi, there are far too many negative posts that should not have even surfaced. More than the product, I think it is very important to establish good customer relations going into the future, if LH Labs indeed wants to sell their products at MSRP. Sure Geek Out is a success, but both the Pulse and Wave are significantly more expensive and more complex, carrying more significant responsibility. I really hope both LH labs and everyone who backed their campaigns end up happy.


----------



## greenkiwi

muinarc said:


> Maybe those that fear bugs can request to be placed at the back of the line, then when theirs ships it might be a rev. B Pulse or something
> 
> ...this way I can possibly get my Pulse sooner!



I am definitely contemplating doing exactly this. Particularly given that they cannot update the display firmware on the field.


----------



## eac3

Well, my LPS just shipped. Won't get my Pulse until March-April though...which is okay. Let LH labs refine the firmware a little bit more.
  
 But I wish I had the option to get everything shipped together. Now, my LPS 1-year warranty will start ticking and I won't be able to fully use it for another 2+ months.
  
 I suppose I can use it with my Audio-gd NFB-28 if Windows will be able to detect it.


----------



## kostaszag

eac3 said:


> Well, my LPS just shipped. Won't get my Pulse until March-April though...which is okay. Let LH labs refine the firmware a little bit more.
> 
> But I wish I had the option to get everything shipped together. Now, my LPS 1-year warranty will start ticking and I won't be able to fully use it for another 2+ months.
> 
> I suppose I can use it with my Audio-gd NFB-28 if Windows will be able to detect it.


 

 I am not a technician, but judging from the pics of NFB-28 I don't think you can use an LPS with it.


----------



## nicolo

eac3 said:


> Well, my LPS just shipped. Won't get my Pulse until March-April though...which is okay. Let LH labs refine the firmware a little bit more.
> 
> But I wish I had the option to get everything shipped together. Now, my LPS 1-year warranty will start ticking and I won't be able to fully use it for another 2+ months.
> 
> I suppose I can use it with my Audio-gd NFB-28 if Windows will be able to detect it.


 
  
  
 You will be able to use only the LPS's USB output. The LPS will only provide DC power via a molex connector, while the Audio GD needs an AC mains power cable.


----------



## uncola

You just need an iec to 5.1/2.1mm barrel adapter


----------



## nudd

Casey this is disingenious at best. There are people who are trying to move on but you just changed your policy to tell people they cant get a clean exit.

So if you really don't want to deal with this then give people their refunds if they want it. 

Especially if it is because of reasons like:

1 Your campaign perk description was not well worded and people got confused and bought the wrong thing (eg the monoblock amp thinking it was dual mono)

2 People who read and relied on Larry's post in 2013 and backed the indiegogo campaign Thinking warranties were transferrable. I would think this would be a great case for a class action by backers from the date of Larry's post to the date of Gavin's update against LH Labs as the warranties were confirmed by Larry himself - the founder and one of the owners of LH Labs. It is too expensive for any one of us to do it but if you piss off enough of us we might all come into your jurisfiction and do it. Or a local consumer affairs agency could do it if such things exist in the US.

3 Your own terrible customer service policy which auto closed tickets forcing people to constantly reopen tickets even if the problem was not resolved.

4 Hiring insane people like Carlos to run your board and CS who constantly posted bizarre responses like "awesome" to people who were posting questions or requests for support (thank god he is no longer involved)

5 Giving prominent people like Currawong the right to refund their contributions but not other people who have since requested (why is that, by the way)

If your company is going to pull stuff like that then you HAVE to deal with the fallout because people CAN'T get out. You are FORCING unhappy people to stay involved. So you or your bosses have made your own bed you have to sleep in it.

If you don't want unhappy people to stay involved then refund them their money. Otherwise shut the hell up with your whining and deal like a mature individual with your customers which you have forced to stay on board. If they are being forced to stay involved then so should you.





chartwell85 said:


> Terrible customer service and horrendous reputation hit? I'm not one to argue points with customer (especially in a forum)............but really??? Really?????
> 
> Guys I've reached the end of my rope with this one and will conclude this post with this simple statement.
> 
> If you're not happy with the services provided please proceed to move along to another product offering or service provider.  This continual process of beating a dead horse has become tiresome and uneventful.  If you don't like the product or the process, nobody is forcing you to stay involved.


----------



## mandrake50

chartwell85 said:


> There's actually a less than 1% failure rate on Pulse and the numbers on LPS reside around 2% currently.
> 
> Flashing the wrong firmware is in no way something that LH Labs can control.  Do you hold the auto manufacturer responsible when you put diesel into your gas tank?


 

 Firmware flash should be written to prevent this Casey!. It should be written to ID the chips and refuse to work if it is seeing the wrong hardware.
 Of course, someone with the motivation and knowledge can modify it to brick their hardware if so motivated, but that is a different situation than dealing with an accident.


----------



## doctorjazz

The help/ticket replies have been taken over by Jody. My first interactions have been positive, seems to want to help. The problem LH is now faced with can be summed up by my mother's old advice-you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Once a good number of customers/supporters have a negative experience, it becomes harder to counteract that impression (even Currawong posted his first impressions on the shipping problems stating that, given LH labs history, he didn't believe their excuses on the lateness/shipping problems. He later reversed when presented with more information, but that is exactly what a negative first impression is. People WANT to like something they've spent money on, the more they spend, the more they want to like it. If they have a problem, and you deal with it quickly, in a friendly/helpful manner, they will still be happy with you, maybe even pick up a few points IF they are ultimately happy with the fix. But, at a certain point, you've used up your "capital" (as politicians like to put it), and you get cut very little slack at that point, even if you do respond at that point and try to make things right. Statistics like "failure percentage in the field" become meaningless at this point...look at the last election. The economy was coming out of the worst recession in generations, but the Democratic strategy was to hide from the President and let the Republicans set the discussion, and leave the Democrats to respond on the defensive. The facts became irrelevant (I think even most Republicans would agree that the Democratic strategy was a big part of being able to convince the middle that we were on the "wrong track"). I think LH labs is at this point, at least here, from what I've been reading. I hope Jody can fix the situation. I'd say from my early interactions she (?) is making an effort, and I appreciated not just the quick responses, but the TONE of the responses, which was lacking before. As I said, it's harder to change a bad first impression than to get it out of the gate, but I think they are making an attempt (still waiting for things to fully settle, though).
My thoughts as one who has been blasted here for complaining about LH here previously.


----------



## Zenifyx

chartwell85 said:


> Terrible customer service and horrendous reputation hit? I'm not one to argue points with customer (especially in a forum)............but really??? Really?????
> 
> Guys I've reached the end of my rope with this one and will conclude this post with this simple statement.
> 
> If you're not happy with the services provided please proceed to move along to another product offering or service provider.  This continual process of beating a dead horse has become tiresome and uneventful.  If you don't like the product or the process, nobody is forcing you to stay involved.


 
  
 I have to say, I'm really not a fan of such responses - equally as tiresome as the post you replied to.
 Also, it does not really help LHlabs' reputation in the context of customer service too.
 Just because a customer adopts a negative attitude does not mean that the response has to be negative - two wrongs don't make a right.
  
 Also, telling customers to 'proceed to move along to another product offering or service provider' on a fully paid for yet unreceived product with no refunds allowed is unreasonable, and is extremely uncharacteristic of positive customer service.
 Feel free to disagree, but I would consider that one of the worst replies customer service can give, in any context.
  
 In replying to what you considered to be an unreasonable customer, you just showed all your current and potential customers a perfect example of an unreasonable customer service reply.
 Please, contain your frustration the next time.


----------



## miceblue

Indeed. I opened a support ticket regarding the Geek LPS and USB Audio Class 1 DACs at around 7 PM yesterday and received a reply from Jody less than 20 minutes later. 

That being said, I still haven't gotten any help for starting an RMA for the buzzing noise that I encounter while using both the LPS's USB and 12 V outputs at the same time. That ticket was handled by Tami though.


----------



## Maelob

How about this quote; Rule 1: The customer is always right. Rule 2: If the customer is ever wrong, re-read Rule 1.” – Stew Leonard


----------



## Case

Quote:


> Wow, is it really the case that new users on the LH forum now have to have their first *30* posts manually approved before being able to post freely??


 
 I'm a lurker by nature and only post when I have something to say but I'm going to take that as a motivation to reach 30 posts on GF forums. Decades of Internet experience tells me I will be far from the only one to do so... so they better add an off-topic section to the forums quick.


----------



## eac3

kostaszag said:


> I am not a technician, but judging from the pics of NFB-28 I don't think you can use an LPS with it.


 


nicolo said:


> You will be able to use only the LPS's USB output. The LPS will only provide DC power via a molex connector, while the Audio GD needs an AC mains power cable.


 
  
 Yeah, that's what I figured.  
  
  


mandrake50 said:


> Firmware flash should be written to prevent this Casey!. It should be written to ID the chips and refuse to work if it is seeing the wrong hardware.
> Of course, someone with the motivation and knowledge can modify it to brick their hardware if so motivated, but that is a different situation than dealing with an accident.


 
  
 Yeah, exactly. When writing a program like this, this should be one of the first "error checking" that should come to mind. It's just good programming practice and lessens the chance of customers doing this. I don't see how LH labs would know if the customer did it by mistake or not, and prove that it was the customer's fault. So it would be in their best interest to add this safety check.


----------



## hemtmaker

Sounds to me LHLAB could use a programmer in their team


----------



## vhsownsbeta

zenifyx said:


> I have to say, I'm really not a fan of such responses - equally as tiresome as the post you replied to.


 
 +1.
  
 We are being forced to stay involved. A lot of people have put a lot of money down. There have been delays and misinformation along the way. The vast majority of us are quietly trying to remain patient and optimistic.
  
 The 'schiit' approach to difficult customers is valid, but only when you give them a way out...


----------



## germay0653

maelob said:


> How about this quote; Rule 1: The customer is always right. Rule 2: If the customer is ever wrong, re-read Rule 1.” – Stew Leonard


 

 Are you from CT?


----------



## Maelob

LOL just my wife, I  found the quote from a site about customer service.


----------



## FayeForever

I don't want to start a new thread in LHL forum so I might just post here.
  
 Tried 3 different USB cables, and I am a bit surprised that the difference is so noticeable.
  
 I didn't expect this because: 1. They are relatively cheap. 2. People reported that they could not hear a difference between USB cable that came with the printer and the supposedly good SQ USB cable.
  
 Those three are generic USB cable came with the Audinst MX-1 DAC, Lightspeed 1G and the Cabledyne Silver Reference.
  
 The generic one sounds muddy, lack of resolution, plain.
 The Lightspeed 1G is better in every way.
 The Cabledyne is even better, especially the imaging is much more 3D.
  
 I also tried Shiit Wyrd. Lightspeed 1G>Wyrd>Cabledyne. 
 No, it didn't improve the sound quality, Schiit is honest.
 It made the SQ worse.
 The sound is "cleaner" but I think it stripped too much and the sound is too lean, compared to Cabledyne alone.
 Switching the position between 1G and the Cabledyne might sound slight different but I didnt bother to find out.
  
 I am using plain Geek Pulse with HD800, FRM filter.
 This impression is highly system dependent so YMMY.


----------



## FayeForever

Sorry for the crappy phone pic.
 It is for catching attention, people never bother to read a post with more than 50 words without a pic.


----------



## greenkiwi

hemtmaker said:


> Sounds to me LHLAB could use a programmer in their team


 
 Programmers are really expensive in the greater bay area...


----------



## gyx11

Although I would very much like a refund for all my contributions, the objective part of me knows that it's not possible and would be unfair to LHL in some sense.

I'm not happy with Casey's last few posts here as well, but I do not hold any greviences towards him as he's the unfortunate rep from the company who has to bear the brunt of complaints on forums and social media.

In one of my tickets in the old support system, I mentioned to Manny that I really appreciate his efforts, and that I understand that he's been dealt a bad hand by working in CS for a company dedicated to crowdfunding. Can you imagine the sheer volume of tickets that he's bombarded with every day? I wouldn't even be surprised if he's unable to keep track of all the product variants of his company since there's just too many.

Same goes for Casey I guess. I believe the fact that he lost his cool indirectly shows that he's putting in a maximum shift and doing as much as he can.

We've seen some positive steps lately with the revamp of the horrid ticketing system and that's cause for hope. Let's be patient and hope the improvement continues.


----------



## Anaximandros

No wonder they were and are still bombared by tickets.
 Just look at the perks they were throwing out, some were confusing, than the possibilty to shift perks, upgrades, switching them and upgraing later.
  
 Perks everywhere! Perkageddon!


----------



## gyx11

+1

If they handle the Wave campaign like the Pulse, I cannot fathom how their logistical and customer support system will be able to withstand collapse.


----------



## nicolo

The Perktrix:
  
 Perktrix Part 1: The GO campaign
 Perktrix Part 2: The Pulse campaign
 Perktrix Part 3: The Wave campaign
  
 Everything that has a beginning has another beginning


----------



## doctorjazz

How about"Perkatory"?


----------



## jaywillin

doctorjazz said:


> How about"Perkatory"?


 
 now that's a good one !


----------



## germay0653

maelob said:


> LOL just my wife, I  found the quote from a site about customer service.


 

 I grew up in CT and shopped both the Norwalk and Danbury stores for many years.  Great place and they did have excellent customer service.


----------



## Currawong

Perking too much leads to blindness guys. 
  
 Quote:


nudd said:


> 5 Giving prominent people like Currawong the right to refund their contributions but not other people who have since requested (why is that, by the way)


 
  
 No, I don't believe I was given a refund because of who I am. At the time, when they were sending out the first surveys I believe a number of people were being given refunds who requested them. Sometime afterwards they stopped, so this accusation against them is unreasonable.


----------



## nudd

Thanks for clarifying. So can LH Labs confirm that they were giving refunds and then they were not. Without any explanation or announcements with respect to the change in policy. 

Consider point 5 altered accordingly. 

The point of my post still stands. Which is that they are forcing funders to be involved and not givimg the funders the opportunity to exit so they need to deal witg the complaints without chucking a hissy fit or telling funders to stop being involved. 




currawong said:


> No, I don't believe I was given a refund because of who I am. At the time, when they were sending out the first surveys I believe a number of people were being given refunds who requested them. Sometime afterwards they stopped, so this accusation against them is unreasonable.


----------



## Currawong

@nudd: I think you need to read this: 
  
 https://www.indiegogo.com/about/terms
  
 Key words here: "mutually satisfactory resolution".
  
 Think about what happened with me, and what is happening now with those words in mind.


----------



## nudd

@Currawong the point is that Casey is trying to on the one hand tell contributors to stop being involved and seek other alternative audio solutions but on the other hand not allowing contributors to exit. 

All I am doing is pointing out an internal inconsisyency in Casey's statements that makes absolutely no sense. 

in fact I personally don't have a huge issue at present with LH and I am interested to see what my infinity will end up looking and sounding like (in fact it might be even more valuable in the future as a limited edition artifact no matter how useless). But if I was one of the people who eg funded the campaign relying on Larry's promise that the warranties were fully transferable in 2013 you can bet I would be seeking an immediate refund or require LH to adhere to they tranferability of warranty promise.

Just because you reached a satisfactory outcome doesn't mean anyone else has. I don't understand why you have an issue with my revised point 5. Which is that at one stage they allowed people to exit and perhaps this induced others to back the campaign, and then there was suddenly a silent change in policy which has burnt people - Even people who honestly and reasonably made mistakes as to the content of the perks they were funding. 

Also can i point out that the terms say that campaign owners have to comply with all applicable laws. If the campaign owners engaged in misleading conduct or violated fair trading laws in their jurisdiction as a result of their statements or course of conduct then this is not covered by the terms. 

I am sorry I mentioned your name in vain Currawong, but I simply mentioned you as the one person I know who has gotten a refund.



currawong said:


> @nudd: I think you need to read this:
> 
> https://www.indiegogo.com/about/terms
> 
> ...


----------



## Anaximandros

I also got a refund after the 2nd IGG campaign ended. At that time I did not see the benefit of the LPS4 over the LPS anymore and downgraded. I think LH does not offer refunds anymore, because you backed certain perks without anyone forcing you to do so.
  
 Having 2nd thoughts afterwards is not a reason for a refund. Backing out and requesting refunds for everything you backed is another story.
  
 The firmware bugs are annoying, build quality is not that  good, based on the MSRP and the super long wait and constant delays are worrisome.


----------



## Levanter

anaximandros said:


> I also got a refund after the 2nd IGG campaign ended. At that time I did not see the benefit of the LPS4 over the LPS anymore and downgraded. I think LH does not offer refunds anymore, because you backed certain perks without anyone forcing you to do so.
> 
> Having 2nd thoughts afterwards is not a reason for a refund. Backing out and requesting refunds for everything you backed is another story.
> 
> The firmware bugs are annoying, build quality is not that  good, based on the MSRP and the super long wait and constant delays are worrisome.




Does that mean if we want to opt out for all I can request a refund for all I've pledged?


----------



## Anaximandros

I don't think that's possible. In my case it was a downgrade from the LPS4 back to the LPS.
 The refund was requested last year in March.


----------



## Maelob

No refund for me for buying the wrong Amp thinking I was buying a Stereo one. I explained my situation, within minutes, opened a trouble ticket that was referred to Casey, and no refund for me. So I ended up contributing to a second mono amp so I can sell the pair. 

I still don't understand why such a big issue about refunding. Why they are so scared? You will always going to have a small percentage of customers return stuff for some reason or another.


----------



## zerodeefex

maelob said:


> No refund for me for buying the wrong Amp thinking I was buying a Stereo one. I explained my situation, within minutes, opened a trouble ticket that was referred to Casey, and no refund for me. So I ended up contributing to a second mono amp so I can sell the pair.
> 
> I still don't understand why such a big issue about refunding. Why they are so scared? You will always going to have a small percentage of customers return stuff for some reason or another.




Because they're using your investment to finalize r&d, preproduction, tooling, etc. That's the purpose of crowd funding. You getting a refund diminishes their already forecasted ability to deliver against the perks they're offering.


----------



## Anaximandros

Yes, it's the principle and purpose of crowdfunding, but paying upfront via PP is IGG only. With Kickstarter you only pay after the campaign Ends and you can still shift your money to other perks.
 Making a false decision based on unclear perk descriptions can be avoided.


----------



## Maelob

By the way IGG can offer refund if the campaign is still "active", but in the "forever campaign" it was already funded and money went directly to LH labs. I think IGG mechanism allowed them to offer all of those extra perks and change the campaign goals on the fly. While this allows people to get a "better product", it also has less flexibility for the investor.


----------



## Phishin Phool

As my post was one of the ones that started this latest firestorm with LH labs I am going to try and be more productive with this post.
  
 Am I to understand that the CS rep has changed yet again and that "Jody" is now handling issues? If that is the case are Tami and/or Stephanie still handling tickets? The reason for my ire is continually being invoiced for incorrect amounts, opening a ticket , waiting around a week then being told _'oops, sorry our mistake with all going on it is confusing but all is fixed_' (paraphrase) only to rinse and repeat. My latest ticket has been closed but contained the following
  


> "I will be updating all pay plan information this week and will provide you with verification that it is paid in full and that you will no longer receive pay plan invoices.  This will be sent to you this week.
> Please provide me with your new shipping address and I will update our records.
> 
> Thanks,
> ...


 
- I never received mentioned confirmation and the incorrect invoice from the 22nd is still sitting in my paypal account. These are some of the reasons I have grown weary and am quick to latch on to the myriad of other issues on this board and lash out. 
  
Is submitting yet another ticket seem productive or are there any other suggestions to be had?


----------



## jbr1971

phishin phool said:


> As my post was one of the ones that started this latest firestorm with LH labs I am going to try and be more productive with this post.
> 
> Am I to understand that the CS rep has changed yet again and that "Jody" is now handling issues? If that is the case are Tami and/or Stephanie still handling tickets? The reason for my ire is continually being invoiced for incorrect amounts, opening a ticket , waiting around a week then being told _'oops, sorry our mistake with all going on it is confusing but all is fixed_' (paraphrase) only to rinse and repeat. My latest ticket has been closed but contained the following
> 
> ...


 
  
 The support team has grown and there are multiple people handling tickets.
  
 If you have a ticket currently open, then reply to it with your concerns. If not, then open a new one explaining that the issue was not resolved, along with all of the details of your previous tickets.
  
 The more information you can provide, the easier it should be for the issue to be resolved. Just a general rule of thumb when contacting any support organization.


----------



## doctorjazz

I've heard from both Tami and Jody, and they seem to be trying to fix the old Help/ticket issues. I do believe there is a backlog, though, and it will take them a bit to straighten things out. I'd agree with the last post, if you have an open ticket, use it, if not open a new one. I'm trying to give the new team the benefit of the doubt, hopefully then can get things under control.


----------



## mandrake50

Just as a data point, though I am not sure that it does anything for anyone other than me.
 I got my set of HE 560s from the original bundle deal last Thursday. It is something! Progress? It is for me.
 I was asked if I also got my Pulse. Nope. I ended up going for an infinity in the end...maybe in a few months if I am lucky.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

Anyone else wondering what is really happening with shipments? The X or XFI variants were slated to go out 'January W3' and January has come and gone with naught but some excuses about boxes not coming through the port and the need to find an alternative, which they did. 
Maybe January 2016?


----------



## PacoTaco

ultimate mango said:


> Anyone else wondering what is really happening with shipments? The X or XFI variants were slated to go out 'January W3' and January has come and gone with naught but some excuses about boxes not coming through the port and the need to find an alternative, which they did.
> Maybe January 2016?


 
 The boxes were a legit reason, unfortunately. They would have had a bigger issue on their hands if they went with some other box without considering the options (like, even more than they already have) and you would have been back here even more pissed.
  
 It's getting frustrating, but they are moving at a quicker pace. The Geek Pulse's shipped have went up 12%.
  
 At the same time, the PayPal invoice for the already paid off Pulse is still sitting on my paypal account.


----------



## jbr1971

pacotaco said:


> The boxes were a legit reason, unfortunately. They would have had a bigger issue on their hands if they went with some other box without considering the options (like, even more than they already have) and you would have been back here even more pissed.
> 
> It's getting frustrating, but they are moving at a quicker pace. The Geek Pulse's shipped have went up 12%.
> 
> At the same time, the PayPal invoice for the already paid off Pulse is still sitting on my paypal account.


 
  
 Have you opened a support case to get the account confirmed and the invoice removed?
  
 If so, and it is currently open, send an email asking for update.


----------



## PacoTaco

jbr1971 said:


> Have you opened a support case to get the account confirmed and the invoice removed?
> 
> If so, and it is currently open, send an email asking for update.


 
 I paid it way earlier last month and was suppose to get a confirmation. When they sent that thing out about the announcement about the payment invoices, and to email them back if they did...well I did. She responded that it would be taken care of and I would get a confirmation shortly....Annnddd nothing. So I opened a new ticket an hour or two ago. I hope its more successful.


----------



## alvin1118

Not sure if it's appropriate to post here, I'm selling my Geek Pulse Standard. Interested please PM me.


----------



## Phishin Phool

pacotaco said:


> I paid it way earlier last month and was suppose to get a confirmation. When they sent that thing out about the announcement about the payment invoices, and to email them back if they did...well I did. She responded that it would be taken care of and I would get a confirmation shortly....Annnddd nothing. So I opened a new ticket an hour or two ago. I hope its more successful.


 
 Exactly what has happened to me and I went round a couple of times but supposedly they are improving and have some fresh blood in cust service so I will also try again(fingers crossed). Man I hope when this arrives all the hassle will have been worth it. Supposedly there should be a bunch of reviews coming shortly which may help stem some angst.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

I think that my point was more that if they knew shipping was delayed and they were sending emails and making posts about what was going on, they would have ALSO updated the two or three official places on their web sites that have shipping expectations and fulfillment timeframes. Last I checked the Pulse XFI was listed January W3 which simply is no longer true, and now it is anyone's guess when things will move or update.


----------



## Anaximandros

LH never excelled at updating backers about various status regarding shipment, delays, progress etc...
 They update once in a while, when there is too much ranting going on.
  
 At some point, during the weekly updates, they did a good job.


----------



## FayeForever

I am not surprised anymore that they failed to update the current status or explanation.
But if my pulse infinity isn't shipped by mid-May and there is no update whatsoever just like now. I will be pissed.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

fayeforever said:


> I am not surprised anymore that they failed to update the current status or explanation. But if my pulse infinity isn't shipped by mid-May and there is no update whatsoever just like now. I will be pissed.




Have pity on those of us in Australia. Every month Xfi is delayed our import tax just goes up and up...

http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=USD&to=AUD&view=1Y


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm not sure where to post this, already did post in the Geek Out thread, but figured I'd try here as I believe I read about the Jays Audio LPS here. I just got it today, feels nice, but I hadn't intended to use it for the Pulse, instead, planned on using it for the Geek Out Special Edition. But, it doesn't have ups connector, just the round connector one would use on the power supply of, say, a laptop. Anyone using this combination? Is there a cable I need to do this? thanks for your help.


----------



## walfredo

doctorjazz said:


> I'm not sure where to post this, already did post in the Geek Out thread, but figured I'd try here as I believe I read about the Jays Audio LPS here. I just got it today, feels nice, but I hadn't intended to use it for the Pulse, instead, planned on using it for the Geek Out Special Edition. But, it doesn't have ups connector, just the round connector one would use on the power supply of, say, a laptop. Anyone using this combination? Is there a cable I need to do this? thanks for your help.


 
  
 You cannot Jays LPS on the Geek out.  Jays produces 12V out.  USB is 5V and also carries data.


----------



## walfredo

walfredo said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not sure where to post this, already did post in the Geek Out thread, but figured I'd try here as I believe I read about the Jays Audio LPS here. I just got it today, feels nice, but I hadn't intended to use it for the Pulse, instead, planned on using it for the Geek Out Special Edition. But, it doesn't have ups connector, just the round connector one would use on the power supply of, say, a laptop. Anyone using this combination? Is there a cable I need to do this? thanks for your help.
> ...


 

 Unless, of course, you bought the 5V Jays.   In this case, it is conceivable that some special Y cable that combines power from Jays and data from the computer would work.  I've never seen such a cable though.


----------



## zerodeefex

walfredo said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > doctorjazz said:
> ...




Apricorn USB Y cable to USB > 5.5mm/2.1mm OD cable

http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Volt-Barrel-Power-Cable/dp/B00304DZ7I

Boom


----------



## jbr1971

zerodeefex said:


> Apricorn USB Y cable to USB > 5.5mm/2.1mm OD cable
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Volt-Barrel-Power-Cable/dp/B00304DZ7I
> 
> Boom


 
  
 That would give you the power if it was a type A female connector, but what about the data?


----------



## bitsnbytes

walfredo said:


> Unless, of course, you bought the 5V Jays.   In this case, it is conceivable that some special Y cable that combines power from Jays and data from the computer would work.  I've never seen such a cable though.




Think the LH 2G cable splits the power from data

WARNING: your LPS must be 5v!!! Confirm this before blowing things up!!


----------



## bitsnbytes

jbr1971 said:


> That would give you the power if it was a type A female connector, but what about the data?




I think you need to tape one of the usb pins (#4?) for power going to the GO. 

There's a DIY thread on the Geek Force Forum on this. Substitute the iPhone charger with your *5v* LPS.

I did this with a portable device power pack...almost as clean as a LPS


----------



## jbr1971

bitsnbytes said:


> I think you need to tape one of the usb pins (#4?) for power going to the GO.
> 
> There's a DIY thread on the Geek Forum on this...sorry no link...I'm in transit


 
  
 The cable he posted about is not split. It is only power, no way to pass on a data signal to the Geek Out.


----------



## walfredo

bitsnbytes said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > Unless, of course, you bought the 5V Jays.   In this case, it is conceivable that some special Y cable that combines power from Jays and data from the computer would work.  I've never seen such a cable though.
> ...


 

 The the 2G is USB B and the GO needs USB A female.
  
 So, the cable is really strange.  USB A female in the GO side, and USB A male (to the computer) and 5.5mm/2.1mm (to the Jays) in the other side.
  
 Using @zerodeefex cable, you can reduce the problem to a USB A female in one side + USB A male and USB A female in the other side.  Still, I haven't seen one. 
  
 And, yes, ensure your LPS is 5V!!!!


----------



## doctorjazz

OK, think the answer is either to sell the Jays or buy a Pulse!


----------



## doctorjazz

And, it is 12v...


----------



## zerodeefex

Oh, if you had a 5V my solution would have worked.

i said Apricorn USB Y cable in my first post. Tape the power leg up on the data side.

Then use this instead of the first cable I posted:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EY7YFF6/ref=pd_aw_sims_8?pi=SS115&simLd=1

If it's 12V, just sell it.


----------



## walfredo

zerodeefex said:


> Oh, if you had a 5V my solution would have worked.
> 
> i said Apricorn USB Y cable in my first post. Tape the power leg up on the data side.
> 
> ...


 

 Oh!  I thought the link was to the Apricorn USB Y cable.  Yes, the two cables together should work.


----------



## walfredo

phishin phool said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > IMHO, discussing LPS options for the pulse makes total sense in this thread.
> ...


 

 So, while we are in the LPS topic... 
  
 I received the cheap LPS from ebay.  Alas, the Pulse does not work with it.  It turns on, but it is not recognized by the computer.  
  
 I checked and it indeed produces 12V DC.  So, I can only assume it does not have enough current.  Either it does not put our 1.25A as advertised, or the Pulse actually need more than 1.2A.


----------



## jbr1971

walfredo said:


> So, while we are in the LPS topic...
> 
> I received the cheap LPS from ebay.  Alas, the Pulse does not work with it.  It turns on, but it is not recognized by the computer.
> 
> I checked and it indeed produces 12V DC.  So, I can only assume it does not have enough current.  Either it does not put our 1.25A as advertised, or the Pulse actually need more than 1.2A.


 
  
 The Pulse doesn't need more than 1.2A, because the LPS maxes out at 1.2A if I remember correctly.


----------



## walfredo

jbr1971 said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > So, while we are in the LPS topic...
> ...


 

 That is what I thought.
  
 BTW, how can I measure the current I am getting from the LPS?  I have a multimeter but IIUC I need to be in series with the circuit to measure current.  How can I do that?


----------



## jbr1971

walfredo said:


> That is what I thought.
> 
> BTW, how can I measure the current I am getting from the LPS?  I have a multimeter but IIUC I need to be in series with the circuit to measure current.  How can I do that?


 
  
 Sorry, I was referring to the Geek LPS. Unfortunately I don't know enough about electronics to know how to measure the current.


----------



## miceblue

WOW! Weeeeeell then.... I was talking to someone on YouTube and I was pointed to this:
https://www.facebook.com/lachlanlikesathing/photos/a.162220127294334.1073741828.161940560655624/379307232252288/?type=1&theater


> Well, my Light Harmonic Geek Pulse arrived today after a very long wait. While the unit looks the part, unfortunately it seems my unit is faulty. The front display LEDs flicker and the unit sends nasty pops and crackles to whatever headphone is plugged in, regardless of volume settings. The crackling is very loud and I am lucky I did not destroy a piece of sensitive gear with it. These problems all occur even if there is no input connected to the unit, and I tested a different power supply to no avail. I can't seem to find anyone else reporting the same issue, so it might be an isolated fault. I've opened up a ticket with LH and hopefully there will be a good resolution. EDIT: Oh yay, it appears that the crackling has blown the left driver of the Takstar Pro 80. Joy.




Is this Schiit Audio Asgard vs K 702 version 2?

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCZ-AJQOiDg[/video]




Not exactly good news for LH since Lachlanlikesathing is a pretty popular headphone person on YouTube, Facebook (I don't usually check Facebook), and actively posts on Reddit.



And it looks like that kind of damage is NOT LH's fault.
http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000547879-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide


> *** IMPORTANT NOTE ***
> 
> When the Geek Pulse is turned on and off there will be a popping noise sent through the headphone output, as well as all line outputs. These are the power caps in the signal chain charging and discharging. This is a conscious design decision to not add a buffer as it would affect the sound quality.
> 
> ...


----------



## bitsnbytes

doctorjazz said:


> And, it is 12v...


 
  
 Doc, if you're handy with a solder iron, ask Alvin111 which components you need to replace inside.
  
 I don't know if there are any electronics repair shops in your neighborhood, but I think it's just a simple conversion to 5v (provided it's in the hands of a capable person). You do need to have a barrel to USB female cable afterwards though.


----------



## bitsnbytes

miceblue said:


> And it looks like that kind of damage is NOT LH's fault.
> http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000547879-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide


 
  
 Was there a warning that came with the item inside the box?


----------



## miceblue

bitsnbytes said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > And it looks like that kind of damage is NOT LH's fault.
> ...



Doesn't look like it.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzMrvzyuQFI[/video]


At least with the LPS there was a warning note for making sure you're using the right voltages with the LPS.


----------



## pedalhead

A manufacturer can put all the disclaimers they like against potential damage caused by their product. Doesn't mean it'll stand up if tested in court.

Schiit had similar popping issues with their amps. After a bout of negative publicity (including that YouTube video of the AKG being tortured), they took the sensible (imho) decision to add a relay into their amps to prevent the cap charge/discharge popping. 

LH have stated they took the decision not to add a relay for sound quality reasons. Of course, we can debate how much impact a good relay would have on sq compared to the risk posed by the capacitor spikes...


----------



## miceblue

Well I'd say having headphones that work definitely has better sound quality than headphones with blown drivers. I think even a deaf person would agree with that. XD

But yeah, seriously, they should have at the very least put the aforementioned power on/off warning in the darn box if they know ahead of time that the (dis)charging capacitors could cause damage to anything connected to the unit. That's just common sense to me. With the redesigned support page that not everyone will go to as soon as they receive the Pulse, and the lack of any documentation or warnings within the package itself, they're really asking for trouble.


----------



## Zenifyx

I wish they would have added the relay.
 Personally I would rather have the convenience and peace of mind over the SQ that leaving it out provides.
  
 My main fear is that my family members turn it on with the headphones connected
 Well, my parents already managed to turn off the power while a game was playing on my PS3, and that occurred like half a dozen times over a year, so my worries aren't unfounded...


----------



## uncola

The power on pop the pulse has shouldn't be destroying any headphones, it sounds like Lachlan had a generally faulty unit and that's what destroyed his headphones.  He was smart to use a cheap takstar pro 80 to test.  I think LH Labs said the soft start relay raised the noise floor 2.5db or something.. so I'm ok with not having it I guess.  It might be more of an issue if you're controlling a speaker amp through the pulse..


----------



## pedalhead

uncola said:


> The power on pop the pulse has shouldn't be destroying any headphones, it sounds like Lachlan had a generally faulty unit and that's what destroyed his headphones.  He was smart to use a cheap takstar pro 80 to test.  I think LH Labs said the soft start relay raised the noise floor 2.5db or something.. so I'm ok with not having it I guess.  It might be more of an issue if you're controlling a speaker amp through the pulse..


 
  
 Yes, the issue was first raised on the LH forum by a Pulse reseller who blew multiple fuses in his Maggies. He was judged to have been a bit too vocal about it and won a temporary forum ban as a reward.


----------



## uncola

Update from Larry Ho:
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3305-pulse-xfi-current-delivery-estimates#53684
  
 "We resume the shipping for Geek Pulse. Geek Pulse X FI is under the testing of first batch. Sorry that we are very strict for Geek Pulse X FI's quality standard. We will update the overall schedule in forum very soon.

 Larry"


----------



## pedalhead

Good to see that testing is being taken seriously with the X range.  Clearly it's not in anybody's interests to have a second round of releases with the level of bugs that the first Pulse units seem to contain.  Sounding like a stuck record here, but please Larry/Gavin/Casey...keep us updated with what's going on...in a single, consistent location (LH Forum "Updates" section seems appropriate).  Even a "nothing's changed since yesterday" message is better than nothing.


----------



## mscott58

pedalhead said:


> Good to see that testing is being taken seriously with the X range.  Clearly it's not in anybody's interests to have a second round of releases with the level of bugs that the first Pulse units seem to contain.  Sounding like a stuck record here, but please Larry/Gavin/Casey...keep us updated with what's going on...in a single, consistent location (LH Forum "Updates" section seems appropriate).  Even a "nothing's changed since yesterday" message is better than nothing.


 
 I'd be happy with a weekly update in the "Updates" section, as long as it is regular and informative. Sad to see that the "Updates" section for the Pulse hasn't been refreshed since 12/30 and for the Wave since 12/12.


----------



## lobehold

The updates are on Indiegogo, seems LH labs is neglecting their own website.
  
 Schiit gears have insane amount of power, way more than most people needs. I guess that's one of their marketing strategies, most people worry about powering their phones "properly" and with Schiit there is no question. I'm hoping that the power-on/off popping for a functioning Pulse is safe to leave the headphones plugged in, but not going to try until confirmed safe.
  
 With the advertised noise floor so low, personally I'm willing to trade 2.5 db of noise for the relay, but of course that decision was made early in the process where everyone was extremely gung-ho about sound quality at all costs, the few dissenting opinions didn't matter.


----------



## Ungie

pedalhead said:


> A manufacturer can put all the disclaimers they like against potential damage caused by their product. Doesn't mean it'll stand up if tested in court.
> 
> Schiit had similar popping issues with their amps. After a bout of negative publicity (including that YouTube video of the AKG being tortured), they took the sensible (imho) decision to add a relay into their amps to prevent the cap charge/discharge popping.
> 
> LH have stated they took the decision not to add a relay for sound quality reasons. Of course, we can debate how much impact a good relay would have on sq compared to the risk posed by the capacitor spikes...


 
  
 I'm very sorry, but any audio component that is going to be sold to the general public should not make ANY noises on turn-on or turn-off, regardless if it can damage connected equipment or not. It is simply a matter of good design and engineering practice...end of story. So what happens when there is a severe brown-out or power outage? Can we make sure everything is unplugged from the Pulse when this happens? And LH Labs insistence that this decision was because of sound quality is total BS. A muting circuit can easily be made that is NOT IN THE SIGNAL PATH, so it will have exactly ZERO impact on fidelity. This is simply case of cheaping out on ~$3 worth of parts.


----------



## pedalhead

ungie said:


> I'm very sorry, but any audio component that is going to be sold to the general public should not make ANY noises on turn-on or turn-off, regardless if it can damage connected equipment or not. It is simply a matter of good design and engineering practice...end of story. So what happens when there is a severe brown-out or power outage? Can we make sure everything is unplugged from the Pulse when this happens? And LH Labs insistence that this decision was because of sound quality is total BS. A muting circuit can easily be made that is NOT IN THE SIGNAL PATH, so it will have exactly ZERO impact on fidelity. This is simply case of cheaping out on ~$3 worth of parts.


 
  
 Just for clarity...I agree with you


----------



## mscott58

ungie said:


> I'm very sorry, but any audio component that is going to be sold to the general public should not make ANY noises on turn-on or turn-off, regardless if it can damage connected equipment or not. It is simply a matter of good design and engineering practice...end of story. So what happens when there is a severe brown-out or power outage? Can we make sure everything is unplugged from the Pulse when this happens? And LH Labs insistence that this decision was because of sound quality is total BS. A muting circuit can easily be made that is NOT IN THE SIGNAL PATH, so it will have exactly ZERO impact on fidelity. This is simply case of cheaping out on ~$3 worth of parts.


 
 Have to disagree with you on this one. Pretty much every piece of high-end amplification gear that I've owned makes a sound on turn on, be it a headphone amp or a 2-channel tube-amp, from $500 to $10K. 
  
 And by definition, doesn't a muting circuit have to be in the signal path? If you put a relay in to break the circuit until the caps settle, the relay would have to be in the path, right? (have to admit I'm a ChemE not an EE). 
  
 And regarding a power-spike from the wall, the power circuit and fuse would take care of this. They wouldn't handle a lightning strike of course, but in that case I'm not sure that the state of my headphone amp would be the first thing I'd worry about...
  
 Cheers all and happy listening!


----------



## frank2908

Seems like Light Harmonic has a very good head of engineer (Larry), very good head of marketing (Gavin) with all that crowdfunding stunts, but they lack a competent project manager.With all that free time that the boxes not arrived, only now that they are testing the first batch of xfi?


----------



## lobehold

Well to be fair, they were testing quite quickly and "efficiently" before, the only thing they didn't do was testing *properly*: lachlan's defective unit that destroyed his Takstar, that guy who got his Magnepans blown, and all those firmware issues like volume changed to max after power cycle - apparently turning the unit off and on again wasn't part of the tests conducted.
  
 I'd rather they do it slow and proper and release a product that doesn't destroy my hearing nor my headphones than the other way around.


----------



## Phishin Phool

walfredo said:


> So, while we are in the LPS topic...
> 
> I received the cheap LPS from ebay.  Alas, the Pulse does not work with it.  It turns on, but it is not recognized by the computer.
> 
> I checked and it indeed produces 12V DC.  So, I can only assume it does not have enough current.  Either it does not put our 1.25A as advertised, or the Pulse actually need more than 1.2A.


 
 Good to know I was about to order one but decided to wait until my Pulse arrived - if you get it to work post back!


----------



## miceblue

pedalhead said:


> uncola said:
> 
> 
> > The power on pop the pulse has shouldn't be destroying any headphones, it sounds like Lachlan had a generally faulty unit and that's what destroyed his headphones.  He was smart to use a cheap takstar pro 80 to test.  I think LH Labs said the soft start relay raised the noise floor 2.5db or something.. so I'm ok with not having it I guess.  It might be more of an issue if you're controlling a speaker amp through the pulse..
> ...


Wow.....thank goodness for the fuses. Maggies aren't exactly inexpensive. :|


----------



## bitsnbytes

Would the Pulse with the power issue be even legal in some countries? 

Personally would I rather have a safe piece of equipment over a small incremental improvement in sound. 

I don't think you can hide behind "this is what the crowd wanted" if they know this is an issue that may have greater implications. They are the professionals and ultimately we trusted them to make the right reasonable choices in the design.

Just my 2 cents.


----------



## labjr

mscott58 said:


> Have to disagree with you on this one. Pretty much every piece of high-end amplification gear that I've owned makes a sound on turn on, be it a headphone amp or a 2-channel tube-amp, from $500 to $10K.
> 
> And by definition, doesn't a muting circuit have to be in the signal path? If you put a relay in to break the circuit until the caps settle, the relay would have to be in the path, right? (have to admit I'm a ChemE not an EE).
> 
> ...


 
 I know with a preamp circuit, you can mute the output by grounding the hot lead with a relay which is not in the signal path while disengaged. Maybe there's also simple way to do it with higher power circuits.


----------



## DSlayerZX

A lot of audio gears I own has pops when they are turned on....
  
 How ever, almost all of them that pops has an analog volume control and the effect of the pop can be neglected by turning the volume all the way down.
  
 The Geek Pulse though.... it's set to -80 db at turn on with the new firmware... that means it can't be turned all the way by all means.
  
 It is some point of concern, because let's admit it....
  
 I for one, is a forgetful SoB that might just turn down the knob due to habit and performed power cycle with equipment plugged in. Especially when i connect them to my speaker.


----------



## Hercules

mscott58 said:


> I'd be happy with a weekly update in the "Updates" section, as long as it is regular and informative. Sad to see that the "Updates" section for the Pulse hasn't been refreshed since 12/30 and for the Wave since 12/12.


 
 They're have track records of abandoning what's they've created, 300er and 1500 club, weekly crowdfunding report/update, products update/progress....... why LH made them at first place if it's not so useful/not willing to carry out the jobs on regular (maybe adhoc) basis?


----------



## Muinarc

Looks like the Soul has been combined into the Vi DAC and a new IGG campaign starts tomorrow. Another $320 perks so far as well.


----------



## doctorjazz

Uh Oh, hadn't read about this, better go over to LH or Indiegogo and check this out, I changed over to Soul Tube...


----------



## mscott58

hercules said:


> They're have track records of abandoning what's they've created, 300er and 1500 club, weekly crowdfunding report/update, products update/progress....... why LH made them at first place if it's not so useful/not willing to carry out the jobs on regular (maybe adhoc) basis?


 
 Exactly. The pattern is to launch a new communication approach to get everyone calmed down for a bit, update it a few times, then stop and then restart a whole new approach once the noise gets loud enough again. I'll go with consistency in one core approach! Cheers


----------



## mandrake50

walfredo said:


> So, while we are in the LPS topic...
> 
> I received the cheap LPS from ebay.  Alas, the Pulse does not work with it.  It turns on, but it is not recognized by the computer.
> 
> I checked and it indeed produces 12V DC.  So, I can only assume it does not have enough current.  Either it does not put our 1.25A as advertised, or the Pulse actually need more than 1.2A.




did you disconnect and reconnect the USB data cable with the computer running and the Pulse powered on...
There was discussion and complaints about this having to be done...


----------



## Maelob

Just in case you have not seen, there are a couple videos of Gavin explaining how to connect pulse to LPS. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6neiU-4jlRg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL0TTnJfDYs


----------



## chartwell85

For those of you that are interested in Vi DAC, formerly known as Geek Soul, here's the link to check out the latest configurations and offerings........
  
 http://bit.ly/lhlabsvidac


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Exactly. The pattern is to launch a new communication approach to get everyone calmed down for a bit, update it a few times, then stop and then restart a whole new approach once the noise gets loud enough again. I'll go with consistency in one core approach! Cheers


 
  
 Well it's not like any of their backers/supporters work in nationwide communications or anything. Nope, not at all.
  
 But seriously, as someone who does this for a living I can attest that keeping communications straightforward and still encompass all of your customer base is difficult in just a single source. For example I oversee call centers in 15 states. We send outage alert emails to our agents, put outage information on a dedicated web page, and send out hourly reports updating everyone of current call drivers. Even with all of this we still have agents that report known outages. Now I can tell you that it's different for LH Labs because they don't have a system like ours in place. But to put that into perspective I have a team of about 20 handling every market and LH Labs has only a few people able to do updates. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely. But it's much more difficult to build communications after the fact rather than having the system in place from the start. Considering Light Harmonic growth this past year I doubt they could have had a completely flawless communication system in place. Think back to their size before they hired Manny and look where they are now.
  
 From my outsider's perspective it seems that LH Labs would benefit by having a dedicated group whose sole purpose is to handle external communications instead of having a VP and the founder doing it. Casey is a marketing manager and for my employer a marketing executive will never send out emails to the customer base. However I work for a company with over 50,000 employees and LH Labs has fewer than 50; they're two completely different worlds. I don't claim to know anything about the inner workings of LH Labs and I don't know the needs of their business for sustainable growth. But I do know that it will take a considerable effort to get communications reaching a point where most backers are happy. It's impossible to please everyone and striving to do so is an effort in futility. I would love to see the information coming out of LH Labs more consistently and covering multiple outlets. Hopefully they already have a plan of action to improve the updates going forward.


----------



## lobehold

axelcloris said:


> Well it's not like any of their backers/supporters work in nationwide communications or anything. Nope, not at all.
> 
> But seriously, as someone who does this for a living I can attest that keeping communications straightforward and still encompass all of your customer base is difficult in just a single source. For example I oversee call centers in 15 states. We send outage alert emails to our agents, put outage information on a dedicated web page, and send out hourly reports updating everyone of current call drivers. Even with all of this we still have agents that report known outages. Now I can tell you that it's different for LH Labs because they don't have a system like ours in place. But to put that into perspective I have a team of about 20 handling every market and LH Labs has only a few people able to do updates. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely. But it's much more difficult to build communications after the fact rather than having the system in place from the start. [snip]


 
  
 I think that's typical apologist bull.
  
 There have been many, many crowd funding campaigns, most of them ran by only a few people or even less, and most of them were able to communicate with the backers clearly and in a timely fashion.
  
 LH Labs is either incompetent at customer communications, or they bit off more than they could chew but did it anyways due to the money, simple as that.


----------



## marflao

I have my doubts on the improved communication.
We were (still are) praying for this end of 2013. And i haven't seen much of improvement.

We need to beg for it instead of getting continuously updates. 
So what will happen? People will yell for this and that news/input and finally Gavin will post something, promises more in a frequently matter and then everybody is calmed down but....nothing will change. No regular updates....

Same precedure as always ....


----------



## Muinarc

chartwell85 said:


> For those of you that are interested in Vi DAC, formerly known as Geek Soul, here's the link to check out the latest configurations and offerings........
> 
> 
> 
> http://bit.ly/lhlabsvidac



 


Wow a lot of perks picked up already. Casey, is the Vi DAC still going to have the headphone amplifier in it? The table in the IGG details page seems to indicate this, but with the re-naming I wasn't too sure if this was correct or not.


----------



## greenkiwi

pedalhead said:


> A manufacturer can put all the disclaimers they like against potential damage caused by their product. Doesn't mean it'll stand up if tested in court.
> 
> Schiit had similar popping issues with their amps. After a bout of negative publicity (including that YouTube video of the AKG being tortured), they took the sensible (imho) decision to add a relay into their amps to prevent the cap charge/discharge popping.
> 
> LH have stated they took the decision not to add a relay for sound quality reasons. Of course, we can debate how much impact a good relay would have on sq compared to the risk posed by the capacitor spikes...


 
 And the lack of ability to mute the line outs when headphones are plugged in.


----------



## AxelCloris

lobehold said:


> I think that's typical apologist bull.
> 
> There have been many, many crowd funding campaigns, most of them ran by only a few people or even less, and most of them were able to communicate with the backers clearly and in a timely fashion.
> 
> LH Labs is either incompetent at customer communications, or they bit off more than they could chew but did it anyways due to the money, simple as that.


 
  
 Cool. There are indeed many crowdfunding campaigns that have gone off without a hitch in communications. And there are ones I've backed which are still crap more than 2 years later. I don't know how many crowdfunding campaigns you've backed (I'm almost in triple digits myself) but I've seen plenty of both.
  
 I'm not apologizing for the LH Labs team. There are many things I want to see improved as well and I hold them accountable. I'm just sharing my perspective as someone who works in communications. If you think that you could do better than the LH Labs team I recommend reaching out to them and submitting your resume. They could use a hand in that department.


----------



## FayeForever

The way I am seeing this is that, the update page is the easily the best way to communicate.
  
 1, Because of the Geek Force special price thing, almost all of the backers are aware of LHL forum.
 2, There is a bloody big UPDATES on the homepage. That is the first thing I want to click if I am all new to this.
 3, It is one page, instead of million posts spread across HF, LHL... Seriously I now don't really bother to read LHL forum. I don't expect to see things I want to see the most: where is the Pulse.
  
 Too bad they stopped update that page, just like the estimate shipping status for Pulse X, etc... They've made their effort meaningless/useless and the backers more frustrated.
 Just don't set the expectation if you don't intend to meet, or to explain if you somehow can't.


----------



## FayeForever

axelcloris said:


> From my outsider's perspective it seems that LH Labs would benefit by having a dedicated group whose sole purpose is to handle external communications instead of having a VP and the founder doing it. Casey is a marketing manager and for my employer a marketing executive will never send out emails to the customer base. However I work for a company with over 50,000 employees and LH Labs has fewer than 50; they're two completely different worlds. I don't claim to know anything about the inner workings of LH Labs and I don't know the needs of their business for sustainable growth. But I do know that it will take a considerable effort to get communications reaching a point where most backers are happy. It's impossible to please everyone and striving to do so is an effort in futility. I would love to see the information coming out of LH Labs more consistently and covering multiple outlets. Hopefully they already have a plan of action to improve the updates going forward.


 
  
 Hi,
  
 From my outsider's perspective if LHL could update backers with actual information in a timely manner, a lot of communications are not needed.
  
 Of course, problems regarding the product quality is not counted.


----------



## ejong7

I'm not sure but bout the popping thing on the pulse. If I have to constant plug and unplug my headphones when i turn it on/off (electric bills are not cheap) won't it be bad to the headphone jack?


----------



## Hercules

Also some important pieces of information and updates scattered within IGG comments, one of the geek force discussion, head-fi, that's never able to official releases in one, clear communication pathway.


----------



## AxelCloris

hercules said:


> Also some important pieces of information and updates scattered within IGG comments, one of the geek force discussion, head-fi, that's never able to official releases in one, clear communication pathway.


 
  
 I agree. There are a lot of small things that have been missed here and there. That's one of the areas that they need to improve.


----------



## lobehold

axelcloris said:


> Cool. There are indeed many crowdfunding campaigns that have gone off without a hitch in communications. And there are ones I've backed which are still crap more than 2 years later. I don't know how many crowdfunding campaigns you've backed (I'm almost in triple digits myself) but I've seen plenty of both.
> 
> I'm not apologizing for the LH Labs team. There are many things I want to see improved as well and I hold them accountable. I'm just sharing my perspective as someone who works in communications. If you think that you could do better than the LH Labs team I recommend reaching out to them and submitting your resume. They could use a hand in that department.


 
  
 Please don't deflect the actual topic of discussion.
  
 You have suggested that keeping many backers properly informed is some sort of Herculean task requiring complicated systems and massive manpower to accomplish.
  
I simply pointed to the overwhelming evidence that no, that is absolutely, without a doubt not the case.
  
 Despite your statement to the contrary, you definitely are apologizing for LH labs and doing some kind of volunteer damage control.
  
 If I could do better? Do you know that's one of the oldest comebacks from companies with bad product and/or customer service?


----------



## mscott58

lobehold said:


> Please don't deflect the actual topic of discussion.
> 
> You have suggested that keeping many backers properly informed is some sort of Herculean task requiring complicated systems and massive manpower to accomplish.
> 
> ...


 
 Knowing AxelCloris/Brian personally he's not voluntarily doing damage control to help LHL. That's not his MO. 
  
 How about we all agree on this. LHL needs to do a better job in communication. Period - full stop. 
  
 Cheers and happy listening


----------



## Ebonyzer

Anyone purchase and have received their Audeze LCD-2 headphones from the campaign?


----------



## upsguys88

ebonyzer said:


> Anyone purchase and have received their Audeze LCD-2 headphones from the campaign?


I received them about a month ago.


----------



## walfredo

mandrake50 said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > So, while we are in the LPS topic...
> ...


 
  
 Yeap.  I tried lots of stuff.


----------



## mandrake50

walfredo said:


> Yeap.  I tried lots of stuff.


 

 Does it work with the original power supply that came with it?


----------



## FayeForever

Try to use the switch on the back of the Pulse to power cycle.


----------



## walfredo

mandrake50 said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > Yeap.  I tried lots of stuff.
> ...


 

 Yes, it works fine.  But, FWIW, the original power supply is rated at 2A.


----------



## mandrake50

walfredo said:


> Yes, it works fine.  But, FWIW, the original power supply is rated at 2A.


 

 I would try to measure the voltage under load. Some supplies can sag considerably under load. If you are measuring it with no load at 12 volts...
 You could measure current.. if you have a meter that will measure up to at least two amps. It would mean cutting one of the wires and putting your shunt... or meter in series.
 Bottom line, you supply doesn't cut it for the Pulse.


----------



## frank2908

anyone has any idea what this is? 
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/vi-high-performance-crowd-designed-audio-system
 they have come up with a new campaign to milk from geek soul backers?


----------



## walfredo

mandrake50 said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, it works fine.  But, FWIW, the original power supply is rated at 2A.
> ...




Yes, that appears to be the case.


----------



## greenkiwi

ebonyzer said:


> Anyone purchase and have received their Audeze LCD-2 headphones from the campaign?







upsguys88 said:


> I received them about a month ago.


Me too


----------



## mscott58

frank2908 said:


> anyone has any idea what this is?
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/vi-high-performance-crowd-designed-audio-system
> they have come up with a new campaign to milk from geek soul backers?




That is the Geek Soul, newly renamed!


----------



## logscool

Any ideas how the amp on the Geek Pulse xfi + LPS would play with the Alpha Prime? Also how would that stack up to the ifi micro idsd? Comparisons of both the DAC and the amp are welcome. Also what about the centrance hifi-m8?


----------



## jbr1971

logscool said:


> Any ideas how the amp on the Geek Pulse xfi + LPS would play with the Alpha Prime? Also how would that stack up to the ifi micro idsd? Comparisons of both the DAC and the amp are welcome. Also what about the centrance hifi-m8?


 
  
 The only part of this I have experience with is the Alpha Prime with the Geek Pulse Xfi and the LPS when I was RMAF in October.
  
 They were one of the sets of headphones available for testing and they sounded amazing. I am considering buying a pair when my headphone budget is padded again.
  
 They had great soundstage, and I didn't find any frequencies overpowering the others (it's been too long to really get granular on how everything sounded in relation to everything else).


----------



## Boban85

Did anyone outside USA, but not Asia, got their HiFiMAN can? I haven't had any notification that it's been shipped, a tracking number, or anything like that... I am considering opening a ticket by this time.


----------



## smial1966

Yes indeed, open up your wallets Soul backers as the Vi DAC has arrived and it's time to go perk crazy!  How I've missed these incessant perks upgrades, so come on LH Labs milk my wallet dry, as you know you want to. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  

  
  
 Quote:


mscott58 said:


> That is the Geek Soul, newly renamed!


----------



## mandrake50

walfredo said:


> Yes, that appears to be the case.




Care to tell us exactly what LPS that is? Others may want to avoid it...
Or are you going to work with the seller on a replacement?


----------



## mandrake50

boban85 said:


> Did anyone outside USA, but not Asia, got their HiFiMAN can? I haven't had any notification that it's been shipped, a tracking number, or anything like that... I am considering opening a ticket by this time.




I got mine last Thursday 1/29/2015. I did get a notification that a label had been printed (shipping notification). A day later they were scanned into the USPS system. Three days later I got them.

The question was asked on the LHL forums. Manny... in his typical way of answering questions so briefly that his answers just generate more questions.... said that they intended to finish shipping on all of the 400is this week. The rest of the phones are in transit. ..
I know he must have had more information on the projected arrival and their plans to get them out... but he said nothing about any of that.

Of course we were told a couple of weeks ago that the Hifiman shipment had arrived... They neglected to mentioned that it was only a partial shipment.


----------



## walfredo

mandrake50 said:


> walfredo said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, that appears to be the case.
> ...


 

 It is a DC-1 LPS, available from ebay by many sellers.  For example, http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XHifi+linear+power+DC-1&_nkw=Hifi+linear+power+DC-1&_sacat=0
  
 To be fair, the never advertised it would work with the Pulse.  I assumed so based on the specs.  I need to measure current to make the claim my unit indeed falls short of spec.  I am thinking a way to do it without destroying the cable.


----------



## zerodeefex

Walfredo, stop by my desk and borrow the Jay's LPS next week (I'm not there this week).

You can see if its just the LPS you have or what.


----------



## mandrake50

walfredo said:


> It is a DC-1 LPS, available from ebay by many sellers.  For example, http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XHifi+linear+power+DC-1&_nkw=Hifi+linear+power+DC-1&_sacat=0
> 
> To be fair, the never advertised it would work with the Pulse.  I assumed so based on the specs.  I need to measure current to make the claim my unit indeed falls short of spec.  I am thinking a way to do it without destroying the cable.




If you can open it up and disconnect one leg of the cable internally you could get your meter in series with the load.
You could measure the voltage under load without disconnecting anything.
How hard is it to open it.
Does it have a seal ?


----------



## Anaximandros

smial1966 said:


>


 
  
 Milking?
 If $1 counts as milking for the gift and the free upgrade from Soul to Vi, then it's milking; yes.
  
 Infinity perk: It was a wish from several backers.
 There is no perk madness yet. But it's basically a revamp for the Soul, which was offered during the Forever Funding campaign.


----------



## Ebonyzer

It must be a real curse to be compelled to buy everything you see.


----------



## mcullinan

I come here every day to get my fill of audio complaining. Its quite entertaining. I thank you!


----------



## smial1966

The perks will inevitably follow suit as they have with every other LH Labs campaign.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Quote:


anaximandros said:


> Milking?
> If $1 counts as milking for the gift and the free upgrade from Soul to Vi, then it's milking; yes.
> 
> Infinity perk: It was a wish from several backers.
> There is no perk madness yet. But it's basically a revamp for the Soul, which was offered during the Forever Funding campaign.


----------



## Muinarc

It's a new ailment, the CDC has recognized it as "Perk Exhaustion". Symptoms include: fever, body aches, tiredness, muscle pain, vomiting, abdominal pain, or even unexplained hemorrhage at the mere MENTION of a new IGG Perk.


----------



## miceblue

I'm still waiting for the VVVVVV perk...

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxuacwotoQw[/video]


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So just to confirm, is the shipping status on Lhlabs correct? That is, will Sfi's start shipping out by the second week of February?


----------



## FayeForever

No, and No.


----------



## evillamer

with such a small team, I wonder how will LH Labs be able to handle so many projects and perks all at one time. Surely something has to give way.


----------



## mscott58

That's one of the reasons their small team is no longer so small! They've been adding quite a few people over the last weeks and months, including a few that you hear a lot from on the LHL forums, including Tami and Stephanie. They've also hired a programmer for their internal and customer service systems (such as the new support system) and also a person or two to help work their AOS code and the Wave UI. They keep growing and adding (what appear to be) solid people.


----------



## longbowbbs

They are currently reviewing the 7th revision to the Pulse Xfi firmware. The Xfi will ship bug free.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> They are currently reviewing the 7th revision to the Pulse Xfi firmware. The Xfi will ship bug free.


 
 Woo-hoo! Great news my friend.


----------



## jexby

longbowbbs said:


> They are currently reviewing the 7th revision to the Pulse Xfi firmware. The Xfi will ship bug free.


 
  
 indeed stellar news!
  
 and hopefully the revisions until bug free don't climb much higher.


----------



## longbowbbs

jexby said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > They are currently reviewing the 7th revision to the Pulse Xfi firmware. The Xfi will ship bug free.
> ...


 
 Larry, being a programmer type, was not happy with the Vanilla Pulse firmware. They sold more Pulse Xfi's (and Infinity's) so they are beating that drum hard.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Larry, being a programmer type, was not happy with the Vanilla Pulse firmware. They sold more Pulse Xfi's (and Infinity's) so they are beating that drum hard.


 
 That's good because the bar will definitely be higher for those products as well, and those of us who backed them who are going to be even more demanding and critical, especially given the higher price-points and learning curve that should have been climbed during some of the FW challenges of the vanilla Pulse. Fingers crossed!


----------



## longbowbbs

I spent a good amount of time on the phone with Casey today. In spite of the doubt floating around here lately they are making good progress. All of us who are waiting and have committed money (Which does include me since October 2013..
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ) need to keep reminding ourselves this is not a retail purchase. We backed a product for development. The deal is a discount, not a firm calendar date.


----------



## FayeForever

longbowbbs said:


> They are currently reviewing the 7th revision to the Pulse Xfi firmware. The Xfi will ship bug free.


 

 This is a very good news indeed, but more importantly, why does this update come from a fellow head-fier, but not from a update to all the Xfi(or sfi/fi/etc...) backers by LHL?


----------



## mscott58

See the post above yours!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> I spent a good amount of time on the phone with Casey today. In spite of the doubt floating around here lately they are making good progress. All of us who are waiting and have committed money (Which does include me since October 2013..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for the info and the effort Eric!


----------



## chartwell85

longbowbbs said:


> I spent a good amount of time on the phone with Casey today. In spite of the doubt floating around here lately they are making good progress. All of us who are waiting and have committed money (Which does include me since October 2013..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 It's always a pleasure speaking you with Eric


----------



## longbowbbs

fayeforever said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > They are currently reviewing the 7th revision to the Pulse Xfi firmware. The Xfi will ship bug free.
> ...


 
 First, this is not their official information site. The LH Labs forum provides that role for them. Casey, as their director of Marketing is here when he can but it is not their site. Second, I have reviewed their gear and I have other of their gear coming for review. I do speak to them as needed and the topic came up today during our conversation.
  
 Sometimes in the forums topics can get into a hyper loop and fester quickly before there is time for a company to really respond or react to it. Nothing new. It happens all over all the time on the web. However we all need to be aware of that reality and not get carried away.
  
 Also we do have to keep top of mind that this is crowdfunding. We are investors as much as consumers. We had a hand in product development. Each suggestion that was acted on changes the timeline/cost/Specs of the final product. Good in that we likely get even more for the dollar in product value, bad in that we have to wait more for the finished product. A delay that, in effect, we collectively created.
  
 So we are nearing the finish line. I would expect we should all have our product in the 2nd quarter, firmware fully vetted and debugged.
  
 Myself, I cannot wait!
  
 Best to all!
  
 Eric


----------



## FayeForever

Hi Eric,
  
 I wasn't criticizing you, what I am trying to say is that, if this information is ok for LHL to share with you, why can't LHL put that in their updates page？
 Knowing LHL is working on firmware to the 7th revision will put lots backers mind to ease.


----------



## chartwell85

fayeforever said:


> Hi Eric,
> 
> I wasn't criticizing you, what I am trying to say is that, if this information is ok for LHL to share with you, why can't LHL put that in their updates page？
> Knowing LHL is working on firmware to the 7th revision will put lots backers mind to ease.


 

 Look for updates to be released in the next half hour......


----------



## FayeForever

Thank you Casey.
  
 And PLEASE keep the updates rolling.


----------



## mscott58

chartwell85 said:


> Look for updates to be released in the next half hour......


 
 Woo-hoo (part 2)! Thanks Casey


----------



## longbowbbs

Faye, no offense taken..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I do not know why they did not mention it. I suspect it was just missed as things heated up. Stuff gets personal/emotional quickly and stuff gets missed. I was pleased to hear of the state of firmware development for my own selfish "where is my gear ?"state! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Anyway, we have a good thing coming. Let's allow them to get it out the door.


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> Look for updates to be released in the next half hour......



It would be nice to get at least some sort of formal update or progress report every week. That way backers have an idea of what to expect.


----------



## FayeForever

Regarding the update,
 Seriously, I feel much better now.
 It is good to know that LHL is working very hard and won't compromise, too bad LHL got screwed, but schiit happened, best of luck.
 I think many backers are like me that don't mind delays, as long as we are informed.
 Casey you should really have someone put that update in the LHL page.


----------



## longbowbbs

Update is up on the IGG site.


----------



## walfredo

zerodeefex said:


> Walfredo, stop by my desk and borrow the Jay's LPS next week (I'm not there this week).
> 
> You can see if its just the LPS you have or what.


 
  
 Thanks, Ravi.  But I just got my Jay's LPS.   And, yes, the Pulse works fine with it.  My initial impression is a small improvement.  But I need to listen more...


----------



## Verloren

Probably the most interesting part of it for Xfi peeps
  


> *We Won't Compromise*
> 
> We know you're all eager for your Geek Pulse Xfi.  Unfortunately, it's presenting us with a single problem right now that's preventing us from shipping them out.  Currently, we have 240 assembled PCB’s in house ready to put into their chassis and another 500 unpopulated boards awaiting assembly in Reno.
> 
> ...


----------



## longbowbbs

Considering our collective expectations I would rather see this than have them try and make them work.


----------



## Levanter

Anyone knows the specific dimensions of the Vi DAC?
It looks HUGE on the table in the picture..


----------



## Verloren

levanter said:


> Anyone knows the specific dimensions of the Vi DAC?
> It looks HUGE on the table in the picture..


 
  
 Width is 17". Vi DAC = Geek Soul, has shipping dimensions of 20" width, 16" depth, 6" height, ~35 lbs


----------



## Levanter

Oh right from the Geek Pulse page lol. Thanks.
Big difference in the width part compared to Pulse. I prefer if they stacked the supply unit so more height than width.


----------



## mandrake50

longbowbbs said:


> They are currently reviewing the 7th revision to the Pulse Xfi firmware. The Xfi will ship bug free.




You say this as though it is a fact... a certainty. Forgive me if I am hesitant to accept is as such.
I have to look at the track record. One would have hoped that the units of the Pulse that shipped would have been bug free. It is quite obvious that this is not the case. 
Of course, it may actually happen. If it does, I can change my assessment.
For now, well, I have little reason to believe the statement!


----------



## marflao

longbowbbs said:


> They are currently reviewing the 7th revision to the Pulse Xfi firmware. The Xfi will ship bug free.


 
 Gavin mentioned on the Vi DAC IGG page that "they have a new “matrix” board under development, which is controlled by the latest XMOS USB controller chip. With the added power of this 2015-released chip, they’ll be able to do that [FW upgradeable display]."
  
I personally doubt that this will be implemented in the Xfi/Infinity but asking doesn´t hurt 
So do you know by any chance if they are working also on a display upgradeable FW for the Xfi/Infinity?


----------



## longbowbbs

Mandrake if you are going to reject my direct conversation with Casey then I cannot dissuade your fears. Product does get shipped with bugs by many companies. Consider the pressure put on them to ship and now that there was an issue they are choosing to be extra careful.
  
 I would appreciate you not bringing my credibility into question when I was simply passing on information people were seeking.


----------



## longbowbbs

marflao said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > They are currently reviewing the 7th revision to the Pulse Xfi firmware. The Xfi will ship bug free.
> ...


 
 At the moment I do not. We did not discuss that.


----------



## chartwell85

mandrake50 said:


> You say this as though it is a fact... a certainty. Forgive me if I am hesitant to accept is as such.
> I have to look at the track record. One would have hoped that the units of the Pulse that shipped would have been bug free. It is quite obvious that this is not the case.
> Of course, it may actually happen. If it does, I can change my assessment.
> For now, well, I have little reason to believe the statement!


 

 The Geek Pulse's that have shipped do not share the same boards or firmware as the Pulse X or Xfi boards that have yet to ship.


----------



## nigel801

LhLabs haven't fulfilled their obligation  of delivering the second campaign product , there are 5 or 6 campaigns has been started which are still in pipeline and now Gavin announced Vi Dac, I seriously doubt they are serious about doing their business or looks like a modern day crowd funding scam, I am really surprised IGG are letting them churning campaign after campaign without bothering to put a question or commitment to finish their earlier campaign.
  
 I have lost trust in LH labs and also in IGG pity that IGG and LH Labs has created a bad name for novel idea of crowd funding to help new starter has taken advantage of it.
  
 They keep making excuse after excuse some time delay in delivery components or sometime boxes not delivered and now 67% of the PCBs are failing, Geek Pulse soon will complete two years of campaign without fulfing the base product delivery.
  
 I am also surprised what sort of people are contributing to these new campaign without doing any background check to see how many products this company has delivered, simply amazing.


----------



## marflao

longbowbbs said:


> At the moment I do not. We did not discuss that.




Thanks anyway.


----------



## Maelob

nigel801 said:


> LhLabs haven't fulfilled their obligation  of delivering the second campaign product , there are 5 or 6 campaigns has been started which are still in pipeline and now Gavin announced Vi Dac, I seriously doubt they are serious about doing their business or looks like a modern day crowd funding scam, I am really surprised IGG are letting them churning campaign after campaign without bothering to put a question or commitment to finish their earlier campaign.
> 
> I have lost trust in LH labs and also in IGG pity that IGG and LH Labs has created a bad name for novel idea of crowd funding to help new starter has taken advantage of it.
> 
> ...


 
 Although I understand that the purpose of IGG campaign is to develop a product, I think a company should have some idea of what they want to develop and how they are going to get there and then ask people for money.  I think LH Labs by trying to provide the best product really complicated things too much, and developed to many things on the fly. I think that's been the root of the problems.  But they still want to keep shooting for the stars, I hope they succeed, but part of me wish they delivered one product at a time before starting another one.


----------



## digitalzed

nigel801 said:


> LhLabs haven't fulfilled their obligation  of delivering the second campaign product , there are 5 or 6 campaigns has been started which are still in pipeline and now Gavin announced Vi Dac, I seriously doubt they are serious about doing their business or looks like a modern day crowd funding scam, I am really surprised IGG are letting them churning campaign after campaign without bothering to put a question or commitment to finish their earlier campaign.
> 
> I have lost trust in LH labs and also in IGG pity that IGG and LH Labs has created a bad name for novel idea of crowd funding to help new starter has taken advantage of it.
> 
> ...


 
  It's really easy to dump on LH Labs. They have deserved it in certain instances and I've dumped plenty on specific issues. But to say that everything that's happened from packaging to component issues is an excuse on their part is untrue. I get it, you're unhappy that a product you took a chance on and was never actually promised to you or anyone is not being delivered on time. And that the company doing this is also trying to fund other projects in the meantime. Remember that these projects are based on the feedback and desires of the very customers LH Labs found funding from to begin with. IGG "lets" LH Labs offer these campaigns and perks because LH Labs has not violated the terms and conditions of the campaign guidelines and are fulfilling base product delivery. Just not as fast as many people would like.


----------



## smial1966

The wish and expectation that a lot of crowd funding backers have is that the campaign originator fulfills one project before starting on another one. Having backed over 50 Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns, I find LH Labs propensity for adding innumerable monetary perks during a campaign and their inability to fulfil existing pledges before embarking on other campaigns, quite frankly perverse and downright irresponsible. 

Look at a comparable campaign that I backed and have received the item from. PS Audio started their 'Sprout' project with a fixed goal in mind. There were no incessant perk upgrades (apart from a complimentary stretch goal of a nice mains cable) nor other competing campaigns to interfere. Thus for a very reasonable backer price they delivered a fully functional, glitch free, aesthetically pleasing and fine sounding product within their specified 6 month project timeframe. A great result that satisfied backers. 

Constrast this with LH Labs, who only appear to start one campaign after another before delivering on existing backer pledges. Focusing on/delivering one product at a time and not taking their scattergun approach would greatly enhance LH Labs credibility, but I fear that marketing is endemic to this company and a drug to be constantly sated. 




digitalzed said:


> It's really easy to dump on LH Labs. They have deserved it in certain instances and I've dumped plenty on specific issues. But to say that everything that's happened from packaging to component issues is an excuse on their part is untrue. I get it, you're unhappy that a product you took a chance on and was never actually promised to you or anyone is not being delivered on time. And that the company doing this is also trying to fund other projects in the meantime. Remember that these projects are based on the feedback and desires of the very customers LH Labs found funding from to begin with. IGG "lets" LH Labs offer these campaigns and perks because LH Labs has not violated the terms and conditions of the campaign guidelines and are fulfilling base product delivery. Just not as fast as many people would like.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Nigel801:
   
 

 **** happens in a crow funding campaign very often.
  
  
 The shipping delay is something that has hit many different industry, and really there wasn't much LH lab could have prevented.
  
 The board has problems after production, sure.... but do you really think LH lab wants to see this any more than we do?
  
 Any delay on pushing the product out is costing them time and money. Time and money in which they may/maybe factored in their original production cost.
  
 sometimes the smallest miss calculation or material change by the manufacture can screw up the delivery date of the entire product.
  
 The delivery date of the last crowd funding campaign I backed was delayed for 8 months + due to ONE plug mold did not fit as well they were originally design.
  
 You are stating LH is setting a terrbiel example for crowd funding campaign, I disagree, they are setting an example of exactly a person should expect when you sign up for a crow funding campaign .
  
 It seems that a lot of people have the mentality and treats crowd funding campaign as they are pre-order. but sorry.. they really aren't. 
  
 Delay in multiple R&D process for the crowd funding campaigns are rather common, espeically when it comes to electronic systems.


----------



## mscott58

smial1966 said:


> The wish and expectation that a lot of crowd funding backers have is that the campaign originator fulfills one project before starting on another one. Having backed over 50 Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns, I find LH Labs propensity for innumerable added perks during a campaign and their inability to fulfil existing pledges before embarking on other campaigns, quite frankly perverse and downright irresponsible.
> 
> To look at a comparator campaign that I backed and have received the item from, PS Audio started their 'Sprout' project with a fixed goal in mind. There were no incessant perk upgrades nor competing campaigns to interfere. Thus for a very reasonable backer price they delivered a fully functional, glitch free, aesthetically pleasing and fine sounding product within their specified 6 month project timeframe.
> 
> If only LH Labs were as committed to focusing on/delivering one product at a time and not taking their scattergun approach.


 
 I might have my history slightly skewed, but isn't that what LHL did with their very first crowd-funded project with Geek Out? They had a clear picture for a product and they fulfilled that effort and it is now a commercially available product. True that was on a different crowd-funding platform and they had some challenges with the volume glitch at first, but they proved their ability to create something for the masses. 
  
 In regards to the additional campaigns, it appears that most of them have come about due to our requests:
 - "What about if you made the Geek Out in a desktop version?" (Pulse)
 - "Could you make a portable Geek Out that is controlled by your smartphone?" (Wave)
 - "How about a single unit with both LPS and Pulse combined?" (Soul/Vi)
 - "Could you add a tube stage?" (GTB)
 - etc. etc. etc. 
  
 Part of what makes LHL great is that they listen to our suggestions, and in the end this both helps us and pisses us off. We get more options (too many at times!), but we are also then more likely to face issues and delays and also confusion. Again, some due to our own mistakes (e.g. the backers that frankly forgot what they perked) and some that are all LHL. 
  
 I do fully agree that there are more efficient ways to do things, and that the communication could and should be much better, there clearly have been some major bumps. 
  
 Maybe there should be a system that checks people's risk tolerance before they engage in any campaigns, just like the cashier checking your ID at a liquor store. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Cheers all and have a great weekend


----------



## smial1966

Absolutely! But surely common sense suggests that fulfilling one campaign/project at a time is less technically and logistically challenging than trying to juggle multiple efforts. Why embark on another campaign before ensuring that backers of your current project have received their perk(s) and are satisfied?!? 




mscott58 said:


> I might have my history slightly skewed, but isn't that what LHL did with their very first crowd-funded project with Geek Out? They had a clear picture for a product and they fulfilled that effort and it is now a commercially available product. True that was on a different crowd-funding platform and they had some challenges with the volume glitch at first, but they proved their ability to create something for the masses.
> 
> In regards to the additional campaigns, it appears that most of them have come about due to our requests:
> - "What about if you made the Geek Out in a desktop version?" (Pulse)
> ...


----------



## zenpunk

LH Labs inability to produce so far one perfectly working product despite massive delays should tell everybody's what they need to know about that company.
 Without the fundings from their numerous and ongoing campaigns, that firm would have already gone under due to poor management and ill-thought business decisions.
 Hot air and hype is the only thing that enable it to survive, until now.


----------



## digitalzed

smial1966 said:


> The wish and expectation that a lot of crowd funding backers have is that the campaign originator fulfills one project before starting on another one. Having backed over 50 Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns, I find LH Labs propensity for adding innumerable monetary perks during a campaign and their inability to fulfil existing pledges before embarking on other campaigns, quite frankly perverse and downright irresponsible.
> 
> Look at a comparable campaign that I backed and have received the item from. PS Audio started their 'Sprout' project with a fixed goal in mind. There were no incessant perk upgrades (apart from a complimentary stretch goal of a nice mains cable) nor other competing campaigns to interfere. Thus for a very reasonable backer price they delivered a fully functional, glitch free, aesthetically pleasing and fine sounding product within their specified 6 month project timeframe. A great result that satisfied backers.
> 
> Constrast this with LH Labs, who only appear to start one campaign after another before delivering on existing backer pledges. Focusing on/delivering one product at a time and not taking their scattergun approach would greatly enhance LH Labs credibility, but I fear that marketing is endemic to this company and a drug to be constantly sated.


 

 I understand your point. But PS Audio is an established company with lot's of experience behind it. They weren't launching a new company off the Sprout. And other new companies simply have a different philosophy than LH Labs does about product launches. It's fine to not like the way LH Labs does things but if you bought in, you're in. And if the experience for some is so bad don't buy in again. That said LH Labs is often too enthusiastic and unrealistic about the timeline involved with getting products out the door. That, on top of legitimate unforeseen circumstances get them behind the eight ball more than anyone would like and result in the frustration that boils over here and on other forums.


----------



## wingsounds13

smial1966 said:


> The wish and expectation that a lot of crowd funding backers have is that the campaign originator fulfills one project before starting on another one.
> ...
> 
> Look at a comparable campaign that I backed and have received the item from. PS Audio started their 'Sprout' project with a fixed goal in mind. There were no incessant perk upgrades (apart from a complimentary stretch goal of a nice mains cable) nor other competing campaigns to interfere. Thus for a very reasonable backer price they delivered a fully functional, glitch free, aesthetically pleasing and fine sounding product within their specified 6 month project timeframe. A great result that satisfied backers.
> ...




There is one TINY difference between the PS Audio campaign and the LH Labs campaign. The PS Audio Sprout was already a completed design when they started their campaign. Their campaign was for the purpose of setting up and starting production.

When LH Labs started their Geek Out campaign, the design was well developed but far from complete. Some delays, some complaints. When LH Labs started the Pulse campaign and all of the following campaigns, the products were still in the concept stage. Many details of these products were fleshed out by the Geek Force and the campaign backers. As I have said elsewhere, product development commonly takes two years and often significantly more. An 18 month development cycle is lightning fast! Less than that is insane! LH Labs did fail to anticipate a reasonable development timeline and the backers here and on the Geek Force pushed them HARD! No wonder the Pulse still had significant firmware issues when it started shipping.

Yes, LH Labs is still struggling to figure out a real timeline for product development and they deserve some hazing for this failure. What they do not deserve is hazing because it takes a long time to develop and polish a piece of production electronics.

J.P.


----------



## evillamer

Somehow the whole Geek Pulse/Indiegogo Perk System reminds me a lot of how the Greedy Gaming Software Industry try to squeeze money out of consumers with DLC Downloads and In-game monetary pay-to-win "perks". I have already paid full price for the software, and now I must pay more to "unlock" additional content. Thanks but no thanks.

I rarther put my money into design*ed* & manufactur*ed* product companies like Schitt or Audio-GD or Metrum Acoustics or Astell & Kern or Ibasso or Chord and even Sony where I know what I am buying into.


----------



## mscott58

evillamer said:


> Somehow the whole Geek Pulse/Indiegogo Perk System reminds me a lot of how the Greedy Gaming Software Industry try to squeeze money out of consumers with DLC Downloads and In-game monetary pay-to-win "perks". I have already paid full price for the software, and now I must pay more to "unlock" additional content. Thanks but no thanks.
> 
> I rarther put my money into design*ed* & manufactur*ed* product compaines like Schitt or Audio-GD or Metrum Acoustics or Astell & Kern or Ibasso or Chord and even Sony where I know what I am buying into.




Some will opt in, others opt out. It's all good!


----------



## zerodeefex

Also my sprout sounds like true garbage. Chip amp, clipping like crazy once you crest 20 wpc, and awful tonal balance. The Geek Out + a $100 crown sounds better.

I'd rather deal with LH and avoid Paul's absurd posts claiming his son is a better designer than Jony Ive and the terrible sounding product.


----------



## mandrake50

longbowbbs said:


> Mandrake if you are going to reject my direct conversation with Casey then I cannot dissuade your fears. Product does get shipped with bugs by many companies. Consider the pressure put on them to ship and now that there was an issue they are choosing to be extra careful.
> 
> I would appreciate you not bringing my credibility into question when I was simply passing on information people were seeking.


 

 No question of your credibility.. a question of your ability to correctly forecast the future. I have yet to meet anyone that can do that with any accuracy.
 I am sure that you reported what you heard and what you believe to be true. Don't take it personally, please. But regardless of any of that, I am taking a wait and see approach.
  
 I tend to buy into the fact that LHL will try, real hard!
  
 I am not buying definitive, unequivocal statements that there will be no bugs in the future until I see it! Maybe you might be a bit circumspect when it comes to making those...


----------



## mandrake50

I am hoping and pulling for you Casey.
 Life is a series of struggles against the question:
 "What have you done for me lately?"
 And 100,000 AttaBoys are erased by one Aw Schiit!
 Human memory is focused on the short term.
  
 Please give me good reasons to remember better things!


----------



## senorx12562

Unsub'ed


----------



## mandrake50

smial1966 said:


> Absolutely! But surely common sense suggests that fulfilling one campaign/project at a time is less technically and logistically challenging than trying to juggle multiple efforts. Why embark on another campaign before ensuring that backers of your current project have received their perk(s) and are satisfied?!?


 

 In their defense, no business grows without taking risks. None grow fast without appearing to overextend themselves a bit.
 As they say... damn I am into platitudes and such this evening...
 Not as a defender, but as a pragmatist... the proof is in the pudding..
 At some real level, we need to give them a chance. The fact that we are not getting instant gratification... well give them a chance.
  
 From a real non-apologizer and frequent hard critic...


----------



## jbr1971

mandrake50 said:


> In their defense, no business grows without taking risks. None grow fast without appearing to overextend themselves a bit.
> As they say... damn I am into platitudes and such this evening...
> Not as a defender, but as a pragmatist... the proof is in the pudding..
> At some real level, we need to give them a chance. The fact that we are not getting instant gratification... well give them a chance.
> ...


 
  
 Seems like someone had a good time at happy hour tonight


----------



## Maelob

check the lachlanlikesathing on you tube first impresion video http://youtu.be/QaKwY_tohqc


----------



## mandrake50

jbr1971 said:


> Seems like someone had a good time at happy hour tonight


 

 Got my over extended VMware environment happy... and 10,000 people stopped looking for my head..
 Tends to be a bit of a relief... Yes happy.. and tending to be  a bit more tolerant.. or rational.
 Stress messes with ones mind...
 Self induced stress in unproductive!


----------



## vhsownsbeta

Looks like there is potentially an unlikely benefit to the high failure rate of Xfi boards...

*Pulse X∞ ESS SABRE9018AQ2M Upgrade*

Not without a further delay I presume...


----------



## mscott58

vhsownsbeta said:


> Looks like there is potentially an unlikely benefit to the high failure rate of Xfi boards...
> 
> Pulse X∞ ESS SABRE9018AQ2M Upgrade
> 
> Not without a further delay I presume...


 
 Now we just need to get 95% of the X∞ backers to agree/perk-up to the new chip. Happy to donate my $22 to the children's symphony if we don't, but would like the chip as well! 
  
 Now let's rally the troops and get us some chips! 
  
 Cheers


----------



## eac3

> So here’s what we propose.  We’ve published a $22 upgrade perk tonight for the exact quantity of Geek Pulse X∞’s that were ordered.  If we can sell more than *95% of them* of the upgrade perk by the end of the day next Friday, then we’ll make the new board so it can accommodate the new chips.  If we don’t sell out, then we’ll continue with the previous chip and will donate the money to the Sacramento Youth Symphony.


 
  
 Translation = about 424 or more out of 446....FYI


----------



## mscott58

eac3 said:


> Translation = about 424 or more out of 446....FYI


 
 And we're up to 10 in the first 15 minutes!


----------



## FayeForever

I'll hold on to that until I find out how long it is gonna delay.


----------



## mscott58

fayeforever said:


> I'll hold on to that until I find out how long it is gonna delay.


 
 Likely rounding error at this point!


----------



## eac3

fayeforever said:


> I'll hold on to that until I find out how long it is gonna delay.


 
  
 With the wave, ViDac, now headphone amp, firmware testing, <insert other stuff as I can't keep up>....etc etc., conveying that information is probably the lowest priority


----------



## Chefano

Geez!
 Another delay, serious? Really?






 
  
 Actually I don't care anymore, Ive just sent a $22.. I will start my own DAC assembly from a KIT and maybe I can finish when my Pulse is here..


----------



## miceblue

Just saw this:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaKwY_tohqc[/video]


----------



## bitsnbytes

Firstly, it's unfair to label LHL as a scheme...these guys are really trying hard given the constraints and external factors. They are trying to execute and they are still learning--and they are passionate.

Secondly, while a new chip sounds (pardon) like a good idea, it's unknown whether it's better than the current chip with the design around that.

Can we get confirmation that the new chip IS an improvement and not just something that's newer?


----------



## nudd

Is it really a matter of just replacing the old chip with the 2015 chip? I thought the hard part in a DAC/Amp design was implementation. Can LH Labs comment on whether doing a straightforward swap with the existing components, resistors etc result in the Pulse infinity actually sounding better?
  
 I think we all trust Larry's ears and tuning ability but has he actually listened to the new chip dropped into the existing Pulse design and confirm that it just sounds flat out better without any tweaking required to the design at all?


----------



## Chefano

bitsnbytes said:


> Firstly, it's unfair to label LHL as a scheme...these guys are really trying hard given the constraints and external factors. They are trying to execute and they are still learning--and they are passionate.
> 
> Secondly, while a new chip sounds (pardon) like a good idea, it's unknown whether it's better that the current chip with the design around that.
> 
> Can we get confirmation that the new chip IS an improvement and not just something that's newer?


 

 An expert engineer that can build a 50K dollar DAC can't do his homework of relays? Why test isn't it? hummm


----------



## bitsnbytes

chefano said:


> An expert engineer that can build a 50K dollar DAC can't do his homework of relays? Why test isn't it? hummm




I think part of the problem is us the crowd with various inputs and demands. It's not excusing LHL because they are still the chef in the kitchen in need to manage the too many cooks (customers and critics). They still need to own up to some problems.


----------



## jbr1971

miceblue said:


> Just saw this:


 
  
 Wow, that video was beyond irresponsible. I don't care how many followers you have on social media.
  
 I keep up with all of the Geek threads on Head-fi, and keep up with most of the Geek Forum, and this is the first report I have seen for this issue.
  
 Sure, it sucks his Pulse has an issue, and support is looking into it (as he said). But to question the integrity of a company and make wild speculations based on that and posts on a forum, is ridiculous.
  
 Try doing some proper research and fact checking, without any ridiculous speculations first, then grab your video camera.
  
 When you are a blogger that accepts money to buy products to review, you have a responsibility to have some journalistic sense and integrity imo.


----------



## a_recording

jbr1971 said:


> wild speculations based on that and posts on a forum


 
  
 As I suggested in the video, I have spoken to other reviewers in private regarding the Geek Pulse. There is background information I have that suggests that things are not quite as they seem. I've urged people to come forward with their own experiences. Currently Light Harmonic claims to have shipped 61% of units, but can only point to 5 impressions of the Geek Pulse. 
  

  
 The first and fourth review are actually the same review. The second listed review is of a pre-production prototype with serial number #002. The fifth review refers to a demo unit provided by Light Harmonic themselves.
  
 This means that despite claiming to have shipped over 61% of orders, Light Harmonic can only point to two end user impressions.
  
 It seems perfectly reasonable to ask exactly what is going on.


----------



## bhazard

jbr1971 said:


> Wow, that video was beyond irresponsible. I don't care how many followers you have on social media.
> 
> I keep up with all of the Geek threads on Head-fi, and keep up with most of the Geek Forum, and this is the first report I have seen for this issue.
> 
> ...


 
 It's a random guy who likes audio who accepts money to review. He's entitled to his opinion. With that said, I'm also entitled to say that sometimes he is right on, and sometimes his opinion is complete crap.
  
 If you are unwilling to accept a thing called a "failure rate" (which happens with every product made), and then review a defective product without reviewing a repaired one in its place, your opinion is worth jack crap on what the working product actually outputs.


----------



## miceblue

Well it's been brought up here before too that we see more complaints than praise generally. I've personally seen more problems with the Geek LPS (including mine) than praise for example. That's not to say the LPS sounds bad, just that there are issues with them. After a week, my support ticket is still open/unresolved.

Earlier I had official confirmation that the Geek LPS only works with USB Audio Class 2 devices and it took them quite some time to actually acknowledge that (I was the one who formally brought up the issue). On the Indiegogo campaign, they claimed the LPS would work with any USB DAC. Clearly it doesn't since USB Audio Class 1 devices are not supported.


----------



## snip3r77

Since there is SO MUCH delay, why can't LHLABS provide a free upgrade for the ESS DAC since it's just $22? How much is the fully souped Pulse X?


----------



## jbr1971

I certainly agree that he is entitled to his opinion. However, to take on the mantle of paid citizen journalist without any of the standards that it implies, that is where I have the issue.
  
 I am certainly not trying to say there haven't been any issues along the way (I know you were not saying that MB), but from what I have seen they are getting figured out.


----------



## nudd

Another thought what about the other 5% who do not back the perk. Do they get a 22$ free ride?

Otherwise will LH specifically order like 50 fixed spdif input boards with the old chip just for those 5%? Will they force the remaing 5% to upgrade? Casey can you please comment?


----------



## bhazard

jbr1971 said:


> Wow, that video was beyond irresponsible. I don't care how many followers you have on social media.
> 
> I keep up with all of the Geek threads on Head-fi, and keep up with most of the Geek Forum, and this is the first report I have seen for this issue.
> 
> ...


 
 +1. I actually commented these thoughts right into it. I have a perfectly working GO1000 and LPS, and unlike this guy, audio companies seek me out and send me review units, because they know I won't pull stupid, irresponsible BS like this. Who reviews a defective product without getting a replacement? An amatuer with no integrity and a video camera will.


----------



## bhazard

Backed my ESS infinity upgrade perk. Hope everyone else does too. Should be a really nice upgrade for so little.


----------



## eac3

Just to report, I have been running the LH LPS in between my source (PC) and my Audio-GD NFB28 (late 2013), no problem so far.


----------



## uncola

I backed the infinity DAC chip upgrade. If we don't get enough backers I'm going to go thermonuclear


----------



## longbowbbs

mandrake50 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Mandrake if you are going to reject my direct conversation with Casey then I cannot dissuade your fears. Product does get shipped with bugs by many companies. Consider the pressure put on them to ship and now that there was an issue they are choosing to be extra careful.
> ...


 
 I am trying to make it as clear as I can....


----------



## mscott58

bhazard said:


> +1. I actually commented these thoughts right into it. I have a perfectly working GO1000 and LPS, and unlike this guy, audio companies seek me out and send me review units, because they know I won't pull stupid, irresponsible BS like this. Who reviews a defective product without getting a replacement? An amatuer with no integrity and a video camera will.




Totally agree. He's free to say whatever he likes as an individual, but as a compensated reviewer there is a different bar/standard. 

And if he thinks he should be on his high horse just because his ticket is three days old...


----------



## gyx11

I'm surprised by all the reaction to the video. I read the comments before watching the video and I was expecting to see some serious crap going on.
  
 But not once did he suggest that the Pulse was crap in any sense of the word. Not once did he suggest that all units have this issue. In fact, I think it's pretty clear that he gave the benefit of the doubt by suggesting that his unit was an anomaly rather than the norm.  I think it's wrong to even call his video a review. If you've seen his channel before, he clearly labels video reviews as being 'reviews'. There was none on the video.
  
 He experienced a very loud popping noise on his Geek Pulse. He reported it accordingly. That's the end of story.
  
 I've owned some of the gear that he's reviewed in the past ,and I don't necessarily agree with all his findings (coincidentally, the Takstar Pro build quality was one of the few things with which II outrightly disagreed with him), but that doesn't make his videos 'irresponsible' or 'crap' or 'BS'. I continue to watch his videos because he strikes me as someone who is honest with his thoughts on his reviewed gear. He always does follow ups to his initial impressions, and corrects findings when the need calls for it. Just because he mentioned something remotely negative about the Pulse doesn't mean he won't get a perfectly working replacement unit, and review it positively afterwards (which I'm certain of given how the Pulse seems to be beyond reproach sonically).
  
 It's just a matter of opinion and I don't get why some people get so touchy and so angsty about it.


----------



## miceblue

Does it really matter if he's paid or not though? Technically his "payments" are donations that come from his viewers through Patreon and he does these videos on his spare time, which is pretty far away from being a professional reviewer like the folks in the Audio360 group.

Regardless of whether or not he's paid, I think making a video informing others of a potentially faulty product that could potentially *damage your audio gear* isn't uncalled for. This wasn't a review video, it was just for your information and a warning to take note of.


----------



## bhazard

gyx11 said:


> I'm surprised by all the reaction to the video. I read the comments before watching the video and I was expecting to see some serious crap going on.
> 
> But not once did he suggest that the Pulse was crap in any sense of the word. Not once did he suggest that all units have this issue. In fact, I think it's pretty clear that he gave the benefit of the doubt by suggesting that his unit was an anomaly rather than the norm.  I think it's wrong to even call his video a review. If you've seen his channel before, he clearly labels video reviews as being 'reviews'. There was none on the video.
> 
> ...


 
 He just admitted it was a pre-production unit provided to him. It is irresponsible not to mention this, yet focus an entire video segment about this popping issue. "He's also been told the failure rate is high". That is also an unverified stretch of a statement with no proof whatsoever.
  
 I wouldn't call it slander, but for a guy who accepts money to review products, who then gets provided a prototype to review, and then craps on it without mentioning it is a prototype... it doesn't sit well with me.


----------



## miceblue

bhazard said:


> He just admitted it was a pre-production unit provided to him. It is irresponsible not to mention this, yet focus an entire video segment about this popping issue. "He's also been told the failure rate is high". That is also an unverified stretch of a statement with no proof whatsoever.
> 
> I wouldn't call it slander, but for a guy who accepts money to review products, who then gets provided a prototype to review, and then craps on it without mentioning it is a prototype... it doesn't sit well with me.



No......you completely misunderstood.

The unit at headphone.guru was a pre-production unit provided by LH and it's the only review of the Geek Pulse Xfi out there. The one Lachlan has is an official, production unit from the Ingiegogo campaign.


----------



## gyx11

bhazard said:


> He just admitted it was a pre-production unit provided to him. It is irresponsible not to mention this, yet focus an entire video segment about this popping issue. "He's also been told the failure rate is high". That is also an unverified stretch of a statement with no proof whatsoever.
> 
> I wouldn't call it slander, but for a guy who accepts money to review products, who then gets provided a prototype to review, and then craps on it without mentioning it is a prototype... it doesn't sit well with me.




Ah alright I didn't know he was paid to review the Pulse prototype. In which case yes, it's imperative to state clearly upfront accordingly. It still don't think it justifies such a strong backlash (nothing inflammatory about the content), but I can understand why people might have an issue with it.


----------



## miceblue

Did you guys even watch the video? XD

[video]http://youtu.be/QaKwY_tohqc?t=22s[/video]

He clearly states that he backed the Pulse on Indiegogo. What he has on his desk is exactly that.


----------



## jbr1971

miceblue said:


> Did you guys even watch the video? XD
> 
> He clearly states that he backed the Pulse on Indiegogo. What he has on his desk is exactly that.


 
  
 I watched the video twice, and I realized the first time I watched that he was commenting about his IGG Pulse.
  
 My biggest issue I guess is the speculation and hearsay he reports about failure rates.
  
 Then he adds more speculation about whether the company’s business practices are fraudulant.
  
 While this is his own Pulse, he is “paid” to review many other things. Given that, I stand by my comments about journalistic standards and integrity, given that he has a lot of viewers that could be potentially influenced by such shabby reporting.


----------



## nudd

gyx11 said:


> Ah alright I didn't know he was paid to review the Pulse prototype. In which case yes, it's imperative to state clearly upfront accordingly. It still don't think it justifies such a strong backlash (nothing inflammatory about the content), but I can understand why people might have an issue with it.


 
  
 No you were right. He wasn't paid to review the Pulse. He backed it in the indiegogo campaign.
  
 This means they are not testing every single unit on the bench as they apparently are with the xfi's and the infinities otherwise this popping issue would certainly have been caught.
  
 I think LHL's official stance on warranty is that they will not pay return shipping even if the product is dead or defective on arrival. This is going to be really FRICKING expensive for those of us outside of the US unfortunately .


----------



## Levanter

I don't find any problems or irresponsibility with his review.
In fact I think his is more informative than all the various reviews included paid ones which glorifies products while maintaining a safe distance on discussing the negatives or bad points.

The popping is a real concern which LH brushed aside claiming its necessary for better SQ. 
I rather have a minor decrement in SQ than my speakers or phones blowing up.


----------



## bhazard

jbr1971 said:


> I watched the video twice, and I realized the first time I watched that he was commenting about his IGG Pulse.
> 
> My biggest issue I guess is the speculation and hearsay he reports about failure rates.
> 
> ...


 
 Agreed. Just look at the negative comments about the company already generated in the comments field.
  
 "Failure to provide working units" "I speculate" Well, I speculate that he's full of it. Who is right? Neither my nor his statement here has a verified fact in it. All we know is that his Pulse has an issue. For those of us who backed the GO and had the "volume issue", this was fixed in a subsequent firmware release.
  
 For anyone who has used a guitar amp, you don't just plug in your guitar input and remove it with the amp on and all the way up, nor should you turn some amps on/off while the volume is up. The same caution should be applied with any amp in general, just in case.
  
 I know I have a fully working LPS and GO1000 here, and I have the infinity, wave, and stream on the way. I'd be vocal if I was not happy, or if I had a faulty unit, but some statements made in that video was not the right way to go about things, especially for someone with a following.
  
 If LH fails to repair the unit or does not, then he has every right to mention that.


----------



## jbr1971

levanter said:


> I don't find any problems or irresponsibility with his review.
> In fact I think his is more informative than all the various reviews included paid ones which glorifies products while maintaining a safe distance on discussing the negatives or bad points.
> 
> The popping is a real concern which LH brushed aside claiming its necessary for better SQ.
> I rather have a minor decrement in SQ than my speakers or phones blowing up.


 
  
 The popping issue he described in the video is not the same as the power on/off popping noise that happens when the capacitors charge/discharge.


----------



## Levanter

jbr1971 said:


> The popping issue he described in the video is not the same as the power on/off popping noise that happens when the capacitors charge/discharge.




He did mention on the popping when he on/off his unit as well. But only demonstrated the pulling and plugging in of his headphones
Either way the popping issue is real and it did blew the maggies of one of the backers.


----------



## gyx11

Okay I've watched the video for the third time now, this time thoroughly, and I think it's quite apparent that
  
 1) He wasn't paid to review the Geek Pulse
 2) The Geek Pulse with him is the full retail version
 3) He paid for his Geek Pulse through backing the original IGG Campaign
 4) He clearly mentioned that 'MY unit has a rather severe fault...'
 5) He clearly mentioned the possibility that this issue might be isolated to his unit
 6) The last part of his video makes several claims about failure rates and the ability of LHL to iron out the faults, but he clearly mentions that he is merely speculating, and basing them off private conversations that he's had
  
 Let's get one thing clear. It's one thing to criticize his reviews, and quite another to launch personal attacks by suggesting that he's an amateur. I'm sorry but I don't think there's a distinction whether or not you run a dedicated website, have a youtube channel, or just do a one-off anonymous reviews. The name of the game is objectivity, which many reviewers can't claim to have, but at least people like Lachlan can.
  
 Also, if you can call him out on his speculating and his unsubstantiated claims, then jolly well don't fall down the same hole by having uncalled for assumptions like him having a 'holier-than-thou' attitude. I've seen his video and the comments on here, and there were needless questions over 'integrity' -- and it certainly wasn't Lachlan questioning LHL's integrity.
  
 Also, it's one thing to questionable business ethics, and quite another to claim fraudulent practice.
  
 Some people really need to put aside their tinted glasses and just accept that the nature of LHL and crowdfunding will always invite polarizing opinions and critiques.
  
 Reading this thread gives me headaches sometimes. On one hand, there are those who criticize LHL for global warming and the financial downturn. On the other side of the court are those who get ultra-defensive and for some reason take the stance that LHL are beyond reproach. Of course, there are a select knowledgeable few on here who remain fair and objective, but they are few and far in between.
  
 We all have one common goal. To see our investments succeed, and by extension, for LHL to succeed as well. I'm not sure what's so hard to see about that.


----------



## FayeForever

For me the biggest advantage of the new chip is the separate digital/analogue ground, but nobody knows how big the advantage that is until we put it in actual device.


----------



## miceblue

jbr1971 said:


> My biggest issue I guess is the speculation and hearsay he reports about failure rates.
> 
> Then he adds more speculation about whether the company’s business practices are fraudulant.
> 
> While this is his own Pulse, he is “paid” to review many other things. Given that, I stand by my comments about journalistic standards and integrity, given that he has a lot of viewers that could be potentially influenced by such shabby reporting.



True, the failure rate reporting was on his speculation.

He never once said the "company's business practices are fraudulent" though.

And again, this wasn't a review and he wasn't paid to do it. He did it on his own time with his own money. He set up his Patreon account long after he initially backed the Pulse on Indiegogo in 2013. As I stated earlier, this was mainly just for your information and a warning to heed if you do get your Pulse unit.


----------



## Drsparis

jbr1971 said:


> Then he adds more speculation about whether the company’s business practices are fraudulant.


 
 Exact words were " particularly ADMIRABLE business practices" .... kind of VERY different. Most would probably agree..... I also feel a need, now more than ever to back the new DAC upgrade chip, for me and everyone else. I fear however that 95% is a little high, especially since if it does not reach this point, we are basically throwing it away. At least I don't feel like i'm forced to give them money.... Am I alone thinking we should get a refund instead? 
  
 on to the real issue at hand, the new CHIP...
  


fayeforever said:


> For me the biggest advantage of the new chip is the separate digital/analogue ground, but nobody knows how big the advantage that is until we put it in actual device.


 
 This is what we should be talking about!


----------



## jbr1971

drsparis said:


> Exact words were " particularly ADMIRABLE business practices" .... kind of VERY different. Most would probably agree..... I also feel a need, now more than ever to back the new DAC upgrade chip, for me and everyone else. I fear however that 95% is a little high, especially since if it does not reach this point, we are basically throwing it away. At least I don't feel like i'm forced to give them money.... Am I alone thinking we should get a refund instead?
> 
> on to the real issue at hand, the new CHIP...
> 
> This is what we should be talking about!


 
  
 I have said my piece on the subject of the video. Sorry to have carried it on as long as it went.
  
 While I have not contributed for the Infinity I hope the numbers are there for everyone who did to get it. Knowing the way Larry is, he will tune the hell out of it and it will be well worth it in the end.


----------



## nudd

drsparis said:


> Exact words were " particularly ADMIRABLE business practices" .... kind of VERY different. Most would probably agree..... I also feel a need, now more than ever to back the new DAC upgrade chip, for me and everyone else. I fear however that 95% is a little high, especially since if it does not reach this point, we are basically throwing it away. At least I don't feel like i'm forced to give them money.... Am I alone thinking we should get a refund instead?
> 
> on to the real issue at hand, the new CHIP...
> 
> This is what we should be talking about!


 
  
 Well said.
  
 Can we get back to the point and can we please hear something from someone at LH Labs as to numbers (does the testing show the chip improves performance in any way) and subjective quality (do listening tests actually show any discernable improvement other than boasting about eg, inaudible 2 dB difference in noise floor).
  
 My concern is that you are sticking a chip into a known and tested design which has supposedly been auditioned by many people (including at shows) and Larry has fine tuned this thing following feedback (eg, to add resistors to make it slightly warmer, etc). How if simply chucking a new chip going affect all this.
  
 Example: ESS Sabre chips are known to have a certain "glare" if not properly implemented (ie, light on the bass and grain or harshness in the treble). What if this new chip doesn't have this glare and you chuck it into a system designed around controlling the Sabre glare? Are we going to end with a totally off-sounding result?


----------



## snip3r77

fayeforever said:


> For me the biggest advantage of the new chip is the separate digital/analogue ground, but nobody knows how big the advantage that is until we put it in actual device.




Not sure how it will affect sound since Larry need to tune/retweak again and also if there's any delay


----------



## graham508

+1


----------



## evillamer

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=379862402196771

Wow the random poping is very loud!


----------



## mtruong34

@jbr1971
  
 Just curious.  Are you Jody from LHL?


----------



## Levanter

mtruong34 said:


> @jbr1971
> 
> 
> Just curious.  Are you Jody from LHL?




Probably since the username is exactly the same.
But that would also make his defensive stance towards the YouTube video quite biased. Since you're a LH staff, please take the YouTube review seriously as those concerns are very genuine among us backers.


----------



## evillamer

levanter said:


> mtruong34 said:
> 
> 
> > @jbr1971
> ...


 

 Speaking on the topic of "integrity" that was brought up by him...
  
 As quoted below, he did spend a "good portion" of time with the LH staff during the last RMAF:
  


jbr1971 said:


> I spent 3 days at RMAF & a *good portion of it was hanging out with the LH guys*. I got to see & hear the Pulse & Keep, & see the Stream (the battery was dead from all of the auditions). These are all solid products.
> 
> The Wave will be going into production around the end of the year as the Pulse shipments are wrapping up. They are still on target for mid to late Q1 deliveries, barring anything unforeseen.
> 
> ...


----------



## smial1966

Quote:


evillamer said:


> As quoted below, he did spend a "good portion" of time with the LH staff during the last RMAF:


----------



## Levanter

evillamer said:


> As quoted below, he did spend a "good portion" of time with the LH staff during the last RMAF:




And this was his post in the LH forums which sounded/implied that he works for LH.
Unless I'm one of the few who misunderstood his post, but it's quite direct and hard to misinterpret. 



> I have watched the video, and I was the person to originally respond to his support ticket.
> 
> As he mentioned in the video I agreed that there appears to be an issue with the unit and I escalated it to Manny.
> 
> ...


----------



## mikey1964

Regardless of volume issue, I've gotten a Standard......liking it thus far, hope the volume/crackle/pop will be resolved asap. The Vali was another of my new acquisition.


----------



## ejong7

How does the amp section of the pulse sound compared to the vali?


----------



## jbr1971

mtruong34 said:


> Just curious.  Are you Jody from LHL?





> Probably since the username is exactly the same.
> But that would also make his defensive stance towards the YouTube video quite biased. Since you're a LH staff, please take the YouTube review seriously as those concerns are very genuine among us backers.


 
  
 Yes, I am. However, I have been a customer of LH Labs far longer than I have worked for them, and I reserve my time on Head-Fi to be a place to express my own views, not those of the company.
  
 With regards to the video, am I biased? Maybe a little. However, I do stand by what I wrote.
  
 Did Lachlan have a right to say what he did? Of course he did. It is the way he went about it I take issue with.
  
 He should have searched the Geek Forum (and maybe Head-Fi for thoroughness) to see if anyone else was having the issue, opened a support ticket for it (this part he did), and waited for LH to resolve the issue before uploading a “first impressions” video.
  
 If he had done so, he would have found that he is the only person thus far to report this issue (if anyone else is having this issue, please open a support ticket immediately so the issue can be looked into to determine if it is a more systematic design/manufacturing issue).
  
 If after taking the time to report about true first impressions he wanted to include details about the issue and the resolution process (including that this is a singular issue thus far), by all means do so.
  
 With regard to the speculations, how about asking the company for the correct current numbers to counter balance the hearsay from outsiders?
  
 However, he did not do that. He uploaded a video creating another “panic” about the quality of the Pulse, and intimating LH Labs does not operate above board, thus souring the company in the view of many of his subscribers without just cause.
  
 With regards to Levanter’s post about taking the video seriously, I take it very seriously. I am a Pulse Xfi backer myself, and want to see all units delivered issue free. The issue with his Pulse, while singular, is very serious and is being handled like any other support issue.
  
 As much as many of the people here have been frustrated with some of the things the company does/has done, I have too. However, instead of sitting behind my keyboard and complaining about it, or going so far as to make outlandish accusations, I took the initiative to do something about it.
  
 I spoke to Larry, Gavin, and Casey at RMAF about joining the support team to help with getting things where they need to be. And in the meantime others have been hired as well. Tami, Manny, and Stephanie have been doing a great job of keeping up with the deluge of tickets that comes in. And based on the feedback I have received from customers (some of you on this thread), I seem to be doing a decent job as well.
  
 I am not claiming things are perfect, and I am not trying to minimize the fact that there are issues that need to be addressed as soon as possible, but steps have been taken to turn the tide and get things to where they should be. It will not be an overnight change, but we will get there.
  
 With regards to the issues with the Pulse and LPS (firmware, etc), work is being done to fix them, and to try to minimize any future issues. Before filling the forums with complaints and accusations, take the time to educate yourself on the product development lifecycle, and the timeframes/challenges involved with taking a product from idea to market, and be realistic with your expectations.
  
 Sorry for the rant. Again, these are my opinions, NOT those of LH Labs. If anyone wants to discuss this further, please pm me rather than de-railing the thread further.
  
 Jody


----------



## mandrake50

drsparis said:


> Am I alone thinking we should get a refund instead?
> 
> on to the real issue at hand, the new CHIP...
> 
> This is what we should be talking about!


 

 You are not alone, My first thought when I read the announcement was.. If they don't reach the minimum level... why the heck not refund the money.
 Not doing so forces people to decide whether the possibility of just throwing money away is acceptable.
 I know they would face some logistics challenges in returning potentially 400+ $22 payments, but I am sure that it is doable,


----------



## Anaximandros

Well, the mony is going to be donated to the Sacramento Youth Symphony.
 Nothing wrong with donating money to a music institution.


----------



## Drsparis

mandrake50 said:


> You are not alone, My first thought when I read the announcement was.. If they don't reach the minimum level... why the heck not refund the money.
> Not doing so forces people to decide whether the possibility of just throwing money away is acceptable.
> I know they would face some logistics challenges in returning potentially 400+ $22 payments, but I am sure that it is doable,


 
 That and contrary to the side of me that is tired of waiting and wants the device as soon as possible, if this does go through, I do not want it rushed... I actually hope they take a couple months to test it... new chip could behave differently....
  
  


anaximandros said:


> Well, the mony is going to be donated to the Sacramento Youth Symphony.
> Nothing wrong with donating money to a music institution.


 
 AAAAAAAAAAND you just made it even fishier lolol. 
  
 I'm for donations but not for some kind of weird schrodinger donation to the daughter of the people responsible for me spending more and more and more and more...........


----------



## digitalzed

fayeforever said:


> I'll hold on to that until I find out how long it is gonna delay.


 

 I was told by Casey that it would be 6-8 weeks more. I'm not sure however, what that's based on because I don't know how far along they are with any builds or testing at this point.


----------



## nudd

Jody it would only be fair to say up front that you work for LHL but your views are your own. 

Especially when you are talking here about how someone should have behaved as a matter of integrity and ethics.

By not so disclosing you are opening yourself to the same issue you are accusing Lachlan of: making statements about a state of affairs in an inappropriate manner. By not disclosing you employment relationship you are not giving people sufficient information to form a view as to how to read your postings on this forum.

In his case you say he should not have leveled accusations about LH Labs integrity but your own conduct brings me to question just how you could think as a matter of basic fairness that it is okay to be employed by LHL, make these types of pro LHL posts and not even think that you should disclose your role at LHL?

Since you think it is okay to rant, here is the part I begin my own biased rant about CS that i really just want to get out of my system:

With regard to the things you say he should have done he opened a support ticket and waited three days without any response. I think three days is more than long even a wait time that you should get at least an email from someone that the issue is being looked at, right? If someone had responded and said even "we are looking at this", I believe he would have reported this. But oh noes if you reply the ticket autocloses after 2 days (does it still do that, by the way, that is the stupidest thing ever). So how is it fair that LHL thinks it is fair to assume issues are magically resolved on the customers side if the customer does not respond after 2 days, but you think it is fair to keep the customer waiting for three days without responding to their support requests?

You also say he should have waited until LHL resolved the issue - how long do you think he should have waited? How long did it take for LHL to release a new firmware after people complained that the Geek Out defaulting to max volume was killing their headphones? 



jbr1971 said:


> Yes, I am. However, I have been a customer of LH Labs far longer than I have worked for them, and I reserve my time on Head-Fi to be a place to express my own views, not those of the company.
> 
> With regards to the video, am I biased? Maybe a little. However, I do stand by what I wrote.
> 
> ...


----------



## jbr1971

nudd said:


> Jody it would only be fair to say up front that you work for LHL but your views are your own.
> 
> Especially when you are talking here about how someone should have behaved as a matter of integrity and ethics.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I had not been given any purview to post as a LH employee, so I did not disclose it. The opinions are my own, as a LH backer, and should be viewed as such.
  
 Until last night I had done a good job of not commenting on “hot button” topics, however that one elicited the response it did.
  
 I no longer own his case, so I do not know where it stands. However, he should have emailed into the case asking for an update if he had concerns, and waited for a new replacement unit before posting a “first impressions” video.
  
 Tickets do not auto close. I do not know if they did before I started, but I know they do not now.
  
 I was not around for the issues with the Geek Out, and his issue is not firmware related, which makes the GO reference irrelevant.


----------



## Anaximandros

Easy guys.
  
 But just FYI. Why is the first impressions video not appropriate? It was his *first* impression of the Pulse.
 I don't want to dig in further, but he had every right to do so, even without having a replacement unit.


----------



## mikey1964

ejong7 said:


> How does the amp section of the pulse sound compared to the vali?


 
 The Vali is for my one of my other rigs, I have four rigs and I have three that have either dac/amp combos or stack, the Vali is for my last system w/o a dac/amp combo/stack. So far, I've been messing around with the Pulse and I can say that I find nothing truly wrong with it. I do take the precaution of powering up the Pulse w/o my cans plugged in, after a couple of minutes, I'd plug in my can. I tested it a few times with my ultra cheap Philips headphones (got it free with Philips monitor purchase), I don't hear a pop or sound related issue. In fact. with the Philips headphones plugged in, I powered on the unit and I do hear a soft pop, much like the sound some amps or dac/amps would emit immediately upon powering up. But nothing that would damage a can, still, I'm playing it safe and would only plug my cans in after it's warmed up. Volume level stayed the same level as when it was last switched off.
  
 Unfortunately, due to all this bad press, I'm somewhat fearful of damaging one of my more expensive cans, so I'll always use the Philips can to test before plugging in my HE400i or K812, or any of my other cans. LED display seems alright, not exactly bright (or rather, not as bright as I'd have liked it) with no flickering at all. Still, it's early days and I'm still testing it, but thus far, the unit looks solid, listening to some DSD64 tracks with my HE400i as I type this post.....


----------



## senorx12562

jbr1971 said:


> Wow, that video was beyond irresponsible. I don't care how many followers you have on social media.
> 
> I keep up with all of the Geek threads on Head-fi, and keep up with most of the Geek Forum, and this is the first report I have seen for this issue.
> 
> ...


 
 I believe it is exactly the opposite. His taking donations to fund his reviews obligates him to do exactly as he did. Tell the truth. If he's being paid by LH to advertise their product, that's different. and if that is true, then Lachlan is of very little use to me. I can just look at the ads on stereophile.com if that's what I want. Are you insinuating that what he said wasn't true? If so, I expect to see some substantiation. If not, then I just totally disagree with you.


----------



## senorx12562

bhazard said:


> +1. I actually commented these thoughts right into it. I have a perfectly working GO1000 and LPS, and unlike this guy, audio companies seek me out and send me review units, because they know I won't pull stupid, irresponsible BS like this. Who reviews a defective product without getting a replacement? An amatuer with no integrity and a video camera will.


 
 What responsible manufacturer sends out a defective unit, which this clearly was since it ruined a pair of headphones.


----------



## senorx12562

mscott58 said:


> Totally agree. He's free to say whatever he likes as an individual, but as a compensated reviewer there is a different bar/standard.
> 
> And if he thinks he should be on his high horse just because his ticket is three days old...


 
 The question is by whom is he being paid.


----------



## senorx12562

gyx11 said:


> I'm surprised by all the reaction to the video. I read the comments before watching the video and I was expecting to see some serious crap going on.
> 
> But not once did he suggest that the Pulse was crap in any sense of the word. Not once did he suggest that all units have this issue. In fact, I think it's pretty clear that he gave the benefit of the doubt by suggesting that his unit was an anomaly rather than the norm.  I think it's wrong to even call his video a review. If you've seen his channel before, he clearly labels video reviews as being 'reviews'. There was none on the video.
> 
> ...


 
 +1


----------



## senorx12562

jbr1971 said:


> I watched the video twice, and I realized the first time I watched that he was commenting about his IGG Pulse.
> 
> My biggest issue I guess is the speculation and hearsay he reports about failure rates.
> 
> ...


 
 So telling the truth is shabby reporting? Really? I'm confused, as usual.


----------



## evillamer

Although there are some youtubers who may resort to sensationalism to drive up viewership(i.e. Iphone 6 bendgate). I don' believe Lachlan is trying to do a #popgate on LH here. He has also in the past highlighted issues with his Sony MDR-Z7.
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgCAWGNjZEk
  
 Instead of questioning and bashing the youtuber/customer/funder, a good company will provide no quibble 1 for 1 replacement for the faulty product quickly by posting a reply to Lachlan on youtube. Public Relations 101.
  
 "Dear XXX, We are sorry to hear about your troubles with our product. Please contact us @ xxx to arrange for a replacement unit..."
  
 It's only LH who has to lose if this QC/Design issues goes out of hand.


----------



## miceblue

fayeforever said:


> For me the biggest advantage of the new chip is the separate digital/analogue ground, but nobody knows how big the advantage that is until we put it in actual device.



Where did you hear that from? Oh never mind, it's on the Wave's Indiegogo activities tab.


> *A Note About the Cost*
> 
> If you're up on such nerdiness, you may have already learned that the new 9018AQ2M is not pin compatible with the 9018M. This means we have to do a lot more than just switch out DACs. First, we need to do some re-routing on the PCB. Second, we have to add 4 C0G capacitors to the circuit because there are more pins on the new DAC chip that need to be decoupled.
> 
> ...


----------



## mikey1964

I've been experimenting with the Pulse, changing tracks (from DSD to WAV to DSD again), no issue at all. One thing though, LHL should beef up their FAQ section with help on how to get Foobar (or any other player) configured to play DSD tracks and such. To draw from an experience I'd had with iFi, I have the Micro iDSD, I couldn't get Foobar to play nice with the Micro iDSD, I'd posted my frustrations with setting it up, their local rep answered within a day with a step-by-step guide to configuring Foobar......now, that's excellent service. Yes, I do understand that LHL doesn't have local reps in the various countries, so having a clear guide to using the Pulse in the FAQ/Guide section would help. I'd gotten Foobar to play nice with the Pulse after some anxious minutes configuring Foobar while, at the back of my mind, wondering if the unit was defective. A good online guide would definitely alleviate some of the initial anxiety with any new product, especially one that has been plagued with such bad press.


----------



## Madeupword

mikey1964 said:


> I've been experimenting with the Pulse, changing tracks (from DSD to WAV to DSD again), no issue at all. One thing though, LHL should beef up their FAQ section with help on how to get Foobar (or any other player) configured to play DSD tracks and such. To draw from an experience I'd had with iFi, I have the Micro iDSD, I couldn't get Foobar to play nice with the Micro iDSD, I'd posted my frustrations with setting it up, their local rep answered within a day with a step-by-step guide to configuring Foobar......now, that's excellent service. Yes, I do understand that LHL doesn't have local reps in the various countries, so having a clear guide to using the Pulse in the FAQ/Guide section would help. I'd gotten Foobar to play nice with the Pulse after some anxious minutes configuring Foobar while, at the back of my mind, wondering if the unit was defective. A good online guide would definitely alleviate some of the initial anxiety with any new product, especially one that has been plagued with such bad press.


 

 Try LHLabs' geek force forum. I recall there was a thread on it.


----------



## gyx11

I think we should give Jody a break as well. It's clear he will have a greater propensity to be aggrieved than most since it's his own blood and sweat being put into the CS front. I can empathize because he's simply taking pride in what he does, and his job isn't exactly easy. Keep in mind that he proactively seeked a solution to his woes (and for others as well), and at heart he's essentially a backer like all of us.

To move on, I think $22 for the chip upgrade is quite a safe investment. If there's noticeably better measurables, whether or not perceivable, I think we can trust LHL to implement it perfectly. I'm no expert on technical stuff, but I've experienced the infamous Sabre glare in a couple of DACs before. The GO was the best of the lot. Treble never became harsh. I think it's safe to say Larry knows what's best for all things hardware. Most of the upgrades I'll think twice with regards to value, but $22 makes for an easy decision


----------



## greenkiwi

I'm going to be in for the 22 too


----------



## greenkiwi

No if only we could get some info on the headphone amp


----------



## Zenifyx

jbr1971 said:


> I had not been given any purview to post as a LH employee, so I did not disclose it. The opinions are my own, as a LH backer, and should be viewed as such.
> 
> Until last night I had done a good job of not commenting on “hot button” topics, however that one elicited the response it did.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Your opinions are indeed your own and not indicative of LHlabs views on the matter, but why do you insist your views be viewed as that of a LH backer? (rather than that of a LH employee, which you apparently are).
 Is there some apparent disadvantage for you to have your opinions to be viewed as coming from an LH employee?


----------



## jexby

gyx11 said:


> To move on, I think $22 for the chip upgrade is quite a safe investment. If there's noticeably better measurables, whether or not perceivable, I think we can trust LHL to implement it perfectly. I'm no expert on technical stuff, but I've experienced the infamous Sabre glare in a couple of DACs before. The GO was the best of the lot. Treble never became harsh. I think it's safe to say Larry knows what's best for all things hardware. Most of the upgrades I'll think twice with regards to value, but $22 makes for an easy decision


 
  
 This.
 +22.


----------



## bitsnbytes

madeupword said:


> Try LHLabs' geek force forum. I recall there was a thread on it.




A FAQ is better. Combing the threads is like searching for a needle in the haystack.


----------



## nudd

Jody not to derail the thread further but my rant is as relevant as your rant. 

Now to the substance of the matter. If you are going to accuse others of unfairness and possible bias I think you need yourself to disclaim from what perspective you are actually coming from. Not fully disclosing your linkage to LHL taints your posts with a strong hint of astro turfing. 

You need to yourself disclose in every post that you are a LHL employee but you are posting here in your own capacity and that your views are not LHL's views. Doing otherwise raises serious questions about the integrity of your posts and LHL's involvement (eg you are posting LHL's official views, or you are trying to whitewash a known and serious issue).



jbr1971 said:


> I had not been given any purview to post as a LH employee, so I did not disclose it. The opinions are my own, as a LH backer, and should be viewed as such.
> 
> Until last night I had done a good job of not commenting on “hot button” topics, however that one elicited the response it did.
> 
> ...


----------



## Levanter

Btw Jody,
Lachlan wasn't the only one facing those problems. The popping issue has been around for some time and did blow up a backer's speakers who bought the retailers package which included around 10 Pulse. 
Imagine having 10 Pulse which you can't sell to customers in fear of blowing up their gears.
And if I recall, LH side stepped that issue stating there is no defect and the popping is a discharge necessary or there will be a decrease in SQ if they added a component to fix it.

And i do see a number of people complaining in the forums and indiegogo of a defective product without getting any response from LH customer service for over a week. I think Lachlans review is spot on IMO, and LH needs to improve their customer service efforts.

Glad you are now working with LH, and as a former backer I hope you have our interest as a priority as well. E.G, getting the backers to pay shipping both ways for a proper working display board is not very customer oriented since it was LH fault.


----------



## greenkiwi

I know if I had ordered a retail package, I would have been asking to have shipping delayed... Every product has issues... We programmers have to write bugs so that the QA guys can still have jobs.  ok but really... But bugs are a part of software. You do lots of things to try to mitigate them, but it is nigh on impossible to write bug free code.


----------



## mandrake50

zenifyx said:


> Your opinions are indeed your own and not indicative of LHlabs views on the matter, but why do you insist your views be viewed as that of a LH backer? (rather than that of a LH employee, which you apparently are).
> Is there some apparent disadvantage for you to have your opinions to be viewed as coming from an LH employee?


 

 Let it go...
 Please!


----------



## miceblue

mikey1964 said:


> I've been experimenting with the Pulse, changing tracks (from DSD to WAV to DSD again), no issue at all. One thing though, LHL should beef up their FAQ section with help on how to get Foobar (or any other player) configured to play DSD tracks and such. To draw from an experience I'd had with iFi, I have the Micro iDSD, I couldn't get Foobar to play nice with the Micro iDSD, I'd posted my frustrations with setting it up, their local rep answered within a day with a step-by-step guide to configuring Foobar......now, that's excellent service. Yes, I do understand that LHL doesn't have local reps in the various countries, so having a clear guide to using the Pulse in the FAQ/Guide section would help. I'd gotten Foobar to play nice with the Pulse after some anxious minutes configuring Foobar while, at the back of my mind, wondering if the unit was defective. A good online guide would definitely alleviate some of the initial anxiety with any new product, especially one that has been plagued with such bad press.



Yeah actually that would be nice. It took me quite some time to figure out how to set up DSD properly on Foobar for the Geek Out.

Basically:

 Install the LH Windows drivers (http://lhlabs.com/downloads/LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v2.23.zip)
 Install Foobar2000 (http://www.foobar2000.org/download)
 Install the ASIO add-on for Foobar (http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_asio just double-click on the .component file and it'll open in Foobar)
 Install the SACD Decoder add-on for Foobar (http://sourceforge.net/projects/sacddecoder/files/foo_input_sacd/ just unzip the folder, double-click on the .component file, and it'll open in Foobar)
 Open Foobar
 Go to Foobar preferences (Ctrl + P)
 Click on the Output listing after expanding the Playback settings on the left
 Select ASIO: foo_dsd_asio in the Device list
 Adjust the Buffer length slider to your liking (I don't know if these settings do anything so I just set it to 50 ms)
 Click on the ASIO listing after expanding the Output settings on the left
 Check the Use 64-bit ASIO drivers option
 Check the Run with high process priority option
 Double-click on foo_dsd_asio under the ASIO Drivers list
 Select Light Harmonic ASIO under the ASIO Driver dropdown list
 Select DoP Marker 0x05/0xFA under the DSD Playback Method dropdown list
 Select None under the DSD to DSD Method dropdown list
 Select None under the PCM to DSD Method dropdown list
 Select 0 ms under the DSD/PCM Transition dropdown list
 Close that window
 Click on the SACD listing after expanding the Tools settings on the left
 Select DSD under the ASIO Driver Mode dropdown list
 Click on Apply and OK
 Open the Light Harmonic Control Panel
 Go to the Buffer Settings tab
 Adjust the USB Streaming Mode and Asio Buffer Size options to your liking (I still don't understand what these options do, but I have Minimum Latency and 128 samples respectively)
 Go to the Volume tab
 Click on Output ...
 Adjust the volume to your liking (I would recommend setting the master volume to -70 dB just to be safe)
 Open a DSD file in Foobar and play it

Hopefully this will help someone else. It only took me a long time to figure it all out.... -_-


----------



## doctorjazz

You skipped the part about getting an unmaimed goat, slaughtering it and sacrificing it to the gods of audio...


----------



## mikey1964

miceblue said:


> Yeah actually that would be nice. It took me quite some time to figure out how to set up DSD properly on Foobar for the Geek Out.
> 
> Basically:
> Install the LH Windows drivers (http://lhlabs.com/downloads/LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v2.23.zip)
> ...


 
 I can't recall what I'd done, only that I'd changed this or that setting when Foobar prompted an error message about 'unable to query frequency rate' or some malarkey to that effect. Furiously reset this and that and was rewarded with Foobar playing the track......but no sound! After a few more adjustment, I'd gotten it to work........WHEW!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 All that just to get the Pulse to play nice with Foobar, and all that time I was wondering if my unit was faulty since Foobar was playing the tracks, but no audio. Seriously, LHL should post a config setting for Foobar and any other major player so that we can feel at ease configuring Foobar and Pulse. I'm keeping your post in mind as I'll be getting a Nano iDSD to go with my Lyr, I'm gonna compare the Lyr + Nano iDSD stack against the Pulse Standard and the winner (in my opinion based on my somewhat shoddy hearing) would be my main audio rig with the 2nd place audio setup going to my 2nd rig. 
  


doctorjazz said:


> You skipped the part about getting an unmaimed goat, slaughtering it and sacrificing it to the gods of audio...


 
 Shush, that's a dirty secret that's reserved when all else fails.....


----------



## chartwell85

Well this thread got a bit of traction...I'm going to be here for the next few hours and early tomorrow AM.  Whatever questions you have for me I'll gladly answer in the order they're received.


----------



## snip3r77

gyx11 said:


> I think we should give Jody a break as well. It's clear he will have a greater propensity to be aggrieved than most since it's his own blood and sweat being put into the CS front. I can empathize because he's simply taking pride in what he does, and his job isn't exactly easy. Keep in mind that he proactively seeked a solution to his woes (and for others as well), and at heart he's essentially a backer like all of us.
> 
> To move on, I think $22 for the chip upgrade is quite a safe investment. If there's noticeably better measurables, whether or not perceivable, I think we can trust LHL to implement it perfectly. I'm no expert on technical stuff, but I've experienced the infamous Sabre glare in a couple of DACs before. The GO was the best of the lot. Treble never became harsh. I think it's safe to say Larry knows what's best for all things hardware. Most of the upgrades I'll think twice with regards to value, but $22 makes for an easy decision




+22 post counts.
If I need to sell it away it would be easier also.

132/ 446 now. the 446 number I feel it's not a arbitrary figure. ( 100%?) and as long we can meet 95% then it would be a go? (My guess )


----------



## miceblue

mikey1964 said:


> I can't recall what I'd done, only that I'd changed this or that setting when Foobar prompted an error message about 'unable to query frequency rate' or some malarkey to that effect. Furiously reset this and that and was rewarded with Foobar playing the track......but no sound! After a few more adjustment, I'd gotten it to work........WHEW!:blink:  All that just to get the Pulse to play nice with Foobar, and all that time I was wondering if my unit was faulty since Foobar was playing the tracks, but no audio. Seriously, LHL should post a config setting for Foobar and any other major player so that we can feel at ease configuring Foobar and Pulse. I'm keeping your post in mind as I'll be getting a Nano iDSD to go with my Lyr, I'm gonna compare the Lyr + Nano iDSD stack against the Pulse Standard and the winner (in my opinion based on my somewhat shoddy hearing) would be my main audio rig with the 2nd place audio setup going to my 2nd rig.



Ah, that's basically what happened to me when I was trying to setup the Geek Out, hahaha. Eventually after dinking around with the settings I figured out what works and what doesn't. Actually setting up the upcoming OPPO HA-2 also helped since that does native DSD streaming up to DSD256, which I thought was odd since it uses the same DAC chip as the GO and the Pulse.

Speaking of the iDSD, that has a minimum phase filter built into it. How do you like the filters available in the Pulse?

I wrote my impressions of them in the Geek Out thread (I'm not gonna paste the text directly here since it's a big block).
http://www.head-fi.org/t/677263/light-harmonic-geek/1380#post_11300670


----------



## zerodeefex

The "pulse will damage your headphones" thing is overblown. I leave my UERMs plugged in and turn it on and off all the time. Even with them in, the thump is tiny.


----------



## chartwell85

I have yet to actually receive a verified and valid complaint that Pulse has blown a headphone or a tweeter let alone that a batch of 10 reseller packs were all failed units.  
  
 We had one person who bought a reseller pack and mentioned that with the existing firmware he deemed them to be unsellable.  We offered to purchase each unit back from him at the original price he paid and his response was that he had already sold them all.  I must say, I was a bit baffled by that one.


----------



## bitsnbytes

doctorjazz said:


> You skipped the part about getting an unmaimed goat, slaughtering it and sacrificing it to the gods of audio...




I already sacrificed my kid's college fund


----------



## doctorjazz

bitsnbytes said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > You skipped the part about getting an unmaimed goat, slaughtering it and sacrificing it to the gods of audio...
> ...




Ahhh, wimp!
We've all done that!!!!


----------



## jexby

chartwell85 said:


> I have yet to actually receive a verified and valid complaint that Pulse has blown a headphone or a tweeter let alone that a batch of 10 reseller packs were all failed units.
> 
> We had one person who bought a reseller pack and mentioned that with the existing firmware he deemed them to be unsellable.  We offered to purchase each unit back from him at the original price he paid and his response was that he had already sold them all.  I must say, I was a bit baffled by that one.




Amazing. IIRC that guy wasn't shy on the forums about being stuck with a stack of Pulses "at a huge loss".
And now this info.

Have a sneaky suspicion that in a year or so the Urban Legands regarding LH+IGG are going to be hugely insane.


----------



## gyx11

zerodeefex said:


> The "pulse will damage your headphones" thing is overblown. I leave my UERMs plugged in and turn it on and off all the time. Even with them in, the thump is tiny.




I suppose your gear lives up to your user ID, ha!

In seriousness though, I don't get why people are refuting the pop of death by using their perfectly working units as an example. that's like saying that chicken pox doesn't exist because I haven't gotten them before. I watched the video where the LED was going crazy and the pop was recorded and it was loud enough for me to be concerned to think twice about plugging my CIEMs into my Pulse when I receive it. clearly, the poor guy received a bad unit which was an anomaly compared the norm of the many other perfect units.

of course, chances are that I'll receive a perfect unit like most of you. but unless the poor guy deliberately sabotaged his unit for some unbeknownst reason, I'm happy that someone else bit the bullet before me (harsh but true) and showed me enough real evidence to make me worry.

of course, I'm confident that LHL will take notice, troubleshoot, and iron out any potential issues by the time my Pulse ships. I can only hope it'll be like the GO firmware update, which not only eradicated the volume blast but made everything sound better!


----------



## Levanter

chartwell85 said:


> I have yet to actually receive a verified and valid complaint that Pulse has blown a headphone or a tweeter let alone that a batch of 10 reseller packs were all failed units.
> 
> We had one person who bought a reseller pack and mentioned that with the existing firmware he deemed them to be unsellable.  We offered to purchase each unit back from him at the original price he paid and his response was that he had already sold them all.  I must say, I was a bit baffled by that one.




Wow 10 which are all failed units? But glad to know the outcome of the aftermath since we didn't know what happened after that.

Casey will there be an upgrade/trade up perk for Pulse X Infinite + LPS to Vi DAC Infinity in the Pulse Indigogo page? I'm interested in the sound promise 120% trade up but not sure how much is the additional cost or if the 120% trade up means a free transition?


----------



## Click

Pretty incredible at the backlash incurred from 1 video of 1 individual who had his 1 Pulse unit be faulty. Crazed LH fanboys like bhazard and LH employees like jbr1971 (who didn't disclose that they're a LH employee until after the slandering was done) should be ashamed of themselves at their slander and lies they spewed against Lachlan / a_recording. You people completely made crap up about what Lachlan said and slammed Lachlan for things he never said, claimed, or even insinuated... all because he had the balls to make a video saying that his Pulse unit is faulty and questioned the questionable business practices of your beloved LHL. You 2 owe Lachlan an apology for overreacting and lying about what he said in his video.


----------



## chartwell85

The key point there was that I have never heard of 10 units being failed. That's something that was floating around on this forum that has zero validity. 

As far as the upgrading through the sound promise program, is that something that you guys are interested in?


----------



## Levanter

chartwell85 said:


> The key point there was that I have never heard of 10 units being failed. That's something that was floating around on this forum that has zero validity.
> 
> As far as the upgrading through the sound promise program, is that something that you guys are interested in?




I've only heard of that 1 unit but not his whole 10 batch. I wonder who made that claim since that does sound pretty far fetched for a big batch to be faulty.

I'm sure there are some out there who are interested/curious on the trade up program. There were a few who expressed their interest in the LH forums too, but are not sure what's the cost.
Would you mind letting me know if it's free or any extra cost for Pulse X Infinite + LPS to the Vi DAC Infinity?


----------



## Madeupword

Hey Casey six questions.
  
 1. Could you kindly add description of the 2015 ESS dac chip on the Indiegogo Pulse campaign? The one on Wave and Vi should suffice.
  
 2. Could you kindly email the qualifying backers regarding the 2015 ESS dac chip perk? Some might miss the Indiegogo mailer.
  
 3. Why is there a need for such a (strict & high / 95%) percentage requirement to obtain the upgrade?
  
 4. Wouldn't LH Labs use the 2015 ESS dac chip on Wave, Vi, Pulse and future and retailing products?
  
 5. How did you come about the total qualifying backers number of 446? I recalled there was a good number of backers who backed the Infinity package accidentally, with the impression it was for the Soul/Vi. This is worrisome with the history of inaccurate logistics.
  
 6. Donations are always good, but some have requested to have their sum deposited as credits for further LH Labs' products should the perk not work out, your thoughts?
  
 Looking forward to your response!
  
 Thank you so much!


----------



## chartwell85

madeupword said:


> Hey Casey six questions.
> 
> 1. Could you kindly add description of the 2015 ESS dac chip on the Indiegogo Pulse campaign? The one on Wave and Vi should suffice.
> 
> ...


 

 1. I'll add that in the morning.  In the meantime, the description can still be found on the Geek Wave and Vi DAC campaign pages https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-wave-a-no-compromise-portable-music-player & http://igg.me/at/viaudio/
  
 2. A targeted email for qualifying backers can be arranged, yes. 
  
 3. We need to have new boards manufactured to implement the new DAC chip. 
  
 4. Since the latest offering form ESS has yet to be released, en mass, we've had to secure our numbers based on estimates.  We plan on implanting the new DAC chip on select product lines for now.  
  
 5. Our CSR team verified and confirmed the numbers in order to place the PO for the required upgrades.  
  
 6. I like the idea.  Let me run it by Larry and Gavin and I'll circle back once I have an answer.  Great suggestion though.


----------



## chartwell85

levanter said:


> I've only heard of that 1 unit but not his whole 10 batch. I wonder who made that claim since that does sound pretty far fetched for a big batch to be faulty.
> 
> I'm sure there are some out there who are interested/curious on the trade up program. There were a few who expressed their interest in the LH forums too, but are not sure what's the cost.
> Would you mind letting me know if it's free or any extra cost for Pulse X Infinite + LPS to the Vi DAC Infinity?


 

 Getting this info now.


----------



## nudd

Casey questions for you/LHL:
  
 1. What about the other 5% who do not choose the 2015 ESS update perk. Will they (1) get a free ride, (2) just get one of the 80 boards that haven't failed your spdif tests (assuming any survive), (3) be forced to upgrade or (4) something else (please specify)?
  
 2. What if you hit the required number of perk contributions and the answer is (2) above and then one of those 5% want to upgrade - will you let them?
  
 3. What in the way of listening tests, qualification work, retuning and changing of components will LHL be doing in relation to the 2015 ESS Chip and will it actually sound better than the current chip?
  
 4. On the firmware update - what will LHL do to prevent user error like flashing the wrong firmware into the relevant Geek device? Will you be adding sanity checks into the firmware update process so it is not possible for somebody to accidentally flash a Geek Out firmware into the Pulse (seems it would be sensible to do this if you are thinking of mass marketing your product to unsophisticated consumers), or will you simply rely on users being perfect all the time?
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Levanter

chartwell85 said:


> Getting this info now.




Awesome! Hope to hear some good affordable/free news soon


----------



## uncola

It would be cool to have the $22 go to a future LH product if we don't get 95%.. I really hope we do though


----------



## pedalhead

Casey, if the X Infinite board ends up being redesigned to take the new chip, how would Larry feel about implementing a relay on the board to put this whole popping issue to bed? The Infinite model with the new ESS chip would have a super low noise floor so it could be argued that the slight raising of the noise floor caused by the relay would be a good trade off.


----------



## uncola

Casey maybe Larry could write a brief "Why you want the geek headphone amp even if you have a geek pulse xfi" blurb to help rope LH labs high spenders into backing the headphone amp tomorrow


----------



## Madeupword

We all want our Pulse Infinity last year, but I'm pretty sure we want it in full working condition. Let LH clean up the bugs, improve on parts such as the XMOS, ESS and resistors. That will take time.

 We want the Pulse Infinity because we want the best, if not, closest to the Signature series. Signature series will include the new ESS chip.

 The pulse obsolete? Some say no, but I think there's some truth to it. In future and retail products, wouldn't LH place the new ESS chip, than to stay behind its competitors?

 Backed the Wave, Vi or other LH products? You're in the long haul, those will take time as well. Those products will have the new ESS chip too, which may expedite the implementation across the board.

 Yes, constant perks can hurt the mind, likewise with subjective negativity. "95% is tough", "I'll check back later" and "Well, not many backed" will hurt the crowd. Why not triumph it and rain $22 on it. If one were to act on it, others will follow. If not, one might blame himself to be kept in the dark, speculating. Speculation is a bad form of investment.

 I use triumph, because how cool would it be for more than 400 backers / forces / strangers to accomplish a task together?

 $22 is merely amount to a few cups of coffee, that to accomplishing a feat or music for kids is something I can swallow. If you're not feeling charitable, Casey has mentioned he'll speak with Larry & Gavin to decide if the $22 could be deposited as credits for future products.

 I have also asked for Casey to add description of the ESS chip on the Pulse campaign because I think it is important. Likewise for targeted emails for qualifying backers.

 I've backed the perk as it's a no-brainer for me. $22 for the newest technology, if not, kiddos or credits is an absolute win. For the pessimists, a no-loss. We've waited long, so what's another few days / months. I rather wait than to receive a DOA, or half-baked product. Which only amount to my scratching head. Cheap, good and fast? Not happening.

 For those asking what about the last 5%. It will be LH's discretion to give you a free ride, but who are we kidding here. We've been here before, the infinity perk. If you have not perk it, they will ask if you want via email. If not, you'll get the Infinity on the board with the old chip along with the Xfi. It's not rocket science.

 For those who have backed the Infinity perk but had gone with the Vi upgrade, you can do us a favour by backing it so we're closer to the target, if not, for the kiddos or your credits. Otherwise, give LH another head's up so they might strike your name out and reduce the target number.

 Don't hate and speculate. Take charge and build this special group's confidence. Let's make this happen.


----------



## jbr1971

mikey1964 said:


> I've been experimenting with the Pulse, changing tracks (from DSD to WAV to DSD again), no issue at all. One thing though, LHL should beef up their FAQ section with help on how to get Foobar (or any other player) configured to play DSD tracks and such. To draw from an experience I'd had with iFi, I have the Micro iDSD, I couldn't get Foobar to play nice with the Micro iDSD, I'd posted my frustrations with setting it up, their local rep answered within a day with a step-by-step guide to configuring Foobar......now, that's excellent service. Yes, I do understand that LHL doesn't have local reps in the various countries, so having a clear guide to using the Pulse in the FAQ/Guide section would help. I'd gotten Foobar to play nice with the Pulse after some anxious minutes configuring Foobar while, at the back of my mind, wondering if the unit was defective. A good online guide would definitely alleviate some of the initial anxiety with any new product, especially one that has been plagued with such bad press.


 
  
 I recently finished Setup and User Guides for using the Pulse/Geek Out with Foobar and JRiver. They are currently in final review.
  
 I have added a note to my to do list to see about getting the ok to post them as FAQ items. Barring any unforeseen issues, they should be up by Monday, Tuesday at the latest.
  
 Jody


----------



## nudd

Well Casey volunteered to answer questions and I would like to hear what is LHL's official position on this. If LHL tells us, then it won't be speculation anymore.
  
 If they are going to redesign the board to include the latest ESS chip, then why not as someone says, include a muting relay AND make the display field upgradeable AND why not wait until the new XMOS chip Larry is talking to XMOS about to be produced to include the chip with more power ... etc, etc.
  
 This has to stop somewhere, otherwise we will just get further and further away from the shipping date with product in sight, and don't forget there will always be the next great chip or thing out there you can always throw into the mix in about 3 to 6 months time. You need to freeze the design at some point or you will never ship.
  
 Quote:


madeupword said:


> We all want our Pulse Infinity last year, but I'm pretty sure we want it in full working condition. Let LH clean up the bugs, improve on parts such as the XMOS, ESS and resistors. That will take time.
> 
> We want the Pulse Infinity because we want the best, if not, closest to the Signature series. Signature series will include the new ESS chip.
> 
> ...


----------



## snip3r77

uncola said:


> It would be cool to have the $22 go to a future LH product if we don't get 95%.. I really hope we do though




don't introduce another "perk" for lhlabs. it's just $22, just donate it.


----------



## zenpunk

madeupword said:


> We all want our Pulse Infinity last year, but I'm pretty sure we want it in full working condition. Let LH clean up the bugs, improve on parts such as the XMOS, ESS and resistors. That will take time.
> 
> We want the Pulse Infinity because we want the best, if not, closest to the Signature series. Signature series will include the new ESS chip.
> 
> ...


 

 Personnaly I couldn't care less about that new chip and this new perk is another ill-thought decision by LH Labs to appease all the insecure audiophiliac. Changing and redesigning boards so late in the project means  further delays and more bugs and possible issues . By the time the new board is done, there will be  a new and better Sabre chip.
 LH Labs should concentrate on delivering the initial product and ironing out any problems with the present product.


----------



## Hercules

Hi Casey,

Even Shipping back and get refund I will loss with both way shipping around USD $900 for shipping between Hong Kong and CA , so I sold them at cost + shipping to reach break even as way out to minimize the loss, as I explained fully for firmware 1.0 to my customer plus all technical support, so I managed to sell them off.

I expected to have profit via resell but now I struggled to cut loss, so I have to find my own way out, that why I refused to shipping back, shipping back is my safety net but not the best choice, honestly speaking.


----------



## bitsnbytes

chartwell85 said:


> 2. A targeted email for qualifying backers can be arranged, yes.




That would be great because even though I backed all the upgraded perks shy of the Special Edition I still don't have confirmation that I'm in the Infinity club.

If we have more than one Infinity units, does that mean we will get multiple emails? And do we need to back the $22 perk multiple times? 

Finally, if the perk goes to charity, will we get receipts for tax purposes?

Thanks


----------



## evillamer

1) How does the issues faced by Lachlan's unit passed QC checks as shown below?


----------



## Chefano

evillamer said:


> 1) How does the issues faced by Lachlan's unit passed QC checks as shown below?




  
 The guy is not grounded nor Larry…. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Btw, they don't test plugging and unplugging, turning off and on…they only measure.


----------



## zerodeefex

chefano said:


> The guy is not grounded nor Larry….
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 How do you know they're not grounded? Do you see their feet? Could be using heel grounders + flooring.


----------



## Chefano

zerodeefex said:


> How do you know they're not grounded? Do you see their feet? Could be using heel grounders + flooring.


 

 Yeah right…Foot grounded and rubber mat all over the test facility.. on wool clothes. I forgot, how can I say its wool..
 Just another point…bare hands touching boards?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

We had asked larry about that (grounding). LH said that the whole place (flooring) are grounded. And you might notice that he is using a grounding mat (green) also.


----------



## wingsounds13

I have worked in the electronics field for decades and yes, antistatic flooring is dead common and has been for a long time. Antistatic heel straps work wonders on shoes that do not pass antistatic requirements, regardless of what kind of socks or other clothing is worn. You don't need to wear an antistatic bunny suit in order to not be a walking lightning bolt.

J.P.


----------



## mscott58

There's also a few miles between Roseville, CA and Australia - around 7,500 actually - for something to have gone wrong. I've seen strange things happen in transit, so a perfectly working unit leaving LHL could be received in less than optimal condition, even if there is no visible damage. On the other hand there's also the possability that a bad unit somehow slipped by QC. Either way the remedy is the same, send him a new one. Cheers


----------



## wingsounds13

nudd said:


> Casey questions for you/LHL:
> 
> 1. What about the other 5% who do not choose the 2015 ESS update perk. Will they (1) get a free ride, (2) just get one of the 80 boards that haven't failed your spdif tests (assuming any survive), (3) be forced to upgrade or (4) something else (please specify)?
> 
> ...




As for those 80 Xfi (or are those just X boards) if they pass intensive testing I am sure that they will go to orders shipping long before the X∞ starts shipping. Remember them? Several hundred Xfi backers who did not back the naked resistor and/or THD upgrade?? 

Those who do not back the X∞ AQ2M upgrade may or may not get the option to upgrade after this perk is closed. That is LH Labs choice and the only people it affects are those who choose not to back it during the life of the perk. As I understand, those who choose not to go with the AQ2M will simply get their ∞ upgrades done on a normal Xfi board as originally planned.

J.P.


----------



## chartwell85

nudd said:


> Casey questions for you/LHL:
> 
> 1. What about the other 5% who do not choose the 2015 ESS update perk. Will they (1) get a free ride, (2) just get one of the 80 boards that haven't failed your spdif tests (assuming any survive), (3) be forced to upgrade or (4) something else (please specify)?
> 
> ...


 

 1. Our CSR team will work with the remming 5% to find a solution 
 2. See above
 3. Larry has been working with ESS and has already begun testing of the new chip.  Look for measurements coming form us in the near future.
 4. It takes some true dedication to flash the wrong firmware to our devices.  In the product support category, you have to select the corresponding product you wish to upgrade firmware on.  We have Geek Out and Geek Pulse listed there. Upgrading the firmware for each requires you to click on that product category.


----------



## chartwell85

pedalhead said:


> Casey, if the X Infinite board ends up being redesigned to take the new chip, how would Larry feel about implementing a relay on the board to put this whole popping issue to bed? The Infinite model with the new ESS chip would have a super low noise floor so it could be argued that the slight raising of the noise floor caused by the relay would be a good trade off.


 

 That's something I can ask Larry about.


----------



## chartwell85

uncola said:


> Casey maybe Larry could write a brief "Why you want the geek headphone amp even if you have a geek pulse xfi" blurb to help rope LH labs high spenders into backing the headphone amp tomorrow


 

 There's an update coming out today surrounding this.  We'll have more info to share in the next few days.


----------



## Anaximandros

How about some information before the actual perk goes live?
 Speccs, design, topology etc...?
  
 Is the Pulse Headphone Amp the same as the Geek Headphone Amp, which is being discussed at the round table here? http://www.lhlabs.com/force/roundtable-geekheadphoneamp/2986-geek-hpa-design-discussion


----------



## chartwell85

hercules said:


> Hi Casey,
> 
> Even Shipping back and get refund I will loss with both way shipping around USD $900 for shipping between Hong Kong and CA , so I sold them at cost + shipping to reach break even as way out to minimize the loss, as I explained fully for firmware 1.0 to my customer plus all technical support, so I managed to sell them off.
> 
> I expected to have profit via resell but now I struggled to cut loss, so I have to find my own way out, that why I refused to shipping back, shipping back is my safety net but not the best choice, honestly speaking.


 

 We did work with you to find a solution to the issues you expressed and will continue to do so.  Despite what you might think, I, personally, appreciate your feedback on each of our products since you have bought in at such large quantities and have the experience with consumers in HK.  Whatever you need, you know I'm always a resource for you to have a direct line of contact with.  
  
 If there are any issues in the future lets discuss ways to take them head-on.  
  
 PS. I'm still going to come to your shop one day and see the awesomeness that you have in store when I'm in HK next


----------



## chartwell85

bitsnbytes said:


> That would be great because even though I backed all the upgraded perks shy of the Special Edition I still don't have confirmation that I'm in the Infinity club.
> 
> If we have more than one Infinity units, does that mean we will get multiple emails? And do we need to back the $22 perk multiple times?
> 
> ...


 

 If you have records of the supporting pledges for the Infinity you're all set.  CSR team will reach out to confirm with the scheduled survey.  
  
 If you have multiple units you need to back each one with a $22 pledge.
  
 Receipts? I'm actually not sure.  Finding out.


----------



## AxelCloris

Just in case anyone has missed it, we're discussing the dedicated headphone amp over in this thread.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/747942/geek-hpa-by-lh-labs


----------



## chartwell85

anaximandros said:


> How about some information before the actual perk goes live?
> Speccs, design, topology etc...?
> 
> Is the Pulse Headphone Amp the same as the Geek Headphone Amp, which is being discussed at the round table here? http://www.lhlabs.com/force/roundtable-geekheadphoneamp/2986-geek-hpa-design-discussion


 

 We're re-working some of the details and allowing Larry more time to test and post his findings.  The roundtable discussion you posted the link for is one of the threads we'll be monitoring.  Another one can be found here http://lhlabs.com/force/gha/1892-geek-dedicated-headphone-amp


----------



## chartwell85

axelcloris said:


> Just in case anyone has missed it, we're discussing the dedicated headphone amp over in this thread.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/747942/geek-hpa-by-lh-labs


 

 Thanks Murphy!


----------



## Anaximandros

chartwell85 said:


> We're re-working some of the details and allowing Larry more time to test and post his findings.  The roundtable discussion you posted the link for is one of the threads we'll be monitoring.  Another one can be found here http://lhlabs.com/force/gha/1892-geek-dedicated-headphone-amp


 
 Thanks Casey, 
  
 so the Pulse Headphone Amp is the GHA from the roundtable discussion... interesting.


----------



## chartwell85

anaximandros said:


> Thanks Casey,
> 
> so the Pulse Headphone Amp is the GHA from the roundtable discussion... interesting.


 
 Well....There is more to come in that thread ....Don't ruin anymore surprises I might have in store for you guys 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I'm a sucker for coffee or whiskey so you might be able to bribe me for details with either of those two


----------



## Anaximandros

I have got several bottles of Glenmorangie, Glen Grant, Dalmore and many others right here in Germany Casey 
 You better come to the High End 2015 in Munich.
  
 Cheers
 Xuan


----------



## chartwell85

anaximandros said:


> I have got several bottles of Glenmorangie, Glen Grant, Dalmore and many others right here in Germany Casey
> You better come to the High End 2015 in Munich.
> 
> Cheers
> Xuan


 

 I'm trying to be the one from LH to be at Munich.  I've been to Germany a handful of times (never High End Munich) and have always had a blast!


----------



## mandrake50

Casey,
 I sent you a PM a week or so ago... at your suggestion.. On the LHL forums.
 When you have time, I would appreciate some sort of response.
  
 Phil


----------



## digitallc

Former Apple CEO John Sculley in his new book "Moonshot" advises: 

 Create a product that customers love. Customers are in control now -- they're paying attention to other customers' experiences more than companies' advertisements.

 "There's nothing more powerful than customers that are happy."


----------



## chartwell85

mandrake50 said:


> Casey,
> I sent you a PM a week or so ago... at your suggestion.. On the LHL forums.
> When you have time, I would appreciate some sort of response.
> 
> Phil




Just replied to it. Let me know.


----------



## Levanter

Casey, any updates on the sound promise/trade up for Pulse X Infinite + LPS to Vi DAC Infinity?


----------



## mandrake50

chartwell85 said:


> Just replied to it. Let me know.


 

 And I to you..


----------



## bitsnbytes

chartwell85 said:


> If you have records of the supporting pledges for the Infinity you're all set.  CSR team will reach out to confirm with the scheduled survey.
> 
> If you have multiple units you need to back each one with a $22 pledge.
> 
> Receipts? I'm actually not sure.  Finding out.


 
  
  
 Thanks Casey, I'll pledge when I get the email


----------



## bitsnbytes

chartwell85 said:


> PS. I'm still going to come to your shop one day and see the awesomeness that you have in store when I'm in HK next


 
  
 Let us all know when you're in our time zone!


----------



## jbr1971

mikey1964 said:


> I've been experimenting with the Pulse, changing tracks (from DSD to WAV to DSD again), no issue at all. One thing though, LHL should beef up their FAQ section with help on how to get Foobar (or any other player) configured to play DSD tracks and such. To draw from an experience I'd had with iFi, I have the Micro iDSD, I couldn't get Foobar to play nice with the Micro iDSD, I'd posted my frustrations with setting it up, their local rep answered within a day with a step-by-step guide to configuring Foobar......now, that's excellent service. Yes, I do understand that LHL doesn't have local reps in the various countries, so having a clear guide to using the Pulse in the FAQ/Guide section would help. I'd gotten Foobar to play nice with the Pulse after some anxious minutes configuring Foobar while, at the back of my mind, wondering if the unit was defective. A good online guide would definitely alleviate some of the initial anxiety with any new product, especially one that has been plagued with such bad press.


 
  
 I just finished adding the Geek Pulse/Out Setup and User Guides for Foobar2000 and JRiver MC20 to the support site:
  
 http://support.lhlabs.com/solution/categories
  
 Go to the appropriate category (Pulse/Out) and versions for each device are available.
  
 Jody


----------



## miceblue

jbr1971 said:


> I just finished adding the Geek Pulse/Out Setup and User Guides for Foobar2000 and JRiver MC20 to the support site:
> 
> http://support.lhlabs.com/solution/categories
> 
> ...



Maybe LH should add a "FAQ" button on the regular LH support pages since I don't think any newcomers would be able to easily find the link above:
http://lhlabs.com/support/geek-out.html
http://lhlabs.com/support/geek-pulse.html


----------



## Jimah

hercules said:


> Hi Casey,
> 
> Even Shipping back and get refund I will loss with both way shipping around USD $900 for shipping between Hong Kong and CA , so I sold them at cost + shipping to reach break even as way out to minimize the loss, as I explained fully for firmware 1.0 to my customer plus all technical support, so I managed to sell them off.
> 
> I expected to have profit via resell but now I struggled to cut loss, so I have to find my own way out, that why I refused to shipping back, shipping back is my safety net but not the best choice, honestly speaking.


 
 -Edited since I missed Casey's reply-


----------



## Arnotts

evillamer said:


> Speaking on the topic of "integrity" that was brought up by him...
> 
> As quoted below, he did spend a "good portion" of time with the LH staff during the last RMAF:


 

 I have been checking this thread every now and then over the past 3 months, and I sincerely regret getting involved with Light Harmonic.
  
 From what I can see, the way they conduct their business has been very unfavourable to their backers. They can SAY they want to release a good product as much as they want, yet so far all I can see are issues stacked on top of more issues.
  
 There are barely any actual user impressions or reviews of retail units anywhere.
  
 The dismissal of the COMPLETELY FAIR video by lachlanlikesathing makes me distrust them even more. The posts from an employee at LH that were made from a _buyer's perspective _instead of an _employee's perspective_ is also incredibly misleading. You can't even post on their own forums without each post needing individual approval from them.
  
 I hope LH starts to pull up their socks, because that would be best for everyone. If the consumers' keep getting the short end of the stick, I hope EVERYONE speaks out and spreads the news that this company is EXTREMELY unreliable.


----------



## Anaximandros

arnotts said:


> There are barely any actual user impressions or reviews of retail units anywhere.
> 
> You can't even post on their own forums without each post needing individual approval from them.
> 
> I hope LH starts to pull up their socks, because that would be best for everyone. If the consumers' keep getting the short end of the stick, I hope EVERYONE speaks out and spreads the news that this company is EXTREMELY unreliable.


 
  
 Yeah, there aren't many reviews and impressions despice >%60 Pulse units were shipped. That's some kind of a bummer. Maybe some are waiting for firmwareupdates to eliminate bugs.
  
 You only approval until you hit 30 posts. But I don't like that either. This "supervision" has been introduced to avoid spam. LH doesn't like multiple threads about the same problem, but the search function is not working properly and the search results might be confusing. That's a problem on their end. Hopefully that gets fixed.


----------



## mikey1964

I have the Standard right now, some in my neck of the woods are still waiting for theirs.....some are complaining that by the time they get theirs, they'd be obsolete since newer ones would include 'better' perks/upgrades. I understand this philosophy of crowd funding and design, I think iFi managed this business model pretty well, but it strikes me as LHL doing too much in too short a time frame. Wouldn't it be better to resolve the major outstanding flaws in the present model before upgrading? Personally, these perks don't bother me one bit as I doubt I have the ability to hear the difference but it does bother others.


----------



## evillamer

Even for audio reviewers, they are wary of penning or association with any crowd funded projects as things might go wrong very quickly and jeopardizing their reputation from gulity by association.

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/02/the-perils-of-covering-crowdfunded-audio-products/

Seems like "some" projects are suffering from selective hearing and don't openly address valid concerns by backers.


----------



## chartwell85

arnotts said:


> I have been checking this thread every now and then over the past 3 months, and I sincerely regret getting involved with Light Harmonic.
> 
> From what I can see, the way they conduct their business has been very unfavourable to their backers. They can SAY they want to release a good product as much as they want, yet so far all I can see are issues stacked on top of more issues.
> 
> ...


 

 Very sorry to hear that you regret being involved with our company and our product offerings.
  
 The inclination that our early offerings are unfavorable to our backers is very disheartening as we strive to provide the best value for performance and our approach with crowdfunding enables us to offer this.  
  
 The initial lack of retail unit reviews is due in part to our focus of delivering product to our backers before sending retail review units out to the media.  We'd much rather have you get your gear that you paid for prior to pushing the units for media review.
  
 The video that was posted is something that concerns us greatly and we are looking into the issues the user addressed in it.  As Jody stated in his post, they were made form a buyers perspective as Jody is only a recent hire for us.  Posting NEW threads on our forum require users to have a minimum of 30 posts in order to eliminate the overwhelming amount of spam and duplicate topics that have been created by new users.  That's how we choose to moderate and how we'll continue to optimize our forum.
  
 Everyone is entitled their own opinions and I'll happily accept yours as just that....an opinion.  
  
 Thanks again for your feedback.


----------



## Arnotts

chartwell85 said:


> Very sorry to hear that you regret being involved with our company and our product offerings.
> 
> The inclination that our early offerings are unfavorable to our backers is very disheartening as we strive to provide the best value for performance and our approach with crowdfunding enables us to offer this.
> 
> ...


 
 I appreciate your professional response.
  
 But it's what you guys _do _that really matters to me, not what you say.
  
 Hopefully things improve, for everyone's sake


----------



## valve5425

OK, I've just had a bit of a rant on the Geek Forum regarding the Pulse Infinity chip upgrade. There's been a lot of activity and speculation relating to this, but very little, if anything, from LH Labs. Once again LH Labs have pulled the pin and thrown the "new chip" grenade. Then they've taken cover and I can only assume they're watching from the bunker.
  
 All we want to know is how long will the new chip implementation delay delivery of the Pulse Infinity? As Casey seems to respond more here than LH Labs respond on the Geek forums, then I'll ask here.
  
 Casey, roughly how long would you expect this to take? Come on, it's not much to ask.


----------



## digitalzed

valve5425 said:


> OK, I've just had a bit of a rant on the Geek Forum regarding the Pulse Infinity chip upgrade. There's been a lot of activity and speculation relating to this, but very little, if anything, from LH Labs. Once again LH Labs have pulled the pin and thrown the "new chip" grenade. Then they've taken cover and I can only assume they're watching from the bunker.
> 
> All we want to know is how long will the new chip implementation delay delivery of the Pulse Infinity? As Casey seems to respond more here than LH Labs respond on the Geek forums, then I'll ask here.
> 
> Casey, roughly how long would you expect this to take? Come on, it's not much to ask.


 

 Casey did tell me last week it would take 6-8 additional weeks from their estimated Infinity shipping dates. Casey, correct me if I'm wrong.


----------



## chartwell85

valve5425 said:


> OK, I've just had a bit of a rant on the Geek Forum regarding the Pulse Infinity chip upgrade. There's been a lot of activity and speculation relating to this, but very little, if anything, from LH Labs. Once again LH Labs have pulled the pin and thrown the "new chip" grenade. Then they've taken cover and I can only assume they're watching from the bunker.
> 
> All we want to know is how long will the new chip implementation delay delivery of the Pulse Infinity? As Casey seems to respond more here than LH Labs respond on the Geek forums, then I'll ask here.
> 
> Casey, roughly how long would you expect this to take? Come on, it's not much to ask.


 

 Pulse Infinity will ship 6-8 weeks out.


----------



## chartwell85

digitalzed said:


> Casey did tell me last week it would take 6-8 additional weeks from their estimated Infinity shipping dates. Casey, correct me if I'm wrong.


 

 You're correct sir


----------



## chartwell85

a_recording said:


> As I suggested in the video, I have spoken to other reviewers in private regarding the Geek Pulse. There is background information I have that suggests that things are not quite as they seem. I've urged people to come forward with their own experiences. Currently Light Harmonic claims to have shipped 61% of units, but can only point to 5 impressions of the Geek Pulse.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Hey Lachlan,

Casey Hartwell here from LH Labs.  Would love to speak with you further regarding your Geek Pulse.  Feel free to direct message me (user name: Chartwell85) on The Geek Force Forum or Head-Fi with your Skype or cell phone contact info.  

In regards to review units out, we have focused on shipping our backers their Geek Pulse's prior to mass marketing reviews from the media.  However, there are a slew of reviewers that are slated to begin receiving their review units in the coming weeks and months.  

I'd be happy to provide a list of reviews once they've been posted. 

Once again, I look forward to speaking with you soon.  

Best regards,

Casey Hartwell


----------



## zenpunk

As LH Labs is continuously cursed with unforeseen delays and setbacks it is probably safer to expect the Infinity in 12-16 weeks.
 Does anyone fancy a bet?


----------



## chartwell85

zenpunk said:


> As LH Labs is continuously cursed with unforeseen delays and setbacks it is probably safer to expect the Infinity in 12-16 weeks.
> Does anyone fancy a bet?


 
 I'll take that bet


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> [COLOR=333333]Hey Lachlan,[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=333333]Casey Hartwell here from LH Labs.  Would love to speak with you further regarding your Geek Pulse.  Feel free to direct message me (user name: Chartwell85) on The Geek Force Forum or Head-Fi with your Skype or cell phone contact info.  [/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
> ...



Ive been and still am behind lhlabs, and you have helped me out the one time i did have a issue casey, but you didn't address one of lachlans comments
on 61% of the pulses being shipped , and so few folks saying they have theirs, and giving impressions


----------



## greenkiwi

chartwell85 said:


> 4. It takes some true dedication to flash the wrong firmware to our devices.  In the product support category, you have to select the corresponding product you wish to upgrade firmware on.  We have Geek Out and Geek Pulse listed there. Upgrading the firmware for each requires you to click on that product category.


 
  
 I actually disagree with saying that "It takes true dedication to flash the wrong firmware".
  
 I think that it could be quite easy for someone to do it and it isn't malicious at all and it has absolutely nothing to do with the website and what you download.
  
 If you happen to have both devices on your computer, or have ever downloaded a firmware for a different device, then you could easily have the wrong file already on your computer.  Then it is just a matter of thinking that you have the right one selected, or mis-selecting one.
  
 Some sort of interlock that would prevent bad/incompatible firmware loading would be an excellent idea.  Assuming that you have control over the DFU, it could be as simple as looking at the file name... or better yet, examine part of the file to ensure that it is the right device type.


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> Ive been and still am behind lhlabs, and you have helped me out the one time i did have a issue casey, but you didn't address one of lachlans comments
> on 61% of the pulses being shipped , and so few folks saying they have theirs, and giving impressions


 

 It was and will remain my pleasure to help you and anyone else out as much as I possibly can.  One thing that many of you might be unaware of is that my main focus at LH is marketing and strategizing on our product offerings.  I am in no way affiliated with the CSR team at all, yet I try and be as accommodating and helpful in resolving issues as I possibly can be.  Just want to re-iterate that in case some of you feel as though the ball has been dropped on my end with your tickets or support issues. 
  
 As far as addressing Lachlans comment stating a lack of reviews despite 61% of Pulse's shipped, I'll refer to the attached table below.  61% of the basic Geek Pulse model have shipped, yes. However, the majority of units ordered were of the Pulse X & Xfi configuration.  That's where we expect to see the vast majority of users chiming in with their personal reviews and updates about their Geek Pulse's. 
  

 Once again, I truly enjoy helping you guys out when and where I can.  If you need anything just ask and I'll accommodate as much as possible.


----------



## miceblue

greenkiwi said:


> chartwell85 said:
> 
> 
> > 4. It takes some true dedication to flash the wrong firmware to our devices.  In the product support category, you have to select the corresponding product you wish to upgrade firmware on.  We have Geek Out and Geek Pulse listed there. Upgrading the firmware for each requires you to click on that product category.
> ...



I haven't been following the flashing firmware issue other than I know it could brick your device. So the bricking could happen if you put the Geek Out's firmware on the Geek Pulse? I can see that being an issue.
Geek_Out_Firware_1V0.bin
FM-GPU-1V0.bin
If you're not careful enough about picking the right file and you select the Geek_Out_Firware_1V0.bin file instead of FM-GPU-1V0.bin...goodbye Geek Pulse. :/


I don't know how DFU stuff works, nor how to read what's contained within a .bin file, but maybe LH should have separate DFU executable files for the Geek Pulse, Out, Vi, etc. All it would need to do is read what device is connected (assuming there's only one device), ensure that the proper firmware file is actually selected (FM-GPU-1V0.bin for the Pulse), and the Start button would only be available to click if the firmware file is confirmed to be compatible with said device. The LH Control Panel seems to do just fine at reading what LH product is connected to the computer, so I don't see why this can't be implemented with the firmware updater as well.


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> Hey Lachlan,
> 
> Casey Hartwell here from LH Labs.  Would love to speak with you further regarding your Geek Pulse.  Feel free to direct message me (user name: Chartwell85) on The Geek Force Forum or Head-Fi with your Skype or cell phone contact info.
> 
> ...


 
  
  


jaywillin said:


> Ive been and still am behind lhlabs, and you have helped me out the one time i did have a issue casey, but you didn't address one of lachlans comments
> on 61% of the pulses being shipped , and so few folks saying they have theirs, and giving impressions


 
 and i do realize lhlabs can't control  people who've received their units in contributing some thoughts to us here, it just seems odd , 
 and for the record i'm not mad, i'm waiting patiently, and realize that i did not purchase anything in the traditional sense, i feel i made an investment, and with investing, there is some risk involved on my part.


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> and i do realize lhlabs can't control  people who've received their units in contributing some thoughts to us here, it just seems odd ,
> and for the record i'm not mad, i'm waiting patiently, and realize that i did not purchase anything in the traditional sense, i feel i made an investment, and with investing, there is some risk involved on my part.


 

 I'm not mad at you at all.  I want each of you to receive your Pulse _*more than you could possibly imagine*_ so I can start seeing the reviews myself.


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> I haven't been following the flashing firmware issue other than I know it could brick your device. So the bricking could happen if you put the Geek Out's firmware on the Geek Pulse? I can see that being an issue.
> Geek_Out_Firware_1V0.bin
> FM-GPU-1V0.bin
> If you're not careful enough about picking the right file and you select the Geek_Out_Firware_1V0.bin file instead of FM-GPU-1V0.bin...goodbye Geek Pulse. :/
> ...


 

 In order to update the firmware for each device you have to manually select which device you're wishing to update.  I've attached some screenshots below.  IMHO, it seems rather difficult to select the wrong product to update as well as considering the most recent downloads are stored by date and listed with file names as you've stated.


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 i realize you have a difficult job here casey, i ran a hotel for a few years, and was the face that people saw of the chain i worked for, so, no matter if it was our particular locations fault, some issue with a 3rd party booking site, or something at the corporate level, i took the hit, and had to remain clam cool and collected, it's tough i know, but it is made easier when you love your job. 
 although there are some vocal detractors, there are plenty of us who understand that lhlabs didn't make us do anything, and we weren't buying a finished product. keep on keeping on lhlabs, and now I WANT MY PULSE X/F/I !!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 i didn't think you were upset at all casey, no worries here


----------



## doctorjazz

[COLOR=FF00AA]My 2015 has gone like this I got my Geek Pulse finally after waiting for what seemed to be an eternity and thensome. I can safely say Larry at Light Harmonics is a sound genius. The Geek pulse makes everything I own sound not just a little better but a good 2-3 tiers of better. Then I got the MSR7 which with burn in and using my silver coated cable has an outstanding clear and balanced semi open sound that I can't get enough of. Using the MSR7 with the geek pulse is in a word is pure silk. Never had music sound so smooth so silky. It is an experience. This pairing is one for the ages. The only other person that knows what I am talking about is Danny as he owns a Geek Pulse and an MSR7.[/COLOR]

I'm not sure why people aren't posting like mad, the posting timing here is sometimes weird...you may see a review of something like the TF10, long out of production, suddenly this week, other things pour in at the same time, it isn't predictable
I copied a post by the GURU of the Discovery thread, DSNuts, who has done many reviews on Head Fi...I'd guess there are things like this posted across Head Fi, but I haven't searched. Still, DS is well regarded, so figured I'd start the impressions off here, since people are worried they haven't appeared.
my $0.02


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > I haven't been following the flashing firmware issue other than I know it could brick your device. So the bricking could happen if you put the Geek Out's firmware on the Geek Pulse? I can see that being an issue.
> ...



That's true, but as stated, someone could easily have all the firmware files on their computer already. If one isn't too careful about selecting the correct file, they could select the wrong firmware accidentally. It would be nice if LH could implement some sort of secondary confirmation procedure to make sure the user selects a compatible firmware for the device.

On that note, is there any reason why Geek Pulse 1v0 firmware is still available to download? At least for Geek Out, 1v0 firmware enabled the 3D Awesomifier that some people like, but I don't recall seeing anything being taken out from Geek Pulse 1v5 firmware versus 1v0.


----------



## chartwell85

jaywillin said:


> i realize you have a difficult job here casey, i ran a hotel for a few years, and was the face that people saw of the chain i worked for, so, no matter if it was our particular locations fault, some issue with a 3rd party booking site, or something at the corporate level, i took the hit, and had to remain clam cool and collected, it's tough i know, but it is made easier when you love your job.
> although there are some vocal detractors, there are plenty of us who understand that lhlabs didn't make us do anything, and we weren't buying a finished product. keep on keeping on lhlabs, and now I WANT MY PULSE X/F/I !!


 

 Dude, I dont envy you on the hotel position LOL.  Taking hits is something I don't mind doing as long as they're valid and can be taken in stride.  I absolutely love what I do (so much so that I work seven days a week) and totally appreciate those of you have been more than welcoming and incredibly kind with your supportive posts, emails, text messages and phone calls.  You guys totally rock!!
  
 Thanks for hanging in there with us brotha!!!


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> That's true, but as stated, someone could easily have all the firmware files on their computer already. If one isn't too careful about selecting the correct file, they could select the wrong firmware accidentally. It would be nice if LH could implement some sort of secondary confirmation procedure to make sure the user selects a compatible firmware for the device.
> 
> On that note, is there any reason why Geek Pulse 1v0 firmware is still available to download? At least for Geek Out, 1v0 firmware enabled the 3D Awesomifier that some people like, but I don't recall seeing anything being taken out from Geek Pulse 1v5 firmware versus 1v0.


 

 Some users wanted to revert back to the on unit volume control and 3D feature.  All changes are listed in the changeling for each firmware update.  Was there something in the latest Pulse firmware you were looking to verify?


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > That's true, but as stated, someone could easily have all the firmware files on their computer already. If one isn't too careful about selecting the correct file, they could select the wrong firmware accidentally. It would be nice if LH could implement some sort of secondary confirmation procedure to make sure the user selects a compatible firmware for the device.
> ...



Bah, I'm getting my firmware versions mixed up even when having this conversation. XD

Geek Out:
 - 1v0 has the 3D Awesomifier feature that people might want
 - 1v5 removes the volume-button features and adds in the two digital filters

Geek Pulse:
 - 1v0 stock firmware
 - 1v1 optimises the digital filters from 1v0 and USB interface

What I was trying to say was: is there a reason why Geek Pulse 1v0 firmware is still available to download? It doesn't remove any features that were on the 1v0 firmware and instead fixes some, so I don't see the point of having it on the support page when people are likely not going to use it and might get people confused.


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> Bah, I'm getting my firmware versions mixed up even when having this conversation. XD
> 
> Geek Out:
> - 1v0 has the 3D Awesomifier feature that people might want
> ...


 

 We left the Pulse 1.0 firmware up just in case anybody every wanted to revert back to.  Why they would, I honestly don't know.


----------



## mscott58

chartwell85 said:


> We left the Pulse 1.0 firmware up just in case anybody every wanted to revert back to.  Why they would, I honestly don't know.


 
 But I'm sure if you took it down someone would be complaining!


----------



## greenkiwi

The other issue is that it still says beta next to the new pulse firmware. As a user, I don't know if I want to try the beta version.


----------



## bitsnbytes

@chartwell85 Hi Casey,
  
 have you guys shot out the email to Infinity backers on the chip upgrade?
  
 I still haven't received any confirmation on that.
  
 I would back this "perk" (x2) if I can be confirmed for the Infinities.
  
 Thanks


----------



## mandrake50

miceblue said:


> That's true, but as stated, someone could easily have all the firmware files on their computer already. If one isn't too careful about selecting the correct file, they could select the wrong firmware accidentally. It would be nice if LH could implement some sort of secondary confirmation procedure to make sure the user selects a compatible firmware for the device.


 

 Many companies do this in the updater. Recently I tried to flash a KVM with firmware for a different model. The installer came back and said... this firmware is for a different model... and quit.
 Some people are idiots... that is why IT folks try to make everything "idiot PROOF". It is a shame, but true. If something can screw up it WILL... the object is to make that as difficult as possible within reason!
  
 I have screwed up and put the wrong firmware disk into one of my OPPO players..., It immediately told me I had the wrong firmware for the 105 I was dealing with... now I do this kind of thing for a living...  the point is, you simply cannot depend on people to pay attention and to do the right thing... period. You need to help them!


----------



## walfredo

chartwell85 said:


> jaywillin said:
> 
> 
> > and i do realize lhlabs can't control  people who've received their units in contributing some thoughts to us here, it just seems odd ,
> ...


 
  
 FWIW, I received my Pulse in December, and I am planning a review.  But working is sucking my time these days...


----------



## greenkiwi

mandrake50 said:


> Many companies do this in the updater. Recently I tried to flash a KVM with firmware for a different model. The installer came back and said... this firmware is for a different model... and quit.
> Some people are idiots... that is why IT folks try to make everything "idiot PROOF". It is a shame, but true. If something can screw up it WILL... the object is to make that as difficult as possible within reason!
> 
> I have screwed up and put the wrong firmware disk into one of my OPPO players..., It immediately told me I had the wrong firmware for the 105 I was dealing with... now I do this kind of thing for a living...  the point is, you simply cannot depend on people to pay attention and to do the right thing... period. You need to help them!


 
 This is a great example!


----------



## chartwell85

*Upgrade to Vi DAC from Geek Pulse Xfi*
  
 Great news, dear backers.  Larry, Gavin and I have been chatting with you here on Head-Fi as well as in the Geek Forum, Vi DAC, Wave & Pulse IGG campaigns.  In our conversations with you, we’ve heard you loud and clear: you want to be able to upgrade from your Geek Pulse Xfi to a Vi DAC Xfi.
  
 Starting on Wednesday, February 11th, we’ll be releasing a special perk to help you make the move.  Stay tuned for more info.
  
*Feeling geeky? You're going to LOVE this! *

  
*Join the conversation here*
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/3395-any-plans-to-integrate-the-ess-9018aq2m-dac-to-the-xfi-infinity


----------



## burakborhan

This is great news!!

Do you also ave a plan for the backers of Pulse XInfinity? , the GTB and the M200's?

Thanks.


----------



## chartwell85

burakborhan said:


> This is great news!!
> 
> Do you also ave a plan for the backers of Pulse XInfinity? , the GTB and the M200's?
> 
> Thanks.




You're trying to kill me aren't you lol.

Let me crunch the numbers in the morning and see what we can work out.


----------



## burakborhan

Nope, we still need you alive for a long time 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ... 
  
 Very much appreciated.
  
 Thanks.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​


----------



## vhsownsbeta

chartwell85 said:


> *Upgrade to Vi DAC from Geek Pulse Xfi*




This is exactly what the ticket I was asking you about was for...

Fingers crossed for Pulse Infinity to Vi Infinity perk!


----------



## greenkiwi

vhsownsbeta said:


> This is exactly what the ticket I was asking you about was for...
> 
> Fingers crossed for Pulse Infinity to Vi Infinity perk!


 
 Fingers crossed that the price is right...


----------



## Levanter

chartwell85 said:


> You're trying to kill me aren't you lol.
> 
> Let me crunch the numbers in the morning and see what we can work out.


 
  
 Also for X Infinity + LPS to Vi DAC Infinity!! 
  
Considering the Xfi Infinity retails at $3,599 and LPS at $899 (Total $4,498)
while the Vi DAC Infinity + ESS upgrade ($3,999 + $297 + $22 = $4,318), should our upgrade to Vi DAC Infinity + ESS upgrade be free?


----------



## Madeupword

@chartwell85  As enquired by @bitsnbytes and myself during the weekend, could you kindly disseminate the targeted email to qualifying backers regarding the ESS dac chip perk for Pulse Infinity?
  
 Likewise, you have yet to add the new ESS dac chip description on the campaign page. As you make the edit, could you kindly add 1. the aforementioned 6-8 weeks delay due to the new 2015 ESS dac chip on Pulse Infinity, 2. the inclusion of Pulse S Infinity backers for the ESS dac chip perk, in the description?
  
 Many are anticipating your response to have the $22 deposit as credits versus donation. I understand you're running it by Larry & Gavin.
  
 You have added http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/3395-any-plans-to-integrate-the-ess-9018aq2m-dac-to-the-xfi-infinity as featured thread on the latest mailer update. If Larry, Gavin or yourself could add to the conversation, it would ease and help greatly.
  
 Lastly, with the introduction of Pulse to Vi perk, this may decrease the number of qualifying backers for the ESS dac chip. This unfortunately, will not be reflected on the campaign/perk. Likewise, history of inaccuracy in logistics questions the true number of qualifying backers. This certainly augments the ultra high requirement for perk fulfilment in a negative manner for backers.
  
 Disregard the few, the bulk of Pulse Infinity should have little reason to not want the new ESS dac chip. However the littered information, and more importantly, high requirement places hesitance for many. We are definitely not against charity, but we would like something more tangible than what is ostensibly a "gamble".
  
 We look forward to your response. Thank you.


----------



## germay0653

Hi Casy,
  
 Since we're on the topic of the Vi DAC, regardless of how you get there, why is there silence on the question of upgraded capacitors?  Am I being a pest...you bet I am!


----------



## Hercules

Just remind to people moving up to Vi DAC as Larry/Gavin the machine shop only can deliver around 20 pieces of Chassis per wait to queue can be few month long since the first unit for late backer


----------



## Boban85

madeupword said:


> @chartwell85  As enquired by @bitsnbytes and myself during the weekend, could you kindly disseminate the targeted email to qualifying backers regarding the ESS dac chip perk for Pulse Infinity?
> 
> Likewise, you have yet to add the new ESS dac chip description on the campaign page. As you make the edit, could you kindly add 1. the aforementioned 6-8 weeks delay due to the new 2015 ESS dac chip on Pulse Infinity, 2. the inclusion of Pulse S Infinity backers for the ESS dac chip perk, in the description?
> 
> ...


 
  
 + 1
  
 Casey, all of the above


----------



## mikey1964

One more question about using the Pulse Standard, I happen to have gotten a Schiit Vali, so just for the heck of it, I figured I might as well use it as an amp and the Pulse as the DAC. My question is, is it as simple as just connecting the Schiit Vali and Geek Pulse with a couple to RCA to RCA connectors? Do I need to configure anything? Pardon my noobishness, pretty new at this so I wanna be sure....
  
 BTW, I did look through the FAQ section and didn't find anything on this.....maybe I'd missed it.


----------



## Anaximandros

Connect the Vali via RCA to Pulse and you are good to go.


----------



## mikey1964

Hey, thanks for the answer (though I don't think you're associated with LHL), appreciate the effort. Now, this raises another question for me, if I were to use the Vali as the amp, and NOT using the amp section of the Pulse, would it be safe to assume that I don't have to worry about killing any of my cans by leaving it connected to my Vali when I power off, and power on? I get a little nervous when I plug in my higher end cans directly into the Pulse, the Vali seems to be fine as it has proven track record whereas the Pulse if of an unknown quantity.


----------



## Phishin Phool

mikey1964 said:


> Hey, thanks for the answer (though I don't think you're associated with LHL), appreciate the effort. Now, this raises another question for me, if I were to use the Vali as the amp, and NOT using the amp section of the Pulse, would it be safe to assume that I don't have to worry about killing any of my cans by leaving it connected to my Vali when I power off, and power on? I get a little nervous when I plug in my higher end cans directly into the Pulse, the Vali seems to be fine as it has proven track record whereas the Pulse if of an unknown quantity.


 
 It is always prudent to turn on an amp and wait before plugging in headphones to avoid any type of surge or pop- any amp and every time (although some amps have relays/switches that disable headphone output for a few seconds until after initial power up). That being said once that is done you should have no problems. Typically you would leave the pulse on full time and turn your vali off and on as needed plugging in your headphones a few moments only after the vali has activated (regardless of what it is connected to)


----------



## mikey1964

Hmmmm....OK, thanks for the clarification, much appreciated. I have no problem plugging in my cans directly to the Pulse after switching it on for, say, a couple of minutes. Right now, I guess it boils down to whether I prefer the sound from the Vali or from the Pulse itself since I've been taking this precaution  (plugging in cans after powering up a min or two, and unplugging my cans BEFORE switching off the Vali) since getting the Pulse. I can always use the Vali and Fostex HPA4 stack for my 3rd rig. Once again, thanks for taking the time and making the effort.


----------



## Maelob

Is there is anyway to change Pulse outputs between Variable and Fixed - Or do I have to turn the volume on the pulse to 0db to use with an external component that also has volume control?


----------



## wingsounds13

To the best of my knowledge there is no fixed output option on the Pulse. You would just turn the level up to 0dB and adjust the system level with your external control. Then again, there is a good chance that there is a sweet spot where the system sounds better with the Pulse output turned down a bit and the gain control after that at a higher level. It is up to you to decide if it worth the effort to try this out.

J.P.


----------



## pkwak

Pity VI does not have 1/4 headphone jack. I would upgrade otherwise from pulse.


----------



## Anaximandros

It has a 1/4 headphone jack. Gavin has to update the chart. http://www.lhlabs.com/force/vi-dac/3345-preview-vi-dac-s-indiegogo-campaign-before-it-launches?start=25#53766


----------



## greenkiwi

wingsounds13 said:


> To the best of my knowledge there is no fixed output option on the Pulse. You would just turn the level up to 0dB and adjust the system level with your external control. Then again, there is a good chance that there is a sweet spot where the system sounds better with the Pulse output turned down a bit and the gain control after that at a higher level. It is up to you to decide if it worth the effort to try this out.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 It is really unfortunate that they don't have a fixed option.  Particularly if it is resetting to -80dB on every power on.
  


anaximandros said:


> It has a 1/4 headphone jack. Gavin has to update the chart. http://www.lhlabs.com/force/vi-dac/3345-preview-vi-dac-s-indiegogo-campaign-before-it-launches?start=25#53766


 
  
 That is excellent news.


----------



## Chefano

Why is everybody so happy about the upgrade perk?
 They are having issues in delivering the simple product, imagine this 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
 How long it will take to process all the new upgrade perks and even worse what is the estimated delivery time for that


----------



## miceblue

It's too big to put on my desk anyway, so I'll pass-up on the Vi.


----------



## evillamer

chefano said:


> Why is everybody so happy about the upgrade perk?
> They are having issues in delivering the simple product, imagine this
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## chartwell85

chefano said:


> Why is everybody so happy about the upgrade perk?
> They are having issues in delivering the simple product, imagine this
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Question ought to actually be....why are you so negative about everything? 
  
 Come on man...Your speculations and conspiracies are unwarranted and borderline insulting.


----------



## Chefano

chartwell85 said:


> Question ought to actually be....why are you so negative about everything?
> 
> Come on man...Your speculations and conspiracies are unwarranted and borderline insulting.


 

 Why should I be positive?
  
 My money is not in my account anymore (more than a year) and I still did not receive your product.. oh btw the only product I have is LPS that was supposed to work with all usb devices (claimed in your indiegoogo page) and it does not!
  
 I don't see people, here and in the LH forums happy about their products, this is business why can I be negative?
 Im an engineer if I don't deliver to my boss what Ive promised, next time I will ask him "why so negative" Im just procrastinating. Sometimes best can be worse than good.  
 Where are your good products?
 Why I only see those miracle upgrades perks and no other deliver?
  
 Im the customer, prove me that Im wrong. You are not doing any favor to me, neither Im to you.


----------



## chartwell85

chefano said:


> Why should I be positive?
> 
> My money is not in my account anymore (more than a year) and I still did not receive your product.. oh btw the only product I have is LPS that was supposed to work with all usb devices (claimed in your indiegoogo page) and it does not!
> 
> ...


 

 You participated in a crowdfunding campaign for a product that was being designed by the crowd at the exact time it was being funded.  You're an engineer...how long is the average development cycle for a product before release? Where on the IGG page does it state the LPS is supposed to work with EVERY USB device?  That's simply impossible.  
  
 I've seen plenty of people on this thread and our own forum discussing how pleased they are with our products.  Maybe it's my positive attitude that enables me to see these posts...who knows.
  
 Sorry to hear that you think we're procrastinating with our business and offerings.  I would think the exposure to the inter-workings of our business would've been more than enough proof of how quickly we operate.  Procrastination simply isn't something that wouldn't fly with us.  
  
 Didn't you just state earlier that you received an LPS?  Isn't that a product?  Have you browsed through this or another LH thread and seen the reviews and impressions made by others?  If not, I'd suggest looking a bit deeper before make statements that you're unable to verify.  
  
 You indeed are the customer, whether I like it or not.


----------



## kugino

so i backed a pulse xfi back in the day. i don't want any more upsells or promises of this or that. i just want what i paid for. when will that happen?


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> Where on the IGG page does it state the LPS is supposed to work with EVERY USB device?  That's simply impossible.



https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-audio-a-crowdsourced-high-rez-sound-system


> Just connect your computer to Geek LPS using a USB cable, then connect Geek LPS to Geek Pulse (or any USB DAC, for that matter) using a second USB Cable.


----------



## Chefano

chartwell85 said:


> You participated in a crowdfunding campaign for a product that was being designed by the crowd at the exact time it was being funded.  You're an engineer...how long is the average development cycle for a product before release? Where on the IGG page does it state the LPS is supposed to work with EVERY USB device?  That's simply impossible.
> 
> I've seen plenty of people on this thread and our own forum discussing how pleased they are with our products.  Maybe it's my positive attitude that enables me to see these posts...who knows.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Depends how we diverge from the original scope, budgets and agreements. In the LH case the scope grows every week and the budget rises.
 As you asked, here it is:
  

  
 I think you should know more about the product you are trying to sell.


----------



## chartwell85

chefano said:


> Depends how we diverge from the original scope, budgets and agreements. In the LH case the scope grows every week and the budget rises.
> As you asked, here it is:
> 
> 
> ...


 

 You had stated all USB devices....What USB DAC are you trying to utilize with LPS?


----------



## Chefano

Ive stated every USB device, given the context.. USB DAC´s. 
 Tried with my Dragonfly and ODAC. As I could read, USB Class 1 DAC´s. 
  


chartwell85 said:


> You had stated all USB devices....What USB DAC are you trying to utilize with LPS?


 
  
 Ive stated every USB device, given the context.. USB DAC´s. 
 Tried with my Dragonfly and ODAC. As I could read, USB Class 1 DAC´s won't work.


----------



## greenkiwi

If USB audio class 1 devices don't work with the lps and lps-4, that would be a real bummer.

I hope that this is qualified and answered one way or the other. The answer could either be that they don't/won't work.. Our that they should work and that these people might have defective devices.


----------



## longbowbbs

> Im the customer, prove me that Im wrong. You are not doing any favor to me, neither Im to you.


 
 No, you are part of a product development team. When you participate in crowdfunding you are not a simple customer. You are now part of a product development cycle. it is a cycle that can (and has) changed based on the structure of the crowd funding program you chose to participate in. 
  
 If you chose this route to get a deal and pay less you will be rewarded price wise. However, there may be a trade off in that the delivery date is not guaranteed due to your participating in the development cycle.
  
 Welcome to the team!


----------



## jbr1971

greenkiwi said:


> If USB audio class 1 devices don't work with the lps and lps-4, that would be a real bummer.
> 
> I hope that this is qualified and answered one way or the other. The answer could either be that they don't/won't work.. Our that they should work and that these people might have defective devices.


 
  
 While working with a couple of different customers on issues with DACs not working with the LPS, it was determined that all affected DACs in those instances were USB 1.1/Audio Class 1.
  
 In speaking with Larry he explained the LPS was designed to work primarily with USB 2.0 devices, specifically the Geek Out and Geek Pulse.
  
 While many USB 1.1 DACs were tested, and worked with the LPS, not all were. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee the LPS will work with any given USB 1.1 DAC.
  
 Jody


----------



## frankrondaniel

My Geek LPS has worked with every USB DAC that I've tried - Chord Hugo, Exasound E28, Marantz HD-DAC1 and of course the Pulse.  I've never had an issue with any of those being able to connect.


----------



## adrian0115

Thanks Jody! I know Casey is enthusiastic about the products and probably wasn't aware of this fact. 

I'm a little confused by this new development where you guys see a lot of people wanting to move to the Vi from the Pulse on the AQ2M chip upgrade thread because it looks to me that there's a lot more people that want the chip upgrade to happen for the infinity rather than moving to the Vi? The way the perk is structured probably has a lot of people sitting on the fence since the 22 is going to charity if it doesn't meet the 95% acceptance rate. 

It looks like you guys don't want to upgrade to happen with that clause. If Larry is redesigning the board for the new chip since it is being used for the Vi anyway, why not get rid of the clause? I don't want to upgrade to the Vi since I remember the limited output for casing etc. Im an early backer and would just like to get the pulse with the new chip if possible. After all, the Vi infinity is using the same board as the pulse infinity no? 



jbr1971 said:


> While working with a couple of different customers on issues with DACs not working with the LPS, it was determined that all affected DACs in those instances were USB 1.1/Audio Class 1.
> 
> In speaking with Larry he explained the LPS was designed to work primarily with USB 2.0 devices, specifically the Geek Out and Geek Pulse.
> 
> ...


----------



## adrian0115

The LPS has issues with some usb1.0/1.1 DACs as pointed out by Jody. This is from personal experience Andre one of those that Jody was helping.



frankrondaniel said:


> My Geek LPS has worked with every USB DAC that I've tried - Chord Hugo, Exasound E28, Marantz HD-DAC1 and of course the Pulse.  I've never had an issue with any of those being able to connect.


----------



## Chefano

longbowbbs said:


> No, you are part of a product development team. When you participate in crowdfunding you are not a simple customer. You are now part of a product development cycle. it is a cycle that can (and has) changed based on the structure of the crowd funding program you chose to participate in.
> 
> If you chose this route to get a deal and pay less you will be rewarded price wise. However, there may be a trade off in that the delivery date is not guaranteed due to your participating in the development cycle.
> 
> Welcome to the team!


 

 Im aware of that, what truly bothers me is the never ending upgrade perks. Actually as far this goes LH labs lost a long time ago their "crowd funded" spirit
 We don't have progress, I was/am part of the development cycle of one product and I wanna see results 
 Customers never know what they really want, If we stop every time to change or upgrade we are going to have a product in 2016 and paid for a much higher end product… come on would you invest your money on an Auralic or a 3k Pulse?
  
 LH labs raised 2.7 million dollars  and I can't question the development status?
 Thats sad


----------



## Boban85

Casey, Jody, thank you for all the feedback we are getting at HF. I know a lot of us would really appreciate if we can have some of your attention over here: http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/3395-any-plans-to-integrate-the-ess-9018aq2m-dac-to-the-xfi-infinity?start=325


----------



## miceblue

adrian0115 said:


> The LPS has issues with some usb1.0/1.1 DACs as pointed out by Jody. This is from personal experience Andre one of those that Jody was helping.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



And my experience too. JDS Labs C5D, ODAC, and a DIY USB Audio Class 1 DAC all don't work with the LPS4, but the Geek Out and upcoming OPPO HA-2 both work (USB Audio Class 2 devices and require drivers to work in Windows).


----------



## Levanter

frankrondaniel said:


> My Geek LPS has worked with every USB DAC that I've tried - Chord Hugo, Exasound E28, Marantz HD-DAC1 and of course the Pulse.  I've never had an issue with any of those being able to connect.




How does the LPS fare with all the DACS you mentioned? Any improvements?


----------



## longbowbbs

chefano said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > No, you are part of a product development team. When you participate in crowdfunding you are not a simple customer. You are now part of a product development cycle. it is a cycle that can (and has) changed based on the structure of the crowd funding program you chose to participate in.
> ...


 
 Certainly you can question the process. We all can. But you cannot claim wounded consumer status as a crowd funder.


----------



## Maelob

Some questions
what is the rationale of offering more products and perks? is it ever going to stop? are you planning to keep offering every new idea future product this way? have you guys discussed about ending the campaings and reset for a while? does it make business sense? Are we complicating things by offering so many products at the same time? i hope LH discuss these types if issues at their meetings.


----------



## bitsnbytes

madeupword said:


> @chartwell85  As enquired by @bitsnbytes and myself during the weekend, could you kindly disseminate the targeted email to qualifying backers regarding the ESS dac chip perk for Pulse Infinity?
> 
> Likewise, you have yet to add the new ESS dac chip description on the campaign page. As you make the edit, could you kindly add 1. the aforementioned 6-8 weeks delay due to the new 2015 ESS dac chip on Pulse Infinity, 2. the inclusion of Pulse S Infinity backers for the ESS dac chip perk, in the description?
> 
> ...


 
  
 I still haven't the email, and the Friday the 13th deadline is looming. (It's slightly closer in my time zone.)
  
 Personally, I'm fine with the current DAC chip, but I'd go for an upgraded version too.
  
 At this point, I'm not even sure if I'm confirmed for an Infinity. And so I've resorted to raising a Ticket for that just to get a peace of mind that I'm slated for what I signed up for. (With apologies to the Support Team having to entertain my own uncertainty.)
  
 When Stephanie, or Manny or anybody else can confirm my Infinities, I'll still wait till some sort of communications to go out to all backers regarding their support for the new chip. A lot of people are not forum dwellers, nor care too much about communications from IGG (I certainly don't care for them, and will opt out soon from the near daily messages it sends).
  
 Secondly, not that I don't think the kids' orchestra is not a worthy cause, but I'm not inclined to part $22 with a feeling that the new chip goal is not likely to be met--short timeline (2/13) and high hurdles (95%)--so that it goes to a suggested charity when that $22+ can go to several local charities of my choosing.
  
 Again, I'd like to perk up for the new chip. But I think it would be better if LHL just come out to say this is what it's going to cost and people can buy into it at a slightly higher price, or just eat the cost of changing specs (I know, it's not a cheap proposition).


----------



## frankrondaniel

levanter said:


> How does the LPS fare with all the DACS you mentioned? Any improvements?


 
  
 Unfortunately I haven't had a lot of time to do side-by-side comparisons.  I've been mostly running with the LPS full time.  That being said, if there are differences, I don't think they're night and day.  If anything, it seems like it might smooth the sound some - maybe tones down what I perceive to be glare or brightness that I'm often finding to be characteristic of Sabre-based DACS, if that makes any sense.  Hopefully I'll have some time in the near future to do some side-by-side comparisons.


----------



## eac3

FYI:
  
LPS Floating Ground, Issues with Other Manufacturers


----------



## jexby

Cool custom ground solution offered.
But really the news here is that Larry wears a much cooler shirt style compared to Gavin!


----------



## FayeForever

If there is a refund option or going to other perks I guess a lot more people myself included will jump in the $22.


----------



## jexby

fayeforever said:


> If there is a refund option or going to other perks I guess a lot more people myself included will jump in the $22.




Tru dat.


----------



## bitsnbytes

fayeforever said:


> If there is a refund option or going to other perks I guess a lot more people myself included will jump in the $22.




I would rather just pay for the upgrade without conditions. 40% seem to be interested, so just offer the upgrade for like $55 (several bucks extra to cover for risks)

If LHL comes out ahead with more backers then donate the difference.


----------



## MikeyFresh

eac3 said:


> FYI:
> 
> LPS Floating Ground, Issues with Other Manufacturers





 BIG problem with this explanation, the ground loop issue is in fact present when LPS/4 is used with their own DAC, Geek Out, contrary to what they state in the video.
  
 Both myself and @miceblue have tested the LPS4 with Geek Out and another 12 volt device, and had the enormous ground loop buzz.
  
 So their contention that this only happens with other manufacturer's DACs is incorrect, and they know that because it was reported to them as such in detail by 2 or 3 different Force members.


----------



## zerodeefex

chefano said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > No, you are part of a product development team. When you participate in crowdfunding you are not a simple customer. You are now part of a product development cycle. it is a cycle that can (and has) changed based on the structure of the crowd funding program you chose to participate in.
> ...




Feel free to ask whatever you want. I believe the issue longbowbbs and others have with your attitude is that you're super abrasive to Casey and you're mistaken for assuming you were a consumer of a finished good rather than a crowd funder. With that you assumed the entitlements associated with the former.


----------



## zerodeefex

Also, I guess I'm a little bit disappointed in humanity right now knowing that the sticking point for some in donating $22 on top of an already $1000+ committed is that if the MOQ isn't met the $22 will be donated to a reasonably good cause.


----------



## AxelCloris

I'll be honest the 95% goal is what's holding me back from stepping forward and going for the 2015 ESS perk. I'm sure the Sacramento Youth Symphony is all well and good but I have set charities that already receive my donations and I'd rather continue funding them instead. If the goal was more attainable then I'd have jumped on the ESS perk already.


----------



## bitsnbytes

+1


----------



## jexby

R,

The sticking point for some is that staunch supporters are not able/allowed choose between either
a) contributing more such as $55+ to get the new chip
OR
b) deciding where a $22 donation can help my local community vs some "good cause" in Cali.

The terms have been dictated, and are all at the risk of the contributor.
No risk of $ loss to manufacturer (LH).
All all to gain by the kids symphony. (Good for them if so!)


----------



## FayeForever

I am fine donating, but I don't really want to donate in this way.


----------



## wingsounds13

mikeyfresh said:


> BIG problem with this explanation, the ground loop issue is in fact present when LPS/4 is used with their own DAC, Geek Out.
> 
> Both myself and @miceblue
> have tested the LPS4 with Geek Out and another 12 volt device, and had the enormous ground loop buzz. So their contention that this only happens with other manufacturer's DACs is incorrect, and they know that because it was reported to them as such in detail by 2 or 3 different Force members.




The difference here is that Larry is NOT talking about a ground loop issue, he is talking about some DAC designers being lazy and essentially using the USB signal in an unbalanced mode and referencing it to ground rather than having the incoming balanced USB signal leads properly having no reference to ground.

A ground loop is a different issue even though in some cases it might be solved by carrying the USB power ground circuit through the LPS.

J.P.


----------



## miceblue

mikeyfresh said:


> BIG problem with this explanation, the ground loop issue is in fact present when LPS/4 is used with their own DAC, Geek Out.
> 
> Both myself and @miceblue
> have tested the LPS4 with Geek Out and another 12 volt device, and had the enormous ground loop buzz. So their contention that this only happens with other manufacturer's DACs is incorrect, and they know that because it was reported to them as such in detail by 2 or 3 different Force members.



Yeah I was thinking about this too, but the problem they're trying to address in this video is DAC incompatibility issues. I guess on top of USB Audio Class 1 vs Class 2, there's also a ground reference incompatibility. I'm not sure how one can tell if a USB DAC uses a differential connection or not. One of the main reasons why I wanted to try the LPS4 with the ODAC was to see how well the ODAC performed with a clean power supply versus the one from a computer; NwAvGuy implemented, supposedly, really good power filtering for the analog and digital pathways such that the noise performance of the ODAC was mostly affected by the IC chips themselves rather than the USB power line. Likewise for the C5D, I'm not sure if it uses a differential signal thingamabob; it does have galvanic isolation though.


The 12 V power output combined with the USB power output is a different issue...and my week-and-one day-old ticket is still open regarding that issue. >.>


----------



## MikeyFresh

wingsounds13 said:


> The difference here is that Larry is NOT talking about a ground loop issue, he is talking about some DAC designers being lazy and essentially using the USB signal in an unbalanced mode and referencing it to ground rather than having the incoming balanced USB signal leads properly having no reference to ground.
> 
> A ground loop is a different issue even though in some cases it might be solved by carrying the USB power ground circuit through the LPS.
> 
> J.P.


 

 I certainly hope you are right, but I believe the problem is going to be one in the same, since he is saying they floated the ground on the LPS/4.
  
 Further, I don't understand why their remedy would involve reconnecting to the dirty computer ground. Both the iFi iUSBPower and Vanuix Lab brick sever the ground from the computer, yet still provide a clean and stable ground reference to connected devices. Why can't LPS/4 do the same?


----------



## MikeyFresh

miceblue said:


> Yeah I was thinking about this too, but the problem they're trying to address in this video is DAC incompatibility issues. I guess on top of USB Audio Class 1 vs Class 2, there's also a ground reference incompatibility. I'm not sure how one can tell if a USB DAC uses a differential connection or not. One of the main reasons why I wanted to try the LPS4 with the ODAC was to see how well the ODAC performed with a clean power supply versus the one from a computer; NwAvGuy implemented, supposedly, really good power filtering for the analog and digital pathways such that the noise performance of the ODAC was mostly affected by the IC chips themselves rather than the USB power line. Likewise for the C5D, I'm not sure if it uses a differential signal thingamabob; it does have galvanic isolation though.
> 
> 
> The 12 V power output combined with the USB power output is a different issue...and my week-and-one day-old ticket is still open regarding that issue. >.>


 

 I see, my ticket is also open but Manny did say a fix is coming soon.
  
 Regarding the DAC compatibility issue, I don't understand why their only remedy would be reconnection to the dirty computer ground, when both the iFi iUSBPower and Vaunix Lab Brick sever the computer ground but still provide a clean and stable ground reference to connected devices.


----------



## nudd

mikeyfresh said:


> I see, my ticket is also open but Manny did say a fix is coming soon.
> 
> Regarding the DAC compatibility issue, I don't understand why their only remedy would be reconnection to the dirty computer ground, when both the iFi iUSBPower and Vaunix Lab Brick sever the computer ground but still provide a clean and stable ground reference to connected devices.


 
  
 OK I have been quite critical of LHL's customer support and communication style (which, in a word, is SHAMBOLIC) but to be fair, I think the iFI USBPower (which I own) has a switch which lifts ground but can be disabled, so there are certainly use cases (which I have not run into, admittedly), where lifting the ground absolutely does not work (otherwise there wouldn't be a switch on the USBPower).
  
 I am using the USB Power with the Geek Out 450 and to be honest it is probably beyond the limits of my hearing for any improvement and more annoyingly, I can still hear the hiss when connected to my IEMs.
  
 Maybe the next iteration of LHL's LPS should have something a switch like that.


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> I am using the USB Power with the Geek Out 450 and to be honest it is probably beyond the limits of my hearing for any improvement and more annoyingly, I can still hear the hiss when connected to my IEMs.
> 
> Maybe the next iteration of LHL's LPS should have something a switch like that.



LH claims that the Geek LPS has a USB noise rating of less than 6 μV, which is quite low (the JDS Labs C5D has a noise rating of 5 μV and I can't hear its background hiss at all unless I used the Noble Audio K10 or K8). I previously sent my Geek Out 450 back to LH to see if my unit was defective because I thought the background hiss was really apparent too. They said my GO 450 was fine and it passed their inspection tests. They even sent me some of their Audio Precision values for it and apparently my particular unit has a noise rating of 19 μV, so I'm not surprised at all to see that you still hear the hiss with your IEMs.



miceblue said:


> I had the noise issue with all 3 of my computers (5 USB ports total). LH measured my unit since I sent it back thinking it was defective and it was fine according to their testing standards.


----------



## zenpunk

In what load/Z those measurements where taken?


----------



## Madeupword

In case LH crew lurks, http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/3395-any-plans-to-integrate-the-ess-9018aq2m-dac-to-the-xfi-infinity?start=400#55091
  
 Time to bounce.


----------



## miceblue

zenpunk said:


> In what load/Z those measurements where taken?



Hm, I'm not sure. Reading NwAvGuy's articles on how noise is measured, absolute noise isn't measured with a load.

The O2 has a relative noise rating of -113 dBV (below 3 μV) at less than 1 volt. JDS Labs C5D has an A-weighted noise rating of -103 dBu (about 5.2 μV).

That same post I quoted above also came with this chart, which looks to go with the noise values.


miceblue said:


>



The noise value is all of the noise added up, so although the noise floor in that graph might look okay at the higher frequencies, from 20-1kHz, the noise floor looks to be above -140 dBrA, even up to -120 dBrA, whereas the O2 pretty much has all of its noise at around -150 dBV at half-volume (which he reports to have the most amount of noise)



Larry posted this about 5 months ago, so this seems pretty promising:
http://www.lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/1943-gpu-002-is-ready-start-testing?start=25#31645


> Geek Pulse with FI option and pair with Geek LPS 110V/60 Hz
> ...
> Static noise level...


----------



## earfonia

I'm not sure how they measured the noise. Using simple USB oscilloscope measuring different amps output, some showing similar rms noise level, but the noise sounds different using the same IEM. One amp noise can be more audible than the other even though showing the same rms level on oscilloscope. Most probably different harmonic content on the noise.
  
 I think noise measurement should take a different approach. Instead of connecting directly the amplifier output to a measurement instrument, probably the better approach is to connect the amp to a very sensitive IEM, and measure the audible noise using probably a binaural mic such as the Neumann KU100, using standardized gain. Reason is simple, we don't need good measurement number but at the end still hear audible noise. If the rms noise is measured very high, but the harmonic mostly above our hearing spectrum, we won't hear it. But even if the rms noise is low, but the harmonic is mostly around 1-2 kHz, it will be audible to us. The noise measurement for headphone amplifier should be presented in the level of audibility to human hearing.


----------



## frankrondaniel

levanter said:


> How does the LPS fare with all the DACS you mentioned? Any improvements?


 
  
 Hi,
  
 Couldn't sleep last night, so I figured might as well do a direct comparison of LPS/no-LPS with Grace Designs M920.  I should've known not to rely on memory!  There actually is a noticeable improvement going through the LPS.  I started listening without the LPS and then added it back again.  Not only did it seem to help alleviate what I keep calling the digital glare or brightness (only words I can think of here!) I often experience with Sabre-based amps but everything also seemed more well defined, like I hit the auto-focus button on my camera - the picture snapped into focus.  It was nice to see that it made a difference.


----------



## Boban85

frankrondaniel said:


> Hi,
> 
> Couldn't sleep last night, so I figured might as well do a direct comparison of LPS/no-LPS with Grace Designs M920.  I should've known not to rely on memory!  There actually is a noticeable improvement going through the LPS.  I started listening without the LPS and then added it back again.  Not only did it seem to help alleviate what I keep calling the digital glare or brightness (only words I can think of here!) I often experience with Sabre-based amps but everything also seemed more well defined, like I hit the auto-focus button on my camera - the picture snapped into focus.  It was nice to see that it made a difference.


 
  
 That's good to hear, frankrondaniel, thank you for your effort. Sleepless nights are often the cause of a great many staff


----------



## pedalhead

frankrondaniel said:


> Hi,
> 
> Couldn't sleep last night, so I figured might as well do a direct comparison of LPS/no-LPS with Grace Designs M920.  I should've known not to rely on memory!  There actually is a noticeable improvement going through the LPS.  I started listening without the LPS and then added it back again.  Not only did it seem to help alleviate what I keep calling the digital glare or brightness (only words I can think of here!) I often experience with Sabre-based amps but everything also seemed more well defined, like I hit the auto-focus button on my camera - the picture snapped into focus.  It was nice to see that it made a difference.


 
  
 Same experience here with the LPS on my GO450.  Definitely makes a good improvement to my ears. My HE-560s still sounded a bit harsh though so I've introduced a warm amp in to the system to smooth things a bit..with great success.


----------



## greenkiwi

jbr1971 said:


> While working with a couple of different customers on issues with DACs not working with the LPS, it was determined that all affected DACs in those instances were USB 1.1/Audio Class 1.
> 
> In speaking with Larry he explained the LPS was designed to work primarily with USB 2.0 devices, specifically the Geek Out and Geek Pulse.
> 
> ...


Thanks Jody. It would probably be good to have a list of known good DACs as well as known bad DACs. Not a comprehensive list, but just what has been tested.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Just saw the shipping status updates...Sfi delayed from February W2 to March W2. Man, I was so excited. Oh well, I guess I can only hope it doesn't get delayed any further...


----------



## sbradley02

ethereal sound said:


> Just saw the shipping status updates...Sfi delayed from February W2 to March W2. Man, I was so excited. Oh well, I guess I can only hope it doesn't get delayed any further...


 

 I have been patient thus far for my Xfi, but when I see shipping delay after delay, and I simultaneously see them continue to offer new products for backing, while ones in the pipeline are delayed, does not inspire confidence.


----------



## eac3

Seeing that LH labs have been quite active here lately, I thought I would just throw this out there again:
  
 I don't mind waiting another 3-5 months for my yet to be shipped Pulse Xfi Infinity to get a new designed chassis. At this point, I feel very confident in the performance of the Pulse (perhaps the hype did this to me, or it's just plainly Larry's enthusiasm and dedication to this hobby...it sure wasn't any reviews). The only thing I can think of that would cause me to buy MORE perks is a sexy chassis for my yet to be shipped Pulse Xfi.
  
 I say "yet to be shipped" not to mean that I am growing impatient. I am far from it at this point. Hell, I just received my Kickstarter Radiate shirt almost 2 years later....for a shirt! I use that phrase only to mean..."you still have it...let's add a few more last minute things since you still have it. Oh, and take your time."


----------



## senorx12562

chartwell85 said:


> Question ought to actually be....why are you so negative about everything?
> 
> Come on man...Your speculations and conspiracies are unwarranted and borderline insulting.


 
 +1


----------



## jexby

eac3 said:


> Seeing that LH labs have been quite active here lately, I thought I would just throw this out there again:
> 
> I don't mind waiting another 3-5 months for my yet to be shipped Pulse Xfi Infinity to get a new designed chassis. [ ] The only thing I can think of that would cause me to buy MORE perks is a sexy chassis for my yet to be shipped Pulse Xfi.


 
  
 Is your statement about a "newly designed chassis" for Pulse X Infinity just something you want and are hoping for?
 or do you believe that LH Labs is considering a new-chassis for Pulse X Infinity or have the forums  lead you to believe this?
  
 just curious.
  
 yes, I know the Vi DAC is a new chassis.


----------



## eac3

jexby said:


> Is your statement about a "newly designed chassis" for Pulse X Infinity just something you want and are hoping for?


 
  
 Yes..... I _wish_ that was a perk.
 No, LH nor their forums lead me to believe that. It is something I would have liked to see for several months.


----------



## mscott58

jexby said:


> Is your statement about a "newly designed chassis" for Pulse X Infinity just something you want and are hoping for?
> or do you believe that LH Labs is considering a new-chassis for Pulse X Infinity or have the forums  lead you to believe this?
> 
> just curious.
> ...


 
 The newly designed chassis is the one for the new Geek HPA, just released today (well, also yesterday to some of the lucky who paid $9 for advanced notification!). Cheers 
  
*




*


----------



## jexby

mscott58 said:


> The newly designed chassis is the one for the new Geek HPA, just released today (well, also yesterday to some of the lucky who paid $9 for advanced notification!). Cheers


 
  
 understood.  saw that as well for HPA. (yesterday)  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 but that chassis has no relationship to Pulse X Infinity.  that's what I was trying to clarify, and it was clarified by the original poster.
 thx.


----------



## chartwell85

Sorry we’re late guys!  We ran into an issue uploading the new IGG perks.  Without further delay, here’s the latest news.

*Upgrade to Vi DAC from Geek Pulse Xfi*

Great news, dear backers. Larry, Gavin, and I have been chatting with you in the Geek Forum, on Head-Fi and in the comments section of our Vi DAC campaign. In our conversations with you, we’ve heard you loud and clear: you want to be able to upgrade from your Geek Pulse Xfi to a Vi DAC Xfi or Vi DAC Tube

Effective *IMMEDIATELY*, you’ll be able to upgrade your Pulse Xfi to either Vi DAC Xfi or Vi DAC Tube. *These perks will only be offered until Saturday, Feb 14 @ Noon PST.*

Check out what we have in store by visiting Vi: High Performance, Crowd Designed Audio System


----------



## vhsownsbeta

chartwell85 said:


> Sorry we’re late guys!  We ran into an issue uploading the new IGG perks.  Without further delay, here’s the latest news.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Casey, I am really interested in this option but what becomes of Pulse Infinity & LPS4 perks if we upgrade to Vi DAC?


----------



## mscott58

vhsownsbeta said:


> Casey, I am really interested in this option but what becomes of Pulse Infinity & LPS4 perks if we upgrade to Vi DAC?


 
 Great question! Same thing has been asked over on the the LHL forums. Got a number of people who want to make that jump but then would be stuck with an LPS or LPS4 they would no longer need. 
  
 Thoughts Casey? Maybe credit the cost of the LPS and include the Infinity upgrade on the Vi DAC if you got it on the Pulse Xfi?
  
 Cheers


----------



## M3NTAL

chartwell85 said:


> Sorry we’re late guys!  We ran into an issue uploading the new IGG perks.  Without further delay, here’s the latest news.
> 
> *Upgrade to Vi DAC from Geek Pulse Xfi*
> 
> ...


 
  
 And for those who have backed a Xfi Infinity? Does the $300 give us an Vi Infinity?   And if we've already back the $22.00 ESS Chip update that hasn't materialized.  Would be nice to have all information right from the top.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

mikeyfresh said:


> BIG problem with this explanation, the ground loop issue is in fact present when LPS/4 is used with their own DAC, Geek Out, contrary to what they state in the video.
> 
> Both myself and @miceblue have tested the LPS4 with Geek Out and another 12 volt device, and had the enormous ground loop buzz.
> 
> So their contention that this only happens with other manufacturer's DACs is incorrect, and they know that because it was reported to them as such in detail by 2 or 3 different Force members.


 
 If you want Geek Out powered by LPS to drive another 12 volt device connected to LPS then you will have to have a ground jumper installed. An LPS's USB ground is "floating" without this jumper.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

vhsownsbeta said:


> Casey, I am really interested in this option but what becomes of Pulse Infinity & LPS4 perks if we upgrade to Vi DAC?


 
 Wouldn't the Infinity perk logically transfer to the Vi DAC?


----------



## vhsownsbeta

discosmoke said:


> Wouldn't the Infinity perk logically transfer to the Vi DAC?


 

 This isn't kickstarter, this is indiegogo. We need clarification


----------



## lobehold

I refuse to be roped into any more perks/products, fool me twice shame on me.
  
 Unsubbed.


----------



## miceblue

discosmoke said:


> If you want Geek Out powered by LPS to drive another 12 volt device connected to LPS then you will have to have a ground jumper installed. An LPS's USB ground is "floating" without this jumper.



I don't quite understand. The GO works with the Geek LPS by itself just fine since it uses the differential thingamabob. The LPS has a floating ground design with the USB such that the computer's ground doesn't touch the LPS's USB ground. I thought clean power was the point of USB output and that a "dirty power source" was the culprit of some of the issues of the GO, not ground like Larry seems to suggest in their latest YouTube video.

The external amp works with the Geek LPS by itself just fine too.

The problem comes when you use both the USB out and the 12 V out at the same time and the buzzing dilemma appears. Why would connecting the USB output back to ground with the jumper thing fix the issue? When this happens, now the USB output is connected back to the PC's ground, which defeats the purpose of the LPS from what I got out of that video (ground is what's noisy for USB outputs, not power). Apparently the Geek Pulse isn't affected by this issue because it's self-powered(?) and you can remove the USB power cable from the LPS to the Pulse after the initial handshake.

If I use both the Pulse as a DAC and the external amp with the LPS, will I still get the buzzing? I thought the whole point of the LPS was to provide clean, linear power outputs to connected devices (the whole thing was advertising that cleaner power is what matters). With the pin connecting the LPS's ground to the PC, doesn't that mean the PC's noise is still present in the whole system since Larry said ground is the culprit for noise in the video, not power? They even say in the video that there's not much point to having the LPS when the grounds are connected with the jumper.


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> I don't quite understand. The GO works with the Geek LPS by itself just fine since it uses the differential thingamabob. The LPS has a floating ground design with the USB such that the computer's ground doesn't touch the LPS's USB ground. I thought clean power was the point of USB output and that a "dirty power source" was the culprit of some of the issues of the GO, not ground like Larry seems to suggest in their latest YouTube video.
> 
> The external amp works with the Geek LPS by itself just fine too.
> 
> ...


 
 MB - I think that Larry was actually talking about compatibility issues, not the ground loop buzzing. There are some DACs that don't get recognized by the computer when run through the LPS and that appears to be due to the grounding design stuff he was talking about. Cheers


----------



## DiscoSmoke

mscott58 said:


> MB - I think that Larry was actually talking about compatibility issues, not the ground loop buzzing. There are some DACs that don't get recognized by the computer when run through the LPS and that appears to be due to the grounding design stuff he was talking about. Cheers


 
 No, these are one and the same. Larry says the LPS's USB ground is floating, so it is not tied to the LPS's chassis ground.


----------



## Maelob

mscott58 said:


> Great question! Same thing has been asked over on the the LHL forums. Got a number of people who want to make that jump but then would be stuck with an LPS or LPS4 they would no longer need.
> 
> Thoughts Casey? Maybe credit the cost of the LPS and include the Infinity upgrade on the Vi DAC if you got it on the Pulse Xfi?
> 
> Cheers





good luck in getting a refund. based on past experiences i will be surprised if they give u a refund or allow a return- but maybe as part of their upgrade program u can get some credit.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

miceblue said:


> I don't quite understand. The GO works with the Geek LPS by itself just fine since it uses the differential thingamabob. The LPS has a floating ground design with the USB such that the computer's ground doesn't touch the LPS's USB ground. I thought clean power was the point of USB output and that a "dirty power source" was the culprit of some of the issues of the GO, not ground like Larry seems to suggest in their latest YouTube video.
> 
> The external amp works with the Geek LPS by itself just fine too.
> 
> ...


 
 Any two devices connected to the 12 volt LPS outputs will share a ground. Pulse and a separate headphone amp, both powered by an LPS4, will share a ground. I always considered the LPS's USB input/output to be an isolation device, so I'm not surprised that it works the way Larry described.


----------



## uncola

Well I upgraded from pulse xfi to vi dac.. Will my infinity upgrade transfer to the vi dac too?  Would be good to get clarification on that


----------



## DiscoSmoke

uncola said:


> Well I upgraded from pulse xfi to vi dac.. Will my infinity upgrade transfer to the vi dac too?  Would be good to get clarification on that


 
 They are the same price so they would have to transfer, but a confirmation would be nice.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

uncola said:


> Well I upgraded from pulse xfi to vi dac.. Will my infinity upgrade transfer to the vi dac too?  Would be good to get clarification on that


 
  
 Props to you Bro of having a lot of patience (_est delivery September 2015_). Sorry can't top that. And besides, its too big for me.


----------



## llama_egg

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> And besides, its too big for me.


 

 That's a pretty big part of it for me, she's looking a bit bulky when I'm wanting to cut down on table space for equipment. I think at this point if I put any more money into stuff, it'll be into a LPS and call it a day.


----------



## labjr

So Xfi to ViDAC upgrade for $300!  You know the old saying, "When something seems too good to be true it usually is!"


----------



## uncola

Well I've waited this long I may as well get the big shiny case . Its not like I don't already have a decent setup


----------



## greenkiwi

llama_egg said:


> That's a pretty big part of it for me, she's looking a bit bulky when I'm wanting to cut down on table space for equipment. I think at this point if I put any more money into stuff, it'll be into a LPS and call it a day.



This is a cheaper way to get the lps, if you want one for your pulse. I'm definitely tempted...


----------



## vhsownsbeta

uncola said:


> Well I upgraded from pulse xfi to vi dac.. Will my infinity upgrade transfer to the vi dac too?  Would be good to get clarification on that


 

 Confirmed by Larry on the indiegogo page
  
_"Yes. Infinity perks you could freely transfer from Geek Pulse to Vi DAC. Don’t need to back that again."_


----------



## uncola

Thanks vhsownsbeta


----------



## Sopp

Now tempted to move to Vi DAC, but most likely won't have it until 2016.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

uncola said:


> Thanks vhsownsbeta


 

 I am interested in the upgrade too but I just trying to figure out what will happen with my LPS4, whether I can credit it against the upgrade...


----------



## tRuE008

levanter said:


> Also for X Infinity + LPS to Vi DAC Infinity!!
> 
> Considering the Xfi Infinity retails at $3,599 and LPS at $899 (Total $4,498)
> while the Vi DAC Infinity + ESS upgrade ($3,999 + $297 + $22 = $4,318), should our upgrade to Vi DAC Infinity + ESS upgrade be free?


 

 Going to quote this because I have the same question.
  
 Vi DAC Should be cheaper than the Pulse Xfinity + LPS.
 Even during the IGG campaign, the Soul Xfi was about $200-$300 cheaper than the Xfi + LPS.
 So putting down $300 to upgrade the Xfinity to the Vi Dac is insane in my perspective.
 Plus I'll have a LPS laying around without much use if I do upgrade.
 What if I'm willing to part way with both the Pulse Xfinity + LPS for the Vi DAC?


----------



## vnmslsrbms

It doesn't say anything about a LPS.  It's just strict Xfi to Vi DAC.  So the 300 covers the difference more or less from Xfi to Vi DAC.  I agree the LPS would be sitting around, but you shouldn't double count it.  But I get what you are saying at the end, where there should be an option to convert Xfi+LPS perk to Vi DAC.  Xfi they can just put back into inventory when it's produced, but the LPS they probably delivered already and would be a refurb.  So I'm not sure if that's fully reasonable for them. 
  
 I backed the Vi DAC because I did the math and realized it was a better deal than the Xfi plus the LPS, and I get a better case.  If they didn't have that kind of pricing, I would not have backed anything at all.  And knowing now that the same pricing is still available, I kinda wish I waited too.


----------



## FayeForever

I can't help but thinking the Geek Pulse Xfi might be obsolete after Vi is out.
 The price of Xfi+LPS is almost on par with the early bird price of Vi now, not to mention the 3K MSRP that I doubt they will sell many, and the Vi has new chip and new case.
 Yes they are in different form factor yes they are suppose to sound the same(or not?), but anybody will choose Vi at early bird instead of MSRP Geek Pulse right now as long as forever funding goes.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

The Soul/Vi DAC was already available on the iGG forever funding campaign towards the end, so it's not like it's complete news.  That's why I chose Vi over the Pulse anyway.  I believe there were upgrade options offered too.  I do agree that the Vi is the more saleable product.  The Pulse unless having an exceptional sound and eventually becoming bug free will mire in the sea of DACs out there.


----------



## georgelai57

Am I missing something here? The Pulse is a DAC and amp whilst the Vi is "only" a DAC?


----------



## greenkiwi

No the vi is the pulse and lps in a single chassis


----------



## georgelai57

Oh I see. Then why call it a Vi DAC? LH confuses. Again.


----------



## gyx11

I can't remember the exact details, but am I correct to say that the Pulse Forever Funding campaign had the

Pulse xfi -> Geek Soul xfi upgrade

with the Geek Soul xfi being rebranded as the Vi DAC xfi, and the price of that upgrade being more than the current $300 offered?


----------



## hemtmaker

I just want my pulse infinity upgraded to the latest DAC chip!!!!
Vi DAC is too big for me


----------



## FayeForever

IIRC it is much more.
 So after a second thought I am quite tempting to upgrade.
 But I hate that Vi doesn't have volume knob and the HP output is in the back, and I am really tired of waiting.


----------



## Madeupword

fayeforever said:


> IIRC it is much more.
> So after a second thought I am quite tempting to upgrade.
> But I hate that Vi doesn't have volume knob and the HP output is in the back, and I am really tired of waiting.


 

 Has it been confirmed that the headphone output would be at the back, along with the absences of the volume knob? Or pure speculation?


----------



## FayeForever

I haven't followed their development for a long time so I am not quite sure, still, too big for me, but I do love the chassis much more.


----------



## doctorjazz

How can you have a headphone jack and no volume control for it? Makes no sense to me. I'm in for the Vi Tube, but can't stand that I"ll probably wait a year or more to see it. And, the pricing is really odd. And, since it hasn't finalized, I wouldn't bet against many more "perks" coming along to upgrade/increase the cost/increase the time for it's delivery.
Boy, sorry I started all this, sad to say. And, I was really enthusiastic about this all along. Maybe things will get better/clearer. (and, the headphone amp is about to be released, and a Vi Preamp is in the works, and, and, and...)


----------



## tRuE008

The only reason I backed the Pulse Xfi + LPS rather than the Soul Xfi was solely based on the fact that the Soul Xfi didn't have SE headphone out during the IGG campaign. Soul Xfi only had Balanced out, and not all of my headphones have balanced connectors.
  
 Now, LH Labs decided to add SE out to the Vi Dac...


----------



## bitsnbytes

It still doesn't make sense to have headphone sockets in the back and no easily accessible (even if properly working) volume control, no matter the design aesthetics.


----------



## bitsnbytes

hemtmaker said:


> I just want my pulse infinity upgraded to the latest DAC chip!!!!
> Vi DAC is too big for me


 
  
 +1 on the size
  
 design wise, I don't know how many years I can live with the Batman look


----------



## doctorjazz

I still don't get how one listens to headphones without being able to make them louder or softer. It's like running your stereo out of the preamp line out. What if it blasts? (nah, couldn't happen to an LH product...)


----------



## greenkiwi

bitsnbytes said:


> It still doesn't make sense to have headphone sockets in the back and no easily accessible (even if properly working) volume control, no matter the design aesthetics.



Headphone jacks on the back just seems very wrong. That is putting fashion way too far in fromm front of form. Headphone jacks belong on the front. They might add well remove the hpa if they put the jacks on the back.

I assumed that if they didn't have a knob, that they would have some other volume control. Maybe touch based.


----------



## Verloren

gyx11 said:


> I can't remember the exact details, but am I correct to say that the Pulse Forever Funding campaign had the
> 
> Pulse xfi -> Geek Soul xfi upgrade
> 
> with the Geek Soul xfi being rebranded as the Vi DAC xfi, and the price of that upgrade being more than the current $300 offered?


 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/2550#post_11034273
  
 Google is a very good friend.


----------



## georgelai57

My Pulse XFi was originally the plain vanilla plus Geek Out bundle back in late 2013. I'm gonna stop right here because if I go for the Vi DAC I'm very sure there will be perks and perks before mid-year. Again.


----------



## georgelai57

greenkiwi said:


> No the vi is the pulse and lps in a single chassis



Reading the campaign story again they then mention a Vi Power Amp. And at the beginning of the story it says that the Vi DAC connects to your home stereo. So I think this is only a DAC hence as pointed out by subsequent posts, there is no volume control and headphone out is at the back. 

Sheesh. I'll stick to my Pulse Xfi. Enough is enough.


----------



## FayeForever

Oh, I remember that at some point they changed the HP output to the side wall...


----------



## Ultimate Mango

georgelai57 said:


> My Pulse XFi was originally the plain vanilla plus Geek Out bundle back in late 2013. I'm gonna stop right here because if I go for the Vi DAC I'm very sure there will be perks and perks before mid-year. Again.



The best part is by the time you actually get something after so many perks and upgrades and changing from Pulse to X to Xfi to Infinity to Soul to DiDAC to whatever else and you wait a couple year and you finally get something, you have no idea what you actually paid.


----------



## georgelai57

ultimate mango said:


> The best part is by the time you actually get something after so many perks and upgrades and changing from Pulse to X to Xfi to Infinity to Soul to DiDAC to whatever else and you wait a couple year and you finally get something, you have no idea what you actually paid.



EGG-sactly.


----------



## doctorjazz

yeah, except that I think you may have paid more than if you waited and just bought it at the final offered price 



ultimate mango said:


> georgelai57 said:
> 
> 
> > My Pulse XFi was originally the plain vanilla plus Geek Out bundle back in late 2013. I'm gonna stop right here because if I go for the Vi DAC I'm very sure there will be perks and perks before mid-year. Again.
> ...


----------



## gyx11

Thanks for the link Verloren

So basically if someone paid $650 for the xfi during the original campaign, he would have paid $1699 - ($650 x 1.2) = $919, split into $488 for a initial payment and $431 downpayment?

Surely that can't be right?!


----------



## georgelai57

The worry is that by taking so long thanks to continual so-called improvements, perceived or otherwise, a.k.a. perks; the playing field has moved on. In the case of the Waves, there are now so many excellent DAPs in the market. I bought the Sony ZX-1 as a stopgap but I shall now stump up for a ZX-2. 

I for one am willing to sell my forthcoming Waves (2 of them), and Pulse Xfi, as well as Geek Source (I think it's a real product?!?) for 15% discount to anyone who can persuade LH to effect this transfer in ownership. I'm serious.


----------



## nudd

georgelai57 said:


> The worry is that by taking so long thanks to continual so-called improvements, perceived or otherwise, a.k.a. perks; the playing field has moved on. In the case of the Waves, there are now so many excellent DAPs in the market. I bought the Sony ZX-1 as a stopgap but I shall now stump up for a ZX-2.
> 
> I for one am willing to sell my forthcoming Waves (2 of them), and Pulse Xfi, as well as Geek Source (I think it's a real product?!?) for 15% discount to anyone who can persuade LH to effect this transfer in ownership. I'm serious.


 
  
 Unfortunately your warranty will not transfer if you do this.
  
 To be honest, the ZX-2 is very tempting. I am with you on this one ... have you heard the ZX-2?


----------



## georgelai57

nudd said:


> Unfortunately your warranty will not transfer if you do this.
> 
> To be honest, the ZX-2 is very tempting. I am with you on this one ... have you heard the ZX-2?


 

 Why wouldn't it transfer? And it will if LH was accommodating. In any event, I'm sure for 15% discount there will be buyers if/when I get them.
  
 I will be going to listen to the ZX-2 tomorrow. Friends that I trust have already listened and placed their money down. It's due for delivery by this weekend.


----------



## Maelob

doctorjazz said:


> yeah, except that I think you may have paid more than if you waited and just bought it at the final offered price



i wonder how many they will sell at full MSRP, i am really not convinced yet of the "great deals" hype.


----------



## Levanter

And anyone interested I'm willing to sell my Pulse X Infinity + LPS for $1500.

I haven't filled in the survey, so warranty will still be at your end if I fill all the details for you


----------



## bitsnbytes

nudd said:


> Unfortunately your warranty will not transfer if you do this.
> 
> To be honest, the ZX-2 is very tempting. I am with you on this one ... have you heard the ZX-2?


 
  
 Have you guys seen the Hifi-Skyn? I use an iPhone, and this would simplify not having a separate DAP
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/748384/centrance-upcoming-product-for-iphone-5-above-and-ipod-touch-5-hi-fi-skyn/435#post_11307663
  
 and yes, another campaign...


----------



## miceblue

discosmoke said:


> Any two devices connected to the 12 volt LPS outputs will share a ground. Pulse and a separate headphone amp, both powered by an LPS4, will share a ground. I always considered the LPS's USB input/output to be an isolation device, so I'm not surprised that it works the way Larry described.



Having the same ground for the LPS4's 12 V outputs makes sense, but how does it relate to the USB's ground? Couldn't the 12 V outputs use the same ground as the USB's floating ground?


----------



## bitsnbytes

fayeforever said:


> Oh, I remember that at some point they changed the HP output to the side wall...


 
  
 oh my
  
 You then have to account for additional width (bookshelf, rack, or desk). Even if you use an angled XLR connector (assuming you can take a Neutrik XLR3 angled barrel and use it for the XLR4), that's going to be awkward.
  
 Of course, one can try placing the Vi facing left/right


----------



## nudd

georgelai57 said:


> Why wouldn't it transfer? And it will if LH was accommodating. In any event, I'm sure for 15% discount there will be buyers if/when I get them.
> 
> I will be going to listen to the ZX-2 tomorrow. Friends that I trust have already listened and placed their money down. It's due for delivery by this weekend.


 
  
 Gavin has posted on the LHL forums (directly contradicting Larry in the same thread from 2013 by the way) that specifically said that the warranty was personal to the funder and they would not allow any warranties to be transferred.
  
 Now I wonder if this applies if you actually tell LHL that you are transferring the right to take the benefit of what you funded BEFORE they deliver to the funder.
  
 I would be tempted to transfer my funding contribution at a big discount as well.


----------



## georgelai57

nudd said:


> Gavin has posted on the LHL forums (directly contradicting Larry in the same thread from 2013 by the way) that specifically said that the warranty was personal to the funder and they would not allow any warranties to be transferred.
> 
> Now I wonder if this applies if you actually tell LHL that you are transferring the right to take the benefit of what you funded BEFORE they deliver to the funder.
> 
> I would be tempted to transfer my funding contribution at a big discount as well.


 

 There are ways around this if I am selling to my group of head-fi friends


----------



## chartwell85

Looking to get your feet wet in the realm of high-end audio?  We’re pleased to introduce Geek Wave Lite. 
  
Geek Wave Lite removes many features that the average user doesn't use, while still focusing on the uncompromising playback capabilities that we’re best known for.  
  
What we’ve done here is eliminate Geek Wave’s ability to incorporate Wifi or Bluetooth capabilities while also eliminating the internal storage aspects.  No internal storage you ask?  Don’t trip, we’ve got you covered with expandable SDXC slot options which can store up to 2TB of whatever musical greatness you’ve compiled. Some might call this version of Geek Wave a stripped down version, however, we prefer to think of Geek Wave Lite as where awesome begins.  
  
Look for this perk to be live tomorrow morning (2/12/15) at 830AM PST by visiting http://bit.ly/GeekWaveLite


----------



## bitsnbytes

It's been asked in the LH forum:
  
 How many of those who have backed the $22 perk (chip upgrade with new board) would back it multiple times? Is this worth $44 (two votes)? Is it worth $66 (three votes)? $88 (four votes)? etc?
  
 It's like stuffing a ballot, but if there's real interest it might be a possible solution.
  
 Since LH is not really responding (nor seem to care), this is calling their bluff in a way.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Vi DAC:
  
 The headphone out location hasn't been decided.  It was going to be at the top until people got afraid that the tubes might melt the cable.  Not sure where it's going now.  
  
 There is a volume control, but it's most likely button controlled not a knob.  
  
 The single ended headphone out should be there, but somehow they left it off the specs.  Doesn't make sense since most headphones are single ended terminated.  
  
 About the warranty transfer before delivery/shipping, Gavin said they were not doing it because they didn't want to do the record keeping.  I don't remember exactly the wording, but I threw a big stink about it because I thought it was ridiculous, and the CSR wasn't very happy about my wording.  Whatever.  They're not going to do it.  I wasn't going to beat a dead horse.


----------



## Verloren

chartwell85 said:


> Looking to get your feet wet in the realm of high-end audio?  We’re pleased to introduce Geek Wave Lite.
> 
> Geek Wave Lite removes many features that the average user doesn't use, while still focusing on the uncompromising playback capabilities that we’re best known for.
> 
> ...


 
  
 This is tempting.
  
 Are all the other specs identical to the regular Geek Wave (single/balanced output, dual mono etc)?


----------



## Levanter

I'd think 1500x times before throwing more money at
LH Labs..
Their customer relational support has been poor, slow, unorganised and hypocritical.

If given the option I bet more than 50% of the backers would jump on a refund...


----------



## miceblue

vnmslsrbms said:


> Vi DAC:
> There is a volume control, but it's most likely button controlled not a knob.



Button Control.......

Button Control?

BUTTON CONTROL????


I dunno about you guys, but I remember the last time they tried to use button controls for the volume, it blew peoples' ears out.


----------



## bitsnbytes

miceblue said:


> Button Control.......
> 
> Button Control?
> 
> ...


 
  
 LOL
  
 I think you are having volume problems with your BUTTON CONTROL???
  
 btw, you can probably use the apple remote (sold separately) haha


----------



## nicolo

There's some sour humor to be found in a post about a new Wave variant being launched, in the midst of all the teeth gnashing about the delays/confusion/product issues. If anybody noticed there's a new Wave variant available now on IGG called the Wave Flex which seems to be the Wave Lite. Or is it? Anyway Bravo LH Labs! You really have to admire their chutzpah.
  
 Just thinking about the upcoming campaigns for the Vi Power amps & mono-blocks, headphone amplifier etc. makes my head hurt. Because i just know that each of these will again have multiple perks. If any supporter from the current and earlier campaigns backs the new products, they're definitely sado-masochists.
  
 One would hope that LH Labs would have learnt to focus on shipping current products to their backers, before embarking on new launches. I have lost hope of that ever happening. Never felt so down about a campaign or product before this.
  
 I have supported other crowd-funded campaigns before. After the experience with the LH campaigns, it will be a cold day in Hell before i back any other campaign.


----------



## uncola

Well I backed the pulse infinity 9018aq2m perk for $22 then I upgraded to vi dac and got the $22 aq2m for vi dac perk so you freeloaders are welcome!  Hope you get 95%


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Wave Lite?  I thought Casey was kidding almost.  It was a random post that wasn't relevant to the discussion.  Seriously they are offering so many products it's like they are Sony.  Even Sony with all their resources has more restraint.  I've backed one of their products, and after the initial euphoria, I now wonder what I was thinking.  The da vinci dac is a great halo product.  It has spawned all these mystical angelic offspring.  
  
 I didn't know about the buttons blowing people's ears out.  What's that?  I know just turning on the components in the wrong order could cause your tweeters to burst in flames.  Don't leave your headphones plugged in.  I feel like I'm using my old Krell stuff that would always go pop.


----------



## bitsnbytes

uncola said:


> Well I backed the pulse infinity 9018aq2m perk for $22 then I upgraded to vi dac and got the $22 aq2m for vi dac perk so you freeloaders are welcome!  Hope you get 95%


 
  
 I'd raise a ticket an get that adjusted if I were you.
  
 Sadly, I don't think it's going to happen.
  
 And it seems you're magnanimous about all this...hope you at least get to have a receipt for the donation to the kids' symphony.


----------



## bitsnbytes

vnmslsrbms said:


> I didn't know about the buttons blowing people's ears out.  What's that?  I know just turning on the components in the wrong order could cause your tweeters to burst in flames.  Don't leave your headphones plugged in.  I feel like I'm using my old Krell stuff that would always go pop.


 
  
 A California-based company sending out products with known issues. Lawyer up.


----------



## smial1966

*Is it April 1st?!?  *





  
 Quote:


chartwell85 said:


> Looking to get your feet wet in the realm of high-end audio?  We’re pleased to introduce Geek Wave Lite.
> 
> Geek Wave Lite removes many features that the average user doesn't use, while still focusing on the uncompromising playback capabilities that we’re best known for.
> 
> ...


----------



## pedalhead

Despite many requests and even a positive initial response from LH, I'm pretty sure we STILL haven't seen an official communication (email) sent out to in-scope backers detailing the existence of the X Infinite ESS upgrade perk, the fulfillment of which could actually put a silver lining on all the chronic delays we've seen with this device as at least we'd be receiving a DAC with the latest technology. 
  
 Instead, I've received probably half a dozen emails from LH this week pimping other perks (apparently everyone wants to upgrade to a Vi, and they want their Wave sugar free).  Unfortunately, it really looks like LH are once again more interested in enticing people to spend additional money on other products than focusing on those still under development.


----------



## bitsnbytes

It's not over yet.
  
 They might still surprise us.
  
 Or they might *surprise *us with yet another campaign/issue/etc.


----------



## smial1966

Quote:


bitsnbytes said:


> It's not over yet.
> 
> They might still surprise us.
> 
> Or they might *surprise *us with yet another campaign/issue/etc.


----------



## Currawong

chartwell85 said:


> Looking to get your feet wet in the realm of high-end audio?  We’re pleased to introduce Geek Wave Lite.


 
  
 In all honesty, I think that LHLabs should fully complete the Pulse before asking customers for more money for new projects.
  
 Sorry if this is harsh, but the last manufacturer we saw that kept asking customers for more money for more upgrades to products over months and months ended up vanishing with all his customer's money and their amps.


----------



## Case

currawong said:


> In all honesty, I think that LHLabs should fully complete the Pulse before asking customers for more money for new projects.
> 
> Sorry if this is harsh, but the last manufacturer we saw that kept asking customers for more money for more upgrades to products over months and months ended up vanishing with all his customer's money and their amps.


 

 This. Right now all LHLabs actions are making them appear to be a pyramid scheme. People who have been waiting for more than a year for a product are being coaxed to pay more money to "upgrade" to a product that will delay things for another year.


----------



## snip3r77

pedalhead said:


> Despite many requests and even a positive initial response from LH, I'm pretty sure we STILL haven't seen an official communication (email) sent out to in-scope backers detailing the existence of the X Infinite ESS upgrade perk, the fulfillment of which could actually put a silver lining on all the chronic delays we've seen with this device as at least we'd be receiving a DAC with the latest technology.
> 
> Instead, I've received probably half a dozen emails from LH this week pimping other perks (apparently everyone wants to upgrade to a Vi, and they want their Wave sugar free).  Unfortunately, it really looks like LH are once again more interested in enticing people to spend additional money on other products than focusing on those still under development.




Not sure if you guys observe, LHlabs this time didn't go all out to ask us to upgrade to the new ESS chipset. During tha naked resistor, they went out all and Larry did a few videos. Not sure if they are buying time or just a fan service thinking "Yeah we did ask but no one is biting and hence we can't change to the new chip". If they really want us to upgrade, they can throw in some freebies to entice us but nah we just reached at most 200 pax.


----------



## pedalhead

snip3r77 said:


> Not sure if you guys observe, LHlabs this time didn't go all out to ask us to upgrade to the new ESS chipset. During tha naked resistor, they went out all and Larry did a few videos. Not sure if they are buying time or just a fan service thinking "Yeah we did ask but no one is biting and hence we can't change to the new chip". If they really want us to upgrade, they can throw in some freebies to entice us but nah we just reached at most 200 pax.


 
  
 It's certainly looking that way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## BobJS

The Geek Wave Lite is something I might have been interested in.  But after coming oh-so-close to pulling the trigger on an offering from LHL several months ago, I resisted, though I have been following the horrors of this thread ever since to reward myself and provide positive feedback that sometimes it is in one's own self-interest to apply some self-restraint.
  
 So, rather than jumping in for a Geek Wave Lite, I will continue to apply what I have learned.  Carry on, Geekers, I shall continue to follow your exploits from outside looking in.  God bless you and good luck to you.


----------



## georgelai57

The LH campaigns have reminded me of the earlier follies of my life - MLM, pork belly futures, etc. I never learn.


----------



## FayeForever

Because LHL wanted you to back the naked resistor and now they certainly don't really want you to back the new DAC chip.


----------



## nudd

currawong said:


> In all honesty, I think that LHLabs should fully complete the Pulse before asking customers for more money for new projects.
> 
> Sorry if this is harsh, but the last manufacturer we saw that kept asking customers for more money for more upgrades to products over months and months ended up vanishing with all his customer's money and their amps.


 

 I wouldn't be so annoyed if their customer service or order tracking or anything else for that matter worked. But nothing in their back end seems to work.
 Confirmation of orders from the Geek Wave campaign (the reboot, not indemand campaign) STILL haven't been sent. Initially it was supposed to be Manny doing it manually, but despite hiring a whole bunch of people (including Jody) they are not on top of it and now it looks like they having to code yet another order confirmation platform from scratch.
  
 Some of their behaviour is also questionable at best (like Larry promising warranties are transferable and Gavin revoking that promise, employees posting as if they are backers without disclosing their employment relationship with LHL and requiring posters to post 30 posts before they become unmoderated ...).
  
 Also things which they have promised from the previous campaign like the Geek bluetooth streaming device are just totally missing in action. Geek IEM is meant to be produced by a third party partner but there is no news of it despite repeated requests for updates to shipping. If they are looking at designing things, why not finishing design this stuff before going on another crowdfunding frolic?
  
 Given what a mess their order tracking system is, it really pisses me off that they are not making sure everything is fixed and sorted out before offering yet more perks and more funding campaigns.
  
 Even more irritating, they claim they can't handle the volume of customer support requests but by offering even more perks, they are creating even more work for their support team which cannot even handle their existing workload and stressing their already terrible order management system even more.
  
 I have backed everything from the Geek Out to the Pulse to the Wave, but that's it. As much as I like the idea of a dedicate headphone amp or whatever it is they are thinking of, I refuse to put another cent down until the Pulse and the Wave have shipped.
  
 EDIT:
 Also everyone understands there are delays and uncertainties in product dev. The Hifi m8 is an example of another project that took far longer than expected to complete. They also had multiple versions of the same product with the LX and the normal version and 3 different options for their front plate with different options for connectors. Yet they were always on top of what was ordered and by whom and constantly kept people updated as to the status of their project.
  
 If nobody at LHL has even the time to keep current status updates, then they are too busy to push out a new perk or a new campaign. Surely they need to track milestones internally. Why can't this be automatically pushed to the status page?


----------



## gyx11

I've been browsing through the LHL forums and it appears to be radio silence on the new vs old Pulse xfi -> Vi Dac xfi front.
  
 I tried to find many ways to interpret LHL's confusing upgrade perks (old and new) by having literally 10 tabs open to collate all the information available in bits and pieces, but it appears that my calculations were correct and now it seems that many have echoed similar views with similar figures.
  
 It's a $680 (+/-) difference. _*$680*_
  
In light of recent revamping of the ticket system and LHL being so much more communicative in the form of Casey and Jody being so much more active on here, I was beginning to have faith that a corner had been turned.
  
Then the Vi DAC campaign was launched and well... it was the same unpleasant groan, but still not too unexpected.
Then this clear lack of proper calculation and decision making pops up.
  
I mean just think of it:
  
1) The fact that LHL can offer $300 for this perk suggests that the actual total cost of implementation is less than $300
  
2) Following this, are we supposed to believe that the $980 original Pulse xfi --> Vi DAC Soul Tube upgrade price was a super special way of showing great appreciation to early backers to fund the Vi DAC?
  
3) By that line of argument, this $300 is probably a gift of miraculous nature
  
 4) And yes, even if 2 and 3 were true, don't you think the order of rewarding should be flipped the other way round?
  
 5) Doesn't the timing of this new Vi DAC campaign come at a rather opportune time, as the vanilla Pulses are nearing complete fulfilment, and the Pulse xfis are next in line?
  
 6) Even if LHL comes out with some tweaking of this perk (whichever way it works, through nerfing or boosting), I'm sorry to put this very bluntly, but I challenge anyone, be it a LHL staff member, or the many on here who seem to deny at every opportunity even the most perfectly reasonable constructive criticism or legitimate concern, to find me a reputable company which does not double or triple check their perks to see if it logically adds up before releasing it to the public?
  
 7) I do understand that mistakes happen sometime, and many factors are uncontrollable, but finding this _*$680*_ value wasn't rocket science. It took me less than 30 seconds to realize how the new $300 upgrade perk had such negative implications on the Soul upgrade-rs, and less than an hour to be more or less certain of the value
  
 8) I fully acknowledge that my calculations, as with many others, might be completely wrong and we might have based our conclusions on connecting the wrong dots. I apologize in advance if this is so
  
 9) But in all honesty, if I were an employee of LHL central to key decision making, I would definitely have forseen that releasing this Vi DAC campaign and especially this $300 perk would be subjected to great scrutiny, and because of that, I would have chosen to clean up all pre-existing information on all the messy perks first, before releasing the new ones. And when I mean 'releasing the new ones', I mean a detailed explanation of the new perks as well as the rationale behind them, and a short note of reassurance to early backers that they were not getting shortchanged
  
 Before I end off, let me state upfront that I am not even the worst hit by this new issue. Those who went from Pulse xfi -> Soul Tube xfi with the additional tubes/buffers, and also the infinity upgrades really had it the worst, and I really feel for them.


----------



## pedalhead

We're going through the typical perk cycle on these two (Pulse - Vi and X Infinite ESS upgrades).  Can you tell I'm on a dull conference call right now...
  
 New "AWESOME" perk announced via IGG email & LH forum thread with limited detail, leading to...
 ⇒  new threads & questions asked on LH forum requesting clarification on crucial perk details  
   ⇒  no feedback from LH  
     ⇒ backers start to guess at perk details, causing additional confusion
       ⇒  no feedback from LH 
         ⇒  people on those threads, now expanded to Head-Fi, get angry at lack of response from LH
           ⇒  LH send out another official IGG email detailing yet another new "AWESOME" perk.  Still no response from LH on previous perk queries
             ⇒  Time is running out on the perk
               ⇒  LH post one-liner containing partial perk clarification buried somewhere in one of many threads on the LH forum
                  ⇒  backers argue over what LH really mean, some complain about "yet another badly thought out perk", some defend LH, calling for "patience, LH will deliver"
                    ⇒  no feedback from LH
                      ⇒  Schiitstorm of anger & pointless debate due to continued unclear perk detail  
                        ⇒  someone posts a screenshot of a micro-announcement from Larry in the comments thread on IGG containing information critical to the perk
                          ⇒  backers roll eyes & wonder why it's so hard to have a single place for important announcements and perk details
                            ⇒  LH send out another official IGG email detailing yet another new "AWESOME" perk
                              ⇒  rinse/repeat


----------



## georgelai57

Re the last two posts, my biggest fear is LH forcing me to upgrade my Pulse Xfi to a Vi DAC. Like I was forced to do from Pulse i to Fi or whatever - I've lost track. I know it's my own fault to go to Xfi.


----------



## coletrain104

Anyone know if there's a way to give someone else the warranty if you want to sell them your Pulse? I wouldn't have thought of it as an issue, but with all this power blip/headphone and amp destruction problem, I realize now that it could be important


----------



## pedalhead

coletrain104 said:


> Anyone know if there's a way to give someone else the warranty if you want to sell them your Pulse? I wouldn't have thought of it as an issue, but with all this power blip/headphone and amp destruction problem, I realize now that it could be important


 
  
 This has been debated on the LH forum for some time. Originally, Larry (LH) said a definite "yes", the warranty IS transferable.  However, that line was subsequently dropped and Gavin (LH) recently confirmed that it would indeed NOT be transferable. Not one of LH's greatest moments there.


----------



## Verloren

coletrain104 said:


> Anyone know if there's a way to give someone else the warranty if you want to sell them your Pulse? I wouldn't have thought of it as an issue, but with all this power blip/headphone and amp destruction problem, I realize now that it could be important


 
 A buyer who lives close by enough that s/he can hand it off to you prior to mailing back to LHL if something breaks?


----------



## zerodeefex

currawong said:


> In all honesty, I think that LHLabs should fully complete the Pulse before asking customers for more money for new projects.
> 
> Sorry if this is harsh, but the last manufacturer we saw that kept asking customers for more money for more upgrades to products over months and months ended up vanishing with all his customer's money and their amps.


 
  
 It's a pretty low blow to compare LH to Singlepower. Mikhail was a single man business with tons of debt and serious problems.
  
 LH is a company with quite a bit of capital, an established presence, a constantly growing engineering team with such industry stalwarts as Mark Brasfield believing in them enough to work for them, over 15,000 sales of their statement geek out product, and so many Da Vinci orders coming in that Gavin and Larry can't keep units at home anymore. They're not going anywhere and drawing a parallel between Mikhail and a rapidly growing company who is learning about consumer supply chain and managing a large assortment of products is ridiculous.
  
 This is the kind of small minded thinking I expect from internet warriors with a bone to pick and not from you, Amos. It's an "I only have 10% of the information but I'm going to make an explosive statement with authority on the internet because I'm angry" kind of comment and it's really beneath you.


----------



## Muinarc

gyx11 said:


> I've been browsing through the LHL forums and it appears to be radio silence on the new vs old Pulse xfi -> Vi Dac xfi front.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


Makes me wonder, did anyone ever get the PayPal invoice for the Geek Soul upgrade? I never did and I backed the 2nd batch of like 7 Soul XFi's. That upgrade perk was what, $488, so really I could have saved almost $200 by waiting.

Kind of sucks, I could have gotten a lot of the infinity perks for that $200, but knowing LHL, I was worried that if I got them for my pulse THEN upgraded to Soul (now Vi) they wouldn't carry over (infinity perk is now $300-ish for the Vi). Also feeling a little burned for being an early Soul backer and trying to give input on it in the LHL forum, seems like it all ammounts to a special serial number or something. :-/


----------



## Maelob

It is probably not that much of a difference since the customer has to pay shipping both ways for warranty issues. I might as well pay for the repairs. I know this has been debated a lot but wow still amazes me why so inflexible. Another issue, is why are they including items on IGG at MSRP when refunds and returns are not accepted. IGG should not be a market place or store right, so what is the benefit of contributing to IGG at full MSRP. I am still bitter for not getting a refund on the mono amps LOL 
I wish they change their policy on returns, refunds and allow transfer warranty, pay for shipping for warranty repairs, etc. Those are the little things that make a difference in the long run.


----------



## zerodeefex

coletrain104 said:


> Anyone know if there's a way to give someone else the warranty if you want to sell them your Pulse? I wouldn't have thought of it as an issue, but with all this power blip/headphone and amp destruction problem, I realize now that it could be important


 
 If the warranty is in your name, you can submit a warranty claim. They have no good way of tracking who actually has the unit in hand. Just offer it as something you'll do if you're reselling the device.
  
 The reason why warranties are non-transferable is because it's very difficult to ascertain what happens to a product after it leaves the hands of the original purchaser. Having managed a supply chain where a lot of product ended up in grey market, I can sympathize with being wary about allowing warranty transfer.


----------



## Arnotts

zerodeefex said:


> It's a pretty low blow to compare LH to Singlepower. Mikhail was a single man business with tons of debt and serious problems.
> 
> LH is a company with quite a bit of capital, an established presence, a constantly growing engineering team with such industry stalwarts as Mark Brasfield believing in them enough to work for them, over 15,000 sales of their statement geek out product, and so many Da Vinci orders coming in that Gavin and Larry can't keep units at home anymore. They're not going anywhere and drawing a parallel between Mikhail and a rapidly growing company who is learning about consumer supply chain and managing a large assortment of products is ridiculous.
> 
> This is the kind of small minded thinking I expect from internet warriors with a bone to pick and not from you, Amos. It's an "I only have 10% of the information but I'm going to make an explosive statement with authority on the internet because I'm angry" kind of comment and it's really beneath you.


 

 You're getting overly defensive about a comment that didn't even really make a judgment about LHLabs.
  
 He is saying what it LOOKS like, and how customers' may interpret it, not necessarily what he really thinks is happening.


----------



## zerodeefex

arnotts said:


> You're getting overly defensive about a comment that didn't even really make a judgment about LHLabs.
> 
> He is saying what it LOOKS like, and how customers' are going to interpret it, not necessarily what he really thinks is happening.


 
  
 There's a huge difference between calling out someone for their mistakes and making any kind of parallel between a company delivering thousands of products and Singlepower. It's a wildly inappropriate thing to do, especially by someone who administers Head-Fi.


----------



## Arnotts

zerodeefex said:


> There's a huge difference between calling out someone for their mistakes and making any kind of parallel between a company delivering thousands of products and Singlepower. It's a wildly inappropriate thing to do, especially by someone who administers Head-Fi.


 
  
 All he did was point out how this scenario comes across, nothing more. He wasn't saying that LH _are _doing the same thing as the scammer. Just that their operations would be interpreted as less suspicious if they focused solely on actually delivering the products that have already been paid for.
  
 But besides that... talk is cheap. Until LHLabs _prove _that the assertion is incorrect by actually delivering on their promises, it's valid speculation, I think.
  
 I don't think what Currawong said was inappropriate, uncalled for or rude. It looked totally valid.


----------



## jexby

I don't think what zerodeefex said was inappropriate, uncalled for or rude either.


----------



## gyx11

@zerodeefex

 I get you are knowledgeable about the inner workings of businesses and supply chains, but whatever you've just mentioned isn't anything different from what we already know.
  
 No one doubts that LHL will eventually fulfil all orders. Likely a fantastic product. It's all the other things that's been repeated exhaustively over and over again which LHL never seems to take note of.
  
 I don't think @Currawong was trying to draw any parallels specifically, except that a company which continuously asks for injection of cash from its backers while maintaining a backlog of unfulfilled pre-orders might suggest that something is not quite right behind the scenes. Not to the extent of fraudulent practices, but certainly something which will result in people being grossly unsatisfied regardless of the outcome of the campaigns. 
  
 And given the most recent developments, I don't think that's too far off the truth to say that something is not right, either with the decision making process, the philosophy of the company, or other factors which have been speculated to death and which I do need to state as well.
  
 At the end of the day, consumers don't quite care if you have a million things to prove that you're trustworthy and reliable and growing and learning and all. They care about their investments, not just the ends to it, but the entirety of the process. You can paint the nicest picture and show all the statistics you want, but in the end it boils down to simple questions that have been asked repeatedly with no official and suitably detailed and satisfying answer from an official source.
  
 Just as you see people boycotting certain brands not because the product isn't something desirable, but rather because they object to the philosophy (or other factors) behind it, I think it's very very apparent that many people are attempting to back out and failing to do so not because the Pulse is a poor product but because they cannot bring themselves to support the conduct of LHL throughout the various campaigns.
  
 Bottom line is that you can nitpick on different things like who said what and when and how and e.t.c but can you provide a justification for the perk bonanza?
  
 I'll leave with this thought. Crowdfunding is built upon gathering the response of backers. Why does it only have to encompass the technological development of the product itself, and not the logistical and support side of things? No one is asking LHL to pack it up and call it a day. I daresay nobody will hold it against LHL if they continue to release perks. What backers are yearning to see is a gradual cutdown to a level which is sustainable and not on a course which LHL itself admits they have problem saying on route.


----------



## zerodeefex

gyx11 said:


>


 
  
 I'm not arguing with anything you or anyone else has grievances with. In fact, I firmly believe it's perfectly acceptable for both backers and non-backers to comment on what troubles them with LH. If some specific action or inaction has a backer or potential backer concerned, he or she should feel free to voice that concern.
  
 The specific action I take issue with in this situation is an administrator of HF drawing parallels (even if only through implication) between LH and an individual who was a huge cheat. There's a huge delta between being inexperienced/late/having a ridiculous assortment with a million things happening all the time and what Mikhail did. For someone who has as much sway as Amos does with the community acting in an official capacity as a representative of HF, I find it inappropriate.


----------



## eac3

zerodeefex said:


> The specific action I take issue with in this situation i*s an administrator of HF* drawing parallels (even if only through implication) between LH and an individual who was a huge cheat. There's a huge delta between being inexperienced/late/having a ridiculous assortment with a million things happening all the time and what Mikhail did. For someone who has as much sway as Amos does with the community* acting in an official capacity as a representative of HF*, I find it inappropriate.


 
  
 He was posting as a regular poster and not representing HF......
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Didn't this happen the other day with some youtube video....or am i completely off?


----------



## pauldgroot

I wish people would split up this thread in a complaints and constructive thread. We all know the ****ty stuff that's happened and is still happening but can't we just lay it to rest and wait for the products to be deilvered. If people want to invest in new perks and products they can figure out themselves and do as they please. I'd just like to read something positive about my investment for once because I for one am still very psyched about getting a Pulse Xfi and would like to read from people who compare or review their Pulse with their headphones and other gear.
  
 This circle of critisism on LHL just keeps on going and everytime a new perks gets released people keep bringing up the same point like "old loyal backers got screwed by this even greater deal" and "LHL needs to fix customer support and update us". Trust me, they know about this stuff and so does everybody on head-fi. Just ranting about it and getting into arguments with everybody doesn't fix anything nor lighten the mood.
  
 My suggestion, if you have anything to report to LHL about their service then send them a ticket or a PM on head-fi or Geek Force. If their entire support system and pm gets flooded with all of your complaints they'll might help you. Please note that nothing I've just typed is personal to anybody and is my own opinion. I would just like to share my enthousiasm with other backers and read/discuss experiences with the product, not only the company behind it.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

miceblue said:


> Having the same ground for the LPS4's 12 V outputs makes sense, but how does it relate to the USB's ground? Couldn't the 12 V outputs use the same ground as the USB's floating ground?


 
 USB uses differential signaling(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_signaling), so the actual signal does not reference ground. The ground is there for powering USB devices. Floating ground just means ungrounded. As long as you are not using the LPS to power a USB device, but just as a signal pass through, it should perform its isolation function. If you want to use it to power a USB device, whose audio output will be connected to another LPS powered device, then the jumper, tying USB ground to chassis ground, must be installed.


----------



## Maelob

I would like to hear how their DACs compare to other products at similar price range. But i guess people need to receive their products first. I wish i could share your enthusiasm. I hope they deliver.


----------



## chartwell85

pauldgroot said:


> I wish people would split up this thread in a complaints and constructive thread. We all know the ****ty stuff that's happened and is still happening but can't we just lay it to rest and wait for the products to be deilvered. If people want to invest in new perks and products they can figure out themselves and do as they please. I'd just like to read something positive about my investment for once because I for one am still very psyched about getting a Pulse Xfi and would like to read from people who compare or review their Pulse with their headphones and other gear.
> 
> This circle of critisism on LHL just keeps on going and everytime a new perks gets released people keep bringing up the same point like "old loyal backers got screwed by this even greater deal" and "LHL needs to fix customer support and update us". Trust me, they know about this stuff and so does everybody on head-fi. Just ranting about it and getting into arguments with everybody doesn't fix anything nor lighten the mood.
> 
> My suggestion, if you have anything to report to LHL about their service then send them a ticket or a PM on head-fi or Geek Force. If their entire support system and pm gets flooded with all of your complaints they'll might help you. Please note that nothing I've just typed is personal to anybody and is my own opinion. I would just like to share my enthousiasm with other backers and read/discuss experiences with the product, not only the company behind it.


 

 Paul you've just hit the nail on the head here.  I echo your concerns and truly hope others have the same feelings as well.


----------



## evillamer

discosmoke said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Having the same ground for the LPS4's 12 V outputs makes sense, but how does it relate to the USB's ground? Couldn't the 12 V outputs use the same ground as the USB's floating ground?
> ...




Gavin recommends just not using the LPS at all(then What did they advertise it to work with all usb dacs). The way which he replied sounds like they think this is "not LH's issue" and the problem is with your lousy usb dac which reference to the ground. Future backers beware before you put any more funds in.


[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRSxmE-FPDU[/VIDEO]


----------



## m17xr2b

pauldgroot said:


> I wish people would split up this thread in a complaints and constructive thread. We all know the ****ty stuff that's happened and is still happening but can't we just lay it to rest and wait for the products to be deilvered. If people want to invest in new perks and products they can figure out themselves and do as they please. I'd just like to read something positive about my investment for once because I for one am still very psyched about getting a Pulse Xfi and would like to read from people who compare or review their Pulse with their headphones and other gear.
> 
> This circle of critisism on LHL just keeps on going and everytime a new perks gets released people keep bringing up the same point like "old loyal backers got screwed by this even greater deal" and "LHL needs to fix customer support and update us". Trust me, they know about this stuff and so does everybody on head-fi. Just ranting about it and getting into arguments with everybody doesn't fix anything nor lighten the mood.
> 
> My suggestion, if you have anything to report to LHL about their service then send them a ticket or a PM on head-fi or Geek Force. If their entire support system and pm gets flooded with all of your complaints they'll might help you. Please note that nothing I've just typed is personal to anybody and is my own opinion. I would just like to share my enthousiasm with other backers and read/discuss experiences with the product, not only the company behind it.


 
 Well in my opinion you do have a point but still...what else is there to talk about? Reviews for the standard pulse are scares and nobody has anything else. Like me I believe a lot of people were psyched about the pulse x-fi since in 2013 it looked like the absolute best thing with femto clocks, mu metal and other good stuff and now it's 2015. We understood that they would never meet the August 2014 deadline, we understood at Christmas and hoped in February only to have to wait even more because of reasons. Most of us are patient but these perks are just rude since it does look like a way to keep pushing the delivery date for whatever reason. At least for me the biggest frustration is that they seem very committed to a date but it comes and goes without any communication and after a few months we get a new delivery date only to see it come and go.


----------



## Mannytorres

Hey guys, yeah the refund policy with indiegogo's platform is a no-refund policy. We will have a pre-order and sales site up here for products.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

muinarc said:


> gyx11 said:
> 
> 
> > I've been browsing through the LHL forums and it appears to be radio silence on the new vs old Pulse xfi -> Vi Dac xfi front.
> ...


 
 Infinity perks transfer. Confirmed by Larry in an indiegogo campaign post.


----------



## Muinarc

I saw that but I had no way of knowing a month or two ago.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

evillamer said:


> Gavin recommends just not using the LPS at all(then What did they advertise it to work with all usb dacs). The way which he replied sounds like they think this is "not LH's issue" and the problem is with your lousy usb dac which reference to the ground. Future backers beware before you put any more funds in.


 
 Given the way the LPS's USB input/output is configured, I understand that they oversold its capabilities. If you want to use it to power USB devices, not just as an isolation device, then have the jumper installed.


----------



## FayeForever

Dear members from LHLabs,
  
 Please address following questions
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/vi-dac/3345-preview-vi-dac-s-indiegogo-campaign-before-it-launches?start=50#54897


----------



## Chefano

People still believe that we are driving the product development..


----------



## uncola

Woot, New update, Larry Ho says all backers of the pulse infinity dac aqm2 perk will get the new dac chip no matter what % of backers back it.  You have to back it by tomorrow
  
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-audio-a-crowdsourced-high-rez-sound-system/x/708383#activity
  
 this should make a lot of people happy hehe even me although I upgraded to vi dac.


----------



## FayeForever

Kinda torn between X infinity or Vi infinity now...


----------



## mscott58

Well done LHL team. That last update took care of many issues in one note. Woo-hoo!


----------



## greenkiwi

fayeforever said:


> Kinda torn between X infinity or Vi infinity now...




Me too.

I'm tempted to get one of each. I have two xfis, I just wish I knew whether the headphone jacks will be on the back


----------



## greenkiwi

On the back being bad and stupid... And I wouldn't upgrade.

Also debating the tube option...


----------



## uncola

Regarding the headphone port on back... It's not that big a deal unless you switch headphones constantly or have a really short headphone cable
.. In my case I sit close to my amp so it will actually be good since my xlr cable is 10 feet so I'll have less hanging on the floor


----------



## bhazard

Very happy with the new ESS going into the Infinity.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

bhazard said:


> Very happy with the new ESS going into the Infinity.


 

 I'm on ViDAC now, but it's still great news 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Hopefully this is the start of LH becoming responsive again to backers requests. The extended/transferrable warranty is promising too...


----------



## greenkiwi

uncola said:


> Regarding the headphone port on back... It's not that big a deal unless you switch headphones constantly or have a really short headphone cable
> .. In my case I sit close to my amp so it will actually be good since my xlr cable is 10 feet so I'll have less hanging on the floor


 
Yeah. It just does not work in my setup at all. 

My setup will use the dac for both headphone and speakers. So the headphones are attached for listening.


----------



## FayeForever

When I found out the headphone out could be in the back I really thought it is so stupid... There are maybe two or three preamps that have HP out in the back, but they are preamps..
 For me the pros and cons are following
  
 Pros for Vi
  
 Better chassis (better sound, and better looking) This is a proper chassis for a $1000 unit.
 Build in bi-polar power (Better sound)
 it is later this year so there is a chance that firmware are more polished and probably new XMOS chip?
 Better resale value(arguably)
  
 Cons for Vi
 Bigger, I need to buy a new desk
 More expensive
 Wait longer
 HP out in the wrong place?


----------



## Madeupword

fayeforever said:


> When I found out the headphone out could be in the back I really thought it is so stupid... There are maybe two or three preamps that have HP out in the back, but they are preamps..
> For me the pros and cons are following
> 
> Pros for Vi
> ...


 
 Pardon me, but your Pros all seem to require the (arguably) tag.


----------



## jexby

That word is implied in every post on head-fi since the dawn of time.


----------



## Madeupword

jexby said:


> That word is implied in every post on head-fi since the dawn of time.


 
  
 Like this? (arguably)
  


jexby said:


> That word is implied in every post on head-fi since the dawn of time. (arguably)


 
  
 Teehee. (arguably)


----------



## Drsparis

madeupword said:


> Like this? (arguably)
> 
> 
> Teehee. (arguably)


 
 I don't think you're doing it right. (arguably)


----------



## Drsparis

Is the headphone port confirmed on the back? or noone really knows yet? Because my decision would pretty much solely be based on that lol


----------



## tRuE008

Like the idea that they are offering transferable warranty.
 Dislike the fact that we have to pay to get transferable warranty.
  
 Like the idea that they are offering the new chip to backers without a cap on participation.
 Dislike the fact that we haven't seen any report or measurement on the new chip.


----------



## eac3

1. Has anyone come across Larry's opinions on the new chip and why he thinks it may be a good idea to get it?
  
 2. The update didn't mention this but has their been official word on how long of a delay? From Larry/Gavin himself?
  
 EDIT: Information about the chip: 
  
 http://www.esstech.com/PDF/SABRE9018AQ2M%20PB%20v0.5%20141212.pdf


----------



## Maelob

I think sometime next year or in 2016 when all is done, they should throw a big party and invite all the Geek force members, kind of like Emotiva does.  I feel like a part of a dysfunctional family LOL.


----------



## Levanter

Didn't Larry earlier confirmed there will be SE output for the Vi DAC?


----------



## FayeForever

My reply to your questions:

The design and finish is not final.
The manufacturing process of the chassis is not final. It could be machined, it could be cast, then machined. Kayla spends hours on this every week. Our listening room floor is littered with prototypes now.
Vent holes are an element that Kayla never liked. She put them in there for air flow. We have three other ways to cool the chassis, so we're still exploring our options. Even with this design, function still trumps form.
We've never spray painted a single prototype. We've polished, we've anodized, we've bead blasted, we've chemically etched. There is another thread in which Kayla is discussing finishes with the Force.
There will be a balanced headphone output in Vi. No, there's won't be a single-ended output. It'll be on the back. We've discussed it ad nauseum here in the forum.
There will be a 64 step digital volume control, just like on Pulse. We're still considering the interface. Right now we're leaning toward remote volume control only.
We're still considering the output capacitor upgrade. It'll likely be added.
Your version of our interaction during the development of Pulse, especially in regards to aesthetics isn't accurate.

 Quoting from Gavin from LHL regarding Vi DAC
 It doesn't belong to this thread but I guess many Pulse backers are considering upgrade so...


----------



## Levanter

Yep, as Gavin replied :

"Larry told me today that it would be balanced only. Maybe I'm wrong. I'll ask Tami to confirm that with him tomorrow and post the response."


----------



## bitsnbytes

bitsnbytes said:


> It's not over yet.
> 
> They might still surprise us.
> 
> Or they might *surprise *us with yet another campaign/issue/etc.


 
  
  
 They did pleasantly surprise us.
  
 I apologise for the snark.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

fayeforever said:


> [*] There will be a balanced headphone output in Vi. No, there's won't be a single-ended output. It'll be on the back. We've discussed it ad nauseum here in the forum.




Umm... Discussed like this? http://lhlabs.com/force/geeksoul/2558-geek-soul-vi-dac-headphone-output#44141

Larry: geek soul will still has both balanced and single ended HP output. Don't worry.

http://www.lhlabs.com/force/vi-dac/3345-preview-vi-dac-s-indiegogo-campaign-before-it-launches?start=25#53766

Gavin: Indeed. I'll update the chart.


----------



## llama_egg

So, I feel like I missed something? Is the Pulse X-FI getting a different chip now?
  
 It's so hard to keep up with what the heck is going on sometimes lol.


----------



## FayeForever

No headphone output/volume control in front is a huge bummer for me.
  
 Too bad I am deep into this, could've gotten a BMC pure dac.


----------



## FayeForever

llama_egg said:


> So, I feel like I missed something? Is the Pulse X-FI getting a different chip now?
> 
> It's so hard to keep up with what the heck is going on sometimes lol.


 

 XFI won't get a new chip.
 X infinity which is a more bling version of XFI has the option to get a new chip.


----------



## doctorjazz

Y'know, as you said, at the point we are now spending, if you went up the upgrade paths, could have gotten something from Ayre, Conrad Johnson, you name it, not had aggravation, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AUDITION IT AND SEE IT! And go home with it. Maybe this will blow away the competition at similar prices (I'm talking the crowd funding prices...when we get to retail, competition is even fiercer). I suspect many started out in this just looking at an relatively inexpensive desktop DA/Amp, maybe a not too expensive DAP, then started falling into the perk rabbit hole. Personally, seems to me that, while extending the warantee and making it transferable is desirable, the cost is not just a few bucks, and I'm not sure throwing another $100+ (for each item, if you are in for more than one) is such a great deal. And, while I know that you "invest" in a product that doesn't exist and can expect some bumps along the road, it seems nothing at this point even remotely resembles what we started out backing. (transferable warantee does make sense for those who say they are going to sell as soon as they get their units, this may be the crowd this perk is really for...)


----------



## greenkiwi

I think it's still going to be under the price of those others...


----------



## musicheaven

I think I am having more fun reading this thread than actually participating in it. Guys keep the good work, it's truly entertaining!  

h34r:

Oh also please  :atsmile:

One more thing @FayeForever love your Avatar.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Sadly it seems like people keep beating that dead horse because they still haven't received their stuff and also are not happy.  This horse isn't dead.  It's still alive and kicking out new perks every couple of weeks.


----------



## evillamer

What's next?

Change headphone output to front: $100 perk
Add single ended connecton: $200 perk
Get forever updated on new projects: $10(monthly reccuring subsciption perk)
Upgrade to stainless steel chassis: $500 perk
Don't buy into all these: FREE


----------



## kugino

i surrender!
  
 someone take my pulse xfi off my hands. please.


----------



## pedalhead

Well, kudos to Larry & Co for agreeing to provide the updated ESS chip to X Infinite backers if they want it. Definitely limiting damage in the face of a negative publicity schiitstorm there. The warranty extension perk is too rich for my blood but at least an option for those planning to sell their units right away.

I'll admit I was slightly tempted by the Vi upgrade, purely because the Pulse is a bit of an ugly duckling. However, lack of volume control on the chassis and headphone socket on the rear put it out of the running as far as I'm concerned. Now, the Pulse X Infinite in the new HPA chassis on the other hand...


----------



## deskmate

can we have an analogue volume control instead?


----------



## bitsnbytes

kugino said:


> i surrender!
> 
> someone take my pulse xfi off my hands. please.




Sure! Is the warranty transferable?


----------



## greenkiwi

pedalhead said:


> Now, the Pulse X Infinite in the new HPA chassis on the other hand...


 
 Yeah... that would be sweet!


----------



## bitsnbytes

pedalhead said:


> I'll admit I was slightly tempted by the Vi upgrade, purely because the Pulse is a bit of an ugly duckling. However, lack of volume control on the chassis and headphone socket on the rear put it out of the running as far as I'm concerned. Now, the Pulse X Infinite in the new HPA chassis on the other hand...




Au contraire...I think the form is good as functional and size are high on my list.

I'm not too keen on the HPA's design at the moment--not until I see how it stacks up (ahem) with the Pulse and LPS.


----------



## zenpunk

kugino said:


> i surrender!
> 
> someone take my pulse xfi off my hands. please.


 

 Good luck with that. I tried to get out months ago but nobody will take my earlybird Pulse SFi. It looks like will both end-up with $600 paper-weight. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 And I am certainly not giving LH Labs labs a cent more, not even for extended/transferable warranty, or I will feel even more conned.


----------



## kugino

zenpunk said:


> Good luck with that. I tried to get out months ago but nobody will take my earlybird Pulse SFi. It looks like will both end-up with $600 paper-weight.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 haha. yeah. i peruse this thread every now and again and i'm just aghast at what i read. i'm so lost...what happened? this little device i decided to back became this behemoth that i don't recognize anymore...and like a cancer, it keeps growing, unchecked.


----------



## nudd

It will probably be too late by the time LHL answers, but Casey, Manny, Jody, etc: how much of a delay will putting the new ESS Chip cause to the shipping of the Pulse Infinity for the people who choose the perk?
  
 This is a whole new board design by Larry right? When will the normal infinities start shipping and when will the redesigned infinities with the new chip start shipping?


----------



## Anaximandros

Casey mentioned 6-8 weeks in this thread about the delay.


----------



## m17xr2b

Is it just me or is the transferable warranty a **** perk. I mean everybody knows that a good amount of the early backers will sell their gear and now LH decided to make some money off of it? I don't see the perk anymore but I remember it was something like 150$ for the Xfi. That's almost 20% of what I paid for it and now I have a choice if I want to sell it I have to pay tax to LH since without warranty it will not be in demand or I will have to sell it for peanuts.


----------



## georgelai57

m17xr2b said:


> Is it just me or is the transferable warranty a **** perk. I mean everybody knows that a good amount of the early backers will sell their gear and now LH decided to make some money off of it? I don't see the perk anymore but I remember it was something like 150$ for the Xfi. That's almost 20% of what I paid for it and now I have a choice if I want to sell it I have to pay tax to LH since without warranty it will not be in demand or I will have to sell it for peanuts.



If LH was so confident of their products, they could elect to pay us back at say a 15% discount, and then resell them when they launch at full MSRP.


----------



## uncola

Whoops, looks like I needlessly backed the ess upgrade perk on pulse infinity and vi dac..
  
 "Yes. ESS DAC transfer to Vi will be fine. Don’t back that twice. "  from Larry Ho on the comments page of Vi Dac indiegogo
  
maybe I can get them to put it towards shipping
  
edit:  not even going to file a ticket, let it go to the pulse infinity dac upgrade costs, thanks larry!


----------



## zenpunk

I had a good laugh when they came up with their MSRP. I very much doubt anybody in their right mind will pay that much for a ugly black box containing two years old technology by the time it is available for retail...


----------



## bitsnbytes

C'mon guys, I'm sure the Pulse Xfi will be a fine DAC.
  
 Are there others that I can get? Sure.
  
 But part of this is my bet that LH will deliver in the likes of DaVinci.


----------



## uncola

apparently 20 years old r2r technology sounds better than the newest delta sigma dac chip anyway?


----------



## gyx11

I came across this meme, and my first instinct was to do some amazing paint work on it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 P.S. This is just some light-hearted fun. For the umpteenth time, I'm forcing myself to keep the faith in LHL


----------



## pedalhead

gyx11 said:


> I came across this meme, and my first instinct was to do some amazing paint work on it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 That chap needs some headphones


----------



## nudd

Aaaand it looks like the warranty transfer perk is gone? Seriously What is going on? It's crazy that we have to pay for warranty transfer anyway. Just absolutely ridiculous.
  
 Also isn't there supposed to be testing? Numbers? Larry going to share results of how wonderful the new chip is? Did I miss this in all the millions of notifications about the HPA, the warranty transfer, the geek flex, etc etc? How are we supposed to be able to decide if we want the new chip if they refuse to tell us how the pulse will sound or perform?


----------



## jaywillin

kugino said:


> i surrender!
> 
> someone take my pulse xfi off my hands. please.


 
 oh come on, we've come this far , lol
 of course i say that after having  someone has made a deal to take mine off my hands   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 and now that i think about it, i haven't heard from the guy in a while, he might have changed his mind


----------



## smial1966

He's saying...
  
*"It was either buy food or yet another perk and you know how persuasive those LH Lab guys are".  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 *
  
 Quote:


gyx11 said:


> I came across this meme, and my first instinct was to do some amazing paint work on it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Phishin Phool

mannytorres said:


> Hey guys, yeah the refund policy with indiegogo's platform is a no-refund policy. We will have a pre-order and sales site up here for products.


 
 That just means Indiegogo isn't refunding money as it has been given to LH it doesn't mean that LH can't- just that they won't.
  
 AT THE VERY LEAST LH NEEDS TO CHANGE THE STATEMENT ON THEIR PAGE STATING
  


> Thanks for shopping with LH Labs!
> 
> If you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, we're here to help.
> 
> ...


 
 to something that clearly states returns on IGG backed products will not be honored . Disregarding this along with the warranty issues Larry incorrectly said would definitely transfer would have drastically influenced my purchase.


----------



## bitsnbytes

pedalhead said:


> That chap needs some headphones




And some Grateful Dead tunes


----------



## germay0653

bitsnbytes said:


> And some Grateful Dead tunes


 

 "Estimated Prophet" or should I say "Profit"!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  It's just a joke.
  
 It was definitely nice to see that the new DAC chip will be implemented if perked for and it was also nice to see an answer that the upgraded output caps are still being considered.


----------



## FayeForever

I remember I bought the applecare for my rMBP for $180 last year, that is also a two-year extension.


----------



## uncola

damn, looks like the port of long beach problems are still ongoing..
  
 http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-12/catastrophic-shutdown-americas-supply-chain-begins-stunning-photos-west-coast-port-c


----------



## Maelob

phishin phool said:


> That just means Indiegogo isn't refunding money as it has been given to LH it doesn't mean that LH can't- just that they won't.
> 
> AT THE VERY LEAST LH NEEDS TO CHANGE THE STATEMENT ON THEIR PAGE STATING
> 
> to something that clearly states returns on IGG backed products will not be honored . Disregarding this along with the warranty issues Larry incorrectly said would definitely transfer would have drastically influenced my purchase.




Don't want to beat the dead horse, but totally agree, especially when most of their sales are from Indiegogo.


----------



## mcullinan

Me daddy once said if its too good to be true it probably is.


----------



## greenkiwi

Rosa





uncola said:


> damn, looks like the port of long beach problems are still ongoing..
> 
> http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-12/catastrophic-shutdown-americas-supply-chain-begins-stunning-photos-west-coast-port-c



Those are some cool photos...

The graphs are interesting too


----------



## Utopia

I'm still waiting for my Pulse, like a lot of people, and hope to receive a nicely built and bug-free version in a couple of months or so. I've probably read everything in this thread, as well as over at LH Labs, and my impression is that it will probably be a very musical and enjoyable piece of equipment once it's done. It probably won't look and feel like a $999 device, but perhaps, with proper break-in (any maybe with an added power supply of some sort), it will sound like one.
  
 All the controversy surrounding this kept me from upgrading to a Pulse X for $288. I don't know if that was smart, but at the time I felt like cutting my losses. 
  
 Anyway, I'm still hoping for the best here.


----------



## Mannytorres

Yeah i can understand about the Transferable warranty (Trust me it has been a heated debate with what Larry wants and what Gavin wants) ultimately Larry won that battle and we now offer a transferable warranty on the site. Feel free to get in now i don't think it is going to be offered for very long.


----------



## pedalhead

mannytorres said:


> Yeah i can understand about the Transferable warranty (Trust me it has been a heated debate with what Larry wants and what Gavin wants) ultimately Larry won that battle and we now offer a transferable warranty on the site. Feel free to get in now i don't think it is going to be offered for very long.


 
  
 Manny, the transferable warranty perk disappeared earlier today...


----------



## Mannytorres

pedalhead said:


> Manny, the transferable warranty perk disappeared earlier today...


 

 Wow okay i really meant not long at all.......... Ugh let me see what Gavin and Larry are discussing on this and why it was taken down so quickly.


----------



## pedalhead

mannytorres said:


> Wow okay i really meant not long at all.......... Ugh let me see what Gavin and Larry are discussing on this and why it was taken down so quickly.


 
  
 Thanks, a few of us were wondering what was going on with that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## Mannytorres

Okay this is still being discussed and was taken down, it will need to be discussed further with Larry and Gavin.


----------



## chartwell85

pedalhead said:


> Thanks, a few of us were wondering what was going on with that
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 We only had one or two people back the perk so we decided it wasn't appealing enough to continue to offer it.


----------



## pedalhead

chartwell85 said:


> We only had one or two people back the perk so we decided it wasn't appealing enough to continue to offer it.




Fair enough. Are you able to clarify whether people can trade in X Infinite (or indeed Xfi) + *LPS* against Vi please? Lots asking on the LH forum.


----------



## Phishin Phool

chartwell85 said:


> We only had one or two people back the perk so we decided it wasn't appealing enough to continue to offer it.


 
 Since the perk was there for but a blink of an eye while others have been there for months to say that users wouldn't avail them of it doesn't sound right to me. _As a matter of fact it once again calls into question the credibility of anything we are told by LH._
 Since you are now charging for something that really costs you nothing and is something we were told already by Larry was permissible to pass it off due to backer apathy after so little time is patronizing at best.


----------



## chartwell85

phishin phool said:


> Since the perk was there for but a blink of an eye while others have been there for months to say that users wouldn't avail them of it doesn't sound right to me. _As a matter of fact it once again calls into question the credibility of anything we are told by LH._
> Since you are now charging for something that really costs you nothing and is something we were told already by Larry was permissible to pass it off due to backer apathy after so little time is patronizing at best.


 

 Point noted.  Thanks


----------



## vhsownsbeta

chartwell85 said:


> We only had one or two people back the perk so we decided it wasn't appealing enough to continue to offer it.



Correct me if I'm wrong, but it wasn't available for Vi


----------



## nudd

chartwell85 said:


> Point noted.  Thanks


 

 Also why do we need to pay to make a warranty transferable? I can understand having to pay to extend a warranty, but not to make it transferable.


----------



## Clemmaster

nudd said:


> Also why do we need to pay to make a warranty transferable? I can understand having to pay to extend a warranty, but not to make it transferable.


 
 Because they can't guaranty how the next person is gonna use the unit.
  
 Be grateful, as the first owner, you get full trust from LH Labs! That's an honor, apparently 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## krikor

I'm confused. The latest "update" at the Indiegogo site says, "A second wave of Geek Pulse Xfi’s are on their way to their long suffering owners!"
  
I thought these were delayed until March due to some issue with the board and SPDIF input and didn't even realize that a 1st wave went out. Did I imagine that? Is the regular Pulse X shipping now as well? Nothing has changed on the status page.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

A word of warning to people thinking about the upgrade to Vi.

LH will not credit unshipped Pulse components (LPS/4 etc) for use against future Vi components. This doesn't really make sense to me, as when upgrading your Pulse you are essentially crediting it against the ViDAC.

Something to take into consideration...

Anyone want an unshipped LPS4?


----------



## nudd

clemmaster said:


> Because they can't guaranty how the next person is gonna use the unit.
> 
> Be grateful, as the first owner, you get full trust from LH Labs! That's an honor, apparently h34r: .




This is beyond ridiculous because the warranty is for defects and breakdowns within the warranty period and not due to normal wear and tear, user error or misuse. I really hope this is not the real reason because it woukd show that Gavin and LHL think we are absolute imbeciles if they even believe customers will think this is even a remotely plausible argument. 

Unless they are saying they are covering things even for user error like flashing the wrong firmware, which they have clearly said they are not. So this argument (if it really is the LHL official reason) is pure nonsense. If it a warranty event is going to happen to someone i sell the pulse to then it would have happened to me. If it is due to something specific the buyer did, then it wouldn't have been covered.


----------



## Clemmaster

nudd said:


> This is beyond ridiculous because the warranty is for defects and breakdowns within the warranty period and not due to normal wear and tear, user error or misuse. I really hope this is not the real reason because it woukd show that Gavin and LHL think we are absolute imbeciles if they even believe customers will think this is even a remotely plausible argument.
> 
> Unless they are saying they are covering things even for user error like flashing the wrong firmware, which they have clearly said they are not. So this argument (if it really is the LHL official reason) is pure nonsense. If it a warranty event is going to happen to someone i sell the pulse to then it would have happened to me. If it is due to something specific the buyer did, then it wouldn't have been covered.


 
 I was obviously joking. I don't know the motive and also find it stupid...


----------



## jaywillin

chartwell85 said:


> We only had one or two people back the perk so we decided it wasn't appealing enough to continue to offer it.


 
 the transferable warranty perk ? how long was it up, as soon as i heard about it, when i got the email, i went to look, because i have interest in it, and it wasn't there 
 so, yeah, so in the matter of a few hours(it seems) it was decided there wasn't enough interest ?, just curious


----------



## greenkiwi

jaywillin said:


> the transferable warranty perk ? how long was it up, as soon as i heard about it, when i got the email, i went to look, because i have interest in it, and it wasn't there
> so, yeah, so in the matter of a few hours(it seems) it was decided there wasn't enough interest ?, just curious


It got pulled down. I think


----------



## jaywillin

greenkiwi said:


> It got pulled down. I think


 
 yeah, i understood that, i just wondered how long they left it up, it couldn't have been long, and i wondered how much it cost .
 what i find a little puzzling , troubling , is at one point the warranty appeared to be transferable, then it wasn't, then it was, if you paid for it
 and once the "perk" was offered, it was taken down so quickly , due to lack of interest . 
 i hope i'm missing something here, which casey, manny, jody, gavin, larry or anyone at lhlabs could explain. 
 i've been a pretty ardent supporter, and i want to continue to be, but it's getting harder, and harder to remain positive with the campaign , 
 the endless "perking" and adding of new products, when so little of the original product has shipped , is wearing my patience down, and 
 at this point, there is nothing i can do about it except wait, because i'm an investor, not a customer .
 but hey, i've got a fancy usb cable, and an lps4(which i haven't even opened the box), so, all is not lost yet


----------



## mandrake50

chartwell85 said:


> We only had one or two people back the perk so we decided it wasn't appealing enough to continue to offer it.


 

 Have you seen my latest PM?
 Still not getting anywhere with Manny... of course the ticket has been auto closed and no matter what I do... it remains closed ???
 Better ticketing system? Same results... me scratching my head and cursing!!


----------



## mandrake50

jaywillin said:


> yeah, i understood that, i just wondered how long they left it up, it couldn't have been long, and i wondered how much it cost .
> what i find a little puzzling , troubling , is at one point the warranty appeared to be transferable, then it wasn't, then it was, if you paid for it
> and once the "perk" was offered, it was taken down so quickly , due to lack of interest .
> i hope i'm missing something here, which casey, manny, jody, gavin, larry or anyone at lhlabs could explain.
> ...


 

 Not sure abut anyone else.. it looks like there is some infighting going on internally...
 I wonder who wins.
  
 My vote is for Larry.. he seems to give a damn about "US"...


----------



## doctorjazz

I also don't get that the transferable warrantee, had a not insignificant price attached (and was originally to be offered free, from what I've read), or at least did until it was taken town quickly. Since the product is not a finished product (or even a finalized design) in many cases, they are within their rights to say it will be one thing, then go back and change it. But, it doesn't engender good feelings on the part of the investors...


----------



## Verloren

krikor said:


> I'm confused. The latest "update" at the Indiegogo site says, "A second wave of Geek Pulse Xfi’s are on their way to their long suffering owners!"
> 
> I thought these were delayed until March due to some issue with the board and SPDIF input and didn't even realize that a 1st wave went out. Did I imagine that? Is the regular Pulse X shipping now as well? Nothing has changed on the status page.


 
 Those probably are the ones that were finished, passed QC, and were waiting for packing material.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

vhsownsbeta said:


> A word of warning to people thinking about the upgrade to Vi.
> 
> LH will not credit unshipped Pulse components (LPS/4 etc) for use against future Vi components. This doesn't really make sense to me, as when upgrading your Pulse you are essentially crediting it against the ViDAC.
> 
> Something to take into consideration...




As an update to this issue, per a ticket apparently Manny and Casey are working on a resolution for people in this situation. Fingers crossed.


----------



## jaywillin

mandrake50 said:


> Not sure abut anyone else.. it looks like there is some infighting going on internally...
> I wonder who wins.
> 
> My vote is for Larry.. he seems to give a damn about "US"...


 
 it could just be me, and probably is, but it seems the whole perk, product, CS issues are regressing, 
 it seems it would be more important to hear the folks that have been "investors" since the beginning, and take care 
 of their issues, products first , that that take priority over introducing new stuff
  
 the problem( in a nutshell), as i see it, is there is a significant number of investors, who've given a significant amount of money, a significant amount of time ago.
 who feel they aren't being heard, and whether that's true or not, the investor/customer should ALWAYS feel like they are being heard
  
 as i've said, i've always been in lhlabs camp here, but this whole warranty issue, fiasco seems very badly handled, and seems indicative of the wheels starting to come off
 there comes a time to rethink the long range plan, and fall back, and work on the basics, the foundation
  
 i don't think anyone is being dishonest, i don't think lhlabs is a scam. i do think they'll eventually deliver, but i do think too much is being done too soon, they're are too many damn irons in the fire


----------



## Maelob

Ok lets be positive here, why all the negative vibe.  They want the best for us and are offering great products at a great discount.  Please don't complain.  You are a contributor to IGG and not a customer.  We don't have rights, we should just be happy about the great product we will be getting.
  
 Any other positive thoughts? LOL


----------



## jaywillin

i realize i'm not a customer, that i'm an investor, but as an investor, i can be displeased with the handling of issues, and the direction a company is taking, especially 
 if it deviates from the original publically stated path. 
 i look forward to getting my product, and i have confidence i and others will. 
 i just think there is some room for a huge amount of improvement .
 we here from casey regularly, i know he hears what's going on, but it seems we mainly hear from gavin, when he's announcing how they've "heard" the geek force
 and there's another opportunity for the force to invest more money
  
 we may not have "rights" (and we may) but i do believe lhlabs has an obligation, a good company fulfills its obligation, a great company exceeds it.(them)


----------



## Utopia

I know not a lot of people have received their Pulses yet so this might be too early to answer, but how well does it seem perform compared to the competition? Can it compete against something like the Bifrost + Lyr, or a good Audio GD combo, or something from Yulong or Gustard?


----------



## Ultimate Mango

So, now that XFis are shipping, how do we find out where we are in line? I was an early backer of the original Pulse campaign, and I am kind of surprised that I wasn't in one of the early batches... Not that it's a bad thing since apparently all of those will go bad and new boards are being made for the rest of us...


----------



## boxinghris

I've only been following this for a couple of days, but how can Larry say that the “LPS” is fine while other DACs are not designed properly?
 It takes two products to be incompatible, and if one of them is compatible with every other product while the other has the same problem with other products, it's not rocket science to deduce which of the products has the problem surely?
  
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/official-light-harmonic-geek-pulse-and-linear-power-supply-prices-100%25-200%25-higher-msrps-listed-during-campaigns-21894/index7.html#post397081
  
 Fortunately, there are some reasonably knowledgeable peeps out there who can smell the bs from a hundred yards.
  
  
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/official-light-harmonic-geek-pulse-and-linear-power-supply-prices-100%25-200%25-higher-msrps-listed-during-campaigns-21894/index8.html#post397378
  
 When Toyota had a problem with the brakes on their cars they recalled them.  They didn't say that the guys who laid the tarmac on the roads used tarmac which was incompatible with their cars.
  
 At least Gavin has the decency to give out the right advice “don’t use the LPS”, in case it trashes your PC.


----------



## longbowbbs

boxinghris said:


> I've only been following this for a couple of days, but how can Larry say that the “LPS” is fine while other DACs are not designed properly?
> It takes two products to be incompatible, and if one of them is compatible with every other product while the other has the same problem with other products, it's not rocket science to deduce which of the products has the problem surely?
> 
> http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/official-light-harmonic-geek-pulse-and-linear-power-supply-prices-100%25-200%25-higher-msrps-listed-during-campaigns-21894/index7.html#post397081
> ...


 
 You are getting some exposure to the differences of opinion among designers as to the best way to approach designing things. It is not so much a bs thing as an approach thing surrounded by the confidence of a particular designer. Your ears can decide who is right.


----------



## boxinghris

longbowbbs said:


> You are getting some exposure to the differences of opinion among designers as to the best way to approach designing things. It is not so much a bs thing as an approach thing surrounded by the confidence of a particular designer. Your ears can decide who is right.


 
 It appears to be a difference where one designer is on his own in saying that all the other designers are doing it wrong, which would be fine if indeed it was possible to let your ears decide who is right.
  
 When your ears might hear your laptop getting fried, I'd suggest that the designer of the component which caused this might need to alter his approach?


----------



## longbowbbs

I have no dog in this fight. Larry has designed one of the most highly regarded DAC's on the market, So I know he has something to back his opinion. However, it seems there are more than one way to do a lot of things in the designing of great audio gear.
  
 For me I am glad we have choices.


----------



## Chefano

boxinghris said:


> I've only been following this for a couple of days, but how can Larry say that the “LPS” is fine while other DACs are not designed properly?
> It takes two products to be incompatible, and if one of them is compatible with every other product while the other has the same problem with other products, it's not rocket science to deduce which of the products has the problem surely?
> 
> http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/official-light-harmonic-geek-pulse-and-linear-power-supply-prices-100%25-200%25-higher-msrps-listed-during-campaigns-21894/index7.html#post397081
> ...


 
 That remembered me.. YOU ARE HOLDING YOUR IPHONE WRONG!!! LOL


----------



## Chefano

longbowbbs said:


> I have no dog in this fight. Larry has designed one of the most highly regarded DAC's on the market, So I know he has something to back his opinion. However, it seems there are more than one way to do a lot of things in the designing of great audio gear.
> 
> For me I am glad we have choices.


 
  
 Designed the most regard DAC?
 Really?


----------



## evillamer

chefano said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I have no dog in this fight. Larry has designed one of the most highly regarded DAC's on the market, So I know he has something to back his opinion. However, it seems there are more than one way to do a lot of things in the designing of great audio gear.
> ...


 
  
 Nah that title belongs to the super expensive vaporware dac that a certain company announced with alot of big words and flare at CES WITHOUT any production samples. It's not MSB select though, which is cheaper than the vaporware dac.


----------



## nudd

I haven't read the usb spec myself but if the CA folks are right then this is not a difference in implementation, it is a deviation from the spec. 

That is a HUGE difference. I don't see how you can even say this is different design decisions.

It is like saying all other implementations of rendering html is wrong because microsoft deviated from rendering pages a certain way. Microsoft used to be able to get away with it because they were a near monopoly in the browser space and people had to write special versions of web pages so it would render correctly on IE (plus another version for browsers that did follow the spec).

The whole point of having a spec is that everyone has to follow it for compatibility. Everyone gets to play in a system of black boxes and you don't care how other systems are implemented and what extra features other system have as long as you FOLLOW THE SPEC. 

LHL is badically saying certain other usb dac's implementation just happen to be designed by fortunate circumstances so it works with the LPS because of the way those specific DACs implement USB (outside of the published spec) but thst's not our fault. This is equivalent to saying "welp, IE renders my buggy page correctly because of a misimplementation or bug or undocumentated feature or deliberate incompatibility with the published html spec, so this is just a design decision for me to have written my buggy page in that way and it is not my fault it crashes all other browsers." No. All other implementations followed the spec and are perfectly following the spec and the buggy web page and IE are the outliers.

In the first place make sure your implementation adheres to the spec then you design extra schiit in there. The iFi dors this by including an external switch that lifts ground, for example
 And they say use this switch to potentially give you less noise, but we have a compatibility mode that makes us compatible with all other well implemented devices that may not work as intended and you enable ground if you need to.



longbowbbs said:


> You are getting some exposure to the differences of opinion among designers as to the best way to approach designing things. It is not so much a bs thing as an approach thing surrounded by the confidence of a particular designer. Your ears can decide who is right.


----------



## evillamer

A buggy website is no big deal other than visual errors, but a out of spec electrical design might damage your other devices or even burn down your house. In the pc hardware world, it requires product recall like the pentium floating point bug, the h68 Sata controller issue. And in the cars it could result in deaths like the Toyota accelerator and GM ignition key switch problems.


----------



## longbowbbs

nudd said:


> I haven't read the usb spec myself but if the CA folks are right then this is not a difference in implementation, it is a deviation from the spec.
> 
> That is a HUGE difference. I don't see how you can even say this is different design decisions.
> 
> ...


 
 Larry was a participant in the 2.0 spec. I would pass this commentary on to him.


----------



## nudd

I agree. According to the CA guys this can potentially cause sufficient voltage difference to damage equipment.

I just use microsoft as an example of how IE used to (deliberately??) fail to follow spec and screw everyone around. It defeats the purpose of having a spec and in the physical world can have real world consequences such as damage to hardware. And in the real world LHL does not have the power to change the spec or make the rest of the world recall perfectly conformant devices and change them so it fits their view of the world.



evillamer said:


> A buggy website is no big deal other than visual errors, but a out of spec electrical design might damage your other devices or even burn down your house. In the pc hardware world, it requires product recall like the pentium floating point bug, the h68 Sata controller issue. And in the cars it could result in deaths like the Toyota accelerator and GM ignition key switch problems.


----------



## nudd

Did you read the CA forum? Casey was a participant in that thread that got cross posted.



longbowbbs said:


> Larry was a participant in the 2.0 spec. I would pass this commentary on to him.


----------



## longbowbbs

Not yet. I will have to wander over.


----------



## Chefano

longbowbbs said:


> Larry was a participant in the 2.0 spec. I would pass this commentary on to him.


 

 Really?
 Interesting, can you kindly tell us, or show where did you find such valuable information?
 Helped to set USB 2.0 STD. That is one of the things that you will put on your resume on linkedin


----------



## boxinghris

From Lightharmonic's website here http://www.lightharmonic.com/lightspeed.html  Larry "worked as the Executive Vice President of a leading USB integrated circuit company. He and his team of over 150 electronic engineers contributed vital work to the USB 2.0 Audio Class Standard".
  
So he was part of a team that contributed 'vital work', but we don't know if this involved the development of the standard, simply testing the developed standard or giving input into the developed standard.
  
 Whichever it was, I'd say there's now even less excuse for designing a component which has such incompatibility issues, and which does seem to deviate from the standard to such a degree that connected components are at risk.


----------



## chartwell85

To hop in or to not hop in. Been asking myself this question all day. The continual cycle of armchair engineering, designing, marketing, operating, fulfilling, product development etc etc etc does provide a bit of entertainment but what it really boils down to is why is there so much contempt breeding in this forum? 

The continual bashing of LH by a relatively small group of people truly accomplishes nothing. So why continue? Is there something you're looking to achieve?


----------



## nudd

Because nothing seems to change despite repeated promises from LHL.

1. Status of projects being properly communicated? Not really.

2. Ignoring issues and blaming users for mistakes that arw very easy to make? Check

3. Confused messaging misleading descriptions and delays in explaininh what perksndo and don't provide? Check.

4. Horrible customer support? Check (until now i still have no idea when the geek wave reboot backers are going to get their confirmation email of what we backed)

5. Screwing first movers by making perks cheaper and not responding until there is a huge outcry? Check (so has the LPS perk for Vi DAC upgraders situation been resolved)?

6. Purportedly working on "options" but not really, not unless you pay more money? Check (the vaporous warranty transfers, the failure to offer a geek flex plus credit or a 32 gig sd card to wave 32 backers rather than have them wait indefinitely or be forced to pay money)

Really I want LHL to succeed but the way LHL has been doing business and treating backers is insulting and demeaning and makes it look to the outside world like Gavin and the marketing people think we are idiots who can be either fobbed off with nonsensical excuses or viewed like infinite sources of money.



chartwell85 said:


> To hop on or to not hop in. Been asking myself this question all day. The continual cycle of armchair engineering, designing, marketing, operating, fulfilling, product development etc etc etc does provide a bit of entertainment but what it really boils down to is why is there so much contempt breeding in this forum?
> 
> The continual bashing of LH by a relatively small group of people truly accomplishes nothing. So why continue? Is there something you're looking to achieve?


----------



## FayeForever

Casey, will the $300 Vi upgrade perks be open again?


----------



## chartwell85

nudd said:


> Because nothing seems to change despite repeated promises from LHL.
> 
> 1. Status of projects being properly communicated? Not really.
> 
> ...




Im going to PM you my contact info as I'd be more than happy to discuss this via phone since replying via mobile device to the question you've raised in a timely manner isn't going be easy. 

Feel free to contact me when you're ready and I'll follow up on this forum with a post when I get back to my computer.


----------



## evillamer

I shall not comment on the below quotes but head-fi forumers and all judge for yourselves:
  
  
 Quote:


chartwell85 said:


> To hop in or to not hop in. Been asking myself this question all day. The continual cycle of armchair engineering, designing, marketing, operating, fulfilling, product development etc etc etc does provide a bit of entertainment but what it really boils down to is why is there so much contempt breeding in this forum?
> 
> The continual bashing of LH by a relatively small group of people truly accomplishes nothing. So why continue? Is there something you're looking to achieve?


 
  
  


> Originally Posted by *chartwell85*
> CA is more of a cup half empty type of crowd...Something I'm beginning to understand more and more with the time I spend here.
> 
> source: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/official-light-harmonic-geek-pulse-and-linear-power-supply-prices-100%25-200%25-higher-msrps-listed-during-campaigns-21894/index8.html#post398013


----------



## boxinghris

chartwell85 said:


> To hop on or to not hop in. Been asking myself this question all day. The continual cycle of armchair engineering, designing, marketing, operating, fulfilling, product development etc etc etc does provide a bit of entertainment but what it really boils down to is why is there so much contempt breeding in this forum?
> 
> The continual bashing of LH by a relatively small group of people truly accomplishes nothing. So why continue? Is there something you're looking to achieve?


 
 Why continue?
  
 You mean Light Harmonics have actually conceded that THEIR design does not conform to the USB standard, and have stopped implying that everybody elses design is wrong?
  
 Because you're a Light Harmonic sponsor I can see how all this 'bashing' might be causing you some discomfort, but rather that shooting the messengers maybe you should be contacting your sponsor and asking them if their product conforms to the USB standard or not.
  
 From the link I provided earlier at Computer Audio:
  
 "The document "Universal Serial Bus Specification Revision 2.0" released by the USB Implementers Forum (USBIF) is the absolute reference standard for the USB 2 Bus. It can be downloaded freely from USB.org - Welcome. Yes, this is the organisation behind the USB standards/protocols so everyone from Hewlett-Packard to Samsung work to their documentation.

*Section 7* of this document clearly specifies the electrical requirements for the USB Bus to work. When reviewing this document, especially pages 141 and 142, it becomes clear that it is not permissible under USB Standards to simply break the ground connection from the Computer."
  
  
So chartwell85, I suggest that you check out the document yourself, and if it is the case (it is- I've read it!) that breaking the ground connection is NOT PERMISSIBLE under the USB standard, you should be expressing annoyance that Light Harmonic are critical of every other manufacturer who complies with the standard whilst denying they are at fault.
  
Or maybe the USB standard is simply not compatible with their component, and this is because the USB standard is poorly designed too?


----------



## chartwell85

Not sure what you're calling into question here? My commentary?


----------



## greenkiwi

boxinghris said:


> [COLOR=444444]From Lightharmonic's website here [/COLOR]http://www.lightharmonic.com/lightspeed.html[COLOR=444444]  Larry "worked as the Executive Vice President of a leading USB integrated circuit company. He and his team of over 150 electronic engineers contributed vital work to the USB 2.0 Audio Class Standard".[/COLOR]
> 
> [COLOR=444444]So he was part of a team that contributed 'vital work', but we don't know if this involved the development of the standard, simply testing the developed standard or giving input into the developed standard.[/COLOR]
> 
> Whichever it was, I'd say there's now even less excuse for designing a component which has such incompatibility issues, and which does seem to deviate from the standard to such a degree that connected components are at risk.



One important thing to note, usb class 2.0 audio is not in fact the same as usb 2.0. The former is an audio protocol that is communicated over the physical layer that is usb 2.0.

It is a way for computers to communicate with audio devices without needing special drivers. It isn't about the electrical properties of usb.


----------



## evillamer

chartwell85 said:


> evillamer said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 

 Both head-fi and computeraudiophile forum are in essence serving the same audiophile community. Just that one focus more upon on headgear and portable audio while the other is more towards PC Audio.
  
 When you make such statements against the community, be prepare for the backlash. #justsaying


----------



## miceblue

greenkiwi said:


> One important thing to note, usb class 2.0 audio is not in fact the same as usb 2.0. The former is an audio protocol that is communicated over the physical layer that is usb 2.0.
> 
> It is a way for computers to communicate with audio devices without needing special drivers. It isn't about the electrical properties of usb.



Right. USB Audio Class 1 operates on USB 1.1, but knowing how USB Audio Class 1 works doesn't necessarily mean you fully understand USB 1.1 standards.


----------



## jaywillin

if i was bashing lhlabs, that wasn't my intent casey,my comments were intended to be constructive criticism , and maybe my emotions got the best of me. if i was bashing, i do apologise.
 as i said in my pm to you, with perk after perk, and new product after new product being introduced while getting the earlier products out, is very frustrating. i doesn't seem to me that the number of people that feel the same way is not "relatively small" it appears to me to be the majority.  when this whole warranty thing happened, it just got my goat so to speak,
 in the beginning, it was transferrable , then it wasn't, then "the force was listened to" it was put on as a perk, which had to be paid for, then it was taken down
 because only two people took the perk, i questioned how long it was up, as soon as i got the notice, i went to see about getting it, and it had already been pulled down. 
  
 i'm in lhlab's camp, i've defended and will continue defending lhlabs to those folks that have accused y'all of  bad business practices, and y'all  have been dishonest, and all this is some sort of scheme. i don't think that is the case at all.
 i do have a few ,  i feel legitimate, concerns. 
  
 again, if i crossed the line, my apologies,


----------



## Zakin

chartwell85 said:


> To hop in or to not hop in. Been asking myself this question all day. The continual cycle of armchair engineering, designing, marketing, operating, fulfilling, product development etc etc etc does provide a bit of entertainment but what it really boils down to is why is there so much contempt breeding in this forum?
> 
> The continual bashing of LH by a relatively small group of people truly accomplishes nothing. So why continue? Is there something you're looking to achieve?


 

 This is, incredibly demeaning, and shows why people are getting so upset. Good marketing. I wouldn't even say people here are bashing LH, so much confused by how many things keep changing when a great sum of money is already put up.
  
 Good to know you consider, even a percent of your backers insignificant, even though you decided to grace us with your presence here.


----------



## evillamer

When you take people's hard earned money(regardless of whether it's for research, shareholding, government or crowdfunding), you do have a certain level of responsibility to address the concerns of the money giver.
  
 Especially when the objective behind the money given has changed and there is no way to back out/withdraw back the money.


----------



## snip3r77

boxinghris said:


> I've only been following this for a couple of days, but how can Larry say that the “LPS” is fine while other DACs are not designed properly?
> It takes two products to be incompatible, and if one of them is compatible with every other product while the other has the same problem with other products, it's not rocket science to deduce which of the products has the problem surely?
> 
> http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/official-light-harmonic-geek-pulse-and-linear-power-supply-prices-100%25-200%25-higher-msrps-listed-during-campaigns-21894/index7.html#post397081
> ...




So those received the LPS is broken?


----------



## greenkiwi

I put together a quick survey to see how people felt about a variety of the possible choices around the Vi DAC.  I'd love to have people go and fill it out.  I'll post the results back here once there have been a reasonable number of responses.
  
https://webkiwi.typeform.com/to/oFGpKk


----------



## FayeForever

greenkiwi said:


> I put together a quick survey to see how people felt about a variety of the possible choices around the Vi DAC.  I'd love to have people go and fill it out.  I'll post the results back here once there have been a reasonable number of responses.
> 
> https://webkiwi.typeform.com/to/oFGpKk


 

 Done, thanks.
 But I am still waiting for the upgrade perk.


----------



## Levanter

But is the Geek HPA really necessary?
The Pulse X Infinity is already supposed to sound damn awesome and have more than enough power for most if not all headphones, why get a HPA?


----------



## evillamer

Put into contrast:
  
 Ifi's crowd-designed approach($0 upfront) vs LH's forever $$$ funding approach.


----------



## Chefano

So, Casey. 
 Lets stop all the rant and talk about what really matters. 
 Estimated pulse Infinity + ESS upgrade delivery date and a solution to LPS that promised to work with any dac and does not.
 Regards


----------



## zerodeefex

How many of you bought the LPS without backing a pulse? Is this seriously a backlash because you can't use the USB filtering, the secondary feature with other DACs in the interimcbecause they're implemented in a way that LH didn't expect?

Seriously, this is sort of bonkers. Having worked on a lot of USB Audio Class 2 support for mobile devices, I can tell you no one follows anything sane. The only one consistent is that mediocre sounding devices like the Herus have the best compatibility.

Honestly, in LH's shoes, I'd stay off the forums. Just communicate in one single list expected ship date + delays without reasons, and leave places like this alone. The feedback here isn't actionable and it costs a lot of man hours filtering the noise from useful comments.


----------



## Chefano

zerodeefex said:


> How many of you bought the LPS without backing a pulse? Is this seriously a backlash because you can't use the USB filtering, the secondary feature with other DACs in the interimcbecause they're implemented in a way that LH didn't expect?
> 
> Seriously, this is sort of bonkers. Having worked on a lot of USB Audio Class 2 support for mobile devices, I can tell you no one follows anything sane. The only one consistent is that mediocre sounding devices like the Herus have the best compatibility.
> 
> Honestly, in LH's shoes, I'd stay off the forums. Just communicate in one single list expected ship date + delays without reasons, and leave places like this alone. The feedback here isn't actionable and it costs a lot of man hours filtering the noise from useful comments.


 
 I loved the Herus part being mediocre (I really would like to know how geek out sounds compared to the mediocre Herus) and love even more how you try to protect LH labs.
 To me this is straight forward, I did order LPS being part of the Pulse. They advertised in plain words.. it works with any dac.. so I want it to work with my poor man dac. It would be great if I had my Pulse to use with LPS.. but wait.. I only have the LPS in my desk like a paper weight because I don't know when Im gonna receive the Pulse.


----------



## zerodeefex

chefano said:


> zerodeefex said:
> 
> 
> > How many of you bought the LPS without backing a pulse? Is this seriously a backlash because you can't use the USB filtering, the secondary feature with other DACs in the interimcbecause they're implemented in a way that LH didn't expect?
> ...




I own both. The Herus could not beat the ODAC as my portable DAC solution but the Geek Out 450 and SE are both better in terms of resolution, dynamics, and timbre. The Herus sounds like **** and Sabre treble grain and harshness is pretty bad. Plus it sounds soulless with mediocre dynamics.

With regard to LH, the thing is, I can acknowledge they made a mistake thinking their LPS would work with every audio device, but jeez, USB support is dicey. I've used the LPS with everything from a mouse to a printer and most devices work just fine. It's only some of my audio devices that take a crap.

It's one thing to buy a production product at MSRP and throw a **** fit when it doesn't work as expected, its another to back a crowdfunding campaign with the promise of a preproduction accessory then raise up pitchforks when a secondary benefit isn't universally compatible with all the weird USB devices out there.

Regardless, I will say I can live with weirdness given the price I paid for the products I've received and how well they perform. When the Pulse + LPS cost me less than $500 combined and end up being a better DAC than the X-Sabre that was in my system previously, I consider it a win.

I think the thing I find amusing is that there is risk associated with this venture from a backer perspective. Looking at all the possible risks, the outcome of a small, well designed linear power supply arriving late to my door that provides a noticeable improvement on the stock unit is a pretty good one for me.


----------



## Chefano

zerodeefex said:


> I own both. The Herus could not beat the ODAC as my portable DAC solution but the Geek Out 450 and SE are both better in terms of resolution, dynamics, and timbre. The Herus sounds like **** and Sabre treble grain and harshness is pretty bad. Plus it sounds soulless with mediocre dynamics.
> 
> With regard to LH, the thing is, I can acknowledge they made a mistake thinking their LPS would work with every audio device, but jeez, USB support is dicey. I've used the LPS with everything from a mouse to a printer and most devices work just fine. It's only some of my audio devices that take a crap.
> 
> ...


 
 Actually I was being ironic...I don't own Herus but it really sounds good (at least I can remember), far..by far amount from being mediocre. Ive read some reviews that prefered the Herus over the GO.. but thats not the point.
 Yep.. there is risk, how much of risk? From a company that has problems with QA and keep expanding their product line and asking for customers more and more money with more and more changes without delivering whats was promised..(never heard from them.. mea culpa btw) to me thats beyond risk and its turning out to be bad-faith. Now they have our money (a truck of it) much more than many R&D dep. have, and we have to keep begging to updates and solutions.
  
 To me thats pretty easy to hide all that is going on behind the  crowdfunding tale and sharing responsibilities with bakers (that are supposed to be part of the dev. cycle)


----------



## doctorjazz

chartwell85 said:


> To hop in or to not hop in. Been asking myself this question all day. The continual cycle of armchair engineering, designing, marketing, operating, fulfilling, product development etc etc etc does provide a bit of entertainment but what it really boils down to is why is there so much contempt breeding in this forum?
> 
> The continual bashing of LH by a relatively small group of people truly accomplishes nothing. So why continue? Is there something you're looking to achieve?




I take it this was supposed to be a humorous comment, about being entertained. But, the question you ask is a good one, why is there so much contempt, or at least anger? It seems like you are trying to turn it back on the forum contributors. Sure, it is well known that on line posts tend to be more direct/angry, people will post things in ways they would never say in person. Still, there is an underlying sentiment that LH seems not to take seriously, even getting "a bit of entertainment". 
Hey, likely when the products arrive and everyone is knocked off their feet by the incredible sound and usability of the products, much will be forgiven. But still, you're not the only crowd funded project out there, but seem to be the one with the most negative supporter feedback. 1964Ears and Peachtree launched products, no bad feedback that I know of (these were fully fleshed out products just looking for advance investment, which they got, and supporters are happy with what they've gotten-Peachtree-, or at least not so vocal while waiting-1964Ears-, afik). iFi and CEntrance launched programs closer to yours; both had not-fully-designed products, and I believe DID take suggestions on development from supporters (CEntrance is supposed to have done much of the designing here on Head-Fi). The products came out (may have been delays, wasn't following then), people are very satisfied with them. Were some decisions made that seem foolish in retrospect? Likely. (the Centrance M8 LX having digital input for optical but not coax, for instance). Still, no outpouring of anger or hard feelings, no feeling that the whole project is being mismanaged or worse. I'm not saying this to be mean or because I'm angry. I hear this from friends, some of whom backed, and are upset about the way the campaigns have been handled, others who haven't, and think I'm nuts for being in so far. If this "realtive small number of people" is worthy of contempt, as it seems from the post, for "armchair engineering, designing, marketing..." WHICH IS WHAT LH LABS HAS ASKED US TO DO, AND CHANGED THINGS ON A FREQUENT BASIS, is entertaining and not of concern to LH Labs, there is some problem, at least with PR on your end.
As Bob Dylan once said, "you know something is happening here, but you don't know what it is, do you, Mr Jones..."
Hey, I've got some thousands invested in your projects, you think I want you to fail? But the posting of perks, the difference in product and price for initial backers vs Indiegogo "forever" backers (I think starting the "Forever Funding" program and changes got you in trouble, started much of the confusion, which led to much of the bad feelings...), the Ticket system (I thought it was better, and posted such earlier...now I'm waiting for a response since Thursday, guess it's not as much better as I hoped), the difficulty knowing exactly what you're getting, these are why you're seeing so much negativity in this forum. But, glad you're amused and not taking it to heart...


----------



## jexby

zerodeefex said:


> Honestly, in LH's shoes, I'd stay off the forums. Just communicate in one single list expected ship date + delays without reasons, and leave places like this alone. The feedback here isn't actionable and it costs a lot of man hours filtering the noise from useful comments.


 
  
 exactly.  heck, as a contributor and hopeful recipient for some great audio gear (Pulse X Infinity) at a price point I never would have been able/willing to stomach at "MSRP" or retail prices-
 even I am sick of the customer quibbling.  no one is satisfied with anything, ever on head-fi.  it's a constant climb up a ladder made of twine, and when a company with crowd development makes any errors it's never tolerated.  even when forthcoming firmware or updates will fix the issues.
 could response be quicker/better?  sure.
 could folks act reasonable and find another course of action when they don't receive a timely or adequate reply?  apparently not.
  
  
  
 sell the LPS if it doesn't work with USB stick DAC Y.  or  take the argument to the LH Labs forum or their support ticket system where action/response is more on target.
  
 repeating the crying here on head-fi or other forums is simply trite.


----------



## doctorjazz

Especially with the old ticket system, jury still out on the new one, posting on Head Fi and the LH forums is often the ONLY way to be heard. Hey, most of us would like to just relax, wait for our products, and not complain. The fact that there ARE so many means something imo.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

boxinghris said:


> Why continue?
> 
> You mean Light Harmonics have actually conceded that THEIR design does not conform to the USB standard, and have stopped implying that everybody elses design is wrong?
> 
> ...


 
 As as an LPS4 owner, Larry and Gavin's video pretty much cleared things up for me. USB uses differential signaling(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_signaling), so the actual signal does not reference ground. The ground is there for USB powered devices. The LPS has a floating ground which isolates the source's ground from the DAC's. As long as you are not using the LPS to power a USB device, but just as a signal pass through, it should perform its isolation function. If you want to use the LPS to power a USB device, whose audio output will be connected to another LPS powered device, then a jumper, tying USB ground to chassis ground, must be installed.
  
 It all comes down to whether or not you are trying to power your USB device with the LPS. If the answer is yes, then have the jumper installed. If not, then use the LPS's USB input/output as the isolation device it was designed for, by connecting your non-USB powered DAC.


----------



## miceblue

discosmoke said:


> As as an LPS4 owner, Larry and Gavin's video pretty much cleared things up for me. USB uses differential signaling([COLOR=4C90FE]en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_signaling[/COLOR]), so the actual signal does not reference ground. The ground is there for USB powered devices. The LPS has a floating ground which isolates the source's ground from the DAC's. As long as you are not using the LPS to power a USB device, but just as a signal pass through, it should perform its isolation function. If you want to use the LPS to power a USB device, whose audio output will be connected to another LPS powered device, then a jumper, tying USB ground to chassis ground, must be installed.
> 
> It all comes down to whether or not you are trying to power your USB device with the LPS. If the answer is yes, then have the jumper installed. If not, then use the LPS's USB input/output as the isolation device it was designed for, by connecting your non-USB powered DAC.



I've been reading a bit about floating ground and differential signaling. It makes more sense now.

I think that Computer Audiophile blub is overdone. Floating ground isn't new stuff and I don't think it has anything to do with the USB 2.0 specifications. Heck, I came across some stuff about Arduino using a floating ground. I don't see threads at CA complaining about how this open source platform can potentially blow up the universe.


----------



## nicolo

discosmoke said:


> As as an LPS4 owner, Larry and Gavin's video pretty much cleared things up for me. USB uses differential signaling(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_signaling), so the actual signal does not reference ground. The ground is there for USB powered devices. The LPS has a floating ground which isolates the source's ground from the DAC's. As long as you are not using the LPS to power a USB device, but just as a signal pass through, it should perform its isolation function. If you want to use the LPS to power a USB device, whose audio output will be connected to another LPS powered device, then a jumper, tying USB ground to chassis ground, must be installed.
> 
> It all comes down to whether or not you are trying to power your USB device with the LPS. If the answer is yes, then have the jumper installed. If not, then use the LPS's USB input/output as the isolation device it was designed for, by connecting your non-USB powered DAC.


 
  
 The iBasso D7 i have is USB powered and works perfectly fine with the LPS.


----------



## miceblue

^ that's also a USB Audio Class 2 device, which is what the Geek LPS was designed for


----------



## boxinghris

zerodeefex said:


> I own both. The Herus could not beat the ODAC as my portable DAC solution but the Geek Out 450 and SE are both better in terms of resolution, dynamics, and timbre. The Herus sounds like **** and Sabre treble grain and harshness is pretty bad. Plus it sounds soulless with mediocre dynamics.
> 
> With regard to LH, the thing is, I can acknowledge they made a mistake thinking their LPS would work with every audio device, but jeez, USB support is dicey. I've used the LPS with everything from a mouse to a printer and most devices work just fine. It's only some of my audio devices that take a crap.
> 
> ...


 
  "raise up pitchforks when a secondary benefit isn't universally compatible with all the weird USB devices out there".
  
 Which is 'weird', the USB devices which FULLY COMPLY WITH THE USB SPEC, or the one which doesn't?
  
 It really is bizarre that despite the standard being black and white when it comes to whether the earth can be lifted or not, there are STILL those who think anyone who raises this are 'glass half empty kind of guys'.
  
 I wonder if those same individuals would be so quiet if another manufacturer's DAC didn't work with their LH product, and if that manufacturer accused the LH product of being badly designed before it was discovered that the the LH product was fully compliant with the USB spec, and that it was the DAC which was at fault?
  
 Furthermore, if the manufacturer of the DAC then repeated his claim that the LH was poorly designed whilst denying that the DAC was at fault, is that not just plain wrong?


----------



## boxinghris

discosmoke said:


> As as an LPS4 owner, Larry and Gavin's video pretty much cleared things up for me. USB uses differential signaling(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_signaling), so the actual signal does not reference ground. The ground is there for USB powered devices. The LPS has a floating ground which isolates the source's ground from the DAC's. As long as you are not using the LPS to power a USB device, but just as a signal pass through, it should perform its isolation function. If you want to use the LPS to power a USB device, whose audio output will be connected to another LPS powered device, then a jumper, tying USB ground to chassis ground, must be installed.
> 
> It all comes down to whether or not you are trying to power your USB device with the LPS. If the answer is yes, then have the jumper installed. If not, then use the LPS's USB input/output as the isolation device it was designed for, by connecting your non-USB powered DAC.


 
 "As long as you are not using the LPS to power a USB device, but just as a signal pass through, it should perform its isolation function".
  
 So the universal USB standard - which was set so that the USB output could power devices - can be altered by individual manufacturers as they please, if it enhances the performance of their particular device?
  
 You don't think that this kinda negates the whole idea of a 'standard' then?
  
 Do you at least accept that the LH device does not adher to the USB standard?  If not I can provide a link to the actual document.


----------



## boxinghris

miceblue said:


> I've been reading a bit about floating ground and differential signaling. It makes more sense now.
> 
> I think that Computer Audiophile blub is overdone. Floating ground isn't new stuff and I don't think it has anything to do with the USB 2.0 specifications. Heck, I came across some stuff about Arduino using a floating ground. I don't see threads at CA complaining about how this open source platform can potentially blow up the universe.


 
  
 "Floating ground isn't new stuff and I don't think it has anything to do with the USB 2.0 specifications."
  
 You're 100% wrong, and you can only think as you do because you haven't actually read the standard.
  
 Go to usb.org, http://www.usb/developers/docs/usb20_docs/
  
 download the 2.0 Zipfile
  
 Read page 141-142
  
 Also read page 148, document name usb_20. pdf  figure 7-1
  
 This clearly shows a High Speed USB Tranceiver (transmit/receive circuit; clearly shown is that items must be referenced to ground)
  
 These resistors are in downstream (DAC for audio devices) and the ground is system ground (read PC ground)
  
 Also, from page 142 (pdf page)  "6.8 USB Grounding:  The shield must be terminated to the connector plug for complete assemblies.  The shield and chassis are bonded together.  The user selected grounding scheme for USB devices, and cables MUST (my emphasis) be consistent with industry practices and regulatory agency standards for SAFETY (my emphasis again) and EMI/ESD/RFI."
  
 In other words, there is an implicit requirement to 'do as everyone else'......which is why it is a STANDARD.
  
 Now honestly, it really is black and white, grounded or ungrounded, right and wrong, there is no ambiguity whatsoever.  The LH device does NOT follow the accepted standard, and this is the only reason there are any incompatibility issues.
  
 Supporters of LH should be directing their comments to LH about this, rather than dismissing legitimate concerns about both the product itself, and the way other manufacturers are actually being blamed for making components which are following an accepted industry standard.


----------



## gyx11

I'm outta this thread for the time being.
  
 I've had somewhat of a change of outlook over the last couple of days. Since I've paid for my ticket and am strapped to my seat with no exit button, might as well try and enjoy the ride. Maybe it'll all end in tears, but they say if you never try, you'll never know... right? From now onwards, I'll settle my gripes through the ticketing system (which will hopefully improve much more), and will stick to posting here only if I've genuine queries to clarify.
  
 My last contribution to the thread is as such: browsing through head-fi, CA and the LHL forums for the better part of the morning, there are 4 general categories of people that I've noticed:
  
 1) The insatiables. Everything in the universe is LHL's fault. They should have stopped World War 2. They're at fault for the economic downturn. Every news is bad news and translates to LHL concocting some tremendously evil plan to suck our wallets dry. I will not agree with anything you say unless you confess to me that LHL sucks. A change to the system failed and is sucky because I gave it one attempt for it to work and it didn't. Did I mention that LHL is a fraud? Larry is incompetent / Gavin is a sneaky ******* / Casey should have no emotions / Jody is a sly ****. Nobody, especially those from group 4, has crap on me because I'm the customer and I'm darn right all the time.
  
 2) The long-goners. Half of these people are those who've committed to a Geek product at sometime, but have resigned to fate and are just waiting until a Pulse/Wave pops up at their doorstep one day. Till then, they're no longer bothered by anything to do with LHL. The other half are those whom at some point wished to try out something from the campaigns. They deliberated for a while, looked through the entirety of the campaign, dropped everything, raised their hands in exasperation, and left never to be seen again. A lot of very knowledgeable prominent forum-ers are part of this category.
  
 3) The middlemen. Most of them have issues with how LHL have run their campaign. Many have continued to preach sensible patience and, for the most part, remained understanding. Some have voiced their feelings on the forums on a couple of occasions. Credits are given where credit is due. Criticisms are dealt when criticisms are due, in an entirely civil and appropriate way. These group of people have posts which are worth reading because they're able to remain objective and think from different perspectives outside their own. They are mostly also independent posters whom don't band together with others. Unfortunately, this is the smallest group of the pack.
  
 4) Protectors of the realm. Nowhere to be seen when genuinely valid outpouring of frustrations happen. Pops up when someone from group 1 drops a clanger. They can sometimes be more predictable and irritating than those from group 1. Takes a double standard moral high-ground all the time by denouncing all criticisms, when their own repetitive explanatory arguments answers a multitude of questions... except that they don't answer the actual valid questions that were being asked in the first place. They have two main characteristics: 1. usually affluent people whom have little financial concern spewing for ultimate Geek-iness because they've already got some TOTL rig settled at home 2. one takes the lead and then you'll see the rest pop up in vigorous mutual support
  
 Well I once thought I belonged to group 3, but now I fear I'm showing bipolar tendencies between group 1 and 4, so it's really time to just take a breather.
  
 LHL will have now my backing till the end*. They have the amazing Geek Out to thank for that. Not to mention Larry's perky enthusiasm and Gavin's soft soothing voice, and maybe Casey's sunglasses. But please for the love of your consumers, sober up and stop with yet more new Geek ________ (insert audio related gear bedroom furniture) from spewing out.
  
 *T&C still applies


----------



## boxinghris

zerodeefex said:


> How many of you bought the LPS without backing a pulse? Is this seriously a backlash because you can't use the USB filtering, the secondary feature with other DACs in the interimcbecause they're implemented in a way that LH didn't expect?
> 
> Seriously, this is sort of bonkers. Having worked on a lot of USB Audio Class 2 support for mobile devices, I can tell you no one follows anything sane. The only one consistent is that mediocre sounding devices like the Herus have the best compatibility.
> 
> Honestly, in LH's shoes, I'd stay off the forums. Just communicate in one single list expected ship date + delays without reasons, and leave places like this alone. The feedback here isn't actionable and it costs a lot of man hours filtering the noise from useful comments.


 
 "Is this seriously a backlash because you can't use the USB filtering, the secondary feature with other DACs in the interimcbecause they're implemented in a way that LH didn't expect?"
  
 Other DACs conform to an industry standard, so manufacturers know exactly what to expect.  If LH didn't expect other DACs to conform to an agreed standard, where does the fault lie?


----------



## boxinghris

jexby said:


> exactly.  heck, as a contributor and hopeful recipient for some great audio gear (Pulse X Infinity) at a price point I never would have been able/willing to stomach at "MSRP" or retail prices-
> even I am sick of the customer quibbling.  no one is satisfied with anything, ever on head-fi.  it's a constant climb up a ladder made of twine, and when a company with crowd development makes any errors it's never tolerated.  even when forthcoming firmware or updates will fix the issues.
> could response be quicker/better?  sure.
> could folks act reasonable and find another course of action when they don't receive a timely or adequate reply?  apparently not.
> ...


 
 "...sell the LPS if it doesn't work with USB stick DAC Y.  or  take the argument to the LH Labs forum or their support ticket system where action/response is more on target.
  
 repeating the crying here on head-fi or other forums is simply trite."
  
  
 Would that be the LH Labs Forum which bans those who post negative comments, and which equates negative to 'slanderous' (when libelous is the correct accusation when it's in print...)
  
 I haven't read comments from anybody here 'crying', all I've seen are valid points/criticisms raised, and if they weren't valid they would be libelous and could be actionable which obviously isn't the case.
  
 The only crying being done is by those who don't like to read criticism of a company they've bought into.


----------



## gyx11

wrong post


----------



## jaywillin

gyx11 said:


> I'm outta this thread for the time being.
> 
> I've had somewhat of a change of outlook over the last couple of days. Since I've paid for my ticket and am strapped to my seat with no exit button, might as well try and enjoy the ride. Maybe it'll all end in tears, but they say if you never try, you'll never know... right? From now onwards, I'll settle my gripes through the ticketing system (which will hopefully improve much more), and will stick to posting here only if I've genuine queries to clarify.
> 
> ...


 
 well said !
  
 i'm a number 3, who's beginning to flirt with number 1
 exactly, its gotten like a snowball rolling downhill, it keeps getting bigger, going faster, and at some point, it's going to crash


----------



## bitsnbytes

Good observation
  
 A bit of 1, 3, and 4, but I like to think I'm mostly 3. (Who ever thinks they're a bad driver or not humorous?) Going the same way, and heading to Exit #2...


----------



## doctorjazz

EVERYONE always thinks they are a 3, whatever someone else might think of their posts  (myself included).

Back to beating a dead horse...wasn't the whole point of getting the LPS4 instead of the single unit so that you could connect more than 1 component to it? Sure, there are more LH products coming (eventually), but it was supposed to be of use now, or so I thought (I don't have a personal stake in this, waiting for a Vi).


----------



## evillamer

boxinghris said:


> jexby said:
> 
> 
> > exactly.  heck, as a contributor and hopeful recipient for some great audio gear (Pulse X Infinity) at a price point I never would have been able/willing to stomach at "MSRP" or retail prices-
> ...


 


> http://lhlabs.com/terms-privacy.html *The 10 Commandments of the Geek Force*
> 
> You will not post any content, photos or videos that are pornographic, graphic or violent.
> You will not use this site to further any interest outside the scope of high-end audio.
> ...


 
  
  
 brand bashing is not allowed. So you cannot even say Beats Audio or Bose sucks there? hmm.. freedom of speech...


----------



## greenkiwi

evillamer said:


> brand bashing is not allowed. So you cannot even say Beats Audio or Bose sucks there? hmm.. freedom of speech...


 it's a private forum... They set the rules and others play by them. Free speech is about government stopping free speech not a private entity.


----------



## mandrake50

greenkiwi said:


> it's a private forum... They set the rules and others play by them. Free speech is about government stopping free speech not a private entity.


 

 Really? Free speech is either allowed or it is not, regardless of the entity allowing it or infringing upon it. The definition does not change based upon who is enforcing the rules.
 Private parties may be able to regulate discussions in the private arena and not *break any laws*, but stifling comments does not fall under the category of fully allowing free speech.
  
 In the specific case of LHL forums, that commandment about remaining positive can be applied to anyone trying to discuss any problems, regardless of how rational and civil the conversation might be.
 After all, if one is having a problem it, by definition, is impacting that person negatively.


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm not sure of the "legalities" of LH monitoring and restricting their site's posts, I suspect their within their rights, but I'm not sure it accomplishes what it sets out to do (that is, generate positive feelings towards LH Labs...)
Mods here have the right to close threads for not following rules like, no comments in the old Deals Thread, for instance...it's not the public square, or even the open internet.


----------



## greenkiwi

Free speech, as protected by the first amendment is only protecting it from the government stopping or censoring it.

Neither here nor there... People react to posts being closed/blocked/etc and it is usually not the right way to go about it. I wasn't defending that it should be done, just that since it is a private entity, that can do what they would like... And people can choose to go there or not. And it isn't really on topic... So I'm done.

http://1forall.us/teach-the-first-amendment/the-first-amendment/#a4


----------



## DiscoSmoke

boxinghris said:


> "As long as you are not using the LPS to power a USB device, but just as a signal pass through, it should perform its isolation function".
> 
> So the universal USB standard - which was set so that the USB output could power devices - can be altered by individual manufacturers as they please, if it enhances the performance of their particular device?
> 
> ...


 
 I agree that they oversold its capabilities. It probably performs the isolation function very well.


----------



## boxinghris

evillamer said:


> brand bashing is not allowed. So you cannot even say Beats Audio or Bose sucks there? hmm.. freedom of speech..


 
  
       4. You will not personally attack anyone on this site for any reason (Argue the point, not the person.)
  
  
      Yet a member of their forum was personally attacked by a staff member posing as a customer, who was then outed?
  
*     6.  You will not brand bash.*
  
      Yet we have been led to believe that other DACs which are not compatible with an LH product are inferior designs, when the LH product is to fault?  
      Don't LH also raise funds by comparing their products with others which are named, and of course the LH measurements are always 'superior'?
  
      'Do as we say, not as we do' should be the forum motto.
  
       3. You will be positive and conduct yourself in an honest and civil manner.
  
       So basically ANY criticism is not allowed, which means the forum is only for promoting products, most of which will probably be LH as it's they who fund the forum.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

boxinghris said:


> 4. You will not personally attack anyone on this site for any reason (Argue the point, not the person.)
> 
> 
> Yet a member of their forum was personally attacked by a staff member posing as a customer, who was then outed?
> ...


 
 You've shown up here recently, intent on really driving this issue home. I consider Larry and Gavin's video to be their word on the subject, and nowhere in the video do they mention "inferior designs." Larry mentions recognizing a connection by sensing the differential pair rather than referencing signal to ground, and says he does not think that referencing the ground is the best design practice. "Inferior designs" are your words not his.


----------



## doctorjazz

To be fair, I have posted criticism on the LH forum, and haven't been banned, pulled off, or had negative consequences. Depends on the level of animus and the reasonableness of the complaint, I suppose.


----------



## miceblue

boxinghris said:


> "Floating ground isn't new stuff and I don't think it has anything to do with the USB 2.0 specifications."
> 
> You're 100% wrong, and you can only think as you do because you haven't actually read the standard.
> 
> ...



1) that link doesn't work
2) whatever PDF you have, it's not the same as mine so the pages and references are all screwed up
3) "This clearly shows a High Speed USB Tranceiver (transmit/receive circuit; clearly shown is that items must be referenced to ground)

These resistors are in downstream (DAC for audio devices) and the ground is system ground (read PC ground)"
I thought these were transmitter/receiver USB ports, what if the Geek LPS does that? Only the output is a floating ground, not the input.


----------



## AxelCloris

doctorjazz said:


> To be fair, I have posted criticism on the LH forum, and haven't been banned, pulled off, or had negative consequences. Depends on the level of animus and the reasonableness of the complaint, I suppose.


 
  
 I believe that you're right. A lot of us have posted criticism on both their forums and here without being banned. I think as long as the criticism is just that and not an outright attack against specific members of the LH Labs crew, most often Gavin and Casey it seems, then it's adding something to the topic. Criticism should always be welcomed because the feedback can be used on future ventures if it can't be used immediately.
  
 A good example is the survey for the Wave. The Pulse survey was, let's face it, a bit more sloppy than many would have liked. They took that feedback and tried something different with Manny sending out confirmations manually. Now that seems to have faltered and instead of going back to the survey system they already have in place from the Pulse they're working on a new one to try and improve the experience. It's definitely taking time and that's only agrivating the more vocal members further but it's progress. As a backer I like seeing that progress, even if it is slower than I'd prefer. I'm more forgiving of someone making progress at a slower pace than someone sitting on their thumbs and using the same method known to have upset their audience in the past.
  
 I've said my piece on crowdfunding and backing many times so I won't bother repeating it for everyone again. But suffice to say, people should be providing feedback and criticism rather than name calling and slandering. Simply saying "I want it now" adds nothing to the discussion, but providing possible methods LH Labs could use to get the parts they need around the strike in the bay helps. Even if they choose not to go that route, it's given them another option to consider.


----------



## nudd

This is only true if you are a day one super early backer though. What if you were a backer at the much higher price points or even the forever funding campaign? These people expected designed, feature complete devices (although I suspect the number of people willing to pay full retail to LHL without being able to transfer warranty or have immediate access to available product us equal to or close to zero).

Later on the LPS alone became offered at around 480.

At the very least they need to tell people their device does not work with all USB DACs (because the LPS itself does not conform to USB standards(?)).

I would have thought the easy solution is to include a ground lift switch for the next version.

Finally it is entirely possible to provide good quality isolation without these issues. Schiit appears to be able to do it with the Wyrd and iFi with the iUSB.



zerodeefex said:


> I own both. The Herus could not beat the ODAC as my portable DAC solution but the Geek Out 450 and SE are both better in terms of resolution, dynamics, and timbre. The Herus sounds like **** and Sabre treble grain and harshness is pretty bad. Plus it sounds soulless with mediocre dynamics.
> 
> With regard to LH, the thing is, I can acknowledge they made a mistake thinking their LPS would work with every audio device, but jeez, USB support is dicey. I've used the LPS with everything from a mouse to a printer and most devices work just fine. It's only some of my audio devices that take a crap.
> 
> ...


----------



## boxinghris

discosmoke said:


> You've shown up here recently, intent on really driving this issue home. I consider Larry and Gavin's video to be their word on the subject, and nowhere in the video do they mention "inferior designs." Larry mentions recognizing a connection by sensing the differential pair rather than referencing signal to ground, and says he does not think that referencing the ground is the best design practice. "Inferior designs" are your words not his.


 
 If I wanted to suggest that "inferior designs" were Larry's words, I'd have written "inferior designs" between quotation marks, as you did and as I've repeated.
  
 No, I said "we have been led to believe that other DACs which are not compatible with an LH product are inferior designs" which is my understanding of what he says in the video, a direct quote being "...we found that these incompatible USB devices, they don't use the USB differential pair to recognise the signal, they refer to the ground.  Actually if you ask me, I don't think that is good practice..."
  
 So, is Larry leading us to believe that the incompatible USBs are superior, as good as, or inferior designs?


----------



## boxinghris

miceblue said:


> 1) that link doesn't work
> 2) whatever PDF you have, it's not the same as mine so the pages and references are all screwed up
> 3) "This clearly shows a High Speed USB Tranceiver (transmit/receive circuit; clearly shown is that items must be referenced to ground)
> 
> ...


 
 Try this:  http://www.perisoft.net/engineer/usb_20.pdf


----------



## DiscoSmoke

boxinghris said:


> If I wanted to suggest that "inferior designs" were Larry's words, I'd have written "inferior designs" between quotation marks, as you did and as I've repeated.
> 
> No, I said "we have been led to believe that other DACs which are not compatible with an LH product are inferior designs" which is my understanding of what he says in the video, a direct quote being "...we found that these incompatible USB devices, they don't use the USB differential pair to recognise the signal, they refer to the ground.  Actually if you ask me, I don't think that is good practice..."
> 
> So, is Larry leading us to believe that the incompatible USBs are superior, as good as, or inferior designs?


 
 I think it is you that is doing the leading. I'm done.


----------



## boxinghris

discosmoke said:


> I think it is you that is doing the leading. I'm done.


 
 You're free to think as you wish, regardless of the evidence.


----------



## miceblue

boxinghris said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > 1) that link doesn't work
> ...



Ah, yup that link works just fine. Thanks for that.

For those page numbers, are you talking about the PDF page number (which includes the table of contents and all of that stuff), or the document's page numbers (which excludes the ToC)? I was reading pages 141-142 and page 148 as the document page numbers.

By PDF page number, pages 141-142 are USB cable specifications and tests:
"6.7 Electrical, Mechanical, and Environmental Compliance Standards
Table 6-7 lists the minimum test criteria for all USB cable, cable assemblies, and connectors."

Page 141 has the test procedures for "Propagation Delay Skew" and "Capacitive Load Only required for low-speed"
Page 142 has "6.7.1 Applicable Documents", "6.8 USB Grounding", and "6.9 PCB Reference Drawings"
For part 6.8, it says:


> The shield must be terminated to the connector plug for completed assemblies. The shield and chassis are bonded together. The user selected grounding scheme for USB devices, and cables must be consistent with accepted industry practices and regulatory agency standards for safety and EMI/ESD/RFI.



Shield ≠ power ground

Page 148, figure 7-1 has an example circuit. That doesn't mean all USB devices has to look like that.


> Figure 7-1 depicts an example implementation which largely utilizes USB 1.1 transceiver elements and adds the new elements required for high-speed operation.






The HiFimeDIY USB Isolator does the exact same thing as the Geek LPS with regards to floating ground:
http://hifimediy.com/usb-isolator


> The isolator will create a new ground for the USB device so that it doesn't have to share ground with your computer and other devices you might have connected in the same house.




OOOOOH NOOOOO! They don't follow the USB 2.0 "specifications"! Let's go bash on them now.


http://www.audiostream.com/content/qa-john-swenson-part-2-are-bits-just-bits


> So how do we keep all this noise from the USB receiver from getting to our sensitive DAC circuits? It’s called ground plane isolation. You have separate ground planes for the USB receiver and the rest of the DAC circuitry. This DOES prevent ground plane noise from crossing over. BUT if you cut the ground plane there is no way for the return current from the signals crossing the boundary (the I2S signals and clock etc) to get between the “ground domains”. The solution is digital isolators. There are many different technologies to choose from, one most people are familiar with is opto-couplers. Some of these actually add huge amounts of jitter to the signals going through them so are bad choices for our purposes.
> 
> A signal from the receiver now has a return current coming from the isolator so it’s happy. On the other side of the boundary there is a return current to the DAC circuitry so it is happy. BUT any jitter on the signal coming out of the isolator is STILL creating ground plane noise with a spectrum related to the jitter it had on the other side of the isolator. In addition it is containing jitter related to the isolation scheme as well, and some of THAT jitter is ALSO related to noise on the ground plane on the receiver side.
> 
> So again the ground plane isolation and signal isolators can decrease the jitter and noise going from the USB receiver to the DAC circuits, BUT they cannot eliminate it. Some always gets through.






Looks like the iUSBPower also has a floating ground. Better go attack them too:
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-iusbpower/


> Our engineers developed the advanced IsoEarth technology specifically for the iUSBPower. By breaking the noisy DC ground connection between the computer and your USB audio device, this further reduces the ground noise by a factor of 10.



That device is also "Hi-Speed USB certified." Must be fake marketing because they break the connection to PC ground, which is "clearly" going against USB 2.0 standards.








Differential signalling has no reference to anything, it sends data signals of opposite polarity on the two data legs to the receiver and it adds the signals together. This is what the Geek LPS does as a transmitter to the attached USB DAC. Larry was saying some USB DACs require a reference ground voltage for single-ended signalling, which sends data signals on one data leg, a reference ground signal on the other data leg. The LPS doesn't transmit a reference ground through one of the data legs by design, which is possibly the reference ground signal from the PC's data leg and is the ground signal the LPS is trying to isolate the attached USB DAC from.


----------



## evillamer

difference is ifi allows an easy toggle switch to change between usb grounding or floating ground while geek lps does not currently and geek lps is advertised to be working with all usb dacs.


----------



## miceblue

evillamer said:


> difference is ifi allows an easy toggle switch to change between usb grounding or floating ground while geek lps does not currently and geek lps is advertised to be working with all usb dacs.



That's true, and I agree with that. One of the comments in the YouTube video said if it was possible to implement a switch for floating/non-floating ground and Larry commented that it was possible.
Commenter:


> Can't you just update the design with a ground toggle/jumper switch?﻿



Larry:


> Larry Ho
> 1 day ago
> 
> Yes. That is possible.﻿


----------



## evillamer

miceblue said:


> evillamer said:
> 
> 
> > difference is ifi allows an easy toggle switch to change between usb grounding or floating ground while geek lps does not currently and geek lps is advertised to be working with all usb dacs.
> ...




I felt Larry is always very honest and upfront in his videos and in his replies, however I don't feel the same for the rest of the team.


----------



## mscott58

evillamer said:


> I felt Larry is always very honest and upfront in his videos and in his replies, however I don't feel the same for the rest of the team.


 
 Having been a technical person (scientist and engineer) and a business person (consultant, operator, entrepreneur) I do have to say that if you let the technical people make the business decisions then most of the businesses would not be around too long. Nothing against them, it's just a total different world. This also means a lot of the "messy" decisions fall onto Gavin's head, while the "cleaner" technical decisions go to Larry - so he comes out looking better. They're both good guys and they've both made mistakes in these campaigns (heck knows I have in leading my company as well) but I do feel that the frame of reference is different enough to call out. Cheers


----------



## miceblue

mscott58 said:


> evillamer said:
> 
> 
> > I felt Larry is always very honest and upfront in his videos and in his replies, however I don't feel the same for the rest of the team.
> ...



Hahaha...that reminds me so much of this video. XXD

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg[/video]


It's okay, you're an expert!


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> Hahaha...that reminds me so much of this video. XXD
> 
> [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg[/video]
> 
> ...




Love that skit! Thanks


----------



## Dithyrambes

Lol this thread is just Lol. Thx guys for reminding me to never do crowdfunding ^^. Sounds like a mess. LH Labs sucks. If they could only deliver without making so many promises. Like how delayed has the Pulse been and they find all these errors now? Have they been sitting on their As* spending all the money having fun? How the hell is the pulse's msrp 999? I seriously think they should get real, because no one is gonna buy anything above or even at campaign prices with this crap they pulled. I still find it funny people who fall into backing even more money, after this mess. I feel they will follow this vicious cycle of campaigns to stop the company from going bankrupt. I would laugh if they file bankruptcy and a lot of people don't get their stuff.....with their logic.....Because you guys all decided to be backers, and there was no guarantee of anything, we aren't at fault. You guys chose to be in the campaign and we failed. LOL All arguments here are stupid. Their overpriced LPS and other stuff should just ******** work? how can anyone make any excuses if the product doesn't do its job. Its like buying a new Tesla, and the first day you ride it the engine pops, you have mechanical failure in the battery supply, and the Car interface has problems. But its ok because you got the "best" thing in a car for "cheap". Its ok because all other gasoline cars are inferior by design. LOL Don't see Tesla doing business like that. No matter how many puppy faces Galvin puts on or Larry, they should stop making excuses and just apologize, and either refund everyone who wants their money back, or provide free upgrades to show gratitude for people who are currently in the campaign. The fact that they refuse to give refunds back shows their lack of confidence and inability to deliver. People should be clamoring over their stuff, if it really is that good.


----------



## evillamer

Speaking of funny:
  
 Announcing a Summit-fi DAC at a major electronics convention without any production sample/prototype units (no casing, no design sketches, no proper press materials). Just "specs" and a pair of empty hands. It has become a laughing stock for those who covers or buys the summit-fi gear industry.
  
 Even Schitt had a production sample yggdrasil when they went to RMAF Canjam.
  
 I think only Nvidia or Apple(with Steve Jobs alive) with their marketing clout can pull these kind of "vapour" stuns in the PC/Computer industry and get away with it.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

Paragraphs and Tesla had early production problems and delays.


----------



## evillamer

discosmoke said:


> Paragraphs and Tesla had early production problems and delays.


 
  
 Difference is that when Tesla had production or design problems, they offered the users free design changes:
  
 http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/03/shields-up-tesla-model-s-gains-free-titanium-and-aluminum-armor-upgrade/


----------



## kawaivpc1

How does Geek Pulse sound compared to Geek Out, Oppo HA-1, Marantz DAC1, iDSD Micro???

It's retail price is going to be 3k. Does it worth that price?


----------



## nudd

kawaivpc1 said:


> How does Geek Pulse sound compared to Geek Out, Oppo HA-1, Marantz DAC1, iDSD Micro???
> 
> It's retail price is going to be 3k. Does it worth that price?


 

 Nobody know what the $3k one sounds like because that's the X Infinity which hasn't been shipped yet?
  
 I think Longbowbbs has reviewed the standard Geek Pulse ($999) favourably. As far as sound goes, as currently shipped most people think it is definitely worth the early bird pricing. At $999? I have no idea.
  
 Same for the Pulse X infinite. It will probably be equal or better than anything else you could have gotten at the lowest early bird Geek Force price (around $900?), but at $3599? That's pretty crowded territory. I suspect at that price it will have very tough competition. For that sort of price (by the time the Pulse X infinite comes out), it will probably have the Schiit Yggdrasil as competition at 2/3rds the price, and you could plonk the spare change into a $1,000 HPA (maybe even Geek's own HPA!?). This will be a much much much tougher proposition.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Thing is, at the 1000 mark, there are plenty of capable DACs out there based on the same chip, and yet also boasts a robust feature set.  See Oppo HA-1.  I have the Oppo, and am waiting on the Vi DAC Tube that I backed a few months ago.  The 3000 plus tier has lots of good products too.  It's a tough world out there, and right now Geek stuff is pretty set up to fail.  The expectations are so high (thanks to their hyperbolic marketing), and their initial products have been struggling out the gate.  Hopefully they iron everything out.  A very easy comparison for the SE version (which is too rich for my blood) is the W4S DAC2 DSD SE.  However it's been around for a little while already, and the Pulse SE well is still in the incubator.


----------



## evillamer

I don't think a dac with dual es9018k2m or es9018aq2m with cheap op amp output stage can beat any single es9018S(stereo mode) with discrete analog output stage. Assuming both are using similar femto grade clocks.

ES9018s in stereo mode should be superior to dual ES9018AQ2M basing on internal diagram. 8 x dac(4 per channel) vs 2 per channel for aq2m.


----------



## pedalhead

evillamer said:


> I don't think a dac with dual es9018k2m or es9018aq2m with cheap op amp output stage can beat any single es9018S(stereo mode) with discrete analog output stage. Assuming both are using similar femto grade clocks.
> 
> ES9018s in stereo mode should be superior to dual ES9018AQ2M basing on internal diagram. 8 x dac(4 per channel) vs 2 per channel for aq2m.


 
  
 I'm a bit of a dummy with this stuff, but was under the impression that the ES9018s was optimised for multi-channel audio. It appears to have a slightly better DNR (133) than the AQ2M (129), but THD is the same and the AQ2M is touted as their "Flagship Sabre Stereo DAC".  Is there something else in the ES9018s that makes it a better option?  Cheers.


----------



## evillamer

pedalhead said:


> evillamer said:
> 
> 
> > I don't think a dac with dual es9018k2m or es9018aq2m with cheap op amp output stage can beat any single es9018S(stereo mode) with discrete analog output stage. Assuming both are using similar femto grade clocks.
> ...


 
  
 AQ2M is Flagship yes, but for MOBILE applications, notice the omission of highest performance for Sabre-2M
  
 http://www.esstech.com/?p=products_DAC
  
 ES9018AQ2M (*Mobile SABRE-2M)*
 "targeted for *audiophile-grade portable applications *like HiFi mobile phones and digital music players, consumer applications like USB DACs and A/V receivers, computing applications like gaming PCs and motherboards, as well as professional applications like digital audio workstations."
  
 ES9018S: (*SABRE**32*)
  
 "the *world’s highest performance* 32-bit and 24-bit audio D/A converter solutions"
 "targeted for consumer applications such as Blu-ray players, audio pre-amplifiers, A/V receivers and professional applications such as recording systems, mixer consoles and digital audio workstations."
 "the industry’s highest performance level that will *satisfy the most demanding audio enthusiasts.*"


----------



## pedalhead

Thanks yeah I saw all of that on their web site, but it's basically marketing guff which I think could be interpreted in different ways. I'm wondering if there's anything solid between the chips that could account for a real difference in sound quality (assuming similar implementations). I suspect the answer (if there is one) would be more technical than I could understand, but I do wonder whether one really is so much better than the other...


----------



## evillamer

ES9018S:
 Hyperstream DAC x 8
 Dynamic Matching x 8

 ES9018K2M (AQ2M is similar except for separated power lines)
 Hyperstream DAC x 2
 Dynamic Matching x 2
  
  
 In layman terms:
 ES9018S is a 8 core processor in one chip
 ES9018K2M(AQ2M) is a 2 core processor in one chip
 so if you have dual ES9018K2M(or AQ2M), you have total of 4 core processor in two chips.
  
 So in terms of processing power, one ES9018S has 4 times more calculation power than single es9018k2m. Sigma Delta dacs are essentially "powerful calculators".


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Earlier noted by Larry when making the decision between the two:  
  
 Larry Ho wrote:
_Es9018K2M actually has few advantage over 'desktop' version.

 1. Consume less power and generate less noise around the digital power supply circuit
 2. Focus on stereo output instead of let designer join 8 channels into 2 which involved external circuit.
 3. Few tweaks that only available in ES9018K2M. (which I can not leak due to NDA)_

  
 Makes sense to me unless you're going to do different stuff with the 8 channels.  For stereo applications, it does seem like the mobile version is the same.  For Home theater like 7.1, the ES9018S would be the chip of choice right?

 Edit: saw that the DNR for mono mode is better for ES9018S.  I don't know man, Larry seemed to like it better.  Partially could be due to cost too?


----------



## evillamer

vnmslsrbms said:


> Earlier noted by Larry when making the decision between the two:
> 
> Larry Ho wrote:
> _Es9018K2M actually has few advantage over 'desktop' version.
> ...


 
  
 Makes sense from a cost sensitive point of view, not from a pure sound quality pov.
 If you look at all the high end dacs(>$2K USD) that uses ESSTECH dacs, how many are based off ES9018S and how many are using ES9018K2M?
 ES9018K2M = 0
  
 and the joke is Vi dac MSRP is ~$4k USD?
  
 at $4k USD MSRP, you do expect the use of TOTL components and discrete transistors.


----------



## Verloren

nudd said:


> Nobody know what the $3k one sounds like because that's the X Infinity which hasn't been shipped yet?
> 
> I think Longbowbbs has reviewed the standard Geek Pulse ($999) favourably. As far as sound goes, as currently shipped most people think it is definitely worth the early bird pricing. At $999? I have no idea.
> 
> Same for the Pulse X infinite. It will probably be equal or better than anything else you could have gotten at the lowest early bird Geek Force price (around $900?), but at $3599? That's pretty crowded territory. I suspect at that price it will have very tough competition. For that sort of price (by the time the Pulse X infinite comes out), it will probably have the Schiit Yggdrasil as competition at 2/3rds the price, and you could plonk the spare change into a $1,000 HPA (maybe even Geek's own HPA!?). This will be a much much much tougher proposition.


 
  
 Word from longbowbbs is that his review unit was a XFi.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/2685#post_11046893


----------



## NinjaHamster

Yes. It was an Xfi with LPS that he reviewed.


----------



## pedalhead

ninjahamster said:


> Yes. It was an Xfi with LPS that he reviewed.


 
  
 For complete clarity, it's worth adding that it was a *pre-production* Xfi that was reviewed.


----------



## kawaivpc1

ninjahamster said:


> Yes. It was an Xfi with LPS that he reviewed.





Can you give me a link to that review? 

So, how does it sound compared to Oppo HA-1, Marantz DAC1, Grace Design m920, Benchmark DAC2??


----------



## pedalhead

kawaivpc1 said:


> Can you give me a link to that review?
> 
> So, how does it sound compared to Oppo HA-1, Marantz DAC1, Grace Design m920, Benchmark DAC2??


 
  
http://headphone.guru/geek-pulse/


----------



## Roll

pedalhead said:


> http://headphone.guru/geek-pulse/


 
 Thanks for the link.


----------



## adrian0115

evillamer said:


> Makes sense from a cost sensitive point of view, not from a pure sound quality pov.
> If you look at all the high end dacs(>$2K USD) that uses ESSTECH dacs, how many are based off ES9018S and how many are using ES9018K2M?
> ES9018K2M = 0
> 
> ...


 
  
 I believe the Grace M920 would be in the $2k range and they use the K2M version.


----------



## germay0653

evillamer said:


> Makes sense from a cost sensitive point of view, not from a pure sound quality pov.
> If you look at all the high end dacs(>$2K USD) that uses ESSTECH dacs, how many are based off ES9018S and how many are using ES9018K2M?
> ES9018K2M = 0
> 
> ...


 

 Well, from a listening perspective, meaning mine personally, I have a hard time telling them apart in two channel.  I have the GO720 and a Burson Conductor so the GO has the ES9018K2M and the Conductor has the ES9018.  Both are excellent but it is probably more due to the implementation as opposed to which specific chip is used.  Some implementations of the ES9018 sound absolutely clinical and harsh but others, like the Burson, sound very nice.  The USB implementation also has a lot to do with it.  It needs to be fed a clean signal.  It all matters and the synergy between components play a part too.  All other things being the same in the implementation, except the DAC chip, would one be able to discern the difference?  I'm not so sure.


----------



## evillamer

adrian0115 said:


> evillamer said:
> 
> 
> > Makes sense from a cost sensitive point of view, not from a pure sound quality pov.
> ...


 
  
 it's just under $2k:
 http://www.amazon.com/Grace-Design-A920-m920/dp/B00JGZJD4O
  
 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1043580-REG/grace_design_a920_m920_high_resolution_monitoring.html
  
 http://www.headphone.com/products/grace-design-m920


----------



## evillamer

germay0653 said:


> evillamer said:
> 
> 
> > Makes sense from a cost sensitive point of view, not from a pure sound quality pov.
> ...


 
  
 the best example of the "same-ish" implementation I can think of will be the Ibasso DX100 and Ibasso DX90. Both are from the same manufacturer, and one is using the ES9018S in stereo and the other is using dual ES9018K2M. And I think most will agree that the DX90 is nowhere near DX100 in terms of sonic resolution and level of refinement.


----------



## pauldgroot

Lol @ *the DX90 is nowhere near DX100 in terms of sonic resolution and level of refinement. *Please take one of my modesty cookies >^.^># 
  
 Also there is no way you can say that the *different *qualities that the DX100 has compared to the DX90 are only because of the DAC chip and not the components surrounding it or the overall design of the unit.


----------



## evillamer

pauldgroot said:


> Lol @ *the DX90 is nowhere near DX100 in terms of sonic resolution and level of refinement. *Please take one of my modesty cookies >^.^>#
> 
> Also there is no way you can say that the *different *qualities that the DX100 has compared to the DX90 are only because of the DAC chip and not the components surrounding it or the overall design of the unit.


 
 Well there's no apples to apples comparison that exist(outside of DIY realm) but DX100 lineout vs DX90 Lineout is the closest you can get to compare ES9018S vs ES9018K2M in the production world.


----------



## longbowbbs

nudd said:


> kawaivpc1 said:
> 
> 
> > How does Geek Pulse sound compared to Geek Out, Oppo HA-1, Marantz DAC1, iDSD Micro???
> ...


 
 I had the Xfi and the LPS. It was terrific. I am anxiously awaiting my Infinity.


----------



## Chefano

vnmslsrbms said:


> Earlier noted by Larry when making the decision between the two:
> 
> Larry Ho wrote:
> _Es9018K2M actually has few advantage over 'desktop' version.
> ...


 

 Im a digital guy so I can chime on this…Larry is right on point one (part of), the less complicated and less things running inside the dac less noise is generated and we have a cleaner ground plane.
 Thats a really good thing if we are talking about constrained budget, or on a mobile device that are going to have a processor (nowadays with lots of cores) and LCD and LED PWM's ..Noise everywhere.
  
 I can see 4 options here, common sense:
 1. ESS9018 flagship with flagship design (cost is no objection): Awesome sound.
 2. ESS9018 flagship with Ok design: Ok or less than Ok sound.
 3. 9018AQ2M with flagship design: great sound but less than ESS9018 (never heard it so its just an assumption) 
 4. 9018AQ2M with OK design: much better sound than point 2.
  
 So for the crowdfunding point of view we are in a really good situation because (at least I think) we are on number 3. But on MSRP I don't think its a good situation because Pulse infinity will be compared to flagship implementations of ESS9018.
 Too bad it will take an eternity to receive the infinity =/


----------



## evillamer

chefano said:


> vnmslsrbms said:
> 
> 
> > Earlier noted by Larry when making the decision between the two:
> ...


 
  


> BlgGear July 7, 2014 at 19:10
> Reply
> I have not done a one-to-one comparison. The K2M is set up with headphones. The other DACs are in my main system Spec-wise, the *new chip is a single DAC pair* whereas the older ES9018 *uses 8 DAC pairs and thus has better numbers.* The new chip has *better features such as a new filter, ability to receive 16-bit data *(as in taking the data from a cd rom). The registers are better organized.
> I would guess the new chip is the follow-on revision to the ES9018 but aimed at the high volume market.


 
 https://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/building-the-diyinhk-es9018k2m/
  
 Wonder what's the new filter mentioned over there.


----------



## miceblue

I actually asked the same question about the ES9018 vs 9018K2M and Larry replied:
][quote="Larry Ho" post=48923] I'm glad to reply these questions again.

1. Why I use ES9018K2M? Because it is the NEWER version of ES9018, it improves quite a lot of places. And I could tweak its sound to what I think the best.

ES9018's 8 channels was designed for AV receiver. It's a nice chip. But ES9018K2M just even better.

Before ES9018K2M, one of my favor is PCM1794 (1792) The sound is a little bit 'darker'... but the high frequency lost the definitely when playback anything above 96K. ES9018K2M keeps neutral all the way.[/quote]


A similar answer to above. Still, implementation of the chip is probably much more important than the chip itself.


----------



## evillamer

miceblue said:


> I actually asked the same question about the ES9018 vs 9018K2M and Larry replied:
> ]
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 He just mention the word better without citing any reasons.
  
 I think he's also the only dac designer to say so(as in ES9018K2M is better than ES9018S)
  
  


> JohnW
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## miceblue

evillamer said:


> He just mention the word better without citing any reasons.
> 
> I think he's also the only dac designer to say so(as in ES9018K2M is better than ES9018S)
> 
> ...



Hm, I did a bit of digging on the LH forums for any relevant info. XD
http://lhlabs.com/force/roundtable-pusexfisignature/2984-your-geek-pulse-x-signature-version#53534

[quote="Larry]
Well. As I wrote in many other places. ES9018 8 channel version is the oldest one. Which has some limitation of sound enhancement and fine tune that I need for design. We test back and forth for both ES9018K2M and ES9018 and decide K2M is better.
Now K2M has its new brother AQ2M.
Looks very promising.
PS: don't just read the simple DR numbers. [/quote]


http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2550-i-just-want-to-know-why-pulse-use-mobile-dac#41920

[quote="Larry]
Es9018K2M actually has few advantage over 'desktop' version.

1. Consume less power and generate less noise around the digital power supply circuit
2. Focus on stereo output instead of let designer join 8 channels into 2 which involved external circuit.
3. Few tweaks that only available in ES9018K2M. (which I can not leak due to NDA)

Actually, I would suggest you thought ES9018K2M is the 'newer' version of ES9018. And which is the truth.[/quote]


http://lhlabs.com/force/geekwave/988-going-up-and-get-it-simpler#16155

[quote="Larry] And ES9018M with the proper implementation, sounds no less than ES9018 as bit. So unless you really need 7.1 multi-channel solution. ES9018M in Dual mono will be definitely better than a signal ES9018.[/quote]



So maybe a single 9018K2M chip might not have the same performance of 1 9018 chip, having a dual mono setup with two 9018K2M chips might be the equivalent of the 9018. The 9018K2M also seems to offer the flexibility/tweaking ability that LH is looking for compared to the 9018.


----------



## evillamer

Dual ES9018K2M when added up is 4 x HyperStream Modulator + 4 x Element Matching
 One Single ES9018S = 8 x HyperStream Modulator + 8 x Element Matching
 Dual ES9018S = 16 x HyperStream Modulator + 16 x Element Matching
  
 I believe what Larry means is he is able to achieve very near ES9018S performance for much lesser cost. Especially when it's meant for the initial priced at $199 Geek pulse.
  
 What I don't understand is why their VI Dac with it's high MSRP of ~USD$4k is still based off dual ES9018K2M(AQ2M) when it should be dual ES9018S easily.
  
 Guess we will know only more when other DAC designers speak up about 1 x ESS9108S vs 2 x ESS9018A2QM


----------



## miceblue

evillamer said:


> What I don't understand is why their VI Dac with it's high MSRP of ~USD$4k is still based off dual ES9018K2M(AQ2M) when it should be dual ES9018S easily.
> 
> Guess we will know only more when other DAC designers speak up about 1 x ESS9108S vs 2 x ESS9018A2QM



Good point, and I'm not too sure about that. It does seem odd since they seemingly have more real estate with the larger chassis, but maybe I'm wrong about that.


----------



## nudd

What larry said was 2 9018m was better than a single 9018S plus it can accommodate his tweaks and we have no real reason to doubt his DAC design chops however pissed off we are about LHL's marketing tactics and firmware writing skillz.

After all we have the Geek Outs and they do sound really good and why would we have backed these projects if we didnt think Larry can actually design good stuff?

This is probably the least of my worries out of everything they have done thus far. It will sound at least great and likely perform beyond the limits of my own ageing hearing. I am more concerned about their back end systems, firmware support, customer service, crazy marketing which sets seemingly impossible targets to the design and mass manufacture of products (for the wave reboot alone there are something like 6 ir 7 perks and combinations of some or all of those perks of each version of wave), etc etc. 

The Pulse infinity at the early backers price point still makes sense to me but at full retail we shall see. Also remember the original Pulse was supposed to be a game changer in the market because they were going to cut out the middlemen and retail for less than $500. At that price it probably still can't be beat assuming all the firmware bugs are fully worked out and they have a workable digital volume control.


----------



## germay0653

evillamer said:


> the best example of the "same-ish" implementation I can think of will be the Ibasso DX100 and Ibasso DX90. Both are from the same manufacturer, and one is using the ES9018S in stereo and the other is using dual ES9018K2M. And I think most will agree that the DX90 is nowhere near DX100 in terms of sonic resolution and level of refinement.


 

 Again, I'll state, it depends on the upstream and downstream components.  Just because it's from the same manufacturer doesn't mean those components, other than the DAC, are the same between the models.  If they're exactly the same then you point is confirmed but I seriously doubt they are.


----------



## greenkiwi

evillamer said:


> Dual ES9018K2M when added up is 4 x HyperStream Modulator + 4 x Element Matching
> One Single ES9018S = 8 x HyperStream Modulator + 8 x Element Matching
> Dual ES9018S = 16 x HyperStream Modulator + 16 x Element Matching
> 
> ...


The price would have been much higher, if they weren't able to effectively reuse their current design.

My take is that implementation before and after the DAC are the really really important parts.

It would definitely be interesting to see our rather hear the difference between the 9018s and k2m with them both I mono mode. Price of the DACs themselves shouldn't really be an issue in the 4k price bracket... Though implementation time and extra boards certainly are.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Yeah, I don't see why we wouldn't be using the ES9018S in dual mono mode for the Vi DAC if it's indeed better.  The price is so much higher that the price of the chip isn't a large part of the equation.  The sticking point is that Larry had compared the ES9018S to the M version.  Did he compare them to the ES9018S dual mono or just single chip?  I'm going to post this to the questions so he can answer again LOL.


----------



## walfredo

So, it is really hard to tell what a device is going to sound by DAC chip alone.  Take as evidence the fact that devices with the same chip often times sound different.  Also consider that different people have different sonic opinions of the same device.
  
 That said, I'll join the fun! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 I am yet to hear a sigma-delta DAC that bests my 1704-based tubed DAC60.  Yes, the Pulse is very good, but still the old 1704 somehow sounds more immediate and natural.


----------



## longbowbbs

walfredo said:


> So, it is really hard to tell what a device is going to sound by DAC chip alone.  Take as evidence the fact that devices with the same chip often times sound different.  Also consider that different people have different sonic opinions of the same device.
> 
> That said, I'll join the fun!
> 
> ...


 
 I always felt the 1704 had a somewhat darker sound. I do like that at times. Venerable chip.


----------



## agisthos

I think Larry Ho's comments are disingenuous. To say the 9018S is a multi channel chip is not right, its mostly used to DAC designers to run balanced, or to sum multiple outputs together for a lower spec when using multiple dac chips.
  
 The mobile Sabre chip is a cheaper and cut down version of the 9018S. Its specs are worse too. Considering the cheap (crowdfunded) price of the Geek Pulse you would not expect it to be using the full version.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

On ES9018S vs ES9018K2M (again).
  
 Larry and his team had done tons of listening tests, have stated countless of times and was also in awed, that: ES9018K2M + tweaks sounded better than its flagship counterpart.
  
 It shouldn't be (K2M) since its not marketed as a flagship ( also superior spec wise). But, to their ears, K2M is superior. 
  
 If you receive your Pulse, judge it for yourself if they are right.


----------



## evillamer

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> On ES9018S vs ES9018K2M (again).
> 
> Larry and his team had done tons of listening tests, have stated countless of times and was also in awed, that: ES9018K2M + tweaks sounded better than its flagship counterpart.
> 
> ...


 
  
 It is highly unlikely that the K2M will sound better than the S. If this is the case, then other well-regarded audio companies like Resonessence Labs, Lumin, Gryphon Kalliope would have already swap out their flagship dacs which uses multiple ES9018S in mono configuration in favor of the K2M. I bet Larry is touting the K2M to be better due to his intended design cost limitations of his power lines & output circuitry(Geek Pulse is only $199, what kind of circuit can do you do with cost of less than $199).
  
 Also we don't even know what kind of DAC is inside his famed Da Vinci or Sire DAC, but I doubt it's ES9018K2M.


----------



## miceblue

evillamer said:


> Also we don't even know what kind of DAC is inside his famed Da Vinci



Well that's easy. : p
http://www.lightharmonic.com/davinci.html


> Converter Type Bit-perfect R2R architecture with patent pending 3-layer buffer.




Ooooooooooor you could just consider the Schiit Yggdrasil for a resistor ladder DAC at 3/20 the price. XD


----------



## snip3r77

miceblue said:


> Well that's easy. : p
> http://www.lightharmonic.com/davinci.html
> Ooooooooooor you could just consider the Schiit Yggdrasil for a resistor ladder DAC at 3/20 the price. XD




You can get something r2r at a cost lesser than the Yggdrasil. Not too sure why you want the compare


----------



## snip3r77

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> On ES9018S vs ES9018K2M (again).
> 
> Larry and his team had done tons of listening tests, have stated countless of times and was also in awed, that: ES9018K2M + tweaks sounded better than its flagship counterpart.
> 
> ...




Did you pay $22 for the aqm ?


----------



## miceblue

snip3r77 said:


> You can get something r2r at a cost lesser than the Yggdrasil. Not too sure why you want the compare



True. I was just listing [probably] the biggest R2R DAC in modern times though.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> On ES9018S vs ES9018K2M (again).
> 
> Larry and his team had done tons of listening tests, have stated countless of times and was also in awed, that: ES9018K2M + tweaks sounded better than its flagship counterpart.
> 
> ...


 
 The question is that he compared it to a single ES9018S.  What about comparing it to two ES9018S in dual mono configuration?  That's pretty common amongst higher end DACs.  Did he also tweak the ES9018S?  Or did he only tweak the K2Ms?  Are we really getting the best sound, or are they justifying their custom solution to an off the rack product?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@evillamer and @vnmslsrbms
  
 Might be the case (cost, design limitatations). During the Geek Out campaign, was pushing also for a dual mono ESS9018 (flagship) desktop DAC.  And he gave me THAT reason. Plus he said, since its less power hungry they could have more efficient and better design.
  
 When I ask later if he was considering the flagship ESS DAC to its Da Vinci Jr. He still said NO (K2M was to him still better). He was considering a dual-dual or dual-quad K2M (and maybe now AQM) topology.  
  
@snip3r77 Eventually, yes.


----------



## uncola

What are the cheap r2r DACs? And please don't say used 15 year old ones


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Its not cheap but its got a lot of potential:
  
 Soekris dam1021-01
  
https://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/r2r-for-the-rest-of-us/
http://www.head-fi.org/t/754547/the-soekris-r-2r-dac-technical-details
http://soekris.eu/shop/dac_modulenew/dam1021_02_002_resistor_version_en.html


----------



## uncola

a diy pcb only is the only other option I wouldn't have accepted   oh well


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Where else are you going to find R2R?  Another really expensive DAC that I saw that had this also looks DIY.  I don't think it's possible for any of the current offerings to have this though, due to the high cost.


----------



## nudd

The Yggdrasil is going retail for just over $2k. This will make it comfortably less than retail price of Pulse Infinity. Granted it doesn't have an amp stage but you have to remember the Pulse only has digital volume control which may or may not be 100% rock solid ...

Speaking of which, does anyone know of a high quality purely passive external analog volume attenuator with headphone outputs? Maybe that may solve our problems? Leave the Pulse at 100% of whatever gain you want and go with passive analog attenuation ...



vnmslsrbms said:


> Where else are you going to find R2R?  Another really expensive DAC that I saw that had this also looks DIY.  I don't think it's possible for any of the current offerings to have this though, due to the high cost.


----------



## snip3r77

vnmslsrbms said:


> Where else are you going to find R2R?  Another really expensive DAC that I saw that had this also looks DIY.  I don't think it's possible for any of the current offerings to have this though, due to the high cost.




Audiogd has r2r. Similarly priced as compared to ydddrasil


----------



## FayeForever

nudd said:


> The Yggdrasil is going retail for just over $2k. This will make it comfortably less than retail price of Pulse Infinity. Granted it doesn't have an amp stage but you have to remember the Pulse only has digital volume control which may or may not be 100% rock solid ...
> 
> Speaking of which, does anyone know of a high quality purely passive external analog volume attenuator with headphone outputs? Maybe that may solve our problems? Leave the Pulse at 100% of whatever gain you want and go with passive analog attenuation ...


 

 Don't think there is such a thing.
 You can get a headphone amp with pre-out though.


----------



## mscott58

fayeforever said:


> Don't think there is such a thing.
> You can get a headphone amp with pre-out though.


 
 There are a number with RCA or XLR inputs/outputs (e.g. the SYS) so you could theoretically cobble together some adapters to allow for attachment to headphones. However, I don't know if the voltage/current/impedance/etc. would match up well with the operating range of the passive attenuators. Good luck!


----------



## MikeyFresh

nudd said:


> Speaking of which, does anyone know of a high quality purely passive external analog volume attenuator with headphone outputs? Maybe that may solve our problems? Leave the Pulse at 100% of whatever gain you want and go with passive analog attenuation ...


 

 I don't know how these actually sound, but I recently noticed iFi makes inline passive attenuators in -12 and -24dB values, sold as a set:
  
*iFi Attenuators*
  
 Of course you could also make your own, it's just connectors, wire, and a resistor to pad down the output.


----------



## walfredo

uncola said:


> What are the cheap r2r DACs? And please don't say used 15 year old ones


 

 Lite DAC 60.  I have one and love it.


----------



## FayeForever

mscott58 said:


> There are a number with RCA or XLR inputs/outputs (e.g. the SYS) so you could theoretically cobble together some adapters to allow for attachment to headphones. However, I don't know if the voltage/current/impedance/etc. would match up well with the operating range of the passive attenuators. Good luck!



I don't really consider this as an acceptable solution. Output impedance too high and almost no current output ability.


----------



## FayeForever

mikeyfresh said:


> I don't know how these actually sound, but I recently noticed iFi makes inline passive attenuators in -12 and -24dB values, sold as a set:
> 
> *iFi Attenuators*
> 
> Of course you could also make your own, it's just connectors, wire, and a resistor to pad down the output.



That is like the etymotic p to s cable. It will change the sound most of the time.


----------



## mscott58

fayeforever said:


> I don't really consider this as an acceptable solution. Output impedance too high and almost no current output ability.


 
 Dude - We're just trying to give you ideas! Not feeling the love...


----------



## jexby

fayeforever said:


> That is like the etymotic p to s cable. It will change the sound most of the time.


 
  
 I own the iFi attenuators, but normally don't need to use them.  
 I asked iFi about "changing sonics" with respect to the cable and received this reply:
  
 " Thorsten asked us to let you know that:
 "The attenuator output impedance is low (3R for 12dB and < 1R for 24dB), inmost cases any changes will be very small, however some small changes may be expected.
 For an IEM that varies from12 Ohm minimum to 64 Ohm maximum (just made up numbers) the resultant frequency response variation would be less than +/- 0.75dB for the 12dB Attenuator and less than +/-0.25dB for the 24dB attenuator.
 While not quite "zero", these are ultimately quite low figures."
 thanks."


----------



## Phishin Phool

Does anybody know if vanilla pulses are shipping at this point or are we in a standstill ? The LH page has stated 61% for a while now (around 10-12 days or so) without any updates and as I never received a survey I can't log-in and check anywhere else.


----------



## pedalhead

Gavin's posted an announcement about a new Update System... 
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/announcements/3534-new-update-system#56502
  
_"Hi everyone,

 This morning, we had a company meeting during which we discussed how we update you on the progress of our projects. We want to do so much better in communicating what we're doing and how far along we are. The current method presupposes that there will be no hiccups along the way, and that we can predict exactly how the development and production processes will go.

 We've decided that there's a better method, and one that will bypass the information bottleneck: me. So, if you go to the top of our website and mouse over the "Updates" link, you'll see that there's a sub-menu titled Research & Development. This links to a PDF that Larry prepares for us internally that we're going to share with you now.

 In the coming days, we'll be adding items to the sub-menu that link to reports from the various departments, including production. Each time a department has a meaningful update, the department leader will upload a new file for you to look at.

 Our hope is that this new system will give you more and better information.

 Take care,

 Gavin

 PS - In the next couple of days, we'll be taking down the old update pages."_


----------



## pkwak

phishin phool said:


> Does anybody know if vanilla pulses are shipping at this point or are we in a standstill ? The LH page has stated 61% for a while now (around 10-12 days or so) without any updates and as I never received a survey I can't log-in and check anywhere else.



Maybe they are marking those that upgrade, for example from pulse to pulse x, as shipped instead of being removed from the total. That is why they refuse to indicate how many pulse units have shipped.


----------



## miceblue

http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/larrys_research_and_development_progress_chart.pdf
I'm confused. There are 20 projects in the list on the left and 21 total items in the progress stats in the top-right. The left list's average percentages don't even go with the top right stats. There are only 2 average 90% projects in the list on the left, but 3 are listed in the top-right.

"GO Next Gen." seems interesting. I hadn't previously heard about that. New Indiegogo campaign? T_T


----------



## evillamer

I doubt they can concurrently manage so many projects at one go. surely something's gotta give. 

At the $1699, you can grab:

http://www.amazon.com/CAMBRIDGE-AZUR-851D-DAC-BLACK/dp/B00HW2VYCM/


----------



## ejong7

Bottom of the list. Geek Out next gen? Wow so fast.


----------



## jexby

ejong7 said:


> Bottom of the list. Geek Out next gen? Wow so fast.


 
  
 well the new ESS Q2M chip is out, so why not?
 (my speculation)


----------



## Chefano

ejong7 said:


> Bottom of the list. Geek Out next gen? Wow so fast.


 

 Actually  they are a tech company, so thats normal. What a really like is the AKM chip, I love AKM DACs,


----------



## Phishin Phool

Th





ejong7 said:


> Bottom of the list. Geek Out next gen? Wow so fast.


that thing is at least 27 perks from being deliverable


----------



## snip3r77

uncola said:


> What are the cheap r2r DACs? And please don't say used 15 year old ones



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lite-DAC-60-Hi-Fi-D-A-Convertor-Tube-Output-Brand-New-/321461674743?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ad89be2f7


----------



## Drsparis

"and new front panel " for the Pulse Infinite ....


----------



## miceblue

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGd5gpcNIlU[/video]


----------



## bitsnbytes

Apple Remote Control for volume--wonder if one will be included


----------



## pedalhead

Woah, 1/4" and 4-pin XLR sockets on the FRONT of Vi DAC.  Good news


----------



## bitsnbytes

pedalhead said:


> Woah, 1/4" and 4-pin XLR sockets on the FRONT of Vi DAC.  Good news




Good news that form does follow function


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Yeah, except they still don't have the physical controls.  I like the good news, and most questions I think were answered, but what about the physical?  What if I lose the remote or it runs out of battery and I don't have a spare one?  It's always better to have two options than one.  Come on guys, almost there.  I really hope this sounds awesome, because features wise this is still way behind and playing catchup to my oppo ha-1.


----------



## nudd

drsparis said:


> "and new front panel " for the Pulse Infinite ....


 

 Where is this from?


----------



## pedalhead

vnmslsrbms said:


> Yeah, except they still don't have the physical controls.  I like the good news, and most questions I think were answered, but what about the physical?  What if I lose the remote or it runs out of battery and I don't have a spare one?  It's always better to have two options than one.  Come on guys, almost there.  I really hope this sounds awesome, because features wise this is still way behind and playing catchup to my oppo ha-1.


 
  
 Agreed 100%.  I (and others) made the point early on in the design phase of the Soul/Vi that at the very least it needs the critical function buttons on the chassis itself...power, source, volume...just like a TV.  Personally, I'm really not a fan of remote-only solutions...every preamp should have a nice tactile volume knob.  
  
 Careful with the volume on this one if you're at work...!


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Yeah I know that knob feel video.  I almost just bought a muso because of that LOL.  It's an interesting product.  Anyway, that reminds me to add that we need the device to remember the last volume and input.


----------



## uncola

reasons I'm excited for my upgrade from pulse infinity to vi dac infinity with new dac chip
 1) the $300 upgrade fee was a mistake by lh labs and I got an even better deal than I realized!
 2) klingon bird of prey shaped shiny chassis
 3) 15v built in LPS gives balanced headphone out 15% more power than geek pulse xfi
 4) upgradeable display
 5) phase inversion.  I don't know what it is but it sounds cool and my subwoofer also has it
 6) new dac chip with separated analog and digital ground planes.  again not sure what that is but sounds good
 7) it has threaded holes for feet, maybe I'll get some crazy sick magnetic levitation spikes or something
 8) balance feature
 9) I can finally use my apple remote for something
  
 now that I know it has an even better headphone amp than pulse infinity maybe I don't need the geek HPA


----------



## Drsparis

nudd said:


> Where is this from?


the pdf that they released http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/larrys_research_and_development_progress_chart.pdf


----------



## uncola

It's not clear if it's for the infinite and SE or just SE though


----------



## snip3r77

I wanted to know when will xfi infinite pulse will be ready to ship lol . Plus another 6 months possible ?


----------



## Drsparis

uncola said:


> It's not clear if it's for the infinite and SE or just SE though



pdf implies both!, I hope so, as there is nothing special about it, although new front panel might make the LPS look even more blah lol. 

Bah, whatever, can't wait to get it.


----------



## Zenifyx

snip3r77 said:


> I wanted to know when will xfi infinite pulse will be ready to ship lol . Plus another 6 months possible ?


 
  
 Estimated to be March W3 from the lhlabs website - http://lhlabs.com/support/shippingstatus.html
 Do note that this hasn't been updated for the AQ2M perk -- it should likely be delayed further by virtue of that.


----------



## snip3r77

March w3 is before the boards being scrapped . I believe this link needs an update. 



zenifyx said:


> Estimated to be March W3 from the lhlabs website - http://lhlabs.com/support/shippingstatus.html
> Do note that this hasn't been updated for the AQ2M perk -- it should likely be delayed further by virtue of that.


----------



## AxelCloris

drsparis said:


> the pdf that they released http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/larrys_research_and_development_progress_chart.pdf


 
  
 Interesting. I like the news about the re-designed faceplate. Hope it's accurate.
  
 I hadn't had a chance to check out the new update documentation until just now. I like this layout. It reads easily and it covers everything they're working on. As a backer with a good deal of change invested, this shows promise.


----------



## Phishin Phool

evillamer said:


> I doubt they can concurrently manage so many projects at one go. surely something's gotta give.
> 
> At the $1699, you can grab:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/CAMBRIDGE-AZUR-851D-DAC-BLACK/dp/B00HW2VYCM/


 
 The first thing that gives apparently is the math - the progress stats don't match the project list (21 vs 20 as pointed out earlier) and according to the project list 4 are in the 40% completion range not 5 and 2 are in the 90's not 3 and 3 are in the 80's not 2.  By trying to make things better and not clear I am afraid that this will just become another of 'the warts' behind the curtain for detractors to pounce on and the inability for internal documents and charts to not accurately reflect the other info on the same page isn't helping any.


----------



## nudd

phishin phool said:


> The first thing that gives apparently is the math - the progress stats don't match the project list (21 vs 20 as pointed out earlier) and according to the project list 4 are in the 40% completion range not 5 and 2 are in the 90's not 3 and 3 are in the 80's not 2.  By trying to make things better and not clear I am afraid that this will just become another of 'the warts' behind the curtain for detractors to pounce on and the inability for internal documents and charts to not accurately reflect the other info on the same page isn't helping any.


 

 Also they need to add the back end stuff they are doing like, implementing a working order confirmation system for backers.


----------



## walfredo

uncola said:


> reasons I'm excited for my upgrade from pulse infinity to vi dac infinity with new dac chip
> 1) the $300 upgrade fee was a mistake by lh labs and I got an even better deal than I realized!
> 2) klingon bird of prey shaped shiny chassis
> 3) 15v built in LPS gives balanced headphone out 15% more power than geek pulse xfi
> ...


 
  
 FWIW, uncola, you can use your apple remote in the vanilla geek.


----------



## Ungie

Since I am awaiting moderation to my post on the LHLabs forum, I thought I would ask here:
  
 Just picked up my Pulse from the US over the weekend and had some time to try it out this morning.
 I am using a laptop running Windows Vista Professional that has never been used for high rez audio playback before or with any external DAC.
 I followed all of the instructions on the LHLabs support site to install the windows drivers, flash the updated firmware, and then installed Foobar2000 and selected the Pulse as the playback device. I did NOT go through the DSD steps with ASIO/SACD components as I am only looking to play PCM right now. All my files play fine from Foobar but the sample rate on the front of the Pulse always shows 44.1k, no matter the file being played. The file info in Foobar is showing the correct bit depth and sample rate. Is this part of the known display driver bug? I though that only impacted the non-USB inputs?
  
 Thanks!
  
 AW


----------



## FayeForever

Or maybe some setting in the software is resampling all to 44.1k?


----------



## DSlayerZX

Which output method did you choose under the foobar option?
  
 Light Harmonic ASIO or something else?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

For Foobar setup this has worked for me:
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/music-software/1483-foobar2000-pc?start=25#34628


----------



## miceblue

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_NB7mPuANY[/video]


----------



## jexby

am I the only one that watched/listened to the LH video via a GeekOut 450?


----------



## jaywillin

gavin is right, communication is very important , thanks  guys !


----------



## bitsnbytes

Good vid


----------



## bitsnbytes

jexby said:


> am I the only one that watched/listened to the LH video via a GeekOut 450?
> :etysmile:




Haha you're probably the first

My main desktop DAC had power problems lately so I pulled out the GO (mainly unused since I haven't been on the road)...and then remembered how good this tiny thing is. 

If LHL can iron out some issues and get a break I believe the Pulse will deliver based on just what I'm hearing out of the GO.


----------



## Maelob

jexby said:


> am I the only one that watched/listened to the LH video via a GeekOut 450?
> :etysmile:




you are not alone lol i use one with my emotiva mini x amp also run alpha dogs. i bought it while waiting for my infinity, lps and power amps.


----------



## evillamer

Speaking of good video, can anyone spot Larry's mistake?
  
 hint:


----------



## uncola

That hd800 backward pic is going to follow Larry around like the "no one will ever need more than 640kb of ram" quote that follows Bill Gates around


----------



## DSlayerZX

well. anyone wanna take larrys offer to physically drop by and pick up the geek pulse? lol


----------



## jexby

uncola said:


> That hd800 backward pic is going to follow Larry around like the "no one will ever need more than 640kb of ram" quote that follows Bill Gates around




IIRC, Others have already stated that wearing HD800 backwards can be more comfortable and/or sound the same.
Ain't no thing.


----------



## jexby

dslayerzx said:


> well. anyone wanna take larrys offer to physically drop by and pick up the geek pulse? lol




I think LH Labs should hire another staffer and set up a Drive Thru lane for Pulse pick ups in person!

And maybe provide free French fries (or espresso) to go also!


----------



## evillamer

jexby said:


> uncola said:
> 
> 
> > That hd800 backward pic is going to follow Larry around like the "no one will ever need more than 640kb of ram" quote that follows Bill Gates around
> ...


 
  
 Wow that's something new! Maybe we should get Tyll Hertsens to do some measurements on HD800 backwards or some Pyrate CSD charts. It could solve the 7khz peak.


----------



## mscott58

evillamer said:


> Wow that's something new! Maybe we should get Tyll Hertsens to do some measurements on HD800 backwards or some Pyrate CSD charts. It could solve the 7khz peak.


 
 Works best if you are also standing on your head...


----------



## snip3r77

dslayerzx said:


> well. anyone wanna take larrys offer to physically drop by and pick up the geek pulse? lol




Sarcasm ? Are you driving over ? Thanks


----------



## DSlayerZX

snip3r77 said:


> Sarcasm ? Are you driving over ? Thanks


 
  
 I was half joking,
  
 but to be completely honest with you, if their head quarter is in Southern Cali instead of North Cal, i really might just drive by and pick up my unit when ever it's ready so I have a piece of mind knowing that the carrier did have a chance to play football with my unit.


----------



## nudd

Some random thoughts after watching the video
  
 1. Funding model - may be true they don't make money but what they have done is mitigate risk. Their R&D is essentially externally funded and they don't need to return the money if they fail.
  
 2. Indiegogo preferred - okaaay ... so they can continue to blame indiegogo for the "no refund" policy?
  
 3. Indemand/forever funding - Is it really the case that they will sell at full retail prices but expect purchasers to accept the same position as crowd funders? (Crowd funders don't get the benefit of their transferable warranty and 7 day return policy)
  
 4. Survey - thank god they are getting their survey system automated! (Time will tell whether this is really going to mean anything)
  
 5. Timely information - thanks for the promises, but what about the promised things like Larry sharing the numbers on the AQM chip and sound quality etc? I am still annoyed that they are just asking for $22 to get an updated chip with no testing whatsoever as to whether it will actually sound better. And now the opportunity is over. Great.
  
 All in all, a step forward if they stick to their promises.


----------



## pedalhead

nudd said:


> Some random thoughts after watching the video
> 
> 2. Indiegogo preferred - okaaay ... so they can continue to blame indiegogo for the "no refund" policy?
> 
> 3. Indemand/forever funding - Is it really the case that they will sell at full retail prices but expect purchasers to accept the same position as crowd funders? (Crowd funders don't get the benefit of their transferable warranty and 7 day return policy)


 
  
 Is it really the case that Indiegogo Forever Funding still includes a non-refund clause whilst being marketed as a permanent online retail store?  If so, I'm not sure about the USA, but this would not be legal in the UK as consumers have statutory rights including distance selling regulations that protect them from schiit like this.  Honestly, I can't see LH adopting crowdfunding terms for retail sales going forward. Seems crazy to me.


----------



## AxelCloris

nudd said:


> 2. Indiegogo preferred - okaaay ... so they can continue to blame indiegogo for the "no refund" policy?


 
  
 Indiegogo is preferred by LH Labs for several reasons. I don't know all of the specifics but I remember Gavin expressing that IGG was more willing to work with them on the campaigns, including helping with advertising. He said they're able to offer a lot more customization on IGG than on other crowdfunding sites as well. Think about the number of configurations the Pulse and Wave have. Kickstarter only allows a set number of perks. Some will argue that having 12 set tiers would be ideal but there are people who want specific perks without others and IGG is more conducive to that than Kickstarter.
  
 There were some more details why they chose to stick with IGG, like the amount of time required between Kickstarter campaigns, but I don't remember the others off hand.


----------



## hemtmaker

I wonder what the new geek pulse infinity front panel will look like?


----------



## jexby

hemtmaker said:


> I wonder what the new geek pulse infinity front panel will look like?




Whoa what what?
Did I miss this news in a LH update?


----------



## AxelCloris

jexby said:


> Whoa what what?
> Did I miss this news in a LH update?


 
  
 http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/larrys_research_and_development_progress_chart.pdf
  
 GPX signature, infinite - THD fine tune and new front panel 90%
  
 Don't worry, I missed it too until someone pointed it out.


----------



## Phishin Phool

Well I am starting to become slightly optimistic as looking at the latest "production chart" it would appear that my vanilla Geek pulse should be on it's way before too long. With 100% pcb board 90% hardware and 85% assembled and shipping I would hope not much longer than I can get of the anxiety train. Good (hopeful) news indeed!


----------



## pedalhead

axelcloris said:


> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/larrys_research_and_development_progress_chart.pdf
> 
> GPX signature, infinite - THD fine tune and new front panel 90%
> 
> Don't worry, I missed it too until someone pointed it out.


 
  
 There's some debate over whether the new front panel reference in that pdf really does apply to the Infinite. I'd love to think it does, but I have a feeling it just refers to the redesign of the Signature faceplate we already know about.


----------



## AxelCloris

pedalhead said:


> There's some debate over whether the new front panel reference in that pdf really does apply to the Infinite. I'd love to think it does, but I have a feeling it just refers to the redesign of the Signature faceplate we already know about.


 
  
 It very well could be, you're right. But since this is an internal document that Larry uses for his design team I'm going to err on the side of it applying to the Infinity until the document is updated next week. I'd prefer to be optimistic about it.


----------



## FayeForever

How many here want to perk the Geek HPA?
 Was tempted for a while after watching the latest video, then I think I may be better off saving the money and go for something higher-end.


----------



## snip3r77

fayeforever said:


> How many here want to perk the Geek HPA?
> Was tempted for a while after watching the latest video, then I think I may be better off saving the money and go for something higher-end.




No temptations at all . Would not consider anything till they deliver my xfi infinity


----------



## DSlayerZX

snip3r77 said:


> No temptations at all . Would not consider anything till they deliver my xfi infinity




Agree. while I do support the company, ill wait till my infinite arrives and see whether i should keep sticking with them


----------



## Maelob

+1 me too, no longer tempted LOL also waiting on Infinity/LPS, power amps, wave.


----------



## FayeForever

I guess I had a crush on Larry then.


----------



## AGO4

Since I've been thinking about getting the Alpha Prime's, I may be tempted if the bundle price is discounted, otherwise I'll probably hold off.


----------



## Drsparis

bundle? There are going to be Mr. Speakers bundles?


----------



## AGO4

They said they will offer a limited number of MrSpeakers Alpha Prime / HPA bundles.  Look at the latest Update in the Pulse campaign.


----------



## greenkiwi

The bundle could be very interesting... I'll have to see.
  
 I'm not a huge fan of the fact that they are bothering to have difference prices for the first 5 batches.


----------



## mtruong34

I've backed EVERY single LHL campaign except for the Geek Verb earphones.  But even I've become a little disenchanted with the roller coaster ride.  Gonna sit this one out until I start getting my stuff no matter what hype or tempting deal the marketing machines at LHL throw out.  Seems to me that's the majority feeling right now.


----------



## mtruong34

greenkiwi said:


> The bundle could be very interesting... I'll have to see.
> 
> I'm not a huge fan of the fact that they are bothering to have difference prices for the first 5 batches.


 
 That's part of LHL guerilla marketing tactic (err I mean strategy).  Create a feeding frenzy by offering limited info, limited time too good to be true offers.  Although very effective, it's quite unbecoming if you ask me.


----------



## snip3r77

mtruong34 said:


> That's part of LHL guerilla marketing tactic (err I mean strategy).  Create a feeding frenzy by offering limited info, limited time too good to be true offers.  Although very effective, it's quite unbecoming if you ask me.



Once bitten twice shy


----------



## Mannytorres

Hey Guys we are getting your units out the door, The Wave is moving forward. I can understand people getting hesitant about their gear and trust me when i say i want you to have your items as much as you do.
  
 We have struck up a REALLY cool deal with Mr. Speakers and it will add a bit of exclusivity to your Headphones.


----------



## snip3r77

mannytorres said:


> Hey Guys we are getting your units out the door, The Wave is moving forward. I can understand people getting hesitant about their gear and trust me when i say i want you to have your items as much as you do.
> 
> We have struck up a REALLY cool deal with Mr. Speakers and it will add a bit of exclusivity to your Headphones.




Sorry not biting. Using an lcdx at the moment


----------



## Maelob

Good try Manny!!!!


----------



## Mannytorres

maelob said:


> Good try Manny!!!!


 

 No worries, guys i know i am trying to push a mountain here (seems like i am just a gluten for pain on head-fi) in the end i do feel you will be happy with your product.


----------



## pedalhead

mannytorres said:


> No worries, guys i know i am trying to push a mountain here (seems like i am just a gluten for pain on head-fi) in the end i do feel you will be happy with your product.


 
  
 Thanks for taking a light-hearted approach, Manny.  The best way to deal with us lot I suspect 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## eac3

mannytorres said:


> No worries, guys i know i am trying to push a mountain here (seems like i am just a gluten for pain on head-fi) in the end i do feel you will be happy with your product.


 
  
 Manny, would you mind forwarding this thread (Link) to Gavin or Larry please, or just clarifying whether the new faceplate applies to the Pulse Infinity?
  
 Thank you.


----------



## Clemmaster

Any news on a shipping date for the standard Pulse that were part of the Hifiman bundle? Is end of March still the deadline for all Pulses?


----------



## pedalhead

eac3 said:


> Manny, would you mind forwarding this thread (Link) to Gavin or Larry please, or just clarifying whether the new faceplate applies to the Pulse Infinity?
> 
> Thank you.


 
  
 +1 please!


----------



## jaywillin

mannytorres said:


> Hey Guys we are getting your units out the door, The Wave is moving forward. I can understand people getting hesitant about their gear and trust me when i say i want you to have your items as much as you do.
> 
> We have struck up a REALLY cool deal with Mr. Speakers and it will add a bit of exclusivity to your Headphones.


 
 which pulses are shipping now ? still the base pulse ?


----------



## mscott58

mannytorres said:


> No worries, guys i know i am trying to push a mountain here (seems like i am just a gluten for pain on head-fi) in the end i do feel you will be happy with your product.




Manny - I recommend a "gluten-free" diet!


----------



## krikor

jaywillin said:


> which pulses are shipping now ? still the base pulse ?


 
  
 According to this: http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
  
 And the recent video from Larry, Gavin and Diana, the Xfi are now shipping as well.


----------



## jaywillin

krikor said:


> According to this: http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
> 
> And the recent video from Larry, Gavin and Diana, the Xfi are now shipping as well.


 
 ahhhh, cool, i hadn't checked the new production chart
 i saw the video, but i was a little confused i guess, 
 hopefully, the progress will continue !
  
 thanks !


----------



## eac3

eac3 said:


> Manny, would you mind forwarding this thread (Link) to Gavin or Larry please, or just clarifying whether the new faceplate applies to the Pulse Infinity?
> 
> Thank you.


 
  
  


pedalhead said:


> +1 please!


 
  
 Gavin responded and Stephanie closed the thread over at LH Lab's forums:
  
 Quote Gavin: 





> We are in the process of re-branding Pulse, and we are dropping the "Geek." Great minds think alike.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Steaphie opened it again (for a day) for further comments...


----------



## uncola

I made a post with a summary of all the Vi Dac prototype enclosures, please enjoy 
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/754102/lh-labs-gorgeous-vi-dac-tube-ss-outputs/30#post_11343396


----------



## mtruong34

krikor said:


> According to this: http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
> 
> And the recent video from Larry, Gavin and Diana, the Xfi are now shipping as well.


 
  
 Diana's production chart no where near matches the shipping status website. For example vanilla pulses @ 98% vs 61%.  Which can we trust to be accurate?


----------



## uncola

Shipping status page is dead now that we have the new stuff isn't it?


----------



## Verloren

mtruong34 said:


> Diana's production chart no where near matches the shipping status website. For example vanilla pulses @ 98% vs 61%.  Which can we trust to be accurate?


 
 Could be the amount of units that have reached that point. It does say Assembly/QA & Shipping, which is a pretty broad status.


----------



## bitsnbytes

eac3 said:


> Gavin responded and Stephanie closed the thread over at LH Lab's forums:




I wouldn't mind a reasonable delay if the out me would be a worthy improvement. Personally anyway.

Also, at the SE and Infinity backer levels most do want to have the best product available.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I suggested of they want a change on faceplates/cases, they should offer it as a perk/option. 

What will happen to those who had their Pulses/LPSs? We will be having mismatched units. 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## hemtmaker

I think they meant just for pulse the infinity.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Nope they are thinking of changing faceplates of LPS/LPS4 also.


----------



## hemtmaker

I see


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Nope they are thinking of changing faceplates of LPS/LPS4 also.


----------



## topgunsphd

Just received my survey for the geek iem. Supposedly they are shipping this coming week. Will have to wait and see.


----------



## AxelCloris

I'm sad. The HPA goes live tomorrow and I have a ticket open for clarification that's time sensitive before its launch. Guess that it won't be answered in time. In short, I have previous perks which will not be delivered and I'd like to have them applied as a credit towards the HPA tube. Le sigh.
  
 I'm also sad that all of the emails from Gavin and Casey are going to spam because they're sent via Amazon SES. Boo on that.


----------



## Levanter

Anyone interested in the Pulse Infinity and LPS let me know as I'm letting them go at cost price


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> I'm also sad that all of the emails from Gavin and Casey are going to spam because they're sent via Amazon SES. Boo on that.




None of Gavin's promo or email announcements have ever landed in Spam for my google mail account.


----------



## AxelCloris

jexby said:


> None of Gavin's promo or email announcements have ever landed in Spam for my google mail account.


 
  
 Did you back the First to Know perk and if so are you receiving the emails associated with it? I know some others who have those winding up in their spam folders.


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> Did you back the First to Know perk and if so are you receiving the emails associated with it? I know some others who have those winding up in their spam folders.




Yes I backed FTK and am receiving emails with no Spam filtering.


----------



## mscott58

jexby said:


> Yes I backed FTK and am receiving emails with no Spam filtering.


 
 Same here, but maybe it depends on how you have your filters set up.


----------



## AGO4

Yes, my FTK e-mails from Gavin (Casey) ended up in my Junk folder.  
  
 I wish they would have said something about the mrspeakers/HPA bundle.


----------



## nudd

axelcloris said:


> I'm sad. The HPA goes live tomorrow and I have a ticket open for clarification that's time sensitive before its launch. Guess that it won't be answered in time. In short, I have previous perks which will not be delivered and I'd like to have them applied as a credit towards the HPA tube. Le sigh.
> 
> I'm also sad that all of the emails from Gavin and Casey are going to spam because they're sent via Amazon SES. Boo on that.


 

 This goes for almost all the time sensitive perk questions. I have asked how is Larry going to tune the ESS 9018AQM, how do they even know how much better the AQM sounds for the PULSE, what testing they have actually done, what they actually need to do to fine tune the components for the new chip --- All information that would have been good to know before backing the $22 ESS upgrade but I don't believe I have seen a response on this.
  
 We had a post saying Larry was testing the chip and was going to share the test results with us. Has this been done yet? Maybe I missed this information in all the deluge of posts we get about more and more perks?
  
 As it stands I didn't feel like I had enough information to back the upgrade (and potentially have to wait another 6 or 8 weeks or whatever the additional development time will be for maybe no real difference), but if I don't back it, it may have an impact on the resaleability or ultimate quality of the Pulse Infinity ...
  
 Ultimately I think in the end I just want the infinity, working as advertised, with stable firmware, with the volume issues fixed and a working volume control and works well and reliably.


----------



## AxelCloris

Weird. I keep flagging them as not spam. Guess I'll have to reach out to gmail support. And I'm getting duplicates of every email as well.


----------



## miceblue

My Windows Live account doesn't flag the First to Know e-mails as spam. Weirdness.


----------



## Anaximandros

axelcloris said:


> Weird. I keep flagging them as not spam. Guess I'll have to reach out to gmail support. And I'm getting duplicates of every email as well.


 
  
 Same for me Brian. Flagged as spam.


----------



## nudd

same here. Google thinks it is spam.

I got the survey as well. Didn't know as it was flagged as spam.


----------



## pedalhead

Yup, just checked my gmail spam & it's full of LH stuff.  Oops!


----------



## eac3

Well, I just got around with playing with the LPS after having received it quite awhile ago. I backed the Pulse X Infinity. So in the meantime while I can't take full advantage of it, I have it hooked up to my Audio-gd NFB-28. Of the two USB cables I am using, one of them is a really cheap cable --if that matters to you. The other is an Audioquest Forest cable.
  
 I am trying my hardest to find any differences between source->NFB-28 and source->LPS->NFB-28 but I can't. I am listening on my Phillips X1's. Don't have any balanced headphones at the moment. Perhaps balanced headphones will highlight the differences (if any) between these two configurations?


----------



## kostaszag

eac3 said:


> Well, I just got around with playing with the LPS after having received it quite awhile ago. I backed the Pulse X Infinity. So in the meantime while I can't take full advantage of it, I have it hooked up to my Audio-gd NFB-28. Of the two USB cables I am using, one of them is a really cheap cable --if that matters to you. The other is an Audioquest Forest cable.
> 
> I am trying my hardest to find any differences between source->NFB-28 and source->LPS->NFB-28 but I can't. I am listening on my Phillips X1's. Don't have any balanced headphones at the moment. Perhaps balanced headphones will highlight the differences (if any) between these two configurations?


 

 The second configuration doesn't seem to make any sense to me. The LPS is a *L*inear *P*ower *S*upply, providing better DC power to a DAC and/or isolating a usb-powered DAC from the pc's inferior power supply. Now, the Audio-gd has its own, internal power supply, all it gets from a pc is a signal, so an LPS is completely useless for this DAC. An LPS makes sense in a usb-powered DAC, such as my own iFi iDSD nano. where it brought a clear, audible improvement.


----------



## eac3

kostaszag said:


> The second configuration doesn't seem to make any sense to me. The LPS is a *L*inear *P*ower *S*upply, providing better DC power to a DAC and/or isolating a usb-powered DAC from the pc's inferior power supply. Now, the Audio-gd has its own, internal power supply, all it gets from a pc is a signal, so an LPS is completely useless for this DAC. An LPS makes sense in a usb-powered DAC, such as my own iFi iDSD nano. where it brought a clear, audible improvement.


 
  
 It doesn't makes sense for this type of DAC as power (over the USB connection) is only used during initial handshaking with USB? Thereafter, the DAC supplies its own (similar to the pulse)? 
  
 I honestly thought that another "perk" of the LH LPS was that they also provided a clean signal over USB...similar to the Schiit Wyrd USB Decrapifier. Yes, it's not the main feature as it's a *L*inear *P*ower *S*upply like you said, but a feature nonetheless. Or so I thought.
  
 If not...well, I truly have a paper weight here then as I patiently wait for the Pulse X Infinity. Meanwhile, the warranty clock on it ticks.


----------



## kostaszag

eac3 said:


> kostaszag said:
> 
> 
> > The second configuration doesn't seem to make any sense to me. The LPS is a *L*inear *P*ower *S*upply, providing better DC power to a DAC and/or isolating a usb-powered DAC from the pc's inferior power supply. Now, the Audio-gd has its own, internal power supply, all it gets from a pc is a signal, so an LPS is completely useless for this DAC. An LPS makes sense in a usb-powered DAC, such as my own iFi iDSD nano. where it brought a clear, audible improvement.
> ...


 

 Well, if the Audio-gd only receives signal from the pc, as I strongly suspect, it doesn't get any cleaner if you run it through the LPS .


----------



## sci80899

Attaching Link:  http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
  
 Can someone from LH Labs give details on the Pulse X. I noticed it has the least progress among all the 'Pulse Variations'. Larry mentioned a while back that Pulse X will not be getting any more updates or upgrades to the Sabre chip as the design of the board has been confirmed (or something else about the design). He mentioned the 'ship has sailed' for the Pulse X. Unfortunately the progress chart seem to indicate otherwise. 
  
 Just want to confirm that I'll be getting my X by mid-2015. I'm hoping the Pulse X is not being neglected due to a smaller number of backers. As with all crowd funding, backers want to receive a product that is at least current (if not future-proof) and not some iterations behind other DACs in the market.


----------



## wingsounds13

Of the Pulse series, the only variants that will get an upgrade to the ESS9018AQ2M chip are the Pulse X∞ and the Pulse SE. Both of those have custom boards and shipping will be delayed yet more due to the DAC chip upgrade. The Pulse SE only sold about 20 units and only those 20 or so will ever ship, so as a very limited Special Edition they deserve the very special attention that they will get. They will also be some of the last of the campaign pulses to ship. The Pulse X∞ will be late enough as it is...

Yes, the Pulse X and Pulse Xfi are finalized products already in production, so will not be getting the new ESS9018AQ2M DAC chip. The first few of the Xfi have already shipped and 80 more are going out this week. I expect that the Pulse X version will start shipping in the next two weeks. I believe that there were only about 80 of those backed, so those will only take about two or maybe three weeks to ship all of them.

J.P.


----------



## pedalhead

Totally off topic for a moment, but is everybody getting Head-fi thread update emails ok? I haven't received any since Saturday.


----------



## snip3r77

pedalhead said:


> Totally off topic for a moment, but is everybody getting Head-fi thread update emails ok? I haven't received any since Saturday.




I turned off by default as I check myself daily.


----------



## mscott58

snip3r77 said:


> I turned off by default as I check myself daily.


 
 Concur. I check both myself and the forums daily.


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> Weird. I keep flagging them as not spam. Guess I'll have to reach out to gmail support. And I'm getting duplicates of every email as well.


 

 Don't feel bad Brian.  Yahoo does the same thing to me!


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Concur. I check both myself and the forums daily.


 
  
 I too check Michael and the forums daily. No alerts needed for me aside from PMs and mentions.


----------



## Phishin Phool

Am I reading(understanding) this chart correctly?
  
 http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
  
 It appears that vanilla pulses are 90% built and 85% shipped. If so that bodes well for me getting my vanilla pulse soon!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

85% shipped and still anxious for reviews.


----------



## Phishin Phool

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> 85% shipped and still anxious for reviews.


 
 I am pretty sure that most want a review of the higher end pulse X infinity, Se, etc. but it is unusual that the vanilla pulse reviews aren't more prevalent.


----------



## Utopia

It's Batch 1. I think it's for orders before summer 2014 or something like that, but not sure.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> I too check Michael and the forums daily. No alerts needed for me aside from PMs and mentions.




I thought someone was watching me!!!


----------



## Boban85

Not to go off topic, but I assume I am not the only one still waiting for their HiFiMAN HE-560 (ordered in the first batch)? I haven't been able to follow all the updates lately. Are there any news?


----------



## Za Warudo

Are all the vanilla Pulse delivered?  I'm still waiting for mine to ship.


----------



## pauldgroot

boban85 said:


> Not to go off topic, but I assume I am not the only one still waiting for their HiFiMAN HE-560 (ordered in the first batch)? I haven't been able to follow all the updates lately. Are there any news?


 
 I think most people got theirs (I did), I suggest you to send a ticket to LHL.


----------



## mscott58

pauldgroot said:


> I think most people got theirs (I did), I suggest you to send a ticket to LHL.


 
 Ditto. Got mine at least a week ago.


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> I thought someone was watching me!!!


 
  





  


za warudo said:


> Are all the vanilla Pulse delivered?  I'm still waiting for mine to ship.


 
  
 Most Pulses from batch 1 were shipped before they ran out of supplies due bay strike setbacks. If you're at the end of batch 1 or you joined during one of the later campaigns then chances are your Pulse won't have shipped yet.


----------



## chartwell85

Boxes have arrived! Finally!!!!! 
  
 Oh and Gavin & Kayla say "hello"


----------



## Za Warudo

axelcloris said:


> Most Pulses from batch 1 were shipped before they ran out of supplies due bay strike setbacks. If you're at the end of batch 1 or you joined during one of the later campaigns then chances are your Pulse won't have shipped yet.


 
  
 I think I joined the original Indiegogo campaign at around Dec 2013-Jan 2014.  Is that batch 1?


----------



## doctorjazz

From some interactions with people that have them, I get the sense that at least some like the Pulse a whole lot, but are so ticked off at LH Labs they don't want to post anything positive. Not a statistical sample, mind you, but I get that sense from some. Just sayin'


----------



## AGO4

Casey - Any update on a 'Friends of LH' type perk to get Alpha Prime for yesterday's FTK HPA backers.  Larry said that Gavin would take care of it today.


----------



## frankrondaniel

Though I'm not prepared to do a full review, I feel compelled to offer some positive comments about the Pulse.  Besides some of the bugs that I hope that are eventually fixed (volume, Pulse becoming unresponsive to knob adjustments necessitating a reboot) I'm totally pleased with my vanilla Pulse and LPS.  Compared to the Sabre-based DACs that I have (Exasound E28, Grace Designs M920), I think the Pulse has my favorite implementation.  I find myself very sensitive to what I sometimes hear described as "digital glare" from Sabre's.  It's like finger nails on a chalk board to me.  However, for me, somehow the Pulse achieves a smoothness of sound while retaining desired detail.  The words that come to mind are open, clear, airy, transparent, accurate timbre, fluid, enveloping.  The only thing I would wish for was some more sense of weight as the sound is somewhat on the lean side.  But I find myself listening to music now almost exclusively through the Pulse over my other previously mentioned DACS and even my Hugo.  I can't wait to hear what difference the XFI will make once I get it - which I have no doubt I will eventually receive with a little patience.


----------



## Utopia

frankrondaniel said:


> Though I'm not prepared to do a full review, I feel compelled to offer some positive comments about the Pulse.  Besides some of the bugs that I hope that are eventually fixed (volume, Pulse becoming unresponsive to knob adjustments necessitating a reboot) I'm totally pleased with my vanilla Pulse and LPS.  Compared to the Sabre-based DACs that I have (Exasound E28, Grace Designs M920), I think the Pulse has my favorite implementation.  I find myself very sensitive to what I sometimes hear described as "digital glare" from Sabre's.  It's like finger nails on a chalk board to me.  However, for me, somehow the Pulse achieves a smoothness of sound while retaining desired detail.  The words that come to mind are open, clear, airy, transparent, accurate timbre, fluid, enveloping.  The only thing I would wish for was some more sense of weight as the sound is somewhat on the lean side.  But I find myself listening to music now almost exclusively through the Pulse over my other previously mentioned DACS and even my Hugo.  I can't wait to hear what difference the XFI will make once I get it - which I have no doubt I will eventually receive with a little patience.


 
 Great to hear! 
  
 Do you have any idea if the leanness comes from the DAC or amp section of the Pulse?


----------



## longbowbbs

frankrondaniel said:


> Though I'm not prepared to do a full review, I feel compelled to offer some positive comments about the Pulse.  Besides some of the bugs that I hope that are eventually fixed (volume, Pulse becoming unresponsive to knob adjustments necessitating a reboot) I'm totally pleased with my vanilla Pulse and LPS.  Compared to the Sabre-based DACs that I have (Exasound E28, Grace Designs M920), I think the Pulse has my favorite implementation.  I find myself very sensitive to what I sometimes hear described as "digital glare" from Sabre's.  It's like finger nails on a chalk board to me.  However, for me, somehow the Pulse achieves a smoothness of sound while retaining desired detail.  The words that come to mind are open, clear, airy, transparent, accurate timbre, fluid, enveloping.  The only thing I would wish for was some more sense of weight as the sound is somewhat on the lean side.  But I find myself listening to music now almost exclusively through the Pulse over my other previously mentioned DACS and even my Hugo.  I can't wait to hear what difference the XFI will make once I get it - which I have no doubt I will eventually receive with a little patience.


 
 Good to see more impressions! I was beginning to feel I was the only one who was going to post. Now if I can get my non-review unit I will be very pleased!


----------



## mscott58

Did you guys see the picture from the update LHL sent out of Larry carrying the big box? 
  
 He's handling that thing like a boss, especially in comparison with the guy behind him who looks to be twice Larry's side and struggling through the door. 
  
 Audio designer and power lifter? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Cheers


----------



## mscott58

Here's the picture I was referencing, pulled straight from the LHL Geek Audio campaign update.


----------



## ejong7

Hopefully they can at least finish off the vanilla Pulse orders with this. Until then, I shall patiently wait for the Infinity. And no. HPA please dont tempt the wallet. I dont want to.


----------



## frankrondaniel

utopia said:


> Great to hear!
> 
> Do you have any idea if the leanness comes from the DAC or amp section of the Pulse?


 
  
 Though the headphone out on the vanilla Pulse isn't the most powerful, my gut feeling is that's the tuning of the DAC.  With the understanding that the the external amps that I have (Woo WA7, Schiit Valhalla 2) may not be the ultimate, feeding the Pulse to those amps doesn't seem to change that general characteristic.  That being said, for a point of reference, I do get some satisfying "slam" listening to tracks like "Morph the Cat", "What I do" and "Security Jane" from Donald Fagen's "Morph the Cat" album as well as "Gaslighting Abbey" from Steely Dan's "Two Against Nature" album.  So the Pulse may ultimately simply be reflecting the leanness of the source.  And listening through the amps wasn't necessarily preferable either.  Even with upgraded tubes, I think the soundstage sounded noticeably diminished listening through the Valhalla.


----------



## frankrondaniel

longbowbbs said:


> Good to see more impressions! I was beginning to feel I was the only one who was going to post. Now if I can get my non-review unit I will be very pleased!


 
  
 I saw your review of the XFI - that definitely increased my anticipation of getting mine.  Hopefully not too long of a wait!


----------



## eac3

mscott58 said:


> Here's the picture I was referencing, pulled straight from the LHL Geek Audio campaign update.


 
  
 That smile tho.


----------



## AxelCloris

za warudo said:


> I think I joined the original Indiegogo campaign at around Dec 2013-Jan 2014.  Is that batch 1?


 
  
 Yup, that's the first campaign, should fall in batch 1.
  


doctorjazz said:


> From some interactions with people that have them, I get the sense that at least some like the Pulse a whole lot, but are so ticked off at LH Labs they don't want to post anything positive. Not a statistical sample, mind you, but I get that sense from some. Just sayin'


 
  
 I posted my impressions a while ago. Think it was in this thread. tl;dr: An awesome DAC/amp at the crowdfunding price, has potential to improve greatly, but doesn't quite feel up to being a $999 device. If they can make the UX smoother and iron out the bugs I think it may be able to take on DAC/amps in its MSRP bracket. A lot of the negative feedback about the Pulse has come because of the shipping setbacks. It's a great device, it really is.
  
 That said, I like my GO SE more than the stock Pulse.
  


mscott58 said:


> Here's the picture I was referencing, pulled straight from the LHL Geek Audio campaign update.


 
  
 Imagine moving boxes in those heels! And I like that there's a fridge right by the door. Come in to work and you can put your food away quickly. I'd love to not have to trudge across the entire building, put my food in the fridge, then stomp back across the building to my office. /rant
  


ejong7 said:


> Hopefully they can at least finish off the vanilla Pulse orders with this. Until then, I shall patiently wait for the Infinity. And no. HPA please dont tempt the wallet. I dont want to.


 
  
 Yes you do.


----------



## alec66

any Geek Pulse + HE-560 Bundle backer still waiting for Headphones?
 they sent me HP shipping invoice on January 25 and still no news from them...


----------



## mandrake50

alec66 said:


> any Geek Pulse + HE-560 Bundle backer still waiting for Headphones?
> they sent me HP shipping invoice on January 25 and still no news from them...


 

 I got mine  a couple of weeks or so ago.
 Where are you located?  They were fulfilling the Australia bound headphones from the US... it could take awhile..
 Why not open a ticket with them and ask about this?


----------



## alec66

mandrake50 said:


> I got mine  a couple of weeks or so ago.
> Where are you located?  They were fulfilling the Australia bound headphones from the US... it could take awhile..
> Why not open a ticket with them and ask about this?


 

 Europe here; already opened 2 tickets and still no answer...


----------



## Mannytorres

axelcloris said:


> Yup, that's the first campaign, should fall in batch 1.
> 
> 
> I posted my impressions a while ago. Think it was in this thread. tl;dr: An awesome DAC/amp at the crowdfunding price, has potential to improve greatly, but doesn't quite feel up to being a $999 device. If they can make the UX smoother and iron out the bugs I think it may be able to take on DAC/amps in its MSRP bracket. A lot of the negative feedback about the Pulse has come because of the shipping setbacks. It's a great device, it really is.
> ...


 
  
 Everybody has to get boxes when they come in, heels or no heels  That's Michael our Shipping Manager (The guy struggling withe box in the back) We are getting Pulses shipped out today!!


----------



## graham508

I opened a ticket asking about my HE-560, but no reply yet...
  
 I'm in Australia, so maybe it's taking longer to fulfil orders from here?


----------



## alec66

graham508 said:


> I opened a ticket asking about my HE-560, but no reply yet...
> 
> I'm in Australia, so maybe it's taking longer to fulfil orders from here?


 
 They already sent you shipment invoice?
 As reported on previous email, I sent them $50 on January (same day they sent me a Paypal invoice)...
  
 Anyway, I'm already prepared for Geek Pulse X infinite shipping pain....


----------



## graham508

No shipping invoice yet, no. 
  
 I opened a ticket asking about this, on 14th Feb...


----------



## pedalhead

I think this is probably a silly question, but...if we didn't back the HPA (Pulse X Infinity backer here), is the Alpha Prime "old friends" perk still valid?


----------



## kugino

pedalhead said:


> I think this is probably a silly question, but...if we didn't back the HPA (Pulse X Infinity backer here), is the Alpha Prime "old friends" perk still valid?


 

 i believe so. i think it's for those who backed other devices previously and still want to get in on the friendly pricing of the perks. my question for the LHLabs team is when will the alpha primes ship...in september with the HPA? or immediately?


----------



## pedalhead

kugino said:


> i believe so. i think it's for those who backed other devices previously and still want to get in on the friendly pricing of the perks. my question for the LHLabs team is when will the alpha primes ship...in september with the HPA? or immediately?


 
  
 Cheers. A tempting deal if that's the case.


----------



## smial1966

Don't do it Mark, think of the angst waiting... and waiting... and waiting to receive them. Oh the anxiety!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Quote:


pedalhead said:


> Cheers. A tempting deal if that's the case.


----------



## Drsparis

Wait what is the old friend? I got an email saying to expect an email but....


----------



## Boban85

alec66 said:


> Europe here; already opened 2 tickets and still no answer...


 
 Alec66, I am in Japan, have paid the shipping invoice in January, have several tickets opened and closed (in the last one in the beginning of February Manny told me HiFiMAN is shipping the headphones in batches and that the cans will be shipped to me in several days) and still no word about shipment of my HE-560. I wonder why I am left in the last batch of headphones that are arriving from HiFiMAN after ordering them in the first LHL perk batch back in November... With March looming around the corner, wouldn't have been a better idea to have HiFiMAN ship the headphones directly in all of Asia? 
  
 Honestly, I want to hit the Old Friends perk for the Prime, but I am weary about having the same experience.


----------



## Boban85

drsparis said:


> Wait what is the old friend? I got an email saying to expect an email but....


 
 Drsparis, read carefully the e-mail sent to you by Gavin. Basically, by using the Old Friends perk you can perk for the Prime alone, without the Geek HP Amp from the bundle, for the price specified in Gavin's e-mail.


----------



## pauldgroot

nvm.


----------



## smial1966

Redacted to preserve perkers chance to bag a bargain.  




pauldgroot said:


> Old friends perk is Alpha Primes for $350? That's a massive discount from the MSRP of $999.


----------



## nicolo

It's not $350!! Gavin's mail specifically told people to disregard the price displayed on IGG. His mail gives the price of the Primes. Please do not share that here by mistake!!


----------



## pedalhead

pauldgroot said:


> Old friends perk is Alpha Primes for $350? That's a massive discount from the MSRP of $999.


 
  
 Nope, that's not the actual price you pay for the perk. Details are in the email the in-scope people received. Tbh, making the details public would negate the benefit for those people who have "earned" it, and keeping it hush is a specific requirement of keeping the perk active.


----------



## pauldgroot

nvm


----------



## Madeupword

This is why we can't have nice things.


----------



## Verloren

phishin phool said:


> Am I reading(understanding) this chart correctly?
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
> 
> It appears that vanilla pulses are 90% built and 85% shipped. If so that bodes well for me getting my vanilla pulse soon!!


 
 I don't think anyone from LHL has said whether that percentage is of the first crowdfunding campaign, or all the total Pulse orders.


----------



## Phishin Phool

verloren said:


> I don't think anyone from LHL has said whether that percentage is of the first crowdfunding campaign, or all the total Pulse orders.


 
 No but as pointed out the chart states "batch 1" - this would seem to imply more batches on the way. Hopefully those of us from IFF will not have to wait too long.


----------



## Drsparis

So how does one become an old friend? I backed the original campaign and am now waiting since 2013 for a pulse infinite.


----------



## bitsnbytes

drsparis said:


> So how does one become an old friend? I backed the original campaign and am now waiting since 2013 for a pulse infinite.




You should be an Old Friend

Did you check your email spam folder? Your email might have been filed there.


----------



## FayeForever

Another puzzling perk...


----------



## Drsparis

bitsnbytes said:


> You should be an Old Friend
> 
> Did you check your email spam folder? Your email might have been filed there.




Thanks! It was there, apparantly no love for Canadians...


----------



## jaywillin

well, i haven't been online the last few days, had a little head cold thing going on, and checked my email today
 to see amongst other things "geek" related, i have a tracking number for my pulse xfi, 
 i assume that i'm not the only one to receive such good fortune ?


----------



## jexby

jaywillin said:


> well, i haven't been online the last few days, had a little head cold thing going on, and checked my email today
> to see amongst other things "geek" related, i have a tracking number for my pulse xfi,
> i assume that i'm not the only one to receive such good fortune ?


 
  
 congrats on your Xfi shipping!  I've seen a few others, with one saying their Xfi arrived already.
  
 shipment of a single Xfi only to yourself might invigorate the Ponzi scheme conspiracy theorists lurking here.  ahhaha





 I'm sure that's not the case.


----------



## kugino

jaywillin said:


> well, i haven't been online the last few days, had a little head cold thing going on, and checked my email today
> to see amongst other things "geek" related, i have a tracking number for my pulse xfi,
> i assume that i'm not the only one to receive such good fortune ?



nice jay! so when's it going in the FS forum??


----------



## jaywillin

kugino said:


> nice jay! so when's it going in the FS forum??


 
 stay tuned !


----------



## snip3r77

drsparis said:


> Thanks! It was there, apparantly no love for Canadians...




I received the generic email not the old friends perk email though


----------



## labjr

All I know is they were incommunicado for months. Wouldn't even answer questions in their own forum. They refused and still refuse to answer PMs or emails. Now all of a sudden they're everywhere posting when they want to raise money and everyone is so quick to give them a pass?


----------



## walfredo

labjr said:


> All I know is they were incommunicado for months. Wouldn't even answer questions in their own forum. They refused and still refuse to answer PMs or emails. Now all of a sudden they're everywhere posting when they want to raise money and everyone is so quick to give them a pass?


 

 Aren't humans fascinating? 
  
 But, to be fair to LH, they have been kinda of answering people along the way.  I think that "incommunicado for months" is too harsh.
  
 Anyhow, they keep producing perks at a faster rate than products.  Many people appear to be totally fine with this.  So, it is not clear if they have an incentive to change.


----------



## jexby

labjr said:


> All I know is they were incommunicado for months. Wouldn't even answer questions in their own forum. They refused and still refuse to answer PMs or emails. Now all of a sudden they're everywhere posting when they want to raise money and everyone is so quick to give them a pass?


 
  
 LH Labs have three relative new hires to the Customer Service team- catching up on requests.  if you submitted tickets into the new system should be addressed, who knows where your PMs/emails went.
 Manny is onto a Marketing role, so he's not focused on answering to customer whining these days.
  
  
 With the Calif dock strike / slowdown now resolved, did you receive any shipping notice for your Pulse unit so you can limp away quietly to enjoy good music?


----------



## Phishin Phool

> LH Labs have three relative new hires to the Customer Service team- catching up on requests.


 
 Larry, Curley and Moe?


----------



## uzi

jaywillin said:


> well, i haven't been online the last few days, had a little head cold thing going on, and checked my email today
> to see amongst other things "geek" related, i have a tracking number for my pulse xfi,
> i assume that i'm not the only one to receive such good fortune ?


 
 I got an email yesterday that the two Xfi units I ordered have shipped.  I live about a 90 minute drive from LHLabs, so hopefully this goes pretty quickly.
  
 Meanwhile -- question for you guys.  Do you remember that $88 "Instant $1M Upgrade" perk.  What ever happened with that?  I emailed support and was told:
  


> This was a set of passive components that got added if we hit the Million dollar mark. Since we hit that mark the option was given to either get this refunded or use the funds for a set of active components for amplification. It was voted to keep the $88 dollars and add the active internal amp upgrade, which is what all Pulse XFI have built in their board. I know we get a little crazy with our perks but you will be happy with your unit. Again thank you for your time and support.


 
  
 So to understand... this was an upgrade that happened to all Xfi units regardless of whether $88 was paid or not?


----------



## AxelCloris

uzi said:


> I got an email yesterday that the two Xfi units I ordered have shipped.  I live about a 90 minute drive from LHLabs, so hopefully this goes pretty quickly.
> 
> Meanwhile -- question for you guys.  Do you remember that $88 "Instant $1M Upgrade" perk.  What ever happened with that?  I emailed support and was told:
> 
> So to understand... this was an upgrade that happened to all Xfi units regardless of whether $88 was paid or not?


 
  
 The Instant $1M could easily be confusing. The perk was to get the upgraded passive components should the $1M goal not have been reached. Since they blew past $1M that perk became the $99 active component upgrade. You're getting upgraded active components and for $11 less than those who waited until after the $1M goal was surpassed.


----------



## jaywillin

uzi said:


> I got an email yesterday that the two Xfi units I ordered have shipped.  I live about a 90 minute drive from LHLabs, so hopefully this goes pretty quickly.
> 
> Meanwhile -- question for you guys.  Do you remember that $88 "Instant $1M Upgrade" perk.  What ever happened with that?  I emailed support and was told:
> 
> ...


 
  
  


axelcloris said:


> The Instant $1M could easily be confusing. The perk was to get the upgraded passive components should the $1M goal not have been reached. Since they blew past $1M that perk became the $99 active component upgrade. You're getting upgraded active components and for $11 less than those who waited until after the $1M goal was surpassed.


 
 i'm glad axel could recall, i sure didn't, all i know is i got it


----------



## AxelCloris

jaywillin said:


> i'm glad axel could recall, i sure didn't, all i know is i got it


 
  
 I recommend taking notes.


----------



## pedalhead

axelcloris said:


> I recommend taking notes.




Lol, so true


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> I recommend taking notes.


 
 awwwww man, that's kinda like work ain't it ??


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> I recommend taking notes.


 
  
 that would make one cool (shared) Google Doc or Evernote notebook!


----------



## uzi

axelcloris said:


> The Instant $1M could easily be confusing. The perk was to get the upgraded passive components should the $1M goal not have been reached. Since they blew past $1M that perk became the $99 active component upgrade. You're getting upgraded active components and for $11 less than those who waited until after the $1M goal was surpassed.


 
  
 So then... do not all Xfi units have active components?  How to I tell if my units have the active component upgrade?
  


jexby said:


> that would make one cool (shared) Google Doc or Evernote notebook!


 
  
 Or, you know, Wiki page.  Head-Fiki.


----------



## AxelCloris

uzi said:


> So then... do not all Xfi units have active components?  How to I tell if my units have the active component upgrade?


 
  
 The "i" in Xfi is the upgraded internals, so all Xfi have the improved active components. As to how you can tell, I honestly have no idea. You could always pop open the case and look but that would void the warranty. I'm assuming we just have to take LH Labs on faith that the right Pulse is in the box.
  
 They may be able to confirm what you have based on the serial number if you reach out to them.


----------



## pedalhead

I recall seeing a photo of the rear of a Pulse X-something that had tick boxes on the back to denote the precise model.  Of course, I can't find the pic now so I may be making it up. I think I saw Casey lurking on the thread...perhaps he could comment...?


----------



## Beefalo

Perhaps Casey should spend his time getting 'vanilla' pulse issues fixed rather than lurking on forums. But why bother with the low $ first pledgers that had faith and gave you > 1 million of play $ when the white whales are still out there.


----------



## mscott58

beefalo said:


> Perhaps Casey should spend his time getting 'vanilla' pulse issues fixed rather than lurking on forums. But why bother with the low $ first pledgers that had faith and gave you > 1 million of play $ when the white whales are still out there.




He's the marketing lead! It's his job to watch over the forums.


----------



## nudd

mscott58 said:


> He's the marketing lead! It's his job to watch over the forums.


 
 But seriously should they not make a mark somewhere on the Pulse itself to indicate if it is an xfi or an infinity or otherwise.
  
 Otherwise what is to stop people who bought the Pulse X from selling them as xfi or infinities?


----------



## bhazard

beefalo said:


> Perhaps Casey should spend his time getting 'vanilla' pulse issues fixed rather than lurking on forums. But why bother with the low $ first pledgers that had faith and gave you > 1 million of play $ when the white whales are still out there.


 
 If this isn't your first day here with one post, doesn't that make you a lurker as well?
  
 Perhaps you should contribute in a positive way to the community before jumping right in with negativity.


----------



## Beefalo

It's easy to say you were leading the quartet when the Titantic sank......not my job.
He's a principle of this company. He can't defend without producing. The initial backers of the 'vanilla' pulse are the ones that funded the > 1 miilion dollars have minimal expectations, like a unit that works and if issues (reported by numerous backers) are addressed. But it's easy to push aside those that have spent $200 when those big fish are out there. Larry Ho stating a 5% error rate for the Pulse is insulting; but hey fan boys keep throwing $ their way.


----------



## mscott58

The back of the Pulse says what type it is. Look at the bottom left corner. The proper box is checked or colored in depending on what type of Pulse it is. 
  




  
 And if it's an X or Xfi they have those marks as well, plus it would have balanced outputs versus this "Vanilla" or fi version that only has the SE outputs. 
  
 Rumor is that the X Infinity might have a different face-plate.
  
 Cheers


----------



## mscott58

Two posts, neither productive, and their profile has absolutely no information in it. Hmmm...


----------



## nudd

Okay that makes sense. 

They should have a way of differentiating the xfi from the infinity and also the between the infinities with the old chip and the new chip ...



mscott58 said:


> The back of the Pulse says what type it is. Look at the bottom left corner. The proper box is checked or colored in depending on what type of Pulse it is.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Beefalo

Yes, I'm a lurker. I have read posts on this and other forums for years, learned alot (dismissed a lot as well) and never felt the need to respond except to give advice, until now. 
I have nothing against crowdfunding for example. Right now I'm listening to a Peachtree DeepBlue 2 that I bought for 1/2 price as a first backer. The difference is that it was delivered 1 month (not 13) past the promised date date and functions FLAWLESSLY. Even if it didn't, I have faith that any issue would be addressed. I contribute positively (like thanking Peachtree for understanding and executing crowdfunding) when warranted. 
Just because I'm not dressed up as an LH fan boy or spend hours on forums doesn't make my concerns or posts any less valid. LH Labs is starting to look like the emporer's new clothes, but don't listen to me, it's only my second post. 
BTW - I have a Pulse sitting on my desktop, that the volume knob works for 3, maybe 4 songs. An issue reported 2 months ago with no resolution. Dropouts? Yes, that is less predictible, but that's part of the excitement. Ticket entered? 3 weeks ago, along with many others.
You had a first post as well. Disregard mine as a 'lurker', fine.


----------



## mscott58

beefalo said:


> Yes, I'm a lurker. I have read posts on this and other forums for years, learned alot (dismissed a lot as well) and never felt the need to respond except to give advice, until now.
> I have nothing against crowdfunding for example. Right now I'm listening to a Peachtree DeepBlue 2 that I bought for 1/2 price as a first backer. The difference is that it was delivered 1 month (not 13) past the promised date date and functions FLAWLESSLY. Even if it didn't, I have faith that any issue would be addressed. I contribute positively (like thanking Peachtree for understanding and executing crowdfunding) when warranted.
> Just because I'm not dressed up as an LH fan boy or spend hours on forums doesn't make my concerns or posts any less valid. LH Labs is starting to look like the emporer's new clothes, but don't listen to me, it's only my second post.
> BTW - I have a Pulse sitting on my desktop, that the volume knob works for 3, maybe 4 songs. An issue reported 2 months ago with no resolution. Dropouts? Yes, that is less predictible, but that's part of the excitement. Ticket entered? 3 weeks ago, along with many others.
> You had a first post as well. Disregard mine as a 'lurker', fine.




Welcome to the discussion then! That context makes all the difference IMHO. Sorry, but there are people who jump in, snipe once or twice - giving no context or relevant info - and then leave as quickly as they came. Hence our skepticism. And no need to be a fanboy. Most of us aren't even though we're supporters. LHL has made plenty of mistakes and I know I've taken them to the mat a number of times when it was deserved. Welcome again.


----------



## digitalzed

beefalo said:


> Yes, I'm a lurker. I have read posts on this and other forums for years, learned alot (dismissed a lot as well) and never felt the need to respond except to give advice, until now.
> I have nothing against crowdfunding for example. Right now I'm listening to a Peachtree DeepBlue 2 that I bought for 1/2 price as a first backer. The difference is that it was delivered 1 month (not 13) past the promised date date and functions FLAWLESSLY. Even if it didn't, I have faith that any issue would be addressed. I contribute positively (like thanking Peachtree for understanding and executing crowdfunding) when warranted.
> Just because I'm not dressed up as an LH fan boy or spend hours on forums doesn't make my concerns or posts any less valid. LH Labs is starting to look like the emporer's new clothes, but don't listen to me, it's only my second post.
> BTW - I have a Pulse sitting on my desktop, that the volume knob works for 3, maybe 4 songs. An issue reported 2 months ago with no resolution. Dropouts? Yes, that is less predictible, but that's part of the excitement. Ticket entered? 3 weeks ago, along with many others.
> You had a first post as well. Disregard mine as a 'lurker', fine.


 

 Geez Beefalo, it seems you think everyone is going to rag on you for anything you're going to say. Plenty of people are unhappy with various aspects of what LH Labs has or has not done. But remember, Peachtree didn't crowd design, their design was already done. Huge difference between what LH Labs is doing and the main reason things take so long with them.


----------



## nudd

digitalzed said:


> Geez Beefalo, it seems you think everyone is going to rag on you for anything you're going to say. Plenty of people are unhappy with various aspects of what LH Labs has or has not done. But remember, Peachtree didn't crowd design, their design was already done. Huge difference between what LH Labs is doing and the main reason things take so long with them.


 
  
 Having said that, the Pulse has been out for a good long while and any firmware issues really should be ironed out and at least beta firmware with the proposed fixes sent out.
  
 They did this on the Geek Out too. Version 1 was basically unusable on a lot of PCs with the max volume on disconnect issue and it took them freaking ages to fix.
  
 Maybe they need to hire a firmware guy to do the maintenance and bug fixing stuff. Larry can do the coding for the filters and whatnot and handover to a firmware programming specialist to clean up.
  
 Also having no sanity checks on the dfu update so you can arbitrarily kill any Geek product by accidentally uploading the wrong firmware is just crazy if you ask me. Absolutely bonkers.
  
 I hope the sound quality of the Pulse infinity is going to be worth the aggravation.


----------



## hemtmaker

nudd said:


> Also having no sanity checks on the dfu update so you can arbitrarily kill any Geek product by accidentally uploading the wrong firmware is just crazy if you ask me. Absolutely bonkers.



+1 
I know how they have been saying that it is impossible to download the wrong firmware. But this is NOT an excuse for omitting the device check. It is awful programming practice IMO


----------



## digitalzed

nudd said:


> Having said that, the Pulse has been out for a good long while and any firmware issues really should be ironed out and at least beta firmware with the proposed fixes sent out.
> 
> They did this on the Geek Out too. Version 1 was basically unusable on a lot of PCs with the max volume on disconnect issue and it took them freaking ages to fix.
> 
> ...


 

 I agree on the firmware issues. It's a big mistake on their part and one they should have learned from the Geek Out. But I have a vanilla Pulse and I really do enjoy the sound. I have an Infinity on order also.


----------



## jaywillin

my pulse xfi is in birmingham


----------



## AxelCloris

jaywillin said:


> my pulse xfi is in birmingham


 
  
 I would say I'm sorry that your Pulse has to stop in Alabama. But I know you're there, so for that I am sorry.


----------



## Beefalo

digitalzed said:


> I agree on the firmware issues. It's a big mistake on their part and one they should have learned from the Geek Out. But I have a vanilla Pulse and I really do enjoy the sound. I have an Infinity on order also.





I like the sound of the Pulse as well. When it works.
I guess my biggest frustration is that there are known issues sitting out there for months on the Pulse (who's funding provided the launch pad) and still the new products and 'perks' keep rolling out. At least give the appearance that they support products, not just produce them.


----------



## woodcans

beefalo said:


> I like the sound of the Pulse as well. When it works.
> I guess my biggest frustration is that there are known issues sitting out there for months on the Pulse (who's funding provided the launch pad) and still the new products and 'perks' keep rolling out. At least give the appearance that they support products, not just produce them.


 
  
 I am in agreement with you on this one. LHL really should take care of their early backers/customers before they delay our products to increase their profits for other devices/perks. I have been fairly quiet on this issue until now, but I have lost (a ton of) respect for the LHL team over the past year and a half.


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> I would say I'm sorry that your Pulse has to stop in Alabama. But I know you're there, so for that I am sorry.


 
 thanks, i've been here for three years, i'm from georgia, and i'm still adjusting
  
 i should be listening to my xfi/lps4 this time tomorrow


----------



## snip3r77

question...

how many logins are required for 1 lhlabs website.

1. forums 
2. tracking 
3. support ( open trouble ticket )


----------



## Phishin Phool

jaywillin said:


> thanks, i've been here for three years, i'm from georgia, and i'm still adjusting
> 
> i should be listening to my xfi/lps4 this time tomorrow



I used to live in Alabama by Ozark & Dothan.I miss it a lot.


----------



## miceblue

snip3r77 said:


> question...
> 
> how many logins are required for 1 lhlabs website.
> 
> ...



Yeah it's stupid if you ask me.

Speaking of which, the tracking page still says I backed the Pulse X/f/i instead of the Infinity.


----------



## jaywillin

phishin phool said:


> I used to live in Alabama by Ozark & Dothan.I miss it a lot.



my sister lived in Blakely, Georgia,and graduated from troy , its flat and hot down there


----------



## nicolo

miceblue said:


> Yeah it's stupid if you ask me.
> 
> Speaking of which, the tracking page still says I backed the Pulse X/f/i instead of the Infinity.


 
  
 Get it changed ASAP. It's possible that they will ship the Xfi to you by mistake. In that case you would have tio ship it back at your expense!


----------



## ejong7

Just wondering, if I decide to get a HPA (not necessarily the Geek HPA) next time for my Pulse should I get the LPS4 now (through the upgrade). Does it suit most headphone amps for use?


----------



## nudd

ejong7 said:


> Just wondering, if I decide to get a HPA (not necessarily the Geek HPA) next time for my Pulse should I get the LPS4 now (through the upgrade). Does it suit most headphone amps for use?


 
  
 Depends on whether you HPA accepts 12V input or not I think?


----------



## eac3

nicolo said:


> Get it changed ASAP. It's possible that they will ship the Xfi to you by mistake. In that case you would have tio ship it back at your expense!


 
  
 Excuse me?
  
 Don't make me curse.
  
 EDIT:
  


> At this time I am going to close this thread, however, I will work on getting the tracking pages updated. I admit that it will take some time as I want to ensure that I am able to respond to the tickets in a timely manner. I appreciate everyone being patient with me as I work on updating orders
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3226-closed-pulse-x-f-i-infinity-tracking-shipping-and-perk-status?start=25#53641


----------



## nicolo

eac3 said:


> Excuse me?


 
  
 Was responding to miceblue's comment about his tracking page showing Xfi instead of Infinity.
 Since the Xfi's are being shipped out earlier, he may well receive the Xfi by mistake.


----------



## eac3

nicolo said:


> Was responding to miceblue's comment about his tracking page showing Xfi instead of Infinity.
> Since the Xfi's are being shipped out earlier, he may well receive the Xfi by mistake.


 
  
 Sorry, my intentions were "Are you serious??" I held back opening a ticket as I 1) didn't want to open a ticket just for that small issue since they have been complaining about being bogged down and 2), I wanted to give them time for them to update it automatically per Stephanie's words above. Still they haven't done it. Okay, whatever, I will continue to be more patient but if they send me something by mistake and then expect me to pay to ship their item back....lol. Sure, I will let them know if that ever happened.
  
 I guess this must be standard in the industry?


----------



## kugino

snip3r77 said:


> question...
> 
> how many logins are required for 1 lhlabs website.
> 
> ...


 

 doesn't matter, i guess. i still don't have a device, i have tickets that have gone unanswered over 11 days, and i hate their forums.


----------



## nicolo

eac3 said:


> Sorry, my intentions were "Are you serious??" I held back opening a ticket as I 1) didn't want to open a ticket just for that small issue since they have been complaining about being bogged down and 2), I wanted to give them time for them to update it automatically per Stephanie's words above. Still they haven't done it. Okay, whatever, I will continue to be more patient but if they send me something by mistake and then expect me to pay to ship their item back....lol. Sure, I will let them know if that ever happened.
> 
> I guess this must be standard in the industry?


 
  
 I would open a ticket just in case. I understand you not wanting to burden them by adding an extra ticket and giving them extra time to correct it. But if you do get an Xfi by mistake, you HAVE to pay for shipping it back unless you are in the US. Its standard practice in the audio industry.


----------



## CACAPHONIC1

If LH Labs don't want to be overwhelmed by tickets from concerned customers enquiring as to which products they have on record to be shipped to us they need to start importing our latest contributions onto their tracking system as they are starting to ship Pulse Xfi now.....and yes my Perk is still showing as Xfi as well, even though i've upgraded to VI DAC and i suspect many others are in the same situation. They should change the wording on their website    "This tracking page contains data from the original Geek Pulse campaign only. If you made a contribution to the "Forever Funding" phase of the Geek Pulse campaign (after October 28, 2014), your contributions are not included in the database. Shortly after the campaign closes, we'll import those contributions into the tracking system."   as it doesn't allay any of our misgivings.


----------



## miceblue

LH uploaded a video on their YouTube page in case you guys didn't see it.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkHwQE8uYk[/video]


It's interesting to hear Larry talk about the design process of things, but if you just want to jump right into the relevant information for the Pulse, skip to 8:40.


----------



## blessingx

Looks like some Xfis are shipping. Great news. Just checked emails and I initially backed the Pulse (before upgrading later) under 13 minutes into the first night of the first campaign. Not sure how many snuck in earlier, nor how many of those upgraded to Xfis, but I should be pretty early on the Xfi shipping list, no? Coupled with living a couple hours from LH (as US shipments early were discussed) hoping to get confirmation from staff visiting this thread I'll be getting one of those shipping notices soon? Alternatively take a peak at ticket #6344.


----------



## jaywillin

blessingx said:


> Looks like some Xfis are shipping. Great news. Just checked emails and I initially backed the Pulse (before upgrading later) under 13 minutes into the first night of the first campaign. Not sure how many snuck in earlier, nor how many of those upgraded to Xfis, but I should be pretty early on the Xfi shipping list, no? Coupled with living a couple hours from LH (as US shipments early were discussed) hoping to get confirmation from staff visiting this thread I'll be getting one of those shipping notices soon? Alternatively take a peak at ticket #6344.


 
 i received my shipping notice monday, it shipped tuesday, and i  should receive my x/f/i today 
  

 DATE & TIME
 STATUS OF ITEM
 LOCATION
 February 27, 2015 , 4:05 am
 Arrived at Post Office
  
 DECATUR, AL 35601


----------



## snip3r77

jaywillin said:


> i received my shipping notice monday, it shipped tuesday, and i  should receive my x/f/i today
> 
> 
> 
> ...




pls help to review and not by PM-ing Gavin


----------



## ejong7

I guess a better way of phrasing my question is whether theres a majority within the amps produced today to be compatible with the LPS/LPS4.


----------



## jaywillin

snip3r77 said:


> pls help to review and not by PM-ing Gavin


 
 lol, pm-ing gavin isn't the best way to get the word out ??  (i'm just being a smart a** 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)
  
 seriously though, i don't participate too much on the lhlabs forum, i find it hard to follow
 i've had some interaction here with casey,and he's been very helpful, and i think he's doing a great job with a difficult job(i've been there)
 and i'll pass along some feedback to him
 but who i really want to give my impressions to are of all of us here on head-fi who've been waiting so long here(some patiently, others not so)
 i don't really do "reviews" , my thoughts on gear are more like short running commentaries , i like to keep it short and sweet, to the point
 good, bad, "why" i think so, sound is kinda hard for me to describe , but rest assured, i'll give it the old college try !


----------



## snip3r77

jaywillin said:


> lol, pm-ing gavin isn't the best way to get the word out ??  (i'm just being a smart a** :evil: )
> 
> seriously though, i don't participate too much on the lhlabs forum, i find it hard to follow
> i've had some interaction here with casey,and he's been very helpful, and i think he's doing a great job with a difficult job(i've been there)
> ...




just wondering what DAC and headphone that you're using?


----------



## eac3

nicolo said:


> I would open a ticket just in case. I understand you not wanting to burden them by adding an extra ticket and giving them extra time to correct it. But if you do get an Xfi by mistake, you HAVE to pay for shipping it back *unless you are in the US.* Its standard practice in the *audio* industry.




Thanks for clarifying those two points.


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> I guess a better way of phrasing my question is whether theres a majority within the amps produced today to be compatible with the LPS/LPS4.


 
  
 It depends on each individual amp, honestly. In most cases you'll find that the LPS cannot be used to power products other than those from LH Labs. There are exceptions, of course, but even the ones that take 12V 1.2A power may use a different connector for the power cable. For example my Violectric V181 has a different power requirement and power cable entirely; it cannot receive power from my LPS4.
  
 The amps that will receive power from the LPS4 are in the minority.
  


jaywillin said:


> but who i really want to give my impressions to are of all of us here on head-fi who've been waiting so long here (some patiently, others not so) i don't really do "reviews" , my thoughts on gear are more like short running commentaries , i like to keep it short and sweet, to the point good, bad, "why" i think so, sound is kinda hard for me to describe, but rest assured, i'll give it the old college try!


 
 My prediction: you're going to like what you hear. But of course, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## germay0653

snip3r77 said:


> question...
> 
> how many logins are required for 1 lhlabs website.
> 
> ...


 

 Hopefully. they can implement a single sign-on solution.  All it would take is to setup and Active Directory structure, at least on Windoze that is.  Not sure if their servers are MAC.


----------



## Phishin Phool

germay0653 said:


> Hopefully. they can implement a single sign-on solution.  All it would take is to setup and Active Directory structure, at least on Windoze that is.  Not sure if their servers are MAC.


 
 If you want a single log-in / password then you need to pledge $32 for the "Consolidation Perk".


----------



## nicolo

It's not $32. Its $31!!


----------



## Boban85

nicolo said:


> It's not $32. Its $31!!


 
 Please check your latest e-mails, the $31 was only for the first batch!


----------



## bitsnbytes

miceblue said:


> LH uploaded a video on their YouTube page in case you guys didn't see it.
> 
> 
> It's interesting to hear Larry talk about the design process of things, but if you just want to jump right into the relevant information for the Pulse, skip to 8:40.


 
  
  
 When Larry says to set your DAC to -3db, or -6db, or -9db, etc (around 9:30 into the video)...
  
 Can someone explain the logic to the 3, 6, 9, 12, etc if earlier he was talking about data divided by two?


----------



## AxelCloris

bitsnbytes said:


> When Larry says to set your DAC to -3db, or -6db, or -9db, etc (around 9:30 into the video)...
> 
> Can someone explain the logic to the 3, 6, 9, 12, etc if earlier he was talking about data divided by two?


 
  
 In short, every +/-3dB is a doubling or halving the intensity. When you halve or double the intensity you're still maintaining the best possible ratio. All measurements are relative to -0dB, so the -3, -6, -9 etc are what you should be using.
  
 If you're actually interested in learning specifics there are a lot of good resources online. This is a great place to start. If you want more detailed calculations and breakdowns I'd recommend checking out this page as well. The website layout is pretty crap but the information is good.
  
 And an important note, I've heard people claim that bumping up 3dB doubles the loudness. This is not true. I had an audio instructor in college make such a claim. A few of my classmates and I immediately changed instructors because he clearly wasn't providing us with accurate information.


----------



## bitsnbytes

Thanks!

I was thinking doubling/halving would be 1-2-4-8 and vice versa


----------



## Chrome Robot

bitsnbytes said:


> Thanks!
> 
> I was thinking doubling/halving would be 1-2-4-8 and vice versa




The decibel system is logarithmic, so lowering by 3 is approximately halving.


----------



## Chrome Robot

jaywillin said:


> thanks, i've been here for three years, i'm from georgia, and i'm still adjusting
> 
> i should be listening to my xfi/lps4 this time tomorrow





Great news on your Xfi. Hoping mine arrives soon too.

I am from Georgia as well. Both parents from small Alabama towns. 
Now live in Shanghai and Berkeley.


----------



## jaywillin

snip3r77 said:


> just wondering what DAC and headphone that you're using?


 
 the gear in my signature is current, i'm really enjoying this current line-up
  
 i have the t1, the rs1i, LD mkiii, and a modi 2u


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> It depends on each individual amp, honestly. In most cases you'll find that the LPS cannot be used to power products other than those from LH Labs. There are exceptions, of course, but even the ones that take 12V 1.2A power may use a different connector for the power cable. For example my Violectric V181 has a different power requirement and power cable entirely; it cannot receive power from my LPS4.
> 
> The amps that will receive power from the LPS4 are in the minority.
> 
> ...


 
 well, i loved the geek out 1000 i had, very nice


----------



## jaywillin

chrome robot said:


> Great news on your Xfi. Hoping mine arrives soon too.
> 
> I am from Georgia as well. Both parents from small Alabama towns.
> Now live in Shanghai and Berkeley.


 
 well you're a long way from home !
  
 i lived most of my life in macon, which music wise, was pretty cool i must say


----------



## Chrome Robot

jaywillin said:


> well you're a long way from home !
> 
> i lived most of my life in macon, which music wise, was pretty cool i must say


 

 Macon could have been even better musically if Duane and Berry had not ridden motorcycles.


----------



## jaywillin

chrome robot said:


> Macon could have been even better musically if Duane and Berry had not ridden motorcycles.


 
 true


----------



## Phishin Phool

axelcloris said:


> In short, every +/-3dB is a doubling or halving the intensity. When you halve or double the intensity you're still maintaining the best possible ratio. All measurements are relative to -0dB, so the -3, -6, -9 etc are what you should be using.
> 
> If you're actually interested in learning specifics there are a lot of good resources online. This is a great place to start. If you want more detailed calculations and breakdowns I'd recommend checking out this page as well. The website layout is pretty crap but the information is good.
> 
> And an important note, I've heard people claim that bumping up 3dB doubles the loudness. This is not true. I had an audio instructor in college make such a claim. A few of my classmates and I immediately changed instructors because he clearly wasn't providing us with accurate information.


 
 You propbably know this but doubling the perceived volume (psychoacoustics) is a 10db increase. So 3db for power or acoustic energy and 10db for perceived volume.


----------



## AxelCloris

phishin phool said:


> You propbably know this but doubling the perceived volume (psychoacoustics) is a 10db increase. SO 3db for power or acoustic energy and 10db for perceived volume.


 
  
 You're exactly right. It's right around +10dB that the average person perceives a doubling of volume.


----------



## ejong7

axelcloris said:


> It depends on each individual amp, honestly. In most cases you'll find that the LPS cannot be used to power products other than those from LH Labs. There are exceptions, of course, but even the ones that take 12V 1.2A power may use a different connector for the power cable. For example my Violectric V181 has a different power requirement and power cable entirely; it cannot receive power from my LPS4.
> 
> The amps that will receive power from the LPS4 are in the minority.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I think you just saved my wallet from further destruction my friend. Don't think ill get the HPA so not going to get the LPS4.


----------



## uzi

Well, it seems that there are a pair of Xfi units sitting on my doorstep. I'll start playing with them tonight and let you guys know when I have some opinions.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

ENVY!!


----------



## jaywillin

mine is here, inside, with me ! 
  
 just have both the lps4 and the x/f/i unboxed, commencing to hook it up, get the drivers, and fire this mutha up


----------



## jexby

jaywillin said:


> mine is here, inside, with me !
> 
> just have both the lps4 and the x/f/i unboxed, commencing to hook it up, get the drivers, and fire this mutha up


 
  
  
 a full weekend of listening and burn in!  congrats!


----------



## jaywillin

jaywillin said:


> mine is here, inside, with me !
> 
> just have both the lps4 and the x/f/i unboxed, commencing to hook it up, get the drivers, and fire this mutha up


 
 oh, and i am taking some pics for those that like that sorta thing


----------



## longbowbbs

jaywillin said:


> jaywillin said:
> 
> 
> > mine is here, inside, with me !
> ...


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


>




Pass that popcorn Eric!


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
 Got any butter on ya Michael?


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Got any butter on ya Michael?




Real, powdered or that artificial oily stuff used at movie theaters that the cockroaches and Cher will be sharing after a nuclear war?


----------



## longbowbbs

The oily stuff of course!


----------



## jaywillin

well, it's been quite a wait, but we are off and running, first some pics :
  
 the box is till cold from the mail truck

  
 the lps4

  
 i'm #104

  

  

  
 hookup

  
 fired up (don't worry, that's just a hand smudge on the lps)

  
 making sweet music

  
 set up straight forward, simple, i briefly went over driver installation instructions, i thought i'd seen some had issues when that, but no troubles, (maybe it was firmware installation)
 so far(30-45 minutes) its smooth as silk, and sounds killer, more to come.........


----------



## mscott58

jaywillin said:


> well, it's been quite a wait, but we are off and running, first some pics :
> 
> the box is till cold from the mail truck
> 
> ...




Xfi in the wild. So cool! Thanks Jay.


----------



## jaywillin

mscott58 said:


> Xfi in the wild. So cool! Thanks Jay.


 
 glad to do it !


----------



## mscott58

Confirmed that the Pulse SE and Infinity will get new the new chassis design to match the HPA. Sweet!

Also reopened the Xfi to Infinity upgrade for a week. 

See Gavin's latest update. 

Cheers


----------



## DSlayerZX

Hohoho, new casing for the X infinite and SE


----------



## Levanter

New chassis new chassis new chassis!


----------



## AxelCloris

It's interesting how they're designed to be opposite one another. I'd like to see them stacked, but the fact that they're inverted from the other may provide a pleasing aesthetic.


----------



## nicolo

Only for us Infinity backers.
  
 "ADDED BONUS: All Pulse Infinity backers get an automatic upgraded chassis, designed by Kayla and Brody (see our update). *We really want to make these special because theyre not going to make it into the retail channel*. Don’t wait on this one!" (*emphasis* mine)
  
 The highlighted part is interesting. Basically means that the Infinity is basically a Limited Edition for campaign backers only which should push up resale value up quite a bit!


----------



## AxelCloris

nicolo said:


> Only for us Infinity backers.
> 
> "ADDED BONUS: All Pulse Infinity backers get an automatic upgraded chassis, designed by Kayla and Brody (see our update). *We really want to make these special because theyre not going to make it into the retail channel*. Don’t wait on this one!" (*emphasis* mine)
> 
> The highlighted part is interesting. Basically means that the Infinity is basically a Limited Edition for campaign backers only which should push up resale value up quite a bit!


 
  
 Well sure it's a limited edition. The retail versions won't have the naked resistors or the THD tweaks. It'll probably have the AQ2M eventually, if not at retail launch, but there are things we've backed that won't make it to shelves.
  
 I'm really happy that they made this call. It makes the waiting for the Infinity easier knowing that we're getting the retail housing.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> It's interesting how they're designed to be opposite one another. I'd like to see them stacked, but the fact that they're inverted from the other may provide a pleasing aesthetic.




Agree Brian!

And so glad to see the XLR connector in the mockup is actually the correct 4-pin version! 

Cheers


----------



## miceblue

mscott58 said:


> Confirmed that the Pulse SE and Infinity will get new the new chassis design to match the HPA. Sweet!
> 
> Also reopened the Xfi to Infinity upgrade for a week.
> 
> ...



Great...where am I supposed to put that again? D:


----------



## jlucas

jaywillin said:


> the box is till cold from the mail truck


 
 Jay, just curious, did you get a shipping notice/tracking number before it arrived or did it just randomly show up one day?
  
 (it will still be a while before they get to mine; 286 or something like that)


----------



## nicolo

Keep it in landscape mode


----------



## snip3r77

jay thanks for the nice pics. Not rushing you but I was wondering if you can help to some simple sound description. 
Warm ? Neutral ? Soundstage ? Bass ? Details? Thanks


----------



## jaywillin

jlucas said:


> Jay, just curious, did you get a shipping notice/tracking number before it arrived or did it just randomly show up one day?
> 
> (it will still be a while before they get to mine; 286 or something like that)


 
 i got the email notification monday, it shipped on tuesday


----------



## AxelCloris

For those who are looking to keep the same form factor, I don't see why it would be too difficult for LH Labs to build an Infinity in the normal chassis. An Infinity that has the K2M chip would be the same as the Xfi's board layout. It's just swapping out a few parts. Those with the AQ2M chip could potentially be stuck with the newer chassis since the board was changed. But if it's only a change for the chip itself and the rest is untouched then the board should still fit in the current Pulse body (as originally intended).
  
 Food for thought.


----------



## eac3

eac3 said:


> Thanks for clarifying those two points.


 
 Just as a followup, I was about to open ticket to ask them to adjust the status of my tracking page (infinity perk here) and came across this before creating one:
  


> My Pulse X/S Infinity contribution is not reflected in my tracking page. Why? Modified on: Fri, 20 Feb, 2015 at 4:30 pm
> 
> 
> If the THD upgrade and Naked Resistor perks were backed, the previously designated Pulse Xfi or Sfi has now become a Pulse X or S Infinity.
> ...


 
  
 http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000558593-my-pulse-x-s-infinity-contribution-is-not-reflected-in-my-tracking-page-why-


----------



## bitsnbytes

axelcloris said:


> It's interesting how they're designed to be opposite one another. I'd like to see them stacked, but the fact that they're inverted from the other may provide a pleasing aesthetic.




If that's the new DAC chassis on top...good looking pair


----------



## eac3

Exciting news about the case. Does this mean the LPS will receive a new chassis as well?


----------



## jexby

levanter said:


> New chassis new chassis new chassis!


 
  
 wowza!  very cool and much appreciated decision from the LH Lab Team!!
 that new volume knob looks boss as well!  ha!


----------



## snip3r77

axelcloris said:


> It's interesting how they're designed to be opposite one another. I'd like to see them stacked, but the fact that they're inverted from the other may provide a pleasing aesthetic.




Pretty happy with this decision.
http://lhlabs.com/support/shippingstatus.html

Really Geek Pulse X∞ March W3?


----------



## vnmslsrbms

It would make more sense for them to make it the same way so when it's stacked it's symmetrical.  
  
 I can't wait till they start putting the Vi DAC on that shipping status!!!


----------



## uzi

I saw jaywillin got unit 104 ... I got numbers 108 and 113.  Right now, 113 is out of the box and plugged into the LPS.  I had a quick look around the menus... switched the digital filter to FTM (Femto Time Mode), plugged in my HE-500 via the XLR port (I modded the cable) and started to play some music.  Initial thought is that the setup has some really good clarity.
  
 Unfortunately my listening is temporarily on hold ... I told my wife "hey, have a listen to this" and she has yet to give it back...


----------



## nicolo

At least she didn't tell you to listen to HER


----------



## dclaz

I don't get the HPA, Isn't the Pulse already meant to be a good headphone amp?


----------



## snip3r77

dclaz said:


> I don't get the HPA, Isn't the Pulse already meant to be a good headphone amp?




Good is subjective. As in any case, there will always be a higher mountain.


----------



## nudd

axelcloris said:


> For those who are looking to keep the same form factor, I don't see why it would be too difficult for LH Labs to build an Infinity in the normal chassis. An Infinity that has the K2M chip would be the same as the Xfi's board layout. It's just swapping out a few parts. Those with the AQ2M chip could potentially be stuck with the newer chassis since the board was changed. But if it's only a change for the chip itself and the rest is untouched then the board should still fit in the current Pulse body (as originally intended).
> 
> Food for thought.




I agree. I chose not to go with the AQM chip. LHL are still to give us any details of how the new chip will improve sound quality In the absence of any

What if I don't want the new chassis? Could I get my infinity faster?


----------



## uzi

nicolo said:


> At least she didn't tell you to listen to HER


 
 Ehh, she tolerates me.
  
 Anyways, she's handed it back over and I'm doing some listening testing.  Like I said before -- clarity.  I'm listening to it and going back and forth to my HRT Musicstreamer II+ / Burson Soloist setup.  I'm finding the sound on the Geek Pulse to be a bit more spacious -- things are sounding more separated and encompassing.  Things have a bit more bounce to them -- moments when things quickly cut to silence seem to echo a bit more.  I think more of the difference I'm hearing can be attributed to the DAC, though perhaps some to my using the balanced output.
  
 There's quite the range to the volume... on the Geek Out with my IEMs, it felt at times that one sound level was too low and the next too high... the Pulse has more small steps to find that right volume.
  
 I tried doing some listening on my Blu Ray player via SPDIF to test the port ... it worked, but would cut out briefly at random points.  As I only have the one device that puts out SPDIF, I can't say if it's a problem with the player or the Pulse.  No problems are noticed using USB from either of my laptops.
  
 Listened with my HE-500, HD650, Alpha Dog (all in high gain) and the UERMs (in low gain).  Seemed to play nicely with all.  Overall, my initial experience seems to be positive.


----------



## ejong7

Lol now that the infinity upgrade perk is up, and to my knowledge some if not all of the xfi is shipping what if those who already received them wanna get the upgrade lol. were they noticed prior?
 And if its not going into retail, why is there still a perk to get the X Infinity (albeit for a nice 3599) ? Some good looking chasis we got there btw.


----------



## valve5425

I'm well chuffed that I'm getting the new chassis on my Infinity. It's certainly an improvement on the old one. My only concern is that the forums will become frantic again with backers wanting to change features on it. The last thing I want is to have all the boards finished, and sitting there waiting for the chassis to be tweaked yet again.
  
 Thanks folks for the first reviews of the Xfi. I'm getting all excited now!


----------



## zerodeefex

The XFi is pretty solid. 

I'm starting to really be excited that the infinity > upgraded HPA will be my bedside rig with the UERM. Only special gear gets to croon me to sleep.


----------



## RickDastardly

Anyone know the dimensions of the new pulse infinity chassis?


----------



## Drsparis

rickdastardly said:


> Anyone know the dimensions of the new pulse infinity chassis?


 
 Anyone know whether i the LPS will fit/look good under it?
  
 either way the new case is a BIG improvement, just curious to know if I will have to hide the LPS or not somehow lol


----------



## DiscoSmoke

rickdastardly said:


> Anyone know the dimensions of the new pulse infinity chassis?


 
 If it is the same as the HPA, it's 9.5 in. across front x 7 in. deep x 4 in. high. The same length and width as the LPS/LPS4.


----------



## AxelCloris

Based on the information available I think you can fit the LPS under the Infinity/SE enclosure, but it will be sideways and at that point it will be "narrower" than the Pulse. The LPS is 9" deep and the new Pulse is 9.5" wide. I may have to hide my LPS behind the Pulse/HPA combo. The LPS is also 6.76" wide so it will be a bit shallower than the 7" Pulse when sideways.


----------



## uzi

zerodeefex said:


> The XFi is pretty solid.


 
  
  Yeah, I'm thinking so ... especially at the price I paid for 'em (I got in early on it all). 
  
 The Burson Soloist still has a very welcome place in my house -- especially since it has three analog inputs and I have it connected to a Roku and a BluRay/SACD player... but the Pulse Xfi is going to take over my computer listening at least for now.
  
 Quote:


zerodeefex said:


> Only special gear gets to croon me to sleep.


 
  
   Aww, isn't that sweet...


----------



## jbr1971

@uzi
  
 What volume are you listening at with the Pulse set on high gain? Did you happen to see the video where Larry describes the optimal way to set gain/volume?
  
 Jody


----------



## uzi

jbr1971 said:


> What volume are you listening at with the Pulse set on high gain? Did you happen to see the video where Larry describes the optimal way to set gain/volume?


 
  
 It's parked at high gain for the headphones I'm using (HE-500 via XLR), and I'm listening at whatever the music asks for -- generally in the -20db to -35db range.
  
 I haven't seen Larry's video... have a link handy?  Is that the -3dB thing I saw someone mention?


----------



## Ultimate Mango

While I loke the new chassis, I can't justify giving LHLabs any more money for the infinity upgrade at this point. I am sure for me the Xfi will be plenty fine.


----------



## jbr1971

uzi said:


> It's parked at high gain for the headphones I'm using (HE-500 via XLR), and I'm listening at whatever the music asks for -- generally in the -20db to -35db range.
> 
> I haven't seen Larry's video... have a link handy?  Is that the -3dB thing I saw someone mention?


 
  
 It is. Here is the link:
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkHwQE8uYk
  
 It mainly deals with the HPA, but he discusses gain & volume on the Pulse starting around 10:20.
  
 Jody


----------



## uzi

ultimate mango said:


> While I loke the new chassis, I can't justify giving LHLabs any more money for the infinity upgrade at this point. I am sure for me the Xfi will be plenty fine.


 
  
 Well, they shipped out my two units before I could decide -- but I'm fine where things are at with the Xfi.  I'm feel I'm at a good place to get off the train.  I've got a Xfi+LPS for home and an Xfi for work... done.
  


jbr1971 said:


> It is. Here is the link:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkHwQE8uYk
> 
> It mainly deals with the HPA, but he discusses gain & volume on the Pulse starting around 10:20.


 
  
 Interesting... thanks for that -- I've switched to Low gain and I'm listening to Rage Against the Machine at -15dB at the moment (still pretty loud -- Dave Brubeck before that was at -12dB -- there's no method to my madness).


----------



## AxelCloris

uzi said:


> Well, they shipped out my two units before I could decide -- but I'm fine where things are at with the Xfi.  I'm feel I'm at a good place to get off the train.  I've got a Xfi+LPS for home and an Xfi for work... done.


 
  
 You're only about 90 minutes from their offices. So I doubt shipping would be too terrible should you choose to upgrade. But if you're liking the Xfi there's nothing wrong with that. The early version I heard was very nice.


----------



## Chikolad

uzi said:


> The Burson Soloist still has a very welcome place in my house -- especially since it has three analog inputs and I have it connected to a Roku and a BluRay/SACD player... but the Pulse Xfi is going to take over my computer listening at least for now.


 
  
 Have you tried listening to the Soloist using the Xfi's line out?
 I'm very much interested in impressions on the DAC part of the Pulse alone since that's what I'll be using (and I also have a Soloist )


----------



## uzi

axelcloris said:


> You're only about 90 minutes from their offices. So I doubt shipping would be too terrible should you choose to upgrade. But if you're liking the Xfi there's nothing wrong with that. The early version I heard was very nice.


 
 Yeah, I think I'm liking it as is -- this is more than sufficient for my needs.
  


chikolad said:


> Have you tried listening to the Soloist using the Xfi's line out?
> I'm very much interested in impressions on the DAC part of the Pulse alone since that's what I'll be using (and I also have a Soloist )


 
 I did a quick test last night and another right now.  Works and sounds good, but I don't have time for a more in-depth opinion at the moment (I strive to be a good dad).
  
 Also caveat to all -- I try to keep from giving too strong of opinions since I realize so much of this is highly subjective.  That said, my impressions so far are favorable.


----------



## Chikolad

uzi said:


> I did a quick test last night and another right now.  Works and sounds good, but I don't have time for a more in-depth opinion at the moment (I strive to be a good dad).


 
  
 Thank you for your effort. Of course being a good daddy comes first


----------



## hoo7h

It started to annoy me how LH Labs started adapting Ubisoft's strategy of "DLCs". Ubisoft makes games, sells them for the retail price, then charge you more if you want to complete it by selling you the DLCs.
 LH Labs started doing the exact same things, upgrades after upgrades after upgrades. I know that I can just not buy the upgrade, but it feels like I am getting an inferior unit which sucks. Why not just make a complete product and not be greedy?


----------



## jaywillin

yes, the line outs will feed an amp if so desired


----------



## nudd

hoo7h said:


> It started to annoy me how LH Labs started adapting Ubisoft's strategy of "DLCs". Ubisoft makes games, sells them for the retail price, then charge you more if you want to complete it by selling you the DLCs.
> LH Labs started doing the exact same things, upgrades after upgrades after upgrades. I know that I can just not buy the upgrade, but it feels like I am getting an inferior unit which sucks. Why not just make a complete product and not be greedy?


 

 Another annoying thing is using the same page for different products and DELETING the details of previous perks. What ... the ...
  
 It makes it so hard to track what is actually being offered (eg, the wave reboot perks and the current waves).  It's almost as if they want you to forget what features were being offered ...


----------



## smial1966

Because audiophile backers are always chasing that elusive extra percent(age) performance gain and are lulled into buying perks by persuasive marketing speal and the promise of enhanced fidelity. LH Labs are masters of milking the proverbial backer cash cow, and invariably ramp up the cost of purchasing an initially inexpensive product by offering seemingly indispensable 'perks' to elevate the performance of your item to astonishing levels of fidelity.

If LH Labs deliver the goods (early indications are promising) then I applaud Gavin's commercial and marketing acumen, as the blueprint that they've created is an exemplary example of obtaining funds from public backers and not venture capitalists.




hoo7h said:


> It started to annoy me how LH Labs started adapting Ubisoft's strategy of "DLCs". Ubisoft makes games, sells them for the retail price, then charge you more if you want to complete it by selling you the DLCs.
> LH Labs started doing the exact same things, upgrades after upgrades after upgrades. I know that I can just not buy the upgrade, but it feels like I am getting an inferior unit which sucks. Why not just make a complete product and not be greedy?


----------



## Anaximandros

hoo7h said:


> It started to annoy me how LH Labs started adapting Ubisoft's strategy of "DLCs". Ubisoft makes games, sells them for the retail price, then charge you more if you want to complete it by selling you the DLCs.
> LH Labs started doing the exact same things, upgrades after upgrades after upgrades. I know that I can just not buy the upgrade, but it feels like I am getting an inferior unit which sucks. Why not just make a complete product and not be greedy?


 
  
 Just don't get the update then. Why should the normal Pulse Xfi be inferior?
 It's still going to be very good and really, some naked resistors and you think, that the sound changes by a huge margin?...
  
 That's way beyond the world of dimishing returns. I wasn't swayed by the THD perk, NR perk, Infinity, new chip etc... that's just too much snake oil for me


----------



## eliwankenobi

Anybody noticed the wood finish on top of the 3D render?


----------



## blessingx

ejong7 said:


> Lol now that the infinity upgrade perk is up, and to my knowledge some if not all of the xfi is shipping...



I don't see the evidence many, let alone most or all, Xfis are shipping. "A few" might be the best descriptor at this point.

Don't mean to emphasize my situation, but as a yardstick if they haven't got to my order placed 12 minutes into the first night of the first campaign there's likely high 9x% to yet ship.


----------



## snip3r77

Can anyone explain to me the OLD FRIENDs thingy?

I receive the first email announcing it but I didn't get the 2nd one. 

Thanks


----------



## snip3r77

eliwankenobi said:


> Anybody noticed the wood finish on top of the 3D render?




Is this for real?


----------



## miceblue

snip3r77 said:


> Is this for real?



From the original render, yes. The top of the Infinity case looks to have a wood material on it. No one knows if it's finalised though.
It's a very dark-coloured wood, so I didn't even see it until I turned my display brightness on maximum.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-audio-a-crowdsourced-high-rez-sound-system#activity


----------



## eac3

I have such a crappy old TN panel, I still can barely see it in the original redered image. Great catch eliwankenobi


----------



## eac3

jbr1971 said:


> It is. Here is the link:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkHwQE8uYk
> 
> ...


 
  
 Jody, now that you guys have shipped a few Xfi units out of the door, are you aware of when you will update the tracking page or somehow assure Infinity backers that you won't mistakenly ship out an Xfi unit?
  
 I have refrained from opening a ticket as this was discouraged from LH a little while ago but the tracking page still has not updated for me (and others).
  
 Thanks.


----------



## eliwankenobi

eac3 said:


> I have such a crappy old TN panel, I still can barely see it in the original redered image. Great catch eliwankenobi




Thanks, i wasn't very sure until I opened the picture in Picasa and bumped the brightness of the image and it was clearly visible. It's probably not going to be in the final case.....

Or is it?


----------



## jbr1971

eac3 said:


> Jody, now that you guys have shipped a few Xfi units out of the door, are you aware of when you will update the tracking page or somehow assure Infinity backers that you won't mistakenly ship out an Xfi unit?
> 
> I have refrained from opening a ticket as this was discouraged from LH a little while ago but the tracking page still has not updated for me (and others).
> 
> Thanks.


 
  
 Unfortunately, as I am not part of that team I do not have any updates about the tracking page.
  
 However, my understanding is that all orders will be reviewed by Shipping and/or CS to confirm the Infinity upgrades, or if a Xfi should be shipped.
  
 Jody


----------



## bitsnbytes

eliwankenobi said:


> Anybody noticed the wood finish on top of the 3D render?




Just having it in chrome or shiny inox would look nice


----------



## alec66

bitsnbytes said:


> Just having it in chrome or shiny inox would look nice


 

 agree: that poor wood looks really low end IMHO


----------



## eac3

bitsnbytes said:


> Just having it in chrome or shiny inox would look nice


----------



## eliwankenobi

They do look very similar when you put them together!! ... But now I'm confused... do they really look silver and brown or black and blue 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  
 I honestly prefer it as in the original picture
  

  
 It just looks bad ass in my opinion!


----------



## zerodeefex

Well, my sprout sounds like poop and all my geek products, including the Pulse, sound phenomenal. I don't want a design that reminds me of the poop sounding Sprout.


----------



## Nando1970

Anyone experiencing dropouts?
  
 I have dropouts with my Pulse (February, Firmware 2/2.1)
 sources: Logitech Touch, Windows+foobar (both are dropout free using other DACs as FiiO X3, ODAC, etc)
 files: FLAC 16/44.1, FLAC 24/96, MP3 320
 connections: I've been using both USB and Toslink
  
 tried to post below with no luck...
 http://lhlabs.com/force/techsupport-geekpulse/3399-what-to-do-about-frequent-dropouts/
 http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-bug-reports/3659-dropouts


----------



## AxelCloris

I was not experiencing any dropouts when I was using the Pulse. I'd have music playing for hours non-stop without interruption. The Pulse was fed by my 2012 MBP playing files from Spotify and iTunes.


----------



## longbowbbs

nando1970 said:


> Anyone experiencing dropouts?
> 
> I have dropouts with my Pulse (February, Firmware 2/2.1)
> sources: Logitech Transporter, Windows+foobar (both are dropout free using other DACs as FiiO X3, ODAC, etc)
> ...


 
 I experienced no dropouts with the Xfi I reviewed. I had it three weeks and it performed without incident.


----------



## frankrondaniel

nando1970 said:


> Anyone experiencing dropouts?
> 
> I have dropouts with my Pulse (February, Firmware 2/2.1)
> sources: Logitech Touch, Windows+foobar (both are dropout free using other DACs as FiiO X3, ODAC, etc)
> ...


 
  
 No dropouts here either using JRiver 20 on a Levnovo T520 Windows 7 Pro using LH's ASIO driver on all formats (multiple resolution hi-res FLAC, DSD).


----------



## jaywillin

nando1970 said:


> Anyone experiencing dropouts?
> 
> I have dropouts with my Pulse (February, Firmware 2/2.1)
> sources: Logitech Touch, Windows+foobar (both are dropout free using other DACs as FiiO X3, ODAC, etc)
> ...


 
 been listening to my x/f/i constantly since friday, i've not had one single hiccup, no pops, clicks, anything, i've used it as a dac/amp, and as a dac for the LD mkiii, everything perfect (jriver 20, dell inspiron, windows 7 pro, lh wasapi?)


----------



## uzi

nando1970 said:


> Anyone experiencing dropouts?


 
 I have no problem when using my Xfi units from my laptop via USB, but I do have dropouts on both units when connecting my Blu Ray player via SPDIF -- with either SPDIF port, though it makes an odd noise-ish sound on one channel with one of the SPDIF port and just a silent dropout on the other.  As it's my only device with SPDIF output, I can't determine if it's the Blu Ray player or the Pulses.
  
 I guess I should try toslink as well...


----------



## longbowbbs

uzi said:


> nando1970 said:
> 
> 
> > Anyone experiencing dropouts?
> ...


 
 Interesting. I had no drop outs from any input during the review period.


----------



## uzi

longbowbbs said:


> Interesting. I had no drop outs from any input during the review period.


 
 Well, and I want to reiterate that I'm uncertain which device is to blame, so I don't want to point any fingers yet.
  
 The Blu-ray player in question is a hacked Pioneer BDP-150 which also plays SACDs (hacked to play all regions Blu-rays and DVDs).


----------



## walfredo

smial1966 said:


> Because audiophile backers are always chasing that elusive extra percent(age) performance gain and are lulled into buying perks by persuasive marketing speal and the promise of enhanced fidelity. LH Labs are masters of milking the proverbial backer cash cow, and invariably ramp up the cost of purchasing an initially  inexpensive product by offering seemingly indispensable 'perks' to elevate the performance of your item to astonishing levels of fidelity.


 
 The problem is when the upgrade perk is *really* indispensable: 


 Upgrade Wave 32 to Wave 64 - Save $70 on the price of a Geek Wave 64 by upgrading from the Geek Wave 32 you backed earlier this year! For only $132, you'll get the juicy goodness of zero jitter WiFi and Bluetooth plus double the internal storage! Not to mention, your shipment won't be delayed because of our flash NVRAM vendor's decision to delay shipments of their 8GB modules indefinitely (we're looking for a new vendor, but it's not looking good).


----------



## walfredo

nando1970 said:


> Anyone experiencing dropouts?
> 
> I have dropouts with my Pulse (February, Firmware 2/2.1)
> sources: Logitech Touch, Windows+foobar (both are dropout free using other DACs as FiiO X3, ODAC, etc)
> ...


 

 I have experienced hiss/distortion/pops for a little bit, but then it went away on its own.  (I have no clue on what happened.)
  
 Do you have the latest firmware?  Can you try a different power supply?  Or at least another outlet?


----------



## jaywillin

well, i waited over a year , but a promise is a promise, but damn i'll miss this
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/757004/lhlabs-geek-pulse-x-f-i-and-lps4-2g-usb-cable-104
  
@kugino  not long huh ??


----------



## kugino

@jaywillin a little longer than I expected  I got you beat, though...sold mine before even receiving it! 

kudos on selling at a very fair price...shouldn't last too long.


----------



## Maelob

uzi said:


> Well, and I want to reiterate that I'm uncertain which device is to blame, so I don't want to point any fingers yet.
> 
> The Blu-ray player in question is a hacked Pioneer BDP-150 which also plays SACDs (hacked to play all regions Blu-rays and DVDs).



double check blue ray setting not set to bitstream but pcm


----------



## jaywillin

kugino said:


> @jaywillin a little longer than I expected
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 oh, i had mine sold(2-3 months ago), but i haven't heard from him in over a month, despite me messaging him, and i checked his profile a few times, and he's been online at least twice since my first message asking if he still wanted it, he'd even given me a small non-refundable deposit (his idea). i'm a little glad it fell through, i was going to ship unopened, this way, i got to hear it, and if i hadn't made a deal with the boss lady, i'd keep this sucker, it is one great sounding piece of kit
  
 oh, and the wife said don't give it away, i just don't to loose any money, and it's worth more than $1200 soundwise IMO
 so, i figured, at the price including the 2g cable, was a very fair


----------



## zenpunk

Last time I checked, there were a dozen Pulse in the For Sale forum...
 They must sound so mind-blowing most people just can't handle it.


----------



## jaywillin

well, i do wish, i wish i was keeping mine, that's for sure


----------



## jaywillin

jaywillin said:


> well, i do wish, i wish i was keeping mine, that's for sure


 
 i did get caught up in "perk-o-palooza" , and the wife has been so good with all my previous spending here, i figured its time for her to get something nice


----------



## nudd

Right. I didn't order a Wave 32 but I thought one of the option they should have offered would be a flex or a flex plus 32 gig card as a no additional cost alternative.



walfredo said:


> The problem is when the upgrade perk is *really* indispensable:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## mscott58

For my desktop setup the new dimensions of the Infinity and the HPA work perfectly as my little shelf area is 10" wide, so the 9.5" will slot in perfectly. I think I can tuck the LPS4 in behind them, turned on its side.


----------



## uncola

I also love the new chassis size. If I hadn't upgraded to vi dac infinity plus 1 I'd be really happy with it


----------



## Ostrichcized

So I've been lurking here for a while, watching all 400+ pages of other people spelling out every one of the issues that I've faced through this crowdfunding ordeal. Just wanted to post that I got my Verb's today. I've got a pretty reasonable collection of IEM's, so I'm not sure what I was expecting for $39, but I figured I'd give them a try after my Klipsch S4's died last month. All I can say is that I'm not impressed. The frequency distribution isn't pleasant to me at all, with the low end being completely muddied and a severe lack of mids. The fit is better than stock Apple jobs, as these are inserted into the ear canal. The cable to each side from the splitter is pretty thin and monophonic, and I wouldn't imagine that they would last long if worn regularly, based on my previous experience with many an IEM death from a broken wire to one side. Fortunately, I won't ever have to worry about that, because I don't think the sound is as good as the stock Apple phones, and these won't have a place in my rotation. I'm not sure who LH is targeting at the MSRP, but I wouldn't buy another pair even at the "special, discounted, once in forever" $39 price. I don't do Beats or Sskullcandy, but the S4's, UE SuperFi3, and HiFiMan RE-400 that I've used as my "beater" IEM's sound significantly better to me. Maybe there's a reason I've never been tempted by sub $100 IEMs before. Anyway, I've learned a $39 lesson and won't buy anything that I can't listen to first, or return.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

For me its $39 curiosity. Can give it to my friends as gift if need be.
  
 I'm happy with my UM Mentor (for now).


----------



## uzi

Have any of you guys tried using the Geek Pulse via non-USB connections?  It works nicely for me via USB, but in trying both SPDIF (both ports) and Toslink, things didn't go so well.
  
 With SPDIF, the dropouts are occasional, but enough to be annoying -- in this case, the Pulse was connected to a Blu-ray player I have.
  
 With Toslink, I connected from my Macbook Pro using a Toslink cable and a mini-Toslink to Toslink adapter.  This cable works very nicely with an Audio-gd NFB-12 I have, so I have no reason to believe the problem is either with my laptop or the cable.  In this Toslink case, the dropouts are so severe as to be unlistenable -- things are dropped out more than they're playing.
  
 Anyone else have any better luck?


----------



## uzi

maelob said:


> double check blue ray setting not set to bitstream but pcm


 
 Good suggestion -- it was on PCM and I tried bitstream for the hell of it.  I noticed no difference either way.


----------



## smial1966

You have to remember that you're an early adopter guinea pig that LH Labs use to highlight any firmware and connectivity glitches, as it's inordinately more thorough and considerably less expensive to let users report problems than employing a specialist to debug usage peculiarities. It's crowdfunding baby!




uzi said:


> Good suggestion -- it was on PCM and I tried bitstream for the hell of it.  I noticed no difference either way.


----------



## uzi

smial1966 said:


> You have to remember that you're an early adopter guinea pig that LH Labs use to highlight any firmware and connectivity glitches, as it's inordinately more thorough and considerably less expensive to let users report problems than employing a specialist to debug usage peculiarities. It's crowdfunding baby!


 
 True -- though connecting device A into input B is hardly a usage peculiarity ... unless (from my standpoint) they only expected folks to use USB ...


----------



## frankrondaniel

uzi said:


> Have any of you guys tried using the Geek Pulse via non-USB connections?  It works nicely for me via USB, but in trying both SPDIF (both ports) and Toslink, things didn't go so well.
> 
> With SPDIF, the dropouts are occasional, but enough to be annoying -- in this case, the Pulse was connected to a Blu-ray player I have.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Just did a quick test using coax-out of my X3 and DX90.  Worked ok except very annoying that I had to reboot the Pulse to go back and forth between the inputs.  I'm not sure if this is a known issue.  Another thing I noticed is the sound was decidedly less to my liking via coax compared to USB (with the LPS).  Coax had more of the negative sound characteristics that I associate with Sabre chips (brightness or glare - not sure what the right word would be).


----------



## marflao

smial1966 said:


> You have to remember that you're an early adopter guinea pig that LH Labs use to highlight any firmware and connectivity glitches, as it's inordinately more thorough and considerably less expensive to let users report problems than employing a specialist to debug usage peculiarities. It's crowdfunding baby!




Hmm...they already had some spdif issues with the standard Pulse therefore i would have assumed "some lessons learnt".


----------



## ejong7

Not sure when it was published, but the new Q2M chip perk is back up until 6/3/15


----------



## uncola

uzi you have one of the xfi from the early batch where they said they had to throw all the pcb away because of impedance problems causing toslink/spdif to not work right?  and they only had 80 that worked and they said they'd test them for a long time to make sure the spdif/toslink kept working?  looks like they didn't test them long enough


----------



## AxelCloris

The HPA V181 arrived today. I've been listening for a few hours and I have to say that the MBP > LPS4 > GO SE (TCM) > HPA V181 is an excellent combination. Seriously impressive. Now I'm super excited to eventually get my hands on the Pulse X Infinity and tube HPA combo.


----------



## flohmann

On my Xfi, I had dropouts on the AES input on the digital filter settings other than TCM or FRM. Turns out, the other two aren't implemented yet, so I don't mind the dropouts so much on those. 
  
 My unit is also unwilling to lock to the coax output from a Sonos Connect, but works fine when the same output is run through my Genesis Lens and output via coax from there. Also had to change setting in MIDI Audio Settings before the USB from my Macbook worked.
  
 Anyway, testing configurations continues. But initial sonic impressions are very positive.


----------



## a_recording

Lachlan here. A month ago I posted a video that demonstrated issues with my Geek Pulse that were severe enough to damage a headphone, and which did in fact blow my Takstar Pro 80's. It was suggested by some people that it was irresponsible and premature to post the video without getting Light Harmonic's response, while some other people were glad to be alerted to a possible issue.
  
 I'm here to give an update on exactly what has happened since then: *nothing*.
  

  
 The unit is still sitting on my desk. It has been a month. My last contact was 9 days ago: I was told that the person my ticket was assigned to (Manny) was reassigned and couldn't respond to tickets. 
  
 You would think that if there is a problem severe enough to destroy a pair of headphones, LH Labs would want to get the unit into their lab ASAP to see what is going on. Maybe so that they could prevent any other units from being shipped out with the same issue.
  
 Instead it has been sitting on my desk for a month. In that time I have received 12 email updates about the various other crowdfunding campaigns and perks that LH is concurrently spruiking. Glad to see they have their priorities in order.
  
 Yesterday, I got an email from someone who received their Geek Pulse, *only to have it blow the right channel on their AKG K7XX*. They were upset, but were uncomfortable about reporting the issue on a public forum.
  
 I'd like to urge anyone who has had issues with their pulse to come forward. It's a matter of real urgency if there are units being shipped that can damage headphones.
  
*To that end I've prepared an anonymous Google form to get actual numbers on how many Geek Pulse units have shipped and how many have had issues.* This way we can get an accurate picture instead of conjecture. You can respond to the form here: http://goo.gl/forms/AR827KTu3t
  
 Please share this form with other people who know have ordered a Geek Pulse so that we can get some more accurate numbers.


----------



## miceblue

a_recording said:


> The unit is still sitting on my desk. It has been a month. My last contact was 9 days ago: I was told that the person my ticket was assigned to (Manny) was reassigned and couldn't respond to tickets.



Welp, so much for that.
http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/3394-resolved-houston-we-ve-got-a-problem?start=25#56535

That thread has been locked.


I wonder if they even knew which ticket was yours.


----------



## a_recording

miceblue said:


> I wonder if they even knew which ticket was yours.


 
  
 Apparently they did not know which ticket was mine. I do not want special treatment because I made a public Youtube video about it. I want to know how many Geek Pulses have shipped, and if there is a potential issue that causes it to blow headphones. When LH says they reached out, this means that Casey added me on Skype. We were not able to co-ordinate a Skype call due to timezone differences. This is the extent of the communication. There was no follow up.
  
 I think a serious issue like this warrants a follow up, but again I did not continually complain about this issue because I wanted to see how this would be dealt with if I went through the normal support ticket system. Evidently, the result is that it gets passed to 3 different people and nothing gets done for a month.


----------



## a_recording

miceblue said:


> Welp, so much for that.
> http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/3394-resolved-houston-we-ve-got-a-problem?start=25#56535
> 
> That thread has been locked.


 
  
 Aagh reading that thread infuriates me. I didn't even post that thread but Manny seems pretty satisfied that it was a job well done on their end. I'll put it down to severe miscommunication but the lack of follow up is really galling. Meanwhile, the thread that I posted in to actually report the issue personally never got any official reply: http://lhlabs.com/force/techsupport-geekpulse/3356-geek-pulse-popping-led-flickering-issue


----------



## miceblue

a_recording said:


> Aagh reading that thread infuriates me. I didn't even post that thread but Manny seems pretty satisfied that it was a job well done on their end. I'll put it down to severe miscommunication but the lack of follow up is really galling. Meanwhile, the thread that I posted in to actually report the issue personally never got any official reply: http://lhlabs.com/force/techsupport-geekpulse/3356-geek-pulse-popping-led-flickering-issue



Yeah.....their support system is pretty mixed/lackluster from my experience too. I started a thread two months ago about a buzzing noise with the LPS4 when both the USB out and 12 V out are used at the same time and an official LH representative still hasn't replied in that thread despite others experiencing similar issues. I opened a ticket last month and the issue still hasn't been solved. Someone else had their unit exchanged and the problem still persisted. That same person had a Skype call with an LH representative about it and was told that they would look into the issue and an explanation would be given in about 1.5 weeks (about now actually).

I did have 1 really great support ticket interaction with Jody though and he replied to my inquiries within an hour, so that was awesome.


----------



## FayeForever

So either LHL got screwed by pcb board house big time or their QC somehow degraded tremendously.
I don't remember pulse had these many issues shipped last year.


----------



## a_recording

fayeforever said:


> I don't remember pulse had these many issues shipped last year.


 
  
 And I'm not necessarily claiming that there *are* that many issues, though obviously blown headphones are a very serious issue even if isolated.
  
 The form is to get some independent corroboration on LH's numbers, and to make it anonymous so some people who might be uncomfortable about reporting an issue might do so now.


----------



## FayeForever

I wasn't indicating your post, I drew that conclusion myself from browsing the forum.
 If my headphone was is blown I wouldn't mind reporting issue publicly and demand they cover my lost.


----------



## zerodeefex

a_recording said:


> fayeforever said:
> 
> 
> > I don't remember pulse had these many issues shipped last year.
> ...




Over in another nook of the internet we're not seeing as many issues. However, I think you got stuck in the Manny vortex. Guy seems super overworked and I've noticed the newer dedicated reps are more on the ball related to following up on support issues (I've had some questions about my contributions and a PEBKAC problem with my Linux box).

Honestly, I'd open another ticket and PM chartwell85 here to make sure it gets taken care of. I think LH is still growing/learning how to go from a few orders of an expensive product to thousands of orders. These are good growing pains even if the kinks are painful right now.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

So if that display flickers, do not plug anything into the device that you would care to keep using!


----------



## a_recording

zerodeefex said:


> Honestly, I'd open another ticket and PM chartwell85 here to make sure it gets taken care of. I think LH is still growing/learning how to go from a few orders of an expensive product to thousands of orders.


 
  
 Thanks for the suggestion, it would probably be the fastest way - but it seems absurd I have to bypass the actual support ticketing system that they encourage people to use, just to get an adequate response.
  
 I am happy to cut the company some slack when it comes to minor teething issues. But I would have thought it would have been a priority to address a hardware that can damage headphones. I don't feel like the level of follow up was adequate given the seriousness of the issue. It shouldn't be up to me to second guess how wrecked their support ticket system is and go around chasing people with PMs.
  
 This isn't directed at you zerodeefex, I'm just really frustrated at this point.


----------



## chartwell85

a_recording said:


> Lachlan here. A month ago I posted a video that demonstrated issues with my Geek Pulse that were severe enough to damage a headphone, and which did in fact blow my Takstar Pro 80's. It was suggested by some people that it was irresponsible and premature to post the video without getting Light Harmonic's response, while some other people were glad to be alerted to a possible issue.
> 
> I'm here to give an update on exactly what has happened since then: *nothing*.
> 
> ...


 
 Hi Lachland,
  
 In response to your most recent posting here, I thought I'd circle back and hop in on this discussion with you.  
  
 As you recall, immediately after you posted your video of your Geek Pulse, I reached out directly to you via your own blog, Facebook page, YouTube channel, Geek Force Forum and your posting in this forum.  I was more than happy to provide you with my direct contact info (Skype, cell phone number & email address) to address your concerns with your odd ball Pulse unit.  Obviously there's an issue with it, hence, me personally reaching out to you in order to rectify the situation.  
  
 Just to reiterate, there's obviously an issue with your Geek Pulse.  The flickering light is an indication of this.  While your Pulse has an issue, we still stand behind the less than 5% failure rate and continue to monitor it diligently.  We have yet to receive any other reports of Pulse's blowing headphones nor have we received any RMA's with similar circumstances of the flickering light such as the one on your unit is experiencing.  
  
 As for your RMA ticket that you opened, I had addressed those concerns directly with you in hopes that it would expedite the process.  That offer is still on the table if you'd like to act on it.  
  
 Despite the negative posts in the forums, we receive plenty of praise directly from our customers, via email, daily.  For example, this email came in recently:


> "Thank you sir for addressing this problem with such a hands-on approach. I know the forums can sometimes sound hostile but I will be sure to share this very positive experience on the forums. Much appreciated! Please share this email with Gavin and Larry "


  
 We've also received positive reviews in our forum as well: http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/3682-pulse-xfi-impression-with-lps4-lightspeed-10g-split


> While your approach to handling this situation has been less than pleasant, we stand by our commitment to fixing the issues associated with our product and welcome any and all feedback regarding the process by which it's handled.


  
 To recap.  We're privy to the issues you're experiencing with our product and would like to discuss them more in depth with you via the channels I've detailed above.  I sincerely hope we can move forward and solve the issues your experiencing both professionally and in a timely manner.
  
 Best regards,
  
 Casey Hartwell


----------



## greenkiwi

Back on a separate note, I was delinquent in providing the responses to the Vi DAC survey.  Here you go:
  
 https://webkiwi.typeform.com/report/oFGpKk/zyoh
  
 This should be viewable by everyone.


----------



## a_recording

chartwell85 said:


> Hi Lachland,


 
  
 Hi Casey!
  
 Here was my message to you on the forum a month ago.
  


> HI Casey,
> 
> Thank you for reaching out. I have quite a few questions regarding the Geek Pulse and Light Harmonic, and I would appreciate it if you would be able to provide some answers. You can reach me on Skype with username 'lachlan.tsang' otherwise you may email me at lachlanlikesathing@gmail.com. Unfortunately due to timezone problems (I am in Australia) it may be harder to arrange a time for a call. Look forward to speaking with you.


 
  
 Was this "less than pleasant?"
  
 Do you think it was adequate follow up to add me on Skype and then never to send me a message or email when I had told you beforehand I live in Australia and it would be hard to arrange a call?
  
 Can you tell me why I have to speak with the digital marketing manager to get an issue like this resolved instead of going through the normal support ticketing system?
  
 You say you are sincerely hope this will be resolved professionally. Do you think it is in anyway professional to let a customer have a support ticket go unresolved for a month, and then to tell them they are acting less than pleasant?


----------



## zenpunk

Typical answer from LH Labs, and as always, completely oblivious of their own shortcomings and blaming others for their incompetence.


----------



## chartwell85

a_recording said:


> Hi Casey!
> 
> Here was my message to you on the forum a month ago.
> 
> ...


 

 Hey Lachlan,
  
 Thanks for the prompt response.  
  
 And here was my response to your PM in the forum 
  


 I stated I was available anytime for a call and added you minutes later on Skype in hopes that would expedite our interaction. 
  
 The reason I reached out directly was simple.  Your video post concerned us.  If your unit is malfunctioning we wanted to address the situation head-on and in the most direct manner.  Hence, why I stepped in.  
  
 It's never professional to have a support ticket remain in limbo for a month.  But that's not what happened here. 
  
 My communication with you via, basically, every social and private channel you have in hopes that you'd follow up with me should show how seriously we took this matter.  
  
 You have my contact info (along with everybody else in the world now) and I still welcome the opportunity to speak with you further.


----------



## a_recording

chartwell85 said:


> My communication with you via, basically, every social and private channel you have in hopes that you'd follow up with me should show how seriously we took this matter.


 
  
 Okay, so that I understand what you are saying: you took my issue seriously enough to take the 10 seconds to add me on Skype, but once you added me you didn't take it seriously enough to message me or email me, or otherwise to follow up when I told you that because of my timezone, it may be harder to arrange a call? Suddenly when the conversation goes into a private channel the onus is all on me to follow up?
  
 I understand that some miscommunication may have occurred here. But I absolutely will not accept you telling me I dealt with this less than pleasantly. I have been more than pleasant about this - I've been quiet. I've been quietly waiting to see how the support ticket system would work for an ordinary customer who experienced a severe issue. LH has dropped the ball - with the support tickets, with the failure to follow up, with the actual fault of the unit itself - and I am absolutely floored that you would be defensive enough to call my handling of the situation unpleasant.


----------



## evillamer

zenpunk said:


> Typical answer from LH Labs, and as always, completely oblivious of their own shortcomings and blaming others for their incompetence.




I doubt any customer will be pleasant to LHL if their precious TOTL headphones gets damaged by plugging into geek pulse.


----------



## gyx11

Well to be fair to LHL, it's not like they're not trying.
  
 I recently opened up a PM on the support system regarding some infuriating confusion (and lack of transparency) of my purchases and perks. Now before I get into that further, let me first state up front that it is partially my fault for not keeping up with all the updates as of late. There's just too many emails and too many new things that I kinda got lost.
  
 It took about a week and a half for me to get a reply from Stephanie, saying that my ticket was being redirected to the relevant personnel. To this I was quite incredulous because I waited a week just to receive a reply saying that the ticket is being forwarded?! So I prepared to wait for another week or so before my ticket was actually addressed...
  
 But to my pleasant surprise, I received a reply the very next day. Manny was the guy whom replied, and although my ticket was actually quite long and littered with lots of facts and figures, it was apparent that he bothered to read through it and understand my point. I was impressed because this is an improvement compared to previous instances where either it was clear that my tickets were being glanced through and the replies weren't even addressing my initial concerns, or I was getting replied with simple one-liners (that only happened with Carlos though) followed by ticket closures.
  
 However, despite all of this (just a heads up: Manny has been really courteous in all his replies!), I actually found out that a request that I made months ago regarding changing of perks/products apparently hasn't even been registered in the system. On top of that, Manny's reply was ambiguous, something along the lines of 'sure we can do that', when in fact I had mentioned 2-3 different suggestions, and hence din't know which 'that' he was referring to. So essentially, I'm still kinda in the dark about my own orders and where I stand. Ouch.
  
 Manny did tell me to drop back in once the new cataloguing system/database is in place though, and I figured I might as well wait until LHL are able to (as they suggested) reflect my change of orders within the system. I'm not sure why it's such a tedious process, but I'll continue to remain patient, and in the meanwhile maintain my daily struggle to process the overwhelming number of changes and alterations.
  
 The point of this is to say that the CS team of LHL, as per what I feel, are really trying their utmost best to process everything in a timely manner. The problem is just that the task they have at hand is a practical impossibility. Part of my opened ticket quoted an update from the old Geek Wave campaign which was since taken down. Another part quoted an earlier ticket regarding an issue which first surfaced due to communication issues on the part of LHL during the very first cancelled Geek Wave campaign (which later became the new Geek Stream).
  
 I tried to imagine myself as Manny... I'd probably have smashed my keyboard.
  
 The larger issue at hand is this. The CS team at LHL are improving. But they're expanding at a rate which is still slower than the product growth of LHL. So in the scheme of things whilst they are ironing the kinks out, there's stil 3 more kinks appearing for every 2 kinks they resolve! Which in other words means, the level of relative improvement is extremely small.
  
 I hope this post is taken more as a constructive suggestion rather than as a criticism. CS is improving, but they need an extended stretch of stability for them to consolidate and establish themselves properly. And the solution to this is: stop the perks and new campaigns, at least for a short period of time. Maybe just 2 weeks or so of focusing entirely on development, shipping and CS queries, and none on marketing and product creation. Steady the ship for a while, and then continue with expanding the breath and scope of Geek products.


----------



## Madeupword

@a_recording "Less than pleasant" might be directed to your Youtube video which you noted, "It was suggested by some people that it was irresponsible and premature to post the video without getting Light Harmonic's response.."
  
 "*To that end I've prepared an anonymous Google form to get actual numbers on how many Geek Pulse units have shipped and how many have had issues.* This way we can get an accurate picture instead of conjecture." Likewise, this would at most, form an inconclusive sample without the real numbers. The variables (anonymity, sample size, sample's mindset)  are likely to form a conjecture than fact.
  
 When Casey mentioned, he was available anytime and asked for you to notify what's best for you, I read it as, he was willing to set up conference in your convenience but of course for you to reply with the details. I've seen Casey replying to comments during late hours (PST), and know several Light Harmonic employees working after hours.
  
 I am only speaking as a Light Harmonic backer, I am not an employee and I have raised questions many times.


----------



## miceblue

Whee. I got my RMA for the LPS4 unit I have. I'm surprised they have staff working at midnight, unless the message was automated to be sent then.

They still haven't provided a technical explanation behind the issue though despite acknowledging it. As mentioned, someone who got an exchanged unit has the same issue as before, so I'm afraid that I'd have to pay for shipping twice if my exchanged unit indeed has the same issue. >.>


Oh, the Houston We've Got A Problem thread got updated by Larry a few minutes ago about the LPS issue (not Lachlan's though).


> Hi,
> 
> Ben is trying to duplicate the issue you have. If needed, we will try to arrange a quick in-depth about how the buzz was and what is the real issue there because this is the second units you have.
> 
> ...


----------



## shsh

All I can see from lhlabs = new perks.
  
 The "promised" survey for updating of address and existing perks never comes, it is really frustrating. The usual reply was always next week, but never happened.
  
 I ordered a Geek Pulse X Infinity cost around $1000 USD,
 From what I read, parts of the delays are also from QCing. Was QC even done properly?
  
 Imagine waiting for 2 years for a Pulse X Infinity that ends up blowing your headphones.


----------



## deskmate

gyx11 said:


> * And the solution to this is: stop the perks and new campaigns, at least for a short period of time. Maybe just 2 weeks or so of focusing entirely on development, shipping and CS queries, and none on marketing and product creation. *


 
  
 Well said, exactly!
  
 But sadly I don't think they can stop the new campaigns. With their business model, they need the money from the new campaigns in order to continue funding the old campaigns. Because with all the lengthy delays, the original budgets set aside for the old campaigns would have been used up a long time ago.


----------



## TopQuark

LH Labs should just really send out a pre-labeled return box or inform you that they are paying for the shipment back, give you an RMA#, repair the unit, and tell everyone what the problem was and it was fixed.
  
 There are just too many talks thrown but lacked action.
  
 I did not see anything unpleasant at all in reporting your blown headphones.  Who lost here?  And there was no sense of urgency fix it?  Meantime, they were so busy preparing for 12 perks all those times?  Unbelievable.
  
 Casey, you've been very nice but there is no excuse here.  Please do this guy a favor and get it done.


----------



## a_recording

deskmate said:


> With their business model, they need the money from the new campaigns in order to continue funding the old campaigns. Because with all the lengthy delays, the original budgets set aside for the old campaigns would have been used up a long time ago.


 
  
 I think it would be relevant to draw a comparison here: 
  


> A *Ponzi scheme* is a fraudulent investment operation where the operator, an individual or organization, pays returns to its investors from new capital paid to the operators by new investors, rather than from profit earned by the operator. Operators of Ponzi schemes usually entice new investors by offering higher returns than other investments, in the form of short-term returns that are either abnormally high or unusually consistent. Ponzi schemes occasionally begin as legitimate businesses, until the business fails to achieve the returns expected. The business becomes a Ponzi scheme if it then continues under fraudulent terms. Whatever the initial situation, the perpetuation of the high returns requires an ever-increasing flow of money from new investors to sustain the scheme.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Replace "returns" with "hardware".


----------



## smial1966

*Please see reassuring update from Larry Ho below. *
  
*ALL PULSE INFINITY BACKERS:*
  
*If you have upgraded your Pulse Xfi to Pulse Infinity please confirm with LH Labs via a support ticket that they've noted your recent contributions, as this might not be done automatically, despite what we've been repeatedly assured by LH Labs.*
  
*Despite the following Indiegogo contributions...*
  
22 December - $168 USD - Movin' On Up
23 December - $168 USD - THD Performance Upgrade Package
27 December - $129 USD - Peek Pulse Xfi Naked Resistors 
21 January    - $22   USD - 2015 ESS DAC 9018AQ2M Upgrade
09 February  -  $22  USD  - Pulse Infinity 2015 ESS DAC Upgrade
 
*...this morning I received shipping confirmation for a Pulse Xfi. DOH! *
 
*I haven't paid for an Pulse Xfi but a Pulse Infinity with Naked Resistors and the newly revised casework. To make matters worse I'm an international backer so face paying import duty/taxes on a unit that I don't want, and will have to pay expensive shipping to return. *
 
*What happened to LH Labs assurance not to worry that our perks/contributions summary hadn't been updated as their support team was working to rectify this?!?*
 
*Of course I opened a support ticket the moment that the shipping email dropped into my inbox, but what the heck do I do now LH Labs?  *




* *


----------



## Larry Ho

smial1966 said:


> *ALL PULSE INFINITY BACKERS:*
> 
> *If you have upgraded your Pulse Xfi to Pulse Infinity please confirm with LH Labs via a support ticket that they've noted your recent contributions, as this might not be done automatically, despite what we've been repeatedly assured by LH Labs.*
> 
> ...


 

 Hi, there
  
 Already forward your message to shipping team. I think they already use software to connect the upgrades to all backer's item. There might be one disconnection there. 
  
 You will get your Geek Pulse Infinite, the records are all kept there. 
  
 Thanks,
 Larry


----------



## smial1966

Thanks Larry!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


larry ho said:


> Hi, there
> 
> Already forward your message to shipping team. I think they already use software to connect the upgrades to all backer's item. There might be one disconnection there.
> 
> ...


----------



## ejong7

Just sidetracking this a bit but, 2 DAC chip upgrade perks? lol


----------



## smial1966

Thanks for reminding me.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


ejong7 said:


> Just sidetracking this a bit but, 2 DAC chip upgrade perks? lol


----------



## uncola

I'm also in the 2 DAC chip perk club . Once for infinity and once after my vi DAC upgrade. Its the secret r2r upgrade


----------



## mscott58

a_recording said:


> I think it would be relevant to draw a comparison here:
> 
> 
> Replace "returns" with "hardware".


 
 Wow. This "ponzi" thing has been discussed so many times and each time shown how the comparison is not valid. Can't believe it's coming up again. 
  
 And the concept of publishing a survey to get 'real data' is interesting, but seriously flawed in design. There is no way to get past selection bias, as the people who are most likely to respond are also most likely the ones with issues, so the data would only be reinforcing the authors own viewpoint. 
  
 Seems like some people are potentially purposefully looking for things to be wrong.
  
 Return the defective units, get things fixed and move on.


----------



## gyx11

Oh dear, don't wish to get drawn into the debate again.
  
@chartwell85 

 Can I please clarify how the issue of the Pulse xfi -> Vi DAC price discrepancy is being resolved? Meaning the original perk up which required the initial backers to pay a whole lot more than the $300 which was offered for a brief after the Vi DAC standalone campaign was launched (before being taken down abruptly).
  
 I asked Manny this question in my ticket, and he told me that the $300 perk was a mistake and should have been 3 times higher ($900?). He mentioned that the 40 or so backers whom had jumped on the $300 perk were being contacted individually to come to some kind of compromise. Can we please have an update as to what the latest decision/news is with regards to that?
  
 Thank you!


----------



## nudd

Ok. So the dac perk is out again. Where is the promised update as to how the new chip improves the sound. 

Last I heard Larry was testing and couldn't wait to share the results with us. 

also if I don't want to wait can I get an infinite in the existing case?


----------



## Decoy

With all these problems, I find it interesting that they are asking the full $999 for a Geek Pulse Desktop DAC.  Why on Earth would I pay full retail price now instead of waiting until all this nonsense is over and still pay the exact same price?


----------



## mcullinan

How much does the Ponzi perk cost?


----------



## jexby

mscott58 said:


> Wow. This "ponzi" thing has been discussed so many times and each time shown how the comparison is not valid. Can't believe it's coming up again.
> 
> And the concept of publishing a survey to get 'real data' is interesting, but seriously flawed in design. There is no way to get past selection bias, as the people who are most likely to respond are also most likely the ones with issues, so the data would only be reinforcing the authors own viewpoint.
> 
> ...


 
  
 dude, +1. THIS^^
  
 I understand the point of broken units, frustration and needing a place to vent. at first.
 but once a user is hell bent on the propaganda and agenda driven rants, it appears such users don't even attempt to get the problem/defective unit fixed.
 and get their kicks from re-peat postings on every audio forum instead of dealing with the company Rep (who cares what his title is?) to FIX the issue.
  
 for all the moderation on head-fi any time a thread goes off topic discussing, god forbid, someone's favorite album-
 to have to wade through the repetition of posts piling on with no constructive data or input, makes for true off topic boredom.
 almost makes me want to unsub and forget attempting any helpful dialogue in this hobby....


----------



## jexby

Quote: 





deskmate said:


> Well said, exactly!
> 
> But sadly I don't think they can stop the new campaigns. With their business model, they need the money from the new campaigns in order to continue funding the old campaigns. Because with all the lengthy delays, the original budgets set aside for the old campaigns would have been used up a long time ago.


 
  
  
 this post is complete speculation, with no facts, evidence or internal company knowledge to support a thing.
 Have you seen the balance sheet for the Pulse project?   I haven't.
 for all we know (or don't) there are new advancements or products forthcoming for which we have no clue.
  
 the LH Labs/IGG business model might be crowd designing or crowd funding- but it's not Everyone-Behind-the-Curtain where LH Labs owes anyone zero transparency.
 everyone can speculate and guess randomly.  how fun.
  
 I heard there's a perk coming up for Unicorn dust that when rubbed on USB cables reduces packet resistance.
 and makes them sparkly.
  
 welcome to my block list.


----------



## Phishin Phool

jexby said:


> this post is complete speculation, with no facts, evidence or internal company knowledge to support a thing.
> Have you seen the balance sheet for the Pulse project?   I haven't.
> for all we know (or don't) there are new advancements or products forthcoming for which we have no clue.
> 
> ...


 
 It wouldn't surprise me one bit if that perk appeared. LH has EARNED every bit of criticism and doubt cast their way. Inept bungling time after time and failure to follow through on things told to backers result in you reaping what you sow. I know there are plenty still high on the perk train but some of us got off a while ago. Hopefully since all that is due me at this point is a vanilla pulse it will arrive soon and then I can leave this thread never to return.


----------



## zenpunk

While I agree it is pure speculation without evidence you just need to read and understand the definition of a ponzi scheme to realise LH Labs' business model so far is sadly and worryingly similar.
 I am pretty sure it was never LH Labs intention to begin with but now unfortunately the firm and all its backers face the high risks associated with such scheme and it won't take much for them to fall if they continue on the same path.


----------



## AxelCloris

I have a quick question for anyone who has reported dropouts with their Pulse via USB, are you using an LPS? And if so, are you running the USB signal through the LPS with a non-split USB cable?


----------



## jexby

I'm off the perk train- just waiting on Pulse X Infinity w/ new case.
  
 folks wanting the Wave, speaker amps, rack based Vi systems - I shall be happy when they get their products.
 and surprised if they don't.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

miceblue said:


> Whee. I got my RMA for the LPS4 unit I have. I'm surprised they have staff working at midnight, unless the message was automated to be sent then.
> 
> They still haven't provided a technical explanation behind the issue though despite acknowledging it. As mentioned, someone who got an exchanged unit has the same issue as before, so I'm afraid that I'd have to pay for shipping twice if my exchanged unit indeed has the same issue. >.>
> 
> ...


 
 Wasn't it decided that to use the LPS4 the way you were trying to, would require the installation of a ground jumper on the LPS4's USB output?
  
 Also, why hasn't a_recording sent his Pulse back for replacement? I would have been hounding LH Labs for an RMA every day, not sitting around waiting for weeks.


----------



## Decoy

If anyone is interested in selling their Geek Pulse X or Xfi 220V for their contribution price, PM me.


----------



## eac3

discosmoke said:


> Also, why hasn't a_recording sent his Pulse back for replacement? I would have been hounding LH Labs for an RMA every day, not sitting around waiting for weeks.


 
  
 Perhaps he doesn't have the time nor the energy to do that, and would rather be patient and see how responsive the ticketing system is. He does reviews "things" for a living (but I can imagine he does have fans wanting an update about the Pulse). For more information about this and he-said/she-said conversations, please refer back to the last few pages of this thread.


----------



## jexby

eac3 said:


> Perhaps he doesn't have the time nor the energy to do that, and would rather be patient and see how responsive the ticketing system is.


 
  
 there can be differing reasons for everything, and we're only left to speculate.  (apparently happens here more-so than actual audio equipment discussion.)
 but for a customer to not have "time nor energy" to resolve a significant failure/damage issue and work with the company promptly/directly smells of either 
  a) a predisposed agenda
 or
  b) gets kicks in life by starting flames on public discussion boards.
  
  
 fixing the problem doesn't appear to be his goal at the moment.
  
 I'd be in that camp of "get me an RMA now!"


----------



## digitalzed

a_recording said:


> Okay, so that I understand what you are saying: you took my issue seriously enough to take the 10 seconds to add me on Skype, but once you added me you didn't take it seriously enough to message me or email me, or otherwise to follow up when I told you that because of my timezone, it may be harder to arrange a call? Suddenly when the conversation goes into a private channel the onus is all on me to follow up?
> 
> I understand that some miscommunication may have occurred here. But I absolutely will not accept you telling me I dealt with this less than pleasantly. I have been more than pleasant about this - I've been quiet. I've been quietly waiting to see how the support ticket system would work for an ordinary customer who experienced a severe issue. LH has dropped the ball - with the support tickets, with the failure to follow up, with the actual fault of the unit itself - and I am absolutely floored that you would be defensive enough to call my handling of the situation unpleasant.


 

 I'd stop standing on ceremony, put your hurt feelings away, and initiate direct contact with Casey yourself. It doesn't matter who should have reached out first as long as it gets resolved.


----------



## eac3

jexby said:


> there can be differing reasons for everything, and we're only left to speculate.  (apparently happens here more-so than actual audio equipment discussion.)
> but for a customer to not have "time nor energy" to resolve a significant failure/damage issue and work with the company promptly/directly


 
  
 Yes, I somehow took DiscoSmoke's comment as literally contacting LH labs every 24 hours or less *starting at Day 1*. *My bad. I misread that.* 
  
  
  


> smells of either
> 
> a) a predisposed agenda
> or
> ...


 
 Yes, like you said. Speculation. Something that I will try my very best to no longer contribute here.


----------



## a_recording

So during the discussion last night, an RMA was arranged for me after I directly provided my support ticket number. Again, I originally submitted one support ticket and a forum post to see what an ordinary customer experience would be like. I had to go outside the support ticket system to actually get support - but it finally seems like things are happening again after a month.
  
 I should also raise two responses from the survey I set up which are worrying: 
  


> Geek Pulse has flickering LED probably and popping. Destroyed a driver on my Beats Solo.  Waiting to hear back from customer service. I hope this is fixed soon. :-


 


> Blown headphones. Almost blown speakers. Playback hiccups.


 
  
 I also have had a private email describing a blown driver on a pair of K7XX units.
  
 LH has stated that they have not heard from anyone else with the same fault that I have. Given that they took 1 month to deal with my support ticket and get an RMA I am guessing that they are not necessarily getting a full picture of faults from the support tickets.
  
 Now the form is anonymous, and therefore as people have pointed out, impossible to verify. There is also obviously selection bias as well. 
  
 But I think it's better to have some numbers than no numbers at all to corroborate numbers that LH has provided. Even if you do not get a comprehensive picture, you may get enough of an idea to see if 63% shipped and 2% failure seems like a reasonable figure out of the total of all Geek Pulse orders. And if there are units shipping out that damage headphones, I think this is relevant to person receiving a Geek Pulse, regardless of the actual proportion of people with issues.


----------



## jexby

I am very GLAD an RMA is happening, albeit at a delayed timeline.
  
 any chance the "1 month support delay" was due to LH Labs switching Support Ticket systems during this time?
 bad timing and all, but still a reason besides just "customer being ignored".


----------



## chartwell85

a_recording said:


> So during the discussion last night, an RMA was arranged for me after I directly provided my support ticket number. Again, I originally submitted one support ticket and a forum post to see what an ordinary customer experience would be like. I had to go outside the support ticket system to actually get support - but it finally seems like things are happening again after a month.
> 
> I should also raise two responses from the survey I set up which are worrying:
> 
> ...


 

 Hey Lachlan,
  
 Wanted to follow up while you were still online.  Are we on for our chat at 3PM PST today?


----------



## a_recording

chartwell85 said:


> Hey Lachland,
> 
> Wanted to follow up while you were still online.  Are we on for our chat at 3PM PST today?


 
  
 Sure, looking forward to speaking with you. 
  
  



jexby said:


> I am very GLAD an RMA is happening, albeit at a delayed timeline.
> 
> any chance the "1 month support delay" was due to LH Labs switching Support Ticket systems during this time?
> bad timing and all, but still a reason besides just "customer being ignored".


 
  
 No, the ticket was opened in the new support system. To be clear - I wasn't completely ignored. The ticket was assigned to Jody, and then to Manny, and then to Tami, and then 9 days ago to Michael, who finally sent me the RMA form last night. This is what is frustrating - 4 different people in the organisation saw that I had a fault severe enough to damage a headphone, and none of them seemed to think it was a priority to get the unit in the lab ASAP and see what was going on.


----------



## jexby

a_recording said:


> No, the ticket was opened in the new support system. To be clear - I wasn't completely ignored. The ticket was assigned to Jody, and then to Manny, and then to Tami, and then 9 days ago to Michael, who finally sent me the RMA form last night. This is what is frustrating - 4 different people in the organisation saw that I had a fault severe enough to damage a headphone, and none of them seemed to think it was a priority to get the unit in the lab ASAP and see what was going on.


 
  
 understood about the new ticket system, glad that wasn't a factor.
 indeed tho:  many hands appeared to touch and pass the ticket, here's hoping Casey straightens out the process and resolution for your Pulse equipment ASAP.
  
 ok, back to the music:
 anyone HAVE a Pulse Xfi in house and can share (more) initial impressions?


----------



## gavn8r

> Geek Pulse has flickering LED probably and popping. Destroyed a driver on my Beats Solo.  Waiting to hear back from customer service. I hope this is fixed soon. :-


 
  


> I also have had a private email describing a blown driver on a pair of K7XX units.


 
  
 I just replied to the ticket that was opened by the K7XX user.  I haven't heard from the owner of the Beats Solos yet.  I think it's important to bring up something that's probably obvious to long-time head-fiers, but maybe not-so-obvious to many people.  It's the issue of power and the potential for system damage, or worse, ear damage.
  
 If you look up the specs of the K7XX's, there are three pieces of information that are very important.  First, sensitivity.  Second, rated impedance.  Third, maximum input power.  In the case of the K7XX's, they have a sensitivity rating of 105 dB/V, and impedance rating of 62 ohms, and a maximum input power of 200 mW.
  
 Geek Pulse has a single-ended output power of 3000 mW into 16 ohms.  Quick calculations will tell you that into 62 ohms, Geek Pulse has a potential of outputting about 790 mW when the volume is set at -0dB.  This is a recipe for broken headphones and, perhaps, a melted face.  Please use with caution.
  
 In the case of Beats Solos, I can't find maximum input power information, but I did find that the sensitivity is 115 dB/V and the rated impedance is 45 ohms.  This means Geek Pulse has a potential of delivering about 1080 mW into these headphones.  Again, I can't find the max power info on these guys, but I'm guessing they won't handle a full watt of power.
  
 PLEASE use this EXTREMELY powerful headphone amp with caution.  Use best practices.  Power it up before it's receiving a signal.  Turn the volume down.  Start the music.  Then connect your headphones.  After a while you'll know where you like things set and you won't be in danger of face meltery.


----------



## a_recording

gavn8r said:


> I just replied to the ticket that was opened by the K7XX user.


 
  
 Would you consider sharing your survey among the contributors just to arrest any question about the numbers and get a more accurate sample?


----------



## gavn8r

a_recording said:


> Would you consider sharing your survey among the contributors just to arrest any question about the numbers and get a more accurate sample?


 

  I'm not sure what you're asking.  Share my survey?


----------



## a_recording

gavn8r said:


> I'm not sure what you're asking.  Share my survey?


 
  
 Sorry, misspoke. I mean sharing this survey: http://goo.gl/forms/AR827KTu3t
  
 That's where that response about the Beats Solo is coming from.


----------



## gavn8r

Are you asking me if we'll share our failure rate numbers?  Or are you asking me to share your survey with other backers?  Sorry, I'm a little slow today, I guess.


----------



## zerodeefex

digitalzed said:


> a_recording said:
> 
> 
> > Okay, so that I understand what you are saying: you took my issue seriously enough to take the 10 seconds to add me on Skype, but once you added me you didn't take it seriously enough to message me or email me, or otherwise to follow up when I told you that because of my timezone, it may be harder to arrange a call? Suddenly when the conversation goes into a private channel the onus is all on me to follow up?
> ...


 
  
 +1 here
  
 I don't know what you want at this point. The head of marketing reaches out, you tell him about your timing concerns so he lets you know he's available at your convenience and reaches out over Skype. I can understand why you're frustrated but that's reasonable effort from my perspective. I get that others have claimed you're fixed and this or that on the forums and in your ticket, but in your shoes I'd probably just make the Skype call to Casey whenever I personally found it convenient. 
  
 Honestly, Casey has done a lot personally for me but I've always reached out to him when I found it convenient. I didn't wait for him after he said to contact him whenever I wanted?


----------



## miceblue

discosmoke said:


> Wasn't it decided that to use the LPS4 the way you were trying to, would require the installation of a ground jumper on the LPS4's USB output?



No it's a separate issue. The floating ground is just for DAC recognition, not necessarily the buzzing sound between the USB and 12 V out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRSxmE-FPDU


> Larry Ho
> 2 weeks ago
> 
> These should be ground loops in the whole system. Not related to 5V USB ground.
> Our technical support are working with them to find out why. And currently we have three similar case out of 400+ shipped out units.﻿


----------



## Anaximandros

gavn8r said:


> If you look up the specs of the K7XX's, there are three pieces of information that are very important.  First, sensitivity.  Second, rated impedance.  Third, maximum input power.  In the case of the K7XX's, they have a sensitivity rating of 105 dB/V, and impedance rating of 62 ohms, and a maximum input power of 200 mW.
> 
> Geek Pulse has a single-ended output power of 3000 mW into 16 ohms.  Quick calculations will tell you that into 62 ohms, Geek Pulse has a potential of outputting about 790 mW when the volume is set at -0dB.  This is a recipe for broken headphones and, perhaps, a melted face.  Please use with caution.
> 
> PLEASE use this EXTREMELY powerful headphone amp with caution.  Use best practices.  Power it up before it's receiving a signal.  Turn the volume down.  Start the music.  Then connect your headphones.  After a while you'll know where you like things set and you won't be in danger of face meltery.


 
  
 Hi Gavin,
  
 this might be due to the volume "spike" in the initial Firmware, when the Pulse reset to full volume after a power cycle or the initial plop from the capacitors, because there is no soft start relay.
 Yes, we should use the amps with care. 
  
 I'm using a NFB-6 amp with the GO right now and that beast outputs 5500mW @ 50 Ohm, whereas the Pulse "only" outputs  roughly 1W @ 50 Ohm. But I never managed to blow a headphone.
  
 It might be good for your manuel for the Pulse, that you should plug the headphones in after everything is powered up.


----------



## zerodeefex

a_recording said:


> gavn8r said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not sure what you're asking.  Share my survey?
> ...


 
  
 Why would any company share this with their customers? They have actual failure data. Returns, EFF, and warranty data is gold. It's an important part of managing your supply chain and it's a bad move to cede control over any of it to external parties.


----------



## gavn8r

anaximandros said:


> It might be good for your manuel for the Pulse, that you should plug the headphones in after everything is powered up.


 
  
 Great idea.  I've asked for it to be added to the manual.


----------



## gavn8r

gavn8r said:


> Great idea.  I've asked for it to be added to the manual.


 
  
 Spoke too soon!  I asked for it to be added and was immediately told that it's already in there.  Here's what the manual says:
  


> **** IMPORTANT NOTE ****
> 
> When the Geek Pulse is turned on and off there will be a popping noise sent through the headphone output, as well as all line outputs. These are the power caps in the signal chain charging and discharging. This is a conscious design decision to not add a buffer as it would affect the sound quality.
> 
> ...


----------



## a_recording

zerodeefex said:


> Why would any company share this with their customers? They have actual failure data. Returns, EFF, and warranty data is gold. It's an important part of managing your supply chain and it's a bad move to cede control over any of it to external parties.


 
  
 Well of course I would be surprised if they decided to share the survey, but it never hurts to ask 
  
 Technically according to the Indiegogo terms of service "Campaign Owners will respond promptly and truthfully to all questions posed to them by Indiegogo or any Contributor."


----------



## Muinarc

Anyone here a Vi/Soul backer that opted to still receive their Pulse until the Vi is ready.... and received their Pulse yet? 

I'm just wondering if that's still a thing or if LH has changed course on it. I was still expecting my Pulse to ship soon-ish as I am a 2013 backer, but if it is never comming I'd be interested to know


----------



## Currawong

jexby said:


> anyone HAVE a Pulse Xfi in house and can share (more) initial impressions?


 
  
 Why don't you start an impressions thread, if there isn't already one?


----------



## jexby

currawong said:


> Why don't you start an impressions thread, if there isn't already one?




Bingo, Brilliant idea! Will go search to ensure no duplication.


----------



## gyx11

I am quite uncomfortable with the Ponzi scheme reference even if there are admittedly similarities with what's going on here. Only time will tell but I'm quite confident LHL will eventually deliver. It's a question of when rather than if. And of course also a matter of doing so such that all backers get treated fairly.

Anyway i think some of you are missing the point on what Lachlan is trying to achieve on here by opening up a ticket through the 'normal route'.

By not escalating it to Casey or through any special channel of communication, it's basically trying to point out in general that LHL doesn't respond/admit publicly to whenever serious issues with their products surface. Meaning to say that his problem is just an illustration of a lack of transparency in general as a whole. I have some sympathy for this because, from the perspective of what other manufacturers would do, why doesn't alarm bells ring amongst the LHL team that perhaps if a serious problem is occurring with Lachlan's unit, a serious reoccurring problem may be at hand with several units. wouldn't something as dangerous as blowing out of headphone drivers be of sufficient severity to warrant reaching out to ALL backers to come forward with any such problems faced with similar issues rather than to ask him to individually PM and settle things behind closed doors? I mean if every case was settled individually and privately, then as a community of backers we'd never get to see the big picture. And the big picture is indeed important should there be serious issue(s) with the Geek products.

I mean a very good example for reference (pardon me if my accuracy on the details is slightly off) is the whole Schiit Asgard saga. When Schiit Audio dropped a clanger after they realized that their Asgards had a major defect, they issued a statement encouraging people who faced the same issue to return their units for a replacement/FOC. they halted their entire production chain to ensure the product was rectified. This is a case of a manufacturer making things very clear and transparent to their consumers in public fashion. They got absolutely smashed for that incident (and their early staunch denials) but in the end they gained the appreciation of many because of their honesty and earnesty towards their customers and towards their mistakes.

I'm not sure if I'm stating things clearly enough here?


----------



## a_recording

So I had a 20 minute conversation with Casey, and later on joined by Gavin, on Skype. Here's my summary the key points of the conversation.
  
 Casey states that as soon as my Youtube video was uploaded, he reached out to me across various channels - which is true. Gavin stated that as soon as he saw my support ticket, he handed my case off to Casey. We failed to arrange a Skype call, and they felt they had fulfilled their responsibility. Casey and Gavin were not able to explain to me how if the case was specifically handed off to Casey, how my ticket could still be passed around to 4 different staff members. They were not able to explain how at the final stage the shipping manager took 9 days to arrange an RMA, and only after this direct contact here. In fact Casey and Gavin insisted they had a lower than 48 hour average turn around time with support tickets.
  
 While I'm labouring the point here, I would have to say I am not satisfied with this timeline of events.
  

If Gavin and Casey knew the details of my support ticket, why would I get a PM last night from Gina asking me what my ticket number was? Why wouldn't I be told through the support ticket that the case was being personally handled by Casey - and why wouldn't the RMA be processed quickly considering I gave all the necessary details in the support ticket?
It seems to me that Gavin and Casey were aware of the Youtube video, but unaware of the support ticket. In that case I don't see how they can confidently stand by their claim that they have an average 48 hour turn around time on the support tickets. It's clear that to get a problem resolved, you have to file a support ticket, post on forums and then additionally message people who aren't responsible for support. I do not feel that is appropriate for a company to solicit more funding for future projects while making existing customers do a run around for support.
  
 I wouldn't be so frustrated if LH would just front up and say that they have a problem with the support tickets and in this case something just slipped through the cracks.
  
 As for what is happening with my unit, Casey will arrange for a new Pulse to be sent to me, with a refund note for the return shipping to the United States for my faulty unit. This is a special thing they are doing specifically for my case and not something that they would do for ordinary customers. Again, I do reviews in Youtube. I am aware that I have a big megaphone. I am interested in the experience of my audience and reporting on that. 
  
 Gavin suggested that if it turns out that their equipment has a fault that damages other equipment, they have insurance and would have an ability to make an insurance claim and compensate the customer. They will need to examine the unit and determine the cause of the fault.
  
 I asked some broader questions about Light Harmonic - specifically, if the initial funding for the Geek Pulse was enough to cover the production cost, and whether or not new crowdfunding campaigns are being used to finish development of previous campaigns. I was told that the Geek Pulse probably broke even, and that the campaigns are separate and there is no overlap in funding. 
  
 Gavin seemed bemused that many people seem to be interested in Light Harmonic's finances. I pointed out that the crowdfunding model demands greater transparency. 80% of IndieGoGo campaigns fail, so it seems reasonable that people would be very diligent in investigating their contributions and making sure they will actually get delivery. Gavin agreed this was a reasonable point.
  
 Gavin said that while he supported my efforts to get some more numbers with the Google survey, it was not something he would share broadly with contributors.
  
 That's where we ended the conversation.
  
 It's important to realise that the Light Harmonic campaigns are some of the largest in Indiegogo history. This isn't a tiny boutique outfit - this is a multi-million dollar operation. They should face scrutiny for how they operate, and as Indiegogo points out, *"Contributors are solely responsible for asking questions and investigating Campaign Owners and Campaigns to the extent they feel is necessary". *
  
 It seems especially urgent to be asking these kinds of questions when a campaign started in 2013 and has not been fully delivered by 2015, and in the meantime the company continues to solicit funds.
  
 It's true that groundless speculation isn't helpful, but I can tell you that I would not be so invested in this story if I had not heard some things privately that make me worry a great deal. I am doing my best to investigate and verify the public statements that LH have released, and again I do urge people to share the survey I have set up: http://goo.gl/forms/AR827KTu3t
  
 Tired of the speculation? Then help suggest to me ways that we can feel more secure or confident about the money we put into these campaigns.
  
*TLDR: I am not convinced LH's support ticket system is working as claimed. I will get special treatment for my faulty Geek Pulse. LH claims there is no overlap in funding between IGG campaigns. They should face scrutiny for their claims.*


----------



## gilfish

muinarc said:


> Anyone here a Vi/Soul backer that opted to still receive their Pulse until the Vi is ready.... and received their Pulse yet?
> 
> I'm just wondering if that's still a thing or if LH has changed course on it. I was still expecting my Pulse to ship soon-ish as I am a 2013 backer, but if it is never comming I'd be interested to know


 
  
 I'm a Vi/Soul backer and opted to still receive the Pulse, but I have not received it yet. I actually ordered one Pulse Xfi and one Pulse X∞ and I'm hoping to receive the Pulse Xfi soon!


----------



## jexby

gyx11,
  
 a very clear statement and I agree with some of the points/sentiment.
 but at the risk of beating the dead horse some thoughts:
  
 1.  unsure Lachlan's intent (or soapbox saber rattling) was a social experiment for the "good of us all" to see the Customer Service channel exposed.
  
 2. There is not a (known) manufacturer defect in every Pulse, thus the comparison to Asgard 1 is a bit of a mis match.
  
 ​3.  Exactly which manufacturer does "report" *individual* RMAs or failed unit publicly, much less head-fi forums?
 company and customer SHOULD address issues "individually and privately" as cases may vary greatly, and not be serious or reoccurring.
  
 4. IF cases become serious and reoccurring- then indeed the Asgard 1 example starts to apply.
  
  
 sorry, crowd-designed and crowd-funded doesn't entitle IGG backers, much less the head-fi public a seat at every LH Labs meeting room or a vote on the decisions (or discussions) made by/for the company.
 we are not stock holders.


----------



## Levanter

On the contrary, I applaud Lachlan's transparency. And I agree with him on their false claim/ignorance on their support ticket turnaround time. I had 2 tickets which took at least 3 days for a response, and I've seen others who mentioned it took them up to 5 days as well.


----------



## jaywillin

jexby said:


> understood about the new ticket system, glad that wasn't a factor.
> indeed tho:  many hands appeared to touch and pass the ticket, here's hoping Casey straightens out the process and resolution for your Pulse equipment ASAP.
> 
> *ok, back to the music:*
> *anyone HAVE a Pulse Xfi in house and can share (more) initial impressions ?*


 
 will my house do ?
 have it, love it, love it A LOT !  i had planned on letting it go, now due to some unforeseen circumstances, it may be a while before it leaves here, i'm all broke up about it too !


----------



## AxelCloris

jaywillin said:


> will my house do ?
> have it, love it, love it A LOT !  i had planned on letting it go, now due to some unforeseen circumstances, it may be a while before it leaves here, i'm all broke up about it too !


 
  
 Still loving the FTM filter? Man, I wish that the GO SE had that filter as an available option. That'd just make it the perfect portable DAC/amp stick.


----------



## jexby

jaywillin said:


> will my house do ?
> have it, love it, love it A LOT !  i had planned on letting it go, now due to some unforeseen circumstances, it may be a while before it leaves here, i'm all broke up about it too ! :wink_face:




Wow I am "sorry" for the dilemma for having to keep the Xfi a bit longer!? 

If you need a temporary holding spot until clear decisions are reached, send it my way please.
Haha

Do tell more about that FTM!


----------



## a_recording

jexby said:


> 1.  unsure Lachlan's intent (or soapbox saber rattling) was a social experiment for the "good of us all" to see the Customer Service channel exposed.


 
  
 This is always complex when you consider that I am a) a reviewer with a interest in presenting an objective evaluation of a customer b) a contributor with an active interest in getting satisfaction. After this experience I now realise why in the parallel world of gaming journalism a new policy has arisen of reviewers not contributing to crowdfunding campaigns.
  
 I'll put it simply. Even before receiving my faulty unit, I have taken a dim view of LH's practices. I got in very very early, and since then I have been increasingly bewildered and wary of the constant parade of perks and campaigns. At best, it feels like LH has a strategy of getting people in early and then pumping them for increasing contributions. If they deliver in the end, that's a clever strategy. If it all goes belly up, then you can see why you would draw the comparison with a Ponzi scheme. As the Wiki suggests, many Ponzi schemes start off as legitimate businesses and then realise that the only viable strategy for staying afloat is to keep the machine humming along.
  
 I am not saying that LH is deliberately defrauding people, only that we should be very wary of how these campaigns are being run concurrently and how dependent they seem to be on perks. If contributions dry up or any of the later campaigns fail or enough people bail out, it will be the people who contributed last who get shafted since the project goes belly up and they don't get hardware. Given that 80% of all IGG campaigns fail, it is _more likely than not_ that there will be a problem. This is why it's pretty critical that LH can demonstrate they can fully deliver on campaigns.
  
 Of course, no one is being forced to contribute anything to LH. At the same time, I believe it's a positive thing to make sure the there is accountability and transparency.
  
 You can call that my agenda, but honestly and sincerely: I did not try to engineer a situation around my faulty unit. If any of the 4 people who handled my support ticket had said "you need to talk to Casey to get this resolved", I would have. I was trying to see how an ordinary customer would deal with this situation without having the benefit of a social media following. So I opened a ticket and posted on their forum - both things that LH suggested - and I didn't get a resolution for 1 month.
  
 I'll put it this way: do you think LH would have allowed this to blow up like this if there was clear lines of communication with the support system, and support was a priority? It's a very small team. All someone needed to do was poke their head up and say, "Yo, got a ticket: someone headphone got blown. Let's arrange an RMA." 48 hours, done. I do not believe this happened here, which means that there is a failure in communication, which means that there may be issues that LH is unaware of. This is relevant to anyone who is receiving a Geek Pulse now.
  


> 2. There is not a (known) manufacturer defect in every Pulse, thus the comparison to Asgard 1 is a bit of a mis match.


 
  
 That's right. As I understand it, the Asgard issue was a design choice to leave out relays, not a production flaw. So in that case it makes sense they would stop production and recall them all since the issue was designed into every unit. 
  
 This popping on my unit might just be an isolated production flaw. Even then, I would expect all kinds of alarm bells to go off in the event of damaged headphones and an RMA arranged ASAP. I'd expect them to be as proactive as possible on this.
  


> ​3.  Exactly which manufacturer does "report" *individual* RMAs or failed unit publicly, much less head-fi forums?
> company and customer SHOULD address issues "individually and privately" as cases may vary greatly, and not be serious or reoccurring.
> 
> sorry, crowd-designed and crowd-funded doesn't entitle IGG backers, much less the head-fi public a seat at every LH Labs meeting room or a vote on the decisions (or discussions) made by/for the company.
> we are not stock holders.


 
  
 True, LH isn't accountable to the SEC. But it is accountable to IndieGoGo. As the terms of service state, 
  


> Campaign Owners are permitted to offer Perks to Contributors. Campaign Owners are legally bound to perform on any promise and/or commitment to Contributors (including delivering any Perks). Campaign Owners will respond promptly and truthfully to all questions posed to them by Indiegogo or any Contributor. If any Campaign Owner is unable to fulfill any of its commitments to Contributors (including delivering any Perks), the Campaign Owner will work with the Contributors to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution, which may include refunding their Contributions. Campaign Owners will comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the use of Contributions and delivery of Perks.


 
  
 I would assume IGG would like to see people confident in what they are contributing to, since otherwise they won't get their cut. But they can't police every campaign, so they expect us do due diligence. Well this is what due dilligence looks like for a bunch of amateurs on a forum. I mean, I guess you could run another crowdfunding campaign to get LH independently audited.


----------



## kugino

levanter said:


> On the contrary, I applaud Lachlan's transparency. And I agree with him on their false claim/ignorance on their support ticket turnaround time. I had 2 tickets which took at least 3 days for a response, and I've seen others who mentioned it took them up to 5 days as well.


 

 3 days?! 5 days?! hell, i had a ticket that took 11 days before they responded...and all i asked was whether they could change the shipping address for my unit. 48 hour ticket turnaround time? please.


----------



## jaywillin

first, let me say as fare as the campaign goes, i wasn't pleased with EVERYTHING,  i'm sure lhlabs isn't either, i'm sure they'd rather be doing something other than putting out fires.
 second, the one thing that really bothered me,(transferrable warranty) i spoke my piece , and i did not feel the need to accuse lhlabs of anything, and i did not feel the need to protect the "defenseless masses"
 i'm a relatively intelligent , adult human being, i can take care of myself, if i think lhlabs, or anyone is doing anything "illegal" committing  fraud,running a ponzi scheme) there is a proper way to handle that.
  
 example- i worked  a well known, mid-upper scale hotel chain. once, a lady was not happy her reservation for a reward(free) night was "lost" , how it got lost, and by who, we didn't know.
 well, this lady was so upset, she started "warning" all the other customers in our lobby at the top of her lungs, and would not stop, the end result was, she was escorted off the property
 and the other "customers" where standing there, moths wide open, and the first lady that walked up to be checked in called her a nutjob . 
 moral of the story, even though she had been wronged, the method she chose to protest, and warn other's about our "shady" business practices ended up with her having to leave, not choosing to leave. 
 just because you didn't get "your room" doesn't allow you to yell in a lobby, if she would have been quiet, and come into the office and allowed us to try and accommodate her
 she would have still gotten to stay at the nicest hotel in town, and for free


----------



## mscott58

As someone with personal experience in product design, customer service, technical sales, production engineering, quality control, global strategy, venture capital, private equity, executive leadership, entrepreneurship, etc. I hesitate to take as gospel the guidance and viewpoints of a _"__University student in my 20's, completing a Postgraduate degree in Media Art"_ who _"started doing reviews to improve my videography and presentation skills, as well as to learn more about social media."_ [source: http://www.lachlanlikesathing.com/p/about.html] As a single data point sure! More than that? Not at all sure, even with ~30K followers. I seriously applaud the desire to make things right, but the point has been made already and some of the methods employed (e.g. the survey) are well intentioned by seriously misguided. Doing what you think is right when you were wronged - great! Defending the good name of IGG against risky LHL (oh wait, they're already an established company with successful products in the marketplace) - much better places than LHL to do that on IGG IMO (such as firms with almost no background in electronics or production claiming that they're going to develop the worlds next smartphone/tablet). Sorry for the sarcasm, but to suggest an independent audit. Really? Even with a emoji disclaimer and a reference to IGG's policies. Enough is enough. Let's move forward and help drive this thing to the point where we get awesome gear, such as the Xfi's that are currently shipping and which I was fortunate to hear personally because I made the effort to do so and decided through personal interactions that Larry, Gavin and Casey are good people trying to do the right thing, even when they trip up now and then (and now and again). Cheers.


----------



## kugino

@jaywillin hey, don't sell yourself short. i think you're at least "reasonably intelligent"


----------



## jaywillin

axelcloris said:


> Still loving the FTM filter? Man, I wish that the GO SE had that filter as an available option. That'd just make it the perfect portable DAC/amp stick.


 
 still really haven't spent a lot of time playing with stuff, i kinda made a brief run through, and i've just been listening
  


jexby said:


> Wow I am "sorry" for the dilemma for having to keep the Xfi a bit longer!?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 oh it's just fine here while the situation straightens out, oh first world problems, i'll take them


----------



## Madeupword

a_recording said:


> ..As for what is happening with my unit, Casey will arrange for a new Pulse to be sent to me, with a refund note for the return shipping to the United States for my faulty unit. This is a special thing they are doing specifically for my case and not something that they would do for ordinary customers. Again, I do reviews in Youtube. I am aware that I have a big megaphone..
> 
> ..It seems especially urgent to be asking these kinds of questions when a campaign started in 2013 and has not been fully delivered by 2015, and in the meantime the company continues to solicit funds..
> 
> ..It's true that groundless speculation isn't helpful, but I can tell you that I would not be so invested in this story if I had not heard some things privately that make me worry a great deal. I am doing my best to investigate and verify the public statements that LH have released, and again I do urge people to share the survey I have set up: http://goo.gl/forms/AR827KTu3t


 
   
 Quote:


a_recording said:


> ..I'll put it simply. Even before receiving my faulty unit, I have taken a dim view of LH's practices. I got in very very early, and since then I have been increasingly bewildered and wary of the constant parade of perks and campaigns..
> 
> ..I was trying to see how an ordinary customer would deal with this situation without having the benefit of a social media following. So I opened a ticket and posted on their forum - both things that LH suggested - and I didn't get a resolution for 1 month..


 
  
 You are not special. There have been instances where LH has provided two-way shipping/refund when issue was not cause by user.
   
 How about more accurate writing of a campaign which started out *late/end of* 2013, that had its crowd-design froze in late Sept 2014 with initial production in late Oct 2014. Accompanied by holiday season, various manufacturing delays and prominent port delay which has only reopen earlier this month?
  
 Port strike was reported on all major news outlets and here are photos by photographer Mike Kelley, Aerial photography of the labor dispute at the Port of LA and Long Beach
  
 That's right, you're invested in this story. With words in private, as private as LH's finance and a knowingly biased survey which only form an inconclusive sample without the real numbers. With variables likely to form a conjecture than fact.
  
 You also mentioned it's better to have some numbers than no number. LH has provided you a percentage and you didn't like that. Hence you've decided to create your own.
  
 I find it hard to believe any ordinary customer would sit and wait for a resolution after having "tossed around" by 4 CSAs for a month. I would have sent a number of emails to a number of key personnel. More so, when I see a number of aggressive, dramatic and vocal individuals repeatedly voicing their concerns. They are not the kind to sit still.
  
 Again, I am only speaking as a Light Harmonic backer, I am not an employee and I have raised questions many times via the proper channels.


----------



## doctorjazz

I started out ready to post a long sob story about my dealings with LH Labs, but I'll hold off, nuff angry writing out there and on this thread. I just wanted to make the point that, in the time I've been dealing with them (since the 1st Geek Out campaign), I have had to post publicly to get some response from them. Tickets haven't worked for me, I might get an automated response, I might get a quick blow-me-off response. When I post something angry here or on the LH site, then I hear back from someone at LH trying to deal with my ticket. Even then, if it's handed off to someone else, there is a good chance it won't be resolved, and even closed. I'm currently trying to straighten out the pledges, they don't add up, some are missing (for Vi Tube), some are excessive (Wave). When I finally made a fuss I did hear from Gina, then it was handed to Manny, who didn't really answer my issues. When I wrote back for more detail, I got an answer that, maybe I'm oversensitive, but I sensed the same condescension some have noted ("Let me bullet point this one for you here...so we can be as clear as possible for you..."). Frankly, even if I'm a jerk, this is not the way to respond, and it leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. I sent my own "bullet points" of the specific issues 2 days ago, still waiting to hear back. So, maybe this is boring if you're not in it, and hopefully you all never will be, but "Customer Happiness" there still needs some work as far as I can see. (and, maybe, now that I've posted here again, someone will get back to me and settle the issues  )


----------



## nudd

Let's get over this ponzi scheme stuff. Whatever. It just clouds the issues right now. For now, let's stay away from this pointless speculation. They are shipping xfi's and let's leave it at that. If some HPA backer doesn't get his HPA ... well they should have known better right? For us Pulse and Wave backers, I want more people backing LHL if it is truly a ponzi scheme. It increases the chances of LHL shipping the Pulse and Wave before they go under.
  
 What I want is better communication, timely information in order to make decisions and no more screw ups from customer service. Here is what is bugging me so far.
  
*Customer service and shipping stuff ups*
  
 So the latest real examples, is that the LHL forums have at least two people who are now getting shipping notices of xfi's instead of infinities. Despite repeated reassurances that this would *never ever *happen.
  
 So for stuff ups like that, if the xfi's actually do get shipped out instead of an infinity (if it was MY infinity, for example), I fully expect LHL to bear the shipping costs for that type of screw up. Per their policies, apparently they don't have to and you are reliant on their good graces to do it on a case by case, exceptions only, basis (maybe if you kick up enough fuss or have 30k followers or whatever). That shouldn't be the case. Besides, where are the good graces of LHL when Larry said warranties for backers were transferable and then Gavin said it was not? Good graces can change at any time.
  
 So are we saying LHL gets a free pass on these clear errors, when they say customers are always expected to be perfect and NEVER makes mistakes?
  
 Two additional cases piss me off on this:

refusing to allow a person to redeploy their perk when they mistakenly backed the wrong perk due to confusing perk language (aka, the monoblock affair).
refusing to add a sanity check on their dfu update process, which forces all customers to have a 0% error rate when updating firmware, when LHL admits they themslves have a 5% defect rate on shipped units. Also are saying in effect they allowed to require customers to pay for LHLmaking mistakes like accidentally sending someone an xfi instead of an infinity (which by the way, should be much less likely than someone accidentally choosing the wrong update file when doing a firmware update) because, whoops something happened with their systems, and everyone can make mistakes, right? But on the other hand we users have to be PERFECT or we are simply screwed. Come on. We are human beings, we all make mistakes. Why is there no sanity checking.
  
*Web and ordering information*
  
 So for things like the wave survey - where the hell is it!? Come on. If you can release more perks, then make sure you got that survey system fixed guys!
  
*Non timely information to back perks*
  
 Where is the explanation from Larry what they are doing with the new ESS Chip upgrade? Where is the promised sharing of testing results?
  
 Larry has now had the new ESS chip for weeks. Surely he can explain what he is doing to the infinity. Why am I forced to go blind into a perk not knowing if it has any tangible benefits (even if it is a hypothetical 2 dB improvement that is below human auditory limits).
  
 It's only $22, but time runs out in 2 days but where is information?
  
*(Not a Pulse issue, but for Wave) *
  
 Over in the Wave thread, somebody has apparently had a message from Manny that the max gain of the Wave with the iem mod and the normal wave is not the same. This is not consistent with what Casey has said previously. Despite invocations to @Mannytorres I do not believe this issue has been addressed yet.
  
 Instead @Mannytorres simply says the max input power of the Geek Verb is 450 mW. W ... T ... F ... This is bringing back nightmares of when Carlos was doing customer service all over again. Totally garbled responses that answer questions that were NEVER asked in the first place and never answer questions that are actually asked. I thought this phase of LHL's customer services was relegated to ancient history.
  
 Surely LHL should know by now what the gain switch actually does - WHAT is the OUTPUT at high gain and what is the OUTPUT at low gain.
  
 So ... lots of room to improve guys.
  
 Thought steps have been made in the right direction, but the case of the accidentally shipping xfi's puts it all in doubt again.


----------



## Drsparis

> Originally Posted by *nudd* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> *Customer service and shipping stuff ups*
> 
> So the latest real examples, is that the LHL forums have at least two people who are now getting shipping notices of xfi's instead of infinities. Despite repeated reassurances that this would *never ever *happen.


 
 Can't people just refuse the package, it will be sent back to LH Labs, Done.


----------



## mscott58

Nudd - All totally valid criticisms with a productive focus on how to make things better. Well done. Agree with your points and concerns. 

And I assume the second half of your first paragraph was a bit tongue-in-cheek? 

Cheers


----------



## Ostrichcized

Also a backer since the Out on Kickstarter, so I'll share my customer service experience for an alternate perspective. While I will say that the customer service has plenty of room for improvement, I'd like to say that as a regular consumer with no special connections, I've been very pleased with the end results of my interactions with LH through tickets thus far, though not necessarily the time frame required to get there. I have never contacted LH outside of the support system.
  
 1) Issue: Static on Geek Out
     First response: 4 days
     Assigned: Carlos and Manny
     Responses to Resolution: 5
     Total Time to Resolution: 17 days (not including shipping)
     Resolution: LH had me send the unit back, immediately shipped a replacement (a step up from what I backed), and refunded my return shipping cost.
  
 2) Issue: Wave Pledge Change
     First response: 4 days
     Assigned: Carlos
     Responses to Resolution: 1
     Total Time to Resolution: 4 days
     Resolution: Instructed to wait until the campaign was over to finalize changes.
  
 3) Issue: Wave Pledge Change / Upgrade Request
     First response: 12 hours
     Assigned: Manny
     Responses to Resolution: 1
     Total Time to Resolution: 12 hours
     Resolution: Pledge changed as requested. LH more than fair and allowed pricing/options from time of initial request instead of then unavailable options.
  
 4) Issue: Pulse to Vi DAC Upgrade Request
     First response: 6 days
     Assigned: Tami and Manny
     Responses to Resolution: 4
     Total Time to Resolution: 17 days
     Resolution: Frustrating initial responses, but more than fair end result after some back and forth. Restored some faith that LH does still care about customers, not JUST money.
  
 5) Issue: Verb/Verb-X Survey/Shipment Question
     First response: 12 hours
     Assigned: Stephanie
     Responses to Resolution: 1
     Total Time to Resolution: 12 hours
     Resolution: System showed I had ordered balanced version only and not to worry. Unbalanced version showed up in mail 2 days later, so issue will be readdressed.
  
 My intent here is to show that the system does work, even for the average person, just slowly and with more customer input than I would expect for a company building their business around the "crowd". To get past the inevitable one line generic response of late, I've broken my arguments down into numbered lists and requested responses to each point so that nothing is overlooked, avoiding extra delay. Manny has been more than fair on multiple issues, has gone out of his way to give me more than I expected, and has given me a positive perception of the integrity that LH has as a business. It certainly seems that he's being overworked to the point of inefficiency for being such a vital part of their customer service team. You guys need more Mannys!


----------



## DiscoSmoke

miceblue said:


> No it's a separate issue. The floating ground is just for DAC recognition, not necessarily the buzzing sound between the USB and 12 V out.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRSxmE-FPDU


 
 If the LPS4's USB output is ungrounded, and you're using it to power a Geek Out that's feeding another grounded device, this is exactly where the ground loop is originating.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

If you think this is bad the Geek wave stuff is even worse, with the reboot and product split and even more crazy train perk upgrades over time. By the time I get a product, it will not actually have the functionality I paid for. In total it will be a complete waste of hundreds of dollars. 

The pulse, well, I probably should have received mine a while ago. If it weren't for the massive quality control issues I would be pretty upset that I didn't already get mine.


----------



## miceblue

ultimate mango said:


> By the time I get a product, it will not actually have the functionality I paid for. In total it will be a complete waste of hundreds of dollars.



And what makes you think that will happen?


----------



## Ultimate Mango

miceblue said:


> And what makes you think that will happen?



Because this was confirmed by Manny and the crowd design process decisions put a nail in the metaphorical coffin. I backed the very first campaign for a portable dac/amp with iOS compatibility and a long battery life. Then campaigns split and design decisions were made and refunds were not an option despite my specific request for one. As it is I will be given the choice between the wave and stream but neither have the battery life I was looking for and if I get the stream I will have paid many times what it is worth. My only hope will be to resell the wave to get my money out of that campaign. 
Buyer beware but I take no responsibility for LHL changing the product to be something other than what I paid for.


----------



## Mannytorres

Nudd Said:
  
 "Over in the Wave thread, somebody has apparently had a message from Manny that the max gain of the Wave with the iem mod and the normal wave is not the same. This is not consistent with what Casey has said previously. Despite invocations to @Mannytorres I do not believe this issue has been addressed yet"
  
 I see where i have missed the mark on this one Nudd and i do apologize for this one, I didn't see in the question that the "Wave IEM" perk was asked, (this was not made clear to us in the question) I had defaulted to the IEM earbuds that we were currently shipping (Which are as you said, i said is 450Mw).
  
 "So for things like the wave survey - where the hell is it!? Come on. If you can release more perks, then make sure you got that survey system fixed guys!"
  
 This may seem like a easy process because all you have to do is answer the survey, The good news is that this is totally going out to our backers VERY shortly  
  
 I am glad we are venting all of this Nudd, I do agree we are all human beings and not "PERFECT" as you put in your post, but isn't that why as you said there were special exceptions.
  
 I do hope you contact me, it would seem that this is what you would like in general is better communication from us.


----------



## nudd

mscott58 said:


> Nudd - All totally valid criticisms with a productive focus on how to make things better. Well done. Agree with your points and concerns.
> 
> And I assume the second half of your first paragraph was a bit tongue-in-cheek?
> 
> Cheers


 
  
 Yes, tongue-in-cheek ...
  
  
  
  
  
 or was it?


----------



## pedalhead

Off on a slight tangent for a moment.... Just received the following email update for the Alpha Prime backers... 

"Alpha Prime Backers 

We’ve submitted our PO to MrSpeakers and expect to receive the bulk shipment in-house within a few weeks time. Our shipping team has already compiled the list of backers and will begin fulfilling orders as quickly as possible. "

Good to see things moving quickly, but some of us are we wondering about a couple of things. 

First, the custom colour mentioned in the mail out a while back "...MrSpeakers Alpha Prime, in a custom LH Labs color...". Call me a tart, but this was the clincher for me to jump on the APs. 

Secondly, there would appear to be overwhelming support for the APs to be shipped with balanced cables...but no word from LH on this either. 

Could we please have an update from LH on these items? We also have a discussion running in the LH forum here... http://lhlabs.com/force/hpa/3626-alpha-prime-custom-colour


----------



## nudd

mannytorres said:


> Nudd Said:
> 
> "Over in the Wave thread, somebody has apparently had a message from Manny that the max gain of the Wave with the iem mod and the normal wave is not the same. This is not consistent with what Casey has said previously. Despite invocations to @Mannytorres I do not believe this issue has been addressed yet"
> 
> ...


 
  
@Mannytorres I am not the one expecting people to be perfect. LHL seems to be the one from my perspective expective people to be perfect, at least in the case of dfu updates ... (which is the context where I made that point).
  
 But I would appreciate if you could answer for the benefit of us all the actual questions though.
  
 1. Wave IEM and Wave power output
  
 When you replied about the input power of the Verb (in the WAVE thread), you were immediately asked to clarify what is the OUTPUT power of the Wave IEM and the Wave. Would you mind responding?
  
 2. Survey
  
 Very soon for ages. When is it out?
  
 3. Survey
  
 Why still pushing the perks when your survey system is not complete yet? If it is to complete VERY SOON, why not just hold off on the new perks until the VERY SOON happens before pushing new perks?
  
 4. Pulse and New ESS Chip
  
 Testing. Numbers. Larry can't wait to share! Please enlighten us. Only 1 day left. Still no info.
  
 5. DFU Update
  
 Why no sanity checking? Why? Will you be happy to make an exception if we are less than perfect and accidentally upload the wrong firmware (less than 5% of the time)? If not, then again, why no sanity checking? I would appreciate a technical answer rather than "the firmware is located on different parts of the LHL website".
  
 Sure it's on different parts of the LHL website, but I will likely download it into the same folder!
  
 6. Transferable warranty
  
 Last I heard offering this was a contentious issue still being discussed internally. What is the result?


----------



## uzi

jexby said:


> ok, back to the music:
> anyone HAVE a Pulse Xfi in house and can share (more) initial impressions?


 
  


jaywillin said:


> will my house do ?
> have it, love it, love it A LOT !  i had planned on letting it go, now due to some unforeseen circumstances, it may be a while before it leaves here, i'm all broke up about it too !


 
  
 Like @jaywillin, I'm liking what I hear with the Pulse Xfi.  The things I've noticed with the sound versus my existing setups are that the drums sound much better, the bass has a little more kick and fullness and there's a slight improvement to soundstage.  The two headphones I immediately noticed it most on were two of the headphones I use the most -- the HE-500 and the UERM.  All my listening is with the FTM (Femto) mode.
  
 At home the Xfi+LPS is up against the HRT Musicstreamer II+ and Burson Soloist.  While I felt that the Geek Out was similar in level to the MS II+ as a DAC (with a slight victory to the MS II+ in terms of soundstage), the Xfi is another story.  The Xfi's DAC is a clear victor to me for reasons stated above.  As an amp, comparing it to the $1000 Soloist (when using the Xfi as the DAC to the Soloist versus the Xfi straight), it's a much closer battle and I haven't picked a winner yet.  What I do know is that I have three working inputs on the Burson, and I use them all...
  
 ... I've stated previously about the problems I've had with dropouts on both the SDPIF and Toslink interfaces.  I've put in a ticket with LHLabs and will keep you guys posted.  I'd also love to hear if other people are able to use those inputs successfully.  Having only the USB working limits the Xfi for me a little.
  
 At work, the second Xfi I purchased is up against an Audio-gd NFB-12.  When using the DT770 Pro 80, the differences aren't as pronounced, but the Xfi is definitely better.  With the UERM, it's a very noticeable difference, even just in the drums where they sound muddy on the NFB-12 and crisp with the Xfi.
  
 Other things to note are just some weirdnesses in behavior.  I've had some cases where the volume knob, while responding to the volume change on the display didn't actually change the volume.  Or the time things sounded really distant, tinny and awful.  Both of those were cured by a power cycle, so no big deal, but there's still clearly some firmware issues to iron out.  I don't think the gain select affects the RCA outs -- or maybe they do and I need to retest.  It'd be nice, even with controlling the volume by knob if it still honored the system mute.
  
 All in all, I'm happy with the devices and hoping to work with LHLabs on fixing the problems.  Related: LHLabs folks -- if not fixed sooner, there's a day coming up in April where I could come by with my gear and demonstrate the issues I'm seeing.


----------



## smial1966

*"Oh you tart!"  *





  
*Below the LH Labs custom color chart courtesy of MrSpeakers -*
  

  
* Which color will LH Labs choose?!? *
  
 Quote:


pedalhead said:


> Off on a slight tangent for a moment.... Just received the following email update for the Alpha Prime backers...
> 
> "Alpha Prime Backers
> 
> ...


----------



## wingsounds13

Hey Nudd, do you not understand the concept?? Your point 3. about perks and the upcoming survey...

The survey is for verifying that the record that LH Labs has of perks ALREADY BACKED match what you and your records think. It will also verify that all are fully paid for, or rather that the amount that LH Labs has received from your campaign perks backed matches the total cost of perks backed.

The campaign and perks offered are where you back (or in the common but incorrect terms "buy") items and upgrades. LH Labs is still adding perks because they have come up with new product and upgrade offerings, often ideas requested by the Geek Force and even here in this bitch fest. If you want more products and/or features, you back the perks in the campaign. The survey is to validate, NOT add products or upgrades.

Or are you just being argumentative for arguments sake? If so, this is not helpful to anyone.

J.P.


----------



## pedalhead

smial1966 said:


>


 
  
 haha I predicted you'd appear after I posted that


----------



## nudd

Hey Wingsounds that is absolutely correct. But if they are unable to come up with a system that confirms what has actually been backed (as evidenced by the shipping of xfi instead of infinities) what is the assurance that they can track the status of backers of perks in the current campaigns?

If they dont have any assurance that they have a system that reliably tracks customers perks and they have a new system coming out soon, why cause even more chaos to their current tracking system?

I am not trying to deliberately be unhelpful. I just want to know they know what i have BACKED or will in future BACK.

Thanks



wingsounds13 said:


> Hey Nudd, do you not understand the concept?? Your point 3. about perks and the upcoming survey...
> 
> The survey is for verifying that the record that LH Labs has of perks ALREADY BACKED match what you and your records think. It will also verify that all are fully paid for, or rather that the amount that LH Labs has received from your campaign perks backed matches the total cost of perks backed.
> 
> ...


----------



## smial1966

I'm becoming too predictable! Still, it's a diversion from the thread angst. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


pedalhead said:


> haha I predicted you'd appear after I posted that


----------



## jaywillin

uzi said:


> Like @jaywillin, I'm liking what I hear with the Pulse Xfi.  The things I've noticed with the sound versus my existing setups are that the *drums sound much better, the bass has a little more kick and fullness and there's a slight improvement to soundstage.*  The two headphones I immediately noticed it most on were two of the headphones I use the most -- the HE-500 and the UERM.  All my listening is with the FTM (Femto) mode.
> 
> At home the Xfi+LPS is up against the HRT Musicstreamer II+ and Burson Soloist.  While I felt that the Geek Out was similar in level to the MS II+ as a DAC (with a slight victory to the MS II+ in terms of soundstage), the Xfi is another story.  The Xfi's DAC is a clear victor to me for reasons stated above.  As an amp, comparing it to the $1000 Soloist (when using the Xfi as the DAC to the Soloist versus the Xfi straight), it's a much closer battle and I haven't picked a winner yet.  What I do know is that I have three working inputs on the Burson, and I use them all...
> 
> ...


 
*the dac i have on hand right now for direct comparison the modi 2u, hardly fair, the pulse much more extended bass, sweeter(but not "sweet) or maybe smooth is a better word, but great detail*
*mids are more detailed, it's more detailed to bottom really, soundstage and imaging both greatly improved, now from memory,which isn't reliable, the pulse i think is better than the wadia 121 i had, i can definitely say the soundstage is bette*r
  
*i don't know for sure, but can't spdif and toslink cables themselves cause dropouts ?   *
  
*i had this happen for the first time last night, it occurred after i had been messing with some of the settings, and yes a power cycle fixed the issue, no, line out not effected by gain settings on my pulse.*


----------



## jaywillin

oh, and i must call gavin and the gang to task on one issue that REALLY griped my a**, the shoddy, "unofficial" shipping box, the temp fix box just so i could get my unit sooner due to the port authority issue ? please, at the price i paid, the pulse x/f/i should have been hand delivered from across the country by lhlabs themselves ! , load up the station wagon and hit the road i say !
  i mean pink foam and bubble wrap and a slapped on sticker ? , really ??  i almost fell out  
  
 the evidence is as follows :
  
 notice the loose fit  , EDIT - there's that sticker

  

  
 i want my pretty black custom made foam packing (was casey over in the corner with a pair of scissors?)

  
  
  
  
  
disclaimer:
this post is indeed a joke guys


----------



## uncola

edit:  NEVERMIND it was a joke!  *swoosh* joke flying over my head


----------



## jaywillin

uncola said:


> edit:  NEVERMIND it was a joke!  *swoosh* joke flying over my head


 
 gotta watch for the fine print !


----------



## manualvin

nudd said:


> Let's get over this ponzi scheme stuff. Whatever. It just clouds the issues right now. For now, let's stay away from this pointless speculation. They are shipping xfi's and let's leave it at that. If some HPA backer doesn't get his HPA ... well they should have known better right? For us Pulse and Wave backers, I want more people backing LHL if it is truly a ponzi scheme. It increases the chances of LHL shipping the Pulse and Wave before they go under.
> 
> What I want is better communication, timely information in order to make decisions and no more screw ups from customer service. Here is what is bugging me so far.
> 
> ...




Well geek pulse is shipping to me instead of geek pulse Infiniti and they acknowledged its a mixup and asked me to reject shipment. At point of receiving the shipping notice it was still in USA and not possible to recall. My suggestion is to check with the receiver first before shipping if possible as I understand with the different perks it can be difficult to keep track of what is the final ordered selection.


----------



## AxelCloris

Just a heads up to folks, lhlabs.com appears to be having some trouble at the moment. You can still access the support page at support.lhlabs.com if you're checking/entering tickets.
  
 Edit: And we're back in business.


----------



## Maelob

Glad to hear the xfi sounds good, still concerned about the possible volume and firmware issues. i am planning to run it as a pre amp so volume control is really important. hopefully they get fixed. still have my fingers crossed.


----------



## Muinarc

gilfish said:


> I'm a Vi/Soul backer and opted to still receive the Pulse, but I have not received it yet. I actually ordered one Pulse Xfi and one Pulse X∞ and I'm hoping to receive the Pulse Xfi soon!



 


Oh well I guess I'll just see if a random email for shipment pops up one day. It will be interesting to see which one of your 2 you get first


----------



## greenkiwi

nudd said:


> 4. Pulse and New ESS Chip
> 
> Testing. Numbers. Larry can't wait to share! Please enlighten us. Only 1 day left. Still no info.
> 
> ...


 
  
 4 and 5 are very important, particularly 5.
  
 The DFU/device should do everything it can to prevent the wrong files from being loaded.  The "well, you'd have to be stupid to load the wrong file" is not the correct answer.  Many users aren't computer experts... and clicking on the wrong file can happen quite easily.


----------



## NightDayAudio

gavn8r said:


> Spoke too soon!  I asked for it to be added and was immediately told that it's already in there.  Here's what the manual says:
> 
> 
> **** IMPORTANT NOTE ****
> ...


 
  
  
 So you highly recommend to leave the unit turned on 24/7, yet absolve yourself from any responsibility if doing that very thing causes issues?  Huh?  
  
 The US power grid is not perfect.... brownouts, surges, quick half second off/on flips, power outages, etc. do occur... for some, they occur multiple times a day depending on the weather and time of year...  this is not a new phenomenon.... it's well documented and common knowledge....
  
 So knowing this, and knowing that it could happen at any time, it removes the ability for users to do controlled shutdowns and start up, and remove the headphones from being connected while this is happening.  
  
 As a result, you don't knowingly design a component that can have issues on power up/power down if not done in a certain order or with other devices connected to it.  That's just bad design, plain and simple.  
  
  
 You may want to amend the manual and say that it is a requirement that all LH Labs components need to be connected to a UPS to avoid equipment damage due to unintended power cycles and you aren't responsible for any damage where the equipment isn't connected to your approved list of UPS units.  You can sell a Pulse UPS to prevent damage and generate more revenue.  Tongue firmly in cheek on that one...
  
 for all the technical expertise that supposedly exists, a dose of common sense seems to be lacking in many respects.....


----------



## gavn8r

Hi everyone,
  
I try not to chime in very often here because Casey is so much better than me at keeping track of the thread.  But this morning, I spent some time reading through everything, and there’s a few things that I think I should respond to.  Then I’ll probably leave it to Casey to answer any more questions you might have.
  
I note that we’re over 400 pages of comments in this thread alone.  I’m very happy about that!  I think it reflects the truth that you all care, no matter what your feelings toward us are.
  
Now, let me jump into it.
  
*Lachlan Likes a Thing*
In regards to Lachlan, I think his motivations are pure.  I just don’t like the way he’s going about this very real problem.  The fact is, we responded to his ticket within 11 hours. After we got a little behind on tickets and he hadn’t been able to interact with us for four days, he posted a video review on YouTube telling the world about his problems.  At that point, I instructed Casey to reach out to him directly, which Casey did on three separate occasions.  Lachlan seems to not like that we did it out of the ticket system.
  
He claims (and I have no reason to disbelieve him) that his headphones were damaged by a popping noise coming from Pulse.  On our Skype call, he told me the headphones that were damaged we Takstar Pro-80’s.  In looking up the specs, I found that their rated impedance is 60 ohms, their rated input power is 250 mW, and their max input power is 500 mW.  He plugged them into an amp that outputs 770 mW into 60 ohms.  This is a recipe for headphone damage.
  
As I told Lachlan in our Skype call, we have insurance that will cover damaged gear caused by our products.  It’s a 3rd party who conducts their own investigations and makes a determination whether or not something will be covered.  If they determine that our product caused damage to another piece of gear, they’ll ask for the damaged item to be sent in and will pay the claim.  If they determine damage was caused by something other than our gear (like end user error), they won’t pay the claim.  In my opinion, Lachlan’s headphones were caused by his own error.  But we’ll let the insurance company’s claims adjuster decide that.
  
We’ve sold and shipped thousands of Geek Out and Pulse units.  We hear from time to time from users that complain about the loud pop when the unit is powered on or off.  It’s a design choice that we’ve made and we always warn consumers to follow best practices when using our gear (see Pulse’s user guide).  The pop is louder than what you’ll get from other manufacturers’ devices (if they decide not to buffer the output) because our products are usually much more powerful.  Simple as that.
  
We’re finally in touch with Lachlan (again, after repeated attempts) and his unit is being replaced. We’re paying expedited shipping charges to help the process to move more quickly.
  
The numbers on the shipping status page that Lachlan questions are accurate.  We don’t manually change these numbers once a product starts shipping… mostly because I can’t spare the time.  Each time a tracking number is assigned by the shipping team, our system updates to show the new percentage of units shipped.
  
During the delivery phase of Geek Out, we learned that no matter how many units are actually delivered, the overall feeling in the world is that we haven’t shipped anything.  It seems that once we reach about 90%, the feeling shifts.  I’m curious if that will prove true with Pulse.  I bet it will.
  
Now, on to other questions…
  
*Ponzi Scheme Allegations*
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again.  Crowdfunding IS NOT a profit center for LH Labs.  It’s true that it’s a revenue center for us, but it’s certainly not profitable.  In the case of Geek Out, we spent about $200,000 more on the R&D of the device than we took in from Kickstarter.  (BTW, this is the reason so many crowdfunded products go “belly up.” Fortunately for us, we’re well capitalized and always have been.)
  
In the case of Geek Pulse, my guess is that the same thing will happen.  It might be hard to believe that a company like ours 1) would be willing to take a loss on the crowdfund of the product, and 2) isn’t making a profit from $2.8M+ raised. Other than opening our books (which we won’t do), I don’t know what to say other that that which I’ve already said that will help you feel better about this.  Maybe I should put it this way:
  
If the math is linear (which it isn’t), a $200K loss on a $300K project should mean a $2.8M project will mean a $1.86M loss for us.  We’re okay with that.  If we were suffering a $2.8M loss on this project, we’d still be okay with it.  And it’s not because we’re using funds from later projects to fund the loss on previous ones.  It’s because we have the ability to absorb the loss on the R&D (which is typically a loss center anyway) in order to get profit from the product at retail later.
  
To further beat this dead horse, let’s look at Geek Out again.  During the campaign, we sold ~1700 units at a loss.  Since that time, we’ve sold another ~13,900 units at a profit.  Believe me, we’re pretty happy with the way things are turning out.
  
*LH Labs Only Cares About Money*
We do care about money.  We’re a business, after all.  It’s just not the only thing we care about.
  
Our company is made up of people.  People like me.  What I care most about in this world is my wife, our children, and our family’s future.  I also care about our employees and their families.  I won’t jeopardize everybody’s sole means of survival by trading long-term security for short term cash.  I won’t do it.
  
*Wave Survey*
One of the disadvantages of changing the product all the time is the fact that it’s very difficult to code the logic necessary to track those changes.  I used to be the coder that had to do all of that.  Now we have a full-time coder.  She’s been working on the Wave survey for about a month.  We’ve soft-launched it to BETA testers twice now, and each time they’ve found a way to break the system… which is their purpose.
  
It’s coming!  Once I launch it again, it will definitely be broken again.  But if it is, we’ll fix the problems and do it all over again.  Hopefully, this won’t lead to more frustration.
  
*ESS SABRE9018AQ2M Test Results*
We were the very first company to receive a batch of these chips.  Larry’s super excited to test them.  In order to test them, there has to be a PCB that utilizes it.  That PCB was designed, “gerbered”, and sent out for fabrication.  We expect the PCB to come in next week.  Then it needs to be hand populated.  This will take at least another week.  Then tests begin.  When asked why it’s taking us so long to publish test results, I usually want to answer, “I cannot change the laws of physics!”
  
By the way, we were also the very first company to use the 9018K2M.  The vast majority of manufacturers to use that chip took 10+ months to prototype with it.  It took us 30 days to do it in Geek Out.
  
*Transferrable Warranty*
I’ve always been against this for reasons that I’ve articulated umpteen million times.  It’s just a bad idea for any manufacturer of consumer electronics.  The vast majority of CE manufacturers don’t offer it.  It’s assumed by many consumers of high-end audio gear that if they don’t register a product and subsequently sell it, that the warranty transfers to the new owner.  This is not usually the case.  Most manufacturers require a proof of purchase from an authorized reseller in order for them to honor a warranty.
  
When I finally bent and said I was okay with it, we offered it as a perk. We even included an extension of the warranty as an olive branch for fighting against the will of our backers.  Ultimately, 2 people bought the perk.  So we determined that it wasn’t that hot of a hot button after all and pulled it down.
  
The feedback we got was that $79 was too high a cost for a transferrable warranty.  Well, our actuary looked at all the data and told us that’s what it would cost us to offer it, so we just passed that cost along.  I think it was a fair idea, but only two other people agreed with me.  I doubt we’ll ever offer it again.
  
*DFU Update Problems*
I’ve personally never been able to duplicate some of the firmware flash experiences that others describe.  Don’t get your dander up, I’m not calling you liars.  I just can’t duplicate your problems.
  
When there’s a DFU problem, please open a ticket and let us help you resolve it.  If it turns out that something went wrong and it was our fault, we’ll pay to ship it in, fix it, and ship it back out to you.  If it turns out it’s enduser error, we’ll gladly fix the problem for you, but we won’t pay the costs.
  
The Zip files (that contain the DFU files) that you download from the website are named after the product they’re made for.  For example, if you want Geek Out firmware, the file is called _Geek_Out_Firware_1V5.bin.zip_. If that’s not clear enough to you which product you should flash this file on, please don’t flash anything.  If you are downloading files to flash both Geek Out and Pulse, please don’t put those files in the same folder.  It’s a bad idea
  
If you accidentally flash the wrong file to your unit, we consider it enduser error. And I think there are plenty of people here at Head-Fi who’ll agree with and defend our point of view.
  
*Conclusion*
Guys, I know there are things that we need to improve on.  Our Customer Happiness team, for example, has gone through three different configurations in our quest to make it better.
  
Since we launched the new ticket system, here’s how we’ve been doing:
  






  
I took that screenshot from the reports that are generated automatically by the system.  It’s a dramatic improvement over the old system.
  
Our company is now 10 times bigger than it was the day we launched Geek Out in terms of number of employees.  As we continue to experience this rapid growth, we’ll find lots of ways that we can improve... and we’ll continue to improve them.
  
I’m personally grateful for your part in our company’s growth and success.  Thank you, all. My commitment to you is that we’ll never forget how much you’ve helped us. And I hope, as you use the devices that you help us design, develop, and manufacture, you’ll enjoy the crap out of them for a long time, and that you’ll accept the longevity and performance of our devices as our homage to you.
  
Take care,
  
Gavin


----------



## AGO4

Gavin,
  
 I appreciate your comments and as I've stated in comments to you before I believe your comments on the issues help to alleviate the negativity that IMO snowballs until you or Larry address and issue.  l support your company and appreciate the effort of one and all.  I do have one issue with your comments and that has to do with the transferrable warranty.   I thought the price was fair given how much 3rd party insurance companies charge for extended warranties.  I realize you will not offer it again but I have hard time buying that you took it down due to limited interest.  Posting something for a few hours without answering any questions posted on IGG or when you have backers all over the world does not pass the smell test.  As you said in your response to me, you guys dropped the ball which is closer to the truth than lack of interest.
  
 Thank you and I do appreciate the more frequent updates from you and Larry be it video or text.
  
 Alex


----------



## Larry Ho

nightdayaudio said:


> So you highly recommend to leave the unit turned on 24/7, yet absolve yourself from any responsibility if doing that very thing causes issues?  Huh?
> 
> The US power grid is not perfect.... brownouts, surges, quick half second off/on flips, power outages, etc. do occur... for some, they occur multiple times a day depending on the weather and time of year...  this is not a new phenomenon.... it's well documented and common knowledge....
> 
> ...


 
  
  I think putting a DC blocking capacitor in signal chain will help you on this particular issue, if you really want that.  We have a lot of discussion on Geek Forum, here I state the conclusion we have again, unless necessary, we try not to put DC blocking capacitor in your audio signal chain. So you could enjoy your best music 99.99999% of the time. Power up power down pop in my system is NOT severe at all.  It's not a requirement to let you keep your Geek Pulse on, but if you really care and want it to be 100% pop-less. Then please disconnect the headphone/line out then power on.
  
 As a long term users of many other nice products from the vendors I admire, when I turn off/on their device, I will pay good attention. And a lot of them has the pop too, but never cause any problem. Sometimes, you just need to turn on your gear in right order, not vice versa. A lot of good users here and in Geek forum they could help you on that. They do better job than me on explaining the whole thing.
  
 Thanks!
  
 Larry


----------



## Larry Ho

Hi, there
  
 Before I leave and go back to my design work. I would love to share a lot of interesting messages I got from all kind of backers, so you will know the REAL situation, at least, from my perspective.There are roughly 30+ backers who got my personal emails. And I constantly got direct message from Casey and Gavin about 'what is going on'.... So here is the list.... Don't laugh, it is what I got.
  
 [size=x-small]* About Packaging. Due to US port [/size]union[size=x-small] issue, we use temporally (actually cost much higher ESD) package for Geek Pulse ship out.[/size]
 [size=small]Responses I got:  (A) Genius! Don't wait for the foam. Just give me that d*mn DAC. I love it.   (B) I want that customized [/size]
 [size=small]foam. [/size]
  
 * About shipping time
 [size=x-small]Responses I got: (A) Larry, don't rush. Make sure the unit is perfect then ship out. I could even wait for your new SSM digital filter if you could put it in.   (B) (from forum)  You guys are ponzi. You didn't ship out anything. It's a fraud.[/size]
  
 * About DC blocking caps.
 [size=x-small]Responses I got: (A) This is a good choice, I wanna get rid of it. Thank you.   (B) Why I got that pop when I power up my Geek Pulse, while even my $xxxx China DAC won't have it.[/size]
  
 [size=x-small]* About volume control... while I'm considering maybe just do like others, disable the USB volume control. Use Knob only,[/size]
 [size=x-small]so even when OS volume settings screw up. DAC won't get too loud. [/size]
  
 [size=x-small]Responses I got: (A) Yes. Larry, please keep knob and USB volume control at the same time. It's flexible and nice. (B) Crazy, Larry, my Windows 8 ASIO sometimes reset my volume settings and that scares me...[/size]
  
 I could go on and on... And I appreciate ALL these responds. Because everyone has his own perspective and needs. I'm here just asking for one thing, when you think you are right. Please consider there are maybe some other people think it differently. LH Labs are one of the most flexible company in product configurations (again, this is another talking point), we try our best to fulfill everyone's requests. I know we can not please everybody.
  
 To perfect our products, which is my passion, I still believe democracy in the long run is better than designer's dictation. 
  
 Now I go back to work. 
  
 Larry


----------



## eac3

gavn8r said:


> *DFU Update Problems*
> I’ve personally never been able to duplicate some of the firmware flash experiences that others describe.  Don’t get your dander up, I’m not calling you liars.  I just can’t duplicate your problems.
> 
> When there’s a DFU problem, please open a ticket and let us help you resolve it.  If it turns out that something went wrong and it was our fault, we’ll pay to ship it in, fix it, and ship it back out to you.  If it turns out it’s enduser error, we’ll gladly fix the problem for you, but we won’t pay the costs.
> ...


 
  
 Gavin, I may be wrong about this and I am NO expert. I'll be honest, initially I was offended by why you (specifically the coder) cannot add a device check (i.e. why you can't have additional error checking in your code). But I took a step back and have reached a point, where I am now just curious...why? Too difficult? Too much time to code (time = money)? Impossible? Other more pressing priorities (for your full-time coder) besides surveys? The firmware updater software was written by another third-party?
  
 (Speaking for myself here) I don't want to sound like you/LHL owes  me an explanation for this inquiry. Just throwing that out there....


----------



## a_recording

gavn8r said:


> He claims (and I have no reason to disbelieve him) that his headphones were damaged by a popping noise coming from Pulse.  On our Skype call, he told me the headphones that were damaged we Takstar Pro-80’s.  In looking up the specs, I found that their rated impedance is 60 ohms, their rated input power is 250 mW, and their max input power is 500 mW.  He plugged them into an amp that outputs 770 mW into 60 ohms.  This is a recipe for headphone damage.
> 
> As I told Lachlan in our Skype call, we have insurance that will cover damaged gear caused by our products.  It’s a 3rd party who conducts their own investigations and makes a determination whether or not something will be covered.  If they determine that our product caused damage to another piece of gear, they’ll ask for the damaged item to be sent in and will pay the claim.  If they determine damage was caused by something other than our gear (like end user error), they won’t pay the claim.  In my opinion, Lachlan’s headphones were caused by his own error.  But we’ll let the insurance company’s claims adjuster decide that.


 
  
 Gavin, I appreciate the time you are taking to write this statement.
  
 But if you have watched the video and read the ticket, I have described the problem: after the unit has been on for some time, the LED starts to flicker. The unit will then send a popping noise through the headphone when a headphone is plugged or unplugged into the unit while the LED is flickering, or occasionally is sent by itself with no user input and regardless of the volume setting. It is not related to powering on or powering off the unit while equipment is connected - I followed the instructions (which weren't included in the shipping box) to the letter because I used to have a Schiit Asgard and I am aware of what happens without relays.
  
 The popping noise is the same volume whether the volume is set at -127db or -90db or -30dB. The popping is not user error unless you think it is an error to unplug or plug anything into the Pulse. 
  
 Now I know you will assess my unit yourself, but at this point I want to be very clear about the problem as described. It concerns me when you've made several of these statements about user error before assessing the unit, given the problem described. It does not make me confident that you will fairly assess it given the friction that this entire issue has caused.
  
 When I described the same symptoms to Jody, he stated:
  


> a) While the display is quite dim as a matter of design, I have not heard of issues with it flickering yet
> b) When I remove my IEMs from the Pulse while powered on there is a faint sound of the grounds being removed, but definitely not a loud pop with a display flicker
> c) There should be no popping sounds whatsoever in a good unit
> 
> Given the issues you have described, I believe there may be a grounding issue inside the Pulse.


----------



## Phishin Phool

So many things I would love to have addressed but my main point right now is this BLATANT FALSEHOOD still posted on LH website
  


> Return/Refund Policy Thanks for shopping with LH Labs!
> 
> If you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, we're here to help.
> 
> ...


 
 Which I found out after I ordered is a LIE as well as that the warranty would not be transferable (after it was reported by LH staff it would).
 At this point all I want is my vanilla pulse (which at this point I wouldn't care if it was wrapped in duct tape and sandwich bags so I never have to deal with LH again. The disingenuousness (dishonesty) and constant misrepresentations of LH have me at wits end. By far the WORST company I have ever dealt with from a cust service standpoint. At this  point I am not so sure I wouldn't rather receive a faulty unit cut my losses and be done forever. Currently my states AG has received a letter regarding what is listed above and what was stated in this thread regarding warranty to see if I can get AG action for a refund as well as my local attorney for guidance or suggestions.
  
 I am not sure how those ticket response times can be correct when under the new ticket system I know mny ticket still took three days for a response and several more to resolve which casual reading of lh forum and this forum seems to be the norm.


----------



## Decoy

gavn8r said:


> He claims (and I have no reason to disbelieve him) that his headphones were damaged by a popping noise coming from Pulse.  On our Skype call, he told me the headphones that were damaged we Takstar Pro-80’s.  In looking up the specs, I found that their rated impedance is 60 ohms, their rated input power is 250 mW, and their max input power is 500 mW.  He plugged them into an amp that outputs 770 mW into 60 ohms.  This is a recipe for headphone damage.


 
 Are you serious?  We all have amps that are capable of pumping out a lot more power than our headphones can take.  In one of your youtube videos, your engineer talks about why you designed the Pulse to have so much muscle to drive headphones.  If I turned my amp up to 11 and started blasting out some tunes, my HD800 would probably be toast.  In an instant.  To blame Lachlan for using those headphones with your device is total garbage.  No matter how sensitive your headphones, if you keep volumes at reasonable levels, they should be safe to use with the Pulse.


----------



## chartwell85

phishin phool said:


> So many things I would love to have addressed but my main point right now is this BLATANT FALSEHOOD still posted on LH website
> 
> Which I found out after I ordered is a LIE as well as that the warranty would not be transferable (after it was reported by LH staff it would).
> At this point all I want is my vanilla pulse (which at this point I wouldn't care if it was wrapped in duct tape and sandwich bags so I never have to deal with LH again. The disingenuousness (dishonesty) and constant misrepresentations of LH have me at wits end. By far the WORST company I have ever dealt with from a cust service standpoint. At this  point I am not so sure I wouldn't rather receive a faulty unit cut my losses and be done forever. Currently my states AG has received a letter regarding what is listed above and what was stated in this thread regarding warranty to see if I can get AG action for a refund as well as my local attorney for guidance or suggestions.
> ...


 

 Is this in regards to ordering any product from our website?


----------



## gavn8r

eac3 said:


> Gavin, I may be wrong about this and I am NO expert. I'll be honest, initially I was offended by why you (specifically the coder) cannot add a device check (i.e. why you can't have additional error checking in your code). But I took a step back and have reached a point, where I am now just curious...why? Too difficult? Too much time to code (time = money)? Impossible? Other more pressing priorities (for your full-time coder) besides surveys? The firmware updater software was written by another third-party?
> 
> (Speaking for myself here) I don't want to sound like you/LHL owes  me an explanation for this inquiry. Just throwing that out there....


 
  
 this is a very good question.  Thanks for asking for more info.
  
 I'm an app coder, not a firmware coder.  While I do write the language that we use in the firmware, audio is so nuanced that I'm really not qualified to write the firmware.  We have two firmware coders at the company, one of which is Larry.  So maybe he can chime in later.  Having said that...
  
 As I understand it, the reason there's no product check is because the device that is actually getting flashed is the USB controller.  Geek Pulse and Geek Out share the same controller.  This chip doesn't know what device it's installed into.  The reason they share the same controller is because it's the only controller available that can handle the load we give it.


----------



## gavn8r

a_recording said:


> Gavin, I appreciate the time you are taking to write this statement.
> 
> But if you have watched the video and read the ticket, I have described the problem: after the unit has been on for some time, the LED starts to flicker. The unit will then send a popping noise through the headphone when a headphone is plugged or unplugged into the unit while the LED is flickering, or occasionally is sent by itself with no user input and regardless of the volume setting. It is not related to powering on or powering off the unit while equipment is connected - I followed the instructions (which weren't included in the shipping box) to the letter because I used to have a Schiit Asgard and I am aware of what happens without relays.
> 
> ...


 

 I think that's fair to call me out on that.  I apologize for the assumption.
  
 The good news is that it won't be me or anybody else at the company that will make the assessment of either product or user error.  It'll be the claim adjuster.


----------



## amham

Absolute dribble by Gavin.  With responses such as this I deeply regret my purchase of the Pulse xfi...whenever I receive it.


----------



## Phishin Phool

chartwell85 said:


> Is this in regards to ordering any product from our website?


 
 Well I had to go to your website and sign up to be a geek force member to subscribe to the perk (IGG Forever funding not the open campaign BTW), customer support is being handled from that same website (support tickets, RMA etc.), all queries are being directed there and LH is indeed the manufacturer of the unit. That is why my legal counsel had me grab archived images of LH website and forward them to my states  Attorneys General office with my issues. Had the fact that the warranty not been transferable been PROPERLY communicated to us and some sort of disclaimer under the  Return /Refund section noting IGG campaugns/IGG FF etc are excluded then the order never would have been placed. I know I haven't waited as long as many here but after seeing customer service accuse users/blame users/ make excuses etc. I am more than ready as suggested by LH staff to 'go my own way ' and not return (not that there is ever any chance of that happening). 
  
 Quite honestly I am disillusioned in so many ways and if you think what I post here is probably a little thick and heavy then you can just imagine what I have been telling every audiophile I know who will listen how customers have been treated & lied to by LH. Nobody I know in my circle (albeit only a few dozen audiophiles) will ever consider LH for anything. I wouldn't trust one of the LH staff to cut my grass at this point.


----------



## chartwell85

phishin phool said:


> Well I had to go to your website and sign up to be a geek force member to subscribe to the perk (IGG Forever funding not the open campaign BTW), customer support is being handled from that same website (support tickets, RMA etc.), all queries are being directed there and LH is indeed the manufacturer of the unit. That is why my legal counsel had me grab archived images of LH website and forward them to my states  Attorneys General office with my issues. Had the fact that the warranty not been transferable been PROPERLY communicated to us and some sort of disclaimer under the  Return /Refund section noting IGG campaugns/IGG FF etc are excluded then the order never would have been placed. I know I haven't waited as long as many here but after seeing customer service accuse users/blame users/ make excuses etc. I am more than ready as suggested by LH staff to 'go my own way ' and not return (not that there is ever any chance of that happening).
> 
> Quite honestly I am disillusioned in so many ways and if you think what I post here is probably a little thick and heavy then you can just imagine what I have been telling every audiophile I know who will listen how customers have been treated & lied to by LH. Nobody I know in my circle (albeit only a few dozen audiophiles) will ever consider LH for anything.


 

 All products purchased from our website are entitled to the return/refund policy we have listed.  Perks that you back on IGG are not eligible for such a return or refund policy.


----------



## eac3

gavn8r said:


> this is a very good question.  Thanks for asking for more info.
> 
> I'm an app coder, not a firmware coder.  While I do write the language that we use in the firmware, audio is so nuanced that I'm really not qualified to write the firmware.  We have two firmware coders at the company, one of which is *Larry.  So maybe he can chime in late*r.  Having said that...
> 
> As I understand it, the reason there's no product check is because the device that is actually getting flashed is the USB controller.  Geek Pulse and Geek Out share the same controller.  This chip doesn't know what device it's installed into.  The reason they share the same controller is because it's the only controller available that can handle the load we give it.


 
  
 Thanks Gavin,
  
 Surely, it's possible and would  love to hear from Larry. If not, I will leave it at that. The software programmer in me is still curious.
  
 -Eugene


----------



## Phishin Phool

chartwell85 said:


> All products purchased from our website are entitled to the return/refund policy we have listed.  Perks that you back on IGG are not eligible for such a return or refund policy.


deceptive at a minimum and soon I should know if criminal or civil violation. To force somebody to go through your site , which I did, and then claim the ordering channel isn't sufficient for warranty is ridiculous to me that is no different than if I had bought it at a retail store and then you decided you weren't going to honor the warranty because I bought it from a dealer instead of your website.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

I'm going to chime in here with about the IGG terms of service. There seems to be some major misunderstandings about exactly what the below section means. Hopefully this will bring some clarity.
  


> Campaign Owners are permitted to offer Perks to Contributors. Campaign Owners are legally bound to perform on any promise and/or commitment to Contributors (including delivering any Perks). Campaign Owners will respond promptly and truthfully to all questions posed to them by Indiegogo or any Contributor. If any Campaign Owner is unable to fulfill any of its commitments to Contributors (including delivering any Perks), the Campaign Owner will work with the Contributors to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution, which may include refunding their Contributions. Campaign Owners will comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the use of Contributions and delivery of Perks.


 
  
 First of all - the definition of "promptly" is not defined. A response is required, but it doesn't have to be within any particular time frame. Also, hypothetically, if someone throws the ball back into your court (add to Skype, say call literally any time) and you drop it by not responding... they have fulfilled their obligation. It does not read "must keep harassing the backer who asked until confirmation they've read the answer has been obtained." The responsibility is bidirectional, and good faith is required on both sides.
  
 Second - there is a huge difference between requiring truth and requiring _*the whole truth/full disclosure*_. The former just means not to lie, and is a good rule to live by. That's all! The second is what we require of people testifying in court. The obligation isn't just to tell the truth, but *the entire truth* with nothing left out. IGG requires honesty, but *not full disclosure*. Demanding access to internal documents, statistics, or other business information will and should be met with a (prompt) pat on the head saying "Thanks for your inquiry, this isn't public information. Enjoy your day." See how that works? Completely honest and prompt is all that's required. *No backer is entitled to more than this. *Please stop incorrectly using the IGG ToS to claim otherwise.
  
 Finally - regarding commitment to perk delivery. That clause has no end date, only that they do get fulfilled. Triggering the "Unable to fulfill" section is reserved for initiatives which fall apart completely with zero chance of delivering a perk before the heat death of the universe. Agitating about this because of delivery _delays_ has no basis in the ToS; any such claims should be summarily dismissed.
  
  
 There have been valid criticisms raised. However, some of the most scathing have exactly zero basis. Please keep the above in mind moving forward.
  
 Back on topic: hopefully waiting for my Xfi to ship.


----------



## Phishin Phool

Casey, exactly where does it say that the order needed to be placed through your website it says items purchased from LH labs? If I didn't put my order in with LH labs who did it get put in with?

after all the let downs that Backers have experience why you force them to stay in your crooked game is beyond me


----------



## jexby

phishin phool said:


> Casey, exactly where does it say that the order needed to be placed through your website it says items purchased from LH labs? If I didn't put my order in with LH labs who did it get put in with?
> 
> after all the let downs that Backers have experience why you force them to stay in your crooked game is beyond me




Could you go back and check your PayPal receipts for IGG contributions and kindly reply back with what the field
Receiver email: 

Says?

Because that's who you have paid.


----------



## Phishin Phool

jexby said:


> Could you go back and check your PayPal receipts for IGG contributions and kindly reply back with what the field
> Receiver email:
> 
> Says?
> ...


I just checked my invoices and I paid LH labs corporation

Lhlabs@lightharmonics.com


thanks I was just about to do that I went into my paypal account this ought to make things a lot easier to present my case to the attorney general's office


----------



## greenkiwi

nightdayaudio said:


> So you highly recommend to leave the unit turned on 24/7, yet absolve yourself from any responsibility if doing that very thing causes issues?  Huh?
> 
> The US power grid is not perfect.... brownouts, surges, quick half second off/on flips, power outages, etc. do occur... for some, they occur multiple times a day depending on the weather and time of year...  this is not a new phenomenon.... it's well documented and common knowledge....
> 
> ...


 
 I actually agree with this, and I believe that it has been brought up and supposedly it will be in the "next meeting" that at LHLabs and @LarryHo is supposedly looking into seeing if something can be added to future devices, potentially including the Xfinity (or maybe just the A2Q version of it... who knows.)
  
 I do hope that they can provide a solution that protects downstream devices.


----------



## jexby

phishin phool said:


> I just checked my invoices and I paid LH labs corporation




Thanks for checking,
Guess I don't understand the ordering process you followed as all of my payments were to crowd funding sites for products not yet ready for shipment.
Thus, all my payments say:
 Receiver email: paypal@indiegogo.com


----------



## AGO4

phishin phool said:


> I just checked my invoices and I paid LH labs corporation
> 
> Lhlabs@lightharmonics.com
> 
> ...


 

 I'm not sure what invoice you are looking at since all my payments are made to Indiegogo, i.e., my credit card and PayPal statements show all payments being made to Indiegogo.


----------



## a_recording

It's really very simple. All LH had to do was say:
  
 "Lachlan, sorry. We dropped the ball on this. Obviously there is something wrong with the support ticket system if a customer has to wait 1 month to arrange an RMA for a severe hardware fault. We did try to reach out to you directly to resolve this issue, but we acknowledge that something went wrong with the first line of support. No customer should have to communicate with PR to get technical support issues resolved. Let's get you unit in house ASAP, because we are very concerned about the problem demonstrated by your unit."
  
 Instead, the tenor of the response from LH has been:
  
*We reached out, YOU didn't respond.*
*Our support system works great! 20 hour turnaround time. No problems.*
*We've never seen this problem. In my opinion, it's YOUR error.*
*We've done everything right. Look at all these positive comments we get! YOU seem to have some agenda against us.*
  
 Even if you've walked back on *some* of these comments, your initial reaction has always been to reach for the defensive and the condescending without trying to actually understand exactly what has gone wrong.
  
 I didn't say this until now, but in the Skype call, Casey and Gavin literally had the gall to ask me if I was kicking up a fuss because I had "hurt feelings". I was literally speechless. Where do you get off patronising a customer when the entire situation has arisen out of errors on your side?
  
 Is it really so hard to believe that all the vitriol and anger directed at LH is because when a problem comes up, they are defensive and passive aggressive about it? Customer service isn't about winning some kind of game against the customer where you browbeat beat them while simultaneously taking their money hostage.
  
 The company is run by cowboys who think that crowdfunding is some kind of Wild West, and then they act bemused and defensive when people get angry about it.


----------



## Phishin Phool

jexby said:


> Thanks for checking,
> Guess I don't understand the ordering process you followed as all of my payments were to crowd funding sites for products not yet ready for shipment.
> Thus, all my payments say:
> Receiver email: paypal@indiegogo.com




I ordered under the forever funding after the regular campaign was closed and I had made arrangements with light harmonic to pay off of payment plan in a lump sum early and if they could just invoice me and they did so (although incorrectly twice which took 3 weeks 3 customer service reps, and two tickets and then continuous postings at lh forums (although the repeated posts were because they didn't show up due to me not realizing 30 posts are monitored)) so I made the pledge to indiegogo and got invoiced several times by lh all of which I have copies of. Thanks I am going to add these to my documentation and argue that 

If I had to sign up at LH to be a geek force member (or whatever it is called) 
Lh is the Campaign Sponsor and who is responsible for fulfilling the obligations of the perks
I have to go through LH for service and support
LH on their letterhead invoiced me for the cost of my unit 
The same website LH that I use for everything else prominently displays the return /refund policy


I submit that I have a deal with LH and as such they need to honor it in its entirety


----------



## kugino

i was a backer of the pulse xfi...but recently sold it before even receiving it. i have my own issues about LHLabs, mostly about their customer service and ticket system -  because i've had some bad experiences with it both as a backer of the GO and now as a backer of the pulse. to be fair, in the end all my issues were resolved to my satisfaction.
  
 but reading the last 10 or so pages of this thread, i just get this weird feeling in my stomach. you know the feeling you get when you know something is wrong but just can't put your finger on it? i have that feeling. i hope i'm wrong and i hope everything turns out for the best with LHLabs and all the backers of their products. but like they say in star wars, "i have a bad feeling about this."
  
 unsubbed


----------



## jaywillin

I guess im lucky, ive only had two issues, i had to wait like everyone else and i got upset about the warranty deal , other that that, im pleased as punch , pink foam and all ! Lol


----------



## Maelob

I already given up, whatever comes comes.  lesson learned from me is #$% crowd design. Shame on all Geek Force that kept asking for stuff, including me lol.   no more, don't want to be asked anymore.  Funny,  I just contributed to the HiFi Skyn DAC/AMP for my IPOD, which was the original intent for Geek Wave (for which I spent 400 and no longer is an iOS dac), and guess what it is already designed and will be delivered soon. What a roller coaster


----------



## Phishin Phool

kugino said:


> i was a backer of the pulse xfi...but recently sold it before even receiving it. i have my own issues about LHLabs, mostly about their customer service and ticket system -  because i've had some bad experiences with it both as a backer of the GO and now as a backer of the pulse. to be fair, in the end all my issues were resolved to my satisfaction.
> 
> but reading the last 10 or so pages of this thread, i just get this weird feeling in my stomach. you know the feeling you get when you know something is wrong but just can't put your finger on it? i have that feeling. i hope i'm wrong and i hope everything turns out for the best with LHLabs and all the backers of their products. but like they say in star wars, "i have a bad feeling about this."
> 
> unsubbed


 
 I understand. I  am glad it worked out for you. I hope the pulse is a great unit - all versions. I wanted to be a customer/backer. I ordered it thinking it would be fantastic and maybe it is but I also ordered it with the following understanding
 a) I was paying more by having waited till forever funding but since plain pulses were shipping the risk was less as that was what I wanted
 b) LH has a clear refund policy on their website  that says  I could return it in new condition for a full refund (minus shipping costs I assume)
 c) At that time warranties were supposedly transferable
 I really  really wanted a pulse and I wanted it to be great but at a minimum I knew it was better than my other SS option my AVR but didn't expect the headphone part to outshine my tube amp as I like tubes but with pre-outs that was no problem and with  both headphone and pre-outs active at that the same time I was really happy as 2 of us could listen at the same time (1 set of cans -my guest could use a headphone of their choice and the pulse and I could run the signal simultaneously to my tube amp and all would be well. After being in this thread though and at LH forums for some time I just really don't want anything to do with LH at this point for a number of reasons  and though I never thought it would come to this I am at the point I wish to avail myself of their refund/return policy they have posted on their website b) from above. As mentioned elsewhere I think I have a pretty strong case so I hope to be able to return it but if I can't then when it comes I will enjoy it but still loathe LH . What I don't get is that since LH has obviously lost me as a customer indefinitely why would they (over $400) want to give me an axe to grind toward them when they could simply honor the stated terms and honor a return/refund as posted and then I say to myself all I am out is essentially a few minutes of my time and minimal aggravation and I go on to somebody else I am happy with and never give them another thought.and am never heard from again [ I would go through the charade of them shipping it and me shipping it back but why not avoid such foolishness and then they already have one more on hand to fill orders]
  
 Edit: I do not think LH is a ponzi scheme though (at this moment)


----------



## Maelob

Refund? If you contributed via Forever Campaign there is no refund.  The refund policy in their website is bogus and don't mention anything about IGG.  So I don't think you will be able to get a refund unless you buy it directly from their website. Believe me I thought I was going to do that with my Pulse, and Mono Amp that I bought thinking it was a Stereo. No way out, we are all in.


----------



## Chefano

My Pulse infinity is still a Pulse X /f /i at tracking status.
 Guys, did yours changed?
  
 Regadrs


----------



## DSlayerZX

Mine did, 
 I am not to sure when did it change, but it did, along with the 2G cable from THD perk tossed in. 


honestly, with the Xfi shipping and some people already got the wrong unit on their way, you should file a ticket on it.


----------



## FayeForever

Just out of curiosity, if my headphone got damaged by Pulse because of the 0db bug, will this be considered as an end user error?


----------



## Phishin Phool

maelob said:


> Refund? If you contributed via Forever Campaign there is no refund.  The refund policy in their website is bogus and don't mention anything about IGG.  So I don't think you will be able to get a refund unless you buy it directly from their website. Believe me I thought I was going to do that with my Pulse, and Mono Amp that I bought thinking it was a Stereo. No way out, we are all in.


----------



## jexby

a_recording said:


> Instead, the tenor of the response from LH has been:
> 
> *We reached out, YOU didn't respond.*
> *[]*
> ...


 
  
  
 these continued postings do makes it appear as if your feelings are hurt, to the point of being inconsolable no matter what resolution was reached on Skype yesterday.
  
 am almost ready to unsub myself, not due to feelings about the Pulse or LH-
 more the audacity of the some who use head-fi to beg for public "me to" support after "the issue didn't go smoothly, or based on what I understood".
  
 welcome to planet earth.


----------



## Levanter

I think the problem with LH is that they are too transparent, accommodating and passionate about their products.
These are very good points in developing a great product and will please many audio enthusiast, however it's a double edged sword as there are also impatient enthusiasts who will settle for good just to get it quicker.

Though I do agree that their customer response turnaround time needs more work. I don't know how they get those numbers when I see many complaining late turnaround times.


----------



## digitalzed

chefano said:


> My Pulse infinity is still a Pulse X /f /i at tracking status.
> Guys, did yours changed?
> 
> Regadrs


 

 Mine did.


----------



## digitalzed

fayeforever said:


> Just out of curiosity, if my headphone got damaged by Pulse because of the 0db bug, will this be considered as an end user error?


 

 Yes.


----------



## gyx11

@jexby thank you for your reply to my last post. I can now understand the slight differences between the Geek campaigns and the Schiit Asgard saga.

Regarding the latest burst of posts of here, I remain mostly neutral, but I have had private conversations with several head-fiers whom are backers of the campaigns. and there is enough inconsistency in what they have been told, versus what I have been told, to raise suspicions that there is actual reasons why they'd choose to keep all queries/disputes to a personal 'ticketing' level rather than in a public and transparent way. I'm not saying there is any deliberate malice involved. In fact I think most of it is simply down to confusion generated by the overwhelming changes and variations in the product line.

I don't want to get into the specifics but I hope this mess will eventually be resolved amicably. I just wish people would stop throwing speculations all over the place, and certainly be more objective in their posting.

for the record (pun intended), I don't think there's anything objectively (emphasis on the objective) wrong or inaccurate with what Lachlan is suggesting, and people should not be attacking him based on his youtube background, age, self-description of himself on his channel, or his character or intentions.


----------



## jexby

@gyx11,
  
 glad to help a little bit here.
  
 I too have had similar private conversations.  but there is no obligation on any company to handle each customer issue (RMA, refund request, etc) out in the open.
 had a product from iFi break, guess what I had to do:  open a ticket in their system.
 have had RMAs with Schiit, had to email them directly.
 in neither case was it hashed out in a forum, nor do I see any companies on head-fi doing such.
  
 btw, not saying Lachlan's suggestions themselves are entirely wrong.  but pulpit howling after zero communication with the company AFTER invitations were offered- is absurd.
  
 for the record, I have no clue about his youtube background (never saw his channel or reviews before), nor what his age is or self-description.
 nor will I be seeking such info as it's irrelevant to this thread.


----------



## nicolo

If i was in LH Labs shoes, i wouldn't bother responding to the negativity on this thread. Too much teeth gnashing from too many people who have no idea of how crowdfunding works are on here stinking up the thread. LH Labs has made mistakes and they have acknowledged it publicly. They have also grown exponentially recently and they were bound to have teething problems. I have also complained here about delays etc. Instead of lamenting, i followed up with them directly instead of spewing all over multiple forums. Just because we have paid for perks doesn't give us the right to internal documents from LH Labs on defect rates etc. like Lachlan suggested. I have no problems with Lachlan's initial posts. But to go on and on and on about it is just bad manners, especially when they tried to work with him. It just seems that it has turned into a personal issue for Lachlan.
  
@Phishin Phool
  
 Just grow up.
  
 Please read the terms and conditions before taking part in a crowdfunding campaign. Its no one else's fault but yours that you didn't read up on these. There's a massive difference on selling a product on a manufacturer's webpage and selling on Kickstarter or IGG. If you had bought the Pulse on LH Labs' website, you have every right to ask for a refund and be pissed if you didn't get it. If you backed it on IGG or KS, you can't. Most of us who backed the Pulse and other LH products knew this and acknowledged that fact. It's only due to crowdfunding that you could get LH products at a discount compared to the retail price. Just stop with the tiresome drivel already. If you want to take legal action, do it already or just stop with the relentless negativity.
  
 For all the people who have complaints about LH Labs, please start a separate thread(s).


----------



## a_recording

jexby said:


> pulpit howling after zero communication with the company AFTER invitations were offered- is absurd.


 
  
 I really want to be clear on this: in the 1 month my ticket was open, I did not simply just sit there for a month biding my time. There was back and forth on the support ticket. I was given no indication in any way that I was being treated anything differently from a regular customer or that the ticket had been escalated to Casey or Gavin to personally look into. I was passed from Jody to Manny to Tami to Michael. Each time after a few days of silence I updated the ticket to ask what was going on. This went on for a month.
  
 It seems to me despite Gavin's statements of having seen my ticket, Gavin did not actually really know the details of the issue, nor did LH know I had opened a ticket and it was sitting in the system - since of course, I'm sure the RMA would have been arranged instantly if they did.
  
 Again, I wanted to report on what the ordinary customer experience was when dealing with LH support. Not talking to damage control from company's public facing side in reaction to a Youtube video - but the standard procedure for any support issue. What is standard procedure? I opened a ticket and posted on the LH forum.
  


> If OLED blinks, that definitely there is something short or some component failure.
> *Please open a ticket and send that back. [My emphasis]* We will give you another unit.
> And welcome to test that again.
> 
> ...


 
  
 You have to understand, I am a reviewer. I don't want to give my viewers a false impression that a company treats has a very effective support system if in fact I just happened to get a good experience because I posted a Youtube video. It is true that Casey reached out to contact me directly. I think it's also true that if I had not posted any video at all, my ticket would have still stayed open for a month. Keep in mind my post in the LH forum also went completely unanswered by anyone from support.
  
 You must realise that many of you are enthusiasts and have been posting in this Head-Fi thread and possibly in the LH forums for a while. You know who Casey is, you know you who Gavin is. I am someone who backed this project in 2013 and didn't really keep up with anything except email updates. I am sure many other customers would be similar. They would not know to message Gavin or Casey about this issue, and all over the LH Forums they repeatedly encourage people to open tickets.
  
 You might think it is absurd to kick up such a fuss because I was given a faster solution to my problems but I didn't take it. But what I am upset about is a repeated refusal to acknowledge that in my case the support ticket system just didn't work and that the 20 hour resolution number in their system points to all being well. 
  
 Anyway, the point has been laboured to death and I don't really want to keep complaining about it. I think we'll just have to agree to disagree about whether or not I was acting like a normal customer in this situation, or if I was treated like a normal customer in this situation.
  
 But I'd just like you to imagine, if I had not posted the video - if I had just done what any other customer was told to do, which is to open a ticket and post on the forum - how frustrating would it be to have a dead headphone and a 1 month open ticket with no resolution?
  
 Edit: Anyway, any more bellyaching from me is not going to change anything, so I'll stop. The RMA is on its way and hopefully it will all be smooth sailing from here.


----------



## sahmen

Simple question: Under the prevailing conditions, is it a smart idea to buy a new Geek Pulse (basic model) from one of the original backers who is now deciding to jump off the wagon and try some other brand?...  I am asking because of the warranty which, I hear, cannot be transferred...  I am also wondering whether  L H labs will support the pulse with firmware updates, etc. etc, if it no longer belongs to the original owner...  In short, I am thinking that it is a bad idea to make this purchase under these conditions, but the price seems to be very good, so I confess that I am feeling slightly tempted..., and I need someone to help me put the idea out of my mind...
  
 2nd related question: Would it be wiser to use this money to back the HPA campaign instead?  I am also tempted to go that road, but I am a bit scared because of some of the problems I have read about on this thread (concerning especially delivery delays and bugs)...
  
 What do you think?


----------



## jbr1971

sahmen said:


> Simple question: Under the prevailing conditions, is it a smart idea to buy a new Geek Pulse (basic model) from one of the original backers who is now deciding to jump off the wagon and try some other brand?...  I am asking because of the warranty which, I hear, cannot be transferred...  I am also wondering whether  L H labs will support the pulse with firmware updates, etc. etc, if it no longer belongs to the original owner...  In short, I am thinking that it is a bad idea to make this purchase under these conditions, but the price seems to be very good, so I confess that I am feeling slightly tempted..., and I need someone to help me put the idea out of my mind...
> 
> 2nd related question: Would it be wiser to use this money to back the HPA campaign instead?  I am also tempted to go that road, but I am a bit scared because of some of the problems I have read about on this thread (concerning especially delivery delays and bugs)...
> 
> What do you think?


 
  
 The firmware updates are publicly available and are not tied to warranty, you will be fine there.
  
 The HPA will not have a DAC in it, so you will still need to purchase a DAC if you do not currently have one. Something to keep in mind.
  
 Jody


----------



## miceblue

I honestly can't figure out why people got so worked up about the transferrable warranty. Do many other audio DAC/amp/cable companies offer such a thing, because until this thread, I had no idea such a thing was possible? >.>


----------



## PacoTaco

miceblue said:


> I honestly can't figure out why people got so worked up about the transferrable warranty. Do many other audio DAC/amp/cable companies offer such a thing, because until this thread, I had no idea such a thing was possible? >.>


 
 It was more of "they said they were, but then they changed their minds without telling us except for when someone asked a question and they answered it non-nonchalantly like that. Then they decided to sell the transferable warranty as a perk."
  
 Same thing with the refund thing, the "oh, we meant we were only doing the first batch of Geek Pulses by this time frame, not all of them" and the rest of the crap we've been hearing.
  
 I'm not speaking from a hater standpoint, just a frustrated customer. I was told 2-3 weeks ago that I'd be getting my survey in a couple days, but it has yet to come. Among other things. I personally had to deal with trying to get them to acknowledge that I made the full payment. I was being sent monthly payment invoices, and it took me about four weeks to get them to acknowledge that I paid and for them to remove the invoice. Yet, no receipt other than "we put you on the paid list, you'll get your survey in a couple days."
  
 I'll put it this way. A lot of people have a reason to be pissed off. Maybe not to the insulting degree they have been, but I understand why they're there. A lot of us have been yanked around and misinformed too many times to count, and it's mostly passed around as our fault. I keep seeing more and more comments about the Geek Pulse's not functioning correctly on Reddit and here, and, while some of it is exaggerated, you can't NOT be concerned that maybe your unit might end up faulty. And guess what? If it is, you can't get your money back. People who bought perks, like the LPS4, that misunderstood the posting due to weird wording won't have any remedy for it. That sort of thing.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

phishin phool said:


> I just checked my invoices and I paid LH labs corporation
> 
> Lhlabs@lightharmonics.com
> 
> ...


 
 Only after the campaigns went into forever funding.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

The non transferrable thing for me was that even though the product hadn't been even made or delivered yet, I can't transfer it to someone else.  That's not very fair for pre order products, and since we can't return, we are stuck.  The reason given by Gavin was they they didn't want to handle the record keeping.  Anyway, I've come to accept it and will just patiently wait.


----------



## Currawong

On that note: I've seen a couple of people try and "sell" their as-yet undelivered Geek Pulse in the classifieds. I'm not comfortable with the idea of people doing that for a whole host of reasons so I'm not going to allow the sale of anything but units that are physically in peoples' hands.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

phishin phool said:


> I understand. I  am glad it worked out for you. I hope the pulse is a great unit - all versions. I wanted to be a customer/backer. I ordered it thinking it would be fantastic and maybe it is but I also ordered it with the following understanding
> a) I was paying more by having waited till forever funding but since plain pulses were shipping the risk was less as that was what I wanted
> b) LH has a clear refund policy on their website  that says  I could return it in new condition for a full refund (minus shipping costs I assume)
> c) At that time warranties were supposedly transferable
> ...


 
 But then you couldn't create your thousand word tsunamis and ride them for all they're worth.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

pacotaco said:


> It was more of "they said they were, but then they changed their minds without telling us except for when someone asked a question and they answered it non-nonchalantly like that. Then they decided to sell the transferable warranty as a perk."
> 
> Same thing with the refund thing, the "oh, we meant we were only doing the first batch of Geek Pulses by this time frame, not all of them" and the rest of the crap we've been hearing.
> 
> ...


 
 How could someone mistakenly buy an LPS4?


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

Hi everyone I am new to the world of Head-Fi so please bear with me as I talk about my newest product my Geek Pulse. I was worried about buying such a new product at a price that for me was a lot of money and if it turned out to be a piece of crap I could not afford to replace it. However I went ahead because the product had all the features I wanted at a price point I could afford so I went ahead and purchased it.
  
 I could not be happier with the product. My Pulse has a sound that is incredible for the price I payed and while I am no expert I hear thing in the music I have never heard before. There is no noise and I mean no audible noise and I am running the headphone amp at 90% or more of it's output specs. The DAC allows separation and a sound stage like I have never heard before. Highs are detailed without harshness, mids are clear and concise, Lows are deep and wonderful with out missing the smallest detail. I am enjoying the hell out of this DAC/AMP my only issue of any kind is as follows:
  
 The volume knob has to have a lot of turns to get to my listen level and then back to a place where you might want to leave it when no one is using it. The increments are very small and the knob is small as well. A larger knob would most likely make this better just a suggestion.
  
 I guess I would like to see the transferable warranty for reasons that will become evident in just a short time.
  
 I have been reading this forum for the last few days and I heard a lot of criticism. Of the product and the company well as I have had no dealing with the company all I can say is how many of these high end audio company presidents and head designers get on these forums and try to answer question posed by their customers. I bet there are almost none if not none then very few. Here you guys are getting responses directly from the president on customer service issues and getting to talk to the head designer and influence the end product with you input. I would like to thank both of them for taking time out of what I am sure is a busy schedule to hear us the end user. Thank you Gavin and Larry!
  
 The review from youtube let it go and test the new product. As a customer I want to hear about the working product how it sound in relation to other products and what your thoughts are about it in a fair manner. Companies are filled with humans and as a result produce X amount of defective products it does not matter how big or small they are or how high end they are. In startup companies numbers of these products are always a little higher that is life. Please try your replacement and give us a review of the product performance no ticket numbers included please.
  
 I am pleased with my decision to purchase my Geek Pulse and the product sounds so dang good that I am not ashamed to admit that I am the second owner of this product. The first owner is also a member here.
  
 Just My Two Cents!


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## nudd

Unless you accidentally update with the wrong firmware and then you are stuffed. 

Although if you have only 1 geek product u may be less likely to do that I guess.



jbr1971 said:


> The firmware updates are publicly available and are not tied to warranty, you will be fine there.
> 
> The HPA will not have a DAC in it, so you will still need to purchase a DAC if you do not currently have one. Something to keep in mind.
> 
> Jody


----------



## Black sound

When will the perks from the last campain be updated on our tracking page?


----------



## BobJS

God, I just love reading this thread.  It will be the foundation of some MBA case study undoubtedly.


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## musicheaven

It's truly entertaining, beats reality TV too bad there is no on stage version of that with all the shouting, pulling hair, throwing shoes at each other. It's almost live entertainment. I am about to keep a score board to see who's winning on the heated debate.


----------



## jaywillin

a_recording said:


> I really want to be clear on this: in the 1 month my ticket was open, I did not simply just sit there for a month biding my time. There was back and forth on the support ticket. I was given no indication in any way that I was being treated anything differently from a regular customer or that the ticket had been escalated to Casey or Gavin to personally look into. I was passed from Jody to Manny to Tami to Michael. Each time after a few days of silence I updated the ticket to ask what was going on. This went on for a month.
> 
> It seems to me despite Gavin's statements of having seen my ticket, Gavin did not actually really know the details of the issue, nor did LH know I had opened a ticket and it was sitting in the system - since of course, I'm sure the RMA would have been arranged instantly if they did.
> 
> ...


 
 1-then why keep laboring the point and complaining ?
 2- true , and hopefully
 i think your point has been made,(several times) , and i agree at this point, as jexby suggested, it could be that no solution would be satisfactory for you now, i don't know this for a fact though.
  
 at the beginning i did not realize you were a youtube reviewer with responsibilities to your followers, and you are reporting your findings and passing that info. that's cool
 at some point, don't really remember exactly when, i checked your profile here just because i was curious, from your profile :
  
  

Interests (Hobbies, favorite activities, etc.):
  I like to accumulate useless knowledge with which to delight or annoy my friends.
  What I do for a living:
  I make very little productive contribution to society.
  
 kinda puts things in better perspective for me
  
 i'm not a "reviewer" i have no followers i feel i must inform, but i would like to pass along my experience as an "ordinary customer" (and neither you nor i are indeed ordinary customers, we are "backers/investors) , my experience with this process, as i've stated several times , overall has been pleasant, and i'm happy with the outcome, the pulse sounds great, hasn't flickered, blown up, damaged anything, as i said, overall i'm pleased
 and as i've also said before, there are appropriate channels, ways to express displeasure with an entity , and since you seem to think lhlabs conduct conflict resolution in public , or you should disclose how they handle conflict resolution to the public, because they are "are a business"  or "member of the trade", it seems fair to me you are held to the same standard.
 all this i've said, i haven't said to defend lhlabs, they're big boys, they don't need my help, i'm sure they'll be just fine
 i just felt the need to get that off my chest, this may be a "personal attack" i'll be called to task on by the moderators, if so, i'll accept responsibility
 and while i may or may not "unsub" (it is pretty entertaining) i'll try refrain from making any personal,pointed, direct comments that could be construed as confrontational


----------



## gyx11

This might be an absurdly stupid question, but does anyone know how to re-open a closed ticket? I'm trying to clarify some additional issues but my previous ticket was automatically marked as resolved.

 The tickets section at the support page has this 'Open or Pending' option which looks as if there'll be a drop down menu option to select another option, but I can't seem to do it in either Google Chrome or Internet Explorer.


----------



## AxelCloris

gyx11 said:


> This might be an absurdly stupid question, but does anyone know how to re-open a closed ticket? I'm trying to clarify some additional issues but my previous ticket was automatically marked as resolved.
> 
> The tickets section at the support page has this 'Open or Pending' option which looks as if there'll be a drop down menu option to select another option, but I can't seem to do it in either Google Chrome or Internet Explorer.


 
  
 You'll have to open a new ticket and reference the old ticket number. I have to do the same today as my ticket was auto-closed due to, they claimed, no response from me within 48 hours. I responded about 26 hours before it auto-closed. Back of the line for me it seems.


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## gyx11

thanks @AxelCloris 
  
 just gotta wait i guess!


----------



## Muinarc

bobjs said:


> God, I just love reading this thread.  It will be the foundation of some MBA case study undoubtedly.



 


I'm with you. There are 6200+ posts in this thread and I bet I've read at least 4000 of them. I'm so full of popcorn!








This whole thing is like a "patience marathon", every day cracks another runner and only the strong will survive to the end!


----------



## tuned

I was banned from the LH forums after an interaction with Casey where I had the gall to ask about the status of the (my) xfi. So, I've spent the last two weeks working through this tome of a thread.
  
 I tried my best to fault LH for the huge delays and endless product variations but some of the blame has to be put on us too. We lapped up the ever less substantial upgrades at an incredible pace. Gavin's recent soliloquy included a piece about being a money hungry business and that's totally fair. It's almost admirable what they're able to do with their business -- if they can now just keep this upgrade/delay cycle rolling for inifintiy it'd be the best business model ever. 
  
 Those of us that have fallen out the side of this crap hurricane are now, rightfully so, getting a little angsty. Can anyone that's received an XFi give us a clue of when they ordered on IGG?
  
 And for those of you still swirling around inside... get out now and help us hold them to their word.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

I received my LPS4 yesterday. Custom packing is impressive, it's smaller and denser than I expected, and I'm also impressed at the build quality. My Fluke DMM measures a steady 13.33 volts from all outputs, which I assume will normalize to spec in use as the meter imposes no current load.
  
 I also have wondered where I fall in line for fulfillment on the Xfi front. My guess is I was in the 300s but may now be in the 200s after a decent chunk of those in line upgraded further to other SKUs. It would be nice to know where one is in the queue, and how far they have worked up the queue (or they could just reduce the number toward 0 as those in front get fulfilled). But I'm content to wait - when it does ship it'll be a pleasant surprise.


----------



## tuned

I admire your patience.
  
 I got my LPS(not 4) before Christmas but still haven't received my cables or xfi. The bulk of my IGG ordering was done Dec 13, 2013. 
  
 Maybe Lachlanlikesathing can use his Google form prowess to create another survey.


----------



## jaywillin

pulse x/f/i #104 ordered 10/2013


----------



## tuned

Thanks jay.
  
 I made a form:
  
Geek Pulse Survey (http://goo.gl/forms/Ex4x6jr9yr)
  
 Please remember to save the edit link so you can update:


----------



## wingsounds13

jaywillin said:


> pulse x/f/i #104 ordered 10/2013




Except that:

You could not have "ordered" ANY LH Labs products at that time as the Geek Out was still several months from shipping and the Pulse was only an indiegogo crowdfunding project early in its development. There was not anything like Pulse Xfi for a couple months after the date that you claim to have "ordered" it. The balanced X and femto clock perks were added over the next two months. I presume that you backed each of these shortly after they were posted.

Still, since your base model Pulse backing date was early you should be fairly early in the Xfi queue.

Yes, I am nitpicking on semantics and details. 

J.P.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

Added my info to the survey. My initial Pulse perk was dated 12/19/2013.


----------



## jaywillin

wingsounds13 said:


> Except that:
> 
> You could not have "ordered" ANY LH Labs products at that time as the Geek Out was still several months from shipping and the Pulse was only an indiegogo crowdfunding project early in its development. There was not anything like Pulse Xfi for a couple months after the date that you claim to have "ordered" it. The balanced X and femto clock perks were added over the next two months. I presume that you backed each of these shortly after they were posted.
> 
> ...


 
 yes, and actually, no one really "ordered" anything , money was pledged
 i pledged for the geek pulse on 10/30/2013

October 29, 2013Geek Audio: A Crowdsourced High-Rez Sound System$199USDBIG THANKS
  
 and then pledged the perks as they were announced. 

December 19, 2013Geek Audio: A Crowdsourced High-Rez Sound System$88USDInstant $1M Upgrade  Name & Amount
  Name Only
  Anonymous
December 9, 2013Geek Audio: A Crowdsourced High-Rez Sound System$140USDGeek Pulse X Upgrade
  

December 19, 2013Geek Audio: A Crowdsourced High-Rez Sound System$119USDGeek Pulse Femto Clock


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

Pursuant to this discussion, all that matters is your date of first pledge for any variant of Geek Pulse. That's the line order. There are separate lines for the different variants; we're talking about the Xfi here.
  
 The line itself - only LH Labs knows. A number of backers upgraded further toward the X infinity or signature editions, or even the Vi system using other perks. They aren't in line for the Xfi anymore (but their respective, relative places are maintained in their new lines). Thus we don't know how long the Xfi line is, or where exactly we stand in it.


----------



## tuned

No need to nitpick. Just a general idea of when you first contributed to the Pulse campaign.
  
 Two more links here:
  
Sumary of results
  
Detailed table of results


----------



## FraGGleR

.


----------



## FraGGleR

bobjs said:


> God, I just love reading this thread.  It will be the foundation of some MBA case study undoubtedly.


 
 It was fun at the beginning to watch LHLabs for just this reason.  Nothing that they are going through (ie their mistakes/missteps) is really all that new for startups, but man I have been impressed by their backers (not in a good way).  Granted the most insane people are in the minority, but wow.  I'm not happy with the way LHLabs has handled communication, and certainly the extra year I have waited hasn't been pleasant, but such is the nature of backing (not preordering!) a product from basically a novice company (the Da Vinci was too niche to really teach them what they needed to know about dealing with the mass market).  
  
 It will be interesting to see how much the scrutiny and criticism that they have received in their infancy will impact them in this market as they (hopefully) continue to mature.
  
 On a happier note (for me), I received a tracking number for my Xfi earlier today.  I backed the Pulse within a few hours of the start of the campaign for those trying to track the pace of shipping.


----------



## jaywillin

fraggler said:


> It was fun at the beginning to watch LHLabs for just this reason.  Nothing that they are going through (ie their mistakes/missteps) is really all that new for startups, but man I have been impressed by their backers (not in a good way).  Granted the most insane people are in the minority, but wow.  *I'm not happy with the way LHLabs has handled communication, and certainly the extra year I have waited hasn't been pleasant, but such is the nature of backing* (not preordering!) a product from basically a novice company (the Da Vinci was too niche to really teach them what they needed to know about dealing with the mass market).
> 
> It will be interesting to see how much the scrutiny and criticism that they have received in their infancy will impact them in this market as they (hopefully) continue to mature.
> 
> On a happier note (for me),* I received a tracking number for my Xfi earlier today.  I backed the Pulse within a few hour*s of the start of the campaign for those trying to track the pace of shipping.


 
 +1
  
 i backed early, not sure about "hours" but it might have been , i'm not sure how close the serial number matches my backing timeline but i have pulse x/f/i #104
 any, i'm very happy with the sound, and performance so far , the only hiccup was the volume sticking once, yesterday, a reboot fixed that
 look forward to what you think of your unit


----------



## frankrondaniel

Received shipping notification tonight for my XFI.  I've been very pleased so far with my vanilla Pulse (other than the issue with the Pulse occasionally becoming unresponsive to knob adjustments necessitating a reboot) - can't wait to find out how much better it is with the XFI.


----------



## mscott58

frankrondaniel said:


> Received shipping notification tonight for my XFI.  I've been very pleased so far with my vanilla Pulse (other than the issue with the Pulse occasionally becoming unresponsive to knob adjustments necessitating a reboot) - can't wait to find out how much better it is with the XFI.


 
 Very exciting! Would love to see a comparison review of the two once you get a chance. Cheers and enjoy


----------



## chartwell85

lifemovingforwa said:


> Hi everyone I am new to the world of Head-Fi so please bear with me as I talk about my newest product my Geek Pulse. I was worried about buying such a new product at a price that for me was a lot of money and if it turned out to be a piece of crap I could not afford to replace it. However I went ahead because the product had all the features I wanted at a price point I could afford so I went ahead and purchased it.
> 
> I could not be happier with the product. My Pulse has a sound that is incredible for the price I payed and while I am no expert I hear thing in the music I have never heard before. There is no noise and I mean no audible noise and I am running the headphone amp at 90% or more of it's output specs. The DAC allows separation and a sound stage like I have never heard before. Highs are detailed without harshness, mids are clear and concise, Lows are deep and wonderful with out missing the smallest detail. I am enjoying the hell out of this DAC/AMP my only issue of any kind is as follows:
> 
> ...


 

 I've found myself coming back to your posting numerous times today, for a variety of reasons.  Primarly because I've been searching for the words to truly show my appreciation and utmost thanks for your kind comments that you've made in this post.  
  
 I speak for all of us at LH, when I say that we were very touched and incredibly thankful for your appreciation of not only our products but also our presence here in the forums.  It's often a thankless job, with countless hours spent in the office away from family and friends and it's comments like this that make it all worth it in the end.  
  
 Again, thank you so much.


----------



## graham508

Just a general comment from one follower of, and infrequent contributor to, this thread. I’ve had a few quibbles with LH Labs, 1) missing cables in first shipment, 2) not receiving my HiFiMan HE-560 yet, 3) my Pulse Infinity not updated on my order list. Still waiting on 2), but the others were promptly resolved. Their ticket system has worked okay for me. 
  
 Standing back and looking at it, this sort of all-in design/fund venture has never been done before in audio-land AFAIK. To me, it’s exciting because the end point isn’t quite known for most of the journey. But I could’t be happier with my GO 1000; and I expect my Pulse Infinity will be pretty amazing when it comes. 
  
 The continual sounding off by a few doesn’t spoil it for me. 
  
 PS - remaining HE-560 orders will be shipped soon after last batch arrives at LHL by Monday, Manny told me.


----------



## gyx11

Just dropping in to say that LHL (Stephanie) replied to my new ticket within half a day of me posting it in the Support page. It doesn't actually reply to my queries, but was more to give a confirmation that my request to have my ticket specifically handled by Manny (whom handled the old ticket which my current bout of questions are a continuation from) was noted and underway.
  
 I'm pretty pleased by this since it's the speediest and most direct response I've gotten from a ticket so far, and yet another indicator that steps are truly in place to improve the channel of communication between LHL and its backers.

 I also spent some time browsing through the Geek Force forums. Its actually quite a messy forum to navigate through, but there's definitely a chunk more information that can be found there which might otherwise be missing if one only prowls through the Head-fi Pulse/Wave threads. I won't have time to make daily visits to the Geek forums (Head-fi is time sapping as it is), but I'll be sure to check it more regularly than I currently am, should any more queries pop up in the future.
  
 From those who are a little disenchanted because of confusion/lack of information, consider taking some time to head over there and you just might find the answer you're looking for. You'll need some patience, and you will not find all the answers you seek since there's still a fair bit of information deficit (naturally given the sheer volume of perks and e.t.c), but hopefully you'll find it at least somewhat beneficial as I did.


----------



## miceblue

Yup, same here actually. I sent an e-mail with information about my LPS4's return/exchange (yes I had to pay for the shipping there), and Stephanie replied back within the hour to let the shipping department know that they're expecting a package, which I didn't expect at all.


----------



## NinjaHamster

Why did you have to pay for shipping back to LH ?


----------



## Decoy

miceblue said:


> I honestly can't figure out why people got so worked up about the transferrable warranty. Do many other audio DAC/amp/cable companies offer such a thing, because until this thread, I had no idea such a thing was possible? >.>


 
 What if you buy it as a gift for someone? To say that the warranty is void just because the person who owns the Pulse is not the person who paid for it seems a little over the edge. At the very least, there should be a warranty card that requires you to fill it in to activate it. Then you can give it as a gift or if you want to get off the Geek Express and sell your pre order,  you can do so. This seems eminently reasonable to me.


----------



## jaywillin

actually, the warranty thing was the issue that kinda got my panties in a wad as they say,
 and it wasn't that it wouldn't transfer, that's the norm. 
 it was the seemingly, yes, no, it is now, now its not , that got to me, and that i got so irritated is really my doing, it really not a big deal
 i overreacted 
@chartwell85 , i say here in front of everyone, i think you(lhlabs) are doing a admirable job, perfect nope, but when you are trying to please all of us highly demanding, picky
 self important audio nerd types at all the same time, man, that's a near impossible job,  "Illegitimi non carborundum"  and it seems y'all do a good job at that too
 thanks for my pulse x/f/i
 and for you guys waiting for your's, i think you'll be happy , just be a little more patient, the goodness is coming


----------



## manualvin

In respect of the flack that lhlabs team is getting I can draw some parallels from when I first backed geekout 1000 and it arrived without the sticker and serial number below but I went ahead to enjoy the music till now.

The shipping system has improved compared to my 2nd shipment I received whine was geekout IEM that mysteriously arrived without warning. 

Albeit going into my spam mail when my LPS finally appeared and checking that there was an alert email. Geek iem wrong alerts and shipment prepared which after informing was assured that geek iem balanced should be the right ones coming.

Geek pulse shipping to me when it's geek pulse infinite although the response over the weekend wasn't immediate they did come back to me after my second ticket, however the shipping for some reason via usps cannot be recalled even without Americas shores but did advice to reject the shipment and lhlabs would pay for shipping back.

All in all its not perfect yet but I also feel that it's getting better over time and there is feedback and problem acknowledged. Most importantly for international backers it can be a real hassle in returns and especially if custom taxes are involved it can be really crazy later on for the other bigger ticket and bigger sized items pending delivery.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

That is why now I hardly post.
  
 Just do other things...it will come.
  
  


jaywillin said:


> actually, the warranty thing was the issue that kinda got my panties in a wad as they say,
> and it wasn't that it wouldn't transfer, that's the norm.
> it was the seemingly, yes, no, it is now, now its not , that got to me, and that i got so irritated is really my doing, it really not a big deal
> i overreacted
> ...


----------



## jaywillin

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> That is why now I hardly post.
> 
> Just do other things...it will come.


 
 i hate when i catch myself ranting, even more so when i rant on someone ranting ! lol


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Ha ha ha...just enjoy more music...


----------



## Utopia

I'm probably not the first to notice that this thread is 95 % about LH Labs and 5 % about the Geek Pulse. Perhaps the actual product will eventually deserve its own thread, once it gets out in sufficient numbers - Geek Pulse Impressions or something like that.
  
 I've backed the basic Pulse version. Still waiting somewhat patiently. Actually, I'm looking forward to it. A Sabre DAC leaning toward warmth and musicality, a bit like the D18, should be a nice product in the end.


----------



## Rick U

Are the Pulse XFI's that are now shipping ready to play or do they need updated firmware?  My LPS has arrived and I'm patiently awaiting the XFI.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

It was sobering to look at IGG and realize that I have spent more on the original wave, stream, and wave reboot than on the Pulse Xfi. At least I realize I am a sucker and stopped myself from doing the 'zOMG Last chance Infinity upgrade expires today' perk as a result. 

My Pulse contribution date is December 23, 2013. I have not heard a single word from LH about this and their tracking pages and systems all show bad data so far as I can tell. At least the survey showing that I want them to ship my stuff ASAP is accurate.


----------



## jaywillin

rick u said:


> Are the Pulse XFI's that are now shipping ready to play or do they need updated firmware?  My LPS has arrived and I'm patiently awaiting the XFI.


 
 i plugged mine in, installed drivers, and it hasn't missed a beat


----------



## DSlayerZX

Well, in all fairness, the Dec 2013 purchase was probably one of the latest batches so you might be one of the last few getting the Pulse Xfi. 

Regarding to what happen on the forum a few times, I originally wrote something down a number of times but just couldn’t bring myself to push the send button. 

The people that feels upset will still remain upset, those that supports the company will still support them and really nothing much will be changed. 

But anyway, I own a PS Audio Quinte…. So technically it is possible for me to set up a low voltage trigger system to ensure my geek pulse does not turn on unless I intended it to after a black out….

Anyone know where I can get a prefabricated 12V DC push button trigger with 1/8” output?


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

chartwell85 said:


> I've found myself coming back to your posting numerous times today, for a variety of reasons.  Primarly because I've been searching for the words to truly show my appreciation and utmost thanks for your kind comments that you've made in this post.
> 
> I speak for all of us at LH, when I say that we were very touched and incredibly thankful for your appreciation of not only our products but also our presence here in the forums.  It's often a thankless job, with countless hours spent in the office away from family and friends and it's comments like this that make it all worth it in the end.
> 
> Again, thank you so much.


 
 Hello Casey,
                   You are more then welcome and what's more deserving for all you and your friends at LH Labs have and are doing to build such wonderful products and to help us customers with any problems that are bound to arise in an environment such as yours. Please pass on my thanks for your kind comments to all those folks you work with and let them know I am truthfully enjoying the fruits of their labors.
  
 Sincerely Yours
 Mark


----------



## DiscoSmoke

miceblue said:


> Yup, same here actually. I sent an e-mail with information about my LPS4's return/exchange (yes I had to pay for the shipping there), and Stephanie replied back within the hour to let the shipping department know that they're expecting a package, which I didn't expect at all.


 
 miceblue, I hope you get an LPS4 with with a ground lift switch added to its USB port. I believe Larry mentioned it would be a good addition. Then we could put to bed where the hum is originating.


----------



## mscott58

Less than 3 hours until the Pulse/LPS move off of IGG!


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

I had a minor comment / question about my LPS4 so raised a ticket yesterday. Handled in under two hours. Can't speak for anyone else's experience, but that's excellent turnaround.


----------



## AxelCloris

They've clearing through the backlog. I entered a customer service ticket earlier today since the previous one auto-closed (incorrectly). Stephanie responded within an hour letting me know that it was assigned back to Manny. They're definitely showing an improved response time.


----------



## Muinarc

ultimate mango said:


> My Pulse contribution date is December 23, 2013. I have not heard a single word from LH about this and their tracking pages and systems all show bad data so far as I can tell. At least the survey showing that I want them to ship my stuff ASAP is accurate.



 


As best I can tell, they are still shipping October 2013 XFi backers right now. I'm in december as well so I guess I'll be waiting a few weeks/months yet.


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm so jealous, my problem is admittedly more complex than yours must be, but I have been working on it for over a month, can't seem to get it taken care of. (and the time to actually get a HUMAN response, not the automated one, has often been 5-7 days, part of why things are not settled in a month).
I put one in last night, trying to straighten out incorrect information they have on my perks, I have pledges in Paypal not in Indiegogo or their records, can't get it straightened out, and my last night ticket, on the last day I'm supposed to be able to do anything with the Vi has yet to get a response.


----------



## miceblue

ninjahamster said:


> Why did you have to pay for shipping back to LH ?



I dunno, but that seems to be the norm nowadays for any RMA-like thing. I had to do it for Shure, Sennheiser, V-MODA too.





discosmoke said:


> miceblue, I hope you get an LPS4 with with a ground lift switch added to its USB port. I believe Larry mentioned it would be a good addition. Then we could put to bed where the hum is originating.



Thanks, yeah hopefully things will get solved this time around.


----------



## graham508

LHL ticket system improves... Gina got an order question resolved for me in less than 12 minutes.


----------



## kawaivpc1

A question to people who own Geek Pulse:
  
 Do you guys think Geek Pulse is better than Benchmark DAC2? does it sound better as advertised?


----------



## eac3

Not sure if you guys noticed Larry updated his R&D progress on the Pulse Infinity and SE:
  
  


> *New ESS DAC PCB design done*. PCB-A and test in W3 of Mar


 
  
 http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/larrys_research_and_development_progress_chart.pdf


----------



## nudd

gavn8r said:


> this is a very good question.  Thanks for asking for more info.
> 
> I'm an app coder, not a firmware coder.  While I do write the language that we use in the firmware, audio is so nuanced that I'm really not qualified to write the firmware.  We have two firmware coders at the company, one of which is Larry.  So maybe he can chime in later.  Having said that...
> 
> As I understand it, the reason there's no product check is because the device that is actually getting flashed is the USB controller.  Geek Pulse and Geek Out share the same controller.  This chip doesn't know what device it's installed into.  The reason they share the same controller is because it's the only controller available that can handle the load we give it.


 
  
 Gavin thanks for taking the time for answering some (but not all) of the questions I had. I await the balance of the answers. I admit I have sometime let the attitude of your customer support and other people get to the better of me.
  
*Timing of Pulse Chip testing results*
  
 OK. I understand this stuff takes time. The problem is that the perk you are making available is available for less than the time it takes to obtain the necessary information to decide whether or not to back the perk.
  
 I believe I am now out of time to back the perk so that's that. In the mean time, it seems you have the gerber but it will take at least 2 more weeks to get results.
  
 It is still annoying though that you tout all these things without having done the testing and now I am stuck waiting for the new case which I never asked for. Would you consider shipping my infinity in the old case since I have not backed the ESS Chip perk and you will still need to use an old board to ship my infinity? Will it make time to ship faster, especially since you say in your post that the "vast majority" of people have chosen to back the 2015 chip perk?
  
*Firmware*
  
 In relation to the above explanation (and I admit I only did software programming to a very basic degree and never professionally), it seems very unlikely to me that you can interrogate the driver and can get back a result of "Geek Out HD Audio 1v5" or similar and yet you cannot do that for your dfu update program. Can you not simply write a wrapper that recycles the code that you already have for the control panel app and do a check before passing on the reference to the file to your dfu update program?
  
 Even if you cannot change the dfu update program, you should be able to write a script that asks the user for the file he is intending to update, check whatever means you used to get "Geek Out HD Audio 1v5" on your own control panel software and then pass the file on to your dfu updater.
  
 If I go to window's control panel, I can clearly see that under the LHLabs USB 2.0 devices tab, my geek out is identified as LH Labs Geek Out. How do you not know what device is being attached at the time?
  
 The reason I say this is that blaming avoidable failures on end user error is very bad programming practice so I am really puzzled about this. Not being responsible for things going wrong in the middle of a flash is normal, but not checking or doing everything you can to make sure you have the right device before proceeding is really strange.
  
 Anyway, I hope Larry comes back on this because I don't think your answer was satisfactory given you do not have the full picture or technical competence on firmware writing.
  
*Transferable warranties*
  
 I think you should understand that one of the things that garnered LH Labs such good initial euphoric good will (including from myself) was the apparent willingness of LHL to do the right thing for its backers. We may be getting a discount on a future product but we also need to factor in uncertainty of delivery and uncertainty of specs which should certainly be discounted against the retail price.
  
 Uncertainty of policies, I don't think any of us counted on.
  
 Larry as a principal of the company specifically assured everyone that warranties are transferable. It is irrelevant what other people are doing in the market. You were marketing yourselves as a disruptive force that would upset the status quo. People jumped on the bandwagon in part based on this goodwill generated.
  
 I have to say it is very disappointing to see you change your mind, then offer up this $79 option for only a few hours (most of time of which I was still asleep) and then claim this was not wanted. This smacks of the supermarket trick where they claim that some loss leader product is available on sale for 70% or 80% off but only have 10 in stock and telling everyone who comes to the shop to buy it that it is sold out.
  
 Let's just say that this schizophrenic behaviour leaves a very sour taste and I no longer believe I can have the same feeling of trust that LHL would do the right thing as I had before.
  
 Maybe it was misplaced in the first place. Lessons learnt. Suffice to say I am taking up Casey's invitation to no longer be involved in future LHL crowdfunding activities (although I remain interested and involved in the perks I have actually backed to date, of course).
  
 In any case, this transferable warranty was offered up as something that was initially free and offering it up as a perk is not quite the same thing.
  
 (Off topic, but we seem to be ignored at the Wave thread)
  
 I note I am still waiting to hear on the outstanding question about the sensitivity of the Verb, and the output gain of the wave on low gain with the IEM perk and the high gain with the IEM perk. This was asked on the Wave thread but really nobody bothers to tell us these things. Which is again disappointing. If the answer is that you don't know yet, then can you comment on the chances of getting a shipped product on time for the Wave.


----------



## eac3

nudd said:


> *Firmware*
> 
> In relation to the above explanation (and I admit I only did software programming to a very basic degree and never professionally), it seems very *unlikely to me that you can interrogate the driver and can get back a result of "Geek Out HD Audio 1v5" or similar and yet you cannot do that for your dfu update program*. Can you not simply write a wrapper that recycles the code that you already have for the control panel app and do a check before passing on the reference to the file to your dfu update program?


 
  
 Hi nudd,
  
 Yup, I had the same thought as you. I was hoping to hear from Larry since he would be more of the expert in this area.


----------



## gyx11

Geez the Pulse perks are all gone? It was supposed to be till 6pm Pacific time wasn't it? I only just saw the last minute email stating the new 1pm deadline.

Sometimes I really hate the time difference. Gotta open a new ticket it seems. Hopefully they'll grant an exception.


----------



## mscott58

gyx11 said:


> Geez the Pulse perks are all gone? It was supposed to be till 6pm Pacific time wasn't it? I only just saw the last minute email stating the new 1pm deadline.
> 
> Sometimes I really hate the time difference. Gotta open a new ticket it seems. Hopefully they'll grant an exception.


 
 Might have gotten the time and date confused. Here's the text from the LHL update from 3 days ago (bold formatting is mine)
  
 "That’s right, folks.  Pulse and LPS are no longer going to be available for contributions effective *1PM* Pacific time on Friday, March *6*." 
  
Hope they are able to help  you!


----------



## pauldgroot

Woo-hoo my wallet is safe again! Now back to waiting for my Xfi..


----------



## wingsounds13

nudd said:


> *Timing of Pulse Chip testing results*
> 
> OK. I understand this stuff takes time. The problem is that the perk you are making available is available for less than the time it takes to obtain the necessary information to decide whether or not to back the perk.
> 
> ...




Oh Waaaahhhh... had you heard how the Pulse sounded when you backed it? Had you seen lab test results? How about when you backed the balanced X perk? Femto clock? THD? Naked resistors? Who here had heard how any of these sounded or improved the Pulse. How about measurements for these perks?

No?? Yet you DEMAND testing, measurements and sound quality assessment before backing a $22 perk for a DAC that you have already put almost $1000 into.

Waaaaaahhhhh!




nudd said:


> *Firmware*
> 
> In relation to the above explanation (and I admit I only did software programming to a very basic degree and never professionally), it seems very unlikely to me that you can interrogate the driver and can get back a result of "Geek Out HD Audio 1v5" or similar and yet you cannot do that for your dfu update program. Can you not simply write a wrapper that recycles the code that you already have for the control panel app and do a check before passing on the reference to the file to your dfu update program?
> ...
> ...




I am definitely with you in this one. This seems more like laziness in not creating a custom updater program that verifies the unit model before pushing the update. 

J.P.


----------



## gyx11

mscott58 said:


> Might have gotten the time and date confused. Here's the text from the LHL update from 3 days ago (bold formatting is mine)
> 
> "[COLOR=2A2A2A]That’s right, folks.  Pulse and LPS are no longer going to be available for contributions effective *1PM* Pacific time on Friday, March *6*." [/COLOR]
> 
> [COLOR=2A2A2A]Hope they are able to help  you![/COLOR]




Ahh yes I just saw that too. But I'm 99.99% sure when viewing the perk itself on the IGG page that it mentioned a 9am deadline. Fingers crossed!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Nope, also  understood it that it was as 1pm, Friday March 6. 
  
 Bro. problem is, why you waited.


----------



## gyx11

Yea someone PM-ed telling me it certainly was 1pm. Shucks.
  
 My bank account has been draining at an alarming rate as of late in preparation for coming to the States for my summer studies (UCB). I wasn't planning on anymore perks, but in a late rush of extra funds and optimism, I kinda changed my mind... too late it seems.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well, you could spend the extra on others (power conditioners, better cables etc.)
  
 Are save it up for rainy days/other opportunities.


----------



## jlucas

tuned said:


> Thanks jay.
> 
> I made a form:
> 
> ...



Thanks. 
Also for reference, I used to have a ticket in the old system that told my place in the queue. IIRC my 1/21/14 order was #239 in the Xfi queue. Unfortunately the I don't think we can view old tickets anymore so I can be 100% sure.

Edit: corrected queue number, found old ticket email


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

jlucas said:


> Thanks.
> Also for reference, I used to have a ticket in the old system that told my place in the queue. IIRC my 1/21/14 order was #284 in the Xfi queue. Unfortunately the I don't think we can view old tickets anymore so I can be 100% sure.




That's encouraging! I'd guess you may have moved up in the Xfi queue significantly thanks to others upgrading further and leaving the Xfi queue. But even without that, assuming serial numbers are consecutive, they're over 1/3 through the queue in front of you as @jaywillin received Xfi s/n 104 last week.


----------



## Chrome Robot

silvertrumpet999 said:


> That's encouraging! I'd guess you may have moved up in the Xfi queue significantly thanks to others upgrading further and leaving the Xfi queue. But even without that, assuming serial numbers are consecutive, they're over 1/3 through the queue in front of you as @jaywillin received Xfi s/n 104 last week.


 
  
 This assumes that the first system was 001, not 101, or something else. I have no expectations that LHL has a rational and reasonable serial number schema.
 I am a Oct 2013 contributor (or perkee, or whatever the correct term is) and not yet gotten a shipping notice for my Xfi.
  
 Like many others, I have adopted a "I will get it when I get it" philosophy in order to maintain my sanity about LHL and their products.


----------



## frankrondaniel

Received my Xfi today.  My initial excitement is tempered by a disturbing sound I experience when changing tracks that have different sampling rates - several seconds of static, primarily in the left channel.  Changing between albums/tracks that have the same sampling rate is fine. I'm curious to find out if anyone else is having the same experience.  I get the feeling that I have a defective unit.
  
 Edit:  Ran into an additional issue - volume spike!  This occurred after changing to a track that had a different sample rate, experiencing the static for a few seconds, then the volume spike to what appeared to be max volume.  I'm hesitant to use my Xfi after this - going back to my vanilla Pulse until this can be addressed.


----------



## pauldgroot

That sucks, I hope you figure it out!
  
 Meanwhile, LHL keeps promising us more communication regarding shipping and updates on our Pulses and make a nice step when they promise something only to make it the final update. Diana's shipping chart hasn't updated in forever and in none of the LH updates have they said anything about shipping of our Pulses recently. Also, where is this survey that was supposed to be ready like two weeks ago?


----------



## kawaivpc1

How does this sound compared to Benchmark DAC2 and Geek Out?


----------



## AxelCloris

kawaivpc1 said:


> How does this sound compared to Benchmark DAC2 and Geek Out?


 
  
 Pulse > GO
  
 Blacker background, better separation, more power so it can better drive certain cans, bass had a bit more authority, a bit more extension in the highs and lows.
  
 Hereby we can safely assume that the Pulse Xfi trounces the GO.


----------



## kawaivpc1

I'm going to buy Vi DAC Xfi.
 Can you compare other DACs to Pulse?
 I think Benchmark DAC 2 has the highest quality I've heard so far.
 Can Pulse compete with Benchmark or Grace Design, Hilo?


----------



## AxelCloris

kawaivpc1 said:


> I'm going to buy Vi DAC Xfi.
> Can you compare other DACs to Pulse?
> I think Benchmark DAC 2 has the highest quality I've heard so far.
> Can Pulse compete with Benchmark or Grace Design, Hilo?


 
  
 If you're buying the Vi DAC Xfi then then why try to get comparisons of the Pulse to the Benchmark?
  
 Your Vi DAC will be a Pulse Xfi and an LPS in a single enclosure. Nobody outside of the LH Labs design team has heard it yet. LH Labs reports that it should have some improvement over the Xfi/LPS combo since they're designing the enclosure with better dampening and reflection as well as better power since there's a shorter distance for the power to travel.
  
 So if you're wanting to know how the Vi DAC Xfi will compare to the Benchmark DAC2 then you'll have to wait until people have them to compare.


----------



## FraGGleR

My Xfi arrived a little earlier today.  Only about an hour of run time so far, but pleased thus far.  Very refined, black background, good balance along the frequencies.  Perfect size, good, understated looks.  Doesn't really look like a super premium device to match the retail price, but so far I dislike all the Vi and upgraded enclosure concepts, so doesn't really matter to me.  Only issue with the device itself is that it isn't showing the right rate on the display a 24/96 track is displaying 44.1k.  I will dig deeper later.  
  
 Will report back more in depth in a couple weeks when the electrolytics and femto clocks have had a chance to settle in as Larry mentioned.


----------



## Mannytorres

I would like to know what audio playback software is being used Fraggler, thank you!


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

mannytorres said:


> I would like to know what audio playback software is being used Fraggler, thank you!




Good point - certain software/operating systems will resample everything down to 44.1 or 48 unless expressly disabled. Definitely the first thing to rule out.

Interested in serial numbers for those units, to compare with prior deliveries, if either of you would be willing to share !


----------



## Currawong

kawaivpc1 said:


> I'm going to buy Vi DAC Xfi.


 
  
 You can't buy one. You can only pledge support for the funding campaign, which doesn't guarantee what you'll get or when you'll get it, or even if you get it at all. Unless I missed it, on the campaign page it doesn't state when they intend to complete the Xfi, so if you're comfortable with the possibility it might be a year or two before you get it, then by all means pledge support. If you change your mind though, you can't get a refund.


----------



## jexby

silvertrumpet999 said:


> Interested in serial numbers for those units, to compare with prior deliveries, if either of you would be willing to share !


 
  
 can we give up on the completely unscientific attempts to find out "where am I in the shipping queue" based on random sampling, of an unknown customer base size, from a product that has so many other factors affecting shipping times?
  
 it's a waste of bandwidth and proves nada.
 open a ticket with LH Labs if you are so worried about "that guy got their Xfi before me".


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

By that metric, all of the big data mining being done by the largest players in the world must be completely useless and worthless, no? Pretty stupid of them. Any data is more data than we have now. It is _far_ from useless. 
  
 You're dramatically misinterpreting my intent. I'm curious. And as previously stated in the thread, I'm not concerned about fulfillment delays.


----------



## FraGGleR

mannytorres said:


> I would like to know what audio playback software is being used Fraggler, thank you!




Using Foobar2000 on a Windows 8.1 pro computer at the moment. USB input. I didn't do any setup beyond getting music playing, so if you have any suggestions, I'm all for it.


----------



## jbr1971

fraggler said:


> Using Foobar2000 on a Windows 8.1 pro computer at the moment. USB input. I didn't do any setup beyond getting music playing, so if you have any suggestions, I'm all for it.


 
  
 If you are playing FLAC or MP3 files then all you should have to do is install the LH Audio Driver, configure the Windows sound settings to use it as the Default driver, and configure Foobar2000 to use the Pulse as the Output Device.
  
 If you are going to play DSD files there is some more configuration to be done.
  
 The Foobar2000 Setup and User Guide for use with the Geek Pulse can be found here for reference:
  
 http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000556094-using-foobar2000-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide
  
 Jody


----------



## jexby

silvertrumpet999 said:


> You're dramatically misinterpreting my intent. I'm curious. And as previously stated in the thread, I'm not concerned about fulfillment delays.


 
  
 ok, if my guessed intent for this data gathering was that far off - then proceed at your own whim.
  
 suspecting by the time you collect enough "big data" to draw a valid conclusion, all Pulse's will be shipped.


----------



## alvin1118

Guys, I just got information from Jay's Audio that LPS25VA 12VDC/2A can be used for Pulse HPA based on the following information stated in the Indiegogo campaign of the Pulse HPA power supply requirement:
  
  
_Pulse Headphone Amplifier comes with low noise 12VDC switching power supply. And we recommend you use Pulse HPA and Pulse Tube HPA with our Geek LPS4. Pulse HPA needs one 1.2A 12V output from LPS4 (or LPS). And Pulse Tube HPA needs one 1.2A 12V, one 500mA 12V output from LPS4.

 Again, HPA could work with Geek LPS or LPS4. Tube HPA needs LPS4 to provide one 500mA 12V (for Tube heater), and one 1.2A 12V supply (for the rest of the circuit)_


----------



## gyx11

Rather counterintuitively (in my case), I have decided to go for the Infinity + ESS Chip Upgrade perks. I still have some misgivings with LHL, but I've seen enough recently to have justifiable optimism that everything will pay off in the end. I have no idea what I'm doing because this has rendered me absolutely broke. Perhaps I fell victim to their blitzkrieg marketing strategy. Ouch.
  
 Although I'm dead last in the queue, I'm just thankful that Manny sent a separate invoice allowing me to commit to the perks even though the deadline has closed, probably out of sympathy for my idiotic misreading of information. Oh and the response time to my ticket in total took slightly over 48 hours. That's the fastest I've experienced so far, and I hope that with the recent spate of improvements that they continue moving in the right direction.

 Anyway, can anyone please educate on how naked resistors improve the sonic performance of an audio system? I did some self-research, and from what I gathered, naked resistors are supposed to lower the noise floor and reduce distortion for a cleaner audio signal path. This is somewhat different from what I browsed through in the Geek Force forums, where Larry supposedly mentioned that there is no tangible benefit in terms of measurements, only in terms of perceived audio quality. Can anyone chime in on this?


----------



## pedalhead

gyx11 said:


> Rather counterintuitively (in my case), I have decided to go for the Infinity + ESS Chip Upgrade perks. I still have some misgivings with LHL, but I've seen enough recently to have justifiable optimism that everything will pay off in the end. I have no idea what I'm doing because this has rendered me absolutely broke. Perhaps I fell victim to their blitzkrieg marketing strategy. Ouch.
> 
> Although I'm dead last in the queue, I'm just thankful that Manny sent a separate invoice allowing me to commit to the perks even though the deadline has closed, probably out of sympathy for my idiotic misreading of information. Oh and the response time to my ticket in total took slightly over 48 hours. That's the fastest I've experienced so far, and I hope that with the recent spate of improvements that they continue moving in the right direction.
> 
> ...




Personally, I think we're well into inaudible differences here, but my understanding is that the resistors are indeed meant to lower the (already low) noise floor even further. I still went for the Infinity perk, but simply because of my "in for a penny, in for a pound" theory with the Pulse, which if nothing else eliminates the "what if" feeling of not having all the upgrades. I'll at least get a fluffy feeling knowing it's the top model (ignoring the super limited and expensive SE). Oh, and the inclusion of the 2G cable was a nice touch to provide some extra value.


----------



## Alan1954

frankrondaniel said:


> Received my Xfi today.  My initial excitement is tempered by a disturbing sound I experience when changing tracks that have different sampling rates - several seconds of static, primarily in the left channel.  Changing between albums/tracks that have the same sampling rate is fine. I'm curious to find out if anyone else is having the same experience.  I get the feeling that I have a defective unit.
> 
> Edit:  Ran into an additional issue - volume spike!  This occurred after changing to a track that had a different sample rate, experiencing the static for a few seconds, then the volume spike to what appeared to be max volume.  I'm hesitant to use my Xfi after this - going back to my vanilla Pulse until this can be addressed.


 

 I'm having a similar problem, a loud pop when switching sample rate, seems to be both channels. Worse with line out than headphones. Ticket open for 10 days now....


----------



## miceblue

alan1954 said:


> I'm having a similar problem, a loud pop when switching sample rate, seems to be both channels. Worse with line out than headphones. Ticket open for 10 days now....



http://lhlabs.com/force/geekoutsupport/3233-loud-pop-sound-when-switching-sampling-rates#55721

[quote="Larry]



			
				miceblue said:
			
		

> [quote="Larry]
> 
> The little 'click' happens depending on how fast/slow your computer/software switching sampling rates.
> For DoP, sometimes you will hear TWO clicks due to software implementation. Geek Out is neutral and simply play back whatever it got.




That makes sense, but what would cause the clicking sound to be louder on one unit (GO 1000) over another (GO 450)?[/quote]


Well. That might be caused by different power output so the pop volume is different. Just maybe. [/quote]


----------



## Alan1954

Thanks, miceblue. I saw that thread but dismissed it because it's about geekout, not pulse. This is not a 'little click' but a pop (that's what you said in that thread? a loud pop?) to make you jump, and toast your tweeters. Much louder than the 'turn on pop'. Lucky I was using some old speaks. Interested to hear from anyone else having this problem. Try your high res files and the line out. Thanks.


----------



## Chrome Robot

In regard to the popping during sample rate changing, one way to eliminate it is to use HQPlayer to convert all files from Redbook through hires PCM to DSD during playback. This requires a computer with sufficent power, but a recent Mac Mini with I7 dual or quad core (preferably quad) will do. Many prefer the sound signature of DSD, so this is a nice side benefit.


----------



## kawaivpc1

currawong said:


> You can't buy one. You can only pledge support for the funding campaign, which doesn't guarantee what you'll get or when you'll get it, or even if you get it at all. Unless I missed it, on the campaign page it doesn't state when they intend to complete the Xfi, so if you're comfortable with the possibility it might be a year or two before you get it, then by all means pledge support. If you change your mind though, you can't get a refund.


 

 Well, LH Lab guys told me that they will release Vi DAC during this September and Geek Wave in July.
 I hope they keep their promise.
  
  
 Many people have mentioned that Geek Out SE with femto clock is much better than normal Geek Out. So, I can guess that Geek Wave will sound much better than other DAPs.
 If Vi DAC offers better sound quality than Geek Pulse and power supply combined, their current asking price $2k is steal.
 Can anyone comment anything about comparison between Benchmark, Grace Design, Hilo, Oppo HA-1 and Pulse?


----------



## FraGGleR

jbr1971 said:


> If you are playing FLAC or MP3 files then all you should have to do is install the LH Audio Driver, configure the Windows sound settings to use it as the Default driver, and configure Foobar2000 to use the Pulse as the Output Device.
> 
> If you are going to play DSD files there is some more configuration to be done.
> 
> ...



Thanks, Jody. That was my exact setup procedure.


----------



## frankrondaniel

alan1954 said:


> I'm having a similar problem, a loud pop when switching sample rate, seems to be both channels. Worse with line out than headphones. Ticket open for 10 days now....


 
  
 Kind of a bummer after the anticipation of finally getting this guy.  I really like the sound I'm getting out of my vanilla Pulse, so I'm happy that I at least have it until I can get the issue with the Xfi resolved.  It's not encouraging to hear that your ticket's been open 10 days.


----------



## frankrondaniel

alan1954 said:


> Thanks, miceblue. I saw that thread but dismissed it because it's about geekout, not pulse. This is not a 'little click' but a pop (that's what you said in that thread? a loud pop?) to make you jump, and toast your tweeters. Much louder than the 'turn on pop'. Lucky I was using some old speaks. Interested to hear from anyone else having this problem. Try your high res files and the line out. Thanks.


 
  
 Definitely more than a little pop for me as well - plus the several seconds of what I call static in the left channel.  But it's the sudden volume spike I experienced after the static went away that really concerns me.


----------



## doctorjazz

I have the Geek Out 1K and the Special Edition...have to say, what keeps me sane in all this craziness is appreciating HOW much better the SE sounds than the 1K...in fact, recently got a CEntrance Hifi M8 LX, thinking it would be as good sounding and more flexible than the GO SE. Know what? The SE sounds better to me in most applications, not by miles, but noticeable. Just sayin'





kawaivpc1 said:


> currawong said:
> 
> 
> > You can't buy one. You can only pledge support for the funding campaign, which doesn't guarantee what you'll get or when you'll get it, or even if you get it at all. Unless I missed it, on the campaign page it doesn't state when they intend to complete the Xfi, so if you're comfortable with the possibility it might be a year or two before you get it, then by all means pledge support. If you change your mind though, you can't get a refund.
> ...


----------



## FraGGleR

fraggler said:


> Thanks, Jody. That was my exact setup procedure.


 
 It seems like the Xfi is displaying the rate that is set in Windows, regardless of what is being played.  Going into Speaker Properties under sound control allows me to set the default rates, which is reflected on the Xfi display.  Switching between songs with different rates does nothing with regards to the Xfi display (luckily, I don't have any pops or static when changing between them).


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

That will be the $200 difference... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 but better yet, look at their sizes in comparison.
  
 Quote:


doctorjazz said:


> ...in fact, recently got a CEntrance Hifi M8 LX, thinking it would be as good sounding and more flexible than the GO SE. Know what? The SE sounds better to me in most applications, not by miles, but noticeable. Just sayin'


----------



## doctorjazz

I think the GO SE actually cost about $100 more than the CEntrance (at list, see them discounted, got mine from Massdrop-Googling it now, I see a closeout for it on Shoreline at $489. You won't see the SE as a closeout, as it was such a limited production.). Still, if you read about the CEntrance, many posts have it the best sounding DA/amp after the Hugo! Steve Guttenberg raved, one I remember off the top of my head. So, while these guys don't always have the production/release date/firmware down completely, the sound aspect they seem to have under control.





m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > ...in fact, recently got a CEntrance Hifi M8 LX, thinking it would be as good sounding and more flexible than the GO SE. Know what? The SE sounds better to me in most applications, not by miles, but noticeable. Just sayin'


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Did you upgrade to X Infinity? THAT will be an interesting one compared the what is/will be out there. (Read your Yaggy review).


----------



## doctorjazz

I think I'm in for the Vi Tube Infinity (that was what I went for), but we're sorting out the pledges, my records don't agree with theirs, hopefully be all straightened out soon (wasn't an easy process, though, still in the air...).


----------



## jaywillin

i have a small pop when switching between sample rates, and the correct rates are being displayed
 i'm using jriver 20


----------



## DSlayerZX

are you using DSD output on with JRiver?

If not, can't we just force up sampling using JRiver so all of the music plays at the same sample rate?


----------



## FayeForever

FWIW, I don't have any pops changing sample rates for vanilla Pulse using mac and Jriver/HQplayer.


----------



## labjr

dslayerzx said:


> are you using DSD output on with JRiver?
> 
> If not, can't we just force up sampling using JRiver so all of the music plays at the same sample rate?




Why would you want to do that? It should play everything bit perfect with no glitches.


----------



## frankrondaniel

fayeforever said:


> FWIW, I don't have any pops changing sample rates for vanilla Pulse using mac and Jriver/HQplayer.


 
  
 My vanilla Pulse is fine in that respect.  It's only my Xfi that has the issue.
  
 On a positive note, LH has contacted me to return my Xfi.  They've been very responsive.


----------



## DSlayerZX

labjr said:


> Why would you want to do that? It should play everything bit perfect with no glitches.



 


Yes it should be able to play without popping in the first place. 

 but I'm just wondering if doing that will solve the problem.


----------



## snip3r77

frankrondaniel said:


> My vanilla Pulse is fine in that respect.  It's only my Xfi that has the issue.
> 
> On a positive note, LH has contacted me to return my Xfi.  They've been very responsive.




May I know who paid for the shipping ?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Man, I just really hope the shipping dates of the Sfi don't get postponed again....


----------



## vhsownsbeta

Anyone interested in a Revelation Audio umbilical cable for use with the Pulse/LPS? Switching to Vi DAC has made it redundant. It's from the group buy that was run on the LH forums...


----------



## Arnotts

> Our Support Rep has indicated that your ticket has been Resolved.
> 
> If you believe that the ticket has not been resolved, please reply to this email to automatically reopen the ticket.


 
  
 *replies to email to re-open ticket*
  


> Our system has noted that you recently replied (either by email or directly on our support page) to a ticket that has been marked as “closed” or “resolved” by one of our Customer Happiness agents.
> 
> We’re sorry, but because the ticket is closed, you’ll need to open a new ticket if you have another question.
> 
> Thank you for understanding,


 
  
 LHLabs pls


----------



## bitsnbytes

arnotts said:


> *replies to email to re-open ticket*
> 
> 
> LHLabs pls


 
  
 Yep. And then the new ticket needs to reference all the ones that were closed.
  
 I miss the old system (not that I want to use that either)


----------



## jaywillin

dslayerzx said:


> are you using DSD output on with JRiver?
> 
> If not, can't we just force up sampling using JRiver so all of the music plays at the same sample rate?


 
 no, i'm not changing any of the sample rates, no up or down sampling , i suppose that could be done though, but i'd rather hear at the native rates


----------



## frankrondaniel

snip3r77 said:


> May I know who paid for the shipping ?


 
  
 Not sure yet - we haven't yet completed the return process.
  
 Edit:  They did offer to supply a shipping label or reimburse for the expense.


----------



## uncola

Arnotts I had the same issue, created a ticket saying I upgraded from pulse infinity to vi dac and had two aq2m dac upgrades, could one be put towards shipping of vi dac?  and the ticket was marked as resolved with no response.  the email said to reply to reopen and I replied saying why no response?  and it said the ticket was already closed :/


----------



## FraGGleR

My issue with the rates being shown was a Windows/software issue.  Just need the WASAPI plug in for Foobar to bypass Windows' control of the rates and all is well.  Thanks to Nigel, a user on the LHLabs forum for the solve.  
  
 Jody/LHLabs, this should be added to the Foobar setup instructions just to stem the tide of posts like mine.


----------



## Mannytorres

arnotts said:


> *replies to email to re-open ticket*
> 
> 
> LHLabs pls


 

 Yeah if no reply is made in 72 hours of a ticket that auto-closed, a new ticket can be made and you can request that the old ticket gets merged. its more of a storage thing.


----------



## MikeyFresh

mannytorres said:


> Yeah if no reply is made in 72 hours of a ticket that auto-closed, a new ticket can be made and you can request that the old ticket gets merged. its more of a storage thing.


 

 Manny,
  
 What about when I reply more than once to a ticket regarding a 36 day old RMA debacle, and LH Labs just ignores me entirely even though you personally said I would have a repaired LPS4 and a tracking number for the return shipment last Thursday 3/5?
  
 I should add that it's the 3rd ticket for the very same RMA, the first two were closed arbitrarily with no resolution or explanation, burning through 1/12 of my warranty period with this LPS4 in your hands, not mine.
  
 What then?


----------



## mscott58

Heads up. GeekOut 450 is on Ma**drop for $169, with potential to drop to $129. Cheers


----------



## mandrake50

mannytorres said:


> Yeah if no reply is made in 72 hours of a ticket that auto-closed, a new ticket can be made and you can request that the old ticket gets merged. its more of a storage thing.


 

 I think it is a matter of them being able to show short closure times for tickets... No ticket should be closed without the customer agreeing. This went on with the first system as well.
 I think it was Gavin that said it would not happen going forward when talking about the new system. Now it is worse, because you just get no worthwhile answer  and no ability to re-open a ticket that should never have been closed at all.


----------



## mandrake50

BTW, got my Verb IEMs today. They are really bad. I sincerely have purchased IEMs for $5 that are better.
 Not trying to beat somebody up, just saying what I think about what I heard. I hope they don't think these things are worth what they claim will be the list price.
  
 I was going to sell one of my pair to a friend. Now I will give them to him... with a disclaimer.. Don't complain to me if you don't like them.


----------



## Beefalo

mandrake50 said:


> BTW, got my Verb IEMs today. They are really bad. I sincerely have purchased IEMs for $5 that are better.
> Not trying to beat somebody up, just saying what I think about what I heard. I hope they don't think these things are worth what they claim will be the list price.
> 
> I was going to sell one of my pair to a friend. Now I will give them to him... with a disclaimer.. Don't complain to me if you don't like them.



After the issues with my Pulse, the 'great' reviews of the $159 MSRP Verb (which will be delivered to me tomorrow) and wondering when I'll get my Wave and how disappointing that will be (ugh) I'll say it again..........Emperor's new clothes.


----------



## Levanter

IMO most if not all reviewers with websites who receive early demo units are bias and can't be trusted. They usually receive benefits of one kind or another.
You'll know how ridiculous they are once they start claiming a custom iem sounds bigger than most full sized headphones even comparing them to HD800.


----------



## FayeForever

TBH I never know why LHL even bother to make this IEM. This market is already saturated with Chinese manufacturers, whom I think are where LHL OEMed from.
 Did they really think they can make money selling those at MSRP?


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Heads up. GeekOut 450 is on Massdrop for $169, with potential to drop to $129. Cheers


 
  
 They're not taboo around here anymore.  You can say their name aloud. Just not 3 times, or you may summon them.


----------



## Jupiterknight

axelcloris said:


> They're not taboo around here anymore.  You can say their name aloud. Just not 3 times, or you may summon them.


 
  
 Why was Massdrop taboo on here? And why aren't LH labs, I just don't get it!  Massdrop, Massdrop, Massdrop, LH labs, LH labs, LH labs.
  
 I have just said it aloud three times. Now what will happen?


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

Basically, and I'm leaving a lot out here but this is the just of it: There was mistrust of Massdrop for a while by vendors/sponsors who misunderstood Massdrop's business model. That's been cleared up for a while, but a lot of people remember the initial reaction.
  
 This is entirely unrelated to LH Labs, except that the GO 450 is currently on Massdrop.


----------



## doctorjazz

Got my Verbs today as well, not impressed out of the box, muddy sounding. Have them hooked up for a long break in, maybe that will make a difference, sometimes it does, we'll see...


----------



## miceblue

Spoiler: Some Pulse X Infinity Audio Precision measurements:



http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3778-audio-precision-test-results-of-vi-dac-geek-pulse-infinite-too
[quote="Larry]
Hi, there

I'm happy to show you the current test results. And here is the list of 'difference' than Geek Pulse.

1. Naked resistors (totally 4) hand matched and installed
2. New MELF on output circuit matched and installed
3. All measure in FRM digital mode
4. Femto Clocks runs for 12 hours (if I have more time, it could be better)
5. Not in Chassis yet.

--- Two basic stuff --- THD+N and SNR @ 90K Hz Bandwidth, none-weighted.














Part 2: Jitter Test. We zoom in around the 1K Test signal, see how narrow the 'skirt' is, and does it has any surrounding spikes that represent the low frequency jitter... And we have this one.
(John Atkinson use this from time to time)

You could see how clean it is. Nothing there. At least in our AP's resolution, we see something really amazing.








Part 3: This is one of the most revealing parts. The FFT.... I list three charts here. First one, normal Geek Pulse X in FRM (which is amazing already), and Geek Pulse Infinite in TCM, Geek Pulse Infinite in FTM.
FTM mode is Femto Time Mode, which further lock in the signal via its super-stablized dual Femto Clocks...

*Standard Geek Pulse X*






You could see only 3rd HD is slightly above -100dB. Everything above 4th HD are all below -120dB.
Don't forget, we are not talking about the DAC above $10K. It is an amazing desktop DAC.

*Vi DAC/ Geek Pulse Infinite* --- TCM







This is type of the FFT we really like to see....
Did you find the difference? Look closer to 4K,5K and all above distortion. This is the KEY thing you could not see from a simple THD number. Naked resistors, analog parts with many other optimization bring you the true 'open and clear' sky above 4th HD.

*Vi DAC / Geek Pulse Infinite* FTM ---







Well.... you could do a better description than me.



Want to see how the digital filter reject the high frequency false image?

Here you go.












Also, the channel cross talk....





[/quote]


----------



## greenkiwi

alvin1118 said:


> Guys, I just got information from Jay's Audio that LPS25VA 12VDC/2A can be used for Pulse HPA based on the following information stated in the Indiegogo campaign of the Pulse HPA power supply requirement:
> 
> 
> _Pulse Headphone Amplifier comes with low noise 12VDC switching power supply. And we recommend you use Pulse HPA and Pulse Tube HPA with our Geek LPS4. Pulse HPA needs one 1.2A 12V output from LPS4 (or LPS). And Pulse Tube HPA needs one 1.2A 12V, one 500mA 12V output from LPS4.
> ...


 
  
 I wonder whether or not the Tube HPA would be happy with a single 12V PSU.  Maybe not optimal performance, but hopefully still quite good.  It might have to be a 2A, or 1.7+A supply...


----------



## greenkiwi

mandrake50 said:


> BTW, got my Verb IEMs today. They are really bad. I sincerely have purchased IEMs for $5 that are better.
> Not trying to beat somebody up, just saying what I think about what I heard. I hope they don't think these things are worth what they claim will be the list price.
> 
> I was going to sell one of my pair to a friend. Now I will give them to him... with a disclaimer.. Don't complain to me if you don't like them.


 
  


doctorjazz said:


> Got my Verbs today as well, not impressed out of the box, muddy sounding. Have them hooked up for a long break in, maybe that will make a difference, sometimes it does, we'll see...


 
  
 I'd mirror these thoughts so far.  I actually have two pairs, I use IEMs on the train/BART, so they get beat up and i figured that $40 wasn't too bad.  At any rate, I'm going to burn in one pair and then see if there is any actual difference. I'm thinking about letting them run for 300+h.
  
 I'd also say that I didn't realize how important inline volume controls are to me.  I find them so convenient, and the lack of these controls makes these IEMs even more frustrating.


----------



## doctorjazz

Also bought 2 pairs since they were cheap, and also waiting for the balanced version. My old iPod nano is going full time, see what happens...


----------



## mandrake50

doctorjazz said:


> Got my Verbs today as well, not impressed out of the box, muddy sounding. Have them hooked up for a long break in, maybe that will make a difference, sometimes it does, we'll see...




I already mentioned my initial thoughts. Well that was from about half an hour of listening. I listened some more last night. Still the same as my first impressions. They are way bass heavy and non-detailed. Even then the bass doesn't seem to go very low. They remind me of what the Beats audio curve on my HTC DNA does... without that bit of sparkle that it adds. BTW, I turned that off permanently.
Perhaps these were designed to appeal to the Beats crowd, but the FR balance and total lack of air just does not appeal to me. I suppose for somebody that just wants a bunch of mid bass they may suffice.
I don't much buy into the burn in concept. Even if it made a 10% difference (which I doubt) it couldn't possibly be enough to save these things for my ears.

Seriously, I swapped back and forth with some IEMs that I bought for $5 from China. They have wood bodies. I am sure you folks have seen them out there. These were purchased to keep in my drawer at work to give to people who broke their iBuds... and listening to AM radio while mowing the lawn.. I really like the way they sound better. I wonder why a company that wants an audiophile image would even consider putting their name on these things.


----------



## doctorjazz

I do believe in burn in, have heard gear improve (I know some will say it is brain burn in, but, hey, if it is more enjoyable, I'm a big believer in placebos). May or may not make a difference, nothing to lose by letting them cook for a while.


mandrake50 said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > Got my Verbs today as well, not impressed out of the box, muddy sounding. Have them hooked up for a long break in, maybe that will make a difference, sometimes it does, we'll see...
> ...


----------



## TopQuark

fayeforever said:


> TBH I never know why LHL even bother to make this IEM. This market is already saturated with Chinese manufacturers, whom I think are where LHL OEMed from.
> Did they really think they can make money selling those at MSRP?


 

 I don't think these were R&D'ed by LH Labs.  These are likely China OEM's just like everybody else except the established name brands.  Why on earth a system company sells earphones is beyond me.  They are totally different fields and requires entirely different expertise and skill set.
  
 LH Labs just diminished their brand name here for the sake of getting perks sooner and make money to sustain them faster.  I hope they didn't went through Larry's ears to get the stamp of acceptance.  They can't mask this.  Next idea, please.


----------



## Mannytorres

jupiterknight said:


> Why was Massdrop taboo on here? And why aren't LH labs, I just don't get it!  Massdrop, Massdrop, Massdrop, LH labs, LH labs, LH labs.
> 
> I have just said it aloud three times. Now what will happen?


 

   "Ten thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck"  who has summoned LH Labs... JK
 The reviews are great, the good and the bad. And with something as personal as in-ears i suspected completely mixed reviews. I think their great for what i use them for. Would even compare them to some Monster or Beats myself. I doubt our "audiophile image" is in any kind of Jeopardy. We have said countless time we are trying to get more Audio neophytes into the market. This is kinda hard to do when it's so inviting but then expect them to get 1,000 dollar 846's? Let's be honest, this is the most inviting place for newbies, borderline intimidating for new comers.


----------



## Mannytorres

Qoute from disney's Aladdin


----------



## wingsounds13

All I can think is that the final pre production samples that they used to approve production cannot be anything like what is shipping now. The product that is shipping is barely worth the $39 price tag.

In playing with a signal generator on my Android tablet it seems to me that from about 2KHz on down there is a 2 to 3dB/octave boost. Bass is good down to about 35Hz but gone by 20Hz. From 2kHz up it is sort of flat but there is a big narrow bump about 5.5KHz. I would like to see a real plot of these as what I have done by ear is only a rough estimate. Applying an inverse of my by-ear plot to the EQ in my Rockboxed Sansa Clip makes the Verb sound reasonable but still not good. 

These are not going to do LH Labs reputation any good. I hope that the balanced Verb-X is MUCH better, but I fear that they are not.

J.P.


----------



## pfloyd

I really like the design and ergonomics of the verbs and really want to like them, but must echo the disappointment already expressed, these are just plain bad and it would be a miracle if burn-in fixes them. They tried too hard to get bass out of a 4mm driver and forgot the rest of the spectrum, and it's one note bass at that.


----------



## pfloyd

Look familiar? I don't think they are even worth $24.99

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/images2500x2500/xuma_ieh_pm73_pm73_in_ear_headphones_1056322.jpg

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1056322&gclid=CNvY6Nrgo8QCFcOGaQodwLQAug&is=REG&Q=&A=details


----------



## longbowbbs

.


----------



## gyx11

''Really, guys? REALLY?

I spent extensive listening time with these little guys and they're NOT a Beats-quality set of ear buds. They easily outperform their $159 MSRP.

Are they Jerry Harvey's? Um, no. They're not. Are they "u shaped?" Yes. yes, they are-- because you CANNOT get a perfectly neutral frequency response at this price point. I defy ANY of you to go and do it. Seriously. Do it. When you do, I'll gladly give you $39 just to have a listen. Just one listen.

It took us MONTHS to tune these guys so they're as close as possible to the ideal for the price. But even then, they're not CAPITAL U shaped. They're more like very small u shaped at the 2-4 kHz range.''

Dunno I suppose they just adopted the same chasis and did tweaking and tuning from there.


----------



## mscott58

Might be fun to buy a pair of the Xuma PM73's and do a head-to-head comparison...


----------



## pfloyd

Could pop one open to see if they have a 4mm driver or an 8mm as the B&H description states.


----------



## miceblue

pfloyd said:


> Could pop one open to see if they have a 4mm driver or an 8mm as the B&H description states.



You could do that. Larry had previously stated they're using a 4 mm microdynamic driver.
http://lhlabs.com/force/geekwave/2553-geek-iems#41926

[quote="Larry]
Quite some people asked about technical specs. Here you go...
[rule]
Speaker Diameter: 4mm
Magnet Type: Neodymium
Frequency Response: 20-40 kHz
Impedance: 16 ohms
Max Input Power: 450mW
Cable Type: TPE enhanced
Cable Length: 1.3m
Plug Type: 3.5mm Gold Plated
Microphone Type: Lapel inline electret
Earbud Height: 20mm
Earbud Width: 9.8mm
Earbud Depth: (with soft tip): 23mm
Comfort: Silicone ear tips in three different sizes for universal fit
Quality of Sound: Rigid metal earbud enclosure for fast driver response, which causes the sound to be more like real life. (You don’t lose part of the sound to vibrating plastic)
Bass Feature: Earbud enclosure is ported for extended bass frequencies.
Convenience: Inline mic for chatting with your peeps
Durability: gold plated connectors last for a long time [/quote]


----------



## chartwell85

pfloyd said:


> Look familiar? I don't think they are even worth $24.99
> 
> http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/images2500x2500/xuma_ieh_pm73_pm73_in_ear_headphones_1056322.jpg
> 
> http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1056322&gclid=CNvY6Nrgo8QCFcOGaQodwLQAug&is=REG&Q=&A=details


 

 First off, thanks so much for bringing this to our attention. Obviously the form factor design aspect of Verb has been adopted by this company as well.  This is something that we are addressing with our manufacturing facility and are looking to have them provide us with answers immediately.  Under our original agreement with the factory, we were lead to believe that we would be the only ones in possessions of the design molds for Verb.  
  
 Secondly, the specs of the knockoffs are far less than what our earbuds are capable of.  You can see the comparisons below.  Driver size for their is 8mm while Verb is 4mm.  Maximum power for our is 450mW while theirs is only 10mW.  Sensitivity levels for our are also rate at 95dB while theirs is 93dB.....etc. etc. etc.
  
 Xuma PM73 

  

  
  
  
 As with any manufacturing facility in China, there is always the chance that designs and ideas will be copied and compromised resulting in knockoffs.  For example, the Apple Watch is already available for purchase well before Apple even releases their own "legit" product.  Another example, Beats Headphones. The list goes on and on and on.  Unfortunately we've fallen victim to what so many other manufactures have already experienced and are working to remedy the issue as quickly as possible.  
  
 They say imitation is the highest form of flattery and in this case we'll happily take it.  Once again, thanks for brining this to our attention and we'll fill you in on more details as they're made available to us.


----------



## doublea71

I don't think they are imitating the Verbs, Casey - they are not on anybody's radar. They may be using an existing product to make them, at least the shell. If you don't mind me asking, what company did LH work with to develop the Verb? Did LH design the shell or was it chosen from options offered by the folks you guys worked with?


----------



## digitalzed

doublea71 said:


> I don't think they are imitating the Verbs, Casey - they are not on anybody's radar. They may be using an existing product to make them, at least the shell. If you don't mind me asking, what company did LH work with to develop the Verb? Did LH design the shell or was it chosen from options offered by the folks you guys worked with?


 

 Maybe not imitating, but ripping off the design. Unfortunately this is a pretty common practice by Chinese (and other) factories in all industries. It's hard to legally enforce any agreement you may have drawn up unless you have a lot of international clout. Smaller companies are always at the risk of being taken advantage of which is what very well may have happened here.


----------



## mscott58

doublea71 said:


> I don't think they are imitating the Verbs, Casey - they are not on anybody's radar. They may be using an existing product to make them, at least the shell. If you don't mind me asking, what company did LH work with to develop the Verb? Did LH design the shell or was it chosen from options offered by the folks you guys worked with?


 
 From some Google research and info from some other threads it shows that Xuma is a brand of the Gradus Group, which has been known to make "versions" of things before. In fact it was doublea71 that help put together the link to Gradus.
  
 http://www.gradusgroup.com/brands.html
  
 Gradus also appears to be part of or very closely related/located to B&H Photo/Video in NYC. However, Gradus seems to be pretty aggressive at making their own versions of different products. Scanning their brands and their related web-sites I start to wonder...


----------



## doublea71

digitalzed said:


> Maybe not imitating, but ripping off the design. Unfortunately this is a pretty common practice by Chinese (and other) factories in all industries. It's hard to legally enforce any agreement you may have drawn up unless you have a lot of international clout. Smaller companies are always at the risk of being taken advantage of which is what very well may have happened here.


 

 Xuma is owned by Gradus Group (offices in NYC) which is owned by BHPhoto, an American company. So that begs the question, were the Verbs designed from the ground up by LH or did they mod an existing product to their liking? Casey said that it is a copy of their design. I think they may need to get in touch with their legal counsel on this.


----------



## digitalzed

doublea71 said:


> Xuma is owned by Gradus Group (offices in NYC) which is owned by BHPhoto, an American company. So that begs the question, were the Verbs designed from the ground up by LH or did they mod an existing product to their liking? Casey said that it is a copy of their design. I think they may need to get in touch with their legal counsel on this.


 

 Thant's excellent information and I hope LH Labs will follow up on it.


----------



## digitalzed

Funny, the Xuma headphone is 32.95 on the Xuma web site through the link on the Gradus page. All this stuff looks like they went to a catalog of pre made products and said; "we'll take that. Put our logo on it." I don't think they designed anything themselves.


----------



## labjr

Of course they'd spin it into "we're the victims here!"

Did anyone really expect anything different?


----------



## doublea71

digitalzed said:


> Funny, the Xuma headphone is 32.95 on the Xuma web site through the link on the Gradus page. All this stuff looks like they went to a catalog of pre made products and said; "we'll take that. Put our logo on it." I don't think they designed anything themselves.


 

 Could be. Apparently, Gradus/BHP have a reputation for making knock-offs.


----------



## digitalzed

labjr said:


> Of course they'd spin it into "we're the victims here!"
> 
> Did anyone really expect anything different?


 

 Yes. I know from experience in my industry that foreign factories sell products designed and paid for by other companies out the back door all the time. There's no way for LH to win here.They don't answer and their guilty by omission. They do answer with anything other than confirming your belief that they're liars and it's just spin.


----------



## kawaivpc1

Hello guys, I saw LH guys offering a new case for Pulse. Has anyone tried that option yet?
 It looks like they're offering a case of their amplifier for Pulse line.


----------



## digitalzed

kawaivpc1 said:


> Hello guys, I saw LH guys offering a new case for Pulse. Has anyone tried that option yet?
> It looks like they're offering a case of their amplifier for Pulse line.


 

 I believe the new case is only for those people that backed the Pulse SE or the Pulse Infinity. I imagine they'll work the design into some future product also.


----------



## kawaivpc1

digitalzed said:


> I believe the new case is only for those people that backed the Pulse SE or the Pulse Infinity. I imagine they'll work the design into some future product also.


 

 I see... the new case is definitely better.
 I like the wooden one.
 I hope they offer this to Vi DAC buyers.


----------



## doublea71

digitalzed said:


> Yes. I know from experience in my industry that foreign factories sell products designed and paid for by other companies out the back door all the time. There's no way for LH to win here.They don't answer and their guilty by omission. They do answer with anything other than confirming your belief that they're liars and it's just spin.


 

 It may be impossible to determine who made what first. I highly doubt it is a knock-off of the Verb since very few people have it and it isn't on anybody's radar as being a hot item to have, so they need to rethink the idea that this is "flattering." It is interesting to note that the Xuma earphones for sale on the B&H website are listed as a *new release *(very interesting timing, right?), so these are a couple of possibilities:
  

Xuma designed them for LH and slapped the LH label on them and modified them to LH's specifications, and then reneged on their agreement by releasing their own version.
LH designed them, had them made in China and the OEM LH is using backdoored them and sold their design to Xuma, who may or may not be aware of this.
  
 There may be other possible scenarios, but these two seem most plausible. Giving LH the benefit of the doubt, I will go with door #2. I will restate the fact that both the Verb and the Xuma PM73 as it is called on B&H's website are being released pretty much simultaneously is *very, very interesting. *


----------



## mscott58

doublea71 said:


> It may be impossible to determine who made what first. I highly doubt it is a knock-off of the Verb since very few people have it and it isn't on anybody's radar as being a hot item to have, so they need to rethink the idea that this is "flattering." It is interesting to note that the Xuma earphones for sale on the B&H website are listed as a *new release *(very interesting timing, right?), so these are a couple of possibilities:
> 
> 
> Xuma designed them for LH and slapped the LH label on them and modified them to LH's specifications, and then reneged on their agreement by releasing their own version.
> ...


 
 Also a chance that both firms were given "exclusive rights" to the same thing, without knowing about each other. Kind of like when people used to sell 200% of a company by just printing more stock certificates. Stockholders were happy until they found out about the other "owners". 
  
 Given the apparent MO of Xuma/Gradus in making their own "versions" of things I'd give the benefit of the doubt to LHL. 
  
 Just for fun I went ahead and ordered a pair of the $25 Xuma's from B&H. Will take a listen and bring them with me to CanJam in a few weeks in case anyone else wants to take a look. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## pfloyd

Note too that B&H stock other Xuma versions including a zipper corded version with a similar earpiece.


----------



## a_recording

I received my replacement Geek Pulse today. I’ve been in contact with LH's shipping to arrange the return of the faulty unit. There was meant to be a something included with the package for the return shipping, but it doesn’t seem to be in the box, so Diana is arranging a Fedex shipping label for me.
  
 As for the new Pulse, it seems to be working well. There was a hiccup right out of the box where the unit produced no output. I thought it was DOA, but after I switched the volume setting from ‘knob control' to ‘USB control’ and then back to ‘knob control’ again it started working. Since then the unit has been working fine, so it may just be a firmware bug.
  
 Since my original unit doesn’t exhibit any problems until it’s plugged in for about half an hour or so, I left the new unit plugged into the wall for an hour just to check for any LED flickering before I plugged anything into it. After that I plugged in a pair of ATH-M20X headphones for another hour. Only after that did I feel confident that the new unit was fine and wasn’t going to eat any headphones. Just to be safe I’ll primarily use my new 250 ohm DT770 Pro and Sony Z7 (max power input of 2000mW if Sony is to be believed) with it for the first few days. 
  
 My new unit has serial number 00549 compared to the 00506 of my original unit. It’s identified by my Mac as a 'Geek Pulse 1V2’ compared to the ‘Geek Pulse 1V1’ of my first unit.
  
 Physically the unit has a nice build for the $189 early backer price I paid. It’s a big black solid block on the desk. I only have two quibbles: I think the LED is too dim to be easily readable from an angle or in sunny weather. The knob is also a bit wobbly, which doesn’t inspire confidence as virtually the only part of the unit you’ll touch all day. Not a huge deal for the price I paid, though it sure doesn’t feel like a $999 device either.
  
 I really like the 0.5db adjustment steps of the digital volume control. It allows for very fine control over volume, which is a good thing for a borderline ear piercing headphone like the DT770. On low gain I can get a listenable volume for the DT770 around -25db to -15db depending on the track. Everything else I own has nowhere near the impedance of the DT770 and gets a good listening volume much earlier. I think I’ll keep the unit in low gain mode just to be safe...
  
 To be safe I wouldn’t plug any IEMs into the Pulse, but just for brief experiment I plugged in my ATH-IM02’s. Interestingly, the very sensitive IM02 picks up a fair amount of hiss on the Pulse, whereas it’s more or less dead quiet on my Objective 2 + ODAC. This seems to suggest that the Geek Pulse has a higher noise floor than the Objective 2/ODAC, though it’s seemingly not high enough to show up on the DT770 or the Z7. The IM02 picks up hiss on all kinds of things. The Pulse doesn't hiss quite as much as say, the Sony NWZ-A15 Walkman I have.
  
 As far as how the unit sounds, I’m going to refrain from saying too much until I can do some volume matched listening against my Objective 2. I can’t really hear any difference between the various digital filter modes, so I’m sticking with the fancy FTM mode. What I can say is that from immediate first impression the unit doesn’t sound significantly worse or better or even different from my O2, which is fine given the cost. It sounds clean and neutral and the DT770 sounds characteristically brash and thumpy. I’m quite happy with the sound. 
  
 For my full review I plan to get some friends to give me their opinions on the sound. At this point I’m pleased to have a working unit, and I’ll be glad when the RMA is completed and I’m reimbursed for the damaged Takstar Pro 80.
  
*Edit*: Also I wanted to check, is the '3D Awesomefier' a thing that was implemented in the Pulse as described in the first post of this thread, and if so, can it be turned on or off?


----------



## doublea71

pfloyd said:


> Note too that B&H stock other Xuma versions including *a zipper corded version* with a similar earpiece.


 
 I think that is pretty much the piano necktie of headphones...


----------



## Ostrichcized

Also kind of makes me wonder if Larry or Gavin tried out the versions that backers are receiving...pulled directly from stock rather than as prototypes or a small first run batch.  With the reviews coming out as they are, I really can't believe that's the type of quality of product that they would want their name on. Maybe it's a possibility that they got swindled all around. It's not so much that they're inexpensive headphones as it is the trust that everyone put in to LH comments that they live up to the MSRP, which doesn't seem to be the case by a long shot. That opens the door to question potentially inflated MSRPs on all LH products, which seems like a terrible situation for a company that is building its reputation on "trust us, it will be better than anything at x times the price." Let's face it, LH could have put up IEMs worth 10x the price and some people still would have purchased them on blind faith, being a fraction of what they've spent on other yet to be delivered LH gear. Just doesn't seem to add up.


----------



## doublea71

mscott58 said:


> Also a chance that both firms were given "exclusive rights" to the same thing, without knowing about each other. Kind of like when people used to sell 200% of a company by just printing more stock certificates. Stockholders were happy until they found out about the other "owners".
> 
> Given the apparent MO of Xuma/Gradus in making their own "versions" of things I'd give the benefit of the doubt to LHL.
> 
> ...


 

 That's definitely possible, too, and Casey stated : 
  
   "....First off, thanks so much for bringing this to our attention. Obviously the form factor design aspect of Verb has been adopted by this company as well.  This is something that we are addressing with our manufacturing facility and are looking to have them provide us with answers immediately.  Under our original agreement with the factory, we were lead to believe that we would be the only ones in possessions of the design molds for Verb."
  
 It sounds as though the OEM they are using sold it to Xuma in spite of their agreement with LH, but I don't know if LH has any recourse since they're dealing with Chinese law. Am I right to assume that they are made in China?


----------



## jexby

Earbud-Gate?

Wow. Not sure it's worthy of a Congressional inquiry but guess conspiracy theories can be entertaining to some.


----------



## miceblue

a_recording said:


> I received my replacement Geek Pulse today.
> 
> 
> To be safe I wouldn’t plug any IEMs into the Pulse, but just for brief experiment I plugged in my ATH-IM02’s. Interestingly, the very sensitive IM02 picks up a fair amount of hiss on the Pulse, whereas it’s more or less dead quiet on my Objective 2 + ODAC. This seems to suggest that the Geek Pulse has a higher noise floor than the Objective 2/ODAC, though it’s seemingly not high enough to show up on the DT770 or the Z7. The IM02 picks up hiss on all kinds of things. The Pulse doesn't hiss quite as much as say, the Sony NWZ-A15 Walkman I have.
> ...



Glad to hear that you've received a working unit! Looking forward to your impressions.

Ah.....hiss with IEMs doesn't sound very good though, similar to my Geek Out 450. The ODAC/O2 is still the blackest of black DAC/amps I've owned in terms of noise. I don't really understand why designers choose to make them noisy like that. The Chord Hugo was especially disappointing in that regard and even more so that it was part of a tour unit with all super sensitive IEMs/CIEMS....

I'm curious about your O2 comparisons though. How do you plan to do your tests? Geek Pulse versus Geek Pulse -> O2?
I found the Geek Out to sound different than the ODAC/O2 in some aspects; most notably the lack of the "Sabre glare"/"bright" sound that people often associate with the ODAC/O2.


----------



## jbr1971

a_recording said:


> As far as how the unit sounds, I’m going to refrain from saying too much until I can do some volume matched listening against my Objective 2. I can’t really hear any difference between the various digital filter modes, so I’m sticking with the fancy FTM mode. What I can say is that from immediate first impression the unit doesn’t sound significantly worse or better or even different from my O2, which is fine given the cost. It sounds clean and neutral and the DT770 sounds characteristically brash and thumpy. I’m quite happy with the sound.
> 
> 
> *Edit*: Also I wanted to check, is the '3D Awesomefier' a thing that was implemented in the Pulse as described in the first post of this thread, and if so, can it be turned on or off?


 
  
 What version of the Pulse are you using? If it is the basic version, the FTM filter mode is just a placeholder and will not do anything to the output. If you have a Pulse with femto clocks, then the FTM filter will be of benefit after the Pulse has been powered on for a few hours to properly warm up the femto clocks.
  
 The Pulse does not have a 3D Awesomifier mode. That was only in the Geek Out, firmware 1.0.
  
 Jody


----------



## a_recording

miceblue said:


> Glad to hear that you've received a working unit! Looking forward to your impressions.
> 
> Ah.....hiss with IEMs doesn't sound very good though, similar to my Geek Out 450. The ODAC/O2 is still the blackest of black DAC/amps I've owned in terms of noise. I don't really understand why designers choose to make them noisy like that. The Chord Hugo was especially disappointing in that regard and even more so that it was part of a tour unit with all super sensitive IEMs/CIEMS....
> 
> ...


 
  
 Multi-BA units like the IM02 tend to pick up all kinds of hiss on various things, but again I wouldn't use any IEM on the Pulse at all considering that an accidental power on / off pop could blow the IEM and this would be considered user error.
  
 I would be comparing Geek Pulse to the O2/ODAC combination. I'm still working out the format of the tests because arranging a strict double blind test may be very difficult and time consuming.
  
 Just for first impressions tests at home though I am just going to play a 1khz sine wave into the line input of my audio recorder, and volume match by visually matching the output level readout. This method is roughly accurate to about 2dB. Thankfully the Geek Pulse has such tiny volume increments a match should be easy to achieve. Then I'm just going to use a SESCOM A/B switch to compare the two setups.
  
 This arrangement is obviously not going to convince anyone who doubts the quality of the A/B switch equipment or the various cables I'm using to arrange the setup, but I've been pretty happy with this method in the past. Otherwise I could perform the volume match and then remove the A/B switch and just swap between the two units manually, though I find it a lot easier to make comparisons when the switchover is instantaneous. 
  


jbr1971 said:


> What version of the Pulse are you using? If it is the basic version, the FTM filter mode is just a placeholder and will not do anything to the output. If you have a Pulse with femto clocks, then the FTM filter will be of benefit after the Pulse has been powered on for a few hours to properly warm up the femto clocks.
> 
> The Pulse does not have a 3D Awesomifier mode. That was only in the Geek Out, firmware 1.0.
> 
> Jody


 
  
 Thanks Jody. I have a vanilla Pulse here. What filter mode does the Pulse default to when you select FTM with no femto clock perk (ie: what have I been listening to all this time?)


----------



## mscott58

Hey everyone. Just posted something on LHLabs.com that I think might clear things up on some people's impression of the Verb. Don't want to re-post the entire thing here so I don't get in trouble with Jude and Joe. Here's the link
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/3790-a-tale-of-two-verbs#59978
  
 Cheers 
  
 PS - Going to put this in the Wave thread as well since the Verb comments seem to be scattered across both of these Geek/LHL threads.


----------



## doublea71

mscott58 said:


> Hey everyone. Just posted something on LHLabs.com that I think might clear things up on some people's impression of the Verb. Don't want to re-post the entire thing here so I don't get in trouble with Jude and Joe. Here's the link
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/3790-a-tale-of-two-verbs#59978
> 
> ...


 

 Interesting post - glad you like them after all.


----------



## jbr1971

a_recording said:


> Thanks Jody. I have a vanilla Pulse here. What filter mode does the Pulse default to when you select FTM with no femto clock perk (ie: what have I been listening to all this time?)


 
  
 To my knowledge it defaults to the previous filter mode used. If you went straight to FTM after the first bootup, then it would be the default of TCM.
  
 Jody


----------



## miceblue

a_recording said:


> I would be comparing Geek Pulse to the O2/ODAC combination. I'm still working out the format of the tests because arranging a strict double blind test may be very difficult and time consuming.
> 
> Just for first impressions tests at home though I am just going to play a 1khz sine wave into the line input of my audio recorder, and volume match by visually matching the output level readout. This method is roughly accurate to about 2dB. Thankfully the Geek Pulse has such tiny volume increments a match should be easy to achieve. Then I'm just going to use a SESCOM A/B switch to compare the two setups.
> 
> This arrangement is obviously not going to convince anyone who doubts the quality of the A/B switch equipment or the various cables I'm using to arrange the setup, but I've been pretty happy with this method in the past. Otherwise I could perform the volume match and then remove the A/B switch and just swap between the two units manually, though I find it a lot easier to make comparisons when the switchover is instantaneous.



Oh I see. ODAC/O2 combo.
I've been meaning to write an Apple Script to do ABX tests with 2 DACs in the Audirvana Plus music player. I have 2 scripts that can switch to a different DAC in the media player (A and B), but I'm still working on getting a script to tabulate a value and read it for the X of the ABX.

I'll look into that A/B switch too if I can't get my FiiO HS2 to work properly again. With the Geek Out comparisons, I just roughly volume-matched by ear and switched the headphone plug from one DAC/amp to the other as I used the Apple Script to switch DACs on the computer.


----------



## eac3

By the way, my tracking page finally updated to show the infinity, as well as the free 2G cable. 
  
 whew....


----------



## a_recording

miceblue said:


> Oh I see. ODAC/O2 combo.
> I've been meaning to write an Apple Script to do ABX tests with 2 DACs in the Audirvana Plus music player. I have 2 scripts that can switch to a different DAC in the media player (A and B), but I'm still working on getting a script to tabulate a value and read it for the X of the ABX.
> 
> I'll look into that A/B switch too if I can't get my FiiO HS2 to work properly again. With the Geek Out comparisons, I just roughly volume-matched by ear and switched the headphone plug from one DAC/amp to the other as I used the Apple Script to switch DACs on the computer.


 
  
 Ah, you totally reminded me I can set up a multi-output device on a Mac and output to both DACs at once! That will make life easier.


----------



## greenkiwi

ostrichcized said:


> Also kind of makes me wonder if Larry or Gavin tried out the versions that backers are receiving...pulled directly from stock rather than as prototypes or a small first run batch.  With the reviews coming out as they are, I really can't believe that's the type of quality of product that they would want their name on. Maybe it's a possibility that they got swindled all around. It's not so much that they're inexpensive headphones as it is the trust that everyone put in to LH comments that they live up to the MSRP, which doesn't seem to be the case by a long shot. That opens the door to question potentially inflated MSRPs on all LH products, which seems like a terrible situation for a company that is building its reputation on "trust us, it will be better than anything at x times the price." Let's face it, LH could have put up IEMs worth 10x the price and some people still would have purchased them on blind faith, being a fraction of what they've spent on other yet to be delivered LH gear. Just doesn't seem to add up.


 
 This is currently my question too... I'll let mine burn in... then see.  Maybe they always listened to very burned in headphones.  I can see where a mechanical device can change behavior has it gets used/moved.


----------



## greenkiwi

miceblue said:


> Oh I see. ODAC/O2 combo.
> I've been meaning to write an Apple Script to do ABX tests with 2 DACs in the Audirvana Plus music player. I have 2 scripts that can switch to a different DAC in the media player (A and B), but I'm still working on getting a script to tabulate a value and read it for the X of the ABX.
> 
> I'll look into that A/B switch too if I can't get my FiiO HS2 to work properly again. With the Geek Out comparisons, I just roughly volume-matched by ear and switched the headphone plug from one DAC/amp to the other as I used the Apple Script to switch DACs on the computer.


 
 If you are using a Mac, you can go into midi settings and create a compound device that will send the same music to both devices at the same exact time.  This can be quite useful for AB testing.


----------



## miceblue

greenkiwi said:


> If you are using a Mac, you can go into midi settings and create a compound device that will send the same music to both devices at the same exact time.  This can be quite useful for AB testing.



True. I was hoping to use it with the Audirvana Plus application though and that doesn't allow a multi-device output like that unfortunately. I guess I can use VOX to play music instead. iTunes cuts off frequencies above 18 kHz I believe, so I have no idea what it does to my music.


----------



## a_recording

miceblue said:


> True. I was hoping to use it with the Audirvana Plus application though and that doesn't allow a multi-device output like that unfortunately. I guess I can use VOX to play music instead. iTunes cuts off frequencies above 18 kHz I believe, so I have no idea what it does to my music.


 
  
 I'm surprised that the application isn't agnostic to the multi output setup. It's an OSX system level thing where it combines the two outputs and treats them as one single output device that shows up in any application as a output hardware option.
  
 Where did you get the idea that iTunes cuts off frequencies above 18kHz?


----------



## miceblue

a_recording said:


> I'm surprised that the application isn't agnostic to the multi output setup. It's an OSX system level thing where it combines the two outputs and treats them as one single output device that shows up in any application as a output hardware option.
> 
> Where did you get the idea that iTunes cuts off frequencies above 18kHz?



Yeah I thought it was odd too, even with Hog Mode disabled.


The spectrogram seems to only screw up on iTunes playback when playing a 16/44.1 pink noise file.

^ iTunes cuts off the frequency at around 21 kHz, Audirvana Plus doesn't (at the end); don't mind the weird breakup of the signal there, I was just messing around with the volume settings


----------



## a_recording

miceblue said:


> I guess I was wrong about 18 kHz, it's around 20 kHz. I still don't know what iTunes does to my music files though.


 
  
 That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing that. I never realised that iTunes did that. I'm assuming they filter the ultrasonics to avoid equipment damage, but it's a bit annoying not to know that. Do you have any idea what iTunes does with 96kHz files? I might try messing around myself with my Zoom H2n.


----------



## Currawong

Make sure that the system output is set to the same as the file being played back to avoid system re-sampling. Audirvana etc. automatically manage this but it isn't managed with iTunes.


----------



## miceblue

a_recording said:


> That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing that. I never realised that iTunes did that. I'm assuming they filter the ultrasonics to avoid equipment damage, but it's a bit annoying not to know that. Do you have any idea what iTunes does with 96kHz files? I might try messing around myself with my Zoom H2n.



Sorry if my post looks different now, I edited it about a dozen times. >.>
My Tascam recorder doesn't record at a higher sampling rate, but no it looks to be normal when playing a 16/96 file. It would be nice if someone else could try the quick test too since I'm not 100% confident about my setup.

^ 16/96 file on the left part of the track, 16/44.1 on the right (Audio MIDI set to 96 kHz since it doesn't automatically switch)


In any case, VOX should be okay at playing 16/44.1 I think, and I would hope LH's Geek Perfect software fixes that weird anomaly. For Windows, Foobar and ASIO playback should work just fine.






currawong said:


> Make sure that the system output is set to the same as the file being played back to avoid system re-sampling. Audirvana etc. automatically manage this but it isn't managed with iTunes.



Yeah I made sure to set the sampling rate to 44.1 kHz in Audio MIDI for my previous post, and those are the results I got straight out of the MacBook's headphone jack.


----------



## Currawong

AFAIK iTunes is bit-perfect. If you were measuring the analogue audio output of the headphone jack then you'd see the effects of whatever filter the hardware is set to use, which would usually drop off below the Nyquist limit. That would have nothing to do with iTunes.


----------



## a_recording

Okay, I know this is very off topic, but it's very interesting. My Zoom H2n does 96/24 recording, so I was able to do my own tests.
  
 So first of all, I ran the high frequency test tone file at http://www.audiocheck.net/audiotests_frequencycheckhigh.php through Musicscope and got this result:
  

  
 Nice and easy to see the frequency sweep start at 22 kHz and end at 8kHz.
  
 Now here's what my Zoom H2n captured from the output of my Objective 2 to the line in (100% digital volume) and at minimum gain on the H2n. Note that the scale changes since the H2n is capturing 96/24 files. Also the vertical scale changes because I was not able to start and stop the recorder at exactly consistent times, so the length of each recording is a little different.
  
 First, the output from Musicscope itself (it can play back files).
  

  
*EDIT: Removed the Bitperfect result because listening to the test file, I made an error and restarted playback during the recording, which introduced a transient.*
  
 This is what iTunes outputs:
  

  
 So it does appear that iTunes has a steep filter that kicks in at around 21khz and finishes at around 19kHz. Musicscope and Bitperfect seem to be doing something slightly different, but they both produce some kind of 'reflection' from 24kHz to 22kHz. I have no idea what that reflection is and whether its from the recorder or the software or even the ODAC. It certainly isn't in the original file since the original file is a 44.1kHz WAV. The extra reflections above 24kHz appear to be from my recorder or the ODAC. They probably aren't from the software since iTunes isn't filtering them out...
  
*EDIT: Now that I think of it, I'm not at all sure these are helpful results. In all cases I was outputting from iTunes with the ODAC set up as a 96kHz device. So it could be that iTunes is resampling the 44.1kHz Audiocheck file and doing something else to it in the process. This is all enough to convince me that the Bitperfect app is a good idea, since it nicely avoids the whole Audio Midi setup issue.*
  
 Now here is a pink noise test with a 96/24 WAV produced in Audacity.
  
 Musicscope:
  

  
 iTunes:
  

  
 iTunes + Bitperfect:
  

  
 So nothing special there. iTunes seems to be playing back the 96kHz stuff with no filtering like you would hope.


----------



## uncola

sweet, my tracking updated to show geek pulse infinity and 2g cable.. doesn't mention vi dac upgrade though


----------



## AxelCloris

My tracking will show the Infinity in time, I'm sure. It's not like it's shipping any time soon so there's no rush for me.
  


a_recording said:


> I really like the 0.5db adjustment steps of the digital volume control. It allows for very fine control over volume, which is a good thing for a borderline ear piercing headphone like the DT770. On low gain I can get a listenable volume for the DT770 around -25db to -15db depending on the track. Everything else I own has nowhere near the impedance of the DT770 and gets a good listening volume much earlier. I think I’ll keep the unit in low gain mode just to be safe...


 
  
 Yours has 0.5dB steps? My Pulse had 0.25dB steps and while it would only indicate every half step on the display it always made a quarter step with each click of the dial.


----------



## a_recording

axelcloris said:


> Yours has 0.5dB steps? My Pulse had 0.25dB steps and while it would only indicate every half step on the display it always made a quarter step with each click of the dial.


 
  
 I think this is correct. When turning very slowly the Pulse displays updates with 0.5dB every two clicks of the wheel - so I guess it must be 0.25dB steps.


----------



## uncola

Looks like lh labs is using a new pcb factory
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3658-new-pcb-batch-for-pulse-xfi#59999
  
 "We found another good PCB Fab house. And got that batch and tested... Guess what, same design, but this time we got more than 96% successfully rate at least for the first 40 we tested."


----------



## greenkiwi

a_recording said:


> So it does appear that iTunes has a steep filter that kicks in at around 21khz and finishes at around 19kHz. Musicscope and Bitperfect seem to be doing something slightly different, but they both produce some kind of 'reflection' from 24kHz to 22kHz. I have no idea what that reflection is and whether its from the recorder or the software or even the ODAC. It certainly isn't in the original file since the original file is a 44.1kHz WAV. The extra reflections above 24kHz appear to be from my recorder or the ODAC. They probably aren't from the software since iTunes isn't filtering them out...
> 
> *EDIT: Now that I think of it, I'm not at all sure these are helpful results. In all cases I was outputting from iTunes with the ODAC set up as a 96kHz device. So it could be that iTunes is resampling the 44.1kHz Audiocheck file and doing something else to it in the process. This is all enough to convince me that the Bitperfect app is a good idea, since it nicely avoids the whole Audio Midi setup issue.*
> 
> Now here is a pink noise test with a 96/24 WAV produced in Audacity.


 
  
 Note that the ODAC doesn't do anything about 48khz I believe... so it's not really going to test anything above 22/24khz.


----------



## miceblue

ODAC does 24/96 just fine, it doesn't support 24/88.2 though, and I had similar results with the Geek Out anyway.


----------



## sbradley02

I fired up my Pulse today and am enjoying it.
I have a USB driver bug which I have reported to LHL, but since my setup is unusual I thought I would also try the community. 
I use a Windows laptop with a docking station. Besides the Pulse I also have a Shure USB mic preamp hooked up. When I undock and redock the laptop, the Pulse isn't recognized. So far the only way I am able to fix is to disconnect the Shure, power cycle the Pulse then reconnect the Shure, which is rather inconvenient.
Any ideas?


----------



## jbr1971

sbradley02 said:


> I fired up my Pulse today and am enjoying it.
> I have a USB driver bug which I have reported to LHL, but since my setup is unusual I thought I would also try the community.
> I use a Windows laptop with a docking station. Besides the Pulse I also have a Shure USB mic preamp hooked up. When I undock and redock the laptop, the Pulse isn't recognized. So far the only way I am able to fix is to disconnect the Shure, power cycle the Pulse then reconnect the Shure, which is rather inconvenient.
> Any ideas?


 
  
 To me that does not sound like a USB bug, it sounds like normal Windows behavior.
  
 I can't recall any USB devices other than keyboard & mouse that would recover function during a re-dock, except if the laptop was power cycled.
  
 Without power cycling the Pulse to initiate the USB handshake, the only potential option I can think of is to go to the device manager & initiate a hardware scan (I have never tried it though).
  
 Jody


----------



## mscott58

jbr1971 said:


> To me that does not sound like a USB bug, it sounds like normal Windows behavior.
> 
> I can't recall any USB devices other than keyboard & mouse that would recover function during a re-dock, except if the laptop was power cycled.
> 
> ...


 
 Jody - This is how I use my current DAC (Burson Conductor) all the time. My ThinkPad likely comes out of my docking station multiple times a day and I've never had to re-engage the DAC. In fact I used a 10G split cable between the dock and the Conductor and after the initial handshake I've disconnected the power leg of the 10G and have never had to plug it back in again. The USB connection has lasted through all of this for months and months now using the 10G, and for a year or more with a Silver Dragon V3 USB cable before that. Cheers


----------



## jbr1971

mscott58 said:


> Jody - This is how I use my current DAC (Burson Conductor) all the time. My ThinkPad likely comes out of my docking station multiple times a day and I've never had to re-engage the DAC. In fact I used a 10G split cable between the dock and the Conductor and after the initial handshake I've disconnected the power leg of the 10G and have never had to plug it back in again. The USB connection has lasted through all of this for months and months now using the 10G, and for a year or more with a Silver Dragon V3 USB cable before that. Cheers


 
  
 Good to know. I just remember all of the issues I used to have with USB devices and docking.
  
 Is that DAC a USB 1.1 or 2.0 compliant device? It would be good to be able to narrow down whether or not it is version dependent.
  
 Jody


----------



## mscott58

jbr1971 said:


> Good to know. I just remember all of the issues I used to have with USB devices and docking.
> 
> Is that DAC a USB 1.1 or 2.0 compliant device? It would be good to be able to narrow down whether or not it is version dependent.
> 
> Jody


 
 Jody - The Conductor's USB section in my unit has been upgraded to a CM6631A USB Module, and I believe this is a 2.0 compliant setup. Cheers - Michael


----------



## bhazard

The Verb I received is either defective, or it is just an absolutely terrible IEM.

Massive channel imbalance. $4 iem sound quality, and I used a ctia 3.5mm adapter just in case... made it worse, so it appears to be working normally. Holding the mic button just activates the mic on my Oneplus One.

The Verb will reflect very poorly on LH if they all sound like this. My first disappointment from them.

With all the good Chinese OEMs out there, why they went with this I just don't understand.

This is not something burn in will fix either.


----------



## sbradley02

jbr1971 said:


> To me that does not sound like a USB bug, it sounds like normal Windows behavior.
> 
> I can't recall any USB devices other than keyboard & mouse that would recover function during a re-dock, except if the laptop was power cycled.
> 
> ...



Thanks for responding. I don't have the same issue with the Shure preamp, nor with my JoLida DAC I used previously. Both resync fine after redock.


----------



## doctorjazz

Still burning them in, had 2 full days, will give them another few days. Didn't sound good out of the box.


----------



## mscott58

bhazard - Have you tried wiggling the plug around to see if the sound changes at all or tried another source? Cheers


----------



## bhazard

mscott58 said:


> bhazard - Have you tried wiggling the plug around to see if the sound changes at all or tried another source? Cheers


 
 Tried many sources, including the GO1000 with Geek LPS. Same poor sound and imbalance.


----------



## mandrake50

bhazard said:


> Tried many sources, including the GO1000 with Geek LPS. Same poor sound and imbalance.


 

 Maybe they really designed these for the folks that like the  BOOM BOOM BOOM  recessed mids, almost nonexistent highs, sound. People that have no other reference may like these. I guess there is a market there. Quality sound for the masses... except these aren't. Besides, at $160 list, how many people in that category will buy them?


----------



## pfloyd

Done playing this charade, the verbs are garbage, and the credibility of lh labs is totally ruined in my book, I have been had, just glad I did not back any of they're more expensive offerings.


----------



## pkwak

I have not backed verb but I know that with some cables where there is microphone mute switch, the earphone will sound terrible until you slide the switch up or down to 'unmute'. I note one of the members mentioning previously.


----------



## longbowbbs

pkwak said:


> I have not backed verb but I know that with some cables where there is microphone mute switch, the earphone will sound terrible until you slide the switch up or down to 'unmute'. I note one of the members mentioning previously.


 
 Verb does not have a mute switch. There is one button that can be pressed for start,stop or to hang up a call. Double click to advance and triple click to repeat.


----------



## pkwak

My bad, I stand corrected.


----------



## woodcans

Just plugged my Pulse XFi & LPS4 in to my mbp. Short story: It's not perfect, but it's great.


----------



## jexby

woodcans said:


> Just plugged my Pulse XFi & LPS4 in to my mbp. Short story: It's not perfect, but it's great.




Wow, shortest impressions post ever on head-fi! Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Short Recommendation: Burn-in for a week.
  
  
 Quote:


woodcans said:


> Short story: It's not perfect, but it's great.


----------



## mark5hs

bhazard said:


> The Verb I received is either defective, or it is just an absolutely terrible IEM.
> 
> Massive channel imbalance. $4 iem sound quality, and I used a ctia 3.5mm adapter just in case... made it worse, so it appears to be working normally. Holding the mic button just activates the mic on my Oneplus One.
> 
> ...


 
 Probably defective. I don't have any channel imbalance with mine. The mids are too recessed for my tastes, but there's massive bass so they're fun. I have GR07 and RE600 so those are what I mostly listen with, but for the $40 I paid, I'm pretty happy with the Verbs and they're a fun diversion when I want to listen to some hip hop or EDM.


----------



## mandrake50

jexby said:


> Wow, shortest impressions post ever on head-fi! Cheers


 

 and I know what mbp. is??
 Not


----------



## uncola

macbook pro


----------



## greenkiwi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


>


 
 Actually... burn in for 8 days... then if it still doesn't sound good, you are outside of the return window.


----------



## achristilaw

I need another ortho runner and wanted a unit with dac, if just one customer complains another ten have issues and are not speaking up. The Geek Pulse is off the list........


----------



## Anaximandros

greenkiwi said:


> Actually... burn in for 8 days... then if it still doesn't sound good, you are outside of the return window.


 
  
 There is no return windoew for IGG pledges.


----------



## jonbernard

Please start a new thread for discussion of the Verbs. They have absolutely nothing to do with the Pulse.


----------



## doublea71

jonbernard said:


> Please start a new thread for discussion of the Verbs. They have absolutely nothing to do with the Pulse.


 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/759031/lh-labs-verb-iem-impressions-thread
  
 Boom.


----------



## jbr1971

Hi all,
  
 As it has only been mentioned in the Geek Wave thread so far, the LH Labs and Light Harmonic websites are currently down.
  
 I just spoke to Casey and Gavin and they are currently working on getting it fixed.
  
 I am unsure of an eta for it being back up, but we will update as we are able.
  
 Jody


----------



## digitalzed

jbr1971 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> As it has only been mentioned in the Geek Wave thread so far, the LH Labs and Light Harmonic websites are currently down.
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks Jody.


----------



## coletrain104

Does anyone know how LH Labs knows where to ship the unit if one was not an early backer and wasn't given a tracking password? I'm just curious, but I know nothing on Indiegogo asked me for my address besides billing address. How does it work?


----------



## Ham Sandwich

achristilaw said:


> I need another ortho runner and wanted a unit with dac, if just one customer complains another ten have issues and are not speaking up. The Geek Pulse is off the list........


 
  
 If you've already pledged for one through Indiegogo you're getting one whether you want it now or not.  Too late.
 If you haven't already pledged for one then too late.  You'll have to wait for retail availability and pay full price.  And by then all of the problems will have been worked out.


----------



## jbr1971

coletrain104 said:


> Does anyone know how LH Labs knows where to ship the unit if one was not an early backer and wasn't given a tracking password? I'm just curious, but I know nothing on Indiegogo asked me for my address besides billing address. How does it work?


 
  
 When you complete the contribution process on IGG you are asked for your shipping address.
  
 If you did not provide that information, please open a support ticket at support.lhlabs.com (when the website comes back up later) with your name, the email address used for your IGG account, and your shipping address, and they can get it added.
  
 Jody


----------



## musicheaven

jbr1971 said:


> When you complete the contribution process on IGG you are asked for your shipping address.
> 
> If you did not provide that information, please open a support ticket at support.lhlabs.com (when the website comes back up later) with your name, the email address used for your IGG account, and your shipping address, and they can get it added.
> 
> Jody




The support website can be accessed directly, it's not down, here is the link: https://lhlabs.freshdesk.com/support/home


----------



## achristilaw

ham sandwich said:


> If you've already pledged for one through Indiegogo you're getting one whether you want it now or not.  Too late.
> If you haven't already pledged for one then too late.  You'll have to wait for retail availability and pay full price.  And by then all of the problems will have been worked out.


 

 Oh no.... I have paid for nothing. I won't pay for anything until I hear it, or someone I trust to put that very something through the paces. To many problems for me to seek any further interest in the Geek Sound. Can't find any reviews save the early adopters, most of them with limited experience. Maybe an Oppo or Benchmark, something reasonable as it's for a second system.


----------



## jbr1971

Hi all,
  
 At this time all LH websites are back up.
  
 Jody


----------



## Verloren

jbr1971 said:


> When you complete the contribution process on IGG you are asked for your shipping address.
> 
> If you did not provide that information, please open a support ticket at support.lhlabs.com (when the website comes back up later) with your name, the email address used for your IGG account, and your shipping address, and they can get it added.
> 
> Jody


 
 And if a backer moves?


----------



## jbr1971

verloren said:


> And if a backer moves?


 
  
 If you have not completed a survey yet you can confirm the new address in the upcoming survey.
  
 And if a survey was previously completed, open a support ticket to have the address changed as noted in my previous post.
  
 Jody


----------



## Levanter

jbr1971 said:


> If you have not completed a survey yet you can confirm the new address in the upcoming survey.
> 
> And if a survey was previously completed, open a support ticket to have the address changed as noted in my previous post.
> 
> Jody




Do you know when will the new survey be sent out?


----------



## jbr1971

levanter said:


> Do you know when will the new survey be sent out?


 
  
 Sorry, I don't. It is in beta testing.
  
 Jody


----------



## Ultimate Mango

That survey has been in beta so long it should be version 7.1 when it is released.


----------



## doublea71

You beta have patience (mine is running LOW).


----------



## mscott58

doublea71 said:


> You beta have patience (mine is running LOW).


 
 Groan...
  
 (nicely played)


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Sigh, delayed again....


----------



## flipper2gv

ethereal sound said:


> Sigh, delayed again....


 
 what was delayed this time?


----------



## doublea71

ethereal sound said:


> Sigh, delayed again....


 

 Beta late than never...(dodges rotten tomatoes, drops mic, runs from stage)


----------



## nicolo

You beta run!! That was a stinker


----------



## Ethereal Sound

flipper2gv said:


> what was delayed this time?


 
  
 Sfi. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd rather them release it properly than release it with flaws but it's still kinda disheartening to see it delayed time after time. Oh wells, time to distract myself with something else.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

ethereal sound said:


> Sfi. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd rather them release it properly than release it with flaws but it's still kinda disheartening to see it delayed time after time. Oh wells, time to distract myself with something else.




Order a custom IEM. It's a great way to while away the time...


----------



## Ethereal Sound

vhsownsbeta said:


> Order a custom IEM. It's a great way to while away the time...


 
 If only I had the budget haha.


----------



## sahmen

I want to join in the Geek Pulse HPA action, but I have a question,  What is the likelihood that they will start shipping in September 2015 as promised?  I am interested in having a Headphone amp with a class A topology in my rig, but I wouldn't want to have my money tied up for too long without seeing the unit and that is why I am asking.
  
 I also ask, because of all the reports on this forum regarding Light Harmonics shipping delays.  Thanks.


----------



## Anaximandros

Don't get your hopes high on the anticipated delivery schedule.
  
 LH may prove me wrong, but I wouldn't expect the HPA to ship this year.


----------



## AxelCloris

I don't believe anyone outside of LH Labs has heard the HPA so there's no saying how far along it is in development. I'm not expecting to see it deliver on time but then I don't expect any crowdfunding project to deliver on time; I'm just pleasantly surprised when they manage it.
  
 Honestly, if you're unsure about keeping funds tied up for a while it's best to not participate and wait for the project to hit shelves. Crowdfunding isn't for everyone and you should consider that before making any pledges.


----------



## grizzlybeast

Forgive me for not keeping up with the thread and adding nonsense impressions of stuff already mentioned. This thread is very long. Ill be brief: 
  
 Yesterday I just listened again to the standard pulse with no lps. I compared it to my Cayin Ha3 amp back and forth for a bit. I noticed that the pulse had a sharp sound and transparency, seemed to lack a bit of musicality, sounded a smidge thin, not much at all though. It also sounds spacious but could very much benefit from what I hear people mentioning of a blacker background the lps provides. The high gain setting, even though it is said to have 3W, isnt as loud as the 2W into 32 ohms on the Cayin. Maybe the 3W is at 16 ohms or 0 or something I dunno but the Cayin ha3 is louder by a big margin. I like the pulse as it is but sound signature wise its not the best pairing with my Hifiman he-4 though it can drive it fairly well. I feel as if the sound is missing some meat to it and I don't just mean in the bass. It doesnt sound lush at all, but its not harsh either.  The bass isn't bad. Its not boomy or bloated or recessed, its just there...dont know how to put it. 999 huh??? is that how much I paid for this thing? nope but if I did I would be scratching my head. Overall I like it though. It is more spacious than some of the stuff I have here as well as pretty clear sounding with a simple balance. 
  
 Well I better do some more listening on different headphones and get an lps or just sell it to finish paying off my pulse xfi which I hope is worth the 1399 I am almost finished throwing at it.
  
 Maybe someone can repeat some information on the 3W I am supposed to be getting from it. It does power the hard to drive he-4 very loud on high gain though so other orthos shouldnt be a problem at all.


----------



## miceblue

http://cayin.com/?product=ha-3&lang=en


> Power output：2000mW +2000mW( 32Ω,RMS)




So that's 4 W total at 32 Ω.


http://marketplace.lhlabs.com/products/pulse-dac-headphone-amplifier


> HP Single- ended output voltage and impedance: 1.8V / 3V / 6.8V switchable (0.47Ohm flat in 20~20K Hz range)




P = V^2 / R
P = (6.8 V^2) / 32 Ω
P = 1.445 W

4 W > 1.445 W, so your impressions seem to line up with the numbers.


----------



## grizzlybeast

oh yeah thats right I forgot that. FWIW its more transparent, more spacious, and seems more detailed than the cayin which has tubes and is more lush, more bassheavy and a bit more forward in the mids. If I had to keep only one from my listen last night it would be the pulse though. 
but that's not a definite call. The first time I preferred my Cayin.


----------



## wingsounds13

Miceblue, you are conflating single channel and total power ratings in your post. The Cayin is rated at 2W PER CHANNEL, then you added those two channels up to a total power to inappropriately compare it to your correctly calculated 1.445W PER CHANNEL output of the Pulse into 32ohms. The proper comparison then is 2W per channel to 1.445W per channel, or less than 2dB difference. 

Still, the Cayin may have greater Dynamic power capacity, or just the different output impedance matches well with the headphones giving an apparently significantly greater drive capacity.

J.P.


----------



## miceblue

wingsounds13 said:


> Miceblue, you are conflating single channel and total power ratings in your post. The Cayin is rated at 2W PER CHANNEL, then you added those two channels up to a total power to inappropriately compare it to your correctly calculated 1.445W PER CHANNEL output of the Pulse into 32ohms. The proper comparison then is 2W per channel to 1.445W per channel, or less than 2dB difference.
> 
> Still, the Cayin may have greater Dynamic power capacity, or just the different output impedance matches well with the headphones giving an apparently significantly greater drive capacity.
> 
> J.P.



Oh is it 1.445 W per channel? All this time I've always assumed that it was the total output. e.g. GO 1000 outputs 1 W at 16 Ω
So you're saying GO 1000 actually outputs 2 W total into 16 Ω and Pulse is 13.6 V total?


----------



## sahmen

anaximandros said:


> Don't get your hopes high on the anticipated delivery schedule.
> 
> LH may prove me wrong, but I wouldn't expect the HPA to ship this year.


 
  
  


axelcloris said:


> I don't believe anyone outside of LH Labs has heard the HPA so there's no saying how far along it is in development. I'm not expecting to see it deliver on time but then I don't expect any crowdfunding project to deliver on time; I'm just pleasantly surprised when they manage it.
> 
> Honestly, if you're unsure about keeping funds tied up for a while it's best to not participate and wait for the project to hit shelves. Crowdfunding isn't for everyone and you should consider that before making any pledges.


 
 Anaxi... and Axel... Thanks for those words of wisdom...


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

sahmen said:


> Anaxi... and Axel... Thanks for those words of wisdom...


 
  
 On the other hand, LH Labs will be doing their second rodeo with an upscale mass-market desktop electronic device. With a smaller number of orders and variants than the Pulses. They'll have cut their teeth with that case on the Pulse SE/Xinf, and software issues are nonexistent for the HPA.
  
 Couple that with a much more experienced supply chain, no port slowdown, and wanting to show up detractors... my money would actually be on the HPA shipping this calendar year. You heard it here first, folks.


----------



## mscott58

silvertrumpet999 said:


> On the other hand, LH Labs will be doing their second rodeo with an upscale mass-market desktop electronic device. With a smaller number of orders and variants than the Pulses. They'll have cut their teeth with that case on the Pulse SE/Xinf, and software issues are nonexistent for the HPA.
> 
> Couple that with a much more experienced supply chain, no port slowdown, and wanting to show up detractors... my money would actually be on the HPA shipping this calendar year. You heard it here first, folks.


 
 I'd actually have to agree with this. Especially since the HPA is based on a circuit that Larry has worked on for quite a while (and that Gavin has been listening to for almost as long!). Cheers


----------



## bitsnbytes

LHL also mentioned that they're limiting the production numbers to meet targets.

If there are no external problems, and if they keep focused with limited input from the public, they *can* deliver near the target date.


----------



## Greg121986

My Jay's Audio LPS just came in. I'll post some impressions in a few days. So far, it's appropriately heavy and appears to be robust and well built.


----------



## pedalhead

Anyone else tried out the new survey? Mine's completely incorrect, wrong perks listed and wrong name & address.  Sigh.


----------



## chartwell85

Survey has been sent out.


----------



## pedalhead

Casey - already two  three people reporting that we're getting details of other people associated with our email addresses.  Would recommend pulling it before your DB gets all messed up (well, even more messed up!)


----------



## eac3

I can confirm that none of these perks are of mine.


----------



## pauldgroot

The perks on my email-address are correct but the drop down menu doesn't show a Pulse Xfi to select.
  

  
 In the drop down menu I see several Pulse models. I can select the Pulse/Pulse X/Pulse S but the Pulse Xfi/Pulse Infinity/Pulse SE are not in the list.


----------



## miceblue

Well, I have the correct perks listed......but I have absolutely no idea what I'm supposed to put in the drop-down boxes. Geek LPS4 nor Pulse X Infinity are listed in these lists....
Scratch that, it's missing my last perk.

[Insert "Instructions unclear; Dick stuck in ceiling fan" meme here]

Was the survey only given to Geek Pulse X backers or something? How can you not have some of these combinations in the drop-down list? I mean, they made specific perks for the Pulse X Infinity, yet it's completely absent in the list.


----------



## pedalhead

Looks like it's been fixed now.  Mine's accurate but missing the Alpha Prime perk...Stephanie has confirmed that the AP is not in scope to be on the survey.  Also, the HPA is due to be added to the survey at a later date.


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> Well, I have the correct perks listed......but I have absolutely no idea what I'm supposed to put in the drop-down boxes. Geek LPS4 nor Pulse X Infinity are listed in these lists....
> Scratch that, it's missing my last perk.
> 
> [Insert "Instructions unclear; Dick stuck in ceiling fan" meme here]
> ...




MB - Select Pulse X and then the Infinity option shows up as one of the upgrades you can select. Cheers


----------



## pauldgroot

Nice thank you mscott58!


----------



## miceblue

mscott58 said:


> MB - Select Pulse X and then the Infinity option shows up as one of the upgrades you can select. Cheers



Oh what...they had to do that in the most confusing way possible. >.>
One would think they would have just listed all of the combinations in the drop-down list instead of having to select a product family and then your options for that family.

I still don't understand this form though. If I backed Pulse Xfi in Campaign #1, and upgraded to Pulse X Infinity in Campaign #2/InDemand, do I need to list the Pulse twice, once for #1 for Xfi, and again for #2 for X Infinity?

Slacker 1G isn't listed in the drop-down menus and sub-selections, and my 2G cable isn't listed in my perk list....

ESS 9018AQ2M isn't listed anywhere either.


----------



## germay0653

pedalhead said:


> Anyone else tried out the new survey? Mine's completely incorrect, wrong perks listed and wrong name & address.  Sigh.


 

 Yeah, they've got some work to do.  Since perks (components) for each product were offered in multiple campaigns, the survey, when you select a particular product, needs to allow you to identify the perks from those multiple campaigns in order for them to get your configuration correct.  As it stands, my VI Tube DAC evolved from perks from these three campaigns and that's just one example:
  

Geek Pulse: A Digital Audio Awesomifier for Your Desktop 
Pulse Audio: A Crowdsourced High-Rez Sound System
Vi: High Performance, Crowd Designed Audio System
  
I really don't want to have to configure the Vi Tube DAC separately for each campaign.


----------



## chartwell85

We're working on it.


----------



## germay0653

chartwell85 said:


> We're working on it.


 

 Thanks Casey, I'm sure well all get there.  Just takes time.


----------



## ejong7

This is confusing. The address options are more suited to the US addresses. No notification was given for completing the survey (at least for me). And I too do not have the DAC upgrade listed.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

This is "Beta" right?


----------



## alvin1118

greg121986 said:


> My Jay's Audio LPS just came in. I'll post some impressions in a few days. So far, it's appropriately heavy and appears to be robust and well built.




Great, enjoy the improvement Greg!

Rgds,
Alvin Chee


----------



## Chefano

DAC upgrade is not listed for me as well


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> This is "Beta" right?


 

 You win a brand new car!


----------



## georgelai57

So I look at the survey and find that, to put it mildly, it is crap! So I said, okay, it is beta but how can it miss out a complete product of mine as well as split my Pulse Xfi into two separate products? 
  
 I said, "patience", since it is beta. I'll go to the Support Ticket system and tell them what I have paid since I have been keeping my own records. Then I find that I can't find the support ticket system anymore and after 15 minutes of trying, I can't even log on to their server.
  
 You try to give LH some slack but this is really ... CRAP


----------



## AxelCloris

I just sent the LH Labs team a bug report of sorts to fill in some of the missing Pulse data in the survey, so if you're missing some perks for your Pulse then hold out a little longer.


----------



## coletrain104

everything was right on my version of the survey, but they don't have the option to say that I am expecting the Pulse Xfi. It shows my pulse X and movin' on up perk, but won't let me choose the right option.


----------



## hoo7h

coletrain104 said:


> everything was right on my version of the survey, but they don't have the option to say that I am expecting the Pulse Xfi. It shows my pulse X and movin' on up perk, but won't let me choose the right option.


 

 pick the x then they will show u a menue to pick the upgrades you chose(femto)


----------



## georgelai57

Every single dollar I have contributed to both the IGG and KS campaigns (for 6 LH products) is there on the IGG and KS websites and tallies exactly to my PayPal statement. Over a period of approximately two years. I have not paid LH any physical dollar notes nor coins nor have I sent them any physical cheque. 

How difficulty is it then to simply tally them into the survey? I know exactly what configuration I am buying for each and every product. Sadly the survey shows LH has no clue what my money went into. 

I pity those who didn't quite keep track of every dollar they have spent on LH products.


----------



## Rick U

Guess what the pulse is now the "train wreck".  I've had enough.  You guys (LH) can't even keep track of all your campaigns and name changes. One thing for sure,  I lost faith in you guys and this just reinforces I was right in doing so.  I'm embarrassed to be called a backer. I do not have enough trust in your company to connect your products up to my system.  Toss it, I don't care.  I'll consider it a lesson learned.


----------



## amham

As usual, LHL has screwed up this survey...don't know what they can do right.  I've stopped spending money with them a long time ago and after all most 16 months have not received my Xfi..last product with that gang!


----------



## doublea71

I say give them a week to fix the bugs - it is a beta version and they were upfront about this. If there are still major problems after a week, then you have a point.


----------



## mscott58

So I jumped on the survey right as it came out and to be honest it was a mess - wasn't even my data. 
  
 Came back a bit later and voila - there was my order data! Sweet. 
  
 Took a while and a bit of experimentation to learn what needed to be done (e.g. select "Pulse X" and then check the elements to make it into an Infinity), but once I got the hang of it I had no issues. 
  
 Still some stuff working out, such as more recent perks like the ESS DAC upgrades aren't showing up yet and a few spots where appropriate options aren't there, but I've been talking to Casey and they've cataloged all the things I've found and have a list of bugs and issues they're working on. 
  
 I'm guessing the back-end team (wait, does that sound right?) is not going to get a lot of sleep tonight. Word has it that the bugs should be ironed out in the next few days. 
  
 Anyone going through and trying to sort out all the pieces that they've ordered, I'd really suggest you go into your IGG page and copy down all of your contributions (if you haven't already) and then match them against the survey page. Not to put extra work on you, but is good hygiene to ensure you're getting everything and that we can all help identify any remaining bugs. 
  
 Cheers all


----------



## taz23

I could add my Xfi, but not the 1G cable (two pieces).
 It just doesn't register my selection of the 1G cable, regardless of the browser used.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Honestly, I don't know what is going on with the survey. I was part of the first survey and they had the same problem. I bought a geek pulse Sfi but it keeps showing up as a geek pulse X in my survey and I had to prove to them via email last time and they told me it was fixed...I guess not.


----------



## zenpunk

Does people who ordered just a Pulse Sfi need to fill that survey? I already filled the previous one and made clear I didn't want any more perks and for them to send it as soon as it is ready....


----------



## BobJS

I honestly thought I'd be bored by now, but this is still fun to watch.


----------



## MrEleventy

bobjs said:


> I honestly thought I'd be bored by now, but this is still fun to watch.


 Hey, pass me some of that popcorn.


----------



## Mannytorres

Hey guys glad to hear all the feedback, We are getting these bugs resolved. please remember it is a beta version. We try making as easy as possible with a product to select, then a add-on dropdown menu. We took into account the feedback from the previous survey and felt this would be much easier for our backers to follow.
  
 For example select Pulse X
 dropdown menu add-ons are
  
 Femto and internal amp
 ESS chip
 Infinity
 Extended Warranty purchase
  
 We are working diligently to iron out the bugs and expect them to be completed shortly.


----------



## Rick U

Manny ,with all due respect, why are backers being asked to do this.  Have you lost track ?


----------



## chartwell85

rick u said:


> Manny ,with all due respect, why are backers being asked to do this.  Have you lost track ?


 

 We have our records.  We're simply asking that each backer confirms what they have ordered and then we'll compare what we have on file and proceed from there.  This also allows backers the ability to upgrade or add additional products if they'd like.


----------



## jexby

chartwell85 said:


> We have our records.  We're simply asking that each backer confirms what they have ordered and then we'll compare what we have on file and proceed from there.  This also allows backers the ability to upgrade or add additional products if they'd like.


 
  
 indeed-
 a good sanity check for customers as well.  when this info is properly matched up, less risk of mistaken shipments.
  
 plus, I think folks need to consider that IGG is hardly configured (well) as a back-office product queue system.
 LH Labs pushed the IGG platform to it's functional extreme with the number of perks, different types of open-contribuitions (values, and what it "translates to" ala:  Old Friends perks)
 and the flexibility / dependency on those perks across different products.
  
 IGG may be set up well to track orders/perks in general.
 but not the relationships between multiple perks, or similarly named perks to different products.
 all IMHO.
  
 time to go review my IGG email receipts....


----------



## Rick U

chartwell85 said:


> We have our records.  We're simply asking that each backer confirms what they have ordered and then we'll compare what we have on file and proceed from there.  *This also allows backers the ability to upgrade or add additional products if they'd like.  *


 
  
 So you are holding my Pulse hostage to get me to reconsider upgrades?  Seems disingenuous.


----------



## chartwell85

rick u said:


> So you are holding my Pulse hostage to get me to reconsider upgrades?  Seems disingenuous.


 
 Where did I say I was holding your Pulse hostage?


----------



## tuned

Is this an customer attrition strategy? Drive them insane by making them answer the same questions every six months and they'll have greater things to worry about than when their DAC might arrive. Pretty sure this is the third time (fourth if you count the initial IGG contribs) I've told LH what I ordered. Crazy.


----------



## Rick U

You said, " We have our records" 
 Ok then use your records and send me my product. I've already given you my address and my money.  You also said (paraphrased) You want another shot at my wallet.  Are you willing to use your records and send me my Pulse FXI without me doing your survey?  
 My guess is your record keeping is not up to snuff.  If that's the case, you will probably incur some costs associated with sloppy record keeping.  
 So will you send me my product without me jumping through your hoops?


----------



## jexby

rick u said:


> You said, " We have our records"
> Ok then use your records and send me my product. I've already given you my address and my money.  You also said (paraphrased) You want another shot at my wallet.  Are you willing to use your records and send me my Pulse FXI without me doing your survey?
> My guess is your record keeping is not up to snuff.  If that's the case, you will probably incur some costs associated with sloppy record keeping.
> So will you send me my product without me jumping through your hoops?


 
  
  
 considering that IGG were the original "record keepers", maybe complain there?
  
  
 "complaining at every turn" must be a fascinating hobby.
  
 a) complain when the Survey is late
 b) complain that survey needs to be done at all.
 c) complain if the wrong product is sent because b) wasn't worth minimal time.
 d) devise straw man arguments.  rinse, repeat.


----------



## kenshinhimura

rick u said:


> You said, " We have our records"
> Ok then use your records and send me my product. I've already given you my address and my money.  You also said (paraphrased) You want another shot at my wallet.  Are you willing to use your records and send me my Pulse FXI without me doing your survey?
> My guess is your record keeping is not up to snuff.  If that's the case, you will probably incur some costs associated with sloppy record keeping.
> So will you send me my product without me jumping through your hoops?


 

 you took just about everything that he wrote in that simple statement and twisted it up.


----------



## Rick U

jexby said:


> "complaining at every turn" must be a fascinating hobby.


 
  
 Jexby If that was intended for me, please point what other turns I've complained at?
 Being a fanboy must be a fascinating hobby.  
  
 Kenshinhimura.  Perhaps I did twist up Caseys words.  I guess we'll know when he answers my question.  Can you send me my product without me jumping through your hoops?


----------



## chartwell85

rick u said:


> Jexby If that was intended for me, please point what other turns I've complained at?
> Being a fanboy must be a fascinating hobby.
> 
> Kenshinhimura.  Perhaps I did twist up Caseys words.  I guess we'll know when he answers my question.  Can you send me my product without me jumping through your hoops?


 

 You must confirm your perk selections through the survey.


----------



## jexby

rick u said:


> Jexby If that was intended for me, please point what other turns I've complained at?
> Being a fanboy must be a fascinating hobby.


 
  
 no fanboy, just a realistic human who can tolerate "fact checking" before my expensive audio product ships out.
  
 indeed, "other turns" may not apply specifically except in the last 19 hours:
  
 from your posts:
 19h 18min ago:  "guess what the pulse is a train wreck."
 3h 14min ago:  "manny, why are backers asked to do this."
 2h 6min ago:  "holding my Pulse hostage."
 50min ago:  "use your records and send me my product."


----------



## vhsownsbeta

Quick question, I backed all the way from a Pulse to an X Infinity, then upgraded to Vi DAC. Do I complete the Pulse survey, or wait for the Vi DAC campaign to finish?


----------



## chartwell85

vhsownsbeta said:


> Quick question, I backed all the way from a Pulse to an X Infinity, then upgraded to Vi DAC. Do I complete the Pulse survey, or wait for the Vi DAC campaign to finish?


 
  
 The Vi DAC portion of the survey will be loaded in shortly.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

chartwell85 said:


> The Vi DAC portion of the survey will be loaded in shortly.




Thanks for the reply.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

vhsownsbeta said:


> Thanks for the reply. So do I enter my pulse contributions into this survey? Or just wait for Vi?


 
 The survey collects the actual products you expect to receive. Unless you have separate Pulse variant(s) you are also waiting for, you want to enter your most upgraded component and none of the preceding ones for a given string of upgrades.


----------



## rschoi75

Apologies if this question has been answered before, but I can't find the info from my search of the LH forums.
  
 Where are these new surveys that people are taking? Should I assume that since I have not received an email to take the survey yet, that I'm still towards the rear of the queue?


----------



## PacoTaco

rschoi75 said:


> Apologies if this question has been answered before, but I can't find the info from my search of the LH forums.
> 
> Where are these new surveys that people are taking? Should I assume that since I have not received an email to take the survey yet, that I'm still towards the rear of the queue?


 
 http://www.lhlabs.com/index.php?option=com_geekpulse


----------



## jexby

the LH Labs survey correctly listed every one of my product perks from multiple IGG campaigns.
  
 except the Pulse X Infinity is not shown as a "separate model", but think I saw that will be added in next week as a "new/updated" selection.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

silvertrumpet999 said:


> The survey collects the actual products you expect to receive. Unless you have separate Pulse variant(s) you are also waiting for, you want to enter your most upgraded component and none of the preceding ones for a given string of upgrades.




Got it, thanks.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

Hey Chartwell: I did the original survey than went out way back when. That survey was correct. Now the new survey is all messed up. Can I just not respond to this one and get my stuff as indicated in the original survey? I figure since I ordered a Pulse in December of 2013 I should be due for my XFI soon. 
I tried working with support and they just auto closed my tickets.


----------



## FayeForever

Although I completed the survey a couple days ago but I really hate to do it.
 For the record my perks are correctly listed in my shipping information.
 For this new survey it was very confusing and there was no free 2G cable listed when I did it.
 I wouldn't be surprised at all if people come and complain.


----------



## taz23

taz23 said:


> I could add my Xfi, but not the 1G cable (two pieces).
> It just doesn't register my selection of the 1G cable, regardless of the browser used.


 
  
 The list has one 1G cable which I paid for.  I am assuming that the free 1G cable is not listed in this survey.
 If so, then my information is now correct.


----------



## Za Warudo

On the survey, I contributed for the Geek Wave 64 (vanilla), so when I select the Wave 64, it gives me a bunch of options, I don't see any option for a vanilla Wave 64, but something called "Best Geek Wave 64".  Is that the vanilla Wave 64 or something else?


----------



## gyx11

Nope I believe that was for the combination of perks which Larry personally suggested.


----------



## pedalhead

On a separate note, it looks like the Alpha Primes are ready to be shipped.  Good news, although still no word on the promised "custom" colour.


----------



## Anaximandros

The custom colour will be a pleasent surprise.
 It's going to be mind blowing!
  
 Hopefully not as mind blowing as the Verbs.


----------



## smial1966

Dan was loading this powder into his 3D printer for the LH Labs `custom' color order.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  
  
 Quote:


pedalhead said:


> On a separate note, it looks like the Alpha Primes are ready to be shipped.  Good news, although still no word on the promised "custom" colour.


----------



## pedalhead

haha it could happen 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  I hope I'm proven wrong, but I suspect they'll come in one of the two standard colours.


----------



## Anaximandros

I don't think, that it's going to be a standard colour.
 It might be that orange tone from their LH Labs logo or something fancy and unique for the Force Crowd.
  
 On another note, I expect a full review from you, Mark, on several headphones at the UK Meet.
 Especially the Nighthawk, because it looks beautiful.
  
 OnTopic:
  
 LH is going to release a new firmware for the Pulse Xfi (maybe Pulse family) to eliminate the pop issue.
  
 The new survey is some kind of.. well... weird and not user friendly. That's what months and months of coding,  testing and delays got us...


----------



## miceblue

anaximandros said:


> LH is going to release a new firmware for the Pulse Xfi (maybe Pulse family) to eliminate the pop issue.



Source
http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/3768-pulse-xfi-loud-pop-when-changing-sample-rates?start=50#60913

[quote="Larry]
Hi, guys

We got two new guys in firmware team. And the first thing we set to go is finalize more strict testing procedure.

We are about to release the next firmware upgrade, it definitely address the pop. Actually the reason behind is not hardware related, that is because now we have TWO ESS DAC on the board now, when we change sampling rate, ESS DAC IC needs to be reset and that create a little pop there. When we have two, the overall time is long enough to create bigger pop in RCA. (not in balanced output and headphone output)... And the new firmware already fixed that.

Best regards,
Larry [/quote]


----------



## Anaximandros

Thanks MB.
  
 I couldn't post the source, because the LH Labs domain is banned from the network where I work because of the risk of: pishing, spam, firewall alerts etc...


----------



## pedalhead

anaximandros said:


> I don't think, that it's going to be a standard colour.
> It might be that orange tone from their LH Labs logo or something fancy and unique for the Force Crowd.
> 
> On another note, I expect a full review from you, Mark, on several headphones at the UK Meet.
> ...


 
  
 Good news on the firmware update.  I presume this is to eliminate the pop when changing sampling rate playback rather than the pop associated with not having a relay/protection circuit in place.
  
 I've been a bit sceptical about the Alpha Prime colour thing because Casey seemed unaware of it in brief discussion on the IGG comments page.  Oh well, I guess we'll find out when they arrive.
  
 Heck yes on the headphone reviews/comparisons from the meet.  So many to play with 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## AxelCloris

anaximandros said:


> Thanks MB.
> 
> I couldn't post the source, because the LH Labs domain is banned from the network where I work because of the risk of: pishing, spam, firewall alerts etc...


 
  
 Clearly your work is aware of just how much you've spent on the campaigns and is fearful for your wallet.


----------



## Anaximandros

Yeah, my company cares about my wallet 
 IGG is reachable though. 
  
 The only website I can't access from here is lhlabs.com.


----------



## uncola

Filled out the new survey.. it's still missing my THD upgrade and my pulse infinity to vi dac upgrade, and vi dac ESS upgrade...
 In other news, I got one of the massdrop geek out 450s, can't wait til it ships!


----------



## llama_egg

I'm looking at the Survey now, and the Geek Pulse only goes up to X and not X-fi. Are they listed as the same thing?


----------



## pauldgroot

Select the Pulse X and then it will show upgrades, select Femto and Internals upgrade for Xfi.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Haven't had time to do the survey yet..

but does anyone know if we have a new shipping date on the x-infinity model?


----------



## Zenifyx

Is anyone else having trouble getting past the email verification part of the survey?
 I'm not getting the activation email.
 I've re-typed my email address half a dozen times, tapped refresh a dozen times, waited a full 24 hrs, still no bueno.
 And no, it wasn't in my junk folder, that was the first place I checked.
  
 If it helps, I'm using hotmail.


----------



## zenpunk

I had the same issue until I received the email confirmation but then when I tried to save the survey the next page won't load. I am also confused about those options. Should I choose Pulse and all the perks that make it a Pulse SFi or choose Pulse S?


----------



## vic2vic

Can anybody remind me which free cables are supposed to be received with a Pulse Infinity ?
  
 I remember the LightSpeed 2G-split from the THD perk (was it 1 meter?), but was there also a LightSpeed 1G included with some earlier perks? Or was it a Slacker (it seems Slacker is not selectable in the add-ons list).
  
 I must admit that the survey is very confusing, considering that description of old perks is not available anymore in the IGG site


----------



## jexby

@chartwell85
  
 Casey are we supposed to be trying to add the "1G free cable" that came with a stretch goal being met,
 as items on our Survey?
  
 or are those cables (and other stretch goals) automatically remember/tracked with the LH order details?
  
  
  
 I don't recall a 2g-split cable from a THD Pulse perk, but could easily be mistaken.  (despite backing the THD
  
  
 thanks!


----------



## DSlayerZX

Jexby, a 2g split cable was definitely given for backing the THD perk.
 (I saw it on the previous survey system before the new one hit).
  
  
  
 Quote:


jexby said:


> @chartwell85
> 
> Casey are we supposed to be trying to add the "1G free cable" that came with a stretch goal being met,
> as items on our Survey?
> ...


----------



## longbowbbs

I have navigated the survey and confirmed all of my perks from the 18 months I have participated. A bit convoluted, but it seems to have worked as intended.


----------



## nicolo

vic2vic said:


> Can anybody remind me which free cables are supposed to be received with a Pulse Infinity ?
> 
> I remember the LightSpeed 2G-split from the THD perk (was it 1 meter?), but was there also a LightSpeed 1G included with some earlier perks? Or was it a Slacker (it seems Slacker is not selectable in the add-ons list).
> 
> I must admit that the survey is very confusing, considering that description of old perks is not available anymore in the IGG site


 
  
 Only those who backed the THD+/Infinity perks by a certain date will be getting the 2G split cable free. I am unsure as to what that date was though.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Eh... does anyone remember the pricing of the THD + Naked resistor upgrade?
  
 and each of them individually?
  
 Checking my perks right now... but because I did the upgrade in two parts... I am not sure if they factor in my pricing together or not.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

dslayerzx said:


> Eh... does anyone remember the pricing of the THD + Naked resistor upgrade?
> 
> and each of them individually?
> 
> Checking my perks right now... but because I did the upgrade in two parts... I am not sure if they factor in my pricing together or not.


 
 THD $168. Naked resistors $129.


----------



## DSlayerZX

vhsownsbeta said:


> THD $168. Naked resistors $129.


 
 Thanks bud.
  
 Welp... looks like they left out my later contribution on my upgrade then.
 nvm.. figured out how to stated what product i am expecting.


----------



## jexby

nicolo said:


> Only those who backed the THD+/Infinity perks by a certain date will be getting the 2G split cable free. I am unsure as to what that date was though.




Indeed true!
Found this in my Evernote

"Free 2G USB cable for early Xfi and THD perk, on Dec 27 2014"


----------



## DSlayerZX

Jexby.
  
    So did you ended up adding the 2G split cable into your backing log?
  
 I am debating whether I should do it or not as welll....
  
  


jexby said:


> Indeed true!
> Found this in my Evernote
> 
> "Free 2G USB cable for early Xfi and THD perk, on Dec 27 2014"


----------



## mtruong34

Question: if this survey is the beta version, will we be asked again to complete the survey when it becomes the final version?


----------



## smial1966

Quote:


mtruong34 said:


> Question: if this survey is the beta version, will we be asked again to complete the survey when it becomes the final version?


----------



## kothganesh

To all on this thread:

I got the Xfi and the accompanying Lightspeed 1G cable this morning (live in India). With this, the four items that I funded for (also got the Geek Out and the T shirt much earlier) have been delivered. I should be putting the Xfi through its paces in the coming days.

A big thanks to all of the LH team members.
Cheers
Koth


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Wow!....surely somebody is really excited. There goes your Sunday!


----------



## kothganesh

M-i-c-k-e-y;
  
 thanks. Its been an hour plus now. Quick reactions: the balanced out gives better SQ than the SE (remember all my opinions only)... Was using the HD 800 SE...the volume level was at -14dB to hear the detail I normally want to hear...switched to the LCD-X balanced..wow, turned the volume dial down to -31 dB in quick time....using the FTM digital filter...to me sounds the best of the lot.


----------



## kothganesh

Fellas: 
  
 I messed up with the gain selection when listening with the HD 800. Use the high gain selector with high impedance cans (as mentioned clearly in the manual). I was listening on medium gain
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Anyway, it sounds much better now. Again early impressions, but the Xfi seems to like planars better running balanced.


----------



## kothganesh

Pulse Xfi and LPS


----------



## HiFiRobot

kothganesh said:


> Fellas:
> 
> I messed up with the gain selection when listening with the HD 800. Use the high gain selector with high impedance cans (as mentioned clearly in the manual). I was listening on medium gain
> 
> ...


 
  
 Great to hear some impressions. Really interested in the pairing with Audeze and Hifimans. Thanks and keep it up!


----------



## kothganesh

Thanks. Its been 5 hours now almost non-stop. Gotta take a break. Last 2+ hours on the HD 800. I have the Anax 2.0 mod on my HPs. I have listened to groups like the Dire Straits, Eagles, Blue Oyster Cult, Duran Duran, Eric Clapton etc. Very good SQ.
  
 The Sabre implementation is very good and people who might be worried about the lower end should not. Its just a hair thinner than the AKM-based Gungnir that I have side-by-side. The FTM (femto clock) filter is what I would recommend. The sound is slightly fuller and slightly more holographic than the TCM or the FRM filters that I played around with.


----------



## krikor

kothganesh said:


> The Sabre implementation is very good and people who might be worried about the lower end should not. Its just a hair thinner than the AKM-based Gungnir that I have side-by-side.


 
  
 Very interested in any more detail impressions vs. the Gungnir you may have. That is the other DAC that has recently caught my eye (ear).


----------



## snip3r77

kothganesh said:


> M-i-c-k-e-y;
> 
> thanks. Its been an hour plus now. Quick reactions: the balanced out gives better SQ than the SE (remember all my opinions only)... Was using the HD 800 SE...the volume level was at -14dB to hear the detail I normally want to hear...switched to the LCD-X balanced..wow, turned the volume dial down to -31 dB in quick time....using the FTM digital filter...to me sounds the best of the lot.




How is pairing with the lcdx ? I have one and I'm concerned that it might be bright


----------



## jexby

snip3r77 said:


> How is pairing with the lcdx ? I have one and I'm concerned that it might be bright




It's possible for an amp to make Audeze headphones bright?


----------



## kothganesh

Jexby is right 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I am listening to the DSOTM right now (ok ok jargon for Pink Floyd) with the LCD X. No hint of extra brightness at all.


----------



## wahsmoh

kothganesh said:


> Thanks. Its been 5 hours now almost non-stop. Gotta take a break. Last 2+ hours on the HD 800. I have the Anax 2.0 mod on my HPs. I have listened to groups like the Dire Straits, Eagles, Blue Oyster Cult, Duran Duran, Eric Clapton etc. Very good SQ.
> 
> The Sabre implementation is very good and people who might be worried about the lower end should not. Its just a hair thinner than the AKM-based Gungnir that I have side-by-side. The FTM (femto clock) filter is what I would recommend. The sound is slightly fuller and slightly more holographic than the TCM or the FRM filters that I played around with.


 

 Interesting. The femto clock of the Pulse / Xfi really drew my attention. I wonder how the Gungnir would sound with a Wyred Remedy reclocker? These questions need to be answered at SoCal CanJam!! Now I have a mission


----------



## jexby

Gungnir plus Wyrd usually gets very favorable results- but haven't heard it myself.
Please do report from CanJam.


----------



## jbr1971

kothganesh said:


> Pulse Xfi and LPS


 
  
 When you have a chance (if you have not already), remove the brown packing strip from the LPS, it will look much better.
  
 Enjoy.
  
 Jody


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Jody, give the guy a break...with all of his excitedness he doesn't have that time yet...


----------



## kothganesh

Jody, thanks. Excitement is right. I thought it was part of the box.


----------



## snip3r77

My friend who didn't upgrade his xfi to infinity has already received his set. He is pretty satisfied with it , he's not an audiophile though.


----------



## krikor

Diana's production/shipping status updated:
  
 http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf


----------



## flipper2gv

So, third week of march came and went, and not a single word on the Geek Pulse Sfi.


----------



## MikeyFresh

flipper2gv said:


> So, third week of march came and went, and not a single word on the Geek Pulse Sfi.


 

 I see that they've given themselves until the end of 2nd quarter to fully ship the Sfi, which is quite a long time from "shipping 3rd week of March", given how few Sfi units were actually sold.
  
 It's par for the course at this point, so many delays, I've just about lost count.
  
 I almost don't care anymore excepting I expect with this level of delay that when these units finally do ship, they have been thoroughly tested, and don't have a myriad of firmware bugs ect... hopefully this additional time can be used to get both the display board firmware and the operational firmware running completely smooth and bug-free.


----------



## Anaximandros

mikeyfresh said:


> I almost don't care anymore excepting I expect with this level of delay that when these units finally do ship, they have been thoroughly tested, and don't have a myriad of firmware bugs ect... hopefully this additional time can be used to get both the display board firmware and the operational firmware running completely smooth and bug-free.


 
  
 I'd like to have your optimism.


----------



## flipper2gv

mikeyfresh said:


> I see that they've given themselves until the end of 2nd quarter to fully ship the Sfi, which is quite a long time from "shipping 3rd week of March", given how few Sfi units were actually sold.
> 
> It's par for the course at this point, so many delays, I've just about lost count.
> 
> I almost don't care anymore excepting I expect with this level of delay that when these units finally do ship, they have been thoroughly tested, and don't have a myriad of firmware bugs ect... hopefully this additional time can be used to get both the display board firmware and the operational firmware running completely smooth and bug-free.


 
 I get all that. But don't give yourself a one week delay and give people hopes if you know damn well you can't make it.
  
 The product might be mighty fine and very well engineered, but the logistical and customer service flaws at LHLabs are astounding.


----------



## MikeyFresh

flipper2gv said:


> I get all that. But don't give yourself a one week delay and give people hopes if you know damn well you can't make it.
> 
> The product might be mighty fine and very well engineered, but the logistical and customer service flaws at LHLabs are astounding.


 

 I have to agree, and lets hope these are the FINAL delays.
  
 No more excuses, the west coast port work stoppage is over, the packaging has been delivered, the new PCB fabrication production run was shipped... and while all of those delays seem legit/largely beyond LH Labs' control, the prior 6 months of nothing happening except the Aperkolypse were more than just frustrating.


----------



## zenpunk

So for the few of us, SFi backers, it looks like we might get it by the end of July if we are lucky. Like many, after the upset, I have completely lost interest in LH Labs and their products.
 It will come when it comes and then go straight to sale forum and I will very likely make a significant loss on the sale despite being an early backer. 
 Well, you live and learn....


----------



## RingingEars

So I take it that the "forever funders" will not see their Pulses until the end of summer into fall, maybe next winter?


----------



## purk

Any update on when we will get the Geek Pulse X?  Has anyone received their?


----------



## jbr1971

purk said:


> Any update on when we will get the Geek Pulse X?  Has anyone received their?


 
  
 The "regular" X version is not in production yet. Not until the Xfi versions are complete.
  
 Here is the link to the production progress report to give you an idea of the order of production/shipping.
  
 http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
  
 Jody


----------



## sbradley02

sbradley02 said:


> Thanks for responding. I don't have the same issue with the Shure preamp, nor with my JoLida DAC I used previously. Both resync fine after redock.


 
Technical Support responded. My issue was due to trying to use it in an unsupported mode, unfortunately (I had a smart power switch that turned off power whenever the laptop was disconnected - looks like I will need to turn it on and off manually).
 
Compared to my previous stack, JoLida tube DAC and Schiit Asgard, the Pulse is a big step up. I am not good at writing very detailed audio impressions, but bottom line, the Pulse is a lot more refined. Music that was edgy on my previous rig is much smoother on the Pulse. Imaging is also improved. I feel I am getting full performance from my Audeze for the first time. One important observation. During testing, I tried using the wall wart power supply rather than the Geek LPS. The Pulse lost a lot of its advantages in that configuration. If you get the Pulse, I strongly recommend also getting an LPS.


----------



## Stealer

Regarding the survey, is it compulsory to submit it?
Can someone pls post the link,,been searching for it but missing it.

Thx


----------



## uncola

here's the survey link..  I think they said vi dac campaign stuff doesn't get added til april 1
  
http://bit.ly/lhlabssurvey


----------



## earfonia

jbr1971 said:


> The "regular" X version is not in production yet. Not until the Xfi versions are complete.
> 
> Here is the link to the production progress report to give you an idea of the order of production/shipping.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thank you for the link!
 Glad to see the shipping of the Pulse is 95% complete. 
 Can we expect this batch to be bug free?


----------



## kothganesh

Jody,
  
 this is for you:
  

  
 The offending tape has been removed.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So how is it now Bro?


----------



## kothganesh

It works great with the orthodynamic cans - Audez'e LCD-X really sounds great. The upper end in particular just opened up a tad more than I hear it from my Gungnir/Mojo combo. Having owned the HE 500 previously, I assume it will work very well with most Hifiman HPs (I say most since I need to test it with my HE 6 but that's a different beast altogether). Frankly, its not that great with the HD 800. No amount of twiddling around with the settings helped in getting the SQ and the overall experience I get when I use the 800 with the Zana Deux/BH Crack. I will try the Beyer T1 next to see if there is an overall lack of synergy with the high impedance HPs.
  
 The FTM filter is by far the best choice for the filter (of course one needs to have the femto clock upgrade).


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well Larry says at least a week to open up. With the Femtos longer. 

Happy for you Bro! Enjoy! Guess need more patience for the Infinity w/ AQ2M.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## bitsnbytes

kothganesh said:


> I assume it will work very well with most Hifiman HPs (I say most since I need to test it with my HE 6 but that's a different beast altogether). Frankly, its not that great with the HD 800. No amount of twiddling around with the settings helped in getting the SQ and the overall experience I get when I use the 800 with the Zana Deux/BH Crack. I will try the Beyer T1 next to see if there is an overall lack of synergy with the high impedance HPs.




Thanks for your impressions Kothganesh

I'd like to see how it does with the HE6, but I'm sensing that there may be a reason LH didn't offer that Hifiman HP as a bundle...but would gladly be wrong on that assumption.

To be fair the HD800 will sound great on OTL amps against planars in general, just as your XCs probably are better with the Pulse than with the ZD or Crack. 

Besides the HE6 pairing, can you provide us a glimpse of the Pulse as a DAC with the ZD/Crack with the Senns?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

mikeyfresh said:


> I see that they've given themselves until the end of 2nd quarter to fully ship the Sfi, which is quite a long time from "shipping 3rd week of March", given how few Sfi units were actually sold.
> 
> It's par for the course at this point, so many delays, I've just about lost count.
> 
> I almost don't care anymore excepting I expect with this level of delay that when these units finally do ship, they have been thoroughly tested, and don't have a myriad of firmware bugs ect... hopefully this additional time can be used to get both the display board firmware and the operational firmware running completely smooth and bug-free.


 
  
 T.T I still remember when I honestly thought they were going to ship it out on the second week of February. Does anyone know what is causing the delays? Iirc, there were actually quite a few people who ordered the Sfi so I don't know why the shipping status is so behind the xfi...


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

Perhaps partially because the Xfi is actually simpler than the Sfi? The Sfi is the Xfi plus summing to single-ended outputs. Inverting one and summing isn't as easy as it sounds. Nailing down the Xfi top to bottom lets them focus exclusively on that for the Sfi. If I were producing the products, I'd do all the Xfi models first.


----------



## jbr1971

kothganesh said:


> It works great with the orthodynamic cans - Audez'e LCD-X really sounds great. The upper end in particular just opened up a tad more than I hear it from my Gungnir/Mojo combo. Having owned the HE 500 previously, I assume it will work very well with most Hifiman HPs (I say most since I need to test it with my HE 6 but that's a different beast altogether). Frankly, its not that great with the HD 800. No amount of twiddling around with the settings helped in getting the SQ and the overall experience I get when I use the 800 with the Zana Deux/BH Crack. I will try the Beyer T1 next to see if there is an overall lack of synergy with the high impedance HPs.
> 
> The FTM filter is by far the best choice for the filter (of course one needs to have the femto clock upgrade).


 
  
 I do not have any Hifiman headphones yet, but I have read the HE-560's sound really good with the Pulse. They will probably be my next purchase.
  
 Given how much power the HE-6's require, I have concerns about how well the Pulse will drive them. I believe the HPA (headphone amplifier), which will have much more power, will drive them much better. I am interested in reading your impressions for the HE-6/Pulse combo.
  
 Also, the stack is looking much better without that tape  
  
 Jody


----------



## AxelCloris

jbr1971 said:


> I do not have any Hifiman headphones yet, but I have read the HE-560's sound really good with the Pulse. They will probably be my next purchase.
> 
> Given how much power the HE-6's require, I have concerns about how well the Pulse will drive them. I believe the HPA (headphone amplifier), which will have much more power, will drive them much better. I am interested in reading your impressions for the HE-6/Pulse combo.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Didn't you get a chance to listen to Casey's HE-560 on the Xfi at RMAF? I know it wasn't ideal listening conditions but I thought the Xfi did a fine job.


----------



## snip3r77

kothganesh said:


> It works great with the orthodynamic cans - Audez'e LCD-X really sounds great. The upper end in particular just opened up a tad more than I hear it from my Gungnir/Mojo combo. Having owned the HE 500 previously, I assume it will work very well with most Hifiman HPs (I say most since I need to test it with my HE 6 but that's a different beast altogether). Frankly, its not that great with the HD 800. No amount of twiddling around with the settings helped in getting the SQ and the overall experience I get when I use the 800 with the Zana Deux/BH Crack. I will try the Beyer T1 next to see if there is an overall lack of synergy with the high impedance HPs.
> 
> The FTM filter is by far the best choice for the filter (of course one needs to have the femto clock upgrade).




Dead silent with sensitive IEMs?


----------



## jbr1971

snip3r77 said:


> Dead silent with sensitive IEMs?


 
  
 For any testing with IEM's make sure to change the gain to Low.
  
 Jody


----------



## topgunsphd

Anyone know the price for the femto upgrade for the vanilla pulse? Is it worth it?


----------



## snip3r77

jbr1971 said:


> For any testing with IEM's make sure to change the gain to Low.
> 
> Jody




No noise?


----------



## jbr1971

snip3r77 said:


> No noise?


 
  
 With sensitive IEMs there should be no noise (low gain will keep the noise floor nice and low). I have not had a chance to test a Xfi with my K10U's yet, but based on what I have read I am looking forward to it.
  
 Hopefully someone with sensitive IEMs and a Xfi can provide some input.
  
 Jody


----------



## alvin1118

Any of you guys get the Geek Pulse X ? I'm patiently waiting mine ....


----------



## jbr1971

alvin1118 said:


> Any of you guys get the Geek Pulse X ? I'm patiently waiting mine ....


 
  
 The Pulse X is not shipping yet. Once the Xfi models have shipped, production/shipping of the X will start.
  
 If you want to check on the progress periodically, the following chart is available for reference:
  
 http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
  
 Jody


----------



## coletrain104

Just for clarification, just what is the date of the 2nd quarter?


----------



## DSlayerZX

Jody..... between that chart and the current crowfunding perks shipping status, which one is to be trusted.
  
 Because that chart clearly indicates there is not a snowball chance in hell for X infinite to be released this week.
  
 while the shipping status shows it's starting to ship this week.


----------



## AxelCloris

coletrain104 said:


> Just for clarification, just what is the date of the 2nd quarter?


 
  
 April through June by most calendars.


----------



## jbr1971

dslayerzx said:


> Jody..... between that chart and the current crowfunding perks shipping status, which one is to be trusted.
> 
> Because that chart clearly indicates there is not a snowball chance in hell for X infinite to be released this week.
> 
> while the shipping status shows it's starting to ship this week.


 
  
 Diana's production update chart is the one to go by. I am not sure how often the crowdfunding shipping status is updated.
  
 I will speak to Gavin about making sure the shipping status is either updated, or removed to avoid conflicting information.
  
 Jody


----------



## alvin1118

jbr1971 said:


> The Pulse X is not shipping yet. Once the Xfi models have shipped, production/shipping of the X will start.
> 
> If you want to check on the progress periodically, the following chart is available for reference:
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks Jody for the prompt reply, appreciated .


----------



## Alan1954

My patience grows thin, ticket open 25 days. Product in technicians queue for half of that. 12 days since any response from LH. Maybe if I start whining....


----------



## DSlayerZX

Just received the Indigogo email from Gavin. 

Eh... How do we decide what case the X infinity goes into when there is no link for us to vote or decide O.o


----------



## snip3r77

dslayerzx said:


> Just received the Indigogo email from Gavin.
> 
> Eh... How do we decide what case the X infinity goes into when there is no link for us to vote or decide O.o




Anyone has the old chassis , new chassis and LPS dimenions?
Need to know if the new chassis can be stacked to the LPS ( vice versa )

Thanks


----------



## miceblue

snip3r77 said:


> Anyone has the old chassis , new chassis and LPS dimenions?
> Need to know if the new chassis can be stacked to the LPS ( vice versa )
> 
> Thanks



Likewise for me. I'll probably get the upgraded chassis, but it would be nice to know what kind of size to expect.

Here's the photo from the e-mail with the latest Pulse X Infinity + SABRE9018AQ2M PCB.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

All of my tickets have been closed very quickly after they are opened. Just means I have to open more to continue the dialog. At least I know my Xfi, December order date, is still 6-8 weeks from shipping according to the queue length ahead of me.


----------



## atsq17

kothganesh said:


> It works great with the orthodynamic cans - Audez'e LCD-X really sounds great. The upper end in particular just opened up a tad more than I hear it from my Gungnir/Mojo combo. Having owned the HE 500 previously, I assume it will work very well with most Hifiman HPs (I say most since I need to test it with my HE 6 but that's a different beast altogether). Frankly, its not that great with the HD 800. No amount of twiddling around with the settings helped in getting the SQ and the overall experience I get when I use the 800 with the Zana Deux/BH Crack. I will try the Beyer T1 next to see if there is an overall lack of synergy with the high impedance HPs.
> 
> The FTM filter is by far the best choice for the filter (of course one needs to have the femto clock upgrade).


 
  
 I'm still burning in my unit but the LCD-X sounds great on it. Plenty of bass extension. 
  
 I used XLR out into an Audio GD NFB-6 running balanced to LCD-X and wow. Amazing soundstage, details, imaging, etc. Noticeable improvement from directly plugged into the XFi. Of course the direct connection hasn't been burnt in yet either. I will burn it in for 2 weeks straight and then test again.


----------



## Alan1954

ultimate mango said:


> All of my tickets have been closed very quickly after they are opened. Just means I have to open more to continue the dialog. At least I know my Xfi, December order date, is still 6-8 weeks from shipping according to the queue length ahead of me.


 
  
 I got my xfi on 2-27, shipped it back the next monday. Loud pops while switching sample rate, much louder with speakers than headphones. Wondering when I'll see it again. Be sure to try different sample rates with your unit. I suggested to Manny that it might just need new firmware (silence output when switching).


----------



## atsq17

The pops are there especially when using single ended output but it hasn't bothered me that much. 
  
 When using balanced, it's not as loud and no big deal.


----------



## uncola

They did announce a firmware fix for sample rate switching pops.. Its in beta now


----------



## purk

alan1954 said:


> My patience grows thin, ticket open 25 days. Product in technicians queue for half of that. 12 days since any response from LH. Maybe if I start whining....




Mine too. We ordered a group buy of 20 since December of 2013 and still no Geek Pulse x.


----------



## miceblue

http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3305-pulse-xfi-current-delivery-estimates?start=75#61597
[quote="Larry] Hi,

About firmware, don't rush to 1.3... Because the best version 1.4 is about to come in next two days.

We are taking the final stress tests.... Power up/down 100 times, DSD128 switch to 44.1K and switch back 500+ times to see if we could stress out this version.

If no special issue, we will have a dedicate page for this version of upgrades. Femto Time Mode improves too.

Cheers,
Larry[/quote]




jbr1971
It looks like Pulse firmware downloads aren't available on the Pulse support page.
http://lhlabs.com/support/geek-pulse.html


----------



## Alan1954

Hmmm, wonder if they're doing the 'stress tests' on my unit.


----------



## snip3r77

miceblue said:


> Likewise for me. I'll probably get the upgraded chassis, but it would be nice to know what kind of size to expect.
> 
> Here's the photo from the e-mail with the latest Pulse X Infinity + SABRE9018AQ2M PCB.




I didn't know about the email that they sent. Luckily I got a buddy who receives it. Another **** up again?


----------



## kothganesh

I am pleasantly surprised with the Xfi and the Beyer T-1. Given my less than satisfactory experience with the HD 800, I was not expecting a great session. However, I am going on close to 2 hours non-stop with the T-1 (which I did not like with the Zana Deux). Anyway, while the upper end is still bright (yeah really 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





), the lower end extends nicely to my liking. Vocals are very good (listening to Billy Joel "An Innocent Man") and details are better than when I heard them with the Zana. Looks promising but obviously need more time.


----------



## Verloren

snip3r77 said:


> I didn't know about the email that they sent. Luckily I got a buddy who receives it. Another **** up again?


 
 IIRC, the email is one of those ones automatically sent by IGG because of a campaign update.


----------



## wingsounds13

That's right, it was an email update from the indiegogo campaign site so obviously it must be LH Labs fault that some people didn't get it. 

J.P.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

verloren said:


> IIRC, the email is one of those ones automatically sent by IGG because of a campaign update.




In other words, check your spam folders.


----------



## jexby

silvertrumpet999 said:


> In other words, check your spam folders.




Weirdly this is the first email from Gavin via IGG that I haven't received, even after checking Spam, filters, tags, trash.


----------



## snip3r77

jexby said:


> Weirdly this is the first email from Gavin via IGG that I haven't received, even after checking Spam, filters, tags, trash.



Doesn't matter igg or lhlabs fault. At the end, me and you didn't receive it. also I assume survey is still beta since I didn't got invited to try . Of course I will only participate once it's final


----------



## doublea71

snip3r77 said:


> Doesn't matter igg or lhlabs fault. At the end, me and you didn't receive it. also I assume survey is still beta since I didn't got invited to try . Of course I will only participate once it's final


 

 Beta Forever Campaign?


----------



## Chikolad

jexby said:


> Weirdly this is the first email from Gavin via IGG that I haven't received, even after checking Spam, filters, tags, trash.


 
  
 I got it, but I think I got it about a day later than other people here. Maybe IGG had some performance issue.


----------



## frank2908

I opened a ticket saying I backed the campaign since Oct 2013,and they confirmed that I am in the mid twenties in the shipping queue for my XFI. That was 3 weeks ago and I ordered a balanced connector to diy an adapter for the balanced mode. My Neutrik xlr has arrived from the US but the XFI is still nowhere to be found


----------



## eac3

I tried browsing the obvious places on the forum but I am not sure where they are arranging this. LH annouced a demo program but I didn't see any details that popped up yesterday (Thursday, 3/26/2015) about it. 
  
 Does anyone know where on the internet they are arranging this?
  
 Thanks.


----------



## jexby

eac3 said:


> I tried browsing the obvious places on the forum but I am not sure where they are arranging this. LH annouced a demo program but I didn't see any details that popped up yesterday (Thursday, 3/26/2015) about it.
> 
> Does anyone know where on the internet they are arranging this?
> 
> Thanks.


 
  
 The Demo Room is not live yet for actual users or products, further announcements should be coming soon.


----------



## mscott58

eac3 said:


> I tried browsing the obvious places on the forum but I am not sure where they are arranging this. LH annouced a demo program but I didn't see any details that popped up yesterday (Thursday, 3/26/2015) about it.
> 
> Does anyone know where on the internet they are arranging this?
> 
> Thanks.


 
 We can bug Casey and Gavin about it when we see them this weekend at CanJam SoCal. Cheers


----------



## jexby

Who will be the first to try the new super quiet iFi iPower 12V DC unit to power their Geek Pulse?
Quieter than LPS, or just different?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

If the price is right why not?


----------



## HiFiRobot

jexby said:


> Who will be the first to try the new super quiet iFi iPower 12V DC unit to power their Geek Pulse?
> Quieter than LPS, or just different?


 
 Depends on the price but looks interesting. Thanks for the tip.
 http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower/


----------



## krikor

hifirobot said:


> Depends on the price but looks interesting. Thanks for the tip.
> http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower/


 
 Does look interesting, but only 1.1a at 12v, so the max current rating may be borderline. Can't recall what the requirement is for Pulse.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> If the price is right why not?


 

 I've read it's going to be about $50 USD.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

krikor said:


> Does look interesting, but only 1.1a at 12v, so the max current rating may be borderline. Can't recall what the requirement is for Pulse.


 
  
 From LPS its 1.2a at 12v...


----------



## bitsnbytes

1.2a max...but I think the Pulse draws less than that


----------



## uncola

1.1 amp should be enough for the pulse.. 
 what's the deal with this iPower thing?  is it a regulated switching mode power supply?  the wall wart form factor doesn't inspire confidence


----------



## ejong7

Just wondering but do we still get the power cables for our specific country for the LPS and the Pulse since the shipments has arrived? Or izit still the standard US plug?


----------



## jexby

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> If the price is right why not?




Near $50.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

I'm fairly certain the iFi iPower is not a LPS. There isn't enough room in it, and they never make that claim. They compare it favorably to LPS designs, so not ever mentioning it means it isn't.

It still might be quite good at what it does. Interesting to see what presumably is a SMPS design claiming to best LPS models. I hope we see some real measurements, not just a web graphic.


----------



## MikeyFresh

jexby said:


> Who will be the first to try the new super quiet iFi iPower 12V DC unit to power their Geek Pulse?
> Quieter than LPS, or just different?


 
*EDIT: I'm getting my notifications late, seems several other members have already stated the below...*
  
 I had the same thought, however I believe the spec comes up ever so slightly short.
  
 At 12 volts this power supply's current output is 1.1 amps, isn't the final spec/requirement for the Pulse 1.2 amps, or is that just the stated maximum output of the LPS/4?


----------



## wingsounds13

Geek Pulse power requirements according to Deathson's foogle doc spreadsheet:

12VDC 650mA ~ 950mA depend on system load and sampling rate

So the iFi iPower should be able to handle it. Perhaps a little close to max spec for the power supply in my book but still within spec. I have no problem with the cxoncept of a switching power supply with a super filtered output, there is no reason that it should not be very low noise.

J.P.


----------



## mscott58

Will be interesting to see how this stacks up against the LPS/4. Low-noise super fight!


----------



## musicheaven

At $50, you can't expect that wall wart to outclass the Geek LPS/LPS4, it's merely a replacement for the provided Geek Pulse wall wart but hey if you like spending the extra cash on that switched mode PS, please go ahead and report.


----------



## miceblue

While on the topic of the LPS, I got mine back from the repair center today.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/750577/light-harmonic-geek-linear-power-supply-lps-and-lps4-impressions-discussion/45#post_11454233


----------



## BaTou069

Hey, Im still waiting for for Pulse Sfi to ship, looke more like end of april, not March W2...of course...
 I couldn't find any anbiased reviews tough or comparisons of the DAC, could someone please point to some pulse dac reviews from a fellow head-fier who has other dacs to compare with and knows what he's talking about?
 thanks


----------



## DSlayerZX

just a heads up, for anyone that has gotten X infinity. 

The geek pulse survey has been revised, and now you can choose the enclosure you want to use. 

(you just need to remove the old one chosen, and repeat the process again, the new option will show up. )


----------



## mscott58

dslayerzx said:


> just a heads up, for anyone that has gotten X infinity.
> 
> The geek pulse survey has been revised, and now you can choose the enclosure you want to use.
> 
> (you just need to remove the old one chosen, and repeat the process again, the new option will show up. )


 
 Thanks dude! Very useful


----------



## hemtmaker

Anyone tried the pulse infinity at Canjam? Impressions?

Cheers


----------



## snip3r77

hemtmaker said:


> Anyone tried the pulse infinity at Canjam? Impressions?
> 
> Cheers




I saw 2 or 3 at the Can Jam Impressions thread. Seems quite good.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/758649/canjam-socal-2015-impressions-thread/420_20#post_11461464

http://www.head-fi.org/t/758649/canjam-socal-2015-impressions-thread/240_20#post_11458036


----------



## snip3r77

dslayerzx said:


> just a heads up, for anyone that has gotten X infinity.
> 
> The geek pulse survey has been revised, and now you can choose the enclosure you want to use.
> 
> (you just need to remove the old one chosen, and repeat the process again, the new option will show up. )




It's still BETA right? They will email us when it's official? I didn't want to pull my hair and write angry feedback here when it's not working. LOL


----------



## AxelCloris

hemtmaker said:


> Anyone tried the pulse infinity at Canjam? Impressions?
> 
> Cheers


 
  
 Honestly I had no idea it was the Infinity on the table. I thought they were just showcasing the Xfi. Now I feel stupid for not taking a minute to listen. But I was short on time so I spent my time there talking to the guys.
  
 For Infinity backers, Casey mentioned that they're expecting to receive the EP2 prototype of the new body this week.


----------



## bhazard

dslayerzx said:


> just a heads up, for anyone that has gotten X infinity.
> 
> The geek pulse survey has been revised, and now you can choose the enclosure you want to use.
> 
> (you just need to remove the old one chosen, and repeat the process again, the new option will show up. )


 
 Do you still have the survey link?


----------



## Anaximandros

http://www.lhlabs.com/index.php?option=com_geekpulse


----------



## Decoy

What does EP stand for?  Engineering Prototype? Elephant Pancake?  And why would they want 2 elephant pancakes?


----------



## AxelCloris

decoy said:


> What does EP stand for?  Engineering Prototype? Elephant Pancake?  And why would they want 2 elephant pancakes?


 
  
 You're correct, engineering prototype.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

decoy said:


> And why would they want 2 elephant pancakes?


 
  
 EP2 is Elephant Pancake #2. They have already ordered and tasted #1 (EP1).
  
 The second order #2 (EP2) are with revisions/suggestions from #1 experience.


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> EP2 is Elephant Pancake #2. They have already ordered and tasted #1 (EP1).
> 
> The second order #2 (EP2) are with revisions/suggestions from #1 experience.


 
 Not sure about pancakes, but I love me some elephant ears!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

You're not the only one...


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> You're not the only one...


 
 Sweet! 
  
 Bear claws also. 
  
 Now that I think about it, why do some pastries have to do with disembodied animal parts?


----------



## germay0653

Damn carnivores!


----------



## musicheaven




----------



## Decoy

I just watched this video from Light Harmonics on Youtube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0r0MgxKqwA
  
 Their QC guy spends approximately 3 minutes with each board.  Doesn't this sound a little low?  I don't know.  I've never worked in manufacturing.
  
  
 I picked Woo Audio as an example, and they claim they have several hours of stress testing before one of their products ships. http://www.wooaudio.com/faq/#9
  
 Does anyone have any experience in hardware manufacturing and QC?


----------



## ejong7

Hoping to get some sort of update soon. This thing is so quiet. Btw to those who saw the Infinity in Canjam did it come with the new case or still the old case?


----------



## coletrain104

ejong7 said:


> Hoping to get some sort of update soon. This thing is so quiet. Btw to those who saw the Infinity in Canjam did it come with the new case or still the old case?


 
 I wasn't there, but the pics show that the infinity present was in the original case design


----------



## mscott58

Yep, original case design. They're still working on refining the new case design. Per Gavin's earlier note you can choose the old or new case design, depending on whether you want your Infinity sooner or not. The choice is now included in the survey. Cheers


----------



## pauldgroot

Buh, I didn't really get any wiser from the e-mail I got just now. My initial Pulse contribution was November 15th 2014. I've upgraded to the Pulse X on November 17th and finally upgraded to an Xfi on the 23rd of December. Which batch am I in and will I also recieve my Pulse before the end of May or will I have to wait until after the summer or maybe closer to upcoming winter? In Diana's production chart only the vanilla Pulse has a batch number behind it. Does this mean that the other products are one batch and that 20% of all campaign Xfi's have been shipped now or just those who have ordered before a specific date at the beginning of the campaign? 
  
 I would just like to know what my number is in the queue so I can see it drop down every day or week. Even just a week or month when I can expect it would be great right now. Or just tell us how many there are in total of each Pulse and how many have been shipped.
  
 I don't want to be rude but I'd like some transparency and clarity so I know what to expect.


----------



## taz23

Will the order of shipping for Pulse will be in the order of the FIRST order or the FINAL upgrade?  I remembered that it was in the order of the first order made.
  
 Same here, it will be good to know where I am in the queue and thus not having to check on the tracking or survey site all the time for updates.


----------



## digitalzed

pauldgroot said:


> Buh, I didn't really get any wiser from the e-mail I got just now. My initial Pulse contribution was November 15th 2014. I've upgraded to the Pulse X on November 17th and finally upgraded to an Xfi on the 23rd of December. Which batch am I in and will I also recieve my Pulse before the end of May or will I have to wait until after the summer or maybe closer to upcoming winter? In Diana's production chart only the vanilla Pulse has a batch number behind it. Does this mean that the other products are one batch and that 20% of all campaign Xfi's have been shipped now or just those who have ordered before a specific date at the beginning of the campaign?
> 
> I would just like to know what my number is in the queue so I can see it drop down every day or week. Even just a week or month when I can expect it would be great right now. Or just tell us how many there are in total of each Pulse and how many have been shipped.
> 
> I don't want to be rude but I'd like some transparency and clarity so I know what to expect.


 

 The way I understood the e-mail was that if you contributed in the original campaign, no matter what you upgraded to except for the Infinity or SE, you will have your unit by the end of May. I'm basing that on my interpretation of this part:
  
*For everyone that has purchased product in the 1st Pulse Campaign, all Pulse, Pulse fi, Pulse X, Pulse X fi, Pulse S fi will arrive to his or her owners by the end of May. Some even sooner. * 
  
 Did I misunderstand?


----------



## taz23

How about people who purchased in the second campaign (around Jan-Feb 2014)?
 Would love to get some updates from the folks at LH Labs.  Thanks!


----------



## digitalzed

taz23 said:


> How about people who purchased in the second campaign (around Jan-Feb 2014)?
> Would love to get some updates from the folks at LH Labs.  Thanks!


 

 It's only a guess, but based on the e-mail from LH stating that all units from the first campaign should be sent out by the end of May, the second campaign should start shortly thereafter.


----------



## AxelCloris

digitalzed said:


> It's only a guess, but based on the e-mail from LH stating that all units from the first campaign should be sent out by the end of May, the second campaign should start shortly thereafter.


 
  
 *apart from units with the THD, naked resistors, and/or AQ2M chip.


----------



## digitalzed

axelcloris said:


> *apart from units with the THD, naked resistors, and/or AQ2M chip.


 

 Yes, except for Infinity and SE models. I had mentioned that in a previous post but thanks for the clarification again, Axel.


----------



## pauldgroot

Still I'd like to know what to expect. I think Casey once told me when I ordered my Pulse X in november that it should get delivered in February or March even though I ordered it long into the forever funding campaign.


----------



## digitalzed

pauldgroot said:


> Still I'd like to know what to expect. I think Casey once told me when I ordered my Pulse X in november that it should get delivered in February or March even though I ordered it long into the forever funding campaign.


 

 I suggest opening a ticket for the possibility of any more detailed information.


----------



## pauldgroot

The thing is that whenever you open a ticket and you get an answer, it may again next week. It would just be nice to have something like this incorporated in the weekly updates. Like total number of Pulses ordered and up until which number are shipped along with giving backers a way of knowing where they are in queue. Like this at the end of every update email:
  
 Shipping info week 14:
  
 Pulse: 243/587
 Pulse X: 12/194
 Pulse Xfi: 53/492


----------



## ejong7

Yeah I agree I think they should do it like that to show a little more transparency. And also maybe give like weekly updates on whats being send out and whats not being send out. Being given updates on their accord is kinda making the wait more painful.


----------



## flipper2gv

decoy said:


> I just watched this video from Light Harmonics on Youtube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0r0MgxKqwA
> 
> Their QC guy spends approximately 3 minutes with each board.  Doesn't this sound a little low?  I don't know.  I've never worked in manufacturing.
> 
> ...


 
  
 If you've seen how they test the board, they plug it in the computer, check the graphs. 3 minutes seems more than enough if there isn't a problem with the board. I guess if there is an issue they just throw it away, you can't really mod these.


----------



## a_recording

Well I'm a little astounded. I've had my faulty Geek Pulse with LHLabs waiting for them to assess the unit so they could determine if they would compensate me for my damaged headphone. Everything has gone smoothly, but I noticed that Diana was sending form replies that suggested it was being treated like a typical RMA, so I stated quite clearly that I had already received a replacement unit and they would NOT need to send me a new one at the end of the assessment.
  
 Lo and behold I get emails this morning stating that they assessed and repaired the unit and they are sending it back to me. Helpfully, the support ticket system states:
  


> If you believe that the ticket has not been resolved, please reply to this email to automatically reopen the ticket.


 
  
 and upon doing this it replies:
  


> Our system has noted that you recently replied (either by email or directly on our support page) to a ticket that has been marked as “closed” or “resolved” by one of our Customer Happiness agents.
> We’re sorry, but because the ticket is closed, you’ll need to open a new ticket if you have another question.


 
  
 It's like Kafka designed this support ticket system.
  
 I've already sent a PM to Casey on the LH forum but if any LH Labs staff read this, please do not send me an additional Geek Pulse.


----------



## chartwell85

a_recording said:


> Well I'm a little astounded. I've had my faulty Geek Pulse with LHLabs waiting for them to assess the unit so they could determine if they would compensate me for my damaged headphone. Everything has gone smoothly, but I noticed that Diana was sending form replies that suggested it was being treated like a typical RMA, so I stated quite clearly that I had already received a replacement unit and they would NOT need to send me a new one at the end of the assessment.
> 
> Lo and behold I get emails this morning stating that they assessed and repaired the unit and they are sending it back to me. Helpfully, the support ticket system states:
> 
> ...


 

 Hey Lachlan,
  
 I received your PM and spoke with the RMA team.  Since we already sent you a replacement Pulse they closed the ticket and stopped shipment.
  
 As far as your damaged headphones go, we're still waiting for you to send them in and have our insurance underwriter asses them.  Diana informed me that she reached out to you in regards to shipping them over.
  
 Let me know.


----------



## a_recording

chartwell85 said:


> Hey Lachlan,
> 
> I received your PM and spoke with the RMA team.  Since we already sent you a replacement Pulse they closed the ticket and stopped shipment.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hey Casey, I think there has been some misunderstanding, which is why I have not sent the headphones in yet.
  
 As Jody Edit: Gavin wrote previously,
  


> As I told Lachlan in our Skype call, we have insurance that will cover damaged gear caused by our products.  It’s a 3rd party who conducts their own investigations and makes a determination whether or not something will be covered.  If they determine that our product caused damage to another piece of gear, they’ll ask for the damaged item to be sent in and will pay the claim.  If they determine damage was caused by something other than our gear (like end user error), they won’t pay the claim.  In my opinion, Lachlan’s headphones were caused by his own error.  But we’ll let the insurance company’s claims adjuster decide that.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/6165#post_11379087


 
  
 and also:
  


> The good news is that it won't be me or anybody else at the company that will make the assessment of either product or user error.  It'll be the claim adjuster.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/6165#post_11379423


 
  
 I read that to mean that I should send the faulty headphone in AFTER the third party claims adjuster had looked at the faulty unit, and that the faulty unit would be evaluated by a third party.
  
 Now you are suggesting that the claims adjuster doesn't look at the faulty unit, they look at the damaged headphones.
  
 How will the claims adjuster assess whether or not the Geek Pulse is at fault if you have already repaired it internally?


----------



## a_recording

To be clear, Diana did offer to give me a shipping label for the faulty headphone, but I said:
  


> Great! If it's a separate package, then I think it's best to wait for the result of the assessment of the unit first. If I could have that shipping label to send the Pulse back I will get it on its way to you.


 
  
 I didn't want to send out another package if the initial result of the assessment was going to be negative.
  
 I'll give you the dimensions of the headphone so you can provide a shipping label but again I'd like to know how the third party claims adjuster will assess the claim if the original unit has already been repaired.


----------



## chartwell85

a_recording said:


> To be clear, Diana did offer to give me a shipping label for the faulty headphone, but I said:
> 
> 
> I didn't want to send out another package if the initial result of the assessment was going to be negative.
> ...


 

 Hey Lachlan,
  
 We have the details from the assessment of your unit.  Now we're just waiting on the headphones in question.  I'm going to have Diana shoot over a shipping label today and we'll get the ball rolling on our end.  Diana will be able to provide you with more info in her email to you.
  
 Thanks again for reaching out and I'm looking forward to remedying this situation for you ASAP.   
  
 Let me know if you need anything else.


----------



## a_recording

chartwell85 said:


> Hey Lachlan,
> 
> We have the details from the assessment of your unit.  Now we're just waiting on the headphones in question.  I'm going to have Diana shoot over a shipping label today and we'll get the ball rolling on our end.  Diana will be able to provide you with more info in her email to you today.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Okay, sounds great. Thanks!


----------



## jexby

why is your Customer Service communication happening on a public forum?
  
 send emails/PMs.
 reply to emails/PMs.
  
 please let the rest of us discuss the audio equipment and musical qualities-
 this is not the LH Labs Support Chat room.


----------



## AGO4

jexby said:


> why is your Customer Service communication happening on a public forum?
> 
> send emails/PMs.
> reply to emails/PMs.
> ...


 

 +1, You got that right.  I thought we were done with the back and forth BS a few weeks ago!


----------



## doctorjazz

I understand the frustration, the ticket system really is broken at LH, as stated, you get 1 entry, a response (sometimes just automated), then the ticket auto-closes and you are back to square 1. I think my issues are settled now (I hope I hope I hope), but, it took about 6 weeks, many dead end tickets, and finally an open forum to get attention needed. They really need to fix the Customer Happiness system, but until they get that together I am ok with these Help posts (and, it gives people some insight into the difficulties in the process ).

(Things got better once Manny got personally involved in working things through)


----------



## mscott58

ago4 said:


> +1, You got that right.  I thought we were done with the back and forth BS a few weeks ago!




Stretching out the 15 minutes?


----------



## doublea71

Claims adjusters....oy vey.


----------



## schneller

Wrong thread LOL


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So apparently the survey is coming to an end somewhat soon but the problem is that it is not correctly reflecting what I ordered. I sent in a ticket about it and it said that since the survey was still early on it would be fixed but that was a week ago. If the survey that I submit does not align with what I actually backed, what will be the result?


----------



## mscott58

ethereal sound said:


> So apparently the survey is coming to an end somewhat soon but the problem is that it is not correctly reflecting what I ordered. I sent in a ticket about it and it said that since the survey was still early on it would be fixed but that was a week ago. If the survey that I submit does not align with what I actually backed, what will be the result?




If the survey is still not showing what you ordered then open another ticket. My stuff is all cleaned up now in the survey so hopefully they've gotten through most of the items that were out of alignment. 

How far off is your stuff?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

mscott58 said:


> If the survey is still not showing what you ordered then open another ticket. My stuff is all cleaned up now in the survey so hopefully they've gotten through most of the items that were out of alignment.
> 
> How far off is your stuff?


 
  
 I ordered the Geek pulse Sfi but its just showing me a geek pulse X


----------



## snip3r77

Anyone with Xfi ( FOC 2g cable ). Can I see your survey screenshot?


----------



## pedalhead

snip3r77 said:


> Anyone with Xfi ( FOC 2g cable ). Can I see your survey screenshot?




I just added a 2g to my list (and a 1g from the early campaign)


----------



## ejong7

What's the length of 2G they promised to give us backers again?


----------



## nicolo

@pedalhead :
  
 For the Pulse X Infinity, select the Femto Clock & Internal amp upgrades in addition to the THD & NR just in case to avoid mixups.
 If you were part of the original campaign, you should select the "One Year Extended Warranty (Stretch Goal)" option.
  

  
  
@Corate:
  
 Since the 2G is free, they probably will give the 1 meter cable only, unless otherwise mentioned.


----------



## pedalhead

Cheers, this is what mine looks like now...


----------



## uncola

Need survey advice..
 so I upgraded from pulse infinity + new dac chip to vi dac.. in the survey I notice my vi dac upgrade perk isn't listed.. should I only put stuff from the geek pulse campaign in the survey?  i.e. should I just put in pulse infinity + new dac chip, the free 1g and 2g cable and one year extended warranty for early birds?  or should I put in the vi dac infinity + new dac chip?  plus the 1g and 2g cable?  or leave out cables?
  
 here's what it currently looks like.. my THD was via email and support said they can't add email perks for some reason so it's not showing up


----------



## snip3r77

nicolo said:


> @pedalhead
> :
> 
> For the Pulse X Infinity, select the Femto Clock & Internal amp upgrades in addition to the THD & NR just in case to avoid mixups.
> ...




I've selected as per your screennie with 1g and 2g cable.


----------



## nicolo

snip3r77 said:


> I've selected as per your screennie with 1g and 2g cable.


 
  
 Perfect


----------



## DSlayerZX

*nicolo, *
  
 I have the same problem with email payment not showing up on the contribution list.
  
 I guess it's the way the survey system is set up, it's probably only reading the indigogo campaign contribution and automatically added them in there....
  
 I have added the usb cable just in case as well.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

Does anyone understand how the surveys will be reconciled against the contributions? It has been so long and I made so many generic looking contributions I have no idea what I should be getting. Can someone from LH labs get involved to assist? I had several tickets opened but none really got resolved satisfactorily since I still don't know what to expect (especially with things like the extended warranty stretch goal and cables and such).


----------



## vhsownsbeta

Wow. I have managed to remain positive throughout the ups and downs of these campaigns but for some reason this survey has just sucked all the optimism out of me... How can it be this hard to account for all of my contributions and consolidate a final product? I almost feel like walking away. Talk about stumbling on the last hurdle...


----------



## doctorjazz

vhsownsbeta said:


> Wow. I have managed to remain positive throughout the ups and downs of these campaigns but for some reason this survey has just sucked all the optimism out of me... How can it be this hard to account for all of my contributions and consolidate a final product? I almost feel like walking away. Talk about stumbling on the last hurdle...




Try to stay positive...for 1 thing, you don't have the option to walk away. I had to hound them for about a month and a half about the same issue, I think it's straightened out (though it doesn't read that way in the survey), persevere...I'm just counting on getting great sounding gear when it is all over.


----------



## mscott58

vhsownsbeta said:


> Wow. I have managed to remain positive throughout the ups and downs of these campaigns but for some reason this survey has just sucked all the optimism out of me... How can it be this hard to account for all of my contributions and consolidate a final product? I almost feel like walking away. Talk about stumbling on the last hurdle...


 

Much harder than you might think actually. Some people ordered multiples of products but not multiples of all perks so how is LHL to know which goes with what? Also if you perked for the upgraded DAC chip it could apply to different products, as could the one year warranty extension. 

It's partially a self-inflicted wound to all the perk proliferation, but also IGG only gives them a CSV dump at the end of a campaign. 

Is a bit of a mess, but better to check with everyone IMO. 

Cheers


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Much harder than you might think actually. Some people ordered multiples of products but not multiples of all perks so how is LHL to know which goes with what? Also if you perked for the upgraded DAC chip it could apply to different products, as could the one year warranty extension.
> 
> It's partially a self-inflicted wound to all the perk proliferation, but also IGG only gives them a CSV dump at the end of a campaign.
> 
> ...


 

 In addtion to the survey, which I still need to complete, I will be sending a spreadsheet with my product configurations, showing each perk that it's made up of, across all campaigns.  I see no other tangible way to consolidate what I wanted.


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> In addtion to the survey, which I still need to complete, I will be sending a spreadsheet with my product configurations, showing each perk that it's made up of, across all campaigns.  I see no other tangible way to consolidate what I wanted.




Smart idea. Best to play it safe. I built such a spreadsheet myself. Cheers


----------



## wingsounds13

As I have said elsewhere, when filling out the survey you should enter what you think that you backed. More precisely, you should enter exactly what you expect to be shipped to you. Forget the intermediate steps and upgrade perks. Do NOT be concerned about perk contributions not showing up in the survey. DO go through your indiegogo account and record every perk backed in all of the LH Labs campaigns. When they reconcile what you have selected in the survey with funds received from perk contributions they will certainly contact you about any discrepancies. If they require further information then you can send them a complete list of perks backed, including the perk name, amount and date backed. This should get them all the information that they need to find any missing perk contributions. Just in case, it would also be a good idea to make copies of all of the PayPal receipts so that you can send those too. 

If you have not paid funds sufficient for the products that you have listed in your survey there will be two options:

1. Pay any shortfall through a PayPal invoice.

2. Change your product selection to match funds paid to LH Labs. There will be several email exchanges and some discussion/negotiation about what you will ultimately receive.

As an aside, this is an unapproved but not denied back door to adding upgrades that you now want after the campaign has closed.  Final results and costs are up to LH Labs and your negotiating skills.

J.P.


----------



## georgelai57

I will not fill out the so-called survey. I don't mind getting my four products last - at least bugs will be sorted out by then. I have already written off my monies. 

I have my spreadsheet showing which dollar goes to which product. I have mentioned this in my two tickets, one of which they closed for reasons others have mentioned before. 

I will never buy another LH product again via KS or IGG even if it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. 

Backing LH has already lightened my wallet and shortened my life.


----------



## mscott58

wingsounds13 said:


> As I have said elsewhere, when filling out the survey you should enter what you think that you backed. More precisely, you should enter exactly what you expect to be shipped to you. Forget the intermediate steps and upgrade perks. Do NOT be concerned about perk contributions not showing up in the survey. DO go through your indiegogo account and record every perk backed in all of the LH Labs campaigns. When they reconcile what you have selected in the survey with funds received from perk contributions they will certainly contact you about any discrepancies. If they require further information then you can send them a complete list of perks backed, including the perk name, amount and date backed. This should get them all the information that they need to find any missing perk contributions. Just in case, it would also be a good idea to make copies of all of the PayPal receipts so that you can send those too.
> 
> If you have not paid funds sufficient for the products that you have listed in your survey there will be two options:
> 
> ...




Well said J.P.!


----------



## gyx11

wingsounds13 said:


> As I have said elsewhere, when filling out the survey you should enter what you think that you backed. More precisely, you should enter exactly what you expect to be shipped to you. Forget the intermediate steps and upgrade perks. Do NOT be concerned about perk contributions not showing up in the survey. DO go through your indiegogo account and record every perk backed in all of the LH Labs campaigns. When they reconcile what you have selected in the survey with funds received from perk contributions they will certainly contact you about any discrepancies. If they require further information then you can send them a complete list of perks backed, including the perk name, amount and date backed. This should get them all the information that they need to find any missing perk contributions. Just in case, it would also be a good idea to make copies of all of the PayPal receipts so that you can send those too.
> 
> If you have not paid funds sufficient for the products that you have listed in your survey there will be two options:
> 
> ...




excellent, practical advice there


----------



## jexby

georgelai57 said:


> I will not fill out the so-called survey. I don't mind getting my four products last - at least bugs will be sorted out by then. I have already written off my monies.
> 
> I have my spreadsheet showing which dollar goes to which product. I have mentioned this in my two tickets, one of which they closed for reasons others have mentioned before.
> 
> ...




So you have all financial and perk info, yet can't be bothered to take an extra 15 min to verify such on their survey site,
Thus helping ensure you get every product shipped out accurately?

You are shooting yourself in the foot, even more so than the complexity of IGG perk campaigns.

The new survey had a LARGE % of user perk contributions spot on,
all you would need to do is compare against your book keeping and verify product name + version you are expecting.

Not difficult, not time consuming and it further ensures accuracy in product delivery.
Everyone wants cheap crowd funding prices? Well, maybe chip in with crowd sourcing accuracy (of your own $).

Opting out of survey now is your fault and your risk, not LH Labs.


----------



## doctorjazz

The frustration comes when things DON'T match, and you get into the ticket system, at least for me.


----------



## krikor

Filling out my survey and hopefully someone can help refresh my memory since you can't go back and look at all the original perks and stretch goals.  I'm in for a plain-jane Pulse X (balanced) from the original campaign. No upgrades like Femo, THD, infinitity, etc., etc. Just a straight Pulse X.
  
 - Did the one-year extended warranty stretch goal apply to ALL Pulse units from the original campaign?
 - Are all Pulse units from the original campaign supposed to  one of the 1G USB cables?
  
 Thanks to any "Light" that can shed on this.


----------



## nicolo

krikor said:


> Filling out my survey and hopefully someone can help refresh my memory since you can't go back and look at all the original perks and stretch goals.  I'm in for a plain-jane Pulse X (balanced) from the original campaign. No upgrades like Femo, THD, infinitity, etc., etc. Just a straight Pulse X.
> 
> - Did the one-year extended warranty stretch goal apply to ALL Pulse units from the original campaign?
> - Are all Pulse units from the original campaign supposed to  one of the 1G USB cables?
> ...


 
  
 Yes to both queries.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So is this shipping status on Lhlabs website for the Sfi not updated or a flat out lie?


----------



## Ultimate Mango

ethereal sound said:


> So is this shipping status on Lhlabs website for the Sfi not updated or a flat out lie?



Take your pick! I think there was an email that was sent out with a bunch of excuses about shipping estimates and websites and new systems that will be more accurate in the future. 
Best thing you can do is open a ticket. At least when I did so I received a 6-8 week estimate for my Xfi, which is far behind the timeline communicated any other way, and I would guess more realistic.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

ultimate mango said:


> Take your pick! I think there was an email that was sent out with a bunch of excuses about shipping estimates and websites and new systems that will be more accurate in the future.
> Best thing you can do is open a ticket. At least when I did so I received a 6-8 week estimate for my Xfi, which is far behind the timeline communicated any other way, and I would guess more realistic.


 
  
 *sigh*, I mean, I've tried my absolute hardest to be patient about this and all but after this survey debacle, I think I will officially be pissed off. The last time I put in a survey, they got it wrong and I had to prove with email correspondence that I backed something different from what was reflected in the survey. Thus, when I got the new survey I thought it would be reflected but nope, still shows the wrong items. So I open up a ticket about it on March 19 and they said that they would fix it within 72 hours but now it's been 18 days and still hasn't been fixed. Sent in another ticket today hoping they will finally fix this...


----------



## krikor

ethereal sound said:


> So is this shipping status on Lhlabs website for the Sfi not updated or a flat out lie?


 
 I believe it has been posted that this shipping status (http://lhlabs.com/support/shippingstatus.html) is no longer updated and was supposed to be taken down, but that hasn't happened.
  
 The more realistic and updated status can be found here: http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
  
  
 Looks like Sfi is slated for end of May to have all units shipped. And goods news (for me at least) is that it appears Pulse X vanilla is shipping now and slated to be completed by end of April.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

I've already received my LPS4, so should I include it in my survey? Should I include all cables, both free and paid for?


----------



## wingsounds13

discosmoke said:


> I've already received my LPS4, so should I include it in my survey? Should I include all cables, both free and paid for?




The answers are Yes and Yes.

They will figure out that they already shipped an LPS4 to you. The confusing part with the cables is that at one point (and maybe still) there were some entries under Pulse for stretch goal perks which would be the preferred way to enter stretch goal warranty and cables. If you just enter them as separate items they may figure out that they were gifts or they may need help doing so. This they brought on themselves with the strange way they structued the survey.

if you are due to be shipped any parts such as cables just enter them somewhere and don't worry about it. It will be sorted out - eventually! 

J.P.


----------



## miceblue

For the survey, what's the difference between "Light Speed 1G Extender Cable" and "Light Speed 1G Note: previously called Slacker Cable."

I backed "$49USD LightSpeed Slacker 1G," which is neither "Slacker Cable" nor "Extender Cable."
I figured the "Extender Cable" is exactly the same as the "Slacker Cable;" the extending cable/slacker cable that goes with the Geek LPS.


----------



## nicolo

Lightspeed 1G is like a USB printer cable, with a Type B termination on one end and a Male Type A termination on the other.
  
 Light Speed 1G Extender Cable = Male Type A on one end and Female Type A on the other.
  
 Hope this helps


----------



## Mannytorres

We are working out all the bugs in real time guys, Please remember we do double confirm all survey entries as stated in the last update.


----------



## miceblue

nicolo said:


> Lightspeed 1G is like a USB printer cable, with a Type B termination on one end and a Male Type A termination on the other.
> 
> Light Speed 1G Extender Cable = Male Type A on one end and Female Type A on the other.
> 
> Hope this helps



Yeah I realise that. However it says
"Light Speed 1G *Note: previously called Slacker Cable.*"

Is it the 1G, or the Slacker Cable/Extender Cable, and if it's the latter then why do they have a separate entry for the Extender Cable?


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> Yeah I realise that. However it says
> "Light Speed 1G *Note: previously called Slacker Cable.*"
> 
> Is it the 1G, or the Slacker Cable/Extender Cable, and if it's the latter then why do they have a separate entry for the Extender Cable?


 
 MB - As I understand it there are actually three versions of the 1G:
 1) Standard USB cable - one end Type A and one Type B. 
 2) Micro USB - for connecting to the Wave or other things that use a micro USB connector
 3) Extender USB - A short extender with one male and one female Type A connectors, to allow you to connect something like the Geek Out to a USB port. 
  
 They've sold all three versions across the campaigns. If it just says "1G" I believe it refers to #1 above. 
  
 Hope this helps! Cheers


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So apparently the geek pulse infinity's have been shipped out (20 of them anyways) and iirc, these came out way after the Sfi so I honestly cannot understand why they get priority over the sfi...


----------



## snip3r77

ethereal sound said:


> So apparently the geek pulse infinity's have been shipped out (20 of them anyways) and iirc, these came out way after the Sfi so I honestly cannot understand why they get priority over the sfi...




20pcs. where did you get this info?


----------



## alvin1118

*Geek Pulse Infinity Shipping!*

Yep, you read that correctly.  The first 20 Pulse Infinity units outfitted in the original Pulse chassis will begin shipping right away.  For those of you that had the opportunity to experience Pulse Infinity at CanJam SoCal, you know type of wicked awesomeness that awaits your ears!  Plainly put, these things are flippin' bananas!  

The first round of deliveries will be sent to US backers, for the time being.  Check those inboxes for shipping notifications, folks! 








 







  
Isn't she a beauty! Oh and Larry too


----------



## miceblue

ethereal sound said:


> So apparently the geek pulse infinity's have been shipped out (20 of them anyways) and iirc, these came out way after the Sfi so I honestly cannot understand why they get priority over the sfi...



Pulse Xfi and Pulse X Infinity use the same PCB, so it makes sense that they're shipping before the S series. Pulse Sfi and Pulse S Infinity also use the same PCB and neither seems to be shipping at the moment.


----------



## miceblue

mscott58 said:


> MB - As I understand it there are actually three versions of the 1G:
> 1) Standard USB cable - one end Type A and one Type B.
> 2) Micro USB - for connecting to the Wave or other things that use a micro USB connector
> 3) Extender USB - A short extender with one male and one female Type A connectors, to allow you to connect something like the Geek Out to a USB port.
> ...



Right, but with Indiegogo's exact wording, I backed a "LightSpeed Slacker 1G."
LightSpeed Slacker 1G is exactly just a 1G cable design but with 1 male USB A connector and 1 female USB A connector that was meant to be used with the Geek LPS.

LightSpeed Slacker 1G ≠ LightSpeed 1G


While I have LightSpeed 1G Extender Cable on my survey, the terminology is still confusing as heck because the LightSpeed Slacker 1G was changed to "LightSpeed Extender 1G" and if you select the LightSpeed 1G cable from the drop-down menu in the survey "Note: previously called Slacker Cable" appears as one of the checkbox options, which suggests that it's exactly the same as selecting "LightSpeed Extender 1G."

I had to manually dig this up, which shouldn't have been necessary really...
http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/3540-resolved-difference-between-lightspeed-slacker-1g-and-1g-slacker-mini#56730
[quote="Casey]  The name of the perk has been changed from "LightSpeed Slacker 1G" to "LightSpeed Extender 1G"[/quote]


----------



## wingsounds13

miceblue said:


> Pulse Xfi and Pulse X Infinity use the same PCB, so it makes sense that they're shipping before the S series. Pulse Sfi and Pulse S Infinity also use the same PCB and neither seems to be shipping at the moment.




I believe that this is not true. As I remember, the infinities use a unique board that is based on the Pulse X(fi) board but is modified to suit the unique /n/t components. The evidence is on the label towards the upper left corner of the board in the picture. If you look closely at the bottom left area of the label, the board ID is PC-GPX-008 and just below that is the legend "[ ] X-INF [ ] S-INF", no doubt meant to be marked within the brackets to verify the build as an X or S version.

Now, since this board is also the first of the Pulse series to use the AQ2M DAC chip, it may well be the predecessor for the upcoming (we KNOW that they are coming even if they have not been announced or even mentioned) Pulse 2 or whatever they will be called, based on the new DAC chip. Probably not the exact same board as I speculate that they may add muting relays as they have already done with the Soul/Vi DAC.

More fun in LH Land... How long will this field beta batch run before full production and shipping begins?

Now the wait for the new chassis.

J.P.


----------



## miceblue

Pulse X Infinity just differs from Pulse Xfi by hand-matched components and naked resistors, no? I don't think the PCB itself changed at all. 

Also how do you know the new DAC chip is in there? Pulse X Infinity doesn't necessarily have it.


----------



## wahsmoh

The Pulse Infinity + LPS4 sounded really really good at CanJam. I gave up my reservations about the Sabre chip. It sounded very analog and smooth with no noise at all, just dead quiet. None of that nasty Sabre treble or edge I am used to hearing. That being said, I don't have enough money to ever consider one of these. I still preferred the Yggy and my own DAC at the end of the day. R2R for the win


----------



## wingsounds13

The naked resistors have a different package than the regular resistors. While they could be assembled to the normal Pulse X board by hand, this would only be practical for very small quantities - like the 20 or 30 that they originally planned. Assembling 450 or so made it appropriate to design a board specifically to fit these parts. Even if the parts are hand matched and manually soldered onto the board, a custom board makes this task much easier.

I can tell that this board has the new AQ2M DAC chips because they are 32 pin parts (8 contacts per side) as opposed to the K2M which is a 28 pin part.

As I indicated before, another clue that this is an infinity specific board is the [ ] X-INF [ ] S-INF legend in the label area between the board ID (PC-GPX-008) and the serial number barcode.

J.P.


----------



## miceblue

Ah okay, here we go:
http://lhlabs.com/force/indiegogogeekpulse/3395-any-plans-to-integrate-the-ess-9018aq2m-dac-to-the-xfi-infinity?start=350#54988

[quote="Larry] Hi, there

I think few points need to be clarified here. 

For Geek Pulse X Fi, the board has been ordered. And it is coming in... So we could not offer the upgrades. 

For Geek Pulse X Infinite, the PCB is 99% the same like Geek Pulse X. But not complete the same, so we need to order it very soon. And we are waiting for the naked resistors to come in too. So there are three factors here: ESS new DAC, new PCB, and naked resistors.

Our production team's job is to work our best to match these three dates as close as possible. And that is the reason I said 'stay tuned. 

Larry[/quote]


----------



## Drsparis

wingsounds13 said:


> I believe that this is not true. As I remember, the infinities use a unique board that is based on the Pulse X(fi) board but is modified to suit the unique /n/t components. The evidence is on the label towards the upper left corner of the board in the picture. If you look closely at the bottom left area of the label, the board ID is PC-GPX-008 and just below that is the legend "[ ] X-INF [ ] S-INF", no doubt meant to be marked within the brackets to verify the build as an X or S version.
> 
> Now, since this board is also the first of the Pulse series to use the AQ2M DAC chip, it may well be the predecessor for the upcoming (we KNOW that they are coming even if they have not been announced or even mentioned) Pulse 2 or whatever they will be called, based on the new DAC chip. Probably not the exact same board as I speculate that they may add muting relays as they have already done with the Soul/Vi DAC.
> 
> ...


 wait pulse 2? It better not be announced before I get my x infinite.... That would be just cruel! They should wait a couple years!


----------



## Clemmaster

drsparis said:


> wait pulse 2? It better not be announced before I get my x infinite.... That would be just cruel! *They should wait a couple years*!


 
 The backers? They already did...


----------



## mscott58

clemmaster said:


> The backers? They already did...


 
 Ha! Nicely played.


----------



## ejong7

I'm just surprised they haven't release a video or an update about the measurements/new specs for the infinity before they push it out. Would be welcomed, at least for me.


----------



## Larry Ho

I will publish the test results for sure.
  
 And of course that is a new board with different internal part numbers. 
  
 For the people really don't want to wait. Just pick the original chassis...


----------



## grunter72

Hi Larry, actually in the new survey I don't see the way to choose old or new chassis.
Am I wrong?


----------



## AxelCloris

grunter72 said:


> Hi Larry, actually in the new survey I don't see the way to choose old or new chassis.
> Am I wrong?


 
  
 Did you back for an Infinity? If not then there's no choice, they're all going to be delivered in the old chassis.


----------



## germay0653

grunter72 said:


> Hi Larry, actually in the new survey I don't see the way to choose old or new chassis.
> Am I wrong?


 

 Yes, you can choose.  Once you select the correct product you will be presented with the choice of old or new chassis when you are presented your perk for that campaign.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> grunter72 said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Larry, actually in the new survey I don't see the way to choose old or new chassis.
> ...


----------



## grunter72

No, when I use the survey I only see the possibility to choose pulse xfi with naked resistors and thd upgrade, but it doesn't call it infinity, nor there are the possibility to choose the case.
Maybe the problem is that my perk forma the pulse is a big thanks, because I'm an originale geek out backer.


----------



## miceblue

grunter72 said:


> No, when I use the survey I only see the possibility to choose pulse xfi with naked resistors and thd upgrade, but it doesn't call it infinity, nor there are the possibility to choose the case.



Look at the screenshot in the post above yours. XD


----------



## grunter72

Yes, but my survey is different, as I said maybe my problem is that my original perks form pulse is a big thanks, because I am a geek out backer


----------



## grunter72

Forget what I just said! 
I've just redo the survey and now I'm able to choose the old chassis.
Thank you.


----------



## snip3r77

larry ho said:


> I will publish the test results for sure.
> 
> And of course that is a new board with different internal part numbers.
> 
> For the people really don't want to wait. Just pick the original chassis...




For old chassis, when would it be shipping ? Would love to view your new YouTube video cheers


----------



## AxelCloris

snip3r77 said:


> For old chassis, when would it be shipping ? Would love to view your new YouTube video cheers


 
  
 Old chassis X Infinity models have started shipping this week. The first batch has already been packaged for delivery.


----------



## snip3r77

axelcloris said:


> Old chassis X Infinity models have started shipping this week. The first batch has already been packaged for delivery.




Thanks referring to the units after the initial 20


----------



## snip3r77

The guru has spoken
http://lhlabs.com/blog/pre-sales-vs-crowd-designing.html


----------



## zenpunk

Do people really need a blog to understand the differences???
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 With crowd-sourcing design you a guaranteed to get in your hand an outdated product that will be hard to sell without a considerable loss when plenty of better and cheaper alternative are available to buy by the time you get your unit.


----------



## flipper2gv

It's getting pretty infuriating that they start to ship the infinity when they were supposed to start shipping the Sfi first. It seems they really don't care about the Sfi customers since it's not a product that they will produce regularly. Not once this variant has been mentioned in an official message from lhlabs in the last 6 months or more.


----------



## longbowbbs

I did receive my shipping notice today for my Infinity. I ordered it with the old case as I have a space requirement the new case would not work well within.
  
 I have been a backer since 10/2013 so I sympathize with any still waiting. However, as an early backer I too have paid my calendar dues.
  
 Still waiting on cases for the LPS4 so that and the 2G will be my final pieces of this process.
  
 Hang in there everyone. It is going to work out well for us all. The Infinity sounded terrific at CanJam.


----------



## ejong7

longbowbbs said:


> I did receive my shipping notice today for my Infinity. I ordered it with the old case as I have a space requirement the new case would not work well within.
> 
> I have been a backer since 10/2013 so I sympathize with any still waiting. However, as an early backer I too have paid my calendar dues.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Wait there are new dimensions for the new chassis?


----------



## hemtmaker

Hi Eric,

Did you enjoy the infinity more than the ALO CDM or Hugo?



longbowbbs said:


> I did receive my shipping notice today for my Infinity. I ordered it with the old case as I have a space requirement the new case would not work well within.
> 
> I have been a backer since 10/2013 so I sympathize with any still waiting. However, as an early backer I too have paid my calendar dues.
> 
> ...


----------



## longbowbbs

hemtmaker said:


> Hi Eric,
> 
> Did you enjoy the infinity more than the ALO CDM or Hugo?
> 
> ...


 
 I still have limited time with the Hugo. I would love more...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 The ALO piece was very popular so same challenge. The Infinity has a lot more power than they do. Very different DAC implementations too between all three. Fully balanced with the Infinity.....Considering I am using it as a desktop DAC/Amp I suspect the Infinity will make more sense for me. Awesome sound quality too.


----------



## longbowbbs

ejong7 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I did receive my shipping notice today for my Infinity. I ordered it with the old case as I have a space requirement the new case would not work well within.
> ...


 
 The new chassis is about as wide as the LPS4 is deep. There is no other difference between the Infinity choices other than the case look and dimensions. The same board is inside both units.


----------



## ejong7

What's the dimensions for the LPS4 and the old chassis Geek Pulse?


----------



## snip3r77

longbowbbs said:


> I did receive my shipping notice today for my Infinity. I ordered it with the old case as I have a space requirement the new case would not work well within.
> 
> I have been a backer since 10/2013 so I sympathize with any still waiting. However, as an early backer I too have paid my calendar dues.
> 
> ...




Impression pls when you find the time..


----------



## longbowbbs

snip3r77 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I did receive my shipping notice today for my Infinity. I ordered it with the old case as I have a space requirement the new case would not work well within.
> ...


 
 Gonna be awhile. I have about 6 reviews in the hopper....I will chime in though.


----------



## nudd

I would be intersted to know if you had any time to compare the final tuning of the Verb iem to what you heard. 

To be honest the Verb was bitterly disappointing and I am at a loss to reconcile what some reviewers are saying compared to what I am hearing. I highly suspect the Verb you received is totally different from the Verbs that went to backers (or I have a totally defective pair).



longbowbbs said:


> I still have limited time with the Hugo. I would love more...
> 
> The ALO piece was very popular so same challenge. The Infinity has a lot more power than they do. Very different DAC implementations too between all three. Fully balanced with the Infinity.....Considering I am using it as a desktop DAC/Amp I suspect the Infinity will make more sense for me. Awesome sound quality too.


----------



## longbowbbs

nudd said:


> I would be intersted to know if you had any time to compare the final tuning of the Verb iem to what you heard.
> 
> To be honest the Verb was bitterly disappointing and I am at a loss to reconcile what some reviewers are saying compared to what I am hearing. I highly suspect the Verb you received is totally different from the Verbs that went to backers (or I have a totally defective pair).
> 
> ...


 
 I was disappointed with the Verb. I told the LH crew my initial impressions and I guess even enthusiasts like they are cannot make everything work. I have a pair that I do use. They are fine for Audio books and for making phone calls. Music, not so much. There is no midrange. The finals are the same as the prototype I received.
  
 For the $39 backer price they are fine. I would not spend $129 or whatever the final retail is going to be.


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> Gonna be awhile. I have about 6 reviews in the hopper....I will chime in though.




Knowing what's in your queue, feel free to forward that desktop system my way if you want.


----------



## flipper2gv

longbowbbs said:


> I did receive my shipping notice today for my Infinity. I ordered it with the old case as I have a space requirement the new case would not work well within.
> 
> I have been a backer since 10/2013 so I sympathize with any still waiting. However, as an early backer I too have paid my calendar dues.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Same here, paid for the regular pulse on October 29th 2013!!! and then got the S and f and i upgrades right away.

 It's ridiculous a much newer variant gets priority.


----------



## Madeupword

@longbowbbs Looking forward to your review and comparison against the Moon Neo 430HA and co!


----------



## longbowbbs

madeupword said:


> @longbowbbs Looking forward to your review and comparison against the Moon Neo 430HA and co!


 
 I am looking forward to it myself! I should have the Pulse ∞ in house by the end of next week. So next weekend is the first opportunity to play with it. I am also curious to see how the DAC portion of the ∞ compares to my W4S and the internal DAC of the Moon Neo 430.
  
Lots to do!


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Gonna be awhile. I have about 6 reviews in the hopper....I will chime in though.
> ...


 
 HA! I will try and cope as best I can....


----------



## Chrome Robot

It would be quite interesting to compare the X Infinity with the Xfi and plain Pulse, including some DBTs if possible.
 Does anyone have a plain Pulse, a Xfi and will receive a X Infinity who would be willing to compare at approximately equal levels of burn-in, etc. ?


----------



## ejong7

So is anybody able to provide me with the LPS4 dimensions? Are they the same as the LPS? Cause apparently that's what the dimensions are for the new chassis.


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> So is anybody able to provide me with the LPS4 dimensions? Are they the same as the LPS? Cause apparently that's what the dimensions are for the new chassis.


 
  
 I use this link anytime I have a question about any dimensions or specs. It's been extremely useful so far.
  
 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AljAXIFo7qVqdFdmVUoxOXB1VzFPaGtkQXdRa01ibUE&usp=sharing


----------



## Verloren

ejong7 said:


> So is anybody able to provide me with the LPS4 dimensions? Are they the same as the LPS? Cause apparently that's what the dimensions are for the new chassis.


 
  


longbowbbs said:


> LPS measures:
> Depth: 9.75 inches
> Width: 7.375 inches
> Height: 3 inches


 

 LPS4 and LPS share the same chassis.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

New Geek Pulse casing:
 Update: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-audio-a-crowdsourced-high-rez-sound-system/x/5193144#activity
 HiRes image: https://images.indiegogo.com/file_attachments/1382362/files/20150414085929-DSC_0093_copy.jpg?1429027169


----------



## ejong7

Izit me or the black panel for the jack side is fixed a little higher?


----------



## eliwankenobi

If I were to complain about something, it would be the white color from behind the black casing and the screws on the side.... Wait, i think i just did..


----------



## eliwankenobi

No biggies though, i think it looks awesome!!


----------



## AxelCloris

I hope black screws are used on the final product.


----------



## ejong7

Wow the new dimensions. It's actually bigger than the current LPS chassis. Stack OCD incoming.


----------



## digitalzed

ejong7 said:


> Wow the new dimensions. It's actually bigger than the current LPS chassis. Stack OCD incoming.


 

 My thoughts exactly.


----------



## germay0653

eliwankenobi said:


> If I were to complain about something, it would be the white color from behind the black casing and the screws on the side.... Wait, i think i just did..


 

 +1


----------



## alec66

a real masterpiece!!!


----------



## eliwankenobi

ejong7 said:


> Wow the new dimensions. It's actually bigger than the current LPS chassis. Stack OCD incoming.


 
 Not that much bigger but it is... I already started playing with the configuration of my desktop with current LPS.. I can make it work... But it seems I will end up stacking the LPS on top of the Pulse instead of it being the other way around....
  
 I hope more details regarding replacement of the LPS are released soon... and that the exchange fee is either VERY SMALL or FREE!!  After all, we are not a lot Infinity/SE backers in the grand scheme of things


----------



## Drsparis

Quote: Larry Ho (about a month ago on the IGG comments) 





> _Hi, all_
> 
> _Yes. LPS4 and LPS are designing in new style too. But this is too early to promise any date or cost yet._
> 
> ...


 
  
 I really hope this happens, It will look ugly together.... I'll probably try to hide it, but I think we have a 6 inch wire or so connecting the two...... :S
  
 Please announce a LPS chassis upgrade to match the Infinite Case! Hopefully before I get the LPS... shipping back Internationally will be a ......hassle.


----------



## Mannytorres

eliwankenobi said:


> No biggies though, i think it looks awesome!!


 

 Yeah the screw are going to be black.


----------



## ejong7

Yeah really hope they figure something out about the chassis thing. initial my plan was, from bottom to top: LPS>Pulse>LC.


----------



## Drsparis

LC? 


ejong7 said:


> Yeah really hope they figure something out about the chassis thing. initial my plan was, from bottom to top: LPS>Pulse>LC.


----------



## AxelCloris

drsparis said:


> LC?


 
  
 Most likely the recently announced Liquid Carbon from Cavalli Audio.


----------



## ejong7

Liquid Carbon from Cavalli. You are right my friend.


----------



## Drsparis

Well that's what I assumed at first but ... " initial plan" ...


----------



## ejong7

drsparis said:


> Well that's what I assumed at first but ... " initial plan" ...


 

 Initial before the new Pulse dimensions came out. HAHAHA if only I can see so far into the future.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Is this the new chassis that all backers who have not yet received their pulses will be receiving or is it just for the Infinity?


----------



## Anaximandros

It's just for the infinity and signature edition.


----------



## wingsounds13

Only for the infinity, headphone amp and Geek Tube Buffer. Not even an option for the other Pulse DACs (yet). Maybe not until the next generation Pulse DACs.

J.P.


----------



## Drsparis

ejong7 said:


> Initial before the new Pulse dimensions came out. HAHAHA if only I can see so far into the future.


 
  Yea... Back in 2013 when we initially ordered it (well I did) ... lol. I was gonna say please hook me up with your contacts or your drug dealer haha  Whichever one gave you the insight hehehe


----------



## ejong7

drsparis said:


> Yea... Back in 2013 when we initially ordered it (well I did) ... lol. I was gonna say please hook me up with your contacts or your drug dealer haha  Whichever one gave you the insight hehehe


 

 One does not simply reveal one's sources.


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> One does not simply reveal one's sources.


 
  
 Whoa, you're now someone else!


----------



## Drsparis

axelcloris said:


> Whoa, you're now someone else!


 
 Someone found his sources, he went into hiding and changed his name!!


----------



## FlySweep

So.. the survey is due tomorrow.. but there hasn't been a decision on if/how those who already have their LPS/LPS4 can exchange them for the new chassis (so it can match the Pulse Infinity's new chassis)?  I want a fully matched LPS/GP stack (old chassis is fine, but I prefer the new).  For those in this predicament (like me), what are you choosing on the survey for the Pulse Infinity chassis choice?  New or old?  can we assume we will be able to exchange our LPS/LPS4 for one in a new chassis (or have it swapped in, etc.) ?


----------



## Drsparis

flysweep said:


> So.. the survey is due tomorrow.. but there hasn't been a decision on if/how those who already have their LPS/LPS4 can exchange them for the new chassis (so it can match the Pulse Infinity's new chassis)?  I want a fully matched LPS/GP stack (old chassis is fine, but I prefer the new).  For those in this predicament (like me), what are you choosing on the survey for the Pulse Infinity chassis choice?  New or old?  can we assume we will be able to exchange our LPS/LPS4 for one in a new chassis (or have it swapped in, etc.) ?


 
  
 I'm choosing the new chassis, as I never thought the old one was very pretty. Having an unmatched pair is going to piss me off royally and I will be hoping they change the chassis of the LPS as well.... ( or else maybe I will just refuse the LPS when it arrives at my home and have it sent back to them haha... hmm maybe I'm on to something, what if we all do this? they will charge another 40$ shipping which might be less than shipping it out myself from Canada just to pay them another 40$ that they will probably charge AGAIN anyway to ship it back to me) .... but seriously I'm trying not to think about it because I want a matching pair too and writing this is frustrating me even more. sorry that wasn't really an answer, here is a worse one: I am putting in more blind faith that something will happen and go back to studying......


----------



## AxelCloris

It's been said somewhere, I believe on the LH Labs forums, that LPS owners will be able to return their unit to swap from the old design to the new if they're so choose. I'm currently working on something at the moment so I can't tracking down the source quote.
  
 I assume this involves paying for return shipping and possibly a fee to cover the costs of the chassis and a bit of labor. Of course that's just my thoughts on what will happen.


----------



## frank2908

I know it is from an older update from indiegogo, but it's quite ironic: this is coming from a company that got our money for more than 1 year and not delivered a single thing (to many of us)
 

"Our Demo Club gives you the ability to test our products, as well as products from our partners, before you plop down your hard-earned money. It's free to join and free to participate. We never ask for a credit card."


----------



## ejong7

drsparis said:


> Someone found his sources, he went into hiding and changed his name!!


 

 Shhhhhhhhhhh. One must lay low for now.


----------



## gyx11

I am ready to throw in the towel. I've spent quite a good bit on a majority of the campaigns, but it has now reached a tipping point where I will not support the company under any circumstances, regardless of how good the Pulse or the Wave turn out to be.
  
 Geek Verbs are a complete mess, and I don't really care an explanation, since it's probably going to be a blame game as usual with no accountability. The only thing I know is that a company is not just about marketing, nor is it about product development. Especially for a company like LHL which supposedly champions the 'needs' of the consumer, it's about ensuring that every process from ideation to the user experience is properly taken care of. I do recognize that the Verbs are the sides to the main course, and does not bear any weight in regard to the Pulse/Wave, but the discrepancy between what was promised and touted and what was delivered is off the course, and there have been many statements from the horse's mouth which have been left embarrassingly off the mark, whether accidental or not. The final straw is the complete silence. I don't really care if it's one sentence or one entire article. If this is straightforward mistake, own up to it and apologize. If it's a complex problem, make the effort to give some explanation, even if specific details are necessarily omitted for whatever legal constraints there might be. Complete silence can only serve to suggest that there is something behind-the-scenes which LHL has obviously reason to withhold from its backers. Yes, this is still speculation, but LHL needs to look at itself and question if it's offered backers any other alternative to speculation creeping in.
  
 Geek Out v2, First reaction was a positive one. Anything related to Geek Out deserves no less so, considering what a stupendous product it is. But come on, this is just getting absolutely ridiculous. With the crowdfunding campaigns ceasing recently and the cut down in the marketing spam, I was all ready to accept that LHL would focus entirely on product fulfilment, and this was exactly what was claimed. LHL has 4-5 products which are weeks months (years?) off schedule, and yet they proceed with the Geek Out v2. I get that the Pulse xfis and Infinities are being shipped out as we speak, but relatively to the Vi DAC, Vi DAC Tube, Vi DAC Tube Infinity, Geek Power Amp, Geek HPA, Stream, Stream Femto, Wave 32, Wave 64, Wave 128, Wave 256, Titanium, Carbon Fibre, THD package, IEM Package e.t.c. e.t.c... I think my point is clear.
  
 Geek Wave 32. In my mind, if you cannot deliver on whatever that was promised which convinced people to part their wallets for, the absolutely correct thing to do is to process a full refund, or at least allow it if you've tried for a compromise and backers aren't willing. Sure, cashflow isn't instantaneous, and expecting LHL to reimburse all GW32 backers instantly is perhaps too impractical. But for any company with a modicum of ethical principal, you should not be expecting the entitlement of finding a compromise with backers. LHL has simply adopted a usual hardline stance where no refunds (from what I am aware) will be allowed.

 I've had enough. Feel free to prove me wrong, but when very prominent people on the forums are not exactly taking to kindly to LHL's business practices (and there are many), I think there's a cause for alarm bells to go off. It's not a matter of $ off MSRP (which is just an illusion because no one would pay $999 for a vanilla Pulse) or anything product related anymore. It's about ethics and principals. About things as simple as keeping your word, being responsible, owning up to mistakes and so many other back-to-basics. Honestly, I feel incredibly stupid having to type the last sentence out as if I were talking to my niece or nephew, but that's exactly what's wrong with LHL.

 I will not be keeping my Geek Products. Perhaps I'll just use my store credits for a Geek Out (the only thing about LHL I retain respect for). Will rid of most/all of the others at a lower-than-lower-than-MSRP price.


----------



## atsq17

A lot of great points. While I haven't lost hope/faith yet, I find it quite unfortunate and unnecessary for a lot of these occurrences to have caused backers to become disgruntled and disillusioned. 
  
 With regards to the Verb, I haven't heard it yet but if almost every single backer dislikes it, LH Labs should really be looking into it instead of trying to find the silver lining; subsequently pissing off a lot of loyal backers who put their money in just because LH Labs put their name on it. All they expect is for LH Labs to take full responsibility for creating an expectation they were then unable to meet. 
  
 I understand the "silence" when they haven't yet decided on an official stance to take on the matter but they have to understand that an unhappy public needs answers quickly. Silence that goes on for weeks just shouldn't happen and will disgruntled backers to become outright hostile. In the absence of any statement, speculation goes crazy and most of this speculation will not be positive. 
  
 With the Geek Out v2, LH Labs have shown that they work on multiple products in R&D simultaneously and I guess this one is now ready/almost ready. I hope this one goes off without a hitch. 
  
 I've noticed that their ticketing system has improved somewhat though. I hope they continue to strive for improvement. I found them to be at their best when they are engaged with us and we're not treated as money providing sheep but as friends and collaborators.


----------



## agisthos

The biggest concern about the Geek Pulse, is the initial lukewarm reviews. People are either selling it right away, or saying it just sounds 'ok'.
 Its possible the Pulse will just turn out to be a good DAC for its sub 1k price, but this defeats the entire purpose of being in a funding campaign and waiting 18 months for a product to be delivered.
  
 I'm not going to form judgement until I have a Pulse Infinity in my system, but so far my enthusiasm has really waned. Perhaps that's for the best and I will end up pleasantly surprised.


----------



## flipper2gv

agisthos said:


> The biggest concern about the Geek Pulse, is the initial lukewarm reviews. People are either selling it right away, or saying it just sounds 'ok'.
> Its possible the Pulse will just turn out to be a good DAC for its sub 1k price, but this defeats the entire purpose of being in a funding campaign and waiting 18 months for a product to be delivered.
> 
> I'm not going to form judgement until I have a Pulse Infinity in my system, but so far my enthusiasm has really waned. Perhaps that's for the best and I will end up pleasantly surprised.


 
  
 Well, everything I've heard about the Xfi has been VERY positive. Not sure about the Vanilla Pulse though.

 I'm just out of patience now. I've been waiting since October 29th 2013, I was supposed to receive my Sfi last summer after an initial delivery estimate of March 2014.
  
 I've bought headphones in December 2014 because it was supposedly the last delay and I should have received it before Christmas.
  
 And then, it got delayed to March W1, then March W3, and now to the end of May. What is going on??!?!?! How can you be off the mark so often! Also, never a word about shipping estimates for my variant, because they won't make it. It is VERY infuriating.

 I want my product, I want everyone to receive their product. I don't know what they are doing right now, I guess they prepared for CanJam before that, but now it doesn't seem like they are shipping anything at the moment.


----------



## longbowbbs

Infinity is in the house. 18 months from original order.


----------



## jexby

whoa!  applause!


----------



## mscott58

Congrats Eric! Any feedback/early thoughts on your Infinity? Cheers


----------



## longbowbbs

Thanks Michael!  Out of the box using Balanced 4 pin with the LCD-X's is very positive. This little box rocks! I am not going to do much critical listening for a few days to let it settle in. Then I can do some comparisons with the Moon Neo 430 and the ALO Audio Studio Six. I am also going to spend some time with the Pulse ∞ as a stand alone DAC with the other two amps and see how that goes. Lot's to play with!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

ENVY!


----------



## uncola

yeah really.  don't hold out on us


----------



## mscott58

Thanks Eric. I'm also very interested in the Infinity as a DAC. I demo'd the LC at CanJam using the Xfi as a DAC and it was sublime, hence my purchase (with a little peer pressure!) of the LC. Will end up seeing how the Geek HPA stands up to the LC and also my existing Bakoon HPA-21. Will share that info when I get those other units. Cheers


----------



## jexby

mscott58 said:


> Thanks Eric. I'm also very interested in the Infinity as a DAC. I demo'd the LC at CanJam using the Xfi as a DAC and it was sublime, hence my purchase (with a little peer pressure!) of the LC. Will end up seeing how the Geek HPA stands up to the LC


 
  
 +1
 we are on same path!   once X fi Infinity graces my door, the same connections will occur.
  
 glad to hear confirmation of the Xfi DAC feeding the LC at CanJam, now am really bummed to have missed out.
 everyone who attended and reported have done us a great service.
 thanks!


----------



## Maelob

I will not open the box of my infinity whenever I get it, somebody will get a great bargain.  I don't even want to deal with them anymore, just tired. Not trusting their quality control, support, philosophy etc etc. I am even questioning the future of the company.  Hope I am wrong.    Not their fault, it was my fault for falling for the great marketing campaign.  kudos to them for that.  I wish them the best.


----------



## hoo7h

Geek Out V2, LOL
  
 Honestly if I wasn't a backer I would make fun of those who fell for LHL "fraction of the MSRP" plan. Anyone who see LHL logo on something on your desk will know you backed an investment thinking that you are getting a bargain, while Gavin and his bros were laughing at you and keep offering those "upgrades" while delaying the shipping and keep making new campaigns to get more money.
  
 I probably will use it, but I will make sure to hide it somewhere in my drawer and not show it as I honestly feel so much embarrassment being a backer of LHL.
  
 Enjoy my money Gavin.


----------



## atsq17

On a more positive note, the XFi is a truly excellent little unit. For those who stick with it, they will end up with something they'll really enjoy.


----------



## Maelob

i kind of feel same way- i am sure other companies have similar issues and we dont see it, but after seeing what people are getting i am not feeling that i am getting this amazingly built product that will last years. anyway enough complaining lol i will be positivie from now on. hope they get good reviews so i can sell them faster


----------



## Maelob

Good to hear, how do you feel about built quality- keep us updated thanks



atsq17 said:


> On a more positive note, the XFi is a truly excellent little unit. For those who stick with it, they will end up with something they'll really enjoy.


----------



## atsq17

Feel free to message me when you receive the unit. I like "great bargain"s


----------



## atsq17

maelob said:


> Good to hear, how do you feel about built quality- keep us updated thanks


 
  
 Build quality is good but not spectacular. I happen to like it's understated look. However, it looks like it's worth what we paid in IGG but for MSRP I think people will expect much much more. 
  
 The volume knob really is much too small. Overall I don't have any complaints. It's nothing to write home about either. 
  
 I've asked for my Infinity unit to be in the new case as I am curious how that will be. I've already got an XFi to keep me going in the meantime (I had to buy this from someone else).


----------



## Ultimate Mango

atsq17 said:


> On a more positive note, the XFi is a truly excellent little unit. For those who stick with it, they will end up with something they'll really enjoy.



So long as they don't blow someone's headphones out. I encountered a bug with a unit that had it putting out absolutely maximum volume no matter what else you did. I made the mistake of putting my personal headphones in at a show unaware instead of using a demo headphone. 
Even with a new firmware coming, I won't trust it and couldn't apply it since I have a Mac at home and not a PC.


----------



## adrian0115

I'm in the same boat as you flipper.  I've got contributed 3 sets of LPS/Pulse Infinity but when I keep reading updates about having to complete some broken survey so that they can order parts, that pissed me off.  I called out Gavin Fish directly and pm'ed him.  I haven't had time to call them on the phone and give them **** yet but that's what I want to do.  As I expected, they banned me from LH forums and deleted my post.  
  
 Gavin, you have no power to ban me from this forum so again, let me make this clear that I think you are full of **** for longer than I remember.  Feel free to post one delivery deadline that you have met because I can't remember you meeting a single one.  The only time you deliver is posting more perks etcetc.  
  
  
 Quote:


flipper2gv said:


> Well, everything I've heard about the Xfi has been VERY positive. Not sure about the Vanilla Pulse though.
> 
> I'm just out of patience now. I've been waiting since October 29th 2013, I was supposed to receive my Sfi last summer after an initial delivery estimate of March 2014.
> 
> ...


----------



## atsq17

ultimate mango said:


> So long as they don't blow someone's headphones out. I encountered a bug with a unit that had it putting out absolutely maximum volume no matter what else you did. I made the mistake of putting my personal headphones in at a show unaware instead of using a demo headphone.
> Even with a new firmware coming, I won't trust it and couldn't apply it since I have a Mac at home and not a PC.




I like everyone else had this problem with the geek out when it first came out but the xfi has not done anything of the sort for me. Then again i have a windows pc.


----------



## doublea71

The mods can ban you here, though. This type of flaming usually gets their attention as they rightfully don't want head-fi to become a forum for name-calling and personal attacks. You have to be a bit more nuanced if you're going to take the piss out of someone.


----------



## adrian0115

doublea71 said:


> The mods can ban you here, though. This type of flaming usually gets their attention as they rightfully don't want head-fi to become a forum for name-calling and personal attacks. You have to be a bit more nuanced if you're going to take the piss out of someone.


 
 I get you I really do.  Gavin has missed every single one of his stated delivery timelines.  If that is not lying, I don't know what is.  I backed these guys since 2013 and I won't even have a problem if they say that things are going to be delayed until 2015.  But when you keep posting deadlines and not say a thing after you miss it by 6 months, 1yr, 1.5yr then I believe it's not out of line to call him out directly.  
  
 To me, there is no accountability whatsoever.  If I tell my boss I'll deliver something at a certain time, he expects me to deliver.  End of question.  If I know there's an issue on delivery, I will make sure that the timeline isn't realistic and needs to be extended by X number of weeks/months.  If I'm late by over a year, I don't think my boss would take very kindly to what I say.  
  
 It's not my first rodeo scoping/managing/delivering a project in a large corporation and rarely do get upset or post publicly.  Gavin is a special case.  
  
 He's free to prove one thing that he's posted/stated that has been true regarding delivery.  Until then, my statement about him being a liar stands.


----------



## doublea71

adrian0115 said:


> I get you I really do.  Gavin has missed every single one of his stated delivery timelines.  If that is not lying, I don't know what is.  I backed these guys since 2013 and I won't even have a problem if they say that things are going to be delayed until 2015.  But when you keep posting deadlines and not say a thing after you miss it by 6 months, 1yr, 1.5yr then I believe it's not out of line to call him out directly.
> 
> To me, there is no accountability whatsoever.  If I tell my boss I'll deliver something at a certain time, he expects me to deliver.  End of question.  If I know there's an issue on delivery, I will make sure that the timeline isn't realistic and needs to be extended by X number of weeks/months.  If I'm late by over a year, I don't think my boss would take very kindly to what I say.
> 
> ...


 

 Believe me, I'm pretty frustrated, too. I seem to go through cycles of outright PMSing over this stuff followed by stretches of ambivalence. I take everything they say now with a grain of salt, but I still have hope that the Geek Wave will be a great sounding product based on reviews of their amps and dacs - that will make it easier to sell on the for-sale forums. If you've had enough of them, I think the best thing to do is wash your hands of them once they deliver what you backed and support a company that does things right and has better transparency, like Fiio or Schiit.


----------



## adrian0115

doublea71 said:


> Believe me, I'm pretty frustrated, too. I seem to go through cycles of outright PMSing over this stuff followed by stretches of ambivalence. I take everything they say now with a grain of salt, but I still have hope that the Geek Wave will be a great sounding product based on reviews of their amps and dacs - that will make it easier to sell on the for-sale forums. If you've had enough of them, I think the best thing to do is wash your hands of them once they deliver what you backed and support a company that does things right and has better transparency, like Fiio or Schiit.


 
 Indeed.  I'm right there with you.  The Yggdrasil looks interesting and I'll have to check that out when it comes out.  I rarely lose my cool and I'd apologize if I'm proven wrong.  I've contributed 3 sets of Infinity/LPS and I've never complained about the wait.  
  
 Trust me, I didn't even want to post about this on head-fi until I see others having the same frustration.  But his updates finally got to me since it's BS.  
  
 I try to be as helpful a contributor on LH's own forum as much as possible when I have the time and I go by my real name "Adrian Leung".  I have a friend in HK that is in the same boat and he has contributed to basically everything LH has kicked out including reseller packs.  What does Gavin do?  Ban us.  
  
 Anyway, no more ranting I believe we both have the same hope that Larry delivers.  
  
 Cheers!


----------



## hoo7h

adrian0115 said:


> I get you I really do.  Gavin has missed every single one of his stated delivery timelines.  If that is not lying, I don't know what is.  I backed these guys since 2013 and I won't even have a problem if they say that things are going to be delayed until 2015.  But when you keep posting deadlines and not say a thing after you miss it by 6 months, 1yr, 1.5yr then I believe it's not out of line to call him out directly.
> 
> To me, there is no accountability whatsoever.  If I tell my boss I'll deliver something at a certain time, he expects me to deliver.  End of question.  If I know there's an issue on delivery, I will make sure that the timeline isn't realistic and needs to be extended by X number of weeks/months.  If I'm late by over a year, I don't think my boss would take very kindly to what I say.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Missing a deadline is one thing, making new promises of new products and deadlines while ignoring the previous missed deadline is a whole different story. What really grind my gears is that they KEEP MAKING NEW PERKS/CAMPAIGNS/PRODUCTS!  This is ridiculous. You can't do that, you just cant do that. They consider Indiegogo a platform they can sell as much as they can while calling us "investors," while the reality is it is just an excuse to have a terrible customer services and delays without anyone being able to complain. Indiegogo's no refund policy serves them greatly too.


----------



## wingsounds13

That's right! LH Labs should quit making new products, just keep selling the old ones until people quit buying them and they go out of business. There's a great plan for growing a business and long term survival.

Growth is required for survival and apparently LH Labs cannot win. Some people are complaining that their current products are already out of date and others (and I think some of the same) are complaining that they are developing new products to keep up with the market. Sheesh!

J.P.


----------



## adrian0115

hoo7h said:


> Missing a deadline is one thing, making new promises of new products and deadlines while ignoring the previous missed deadline is a whole different story. What really grind my gears is that they KEEP MAKING NEW PERKS/CAMPAIGNS/PRODUCTS!  This is ridiculous. You can't do that, you just cant do that. They consider Indiegogo a platform they can sell as much as they can while calling us "investors," while the reality is it is just an excuse to have a terrible customer services and delays without anyone being able to complain. Indiegogo's no refund policy serves them greatly too.


 
 I know what you're saying and I'm actually still a believer+support of LH Labs.  I voted with my wallet by contributing to their project+vision.  I'm even perfectly happy with them releasing new perks/products and I know it's their prerogative.  I can see from their perspective that they're still growing and that the customer happiness team is probably going through hell trying to sort through the mess.  
  
 The only point that gets me is in the PUBLICLY stated delivery timelines by Gavin Fish.  Again, anyone please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but none of his timelines have ever been met.  I used all channels of communications including PM'ing this guy but there's no response except to ban me.  I don't care if someone considers this a personal attack because I'm simply trying to be objective/factual.    
  
 All companies are in business to make a profit.  My only problem is that nobody cares about missed delivery timeline/milestones.


----------



## musicheaven

I know, it's no comfort but missed deadlines eventually catches up with you, I don't know that many people who likes slipping deadlines. Life/Time has its own way to slap you hard in your face, if their timing isn't improving as time goes, people will flee. There is just so much you can squeeze from a lemon. Talking about lemon, "When life gives you lemons make lemonade".


----------



## miceblue

musicheaven said:


> Talking about lemon, "When life gives you lemons make lemonade".



[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWJKluqOCWg[/video]


http://elyonbeats.bandcamp.com/track/life-and-lemons


----------



## adrian0115

musicheaven said:


> I know, it's no comfort but missed deadlines eventually catches up with you, I don't know that many people who likes slipping deadlines. Life/Time has its own way to slap you hard in your face, if their timing isn't improving as time goes, people will flee. There is just so much you can squeeze from a lemon. Talking about lemon, "When life gives you lemons make lemonade".


 
 I could use a good lemonade right about now.  I was jumping head first into whatever perk Larry was throwing up for the Pulse and I have no qualms about waiting if realistic/legitimate times are provided.  You can tell me things won't be delivered for at least 1.5yrs and that's alright.  But if you keep telling me it's going to be delivered in X months then nothing happens and keep repeating, that becomes BS to me.  
  
 Again, I emphasize I'd be more than willing to apologize if I'm mistaken but I don't believe so.
  
 Cheers bro!


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Yeah but how many people would sign up if they said you're getting your product 1.5 years later from the get go?  They pretty much played the multiple delay/ multiple perk game perfectly in terms of luring in people in.  Whether that ended up with happy customers?  Obviously not.  But who cares.  Oh right we do.


----------



## adrian0115

vnmslsrbms said:


> Yeah but how many people would sign up if they said you're getting your product 1.5 years later from the get go?  They pretty much played the multiple delay/ multiple perk game perfectly in terms of luring in people in.  Whether that ended up with happy customers?  Obviously not.  But who cares.  Oh right we do.


 





 
 Indeed.  I still care about my 3 Infinities and cables.


----------



## adrian0115

vnmslsrbms said:


> Yeah but how many people would sign up if they said you're getting your product 1.5 years later from the get go?  They pretty much played the multiple delay/ multiple perk game perfectly in terms of luring in people in.  Whether that ended up with happy customers?  Obviously not.  But who cares.  Oh right we do.


 
 I guess I should clarify, given the specs and design from scratch that Larry needed to do, I honestly believe 1.5yrs is quick.  Even now I still have faith in Larry and the team and I believe we will receive a kickass product eventually.  It's the BS communication that got to me.  
  
 Larry and the firmware team can tell me they need another quarter to iron out the bugs and I'd still be ok.  I just want to see a realistic timeline rather than some random timeline that says it's going to be delivered in 2 weeks but parts have not even been ordered.


----------



## nudd

Quote:


adrian0115 said:


> I guess I should clarify, given the specs and design from scratch that Larry needed to do, I honestly believe 1.5yrs is quick.  Even now I still have faith in Larry and the team and I believe we will receive a kickass product eventually.  It's the BS communication that got to me.
> 
> Larry and the firmware team can tell me they need another quarter to iron out the bugs and I'd still be ok.  I just want to see a realistic timeline rather than some random timeline that says it's going to be delivered in 2 weeks but parts have not even been ordered.


 
  
 Well they also boast about their ability to rapidly prototype and bring a product to market. This is one of their claims as to their core areas of competency.
  
 Has anyone seen the testing numbers for the new ESS Sabre Chip yet? I thought it has been test benched for ages, did I miss the results?


----------



## adrian0115

nudd said:


> Well they also boast about their ability to rapidly prototype and bring a product to market. This is one of their claims as to their core areas of competency.
> 
> Has anyone seen the testing numbers for the new ESS Sabre Chip yet? I thought it has been test benched for ages, did I miss the results?


 
 nudd,
  
 Can't even comment on that since it's behind the scenes.  
  
 Not sure if you saw the infinite test results but they are here:
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3778-audio-precision-test-results-of-vi-dac-geek-pulse-infinite-too#59836
  
 I don't think this is for the AQ2M though.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

Had anyone gone so far as to dispute the charges with their credit card company? I feel like I am right about at that point.


----------



## snip3r77

ultimate mango said:


> Had anyone gone so far as to dispute the charges with their credit card company? I feel like I am right about at that point.




You can try and let us know


----------



## mscott58

ultimate mango said:


> Had anyone gone so far as to dispute the charges with their credit card company? I feel like I am right about at that point.


 
 For which product? 
  
 If for one of the IGG units that has yet to ship I wonder if you'd have any case given the wording of the IGG terms and conditions. Technically in supporting a project on IGG you are not actually buying anything. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## PacoTaco

mscott58 said:


> For which product?
> 
> If for one of the IGG units that has yet to ship I wonder if you'd have any case given the wording of the IGG terms and conditions. Technically in supporting a project on IGG you are not actually buying anything.
> 
> Cheers




Not for normal perk backing, but the wording of the purchase plans would be legit. Especially since the perk itself is 99$, and the rest is paid outside of IGG (which, despite what LH Labs claims, that bit can be refunded since it never went through them and the "purchase plan" quite literally means you're getting the merchandise. Didn't the perk say it would be shipping in March or was that only the bundled ones (with headphones and speakers I mean.)


----------



## bhazard

I'm actually happy about the wait. I now will have the new Sabre chip TOTL Infinity with a totally different case design, which I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
  
 I am a bit bothered by having a pre-release of the GO V2 without even shipping the Wave and Stream I backed first. Then again, those now have the new Sabre chips in them too, making all these products more cutting edge now despite the wait.
  
 My GO is great. My LPS is great. Deliver the rest as great items, and I will have been happy with it all.... except the Verb. The Verb is terrible. Discontinue it immediately.


----------



## jexby

bhazard said:


> I'm actually happy about the wait. I now will have the new Sabre chip TOTL Infinity with a totally different case design, which I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
> 
> I am a bit bothered by having a pre-release of the GO V2 without even shipping the Wave and Stream I backed first. Then again, those now have the new Sabre chips in them too, making all these products more cutting edge now despite the wait.


 
  
 1.  agreed on Infinity case, the LH Labs option to include the more recent DAC chip and a slightly more upscale case design helps to justify $ investments as well.
  
 2.  don't see how GO V2 jeopardizes Wave or Stream actually.   It would seem Larry H figured out that an upcoming (not currently shipping) product line should contain as much overlap as possible. it was simpler to get GO v2 out the door first, but other similar product-families could follow quickly on it's heels.
  
 fingers crossed.


----------



## nicolo

The Verbs are utter crap. I gave them to my nephew who is a basshead, He listened to them and said:
  
 "These are utterly horrible. Where are the vocals. It seems like all bass and nothing else. I will never ever buy earphones."
  
 Case closed.


----------



## snip3r77

nicolo said:


> The Verbs are utter crap. I gave them to my nephew who is a basshead, He listened to them and said:
> 
> "These are utterly horrible. Where are the vocals. It seems like all bass and nothing else. I will never ever buy earphones."
> 
> Case closed.




OMG.. u destroyed his headfi journey? LOL


----------



## Levanter

nicolo said:


> The Verbs are utter crap. I gave them to my nephew who is a basshead, He listened to them and said:
> 
> "These are utterly horrible. Where are the vocals. It seems like all bass and nothing else. I will never ever buy earphones."
> 
> Case closed.


 
  


snip3r77 said:


> OMG.. u destroyed his headfi journey? LOL


 
  
 LOLOLOLOL


----------



## wahsmoh

snip3r77 said:


> OMG.. u destroyed his headfi journey? LOL


 

 LOLOL. He needs a serious dose of planar bass to resuscitate his broken heart.


----------



## nicolo

To be fair i had got him a pair of Denon D600's last year, which he loves. So hopefully he will forgive me this error in judgement.


----------



## ejong7

longbowbbs said:


> Infinity is in the house. 18 months from original order.


 
 Is that USB cable the LS 2.0 that's supposed to come or the 1.0 that comes with Pulses from the first campaign?


----------



## longbowbbs

ejong7 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Infinity is in the house. 18 months from original order.
> ...


 
 That is the cable from the first campaign.


----------



## ejong7

longbowbbs said:


> That is the cable from the first campaign.


 

 So.....they're gonna send out the cable in another shipment? Lol sounds like more tax pain onto our wallets here in the international side.


----------



## longbowbbs

ejong7 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > That is the cable from the first campaign.
> ...


 
 No idea how that will work. I would imagine they would try and combine international shipments a best they can.


----------



## longbowbbs

Geek Pulse Infinity feeding the Moon Neo 430 is an Awesome combination! Amazing detail and depth.


----------



## nudd

Its been so long i have forgotten, but are the infinity line out fixed?


----------



## longbowbbs

No. However, when using it as a stand alone DAC you set the volume to Max and use the amp's volume control.


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> No. However, when using it as a stand alone DAC you set the volume to Max and use the amp's volume control.



That kind of really defeats the purpose of having line out outputs in the first place, no?


----------



## greenkiwi

All of the geek DACs use digital volume controls. So you can't have a fixed and variable output at the same time.

That would be a handy feature, particularly because they choose to have only one volume setting for both the rear outputs and the headphones... And no muting either.


----------



## longbowbbs

Works just fine. The DAC is excellent


----------



## snip3r77

longbowbbs said:


> Works just fine. The DAC is excellent




Does it own the "Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 DSDse with Femto clock upgrade" in your inventory?


----------



## snip3r77

Since most of has the LPS will one of this usb reclocker/regen helps to enhance it further?

http://uptoneaudio.com/products/usb-regen

http://schiit.com/products/wyrd


----------



## nicolo

LPS's generally provide clean current and signal without reclocking. However if the output stream from your laptop/desktop has frequent drop-outs, you would need to get a USB signal regenerator like the Wyrd or the one from Uptone Audio. If you don't have frequent drop-outs in the signal, no need to get one.
  
 I am using the Schiit Wyrd with my LPS as i sometimes get a crackling sound due to drop-outs from my laptop. It also makes the sound much fuller and has removed a lot of congestion, especially in the mid-range and bass areas.


----------



## snip3r77

nicolo said:


> LPS's generally provide clean current and signal without reclocking. However if the output stream from your laptop/desktop has frequent drop-outs, you would need to get a USB signal regenerator like the Wyrd or the one from Uptone Audio. If you don't have frequent drop-outs in the signal, no need to get one.
> 
> I am using the Schiit Wyrd with my LPS as i sometimes get a crackling sound due to drop-outs from my laptop. It also makes the sound much fuller and has removed a lot of congestion, especially in the mid-range and bass areas.




subtle or significant improvment in sound? I can spend but didn't want to buy something as desk real estate.


----------



## nudd

If I remember correctly putting the volume at 100% bypasses the digital volume stuff and leaves everything as bit perfect as possible. It would have been nice to have true line outs so we can totally disable the volume control when using it purely as a DAC but at this stage I would be happy if it just works and sounds fantastic. 

@longbowbbs Also I assume your infinity uses the old ESS chip as the new chip doesn't appear to have been finish testing yet?



greenkiwi said:


> All of the geek DACs use digital volume controls. So you can't have a fixed and variable output at the same time.
> 
> That would be a handy feature, particularly because they choose to have only one volume setting for both the rear outputs and the headphones... And no muting either.


----------



## nudd

nicolo said:


> LPS's generally provide clean current and signal without reclocking. However if the output stream from your laptop/desktop has frequent drop-outs, you would need to get a USB signal regenerator like the Wyrd or the one from Uptone Audio. If you don't have frequent drop-outs in the signal, no need to get one.
> 
> I am using the Schiit Wyrd with my LPS as i sometimes get a crackling sound due to drop-outs from my laptop. It also makes the sound much fuller and has removed a lot of congestion, especially in the mid-range and bass areas.




This is a bit surprising because the Pulse is supposed to have its own internal triple buffer implementation so it should be doing its own clock cleaning anyway.


----------



## nicolo

I haven't received the Pulse Infinity yet, so really can't comment. But i think there were a couple of posts from Eric Neff from headphone.guru who did say that the Wyrd made a difference.


----------



## nicolo

snip3r77 said:


> subtle or significant improvment in sound? I can spend but didn't want to buy something as desk real estate.


 
  
 It depends on again on your system. On my laptop there is a significant improvement. Others have noted that on their systems that were subtle improvements. If you feel that your Pulse or other DACs sound flat/harsh, the Wyrd may bring about a good improvement. YMMV.


----------



## nudd

nicolo said:


> I haven't received the Pulse Infinity yet, so really can't comment. But i think there were a couple of posts from Eric Neff from headphone.guru who did say that the Wyrd made a difference.




Sorry must have misunderstood. What are you using as a DAC with the laptop?


----------



## ejong7

Have anybody from the Geek side give updates about the new chassis? I mean I don't mind a slightly bigger chassis but why exactly that size is needed rather than fabricating to the original dimensions I'm a bit confused about. What are they doing with that space.


----------



## longbowbbs

snip3r77 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Works just fine. The DAC is excellent
> ...


 
 It is a good competition. I need more time for comparison. It is going to fun though!


----------



## wingsounds13

No word form within LH Labs but speculation from the Force gives some clues.

The height is needed for the tube products (tube Headphone Amp, Geek Tube Buffer/Preamp). There is no good guess as to the width other than aesthetics. The depth matches that of the old Pulse chassis and I would think the controlling factor here would be the LPS which is a bit deeper. They must be planning on a new board for the LPS in the new chassis.

They appear to be using the same chassis with different faceplates for uniformity of appearance and cost reduction. Personally, I would vote for a lower chassis for the solid state products and use the tall design only for tube products. The tube version could be a little taller to guarantee clearance when tube rolling.

I would VERY MUCH like to see them make the new chassis a bit narrower - less than 8.5 inches so two could fit side by side on a rack with other rack components and not look out of place. They could make it 10 or 12 inches deep as needed for board space as depth is less often an issue than width. As is, the current dimensions, particularly width, don't fit with anything.

J.P.


----------



## ejong7

I'm alright with the increase in height. I mean once you stack them up unless you live in a box then height shouldnt be a problem. I just don't like the increase in width.


----------



## wingsounds13

Agreed that the width is the biggest issue. Significant for me such that I am,still trying to decide between the new and old chassis for my infinity.

The height is okay for stacking two units and not too bad for three but if you have more than three then it will get awfully tall.

J.P.


----------



## Decoy

Oops.  Wrong forum.


----------



## Drsparis

I'm fine with the new size as long as the LPS gets a chassis change to match....


----------



## eliwankenobi

It will... I want the exchange to be free straight up replacement. As I see it, they'll take the innards of the current LPS and put them inside the new case no?

We are not a lot of people... I'll be more than happy to pay shipping both ways...


----------



## FlySweep

I'm tempted to just go with the stock/old chassis.  I will *only* be stacking the LPS & X Infinity.. along with a (pre-ordered) Cavalli Liquid Carbon.  While the new (Infinity) chassis looks great, I'm concerned that it.. and a matching LPS chassis.. would look a bit too tall when stacked with the Carbon.  Plus, the Carbon's aesthetic may match better with the current/old chassis.
  
 Decisions.. decisions.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I think the survey has ended... So the chance to change cases is over


----------



## ejong7

flysweep said:


> I'm tempted to just go with the stock/old chassis.  I will *only* be stacking the LPS & X Infinity.. along with a (pre-ordered) Cavalli Liquid Carbon.  While the new (Infinity) chassis looks great, I'm concerned that it.. and a matching LPS chassis.. would look a bit too tall when stacked with the Carbon.  Plus, the Carbon's aesthetic may match better with the current/old chassis.
> 
> Decisions.. decisions.


 

 This. Totally on the same boat.


----------



## AxelCloris

eliwankenobi said:


> I think the survey has ended... So the chance to change cases is over




The customer service team has stated that they extended the survey deadline and they're going to roll those responses into a new tracking system (3.0) at a later date. We should be able to edit our choices.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Oh cool! I might just change my mind


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Decisions...decisions...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
 Me however, backed the Tube HPA.
  
 So will be tucking away the LPS4 and stack the Tube HPA with the Infinity on its new case.


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Decisions...decisions...
> 
> 
> Me however, backed the Tube HPA.
> ...




Right there with you, although chose the SS HPA


----------



## musicheaven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Decisions...decisions...
> 
> 
> Me however, backed the Tube HPA.
> ...






mscott58 said:


> Right there with you, although chose the SS HPA




Looks like we all going to make do with the so called "improved" enclosures.

Please make sure you take some picture shots, I think we should post this in here or maybe in a more generic "I have an hodgepodge Geek Setup" thread.


----------



## ejong7

Btw can anybody help me with the maximum power output of the Pulse? I know it's touted as 3W but thats through what resistance? Just wanna compare the power to the power of the Liquid Carbon.


----------



## longbowbbs

OK...Edit....
  
 Go to post #1 here and read Mickey's specs....
  
 Carbon info found here...
  
 http://cavalliaudio.com/index.php?p=product_details&pId=11
  
  
 The Pulse has a lot more power than the carbon.....


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> Pulse info found here...
> 
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-audio-a-crowdsourced-high-rez-sound-system



You're not allowed to post your own Indiegogo reference links here by the way.


----------



## ejong7

Yeah I found the power output for the HPA but not the Pulse. At least not in terms of W to ohms.


----------



## TopQuark

flysweep said:


> I'm tempted to just go with the stock/old chassis.  I will *only* be stacking the LPS & X Infinity.. along with a (pre-ordered) Cavalli Liquid Carbon.  While the new (Infinity) chassis looks great, I'm concerned that it.. and a matching LPS chassis.. would look a bit too tall when stacked with the Carbon.  Plus, the Carbon's aesthetic may match better with the current/old chassis.
> 
> Decisions.. decisions.


 

 This is the new PCB for the Pulse Xfi.  No matter how I look at it, it will not fit inside the old chassis that is longer than it is wide.  My guess is that LH Labs uses different boards for the old and new chassis which is very bad because there could be audio quality difference between the two.


----------



## mscott58

The Pulse Infinity we listened to at CanJam SoCal was definitely in the standard chassis. And it sounded sweet! Cheers


----------



## miceblue

ejong7 said:


> Yeah I found the power output for the HPA but not the Pulse. At least not in terms of W to ohms.



Usually their power ratings are at 16 ohms unless otherwise specified.
e.g. GO 1000 is 1000 mW into 16 ohms




topquark said:


> This is the new PCB for the Pulse Xfi.  No matter how I look at it, it will not fit inside the old chassis that is longer than it is wide.  My guess is that LH Labs uses different boards for the old and new chassis which is very bad because there could be audio quality difference between the two.



That's actually the Pulse X Infinity, not Xfi. The naked resistors can be seen on the PCB.


----------



## TopQuark

miceblue said:


> That's actually the Pulse X Infinity, not Xfi. The naked resistors can be seen on the PCB.


 
 Don't they share the same board size?


----------



## eliwankenobi

No,
  
 They needed to design a new PCB for the new Sabre chips. Knowing they would be upgraded to the new chassis... they made a new board.  
  
 Old chassis iinfinities are on old modified boards


----------



## chartwell85

eliwankenobi said:


> No,
> 
> They needed to design a new PCB for the new Sabre chips. Knowing they would be upgraded to the new chassis... they made a new board.
> 
> Old chassis iinfinities are on old modified boards


 

 The Infinity boards are the same in both the new and the old chassis.  Same exact boards.


----------



## ejong7

chartwell85 said:


> The Infinity boards are the same in both the new and the old chassis.  Same exact boards.


 

 Then why the increase in size for the new chassis infinities?


----------



## eliwankenobi

chartwell85 said:


> The Infinity boards are the same in both the new and the old chassis.  Same exact boards.


 
 cool thanks!


----------



## eliwankenobi

ejong7 said:


> Then why the increase in size for the new chassis infinities?


 
 given the new piece of info.. I believe the size change is made in order to be stackable with the HPA


----------



## chartwell85

ejong7 said:


> Then why the increase in size for the new chassis infinities?


 
  
 Mainly the matrix display board and its new feature of having updatable firmware via the SD slot.  Boils down to functionality and aesthetics.


----------



## ejong7

chartwell85 said:


> Mainly the matrix display board and its new feature of having *updatable firmware via the SD slot*.  Boils down to functionality and aesthetics.


 
 Now that is great to know. Just need to calm my OCD about stacking it with the current LPS design......


----------



## nudd

chartwell85 said:


> Mainly the matrix display board and its new feature of having updatable firmware via the SD slot.  Boils down to functionality and aesthetics.




So the old infinity case will not have firmware upgradeable display? That wasnt clear at all...


----------



## chartwell85

nudd said:


> So the old infinity case will not have firmware upgradeable display? That wasnt clear at all...


 

 The original chassis (for every Pulse variant) does not feature a matrix display that is updatable in the field.


----------



## jexby

nudd said:


> So the old infinity case will not have firmware upgradeable display? That wasnt clear at all...


 
  
 actually I think that was pretty clear to me (in the past) when reading about a few folks who had problems with a Pulse, and were asked to send it back to LH Lab so their techs could upgrade in the lab.


----------



## mscott58

jexby said:


> actually I think that was pretty clear to me (in the past) when reading about a few folks who had problems with a Pulse, and were asked to send it back to LH Lab so their techs could upgrade in the lab.




Agree. Lots of chatter on this point along the way.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Need to hurry to change my case option for the Pulse....


----------



## wingsounds13

Yes, lots of chatter but this isnthe first time that I have seen it stated that the display for the Pulse X∞ in the new chassis is field updatable. This was stated as planned for the Vi DAC and then requested for the Pulse. Good to hear (finally). This is getting me leaning back toward the new chassis for my infinity.

J.P.


----------



## ejong7

All aboard the new chassis train!


----------



## TopQuark

So the new chassis will have dot matrix display while the old chassis will keep the 7-LED type display.  Big change (!) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Still does not explain how this Pulse X∞ board can fit inside the old chassis unless that iPhone 6 used to take this photo at 29mm (35mm equiv) is that crappy at wide angle shots.


----------



## uncola

a matrix display?


----------



## mscott58

I believe they just call it the matrix. And dot matrix is a printing technology, right?


----------



## wingsounds13

topquark said:


> So the new chassis will have dot matrix display while the old chassis will keep the 7-LED type display.  Big change (!) :eek:




7 segment?? The Pulse has never had a 7 segment display, it has always been dot matrix. Now, maybe the new display module has a higher resolution display but we will just have to wait and see what the new chassis comes with.

J.P


----------



## greenkiwi

That is excellent news that the new chassis has user updatable display firmware.  This is a very cool feature and will help users not feel left out in the cold when a new feature is developed, or bug fixed.  Thanks Larry and gang for getting this right.


----------



## AxelCloris

Agreed. I didn't realize that the new chassis was going to have an SD slot for display firmware upgrades. That makes me very happy that I chose the new design to match my tube HPA.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Agreed. I didn't realize that the new chassis was going to have an SD slot for display firmware upgrades. That makes me very happy that I chose the new design to match my tube HPA.


 
 Thinking back on this there had been a good deal of talk about this and making future units locally upgradeable, but potentially not 100% confirmation (or at least as much as is possible in this game) that this was going to be included on the new case. Makes me happy as well! Cheers


----------



## atsq17

Got X-Infinity coming in new chassis, a HPA tube and Liquid Carbon. 
  
 Fun times! If only I can afford an Ether headphone to join them.


----------



## nicolo

nudd said:


> Sorry must have misunderstood. What are you using as a DAC with the laptop?


 
  
 I have just the iBasso D7 DAC+Amp combo now. I had sold of my other DAC and amp a while back as i spent too much on LH Labs  gear over the last couple of years. Now waiting for the Infinity, Source, Wave and HPA to finally arrive


----------



## greenkiwi

The Liquid Carbon looks very very tempting...  though part of me thinks I should save my pennies for one of the bigger CA amps.


----------



## nudd

greenkiwi said:


> The Liquid Carbon looks very very tempting...  though part of me thinks I should save my pennies for one of the bigger CA amps.




It depends on what you want in an amp and whether you need the power to drive very hard to drive headphones. I personally dont have amything that needs like 6 wpc and have a penchant for iems so the design philosphy of the carbon or even the portable version is tempting.


----------



## nudd

chartwell85 said:


> The original chassis (for every Pulse variant) does not feature a matrix display that is updatable in the field.




Hmmm now i am tempted to change my order to the new chassis ... But probably means my place in the queue will be dead last ... Sigh ... Decisions decisions ...


----------



## llama_egg

Man, I'm gone for a couple weeks and I feel like I've missed a mountain of info. Are they now offering the ability to change the chassis with any variation? Different display on new case?
  
 As much as I can't wait for my Xfi, I find it crazy hard to find out what's going on with the project if you miss more then a couple days.


----------



## mscott58

llama_egg said:


> Man, I'm gone for a couple weeks and I feel like I've missed a mountain of info. Are they now offering the ability to change the chassis with any variation? Different display on new case?
> 
> As much as I can't wait for my Xfi, I find it crazy hard to find out what's going on with the project if you miss more then a couple days.


 
 Only option on chassis change is with the Infinity I'm afraid.


----------



## longbowbbs

I like the old chassis because I HAVE my Infinity...


----------



## AxelCloris

I have my GO SE and HPA V181 to keep me company while I wait.


----------



## miceblue

> Hey Pulse Backers!
> 
> We’re incredibly pleased to announce that _*EVERY*_ configuration of Pulse DAC is now shipping! Yes, even Pulse Sfi
> 
> ...


----------



## mscott58

Any guesses on what's behind door #2? 
  
 Also what's on the wall behind the Pulse chassis in the first picture? They're always putting things in the backgrounds in their pictures and videos...
  
 Cheers


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> Any guesses on what's behind door #2?
> 
> Also what's on the wall behind the Pulse chassis in the first picture? They're always putting things in the backgrounds in their pictures and videos...
> 
> Cheers


 
 After I tour their facility in July I won't be able to post here for a year!


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> After I tour their facility in July I won't be able to post here for a year!




Them's rough terms.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > After I tour their facility in July I won't be able to post here for a year!
> ...


 
 I will try and cope...


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> After I tour their facility in July I won't be able to post here for a year!


 
 You're good at biting your tongue Eric! 
  
 Had to do the same on the V2 for a while as well...


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > After I tour their facility in July I won't be able to post here for a year!
> ...


 
 Michael I will keep a scorecard of guesses vs actual.....


----------



## atsq17

mscott58 said:


> Any guesses on what's behind door #2?
> 
> Also what's on the wall behind the Pulse chassis in the first picture? They're always putting things in the backgrounds in their pictures and videos...
> 
> Cheers


 
  
 I bet it's the Geek Out V2 Infinity.


----------



## Semont

mscott58 said:


> Any guesses on what's behind door #2?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


I have my money on the Verb V2. 300 MSRP but selling for the backer's price of 100 and it'll sound like a 50 dollar iem.


----------



## greenkiwi

atsq17 said:


> I bet it's the Geek Out V2 Infinity.


 
 that isn't really a secret...


----------



## greenkiwi

I like the new look.  My two thoughts are:
  

It's a bummer that it is 10.5" wide, not 8.5" (or half of a standard unit width)
I hope they are able to remove the little black tabs that go behind the volume knob (or make them look less like an afterthought.)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

longbowbbs said:


> After I tour their facility in July I won't be able to post here for a year!


 
  
 Then post it elsewhere (w/ a link)


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Knowing how Geek does things, I'm waiting till the last door to buy anything.


----------



## Wenus2

Based on the clue, I'm guessing door #2 is a Stream. Which is now based on the GOv2 and supposedly coming to market soon. There were not many backers of the stream, so it makes sense that they try and sell some more of them before they enter production.


----------



## nudd

that new chassis looks so much bigger now I am inclined to keep the old chassis because it is much more desktop friendly ...


----------



## hemtmaker

+1



nudd said:


> that new chassis looks so much bigger now I am inclined to keep the old chassis because it is much more desktop friendly ...


----------



## Drsparis

But... User updatable display firmware!


----------



## ejong7

New chassis, new dimensions >>>>> what's the new weight then?


----------



## hemtmaker

drsparis said:


> But... User updatable display firmware!



I know... but it a dac/amp. What else is there to update?


----------



## ejong7

And also. No news about the LPS chassis, which would actually be the deal maker/breaker for me. If they're not changing it I could live with no updates on my display.......... I guess.


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> And also. No news about the LPS chassis, which would actually be the deal maker/breaker for me. If they're not changing it I could live with no updates on my display.......... I guess.


 
  
 Larry has said that the team is working on a new LPS body to match the rest of the lineup but there is no estimate for when that'll be available. It will be possible to send back an old body LPS and swap it into the new enclosure but again there's update as to when that will happen.
  
 I have an original LPS4 that will eventually be sent back for the plastic surgery. She's getting on in years and I find myself drawn by the allure of the younger ladies in the market.


----------



## nicolo

I will also be sending the LPS, not only for the new chassis but also hoping that any potential ground loop (buzzing) issues will be fixed.


----------



## FlySweep

nudd said:


> that new chassis looks so much bigger now I am inclined to keep the old chassis because it is much more desktop friendly ...


 
  
 Yep.. I agree.. the new chassis seems notably wider than the old chassis.  I prefer a stack that's sleek and low profile more than one that's 'sexier' (and bulky).
  


ejong7 said:


> And also. No news about the LPS chassis, which would actually be the deal maker/breaker for me. If they're not changing it I could live with no updates on my display.......... I guess.


 
  
 If the Infinity (in the old chassis) ships with the latest display/firmware (and it's bug free), I'm content.  If (future) display firmware upgrades are purely aesthetic, it's of little concern to me.  The display seems to offer little info (that's going to be _vitally_ important), anyways.


----------



## bhazard

I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about being excited that all Pulse models are actually starting to ship. I assume they mean new chassis Infinity's too. I hope that's what they meant. Would love to see it arrive within the next few weeks.


----------



## pedalhead

bhazard said:


> I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about being excited that all Pulse models are actually starting to ship. I assume they mean new chassis Infinity's too. I hope that's what they meant. Would love to see it arrive within the next few weeks.


 
  
 I highly doubt it includes the new chassis Infinity, although I'm VERY happy to be corrected!


----------



## AxelCloris

bhazard said:


> I'm surprised no one has mentioned anything about being excited that all Pulse models are actually starting to ship. I assume they mean new chassis Infinity's too. I hope that's what they meant. Would love to see it arrive within the next few weeks.


 
  


pedalhead said:


> I highly doubt it includes the new chassis Infinity, although I'm VERY happy to be corrected!


 
  
 New chassis Pulse are not shipping at this time.


----------



## jonbernard

mscott58 said:


> Any guesses on what's behind door #2?


 
  
 Something that will decrease the resale value of our yet-to-be-received Pulses.


----------



## pedalhead

jonbernard said:


> mscott58 said:
> 
> 
> > Any guesses on what's behind door #2?
> ...


 
  
 Pulse v2?  That's beneath even the LH marketing machine....isn't it?  One can only imagine the riots that would ensue on the interwebs as a result


----------



## ejong7

pedalhead said:


> Pulse v2?  That's beneath even the LH marketing machine....isn't it?  One can only imagine the riots that would ensue on the interwebs as a result


 

 Someone somewhere said it MIGHT be the (new?) Geek Stream. No basis whatsoever. But makes a little sense though. I don't think they crazy enough to announce Pulse 2.


----------



## greenkiwi

Behind door 2... or 3... or 4... a geek nano... with a lightning connector for directly connecting to ones iPhone.  100mw or maybe 450mw.  Not all class A since it would pull power from the iPhone/iPad.  Super slim and small.  Not lots of different options since size is the most important thing here.
  
 (At least that is what I want.)


----------



## ejong7

How bout a Geek LPS 2 with new chassis with changing LEDs  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ........ and everything else the same.


----------



## ejong7

greenkiwi said:


> Behind door 2... or 3... or 4... a geek nano... with a lightning connector for directly connecting to ones iPhone.  100mw or maybe 450mw.  Not all class A since it would pull power from the iPhone/iPad.  Super slim and small.  Not lots of different options since size is the most important thing here.
> 
> (At least that is what I want.)


 

 So more like a Geek Stream Nano? I'm down with that.


----------



## mscott58

Or Geek Case - like a Geek version of the Skyn.


----------



## AxelCloris

Were the GO V2 Signature Edition renders posted before? They're there now and I don't remember seeing them previously. That could be today's announcement based on the hints that were shared before.
  

  


> Here's a hint about tomorrow. If you thought Geek Out V2 was slick, wait until you see what's behind door number two.


----------



## Wenus2

Ding ding ding


----------



## HiFiRobot

axelcloris said:


> Were the GO V2 Signature Edition renders posted before? They're there now and I don't remember seeing them previously. That could be today's announcement based on the hints that were shared before.


 
  
 No they were not. Also the text has been changed. We will probably have V2 Sig pricing soon.
  
 Edit: There it is. $499 for the Signature.
  
  
*Geek Out V2 Signature Edition*

Our first version of the Geek Out SE was so wildly well received we had a hard time even attempting to one up it.  However, Larry has once again outdone himself again.  These are limited edition (only 40 are being made) Geek Out V2’s that are hand-pimped by Larry Ho.* Twenty are available for pre-sale now,* four are being given away to the top referrers from this pre-sale event, two are reserved for Larry & Gavin, and the rest are being held back. You can check the comparison chart below for specs and details.

Geek Out V2 SE Upgrades:


Dual Femto Clocks
Hand Matched DAC IC


----------



## ejong7

hifirobot said:


> No they were not. Also the text has been changed. We will probably have V2 Sig pricing soon.
> 
> Edit: There it is. $499 for the Signature.
> 
> ...


 

 Ok. Really hate the fact I got the GO100 in January now.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

hifirobot said:


> No they were not. Also the text has been changed. We will probably have V2 Sig pricing soon.
> 
> Edit: There it is. $499 for the Signature.
> 
> ...




Not quite. It seems as though it's $499 to preorder with a $499 balance due... $998 total (plus shipping)


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> Ok. Really hate the fact I got the GO100 in January now.


 
  
 Don't feel bad. The GO v2 SE is almost half the price of the original GO SE. How do you think WE feel? 
  
 Edit: Ok, it's a little bit more, but that makes sense. The GO SE is better than the base Pulse so a $998 GO v2 SE seems in line with that.


----------



## ejong7

Please Note: $224 balance will be due prior to shipment on Geek Out V2 & the *$499 balance* will be due prior to shipment of Geek Out V2 Signature Edition 
  
 Ok I don't feel as bad anymore. That's money for a Pulse now!


----------



## ejong7

axelcloris said:


> Don't feel bad. The GO v2 SE is almost half the price of the original GO SE. How do you think WE feel?


 

 Well seems like it's almost the same as its $998 without shipping


----------



## HiFiRobot

Ooops might have read to fast then. Is it really $998 ?
 I can only make out $499 on the webpage
 http://marketplace.lhlabs.com/collections/portable-audio/products/geek-out-v2-usb-dac-headphone-amplifier


----------



## AxelCloris

hifirobot said:


> Ooops might have read to fast then. Is it really $998 ?
> I can only make out $499 on the webpage
> http://marketplace.lhlabs.com/collections/portable-audio/products/geek-out-v2-usb-dac-headphone-amplifier


 
  
 It talks about the remainder that's due before delivery in the overview section.


----------



## nudd

axelcloris said:


> It talks about the remainder that's due before delivery in the overview section.




But the site says you pay only $1 for the pre order. So doesn't that mean the total price is $225 for normal and $500 for SE?

Anyway it is not on indiegogo so their normal return policy applies I presume.

Also will warranties be transferable?


----------



## vhsownsbeta

nudd said:


> But the site says you pay only $1 for the pre order. So doesn't that mean the total price is $225 for normal and $500 for SE?
> 
> Anyway it is not on indiegogo so their normal return policy applies I presume.
> 
> Also will warranties be transferable?




$998 plus shipping, confirmed.

http://lhlabs.com/force/products-geek-out-v2/4028-geek-out-v2-discussion?start=100#64291


----------



## chartwell85

nudd said:


> But the site says you pay only $1 for the pre order. So doesn't that mean the total price is $225 for normal and $500 for SE?
> 
> Anyway it is not on indiegogo so their normal return policy applies I presume.
> 
> Also will warranties be transferable?


 

 Pre- Order is $499 down and $499 prior to delivery = $998 total
  

  


 Return policy is valid for all products purchased from our website.  
  
 No transferable warranties.


----------



## atsq17

wenus2 said:


> Based on the clue, I'm guessing door #2 is a Stream. Which is now based on the GOv2 and supposedly coming to market soon. There were not many backers of the stream, so it makes sense that they try and sell some more of them before they enter production.


 
  
 Well, my guess was closer.


----------



## krikor

chartwell85 said:


> No transferable warranties.


 
  
 Question which I'm not sure if this has been covered elsewhere at some point (I've not seen it anywhere):
  
 Does the warranty apply only to the person who actually purchases the product, or to the first person that registers the product/warranty, ie,, send in a completed warranty card (within a reasonable time period after the unit is sold of course)? I believe the latter is the industry norm.
  
 This has implications for those of us who may be giving or receiving your products as a gift.


----------



## pedalhead

krikor said:


> chartwell85 said:
> 
> 
> > No transferable warranties.
> ...


 
  
  
 Bit of a sore point this one.  After some backtracking from LH, it was made clear that the warranty is only good for the person who actually buys the product.  Or at least, that's how it was the last time I saw the subject come up....it's possible it's changed (again).


----------



## Maelob

Confused with the whole chasis thing on the infinity , is it too late to change for the new chasis?


----------



## wingsounds13

Shouldn't be too late. Just log in to the new survey and enter a configuration with the new chassis. After the new one is added then delete the old one. Change completed.

J.P.


----------



## Maelob

sorry whats the link to the new survey, I think I have the old one.
  
 thanks for the help


----------



## Anaximandros

Here you go. 
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/index.php?option=com_geekpulse


----------



## wingsounds13

http://bit.ly/lhlabssurvey


----------



## nudd

So I think I will stick to the old chassis given the new one is just stupidly big and makes no sense to me given I want to put it on a desktop with already limited space. Is there any way to find out where we are on the shipping queue?


----------



## Mannytorres

mscott58 said:


> Any guesses on what's behind door #2?
> 
> Also what's on the wall behind the Pulse chassis in the first picture? They're always putting things in the backgrounds in their pictures and videos...
> 
> Cheers


 

 Those are not pictures there acoustic panels for when LH Labs want to take a moment and do some listening.


----------



## hemtmaker

Hi LHLAB team,

Please change the inner panel color to silver or grey for a more modern look (just like what the original design was). The white color just looks terrible!




greenkiwi said:


> I like the new look.  My two thoughts are:
> 
> 
> It's a bummer that it is 10.5" wide, not 8.5" (or half of a standard unit width)
> I hope they are able to remove the little black tabs that go behind the volume knob (or make them look less like an afterthought.)


----------



## Drsparis

I second this! Also any news on a possible new LPS chassis or a longer wire to hide the LPS!!!


----------



## Maelob

I opened a trouble ticket for the survey link and Gina responded really fast, looks like the new trouble ticket system is working good.  Keep it up,
 thanks


----------



## Ostrichcized

I did the same and had a response in about 5 minutes. Unfortunately, it seems that buying 4 Geek Out v2's yourself won't get you free shipping or a single upgrade to the infinity version...the purchases have to be done through the referral link. I guess I'll find out how long it takes to cancel an order now.


----------



## snip3r77

Who is the lucky dude who owns the XFi+LPS and an LCD-x? 
Can I trouble you to provide an impression? Cheers


----------



## Maelob

Good luck


----------



## nudd

maelob said:


> Good luck




Well he ordered from the web site so he should be able to return them in any case no questions asked after dispatch.


----------



## kothganesh

snip3r77 said:


> Who is the lucky dude who owns the XFi+LPS and an LCD-x?
> Can I trouble you to provide an impression? Cheers


 
 I do and I posted a bit earlier on. Give me the weekend and I'll post some.


----------



## atsq17

snip3r77 said:


> Who is the lucky dude who owns the XFi+LPS and an LCD-x?
> Can I trouble you to provide an impression? Cheers


 
  
 I got that combo. It sounds great. 
  
  
 Anything specific you want to know?


----------



## atsq17

hemtmaker said:


> Hi LHLAB team,
> 
> Please change the inner panel color to silver or grey for a more modern look (just like what the original design was). The white color just looks terrible!


 
  
 I thought that it was silver but just appeared white because of the photo. I had no idea it was actually white LOL. I'd be curious to see how it looks in real life. From the photo the contrast does seem a bit excessive.


----------



## snip3r77

atsq17 said:


> I got that combo. It sounds great.
> 
> 
> Anything specific you want to know?




How does the geek pulse amp section compared to Burson Soloist SL & Bottlehead Crack?


----------



## hoo7h

atsq17 said:


> I got that combo. It sounds great.
> 
> 
> Anything specific you want to know?


 
 Questions attack!
 Can I ask about your opinion in Xfi compared to your other dacs?


----------



## miceblue

Here's a question for current Pulse X users. Balanced vs unbalanced, is there a difference in sound with the same headphone?


----------



## kothganesh

snip3r77 said:


> How does the geek pulse amp section compared to Burson Soloist SL & Bottlehead Crack?


 

 I've got both those amps as well. Briefly put, I like the XFI amp in balanced mode with all planars. Did not like it that much in SE mode and when using the high impedance Senn HPs (HD 800 to be precise). So using the dac section with the BH Crack for the 800. A much better SQ.
  
 Actually I have the Burson Soloist. Since it is only SE, I don't use it that much at all.


----------



## kothganesh

miceblue said:


> Here's a question for current Pulse X users. Balanced vs unbalanced, is there a difference in sound with the same headphone?


 

 Balanced mode using the filter for the femtoclocks gives me the best sound from my HPs.
  
 Oops, I have the XFI so this might not be a relevant answer. Apologies.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

Just a heads up regarding the Geek Out V2 campaign (I know this is a Pulse thread but there have been a number of posts about the V2 reorder here already). LH have quietly rescinded the 'free shipping' offer for people who preorder V2 by using your referral code.


----------



## chartwell85

vhsownsbeta said:


> Just a heads up regarding the Geek Out V2 campaign (I know this is a Pulse thread but there have been a number of posts about the V2 reorder here already). LH have quietly rescinded the 'free shipping' offer for people who preorder V2 by using your referral code.


 
  
 We did? First I heard of it and I'm the one who created it.  
  
 And I think you hit every thread with the same false message now....


----------



## vhsownsbeta

chartwell85 said:


> We did? First I heard of it and I'm the one who created it.
> 
> And I think you hit every thread with the same false message now....




According to a support thread with Gina. I am happy to be corrected if this is not the case.



Edit: response here http://www.head-fi.org/t/677263/light-harmonic-geek/1560#post_11542273


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Wow on all three threads?


----------



## vhsownsbeta

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Wow on all three threads?




Geek Out V2 preorder has been discussed in three threads. It seemed relevant. Moving on...


----------



## Decoy

I would like to know if there is an estimate for when they will start shipping Pulses in the new chassis.  I know they have the sample, but do they have enough chassis to start shipping soon?  (Did you know the plural of chassis is chassis?)


----------



## mandrake50

decoy said:


> I would like to know if there is an estimate for when they will start shipping Pulses in the new chassis.  I know they have the sample, but do they have enough chassis to start shipping soon?  (Did you know the plural of chassis is chassis?)


 

 I think that there are quite a few of us that have significant sums of money in LHLs coffers would like to know the answer to the same question.
 They don't appear to be very forthcoming with that information.


----------



## uncola

this got lost in the shuffle but larry posted a little bit on his design process for dacs/amps and what choices you have to make when choosing components etc
  
 http://www.lhlabs.com/blog/our-design-philosophy-and-principles.html


----------



## Ultimate Mango

The shipment dates for the Pulse just keep slipping and slipping. A month ago (four weeks) was quoted a four to six week timeframe to receive me Xfi. Now I am told it is at least four weeks out, and was told there are 230 people ahead of me in line for shipment. 

Between this and the fact that I have personally seen a Pulse blow out headphones because of the bug that causes the pulse to output maximum volume when plugging in a set of headphones, I think I am done. It's a shame, but I don't even want to see an LH Labs product on my desk or in my bag any more.

I can only hope that LH Labs honors their refund policy. Casey and Gavin, I'm looking at you.


----------



## frank2908

ultimate mango said:


> The shipment dates for the Pulse just keep slipping and slipping. A month ago (four weeks) was quoted a four to six week timeframe to receive me Xfi. Now I am told it is at least four weeks out, and was told there are 230 people ahead of me in line for shipment.
> 
> Between this and the fact that I have personally seen a Pulse blow out headphones because of the bug that causes the pulse to output maximum volume when plugging in a set of headphones, I think I am done. It's a shame, but I don't even want to see an LH Labs product on my desk or in my bag any more.
> 
> I can only hope that LH Labs honors their refund policy. Casey and Gavin, I'm looking at you.


 
 I opened a ticket and got a reply saying there is 20 people ahead of me on the xfi queue, that was 8 wks ago (march 9th) . then opened a ticket again and got a reply on april 5th saying there is still 20th peple ahead of me, so the situation is really bad. Especially seeing on lhlabs website the shipping progress for XFI is now 40%, and with the new infinity, geek out v2 .... I lost my patience long time ago


----------



## purk

uncola said:


> this got lost in the shuffle but larry posted a little bit on his design process for dacs/amps and what choices you have to make when choosing components etc
> 
> http://www.lhlabs.com/blog/our-design-philosophy-and-principles.html


 
 It is all great, but it means absolutely nothing if you can't deliver your product in a timely manner.  Note that several of us ordered the Geek Pulse Xs and the wait time is over 18 months now.  This is not a BHSE we are talking about here.  By the time we get our DAC/Amp, it will likely be obsolete.


----------



## atsq17

snip3r77 said:


> How does the geek pulse amp section compared to Burson Soloist SL & Bottlehead Crack?


 
  
 I haven't owned the Soloist SL for some time but I remember it being good for mid-fi usage. Especially good with MrSpeakers Mad Dog 3.2 and HD650 but not with my T1. I haven't tried it with the LCD-X. 
  
 The amp section of the Pulse XFi is very impressive for a "built in" unit. It's comparable to a good mid-fi amp and for the LCD-X, provides plenty of power and good sound quality. The Crack cannot drive the LCD-X so there's no valid comparison there but the T1 sounded very good from the Pulse XFi. 
  
 My friend believes that his HD800 sounded just as good from the XFi headphone out as it does from his NFB 1.32 and Bottlehead Crack. He states that when using the XFi as a DAC and the Crack as the amp, it's EVEN better. 
  
 Although the T1s sound fantastic from the XFi, I actually prefer to use the XFi for my LCD-X and my Crack for the T1. It's actually almost at a level where the quality is so good that it's more of a flavor thing. 
  
 My partner has an Alpha Prime and she believes the XFi headphone out can match her NFB 1.32 with balanaced silver XLR to Schiit Mjolnir (a combo she absolutely loves). 
  
  
  
  


hoo7h said:


> Questions attack!
> Can I ask about your opinion in Xfi compared to your other dacs?


 
  
 Clearly superior to all my other DACs. The filters also allow a small flavor modification which can be tailored to preferences. I find myself liking the TCM default filter even more than the FTM femto one despite having burnt in the unit by running it every single day for over a month.  
 Some of the thoughts stated above should give you some details as to how it performs as a standalone DAC compared to my other units.


----------



## snip3r77

atsq17 said:


> I haven't owned the Soloist SL for some time but I remember it being good for mid-fi usage. Especially good with MrSpeakers Mad Dog 3.2 and HD650 but not with my T1. I haven't tried it with the LCD-X.
> 
> The amp section of the Pulse XFi is very impressive for a "built in" unit. It's comparable to a good mid-fi amp and for the LCD-X, provides plenty of power and good sound quality. The Crack cannot drive the LCD-X so there's no valid comparison there but the T1 sounded very good from the Pulse XFi.
> 
> ...




WOW thanks for the review. You get good sub-bass, slams and dynamics from the Geek ?


----------



## doublea71

frank2908 said:


> I opened a ticket and got a reply saying there is 20 people ahead of me on the xfi queue, that was 8 wks ago (march 9th) . then opened a ticket again and got a reply on april 5th saying there is still 20th peple ahead of me, so the situation is really bad. Especially seeing on lhlabs website the shipping progress for XFI is now 40%, and with the new infinity, geek out v2 .... I lost my patience long time ago


 

 I'm sure the refrain "this is the nature of crowdfunding" is getting a bit tiresome...some people are okay with zero accountability, apparently.


----------



## Decoy

decoy said:


> I would like to know if there is an estimate for when they will start shipping Pulses in the new chassis. I know they have the sample, but do they have enough chassis to start shipping soon? (Did you know the plural of chassis is chassis?)






mandrake50 said:


> I think that there are quite a few of us that have significant sums of money in LHLs coffers would like to know the answer to the same question.
> They don't appear to be very forthcoming with that information.




Hey Casey, 

In the spirit of a more open and transparent relationship with the Force, could you give us an idea of the status of the new chassis? Have you gotten a shipment of the new chassis in yet or are you still working with the prototype? Do you have any idea when you will start manufacturing the Infinities or shipping them (in the new chassis, of course)?

Another question: I have done my survey and all my IGG perks are listed. However, I had a few perks that were directly invoiced to me that are not listed. I opened a ticket to try to get them added but I was told that all those perks were in the "backend" and would be added later. When will this stuff be added so we can make sure everything matches? If there are discrepancies, will we be contacted? 

I have read posts about people getting shipments of products that didn't match what they had entered into the survey. I would hope an order would not be shipped if your records did not agree with what the person had entered in the survey.

Thanks!


----------



## nudd

decoy said:


> Hey Casey,
> 
> In the spirit of a more open and transparent relationship with the Force, could you give us an idea of the status of the new chassis? Have you gotten a shipment of the new chassis in yet or are you still working with the prototype? Do you have any idea when you will start manufacturing the Infinities or shipping them my(in the new chassis, of course)?
> 
> ...




Hi I think you should just add all the missing perks in the options and put it in the shipping comments as well. That way you have it on the record. For example my survey is not clear I backed the infinity, so I chose pulse x and the infinity perk manually so when they look at my survey they can see what I actually backed. I even put in the free 1G cable and 2G cable because I wanted to sure they know I was part of the initial funding campaign and not the forever funding campaign which for some weird reason all my contributions are listed under ...


----------



## Decoy

nudd said:


> Hi I think you should just add all the missing perks in the options and put it in the shipping comments as well. That way you have it on the record. For example my survey is not clear I backed the infinity, so I chose pulse x and the infinity perk manually so when they look at my survey they can see what I actually backed. I even put in the free 1G cable and 2G cable because I wanted to sure they know I was part of the initial funding campaign and not the forever funding campaign which for some weird reason all my contributions are listed under ...


 
 You misunderstand what I am asking.  I know that I can put in any perks I want.  And I have put in all my perks.  I am asking about the list of perks that LHL lists on the survey page.  The missing perks are in their "backend," and I want to know when they will input all this data into the survey so I can see what LHL's records say I have.  My concern is that they will ship incorrect items to me.  This has happened to a few people who have posted on various forums.  They had entered everything they backed into the survey, but it did not match LHL's records, and LHL shipped the order anyway.  I want to ensure that this doesn't happen to me.
  
 It seems silly that they haven't input all this data yet.  Are we going to have to do another round of surveys?  I opened a ticket to try to get them to manually input my missing perks that had been invoiced to me previously just to get everything to match, but they said they could not do it.  They said they were going to enter all these extra orders later.


----------



## wingsounds13

decoy said:


> You misunderstand what I am asking.  I know that I can put in any perks I want.  And I have put in all my perks.  I am asking about the list of perks that LHL lists on the survey page.  The missing perks are in their "backend," and I want to know when they will input all this data into the survey so I can see what LHL's records say I have.  My concern is that they will ship incorrect items to me.  This has happened to a few people who have posted on various forums.  They had entered everything they backed into the survey, but it did not match LHL's records, and LHL shipped the order anyway.  I want to ensure that this doesn't happen to me




The point of the survey is ultimately for you to tell LH Labs what they are supposed to ship to you. Certainly there have been errors in the past with shipments not agreeing with THE OLD SURVEY. The new survey has much more detail than the old one recorded. Once they implement the new survey into their shipping process they should ship only what YOU have entered in your survey. The backend information is no longer shipping information, ONLY a record of how much you have paid. If the backend data that they have associated with your account is incomplete and they do not show sufficient funds for the products that you have entered in your survey they will certainly contact you before shipping product. You should have records of all campaign contributions and any PayPal transactions as well. If you don't have such records logged in one place yet you should do so immediately so you can send them a copy should they need some guidance in finding the information in their records.

J.P.


----------



## atsq17

snip3r77 said:


> WOW thanks for the review. You get good sub-bass, slams and dynamics from the Geek ?


 
  
 Yes. Excellent bass slam and sub-bass extension. 
  
 If anyone cares, I'm using the Lightspeed 2G USB Cable.


----------



## snip3r77

atsq17 said:


> I haven't owned the Soloist SL for some time but I remember it being good for mid-fi usage. Especially good with MrSpeakers Mad Dog 3.2 and HD650 but not with my T1. I haven't tried it with the LCD-X.
> 
> The amp section of the Pulse XFi is very impressive for a "built in" unit. It's comparable to a good mid-fi amp and for the LCD-X, provides plenty of power and good sound quality. The Crack cannot drive the LCD-X so there's no valid comparison there but the T1 sounded very good from the Pulse XFi.
> 
> ...




Would you also summarize that the Geek and the LCDX is a great combo? Anyone has this would be pretty happy with it? Match made in heaven kind of thing?


----------



## atsq17

I wouldn't make such a claim because I've only tried a limited number of setups. However I can tell you that it sounds very very good. 
  
 Everyone who I've allowed to test the XFi have said it sounds fantastic. These people own/have owned Bottlehead Crack, Audio GD NFB-1, Schiit Mjolnir, Burson 160 and Soloist. 
  
 Headphones we tested with XFi which all paired well: HD800, T1, LCD-X, Alpha Prime.


----------



## earfonia

atsq17 said:


> I wouldn't make such a claim because I've only tried a limited number of setups. However I can tell you that it sounds very very good.
> 
> Everyone who I've allowed to test the XFi have said it sounds fantastic. These people own/have owned Bottlehead Crack, Audio GD NFB-1, Schiit Mjolnir, Burson 160 and Soloist.
> 
> Headphones we tested with XFi which all paired well: HD800, T1, LCD-X, Alpha Prime.




Thanks for the impression! Gives me some hope to endure the extra long waiting time


----------



## snip3r77

atsq17 said:


> I wouldn't make such a claim because I've only tried a limited number of setups. However I can tell you that it sounds very very good.
> 
> Everyone who I've allowed to test the XFi have said it sounds fantastic. These people own/have owned Bottlehead Crack, Audio GD NFB-1, Schiit Mjolnir, Burson 160 and Soloist.
> 
> Headphones we tested with XFi which all paired well: HD800, T1, LCD-X, Alpha Prime.




Thanks for the impression


----------



## AxelCloris

So there were two Pulse Infinity at AXPONA, one powering both the HiFiMan HE1000 and the other a MrSpeakers Ether. I have to say that both headphones were driven well by the Pulse Infinity. Show conditions what they are I can't comment on the fine sound quality but I will say that this is the first time I'd heard an Infinity and I'm looking forward to pairing it with my headphones when mine eventually arrives. LH Labs still has one of the best implementations of the ESS DAC that I've heard and the K2M was in probably 60-65% of devices at the show. That says a lot about the technical skill of Larry and his team.
  
 I will say that several people made comments to me about the overall feel when using the Pulse and it's interesting to see that most people felt the same way about it that I did. People are saying that it's slow to respond when changing volume. That's thanks to the quarter step increments not showing on the display. It's tough for some to hear only a 0.25 dB step in controlled environments and next to impossible in show conditions. Another complaint was about how volume didn't scale fast enough when making large turns of the knob. That's also something I felt could be improved in the firmware.
  
 I will say this much, if you have a Pulse on order and you're like me and eyeing the HE1000 then don't think that you need to buy a massive amp to power the headphones; the Pulse Infinity will do a fine job by itself. And if you do happen to have a beefier amp go ahead and pair it with the Infinity, you'll enjoy the results even more. Larry teased that he was going to test the HPA with his HD 800 and, you might have guessed, the HE1000. I'll just sit here and twiddle my thumbs while I wait for early impressions.


----------



## ejong7

axelcloris said:


> LH Labs still has one of the best implementations of the ESS DAC that I've heard and the *K2M* was in probably 60-65% of devices at the show. That says a lot about the technical skill of Larry and his team.


 
 Isn't the Infinity with the Q2M? The implementation + the chip type might be why its better.


----------



## doctorjazz

Good to hear, expecting the Vi tube something-or-other (who knows what I'm in for in the end), and the HE-1000, (and a Liquid Carbon), sounds like I don't need much else...
Not sure I'll be able to make the NY meet this Saturday, going to try, hoping some of these will be there to audition.


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> Isn't the Infinity with the Q2M? The implementation + the chip type might be why its better.


 
  
 Yes the Infinity has the AQ2M chip. But nobody else is using that chip yet so there was literally nothing to direct compare on the floor, the K2M was the closest thing available. And when I was listening to the chip implementation on other devices I was using my sonic memory of the one in my GO SE that I use regularly. It's a sound with which I'm very familiar.


----------



## ejong7

axelcloris said:


> Yes the Infinity has the AQ2M chip. But nobody else is using that chip yet so there was literally nothing to direct compare on the floor, the K2M was the closest thing available. And when I was listening to the chip implementation on other devices I was using my sonic memory of the one in my GO SE that I use regularly. It's a sound with which I'm very familiar.


 

 Fair enough. Would like to see how the Q2M's face off in different implementations. THe only i can think of is the Infinity vs GO V2


----------



## nudd

ejong7 said:


> Isn't the Infinity with the Q2M? The implementation + the chip type might be why its better.




Actually it comes in two variants. K2M and Q2M. Backers could choose.


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> Fair enough. Would like to see how the Q2M's face off in different implementations. THe only i can think of is the Infinity vs GO V2


 
  
 There will be maxed out Waves with and without the AQ2M. I'd like to compare mine against another equally upgraded model that stuck with the K2M when they ship.


----------



## snip3r77

axelcloris said:


> So there were two Pulse Infinity at AXPONA, one powering both the HiFiMan HE1000 and the other a MrSpeakers Ether. I have to say that both headphones were driven well by the Pulse Infinity. Show conditions what they are I can't comment on the fine sound quality but I will say that this is the first time I'd heard an Infinity and I'm looking forward to pairing it with my headphones when mine eventually arrives. LH Labs still has one of the best implementations of the ESS DAC that I've heard and the K2M was in probably 60-65% of devices at the show. That says a lot about the technical skill of Larry and his team.
> 
> I will say that several people made comments to me about the overall feel when using the Pulse and it's interesting to see that most people felt the same way about it that I did. People are saying that it's slow to respond when changing volume. That's thanks to the quarter step increments not showing on the display. It's tough for some to hear only a 0.25 dB step in controlled environments and next to impossible in show conditions. Another complaint was about how volume didn't scale fast enough when making large turns of the knob. That's also something I felt could be improved in the firmware.
> 
> I will say this much, if you have a Pulse on order and you're like me and eyeing the HE1000 then don't think that you need to buy a massive amp to power the headphones; the Pulse Infinity will do a fine job by itself. And if you do happen to have a beefier amp go ahead and pair it with the Infinity, you'll enjoy the results even more. Larry teased that he was going to test the HPA with his HD 800 and, you might have guessed, the HE1000. I'll just sit here and twiddle my thumbs while I wait for early impressions.




These not powered by AQMs?


----------



## AxelCloris

snip3r77 said:


> These not powered by AQMs?


 
  
 To the best of my knowledge these were the AQ2M chip. I seem to remember Casey mentioning that the ones the vendors had were using the new chip but I forget where I read that.


----------



## chartwell85

axelcloris said:


> To the best of my knowledge these were the AQ2M chip. I seem to remember Casey mentioning that the ones the vendors had were using the new chip but I forget where I read that.


 

 They are using the new AQ2M chip.


----------



## Mannytorres

The Infinity at the show used the new chip, two pair of TI naked resistors, and a tweaked THD  package. It sounds awesome in the office, so i am sure it sounds awesome at the show.


----------



## pauldgroot

Hey, are you guys still on route with the end of May predicitions for the X/Xfi/Sfi? I'm getting curious about my Xfi with all of the positive reviews dripping in.


----------



## Mannytorres

I took a peak into the shipping department and see about 20 Sfi and 20 Xfi (along with a ton of cables shipping as well). I do feel we will hit that mark.


----------



## ejong7

mannytorres said:


> I took a peak into the shipping department and see about 20 Sfi and 20 Xfi (along with a ton of cables shipping as well). I do feel we will hit that mark.


 

 Are the Pulses (or izit only the Infinities) shipping with their 2G cables? Cause I think Eric's only showed the 1G cable sent.


----------



## digitalzed

mannytorres said:


> I took a peak into the shipping department and see about 20 Sfi and 20 Xfi (along with a ton of cables shipping as well). I do feel we will hit that mark.


 

 Manny, any update on the new Chassis shipment for Infinity?


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> Are the Pulses (or izit only the Infinities) shipping with their 2G cables? Cause I think Eric's only showed the 1G cable sent.


 
  
 Only the first batch of infinities to get the upgrade got a free 2G cable. But Eric should be receiving a free one because I'm pretty sure he upgraded to Infinity in the first batch along with a group of others.


----------



## Mannytorres

Yeah it looks like 2G and LightSpeed Micro cables are also shipping out with Pulse units. Awesome sauce!


----------



## ejong7

axelcloris said:


> Only the first batch of infinities to get the upgrade got a free 2G cable. But Eric should be receiving a free one because I'm pretty sure he upgraded to Infinity in the first batch along with a group of others.


 

 Yeah I think this was for all Infinities before the forever funding campaign right?
  
  


mannytorres said:


> Yeah it looks like 2G and LightSpeed Micro cables are also shipping out with Pulse units. Awesome sauce!


 

 Ah so its shipping? Nice.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> I will say this much, if you have a Pulse on order and you're like me and eyeing the HE1000 then don't think that you need to buy a massive amp to power the headphones; the Pulse Infinity will do a fine job by itself.



Impossibru! Everyone knows you need speaker amps to make planar magnetic headphones "sing"! That's just common sense. > : D


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> Yeah I think this was for all Infinities before the forever funding campaign right?


 
  
 Possibly. I forget when the Forever campaign started. I went Infinity in December. I want to say that the forever campaign was active then but I could be wrong.
  


miceblue said:


> Impossibru! Everyone knows you need speaker amps to make planar magnetic headphones "sing"! That's just common sense. > : D


 
  





  
 Seriously though, I think that the Cavalli LC and Pulse HPA (going off the specs for both) could both make great amps for the HE1000. And the fact that both are around the $600 price point is great considering what the HE1000 will set you back. Of course more power almost always translates well for planars.


----------



## ejong7

axelcloris said:


> Possibly. I forget when the Forever campaign started. I went Infinity in December. I want to say that the forever campaign was active then but I could be wrong.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 AFAIK, Infinities very technically offered at the end of campaign (December-ish), well as a 0.5+0.5=1 way anyways. December 27 2014 was the last day for the actual campaign.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> Of course more power almost always translates well for planars.



Now is it more power per se, or the design of the amplifier? ; )
Someone's HE-6 recently got blown because of too much power anyway.


----------



## ejong7

miceblue said:


> Now is it more power per se, or the design of the amplifier? ; )
> Someone's HE-6 recently got blown because of too much power anyway.


 

 :O I've never heard of that happening to a HE-6 before.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Now is it more power per se, or the design of the amplifier? ; )
> Someone's HE-6 recently got blown because of too much power anyway.


 
  
 It's both! 
  


ejong7 said:


> :O I've never heard of that happening to a HE-6 before.


 
  
 Neither have I. I'm going to have to track it down. I assume this was the result of someone using a speaker amp.


----------



## pedalhead

Are you guys referring to the HE-6 that was blown at the UK meet last weekend?  If so, my understanding from the poor victim was that it was blown due to a moron (my word) deciding to remove & re-insert a DAC output cable whilst the system was playing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## wingsounds13

Unplugging and plugging an interconnect cable to a powered up amp with headphones (or speakers) connected is SPECTACULARLY STUPID! That or an expensive real beginner mistake that will never be repeated.

J.P.


----------



## pedalhead

wingsounds13 said:


> Unplugging and plugging an interconnect cable to a powered up amp with headphones (or speakers) connected is SPECTACULARLY STUPID! That or an expensive real beginner mistake that will never be repeated.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 Well, later on the same guy picked up the other HE-6 at the meet that happened to be on my table (without asking), jacked it into my Luxman speaker amp & before even putting them on his head flicked the volume up to 12 o'clock. Fortunately I was standing nearby to rescue the situation & removed the HE-6 from his hands.  Clearly a bull in a china shop.


----------



## bhazard

wingsounds13 said:


> Unplugging and plugging an interconnect cable to a powered up amp with headphones (or speakers) connected is SPECTACULARLY STUPID! That or an expensive real beginner mistake that will never be repeated.
> 
> J.P.


 
 Exactly. This action was used to demonstrate a "flaw" with a youtube reviewer's Pulse unit, and the reviewer (and his followers) expressed lots of negativity towards LH Labs because of it.
  
 Try doing the same thing to a guitar amplifer while it's cranked up and watch what happens. Common sense would tell you that you never unplug an interconnect from a live amp.


----------



## FayeForever

bhazard said:


> Exactly. This action was used to demonstrate a "flaw" with a youtube reviewer's Pulse unit, and the reviewer (and his followers) expressed lots of negativity towards LH Labs because of it.
> 
> Try doing the same thing to a guitar amplifer while it's cranked up and watch what happens. Common sense would tell you that you never unplug an interconnect from a live amp.



Do you have link for that?


----------



## wingsounds13

Okay, SPECTACULARLY STUPID it is. Moron was the correct word for your post. :-D

Hope the rest of the show was good.

J.P.


----------



## bhazard

fayeforever said:


> Do you have link for that?


 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaKwY_tohqc


----------



## pedalhead

wingsounds13 said:


> Okay, SPECTACULARLY STUPID it is. Moron was the correct word for your post. :-D
> 
> Hope the rest of the show was good.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 Fantastic thanks mate


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> It's both!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The HE1000 is rated at 90 dB SPL/mW at 35 ± 5 ohms though (0.2 Vrms/5 mA at 40 ohms, 0.17 Vrms, 5.77 mA at ), which is four times as efficient as the HE-6 and Larry himself uses the GO v2 with the HE-6 at 1 W power output into 16 ohms. I'm pretty sure the Pulse X's 14 Vrms output offers more than enough power for it (that's 4.9 W/14 Vrms/350 mA into 40 ohms, 6.5 W/14 Vrms/466.67 mA into 30 ohms, and enough to get the HE1000 to 126 dB SPL). These are with RMS values, so even if they we were using peak values, the Pulse X should perform quite comfortably given the measurements Larry has done. Heck, even the good 'ol Pulse will get the HE1000 to 120 dB SPL. I listened to DR18 music in noisy meet conditions with a calibrated system and I was averaging about 75 dB SPL on average, maybe 90 dB SPL peak. I'm quite certain more power output per se isn't going to help with anything (unless you listen to DR20+ music regularly at extremely high volume levels like at CanJam or RMAF), but the amp's design will.


And yeah, it seemed like quite an unfortunate occurrence since it was at a local meet too. That really sucks for the owner. : (


----------



## miceblue

bhazard said:


> Exactly. This action was used to demonstrate a "flaw" with a youtube reviewer's Pulse unit, and the reviewer (and his followers) expressed lots of negativity towards LH Labs because of it.
> 
> Try doing the same thing to a guitar amplifer while it's cranked up and watch what happens. Common sense would tell you that you never unplug an interconnect from a live amp.



Except a headphone/speaker isn't an interconnect and even LH Labs recommends plugging in the headphone after letting the Pulse be on first.
http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000547879-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide


> 6. Power on Geek Pulse (without headphones or any other external components connected/powered on).




And that is exactly what Lachlan did.

And furthermore the issue persisted even when the Pulse was already on and running and the headphones already plugged in.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=379862402196771


----------



## ejong7

Actually what happened to Lachlan and his Pulse. Havent heard an update after someone from the LH Labs team asked for him to contact them.


----------



## wingsounds13

bhazard said:


> Exactly. This action was used to demonstrate a "flaw" with a youtube reviewer's Pulse unit, and the reviewer (and his followers) expressed lots of negativity towards LH Labs because of it.
> 
> Try doing the same thing to a guitar amplifer while it's cranked up and watch what happens. Common sense would tell you that you never unplug an interconnect from a live amp.







bhazard said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaKwY_tohqc




Your example and link is for something entirely different. That is referring to a defective DAC that had crackles and pops with no other conditions and also for some reason had a large pop when the headphone was plugged and unplugged. Plugging a headphone into a live headphone amp should not be an issue, this is done all the time. Plugging into a live headphone amp that has signal and the volume is not turned down is a bad idea. Even worse would be unplugging or plugging in a source interconnect into a live amp with headphones connected, this is an almost guaranteed large transient and/or noise burst. 

Let's try to compare apples to apples, not bananas or elephants.

J.P.


----------



## bhazard

I keep forgetting a headphone isn't a source like a guitar is, but the output, despite the similar plug in motion.


----------



## a_recording

ejong7 said:


> Actually what happened to Lachlan and his Pulse. Havent heard an update after someone from the LH Labs team asked for him to contact them.


 

 At the moment I'm waiting to receive a replacement Takstar Pro 80 that was purchased for me by LHLabs.
  
 The replacement Geek Pulse I received is working well enough and I quite like it. On firmware version 1.4 it occasionally drops out after a few hours of use and requires a reset. Apart from that it seems to be a good unit for the price I paid, not counting the rest of this saga. I will post a review once I receive the replacement Takstar.
  
 This was the report from the technician who assessed the original faulty unit:
  
   





> *- Faulty cold solder joint on Pulse DAC*
> *- Unit does pop as stated in the User Guide but with this specific unit, it was much more pronounced.*


 
  
 The crackles and pop on my unit was certainly not the behaviour as described in the user guide, but a fault was identified and my headphones are being replaced so no real point in disputing this. Despite talk of a third party assessment of the unit by an insurance claims adjuster, it appears everything was handled in house in the end. Probably it was easier in the end to just to buy a new pair of headphones if the problem was obvious.


----------



## ejong7

a_recording said:


> At the moment I'm waiting to receive a replacement Takstar Pro 80 that was purchased for me by LHLabs.
> 
> The replacement Geek Pulse I received is working well enough and I quite like it. On firmware version 1.4 it occasionally drops out after a few hours of use and requires a reset. Apart from that it seems to be a good unit for the price I paid, not counting the rest of this saga. I will post a review once I receive the replacement Takstar.
> 
> ...


 

 Ahh okay cool thanks for sharing. Yeah was wondering cause no other videos or post updating the situation was up.


----------



## snip3r77

mannytorres said:


> I took a peak into the shipping department and see about 20 Sfi and 20 Xfi (along with a ton of cables shipping as well). I do feel we will hit that mark.




What about the Old Chassis infinities?


----------



## nudd

snip3r77 said:


> What about the Old Chassis infinities?




and wgat about the old chassis infinities with the K2M chip in particular.


----------



## pedalhead

Guys, I may have missed it, but have we had any confirmation yet that muting relays will be included on the Pulse Infinity PCB (as per the Vi DAC)?


----------



## wingsounds13

It would be nice but I do not think that the Pulse Infinity has the muting relays.

J.P.


----------



## pedalhead

Cheers JP.  Pity.


----------



## Za Warudo

For the basic Pulse, is there a way to find out which batch your contribution belongs to?


----------



## jbr1971

za warudo said:


> For the basic Pulse, is there a way to find out which batch your contribution belongs to?


 
  
 The primary differentiator to this point has been when you made your contribution. Prior to February 2014 (batch 1), or after.
  
 Jody


----------



## Za Warudo

jbr1971 said:


> The primary differentiator to this point has been when you made your contribution. Prior to February 2014 (batch 1), or after.
> 
> Jody


 
 I contributed for a basic Pulse when you guys offered the Geek Holiday payment option (3 separate $100 payments) during Dec 2013.  So far I haven't gotten any info on when mine will arrive.


----------



## Benfica1

za warudo said:


> I contributed for a basic Pulse when you guys offered the Geek Holiday payment option (3 separate $100 payments) during Dec 2013.  So far I haven't gotten any info on when mine will arrive.


 
 Same here. Contributed in November 2014.


----------



## ejong7

za warudo said:


> I contributed for a basic Pulse when you guys offered the Geek Holiday payment option (3 separate $100 payments) during Dec 2013.  So far I haven't gotten any info on when mine will arrive.


 

 Isn't this from Batch 1 then? Aren't all Batch 1's done according to Diana's chart.


----------



## HiFiRobot

My xfi has shipped. Feels unreal.


----------



## coletrain104

hifirobot said:


> My xfi has shipped. Feels unreal.


 
 sometimes I forget that I have a DAC/amp that I've purchased, but not yet received. Happy listening


----------



## miceblue

If you guys didn't get the announcement, it looks like LH Labs has developed a new standard communication protocol to allow native DSD streaming from a USB device to an asynchronous DAC. Apparently this was made to make DSD256 possible through OS X, which was previously tied down to the DSD128 protocols as defined in DSD over PCM (DoP), as well as to reduce the computing power needed.
http://lhlabs.com/force/announcements/4106-puredsd-announcement#64809

*wingsounds13* speculates that this will probably be implemented in the Pulse in a future firmware update, which ironically can't be done in OS X, the very operating system in which PureDSD was meant to go about.
http://lhlabs.com/force/techsupport-geekpulse/3898-any-confirmed-reports-of-dsd-native-over-thesycon-lh-labs-asio-for-pulse-dac-on-windows-os#64828


Keep in mind that this is only DSD streaming, not decoding, just like DoP. The ESS DACs still use multi-bit Delta-Sigma modulation to decode the DSD data, which isn't technically pure DSD (1-bit).


----------



## Mannytorres

Glad to hear you are getting your Pulse Xfi.


----------



## Decoy

I would rather LHL devote its resources to fixing the bugs in the current firmware rather than introducing more features.


----------



## purk

mannytorres said:


> Glad to hear you are getting your Pulse Xfi.


 
 Can you give me an estimate on when the Geek Pulse X will be shipped?  I was a backer from October 2013.  Thank you.


----------



## Mannytorres

Hey Purk, I cannot get your information from this forum (Not like i can from ours) can you please PM me. thank you!


----------



## snip3r77

mannytorres said:


> Hey Purk, I cannot get your information from this forum (Not like i can from ours) can you please PM me. thank you!




Can PM me also regarding the infinity ETA?


----------



## Mannytorres

Sure thing Snip3r77


----------



## FayeForever

I also want to know ETA for new chassis AQ2M infinity, thank you.


----------



## digitalzed

fayeforever said:


> I also want to know ETA for new chassis AQ2M infinity, thank you.


 

 Me, too.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

hifirobot said:


> My xfi has shipped. Feels unreal.


 
 Mind sharing when you placed your first Pulse order in the original IndieGogo campaign?


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> ejong7 said:
> 
> 
> > Are the Pulses (or izit only the Infinities) shipping with their 2G cables? Cause I think Eric's only showed the 1G cable sent.
> ...


 
 True that! I can always use another great cable.


----------



## Decoy

Manny, do you have any ideas when the infinities with the new chassis will start shipping?


----------



## pedalhead

Check out Alex Martin's *excellent update post* over on the Yggdrasil thread for a lesson in precise, transparent Schiit storm avoidance. I'm not trying to be patronising, but with a little effort LH communication could be equally as effective.


----------



## jsiegel14072

pedalhead said:


> Check out Alex Martin's *excellent update post* over on the Yggdrasil thread for a lesson in precise, transparent Schiit storm avoidance. I'm not trying to be patronising, but with a little effort LH communication could be equally as effective.


 


> *2015 Chapter 7:*
> *The Yggy Circus, Tidal Uprisings, and the Unknown Future*
> 
> April 21, 2015 is the day I am free once again.
> ...


 
 even though it was 4 years, i feel Schiit did a much better job of communicating their problems and progress.  and in the end they accomplished their goals and created a great pair!  Hats off to mike and Jason!


----------



## longbowbbs

150+ hours in, the Infinity is awesome!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> 150+ hours in, the Infinity is awesome!


 
 Sweet! Thanks Eric. Any thoughts on burn-in effects? And assume you're using the LPS? Take care


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > 150+ hours in, the Infinity is awesome!
> ...


 
 I do not have the LPS yet, Michael. They were waiting on cases for the next batch. I have been using the ∞ as a DAC with the Moon 430HA and as both a DAC/AMP. Versatile and capable. Long wait (18 months!) but I got a lot more than what I originally ordered so all is good.


----------



## bhazard

I'm psyched for my new chassis infinity. Hopefully we'll get an update soon.
  
 Hoping the Stream and Wave start shipping soon as well.


----------



## ejong7

longbowbbs said:


> I do not have the LPS yet, Michael. They were *waiting on cases for the next batch*. I have been using the ∞ as a DAC with the Moon 430HA and as both a DAC/AMP. Versatile and capable. Long wait (18 months!) but I got a lot more than what I originally ordered so all is good.


 
 This made my heart skip a beat, then I remembered yours was the old case for the Pulse  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Btw does anybody know when was the Project vs Time thing posted?


----------



## AxelCloris

bhazard said:


> I'm psyched for my new chassis infinity. Hopefully we'll get an update soon.
> 
> Hoping the Stream and Wave start shipping soon as well.


 
  
 I think the Stream is closer to delivery than the Wave is. I'm pretty sure the Wave is targeting August to start shipping. Going off information from the Stream IGG updates they expect to start shipping the Stream in the next 2-3 weeks.


----------



## snip3r77

longbowbbs said:


> 150+ hours in, the Infinity is awesome!




Tell it to puurin lol


----------



## longbowbbs

snip3r77 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > 150+ hours in, the Infinity is awesome!
> ...


 
 What is Marv's take atm? I loved his rig at CanJam!


----------



## snip3r77

longbowbbs said:


> What is Marv's take atm? I loved his rig at CanJam!



Preaching 
Ygg and r2r


----------



## longbowbbs

snip3r77 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > What is Marv's take atm? I loved his rig at CanJam!
> ...


 
 Totally get that. Plankton is the thing. Yggy is awesome. A different sound take than the ESS approach.


----------



## Totalslaughter

Hey all.
  
 Looking for a little help. I just got my GEEKPULSE S Fi the other day and set it up with the included USB cable. I downloaded and installed the software / tried it out and am pretty happy with it so far, makes it seem like I got new speakers because the sound quality and mid-low range has improved considerably.
  
 My problem / question is my highest available option to set playback to in windows is 32bit 192k although I've seen pictures / specs stating it should do 384k. So what is limiting me to 192k vs 384k, do I need to hookup with something other then USB or should 384k work over the included USB cable?
  
 One more thing too now that I think about it. I also got the LPS and am wondering is there any benefit to running the USB signal through the LPS vs directly to the PC as I currently have it since I only have the one included USB cable. As well is the included USB cable adequate for the DAC and where can I get a 2nd one from if I end up wanting to run the signal through the LPS prior to the DAC?
  
 Thanks a lot. New to all this. I've always appreciated HiFi audio setups but was never in my budget before now so looking to learn a little and make the most of my new setup.
  
 ~Tim


----------



## Chefano

Ive just remembered that " I have a Pulse"  that I still don't have it… and don't know  when Im going to have it.
 But I'm so in love with my ZX2 and so excited about a real game changer DAC that I truly don't care anymore


----------



## nudd

what is this real game changer DAC that you are talking about? Care to share ?


----------



## Chefano

nudd said:


> what is this real game changer DAC that you are talking about? Care to share ?


 

 All the initial excitement about Pulse, about the upgrades.. but after all those delays and excuses I truly don't care when Im going to receive it, when that time comes,  I will sell it. In my view, LH  too much talk too less result.
 The game changer is called Yggdrasil, no fentoclocks, no special resistors, no DSD  but true engineering applied for true PCM DAC. No SigmaDelta b$#ˆ%Yggdrasil


----------



## doctorjazz

As one who is waiting for a Vi Tube SE (or whatever they call it these days), Wave, Source, it's always good to get some feedback on how good these things actually sound once one finally receives them. Still very happy with the Geek Out Special Edition, the sound of the gear goes a long way to soothing hard feelings over the long waits imo


----------



## miceblue

chefano said:


> All the initial excitement about Pulse, about the upgrades.. but after all those delays and excuses I truly don't care when Im going to receive it, when that time comes,  I will sell it. In my view, LH  too much talk too less result.
> The game changer is called Yggdrasil, no fentoclocks, no special resistors, no DSD  but true engineering applied for true PCM DAC. No SigmaDelta b$#ˆ%



Er, the Yggdrasil is a R-2R DAC, so it relies on high-precision resistors to even work properly. XD


----------



## Chefano

miceblue said:


> Er, the Yggdrasil is a R-2R DAC, so it relies on high-precisions resistor to even work properly. XD


 
  
 Thats Analog devices business, no the final manufacturer 
 Just an addendum.. 5 years of transferable warranty


----------



## nudd

Also it would be helpful if Manny can come back on shipping  status of pulse infinities (old chassis, old chip, new chassis new chip and combinations thereof)


----------



## Ethereal Sound

totalslaughter said:


> Hey all.
> 
> Looking for a little help. I just got my GEEKPULSE S Fi the other day and set it up with the included USB cable. I downloaded and installed the software / tried it out and am pretty happy with it so far, makes it seem like I got new speakers because the sound quality and mid-low range has improved considerably.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I am so jealous...still waiting on my own Sfi to be shipped. Just wondering, when exactly did you back the campaign? Do they ship to the first backers first?


----------



## greenkiwi

chefano said:


> Thats Analog devices business, no the final manufacturer
> Just an addendum.. 5 years of transferable warranty


 
 The transferable warranty is really quite valuable.  I sold one of my Emotiva DC-1 dacs, the 5 year transferable warranty increased its resale value dramatically.
  
 I'm really looking forward to hearing the Yggy... hopefully tomorrow.  Unfortunately, I don't think that anyone at the SF Mini Meet will have a pulse X or Xfi or Xfinity.  But I'll be bringing my pulse.


----------



## jbr1971

totalslaughter said:


> Hey all.
> 
> Looking for a little help. I just got my GEEKPULSE S Fi the other day and set it up with the included USB cable. I downloaded and installed the software / tried it out and am pretty happy with it so far, makes it seem like I got new speakers because the sound quality and mid-low range has improved considerably.
> 
> ...


 
  
 It will depend on what file formats you are trying to play, what software player you are using, and how that software player is configured.
  
 We have Setup and User Guides for Foobar2000 and JRiver Media Center as they are among the most popular players used. The guides can be found at:
  
 http://support.lhlabs.com/solution/categories/5000116463/folders/5000184607/articles/5000556094-using-foobar2000-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide
  
 http://support.lhlabs.com/solution/categories/5000116463/folders/5000184607/articles/5000556098-using-jriver-media-center-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide
  
 If these guides do not help you get your audio playing correctly, please open a support case at support.lhlabs.com and provide full details as to the file formats your are attempting to play, along with the software player used.
  
 Jody


----------



## nudd

Just be warned that if you are trying to on the fly sample rate conversion, the sample rate converter component that comes with foobar has been criticised because it uses a less resource intensive but less mathematically perfect method for resampling.

Other people dont care because they claim the only possible creatures who could hear any difference are dogs and bats anyway.

Also one needs ti be very careful when talking about this kind of stuff because certain people become very passionate.

I understand JRMC uses very high quality SRC but it is not free and i am happy with foobar (i just use ASIO and feed the native sample rate to whatever DAC i am using without conversion)


----------



## ejong7

So any updates about the new chassis? Like production and stuff. Gone pretty quiet there. If it's really that huge I think I'm gonna turn to the old chassis.


----------



## Decoy

I've been asking here and on their forums, but my pleas fall on deaf ears.  Manny has said that they are still on target to ship the old chassis Infinities.  On the LHL website, they have their production .pdf available under the "Updates" section.  The new chassis Infinities are completely absent.  It seems like they just want to pretend it never existed.
  
 Obviously, that's a little hyperbole, but it is curious that they have removed the new chassis from their production estimates and have been completely silent on the matter.


----------



## snip3r77

decoy said:


> I've been asking here and on their forums, but my pleas fall on deaf ears.  M*anny has said that they are still on target to ship the old chassis Infinities.  On the LHL website, they have their production .pdf available under the "Updates" section.  The new chassis Infinities are completely absent.  It seems like they just want to pretend it never existed.*
> 
> Obviously, that's a little hyperbole, but it is curious that they have removed the new chassis from their production estimates and have been completely silent on the matter.




I just hope all old chassis Infinities will be settled by June.


----------



## nudd

Now if you raise a ticket about this, all you get is a canned response with a link to the outdated production update webpage. 
  
 Is it so hard now that all the options are more or less immutable to say something like this:
  
 Old chassis, old chip: X people (general status)
  
 Old chassis, new chip ...
  
 New chassis, old chip; [probably nobody?!]
  
 New chassis, new chip: ...
  
 Come on guys this isn't rocket science and supposedly you should have a record of all this stuff, otherwise, how could you order parts?!
  
 It is so disappointing that after more than a year, they still can't get their schiit together on stuff like this, which makes life unnecessarily aggravating for everyone.


----------



## Totalslaughter

Not exactly sure but I originally backed pretty early then did upgrades later on. I think they ship in order, idk how else they would go about it.


----------



## Totalslaughter

Thanks for the reply but... shouldn't I be able to select 384k in windows audio device advanced tab and that would make the Geekpulse display show 384? As of right now the max I can select in windows is 192k there is no 384k option and therefor geekpulse just shows 192k on the display.


----------



## uncola

pretty sure this is because the windows mixer doesn't support above 192khz


----------



## Totalslaughter

Well I tried foobar but when I try to do the last part and select ASIO Driver Mode: DSD the custimization options below that are greyed out and I can't raise the samplerate above 44. Ugh. Maybe it's cause I used the newest versions of the stuff in the tutorial. Guess only thing I can think is to use the older ones that's listed in the tutorial.


----------



## nudd

totalslaughter said:


> Thanks for the reply but... shouldn't I be able to select 384k in windows audio device advanced tab and that would make the Geekpulse display show 384? As of right now the max I can select in windows is 192k there is no 384k option and therefor geekpulse just shows 192k on the display.




Those instructions only apply if you have DSD files to play?

If you just want to check if the pulse play 384khz files you can just playback a 384khz file on asio or wasapi mode?


----------



## miceblue

totalslaughter said:


> Thanks for the reply but... shouldn't I be able to select 384k in windows audio device advanced tab and that would make the Geekpulse display show 384? As of right now the max I can select in windows is 192k there is no 384k option and therefor geekpulse just shows 192k on the display.



No. Windows audio can only play up to 192 kHz. It's like that with my Geek Out too. You should probably have the setting at 16/44.1 and you need to manually change it for specific playback in which you know the sampling rate and bit depth (e.g. in VLC you play a 24/96 tracks specifically). Otherwise you might run into some issues like other folks have.

Some software can take control of your DAC to do the automatic sampling rate switching for you though. You have to use configured software to playback anything higher than 192 specifically, and DSD. Foobar is what I use and it's free. LH Labs has a setup guide for proper Foobar playback.
http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000556094-using-foobar2000-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide


----------



## Za Warudo

After opening a ticket to ask about the status of my way overdue basic Pulse, I was told that it is due at the end of the 2nd quarter because I did not fill out my survey.  This is utter nonsense because I checked my survey multiple times to make sure I added everything I am due before the 4/15 deadline.  The whole survey system is a disaster and I'm really getting tired of this company's incompetence.


----------



## Madeupword

za warudo said:


> After opening a ticket to ask about the status of my way overdue basic Pulse, I was told that it is due at the end of the 2nd quarter because I did not fill out my survey.  This is utter nonsense because I checked my survey multiple times to make sure I added everything I am due before the 4/15 deadline.  The whole survey system is a disaster and I'm really getting tired of this company's incompetence.


 

 For curiosity, what's in your order?


----------



## nudd

It's very disappointing, they don't  tell you where you are in the queue, So how do you troubleshoot or verify your order?


----------



## Anaximandros

Last time I asked (2-3 weeks ago), Steph told me, that there are 100 Pulse Xfi before me. So I might get a shipping notification by the end of the month.
  
 I just hope, that there are no issues like a pop when changing the samplerate or dropouts via toslink/SPDIF.
 That would mean a RMA and the need to ship the Pulse back and forth. Time consuming and expensive for LH.


----------



## hydesg

extremely disappointed!
 just received my geek pulse XFI
  
 Setup is Geek -> monitor speakers through the RCA connection.
  
  
I have followed exactly the steps from the following link to set up foobar. selecting ASIO: Foo_dsd_asio and ASIO: Light Harmonic asio.
http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000556094-using-foobar2000-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide 
  
Problems:
- Unable to listen to DSD files as there is continuous popping sound
- Immediate continuous popping sound once the sample rate of the song switches
- Afterwhich, regardless of me rebooting my com or turning the geek off would not fix the popping problem.


----------



## mscott58

hydesg said:


> extremely disappointed!
> just received my geek pulse XFI
> 
> Setup is Geek -> monitor speakers through the RCA connection.
> ...


 
 Sorry to hear that! Did you open a ticket?

 Does sound like a settings issue. Have you tried a different player and/or file format to help diagnose? Do you get the same popping on FLAC files for instance? Not that it solves your DSD problem, but will at least help narrow down the potential sources of the issue. 
  
 Best of luck


----------



## hydesg

mscott58 said:


> Sorry to hear that! Did you open a ticket?
> 
> Does sound like a settings issue. Have you tried a different player and/or file format to help diagnose? Do you get the same popping on FLAC files for instance? Not that it solves your DSD problem, but will at least help narrow down the potential sources of the issue.
> 
> Best of luck


 
  
 Don't think its a settings issue. this happens on JRiver, Audiovarna on OSX also.
 This happens to all the DSD files I download from several sources.
 Tried MP3s, Flacs, DSF, DSD64 all has got this issue.
  
 Sigh.


----------



## hydesg

i do not know if LH really do test their units before they send them out.
 this is very very disappointing


----------



## Za Warudo

madeupword said:


> For curiosity, what's in your order?


 
 vanilla Geek Pulse and 1G Lightspeed cable


----------



## MrEleventy

hydesg said:


> i do not know if LH really do test their units before they send them out.
> this is very very disappointing


I would stop using the Pulse until you get in contact with LHL. The last person to report a similar issue, had a pair of headphones ruined.


----------



## frankrondaniel

hydesg said:


> extremely disappointed!
> just received my geek pulse XFI
> 
> Setup is Geek -> monitor speakers through the RCA connection.
> ...


 
  
 Definitely open a ticket - I had what sounds like the same issue.  My Xfi is now RMA'd.


----------



## ejong7

Well opened a ticket with LH Labs  and to my surprise they answered rather early. Basically was told that they aim to send out all the Pulses ordered before February 2014 (I believe this is what is known as a first batch) by the end of May. And left me hanging because I was told that a predicted schedule for the next batch cant be given.
  
 Oh. And LPS case is getting a redesign. Its in design phase, hence the silence.


----------



## pauldgroot

I still don't get it, I ordered my Pulse Xfi somewhere in November 2014. Should I be getting it before the end of May or do I have to wait until a second or third batch?


----------



## ejong7

pauldgroot said:


> I still don't get it, I ordered my Pulse Xfi somewhere in November 2014. Should I be getting it before the end of May or do I have to wait until a second or third batch?


 

 That would probably mean you ordered from the 2nd campaign, which is the second batch. Don't have an idea of a third batch, maybe those who ordered after the forever funding phase was launched.


----------



## wingsounds13

November 2014 was part of the second campaign which I think is/includes both the forever funding and InDemand phases. In fact, I think that the indiegogo 'forever funding' name was changed to 'InDemand', so there really does not need to be any delineation of those two.

Products backed from the beginning of the forever funding / InDemand campaign(s) are not likely to start shipped before the end of May. Certainly not before all products from the first and extended Pulse campaigns are shipped.

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

Also: 'batches' and 'campaigns' are not synonymous. Some products from the first campaigns are now in the second official production batch.

There is little cause for them to be telling us anything about 'batches' unless there have been product changes implemented between batches. This has just become a confusion factor and these batches have no meaning to anyone but LH Labs production.

J.P.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I suspect what they mean "batches" are their orders to manufacturers/assemblers.


----------



## FayeForever

Does the that batch includes the AQ2M new chassis infinity?
 Whatever, I don't really care now.


----------



## pedalhead

Seems to me that LH is all about bigging up the new GO v2 at the moment and questions about other products are being mostly ignored. 

Business as usual...


----------



## gyx11

To be fair, the approach they have taken for the GOv2 pre-orders is very applaudable. $1 upfront, and you only pay the full sum only when it's time for the product to ship. That's perhaps the best kind of pre-order there is, addressing what I suspect is the greatest issue most people have with the crowdfunding campaigns.

The early reviews from trustworthy sources seem to indicate that it's an absolute winner too. That itself is not too unexpected, though it's very good to hear that LHL have stuck to their niche and developed something amazing. Interestingly enough, Purrin liked it a lot despite it being as ESS Sabre DAC (I've never seen him give his stamp of approval to any other ESS DAC to date). This I think, and especially for those who have tried out the GOv1 and experienced its distinctively non-glaring and yet supremely detailed treble, only serves as a good sign that the GOv2 will be a new benchmark the transportable (and perhaps entire) DAC market.

I won't be investing in the crowdfunded Pulse/Wave, and despite the noteworthy difference in sales direction with the GOv2, I certainly won't be going for the pre-order as long as the backlog of undelivered promises remains so. if LHL comes good eventually though, then yes I will get the GOv2, even if at full retail price.


----------



## pedalhead

I'm sure the GO v2 is a nice little unit. My point is that it would be nice to see some communication effort from LH to the people asking pertinent questions about LH products that, whilst paid for many months ago, are no longer flavour of the month with the LH Marketing Machine and therefore seem to drop into a comms black hole.


----------



## pauldgroot

When I ordered my Pulse in November last year I asked customer support when I would get it. They told me that I would get it in February or March. So I was thinking that I'm in batch 1, I just want to know when I could expect it or where I am in queue so I don't have to think about this kind of stuff.


----------



## Arnotts

pauldgroot said:


> When I ordered my Pulse in November last year I asked customer support when I would get it. They told me that I would get it in February or March. So I was thinking that I'm in batch 1, I just want to know when I could expect it or where I am in queue so I don't have to think about this kind of stuff.


 

 Batch 2 for Pulses are supposed to be shipping out at the end of Q2 2015. If you ordered in November 2014 then you're definitely in batch 2.


----------



## Decoy

arnotts said:


> Batch 2 for Pulses are supposed to be shipping out at the end of Q2 2015. If you ordered in November 2014 then you're definitely in batch 2.


 
 I had a ticket answered today. I was told that they are planning to finish batch 1 by the end of June. Pulses that were funded as part of the Forever Funding will begin to ship after that, i.e. in July.


----------



## Maelob

Sure!!!!!


----------



## Semont

decoy said:


> I had a ticket answered today. I was told that they are planning to finish batch 1 by the end of June. Pulses that were funded as part of the Forever Funding will begin to ship after that, i.e. in July.


 

 Man things just keep getting pushed back huh?


----------



## wingsounds13

Yep, you'll receive yours some time next year. :evil:

J.P.


----------



## krikor

decoy said:


> I had a ticket answered today. I was told that they are planning to finish batch 1 by the end of June. Pulses that were funded as part of the Forever Funding will begin to ship after that, i.e. in July.


 
  
 That seems to be in line with what the* Production Update* posted last week, assuming that "Batch 1" is referring to all variants (Pulse, X, Sfi, Xfi, etc. etc.). The update shows 100% of the batch 1 plain-vanilla Pulse have been shipped/completed, with most of the other variants due out this month followed by just the S Infinity and X Infinity by end of June.
  
 Trying to stay optimistic and keeping my fingers crossed (once again), but getting a bit antsy since my no-frills Pulse X _*should*_ be shipped by next Friday according to that update: 
_"Estimated date of completed shipping for this product is middle of May" _


----------



## miceblue

Meanwhile, LH Labs just announced Geek Out V2+
http://marketplace.lhlabs.com/collections/portable-audio/products/geek-out-v2-battery-powered-dac-headphone-amplifier


----------



## Semont

Honestly they should learn to slow down and focus on finishing the things they start. R&D should not work faster than production.


----------



## Decoy

Perhaps if they start bringing other revenue sources, e.g. Geek Out v2, that requires minimal in-house production resources, they can hire more staff to accelerate production on the Pulse and Vi products. 
  
 Or maybe not.


----------



## miceblue

semont said:


> Honestly they should learn to slow down and focus on finishing the things they start. R&D should not work faster than production.



The estimated delivery for the GO v2+ is in early August. I'll be damned if they ship those out before the Wave.


----------



## mscott58

Is it the same thing as the Stream?


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Is it the same thing as the Stream?


 
  
 The Stream backers get a free upgrade to the V2+. So... yes.


----------



## Drsparis

Do you guys really think 500 of them have already been sold? They must be inflating their numbers!  maybe batches are smaller?
  
 On another note, already in for a geek out 2. Wonder if there is a way to upgrade ? meanwhile 400  units have sold and by the time I find out ill be at batch 20. frustrating


----------



## ejong7

le wows. More new products :O


----------



## HiFiRobot

drsparis said:


> Do you guys really think 500 of them have already been sold? They must be inflating their numbers!  maybe batches are smaller?
> 
> On another note, already in for a geek out 2. Wonder if there is a way to upgrade ? meanwhile 400  units have sold and by the time I find out ill be at batch 20. frustrating


 
  
 If not inflated then 500 from the Geek Stream campaign. One is mine =)
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-stream-a-battery-powered-usb-headphone-amplifier-dac#activity


----------



## Mannytorres

The Geek V2 is not a crowd-designed product therefore it can be delivered faster then the Wave. We had a EP2 board before we began shipping Geek out.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> The Stream backers get a free upgrade to the V2+. So... yes.


 
 Thanks Brian! Hadn't seen that part of the communication, so thanks for the heads-up. Cheers


----------



## Decoy

miceblue said:


> The estimated delivery for the GO v2+ is in early August. I'll be damned if they ship those out before the Wave.


 
 Sounds like you'll be damned.  Congratulations!!


----------



## Decoy

Manny, can you tell us what the hell is going on with the new chassis?  I opened a ticket and I was told that the new chassis is "being finalized."  Are you guys making any substantial changes?  Are you guys just waiting for the chassis to arrive from the manufacturer?
  
 I was also told that anyone who did not back their Pulse in the first campaign would not be permitted to use the old chassis.  They would have to use the new (ginormous) chassis.  Is this true?  It was news to me.


----------



## ejong7

decoy said:


> Manny, can you tell us what the hell is going on with the new chassis?  I opened a ticket and I was told that the new chassis is "being finalized."  Are you guys making any substantial changes?  Are you guys just waiting for the chassis to arrive from the manufacturer?
> 
> I was also told that *anyone who did not back their Pulse in the first campaign would not be permitted to use the old chassis*.  They would have to use the new (ginormous) chassis.  Is this true?  It was news to me.


 
 This is huge news. I guess the only solution is that Light Harmonics buy me a bigger table as well. Maybe the Geek Top?


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> The estimated delivery for the GO v2+ is in early August. I'll be damned if they ship those out before the Wave.


 
 Makes sense to me to ship the Stream (now called the V2+) before the Wave, since the Stream/V2+ is the Wave without the screen or storage. Cheers


----------



## Decoy

I posted on the LHL forum to confirm this, however, if the past is any indication, I am more likely to get a response here.


----------



## nicolo

mannytorres said:


> The Geek V2 is not a crowd-designed product therefore it can be delivered faster then the Wave. We had a EP2 board before we began shipping Geek out.


 
  
 When do you think that the Pulse Infinity/Wave/Source/HPA will be delivered? Its extremely frustrating to see new products being delivered quickly while we are still waiting for more than 1.5 years for crowd designed products?


----------



## wingsounds13

New products?? Holy shirt folks, the Stream (now Geek Out v2+) was in development well before the Wave. This is the product that launched the "Make your phone's sound sound better" indiegogo campaign that later morphed into the Wave. Now people are pissed off that simpler products that started development about the time that the Pulse did are releasing??? Sheesh!!!!

Truth appears to be that the Wave, Geek Out v2 and v2+ have shared much in their development and ALL have benefitted from this sharing. Okay, so the Geek Out v2 appears to have jumped the line, but since the v2 and the v2+ are very closely related, they were completed at about the same time. Should this completed project be held up because others that are more complex are not done? 

I am still waiting for my Pulse X∞ and and Wave and I am not bothered by the release of these sister products. I am certain that the Wave and possibly the Pulse infinity have benefitted directly from the v2(+) development project(s). The more that LH Labs develops, the more they learn about producing commercial products and the better everything gets. 

J.P.


----------



## Mannytorres

decoy said:


> Perhaps if they start bringing other revenue sources, e.g. Geek Out v2, that requires minimal in-house production resources, they can hire more staff to accelerate production on the Pulse and Vi products.
> 
> Or maybe not.


 

 Pulses continue to ship everyday. Today is SFi and XFi. This pic was taken at around noonish so I'm guessing double by the end of the day.


----------



## jexby

wingsounds13 said:


> New products?? Holy shirt folks, the Stream (now Geek Out v2+) was in development well before the Wave. This is the product that launched the "Make your phone's sound sound better" indiegogo campaign that later morphed into the Wave. Now people are pissed off that simpler products that started development about the time that the Pulse did are releasing??? Sheesh!!!!
> 
> Truth appears to be that the Wave, Geek Out v2 and v2+ have shared much in their development and ALL have benefitted from this sharing. Okay, so the Geek Out v2 appears to have jumped the line, but since the v2 and the v2+ are very closely related, they were completed at about the same time. Should this completed project be held up because others that are more complex are not done?
> 
> ...


 
  
 +1
 very solid perspective and couldn't agree more.
  
 I don't belive the GOV2+ announcement today (and shipping in Aug+) adversely affects Pulse Infinity shipments.
 haven't been tracking the Wave product personally, but as you stated- the Wave overlap with GOV2 is now clear.


----------



## head-hi

I bit on the GOV2+ in the hopes of having it attach to Android devices via OTG, specifically an LG G2 L320K with 128Gb of vinyl-transfered FLAC goodness. It would replace my Dragonfly/Portaphile combo, with less bulk and more options.
  
 For $285 shipped, I'm promised Class A, variable gains (2 or 3?), balanced out, battery, and Lollipop-compatibility. Plus low-jitter and future improvements of DSD, etc.
  
 I've been pleased with Larry's tuning on the XFI and I'll not be charged until it's shipped, so What?


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> The Stream backers get a free upgrade to the V2+. So... yes.


 

 Brian, does that still apply if you opted to have your stream upgraded to a Wave 64?


----------



## snip3r77

mannytorres said:


> Pulses continue to ship everyday. Today is SFi and XFi. This pic was taken at around noonish so I'm guessing double by the end of the day.




Any issues with infinity old chassis ? June ETD completion date still valid ? You guys are pretty silent on this variant


----------



## hydesg

Manny. Could you help get someone to respond to ticket 9679.
http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/4129-geek-pulse-xfi-may-have-damaged-the-left-side-of-my-monitor-speaker


----------



## Mannytorres

hydesg said:


> Manny. Could you help get someone to respond to ticket 9679.
> http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/4129-geek-pulse-xfi-may-have-damaged-the-left-side-of-my-monitor-speaker


 

 Hey no problem let me take a look at the ticket here.


----------



## hydesg

mannytorres said:


> Hey no problem let me take a look at the ticket here.


 
 why did you close my ticket?


----------



## hydesg

mannytorres said:


> Hey no problem let me take a look at the ticket here.


 
 sorry, i think you should look at #9651 Geek Pulse XFI continuous popping sound problem


----------



## AxelCloris

germay0653 said:


> Brian, does that still apply if you opted to have your stream upgraded to a Wave 64?


 
  
 I'm assuming no because you've re-allocated those funds to a Wave, but since I have no inside details the best bet is to ask one of the customer service folks at LH Labs.


----------



## Mannytorres

not closed, i merged both the ticket into one so i have all the communication on a single ticket.


----------



## nudd

So, that $51 shipping to Australia is really eye-watering, especially for a tiny thing like a GOV2


----------



## frank2908

my geek pulse xfi should be at the custom clearance today but I just realise something, Is the pulse compatible to both 100(110)V and 220 V?There is no section in the survey stated I should specifiy that
 If it's compatible with both, is there any switch for it?
 thanks


----------



## knightzor

frank2908 said:


> my geek pulse xfi should be at the custom clearance today but I just realise something, Is the pulse compatible to both 100(110)V and 220 V?There is no section in the survey stated I should specifiy that
> If it's compatible with both, is there any switch for it?
> thanks


 
 I got my XFI yesterday. Yes, the pulse is compatible with both. The power brick itself comes with like a switchable plug. I think there was 4 different plugs. No need to switch anything apart from the plug that goes into the wall.


----------



## pedalhead

Manny - not sure if you're ignoring on purpose all the questions about new and old Infinity chassis ETA, but even a "we have no ETA" would be better than nothing... please.


----------



## uncola

That kind of major news should probably go out in a email communication..  so we don't have people complaining they have to read a billion forum threads to stay on top of their crowdfunding orders..


----------



## pedalhead

Well heck yes regular email updates would be great...but I think the past 18 months experience suggests that's like asking for the moon on a stick.


----------



## ejong7

Previously I'm always excited to get a Pulse update. Now all I get is Pulse updates about other new products. LOL


----------



## snip3r77

pedalhead said:


> Well heck yes regular email updates would be great...but I think the past 18 months experience suggests that's like asking for the moon on a stick.




Lol they have to announce more important stuff like geek out v2


----------



## Decoy

mannytorres said:


> Pulses continue to ship everyday. Today is SFi and XFi. This pic was taken at around noonish so I'm guessing double by the end of the day.


 
 I did not mean to imply that you guys aren't shipping out as fast as you can.  I just meant that it is possible that the introduction of a new product, e.g. the Geek Out v2, could be a win-win situation.


----------



## krikor

mannytorres said:


> Pulses continue to ship everyday. Today is SFi and XFi. This pic was taken at around noonish so I'm guessing double by the end of the day.


 
  
 Manny... a purely selfish question: is shipping of the no-frills Pulse X still on track for completion by end of next week? Thanks!


----------



## sbradley02

I have had a rather odd issue with my Pulse Xfi and was wondering if anyone else has seen it.
The left channel audio content will be outputted to both left and right channels (if you do a channel test, you will hear 'left' in both ears, and will never hear 'right'.) 
Long reset (turn off for several seconds and then on) fixes it.
I am also talking to support.


----------



## hydesg

sbradley02 said:


> I have had a rather odd issue with my Pulse Xfi and was wondering if anyone else has seen it.
> The left channel audio content will be outputted to both left and right channels (if you do a channel test, you will hear 'left' in both ears, and will never hear 'right'.)
> Long reset (turn off for several seconds and then on) fixes it.
> I am also talking to support.


 
 I wonder why so many detective units.


----------



## jexby

hydesg said:


> I wonder why so many detective units.


 
  
 I wonder why LH labs have shipped multiple hundreds (thousands?) of these units yet we only read about a handful of failures?
  
 this isn't a forum where every customer:
 receives their unit
 has a user ID here
 mandatory must post:  "my unit is working well!"


----------



## sbradley02

hydesg said:


> I wonder why so many detective units.


 

 The latest from LHL is that they think it is a firmware issue, though if so, it is odd that it didn't affect my previous unit - maybe it had an earlier firmware release?
 We'll see if the new firmware fixes it.
 It is kind of an insidious problem, since I do get audio from both channels, I tend to not realize the issue is presenting itself until a familiar song comes on (I listen to Pandora primarily) and I notice that some of the music is missing.
 Of course I can use the Windows channel test at any time to detect it.


----------



## Mannytorres

sbradley02 said:


> I have had a rather odd issue with my Pulse Xfi and was wondering if anyone else has seen it.
> The left channel audio content will be outputted to both left and right channels (if you do a channel test, you will hear 'left' in both ears, and will never hear 'right'.)
> Long reset (turn off for several seconds and then on) fixes it.
> I am also talking to support.


 

 That is for sure the first time i have heard of this issue. I can look into the ticket and see what the tech team thinks this could be.


----------



## flipper2gv

jexby said:


> I wonder why LH labs have shipped multiple hundreds (thousands?) of these units yet we only read about a handful of failures?
> 
> this isn't a forum where every customer:
> receives their unit
> ...


 
 Mine works "well".

 It always ends up working but it is glitchy as all hell. But, glitchy, if it ends up working as it should, means firmware issues, which can be adressed and that should impact everyone.


----------



## ejong7

For those who had their unit shipped, do they just inform you that they shipped already or will they inform you that they will be shipping it soon?


----------



## mscott58

ejong7 said:


> For those who had their unit shipped, do they just inform you that they shipped already or will they inform you that they will be shipping it soon?


 
 Everything I've gotten was just a "it's shipped and here's the tracking code" email. Cheers


----------



## goaliedad39

For those who may still be wondering where they are in the que,  I backed the pulse xfi on Dec. 8, 2013.  I just received notification from LH that my pulse xfi has shipped.


----------



## Maelob

I just got notification of my single LPS (3rd batch) shipping. I contributed on Nov 2014.


----------



## snip3r77

Still no news of old chassis infinity. Just wondering if there's any issue with the 10 infinities that were sent to CONUS


----------



## longbowbbs

No issues with my Infinity after 400+ hours. It sounds great as both a DAC/Amp and as a stand alone DAC with the Moon Neo 430HA.


----------



## ejong7

I don't remember but they didn't add a muting relay after the campaign right?


----------



## adrian0115

ejong7 said:


> I don't remember but they didn't add a muting relay after the campaign right?


 
 There's no muting relay for the Pulse but a relay was added to the Vi DAC.


----------



## Decoy

longbowbbs said:


> No issues with my Infinity after 400+ hours. It sounds great as both a DAC/Amp and as a stand alone DAC with the Moon Neo 430HA.


 
 Do you have any regrets going with the old chassis?  Did you back an LPS or an HPA?


----------



## longbowbbs

decoy said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > No issues with my Infinity after 400+ hours. It sounds great as both a DAC/Amp and as a stand alone DAC with the Moon Neo 430HA.
> ...


 
 Zero regrets due to space requirements. I have an LPS4 coming. I just made the last payment via PayPal for it.


----------



## RingingEars

maelob said:


> I just got notification of my single LPS (3rd batch) shipping. I contributed on Nov 2014.


 
 Same here. Looks like forever funder gear is starting to ship.


----------



## nudd

longbowbbs said:


> Zero regrets due to space requirements. I have an LPS4 coming. I just made the last payment via PayPal for it.




Any thoughts on the infinity (i think yours is the the old ess chip?) versus the GO v2 prototype?


----------



## coletrain104

adrian0115 said:


> There's no muting relay for the Pulse but a relay was added to the Vi DAC.


 
 This is my greatest fear in using this gear. I wish they would do a firmware update to fix some of these issues. If they set the firmware to eliminate any output, I'm pretty sure they can keep the initial pop from occurring when turning on the device. These things are what we expect when we pay $1000+. I would really like to see some news on where this firmware is headed.


----------



## longbowbbs

nudd said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Zero regrets due to space requirements. I have an LPS4 coming. I just made the last payment via PayPal for it.
> ...


 
 Nope I have the 9018A2QM. All of the Infinities do. The case does not matter.
  
 I am very pleased. I will be interested to hear the difference the LPS4 makes when it arrives.


----------



## adrian0115

longbowbbs said:


> Nope I have the 9018A2QM. All of the Infinities do. The case does not matter.
> 
> I am very pleased. I will be interested to hear the difference the LPS4 makes when it arrives.


 
 Interesting, I thought only the people that paid the $22 for the AQ2M gets the new chip.


----------



## longbowbbs

I did pay the extra $22. However, I asked Casey if I could get the old case due to its dimensions. They said OK and I selected that in the questionaire.


----------



## snip3r77

adrian0115 said:


> Interesting, I thought only the people that paid the $22 for the AQ2M gets the new chip.




Of course he paid


----------



## longbowbbs

I got no special deals even though I have reviewed their gear. I was in from 10/2013 and upgraded along the way with each perk.


----------



## adrian0115

coletrain104 said:


> This is my greatest fear in using this gear. I wish they would do a firmware update to fix some of these issues. If they set the firmware to eliminate any output, I'm pretty sure they can keep the initial pop from occurring when turning on the device. These things are what we expect when we pay $1000+. I would really like to see some news on where this firmware is headed.


 
 Larry wanted to keep the signal path clean without any mute relays/blocking caps etc.  So by design, he wanted the highest sound quality possible.  The pop was due to the the resetting of the ESS DACs when switching sample rates I believe so supposedly they're working on a firmware to minimize this part.  I really hope to god the show stopper bugs get fixed by the time the infinities ship in volume.


----------



## adrian0115

longbowbbs said:


> I did pay the extra $22. However, I asked Casey if I could get the old case due to its dimensions. They said OK and I selected that in the questionaire.


 
 Ah that make sense.  I believe the guys that didn't pay the $22 would stick with the K2M.  Anyway, would like to know if there's any bugs/problems you're experiencing since all I see are complaints about problems on LH forums etc.  Getting any information from these guys has become a lost cause now.


----------



## longbowbbs

I am experiencing no problems. I have over 400 hours on the ∞. No firmware issues, no volume control issues, no phantom channel leakage.
  
 I cannot speak for anyone else, but my ∞ is working as advertised and after the 18 months I am enjoying what I paid and waited for.


----------



## snip3r77

I'm not too sure why only 10 Infinities are out and the rest is not shipping.
My neck is getting long


----------



## miceblue

snip3r77 said:


> My neck is getting long




[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvdf5n-zI14[/video]


----------



## nudd

longbowbbs said:


> I did pay the extra $22. However, I asked Casey if I could get the old case due to its dimensions. They said OK and I selected that in the questionaire.




Ok. So i chose not to pay the $22 in the hope i would get it faster. I am not sure but it is likely i will get the infinity as originally designed Eric. Thought I would have gotten it faster but I guess it was all in vain ...


----------



## longbowbbs

My decision was I had already invested X months what difference did a couple more make? SO I went for the extra $22.


----------



## greenkiwi

I wish that they had put the output relays into the new updated boards.

Seems like a good way to protect people's equipment.


----------



## HiFiRobot

Behold! The Geek Pulse Xfi power supply.
 Think I'll get the iFi iPower soon. Or maybe find a not too pricey LPS?
  
 Specs on included Switching Adaptor is:
 Model FJ-SW1201500N
 100-240V
 50/60Hz 0.6Amax
 Output 12V 1500mA
 Shenzhen Fujia Appliance Co. Ltd.


----------



## hemtmaker

longbowbbs said:


> My decision was I had already invested X months what difference did a couple more make? SO I went for the extra $22.



Hi Eric, do you reckon the pulse will benefit from the Ifi Ipurifier?


----------



## longbowbbs

The better the power the better the signal. I am a fan of ifi gear too. 
  
 I am interested to hear the ∞ with the LPS4 when it arrives. I am sure it will sound better. I would expect the Ipurifier would also take things up a notch.


----------



## nudd

Please note the ipurifier only works to condition 5v power and doesn't reclock so i reckon no use for Pulse


----------



## snip3r77

nudd said:


> Please note the ipurifier only works to condition 5v power and doesn't reclock so i reckon no use for Pulse




if your pulse has femto, does it still need stuff like Wyrd / Uptone Regen etc ?


----------



## hemtmaker

nudd said:


> Please note the ipurifier only works to condition 5v power and doesn't reclock so i reckon no use for Pulse



I think the product that condition the 5v power is the IUSBPOWER, not the Ipurifier


----------



## nudd

hemtmaker said:


> I think the product that condition the 5v power is the IUSBPOWER, not the Ipurifier




Actually you are right. Sorry for the misinformation. No idea about the iPurifier. Maybe if the environment has lots of rfi Or emi?

Sorry!


----------



## nudd

snip3r77 said:


> if your pulse has femto, does it still need stuff like Wyrd / Uptone Regen etc ?



 
I had this question also, but was never conclusively answered. Logically I would have thought not because the Pulse has their own "triple buffer" and jitter reduction/reclocking technology and works in asynchronous mode?
 
But perhaps it all depends on how good the reclocking technology actually is?


Edit: tripe buffer -> triple buffer.


----------



## hemtmaker

nudd said:


> Actually you are right. Sorry for the misinformation. No idea about the iPurifier. Maybe if the environment has lots of rfi Or emi?
> 
> Sorry!



No problem. Since I got Jay's LPS for 12V. I am considering to get the IUSBPOWER and probably the Ipurifier too. 
I have to thank LHLAB for the pulse infinity delay. I am becoming a much more patient person =p


----------



## DSlayerZX

hemtmaker said:


> No problem. Since I got Jay's LPS for 12V. I am considering to get the IUSBPOWER and probably the Ipurifier too.
> I have to thank LHLAB for the pulse infinity delay. I am becoming a much more patient person =p


 
  
 I think the USB power is only used for the initial hand shake though, you can even disconnect the USB 5V power after the initial hand shake, so does getting the IUSBPOWER really help anything on Geek pulse??


----------



## hemtmaker

That's what I am not too sure about. FYI I also watched Gavin's video on using the split cable with their LPS4. Not sure whether there is any difference between collecting the data from a noisy environment (pc) vs getting the data from the clean environment


----------



## flipper2gv

longbowbbs said:


> I am experiencing no problems. I have over 400 hours on the ∞. No firmware issues, no volume control issues, no phantom channel leakage.
> 
> I cannot speak for anyone else, but my ∞ is working as advertised and after the 18 months I am enjoying what I paid and waited for.


 
 Even Toslink?

 I mean my Sfi works fine, but it IS buggy as all hell. I need to switch back and forth between filters to make the Toslink work and USB sometimes I have to switch back and forth input options.


----------



## Maelob

with my GO conneceted to Wyrd i have to disconnect usb cable every few days becuase computer imac
wont detect it. not bad but wish things were more of connect it and forget it.


----------



## greenkiwi

maelob said:


> with my GO conneceted to Wyrd i have to disconnect usb cable every few days becuase computer imac
> wont detect it. not bad but wish things were more of connect it and forget it.




If you don't have the wyrd, it runs without any problems... Four days?


----------



## Maelob

i will check- probably has to do with computer going to deep sleep- it could be a few days running with no issue an then randomly when waking computer up the computer Go does not show up- all i do is disconnect and re connect it from wyrd and then it will show up. i probably do that once or twice a week. wierd - but it does not bother me.


----------



## TeLight

longbowbbs said:


> Nope I have the 9018A2QM. All of the Infinities do. The case does not matter.
> 
> I am very pleased. I will be interested to hear the difference the LPS4 makes when it arrives.


 
  
 When did you back your pulse infinity with 9018A2QM with the old case? I backed the exact same configuration as you on October 31, 2013. I have still yet to here anything.


----------



## wingsounds13

Probably fairly soon. They shipped the field beta test units some weeks ago now and as far as I know, nobody outside of LH Labs has heard of any problems with them. Heck, I think that we have only heard of two of them and only one has given any significant reports.

J.P.


----------



## nudd

To be fair to LHL, they seem to now be responding within 1 or 2 days to support tickets.
  
 I wish the production schedule would be updated more frequently though! It hasn't moved from 5% since April 27 and is rather frustrating given that they don't tell you anymore where you are in the queue.
  
 The Infinity should sound amazing when we do get them though! Here's hoping the wait will not be in vain and they ship everything out within the next few months ...


----------



## hemtmaker

nudd said:


> To be fair to LHL, they seem to now be responding within 1 or 2 days to support tickets.
> 
> I wish the production schedule would be updated more frequently though! It hasn't moved from 5% since April 27 and is rather frustrating given that they don't tell you anymore where you are in the queue.
> 
> The Infinity should sound amazing when we do get them though! Here's hoping the wait will not be in vain and they ship everything out within the next few months ...




I am in the same boat waiting for infinity. @nudd, are you going for the smaller or the bigger chasis? I like the new one slightly more but it is huge for desks


----------



## nudd

hemtmaker said:


> I am in the same boat waiting for infinity. @nudd, are you going for the smaller or the bigger chasis? I like the new one slightly more but it is huge for desks


 
  
 I went for the old chassis. I felt the size of the new chassis was just waaaay to big for a desktop rig and I simply cannot afford the space.
  
 Unfortunately this means I give up the possibility of user upgradeable displays. This should be OK as long as the firm upgrades don't include stuff that require the display to be updated (eg, extra filter modes or extra options that just won't turn up because the display cannot be updated) ...


----------



## Ethereal Sound

I just got an email that my Sfi has shipped! Now all that's left to do is cross my fingers for a unit without defects.


----------



## Decoy

Please post your impressions, good or bad.


----------



## nudd

For all those wondering the new ESS chip on the infinity is only for those people who paid the $22 upgrade.

I have been told parts have been ordered so i expect the assembly numbers will start going up soon. Otherwise how is it possible that all will be shipped by end of June?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

decoy said:


> Please post your impressions, good or bad.


 
 I'll try. I won't be able to compare it to much since I'm currently using an ODAC...


----------



## spyder1

I received my Pusle Sfi two weeks ago. The sound from the headphone jack was great from the start. The music from the Pulse Sfi, with my stereo system was rough, especially DSD. The sound will smooth out, with burn in, time. The Sfi, is now one of the best DAC's I've ever listened to.


----------



## snip3r77

spyder1 said:


> I received my Pusle Sfi two weeks ago. The sound from the headphone jack was great from the start. The music from the Pulse Sfi, with my stereo system was rough, especially DSD. The sound will smooth out, with burn in, time. The Sfi, is now one of the best DAC's I've ever listened to.




May I know that DAC that you own or compare with ? at least we have a benchmark


----------



## spyder1

The Pulse Sfi is a replacement for a Nuforce DAC 80.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

spyder1 said:


> I received my Pusle Sfi two weeks ago. The sound from the headphone jack was great from the start. The music from the Pulse Sfi, with my stereo system was rough, especially DSD. The sound will smooth out, with burn in, time. The Sfi, is now one of the best DAC's I've ever listened to.


 
 Have you tried it with any headphones?


----------



## travelfotografe

Received my Pulse X yesterday, but like others on various forums, there are popping/buzzing sounds when changing sample rates. When the popping/buzzing sounds are heard, the Pulse X display flickers (the flickering display with popping sounds was reported by a certain online personality too). Popping/buzzing sounds are especially prolonged and loud when switching to higher sampling rates (e.g. when Pulse X switches to 176kHz momentarily when playing DoP, before switching to DSD64; while 176kHz is being displayed, sometimes for as long as a few seconds, the popping/buzzing sounds are heard throughout, until Pulse X finally switches to DSD64, then the popping/buzzing sounds stops; sometimes the popping/buzzing sounds does not stop until I stop playback)
 
Thankfully, having heard of similar reports on various forums, I tested my Pulse X using my Xiaomi Pistons... and not using my HD800 or on my main system with Bowers & Wilkins 802 Diamond speakers.
 
I have a Geek Out 450, and on the same Windows PC with Foobar2000, I do not get such prolonged and loud popping/buzzing sounds with switching sample rates. On my Geek Out 450, I get a single pop/click sound when switching sample rates, or a double pop/click sound when playing DoP (first pop/click for switching to 176kHz momentarily and then second pop/click on switching to DSD64)
 
My Pulse X is on the latest firmwares: MCU is 2.6, Main is 2.0, Light Harmonic Control Panel shows v1.5
 
~Leon


----------



## spyder1

I am currently listening to Sennheiser 650's, High Gain setting, and the Pulse Sfi easily drives these headphones. I listen to Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime, Mediun Gain, sounds best to me. I also tried Fostex TH600, Low Gain setting, and these have the best BASE of the headphones I own.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

spyder1 said:


> I am currently listening to Sennheiser 650's, High Gain setting, and the Pulse Sfi easily drives these headphones. I listen to Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime, Mediun Gain, sounds best to me. I also tried Fostex TH600, Low Gain setting, and these have the best BASE of the headphones I own.


 
  
 Well I'll be using Hifiman He-500's so I'm hoping they will be able to drive them adequately which I think they can. Also, does anyone know how much these things weigh? I plan on getting vibrapods for them as I hear that they do have an impact on DACs.


----------



## adrian0115

travelfotografe said:


> Received my Pulse X yesterday, but like others on various forums, there are popping/buzzing sounds when changing sample rates. When the popping/buzzing sounds are heard, the Pulse X display flickers (the flickering display with popping sounds was reported by a certain online personality too). Popping/buzzing sounds are especially prolonged and loud when switching to higher sampling rates (e.g. when Pulse X switches to 176kHz momentarily when playing DoP, before switching to DSD64; while 176kHz is being displayed, sometimes for as long as a few seconds, the popping/buzzing sounds are heard throughout, until Pulse X finally switches to DSD64, then the popping/buzzing sounds stops; sometimes the popping/buzzing sounds does not stop until I stop playback)
> 
> Thankfully, having heard of similar reports on various forums, I tested my Pulse X using my Xiaomi Pistons... and not using my HD800 or on my main system with Bowers & Wilkins 802 Diamond speakers.
> 
> ...


 
 I know Manny you read head-fi so it looks like you guys still don't test things properly even though many people have begged/pleaded on LH's own forums to test these things before shipping them out.  At this point, the Pulse still sounds like it's a hazard to headphones/speakers etc.  After all this time, I'm seriously concerned about this thing.  I'm actually surprised that headphone.guru has no issues with his infinity which is the last bit of hope I have left on this thing.


----------



## krikor

travelfotografe said:


> Received my Pulse X yesterday, but like others on various forums, there are popping/buzzing sounds when changing sample rates.


 
  
 Not that it should make any difference, but is your unit a plain Pulse X (no "upgrades" like femto, opamps, resitors, infiinity, etc.)? Just curious.


----------



## travelfotografe

krikor said:


> Not that it should make any difference, but is your unit a plain Pulse X (no "upgrades" like femto, opamps, resitors, infiinity, etc.)? Just curious.


 
  
 Yes plain X (ordered from Nov/Dec 2013)
  
 Update: My pulse X has now "progressed" to spontaneously dropping USB connection (Windows 7 notification will say a USB device has malfunctioned). If I managed to get it to play, the unit will also now spontaneously start popping and buzzing while playing and even when I stop playing music, all without changing sample rates. Also, whenever the popping and buzzing happens (whether spontanously or upon a sample rate change, you can always see the display flicker (popping/buzzing is always accompanied with a flickering display, if no popping/buzzing the display will be steady).
  
 All these symptoms had been reported by other Pulse (standard and Xfi) owners before. Now waiting for LHL to respond to my ticket and set this right. I am done testing the unit, not even wanting to damage my Xiaomi Piston anymore, let alone my other headphones/iems/speaker
  
 ~Leon


----------



## georgelai57

My offer to LH still stands. Take away 20 cents on every dollar I've spent and just give me back the 80 cents. I dread the hassle of having to send them back from Singapore for warranty issues as I am almost sure I'll need to.


----------



## Maelob

I am sure somebody will buy it for that price if you don't want to deal with any future issues.


----------



## georgelai57

Hoping for LH to facilitate that due to warranty issues etc. I live on the other side of the world.


----------



## longbowbbs

telight said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Nope I have the 9018A2QM. All of the Infinities do. The case does not matter.
> ...


 
 A couple of months ago they had a questionaire on the LH Labs site to confirm all perks and it included a choice of old or new case design. I went with the old design because of space requirements on my desktop and to match the LPS4 on order. Apparently, they had some old cases in stock so my choices led to an earlier delivery. Luck of the draw from what I understand.


----------



## HiFiRobot

ethereal sound said:


> Well I'll be using Hifiman He-500's so I'm hoping they will be able to drive them adequately which I think they can. Also, does anyone know how much these things weigh? I plan on getting vibrapods for them as I hear that they do have an impact on DACs.


 
  
 Using speaker taps from your Emotiva to HE-500?
 Interested in hearing what you think when compared to the Pulse amp section.


----------



## tuned

Does anyone know if the lhlabs.com/tracking portion of their website is still being used? Will my tracking number show up there when/if new products ship?


----------



## flipper2gv

travelfotografe said:


> Received my Pulse X yesterday, but like others on various forums, there are popping/buzzing sounds when changing sample rates. When the popping/buzzing sounds are heard, the Pulse X display flickers (the flickering display with popping sounds was reported by a certain online personality too). Popping/buzzing sounds are especially prolonged and loud when switching to higher sampling rates (e.g. when Pulse X switches to 176kHz momentarily when playing DoP, before switching to DSD64; while 176kHz is being displayed, sometimes for as long as a few seconds, the popping/buzzing sounds are heard throughout, until Pulse X finally switches to DSD64, then the popping/buzzing sounds stops; sometimes the popping/buzzing sounds does not stop until I stop playback)
> 
> Thankfully, having heard of similar reports on various forums, I tested my Pulse X using my Xiaomi Pistons... and not using my HD800 or on my main system with Bowers & Wilkins 802 Diamond speakers.
> 
> ...


 
  
 My Sfi was doing that at first but mysteriously stopped yesterday. I was switching quickly between flac and 320 without issue.
  


ethereal sound said:


> Well I'll be using Hifiman He-500's so I'm hoping they will be able to drive them adequately which I think they can. Also, does anyone know how much these things weigh? I plan on getting vibrapods for them as I hear that they do have an impact on DACs.


 
  
 Most music medium gain is enough for my HE-500. Some of the Pink Floyd albums I put them on high gain, but that is pretty much it. It's light, under 3 pounds IIRC.
  


tuned said:


> Does anyone know if the lhlabs.com/tracking portion of their website is still being used? Will my tracking number show up there when/if new products ship?


 
 Yes


----------



## nudd

longbowbbs said:


> A couple of months ago they had a questionaire on the LH Labs site to confirm all perks and it included a choice of old or new case design. I went with the old design because of space requirements on my desktop and to match the LPS4 on order. Apparently, they had some old cases in stock so my choices led to an earlier delivery. Luck of the draw from what I understand.




Well i am sure the people who wanted to stick with the old cases all answered the survey and the old cases are exactly the same as the current xfi cases so i have no idea why they chose to make just a couple or what 'in stock' means in this context.

If they did allocate a percentage of existing cases to make infinities then it should have shipped according to order date. Otherwise it is just unfair.

It is unhelpful that they now refuse to tell people where they are in the queue which would go a long way to alleviating any perception of bias but now there is literally no transparency at all in the way they do things.

If you look at the yggdrasil schedule schiit is MUCH more transparent (they say we are in batch manufacturing serial number xxxx to yyyyy). I would have thought thats the sensible way and people would generally be happy. Give us all a serial number and say we are up to manifacturing x.

But as with their ridiculous surveys, rebooted surveys, etc, it doesn't look like their production processes are under control as yet. It will only get worse if they dont get this under control before putting even more products into general production (let alone getting QC under control for so many products!!!)


----------



## ejong7

So is the "2nd campaign can only get new chassis for Infinity" thing is true?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

flipper2gv said:


> Most music medium gain is enough for my HE-500. Some of the Pink Floyd albums I put them on high gain, but that is pretty much it. It's light, under 3 pounds IIRC.


 
  
 Does the unit run hot?


----------



## spyder1

My Pulse Sfi, gets warm, but not HOT to the touch with hours of music playback. I was worried about heat dissipation, compared to my Geek Out 1000. The Pulse Sfi, gets (Warm, NOT HOT.) You still need to keep the home furnace on.


----------



## flipper2gv

spyder1 said:


> My Pulse Sfi, gets warm, but not HOT to the touch with hours of music playback. I was worried about heat dissipation, compared to my Geek Out 1000. The Pulse Sfi, gets (Warm, NOT HOT.) You still need to keep the home furnace on.


 
  
 Yeah, same here.
  
 Here I am, today finally realizing that balanced cable gets you twice the power with the same amp and that the balanced out on the Xfi is the same output power as the Sfi and I regret not getting a Xfi, you know, just in case


----------



## Ethereal Sound

spyder1 said:


> My Pulse Sfi, gets warm, but not HOT to the touch with hours of music playback. I was worried about heat dissipation, compared to my Geek Out 1000. The Pulse Sfi, gets (Warm, NOT HOT.) You still need to keep the home furnace on.


 
 That's a relief.


----------



## nudd

flipper2gv said:


> Yeah, same here.
> 
> Here I am, today finally realizing that balanced cable gets you twice the power with the same amp and that the balanced out on the Xfi is the same output power as the Sfi and I regret not getting a Xfi, you know, just in case




But if you don't run balanced cables then I think the sfi is definitely the better choice as the outputs get summed
 So theres nothing to regret really.

I personally am highly doubtful that at the sort of cable lengths for headphone cables there should be any perceivable difference ....


----------



## flipper2gv

nudd said:


> But if you don't run balanced cables then I think the sfi is definitely the better choice as the outputs get summed
> So theres nothing to regret really.
> 
> I personally am highly doubtful that at the sort of cable lengths for headphone cables there should be any perceivable difference ....


 
  
 No the outputs don't get summed up, well that's what the technical support guy told me by email. That's what he told me:

 "I looked through the power specifications for all Geek Pulse units again, and from what I have found, the Sfi has the same power output as the Xfi.
 
The only difference is that the Xfi balanced headphone output has twice the power of the single-ended headphone output of the Sfi (and the Xfi)."
 
and
 
"The only information I have regarding output impedances and voltages for the Sfi are the following:  
Line Out (RCA) Output Impedance: 47 Ohm
Line Out (RCA) Output Voltage: 2 Vrms Max Variable
 
Headphone (1/4”) Output Impedance: 0.47 Ohm
Headphone (1/4”) Output Voltages: 3 Level Gain - 1.8 Vrms, 3 Vrms, 7 Vrms"

  
 When you consider these specs for the Xfi:

HP Balanced output voltage and impedance: 3.5V / 6V / 13.8V switchable (0.9 Ohm flat in 20~20K Hz range) via dual mono headphone output amplifier

 
HP Single- ended output voltage and impedance: 1.8V / 3V / 6.8V switchable (0.47Ohm flat in 20~20K Hz range)

 You're left wondering why there isn't a dual mono output amp in the Sfi too. Maybe because it is single ended, but that's not what I got from the description when I put down my money.


----------



## Maelob

funny received my LPS box yesterday and then received another email indicating that another LPS was shipping. I contributed to one. hopefully the new shipment is my 2g cable. anyway just opened a ticket. though it was kind of ironic given some of the shipping issues. if somebody would like an Lps please pm me.


----------



## nudd

flipper2gv said:


> No the outputs don't get summed up, well that's what the technical support guy told me by email. That's what he told me:
> 
> 
> "[COLOR=212121]I looked through the power specifications for all Geek Pulse units again, and from what I have found, the Sfi has the same power output as the Xfi.[/COLOR]
> ...




I initially put my money down for a pulse s as well but i could have sworn they said the output on the pulse s was summed. It was meant to be the X version but for single ended use? 

Another unsavoury habit of LHL is the reuse of the same page for multiple campaigns and deletion of existing information...


----------



## krikor

flipper2gv said:


> No the outputs don't get summed up, well that's what the technical support guy told me by email. That's what he told me:
> 
> "I looked through the power specifications for all Geek Pulse units again, and from what I have found, the Sfi has the same power output as the Xfi.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I thought that the "summing" referred only to the fact that Pulse S utilizes dual DAC chips, one for each channel, like the Pulse X (whereas the regular Pulse has a single 9018K2M). The balanced output from each DAC chip is then summed prior to the single-ended analogue output stage, which is essentially the same as the Pulse.


----------



## wingsounds13

There seems to be some confusion of terms here between stereo, dual mono, balanced, unbalanced and summing.

The complementary terms are:
Stereo / Dual Mono
Balanced / Unbalanced (or Single Ended)

Dual mono and balanced have no equivalency. 

In most audio gear it is common for the two channels to use separate sections of a single part such as an opamp. Dual mono simply means that the two stereo channels are processed as two totally separate signal chains with no electronic components in common. This increases the signal isolation between the stereo channels and can slightly improve the signal quality. 

Balanced means that the signal chain is processed with a + signal and a - signal that are the same but with opposite polarities and they are referenced against each other. Unbalanced is just a + signal that is referenced against ground.

Summing is the process of taking the balanced signals and summing them together through a stage that produces a single ended output that is the sum of the two balanced signals. When generating an unbalanced output such as a line out or headphone output from a component that uses balanced signals internally there are two options. One is to simply take the + side of the balanced signals and reference it against ground. The other - and usually better way is to do electrical summing of the balanced signals to generate the single unbalanced signal that is referenced against ground. This summing is done BEFORE the single ended output buffer or single ended headphone amp.

In the case of the Pulse S and X, as I understand it they handle the balanced and unbalanced signals slightly differently.

In the Pulse S, the balanced dual mono signals coming from the DAC chips and through its I/V conversation stage are electrically summed before being sent to the unbalanced line out buffer and headphone amp. This is the technical advantage of the Pulse S. It is dual mono and internally balanced up until the output stages and the balanced signal is properly electronically summed when being converted to unbalanced.

In the Pulse X, the signals are balanced all the way to the outputs. The unbalanced line out and headphone outputs are simply the + balanced signal referenced against ground. To have a properly summed headphone output would require having two headphone amps, one balanced and the other unbalanced. While this would be ideal, it is not practical. On the other hand, I do NOT understand why the line out is not summed. As I understand it, they did go so far as to use separate buffers for the balanced and unbalanced line outputs. If my memory is correct here, it is much better than many equipment manufacturers who simply tap the + side of the balanced line out buffer to make an unbalanced output.

As I answered elsewhere, the unbalanced headphone output of the base Pulse, X and S all have the same output power because they all have the same single ended output voltage. The balanced output of the Pulse X has more power because it has the total voltage of both the + and - balanced lines, twice the output voltage is available across the balanced signals as opposed to the single ended / unbalanced signal.

J.P.


----------



## goaliedad39

Well I must apologize to everyone for providing misleading information.  A few days ago I said that I backed the Pulse xfi on 12/8/13 and that I received info from LH that my unit has shipped so I wanted to let people know so they may judge where they were in the que.  I received my package from LH today, was very excited to open it only to discover that it was the LPS4 that I backed in the forever campaign and paid off at end of March.  I double checked the email from LH and it actually never states what product was shipped.  I just assumed it was the Pulse xfi.  I'm sorry for misleading people and very disappointed it wasn't my Pulse.  Checked LH's tracking page and it still just say's I'm in the que with nothing shipped.  So no idea where I stand or when I can expect it.  Sorry.


----------



## greenkiwi

The outputs on the Sfi are *summed*.  They take the +/- from the DAC and use both to create the + signal for each channel.  In theory this drops the noise floor a bit further.


----------



## greenkiwi

But that doesn't mean that you are getting twice the voltage output.  I think that the rails end up being a function of the input voltage going into the amp.  With a 12V power supply (and no DC step ups), you can only have +-7Vrms output.  With balanced, when you have +7, you also have -7, so you have a 14V swing.


----------



## wingsounds13

@greenwiki, that is not so. (edit.. on rereading your posts I discovered that I had conflated your posts and others, your posts are correct.). When you are using the unbalanced headphone output you only have +-7V referenced against ground. This is a 14V swing, but only ever 7V from the other connection on the headphone transducer. When using the balanced output you have a +-7V line referenced against a complementary -+7V line producing a total of 14V difference across the headphone transducer.

The summing that is being referred to is taking the + and - balanced signals and putting them through a summing amplifier. Putting them through a summing amplifier produces a single unbalanced signal of the same maximum voltage as each balanced signal referenced against ground. This can improve the S/N by 3dB, but does not increase the output voltage or power of the single ended / unbalanced output.

J.P.


----------



## nudd

Thanks for clearing that up guys. I only had a vague recollection of all those discussions but in summary it seems it is correct to say that the op shouldn't have any regrets if the intended use is always single ended mode because those outputs should give theoretically better performance than the xfi which only takes the positive on each output when run in single ended mode. Right?


----------



## flipper2gv

nudd said:


> Thanks for clearing that up guys. I only had a vague recollection of all those discussions but in summary it seems it is correct to say that the op shouldn't have any regrets if the intended use is always single ended mode because those outputs should give theoretically better performance than the xfi which only takes the positive on each output when run in single ended mode. Right?


 
  
 Same here.
  
 It was a great explanation wings, and it made me again confident I did choose well since I don't have any balanced headphones as of right now.


----------



## krikor

tuned said:


> Does anyone know if the lhlabs.com/tracking portion of their website is still being used? Will my tracking number show up there when/if new products ship?


 
 You should receive an email directly from LH Labs with a tracking number. I just did (yay!) but the tracking number is not listed on my tracking page. Perhaps it takes some time to appear.
  
 EDIT (5/15/2015, 8:20 EST): OK, now it is appearing in the LH Labs tracking system... I just needed to be a bit more patient. Still only listed as "pre-shipment" in USPS system though its been there a couple days now. Was hoping it would make it for my birthday this weekend (though I was hoping for the same last year), but it will just have to be a belated gift


----------



## miceblue

wingsounds13 said:


> Balanced means that the signal chain is processed with a + signal and a - signal that are the same but with opposite polarities and they are referenced against each other. Unbalanced is just a + signal that is referenced against ground.



Technically speaking, balanced connections have to do with equal-impedance wires such that any interference affects both equally. If you have impedance mis-matching, the advantage of balanced signalling becomes less.

Differential signalling is the +/- signals that you refer to.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio#Differential_signalling


> Signals are often transmitted over balanced connections using the differential mode, meaning the wires carry signals of opposite polarity to each other (for instance, in an XLR connector, pin 2 carries the signal with normal polarity, and pin 3 carries an inverted version of the same signal). Despite popular belief, this arrangement is not necessary for noise rejection. As long as the impedances are balanced, noise will couple equally into the two wires (and be rejected by a differential amplifier), regardless of the signal that is present on them.





From the latest Pulse update on Indiegogo:


> We were excited to push push push product out, but we had PCB impedance issues from PCB fabrication factory and we change to a better one




And now the problem of "impedance issues" becomes clear in respect to what balanced lines are by definition, equal-impedance lines.


----------



## snip3r77

New Update

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-audio-a-crowdsourced-high-rez-sound-system#activity

Let's see if we have impression @ Munich and hopefully my infinity comes around by June as per the Factory Progress PDF.


----------



## Jimah

Not to be impatience since I only hopped in November last year (Short journey compared to others who may have wait more than one & half year).
 But based on their latest update that still talk about 2013 order, is it safe to expect that I will only receive mine (pulse & pulse Xfi) way over next year? Just gauging for realistic date, maybe Casey can chime in?


----------



## Decoy

I would recommend that you PM Gina on the LH forums, or open at ticket and ask for her.  She has always been really helpful to me and has never let me down.


----------



## Maelob

ticket system is 100 percent improved - based on my last two tickets - quick responses from Gina.


----------



## snip3r77

jimah said:


> Not to be impatience since I only hopped in November last year (Short journey compared to others who may have wait more than one & half year).
> But based on their latest update that still talk about 2013 order, is it safe to expect that I will only receive mine (pulse & pulse Xfi) way over next year? Just gauging for realistic date, maybe Casey can chime in?




Larry said August or ealier.. I think worse case scenario is Xmas.


----------



## doctorjazz

maelob said:


> ticket system is 100 percent improved - based on my last two tickets - quick responses from Gina.




My experience as well, have been very responsive!


----------



## Ethereal Sound

I'm receiving my Sfi today but unfortunately won't be able to use it until Sunday


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Does anyone remember when you had to have backed the geek pulse in order to get the complimentary lightspeed cable? Because I think that I backed during them time when you could yet I only received one cable despite purchasing another.


----------



## flipper2gv

ethereal sound said:


> Does anyone remember when you had to have backed the geek pulse in order to get the complimentary lightspeed cable? Because I think that I backed during them time when you could yet I only received one cable despite purchasing another.


 
  
 Before Feb 2014 IIRC. Not sure if it is one per person or one per purchase too, it would explain the difference. I backed it October 29th.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote:


ethereal sound said:


> Does anyone remember when you had to have backed the geek pulse in order to get the complimentary lightspeed cable? Because I think that I backed during them time when you could yet I only received one cable despite purchasing another.


 
  
 They forgot my second one, too.  They responded to my ticket within 24 hours and I had a shipping notification within another 24.
  
 As for an update on my Pulse Xfi, I got mine pretty early but apparently it had a problem with impedance and I had to return it to have the board replaced.  While I was disappointed to have a faulty one, LHLabs responded quickly to my ticket and I am happy to say it sounds MUCH better.  Straight out of the box (got it back yesterday after roughly 3 weeks), I'd say it was easily worth what I paid for it as an early backer.  I look forward to how it might sound once burned in.


----------



## snip3r77

My friend's Infinite is shipping.Hope mine is next....


----------



## DSlayerZX

fraggler said:


> Quote:
> 
> They forgot my second one, too.  They responded to my ticket within 24 hours and I had a shipping notification within another 24.
> 
> As for an update on my Pulse Xfi, I got mine pretty early but apparently it had a problem with impedance and I had to return it to have the board replaced.  While I was disappointed to have a faulty one, LHLabs responded quickly to my ticket and I am happy to say it sounds MUCH better.  Straight out of the box (got it back yesterday after roughly 3 weeks), I'd say it was easily worth what I paid for it as an early backer.  I look forward to how it might sound once burned in.


 
  
 just curious, how did* you know that you have a problem with impedance? O.O


----------



## greenkiwi

Weird, I just got a PayPal bill for shipping for my infinity. I thought shipping was included for pulses sent to the continental US.


----------



## hemtmaker

greenkiwi said:


> Weird, I just got a PayPal bill for shipping for my infinity. I thought shipping was included for pulses sent to the continental US.




Could i ask when did you back the pulse? 2013 or 2014?


----------



## greenkiwi

The very first round...


----------



## nicolo

greenkiwi said:


> Weird, I just got a PayPal bill for shipping for my infinity. I thought shipping was included for pulses sent to the continental US.


 
  
 Same here.
  
 Which Infinity chassis did you go for? New/Old.
  
 What's annoying is that they mentioned that the Infinity will be shipped in the Old chassis in the invoice when i clearly mentioned New chassis n the survey form.


----------



## nudd

shipping for international backers should also be included. we had to plonk down extra on top of our pledge for shipping.


----------



## snip3r77

Why is there a need for extra $ for shipping of the infinity xfi ? I just don't understand and the reasoning is unbelievable .


----------



## nicolo

Gina responded to my mail on the extra shipping rate thusly:
  
 "It was decided by Larry to charge shipping for the Pulse X Infinity because this upgrade was not available in the original campaign and was implanted in the Pulse Forever Funding/InDemand campaigns. This is the cost we pay for shipping your item to you. You have been credited the $40 you paid additionally for international shipping. What you are paying for is the difference of what shipping is costing us. *We will be using USPS Global Express which is a better service to track your shipment and ease with going through customs. Your package is guaranteed to be delivered to your door*."
  
 So it's the difference between USPS International and USPS Global Express shipping rates, which makes sense. Just wish they would communicate this first before sending invoicing.


----------



## FraGGleR

dslayerzx said:


> just curious, how did* you know that you have a problem with impedance? O.O




I have golden ears...

I didn't know it was specifically an impedance problem until they told me after looking at it. To me it sounded like parts of the mix were really far back and echoey. I thought it was a soldering issue since it sounded a bit like when I flubbed the ground wire of a cable I built a long time ago.


----------



## snip3r77

nicolo said:


> Gina responded to my mail on the extra shipping rate thusly:
> 
> "It was decided by Larry to charge shipping for the Pulse X Infinity because this upgrade was not available in the original campaign and was implanted in the Pulse Forever Funding/InDemand campaigns. This is the cost we pay for shipping your item to you. You have been credited the $40 you paid additionally for international shipping. What you are paying for is the difference of what shipping is costing us. *We will be using USPS Global Express which is a better service to track your shipment and ease with going through customs. Your package is guaranteed to be delivered to your door*."
> 
> So it's the difference between USPS International and USPS Global Express shipping rates, which makes sense. Just wish they would communicate this first before sending invoicing.




What about the handling charge?


----------



## nicolo

By handling, you're referring to customs duties i presume? That we will have to pay extra in any case. Other than that there aren't other charges.


----------



## nudd

nicolo said:


> Gina responded to my mail on the extra shipping rate thusly:
> 
> "It was decided by Larry to charge shipping for the Pulse X Infinity because this upgrade was not available in the original campaign and was implanted in the Pulse Forever Funding/InDemand campaigns. This is the cost we pay for shipping your item to you. You have been credited the $40 you paid additionally for international shipping. What you are paying for is the difference of what shipping is costing us. *We will be using USPS Global Express which is a better service to track your shipment and ease with going through customs. Your package is guaranteed to be delivered to your door*."
> 
> So it's the difference between USPS International and USPS Global Express shipping rates, which makes sense. Just wish they would communicate this first before sending invoicing.


 
 i really wish they would tell us schiit like this upfront in official announcements. they can spam us with billions of announcements about totally unrelated nonsense but a change in shipping method is not important enough to tell us?


----------



## flipper2gv

nicolo said:


> Gina responded to my mail on the extra shipping rate thusly:
> 
> "It was decided by Larry to charge shipping for the Pulse X Infinity because this upgrade was not available in the original campaign and was implanted in the Pulse Forever Funding/InDemand campaigns. This is the cost we pay for shipping your item to you. You have been credited the $40 you paid additionally for international shipping. What you are paying for is the difference of what shipping is costing us. *We will be using USPS Global Express which is a better service to track your shipment and ease with going through customs. Your package is guaranteed to be delivered to your door*."
> 
> So it's the difference between USPS International and USPS Global Express shipping rates, which makes sense. Just wish they would communicate this first before sending invoicing.


 
  
 Maybe they couldn't insure the package with the other service too? Is there a maximum value for the insurance?
  
 On a different note, I just learned how you need to leave the Pulse on at all time. It did remove a significant bit of harshness that was present around 8k. Now the top end is glassy smooth, which is important when you listen to mainly metal like I do. Now, my Sfi with my HE-500 sounds really awesome.


----------



## nicolo

I think they went with the Global Express just because a lot of us wanted to be able to track the package at every stage. In a lot of countries, tracking stops once that country's postal service takes over.
  
 I think the Sfi probably sounds better because the Femto clocks achieve thermal equilibrium. I think Larry had mentioned somewhere that it takes at least 30 minutes to 1 hour for the Femto clocks to sound good.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

I am a little confused here. Which driver for the geek pulse am I supposed to install? I was reading through guide and realized that the title of the guide was for the geek out.


----------



## nicolo

*Don't install the GO driver for the Pulse. You will probably brick it.*
  
 Go to the LH Labs forum -> click Support tab -> click on "Geek Pulse" image -> Follow the instructions below on that page


----------



## Ethereal Sound

I see. I did it and it worked. Also, just to clarify, you only need to set up the geek pulse with jriver if you are going to use dsd right? Also, I installed firmware ver 2.3 but when I check the firmware on the geek pulse unit it says it is ver 2.0


----------



## Expansion

How does this dac compared with much more expensive ones?
 After all this was the hype, but nobody tests its like that.
 I want them to put the money where their mouth is, because if you look at the vanilla pulse board, it doesn't look like a 500$ design, not to mention 1000$+.
  
 On a side note, the funny thing is that so-called-audiophiles can't discern between a mainboard PC DAC and a Benchmark DAC2 HGC: 
 http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/high-end-pc-audio,3733-19.html
  
  
 LHLabs, next time, build the 100$ best-you-can-buy, this will be "for the masses", and be honest with the BOM. 100$ for 4 resistors, it's not honest.


----------



## wingsounds13

nicolo said:


> *Don't install the GO driver for the Pulse. You will probably brick it.*
> 
> Go to the LH Labs forum -> click Support tab -> click on "Geek Pulse" image -> Follow the instructions below on that page




Hey Nicolo, perhaps you should study and understand the difference between 'driver' and 'firmware'. Using the wrong *driver* will not brick your Pulse or Geek Out. Updating the device with the wrong *firmware* will almost certainly brick it!

J.P.


----------



## nudd

wingsounds13 said:


> Hey Nicolo, perhaps you should study and understand the difference between 'driver' and 'firmware'. Using the wrong *driver* will not brick your Pulse or Geek Out. Updating the device with the wrong *firmware* will almost certainly brick it!
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 isn't the driver a universal driver for all lhl devices? The driver version looks the same for both the GO and the Pulse anyway


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So I got my geek pulse sfi and so far, all I can say is that I am very satisfied with the unit. No popping sounds whatsoever, at least not that I can detect. Furthermore, it sounds very very nice. If I were to describe the SQ in one word, I would say that it's very smooth so far. Will post some updates later.


----------



## snip3r77

ethereal sound said:


> So I got my geek pulse sfi and so far, all I can say is that I am very satisfied with the unit. No popping sounds whatsoever, at least not that I can detect. Furthermore, it sounds very very nice. If I were to describe the SQ in one word, I would say that it's very smooth so far. Will post some updates later.




Pls combo it with HE500 and share with us. I have a HE500 and would like to know if there is synergy.


----------



## snip3r77

There's a HiFi in Munich and I was wondering if there's any write up of the XFI Infinity.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

snip3r77 said:


> Pls combo it with HE500 and share with us. I have a HE500 and would like to know if there is synergy.


 
  
 I am using it with the HE-500 and I can definitely say that I am melting in the lush midrange of this syngergy. However, I can't help but feel like something is lacking in the amp section of the Sfi compared to the Emotiva mini x a100. It's too early to tell, however, and I've only used one of the digital filters so far. I'll give it some time and post again.


----------



## nudd

ethereal sound said:


> I am using it with the HE-500 and I can definitely say that I am melting in the lush midrange of this syngergy. However, I can't help but feel like something is lacking in the amp section of the Sfi compared to the Emotiva mini x a100. It's too early to tell, however, and I've only used one of the digital filters so far. I'll give it some time and post again.




So you mean you have been running the sfi as a DAC into the Emotiva and getting better results than just the sfi alone?


----------



## HiFiRobot

nudd said:


> isn't the driver a universal driver for all lhl devices? The driver version looks the same for both the GO and the Pulse anyway


 
  
 Yes they use the same driver, at least currently. v 2.23 on both support pages link to the same driver file.
  
 http://lhlabs.com/support/geek-out.html
 http://lhlabs.com/support/geek-pulse.html


----------



## pauldgroot

I posted this quote below in a thread on the Force forum here. I just wanted to share how I currently feel about this campaign.
  
 Quote:


> I also feel pretty sour about latest update. When I ordered my Pulse X in November 2014 and upgraded to Xfi in December. I asked when I could expect my Pulse Xfi and LHL said that I could expect it by the end of February or March 2015. Right now it seems like they meant to say 2016.
> 
> Then an update came out in March:
> 
> ...


 
  
 Am I missing something or are my feelings justified?


----------



## Anaximandros

Well, I ordered in November 2013 and I'm still waiting.
 The first deadline from Feb/Mar 15 was for the initial campaign in 2013.
  
 Since you ordered your Pulse in the forever funding campaign I wouldn't expect a delivery before September.
  
 There were 100 Pulse Xfi units before me 4 weeks ago and I've yet to receive a shipping mail. That's <100 Pulse Xfi per month, <25 Xfi per weeek and <5 Xfi per day.


----------



## pauldgroot

Yes and apparently they got more Xfi's back in the last 45 days than they could ship out?


----------



## Decoy

The port unions has a several month "slowdown" where container ships were stuck waiting in port for weeks. This slowdown crippled businesses across the country waiting for items to be offloaded the ships. It doesn't excuse everything, but the port slowdown was responsible for at least a month, if not more, of their late delivery.


----------



## germay0653

nudd said:


> isn't the driver a universal driver for all lhl devices? The driver version looks the same for both the GO and the Pulse anyway


 

 The driver resides on and is used by the PC to communicate with the device (GO or Pulse).  The Firmware is code that is written directly to a chip on the device (GO or Pulse) and is typically not used for communication between the PC and the device but rather how certain functions, like the digital filters, on the device (GO or Pulse) work.


----------



## flipper2gv

ethereal sound said:


> I am using it with the HE-500 and I can definitely say that I am melting in the lush midrange of this syngergy. However, I can't help but feel like something is lacking in the amp section of the Sfi compared to the Emotiva mini x a100. It's too early to tell, however, and I've only used one of the digital filters so far. I'll give it some time and post again.




I was thinking the same at first, the mids weren't very "cohesive" enough to my taste. It's hard for me to describe but it was weird. 

Then I read that you need to leave it on all the time. And after two days on, something clicked and now it's just great. Really love the pairing with the he500.

As for the guy who sad the board look unimpressive, I guess he only saw the boards for audio gd for comparison, it means nothing. Many dacs have very simple looking boards and use different tools for the same job. This combo has a TON of technology on how it handles it's data, tons of algorithms that work the same way as filter chips but since we handle bits directly it doesn't lose any data. Most Hi-fi companies are born from old school electrical engineers that don't know much about programming and instead will use chips for something g that could be done with more precision with a program.

When a Dac board looks more complex than a graphics card board, you know things could have been engineered better.


----------



## mandrake50

pauldgroot said:


> Am I missing something or are my feelings justified?


 

 I think you are justified. I am feeling the   same. I ended up going with an Xfinity. The production schedule no longer even shows this unit with the new chassis. Larry just wrote that the SE units will all go out before the Xfinity units.
 Add that to the fact that I pledged in the last campaign.. I think I may be lucky to get anything this year. I pledged for an HPA too... at this point I think I will probably get it before the Pulse. What influenced me to jump was that the campaigns were about to be over and there were lots of promised delivery dates within 6 months.
  
 I know...crowd funding..  Well this has soured me on this type of  thing forever. The fact that they have had my money for this long, for Pulse, Wave, and now HPA makes the equation not work. Sure the equipment will have a reduced cost. The fact is that no one knows what these things will actually sell for at retail. Even if the fetch the amount that LHL claims is list (something I doubt based on GO pricing), I could have invested wisely with that money and come out ahead. Well, we live and learn. It won't happen again.
  
 In any case, you are not alone in feeling like there is a large object being forced into an orifice in your body where it does not belong.


----------



## flipper2gv

pauldgroot said:


> Am I missing something or are my feelings justified?


 
  
 I've been super sour for a long time. LHLabs is just downright ****ty when it comes to logistic, they just aren't able to make any kind of good predictions about their production speeds. Hopes were made and crushed, a real rollercoaster. Couple that with the early units that had a more than expected failure rate (although it seems much better now that they changed the board production company), and it's been a real hard time.
  
 But, the only redeeming quality is that the product is damn good, especially at the price we paid (if you got in early). I'd be very surprised to hear a better sounding combo at the kind of price I paid for my Sfi, it's just really really good and doesn't seem to have any of the problems we associate with D-S chips (we can thank Larry on this).


----------



## Ethereal Sound

flipper2gv said:


> I was thinking the same at first, the mids weren't very "cohesive" enough to my taste. It's hard for me to describe but it was weird.
> 
> Then I read that you need to leave it on all the time. And after two days on, something clicked and now it's just great. Really love the pairing with the he500.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yeah, I also think that the digital filter used is quite important too. I know that some people are not too keen about the design of the chassis but I for one actually quite like the look of the pulse. It's pretty simple and elegant. Just wondering, what filter have you been using and which do you think sounds the best?


----------



## flipper2gv

ethereal sound said:


> Yeah, I also think that the digital filter used is quite important too. I know that some people are not too keen about the design of the chassis but I for one actually quite like the look of the pulse. It's pretty simple and elegant. Just wondering, what filter have you been using and which do you think sounds the best?


 
  
 I've been loving the FTM filter so far. It has a lot of soundstage, the treble is glassy smooth, bass has authority and mids are on the slightly warm side of things. Good stuff, YMMV.


----------



## nudd

germay0653 said:


> The driver resides on and is used by the PC to communicate with the device (GO or Pulse).  The Firmware is code that is written directly to a chip on the device (GO or Pulse) and is typically not used for communication between the PC and the device but rather how certain functions, like the digital filters, on the device (GO or Pulse) work.




I know the difference I was responding to the post which said using the wrong driver should not brick anything, but as far as the Geeks are concerned there is only one driver.

Of course there is different firmware and I have repeatedly made my feelings known about thr very questionable reasons they claim they are unable to idiot proof their update process so mistakes can't happen.


----------



## greenkiwi

For me, this latest round of shipping and handling charges is really quite ridiculous. 

I paid for a pulse to be shipped to me already. If the new case causes it to be a little more expensive, I'd be ok passing the difference... But, $33 for shipping in California is the whole cost, not the difference. 

Does anyone else find this a bit ridiculous?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

flipper2gv said:


> I've been loving the FTM filter so far. It has a lot of soundstage, the treble is glassy smooth, bass has authority and mids are on the slightly warm side of things. Good stuff, YMMV.


 
 I've been using TCM mode for now but I want to have a good listen to every filter. By the way, dumb question but is there any "correct" way to switch filters? Like, is it bad to switch filters while music is playing?


----------



## flipper2gv

ethereal sound said:


> I've been using TCM mode for now but I want to have a good listen to every filter. By the way, dumb question but is there any "correct" way to switch filters? Like, is it bad to switch filters while music is playing?


 
  
 Since it's only data manipulation I don't think so. It is akin to changing color temperature on the tv while a movie is playing.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

flipper2gv said:


> Since it's only data manipulation I don't think so. It is akin to changing color temperature on the tv while a movie is playing.


 
 I see. I ask because the other day when I tried switching filters while a song was playing some buzzing and static noise was heard. Perhaps this is normal.


----------



## germay0653

germay0653 said:


> The driver resides on and is used by the PC to communicate with the device (GO or Pulse).  The Firmware is code that is written directly to a chip on the device (GO or Pulse) and is typically not used for communication between the PC and the device but rather how certain functions, like the digital filters, on the device (GO or Pulse) work.


 

 Hey nudd, this was more for nicolo's benefit.  Sorry if it came across as directed to you.


----------



## nudd

greenkiwi said:


> For me, this latest round of shipping and handling charges is really quite ridiculous.
> 
> I paid for a pulse to be shipped to me already. If the new case causes it to be a little more expensive, I'd be ok passing the difference... But, $33 for shipping in California is the whole cost, not the difference.
> 
> Does anyone else find this a bit ridiculous?


 
  
 I agree that if shipping was including when we backed initially, and there was no mention that the "upgrade" would come along with a shipping cost, then at the most they should charge the difference, not the whole shipping cost.
  
 I thought I saw an earlier post which said LHL responded by saying international backers had a $40 credit to their shipping costs (because we had to pay $40 extra).
  
 Applying that fairly to domestic shipping they should only charge the difference from their initial shipping provider to the new shipping method, that's for sure.


----------



## georgelai57

Received the Lightspeed 1G cable today; this is like receiving the keys to a car but not the car itself. Honestly, a waste of time and resources.


----------



## hemtmaker

georgelai57 said:


> Received the Lightspeed 1G cable today; this is like receiving the keys to a car but not the car itself. Honestly, a waste of time and resources.



I also backed one in Nov 2014. Nothing is showing up so far.....


----------



## Ultimate Mango

georgelai57 said:


> . Honestly, a waste of time and resources.




This about sums it up right here.


----------



## snip3r77

Sorry I'm not a technical guy.

Can someone compares the Ygg measured data
http://www.head-fi.org/t/764787/yggdrasil-technical-measurements/30#post_11612789

vs

http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3778-audio-precision-test-results-of-vi-dac-geek-pulse-infinite-too 

Thanks.


----------



## HiFiRobot

Dutch SBooster is listing their new "BOTW Power & Precision ECO audio upgrade power supply" as Geek Pulse compatible.
 The site is somewhat confusing with lots of text in different places, switches back to dutch etc. Hopefully they are better at engineering than website creation. There is also something called the Ultra upgrade but unclear what it does, what it costs and if it works with Geek Pulse or not.
  
 Price is 280€ for the 12V-13V version. There are other voltages also.
  
 http://www.sbooster.com/lh-labs?language=en
 http://www.sbooster.com/botw-pp-eco-12v---132v/
 http://www.sbooster.com/?language=en


----------



## FraGGleR

ethereal sound said:


> I see. I ask because the other day when I tried switching filters while a song was playing some buzzing and static noise was heard. Perhaps this is normal.


 
 I had a channel drop out (with static) on me when I changed the filters during playback.  I freaked out a little since I had just gotten it back from LHLabs for repairs.  Restarting my computer fixed everything and I am quite enjoying the FTM filter now.


----------



## flipper2gv

fraggler said:


> I had a channel drop out (with static) on me when I changed the filters during playback.  I freaked out a little since I had just gotten it back from LHLabs for repairs.  Restarting my computer fixed everything and I am quite enjoying the FTM filter now.


 
  
 That used to happen before I let the pulse on at all time. I used to just switch between filters and it would be ok. I don't know if it's a timing kind of thing, but, generally speaking, "restarting the connexion" in any way solved the issue.


----------



## pearljam50000

Is there going to be another campaign? Is there any chance getting the Pulse for around 300$ again? Yes I know the chances are low but had to ask.


----------



## snip3r77

pearljam50000 said:


> Is there going to be another campaign? Is there any chance getting the Pulse for around 300$ again? Yes I know the chances are low but had to ask.




Get the geek out v2 ?


----------



## pearljam50000

lol yes, that's my only option I guess.
But how close is the Geek Out V2 to the Pulse, SQ wise?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Hmm, just a quick observation but the Sfi with the HE-500. While the Sfi definitely has more bass detail, I feel like it doesn't have the same slam or authority when compared to the mini x. I am not really a basshead but when listening to EDM, I do like to have a bit of slam and I feel like the Sfi is a tad bit tame in that regards. Perhaps someone else has had different results?


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

I have a Pulse I might be willing to part with for not a lot more then that pearljam50000. Send a instant message if you really are interested.


----------



## Suopermanni

Just got my Sfi! Playing with it now.


----------



## snip3r77

suopermanni said:


> Just got my Sfi! Playing with it now.




Impression pls pls pls!


----------



## Suopermanni

I will in a couple of days. Unfortunately, I have no planars to test with this unit.


----------



## flipper2gv

ethereal sound said:


> Hmm, just a quick observation but the Sfi with the HE-500. While the Sfi definitely has more bass detail, I feel like it doesn't have the same slam or authority when compared to the mini x. I am not really a basshead but when listening to EDM, I do like to have a bit of slam and I feel like the Sfi is a tad bit tame in that regards. Perhaps someone else has had different results?


 
  
 That I can agree. The unit is quite polite while still being warm.


----------



## krikor

Finally... after a week in pre-shipment purgatory, I've received word that my Geek Pulse X is on its way and should be here tomorrow! Almost can't believe it is actually happening 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Now the big decision: open it up and take a listen or... and I know this may sound unnecessarily negative and petty at this final stage... keep it sealed, put it up for sale and wash my hands of the last 535 days, 7300+ posts in this long thread, umpteen upgrade/new product temptations, firmware worries, glitch concerns, etc. etc.
  
 There, I said it.
  
  
  
 Oh who am I kidding. I'll be tearing into it as soon as I get my hands on the box. A new piece of audio equipment can't cross my threshold without at least a listen.


----------



## pedalhead

krikor said:


> Finally... after a week in pre-shipment purgatory, I've received word that my Geek Pulse X is on its way and should be here tomorrow! Almost can't believe it is actually happening
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Anyway, it'll be worth more on the used market if you've first tested that it's not faulty


----------



## digitalzed

krikor said:


> Finally... after a week in pre-shipment purgatory, I've received word that my Geek Pulse X is on its way and should be here tomorrow! Almost can't believe it is actually happening
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 As much as I get your disappointment, you really should give it a go. I love my basic Pulse and am awaiting the delivery of the old chassis Infinity which should be here in a couple of days. As bad as the wait, communication (or lack thereof) has been, the product is great. Especially if you got in on the ground floor or close to it.


----------



## Maelob

pedalhead said:


> Anyway, it'll be worth more on the used market if you've first tested that it's not faulty



i will do the same-


----------



## krikor

pedalhead said:


> Anyway, it'll be worth more on the used market if you've first tested that it's not faulty


 
 True, and I wouldn't feel right selling it with the risk that something could be faulty.


----------



## nudd

krikor said:


> True, and I wouldn't feel right selling it with the risk that something could be faulty.




The problem is the issues reported are varied including the digital inputs not working. I don't have any spdif sources right now ... How to test all use cases ...

Hopefully they do test each infinity as they come off the line ... I have still no news of when they are shipping mine.

The way they seem to try to avoid criticism these days is to just refuse to give any information.


----------



## valve5425

I've just bailed out in the last hour and asked them to ship my Infinity with the original chassis. I can't see enough progress with the new chassis to justify the indefinite wait.


----------



## krikor

nudd said:


> The problem is the issues reported are varied including the digital inputs not working. I don't have any spdif sources right now ... How to test all use cases ...
> 
> Hopefully they do test each infinity as they come off the line ... I have still no news of when they are shipping mine.
> 
> The way they seem to try to avoid criticism these days is to just refuse to give any information.


 
 Hopefully they test each PULSE as it comes off the line - base, S, Sfi, X, Xfi, Infinity or otherwise 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  
 Luckily I've got plenty of sources, preamp, headphones, amps and speakers and such to cover just about any use case. So I should be able to do a fairly thorough testing job, though there are so many variables something could slip through however unlikely.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

krikor said:


> Hopefully they test each PULSE as it comes off the line - base, S, Sfi, X, Xfi, Infinity or otherwise
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 See, this is something that I find interesting. Not too take anything away from the geek pulse's performance (it's really great) but I feel like I (and perhaps others as well) feel more _relieved_ than excited about how it sounds when listening to the pulse because of all the bumps along the production line before I finally received the final product. After all, the human mind plays a powerful role in how we interpret things.


----------



## longbowbbs

valve5425 said:


> I've just bailed out in the last hour and asked them to ship my Infinity with the original chassis. I can't see enough progress with the new chassis to justify the indefinite wait.


 
 I am happy with my Old Chassis choice!


----------



## digitalzed

valve5425 said:


> I've just bailed out in the last hour and asked them to ship my Infinity with the original chassis. I can't see enough progress with the new chassis to justify the indefinite wait.


 

 Did the same thing a short while back.


----------



## hemtmaker

digitalzed said:


> Did the same thing a short while back.



same here


----------



## AxelCloris

I'm going to stick with the new chassis. I'll be using the Pulse Infinity with the HPA so I'm in no rush to receive it. And who knows, maybe by the time it gets here I'll have moved on. I feel that having the new chassis will help with resale if necessary.


----------



## jexby

axelcloris said:


> I'm going to stick with the new chassis. I'll be using the Pulse Infinity with the HPA so I'm in no rush to receive it. And who knows, maybe by the time it gets here I'll have moved on. I feel that having the new chassis will help with resale if necessary.


 

 +1
 that's a big Me Too!


----------



## wingsounds13

I too am sticking with the new chassis - for now. Once we have some final dimensions and general aesthetics I will make my final decision. If at that time I am stuck with the new chassis then so be it. It is not THAT critical and to me worth the gamble and some delay in delivery.

J.P.


----------



## germay0653

Staying with the new chassis also!


----------



## nicolo

Same here. At least the resale value with the new chassis would be higher.


----------



## wingsounds13

I'm not worried about resale... I am interested in the best possible DAC for my $$. I think that the new chassis holds the best probability for that. 

J.P.


----------



## flipper2gv

wingsounds13 said:


> I'm not worried about resale... I am interested in the best possible DAC for my $$. I think that the new chassis holds the best probability for that.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 How is the new chassis gonna improve sound quality?


----------



## germay0653

flipper2gv said:


> How is the new chassis gonna improve sound quality?


 

 Lager chassis allows for larger and more optimally separated sections of PCB. Power, digital and analog sections separated from one another...less noise pollution and interference.


----------



## NinjaHamster

M





germay0653 said:


> Lager chassis allows for larger and more optimally separated sections of PCB. Power, digital and analog sections separated from one another...less noise pollution and interference.




Except that this is not the case. The Infinity PCBs are the same whether you get the new chassis or the old chassis.


----------



## greenkiwi

^^^ yeah... what he said.  It's all cosmetic.  Like a facade.  Now cosmetics can be good.  Plus it does have the upgradable display board.
  
 I am sticking with the new chassis.  If I'm going to be stuck paying extra for shipping, I'll be getting a bigger chassis... plus I have the HPA coming.


----------



## wingsounds13

It is not all cosmetic. The new chassis allows for better damping and resonance control. Believe it or not even solid state electronics are sensitive to microscopic vibrations and a well designed chassis can make the same circuit boards sound significantly better, much as a good base, rack or feet can. I have been a septic on subjects such as this but I have experienced hard proof of the effects of good vibration control. 

J.P.


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

I am setting hear watching a movie thru my Vanilla Geek pulse and I have to say while the way LH Labs announce product or says one thing then does another is very difficult to deal with but the sound they produce is so very enjoyable. If only they did not say one thing and do another I would have nothing but wonderful things to say about them. The Bass is thunderous in my ears and the action takes place and the highs sound clear and bright. The stage is so open and separation is amazing. The Headphone amp drives my 650's and even though it works to do it and I have to use all its ample power it adds very little noise and no distortion that is noticeable. Here I am praising them again, "Damn You LH Labs" as I shake my fist in the air "Damn You" LOL!!


----------



## flipper2gv

ninjahamster said:


> M
> Except that this is not the case. The Infinity PCBs are the same whether you get the new chassis or the old chassis.


 
  
 That's why I was surprised to hear about better SQ from the new chassis.
  


wingsounds13 said:


> It is not all cosmetic. The new chassis allows for better damping and resonance control. Believe it or not even solid state electronics are sensitive to microscopic vibrations and a well designed chassis can make the same circuit boards sound significantly better, much as a good base, rack or feet can. I have been a septic on subjects such as this but I have experienced hard proof of the effects of good vibration control.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 Ok, I can see that, but the difference will still be minimal.
  


lifemovingforwa said:


> I am setting hear watching a movie thru my Vanilla Geek pulse and I have to say while the way LH Labs announce product or says one thing then does another is very difference to deal with but the sound they produce is so very enjoyable. If only they did not say one thing and do another I would have nothing but wonderful things to say about them. The Bass is thunderous in my ears and the action takes place and the highs sound clear and bright. The stage is so open and separation is amazing. The Headphone amp drives my 650's and even though it works to do it and I have to use all its ample power it adds very little noise and no distortion that is noticeable. Here I am praising them again, "Damn You LH Labs" as I shake my fist in the air "Damn You" LOL!!


 
  
 I don't know about you, but I only max the output when the gain setting is at "low" and that's with HE-500 that are more power hungry. Watch out, you don't want to go deaf.


----------



## valve5425

Yes, it's a real shame, I'd have liked the new chassis, but I just can't see a great deal of progress being made. It seems to have stalled, and there's very little info coming out of LH Labs.
  
 Design wise, I'll stand corrected, but I don't get the impression that "acoustics" were taken into consideration with the new chassis. Now the Vi DAC appears to be a different matter.
  
 In any case, (see what I did there?) only side by side comparisons will tell us if there's any improvement between the new and old chassis.


----------



## pedalhead

Indeed, the continued silence from LH is deafening.  As always, all too happy to send frequent emails selling the latest product (GO v2 in this case), but no response even to direct, repeated questions on here and LH forums on even a vague ETA for Infinity with old or new chassis.  Again, as per usual, we're not given the correct information to make an informed choice. Oh well, I've given up & bought another decent dac in the meantime as I'm honestly not expecting the new chassis Infinity to be shipping this side of Christmas.


----------



## valve5425

pedalhead said:


> Indeed, the continued silence from LH is deafening.  As always, all too happy to send frequent emails selling the latest product (GO v2 in this case), but no response even to direct, repeated questions on here and LH forums on even a vague ETA for Infinity with old or new chassis.  Again, as per usual, we're not given the correct information to make an informed choice. Oh well, I've given up & bought another decent dac in the meantime as I'm honestly not expecting the new chassis Infinity to be shipping this side of Christmas.


 

 My Infinity, in the old chassis, is in transit as we type! I get the impression they'd be happier if everyone chose the old chassis so they could get them out the door!


----------



## Decoy

pedalhead said:


> Indeed, the continued silence from LH is deafening.  As always, all too happy to send frequent emails selling the latest product (GO v2 in this case), but no response even to direct, repeated questions on here and LH forums on even a vague ETA for Infinity with old or new chassis.  Again, as per usual, we're not given the correct information to make an informed choice. Oh well, I've given up & bought another decent dac in the meantime as I'm honestly not expecting the new chassis Infinity to be shipping this side of Christmas.


 
 I gave up posting on the forums.  I recommend just going via PM.  Manny has helped me out on a few occasions, however, I usually ask Gina on their forums.  She is a fabulous customer service rep.  You can also open a ticket.  Make sure you ask for Gina in the ticket.  Every time I have had Stephanie, what she told me was wrong or she flucked it up.  It's a shame, but I guess they are reticent about making public proclamations, but in private you will get a direct answer.


----------



## mandrake50

nicolo said:


> Same here. At least the resale value with the new chassis would be higher.




You sure about that? I ask because there has been a bunch of resistance here about the size of the new chassis. If it remains at the dimensions that we have seen to date, it is a large item for a desktop setup. We think that it may look "better", but even that is not settled... depending on implementation of what so far is an early prototype.

I am wavering. J.P. said "some" delay is acceptable... I am not sure yet what my definition of "some" is in this case. I am not sure either what the probable delay will be.. Difficult decision when the end game is unknown!


----------



## digitalzed

valve5425 said:


> My Infinity, in the old chassis, is in transit as we type! I get the impression they'd be happier if everyone chose the old chassis so they could get them out the door!


 

 They made their own bed by offering the new chassis for sure. I originally wanted the new chassis but decided I didn't want to wait any longer. Maybe I'll regret it, maybe not. But my Infinity arrived today and I'm listening to it now and directly comparing it to my vanilla Pulse I've had since late last year. So far, I'm pretty impressed. And this is not anticipation hearing or expectations. Actually, I was very happy with the Pulse. But the difference is audible on every level. So no matter what chassis you're waiting for, the unit itself is pretty damn good. More impressions later if anyone wants them.


----------



## valve5425

digitalzed said:


> They made their own bed by offering the new chassis for sure. I originally wanted the new chassis but decided I didn't want to wait any longer. Maybe I'll regret it, maybe not. But my Infinity arrived today and I'm listening to it now and directly comparing it to my vanilla Pulse I've had since late last year. So far, I'm pretty impressed. And this is not anticipation hearing or expectations. Actually, I was very happy with the Pulse. But the difference is audible on every level. So no matter what chassis you're waiting for, the unit itself is pretty damn good. More impressions later if anyone wants them.


 
  
 Glad your Infinity lives up to expectations. My GO 720 is my first and only DAC so I'm pretty sure I won't be disappointed with the Infinity. I originally set out with the intention of building a Buffalo DAC or AckoDAC, but this came along and actually works out cheaper because I got in early on. Whilst not getting the new chassis is a bit of a shame, I won't lose any sleep over it.


----------



## miceblue

digitalzed said:


> More impressions later if anyone wants them.



Your impressions are most certainly not welcome here. No one here wants to know what you think of the Infinity. Today is not opposite day.

/s


----------



## digitalzed

miceblue said:


> Your impressions are most certainly not welcome here. No one here wants to know what you think of the Infinity. Today is not opposite day.
> 
> /s


 

 Sorry, is that a joke?


----------



## Decoy

Yes


----------



## nicolo

mandrake50 said:


> You sure about that? I ask because there has been a bunch of resistance here about the size of the new chassis. If it remains at the dimensions that we have seen to date, it is a large item for a desktop setup. We think that it may look "better", but even that is not settled... depending on implementation of what so far is an early prototype.
> 
> I am wavering. J.P. said "some" delay is acceptable... I am not sure yet what my definition of "some" is in this case. I am not sure either what the probable delay will be.. Difficult decision when the end game is unknown!


 
  
 There are other similar products like those from Cavalli, Violectric etc which have bigger chassis. I think the main reason people are annoyed is that the initial old chassis dimensions were much smaller while now it has increased dramatically.


----------



## pedalhead

valve5425 said:


> pedalhead said:
> 
> 
> > Indeed, the continued silence from LH is deafening.  As always, all too happy to send frequent emails selling the latest product (GO v2 in this case), but no response even to direct, repeated questions on here and LH forums on even a vague ETA for Infinity with old or new chassis.  Again, as per usual, we're not given the correct information to make an informed choice. Oh well, I've given up & bought another decent dac in the meantime as I'm honestly not expecting the new chassis Infinity to be shipping this side of Christmas.
> ...


 
  
 Excellent news mate.  Will look forward to your impressions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  Glad to hear at least some of the Infinity units are shipping.


----------



## ed45

digitalzed said:


> ... But my Infinity arrived today and I'm listening to it now and directly comparing it to my vanilla Pulse I've had since late last year. So far, I'm pretty impressed. And this is not anticipation hearing or expectations. Actually, I was very happy with the Pulse. But the difference is audible on every level. So no matter what chassis you're waiting for, the unit itself is pretty damn good. More impressions later if anyone wants them.


 
  
 Did it come with a LightSpeed 2G USB cable as was promised - or at least a note implying future shipment of the cable?
  
 Ed45
  
 ("Ed" on the LH Labs forums)


----------



## digitalzed

ed45 said:


> Did it come with a LightSpeed 2G USB cable as was promised - or at least a note implying future shipment of the cable?
> 
> Ed45
> 
> ("Ed" on the LH Labs forums)


 

 Hey Ed. Actually, I received the 2G that was part of this deal some time ago separately.


----------



## pedalhead

mandrake50 said:


> nicolo said:
> 
> 
> > Same here. At least the resale value with the new chassis would be higher.
> ...


 
  
 Fair point.  I've been cogitating on the whole fiasco, & having said I was happy to wait I've now done a complete u-turn and have requested the old chassis.  There are indeed doubts about the form factor of the new chassis, and the final quality is an unknown as well. If I'm honest, I could really do with a desktop size unit as well.
  
 Those of you whose Infinities have shipped...do they have the old or new ESS chip in them?  Or are all the Infinities now shipping with new chips?  I've kind of lost track of this whole thing!


----------



## ed45

digitalzed said:


> Hey Ed. Actually, I received the 2G that was part of this deal some time ago separately.


 
  
 Hey Jeff. Glad to hear that.  I purchased a 2G during the first campaign, then backed the Infinity early and planned on using the 2nd 2G with my laptop.  I asked because a while ago LHL announced that there were issues with the last samples of 2Gs they received, and the 1 meter 2G is still marked as "Sold Out" on the Products page.  I'm sure that I'll eventually receive it.
  
 I'm very undecided on whether to wait for the new chassis or get the old one, which unlike the new chassis would actually fit in a reserved space on my desktop.


----------



## digitalzed

pedalhead said:


> Fair point.  I've been cogitating on the whole fiasco, & having said I was happy to wait I've now done a complete u-turn and have requested the old chassis.  There are indeed doubts about the form factor of the new chassis, and the final quality is an unknown as well. If I'm honest, I could really do with a desktop size unit as well.
> 
> Those of you whose Infinities have shipped...do they have the old or new ESS chip in them?  Or are all the Infinities now shipping with new chips?  I've kind of lost track of this whole thing!


 

 Mark, they do have the new chip. Space is also a premium on my desktop and I don't mind the current look of the unit. It's not exciting but it's the sound quality I want more!


----------



## digitalzed

ed45 said:


> Hey Jeff. Glad to hear that.  I purchased a 2G during the first campaign, then backed the Infinity early and planned on using the 2nd 2G with my laptop.  I asked because a while ago LHL announced that there were issues with the last samples of 2Gs they received, and the 1 meter 2G is still marked as "Sold Out" on the Products page.  I'm sure that I'll eventually receive it.
> 
> I'm very undecided on whether to wait for the new chassis or get the old one, which unlike the new chassis would actually fit in a reserved space on my desktop.


 

 I'm not sure why I received mine early and separately, I haven't even used it yet because it isn't long enough for where my placement is on my desktop! I hope you get yours with your unit Ed, and soon.


----------



## ed45

Well - I just opted for the old chassis.  I'll be using it in tandem with a Geek LPS and LS 2G that I'm currently using with a GO1000.  I'll report my impressions once I've received it and fired it up.

 Ed


----------



## miceblue

digitalzed said:


> Sorry, is that a joke?



Yeah.





ed45 said:


> Hey Jeff. Glad to hear that.  I purchased a 2G during the first campaign, then backed the Infinity early and planned on using the 2nd 2G with my laptop.  I asked because a while ago LHL announced that there were issues with the last samples of 2Gs they received, and the 1 meter 2G is still marked as "Sold Out" on the Products page.  I'm sure that I'll eventually receive it.
> 
> I'm very undecided on whether to wait for the new chassis or get the old one, which unlike the new chassis would actually fit in a reserved space on my desktop.



Do you have a link to the post where there were issues with the 2G?

I ordered both a 2G and the THD perk (which included the free 2G). I have received neither but the THD perk one should come with the X Infinity itself.


----------



## ed45

miceblue said:


> Yeah.
> Do you have a link to the post where there were issues with the 2G?
> 
> I ordered both a 2G and the THD perk (which included the free 2G). I have received neither but the THD perk one should come with the X Infinity itself.


 
  
  
 Here you go:  http://lhlabs.com/force/lightspeed-usb/4169-where-is-my-2g-cable#65743


----------



## ed45

digitalzed said:


> I'm not sure why I received mine early and separately, I haven't even used it yet because it isn't long enough for where my placement is on my desktop! I hope you get yours with your unit Ed, and soon.


 
  
 Thanks!  I opted for the old chassis and 5 minutes later I received a shipping notice, so I don't thing that's going to happen.  No matter - I'll still be able to use my current LPS and LS2G with the Infinity. I'm looking forward to comparing notes with you and other old chassis Infinity backers, and I'll probably bring it to the SF Bay Area Head-fi meet.


----------



## digitalzed

ed45 said:


> Thanks!  I opted for the old chassis and 5 minutes later I received a shipping notice, so I don't thing that's going to happen.  No matter - I'll still be able to use my current LPS and LS2G with the Infinity. I'm looking forward to comparing notes with you and other old chassis Infinity backers, and I'll probably bring it to the SF Bay Area Head-fi meet.


 

 I think that once again they were too optimistic about their ability to deliver something (this time the new chassis) so they actually have internals ready to go. I'll be anxious to hear your impressions also Ed. Still listening to mine and pretty happy so far. Just want to give it some more time. Wow, I just saw the SF meet topic, I went last year and loved it. I hope I can make it again this year.


----------



## mandrake50

ed45 said:


> Thanks!  I opted for the old chassis and 5 minutes later I received a shipping notice, so I don't thing that's going to happen.  No matter - I'll still be able to use my current LPS and LS2G with the Infinity. I'm looking forward to comparing notes with you and other old chassis Infinity backers, and I'll probably bring it to the SF Bay Area Head-fi meet.


 

 When you say that you opted for the old chassis, how did you opt for it? Was this in reply to an email message, or by changing the option in the survey. I ask because at this point I have no clue how to communicate the change.
 If I decide to go that way... As long as the guts are the same, the connectors are the same, and they are functionally equivalent,,, and sound the same (sorry J.P. not convinced of the vibration differences...nor that one is superior in that regard to the other, no way to tell at this point with the new chassis undefined)... and if I can cut possibly months off of the delivery time... it gets to be close to a no-brainer to pick the old chassis!!!


----------



## digitalzed

mandrake50 said:


> When you say that you opted for the old chassis, how did you opt for it? Was this in reply to an email message, or by changing the option in the survey. I ask because at this point I have no clue how to communicate the change.
> If I decide to go that way... As long as the guts are the same, the connectors are the same, and they are functionally equivalent,,, and sound the same (sorry J.P. not convinced of the vibration differences...nor that one is superior in that regard to the other, no way to tell at this point with the new chassis undefined)... and if I can cut possibly months off of the delivery time... it gets to be close to a no-brainer to pick the old chassis!!!


 

 Best way is to open a ticket for sure. For me the only thing besides aesthetics is that the new chassis does have an SD card slot for firmware upgrades and also the larger volume knob that many requested. Those could be deciding factors for some.


----------



## mandrake50

nicolo said:


> There are other similar products like those from Cavalli, Violectric etc which have bigger chassis. I think the main reason people are annoyed is that the initial old chassis dimensions were much smaller while now it has increased dramatically.


 

 A good point, but I would not consider those as I do not have room. I have been looking for a DAC to use with the Liquid Carbon that I pre-ordered. There are a few that I would like to have, but I struck them from my list simply based upon their physical size. I would guess that there are quite a few potential buyers with similar constraints.


----------



## ed45

mandrake50 said:


> When you say that you opted for the old chassis, how did you opt for it? Was this in reply to an email message, or by changing the option in the survey.


 
  
 It was in response to an email I received from LHL stating that they were unable to access their survey system and asking me whether I wanted to receive an Infinity with the old or new chassis. I don't know if they only sent the note to Infinity backers who ordered their Pulses during the first campaign.  I backed mine in November of 2013.


----------



## mandrake50

I am sure I am well down the list. I bought the basic Pulse in the package deal with the HJE-560s.. then, of course, got sucked in to the upgrades to the Xfinite level... with latest ESS dac.. I would figure that I have a while to think about the decision on which chassis to get.


----------



## longbowbbs

My LPS4 is on its way. Everything I ordered will be in house shortly.


----------



## mandrake50

longbowbbs said:


> My LPS4 is on its way. Everything I ordered will be in house shortly.


 

 You are quite fortunate! I am envious. Nothing I have pledged for is in house. Chances are it will not be for a long time. I do have a GO 1000, but I bought that from a middle man.


----------



## nudd

ed45 said:


> It was in response to an email I received from LHL stating that they were unable to access their survey system and asking me whether I wanted to receive an Infinity with the old or new chassis. I don't know if they only sent the note to Infinity backers who ordered their Pulses during the first campaign.  I backed mine in November of 2013.




what. Come again... They cant access THEIR OWN SURVEY SYSTEM.


----------



## krikor

Listening to my Pulse X right now! Got it hooked up for initial testing, just making sure everything is working right, no serious listening just yet. Packaging was good, everything came through unscathed. 1G USB cable was included in the box along with a card extending the warranty to 2 years. 
  
 There's also a packing slip that indicates a purchase price of $1,799. That's cute. Unpacking the unit itself... well it does not look nor feel like a nearly $2,000 component. I'm not complaining as it is perfectly in line with what I actually paid and perhaps a few rungs above that, but I'm not sure I'd say it exudes even half the MSRP. Perhaps I'm out of touch with where things are at today. Of course, it's what is under the hood and how it sounds that really matters, at least to me.
  
 A couple first impression quibbles, quirks and glitches:

The smoked cover over the display has some scratches on it, like someone was trying to plug in headphones in the dark and kept missing the jack. It's not very noticeable, but there is no protective layer over the cover that the user usually peals off.
The wall-wart power supply looks really cheap, especially at the retail price. Like something you get with a cell phone. I know, I could have upgraded to the LPS. Again, as long as the sound is OK... 
I'm doing my initial testing with the coax SPDIF input. Upon first firing it up I got nothing from the right channel. Checked the connections - good. Changed sources back to USB, then back to SPDIF 1 - BINGO, sound is there now.
After confirming that it could make music, I paused the source and had dinner, then came back to listen a bit and before long noticed that a strange flapping helicopter like sound was coming from the left channel tweeter. Cycled through the inputs again and BINGO - problem solved.
  
 OK, enough belly-aching. I've got it hooked up as follows: Squeezebox Touch > coax SPDIF > Pulse X (line out mode/full volume) > Harmonic Technology Pro-Silway XLR > Wyred4Sound mPRE > Kimber PBJ XLR > JBL LSR305 active monitors. No headphone use just yet, planning to do that at work tomorrow.
  
 What about the sound? First impression is that is very smoooooove, perhaps a bit too much so? It's got a softness to the top end that makes it seem almost dulled somewhat. Bear in mind this is brand new out of the box, slapped down and played with no special setup. My speakers are not even optimally placed and I've had to keep the volume down somewhat since the kid is sleeping. But all that said, my initial thought is that holy cow, this easily trounces the ESS 9023 DAC section of my mPRE and others I have heard. It's got a ton of detail, but not in your face, just properly proportioned. Soundstage and imaging are fantastic, plus it leans toward the warm side of neutral (perhaps because of the smoothness?) with a tremendous low end. Actually, as I'm sitting here typing I'm taken with just how spacious, and open and NATURAL it sounds. I may have to pull out my Magnepans and big monoblock amps this weekend to see how it sounds with those (they are being "divested" due to system downsizing, so not currently hooked up, which I worry might entice me to keep those).
  
 Tomorrow I'll be using the Pulse X with my Macbook Air running JRiver and either AKG K7XX or Sennheiser HD650. I've also got high-res PCM and DSD tracks to put it through its paces.
  
 More to come.


----------



## Decoy

ed45 said:


> It was in response to an email I received from LHL stating that they were unable to access their survey system and asking me whether I wanted to receive an Infinity with the old or new chassis. I don't know if they only sent the note to Infinity backers who ordered their Pulses during the first campaign.  I backed mine in November of 2013.


 
 Who wrote replied to your email?


----------



## ed45

decoy said:


> Who wrote replied to your email?


 
  
 The original notice was sent by LHL staff, and the notification that my product was going to ship seemed to be auto generated by a shipping service or software platform that LHL is using.  The reply to my reply provided a tracking number which eventually worked.


----------



## wingsounds13

Ed45, the question was *who.* There are several people on staff at LH Labs. Customer Service these days seems to consist of Manny, Stephanie and Gina. There are also several people in shipping working under Diana and at the top of LH Labs there are Larry and Gavin, just below them in the food chain is Casey. There are also others in tech services and elsewhere but these are the names commonly seen in communication.

You likely got an email from Stephanie or Gina, but possibly from Manny. The answers and service level can vary significantly depending upon the specific individual with whom you were communicating. We are curious as to the specific individual who gave you the information. In this case, LH Labs has little meaning.

J P.


----------



## ed45

wingsounds13 said:


> Ed45, the question was *who.* There are several people on staff at LH Labs. Customer Service these days seems to consist of Manny, Stephanie and Gina. There are also several people in shipping working under Diana and at the top of LH Labs there are Larry and Gavin, just below them in the food chain is Casey. There are also others in tech services and elsewhere but these are the names commonly seen in communication.
> 
> You likely got an email from Stephanie or Gina, but possibly from Manny. The answers and service level can vary significantly depending upon the specific individual with whom you were communicating. We are curious as to the specific individual who gave you the information. In this case, LH Labs has little meaning.
> 
> J P.


 
  
 Hey J.P. 
  
 The sender was Gina, however the message looked more like bulk email rather than a personalized note, which is why I said LHL staff.
  
 Ed45 ("Ed" on the LHL forums)


----------



## pedalhead

Same as Ed, I received a pre-shipment notice for my Infinity just a few minutes after emailing Gina to change my mind about chassis choice. I'm also due a 1G from the original campaign perk, and a 2G from the THD perk. Gina said the 2G is out of stock & will ship when available, but that I will receive a 1G with my Infinity (although it's not listed on the pre-shipping notice).
  
 I'll be comparing the Infinity to another Sabre dac (a really nice one!), the DiDiT DAC212, and I should still have the demo Chord Hugo TT here for comparison as well.


----------



## Suopermanni

Okay, have gotten used the Pulse Sfi. I am using an AKG KXXX and a Philips Fidelio X2 with it currently as they are the HPs I have currently. 
  
 Current impressions of it seems to be consistant with other people's experiences, if I'm interpreting them right. My impression of the Pulse Sfi, using the HP out on low to medium gain at about -30db is that its sound signature is rather smooth and polite. I don't think there is much treble energy here and it could be the case that treble is a bit rolled off, certainly it is not in your face treble. To me, the mids sound sound a bit laid back for me, kind of like a Sennheiser HP's mids. They do sound natural though and I do like the mids though my preference seems to be that the mids be a bit more forward. As for the bass, I can say that it does have a lot of punch and extends low. I can't answer if it bleeds or not into the mids from what I can tell, it doesn't do it in an obvious way. Then again, the two HPs I have currently may be considered a bit warm so YMMV.
  
 EDIT:
  
 The rig I'm comparing it to is a AudioLab MDAC with a LPSU I got somewhere and a Meier Audio Corda Classic.


----------



## nudd

pedalhead said:


> Same as Ed, I received a pre-shipment notice for my Infinity just a few minutes after emailing Gina to change my mind about chassis choice. I'm also due a 1G from the original campaign perk, and a 2G from the THD perk. Gina said the 2G is out of stock & will ship when available, but that I will receive a 1G with my Infinity (although it's not listed on the pre-shipping notice).
> 
> I'll be comparing the Infinity to another Sabre dac (a really nice one!), the DiDiT DAC212, and I should still have the demo Chord Hugo TT here for comparison as well.




May i also ask the date you backed?


----------



## pedalhead

nudd said:


> pedalhead said:
> 
> 
> > Same as Ed, I received a pre-shipment notice for my Infinity just a few minutes after emailing Gina to change my mind about chassis choice. I'm also due a 1G from the original campaign perk, and a 2G from the THD perk. Gina said the 2G is out of stock & will ship when available, but that I will receive a 1G with my Infinity (although it's not listed on the pre-shipping notice).
> ...


 
  
 December 12th 2013.


----------



## hemtmaker

krikor said:


> The smoked cover over the display has some scratches on it, like someone was trying to plug in headphones in the dark and kept missing the jack. It's not very noticeable, but there is no protective layer over the cover that the user usually peals off.


 
  For a $1000 equipment, this is unacceptable. I am OCD about those things and would return it to LHLab straight away


----------



## georgelai57

pedalhead said:


> December 12th 2013.



29th Nov 2013 as a bundle with the Geek Out. And with all the upgrades, it is supposedly a Xfi now and even though the survey was filled in nearly a month ago, I have no indication of when I'll see it.


----------



## pedalhead

georgelai57 said:


> pedalhead said:
> 
> 
> > December 12th 2013.
> ...


 
  
 I guess the Infinity units are being built separately and therefore have a separate queue. I also get the feeling there are a number of old chassis Infinities hanging around ready to be shipped to those not choosing the new chassis.  Bummer that people are waiting so long for the Xfi though.


----------



## georgelai57

pedalhead said:


> I guess the Infinity units are being built separately and therefore have a separate queue. I also get the feeling there are a number of old chassis Infinities hanging around ready to be shipped to those not choosing the new chassis.  Bummer that people are waiting so long for the Xfi though.



I've given up tracking all the latest developments for the sake of my blood pressure. But since we're on the subject is the new chassis a free upgrade?


----------



## pedalhead

georgelai57 said:


> I've given up tracking all the latest developments for the sake of my blood pressure. But since we're on the subject is the new chassis a free upgrade?


 
  
 Yes, free upgrade. Although if time = money...perhaps not so much


----------



## nudd

pedalhead said:


> December 12th 2013.




I backed before you but no shipping notice or email.


----------



## pedalhead

nudd said:


> pedalhead said:
> 
> 
> > December 12th 2013.
> ...


 
  
 What specific unit are you waiting for?


----------



## nudd

nudd said:


> I backed before you but no shipping notice or email.




Infinity as well.


----------



## pedalhead

nudd said:


> nudd said:
> 
> 
> > I backed before you but no shipping notice or email.
> ...


 
  
 If you chose the old chassis, then perhaps you could send Gina an email confirming your chassis choice and that might prompt shipment to progress.  I presumed that all Infinity backers would have received the email..?


----------



## nudd

pedalhead said:


> If you chose the old chassis, then perhaps you could send Gina an email confirming your chassis choice and that might prompt shipment to progress.  I presumed that all Infinity backers would have received the email..?




I live in hope that LHL achieves that level of efficiency. 

I had chosen the old chassis since day 1.


----------



## RickDastardly

pedalhead said:


> If you chose the old chassis, then perhaps you could send Gina an email confirming your chassis choice and that might prompt shipment to progress.  I presumed that all Infinity backers would have received the email..?



I am an infinity backer (originally backed my pulse early in the very first campaign). Which email are you referring to? I haven't received any communication from LHL regarding my infinity (I selected to new chassis option).


----------



## pedalhead

rickdastardly said:


> pedalhead said:
> 
> 
> > If you chose the old chassis, then perhaps you could send Gina an email confirming your chassis choice and that might prompt shipment to progress.  I presumed that all Infinity backers would have received the email..?
> ...


 
  
 Seems that some of us received the following email out of the blue on Tuesday...
  
  



> _Good Afternoon,_
> 
> _We are currently unable to access the current Survey system and I am contacting you regarding your chassis preference. Please respond to this email by indicating “No" for the new chassis for your Pulse X Infinity. If “NO” I will add you to my list that you want the *original (old) chassis* for your Pulse X Infinity since we are currently in the process of shipping these units._
> 
> ...


 

 
I have no idea why some but not all received it.  I'd suggest either raising a ticket or sending Gina an email if you didn't.


----------



## RickDastardly

pedalhead said:


> Seems that some of us received the following email out of the blue on Tuesday...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks. I will open a ticket to see what they say. I will have a quick dig in my spam folder first, just in case (no pun intended).


----------



## nudd

this is beyond ridiculous ...


----------



## krikor

hemtmaker said:


> For a $1000 equipment, this is unacceptable. I am OCD about those things and would return it to LHLab straight away


 
 Yeah, I'm a bit like that as well. But the scratches are really only visible if the light hits it at just the right angle. Definitely can't see it in my rack without taking my glasses off, putting the lights up full and lifting the little bugger to get the right angle. Not even noticeable on my desk at work next to floor-to-ceiling windows. Really not worth sending back to LH since it would probably be on my dime (of course, if had spent $1000+ it could be a different matter).
  
 However, the smoked cover is so dark it's hard to see the display on my desk in front of me (although if it were brighter, someone perhaps even me would be griping it is too bright in other situations).


----------



## Decoy

nudd said:


> this is beyond ridiculous ...


 
 I agree.  Send a PM to Gina on their forums and promise you that she will get your schiit straightened out.  She has worked miracles for me.  Even as frustrating as this must be for you, just try to be super sweet to her and I cannot imagine her not getting you squared away.  I know she said that they don't have access to the surveys, which still boggles my mind, but forget about that and keep your eye on the prize.
  
 I feel like I have a good rapport with her.  Just PM me what the situation is and how you want it resolved and I can intercede on your behalf.  No promises, but I would be happy to give it a shot.  From what you have posted, you have fallen between the cracks inside the cracks inside the cracks.  I really wish I could do something more substantial.


----------



## valve5425

Is everyone getting slapped for extra postage? Mine was +$30.00 to the UK.


----------



## snip3r77

decoy said:


> I agree.  Send a PM to Gina on their forums and promise you that she will get your schiit straightened out.  She has worked miracles for me.  Even as frustrating as this must be for you, just try to be super sweet to her and I cannot imagine her not getting you squared away.  I know she said that they don't have access to the surveys, which still boggles my mind, but forget about that and keep your eye on the prize.
> 
> I feel like I have a good rapport with her.  Just PM me what the situation is and how you want it resolved and I can intercede on your behalf.  No promises, but I would be happy to give it a shot.  From what you have posted, you have fallen between the cracks inside the cracks inside the cracks.  I really wish I could do something more substantial.




Followed your advice.Opened a ticket, helped them to screenshot since I can access and I got a $33 invoice from Gina.
Paid and waiting for shipping info now.

Keep fingers crossed that USB cables and DAC of course will be complete/correct and unit will be in OK condition. No DOA.

Cheers.


----------



## valve5425

snip3r77 said:


> Followed your advice.Opened a ticket, helped them to screenshot since I can access and I got a $33 invoice from Gina.
> Paid and waiting for shipping info now.
> 
> Keep fingers crossed that USB cables and DAC of course will be complete/correct and unit will be in OK condition. No DOA.
> ...


 

 1 metre 2G cables are NOT in stock, but they do have the 1G's.


----------



## snip3r77

valve5425 said:


> 1 metre 2G cables are NOT in stock, but they do have the 1G's.




Gina is fasssttttt and furious. She's replying as fast as those Amazon CS


----------



## mscott58

Got my shipment notice for my LPS4 today! Progress.


----------



## jbr1971

suopermanni said:


> Okay, have gotten used the Pulse Sfi. I am using an AKG KXXX and a Philips Fidelio X2 with it currently as they are the HPs I have currently.
> 
> Current impressions of it seems to be consistant with other people's experiences, if I'm interpreting them right. My impression of the Pulse Sfi, using the HP out on low to medium gain at about -30db is that its sound signature is rather smooth and polite. I don't think there is much treble energy here and it could be the case that treble is a bit rolled off, certainly it is not in your face treble. To me, the mids sound sound a bit laid back for me, kind of like a Sennheiser HP's mids. They do sound natural though and I do like the mids though my preference seems to be that the mids be a bit more forward. As for the bass, I can say that it does have a lot of punch and extends low. I can't answer if it bleeds or not into the mids from what I can tell, it doesn't do it in an obvious way. Then again, the two HPs I have currently may be considered a bit warm so YMMV.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Which digital filter are you using? Changing the filter may open up the treble a bit for you.
  
 Jody


----------



## Decoy

snip3r77 said:


> Followed your advice.Opened a ticket, helped them to screenshot since I can access and I got a $33 invoice from Gina.
> Paid and waiting for shipping info now.
> 
> Keep fingers crossed that USB cables and DAC of course will be complete/correct and unit will be in OK condition. No DOA.
> ...


 
 That's great news!  I hope that all your troubles are behind you.  With a little luck, we'll both be rocking out to our Infinities by the end of next week!


----------



## Funkym0nkey

Another case of needing to open a ticket, no emails except sales spam about geek v2 and I backed an infinity on 29 October and set the survey to original case as soon as the option was available, we'll see what comes back.


----------



## nudd

got a reply and away we go ... I think their shipping system has things jumbled up ...


----------



## Funkym0nkey

funkym0nkey said:


> Another case of needing to open a ticket, no emails except sales spam about geek v2 and I backed an infinity on 29 October and set the survey to original case as soon as the option was available, we'll see what comes back.




Sorted by a super fast response from Gina

Root cause - original kickstarter geekout backer big thanks perk wasn't picked up as a pulse.

Many thanks and credit to Gina


----------



## hydesg

Anyone knows what does this mean? They just pulled the plug before i can ask any questions.


Your RMA product has been repaired and ready to ship. The issues the unit had: 
 Possible RCA "caps" left on PCB

Repair Technician Comments: 
Pulled "caps" from RCA Port
Upgraded firmware to 1V5 (506)
Tested on AP (including listening test)


You will be receiving an email from our shipping team shortly with your tracking information for your repaired product. Your product will be identified as "Warranty Replacement Repair" on the custom forms, with the scope that you will not have to pay additional fees for the repair. 

At this time, we will be resolving your RMA ticket. If you have any additional questions or concerns in regards to this RMA, please feel free to open another ticket.

Best regards,


----------



## nudd

funkym0nkey said:


> Sorted by a super fast response from Gina
> 
> Root cause - original kickstarter geekout backer big thanks perk wasn't picked up as a pulse.
> 
> Many thanks and credit to Gina


 
  
 This may be why they missed mine as well. I backed as part of the big thanks perk too!


----------



## FlySweep

I informed LHLabs CS/Gina about wanting my Pulse Infinity in the old/original chassis.  Note that I hadn't received an email request to clarify my chassis choice (as some others have) and had already chosen the old chassis on the Survey (quite some time back).  I simply emailed LHL as I saw others had (and I needed to revise some GOv2/+ order info).
  
 As usual, Gina was very accommodating and noted I'll be getting a tracking # from LHL for my Pulse within 24-48 hrs.  Two hours later.. I got the tracking number.. so I'm that much closer to my Pulse Infinity.  Here's also what she told me:
  
_"..if you know of anyone else that wants their Pulse X Infinity in the original chassis, send em over to me "_


----------



## nudd

flysweep said:


> I informed LHLabs CS/Gina about wanting my Pulse Infinity in the old/original chassis.  Note that I hadn't received an email request to clarify my chassis choice (as some others have) and had already chosen the old chassis on the Survey (quite some time back).  I simply emailed LHL as I saw others had (and I needed to revise some GOv2/+ order info).
> 
> As usual, Gina was very accommodating and noted I'll be getting a tracking # from LHL for my Pulse within 24-48 hrs.  Two hours later.. I got the tracking number.. so I'm that much closer to my Pulse Infinity.  Here's also what she told me:
> 
> _"..if you know of anyone else that wants their Pulse X Infinity in the original chassis, send em over to me "_


 
  
 Customer service: big up to the customer service guys for stepping up and being champions. It has made me feel a whole lot better.
  
 Backend: still horrible and letting them down. The customer service guys should never have been put in this position in the first place.


----------



## snip3r77

snip3r77 said:


> Gina is fasssttttt and furious. She's replying as fast as those Amazon CS




Tracking ID received as promised by Gina


----------



## snip3r77

Anymore infinity impressions ? Hehe


----------



## nudd

snip3r77 said:


> Anymore infinity impressions ? Hehe


 
  
 Assuming USPS priority international doesn't lose the package, hopefully I will have glowing over-the-moon happy things to say about the sound quality within a couple weeks ...


----------



## Suopermanni

jbr1971 said:


> Which digital filter are you using? Changing the filter may open up the treble a bit for you.
> 
> Jody


 
  
 I don't mind the treble as it is, actually. Compared to my MDAC, it doesn't sound as pronounced.


----------



## snip3r77

nudd said:


> Assuming USPS priority international doesn't lose the package, hopefully I will have glowing over-the-moon happy things to say about the sound quality within a couple weeks ...




I hope to receive it before next weekend


----------



## CingKrab

flysweep said:


> I informed LHLabs CS/Gina about wanting my Pulse Infinity in the old/original chassis.  Note that I hadn't received an email request to clarify my chassis choice (as some others have) and had already chosen the old chassis on the Survey (quite some time back).  I simply emailed LHL as I saw others had (and I needed to revise some GOv2/+ order info).
> 
> As usual, Gina was very accommodating and noted I'll be getting a tracking # from LHL for my Pulse within 24-48 hrs.  Two hours later.. I got the tracking number.. so I'm that much closer to my Pulse Infinity.  Here's also what she told me:
> 
> _"..if you know of anyone else that wants their Pulse X Infinity in the original chassis, send em over to me "_


 
  
 Please let us know your impressions, and (for me) especially the built-in amp vs. the Gustard H10!


----------



## digitalzed

hydesg said:


> Anyone knows what does this mean? They just pulled the plug before i can ask any questions.
> 
> 
> Your RMA product has been repaired and ready to ship. The issues the unit had:
> ...


 

 It's standard for LHL to close out a ticket once they feel it's solved. So if you have further questions you should open another ticket referencing your old ticket. Is this convenient? No. Is it logical? No. But it is the way it is.


----------



## miceblue

LH Labs claims that jitter is the biggest enemy for digital audio. I wonder how the stock Pulse's jitter measurements are.
This DAC is $429 and it seems to have an extremely low jitter as measured by *atomicbob*
http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/mousai-msd192-dac-wolfson-wm8741-dac-192-khz-16-24bit.html

http://www.head-fi.org/t/764787/yggdrasil-technical-measurements/45#post_11625656





^ that's just crazy


----------



## perdigao

Got a Geek(s) Pulse X Infinity and LPS yesterday.  Decided not to keep them and listed it on Ebay. It took so long that I bought something else before receiving this.


----------



## doctorjazz

Know the feeling, have a Vi tube coming, who knows when, who knows if I'll hold out until then...


----------



## mscott58

perdigao said:


> Got a Geek(s) Pulse X Infinity and LPS yesterday.  Decided not to keep them and listed it on Ebay. It took so long that I bought something else before receiving this.




Curious to see if you get your $2,500 asking price for the Infinity and LPS. Cheers


----------



## snip3r77

Suddenly some guys compared to other ToTL DACs and this pair came up tops....that would be so bad for perdigao


----------



## Maelob

I listed my LPS cheaper than my contribution over a week no offers - oh well


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

Well I got my New Pulse SFi and when I first hooked it up it sounded muddy and undefined. The Bass was punchy but little definition and the treble was very subdued. Now I know the debate on BURN IN and if it really matters. Well the SFi has been plugged in and on for 50 or so hours and it has change so much that I can't imagine it being in my head. I could not get used to what I heard when I first turned it on. Now the bass is broad but still punchy and the treble has come thru accurate and clearly. So not only am I liking my purchase more but I come down on the side of BURN IN is real!


----------



## flipper2gv

In typical LHLabs fashion, they send a video to indiegogo backers of the geek pulse about the GOV2 being apparently better than the geek pulse.
  
 This is just terrible for your current customer ***, it makes me rage. I made post on the forums about how it's ******* ridiculous they keep on telling us we need to buy new stuff, that what we bought is never enough. Just terrible marketing strategy.
  


lifemovingforwa said:


> Well I got my New Pulse SFi and when I first hooked it up it sounded muddy and undefined. The Bass was punchy but little definition and the treble was very subdued. Now I know the debate on BURN IN and if it really matters. Well the SFi has been plugged in and on for 50 or so hours and it has change so much that I can't imagine it being in my head. I could not get used to what I heard when I first turned it on. Now the base ind broad but still punchy and the treble has come thru with accurate and clearly. So not only am I likeing my purchase more but I am I come down on the side of BURN IN is real!


 
  
 I agree completely. Same thing happened here with my Sfi.


----------



## miceblue

flipper2gv said:


> In typical LHLabs fashion, they send a video to indiegogo backers of the geek pulse about the GOV2 being apparently better than the geek pulse.
> 
> This is just terrible for your current customer ***, it makes me rage. I made post on the forums about how it's ******* ridiculous they keep on telling us we need to buy new stuff, that what we bought is never enough. Just terrible marketing strategy.



Yeah it's pretty disappointing really.

The video reminded me of the Pono Player campaign where "famous people" step out of a "car" and explain how good the "Pono Player" sounds. :/


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

I signed up and went ahead and did the referral thing on Facebook and Twitter for this I got 8 referrals and I got lost is this for what I did right then or I started the post here on the Out V2 did some of those folks put me down for referral. That would mean I would have gotten a Infinity upgrade already. I don't know and that is my delima the products are really good stuff for the price but then one minute these are the rules then the next the rules change but the they do so like the old rules did not matter. One minute they are giving me a gift for being a valued customer and then they take it away it seems. I get lost in all this crap and then I think less of LH Labs but still the products are really good. HELP!!


----------



## AxelCloris

lifemovingforwa said:


> Well I got my New Pulse SFi and when I first hooked it up it sounded muddy and undefined. The Bass was punchy but little definition and the treble was very subdued. Now I know the debate on BURN IN and if it really matters. Well the SFi has been plugged in and on for 50 or so hours and it has change so much that I can't imagine it being in my head. I could not get used to what I heard when I first turned it on. Now the bass is broad but still punchy and the treble has come thru accurate and clearly. So not only am I liking my purchase more but I come down on the side of BURN IN is real!


 
  
 Femto clocks need time to warm up and are best left turned on indefinitely. I believe I read that Larry said the femtos in the X/Sfi need to be on for 2 days before they sound their best. It's no secret that DACs sound better when warmed up and it's generally a good idea to leave them turned on at all times whenever possible.


----------



## musicheaven

axelcloris said:


> Femto clocks need time to warm up and are best left turned on indefinitely. I believe I read that Larry said the femtos in the X/Sfi need to be on for 2 days before they sound their best. It's no secret that DACs sound better when warmed up and it's generally a good idea to leave them turned on at all times whenever possible.




Not much energy savy though. A real dilemma, keep it up for top notch playback but then turn them off for a lower electrical bill. Wonder if they could power the femtos only and kick them back in gear when needed. Regardless, it's great to have them in.


----------



## miceblue

Just a clarification, femto clocks need a physical heating kind of warm up since the unit will reach thermal equilibrium, and thus stable performance. The AURALiC Vega needs just about 1.5 hours to warm up in order to activate its femto clock mode.


----------



## wingsounds13

Yes, leaving your Pulse on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is expensive. At 17 cents/KwH it costs almost $1.49 each month to do this. Breaks the bank for sure. 

J.P.


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

Thanks I'm learning as I go along it is a big improvement over my Plain Pulse and I thought it was incredible.


----------



## nudd

axelcloris said:


> Femto clocks need time to warm up and are best left turned on indefinitely. I believe I read that Larry said the femtos in the X/Sfi need to be on for 2 days before they sound their best. It's no secret that DACs sound better when warmed up and it's generally a good idea to leave them turned on at all times whenever possible.




I wonder if dac designers ever think about using oven controlled oscillators. The trade off would be less warm up time versus 10x more power draw though...


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> LH Labs claims that jitter is the biggest enemy for digital audio. I wonder how the stock Pulse's jitter measurements are.
> This DAC is $429 and it seems to have an extremely low jitter as measured by *atomicbob*
> http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/mousai-msd192-dac-wolfson-wm8741-dac-192-khz-16-24bit.html
> 
> ...




The infinity jitter skirt looks similar based on the vi dac graphs Larry posted awhile back I think?


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> Yeah it's pretty disappointing really.
> 
> The video reminded me of the Pono Player campaign where "famous people" step out of a "car" and explain how good the "Pono Player" sounds. :/




Where is this video i tried looking through my pulse update emails and couldnt find it. What did it actually say?


----------



## miceblue

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yzTqFQzR-4[/video]


----------



## evillamer

Google for: gadenp warning geekout v2
  
 See for yourself.


----------



## vhsownsbeta

evillamer said:


> Google for: gadenp warning geekout v2
> 
> See for yourself.


 

 OK. But I don't see how the ranting there adds anything new to the ranting that happens here from time to time...


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

15 or so people bitching does not a failed product or company make and while I don't like some of the things they have done but they do make a great product for the money and stand behind it. That ts more then a lot of much bigger company's do or even try to do. I have two pieces of their equipment and both function exceptionally well! But waiting SUCKS and waiting their getting a defective unit RELLY SUCKS!!!


----------



## musicheaven

I guess you know little on how the electricity is generated hence you look at the consumer bill. It's a real waste of energy, does not matter if it's few dollars or hundreds.


----------



## Maelob

lol no need to google anything just read this thread


----------



## mscott58

musicheaven said:


> I guess you know little on how the electricity is generated hence you look at the consumer bill. It's a real waste of energy, does not matter if it's few dollars or hundreds.




So therefore a waste of a few ounces of water is the same as a few hundred gallons?


----------



## musicheaven

mscott58 said:


> So therefore a waste of a few ounces of water is the same as a few hundred gallons?




So like I said you know nothing about how electricity is being generated. Where you you living when they started generating electricity from radio active elements, specifically uranium. Oh yeah in you diapers. Ok I rest my case.

By the way if every geek infinity buyer let their femtos on then it's a larger number. 

Last you missed the point, any saving is a saving. If you waste gallons of water then you're being wasteful. I like to turn off my stuff when I don't need it. I don't leave my gear on all night with no one listening to them.


----------



## musicheaven

Talking about femtos, anyone figured out how the femtos on a GO V2+ SE is going to be kept warm and how much battery is this going to waste? Just wondering.


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

Nothing is perfect least of all me! But I try to remember that I bought a Plain Pulse for a small amount of money and could not have gotten anything as sonically well done for anywhere near the amount of money I payed. Now I have a Pulse SFi For a couple of hundred dollars more and believe me I could not have ever afforded this quality anywhere out there. That not a justification for late delivery and bad sales tactics nor is it a justification for telling me one thing and doing another. But having been a business man for many years a very large and very small company's I can tell you their are worse and better out there and many of the IGG company's never make anything they just disappear. The Out V2 and V2+ are different they will be the first normal production product released from LH Labs no more excuses they have to come thru on this one or else and I think they know that. So I will keep supporting them with all the mistakes and we will see if they can make it. Th Out V1 did well int the market place and they produced it will and sold 1500 but next up will be a first start to finish production product that will not have much forgiveness in it. We will see how they do.


----------



## mscott58

musicheaven said:


> So like I said you know nothing about how electricity is being generated. Where you you living when they started generating electricity from radio active elements, specifically uranium. Oh yeah in you diapers. Ok I rest my case.
> 
> By the way if every geek infinity buyer let their femtos on then it's a larger number.
> 
> Last you missed the point, any saving is a saving. If you waste gallons of water then you're being wasteful. I like to turn off my stuff when I don't need it. I don't leave my gear on all night with no one listening to them.




Um, I'm a technical engineer who has personally toured if not worked on every type of power plant there is. So, yes, I know how electricity is produced. And I turn off every light and appliance in my house and have all LCD lights in my house. However, I'm not losing sleep if I waste a few pennies of electricity on leaving some select pieces of my high-end gear on 24/7. Cheers


----------



## nudd

Well at the time The Pulse was hyped there really wasn't anything in the price bracket that could compete with the advertised SQ and probably nothing until lets say 3 months ago. 

However the delays in production and delivery means that the Pulse by now has serious competition in that price bracket within range of how much backers paid. 

So what you have to remember is also what the market may have delivered and to what quality by the time their actual product comes to market.

In the case of the Pulse it looks like the original pulse is totally obsolete by the time they actually complete the crowdfunded delivery phase (much less by the time it goes on sale for the list price) because you can back a Geek Out V2 and flat out beat the sq of a Pulse (according to some people). 

if you had 1$ last month you could have (if LHL actually live up to delivery promises) had a GOv2 in your hands by as early as July 2015. 

It wouldnt have been bad at all if the initial delivery schedules got met because Pulse backers would have had something which punched well above its weight for maybe 6 months and thats not really bad in todays world where things are advancing so quickly.

Also just because something out there is better doesn't mean the Pulse is suddenly crap. It will still be a good sounding DAC even if beaten on certain criteria ... Its just that its value for money proposition has just been totally wrecked for people who paid 1.5 years ago and if they spent the same money today they would get something better from the same company ...

i think LHL are currently doing Pulse batch 2. which implies that Batch 3 components have not yet been ordered.

 Maybe they could offer the ability to substitute the Pulse original for a GO v2 or v2+ for people that want to do that ...


----------



## perdigao

mscott58 said:


> Curious to see if you get your $2,500 asking price for the Infinity and LPS. Cheers




I agree it was way too much. I've lowered it to $2000 to see what happen ...


----------



## mandrake50

mscott58 said:


> So therefore a waste of a few ounces of water is the same as a few hundred gallons?


 

 Compound that by a few thousand, or a few hundred thousand.. at it starts to get significant rather quickly.


----------



## mscott58

mandrake50 said:


> Compound that by a few thousand, or a few hundred thousand.. at it starts to get significant rather quickly.




Of course it does, but that was not the point being made.


----------



## musicheaven

mscott58 said:


> Um, I'm a technical engineer who has personally toured if not worked on every type of power plant there is. So, yes, I know how electricity is produced. And I turn off every light and appliance in my house and have all LCD lights in my house. However, I'm not losing sleep if I waste a few pennies of electricity on leaving some select pieces of my high-end gear on 24/7. Cheers




It's not in my nature to boast but I worked as a pro engineer in those plants so I know the waste that goes on when refueling those nuclear bundles and I would not want any of those rods in my backyard, it's not always what we waste in electricity at home that's important but what's wasted in making it. Seriously though, pennies saved by billions of people make the earth energy last longer. We've polluted water and air long enough to know that everyone should care. Looks like you do. :wink_face:

Double cheers my friend. 

@nudd

You seem to understand the problem quite well, thanks to your posting and a real pleasure to read, nice to know we have similar thinking.


----------



## Maelob

Curious how the vanilla pulse would stack up against an IFI Micro DSD or similar product. Do the vanilla owners feels the product is worth 1K.  What happened to all the professional reviews? seems like at first there were a few reviews but now not much.


----------



## hemtmaker

maelob said:


> Curious how the vanilla pulse would stack up against an IFI Micro DSD or similar product. Do the vanilla owners feels the product is worth 1K.  What happened to all the professional reviews? seems like at first there were a few reviews but now not much.



LHLAB just posted a video with someone suggesting that the Geekout v2 is better than the puse. ....


----------



## mandrake50

mscott58 said:


> Of course it does, but that was not the point being made.


 

 Whether it was the point being made or not. The thinking that says it is OK because it is just a little bit.. it only costs me a couple of bucks per month, which I think is shared by the majority of people.. at least in the US, ends up costing multi megawatts. As you have experience in the power industry ( I am curious what a technical engineer is though) you know that ours is pretty much on the brink of disaster. Capacity margins in many places is inadequate. Between regulations and corporate greed, investment in making it better is pretty much absent. Sorry for the off topic rant... back to our regularly scheduled program...
 BTW I am just as guilty as any... but I do recognize and admit the problem.


----------



## mandrake50

hemtmaker said:


> LHLAB just posted a video with someone suggesting that the Geekout v2 is better than the puse. ....


 

 Where is that? I  read an answer by Larry in the LHL forums that said that while optimization for the pulse is more complicated, it would be done just as well with the pulse as with the V2. Of course this was specifically addressing programming the latest ESS chip.
  
 BTW, with the LHL marketing record, I wouldn't put too much faith in something they say while promoting their latest gadget.


----------



## musicheaven

​


hemtmaker said:


> LHLAB just posted a video with someone suggesting that the Geekout v2 is better than the puse. ....




Looks like the works of the marketing wizard coaxing words from Larry. I am not sure if I would go that far but truly believe his section on power dissipation by component layouts, that's one of the common methods in decreasing heat, other methods: bigger enclosure and heat dissipating material, ventilation, fan and heatsinks but for this device not those choices. If you compare the Pulse infinity than the gap should be inexistent and more in favor of the Pulse. Comparing a dongle base device to a desktop DAC is dangerous at best.


----------



## nudd

On the topic of Pulses can somebody who has backed the new AQM upgrade and received or are about to receive their infinity tell me what the catalog number or sku is called On their shipping confirmation?


----------



## nudd

mandrake50 said:


> Where is that? I  read an answer by Larry in the LHL forums that said that while optimization for the pulse is more complicated, it would be done just as well with the pulse as with the V2. Of course this was specifically addressing programming the latest ESS chip.
> 
> BTW, with the LHL marketing record, I wouldn't put too much faith in something they say while promoting their latest gadget.




The vanilla pulse is still using the previoud gen chip. Not the latest ESS chip?

I can easily believe there are diffetences between the two that make the latest chip a technically and audibly better result.


----------



## musicheaven

I would not say better but different, it's all in the eye of the beholder.


----------



## miceblue

miceblue said:


> [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yzTqFQzR-4[/video]







mandrake50 said:


> hemtmaker said:
> 
> 
> > LHLAB just posted a video with someone suggesting that the Geekout v2 is better than the puse. ....
> ...


----------



## snip3r77

musicheaven said:


> ​Looks like the works of the marketing wizard coaxing words from Larry. I am not sure if I would go that far but truly believe his section on power dissipation by component layouts, that's one of the common methods in decreasing heat, other methods: bigger enclosure and heat dissipating material, ventilation, fan and heatsinks but for this device not those choices. If you compare the Pulse infinity than the gap should be inexistent and more in favor of the Pulse. Comparing a dongle base device to a desktop DAC is dangerous at best.




Pulse = old Chip with desktop space
Out v2 = new Chip with USB stick
Infinity Pulse = new Chip with desktop space

my 2cts is those that got the Infinity Pulse *should* be better off.


----------



## miceblue

Why does everyone automatically assume the Infinity has the new AQ2M DAC? XD
It was a $22 perk on Indiegogo.


----------



## snip3r77

mandrake50 said:


> Where is that? I  read an answer by Larry in the LHL forums that said that while optimization for the pulse is more complicated, it would be done just as well with the pulse as with the V2. Of course this was specifically addressing programming the latest ESS chip.
> 
> BTW, with the LHL marketing record, I wouldn't put too much faith in something they say while promoting their latest gadget.




I think most Infinity is with new chip since it's $22 ( insignificant ) . I paid for it.


----------



## hemtmaker

Didn't Larry decide to give all infinities the updated chip even less than 90% of people wanted it or sth....? With all the confusing conditions on the perks, it's really to remember what was said


----------



## miceblue

Originally it was that everyone would receive the upgrade if some 90% of Infinity backers pledged for the $22 AQ2M perk. Of course that would never happen since it wouldn't benefit the contributor themself and there was no guarantee for your money except that it would be donated to a charity if the 90% wasn't reached.

At the last minute, they decided that anyone who backed the $22 perk would receive the new DAC, guaranteed. That doesn't mean all Infinity backers get it though.


----------



## DSlayerZX

miceblue said:


> Originally it was that everyone would receive the upgrade if some 90% of Infinity backers pledged for the $22 AQ2M perk. Of course that would never happen since it wouldn't benefit the contributor themself and there was no guarantee for your money except that it would be donated to a charity if the 90% wasn't reached.
> 
> At the last minute, they decided that anyone who backed the $22 perk would receive the new DAC, guaranteed. That doesn't mean all Infinity backers get it though.


 
  
  
 yup, that's how I remember it went down as well.
  
 IIRC Larry posted something about he will be spending his extra time on weekends to work on the AQ2M chip design.
  
 what I am interested though... is how do we know which infinity version we received.


----------



## musicheaven

snip3r77 said:


> Pulse = old Chip with desktop space
> Out v2 = new Chip with USB stick
> Infinity Pulse = new Chip with desktop space
> 
> my 2cts is those that got the Infinity Pulse *should* be better off.




Very true, pretty sure we'll post the same paragraph with the FOM chip, technology is technology somehow we succeed to build a better mouse trap, it just depends who falls into it. Bottom line we'll never be happy with what we have knowing that is always something new and better (our thinking) in that endless pursuit of sq. Maybe we should work and move onto bionic ears, positive we'll find ways to polish the DAC in there.


----------



## nudd

musicheaven said:


> Very true, pretty sure we'll post the same paragraph with the FOM chip, technology is technology somehow we succeed to build a better mouse trap, it just depends who falls into it. Bottom line we'll never be happy with what we have knowing that is always something new and better (our thinking) in that endless pursuit of sq. Maybe we should work and move onto bionic ears, positive we'll find ways to polish the DAC in there.


 
 until we realise maybe the old way worked better after all and r2r dacs always were better than delta sigma if done properly ...


----------



## vhsownsbeta

nudd said:


> until we realise maybe the old way worked better after all and r2r dacs always were better than delta sigma if done properly ...


 

 Shots fired!


----------



## krikor

nudd said:


> I wonder if dac designers ever think about using oven controlled oscillators. The trade off would be less warm up time versus 10x more power draw though...


 
  
 This: http://www.lavryengineering.com/products/hi-fi/da2002.html
  
 As well as their DA924, although both appear to have been discontinued.


----------



## krikor

I was playing around with the digital filter options on my non-fi Pulse X and noticed that it has an option for the FTM (Femto Time Mode). However, according to the user guide "FTM can only be enabled on Geek Pulse units equipped with Femto Clocks."
  
 So, what happens if I select this filter:

Will it do nothing (ie, a dead selection)?
Will it enable that mode even though I do not have femtos?
Will it brick my Pulse?
Will it create a rift in the time-space continuum resulting in a quantum singularity that causes my Pulse to implode into non-existence?
  
 Inquiring minds want to know.


----------



## uncola

all geek pulses have that there as a placeholder.. when you switch to it it just stays on the previous filter. ..  I think they also have a streaming music mode filter placeholder there too


----------



## agisthos

miceblue said:


> Why does everyone automatically assume the Infinity has the new AQ2M DAC? XD
> It was a $22 perk on Indiegogo.


 
  
 Because it would mean LHLABS needs to produce 2 different board designs for the Infinity.
  
 From the perspective of manufacturing convenience, it would end up being easier to give everyone the AQ2M and do one production run at the higher volume. It would probably end up being the same cost for them, in the end.


----------



## miceblue

True, but the fact is that not everyone has the new DAC chip.


----------



## wingsounds13

I think that fewer than 100 did not pay for the upgrade. If they are building the infinity with the old DAC chip they may not have designed a new board for it. They could be using Xfi boards hand upgraded with the new matched resistors. I think that this is what they originally intended to do when they were only going to make 50 or 100 infinities. The larger number justified a custom board which then allowed the use of the new AQ2M chip.

J.P.


----------



## AxelCloris

agisthos said:


> Because it would mean LHLABS needs to produce 2 different board designs for the Infinity.
> 
> From the perspective of manufacturing convenience, it would end up being easier to give everyone the AQ2M and do one production run at the higher volume. It would probably end up being the same cost for them, in the end.


 
  
 The Infinity is just the Pulse X/Sfi board with a few components swapped. They're simply using the current K2M boards for those without the new chip and upgrading the other necessary components.
  


miceblue said:


> True, but the fact is that not everyone has the new DAC chip.


 
  
 This is my understanding as well.


----------



## agisthos

axelcloris said:


> The Infinity is just the Pulse X/Sfi board with a few components swapped. They're simply using the current K2M boards for those without the new chip and upgrading the other necessary components.


 
  
 No it isn't. Only the first 50 (20?) or so Infinity's are the same board. The rest are coming from a redesigned PCB. This is why there has been such a delay with the Infinity. It's all stated on their forums and their product build PDF's.
  
 And those getting the AQ2M are definitely not the same board as the Pulse X/Sfi


----------



## AxelCloris

agisthos said:


> No it isn't. Only the first 50 (20?) or so Infinity's are the same board. The rest are coming from a redesigned PCB. This is why there has been such a delay with the Infinity. It's all stated on their forums.
> 
> And those getting the AQ2M are definitely not the same board as the Pulse X/Sfi


 
  
 Obviously the AQ2M boards are not the same as the current X/Sfi, those are using the K2M chip with a different pinout. It was mentioned that when the Pulse goes full retail it'll include the AQ2M chip so they would end up using a different board than the Xfi in the IGG body.
  
 Do you have a source link for the redesigned PCB? Because from what I've read on their forums the Infinites are shipping just fine alongside the Xfi right now in the crowd designed case.


----------



## wingsounds13

agisthos said:


> No it isn't. Only the first 50 (20?) or so Infinity's are the same board. The rest are coming from a redesigned PCB. This is why there has been such a delay with the Infinity. It's all stated on their forums and their product build PDF's.




Where did you get that information? Nobody else that I know of has heard or said that. As far as I know, all of the first 20 infinities shipped are the new board AQ2M version. There may be a few Xfi board K2Ms in the mix now.




agisthos said:


> And those getting the AQ2M are definitely not the same board as the Pulse X/Sfi




I don't think that anybody (or at least anybody who knows what they are talking about) has said any different. I certainly have not, at least I don't think that I have allowed such a typo to slip through.

J.P.


----------



## agisthos

wingsounds13 said:


> Where did you get that information? Nobody else that I know of has heard or said that. As far as I know, all of the first 20 infinities shipped are the new board AQ2M version. There may be a few Xfi board K2Ms in the mix now.


 
  
 In Feb they stated they has made 10 or 20 (I cannot remember) Infinities, but these were for show and reviewers, not shipped out to the general public.
  
 Due to the time this occurred, we would presume these Infinities were modified Xfi boards with the K2M.


----------



## agisthos

axelcloris said:


> Obviously the AQ2M boards are not the same as the current X/Sfi, those are using the K2M chip with a different pinout. It was mentioned that when the Pulse goes full retail it'll include the AQ2M chip so they would end up using a different board than the Xfi in the IGG body.
> 
> Do you have a source link for the redesigned PCB? Because from what I've read on their forums the Infinites are shipping just fine alongside the Xfi right now in the crowd designed case.


 
  
 What case they come in is not an issue, because the main pcb will fit in both. The new case has different display control boards.
  
 But yes, its certainly possible they will take the Xfi, and hand modify it into an Infinity. In that case we will see Infinities with the K2M
  
 But from the manufacturing perspective this would probably end up costing them more money and time than just giving everyone an Infinity AQ2M.
  
 Their product builds sheets also clearly stated the Infinity was getting a different PCB design. But this may have just been referring to the AQ2M variant.


----------



## snip3r77

Basically if you paid for it you will get it( the new chip )

Else it would not unless there's special circumstances which we do not know of.


----------



## nudd

I asked a couple of weeks ago and was told that my infinity will have the K2M chip.

Will makes me kinda puzzled why it takes them the same amount of time to make and ship as the AQ2M infinities, but in the end, redesigning a whole new pcb did not make any difference to the ship schedule. 

It seems lhl is much better at designing stuff than actually shipping stuff ... Lol


----------



## nudd

My infinity is departing the airport for delivery to me ... hopefully I will have it by tomorrow!


----------



## hemtmaker

nudd said:


> My infinity is departing the airport for delivery to me ... hopefully I will have it by tomorrow!



Great! I also got shipping notification too =) Never thought the pulse will arrive before the LC


----------



## hemtmaker

Did you find out how to check which chip is inside btw?


----------



## nudd

Not really. I just assume they will get it right?


----------



## Ranza

Sigh....today one of my friend asked me when he can get his Pulse, I felt embarrassed because I dragged him in this mess. We waited more than a year and half and all we had....was empty promise. LH Labs or so " advantage next gen tech " is not really " advantage " anymore, since it was almost 2 years ago tech, their competitors are catch up, if not even better, cheaper while LH Lab still sitting in one place with their new plan, new product. ( Hey, anyone heard anything about Geek Source ? )
 Let just face it straight, the only place give positive review are head-fi and....LB Lab website themselves. When I search " Geel Pulse review " on google, it only gave me a few result from headphone guru half a year ago and....a report of faulty product by Lachlan. Where is the other review if this DAC is as good as they said ?
 I don't give a damn about LH Labs and their trouble, they are doing business, I am a customer, sure it is a crowding project but delay it for more than 18 months is arrogant as *****. I gave you my money and now I need to BEG you ( Let just say....open a trouble ticket ? ) for my product ?
 Joking aside, if I wasn't invested my money to this crownfunding project and just let it sit still in my bank, now I have nearly enough money to buy myself a Schiit Yggdrasil.


----------



## uncola

I must have missed this but it seems the extra shipping charge for geek pulse infinity was only meant to apply to people who bought their entire geek pulse during the forever funding campaign and not for people who upgraded via the infinity perk during forever funding but backed the pulse during the first campaign..
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3904-pulse-infinity-decision-old-chassis-vs-new-chassis?start=225#66438


----------



## FlySweep

uncola said:


> I must have missed this but it seems the extra shipping charge for geek pulse infinity was only meant to apply to people who bought their entire geek pulse during the forever funding campaign and not for people who upgraded via the infinity perk during forever funding but backed the pulse during the first campaign..
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3904-pulse-infinity-decision-old-chassis-vs-new-chassis?start=225#66438


 
  
 This seems correct, uncola. I'm a Pulse X backer from the original campaign .. and I did not get a shipping payment invoice (per tracking, my Pulse is set to arrive on Tuesday).


----------



## mscott58

Got my LPS4 delivered this morning. Woo-hoo! 
  
 Now I just need something to connect it to...
  
 Cheers


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Got my LPS4 delivered this morning. Woo-hoo!
> 
> Now I just need something to connect it to...
> 
> Cheers


 

 You didn't get a Geek Out (V1 or V2)??


----------



## valve5425

uncola said:


> I must have missed this but it seems the extra shipping charge for geek pulse infinity was only meant to apply to people who bought their entire geek pulse during the forever funding campaign and not for people who upgraded via the infinity perk during forever funding but backed the pulse during the first campaign..
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3904-pulse-infinity-decision-old-chassis-vs-new-chassis?start=225#66438


 

 I had to pay an additional $30, on top of my $40 paid in 2013, to get my Infinity shipped, BUT, it was refunded after I submitted a ticket. I think it was a case of left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing!


----------



## perdigao

snip3r77 said:


> Basically if you paid for it you will get it( the new chip )
> 
> Else it would not unless there's special circumstances which we do not know of.


 
 I paid for it ... Any way to confirm that I got the new chip?


----------



## digitalzed

perdigao said:


> I paid for it ... Any way to confirm that I got the new chip?


 

 I've been told directly from LH Labs that all Infinity DAC's have the new A2QM chip regardless of chassis.


----------



## nudd

This is different from what they told me a few weeks ago. Oh well.

My inifinity says "departed" from Sydney airport since 3 days ago but no signs of showing up. I hope they didnt declare the value to be 3,000$ ...


----------



## agisthos

Yes they better not be putting RRP price on there when shipping to Australia, It will end up being about $1000 in import duties and clearance fees.


----------



## snip3r77

agisthos said:


> Yes they better not be putting RRP price on there when shipping to Australia, It will end up being about $1000 in import duties and clearance fees.




No they are NOT . confirmed after submitting a ticket to ask.


----------



## nudd

snip3r77 said:


> No they are NOT confirmed after submitting a ticket to ask.


 
  
  
 Sorry, what are they not confirmed about?


----------



## snip3r77

nudd said:


> Sorry, what are they not confirmed about?




Damn period.

They will declare $189


----------



## nudd

snip3r77 said:


> Damn period.
> 
> They will declare $189




So not confirmed that they will declare $189?

I dont mind if they declare the actual backed price but i will be really pissed if they declare 3,000!!!!!


----------



## nicolo

They confirmed that it will be $189 for International backers when they responded to my ticket a couple of days back.


----------



## pearljam50000

Is there any way to get a Geek Pulse for around 300$?!(basic version)
Is it a major step up from Geek Out?
Thanks.


----------



## Levanter

pearljam50000 said:


> Is there any way to get a Geek Pulse for around 300$?!(basic version)
> Is it a major step out from Geek Out?
> Thanks.




I'm sure there are many willing to sell it to you for that price


----------



## pearljam50000

Are you being sarcastic?


levanter said:


> I'm sure there are many willing to sell it to you for that price


----------



## Levanter

pearljam50000 said:


> Are you being sarcastic?


 
  
 heck no.... if you've followed this thread and LH forums and others, you'll notice there are many unhappy backers who wanted a refund or are more than willing to sell their units off.
  
 Let me help you a bit...
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/LH-Labs-Geek-Pulse-32-384-kHz-DSD128-Desktop-DAC-and-3000-mW-Headphone-Amp-/251973881000?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aaad04ca8


----------



## georgelai57

levanter said:


> heck no.... if you've followed this thread and LH forums and others, you'll notice there are many unhappy backers who wanted a refund or are more than willing to sell their units off.
> 
> Let me help you a bit...
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/LH-Labs-Geek-Pulse-32-384-kHz-DSD128-Desktop-DAC-and-3000-mW-Headphone-Amp-/251973881000?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aaad04ca8


 

 And it'll be great if potential buyers stated which country they reside in. I live in Singapore and I'm more than willing to sell my Pulse XFi at COST, IF and WHEN it arrives.


----------



## Maelob

levanter said:


> heck no.... if you've followed this thread and LH forums and others, you'll notice there are many unhappy backers who wanted a refund or are more than willing to sell their units off.
> 
> Let me help you a bit...
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/LH-Labs-Geek-Pulse-32-384-kHz-DSD128-Desktop-DAC-and-3000-mW-Headphone-Amp-/251973881000?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aaad04ca8


 
 But thats a 999 MSRP.  
 now I am been sarcastic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  
  
 On a serious note, I noticed the pulse vanilla is sold out.  Most likely sold out due to the campaign, wonder how many people if any bought at full MSRP.


----------



## Decoy

levanter said:


> heck no.... if you've followed this thread and LH forums and others, you'll notice there are many unhappy backers who wanted a refund or are more than willing to sell their units off.
> 
> Let me help you a bit...
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/LH-Labs-Geek-Pulse-32-384-kHz-DSD128-Desktop-DAC-and-3000-mW-Headphone-Amp-/251973881000?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aaad04ca8


 
 LOL If you look at the picture of the Pulse, he is using the Snap, Crackle, Pop picture.  I don't think that's something you want to advertise if you are trying to sell it.  Might as well put up some pictures of smoldering headphones to get the message across.


----------



## mscott58

decoy said:


> LOL If you look at the picture of the Pulse, he is using the Snap, Crackle, Pop picture.  I don't think that's something you want to advertise if you are trying to sell it.  Might as well put up some pictures of smoldering headphones to get the message across.


 
 I was thinking the exact same thing! Not quite the marketing message you probably want to project, unless he's trying to state that the Pulse stays crispy in milk.


----------



## valve5425

Oh dear, the LH Labs censor is busy chopping posts on the Geek Forum again! I don't know, you make one lousy comment about the new Pulse case debacle, and they get a sense of humour failure.
  
 Anyway, my Pulse Infinity has just cleared UK customs, so not long now and I can be rid of this madness!! And it seems just like yesterday when I made my first payment! (Nov 17th, 2013) Sorry. I really must stop this sarcasm.


----------



## pedalhead

Yeah, my post after yours was deleted as well.  Oh well, all part of the "everything is awesome" message LH like to maintain 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## flipper2gv

valve5425 said:


> Oh dear, the LH Labs censor is busy chopping posts on the Geek Forum again! I don't know, you make one lousy comment about the new Pulse case debacle, and they get a sense of humour failure.
> 
> Anyway, my Pulse Infinity has just cleared UK customs, so not long now and I can be rid of this madness!! And it seems just like yesterday when I made my first payment! (Nov 17th, 2013) Sorry. I really must stop this sarcasm.


 
  
 Not even gonna try it? I can understand your desire to get rid of it, but most likely it's a damn good sounding unit. Anyway, with the flood of the pulse on the web right now, pretty sure you will have trouble selling it. I say at least give it a try.


----------



## valve5425

flipper2gv said:


> Not even gonna try it? I can understand your desire to get rid of it, but most likely it's a damn good sounding unit. Anyway, with the flood of the pulse on the web right now, pretty sure you will have trouble selling it. I say at least give it a try.


 
  
 Oh, that came across wrong. I'll be keeping the Infinity, but I'll be glad to be out of the LH Labs madness. Next time I'll buy a finished product and steer clear of crowd funding. Too much pain, though I've got to admit, I may have got myself a bargain!


----------



## Maelob

Just saw an eBay ad for the the XFI and LPS for 1500 from HK,  thats a good deal for our Chinese brothers.  I saw another another offer for 2k with LPS from FL.  You are right probably  the used market will really get competitive. Some people will get some good deals.


----------



## mscott58

pedalhead said:


> Yeah, my post after yours was deleted as well.  Oh well, all part of the "everything is awesome" message LH like to maintain
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Was curious what got deleted? Don't think they can edit here.


----------



## TeLight

nudd said:


> On the topic of Pulses can somebody who has backed the new AQM upgrade and received or are about to receive their infinity tell me what the catalog number or sku is called On their shipping confirmation?


 
  
 I received my Infinity a while back and the item # is LH-GP-GPX-INF-001. I did back the A2QM perk, but there is no way of knowing what I received has the A2QM chip, aside from opening the case. I do believe that all Infinities now have the A2QM, but this is just speculation on my part.


----------



## pedalhead

mscott58 said:


> pedalhead said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah, my post after yours was deleted as well.  Oh well, all part of the "everything is awesome" message LH like to maintain :rolleyes: .
> ...




They were pretty innocuous comments about how we'd both wished we'd been updated sooner about the progress of the new chassis so we could, you know, actually make an informed choice on an LH product for once.


----------



## mscott58

pedalhead said:


> They were pretty innocuous comments about how we'd both wished we'd been updated sooner about the progress of the new chassis so we could, you know, actually make an informed choice on an LH product for once.




Fair point!


----------



## pearljam50000

Can someone please help me clear this mess up for me:
 All i know is there was a kickstarter campaign for the Geek Pulse , and that there were a lot of delays related to shipping it.
  
 1.Someone here mentioned a lot of people are trying to get rid of them , my question is why? don't they sound good?
  
 2. Is there a way to purchase one new?
  
 3. Is it a big step up from Geek Out(and Geek Out V2)?
  
 Thanks, sorry for the many questions , i have read several pages of this thread but that only got me more confused... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 All i'm looking for is an upgrade from my Geek Out,, a one box solution(DAC+amp) for my HD800, that's still on a nice budget, so the Geek Pulse seems perfect at 300$ (if i can get one at that price)


----------



## flipper2gv

valve5425 said:


> Oh, that came across wrong. I'll be keeping the Infinity, but I'll be glad to be out of the LH Labs madness. Next time I'll buy a finished product and steer clear of crowd funding. Too much pain, though I've got to admit, I may have got myself a bargain!


 
  
 On this I can definitely agree. Although I'm very happy about the product, I'm not too happy about the company itself.
  


pearljam50000 said:


> Can someone please help me clear this mess up for me:
> All i know is there was a kickstarter campaign for the Geek Pulse , and that there were a lot of delays related to shipping it.
> 
> 1.Someone here mentioned a lot of people are trying to get rid of them , my question is why? don't they sound good?
> ...


 
  
 1. A lot of people got tired of waiting for them and got a different unit instead.
  
 2. Most likely from one of the people that just received it. If you want it directly from LHLabs, you'll have to wait for them to complete the shipping of all the pre-orders and it'll be a thousand dollars.
  
 3. The vanilla? I don't know. I've heard people saying the V2 sounded better than the vanilla pulse. I kind of doubt it, but I wouldn't be surprised people would be so impressed by the v2 that they would say something like that. The X or Xfi, I'd highly doubt that, since these models are dual mono all the way and this makes a really big difference in sound quality.


----------



## atsq17

flipper2gv said:


> On this I can definitely agree. Although I'm very happy about the product, I'm not too happy about the company itself.
> 
> 
> 1. A lot of people got tired of waiting for them and got a different unit instead.
> ...


 
  
 I can confirm (having had both) that the XFi is significantly better than the "Vanilla" Pulse. 
  
  


> All i'm looking for is an upgrade from my Geek Out,, a one box solution(DAC+amp) for my HD800, that's still on a nice budget, so the Geek Pulse seems perfect at 300$ (if i can get one at that price)


 
  
 I don't have a Geek Out v2 (I only have the V1) but if I was in your position I'd get a Geek Out v2 because there's the option of a balanced connection (albeit with a converter to TRRS). It's also portable and flexible so it's a handy little unit. If I was to buy a desktop unit, I'd get an X or XFi. 
  
 The advantage of the Pulse is extra power though.


----------



## wingsounds13

I have to echo what is said above. I will preface my comments with the fact that I do not have any LH Labs DAC yet - still waiting to receive a Pulse X∞ (aq2m, new chassis).

There will be a wait for a base Pulse or a Geek Out V2 or V2+. At this time, new orders for the V2 will be received late December. It is hard to tell when a new order for the V2+ will be delivered, but it appears to be considerably earlier than the V2, possibly as early as August December. I have no idea when a newly ordered Pulse might arrive, but you can probably find an old one for sale for not much more than the $300 campaign price.

I would not be surprised if the V2 or V2+ comes close to the sound quality of the base Pulse and possibly even exceed it if you have a balanced cable for your headphones. This is after all the second generation of an already good product, built on lessons learned from the Pulse design and development. The V2 is using the latest Sabre DAC chip and has balanced architecture all the way to the output.

All that said, I would be strongly tempted to go with the Geek Out V2+ and that is my recommendation. The price is good, the performance is likely to be excellent, the + version has the advantage of being usable with a phone and may deliver around August December if you order soon. It is also cheaper than you are likely to find a used Pulse for a while.

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

Correction to the post above:

It was just posted on the LH Labs forum that a new V2+ order today will probably deliver in December. Bummer! Sorry for the missed guess above.

J.P.


----------



## miceblue

The Pulse uses MELF resistors. Most people probably don't even know what they are:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MELF_electronic_components


> Metal electrode leadless face (MELF) is a type of leadless cylindrical electronic surface mount device that is metallized at its ends.
> ...
> Because of their cylindrical shape and small size, in some cases these components can easily roll off the workbench or circuit board before they have been soldered into place. As such, there is a joke which suggests an alternate meaning for the acronym, MELF: most end up lying on the floor. Additionally, MELF components are sometimes called a "roll away" package.
> ...
> Despite their handling difficulties, and in the particular case of MELF resistors, they are still widely used in high-reliability and precision applications where their superior characteristics (e.g., low failure rate with well-defined failure modes) as well as their higher performance in terms of accuracy, long-term stability, moisture resistance, high-temperature operation far outweigh their disadvantages.




Here's the Aune B1 portable headphone amplifier, which also uses a Class A amplification bias (through discrete parts, no integrated circuit chips/op-amps, and it too uses MELF resistors.


That looks pretty difficult to solder, and I'm sure the Pulse uses a whole lot more of them. >.>


----------



## frankrondaniel

On a positive note... It looks like my twice RMA'd Xfi has finally been successfully repaired.  I had issues with significant loud bursts of electronic sounds or static when switching between files with different sample rates.  FTM mode was also unusable - constant loud electronic static.  I still experience a very brief, faint sound when switching sample rates but nothing that concerns me.  And FTM mode works like a champ.  And after a week of almost constant use no new problems have occurred.  The best part - I'm very pleased with the SQ, especially paired with my HD800's.  Finally found a pairing that makes them sound "musical" rather than "analytical".  Very non-fatiguing.  LH seems to have tamed the worst aspects of the Sabre chips (digital glare, etc.).  I admit that I initially thought that the Xfi was somewhat too bland and polite sounding.  But whether it's due to "burn-in" or simply my acclimating to the sound signature, I find the sound very balanced, good timbre and a nice enveloping sound stage (though there may be more width than depth).  Hopefully this guy will keep functioning for me - I think it's a keeper.  I would urge those that are frustrated with the long wait times and already have plans to sell their Pulses to hold on and give it a chance - you may be surprised.  Personally, I can't wait to hear the headphone amps when they're finally released.  I'll be patient.


----------



## georgelai57

Though some of us don't live in the US of A, and LH should have better QC and ensure these items go out the door faultless.


----------



## snip3r77

The Infinity has reached my country, I think I should be getting over the weekend!!


----------



## agisthos

atsq17 said:


> I can confirm (having had both) that the XFi is significantly better than the "Vanilla" Pulse.


 
  
 Its good to hear this, because the initial reports of the vanilla Pulse were underwhelming to say the least. And the Infinity should be better again.


----------



## atsq17

agisthos said:


> Its good to hear this, because the initial reports of the vanilla Pulse were underwhelming to say the least. And the Infinity should be better again.


 
  
 I think the "underwhelming" nature of the feedback could be tied in with the touted $999 MSRP for them. For the $399 price on IGG, I thought that they were fantastic.
  
 The closest competitor is probably the Resonessence Labs Concero HP, which has a similar MSRP but will usually cost more in the second hand market. 
  
 The Pulse has more power and in my opinion sounds noticeably better. It's a decent sounding, handy all in one.
  
 As a single ended DAC going to a superior amp, it sounds EVEN better. Completely blows the Concero HP out of the water. 
  
 Compared to a Geek Out V1, it's far more polished and also clearly superior.


----------



## pedalhead

I suspect the vanilla Pulse may also be suffering from the "base model" effect.  There were so many iterations of "superior" Pulse models that the vanilla may, perhaps unfairly, be thought of as being weak.  A typical view could be along the lines of --  if there was scope for all those improvements to create the higher models, how good can the basic Pulse really be?


----------



## krikor

frankrondaniel said:


> Very non-fatiguing.  LH seems to have tamed the worst aspects of the Sabre chips (digital glare, etc.).  I admit that I initially thought that the Xfi was somewhat too bland and polite sounding.  But whether it's due to "burn-in" or simply my acclimating to the sound signature, I find the sound very balanced, good timbre and a nice enveloping sound stage (though there may be more width than depth).


 
  
 I agree with this description of the sound signature. I've had my non-fi Pulse X about a week now, but have only managed occasional listening. I've noticed these same characteristics and, whether it is "burn-in" or acclimation, I'm not finding it as bland/polite (or soft/dull as I previously described it) as I originally thought. The soundstage width was very apparent, especially going back and forth with my Wyred4Sound mPRE featuring the same Sabre chip. I'm also trying to suss out the signature of the DAC section vs. the headphone amp section using both my mPRE and a Bottlehead Crack for comparisons on my HD650s. It gets a little complicated with all the possible ways I can use this little guy.
  


frankrondaniel said:


> I would urge those that are frustrated with the long wait times and already have plans to sell their Pulses to hold on and give it a chance - you may be surprised.  Personally, I can't wait to hear the headphone amps when they're finally released.  I'll be patient.


 
  
 Confession - part of me did NOT want to like the Pulse X so that I could have no compunction about selling it off and washing my hands of the whole crowd-funding experience. If it had been merely as good or marginally better than what I have right now, I would have dumped it and lost no sleep. I may still end up selling it if I can't figure out a place for it in my system (trying to downsize). But I REALLY like the sound thus far, and now I am even thinking "hmmm, maybe I should jump back into the LH Labs pool."


----------



## DSlayerZX

Still waiting for the X infinity as well, and hopefully LH lab really test their top of the line model before they ship out this time......
  
 in the mean time, I am considering picking up an expensive headphone to use at work and use as an sacrificial headphone to test the Pulese in case there are any problem once i receive them......
  
 As for getting burn by crowd funding experience,
  
 All I can say is a lot of people here are attracted by the price and promises of the new product a a year and half ago, but never really understand the danger behind crowd funding in the first place.
  
 While LH Labs has suffered growing pain and does indeed screw up on a lot of their actions, especially in terms of communication, a lot of people on head fi really need to know that, the crowdfunding projects, is in fact, not a store. You don't back something unless you are willing to take the chance of completely lose the money invested and the backed item isn't essential on some of your future activities and planning, since delay is really just part of the game on any tech based crowd funding campaign I mean.. my LED light bar kick starter project was delay for over 6 month to ship, a FREAKING LIGHT BAR. with that experience, I fully didn't expect the Pulse to arrive any sooner than that  and just laughed at the original deadline on indigogo when I saw it,  which makes the entire waiting game much more acceptable than what most people feel.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I contacted support that I would like my Pulse Infinity w/ the new AQ2M chip with the OLD enclosure. 
  
 Gina was very prompt in responding. 
  
 Let's see how this goes.


----------



## snip3r77

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I contacted support that I would like my Pulse Infinity w/ the new AQ2M chip with the OLD enclosure.
> 
> Gina was very prompt in responding.
> 
> Let's see how this goes.




Don't worry she's good


----------



## doctorjazz

I'd have to say support has come a long way (though the automated response system is still a problem imo). Any contact I've had with them over the past few months has gone well, quick responses, good service.


----------



## Maelob

I Contributed to the campaign without thinking to much about timelines but after seeing all the growing pains, promises, QA issues, customer service, marketing strategy etc etc. probably all normal issues for a small growing company. but by now you can count me in as one of those just fed up with the whole thing. i am done with them no matter how good the stuff sounds i am selling everything. My next buy will be from a company with a good track record in dealing with customers, with good QA, and with a proven support repair network. LH labs V2 v4 dont care anymore, i am just done. i still have a bad taste in my mouth for not getting a refund after buying a mono amp thinking it was a stereo one.


----------



## valve5425

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I contacted support that I would like my Pulse Infinity w/ the new AQ2M chip with the OLD enclosure.
> 
> Gina was very prompt in responding.
> 
> Let's see how this goes.


 
  
 I got my shipping notice a couple of hours after notifying them that I'd take the old chassis, and after I'd paid my extra $30, which was later refunded. It was shipped on the 19th May and arrived at my local delivery office (UK) this morning. I'm just waiting for Royal Mail to post my customs duty payment form and then I can get my hands on it. I'm hoping to have it by my birthday this Saturday. Happy birthday to me!!! (Provided they've valued it at the initial price and not the MSRP!)


----------



## mscott58

valve5425 said:


> I got my shipping notice a couple of hours after notifying them that I'd take the old chassis, and after I'd paid my extra $30, which was later refunded. It was shipped on the 19th May and arrived at my local delivery office (UK) this morning. I'm just waiting for Royal Mail to post my customs duty payment form and then I can get my hands on it. I'm hoping to have it by my birthday this Saturday. Happy birthday to me!!! (Provided they've valued it at the initial price and not the MSRP!)


 
 And Happy Birthday to you as well!


----------



## Joe-Siow

My Pulse Fi finally arrived after donkey years. 
  
 Installed the driver and plugged in my LG G2 in ear with apprehension, in case this box busts the driver.
 Everything seems to work fine, proceeded to plug in my TG334 for some initial listening.
  
 Out of the box with no burn in, the Pulse Fi exceeded my expectation, with good refinement with none of the glare that is comes some poorly implemented Sabre 9018 chip.
 Works fine on USB with my Windows laptop and optical on my DX100, with DSD files sounding pretty good.
 Will give the unit a try with my speaker setup to hear how it performs.
  
 Despite being relatively satisfied with the sound quality, I doubt I'll be backing another LH product, simply for the fact that I don't agree with how the company conducts itself.


----------



## pedalhead

Happy Birthday, Dean! Let us know what you think of your Infinity when it arrives... mine's still stuck in customs.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have my shipment notice also for my Pulse Infinity (OLD chassis)....
  
 IM HAPPY 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




   ..for now...


----------



## doctorjazz

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Have my shipment notice also for my Pulse Infinity (OLD chassis)....
> 
> IM HAPPY    ..for now...:rolleyes:




Best of luck...from what I hear, if there are no technical difficulties, you should be happy indeed!


----------



## digitalzed

doctorjazz said:


> Best of luck...from what I hear, if there are no technical difficulties, you should be happy indeed!


 

 I've been enjoying mine trouble free since I received it last week.


----------



## mikey1964

A cautionary tale, don't leave your headphone connected to the amp (I have the Geek Pulse Standard), while it's powered on with nothing playing. I was listening to some songs yesterday, stopped playing music and went out for a short while. When I came back, after about 5 to 10 minutes, to resume playback, my headphone had sound from the left channel, the right channel was dead silent. Now, had it been my HD555 or ATH-AD700X, I'd have just shrugged and that's be the end of it.....but the headphone connected at that time was my precious AKG K812. Thanks a lot LHL, the Pulse Standard is going into my storeroom, not gonna sell it as I'd not want this crap to happen to others.
  
 Replace the $%#@ Pulse Standard with my trusty iFi iDSD Nano + Lyr stack.....and removing it from my sig.


----------



## adrian0115

mikey1964 said:


> A cautionary tale, don't leave your headphone connected to the amp (I have the Geek Pulse Standard), while it's powered on with nothing playing. I was listening to some songs yesterday, stopped playing music and went out for a short while. When I came back, after about 5 to 10 minutes, to resume playback, my headphone had sound from the left channel, the right channel was dead silent. Now, had it been my HD555 or ATH-AD700X, I'd have just shrugged and that's be the end of it.....but the headphone connected at that time was my precious AKG K812. Thanks a lot LHL, the Pulse Standard is going into my storeroom, not gonna sell it as I'd not want this crap to happen to others.
> 
> Replace the $%#@ Standard with my trusty iFi iDSD Nano + Lyr stack.....


 
 Hey Mikey,
  
 I'd like to know if it's the Pulse that went dead on the right channel or if it actually killed the K812?!  There's no timeline on when I'll receive my 3 units but I'm done with LH.  Any questions about defective/malfunctions and testing fall on deaf ears.  I've posted on their forums as well as on head-fi and their solution is to censor and ban.
  
 I'd really like to know for those that say they have a working pulse have they tested everything by switching inputs/sample rates etc?  I'm honestly really concerned about a piece of equipment damaging my existing stuff.


----------



## mikey1964

I don't know for sure if it were really the cause of killing one channel on my K812, but it's the likely suspect, after all, my K812 was connected to it at the time. IF it had been my Pulse Standard that broke down with one channel working, I'd have toss it aside and it'd not bother me one bit. But now, I'm left with a K812 with one dead channel....


----------



## digitalzed

mikey1964 said:


> A cautionary tale, don't leave your headphone connected to the amp (I have the Geek Pulse Standard), while it's powered on with nothing playing. I was listening to some songs yesterday, stopped playing music and went out for a short while. When I came back, after about 5 to 10 minutes, to resume playback, my headphone had sound from the left channel, the right channel was dead silent. Now, had it been my HD555 or ATH-AD700X, I'd have just shrugged and that's be the end of it.....but the headphone connected at that time was my precious AKG K812. Thanks a lot LHL, the Pulse Standard is going into my storeroom, not gonna sell it as I'd not want this crap to happen to others.
> 
> Replace the $%#@ Pulse Standard with my trusty iFi iDSD Nano + Lyr stack.....and removing it from my sig.


 

***Sorry Mikey, I see you answered already***
  
*DELETED QUESTION*


----------



## digitalzed

adrian0115 said:


> Hey Mikey,
> 
> I'd like to know if it's the Pulse that went dead on the right channel or if it actually killed the K812?!  There's no timeline on when I'll receive my 3 units but I'm done with LH.  Any questions about defective/malfunctions and testing fall on deaf ears.  I've posted on their forums as well as on head-fi and their solution is to censor and ban.
> 
> I'd really like to know for those that say they have a working pulse have they tested everything by switching inputs/sample rates etc?  I'm honestly really concerned about a piece of equipment damaging my existing stuff.


 

 Adrian, I can say I've not had any issue with anything on my vanilla Pulse. Changing inputs, leaving my headphones plugged in, etc.


----------



## mikey1964

digitalzed said:


> Adrian, I can say I've not had any issue with anything on my vanilla Pulse. Changing inputs, leaving my headphones plugged in, etc.


 
 I've done that too, leaving headphones plugged in while I sauntered off to do something for a while, nothing bad had happened till now. I've swore off the Pulse Standard because, if it's happened once, what makes you think it won't happen again? Besides, it'd be no fun to use it IF I'd be worried about it killing my headphones.


----------



## digitalzed

mikey1964 said:


> I've done that too, leaving headphones plugged in while I sauntered off to do something for a while, nothing bad had happened till now. I've swore off the Pulse Standard because, if it's happened once, what makes you think it won't happen again? Besides, it'd be no fun to use it IF I'd be worried about it killing my headphones.


 

 Why not RMA it? Find out for sure.


----------



## atsq17

BTW I got a bit overzealous over the last year and now I have TWO spare XFis (on top of the XFi and the X Infinity I'm actually keeping). Anyone want a head start before I list them, feel free to PM me. Going to pair the two I am keeping with a Pulse HPA Tube and a Cavalli Liquid Carbon. Headphones: LCD-X, HE560, Ether? (to be acquired). Can't wait!


----------



## DSlayerZX

RMA it and request a repair/payment on your heaphone due to their faulty product.
  
 Someone has already shown LH Lab does repair gears damaged due to their equipment malfunctions, it may not be a bad idea to try.
    
  
 Quote:


mikey1964 said:


> I don't know for sure if it were really the cause of killing one channel on my K812, but it's the likely suspect, after all, my K812 was connected to it at the time. IF it had been my Pulse Standard that broke down with one channel working, I'd have toss it aside and it'd not bother me one bit. But now, I'm left with a K812 with one dead channel....


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Just out of curiousity, on average, what volume level is everyone here listening to on the pulse? I'm running the HE-500 and to get the volume to satisfactory levels I am running it on high gain at around -20db.


----------



## snip3r77

ethereal sound said:


> Just out of curiousity, on average, what volume level is everyone here listening to on the pulse? I'm running the HE-500 and to get the volume to satisfactory levels I am running it on high gain at around -20db.




The higher volume the better since max volume has the best resolution. I have a HE500 and LCDX.
I'm expecting to collect it tomorrow


----------



## mscott58

mikey1964 said:


> I don't know for sure if it were really the cause of killing one channel on my K812, but it's the likely suspect, after all, my K812 was connected to it at the time. IF it had been my Pulse Standard that broke down with one channel working, I'd have toss it aside and it'd not bother me one bit. But now, I'm left with a K812 with one dead channel....


 
 So sorry to hear about your wounded 812's! That sucks. 
  
 Regarding any RMA with the Pulse, it's worth looking into IMO, but linking it to the driver failure might be harder. It sounds like you left the headphones connected, but with no music playing or adjustments being made to the Pulse right? Was there any cycling on or off of the power during this time? Did anything else happen while you weren't listening that might have caused some type of transient? Just asking as it would appear to be odd for something to cause the Pulse (or any amp for that matter) to cause a driver failure while there was no signal present or any other dynamic action occurring. The other issues I've read about have been related to people turning on the Pulse or changing settings, etc. not just sitting there (although I might have missed it if someone else had a similar issue). Not trying to defend LHL but wondering what could have caused something like this to happen without a signal and if there have been any similar issues/failure modes. 
  
 Take care


----------



## krikor

Here's a "glitch" I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced or can duplicate. Using SPDIF coax 1 input only (no other input connected), no headphone connected, XLR line out to my preamp. After the unit is unused for awhile (powered up continuously per LH Labs instructions and no music playing), I get a fluttering/flapping helicopter like sound from my left tweeter. As soon as I rotate the volume knob the noise disappears. It's not at a significantly high level via my system, but I'm not sure how loud it will be through headphones if present, or if it is dependent upon the Pulse volume level (I had it cranked down to -60 db just in case).
  
 Anyone else? I have yet to test with USB input or other SPDIF inputs, or via headphones (will use a cheap pair), or RCA outputs.


----------



## MikeyFresh

krikor said:


> Here's a "glitch" I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced or can duplicate. Using SPDIF coax 1 input only (no other input connected), no headphone connected, XLR line out to my preamp. After the unit is unused for awhile (powered up continuously per LH Labs instructions and no music playing), I get a fluttering/flapping helicopter like sound from my left tweeter. As soon as I rotate the volume knob the noise disappears. It's not at a significantly high level via my system, but I'm not sure how loud it will be through headphones if present, or if it is dependent upon the Pulse volume level (I had it cranked down to -60 db just in case).
> 
> Anyone else? I have yet to test with USB input or other SPDIF inputs, or via headphones (will use a cheap pair), or RCA outputs.


 

 I've had this same thing happen on an SFi using the USB input. In advancing the track with JRiver, the problem went away when a song with a different sample rate was selected.
  
 This has only happened a couple of times and I can't isolate what causes it, but it looks like a firmware bug.


----------



## travelfotografe

My Pulse X (in RMA now) did spontaneously start popping and buzzing when playing and continue to pop and buzz even when I stop playing music, all without changing sample rates. So it is not the case that some user action or change of playback state is needed for the unit to start misbehaving.


----------



## kostaszag

mikeyfresh said:


> krikor said:
> 
> 
> > Here's a "glitch" I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced or can duplicate. Using SPDIF coax 1 input only (no other input connected), no headphone connected, XLR line out to my preamp. After the unit is unused for awhile (powered up continuously per LH Labs instructions and no music playing), I get a fluttering/flapping helicopter like sound from my left tweeter. As soon as I rotate the volume knob the noise disappears. It's not at a significantly high level via my system, but I'm not sure how loud it will be through headphones if present, or if it is dependent upon the Pulse volume level (I had it cranked down to -60 db just in case).
> ...


 
 I had the same problem with my Sfi when switching from spdif to usb. I contacted LHlabs and they sent me a new firmware that should solve the problem. I upgraded and it worked alright until yesterday, The helicopter noise reappeared, only this time it was on the right channel.  I have to make a revision on that point, the noise didn't start wandering, it was me who switched channels while trying different interconnect cables.


----------



## wingsounds13

As with almost every company that produces a firmware based product, LH Labs is learning the hard way that producing high quality firmware that works well across many units and their subtle hardware idiosyncrasies is a major challenge. This has been evident with every new processor/firmware based product that I have encountered. I (we all) hope that LH Labs gets these internal hardware settings and control issues sorted out sooner rather than later.

J.P.


----------



## jbr1971

mikey1964 said:


> A cautionary tale, don't leave your headphone connected to the amp (I have the Geek Pulse Standard), while it's powered on with nothing playing. I was listening to some songs yesterday, stopped playing music and went out for a short while. When I came back, after about 5 to 10 minutes, to resume playback, my headphone had sound from the left channel, the right channel was dead silent. Now, had it been my HD555 or ATH-AD700X, I'd have just shrugged and that's be the end of it.....but the headphone connected at that time was my precious AKG K812. Thanks a lot LHL, the Pulse Standard is going into my storeroom, not gonna sell it as I'd not want this crap to happen to others.
> 
> Replace the $%#@ Pulse Standard with my trusty iFi iDSD Nano + Lyr stack.....and removing it from my sig.


 
  
 Mikey,
  
 From reading your post, and subsequent responses, I have the following questions (they may seem trivial, but I have not seen anything specific in your posts):
  
 - Have you tested with another pair of headphones to see if the Pulse is outputting both channels?
  
 - Did you turn the volume knob at all? In some instances that fixes issues (they are being worked on in new firmware fixes)
  
 - Have you tested the K812's with other sources to confirm the driver is dead?
  
 - Did you have the Pulse connected to a LPS, or directly to the wall outlet?
  
 Thanks,
  
 Jody


----------



## MikeyFresh

kostaszag said:


> I had the same problem with my Sfi when switching from spdif to usb. I contacted LHlabs and they sent me a new firmware that should solve the problem. I upgraded and it worked alright until yesterday, The helicopter noise reappeared, only this time it was on the right channel.


 

 Which firmware are you now running?
  
 When using the SFi's own display function it says I'm running Main 2.0, and MCU 2.4.
  
 This too is confusing in that the software based LH Control Panel lists it differently, calling the Firmware 1V5.
  
 I see no Firmware downloads for SFi available on the LH Labs Support page, so I'm curious what they sent you, a Beta version, or is it the same firmware as I'm currently running?
  
 I'm also concerned about these different Firmware versions that are specific to a given Pulse model. Because the SFi version didn't sell as many units as the fully balanced X versions, I fear LH Labs will just forget about support in terms of Firmware updates for the S models unless we owners are very vocal about it.
  
 It shouldn't make a difference in terms of Firmware whether or not the unit is an S or an X. They have an essentially similar board (nearly identical), but the Firmware at least for the time being is not the same/interchangeable according to LH Labs, and that makes no sense to me.
  
 Why would the firmware be different for the S and X models when the only difference in their boards is the fully balanced analog output amplifier? Thats got exactly nothing to do with any digital processing, knob function/UI, etc... and points me in the direction of LH Labs just not caring that much about the S due to the lower unit sales, it's firmware is being overlooked, which isn't fair.
  
 Their support page says " * Files for the Fi, Sfi and X Infinity will be added once those models are available."
  
 The SFi has been available for some time now, but they have no firmware update for it.


----------



## krikor

mikeyfresh said:


> Which firmware are you now running?
> 
> When using the SFi's own display function it says I'm running Main 2.0, and MCU 2.4.
> 
> This too is confusing in that the software based LH Control Panel lists it differently, calling the Firmware 1V5.


 
  
 Ditto!


----------



## flipper2gv

mikey1964 said:


> A cautionary tale, don't leave your headphone connected to the amp (I have the Geek Pulse Standard), while it's powered on with nothing playing. I was listening to some songs yesterday, stopped playing music and went out for a short while. When I came back, after about 5 to 10 minutes, to resume playback, my headphone had sound from the left channel, the right channel was dead silent. Now, had it been my HD555 or ATH-AD700X, I'd have just shrugged and that's be the end of it.....but the headphone connected at that time was my precious AKG K812. Thanks a lot LHL, the Pulse Standard is going into my storeroom, not gonna sell it as I'd not want this crap to happen to others.
> 
> Replace the $%#@ Pulse Standard with my trusty iFi iDSD Nano + Lyr stack.....and removing it from my sig.


 
  
 When this happen, you just need to select back USB from the input menu on the pulse.
  
 It's the unit going out of sync with the computer, nothing to worry about.
  
 Unless you mean the headphones are actually dead, which I would be quite surprised to hear. You tried it with the other amp and it still didn't work? If it is the case, I'm pretty sure it's LHLabs responsibility to replace your headphones.


----------



## jexby

changed my mind, and requested my Pulse X Infinity be shipped in old chassis.
 opened a ticket today at 1009am.
 Gina replied at 1033am.
 Shipping noticed received at 1115am.
  
 wow, fast action from the LH Support team today!


----------



## kostaszag

mikeyfresh said:


> kostaszag said:
> 
> 
> > I had the same problem with my Sfi when switching from spdif to usb. I contacted LHlabs and they sent me a new firmware that should solve the problem. I upgraded and it worked alright until yesterday, The helicopter noise reappeared, only this time it was on the right channel.
> ...


 

 I am pretty sure it is some beta version. When I uploaded it the fw version did not change (Gina had warned me this would be the case), it remained 1v5, but the Sfi ran more smoothly (for a while).


----------



## valve5425

Quote:


pedalhead said:


> Happy Birthday, Dean! Let us know what you think of your Infinity when it arrives... mine's still stuck in customs.


 
  
 Thanks for that.
  
 I had my customs bill delivered by Royal Mail today. £77 VAT? + RM's £8. (Looks like a declared value of $600-ish) Now that's less VAT than I could have paid, but more than I would have done if they'd declared the amount they said they would, which I think was around $189. C'est la vie!
  
 I'll pick the Infinity up from the delivery office tomorrow morning and report back with my impressions.


----------



## valve5425

jexby said:


> changed my mind, and requested my Pulse X Infinity be shipped in old chassis.
> opened a ticket today at 1009am.
> Gina replied at 1033am.
> Shipping noticed received at 1115am.
> ...


 
  
 They want to get them out before you change your mind! The more old chassis that go, the less new chassis they have to produce. I'm sure they must be losing money on early backers taking the new one.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Or they have these Old Chassis they have ordered hanging around to despose of..(w/c for them is a loss)


----------



## Madeupword

Likewise, deciding between the "old" and "new" Infinity.
  
 Has there been any bug report for Pulse Infinity?


----------



## longbowbbs

madeupword said:


> Likewise, deciding between the "old" and "new" Infinity.
> 
> Has there been any bug report for Pulse Infinity?


 
 A month now and no issues with a couple hundred hours on it.


----------



## miceblue

I e-mailed LH Labs about a possible estimation for when the new chassis units will be delivered for Infinity backers. From what it seems like for now, there's an Infinite time frame. Puns aside, they seem to be working on it still.

I'll stick to the new chassis since they said there may or may not be a trade-in program for the old to new chassis and I'd rather have a guaranteed new chassis unit eventually. By then at least they'll have new firmware updates available, hopefully, and bugs ironed out about destroying speakers and headphones. I'll be using the Infinity as a DAC mainly with my STAX amp, which can take a 30 V input signal at minimum volume level, so I'm not super worried about my STAX blowing up since I always turn the volume down to the minimum when I'm not actively using them.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

That WAS exactly my reasons...however WHEN? 
  
 My Olive ONE friends are mocking me already.


----------



## hemtmaker

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> That WAS exactly my reasons...however WHEN?
> 
> My Olive ONE friends are mocking me already.



Same here. I can't let next year's Geekout v3 outshine my infinity!


----------



## snip3r77

Just received the XFI Infinity ( moments ago ) and my LPS ( last year ).
Using USB and testing using my Monoprice headphones. So far so good.
Hifiman HE500 , Medium gain 0 db just nice. ( bit perfect )


----------



## travelfotografe

flipper2gv said:


> When this happen, you just need to select back USB from the input menu on the pulse.
> 
> It's the unit going out of sync with the computer, nothing to worry about.
> 
> Unless you mean the headphones are actually dead, which I would be quite surprised to hear. You tried it with the other amp and it still didn't work? If it is the case, I'm pretty sure it's LHLabs responsibility to replace your headphones.


 
  
 Yes, the headphone's right driver is actually dead (I checked with him).


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> That WAS exactly my reasons...however WHEN?
> 
> My Olive ONE friends are mocking me already.


 

 "Doth Mother know you weareth her drapes?"  Iron Man mocking Thor in Marvel's The Avengers.


----------



## krikor

miceblue said:


> By then at least they'll have new firmware updates available, hopefully, and bugs ironed out about destroying speakers and headphones. .


 
  
 Well, that was also my feeling several months ago, and why I was happy to wait until now to get my Pulse. Still loving the sound, but hope these firmware issues are resolved soon (assuming that's all they are).


----------



## flipper2gv

travelfotografe said:


> Yes, the headphone's right driver is actually dead (I checked with him).


 
  
 In that case, it is indeed LHLabs responsibility since he used the geek pulse in the correct fashion and it caused damage to his property.


----------



## miceblue

krikor said:


> Well, that was also my feeling several months ago, and why I was happy to wait until now to get my Pulse. Still loving the sound, but hope these firmware issues are resolved soon (assuming that's all they are).



True...from Larry's posts in the Geek Force though, it looks like they're more focused on optimising the Femto Time Mode. >.>





hemtmaker said:


> m-i-c-k-e-y said:
> 
> 
> > That WAS exactly my reasons...however WHEN?
> ...



Yeah that too. By the time the Infinity new chassis comes out, there will probably be a Pulse v2 for all we know and they'll claim that they've had an EP2 for the past year or so. :/

Meanwhile JDS Labs is going to announce a desktop amp(/DAC?), codename Element, next month.
https://www.facebook.com/jdslabs/photos/a.347705048583618.85653.213109922043132/984261928261257/?type=1


> "1.5W @ 32 ohm. Triple 0's in all distortion measurements."
> 
> "For size reference, the knob you see is about 3 inches in diameter."


----------



## destrozer

The FTM digital mode on my Pulse FI sounds exactly the same as the TCM. Is it because the firmware for Pulse FI has not been updated and there's no FTM mode for Pulse FI?


----------



## krikor

miceblue said:


> True...from Larry's posts in the Geek Force though, it looks like they're more focused on optimising the Femto Time Mode. >.>


 
  
 If true, that's disappointing to hear, at least from my own (selfish) perspective given that I don't have a femto. And even so, I would think it would be more prudent to get the basic firmware functions (input switching, sample rate switching, volume control glitches, etc.) for all variations working correctly before worrying about optimizing the FTM.


----------



## Drsparis

krikor said:


> If true, that's disappointing to hear, at least from my own (selfish) perspective given that I don't have a femto. And even so, I would think it would be more prudent to get the basic firmware functions (input switching, sample rate switching, volume control glitches, etc.) for all variations working correctly before worrying about optimizing the FTM.


 
 I second this! (and I am a infinity backer) ,I couldn't care less about Femto Time Mode if there is still a chance the amp kills my headphones and my ears.... Priorities people!


----------



## snip3r77

drsparis said:


> I second this! (and I am a infinity backer) ,I couldn't care less about Femto Time Mode if there is still a chance the amp kills my headphones and my ears.... Priorities people!




My infinity has no problems 

Single Ended
Balanced
RCA out to my Tube Amp.

Yes I"m a happy customer. At least it is a happy ending for me albeit turn around time is abit long.


----------



## frank2908

can anyone share the link to download windows driver., now i have the xfi sitting in my room without driver, its dissapointing  . the lhlabs website seems to be down atm


----------



## snip3r77

frank2908 said:


> can anyone share the link to download windows driver., now i have the xfi sitting in my room without driver, its dissapointing  . the lhlabs website seems to be down atm




There you go bro
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8uFJD6D2pnreWxfWWMtbm16Sms/view?usp=sharing


----------



## frank2908

thanks a  million


----------



## uncola

thanks Snip3r77


----------



## nudd

The FI has


destrozer said:


> The FTM digital mode on my Pulse FI sounds exactly the same as the TCM. Is it because the firmware for Pulse FI has not been updated and there's no FTM mode for Pulse FI?


 
  
 The FI has femto clocks in it so it should have FTM enabled.
  
 Apparently, there is a slight gap or click or whatever when switching modes that is not present when that mode is just a dummy so if the music is seamless with no break at all, then I think it would mean that FTM isn't enabled.
  
 If there is a slight gap or pause or click when switching modes but you can't hear any other difference, it probably means either the music or your ears don't care about slight differences in filters or jitter performance between the two modes so I wouldn't worry about it.
  
 To be honest I upgraded all the way to the Infinity because I bought into the LHL story and the hype and I wouldn't be surprised at all if I couldn't hear any differences whatsoever either. I mean the clocks are already regenerated internally on the Pulse, and the data already get rebuffered using their triple buffer technology, so why should FTM make a difference? (theoretically though, doesn't their triple buffer mean there will be a degree of lag for real time applications?)


----------



## doublea71

frank2908 said:


> thanks a  million


 

 How do you like it so far?


----------



## nudd

Just wanted to report that my Infinity has arrived!
  
 Can't use it yet as my work doesn't allow external drivers to be installed onto the PCs and I didn't bring along a OTG cable for my Sony Xperia Z2.
  
 Comes with the 1G cable but does NOT come with the 2G. I guess that will have to get shipped out later.
  
 The declared value is USD189 (not 3,000). Which I guess is better than $3,000, but I would have been totally fine if they just declared the actual value of what was backed ...
  
 It comes in a HUGE box is pretty well padded!
  
 Finally, it is clearly indicated on the chassis that it is an Infinity, but it does NOT say what ESS chip it is using. I have no idea, short of opening the case (which I assume would void the warranty) which chip is in it ...
  
 Maybe I will do it when the extended warranty runs out, or if I sell it, and the warranty doesn't go across to the purchaser, I can tell them hand on my heart which ESS chip it has installed, and that it really is an infinity ...
  
 As it stands, knowing what I know, I wonder if I would be comfortable buying any infinity if the new chip and old chip boxes cannot be distinguished. It looks like there will be four boards for the infinities right:
  

Old chassis, EK2M chip
Old chassis, AQ2M chip
New chassis, EK2M chip
New chassis, AQ2M chip
  
 And there is effectively no way on external inspection to be able to tell which is which!


----------



## vhsownsbeta

nudd said:


> Just wanted to report that my Infinity has arrived!
> 
> Can't use it yet as my work doesn't allow external drivers to be installed onto the PCs and I didn't bring along a OTG cable for my Sony Xperia Z2.
> 
> ...


 

 Congratulations! It's good to hear they aren't declaring MSRP too. You are in Australia, right? I look forward to your impressions...


----------



## greenkiwi

mikey1964 said:


> A cautionary tale, don't leave your headphone connected to the amp (I have the Geek Pulse Standard), while it's powered on with nothing playing. I was listening to some songs yesterday, stopped playing music and went out for a short while. When I came back, after about 5 to 10 minutes, to resume playback, my headphone had sound from the left channel, the right channel was dead silent. Now, had it been my HD555 or ATH-AD700X, I'd have just shrugged and that's be the end of it.....but the headphone connected at that time was my precious AKG K812. Thanks a lot LHL, the Pulse Standard is going into my storeroom, not gonna sell it as I'd not want this crap to happen to others.
> 
> Replace the $%#@ Pulse Standard with my trusty iFi iDSD Nano + Lyr stack.....and removing it from my sig.


 
 What?!?!? This happened again?
  
 Did you try the headphones with other setups?


----------



## nudd

vhsownsbeta said:


> Congratulations! It's good to hear they aren't declaring MSRP too. You are in Australia, right? I look forward to your impressions...


 
  
 Yes. Am in Australia. I wouldn't give too much credence to my impressions.
  
 Usually I can only say whether I liked it or not and to be honest no guarantees I could even tell the difference between a Pulse and XFI and Infinity in a DBT. All I expect is that it should sound better than the Geek Out ...
  
 For example, I cannot reliably tell the difference between high bitrate lossy and lossless audio (but I still try to get everything in lossless only for my own peace of mind) ... same can be said about the Infinity, I guess


----------



## agisthos

> As it stands, knowing what I know, I wonder if I would be comfortable buying any infinity if the new chip and old chip boxes cannot be distinguished. It looks like there will be four boards for the infinities right:
> 
> 
> Old chassis, EK2M chip
> ...


 
  
 I wondered this as well, and did not think it likely that LHLABS would make so many variants of the Infinity.
  
 Apparently the PCB for the Infinity will fit both old and new chassis, so there will only be at most two variants. But someone on the forum got confirmation via Geek support that all Infinites will be the newer AQ2M, so if this is true there is only 1 type of Infinity, and you don't have to worry about having the latest.


----------



## valve5425

nudd said:


> ................................................................................................................................................................
> 
> The declared value is USD189 (not 3,000). Which I guess is better than $3,000, but I would have been totally fine if they just declared the actual value of what was backed ...
> 
> ................................................................................................................................................................


 
  
 My Infinity should be delivered tomorrow. (Shipped on the 19th April) I've paid £77 tax on mine which would suggest a declared value of around $600! I'll know for sure when it arrives. Looks like I've paid an extra £53 tax then. Yippee doo!! Still, less than it should have been I suppose, but, once again, inconsistency from LH Labs.
  
 2G, 1 metre cables had an issue, so it will be a few weeks before they get new ones in stock. No doubt I'll get charged tax and a handling fee on that as well.


----------



## pedalhead

Ouch 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  Mine's only this morning cleared customs (took 7 days!). Let's see what I get charged...


----------



## krikor

snip3r77 said:


> My infinity has no problems
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Out of curiosity, are you using just the USB input or do you have SPDIF and TOSLINK inputs as well? The glitches I've experienced seem to only arise when using those inputs.


----------



## digitalzed

nudd said:


> Just wanted to report that my Infinity has arrived!
> 
> Can't use it yet as my work doesn't allow external drivers to be installed onto the PCs and I didn't bring along a OTG cable for my Sony Xperia Z2.
> 
> ...


 

 For whatever it's worth, I have been told directly by several people at LH Labs that all Infinity models will have the A2QM chip. I was told this as late as last week.


----------



## Drsparis

mikey1964 said:


> A cautionary tale, don't leave your headphone connected to the amp (I have the Geek Pulse Standard), while it's powered on with nothing playing. I was listening to some songs yesterday, stopped playing music and went out for a short while. When I came back, after about 5 to 10 minutes, to resume playback, my headphone had sound from the left channel, the right channel was dead silent. Now, had it been my HD555 or ATH-AD700X, I'd have just shrugged and that's be the end of it.....but the headphone connected at that time was my precious AKG K812. Thanks a lot LHL, the Pulse Standard is going into my storeroom, not gonna sell it as I'd not want this crap to happen to others.
> 
> Replace the $%#@ Pulse Standard with my trusty iFi iDSD Nano + Lyr stack.....and removing it from my sig.


 
 Have you contated LHLabs about this? Do they have a policy for this? did you just lose 1000$? I am still waiting for the infinity but this scares the **** out of me, one of my main phones is pretty irreplaceable...


----------



## snip3r77

krikor said:


> Out of curiosity, are you using just the USB input or do you have SPDIF and TOSLINK inputs as well? The glitches I've experienced seem to only arise when using those inputs.




I used USB and RCA.


----------



## frank2908

I'm listening to my XFI, straight out of the box, the soundstage is even smaller than my dx90. However I'm a believer of burn-in through experience, so I'm gonna wait for a few days
 I'm a bit disappointed when I realised how light the pulse is, also the volume knob is quite flimsy. Doesn't scream out quality to me.


----------



## miceblue

What do you mean by smaller? Width? Depth? Height? Everything? XD


----------



## germay0653

Also, are you using it with the supplied wall wart or the LPS/LPS4 or some other Linear Power supply, with headphones or speakers?  What is the upstream and downstream equipment in play?  Just trying to understand the conditions that might affect the SQ and soundstage.  I'm with you on burn-in!


----------



## pedalhead

frank2908 said:


> I'm listening to my XFI, straight out of the box, the soundstage is even smaller than my dx90. However I'm a believer of burn-in through experience, so I'm gonna wait for a few days
> I'm a bit disappointed when I realised how light the pulse is, also the volume knob is quite flimsy. Doesn't scream out quality to me.


 
  
 Not wishing to teach you to suck eggs, but even a small difference in volume can have a huge impact on perceived soundstage.  Are you volume matching the Xfi and dx90 when making comparisons?


----------



## destrozer

frank2908 said:


> I'm listening to my XFI, straight out of the box, the soundstage is even smaller than my dx90. However I'm a believer of burn-in through experience, so I'm gonna wait for a few days
> I'm a bit disappointed when I realised how light the pulse is, also the volume knob is quite flimsy. Doesn't scream out quality to me.


 
  
 I wouldn't bank on the impression straight out of the box if I were you. I didn't have a favourable impression of it straight out too.
  
 However, letting it warm up and listening again,


----------



## flipper2gv

destrozer said:


> I wouldn't bank on the impression straight out of the box if I were you. I didn't have a favourable impression of it straight out too.
> 
> However, letting it warm up and listening again,


 
 Same here, you need to leave it on for at least a day.


----------



## nudd

So reached home at 7pm. Plugged wallwart into the Infinity, turned on. It turns on with "Infinity" on the front plate.
  
 Nice. But still no mention of which chip unfortunately. I wish LHL will confirm its position.
  
 Decided to leave it on to warm up for while making dinner, having dinner and watching the end of Masterchef.
  
 Plugged in cheapo pair of Yuin PK3 into the 1/4" out (via an adaptor) and listened for pops.
  
 No pops! Yay! Select FTM mode.
  
 Plugged in DX50 and playback via co-axial digital output. Initial it was a glitchy mess. Not sure what was going on there, but it sounded like back in the old days when scratched CDs were skipping.
  
 Change to USB and we have sound!
  
 Initial observations were very disappointing. Bass was very light and the highs were very sibilant ... BUT ...
  
 A couple of hours later, it sounded much much better. It still sounds a bit lean to my ears so earphones which are on the warm side sound good on it (Zero Audio Tenore, XBA-H3), but I suspect the infinity has a way to go to break in.
  
 In particular I think the clocks are not quite right. There occassional glitchiness to the sound but playing the same track again hour an hour later and seems to sound different.
  
 I think I will need to have to leave the clock to settle down for the rest of the day and then see how we go tonight.
  
 Currently I think FRM sounds the best and is least glitchy, but towards 11.30 last night, the glitchiness in the FTM mode seemed to be finally settling down.
  
 I am not sure if it really made any difference, but around 11.30 pm I also plugged in my iUSBPower to fliter the USB cable (with the ground lift isolation switch enabled) and also the iPurifier, and I swear everything sounded better ... Logic tells me it shouldn't ... It may be purely coincidence because the clock seems to be getting more warmed up and the sound was getting better as time went on in any case.
  
 So far, have been using low gain on the IEMs (around -20dB) and medium gain on the HE-500 (around -20dB) which already drives everything pretty much as loud as I want it to be.
  
 No hiss. One thing on the IEM front is that at the moment the infinity seems to be very very picky with the IEMs. It sounds like pants with Shure SE500 (which is surprising because the GO450 sounds pretty good with the SE500, except for the hiss).
  
 Hiss is pretty much inaudible to my ears (much much better than the GO450).
  
 Around 11.30 I plugged the DX50 back into the coaxial digital output and glitching seems to have disappeared!
  
 TLDR: at 9.30pm (2 hours warm up) - sounded really horrible. thought I had a defective unit. 11.30 pm (2 hours warm up, 2 hours playing music) - sounding pretty good!


----------



## perdigao

Turned on my Pulse Infinity with LPS.  That's it - Not selling it anymore ...
  
 Really enjoying the initial sound with my Roxanne and PSB headphones.  Now will leave it playing for 3 days to fully break it in ...
  
 I am using USB and loving the sound out of the box ...  No issues up to now ...
  
 Next, try to find a balanced cable (that will work with Geek Pulse) for my Roxanne IEM (JH Audio)... Any ideas?


----------



## wingsounds13

Wow! Even though LH Labs is the _worst company_ in the history of audio? That Pulse infinity must be really good. Thanks for the glowing report of LH Labs work.

J.P.


----------



## frank2908

nudd said:


> So reached home at 7pm. Plugged wallwart into the Infinity, turned on. It turns on with "Infinity" on the front plate.
> 
> Nice. But still no mention of which chip unfortunately. I wish LHL will confirm its position.
> 
> ...



How do you connect your dx50 to your pulse? What cable are you using?
Out of the box, both soundstage depth and width is not great. I'm using my diy 3d printed hp with hd800 drivers
After a night of burn in, there is a significant improvement in soundstage, still not great but it's there, the sound is very smooth, bass quantity is better than dx90. I'm hoping after burn in the mid would improve further
Atm, through the pulse, my diy hp doesn't have that nice treble definition I'm used to yet
And yes, I have tried matching the volume


----------



## snip3r77

nudd said:


> So reached home at 7pm. Plugged wallwart into the Infinity, turned on. It turns on with "Infinity" on the front plate.
> 
> Nice. But still no mention of which chip unfortunately. I wish LHL will confirm its position.
> 
> ...




For my HE500, I use low gain with 0 db. Been running over the weekend. Didn't really do much critical listening.
But I feel the sound is more natural as compared to other sabre and not so bright ( which I like )


----------



## nudd

I am using the trs to coax (actually, maybe it RCA? Whatever is at the back of the Pulse) that came with the the DX50. 

It is a very short thick cable that appears to be pretty well made.


----------



## snip3r77

nudd said:


> I am using the trs to coax (actually, maybe it RCA? Whatever is at the back of the Pulse) that came with the the DX50.
> 
> It is a very short thick cable that appears to be pretty well made.




It's Co-ax


----------



## sorue

It's been said a couple of times already, but the pulse xfi needs to be warmed up for a while to stabilize. Not talking about burn in here. My XFi sounds decent when first turned on, but much, much better after it's warmed up


----------



## nicolo

perdigao said:


> Turned on my Pulse Infinity with LPS.  That's it - Not selling it anymore ...
> 
> Really enjoying the initial sound with my Roxanne and PSB headphones.  Now will leave it playing for 3 days to fully break it in ...
> 
> ...


 
  
 Toxic silver cable for the Roxannes. You can check the impressions thread for Toxic cables for it.


----------



## nudd

sorue said:


> It's been said a couple of times already, but the pulse xfi needs to be warmed up for a while to stabilize. Not talking about burn in here. My XFi sounds decent when first turned on, but much, much better after it's warmed up


 
  
 For me it sounded horrible after first 2 hours and much much better after 4 hours. I think Larry has said that after a couple of days is when the femtos really settle down. I am not sure if a couple of days is really needed though, but I can't wait to listen again tonight and see if there is any difference.
  
 Now I am a bit worried about the femto'd wave I upgraded to. How are we going to keep a battery powered device warmed up all the time?


----------



## wingsounds13

I too have wondered much the same thing. Are femtos worse than normal low phase noise clocks until they are warmed up? Do we need to keep our Waves plugged in and warmed up to sound good?

J.P.


----------



## destrozer

wingsounds13 said:


> I too have wondered much the same thing. Are femtos worse than normal low phase noise clocks until they are warmed up? Do we need to keep our Waves puplugged in and warmed up to sound good?
> 
> J.P.


 
 I was wondering the same thing as well! would render it really impractical for portable usage.


----------



## nudd

destrozer said:


> I was wondering the same thing as well! would render it really impractical for portable usage.


 
  
 I have visions of people warming up their waves with those little pocket warmers before turning them on ...


----------



## FlySweep

Hey gang.. I've had my Pulse X Infinity (and LPS) since last Tuesday.  I received my LPS quite a while back though.. but I didn't even open it until the Pulse arrived.. so as of last week, both units were used for the first time (by me).  Initial impressions (last week) were good.. as some others have noted, the combo sounded thin (lacking body), somewhat rough, and dynamically compressed, ootb (out of the box) to my ears.  After a healthy amount of use (and letting it condition/"burn in") since then, the overall sound is now significantly more articulate, balanced, and full bodied.  The combo is very clean, detailed, and fast.. yet it lacks the hash, digitus, and glare I've heard with many SABRE-based DACs. I haven't used the balanced output yet.. but the SE got plenty of use with my cIEMs (UERM, etc.) and HE-560.  It pairs wonderfully with ultra sensitive IEMs and current-hungry planars, alike.. I look forward to trying it with the voltage-loving HD650 soon.  So far, I'm having a difficult time find any glaring (or even mild) weakness with the LPS-driven Pulse X Infinity.  My hats off to @Larry Ho on this wonderful DAC/amp.. it's certainly the best SABRE implementation I've heard, to date.  I'll continue to use the combo and report back.


----------



## uncola

thanks for your impressions flysweep, I guess now you have to get a balanced cable for your he-560


----------



## Joe-Siow

Didn't back the LPS previously. Decided to get an external PSU for my Pulse Fi, And my, what a huge difference it made.


----------



## nudd

snip3r77 said:


> For my HE500, I use low gain with 0 db. Been running over the weekend. Didn't really do much critical listening.
> But I feel the sound is more natural as compared to other sabre and not so bright ( which I like )


 
  
 I am using the he500 with a balanced cable and even on low gain cannot get it to 0db without being way too loud ...


----------



## snip3r77

nudd said:


> I am using the he500 with a balanced cable and even on low gain cannot get it to 0db without being way too loud ...




For more dynamic recordings ( 80s recording ) , 0 db is very possible. I'm using single ended.


----------



## frank2908

sorry about my low quality pic, Thanks to you guys, I'm finally playing the pulse through my dx90 and my 3D printed HD800, still in the burn in period though


----------



## nudd

currently i am experiencing a ground loop that i am finding hard to pin down so there is a 50hz hum which goes away if i touch the chassis with my hand. Does anyone know if an lps will solve the problem?


----------



## hemtmaker

nudd said:


> currently i am experiencing a ground loop that i am finding hard to pin down so there is a 50hz hum which goes away if i touch the chassis with my hand. Does anyone know if an lps will solve the problem?



Have you tried the IUSBPOWER ground switch?


----------



## nudd

hemtmaker said:


> Have you tried the IUSBPOWER ground switch?


 
  
 its basically my mains i think not the usb. if i plug the powersupply into the infinity, even if i don't turn it on i can hear the hum. this happens regardless of the power point i plug it in ... the smps itself is not grounded i think ...


----------



## flipper2gv

wingsounds13 said:


> I too have wondered much the same thing. Are femtos worse than normal low phase noise clocks until they are warmed up? Do we need to keep our Waves puplugged in and warmed up to sound good?
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 I think they're designed with metal thermal expansion in mind. Maybe that's why the unit needs to be warmed up.


----------



## hemtmaker

So you have tried removing the usb input while keeping the pulse off and you can hear the hum?


----------



## nudd

hemtmaker said:


> So you have tried removing the usb input while keeping the pulse off and you can hear the hum?


 
 yep.


----------



## frank2908

hemtmaker said:


> Have you tried the IUSBPOWER ground switch?


 
 try plug them directly, not using any extension plug


----------



## frank2908

After 2 nights, the Pulse sound much smoother and the sound stage now is much deeper than before, I'm still hoping the detail and clarity further improved
 However I found the first glitch, when using SPDIF input, if i unplug the headphones and plug in again,one channel is mutted. Solution is turn the volume knob. I know this is not much of a button but in term of the total experience, the Pulse does not feel refined


----------



## krikor

frank2908 said:


> After 2 nights, the Pulse sound much smoother and the sound stage now is much deeper than before, I'm still hoping the detail and clarity further improved
> However I found the first glitch, when using SPDIF input, if i unplug the headphones and plug in again,one channel is mutted. Solution is turn the volume knob. I know this is not much of a button but in term of the total experience, the Pulse does not feel refined


 
 Ditto here on that glitch with the SPDIF. Though sometimes I get a fluttering helicopter sound out of one channel rather than a mute (I've experienced it in both channels now). Volume adjustment solves the problem. I can also get these glitches to occur (intermittently) if I cycle my preamp off and then back on.


----------



## valve5425

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH................... UK Parcel Force!  */*!! Or Parcel Farce as they are known locally. They got my Infinity on the 28th May, I paid taxes and fees on Saturday morning, (All £82, youch) for delivery today. Has it arrived? NO. They've still got it showing as awaiting charges payment!! It's now been travelling since the 19th of May! I could have swum the pond and picked it up myself.
  
 Sorry, but I just had to have a rant.


----------



## pedalhead

valve5425 said:


> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH................... UK Parcel Force!  */*!! Or Parcel Farce as they are known locally. They got my Infinity on the 28th May, I paid taxes and fees on Saturday morning, (All £82, youch) for delivery today. Has it arrived? NO. They've still got it showing as awaiting charges payment!! It's now been travelling since the 19th of May! I could have swum the pond and picked it up myself.
> 
> Sorry, but I just had to have a rant.


 
  
 Parcel Farce indeed.  Sigh


----------



## Decoy

I finally got my Infinity last week.  As you can imagine, I was pretty excited.  I am still awaiting my LPS4 and LightSpeed 2G cable.  I'm running off the wall-wart and the included 1G USB cable.

Packaging was really nice.  Double-boxed.  In a country with 25% VAT, I was especially thankful that LHLabs declared it at $189 or something like that.  Nice foam cutouts inside the box.  It's a keeper.  I am happy with my choice of the old chassis.  It's a lot nicer than in the pictures.  It's very solid.  The volume knob isn't flimsy as I had expected.  It would be better if it was set closer to the enclosure.  I guess they leave a gap for the IR sensor for the remote.  They should have found another solution.  I am getting a Geek Tube Amp which will come in the new enclosure, but I think they will look fine together.  I'll probably tuck the LPS4 away under my desk no matter what.  There's no need for it to be adding to the clutter of my desk.

Initially my experience was a little negative.  I hooked it up and turned everything on.  The initial volume was at 0 dB (I thought it was supposed to start off at the minimum volume, not the max).  I plugged it into my computer, it did the auto-driver scan and came up empty-handed.  I ran the driver installation and it kept telling me to connect the DAC or if it was connected, reconnect it.  I cycled the power, unplugged it.  I did everything I could think of and it was a no-go --the software kept asking me to connect the DAC.  Finally, I put it into a different USB port and it worked like a charm.

I started playing some music through Foobar2000.  I pushed in the volume knob to look at the filter modes and when I turned the knob to the left, it reset my volume to 0 dB.  I was VERY lucky into was during the tail end of the outro to a song and I didn't detonate my eardrums and my HD800 driver simultaneously.  I very carefully turned the volume very low in Foobar2000 and tried to reproduce the bug.  I gave up after about 30 minutes, and I am very happy to say that it has not happened again.  **Crosses fingers**

Needless to say, I was feeling a little sour.  I then proceeded to setup DSD in Foobar2000, and coming from the Yulong DA8, this procedure was far more complicated.  The DA8 also uses the SABRE ESS9018, so at some level I feel like the process should be simpler.  It is also USB Audio Class 2, so it really should be easier.

Initially, the sound was very 2-dimensional.  No texture, veiled, and a little muted.  So, I proceeded to let it run day and night.  Over the past few days, it has really opened up.  First off, the noise floor is as low as I have ever experienced --dead quiet.  The sound stage has started to widen, and over the last few days, add depth.  The music has started to be very textured.  It can be delicate and airy when necessary, and it can slam when you need it to.  This thing has headroom out the ying-yang (yin-yang?).  And the background is so crystal clear beautiful.  It's like listening to music in an anechoic chamber.  I am coming from a DA8, as I mentioned earlier, and that thing was pretty good.  It used roughly the same DAC (different letters at the end) and was pretty good.  It's a terrific value if you are looking for a $1000 DAC/amp combo, although it is single-end but outputs a balanced signal.  But the Infinity absolutely destroys the DA8 in sound quality.

I have always been a little skeptical of DSD.  On my DA8, it didn't really sound any different, but man, it sounds terrific.  I actually went down to my local Hi-Fi shop today to listen to some turntables just for comparisons sake (I don't own a turntable anymore).  Wow, DSD has really won me over.  So smooth and liquid.  It also felt like it had an ultra-thin layer of softness to pull all the sound together.  It's hard to explain.  Words are hard!

My only quibble right now is that I feel like I have to have volume turned up a little more than I am comfortable with to really get the fully 3D-holographic-loose-yourself-in-the-music enveloping thing going on.  It is amazing that it can do this.  And it sounds soooo good turned up.  No noise or distortion.  Everything is crisp and it feels like you are getting a big hug from your music.  But I don't want this to raise the levels I usually listen at.  I've already got some tinnitus and I would rather not do any more damage to my ears.  I keep the gain set to 'Low' and would like to keep it at -33 dB or so, but I don't get totally sucked into things until about -28 dB.  I am running an HD800 and an LCD-2.2 and both are at about the same levels.  What are you guys finding a comfortable listening level?

The sounds has really improved on this after running it for about 5 days straight, so perhaps it will continue to develop and produce as big and textured a soundstage at lower volumes after a little more time.  I hope so.  I cannot wait until my HiFiMAN HE-1000 gets here.  It's going to be EPIC.  A little birdie told me that mine will be on its way soon!

So.... TL;DNR:  A little worried at the start.  Sounds fantastic.  Absolute clarity.  I hope it continues to improve.

Well done Larry and Co.  I am a happy camper.  I would like to give a special shout-out to my girl, Gina.  She got me this Infinity really quickly, and she is just terrific.  I think everyone who has had contact with her feels the same way.


----------



## miceblue

For native DSD music, I've found that the music tends to be well-mastered, not necessarily the DSD format itself. 

Besides, all multi-bit Delta-Sigma DACs convert 1-bit DSD to multi-bit Delta-Sigma, so technically what you're listening to isn't exactly DSD.


----------



## Decoy

valve5425 said:


> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH................... UK Parcel Force!  */*!! Or Parcel Farce as they are known locally. They got my Infinity on the 28th May, I paid taxes and fees on Saturday morning, (All £82, youch) for delivery today. Has it arrived? NO. They've still got it showing as awaiting charges payment!! It's now been travelling since the 19th of May! I could have swum the pond and picked it up myself.
> 
> Sorry, but I just had to have a rant.


 
 That sucks.  In Norway, some grocery stores double as mini Post Offices.  They have little postal counter.  When I went to pick up my Infinity, the woman at the store was new and didn't know how to work anything, and in the end, she had me sign my name on a blank piece of paper and gave me my package.
  
 The next day I got a letter from the postal service asking me if I had payed the VAT.  I called in to ask how I was supposed to pay.  I told her my story and she asked me "And you just left without paying?"  I told her "I didn't think you guys would track me down.  How did you find out where I live?"  She was not amused.


----------



## Decoy

miceblue said:


> For native DSD music, I've found that the music tends to be well-mastered, not necessarily the DSD format itself.
> 
> Besides, all multi-bit Delta-Sigma DACs convert 1-bit DSD to multi-bit Delta-Sigma, so technically what you're listening to isn't exactly DSD.


 
 Thank you, Captain Bringdown.


----------



## miceblue

Hey I'm just stating the facts. Nothing wrong with that...


----------



## Decoy

miceblue said:


> Hey I'm just stating the facts. Nothing wrong with that...


 
 I'm just kidding.


----------



## miceblue

Oh ok then. XD


----------



## flipper2gv

miceblue said:


> For native DSD music, I've found that the music tends to be well-mastered, not necessarily the DSD format itself.
> 
> Besides, all multi-bit Delta-Sigma DACs convert 1-bit DSD to multi-bit Delta-Sigma, so technically what you're listening to isn't exactly DSD.


 
  
 We have a winner here. If you plan to sell a DSD album, you take a real good care on how you record it.


----------



## snip3r77

decoy said:


> Needless to say, I was feeling a little sour.  I then proceeded to setup DSD in Foobar2000, and coming from the Yulong DA8, this procedure was far more complicated.  The DA8 also uses the SABRE ESS9018, so at some level I feel like the process should be simpler.  It is also USB Audio Class 2, so it really should be easier.




For me I followed the drivers installation procedure and everything is very smooth.

By the way, how do you find dynamics and cymbals decay after the 100hrs?
Maybe using Eric Clapton's Layla as a benchmark.


----------



## nudd

frank2908 said:


> try plug them directly, not using any extension plug


 
  
 Tried that. Tried every single wall plug in the house. I think it is just an old apartment and the power lines are wonky.
  
 Hence my question about whether a LPS may do the tried to isolate the Infinity from the power line grounding issues.


----------



## digitallc

I’m sitting here trying to wrap my head around this evening, and all I can say is outstanding job, Larry Ho!!!!!
  
 So my long wait came to an end today — thanks again to the amazing Gina - and I received my Pulse Infinity and LPS - (still waiting for the promised 2G cable). I set it up on my cheapo Pioneer floor standers on the third floor, attached to my ancient but still alive Pioneer AVR. So it’s only been a few hours, and the femto’s aren’t quite giving me their best yet — and the “burn in” is now starting. Anyhow here are my early thoughts — remember, I am not an audiophile.
  
 The overall sound is sublime. The Infinity retrieves amazing detail. The soundstaging is narrow so far but  present. Bass slam — lots of it. Mids - detailed , cohesive, musical. The highs are a little bit rolled off, with not enough air  YET — but no sibilance. Nicely done with the Sabre chip.  Awesome job, Larry Ho!
  
 I plugged in my HD800 with the balanced cable — it’s the best I’ve ever heard it yet. Great soundstaging - I was right in the middle of the musicians. Amazing detail. My ten year old daughter listened for a bit — she was nodding her head and smiling. 
  
 So after a bit, I just needed to know, so I took it downstairs to the first floor, and hooked it in to my Parasound P5 using its own crossover to split it to a Marantz SR7008 feeding a pair of Polk LSIM 703’s and also feeding a Rythmik LV12R subwoofer. It’s a lo-fi system,but tonight was the best I’ve ever it sound — even my wife joined me for a bit just taking in the music, and that doesn’t happen too often. 
  
 And these are just the first few hours. Really glad I bought this DAC - so far it's what I hoped it would be.


----------



## uncola

digitallc those speakers are pretty nice, I wouldn't call them lo-fi!  Glad you're enjoying your pulse infinity.  Can you compare the balanced out on the pulse infinity to your other headphones amps?  the iFi micro iDSD and Lake People G103-S?


----------



## digitallc

uncola said:


> digitallc those speakers are pretty nice, I wouldn't call them lo-fi!  Glad you're enjoying your pulse infinity.  Can you compare the balanced out on the pulse infinity to your other headphones amps?  the iFi micro iDSD and Lake People G103-S?


 

 Th iDSD micro and G103-S are single ended, but there's a Cavalli Liquid Carbon that should be making it's way here by the end of summer, so I can let you know how that compares when it comes.


----------



## uncola

Can you compare them anyway?


----------



## doublea71

Recent impressions have me thinking the Wave is going to sound very, very good. Larry seems to be dialed in when it comes to tweaking the sound of a DAC.


----------



## digitallc

digitallc said:


> Th iDSD micro and G103-S are single ended, but there's a Cavalli Liquid Carbon that should be making it's way here by the end of summer, so I can let you know how that compares when it comes.


 

 The Infinity extracts more detail to my ears,and draws me deeper into the music,  but the unit is still burning in - and I make no claims to being an audiophile. The G103 - S is a little rolled off., and I don't use it very much.The iDSD was my go to DAC /amp until the Pulse arrived. So far, I really like what I am hearing with the pulse - much, much more detail than the iDSD. I'll see how it sounds after a few days.


----------



## hemtmaker

My infinity is finally here!


----------



## uncola

Nice setup!  I like the shelf liner.  made me think it was another dac for a second.  I see you're using it with a sony mdr-z7 and a jay's audio 12v lps.  Does the lps make it sound better than using the switching mode power supply it came with?

  
 edit:  wow lots of pulse infinity in old chassis being shipped


----------



## hemtmaker

uncola said:


> Nice setup!  I like the shelf liner.  made me think it was another dac for a second.  I see you're using it with a sony mdr-z7 and a jay's audio 12v lps.  Does the lps make it sound better than using the switching mode power supply it came with?
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Thanks. I am planning to do some serious listening after the burn in process 
The old chasis has a very good shape, nice and compact IMO


----------



## mandrake50

uncola said:


> edit:  wow lots of pulse infinity in old chassis being shipped




There may be another one soon... I am really wavering on the new chassis. Maybe with more information than..."we just don't know" I could wait it out. But the allure of actually getting something in my hands that I can see, touch, and listen to is quite powerfully pushing me to drop Gina a line and ask for the original chassis. 

Maybe just talking myself into it here, but the talk of the original chassis having a heavy extrusion... read heat sink, for thermal control rather than the new chassis using what Gavin referred to as something like air space and convection... well, I like heat sinks! For good reasons they help dissipate heat far better than air and convection alone.

For those that have their Infinity units, how hot do they run?


----------



## Decoy

snip3r77 said:


> For me I followed the drivers installation procedure and everything is very smooth.
> 
> By the way, how do you find dynamics and cymbals decay after the 100hrs?
> Maybe using Eric Clapton's Layla as a benchmark.


 
 All of this is coming from Foobar200 > LightSpeed 1G > Infinity > Moon Audio Blue Dragon balanced cable > HD800.
  
 So, for me, the dynamics are on a level I have not experienced before.  I have had a Yulong DA8, a JDS Labs O2+ODAC, and an Asus Xonar Essence STX.  It feels like everything I have been listening up to now has gone through a 90's style Loudness Wars compression regimen.  I think that I have pin-pointed the volume issue I talked about earlier.  I am simply not used to having such dynamics.  Things can now sound quiet or loud, tucked away in the background or front and center --you can hear it all.  My previous experience has just been a very flat presentation with every instrument or voice stepping all over everything else.
  
 In Layla, In the first part of the song, on my O2+ODAC, the cymbals are nearly indiscernible from the tambourine and it is all masked by the guitar and vocals.  Now, you can clearly hear every high-hat "tpp tpp sssssssssp," and the kick-drum is able to deliver a nice tight "oomf" right through everything.  I have never heard a headphone setup with such clear separation, no bleeding or muddiness.  I play the guitar, so I'm not a drum expert, but to me the cymbals were crisp with a really pleasing shimmer and decay.  It didn't sound etched or fatiguing even on something as bright as the HD800.  I can tell you Clapton sounds fantastic.  The attack, the timbre, the detail all sound sound fantastic.
  
 Not to belabor the point, but what gets me is all the micro-detail that I have never heard.  I was listening to Supertramp's 'Goodbye Stranger' and listening to all the reverb of the vocals --echos and echos of echos.  It was incredible, or as digitallc succinctly put it, 'sublime.'  I feel like the first time I put on my first pair of really good headphones, the HD650, and I just going through my entire catalog.  I am lining up all my favorites back to back to back.  This is the most fun I have had genuine fun listening to music in a good long while.
  
 I don't mean to gush, but I'm sportin' a serious aural erection here.
  
 For mandrake50, my Infinity has been running for 6 days straight now and it is just pleasantly warm.  You won't have any problems.


----------



## digitallc

What he said......... This thing is well worth the wait - I did not get to sleep until 4 am.


----------



## pedalhead

valve5425 said:


> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH................... UK Parcel Force!  */*!! Or Parcel Farce as they are known locally. They got my Infinity on the 28th May, I paid taxes and fees on Saturday morning, (All £82, youch) for delivery today. Has it arrived? NO. They've still got it showing as awaiting charges payment!! It's now been travelling since the 19th of May! I could have swum the pond and picked it up myself.
> 
> Sorry, but I just had to have a rant.


 
  
 Hope you got delivery finally sorted mate.  I got my customs charge clip today - £37.73 total to pay.  Considering how much you were charged, I reckon you should raise a ticket with LH and request a refund of the difference.  I had to do this previously when I paid £75 customs for my GO450 due to incorrect declared value from LH's shipping company  - the flipping thing only cost me $99 to buy!  Anyway, my Infinity will finally be here tomorrow.


----------



## bhazard

Aside from the extremely long wait and no new case update for those of us who chose it... it seems that the Pulse X Infinity is unanimously very much favored by those who have it right now.
  
 I'd really like to own this before it turns into 2 years of waiting.


----------



## valve5425

pedalhead said:


> Hope you got delivery finally sorted mate.  I got my customs charge clip today - £37.73 total to pay.  Considering how much you were charged, I reckon you should raise a ticket with LH and request a refund of the difference.  I had to do this previously when I paid £75 customs for my GO450 due to incorrect declared value from LH's shipping company  - the flipping thing only cost me $99 to buy!  Anyway, my Infinity will finally be here tomorrow.


 
  
 Well, I think I have. They say tomorrow.
  
 Yes, I reckoned I'd paid around £50 extra in VAT. Have they valued yours around $240? I thought they were putting $189? I'll know for sure what my declared value is when Parcel Force turn up, then I'll decide what to do. I don't particularly want to fleece LH Labs as they've been pretty accommodating with a couple of requests recently. At least the extra money's going to a good cause, i.e. the UK economy!!!
  
 Folks, whilst I appreciate all the reviews, which sound really encouraging by the way, could you please hang on until I've got mine! It's just making me feel worse about the sloooooooooow delivery.


----------



## pedalhead

valve5425 said:


> Well, I think I have. They say tomorrow.
> 
> Yes, I reckoned I'd paid around £50 extra in VAT. Have they valued yours around $240? I thought they were putting $189? I'll know for sure what my declared value is when Parcel Force turn up, then I'll decide what to do. I don't particularly want to fleece LH Labs as they've been pretty accommodating with a couple of requests recently. At least the extra money's going to a good cause, i.e. the UK economy!!!
> 
> Folks, whilst I appreciate all the reviews, which sound really encouraging by the way, could you please hang on until I've got mine! It's just making me feel worse about the sloooooooooow delivery.


 
  
 Good to hear yours is finally arriving (well, hopefully!). I'm not sure how much the declared value was...I'll find out tomorrow when it gets here. I think $189 makes sense though...plus $50 for shipping - I think it was $50...or maybe $40...it's so bloomin' long ago I can't remember 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## valve5425

Oh, yes, I forgot shipping. That's about right then. Looks like I was just unlucky, unless someone misread the label.
  
 What value's everyone else got on their customs labels?


----------



## digitallc

Just got a call from customs concerning the invoice for $3,000+ which accompanied the Pulse versus the $189 invoice that I emailed after requesting it from LH Labs. So I am waiting to see whether they are going to insist that I pay the duty on the accompanying invoice - at which point they are welcome to keep the Pulse and LPS, since i won't be paying that (45% duty + 7.5% VAT where I live).
  
 Larry and Gavin, please don't do that. A number of us use USA forwarding addresses, and customs in our various countries will bill us on the enclosed $3,000+ invoice which reflects MSRP and NOT what we paid.


----------



## doctorjazz

Glad to read all the ecstatic reviews on the Infinity...waiting for my tricked out Vi Tube, helps to know people are really living the sound after all the waiting!


----------



## agisthos

digitallc said:


> Larry and Gavin, please don't do that. A number of us use USA forwarding addresses, and customs in our various countries will bill us on the enclosed $3,000+ invoice which reflects MSRP and NOT what we paid.


 
  
 So your order was sent by LHLABS to a USA address first? LHLABS are not putting full invoices for international delivery, and we cannot expect more than this. You should not have used a mail forwarder.


----------



## alvin1118

hemtmaker said:


> My infinity is finally here!


 
  
 Hi bro, 
  
 I see that the Jay's Audio LPS is working well in parallel with your Infinity !
 Perhaps you can tune the LPS slightly with the pot adjustment at the back of it to make it 12.00VDC, if you mind the 0.02 voltage display is catching the eye-sore!
  
 Cheers!
 Alvin


----------



## perdigao

Absoultely loving DSDs on my Pulse Infinity ... In the past, I could not even tell difference the between 192/24 FLACs and DSDs ...  Now, what a difference ...


----------



## nudd

perdigao said:


> Absoultely loving DSDs on my Pulse Infinity ... In the past, I could not even tell difference the between 192/24 FLACs and DSDs ...  Now, what a difference ...


 
  
 There shouldn't be that much difference between the two and it is perhaps due to the way the SABRE chip deals with DSD compared to PCM encoded files. Have you tried real time encoded PCM FLACs into DSD and seeing if that makes a difference?
  
 Also are you listening to DSD64 or DSD128?


----------



## miceblue

Question: are all of the outputs of the Pulse active? As in, if I have just 1 USB input, can I use the XLR, single-ended, AES balanced, and RCA outputs all at the same time?


----------



## perdigao

nudd said:


> There shouldn't be that much difference between the two and it is perhaps due to the way the SABRE chip deals with DSD compared to PCM encoded files. Have you tried real time encoded PCM FLACs into DSD and seeing if that makes a difference?
> 
> Also are you listening to DSD64 or DSD128?


 
 I have tried both DSD64 and DSD128 and did not see much difference between them.  Have not tried to have JRiver up-convert everything to DSD yet ... Will try that next and will report back tomorrow ..


----------



## perdigao

miceblue said:


> Question: are all of the outputs of the Pulse active? As in, if I have just 1 USB input, can I use the XLR, single-ended, AES balanced, and RCA outputs all at the same time?


 
 The front connector and the RCAs output at the same time because that is what I have now ... I use the front connector for my headphones and feed the  RCAs into an amp for the speakers ... And I can listen to both at the same time ...


----------



## hemtmaker

alvin1118 said:


> Hi bro,
> 
> I see that the Jay's Audio LPS is working well in parallel with your Infinity !
> Perhaps you can tune the LPS slightly with the pot adjustment at the back of it to make it 12.00VDC, if you mind the 0.02 voltage display is catching the eye-sore!
> ...



Sure thing, I just haven't bothered to. Thanks for the heads up. The LPS matches the pulse quite well. 
Cheers


----------



## DSlayerZX

@miceblue 
 i am not sure if the single ended and the balanced headphone  are separated, sames goes to line oit.
  
 bit i know that the headphone output are separated from the line out (Stated by Larry him self roughly 10 months ago or so)


----------



## smial1966

The shipping cost is excluded from any VAT/import charge calculations. There's also the ParcelForce collection fee to factor in which is between £8-£11 nowadays.  
  
 Congratulations to pedalhead and valve5425 for finally receiving their Pulse Infinity's today. WOO HOO.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Quote:


pedalhead said:


> Good to hear yours is finally arriving (well, hopefully!). I'm not sure how much the declared value was...I'll find out tomorrow when it gets here. I think $189 makes sense though...plus $50 for shipping - I think it was $50...or maybe $40...it's so bloomin' long ago I can't remember
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well today ...MINE HAS ARRIVED!!
  
 Eight (May 28 to June 4) days to Italy not bad as compared to 20-21 days for my Geek Outs, MIT and USB cables.
 A side from the Geek Pulse Infinity comes my ordered (I believe..or a replacement, IDK) 2m USB cable also.
  
 Double boxed like my LPS 4.
  

  
 Amount declared, as others have said, is $189 w/ stated origin in US and other customs blah blah..
  

  
 Import taxes/duties paid is Eur 56.47 (23% vat + 5.50 proc.fee)
  

  
 Inside Case
  

  

  

  
 Aside from the case indicated as a Geek Puls Infinity a packing slip is included to insure what is in the box.
  

  
 Now for the rest...
  

  
  

  
  
 Side notes: Slight glitch on initial installation (right channel functioning only). After shifting to standard USB cable (non split type), changing USB port (from 3.0 to 2.0) and restarting computer. All functioning properly. Now running on previous/Geek Out setup which is using a Lightspeed 2 cable (Data on PC, Power on LPS4).  
  
 Burning in using ISOTEK CD. So I thought, but can't help it.. skipped lunch and....


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Well today ...MINE HAS ARRIVED!!


 
 Congrats on the new Pulse Infinity Mickey! Enjoy


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thanks Bro.! I will!


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Thanks Bro.! I will!


 

 When time allows and break-in has occurred, I'm especially looking forward to your insights as to its performance Michael!!


----------



## ejong7

Got my Infinity + LPS. Not saying that it's worst than the GO100 I have but it didn't have the same "kick" I had immediately when I first used it. But this is literally out of the box. You can hear it oozing out the details though. THOSE DETAILS. Shall warm it up and see how it reacts.


----------



## Decoy

Man, LHLabs shipping department is on a tear.  Go Team LHL!!  I just got shipping notification for my LPS4.  I wish they had some LightSpeed 2G cables in stock to send me but that's a minor change.  I just hope that the Tube Amp is quietly making progress to completion.  I have never owned a tube amp before and I am very excited.  However, I suspect that is on the back burner for a while.  I have been slowly brushing up on the finer points of 6922 tubes.
  
 Is the Vi DAC up next?  (Am I the only one who thinks that thing is a tacky hideous monstrosity?)  I bet that will sound even better than the Pulse.


----------



## MikeyFresh

decoy said:


> Man, LHLabs shipping department is on a tear.  Go Team LHL!!  I just got shipping notification for my LPS4.  I wish they had some LightSpeed 2G cables in stock to send me but that's a minor change.  I just hope that the Tube Amp is quietly making progress to completion.  I have never owned a tube amp before and I am very excited.  However, I suspect that is on the back burner for a while.  I have been slowly brushing up on the finer points of 6922 tubes.
> 
> Is the Vi DAC up next?  (Am I the only one who thinks that thing is a tacky hideous monstrosity?)  I bet that will sound even better than the Pulse.


 

 I think the Wave is up next, if you have any faith in their July/August "begins shipping" date.


----------



## Maelob

i just reverted to the old chassis xfi- will see how long it takes i contributed in nov 14. Hopefully, this year


----------



## Decoy

Why did they stay silent during "Chassis-gate" instead of just saying that Larry kept rejecting the design?  I think, even amongst the angrier backers, people respect Larry's judgement, and I bet the new chassis is going to be a stunner.  Staying silent just pissed everyone off for no good reason.  I really don't understand some of the backer/customer relations decisions.


----------



## ejong7

Ok. 1-2 hours into this, my Pulse just shut off itself twice then reboot again for no reason. Shall see whats happening to it.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Android anybody? 
  

  
 Waiting for my Anker Astro Pro2 we'll see how it goes with battery.


----------



## perdigao

ejong7 said:


> Ok. 1-2 hours into this, my Pulse just shut off itself twice then reboot again for no reason. Shall see whats happening to it.


 
 Might be an issue with yours   Mine is on non-stop since Monday and almost no issues ... 
  
 The only issue I've seen is that it has a low volume click when changing file resolutions (example:  from 44.1K to 192K).  It is almost not noticeable, but the only issue I've found so far ...


----------



## Chrome Robot

perdigao said:


> I have tried both DSD64 and DSD128 and did not see much difference between them.  Have not tried to have JRiver up-convert everything to DSD yet ... Will try that next and will report back tomorrow ..


 
  
 I suggest giving a try to HQPlayer for PCM to DSD conversion. Takes a bit to learn your way around and has a fairly basic user interface, but the SQ is excellent.


----------



## Maelob

decoy said:


> Why did they stay silent during "Chassis-gate" instead of just saying that Larry kept rejecting the design?  I think, even amongst the angrier backers, people respect Larry's judgement, and I bet the new chassis is going to be a stunner.  Staying silent just pissed everyone off for no good reason.  I really don't understand some of the backer/customer relations decisions.


 

 Totally agree, I am sure the new chassis will be awesome.  I just got tired of waiting an just want to get my unit as soon as possible.  And for my desktop I need a small footprint.


----------



## jbr1971

perdigao said:


> Might be an issue with yours   Mine is on non-stop since Monday and almost no issues ...
> 
> The only issue I've seen is that it has a low volume click when changing file resolutions (example:  from 44.1K to 192K).  It is almost not noticeable, but the only issue I've found so far ...


 
  
 The click during sample rate changes is not an issue, it is how the Pulse operates. It is the system relays adjusting for playback.
  
 Jody


----------



## eac3

Well, I think I made my decision on the old vs new chassis. I will stick with the new chassis and get my $22 money's worth since everyone is being upgraded to the new chip. Also, because it sounds like no one is receiving their 2G cables, waiting for the firmware to mature a little longer, already have a DAC (but like many, am anxious for an almost 2 year wait) and for other reasons outlined below. 
  
  


decoy said:


> Why did they stay silent during "Chassis-gate" instead of just saying that Larry kept rejecting the design?  I think, even amongst the angrier backers, people respect Larry's judgement, and I bet the new chassis is going to be a stunner.  Staying silent just pissed everyone off for no good reason.  I really don't understand some of the backer/customer relations decisions.


 
  
 I had no idea what you were talking about until I visited the forums over at LH labs. Maybe I missed this over here but just in case someone else is lost by this comment, here is the post reply by Gavin over in the "Pulse Infinity decision - old chassis vs. new chassis" thread on LHL's forum. I have removed some irrelevant Q/A (another reason why info is just scattered all over that forum):
  


> Originally Posted by *Gavin Fish*
> 
> Q - *For the sake of the backers currently on the fence about original vs new chassis, provide facts on what is the current state and a reasonable expectation for delivery for each, and 'new' features on the new chassis if there are any.*
> 
> ...


----------



## jexby

the Schiit DAC Gungnir does this also.
  
 the click can be a feature if you don't "trust" what the computer/driver/audio playback program might have set as values for output.
 for example:  should I hear the Gungnir click when I wasn't expecting it, could be that the OS or program changed (or lost) my output or up-sampling preferences.


----------



## perdigao

jbr1971 said:


> The click during sample rate changes is not an issue, it is how the Pulse operates. It is the system relays adjusting for playback.
> 
> Jody


 
 Thanks Jody!


----------



## krikor

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Android anybody?
> 
> 
> 
> Waiting for my Anker Astro Pro2 we'll see how it goes with battery.


 
  
 Planning to try my Pulse X out this evening with a LiFePO4 battery... if others in the house cooperate


----------



## krikor

miceblue said:


> Question: are all of the outputs of the Pulse active? As in, if I have just 1 USB input, can I use the XLR, single-ended, AES balanced, and RCA outputs all at the same time?


 
 Yes, I'd like some details on this as well. Specifically:

Are the singled-ended RCA line outs simply tapped off the non-inverted leg of the XLR balanced line outs, or are they separately buffered? Can I use both at once with no degradation?
Ditto on the headphone outputs... though I don't see ever having two sets of cans plug into the thing.
  
 I apologize if perhaps this has been covered somewhere in the myriad posts here and on LH Labs' forum.


----------



## pedalhead

After an 18-month wait, Infinity has arrived chez Pedalhead.
  

  
 So far, no nasty pops or cracks or whatever with the Pulse, although I've only tested USB input...others to follow.  As reported elsewhere, my laptop doesn't handshake with the Pulse correctly if the USB is going through the LPS.  You can do the handshake then move cables around, but frankly we shouldn't have to.
  
 The volume knob is a total joke. It wobbles like crazy and feels ridiculously cheap. I have a £10 radio that has a higher quality feeling knob. Other than that, the unit looks ok in an understated, DIY kind of way, and I quite like the display.
  
 When comparing DACs I tend to run both from my main laptop and set up multiple zones in JRiver playing the same track so I can A/B them almost immediately. This recently worked fine when I compared the DiDiT DAC212 (that pretty thing on the right in the picture) to a Chord Hugo TT.  Unfortunately, for some reason the Pulse drivers don't seem to play nicely with other devices and I can only have one USB DAC working at once on the laptop if the Pulse is involved. Luckily I have a second laptop 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  
 Thoughts on sonics after only a couple of hours...not bad at all. It's noticeably more closed in and muddy compared to the DAC212 (which is a fantastic quality Sabre DAC), but let's see if this will improve with some use...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Posted this on another thread:
  
 Well it Works!
  
 Geek Pulse Infinity + Android (Note 3 on 4.4.2 running Onkyo HF Player) + Battery Pack (Anker Atro Pro2).
  
  

  

  
  
 Notes: UAPP has glitches, Neutron don't work. Intersting feature on Onkyo HF is its upconvertion/upsampling. Note the screen on the smartphone: AAC 44.1 -> DSD 5.6
  
 Sorry for the smudges on the battery pack. Was eating pizza!


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Posted this on another thread:
> 
> Well it Works!


 
 Please let us know how the SQ with the battery power compares to the LPS! Enquiring minds want to know!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Need to break-in the Infinity first.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## valve5425

Confession! I thought that would grab your attention.
  
 There are times in life when you look back and think "Well, that was stupid!", and last night was one of them. I got my Infinity yesterday and saw the value declared was $548. And then it hit me! In the first survey, a time at which MSRP was being declared on shipping labels, I thought it would be a good idea to state what I'd paid for my Pulse and have them put that on the package, rather than MSRP. Now I can't recall the exact figure, as I can't work out how to check the original survey, but that could well be the reason mine is not $189. DOH!! So more likely my fault rather than LH Labs. Sorry! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 To be fair, with Infinity upgrades not included in my initial estimate, it could have been a lot worse, and I've convinced myself I've still got a bargain and that the extra VAT (value added tax) will go towards paying my pension in a few years time. Oh, alright, that's not helping me feel any better!
  
 Anyway, I had a couple of hours with the Infinity last night, and it's a big step up from the GO720. (My first DAC) I've left it playing since then and I'm going having another listen shortly. The case is quite acceptable to me, so I'm quite pleased I didn't hold out for the new one. Yes the knob will get replaced as I can't see me using remote control. It fits nicely on the rack and I'll be able to squeeze a PSU next to it when I get around to building one. (KGST Headphone build in progress, hence the stash of components near my rack.)
  
 @Pedalhead. Glad yours arrived OK.


----------



## ejong7

Er no more shut down problem but.... Does anybody have a problem with changing the gain? I change the gain at the same volume position but it doesn't really show anything different.


----------



## krikor

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Posted this on another thread:
> 
> Well it Works!
> 
> Geek Pulse Infinity + Android (Note 3 on 4.4.2 running Onkyo HF Player) + Battery Pack (Anker Atro Pro2).


 
  
 Have you checked to see if the Anker puts out a reliable 12V, as opposed to 12.8 or 13 or something higher? I was going to run my Pulse with the battery from my C.A.P.S., but I got scared off after reading the warnings about too much voltage. Fully charged the LiFePO4 puts out 13.3V.
  
 I might give the Anker a try.


----------



## krikor

ejong7 said:


> Er no more shut down problem but.... Does anybody have a problem with changing the gain? I change the gain at the same volume position but it doesn't really show anything different.


 
 What do you mean "show" anything different. You will only hear a difference... in other words, "-22.2db" will sound louder in high gain mode than it does in low or med gain modes. The gain setting affects the gain of the headphone analog output section, whereas the volume operates in the digital domain prior to the analog output sections.


----------



## perdigao

Just tested the Toslink from the AK120 to the Pulse Geek X Infinity .. It works great! No issues found in any resolution (using Audioquest Forest cable). Sounds amazing at 24/192.


----------



## pedalhead

valve5425 said:


> Spoiler: hidden to save electrons
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Excellent, glad yours arrived too mate.  Incidentally, Parcel Force also didn't deliver mine the first day they said they would.  Apparently they're busier now than they usually are at Christmas (across the country) and they really don't know why!  I have a theory - it's end of year for many companies, which means bonus time, which means lots of new toys!  Oh, and the driver told me he was delivering a lot of BBQs at the moment. I guess that's what happens when the weather picks up in the UK 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  Enjoy your Pulse...and that KGST build (cool!).


----------



## nudd

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Posted this on another thread:
> 
> Well it Works!
> 
> ...


 
  
 very interesting. if i can't solve the floating ground problem i may get a battery pack ...
  
 Incidentally UAPP does not appear to glitch on my infinity using an Xperia Z2.


----------



## ejong7

krikor said:


> What do you mean "show" anything different. You will only hear a difference... in other words, "-22.2db" will sound louder in high gain mode than it does in low or med gain modes. The gain setting affects the gain of the headphone analog output section, whereas the volume operates in the digital domain prior to the analog output sections.


 

 For instance, I would expect a lower db of the medium gain to produce roughly the same volume output of a lower gain at a higher db. Like say -70db on medium compared to -45db on low. But when i switch gains it still produces the same volume output at the same db.


----------



## nudd

ejong7 said:


> For instance, I would expect a lower db of the medium gain to produce roughly the same volume output of a lower gain at a higher db. Like say -70db on medium compared to -45db on low. But when i switch gains it still produces the same volume output at the same db.


 
 i think because db is a exponential scale every doubling of power is only 3 dB. so there should be a difference but not as big as you make it out to be.
  
 the difference between low and high gain should only be around 10 db? forgive me if my maths is off. but i think i am in about the right ballpark.


----------



## wingsounds13

The output of the different gain levels is not that large. High gain is about 14dB higher output than low gain and medium gain is just over 7dB higher output than low gain, not precisely in between low and high but close. Your example would be: -45dB on low would be about the same as -52dB on medium. Still, you should easily be able to hear a 7dB change.

J.P.


----------



## krikor

ejong7 said:


> For instance, I would expect a lower db of the medium gain to produce roughly the same volume output of a lower gain at a higher db. Like say -70db on medium compared to -45db on low. But when i switch gains it still produces the same volume output at the same db.


 
 I certainly get a change in volume when switching gain settings. Dumb question (forgive me)... you are listening through the headphone outputs and not using the line outs into an outboard amp, correct? Just checking since the line outs are not affected by the gain setting.


----------



## snip3r77

krikor said:


> I certainly get a change in volume when switching gain settings. Dumb question (forgive me)... you are listening through the headphone outputs and not using the line outs into an outboard amp, correct? Just checking since the line outs are not affected by the gain setting.




Just to add to the pt that line outs are 0db.


----------



## tuned

Looks like LH Labs is about to officially silence all free-form thought on their website. Every day they show us another way to operate in a less than reputable manner.


----------



## digitallc

My Infinity has been on non-stop for 5 days, and it gets better every day. So here are my non-audiophile impressions.
 Listening through the balanced HD800  - wide and deep, enveloping soundstage with lots of detail retrieval from day one. Very, very nice. Via the line outs to my main system, the soundstage has opened up. The highs now have become airy and open with no sibilance. For a few tracks the mids were smeared, muddy and recessed. I added the Wyrd and it cleaned things up nicely - the music is cohesive, and the mids clean and detailed and no longer as recessed. Hoping for even more improvement over the next few days.
 I really like this dac - kudos to Larry.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

digitallc said:


> It's been on non-stop for 5 days, and it gets better every day. So here are my non-audiophile impressions.
> Listening through the balanced HD800  - wide and deep, enveloping soundstage with lots of detail retrieval from day one. Very, very nice. Via the line outs to my main system, the soundstage has opened up. The highs now have become airy and open with no sibilance. For a few tracks the mids were smeared, muddy and recessed. I added the Wyrd and it cleaned things up nicely - the music is cohesive, and the mids clean and detailed and no longer as recessed. Hoping for even more improvement over he next few days.
> I really like this dac - kudos to Larry.


 
  
 Oh interesting. I've been using the wyrd too but I haven't really tried it without the wyrd so I can't really comment on the difference. Is it feasible to use the wyrd with the LPS?


----------



## miceblue

digitallc said:


> It's been on non-stop for 5 days, and it gets better every day. So here are my non-audiophile impressions.
> Listening through the balanced HD800  - wide and deep, enveloping soundstage with lots of detail retrieval from day one. Very, very nice. Via the line outs to my main system, the soundstage has opened up. The highs now have become airy and open with no sibilance. For a few tracks the mids were smeared, muddy and recessed. I added the Wyrd and it cleaned things up nicely - the music is cohesive, and the mids clean and detailed and no longer as recessed. Hoping for even more improvement over he next few days.
> I really like this dac - kudos to Larry.



I'm impressed. You've listened to them for 120 hours straight without stopping.


----------



## digitallc

ethereal sound said:


> Oh interesting. I've been using the wyrd too but I haven't really tried it without the wyrd so I can't really comment on the difference. Is it feasible to use the wyrd with the LPS?


 

 Yes.


----------



## hemtmaker

I only have about 20 hours so far. Using the same headphone in balanced, the pulse infinity SQ is on par with my fully burned in ak240. Hopefully things will improve in the long run


----------



## snip3r77

hemtmaker said:


> I only have about 20 hours so far. Using the same headphone in balanced, the pulse infinity SQ is on par with my fully burned in ak240. Hopefully things will improve in the long run




Desktop will own the portable


----------



## nudd

ethereal sound said:


> Oh interesting. I've been using the wyrd too but I haven't really tried it without the wyrd so I can't really comment on the difference. Is it feasible to use the wyrd with the LPS?




It pretty strange that with femto clocks and its own proprietary 3L reclocking/jitter elimination buffer the should be any improvement with the Wyrd though. Why should this be the case??


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yeah! Its wyrd.


----------



## snip3r77

Anyone compare coax vs usb ?


----------



## Decoy

tuned said:


> Looks like LH Labs is about to officially silence all free-form thought on their website. Every day they show us another way to operate in a less than reputable manner.


 
 Yeah, I was really surprised that they shut down the Customer Happiness forum. I think it does more harm than good.  I don't understand some of their public relations decisions. And I was about to post my (raving) impressions on that forum.  I was just waiting for my LPS4 because it should be here Monday or Tuesday.  It really seems silly to me.


----------



## ejong7

krikor said:


> I certainly get a change in volume when switching gain settings. Dumb question (forgive me)... you are listening through the headphone outputs and not using the line outs into an outboard amp, correct? Just checking since the line outs are not affected by the gain setting.


 
 Hahaha no worries I understand some people (including me) would end up doing that sometimes. But not this time though.


wingsounds13 said:


> The output of the different gain levels is not that large. High gain is about 14dB higher output than low gain and medium gain is just over 7dB higher output than low gain, not precisely in between low and high but close. Your example would be: -45dB on low would be about the same as -52dB on medium. Still, you should easily be able to hear a 7dB change.
> 
> J.P.


 
 14db for High vs Low eh. Then that's roughly the same for mine. It's just I would think the swing would be bigger. Like from the video that Larry talked about the volume output, he referred to that a -35db on high can switch to roughly -6db on medium.Of course I understand these are just rough figures.


----------



## kostaszag

decoy said:


> tuned said:
> 
> 
> > Looks like LH Labs is about to officially silence all free-form thought on their website. Every day they show us another way to operate in a less than reputable manner.
> ...


 

 I am not surprised about anything coming from this company.
  
 Except the sound quality of its products.
  
 It *IS *surprisingly good, if you consider how bad everything else is,  customer service ( to be fair, before Gina and Stephanie took over), bags and glitches, timing, all the confusion about what feature on what product costs how much and everything depending on when you backed stuff... I could go on for pages, but I lack the time and the willingness to bore everybody reading with my personal grievances over LHlabs, which after all almost everyone participating on this thread knows about. I will only add what I wrote on another forum, where people kept asking me about my impressions of the Geek Pulse Sfi.
 Does it sound good? Yes, very much so, it is smooth, detailed in an non-aggresive way, very musical, with nice rhythm and PRAT.  
 Was it worth the wait? Definitely not. For the money I spent on the Geek Pulse Sfi I could walk to any HiFi store and buy something by Marantz, Pioneer, TEAC, Musical Fidelity, you name it, which would sound almost as good (or just as good), look better and have no bags or glitches.  I expect next year I will buy a Geek Out V2. A used one. But no more crowdfunding for me with LHlabs. Ever.


----------



## krikor

snip3r77 said:


> Anyone compare coax vs usb ?




That's my next task... get my server back online and hook up the USB. Been using a Squeezebox Touch via coax thus far.


EDIT: Forgot that I've got the EDO app running on my Touch. It's hit or miss with async DACs, but I connected the Pulse via USB, rebooted the Touch, rebooted the Pulse and it worked! I'll be able to compare coax and USB outputs both from the Touch.


----------



## leomitch

kostaszag said:


> I am not surprised about anything coming from this company.
> 
> Except the sound quality of its products.
> 
> ...


 
 Gia sou Kostas! My fellow Greek, I hate to differ with you, but I don't share your somewhat smirking opinion of the Light Harmonic guys. They have had some difficulties and yes they have made some mistakes, but their ideas are now starting to pay off and things are 'perking' up, if I may use this pun. But you are right about the sound quality of their goods.
 I have lately received my Pulse xfi Infinity DAC and after many decades of critically listening to music starting with my first stereo outfit from Sears in the 1950's that cost me $99, I can tell you, I cannot take my damn Shure 1840 headphones off my head nor get the happy grin off my face! The Infinity is so good, that when I listen, the DAC disappears and I am left with just the most beautiful music reproduction these nearly 80 year old ears have ever heard. For me that disappearing act says I now own perhaps one of the best DAC's available. The Infinity opens its mouth and sings my music to me with a voice unparalleled in my experience. 
 I do not regret the long wait and all the months of acrimony I had to wade through on the Geek Force Forum, the doubts in Larry, Gavin and the rest of the team. There were times when I thought we were being led somewhere over the rainbow and down the yellow brick road. I was near to just writing off my investment, when the Infinity arrived. OMG! You have to hear this sweet beast Kostas.
 I began to write a review on the LHL forum, but had to stop because I was beginning to sound like a hired hand whose job it was to shill for LHL!
 The truth of the matter is that Larry Ho is a freaking genius and he has designed a non plus ultra DAC with which I can lay me down to listen while waiting for the angels to come by and pick me up for the last round up. Too much metaphor Leo!! LOL! Just saying Kostas, if you got your butt over to LHL and picked up one of these babies, you would also have a stupid, happy smirk on your face. Oh no!! Wait!! You can't get one now unless you buy one from someone who was lucky enough to have one already...and no, you can't have mine, not even for 4K!! ROTFLMAO!
  
 Adio mate
 Leo


----------



## kostaszag

leomitch said:


> kostaszag said:
> 
> 
> > I am not surprised about anything coming from this company.
> ...


 

 Gia sou patrioti!
  
 Well, it might be that I am sounding bitter, but it is not just because of the delay.
 A few months ago, when the first Pulses started arriving and people complained about the first bags, I cracked a few jokes at LHlabs's expenses on a relevant thread at their forum. It appears it was a joke too many, because I got banned for a week by Gavin himself who also found it fit to call me a "jerk". In that same post Gavin stated that two contributors would be pushed to the end of the queue and would not receive anything until he had a talk with them. I had reason to believe that I was one of these two backers.
 So, I PMd Casey, on this forum, and asked for clarification. Casey confirmed that I was one of the backers that were to be punished and asked that I apologize in public. I denied of course, but wrote nonetheless a lengthy PM to Gavin, explaining the reasons for my attitude.
  
 After a week or two I had no answer from Gavin, repeated PMs to Casey proved fruitless, so I opened a trouble ticket, asking when did they expect my DAC to be shipped. It was answered by Tami Rhoades (who I believe no longer works for LHlabs). She confirmed that no, I was NOT the backer who was pushed to the end of the queue, both these persons had already received their Pulses. She apologized a number of times for the limbo I had been put through ( that is how she called it) and assured me I would receive my Sfi on schedule. 
  
 Now you see why I don't like this company. I think I am justified in saying that their attitude towards their customers sucks big time.
  
 A warning to all LHlabs employees monitoring this forum: Don't bother denying these things happened. I have kept copies of all the emails, PMs and so on, even a screen shot of the post of Gavin on that memorable thread at Geek Force. I can post them here if necessary.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Agree with Leo, the DAC tend to disappear and "will carry you through".
  
 Last night when I hit play...the last thing I remembered I was already on my 10th song...funny huh!


----------



## leomitch

Gia sou Kostas mou!
 Indeed I can see why you were/are angry!  That was a shabby thing to do and the only thing I can say is that LHL was super smarting from a load of crap a Turkish Hamali working on the docks could never lift nor carry!  I believe they lashed out without realizing your words were jocular, but to them it must have seemed, in the words of Mad Magazine, humour in the jugular vein! Whatever, they seem to have unjustly treated you and perhaps now they will see our words here and recant. I know, I know, I was brought up with too much Disney and Grimms Fairy Tales.
 I hope you have recovered enough to see that in the end it doesn't really matter, but still...
 I wish you well my brother and we will see each other here and there on these boards I am sure. My warm regards to you and yours mate
  
 Leonidas Mihelakos aka Leo James Mitchell (long story regarding name)


----------



## miceblue

Wow, that blows...
http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf


> Pulse X Infinity (2.0 Chassis) - 2014 Pulse FF Campaign
> 10% to be delivered by the middle of September
> 40% to be delivered by October
> 50% to be delivered by the end of November




That's another 5 months away. Maybe I will just stick with the old chassis then. : (


----------



## leomitch

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Agree with Leo, the DAC tend to disappear and "will carry you through".
> 
> Last night when I hit play...the last thing I remembered I was already on my 10th song...funny huh!


 
 Good to see you over here mate! Are your ears still working?  I have hardly taken off the bloody headphones even when falling asleep in my big leather reclining chair. Got to rest to old ears! I have the headphones on even as I write this!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Leo


----------



## leomitch

miceblue said:


> Wow, that blows...
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
> That's another 5 months away. Maybe I will just stick with the old chassis then. : (


 
 I have the old chassis and it really is OK! It is simple hi-fi black aluminum and is pleasing to the eye, nothing fancy. Go for it mate!
  
 Leo


----------



## miceblue

leomitch said:


> I have the old chassis and it really is OK! It is simple hi-fi black aluminum and is pleasing to the eye, nothing fancy. Go for it mate!
> 
> Leo



Thanks for the feedback. I do agree that the old chassis is just fine and I actually never had any qualms about it from the get-go. Just the fact that the new chassis has some improved designs makes it more appealing to me. However, with a [probably] 5-month wait, I don't think it'll be worth the wait, and even more so if they have the chassis upgrade trade-in thing. That plus my LPS4 is still in the older chassis, and the older chassis are more desktop-space friendly.

Yeah I'll probably send them another e-mail about getting the old chassis again. I've got a beta HE1000 on hand right now too, so time is of the essence if I want to try the Pulse X Infinity with it.


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

I agree business practices and customer appreciation SUCK but the sound quality is fabulous!


----------



## Maelob

I just did that a few days ago. But I am a late contributor Nov 14 so not sure how long.  Hopefully in a few months I get it.


----------



## leomitch

maelob said:


> I just did that a few days ago. But I am a late contributor Nov 14 so not sure how long.  Hopefully in a few months I get it.


 
 I got mine on October 30th 2014, so  you may not have to wait long! 
  
 Leo


----------



## wingsounds13

It may be a five month wait, but it might be considerably less. I suspect that the new delivery estimates are _very conservative _following the extreme backlash that they have gotten in the past when they failed to meet their previous estimates. I hope that Larry approves the next rev of the new chassis. If so then shipping of Pulse SE and infinities in the new chassis might start in about six weeks. Okay, so I may be an optimist...  Shipping will depend on the speed of chassis production, as I believe that most if not all of the infinity boards are complete and just awaiting chassis to be mounted in.

J.P.


----------



## nudd

After 3 days i would say this is a very good DAC that is still on the slightly bright side of neutral. That's not to say it does not have very good bass control. My XBA H3 iems sound fantastic on it with low gain but I am not sure i would like the infinity with bright sounding headphones. I will try these with the K701 over the long weekend if I can. My problem is that I love open headphones for full sized listening but my girlfriend/partner does not appreciate the leakage. So far what time i can afford has been spent with my balanced HE500 which to me has a less obnoxious top end and goes lower down the bass ...
  
 This dac will probably go really well with a HD650 but unfortunately i don't have one so just conjecture ... I might try this amp with the Verb again too just to satisfy myself that the Verb still sounds like poo and confine the Verb to the trash can ...
  
 I ordered a Jays Audio power supply to see if it can help solve my grounding issue and whether that will make a difference to the sound signature. if not i will get an Anker or similar 12 volt battery pack ... or isolation transformer ...


----------



## DSlayerZX

miceblue said:


> Wow, that blows...
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
> That's another 5 months away. Maybe I will just stick with the old chassis then. : (


 
 Jesus , that that's a long wait time just for a new chassie
  
 Mice, thanks for letting us know of the schedule.
  
 I think I also need to shoot them an email to determine my place in the Q, if it's between sept and Oct then yea ok.... If way behind Nov... I might just go for the old chassis for it's smaller foot print.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Thanks for the feedback. I do agree that the old chassis is just fine and I actually never had any qualms about it from the get-go. Just the fact that the new chassis has some improved designs makes it more appealing to me. However, with a [probably] 5-month wait, I don't think it'll be worth the wait, and even more so if they have the chassis upgrade trade-in thing. That plus my LPS4 is still in the older chassis, and the older chassis are more desktop-space friendly.
> 
> Yeah I'll probably send them another e-mail about getting the old chassis again. I've got a beta HE1000 on hand right now too, so time is of the essence if I want to try the Pulse X Infinity with it.


 
  
 Have they confirmed that there will be an upgrade path to the new chassis at a later date?


----------



## Decoy

axelcloris said:


> Have they confirmed that there will be an upgrade path to the new chassis at a later date?


 
 Yes you can upgrade.


----------



## miceblue

From my last correspondence, Stephanie said:


> There may be an option in the future for there to be a trade-in for the new chassis if you receive the old. We don't want to make any decision about the new chassis and trade-ins until the new chassis pulse infinity units are shipping.




Response time was very prompt (within 1 business day), so at least they've improved their customer service center.


----------



## AxelCloris

decoy said:


> Yes you can upgrade.


 


miceblue said:


> From my last correspondence, Stephanie said:


 
  
 It sounds like nothing has been confirmed, only suggested that an option may exist. Based on Stephanie's comments they may not be willing to allow people to change to the new chassis when the time comes.


----------



## Decoy

axelcloris said:


> It sounds like nothing has been confirmed, only suggested that an option may exist. Based on Stephanie's comments they may not be willing to allow people to change to the new chassis when the time comes.


 
 I am basing my response from a PM from Gina.  I was told about a month ago that I could upgrade later.  I believe it is also posted on their forums somewhere, but I don't feel like digging through things to find it.


----------



## mscott58

Have the Infinity on order, but have been holding out for the Chassis 2.0. However, these recent ship date estimates for the updated chassis, as well as the unused LSP4 I have sitting around and the great reviews of the Infinity that keep coming in have me for the first time considering going with the 1.0 chassis, at least for now. Really need to know definitively about the potential upgrade path to the newer chassis to help me make up my mind on whether or not to go with the existing chassis now. Hope Casey or other LHL resources can weigh in. Cheers


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Have the Infinity on order, but have been holding out for the Chassis 2.0. However, these recent ship date estimates for the updated chassis, as well as the unused LSP4 I have sitting around and the great reviews of the Infinity that keep coming in have me for the first time considering going with the 1.0 chassis, at least for now. Really need to know definitively about the potential upgrade path to the newer chassis to help me make up my mind on whether or not to go with the existing chassis now. Hope Casey or other LHL resources can weigh in. Cheers


 
  
 I'm with you on this on Michael. If it's confirmed that we will be able to upgrade to the new chassis then I'd change mine to the old enclosure for now so I could start enjoying mine like many others are.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> mscott58 said:
> 
> 
> > Have the Infinity on order, but have been holding out for the Chassis 2.0. However, these recent ship date estimates for the updated chassis, as well as the unused LSP4 I have sitting around and the great reviews of the Infinity that keep coming in have me for the first time considering going with the 1.0 chassis, at least for now. Really need to know definitively about the potential upgrade path to the newer chassis to help me make up my mind on whether or not to go with the existing chassis now. Hope Casey or other LHL resources can weigh in. Cheers
> ...


 
 What were you guys talking about? I was too busy listening to my Chassis 1.0 Infinity....


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> What were you guys talking about? I was too busy listening to my Chassis 1.0 Infinity....


 
  
 Oh we were just talking about the next pool party we're having. Not sure I want to invite you now. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 It's a conundrum. If there's a set answer for body upgrades then my decision is simple. But if not then it's a gamble.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > What were you guys talking about? I was too busy listening to my Chassis 1.0 Infinity....
> ...


 
 I am using the Pulse primarily as a DAC so i do not need it to be a show piece. Functionally it is excellent.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> What were you guys talking about? I was too busy listening to my Chassis 1.0 Infinity....


 
 Nice Eric. Well played. 
  
 So on a scale of 1-10, does the Infinity hit Spinal Tap territory? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Cheers my friend


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> I am using the Pulse primarily as a DAC so i do not need it to be a show piece. Functionally it is excellent.


 
  
 My Pulse will be the DAC feeding my HPA eventually. Ideally they'd match unless I plan to keep the Infinity hidden behind the amp.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> My Pulse will be the DAC feeding my HPA eventually. Ideally they'd match unless I plan to keep the Infinity hidden behind the amp.


 
 True 'dat. Except it will be a showdown between the HPA and the Cavalli Liquid Carbon (same with Brian) and the Bakoon HPA-21 for me. Good times as I know there will be a winner but no losers in these match-ups.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > What were you guys talking about? I was too busy listening to my Chassis 1.0 Infinity....
> ...


 
 Michael, It bested my W4S DAC2 DSDse....That was impressive! I have it paired with the Moon Neo 430HA atm. My W4S is slumming with the ALO Studio Six...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That combo is phenomenal with the HD800's!


----------



## Decoy

axelcloris said:


> My Pulse will be the DAC feeding my HPA eventually. Ideally they'd match unless I plan to keep the Infinity hidden behind the amp.


 
 I'm waiting for a Tube HPA myself.  It comes down to how much room you have.  On my desk, two new chassis would be overwhelming.  The old and new chassis don't look so bad.  And of course, you could hide it with your LPS (if you have one).


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Nice Eric. Well played.
> So on a scale of 1-10, does the Infinity hit Spinal Tap territory?
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


>


 
 Exactly! 
  
 Hello Cleveland!!!


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Exactly!
> 
> Hello Cleveland!!!


 
  
 Hello Cleveland, you say?
  




  


decoy said:


> I'm waiting for a Tube HPA myself.  It comes down to how much room you have.  On my desk, two new chassis would be overwhelming.  The old and new chassis don't look so bad.  And of course, you could hide it with your LPS (if you have one).


 
  
 I also went for the tube HPA. Really looking forward to getting it some time next year.
  


mscott58 said:


> True 'dat. Except it will be a showdown between the HPA and the Cavalli Liquid Carbon (same with Brian) and the Bakoon HPA-21 for me. Good times as I know there will be a winner but no losers in these match-ups.


 
  
 The LC is really going to be going up against my V181 since they're both SS amps. I'll probably keep one SS along with the HPA because in my mind that makes perfect sense.


----------



## snip3r77

decoy said:


> I'm waiting for a Tube HPA myself.  It comes down to how much room you have.  On my desk, two new chassis would be overwhelming.  The old and new chassis don't look so bad.  And of course, you could hide it with your LPS (if you have one).




you need an LPS4 to reduce the boxes


----------



## Decoy

snip3r77 said:


> you need an LPS4 to reduce the boxes


 
 I don't know what you mean by 'reduce the boxes,' but yes, I am getting an LPS4 for my Infinity+HPA.


----------



## frank2908

where's the "3D awesomifier" switch? I cant find them anywhere on the instruction guide


----------



## leomitch

frank2908 said:


> where's the "3D awesomifier" switch? I cant find them anywhere on the instruction guide


 
 Sorry! They don't have that anymore apparently. They figured it was really not befitting of an audiophile piece of equipment,I believe. I may have  to stand corrected on that but I think this is accurate.
  
 Leo


----------



## mscott58

leomitch said:


> Sorry! They don't have that anymore apparently. They figured it was really not befitting of an audiophile piece of equipment,I believe. I may have  to stand corrected on that but I think this is accurate.
> 
> Leo




Yeah, believe they yanked it in preference of more filter options. Cheers


----------



## doctorjazz

It went with the button controlled volume switches, and, yes, was replaced by the filter choice.


----------



## wingsounds13

Yep. No more 3D Awfulfier. There were substantial problems with their implementation, including significantly increased noise level. Added to that only a small percentage of users seemed to be interested in this feature, so it was replaced with selectable filters. 

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

Truth is that I am not opposed to a 3D or crossfeed circuit, but it must be well implemented. less than well implemented and it's not worth the damage that it does. Selectable filters are a more appropriate option for an audiophile DAC than a poorly implemented crossfeed. If we could have both selectable filters and an excellent crossfeed I would be happy to have it.

J.P.


----------



## Anaximandros

I really liked their Crossfeed implementation. Never had issues with a higher noise level with the GO450, GO1000. And I used IEMs too.
  
 A friend is building a crossfeed unit based on the Meier Amps, stepless design. I might start a group buy for it.


----------



## jbr1971

frank2908 said:


> where's the "3D awesomifier" switch? I cant find them anywhere on the instruction guide


 
  
 The Geek Pulse was never spec'd (to my knowledge) to have the 3D Awesomifier feature. That was only in the older Geek Out's (firmware 1V0).
  
 Jody


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Nope, in the initial stages there a switch for 3D and for Gain.
  
 Eventually 3D was replaced for additional filters like on GO.


----------



## nudd

anaximandros said:


> I really liked their Crossfeed implementation. Never had issues with a higher noise level with the GO450, GO1000. And I used IEMs too.
> 
> A friend is building a crossfeed unit based on the Meier Amps, stepless design. I might start a group buy for it.


 
  
 rockbox, foobar, etc all have versions of the Meier crossfeed circuit and other crossfeed implementations implemented digitally so not sure if a separate box is necessary.
  
 Also the GO crossfeed was horribly noisy on my systems. So dramatically noisy that it was amazing to me they never picked it up in testing. I wonder why it doesn't affect some people ... I think initially they claimed it was some hardware glitch that only affected certain units but I got mine swapped out and still had a problem, so who knows.
  
 In the early days they said crossfeed would still be in the Pulse because they had the space to do a fully proper implementation but that fell by the wayside for some reason


----------



## DSlayerZX

nudd, I think the crossfed noise depends on the sensitivity of the headphone.
  
 It was not very pronoun on my friend's Shure 1440, my boss's Sony headphone (don't know the model) and a ATH M50x.
  
 but on my UE Tri-fi 10, the noise is very significant.
  
  
 I hey even took away the crossfeed feather on the Geek Out now IIRC.


----------



## mscott58

Anyone else still holding out for Infinity chassis 2.0? Think I'm slipping towards going with 1.0 now...


----------



## Maelob

i wanted the small footprint for my desktop and i am already anxious. if you have patience and dont need a smaller footprint then wait for the new one


----------



## wingsounds13

I am still holding out for the new chassis, even though I really would prefer and could use the narrower footprint of the old chassis. I already have several DACs, so I am not desperate to get my infinity. I hope that Larry approves a new chassis design *soon!* Even I won't wait forever...

J.P.


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Anyone else still holding out for Infinity chassis 2.0? Think I'm slipping towards going with 1.0 now...


 
  
 We're in the same boat. All aboard!


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> We're in the same boat. All aboard!


 
 Can I be Isaac? Drinks on me at the Pirate's Cove!


----------



## nicolo

I am also waiting for the new chassis. Sold of all my DACs and amps a while back except for my vintage Yamaha amp. Luckily still have my iBasso DX100 which does double duty as a DAC and to drive headphones.


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Can I be Isaac? Drinks on me at the Pirate's Cove!


 
  





  
 Hot diggity daffodil!


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Hot diggity daffodil!


 
 Outta-sight!


----------



## jbr1971

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Nope, in the initial stages there a switch for 3D and for Gain.
> 
> Eventually 3D was replaced for additional filters like on GO.


 
  
 Good to know. Long before I got involved apparently.
  
 Jody


----------



## Anaximandros

Do you all remember the time, when we asked about the possible delay an the answer was: Just a couple of weeks for the new chassis? XD 

The new chassis looks great and has the same footprint as the HPA. Be strong. You can all survive the wait! Field upgradable Display is a huge bonus. 

There will hopefully more options later for filter or EQ or Crossfeed.


----------



## NinjaHamster

How do you know the new chassis looks great when there IS no new chassis yet - just the supposed trio of prototypes rejected by Larry? 

Fishy promised some photos of these on the LHLABS forums so we could get some idea of the designers' initial thoughts, but none have been forthcoming.


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Anyone else still holding out for Infinity chassis 2.0? Think I'm slipping towards going with 1.0 now...


 

 I'm holding out for it Mike!  Staunch die hard.


----------



## Anaximandros

ninjahamster said:


> How do you know the new chassis looks great when there IS no new chassis yet - just the supposed trio of prototypes rejected by Larry?
> 
> Fishy promised some photos of these on the LHLABS forums so we could get some idea of the designers' initial thoughts, but none have been forthcoming.




Based on the latest mockups and rendered pictures and based on the HPA chassis design.


----------



## NinjaHamster

K





anaximandros said:


> Based on the latest mockups and rendered pictures and based on the HPA chassis design.




But the HPA chassis design IS the DAC design - and hence is no more finalised than the DAC design. Where are the "latest" mock ups and rendered pictures of which you speak? I have not seen any "latest" mock ups which differ from the original mockup which was simply a mock up of the HPA's (unfinalised) chassis.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

If they have the latest mockup on the current (old) size, IMO we'll have a winner. 

My hats off though for the patient who are very few... 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## FlySweep

Has anyone had a chance to compare SQ of the USB vs coax/TOSLINK inputs on the LPS + Pulse X Infinity (w/ 16/44 lossless)?  I know LH has put together some nifty tech to maximize USB performance (3L buffer, great XMOS implementation, etc.).. and I'm using an LPS which helps keep the USB signal clean.. but in many cases, the coax/toslink inputs on high performance DACs almost always outperforms the USB inputs (provided the D2D converter in the chain isn't the bottleneck).  I've been extremely happy with the X Inf in the two plus weeks I've had it.  My PC doesn't have anything but USB (and HDMI) output (as far as audio is concerned), so I'm wondering if an affordable D2D converter would be a good value proposition to wring even better performance out of the LH stack?


----------



## FlySweep

Also.. my 2c on the case.. I was holding out for the new chassis.. until the (proposed) dimensions were announced.  Then, it was simply too big for my desktop (considering I need to exclusively stack the LPS & Pulse X Infinity.. and will be adding a Liquid Carbon in the future).  So, I opted for the old chassis.  I'm pretty damn happy with the choice, too.  It might not 'wow' your pants off, but I was surprised by how clean and sharp it looked when I unboxed it, I felt (much of the harsher) criticism of it (that I read) was overblown.  First off, the size is perfect form for stacking.. And it looks like it belongs on a desktop.. The original intent of the GP.  Two weeks in, I like the aesthetics every bit as much as when I received it. It's a truly compact stack (IMO) and for the price I paid (backer from 2013), I'm more than happy.


----------



## digitalzed

flysweep said:


> Also.. my 2c on the case.. I was holding out for the new chassis.. until the (proposed) dimensions were announced.  Then, it was simply too big for my desktop (considering I need to exclusively stack the LPS & Pulse X Infinity.. and will be adding a Liquid Carbon in the future).  So, I opted for the old chassis.  I'm pretty damn happy with the choice too.  It might not 'wow' your pants off, but when I was surprised by how clean and sharp it looked when I unboxed it, I felt (much of the harsher) criticism of it (that I read) was overblown.  First of, the size is perfect form.  Two weeks in, I like the aesthetics every bit as much as when I received it. It's a truly compact stack (IMO) and for the price I paid (backer from 2013), I'm more than happy.


 

 +1


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Agree @FlySweep the minimalist design is growing on me. It lets you concentrate more on music. It somewhat "disappears".


----------



## Drsparis

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Agree @FlySweep
> the minimalist design is growing on me. It lets you concentrate more on music. It somewhat "disappears".




So... You're saying that the old chassis has more transparency?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Could only say what I have. That the Old Chassis in terms of its simplicity yet elegant look, yes is transparent. If that is what you mean.
  
 Pictures just can't do justice. Especially the black faceplate.
  
 Kudos @CanDude. Like it Bro!.


----------



## FlySweep

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Could only say what I have. That the Old Chassis in terms of its simplicity yet elegant look, yes is transparent. If that is what you mean.
> 
> Pictures just can't do justice. Especially the black faceplate.


 
  
 Absolutely agree.. from the photos, it certainly looks a bit bland.. but sitting on my desk, I dig the sleek, minimalist, uncluttered design.  Again, it's not some night and day difference, but it damn sure isn't as bland as the pics may lead on.  The powder coating (I think it's powder coated, right?) & (text) silk screening is well done.  If those in the US remember the upscale electronics retail store from the 90s and early 2000's. it's got the look/feel of the some of the better "Sharper Image" devices.  Only thing i would like is a nicer vol knob.. but that's something I'll gladly take care of on my own.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

What I could get with my camera... Couldn't get the faceplate's matte shine and shade.
 But it's kind of close.


----------



## Drsparis

I was just making a bad joke thanks for the opinion and pictures.... I'm starting to reconsider... been waiting over a year and a half already, not sure I want to wait another 6 months....


----------



## wingsounds13

Thanks for the photo mickey, that one is as good as any I have seen. Their matt black and shiny acrylic do seem to be difficult to photoghaph to good effect. The old chassis is nice looking, subtle not glitzy. 

I still think that the old chassis is nice and am on the fence about going with the new chassis, leaning towards the new chassis for now but if it takes too many more months I may break for the old one.

J.P.


----------



## pedalhead

Yep I kept reading about how the old chassis looks better in the flesh...it's true.  Still isn't going win a beauty contest, but at least it's dark enough to disappear a little 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  I have to say though guys, as far as sound quality is concerned, imo the infinity is a triumph.  Kudos to Larry for that.


----------



## mscott58

So decided to revert back to chassis 1.0 for my Infinity and guess what, there aren't any left! Doh! My ticket was answered saying I could get the old chassis, but the wait would be as long as the 2.0 chassis. Sucks! They said they already ran through all their extra old chassis. Arrrrggghhhhh...


----------



## DSlayerZX

welll. thats a bummer. i guess we just have to wait it out then.

(fingers cross that they can nail down all the bug fixes and qc by then)



mscott58 said:


> So decided to revert back to chassis 1.0 for my Infinity and guess what, there aren't any left! Doh! My ticket was answered saying I could get the old chassis, but the wait would be as long as the 2.0 chassis. Sucks! They said they already ran through all their extra old chassis. Arrrrggghhhhh...


----------



## snip3r77

More than 100 hours on my infinity and the old chassis decision is the best that I made


----------



## mscott58

snip3r77 said:


> More than 100 hours on my infinity and the old chassis decision is the best that I made




Sure, just rub it in! 

JK, SO.


----------



## miceblue

mscott58 said:


> So decided to revert back to chassis 1.0 for my Infinity and guess what, there aren't any left! Doh! My ticket was answered saying I could get the old chassis, but the wait would be as long as the 2.0 chassis. Sucks! They said they already ran through all their extra old chassis. Arrrrggghhhhh...



Wat? How did you manage to get a reply back from them before me? I opened my ticket on Saturday.


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> Wat? How did you manage to get a reply back from them before me? I opened my ticket on Saturday.




Not sure. Opened the ticket this weekend sometime and heard back this afternoon. Cheers


----------



## leomitch

snip3r77 said:


> More than 100 hours on my infinity and the old chassis decision is the best that I made


 
 Ditto for me mate! What an excellent DAC!  In my review I indicated that it united the bass, mids and treble into a gestalt,  an organic whole....the DAC itself disappears and leaves only the best freaking, best studio grade music!  You can't ask for better transparency than that in my estimation.
 It may be trite to say, but it feels like I have whole new library of music pouring forth from my JRiver media software.
 The chassis looks simply great to boot. It was worth the waiting and other anguish! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Leo


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> So decided to revert back to chassis 1.0 for my Infinity and guess what, there aren't any left! Doh! My ticket was answered saying I could get the old chassis, but the wait would be as long as the 2.0 chassis. Sucks! They said they already ran through all their extra old chassis. Arrrrggghhhhh...


 
  
 Well that makes my decision for me, thanks Michael! If I have to wait the same length for the new vs the old then there's no debate, I'm going new to match the tube HPA.
  
 If they ran through all of the 1.0 chassis, does that mean that all future Pulse backers will be waiting until September for shipment to resume?


----------



## nudd

axelcloris said:


> Well that makes my decision for me, thanks Michael! If I have to wait the same length for the new vs the old then there's no debate, I'm going new to match the tube HPA.
> 
> If they ran through all of the 1.0 chassis, does that mean that all future Pulse backers will be waiting until September for shipment to resume?


 
  
 But the old chassis is exactly the same as the XFI chassis? I guess that means they have already allocated all the XFI chassis to meeting their current production runs and the next free production run will not be until they also put in their order for the new chassis?


----------



## mandrake50

wingsounds13 said:


> Thanks for the photo mickey, that one is as good as any I have seen. Their matt black and shiny acrylic do seem to be difficult to photoghaph to good effect. The old chassis is nice looking, subtle not glitzy.
> 
> I still think that the old chassis is nice and am on the fence about going with the new chassis, leaning towards the new chassis for now but if it takes too many more months I may break for the old one.
> 
> J.P.


 

 Not sure if this is going to make anyone happy, but I decided to ask about a ship date for my X infinity if I was willing to go for the original chassis. Stephanie said I could do it, but would not get  it shipped until September. The rationale was that my new chassis was on a specific PO for that item. Because I was not included on the PO that exists for the "old" chassis, I would have to wait for another order.
 Now this sounds a bit different than what has been happening to others who jumped on the original chassis... it is what I was told. If true, folks may as well stop agonizing about which chassis to chose. The time differential at that point, does not  warrant changing anything.
  
 Anyway, I would be curious to read what the response has been to anyone that has asked lately.
  
 (oops... I see that others have gotten the same sort of answer...did not read far enough)


----------



## mandrake50

nudd said:


> But the old chassis is exactly the same as the XFI chassis? I guess that means they have already allocated all the XFI chassis to meeting their current production runs and the next free production run will not be until they also put in their order for the new chassis?


 

 If what I was told is accurate, they already have issued a PO for the new chassis.... ???
 At this point, in light of the production projections... and padding based on experience.. I now get to hope for getting my X infinity for a Christmas present.


----------



## nudd

mandrake50 said:


> If what I was told is accurate, they already have issued a PO for the new chassis.... ???
> At this point, in light of the production projections... and padding based on experience.. I now get to hope for getting my X infinity for a Christmas present.




I was just going by the q&a reposted above which said larry had rejected 3 designs and the chassis is not finalised yet ...


----------



## mscott58

nudd said:


> I was just going by the q&a reposted above which said larry had rejected 3 designs and the chassis is not finalised yet ...


 
 I was told something similar but slightly different, being that the PO was for the old chassis, and while they had a few extras they'd bought, that they used all of these extras for those that had already decided to change to the old chassis rather than wait, so there are no longer and extra Infinity old-style chassis to be had until the next order comes in sometime in the fall, similar in timing to (hopefully) when the new chassis will arrive.


----------



## nudd

I am quite glad I stuck with the old chassis to be honest because the new chassis has no hope of being able be put on the available table top space in my room (there is barely enough space for the current box). Maybe in future if LHL decide to totally rewrite the firmware implement totally different functionality or similar that requires the display board to be reprogrammed, then I can think about whether its worth sending the thing back to LHL for a reflash/chassis change (if they still decide to allow this).
  
 One gripe is that the dial/knob is tiny, wobbles a lot, sticks out a long way from the front of the chassis and is just not very premium looking in any way whatsoever.


----------



## mscott58

nudd said:


> I am quite glad I stuck with the old chassis to be honest because the new chassis has no hope of being able be put on the available table top space in my room (there is barely enough space for the current box). Maybe in future if LHL decide to totally rewrite the firmware implement totally different functionality or similar that requires the display board to be reprogrammed, then I can think about whether its worth sending the thing back to LHL for a reflash/chassis change (if they still decide to allow this).
> 
> One gripe is that the dial/knob is tiny, wobbles a lot, sticks out a long way from the front of the chassis and is just not very premium looking in any way whatsoever.


 
 I have a replacement knob that I ordered that I seem to no longer have a use for!


----------



## snip3r77

nudd said:


> I am quite glad I stuck with the old chassis to be honest because the new chassis has no hope of being able be put on the available table top space in my room (there is barely enough space for the current box). Maybe in future if LHL decide to totally rewrite the firmware implement totally different functionality or similar that requires the display board to be reprogrammed, then I can think about whether its worth sending the thing back to LHL for a reflash/chassis change (if they still decide to allow this).
> 
> One gripe is that the dial/knob is tiny, wobbles a lot, sticks out a long way from the front of the chassis and is just not very premium looking in any way whatsoever.




I have no issues maybe my hand is small.


----------



## snip3r77

mscott58 said:


> Sure, just rub it in!
> 
> JK, SO.




I'm sorry that you feel so but I change back to old chassis once I smelled that the Infinity is shipping.
I did remind peeps you to follow suit as stacking the LPS is more functional than having a nicer chassis.


----------



## mscott58

snip3r77 said:


> I'm sorry that you feel so but I change back to old chassis once I smelled that the Infinity is shipping.
> I did remind peeps you to follow suit as stacking the LPS is more functional than having a nicer chassis.


 
 No worries at all. Just waited too long to pull the trigger myself and now have ex-post regret.


----------



## wingsounds13

mscott58 said:


> I have a replacement knob that I ordered that I seem to no longer have a use for!




That makes two of us.  Actually, I have _two_ knobs because the one that I liked could only be ordered as a pair. Only 32mm but with a large fingertip dimple on the face near the edge.

J.P.


----------



## Anaximandros

ninjahamster said:


> K
> But the HPA chassis design IS the DAC design - and hence is no more finalised than the DAC design. Where are the "latest" mock ups and rendered pictures of which you speak? I have not seen any "latest" mock ups which differ from the original mockup which was simply a mock up of the HPA's (unfinalised) chassis.




Here you go. 

https://images.indiegogo.com/file_attachments/1404279/files/20150421183054-FullSizeRender-1.jpg?1429666254

https://images.indiegogo.com/file_attachments/1404277/files/20150421183029-FullSizeRender-4.jpg?1429666229

https://images.indiegogo.com/file_attachments/1404282/files/20150421183138-FullSizeRender-3.jpg?1429666298

Source: http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/3904-pulse-infinity-decision-old-chassis-vs-new-chassis?start=300#67160


----------



## pedalhead

Honestly, I think the old chassis looks better (and that's saying something!). The new chassis has very clumsy looking proportions imho.


----------



## nudd

pedalhead said:


> Honestly, I think the old chassis looks better (and that's saying something!). The new chassis has very clumsy looking proportions imho.




I agree. Quite honestly some of the advantages quoted by Gavin like steel base for better shielded i dont see why they could not do that in the existing pulse form factor.

A couple of small changes could make a big difference in the look of the existing case (eg more solid and bigger knob) without such a huge increase in size.

One more day of burn in and my brain has either burnt in, or the analog components have continued to benefit a bit more from burn in as the bass response seems to have improved and the highs seem to be a bit less strident.


----------



## mandrake50

mscott58 said:


> I was told something similar but slightly different, being that the PO was for the old chassis, and while they had a few extras they'd bought, that they used all of these extras for those that had already decided to change to the old chassis rather than wait, so there are no longer and extra Infinity old-style chassis to be had until the next order comes in sometime in the fall, similar in timing to (hopefully) when the new chassis will arrive.




Stephanie's reply to my enquiry:
"_This is Stephanie at LH labs, thank you for your time. You are able to receive the Original Chassis but it won't be until September that you are able to receive the unit. The reason is that your unit was counted for the PO with the New Chassis and not the Original Chassis. The PO for the Original chassis was made for the exact amount for those that have selected the Original Chassis."_

Not entirely sure what to make of the part about the PO for the original chassis, as several of us have received units with the V1 chassis that originally elected for the new one.


----------



## mandrake50

nudd said:


> One more day of burn in and my brain has either burnt in, or the analog components have continued to benefit a bit more from burn in as the bass response seems to have improved and the highs seem to be a bit *less strident*.




Does this mean that you consider the "highs" to be *Strident* out of the box?


----------



## nudd

mandrake50 said:


> Does this mean that you consider the "highs" to be *Strident* out of the box?


 
  
 Yes straight out of the box after 2 hours i thought i had a defective unit. It was glitching with my dx50s coax output, bass shy and way too bright. It sounded like a totally different thing after 4 hours and now i am quite happy with the balance which seems to have tilted warmer over the last 4 days. Of course I have been listening to it for 2 to 3 hours every night, so it might be brain burn in for all I know (except the glitching part,which I know for a fact is gone). 
  
 Right now I am using my Xperia Z2 via UAPP as the transport. The Xperia has randomly reset once (probably a uapp issue) but otherwise plays everything including dsd test tracks I downloaded from 2L. The only thing is that when i unplug the usb connection and plug in my win 8.1 tablet, the tablet doesn't recognise the Pulse until I turn the Pulse off and on ...


----------



## Decoy

wingsounds13 said:


> That makes two of us.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I want to order a new knob. (That's what he said?) What dimensions does it have to have? Are there standard sizes for knobs? Any suggestions?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@nudd
  
 Now (what I did) you just need a 12V battery pack to make it "transportable".


----------



## nudd

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @nudd
> 
> Now (what I did) you just need a 12V battery pack to make it "transportable".


 
  
 I reckon a large camera bag will fit the pulse, battery pack and the HE500 lol. How long can the battery pack power the Pulse (not forgetting class A topology will keep drawing power regardless of whether music is playing ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Depends on battery capacity. My newly bought Anker has 20000mAh. With the Pulse drawing 1.2A will give me rougly 11.6 hours.
  
 Link Battery Life Caculator: http://www.digikey.com/en/resources/conversion-calculators/conversion-calculator-battery-life


----------



## Decoy

Hey Guys.  I got my LPS4 in the mail the other day, and I just wanted to comment it for a moment for anyone who cares.  I am still waiting on my LightSpeed 2G USB cable, however, I don't know if there will be any substantial difference with it.  I am running the USB straight to the Pulse.  I don't have a USB A-to-B cable and I don't really want to buy one as I have the LightSpeed cable ordered.
  
 I was very skeptical of the value of an LPS when I first made the purchase.  A lot of people look at the all this money spent on some of these upgrades, e.g. cables, naked resistors, femto clocks, and just shake their head.  And I tend to agree that an upgrade to any one of these things is probably inaudible to most people.  I probabily can't A/B most of that stuff.  However, I take the view that as you upgrade, piece by piece, all of those tiny changes can accumulate and become something really special.  I expected the LPS4 to be another incremental upgrade.
  
 So, when I hooked up my Infinity, I wasn't expecting much.  I turned it on and... well, the volume on the Infinity was unresponsive to turning the knob. Crap.  I checked all the settings.  Nothing.  Crap. I cycled the power again, and it was fine. (It has not done that again, thankfully.)  I fired up Foobar2000 and "Wow!"  I could not believe it.  I started going through all my "reference" recordings and I don't really know how to explain it.  Everything was just so much more engaging.  You know how so often music sounds fantastic on a great system when you crank the volume?  The texture of the music that is there at lower volume levels really pop with the volume up.  This is how it was with the LPS, except I didn't have to crank the volume.  The music was so much more vibrant without sounding artificial.
  
 I decided to put this to the test.  Could this just be psychological even though I wasn't even excited about the LPS?  Why would I hear a difference when I wasn't expecting anything?  I enlisted my wife to help setup a blind A/B test.  We did a little volume matching and selected some recordings.  9/10.  Odds of 50-50 guessing 9/10? 0.1%  That sounds like a winner to me.
  
 On the negative side, the Infinity and LP4 stacked combo runs a lot warmer.  Instead of being pleasantly warm, I would say that it is hot, although so hot that I can't keep my hand on it.  Also, the lights on the LPS4 look cheap.  They are also too bright.  I don't think that it needs any lights whatsoever, let alone 5.  The leftmost power light would be okay as it is dimmer than the other 4.  I don't know what the other 4 lights are for.  I am only using one of the hookups in the back, so I don't think it indicates which outputs are being used.  I am red-green colorblind, so maybe some are red and some are green.  Regardless, I am going to try putting electrical tape over them and see how that looks.
  
 I have never had any sort of power conditioning before, so I am not claiming this kind of result is unique to the LPS/LPS4.  But I can say that for me, it is verging on a scientific certainty that the LPS makes an audible difference.  I am a little curious how volume could have stopped working.  The display showed the volume going up and down.  Is it possible that it had nothing to do with the addition of the LPS4?  I don't really turn off the Infinity, so it's possible it is a frequent problem that I just don't run into.  I don't know.  Has anyone else had this happen to them?


----------



## Drsparis

decoy said:


> Regardless, I am going to try putting electrical tape over them and see how that looks.


 
 Stumbled across this recently.... http://www.lightdims.com/store.htm ... check the red button on top right corner  (received them and all, they are well... great )
 edit: button appears after a minute or so


----------



## kiwiluke

> I am a little curious how volume could have stopped working.  The display showed the volume going up and down.  Is it possible that it had nothing to do with the addition of the LPS4?  I don't really turn off the Infinity, so it's possible it is a frequent problem that I just don't run into.  I don't know.  Has anyone else had this happen to them?


 
  
 I had the same thing happen when I first turned on my Pulse X infinity/LPS (haven't tried without the LPS) on a MacBook air running Yosemite.  Could only fix it by rebooting the pulse.  Hasn't happened since despite multiple reboots.


----------



## digitalzed

decoy said:


> Hey Guys.  I got my LPS4 in the mail the other day, and I just wanted to comment it for a moment for anyone who cares.  I am still waiting on my LightSpeed 2G USB cable, however, I don't know if there will be any substantial difference with it.  I am running the USB straight to the Pulse.  I don't have a USB A-to-B cable and I don't really want to buy one as I have the LightSpeed cable ordered.
> 
> I was very skeptical of the value of an LPS when I first made the purchase.  A lot of people look at the all this money spent on some of these upgrades, e.g. cables, naked resistors, femto clocks, and just shake their head.  And I tend to agree that an upgrade to any one of these things is probably inaudible to most people.  I probabily can't A/B most of that stuff.  However, I take the view that as you upgrade, piece by piece, all of those tiny changes can accumulate and become something really special.  I expected the LPS4 to be another incremental upgrade.
> 
> ...


 

 The lost volume concern has been reported before. The LPS has to hand off the connection via USB to the Pulse. If you have to power down, turn off the Pulse first, then the LPS. Power up turn on the LPS then Pulse. This should keep you from losing your connection (and hence the volume issue) again. As for turning it off or not, it's up to you. Larry at LH says keep it on if you can afford the electricity because doing so supposedly delivers the best results.


----------



## leomitch

No problem regarding the volume with mine. My only hitch has to do with cutting out when I use my balanced 4 pin adapter. Using it causes a short by the looks of things, so I will just be using my normal 1/4 inch headphone plug until I finally send it back for testing...if I send it back! 

Cheers 
Leo


----------



## mscott58

leomitch said:


> No problem regarding the volume with mine. My only hitch has to do with cutting out when I use my balanced 4 pin adapter. Using it causes a short by the looks of things, so I will just be using my normal 1/4 inch headphone plug until I finally send it back for testing...if I send it back!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Any chance the adapter itself is the culprit? Might be wired incorrectly. Have you tried something else with a 4-pin connector?


----------



## leomitch

mscott58 said:


> Any chance the adapter itself is the culprit? Might be wired incorrectly. Have you tried something else with a 4-pin connector?


 
 No, not yet, but later I may buy a balanced  headphone cable, but again, only after I have the critter tested back at LHL ! Right now I  hate to part with it until after my new Nighthawk headphones arrive for my birthday on the 30th of July. Once my poor old psyche calms down after my 80th natal day, I may be able to  part with it and use my Benchmark for a bit.
  
 Leo


----------



## snip3r77

digitalzed said:


> The lost volume concern has been reported before. The LPS has to hand off the connection via USB to the Pulse. I you have to power down, turn off the Pulse first, then the LPS. Power up turn on the LPS then Pulse. This should keep you from losing your connection (and hence the volume issue) again. As for turning it off or not, it's up to you. Larry at LH says keep it on if you can afford the electricity because doing so supposedly delivers the best results.




As what you said, normally I power up my LPS then pulse then it's fine. It doesn't matter if the PC is on or off


----------



## digitalzed

leomitch said:


> No, not yet, but later I may buy a balanced  headphone cable, but again, only after I have the critter tested back at LHL ! Right now I  hate to part with it until after my new Nighthawk headphones arrive for my birthday on the 30th of July. Once my poor old psyche calms down after my 80th natal day, I may be able to  part with it and use my Benchmark for a bit.
> 
> Leo


 

 Happy early 80th, Leo!


----------



## atsq17

decoy said:


> Hey Guys.  I got my LPS4 in the mail the other day, and I just wanted to comment it for a moment for anyone who cares.  I am still waiting on my LightSpeed 2G USB cable, however, I don't know if there will be any substantial difference with it.  I am running the USB straight to the Pulse.  I don't have a USB A-to-B cable and I don't really want to buy one as I have the LightSpeed cable ordered.


 
  
 Lightspeed 2G was noticeably superior to the Lightspeed 1G in my opinion. I A-Bed them a number of times.


----------



## krikor

leomitch said:


> No problem regarding the volume with mine. My only hitch has to do with cutting out when I use my balanced 4 pin adapter. Using it causes a short by the looks of things, so I will just be using my normal 1/4 inch headphone plug until I finally send it back for testing...if I send it back!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 What are you plugging into the 4-pin adapter?


----------



## leomitch

krikor said:


> What are you plugging into the 4-pin adapter?


 
 I am plugging in the headphone 1/4 inch jack. I don't have a dedicated balanced cable for my hedphones, so I bought the adapter which plugs into the balanced headphone output...my headphone then plugs into that.
  
 Leo


----------



## Decoy

digitalzed said:


> The lost volume concern has been reported before. The LPS has to hand off the connection via USB to the Pulse. If you have to power down, turn off the Pulse first, then the LPS. Power up turn on the LPS then Pulse. This should keep you from losing your connection (and hence the volume issue) again. As for turning it off or not, it's up to you. Larry at LH says keep it on if you can afford the electricity because doing so supposedly delivers the best results.




I know how to turn on and off the Infinity and LPS4 properly. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not an idiot. There was no USB hand-off. As I said in my post, the USB is going directly from my computer to the Pulse --I am still waiting for the LightSpeed 2G. In any case, as far as I know, the connection in the LPS4 is passive, so there is nothing to hand-off to in the LPS4. It just replaces the power rails.

And I am also aware of Larry's advice to keep the Infinity on. As mentioned in my post, I am already doing that.


----------



## Anaximandros

leomitch said:


> I am plugging in the headphone 1/4 inch jack. I don't have a dedicated balanced cable for my hedphones, so I bought the adapter which plugs into the balanced headphone output...my headphone then plugs into that.
> 
> Leo




That's something you'd want to avoid at all costs. 
You are shortening the L- and R- pole and that may damage your headphone. 

Adaptor balanced to single ended, no problem. But not the other way around.


----------



## krikor

leomitch said:


> I am plugging in the headphone 1/4 inch jack. I don't have a dedicated balanced cable for my hedphones, so I bought the adapter which plugs into the balanced headphone output...my headphone then plugs into that.
> 
> Leo


 
  
 Quote:


anaximandros said:


> That's something you'd want to avoid at all costs.
> You are shortening the L- and R- pole and that may damage your headphone.
> 
> Adaptor balanced to single ended, no problem. But not the other way around.


 
  
 Yep, what he said. Therein lies your problem - you go from a balanced headphone/cable to a single-ended amp, but you cannot go from balanced amp output to a single-ended headphone/cable. It's the adapter/cable that is the problem, not the Pulse.


----------



## hemtmaker

hemtmaker said:


> I only have about 20 hours so far. Using the same headphone in balanced, the pulse infinity SQ is on par with my fully burned in ak240. Hopefully things will improve in the long run







snip3r77 said:


> Desktop will own the portable



I have now got at least 50 hrs on the my infinity but I still slightly prefer my ak240 as it appears to have a darker background


----------



## leomitch

krikor said:


> Yep, what he said. Therein lies your problem - you go from a balanced headphone/cable to a single-ended amp, but you cannot go from balanced amp output to a single-ended headphone/cable. It's the adapter/cable that is the problem, not the Pulse.


 
 Thanks guys! I think you have nailed it!  I will have someone build me a balanced cable for my new Nighthawk Headphones.  The Nighthawks are made by Audioquest, so there should be no problem getting a balanced cable from them, one of the biggest cable makers!
 Good of you mates to jump in and help out this old fart, who knows very little about electronics.
  
 Best regards
 Leo


----------



## digitalzed

decoy said:


> I know how to turn on and off the Infinity and LPS4 properly. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not an idiot. There was no USB hand-off. As I said in my post, the USB is going directly from my computer to the Pulse --I am still waiting for the LightSpeed 2G. In any case, as far as I know, the connection in the LPS4 is passive, so there is nothing to hand-off to in the LPS4. It just replaces the power rails.
> 
> And I am also aware of Larry's advice to keep the Infinity on. As mentioned in my post, I am already doing that.


 

 I don't think anyone called you an idiot. You had questions, I answered in what I thought was a helpful way. Good luck with your unit.


----------



## mscott58

digitalzed said:


> I don't think anyone called you an idiot. You had questions, I answered in what I thought was a helpful way. Good luck with your unit.


 
 Totally agree. People on the threads try to be helpful and if the answer comes across as too basic then I hope others wouldn't take it personally! 
  
 Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Any Geek Pulse Infinity comparison with other mid to highend DAC or DAC/Amp combo?
  
 Or we just kind of enjoying the music and flipping the music archives?


----------



## pedalhead

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Any Geek Pulse Infinity comparison with other mid to highend DAC or DAC/Amp combo?
> 
> Or we just kind of enjoying the music and flipping the music archives?


 
  
 I'll be working on one in the near future, Mickey..
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/771119/review-didit-dac212-dac-amp-incl-comparisons-with-chord-hugo-tt-soon-lh-pulse-infinity
  
 Just need to spend some more time with the Pulse Infinity to make it a fair comparison.


----------



## mscott58

pedalhead said:


> I'll be working on one in the near future, Mickey..
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/771119/review-didit-dac212-dac-amp-incl-comparisons-with-chord-hugo-tt-soon-lh-pulse-infinity
> 
> Just need to spend some more time with the Pulse Infinity to make it a fair comparison.


 
 Great review Mark. Highly recommended reading to everyone here. Cheers


----------



## pedalhead

Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@pedalhead
  
 I FELT you Bro.! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Interesting that Didit DAC/Amp. Have more or less the same component choices as with the Pulse Infinity.
  
 On with the pedal!


----------



## nudd

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @pedalhead
> 
> 
> I FELT you Bro.!
> ...





Don't think the choices were all that similar though. They used 3 femto clocks, the ESS 9018S chip (although not sure if only using 1 of them or 2 of them) and internal smps plus lots and lots of on board voltage regulation rather than external 12v DC power supply.

The Infinity board is a lot less dense does not have the shielding of the DiDIT (although maybe arguable it doesnt need so much shielding because it doesn't have to live with a huge transformer and smps components sitting right next to the DAC section) and the price is unknown but the Chord Hugo TT is something like $4000 USD?


----------



## Joong

I just bought and am waiting a Xfi from a head-fier in Australia.
 Do you call it infinity?
 How does it compare to Matrix x sabre or Yulong Dac?


----------



## Decoy

joong said:


> I just bought and am waiting a Xfi from a head-fier in Australia.
> Do you call it infinity?
> How does it compare to Matrix x sabre or Yulong Dac?


 
 I had a Yulong DA8 before the Infinity.  While I think the DA8 is a great value at its price point, the Infinity mops the floor with it.  It is just in a different class all together.


----------



## digitalzed

joong said:


> I just bought and am waiting a Xfi from a head-fier in Australia.
> Do you call it infinity?
> How does it compare to Matrix x sabre or Yulong Dac?


 

 The XFi and the Infinity are not the same. I've looked briefly for a spec list because I remember seeing the differences posted but can't find it right now.


----------



## mscott58

digitalzed said:


> The XFi and the Infinity are not the same. I've looked briefly for a spec list because I remember seeing the differences posted but can't find it right now.


 
 Infinity is an Xfi with the naked resistor and THD mods/perks. Some started calling it the Xfi - NT and such and that morphed into "Infinity".  
  
 Cheers


----------



## digitalzed

mscott58 said:


> Infinity is an Xfi with the naked resistor and THD mods/perks. Some started calling it the Xfi - NT and such and that morphed into "Infinity".
> 
> Cheers


 

 Thanks!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

And the new AQ2M DAC chip


----------



## leomitch

digitalzed said:


> Thanks!


 
 .......not just two naked resistors, but... 2 pairs of naked resistors from Texas Components! T he very nest resistors ro use for audio equipment!


----------



## pedalhead

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @pedalhead
> 
> I FELT you Bro.!
> 
> ...


 
  
 Haha, always pedalling mate (actually, got a 12 hour race tomorrow 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )
  


nudd said:


> Don't think the choices were all that similar though. They used 3 femto clocks, the ESS 9018S chip (although not sure if only using 1 of them or 2 of them) and internal smps plus lots and lots of on board voltage regulation rather than external 12v DC power supply.
> 
> The Infinity board is a lot less dense does not have the shielding of the DiDIT (although maybe arguable it doesnt need so much shielding because it doesn't have to live with a huge transformer and smps components sitting right next to the DAC section) and the price is unknown but the Chord Hugo TT is something like $4000 USD?


 
  
 The DAC212 uses a single 9018 in 2x4 - this is a pretty common method I think. Everything gets oversampled to 1.5Mhz on the input, and of course 32-bit volume control before the OS. The DAC212 release price it 3,000 euros (DiDiT website), which at current exchange rates is under £2200, or $3400 USD. The Hugo TT in the UK is £3000.  I should update my review actually as I didn't realise the euro was so weak against sterling right now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  
 On a completely different note...I've been involved in this campaign pretty much since the beginning, but I'm still not sure if the official name for the Infinity is "Pulse X Infinity" or "Pulse Infinity".  Anyone???


----------



## wingsounds13

The proper name is Pulse X infinity. There were also several Pulse S infinities built and shipped. Apparently none of the Pulse S infinity backers chose to go with the new chassis as Diana's most recent shipping document update indicates all Pulse S infinities have shipped.

J.P.


----------



## pedalhead

Ah I hadn't noticed there were S Infinities as well.  Good, that settles that then.  Cheers JP


----------



## kenman345

Hey so I am not sure this is tied to the Geek Pulse itself but I figured maybe I am not te only one with this issue.
  
 I used my laptop for the first time with the Geek Pulse X Fi and after enjoying myself, i unplugged the headphones, shut my laptop screen, turned off the Geek Pulse X Fi and then went to bed. I woke up and unplugged the Geek Pulse X Fi and opened my laptop up so I can listen to the traffic reports while getting ready for work. Well, turns out no audio devices besides the optical output from my laptop. I restarted the machine to no avail.
  
 I then tried plugging into one of the two jacks a headphone and the laptop gave me a notification it knew that headphones had been plugged in, but no options were there to switch to it or anything. I then tried actually plugging in an optical cable to the other jack which was glowing red. I thought unplugging it might've caused something to happen but again, nothing.
  
  
 So, anyone got any advice for me? I am so confused and had to go to work before I can try anything with the Geek Pulse again. I would like to have this fixed immediately so your help is appreciated. Thanks


----------



## digitalzed

kenman345 said:


> Hey so I am not sure this is tied to the Geek Pulse itself but I figured maybe I am not te only one with this issue.
> 
> I used my laptop for the first time with the Geek Pulse X Fi and after enjoying myself, i unplugged the headphones, shut my laptop screen, turned off the Geek Pulse X Fi and then went to bed. I woke up and unplugged the Geek Pulse X Fi and opened my laptop up so I can listen to the traffic reports while getting ready for work. Well, turns out no audio devices besides the optical output from my laptop. I restarted the machine to no avail.
> 
> ...


 

 You need to go into your audio settings and see if your system audio output is selected for sound or if the laptop still thinks it's connected to the Pulse.


----------



## kenman345

digitalzed said:


> You need to go into your audio settings and see if your system audio output is selected for sound or if the laptop still thinks it's connected to the Pulse.


 
 Maybe I didnt say it clear enough.
  
 I went into the settings for the Audio and the only thing available was the Optical Digital Output from my microphone/Optical 3.5mm Jack. Even after a reboot thats all that was available. When I used the Geek Pulse last night, it was its own separate item. But I have not yet tried turning the Geek Pulse on and plugging the USB in, that's one fo the first things I will try tonight.
  
 I found it weird that my laptop could identify a hardware piece was just connected when I plugged in a headphone but not that he hardware piece that it just sensed is an audio device. So odd.


----------



## digitalzed

kenman345 said:


> Maybe I didnt say it clear enough.
> 
> I went into the settings for the Audio and the only thing available was the Optical Digital Output from my microphone/Optical 3.5mm Jack. Even after a reboot thats all that was available. When I used the Geek Pulse last night, it was its own separate item. But I have not yet tried turning the Geek Pulse on and plugging the USB in, that's one fo the first things I will try tonight.
> 
> I found it weird that my laptop could identify a hardware piece was just connected when I plugged in a headphone but not that he hardware piece that it just sensed is an audio device. So odd.


 

 I'm sorry kenman. I missed that part. Are you on a Windows or Mac laptop?


----------



## kenman345

digitalzed said:


> I'm sorry kenman. I missed that part. Are you on a Windows or Mac laptop?


 
 Windows. 
  
 I used to own a mac and had problems with the optical output like this but It usually fixed itself with the test I did by plugging in an optical cable into the port and then removing it from that socket. 
  
 I appreciate the help though. If you know of anything I can really use it because I am somewhat in the dark here on this. Device Manager isnt showing anything unrecognized when I looked this morning, but I didnt have enough time to check if the sound peripherals list seemed accurate.


----------



## digitalzed

kenman345 said:


> Windows.
> 
> I used to own a mac and had problems with the optical output like this but It usually fixed itself with the test I did by plugging in an optical cable into the port and then removing it from that socket.
> 
> I appreciate the help though. If you know of anything I can really use it because I am somewhat in the dark here on this. Device Manager isnt showing anything unrecognized when I looked this morning, but I didnt have enough time to check if the sound peripherals list seemed accurate.


 

 Well, not only did I not read your op correctly the first time I can't help on the Windows side of the equation. I am sorry! I'm sure someone here can and will, though.


----------



## snip3r77

kenman345 said:


> Windows.
> 
> I used to own a mac and had problems with the optical output like this but It usually fixed itself with the test I did by plugging in an optical cable into the port and then removing it from that socket.
> 
> I appreciate the help though. If you know of anything I can really use it because I am somewhat in the dark here on this. Device Manager isnt showing anything unrecognized when I looked this morning, but I didnt have enough time to check if the sound peripherals list seemed accurate.




Be patient. Go back and slowly troubleshoot.
You're providing un-necessary stress for yourself.


----------



## kenman345

snip3r77 said:


> Be patient. Go back and slowly troubleshoot.
> You're providing un-necessary stress for yourself.


 
 I am just trying to find anything that others might know. I  will be a bit more thorough tonight when I get home from work


----------



## leomitch

Happened to me once...leave everything plugged into the computer and turn off the Pulse only. Start the Pulse and you should hear the sound indicating the Pulse driver has been found. Hmmm! Yes, I think I said that correctly. Yes, without unplugging anything except the headphones, turn the Pulse off and then on after a few seconds. Worked for me!

Cheers
Leo


----------



## jbr1971

kenman345 said:


> Hey so I am not sure this is tied to the Geek Pulse itself but I figured maybe I am not te only one with this issue.
> 
> I used my laptop for the first time with the Geek Pulse X Fi and after enjoying myself, i unplugged the headphones, shut my laptop screen, turned off the Geek Pulse X Fi and then went to bed. I woke up and unplugged the Geek Pulse X Fi and opened my laptop up so I can listen to the traffic reports while getting ready for work. Well, turns out no audio devices besides the optical output from my laptop. I restarted the machine to no avail.
> 
> ...


 
  
 When putting a Windows laptop into sleep mode/hibernation, never disconnect any USB devices without waking the laptop up first. When waking up the laptop it is still expecting to see those devices, and if they have been removed while sleeping, it will more often than not confuse Windows (as it appears to have done in your case).
  
 If you had powered off the Pulse prior to putting the laptop to sleep, it would have registered the disconnection and not been an issue (most likely). It is all about the order in which you do things.
  
 When you get home, power off your laptop, reconnect the Pulse, power on the laptop, and power on the Pulse once the laptop is fully booted up. Hopefully that will get things going again.
  
 Jody


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@kenman345
  
 Could be with power management options on usb (windows shuts down power to usb after prolonged periods/suspend) 
  
 This may help: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/953367


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Don't know if this was posted: (or I am just late seeing this)
  
 Geek Out Windows Driver 2.29
  
http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/Light%20Harmonic%20Driver%202.29.msi


----------



## germay0653

It's not on their support page for the GO Michael.  Unless you get confirmation from LH I would be careful!


----------



## jbr1971

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Don't know if this was posted: (or I am just late seeing this)
> 
> Geek Out Windows Driver 2.29
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/Light%20Harmonic%20Driver%202.29.msi


 
  
 Version 2.29 of the driver is going to be a requirement for the GO V2 as the earlier drivers will not work with the V2.
  
 However, 2.29 is backwards compatible with all older GO and Pulse models.
  
 Jody


----------



## nudd

jbr1971 said:


> Version 2.29 of the driver is going to be a requirement for the GO V2 as the earlier drivers will not work with the V2.
> 
> However, 2.29 is backwards compatible with all older GO and Pulse models.
> 
> Jody


 
 is there a changelog and is there any benefit to existing model users to update? For example: stability or other fixes?


----------



## jbr1971

nudd said:


> is there a changelog and is there any benefit to existing model users to update? For example: stability or other fixes?


 
  
 I have not seen a changelog/list of fixes yet as it has not been officially released. Once it is that information will be posted.
  
 Jody


----------



## leomitch

>






That is strange that you say it is backward compatible with Pulse's too Jody...I tried it earlier today and it wouldn't work. I had to switch back to 2.20.


 


Leo


----------



## Roll

Just tried on my GO720, Version 2.29 does work.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Posted this driver since it was posted in their Support page under Light Harmonic Audio Driver Setup Guide for GO and Pulse. 
And since LH say the driver is 'unified' (Thesycon) I proceeded.

Anyway tried it on my Pulse Infinity it works. Buffers (on LH control panel) has now Auto mode. Changelog on link below.

It was posted in their Support page (at the end):
http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000556119-light-harmonic-audio-driver-setup-guide
http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000633039-light-harmonic-driver-and-firmware-files

Changelog:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/5021054778/original/Driver_2.29_Changelog.txt?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ2JSYZ7O3I4JO6DA&Expires=1434176910&Signature=kL37dSrQmgZ6JD0gys2wC1b5HUU%3D&response-content-type=text%2Fplain

Proceed with caution.


----------



## miceblue

How does one know what display firmware they have?
  
  
 Also, just for fun:


Spoiler: Pulse and Pulse X power outputs at various impedances




*Gain*​*Impedance (Ω)*​*Vrms*​*mA*​*mW*​Low​16​1.8​112.50​202.50​Medium​3​187.50​562.50​High​7​437.50​3062.50​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low (XLR)​3.6​225.00​810.00​Medium (XLR)​6​375.00​2250.00​High (XLR)​14​875.00​12250.00​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low​32​1.8​56.25​101.25​Medium​3​93.75​281.25​High​7​218.75​1531.25​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low (XLR)​3.6​112.50​405.00​Medium (XLR)​6​187.50​1125.00​High (XLR)​14​437.50​6125.00​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low​50​1.8​36.00​64.80​Medium​3​60.00​180.00​High​7​140.00​980.00​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low (XLR)​3.6​72.00​259.20​Medium (XLR)​6​120.00​720.00​High (XLR)​14​280.00​3920.00​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low​60​1.8​30.00​54.00​Medium​3​50.00​150.00​High​7​116.67​816.67​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low (XLR)​3.6​60.00​216.00​Medium (XLR)​6​100.00​600.00​High (XLR)​14​233.33​3266.67​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low​300​1.8​6.00​10.80​Medium​3​10.00​30.00​High​7​23.33​163.33​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low (XLR)​3.6​12.00​43.20​Medium (XLR)​6​20.00​120.00​High (XLR)​14​46.67​653.33​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low​600​1.8​3.00​5.40​Medium​3​5.00​15.00​High​7​11.67​81.67​ ​ ​ ​ ​Low (XLR)​3.6​6.00​21.60​Medium (XLR)​6​10.00​60.00​High (XLR)​14​23.33​326.67​
  ​


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

1. Push volume button
 2. Goto Firmware Version
 3. Push volume button again
 4. Rotate knob to display MCU version (mine is 2.4)


----------



## zenpunk

miceblue said:


> Also, just for fun:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Pulse and Pulse X power outputs at various impedances
> ...


 
 Those numbers don't look right .....12W into 16 Ohms, balanced....


----------



## nudd

zenpunk said:


> Those numbers don't look right .....12W into 16 Ohms, balanced....


 
  
 I definitely remember Larry saying the pulses were current limited so they maxed out way before that.


----------



## zenpunk

That poor little switching PSU would probably blow up in smoke..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Anybody know what's the current limit? 250mA?


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Posted this driver since it was posted in their Support page under Light Harmonic Audio Driver Setup Guide for GO and Pulse.
> And since LH say the driver is 'unified' (Thesycon) I proceeded.
> 
> Anyway tried it on my Pulse Infinity it works. Buffers (on LH control panel) has now Auto mode. Changelog on link below.
> ...


 

 Michael, do you have a GO and if yes, have you tried the 2.29 driver with it?


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> zenpunk said:
> 
> 
> > Those numbers don't look right .....12W into 16 Ohms, balanced....:eek:
> ...



Do you have a link to that?

The original 3 W headphone output number was for the original Pulse with 7 Vrms output. Maximum and into 16-ohms, as evident by the calculations. I just assumed the XLR output would be able to deliver the expected power given the same impedance and twice the voltage.

If the current is indeed limited, then it would be able to output at the very least 437.50 mA based on the original 3 W into 16-ohm number, or 6.1 W out of the XLR jack with 14 Vrms.


----------



## deathson

miceblue said:


> Do you have a link to that?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


I just have a refer for Pulse X output power:

====================================================================
4V for XLR Line out. (Actually it is 4.1V)
2V for RCA Line Out (2.1V here)

Low Gain in Headphone: 1.8V
Mid: 3V
High: 7V

[New-added] -- On balanced headphone output

Low Gain in Headphone: 3.6V
Mid: 6V
High: 14V


IC: Class-A biased TPA6120A2 (Geek Pulse X has TWO of it for balance out)

Enjoy!

Larry
====================================================================

Org Link : http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2146-pulse-x-output-levels-and-poweramp-stage-config#34821


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

germay0653 said:


> Michael, do you have a GO and if yes, have you tried the 2.29 driver with it?


 
  
 Tried with my GO1000, after one slight hitch (changing bit rate), now its smooth as Grappa...


----------



## miceblue

deathson said:


> IC: Class-A biased TPA6120A2 (Geek Pulse X has TWO of it for balance out)
> 
> Org Link : http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2146-pulse-x-output-levels-and-poweramp-stage-config#34821



Interesting. Thanks for that!
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tpa6120a2.pdf


> Output current (per channel)
> Test conditions: V_CC = ± 15V to ±15 V
> Typical current: 700 mA


----------



## kenman345

I uninstalled and removed the files for the driver to the audio device and rebooted. Then I had device manager find it and now my laptop is all good again. None of the other suggestion worked. Thanks for the help guys


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> Interesting. Thanks for that!
> http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tpa6120a2.pdf




http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2146-pulse-x-output-levels-and-poweramp-stage-config#35151

Larry said:

The max output at 12V rms situation should be pair with 300 Ohm or above headphone. I don't want to blow out your ears... seriously.

When we lower the load (headphone) impedance, the output power will keep increasing... until it reaches to its 'current output limit'... In the end, it will reach its limit, close to 6W. (3W in positive, 3W in negative phase)

Again, don't use 12V on 16 Ohm headphone. It will 1000% kill it....

We use Mid and High gain setting drive HiFi Man HE-560 quite well in RMAF. BTW.


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2146-pulse-x-output-levels-and-poweramp-stage-config#35151
> 
> When we lower the load (headphone) impedance, the output power will keep increasing... until it reaches to its 'current output limit'... In the end, it will reach its limit, close to 6W. (3W in positive, 3W in negative phase)



Oh OK. So it looks like 437.53 mA is its limit then.
P = I * V
P = 0.43753 * 14 Vrms = 6.13 W


----------



## uncola

new 2.29 driver working fine with my go450


----------



## snip3r77

uncola said:


> new 2.29 driver working fine with my go450




Ok with infinity ?


----------



## uncola

I don't have infinity   but I can't imagine it wouldn't be.  it's just a xmos driver I don't think it can cause any harm


----------



## nudd

i just installed on my win 8.1 tablet and working fine with my Pulse X Infinity. 
  
 Also wanted to report that with the Jay's Audio LPS the hum i was hearing from my Shure E500 is gone or at least inaudible. So it appears that the smps provided with the Pulses is pretty noisy. Or the LPS has better isolation or filtering from electrical noise/hum. 
  
 Sorry i don't know enough about electrical matters to pin this down conclusively.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

snip3r77 said:


> Ok with infinity ?


 
  
 See my post. It works


----------



## snip3r77

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> See my post. It works




Updated and I rebooted the machine


----------



## leomitch

Maybe I missed it, but have any more of the Infinity recipients reviewed their new DAC. I am really anxious to see what others think of this fine DAC.
I have been so effusive in my praise of it, I want to know whether others feel the same way. The Infinity didn't wipe the floor with the Benchmark USB 1, but it certainly boxed its ears a bit.
If I have missed some reviews, could some kindly person point them out to me. I am really looking forward to Pedalhead's review.

Leo


----------



## leomitch

Bump, bump and bump! Surely others have comments on their LHL Pulse X Infinity...unless of course Pedalhead and I are the only ones who have one!
 Please...
  
 Leo


----------



## longbowbbs

leomitch said:


> Bump, bump and bump! Surely others have comments on their LHL Pulse X Infinity...unless of course Pedalhead and I are the only ones who have one!
> Please...
> 
> Leo


 
 I have posted many times that I am very happy with my Infinity.
  
 I am interested in your Avatar. Do you have the Nighthawk?


----------



## leomitch

Thanks for getting back to me!
 I have pre-ordered the Nighthawks and have been advised they will ship on July 13th. I can hardly wait! From what I have read and heard, these should be excellent headphones. Have you heard anything about them.  Pedalhead says he had an opportunity to try them at some gathering of audiophiles. He said they were excellent from the little time he had for a listen.
 Sorry about bugging for other responses regarding the Infinity...can you direct me to your comments.
 Best regards
 Leo


----------



## longbowbbs

leomitch said:


> Thanks for getting back to me!
> I have pre-ordered the Nighthawks and have been advised they will ship on July 13th. I can hardly wait! From what I have read and heard, these should be excellent headphones. Have you heard anything about them.  Pedalhead says he had an opportunity to try them at some gathering of audiophiles. He said they were excellent from the little time he had for a listen.
> Sorry about bugging for other responses regarding the Infinity...can you direct me to your comments.
> Best regards
> Leo


 
 I spent an hour at RMAF with Skylar Gray, the lead designer. We were playing with the prototype.  I loved his approach to making them as "Speaker like" as he could as far as the listening experience. The four point floating ear cups were very comfortable too. I will have a review pair shortly and will fire them up with my Sennheiser HD650's as a price comparison, then see how they do against several reference cans. I am looking forward to that!
  
 As for my Infinity comments you will have to search back a few weeks ago when I received mine (Old Chassis). SO far it has performed flawlessly. I am using it mainly as a DAC with the Moon Neo 430HA. Killer combo. The HD800's, LCD-X's and Alpha Primes all love the set up.


----------



## miceblue

Initial impressions:
It won't connect to my MacBook when using the LPS4 as the power supply.

Printer cable -> LPS4 -> 1.2 A output to Pulse X Infinity, LightSpeed 1G from USB A of LPS4 to USB B of Pulse (USB input selected).

EDIT 1:
It isn't recognised with the switching power supply either.
Power supply -> Pulse X Infinity
MacBook -> 1G cable -> X Infinity

EDIT 2:
I checked the firmware version on the Infinity and it says:
Main 0.0
MCU 2.4


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> Initial impressions:
> It won't connect to my MacBook when using the LPS4 as the power supply.
> 
> Printer cable -> LPS4 -> 1.2 A output to Pulse X Infinity, LightSpeed 1G from USB A of LPS4 to USB B of Pulse (USB input selected).
> ...




Something is wrong as my Main says "2.0"

This should have been tested before going out the door surely.


----------



## nudd

longbowbbs said:


> I spent an hour at RMAF with Skylar Gray, the lead designer. We were playing with the prototype.  I loved his approach to making them as "Speaker like" as he could as far as the listening experience. The four point floating ear cups were very comfortable too. I will have a review pair shortly and will fire them up with my Sennheiser HD650's as a price comparison, then see how they do against several reference cans. I am looking forward to that!
> 
> As for my Infinity comments you will have to search back a few weeks ago when I received mine (Old Chassis). SO far it has performed flawlessly. I am using it mainly as a DAC with the Moon Neo 430HA. Killer combo. The HD800's, LCD-X's and Alpha Primes all love the set up.




But isn't the nighhawk double the price of a HD650?

I am actually quite inyerested in the 650 again as I think it should make an excellent pairing with the Pulse. But i am banned from buying any more open back hps bybshe who must be obeyed


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> Something is wrong as my Main says "2.0"
> 
> This should have been tested before going out the door surely.



I literally just got it to work. I booted into Windows 10 Technical Preview, uninstalled the old Windows drivers (2.23), rebooted, and installed the new drivers (2.29). The X Infinity still didn't get recognised when setting up the final part of the driver installation, so I just used my Geek Out. Then I unplugged that, plugged in the X Infinity with the printer cable, and now everything seems to work for now and Windows recognises it. The X Infinity now displays: Main 2.0.

I have no idea what happened. :/

Nope....it's back to Main 0.0....


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> I literally just got it to work. I booted into Windows 10 Technical Preview, uninstalled the old Windows drivers (2.23), rebooted, and installed the new drivers (2.29). The X Infinity still didn't get recognised when setting up the final part of the driver installation, so I just used my Geek Out. Then I unplugged that, plugged in the X Infinity with the printer cable, and now everything seems to work for now and Windows recognises it. The X Infinity now displays: Main 2.0.
> 
> I have no idea what happened. :/
> 
> Nope....it's back to Main 0.0....


 
  
 How strange ... the windows driver should not be able to over ride the on board firmware ...
  
 How about with everything unplugged and no usb connection? Does it still say Main 0.0?


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> How strange ... the windows driver should not be able to over ride the on board firmware ...
> 
> How about with everything unplugged and no usb connection? Does it still say Main 0.0?



Yup, same thing.

I found a workaround....but it really shouldn't be necessary. If I plug in the Geek Out to a USB port, Windows will recognise it. If I unplug it and plug in the X Infinity into the same port, Windows will magically recognise it (firmware magically says Main 2.0 too). If I didn't have a Geek Out, I don't know what I would do.

I have my MEElectronics M9 plugged into the X Infinity and I hear pretty much zero background hiss, and I'm usually one who hates hearing the hiss like in the Geek Out. Only in high gain do I hear it, but please don't use high gain for in-ear earphones or else you'll probably kill 1) your ears and 2) the earphones themselves. Even with low gain, I'm at volume -60.0 dB and listening to Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" song (24/96 HD Tracks version) via Foobar.

AKG K701: low gain, -42.0 dB while playing AC/DC's "Back In Black" song. Eh......how bad is this for the digital signal? :/

[video]https://youtu.be/7gkHwQE8uYk?t=8m47s[/video]



Switching to DSD128, there's only a very subtle *fft, fft* clicking sound. The Geek Out is MUCH louder than this (more like *TONK.....TONK*), so that's good to hear.


I'll have to see if OS X can recognise the X Infinity again. I basically just booted into W10 to update it and the LH Labs drivers.


----------



## uncola

weird I don't get any noises when my geek out switches sample rates.. I use jriver with wasapi.. I have some highres stuff and some dsd albums I use a lot


----------



## hemtmaker

leomitch said:


> Bump, bump and bump! Surely others have comments on their LHL Pulse X Infinity...unless of course Pedalhead and I are the only ones who have one!
> Please...
> 
> Leo




I am also very pleased with my infinity. Tested this morning with and without Jay's Audio LPS. Clearly there is a noticeable different with instruments being more distinct with better dynamics when used with the LPS. I have a liquid carbon on ordered and can't wait to try out the combo!


----------



## nudd

hemtmaker said:


> I am also very pleased with my infinity. Tested this morning with and without Jay's Audio LPS. Clearly there is a noticeable different with instruments being more distinct with better dynamics when used with the LPS. I have a liquid carbon on ordered and can't wait to try out the combo!


 
  
 Haha this is going to be my exact same setup. With the HE500. I also have the 1964ears U6 scheduled to be delivered in August.


----------



## miceblue

Okay, so first real sonic impressions with the X Infinity.

Holy smokes, why does the K701 sound so smooth and non-harsh?? This is awesome!

I tried doing listening between the 6.3 mm and XLR headphone outputs and I don't hear much of a difference other than volume with the K701. I turn down the volume 6.0 dB for the XLR output since it's louder. Makes sense to me since the architecture between the two outputs are nearly identical. One just uses R+/R- and L+/L- signals from the amplifying section, the other uses the same R+ and L+ signals.

I hard-wired my K701 with a 4-pin XLR cable since it was relatively easy to install. I made a XLR to 3.5 mm adaptor out of the same Mogami cable.




*still using the switching power supply and printer cable since it's working for me right now at this instant and I really don't feel like setting everything up again


----------



## leomitch

longbowbbs said:


> I spent an hour at RMAF with Skylar Gray, the lead designer. We were playing with the prototype.  I loved his approach to making them as "Speaker like" as he could as far as the listening experience. The four point floating ear cups were very comfortable too. I will have a review pair shortly and will fire them up with my Sennheiser HD650's as a price comparison, then see how they do against several reference cans. I am looking forward to that!
> 
> As for my Infinity comments you will have to search back a few weeks ago when I received mine (Old Chassis). SO far it has performed flawlessly. I am using it mainly as a DAC with the Moon Neo 430HA. Killer combo. The HD800's, LCD-X's and Alpha Primes all love the set up.


 
  
 Thanks for this mate!  Perhaps you will have your test copy of the Nghthawks before mine arrive on the 13th of July...that would be great!
 You would think by the time one reaches his 80th year, that he would have developed  more patience, but I seem to be worse than I was when I was an 11 year old kid waiting for my Daisy Red Ryder BB rifle for Christmas!  LOL! 
 I will go back a few weeks and check out your comments vis a vis the Infinity!
  
 Cheers
 Leo


----------



## leomitch

Wow! Great guys!While I was writing my previous message, in come more comments on the Infinity.  Thank you kind sirs!  Hmm!  I am assuming you are sirs since I really can't tell from your forum names, but there are so few women audiophiles around to my knowledge, I guess it is a pretty safe assumption without the usual caveat about 'assuming'!   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Leo


----------



## nudd

uncola said:


> weird I don't get any noises when my geek out switches sample rates.. I use jriver with wasapi.. I have some highres stuff and some dsd albums I use a lot


 
  
 Mine seems to be in the middle. Usually it is a silent transition, but once in a while there is an audible click most commonly when going from pcm to dsd (but I only have 2 dsd test tracks, so can't say how often this happens ...)


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> Yup, same thing.
> 
> I found a workaround....but it really shouldn't be necessary. If I plug in the Geek Out to a USB port, Windows will recognise it. If I unplug it and plug in the X Infinity into the same port, Windows will magically recognise it (firmware magically says Main 2.0 too). If I didn't have a Geek Out, I don't know what I would do.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I would send it back if it is still happening with OSX as it shouldn't be doing that? Also you should not need to update the infinity itself at all because there is no later firmware than the v 1.5 (main 2.0) that it came with? Unless there is a new fw i am not aware of ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@miceblue
  
 I suggest you open a ticket.


----------



## miceblue

B-b-b-but right now it's working just fine for me in OS X. This thing just sounds so freaking awesome, really.





I've been A/B-ing the X Infinity's amp section to the Objective 2 with the FiiO HS2 as the switch and volume matching by ear with pink noise and 1 kHz sine wave signals generated from Audacity. They sound similar overall, but I give the upper hand to the X Infinity.

Between the two amps:

 O2 has a slightly wider soundstage
 X Infinity has more depth in the soundstage
 X Infinity has better center imaging
 X Infinity has slightly more warmth in the bass/lower-midrange
 X Infinity has better bass extension
 X Infinity doesn't sound as bright as the O2
 X Infinity has better instrument separation
 X Infinity has less treble grain
I was using the FRM digital filter for these tests since between it and the TCM one, I greatly prefer the FRM mode. In terms of the volume knob, I'm averaging about -18.0 dB for my quiet music to -45.0 dB for my louder music, all on low gain with the HE1000 as the load.

I think that a DAC can influence the sound of a headphone more than the amplifier can (assuming the amplifier can drive the headphones, in which both the Pulse X Infinity and O2 can for the HE1000 for my listening conditions). So far, I think the Pulse X Infinity's DAC sounds superb with the HE1000, certainly MUCH better than the Geek Out or Objective DAC. The amp section sounds pretty close to the O2 though and I wouldn't really suggest someone to go out of their way to buy the Pulse X Infinity to replace the O2 alone. I personally mainly backed it on Indiegogo to be an all-in-one DAC solution with the amp section being a bonus, and so far I'm pretty darn impressed, really impressed actually, with how the DAC sounds.

Regarding the X Infinity itself, I just wish it had 1 more RCA output option instead of two S/PDIF inputs, but that's just me. I actually really like the user interface of the menu system. I look forward to seeing what they do for the Wave's UI. The single volume knob/button makes the UI easy to use. I particularly like the option to switch between volume knob adjustment, or USB/computer volume adjustment.

Shout out to Mannytorres for helping me out with the ticket I opened earlier.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

This comes from a burned-in Infinity (how many hours)? Or outright from the box?


----------



## miceblue

About 3-hours of burn in so far. XD


----------



## snip3r77

miceblue said:


> About 3-hours of burn in so far. XD




Give it a hundred


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

On my Infinity it opened up really good starting at around 50hrs.


----------



## longbowbbs

leomitch said:


> Thanks for this mate!  Perhaps you will have your test copy of the Nghthawks before mine arrive on the 13th of July...that would be great!
> You would think by the time one reaches his 80th year, that he would have developed  more patience, but I seem to be worse than I was when I was an 11 year old kid waiting for my Daisy Red Ryder BB rifle for Christmas!  LOL!
> I will go back a few weeks and check out your comments vis a vis the Infinity!
> 
> ...


 
 Leo, I don't think patience is possible when waiting for our shiny new toys!


----------



## zenpunk

@Miceblue,
 Why pay extra for the Femto clock and Infinity upgrade but not make use of the optimised filter for it?
 I don't usually hear diferences between filters on most DACs but the FTM is the real deal...although I wouldn't be too surprised if it is just placebo.


----------



## miceblue

Oh I was just using FRM mode yesterday since I'm more familiar with its sound versus TCM mode. I'll try FTM later when I get the chance.


----------



## digitalzed

leomitch said:


> Bump, bump and bump! Surely others have comments on their LHL Pulse X Infinity...unless of course Pedalhead and I are the only ones who have one!
> Please...
> 
> Leo


 

 Hi Leo, while not having written a full blown review, I have commented several times here how impressed I am with the Infinity. I have a vanilla Pulse also and there is no comparison between the two. The Infinity beats my Uber Bifrost and Micromega DAC's by a long shot. I found the unit to provide deep and rich bass, excellent sound staging, instrument separation is spectacular, and the unit gives off a an overall warm sound while still maintaining excellent clarity. It's never dull or soft but Larry did a great job in taming the harshness that can come from ESS chip sets. For what I paid I'm sure this DAC can't be beat.


----------



## digitallc

digitalzed said:


> Hi Leo, while not having written a full blown review, I have commented several times here how impressed I am with the Infinity. I have a vanilla Pulse also and there is no comparison between the two. The Infinity beats my Uber Bifrost and Micromega DAC's by a long shot. I found the unit to provide deep and rich bass, excellent sound staging, instrument separation is spectacular, and the unit gives off a an overall warm sound while still maintaining excellent clarity. It's never dull or soft but Larry did a great job in taming the harshness that can come from ESS chip sets. For what I paid I'm sure this DAC can't be beat.


 

 What he said. It's a great DAC.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## longbowbbs

nudd said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > I spent an hour at RMAF with Skylar Gray, the lead designer. We were playing with the prototype.  I loved his approach to making them as "Speaker like" as he could as far as the listening experience. The four point floating ear cups were very comfortable too. I will have a review pair shortly and will fire them up with my Sennheiser HD650's as a price comparison, then see how they do against several reference cans. I am looking forward to that!
> ...


 
 The Nighthawk is scheduled to be priced at $599 USD vs the HD650 at $499 so they are comparable in price. The HD650's are a forever favorite of mine. They are a permanent member of the collection. I am very interested to see what the Nighthawk does in its final form here in the man cave.


----------



## leomitch

digitalzed said:


> Hi Leo, while not having written a full blown review, I have commented several times here how impressed I am with the Infinity. I have a vanilla Pulse also and there is no comparison between the two. The Infinity beats my Uber Bifrost and Micromega DAC's by a long shot. I found the unit to provide deep and rich bass, excellent sound staging, instrument separation is spectacular, and the unit gives off a an overall warm sound while still maintaining excellent clarity. It's never dull or soft but Larry did a great job in taming the harshness that can come from ESS chip sets. For what I paid I'm sure this DAC can't be beat.


 
 Many thanks Jeff and indeed to all who came forward, because of my irritating, fishwifely nagging, to comment on the new Infinity! LOL!
 Again relating to this DAC, so far, I have yet to hear of a significant negative.
 Either the Infinity is a superlative DAC of the highest order or we all are too blindly in love to see/hear its clay feet, a honeymoon so to speak! I know I am deliriously happy with my unit. Later this summer, the gods willing, I will reassemble my Stereo system and try hooking up its sound through the Pulse X Infinity. Right now all my personal comments to date have been with my headphones via my laptop USB port.
 Perhaps others have already tried it using a variety of output/input methods besides USB and would care to comment on what you have discovered.
  
 Best to all
 Leo


----------



## digitalzed

leomitch said:


> Many thanks Jeff and indeed to all who came forward, because of my irritating, fishwifely nagging, to comment on the new Infinity! LOL!
> Again relating to this DAC, so far, I have yet to hear of a significant negative.
> Either the Infinity is a superlative DAC of the highest order or we all are too blindly in love to see/hear its clay feet, a honeymoon so to speak! I know I am deliriously happy with my unit. Later this summer, the gods willing, I will reassemble my Stereo system and try hooking up its sound through the Pulse X Infinity. Right now all my personal comments to date have been with my headphones via my laptop USB port.
> Perhaps others have already tried it using a variety of output/input methods besides USB and would care to comment on what you have discovered.
> ...


 

 Happy to do so Leo. I can tell you that I run the Infinity also to a set of great Omega Super 3T Monitors via a cheap Audioengine N22 amp (until my Geek S100 is ready hopefully by 2016 sometime) and the sound is spectacular. No joke. All the things I wrote above hold true for the speaker sound also.


----------



## leomitch

digitalzed said:


> Happy to do so Leo. I can tell you that I run the Infinity also to a set of great Omega Super 3T Monitors via a cheap Audioengine N22 amp (until my Geek S100 is ready hopefully by 2016 sometime) and the sound is spectacular. No joke. All the things I wrote above hold true for the speaker sound also.


 
  
 Better and better eh! Thanks for getting back so promptly.
 I have to say that this is a very active and friendly forum. I feel at home here and among friends. Thank you all for welcoming me with your openness. I have been to forums where this is not true!!
  
 Cheers
 Leo


----------



## longbowbbs

leomitch said:


> digitalzed said:
> 
> 
> > Happy to do so Leo. I can tell you that I run the Infinity also to a set of great Omega Super 3T Monitors via a cheap Audioengine N22 amp (until my Geek S100 is ready hopefully by 2016 sometime) and the sound is spectacular. No joke. All the things I wrote above hold true for the speaker sound also.
> ...


 
 We try and have fun here Leo. It is a more fun place as the Pulses are being shipped these days. Long wait for many of us.
  
 BTW, my Nighthawks were shipped to me today so it won't be long before I have them in house.


----------



## leomitch

I can't wait to hear  what you think mate!  Please post as soon as you can. Maybe unboxing too if you have the time..
  
 Leo


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> We try and have fun here Leo. It is a more fun place as the Pulses are being shipped these days. Long wait for many of us.
> 
> BTW, my Nighthawks were shipped to me today so it won't be long before I have them in house.


 
 Eric - Yet another review we are eagerly awaiting from you. No pressure my friend!


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > We try and have fun here Leo. It is a more fun place as the Pulses are being shipped these days. Long wait for many of us.
> ...


 
 LOL!! I have to receive them first Michael!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> LOL!! I have to receive them first Michael!




Details, details!


----------



## Joong

I have got my Geek Pulse Xfi which has serial number 6BBA1Z20.
 Display does not put Geek pulse Xfi but Geek pulse X.
 However install s/w recognizes Xfi.
  
 The left channel is not stable; some times it is off, and other times clicking no sound is heard but clinking.
 After repeating power switch on - offs have been done, it return back to normal.
  
 Do you guys have similar problem?


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> We try and have fun here Leo. It is a more fun place as the Pulses are being shipped these days. Long wait for many of us.
> 
> BTW, my Nighthawks were shipped to me today so it won't be long before I have them in house.


 
  
 Trade you thoughts on the Nighthawk for thoughts on the Campfire Audio Lyra.


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > We try and have fun here Leo. It is a more fun place as the Pulses are being shipped these days. Long wait for many of us.
> ...


 
 We can do that!


----------



## miceblue

[video]https://youtu.be/u5TaMIYDf34[/video]

Video Table of Contents:
1:36 - Box top
2:53 - Opening the box
2:55 - Extended warranty card
3:15 - Warranty card
3:33 - Switching AC-DC power supply
4:14 - Adhesive rubber feet
4:20 - LightSpeed 1G USB cable
5:18 - AC-DC power supply interchangeable prongs
6:22 - Pulse X Infinity front panel overview
6:55 - Pulse X Infinity chassis overview
7:07 - Pulse X Infinity back panel overview
8:57 - Turning the Pulse X Infinity on
9:33 - Volume knob adjustment
10:06 - Input selection menu
10:31 - Headphone gain selection menu
10:49 - Digital filter mode selection menu
11:55 - Volume control selection menu
12:18 - IR sensor selection menu
12:28 - Firmware version menu


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> [video]https://youtu.be/u5TaMIYDf34[/video]




Thanks for the video! Cheers


----------



## Levanter

Not mine, but a friends @Sentinel92 impression I copied and paste.

Pulse Infinty Impressions:

- Setup
Pretty straightforward. Plug and play on Mac, or download ready made drivers for PC. Driver installation was quick and painless. Instantly recognized device connected. Only issue was that the other sound outputs have to be disabled. But that's a given for external DACs.

-Sound (Pro)
The HD558 has a very relaxed laid back nature, and isn't the first when it comes to lush and smooth presentation, as it can be grainy with lower end amp/dacs. The LCD2 meanwhile, even when there is enough rated power, took a whole lot more to properly drive. Very very prone to loose and muddy bass when used with poor sources or underpowered amps.

 The Pulse was a total revelation. I'm hearing things on songs I have listened to for years, and on multiple different set ups, high end ones included. This is speaker like holographic presentation of details and extremely good retrieval and accuracy. The LCD felt more airy, while the HD558 totally lost the grainy effect. The HD558 also suddenly could extend to much much deeper lows. The mids are also much more forward and lush now. The LCD2 mids was just plain liquid joy. 

Sound (Cons)
- Serious lack of mid bass. Like empty desert kinda scenario. No where to be bloody found. Yes, the Pulse really outdid itself when it comes to poorer sources, where once there used to be very garbled and distorted portions of the song are all suddenly aligned beautifully into place, and details all sound realistic as hell, but the mid bass just disappears. It's like there is a valley between 20-30hz and 150Hz onwards. No proper kickdrum or even sub bass decay. The LCD2 became more Fazor than a LCD2 fazor. Polite, demure and oh so disciplined. But ******* hell I didn't buy a LCD pre fazor for that ****. 

Also, mids sometimes can be a little too forward and digital sounding on the upper registers. Like its forced too sometimes. But this doesn't appear often. The delicious liquid mids on the LCD was a total absolute joy for the most parts. Every single change in the singer's voice, tone, even details can be heard.

Conclusion: wonderful DAC, but is it worth it's $3499 price? Don't think so. Hampered by a very thin sound, mostly evident with speakers, and lack of a proper bass kick/lower mids presence, evident in headphones, hampered it's potential. Plus the occasionally digital sounding upper mids.

This needs to be paired with an amp with proper low end power.


----------



## miceblue

Interesting. I'm not hearing the lack of bass nor forward-mids on my K701....and this is the K701 we're talking about. Usually shouty mids and lack of bass are what they're known for; I don't hear either with the X Infinity.


----------



## coletrain104

miceblue said:


> Interesting. I'm not hearing the lack of bass nor forward-mids on my K701....and this is the K701 we're talking about. Usually shouty mids and lack of bass are what they're known for; I don't hear either with the X Infinity.


 
 Could be that, since this person is new to the Infinity, he wasn't properly volume matching to his previous source and amp. If he was playing it at lower volume, then less bass makes sense. However, its also possible that you volume matched it louder. Anyways, to each their own. Also, don't you have a power supply? I've heard that makes a pretty big difference on class A amps


----------



## Sentinel92

*******it Levanter!!!! Why did you post my impressions here. Haha. Its only my initial findings.

As for volume matching and all, i used the same volume levels as i did with my previous MK3B and CLAS stack, and also with other tests using HD800/Mass Kobo setup with the Aurender Flow. Initially with the HD558 i went slightly too loud but i stayed around high gain 20db sound levels after that. Occasionally i did bump up the volume but it didnt bring the bass back no matter how low i cranked. Even when i purposely went down to 8-10db with the LCD to see if the sound changes, i still didnt get any mid bass kicks.

I also compared the Pulse against the PS Audio Direct Stream DAC and NuWave III DAC. Speakers were Focus Audio FP88 SE. It was seriously thin sounding. My other friend who tried it with his Densen.B120 and DALI Ikon 2MKII felt the same. 

And no, didnt have the LPS. Unit has been running about 40 hours now. Will see if another 20-40 hours makes any diffrence, but i don't think so.


----------



## nudd

sentinel92 said:


> *******it Levanter!!!! Why did you post my impressions here. Haha. Its only my initial findings.
> 
> As for volume matching and all, i used the same volume levels as i did with my previous MK3B and CLAS stack, and also with other tests using HD800/Mass Kobo setup with the Aurender Flow. Initially with the HD558 i went slightly too loud but i stayed around high gain 20db sound levels after that. Occasionally i did bump up the volume but it didnt bring the bass back no matter how low i cranked. Even when i purposely went down to 8-10db with the LCD to see if the sound changes, i still didnt get any mid bass kicks.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have to say the bass response was seriously wonky to my ears when I first plugged it in, but after a few days it did seem to balance out and to my ears it is now pretty neutral, but with lots of bass authority when needed. I wouldn't call this a warm sounding DAC though (not compared to Wolfson DACs, for example).


----------



## Sentinel92

nudd said:


> I have to say the bass response was seriously wonky to my ears when I first plugged it in, but after a few days it did seem to balance out and to my ears it is now pretty neutral, but with lots of bass authority when needed. I wouldn't call this a warm sounding DAC though (not compared to Wolfson DACs, for example).


 

Hmmm, maybe a few more days to get used to the sound. But it was seriously jarring when the test songs didnt have the needed bass impact. It was seriously apparent on speakers. It does extend low on headsets, im not denying that, but maybe ill give it another week or so.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

sentinel92 said:


> And no, didnt have the LPS. Unit has been running about 40 hours now. Will see if another 20-40 hours makes any diffrence, but i don't think so.


 
  
  
 Mine shined after 50 hours...
 LPS made a great difference.


----------



## nudd

sentinel92 said:


> Hmmm, maybe a few more days to get used to the sound. But it was seriously jarring when the test songs didnt have the needed bass impact. It was seriously apparent on speakers. It does extend low on headsets, im not denying that, but maybe ill give it another week or so.




That may explain things because i am doing my listening exclusively through headphones and IEMs.

There seems to be some product variation where there are some versions of the DAC that sounds totally weird or lacking in bass or bright until they have had a good chance to warm up, and another lot that sounds amazing right from the get go.

Maybe it is climate? It is winter in Australia and the ambient room temparature at on the particular day I brought it homw would have been low teens (into unheated room).


----------



## miceblue

Wow, just wow. I just switched to FTM mode since I figured the femto clocks would be warmed up a bit by now (25-hours of continuous on-time). Holy smokes it sounds great with the AKG K701! *It's like a combination of the best aspects of FRM and TCM mode*:

 FRM's expansive soundstage and less apparent harshness
 TCM's instrument separation
and more. I seem to hear a much more expansive soundstage when switching from FRM mode to FTM mode. It's pretty impressive.

Are you freaking kidding me? I took a look at the LH Labs support page to see what the description of FTM mode is and what it does. Literally just what I said above is also stated in their blurb:
http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000547879-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide


> FTM (Femto Time Mode) – Uses an optimization algorithm that reduces time related distortion from the Femto Clock source, while providing better jitter performance. *It also brings out the best of both TCM and FRM filter modes.*



I'm glad it's not just me imagining things. XD




Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand my unit goes back to firmware "Main 0.0" and is unrecognised by my Mac. : (
I guess I should open a ticket after all.


----------



## kenman345

I want to get some clarification, normally burn in effects are discussed with regards to a unit being used for XX hours, but with the Geek Pulse X Fi its sounding like people might be talking about the unit just being powered on, as per the recommendation of LH Labs. I am one that fears not unplugging things in case the power goes and so I pull out my headphones whenever I am not at my desk. I also turn the unit off before I go to bed. I know the recommendation is to get the Femto clocks warm, but is my usage having any potential negative impact on the lifespan of the unit? Also, is this burn in with regard to listening time or just time the unit has been powered?


----------



## agisthos

I would say clocks are more effected by turn-on/turn-off than being kept constantly powered. It could be the opposite though....


----------



## NinjaHamster

agisthos said:


> I would say clocks are more effected by turn-on/turn-off than being kept constantly powered. It could be the opposite though....




It is indeed the opposite ... It is "affected" not "effected".


----------



## kenman345

agisthos said:


> I would say clocks are more effected by turn-on/turn-off than being kept constantly powered. It could be the opposite though....


 
  
  


ninjahamster said:


> It is indeed the opposite ... It is "affected" not "effected".


 
 Still not understanding if that means its a bad thing or indifferent


----------



## NinjaHamster

Excuse my joke. Indeed the clocks will sound better if kept permanently powered.


----------



## Sentinel92

So does leaving it on for extended periods of time even count as burning in, or its only to keep the femto clocks warm and toasty so its ready to go anytime? Not really sure about LH Labs recommendations.


----------



## NinjaHamster

The second version. You should be playing music, white noise or burn in tracks to burn the component in.


----------



## agisthos

From my limited understanding, the clocks tend to drift, the more and more they are powered and unpowered. We are no doubt talking about an infinitesimal change here.
  
 As far as non-clock break in goes, you should regularly power down everything and then boot back up, so the power caps can form properly.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

As far as my memory is correct, LH said that the Femto Clock shines after 30 min. when turned on. 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## nicolo

Has anyone tested how the AES input compares with the USB input?


----------



## wingsounds13

Several things about power cycling the Pulse and electronic equipment in general:

Solid state equipment usually lives far longer if left powered up all the time. Heat cycling and inrush current when powering up are far more deleterious to the lifespan of solid state electronic equipment than being kept powered up. Of course, there are the exceptions such as equipment that runs *very hot* (as in too hot to touch) where being powered off while not in use can be better than powered on continuously. Still, in these cases, power cycles should be as infrequent as possible - no more than once per day.

Femto clocks as used in the Pulse Xfi and X∞ take some time to warm up and stabilize. Gavin's comment about 30 minutes would be just coming up to operating temperature and really not even fully heat soaked and stabilized, this can take hours before the femto clocks are producing their best results with minimum phase noise.

Burn in or break-in time... This is still a contentious subject but here are my thoughts, gained through experience. First, I truly was a hard core skeptic on the effects of break-in on electronic equipment and I still don't understand it even though I am now convinced of the reality of break-in. Simple power on time is beneficial, but you cannot realize the full effecs of break-in without having a signal going through the equipment. My personal favorite is to play seashore recordings for ambience while not listening to music. I have done this for some time now and if done continuously will rack up operational time and burn in time at the rate of 168 hours a week. It so happens that seashore/waves sounds are much like the signal generated by some break-in devices such as the Hagerman FryBaby. The signal does not have to be high level to be effective, background and ambience sound levels are fine.

Incredibly, break-in affects digital circuits as well as analog circuits. This was proven to me by the replacement of the digital input board in my PS Audio PerfectWave DAC. That board is truly digital only and the sound improved significantly over several hundred hours of break-in (mostly with the aforementioned seashore sounds).

Just a few thoughts... 

J.P.


----------



## Greg121986

miceblue said:


> Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand my unit goes back to firmware "Main 0.0" and is unrecognised by my Mac. : (
> I guess I should open a ticket after all.


 
  
 I had this same issue. First it was with my single-ended Geek Pulse. I got about 2 hours of playback then suddenly playback stopped. The device was unrecognizable from my Linux server and Windows PC. Firmware main showed 0.0. It was unrecoverable. I had to send the unit back and LH Labs replaced the entire circuit board. 
  
 The second time was with my Geek Pulse X. I powered it up and it showed firmware main 0.0. I power cycled (off for 5 minutes) and it came back up with the correct firmware. It has been OK ever since. The only exception is the AWFUL right channel clock issue where the right channel will not sync unless you turn the volume knob. Super annoying and no fix that I'm aware of.


----------



## longbowbbs

Generally for SS gear my break in process is to hook up the device into the system, connect a lesser pair of headphones and let iTunes library run for a couple of weeks.while I travel for work. I used this same process with the Infinity with no problems. It had 300+ hours on it in less than 2 weeks and it has been a delight since I began to use it as a serious center piece in the system.


----------



## Sentinel92

I guess i needed the brain burn in rather than the Pulse burning in. After another couple of hours of listening time my brain is slowly accepting the Pulse's ruler flat bottom end response. Guess ill really really need a proper seperate amp if i want the full potential of the dac and headphones


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So something interesting happened. Basically, my pulse was working fine and all but when I tried to run my jriver media player with geek pulse (wasapi) it gives me this weird error and won't play it. If I run it Asio it's fine but just wasapi is doing this. Anyone have any clue on how to fix it? Also, does anyone know how to get audio from browsers like chrome to output audio into the pulse because I honestly can't seem to get sound from youtube videos to go through the pulse.


----------



## germay0653

wingsounds13 said:


> Several things about power cycling the Pulse and electronic equipment in general:
> 
> Solid state equipment usually lives far longer if left powered up all the time. Heat cycling and inrush current when powering up are far more deleterious to the lifespan of solid state electronic equipment than being kept powered up. Of course, there are the exceptions such as equipment that runs *very hot* (as in too hot to touch) where being powered off while not in use can be better than powered on continuously. Still, in these cases, power cycles should be as infrequent as possible - no more than once per day.
> 
> ...


 

 Blasphemer... 
  
 Just kidding J.P.!  I agree with your comments regarding break-in and to me, it's not just placebo.  Components need time to come up to equilibrium when the different materials interact best in relation to each other.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I too have this kind of error. However my computer is having problems also on its own (with USB 3.0 ports). So when I had this error thought it WAS my computer.
  
 This kind of error pops up especially when I stop playing after long periods and play another song. Such as playing another song after some burn-in time.
  
 I usually do this workarounds..
  
 = On JRiver, I choose other Audio Device: ASIO or Kernel Streaming and play something to reinitialize.
 = Restart Geek Pulse
  
 If mine persists I think I'll send them a ticket.
  
 Quote:


ethereal sound said:


> So something interesting happened. Basically, my pulse was working fine and all but when I tried to run my jriver media player with geek pulse (wasapi) it gives me this weird error and won't play it. If I run it Asio it's fine but just wasapi is doing this. Anyone have any clue on how to fix it? Also, does anyone know how to get audio from browsers like chrome to output audio into the pulse because I honestly can't seem to get sound from youtube videos to go through the pulse.


----------



## nudd

I got a similar but not the same problem occassionally after connecting my X2 or iPad (via cck) to the Pulse. It seems to be random. My win 8 tablet will recognise the Pulse but will be unable to play audio through it. Sometime, there will be a short burst of static for a quarter of a second and then no sound. But using the spdif input seems to work fine. 

The solution seems to be to turn off and reboot the device. 

I suspect this may be a usb implementation issue? It does not seem to reset and recognise a new device is connected, maybe there need to be some way to do a soft reset ...


----------



## Ethereal Sound

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


>


 
  
 Quite interestingly enough, this never happened to me until last night exactly after I renamed it from "speaker" to "headphones" under the playback devices tab in control center (Windows 7). I highly doubt this is the cause because it seems too innocuous to cause it but you never know.


----------



## Joong

It is weird here that nobody seems to listen to my case.
 Geek pulse is unstable to operate so that some change requires usually several turn ON and OFFs repetition.
 Its annoying really...
 Off the box SQ is not that good compared to my less-expensive unit.
 It seems that LH has not enough SQ manpower to do proper job.


----------



## wingsounds13

Joong: have you opened a support ticket with the LH Labs customer support team? They are the ones who can fix your problems.

J.P.


----------



## Joong

Thanks for response.
  
 I bought it indirectly from a head fier here.
 I am rightful to do that ?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

ethereal sound said:


> Quite interestingly enough, this never happened to me until last night exactly after I renamed it from "speaker" to "headphones" under the playback devices tab in control center (Windows 7). I highly doubt this is the cause because it seems too innocuous to cause it but you never know.


 
  
 Not really sure if it IS my computer OR Pulse. Too lazy to isolate the problem.
  
 Let's enjoy the music some more!


----------



## nudd

joong said:


> Thanks for response.
> 
> I bought it indirectly from a head fier here.
> I am rightful to do that ?




You can still ask for support and maybe pay for the repair but the warranty is not transferable. 

Maybe you can get the head fier to do a warranty claim as the original owner.


----------



## Joong

Thanks for suggestion.


----------



## Joong

The unit is not robust, all the function is some how interrelated so the I am afraid to navigate through all those function.
 Each function should be independent but is actually not.
 Relay is weak and its function depends on position ( orientation).
 I think that the electrical power control is not well thought out. 
 The switch nob is just above the DC plug so close that it is very cumbersome to operate.


----------



## sorue

Warranty is 'transferable' - as long as you can "provide proof of purchase (such as a receipt)". Officially, you can't, but unofficially, there's no reason why not - just have the proof of purchase. This is standard practice across other electronic gadgets too.
 http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000547780-is-the-warranty-on-my-lh-labs-product-transferable-
  
 Worst case scenario, you just need the original owner to help you process the RMA


----------



## nudd

sorue said:


> Warranty is 'transferable' - as long as you can "provide [COLOR=333333]proof of purchase (such as a receipt)". Officially, you can't, but unofficially, there's no reason why not - just have the proof of purchase. This is standard practice across other electronic gadgets too.[/COLOR]
> http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000547780-is-the-warranty-on-my-lh-labs-product-transferable-
> 
> Worst case scenario, you just need the original owner to help you process the RMA




I hope you are right but they have outright said many times that warranties on any crowdfunded products are specifically not transferable. And this specifically to discourage after market sales of the crowdfunded products.

Given the amount of angst this has caused already I think it is more than likely that the original owner will have to submit the rma.

Also what is the proof of purchase? The indiegogo receipt?


----------



## sorue

If they were trying to discourage aftermarket sales, they wouldn't have a dedicated sales section in their very own lhlabs forum where people are selling lhlabs gear lol


----------



## Roll

And depend when the Geek Pulse was bought in the campaigns, some had earn the 2 years warranty.


----------



## Roll

from
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/customer-happiness-post-concerns/3508-transferable-warranty-in-pulse-campaign
  
 Gavin Fish said:
  
 Please remember, everyone. transferable warranties in consumer electronics are very rare, especially in our price range. There's a common misunderstanding that if a product is never registered, that later it can be sold and the new owner can simply register it. But most manufacturers, including all the ones I've worked for, require proof of purchase from an authorized reseller.


----------



## nudd

You can say whatever but Mr Fish himself laid down the rules from on high so you can trade all you want but the second hand buyer will not have the benefit of the warranty!


----------



## sorue

Of course he will. He just needs the original buyer to help process the RMA. No big deal. Don't need to make a fuss over nothing


----------



## nudd

sorue said:


> Of course he will. He just needs the original buyer to help process the RMA. No big deal. Don't need to make a fuss over nothing




But if he needs the original owner to do the RMA it means the warranty is not transferable.


----------



## snip3r77

Jriver is a notch up from foobar.

Guys try this.
http://lhlabs.com/force/general/2107-jriver-dsd-sampling-rate-reporting#33288 ( Scenario 1 )

It upsamples everything to DSD, let me know if it improves your SQ


----------



## bhazard

snip3r77 said:


> Jriver is a notch up from foobar.
> 
> Guys try this.
> http://lhlabs.com/force/general/2107-jriver-dsd-sampling-rate-reporting#33288 ( Scenario 1 )
> ...


 
 It does slightly to me, but it also could be placebo. I've been doing that for awhile.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

You're Welcome! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 On upsampling to DSD128 on Foobar gives me good results on this settings:
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/music-software/1483-foobar2000-pc?start=25#34628


----------



## Decoy

I have tried and tried and tried, but I can't blind A/B any of the digital modes.  I love my Infinity and it sounds amazing, but to my ears, all the digital modes sound the same.  I keep it on FTM just because...


----------



## kenman345

decoy said:


> I have tried and tried and tried, but I can't blind A/B any of the digital modes.  I love my Infinity and it sounds amazing, but to my ears, all the digital modes sound the same.  I keep it on FTM just because...


 
 I think the FTM is still in development as well as the SSM one. 
  
 The others will really only shine through as apparent differences when you are actually using the types of songs that they do best with, otherwise the effects might not be as significant. FTM is the best of both worlds so to speak so if they all sound the same then use the one that is supposed to be the best of all of them, which is what you are using.


----------



## miceblue

There's not a huge difference between the two modes, but it's noticeable enough that I can pick them up when A/B-ing.

I have 2 Geek Outs and I was listening to two headphone rigs (one with the STAX SRS-2170, the other was with a HE1000).

The HE1000 rig was previously setup and I noticed that the STAX rig sounded much brighter/harsher than it usually does. Indeed, the GO is automatically configured by default to the TCM mode and I find that mode to sound harsh compared to FRM mode (which is what the HE1000 rig had on).

From my experience:

TCM sounds harsher, has a smaller soundstage, better instrument separation
 FRM sounds smooth, instrument separation is slightly blurred, and the soundstage opens up

As I mentioned earlier, FTM mode takes the best qualities of both from what I hear.


----------



## Decoy

miceblue said:


> There's not a huge difference between the two modes, but it's noticeable enough that I can pick them up when A/B-ing.
> 
> I have 2 Geek Outs and I was listening to two headphone rigs (one with the STAX SRS-2170, the other was with a HE1000).
> 
> ...


 
 Don't you do a lot of YouTube videos?  You and a friend should make a video of you blind A/B-ing the different modes!  That would put a lot of the nay-sayers, who claim femto clocks are a total waste, in their place.  I don't have the ears for it.  Tinnitus FTL.


----------



## Joong

Thank you guys for your opinions for warranty things.
  
 The faulty left channel might be unstable at the starting time, but when it connected after several trials it is stable.
 Today after powering with USB mode the sound is intermittently heard, and several trials as usual it is stable.
  
 When it is connected with USB whose source is still running, I now changed to Coaxial input and heard the clinking sound.
 One particular symptom is that when I shut down my computer the left channel constantly clinking.
 During the booting time the same thing happens, and again left channel is dead.
 The clinking sound might be due to the solenoid attempting to connect...
  
 I checked firmware versions: Main=2.0 MCU=2.4, and Window driver=2.23.
 The firmware possibly makes trouble?


----------



## miceblue

greg121986 said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand my unit goes back to firmware "Main 0.0" and is unrecognised by my Mac. : (
> ...



Pro tip from the support team:
Look through the "Lock" hole in the chassis on the back and the colour of the LEDs inside may tell you what's wrong with the Pulse.

^ Blue (left) and white (right) probably means the unit is good to go because after turning my Pulse X Infinity off/on, the blue LED was on and my MacBook now sees it (back to "Main 2.0")
Before I cycled it off/on ("Main 0.0"), there was only the white LED on the right.









decoy said:


> Don't you do a lot of YouTube videos?  You and a friend should make a video of you blind A/B-ing the different modes!  That would put a lot of the nay-sayers, who claim femto clocks are a total waste, in their place.  I don't have the ears for it.  Tinnitus FTL.



That would be interesting to try out. However, it's summer time now and people's schedules are all over the place. :/


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> Pro tip from the support team:
> Look through the "Lock" hole in the chassis on the back and the colour of the LEDs inside may tell you what's wrong with the Pulse.


 
  
 On the subject of the "Lock" hole. What the heck is it for (other than a tantalising look at a tiny part of the circuit board inside the Pulse?)


----------



## longbowbbs

nudd said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > Pro tip from the support team:
> ...


 
 It is a Kensington Security hole to connect a cable for theft protection.


----------



## eac3

miceblue said:


> Pro tip from the support team:
> Look through the "Lock" hole in the chassis on the back and the colour of the LEDs inside may tell you what's wrong with the Pulse.


 
  
 Thanks miceblue. Great post.


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> nudd said:
> 
> 
> > On the subject of the "Lock" hole. What the heck is it for (other than a tantalising look at a tiny part of the circuit board inside the Pulse?)
> ...



Yup. Back when the Geek Force had feature request polls and users had a limited amount of votes they can use, I voted for the inclusion of one of these lock holes. They're pretty simple enough to implement and the Pulse itself is a hefty price so I figured why not include it to be on the safe side. Now that I think about it, I don't know of another DAC/amp that has one.



[rule]
Wow, now that the Pulse X Infinity is working again, I tried connecting it to the LPS4 instead of the included switching power supply. It does indeed get quite warm. Not Geek Out warm, but it's still pretty warm; I wasn't expecting that. I've never felt the LPS4 that warm either. Too bad I don't have an infrared heat gun on hand or else I'd measure it (no I'm not going to buy one just for the sake of measuring it either, hahaha).


----------



## mscott58

> Wow, now that the Pulse X Infinity is working again, I tried connecting it to the LPS4 instead of the included switching power supply. It does indeed get quite warm. Not Geek Out warm, but it's still pretty warm; I wasn't expecting that. I've never felt the LPS4 that warm either. Too bad I don't have an infrared heat gun on hand or else I'd measure it (no I'm not going to buy one just for the sake of measuring it either, hahaha).


 
  
 How's the SQ impacted by the change to the LPS4? Cheers


----------



## miceblue

mscott58 said:


> How's the SQ impacted by the change to the LPS4? Cheers



I actually haven't had the chance to get to listen to it yet. I took some photos of the Pulse X Infinity earlier today when the sun was still around, made a review video for something else, and going to play some video games with a friend.

I figured there aren't enough photos of the Pulse in the original chassis, so I'd upload a few. XD


XLR headphone out


Single-ended headphone out


LH Labs is affiliated with the Illuminati. Confirmed.




The infamous volume knob (it feels just fine to me...dunno what the big deal about it is; the STAX SRM-252S's volume knob is like 1/3 the size and no one complains about that)


Through the "Lock" hole, you can actually see the PCB bar code




As well as some of the PCB's soldered components. I'm not sure if those are the Elna capacitors or not


RCA outputs


USB, XLR, and S/PDIF inputs; yes you can see the inside of the chassis from the XLR inputs/outputs, no I'm not going to try and get a photo of them since my digital camera has zero manual focusing options


TOSLINK input and power input/switch (these power parts actually feel pretty unstable, like a lever [switch/power input] on a fulcrum [PCB])


What appears to be nail polish or something to indicate which Pulse model it is. Even the Pulse has to look pretty.


IR sensor for the Apple Remote. It is freaking difficult to get a good photo of this since 1) it's directly behind the tinted, glossy, highly reflective polycarbonate window and 2) I can only see it in direct lighting conditions


The display is pretty


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Great photos Mice, what's your camera? 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## miceblue

Thanks! I'm using a 5-year old Nikon Coolpix S6000.


[rule]
Yup...firmware is back to "Main 0.0" now; there's no blue LED.

I was playing 16-bit/44.1 kHz music in the Audrivana Plus (version 1.5.12) media player, and it was the last song of the playlist. When it tried to loop the playlist, with DSD128 music being the first song, the Pulse X Infinity stopped working and the display still showed 44.1.

Looking through the "Lock" hole, both the blue and white LEDs were showing, but OS X still couldn't recognise the Pulse. I turned it off and back on after about 20 seconds and the blue LED was no longer illuminated. Strange.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I too took a peep...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Confirmed!!


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> Thanks! I'm using a 5-year old Nikon Coolpix S6000.
> Yup...firmware is back to "Main 0.0" now; there's no blue LED.
> 
> I was playing 16-bit/44.1 kHz music in the Audrivana Plus (version 1.5.12) media player, and it was the last song of the playlist. When it tried to loop the playlist, with DSD128 music being the first song, the Pulse X Infinity stopped working and the display still showed 44.1.
> ...


 
 Are you plugged into the LPS4 still? I had to send my LPS4 in for repair. The Pulse would shut off randomly when connected to the LPS4. It has been rock solid with the Wall Wart. I would try that before deciding the Pulse has an issue.


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> Are you plugged into the LPS4 still? I had to send my LPS4 in for repair. The Pulse would shut off randomly when connected to the LPS4. It has been rock solid with the Wall Wart. I would try that before deciding the Pulse has an issue.



Yup.

I just cycled my Pulse off/on and the blue LED is lit again. I have no idea why this happens. :/


My LPS4 has been repaired in the past. They made it compatible with USB Audio Class 1 devices as well as fixing a grounding loop.


----------



## frank2908

Im playing 96khz music through my Foobar but the geek pulse display panel only showing 44,1 K. Am I missing any step in configuring the Geek pulse/ light harmonic control panel / foobar?
 Thanks for helping


----------



## kenman345

frank2908 said:


> Im playing 96khz music through my Foobar but the geek pulse display panel only showing 44,1 K. Am I missing any step in configuring the Geek pulse/ light harmonic control panel / foobar?
> Thanks for helping


 
 yes, look at the lhlabs support FAQ, you'll find instructions on how to get it setup properly to take full advantage of the Geek Pulse


----------



## jbr1971

frank2908 said:


> Im playing 96khz music through my Foobar but the geek pulse display panel only showing 44,1 K. Am I missing any step in configuring the Geek pulse/ light harmonic control panel / foobar?
> Thanks for helping


 
  
 When you have a chance have a look at the Setup and User Guide for configuring Foobar with the Geek Pulse:
  
 http://support.lhlabs.com/solution/categories/5000116463/folders/5000184607/articles/5000556094-using-foobar2000-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide
  
 Jody


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

frank2908 said:


> Im playing 96khz music through my Foobar but the geek pulse display panel only showing 44,1 K. Am I missing any step in configuring the Geek pulse/ light harmonic control panel / foobar?
> Thanks for helping


 
  
 Few pages back have posted this. Give it a try.
  
http://lhlabs.com/force/music-software/1483-foobar2000-pc?start=25#34628


----------



## Decoy

For anyone who hates the LEDs on the LPS4, electrical tape works wonders.  It is completely invisible except under direct light and close inspection.  I recommend trying it.  It makes the Infinity/LPS4 stack look much better.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Just wondering, is the guide on lhlabs faq about how to set up jriver media player with the pulse only if you want to run dsd or is it for all audio formats?


----------



## jbr1971

ethereal sound said:


> Just wondering, is the guide on lhlabs faq about how to set up jriver media player with the pulse only if you want to run dsd or is it for all audio formats?


 
  
 The JRMC Setup and User Guide is for all audio formats.
  
 If you follow the steps up to selecting the Geek Pulse as the Audio Output device, then confirm the WASAPI or Core Audio Settings (depending on OS), that will be enough to play all non-DSD formats.
  
 Jody


----------



## nudd

frank2908 said:


> Im playing 96khz music through my Foobar but the geek pulse display panel only showing 44,1 K. Am I missing any step in configuring the Geek pulse/ light harmonic control panel / foobar?
> Thanks for helping




Your best bet is to play back using asio mode and choosing the lhl driver.


----------



## miceblue

5 days since receiving the Pulse X Infinity (4 days since opening it) and I already have to setup a RMA process. >.>

Wonder if anyone in the Geek Force forums has had a similar issue. I'll have to see if the 16/44.1 to DSD128 thing causes the glitch when I get back home.


----------



## leomitch

Sorry to hear about your plight mate! I am keeping my fingers crossed that mine continues to play nice.  I will be  interested to hear what's up with your Infinity once the team gets their hands on it. I don't think I will sell my Benchmark 1 USB quite yet!!
  
 Leo


----------



## digitallc

Has anyone tried the Pulse Infinity with Apple's new USB-C (USB 3.1) on the new MacBook?


----------



## miceblue

I found a reliable way to duplicate the "Main 0.0" issue I've been having. Before I start the RMA process, can anyone else confirm, or not, if this is an issue?

[video]https://youtu.be/NDQhG6NmPuI[/video]


At least in OS X:

 Have DSD track as song #1
 Have 16/44.1 track as song #2
 Select Pulse as DAC
 Play 16/44.1 track and skip near the end of the song
 See if the Pulse freezes up when trying to play the next song (DSD track)

That's what happens to me, and I got it on video too.


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> I found a reliable way to duplicate the "Main 0.0" issue I've been having. Before I start the RMA process, can anyone else confirm, or not, if this is an issue?
> 
> 
> At least in OS X:
> ...


 
 I am getting no hesitation or disruption when switching from 16/44 to DSD. I have assembled a mixed session with Audirvana+.  Every other song 16/44 then DSD. Smooth transitions with no noticeable noise or delay.


----------



## nicolo

How does the AES compare to the USB input? Which one's better?


----------



## uncola

could it be an issue with that particular method of ripping/creating that dsd?  maybe other dsd files ripped a different way wouldn't cause it?  maybe you could upload the file to see if it makes other peoples geek pulse glitch


----------



## snip3r77

I think I'm 150hrs already on my XFI,

I did a *simple comparo* between the amp section vs my La Figaro 330 using RCA 5693 reds and RCA 6as7g.
Level matched and using my HE-500.

It's kind of difficult for me to pick a winner, both are pretty similar. 

Music used Massive Attack - Mezzaine.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

La Figaro 339 you mean?
  
 So its like having a DAC with a dual mono SE OTL $700 amp...


----------



## mattering

Just received my Pulse X and so far, I am loving this thing! Greatly improved my Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speaker's soundstage and positioning by a milestone. My older brother, who doesn't really notice/care for these things was like "wait....what happened to the speakers? Did it like...magically improve?" Haha, gotta give props to this DAC/Amp. Haven't tested it extensively on my HE400/DT770Pro/Westone4R yet but I can't wait til I can. Also anyone know any way to bring it back to asia with me? Stuff it in between clothes and hope for the best? =X. I really...REALLY wanna test this on my main rig back there >__>.


----------



## snip3r77

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> La Figaro 339 you mean?
> 
> So its like having a DAC with a dual mono SE OTL $700 amp...




Yeah a simple comparo


----------



## Suopermanni

Loving the Sfi I have, though I had expected it to come with two Headphone outs. Oh well. It's quite good and runs every phone I've thrown at it well. While I wouldn't say the V200 is beaten by the internal amp of the Sfi, it's certainly not bad for an all-in-one. I like it to MDAC and perhaps the NAD M51.


----------



## snip3r77

suopermanni said:


> Loving the Sfi I have, though I had expected it to come with two Headphone outs. Oh well. It's quite good and runs every phone I've thrown at it well. While I wouldn't say the V200 is beaten by the internal amp of the Sfi, it's certainly not bad for an all-in-one. I like it to MDAC and perhaps the NAD M51.




How close or is it different flavor comparing both the internal amps?


----------



## Suopermanni

I haven't had the V200 for very long so I can't make any definitive judgement on that. Certainly, I think the Pulse Sfi's internal amp beats the internal amp of the MDAC. Then again, I found the MDAC to be more of a standalone DAC than an DAC/amp. That's the way I used the MDAC when I had it. The V200 sounds different enough for me to keep it and the fact that it has two headphone outs is very useful.


----------



## snip3r77

suopermanni said:


> I haven't had the V200 for very long so I can't make any definitive judgement on that. Certainly, I think the Pulse Sfi's internal amp beats the internal amp of the MDAC. Then again, I found the MDAC to be more of a standalone DAC than an DAC/amp. That's the way I used the MDAC when I had it. The V200 sounds different enough for me to keep it and the fact that it has two headphone outs is very useful.




Can see based on your v200 and my La Figaro 339 experience, the Pulse Amp section can really stand on it's own.


----------



## miceblue

longbowbbs said:


> I am getting no hesitation or disruption when switching from 16/44 to DSD. I have assembled a mixed session with Audirvana+.  Every other song 16/44 then DSD. Smooth transitions with no noticeable noise or delay.



Strange. Two other people in the Geek Force have had similar issues. I'll see if it occurs with other media players too.


----------



## nudd

Unable to reproduce with Foobar.  Have tried skipping to end, forwarding to next track, and combinations thereof multiple time, but can't get it to freeze. 
  
 On Windows 8. I with the 2.29 driver.
  
 I have to say lowly have one test track for DSD 128, which was the test track from 2L'sDSD test download tracks website so can't do a more thorough test.


----------



## Bobo Fret

Hey all,
  
 I was looking for a little advice.  I had tried and failed to purchase a Gustard H10 off Ebay - it never arrived and I was just refunded today.  I was going to pull the trigger on another H10 from another seller but decided to poke around a little to see what else was out there.   I see a couple LH Labs Geek Pulses (the base model) for roughly the same price as the H10's and I was hoping to gleen some insight as to which unit might be the better bang for the buck.  
  
 Thanks!!!


----------



## nicolo

The Pulse is a DAC+Amp, while the Gustard H10 is just an amplifier. In that sense the Pulse will be better value as it also has RCA outputs for your speakers.
 On the other hand it depends on which headphones you have. If you planar headphones and a DAC, the Gustard H10 is supposed to be great value according to most reviews.
 I don't there's been any head-to-head comparisons between the Pulse and the Gustard yet.
  
 IMO i would go for the Pulse as it's more versatile. My $0.02.


----------



## Ham Sandwich

miceblue said:


> I found a reliable way to duplicate the "Main 0.0" issue I've been having. Before I start the RMA process, can anyone else confirm, or not, if this is an issue?


 
  
 Does this only happen when using FTM mode and/or powering on the Pulse when FTM is set?  Does it happen if the Pulse is set to TCM or FRM?
  
 I got my Xfi yesterday.  Was all good yesterday.  But I was only playing around in TCM and FRM modes till just before I went to bed when I set it to FTM.  Powered off the Xfi while set in FTM.  Powered on again this evening and had a loss of the Blue Light Special.  Xfi wasn't detected by Windows.  Said "ah, bugger that" and went to go fix dinner and have a beer while the Xfi was still on.  Came back after dinner and the Xfi had warmed up.  Powered it down.  Waited.  Powered it back up and the Blue Light Special was back and the Xfi was functioning normally.  I didn't check to see if the main firmware said "Main 0.0".
  
 This is just one data point.  But makes me wonder if this is due to an issue initializing into FTM mode, especially if the Xfi is cold.  Maybe.  I wonder if I'd have the same problem if the Xfi was set to TCM or FRM?  Not an easy scenario to test cause you'd have to power down and let the Pulse Xfi get cold before powering on again to test each scenario and I haven't had time to do that.  I had no problems yesterday when the Xfi was defaulting to TCM when powering on.
  
 I've played some DSD64 files and they played fine.  I haven't tried any DSD128 files yet.


----------



## miceblue

ham sandwich said:


> Does this only happen when using FTM mode and/or powering on the Pulse when FTM is set?  Does it happen if the Pulse is set to TCM or FRM?
> 
> I got my Xfi yesterday.  Was all good yesterday.  But I was only playing around in TCM and FRM modes till just before I went to bed when I set it to FTM.  Powered off the Xfi while set in FTM.  Powered on again this evening and had a loss of the Blue Light Special.  Xfi wasn't detected by Windows.  Said "ah, bugger that" and went to go fix dinner and have a beer while the Xfi was still on.  Came back after dinner and the Xfi had warmed up.  Powered it down.  Waited.  Powered it back up and the Blue Light Special was back and the Xfi was functioning normally.  I didn't check to see if the main firmware said "Main 0.0".
> 
> ...



Interesting observation. I just tried it in FRM mode and I got the same issue unfortunately. It might be an Audirvana Plus thing since others have been able to replicate the issue too.

I personally haven't tried the FTM mode cold. My unit has basically always been on, whether it's working or not. XD
The only time it's off is when I need to reboot it from the "Main 0.0" glitch.



[rule]
I tried the Pulse X Infinity and LPS4 with my STAX SRM-252S amp for the first time yesterday. I'm not sure if it's the RCA cable, or the Pulse X Infinity's RCA outputs, but I was able to hear a noisy sound at higher volume levels (kind of like buzzing, but not like the LPS4 buzzing issue I had before). I don't think it's due to the LPS4 because when I unplug the RCA inputs, the noise goes away. I'll have to try different power supplies for the SRM-252S to see if it is the LPS4 (which I don't think is the source of noise). I don't think I have a spare RCA cable on-hand at the moment to try out with the Pulse X Infinity though, but I'll try that when I get the chance too.

Has anyone else used the Pulse's RCA outputs, and if so, is there any noise?


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> Interesting observation. I just tried it in FRM mode and I got the same issue unfortunately. It might be an Audirvana Plus thing since others have been able to replicate the issue too.
> 
> I personally haven't tried the FTM mode cold. My unit has basically always been on, whether it's working or not. XD
> The only time it's off is when I need to reboot it from the "Main 0.0" glitch.
> ...


 
  
 sounds similar to my ground or mains hum issue. I was able to greatly reduce but not eliminate it using a Jays Audio LPS. It is only audible through very sensitive iems.
  
 My next step will be to get an Anker Astro Pro 2 or similar battery pack and run off battery power. if it is an electrical hum/grounding issue then the battery pack should totally eliminate it ...
  
 Have you tried connecting through balanced outputs? It might help with noise rejection.


----------



## Ham Sandwich

I haven't had an issue with noise from the RCA outputs.  But I also haven't gone listening for noise issues by playing silence or really quiet tracks yet.
  
 Yesterday I only played around using the built-in amp on the Xfi.  Today I'm using the RCA output to my Cavalli.  I works.  Only issue so far is that the RCA jacks on the Xfi (old chassis) are too close together.  I'm using Blue Jeans LC-1 RCA cables.  The rubber red or white jackets around each cable are actually touching rather snugly.  I had to actually push push the left channel cable out of the way while plugging in the right channel.  The Blue Jeans aren't fat or overly large connectors.  Cables with overly large (normally large) RCA jacks are going to have interference issues that could possibly cause a poor connection.  And that could be a source of noise.
  
 I'm using the LPS.  I haven't even tried using the wall wart power supply yet.


----------



## FlySweep

nudd said:


> sounds similar to my ground or mains hum issue. I was able to greatly reduce but not eliminate it using a Jays Audio LPS. It is only audible through very sensitive iems.
> 
> My next step will be to get an Anker Astro Pro 2 or similar battery pack and run off battery power. if it is an electrical hum/grounding issue then the battery pack should totally eliminate it ...
> 
> Have you tried connecting through balanced outputs? It might help with noise rejection.


 
  
 In my home.. I have my LPS & Pulse hooked up to an outlet that emits quite a bit of ground hum (it's on a dimmer circuit, too) with other audio gear I've had in the past.. I haven't tested the Pulse w/o the LPS yet.. but with the LPS, I hear absolutely no hum on this outlet.  Pretty sweet.


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> I tried the Pulse X Infinity and LPS4 with my STAX SRM-252S amp for the first time yesterday. I'm not sure if it's the RCA cable, or the Pulse X Infinity's RCA outputs, but I was able to hear a noisy sound at higher volume levels (kind of like buzzing, but not like the LPS4 buzzing issue I had before). I don't think it's due to the LPS4 because when I unplug the RCA inputs, the noise goes away. I'll have to try different power supplies for the SRM-252S to see if it is the LPS4 (which I don't think is the source of noise). I don't think I have a spare RCA cable on-hand at the moment to try out with the Pulse X Infinity though, but I'll try that when I get the chance too.
> 
> Has anyone else used the Pulse's RCA outputs, and if so, is there any noise?


 
 I am using the balanced out's to the Moon Neo 430HA. Dead quiet. 
  
 Clearly you need some unobtanium RCA cables....
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## leomitch

'unobtanium' eh! So you must be another Avatar fan like me!  My favourite movie for some time, at least it would be high in my top ten list.
  
 Cheers mate
 Leo


----------



## wingsounds13

Avatar is a great movie, and better in 3D. However... Unobtanium has been around since way before Avatar. 

In my case, one instance of Unobtanium is my Pulse X∞.  Waiting until September for the 2.0 chassis is painful.

J.P.


----------



## gilfish

miceblue said:


> I found a reliable way to duplicate the "Main 0.0" issue I've been having. Before I start the RMA process, can anyone else confirm, or not, if this is an issue?
> 
> 
> At least in OS X:
> ...


 

 I have a Geek Pulse XFi and I'm getting similar behavior. It's only happened a few times, but it locks up, then when I stop Audirvana Plus (version 1.5.10) it gives me an error "Error: unable to change to Integer Mode OSError=tmfs" I submitted it to Audirvana support forum to see if Damien can give me some insight into what that error code means. It seems to happen when a track goes from a redbook track to a DSD file.
  
 For me, when I cycle the power on the Pulse Xfi, it works again. I have not checked through the lock hole to see what LEDs are lit though. Damien suggested trying to unplug the USB cable to see if it works again or if I'm forced to cycle the power on the DAC.
  
 Very strange. 
  
 Gary


----------



## Larry Ho

Hi, Gary and Miceblue
  
 Hmm... I discussed with Matt for your issues. I guest you already open a ticket there. Matt will help you solve these problems.
  
 Larry


----------



## isquirrel

DaVinci MK 2 and Sire are being released very soon. Both have substantial upgrades/improvements. 
  
 The Sire has a C3G tube output stage and multiple inputs, designed as DAC/Digital pre amp. The DaVinci MK2 is available in an 'Extreme" version the DaVinci Mk2 has R2R for PCM and separate DSD which is true native. 
  
 PCM is up to 32/768 DSD is 4 x (DSD 256) vastly improved power supplies and USB input section.
  
 Mine is going back this week for the 'Extreme" upgrade. 
  
 Same chassis and design.


----------



## miceblue

32/768 PCM with R-2R? I thought that's not possible with the R-2R architecture and that the maximum is technically true 21-bit. Getting precision resistors for true 32-bit audio would be quite a feat....and extremely expensive!


----------



## doctorjazz

Extremely expensive? Last I recall of the DaVinci pricing, it waren't no bargain basement value-for-the-dollar component!


----------



## gikigill

My Xfi is in the mail too. Looking forward to hearing it and I must say, it's been an absolute roller coaster of a trip.


----------



## nudd

gikigill said:


> My Xfi is in the mail too. Looking forward to hearing it and I must say, it's been an absolute roller coaster of a trip.


 
  
 Surprisingly my favourite combo out of all my iems and headphones as far as sheer enjoyment goes is actually the XBA-H3 driven out of the infinity. The H3 really benefits to my ears from the control and power of the infinity amp section and to my ears that bassy signature of the of the H3 is a good match to what I still think is a pretty linear sounding amp section. 
  
 For example on my HE500 I found that I needed to cut the treble slightly and increase the bass just a tad --  around 2 - 3 dB, so nothing too drastic (but that seems to be consistent with the HE500 if you look at its response compared to to Olive Welti target though, so maybe that's just the HE500 and not the Pulse).
  
 Maybe I do prefer a slightly warm of neutral sound after all and I don't think theres an absolute right answer to this, just a matter of taste ...
  
 Edit: mentioned this because I recall you like basshead headphones


----------



## gikigill

I got my Equalizer and the LPS4 warmed up and raring to go. The XBA-H3 is a fantastic combo with the Geek 1000 so the bigger brother should be something else.I do prefer a bassy but cold signature. The Audeze range is too warm for me but the bass is great however the HE6 has great bass but a more overall neutral tone.


----------



## BaTou069

OK Community,
  
 I FINALLY received my Pulse Sfi!! 
  
 Was identified from the beginnin, I guess the Geek Out Driver is the same one as for the Pulse SFi?
  
 I have no heavy load headphone to test the amp to its fullest, only the He400 which is not at home but on a loaner.
 So my testing headphones are the Shure SE846 IEM and the NAD Viso HP50, two headphones who certainly do appreciate a good DAC, but don't scale on amps.
  
 Some basic questions:
 Did you hear a sound difference after burn in?
 What are the common comments on its amp section?
  
 The only strange thing I have noticed are strange noises when switching tracks. It's like I hear music between the tracks. Some kind of weak preview of a song, not even sure if it's one of the tracks I was/am playing...
  
 The overall sound is very clear, vivid and musical. Not sure if something will change, maybe the noise will stop.
  
  
 What were your observations regarding noise while quiet?
  
 I understand that it came with the latest firmware already, so no need to upgrade.
 Thanks


----------



## nudd

I had this sort of weird glitchy playback effect when I first played back the thing on FTM mode, but after the clocks warmed up it kind of went away by itself after around 2 hours and I haven't turned it off since, except to reboot it when it locks up occassionally when switching from Android phone to Win8 tablet or DX50 coax as sources.


----------



## BaTou069

nudd said:


> .... DX50 coax as sources.


 
  
 Just tried the DX90 coax source with the DX90 mini cable, but I don't hear nothing...very strange.


----------



## nudd

batou069 said:


> Just tried the DX90 coax source with the DX90 mini cable, but I don't hear nothing...very strange.


 
  
 Don't want to state the obvious, but did you plug the cable into SPDIF 1 and then choose SPDIF 1 as the input? Sometimes power cycling will get it to lock, try turning off, wait 10 seconds or and then restart.


----------



## BaTou069

nudd said:


> Don't want to state the obvious, but did you plug the cable into SPDIF 1 and then choose SPDIF 1 as the input? Sometimes power cycling will get it to lock, try turning off, wait 10 seconds or and then restart.


 

 Yes... have to check if the cable is ok


----------



## Decoy

miceblue said:


> 32/768 PCM with R-2R? I thought that's not possible with the R-2R architecture and that the maximum is technically true 21-bit. Getting precision resistors for true 32-bit audio would be quite a feat....and extremely expensive!




Why would you only be able to go up to 21-bit? Can't you just make the ladder as long as you want?


----------



## miceblue

If you can list just one true 24-bit R-2R DAC outside of LH, I'd be surprised. XD

Getting enough precision for 24-bits in an affordable price range would be quite a feat. The Yggdrasil is only 21-bits for example and they're using a DAC chip that's only ever been used in military and medical applications.


----------



## kenman345

miceblue said:


> If you can list just one true 24-bit R-2R DAC outside of LH, I'd be surprised. XD
> 
> Getting enough precision for 24-bits in an affordable price range would be quite a feat. The Yggdrasil is only 21-bits for example and they're using a DAC chip that's only ever been used in military and medical applications.


 
  
  
 https://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/r2r-for-the-rest-of-us/
  
 You're welcome


----------



## 3083joe

miceblue said:


> If you can list just one true 24-bit R-2R DAC outside of LH, I'd be surprised. XD
> 
> Getting enough precision for 24-bits in an affordable price range would be quite a feat. The Yggdrasil is only 21-bits for example and they're using a DAC chip that's only ever been used in military and medical applications.


 

 Hmmmmm


----------



## Decoy

miceblue said:


> If you can list just one true 24-bit R-2R DAC outside of LH, I'd be surprised. XD
> 
> Getting enough precision for 24-bits in an affordable price range would be quite a feat. The Yggdrasil is only 21-bits for example and they're using a DAC chip that's only ever been used in military and medical applications.




Just because nobody makes a 32-bit r2r dac doesn't mean it is not possible. As far as I understand it, there are no technical limitations to making 32-bit ladder.


----------



## BaTou069

I did some listening tests today with my brand new Pulse Sfi.
  
 I compared
 DX90->Coaxial Out to SPDIF1 Pulse Sfi -> Shure SE846
 Dx90 -> Shure SE846
  
 Since the Headphone out and the Coaxial out of the DX90 can run simultaneously, volume level matching was easy.
 I was quiet shocked by the result, it sounded the same, I have difficulties to make out a difference from first impression.
  
 On the other hand, the Geek Out sounds different then the DX90. Could this be due to missing burn in? Am I hallucinating? Is the DX90 that good?


----------



## AxelCloris

Nobody makes a 32-bit R2R? Huh, news to me.
  
 http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/DAC1911/DAC19EN.htm
 http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-7/M7EN.htm
 http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-11/M11EN.htm


----------



## wingsounds13

Sorry dude but the PCM1704 is a 24 bit DAC chip. The Audio GD may accept 32 bit input and may do 32 bit signal processing but the D/A converter is still only 24 bit.

J.P.


----------



## miceblue

decoy said:


> Just because nobody makes a 32-bit r2r dac doesn't mean it is not possible. As far as I understand it, there are no technical limitations to making 32-bit ladder.



THD is one of the major limitations of R-2R DACs because precision resistors, even 0.01% tolerance ones are erroneous after 20-bits.







axelcloris said:


> Nobody makes a 32-bit R2R? Huh, news to me.
> 
> http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/DAC1911/DAC19EN.htm
> http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-7/M7EN.htm
> http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-11/M11EN.htm



Except the PCM1704 is a 24-bit DAC, not a 32-bit one. It just has a 32-bit interface, which isn't the DAC. The DAC chips themselves are only 23-bit. 
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/405/pcm1704-442330.pdf


----------



## AxelCloris

wingsounds13 said:


> Sorry dude but the PCM1704 is a 24 bit DAC chip. The Audio GD may accept 32 bit input and may do 32 bit signal processing but the D/A converter is still only 24 bit.
> 
> J.P.


 


miceblue said:


> Except the PCM1704 is a 24-bit DAC, not a 32-bit one. It just has a 32-bit interface, which isn't the DAC. The DAC chips themselves are only 23-bit.
> http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/405/pcm1704-442330.pdf


 
  
 Huh, I stand corrected. I thought the PCM1704 was 32-bit but looking at the info from TI it isn't. Carry on.
  
 http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/pcm1704.pdf


----------



## 3083joe

batou069 said:


> I did some listening tests today with my brand new Pulse Sfi.
> 
> I compared
> DX90->Coaxial Out to SPDIF1 Pulse Sfi -> Shure SE846
> ...



How you like the Sfi as a dac only? Compared to other dacs? 
Thanks.


----------



## doctorjazz

I thought the DX90 was good, but my Pono sounds better. I'm not sure the "line out" is really line out, if I remember you can still change the volume when using that jack. So you may just be double among, hearing the DX90 both times...


----------



## nudd

doctorjazz said:


> I thought the DX90 was good, but my Pono sounds better. I'm not sure the "line out" is really line out, if I remember you can still change the volume when using that jack. So you may just be double among, hearing the DX90 both times...


 
  
 But he is not using line out, he is using the digital out. It may be the case that the digital out is not bitperfect and there is dsp applied to the digital out. 
  
 One thing that is annoying is we cannot see the samplng rate for tbe spdif input on the geeks.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Burn it in.  When I opened mine. Right out its seemed a bit like my GO. With little bass. 
  
 Now its night and day in comparison.


----------



## Joe-Siow

Get a good PSU. Significant improvement after I swop out the stock PSU for a 3rd party one.


----------



## doctorjazz

I don't think the DX90 HAS a digital out...I have one. It has 2 outputs, 1 is supposed to be line out, but I don't think it is really a line out either...Could be wrong, or maybe something is wrong with mine.


----------



## nudd

doctorjazz said:


> I don't think the DX90 HAS a digital out...I have one. It has 2 outputs, 1 is supposed to be line out, but I don't think it is really a line out either...Could be wrong, or maybe something is wrong with mine.


 
  
 On my DX50 I have the analogue outs at the bottom, and the digital out at the top. 
  
 Your DX90 shpuld come with a special cable, which looks like a normal 3.5mm trs on one side and a coax on the other side. it is very short and quite thick. It can plug direct into spdif1 or 2 at the back of the Pulse.


----------



## doctorjazz

Forgot all about that (and where I put that cable), not convenient with my particular gear, but maybe I'll contact iBasso about another cable. Thanks!


----------



## perdigao

longbowbbs said:


> I am getting no hesitation or disruption when switching from 16/44 to DSD. I have assembled a mixed session with Audirvana+.  Every other song 16/44 then DSD. Smooth transitions with no noticeable noise or delay.


 
 I will test it and report back... When using RCA outputs, it has been extremely stable and I had no issues with dropping.  Once I start to use the XLR outputs in the back (balanced), I get drops all the time .... Will open a Ticket with LHLabs...
  
 Things I've confirmed:
 - All outputs work/output at the same time (front and back)
 - Unbalanced outputs (with DSDs and FLACs) are working fine (no drops in days playing non-stop on random)
 - Balanced out (rear ones) drop consistently within minutes
  
 - Using JRiver
 - DSF64 & DSF128 / FLAC
 - Drops on Balanced out happens with ASIO or WASAPI drivers  (Native DSD on ASIO or DoP)


----------



## Muinarc

I got a tracking email from LH yesterday. I backed in Dec 2013 if anyone is curious where they might stand for an XFi.


----------



## mscott58

muinarc said:


> I got a tracking email from LH yesterday. I backed in Dec 2013 if anyone is curious where they might stand for an XFi.


 
 Congrats and enjoy!


----------



## chartwell85

muinarc said:


> I got a tracking email from LH yesterday. I backed in Dec 2013 if anyone is curious where they might stand for an XFi.


 

 Nice!!  The shipping team is in high-gear this week so I'm expecting that many of you will receive shipping notices for your Pulse units.


----------



## kenman345

muinarc said:


> I got a tracking email from LH yesterday. I backed in Dec 2013 if anyone is curious where they might stand for an XFi.


 
 Are you asking about what someone would pay for your unit?
  
 I would highly recommend trying to listen to it first. And if you truly are trying to get rid of it, Head-Fi rules indicate you are not allowed to make a profit on crowdfunded items (or really anything these days). You are best to try the swap meet section of LH Labs forum to get someone willing to pay a fair price though and rather quickly. 
  
 I am loving my X Fi.


----------



## Joe-Siow

kenman345 said:


> Are you asking about what someone would pay for your unit?
> 
> I would highly recommend trying to listen to it first. And if you truly are trying to get rid of it, Head-Fi rules indicate you are not allowed to make a profit on crowdfunded items (or really anything these days). You are best to try the swap meet section of LH Labs forum to get someone willing to pay a fair price though and rather quickly.
> 
> I am loving my X Fi.


 
  
 I believe you might have misunderstood Muinarc's post. I interpreted that he's getting a shipping notice now when he backed in Dec 2013, and I believe his intention is to inform others where they might stand in terms of timeline.
  
 Muinarc, please feel free to correct me.


----------



## kenman345

joe-siow said:


> I believe you might have misunderstood Muinarc's post. I interpreted that he's getting a shipping notice now when he backed in Dec 2013, and I believe his intention is to inform others where they might stand in terms of timeline.
> 
> Muinarc, please feel free to correct me.


 
 Ah, that may also make sense. I guess we have all the bases covered.


----------



## Muinarc

Hah yeah I was just letting other people know so they might be better able to guess where they are in the queue. I'm actually in the group that upgraded to the Soul/Vi so I have to send this guy back when those are ready to ship. I'd be in real trouble if I sold this Pulse!


----------



## Maelob

i just got a shipping notice today for my infinity- i am a nov 14 backer.


----------



## mscott58

maelob said:


> i just got a shipping notice today for my infinity- i am a nov 14 backer.




Old chassis I assume?


----------



## chartwell85

maelob said:


> i just got a shipping notice today for my infinity- i am a nov 14 backer.


 

 Yeah buddy!  Some Infinity goodness is heading your way!


----------



## Maelob

old chasis- i think most of the all chasis backers will get theirs soon


----------



## mscott58

maelob said:


> old chasis- i think most of the all chasis backers will get theirs soon




Just got my Infinity shipping notice as well and just in time for my upcoming birthday! Woo-hoo! 

Thanks LHL!


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Just got my Infinity shipping notice as well and just in time for my upcoming birthday! Woo-hoo!
> 
> Thanks LHL!


 

 Happy Birthday Michael!


----------



## doctorjazz

Cool, I have a Vi coming, hoping for my birthday too (next May!))


----------



## doctorjazz

And, happy birthday as well!


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Just got my Infinity shipping notice as well and just in time for my upcoming birthday! Woo-hoo!
> 
> Thanks LHL!


 
  
 誕生日おめでとう (Happy Birthday)
  
 Hope you love the Infinity. Mine will be here eventually.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> 誕生日おめでとう (Happy Birthday)
> 
> Hope you love the Infinity. Mine will be here eventually.




Thanks all! 

You only turn 30 once. 










Something I did quite a while ago!


----------



## chartwell85

mscott58 said:


> Just got my Infinity shipping notice as well and just in time for my upcoming birthday! Woo-hoo!
> 
> Thanks LHL!


 

 Happy Birthday Michael!!


----------



## mscott58

chartwell85 said:


> Happy Birthday Michael!!




Thanks Casey!


----------



## kenman345

Hey everyone, anyone know why it seems that the LPS and Geek X models all dropped. I could've sworn a few days ago they were all much more expensive. Is there a sale going on? I would've loved to get a longer USB Cable or two but those are not on any discount


----------



## coletrain104

That's so weird, even Xfi dropped in price. Maybe its the lack of the new chip, which makes it suddenly less desirable, but that still doesn't explain the LPS. Perhaps they're pricing the Xfi to be a competitor in the market for the Yggdrasil?


----------



## mscott58

kenman345 said:


> Hey everyone, anyone know why it seems that the LPS and Geek X models all dropped. I could've sworn a few days ago they were all much more expensive. Is there a sale going on? I would've loved to get a longer USB Cable or two but those are not on any discount


 
 What price were they before? Looks like the X is now at $1,299 and the Xfi at $2,399 on the LHL Marketplace. Also the LPS is showing $599 and the LPS4 $899. Cheers


----------



## digitalzed

mscott58 said:


> Just got my Infinity shipping notice as well and just in time for my upcoming birthday! Woo-hoo!
> 
> Thanks LHL!


 

 Happy birthday Michael!


----------



## coletrain104

mscott58 said:


> What price were they before? Looks like the X is now at $1,299 and the Xfi at $2,399 on the LHL Marketplace. Also the LPS is showing $599 and the LPS4 $899. Cheers


 
 Previously, the LPS was $900, X was $1600, XFi was $3100 (?), LPS4 was $1200


----------



## digitalzed

kenman345 said:


> Hey everyone, anyone know why it seems that the LPS and Geek X models all dropped. I could've sworn a few days ago they were all much more expensive. Is there a sale going on? I would've loved to get a longer USB Cable or two but those are not on any discount


 

 They put up some of the old chassis models on Kickstarter a few days ago. I'm not sure, but I think when they're out of these then that will be it for the old chassis and anything else will be built on the new chassis.


----------



## mscott58

digitalzed said:


> Happy birthday Michael!


 
 Thanks Jeff!


----------



## mscott58

coletrain104 said:


> Previously, the LPS was $900, X was $1600, XFi was $3100 (?), LPS4 was $1200


 
 Maybe they're honing in on more realistic retail pricing? 
  
 The 3 "extra" Infinities on IGG went for $2,199, which was a heck of a deal for a recent backer if the Xfi is going to be around $2400 and the quoted price for the Infinity is $3,199 and they also got a 10G USB cable included. 
  
 Good deals, but not as good as those of us who got in early!
  
 Cheers


----------



## FlySweep

I had my HD650's stock cable re-terminated to an XLR cable (and part of it used as an XLR-to-6.3mm adapter.. huzzah!).  I can now finally hear the Pulse X Infinity in all its balanced glory.. and it sounds terrific with the HD650.
  
 IME, high gain is definitely the way to go with the HD650.  Even when (roughly) volume matched (to the best of my abilities), high gain sounds more dynamic, possesses a better soundstage, and is (generally) more fleshed out vs mid & low gain.  Mid & Low gain sounds flatter (less dimensional) and dynamically compressed, in comparison.  I know the popular opinion (and electrical theory) states gain levels.. when volume matched.. *shouldn't* make this kind of a difference.. but to my ears.. with the X Infinity.. it does.. and I've been around this hobby (and personal biases) long enough that I tend to trust my ears.  Also, Larry mentioned it's best to choose a gain setting that's comfortable for your ears and keeps the digital volume as close to 0db as possible (to minimize bit loss during attenuation), but again.. even with the greater attenuation that high gain typically demands, it sounds better than low & medium gain (despite them being closer to 0db at the same volume).


----------



## alvin1118

I've been powering up my Geek Pulse X 24/7 with LPS, anyone did the same ?
 It does get warm somehow


----------



## mscott58

mscott58 said:


> Just got my Infinity shipping notice as well and just in time for my upcoming birthday! Woo-hoo!
> 
> Thanks LHL!


 
 USPS updated and shows it arriving tomorrow! Have to love Priority 2-Day.


----------



## Anaximandros

I can collect my Xfi tomorrow from the local post office even though I didn't want it to be shipped...


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> sounds similar to my ground or mains hum issue. I was able to greatly reduce but not eliminate it using a Jays Audio LPS. It is only audible through very sensitive iems.
> 
> My next step will be to get an Anker Astro Pro 2 or similar battery pack and run off battery power. if it is an electrical hum/grounding issue then the battery pack should totally eliminate it ...
> 
> Have you tried connecting through balanced outputs? It might help with noise rejection.



Oh whoops, I had meant to reply back to you.

I don't have a dual 3-pin balanced cable for the balanced output, so I wouldn't be able to test it. The STAX amp only accepts RCA inputs too, so I don't have any equipment that would be able to use the AES analogue output of the Pulse X.


----------



## digitalzed

alvin1118 said:


> I've been powering up my Geek Pulse X 24/7 with LPS, anyone did the same ?
> It does get warm somehow


 

 Me too.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

December backer, just received my Xfi shipping confirmation!


----------



## leomitch

anaximandros said:


> I can collect my Xfi tomorrow from the local post office even though I didn't want it to be shipped...


 
  
 Enjoy mate!  I am sure you will be pleased with it!
  
 Leo


----------



## coletrain104

silvertrumpet999 said:


> December backer, just received my Xfi shipping confirmation!


 
 So you backed December 2014? is it Infinity or regular Xfi? November backer here, thought I would still have a long wait for my unit


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

My first Pulse unit contribution was 12/19/13. I subsequently upgraded to the Xfi, but stopped short of the infinity.
  
 I've had my LPS4 for a while now, powering my GO450.


----------



## Ham Sandwich

alvin1118 said:


> I've been powering up my Geek Pulse X 24/7 with LPS, anyone did the same ?
> It does get warm somehow


 
  
 I got my Xfi late last week.  I've also got the LPS.  I've had it on 24/7 since the weekend.  The Xfi does get warmer than I expected.  Makes me wonder how much electricity it's using while being idle like that.
  
 Good news is that it seems to sound better now than when I first got it and listened to it while it was brand new and cold.  I don't know if that is due to burn-in or due to temperature stability now that it has been left on for a few days.  I'll find out over the next few months as I play with it.


----------



## kothganesh

Alvin, I use the Xfi and always with the LPS.


----------



## Anaximandros

Tha





leomitch said:


> Enjoy mate!  I am sure you will be pleased with it!
> 
> Leo




Thanks mate. I can enjoy the Xfi for a week and that's it. I'm going to work overseas from July to mid August and from September till October. 

That's why I didn't want the Xfi to be shipped after Manny asked about it for the ViDac Trade Program.


----------



## Decoy

alvin1118 said:


> I've been powering up my Geek Pulse X 24/7 with LPS, anyone did the same ?
> It does get warm somehow




I run my Infinity off the LPS4 24/7. It sounds great. Yes, it gets quite warm but I don't think it is something to worry about.


----------



## Ham Sandwich

What has been people's experience with how long it takes for the Xfi to warm up enough for the femto filter mode to finally kick in and do its thing?  Cause I just had an experience this evening when I turned on FTM mode.  And it took a couple of days of 24/7 on time.  The Xfi is transformed into something really amazing once FTM mode kicks in (you'll hear it when it happens).  Does it really take 3 or 4 days of on time before this magic kicks in?


----------



## leomitch

For me it was about 50 hours. It sounded very good almost right away, but when the Femto's warmed up and unwound, the sound was as I have described, real, focused, natural...so musical.
  
 Leo


----------



## uncola

I got bored and I'm easily amused by puns


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It's about the same time for me... Around 50hrs burn-in time. 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## sorue

leomitch said:


> For me it was about 50 hours. It sounded very good almost right away, but when the Femto's warmed up and unwound, the sound was as I have described, real, focused, natural...so musical.
> 
> Leo


 

 x2. exactly my experience. X Fi sounds stunning and a true giant killer. I know, we've heard that for every other FOTM DAC around, but the X Fi truly is quite special


----------



## kenman345

I got my LPS coming tomorrow. I also have a little treat (modded headphones) coming today that I will show you guys tonight when I have a chance to listen to them. 
  
 I plan to burn in my X Fi, LPS(does it burn in?) and headphones while I am away this weekend.


----------



## Ham Sandwich

50 hours for the femto to hit its stride?  That's going to make it difficult to demo at meets.  I'll need a battery pack to keep it running and warm while driving it to the meet.  
  
 FTM mode (once warmed up) is where the magic is.  Especially when using it with an amp like the Liquid Fire.  The LF makes the magic even more noticeable compared to the internal Xfi amp.  Before the FTM mode kicked in I was having doubts about the Xfi.  Thinking it probably wasn't going to work out for me.  But now I'm feeling much better.  Very much better.  I scored myself a pretty special DAC.


----------



## miceblue

Maybe 50 hours is the sweet spot, maybe not. I had mine running for 2 days before I switched to it. I don't think it takes that long though if you just want it running at thermal equilibrium. I believe Larry said it takes around 4 hours for them to warm up but it doesn't sound too bad before then.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I was (and I think WE were) talking about 50 hours of BURN-IN TIME to open things up.
  
 LH said that Femtos need at least 30 min. to kick in its thing.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

While I'm waiting for this to arrive, let's talk filters.
  
 I hear a lot of appreciation for the FTM filter. Did people prefer FTM even before the ~50-hour break-in/warm-up period is complete? Obviously assuming you have the femto clocks.


----------



## FlySweep

I like the Femto a lot, too.. and find SSM is legitimately well suited for streaming Tidal, Spotify, GPAA, etc.  I think my unit's still conditioning/breaking in.. I'm probably around the 50 hr mark.. amp section still sounds a little more compressed than I'd expected (even w/ using the balanced jack for the HD650)  As far as warm up, I find the X Infinity sounds _good_ after 30-45 minutes.. and is _great _after at least two hours of continuous up time.


----------



## miceblue

Er, I don't think SSM is released yet. Larry is still working on that one and he last posted about a few days ago saying it works well for Tidal and YouTube.


----------



## leomitch

miceblue said:


> Er, I don't think SSM is released yet. Larry is still working on that one and he last posted about a few days ago saying it works well for Tidal and YouTube.


 
 I believe you are correct...SSM has not been activated yet...or am I wrong?!
  
 Leo


----------



## MikeyFresh

leomitch said:


> I believe you are correct...SSM has not been activated yet...or am I wrong?!
> 
> Leo


 

 Nope not yet, I believe it just reverts back to the same filter you were last listening to.


----------



## FlySweep

miceblue said:


> Er, I don't think SSM is released yet. Larry is still working on that one and he last posted about a few days ago saying it works well for Tidal and YouTube.




Lol.. Well, there's placebo for you (er, me).. It sure sounded slightly brighter to my ears than FTM.. But clearly, that was in my head.


----------



## mscott58

flysweep said:


> Lol.. Well, there's placebo for you (er, me).. It sure sounded slightly brighter to my ears than FTM.. But clearly, that was in my head.


 
 Ah, that's the "IYH" filter...


----------



## Ham Sandwich

silvertrumpet999 said:


> While I'm waiting for this to arrive, let's talk filters.
> 
> I hear a lot of appreciation for the FTM filter. Did people prefer FTM even before the ~50-hour break-in/warm-up period is complete? Obviously assuming you have the femto clocks.


 
  
 Mine took a couple days before the FTM filter didn't sound broken. After a couple days of the Xfi being left on 24/7 the FTM filter finally kicked in and did magic instead of making things sound worse.
  
 When listening with the Liquid Fire amp I was getting really weird wonky soundstage when engaging the FTM filter.  Weird things with some songs.  With some songs the soundstage would lose all depth and go completely flat, and would get unnaturally wide and separated.  That is the complete opposite of what the Liquid Fire normally sounds like.  I've never ever heard the Liquid Fire sound like that with any DAC before.  Really weird.  I'd plug the headphones (LCD-2 balanced) in the Xfi and it wouldn't sound right, but also wasn't sounding that wrong.  Then switch over to the Liquid Fire and the sound would be so completely wrong.  It was like that for the first day and part of the second day.  Then I stopped trying the FTM filter for the third day.  Tried it again on the 4th day and finally experienced magic.  Throughout this time the TCM and FRM were working.  Only the FTM filter was wonky.
  
 I don't know how much of that was due to an initial burning-in of the DAC, and how much was due to the femto clocks needing to stabilize.  After I get some more burn-in time on the DAC I'll turn it off overnight, then turn it on and try the FTM filter to see how it behaves and how long it takes to settle and do magic again.  Hopefully it takes a few hours rather than 50+ hours to get that magic back.


----------



## leomitch

Don't worry! The 50 hours was the initial burnin. It only takes an hour or so to warm u the old femto clocks after the Infinity has been off for awhile.
  
 Leo


----------



## mscott58

Darn USPS! Expected delivery date of today for my Infinity has come and gone. Now I have to wait another day. 
  
 Well, given how long this trip has been, I guess I can't really complain about one more day, but it's a bit of torture to give an estimate and build up hope only to then push it back. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## kenman345

Had a pair of Koss headphones modded and reterminated. These babies are now rocking a 3.5mm TRRS in prep for a Geek Out V2, and I made an extension adapter cable to get it to 4-pin XLR. 
  
 These headphones are for a friend as a present actually, but I am gonna enjoy them for a few days before I send them to him. Really enjoying them.
  
 Got my LPS supposedly arriving tomorrow, which means that we have potential for things to get way better since my unit isnt even fully burnt in yet.


----------



## coletrain104

I don't get why streaming music should sound different/need a special digital filter. Does this mean SSM will sound superior with streamed music, but not regular files? what makes that difference? seems strange to me


----------



## miceblue

Stable Streaming Mode attempts to predict incoming signals with an altered USB buffer. Streaming music has no protocols to reduce any jitter, so SSM will attempt to help reduce that.

It's pretty interesting if you ask me. I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing before.

Once again, the idea was brought to Larry's attention from the Geek Force upon the release of Tidal.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

My suspicion is that it's not truly predictive, rather, it's... a buffer. The latency between the audio on the comp and the audio from the device has to be increased.
  
 This is how devices like the Apple Airport Extreme are able to output a digital stream from AirPlay, even over less-than-ideal Wi-Fi. It's buffered. This is a separate problem from the usual USB2 stream, with its own challenges (how big should the buffer be, how do you gracefully handle dropouts, etc.). The devil is of course in the details and these are non-trivial, but I can't imagine the secret sauce boiling down to more than a clever buffer.


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> Stable Streaming Mode attempts to predict incoming signals with an altered USB buffer. Streaming music has no protocols to reduce any jitter, so SSM will attempt to help reduce that.
> 
> It's pretty interesting if you ask me. I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing before.
> 
> Once again, the idea was brought to Larry's attention from the Geek Force upon the release of Tidal.




This is the bit i dont get. There is already a super duper 3L patent pending whatever buffer technology implemented in the Pulse. Why should you need to predict anything.

As far as the femto is concerned I agree. Even if i leave it the whole day, when i get home and play music, for the first hour sounds pretty cold and the soundstage is very flat. As in right inside the head and in between the ears flat. 

Then suddenly after about an hour of playing music something magically clicks and the magic happens.


----------



## gilfish

larry ho said:


> Hi, Gary and Miceblue
> 
> Hmm... I discussed with Matt for your issues. I guest you already open a ticket there. Matt will help you solve these problems.
> 
> Larry


 

 Hi Larry,
  
 I submitted a support ticket as you suggested. My support ticket number is #12040. By the way, I tried to figure out how to reproduce the issue, but I can't seem to figure out what triggers it. Unlike Miceblue's issue, mine seems to be very intermittent. There are more details in the support request.
  
 Gary


----------



## kenman345

I am afraid to try but is it possible to pair a second/new apple remote with a unit that had a different remote previously? I wanted to figure out if I can use two different remotes around my room and/or what happens when/if mine breaks or is lost in the future, what happens then


----------



## mscott58

nudd said:


> This is the bit i dont get. There is already a super duper 3L patent pending whatever buffer technology implemented in the Pulse. Why should you need to predict anything.
> 
> As far as the femto is concerned I agree. Even if i leave it the whole day, when i get home and play music, for the first hour sounds pretty cold and the soundstage is very flat. As in right inside the head and in between the ears flat.
> 
> Then suddenly after about an hour of playing music something magically clicks and the magic happens.


 
 So it seems like there are two separate, but related, timelines on the Xfi/Sfi/Infinity to be aware of. 
  
 First is the "burn-in" time when the unit is new, which from the group seems to be around 50-100 hours. 
  
 Second is "warm-up" time, with the Femto's stabilizing, which seems to be around 45-60 minutes. 
  
 I'll be leaving my Infinity on full time (hope to get it today!) so after a week I shouldn't have to worry about either of these timelines! 
  
 Cheers


----------



## germay0653

nudd said:


> This is the bit i dont get. There is already a super duper 3L patent pending whatever buffer technology implemented in the Pulse. Why should you need to predict anything.
> 
> As far as the femto is concerned I agree. Even if i leave it the whole day, when i get home and play music, for the first hour sounds pretty cold and the soundstage is very flat. As in right inside the head and in between the ears flat.
> 
> Then suddenly after about an hour of playing music something magically clicks and the magic happens.


 

 I believe it has more to do with improving the sound of the lower sampling rate files used by Pandora (128 Kbps) and Spotify (320 Kkbps).  It somehow manages to improve, maybe predict, what a higher sampled file would sound like plus fixing jitter issues.
  
 From Vi DAC Indiegogo page:
*SSM (Stable Streaming Mode)* is designed to optimize Vi DAC for streaming music. This mode combats two most important issues of streaming your music: time-fluctuated high jitter music content, and compressed roll off of high frequency harmonics. With SSM, Vi DAC will restore your streaming music's timing using our patent-pending three layer buffer. Expect a richer sound in the mid and high band frequency range.


----------



## mandrake50

ham sandwich said:


> Mine took a couple days before the FTM filter didn't sound broken. After a couple days of the Xfi being left on 24/7 the FTM filter finally kicked in and did magic instead of making things sound worse...
> I don't know how much of that was due to an initial burning-in of the DAC, and how much was due to the femto clocks needing to stabilize.  After I get some more burn-in time on the DAC I'll turn it off overnight, then turn it on and try the FTM filter to see how it behaves and how long it takes to settle and do magic again.  Hopefully it takes a few hours rather than 50+ hours to get that magic back.


 
 I am a bit confused about all of this. If it takes 50 hours after a person gets their unit with Femto clocks to work properly with the FTM filter, how can they possibly QC test these things before they go out the door. If they did test it, and it takes 50 hours to stabilize,  then they must have already run the units in for that period.   If we accept that it only takes running the units in once, then an hour to warm up, then the conclusion has to be that LHL did not test the filter before shipment. That would put their entire QC program into doubt for me.


----------



## coletrain104

mandrake50 said:


> I am a bit confused about all of this. If it takes 50 hours after a person gets their unit with Femto clocks to work properly with the FTM filter, how can they possibly QC test these things before they go out the door. If they did test it, and it takes 50 hours to stabilize,  then they must have already run the units in for that period.   If we accept that it only takes running the units in once, then an hour to warm up, then the conclusion has to be that LHL did not test the filter before shipment. That would put their entire QC program into doubt for me.


 
 I would assume that they just make sure everything is functioning, rather that doing listening tests to see if it performs up to par.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

mandrake50 said:


> I am a bit confused about all of this. If it takes 50 hours after a person gets their unit with Femto clocks to work properly with the FTM filter, how can they possibly QC test these things before they go out the door. If they did test it, and it takes 50 hours to stabilize,  then they must have already run the units in for that period.   If we accept that it only takes running the units in once, then an hour to warm up, then the conclusion has to be that LHL did not test the filter before shipment. That would put their entire QC program into doubt for me.


 
 You are assuming that what we're hearing - if we're hearing it - is easily (or, potentially at all) testable. Things can meet spec and still need to settle down. We know super accurate clocks need time and thermal stability to settle in for their best performance.
  
 I built a Bottlehead Crack once, and played with swapping the 12ax7 tube. I could never measure a difference between tubes. I could swear I could hear differences, though I never set up a blind A/B test to verify it wasn't all in my head. I hear the same from McIntosh tube guys - the designers say it shouldn't matter, any good tubes will meet spec, but people swear up and down you should get NOS Telefunkens. This does not mean McIntosh were remiss if they didn't test each amp with Telefunkens.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

About 50 hrs burnin time when people started hearing very good results.
  
 FTM kicking in after 50? LH says minimum of 30 minutes to take affect, 2hrs to optimum/stabilize. So I think its not the case here.
  
 I you're hearing something special after 50hrs. its just the result of the whole unit burning-in. With the FTM sharing its magic. 
  
 My 0.02.


----------



## mandrake50

silvertrumpet999 said:


> You are assuming that what we're hearing - if we're hearing it - is easily (or, potentially at all) testable. Things can meet spec and still need to settle down. We know super accurate clocks need time and thermal stability to settle in for their best performance.
> 
> I built a Bottlehead Crack once, and played with swapping the 12ax7 tube. I could never measure a difference between tubes. I could swear I could hear differences, though I never set up a blind A/B test to verify it wasn't all in my head. I hear the same from McIntosh tube guys - the designers say it shouldn't matter, any good tubes will meet spec, but people swear up and down you should get NOS Telefunkens. This does not mean McIntosh were remiss if they didn't test each amp with Telefunkens.


 
 Yes, I assume that the sort of differences described here would be measureable. I also assume that QC would require the clocks to be stabilized, prior to testing. Common wisdom here has become (mostly because a few people stated it to be so) that the process takes 50 hours. Maybe a bit arbitrary, but still is what gets repeated. So if we are to believe this, then it follows that this break in was not done previously.
  
 You mention some other cases which are unrelated. Vacuum tubes and precision digital clocks... hmmm. If the clocks are not accurate, or are drifting enough to degrade the sound, this should definitely be measureable.


----------



## miceblue

There we go:
http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/3682-pulse-xfi-impression-with-lps4-lightspeed-10g-split#58698
[quote="Larry]
My personal experience here ---

Femto clocks need badly ONE weeks burn-in. And leave it on. Once turn off, the first two hours you lost the magic of such a smooth high from Femto.

Elna caps on line-out needs two weeks. The real silk material needs more time. But worth it.

FTM is the best digital mode I like personally for most music. PDLL is more relax due to Femto's accuracy.
I love the violin of TCM and some vocals too. FRM works very nice with some modern records and large scale of music.

FYI. [/quote]



But seriously, this really does sound like snake oil. -___-''
http://www.elna-america.com/tech_audio_series.php


> It is well known that silk is spun by silk worms. Since silk is an animal product, the primary constituent of the fiber is protein. Normally, the vegetable fiber (Manila hemp or craft pulp) used in normal aluminum electrolyte capacitors has a cellulose base material. Simultaneously, this gives different shape and different characteristics of the fibers.
> ...
> At Elna, we have moved forward with development activities based on the perspective that this "softness" of silk can mitigate vibrational energy, which is generated from the electrodes in the capacitor. Also, this silk softness will mitigate the vibrational energy of the music propagating through the air and striking the capacitor. Ultimately, the softness will mitigate the mechanical vibrational energy that comes from transformers or rotating systems within the final product.




From the materials tab:


> Silk fiber content
> * Improves the midrange responsiveness and low range richness there in



Totally not subjective, ambiguous marketing


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

mandrake50 said:


> Yes, I assume that the sort of differences described here would be measureable. I also assume that QC would require the clocks to be stabilized, prior to testing. Common wisdom here has become (mostly because a few people stated it to be so) that the process takes 50 hours. Maybe a bit arbitrary, but still is what gets repeated. So if we are to believe this, then it follows that this break in was not done previously.
> 
> You mention some other cases which are unrelated. Vacuum tubes and precision digital clocks... hmmm. If the clocks are not accurate, or are drifting enough to degrade the sound, this should definitely be measureable.


 
 For the purposes of discussion they're exactly the same, because we're talking about testing to specs. Meets spec? Great. I'm not sure if LH Labs states they burn these in before sending them out, but worth noting that even for companies that do (e.g., Schiit Yggy) people claim further burn-in effects.
  
 The moral of this story is it probably doesn't matter if you burn-in or not, so long as your components start out good, improve with burn-in, and are unlikely to fail early when they'd have been caught beforehand. It's potential early failures that a burn-in period is for, not testing/spec.
  
 Actually a lot of what we hear, at least effects that are backed up by double blind A/B[/X] tests, is beyond the range of current test gear. The state of the art is usually using white noise or a frequency sweep, and investigating what happens when two different sine waves are amplified at the same time. That's all. In the real world we use these things to amplify a combination of thousands of diverse harmonics - and what happens then? It's not tested. Nobody does that. Nobody even tries to quantify that! It would be interesting to look into, though.
  
 So, keep in mind that even real, audible effects may not be testable.


----------



## krikor

germay0653 said:


> I believe it has more to do with improving the sound of the lower sampling rate files used by Pandora (128 Kbps) and Spotify (320 Kkbps).  It somehow manages to improve, maybe predict, what a higher sampled file would sound like plus fixing jitter issues.
> 
> From Vi DAC Indiegogo page:
> *SSM (Stable Streaming Mode)* is designed to optimize Vi DAC for streaming music. This mode combats two most important issues of streaming your music: time-fluctuated high jitter music content, and compressed roll off of high frequency harmonics. With SSM, Vi DAC will restore your streaming music's timing using our patent-pending three layer buffer. Expect a richer sound in the mid and high band frequency range.


 
  
 Wonder if SSM is doing anything like what Clari-Fi purports to do.
  
 http://www.clarifisound.com/


----------



## leomitch

The burn-in and femto warm-up all have to do with  musicality. I believe that there are unquantifiables involved in musicality and these immeasurable, as yet, factors are detected by the brain's hearing apparatus. Whatever it means when I use the metaphor...the femto warms up and unwinds its muscle or that the burn-in has allowed the unit's parts to synchronize or whatever metaphor you like, it refers to whatever happens to electronics so that they convert digital stuff more musically. 
 I am not sure that anyone has yet described the physics of musicality and I am not certain we have sensitive enough programmes to do this right now.
 Others will say this is a placebo effect!
 Whatever happens, we all, pretty well, seem to attune ourselves to these arcane unquantifiable factors. Our DAC's all sound better to us somehow...I for one struggle to explain. Really struggle! 
 Anyone?
  
 Leo


----------



## mscott58

Ah! USPS came today while I was home but didn't seem to ring the doorbell, just left a notice. Now that's another day until I get my Infinity. The universe is conspiring against me... 
  
 (okay, not really, but a little drama never hurt, right?)


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Ah! USPS came today while I was home but didn't seem to ring the doorbell, just left a notice. Now that's another day until I get my Infinity. The universe is conspiring against me...
> 
> (okay, not really, but a little drama never hurt, right?)


 
  
 Can't stop by your local post office around 5:30pm and pick it up yourself? I can do that sometimes.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Can't stop by your local post office around 5:30pm and pick it up yourself? I can do that sometimes.


 
 Good idea Brian, but unfortunately our post offices around here don't stay open that late - it's a "next day" thing once you get a delivery slip. 
  
 Not a huge deal, as there's also a fair chance that my wife is going to steal the box and wrap it up so I actually have to wait until the day of my birthday to open it.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

That could be true...


----------



## mandrake50

silvertrumpet999 said:


> For the purposes of discussion they're exactly the same, because we're talking about testing to specs. Meets spec? Great. I'm not sure if LH Labs states they burn these in before sending them out, but worth noting that even for companies that do (e.g., Schiit Yggy) people claim further burn-in effects.
> 
> The moral of this story is it probably doesn't matter if you burn-in or not, so long as your components start out good, improve with burn-in, and are unlikely to fail early when they'd have been caught beforehand. It's potential early failures that a burn-in period is for, not testing/spec.
> 
> ...


 
 I guess that  we would never be able to measure non-audible effects then could we. No way to measure how well that filter is working that doesn't even exist yet... or to verify that exact point when "magic" happens in the life of an audio device. But we are real good at claiming that we "know" that.
  
 My original post was really more to express skepticism about the statements being bandied about in relation  to run in time required for the Pulse. It seems to be attributed to changes in the clock, which in particular I can't see. This for many reasons, but chief among them is the TCXO (temperature compensated) Femto clock used with vanishingly low drift with the typical range of temperatures it will encounter in this application. This, of course, because Larry talked about those vanishingly small audiophile differences after half an hour to two hours.
  
 In any case, I know from being around here for a long time that this kind of discussion is a waste of everyone's time. No one ever changes their mind about anything.
  
 Leo, my old acquaintance from the knife sharpening world, did you ever consider that your hearing apparatus (not just ears, but the entire ear/brain system) is what changes far more than how those electrons behave ... Have you ever noticed that it is hardly ever (I don't remember any cases) said that anything gets worse with use time?  Could it be because all we ever read is glowing reports? In any case, people perceive what they perceive. I can't argue this point. I do find it fascinating to contemplate the question of what  the mechanism is that causes that perception to be what it is. I am sure that I have digressed quite enough... back to convincing people that it takes 50 hours for a femto clock to learn to tell accurate time...


----------



## Paspasero

So are more people starting to receive theirs? I did the 399 payment plan deal back in December. Paid it off in March, and now I am just waiting.. I think last time i messaged LH customer support they said September...


----------



## nudd

In my case thr Pulse was actually glitching and not playing music properly on initial plug in. 

The rest may be placebo but the glitching fixing itself would not be.


----------



## coletrain104

leomitch said:


> The burn-in and femto warm-up all have to do with  musicality. I believe that there are unquantifiables involved in musicality and these immeasurable, as yet, factors are detected by the brain's hearing apparatus. Whatever it means when I use the metaphor...the femto warms up and unwinds its muscle or that the burn-in has allowed the unit's parts to synchronize or whatever metaphor you like, it refers to whatever happens to electronics so that they convert digital stuff more musically.
> I am not sure that anyone has yet described the physics of musicality and I am not certain we have sensitive enough programmes to do this right now.
> Others will say this is a placebo effect!
> Whatever happens, we all, pretty well, seem to attune ourselves to these arcane unquantifiable factors. Our DAC's all sound better to us somehow...I for one struggle to explain. Really struggle!
> ...


 
 More knowledgeable people than I on the unmentionable site have noted the difference in pre-ringing and post-ringing in the instances of the dac being warm or cold. When warmed up, the whole piece measured more adequately. I believe this was done with the limited edition Geek Out. There is a very measureable difference, and even if the GO special edition (I don't know if they have them) does not include femto clocks, I assume that these clocks just need it more.


----------



## alvin1118

Glad to know most of the people keep their Pulse powered on all the time. 

It sounds good; hoping to see the next firmware release soon. I'm having DSD to PCM switching problem, if I didn't stop the DSD before PCM start, right channel will mute . This is consistent bug I've encountered so far


----------



## doctorjazz

I do believe the GEEK OUT Special Edition has the femto clock.


----------



## Ham Sandwich

mandrake50 said:


> I am a bit confused about all of this. If it takes 50 hours after a person gets their unit with Femto clocks to work properly with the FTM filter, how can they possibly QC test these things before they go out the door. If they did test it, and it takes 50 hours to stabilize,  then they must have already run the units in for that period.   If we accept that it only takes running the units in once, then an hour to warm up, then the conclusion has to be that LHL did not test the filter before shipment. That would put their entire QC program into doubt for me.


 
  
 It isn't necessary to do excessively long burn-in in order to do QC during manufacturing.  Only need to burn-in long enough to weed out any parts that might have an early infant mortality failure.  Then a final QC check after that and it's good to ship.  If all the parts are in spec and passes QC checks then the proper sound quality and functioning will happen even if more burn-in is needed to achieve best performance or sound quality.
  
 Not many hi-fi equipment manufacturers will do extra long burn-in for pure sound quality reasons.  It would be difficult to do if manufacturing in volume.  Consider how much extra manufacturing space and power outlets would be needed to keep a weeks worth of manufacturing output in racks and powered on.  Smaller low volume manufacturers may do extra burn-in for sound quality reasons, but for larger manufacturing and batch manufacturing that is not likely.
  
 I'm actually glad that they didn't burn in the Xfi for a week before sending it to me.  That way I get to do the burn-in and get to experience that burn-in for SS equipment actually can be noticeable and necessary.  Consider it an educational experience.  This is the first SS amp or DAC where I've noticed such a big change during burn-in.  Kinda neat.
  
 I'm still surprised that it took 4 days of initial burn-in for the femto clocks to kick in.  I wasn't expecting that they would need a long burn-in like that.  But this is also the first DAC I've owned that has femtos.


----------



## Ham Sandwich

miceblue said:


> There we go:
> http://lhlabs.com/force/impression/3682-pulse-xfi-impression-with-lps4-lightspeed-10g-split#58698


 
  
 You've got a much better memory of what Larry has posted than I do.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 He says they need a week to burn in.  I can believe that now.
 My experience is that they need four days of initial burn-in to even function reasonably well.
  
 I've had my Xfi for almost a week now.  And turned on constantly for over 5 days now.  It's still getting smoother sounding after each day.
  
 I got goosebumps last night while listening to "The Chopin Project" (CD res).  That's the kind of listening experience I'm after with a DAC and what I need a DAC to be able to do.  The Xfi does it.  And it's still not fully burned in yet.  I'm pretty happy about the DAC now.


----------



## AxelCloris

doctorjazz said:


> I do believe the GEEK OUT Special Edition has the femto clock.


 
  
 It does if the owner was willing to wait for them. I'm pretty sure all of us chose to have the Femto clocks added but hey, I could be wrong.
  
 Sadly no FTM but it's a portable device so I'll just deal with it.


----------



## doctorjazz

axelcloris said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > I do believe the GEEK OUT Special Edition has the femto clock.
> ...




Never realized you could out out of the femto, what would be so special, then?


----------



## AxelCloris

doctorjazz said:


> Never realized you could out out of the femto, what would be so special, then?




Hand matched components, upgraded internals, gold body. Like I said I'm pretty sure everyone went for the Femtos.


----------



## doctorjazz

Yeah, I knew that, but still...
Anyway, can't tell about femto warm up, keep it connected to the PC at all times. Don't remember a sudden "Aha" moment when I got it and it suddenly sounded great, thought it sounded great from the get go...


----------



## mscott58

Geek Pulse X Infinity is in the house! Picked it up from the PO this morning. 
  
 ...and as expected after opening it to make sure it was okay my wife confiscated it to be wrapped for my birthday. Oh well, what's another week or so! 
  
 I was going to try to explain to her about burn-in and femto clock thermal stabilization and such and why I should be allowed to plug it in and have it get some time under its belt before my birthday, but then thought better of it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Cheers


----------



## kenman345

mscott58 said:


> Geek Pulse X Infinity is in the house! Picked it up from the PO this morning.
> 
> ...and as expected after opening it to make sure it was okay my wife confiscated it to be wrapped for my birthday. Oh well, what's another week or so!
> 
> ...


 
 Can I have her contact information? I wanna see if she'll send me yours and I'll send you my X Fi while you're not looking. Lol
  
  
 The patience on you, I dont think I could do it.
  
 No mention of an LPS, did you not order one? I received mine yesterday and with just a few minutes to listen to it last night it was quite enjoyable and different than just my X Fi alone. Still early to comment but definitely happy I bought it. Things were definitely more clear and made my headphones feel a bit wider.


----------



## mscott58

kenman345 said:


> Can I have her contact information? I wanna see if she'll send me yours and I'll send you my X Fi while you're not looking. Lol
> 
> 
> The patience on you, I dont think I could do it.
> ...




Ha! Nice. 

And yes, I have an LPS4 that's been eagerly awaiting its partner for about a month. 

Cheers


----------



## kenman345

mscott58 said:


> Ha! Nice.
> 
> And yes, I have an LPS4 that's been eagerly awaiting its partner for about a month.
> 
> Cheers


 
 Nice.
  
 I have to use cheap cables for the time being with the amount of dstance I need to cover for my LPS and X Fi, basically 2x 2m cables.
  
 I have 2x 2m Lightspeed 1G cables on the way though, should be arriving in hte next week or so. Also, I went on the Indie Go Go campaign for the Geek Out V2 and ordered a 0.3m extender cable to get a little bit extra length on one of the cables since the current ones I am using are much more flexible and yet I still dont have much slack


----------



## FlySweep

Any reccos on a nice, short usb cable to connect the LPS to the X?  I know Monoprice is there.. wondering if there're any nicer cables for a little more (i.e. Schiit Pyst and the like).   I've got two 2m LightSpeed 1G (or 2G?  I'm not sure, atm) cables  and they're entirely too long for my setup..  might see if LH can swap them for a pair of 1m cables.. or I'll sell them and get a pair of shorter cables.


----------



## Shaldome

Looks like German customs did not believe the declared value of 189 $ on the customs deceleration dispatch note.  -.-
  
 Received a letter from DHL that they were unable to declare the package and that I can pick it up at my nearest customs office. I am to take an invoice or order confirmation when I pick it up.
 Was there something like this in the package? I created a ticket and asked them if they can provide me with something. Otherwise I have no idea what I am going to show them.
  
 [edit] Well, that was fast, got a (commercial) invoice sent to me already by email. Let's hope that's enough.


----------



## Anaximandros

I had no problems with the declared value of my Pulse Xfi.
  
 I'm also in Germany.


----------



## Shaldome

I think it must have been just bad luck getting the "wrong" person checking the package. Happens sometimes


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

What? With all the bla bla bla found on the label. They will not believe it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Sometimes "too lawful" is also unbelieavable.


----------



## spyder1

The LightSpeed 2G cable is the best way of connecting the Pulse, to the LPS. Check the Blog on the LH Labs website.


----------



## nudd

spyder1 said:


> The LightSpeed 2G cable is the best way of connecting the Pulse, to the LPS. Check the Blog on the LH Labs website.




Is it back in stock? It wasnt shipped with my Pulse


----------



## spyder1

I believe that I got the last one, before they ran out. I had tried different USB combinations, which led to frustration. I believe the Pulse was designed to be connected to the LPS with the 2G cable.


----------



## spyder1

J Play, makes a similar USB cable J CAT, (http://jplay.eu/jcat/). Other cable companies are working on split configure USB's.


----------



## snip3r77

Just re-arrange my gear and now I'm using metal power distributors ( no filter ) instead of generic plastic ones.
It upped a few levels. It's crazy.


----------



## nudd

snip3r77 said:


> Just re-arrange my gear and now I'm using metal power distributors ( no filter ) instead of generic plastic ones.
> It upped a few levels. It's crazy.


 
  
 forgive my ignorance but what is a metal power distributor?


----------



## snip3r77

nudd said:


> forgive my ignorance but what is a metal power distributor?




Some sort like this
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xpower+distributor.TRS0&_nkw=power+distributor&_sacat=0


----------



## doctorjazz

OK, what is the difference between this, say, and a power conditioner you would use for audio and/or video?


----------



## FayeForever

Hi,
 Do we have an update for the infinity with the new chassis?
 Last time I heard is that they have few new chassis waiting for Larry's final pick.


----------



## krikor

snip3r77 said:


> Some sort like this
> http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xpower+distributor.TRS0&_nkw=power+distributor&_sacat=0


 
 So the link, at least when I click it, goes to a long list of distributor caps for Power Ram 50 trucks. What am I missing here?
  
 EDIT: OK, just noticed I can filter this by clicking surge protectors and power strips, which I assume is what you are talking about.
  
 If the idea is that a metal casing helps isolate/shield the power outlets, here is a simple low-cost option (albeit not as "sexy" as those more expensive cases at ebay): http://www.guitarcenter.com/Live-Wire-Power-Strip-with-10--Cord-106080807-i1790187.gc
  
 They are easy to open up and disassemble, and you can even roll your outlets if so desired. I'm using one as a chassis for a simple AC filter with remote trigger. They include a simple filter and surge protection, but those can be easily removed. BTW - these are identical to the Furman SS6B which are about twice the price (only difference is a 10' vs. 15' cable).


----------



## snip3r77

krikor said:


> So the link, at least when I click it, goes to a long list of distributor caps for Power Ram 50 trucks. What am I missing here?




http://www.ebay.com/itm/pasb6-6-Outlet-Mains-Power-Strip-Distributor-Unit-AU-EU-UK-US-Plug-Socket-HiFi-/301327716447?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item462888105f


----------



## krikor

snip3r77 said:


> http://www.ebay.com/itm/pasb6-6-Outlet-Mains-Power-Strip-Distributor-Unit-AU-EU-UK-US-Plug-Socket-HiFi-/301327716447?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item462888105f


 
 Got it... thanks!


----------



## nicolo

Posted some impressions of the Regen vs the Wyrd on the LH Labs forum (links below). It was tested with my old iBasso D7 as i haven't received the Infinity (new chassis) yet:
  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekout/1490-geekout-signature-edition-chord-hugo-idsd-micro?start=150#67661
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekout/1490-geekout-signature-edition-chord-hugo-idsd-micro?start=150#67666
  
 Received the Uptone Audio Regen (Amber) today morning. Have been running it with the LPS for the last 4 hours. Posted some quick comparisons with the Schiit Wyrd below.

 First impressions - Regen vs Wyrd

 1) Treble detail and extension: Initially seemed too close to call. However after listening to some Linkin' Park and Infected Mushroom songs, it's pretty clear that the Regen has cleaner and better treble extension while the Wyrd seems to be a little bit smeared and rolled in the upper treble region.

 2) Midrange: Vocals sound more natural, clearer with better imaging compared to the Wyrd. The Wyrd's midrange did seem a little more forward compared to the Regen. I would say that the Regen gets the midrange spot on.

 3) Bass: In terms of bass quantity they seem to be the same. Bass through the Regen hits harder and cleaner, is better textured and defined giving the impression that it has better bass extension than the Wyrd.

 4) Soundstage: The Regen again has a bigger and wider soundstage than the Wyrd. There also seems to be more depth. Truly holographic sound.

 5) Imaging: This is where Regen really beats the Wyrd. It's pinpoint imaging combined with an utterly black background means that each instrument is seemingly suspended in utterly pitch black space and it's location can be precisely located and identified. Awesome!!

 6) Tonality: The Regen is transparent and balanced. The Wyrd sounds a bit warmer with a roll of in the upper treble region.

 I thought i would be writing more in-depth impressions next week. I don't see the need anymore as the Regen quite handily beats the Wyrd. It's not a night and day difference. It's just that through my LS50's there's a jump factor with the Regen in the chain which is missing with the Wyrd.

 Summary:

 The Regen presents a transparent, holographic, pitch black, clear and balanced soundstage with excellent imaging. All of this without any harshness (unless it's there in the recording). It's just excellent value for what it does. The sound is rich and full.

 Edit:

 Have to say that that my initial impression of the bass performance was partially wrong. After listening to the "The Fire Rises" and "The End" from the "The Dark Knight Rises" soundtrack, the bass seems more muscular and unfettered with much better textural resolution.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

Just received a shipping notice for:

*Item #**Description**Qty*LH-GP-GPX-XFI-001Geek Pulse DAC X-FI1
  
 As per my survey, I'm expecting an Infinity in the new chassis. This must be an old chassis. Is this the item number for the Infinity or the Pulse XFI? A photo of someone else's receipt showed the Infinity as Item # LH-GP-GPX-INF-001,
  
 Is it time to open a ticket?


----------



## mscott58

discosmoke said:


> Just received a shipping notice for:
> 
> LH-GP-GPX-XFI-001Geek Pulse DAC X-FI1
> *Item #*
> ...




Sounds like ticket time!


----------



## doctorjazz

Regen, huh? Been using my GO Special Edition plugged into a Vaunix hub. Sounds like this might improve things further. Hmmm...also waiting on a Wave And a Vi, seems a relatively inexpensive way to upgrade the sound.


----------



## mscott58

doctorjazz said:


> Regen, huh? Been using my GO Special Edition plugged into a Vaunix hub. Sounds like this might improve things further. Hmmm...also waiting on a Wave And a Vi, seems a relatively inexpensive way to upgrade the sound.




Yeah, I jumped on the Regen train as well. Low $ (relatively) and fairly risk free due to the popularity of the Regen and the limited production. And after Geek I'm well trained at waiting. Cheers


----------



## miceblue

Sometimes I have to wonder what USB reclockers do to a signal. To me at least, it sounds like double-amping: you're adding something else in the chain that might degrade the signal. And then if you believe in cables, you have to add another cable to the USB reclocker.


----------



## doctorjazz

Well, went in for much more from LH Labs with no feedback (as the products didn't exist), took a chance on $183.55 with many raves! Also, like LH Labs, will have to wait, but the mid August predicted delivery time still KILLS waits on all the LH gear I've gone for. I'll report in again.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

Anyone with December 2013 order dates actually receive an Xfi yet? I keep opening a ticket checking status about ever month or so, and I swear I have only moved up 30 places in line this year (I was about #230) and even then whoever closed ,y ticket said it was because other people changed or cancelled their orders. Are Xfi units just not shipping at all?
I know we can't cancel our orders, but has anyone been able to return an order for a full refund after it was received?


----------



## DiscoSmoke

ultimate mango said:


> Anyone with December 2013 order dates actually receive an Xfi yet? I keep opening a ticket checking status about ever month or so, and I swear I have only moved up 30 places in line this year (I was about #230) and even then whoever closed ,y ticket said it was because other people changed or cancelled their orders. Are Xfi units just not shipping at all?
> I know we can't cancel our orders, but has anyone been able to return an order for a full refund after it was received?


 
 I just received a shipping notice for an Xfi, and I had a December 2013 order date.


----------



## jonbernard

ultimate mango said:


> Anyone with December 2013 order dates actually receive an Xfi yet? I keep opening a ticket checking status about ever month or so, and I swear I have only moved up 30 places in line this year (I was about #230) and even then whoever closed ,y ticket said it was because other people changed or cancelled their orders. Are Xfi units just not shipping at all?
> I know we can't cancel our orders, but has anyone been able to return an order for a full refund after it was received?


 
  
 I just received my Xfi last week. I also originally ordered in December 2013.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

I received my Xfi last Friday. My initial Pulse contribution was in December 2013.


----------



## gikigill

The Pulse XFI with the S.E.X is a killer combo. Hard to see how anything could match it at this price.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

gikigill said:


> The Pulse XFI with the S.E.X is a killer combo. Hard to see how anything could match it at this price.


 
 This is exactly what I'm listening through right now as well, into my HE-500s. I agree.


----------



## leomitch

gikigill said:


> The Pulse XFI with the S.E.X is a killer combo. Hard to see how anything could match it at this price.


 
 Sorry to be thick, but I am 80 now...what is S.E.X. I have forgotten I am afraid!
  
 Leo


----------



## gikigill

Its a kit valve amp.
  
 Here: http://bottlehead.com/s-e-x-2-1-specs/
  
 I,m running the XFI  as a DAC and feeding the SEX.
  
 Using STAX, MDR-F1, Maddog 3.2 and JH16 earphones/headphones.


----------



## chartwell85

leomitch said:


> Sorry to be thick, but I am 80 now...what is S.E.X. I have forgotten I am afraid!
> 
> Leo


 

 Leo, 
  
 Whatever you do, please don't Google Pulse XFi  S.E.X.  or any other combination of it.   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Trying to keep you around for a while longer old friend!


----------



## leomitch

chartwell85 said:


> Leo,
> 
> Whatever you do, please don't Google Pulse XFi  S.E.X.  or any other combination of it.
> 
> ...


 
 That is very kind of you Casey! I stopped Googling regarding S.E.X some time ago...for my own safety! My heart doesn't take the strain too well anymore ! ROTFLMAO!
 Thanks for your concern matey!
  
 Leo


----------



## miceblue

Just saw this.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imv5-OhQbZI[/video]


So........does that mean the 4x more expensive Pulse X Infinity units, probably the flagship of the "Geek" products, do not get to pass all of these tests?


----------



## hemtmaker

Hi guys, 
  
 Has anyone experienced this?
  
 I have noticed that whenever I turn on the geek pulse infinity after it was off overnight (windows 7, USB connected all the times), windows recognizes the pulse but there is no sound playing thru. However, if I turn it off and on again, it will work.
  
 Now, if I first unplug the USB cable before turning on the pulse, it will work.
  
 Turning the pulse on after it was off for a short period of time (i.e 30mins), shows no problem.
  
 Is this behaviour normal? I dun mind having to unplug the USB cable all the times before I turn on the pulse, i just want to make sure that my unit is not defective. (FYI, i tried reinstalling the driver but it didn't help)
  
 Cheers,


----------



## leomitch

It does do that, but I leave my Infinity on all the time, so not a concern. Frankly, once you know it does that, it is no big deal.  If that is the only problem, then I am still happy.  
 I suspect that they will try to fix this glitch in the new ones and perhaps they can solve it by a firmware update with the units already out there.


----------



## hemtmaker

leomitch said:


> It does do that, but I leave my Infinity on all the time, so not a concern. Frankly, once you know it does that, it is no big deal.  If that is the only problem, then I am still happy.
> I suspect that they will try to fix this glitch in the new ones and perhaps they can solve it by a firmware update with the units already out there.




I see. Thanks for the info.


----------



## krikor

hemtmaker said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Has anyone experienced this?
> 
> ...


 
 Have you tried turning the volume knob a few clicks when you turn the Pulse back on? When you say "no sound playing thru" do you mean that the computer does not recognize it? I ask because there is a mute function that reduces volume when it is shut off, though I'm not sure why that would matter between 30 min. and overnight.


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> Just saw this.
> 
> [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imv5-OhQbZI[/video]
> 
> ...




I think larry has posted on the lhl forum test result of the infinity old chip but not the new chip.


----------



## hemtmaker

krikor said:


> Have you tried turning the volume knob a few clicks when you turn the Pulse back on? When you say "no sound playing thru" do you mean that the computer does not recognize it? I ask because there is a mute function that reduces volume when it is shut off, though I'm not sure why that would matter between 30 min. and overnight.




When I say there is no sound thru it, I meant the connection cannot be established properly. With foobar, I actually cannot play any music as the software show as error message. With vlc player, videoplay will stutter and no sound. Although under windowds sound menu, the pulse option shows up.


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> I think larry has posted on the lhl forum test result of the infinity old chip but not the new chip.


yeah he did, but the point was that all Indiegogo Geek Outv2 and v2+ units have to pass all of those Audio Precision tests, whereas no such tests are required for the X Infinity.


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> yeah he did, but the point was that all Indiegogo Geek Outv2 and v2+ units have to pass all of those Audio Precision tests, whereas no such tests are required for the X Infinity.


 

 Everything goes through AP tests.  X Infinity included.


----------



## miceblue

chartwell85 said:


> Everything goes through AP tests.  X Infinity included.



Thanks for the reply Casey! From that video, it seemed like it was only the GOv2/v2+ units that get the rigorous AP tests as stated at 3:35 as well as 0:38. This is the first time these testing procedures have been announced.


----------



## Shaldome

So got my Pulse XFi from the customs office this morning. My guess now of why I had to pick it up although it was declared sufficiently on the outside is that the guy woo read the label had no clue of what the content was.
  
 The customs dude handed me the package an told me to open it to show the contents.
 He asks me "What is it?" 
 "A digital to analogue converter"
 *Irritating look from the customs guy*
 "You put one and in your computer and put a headphone on the other side to listen to music."
 "Ah." notices the XLR connection "Oh it even has these old connectors!"
 *I smile dutifully and nod*
 "What would be the German word for it?"
 "Ehm..Digital Analog Wandler?"
 "That sounds good!" *proceeds too look for something for about two minutes" "Mh...where would they list something like that?"
 "Maybe HiFi equipment?"
 "Good idea!" *continues to look for something for another three minutes* "Ah there it is! Was there the whole time and I didn't notice it: Analog to digital converter!"
 *I stay silent and slowly nod*
 "No extra duty only 32,20 € VAT!"
 *I grab my parcel thank him, go pay my duty fee and head t work*
  
 But now I finaly got to listen to it for a few hours. I actually wanted to listen to it directly for a few days before connecting it to my Bottlehead Crack, but I could not wait. Definitely have to try it out some times later.


----------



## hemtmaker

leomitch said:


> It does do that, but I leave my Infinity on all the time, so not a concern. Frankly, once you know it does that, it is no big deal.  If that is the only problem, then I am still happy.
> I suspect that they will try to fix this glitch in the new ones and perhaps they can solve it by a firmware update with the units already out there.




Hi Casey, can you confirm whether this glitch will be fixed in the next firmware update? Thanks


----------



## wingsounds13

This problem (and many other small bugs still extant) may not be fixed in the next firmware update, but I suspect that they are working on all bugs of which they are aware and they will eventually be fixed in some future updates.

J.P.


----------



## mandrake50

wingsounds13 said:


> This problem (and many other small bugs still extant) may not be fixed in the next firmware update, but I suspect that they are working on all bugs of which they are aware and they will eventually be fixed in some future updates.
> 
> J.P.


 

 The eternal optimist !!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well here is the lates iteration for the new case based on the latest update:
  
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-audio-high-rez-desktop-sound-system#/updates


----------



## musicheaven

Better get used to the look and feel, everything else they'll build from now on will be derived from this prototype.


----------



## snip3r77

Looks like oppo and mdac


----------



## vnmslsrbms

I don't like the look.  Might be their photography skills (too much reflecting off a grainy finish) but it doesn't look high end.  Feels like they skimped on the materials.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

vnmslsrbms said:


> I don't like the look.  Might be their photography skills (too much reflecting off a grainy finish) but it doesn't look high end.  Feels like they skimped on the materials.


 
  
 I can kinda see what you mean by that but I personally like it a lot more than the original chassis. Too bad I can't get this chassis for the Sfi but w/e, in the end it sounds fine the way it is.


----------



## miceblue

Yeah the photos remind me of taking a photo with flash and the artificial light just makes it look bad. *I try to avoid using my camera's flash whenever possible because of that*

It probably looks better in reality. Photos of the Pulse look sub-par, but in-person it looks just fine.


----------



## agisthos

There is no nice way to put this, the new chassis is ugly as sin, same as the old chassis. LHLABS has shown consistently they have no clue about designing nice casework.
  
 What happened to the company that build the Light Harmonic Davinci DAC? No doubt an external consultant came up with that design.
  
 The Geek products are entry level, so you can never expect anything too flash or the level of the DaVinci DAC.
 But there is a multitude of DAC's selling for under 2k that have a far nicer build than either of the Geek chassis.
  
 In the end, its the sound that counts, and I hope the Pulse Infinity sounds good, but the visual design is a joke.


----------



## leomitch

Well, cruel words and maybe for you true, but from my perspective I like both the designs. I have an Infinity with the old chassis and it suits my tastes.. I will hasten to add that it sounds glorious!  I like it better than my Benchmark 1 USB which is a highly rated DAC. And by the way, Benchmark is a respected company and their DAC's chassis looks almost the same as the Infinity.
 Of course you are speaking for yourself as is your right, but do I detect a sneer aimed at LHL! They have treated me well and to say I am happy with their product mentioned above, and their service is an understatement of the first magnitude. I think the sarcasm of your post is ill placed, but then as I said, that is your right.
  
 Cheers
 Leo


----------



## leomitch

And did you say that the Pulse products by LHL are entry level...surely you jest sir. Speaking from over 60 years of audiophile experience with MacIntosh and Dynaudio equipment among others, I would disagree. But then I guess that is clear isn't it.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Cheers mate
 Leo


----------



## pedalhead

Much respect to you Leo my friend, but I must say this new chassis puts me in mind of a cheap ATX PC case.  Flimsy thin steel sheet, or at least it looks like it.. Glad I stuck with the original chassis, which let's face it isn't exactly a looker either.  Big display window.  I wonder if the new one will have HA-1 style graphic display.


----------



## leomitch

pedalhead said:


> Much respect to you Leo my friend, but I must say this new chassis puts me in mind of a cheap ATX PC case.  Flimsy thin steel sheet, or at least it looks like it.. Glad I stuck with the original chassis, which let's face it isn't exactly a looker either.  Big display window.  I wonder if the new one will have HA-1 style graphic display.


 
 Thanks mate! I is hard to say from the pictures of the new chassis whether it is a beauty or not. Is it sheet metal?  I don't know, but I guess I am more taken with function rather than form. I guess it was the other fellows seeming sneer that I responded to more than anything, but then I seem to be becoming a crotchety old fart and should be more honied with my words. My sense of design was never too good, although my MacIntosh amp and receiver were beauteous, even to my eyes.
 Shut up Leo, old windy fellow!


----------



## pedalhead

I hope you don't "shut up" mate - we need an experienced voice of reason 'round these parts


----------



## agisthos

There is nothing sarcastic about my post Leo. I am eagerly awaiting my Pulse Infinity, but this is a discussion about looks not sound quality (the later is most important of course).
  
 For the crowdfunded price of $300-$500 both chassis designs are fine. You cannot expect anything nice at that price. But the retail for X is $1300, and Xfi is $2300. This is a far different price bracket and they are faring badly re: the competition.
  
  
 An example, the Matrix X-Sabre, this product has a chassis CNC milled from a solid block of aluminium, retails is $1300
  

  
 Then we have the new Exogel comet DAC. again milled from a solid block of aluminium, and made in the USA, $2500
  

  
  
 And yet we have Gavin whining about how expensive it has been to just mill the faceplates for the Pulse, so we now end up with cheap folded steel. As pedalhead mentions it reminds one of an ATX power supply.


----------



## leomitch

Point well made! They are better looking products. Just saying...if LHL wants to compete with the likes of those, why are they not making chassis like that. You are right,those are indeed beautiful DAC's relative to what we see here..
  
 Leo


----------



## Ham Sandwich

I like the smaller size of the old case.  It's reasonably transportable.  Small enough to fit in carry-on luggage, and the extruded style aluminum case is beefy enough to handle being packed like that.  Which was one reason I initially pledged for the Pulse.  I've got an Xfi and LPS in the old style cases.  And I'm happy with that.  I like the smaller size.
  
 The larger display on the new case has the potential for the DAC to be more user friendly in navigating the settings and seeing what the settings are set at.  That would be a good thing.  Easier and more efficient manufacturing is also a good thing.  I don't buy gear as audio jewelry, nor do I want to pay an extra $1000+ for fancy case work and design.  Keeping it simple and functional is more my style.
  
 I've got a plain Pulse on the way eventually.  I ordered a HE-560 and Pulse bundle cause I wanted an HE-560 and why not get a Pulse along with it.  I assume that Pulse will come with the new case.  I'll find out eventually once that batch of Pulses ships.  If it's the new case I'll deal.  Even though that Pulse was intended to be more of the travel with transportable.  I'll figure out how to deal with that once I get it.


----------



## agisthos

I don't want to be too down on LHLABS. They have put all their efforts into the circuit design. That is the best for sound quality, and that is what matters most.
  
 But I cannot see the Pulse taking off commercially at those prices with the current visual look.


----------



## smial1966

The Exogal Comet DAC looks fantastic and seems to `float' on a black acrylic (I think) plinth. It sounds astonishingly good too, especially with the optional power supply upgrade. I'll be buying one when funds allow.
  
 Having waited for the Pulse Infinity chassis upgrade I now bitterly regret my decision as the new design is monumentally ugly. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  
  
 Quote:


leomitch said:


> Point well made! They are better looking products. Just saying...if LHL wants to compete with the likes of those, why are they not making chassis like that. You are right,those are indeed beautiful DAC's relative to what we see here..
> 
> Leo


----------



## miceblue

ham sandwich said:


> I like the smaller size of the old case.  It's reasonably transportable.  Small enough to fit in carry-on luggage, and the extruded style aluminum case is beefy enough to handle being packed like that.



Ah, so that's how I'll transfer it plus the LPS4 to the upcoming meet. ; )


----------



## Ham Sandwich

miceblue said:


> Ah, so that's how I'll transfer it plus the LPS4 to the upcoming meet. ; )


 
  
 And plugged in to a UPS so it stays warm and ready for FTM mode at the start of the meet.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

A 12v battery pack. 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## nicolo

I think LH Labs would've been better by looking at Schiit's offerings in terms of cost effective design. I am not saying that they should copy their design. Just saying that they could have been better off identifying design tweaks that way to make more attractive products in a cost effective manner.
  
 Since they have been using a 3D printer for the GO v2, i wouldn't have been averse to get an acrylic 3D printed chassis for the Infinity, provided the exterior had an aluminium finish. I think that would have allowed for more attractive and flexible design.


----------



## nudd

pedalhead said:


> Much respect to you Leo my friend, but I must say this new chassis puts me in mind of a cheap ATX PC case.  Flimsy thin steel sheet, or at least it looks like it.. Glad I stuck with the original chassis, which let's face it isn't exactly a looker either.  Big display window.  I wonder if the new one will have HA-1 style graphic display.


 
 still no didit comparison?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Remembered on my earlier attempts...


----------



## longbowbbs

agisthos said:


> There is no nice way to put this, the new chassis is ugly as sin, same as the old chassis. LHLABS has shown consistently they have no clue about designing nice casework.


 
 Thank you oh arbiter of global taste......


----------



## valve5425

Result! I actually made the right decision in changing back to the old chassis. It fits nicely on my system rack, with room for a linear PSU. Unobtrusive and subtle. The size of the new chassis makes it a "feature" DAC which would have to be on show. Sorry, but the look of it doesn't make me want to have it on show, and, as I use my Android as a remote, the large display is of no benefit to me.
  
 Good luck though to those that waited patiently.


----------



## wingsounds13

Has everyone forgotten that the 'old' chassis pictures that they originally posted looked truly horrible? Later pictures looked better and still apparently it looks better in person than even the best pictures.

I liked the pictures of the previous version that they posted in the indiegogo updates a month or so ago and cannot imagine that they would ship something that does not look better than that. I am okay with the overall design of the 2.0 chassis but not exactly thrilled. I still prefer the more compact size and shape of the old chassis and even the subdued aesthetics. Still, other than the wait I am not too sorry about going with the new chassis.

J.P.


----------



## kenman345

I guess I should throw in my own two cents here.
  
 I for one liked the old chassis. Some people say the Pulse didnt look great compared to its competition but for most of us, we are not going to own the competition if we have and like the Pulse unit. The new chassis is odd. I liked it up until the screen got huge. I am not sure what the point is of it when the current screen on my X Fi is perfectly sufficient. 
  
 As for other products from LH Labs, they're just okay or thought provoking. The thought provoking ones are usually on the line of, "Where the heck are people putting that? I have already had enough trouble putting my LPS and X Fi close enough to be paired together.


----------



## miceblue

Nice. RE my "Main 0.0" issue:


> Repair Technician Comments:
> Replaced main board (old board had boot-up issues)
> Updated firmware on both Main and MCU
> Passes all tests including AP tes and Listening test


----------



## taz23

Hi guys, I just faced a problem with my Xfi that I received 2 days ago, and I wondering if there is any advice from you.

I do not get sound from the rear XLR ports when using SPDIF (both 1 and 2). The XLR ports work when using USB input. This only just happened, as everything was working fine for the past two nights.

More interestingly, when the rear XLR plugs are connected, the frontal outputs do not have sound (muted) until the rear XLR are disconnected. This is on SPDIF input.

Many thanks! Otherwise, the sound has been improving with the burn-in. It seems to me that this is a firmware issue and not hardware since the rear XLR works on USB.

Edit: the issue has now disappeared.


----------



## Decoy

I have to say that I'm not really in love pictures of the new chassis.  However, I wasn't expecting much from the old chassis, but when it arrived, I was really struck by how much better it looks in person.  So I urge people to reserve judgment.  Although, I have to say that I think the Vi DAC looks absolutely terrible.  It is so tacky.
  
 My HiFiMAN HE-1000 finally arrived and it sounds absolutely fantastic with the Pulse Infinity.  I can't wait to hear these cans through the Geek Tube Amp, although, I will probably have to wait a while before it ships.  But for anyone who is interested in the HE-1000 + Infinity + LPS combination, it can drive it as well as any DAC/amp combo out there.  I took my rig over to my local hifi shop and the staff were all really shocked at how well these paired. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I have to hand it to the whole LH Labs team, the Infinity can really hang with the big boys.


----------



## pedalhead

nudd said:


> still no didit comparison?


 
  
I've been busy focused on other things recently.  I do intend to play with it some more next week though


----------



## doctorjazz

Ahhh, have the HE 1K, waiting on the Vi Tube SE or Infinite or whatever they're calling it, sounds like it will be great whenever that is...


----------



## miceblue

Yup I agree that the X Infinity/HE1000 combo sounds great. I think it's mostly due to the superb DAC section though.


----------



## Narayan23

I have a Pulse XFI, can´t make any comparisons since it´s my first DAC but the sound is very very good through my HD598 and Dynaudio Excite X12, I can´t stop listening to music!! 
  
 That being said the old and new chassis are not particularly good looking, It probably has been said 1000 times but it was we the backers who decided on the first chassis design which when you have it sitting on your desk is not that bad...but for the prices LHLabs is asking and to be competitive, design should certainly be better. I would probably pick the new chassis if only for the option of a bigger more legible screen, at more than 2m from the XFI you have to be in a dark room to read the current display correctly.


----------



## taz23

taz23 said:


> Hi guys, I just faced a problem with my Xfi that I received 2 days ago, and I wondering if there is any advice from you.
> 
> I do not get sound from the rear XLR ports when using SPDIF (both 1 and 2). The XLR ports work when using USB input. This only just happened, as everything was working fine for the past two nights.
> 
> ...




I was able to replicate the problem today. I also noticed that when the music is playing from SPDIF, the music will be muted upon connecting the USB cable to my laptop. Music resumes once the USB cable is disconnected. Grounding issues?


----------



## krikor

taz23 said:


> I was able to replicate the problem today. I also noticed that when the music is playing from SPDIF, the music will be muted upon connecting the USB cable to my laptop. Music resumes once the USB cable is disconnected. _*Grounding issues?*_


 
 I've been wondering the same thing. The one-channel muted glitch and oscillating helicopter-like noise glitch occurs depending upon whether or not my XLR balanced preamp is on/off when powering up the Pulse X. But it doesn't seem to be consistent, at least as far as I've been able to tell so far.


----------



## kenman345

krikor said:


> I've been wondering the same thing. The one-channel muted glitch and oscillating helicopter-like noise glitch to occur depending upon whether or not my XLR balanced preamp is on/off when powering up the Pulse X. But it doesn't seem to be consistent, at least as far as I've been able to tell so far.


 
 I wish I were able to test this but have no items that accept the XLR's from the back as inputs. Can you guys try and keep everyone informed if an actual defect was found that would affect everyones units? Thanks


----------



## krikor

krikor said:


> Yes, I'd like some details on this as well. Specifically:
> 
> Are the singled-ended RCA line outs simply tapped off the non-inverted leg of the XLR balanced line outs, or are they separately buffered? Can I use both at once with no degradation?
> Ditto on the headphone outputs... though I don't see ever having two sets of cans plug into the thing.
> ...


 
  
 Opened a ticket regarding the use of both RCA and XLR line outputs at the same time and got this response from Manny:
  
_Thank you for your time, the design are in fact separated and buffered. This is not tapped on the + leg of the XLR. This in turn will not effect the impedance since it is separated and buffered on a fully dual-mono topology so both can be run simultaneously. Again thank you for your time and support. _


----------



## earfonia

Finally I received my Pulse XFi last June after waiting for around 1.5 years 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Though I was not impressed by my Geek Out 450 sound quality, I do really like the sound quality of the Pulse XFi. But I would reserve detail impressions until I'm quite familiar with it's sound signature. But I do like what I hear so far.
  
 One question, is there any way to bypass the volume control for the line output? Instead of setting the volume to 0 dB, is there any shortcut to bypass the volume control?
  
 Sorry if this has been asked before, this thread has 553 pages which is make it difficult to find the answer within that 553 pages.
  
 Thank you!


----------



## miceblue

earfonia said:


> One question, is there any way to bypass the volume control for the line output? Instead of setting the volume to 0 dB, is there any shortcut to bypass the volume control?



Nope....it's a variable line-output because the volume is digitally-controlled, which is unfortunate. I wish it was a fixed 2 Vrms output for the RCA outs.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

miceblue said:


> Nope....it's a variable line-output because the volume is digitally-controlled, which is unfortunate. I wish it was a fixed 2 Vrms output for the RCA outs.




The 'volume' control is electronic. 0dB is bypassed, where no attenuation occurs. There is no need for a bypass, as there is no circuitry to bypass.

Bypasses like this are only relevant in the analog domain. You have to think digitally here


----------



## earfonia

miceblue said:


> Nope....it's a variable line-output because the volume is digitally-controlled, which is unfortunate. I wish it was a fixed 2 Vrms output for the RCA outs.


 
  


silvertrumpet999 said:


> The 'volume' control is electronic. 0dB is bypassed, where no attenuation occurs. There is no need for a bypass, as there is no circuitry to bypass.
> 
> Bypasses like this are only relevant in the analog domain. You have to think digitally here


 
  
 Noted thanks!
  
 It is irritating when switching from the XFi build-in headphone amp to external headphone amp, have to adjust the volume. I prefer to have a bypass function for line out like in my Mytek and Yulong DA8.
  
 Is the 0 dB is really by passing the digital volume control or it is just maximum volume? The reason I ask is due to the nature of DSD signal that cannot be adjusted by digital volume. If 0 dB is not bypassing digital volume control, that means DSD signal converted to multi bits, go to digital volume control, then converted back to bit stream. I prefer to avoid the DSD signal conversion to multi bits for direct and pure DSD conversion.


----------



## miceblue

earfonia said:


> Is the 0 dB is really by passing the digital volume control or it is just maximum volume? The reason I ask is due to the nature of DSD signal that cannot be adjusted by digital volume. If 0 dB is not bypassing digital volume control, that means DSD signal converted to multi bits, go to digital volume control, then converted back to bit stream. I prefer to avoid the DSD signal conversion to multi bits for direct and pure DSD conversion.



0 dB means the signal is bit-perfect, there is no digital attenuation to the signal.

The DAC used is a multi-bit Delta-Sigma modulator, so yes, a 1-bit DSD signal is converted to a multi-bit DS-signal. I don't think it does single-bit DS modulation. On second thought, I have no idea if 0 dB means it doesn't go though the multi-bit DS modulator.


----------



## earfonia

miceblue said:


> 0 dB means the signal is bit-perfect, there is no digital attenuation to the signal.
> 
> The DAC used is a multi-bit Delta-Sigma modulator, so yes, a 1-bit DSD signal is converted to a multi-bit DS-signal. I don't think it does single-bit DS modulation. On second thought, I have no idea if 0 dB means it doesn't go though the multi-bit DS modulator.


 
  
 That's what I would like to know as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Will it automatically bypass the multi-bit conversion or not. Which I think, it is still go through the multi-bit conversion. Bypass usually another feature, not done automatic at 0 dB.


----------



## johnreekie

If you don't mind my saying, just let your ears decide. If you don't really understand the technical details, then don't let yourself be misled by them.


----------



## Decoy

Nevermind.


----------



## Maelob

its been two weeks since i got a shipping notice from LH labs but they still have not shipped the pulse. is that normal? I will give them a couple extra days and open a ticket.  Just curious if anybody else had the same issue.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have you looked at its USPS tracking number?
  
 Where you're at? If outside the US, its the local customs who are sometimes the culprit.


----------



## earfonia

johnreekie said:


> If you don't mind my saying, just let your ears decide. If you don't really understand the technical details, then don't let yourself be misled by them.


 
  
 Agree. How it sounds matter most.
 But there is nothing wrong to ask technical question to learn and understand it better, so we don't misled by them.  So, do you have any technical info how's the Pulse volume control works?


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

earfonia said:


> Agree. How it sounds matter most.
> But there is nothing wrong to ask technical question to learn and understand it better, so we don't misled by them.  So, do you have any technical info how's the Pulse volume control works?


 
 It's an internal high precision calculation carried out on the input data within the ESS chip. In essence your data is converted to a higher bitrate during the calculation and then that result is what the (32-bit) DAC acts upon. In fact, it's so high precision that there is theoretically no fidelity lost due to the digital attenuation.
  
 All the knob controls is the factor which is used in that digital attenuation calculation. When it's at 0dB, the original signal is passed. By definition, it's bypassed at 0dB. Since this all happens in the ESS chip, "bypassing" the calculation doesn't make sense.
  
 I'm confident the above is true with a possible caveat for DSD input. Larry or someone from LH with an intimate understanding of that signal path would need to chime in.


----------



## earfonia

silvertrumpet999 said:


> It's an internal high precision calculation carried out on the input data within the ESS chip. In essence your data is converted to a higher bitrate during the calculation and then that result is what the (32-bit) DAC acts upon. In fact, it's so high precision that there is theoretically no fidelity lost due to the digital attenuation.
> 
> All the knob controls is the factor which is used in that digital attenuation calculation. When it's at 0dB, the original signal is passed. By definition, it's bypassed at 0dB. Since this all happens in the ESS chip, "bypassing" the calculation doesn't make sense.
> 
> I'm confident the above is true with a possible caveat for DSD input. Larry or someone from LH with an intimate understanding of that signal path would need to chime in.


 
  
 Thanks! No doubt it is precise, and my ears tell me XFi sounds good.
 I have no issue with PCM data, just technical curiosity how the DSD signal is processed for volume adjustment.


----------



## taz23

maelob said:


> its been two weeks since i got a shipping notice from LH labs but they still have not shipped the pulse. is that normal? I will give them a couple extra days and open a ticket.  Just curious if anybody else had the same issue.


 
 My Geek Pulse was picked up by USPS on the day the shipping notice was sent to me.  I would open a ticket if it has not been picked up for the past two weeks based on the tracking.


----------



## Maelob

I will do that, I keep checking USPS tracking number and still shows pre-shipment, something is not right. thanks


----------



## johnreekie

earfonia said:


> Agree. How it sounds matter most.
> But there is nothing wrong to ask technical question to learn and understand it better, so we don't misled by them.  So, do you have any technical info how's the Pulse volume control works?


 
  
 Only what LH Labs have publically stated. They've said that at 0 dB the volume control processing is bypassed. But look at it this way (you have a Pulse, right) - does it sound different to you at 0 dB and -0.5 dB?


----------



## miceblue

miceblue said:


> Just saw this.
> 
> [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imv5-OhQbZI[/video]
> 
> ...





chartwell85 said:


> Everything goes through AP tests. X Infinity included.



I got my Pulse X Infinity back from the RMA process and I received an Audio Precision test sheet too.
Holy cow that's a lot of tests


Spoiler: List of AP QC Tests



Initial Start

 Starting Prompt - PASSED
 Starting Prompt - PASSED

USB Input - 1/4" HP Out (High)

 Signal Path Setup - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED
 Level and Gain - PASSED
 Static Noise Level - PASSED
 THD+N - PASSED
 IMD (SMPTE) - PASSED
 Signal to Noise Ratio - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Left Channel - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Right Channel - PASSED
 Interchannel Phase - PASSED
 DC Level - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED

USB Input - 1/4" HP Out (Low)

 Signal Path Setup - PASSED
 Static Noise Level - PASSED
 THD+N - PASSED
 IMD (SMPTE) - PASSED
 Signal to Noise Ratio - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Left Channel - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Right Channel - PASSED
 Interchannel Phase - PASSED
 DC Level - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED

USB Input - Balanced Headphone Out

 Signal Path Setup - PASSED
 Static Noise Level - PASSED
 THD+N - PASSED
 IMD (SMPTE) - PASSED
 Signal to Noise Ratio - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Left Channel - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Right Channel - PASSED
 Interchannel Phase - PASSED
 DC Level - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED

USB Input - RCA Line Out

 Signal Path Setup - PASSED
 Level and Gain - PASSED
 Static Noise Level - PASSED
 THD+N - PASSED
 IMD (SMPTE) - PASSED
 Signal to Noise Ratio - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Left Channel - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Right Channel - PASSED
 Interchannel Phase - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED

USB Input - XLR Balanced Out

 Signal Path Setup - PASSED
 Level and Gain - PASSED
 Static Noise Level - PASSED
 THD+N - PASSED
 IMD (SMPTE) - PASSED
 Signal to Noise Ratio - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Left Channel - PASSED
 Crosstalk, Right Channel - PASSED
 Interchannel Phase - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED

AES Input - XLR Balanced Out

 Signal Path Setup - PASSED
 Static Noise Level - PASSED
 THD+N - PASSED
 Signal to Noise Ratio - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED

SPDIF_1 Input - XLR Balanced Out

 Signal Path Setup - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED
 Level and Gain - PASSED
 Static Noise Level - PASSED
 THD+N - PASSED
 Signal to Noise Ratio - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED

SPDIF_2 Input - XLR Balanced Out

 Signal Path Setup - PASSED
 Static Noise Level - PASSED
 THD+N - PASSED
 Signal to Noise Ratio - PASSED
 Prompt - PASSED

Toslink Input - XLR Balanced Out

 Signal Path Setup - PASSED
 Static Noise Level - PASSED
 THD+N - PASSED
 Signal to Noise Ratio - PASSED

Sequence Result:

 Sequence Result - PASSED


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> I got my Pulse X Infinity back from the RMA process and I received an Audio Precision test sheet too.
> Holy cow that's a lot of tests
> 
> 
> ...




Yes. Lots of tests. Glad you posted this


----------



## earfonia

johnreekie said:


> Only what LH Labs have publically stated. They've said that at 0 dB the volume control processing is bypassed. But look at it this way (you have a Pulse, right) - does it sound different to you at 0 dB and -0.5 dB?


 
  
 I just received it end of June, so haven't got the time to carefully observe it.
  
 You're right, what matters is that it is sound good, and I agree on that. 
  
 That's great if at 0 dB both PCM and DSD signal bypass the digital volume control!  I just hope in the future firmware upgrade, they put the option in the menu, to bypass volume control for Line Output, so I don't have to adjust the volume when using external amp. Not sure if it is possible for the Pulse design architecture. My Mytek and Yulong DA8 both have bypass option for Line Out.
  
 I'm not concerning the difference of sound quality between -0.5 dB and 0 dB, but just purely technical curiosity how does XFi adjust the volume of DSD signal, I simply just want to know the technical info if anyone here could enlighten me.
  
 I've watched this as well, but Martin didn't specifically mentioned the digital volume control for DSD signal, probably the same as PCM, through 32 bit digital volume control:


----------



## kenman345

earfonia said:


> I just received it end of June, so haven't got the time to carefully observe it.
> 
> You're right, what matters is that it is sound good, and I agree on that.
> 
> ...




 I am sorry for you, but I doubt you will find such a firmware change. You see, the screen and the board have their own firmware flashed to them. The board is the one that can be user upgraded. The screen firmware must be upgraded at the factory/manufacturer as it requires the unit to be opened. The reason we have some options like SSM in the menu for the Filter Mode is because they needed to have it available for when the board is updated to support that function. This of course will be different in the new Chassis though as they have incorporated an SD Card feature that allows firmware updates to the screen. 
  
 I really feel that they should/could offer current Chassis units a upgrade wherein they take the unit back and replace the back plate with a new one that has a spare hole/slot and a cable that connects to the screen on the unit. This way, that hole can be for a microUSB connection, USB A connection, SD Card or even a microSD slot if that made more sense. It would really be nice to have a way to cost effectively give people updates to the screen. Of course, this all depends on how often such an upgrade would need to be performed. I even would be okay with a IR transmitter being recommended and a software tool to send the new firmware through the IR sensor, but I doubt they put something like that in. It could've been really cool to do it that way though questionable about reliability. I remember in college reviewing many methods of over the air error correction that was meant to be used so that radio waves across africa and other segmented/remote settled regions can have items like the One Laptop per child units be updated properly without errors. With so many actual options, it seems a bit like a neglected cause, something they didnt want to delay the product an extra week to accomplish.
  
 Do not get me wrong, i am not mad that they didnt do it, but more surprising that they didnt give it much thought in the first round but the second chassis was made bulkier to accomplish this one specific task however rarely that may be.
  
  
 Now on to other stuff. My tracking says my 2m Lightspeed 2G is to arrive today. I am very excited. I am thinking I will set up my X Fi in my basement and hook up some headphones (or maybe I'll set it up with my 5.1 Paradigm speaker system for a little fun) and burn in the cable and the X Fi for a few days. Not entirely sure if i'll do that or not but it would be fun


----------



## earfonia

kenman345 said:


> I am sorry for you, but I doubt you will find such a firmware change. You see, the screen and the board have their own firmware flashed to them. The board is the one that can be user upgraded. The screen firmware must be upgraded at the factory/manufacturer as it requires the unit to be opened. The reason we have some options like SSM in the menu for the Filter Mode is because they needed to have it available for when the board is updated to support that function. This of course will be different in the new Chassis though as they have incorporated an SD Card feature that allows firmware updates to the screen.
> 
> I really feel that they should/could offer current Chassis units a upgrade wherein they take the unit back and replace the back plate with a new one that has a spare hole/slot and a cable that connects to the screen on the unit. This way, that hole can be for a microUSB connection, USB A connection, SD Card or even a microSD slot if that made more sense. It would really be nice to have a way to cost effectively give people updates to the screen. Of course, this all depends on how often such an upgrade would need to be performed. I even would be okay with a IR transmitter being recommended and a software tool to send the new firmware through the IR sensor, but I doubt they put something like that in. It could've been really cool to do it that way though questionable about reliability. I remember in college reviewing many methods of over the air error correction that was meant to be used so that radio waves across africa and other segmented/remote settled regions can have items like the One Laptop per child units be updated properly without errors. With so many actual options, it seems a bit like a neglected cause, something they didnt want to delay the product an extra week to accomplish.
> 
> Do not get me wrong, i am not mad that they didnt do it, but more surprising that they didnt give it much thought in the first round but the second chassis was made bulkier to accomplish this one specific task however rarely that may be.


 
  
 I see. Firmware update seems rather complicated 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 Anyway, thanks for the info!


----------



## kenman345

earfonia said:


> I see. Firmware update seems rather complicated
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yep, it is what it is. I figured it was worth noting that they had so many possibilities.


----------



## Maelob

taz23 said:


> My Geek Pulse was picked up by USPS on the day the shipping notice was sent to me.  I would open a ticket if it has not been picked up for the past two weeks based on the tracking.


 
 Opened a trouble ticket and the shipping was cancelled, they promised to start delivering infinity's (Old Chassis)  at end Jul. An the wait continues!!!


----------



## taz23

So sorry to hear that, Maelob!
But the wait is worth it.


----------



## germay0653

miceblue said:


> I got my Pulse X Infinity back from the RMA process and I received an Audio Precision test sheet too.
> Holy cow that's a lot of tests
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Can we assume the the RCA Line Out's passed with (AES/EBU, S/PDIF[1, 2] and TOSLINK) input since I see no tests for that, only result is for USB input?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Had problems lately. Geek Pulse keeps disconnecting from my computer after sometime. And after isolating one by one (power managements, usb ports etc.), I had come into a conclusion that it was my m/b.
  
 So enter this USB 3.1 Type-A PCIe card from Asus. A $40 purchase from Amazon.

 Not only it solved the disconnection issues, but it has sped up my usb 3.0 peripherals.
  
_And more importantly, I was SURPISED on the increased soundstage, detail, separation, body from my Pulse!_
  
 Lately there was a hype on USB reclocking / power optimization (Wyrd, Regen) along with oldtime favorites JCAT/Paul Pang/Sotm.
 Wondering due to better electronics (power, clock, bandwidth) in supporting the USB 3.1 spec. aided to to such increase in sonic benefits. 
  
 Its just a $40 investment for your PC. It gives your peripherals better life/speed. And a surprise on sonic benefits.
 Oh forgot its a PCIe X4.


----------



## AxelCloris

Did LH Labs move the beta version of their new forums to the live realm? forums.lhlabs.com is down and the normal lhlabs.com is directing me to the beta sign-in page.
  
 edit: http://lhlabs.com/force/ will let me sign in, apparently.


----------



## chartwell85

axelcloris said:


> Did LH Labs move the beta version of their new forums to the live realm? forums.lhlabs.com is down and the normal lhlabs.com is directing me to the beta sign-in page.


 
 Yes sir.


----------



## AxelCloris

chartwell85 said:


> Yes sir.


 
  
 It seems that the beta site hasn't had the logins migrated from the old one, if they're supposed to be available. I signed in under my beta account, found the new forum URL, and signed in using my normal login.


----------



## musicheaven

axelcloris said:


> It seems that the beta site hasn't had the logins migrated from the old one, if they're supposed to be available. I signed in under my beta account, found the new forum URL, and signed in using my normal login.




Casey can tell me if I am wrong but I don't think they'll be migrating the logins from the old site. Also when selecting the Force Forum, it takes you back to the old forum where you can log back in the old forum using your original username/password combo.

Anyone joining the new marked "beta" forum needs to create a brand new account.


----------



## miceblue

So there's 4 accounts associated with LH Labs?

 Geek Force
 Marketplace
 Support website
 New, currently beta, forums


----------



## chartwell85

miceblue said:


> So there's 4 accounts associated with LH Labs?
> Geek Force
> Marketplace
> Support website
> New, currently beta, forums


 

 Currently, there are four accounts associated with your LH Labs logins.  Gavin is working with our web team on whittling that down to two accounts in total.  Since we're utilizing multiple platforms (Shopify, ZenDesk, Joomla, etc. etc.) there's no simple way to port over all username/password data.  A solution is being worked on though.


----------



## miceblue

Never mind, I got it to work.


----------



## doctorjazz

I could not sign in on the new site. I can't sign in to the support section with the password I use on the regular site, but using Facebook gets me in.


----------



## marflao

Hmm.. I can't register to the new site, too. 
Get the error message that I should use a new email address. Thought we should use our "old" credentials?! 

BTW... Tapatalk doesn't work for me anymore too with the "old" forum. Is this intended or am I the only one facing this?


----------



## mscott58

Help!!!
  
 So I finally got my Pulse Infinity (unwrapped the birthday present yesterday!) and went today to set it up along with the LPS4. So we're all set up with physical cabling - check.
  
 Went to set up the drivers and I think I'm stuck in the black-hole of changing support systems. Doh!
  
 When I went to the download the Windows drivers, looking to upload version 2.29, I've found that the link is dead, taking to me LHL's version of the 404 page ("Oops, you blew up the internet!"). In fact all of the driver links are dead on this page - which I believe is the most recent, and is the only one I can find. 
  
 http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000633039-light-harmonic-driver-and-firmware-files
  
 Can anyone please point me in the right direction for the Windows Driver ver, 2.29?
  
 Also Casey/Manny/et al you might want to fix these pages.  
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Here you are..
  
 LhLab Driver 2.29: http://1drv.ms/1LWbxJ6


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> Help!!!
> 
> So I finally got my Pulse Infinity (unwrapped the birthday present yesterday!) and went today to set it up along with the LPS4. So we're all set up with physical cabling - check.
> 
> ...


 
 Easy... Switch to a Mac.....
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Sorry Michael...Couldn't help myself....


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Here you are..
> 
> LhLab Driver 2.29: http://1drv.ms/1LWbxJ6


 
 Perfect. Thanks! Got it working!


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Easy... Switch to a Mac.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice Eric!


----------



## mscott58

Has anyone tried replacing the knob on their Pulse? I was able to use a 1/16 hex key to get the set screw out of the knob, but then the knob didn't want to come off the post. Any ideas/guidance? Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

If it aignt broke don't fix it.
  
 Enjoy the Pulse Infinity first...


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> If it aignt broke don't fix it.
> 
> Enjoy the Pulse Infinity first...


 
 Ha! True, true.
  
 However, I have the damn knob sitting here that's been around for 6 months or so that is eager to find a new home.


----------



## mscott58

Infinity In the house!!!


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Has anyone tried replacing the knob on their Pulse? I was able to use a 1/16 hex key to get the set screw out of the knob, but then the knob didn't want to come off the post. Any ideas/guidance? Cheers


 

 Pull harder!


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> ...the knob didn't want to come off the post.


 


germay0653 said:


> Pull harder!


----------



## mscott58

Got it off! 

What do you all think? Is bigger better?


----------



## wingsounds13

It looks a bit better, but the real question is: does it _feel_ better? It seems to me that it should feel a bit smoother in hand. 

The knob that I bought for my Pulse is not quite as big as the one that you chose, and a few mm smaller than I would have liked. Unfortunately, I could not find one quite as large as I would have preferred with the design that I wanted. My choice of knob has a large dimple on the front. Just my choice of aesthetics here. Alas, that knob will likely never see use on the Pulse as I am in for an infinity in the 2.0 chassis which comes with a large knob.

J.P.


----------



## mscott58

wingsounds13 said:


> It looks a bit better, but the real question is: does it _feel_ better? It seems to me that it should feel a bit smoother in hand.
> 
> The knob that I bought for my Pulse is not quite as big as the one that you chose, and a few mm smaller than I would have liked. Unfortunately, I could not find one quite as large as I would have preferred with the design that I wanted. My choice of knob has a large dimple on the front. Just my choice of aesthetics here. Alas, that knob will likely never see use on the Pulse as I am in for an infinity in the 2.0 chassis which comes with a large knob.
> 
> J.P.


 
 It does feel better, more substantial and the weight also makes the movement smoother. 
  
 Another benefit is that the knob is textured (for your pleasure?) with a cross-hatch pattern, so you get a better grip. 
  
 And it doesn't have a position indicator (bump or dot or such) which I like since the Pulse has a free-rotating turn, so the indicator wouldn't have anything to point at. 
  
 Best of all it's only $8.50 including shipping from China! 
  
 Think I'll probably leave it on. 
  
 Here's the link on eBay to the one I bought - http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-D-44mm-x-H-22mm-aluminum-volume-knob-amplifier-knob-black-color-sn-/191337476475?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c8c9a317b
  
 Cheers


----------



## miceblue

The potentiometer itself is still stepped, so how could the volume knob "feel" smoother? All you're doing is increasing the circumference to grip it no? And better grip if it's textured. I still like the original volume knob nonetheless.


----------



## MikeyFresh

miceblue said:


> The potentiometer itself is still stepped, so how could the volume knob "feel" smoother? All you're doing is increasing the circumference to grip it no? And better grip if it's textured. I still like the original volume knob nonetheless.


 

 The pot is not stepped.


----------



## agisthos

I would get the larger knob, but I read somewhere the IR receiver is right next to it. The larger knob obscured this and thus the remote will not work? Is this true?
  
 If you use a large knob it would be great to know....


----------



## mscott58

agisthos said:


> I would get the larger knob, but I read somewhere the IR receiver is right next to it. The larger knob obscured this and thus the remote will not work? Is this true?
> 
> If you use a large knob it would be great to know....


 
 It's right on my desk, so I'm not using the remote as it would take me much longer to find the remote and use it then just extend my arm to the unit itself. That being said I have not tested to see if the knob blocks the remote, but I believe that would be an issue as others using larger knobs have had that problem. Cheers


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> The potentiometer itself is still stepped, so how could the volume knob "feel" smoother? All you're doing is increasing the circumference to grip it no? And better grip if it's textured. I still like the original volume knob nonetheless.


 
  
 Good question. The extra mass of the knob and the larger diameter (they go together of course) makes the "clicks" of the mechanism less apparent, making it move more smoothly. Kind of like a larger wheel rolling over bumps that would jar a smaller wheel.
  
 Also with the larger knob and the textured finish you can change the volume by just running the tops of your fingers across the knob versus having to grasp it between your fingers.***
  
 If you don't need the remote and aren't worried about the IR port being blocked then I'd recommend trying the larger knob. 
  
 ***(Let the kindergarten humor begin!)


----------



## miceblue

mikeyfresh said:


> The pot is not stepped.



If it's not stepped, then why does the pot only move in discrete steps? Having a different physical volume knob won't change that.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9oDB1a7aog[/video]





agisthos said:


> I would get the larger knob, but I read somewhere the IR receiver is right next to it. The larger knob obscured this and thus the remote will not work? Is this true?
> 
> If you use a large knob it would be great to know....



That is correct. The IR sensor is right above the stock volume knob, so if you use a larger one that covers the acrylic window, it would cover it.


----------



## agisthos

Most normal Head-fi members use this DAC exactly like you guys do. But I plan to use it in a normal stereo 2 channel system. Oh well, I must keep the original knob, thanks for the info.


----------



## MikeyFresh

miceblue said:


> If it's not stepped, then why does the pot only move in discrete steps? Having a different physical volume knob won't change that.
> That is correct. The IR sensor is right above the stock volume knob, so if you use a larger one that covers the acrylic window, it would cover it.


 

 Interesting, I have an SFi and it does not have detents that click, the pot is free spinning just as described by Wings.
  
 As far as I know its not even a real "pot", it is a rotary encoder.


----------



## wingsounds13

What mikey said... it's a rotary encoder. Stepped or not, a larger knob would give you a smoother feel because of the larger diameter and greater mass.


J.P.


----------



## agisthos

One of the early complaints about the Pulse was the action of the volume knob was a bit unwieldy. Perhaps LHLABS changed from a smooth rotary encoder to one with steps. Or vice versa?


----------



## mscott58

agisthos said:


> One of the early complaints about the Pulse was the action of the volume knob was a bit unwieldy. Perhaps LHLABS changed from a smooth rotary encoder to one with steps. Or vice versa?


 
 With the larger and heavier knob you really don't notice the steps at all.


----------



## miceblue

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2816447/LightSpeed_1G_vs_Printer.zip
68 MB



Spoiler: my test results



I can't tell a difference between the printer cable and the 1G cable with 44.1 music.

I'm using the HE1000 [beta] via XLR output, LPS4 for power, Audirvana Plus as the media player, FTM digital filter, -36.0 dB volume level, low gain. Printer cable is connected to the less-used USB port on my 2012 rMBP to give it any potential boost in performance due to lower noise.

/USB ADC/C.flac is a test file. I had both the printer cable and the 1G cable being used; printer from rMBP USB to LPS4, 1G from LPS4 to Pulse X Infinity.


----------



## hemtmaker

Just wondering how people find the sound of infinity's SE output. Mine in balanced sounds great but in SE the sound is pretty bad when compared to AK240 for example. Everything sounds muted and I understand that you need to raise the volume to match the power of balanced. I used momentum btw.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have you got at least 50 hrs of playing time? 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## miceblue

No I probably have around 10 hours total. I don't think break-in will have much of an effect in revealing any differences between cables though.

I'll stress test the X Infinity (and LPS4) anyway. I'll let it run on my 16/44.1-24/384 PCM playlist on repeat/shuffle for the next 50-ish hours without stopping while driving the HE1000 [beta] via XLR out, K 701 via 6.3 mm out, and SRS-2170 via RCA out. 

On Monday I'm meeting up with a friend and we can probably do some A/B/blind AB tests then.


----------



## hemtmaker

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Have you got at least 50 hrs of playing time?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


 
 I have been using the balance out for more than 50hrs. Does the SE output need burn in separately?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I don't think so....


----------



## mscott58

Really liking the Infinity so far! Have it powered by the LPS4 and have only run SE for now. Will be switching over to balanced soon, swapping out my LCD-3's cable. 
  
 Also the DSD stuff sounds especially good. Recently got Jazz at the Pawnshop in DSD and have been comparing it to high-res FLAC and CD-ripped FLAC and I can hear a difference, or at least my brain is telling me I can. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Good stuff LHL! 
  
 Also the old chassis with the LPS4 looks good and turns out to fit perfectly in a cubicle on my desk, and I'm glad there's a good inch or so of space all the way around as the stack does get a bit hot! (about as hot as my CDM, but that has tubes in it!). 
  
 Cheers


----------



## mscott58

Anyone know of a source for an adapter to plug into the 4-pin XLR headphone output on my Infinity that I could then plug my 2.5mm TRRS IEM cable into so I can go balanced to my K10's? 
  
 Norne seems to be the only option I can find:
  
 http://www.norneaudio.com/litzheim/Norne-Audio-Hyper-Short-Adapter-AK240-Astell-Kern-2-5mm-balanced-hd-series-4-pin-xlr
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Way to go Mike! Mine began to shine after around 50hrs leveling around 100. 
  
 Those I know of..
  
 plusSound Micro Series: http://www.plussoundaudio.com/customcables/interconnect.html
  
 DHC Cabls Ultra Short Adapters: http://www.doublehelixcables.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=150


----------



## miceblue

mscott58 said:


> have been comparing it to high-res FLAC and CD-ripped FLAC and I can hear a difference, or at least my brain is telling me I can. :wink_face:



Except that's most likely differences between the masters and not the resolution/format itself. XD


----------



## hemtmaker

What gain/volume do you listen with in SE? Which headphone do you use?



mscott58 said:


> Really liking the Infinity so far! Have it powered by the LPS4 and have only run SE for now. Will be switching over to balanced soon, swapping out my LCD-3's cable.
> 
> Also the DSD stuff sounds especially good. Recently got Jazz at the Pawnshop in DSD and have been comparing it to high-res FLAC and CD-ripped FLAC and I can hear a difference, or at least my brain is telling me I can. :wink_face:
> 
> ...


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Way to go Mike! Mine began to shine after around 50hrs leveling around 100.
> 
> Those I know of..
> 
> ...




Thanks Mickey!


----------



## mscott58

hemtmaker said:


> What gain/volume do you listen with in SE? Which headphone do you use?


 
 With SE at this point I am using my LCD-3F's with a Moon Audio Silver Dragon V3 cable and listening at the high gain position on the Infinity at volume levels around -20 to 15 db. I've been told I listen pretty loud, but after having been at shows where you could hear an open back HP across the room (you know who you are HE-1000 blasters!) I don't feel I listen as loud as some.
  
 Just ordered a Norne Audio XLR 4-pin to 2.5mm TRRS adapter so I can also rock out balanced on my K10's, which I know I'll need much less gain to drive. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## hemtmaker

mscott58 said:


> With SE at this point I am using my LCD-3F's with a Moon Audio Silver Dragon V3 cable and listening at the high gain position on the Infinity at volume levels around -20 to 15 db. I've been told I listen pretty loud, but after having been at shows where you could hear an open back HP across the room (you know who you are HE-1000 blasters!) I don't feel I listen as loud as some.
> 
> Just ordered a Norne Audio XLR 4-pin to 2.5mm TRRS adapter so I can also rock out balanced on my K10's, which I know I'll need much less gain to drive.
> 
> Cheers




Thanks for sharing the info. I also have the Norne adaptor for my 2.5 trrs needs. I actually have all my cables terminated in 2.5 trrs so I can easily find compact adaptors for SE and XLR needs.

Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I'm using my UM Mentors at low gain around -24 to 18db depending on music.
  
 On 2.5 trrs: That is why I am a bit disappointed why they chose a 3.5 trrs on the Wave.


----------



## miceblue

Jeeze...............I use the HE1000 [beta] at -45 dB on average, low gain; -30 dB is the max I'd ever need to go even on the single-ended output, low-gain, and using my 688 Ω AKG K240 Monitor headphones. :|


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well....I'm deaf?


----------



## hemtmaker

miceblue said:


> Jeeze...............I use the HE1000 [beta] at -45 dB on average, low gain; -30 dB is the max I'd ever need to go even on the single-ended output, low-gain, and using my 688 Ω AKG K240 Monitor headphones. :|



That's strange! On low gain SE at -45dB with momentum, I could hardly hear a thing


----------



## doctorjazz

Don't know how it compares, but I'd expect the pulse to have more power than the Geek Out Special Edition (GO 1k)...I find the GO SE drives the HEK just fine.


----------



## BaTou069

Do you guys feel like the Pulse needed some burn in? Isnt it supposed to arrive already burned in? I have a Pulse Sfi, 
  
 thanks


----------



## hemtmaker

batou069 said:


> Do you guys feel like the Pulse needed some burn in? Isnt it supposed to arrive already burned in? I have a Pulse Sfi,
> 
> thanks



I think the general consensus is 50 hours+


----------



## Lifemovingforwa

Most certainly I know mine did and continues to get better with time. My Sfi has zero noise level hooked to my B&K amp with JRivers paused and volume all the way up no noise at all. If that was not good enough the separation and space have gotten better as well as the high and low notes have improved with burn in time. But it sounded dam good out of the box.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Mine shined past 50 and leveled around 100.


----------



## Stealer

Had received my pulse X a couple of weeks ago when I was out of town.
Managed to install it few days ago and was wondering if I missed anything..
According to LHS site, it claims 2 files were needed for window base PC..
 Audio setup and aLHS file.. But somehow I got a only file .... setup.mis file
When installed it seem both files are installed.. Maybe the site I visited is not updated.

So following the recommended procedure in the setup guides.. Set my sound system to LH Labs Geek Pulse and then my Jriver audio configuration..
In Jriver, I see 4 options..Light Harmonic (ASIO), LH Labs Geek Pulse (wasapi), LH Labs Geek Pulse (Direct Sound) and another one,,(Geek Pulse X1V5 output [kernel streaming])
Tried wasapi .. It don't work..same error as below...
Tried the X1V5, works for 3 days and then a pop window just says.. Something wrong with yr playback..blah..blah..
Now on direct stream... Works for now...

Also.. When I power up my pulse X, it shows pulse X but not software version..
Thought the version should appeared 1st..?
Anyway..how to check my pulse X version..

Thx and have a good day


edit : i just switch back to (Geek Pulse X1V5 output [kernel streaming] and its working..


----------



## Stealer

Again after the album completed playing ..
 the error with something wrong with the playback.......appeared again errh....
    detail: 
    playback could not be started on the output Kernel Streaming using the 44.1kHz2ch..
    ........................................................


----------



## mscott58

stealer said:


> Again after the album completed playing ..
> the error with something wrong with the playback.......appeared again errh....
> detail:
> playback could not be started on the output Kernel Streaming using the 44.1kHz2ch..
> ........................................................




Did you follow the JRiver setup guide on the LHL site? Seemed pretty complete. Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

The driver I posted 3 pages back...


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> The driver I posted 3 pages back...


 
 Exactly. Mickey did us all a favor in posting the driver that was hard/impossible to find on LHL's pages. 
  
 However, they seem to have gotten the link working again. Here's the link to that page:
  
 http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000633039-light-harmonic-driver-and-firmware-files
  
 Here's also the page with the directions for setting up JRiver with the Pulse;
  
 http://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000556098-using-jriver-media-center-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide
  
 That should be all you need if you follow the directions. Work for my Infinity. 
  
 Cheers and good luck!


----------



## miceblue

stealer said:


> Also.. When I power up my pulse X, it shows pulse X but not software version..
> Thought the version should appeared 1st..?
> Anyway..how to check my pulse X version..



It displays the model number (Pulse X) and then just goes to main screen showing the sampling rate and digital volume number. To check the firmware, you press the volume knob and go to "Firmware Version" (just 1 click when you rotate the volume knob counter-clockwise).







m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> The driver I posted 3 pages back...



Not everybody checks Head-Fi's threads often though. 3 pages back is pretty far back for someone who doesn't check threads often.


----------



## Stealer

mscott58 said:


> Exactly. Mickey did us all a favor in posting the driver that was hard/impossible to find on LHL's pages.
> 
> However, they seem to have gotten the link working again. Here's the link to that page:
> 
> ...


 
 okay..
  I reload the file from mickey.. actually it the same version that i loaded the other day except that its not the same name.
 The version is 2.29..
 It seem that I can only choose the LH Labs Geek pulse [direct sound] but my geek Pulse is Pulse X...
 Also I regarding the version...still not version on my display..
  
 edit.. okay got it miceblue.. so it dont show up u have to press the knob..
 mine is showing main 2, MCU2.4


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It may have problem connecting from PC. Try changing USB ports preferably to USB 3.0.
  
 This is my JRiver configuration hope it helps.
  

  
 Disregard iZotope Ozone 5


----------



## mscott58

stealer said:


> okay..
> I reload the file from mickey.. actually it the same version that i loaded the other day except that its not the same name.
> The version is 2.29..
> It seem that I can only choose the LH Labs Geek pulse [direct sound] but my geek Pulse is Pulse X...
> ...


 
 When you are choosing your device from the list under "Audio Device" on JRMC the last option is "more" - try selecting that and then seeing if the Pulse X option is listed further down. On mine I couldn't see "Geek Pulse X Infinity" option until I hit "more". And those versions of Main and MCU are the latest. Cheers


----------



## snip3r77

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> It may have problem connecting from PC. Try changing USB ports preferably to USB 3.0.
> 
> This is my JRiver configuration hope it helps.
> 
> ...




I connected the Pulse to my Hifi, when I use JRMC upscaled to DSD it has a high freq sound.
When I did the same thing at foobar, the same high freq sound is there.

It's gone with I play normally.


----------



## mscott58

Have been playing around with my Infinity and it's just proven (reconfirmed actually) the importance of HP cables. In my experience my LCD-3F's running SE from the Infinity using the Moon Audio Silver Dragon V3 cables sounds quite a bit better than when using the stock Audeze balanced cable. The balanced element is trumped by the better cable. YMMV of course, but that's what I'm finding. Guess I'll be having Drew rework my SD V3's with the 4-pin XLR sooner than I expected! Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

snip3r77 said:


> I connected the Pulse to my Hifi, when I use JRMC upscaled to DSD it has a high freq sound.
> When I did the same thing at foobar, the same high freq sound is there.
> 
> It's gone with I play normally.


 
  
 Strange Bro... never happened to me.  Even setting to normal (no change on output).


----------



## jbr1971

snip3r77 said:


> I connected the Pulse to my Hifi, when I use JRMC upscaled to DSD it has a high freq sound.
> When I did the same thing at foobar, the same high freq sound is there.
> 
> It's gone with I play normally.


 
  
 What DSD format are you upsampling your audio to? The Pulse only supports DSD64 and DSD128.
  
 Jody


----------



## jbr1971

batou069 said:


> Do you guys feel like the Pulse needed some burn in? Isnt it supposed to arrive already burned in? I have a Pulse Sfi,
> 
> thanks


 
  
 The Pulse is not burned in prior to shipment. It is only turned on for the duration of the AP testing, etc before it gets sent out.
  
 Jody


----------



## mscott58

jbr1971 said:


> What DSD format are you upsampling your audio to? The Pulse only supports DSD64 and DSD128.
> 
> Jody


 
 Jody and others - What's your recommendation on upsampling on JRMC with the Pulse? Cheers


----------



## jbr1971

mscott58 said:


> Jody and others - What's your recommendation on upsampling on JRMC with the Pulse? Cheers


 
  
 I have not done any upsampling at all with my files, so I am unable to provide any recommendations.
  
 Some day I will have to get around to trying it to see how much of a difference it makes.
  
 Jody


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well, have a play with it!
 Here are some example settings I played with (JRiver only):
  
  1. All PCM files upsampled to DSD64. DSD files remain as is (bitstream).
_*Bitstreaming:* YES (DSD)_
_*Output Encoding (Output Format):*  DSD in DOP Format (requires DSD capable DAC)_
  
 *2. All PCM files upsampled to DSD128. DSD files remain as is (bitstream).
_*Bitstreaming:* YES (DSD)_
_*Output Encoding (Output Format):*  2xDSD in DOP Format (requires DSD capable DAC)_
  
  3. All files PCM and DSD are upsampled/downsampled to DSD128 (need a powerful computer)
_*Bitstreaming:* None (recommended)_
_*Output Encoding (Output Format):*  2xDSD in DOP Format (requires DSD capable DAC)_
  
  4. All files PCM and DSD are upsampled/downsampled to PCM 384k
_*Bitstreaming:* None (recommended)_
_*Output Encoding (Output Format): *None_
*Sample Rate:* _Change all output rate to 384,000Hz_

  
 * works for me best.


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Well, have a play with it!
> Here are some example settings I played with (JRiver only):
> 
> 1. All PCM files upsampled to DSD64. DSD files remain as is (bitstream).
> ...


 
 Thanks Mickey. You're a rock-star. 
  
 Only challenge I find with the #2 option above is that it always shows "DSD128" on the Pulse. Not a biggie, just something to be aware of as the upsampling causes the display to not show the changes in the source material. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

No. It shows. Its just that with #2, ALL PCM files are converted to DSD128 as output. Hence Pulse displays DSD128. Except for DSD (bitstreamed).  It will display the source (non converted) rate.
  
 Try playing a DSD64 file and will show DSD64. For DSD128 (obviously) will display DSD128.


----------



## snip3r77

jbr1971 said:


> What DSD format are you upsampling your audio to? The Pulse only supports DSD64 and DSD128.
> 
> Jody




Dsd 64 and 128. Jrmc and foobar , both has high frequency sound.
Spotify no. Take note i'm outputting to a speakers amp not head amp


----------



## Stealer

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> It may have problem connecting from PC. Try changing USB ports preferably to USB 3.0.
> 
> This is my JRiver configuration hope it helps.
> 
> ...


 
 okay change to the setting as above..
 now is playing fine.. hope 3 days later no error will popup.
 the last time is last 3 days and error kept poppping up... dont really understand why
  
 thanks Mickey & Mscott58


----------



## mscott58

stealer said:


> okay change to the setting as above..
> now is playing fine.. hope 3 days later no error will popup.
> the last time is last 3 days and error kept poppping up... dont really understand why
> 
> thanks Mickey & Mscott58


 
 Happy to help, but Mickey did most of the heavy lifting!
  
 You might run into issues now and then. I find sometimes I have to close JRMC and restart the Pulse if it gets out of sync. Part of it is due to my computer going into partial hibenate mode, which I've tried to address in the power setting of my laptop, but haven't completely solved yet. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## johnreekie

batou069 said:


> Do you guys feel like the Pulse needed some burn in? Isnt it supposed to arrive already burned in? I have a Pulse Sfi,
> 
> thanks


 
  
 Give it a couple of weeks, at least


----------



## johnreekie

mscott58 said:


> If you don't need the remote and aren't worried about the IR port being blocked then I'd recommend trying the larger knob.
> 
> ***(Let the kindergarten humor begin!)


 
  
 I like having a big knob too. The remote still does work, if you get the right angle.


----------



## snip3r77

johnreekie said:


> I like having a *big knob* too. The remote still does work, if you get the *right angle*.




LOL this statement is full of err err..


----------



## johnreekie

mscott58 said:


> Has anyone tried replacing the knob on their Pulse? I was able to use a 1/16 hex key to get the set screw out of the knob, but then the knob didn't want to come off the post. Any ideas/guidance? Cheers


 
  
 Hi Michael, I gather you figured it out, but there are two set screws.


----------



## johnreekie

earfonia said:


> I'm not concerning the difference of sound quality between -0.5 dB and 0 dB, but just purely technical curiosity how does XFi adjust the volume of DSD signal, I simply just want to know the technical info if anyone here could enlighten me.


 
  
 I'm sorry, I may have misunderstood your earlier posts. From what I can tell, the internal operation of volume control for DSD in the ESS chip happens in the same place as that for PCM. From memory, the next-to-last stage in the chip produces a signal that according to one of their technical papers is "about 6 bits" (my wording not theirs), and that's where they do the volume control. Some say this is equivalent to converting to PCM, others say not.


----------



## gikigill

I'm lining up for the big knob transplant too.


----------



## RingingEars

Any update when the forever funders pulses are supposed to ship? I received my lps a while back, but no word on the pulse...


----------



## johnreekie

It would probably be best/easiest to raise a support ticket and ask. Then they can be more specific for your unit.


----------



## pedalhead

Is anyone else hearing a slight boost in the 7-10 kHz range with the Pulse X Infinite (or indeed any flavour)?


----------



## krikor

johnreekie said:


> I'm sorry, I may have misunderstood your earlier posts. From what I can tell, the internal operation of volume control for DSD in the ESS chip happens in the same place as that for PCM. From memory, the next-to-last stage in the chip produces a signal that according to one of their technical papers is "about 6 bits" (my wording not theirs), and that's where they do the volume control. Some say this is equivalent to converting to PCM, others say not.


 
  
 It's also not clear if the volume control is all being done entirely on the ESS chip, to quote Larry at the Geek Force forum:
  
_We will use ESS DAC's internal digital volume control, also two other our own implementations.

 1) We will SKIP the computer's volume output, get the BIT PERFECT sample. Then feed in the user desired volume settings,
 then use 64 bit precision internal register in Audio CPU to deliver the super accurate calculation.

 2) Also, when user desired volume setting is -0db FS (Max Volume), we will automatic skip the whole digital process and keep
 the bit perfect output to the DAC IC._

  
 http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/327-volume-control-with-64-bit-precision?limitstart=0
  
 Unfortunately, no further comment was made to clarify this statement. Is the "internal register in Audio CPU" on the ESS chip or something else? Although, a moot point for me as I'm maxing out my volume control and using a separate preamp and headphone amp.


----------



## d60pdp

ringingears said:


> Any update when the forever funders pulses are supposed to ship? I received my lps a while back, but no word on the pulse...


 
  
 Replied from CS for my Pulse in the Pulse-HE560 bundle: "Pulse and Pulse XFIs from the 2014 campaign are estimated to complete shipping in October... it will be around this time frame that you Pulse will ship. _*I estimate around the September*_."


----------



## stefan534

I have received my Pulse xfi and LPS 4. Loving the sound (still breaking in)\
  
 I'm curious if anyone has compared the xfi with Pulse infinity? I really can't find many detailed listeners impressions, particularly those comparing the pulse to other DACs...


----------



## Maelob

On a related note, I have not seen a lot of professional reviews on the Geek.  I think initially there were some but I was expecting more reviewers to get their hands on the Pulse.  Also it would be nice to compare the DAC with similarly price DACS.  And I am not talking about Indiegogo pricing but suggested MSRP.  I think comparisons will be useful for any future customers, and to see if they are really worth the MSRP.  Does a plain Geek PULSE really perform as a 1K DAC, don't know.  But I think at some point people need to start talking about it.  Does the Infinity really compare to DACs in the 3K range or whatever the price is.


----------



## agisthos

maelob said:


> On a related note, I have not seen a lot of professional reviews on the Geek.  I think initially there were some but I was expecting more reviewers to get their hands on the Pulse.  Also it would be nice to compare the DAC with similarly price DACS.  And I am not talking about Indiegogo pricing but suggested MSRP.  I think comparisons will be useful for any future customers, and to see if they are really worth the MSRP.  Does a plain Geek PULSE really perform as a 1K DAC, don't know.  But I think at some point people need to start talking about it.  Does the Infinity really compare to DACs in the 3K range or whatever the price is.


 
  
 This is exactly what I have been thinking, and waiting for. Every 'forum' review of the DAC is vague and does not really make any comparison with like priced equipment, which is the real test.


----------



## mtruong34

agisthos said:


> This is exactly what I have been thinking, and waiting for. Every 'forum' review of the DAC is vague and does not really make any comparison with like priced equipment, which is the real test.





I've noticed that too. Most forum reviewers are coming from low tiered budget DACS or "this is my first real DAC."


----------



## agisthos

mtruong34 said:


> I've noticed that too. Most forum reviewers are coming from low tiered budget DACS or "this is my first real DAC."


 
  
 Yes, glad you brought this up, we have been avoiding saying it.
  
 I still hope the Pulse is a killer DAC, but just saying 'my Pulse X sounds awesome' without giving any comparative reference really tells us nothing.
  
 And we are 560 pages into this thread...


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

It's just reality given the situation and marketing strategy used. I'm certainly not surprised; give it time and the comparisons will be made.
  
 LH Labs marketed from the bottom up, which gave them a lot more potential customers, and they also had the Geek Out list to draw from. These folks generally aren't ones sitting on a bunch of multi-$k DACs. I know I wasn't! And those who were, might be consciously or unconsciously caught in the "higher price = better" fallacy and opt to wait. After all, such people could afford to buy at the MSRP advertised during the campaign.
  
 If anyone wants to send me their Yggy or other DACs in the $3-5k range I'd be happy to write up a detailed comparison. But I certainly don't have the means to buy "competitors" at MSRP for fun, and I suggest this is likely the general case.


----------



## leomitch

silvertrumpet999 said:


> It's just reality given the situation and marketing strategy used. I'm certainly not surprised; give it time and the comparisons will be made.
> 
> LH Labs marketed from the bottom up, which gave them a lot more potential customers, and they also had the Geek Out list to draw from. These folks generally aren't ones sitting on a bunch of multi-$k DACs. I know I wasn't! And those who were, might be consciously or unconsciously caught in the "higher price = better" fallacy and opt to wait. After all, such people could afford to buy at the MSRP advertised during the campaign.
> 
> If anyone wants to send me their Yggy or other DACs in the $3-5k range I'd be happy to write up a detailed comparison. But I certainly don't have the means to buy "competitors" at MSRP for fun, and I suggest this is likely the general case.


 
  
 Hear, hear! Professional reviewers have loads of stuff to compare and often will take months to get around to new stuff like the Light Harmonic Pulse X and Pulse X Infinity. Meanwhile the previous members who are impatient for reviews by Pros will just have to put up with commentaries by the likes of me who does not qualify as anything but a lover of music and sound of the highest caliber.  I have the Pulse X Infinity and a Benchmark 1 USB and have posted comments and my thoughts elsewhere, but I will post some of those thoughts here. Understand, I do not have a vocabulary in physics speak, so my metaphors will have to do. I am after all a retired English teacher with a major in Philosophy and Ancient History of the Middle East, so keep that in mind as you read.
  
_Well,the Universe is kind and my long awaited Pulse XFI Infinity arrived early today all safely and beautifully packaged. I think the extra wait for the special cartons was worth it Gavin._
_I packed away my Benchmark USB 1 DAC for the nonce and setup the Infinity with a few stumbles, all of which were my fault for not reading instructions carefully and instead relied on my intuition. HA_
_I shouldn't and won't make further comments until the unit has had many hours to open up the Femto clocks, capacitors et al. I will say this, that even after a few hours I could hear the beast awakening and stretching its sonic muscles e.g. Already after 5 hours Christian McBride s bass has punch that is gratifying to behold and I believe I have only heard the surface of bass possibilities with this neat little box._
  
  
_Regarding the Infinity's qualities in the realm of the bass then...it did very well for me in any type of music I listened to, whether it was Christian McBride's powerful double bass or the repeated dramatic blat of the Berlin Philharmonic's baritone trombone and tuba around minute 6:03 in Borodin's Polovitsian Dances or even the bass drum in the drum salute by the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band. The bass is deep, extended, tight and naturally musical. _
_Is it better than the Benchmark...not really! The Benchmark DAC creates a bass just as enjoyable, but maybe is slightly less tight. Having said that, it could just be me being in love with the Infinity!  _
  
  
_ There are now at least two of us who have received and are in awe of this long awaited marvel. I am not a professional reviewer and from reading what Richard is writing and feeling about his Infinity, I am going to truncate this review here with a few comments regarding how this DAC from Larry Ho has gotten me in touch with my music in a way that the DAC seems to disappear, leaving me with pure music of the best kind.
 So the bass, mids and highs as produced by the Infinity really are not separate entities, but rather a gestalt, an organic representation of music that is pure and rich. Voices of both men and women vocalists are magically brought forward, but not so much that the rest of the sounds are somehow modulated. Ihere is none of that, so I presume the Naked Resistors, Femto clocks coupled with Larry's wisdom all are doing a job that can only be described as jaw=droppingly awesome. Never heard another vehicle that presented mids so detailed and fluid. Norah Jones, Mark Murphy and Sinatra never sounded so good,
 The highs are not in any way glassy or hard and totally lacking in digital artifacts. Cymbals sizzle, guitar strings vibrate and one can hear the artists fingernails scraping and clicking. The upper register of pianos, clarinets, xylophones et al are crystal clear and natural. The timbre of the wood in violins, violas, cellos and double basses is almost tactile._
  
_I don't know that there is any need to go on...I could go on and on but I will be merciful and simply say this...if you ever had any doubts, if you were ever snarlingly angry, you can relax. Kudos to Larry, Gavin, Casey, Manny, Gina, Stephanie, Jody and anybody I have missed. As an old mountain man who is a friend of mine used to say, "You done did real good guys!!" Thank you so much!_
  
  
_ OK! There must be something wrong with my critical listening guys. If what I am hearing is not just honeymoon enthusiasm, Larry is right! After a mere 24 hours the Femto clocks must be really ticking over...this DAC seems to be surpassing my excellent Benchmark in focus and solidity! My mouth is hanging open after listening to Jazz Radio Bass station on the Internet, for now the mids and highs are forming a gestalt with the bass to give a phenomenal ride to me and my Shure 1840's! The sound is so organic, no artificial sweeteners here. At one point two bass fiddles were playing fugues and contrapuntal riffs with each other while the guitar,piano and drums strode along with them so beautifully my eyes were tearing up. My wife walked by and said you must be getting old, this is the second time you are doing that today...weepy old fart. She's wrong though! It's not senility setting in, but awe at the sheer beauty of what I am hearing. Larry said somewhere that the naked resistors and femto clocks are going to make for seriously excellent musicality in this DAC. He did not lie.
 OK enough for now. I must get away for a bit and gather my wits together. Am I just blindly in love?! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Later with details regarding the mids and the highs! And no guys, I have not been hired by Gavin to shill LHL's product...this is real for me._
  
  
_Leo_


----------



## mscott58

Agree with the point about the professional reviews taking longer. I'm not quite at that level yet, and I still have two other reviews to complete before I'm able to pay the proper level of attention to writing up the Infinity. 
  
 But in a brief summary, the Infinity is a great sounding DAC/amp, besting my Burson Conductor (although that's still a great all-in-one solution). Much, much more to come in the coming weeks/months. 

 Cheers


----------



## mscott58

Oh, and on a separate point - has anyone else received their "free" Lightspeed 2G USB cable that qualified for one?
  
 I have the 1G that the came with the Infinity, and I also received the 1G Micro I bought in anticipation of the Wave (but am currently using with my CDM), but I haven't received the 2G. 
  
 Thanks all!


----------



## leomitch

mscott58 said:


> Oh, and on a separate point - has anyone else received their "free" Lightspeed 2G USB cable that qualified for one?
> 
> I have the 1G that the came with the Infinity, and I also received the 1G Micro I bought in anticipation of the Wave (but am currently using with my CDM), but I haven't received the 2G.
> 
> ...


----------



## hemtmaker

I opened a ticket about this question 5 weeks ago and I was told a 6 to 8 weeks wait due to a redesign of the 2g split cable. I opened another ticket 2 days ago and was told another 6 weeks to wait......



mscott58 said:


> Oh, and on a separate point - has anyone else received their "free" Lightspeed 2G USB cable that qualified for one?
> 
> I have the 1G that the came with the Infinity, and I also received the 1G Micro I bought in anticipation of the Wave (but am currently using with my CDM), but I haven't received the 2G.
> 
> Thanks all!


----------



## doctorjazz

maelob said:


> On a related note, I have not seen a lot of professional reviews on the Geek.  I think initially there were some but I was expecting more reviewers to get their hands on the Pulse.  Also it would be nice to compare the DAC with similarly price DACS.  And I am not talking about Indiegogo pricing but suggested MSRP.  I think comparisons will be useful for any future customers, and to see if they are really worth the MSRP.  Does a plain Geek PULSE really perform as a 1K DAC, don't know.  But I think at some point people need to start talking about it.  Does the Infinity really compare to DACs in the 3K range or whatever the price is.
> [/quote
> 
> From *cough cough* years reading audiophile mags (Stereophile, TAS, The Audiophile Voice, others), there is a big difference in the way most "professional" reviewers write/review, and most Head-Fiers. Reviews in the Audiophile Press usually state the reviewer has lived with the gear for a number of months, really getting to know it, possibly trying different components to get a sense of how it matches with other gear. On Head Fi, everyone is in a rush to get a review in. It is not unusual to read..."I have been listening to XYZ for 2 hours, and I had to post this review", or something to that effect. I personally have had my opinion of gear change as I live with it, and have sometimes been sorry or embarrassed by some of my early impressions, and have had to post retractions or changed opinions. I wouldn't expect to see Stereophile reviewing this next week (they generally won't review pre-production units either, no "beta" impressions), and not until maybe fall or winter, if they do their job correctly.
> My $0.02.


----------



## leomitch

" Does the Infinity really compare to DACs in the 3K range or whatever the price is. "


 


If one simply looks at the guts of the DAC's and the resultant sound, I cannot see how the Infinity will not come out very well indeed. From what I have read and seen, the engineering and components in the Pulse X Infinity are excellent and advanced. The stunning musical sound it cranks out is of such quality, that I don't really see how it can be  improved. That from an audiophile who bases those rash words on more than 65 years of critical listening over every conceivable electronic unit from a Sears special to a Clairetone furniture-like radio/phono/digital living room unit to MacIntosh receiver and Dynaudio speakers with an assortment of headphones and tape players and preamps, turntables...Yamaha, Nakamichi, Garrard, Sony et al.


Where it will fall down is the ugly duckling case. Even that will change when LHL finishes and produces the newly designed case. Also many of the 3K and up DAC's + have features such as sleep modes, memory card slots, bluetooth and so on. The new Pulses being completed soon in the new cases will have all those features. The Infinity is not a made for retail DAC. So far as I know, no more Infinities will be produced, so there will be the Pulse vanilla, the Pulse X and the Pulse Xfi available for the retail market, plus all the new iterations which are Pulses and Power Supply together, some pure solid state and others Solid State and Tubes. Add to all this the new preamps, amps and possibly other surprises and one can see LHL and its crew will be very busy now they have their feet under them solidly. No more stumbling I predict.


 


Leo


----------



## MikeyFresh

maelob said:


> On a related note, I have not seen a lot of professional reviews on the Geek.  I think initially there were some but I was expecting more reviewers to get their hands on the Pulse.  Also it would be nice to compare the DAC with similarly price DACS.  And I am not talking about Indiegogo pricing but suggested MSRP.  I think comparisons will be useful for any future customers, and to see if they are really worth the MSRP.  Does a plain Geek PULSE really perform as a 1K DAC, don't know.  But I think at some point people need to start talking about it.  Does the Infinity really compare to DACs in the 3K range or whatever the price is.


 

 Audiostream, a sister site of Stereophile, has the Pulse Xfi + LPS4 on their *"Coming Soon"* listing.
  
 I would imagine that professional review will contain comparisons to other like-priced gear.


----------



## musicheaven

Thanks Leo for your comments, just a couple of points to what you said. Gavin did say that they reserve the right to mass produce the Infinity and to be honest it'd be in their advantage to do so. Secondly stumbling is not impossible, in that kind of business Murphy's Laws are just around the corner, in fact if they are not stumbling then I would wonder what's going on at their headquarters. There are a lot of things they don't say in public because of the challenges they face however we do once in a while get bits and pieces of their inherent problems. What counts like you mentioned is that you've got a product you're happy with and that is worth listening. Note however that the the enthusiasm started with the infinity (I did not include the GO and it's variant, the precursor) so I am pretty sure they've learned their lesson. On the enclosure subject, the jury is still out, I would refrain from making any comments about it until I would have it in my hands but what I have seen so far, it's still questionable. As far as the other devices, there is still a long way to go, unfortunately. Patience is truly a virtue.


----------



## johnreekie

pedalhead said:


> Is anyone else hearing a slight boost in the 7-10 kHz range with the Pulse X Infinite (or indeed any flavour)?


 
  
 Hi Mark, are you using HE-560s? (I recall so.)


----------



## johnreekie

> http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/327-volume-control-with-64-bit-precision?limitstart=0
> 
> Unfortunately, no further comment was made to clarify this statement. Is the "internal register in Audio CPU" on the ESS chip or something else? Although, a moot point for me as I'm maxing out my volume control and using a separate preamp and headphone amp.


 
  
 No way to really know I guess if they won't say. Still, if we are still talking about DSD, then it can't be "something else" without it being "not DSD." So my understanding is that LH is just using the internal volume control of the ESS chip.


----------



## AxelCloris

> Originally Posted by *doctorjazz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> From *cough cough* years reading audiophile mags (Stereophile, TAS, The Audiophile Voice, others), there is a big difference in the way most "professional" reviewers write/review, and most Head-Fiers. Reviews in the Audiophile Press usually state the reviewer has lived with the gear for a number of months, really getting to know it, possibly trying different components to get a sense of how it matches with other gear. On Head Fi, everyone is in a rush to get a review in. It is not unusual to read..."I have been listening to XYZ for 2 hours, and I had to post this review", or something to that effect. I personally have had my opinion of gear change as I live with it, and have sometimes been sorry or embarrassed by some of my early impressions, and have had to post retractions or changed opinions. I wouldn't expect to see Stereophile reviewing this next week (they generally won't review pre-production units either, no "beta" impressions), and not until maybe fall or winter, if they do their job correctly.
> My $0.02.


 
  
 You're right. For my published reviews I spend 30+ days with the gear before I put pen to paper, so to speak. It takes a while to really get to know a piece of gear. You can develop basic impressions in as little as 20-30 seconds, but burn-in, brain and/or gear, is necessary to really know an item inside and out. I'm a bit skeptical when someone does a full-fledged review after only a day or two with a product. That said, I think writing impressions early on is great because it gives you a baseline on the new toy and you can gauge how your thoughts have changed as you listen.


----------



## musicheaven

axelcloris said:


> You're right. For my published reviews I spend 30+ days with the gear before I put pen to paper, so to speak. It takes a while to really get to know a piece of gear. You can develop basic impressions in as little as 20-30 seconds, but burn-in, brain and/or gear, is necessary to really know an item inside and out. I'm a bit skeptical when someone does a full-fledged review after only a day or two with a product. That said, I think writing impressions early on is great because it gives you a baseline on the new toy and you can gauge how your thoughts have changed as you listen.




Call it building intimacy. No matter if you call it burn in or just for your ears and brain establishing audio intimacy, once you pass a certain time period, all your conceptions or misconceptions are gone and your mind is more opened to what you're listening to, including nuances, breadth of sound and any clues from well known recordings. To me that's the kind of review worth reading but I would not put down first impressions, those are needed to get a picture of a non compromised auditory system. Surprising your ears and brain is another exercise. The most interesting reviews are those that are chronologically organized moving from first impressions to long lasting ones and dates recoded in between. I have seen this sort of reviews on sites like Amazon and they are truly effective and honest.


----------



## nicolo

I was actually thinking of doing that kind of a review when i receive my Infinity. Post first impressions immediately after receiving it, then a second round after 24 hours, a third round after 48 hours, a fourth after 100 hours, and then the final round of impressions after 300+ hours. 
  
 Listening equipment:
  
 Headphones: Hifiman's HE-560 (modded) and HE-400, Fidelio X2
 Speakers: KEF LS50, SVS PC12 NSD x2
 Amp: Vintage Yamaha (modded)
  
 Sold of all my other equipment.So guess these will have to do.
  
 Music for the review:
  
 1) The Dark Knight Rises soundtrack (HD Tracks 24bit 192kHz)
 2) DSOTM (my personal vinyl rip) and Wish You Were Here
 3) Rangeela and other AR Rahman soundtracks (flac/wav)
 4) Infected Mushroom (my favourite top 20)
 5) The Complex album (Blue Man Group)
 6) Enigma (Top 30 favourites)
 7) Dreamland album (Robert Miles)
  
 I think the above music selections offer an excellent mix of music in terms of attributes like vocals, treble and bass extension and impact, soundstaging, imaging and dynamics. Plus these are what i listen to most often.
  
 A more detailed look at the music selected above would tell you that i prefer music with large soundstaging. This is the kind of sound signature i am biased towards FYI.


----------



## musicheaven

If you do, I am certainly going to line up to read yours. By all means you should. I truly admire reviewers with honest opinions and impressions.This site is full of them.


----------



## doctorjazz

nicolo said:


> I was actually thinking of doing that kind of a review when i receive my Infinity. Post first impressions immediately after receiving it, then a second round after 24 hours, a third round after 48 hours, a fourth after 100 hours, and then the final round of impressions after 300+ hours.
> 
> Listening equipment:
> 
> ...




Why skip 72 hours, 96 hours, 120 hours....


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm out of touch, I guess...have to check out Infected Mushroom, just for the name


----------



## Madeupword

Received an email notification stating that my Pulse Infinity (Chassis 1.0) has shipped. Anyone else?


----------



## nicolo

doctorjazz said:


> Why skip 72 hours, 96 hours, 120 hours....


 
  
 Wife


----------



## mandrake50

madeupword said:


> Received an email notification stating that my Pulse Infinity (Chassis 1.0) has shipped. Anyone else?


 

 Nothing on mine. I was just wondering if I should tell them to switch me back to the new chassis. I switched to the original thinking that it might get me something quicker. I thin it was Gina that told me  if I didn't get anything by the end of July, I may as well go for the new chassis. Basically by then they would have used the stock of original chassis and it would be the same amount of additional wait for them to either get more of the original chassis or the new model.
  
 I can't seem to win... I am getting to the point of just resigning myself to the October time frame.


----------



## Maelob

I received a shipping notice late last month for the old chassis but was later cancelled and was told to expect it in late Jul. 
  
 By the way thanks for the comments on the reviews and msrp topics.   Just wanted to stimulate some conversation.  
  
 I ended up selling my Benchmark 1 with Bel CANTO USB/SPIDIF converter in anticipation of the infinity.
  
 Now I am just listening to a GO that i bought used.  connected to a Schiit Wyrd and IFI i tube LOL , and to be honest I am happy with the little system.
  
 Its been so long that I don't think I even need the better system


----------



## doctorjazz

Funny thing how that happens...Have been using Geek Out Special Edition, sometimes into MicroZOTL, have a Wave, Vi Tube, And Source on order, and. Tbh, I'm happy with the sound I'm getting, would be ok without all the rest of the stuff at this point.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Don't you want to be even happier when it arrives??


----------



## doctorjazz

Well, all I can say is, if everything knocks my socks off, more than they already are, I'm sure I'll be a happy camper!


----------



## musicheaven

I hope you don't wear your shoes else shocks won't be knocked off that far. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have sampled the GO 1K only and I am utterly impressed, made me regret my Oppo HA-2 purchase but now that it has broken in including the free Apple 3 month Music subscription I got on, my smartphone and the HA-2 has become very friendly so I am hoping the Wave will be friendlier and knocks my socks off too, only time will tell. I am expecting the Infinity in the new enclosure so I still have some ways to go but with what I am hearing, that will be sweet time ahead. Let's hope at least half of my orders will be coming before year end.


----------



## snip3r77

.


----------



## longbowbbs

doctorjazz said:


> maelob said:
> 
> 
> > On a related note, I have not seen a lot of professional reviews on the Geek.  I think initially there were some but I was expecting more reviewers to get their hands on the Pulse.  Also it would be nice to compare the DAC with similarly price DACS.  And I am not talking about Indiegogo pricing but suggested MSRP.  I think comparisons will be useful for any future customers, and to see if they are really worth the MSRP.  Does a plain Geek PULSE really perform as a 1K DAC, don't know.  But I think at some point people need to start talking about it.  Does the Infinity really compare to DACs in the 3K range or whatever the price is.
> ...


 
 I am not aware of any other review other than Mine oh Headphone.guru. I had a lot of time with the unit and I bought the Infinity.


----------



## longbowbbs

BTW, FYI.....
  

 I was at LH Labs Friday for the whole day......


----------



## Drsparis

So it's actually the same screen behind that big rectangular piece of glass??


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> BTW, FYI.....
> 
> 
> I was at LH Labs Friday for the whole day......


 
  
 So, tell me about the glass that's currently resting on top of the Infinity...


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> BTW, FYI.....
> 
> 
> 
> I was at LH Labs Friday for the whole day......




Nice Eric! Thanks for sharing.


----------



## wingsounds13

Correction: big rectangular piece of plastic, perhaps acrylic...

I suspect that the display window is sized to suit the front panel display of the (was Geek, is now Pulse) Source. Having the Source in the Pulse chassis as opposed to the hexagonal DaVinci inspired design originally presented is not exactly thrilling. Maybe the Pulse 2.0 will have a larger display than the current models. Lots of room for speculation here... 

J.P.


----------



## longbowbbs

The display board is different. It has a slot for the SD card for firmware updates.


----------



## Madeupword

Nice photo, Eric! I am glad to make the switch back to Chassis 1.0.
  
 Have you (or any lads) tried the Pulse Infinity with Violectric V281? Looks to be an awesome utilitarian combo.


----------



## MikeyFresh

axelcloris said:


> So, tell me about the glass that's currently resting on top of the Infinity...


 
 It looks rather Wave sized, doesn't it?


----------



## MikeyFresh

*Edit: duplicate post*


----------



## AxelCloris

mikeyfresh said:


> It looks rather Wave sized, doesn't it?


 
  
 Indeed it does. And we know that LH Labs has a history of hiding bits and pieces of other projects in their photography, so I wouldn't be surprised if there was a little LH staging going on before the photo was taken.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Indeed it does. And we know that LH Labs has a history of hiding bits and pieces of other projects in their photography, so I wouldn't be surprised if there was a little LH staging going on before the photo was taken.


 
 Very true my friends - the "thing in the background" is part of their schtick. However, in this case that piece of plastic (based on its size and thickness) could also be a variation on the window for the unit - maybe a different hue/transparency? Would be cool if it was Wave related though. 
  
 Also is that a 2G in the background?
  
 Cheers


----------



## Lceaucx

Not sure if it's the camera angle, but man that thing looks massive... Desktop will need some serious rearrangement before it can fit in my table...


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Very true my friends - the "thing in the background" is part of their schtick. However, in this case that piece of plastic (based on its size and thickness) could also be a variation on the window for the unit - maybe a different hue/transparency? Would be cool if it was Wave related though.
> 
> Also is that a 2G in the background?
> 
> Cheers


 
  
 I was under the impression that all 2G cables were split, and that looks like a single cable to me.
  


lceaucx said:


> Not sure if it's the camera angle, but man that thing looks massive... Desktop will need some serious rearrangement before it can fit in my table...


 
  
 There's a Pulse with the old chassis in the background, looks like the new one is considerably larger.


----------



## spyder1

"Super Size Me!"


----------



## longbowbbs

It is bigger than a 1/2 sized component. If you have the LPS as well, you may need a longer power cord so you can place the LPS somewhere other than beside the 2.0 case.


----------



## johnreekie

Geek Pulse with a Raspberry/Hifiberry digital streamer (sounds very good too!):


----------



## Maelob

Very sophisticated location LOL nice


----------



## johnreekie

Hi, it's the side table next to the sofa, the photo is supposed to illustrate a secondary listening location, using the streamer instead of a computer.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Any comments with the Pulse on the HE-560?


----------



## franz159

greg121986 said:


> Now that I investigate further it seems my issue is more severe. Before reading further, take note that the Pulse had worked and initially indicated it was on firmware version 1V1. I have NOT attempted to update the firmware or manipulate the Geek Pulse in any way.
> 
> When I turn it on I now find that it is not recognized by my Linux/MPD server. Also, and more alarmingly, when I check the firmware version on the Geek Pulse it shows Firmware Main 0.0, MCU 1.9. It seems to me that the Pulse firmware has corrupted itself.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Unfortunately same story for me today....
I received my *Geek Pulse X *on June 20.
I was abroad returning this week and therefore I was able to test only today.
 
First test this afternoon with Mac ran smoothly....
I verified installed firmware and it was:
MAIN 2.0
MCU 2.4
 
Second test tonight the device is not recognised by My Mac
Checking the firmware I now see 
MAIN 0.0
MCU 2.4 
 
 
1) I cannot find the bin file for the Pulse firmware 2.0 on the LHLABS  site support page
2) In any case the Pulse is not recognised by the DFU utility either
 
 
I opened a ticket with LHLABS.... I'm afraid I will have to send the pulse back..
 
@Greg121986: how did you story end up? how did you fix the issue?
 
Thanks
Franz


----------



## alvin1118

Here is how my Main 0.0 solved:

http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=145185.msg1067012#msg1067012

http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=145185.msg1067912#msg1067912

Btw I have part with all my LHLABS products... For info


----------



## Greg121986

franz159 said:


> @Greg121986: how did you story end up? how did you fix the issue?
> 
> Thanks
> Franz


 
  
 I had to send my unit back to LH Labs and they replaced the entire DAC board. My issue was unrecoverable. They asked me to try to reflash, but the device was not being recognized as a USB device. All queries of hardware from Linux or Windows showed nothing plugged into the USB port. If the USB port isn't initialized then there is no way to flash the firmware. That was with my single-ended Geek Pulse.
  
 I've got all sorts of other issues with my Pulse X. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Right channel static or not playing when sample rate changes, constant static through the headphone amp output. I had to buy an Apple remote so I can tap the volume button a few times to get the right channel to actually lock. Then I find that every few days the remote becomes de-synched with the Pulse X and I have to link them again.
  
 It sounds great, though. It is a tragedy that it isn't reliable.


----------



## kenman345

greg121986 said:


> I had to send my unit back to LH Labs and they replaced the entire DAC board. My issue was unrecoverable. They asked me to try to reflash, but the device was not being recognized as a USB device. All queries of hardware from Linux or Windows showed nothing plugged into the USB port. If the USB port isn't initialized then there is no way to flash the firmware. That was with my single-ended Geek Pulse.
> 
> I've got all sorts of other issues with my Pulse X.
> 
> ...


 
 Wait, your remote can become out of sync? Are you sure? I thought once sync'd the remotes cannot be unpaired.


----------



## Greg121986

kenman345 said:


> Wait, your remote can become out of sync? Are you sure? I thought once sync'd the remotes cannot be unpaired.


 
 The remote will randomly stop working. When this happens I have to pair it with the Pulse X again. It gives me the same pairing code, then it works again as normal. This has happened 4-5 times so far.


----------



## kenman345

greg121986 said:


> The remote will randomly stop working. When this happens I have to pair it with the Pulse X again. It gives me the same pairing code, then it works again as normal. This has happened 4-5 times so far.


 
 Interesting. On the LH Labs boards I was asking about what happens if/when the remote fails and we need a new one. I do not wish to risk turning my current remote into a lemon and wasting $25 on a new remote just to find out the answer when this should be general knowledge. 
  
 I guess the pairing code is unique to the source device, not the remote. Every time you pair the apple remote, the remote increments its identifier by 1. if the remote is causing the same identifier number, then it must not be using the apple remote key in the first place.


----------



## atsq17

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Any comments with the Pulse on the HE-560?


 
  
 Really good. Well the XFi anyway. Connected via Toxic Virus Hybrid Cable balanced. I also have the same single ended cable and it sounds just as good. Balanced might be better (or placebo). 
  
 Decent soundstage. Not the biggest or anything but good and spacious. Good positioning of sounds. Lovely tone. Good details. Nice bass hit. Not as strong as LCD-X but noticeably stronger than HD-800 with copper cable.


----------



## mscott58

greg121986 said:


> I had to send my unit back to LH Labs and they replaced the entire DAC board. My issue was unrecoverable. They asked me to try to reflash, but the device was not being recognized as a USB device. All queries of hardware from Linux or Windows showed nothing plugged into the USB port. If the USB port isn't initialized then there is no way to flash the firmware. That was with my single-ended Geek Pulse.
> 
> I've got all sorts of other issues with my Pulse X.
> 
> ...


 
 Greg - Sorry to hear that your Pulse is being buggy. Personally have not had a single issue with my Infinity. Hope it gets sorted out. Cheers


----------



## uncola

johnreekie are you using the hifiberry digi+ to connect the raspberry pi to your geek pulse?


----------



## Madeupword

Anyone has issue with Pulse Infinity?


----------



## kenman345

So, anyone know of a USB IR Transmitter that can do the apple remote pairing thing? I was thinking it would be nice to have a relay setup such that I can use an apple remote as well as my computer to change the volume. Seeing as IR has been around for a while, I figured it would be nice to have it so my mouse with the programmable buttons were able to control the IR transmitter to navigate the menu and/or up and lower the volume.
  
 It would be really awesome to have a setup like this. I say that I want it working both ways because I want to know that I do not need my computer on for my remote to work as I am not always using my PC with the Pulse.


----------



## johnreekie

uncola said:


> johnreekie are you using the hifiberry digi+ to connect the raspberry pi to your geek pulse?


 
  
 Hi, no the Pulse is connected via USB. The DIGI+ is for other gizmos that don't use USB.
  
 With that said, I couldn't get Airplay to work to the RPi unless I had an I2S driver selected, and I haven't actually tried the RPi2 standalone. I've ordered a couple more and will try one that way when I get them.


----------



## leomitch

madeupword said:


> Anyone has issue with Pulse Infinity?


 
 No problems so far after two weeks of steady use. Mine is powered on by the wall plug and is in USB mode. Works perfectly with my Windows version of JRiver software.
  
 Leo


----------



## mscott58

leomitch said:


> No problems so far after two weeks of steady use. Mine is powered on by the wall plug and is in USB mode. Works perfectly with my Windows version of JRiver software.
> 
> Leo


 
 Same here. 2-3 week with no issues - it's actually been on that whole time. Running off the LPS4 for power and being fed by JRMC from my PC using the Lightspeed 10G cable. 
  
 As mentioned previously I also upgraded the knob, which actually I think helps a lot. Having a bigger and heavier knob makes it easier to make changes to the volume with just one or two fingers and gives the unit a more solid feeling IMO. Can be an issue however if you use the remote control as it mostly covers up the IR port. 

 Cheers


----------



## kenman345

mscott58 said:


> Same here. 2-3 week with no issues - it's actually been on that whole time. Running off the LPS4 for power and being fed by JRMC from my PC using the Lightspeed 10G cable.
> 
> As mentioned previously I also upgraded the knob, which actually I think helps a lot. Having a bigger and heavier knob makes it easier to make changes to the volume with just one or two fingers and gives the unit a more solid feeling IMO. Can be an issue however if you use the remote control as it mostly covers up the IR port.
> 
> Cheers


 
 What is the original material of the knob?
  
 Would it not make sense to just replace the stock knob with one of the same size but denser/heavier material? I would imagine it would still provide some of the same benefits but less drawbacks.


----------



## WCDchee

Anyone compared the USB and coax inputs? I just did a quick comparison and found the coax input to be extremely horrible, sounding muddy as if i was listening to 64mbps mp3s, is my unit faulty?


----------



## taz23

I have used the coaxial input, and thought that there isn't much difference as compared to USB based on initial impressions.  I have not tested it thoroughly, but I certainly do not feel that it is horrible.


----------



## WCDchee

That's not too good i might have to send it in in that case..


----------



## mscott58

kenman345 said:


> What is the original material of the knob?
> 
> Would it not make sense to just replace the stock knob with one of the same size but denser/heavier material? I would imagine it would still provide some of the same benefits but less drawbacks.


 
 Both the original knob and the replacement I have are made out of Aluminum. 
  
 Given that the original knob has a diameter of 24mm and a depth of 16mm the replacement has a diameter of 44mm and a depth of 22mm I calculate that you'd need a material that is over 4.5 times as dense as Aluminum to get the same mass in the smaller volume. Seeing that copper and bronze are only 3-3.5x as dense as Aluminum and lead is closer at 4.2x you'd be getting to a pretty exotic metal to make that work. Gold or Tungsten perhaps? (sorry for the geek-out)
  
 Also the larger diameter makes the knob easier to turn, as does the cross-hatched surface. 
  
 And finally it's only $8.50 shipped!
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-D-44mm-x-H-22mm-aluminum-volume-knob-amplifier-knob-black-color-sn-/191337476475?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c8c9a317b
  
 Cheers


----------



## kenman345

mscott58 said:


> Both the original knob and the replacement I have are made out of Aluminum.
> 
> Given that the original knob has a diameter of 24mm and a depth of 16mm the replacement has a diameter of 44mm and a depth of 22mm I calculate that you'd need a material that is over 4.5 times as dense as Aluminum to get the same mass in the smaller volume. Seeing that copper and bronze are only 3-3.5x as dense as Aluminum and lead is closer at 4.2x you'd be getting to a pretty exotic metal to make that work. Gold or Tungsten perhaps? (sorry for the geek-out)
> 
> ...


 
 But exotic materials just sound so much better, lol.
  
 I was not thinking using the exact specs, maybe you can extend the depth of the knob so you have more to work with and less need for a dense metal. I didnt think it would be cheaper but still, someone with some metal working skills should be able to make one. I think LH Labs truly missed the mark to include some really solid features to the Pulse. I guess in future versions/iterations we will see more high-end features included. IR input to the back would've been nice, or even an output so you can send signals to other items that are connected to the Pulse


----------



## leomitch

mscott58 said:


> Same here. 2-3 week with no issues - it's actually been on that whole time. Running off the LPS4 for power and being fed by JRMC from my PC using the Lightspeed 10G cable.
> 
> As mentioned previously I also upgraded the knob, which actually I think helps a lot. Having a bigger and heavier knob makes it easier to make changes to the volume with just one or two fingers and gives the unit a more solid feeling IMO. Can be an issue however if you use the remote control as it mostly covers up the IR port.
> 
> Cheers


 
 I hardly ever use the knob as I find the remote works well and in my case, I often am laid way back in my comfy armchair listening or falling asleep so the remote is handy to adjust volume or mute from a distance without having to readjust my LazyBoy recliner controls.
 I see you have a Burson Conductor for sale...that should make a clear statement  about how good the Infinity is. The Burson has an excellent reputation so why would anyone sell it unless they had something else as good or better to replace it. Conjecture on my part.
  
 Leo


----------



## johnreekie

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Any comments with the Pulse on the HE-560?


 
 Hi Michael, I find this to be a nice listenable combo (meaning the whole thing in the picture) but you can certainly move to more with the 560, as indicated by Andy (atsq17). if I had a rack of headphones I'd probably have put something else in as a good overall match. However the 560 is the only headphone I have now and it looks nice in the pictures too


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thanks John! I for myself is saving for some Ethers...
  
 Hoping with the Tube HPA to make some real difference. Will see.


----------



## Thenewguy007

How does the Geek Pulse compare to the Geek Out V2?

 Anyone sampled both?


----------



## Greg121986

Here's the prime-time review everyone's been looking for. 
  
 http://www.audiostream.com/content/lh-labs-geek-pulse-xfi-linear-power-supply-4-lps4#2AzO8q1cXxV4Efwx.97


----------



## mscott58

greg121986 said:


> Here's the prime-time review everyone's been looking for.
> 
> http://www.audiostream.com/content/lh-labs-geek-pulse-xfi-linear-power-supply-4-lps4#2AzO8q1cXxV4Efwx.97




Great review. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## eac3

Very nice. I am glad to see that the reviewer had no problems operating the unit since it wasn't mentioned in the review.
  
 Was thinking of selling my LPS as it has been a paperweight for 5 months now with the warranty running out on it. Perhaps I will keep it awhile longer. Really appreciated the reviewer taking the time to try with/without the LPS power and USB.
  
 Thanks Michael Lavorgna
  
 Does the new chassis have control on the light output of the display?


----------



## mandrake50

I also was happy to see no reported problems. It looks like my Infinity will be showing up at my door today. I just hope that I am as fortunate.


----------



## Maelob

Like the review but wish he talked a little about value/performance- we are talking about over 3k. but i guess since he didnt mentioned it i am asumming the reviewer is ok with it.


----------



## leomitch

He said it passed his checklist of things necessary to keep him smiling so I guess that is his stamp of approval. Anyway, it did well. I would love to see what the Infinity would do under pro scrutiny.
  
 Leo


----------



## FlySweep

maelob said:


> Like the review but wish he talked a little about value/performance- we are talking about over 3k. but i guess since he didnt mentioned it i am asumming the reviewer is ok with it.


 
  
 Those who snagged it at IGG pricing got a great value, IMO.  Michael compared it to a $3500 Auralic Vega (a pretty well regarded DAC at the price) and it didn't fall flat on its face.. not even close.. so there's that.  Deriving the value of a fully loaded LPS+Pulse at its *retail* pricing is something that's TBD, though.  IMO, we need more comparisons to the competition.. but again, the fact it stands up to the Vega is good news.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So if XFI + LPS >= Auralic Vega
  
 Is it safe to assume XFI ∞ + LPS > Auralic Vega?


----------



## AxelCloris

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So if XFI + LPS >= Auralic Vega
> Is it safe to assume XFI ∞ + LPS > Auralic Vega?


 
  
 I would make that assumption.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> I would make that assumption.


 
 Me too Brian. 
  
 Will review my Infinity here eventually. Waiting on some adapter cables to be able to try out the Infinity in balanced mode with my LCD-3's (don't like the stock balanced cable so I'm getting one of my Silver Dragon V3's reterminated) and my K10's (have a Norne adapter on order as well). On a whim also ordered a dual 3-pin XLR to 2.5mm TRRS so I can try running the Infinity as a DAC through my ALO CDM. Should be fun! 
  
 Cheers


----------



## germay0653

maelob said:


> Like the review but wish he talked a little about value/performance- we are talking about over 3k. but i guess since he didnt mentioned it i am asumming the reviewer is ok with it.


 

 He compared it to the AURALiC Vega which runs about $3500.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So if XFI + LPS >= Auralic Vega
> 
> Is it safe to assume XFI ∞ + LPS > Auralic Vega?


 

 Or a Vi Tube ∞ mo better than AURALiC Vega!


----------



## doctorjazz

germay0653 said:


> m-i-c-k-e-y said:
> 
> 
> > So if XFI + LPS >= Auralic Vega
> ...




His only complaint was a bit of dryness (my word), compared to his MyTeck...sounds like he's a candidate for the tube version of Geek. Really makes me antsy for my Vi Tube Infinity as well (but it could be quite a wait still, me thinks...). Anyway, sure I'll live it when it comes!


----------



## Maelob

Great thanks for the comments- that put it in pespective that it is good performing product.


----------



## mandrake50

The Pulse X Infinity is here and alive. No glitches so far.
 I can't compare to folks using unrelated words to describe how something sounds. It does sound very nice to me... even cold.
 I will let is sit and play some music for awhile,
 I look forward to trying to notice some kind of difference  after it has run for a bit.
  
 The only immediate complaint that I have is that the display is way too dim.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Hello All!

It's been a very long time since my last post here. After Gavin's latest update I gave in and sent a request to change to 1.0 chassis. 5 mins later I get a response to expect shipping information within 24 to 48 hrs!

My, my LPS and my balanced HD600 cable have been waiting for far too long! 

I regret a little loosing the ability to change display firmware at home, but I think I can live with it. Plus, the idea of spending more money for a trade-in for LPS in chassis 2.0 (and its LPS4, not single LPS like the one I have), didn't jive with me too much. Desktop space will feel less crammed too!

I thank and appreciate LH Labs for the offering the chassis 2.0 free of charge though.


----------



## uncola

Nice to hear production is progressing and everything should be done shipping by the end of august


----------



## mscott58

eliwankenobi said:


> Hello All!
> 
> It's been a very long time since my last post here. After Gavin's latest update I gave in and sent a request to change to 1.0 chassis. 5 mins later I get a response to expect shipping information within 24 to 48 hrs!
> 
> ...


 
 I did the same, defaulting back to the 1.0 chassis for my Infinity. Haven't regretted it for a minute. The firmware and display have worked flawlessly so far. And regarding the LPS 4 I look forward to using it to power not only my upcoming Pulse HPA but also my upcoming Uptone Regen. Cheers


----------



## mscott58

doctorjazz said:


> His only complaint was a bit of dryness (my word), compared to his MyTeck...sounds like he's a candidate for the tube version of Geek. Really makes me antsy for my Vi Tube Infinity as well (but it could be quite a wait still, me thinks...). Anyway, sure I'll live it when it comes!


 
 That's the advantage of this design - you can always pair it with a tube amp if you want more color/warmth. I have a custom cable on order to allow me to use the Infinity as the DAC and the ALO CDM as the amp - so will see how some tube-ness pairs with the Larry-ness of the Infinity! Cheers


----------



## pbear

My Pulse X Infinity (in the old chassis) arrived today, which was a day earlier than promised (and a year later, depending on how you count) . I have another one coming in the new chassis (home + office), but couldn't stand waiting until October to get anything so I jumped when LH Labs offered to send one of the extra units in the old chassis right away. Of course, two days later when I receive the old chassis, LH announces that all of the units in the new chassis will ship by the end of August. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 After four hours warming up, LPS > Lightspeed 10G > Infinity in FTM mode > Balanced output > JH Audio Roxannes is sounding wonderful already. There's absolutely no hiss, even at 0 dB with no music playing, which is very impressive given the 119 dB sensitivity of the Roxannes. Audiophile standards, classical, jazz, acoustic guitar, choral, pop, EDM, classic rock all sound great. Very detailed, excellent instrument texture, wide and deep sound stage, great imaging and separation, and overall highly engaging. Constant toe-tapping going on here!
  
 I'm only using the USB input (JRiver MC 20 and Tidal on Windows 7), but that has worked perfectly across all resolutions of PCM from 16/44.1 through DXD as well as DSD 64 and 128. There are some low-level pops when changing between tracks at different bit rates, but they are pretty unobtrusive (probably down around -75 dB, while I'm listening at somewhere between -66 dB for recent pop and -48 dB for some classical).
  
 The Infinity, as expected, is much much better than the GO IEM 100. Sorry, I don't have any other high end DACs/amps/HPs to compare to directly (yet - I have a LC on order). I listened to a ton of equipment at the SF meet last weekend, but the meet conditions made it very hard for me to come to any firm conclusions. One impression from a brief listen to the GO V2+ Infinity is that the V2+ has a warmer, lusher tone overall; the Pulse Infinity is more neutral and possibly more natural.
  
 Assuming the Infinity improves further with burn-in, I'm going to be a _very _happy camper despite all of the pain of getting here. As a very early backer (October 2013), the performance to price ratio is outstanding.


----------



## mscott58

pbear said:


> My Pulse X Infinity (in the old chassis) arrived today, which was a day earlier than promised (and a year later, depending on how you count) . I have another one coming in the new chassis (home + office), but couldn't stand waiting until October to get anything so I jumped when LH Labs offered to send one of the extra units in the old chassis right away. Of course, two days later when I receive the old chassis, LH announces that all of the units in the new chassis will ship by the end of August.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Great to hear, and trust me - it gets better with time! 
  
 Do you leave it on all the time? The Infinity (specifically the femto-clocks) like to stay nice and warm and stable. Haven't turned mine off since I got it. 
  
 Enjoy!


----------



## pbear

mscott58 said:


> Great to hear, and trust me - it gets better with time!
> 
> Do you leave it on all the time? The Infinity (specifically the femto-clocks) like to stay nice and warm and stable. Haven't turned mine off since I got it.
> 
> Enjoy!


 
  
 Yes, I plan to leave it on all of the time.


----------



## mscott58

pbear said:


> Yes, I plan to leave it on all of the time.


 
 Cool (pardon the pun). Actually it can get a bit warm, so make sure you have proper space around the Infinity and LPS - they do throw off some heat. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## eac3

So from the update, I take it they won't be making an LPS 2.0 (an LPS in the 2.0 chassis)? Just an LPS4 2.0?


----------



## nicolo

I now have to get a new rack. There's no way the Pulse Infinity, Source, Pulse HPA SS all in the new chassis can fit on my desk with all my other stuff.


----------



## Ham Sandwich

pbear said:


> Yes, I plan to leave it on all of the time.


 
  
 I leave my Xfi and LPS on 24/7.  It needs it.
  
 It took over 2 days for the femto clocks to begin to stabilize with the initial burn-in.  And it got a little better after that over the next few days.  Don't judge the initial sound of the FTM filter during the burn-in period.  It will get better.  During the burn-in period the soundstage of the FTM filter will be wonky.  After the initial burn-in the DAC warms up much more quickly.  But I still leave it on 24/7.  No sense in waiting an hour or whatever it takes for things to warm up when I want to listen right away.
  
 I'm using the Xfi + LPS with a Cavalli Liquid Fire amp and old-school Audeze LCD-2.2 headphones.  The Liquid Fire gives me the smooth hybrid style tube goodness and deep spatialness that the Liquid Fire does.  Combined with the spatialness, smooth sound, smooth deep soundstage (in FTM mode) and clean sound that the Xfi does.  The combination is better that the sum of the parts.  A super wonderful cohesive deep soundstage that sounds better and more natural and spatial than headphones have a right to.  The combination is a deep and cohesive well integrated soundstage that is just amazing.  Better than anything that artificial crossfeed could accomplish.  I'm super happy.  I've been chasing this style of soundstage in headphones for several years.  Now I have it.  FTM mode is the trick for this soundstage magic where the combination of the Xfi and the Cavalli Liquid Fire just combine so well together.  Switching over to TCM mode or FRM mode is a lesser soundstage experience after having experienced FTM mode.
  
 I haven't heard an Infinity version yet.  Leaves me wondering if I should have splurged for the Infinity instead of settling for just the Xfi version.  The Xfi version is so good though that I'm happy nevertheless.


----------



## longbowbbs

I had a great time visiting the LH Labs home last week. The crew was busy with all of the various projects. I will post an article about the visit soon.
  
 Here is a pic of myself, Gavin, Casey and Larry in front of their idea wall.


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


>


 
  
 Those shorts...


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


 
 Personal style is its own reward....


----------



## nudd

pedalhead said:


> Is anyone else hearing a slight boost in the 7-10 kHz range with the Pulse X Infinite (or indeed any flavour)?


 
  
 I already mentioned I prefer it with earphone with a slight bass boost or mildly warm tilt so i can believe it has a slight boost.


----------



## kenman345

Slightly OT, but for anyone upset about Apple Remotes being used for the Pulse, you might want to think about a Harmony remote. Their current lineup all pair to Apple units, so it should pair to the pulse. Also, if you purchase one with a control unit that has IR Blasters, then you can potentially use multiple remotes with the Pulse as well as your phone. This would also enable you to control whatever other items you are using with the Pulse all with one remote.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Wow! That was fast!

My Pulse Infinity has been shipped!!

I hope it works good and not encounter any problems! Fingers crossed!


----------



## germay0653

eliwankenobi said:


> Wow! That was fast!
> 
> My Pulse Infinity has been shipped!!
> 
> I hope it works good and not encounter any problems! Fingers crossed!


 

 Good luck Eli and enjoy!  I know you've been waiting since the beginning.


----------



## eliwankenobi

germay0653 said:


> Good luck Eli and enjoy!  I know you've been waiting since the beginning.




Thanks!

Yeah, It's been a long time wait. We'll see

Now I was wondering what will happen after they roll out their Direct DSD or whatever driver setup for playing up to DSD256. That one would warrant a display firmware update for sure.. So one would need to send it back for update no?

 And if I don't send it back, I guess it would still play but the display might not show correctly what file is playing right?


----------



## frankrondaniel

I've been listening for the past few weeks to my XFI with my HD800s via the XLR connects. To my surprise, I'm preferring the standard 1/4" connection. The XLR definitely has more power and seems to have a noticeably larger sound stage but I find the sound somewhat diffuse and lacking in body compared to the 1/4". The highs with the HD800's seem to be a little more "tizzy" as well. In contrast, using the 1/4" connection, the sound stage is still satisfying while the sound has more of a weight or body to it. So I'm sticking to the 1/4" at this point.


----------



## mscott58

frankrondaniel said:


> I've been listening for the past few weeks to my XFI with my HD800s via the XLR connects. To my surprise, I'm preferring the standard 1/4" connection. The XLR definitely has more power and seems to have a noticeably larger sound stage but I find the sound somewhat diffuse and lacking in body compared to the 1/4". The highs with the HD800's seem to be a little more "tizzy" as well. In contrast, using the 1/4" connection, the sound stage is still satisfying while the sound has more of a weight or body to it. So I'm sticking to the 1/4" at this point.




Are you using different cables?

With my Infinity my LCD-3's sound better SE with a Moon Audio SD v3 cable than they do with the stock Audeze balanced cable.


----------



## frankrondaniel

mscott58 said:


> Are you using different cables?
> 
> With my Infinity my LCD-3's sound better SE with a Moon Audio SD v3 cable than they do with the stock Audeze balanced cable.


 
  
 Nope - same cables.  Moon Audio Black Dragon just with different adapter.


----------



## mscott58

frankrondaniel said:


> Nope - same cables.  Moon Audio Black Dragon just with different adapter.




Interesting. Thanks for the clarification. Cheers


----------



## pbear

From Gavin's latest update, an unfortunate typo:
  

10 Pulse DAC Pignature Edition units housed in Chassis 2.0
  
 Does the Pignature Edition come with lipstick? If so, do we get to pick the color, and how do the different colors affect the sound quality?


----------



## gikigill

The Pignature edition definitely brings home the bacon.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Looks like it was just me and another one that opted for the 1.0 chassis!

Btw, it is set to arrive on Monday!


----------



## miceblue

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7-5UsjMD14[/video]


----------



## Verloren

The LPS I have seems to have a really bad grounding issue when using the USB pass-through. All I get is static.


----------



## nicolo

So what do Source+ backers get for the extra cash?


----------



## DSlayerZX

eliwankenobi said:


> Looks like it was just me and another one that opted for the 1.0 chassis!
> 
> Btw, it is set to arrive on Monday!


 
  
 Well.. consider the extra wait time most of us had to put up with with the 2.0 chassis....
 it's too late to turn back to 1.0 now, especially when their shipping date is less than a month apart O.O
  
 (Welp... finally time to dust off the Jay's Audio's LPS. )


----------



## agisthos

I'm glad opted for Chassis 1.0. Did you see the reasons why they claim Chassis 2.0 is better? The Bluetooth and wi-fi signals can reach inside!!
  
 So a steel chassis 2.0 that has no shielding (incoming or outgoing) is somehow better than aluminium, is that right? I thought steel was an RF shield as well...


----------



## DSlayerZX

Actually, the shielding problem did came into my mind when I received the email explaining why they went with 2.0 instead of the old design.
  
 Though,
 I'm not quiet sure if it's due to the shielding of the case it self or the placement of bluetooh/wi-fi anntenna & openings that affected the wifi/bluetooth's signal strength, or maybe a combined factor of both.
  
 ps. or they are just claiming 2.0 is better because it's easier for them to manufacture XD


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So it safe to say that Case no. 1 is more EMI/RF resistant. 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## miceblue

I'll be at a local meet later today (in around 9 hours actually) and someone is bringing a Pulse Xfi. I can't guarantee anything since this is going to be one of the larger meets in the area and space is limited, but I hope to get a chance to compare the Xfi to my X Infinity. I'll be bringing the HE1000 beta unit I have since it's the only balanced, non-electrostatic, non-dynamic headphone I have at hand. XD


----------



## leomitch

@miceblue
  
 Way to go! Can't wait to hear what you find, although I think the differences will be small ones. Some of the differences may be so subtle that words to describe them may be difficult to come up with.  Metaphor is always good in cases like that.
 Good luck mate!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Cheers
 Leo


----------



## Madeupword

Received my Infinity. Surprisingly light, looks superb in actuality and feels solid. Knob isn't wobbly and LED brightness is just right for desk situation.
  
 Stacked on top of the LPS, they are a gestalt. I am delighted to have switch my initial choice of chassis.
  
 Two gripes, one, the continual inclusion of "Geek" in Pulse branding. Two, unnecessary indicators on LPS are distractions.
  
 As Mala in Cuba ends, The Electric Word starts.


----------



## agisthos

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So it safe to say that Case no. 1 is more EMI/RF resistant.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


 
  
 Not exactly. As DSlayerZX points out, this could be more about antenna position/openings. But still, they were struggling to put a positive spin on it.
  
 It is standard audiophile thing to claim aluminium enclosures are better than steel. For noise rejection and for sound quality in general.


----------



## mscott58

agisthos said:


> Not exactly. As DSlayerZX points out, this could be more about antenna position/openings. But still, they were struggling to put a positive spin on it.
> 
> It is standard audiophile thing to claim aluminium enclosures are better than steel. For noise rejection and for sound quality in general.




As Apple learned the hard way with antennas it's all about design


----------



## Ham Sandwich

miceblue said:


> I'll be at a local meet later today (in around 9 hours actually) and someone is bringing a Pulse Xfi. I can't guarantee anything since this is going to be one of the larger meets in the area and space is limited, but I hope to get a chance to compare the Xfi to my X Infinity. I'll be bringing the HE1000 beta unit I have since it's the only balanced, non-electrostatic, non-dynamic headphone I have at hand. XD


 
  
  




 I'm going to attempt to get to the meet location early enough to plug in the Xfi for an hour or so before the meet starts.  I hope.
 I need to hear the HE1000.


----------



## DSlayerZX

mscott58 said:


> As Apple learned the hard way with antennas it's all about design


 
  
 No, you are just holding your phone wrong.
  
  
 But yes.... Even though i woud like to give them benefit of the doubt, it's hard not to be suspicious regarding to the case design.


----------



## germay0653

pbear said:


> From Gavin's latest update, an unfortunate typo:
> 
> 
> 10 Pulse DAC Pignature Edition units housed in Chassis 2.0
> ...


 

 No lipstick, just wings!


----------



## mandrake50

madeupword said:


> Received my Infinity. Surprisingly light, looks superb in actuality and feels solid. Knob isn't wobbly and LED brightness is just right for desk situation.
> 
> Stacked on top of the LPS, they are a gestalt. I am delighted to have switch my initial choice of chassis.
> 
> ...


 

 I agree with everything above, except the screen brightness. The room has to be pretty dark, and/or I have to be within a foot of it to read it.  I have a good size window directly behind it, during daylight, it is quite a pain to read the display.
 It would have been nicer to either have it brighter, or to have some adjustment. I know that, if they made it brighter, there would be those that would have complained that it was too bright. So some level of adjustment would have been nice. Even if that meant popping the cover.


----------



## AxelCloris

Sent in the request to change to the 1.0 chassis.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Sent in the request to change to the 1.0 chassis.


 
 Welcome to the dark side Brian!


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Welcome to the dark side Brian!


 
  
 Thanks. I'm here because of recent choices I've made as to my desktop setup. My current home "rig" is simply the GO SE powered by the LPS4.


----------



## doctorjazz

Had given up my LPS4 when I went the Vi route...now I'm a bit sorry I did, having a Geek Out Special Edition, and expecting a Wave And a Source, all of which likely better from LPS4. Also, the Desktop vs Rack decision, which I made for the rack component, but I actually listen much more away from the rack (recently drifting back to the rack, as I connected my LP12/Pro-Ject tube Phono stage into MicroZOTL2 driving HEK. Not so comfortable in my set up, but, man, sounds SWEET!)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

axelcloris said:


> Sent in the request to change to the 1.0 chassis.


 
  
 He gave in! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Welcome to the dark side..


----------



## eliwankenobi

dslayerzx said:


> Well.. consider the extra wait time most of us had to put up with with the 2.0 chassis....
> it's too late to turn back to 1.0 now, especially when their shipping date is less than a month apart O.O
> 
> (Welp... finally time to dust off the Jay's Audio's LPS. )




You are absolutely right!

I hesitated and gave in and 2.0 chassis release wasn't really that far off! Then I see the Pulse SE video where you Gavin's point about how fast, nice and responsive is the new matrix board. The comment about the sd card slot for firmware updates made a bigger impression on me than before. I actually thought about the cost and time for me to send my Pulse back to factory for firmware update of display. I live in Puerto Rico, so it could be a lot of shipping money if I wanted fast or a lot of time if I wanted to send it cheap. Not to mention the risk of it getting lost in mail!! (NO!!). And then going back into the thread a couple of pages I see this picture



It looked so much better in that photo vs previous ones. The whole thing gave me a huge change of heart!!! And I'm freaking out a little because the 1.0 already shipped. I opened another service ticket to change back and just refuse delivery or send unit back without opening box and such! I so hope the change back can be done! It was only a one day difference between one thing and the other. I hope it's no big deal!

I thought of a way to hide the LPS if the trade-in price is out of my reach too.


----------



## longbowbbs

Did someone say 1.0? Here is the weekend rig
  
 Apple MacMini>Pulse Infinity powered by LPS4>Moon Neo 430HA> Audeze LCD-X's
  

 Those are Stillpoints Ultra 6's under the Neo 430


----------



## snip3r77

Anyone is running windows 10 with pulse? Any issue with drivers?
Or has LHLabs tested with windows 10?


----------



## llama_egg

Man, at this point I have _no idea_ where the heck the X-fi is on board for shipping between everything else. Figured if I just pushed it out of my mind for a few months things would get easier, but dear god, I feel like the amount of products doubled and things are getting shipped out in a weird order.


----------



## miceblue

Well I'm back from the meet. Even though Ham Sandwich and I setup next to each other, there were way too many other things to listen to and we ended up not getting a chance to compare the Xfi to the X Infinity. 

Next time though! : p

Apparently there was a Geek Out V2 there too but it was hidden.


Oh yeah, Pulse X Infinity gets to around 100.6 F (38.11 C) on the side while being powered by the LPS4 and driving the SR-207 and K701 balanced; Pulse Xfi gets to 94-ish F on the side in comparison while using the RCA line out to another amp. Someone at the meet had an infrared heat gun. It took about 45 minutes, I think, for the X Infinity to get to that temperature.


----------



## coletrain104

longbowbbs said:


> Did someone say 1.0? Here is the weekend rig
> 
> Apple MacMini>Pulse Infinity powered by LPS4>Moon Neo 430HA> Audeze LCD-X's
> 
> ...


 
 That Simaudio Moon Neo looks awesome, and I hear they're fantastic (and very powerful). thats a real nice setup there


----------



## Ham Sandwich

miceblue said:


> Well I'm back from the meet. Even though Ham Sandwich and I setup next to each other, there were way too many other things to listen to and we ended up not getting a chance to compare the Xfi to the X Infinity.
> 
> Next time though! : p
> 
> ...


 
  
 I also had the HP Gain set to Low on my Xfi.  I had it at Low just in case someone plugged in a headphone during the meet while the volume was at full volume.  I didn't want anyone to accidentally blow their headphones or my headphones due to having gain set too high.  Usually I have it set at Medium cause Medium is the best setting for my LCD-2.2.


----------



## longbowbbs

coletrain104 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Did someone say 1.0? Here is the weekend rig
> ...


 
 Thanks! The ∞ as DAC only pair beautifully with the Neo 430HA


----------



## Maelob

Finally!!! received the infinity, out of the box and it sounds good.


----------



## Maelob

I will be selling it soon for reasons i dont want to get into. But just want to give everybody a glimpse on how it looks on a desk. I am not an expert I just disconnected the GO 450 - and right way noticed more detail but i will post some observations in a few days. i also have some Alpha dogs and Oppo Pm3 that i want to test.


----------



## Thenewguy007

So has anyone tried both the Geek Out V2 & the Geek Pulse? I'm on the fence on what to get. Need something to power a Beyerdynamics T1.
  
 Isn't the Geek Pulse a more expensive upgrade from the Geek Out v2?
  
 Or is the newer Geek Out V2 with newer, more refined tech that makes it on par?


----------



## eliwankenobi

thenewguy007 said:


> So has anyone tried both the Geek Out V2 & the Geek Pulse? I'm on the fence on what to get. Need something to power a Beyerdynamics T1.
> 
> Isn't the Geek Pulse a more expensive upgrade from the Geek Out v2?
> 
> Or is the newer Geek Out V2 with newer, more refined tech that makes it on par?




Both are functionally the same. Unless you are a more mobile type of listener, I would stay with Pulse simply due to it's more sophisticated analog gain stage and additional power.

I have a GO450 and it's pretty good, and even better when powered by the LPS. I have no doubt that my coming Pulse Infinity will be a big step forward.


----------



## Thenewguy007

eliwankenobi said:


> Both are functionally the same. Unless you are a more mobile type of listener, I would stay with Pulse simply due to it's more sophisticated analog gain stage and additional power.
> 
> I have a GO450 and it's pretty good, and even better when powered by the LPS. I have no doubt that my coming Pulse Infinity will be a big step forward.


 

 So the Geek Out V2 Infinity won't be suitable for a 600 Ohm impedance headphone as the Pulse would be?
 Outside them driving more power hungry hp, there isn't much of a difference?


----------



## eliwankenobi

thenewguy007 said:


> So the Geek Out V2 Infinityhttps://www.google.com/search?q=Inf...eD5xgIVilU-Ch2YGwJo&biw=1536&bih=758&dpr=1.25won't be suitable for a 600 Ohm impedance headphone as the Pulse would be?
> Outside them driving more power hungry hp, there isn't much of a difference?




My Geek Out 450 can drive my HD600 just fine! But they are 300 ohm and are not exactly the harder HPs to drive. I am not too sure about yours... But the V2 can provide up to 1W of power so it can drive your HPs just fine I'm sure. But the Pulse has a 3 watt amp. So it can drive your headphones better and louder. In terms of quality of sound... I have not heard the pulse (yet) nor the GOV2, but LH Labs so far has made products with very similar sound signature, so I'm sure both will sound great to you! In the end, I would tell you to buy the unit you find more convenient to you! But again, given the more powerful amp, I would look at the Pulse more seriously


----------



## MikeyFresh

thenewguy007 said:


> So the Geek Out V2 Infinity won't be suitable for a 600 Ohm impedance headphone as the Pulse would be?
> Outside them driving more power hungry hp, there isn't much of a difference?


 

 I think you've asked a question no one can really answer at this point.
  
 I might be mistaken, but I don't think any V2 Infinity have even shipped yet, few if anyone have it.
  
 Still fewer would be people that have a V2 Infinity AND a Pulse to directly compare driving 600 Ohm headphones. Even then, which Pulse variant do they have? There were many different model variations, most of which you can no longer buy unless you find a used one.
  
 There's no single easy answer to your question.
  
 Also note your original post refers to the V2, while in a subsequent post you refer to the V2 Infinity, which are two different models at two different price points.


----------



## nudd

eliwankenobi said:


> My Geek Out 450 can drive my HD600 just fine! But they are 300 ohm and are not exactly the harder HPs to drive. I am not too sure about yours... But the V2 can provide up to 1W of power so it can drive your HPs just fine I'm sure. But the Pulse has a 3 watt amp. So it can drive your headphones better and louder. In terms of quality of sound... I have not heard the pulse (yet) nor the GOV2, but LH Labs so far has made products with very similar sound signature, so I'm sure both will sound great to you! In the end, I would tell you to buy the unit you find more convenient to you! But again, given the more powerful amp, I would look at the Pulse more seriously




To my ears the pulse infinity sounds leaner and has less bass than my GO450. Everything else I would give the edge to the infinity. The GO is more forgiving of badly recorded sources and lower bit rates.


----------



## longbowbbs

mikeyfresh said:


> thenewguy007 said:
> 
> 
> > So the Geek Out V2 Infinity won't be suitable for a 600 Ohm impedance headphone as the Pulse would be?
> ...


 
 No one has either model yet. They have not been shipped. It should be very soon however as they were finalizing the external chassis when I was there last week. Gavin and I were watching the 3D printer crank out a late prototype of the black case.
  
 At 1W max power at lower impedances, they should be able to drive 600Ohm cans with no trouble.


----------



## adrian0115

Hey guys,
  
 I remember there's no caps/relays in the signal path for the Pulse (direct coupled?) which is why there's a pop when changing sample rates etc.  What I'd like to know is whether the Pulse passes direct current at all?


----------



## kenman345

Very Cool but its absolutely impossible to find a list of the actual differences between units. What's the precise difference between the Signature Edition and the Infinity and X Fi and so on? It would be nice to have sort of a wiki of the exact nature of each of these beasts. Its very fragmented to even those in the community, let alone people that are not Geek Force crew.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Ouch! $400 for LPS4 trade-in to 2.0 chassis!

I think I'm gonna hold for a while! Hopefully one can trade-in at anytime.


----------



## AxelCloris

eliwankenobi said:


> Ouch! $400 for LPS4 trade-in to 2.0 chassis!
> 
> I think I'm gonna hold for a while! Hopefully one can trade-in at anytime.


 
  
 Good thing I don't plan to go with the LPS4 in 2.0 anymore. Since I'm getting the 1.0 chassis it only makes sense to keep my LPS4 in the same design. Then I'll have the HPA Tube in the new body next to the stack.


----------



## mscott58

eliwankenobi said:


> Ouch! $400 for LPS4 trade-in to 2.0 chassis!
> 
> I think I'm gonna hold for a while! Hopefully one can trade-in at anytime.




Yeah, the logic on that pricing made me scratch my head a little. It costs more to upgrade the LPS4 to the new chassis then to buy a whole Blue. Understand it's a whole new board on the LPS and all, so they must not see much residual value in the returned units. Glad I went 1.0. Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

axelcloris said:


> ... Since I'm getting the 1.0 chassis it only makes sense to keep my LPS4 in the same design. Then I'll have the HPA Tube in the new body next to the stack.


 
  
 Same idea for me...


----------



## eac3

Hi guys,
  
 I don't want to get into justifying decisions on sticking with 1.0/2.0 cases as there are many posts on that already.
  
 What's interesting is the cap of 25. Now I won't be surprised if more open up, but let's say it stays at 25 and this is a one time thing. What percentage of the already shipped  (and soon to be shipped) LPS/customers can upgrade?
  
 5% ?
  
 If so low, why even bother?


----------



## eliwankenobi

I asked, and you can ony trade-in a LPS4 in 1.0 for a LPS4 in 2.0. If you have a single LPS or LPS1 like I do... Then your are out of luck. I understand moving forward, having the LPS4 makes more sense..

I was able to change back to 2.0 chassis, so I have an idea on keeping the LPS in line but have it out of the way. My wait for 2.0 shouldn't be too long. I'm still happy I'll have a proper LPS to power my Infinity!


----------



## eliwankenobi

Question,

Does anybody know why they revised the 2.0 Pulse chassis removing the cutout that circled the balanced and single ended headphone connectors?

First Revision



Second Revision


----------



## doctorjazz

Well, gave up my LPS4 when I went into the Vi business, a bit sorry since it would be useful for the Source and Wave I'm to get (and for my Geek Out Special Edition). But, pretty expensive at this point...think I've already bet the farm on LH Labs (sold the kids, wife ready to leave me... ), not going in for any more at this point!


----------



## longbowbbs

The Vi chassis looked bada** when I was visiting. Very Cyborg....


----------



## NinjaHamster

eliwankenobi said:


> Question,
> 
> Does anybody know why they revised the 2.0 Pulse chassis removing the cutout that circled the balanced and single ended headphone connectors?
> 
> ...





Because it looked like crap, and now 2.0 looks ever so slightly less crappy.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> The Vi chassis looked bada** when I was visiting. Very Cyborg....


 
 Was resistance futile?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

No, thats the Borg...


----------



## Hiyono

The LPS4 works with the wave too?


----------



## Shawnb

hiyono said:


> The LPS4 works with the wave too?





Nope Wave wont need any external power supply. LPS4 is for the Pulse, PTP, HPA and Source


----------



## greenkiwi

Btw, as I understand it, the upgrade from the LPS4 chassis 1 --> 2 is them taking your C1 back and giving you a new C2.    Not just popping your boards of of the C1 and into the C2.


----------



## Hiyono

shawnb said:


> Nope Wave wont need any external power supply. LPS4 is for the Pulse, PTP, HPA and Source




K thanks. Just making sure. Haven't been following much after placing an order for the wave last summer.


----------



## nudd

shawnb said:


> Nope Wave wont need any external power supply. LPS4 is for the Pulse, PTP, HPA and Source


 
  
 Well you can theoretically use the usb port to charge your wave.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > The Vi chassis looked bada** when I was visiting. Very Cyborg....
> ...


 
 I did resist....


----------



## eliwankenobi

ninjahamster said:


> Because it looked like crap, and now 2.0 looks ever so slightly less crappy.




Really? So there were complaints? I liked it. Then again, I have been away for so long that I probably missed that discussion


----------



## doctorjazz

Isn't there some base for the Wave? Connected it to the Source? And, might that not benefit from LPS? Or not...


----------



## kenman345

So....with this news do you think they'll let me trade up my LPS to LPS4 in C1 for less than the difference? I'd take a slightly used model to have the extra ports, but otherwise its a bit unnecessary for me as I do not have or plan to acquire any other items that will be able to use the extra outputs. Would be nice if they had switches on the board we were able to change and that control the different outputs. I would like to have 1 power supply for all my gear.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> No, thats the Borg...


 

 By your command!


----------



## Shawnb

doctorjazz said:


> Isn't there some base for the Wave? Connected it to the Source? And, might that not benefit from LPS? Or not...




There is a dock for the Wave. Called the Station X for the balanced model but still doesn't connect to LPS. Nothing in the Wace family is designed to be powered by the LPS's


----------



## doctorjazz

OK, good won't need it for Wave, for now I'll live without it for Source and Geek Out Special Edition.


----------



## mscott58

I'm still waiting to see how the Wave SE will compare to the Source Infinity in terms of it's DAC capabilities. 
  
 Hypothetically if the maxed-out Wave in the Station X meets/beats the DAC of the Infinity then there's no need for the Infinity or LPS - I'd just leave the Wave in it's dock on my desk and hook the balanced outputs into the HPA (eventually). 
  
 Cheers


----------



## doctorjazz

germay0653 said:


> m-i-c-k-e-y said:
> 
> 
> > No, thats the Borg...
> ...




Makes me want to chant, "EXTERMINATE!!!"


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> Makes me want to chant, "EXTERMINATE!!!"


 

 OK, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and now Dr. Who.  What else can we add to the mix, Flash Gordon or Farscape maybe?


----------



## doctorjazz

May the Force be with you!!!



germay0653 said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > Makes me want to chant, "EXTERMINATE!!!"
> ...


----------



## AxelCloris

germay0653 said:


> OK, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and now Dr. Who.  What else can we add to the mix, Flash Gordon or Farscape maybe?


----------



## greenkiwi

kenman345 said:


> So....with this news do you think they'll let me trade up my LPS to LPS4 in C1 for less than the difference? I'd take a slightly used model to have the extra ports, but otherwise its a bit unnecessary for me as I do not have or plan to acquire any other items that will be able to use the extra outputs. Would be nice if they had switches on the board we were able to change and that control the different outputs. I would like to have 1 power supply for all my gear.


 
 I'd file a support ticket...


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> OK, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and now Dr. Who.  What else can we add to the mix, Flash Gordon or Farscape maybe?


 
 Wherever you go, there you are...


----------



## eac3

eac3 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I don't want to get into justifying decisions on sticking with 1.0/2.0 cases as there are many posts on that already.
> 
> ...


 
  
 To those of you who are interested in the 2.0 case, here is a post by Gavin over at Indiegogo:
  
 Quote Gavin Fish: 





> Hey everyone. We pulled the perk because we know we need to listen to what you’re telling us. This campaign has always been about listening to our backers. By offering the upgrade perk, we sincerely thought we were offering a solution to a problem that many had pointed out to us. In the end, it caused more problems than it solved.
> 
> Larry, Diana, Casey and I spent an hour on Skype this morning (Larry’s visiting family in Asia) coming up with a solution. We’ll let you know our decision in a bit.


----------



## kenman345

Sweet, I hope they offer free upgrades with proof of empty wallets, redeemable in the next 5 years. I dont want new chassis now but maybe in the future I will


----------



## eac3

kenman345 said:


>


 
  
 Here is the fix they provided:
  


> Dear backers,
> 
> As you may have noticed, the $399 Pulse LPS4 2.0 Trade-in perk has been taken down from the campaign. You might be wondering why.
> 
> ...


----------



## mscott58

Here' the official update. Whiplash anyone? And to be honest, the logic of his message escapes me. 

------

Dear backers,
As you may have noticed, the $399 Pulse LPS4 2.0 Trade-in perk has been taken down from the campaign. You might be wondering why.
I’ve made a critical error in offering the retail version of Pulse DAC and Pulse LPS (Chassis 2.0) here on the campaign. This offer “muddied the waters,” so to speak. Because of this error, backers are caught in a situation where they may have unmatched components on their desktop or in their rack. For this error, I apologize. It was my decision alone. I’m sorry.
Because there are backers of Pulse DAC Infinity and Pulse DAC SE that will have their devices housed in the retail chassis, we’ve decided to keep the $639 Pulse LPS4 perk active in the case that those backers may want to purchase a matching LPS4. We will not, however, be accepting trade-ins. If Infinity and SE backers don’t want to purchase the new LPS4, we will be providing them with longer cables to connect their LPS/4 1.0 units to their Pulse DAC units to enable them to place their power supplies somewhere out of sight.
Those backers who elected to back the $399 Pulse LPS4 2.0 Trade-in perk will have their contributions refunded by the end of the day Friday.
Again, this mistake is mine. I’m sorry for all the confusion, frustration, and anger I’ve caused. I hope you’ll forgive my overzealousness. I was trying to make everybody happy and, in the end, very few were.
Sincerely,
Gavin

-----


----------



## eliwankenobi

So it's oficial. No LPS4 trade-ins

I believe the longer power cable umbilical for us with 1.0 LPSs to be sensible and fair


----------



## nudd

Yep it's totally incomprehensible. How is offering the retail version of the DAC a critical error related to trading in the LPS 4?

If anything people may have bought the old LPS 4 and want a matching case. 

I think if anything the critical error creating the angst is the horrific price of $400 just to swap to a bigger case?


----------



## eliwankenobi

They say it's a redesigned PCB to accommodate the change in shape of the box. Yet the circuit is the same. 
So not exactly a box swap. But yeah, it seems like a change from the super early bird perks that we saw at the beginning of the campaign. Them again, back then, the scope of the project was not as big as we made it to be. Pulse now is a whole different animal from what it was supposed to be at the dawn of the campaign.

I had no hope from the beginning. The trade-in didn't covered LPS-1 units.


----------



## AxelCloris

My X Infinity has shipped. Hooray! It's been a good week so far, having just today received my CDM and QP1R. Now the only item left to ship is my Ether.


----------



## mscott58

Congrats Brian! Enjoy


----------



## longbowbbs

axelcloris said:


> My X Infinity has shipped. Hooray! It's been a good week so far, having just today received my CDM and QP1R. Now the only item left to ship is my Ether.


 
 If we don't hear from you for a while we will know why!


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> If we don't hear from you for a while we will know why!


 
  
 Psh, as though I could stop coming to these forums that easily. 
  
 Looking forward to receiving the X Infinity after all this time.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Do you guys think the Pulse by itself is more than enough or just enough to drive the HE-1000? What about the HE-560?


----------



## AxelCloris

eliwankenobi said:


> Do you guys think the Pulse by itself is more than enough or just enough to drive the HE-1000? What about the HE-560?


 
  
 There was a Pulse X running the HE1000 just fine at AXPONA. I can't recall if it was the Infinity (I think it was) or Xfi, but it made a decent pairing.


----------



## miceblue

The question is: why would the Pulse not be able to drive the HE1000?


----------



## Maelob

Am i the only one just deleting the email updates? lol whenever i hear about something "new" "perks" "early bird" i just hit delete  - when are we getting the geek mono amps?- good for all of you still contributing- for some reason i just dont care anymore- i figured after they showed some great sounding prototypes at CES that the development was almost complete. i am sure as they get closer to producing something more perks will come our way. sorry for my rant but looks like they will never let indiegogo go. i guess thats their philosophy. i am good with that- at least i know i will have to wait. but to be fair the Infinity is awesome


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> The question is: why would the Pulse not be able to drive the HE1000?


 
 The Pulse would have no trouble driving the HE1000's


----------



## eliwankenobi

yeah, those HE-1000 have me intrigued I wish I could demo them with my Infinity when it gets here.


----------



## nudd

axelcloris said:


> My X Infinity has shipped. Hooray! It's been a good week so far, having just today received my CDM and QP1R. Now the only item left to ship is my Ether.




Where can you buy the QP1 ?


----------



## AxelCloris

nudd said:


> Where can you buy the QP1 ?


 
  
 You can directly contact Questyle or pre-order from headphoneaudiophile.com. Those are the only two places currently taking orders in the US that I know. It's still a pre-order, but they have started shipping so that's awesome.
  
  
 My Pulse will be here Thursday if USPS tracking is to be believed!


----------



## digitalzed

axelcloris said:


> My X Infinity has shipped. Hooray! It's been a good week so far, having just today received my CDM and QP1R. Now the only item left to ship is my Ether.


 

 Very interested in your impressions, Brian. Especially after you get the Ether. I'm listening to my Infinity with Ether now.


----------



## hemtmaker

Same here. I am also intersted to find out what the addition of Liquid Carbon will bring to the setup 


digitalzed said:


> Very interested in your impressions, Brian. Especially after you get the Ether. I'm listening to to my Infinity with Ether now.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

digitalzed said:


> Very interested in your impressions, Brian. Especially after you get the Ether. I'm listening to my Infinity with Ether now.


 
  
 How is it? I am going to get an Ether too.. Hoping to pair it with the Tube HPA later.


----------



## digitalzed

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> How is it? I am going to get an Ether too.. Hoping to pair it with the Tube HPA later.



I'd say the Infinity, LPS 4, and Ether make a great combination. The Infinity has a very detailed and rich sound to me and it compliments the Etner's strongpoints of clarity, separation and soundstage very well.


----------



## greenkiwi

eliwankenobi said:


> yeah, those HE-1000 have me intrigued I wish I could demo them with my Infinity when it gets here.


 
 I was lucky to hear a pair of HE-1000s at an SF meet up.  Didn't get to hear them on the Pulse, but they were some spectacular headphones.  If I had 3k lying around asking to be spent, I'd probably pick up a pair.


----------



## miceblue

The HE1000 sound great with the X Infinity at least. I dunno about the stock Pulse. The single-ended output of the X Infinity is plenty for the HE1000 (I average at about -30.0 dB on low gain).


----------



## doctorjazz

I've used the HE-1000 with the Geek Out Special Edition, line out (took me forever to figure out how to do this...not difficult, my brain freeze, of course, just didn't see the setting in JRiver), into the MicroZOTL2, man, great pairing. I'd expect the LH dac/amps with a bit more juice than the GO should do fine (tbh, didn't even try it out of the Geek Out directly, should one of these days...)


----------



## eliwankenobi

miceblue said:


> The HE1000 sound great with the X Infinity at least. I dunno about the stock Pulse. The single-ended output of the X Infinity is plenty for the HE1000 (I average at about -30.0 dB on low gain).


 
 Thanks Miceblue
  
 Hmm.. yeah -30db on low gain sounds like its more than capable then. Good to know!
  
 Awesome picture by the way!  Are those still the pre-production models?  Are the pads on those HPs angled?  I can't tell from the pictures...


----------



## miceblue

Yup it's still the beta unit. I just had a phone interview today so I have some stress off my back, for now. I was planning to work on the HE1000 sound quality review today. 

In short, although I think the HE1000 sounds great compared to other flagship headphones, I'm ultimately looking for accuracy in a flagship headphone and I think the STAX SRS-2170 is better in that regard, especially with imaging and driver speed. For me, accurate imaging is important since I do record things with in-ear binaural microphones and having an accurate monitor for positioning is something I value. I've never liked the HD800 in that regard since its imaging is pretty funky as is the soundstage. Driver speed is likewise important to me for keeping up with the transients of sounds in a recording. I was surprised to hear the HE1000 being slower considering it uses a thinner diaphragm than the STAX as well as having the stronger planar magnetic vs electrostatic forces. 

For just listening to music though, the HE1000 might be worth looking into. It's a more forgiving headphone, which makes it relaxing to listen to, and its large soundstage makes it seem like you're listening to music in a large room.


Oh, yes the pads are angled a bit. So far the only officially confirmed difference between the beta and production units is the headband size.


----------



## atsq17

hemtmaker said:


> Same here. I am also intersted to find out what the addition of Liquid Carbon will bring to the setup


 
  


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> How is it? I am going to get an Ether too.. Hoping to pair it with the Tube HPA later.


 
  
  
 Ordered both! Didn't realize the Liquid Carbon was going to take so long.


----------



## AxelCloris

atsq17 said:


> Ordered both! Didn't realize the Liquid Carbon was going to take so long.


 
  
 Ordered Liquid Carbon back in April, it'll be here next month. Ordered Geek Pulse back in 2013, it'll be here tomorrow. The Carbon wait is pretty darn short in comparison.


----------



## Madeupword

axelcloris said:


> Ordered Liquid Carbon back in April, it'll be here next month. Ordered Geek Pulse back in 2013, it'll be here tomorrow. The Carbon wait is pretty darn short in comparison.


 

 Await your review of Carbon on Infinity.


----------



## atsq17

madeupword said:


> Await your review of Carbon on Infinity.


 
  
 +1


----------



## pbear

atsq17 said:


> +1


 
  
 +2


----------



## AxelCloris

It'll probably happen.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So I have upgraded my system from Windows 7 Ult. X64 to Windows 10 Pro.

Of course there would be some of factors: driver/OS integration, but first thing I noticed is the volume went down. And I feel the sound thinned out a bit. The grit, body, dynamics went down compared to my previous OS. Now its a bit "liquid/wet".

Any comments who upgraded?
  
Using Pulse Infinity with JRiver as media player


----------



## WCDchee

For users of the xfi, especially with regards do the dac section, do you guys find the soundstsge to be very big? I find that the depth and height and layering is great but the width i find not particularly awe inspiring, anyone has such an experience? I mean its definitely not congested, but its not extremely wide to my ears unlike some reviews ive seen


----------



## uncola

axelcloris it better happen!


----------



## eliwankenobi

wcdchee said:


> For users of the xfi, especially with regards do the dac section, do you guys find the soundstsge to be very big? I find that the depth and height and layering is great but the width i find not particularly awe inspiring, anyone has such an experience? I mean its definitely not congested, but its not extremely wide to my ears unlike some reviews ive seen




I guess that would depend on each's own perspective on what constitutes a very wide soundstage. Also, the headphones being used could also influence such aspects too. No objective way to answer that for sure.


----------



## agisthos

I have the Pulse Infinity, and am finding everything is great as far as tonality, bass, low noise floor, black background e.t.c 
  
 But soundstage clarity is lacking and not what it should be. Images are too large, diffuse, and there seems to be an overall lack of realism.
  
 I'm not sure if this is break in, as its early days.
  
 I don't use headphones, I use this as a dac/pre in a fairly resolving stereo setup. (Reference 3A Decapo BE monitors, Luminance KST-150 power amp).
  
 We will see...


----------



## pbear

agisthos said:


> I have the Pulse Infinity, and am finding everything is great as far as tonality, bass, low noise floor, black background e.t.c
> 
> But soundstage clarity is lacking and not what it should be. Images are too large, diffuse, and there seems to be an overall lack of realism.
> 
> ...


 
  
 My Infinity has about 120 hours on it now, and although soundstage clarity has improved with burn-in, it started out very good. I'm using IEMs, not speakers, though. Which filter are you using, and do you leave the Infinity on all the time?
  
 The FTM filter in particular may not sound very good until the clocks warm up; I leave the Infinity on all the time because of that.


----------



## eliwankenobi

pbear said:


> My Infinity has about 120 hours on it now, and although soundstage clarity has improved with burn-in, it started out very good. I'm using IEMs, not speakers, though. Which filter are you using, and do you leave the Infinity on all the time?
> 
> The FTM filter in particular may not sound very good until the clocks warm up; I leave the Infinity on all the time because of that.




How good is the noise floor using your IEMs? Notice any "hiss" at all?

What model do you have?


----------



## pbear

eliwankenobi said:


> How good is the noise floor using your IEMs? Notice any "hiss" at all?
> 
> What model do you have?


 
  
 With the JH Audio Roxannes (custom) and a balanced XLR adapter, there is no hiss at all with the Infinity on low gain.


----------



## agisthos

pbear said:


> My Infinity has about 120 hours on it now, and although soundstage clarity has improved with burn-in, it started out very good. I'm using IEMs, not speakers, though. Which filter are you using, and do you leave the Infinity on all the time?
> 
> The FTM filter in particular may not sound very good until the clocks warm up; I leave the Infinity on all the time because of that.


 
  
  
 I have put about 30 hours of continuous burn in on it. At the very beginning it sounded quite bad, and needed an hour or so to open up. So I am withholding judgement.
  
 The line stage and headphone outputs are apples and oranges. And it was always the case the line stage was a secondary concern for Larry Ho, that was obvious during the crowdfund. so I cannot complain too much.
  
 At the moment TCM sounds best but someone said FTM comes on later with some break in.


----------



## eliwankenobi

pbear said:


> With the JH Audio Roxannes (custom) and a balanced XLR adapter, there is no hiss at all with the Infinity on low gain.




Good to know! Using balanced usually gives a couple db of gain... So even with that no noise floor is highly encouraging! Thanks.


----------



## mscott58

agisthos said:


> I have put about 30 hours of continuous burn in on it. At the very beginning it sounded quite bad, and needed an hour or so to open up. So I am withholding judgement.
> 
> The line stage and headphone outputs are apples and oranges. And it was always the case the line stage was a secondary concern for Larry Ho, that was obvious during the crowdfund. so I cannot complain too much.
> 
> At the moment TCM sounds best but someone said FTM comes on later with some break in.


 
 Are you using the LPS?


----------



## snip3r77

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> [COLOR=222222]So I have upgraded my system from Windows 7 Ult. X64 to Windows 10 Pro.[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]Of course there would be some of factors: driver/OS integration, but first thing I noticed is the volume went down. And I feel the sound thinned out a bit. The grit, body, dynamics went down compared to my previous OS. Now its a bit "liquid/wet".[/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]
> ...




It's nice to know that it has no isses with Win10


----------



## agisthos

mscott58 said:


> Are you using the LPS?


 

 Yes. I also have an Infinity S, not an X. So that also could be a factor.​


----------



## mtruong34

agisthos said:


> I have the Pulse Infinity, and am finding everything is great as far as tonality, bass, low noise floor, black background e.t.c
> 
> But soundstage clarity is lacking and not what it should be. Images are too large, diffuse, and there seems to be an overall lack of realism.
> 
> ...




Agisthos, what happened to your Vapor Cirrus?


----------



## miceblue

I've been using W10 Technical Preview for the past few months. I haven't really noticed a major difference in audio quality in Foobar from W8.1.


----------



## adrian0115

Hmm..this is not what I wanted to see. I would've thought Larry would at least pay equal attention to both line out and headphone sections. From the pics of the PCB that was taken by someone in Japan, the line out section is the one with the opa1612/naked resistors while the headphone section is using the opa1652. I'm on my phone so I can't post pics right now.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@ Mice, Yep I had a whole day today with Win 10 Pro, Win 8.1 Pro x64 and Win 7 Ult. x64.

To my ears Win 10 Pro and Win 8.1 Pro sounds the same. A bit thin and less body compared to Win 7 Ult. 

Some factors in play I think. Sound device choice (KS as compared to ASIO, Wasapi), driver (2.29)... Well IDK. 

At the end will trust my ears. Will stay with Win 7. Just a bummer, went to great lengths and just to discover that my present setup is already optimal for my taste. 

... When it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## mscott58

Update on my Pulse X Infinity. 
  
 Just received my Norne 4-pin XLR to 2.5mm TRRS adapter and so now can listen to the Infinity in balanced mode using my Noble K10's using the balanced cable from ALO that I use with my CDM. Short story is that the Infinity sounds really good with the K10's. Great resolution and emotion (although clearly not tube-level) and no distracting hiss when played on Low gain mode. 

 So the Infinity with CIEMs in balanced mode is a big thumbs up from my point of view! 
  
 Cheers


----------



## WCDchee

Does anyone have a chord hugo and an xfi for comparison? Ive been running my xfi in and i managed to borrow a hugo. Dac for dac, the hugo seems to be a clear step up in transparency and resolution. This is even with the xfi running off the jays lps. Anyone can chine in on this? Its rather disappointing considering how much they are aiming to sell it at now.


----------



## nudd

Yet another infuriating email from LHL about the 30 day return policy if you buy a infinity from them.
  
  What. If they sell the same thing through their own store they have a return policy in any case. So LHL is now selling production units through indiegogo so they don't have to honour their own return policies.
  
 Nice gear, dodgy as heck sales tactics to hide behind the shield of indiegogo to not have to honour return policy on its own products.


----------



## agisthos

If you want the 30 day return policy, then why don't you buy it through their store instead of indiegogo?
  
 What's stopping you? Or is the Infinity not available anymore....
  
 I'm sure they will do a higher end Pulse later, but we will probably have to pay full price to try it.


----------



## Maelob

Just curious have anybody heard anything about the status of the power amps?


----------



## nudd

agisthos said:


> If you want the 30 day return policy, then why don't you buy it through their store instead of indiegogo?
> 
> What's stopping you? Or is the Infinity not available anymore....
> 
> I'm sure they will do a higher end Pulse later, but we will probably have to pay full price to try it.




I already have one but it is still dodgy to hide behind indiegogo like this.


----------



## digitalzed

maelob said:


> Just curious have anybody heard anything about the status of the power amps?


 

 Some time ago Casey told me they were waiting for the 2.0 chassis (now done) and focusing on Wave and Blue. In my mind that puts the amps towards the end of the year based on what's happening now. Just my guess.


----------



## hemtmaker

How's the CDM in comparison?



mscott58 said:


> Update on my Pulse X Infinity.
> 
> Just received my Norne 4-pin XLR to 2.5mm TRRS adapter and so now can listen to the Infinity in balanced mode using my Noble K10's using the balanced cable from ALO that I use with my CDM. Short story is that the Infinity sounds really good with the K10's. Great resolution and emotion (although clearly not tube-level) and no distracting hiss when played on Low gain mode.
> 
> ...


----------



## mscott58

hemtmaker said:


> How's the CDM in comparison?




I'm awaiting a dual 3-pin XLR to 2.5mm TRRS adapter cable so I can test the Infinity DAC section through the CDM's amp section. Also just got the other adapters so need more time to listen. Cheers


----------



## hemtmaker

Cheers. I was initially planning to sell the infinity and buy the CDM for my desktop. But I have since changed my mind and decided to keep my infinity. It sounds really nice



mscott58 said:


> I'm awaiting a dual 3-pin XLR to 2.5mm TRRS adapter cable so I can test the Infinity DAC section through the CDM's amp section. Also just got the other adapters so need more time to listen. Cheers


----------



## AxelCloris

hemtmaker said:


> Cheers. I was initially planning to sell the infinity and buy the CDM for my desktop. But I have since changed my mind and decided to keep my infinity. It sounds really nice




Why not both?


----------



## hemtmaker

I am getting a Liquid Carbon and I guess I dun need two DAC/AMP....I think


axelcloris said:


> Why not both?


----------



## digitallc

wcdchee said:


> Does anyone have a chord hugo and an xfi for comparison? Ive been running my xfi in and i managed to borrow a hugo. Dac for dac, the hugo seems to be a clear step up in transparency and resolution. This is even with the xfi running off the jays lps. Anyone can chine in on this? Its rather disappointing considering how much they are aiming to sell it at now


 
 I purchased a Chord 2Qute a week ago - it is definitely a step up from my Pulse Infinity.


----------



## WCDchee

digitallc said:


> I purchased a Chord 2Qute a week ago - it is definitely a step up from my Pulse Infinity.


 
 I see. Rob himself noted that the chord 2qute is on a very similar level to the hugo. Seems like what I hear on the xfi, the lower resolution compared to the hugo, isnt wrong. That's a pity, reading those reviews about how the xfi was on a similar level to the Auralic Vega and the likes really got my hopes up a little too much. Especially considering the proposed MSRP I really did expect more 
  
 btw paul as ive mentioned to you in the PM earlier, the coaxial and the toslink inputs both remain as poor as before


----------



## germay0653

digitallc said:


> I purchased a Chord 2Qute a week ago - it is definitely a step up from my Pulse Infinity.


 

 In what ways, detail, timbre, soundstage, noise level?  Are you using the Infinity with an LPS?


----------



## doctorjazz

A bit depressing to hear...I'm in for the fully tricked out Vi dac tube, could'a bought any number of well regarded DA converters for what I spent. Then again, maybe it will be higher end than the Pulse line...(should be, at the price, unless you're just paying for the fakakta case!)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Waiting @pedalhead's take vs. DAC-IT. He is probably enjoying pedaling around...well its summer (here in Europe).  
  
 Still not much legit comparo / reviews on Pulse Standard/XFI/Infinity head to head with some serious DACs.


----------



## WCDchee

Not too sure how those models would work out jake, but unless theres something wrong with my unit, pretty certain that the hugo is still a clear step up from the XFI in both the dac and amp sections. And yes this is with the jays LPS, not the geek one but the jays does a good job too.


----------



## WCDchee

Anyone else has issues with poir quality over spdif and toslink inputs compared to the usb input?


----------



## hemtmaker

I use ak240 -> SysConcept 24/192 cable -> infinity. Sounds just as good as USB to my ears



wcdchee said:


> Anyone else has issues with poir quality over spdif and toslink inputs compared to the usb input?


----------



## WCDchee

hemtmaker said:


> I use ak240 -> SysConcept 24/192 cable -> infinity. Sounds just as good as USB to my ears




Seems like my set is going back for a replacement then  hopefully my set is a dud


----------



## nudd

wcdchee said:


> Seems like my set is going back for a replacement then  hopefully my set is a dud




LHL had (maybe still has) a quality control problem with their Pulses where inputs were not working, or failing or the audio was just not right in some way ranging from annoying drop outs to dangerous pops. These seem to have been solved recently as the number of complaints has seriously dropped off but if you think there is a problem, dont discount it. Your set may well have a problem.

The good news is their customer service response times seem to still be very good.


----------



## WCDchee

nudd said:


> LHL had (maybe still has) a quality control problem with their Pulses where inputs were not working, or failing or the audio was just not right in some way ranging from annoying drop outs to dangerous pops. These seem to have been solved recently as the number of complaints has seriously dropped off but if you think there is a problem, dont discount it. Your set may well have a problem.
> 
> The good news is their customer service response times seem to still be very good.


 
 Thanks for your reply  For my set, the spdif and toslink basically sounded like I was listening to 64mbps mp3 sounds. Yes it was that bad. Even with the USB input it isn't performing anywhere near what I hoped. Thing is I have a friend with a pulse Fi who mentioned that he felt that it had a similar level of resolution to the hugo even with the standard wall wart. Thus, I was kinda hoping that with the jays LPS on the XFI, I should really see some level of improvement over the hugo.
  
 Guess I will be sending it back and I shall hope for the best!


----------



## superachromat

Anyone got his Pulse X?
  
 I haven't followed through all their enormous promotional emails and updates and just wonder why I still dont have mine shipped....


----------



## eliwankenobi

superachromat said:


> Anyone got his Pulse X?
> 
> I haven't followed through all their enormous promotional emails and updates and just wonder why I still dont have mine shipped....




I would open a service ticket. I believe they should have finished the shipment for X models.


----------



## eliwankenobi

wcdchee said:


> Anyone else has issues with poir quality over spdif and toslink inputs compared to the usb input?




As I understand, the toslink/spdif inputs depend on the clock coming from the source. So the femtos are not working their magic. Still, it should not sound like 64kbps mp3 files.... I would open a service ticket


----------



## WCDchee

eliwankenobi said:


> As I understand, the toslink/spdif inputs depend on the clock coming from the source. So the femtos are not working their magic. Still, it should not sound like 64kbps mp3 files.... I would open a service ticket


 
  
 The SPDIF source was my Fiio X5, which, while not top of the line, should definitely be of decent quality. Moreover, on the concero HD which I previously had, the coaxial input from my X5 actually sounded better than the USB input from the computer. 
  
 I was astounded by the poor quality of the spdif input on my unit, it was far far worse than listening straight out of the X5. Hopefully with the replacement the USB input would perform better too, for the asking price (MSRP) what I'm hearing of the xfi now is severely overpriced. I've opened a ticket and will update when the new unit comes in


----------



## agisthos

eliwankenobi said:


> As I understand, the toslink/spdif inputs depend on the clock coming from the source. So the femtos are not working their magic. Still, it should not sound like 64kbps mp3 files.... I would open a service ticket


 
  
  
 Even spdif inputs are supposed to go through LHLABS magical 2L buffer/jitter reduction feature.


----------



## coletrain104

wait, so the clocks only work for USB? does this mean no FTM from toslink?


----------



## eliwankenobi

wcdchee said:


> The SPDIF source was my Fiio X5, which, while not top of the line, should definitely be of decent quality. Moreover, on the concero HD which I previously had, the coaxial input from my X5 actually sounded better than the USB input from the computer.
> 
> I was astounded by the poor quality of the spdif input on my unit, it was far far worse than listening straight out of the X5. Hopefully with the replacement the USB input would perform better too, for the asking price (MSRP) what I'm hearing of the xfi now is severely overpriced. I've opened a ticket and will update when the new unit comes in



You are correct, your source should do a fine job. That's why I suggested you open a ticket. Your spdif would have to be really bad with jitter in order to have it affect the sound as much as you mention.


----------



## eliwankenobi

agisthos said:


> Even spdif inputs are supposed to go through LHLABS magical 2L buffer/jitter reduction feature.







coletrain104 said:


> wait, so the clocks only work for USB? does this mean no FTM from toslink?




Spdif/toslink are synchronous inputs. They are slave to the signal input clock and don't reclock the signal. So even if the signal is buffered and the femtos are still in line, they play following the input source's clock. This is as far as I know.

Still, even using spdif/toslink, you shouldnt have a terrible degradation of sound quality by using those inputs.... They should be just fine.


----------



## WCDchee

From my experience the quality of the different inputs should be very very close usually.


----------



## eliwankenobi

wcdchee said:


> From my experience the quality of the different inputs should be very very close usually.




Agree 100%


----------



## adrian0115

wcdchee said:


> The SPDIF source was my Fiio X5, which, while not top of the line, should definitely be of decent quality. Moreover, on the concero HD which I previously had, the coaxial input from my X5 actually sounded better than the USB input from the computer.
> 
> I was astounded by the poor quality of the spdif input on my unit, it was far far worse than listening straight out of the X5. Hopefully with the replacement the USB input would perform better too, for the asking price (MSRP) what I'm hearing of the xfi now is severely overpriced. I've opened a ticket and will update when the new unit comes in




With all the hundreds of units shipped, it's not encouraging to see comments about line out quality being inferior etcetera. i know everybody here is an enthusiast and would've thought there would be more positive feedback on the product. After all this time, I can honestly say I am not having much confidence in the product now despite the supposedly quality components. Backing 3 infinities + LPS isn't exactly pocket change and for this thing to sound worse than the X5 is not acceptable. Looks like it's time to post this stuff up for sale when I actually get it and try to get some of what I paid back. First and last time I back crowd funded anything.


----------



## uncola

production update.. I think it's new?
 http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf


----------



## adrian0115

uncola said:


> production update.. I think it's new?
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf




Does it even matter after all the bs ship dates these guys put up?


----------



## marflao

uncola said:


> production update.. I think it's new?
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf


 
 yep...looks like.
  
 Hmm....I expected that the ViDac would be on this list...


----------



## WCDchee

adrian0115 said:


> With all the hundreds of units shipped, it's not encouraging to see comments about line out quality being inferior etcetera. i know everybody here is an enthusiast and would've thought there would be more positive feedback on the product. After all this time, I can honestly say I am not having much confidence in the product now despite the supposedly quality components. Backing 3 infinities + LPS isn't exactly pocket change and for this thing to sound worse than the X5 is not acceptable. Looks like it's time to post this stuff up for sale when I actually get it and try to get some of what I paid back. First and last time I back crowd funded anything.



 


To be clear, it is not an issue with the line out but rather, the inputs. The spdif and coax inputs are extremely poor, 64mbps mp3 files kind of poor to me. The USB, while much much better, definitely doesn't sound like 2.4k USD.

Having said that, I strongly believe my unit to be faulty as it has been noted by a couple of other forum members that the other inputs are very compareable to the usb input. Comments from friends whom I trust too seem to indicate a higher level of resolution than I have heard from my unit. As such, I feel that my unit might really just be a dud and I am keeping my fingers crossed, hoping that things will get better when I get a replacement.

To me, going from a portable (x5 + pure 2) rig to a desktop rig should really blow my socks off. The hugo does that. My xfi did not, sadly. I am hoping that this will change


----------



## MikeyFresh

marflao said:


> yep...looks like.
> 
> Hmm....I expected that the ViDac would be on this list...


 

 Exactly, both the Vi DAC and the Wave should at least be listed, based on previous statements made by LH Labs.
  
 Wave was supposed to start shipping in Q4, and Vi DAC in September, with Vi DAC Tube also in Q4.
  
 Or not.
  
 The original IGG (read: total BS) estimates were Vi DAC in April 2015, and Wave in July 2015.


----------



## adrian0115

wcdchee said:


> adrian0115 said:
> 
> 
> > With all the hundreds of units shipped, it's not encouraging to see comments about line out quality being inferior etcetera. i know everybody here is an enthusiast and would've thought there would be more positive feedback on the product. After all this time, I can honestly say I am not having much confidence in the product now despite the supposedly quality components. Backing 3 infinities + LPS isn't exactly pocket change and for this thing to sound worse than the X5 is not acceptable. Looks like it's time to post this stuff up for sale when I actually get it and try to get some of what I paid back. First and last time I back crowd funded anything.
> ...




Agisthos posted about the lineouts being inferior(surprise to me) along with soundstage issues. Knowing that the xfi can't even compare to the x5 (absolutely no offense to the x5) is a joke since they claim every unit supposedly goes through a full battery of tests before shipping. i only have myself to blame for trusting them because they came up with the davinci. I'll be posting everything for sale once they actually ship me the rest of the stuff since I want to wash my hands (someone on canuckaudiomart made the same comments and did the same thing) of this now after seeing these real world comments.


----------



## adrian0115

mikeyfresh said:


> Exactly, both the Vi DAC and the Wave should at least be listed, based on previous statements made by LH Labs.
> 
> Wave was supposed to start shipping in Q4, and Vi DAC in September, with Vi DAC Tube also in Q4.
> 
> ...




Mikey, marflao etc. I really admire you guys for still having expectations and trust in what LH posts. Honestly, hats off to you guys.


----------



## mscott58

adrian0115 said:


> Agisthos posted about the lineouts being inferior(surprise to me) along with soundstage issues. Knowing that the xfi can't even compare to the x5 (absolutely no offense to the x5) is a joke since they claim every unit supposedly goes through a full battery of tests before shipping. i only have myself to blame for trusting them because they came up with the davinci. I'll be posting everything for sale once they actually ship me the rest of the stuff since I want to wash my hands (someone on canuckaudiomart made the same comments and did the same thing) of this now after seeing these real world comments.




One person saying their unit doesn't sound good (and also seeming to think it's likely defective) and "knowing" that all units don't sound better than an X5 would seem to be a huge leap. What the opposite of a leap of faith? A certainty of death or something?

Anyway there are quite a few of us on this thread saying how much we love our Pulses but for some reason that doesn't appear to matter as much. There's no comparing a Fiio portable to my Infinity IME. Nowhere close. 

I'd hope everyone who has one on order would listen to it and judge for themselves with their own ears rather than take anyone's word for it on these posts as gospel (including mine). 

Cheers


----------



## marflao

adrian0115 said:


> Mikey, marflao etc. I really admire you guys for still having expectations and trust in what LH posts. Honestly, hats off to you guys.


 
 I was sarcastic, Adrian


----------



## marflao

mikeyfresh said:


> Exactly, both the Vi DAC and the Wave should at least be listed, based on previous statements made by LH Labs.
> 
> Wave was supposed to start shipping in Q4, and Vi DAC in September, with Vi DAC Tube also in Q4.
> 
> ...


 
 For the Vi it´s probably chassis related.....blame on the chassis.....it´s the chassis again...damn chassis.


----------



## adrian0115

mscott58 said:


> One person saying their unit doesn't sound good (and also seeming to think it's likely defective) and "knowing" that all units don't sound better than an X5 would seem to be a huge leap. What the opposite of a leap of faith? A certainty of death or something?
> 
> Anyway there are quite a few of us on this thread saying how much we love our Pulses but for some reason that doesn't appear to matter as much. There's no comparing a Fiio portable to my Infinity IME. Nowhere close.
> 
> ...




Mscott, I know what you're saying and saw the few positive reviews including leomitch. I'm disappointed that a few have already posted that the spdif doesn't seem like they work. If it really was designed with usb in mind, then might as well cut out the spdif then. When I was still in school many years ago(can't remember) the spdif out/in on my old CD/MD(remember those?) worked without a hitch and now it's 2015.

More importantly, there's a number of people here that have posted that the SQ is not competitive with the msrp which is a problem. 

The LPSs have been paperweights with the warranty running out and I still have 0 idea if they work. What I do know is that they don't work with my Dragonfly.

I'm simply disappointed and have no expectations. Quite a feat for something I haven't received,


----------



## adrian0115

marflao said:


> I was sarcastic, Adrian





mscott58 said:


> One person saying their unit doesn't sound good (and also seeming to think it's likely defective) and "knowing" that all units don't sound better than an X5 would seem to be a huge leap. What the opposite of a leap of faith? A certainty of death or something?
> 
> Anyway there are quite a few of us on this thread saying how much we love our Pulses but for some reason that doesn't appear to matter as much. There's no comparing a Fiio portable to my Infinity IME. Nowhere close.
> 
> ...




One more thing, my friend ordered the reseller 12 pack and that was nothing but problems so hopefully you can see why I have lost faith. I listened and witnessed the problems with those things.


----------



## agisthos

I'm not going to give a detailed judgement or comparison yet as its still burning in and improving, last listen was at 30 hours, but now at 60 hours it seems more focused and a bit more clarity. Still not where it should be though.
  
 But one thing I will say, straight out the box it sounded absolutely disgusting. This is one piece of gear that really does need burn in. This is not always the case, I have had gear that sees no improvement beyond the initial couple of hours.
  
 I noticed a lot of people received their Pulse DAC's and literally listed them for sale that day. Those who did that perhaps missed out on it's potential.


----------



## eac3

adrian0115 said:


> The LPSs have been paperweights with the warranty running out and .....


 
  
 Yup....


----------



## agisthos

mtruong34 said:


> Agisthos, what happened to your Vapor Cirrus?


 
  
 The Vapor Cirrus are brilliant speakers, but despite what Ryan says, you need a large room for them. They sound very good when pulled out right into space and spread very far apart. It was never practical to place them like that in my listening space. So a few years ago I sold them to someone who is very happy with them.
  
 The Cirrus has a similar cabinet construction/design to the early Magico mini models. I went back and read some reviews of that speaker and they say the exact same thing, they need a lot of room to sound their best.
  
 I realised I needed a speaker that imaged more forward rather than backward. The Cirrus has a rear row perspective, the Reference 3A more mid row. The Cirrus has awesome and tight bass. The Reference 3A is very resolving, it excels in speed of micro dynamics, small changes, fast acoustic guitar plucks e.t.c.


----------



## Maelob

Well just sold my Infinity and LPS too- i am sure i made somebody happy - now who knows when i will receive the mono amps which i will sell. By the way no issues with the Infinity. it sounded really good but just didnt agree with the company's philosophy anymore. 
No more perks for me, done with "crowd design".


----------



## mscott58

maelob said:


> Well just sold my Infinity and LPS too- i am sure i made somebody happy - now who knows when i will receive the mono amps which i will sell. By the way no issues with the Infinity. it sounded really good but just didnt agree with the company's philosophy anymore.
> No more perks for me, done with "crowd design".




Sorry to see you go but I can understand where you're coming from. All the best


----------



## eliwankenobi

It's August already! So 2.0 chassis Infinity units should start shipping soon! Woot!


----------



## coletrain104

Honestly I just can't wait to see my Xfi sitting on my desk. I want the wait to be worthwhile


----------



## adrian0115

So to all you guys that think I'm crazy and stupid to be disappointed by the Pulse.  I've already heard the base version and from what I understand, people elsewhere in the world aren't exactly thrilled by the XFI etcetc.  Bugs, problems with AES/SPDIF etc.
  
 Don't believe me?
  
 Feel free to check use a translator and check the following reviews/comments by actual users.  
  
 http://www.hiendy.com/hififorum/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=86056&extra=page%3D4  
  
 http://blog.livedoor.jp/clio9330/archives/cat_50034382.html
  
 Bottomline is this thing doesn't compete with products at the msrp they want.  Even at indiegogo price, it's about par.  I'm just somebody that's pissed off after dropping over $4k with these guys to keep waiting for something that underperforms.


----------



## pedalhead

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Waiting @pedalhead's take vs. DAC-IT. He is probably enjoying pedaling around...well its summer (here in Europe).
> 
> Still not much legit comparo / reviews on Pulse Standard/XFI/Infinity head to head with some serious DACs.


 
  
 haha funnily enough I've been on holiday riding my bike in the Yorkshire Dales for the past week   Lots to catch up on as usual but I'll endeavour to share some thoughts on the Pulse / DAC212 this week.


----------



## nudd

adrian0115 said:


> So to all you guys that think I'm crazy and stupid to be disappointed by the Pulse.  I've already heard the base version and from what I understand, people elsewhere in the world aren't exactly thrilled by the XFI etcetc.  Bugs, problems with AES/SPDIF etc.
> 
> Don't believe me?
> 
> ...




I think the good ones do sound pretty good from usb but I didn't really use the optical other than to check it worked so cannot comment there.


----------



## atsq17

adrian0115 said:


> Agisthos posted about the lineouts being inferior(surprise to me) along with soundstage issues. Knowing that the xfi can't even compare to the x5 (absolutely no offense to the x5) is a joke since they claim every unit supposedly goes through a full battery of tests before shipping. i only have myself to blame for trusting them because they came up with the davinci. I'll be posting everything for sale once they actually ship me the rest of the stuff since I want to wash my hands (someone on canuckaudiomart made the same comments and did the same thing) of this now after seeing these real world comments.


 
  
 How much will you be selling your Infinity unit for? 
  
 BTW, I have an XFi and I had an X5. I didn't connect them together but I can tell you that the XFi is awesome and I sold my X5 because I found it downright mediocre even when I had low expectations.
  
 With regards to the reported bad sounding XFi units, it could have been a faulty unit or the way it was connected. I cannot explain that away. I do know someone else who claimed his unit sounded absolutely rubbish and sent it back. I haven't experienced it personally and even my skeptic audiophile friends who thought I was ripped off by this crowd funding business said it was the best DAC they've ever heard. 
  
 EDIT: I was initially using USB via the Lightspeed 2G but now using SPDIF via Lightspeed 2G (power from LPS) through an Audiophilleo 1. It sounds even better than USB.


----------



## kenman345

adrian0115 said:


> I'll be selling it for what I paid for it.  When I actually get it that is.  This has been a lesson well learned since my time/$ would have been better spent on a Vega or something.  The more I think about this the more pissed I feel.


 
 I wish you luck with whatever gear you get. I felt it was time to chime in on this unfolding situation. I am sorry that you are not satisfied, as I am sure plenty of folks share your pain, but try contacting LH Labs about this and see what they can do about maybe trading in your credit for something they have in stock now that you can instantly get a return on your investment from. I have found LH Labs to be quite open to suggestions and maybe thats part of the reason they got you in a bad mood but it seems you are ready to cut your losses in $ and in your time, so I hope my suggestion helps you reach that goal sooner. I for one am quite happy with my gear and have practiced extreme caution with LH Labs and other crowd funding audio campaigns after the Pulse took a long time to deliver. I've had my gripes with them but overall I am a happy customer and with most things here, its hard to say if something is worth it to anyone but myself unless you were to hear it yourself.


----------



## adrian0115

kenman345 said:


> I wish you luck with whatever gear you get. I felt it was time to chime in on this unfolding situation. I am sorry that you are not satisfied, as I am sure plenty of folks share your pain, but try contacting LH Labs about this and see what they can do about maybe trading in your credit for something they have in stock now that you can instantly get a return on your investment from. I have found LH Labs to be quite open to suggestions and maybe thats part of the reason they got you in a bad mood but it seems you are ready to cut your losses in $ and in your time, so I hope my suggestion helps you reach that goal sooner. I for one am quite happy with my gear and have practiced extreme caution with LH Labs and other crowd funding audio campaigns after the Pulse took a long time to deliver. I've had my gripes with them but overall I am a happy customer and with most things here, its hard to say if something is worth it to anyone but myself unless you were to hear it yourself.


 
 Thanks Kenman,
  
 I travel around internationally and I simply don't want to take the risk of dealing with returns due to buggy/faulty stuff.  There is nothing I want from them at this point of time other than to ship me the rest of the kit.  Bloody hell I've been limping along with just a Dragonfly for bloody almost 2yrs waiting for this bloody thing.  I'm no longer willing to gamble on potentially faulty kit so I'm not going to bother trying it before I sell.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Adrain, while the crowd funding approach to this product can be extremely frustrating and confusing
  
 (hell, looking at their newest update chart... I can't even tell when is my 2013 infinity in 2.0 chassie is suppose to be shipped, what the hell LHlab)
  
 I felt that you have jumped the gun on the review for a bit. 
  
 In one hand, some of those units. (especially the early ones) does have problems, which is really inexcusable when you hear about how much they emphasizing on testing the unit before shipping. How ever,  I found the way you approach negative reviews on the unit to be a bit biased.
  
  
 Looking at the japanese blog though, in his review, it looks like he prefer the sound of the 1242AQ (a diy dac from what I can from the research), while stating both dac has a different signature, while the Geek Pulse is on the thin side.  , but at the same time, he did not express much negativity toward the Geek Pulse.
 Though the problem he reported with the LPS having hiccup and flicking, dimming problem, is a bit worrisome.
  
 As for the Chinese form, the reviewer initially stated that at the Backer Price, it's definitely a great buy, but not at the MSRP price, at MSRP its' just soso and does not have the potential to compete with other units above its price point. But do note though, his main reason of that initial expression was due to the dac sounded wobby on the low frequency spectrum,.
 In which he later corrected as the the lower frequency response improved after 2 weeks of burn in. Though, he did not provide another comaprison with that post.


----------



## adrian0115

dslayerzx said:


> Adrain, while the crowd funding approach to this product can be extremely frustrating and confusing
> 
> (hell, looking at their newest update chart... I can't even tell when is my 2013 infinity in 2.0 chassie is suppose to be shipped, what the hell LHlab)
> 
> ...


 
 DSlayerZX,
  
 I'm right with you on everything you said but I was never confused since I was banking on Larry's engineering capabilities.  My point being both my friends and I have had real world experience with these things and the historical track record isn't something that gives us much faith.  Seeing a few positive reviews vs. what other people are writing about in terms of performance/problems makes things a bit worrisome.
  
 Now for something that's supposedly going for $2-3K, I wish them good luck.  I was part of the original backers and 1500er group and pledged my support with my wallet.  Fool me once, shame on me...  
  
 Everything is 20/20 on hindsight and if I had to do it again, I'd go with a proven vendor (Benchmark/Auralic etcetc) rather than gambling on great specs/marketing.  
  
 Personally, I simply don't have time to gamble and deal with sending things back and forth on an international basis.  I no longer want to pay to be a beta test and expect to pay for something that works and performs out of the box.  If it doesn't, then it gets dealt with on the spot.  
  
 Even my lowly Dragonfly has never given me a hiccup and I can simply hit play on my phone when I walk in the door.
  
 I just recently demo'd Devialets gear (Expert/Phantom) from an invitation and at least I can say what I heard impressed me.  We live and learn.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Yeah, I get what you are coming from, some times dealing with possibility fault product really just isn't worth the time and effort for an individual.
  
 I was really into crowd funding few years go, but in recent times I really only go for things that are nice to have, but wouldn't really matter if  I don't have it, or just wait for the finish prodcut to time and read the review on them, it's much easier this way.
  
 But well, anticipating, doubt, and risk are all part of the crowd funding experience, we will all live and lean how to deal with this new transaction model.
  
 Now, time to put this thing in the back of my head and try to worry about when i actually receive it.


----------



## adrian0115

dslayerzx said:


> Yeah, I get what you are coming from, some times dealing with possibility fault product really just isn't worth the time and effort for an individual.
> 
> I was really into crowd funding few years go, but in recent times I really only go for things that are nice to have, but wouldn't really matter if  I don't have it, or just wait for the finish prodcut to time and read the review on them, it's much easier this way.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Amen to that.  We're in the same boat here.
  
 Cheers!


----------



## greenkiwi

It has been an interesting journey.  In the end, I think that I got caught up in deals etc.  If I were doing it over again, I'd get a Yggy instead of two Infinities.  That being said, for what I'll be paying for the infinities, I can't complain too much.  The first black friday pricing was so good, it was just hard to pass up.  And I'm glad I've stayed for chassis 2.0.
  
 I am learning though, that I should just stretch and go for the amp/dac that is at the top of my budget and be done.
  
 As an aside, is anyone else finding their new site/forum frustrating?  I find that I don't use it nearly as much as I used to with their old forums.  Just less usable and I don't find I get there as often.


----------



## adrian0115

greenkiwi said:


> It has been an interesting journey.  In the end, I think that I got caught up in deals etc.  If I were doing it over again, I'd get a Yggy instead of two Infinities.  That being said, for what I'll be paying for the infinities, I can't complain too much.  The first black friday pricing was so good, it was just hard to pass up.  And I'm glad I've stayed for chassis 2.0.
> 
> I am learning though, that I should just stretch and go for the amp/dac that is at the top of my budget and be done.
> 
> As an aside, is anyone else finding their new site/forum frustrating?  I find that I don't use it nearly as much as I used to with their old forums.  Just less usable and I don't find I get there as often.


 
 +1
  
 Greenkiwi, I can't agree with you more on all the points you stated.


----------



## Shawnb

For everyone who's sold off their Pulse and LPS's how much did you sell them for?


----------



## uncola

Yeah the new forum is horrible.  It's so narrow.. it reminds me more like a comment system than a forum


----------



## kenman345

shawnb said:


> For everyone who's sold off their Pulse and LPS's how much did you sell them for?


 
 For the most part, it appears people are getting the amount they paid for them, or within 10% plus or minus that cost.


----------



## NinjaHamster

Yep. Their new "forum" is a massive downgrade from the old one ... And the old one wasn't anything special to begin with.


----------



## Lord Raven

Hi Guys,
  
 I am new to this gear, Geek Pulse, looks like a long thread with a lot of reviews. I need help selecting a DAC, I am comparing Oppo 105/105D as a stand alone DAC vs Geek Pulse. What are the pros and cons. Please help!
  
 Thanks!
 LR


----------



## kenman345

lord raven said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> I am new to this gear, Geek Pulse, looks like a long thread with a lot of reviews. I need help selecting a DAC, I am comparing Oppo 105/105D as a stand alone DAC vs Geek Pulse. What are the pros and cons. Please help!
> 
> ...


 
 All depends on which Pulse unit I guess. I am not sure about the Oppo DAC, but really, a lot of differences between the different models.
  
 From experience, If you can get a Standard Geek Pulse at the original IGG campaign price, that would be a nice bargain. (I believe it was $299-399 or something). If you have to pay full MSRP, then you may be disappointed with what you get. If you want Balanced output, then the cheaper you can get the higher end models, the more happy you will end up. I have had the X, X Fi, and recently had my X Fi changed out for an Infinity. I would say between the X and X Fi, you might not notice a difference at first, but the more you burn them in, then more difference you may find. Overall, I wasnt satisfied with the X Fi, so I got the Infinity. I use the X at work, and for the price I got it, it's perfectly fine. The X Infinity has been great straight out the box, but I have not yet put more than 10 hours on it, so I cannot say how it burns in yet but I have heard from others it gets much better. 

 In all, I think the MSRP's of these units is generous. If they lowered each price down about 10-15%, it would be much closer to the right bang/buck ratio to justify the MSRP. Otherwise, it's just a label meant to make backers feel better about the price they spent. I get they calculate the MSRP on lots of variables but I think the Bang for your buck for the campaigns (at least the early ones) make it hard to see such a huge jump nowadays.
  
 EDIT: BTW, I forgot to mention the LPS. That thing can upgrade the Pulse a bit. If you get the Standard, I wouldn't suggest getting it as it doesnt make sense, but the X Fi and X Infinity definitely belong with an LPS.


----------



## Greg121986

lord raven said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> I am new to this gear, Geek Pulse, looks like a long thread with a lot of reviews. I need help selecting a DAC, I am comparing Oppo 105/105D as a stand alone DAC vs Geek Pulse. What are the pros and cons. Please help!
> 
> ...


 
 The Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse X are better than the Oppo BDP-105. I knew within 10 minutes of listening to my Geek Pulse (standard) that I was going to sell the BDP-105 and it was gone 2 weeks later. I now use a Geek Pulse X in my stereo and Pulse on my PC for headphones. 
  
 The BDP-105 does many other things that are also valuable, so if you're willing to compromise on sound quality to gain a ton more useful features, then the Oppo BDP-105 should still be at the top of your list. When it comes to pure 2 channel DAC capability and headphone capability, there is no contest. Geek Pulse wins.


----------



## eliwankenobi

If it was me, instead of a BDP-105, I would consider the Oppo HA-1 !

The Oppo 105D is amazing value, and does many things right! but HA-1 is more apples to apples against the Pulse in my opinion. And even still, the HA-1 has many features the Pulse does not and it is very well reviewed. 

How does it fare against an Xfi and up with their custom femtos? Good question worth searching for answers


----------



## greenkiwi

The fit and finish for the HA-1 is definitely in another league.  I also haven't heard of nearly the same number of firmware bugs.
  
 I haven't had a chance to AB, but when I did listen to the HA-1, it was very good.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Like wood top of the Signature! Would love that on my Infinity!!


----------



## doctorjazz

eliwankenobi said:


> Like wood top of the Signature! Would love that on my Infinity!!




Still available...


----------



## eliwankenobi

i thought all Signatures were sold


----------



## doctorjazz

Well, there's the Signature, then there's the Signature Special Edition, and then there's the Signature Special Edition Ultimate, and then...


----------



## doctorjazz

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-audio-high-rez-desktop-sound-system#/updates

Seriously, it does look like the Infinity is still available, the Signature is sold out (there was only an offer of 1 Signature on Indiegogo, the way it reads). Still, if you really MUST have one, you could send a message to them, maybe they'd build a second one...


----------



## adrian0115

doctorjazz said:


> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-audio-high-rez-desktop-sound-system#/updates
> 
> Seriously, it does look like the Infinity is still available, the Signature is sold out (there was only an offer of 1 Signature on Indiegogo, the way it reads). Still, if you really MUST have one, you could send a message to them, maybe they'd build a second one...


 
 You're right Doc,
  
 Note that those are chassis 1.0 Infinities.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Ah right yes! True.. It's only the 1.0 chassi units. I believe they just put them in 2.0 chassis and sell through their dealers?


----------



## adrian0115

eliwankenobi said:


> Ah right yes! True.. It's only the 1.0 chassi units. I believe they just put them in 2.0 chassis and sell through their dealers?


 
 I believe they're already boxed up and just sitting so I doubt they're going to take it all apart and put them in a 2.0 chassis.  Reading the latest update, those are 1.0 in no uncertain terms. This is to get rid of EOL units.


----------



## Madeupword

Hello Audeze LCD (Fazor) headphone owners! What's your gain and volume setting? (e.g. LCD-2f, low gain with high volume)


----------



## dsound

madeupword said:


> Hello Audeze LCD (Fazor) headphone owners! What's your gain and volume setting? (e.g. LCD-2f, low gain with high volume)


 

 Hi there, I run on High gain at approximately -41db volume from the balanced output.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Larry Ho recommends the lowest attenuation possible. So if you are at -15 using low gain, That would the preferred setting.


----------



## ejong7

btw anybody got their Lightspeed 2G cables with their Infinity recently? They were out of stock when they sent mine so just wondering if they are back with it.


----------



## mscott58

ejong7 said:


> btw anybody got their Lightspeed 2G cables with their Infinity recently? They were out of stock when they sent mine so just wondering if they are back with it.




Nope. No 2G yet.


----------



## AxelCloris

ejong7 said:


> btw anybody got their Lightspeed 2G cables with their Infinity recently? They were out of stock when they sent mine so just wondering if they are back with it.


 
  
 I have not received my 2G cable. I hadn't heard anything about them having more stock on-hand.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Bundled with the Infinity...Nope.
  
 I have one which I purchased when it was introduced.  I am using it this way (Data Leg -> Computer, Power Leg -> LPS4, USB-B -> Infinity)


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Bundled with the Infinity...Nope.
> 
> I have one which I purchased when it was introduced.  I am using it this way (Data Leg -> Computer, Power Leg -> LPS4, USB-B -> Infinity)




And I've got a 10G split doing the same thing. Not sure what I'll do with the 2G.


----------



## kenman345

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Bundled with the Infinity...Nope.
> 
> I have one which I purchased when it was introduced.  I am using it this way (Data Leg -> Computer, Power Leg -> LPS4, USB-B -> Infinity)


 
 Same thing for me minus the LPS4, I got the LPS standard on my setup. I bought my 2G Cable outright as well


----------



## eliwankenobi

ejong7 said:


> btw anybody got their Lightspeed 2G cables with their Infinity recently? They were out of stock when they sent mine so just wondering if they are back with it.




they will send them to owners who didn't get at first. They will have more available in mid august. I remember something about a design change in the cable.


----------



## greenkiwi

Regarding gain: from Larry's video... ideally you use the lowest digital attenuation.  
  
 To me, that means that if you can't run at 0dB because it's too loud, you are at the right gain setting.


----------



## miceblue

greenkiwi said:


> To me, that means that if you can't run at 0dB because it's too loud, you are at the right gain setting.



If that happens to me with all 3 gains settings, then all of them are the right gain? XD


----------



## Madeupword

Yes, I'm currently using low gain at ~-18db volume via single ended output.
  
 To my knowledge, higher gain results in greater noise, greater bass impact and a more forward projection. Low gain results in greater clarity, separation and wider soundstage.
  
 Regarding Lightspeed 2G, Gina mentioned they had to order a new batch due to QC issue, which should reach LH Labs by mid-August. From there, LH Labs will ship these newly redesigned cables promptly to respective backers.


----------



## gikigill

I'm using the MadDogs at about -20 on high gain. Plenty volume unless you want your ears to bleed.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Gavin confirmed the acrylic top is magnetically attached to the 2.0 chassis. We can replace it with custom tops without voiding the warranty

Encouraging! See what I can come up with


----------



## uncola

wow that sounds like a cool feature.  imagine a 3d printed top that has your username and a qr code that leads to a description of your setup


----------



## greenkiwi

miceblue said:


> If that happens to me with all 3 gains settings, then all of them are the right gain? XD


 
 You would pick the lowest gain that you couldn't max out.
  
 For example, if you can listen to your headphones with low gain and turned all the way up to -0dB, then you would move up to medium gain... etc.


----------



## Maelob

Just want to point out that volume level is kind of subject to the source,  for example while using plain Amarra with my own file, it sounds louder that if I am listening to Tidal with Amarra SQ. I think depending what are you listening affects the volume level. Recommend that if you are going to share the gain setting and level for your headphones, please also mention the source of your music.


----------



## mandrake50

maelob said:


> Just want to point out that volume level is kind of subject to the source,  for example while using plain Amarra with my own file, it sounds louder that if I am listening to Tidal with Amarra SQ. I think depending what are you listening affects the volume level. Recommend that if you are going to share the gain setting and level for your headphones, please also mention the source of your music.


 
 More than "kind of".. it is totally dependent on how hard you drive the input. That is why reports of volume settings by knob position are pretty meaningless... with out knowing the input level.
 In light of the fact that the closer to 0 DB on the digital volume control we get, the fewer bits are being consumed in that process, I have the input level and gain set so that I run the Infinity at  0DB ....
  
 If I need more or less volume, I manipulate the input.


----------



## eac3

eliwankenobi said:


> Gavin confirmed the acrylic top is magnetically attached to the 2.0 chassis. We can replace it with custom tops without voiding the warranty
> 
> Encouraging! See what I can come up with


----------



## eliwankenobi

Hahaha! LOL!


----------



## ms142

kenman345 said:


> All depends on which Pulse unit I guess. I am not sure about the Oppo DAC, but really, a lot of differences between the different models.
> 
> From experience, If you can get a Standard Geek Pulse at the original IGG campaign price, that would be a nice bargain. (I believe it was $299-399 or something). If you have to pay full MSRP, then you may be disappointed with what you get. If you want Balanced output, then the cheaper you can get the higher end models, the more happy you will end up. I have had the X, X Fi, and recently had my X Fi changed out for an Infinity. I would say between the X and X Fi, you might not notice a difference at first, but the more you burn them in, then more difference you may find. Overall, I wasnt satisfied with the X Fi, so I got the Infinity. I use the X at work, and for the price I got it, it's perfectly fine. The X Infinity has been great straight out the box, but I have not yet put more than 10 hours on it, so I cannot say how it burns in yet but I have heard from others it gets much better.
> 
> ...


 

 Saw this edit comment and just want to add a complementary view: Larry Ho the designer did mention that the LPS helps more with Pulse fi than with the Pulse Xfi or Sfi. Not sure about standard Pulse, but I'd think having a clean power supply should be more important than getting the noise averaged out with a parallel circuit or having separate left right channel. So Standard + LPS *might* beat XFi.
 (I have a Pulse fi and Sfi with LPS myself)


----------



## digitalzed

ms142 said:


> Saw this edit comment and just want to add a complementary view: Larry Ho the designer did mention that the LPS helps more with Pulse fi than with the Pulse Xfi or Sfi. Not sure about standard Pulse, but I'd think having a clean power supply should be more important than getting the noise averaged out with a parallel circuit or having separate left right channel. So Standard + LPS *might* beat XFi.
> (I have a Pulse fi and Sfi with LPS myself)


 

 I can attest that a standard Pulse with an LPS is vastly improved in every aspect of dimension, space, presentation, and punch over a Pulse with no LPS. But still falls short of my Infinity with or without an LPS.


----------



## Madeupword

Reports of knob position are not meaningless, as we've come to appreciate 0dB and bit depth. Likewise, unless sources differ greatly, volume should not vary much. On my end, only a few albums require 3 to 6dB more to hit apt listening level.
  
 Perhaps I should have been more elaborate in phrasing my initial question. Nonetheless, I reckon we would all consent to the notion to have the volume as close to 0dB with minimal gain setting, at a healthy listening level.


----------



## mscott58

Hey everyone. Remind me - if you want to use the Pulse just as a DAC using the RCA or XLR outputs you set the gain to 0.0 dB right? Thanks!


----------



## eliwankenobi

Yep!!


----------



## mscott58

eliwankenobi said:


> Yep!!


 
 Gracias


----------



## Maelob

For headphone listening I used the volume control in the Pulse, and normally have the amarra and computer volume max out.  If using Tidal and Amarra SQ I have the amarra sq volume until I start seen a little bit of red bars per their recommendation.
  
 For speaker listening- after disconnecting the headphones, I crank the Pulse volume to 0 and use my integrated amp for volume control.
  
 For headphone gain since I used Alpha Dogs which are semi hard to drive I found I could drive them either in Med or High Gain.


----------



## valve5425

ejong7 said:


> btw anybody got their Lightspeed 2G cables with their Infinity recently? They were out of stock when they sent mine so just wondering if they are back with it.


 
  

 I upgraded my freebie to a 2 metre 2G and got it in June, shortly after my Xfi arrived. I figured we may have a long wait for the 1 metre! Guess I was right for once.


----------



## mandrake50

madeupword said:


> Reports of knob position are not meaningless, as we've come to appreciate 0dB and bit depth. Likewise, unless sources differ greatly, volume should not vary much. On my end, only a few albums require 3 to 6dB more to hit apt listening level.
> 
> Perhaps I should have been more elaborate in phrasing my initial question. Nonetheless, I reckon we would all consent to the notion to have the volume as close to 0dB with minimal gain setting, at a healthy listening level.


 
  
 I meant that reports of relative knob position on an amp without a digital readout.   An Example regarding say an H10. One user says he runs his settings at 10:00 and feels he has plenty of power on tap. Another says he runs at 3:30 and thinks the amp is running out of headroom. Without knowing the input levels Output Load, and measured output, these relative statement don't tell anyone very much.
  
 Reporting a digital reading is considerably different. At least we know precisely what the attenuation level being applied is. We still know little about the real output levels involved without knowing the gain setting and the input level.
  BTW, we cannot "assume" that input levels are the same or even close. Source  outputs do differ greatly, they run all over the place. Some reference 1 volt, some 2 volts, some 2.5.. and balanced 4 plus volts  plus in some cases...
  
 But yes, I would agree, using minimal digital attenuation is the best way to go. I do cringe a bit when people report running at - 30 DB and greater attenuation.


----------



## Maelob

So why add a volume control headphone amp to a DAC if used is going to affect sound quality? I know this is a topic for another thread on digital attenuation vs analog volume control.
  
 But I guess in the perfect word I would like to see a volume control in my headphone amp/dac that does not affect sound quality of neither the headphone out or variable output if used as a preamp with speakers.


----------



## greenkiwi

@Maelob  It's tricky... analog volume controls add price and additional complexity.  And also can effect the sound...    I think that you could play a game with large analog steps and small digital steps and have a very good implementation.
  
 That being said, small amounts of digital volume control have little effect.


----------



## valve5425

I've set 0db on the Xfi and just use the volume control on my Stax amp. I just make sure the amp volume is at max attenuation before switch on. Good practice anyway!
  
 On another note, just had a quick visit to the Geek forum and was a little surprised to see how few posts there were. Is it in its last throes? Could it be that people are just happy to get their perks and run?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Because the new forum format is just PITA. 

1. Need to register AGAIN.. 
2. Format is too confusing and unfriendly, and editing tools are non existent. 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


----------



## digitalzed

+1 for what Mickey said.


----------



## doctorjazz

The Geek Forum is like a ghost town, hardly anything there at all...


----------



## mandrake50

digitalzed said:


> +1 for what Mickey said.


 

 Would somebody post the link to the new forums. There is no  guidance nor links on their main pages to them. I think I got there at one point... yes It was not good. Just curious to take another look.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Had to register way too many times for LH lab related forum, web site, etc I really just can't care to register anymore.
  
 Oh yeah, some update for those of you still waiting for the infinity case. 
  
 from my ticket,
  
 It appears that those unit will be starting to ship toward the end of August, and won't be completely till Nov.
  
 According Gavin's email, I thought the 2.0 infinity during the 2013 order was supposed to be shipped out by August, but i guess not. o.O


----------



## Anaximandros

Well, the new "Forum" is crap.
  
 Nothing is really going on there except some bundles which are added on a whim. It's also a pain in the ass to search for something and the whole structure is confusing. You can reply to a topic and comment on posts. So the answer may be in a comment from a reply with 80 comments, followed by a reply with another 30 comments and so on. Looks like they wanted to copy Facebook.


----------



## greenkiwi

Yeah. Unusable...

And as a result, few if any posts... 

It's a bummer, I enjoyed the posts in the old one


----------



## digitalzed

mandrake50 said:


> Would somebody post the link to the new forums. There is no  guidance nor links on their main pages to them. I think I got there at one point... yes It was not good. Just curious to take another look.


 

 I'm pretty sure this is it: https://support.lhlabs.com/support/discussions


----------



## mandrake50

digitalzed said:


> I'm pretty sure this is it: https://support.lhlabs.com/support/discussions


 

 That worked. Thanks!


----------



## miceblue

Actually their new forum is here:
http://lhlabs.com/geek-force-hub/


----------



## doublea71

doctorjazz said:


> The Geek Forum is like a ghost town, hardly anything there at all...


 

 I think that was their intent.


----------



## gikigill

Didn't realise their intent was to stop having customers.


----------



## digitalzed

miceblue said:


> Actually their new forum is here:
> http://lhlabs.com/geek-force-hub/


 

 Huh, I guess the fact that no one knows how to get to their forum may be the reason there's no action going on over there. I now have 3 or 4 log in's for LH sites. It's a little silly. I just went over to the link you provided and actually had to register yet again. I now remember seeing this in an even earlier beta and really dislike the layout personally. It may suit some but the focus is more on groups it seems and not on traditional forum topics or layout.


----------



## doublea71

I think they've given up on the idea of a "geek force" since a number of backers are quite vocally washing their hands of anything LH-related - it doesn't make them look good to potential customers if people are bashing them on their own site. Plenty of companies are doing well without forums, and I think that is where they're heading. It was just part of the whole marketing campaign in the end, not some pie-in-the-sky "community". Make people feel like they are a part of something and they will open their wallets - it happens every Sunday in America.


----------



## agisthos

LHLABS made a statement a while back that they wanted to move away from the forum to something like Facebook groups. The forum was really just a place for the crowdfund backers to hang out, and for Larry to get feedback and suggestions for the product designs.
  
 Now that is over, they do not intend to run an ongoing audio forum. Fair enough.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Hmm.. Do you know if we can still use our force points? I have a couple points that could go nice towards something


----------



## marflao

eliwankenobi said:


> Hmm.. Do you know if we can still use our force points? I have a couple points that could go nice towards something


 
 You can still enter the gift card or discount code in the shop 
  
 So the answer should be "Yes".
 btw..the codes are valid for 2 years from the date when they were issued.


----------



## digitalzed

eliwankenobi said:


> Hmm.. Do you know if we can still use our force points? I have a couple points that could go nice towards something


 

 Force points are supposedly still valid. The store hasn't changed, just the forum or at least the focus of the forum.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Thanks everyone! 

Can anybody tell me the price for the 1meter 2G cable?


----------



## gyx11

Just dropping by to inquire on behalf of a friend.

 LHL sent out an email a couple of days ago stating that:
  
The Customer Happiness team at LH Labs knows how patient you have been waiting for your Geek Source Lite. We have been in talks with various production houses, and to make a long story short, we simply won’t be able to build your Geek Source Lite.  This is due to a combination of an inability to acquire the right parts, and our production house unwilling to re-tool for such a small quantity to be run for our backers.
 Due to this unforeseen circumstance Larry has given us the green light to open all perks at a discount price and provide you a free move to the Source 2T model. We do know that many of you have also purchased other upgrades to your Geek Source Lite, and we would like to let you know that it is all being transferred to your new Source unit. The Source will be built in the 2 Terabyte, 4 terabyte or the 1 Terabyte Solid State Versions.

Has any other Geek Source backers received this yet?

I don't want to go too much into our sentiments on this, but what do you guys suggest be done about this? My friend has no interest in a SS Source, so obviously we're looking at cancelling the order altogether. The current stance by LHL is strictly no refunds, as seen in the GW32 incident in which people were basically forced to upgrade or be stuck in limbo.

Would it possible to open up a case with Paypal/IGG about pursuing the matter, requesting for cancellation/refund?


----------



## doublea71

Ask them for a refund. Some Wave 32 backers managed to get refunds, so I don't see why your friend wouldn't, too.


----------



## Clemmaster

Anyone knows when the Pulse from the Hifiman deal of November last year are supposed to ship?
  
 I also bought a Lightspeed 2G cable around the same time and no news since.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I opened a ticket and was able to use my loot points just fine!
  
 upgraded my 2G cable to 2m and bought a USB slacker/extender for my GO450.
  
 Sweet!


----------



## Lord Raven

kenman345 said:


> All depends on which Pulse unit I guess. I am not sure about the Oppo DAC, but really, a lot of differences between the different models.
> 
> From experience, If you can get a Standard Geek Pulse at the original IGG campaign price, that would be a nice bargain. (I believe it was $299-399 or something). If you have to pay full MSRP, then you may be disappointed with what you get. If you want Balanced output, then the cheaper you can get the higher end models, the more happy you will end up. I have had the X, X Fi, and recently had my X Fi changed out for an Infinity. I would say between the X and X Fi, you might not notice a difference at first, but the more you burn them in, then more difference you may find. Overall, I wasnt satisfied with the X Fi, so I got the Infinity. I use the X at work, and for the price I got it, it's perfectly fine. The X Infinity has been great straight out the box, but I have not yet put more than 10 hours on it, so I cannot say how it burns in yet but I have heard from others it gets much better.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Thanks Kenman345, I am still not sure what DAC to buy. What is the IGG campaign? Is this something like Mass Drop? Btw, I received an anonymous message that these DACs have QC issues and these are blowing up the cans. I don't think I can try this as my first DAC. I am looking to pair it with my tube amp, which is really very good. Budget is around 200 for my first DAC. I dropped Oppo either, since I will only use it as a DAC, I would rarely have seen a movie on it so yeah, it is also dropped. Please Help!


----------



## Lord Raven

greg121986 said:


> The Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse X are better than the Oppo BDP-105. I knew within 10 minutes of listening to my Geek Pulse (standard) that I was going to sell the BDP-105 and it was gone 2 weeks later. I now use a Geek Pulse X in my stereo and Pulse on my PC for headphones.
> 
> The BDP-105 does many other things that are also valuable, so if you're willing to compromise on sound quality to gain a ton more useful features, then the Oppo BDP-105 should still be at the top of your list. When it comes to pure 2 channel DAC capability and headphone capability, there is no contest. Geek Pulse wins.


 
 Greg, did you face any issue with Geek so far?


----------



## kenman345

lord raven said:


> Thanks Kenman345, I am still not sure what DAC to buy. What is the IGG campaign? Is this something like Mass Drop? Btw, I received an anonymous message that these DACs have QC issues and these are blowing up the cans. I don't think I can try this as my first DAC. I am looking to pair it with my tube amp, which is really very good. Budget is around 200 for my first DAC. I dropped Oppo either, since I will only use it as a DAC, I would rarely have seen a movie on it so yeah, it is also dropped. Please Help!



It's a shame one person who has been posting on the thread and on the LH Labs site about a bum unit spraying hate. A lot of the QC issues really are from the early production runs and they fixed that before most of those went out the door. The newer units are less and less prone to this and if you read the IGG updates or Larrys blog entries you will find that the numbers for faulty units is actually low it's just that the consumers of these units are all vocal because they're not just an everyday consumer that finds a random item on the Internet to purchase but have been anticipating their unit for many months or years in a lot of cases. 

Please whatever you do just do your research, $200 for a DAC is not going to get you far for a LH Labs product anyways, but that does not mean they are not good values at the right price.

EDIT: eliwankenobi is correct actually, I forgot about that part. I am so used to unplugging things.


----------



## eliwankenobi

lord raven said:


> Thanks Kenman345, I am still not sure what DAC to buy. What is the IGG campaign? Is this something like Mass Drop? Btw, I received an anonymous message that these DACs have QC issues and these are blowing up the cans. I don't think I can try this as my first DAC. I am looking to pair it with my tube amp, which is really very good. Budget is around 200 for my first DAC. I dropped Oppo either, since I will only use it as a DAC, I would rarely have seen a movie on it so yeah, it is also dropped. Please Help!




Yes, they on their instructions to not plug in your headphones until the unit is turned ON. Otherwise you may run the risk of damaging the headphones. This is because of a design choice where they don't use a buffer or something.... All that is true.

If your budget is around $200. I would consider a GeekOut! They right around that price. And the first generation which are still great sounding, can be had for less. The GeekOut IEM 100, is at around $180 and it would be perfect as DAC only or for use with sensitive headphones like IEMs.


----------



## digitalzed

lord raven said:


> Thanks Kenman345, I am still not sure what DAC to buy. What is the IGG campaign? Is this something like Mass Drop? Btw, I received an anonymous message that these DACs have QC issues and these are blowing up the cans. I don't think I can try this as my first DAC. I am looking to pair it with my tube amp, which is really very good. Budget is around 200 for my first DAC. I dropped Oppo either, since I will only use it as a DAC, I would rarely have seen a movie on it so yeah, it is also dropped. Please Help!


 

 If the message is truly anonymous and there's no data whatsoever except heresy to back up the claim, the person sending the messages is a POS. I an many others have had zero issues with their Pulses. If you can't verify the source and can't find anything than a couple of odd ball issues, then you'll be pretty safe using a Pulse if you choose to do so.


----------



## doctorjazz

I'd second the idea of a Geek Out for the less than $200 range, though some have had volume issues, it's a delicate baby. If you disconnect it slightly on changing headphones, it acts as if it is newly connected, and defaults to full volume, so you have to be careful with that. Otherwise, it is a great sounding unit (have the GO 1K and the GO Special Edition).


----------



## Maelob

With the new firmware update, the volume on the Geek out is not an issue, it is controlled at the source.  You can no longer change the volume from the DAC itself.
 At least thats the case with my MAC. The volume buttons are now setting for the digital filters.


----------



## longbowbbs

digitalzed said:


> lord raven said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks Kenman345, I am still not sure what DAC to buy. What is the IGG campaign? Is this something like Mass Drop? Btw, I received an anonymous message that these DACs have QC issues and these are blowing up the cans. I don't think I can try this as my first DAC. I am looking to pair it with my tube amp, which is really very good. Budget is around 200 for my first DAC. I dropped Oppo either, since I will only use it as a DAC, I would rarely have seen a movie on it so yeah, it is also dropped. Please Help!
> ...




+1 to Zero issues with my Pulse Infinity. Great unit.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I second. With the latest firmware volume control is on the source, not the GO and has never been an issue for me as well. The GO IEM is a great deal for DAC only use or IEM (duh)


----------



## greenkiwi

I'd be ordering the Geek Out V2.  Doesn't seem like it's worth getting the V1 now that the 2 is out.


----------



## mandrake50

Unless he only wants to spend $200... which is what he said.
  
 My Infinity has been doing fine as well. No problems. I have about 100 hours on it and it is sounding very nice. I also use its balanced outs into an H10. Quite a nice combination with the 560s.
  
 BTW, I got the HE 560 / Pulse bundle... I got upsold into upgrading it all the way  to X Infinity... I got it a couple of weeks ago in the V1 enclosure.
 I think I am glad I did the upgrades, though I have nothing in a model without all the bells and whistles to compare to... I am enjoying the sound though!


----------



## adrian0115

digitalzed said:


> If the message is truly anonymous and there's no data whatsoever except heresy to back up the claim, the person sending the messages is a POS. I an many others have had zero issues with their Pulses. If you can't verify the source and can't find anything than a couple of odd ball issues, then you'll be pretty safe using a Pulse if you choose to do so.


 
 +1
  
 Fully agree with Jeff on this one.  If the person posting about problems have experienced issues, there's no need to send anonymously.  Whether it rubs people the wrong way or right way, I've posted what I believe to be factual/objective based comments.


----------



## Madeupword

Likewise no issue with Pulse X Infinity. In fact I'm letting go of 2 GeekOuts over at the Classified, http://www.head-fi.org/t/776540/lh-labs-geekout-450-and-geekout-1000


----------



## hemtmaker

Same here. My infinity has been working flawlessly since day one and is pairly rather nicely with Ether in balanced =)


----------



## FlySweep

I'm an X Infinity backer from October 2013.. so I suppose I would've got an 'early' unit.. but I haven't had a *single* issue with my LPS & X Infinity.


----------



## leomitch

Nor have I! My Infinity is a remarkable piece of electroics that provides me with the most natural and crystal clear music and it is great for listening and watching movies and videos. My Infinity is coupled with the new Nighthawk  Headphones...what a golden pairing!!
  
 Leo


----------



## kenman345

My Unit is a dream. Very happy owner right here :-D


----------



## Lord Raven

Thanks Kenman345, I am a forgetful person and might kill my HPs, I just realized that I will not use the headphone amplifier of this Geek stuff, this might save me from possible damage. I have more questions as you seem to be a great Geek ambassador. Honestly speaking, the LH Labs website is confusing, I don't get it, some stuff is sold out, they say they have a huge facility with 42 employees and they don't have a stock. I want to know about the unit Geek Pulse Fi, which I found on eBay and might want to buy it but there is no link to its specs. Might be a discontinued unit. How do you rate this unit with LPS? Thanks once again, 200 is just a starting point. Initially, when I started hunting for a DAC, so many people in my circle suggested me to buy Oppo 105D. And I wanted to spend that 1299$ cause it came with so many added features. I am looking for something like that, that one unit which will make me fall in love with music again. Then, I found out about this Geeky stuff and people reviewed Geeks to be better than Oppo, that where I dropped Oppo from the hunt. There always is something better out there, but I want the best, in terms of value and quality.
  
 A little background into my music history, I have always listened to Bur Brown 24/192 DAC in my car audio setup. I know what a quality DAC feels like, but I am new to tube amplification, right now I am feeding my tube amplifier from a mobile phone and laptop. I am sure if I upgrade the DAC, it will give me two fold SQ. Don't just consider Geek, if you have anything else in mind, do let me know. I am not willing to get the tiny USB DACs, they seem so small and useless. I see you are quite content with Geek, what did you upgrade from? I found my tube amp after a long research, initially I wanted to build one, then I learnt all about tubes and power supplies and chokes. I want to put the same amount of research in the DAC but the thing is, there are thousands of options and I don't know what to get. I cannot audition anything from where I belong, it is going to be a hit and trial for me. I am not even sure if I should get Sabre or Wolfson. Damn it!
  
 DACs that I dropped from my hunt are:
  
 Oppo 105/105D
 (Even wanted to buy a used but they're expensive and in the same price I can get something new that is even better than them)
 Audio GD
 (People suggested they have background noise, everyone is upgrading from their stuff, so I thought let's not buy a Chinese unit)
 HRT
 (Another Chinese stuff)
 HiFiMeDIY
 (Chinese stuff)
  
 So now you know what I don't want anymore, and if something is out of my budget I always look for a used unit. That too can be considered. 
  
  
 Quote:


kenman345 said:


> It's a shame one person who has been posting on the thread and on the LH Labs site about a bum unit spraying hate. A lot of the QC issues really are from the early production runs and they fixed that before most of those went out the door. The newer units are less and less prone to this and if you read the IGG updates or Larrys blog entries you will find that the numbers for faulty units is actually low it's just that the consumers of these units are all vocal because they're not just an everyday consumer that finds a random item on the Internet to purchase but have been anticipating their unit for many months or years in a lot of cases.
> 
> Please whatever you do just do your research, $200 for a DAC is not going to get you far for a LH Labs product anyways, but that does not mean they are not good values at the right price.
> 
> EDIT: eliwankenobi is correct actually, I forgot about that part. I am so used to unplugging things.


 
  
 Is this applicable to all Geek stuff? Or just the GeekOut tiny USB stuff? Thanks for your suggestion and clarification bro, I don't think I will get a USB DAC, I might raise my budget but will not get a USB DAC. This is some kind of OCD issue haha I work from home and I can accommodate a nice DAC at my side table, USB DACs are for office going guys 
  
  


eliwankenobi said:


> Yes, they on their instructions to not plug in your headphones until the unit is turned ON. Otherwise you may run the risk of damaging the headphones. This is because of a design choice where they don't use a buffer or something.... All that is true.
> 
> If your budget is around $200. I would consider a GeekOut! They right around that price. And the first generation which are still great sounding, can be had for less. The GeekOut IEM 100, is at around $180 and it would be perfect as DAC only or for use with sensitive headphones like IEMs.


  
  
 Bro, from anonymous I meant that I don't want to mention that person out here. Nobody would have said a thing about this issue if that guy had not PMed me. I still respect him. I am sure the issue might be fixed in the newed models, Geek sounds like a nice company that puts in a lot of research into their stuff. And I kind of like their name, LH Labs, sound good to me. And the Geeky stuff. LOL
  


digitalzed said:


> If the message is truly anonymous and there's no data whatsoever except heresy to back up the claim, the person sending the messages is a POS. I an many others have had zero issues with their Pulses. If you can't verify the source and can't find anything than a couple of odd ball issues, then you'll be pretty safe using a Pulse if you choose to do so.


 


  
 Bro, as I mentioned earlier, I can house a nice DAC at home. USB DACs are for office going people. If it has volume issue, I might break it if it did this to me. 


doctorjazz said:


> I'd second the idea of a Geek Out for the less than $200 range, though some have had volume issues, it's a delicate baby. If you disconnect it slightly on changing headphones, it acts as if it is newly connected, and defaults to full volume, so you have to be careful with that. Otherwise, it is a great sounding unit (have the GO 1K and the GO Special Edition).


  
 Great, good informtion for people looking for a USB DAC.


maelob said:


> With the new firmware update, the volume on the Geek out is not an issue, it is controlled at the source.  You can no longer change the volume from the DAC itself.
> At least thats the case with my MAC. The volume buttons are now setting for the digital filters.


 


  
  
 PS Thanks everyone for the clarification about Geek, I might be the nest Geek owner soon. I am still not sure though. If anyone of you is will to sell their DAC stuff, do let me know in a PM. Thanks once again, I will be following this thread!
  
 Edit:
 PPS I recently found out abou the IGG is www.indiegogo.com  LOL I might start a campaign for my first DAC, need to come up with a trippy post so that people could fund my stuff..


----------



## eliwankenobi

@Lord Raven 

If you were really willing to spend the dough on a 105D to use it as a DAC, you would have a much better value out of the Oppo HA-1. What you get for that, makes me not even consider a Pulse. Nothing against the Pulse but feature wise, the Oppo is like a PulseX + LPS + Geek Blue + Geek Pre all in one unit. When you get to the higher end PulseXfi, then it gets different field and price too


----------



## Lord Raven

eliwankenobi said:


> @Lord Raven
> 
> If you were really willing to spend the dough on a 105D to use it as a DAC, you would have a much better value out of the Oppo HA-1. What you get for that, makes me not even consider a Pulse. Nothing against the Pulse but feature wise, the Oppo is like a PulseX + LPS + Geek Blue + Geek Pre all in one unit. When you get to the higher end PulseXfi, then it gets different field and price too


 
 Bro, why I dropped the HA-1 was due to couple of bad reviews and mainly cause of the fact that I already spent too much on my Vacuum tube amplifier, I would never have used it's headphone amplifier :/ There is not a single decent review about HA-1, otherwise the unit was good to look at, nice LED display and Oppo's name on it. I was in a mix between 105D and HA-1 and I picked up 105D. Honestly speaking, I even dropped the Darbee cause one reviewer said that Darbee fucntion stops working after a while, and then it's just 105 LOL part of me is still looking for 105 in a used condition to give it a try but then again it goes around for 800-1000 bucks. I always wonder, why no one is selling their Oppo, there must be a reason, and those who are selling they are asking huge prices. WTH.


----------



## x RELIC x

lord raven said:


> Bro, why I dropped the HA-1 was due to couple of bad reviews and mainly cause of the fact that I already spent too much on my Vacuum tube amplifier, I would never have used it's headphone amplifier :/ There is not a single decent review about HA-1, otherwise the unit was good to look at, nice LED display and Oppo's name on it. I was in a mix between 105D and HA-1 and I picked up 105D. Honestly speaking, I even dropped the Darbee cause one reviewer said that Darbee fucntion stops working after a while, and then it's just 105 LOL part of me is still looking for 105 in a used condition to give it a try but then again it goes around for 800-1000 bucks. I always wonder, why no one is selling their Oppo, there must be a reason, and those who are selling they are asking huge prices. WTH.




Just stumbled on this comment and had to reply. I can understand not wanting to use a combo unit but to say there is not a single decent review of the HA-1 is entirely not true. Of note is the one on Innerfidelity. Google 'Oppo HA-1 review' and there are many well received reviews of the unit, including many on Head-Fi.


----------



## doctorjazz

If you like tube sound, I have the Mojo tubed DA converter
http://www.mojo-audio.com/digital-to-analog-converters/
The Mystique-great sounding unit, vintage NOS R2R tubed dac. I thought it sounded much better than my Peachtree Grandpre preamp, which has an internal DA that was very well reviewed (it doesn't play well with the Peachtree, though, so I'm not using it at present, may set it up in another system, beautiful sounding). Doesn't have other bells and whistles, doesn't do High Resolution files, but great sounding unit. It really is a rack/stereo unit, though. I'm awaiting another tubed dac, Vi Tube Infinity, can't tell you how it sounds, expecting/hoping for great things, but have to wait to know first hand. Another Rack component, though.


----------



## gikigill

Another happy Geek Out 1000 and Xfi/LPS4 owner here.


----------



## Lord Raven

I will leave this here for comments:
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/743990/new-m8-dac-from-smsl-9018-xmos/180#post_11829732

 This brings up a lot of questions!


----------



## digitalzed

lord raven said:


> I will leave this here for comments:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/743990/new-m8-dac-from-smsl-9018-xmos/180#post_11829732
> 
> This brings up a lot of questions!


 

 Like, what questions? The M8 might be a fine sounding DAC all on its own, sure. Aside from the guy's post saying his Pulse was faulty the information is based on what he hears. If it's good for him, great. The only way to really know is to compare them yourself side-by-side. And yes, I know that's not easy to do for any of us. Anyone out there can compare the M8 with the Pulse?


----------



## chartwell85

lord raven said:


> I will leave this here for comments:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/743990/new-m8-dac-from-smsl-9018-xmos/180#post_11829732
> 
> This brings up a lot of questions!


 

 Yes, what questions exactly does it bring up?


----------



## doctorjazz

That's not the CEntrance M8, I assume...I can make comparisons there, but I don't think that's what you're asking about (the link has very little information).


----------



## germay0653

@Lord Raven,
  
 Help me understand your comments:
  
 "Is this applicable to all Geek stuff? Or just the GeekOut tiny USB stuff? Thanks for your suggestion and clarification bro, I don't think I will get a USB DAC, I might raise my budget but will not get a USB DAC. This is some kind of OCD issue haha I work from home and I can accommodate a nice DAC at my side table, USB DACs are for office going guys "
  
 Not sure why you have the impresssion, if I'm understanding your words correctly, that USB DACs aren't nice or are just for office guys.  If you were joking then no harm, no foul but USB DACs come in all shapes, sizes, implementations and cost, even up to six figures.  You might want to do some more reading in this and other forums regarding DAC implmentations and what constitutes quality.


----------



## Lord Raven

digitalzed said:


> Like, what questions? The M8 might be a fine sounding DAC all on its own, sure. Aside from the guy's post saying his Pulse was faulty the information is based on what he hears. If it's good for him, great. The only way to really know is to compare them yourself side-by-side. And yes, I know that's not easy to do for any of us. Anyone out there can compare the M8 with the Pulse?




I was about to ask the same thing, please compare these two. The thread reference is in the link, SMSL M8, not the Centernce M8.


----------



## Lord Raven

doctorjazz said:


> That's not the CEntrance M8, I assume...I can make comparisons there, but I don't think that's what you're asking about (the link has very little information).




The guy says his geek was faulty out of the box, I think he's a Chinese guy, can't understand much from his post. It's SMSL M8.


----------



## Lord Raven

germay0653 said:


> @Lord Raven,
> 
> Help me understand your comments:
> 
> ...




I referred to the USB DACs that are tiny, without external PSUs, dual mono stuff and femto clocks. I know I need to read a lot, that's what I'm doing. I saw a thread, battle of flagship headphones, is there something like that in DAC world? Saw the DeltaSigma DAC thread but I can't make sense out of it.


----------



## doctorjazz

Didn't think so...I have posted my opinion on my 2 units in the past...the Geek Out Special Edition (which is essentially the GO 1k with a femto clock) just sounds SO much better than the CEntrance. I'd assume the same holds true for the upper model Pulses with the femto. Have the basic GO 1k, but never got around to comparing it (because I never disconnect the GO SE).


----------



## Jupiterknight

lord raven said:


> The guy says his geek was faulty out of the box,* I think he's a Chinese gu*y, can't understand much from his post. It's SMSL M8.


 
  
 So what are you exactly?  It seems to me that you lack some fundamental skills related to explaining what it actually is that you're looking for... You want to discuss with people, fine, but it seems to me at least that don't really want to do much research to learn more, but you just want the quick answers although you don't hesitate to bring up anonymous pm's and  a random quote from a different thread.
  
 Anyhow, your post that I took the liberty to quote, may actually seem offensive to some!


----------



## digitalzed

lord raven said:


> I was about to ask the same thing, please compare these two. The thread reference is in the link, SMSL M8, not the Centernce M8.


 

 Ah, thanks for the clarification.


----------



## eliwankenobi

lord raven said:


> I referred to the USB DACs that are tiny, without external PSUs, dual mono stuff and femto clocks. I know I need to read a lot, that's what I'm doing. I saw a thread, battle of flagship headphones, is there something like that in DAC world? Saw the DeltaSigma DAC thread but I can't make sense out of it.




In general DAC chips are a very mature technology. The difference lies in the implementation. Nothing is night and day. It's more the different nuances that are more apparent on one product vs the other and even then, you have to pay attention.

What is your DAC budget? A femto clock, dual mono DAC is not a necessity to achieve great sound quality. There are tons of award winning DACs that don't use femto clocks, nor are dual mono and are still very well regarded. Case in point the Matrix X-Sabre or the yulong da8 to name dacs in the $1000 range


----------



## Lord Raven

jupiterknight said:


> So what are you exactly?  It seems to me that you lack some fundamental skills related to explaining what it actually is that you're looking for... You want to discuss with people, fine, but it seems to me at least that don't really want to do much research to learn more, but you just want the quick answers although you don't hesitate to bring up anonymous pm's and  a random quote from a different thread.
> 
> Anyhow, your post that I took the liberty to quote, may actually seem offensive to some!


 
 Ah, I was not sure this quote might offend some owners. My apologies! What offends me is that, a Geek came out faulty out of the box, as per my understanding of the post.
  
 I am looking for a DAC that is best value, you missed my earlier posts I guess. If HD600 can come up to the Sennheiser Orpheus level in best value, why can't we have a DAC that can compare to the top shelf DACs?


----------



## germay0653

lord raven said:


> I referred to the USB DACs that are tiny, without external PSUs, dual mono stuff and femto clocks. I know I need to read a lot, that's what I'm doing. I saw a thread, battle of flagship headphones, is there something like that in DAC world? Saw the DeltaSigma DAC thread but I can't make sense out of it.


 

 A good place to start is Wikipedia.  It covers, in summary, what they do, how they do it and the different types.  There's a lot of science behind it so be prepared as it may not make sense.  My best advice is to listen to them in your system and don't discount those small DACs like the Geek Out.  It outperforms many larger, more expensive, DACs.
  
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital-to-analog_converter


----------



## Lord Raven

germay0653 said:


> A good place to start is Wikipedia.  It covers, in summary, what they do, how they do it and the different types.  There's a lot of science behind it so be prepared as it may not make sense.  My best advice is to listen to them in your system and don't discount those small DACs like the Geek Out.  It outperforms many larger, more expensive, DACs.
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital-to-analog_converter


 
 Thanks Germay, you should see my profile, I have the basic knowledge. I will still read about the recently discovered, Wolfson and Sabre DAC chips, I have just listened to the Bur Brown all my life.
  
 I'll wait for Kenman to respond, it's bed time here. Goodnight!


----------



## Jupiterknight

lord raven said:


> Ah, I was not sure this quote might offend some owners. My apologies! What offends me is that, a Geek came out faulty out of the box, as per my understanding of the post.
> 
> I am looking for a DAC that is best value, you missed my earlier posts I guess. If HD600 can come up to the Sennheiser Orpheus level in best value, why can't we have a DAC that can compare to the top shelf DACs?


 
  
 You probably didn't offend many Geek product owners, but more likely a fairly large population!.  
  
 Anyhow, yes, more than than one Geek product have been faulty, particular in the early stages of their crowd sourcing shipments.  It is a risk to purchase this way and it has basically created  a lot of heated discussion about their products etc.  If you take your time and read "backwards" in this thread you may learn. 
  
 I have a pair of  HD600 that I really like, but I have absolutely no idea how close it scales to an Orpheus, unless I heard it myself! 
  
 I don't believe that anyone can truly tell you what DAC will compare to top shelf DAC's. You can get multiple of recommendations and then do the hard work, which involves a bit of research reading various reviews and opinions and see if you can make any sense of it! I think that is what most of us do and we are still confused!  
  
 In the end, try out a couple of DAC's and see what suits your preferences.. Yes, it means that you may have to open your wallet more than you like, but that's why you're here...right?


----------



## germay0653

lord raven said:


> Thanks Germay, you should see my profile, I have the basic knowledge. I will still read about the recently discovered, Wolfson and Sabre DAC chips, I have just listened to the Bur Brown all my life.
> 
> I'll wait for Kenman to respond, it's bed time here. Goodnight!


 

 No worries and remember, no one knows it all and there's still a lot to learn.  We're all here to help!  One more word of advice, listen and decide what sounds best to you as that's what really matters.  Listen to advice from others and use it to narrow your choices.


----------



## gyx11

Whilst I fully respect the unspoken privacy that exists in customer-customer service correspondence, let me just share an excerpt of an exchange that has left me completely clueless as to what is going on:
  
 I received this email from Gina stating: '...We have been in talks with various production houses, and to make a long story short, we simply won’t be able to build your Geek Source Lite.  This is due to a combination of an inability to acquire the right parts, and our production house unwilling to re-tool for such a small quantity to be run for our backers...'
  
Following which I decided to ask for a complete refund, stating: '...As such, I would like to request and insist for a full refund of my pledge for the Source Lite and upgrades (in my case, only the Femto Clock upgrade). I believe my request to be valid because the product which I pledged for is markedly different from the one which is now being offered to me, regardless of cost difference or technical specifications...'
  
 To which, the CS team replied pretty quickly, but not what I was expecting: 'The email was to solely inform you of the upgrade, and that it is switching you to the Ultra High 64 Module due to the inability to acquire the slower 8Gb Modules. The email did not offer a solid state drive for free. It was to inform backers who originally wanted this upgrade that we have made it available again, being that this upgrade could not be purchased for the Source Lite.'
(I did not know what to make of this because the email I received from Gina was very clearly about the failure to manufacture a Geek Source Lite, and nothing about 64GB or 8GB modules. I don't follow the Geek updates because to be honest it's a little too much verbatim going on and I simply cannot afford the time with my work and studies to stay abreast of the whole complexities of the Geek campaigns. Also, I did not request for any free solid state drive or anything of that sort. Perhaps that got lost in translation.)
  
I then replied: 'I do not need or want any model of the Geek Source that will now be produced. In other words, please do refund me for the Lite + Femto unless you are able to build it to spec according to the campaign promoted model.'
  
And the last reply, to which I have totally no clue what to make of it because it directly contradicts the original email that Gina sent was 'There are no specs that will not be fulfilled. I am unable to offer you a refund on crowd-designed projects. Everything that was in the campaign, that was promised is still being delivered. If you have a specific concern about a spec that is in question from the campaign please add this to the ticket.'
  
Can someone please shed some light on this and/or please advice on how I should proceed if I am insistent on refunding the Source Lite? Thank you!


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

Not enough information. I suggest you fully and completely read the original email(s), because my understanding was that they were consolidating SKUs for the Source campaign, settling on ~4 configurations total. So, while out of context the snippet you posted sounds like "we can't build your stuff, sorry," further down that message should be something like "we're upgrading you to this model instead, and if you'd like to upgrade further within the SKUs we're going to build, here's how."
  
 Also, this thread is about the Geek Pulse. I'd really like to see it stay on topic. Recommend you start or hop over to another thread specific to the Source.


----------



## miceblue

Apart from my initial faulty Pulse X Infinity unit, I haven't had any issues with the replacement unit whatsoever. I never really had any issues with the Geek Out either since I would almost exclusively use the Audio MIDI app (OS X) or LH Control Panel (Windows) for volume management.

I'll be getting a digital coaxial cable soon so I can try that method of input (so far I've only used USB-in since I don't have any, nor do I need an optical input).

As for sound, I think the X Infinity is one of the best DACs I've heard with a Sabre chip in it. I can't really say how it performs against other expensive DACs to say if it's worth the estimated MSRP or not though. I can't really compare it to other high-quality non-Sabre DACs since Sabre DACs are quite popular in the area. I wish I could compare it to the dual-Wolfson audio-gd DAC a friend had, but that got sold.

What I can say is that I'm happy with the X Infinity's sound, and especially with the FTM digital filter.



Now I just need to figure out how to hot transport it, or the LPS4, so that I can bring it already burned-in to local meets and things of the sort. XD


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> Now I just need to figure out how to hot transport it, or the LPS4, so that I can bring it already burned-in to local meets and things of the sort. XD


 
  
 Simple, use a fully charged UPS.


----------



## kenman345

lord raven said:


> Thanks Germay, you should see my profile, I have the basic knowledge. I will still read about the recently discovered, Wolfson and Sabre DAC chips, I have just listened to the Bur Brown all my life.
> 
> I'll wait for Kenman to respond, it's bed time here. Goodnight!


 
 Not sure what you want me to say but thanks for the credibility. I have seen a thread discussing multiple DAC units, you can try and find it. I would say the main thing is to find what you are willing to spend and look at everything at and below that amount. Also research what is slightly above that budget. Sometimes its better to save a little longer to get the functionality and features you do not wanna sacrifice than be left with a unit you are not truly satisfied with and need to start saving from scratch or waste money selling it  aftermarket.


----------



## miceblue

axelcloris said:


> Simple, use a fully charged UPS.



Ooooooh an uninterruptible power supply! This whole time I thought people were referring to United Parcel Service.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Or use a battery pack 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 My transportable setup....


----------



## krikor

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Or use a battery pack
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
@m-i-c-k-e-y  Have you checked the 12v output of that Anker with a voltmeter? Just curious if it is a regulated 12v or does it bounce up to over 13v when fully charged? That's one concern I have with using a battery supply which Larry has indicated could be a long-term reliability/durability issue when used with the Geek Pulse. Thanks.


----------



## krikor

lord raven said:


> HRT
> (Another Chinese stuff)


 
  
  
 FYI - If it makes a difference: "All of our products are designed and manufactured in Southern California." Per ​http://www.hirestech.com/


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

krikor said:


> @m-i-c-k-e-y  Have you checked the 12v output of that Anker with a voltmeter? Just curious if it is a regulated 12v or does it bounce up to over 13v when fully charged? That's one concern I have with using a battery supply which Larry has indicated could be a long-term reliability/durability issue when used with the Geek Pulse. Thanks.


 
  
 I have to get back on you on this. Could not find the multimeter.


----------



## Greg121986

lord raven said:


> Greg, did you face any issue with Geek so far?


 
 Both my single ended Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse X have had substantial issues. The Geek Pulse went back to LH Labs twice. Both issues were firmware related. First they replaced the entire DAC board because the firmware wiped itself. As soon as I got it back from that repair I had to send it back because of an issue with the front panel firmware which required LH Labs to do the update. This single-ended Pulse has worked great since then. 
  
 The Pulse X has issues with various sample rates. When I first got it the right channel would not lock on any sample rate that wasn't a multiple of 48. They sent a new firmware that helped this issue, but it did not fix it. Now the right channel will go completely out 99% of the time. I need to turn the volume control up a few notches and then the right channel will lock on the signal. If this doesn't work I have to change the input to something else then change it back to the input I was originally using. Sometimes when the right channel is dropped it will make a constant crackling sound instead of being silent. This is usually on 24/44.1 after coming from a sample rate that is a multiple of 48. I live with this every day. 
  
 I don't anticipate LH Labs will fix this issue. I'm probably going to live with it until I can buy an MSB Analog DAC.


----------



## Maelob

If they don't fix it you should request a new one.  That's the purpose of the warranty.  The product should be fixed or replaced.  Specially after such a long wait and issues we all had to deal with.  Hold them accountable for providing a quality product.


----------



## frankrondaniel

greg121986 said:


> Both my single ended Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse X have had substantial issues. The Geek Pulse went back to LH Labs twice. Both issues were firmware related. First they replaced the entire DAC board because the firmware wiped itself. As soon as I got it back from that repair I had to send it back because of an issue with the front panel firmware which required LH Labs to do the update. This single-ended Pulse has worked great since then.
> 
> The Pulse X has issues with various sample rates. When I first got it the right channel would not lock on any sample rate that wasn't a multiple of 48. They sent a new firmware that helped this issue, but it did not fix it. Now the right channel will go completely out 99% of the time. I need to turn the volume control up a few notches and then the right channel will lock on the signal. If this doesn't work I have to change the input to something else then change it back to the input I was originally using. Sometimes when the right channel is dropped it will make a constant crackling sound instead of being silent. This is usually on 24/44.1 after coming from a sample rate that is a multiple of 48. I live with this every day.
> 
> I don't anticipate LH Labs will fix this issue. I'm probably going to live with it until I can buy an MSB Analog DAC.


 
  
 Definitely send it back in.  I had s similar experience with both my Pulse and Pulse XFI.  I had to RMA each several times but they ultimately got them right.  To their credit, LH was very responsive and had a quick turn-around.


----------



## wingsounds13

I agree, keep pushing them for a proper repair or replacement. These DACs _can_ work quite well. One that does not should be made to work properly under warranty.

J.P.


----------



## chartwell85

greg121986 said:


> Both my single ended Geek Pulse and Geek Pulse X have had substantial issues. The Geek Pulse went back to LH Labs twice. Both issues were firmware related. First they replaced the entire DAC board because the firmware wiped itself. As soon as I got it back from that repair I had to send it back because of an issue with the front panel firmware which required LH Labs to do the update. This single-ended Pulse has worked great since then.
> 
> The Pulse X has issues with various sample rates. When I first got it the right channel would not lock on any sample rate that wasn't a multiple of 48. They sent a new firmware that helped this issue, but it did not fix it. Now the right channel will go completely out 99% of the time. I need to turn the volume control up a few notches and then the right channel will lock on the signal. If this doesn't work I have to change the input to something else then change it back to the input I was originally using. Sometimes when the right channel is dropped it will make a constant crackling sound instead of being silent. This is usually on 24/44.1 after coming from a sample rate that is a multiple of 48. I live with this every day.
> 
> I don't anticipate LH Labs will fix this issue. I'm probably going to live with it until I can buy an MSB Analog DAC.


 

 Don't live with it.  Send it back to us ASAP and we'll have it replaced.  Open a ticket and PM your ticket number so I can follow up and track the entire process with our CH team.  
  
 https://support.lhlabs.com/support/tickets/new


----------



## Lord Raven

kenman345 said:


> Not sure what you want me to say but thanks for the credibility. I have seen a thread discussing multiple DAC units, you can try and find it. I would say the main thing is to find what you are willing to spend and look at everything at and below that amount. Also research what is slightly above that budget. Sometimes its better to save a little longer to get the functionality and features you do not wanna sacrifice than be left with a unit you are not truly satisfied with and need to start saving from scratch or waste money selling it  aftermarket.




Thanks bro, I can totally understand. Give me a final word on Geek Pulse Fi with LPS. I asked earlier. 

There are so many bad experiences but I'm relying only on those who upgraded from Oppo to a Geek and they felt sudden upgrade in SQ.


----------



## kenman345

lord raven said:


> Thanks bro, I can totally understand. Give me a final word on Geek Pulse Fi with LPS. I asked earlier.
> 
> There are so many bad experiences but I'm relying only in those who upgraded from Oppo to a Geek and they felt sudden upgrade in SQ.


 
 I have an infinity and LPS, I cannot help you hear, sorry. I would say you are best to try things out if you can.


----------



## Lord Raven

kenman345 said:


> I have an infinity and LPS, I cannot help you hear, sorry. I would say you are best to try things out if you can.




Can you point me to the link of Geek Pulse Fi? And is there any difference between Geek Pulse and Pulse Fi? 

Thanks. I can't try things. And I can't send unit back multiple times as I'm in the middle east.


----------



## digitalzed

maelob said:


> If they don't fix it you should request a new one.  That's the purpose of the warranty.  The product should be fixed or replaced.  Specially after such a long wait and issues we all had to deal with.  Hold them accountable for providing a quality product.


 

 +1.


----------



## mtruong34

My Geek Out 450 has the volume control bug (with new firmware) exactly as described by doctorjazz. My Pulse Xfi intermittently has this bug where the volume knob stops working. I've sent neither back for warranty service because frankly the 450 was so cheap it's not worth my time and the Pulse Xfi will be traded in for Vi Dac anyway. But yes I do find LHL products buggy.


----------



## nudd

gyx11 said:


> Can someone please shed some light on this and/or please advice on how I should proceed if I am insistent on refunding the Source Lite? Thank you!


 
  
 Others have reported they have been refunded the Wave 32 so I don't see why they cannot do the same for the Source Lite.


----------



## eliwankenobi

mtruong34 said:


> My Geek Out 450 has the volume control bug (with new firmware) exactly as described by doctorjazz. My Pulse Xfi intermittently has this bug where the volume knob stops working. I've sent neither back for warranty service because frankly the 450 was so cheap it's not worth my time and the Pulse Xfi will be traded in for Vi Dac anyway. But yes I do find LHL products buggy.




GO450 does not have any volume control at all once new firmware is ON. Buttons are for TCM/FRM filters. 
Maybe you are confusing latest driver instead of firmware


----------



## eliwankenobi

lord raven said:


> Can you point me to the link of Geek Pulse Fi? And is there any difference between Geek Pulse and Pulse Fi?
> 
> Thanks. I can't try things. And I can't send unit back multiple times as I'm in the middle east.




I found this and it is a steal at that price!! Although I would check with LH Labs regarding warranty of an unused product bought as a gift as this listing claims to be. http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=321825777567&globalID=EBAY-US 

The Pulse Fi has a femto clock and upgrades for passive and active components in the analog stage. It still uses one DAC chip like the standard Pulse. In general, the femto clock is considered to be a noticeable upgrade over the standard clock in the Pulse.


----------



## chewynuts

Hi there,
  
 I would just like to confirm that the difference between the standard Xfi and the Xfi infinity is the THD upgrade ($168), Naked Resistors ($129) and Vishay's 0.01% MELF resistors (FOC)?
  
 Thank you for your advice in advance.


----------



## miceblue

chewynuts said:


> THD upgrade ($168), Naked Resistors ($129)



I believe all Infinity units also have the ESS9018AQ2M DAC chip.


----------



## AxelCloris

miceblue said:


> I believe all Infinity units also have the ESS9018AQ2M DAC chip.


 
  
 I've heard the same as well.


----------



## kenman345

axelcloris said:


> I've heard the same as well.


 
 Not true, but a majority of them are indeed on the newer chip


----------



## AxelCloris

kenman345 said:


> Not true, but a majority of them are indeed on the newer chip


 
  
 How can one tell which DAC is inside? I paid for the AQ2M and I'd like to make sure that my 1.0 has it.


----------



## kenman345

axelcloris said:


> How can one tell which DAC is inside? I paid for the AQ2M and I'd like to make sure that my 1.0 has it.


 
 Serial Number and ask LH Labs I believe. But yea, if you paid for it, you are supposed to have it, but they did not make every Infinity with the new chip, it was a small price to upgrade though, so those that were willing to wait id end up paying the difference.


----------



## chartwell85

kenman345 said:


> Serial Number and ask LH Labs I believe. But yea, if you paid for it, you are supposed to have it, but they did not make every Infinity with the new chip, it was a small price to upgrade though, so those that were willing to wait id end up paying the difference.


 

 Every Infinity has the AQ2M DAC chip.  The naked resistors and the AQ2M is what makes it an Infinity.


----------



## mtruong34

eliwankenobi said:


> GO450 does not have any volume control at all once new firmware is ON. Buttons are for TCM/FRM filters.
> Maybe you are confusing latest driver instead of firmware




Neither I nor doctorjazz referred to using the physical buttons for volume control.


----------



## Lord Raven

eliwankenobi said:


> I found this and it is a steal at that price!! Although I would check with LH Labs regarding warranty of an unused product bought as a gift as this listing claims to be. http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=321825777567&globalID=EBAY-US
> 
> The Pulse Fi has a femto clock and upgrades for passive and active components in the analog stage. It still uses one DAC chip like the standard Pulse. In general, the femto clock is considered to be a noticeable upgrade over the standard clock in the Pulse.


 
 Bro, what is the actual price of this unit? I am unable to find the specs and description.


----------



## doctorjazz

mtruong34 said:


> eliwankenobi said:
> 
> 
> > GO450 does not have any volume control at all once new firmware is ON. Buttons are for TCM/FRM filters.
> ...




No, the physical volume controls are long gone on mine.
 I think it works as designed, so maybe "defective" is the wrong word (redesigned is more accurate, they intended for it to have volume controls, the fix was a kludge), but I'd say only being able to adjust the volume with the LH Labs app slider, and that slight jiggles (like changing headphones) often causes a momentary disconnect, which causes the volume to default to maximum and blow your ears out, and maybe your headphones if you don't notice, is a poor design (and I love my Geek Out Special Edition).


----------



## eliwankenobi

lord raven said:


> Bro, what is the actual price of this unit? I am unable to find the specs and description.




The Pulse Fi DAC is a campaign only configuration done to please the campaign backers who wanted such features. A way to accomodate as much as backers could afford. In the end they decided that for retail they would keep the Pulse, PulseX, and Pulse Xfi. All other variants including the Pulse Fi, Pulse Sfi and Pulse Infinity will not be sold in retail once LHLabs goes into full retail production.


----------



## mtruong34

doctorjazz said:


> No, the physical volume controls are long gone on mine.
> I think it works as designed, so maybe "defective" is the wrong word (redesigned is more accurate, they intended for it to have volume controls, the fix was a kludge), but I'd say only being able to adjust the volume with the LH Labs app slider, and that slight jiggles (like changing headphones) often causes a momentary disconnect, which causes the volume to default to maximum and blow your ears out, and maybe your headphones if you don't notice, is a poor design (and I love my Geek Out Special Edition).




Ditto. The exact same problems experienced on my GO450. Can only adjust (can't use the word control here because it's too confusing to some) volume in the LH Labs control panel and any disconnects cause max volume reset.


----------



## chewynuts

Is the original warranty transferable to new owners if I buy pre owned units?


----------



## eliwankenobi

doctorjazz said:


> No, the physical volume controls are long gone on mine.
> I think it works as designed, so maybe "defective" is the wrong word (redesigned is more accurate, they intended for it to have volume controls, the fix was a kludge), but I'd say only being able to adjust the volume with the LH Labs app slider, and that slight jiggles (like changing headphones) often causes a momentary disconnect, which causes the volume to default to maximum and blow your ears out, and maybe your headphones if you don't notice, is a poor design (and I love my Geek Out Special Edition).


 
 Ah!  I seem to remember Mike had a connection stability issue which got fixed by adding a usb port pci card or something of the sort to his computer. Now, my GO450 had never had an issue. My laptop always remembers which volume level I let set it at as soon as I connect it, and plugin/chaging headphones never caused an issue of volume resetting. Whatever volume issues I had were gone as soon as I changed the firmware on the GO. Before, whatever change you made, would make it reset volume to 100%. 
  
  So perhaps there might be something wrong with the unit.


----------



## eliwankenobi

chewynuts said:


> Is the original warranty transferable to new owners if I buy pre owned units?


 
 As far as I know, no.  They are not transferable. You might want to confirm directly with LH Labs though. Perhaps you could arrange warranty issues with the original owner, assuming he/she's willing to help you out with that


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm pretty sure there are no transferrable warranties...in fact, at one point, you could purchase one as a "perk", since it wasn't included with the regular "support" of a model. (quotations there because the word "purchase" doesn't quite fit the LH labs campaigns. If I recall correctly the offer of a transferrable warranty "perk" caused a bit of controversy (can you imagine? With LH Labs?  ), and it got dropped fairly quickly.

As far as the volume, I wish I didn't have that issue...I also seem to have issues with PC volume since using the GO, can listen to internet music or web sites ONLY through the GEEK OUT, won't connect to the speakers. And, that darned volume spiking, remembering MOST of the time to only put the headphones on my neck when I start to be sure of the volume, then, if the coast is clear, on ears or reset the volume so I can listen.


----------



## sujitsky

I picked up the combo on eBay. Thanks to whoever linked it here 
  
 I am still waiting for my vanilla pulse but i guess that will go straight to the For Sale section.


----------



## Lord Raven

sujitsky said:


> I picked up the combo on eBay. Thanks to whoever linked it here
> 
> I am still waiting for my vanilla pulse but i guess that will go straight to the For Sale section.


 
 I lost it to you, I was driving that time and couldn't keep up with the bidding process  I am such a fool haha.. Goodluck!


----------



## sujitsky

lord raven said:


> I lost it to you, I was driving that time and couldn't keep up with the bidding process  I am such a fool haha.. Goodluck!


 
 Funny thing is...I paid less for this combo than for my Pulse :s


----------



## eliwankenobi

Sell your Pulse to Lord Raven... haha!  give him a chance


----------



## digitalzed

eliwankenobi said:


> Sell your Pulse to Lord Raven... haha!  give him a chance


 

 HA hA!


----------



## sujitsky

eliwankenobi said:


> Sell your Pulse to Lord Raven... haha!  give him a chance


 
  
 if he wants to buy the one I have coming in October (hopefully!).... why not!


----------



## Lord Raven

I hate all you guys  Specially, the one who blew my eBay deal and the one who bought it!


----------



## eliwankenobi

lord raven said:


> I hate all you guys
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 C'mon!!  it is what it is!!  LOL!
  
 Sent you a PM.  That SMSL combo looks nice! You should try it out! and fits your budget!


----------



## jbr1971

chewynuts said:


> Is the original warranty transferable to new owners if I buy pre owned units?


 
  
 As was mentioned by others, the warranty is NOT transferable. Just wanted to provide an "official" clarification so there is no confusion.
  
 Jody


----------



## eliwankenobi

Yes, that's still true. Not transferable warranty


----------



## eac3

jbr1971 said:


> As was mentioned by others, the warranty is NOT transferable. Just wanted to provide an "official" clarification so there is no confusion.
> 
> Jody


 
  
 Has LH shipped and delivered 5% of Pulse Infinities in the new chassis?


----------



## DSlayerZX

Dunno, But I know most of them are expected to be shipped via October or Nov.


----------



## kenman345

Oh boy, people looking for the best SE Pulse you can find may want to look at the FS section now.
  
 I am gonna try and burn in my X Infinity more this weekend and get past that 50hr mark if I can. I need to really open it up with a bunch of headphones to test this week.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Hurry and get past that 50hr mark and start commense your smiling face....
  
 Mine opened around 50 and settled around 100.. 
  
@krikor Had my Anker battery pack tested by my multimeter. Its says 12.05V@ 10% capacity and 12.04V@100% capacity.
 It has a smart i/o circuit that sense and outputs the required/exact amperage (1500mA max and 50mA min).


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Hurry and get past that 50hr mark and start commense your smiling face....
> 
> Mine opened around 50 and settled around 100..
> 
> ...


 
 Hey Mickey,
  
 What headphones are you using with your Infinity?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Like yours an HD 600 w/ balanced FAW Claire Hybrid cable. Ordering an Ether when opportunity comes.


----------



## kenman345

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Hurry and get past that 50hr mark and start commense your smiling face....
> 
> Mine opened around 50 and settled around 100..
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks. I know I need to get it running longer. I have been busy is all. I have a nice set of headphones coming though, really nice ones, its gonna be the grand daddy of them all when i'm done setting them up. I am preparing for them now. This weekend though, CD850's, HD 598's and PM-2's. All for me to play with


----------



## eliwankenobi

Sigh! I wish I could afford HD800s


----------



## kenman345

eliwankenobi said:


> Sigh! I wish I could afford HD800s


 
 Not the route I'm going but those were really nice when I had them a while back. I am hoping these will be better and I am fairly confident they will. HD800's might not be the best pair for the Pulse though. I think its too close, the HD800's always sounded best with tube and lots of them. I actually has a HD800 with Pure Silver cables and a Lyr that combo was sweet. Oh and the MHDT Paradisea 3 as the DAC. Such a nice combo


----------



## krikor

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @krikor Had my Anker battery pack tested by my multimeter. Its says 12.05V@ 10% capacity and 12.04V@100% capacity.
> It has a smart i/o circuit that sense and outputs the required/exact amperage (1500mA max and 50mA min).


 
 That's good to hear (sic)! My DIY LiFePO4 battery is unregulated and so puts out over 13v at full capacity. No problem for my music server which can handle from 12 to 18v, but not good for the Geek Pulse.
  
 I'm going to have to take a look at that Anker.


----------



## eliwankenobi

kenman345 said:


> Not the route I'm going but those were really nice when I had them a while back. I am hoping these will be better and I am fairly confident they will. HD800's might not be the best pair for the Pulse though. I think its too close, the HD800's always sounded best with tube and lots of them. I actually has a HD800 with Pure Silver cables and a Lyr that combo was sweet. Oh and the MHDT Paradisea 3 as the DAC. Such a nice combo




Thanks! Yes, i've read many things about the hd800 being very bright and fatiguing if paired with the wring equipment. But what draws me to them are the very good reviews of which there are many, its reference status and the fact that we know Larry Ho uses them regularly and has done so during the R&D for Geekout and Pulse... But lately there has been so much buzz with planar magnetics, even at LH Labs, they seem to be loving the HiFi-Mans and Audezes... I've been also very interested in HE-1000 but at $3K!! Sorry. I expect at some point HiFi-Man will come out with a new model between the HE-1000 and the HE-560. Something to substitute the HE-6, in that price range right against the HD-800. In any case, the Pulse should be able to drive them nicely! I am also liking HiFi-Man's move towards higher efficiency! 

Are you moving in that direction too? What are those special cans to match with your Infinity?


----------



## kenman345

eliwankenobi said:


> Thanks! Yes, i've read many things about the hd800 being very bright and fatiguing if paired with the wring equipment. But what draws me to them are the very good reviews of which there are many, its reference status and the fact that we know Larry Ho uses them regularly and has done so during the R&D for Geekout and Pulse... But lately there has been so much buzz with planar magnetics, even at LH Labs, they seem to be loving the HiFi-Mans and Audezes... I've been also very interested in HE-1000 but at $3K!! Sorry. I expect at some point HiFi-Man will come out with a new model between the HE-1000 and the HE-560. Something to substitute the HE-6, in that price range right against the HD-800. In any case, the Pulse should be able to drive them nicely! I am also liking HiFi-Man's move towards higher efficiency!
> 
> Are you moving in that direction too? What are those special cans to match with your Infinity?


 
 Well its not too much of a secret. Just havent decided on all the mods. I have those CD850's to use as a donor pair to fix up a pair of CD3000's headband thats coming in the mail Monday. I plan to have at least the headbands swapped and an upgraded cable put in and modify the cups to each have a cable go into them which will help them out a lot I am told. I am also going to have them balanced, so I can give them as much juice as they want. 
  
 In case you dont know, the CD3k's are the younger sibling of the Sony R10's. Many feel with some mods, like what I mentioned, you can get very close to the R10 sound without the R10 price.


----------



## audiosceptic

I received my Geek Pulse Xfi on May 1st and have been evaluating it since comparing to a Audio Note 2.1 DAC and a Lynx Hilo. The headphones were mainly Hifiman HE-6 through an Audio Note HE-6 amp and Stax 007 through a BHSE. First off my buying experience during the kickstarter campaign was a little frustrating. It seemed every month there was a new feature that was offered that appeared to offer a good value but after a while I decided enough was enough and stopped buying any more features. Once the design was final LHLabs informed me I had to buy the Femto clock upgrade because they weren't going to make any without the upgrade. Reluctantly I agreed to the Femto clock  and that is what I finally received.
  
 The build quality was OK. I didn't like the feel of the volume control and because I often switch digital inputs I questioned whether it would stand up to repeated use. I was going to look into using the Apple remote to avoid using the knob.
  
 The sound was very good. I like most Sabre DAC's I've heard and the Pulse was no exception. After spending way too much time switching between the 3 DAC's I decided the Audio Note offered more of what I like in a DAC and decided to keep that as my primary DAC and the Lynx Hilo as a non-tube alternative.
  
 I ended up selling the Geek Pulse for pretty much what I paid for it with all the upgrades. I question the listed retail price of $2399.00 and wonder how many would really pay that much.
  
 Just thought I'd offer up my experience with the Geek Pulse.


----------



## greenkiwi

lord raven said:


> I lost it to you, I was driving that time and couldn't keep up with the bidding process  I am such a fool haha.. Goodluck!


 
 Time to get some sort of sniping tool... like eSnipe.  Started using it and it has made my ebay purchases much more pleasant.  Put in your highest bid and it will place it at 6 seconds.  Basically turn it into a dutch auction and take the emotion out of the process.  (And ideally don't drive the price up any higher than it needs to be.)


----------



## Madeupword

Pulse X Infinity owners, do you feel a subtle lack of bass?


----------



## leomitch

madeupword said:


> Pulse X Infinity owners, do you feel a subtle lack of bass?


 

 Not at all! What headphones are you using?  Are you outputting to speakers or headphones? I have only used the USB feature with a pair of Shure !840's and a pair of AudtioQuest Nighthawks. Best bass so far for me...deep and tight...no boominess or atrocious mid-bass bumps.
  
 Leo


----------



## mscott58

leomitch said:


> Not at all! What headphones are you using?  Are you outputting to speakers or headphones? I have only used the USB feature with a pair of Shure !840's and a pair of AudtioQuest Nighthawks. Best bass so far for me...deep and tight...no boominess or atrocious mid-bass bumps.
> 
> Leo




Agree - no bass issues at all with the Infinity using either my LCD-3's or K-10's.


----------



## germay0653

eliwankenobi said:


> Sigh! I wish I could afford HD800s


 

 Have a look at the new Mr.Speakers ETHER C!!!


----------



## eac3

germay0653 said:


> Have a look at the new Mr.Speakers ETHER C!!!


 
  

  
 That is beautiful


----------



## digitalzed

madeupword said:


> Pulse X Infinity owners, do you feel a subtle lack of bass?


 

 Not on my end. It's clean and goes as deep as the recording.


----------



## AxelCloris

madeupword said:


> Pulse X Infinity owners, do you feel a subtle lack of bass?


 
  
 No bass issues with the Ether.


----------



## eliwankenobi

axelcloris said:


> No bass issues with the Ether.




Nice! Have u heard hd800 too? Next to ether?


----------



## AxelCloris

eliwankenobi said:


> Nice! Have u heard hd800 too? Next to ether?


 
  
 Haven't used the HD800 with the Infinity. I don't own one and it's not my ideal sound signature, so unless I'm borrowing a pair I'll never hear the two together.


----------



## eliwankenobi

axelcloris said:


> Haven't used the HD800 with the Infinity. I don't own one and it's not my ideal sound signature, so unless I'm borrowing a pair I'll never hear the two together.




Thank you! I need to read reviews of those Ether HPs


----------



## Maelob

I can believe i am saying this, but I just got another XFI after selling my original one.  While I disagree with some of the practices of LH Labs which was the reason for selling it, I really missed how good it sounded.  Now I really feel like part of a disfunctional family thats been through a lot of stuff. So now, will see what happens to the Wave and the power amps. 
 And the adventure continues....


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

You sounded you have missed and hooked again with your ex...


----------



## gikigill

I am considering selling the Pulse but keep coming back.


----------



## dclaz

What's the going rate for Pulse's?


----------



## miceblue

dclaz said:


> What's the going rate for Pulse's?



352.8 kHz


----------



## eliwankenobi

Hahah! I think he meant sale price... No?


----------



## DSlayerZX

hmm interesting, has any brave soul ever tried the Pulse with the Audioquest Jitterbug and see if there is any improvement?


----------



## mscott58

dslayerzx said:


> hmm interesting, has any brave soul ever tried the Pulse with the Audioquest Jitterbug and see if there is any improvement?




Just about to try my Infinity with the Uptone Regen. Will let you know how it turns out. Cheers


----------



## atsq17

madeupword said:


> Pulse X Infinity owners, do you feel a subtle lack of bass?


 
  
 Don't use the Lightspeed 1G. It lacks body and bass. Lightspeed 2G or another good USB cable will do a better job.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Speaking of USB cables, I remember reading the Force Forum (RIP) something about lengths higher or lower than 1 meter to be beneficial for sound. Something due to a mismatch of impedance or something? Can someone elaborate or point out to that post?

I used my loot points to upgrade my 2G cable to 2meters in part because of that. It was free so..


----------



## atsq17

No idea about the impedance. I actually tested the 1G, 2G and 10G against each other. 
  
 Even after a lot of burn in, the 1G was limp and thin sounding. Really boring. 
  
 2G is what I use and I think it has good soundstage and decent details and air, etc. Miles better than 1G. 
  
 10G is better at everything and sounds the most natural but because of the price/cost I would say the 2G is the value champ.


----------



## BaTou069

How does the Pulse pair with the HD800?


----------



## kothganesh

batou069 said:


> How does the Pulse pair with the HD800?


 

 I talked about this pairing briefly a few months ago. IME, this is NOT a good pairing. I used the HD 800 in SE mode and it sounded "lame". In my opinion, the Pulse (mine is Xfi) works very well with planars in balanced mode. The FTM filter is the best among the three. I have tube amps for the Senns Hxxx.


----------



## BaTou069

Well I tried the He-400 Hifiman some weeks now on my Pulse Sfi, and I am missing something. I can't tell for sure what it is, but it sounds a bit boring to me...  On the other hand, I have a hard time to make a difference between the filters. Someone had similar impressions?


----------



## doctorjazz

I have used the Regen with my Geek Out Special Edition for the past few days...haven't pulled the Regen to do A-B comparisons yet, but I heart bc improvements (and I lived the sound before I added the Regen). Not sure why that should be, you'd think Femto clock would cover jitter issues, and it's early on in my listening, but I love the combo so far.


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Just about to try my Infinity with the Uptone Regen. Will let you know how it turns out. Cheers


 

 Recently ordered one myself Michael.  Won't get it until September though.


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> Recently ordered one myself Michael.  Won't get it until September though.


 
 I'm out of town but it will be awaiting me upon my return next week. Good times ahead! Cheers


----------



## digitalzed

atsq17 said:


> No idea about the impedance. I actually tested the 1G, 2G and 10G against each other.
> 
> Even after a lot of burn in, the 1G was limp and thin sounding. Really boring.
> 
> ...


 

 +1.


----------



## miceblue

So if the 1G sounds limp, thin, and boring, how does a printer cable sound?


----------



## Jupiterknight

miceblue said:


> So if the 1G sounds limp, thin, and boring, how does a printer cable sound?


 
  It can visually present a three dimension sound stage if you look very closely, but at the same time it somehow sounds flat, even with your eyes closed!


----------



## Ethereal Sound

miceblue said:


> So if the 1G sounds limp, thin, and boring, how does a printer cable sound?


 
  
 If you use a printer cable, you will only be able to perceive everything in 2D. Also, your DAC will begin to print paper.


----------



## mscott58

ethereal sound said:


> If you use a printer cable, you will only be able to perceive everything in 2D. Also, your DAC will begin to print paper.




And if you listen carefully you'll find that the sound is made up of a bunch of little dots...


----------



## Verloren

miceblue said:


> So if the 1G sounds limp, thin, and boring, how does a printer cable sound?



Feels kinda bloated at the ends, and a little bit rougher. Well rounded and thicker in the middle.


----------



## NinjaHamster

You get great soundstage if the cable is from a 3D printer.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Hmmm...Let me try out today using the 2G cable on my printer.
 Let's see if it has more definition, clarity, saturation and depth...


----------



## atsq17

miceblue said:


> So if the 1G sounds limp, thin, and boring, how does a printer cable sound?


 
  
 HP cables are bassier, Epson more trebly and Canon has great midrange


----------



## atsq17

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Hmmm...Let me try out today using the 2G cable on my printer.
> Let's see if it has more definition, clarity, saturation and depth...


 
  
 Plug the power section to the LPS... cleans up the edges better.


----------



## eliwankenobi

LOL!!


----------



## nudd

I almist feel there are two Pulses. One is a bit lacking in the bass department and needs to be paired with warmer headpones and the other cersion does not. 

Either that or people are just different.


----------



## JamesBr

atsq17 said:


> HP cables are bassier, Epson more trebly and Canon has great midrange


 
 that pretty much sums it all!


----------



## leomitch

jamesbr said:


> that pretty much sums it all!


 






LOL!
  
 Leo


----------



## atsq17

nudd said:


> I almist feel there are two Pulses. One is a bit lacking in the bass department and needs to be paired with warmer headpones and the other cersion does not.
> 
> Either that or people are just different.


 
  
 I read on some old post from Larry Ho that he found the Infinity with the AQ2M chip warmer and ever slightly bass tilted relative to the K2M chip. 
  
 I have 2 XFi units and neither of them are lacking in the bass department. They are not bass boosted but they are not lacking. I'd check the cables (USB and RCA) as well as the amp being used. Some cables will result in a leaner sound. As will some amps.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well, if it all goes well, finally we will be having a DSD256 update. 
  
 I could finally savor my (very) limited DSD256 albums.


----------



## coletrain104

I never really understood DSD. I know it is the format for SACDs, but how can you get the digital files? does it just mean we would need SACD players or readers or something?


----------



## greenkiwi

I believe that some people rip isos, but there are also easier source to buy them digitally and download.


----------



## coletrain104

greenkiwi said:


> I believe that some people rip isos, but there are also easier source to buy them digitally and download.


 
 anyone have examples of such sources?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

For a start..
  
https://www.nativedsd.com/homepage/samplers
http://shop.dsdfile.com/category/samplers/


----------



## chewynuts

Hi Guys, would you say that your Geek Pulse requires a warm up period? Or is it good to go right from turning it on? Is it not advised to turn it off? The lights from the unit are very distracting when trying to sleep you see.


----------



## nudd

coletrain104 said:


> anyone have examples of such sources?




If you like classicsl music 2L have a sampler page as well


----------



## vnmslsrbms

chewynuts said:


> Hi Guys, would you say that your Geek Pulse requires a warm up period? Or is it good to go right from turning it on? Is it not advised to turn it off? The lights from the unit are very distracting when trying to sleep you see.


 
 If yours has the femto clocks then for sure they need warm-up.  I don't know for sure since I'm still waiting on my Vi DAC.


----------



## Verloren

vnmslsrbms said:


> If yours has the femto clocks then for sure they need warm-up.  I don't know for sure since I'm still waiting on my Vi DAC.


 
  
 IIRC, at least 2hrs.


----------



## kothganesh

As the Pulse is used more frequently, I find that the femto clocks require no more than an hour to come "up to snuff". YMMV.


----------



## pedalhead

I'm having an infuriating time this morning trying to get my Pulse X Infinity working with my new laptop. I seem to be in an infinite loop of installing driver, disconnecting and reconnecting the Pulse, powering on/off the laptop and the Pulse, switching USB ports etc etc.  Occasionally I've managed to get the device recognised by Windows, and yet it doesn't appear in the Windows playback devices dialogue box. I had some trouble with it on my previous laptop now & again, but nothing like this.  Out of all the USB DACs I've used, I have never had any issues that come anywhere near the flakiness of this one when trying to get it recognised properly in Windows. For those who've been requesting my updated thoughts on the Pulse X Infinity v DiDiT DAC212, for now I rest my case.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Try a different USB Cable. U still have your old laptop? Tests between the two could still be helpfull in troubleshooting. If old one "yes" and new one "no" could be something with the BIOS or driver of your motherboard. Check those are the latest version too.


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Well, if it all goes well, finally we will be having a DSD256 update.
> 
> I could finally savor my (very) limited DSD256 albums.




Yeah! It is really coming! I remember I've been nagging with that since the very beginning!! Hahaha!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

pedalhead said:


> I'm having an infuriating time this morning trying to get my Pulse X Infinity working with my new laptop. I seem to be in an infinite loop of installing driver, disconnecting and reconnecting the Pulse, powering on/off the laptop and the Pulse, switching USB ports etc etc.  Occasionally I've managed to get the device recognised by Windows, and yet it doesn't appear in the Windows playback devices dialogue box. I had some trouble with it on my previous laptop now & again, but nothing like this.  Out of all the USB DACs I've used, I have never had any issues that come anywhere near the flakiness of this one when trying to get it recognised properly in Windows. For those who've been requesting my updated thoughts on the Pulse X Infinity v DiDiT DAC212, for now I rest my case.


 
  
  
 Had problems with it also...finally i concluded maybe its the motherboard and I bought a USB 3.1 card. Until now no hiccups.


----------



## pedalhead

Cheers guys.  I'm pretty sure it's an LH driver issue. 
  
 Has anyone got their Pulse working reliably with Windows 10?


----------



## miceblue

X Infinity works, and has worked, flawlessly here on W10 Technical Preview.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Had my Infinity running for a bit on an upgraded Win 7 Ult x64; and, from a clean installed machine.
  
 Don't like the sound IMO. Reverted to Win 7 (maybe it was the drivers?). 
  
 But its working (after a timer i disinstalled it).
  
 Compared also Win 8.1 and Win 10. They sound the same.


----------



## pedalhead

Ok after much futzing this morning, I've identified the culprit as the LH 1G usb cable that I was using from the LPS to the Pulse 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. Annoyingly, it wasn't manifesting as a consistent failure - the laptop was able to see the DAC (most of the time), but not actually get it to stream any sound.  I was also seeing intermittant weird things like this error message in the LH control panel (note also the greyed out master volume control).
  

  
 Replacing that cable with a generic Lindy one seems to be doing the job, as is bypassing the LPS usb cleaning altogether. I hope the 2G cable when it arrives (maybe, one day) is more reliable.


----------



## kenman345

pedalhead said:


> Ok after much futzing this morning, I've identified the culprit as the LH 1G usb cable that I was using from the LPS to the Pulse
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 It has been for me but I have also had trouble once with it. I had let my GF use my computer speakers with foobar and I forgot to change it back to using the USB output. Once I did, all was better. Funny enough, I had to replace a component and forgot to plug its audio cable in so I was frustrated last night figuring it out and realized my mistake. So so far, settings/things being plugged in properly were more of my issue than the unit not cooperating.


----------



## eliwankenobi

pedalhead said:


> Ok after much futzing this morning, I've identified the culprit as the LH 1G usb cable that I was using from the LPS to the Pulse :rolleyes: . Annoyingly, it wasn't manifesting as a consistent failure - the laptop was able to see the DAC (most of the time), but not actually get it to stream any sound.  I was also seeing intermittant weird things like this error message in the LH control panel (note also the greyed out master volume control).
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Aha! Good to know you've found the culprit! There should be a warranty of some sort on those cables. Stick to cheap USB cable in the meantime! And Enjoy!!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

OK, I remembered I have done this also at the beginning: 
  
 PC USB connected to LPS thru USB Source -> USB from LPS -> to Pulse.
  
 Gave me also connection issues.
  
 BUT USB straight to -> Pulse. NO.
  
 Using 2G cable (split) however does not.
  
 ===============
  
@coletrain104 Here are some free additional DSD128, DSD256 (as well DSD64 and DXD) stereo and multichannel tracks you can use.
  
https://members.nativedsd.com/albums/just-listen-1-compilation


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Just an update from Larry:
  
  
 *Larry Ho* 2 hours ago


 _Hi, there_

_DSD256 will be Native DSD first on Windows Platform. And after, we will implement Our PureDSD on Mac platform as well…_

_Larry_


----------



## coletrain104

So, remember when they had those sample songs in various formats, including DSD? does anyone know where to find that now? With all the site changes it is hard to keep track of where everything went. Many don't even have their unit yet, so it would be strange to think they got rid of the samples.


----------



## miceblue

coletrain104 said:


> anyone have examples of such sources?



https://www.nativedsd.com/

Or for a more interesting experiment now that the Pulse will support DSD256 in the near future:
https://members.nativedsd.com/albums/mendelssohn-session



http://bluecoastrecords.com/

Or for the list of their entire music catalog:
http://downloadsnow.net/



http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html
(keep in mind that 2L records music in PCM and later converts to DSD)



http://store.acousticsounds.com/
(keep in mind that SACD DSD masters can come from converted PCM sources)



http://hifitrack.com/en
(keep in mind that DSD tracks can come from converted PCM sources)


----------



## WCDchee

Anyone's had an experience with the jays lps vs the geek lps?


----------



## Greg121986

wcdchee said:


> Anyone's had an experience with the jays lps vs the geek lps?


 
 I have one for my Pulse X. I highly recommend it. It's price is so low that it's an easy choice to make.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

Do the Pulses come with a card describing the proper sequence to use to connect, power on, plug in headphones, and play music without risking blowing your phones? Can someone post that info here? Do I also recall that you aren't supposed to leave any headphones plugged into the pulse when not in use?
While I seriously doubt I will get my stuff by the end of August as promised in the new shipping schedule, I don't want to destroy my headphones when I get the Xfi.


----------



## mscott58

ultimate mango said:


> Do the Pulses come with a card describing the proper sequence to use to connect, power on, plug in headphones, and play music without risking blowing your phones? Can someone post that info here? Do I also recall that you aren't supposed to leave any headphones plugged into the pulse when not in use?
> While I seriously doubt I will get my stuff by the end of August as promised in the new shipping schedule, I don't want to destroy my headphones when I get the Xfi.




Maybe I'm just crazy, but I leave my Infinity on at all times with my Audezes plugged in and the volume at -127.5dB (the lowest it goes). Have never had an issue of any type - no spikes, no sudden volume changes, etc. Seems like the new firmware is much more stable although as always YMMV. Also one of the many good things about the Audezes is that they can take a ton of power!


----------



## Narayan23

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Just an update from Larry:
> 
> 
> *Larry Ho* 2 hours ago
> ...


 
 Hi mickey, where did you read that? I´ve been looking in the Force Forum but to no avail.


----------



## eliwankenobi

That was probably in the comments section of the campaign page


----------



## MikeyFresh

eliwankenobi said:


> That was probably in the comments section of the campaign page


 

 Or on the Updates tab of the IGG campaign page.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Comments section on the IGG page. I asked.
  
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-audio-high-rez-desktop-sound-system/x/5193144#/comments






 Larry Ho 16 hours ago


  Hi, there

 DSD256 will be Native DSD first on Windows Platform. And after, we will implement Our PureDSD on Mac platform as well…

 Larry



 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  





  
Michael de la Cruz 1 day ago


  DSD256 is via DoP or do we have a DSD Native support?

 Because I don’t know any software can support DSD256 via DoP right now (is there any?). With DSD Native, yes.


----------



## digitalzed

ultimate mango said:


> Do the Pulses come with a card describing the proper sequence to use to connect, power on, plug in headphones, and play music without risking blowing your phones? Can someone post that info here? Do I also recall that you aren't supposed to leave any headphones plugged into the pulse when not in use?
> While I seriously doubt I will get my stuff by the end of August as promised in the new shipping schedule, I don't want to destroy my headphones when I get the Xfi.


 

 No, there are no instructions included but this video will explain everything. 
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL0TTnJfDYs
  
 As for not blowing your headphones I'd unplug them when you power down if you're worried. If you leave the Pulse on it won't be an issue.


----------



## mandrake50

I do not leave the Pulse on all of the time... too long between listening sessions. I typically turn it on an hour or so before listening. I then boot the PC. It never detects the Pulse. I have to turn the pulse off then on, then it is detected. I then plug in the headphones.
  
 Now for just running things in, I have let the system go for several days. It continues to work properly, whether using the XLR balanced out or the SE socket... or both.
  
  
 BTW, I have fired the pulse up from cold with headphones plugged in, switched it off and on for PC detection.... still no problems!
  
 I also connect the balanced line out to an H10... which works while either or both of the HO connectors are in use. No problems, no thumps or transients that I can hear... certainly nothing that would damage headphones.
  
 If there is any concern, fire up the pulse, make sure it is detected by the source... wait a few minutes, then connect headphones. Based on my experience with my unit, this is really not required to protect the transducers.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

digitalzed said:


> No, there are no instructions included but this video will explain everything.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL0TTnJfDYs
> 
> As for not blowing your headphones I'd unplug them when you power down if you're worried. If you leave the Pulse on it won't be an issue.



Unfortunately I have neither a light speed nor an LPS. 
I know there are issues with the Pulse not having buffers or whatever, and at this point I have read enough to be afraid to use the Pulse at all without safe handling instructions. 

Not that I have it mind you. Was supposed to be in hand months ago and I am pretty sure that all my tickets just got me moved to the end of the queue.


----------



## sujitsky

Guys.. need your help. Can anyone explain the basic difference between a vanilla pulse and a pulse fi ? Thanks!


----------



## jbr1971

ultimate mango said:


> Do the Pulses come with a card describing the proper sequence to use to connect, power on, plug in headphones, and play music without risking blowing your phones? Can someone post that info here? Do I also recall that you aren't supposed to leave any headphones plugged into the pulse when not in use?
> While I seriously doubt I will get my stuff by the end of August as promised in the new shipping schedule, I don't want to destroy my headphones when I get the Xfi.


 
  
 The Geek Pulse Setup and User Guide is available on our support site and has been for a while. The Installation section provides the proper steps for connecting and powering on the Pulse.
  
 Please read through the whole Guide, it can be found here:
  
 https://support.lhlabs.com/solution/categories/5000116463/folders/5000184607/articles/5000547879-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide
  
 Jody


----------



## jbr1971

sujitsky said:


> Guys.. need your help. Can anyone explain the basic difference between a vanilla pulse and a pulse fi ? Thanks!


 
  
 The Pulse Fi is the Standard Pulse with femto clocks and upgraded amplifier.
  
 Jody


----------



## sujitsky

jbr1971 said:


> The Pulse Fi is the Standard Pulse with femto clocks and upgraded amplifier.
> 
> Jody


thanks!


----------



## flipper2gv

I've been enjoying my Pulse Sfi for quite a while now.
  
 Couldn't be happier with the sound quality I'm getting.


----------



## miceblue

Nice. Got to try the X Infinity with the Wii U using the RCA digital output of the TV. Everything works A-OK for me here. Got a new record high score on Splatoon too. XD


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Total Immersion!


----------



## pedalhead

mscott58 said:


> ultimate mango said:
> 
> 
> > Do the Pulses come with a card describing the proper sequence to use to connect, power on, plug in headphones, and play music without risking blowing your phones? Can someone post that info here? Do I also recall that you aren't supposed to leave any headphones plugged into the pulse when not in use?
> ...


 
  
 I'd be nervous about leaving my headphones connected 24/7. If you have a power outage you're going to get that famous Pulse "we don't need no relay" spike through your headphones when it comes back.


----------



## Narayan23

Thanks for the replys guys.


----------



## kenman345

So I decided on a shortcut, I hope it has some positive results or at least somewhat close to optimal results.
  
 I got a cheap ADC for my cable box so I can get a 2ch signal and input it to the X Infinity as SPDIF. I have had the cable box not turn off after hours of inactivity and my headphones plugged in. When I get home, it will have about 70 hours worth of usage in that configuration alone. 
  
 Does anyone think this will have similar burn in effects as playing music for 50-70 hours? I figured since its constantly changing with commercials and stuff that at least it would be a variety of things played and even if it were not the same as music for that amount of time, it would at least get me closer to getting that 100+ hours on the unit to get it burnt in. 
  
 Any thoughts?
  
  
 Also, the ADC is awesome. I have my TV on my desk in my bedroom along with my desktop monitors and X Infinity. It really is nice having my tv audio turned down, and the headphones on so others in the room can do their own thing and I get to do mine. Its been a huge convenience. I am not too worried about the sound quality as it is quite decent, and its not like I am listening to music when I'm watching TV, so no need to find something that can do it better.


----------



## coletrain104

kenman345 said:


> So I decided on a shortcut, I hope it has some positive results or at least somewhat close to optimal results.
> 
> I got a cheap ADC for my cable box so I can get a 2ch signal and input it to the X Infinity as SPDIF. I have had the cable box not turn off after hours of inactivity and my headphones plugged in. When I get home, it will have about 70 hours worth of usage in that configuration alone.
> 
> ...


 
 Since this is a class A system and a digital signal is constantly being passed through, it sounds like this Pulse should be working both amp and DAC the entire time. Should work for burn-in, to my knowledge


----------



## kenman345

coletrain104 said:


> Since this is a class A system and a digital signal is constantly being passed through, it sounds like this Pulse should be working both amp and DAC the entire time. Should work for burn-in, to my knowledge


 
 Well, the thing with Burn In is most of the time I use a test track when I am not actively using the headphones myself. It runs through a sequence of tones meant to variably run the headphones. In this situation I am not stressing the headphones much or the system, but it is carrying a load from input to output for an extended period of time.


----------



## coletrain104

kenman345 said:


> Well, the thing with Burn In is most of the time I use a test track when I am not actively using the headphones myself. It runs through a sequence of tones meant to variably run the headphones. In this situation I am not stressing the headphones much or the system, but it is carrying a load from input to output for an extended period of time.


 
 Sorry, I misunderstood it, thinking you were asking about burn-in on the Pulse itself, not headphones. My guess is that music is a better burn-in because it will likely span a greater frequency range. I'm no expert though


----------



## kenman345

coletrain104 said:


> Sorry, I misunderstood it, thinking you were asking about burn-in on the Pulse itself, not headphones. My guess is that music is a better burn-in because it will likely span a greater frequency range. I'm no expert though


 
 Well, I am talking about the Pulse, I mainly have only burned in items that were headphones in the past, or burned in headphones while burning in new gear, so I was always doing the same for both.


----------



## coletrain104

kenman345 said:


> Well, I am talking about the Pulse, I mainly have only burned in items that were headphones in the past, or burned in headphones while burning in new gear, so I was always doing the same for both.


 
 Yes, then, it should work. Because of the Class A amp, whenever the unit is on, the amp is being burned in. If the femtos need to be burned in too (sorry, not sure which unit you have) , I hear they only apply to the usb input. However, in this scenario the whole unit should be burning in, except perhaps the femtos, which will affect the FTM filter, I believe.


----------



## miceblue

I just got back my OPPO PM-3 from being on loan to someone. The X Infinity (single-ended output) sure makes it sound awesome. Wow.
I'm used to hearing the PM-3 from my iPhone 4S since that's my typical quick portable rig. This sounds Infinitely better.

I'm still at quite a low volume level though. -48.0 dB, low gain, and this is listening to music at a moderately loud volume level for me. With the balanced output, I would expect to be listening to moderately loud music at about -54.0 dB...


----------



## leomitch

miceblue said:


> I just got back my OPPO PM-3 from being on loan to someone. The X Infinity (single-ended output) sure makes it sound awesome. Wow.
> I'm used to hearing the PM-3 from my iPhone 4S since that's my typical quick portable rig. This sounds Infinitely better.
> 
> I'm still at quite a low volume level though. -48.0 dB, low gain, and this is listening to music at a moderately loud volume level for me. With the balanced output, I would expect to be listening to moderately loud music at about -54.0 dB...


 
  
*Infinitely better!!!  *A great slogan for this wonderful DAC from Light Harmonic Labs. I have the new AudioQuest Nighthawk plugged into my Infinity and I can't believe the three dimensional sound that flows out of this combination. It is stunning! I can only guess at what an unbelievable combo the Infinity and the Sennheiser 800 would be. This is a magical DAC indeed!
 Kudos to Larry Ho, the man who engineered the Plus X Infinity and made my music library sound even more beautiful.
  
 Leo


----------



## kenman345

miceblue said:


> I just got back my OPPO PM-3 from being on loan to someone. The X Infinity (single-ended output) sure makes it sound awesome. Wow.
> I'm used to hearing the PM-3 from my iPhone 4S since that's my typical quick portable rig. This sounds Infinitely better.
> 
> I'm still at quite a low volume level though. -48.0 dB, low gain, and this is listening to music at a moderately loud volume level for me. With the balanced output, I would expect to be listening to moderately loud music at about -54.0 dB...


 
 Try it balanced, trust me. I love the combo too but its lacking a bit of finesse for me. I guess I was spoiled having previously owned the HD800's and having a nice tube heavy system to really drive them. I am looking forward to my new pair of headphones being fully restored and modded to really get to take advantage of the X Infinity


----------



## AxelCloris

I made a post on LH Lab's forum in October of last year making a joke prediction for one of their future products:
  
Force Forums


> Announcing this week: LH Labs is partnering with Tesla Motors to include their proprietary DAC technology in next generation electric vehicles. Starting next year, Tesla Motor vehicles will have self driving technology, allowing audiophiles to pay more attention to their music; as such the vehicle needs a top of the line system throughout. This technology will be included as standard with the third generation Tesla vehicles, the Model 3 and Model D. Pricing starts at $35,999.


 
  
 At the time I didn't realize that Larry was a gear head and already owned a P85. Larry, Gavin, Casey and I got to talking cars when we meet up at RMAF and as soon as I brought up Tesla, Gavin mentioned my forum post and asked "who told you?" From there I learned that Larry couldn't restrain his tinkering nature and had started looking into improving the Model S's audio system. Looks like Light Harmonic has published his findings on YouTube.
  


Spoiler: LH Labs/Tesla Model S



Video 1

  
 Video 2

  
 Video 3

  
 Video 4




  
 May have to reference these videos when I take delivery of my Model 3.


----------



## uncola

geek source car edition?


----------



## Lceaucx

Sweet ride. Nice plate too
  
 Now we know where all that crowdfunding money went to!


----------



## rdsu

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Comments section on the IGG page. I asked.
> 
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-audio-high-rez-desktop-sound-system/x/5193144#/comments
> 
> ...




And PureDSD in Windows? Do you know something about?


----------



## WCDchee

Anyone has experience with the concero HD/HP and how they measure up since resonessence is considered to have one of the best implementations of the ess chips?
  
 I've tried the invicta and love it, and in my opinion compared to my infinity its really a few levels up.


----------



## AxelCloris

lceaucx said:


> Sweet ride. Nice plate too
> 
> Now we know where all that crowdfunding money went to!


 
  
 As I understand it, Larry had the Tesla before they received the Pulse money from IGG. I don't think they frivolously spent that money on cars.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

rdsu said:


> And PureDSD in Windows? Do you know something about?


 
  
 LH Labs proposition for DSD playback (aside from DoP and Native DSD) ...
  
 Here is a link of a brief explanation by Casey: 
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/764639/lh-labs-announces-puredsd-mode
  
  
 IDK for windows. What I understood is Windows will have Native DSD. And for Mac, they will use Pure DSD for DSD256 playability.
  
 Will see...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So what happens when you patiently try to get all those suicide prices, early bird deals, group buys...etc.etc.etc.
  
 One Best Bang for the Buck setup...(all less than the current Pulse Infinity IGG/Preorder Price) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Like brand new HD600
 Geek Pulse Infinity
 LPS4 
 LH Labs 2G USB Cable 
 FAW 8 wire braid cryo treated 7N OPOCC Copper and Silver wire 
 MIT SL Z-Cord 3fp power cable
 RAL CryoSilver Referece LPS power cord
 and coming...Geek Pulse Tube HPA -> free (referral reward)


----------



## longbowbbs

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So what happens when you patiently try to get all those suicide prices, early bird deals, group buys...etc.etc.etc.
> 
> One Best Bang for the Buck setup...(all less than the current Pulse Infinity IGG/Preorder Price)
> 
> ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thanks Bro...just proud what patience can bring great rewards.


----------



## longbowbbs

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Thanks Bro...just proud what patience can bring great rewards.


 
 I am glad I ordered my LH Labs stuff. Gonna be here a log time too.


----------



## Maelob

Finally some update about the analog stuff, I thought they had forgotten about it.  I know it was not a real update but just to let us know is coming soon, can't wait.  what a roller coaster!!!!


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So what happens when you patiently try to get all those suicide prices, early bird deals, group buys...etc.etc.etc.
> 
> One Best Bang for the Buck setup...(all less than the current Pulse Infinity IGG/Preorder Price)
> 
> ...




Yes! That picture is awesome! My setup will be very similar. I'm excited !!!


----------



## BaTou069

Hello Geek friends
  
 I have an issue with both the Geek Pulse Sfi and Geek Out 720, same issue, same driver....
  
 When listening to music (youtube, foobar, tidal, whatever), sometimes I get dropouts. It seems to me that it only happens when the music gets dense, not in quiet passages, but it happens quiet a lot. It's like an absence of music for 1 - 4 seconds.
 Now I don't have the issue with the DX90 in DAC mode, so this has to do something with the Geek driver. I already put the driver on very high buffer settings: USB streaming mode safe/extra safe and Buffer size to MAX 8192. It doesn't change a thing. But when lowering the settings of the usb streaming mode it gets worse.
  
 I checked with USBVIEW.exe if the usb hub is used, it's not. Firmware is also the latest.
  
 Cables used are the delivered Lightspeed 1G for the pulse, and the Slacker for the Geek out....
  
 I understand that I have problematic units, since they are both discontinued, but I don't think that this should matter.
  
 If anyone had similar problems and resolved them, I'd be very glad to hear how.
  
 Thanks


----------



## snip3r77

http://www.audiostream.com/content/usb-accessory-roundup-uptone-audio-usb-regen-audioquest-jitterbug-schiit-wyrd

Anyone use the above?


----------



## eliwankenobi

batou069 said:


> Hello Geek friends
> 
> I have an issue with both the Geek Pulse Sfi and Geek Out 720, same issue, same driver....
> 
> ...




Try plugging your GeekOut straight into your USB port. Also try using another regular usb cable instead of the 1G for the Pulse. It wouldn't be the first time thus happens...


----------



## BaTou069

snip3r77 said:


> http://www.audiostream.com/content/usb-accessory-roundup-uptone-audio-usb-regen-audioquest-jitterbug-schiit-wyrd
> 
> Anyone use the above?


 
 Not yet, but 2 Jitterbugs and one Regen are payed and on my way


----------



## doctorjazz

I have the Regen in front of the Geek Out Special Edition (going into MicroZOTL2, Norne Zoetic Cable, HE-1000)...I'd say the sound is more fleshed out and natural (I'll equivocate a bit because I've been enjoying the sound so much I haven't had the time or inclination to take the Regen out and do the audiophile geeky A-B routine that I really will need to do...). Considering sending for the Jitterbug to try it in the set up.


----------



## BaTou069

eliwankenobi said:


> Try plugging your GeekOut straight into your USB port. Also try using another regular usb cable instead of the 1G for the Pulse. It wouldn't be the first time thus happens...


 
 I'm still in the office so only have the Geek Out here, but the problem is still the same


----------



## eliwankenobi

batou069 said:


> I'm still in the office so only have the Geek Out here, but the problem is still the same




If posible, try a different laptop with geekOut. Confirm the same with Pulse. Otherwise, I would open a support ticket


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

doctorjazz said:


> I have the Regen in front of the Geek Out Special Edition (going into MicroZOTL2, Norne Zoetic Cable, HE-1000)...I'd say the sound is more fleshed out and natural (I'll equivocate a bit because I've been enjoying the sound so much I haven't had the time or inclination to take the Regen out and do the audiophile geeky A-B routine that I really will need to do...). Considering sending for the Jitterbug to try it in the set up.


 
  
 For me however will be doing this route:


----------



## mscott58

Just plugged the Uptone Regen into my Infinity, powering it with one of the open slots on my LPS4. 
  
 Only a few minutes listening to it so far, but the improvement is not subtle. Blacker background, improved resolution all around - well worth $175 IMHO. Will write more about it later, but for now a big thumbs up! 

 Cheers


----------



## mscott58

mscott58 said:


> Just plugged the Uptone Regen into my Infinity, powering it with one of the open slots on my LPS4.
> 
> Only a few minutes listening to it so far, but the improvement is not subtle. Blacker background, improved resolution all around - well worth $175 IMHO. Will write more about it later, but for now a big thumbs up!
> 
> Cheers


 
 And one thing to note if you use the Regen with the Infinity (or any X variant) using the USB A to USB B adapter Uptone includes - it blocks the XLR outputs. I had to unplug my XLR cables from the back of the Infinity in order to plug in the Regen. Not a big deal now, but will have to figure a workaround for this when I get my Cavalli Liquid Carbon and will need the XLR plugs. Figure I'll have to get a different adapter/cable to attach the Regen to the Infinity. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## eliwankenobi

mscott58 said:


> And one thing to note if you use the Regen with the Infinity (or any X variant) using the USB A to USB B adapter Uptone includes - it blocks the XLR outputs. I had to unplug my XLR cables from the back of the Infinity in order to plug in the Regen. Not a big deal now, but will have to figure a workaround for this when I get my Cavalli Liquid Carbon and will need the XLR plugs. Figure I'll have to get a different adapter/cable to attach the Regen to the Infinity.
> 
> Cheers




Perhaps another cable from the output of the Regen to the DAC input?


----------



## doctorjazz

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > I have the Regen in front of the Geek Out Special Edition (going into MicroZOTL2, Norne Zoetic Cable, HE-1000)...I'd say the sound is more fleshed out and natural (I'll equivocate a bit because I've been enjoying the sound so much I haven't had the time or inclination to take the Regen out and do the audiophile geeky A-B routine that I really will need to do...). Considering sending for the Jitterbug to try it in the set up.
> ...




Looks impressive, but outdoors, in the sun, hard to tell what is what. Could you break it down?


----------



## eliwankenobi

I dare say its his external PCI express USB 3.0 add in card powered by an external clock some how, because you know, Audiophile! Haha. Sorry Mickey


----------



## eliwankenobi

OCXO... Oxygen controller crystal oscillator?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

doctorjazz said:


> Looks impressive, but outdoors, in the sun, hard to tell what is what. Could you break it down?


 
  
 Yeah it like coming from Frakenstein Labs doesn't it? Its like your USB Regen just a step further IMO..
  
 I'll try to link some information as well as other similar cards.
  
SOtM Usb card vs PPA Studio Card
JCAT usb card review
SOtM Usb Card Review
JCAT usb card product page
SOtM usb car product page
PPA Audio usb card product page
  
 OCXO: Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator


----------



## doctorjazz

OK, now I'm back to being in a country where the language sounds a bit familiar, but I don't understand what anyone is saying!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

USB Regen is a step-up usb hub. Where it has an ultra low noise regulator and low jitter clock and ability to feed clean power from external source.
  
 These cards are step-up usb controllers. Where like above have ultra low noise regulators, high quality filters, ultra low jitter clocks, feed clean power from external source.
 However believe have better design and components as that of Regen and Wyrd,  Just look at the clocks they are using...


----------



## ejong7

Interested in how this Regen made the Infinity + LPS system better. Doesn't it (kinda) serve the same purpose as the LPS? Does that mean its doing a better job in terms of making a better 5V for the USB source?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I think it complements it. Not taking the job of other components.
  
 Its like having a Nikon 810A DSLR camera (your DAC) with a 24-70 2.8 lens (your Source) with a Gitzo Tripod/Monopod (your LPS).
 The tripod/monopod gives you stability to your camera when you shoot, therefore sharpens your pictures.
 Now comes a brand new lens: 24-70 2.8 VR (Vibration Reduction) -> Source + Regen.
 It helps you even further taking sharper pictures by lowering other significant vibrations when shooting.


----------



## doctorjazz

Haven't gotten a chance to go through all those links in detail, skimmed a bit, thanks Mickey!
On quick perusal, I'm assuming some of the gear linked does the same thing-You aren't using ALL of that, correct?
I was going to ask why it should make a difference if the gear has a Femto clock, which should be eliminating all that timing error stuff, but I guess you answered in the above posts. 



m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I think it complements it. Not taking the job of other components.
> 
> Its like having a Nikon 810A DSLR camera (your DAC) with a 24-70 2.8 lens (your Source) with a Gitzo Tripod/Monopod (your LPS).
> The tripod/monopod gives you stability to your camera when you shoot, therefore sharpens your pictures.
> ...


----------



## Maelob

little confused where do i connect the regen - computer usb out, lps usb input or output?


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm connected between usb out of the computer and the Geek Out (GO plugs directly into the Regen).


----------



## mscott58

maelob said:


> little confused where do i connect the regen - computer usb out, lps usb input or output?


 
 With the Pulse the Regen goes between the USB cable and the Pulse USB input. So for my setup the signal path is: PC->LH 10G USB cable->Regen->USB A to USB B adapter->Infinity USB B input. My 10G is actually a split version, so the Signal leg is the one in the path above. The Power leg plugs into my LPS4 just so the computer sees power if it needs to for the initial handshake. 
  
 And to the question regarding why the Regen helps when the Infinity already has the Femto clocks, well the technological details are above my pay-grade, but if you read the stuff on Uptone's web-page (and a lot of other places here on HF and also on CA) there are many explanations. Put simply, the Regen does something quite different to the signal, and IMHO it works. 

 Cheers


----------



## MaximPrime

Hey guys quick question. I am still waiting for my Geek pulse cant wait to drive my HE-560's with it!
  
 I have just purchased my first pair of studio monitors - JBL LSR305 
  
 I am currently using a Fiio E10 until my geek pulse arrives. With active speakers i am just trying to work out what is safe obviously you are not meant to plug them into a amp or it will go boom.
  
 At which point does this apply if i plugged them into the amplified output of the Fiio E10 would it hurt them being quite a low output? or the Geek pulses output would it hurt them?
  
 I know the Fiio E10 has a line out and i will be using that. just trying to learn as my girlfriend could accidentally plug them into the amplified output on fiio instead of the line out as they are both 3.5mm.
  
 The RCA is the right spot to plug them into the geek pulse vanilla version right? kinda wishing i got the X for the Balanced outputs now haha!
  
 Thanks in advance


----------



## kenman345

maximprime said:


> Hey guys quick question. I am still waiting for my Geek pulse cant wait to drive my HE-560's with it!
> 
> I have just purchased my first pair of studio monitors - JBL LSR305
> 
> ...


 
 Plug into an amp and it goes boom? No, I believe it was just that if you have sensitive anything you will want to unplug them from the Pulse before powering the Pulse down. That is because the decision to include safety components to prevent some of the pops from on/off of the amp were determined to be best left out and keep the signal path as pure as possible.


----------



## MaximPrime

I am not referring to the problems with the pulse and having things plugged in when turn it off.
  
 I am talking about plugging Active Studio Monitors into an amplified output. as they already have an internal amplifier. As far as i know plugging an amp into an amp is a bad idea.
  
 was just trying to learn if a head phone amp is lower power and it should effect active speakers. or if its a bad idea with any amp.


----------



## adrian0115

maximprime said:


> I am not referring to the problems with the pulse and having things plugged in when turn it off.
> 
> I am talking about plugging Active Studio Monitors into an amplified output. as they already have an internal amplifier. As far as i know plugging an amp into an amp is a bad idea.
> 
> was just trying to learn if a head phone amp is lower power and it should effect active speakers. or if its a bad idea with any amp.




Your pulse has a headphone amp but it doesn't have an amp for speakers. It will provide a full 2.1v signal for SE and 4.2v for the XLR to drive your active speakers. Technically it's a digital preamp so you won't be amping an amp.


----------



## MaximPrime

Thanks Adrian thats the info i was looking at. So pretty much safe to put the active monitors into any output of the Geek pulse. i assume the same with the Fiio E10


----------



## atsq17

kenman345 said:


> Plug into an amp and it goes boom? No, I believe it was just that if you have sensitive anything you will want to unplug them from the Pulse before powering the Pulse down. That is because the decision to include safety components to prevent some of the pops from on/off of the amp were determined to be best left out and keep the signal path as pure as possible.


 
  
 Nothing has gone boom but my Macbook Pro has cold restarted (like someone pressed a hard reset button) when I power cycled the Pulse XFi with the USB cable plugged in. It's a Lightspeed 2G cable and the Pulse end is connected to an Audiophilleo (to SPDIF in on Pulse) and an LPS4. 
  
 Not sure if it's related to what you're saying but it could be.


----------



## kenman345

atsq17 said:


> Nothing has gone boom but my Macbook Pro has cold restarted (like someone pressed a hard reset button) when I power cycled the Pulse XFi with the USB cable plugged in. It's a Lightspeed 2G cable and the Pulse end is connected to an Audiophilleo (to SPDIF in on Pulse) and an LPS4.
> 
> Not sure if it's related to what you're saying but it could be.


 
 That is completely separate. The USB is an input to the Pulse, what we are discussing is the outputs. That said, I have not heard of such a thing happening with the restart, but I know USB's plugged in sometimes have that affect as my computer restarts when I plug in a USB cable that I use for my aquarium controller if I do not have the software it needs started up. Its weird but manageable.


----------



## jbr1971

batou069 said:


> Hello Geek friends
> 
> I have an issue with both the Geek Pulse Sfi and Geek Out 720, same issue, same driver....
> 
> ...


 
  
 From what you have described it appears to be a buffer issue. Try changing the Buffer settings to Reliable and 4096 samples.
  
 If that does not work, please open a support case at support.lhlabs.com.
  
 Jody


----------



## eac3

jbr1971 said:


> From what you have described it appears to be a buffer issue. Try changing the Buffer settings to Reliable and 4096 samples.
> 
> If that does not work, please open a support case at support.lhlabs.com.
> 
> Jody


 
  


eac3 said:


> Has LH shipped and delivered 5% of Pulse Infinities in the new chassis?


 


   

 Can LH labs update the production status page to reflect recent changes. For example, from an update 7 days ago:
  


> * Geek Pulse X Fi and Infinite boards should be here on week 4 of this month too.*
> 
> Keep pushing. And I believe Pulse DAC will be one of your best friends during your music journey.
> Cheers,
> Larry


 
  
 5% of Infinities were supposed to be delivered by middle of August. Since it wasn't explicitly said from the update from Larry a week ago, I take it that this has changed quite a bit.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I asked in a support ticket and they mentioned early September. They didn't say why they're dalayed though, but I always assumed that the August date was a little optimistic. 

It's safe to always add at least 3 weeks to any published ship/release date.


----------



## greenkiwi

eliwankenobi said:


> I asked in a support ticket and they mentioned early September. They didn't say why they're dalayed though, but I always assumed that the August date was a little optimistic.
> 
> It's safe to always add at least 3 weeks to any published ship/release date.


 
 And add it each time it is published.


----------



## miceblue

I can't wait to see how the SSM filter turns out. I'm rediscovering some of my childhood songs on YouTube (mostly 80s pop and rock). Sounds freaking awesome with the X Infinity and SRS-2170.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ7NVjZ-Eyg[/video]


[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfIcZtjAch8[/video]


[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3W6yf6c-FA[/video]


----------



## eliwankenobi

Following all the talk of the Regen... Now I'm curious. If it doesn't do much for the Pulse, it should do a lot more for my GO450! After all, it would be a good substitute for a LPS whenever I'm on the road


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Bet ya!


----------



## jbr1971

eac3 said:


> Can LH labs update the production status page to reflect recent changes. For example, from an update 7 days ago:
> 
> 
> 5% of Infinities were supposed to be delivered by middle of August. Since it wasn't explicitly said from the update from Larry a week ago, I take it that this has changed quite a bit.


 
  
 I have no visibility into the shipping side of things, just support, so I do not know where things stand currently.
  
 Jody


----------



## Chrome Robot

While it was a bit tight, I am able to use the REGEN with Uptone supplied hard adapter and still plug in my XLRs for the balanced cables (Blue Jean Cables). There is a little push from the XLR plug onto the hard adapter, but not too much. All working fine.


----------



## mscott58

chrome robot said:


> While it was a bit tight, I am able to use the REGEN with Uptone supplied hard adapter and still plug in my XLRs for the balanced cables (Blue Jean Cables). There is a little push from the XLR plug onto the hard adapter, but not too much. All working fine.


 
 Good news. Maybe I'll just have to play with mine more or the XLR plugs might be a different shape. Thanks for the update


----------



## eliwankenobi

Wouldn't it be better to use the short white USB cable that's included with the unit?


----------



## mscott58

eliwankenobi said:


> Wouldn't it be better to use the short white USB cable that's included with the unit?


 
 Possibly, and good point, but was just trying to follow the instructions that say the short/hard plug is best to keep it as close to the input as possible. Cheers


----------



## eliwankenobi

Please try it, I would like to know if you notice any difference... 

I believe at such a short distance, it shouldn't matter, and whatever change there could be, the benefit of not having any pressure on connectors would far outweigh any change in sound, plus you would still be getting the benefits of the REGEN in your chain.


----------



## kenman345

Slightly off topic from the main discussion right now, but I have to say that using the Harmony Home remote with the smartphone option is awesome for controlling the Pulse. I am gonna pick one up again to have two separate units for my home audio and home video in my room. Seems turning it to my audio setup turns off my TV, maybe I can changethat but anyways, its really nice.


----------



## eliwankenobi

kenman345 said:


> Slightly off topic from the main discussion right now, but I have to say that using the Harmony Home remote with the smartphone option is awesome for controlling the Pulse. I am gonna pick one up again to have two separate units for my home audio and home video in my room. Seems turning it to my audio setup turns off my TV, maybe I can changethat but anyways, its really nice.




Nice! It also makes it easy to integrate the Pulse in a Stereo/HomeTheater situation


----------



## kenman345

eliwankenobi said:


> Nice! It also makes it easy to integrate the Pulse in a Stereo/HomeTheater situation


 
 Yes indeed that is true.


----------



## head-hi

alvin1118 said:


> Here is how my Main 0.0 solved:
> 
> http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=145185.msg1067012#msg1067012
> 
> ...


 

 I had this same issue, so thanks for this info. I was going to open a ticket and thought I would have to RMA my xfi.
  
 My issue was discovered by playing certain familiar songs and not hearing correct levels on certain parts. For example, The Doobie Brothers "Minute By Minute" has a cheesy little synth solo at about 2:15, and I wasn't hearing it at a familiar level. It was barely audible. But, most other music seemed fine. This handshake process was the solution.
  
 Thanks again, Alvin. You also came through (twice) with your Jay's Audio LPS. Excellent.


----------



## upsguys88

question: what was the original price of the geek infinity pledge?


----------



## AxelCloris

upsguys88 said:


> question: what was the original price of the geek infinity pledge?


 
  
 Even the original backers didn't necessarily pay the same. It depends on when they backed each upgrade and if they backed the GO Kickstarter or not.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> Even the original backers didn't necessarily pay the same. It depends on when they backed each upgrade and if they backed the GO Kickstarter or not.


 
 Exactly. There were an infinite number of ways to get to that point. Maybe that's the reason they called it the Infinity?


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> axelcloris said:
> 
> 
> > Even the original backers didn't necessarily pay the same. It depends on when they backed each upgrade and if they backed the GO Kickstarter or not.
> ...


 
 Oy...This will go on forever.....


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Just for the sake of discussion.
  
 I did some math... My Pulse Infinity cost me $905...


----------



## eliwankenobi

Just the Pulse or is LPS4 in there too?


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Just for the sake of discussion.
> 
> I did some math... My Pulse Infinity cost me $905...




Ok for me it was $915 without LPS, with LPS it was $1,204.00... Sooo maybe you were able to take on the Kickstarter backer only deal? What was it, like $99 ? Right?

I wonder how in the future the value of their IGG products will keep on. Given how retail pricing will be much higher and already you can find backers selling their units for pretty much what they paid for during the campaign and sometimes a little less..

The retail unit has the new chassis, but probably it will also have transferrable warranty as the rest of the industry no?


----------



## germay0653

eliwankenobi said:


> Ok for me it was $915 without LPS, with LPS it was $1,204.00... Sooo maybe you were able to take on the Kickstarter backer only deal? What was it, like $99 ? Right?
> 
> I wonder how in the future the value of their IGG products will keep on. Given how retail pricing will be much higher and already you can find backers selling their units for pretty much what they paid for during the campaign and sometimes a little less..
> 
> The retail unit has the new chassis, but probably it will also have transferrable warranty as the rest of the industry no?


 

GFOX (Geek Pulse X)$299.00Geek Pulse Femto Clock Upgrade$119.00THD Performance Upgrade Pkg$168.00Geek Pulse Xfi Naked Resistors$129.00Pulse X∞ 2015 ESS DAC Upgrade (AQ2M)$22.00Early Bird Geek LPS$289.00Upgrade Geek LPS to LPS 4$130.00
 Total                                            $1,156.00
  
 Guess I got away cheap.


----------



## upsguys88

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Just for the sake of discussion.
> 
> I did some math... My Pulse Infinity cost me $905...


Were you on the first campaign?


----------



## miceblue

$199 USD - Pulse
$88 - Passive component upgrade
$119 - Femto clock upgrade
$140 - X upgrade
$129 - Naked resistors
$168 - THD upgrade
$22 - AQ2M upgrade

$865 for me


$299 - LPS
$130 - LPS4 upgrade

$429 for me


$1294 grand total for X Infinity + LPS4 (though if you just need the LPS it would have been $1164)


I wonder how the $800 Audio-gd R-2R DAC19 compares to the X Infinity. There are a few people in the area who have one but setting up a meeting time, place to meet, and having the same comparison music is a bit hectic.
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/DAC1911/DAC19EN.htm


----------



## germay0653

miceblue said:


> $199 USD - Pulse
> $88 - Passive component upgrade
> $119 - Femto clock upgrade
> $140 - X upgrade
> ...


 

 miceblue, wasn't the "$88 - Passive component upgrade" included when they hit a stretch goal?


----------



## NinjaHamster

germay0653 said:


> miceblue, wasn't the "$88 - Passive component upgrade" included when they hit a stretch goal?




Yes. But Miceblue payed $88 for the "passive component upgrade", which was then made "free" and he received the ($99) "active component upgrade" without further payment in lieu of the passive upgrade becoming free.


----------



## miceblue

$199 for Pulse because I got the Pulse/Geek Out combo package for $398 ($199 for Pulse, $199 for Geek Out).
$88 for passive component upgrade because they had the promo price before they hit the $1 million mark (after the $1 M mark, it was $99). Actually the "i" in Xfi means internal amp upgrade. Yes, everyone got the passive component upgrade from the $1 M stretch goal.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I have the same breakdown as *miceblue*'s. Except that I paid additional for international shipping.
  
 Pulse: $865 + $40 = $905
 LPS4: $389 + $40 = $429


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I have the same breakdown as *miceblue*'s. Except that I paid additional for international shipping.
> 
> Pulse: $865 + $40 = $905
> LPS4: $399 + $30 = $429




Makes sense given that the only difference would be on the fact that your base Pulse was $199 and mine was $249 at super early bird still


----------



## NinjaHamster

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I have the same breakdown as *miceblue*'s. Except that I paid additional for international shipping.
> 
> Pulse: $865 + $40 = $905
> LPS4: $399 + $30 = $429




Are you sure the international postage on the LPS4 was only $30? I kind of remember it being a bit more expensive for the LPS4 due to their knowledge that it would weigh a fair bit. Pretty sure the International shipping on the LPS4 was more than the shipping for the Pulse.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

eliwankenobi said:


> Makes sense given that the only difference would be on the fact that your base Pulse was $199 and mine was $249 at super early bird still


  

  
 Yeah Bro. Indeed it has some kicks when you are super very early. But there were drawbacks too.  Remember those Black Friday promos?
  
 And then there is that patience thing.....
  
 Hope you'll get yours and start rockin' !
  
@NinjaHamster sorry it was $40 (I think). My bill for LPS was $329. Gerry had it at $289 so difference might be my shipping @ 40. Yopu had posted before correcting mine.


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Yeah Bro. Indeed it has some kicks when you are super very early. But there were drawbacks too.  Remember those Black Friday promos?
> 
> And then there is that patience thing.....
> 
> ...




Haha!! Yes! True! Some people saved themselves some late night waiting for the next perk to be released! I didn't. I had to stay up 'till 'round 1-2am in order to snag the limited perks.

Yes! I'm excited. I already got confirmation that I should be one of the firsts whose gonna receive the new 2.0 chassis Pulse Infinity, given my early bird status. 

I already have in mind an idea of building a small shelf box to cover above the LPS leaving only the Pulse Infinity visible. I will leave the back side open for venting and cable connections of course!


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Yeah Bro. Indeed it has some kicks when you are super very early. But there were drawbacks too.  Remember those Black Friday promos?
> 
> And then there is that patience thing.....
> 
> ...


 

 And, for those of us in the EST (UTC - 05:00) time zone, we had those lovely 3:00am perkageddon parties just to get them in time before they ran out.


----------



## FayeForever

Infinity $825 for me here.
 It was like eternal since I jumped on this campaign. Oh silly me.


----------



## doctorjazz

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > Looks impressive, but outdoors, in the sun, hard to tell what is what. Could you break it down?
> ...




You really use all that? I'm impressed! STill wouldn't know what to do with all that gear.


----------



## doctorjazz

I've made myself a promise NOT to figure out what I've spent on LH campaigns


----------



## eliwankenobi

fayeforever said:


> Infinity $825 for me here.
> It was like eternal since I jumped on this campaign. Oh silly me.




Wow! That's a new low! LOL!

Lucky Black Friday Promo or something?


----------



## upsguys88

ok cool, I bought one and then added an LPS for 1250 total. I think it was a good deal considering I didn't do any of the waiting and just bought off of people who wanted to move on from LH Labs


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

doctorjazz said:


> You really use all that? I'm impressed! STill wouldn't know what to do with all that gear.


 
  
  Of course not.  Just showing alternatives for Regen.


----------



## doctorjazz

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > You really use all that? I'm impressed! STill wouldn't know what to do with all that gear.
> ...




Whew!

The advantage of the Regen is, for someone like me, who could believe you use all that stuff, it's very easy to use, plug 'n play, no drivers/dowwnloads, don't need to know what it does...


----------



## FayeForever

eliwankenobi said:


> Wow! That's a new low! LOL!
> 
> Lucky Black Friday Promo or something?


 

 Yeah black friday promo.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Of course not.  Just showing alternatives for Regen.


 

 Not an alternative Michael but to be used in conjunction with.  The cleaner the signal to the REGEN the better.  Even Alex and John S. recommend keeping the SOtM, PPA or JCAT cards in the chain.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

germay0653 said:


> Not an alternative Michael but to be used in conjunction with.  The cleaner the signal to the REGEN the better.  Even Alex and John S. recommend keeping the SOtM, PPA or JCAT cards in the chain.


 
  

  
  Meaning its not enough? When are these things gonna stop?


----------



## germay0653

You're a piece of work!


----------



## eac3

fayeforever said:


> Infinity $825 for me here.


 
  
  
 $825 for me as well


----------



## doctorjazz

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> germay0653 said:
> 
> 
> > Not an alternative Michael but to be used in conjunction with.  The cleaner the signal to the REGEN the better.  Even Alex and John S. recommend keeping the SOtM, PPA or JCAT cards in the chain.
> ...




LOVE these dogs!
(it does seem like it never ends...)


----------



## Chrome Robot

eliwankenobi said:


> Please try it, I would like to know if you notice any difference...
> 
> I believe at such a short distance, it shouldn't matter, and whatever change there could be, the benefit of not having any pressure on connectors would far outweigh any change in sound, plus you would still be getting the benefits of the REGEN in your chain.




For me sound quality is most important. The very slight pressure is absorbed in the hard connector. I used my Lightspeed 2G and Mapleshade Clearlink Plus, and the hard connector sounded noticeably better. There are other short USB cable (Aqvox for example) but I have not tried them yet.


----------



## snip3r77

Anyone A-B with the Ygg?


----------



## AxelCloris

snip3r77 said:


> Anyone A-B with the Ygg?


 

 They're completely different beasts, but given the choice between the two I'd prefer the Yggdrasil as my DAC because it's an R2R. You have to keep in mind that the Yggy is more than twice many backed for a Pulse X Infinity. It's nearly 3x the price for those who got the best deal on the Infinity.


----------



## uncola

Just based on size alone yggdrasil is higher end come on man


----------



## miceblue

I actually pulled out a vintage Sony CDP-950 CD player (has a true multi-bit, similar to R-2R, Philips TDA1540 DAC chip) and I'm enjoying its sound with CDs a bit more, pun intended, than accurate rips of those same CDs on the X Infinity. :|

Maybe I should see what happens if I use the CDP-950 as the DAC and the X Infinity as the amp.


----------



## WCDchee

miceblue said:


> I actually pulled out a vintage Sony CDP-950 CD player (has a true multi-bit, similar to R-2R, Philips TDA1540 DAC chip) and I'm enjoying its sound with CDs a bit more, pun intended, than accurate rips of those same CDs on the X Infinity. :|
> 
> Maybe I should see what happens if I use the CDP-950 as the DAC and the X Infinity as the amp.




Im not quite sure how you intend to do that but i dont think thats possibke


----------



## Maelob

axelcloris said:


> They're completely different beasts, but given the choice between the two I'd prefer the Yggdrasil as my DAC because it's an R2R. You have to keep in mind that the Yggy is more than twice many backed for a Pulse X Infinity. It's nearly 3x the price for those who got the best deal on the Infinity.



 the MSRP of Xfi(2399 without LPS)- based on that the Schiit is even cheaper(2299)... So for me they are both competing products and comparisons are called for. i think that will be helpful for any future customers


----------



## coletrain104

maelob said:


> the MSRP of Xfi(2399 without LPS)- based on that the Schiit is even cheaper(2299)... So for me they are both competing products and comparisons are called for. i think that will be helpful for any future customers


 
 However, the Xfi has an amplifier section, and therefore can't be said to necessarily be meant to compete at the same level as a standalone DAC.


----------



## WCDchee

I think when we look at the top specc'ed pulses, we should consider them with the LPS's instead of without, as other top tier products usually have a good power supply built in.


----------



## AxelCloris

maelob said:


> the MSRP of Xfi(2399 without LPS)- based on that the Schiit is even cheaper(2299)... So for me they are both competing products and comparisons are called for. i think that will be helpful for any future customers


 
  
 You're comparing a single-purpose item (Yggy) to a device that is meant to perform multiple tasks (Pulse). While not always the case, it's not uncommon to see a device built for a single task outperform a multi-purpose device in the same role. I'll use the ALO Rx as an example. Sure there are many portable amps around the same price as the Rx, but I've yet to see a competing amp, one designed to handle a wide range of headphones with a gain toggle, outperform the Rx when it comes to IEMs. It's a single-purpose device that is insanely good at that one purpose. It doesn't have to worry about flexibility, and as a result it's a master of its trade.
  
 The DAC in the Pulse Infinity is no slouch, and I doubt any who have heard it will contest that statement. But it comes with several features that you won't find on an Yggy because the Yggdrasil isn't meant to be that type of component. It's a dedicated DAC that's damned good at what it does, and every penny you invest into the Yggy is going towards the DAC. With the Pulse, the purchase price has been split across the various functions with the majority going towards the DAC, but not all.
  
 That's all even before you consider what the street price of the devices will be. Buy a used Pulse in the for-sale threads and you'll pay around the same as what the seller backed for the device. Buy a used Yggy and you'll pay a bit less than MSRP. Someone looking to snag a Pulse will be able to get a used one for a good deal less than an Yggdrasil, which has a similar MSRP, making it a more likely candidate for someone on a budget. If cost is of no consequence, perhaps a Light Harmonic Da Vinci is in store.
  
 I guess in a lot of words I'm saying that I personally don't see them as competing products. In my experience, an all-in-one will rarely topple a well-designed single-function DAC.


----------



## FayeForever

axelcloris said:


> They're completely different beasts, but given the choice between the two I'd prefer the Yggdrasil as my DAC because it's an R2R. You have to keep in mind that the Yggy is more than twice many backed for a Pulse X Infinity. It's nearly 3x the price for those who got the best deal on the Infinity.


 

 And... the Infinity lets you wait for one and a half year.


----------



## FayeForever

I would be damn surprised that if the Infinity can compete with Gungnir Multi Bit, which is similar in size and price.


----------



## AxelCloris

fayeforever said:


> I would be damn surprised that if the Infinity can compete with Gungnir Multi Bit, which is similar in size and price.


 

 Just like the Yggy, they're two different beasts. A multibit R2R DAC will sound different than any DS DAC. Both have advantages, so it's up to the listener which type they'll prefer. I wouldn't be surprised to hear some prefer the Infinity's ES9018AQ2M implementation over that of a NOS PCM1704 or the more modern AD5791BRUZ. Everyone has their tastes.
  
 I'm glad to see R2R DACs making a resurgence in the market, it's been under-spoken over the past few years.


----------



## FayeForever

axelcloris said:


> Just like the Yggy, they're two different beasts. A multibit R2R DAC will sound different than any DS DAC. Both have advantages, so it's up to the listener which type they'll prefer. I wouldn't be surprised to hear some prefer the Infinity's ES9018AQ2M implementation over that of a NOS PCM1704 or the more modern AD5791BRUZ. Everyone has their tastes.
> 
> I'm glad to see R2R DACs making a resurgence in the market, it's been under-spoken over the past few years.


 

 Why do you keep saying they're different? I don't want to start DS vs R2R discussion as there is a thread for it. They of course will sound differently, different DS dac will sound differently what's so surprise?
  
 A DAC is a DAC, it converts digital signal to analog one. People will compare them if they serve the same purpose.


----------



## mscott58

fayeforever said:


> Why do you keep saying they're different? I don't want to start DS vs R2R discussion as there is a thread for it. They of course will sound differently, different DS dac will sound differently what's so surprise?
> 
> A DAC is a DAC, it converts digital signal to analog one. People will compare them if they serve the same purpose.


 
 Umm, because they are different? Just like tubes versus solid state, DS vs R2R preference depends on two things IMO:1) the implementation (I've heard crap versions of both), and 2) the listeners personal preferences. The only way to know for sure is to listen to a bunch of stuff and see what you like. 
  
 Personally my 2-channel setup utilizes an R2R DAC and tubed mono-blocks, while my desktop headphone rig is a highly refined DS through a SS amp. Finally my reference portable setup is DS with tubes. Go figure. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## miceblue

The Light Harmonic DaVinci DAC is a R-2R implementation. Just saying.


And yeah I was wrong about using the Pulse as an amp. I keep thinking the RCA output is an input.


----------



## doctorjazz

That settles it then...sell the house, buy the Da Vinci!


----------



## AxelCloris

doctorjazz said:


> That settles it then...sell the house, buy the Da Vinci!


 

 I'm gonna need a Da Vinci to go with my new Orpheus-replacement-thingy.


----------



## doctorjazz

Orpheus-replacement thingy?


----------



## uncola

doctorjazz their new just unveiled electrostatic orpheus sequel, not many details about it
 http://www.cnet.com/news/sennheiser-unveils-mystery-device-made-of-marble-headphone-amp-device/


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm, real estate is good, the dollar is strong, maybe I can swing the Da Vinci and the Orpheus-thingy by selling the house...
And...I think college education I'd so overrated these days...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Too bad can't post my mother-in-law in the for sale section.


----------



## doctorjazz

How much do you think you'd get?


----------



## germay0653

Depends on if she looks like Sophia Loren.


----------



## germay0653

axelcloris said:


> I'm gonna need a Da Vinci to go with my new Orpheus-replacement-thingy.


 

 Why settle for the Da Vinci?  Why not just go for the Sire!


----------



## doctorjazz

Saw a good deal in Audiomart for a used Da Vinci, only about $19,000!!!!
I'm a sucker for a good deal!


----------



## Madeupword

Sure would be nice to have a comparison between the Pulse Infinity and Yggdrasil.
  
 Regarding the apparent "subtle lack of bass", it was a case of incorrect yoke rod fit.


----------



## doctorjazz

That's no yoke! (ouch...sorry)


----------



## mandrake50

wcdchee said:


> I think when we look at the top specc'ed pulses, we should consider them with the LPS's instead of without, as other top tier products usually have a good power supply built in.


 

 There are many good LPS out there other than the LHL units. I use a 9A supply that has better regulation and ripple specs than does the LPS or LPS4.
  The Pulse is designed as a standalone unit. As such it should be judged on its own merits. This means with the wall wart supply. They sold quite a few more Pulse units than they did LPS of both flavors. This means that lots of people are using their pulse with the little Chinese wall wart that came with it. Many are quite happy with the results!
  
 The other side of this is that, if that wall wart is inadequate, especially in the case of the higher specced Pulse (XFi and Infinity) they never should have sold them with it.


----------



## doctorjazz

Which l LPS are you using, if I may ask.


----------



## leomitch

I run my Infinity with the wall  wart and if it is inadequate, I cannot believe how good it would be with the separate power supply. If it is at all improved, I believe it will be minimally so. I am deliriously happy with the Infinity as it is with the wall wart. I would rather spend my extra money on downloads of great music.
  
 Leo


----------



## mandrake50

doctorjazz said:


> Which l LPS are you using, if I may ask.


 

 I have two that I use depending on where I have the Pulse setup. A pyramid PS9KX, all of about $35. At my main system I have an Alinco  DM 340MV 30 amp supply that charges two Optima 12 volt batteries It is variable voltage so I can set it for the 12.5 volts I use for the Pulse. This is fine after the batteries settle from their float charge level.
 The batteries are a reservoir that pretty much eliminates any ripple. To be honest, I notice no difference when using the little Pyramid.
  
 I think that with power supplies once you get to the point of having a good ripple spec and when the supply is capable of providing all of the instantaneous current required, without voltage sag, differences between supplies should not be audible.
  
 Just as an aside, I took the pulse and my H10 to a local meet and used the wall wart. Lots of folks listened to the setup, both with the balanced out of the Pulse and from the H10 balanced out from the Pulse. There were no negative comments. Of course there was no A/B with different supplies.


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm, I only have a vague idea of what you are talking about. Have to search these items and find about about them. None of this gear is a $1k LPS, though, but sounds like you get a similar benefit, if I get it.


----------



## doctorjazz

I have a Geek Out Special Edition, plugged into my PC (with a Regen in between), always wondered if LPS would improve the sound (I already love the way it sounds). I also have the MicroZOTL 2 amp, also said to sound better with a. LPS (one by Mojo has been mentioned often). Even the Regen is said to sound better with an upgraded power supply.


----------



## mandrake50

doctorjazz said:


> Hmmm, I only have a vague idea of what you are talking about. Have to search these items and find about about them. None of this gear is a $1k LPS, though, but sounds like you get a similar benefit, if I get it.


 

 Well, no 5 Volt supply. I am working on that part. Sometimes good enough is really good enough. With external 12 volt supplies, I just can't see that spending $1K from LHL is required (other than saying I have a $1K power supply). I could get a multiple voltage, adjustable Volt/Current 20 amp lab grade power supply for that (with 5 Volt 3 Amp out). It would be good for running lots of equipment other than the Pulse and Geek Out too.
 We have to remember that the Pulse and any audio device does a great deal of filtering and regulation internally. Getting clean power to the device is important, but there are many ways to do that, and do it as well or better, without spending $1K.


----------



## Maelob

i always wndered why making a product and then require to buy an lps. but after "again" reading the reviews the reviewrs rave about the improvements of the LPS. its almost a continious bombardment to keep buying more and more. However for now you can get great deals on used Lh labs LPS. i wonder how long the MSRPs will last


----------



## doctorjazz

Don't get it either, though some say sound is fine without the LPS, though all agree it id's better with it. I had am LPS4 in my initial pledges, gave it up when I went into Vi land. I didn't realize it was actually a pretty good deal (hadn't priced LPS units before that...sheesh, hadn't HEARD of LPS, or femto for that matter, before the campaigns). I bought a unit from Jays, much less expensive, wrong version for Geek Out. Sold it, wonder how those are working out...


----------



## eliwankenobi

So its official ! All Pulse Infinity in 2.0 chassis will ship by the end of September!! 

So I take it really means around mid-October? (LOL! Sorry LH Labs)


----------



## mtruong34

eliwankenobi said:


> So its official ! All Pulse Infinity in 2.0 chassis will ship by the end of September!!
> 
> So I take it really means around mid-October? (LOL! Sorry LH Labs)




Don't be sorry. It's probably true!


----------



## DSlayerZX

mtruong34 said:


> Don't be sorry. It's probably true!


 
 Hehe, i'll believe the email when I actually see the item at my door step.


----------



## doctorjazz

That must mean the Vi I'd only a year or 2 away...
(that's OK, gives me longer to figure out what to tell my wife when it comes...).


----------



## eac3

eliwankenobi said:


> So its official ! All Pulse Infinity in 2.0 chassis will ship by the end of September!!
> 
> So I take it really means around mid-October? (LOL! Sorry LH Labs)


 
  
 What's crazy is that it says "delivered" by the end of September. I am sure that's a typo.
  
 There was nothing said about the Lightspeed 2G cables.


----------



## mandrake50

eac3 said:


> What's crazy is that it says "delivered" by the end of September. I am sure that's a typo.
> 
> There was nothing said about the Lightspeed 2G cables.


 

 You mean the cables that they last promised would be shipped by the end of August???  After originally promising some time in July... those cables?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So they say my Tube HPA will be January 2016 (according to new update)
  
 So it will be Spring the latest...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
 I'll have to keep my Reflektor tubes at the moment.


----------



## snip3r77

eac3 said:


> What's crazy is that it says "delivered" by the end of September. I am sure that's a typo.
> 
> There was nothing said about the Lightspeed 2G cables.




Can anyone from LH Labs advise when is the ETA?
Prev update is mid Aug.


----------



## AxelCloris

LH Labs has officially launched the Pulse Analog Components campaign on IGG. Those who have already backed a Pulse HPA, Pulse Preamp, or Pulse Amplifier may want to subscribe to the campaign to get updates as they're announced.
  
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-pre-order/


----------



## greenkiwi

Does anyone know the differences between the two tube offerings? 

JJ E88CC/6922
V
Electro-Harmonix 6922


----------



## bhazard

greenkiwi said:


> Does anyone know the differences between the two tube offerings?
> 
> JJ E88CC/6922
> V
> Electro-Harmonix 6922


 
 Both are cheap and readily available. EH is warmer and a good all around.


----------



## mscott58

greenkiwi said:


> Does anyone know the differences between the two tube offerings?
> 
> JJ E88CC/6922
> V
> Electro-Harmonix 6922


 
 From doing a quick check online the deal on the EH's seems to be pretty good, but the JJ's can be had for cheaper a number of places. Both of these I believe are also still in production. 
  
 For double the money of the JJ's you can wade into the arena of much more highly regarded NOS (New Old Stock) tubes such as the Mullards and Voskhod's. 
  
 Also know that the HPA with the 6922 slot can not only use the E88CC tubes but also the E188CC, 6N23P, 7308 and 6DJ8 (to name a few). Lot's of options for these tubes. Oh, the joys and frustrations of tube rolling!

Cheers


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> From doing a quick check online the deal on the EH's seems to be pretty good, but the JJ's can be had for cheaper a number of places. Both of these I believe are also still in production.
> 
> For double the money of the JJ's you can wade into the arena of much more highly regarded NOS (New Old Stock) tubes such as the Mullards and Voskhod's.
> 
> ...




The key thing to remember about the JJ pair is that they're matched. Matched sets are often a good deal more expensive than just buying 2 single units from a vendor. They're about $20 each from what I saw, so the question is how much the backer values the matching.


----------



## eac3

mandrake50 said:


> You mean the cables that they last promised would be shipped by the end of August???  After originally promising some time in July... those cables?


 
  
  
 I think so. I hope they do come at the same time with my Pulse. I am eager to jump off this ride.


----------



## Ultimate Mango

Has anyone here successfully returned a Pulse to LH Labs? I had inquired about the return policy, recalling that we could return things with which we were not satisfied. However, apparently you can't actually ever return or exchange products that you got via the IGG campaigns? 
Seems a little fishy, and I wonder if anyone here knows the secret phrase to use to just get a refund and move on...


----------



## greenkiwi

axelcloris said:


> The key thing to remember about the JJ pair is that they're matched. Matched sets are often a good deal more expensive than just buying 2 single units from a vendor. They're about $20 each from what I saw, so the question is how much the backer values the matching.




I believe it is $20 for the pair.


----------



## mscott58

axelcloris said:


> The key thing to remember about the JJ pair is that they're matched. Matched sets are often a good deal more expensive than just buying 2 single units from a vendor. They're about $20 each from what I saw, so the question is how much the backer values the matching.




Good point Brian, although the places I looked also provided matching as well in the price.

However, I've found there can be a pretty wide range of what matching means across tube suppliers. 

Cheers


----------



## kenman345

Not to stop the Tube talk, but has anyone got the Gungnir Multi-Bit and A Pulse X Infinity? I was wondering how the DAC 's stack up.


----------



## NinjaHamster

kenman345 said:


> Not to stop the Tube talk, but has anyone got the Gungnir Multi-Bit and A Pulse X Infinity? I was wondering how the DAC 's stack up.




I'd also be interested in this.


----------



## foreverzer0

ninjahamster said:


> I'd also be interested in this.


 
 Same. Even comparisons with the Yggdrasil would be nice.


----------



## mandrake50

axelcloris said:


> LH Labs has officially launched the Pulse Analog Components campaign on IGG. Those who have already backed a Pulse HPA, Pulse Preamp, or Pulse Amplifier may want to subscribe to the campaign to get updates as they're announced.
> 
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-pre-order/


 

 I notice that they do not offer the Solid State HPA on that page.. I wonder if the intend to produce it going forward? I got in for one, I wonder if this will turn in to another situation where I will be forced to upgrade (??) to a tube amp if I want to get anything.
 I am considering getting another ACX0I module. Does anyone remember them saying that they would upgrade Infinity  (or was it all very early pledgers) to the #2 ACX-I module? The current deal to get #3 with a pledge/pre-order for a #5.  I hate to get into this further, but as I should be on the books for an SS HPA, the flexibility would be nice.


----------



## AxelCloris

mandrake50 said:


> I notice that they do not offer the Solid State HPA on that page.. I wonder if the intend to produce it going forward? I got in for one, I wonder if this will turn in to another situation where I will be forced to upgrade (??) to a tube amp if I want to get anything.


 
  
 I'm not sure. Historically when something has been offered in one campaign and not in another, LH Labs has said that the people who backed it will get the item and it's not available to new backers. That's not always the case, though. Sometimes there are so few orders of an item that it gets shelved completely, like with certain Wave and Pulse configurations. I guess we'll have to wait for an official announcement from LH Labs.


----------



## mscott58

mandrake50 said:


> I notice that they do not offer the Solid State HPA on that page.. I wonder if the intend to produce it going forward? I got in for one, I wonder if this will turn in to another situation where I will be forced to upgrade (??) to a tube amp if I want to get anything.
> I am considering getting another ACX0I module. Does anyone remember them saying that they would upgrade Infinity  (or was it all very early pledgers) to the #2 ACX-I module? The current deal to get #3 with a pledge/pre-order for a #5.  I hate to get into this further, but as I should be on the books for an SS HPA, the flexibility would be nice.


 
 Larry mentioned something in the IGG comments section about more info about the HPA SS coming out next week.
  
 Also Mktx had some more direct words in his comments:
  
_"The answer is categorically no, Larry did mention it on the new force web site. They feel that the amount of backers requiring the SS version is not high enough, He did say that they may keep the option when going to retail but you know how it works; at a greater cost."_
  
 Let's see how they handle this one.


----------



## mandrake50

I surely do hope that we will not end up in one of those situations like happened with the Wave 32. I also really do not want to buy more modules for a unit that I will never receive. Of course, by next week, the deal will have expired...
  
 Got to love LHL.. or not.


----------



## mscott58

mandrake50 said:


> I surely do hope that we will not end up in one of those situations like happened with the Wave 32. I also really do not want to buy more modules for a unit that I will never receive. Of course, by next week, the deal will have expired...
> 
> Got to love LHL.. or not.




Amen to your concern about the timing...


----------



## pedalhead

Tip of the hat to you guys still throwing money at these campaigns...braver than I !


----------



## doublea71

pedalhead said:


> Tip of the hat to you guys still throwing money at these campaigns...braver than I !


 

 Doing the exact same thing and expecting a different result? It's called something other than bravery!


----------



## mandrake50

I call it stupidity... along with the more typical insanity term, while pointing a finger at myself. Guilty as charged.
 However, I already gave them money for the HPA... if I will ever get it, the module price of $170 for two is not bad. I have several times more in tubes that mostly just sit in their boxes.


----------



## Maelob

i origianlly contributed to the m-100 by accident and never got a refund. So i contribuuted to another one to complete the set. now they are asking me to play extra money to upgrade to M-200. i just asked again if i could get a refund. will see what they say.


----------



## kenman345

I just wish the HPA was in the Chassis #1 instead of C2. Well, SS in C1 would be my top choice for a unit if I was gonna get one.


----------



## snip3r77

Once bitten twice shy hehe.


----------



## greenkiwi

snip3r77 said:


> Once bitten twice shy hehe.




Maybe they like to get bitten...


----------



## vnmslsrbms

snip3r77 said:


> Once bitten twice shy hehe.




Great White!
[VIDEO]http://youtu.be/Bz61YQWZuYU[/VIDEO]


----------



## pedalhead

Hi all. Dan @mrspeakers made an interesting comment on the Ether thread about break in for the Pulse Infinity... http://www.head-fi.org/t/760249/mrspeakers-ether-impressions-thread/1845#post_11899623
  
 We exchanged brief words about it at London Canjam so I presume I'm one of the two other owners he's spoken to about it.  I definitely experienced the same thing...the Infinity went from sounding really closed in and frankly unpleasant to far more open and generally better all around after some days of 24/7 running in (I don't recall precisely how many - more than a few, less than 10 I think).
  
 Worth bearing in mind for anyone who's not immediately blown away by their Pulse (although obviously I can't say if this same running in period applies to other versions).


----------



## ejong7

pedalhead said:


> Hi all. Dan @mrspeakers made an interesting comment on the Ether thread about break in for the Pulse Infinity... http://www.head-fi.org/t/760249/mrspeakers-ether-impressions-thread/1845#post_11899623
> 
> We exchanged brief words about it at London Canjam so I presume I'm one of the two other owners he's spoken to about it.  I definitely experienced the same thing...the Infinity went from sounding really closed in and frankly unpleasant to far more open and generally better all around after some days of 24/7 running in (I don't recall precisely how many - more than a few, less than 10 I think).
> 
> Worth bearing in mind for anyone who's not immediately blown away by their Pulse (although obviously I can't say if this same running in period applies to other versions).


 
  
 Think I'm the other one. We've been going on about it since Thursday night before Canjam lmao. And yes it went from 'why did I pay for this' to 'why arent people paying for this'. 150hours I would say was roughly what it took for that to happen.


----------



## gikigill

My MadDogs Pro are fantastic with the Geek Pulse Xfi. Took a while to settle down but pitch black background, huge soundstage, textured bass and silky midrange. Can't really ask for more.


----------



## longbowbbs

ejong7 said:


> pedalhead said:
> 
> 
> > Hi all. Dan @mrspeakers made an interesting comment on the Ether thread about break in for the Pulse Infinity... http://www.head-fi.org/t/760249/mrspeakers-ether-impressions-thread/1845#post_11899623
> ...


 
 No question it needs  solid week of break in. Also from comments Larry has made, it seem the Femto clocks are much happier when fully warm. I never turn mine off and it sound wonderful.


----------



## atsq17

I'm being blown away by the Ether out of the "crap" headphone out (balanced) on the Pulse Infinity. I can't wait for the LC to take me to another level altogether.


----------



## snip3r77

longbowbbs said:


> No question it needs  solid week of break in. Also from comments Larry has made, it seem the Femto clocks are much happier when fully warm. I never turn mine off and it sound wonderful.




Nowadays when I come back from work I will turn the pulse on to let it stabilize


----------



## eliwankenobi

atsq17 said:


> I'm being blown away by the Ether out of the "crap" headphone out (balanced) on the Pulse Infinity. I can't wait for the LC to take me to another level altogether.




Really? Crap? C'mon! The Ethers should get quite loud with the Pulse's 3W amp


----------



## Drsparis

So who thinks the Infinity's will actually arrive by the end of the month? would be freaking awesome but....


----------



## eliwankenobi

I for one don't count on it. Nothing against LH Labs. It's just the reality! I certainly hope they surprise me as I should be one of the firsts to back up the Pulse


----------



## jaywhar

With the announcement of the new Apple remote, what happens with that functionality of the Pulse now? Is the new remote going to work? Or will the old type continue to be sold?


----------



## mscott58

jaywhar said:


> With the announcement of the new Apple remote, what happens with that functionality of the Pulse now? Is the new remote going to work? Or will the old type continue to be sold?


 
 Not sure about the new one, but I have the feeling the old ones will be available on eBay for a long time...


----------



## Drsparis

Did they ever add functionality to it? Last I checked it was for like volume only, no switching songs or something (I remember thinking it was kinda useless)


----------



## jbr1971

drsparis said:


> Did they ever add functionality to it? Last I checked it was for like volume only, no switching songs or something (I remember thinking it was kinda useless)


 
  
 The only interaction the Apple Remote has ever had with the Pulse has been volume control, and access to the menus for changing settings.
  
 Jody


----------



## miceblue

miceblue said:


> So if the 1G sounds limp, thin, and boring, how does a printer cable sound?



Fuuuuuuu........
I tried out the LH Labs Demo program with the LightSpeed 10G Split cable. This cable destroys the 1G cable (which sounds the same as my printer cable).

Audirvana Plus + LightSpeed 10G Split + LPS4 + Pulse X Infinity + SRS-2170
Holy smokes this system reminds me a lot of the SR-009/Blue Hawaii combo I heard. This doesn't sound like a typical Delta-Sigma DAC system any more either.

What sorcery is this?

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIpfWORQWhU[/video]


----------



## uncola

split usb cable = r2r sound?   I'm skeptical.  do you have the 2g cable too?  is it an improvement over that?  using any wyrd/regen type things?


----------



## miceblue

It adds instrument separation, layering, and solidified imaging on my system, which I've generally heard more on R-2R DACs than Delta-Sigma ones. The dynamic range seems to increase a bit too, having more bass impact and a less grainy-sounding treble. It's kind of hard to describe other than that...and if you're reading this, you'll see that I say basically the same thing for the LPS versus switching power supply except I think this difference is more dramatic maybe. I'll have to do some more testing later when I get the chance.

That and it seems to reduce the glare, or what of it exists, of the typical ESS Sabre DACs. Not that I think their implementation of the AQ2M sounds glarey or anything, just that it sounds much smoother overall when using the 10G split cable versus the one 1G cable.

I don't have 2G cable with me unfortunately. I backed one and should receive another from the THD perk. I also joined the 2G demo program but only 1 demo product can be checked out at a time.


I don't have experience with regenerators/reclockers.


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Not sure about the new one, but I have the feeling the old ones will be available on eBay for a long time...


 
  
 It'll be available in Apple stores and online for a long time still. It's used with the entry level AppleTV, MacBooks, iMacs... I don't see that remote going anywhere.
  


jaywhar said:


> With the announcement of the new Apple remote, what happens with that functionality of the Pulse now? Is the new remote going to work? Or will the old type continue to be sold?


 
  
 There's no reason to get the new remote over the older one, save the few extra bucks and spend that on some music.


----------



## kenman345

jaywhar said:


> With the announcement of the new Apple remote, what happens with that functionality of the Pulse now? Is the new remote going to work? Or will the old type continue to be sold?


 
 New Remote should work but bit a bit overly excessive and useless. The remote is listed to have IR in it but the new updates to it mean it will have a lot of things that simply will not be used when controlling your Pulse unit. Maybe that can change in a firmware update to the front panel on the C2 models but otherwise its going to stay exactly like this.


----------



## mscott58

uncola said:


> split usb cable = r2r sound?   I'm skeptical.  do you have the 2g cable too?  is it an improvement over that?  using any wyrd/regen type things?


 
 I've got the 10G split and also using the Regen, and the addition of each piece of the system has been a noticeable upgrade.


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> uncola said:
> 
> 
> > split usb cable = r2r sound?   I'm skeptical.  do you have the 2g cable too?  is it an improvement over that?  using any wyrd/regen type things?
> ...


 
 10G is the best USB I have used. Very noticeable improvement in soundstage depth and width.


----------



## JamesBr

jaywhar said:


> With the announcement of the new Apple remote, what happens with that functionality of the Pulse now? Is the new remote going to work? Or will the old type continue to be sold?


 
  
 The old one wont go away soon that's for sure


----------



## Chefano

Well, after 4 moths travelling abroad yesterday I was back home and finally could unbox my Pulse Infinity, Yay!
 I must confess, after all those LH delays the new product excitement was gone.
 Left pulse connected on LPS overnight and tried it this morning with my picky 9 year old fellow K701, I must confess as well it just put an big smile on my face. This is one of the best pairings of K701 Ive heard. The pulse drives the K701 effortless even in low volumes lots of details, space, the bass hits hard! Thumbs up! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Moved to the TH900, would it put an double smile on my face? To my surprise, not.. TH900 and pulse did not get well, TH900 lost its beautiful details that I have when plugged directly into ZX2, It was kind muffled.. maybe I need to test with another gain+digital filter combo.
  
 Is it worth the wait + the price paid? I think not,  As a R2R freak I would probably go with Yggy/Rag combo.
  
 Lets back to the music!


----------



## Chefano

uncola said:


> split usb cable = r2r sound?   I'm skeptical.  do you have the 2g cable too?  is it an improvement over that?  using any wyrd/regen type things?


 

 I have the 2G and 1G connected to my system, and that was one of the first things Ive tried... no difference at all.
 As an engineer Im not a believer that a high end (AKA 10G) differs from a good one.
 To avoid self biasing, one day I really would like to be part of a double-blind usb cables trial!


----------



## pedalhead

I'd agree that Yggdrasil is a great option at the price, but I'm personally happy with the Pulse Infinity at the early backer price I paid. As mentioned recently on this thread though... burn in is real on the Pulse Infinity IMHO. Let it run for a week and then see what you think.


----------



## wahsmoh

chefano said:


> Well, after 4 moths travelling abroad yesterday I was back home and finally could unbox my Pulse Infinity, Yay!
> I must confess, after all those LH delays the new product excitement was gone.
> Left pulse connected on LPS overnight and tried it this morning with my picky 9 year old fellow K701, I must confess as well it just put an big smile on my face. This is one of the best pairings of K701 Ive heard. The pulse drives the K701 effortless even in low volumes lots of details, space, the bass hits hard! Thumbs up!
> 
> ...


 

 That's interesting. I am an R2R freak too and the one brief time I heard the Pulse Infinity awhile back I actually enjoyed it more than any other delta-sigma that was at CanJam. It's a bit pricey though and I would put my money out there that a vintage R2R DAC from the 90s could give it a run for its money. I'm talking about qualitative enjoyment. Still though, if you are an early backer and got a solid price less than the $3000 MSRP then it is probably the best D-S implementation of the Sabre 32 at it's price range (consider the Kalliope, Ayre QB-9, Wyred4Sound DAC2 etc.)


----------



## ejong7

chefano said:


> Well, after 4 moths travelling abroad yesterday I was back home and finally could unbox my Pulse Infinity, Yay!
> I must confess, after all those LH delays the new product excitement was gone.
> Left pulse connected on LPS overnight and tried it this morning with my picky 9 year old fellow K701, I must confess as well it just put an big smile on my face. This is one of the best pairings of K701 Ive heard. The pulse drives the K701 effortless even in low volumes lots of details, space, the bass hits hard! Thumbs up!
> 
> ...


 

 About the pairing with the TH900..... trust me after some burn in you'll definitely feel it. At least I did!


----------



## miceblue

Multibit Gungnir vs Yggdrasil vs X Infinity comparisons later today. This ought to be interesting.


----------



## longbowbbs

miceblue said:


> Multibit Gungnir vs Yggdrasil vs X Infinity comparisons later today. This ought to be interesting.


----------



## pedalhead

+1  

what's the amp?


----------



## miceblue

Probably the Ragnarok for normal headphones, SRM-252S for my SR-207.


----------



## pedalhead

Excellent, cheers. Looking forward to your impressions.


----------



## NinjaHamster

Can't wait!


----------



## miceblue

Okay no Multibit Gungnir today, but 2 Yggys instead: one hot, one cold.


----------



## doctorjazz

Cool (or hot...)


----------



## Ultimate Mango

miceblue said:


> Okay no Multibit Gungnir today, but 2 Yggys instead: one hot, one cold.



Nnnoooooo the laws of thermodynamics clearly state that these devices will eventually reach equilibrium. You need some sort of cooling unit cooling one and piping the waste heat to the other to keep the temps different. 

But seriously, post impressions please.


I was excited to get my Xfi for a second, but am probably just going to send it back unopened.


----------



## miceblue

That...was very interesting to do.


MacBook + Audirvana Plus (no upsampling, hog mode, integer mode) + CD rips
LightSpeed 1G cable
Pulse X Infinity (powered by LPS4; warmed up for at least 4 hours; Femto Time Mode) or Yggdrasil (not sure what the power cable was; already warmed up and hot-transported to the meet via uninterruptible power supply)
KabelDirekt Pro Series RCA cable
STAX SRS-2170 (powered by LPS4)

For me, (warmed up) Yggdrasil > X Infinity with the 1G cable, but only slightly. I still hold my opinion that the X Infinity is one of the finest Delta-Sigma DAC implementations I've ever heard. My MacBook wasn't recognising the Yggy with the 10G Split cable, so I ditched that and used a single 1G cable instead1, in which the Yggy was instantly recognised.

From what I heard, the Yggy has a narrower soundstage, but a soundstage that's deeper and offers better instrument separation and layering than the X Infinity. In terms of dynamics, the Yggy also sounds slightly more dynamic, offering a deeper, more pronounced bass with some warmth, and treble that sounds smoother and not as grainy. Switching from the Yggy to the X Infinity, the soundstage and layering seems to get flattened in terms of depth, but seems wider and slightly taller. The bass also becomes slightly less present and the highs have a kind of etchy sound that many describe for Delta-Sigma DACs.

Still, after these tests, I'm not complaining about the X Infinity's sound at all and I'm quite happy with it. Comparing the two side-by-side was a fortuitous experience for me since not everyone gets to compare a, in my opinion, very high-quality Delta-Sigma DAC to an equally, in my opinion, high-quality R-2R DAC. Both DACs are excellent. It will be interesting to put the Multibit Gungnir in the mix for future comparisons.




Another member in the meet today has an X Infinity but with the older ESS 9018K2M chips I believe and he thought that DAC chip sounded slightly more warm compared to the more analytical AQ2M chip that my X Infinity has. I didn't do the comparisons myself though so take that with a grain of salt.

Another member thought the 9018K2M X Infinity sounded similar to the Benchmark DAC2 HGC/LightSpeed 10G/cryogenic-treated power cable/vibration-resistant feet.



1 I did a 10-trial blind test between the 10G Split cable and a $50 Supra cable and failed it pretty bad (5/10 I think), but hopefully I can do another test later under more ideal listening conditions, and with more time.
http://www.custom-cable.co.uk/supra-usb-cable-usb-a-usb-b.html

iPad Mini + Neutron music player
Lightning Apple Camera Connection Kit
LightSpeed 10G Split (power coming from LPS4) or Supra
Pulse X Infinity
HE-560 with 4-PIN XLR balanced cable

When doing A/B tests between the 1G and Supra cable, I thought the 1G sounded pretty similar to the Supra, which I later tested and failed to distinguish between the 10G Split.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I don't know how can I fit Ygg + Rag on my desktop.... It is as large as my printer.
  
 For the size(old chassis) + price (IGG) + performance + features, Xfinity is way on top.


----------



## miceblue

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I don't know how can I fit Ygg + Rag on my desktop.... It is as large as my printer.
> 
> For the size(old chassis) + price (IGG) + performance + features, Xfinity is way on top.



Yeah, the Yggdrasil is massive (more than twice the length and a little longer than the LPS's original chassis). I don't know where I'd put it with my current space.


And yeah, it is nice to have a DAC that can play basically any music file thrown at it, while still sounding great.


----------



## pedalhead

Good stuff, MB. Interesting to hear your USB cable listening results as well. 

I'd agree that the X Infinity dac, from a sound quality point of view, is top notch and is certainly well up there with the likes of the DAC212. 

Did you notice any slight bump around 7 to 10kHz on the Pulse?


----------



## miceblue

pedalhead said:


> Good stuff, MB. Interesting to hear your USB cable listening results as well.
> 
> I'd agree that the X Infinity dac, from a sound quality point of view, is top notch and is certainly well up there with the likes of the DAC212.
> 
> Did you notice any slight bump around 7 to 10kHz on the Pulse?



Yeah I was surprised about the results myself, hahaha. I thought I nailed down the signature of the 10G Split, but evidently maybe not.

7-10 kHz? Maybe a little yeah. Compared to the Yggdrasil, I think the treble region in general seems a bit boosted and somewhat grainy. The Yggy is pretty silky smooth up on top there.


----------



## pedalhead

Cheers yeah that's my impression of the Yggdrasil as well... super smooth but still detailed. I hear a slight bump in that region on the Pulse compared to the (ruler flat) DAC212. It's not necessarily an unpleasant thing as it does give the Pulse a slightly increased sense of "air", but if one is after a totally neutral dac then I'd suggest the Pulse isn't it. It's also clearly not just an ESS9018 thing as the DAC212 uses the same chip. 

It'll be interesting to see if you hear any differences between the two generations of the sabre chip.


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> Another member in the meet today has an X Infinity but with the older ESS 9018K2M chips I believe and he thought that DAC chip sounded slightly more warm compared to the more analytical AQ2M chip that my X Infinity has. I didn't do the comparisons myself though so take that with a grain of salt.
> 
> Another member thought the 9018K2M X Infinity sounded similar to the Benchmark DAC2 HGC/LightSpeed 10G/cryogenic-treated power cable/vibration-resistant feet.


 
  
 How can you tell if it is an old chip or not? I thought Casey said the Infinity were all aq2m chips?
  
 Also I seem to recall that Larry felt the new chip sounded warmer?


----------



## Madeupword

Feeling rather prideful to be an Infinity owner.


----------



## mscott58

nudd said:


> How can you tell if it is an old chip or not? I thought Casey said the Infinity were all aq2m chips?
> 
> Also I seem to recall that Larry felt the new chip sounded warmer?




Agree. I think all Infinities had the newer chip. Cheers


----------



## marflao

Hmm... seems I spend $22 too much then.


----------



## snip3r77

mscott58 said:


> I've got the 10G split and also using the Regen, and the addition of each piece of the system has been a noticeable upgrade.




I'm considering the the uptone . does it provide significsnt improvement all across the board ?


----------



## FayeForever

Thanks for the impression, good to know the promising result.
 Yeah the Rag/Yggy is huge, and you won't believe how much heat Rag is outputting.


----------



## atsq17

miceblue said:


> That...was very interesting to do.
> 
> MacBook + Audirvana Plus (no upsampling, hog mode, integer mode) + CD rips
> LightSpeed 1G cable
> ...


 
  
  
 If you still have it set up and have access to an Audiophilleo 1 or 2, I find that it tops any USB cable (I have the 10G working). 
  
 I find that the 1G is actually a low end cable that is easily poorer than the 2G and the 10G. I find it to be devoid of body and bass. It makes things sound really thin. 
  
 Would be really cool if you managed to try the test with an Audiophilleo or at least a better USB cable than the 1G. 
  
 Thanks for your findings though. Really interesting stuff.


----------



## uncola

if anything that makes me want that Supra cable


----------



## mscott58

snip3r77 said:


> I'm considering the the uptone . does it provide significsnt improvement all across the board ?


 
 It's a bit like the proverbial "window cleaner" audiophile product, taking everything that is good and making it even more clear and better defined. For example when a note appears and then recedes, with the Regen the distance it is going is further, like the depth is deeper and the peak is a bit sharper. It's kind of hard to describe and I'm not doing a good job here. Will work on my wording better when I do my review. In the meantime I suggest going to the Regen thread here and also over to "CA" as there's been a ton of discussion of the Regen over there with those "computer-focused" audio types. Cheers


----------



## germay0653

snip3r77 said:


> I'm considering the the uptone . does it provide significsnt improvement all across the board ?


 

 It did with my setup but that's me.  If I get anything, subjectively, over 5% - 10% improvement I consider it significant. With the REGEN in my system there is more detail, pinpoint imaging and better timbral accuracy.  I was pleasantly surprised at the improvement and would be disappointed if it were taken out of my system.  It's well worth the price paid.  Now I have to wait for the new power "whateveritis" that Alex and John have cooked up.


----------



## doctorjazz

Use it with the Geek Out Special Edition, get improvements similar to those described.


----------



## germay0653

Anybody see the ad in the latest TAS issue with a picture of the new Sire DAC?  Sure is a sweet looking chassis!!


----------



## longbowbbs

germay0653 said:


> Anybody see the ad in the latest TAS issue with a picture of the new Sire DAC?  Sure is a sweet looking chassis!!


 
 I just saw that yesterday. It looked more impressive than the parts I saw when I was there in July. Can't wait to hear one.


----------



## nudd

atsq17 said:


> If you still have it set up and have access to an Audiophilleo 1 or 2, I find that it tops any USB cable (I have the 10G working).
> 
> I find that the 1G is actually a low end cable that is easily poorer than the 2G and the 10G. I find it to be devoid of body and bass. It makes things sound really thin.
> 
> ...


 
  
 So how do we get our hands on the mythical 2G cable which we have been promised since forever ... 
  
 I still find it hard to understand how, with the LHL triple buffer technology, all these regen stuff is helping, because the triple buffer is supposed to be able get rid of jitter to the point of irrelevance, right? Unless the LHL USB implementation and triple buffer is not all that good to begin with ...


----------



## Zenifyx

nudd said:


> So how do we get our hands on the mythical 2G cable which we have been promised since forever ...
> 
> I still find it hard to understand how, with the LHL triple buffer technology, all these regen stuff is helping, because the triple buffer is supposed to be able get rid of jitter to the point of irrelevance, right? Unless the LHL USB implementation and triple buffer is not all that good to begin with ...




Or it could just be the placebo effect. 
Can't rule out that possibility without a double blind test.


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> How can you tell if it is an old chip or not? I thought Casey said the Infinity were all aq2m chips?
> 
> Also I seem to recall that Larry felt the new chip sounded warmer?



Yeah I'm not sure how to tell if it's the old or new DAC chip. I was under the impression all X Infinity units had the new one as well, so I found that kind of strange when it was mentioned.





atsq17 said:


> If you still have it set up and have access to an Audiophilleo 1 or 2, I find that it tops any USB cable (I have the 10G working).
> 
> I find that the 1G is actually a low end cable that is easily poorer than the 2G and the 10G. I find it to be devoid of body and bass. It makes things sound really thin.
> 
> ...



I don't have the setup right now since the iPad transport and Supra cable weren't mine, but the owner lives close enough that we may have another go at it. My schedule is pretty cramped though.

I thought the 1G sounded pretty poor against the 10G myself, until I tried that test and now I may just be having it all in my head, maybe. XD
Very few people, actually I don't think I've seen a single person, around here do such tests, so it was interesting for me to do it myself.

I haven't heard the Audiophilleo before, nor seen one in person. The owner of the Supra owns an UpTone Regen, and a few people in the meet yesterday agreed that that Regen does have a noticeable difference when put into the audio chain. From what I recall during yesterday's discussion, the Regen does impedance matching such that it minimises the effects of poor-tolerance USB cables by reclocking and regenerating the signal to the proper USB specifications (90-ohms).

I have no idea what Light Harmonic's "3L Buffer" does.


miceblue said:


> Oh, I just found a bit of information about what the 3L buffer might be.
> http://www.lightharmonic.com/davinci.html
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Joe-Siow

Sold the Pulse Fi and replaced it with an XFI, having heard what the Fi was capable of. Pretty pleased with the dual mono upgrade so far.


----------



## Black sound

So i got my lps4, now wating for infinity, no pun inteded! Ordered  Nov. last year.


----------



## wingsounds13

Black sound, I hope to get my Pulse X∞ a bit before you do as my first Pulse DAC contribution was in the first campaign on Dec. 21, 2013, about 11 months before yours. You talk about waiting for infinity??  I have only been waiting about 21 months. Yes, I too chose the 2.0 chassis and could have had my infinity for a while now if I had chosen the old (1.0) chassis. I accept that this is a choice that has made me wait a while longer to receive my Pulse.

J.P.


----------



## Black sound

I meant to say i ordered the lps4 last Nov. That's what happen when you (i) edit too much - the meaning get lost. I had been waiting for it to arrive all day, so i was a bit tired. My Infinity was order late Oct. 2013 i think, but i have some tempoary hearing loss (hopefully tempoary) ,so i can easily wait!


----------



## germay0653

wingsounds13 said:


> Black sound, I hope to get my Pulse X∞ a bit before you do as my first Pulse DC contribution was in the first campaign on Dec. 21, 2013, about 11 months before yours. You talk about waiting for infinity??
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Right there with you J.P.!  Nov 4, 2013 for me.


----------



## slingshot80

They should be shipping now so we should be receiving them soon. I inquired at the end of July and they said mine would ship at the end of this month or early October.  Quite frankly I don't think they should release new products until they have satisfied old orders. This invariably has delayed the building and shipment of this DAC. As I purchased another DAC, I will be selling it as soon as I receive it.


----------



## frankrondaniel

slingshot80 said:


> They should be shipping now so we should be receiving them soon. I inquired at the end of July and they said mine would ship at the end of this month or early October.  Quite frankly I don't think they should release new products until they have satisfied old orders. This invariably has delayed the building and shipment of this DAC. As I purchased another DAC, I will be selling it as soon as I receive it.


 
  
 Out of curiosity, which DAC did you buy in the interim?  I'm asking mainly because you may be surprised by the Pulse once you receive it and give it a chance.  You may not want to sell it!


----------



## slingshot80

Aqua LaScala Version 2, sounds great, a lot more expensive.


----------



## frankrondaniel

slingshot80 said:


> Aqua LaScala Version 2, sounds great, a lot more expensive.


 
  
 It think it would certainly be worth the time to keep the Pulse long enough to at least do a comparison.  It would be interesting to see how they compare.


----------



## slingshot80

Well, I want to sell it in an unopened box so it is brand new.


----------



## pedalhead

slingshot80 said:


> Well, I want to sell it in an unopened box so it is brand new.




Honestly, I think considering some of the QC issues with the Pulse, you'd be better off opening and testing it so you can sell as a known good unit. The warranty isn't transferable, so if you're unlucky enough to get one of the dodgy ones you could send it back, whilst your buyer would be SOL.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

They're not exactly hot items on the used market, due to the aforementioned issues.  Probably should at least enjoy it a little.  It's not going to impact your resale value any if at all.


----------



## FayeForever

> Larry Ho 9 hours ago
> 
> 
> Hi, Backers
> ...


 
  
 Larry updated in the IGG page, let's hope LH can really deliver all infinity by the end of this month.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Sorry for OT
  
 Finally I had found a use for my 2m 1G usb cable.....
  
  
 To my new Epson WF-7620DTWF printer


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Sorry for OT
> 
> Finally I had found a use for my 2m 1G usb cable.....
> 
> ...


 

 Hmmmm....Not sure how to take that one Michael!


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Sorry for OT
> 
> Finally I had found a use for my 2m 1G usb cable.....
> 
> ...




LOL!


----------



## longbowbbs

Best sounding printer I have ever heard!


----------



## AxelCloris

longbowbbs said:


> Best sounding printer I have ever heard!


 

 I dunno, I'm hearing a ton of noise from it.


----------



## mscott58

longbowbbs said:


> Best sounding printer I have ever heard!




Great jam session!


----------



## longbowbbs

mscott58 said:


> longbowbbs said:
> 
> 
> > Best sounding printer I have ever heard!
> ...


----------



## doctorjazz

Sounds kinda flat and one dimensional...


----------



## germay0653

There's no color!


----------



## snip3r77

germay0653 said:


> There's no color!




Is there a slot somewhere to include in a tube?


----------



## snip3r77

germay0653 said:


> It did with my setup but that's me.  If I get anything, subjectively, over 5% - 10% improvement I consider it significant. With the REGEN in my system there is more detail, pinpoint imaging and better timbral accuracy.  I was pleasantly surprised at the improvement and would be disappointed if it were taken out of my system.  It's well worth the price paid.  Now I have to wait for the new power "whateveritis" that Alex and John have cooked up.







mscott58 said:


> It's a bit like the proverbial "window cleaner" audiophile product, taking everything that is good and making it even more clear and better defined. For example when a note appears and then recedes, with the Regen the distance it is going is further, like the depth is deeper and the peak is a bit sharper. It's kind of hard to describe and I'm not doing a good job here. Will work on my wording better when I do my review. In the meantime I suggest going to the Regen thread here and also over to "CA" as there's been a ton of discussion of the Regen over there with those "computer-focused" audio types. Cheers




WOW..means the uptown is SIGNIFICANT.. wonder if I should wait for the PSU before I order as a set or is it just a normal LPS? This way I can just get a jay's ?


----------



## mscott58

snip3r77 said:


> WOW..means the uptown is SIGNIFICANT.. wonder if I should wait for the PSU before I order as a set or is it just a normal LPS? This way I can just get a jay's ?


 
 Full details on the PSU haven't been released yet. However, there's been a queue for the Regen for a while. September has been sold out, so now orders are shipping in October. Might want to get in line now? Cheers


----------



## greenkiwi

Well, I got shipping info for a pulse, just not sure if it is an Infinity or not...  it should be based on the address to which it's being shipped, but they don't always get their shipping addresses straight.
  
 Btw, does anyone know whether the 2G cables will be shipped with the Infinities?


----------



## NinjaHamster

No. The 2g cables have been out of stock for a while. They'll come later.


----------



## snip3r77

ninjahamster said:


> No. The 2g cables have been out of stock for a while. They'll come later.




Hopefully pretty soon


----------



## kenman345

snip3r77 said:


> Hopefully pretty soon


 
 If you order one new, I think they still have plenty 2m and 3m ones. I got a 2m cable nice and quick


----------



## greenkiwi

ninjahamster said:


> No. The 2g cables have been out of stock for a while. They'll come later.


 
 I was told that they would ship with the infinities.  Turns out that they are just shipping a vanilla pulse (and were shipping to the wrong location).  Luckily fixed.


----------



## snip3r77

kenman345 said:


> If you order one new, I think they still have plenty 2m and 3m ones. I got a 2m cable nice and quick




Mine is the 1m that comes with the infinity


----------



## kenman345

snip3r77 said:


> Mine is the 1m that comes with the infinity


 
 I meant that I got my 1m 1G cable with my Infinity but also have a 2 meter Lightspeed 2G I ordered from the store.


----------



## mandrake50

kenman345 said:


> I meant that I got my 1m 1G cable with my Infinity but also have a 2 meter Lightspeed 2G I ordered from the store.


 

 For what I tend to think is an exorbitant price. I suppose I will have a better frame of reference if/when I ever get the one that they owe me.


----------



## atsq17

For the benefit of all. Once and for all. Let's put this to bed. 

------------

Hi Larry,

This may have been addressed many many times before but just for one last clarification, are ALL old chassis Pulse Infinities using the AQ2M chip? I will post your response on the main Pulse Head-fi thread for all to see. Thanks Larry. 

Regards,


Andy. 

-----------

3 minutes ago
Larry Ho

Hi, Andy

Yes. Infinity Pulse use AQ2M no matter what kind of chassis it use.


----------



## pedalhead

Well that answers that then


----------



## NinjaHamster

Ah, the $22 question has been put to rest.


----------



## atsq17




----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

*At last....*


----------



## dclaz

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Sorry for OT
> 
> Finally I had found a use for my 2m 1G usb cable.....
> 
> ...


 
  
 Actually seeing this should probably highlight how ridiculous the idea of USB cables making any difference in sound quality really is. If anyone even remotely suggested that using a $1000 cable for their printer made the colours more vibrant or the fonts more crisper you'd call them insane.


----------



## NinjaHamster

Great argument as DACs and printers are direct equivalents in all ways. So what does the printer connected to your system sound like?


----------



## mscott58

dclaz said:


> Actually seeing this should probably highlight how ridiculous the idea of USB cables making any difference in sound quality really is. If anyone even remotely suggested that using a $1000 cable for their printer made the colours more vibrant or the fonts more crisper you'd call them insane.




Groan...not this again.


----------



## atsq17

dclaz said:


> Actually seeing this should probably highlight how ridiculous the idea of USB cables making any difference in sound quality really is. If anyone even remotely suggested that using a $1000 cable for their printer made the colours more vibrant or the fonts more crisper you'd call them insane.


 
  
 Completely missing the point of his joke.


----------



## greenkiwi

ninjahamster said:


> Ah, the $22 question has been put to rest.




I wonder if everyone had to pony up the $22 or if you chose not to upgrade you got it for free.


----------



## kenman345

greenkiwi said:


> I wonder if everyone had to pony up the $22 or if you chose not to upgrade you got it for free.


 
 Because they could use the confusion to their advantage


----------



## miceblue

Yeah it looks like my friend got the upgrade without having to pay for the $22 perk. Lucky!



Also, with all the talk about USB regens and whatnot, iFi just released this.
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-iusb3-0/


----------



## greenkiwi

It definitely looks interesting.


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Groan...not this again.


 

 Exactly Mike...printers and DACs are not exactly alike!  Yes, they receive data packets via a USB cable but how they each deal with it is very different.  For DAC's there is no error correction, they can't request a data packet to be resent because of errors in signal integrity or timing.  If the analog waveforms representing bits or the timing of them are off, the DAC has to interpret what it was supposed to represent and that will affect how your DAC sounds.


----------



## atsq17

greenkiwi said:


> I wonder if everyone had to pony up the $22 or if you chose not to upgrade you got it for free.


 
  
  
 I was right in the middle of a massive debate while this was going on so I can quickly shed some light with a quick summary. 
  
 1. LH Labs were only going to do AQ2M if they got enough support (only if 90% of pledges paid the $22). 
 2. For a while it looked like we were not going to get anywhere near the target and many of us complained that it was a ridiculous goal. 
 3. Many of us who were militantly adamant about getting the AQ2M actually started to chip in multiple times to try to push it there. 
 4. LH Labs tells us that it would be too expensive to do two versions but when Larry saw the uproar, he took it upon himself to design a second version just for those who wanted it so much. 
 5. After some thought, many of us asked Larry to just do the AQ2M version. Screw the "fairness" to those who contributed (I was one of those who did). It is for the greater good that all get the AQ2M than if NONE get the AQ2M. This was made worse by the fact that LH Labs initially wanted to DONATE our $22 which would not be going to AQ2M to a charity. Also, many of us didn't want Larry to do two designs and further delay everything else. 
 6. Many of us were not happy that we would lose our money and our dac upgrade so we kept asking for the AQ2M for everyone until they agreed. 
 7. After a while people started talking about two different versions and I started to question what really happened. I'm glad Larry put that to bed and that what I thought happen really did transpire. 
  
 Feel free to correct me if you remembered it some other way but this was from my point of view.


----------



## kenman345

atsq17 said:


> I was right in the middle of a massive debate while this was going on so I can quickly shed some light with a quick summary.
> 
> 1. LH Labs were only going to do AQ2M if they got enough support (only if 90% of pledges paid the $22).
> 2. For a while it looked like we were not going to get anywhere near the target and many of us complained that it was a ridiculous goal.
> ...


 
 Seems about right except for the part where i've heard reports that when people were getting those 20 units of the Infinities during the deals they ran a few weeks ago, they were asking for the $22 on top of the upgrade perk price to get the AQ2M.....yet another poor practice I am happy to leave behind soon enough.


----------



## atsq17

germay0653 said:


> Exactly Mike...printers and DACs are not exactly alike!  Yes, they receive data packets via a USB cable but how they each deal with it is very different.  For DAC's there is no error correction, they can't request a data packet to be resent because of errors in signal integrity or timing.  If the analog waveforms representing bits or the timing of them are off, the DAC has to interpret what it was supposed to represent and that will affect how your DAC sounds.


 
  
 Save your breath. Many of the 1s and 0s "digital can't possibly make a difference" crew get a lot of significance from trolling audio forums and are not interested in facts.   
  
 "I've never tried it before and have no idea how audio streaming works or jitter or any of that stuff but I want to have an opinion anyway! I, who assume to know everything, cannot fathom how a digital cable can change how music sounds and therefore all people who say they hear a difference are actually suffering from placebo effect. I only believe double blind tests that show results that I want to believe... bla bla bla" 
  
 Don't encourage them to fill this thread with more ill informed opinions.


----------



## kenman345

atsq17 said:


> Save your breath. Many of the 1s and 0s "digital can't possibly make a difference" crew get a lot of significance from trolling audio forums and are not interested in facts.
> 
> "I've never tried it before and have no idea how audio streaming works or jitter or any of that stuff but I want to have an opinion anyway! I, who assume to know everything, cannot fathom how a digital cable can change how music sounds and therefore all people who say they hear a difference are actually suffering from placebo effect. I only believe double blind tests that show results that I want to believe... bla bla bla"
> 
> Don't encourage them to fill this thread with more ill informed opinions.


 
 All you need to know is if it doesnt cost too much, why not right?
  
 My feelings on the matter are rather simple, I like the 2G cable for the split power aspect. Most every USB connected device can handle error correction but the less error correction that needs to take place the faster and purer a signal we can get to the device.


----------



## mandrake50

atsq17 said:


> Save your breath. Many of the 1s and 0s "digital can't possibly make a difference" crew get a lot of significance from trolling audio forums and are not interested in facts.
> 
> "I've never tried it before and have no idea how audio streaming works or jitter or any of that stuff but I want to have an opinion anyway! I, who assume to know everything, cannot fathom how a digital cable can change how music sounds and therefore all people who say they hear a difference are actually suffering from placebo effect. I only believe double blind tests that show results that I want to believe... bla bla bla"
> 
> Don't encourage them to fill this thread with more ill informed opinions.


 
 Forget it... not worth it!


----------



## mandrake50

mandrake50 said:


> Forget it... not worth it!


 

 Changed my mind... Rant on: I notice that the FDA demands clinical trials that are blind testes with placebos as references. They demand hard data. They will not approve drugs used to save our lives with anecdotal evidence that says that they work. There must be an advantage of using this methodology over just asking people what the "think" or like!
 OK... I usually do not notice that people that  believe in some level of objective evidence do not normally tee of on anyone unprovoked because they don't agree. OTH, I see unprovoked attacks on no specific person, but rather anyone that disagrees, from the folks that fancy themselves as experts, with nothing to substantiate that claim, other than asserting their own expertise.
  
 Now if someone goes and buys some expensive piece of...anything... because they have read that it makes a huge difference has motivation on many levels to detect a difference.
 I find it difficult to understand how anyone would not see that eliminating extraneous motivating factors would  lead to better accuracy.
  
 Of course, when people see that well conceived experiments show that differences are not reliably detected within statistical significance... well it might call into question unsubstantiated opinions.
 Could this be motivation for lashing out without provocation at a undefined group of people and their opinions... simply because they think differently about defining audio differences. than ones self?
  
 Or did I miss something here?
  
 Live and let live... no reason to use vindictive comments with intended sarcasm to put down folks because they believe in science rather than unsubstantiated opinions... really !
  
 Interestingly, I don't see this kind of behavior from scientists and engineers. Could it be that they are using rational thought rather than raw emotion to address the issues??":


----------



## doctorjazz

Oh no, not again!


----------



## mscott58

mandrake50 said:


> Changed my mind... Rant on: I notice that the FDA demands clinical trials that are blind testes with placebos as references. They demand hard data. They will not approve drugs used to save our lives with anecdotal evidence that says that they work. There must be an advantage of using this methodology over just asking people what the "think" or like!
> OK... I usually do not notice that people that  believe in some level of objective evidence do not normally tee of on anyone unprovoked because they don't agree. OTH, I see unprovoked attacks on no specific person, but rather anyone that disagrees, from the folks that fancy themselves as experts, with nothing to substantiate that claim, other than asserting their own expertise.
> 
> Now if someone goes and buys some expensive piece of...anything... because they have read that it makes a huge difference has motivation on many levels to detect a difference.
> ...




As someone trained as both a scientist and engineer I'll have to say I don't fall into the "don't show these behaviors" camp. 

My mantra is "enjoy what you enjoy (as long as it isn't damaging to others) and don't force your ways on other people". If you hear (or possibly even just think you hear) something you like then go for it. 

Scientific equipment is for measuring things, while the human version of such equipment (ears, brain and related bits) is for experiencing things. Totally different purposes. 

A machine will tell you the frequency, amplitude, decay, etc. of certain sounds, but your brain tells you those sounds are from the opening chord to a guitar riff from your first concert when you were 13, and those simple vibrations in the air can transport you to special places. 

Now I sure hope the FDA follows its guidelines because they're dealing with life-saving (or potentially life-taking if they get it wrong) medications. We're talking about enjoying music here. Again, radically different things. However, if you require complete proof of something in order to enjoy it then have at it! Just don't rain on others' parades in the process. 

The whole "not again..." responses recently weren't about putting that person down, it was about once again having to have the same conversation about what I call "listen-and-let-listen". 

Let's all just enjoy our music and gear and not try to force anything on anyone. Cool?


----------



## atsq17

DISCLAIMER: Not targeting this at any particular person or post here. My comments are generalizations based on my experiences. 
  
 Yeah. I am going to admit I don't care to know much theory and I was a cable skeptic. I actually just didn't like the idea that I had to fork out money for something that I wanted to take for granted. 
  
 I initially tried to disprove it but my attempts had the opposite effect and forced me to accept what I heard. Now I may be a placebo addicted loon but I can only go by my own judgment. 
  
 One thing I can say is that unlike many others before me who take part in these dreaded never-ending discussions, I actually spent money buying these cables and put aside time to do tests (some were double blind tests). I've tried a lot more cables than many others who weigh in very heavily on these discussions basing what they say on assumption and incomplete/incorrect theory. I actually conducted my own tests and therefore however flawed, at least I bothered to invest (both time and money) heavily into really discovering what's going on. 
  
 I am perfectly happy for people not to believe. I am not an evangelist. I just find it ridiculous that people who have but a fraction of my experience try to tell me how stupid I am for my beliefs or how it's not possible for X reason or Y reason. Maybe I am stupid, but it's ironic that less informed individuals than myself are trying to tell me so. I think THAT is just plain silly. Just enjoy your music and I will enjoy mine.


----------



## pedalhead

Guys, whether we believe in cable-fu or not, I think we can all agree that the best way to turn a perfectly good thread to Schiit is to start debating the topic.
  
 You can fill yer boots over here   http://www.head-fi.org/f/133/sound-science


----------



## jlucas

I read this thread often but have not covered all 600+ pages so forgive me if this has been done already....

Has anyone done a power supply comparion? LPS vs Jay's vs ???? type of thing

Stoked to finally have my tracking number for shipment


----------



## longbowbbs

doctorjazz said:


> Oh no, not again!


----------



## doctorjazz

Didn't mean it to be insulting to anyone...just, at this point, whenever this rears it's head in any thread, it tends to derail it for a while, feelings tend to get hurt, people testy, and it is like religion and politics, no one ever changes their minds. (the Pono thread for a while was a good example-mods had to step in). Just dig your gear, believe what you believe, geeks just wanna have fun!


----------



## bhazard

doctorjazz said:


> Didn't mean it to be insulting to anyone...just, at this point, whenever this rears it's head in any thread, it tends to derail it for a while, feelings tend to get hurt, people testy, and it is like religion and politics, no one ever changes their minds. (the Pono thread for a while was a good example-mods had to step in). Just dig your gear, believe what you believe, geeks just wanna have fun!


 
 If the GO V2+ Infinity is any indicator of how the Pulse Infinity will sound, I can honestly say at the price I paid that it was worth the two year wait. I'm in love with the V2+ and balanced mode on my modified AKG 7XX.


----------



## doctorjazz

I'd love to hear the GO V2+ Infinity, Have the original Geek Out Special Edition. Think it is great, got me into the LH Labs sinkhole/long wait for gear because it sounded so good. On the other hand, maybe I'm better off NOT hearing what happened in V2. Just twiddle my thumbs waiting for my Vi Tube infinite/ultimate/delux/whatever...


----------



## germay0653




----------



## snip3r77

Anyone changed the LPS to Geek DC cable? Any sound enhancement?
Also do you know the spec for head ( LPS side ) ?


----------



## eliwankenobi

snip3r77 said:


> Anyone changed the LPS to Geek DC cable? Any sound enhancement?
> Also do you know the spec for head ( LPS side ) ?




Geek DC cable?


----------



## m17xr2b

Are we still getting the Mu Metal shield?


----------



## atsq17

snip3r77 said:


> Anyone changed the LPS to Geek DC cable? Any sound enhancement?
> Also do you know the spec for head ( LPS side ) ?


 
  
 Sounds slightly warmer and more refined. It's subtle though. If you want to eek out every last bit of goodness, add this to the list. If you are against diminishing returns, then this may not be your thing. 
  
 You're talking about the difference between stock and the RAL labs silver umbilical cord yeah?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So it is safe to say we would be having our Geek Headphone Amp this Christmas? (latest update)


----------



## smial1966

Is there a definitive shipping date from LH Labs for the Pulse Infinity (revised chassis) as I'm beginning to despair of ever receiving it!


----------



## pedalhead

smial1966 said:


> Is there a *definitive shipping date from LH Labs* for the Pulse Infinity (revised chassis) as I'm beginning to despair of ever receiving it! :confused_face:




LOL


----------



## adrian0115

Haven't been around for a little while since I've been swamped.  Unsurprisingly, the ******** delivery dates/timelines continues.  I honestly regret ever backing these guys and it was only on the gamble that Larry can come up with a good design since he worked on the DaVinci.  The only other company that I regret ever giving a dime to was HTC.  I really want to wash my hands of LH.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

I've been through a few DACs in the meantime.  Seemed like a good idea at the beginning.  Now obviously not so much.  I think the Vi Tube should be next in line or what not.  Hopefully it's at least on par with my Vega.


----------



## doctorjazz

Any rough guess on timing for Vi Tube?


----------



## uncola

They said the solid state begins shipping in october.. and that they will receive 15-17 chassis per week.. and the solid state ships before vi tube.   and there are 247 total vi dacs ordered.  The production chart estimated about 3 months to finish shipping the solid state but said they'd start in september.  So 12 weeks times 17 chassis = 204 vi dacs.. haha I forget what I was trying to prove.  oh well.  basically.. I wouldn't expect the tube to begin shipping before january?


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm, I'm supposed to get the version Larry blesses and sprinkles fairy dust on, probably fairy dust takes longer to order.


----------



## FayeForever

Less than a weak till October, anyone received Infinity 2.0 shipping notification?


----------



## eac3

fayeforever said:


> Less than a weak till October, anyone received Infinity 2.0 shipping notification?


 
  
 It seems like they are about to receive the chassis soon. So they probably won't be shipping until Sept 30th.
  
 Meanwhile on social media:
  

  
  

  

  

  
  
  
  
 But no love over on the Pulse side..


----------



## eac3

On indiegogo.com
  
 Quote:


> Larry Ho 3 days ago
> 
> 
> Hi, Jayson
> ...


----------



## RingingEars

I received my Pulse SE shipping notification today. I just posted the Pulse and LPS in FS forum


----------



## cbar

I just received my shipping notification today also, along with an invoice for $40. Do I recall correctly that we were promised free delivery in US?


----------



## snip3r77

Still waiting for my 2g cable that comes free with my infinity


----------



## eac3

cbar said:


> I just received my shipping notification today also


 
 For your Pulse SE?


----------



## RingingEars

cbar said:


> I just received my shipping notification today also, along with an invoice for $40. Do I recall correctly that we were promised free delivery in US?


 
 No. Shipping was not included...


----------



## FayeForever

Really??? I am pretty sure that shipping is included in US for infinity. Gavin had a post about this long time ago.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

ringingears said:


> I received my Pulse SE shipping notification today. I just posted the Pulse and LPS in FS forum


 
  
 Don't you need the LPS for your Pulse SE?


----------



## greenkiwi

fayeforever said:


> Really??? I am pretty sure that shipping is included in US for infinity. Gavin had a post about this long time ago.




It was included... But then they had some logic that the free shipping on the pulse disappeared when you upgraded it to an infinity. Our something along those lines.

Free shipping was definitely part of the initial equation.

I'd even be almost ok with the shipping charge being the difference between shopping the v1 and larger v2 chassis. But not the full price for shipping.


----------



## kenman345

greenkiwi said:


> It was included... But then they had some logic that the free shipping on the pulse disappeared when you upgraded it to an infinity. Our something along those lines.
> 
> Free shipping was definitely part of the initial equation.
> 
> I'd even be almost ok with the shipping charge being the difference between shopping the v1 and larger v2 chassis. But not the full price for shipping.


 
 I'm sure most people will be happy when they have the units they ordered and the listings put up. I expect a flood of units for those that are in the market for a LNIB or NIB unit for C2 ones. I still cannot believe how huge that thing looks. Old chassis much more reasonable in terms of size.


----------



## RingingEars

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Don't you need the LPS for your Pulse SE?


 
 Not sure I understand Mickey.
 I bought the Pulse and the LPS at the same time(separate sales. I got the Pulse with the free headphones) . The LPS came in a few months ago and I stashed it up in the closet now the the Pulse is being shipped.
 As far as me selling them? I'm selling them as a set. Not separate.
  
 I got in on the forever funding program and bought the Pulse SE. I don't think free shipping was ever mentioned in that program... But then again there were so many different programs who could keep them straight.


----------



## Zenifyx

ringingears said:


> Not sure I understand Mickey.
> I bought the Pulse and the LPS at the same time(separate sales. I got the Pulse with the free headphones) . The LPS came in a few months ago and I stashed it up in the closet now the the Pulse is being shipped.
> As far as me selling them? I'm selling them as a set. Not separate.
> 
> I got in on the forever funding program and bought the Pulse SE. I don't think free shipping was ever mentioned in that program... But then again there were so many different programs who could keep them straight.




I think what mickey meant was that wouldn't you want to keep the Geek LPS to pair with your Pulse SE? 
Though I expect you probably have an LPS4 (or a better LPS) to pair with it already, am I right?


----------



## kenman345

zenifyx said:


> I think what mickey meant was that wouldn't you want to keep the Geek LPS to pair with your Pulse SE?
> Though I expect you probably have an LPS4 (or a better LPS) to pair with it already, am I right?


 
 Also, pretty sure you need to have the item in hand before listing it, especially for crowd funded gear...


----------



## RingingEars

zenifyx said:


> I think what mickey meant was that wouldn't you want to keep the Geek LPS to pair with your Pulse SE?
> Though I expect you probably have an LPS4 (or a better LPS) to pair with it already, am I right?


 
 Ah I see the confusion. Nope. I'm selling both the LPS and the Pulse... as a set.


----------



## RingingEars

kenman345 said:


> Also, pretty sure you need to have the item in hand before listing it, especially for crowd funded gear...


 
 Don't light the torches and break out the pitchforks yet.
 I'm only asking if anyone is interested in the set. I haven't listed a price because, honestly at this point, I don't even know what they are worth.
 I have the LPS and I paid the "shipping invoice" for the Pulse so it should be here within a week???
 Anyway, it's in the FS section. If anyone is interested shoot me a PM.


----------



## greenkiwi

The first campaign definitely had free shipping... I know it was removed later.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

zenifyx said:


> I think what mickey meant was that wouldn't you want to keep the Geek LPS to pair with your Pulse SE?
> Though I expect you probably have an LPS4 (or a better LPS) to pair with it already, am I right?


 
  
 Exactly, I think it defeats the purpose of having a Pulse SE and not feeding it with a linear power supply like LPS.


----------



## RingingEars

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Exactly, I think it defeats the purpose of having a Pulse SE and not feeding it with a linear power supply like LPS.


 
 I think I may have confused you guys. I only bought one each of the LPS and the Pulse SE.... I'm selling them both as a set.
 I have a Teac UD-301 right now as my main amp/DAC.


----------



## kenman345

ringingears said:


> I think I may have confused you guys. I only bought one each of the LPS and the Pulse SE.... I'm selling them both as a set.
> I have a Teac UD-301 right now as my main amp/DAC.


 
 Good luck with that sale man, I am glad to be gone with my setup and looking forward to my next rig.


----------



## oneguy

I think we are approaching the one year anniversary of Pulse shipping soon. I really hope that we can all get our units before the one year mark which I think is November (feel free to correct me). I think that they should start padding their estimates with a little more reality because the only ones that have been early/on time are getting Geek Out products. 

If the plan 5 days ago was to ship out 5-6 SE a week then maybe they will start turning out the Infinity the 2nd week of October. Anyone know if they said how many Pulse Infinitys they can turn out per week?


----------



## RingingEars

kenman345 said:


> Good luck with that sale man, I am glad to be gone with my setup and looking forward to my next rig.


 
 Thanks kenman.


----------



## FayeForever

oneguy said:


> I think we are approaching the one year anniversary of Pulse shipping soon. I really hope that we can all get our units before the one year mark which I think is November (feel free to correct me). I think that they should start padding their estimates with a little more reality because the only ones that have been early/on time are getting Geek Out products.
> 
> If the plan 5 days ago was to ship out 5-6 SE a week then maybe they will start turning out the Infinity the 2nd week of October. Anyone know if they said how many Pulse Infinitys they can turn out per week?


 

 They said in their 2/9 update that they will ship out all the 2.0 infinities before the end of Sep which of course turns out to be a total miss, but judging from their optimistic they can ship quite a lot infinities per week.


----------



## oneguy

fayeforever said:


> They said in their 2/9 update that they will ship out all the 2.0 infinities before the end of Sep which of course turns out to be a total miss, but judging from their optimistic they can ship quite a lot infinities per week.




At this point I don't put much stock in their optimism considering how far off the mark they were with predicting September while in the month on September.


----------



## FayeForever

oneguy said:


> At this point I don't put much stock in their optimism considering how far off the mark they were with predicting September while in the month on September.


 


> 34 minutes ago *Dear Pulse DAC ∞ Backers*,
> 
> The day has arrived! Diana, Sandu, and their team were super busy yesterday doing final assembly of your 2.0 chassis DACs, getting ready for them to ship. In fact, some of the shipped out yesterday. The remaining ones will begin shipping out next week.
> 
> ...


 
 Well, a pleasant surprise.


----------



## FayeForever

I have to say the 2.0 chassis looks like a proper $2K commercial product.
 It's been a really long ride.


----------



## oneguy

I guess it's time for me to eat my own hat.


----------



## wingsounds13

Enjoy! Put ketchup on it, everything is better with ketchup... 

J.P.


----------



## eac3

I think this is the first time we are viewing what the back looks like in the new chassis?
  
 Anyways, I wish the serial number was printed directly on the chassis as well (and no barcode was needed). Oh well.
  
 I am looking forward to what the display looks like. From what I have seen so far in pictures, the text is always shown in the middle which leads me to believe that the rest is just glass.
  
 Does anyone know how the top comes off? Does it slide off from the back of the unit or are there flush mounted black screws on the side of the unit?
  
  
 Still no word on those 2G cables.


----------



## wingsounds13

The 2.0 chassis does look good. From what I have seen this is the first time we have seen the back of it. As I remember reading, the top is held on by magnets and just lifts off. Magnets can be strong enough that it could be a minor challenge to lift the top, maybe you can slide it back more easily.

J.P.


----------



## mtruong34

oneguy said:


> I guess it's time for me to eat my own hat.




Technically speaking the production update said "100% delivered by end September". Although I'll give credit this is the closest LHL has been to their target dates so far.


----------



## greenkiwi

Color me excited!


----------



## TopQuark

This is looking more like October than September to me.


----------



## greenkiwi

topquark said:


> This is looking more like October than September to me.




I'll take that... October and September are pretty close to each other.


----------



## jlucas

I am enjoying listing to my recently delivered Pulse Xfi, however I have noticed a couple of menu bugs.  I tried searching this thread for similar experiences but the keywords hit too many posts to actually find any information.   Does anyone else have these or know if there are fixes?
 
Menu bugs:
1)  If I enter the menu structure via the control knob, the sample rate disappears and does not return after any period of time if the source sample rate stays the same, in this case it only returns if the power is cycled.  If the sample rate changes, I think the display returns but I have limited material in other rates so I have only noticed this once.
2) After entering the menu structure, as soon as I turn the knob to change menus, the volume jumps to -0.0dB
 
Firmware: main 2.0, mcu 2.4
System: macbook pro -> USB ->Xfi (no LPS), most of the time with Geek Perfect
 
________________
 
Initial Xfi impressions are very good, but really so far I've just been enjoying listening with limited tinkering.  I have't done any A-B comparisons to my Schitt gear as that's all at work.  Will shortly be trying it via the RCA outs with my Bottlehead Crack.  Also need to get a balanced cable for my LCDs to try the balanced portion.
 
________________
 
For shipping reference I was a 1/21/14 Pulse Xfi backer, received 9/21/15.
Also ordered the Audeze+Pulse bundle on 12/11/14, headphones arrived~1/7/15, and I just received a shipping invoice for the vanilla pulse saying it's ready to ship.


----------



## rdsu

Hi,

Maybe some of you also have this:

Until my Pulse DAC Infinite doesn't arrive, I'm using this configuration:

AudioPC > Pangea Audio USB PCOCC & 4% silver (1,5m) > UpTone Audio USB REGEN (powered by Geek LPS 12V output ) > LightSpeed 2G Data leg (1m) > Geek LPS USB Input > Geek LPS USB Output > GO450 > Amplifier

The issue is that if I use Geek LPS 12V output to power "UpTone Audio USB REGEN" I get hum noise on my system.

This may indicate a problem with Geek LPS 12V output?

Thanks


----------



## doctorjazz

I use the Regen, directly into the Geek Out Special Edition, no LPS, no hum. If I recall correctly, want the Regen supposed to use LPS at about 8v?


----------



## rdsu

doctorjazz said:


> I use the Regen, directly into the Geek Out Special Edition, no LPS, no hum. If I recall correctly, want the Regen supposed to use LPS at about 8v?



Since I will not use Regen to power my GO, I can use some linear power supply with 5-20V output to power Regen with an issue...

http://uptoneaudio.com/pages/usb-regen-questions-and-answers


----------



## Zenifyx

rdsu said:


> Hi,
> 
> Maybe some of you also have this:
> 
> ...


 
  
 This might be relevant: http://www.head-fi.org/t/750577/light-harmonic-geek-linear-power-supply-lps-and-lps4-impressions-discussion
 Apparently some users had a 'buzzing' sound issue with their LPS when set up in a certain configuration. (which is apparently a defect, and not an intended part of the design)


----------



## sujitsky

quick question:
  
 I got an invoice for shipping from LH Labs for my Geek Pulse of about $40. Is this amount accurate for all pulse shipments? seems a bit much to me!


----------



## rdsu

zenifyx said:


> This might be relevant: http://www.head-fi.org/t/750577/light-harmonic-geek-linear-power-supply-lps-and-lps4-impressions-discussion
> Apparently some users had a 'buzzing' sound issue with their LPS when set up in a certain configuration. (which is apparently a defect, and not an intended part of the design)



Thanks!

So it seems that I have an issue on my LPS...


----------



## Zenifyx

sujitsky said:


> quick question:
> 
> I got an invoice for shipping from LH Labs for my Geek Pulse of about $40. Is this amount accurate for all pulse shipments? seems a bit much to me!


 
  
 Is that for within US?
 Mine was $83 (for Singapore) so I think your $40 is about right...


----------



## sujitsky

zenifyx said:


> Is that for within US?
> Mine was $83 (for Singapore) so I think your $40 is about right...


 
  
 yup. within US.


----------



## MikeyFresh

rdsu said:


> Thanks!
> 
> So it seems that I have an issue on my LPS...


 

 It's a ground loop, not something that was ever acknowledged to be a defect, but a conscious design choice to float the ground of the USB connection in the LPS. 
  
 Some system configurations have no problem with that, while others produce the buzzing noise indicative of a ground loop.
  
 LH Labs did modify my LPS4 to tie the USB connection to chassis ground, which solves the buzzing problem.
  
 A better choice would have been a ground/float switch, to accommodate all system configurations, and Larry Ho had even at one point hinted that a future version of the LPS (2.0 chassis?) would have that feature.


----------



## DSlayerZX

wait... so for those of us that choosed the 2.0, now they are requesting additional shipping fee ?


----------



## eliwankenobi

the connection to ground can be done by the user. There is even a video about it from them... but like Gavin mentions in the video... doing so voids the warranty


----------



## eliwankenobi

dslayerzx said:


> wait... so for those of us that choosed the 2.0, now they are requesting additional shipping fee ?


 
 I would assume depending on when you backed the campaign. I know at the beginning it was free shipping within USA.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Ahh, so depends on the campaign joined, got it, Guess i'll have to keep an a close eye on it then .


----------



## greenkiwi

eliwankenobi said:


> I would assume depending on when you backed the campaign. I know at the beginning it was free shipping within USA.


I hope that is the case... I have my doubts.


----------



## cbar

eliwankenobi said:


> I would assume depending on when you backed the campaign. I know at the beginning it was free shipping within USA.


 
 The $40 invoice I received was for a vanilla pulse from the FF campaign. I'm expecting (and yes, hoping) my Pulse X Infinity 2.0 is free.


----------



## cbar

eac3 said:


> ...
> Still no word on those 2G cables.


 
 FWIW, I was told that my 2G would ship with the 2.0 Infinity unit.


----------



## greenkiwi

I was told the same


----------



## DownSouth

My HE-560 was $50 to Mexico or $15 to California. (I was lucky enough to get the HE-560/Pulse combo.)
  
 Just got an invoice for $72 for a vanilla Pulse to Mexico.
  
 Fedex or Priority Mail to here runs $80-90+ USD so I think $72 is a bargain.


----------



## Shawnb

The Infinity being in the 2.0 chassis is costing extra for shipping so LH Labs is passing that on to us. 
Was $60 invoice for Canada came to $80 with exchange rate. Sucks to have to pay shipping now but at least it's coming. 

Now I just hope they figure out if they will offer upgrades to an LPS8 sooner rather than later so we don't have the same headaches as we did with the upgrade to 2.0 chassis


----------



## rdsu

mikeyfresh said:


> It's a ground loop, not something that was ever acknowledged to be a defect, but a conscious design choice to float the ground of the USB connection in the LPS.
> 
> Some system configurations have no problem with that, while others produce the buzzing noise indicative of a ground loop.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info!



eliwankenobi said:


> the connection to ground can be done by the user. There is even a video about it from them... but like Gavin mentions in the video... doing so voids the warranty



Do you know where is the link?


----------



## Zenifyx

eliwankenobi said:


> the connection to ground can be done by the user. There is even a video about it from them... but like Gavin mentions in the video... doing so voids the warranty


 
  
 I don't think there's any video on that
 I think you have it mixed up with the video on 'How to change Pulse LPS voltage'.


----------



## eliwankenobi

zenifyx said:


> I don't think there's any video on that
> I think you have it mixed up with the video on 'How to change Pulse LPS voltage'.




You sir are right... I did confuse them.. Thanks for the correction


----------



## lobehold

Received my Pulse Xfi last Friday and have listened to it extensively while burning it in for the entire weekend for more than 48 hours now.
  
 Listening to it, there is some SERIOUS lack of bass, zero body and slam, both my Denon D2000 and HD650 sound like they had their balls cut off - completely neutered.
  
 There has been no perceivable improvements for the entire 2 days that I have it powered on and playing music.
  
 I am *hoping* further burn-in will resolve the issue, but with the way it sounds now after more than 2 days, I am having doubts that the sound will change that dramatically.
  
 Does anyone else have similar experiences? Will burning the unit in for a week somehow magically cure it of its bass-lessness?
  
 In addition, do I need to have a pair of headphones plugged in for burn-in, or is it fine as long as it's receiving music from my computer?


----------



## pedalhead

Presuming there isn't a huge difference between the Xfi and the X Infinity....I've been comparing an Yggy with my X Infinity and whilst the Yggy is clearly superior overall, the Pulse is most definitely not lacking in bass, body and slam in comparison. My Pulse was without a doubt the most burn-in critical device I've ever heard. It sounded really quite crappy when I first got it.  I don't recall how long it took to open up, but it was at least a few days.  I'd stick with it for a bit longer & see what happens.  I left headphones plugged in when burning-in as I figured it wouldn't hurt to have the Pulse amp having a load to drive.


----------



## lobehold

pedalhead said:


> Presuming there isn't a huge difference between the Xfi and the X Infinity....I've been comparing an Yggy with my X Infinity and whilst the Yggy is clearly superior overall, the Pulse is most definitely not lacking in bass, body and slam in comparison. My Pulse was without a doubt the most burn-in critical device I've ever heard. It sounded really quite crappy when I first got it.  I don't recall how long it took to open up, but it was at least a few days.  I'd stick with it for a bit longer & see what happens.  I left headphones plugged in when burning-in as I figured it wouldn't hurt to have the Pulse amp having a load to drive.


 
 Thanks, that reassures me a lot, I guess I'll just ride it out and see what happens.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Does anyone know if there are any new software updates out/coming out soon? I think there was supposed to be some sort of update for SSM mode or something.


----------



## lobehold

Do you mean the addition of SSM mode or an update to existing SSM mode?

 Because the Xfi I have that got delivered last Friday have SSM filter in the menu that I can select, so it's there already.


----------



## eac3

Which is only a placeholder I believe.


----------



## lobehold

Hmm, didn't know that was only a placeholder, been using FTM mode exclusively per internet suggestions.


----------



## wingsounds13

As I remember and understand it, SSM is not yet functional and will be included in some future release of the DAC firmware. Since the display firmware was not user updatable in pre 2.0 chassis, the SSM mode was included in the display to be compatible with future DAC firmware releases that did include this feature. If you select SSM (or any filter mode that is not yet implemented in the DAC firmware) the active filter does not change, it continues to use the previously selected filter.

J.P.


----------



## ejong7

lobehold said:


> Received my Pulse Xfi last Friday and have listened to it extensively while burning it in for the entire weekend for more than 48 hours now.
> 
> Listening to it, there is some SERIOUS lack of bass, zero body and slam, both my Denon D2000 and HD650 sound like they had their balls cut off - completely neutered.
> 
> ...


 

 Let's just both I and Dan Clark spent the days together in CanJam London talking bout how the Pulse magically came alive after some **** ton of burn in. I would say 150-200 ish.


----------



## doctorjazz

Everything I read says it does take a ********LOAD of burning time, and recommends leaving it on for the same reason. Getting the Vi Tube, should be the same.


----------



## atsq17

Concur with the whole burn in thing. Even my HD800 has some serious bass. It's definitely not bass light.


----------



## foreverzer0

pedalhead said:


> Presuming there isn't a huge difference between the Xfi and the X Infinity....I've been comparing an Yggy with my X Infinity and whilst the Yggy is clearly superior overall, the Pulse is most definitely not lacking in bass, body and slam in comparison. My Pulse was without a doubt the most burn-in critical device I've ever heard. It sounded really quite crappy when I first got it.  I don't recall how long it took to open up, but it was at least a few days.  I'd stick with it for a bit longer & see what happens.  I left headphones plugged in when burning-in as I figured it wouldn't hurt to have the Pulse amp having a load to drive.




Can you tell us more about the differences between the two (infinity and yggy)??


----------



## doctorjazz

One is unpronounceable, for one difference...


----------



## AxelCloris

doctorjazz said:


> One is unpronounceable, for one difference...


 

 Agreed, I simply have the hardest time saying Pulse Infinity.


----------



## doctorjazz

axelcloris said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > One is unpronounceable, for one difference...
> ...




You KNEW which I meant...took that routine to Infinity, and beyond...


----------



## greenkiwi

I thought that it was the Pulse *XFinity*


----------



## doctorjazz

And now...I make my x-it, shuffle off to Buffalo...and AWAY WE GO!!!!


----------



## Ultimate Mango

Hey Casey or someone from the LH Labs team:
Manny was supposed to get me shipping info for an LPS but it's been like a week and I haven't heard anything. I am probably the only person who is getting an LPS instead of a wave/stream so it should be easy to tie out the issue. 

Thanks for your help.


----------



## mtruong34

Received an email from LH Labs titled "Pulse DAC shipping notification." Waiting on an Infinity 2.0 chassis, I expected exactly that, a shipping email with tracking number. Instead what I got was another marketing email for deals on older 1.0 chassis. LH Labs must know how antsy backers are to receive their goods. And to reward those who have patiently waited endless setbacks? They use this underhanded trick to create false excitement. Larry I trust your engineering skills and think you are an honest chap. Please get a handle on your marketing people because they will ruin the image of your company.


----------



## greenkiwi

mtruong34 said:


> Received an email from LH Labs titled "Pulse DAC shipping notification." Waiting on an Infinity 2.0 chassis, I expected exactly that, a shipping email with tracking number. Instead what I got was another marketing email for deals on older 1.0 chassis. LH Labs must know how antsy backers are to receive their goods. And to reward those who have patiently waited endless setbacks? They use this underhanded trick to create false excitement. Larry I trust your engineering skills and think you are an honest chap. Please get a handle on your marketing people because they will ruin the image of your company.


 
 No kidding!!!  I (And I'm sure many others) had the same reaction... particularly given that I've had to check the shipment notifications because they have had the wrong address on almost every shipment that they have made.


----------



## oneguy

Same story here. I got all excited when I read the title then when I read the body I realized it was yet another call for them to cull money. What they should probably do is spend time to fix their "forum" or just un-archive the old one.


----------



## pedalhead

Yeah I read that email this morning and thought ouch that's a kick in the conkers for people still waiting for their chassis 2 Pulse. Let's be honest though, LH aren't exactly famous for their subtle and thoughtful marketing, more of a shock and awe carpet bombing approach


----------



## NinjaHamster

+1. Pretty nasty from LHLabs.


----------



## jlucas

jlucas said:


> I am enjoying listing to my recently delivered Pulse Xfi, however I have noticed a couple of menu bugs.  I tried searching this thread for similar experiences but the keywords hit too many posts to actually find any information.   Does anyone else have these or know if there are fixes?
> 
> Menu bugs:
> 1)  If I enter the menu structure via the control knob, the sample rate disappears and does not return after any period of time if the source sample rate stays the same, in this case it only returns if the power is cycled.  If the sample rate changes, I think the display returns but I have limited material in other rates so I have only noticed this once.
> ...


 
  
 So both of my menu bugs have disappeared.  Weird.


----------



## pedalhead

So, on the Yggdrasil v Pulse X Infinity thing....
  
 Bottom line - Yggy is more natural, more micro-detailed.
  
 Longer version - The Yggy is fantastic at presenting tiny micro-details that you didn't know were there on a recording.  This is very different from just having a "detailed" presentation - the Pulse is actually very detailed itself, but it's only when you compare directly with the Yggy that you realise it's smoothing out a lot of those micro-details that you didn't know where there.
  
 For example, the minute textures in, for example, Nick Drake's voice on "Way to Blue" are totally smoothed over on the Sabre dacs (I'm including the DiDiT DAC212 here as it sounds very similar to the Pulse), whilst the Yggy is showing me all these little micro-sounds that make his voice so much more human.  When he holds a note, I'm hearing the slight rasp in his voice....think in terms of a slightly jaggedy horizontal line, whereas the other two dacs show a straight flat line, more of a one-note sound.  I've heard this song probably hundreds of times...never heard these little details. The Yggy also avoids that uncomfortable mid-range push you can sometimes get when a voice gets stronger/louder momentarily...on the Yggy these ebb and flows of volume sound natural, whereas the other two dacs both exhibt that annoying (to my ears) push.
  
 Whilst I'm only conscious of these little micro-details if I listen for them, their presence throughout the music makes for a more natural and believable presentation compared to the other two even when I'm listening casually. Certainly for me, having A/B'd them like this, I couldn't go back to the Sabre dacs knowing what I'm missing.  Note that I'm classifying the Pulse and DAC212 under the banner "Sabre", as that is the commonality between them, and therefore my thought is that's why they sound so similar and suffer the same drawbacks against the Yggy. Bear in mind that I'm using a Ragnarok for amplification here, and I'm not convinced it's the best pairing.  I'm looking forward to trying Yggy with some other tasty amps soon.
  
 Having said all that, the Pulse X Infinity is a really enjoyable listen, and I'm happy with it considering what I paid as an early backer. I just think the Yggdrasil has moved the goal posts at it's price point, and with Gungnir multibit out there, and the other one incoming soon, it's really hard to see past them for value & enjoyment imho. It's just a shame Yggy is such a big ugly slab of metal, but I can live with it considering the payoff.


----------



## x RELIC x

pedalhead said:


> So, on the Yggdrasil v Pulse X Infinity thing....
> 
> Bottom line - Yggy is more natural, more micro-detailed.
> 
> ...




It's not just the Yggy, it's pretty much a good multibit/R-2R implementation vs Delta-Sigma that I believe is the difference, though there are degrees of quality. What you describe above is exactly how I described the difference when I received my Audio-GD DAC-19(10th anv) over my Delta-Sigma sources. The extra detail heard is another level down from micro-detail....... like a nano detail. So much more information that room acoustics and timbre take on a large part of the musical presentation, and so much clearer with the micro detail as well.


----------



## kenman345

pedalhead said:


> So, on the Yggdrasil v Pulse X Infinity thing....
> 
> Bottom line - Yggy is more natural, more micro-detailed.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
  
 A lot of the impressions about smoothing things out were how I felt comparing my RWAK120ii and the Geek Pulse X Infinity. I think part of the smoothing actually helps the Sabre harshness be mellowed, so maybe it should be considered a proper implementation of this type of DAC Chip and not really a fault. Yggy is Multi-Bit though, so it does not have a lot of these issues to design around, it had its own set of design considerations using such a chip as it does.


----------



## snip3r77

Besides detail.

What about bass slam?
Soundstage?
Genre specific which is the better one?

or is it flat out Ygg > Pulse Infinity ?



pedalhead said:


> So, on the Yggdrasil v Pulse X Infinity thing....
> 
> Bottom line - Yggy is more natural, more micro-detailed.
> 
> ...


----------



## tvnosaint

Just received the pulse (standard). No problems setting it up as I already have the GOs. First impression, bright as hell and not loud. Oh, it has gain settings and if you use fubar also digital filters. Both problems addressed. Still a little bright but the bass came on very nicely. As it burns in in liking it more and more . It is harsh , but relaxing slowly. Congested, but opening slowly. All burn in associated things from my experience. Fantastic power and detail for its price point. I don't see the glare going away completely but I'm just guessing. I do see the soundstage opening up. Already moments of wandering through passages and textures . In the 1st day. If the glare does not calm down enough for the he560 I'm sure it will for the darker ZMF vibro. The bass slams like thunder in those right now but it's a little shrill. Just a hair. Something I never thought I'd say. So naturally I can finally see why some people find the 560 peaky in the treble. I don't even want to hear Senns on this right now, cuz their treble is quite hot to my ears. Hoping for the best after burn in is complete. I have read the burn in is crucial for the pulse. I see promise and ability . For now it's asking as many question as its answering.


----------



## pedalhead

snip3r77 said:


> Besides detail.
> 
> What about bass slam?
> Soundstage?
> ...


 
  
 Listening to "Thinking" by Submotion Orchestra, which is a great bass track, despite the dynamic compression...both dacs go low and punchy with the HE1000...very nice.  Again I can hear the better clarity of the Yggy, and that helps all frequencies...in the case of the bass, it goes as low as the Pulse but Yggy's bass is a tad tighter I'd say, more defined. Pulse sounds a bit more congested on this track for sure.
  
 I've not been able to pick them apart on soundstage, both seem excellent in that regard.  Whilst trying, I did notice that the bass line on Oscar Peterson's "You Look Good To Me" was easier to follow with the Yggy....again, it just seems more able to bring more out from the recording and present it in a detailed but natural way.
  
 Genre - well the HE1000 makes everything sound good . Actually  I don't think the differences between dacs at this level are such that they favour a particular genre...that's more of a headphone game I reckon (and to a lesser extent, amplification).


----------



## miceblue

When I listened to the Yggdrasil last time, I wasn't really too impressed with it actually coming from the Pulse X Infinity. It does sound a bit better overall, but if you own the X Infinity already, I honestly don't think you're missing out too much from the Yggdrasil. The Yggy to me sounded a bit more dynamic in terms of bass definition and treble smoothness without sounding harsh, and the soundstage able to have more depth layering than the X Infinity (FTM digital filter), but other than that, both are very good to me.

The Yggy is probably more accessible than the X Infinity though considering the X Infinity isn't being sold, and if it is it will probably be more than $3000.


I originally backed the Pulse because I wanted an all-in-one DAC that can play any music file while having a good variety of inputs and outputs (I still wish it had RCA analogue inputs and S/PDIF output though). The great sound coming out of it was really an added bonus to me, and I'm really happy with its sound. Like I said before, I don't think I'm missing out too much by not getting a Yggy from what I heard last time.


----------



## pedalhead

Hi MB. Which headphones did you use to listen to the Yggy? I've only used my HE1000s so far and they are super revealing so a good way to hear the extra detail I'm definitely getting from the Yggdrasil. I should try out my HD600s as well and see if I hear the same difference.


----------



## greenkiwi

^^^ This is my thinking too... at the early backer price, I have two XFinities... for less than the price of one Yggy.  But at MSRP, it would be a different story.


----------



## miceblue

I was using the STAX SRM-2170 system with the DAC comparisons.


----------



## foreverzer0

pedalhead said:


> So, on the Yggdrasil v Pulse X Infinity thing....
> 
> Bottom line - Yggy is more natural, more micro-detailed.
> 
> ...


 
  
 "_...and the other one incoming soon..._"
  
 Which other one?


----------



## pedalhead

foreverzer0 said:


> "_...and the other one incoming soon..._"
> 
> Which other one?


 
  
 Bifrost Multibit (allegedly)


----------



## grizzlybeast

What is the difference between the pulse x infinity and the pulse xfi? Can anyone tell me? 


Also why did lhlabs already make a new 2.0 chassis if they haven't even finished production of the 1.0. Talk about buyers remorse..


----------



## coletrain104

grizzlybeast said:


> What is the difference between the pulse x infinity and the pulse xfi? Can anyone tell me?
> 
> 
> Also why did lhlabs already make a new 2.0 chassis if they haven't even finished production of the 1.0. Talk about buyers remorse..


 
 infinity has "naked resistors", some upgraded components, and the new Sabre chip


----------



## grizzlybeast

coletrain104 said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > What is the difference between the pulse x infinity and the pulse xfi? Can anyone tell me?
> ...




This makes me upset. They make all this new stuff before full filling their production. I'm gonna sell it as soon as it comes. I don't even want to hear it. Not to mention my standard pulse came scratched with the freaking volume jacked up. I wonder how isolated I am with these sentiments.


----------



## Maelob

i hear you- i sold mine but then could not resist the temptation and bought another used one  . i know crazy. Give it some time


----------



## mscott58

grizzlybeast said:


> What is the difference between the pulse x infinity and the pulse xfi? Can anyone tell me?
> 
> 
> Also why did lhlabs already make a new 2.0 chassis if they haven't even finished production of the 1.0. Talk about buyers remorse..


 
 Actually the 2.0 chassis was announced to the Infinity buyers before the 1.0 chassis versions were shipped. Everyone had the opportunity to decide what chassis they wanted, trading off the smaller size and sooner shipping for the 1.0 chassis against the for "commercial/professional" look, upgradable display and delayed delivery of the 2.0 chassis. So no real buyers remorse as everyone decided for themselves what worked best for them. 
  
 Also the Infinity is an incredible piece of equipment! Have been enjoying mine for a few months now with my LCD-3's. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## greenkiwi

And a user upgradable display firmware


----------



## grizzlybeast

mscott58 said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > What is the difference between the pulse x infinity and the pulse xfi? Can anyone tell me?
> ...


 
 AHH okay thanks for the explanation. I have the xfi not infinity. I am mistaken and thought it was just a new chassis for all pulse dacs.


----------



## Benfica1

grizzlybeast said:


> AHH okay thanks for the explanation. I have the xfi not infinity. I am mistaken and thought it was just a new chassis for all pulse dacs.


I thought it was a new chassis for all pulse dacs shipping now. Is this not true?


----------



## RingingEars

grizzlybeast said:


> This makes me upset. They make all this new stuff before full filling their production. I'm gonna sell it as soon as it comes. I don't even want to hear it. Not to mention my standard pulse came scratched with the freaking volume jacked up. I wonder how isolated I am with these sentiments.


 
 I feel the same way.
 Mines already in the FS section and it just shipped out. I'm not even going to plug it in.
 The waiting time has nothing to do with the frustration. I expected that, but we were promised these high end dacs for so little money. Between the pulse and LPS I'll probably get half of what I payed for them and they're brand new in the box.
 I haven't even received it yet and there's a better version already? Oh well. Live and learn as they say. All a person can do is just scratch LHLabs off the "to do" list. 
 I'll never buy another product from them...


----------



## Zenifyx

benfica1 said:


> I thought it was a new chassis for all pulse dacs shipping now. Is this not true?




That's true, but only for the Pulse X Infinity (for those that opted for it), and all other Pulse variants sold through the current retail channel (ie at retail price).


----------



## Benfica1

zenifyx said:


> That's true, but only for the Pulse X Infinity (for those that opted for it), and all other Pulse variants sold through the current retail channel (ie at retail price).


Well that sucks. I got the plain pulse. You wait a year for something and they couldn't at least provide the newer chassis.


----------



## lobehold

benfica1 said:


> Well that sucks. I got the plain pulse. You wait a year for something and they couldn't at least provide the newer chassis.


 
  
 It doesn't suck because you didn't have to hand over all that money for those perks, in fact I would just get the regular Pulse if I have to do this all over again - much better bang for buck.
  
 I have zero regret not going for the infinity because that's an extra ~$300 (THD + naked resistors) on top of an Xfi - that's as much as a pair of Hifiman HE400S. No way Jose!


----------



## eac3

> Larry Ho CAMPAIGNER 9 hours ago
> 
> Hi, all
> 
> The current Geek Pulse Infinity ship out speed should be roughly 30 ~ 50 per week. So you won’t need to wait for too long.


----------



## TopQuark

30 ~ 50 per week?  I am like at 400 in the list so that will take it to mid-December!  I will be very happy if I get it before Christmas.  These shipment commits by LH Labs are a joke.  Shipping all by the end of September my arse...


----------



## nicolo

This situation reminds me of a Calvin & Hobbes strip. The one where Hobbes teaches Calvin imaginary numbers. Of course Hobbes being Hobbes he makes up numbers  like eleventeen, twelveteen etc. The shipping schedule is exactly like that. If the shipping date is September, think of it as Septemberteen, November as Novemberteen etc. That makes more sense than their shipping schedules anyway.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I am 100-something. I wasnt expecting mine being shipped this week, maybe neither next.. So I am right on schedule. Besides, i dont think there a 100 units between mine and #1


----------



## Zenifyx

Where do you guys get these list numbers!? 
I don't think they have 400+ pulse infinities orders to ship tho... (at least I hope not)


----------



## greenkiwi

I'm guessing they got them from three counts of the perks. And or some mentions by lh labs. 400 seems about I the right range.


----------



## germay0653

I have no idea how people are coming up with these numbers. 
  
 I perked for two Pulses back in November (4 and 29) of 2013.  I traded up one Pulse for a Vi in November of 2014 and there have been a slew of upgrade perks over time for the Pulse to go to X, Femto Clock, THD, Naked Resisters, $1M upgrade, upgraded Sabre DAC chip, 2.0 chassis etc. etc. so what criteria determines your numbered place in line????


----------



## wingsounds13

In the past they have said that your place in the queue is determined by the date of the initial backing. For Gery, that would be Nov. 4 and 29. Now, where that places him in the actual shipping queue, who knows???  Me? I backed my base Pulse Dec. 21 2013 so I should be some time after Gery. At 30~50 units a week, I think that puts me some time mid November. That's only about 23 months from backing to receiving for many of us...

J.P.


----------



## FayeForever

I will be really disappointed if mine is not delivered by the end of this month and I backed the pulse on 28 Nov. Still how can they be so far off from the original "deliver all of them by the end of Sep."?


----------



## kenshinhimura

For the people that receive their Pulse already and updated to version firmware 2.29, what is the lowest volume setting? If I turn it all the way to the left it goes to about -127.5.


----------



## grizzlybeast

Has anyone compared the pulse xfi (no lps) to the gungir multi bit?


----------



## greenkiwi

wingsounds13 said:


> In the past they have said that your place in the queue is determined by the date of the initial backing. For Gery, that would be Nov. 4 and 29. Now, where that places him in the actual shipping queue, who knows???
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That is what I've always heard... and it even seemed like it might even be just per user, based on the first backing from that user, rather than the first order of the upgraded pulse.


----------



## oneguy

I know this doesn't add much but for what it's worth I backed on 28 Nov and was told I was "right there in the middle" by customer service.


----------



## cbar

Just received my vanilla pulse from the FF campaign. FWIW...
  
 PRO: It's here. Looks nice on it's own and when stacked on LPS.
  
 NEUTRAL: Sound is not bad out of the box, but not great either. Haven't A/B'd them, but my perception is that the sound is not quite as full in the mids, less defined bass, and tinnier trebs compared with Geek Out 720 through LPS. Early days though; still breaking in.... withholding judgement for now.
  
 CON: Redesigned 1.1 chassis is so light that I have to firmly hold the unit whenever plugging or unplugging HPs. I really prefer the build quality of the LPS chassis. In terms of assembly, the power button seems barely secured and moves more than I'd like when plugging in power from LPS or when turning unit on/off. I plan to leave it on, but still. And lastly, the unit is missing a screw (on AES input) in the back panel. Small detail, but undermines confidence in QC.
  
 EDIT>> Additional PRO: LHLabs was very responsive in responding to a support ticket and addressing the missing screw. Well done!


----------



## Benfica1

cbar said:


> Just received my vanilla pulse from the FF campaign. FWIW...
> 
> PRO: It's here. Looks nice on it's own and when stacked on LPS.
> 
> ...



Just received mine this week also from the FF campaign. Waited almost one year and.....it doesn't work. Not through any input. Tried them all. For now I remain hopeful that through some miracle this will not need to be sent back.


----------



## foreverzer0

kenshinhimura said:


> For the people that receive their Pulse already and updated to version firmware 2.29, what is the lowest volume setting? If I turn it all the way to the left it goes to about -127.5.


 
 Firmware 2.29? I have Main 2.0/MCU 2.4/1v5; what is 2.29?


----------



## Semont

The LH website says they don't recommend updating the firmware and at the same time they provide firmware as well. How do you know if you should or should not update the firmware?


----------



## Jupiterknight

Yesterday, I received a Geek Pulse standard with the 1.1 chassis. This unit was ordered from the FF campaign, late October 2014.   
  
 I also have a Geek Pulse 1.0 chassis that I picked up from Ebay around 9-10 months ago since I had sense it would take a while before my original order would arrive!  Anyhow, I managed to convince myself that I needed two units for two rooms and setups, speakers and headphones!
  
 The physical attributes are different. Not size wise, but the 1.0 chassis is almost twice as heavy vs. the 1.1 chassis.  I personally prefer the 1.0 chassis since it feels, not just by pure weight, but more like a solid build metal enclosure that matches my Marantz amplifier and that doesn't sound like a piece of cheap plastic when I tap my finger on its chassis.. solid vs. hollow. This is of course my preference and it may not matter to anyone else... 
  
 I also a/b the two Pulse standard versions. Using two PC's, J River Media player, everything setup similar and using a splitter so I could a/b back and forth by the switch of my splitter device into the same headphones (HD600 and KSC75).  So units were pretty much volume matched and I also changed PC's and USB cable's during my test, one was the Geek 1G cable and the other one was a standard USB cable. None of these alterations seemed to have any impact, at least I didn't hear any! I also switched between the two different external power supplies + my own regulated 12 volt unit and I couldn't detect any difference.
  
 So the Pulse 1.0 probably had way above 200 hours of use + been turned on for almost 10 months constantly.  The 1.1 Pulse only had an initial 10 hours of run in + turned on for 24 hours.  So different circumstances at this point!
  
 It was fairly easy for me to hear a difference, which is certainly not always the case when I a/b units, not truly blindfolded since I was the only one present during my "test", although I did try to switch cables quickly around so I didn't know which unit I was listening to!
  
 Anyhow, the major difference was that the Pulse 1.1  sounded much leaner with a brighter presentation in the midrange area whereas
 the Pulse 1.0 had a much more natural presentation in this area. Vocals on the 1.0  sounded more spot on, more direct/upfront/natural and with less harness, graininess. Treble sounded at bit boosted/aggressive on the Pulse 1.1 vs. a more smooth treble compared to the Pulse 1.0.
 Soundstage and bass impact/level sounded to fairly similar. Overall my Geek Pulse 1.0 sounds more warmer than my Geek Pulse 1.1, that might change but it won't change that I prefer the Geek Pulse 1.0 enclosure/feel better!  The new Geek Pulse 2.0 enclosure for commercial sale, no comment!
  
 I will of course in a couple of weeks repeat this test to see if anything soundwise has changed or become similar.


----------



## kenshinhimura

foreverzer0 said:


> Firmware 2.29? I have Main 2.0/MCU 2.4/1v5; what is 2.29?




Windows drivers 2.29 from their website. Ships with 2.20 as far as I can tell.


----------



## wingsounds13

So, we have a direct side by side A/B comparison suggesting that burn in truly is significant for the Pulse. I look forward to future reports from Jupiterknight to see whether this is true or recent production base Pulses do not sound as good as earlier production. Reports seem to point towards 100-200 hours is needed. Some equipment takes longer: my PerfectWave DAC took somewhere between 400 and 1000 hours to truly settle in. 400 is a number commonly reported for that DAC.

Jupiterknight, keep it playing for a couple of weeks and report back with a comparison after several hundred hours are on the new Pulse.

J.P.


----------



## foreverzer0

kenshinhimura said:


> Windows drivers 2.29 from their website. Ships with 2.20 as far as I can tell.




I really wish they had a change log and update notification


----------



## lobehold

Exactly one week has passed since I started to burn in the Geek Pulse Xfi.
  
 Bass has CLEARLY improved, from absolutely zero impact to within a stone's throw to my Sony UDA-1, but not quite.
  
 So far the one real positive I can say about the Geek Pulse Xfi is that it is completely silent even with HD800 and that is with the switching power supply. My Sony UDA-1 however has this tinniest of humming sound on the HD800 that frustratingly only I seem to be able to hear, albeit quiet enough that it's only noticeable when you turn the unit on and off.
  
 I guess I might be expecting too much for the Geek Pulse Xfi to beat Sony UDA-1 handily, I think this says more about the Sony than the Pulse, still there's more room to improve, l'll see what another week or two of burn in will do.


----------



## Jupiterknight

wingsounds13 said:


> So, we have a direct side by side A/B comparison suggesting that burn in truly is significant for the Pulse. I look forward to future reports from Jupiterknight to see whether this is true or recent production base Pulses do not sound as good as earlier production. Reports seem to point towards 100-200 hours is needed. Some equipment takes longer: my PerfectWave DAC took somewhere between 400 and 1000 hours to truly settle in. 400 is a number commonly reported for that DAC.
> 
> Jupiterknight, keep it playing for a couple of weeks and report back with a comparison after several hundred hours are on the new Pulse.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 Sure, I will repeat my test when I hit around 100-200 hours, report and then again later on since I'm very interested in this as well, of course as objective as I can be!  My only bias are related to the design/enclosure/weight which are obviously different, change of direction for many reasons... I have no sonic negative/positive bias towards either units since I intend to keep both for different purposes and matchups with speaker/headphones/amplifier.


----------



## FayeForever

jupiterknight said:


> Yesterday, I received a Geek Pulse standard with the 1.1 chassis. This unit was ordered from the FF campaign, late October 2014.
> 
> I also have a Geek Pulse 1.0 chassis that I picked up from Ebay around 9-10 months ago since I had sense it would take a while before my original order would arrive!  Anyhow, I managed to convince myself that I needed two units for two rooms and setups, speakers and headphones!
> 
> ...


 

 Thank you for your impression, do you mind posting pics of your 1.1 chassis? I didn't even know this 1.1 chassis exists!


----------



## Jupiterknight

fayeforever said:


> Thank you for your impression, do you mind posting pics of your 1.1 chassis? I didn't even know this 1.1 chassis exists!


 
  
 Sure, I will post a couple of pics. of both units side by side, tomorrow or the day after.


----------



## grizzlybeast

lobehold said:


> Exactly one week has passed since I started to burn in the Geek Pulse Xfi.
> 
> Bass has CLEARLY improved, from absolutely zero impact to within a stone's throw to my Sony UDA-1, but not quite.
> 
> ...



Why is that expecting too much. Given all of the hype, price paid, retail price etc the difference should be night and day. Try and give it some more AB time. Once your brain picks up differences it's never the same. The differences keep adding up until later they are extremely obvious. 

In this case the xfi should stomp the Sony. If it doesn't then it sucks for the price. Diminishing returns play a role but even so...


----------



## jbr1971

kenshinhimura said:


> For the people that receive their Pulse already and updated to version firmware 2.29, what is the lowest volume setting? If I turn it all the way to the left it goes to about -127.5.


 
  
 2.29 is the new version of the Windows driver. The latest firmware is 1V5 (1.50) if you look in the Light Harmonic Control Panel, Info tab (or Sound preferences in OS X).
  
 -127.5 dB is the lowest volume and -0.0 dB is the highest.
  
 Jody


----------



## doctorjazz

The Sony really sounds better than the XFi? I find it hard to believe, but haven't heard either (have a Geek Out Special Edition, waiting on a Vi Tube Dac Special Edition). If true, would be really disappointing. Of course, "better" depends on the taste, SQ preferences, etc of the rater.


----------



## miceblue

lobehold said:


> So far the one real positive I can say about the Geek Pulse Xfi is that it is completely silent even with HD800 and that is with the switching power supply. My Sony UDA-1 however has this tinniest of humming sound on the HD800 that frustratingly only I seem to be able to hear, albeit quiet enough that it's only noticeable when you turn the unit on and off.



I was going to say, if your amp has a hissing sound with the 300-ohm, fairly insensitive HD800, then the amp is pretty darn flawed. Then I saw humming sound and that makes much more sense.

The X Infinity is basically dead silent to my ears, and I'm sensitive to background hiss.


----------



## gikigill

Yup, the XFi is dead silent too despite using it with over a dozen cans and trying to find fault. My pet hate is a noisy amp and the XFi is fortunately pitch black.


----------



## atsq17

grizzlybeast said:


> Why is that expecting too much. Given all of the hype, price paid, retail price etc the difference should be night and day. Try and give it some more AB time. Once your brain picks up differences it's never the same. The differences keep adding up until later they are extremely obvious.
> 
> In this case the xfi should stomp the Sony. If it doesn't then it sucks for the price. Diminishing returns play a role but even so...


 
  
 I think it may depend on the users subjective preference on what is "better". Also, I think the XFi really comes to its own when you start using it as a standalone DAC. The headphone amp on it is a decent unit to hold you while you're in between amps but it's definitely no end game unit. 
  
 I've found the XFi handily beats out any DAC under $1000 (and like you said it should; well it does!) in a very noticeable way when pairing it with my amps (BH Crack and HeadAmp Dynalo; as well as a Dynahi that I borrowed from my friend). 
  
 I was previously very heavily invested in Audio GD DACs and those units are still excellent but I'm happy to know that the XFi sounds better (to me anyway). I also had a Concero HP and the XFi is clearly superior both out of headphone out and as a DAC (again to me, and the friends I got to help me A-B).


----------



## grizzlybeast

atsq17 said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > Why is that expecting too much. Given all of the hype, price paid, retail price etc the difference should be night and day. Try and give it some more AB time. Once your brain picks up differences it's never the same. The differences keep adding up until later they are extremely obvious.
> ...


 
 Is this all with the LPS as well? It almost reads as if it is a must to have around here but initially the xfi was supposed to benefit from the LPS less than the pulse. 
  
 I agree with the bold as well as me having a hunch that that was the users impressions. I just kinda assume that people can communicate what is objectively of more fidelity irregardless of preference.


----------



## nudd

The humming may be a ground loop issue as i had a very difficult time eliminating the ground loop that was only audible on my very sensitive iems like the Shure se500.

I had to buy a lps (not the lhl one) to bring the hum down to an acceptable level (i think the lps acts also as an isolating transformer...). I also agree it seems a bit bass light (or there is mild elevation in the treble) so depending on taste it may not be for everyone.


----------



## atsq17

grizzlybeast said:


> Is this all with the LPS as well? It almost reads as if it is a must to have around here but initially the xfi was supposed to benefit from the LPS less than the pulse.
> 
> I agree with the bold as well as me having a hunch that that was the users impressions. I just kinda assume that people can communicate what is objectively of more fidelity irregardless of preference.


 
  
 I use LPS almost all the time with my XFi but there was once when I did not for a few days and I still enjoyed the sound very much. I've never bothered to A-B with and without (and I'm too lazy to do so since I own an LPS4 for each of my unit) so I can't help out that much on that. 
  
 I do try to communicate what I THINK is objective but even what I think is OBJECTIVE is itself subjective. I usually get a handful of other people to join me in the testing and we only share our results at the end. When we independently and unanimously come to the same conclusion then I am fairly confident that it would be a relatively objective conclusion. 
  
 I think that equipment matching plays a huge part too. I've actually sold items I later realized I really liked in a different setup. In fact I found my HD800 + BH Crack needing a touch more punch with the XFi until I changed the RCA interconnect then I found it to be perfect. Until that stage, I was actually considering selling the HD800 and BH Crack since the XFi sounded awesome with my Ethers. Now I can't decide which one to sell (HD800 or Ether) and might end up keeping both for the time being.


----------



## grizzlybeast

atsq17 said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > Is this all with the LPS as well? It almost reads as if it is a must to have around here but initially the xfi was supposed to benefit from the LPS less than the pulse.
> ...


 
 Thanks for the response bud. You may have just saved my incoming xfi from the FS sign.


----------



## lobehold

nudd said:


> The humming may be a ground loop issue as i had a very difficult time eliminating the ground loop that was only audible on my very sensitive iems like the Shure se500.
> 
> I had to buy a lps (not the lhl one) to bring the hum down to an acceptable level (i think the lps acts also as an isolating transformer...). I also agree it seems a bit bass light (or there is mild elevation in the treble) so depending on taste it may not be for everyone.


 
  
 ****, so that's what it is - ground loop!
  
 I compared both of them head to head again, and there's no mistaking it - the Pulse Xfi is missing a LOT of bass, esp. that thick sense of presence, it's completely missing and makes the Pulse way less engaging.
  
 Detail wise, I seriously can't really tell after 15 minutes back and forth with them. Perhaps I need more time to learn the intricacies between them, but for the (retail) price difference, Pulse got clobbered at the moment.
  
 Only time (and burn in) will tell if it will surpass the Sony UDA-1, I'll give it a week or two more to prove itself.
  
 One thing's for certain, the Pulse's build quality is a joke compared to the Sony, a sad pathetic joke.


----------



## grizzlybeast

nudd said:


> The humming may be a ground loop issue as i had a very difficult time eliminating the ground loop that was only audible on my very sensitive iems like the Shure se500.
> 
> I had to buy a lps (not the lhl one) to bring the hum down to an acceptable level (i think the lps acts also as an isolating transformer...). I also agree it seems a bit bass light (or there is mild elevation in the treble) so depending on taste it may not be for everyone.


 
 any links yo this lps. there was a comparable one earlier on in the thread but is buried


----------



## greenkiwi

lobehold said:


> ****, so that's what it is - ground loop!
> 
> I compared both of them head to head again, and there's no mistaking it - the Pulse Xfi is missing a LOT of bass, esp. that thick sense of presence, it's completely missing and makes the Pulse way less engaging.
> 
> ...


 
 That sony looks pretty cool.  Nice that it has a speaker amp too.  The build quality is definitely quite nice on the Sony.


----------



## Verloren

grizzlybeast said:


> any links yo this lps. there was a comparable one earlier on in the thread but is buried


 
  
 I think it was Jay's Audio.


----------



## miceblue

I'm not really getting the whole "missing a lot of bass" thing. You make it seem as if the DAc/amp has a -20 dB roll off at the bass frequencies or something. XD

I don't really notice any serious lack of bass compared to anything else I've heard minus the Yggy or warm amps/DACs.


----------



## nudd

verloren said:


> I think it was Jay's Audio.




Yes it was. Who knows the lps may be better but i couldn't stomach giving lhl more money.


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> I'm not really getting the whole "missing a lot of bass" thing. You make it seem as if the DAc/amp has a -20 dB roll off at the bass frequencies or something. XD
> 
> I don't really notice any serious lack of bass compared to anything else I've heard minus the Yggy or warm amps/DACs.




I don't think it is a serious lack compared to some other DACs I did find it paired better with warmer headphones, so I believe it if people think there is something less warm about it than some other DACs.

The difference is not huge, but at this level even a minute difference tends to be exaggerated right (eg, according to the Innerfidelity tests only one person out of all the people who did the double blind AB tests on Tyl's rig could tell the difference between the Yggy and a ToTL delta sigma DAC to any statistical degree of significance). 

So even a difference that is so.small that cannot be rwliably distinguished in ABX testing is a HUGE difference.


----------



## nudd

edit: oops ignore wrong thread


----------



## Chefano

Thanks to infinity Im a SACD ripper now!
 Until 2 weeks ago I really did not care much about the topic "DSD to PCM via software transcoding" until Ive decided to listen to true DSD recordings and OMG 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 I don't know if its the infinity or the DSD std but OMG! Amazing experience.


----------



## Drsparis

Just like HDTracks don't forget mastering of the specially chosen albums has its importance


----------



## eliwankenobi

chefano said:


> Thanks to infinity Im a SACD ripper now!
> 
> Until 2 weeks ago I really did not care much about the topic "DSD to PCM via software transcoding" until Ive decided to listen to true DSD recordings and OMG :basshead:
> I don't know if its the infinity or the DSD std but OMG! Amazing experience.




Yep! I had the same experience myself with my GO450! And I expect an upgrade when I get my Infinity! Hopefully before month's end.


----------



## doctorjazz

Any advice on DSD ripping? Have a few SACDs, what else so I need? I have bought done hi rez from various sites. Is that it?


----------



## Chefano

drsparis said:


> Just like HDTracks don't forget mastering of the specially chosen albums has its importance


 
  
 All depends on mastering. I have brilliant CD recordings and PCM Hi-Res as well. But I don't know why, DSD is so profound on me.
 I felt like the first time Ive listened to a R2R DAC.


----------



## eliwankenobi

For me is the same. I know it is in the mastering.. Everything is mastering!! At a moment notice, converting a dsd to pcm on jriver and sending it to dac was very enjoyable... But when i got to listen native dsd, I was like, "ok there is something different here"..

But It is hard to pin down. But technically... Sending a delta sigma signal to the to a delta sigma DAC like the Pulse, bypasses the TCM/FRM filters...since those are for PCM signals at the moment of upsampling for DA convertion...so it could be argued that it is a more pure audio signal... Since all is done to is get it through a low pass filter to protect your tweeters

That's my appreciation... Others are welcome to correct me on technical details.. In the end, i am very excited to get the chance to listen to dsd256 music on my Pulse Infinity!!


----------



## jbr1971

doctorjazz said:


> Any advice on DSD ripping? Have a few SACDs, what else so I need? I have bought done hi rez from various sites. Is that it?


 
  
 From everything I have ever read about it, a Playstation 3 with a really old firmware version is required. Unfortunately I do not believe you can back-rev firmwares on a PS3, so that makes finding one prior to that firmware hard, and expensive.
  
 If you find another way to do it I would definitely be interested in reading about it.
  
 Jody


----------



## greenkiwi

Has anyone received their XFinitiy v2 shipment notification yet?


----------



## oneguy

If you look in the comments section of the Pulse Indiegogo campaign there is a person who has their Infinity 2.0 in hand.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Darn!


----------



## tvnosaint

I didn't feel like waiting for all the versions to complete ( a wave lesson) so I went basic. In really liking it as it burns in. It's becoming very natural sounding with the he560. The vibro does not seem to have great synergy with it. It's a very energetic sound with those . Not what I like from that headphone . The details and imaging are great but the bass seems to be cowering behind the presence region. 180 from where it began. So maybe the next 50 hours will turn again for the vibro. As I said the 560 loves this amp/dac. Sounds remarkably like the Gov2 with them. (With more headroom and finer micro detail in the soundstage.) Oddly the ZMF also loves the gov2 but the signature has remained pretty steady there after 100 hrs.


----------



## foreverzer0

tvnosaint said:


> I didn't feel like waiting for all the versions to complete ( a wave lesson) so I went basic. In really liking it as it burns in. It's becoming very natural sounding with the he560. The vibro does not seem to have great synergy with it. It's a very energetic sound with those . Not what I like from that headphone . The details and imaging are great but the bass seems to be cowering behind the presence region. 180 from where it began. So maybe the next 50 hours will turn again for the vibro. As I said the 560 loves this amp/dac. Sounds remarkably like the Gov2 with them. (With more headroom and finer micro detail in the soundstage.) Oddly the ZMF also loves the gov2 but the signature has remained pretty steady there after 100 hrs.


 
  
 Have you tried playing with the gain or filter settings?


----------



## bhazard

Just got my Infinity 2.0 shipping notification.


----------



## Semont

foreverzer0 said:


> Have you tried playing with the gain or filter settings?


 

 On the vanillia pulse, I can't tell a difference between the TCM and FRM filters regardless of what's written on the setup guide.


----------



## tvnosaint

I have. Not much difference. I think the frm mode was a little brighter and more defined. I could be wrong as I have played with it much.


----------



## eliwankenobi

bhazard said:


> Just got my Infinity 2.0 shipping notification.




Hey Bhazard

When did you back yours? Nov 2013?


----------



## Benfica1

Guess LHLabs doesn't respond to support tickets on weekends. Anybody experience an issue with the pulse not being detected on a windows PC?
  
 My Main firmware displays 0.0 and I can't update it since my computer doesn't recognize the pulse. Now this wouldn't bother me so much if I could actually get the damn thing to work. I've tried every input, nothing works. QC not one of their strong suits.


----------



## greenkiwi

400 pulses of DACs on the wall... 400 pulses of DACS... box one up... ship it out... 399 pulses of dacs on the wall.
 399 pulses of DACs on the wall... 399 pulses of DACS... box one up... ship it out... 398 pulses of dacs on the wall.
 .
 .
 .
  
  
 Well, one in hand... and one shipped.


----------



## Verloren

benfica1 said:


> Guess LHLabs doesn't respond to support tickets on weekends. Anybody experience an issue with the pulse not being detected on a windows PC?
> 
> My Main firmware displays 0.0 and I can't update it since my computer doesn't recognize the pulse. Now this wouldn't bother me so much if I could actually get the damn thing to work. I've tried every input, nothing works. QC not one of their strong suits.


 
  
 How is it hooked up? Need a few more details first. =/


----------



## wingsounds13

Main firmware 0.0 is a Big problem! Nothing is going to work if it is reading that. Try removing power for ~30 minutes and rebooting with no inputs connected. If still 0.0 then try once more, but if it is not better this time it likely needs to go back to LH Labs for a new main board. Even if it does recover, you should open a support ticket as the unit is flakey and should go back to LH Labs anyway.

Good luck with it.

J.P.


----------



## greenkiwi

I need to do the same... have one with the 0.0 main firmware.


----------



## miceblue

My X Infinity had that problem regardless of the operating system. I sent it back and the technicians' notes were along the lines of the display board wasn't talking with the main board.

I still have the problem of the X Infinity freezing up (as in I need to turn it off/on to get working again) with Audirvana Plus 2.2 though. I should check with my OPPO HA-2 to see whether or not I can replicate that problem, or if it's just the X Infinity.


----------



## Benfica1

verloren said:


> How is it hooked up? Need a few more details first. =/


 
  
 I've tried coaxial straight from cd player, toslink from apple tv, and usb from windows pc and Mac. Nothing works. 


wingsounds13 said:


> Main firmware 0.0 is a Big problem! Nothing is going to work if it is reading that. Try removing power for ~30 minutes and rebooting with no inputs connected. If still 0.0 then try once more, but if it is not better this time it likely needs to go back to LH Labs for a new main board. Even if it does recover, you should open a support ticket as the unit is flakey and should go back to LH Labs anyway.
> 
> Good luck with it.
> 
> J.P.


 
 Opened a ticket last week, same day I recieved it. Got a response to my initial ticket which I also responded to but now waiting for follow-up. Kind of figured it probably needs to go back. Wait almost a whole year, and then you get it and it doesn't work.


----------



## bhazard

eliwankenobi said:


> Hey Bhazard
> 
> When did you back yours? Nov 2013?




Oct 2013 or so. It was originally just for a vanilla pulse, then fully upgraded. 2G and 1G cables ares shipping with it too.


----------



## d60pdp

doctorjazz said:


> Any advice on DSD ripping? Have a few SACDs, what else so I need? I have bought done hi rez from various sites. Is that it?


 
  
 There are a lot of information in this thread SACD ripping using your PS3 (part 2). It's not too difficult to obtain a hardware-modded PS3 to be able to rip SACD to DSD. The price will be anything in the range of $250-350. So it entirely depends on how large is your SACD library to justify the cost of ripping vs buying DSDs.


----------



## greenkiwi

greenkiwi said:


> 400 pulses of DACs on the wall... 400 pulses of DACS... box one up... ship it out... 399 pulses of dacs on the wall.
> 399 pulses of DACs on the wall... 399 pulses of DACS... box one up... ship it out... 398 pulses of dacs on the wall.
> .
> .
> ...


 
 398 pulses of DACs on the wall...
  
 One of mine claims to have just shipped!  Can't wait to hear it.


----------



## eac3

greenkiwi said:


> 398 pulses of DACs on the wall...
> 
> One of mine claims to have just shipped!  Can't wait to hear it.


 
  
 Someone on indiegogo just claimed to have received a shipping notification of their pulse (and 2G cable). They said they backed beginning of Nov. 
  
 397 pulses of DACs on the wall....


----------



## greenkiwi

Mine lists the 2G cable too.  So it does look like they are shipping the 2g cables.


----------



## germay0653

Got my shipping notice yesterday!


----------



## FayeForever

I also just got shipping notification via email.
  
*tem #**Description**Qty*
 LH-GP-GPU-001  Geek Pulse DAC 2.0 CHASSIS
 LH-LS-2G-01M-001  LightSpeed USB 2G 1M
 LH-LS-1G-01M-001  LightSpeed USB 1G 1M
  
 It is USPS and I am not charged for shipping.
 I backed this one on 28/11, though I backed the original one pretty early.


----------



## eac3

fayeforever said:


> I also just got shipping notification via email.
> 
> *tem #**Description**Qty*
> LH-GP-GPU-001  Geek Pulse DAC 2.0 CHASSIS
> ...


 
  
 Dang, 
  
 same thing for me as well. backed on Nov 28th, received shipping notification and wasn't charged shipping.
  
 Yay......hopefully it is working!.


----------



## pbear

eac3 said:


> Dang,
> 
> same thing for me as well. backed on Nov 28th, received shipping notification and wasn't charged shipping.
> 
> Yay......hopefully it is working!.


 
  
 Same thing for me, too. Backed on Nov 29th, received shipping notification including the 2G and 1G cables, and wasn't charged shipping.
  
 I got the shipping notification on 10/4/2015, which was amusing because it said my order was shipped on 10/5/2015. It's not quite the end of the day in CA yet, but USPS tracking indicates the package hasn't actually shipped yet.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Just got the shipping notification for Pulse Infinity 2.0 as well.
  
 ordered Black Friday 2013


----------



## doctorjazz

Maybe the Vi will eventually ship...


----------



## mandrake50

If they have stock on the 2G cables, I wonder when the rest of the people that have Infinity units in hand that qualify for the 2g will start to get them ???


----------



## oneguy

Similar to the above posts I received a shipping notification of a Pulse Infinity with a 2G and 1G cable. There was no mention of longer LPS4 cables though.
 EDIT: 28 Nov backer


----------



## mscott58

Here's a picture of the Pulse in the 2.0 chassis in the wild at RMAF! 



It looked nice!

And here's the Vi, also at RMAF. Also looked slick. 





Cheers


----------



## eac3

Oh my, the Vi......I didn't realize they were going to make a batman version. I thought it was all silver surfer version.
  
 Looks really nice.  I'll see how the Pulse sounds first though.


----------



## uncola

I think it's just the gunmetal silver look into finish. Certain lighting shows the dark beneath the silver outer finish. Man it looks great. Once mine gets here I think I'm retiring from audio gear buying


----------



## doctorjazz

uncola said:


> I think it's just the gunmetal silver look into finish. Certain lighting shows the dark beneath the silver outer finish. Man it looks great. Once mine gets here I think I'm retiring from audio gear buying




Heard that before,,,you and me both, we'll see!


----------



## greenkiwi

I'd have to say that the Vi looks extremely nice.  I'm also glad they were able to get a balanced connector on the front.


----------



## pedalhead

mandrake50 said:


> If they have stock on the 2G cables, I wonder when the rest of the people that have Infinity units in hand that qualify for the 2g will start to get them ???




Indeed. Waiting this long for a cable is pretty bonkers.


----------



## Drsparis

I remember hearing that infinity owners that have a LPS (most of them I hope lol) would get a longer cable to be able to "hide" the LPS if need be since it would not match. Is the 2g just going to be longer or is there a seperate 1g cable or something?


----------



## oneguy

The longer cables are longer LPS power cables. The length of the 1G or 2G cables will be what your paid for.


----------



## Drsparis

oneguy said:


> The longer cables are longer LPS power cables. The length of the 1G or 2G cables will be what your paid for.


oh that's true it was the power cord from the LPS to the pulse that got elongated, thanks


----------



## greenkiwi

Do the infinites come with the longer power cord? Or do we have to request it?


----------



## oneguy

Thats a great question. They sent out the update and told everyone of this but there was no follow up to collect data. I logged a trouble ticket to ensure that they captured my request. The following was at 28 days ago:
  
 -------
  
 Me: "There was an update from Gavin on July 29th about longer cables being included with our Pulse Infinity 2.0 shipments but I haven't seen a call for cable lengths. I would like to request four 1-meter cables to be included with my Pulse Infinity 2.0 shipment."
  
Manny: "Thank you for your time, Okay i have added this to your order and once we receive the cables we can have this ship to you there after. Judging on the length it will be close to 1 meter (probably around 1.3 or 1.2 meters). Again thank you for your time and support."
  
 ------
  
 I created a new trouble ticket today nebulas i didn't see any mention of the LPS cable on my shipping invoice.


----------



## smial1966

I initially backed for a Pulse (later upgraded to Infinity and 2.0 chassis) on 29th October 2013 and still haven't received it yet.  

So why are folks that backed later than me receiving shipping notifications and I'm not?!? This makes no sense as surely orders are shipped in chronological order from the date that they were received? Or do LH Labs prioritise order shipping by some other method? 

This is very odd - but then it is L H Labs!  





pbear said:


> Same thing for me, too. Backed on Nov 29th, received shipping notification including the 2G and 1G cables, and wasn't charged shipping.
> 
> I got the shipping notification on 10/4/2015, which was amusing because it said my order was shipped on 10/5/2015. It's not quite the end of the day in CA yet, but USPS tracking indicates the package hasn't actually shipped yet.


----------



## FayeForever

I don't know if it is the case but I read somewhere else that the shipping order may go by the order of the first perk you backed.
 FWIW I checked the tracking number and it was not shipped yesterday as indicated in the email, so far only the pre-shipment info was sent to USPS so God how long it will take to arrive.
 EDIT: Just checked again, it was picked up today and gonna arrive Friday, kudos to LH this time.


----------



## eliwankenobi

smial1966 said:


> I initially backed for a Pulse (later upgraded to Infinity and 2.0 chassis) on 29th October 2013 and still haven't received it yet.
> 
> So why are folks that backed later than me receiving shipping notifications and I'm not?!? This makes no sense as surely orders are shipped in chronological order from the date that they were received? Or do LH Labs prioritise order shipping by some other method?
> 
> This is very odd - but then it is L H Labs!




You live outside of USA?


I am also oct 2013 and I was told they will ship USA units first. Then they would ship out of USA. This in case there is an issue orbug with the units, they can fix those before shipping them out. 

I live in Puerto Rico btw


----------



## smial1966

eliwankenobi thanks for the explanation as it does make sense. Better to send overseas customers fully functioning units.  




eliwankenobi said:


> You live outside of USA?
> 
> 
> I am also oct 2013 and I was told they will ship USA units first. Then they would ship out of USA. This in case there is an issue orbug with the units, they can fix those before shipping them out.
> ...


----------



## pbear

smial1966 said:


> I initially backed for a Pulse (later upgraded to Infinity and 2.0 chassis) on 29th October 2013 and still haven't received it yet.
> 
> So why are folks that backed later than me receiving shipping notifications and I'm not?!? This makes no sense as surely orders are shipped in chronological order from the date that they were received? Or do LH Labs prioritise order shipping by some other method?
> 
> This is very odd - but then it is L H Labs!


 
  
 Sorry, I said the wrong date above. I actually backed on October 29th 2013. not November 29th. And yes, I'm a US backer.
  
 USPS tracking now indicates that it will be delivered tomorrow. It should be interesting to compare it to the Pulse Infinity (old chassis) I received in July.


----------



## AxelCloris

mscott58 said:


> Here's a picture of the Pulse in the 2.0 chassis in the wild at RMAF!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I feel that the Vi is the nicest looking product to come out of the LH Labs brand. It's a very handsome piece. Kinda makes me wish I had upgraded the Infinity to a Vi.


----------



## doctorjazz

Not sure it's worth the (even longer) wait, think I may be in a retirement home by the time my Vi Tube arrives, but it is striking looking. I'm heartened to hear that Hifiman used it to demo the HEK.
(on the other hand, as I've mentioned previously, it gives me longer to figure out what to tell the missus when the big box arrives  )


----------



## lobehold

Just an update to my Xfi burn-in, it's been a week and a half, bass is still severely lacking, I hope it's going to pull a last minute miracle because it'll suck if this is the best it can do.


----------



## gilfish

lobehold said:


> Just an update to my Xfi burn-in, it's been a week and a half, bass is still severely lacking, I hope it's going to pull a last minute miracle because it'll suck if this is the best it can do.


 
 When I got my Xfi (it actually belongs to a friend), it sounded so bad before burn-in that I literally thought something was broken and I didn't know if it was the DAC or something else in the chain. It was thin sounding, lacking bass, etc. I called my friend (the guy who owns it) and told him that something was definitely wrong. It took about a week or two for it to burn in and now I am really happy with how it sounds.
  
 If your bass is still lacking, it sounds like it needs more burn-in.


----------



## lobehold

gilfish said:


> When I got my Xfi (it actually belongs to a friend), it sounded so bad before burn-in that I literally thought something was broken and I didn't know if it was the DAC or something else in the chain. It was thin sounding, lacking bass, etc. I called my friend (the guy who owns it) and told him that something was definitely wrong. It took about a week or two for it to burn in and now I am really happy with how it sounds.
> 
> If your bass is still lacking, it sounds like it needs more burn-in.


 
 Hope so, I'm not exactly going to turn around and get rid of it before I give it a fair chance.


----------



## Benfica1

Maybe I'm in the minority of people receiving a bad pulse. My Pulse arrived with no pulse. DOA. Now I have a high pulse rate.
  
 Any ideas on how I get LH Labs to respond to a support ticket for a pulse that doesn't work?  I received a first response within 24 hours, but now I've been waiting for a follow-up since last week. Normally, I have more patience, but when you wait for something for so long and then it doesn't work, my patience runs thin.
  
 I'll probably send in my Bifrost for the MB upgrade and receive it before I get a working pulse. Maybe even get the LC before a working pulse. 
  
 Just had to vent.


----------



## Maelob

eliwankenobi said:


> You live outside of USA
> 
> I am also oct 2013 and I was told they will ship USA units first. Then they would ship out of USA. This in case there is an issue orbug with the units, they can fix those before shipping them out.
> 
> I live in Puerto Rico btw




PR is USA in my book


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not really getting the whole "missing a lot of bass" thing. You make it seem as if the DAc/amp has a -20 dB roll off at the bass frequencies or something. XD
> ...



Yeah that's why I mentioned a -20 dB roll off of bass or something because the way the posts are worded makes it seem like the Pulse has zero bass response whatsoever. XD

And yup, I'm sure that the differences are pretty small relatively speaking.


I have the LightSpeed 2G demo cable with me right now. So far from my limited listening, I actually don't like it as much as my printer cable + 1G cable, and of course less than the 10G. I should do more listening sessions later but it's pretty cumbersome switching out USB cables. To me, the 2G sounds pretty bright, but it has better instrument layering than the printer + 1G cable setup I typically use. When I heard my system for the first time with the 2G cable, I thought something sounded off because it was borderline too bright for me. We'll see what my impressions are after I do more listening tests though.


----------



## eliwankenobi

maelob said:


> PR is USA in my book




Without getting political here, yes, for the most part. LH Labs does consider it since I didn't have to play any international shipping fees


----------



## greenkiwi

Mine is supposedly out for delivery... (it's 5:30... so unlikely that it will arrive today.)
  
@smial1966 any chance you are international?  They had mentioned at one point, that they were going to ship out the very first batch of Infinities to US backers (i.e. the first 20) so that any


----------



## atsq17

miceblue said:


> Yeah that's why I mentioned a -20 dB roll off of bass or something because the way the posts are worded makes it seem like the Pulse has zero bass response whatsoever. XD
> 
> And yup, I'm sure that the differences are pretty small relatively speaking.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Regardless of belief or whatever, give it a run in for 200+ hours and see how you find it then.


----------



## mtruong34

Anybody receive yet ANOTHER survey from LH Labs to confirm shipping address? Well I filled it out and it wouldn't work. I sent Manny this message "You're survey doesn't work. It's broken. Thanks for wasting my time." To which Manny responded "Well that was rude, It would seem that the "address field 2" is empty, if you do not have address 2 to input, just put NA". Is it just me or do most intelligently programmed surveys have address 2 as optional? Never seen a mandatory address 2 before until now. And of course it's the customer’s fault for a poorly designed survey.


----------



## mscott58

mtruong34 said:


> Anybody receive yet ANOTHER survey from LH Labs to confirm shipping address? Well I filled it out and it wouldn't work. I sent Manny this message "You're survey doesn't work. It's broken. Thanks for wasting my time." To which Manny responded "Well that was rude, It would seem that the "address field 2" is empty, if you do not have address 2 to input, just put NA". Is it just me or do most intelligently programmed surveys have address 2 as optional? Never seen a mandatory address 2 before until now. And of course it's the customer’s fault for a poorly designed survey.


 
 Yeah, the survey wasn't designed too well. Was pretty easy to figure out the Address Line 2 thing, but then again I've created surveys just like it in the past. I think they used too much of an off-the-shelf template and that's the reason for the issues. Cheers


----------



## tvnosaint

Mine was sent to wrong address anyway. Fortunately the postman knows me. So I got it. I had a typo on original perk, tried to address it several times. Did the survey... But no blood no foul. The gear is here and truly impressive for the cost.


----------



## germay0653

Inserted the Geek Pulse X ∞ into my headphone system using the balanced headphone out. 
  
 Minor nits: Volume knob is very touchy (sensitive) and apple remote is acting very flaky.  Can't get the menu to come up with the remote, pressing volume up sometimes works but then trying to press volume down, the volume just keeps going up - not sure if it's the firmware or something else. I'll swap out the battery in the remote to see if that fixes anything.
  
 Out of the box it sounded a lot like my GO 720, which is no slouch by any means, but three hours in and I'm very impressed -  definite increase in detail and soundstage.  Everything just sounds 3 dimensional, especially on live cuts.
  
 If it's this good at three hours I can't wait to hear it after a few hundred hours.  I'm a happy camper right now.  Definitely worth the wait for me.


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> Inserted the Geek Pulse X ∞ into my headphone system using the balanced headphone out.
> 
> Minor nits: Volume knob is very touchy and apple remote is acting very flaky.  Can't get the menu to come up with the remote, pressing volume up sometimes works but then trying to press volume down, the volume just keeps going up - not sure if it's the firmware or something else. I'll swap out the battery in the remote to see if that fixes anything.
> 
> ...


 
 Congrats! 
  
 Looks like yours is set up very similarly to mine, with the LPS4 as well as the LS10G and the Regen. Are you powering your Regen off the LPS4? 
  
 Yeah, I'm also very pleased with the Pulse Infinity desktop. Have been A/B'ing it a lot today with a GO V2+ Infinity and have to say they're very close to each other in SQ and performance. 
  
 Enjoy your new gear!


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Congrats!
> 
> Looks like yours is set up very similarly to mine, with the LPS4 as well as the LS10G and the Regen. Are you powering your Regen off the LPS4?
> 
> ...


 

 Yes Mike, power both the Regen and the Pulse off the LPS4.  My wife is going to feel neglected tonight!


----------



## bhazard




----------



## bhazard

I really wish I had the HE-1000 or some other flagship headphone to really test these.
  
 Running balanced AKG 7XX an hour in and it already sounds awesome. The V2+ is similar, but it is immediately noticeable that the X Infinity is better.
  
 Some bad news, my LPS doesn't work with it. Tried 2G, 1G, printer cable, all fail to play with the LPS in the chain. Without the LPS everything works fine. May need to RMA the LPS.


----------



## oneguy

Looking good. I am envious since I have to wait another week before mine reached me in the western Pacific.


----------



## oneguy

bhazard said:


> I really wish I had the HE-1000 or some other flagship headphone to really test these.
> 
> Running balanced AKG 7XX an hour in and it already sounds awesome. The V2+ is similar, but it is immediately noticeable that the X Infinity is better.
> 
> Some bad news, my LPS doesn't work with it. Tried 2G, 1G, printer cable, all fail to play with the LPS in the chain. Without the LPS everything works fine. May need to RMA the LPS.




At this point would you expect anything less?


----------



## doctorjazz

Congrats! Impressions when you can (neglecting spouses is acceptable, but neglecting the Head-Fi community...NOT!!!!!


----------



## mscott58

bhazard said:


> I really wish I had the HE-1000 or some other flagship headphone to really test these.
> 
> Running balanced AKG 7XX an hour in and it already sounds awesome. The V2+ is similar, but it is immediately noticeable that the X Infinity is better.
> 
> Some bad news, my LPS doesn't work with it. Tried 2G, 1G, printer cable, all fail to play with the LPS in the chain. Without the LPS everything works fine. May need to RMA the LPS.


 
 How are you running the cables between the LPS and the Infinity?
  
 If the 2G is the split version then you don't have to use the LPS4 in the chain, you can just run the signal leg directly to the Infinity. The only time you need power to the power leg is in the very first hand-shake (and you can connect it to any USB port for this) and then you can just disconnect the power leg of the split cable forever! 
  
 Cheers and enjoy


----------



## bhazard

mscott58 said:


> How are you running the cables between the LPS and the Infinity?
> 
> If the 2G is the split version then you don't have to use the LPS4 in the chain, you can just run the signal leg directly to the Infinity. The only time you need power to the power leg is in the very first hand-shake (and you can connect it to any USB port for this) and then you can just disconnect the power leg of the split cable forever!
> 
> Cheers and enjoy


 
 I ran the 1G to the LPS, and printer cable to the Pulse X Infinity, and vice versa. It still caused playback issues. "Couldn't create ASIO buffer" "44.1 not supported" All sorts of errors.


----------



## mscott58

bhazard said:


> I ran the 1G to the LPS, and printer cable to the Pulse X Infinity, and vice versa. It still caused playback issues. "Couldn't create ASIO buffer" "44.1 not supported" All sorts of errors.




Mac or PC?

Also if you have the split 2G did you try it?


----------



## greenkiwi

Man, I hate USPS.  What a miserable delivery system.
  
 They tied to deliver it on Tuesday at 6pm - Business closed

 October 6, 2015 , 6:00 pm
 Business Closed
 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 

  
 So then, in their infinite wisdom, they tried again today... note the time

 
 October 7, 2015 , 8:23 pm
 Notice Left (No Secure Location Available)
  
 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105 
 
   

 
 
  
  
 Really???? 8:23PM?  You thought that would be successful when it was closed at 6pm the day before?
  
 Oh, and there is no way it was closed on Tuesday, people were there until 7pm.
  
 Looks like I'll be making a trek to the post office so they can find my pulse.  (oh, and their online system won't let me specify redelivery instructions and they are unreachable via the phone.)


----------



## germay0653

greenkiwi said:


> Man, I hate USPS.  What a miserable delivery system.
> 
> They tied to deliver it on Tuesday at 6pm - Business closed
> 
> ...


 

 Your tax dollars working for you!


----------



## gikigill

Nope, the USPS has been deliberately hamstrung. Look up the retirement plan forced upon them by the Republicans. It's unlike any piece of legislation ever forced upon any federal institution and so outlandish, it defies reality.


----------



## MikeyFresh

gikigill said:


> Nope, the USPS has been deliberately hamstrung. Look up the retirement plan forced upon them by the Republicans. It's unlike any piece of legislation ever forced upon any federal institution and so outlandish, it defies reality.


 

 This is absolutely correct, and for the record there are no tax dollars being spent by the USPS, they have no Federal funding/budget and never did.
  
 The USPS is the only U.S. government agency that receives no Federal tax dollars or budget to sustain operations, they are required (and always have been) to be self sufficient by selling postage.
  
 The above mention of a 2006 mandate for the USPS to pre-fund their future retirement and healthcare costs is also unique and is what makes them hugely unprofitable in the current situation. 
  
 That said, the postal union is no help in moving towards a solution, and many of their workers do a terrible job and/or are only too happy to have various regulations and other conditions lead to ridiculous poor service like the circumstance @greenkiwi is experiencing above.


----------



## runningwitit

Anyone receive their S.E. Pulse as of yet? Any out of the box impressions?


----------



## germay0653

Anyone care to guess what was the first album and track I played on my Pulse?
  
 Hint: It was Pink Floyd!


----------



## MikeyFresh

germay0653 said:


> Anyone care to guess what was the first album and track I played on my Pulse?
> 
> Hint: It was Pink Floyd!


 

 Various apropos choices, in no particular order:
  
_*One Of These Days *_*(Meddle):*_ _As in "someday I'll actually receive my Pulse ∞".
  
*Speak To Me (The Dark Side Of The Moon): *The DAC reveals it's sonic signature.
  
*Any Colour You Like **(The Dark Side Of The Moon): *As long as it's black.
  
*Wish You Were Here (Wish You Were Here): *Oh wait, I meant this for Vi Dac Tube and Wave x128, sorry.
  
_*Comfortably Numb*_* (The Wall): *The state you're in after LHL crowd funding.
  
*In The Flesh​ (The Wall): *The DAC is actually there right before your very eyes, finally. No really.
  
*Run Like Hell (The Wall): *From any future LHL crowd funding extravaganzas.
  
*One Of The Few (The Final Cut): *Pulse ∞ a very special limited edition.


----------



## MikeyFresh

germay0653 said:


> Anyone care to guess what was the first album and track I played on my Pulse?
> 
> Hint: It was Pink Floyd!


 

 Or is it *High Hopes* from the double live album *Pulse*?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Its *Time* in TDSOTM.


----------



## MikeyFresh

*One Slip (A Momentary Lapse Of Reason): *Is all it takes to descend into LHL "perkageddon".


----------



## doublea71

I made a little survey for Geek Wave backers if anybody is interested.
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/783527/geek-wave-backers-customer-happiness-survey-from-a-fellow-backer


----------



## rschoi75

Nice to see the V2 chassis being delivered... 
  
 ... meanwhile, I'm still waiting for my V1 chassis pulse Xfi... 
  
 (which was supposed to be 100% delivered by the end of Sept, 2015).


----------



## foreverzer0

germay0653 said:


> Yes Mike, power both the Regen and the Pulse off the LPS4.  My wife is going to feel neglected tonight!


 
  
 Similar setup here as well. I often wonder if the benefits of the split vs non-split editions of the 10G cable become diminished with the Regen completely blocking the power leg.


----------



## germay0653

mikeyfresh said:


> Or is it *High Hopes* from the double live album *Pulse*?


 

 You got the album right but the track was: Shine on You Crazy Diamond!


----------



## FayeForever

Got the infinity.
 The bass is weak out of the box but definitely not severely lacking.
 Overall much better looking than 1.0 chassis but the side screws are protruding and not even, so I take off the cover then try to re-tighten the screws, and, the cover won't fit agin, so I have to loose the screws put on the cover then tighten the screws again. I don't know if this tolerance is OK in LHlabs's QC book but if I am paying more than $1K for this I would return it and ask for refund.


----------



## germay0653

foreverzer0 said:


> Similar setup here as well. I often wonder if the benefits of the split vs non-split editions of the 10G cable become diminished with the Regen completely blocking the power leg.


 
  
 I don't even plug the power leg of the 10G in.  The Pulse doesn't use it and the Regen bypasses it so there's no point.  Mine works just fine without it.  If you don't have the split the power is active in the cable.  Probably doesn't make any difference but with the white split, with power leg not plugged in, less EMI/RFI.


----------



## foreverzer0

germay0653 said:


> I don't even plug the power leg of the 10G in.  The Pulse doesn't use it and the Regen bypasses it so there's no point.  Mine works just fine without it.  If you don't have the split the power is active in the cable.  Probably doesn't make any difference but with the white split, with power leg not plugged in, less EMI/RFI.


 
  
 Do you ever experience your Pulse not appearing as a system device after your computer comes back from standby, until you perform a power cycle?


----------



## mscott58

foreverzer0 said:


> Do you ever experience your Pulse not appearing as a system device after your computer comes back from standby, until you perform a power cycle?




With the Regen = yes. 

Without the Regen = no. 

One of the trade offs that I have to power cycle the Pulse at times, but not a huge deal IME. 

Cheers


----------



## greenkiwi

fayeforever said:


> Got the infinity.
> The bass is weak out of the box but definitely not severely lacking.
> Overall much better looking than 1.0 chassis but the side screws are protruding and not even, so I take off the cover then try to re-tighten the screws, and, the cover won't fit agin, so I have to loose the screws put on the cover then tighten the screws again. I don't know if this tolerance is OK in LHlabs's QC book but if I am paying more than $1K for this I would return it and ask for refund.




Got mine too.

I'll check to see what my screws are like.

On the whole, it physically feels SO much better than the first chassis. I'm so glad that I waited.

I need to bring my real headphones to work and try it out. Probably need to just let it run for a while.


----------



## germay0653

foreverzer0 said:


> Do you ever experience your Pulse not appearing as a system device after your computer comes back from standby, until you perform a power cycle?


 

 Haven't powered it off or let it go into standby yet.  Left it on since I got the Pulse.  Breaking it in!


----------



## foreverzer0

greenkiwi said:


> Got mine too.
> 
> I'll check to see what my screws are like.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Same for me, but it's quite annoying--why can't it just 'work'...


----------



## eac3

Love USPS (by the way, Little Rock, AR is 3 hours away from Fayetteville, AR)


----------



## DSlayerZX

Got the Pulse infinity today.
  
 Hooked it up with Jay's audio LPS with 2G cable,
 data end to computer and power end to an Anker USB portable battery charger to emulate plugged in usb power.
 (the charger it self seem to shuts down after the initial hand shake, due to having no active load. )
  
 , set everything up on windows, play via JRiver through ASIO, DSD bit perfect output, etc. , after a bit fiddling with settings, everything was good to go.
  
 The initial impression? Not bad, not bad at all.
  
 The DAC managed to squeeze some subtle detail out of some sound tracks compare to Buffalo II without feeling too harsh or distracted.
  
 The instrument separation is slightly better as well.
  
 The over all tone is pretty much on par between the Buffalo II and Pulse Infinity though.
  
 The only gripe is that the lower drum/base doesn't seem to pack as much punch as the Buffalo, hopefully this will be fixed after few hundred hours of burn in.
  
  
 Also... I am running balanced HD800, low gain.. at -24 dB for a normal listening session... this seem to be quiet a bit of attenuation for low gain settings... anyone else is having similar experience?


----------



## FayeForever

dslayerzx said:


> Got the Pulse infinity today.
> 
> Hooked it up with Jay's audio LPS with 2G cable,
> data end to computer and power end to an Anker USB portable battery charger to emulate plugged in usb power.
> ...


 

 same here, balanced HD800.


----------



## travelfotografe

Same here. Plain X, balanced HD800, low gain, -24db thereabouts.


----------



## miceblue

Low gain, -39-ish dB for my balanced K701.


----------



## DSlayerZX

hmm alright, glad to know I'm not the only one running the unit at relatively low -dB setting.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Can someone remind me of the power distribution for the hp amp?

Was it 3W @ 32ohm or 16ohm? 

What about other impedances? There was like chart or something


----------



## snip3r77

germay0653 said:


> I don't even plug the power leg of the 10G in.  The Pulse doesn't use it and the Regen bypasses it so there's no point.  Mine works just fine without it.  If you don't have the split the power is active in the cable.  Probably doesn't make any difference but with the white split, with power leg not plugged in, less EMI/RFI.




What about using for the 2g? Will regen helps?


----------



## germay0653

snip3r77 said:


> What about using for the 2g? Will regen helps?


 

 Once I break-in the Pulse, that may be a while though, I'll try swapping out the 10G with the 2G and let you know!  The Regen should help regardless of cable but the better the signal you feed it, less work for it to do, the better it will perform.


----------



## Audio Addict

Pulse Infinity in 2.0 case.
  
 Included Lightspeed 2G and 1G.  I used the 2G from the laptop to the LPS4 and 1G from the LPS4 to the Pulse Infinity.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Can't see it bro!


----------



## oneguy

Something must have happened. It was there when I looked at it.


----------



## NigelJ

eliwankenobi said:


> Can someone remind me of the power distribution for the hp amp?
> 
> Was it 3W @ 32ohm or 16ohm?
> 
> What about other impedances? There was like chart or something




Chart is on Pulse Analog Audio Components IGG Campaign story page https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-pre-order/x/5742205#/story power for single ended is half balanced figures given.


----------



## Audio Addict

audio addict said:


> Pulse Infinity in 2.0 case.
> 
> Included Lightspeed 2G and 1G.  I used the 2G from the laptop to the LPS4 and 1G from the LPS4 to the Pulse Infinity.


 
  
 Try again with a direct upload.


----------



## eliwankenobi

nigelj said:


> Chart is on Pulse Analog Audio Components IGG Campaign story page https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-pre-order/x/5742205#/story power for single ended is half balanced figures given.




Thank you for the link.

But I meant the amplifier inside the Pulse DAC.

As a note, I can see hownit was confusing. I said Pulse Headphone Amplifier and forgot that Pulse is now a familiy of products instead of just the DAC!


----------



## miceblue

eliwankenobi said:


> Can someone remind me of the power distribution for the hp amp?
> 
> Was it 3W @ 32ohm or 16ohm?
> 
> What about other impedances? There was like chart or something



Good, this link still works (the old forum is dead though).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lBMMP7mtO4sC0HnxTo-_0crmsaTLVUkqBizSmINeuMs/edit?pli=1#gid=1

3 levels of gain:
Single ended: 1.8 Vrms, 3 Vrms, 7 Vrms
Balanced: 3.6 Vrms, 6 Vrms, 14 Vrms

Power = V * I = (V^2) / R
R = 16 Ω

Single ended: 202.5 mW, 562.5 mW, 3.06 W
Balanced: 810 mW, 2.25 W, 12.25 W


----------



## eliwankenobi

miceblue said:


> Good, this link still works (the old forum is dead though).
> 
> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lBMMP7mtO4sC0HnxTo-_0crmsaTLVUkqBizSmINeuMs/edit?pli=1#gid=1
> 
> ...




Thank you!


----------



## NigelJ

miceblue said:


> Good, this link still works (the old forum is dead though).



Not quite dead, on life support. There are still a few threads open and nearly as much activity as on the awful new forum, where one can go for days without any new posts; indeed the thread that sees the most activity on the new forum is one calling for a return to the old forum. ;o)


----------



## foreverzer0

audio addict said:


> Pulse Infinity in 2.0 case.
> 
> Included Lightspeed 2G and 1G.  I used the 2G from the laptop to the LPS4 and 1G from the LPS4 to the Pulse Infinity.




Bro. You're using it wrong lol, connecting it to the LPS is for clean power. With the light speed 2g, you only connect the data leg to the computer, the pulse has its own power. For handshake purposes, plug the power side of the 2g into the LPS. Instant sound improvement for following the instructions lol.


----------



## greenkiwi

nigelj said:


> Not quite dead, on life support. There are still a few threads open and nearly as much activity as on the awful new forum, where one can go for days without any new posts; indeed the thread that sees the most activity on the new forum is one calling for a return to the old forum. ;o)




I could only think of this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4vuW6tQ0218


----------



## wingsounds13

foreverzer0 said:


> Bro. You're using it wrong lol, connecting it to the LPS is for clean power. With the light speed 2g, you only connect the data leg to the computer, the pulse has its own power. For handshake purposes, plug the power side of the 2g into the LPS. Instant sound improvement for following the instructions lol.




This is correct. The LPS does *nothing* for USB signal conditioning, the sole function of its USB pass through is to replace the noisy computer sourced USB power with ultra quiet LPS power. The split 2G or 10G cables are ideal to use this exactly as foreverzero says: USB signal directly from the computer and low noise USB power from the LPS.

J.P.


----------



## Audio Addict

wingsounds13 said:


> This is correct. The LPS does *nothing* for USB signal conditioning, the sole function of its USB pass through is to replace the noisy computer sourced USB power with ultra quiet LPS power. The split 2G or 10G cables are ideal to use this exactly as foreverzero says: USB signal directly from the computer and low noise USB power from the LPS.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 The other issue is the 2G cable doesn't mark which leg is data and which is power.  
  
 Must be a defective 2G cable as it doesn't hold the connection well in this configuration.


----------



## Chefano

audio addict said:


> I have to admit I am confused.  The LPS4 only has 1 USB out.  Why dual USB A as the LPS4 only has 1 output?
> 
> The other issue is the 2G cable doesn't mark which leg is data and which is power.


 

 The power leg has a black colar on the connector.


----------



## DSlayerZX

audio addict said:


> I have to admit I am confused.  The LPS4 only has 1 USB out.  Why dual USB A as the LPS4 only has 1 output?
> 
> The other issue is the 2G cable doesn't mark which leg is data and which is power.


 
  
 Gavin has released an youtube video before explaining it... too lazy to find it again, but basically the leg with a shrink wrap is the power, one without is the data.


----------



## wingsounds13

With the LH 2G or 1G cable the leg with the black collar on it is the power leg.

Using a split USB cable such as the 2G or 10G:
Connect the *unmarked* leg to the *computer*.
Connect the *black collar* leg to the USB output of the *LPS*.
Connect the remaining *USB B* connector to the *DAC*.
*Nothing* will be connected to the USB input of the LPS, only the power (black ring) leg of the split cable will be connected to the USB A *output* connector on the LPS.

The signal will directly from the computer to the DAC. It will not go through the LPS as the LPS does *nothing* to improve the quality of the USB signal. For this you would get something like the Schiit Wyrd or the UpTone Audio Regen. Either of those would go as close as possible to the DAC.

J.P.


----------



## spyder1

Audio Addict,
  
 If you are a member of the Geek Force, there is a Gavin Fish Blog, in the Archive Form, "How to Use LightSeed 2G USB cable with Geek Pulse & Geek LPS. This helped me with my setup!
  
 P. Novitt


----------



## Audio Addict

By trial and error I figured which is which. On the black 2G I received there is absolutely no differences on the USB-A end. There is no shrink-wrap on either.


----------



## mscott58

audio addict said:


> By trial and error I figured which is which. On the black 2G I received there is absolutely no differences on the USB-A end. There is no shrink-wrap on either.




On the 10G the power leg has a black band about a few millimeters wide near the plug.


----------



## Audio Addict

mscott58 said:


> On the 10G the power leg has a black band about a few millimeters wide near the plug.




The new version of the 2G is a totally black cable with black plastic shells. There is no shrink-wrap on the cable I received.


----------



## mscott58

audio addict said:


> The new version of the 2G is a totally black cable with black plastic shells. There is no shrink-wrap on the cable I received.




Ah!

Pictures? 

Thanks


----------



## Audio Addict

mscott58 said:


> Ah!
> 
> Pictures?
> 
> Thanks


----------



## wingsounds13

I prefer the black to the neon chartreuse of the first generation cables. Is there really no differentiation between the two A connectors? If not, then this is a design or production error, as one should have only signal and the other only power. Look closely, there must be something.

If there are no discernible markings, it should not be difficult to determine which is which. Plug bot into the computer, and once the link is established, remove one from the computer. If the USB link is retained, you are holding the power leg. If the link is broken then you are holding the data leg. Mark them for future reference.

J.P.


----------



## Audio Addict

wingsounds13 said:


> I prefer the black to the neon chartreuse of the first generation cables. Is there really no differentiation between the two A connectors? If not, then this is a design or production error, as one should have only signal and the other only power. Look closely, there must be something.
> 
> If there are no discernible markings, it should not be difficult to determine which is which. Plug bot into the computer, and once the link is established, remove one from the computer. If the USB link is retained, you are holding the power leg. If the link is broken then you are holding the data leg. Mark them for future reference.
> 
> J.P.




As I was reinstalling it, I noticed this small black loose fitting band on the power leg cable. It was closer to the USB-B connector. The location and being black made in difficult to see. I slid it down to the USB-A end but it won't stay there since it slides on the cable.


----------



## eliwankenobi

audio addict said:


>




Yes!!! No more ridiculous neon colors!!


----------



## Audio Addict

It is breaking in very nicely.  I am listening with the HE500s with a balanced WyWires Red.  The DAC speaks for itself.  It alone is well worth the investment.  Too bad it only took almost 2 years to get but with the Infinity upgrade, it brought it fully current to compete with some of the bests.  Is it worth the $1999 it is on sale on the LH Labs web store, there are a lot of good dacs out there these days in this price range.


----------



## ejong7

eliwankenobi said:


> Yes!!! No more ridiculous neon colors!!


 

 I'm actually fine with the previous color. At least my printer cable doesn't look like it LMAO.


----------



## snip3r77

spyder1 said:


> Audio Addict,
> 
> If you are a member of the Geek Force, there is a Gavin Fish Blog, in the Archive Form, "How to Use LightSeed 2G USB cable with Geek Pulse & Geek LPS. This helped me with my setup!
> 
> P. Novitt





http://lhlabs.com/blog/2014/11/how-to-use-lightspeed-2g-usb-cable-with-geek-pulse-geek-lps/


----------



## snip3r77

audio addict said:


> It is breaking in very nicely.  I am listening with the HE500s with a balanced WyWires Red.  The DAC speaks for itself.  It alone is well worth the investment.  Too bad it only took almost 2 years to get but with the Infinity upgrade, it brought it fully current to compete with some of the bests.  Is it worth the $1999 it is on sale on the LH Labs web store, there are a lot of good dacs out there these days in this price range.




with reference to what DAC???


----------



## FayeForever

Just FYI my 1G/2G usb both come in original neon color.


----------



## oneguy

fayeforever said:


> Just FYI my 1G/2G usb both come in original neon color.


 

 Oooh, a gams of chance. I like that.


----------



## TopQuark

snip3r77 said:


> with reference to what DAC???


 
  
 I would like to see comparison review of Pulse Infinity with the Gungnir Multibit.  I've been an R2R guy from the beginning but got sidetracked with the Geek.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

ejong7 said:


> I'm actually fine with the previous color. At least my printer cable doesn't look like it LMAO.


 
  
 You haven't seen my mine?


----------



## oneguy

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> You haven't seen my mine?


 

 Ultra high printing resolution FTW! lol


----------



## miceblue

This might be interesting to some.

One of the local folks was really generous to spend some time measuring my Pulse X Infinity+LPS4 today with a Prism Sound dScope III and PicoScope 5243B (oscilloscope with a 15-bit 2-channel ADC, which is much higher than the typical 6-8-bit ADCs in most oscilloscopes I believe). This is the first time I've seen third party measurements of the Pulse X Infinity, let alone a stock Pulse, so I feel extremely fortunate to have these measurements done.

Some notes:

 All tests done were with a 24-bit/44.1 kHz input
 Unless otherwise noted, AudioQuest Forest USB cables were used
 Vaunix Lab Brick powered USB hub was used
 Pulse X Infinity was warmed up for about 1 hour before testing, and about 3 hours warmed up by the end of the session (jitter measurements were done at the end)
 All measurements done using the RCA output of the Pulse X Infinity (I don't have any equipment that uses dual XRL inputs, and I figured the XLR output will give better numbers anyway)
 Silver Sonic Air Matrix RCA cables were used
 RCA to 3-pin XLR adaptors were used as inputs to the dScope (100 kΩ load measurements)
 0.0 dB output on the Pulse X Infinity (low gain if that matters, which I don't think it does)
 Most tests are done with the FTM digital filter since that's what I listen to when the Pulse is warmed up (I use the FRM filter when it's not)




After 2 hours of warming up, we took some infrared photos with a FLIR E63900 camera to see how warm the Pulse X Infinity+LPS4 gets (about 96.5˚F [35.8˚C] at the hottest parts).


Spoiler: Thermal Photos



Pulse X Infinity top


Pulse X Infinity side


LPS4 side





We started the testing session with the PicoScope and measuring 20 Hz square wave outputs from the Pulse X Infinity. The Pulse X Infinity actually outputs a large signal with the RCA outputs, about 10 Vpp or 3.54 Vrms.


Spoiler: 20 Hz Square Wave



Linear FRM filter
10 ms/division


500 μs/division



Minimum phase TCM filter
10 ms/division


500 μs/division



Minimum phase FTM filter
10 ms/division


500 μs/division



They look really good minus the slight channel imbalance, which I thought was kind of odd since the Pulse X Infinity supposedly has hand-matched components. It's a slight channel imbalance though, so I don't think it's anything to really fuss about, but it is seen throughout the measurements.

I was surprised to see how close (exact?) the FTM filter is compared to the TCM filter. I was expecting the FTM filter to have less post-ringing in comparison to the TCM one, but perhaps optimisation of that filter wasn't focused on the time domain like we see here.




After doing those tests, we switched over to the dScope III to do the rest of the measurements.


Spoiler: Frequency Response, 20-20,000 Hz



FTM filter


FTM filter, ±0.3 dB y-axes



FRM (yellow and magenta) and FTM (white) filters, ±0.3 dB y-axes






Spoiler: Dynamic Range



This is why we chose to use a 24-bit input (~144 dB maximum dynamic range) since a 16-bit signal would have a dynamic range of ~96 dB.

FTM filter






Spoiler: THD/THD+N



The cursor is set at 1 kHz for all measurements, but you can see the THD/THD+N measurement curves for the whole frequency response.

FTM filter
Take 1

-101.8 dBFS = 0.0008128%

Take 2

-101.6 dBFS = 0.0008318%

Take 3 (measurement expressed as a percent instead of decibel like the above ones)

0.00070% = -103.1 dB

At around 200 Hz, the THD+N curve goes to about -78-ish dBFS, which is 0.0125893%





Spoiler: IMD CCIF 19/20 kHz Twin Tones



FTM filter






Spoiler: Crosstalk



FTM filter






Spoiler: Gain Linearity



Basically a 1 kHz signal is generated and attenuated in a set amounts (-6.0 dBFS steps here I believe and is represented by the white and cyan lines) and the output from the DAC is measured to see if it outputs the respective signals (yellow and magenta lines). A flat line is ideal.

FTM filter






Spoiler: Imaging



This looks similar to the measurements done at Stereophile where 0 dB noise is generated and a wide-bandwidth measurement is taken to see what the digital filter does to the signal.

FTM filter






Spoiler: 1 kHz -90 dBFS



The output with a -90 dBFS scale would represent a quiet signal and demonstrates a DAC's ability to resolve low-level detail.

FTM filter






Spoiler: Inferred Jitter



This was an interesting test...note the shapes of the signal's skirt. The "W" shaped ones made us scratch our heads since we've never seen that shape before from an inferred jitter test.

FTM filter
Full bandwidth (I believe the 15 kHz spike is an anomaly in the data)
Take 1


Take 2


Slightly zoomed-in
Take 1


Take 2



2 kHz bandwidth
Take 1


2 kHz bandwidth
Take 2



FRM filter
Full bandwidth


Slightly zoomed-in


2 kHz bandwidth






Spoiler: Inferred Jitter (Different USB Cables)



All measurements here have the 2 kHz bandwidth since that seems to be the most interesting part. If we had more time, we would have liked to zoom in even more to see the skirt more clearly than it is.

AudioQuest Forest (the same cable used for the above jitter tests), FTM filter



LH Labs LightSpeed 2G (Demo), FTM filter
Take 1


Take 2


Take 3



Generic printer cable, FTM filter
Take 1


Take 2



These test were inconclusive. On the one hand, the different cables did seem to change some things. On the other hand, these differences appear to be extremely small and difficult to interpret. These inconclusive differences may be due to:

 LH Lab's 3L buffer, which supposedly helps with some things on the USB-end
 http://lightharmonic.com/products/lightspeed-usb-cables/


> By isolating the USB power, re-clocking the signal, and buffering it with our patent-pending 3 layer buffer, Larry minimized the cable’s effect.



 USB cables don't make as large of a difference in inferred jitter measurements as we think
 44.1 kHz signals aren't really affected by most USB cables (I'm guessing that larger sampling rate/bandwidth signals make larger, more conclusive differences in measurements)

We were still baffled at the weird "W"-shaped jitter skirt since it persisted throughout all of the USB cable tests.




Anyway, that was a really eye-opening experience for me since I've only ever heard of people measuring DACs and I've seen it happen in-person before. Fun stuff!


Also, practice safe listening habits. About -36.0 dB, low gain, XLR headphone output with the HD650 was measuring at about 75 dB SPL C-weighted with some of Dr. Chesky's _Sensational, Fantastic, and Simply Amazing Binaural Sound Show_ music, which I consider to be pretty quiet and dynamic.


----------



## Audio Addict

snip3r77 said:


> ld
> with reference to what DAC???


 
 The DACs I have a good reference to would be the PWD MKII and the DAC in the BMC Audio Puredac.  
  
 I would agree the new Schiit multbit dacs would be an interesting comparison


----------



## Audio Addict

Has anyone tried remotes other than the small apple remotes?


----------



## uncola

a guy earlier in the thread programmed his logitech harmony with the apple remote codes and it worked


----------



## germay0653

Thanks miceblue!
  
 I know time and availability didn't allow for this but what would be very interesting would be to compare the same tests on DACs in the same price range.
  
 Question regarding the jitter test.  What does the graph of the reference signal, with no jitter look like, a flat line with no spikes or more appropriately where and how is the jitter introduced into the signal?


----------



## Audio Addict

uncola said:


> a guy earlier in the thread programmed his logitech harmony with the apple remote codes and it worked


 
  
 Has anyone tried one of the apps for their phones?


----------



## AxelCloris

audio addict said:


> Has anyone tried one of the apps for their phones?


 
  
 You'd need to have the receiver unit with the IR repeater to use the phone app. If you already have one, you're set. If not, you'll need to buy this.


----------



## miceblue

germay0653 said:


> Thanks miceblue!
> 
> I know time and availability didn't allow for this but what would be very interesting would be to compare the same tests on DACs in the same price range.
> 
> Question regarding the jitter test.  What does the graph of the reference signal, with no jitter look like, a flat line with no spikes or more appropriately where and how is the jitter introduced into the signal?



The only published test results posted so far for another DAC is the Yggdrasil.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/764787/yggdrasil-technical-measurements/30#post_11612789

The AURALiC VEGA, Gungnir Multi-Bit, and Mousai MSD192 have also been measured, but we didn't get a chance to really compare them. I think the inferred jitter tests of the Gungnir looked similar to those of the Yggdrasil. 

The VEGA's "Exact"/femto clock filter looks similar to the Pulse's FRM filter in the time domain if I recall correctly, with minimal pre- and post-ringing.



As for the inferred jitter tests, I'm not sure what the reference signal looks like. We left the Pulse plugged in for all the tests and when we switched USB cables, we stopped the software from generating any signals.


----------



## Chefano

miceblue said:


> The only published test results posted so far for another DAC is the Yggdrasil.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/764787/yggdrasil-technical-measurements/30#post_11612789
> 
> The AURALiC VEGA, Gungnir Multi-Bit, and Mousai MSD192 have also been measured, but we didn't get a chance to really compare them. I think the inferred jitter tests of the Gungnir looked similar to those of the Yggdrasil.
> ...


 

 FRM or FTM ?
 Im asking because I really don't like FTM


----------



## miceblue

FRM
Both of us were surprised to see how little ringing there was in the square wave tests.

It looks similar to the apodising filter Ayre explains here, at least in the time domain:
https://www.ayre.com/pdf/Ayre_MP_White_Paper.pdf


I was surprised to see the TCM and FTM filters having basically the same exact response.


----------



## Chefano

miceblue said:


> FRM
> Both of us were surprised to see how little ringing there was in the square wave tests.
> 
> It looks similar to the apodising filter Ayre explains here, at least in the time domain:
> ...


 

 Thats really cool. The FRM imo is the best sound filter of infinity.
 Im really curious to see the behaviour of the Ygg´s closed-form digital filter (that runs on beast DSP).


----------



## Audio Addict

axelcloris said:


> You'd need to have the receiver unit with the IR repeater to use the phone app. If you already have one, you're set. If not, you'll need to buy this.



I just ended up ordering 2 apple remotes direct. For $19 each, it is hard to beat and that includes the shipping.


----------



## greenkiwi

miceblue said:


> The only published test results posted so far for another DAC is the Yggdrasil.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/764787/yggdrasil-technical-measurements/30#post_11612789
> 
> The AURALiC VEGA, Gungnir Multi-Bit, and Mousai MSD192 have also been measured, but we didn't get a chance to really compare them. I think the inferred jitter tests of the Gungnir looked similar to those of the Yggdrasil.
> ...


Unless someone is closer, I was going to have one of my Infinities get to me via @atomicbob. Figure it would be great to have someone else do a third party test on it.


----------



## eliwankenobi

greenkiwi said:


> Unless someone is closer, I was going to have one of my Infinities get to me via @atomicbob. Figure it would be great to have someone else do a third party test on it.




Nice! It would be very nice of you get to do that. It would be interesting to see if there is any difference between 1.0 and 2.0 chassis Infinity DACs. Although there shouldn't, but it sure could be confirmation regarding consistency of product quality..


----------



## miceblue

greenkiwi said:


> Unless someone is closer, I was going to have one of my Infinities get to me via @atomicbob. Figure it would be great to have someone else do a third party test on it.



atomicbob was the one who measured my X Infinity. Product variation from these "hand matched component" units would be interesting to see though.


----------



## greenkiwi

Oh cool.  I'll PM him.  It sounded like it was a fair bit of work for him.
  
 I'm going to have to find and compare the results with the Yggy...


----------



## nudd

miceblue said:


> The only published test results posted so far for another DAC is the Yggdrasil.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/764787/yggdrasil-technical-measurements/30#post_11612789
> 
> The AURALiC VEGA, Gungnir Multi-Bit, and Mousai MSD192 have also been measured, but we didn't get a chance to really compare them. I think the inferred jitter tests of the Gungnir looked similar to those of the Yggdrasil.
> ...




Thanks for doing these measurements. 

Hmm the inferred jitter seems to be a lot worse than the Yggdrasil, although remains to be seen if this level of jitter is actually audible ..


----------



## eac3

So after more shenanigans from USPS, I finally received my unit this past Saturday (quite surprised it didn't have signature required as the Postman just left the package  at the front door without knocking).
  
 first impressions of the unit.

Like the matte finish and the logo on the front. The strip of non-black material that runs vertically where the knob is is silver and not white like some of the earlier pictures showed in the past (from LH labs)...yay
That big tinted plastic screen in the front. Yeah, a small portion of that is just the screen. Other things I immediately noticed when looking at the screen is I can see the mounting screens for the LCD PCB board easily. Whatever. It's finally here. 
My volume knob appears to not be cut evenly. When turning the volume knob, it seems like it's not mounted properly (leaning on one side) but it just isn't cut properly?!?!
I do dislike that this doesn't come with metal w/ rubber feet attached to the enclosure. Just makes me feel that this was an afterthought. I do wonder if the Vi will include this since they seem to be posting all over instagram and facebook professional done pictures of it instead of the Pulse X Infinity/SE
Yeah, that reflective/mirror finish top feels like plastic and can't wait to switch that out. dust magnet.
The volume knob that is used for selection....VERY sensitive. Wish it required more force when turning like my Audio-gd DAC or especially, like my Denon 4311CI. I have a hard time selecting something in the menu because when I try to push the knob in to select it, I slightly turn the knob which results in selecting the previous/next menu. 
  
  
 That is all I can think of right now. These are only be impressions and opinions. YMMV. I will come back with SQ at a later date. But for now, it sounded okay to be out of the box. I unfortunately don't have any balanced headphones right now.


----------



## miceblue

nudd said:


> Thanks for doing these measurements.
> 
> Hmm the inferred jitter seems to be a lot worse than the Yggdrasil, although remains to be seen if this level of jitter is actually audible ..



Yeah apart from the inferred jitter anomalies, everything looks pretty good to me.


One thing to note about the THD+N measurements, we were wondering why the cursor number (the numbers in the boxes) are lower than the curve produced.
e.g. at 1 kHz, the THD+N reads at about -101.5 dBFS at the cursor, but the curve is at maybe around -92 dBFS

This is why objective measurements are hard to read sometimes and it really depends on the measurement system.


----------



## uncola

vi dac definitely has feet of some kind, look how elevated above the surface of the table it is.  Anyone else trying to plan where they're going to put the vi dac?  I still intend to put it on my desk not an av rack   "The chassis is planned to be around 17in long and 12in deep. About 1.5" at its shortest height."


----------



## kostaszag

..


----------



## RingingEars

Hey guys. 
 I have my NIB pulse SE and LPS for sale. Asking 550 shipped, but I'm not sure what these would go for as a set new. Is that too high?


----------



## eac3

uncola said:


> vi dac definitely has feet of some kind, look how elevated above the surface of the table it is.  Anyone else trying to plan where they're going to put the vi dac?  I still intend to put it on my desk not an av rack   "The chassis is planned to be around 17in long and 12in deep. About 1.5" at its shortest height."


 
  
  
 I just looked closer at their instagram pictures of the Vi DAC.
  
 Yup, you will be getting these same rubber dome feet.


----------



## eac3

ringingears said:


> Hey guys.
> I have my NIB pulse SE and LPS for sale. Asking 550 shipped, but I'm not sure what these would go for as a set new. Is that too high?


 
  
 Pulse S(ignature) E(dition) and LPS for $550 shipped.
  
 Wow, great price considering what the perks were.
  
  
 I think you just meant Pulse + LPS for $550 shipped?


----------



## mscott58

eac3 said:


> Pulse S(ignature) E(dition) and LPS for $550 shipped.
> 
> Wow, great price considering what the perks were.
> 
> ...




If it is $550 for Signature Edition and LPS then I'll take it!!! Seriously!

Guessing however you mean vanilla single-ended Pulse. 

Cheers


----------



## kostaszag

Anybody here using a Pulse+LPS with an android tablet as a source? I want to buy one as an alternative to my Mac mini/Audirvana+. It worked with my cellphone as a source, but only when I plugged it directly to the Pulse, not with the LPS. Has anybody found a way to overcome this obstacle?


----------



## uncola

eac hmm you're right, they do show the rubber dome feet on their instagram.  I thought I read it would have screw in type feet.  Oh well it's just feet.


----------



## RingingEars

eac3 said:


> Pulse S(ignature) E(dition) and LPS for $550 shipped.
> 
> Wow, great price considering what the perks were.
> 
> ...


 
 Oh no sorry. To clarify "SE" single ended. It's just a standard vanilla pulse.


----------



## doctorjazz

My Vi Tube DAC will likely be the top of a rack...don't have the desk space to accommodate it on any desktop in my house! Looks to be a big mother!


----------



## cbar

Sigh... My vanilla Pulse was playing fine for a while and burning in nicely. Now, series of popping noises. Working with technical support: firmware downgrade... firmware upgrade... still pop-pop-pop.
  
 A Customer Service reply in the LH Labs forum reads: "We have had a surge in technical questions due to our mass shipment of Pulse units recently." I bet.
  
 Just. So. Disappointing.


----------



## doctorjazz

There's something digital going on (duh...). I mean, I have the Geek Out Special Edition, no popping problem. I also have the CEntrance M8, and it does exactly what you describe. If you've ever played old, scratchy vinyl records, you'll know the sound. Sent it back to CEntrance twice, nothing wrong. I'm guessing (in my total ignorance) it has to do with some setting, maybe some sampling rate discrepancy or something (the CEntrance is unusable from my PC, works fine from an iPad). Never figured out exactly how to fix it (or how to get sound it off my PC through anything other than JRIVER, for that matter). Boy, and people think vinyl is a pain! Any other ideas out there?


----------



## Audio Addict

doctorjazz said:


> There's something digital going on (duh...). I mean, I have the Geek Out Special Edition, no popping problem. I also have the CEntrance M8, and it does exactly what you describe. If you've ever played old, scratchy vinyl records, you'll know the sound. Sent it back to CEntrance twice, nothing wrong. I'm guessing (in my total ignorance) it has to do with some setting, maybe some sampling rate discrepancy or something (the CEntrance is unusable from my PC, works fine from an iPad). Never figured out exactly how to fix it (or how to get sound it off my PC through anything other than JRIVER, for that matter). Boy, and people think vinyl is a pain! Any other ideas out there?


 
  
 I had that issue with a USB cable and WIN 7.0.  I switched the cable out and the replacement cable hasn't shown any issues.  I put the other cable on a WIN 8.1 laptop and it worked fine for a while but then it stopped being able to connect to the laptop.  I am not sure the cable died or what.  Waiting on a replacement cable right now.


----------



## mandrake50

doctorjazz said:


> There's something digital going on (duh...). I mean, I have the Geek Out Special Edition, no popping problem. I also have the CEntrance M8, and it does exactly what you describe. If you've ever played old, scratchy vinyl records, you'll know the sound. Sent it back to CEntrance twice, nothing wrong. I'm guessing (in my total ignorance) it has to do with some setting, maybe some sampling rate discrepancy or something (the CEntrance is unusable from my PC, works fine from an iPad). Never figured out exactly how to fix it (or how to get sound it off my PC through anything other than JRIVER, for that matter). Boy, and people think vinyl is a pain! Any other ideas out there?


 

 I have had pops and clicks using different DACs on my Win 7 laptop that is connected to a share  over WIFI. I found that using WASAPI instead of ASIO (Foobar2000) minimizes if not eliminates it. With the same dac connected to the machine holding the files locally, there are no problems. This is a 3 to 4 year old Lenovo laptop with and i7, SSD and 16 gig of RAM. I have speculated that internal latency (over 500 ms) or the WIFI (though_  I can stream HD video and uncompressed 5.1 audio  DTS or Dolby, on the same link with no problems_,) may be the cause. The USB cable, as_  _have tried several decent cables including the_ 1G, _has not made any difference. A newer laptop (X240 latency around 220 ms and a faster AC radio) does not have the problem.
 Thing is, I don't think it is the DAC, because I have seen this with multiple DACs.  I have a portable 2 TB HDD with most of my music on it. One day I will plug it in to the laptop just to eliminate the WIFI as a factor.
  
 BTW, I don't notice the issue on any machine when playing standard blue book files. I do hear it with high bit rate 96-192/24bit files or DSD. This is why I was looking at connection speed and internal latency as the potential causes.


----------



## coletrain104

ringingears said:


> Oh no sorry. To clarify "SE" single ended. It's just a standard vanilla pulse.


 
 I think its a pretty darn good price. However, it would make me rest easier as a buyer if you've tested it to make sure it is working properly. Not that I'm a prospective buyer, just thinking that there have been some units that don't work, and that makes a buyer uneasy. Just my 2 cents.


----------



## bhazard

My Infinity + LPS + 2G + 1G is silly good. Once I figured out how to use the 2G cable properly with the LPS, I could immediately hear the difference with and without the LPS. Blackest background I've ever heard (or not heard).


----------



## mscott58

bhazard said:


> My Infinity + LPS + 2G + 1G is silly good. Once I figured out how to use the 2G cable properly with the LPS, I could immediately hear the difference with and without the LPS. Blackest background I've ever heard (or not heard).



 


Add an Uptone Regen in front of it and IME it will get incrementally even better! Cheers


----------



## greenkiwi

coletrain104 said:


> I think its a pretty darn good price. However, it would make me rest easier as a buyer if you've tested it to make sure it is working properly. Not that I'm a prospective buyer, just thinking that there have been some units that don't work, and that makes a buyer uneasy. Just my 2 cents.


 
 Ditto, particularly because the warranty isn't transferrable.  If you tested it and it didn't work, you could return it under warranty for fixing.  If the buyer has an issue, they won't be able to.


----------



## Chikolad

Is native DSD supposed to work in a vanilla Pulse using the Windows ASIO driver?
 DoP works fine for me, but when I try native DSD all I get is horrible white noise which locks the Pulse until I reset it with a power cycle and/or switch input method.
  
 My player is Roon and the native DSD setup there is pretty straightforward. Would appreciate any assistance.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Nope, well not yet. When (and when) the DSD256 firmware update will be released, we could finally have Native DSD support,


----------



## coolmingli

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Nope, well not yet. When (and when) the DSD256 firmware update will be released, we could finally have Native DSD support,


 
 Hey Mickey, anything reason why ?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

They say they wille give it out to "beta" testers. And it was a month ago.  Larry broke the news that they (he) had it on its personal Pulse about half a year but was not that convinced. Unless they are "satisfied" with the result and will give it ago...Asked Larry if its is DoP or Native, He said it is NativeDSD.
  
 Here was the update on the IGG:
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 *DSD256 is on horizon, Geek Analog Suite Spin off *


Dear Backers,
   Several news here: 

 First one, I’m glad to let you know. We got our internal version of Geek Pulse DAC firmware running at DSD256 (11.2M) sampling rate nicely. (on Windows platform with ASIO driver version 2.29) It is the QUAD rate DSD and currently the most advanced format for a lot of studio when they record the digital master sound file. 

 Not only measure is great, the *listening result* is amazing too. DSD256 pushes the high frequency noise even higher to the 80K Hz zone. Smooth, Spacial and so real is the reaction I got from my guests. 

 With Pulse DAC’s  Bessel's *analog* second order filter at 70KHz right after the DSD256 output. It sounds amazing.  Next week, we will send the new firmware to several Pulse Infinite DAC ‘beta’ testers, and let them feedback how does it sound. If everything good, we will put the public release version of Pulse DAC firmware on our web site for your to download. *FREE*.

 And there are some DSD256 tape transfer available on HDTT too.


----------



## snip3r77

mscott58 said:


> bhazard said:
> 
> 
> > My Infinity + LPS + 2G + 1G is silly good. Once I figured out how to use the 2G cable properly with the LPS, I could immediately hear the difference with and without the LPS. Blackest background I've ever heard (or not heard).
> ...




Infinity plus 2g plus lps plus regen. How close or is better than ygg? Not sure if anyone has both configuration lol


----------



## mscott58

snip3r77 said:


> Infinity plus 2g plus lps plus regen. How close or is better than ygg? Not sure if anyone has both configuration lol


 
 I haven't listened to them side-by-side, but I own the Infinity/LPS/Regen and it rocks. I've listened to the Yggy/Rag stack a few times at the last two NA CanJams and while it was very good, I didn't love it. Different strokes for different folks, and I'm sure there are many people whose views are 180 out of phase of mine, and that's all good. 
  
 Scary thing for me is just how flippin close the V2+ Infinity comes to my desktop LHL stack...


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm sure it has improved in V2, but the V1 Geek Out Special Edition is really a great sounding DAC, sounds better than CEntrance M8 imo and some other usb dacs (though haven't compared it to higher priced spread). Used with Regen, MicroZOTL2, HEK, really great sounding system!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

mscott58 said:


> Scary thing for me is just how flippin close the V2+ Infinity comes to my desktop LHL stack...


 
  
 My only consolation  that keeps my hopes on waiting for the Wave.....


----------



## doctorjazz

Same here, with the Femto clock and other improvements from GO V2, expecting a lot from my Wave...just not expecting it any time soon.


----------



## pedalhead

lol I feel for you Wave guys. Is there an ETA (ho ho) for it yet?


----------



## jsiegel14072

I hope good things come to those that wait


----------



## pedalhead

If only my Pulse resembled in any way a Rolls Royce...


----------



## RingingEars

coletrain104 said:


> I think its a pretty darn good price. However, it would make me rest easier as a buyer if you've tested it to make sure it is working properly. Not that I'm a prospective buyer, just thinking that there have been some units that don't work, and that makes a buyer uneasy. Just my 2 cents.


 
 I'm more than wiling to do that if a serious prospective buyer would like and if I was in the market for one I would want the same. So if anyone lurking is interested let me know and I will hook it up and test it out


----------



## CingKrab

Have any international backers received their Pulse Infinity tracking info yet?  Opened a ticket about this last week and supposedly they're going out this week, but haven't received anything yet.


----------



## germay0653

jsiegel14072 said:


> I hope good things come to those that wait


 

 Although not even close to being as luxurious, I had a 98' Camry that had over 300K miles and was still going strong when I sold it 2 years ago.  Not too shabby for 13 hours worth of work.


----------



## Chikolad

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Nope, well not yet. When (and when) the DSD256 firmware update will be released, we could finally have Native DSD support,


 
  
 Thanks Mickey! By the way, is there any advantage to Native over DoP?


----------



## FayeForever

chikolad said:


> Thanks Mickey! By the way, is there any advantage to Native over DoP?


 

 No really, except maybe less CPU load that is negligible?


----------



## Chikolad

fayeforever said:


> No really, except maybe less CPU load that is negligible?


 
  
 Not really something to look forward to then


----------



## FayeForever

Well the native DSD do bring us DSD256 because DoP will exceed the USB 2.0 bandwidth.


----------



## miceblue

fayeforever said:


> Well the native DSD do bring us DSD256 because DoP will exceed the USB 2.0 bandwidth.



Does it?
http://www.head-fi.org/t/764639/lh-labs-announces-puredsd-mode#post_11560211
44,100 Hz * 256 * 2 channels = 22,579,200 bits/sec = 22,579.2 kbit/sec = 22.5 Mbit/s << 280 Mbit/s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#USB_2.0


----------



## FayeForever

Yeah I think you are correct, I wasn't think straight.


----------



## Lord Raven

Hi guys, I am back, this time with an SFi 

 I have a couple of questions.
  
 1- Do I need to upgrade or is it the latest one? I got worried cause I read I might brick my unit with a wrong upgrade 
  
  
  
 2- What should be the settings here?

  
 3- What filter should I use? I am using the FTM atm.
  
 4- My SFi is connected to my tube amplifier via RCA, should I keep volume to -0.0db in this case?
  
 5- I am not using a power supply, I don't hear any hiss or noise at all when I listen to the SFi's amplifier, do I need an LPS?
  
 6- Can I use a remote with an Android?
  
 Thank you for your guidance and suggestions.


----------



## Ranza

With all the horror stories about product failure because rush shipping like this scare me away, I'm living outside US so it will be a massive pain if I get a faulty one. Getting a good and working Geek Pulse is like playing lottery now.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

germay0653 said:


> Although not even close to being as luxurious, I had a 98' Camry that had over 300K miles and was still going strong when I sold it 2 years ago.  Not too shabby for 13 hours worth of work.


 
 LOL yeah.  So basically the quicker they build it, the easier it is to maintain and the longer they will last?  Unfortunately that's not holding true for LHL products.  


lord raven said:


> Hi guys, I am back, this time with an SFi
> 
> I have a couple of questions.
> 
> Thank you for your guidance and suggestions.


 
 2- What should be the settings here?
 You can play around, but you should only change if you're experiencing dropouts.  
 4- My SFi is connected to my tube amplifier via RCA, should I keep volume to -0.0db in this case?
 Normally with line out that's how it works, to avoid the degradation of the signal by the digital volume.  But that's when you have a preamp.  Since you didn't mention that, I'm assuming your tube amp has a volume control.  But then the SFi has a remote right?  Depends on what you prefer.  
 5- I am not using a power supply, I don't hear any hiss or noise at all when I listen to the SFi's amplifier, do I need an LPS?
 I don't know.  Do you want the marketing speak answer or a truthful one?  But you never know.  Maybe you will hear a better sound.  But I say just enjoy your setup for now and upgrade later.
 6- Can I use a remote with an Android?
 Not that I know of.  It's not like my Oppo HA-1 which has iOS and Android apps to control it.  It's a nice to have, but I still use the remote since it's quicker usually.


----------



## germay0653

vnmslsrbms said:


> LOL yeah.  So basically the quicker they build it, the easier it is to maintain and the longer they will last?  Unfortunately that's not holding true for LHL products.


 
  
 Can't say that I completely agree with you but I understand where your coming from.  Is it a PIA to have to wait so long? Yes, but I knew that going into it.  Their communication leaves much to be desired.  They're a young company and learning how to do business so there definitely are growing pains.  They are heavy into "marketing" and take that for what it's worth as you should be able to discern what's real and what's not. Overall, their products are well engineered but the rest of the "experience" leaves something to be desired.  They have shown progress!!
  
 Overall, I'm fully enjoying what I've purchased from them and looking forward to what's to come.  I've purchased 6 LHL products so far and have had no major problems whatsoever with any of them and for the price paid, I'm getting a boat load of bang for my buck.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

germay0653 said:


> Can't say that I completely agree with you but I understand where your coming from.  Is it a PIA to have to wait so long? Yes, but I knew that going into it.  Their communication leaves much to be desired.  They're a young company and learning how to do business so there definitely are growing pains.  They are heavy into "marketing" and take that for what it's worth as you should be able to discern what's real and what's not. Overall, their products are well engineered but the rest of the "experience" leaves something to be desired.  They have shown progress!!
> 
> Overall, I'm fully enjoying what I've purchased from them and looking forward to what's to come.  I've purchased 6 LHL products so far and have had no major problems whatsoever with any of them and for the price paid, I'm getting a boat load of bang for my buck.


 
 From what I've seen (still waiting for my Vi Tube DAC) the products were not that well engineered.  There were many stability issues, basic usage problems, problems with inputs non-USB, etc.  Not to mention their ill performing IEMs.  That was the problem that I was most concerned and at the same time happy that I went with the Vi since I'm assuming the issues would be ironed out by the time that rolls out.  They definitely have shown progress.  I was mainly referring to what people are experiencing to them rushing out stuff.  Good that you have had no problems with your LHL products!  I think they are one of the great examples of the crowd funding actually working.  They have had their bumps etc but the stuff they put out still sound great.


----------



## gikigill

98% of all Rolls Royces built since their beginning in 1907 are still running.


----------



## cbar

cbar said:


> Sigh... My vanilla Pulse was playing fine for a while and burning in nicely. Now, series of popping noises. Working with technical support: firmware downgrade... firmware upgrade... still pop-pop-pop.
> 
> A Customer Service reply in the LH Labs forum reads: "We have had a surge in technical questions due to our mass shipment of Pulse units recently." I bet.
> 
> Just. So. Disappointing.


 
  
 LH Labs tech support has pretty responsive. The sent another new rev of firmware today and I took the time to update the LH driver, foobar2000, and all components. Have no idea what the culprit was, but the updates seem to have done the trick! Haven't tried beating it up yet (restarting, swapping cords, DSD, etc.) -- for now just want to enjoy listening.


----------



## lobehold

Week 3 and 4 days into the burn-in of my Xfi.
  
 Bass seemed to start coming back around 2.5 weeks, then receeded again, strangely volume seem to be decreasing slowly without touching the knob, had to compensate.
  
 Currently listening to Journey's "Separate Ways" at -15.0dB with HD650 on High Gain (Single Ended), this is normal volume right now and my hearing is absolutely fine.
  
 Pretty sure this is not exactly normal volume setting.
  
 *Sign*... can't I just get a nice sounding amp/dac unit?
  
 Now what? Burn in yet another week?

 Seriously?


----------



## TopQuark

Does anyone know when is the new "ship it all by the end of September" date is?


----------



## AlterSack

Hi - how do you set up Your burn in routine for the infinity ?
  
 Do You have to do the burn in continuously ?  I mean, do you ever turn it off or does one have to do the burn in process without interruption  ?
  
 Thanks


----------



## sujitsky

topquark said:


> Does anyone know when is the new "ship it all by the end of September" date is?




Tbf ..they did ship mine before end September. Backed - December 2014.


----------



## adrian0115

sujitsky said:


> Tbf ..they did ship mine before end September. Backed - December 2014.




These guys are a joke. I backed Jan2014 and there's no sign of any shipping. What the hell happened to shipping according to chronological order?!


----------



## marflao

adrian0115 said:


> These guys are a joke. I backed Jan2014 and there's no sign of any shipping. What the hell happened to shipping according to chronological order?!


 
  
 You have to see it from this side: your odyssey is almost over, my shipping-gate will last a bit longer


----------



## wingsounds13

According to the latest shipping document all Pulse x∞ have been shipped and 98% of Pulse SE have been shipped. I suspect that this document may contain errors.

I have yet to receive my Pulse X∞ or any shipping and tracking notification. Anybody else here awaiting shipping or delivery of a Pulse X∞?

It is also curious that I have seen no word of Pulse SE being received, much less performance reports. I would think that at least a few owners would be proud enough of their new toys to report here or elsewhere.

J.P.


----------



## Clemmaster

I received mine (Pulse Vanilla). It's from the Hifiman campain, back in November 2014.
 They send Paypal invoices for shipping - they don't contact you directly.
  
 Received it last week and it's been running flawlessly. For the price, it's a bargain for sure. To put it simply: it's the sound of "clean". Sound-stage depth is lacking and overall it's 2 dimensional, but aside from that, it has no major flaws. It's a neat device with good sound. Considering getting an Infinity.
  
 Didn't try with a LPSU yet.


----------



## TopQuark

wingsounds13 said:


> According to the latest shipping document all Pulse x∞ have been shipped and 98% of Pulse SE have been shipped. I suspect that this document may contain errors.


 
  
 I didn't received any notification yet. If they were indeed shipped, we'll get advance notification just like shipments of LPS4.  I also doubt this is correct.  Otherwise, Gavin would have already sent out a big email notifying everyone that everything was already shipped (with a new perk at the end of the message).
  
 I backed Feb 2014.


----------



## digitalzed

topquark said:


> I didn't received any notification yet. If they were indeed shipped, we'll get advance notification just like shipments of LPS4.  I also doubt this is correct.  Otherwise, Gavin would have already sent out a big email notifying everyone that everything was already shipped (with a new perk at the end of the message).
> 
> I backed Feb 2014.


 

 Check you inbox. You may have just received such an e-mail from Gavin! Too funny.


----------



## Lord Raven

vnmslsrbms said:


> LOL yeah.  So basically the quicker they build it, the easier it is to maintain and the longer they will last?  Unfortunately that's not holding true for LHL products.
> 2- What should be the settings here?
> You can play around, but you should only change if you're experiencing dropouts.
> 4- My SFi is connected to my tube amplifier via RCA, should I keep volume to -0.0db in this case?
> ...


 
 Thank you so much for the assistance.
  
 What about the 1st question, do I need to upgrade considering my current version? If yes, what upgrade is available for SFi? Where to download it from
  
 3rd question, what filter should I use for maximum SQ?
  
 I am loving the DAC/Amp alone, when I add the tube amp in the mix, I feel that the sound quality is being blocked or something. Why is that? This made my buy new and top notch tubes for my tube amp.


----------



## Sopp

Backed Oct 2013. No shipping notification so far.


----------



## oneguy

The running theory is non-US shipping addresses may have been slipped to later on the list. That may be why you haven't received it yet.


----------



## adrian0115

wingsounds13 said:


> According to the latest shipping document all Pulse x∞ have been shipped and 98% of Pulse SE have been shipped. I suspect that this document may contain errors.
> 
> I have yet to receive my Pulse X∞ or any shipping and tracking notification. Anybody else here awaiting shipping or delivery of a Pulse X∞?
> 
> ...




J.P., I'm still waiting and I don't know what those clowns are doing saying the infinities are 100% shipped. I'm going to open a ticket and demand an answer.


----------



## adrian0115

marflao said:


> You have to see it from this side: your odyssey is almost over, my shipping-gate will last a bit longer




Marflao, I know where you're coming from and I truly feel sorry for the wait you have left. I really regret backing these guys in the first place. Even till this very moment they're completely BSing saying all infinities have shipped when clearly that is not true.


----------



## RingingEars

So I fired up my pulse and LPS up today to test them out before selling them.
 Not sure I want to sell them now. It sounds really good especially with the LPS. It has  a very black backgound.
  
 Here it is playing DSD over f2k.


----------



## cbar

wingsounds13 said:


> According to the latest shipping document all Pulse x∞ have been shipped and 98% of Pulse SE have been shipped. I suspect that this document may contain errors.


 
  
 Clearly in error -- from the responses here, it appears that many of us have not yet received shipping notification for our Pulse x∞ units. The document creation date says Oct 14, so uh.... why would they say 100%? Hard to understand. It does nothing but create yet more angst.


----------



## Maelob

Did you guys see the latest emails with bundles, they really want to get rid of the few old chases infinities and lps 4s.  wow, somebody is getting a great deal with no wait time!!!!
  
 Pulse DAC Infinity with a LPS4 + 10G cable starting at:     *$1,630.00* _(limit of four in stock)_
  
 Pulse Infinity with a Pair of EL-8 (closed back) at:              *$1,480.00* _(limit of two in stock)   _
  
 Pulse DAC X with a LPS4 + 2G cable starting at:               *$988.00* _(limit of three in stock)_


----------



## gyx11

Can't be true. Haven't received mine. Neither have a couple of other whom I know are waiting just like me.

In other news they are now offering special bundles again, with everything (including then Pulse Infinities) ready to ship immediately. That's awesome. You have faithful customers waiting for a year+ whom gave you the cashflow for product development, but I guess it's more important for new sales and revenue.


----------



## jbr1971

lord raven said:


> Hi guys, I am back, this time with an SFi
> 
> I have a couple of questions.
> 
> ...


 
  
 1 - 1V5 is the latest firmware, so you are all set with what you have
 2 - It depends on how much memory your computer has, and if you are multi-tasking while listening to music. If you have 16GB of RAM, Reliable and 4096 or 8192 are recommended
 3 - Filters are very subjective. Listen to each for an extended period and decide which sounds best to you
 4 - Yes, as long as you can control the volume from the amp or pre-amp
 5 - A LPS is recommended, but if you are not hearing any noise, it becomes a more subjective choice
 6 - Not that we have tested, support, or I am aware of
  
 Jody


----------



## TopQuark

digitalzed said:


> Check you inbox. You may have just received such an e-mail from Gavin! Too funny.


 
  
 Geeez. No wonder people are so pissed off.
  
*"**Pulse DAC is on schedule to complete fulfillment and we are gearing up to hand Pulse DAC over to our retail channels"*. 
  
 - LOL on schedule? Don't talk about retail channels yet until you ship ours!
  
_*"Don’t see a bundle you like??? Feel free to customize your order to fit your audio needs. Let us know and we will give you the lowest price possible." *_ 
  
 - I like these private deals. It means you can buy now at early backer prices and get your gear now.  Enough for early backer deals.
  
 I still did not get any email on the unit.  Probably erroneously shipped to Timbuktu... and I am in the US.


----------



## adrian0115

I'm tired of the lies. 100% shipped for 2.0 infinities? Really? This isn't normal business practice to me no matter how you cut it. 

I'm curious to know how people can continue to defend/support LH.

I just saw these new deals and to me it's basically giving the finger to all early backers. It's not even funny anymore.

I hope these guys go out of business sooner rather than later. I have no sympathy at this point in time.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

I think the craze has died down a lot due to the delays.  It's their own fault for that.  And by their on schedule to complete fulfillment, it's clearly an ever changing schedule.  So it's not technically a lie.  Just disappointed customers.


----------



## adrian0115

Vnmslsrbms, i know what you're saying. I don't even pay much attention to these clowns anymore but saw thread updates in my email so I took a look and saw that their shipping/production schedule indicates 2.0 infinities all complete/shipped and was updated Oct13. It looks like there's people that backed in Oct2013 that still haven't received theirs. They posted it publicly. It's obvious what they posted is not true since there's a bunch of us that don't even have notice of when our stuff will ship. Adding to the insult are these deals that are even cheaper than what early backers paid and I'm not sure what to say. I want my stuff so I can get rid of it. I don't care anymore because I'm disgusted by this company.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

lord raven said:


> Thank you so much for the assistance.
> 
> What about the 1st question, do I need to upgrade considering my current version? If yes, what upgrade is available for SFi? Where to download it from
> 
> ...


 
 I think Jody gave you the link for firmware info.
  
 Tube amps sound very different due to their tube sound (which adds distortion, noise etc).  Like if  you saw the THD numbers, the tube amps are off the charts.  Some like the tube sound, some like the solid state sound.  I'm not experienced in tube amps (have heard but never owned) so can't tell you too much on that, but what you said sounds about right.


----------



## m17xr2b

December 2013 international backer here. No sign of my infinity shipment.


----------



## Ranza

December 2013 too, but now I'm a bit afraid to get this product, scared it will be a faulty one.
 This is a very harsh lesson and bad experience for me with crowdfunding, guess I will need to be more careful next time if I ever want to contribute a crowndfunding project again.
 Oh and btw, this maybe old but I still find it pretty BS with their 10G cable....lol.


----------



## AlterSack

wingsounds13 said:


> According to the latest shipping document all Pulse x∞ have been shipped and 98% of Pulse SE have been shipped. I suspect that this document may contain errors.
> 
> I have yet to receive my Pulse X∞ or any shipping and tracking notification. Anybody else here awaiting shipping or delivery of a Pulse X∞?
> 
> ...


 
 I haven't received  my infinity yet. I have received an email though on September 25 asking me for 76 USD for shipping. which I paid. 
  
 I was on the Hifiman Bundle deals in Nov 2014.


----------



## CingKrab

I opened a ticket regarding this status update and was informed that it "isn't completely accurate" and that they are "building more Pulse X Infinities to send out".  Not sure what more can be said about this that haven't been already said.  That email from Gavin really just served to pour more gasoline on the flames.


----------



## Lord Raven

jbr1971 said:


> 1 - 1V5 is the latest firmware, so you are all set with what you have
> 2 - It depends on how much memory your computer has, and if you are multi-tasking while listening to music. If you have 16GB of RAM, Reliable and 4096 or 8192 are recommended
> 3 - Filters are very subjective. Listen to each for an extended period and decide which sounds best to you
> 4 - Yes, as long as you can control the volume from the amp or pre-amp
> ...


 
 Thank you Jody, really appreciate it. Is there a link where new firmware are being published as they are available? Would be nice to keep a track of available updates.
  
 Is there a reason behind keep Reliable and that buffer size? I tried Maximum Latency and it worked, I got 16 GB RAM available and I do multitask a lot. Please suggest best settings. I might be wrong to keep Maximum Latency or the buffer size.
  
 I am using FTM as it says it is the mix of two filters.
  
 Thanks once again!
 Cheers
 LR


----------



## adrian0115

cingkrab said:


> I opened a ticket regarding this status update and was informed that it "isn't completely accurate" and that they are "building more Pulse X Infinities to send out".  Not sure what more can be said about this that haven't been already said.  That email from Gavin really just served to pour more gasoline on the flames.


 
 I did the same thing and received the same reply.  I already replied and was adamant I won't close the ticket until I get a confirmed shipping notice.  Gavin...this guy...I'm not even sure what to say.


----------



## Lord Raven

vnmslsrbms said:


> I think Jody gave you the link for firmware info.
> 
> Tube amps sound very different due to their tube sound (which adds distortion, noise etc).  Like if  you saw the THD numbers, the tube amps are off the charts.  Some like the tube sound, some like the solid state sound.  I'm not experienced in tube amps (have heard but never owned) so can't tell you too much on that, but what you said sounds about right.


 
 Did not receive the link yet. I am also new to tube sound, have always been a SS guy 
  
 I think I will give my tube amp another shot with the top notch tubes, I bought Geek to pair it with my tube amp and to bypass the lousy laptop DAC, tube amp stays


----------



## RingingEars

You know...  It's unfortunate that LHLabs marketed the pulse the way they did. I can understand the frustration you guys are feeling because I felt that way too and it's the main reason I have mine up for sale, but....
 After listening to my new pulse/LPS combo last night they are surprisingly good. I love my Teac UD-301, but it's obvious the Pulse is a few steps above the Teac. It's surprisingly smooth for a sabre dac which I didn't expect and I would suspect that it would only get better with time. The amp is got some oomph behind as well. I know that the HE400i are fairly sensitive and don't require a lot of power, but the Pulse powers them quite a bit better than the Teac does no question.
 I'm really impressed with the Pulse it's just too bad LHL marketed these the way they did...


----------



## adrian0115

ringingears said:


> You know...  *It's unfortunate that LHLabs marketed the pulse the way they did.* I can understand the frustration you guys are feeling because I felt that way too and it's the main reason I have mine up for sale, but....
> After listening to my new pulse/LPS combo last night they are surprisingly good. I love my Teac UD-301, but it's obvious the Pulse is a few steps above the Teac. It's surprisingly smooth for a sabre dac which I didn't expect and I would suspect that it would only get better with time. The amp is got some oomph behind as well. I know that the HE400i are fairly sensitive and don't require a lot of power, but the Pulse powers them quite a bit better than the Teac does no question.
> I'm really impressed with the Pulse it's just too bad LHL *marketed* these the way they did...


 
 I've been pretty vocal about this as well.  The marketing AND communication from LH has been absolutely horrendous with no change in sight.  I believe they have driven away their early supporters in this process.


----------



## jbr1971

lord raven said:


> Thank you Jody, really appreciate it. Is there a link where new firmware are being published as they are available? Would be nice to keep a track of available updates.
> 
> Is there a reason behind keep Reliable and that buffer size? I tried Maximum Latency and it worked, I got 16 GB RAM available and I do multitask a lot. Please suggest best settings. I might be wrong to keep Maximum Latency or the buffer size.
> 
> ...


 
  
 The new firmware files are not being published to a specific page. To check in the future if there is a newer firmware, please open a support ticket with your Pulse model and serial number, and if there is a newer firmware available we will provide it.
  
 This article explains why firmware updates are being handled this way:
  
 https://support.lhlabs.com/solution/articles/5000633439-why-aren-t-the-pulse-firmwares-available-for-certain-units-
  
 Reliable was chosen as a known safe setting for the majority of computers. It allows the computer to give more priority to buffer interactions for the driver while minimizing potential issues. However, if other buffer settings work for your particular system/situation without creating any latency issues, feel free to use them.
  
 Jody


----------



## Lord Raven

jbr1971 said:


> The new firmware files are not being published to a specific page. To check in the future if there is a newer firmware, please open a support ticket with your Pulse model and serial number, and if there is a newer firmware available we will provide it.
> 
> This article explains why firmware updates are being handled this way:
> 
> ...


 
 Thank you so much Jody, really appreciate it. I am using Reliable for now. FTM filter and kept the volume at -0.0db for my line out to my tube amplifier (using volume control on the tube amp). I am glad to use Geek SFi, this is my first DAC and I am learning the computer audiophiles business 

 I found people discussing this in another forum, thought to bring it here for more clarification.

 Should I cover the USB Vcc or GND pins for some better SQ? Or these pins are isolated within the Geek already?


----------



## bhazard

It's worth the wait guys. Hang in there a little bit more. I love my 2.0 Infinity.


----------



## jbr1971

lord raven said:


> Thank you so much Jody, really appreciate it. I am using Reliable for now. FTM filter and kept the volume at -0.0db for my line out to my tube amplifier (using volume control on the tube amp). I am glad to use Geek SFi, this is my first DAC and I am learning the computer audiophiles business
> 
> I found people discussing this in another forum, thought to bring it here for more clarification.
> 
> Should I cover the USB Vcc or GND pins for some better SQ? Or these pins are isolated within the Geek already?


 
  
 I have never tried covering the USB cable pins before so I do not know how much of a difference it will make.
  
 It might affect the USB handshake process if the pin is covered, but I do not know that for sure. I am sure someone else here can confirm whether or not that is the case.
  
 You will not hurt the Pulse by giving it a try, just keep in mind the Pulse may not be recognized by the computer afterwards.
  
 Jody


----------



## germay0653

bhazard said:


> It's worth the wait guys. Hang in there a little bit more. I love my 2.0 Infinity.


 

 I second that sentiment.  I'm very impressed with the X Infinities performance.  So much detail and such a three dimensional soundstage.  It's emotional!!


----------



## foreverzer0

germay0653 said:


> I second that sentiment.  I'm very impressed with the X Infinities performance.  So much detail and such a three dimensional soundstage.  It's emotional!!


 
  
 I've a similar setup, but now I'm curious about how R2R sounds now that Schiit has a multibit bifrost out for about the price of a vanilla pulse.


----------



## germay0653

foreverzer0 said:


> I've a similar setup, but now I'm curious about how R2R sounds now that Schiit has a multibit bifrost out for about the price of a vanilla pulse.


 

 I've never had the opportunity or pleasure to listen to any Schiit products...yet.


----------



## pedalhead

I had an Yggdrasil here for a few weeks & posted a brief comparison against the Pulse X Infinity here if you're interested.


----------



## Chikolad

Can anyone estimate how many hours of break-in it takes for a vanilla Pulse to 'settle'? The question is of course directed to those of you who "believe" in break-in. If you do not, please spare me 
  
 With about 30 hours of break in, comparing the Pulse to my previous DAC, a Schiit Modi, the Pulse is more dynamic, has better soundstage and is more detailed. However, I'm not crazy about the tonality. I'm missing a little bit of "sparkle" to the sound. It's a little soft in the high end and not very extended to my ears. I use the TCM filter, for now each time I tried switching to FRM it made me wanna go back to TCM right away.
 So I'm hoping break-in might change this, but I'm not getting my hopes up.
 Has anyone had a similar experience?


----------



## smial1966

In eleven days time on the 29th October it will be TWO years since I first contributed to my Pulse Infinity. Despite the fact that I delayed shipment by opting for the revised chassis, I am mightily perturbed that LH Labs have effectively sidelined my 'order' to persue an incessant policy of new product crowd funding and perk upgrade mania. Any upstanding company would fulfill and satisy outstanding customer orders first, and then contemplate raising revenue via crowdfunding for new products. 

But LH Labs have trounced the crowdfunding model and consider it acceptable to let early backers yearn for their perks, whilst simultaneously milking cash from gullible newcomers enticed by the promise of a high fidelity product at a low price. 

LH Labs you stink of uncaring business practices and have demonstrated a flagrant disregard for fulfilling backers perks in a timely manner. Shame on you for putting profit ahead of customer satisfaction and product fulfilment.


----------



## doublea71

smial1966 said:


> In eleven days time on the 29th October it will be TWO years since I first contributed to my Pulse Infinity. Despite the fact that I delayed shipment by opting for the revised chassis, I am mightily perturbed that LH Labs have effectively sidelined my 'order' to persue an incessant policy of new product crowd funding and perk upgrade mania. Any upstanding company would fulfill and satisy outstanding customer orders first, and then contemplate raising revenue via crowdfunding for new products.
> 
> But LH Labs have trounced the crowdfunding model and consider it acceptable to let early backers yearn for their perks, whilst simultaneously milking cash from gullible newcomers enticed by the promise of a high fidelity product at a low price.
> 
> LH Labs you stink of uncaring business practices and have demonstrated a flagrant disregard for fulfilling backers perks in a timely manner. Shame on you for putting profit ahead of customer satisfaction and product fulfilment.


 

 They went for the fast-growth business model, but pissing off your customer base in the process is exactly how to not do this effectively. Mark my words - karma is going to bite them in the tookus.


----------



## Jethrosang

Hmm, even with them shipping so much geek pulse (allegedly), there is still too little review posted on the web. Or, could someone enlighten me on this matter? That I have looked at the wrong place or something.
  
 Perhaps, my view is biased as well, since for me, review should be 2 pages long, even though I could only comprehend about half of them..


----------



## doctorjazz

doublea71 said:


> smial1966 said:
> 
> 
> > In eleven days time on the 29th October it will be TWO years since I first contributed to my Pulse Infinity. Despite the fact that I delayed shipment by opting for the revised chassis, I am mightily perturbed that LH Labs have effectively sidelined my 'order' to persue an incessant policy of new product crowd funding and perk upgrade mania. Any upstanding company would fulfill and satisy outstanding customer orders first, and then contemplate raising revenue via crowdfunding for new products.
> ...




...Could you please give us a bit more detail on this "tookus"


----------



## longbowbbs

doctorjazz said:


> doublea71 said:
> 
> 
> > smial1966 said:
> ...


 
 That is a technical term....


----------



## doctorjazz

Ahhhh...I had more comments, but I'll sit on it for now


----------



## miceblue

chikolad said:


> Can anyone estimate how many hours of break-in it takes for a vanilla Pulse to 'settle'? The question is of course directed to those of you who "believe" in break-in. If you do not, please spare me
> 
> With about 30 hours of break in, comparing the Pulse to my previous DAC, a Schiit Modi, the Pulse is more dynamic, has better soundstage and is more detailed. However, I'm not crazy about the tonality. I'm missing a little bit of "sparkle" to the sound. It's a little soft in the high end and not very extended to my ears. I use the TCM filter, for now each time I tried switching to FRM it made me wanna go back to TCM right away.
> So I'm hoping break-in might change this, but I'm not getting my hopes up.
> Has anyone had a similar experience?



I dunno about break-in since I didn't really hear much of a difference myself. For burn-in, I think 1-2 hours should suffice for getting a stable system.

The Schiit products tend to have some "bite" up on top, which I don't like too much. The Yggdrasil (and probably Gungnir Multi-Bit) is the only one I didn't get that feeling. For me, TCM mode sounds too bright compared to FRM mode.


----------



## Chikolad

miceblue said:


> I dunno about break-in since I didn't really hear much of a difference myself. For burn-in, I think 1-2 hours should suffice for getting a stable system.
> 
> The Schiit products tend to have some "bite" up on top, which I don't like too much. The Yggdrasil (and probably Gungnir Multi-Bit) is the only one I didn't get that feeling. For me, TCM mode sounds too bright compared to FRM mode.


 
  
 I guess it depends on your other gear as well. I'm using an LCD-3F with a Burson Soloist so my system is already quite relaxed up top. I prefer TCM because of its improved soundstage and imaging.
 I must say I haven't noticed a break in with the Pulse yet either. But that's a first for me. I usually do hear differences in the first few dozen hours, in DACs as well as headphones.


----------



## kostaszag

smial1966 said:


> In eleven days time on the 29th October it will be TWO years since I first contributed to my Pulse Infinity. Despite the fact that I delayed shipment by opting for the revised chassis, I am mightily perturbed that LH Labs have effectively sidelined my 'order' to persue an incessant policy of new product crowd funding and perk upgrade mania. Any upstanding company would fulfill and satisy outstanding customer orders first, and then contemplate raising revenue via crowdfunding for new products.
> 
> But LH Labs have trounced the crowdfunding model and consider it acceptable to let early backers yearn for their perks, whilst simultaneously milking cash from gullible newcomers enticed by the promise of a high fidelity product at a low price.
> 
> LH Labs you stink of uncaring business practices and have demonstrated a flagrant disregard for fulfilling backers perks in a timely manner. Shame on you for putting profit ahead of customer satisfaction and product fulfilment.


 

 There is only one way to deal with this situation, get off the upgrade train, stop paying for new perks, tell yourself "this is enough, my prospective purchase is as good as I want it to be, now I will sit back and wait for the mailman". That's what I did, and now I am perfectly happy with my Sfi for the past six months. Yes, I know, the Infinity is probably better, there is a better chassis available, and so on and so forth. You need to draw the line somewhere.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

I'd argue that most backers have now gone this route.  The forums are dead.  People are tired of getting sucked into endless perks, and there is enough negative sentiment out in the non LHL forums that people can easily find problems with their customer experience and marketing.


----------



## Ranza

Well, the only back up for Geek Pulse now is only " it's a great product and worth the wait " but mind you guys, with 2 years and the amount I contributed to get a Geek Pulse Infinity 2.0, even if I just deposist and let it sit still in my bank account, now I can get myself a Gungnir Multi-bit, a smaller form of Yggdradil and Yggdrasil is one of ( if not ) the best DAC in the market, sure Geek Pulse Infinity _maaaaaybe_ a great DAC too but there is too little review for it except some short review that heavily personal experience scattered around forum thread (Hah!! And the great LH Labs USB cable....so how much an USB cable will affect the sound quality now ? If you can hear it sounds magical in your ears, then go search help from an Otologist asap because you need serious treatment. No offense but in the end, it's a ******* 2.0 USB cable, the last thing we want to upgrade. ) while Yggdrasil had caused madness from every audiophile website I visited, and a lot of positive review from all around the world too.
 Oh and did I mention Gungnir has 5 years warranty and no firmware BS ? Try to search in the Schiit Gungnir DAC thread and see how much post they mention firmware horror story.
 Just my 2 cents.


----------



## alucart1985

Hi everyone,
  
 atsq sold me one of his Geek Pulse XFi DAC/Amps (he apparently bought three from the original campaign), and asked me what I thought - I've had it now for three weeks and wanted to add my thoughts, such as they are, because I noticed the relative lack of reviews compared to other DACs.
  
 My experience with DACs are as follows: Creative ZxR -> Schiit Modi -> Burson Conductor SL (PCM1793) -> Geek Pulse XFi -> Geek Pulse XFi with Jays Audio LPS
  
 My desire to upgrade my DAC was to chase the seemingly neverending goal of the perfect sound, which for me involved extended highs without harshness, clear full mids and good bass and sub-bass impact and texture, all coupled with a wide and layered soundstage. I chose the HD800 as my end-game headphone due to its reputation as the king of soundstage, knowing full well that it would need a picky DAC/Amp. The closest to meeting my goal was the Burson Conductor, but despite this, the highs were too harsh and bright for me with the HD800.
  
 So, onto my mini-review:
  
 The Geek Pulse XFi wasn't much to look at in my hands, but it was securely packaged by LH Labs. Wasting no time, I plugged in the Wall-Wart (stock power supply), my HD800s using the stock single ended cable and a Chord Silverplus USB cable, hoping to blown away by the sound...
  
_To my horror, the sound was in a word, brittle - the harsh in the highs that I heard on the Burson remained, though in smaller volume. The soundstage was wider and slightly more layered but less cohesive than the Burson, though how much that was from the Burson amp or PCM1793 DAC, I don't know. The mids were forward, and because I listen to alot of vocals, it does seem, as been described before, like the volume was on too loud (-30.5 dB on the Geek Pulse screen). The bass was present with good texture and not muddy at all, but somewhat lacking in impact._
  
 I did a little research, and people were recommending using the Linear Power Supply - because I had not been a member of the original campaign, I thought paying 600 USD for the LPS to be a bit much, especially since I bought the Pulse for a little more than that. Alvin1188 here was selling a Jay Audio LPS for about half the price, so I bought one, and after 10 days of waiting around and being distracted at work, I plugged in the LPS and gave it another go...
  
_The difference in sound, to my amateur ears, was not subtle - dynamics improved dramatically, where everything sounded loud before, I could more easily discern softer passages of music. The bass improved mildly in impact, but still didn't have enough oomph. Soundstage width and depth was mildly better, and I could catch a glimpse of why the HD800s are so highly regarded - only a glimpse, mind you! The highs seemed less harsh, but with the harshness lessening, I noticed a lack of energy. The cymbals now had better decay and texture, but lacked a bit of energy. The vocals were much improved, with more detail present._
  
 Given I paid 200 USD for the LPS, I could have easily stopped here with a reasonable setup for the HD800s - but by now I had been bitten by the upgraditis bug - because the HD800s still cost me more the DAC/Amp and LPS, I sorely wanted to give them a good chance of shining. So tried my existing standalone amplifiers:
  
_The Violectric V200 amplifer (using balanced interconnects) certainly provided the bass impact and improved the dynamicism, but felt the dynamics were a little jarring, as if the transition between soft and loud passages were over exaggered, without a smooth transition. Detail was certainly lost compared to the built-in amp of the Geek Pulse. The biggest turn-off, and the reason why I have put up my V200 for sale, is that the soundstage was much more narrowed on the V200, almost to the same width as my Hifiman HE-500s, which are not renowned for their soundstage width and depth!_
  
_The big surprise, however, was how well my Schiit Valhalla mk1 OTL amplifier performed - the highs were smoother but had a little sparkle in them that excited me! The mids were richer with a little loss of detail. The soundstage was much wider than the V200, and indeed more cohesive than the Geek Pulse's amp, but in the enveloping sound (akin to the Burson Conductor), I lost some of the instrument separation and localisation, noticeable with the orchestral pieces. Still, this was the first amp where I could lose my eyes and be lost in the music._
  
 The Valhalla showed me that the Geek Pulse's DAC was certainly up to the task, much more than the PCM1793, of providing me with the detail I wanted, but alas, the on-board amplifer was not a good match for the HD800s. I then decided to research Head-Fi, Computer Audiophile and other forums for "the best amp for the HD800", and while that is a discussion that is still ongoing in these forums, my budget and store availability led me to buy the HDVA600 and CH800S.
  
 Now with my wallet truly crying for mercy >_<, I plugged in my completely balanced system and had a listen:
  
_One word: perfection! Smooth extended highs with just enough energy to send shivers down my spine, full rich mids with detail, textured bass with impact (though not as much as the V200 admittedly), but my goodness, the soundstage! The best of the lot, and finally I could see what everyone was on about with the HD800s - I could picture myself in the auditorium, and hear where the instruments were, not only to my left or right, higher or lower than me but also how FAR they were! I read about people going on about soundstage depth, but never understood it until now. _
  
 Just out of curiosity, I plugged my balanced cable (CH800S) into the 4 pin XLR slot of my Geek Pulse, and to my surprise and chargin, the HD800s performed almost as well as the HDVA600!! Roughly speaking, probably about 80% of the performance, for the cost of a balanced cable.
  
 So my my final thoughts on the Geek Pulse XFi are:
  
 - The DAC is excellent for its price, and a much better implementation of the ESS9018 chip than my Glove Audio A1 and Aurender Flow,
 - The onboard amp, at least for the HD800s, needs a balanced cable or better yet, a discrete amplifier, and,
 - A linear power supply is an absolute must!
  
 While I never suffered the frustrations of waiting for a product from LH Labs, here is one happy user of their products!


----------



## doctorjazz

Nice impressions!
Glad you are enjoying the Pulse. 
You nicely illustrate some points:
1)minus the frustrations regarding the LH way of marketing and dealing with buyers, most of the impressions of SQ on LH gear have been quite positive (Hifiman used the Vi at a show do demonstrate the HE-1000, _and they have their own amp and could likely choose many dacs)_.
2)system matching is the key-what worked for your Senn HD800 may not be the best match for my HE-1000, which may not be the best match for the LCD-3, etc.
3)The DAC is the main attraction-the included amp is an add on, making it more convenient on a desktop, but can be bettered by many an external amp (likely including LH Labs own, though I haven't auditioned them). 
My $0.02,,,late for work, gotta run.


----------



## Jethrosang

Hmmm, if the use of LPS is a must, what's the point of having "a very clean DC power circuit"... As if they are selling a car with some bad tyres, then asking you to fork out half the price of the car for a new set of tyres...
  
 P/S: Got a feeling that head-fiers like to draw analogies between cars and audios... Or am I just imagining stuffs?


----------



## Zenifyx

jethrosang said:


> Hmmm, if the use of LPS is a must, what's the point of having "a very clean DC power circuit"... As if they are selling a car with some bad tyres, then asking you to fork out half the price of the car for a new set of tyres...
> 
> P/S: Got a feeling that head-fiers like to draw analogies between cars and audios... Or am I just imagining stuffs?


 
  
 It's not a must, it's an optional 'upgrade' that comes in a separate box.
 (I'm sorry, I don't own a car, so I can't draw an analogy... XD )
  
 Related: http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/394-question-about-the-standard-power-supply#2467


----------



## gikigill

It's not necessary but it helps. You can fit $2000 set on a normal car and it would work better, no doubt about it. Works perfectly well with a standard $500 set too. 

Those who are in 4WDs know this very well.


----------



## Lord Raven

Honestly speaking, people are spending endless amount of money and still aren't satisfied. I drew a line on how much I would want to spend on home audio and I think I got a decent setup on my table. I did not spend on the USB cables or LPS yet, but the recent review suggests the otherwise. I might consider buying the Jay's Audio LPS, I need a link to their website? Googled it but it points in random directions into strange forums, and who is Alee Chee?
  
 I might never go as higher as HD800 level and go balanced all around, cause when you upgrade something in your rig, consequently you end up upgrading everything else to that level and that costs you a lot of money  I think I got a HD600 level decent setup. I am still trying to figure out though, what amplifier is better, the tube amplifier or the on board amplifier on the DAC/Amp.
  
 I have a question regarding Geek Pulse DAC, how to configure it with your media player? I am using JRiver 20. What is the best media player for this application?


----------



## RingingEars

lord raven said:


> Honestly speaking, people are spending endless amount of money and still aren't satisfied. I drew a line on how much I would want to spend on home audio and I think I got a decent setup on my table. I did not spend on the USB cables or LPS yet, but the recent review suggests the otherwise. I might consider buying the Jay's Audio LPS, I need a link to their website? Googled it but it points in random directions into strange forums, and who is Alee Chee?
> 
> I might never go as higher as HD800 level and go balanced all around, cause when you upgrade something in your rig, consequently you end up upgrading everything else to that level and that costs you a lot of money  I think I got a HD600 level decent setup. I am still trying to figure out though, what amplifier is better, the tube amplifier or the on board amplifier on the DAC/Amp.
> 
> I have a question regarding Geek Pulse DAC, how to configure it with your media player? I am using JRiver 20. What is the best media player for this application?


 
 https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000556098-using-jriver-media-center-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide


----------



## Lord Raven

Direct Sound vs ASIO vs WASAPI? What should I select in settings?
  
 I am currently using the Geek Kernel Streaming, I have NO idea what I am doing. That sends me back to more forum reading 
  
 Edit: I selected Kernel Streaming before reading this article on LH Labs about JRiver Windows integration.


----------



## doctorjazz

Honestly, I have used JRiver with my Geek Out Special Edition, but have never quite gotten it right. It works fine through JRiver, but I lost all sound through speakers, and sounds from other sources (like Youtube) don't come through. I have never been able to find how this happened in settings. I read somewhere a driver may have gone bad, but I have no clue if that is it. I just use it to listen to JRiver for music (I suppose I could use it for movies as well, tend not watch these on my PC).


----------



## Zenifyx

lord raven said:


> Honestly speaking, people are spending endless amount of money and still aren't satisfied. I drew a line on how much I would want to spend on home audio and I think I got a decent setup on my table. I did not spend on the USB cables or LPS yet, but the recent review suggests the otherwise. I might consider buying the Jay's Audio LPS, I need a link to their website? Googled it but it points in random directions into strange forums, and who is Alee Chee?
> 
> I might never go as higher as HD800 level and go balanced all around, cause when you upgrade something in your rig, consequently you end up upgrading everything else to that level and that costs you a lot of money  I think I got a HD600 level decent setup. I am still trying to figure out though, what amplifier is better, the tube amplifier or the on board amplifier on the DAC/Amp.
> 
> I have a question regarding Geek Pulse DAC, how to configure it with your media player? I am using JRiver 20. What is the best media player for this application?


 
  
 AFAIK, Jay's Audio is a chinese company, they have some stuff selling on taobao (imagine it like China's Amazon), and I don't think they have a website.
 If you are interested in the Jay's LPS, you should contact Alvin Chee. (I don't know of any other way to purchase it)
 His profile on head-fi - http://www.head-fi.org/u/80443/alvin1118


----------



## germay0653

lord raven said:


> Direct Sound vs ASIO vs WASAPI? What should I select in settings?
> 
> I am currently using the Geek Kernel Streaming, I have NO idea what I am doing. That sends me back to more forum reading
> 
> Edit: I selected Kernel Streaming before reading this article on LH Labs about JRiver Windows integration.


 

 ASIO, Kernel Streaming and WASAPI all bypass the Windows Kmixer process which adds latency, not a good thing for audio, and can degrade signal and sound quality.  Stick with whichever of the three is most stable in your system and sound best to you.  You may not even notice a difference between them.
  
 Pulled from the JRiver site: http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Output_Modes
  
 To get the best audio quality, your software should communicate directly with your sound hardware, without Windows or any other layer doing resampling or other processing of the signal.
 Core Audio, ASIO, WASAPI, and Kernel Streaming are all hardware direct.
 There are some things to be aware of when using hardware direct communication:

During audio playback, the soundcard will be locked. You will not be able to play sounds from a web browser or other program while audio is playing.
Playback of sample rates your soundcard does not support will not be possible. Use Tools > Options > Audio > Settings > DSP and output format > Output Format to allow Media Center to convert to a supported sample rate.


----------



## Lord Raven

zenifyx said:


> AFAIK, Jay's Audio is a chinese company, they have some stuff selling on taobao (imagine it like China's Amazon), and I don't think they have a website.
> If you are interested in the Jay's LPS, you should contact Alvin Chee. (I don't know of any other way to purchase it)
> His profile on head-fi - http://www.head-fi.org/u/80443/alvin1118


 
 THANK YOU!!!!  I read this name on couple of different forums, will get in touch. 
  
 Edit: I keep asking myself this question if I really need to spend money on an LPS? There is no audible noise of any sort from the DAC. There is a lot of impact in the sound already, unless I want to go deaf or be blinded by the higher amounts of SQ  
  
 I recently read a review where the reviewer claimed that the SQ through his tubes is so high that it blind-ens him and only thing he sees is a wall of sound What!!!!


----------



## Lord Raven

germay0653 said:


> ASIO, Kernel Streaming and WASAPI all bypass the Windows Kmixer process which adds latency, not a good thing for audio, and can degrade signal and sound quality.  Stick with whichever of the three is most stable in your system and sound best to you.  You may not even notice a difference between them.
> 
> Pulled from the JRiver site: http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Output_Modes
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks Germay, this answers Dr.Jazz and my questions about JRiver integration. On HydrogenAudio forum there is a much heated debate on sound quality through the use of these three methods and people have different opinions. I am still reading about it, heading to the JRiver web link now.
  
 I will try the 2nd bullet point to bring back the audio for web browser and movies playback through the Geek DAC.
  
 Really appreciate your support. Thanks once again!!!!


----------



## germay0653

Yup, the good people over on HydrogenAudio are quite passionate!


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> Honestly, I have used JRiver with my Geek Out Special Edition, but have never quite gotten it right. It works fine through JRiver, but I lost all sound through speakers, and sounds from other sources (like Youtube) don't come through. I have never been able to find how this happened in settings. I read somewhere a driver may have gone bad, but I have no clue if that is it. I just use it to listen to JRiver for music (I suppose I could use it for movies as well, tend not watch these on my PC).


 

 You'll need to go into the control panel for Hardware and Sound, Choose Manage audio devices to see which device is default.  Unfortunately, if you're trying to use your internal speakers your going to have to switch back to the device that passes sound to them as the LH Labs device can't drive them.  Your GO will only drive what ever is attached to it, be it headphones or powered speakers.
  
 Be aware that you can set whatever device you highlight, in Manage audio devices, to the default device.  To use the GO and your internal speakers you need to either remove the GO so that Windows doesn't see it or manually switch between each device to default in order to use it.  You just can't use both at the same time.


----------



## alucart1985

lord raven said:


> Honestly speaking, people are spending endless amount of money and still aren't satisfied. I drew a line on how much I would want to spend on home audio and I think I got a decent setup on my table. I did not spend on the USB cables or LPS yet, but the recent review suggests the otherwise. I might consider buying the Jay's Audio LPS, I need a link to their website? Googled it but it points in random directions into strange forums, and who is Alee Chee?
> 
> I might never go as higher as HD800 level and go balanced all around, cause when you upgrade something in your rig, consequently you end up upgrading everything else to that level and that costs you a lot of money  I think I got a HD600 level decent setup. I am still trying to figure out though, what amplifier is better, the tube amplifier or the on board amplifier on the DAC/Amp.
> 
> I have a question regarding Geek Pulse DAC, how to configure it with your media player? I am using JRiver 20. What is the best media player for this application?




Alvin1188 here on Head-Fi resells them worldwide, send him a PM


----------



## doctorjazz

germay0653 said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > Honestly, I have used JRiver with my Geek Out Special Edition, but have never quite gotten it right. It works fine through JRiver, but I lost all sound through speakers, and sounds from other sources (like Youtube) don't come through. I have never been able to find how this happened in settings. I read somewhere a driver may have gone bad, but I have no clue if that is it. I just use it to listen to JRiver for music (I suppose I could use it for movies as well, tend not watch these on my PC).
> ...




I'll try again, but I think I did try to switch devices in the control panel, didn't seem to help. I'll play some more. I even did try to connect the speakers to the line out of the GO, didn't work either (not sure why that should be), at one point I just gave up.


----------



## Jethrosang

Is there anyone having problem with the vanilla Geek Pulse when it was first turned on, and the first track it played is filled with buzz and other sibilance? Only when they are stopped and replayed, that those sounds go away?
  
 And how about the songs with different sampling rate? It produces sibilance, as if the internal component is switching or something.
  
 As for the volume control, is it necessary to turn the knob left and right until it returns to the original volume when first turned on? Finally, the infamous "popping" sound when the headphone is plugged or unplugged: just a small pool is affected, or something sinister? It sounds like all these are hardware related, though.
  
 I have not owned a geek pulse, yet. I was offered a not-bad deal, so I was wondering if I should proceed with it, despite these bugs. I am aware that the pulse is not recommended to be turned off (OH, hence the name, when your pulse stopped, you die), just that I am constantly moving between my campus and my home, so, it will be carried around often.


----------



## mscott58

jethrosang said:


> Is there anyone having problem with the vanilla Geek Pulse when it was first turned on, and the first track it played is filled with buzz and other sibilance? Only when they are stopped and replayed, that those sounds go away?
> 
> And how about the songs with different sampling rate? It produces sibilance, as if the internal component is switching or something.
> 
> ...




What firmware are you using? Those sound like older issues.


----------



## Jethrosang

mscott58 said:


> What firmware are you using? Those sound like older issues.


 
 Not exactly sure, but the seller got it on 6th of october from Geek, so I reckon it could be newest. The only problem described by him is the first problem, where the pulse is first turned on, there will be buzz and sibilance. Only stopped, then replayed removes it.


----------



## kenshinhimura

jethrosang said:


> Not exactly sure, but the seller got it on 6th of october from Geek, so I reckon it could be newest. The only problem described by him is the first problem, where the pulse is first turned on, there will be buzz and sibilance. Only stopped, then replayed removes it.


 

 i received my vanilla pulse less than 2 weeks ago and had to update the drivers to newest version.


----------



## Zenifyx

lord raven said:


> THANK YOU!!!!  I read this name on couple of different forums, will get in touch.
> 
> Edit: I keep asking myself this question if I really need to spend money on an LPS? There is no audible noise of any sort from the DAC. There is a lot of impact in the sound already, unless I want to go deaf or be blinded by the higher amounts of SQ
> 
> I recently read a review where the reviewer claimed that the SQ through his tubes is so high that it blind-ens him and only thing he sees is a wall of sound What!!!!


 
  
 Entirely up to you imo.
 I've heard that the LPS adds a greater level of fidelity than the upgrade from Pulse X to Xfi.
 The LPS would seem to be the most bang for buck incremental upgrade for your system right now, but if you are happy with it as it is, why change a thing?
  
 If you do feel curious about how much an LPS can improve your enjoyment of music, the Jay's is probably one of the cheapest ones out there.


----------



## TopQuark

So news is out that Pulse X Infinity shipping "end of September" is now "end of December".  2016 here we come.  Happy New Year!


----------



## vnmslsrbms

topquark said:


> So news is out that Pulse X Infinity shipping "end of September" is now "end of December".  2016 here we come.  Happy New Year!


 
 I thought Pulse Infinity is shipping already and will be completed by December 2015?  Or Pulse Infinity is different from Pulse X Infinity?  Vi Dac Tube is going to be starting December 2015 anyway.


----------



## bigbung

I have a question for you guys... I purchased a vanilla geek pulse on a good deal. I am planning to use it as a DAC only with a discrete amp yet to be decided. I have an option of buying a used pulse infinity on a deal. I am wondering whether I will notice any remarkable differences if using the pulse as a dac alone? I know the Xfi and infinity have balanced outputs etc and slightly better parts for the DAC(which I don't understand...) My only wonder is if it makes any difference if only being used for dac purposes. I have a hd650 and lcd2.2


----------



## alucart1985

bigbung said:


> I have a question for you guys... I purchased a vanilla geek pulse on a good deal. I am planning to use it as a DAC only with a discrete amp yet to be decided. I have an option of buying a used pulse infinity on a deal. I am wondering whether I will notice any remarkable differences if using the pulse as a dac alone? I know the Xfi and infinity have balanced outputs etc and slightly better parts for the DAC(which I don't understand...) My only wonder is if it makes any difference if only being used for dac purposes. I have a hd650 and lcd2.2


 
  
 I can't speak for the vanilla Pulse as I have the balanced XFi version, but I would imagine that the lack of balanced outputs would make minimal difference if your setup involved single ended outputs to a headphone amplifier and single ended cable to your headphones. 
  
 I don't know how much a difference the naked resistors, upgraded op-amps and femto clocks have on the sound quality, but what I have heard is that the Infinity has the latest ESS9018AQ2M chip?


----------



## Zenifyx

vnmslsrbms said:


> I thought Pulse Infinity is shipping already and will be completed by December 2015?  Or Pulse Infinity is different from Pulse X Infinity?  Vi Dac Tube is going to be starting December 2015 anyway.




He is just referencing lhlabs' inherent incapability in meeting set 'estimated shipping start/completion dates', and the constant delays and changes of these dates. 
Of course, one more delay would put it in the ballpark of the year 2016, and missing Christmas altogether (unless they manage to delay it for another year...)


----------



## vnmslsrbms

zenifyx said:


> He is just referencing lhlabs' inherent incapability in meeting set 'estimated shipping start/completion dates', and the constant delays and changes of these dates.
> Of course, one more delay would put it in the ballpark of the year 2016, and missing Christmas altogether (unless they manage to delay it for another year...)


 
 Yeah OK.  I don't really do that anymore because it's just so tiring and pisses me off.  Just don't think about it for a long while, and check from time to time.  I got other things in life to make me happy.


----------



## AlterSack

vnmslsrbms said:


> Yeah OK.  I don't really do that anymore because it's just so tiring and pisses me off.  Just don't think about it for a long while, and check from time to time.  I got other things in life to make me happy.


 
 At least they are shipping some pulses which cannot be said of the WAVE. I am so sick of their constant search for new excuses why thigns don't proceed.
 If You take a look at the new posts on IGG there seems to be a system within - Gavin is sending out markting BS plus Bad News and Larry is sending out some other stuff - interstingly this time he specified that ALL OF THE FIRST BATCH of the infinty has been sent to domestic backers - this is a very nice loophole for further communication. Who outside of LHL knows how many infinities were in the first batch? Hah ..
 You should also read the part about the "audiophile angels" ... this really makes me feel sooo much better that we have to wait some more months, wow.
 Also including the V2 / V2+ campaign into their fulfillment schedule to make the utter catastrophe with fulfilment of all the different perks look better.
 Sometimes I think that this business model of funding R&D has some similarities to the old snowball-systems in financial products where the original Investors were paid by the Investments of the later Investors and so on.
 I really do wonder what will happen when LHLabs will have spent the IGG fundings and also has pissed of so many of theri "force" that they cannot sell more products. 
 I guess I have to prepare myself that I might never get my Wave.


----------



## Leondinas

Let start a LAW SUIT !

 Anyone ?

 GEEK PULSE get Main 0.0 out of no where and stopped to be recognized by Laptop. This is what i got after 2 years waiting.
 In addition, I was stupid enough to put money in their Geek Wave. And it is still, a promise.


----------



## Madeupword

Sense lack of body in audio from a Pulse Infinity with LPS connected to a wake-from-extended(~8 hours)-sleep MacBook Pro.
  
 Power-cycled Pulse Infinity with LPS and Mac rectify this lack of body in audio.
  
 Perhaps an issue associated with long sleep mode and USB handshake?


----------



## Leondinas

I keep it on all the time. I unplug USB from laptop this morning and when i try to to plug back in the evening, it didn't recognize. Try to on and off multiple time, or even 8 hours.

 Nothing change.

 Have any idea how to fix ?


----------



## TopQuark

The Geek Wave schedule just moved from Feb 2016 to July 2016.  Gavin blamed himself for the delay because of the case design.  I just hope they didn't fire Kayla because Gavin is a bad designer (and a bad marketer at that).  Vi Dac shipping out on December 2015?  How about make that December 2016.  Watch for an announcement that says something to the tune of _"it takes 2 years for R&D on the Vi Dac"_... then do the math from there.
  
 This company started censoring their own forum because of a lot of vile spewing around.  When that is not enough, they killed it.  Their reputation is now so bad that I don't know how they can sell future products unless Larry fires Gavin.
  
 And where is Casey?  Did they just fired him too?  http://lhlabs.com/about/


----------



## doctorjazz

bigbung said:


> I have a question for you guys... I purchased a vanilla geek pulse on a good deal. I am planning to use it as a DAC only with a discrete amp yet to be decided. I have an option of buying a used pulse infinity on a deal. I am wondering whether I will notice any remarkable differences if using the pulse as a dac alone? I know the Xfi and infinity have balanced outputs etc and slightly better parts for the DAC(which I don't understand...) My only wonder is if it makes any difference if only being used for dac purposes. I have a hd650 and lcd2.2




I have the Geek Out 1000, and the GO Special Edition. I don't know what, if any other improvements were made for the SE, but it does have the FEMTO clock, and I'm guessing that has the most to do with the better sound (and, it DOES sound much better). That should apply to using it in the DAC application. As far as balanced goes, that is very dependent on the implementation. I have the Pono, does sound much better balanced (to the point that it is a viable option for my HE-1000 in balanced mode), I have the Centrance Hifi M8, which has balanced outputs, but they are really for convenience, the internal electronics are NOT balanced, and it doesn't make any difference for SQ. The Liquid Carbon focuses very much on the balanced circuit, and, from reports (haven't heard it yet, have one on order), there is significant SQ benefit to the balanced outputs. And, some on Head Fi have looked at specs for the balanced Wave, and there is a suspicion that it may have more noise/sound worse than the single ended. Of course, since it doesn't exist yet, it is purely speculation based on info supplied by the LH folks. SO, femto should improve the sound, significantly from my experience and what I have read.


----------



## mscott58

leondinas said:


> I keep it on all the time. I unplug USB from laptop this morning and when i try to to plug back in the evening, it didn't recognize. Try to on and off multiple time, or even 8 hours.
> 
> Nothing change.
> 
> Have any idea how to fix ?


 
 What player are you using? Might need to reselect the Pulse.


----------



## mscott58

topquark said:


> The Geek Wave schedule just moved from Feb 2016 to July 2016.  Gavin blamed himself for the delay because of the case design.  I just hope they didn't fire Kayla because Gavin is a bad designer (and a bad marketer at that).  Vi Dac shipping out on December 2015?  How about make that December 2016.  Watch for an announcement that says something to the tune of _"it takes 2 years for R&D on the Vi Dac"_... then do the math from there.
> 
> This company started censoring their own forum because of a lot of vile spewing around.  When that is not enough, they killed it.  Their reputation is now so bad that I don't know how they can sell future products unless Larry fires Gavin.
> 
> And where is Casey?  Did they just fired him too?  http://lhlabs.com/about/


 
 Where did you see the July 2016 date? The update this morning showed the Feb 16 estimate. Not that I believe in any firm date at this point, was just curious where the July 16 info was coming from. 
  
 And Casey's taken a role with a different (much bigger) company (and it was fully his choice as I understand it). 
  
 Cheers


----------



## Leondinas

mscott58 said:


> What player are you using? Might need to reselect the Pulse.


 
 The playback device didn't even recognize it and The Light Harmonic Control Panel too ! Nothing is shown up....


----------



## mscott58

leondinas said:


> The playback device didn't even recognize it and The Light Harmonic Control Panel too ! Nothing is shown up....


 
 Ugh. Sorry about the issues you're having! I've been lucky to be issue-free with my Infinity (hope that didn't jinx it!).
  
 I'd suggest both opening a ticket with LHL as well as PM'ing member jbr1971 (Jody helps support LHL). 
  
 Good luck and take care


----------



## Leondinas

mscott58 said:


> Ugh. Sorry about the issues you're having! I've been lucky to be issue-free with my Infinity (hope that didn't jinx it!).
> 
> I'd suggest both opening a ticket with LHL as well as PM'ing member jbr1971 (Jody helps support LHL).
> 
> Good luck and take care


 
 I really get sick of their marketing....

 I still have the warranty but even then, they still ask me to pay for firmware issue and delivery issue... What kind of warranty service is this...


----------



## oneguy

leondinas said:


> I really get sick of their marketing....
> 
> 
> I still have the warranty but even then, they still ask me to pay for firmware issue and delivery issue... What kind of warranty service is this...




This has not been the case for me. While I have had to send back items 3 or 4 times they did cover the shipping both ways.


----------



## TopQuark

mscott58 said:


> Where did you see the July 2016 date? The update this morning showed the Feb 16 estimate. Not that I believe in any firm date at this point, was just curious where the July 16 info was coming from.


 
  
I read between the lines....and I'm not surprised.  There still is no chassis and the Wave is a lot more complex to manufacture because of the spaghetti feature combinations they put out there.
_*Question*: Why is it taking so long?_
_*Answer*: Fair question. R&D on a project like this typically takes about two years. We have a pretty *fast *(liar!) R&D cycle, but it’s still 9-14 months for a brand-new product. We finished up the campaign in July of last year. So we’re at the 15 month mark. We’re sorry that we’ve had to add a few months to the R&D process, but we think it’s better to build it well rather than fast. The thing that’s taking the most time is the chassis. It’s my fault it’s being held up, but I have to insist on getting it right._


----------



## mscott58

topquark said:


> I read between the lines....and I'm not surprised.  There still is no chassis and the Wave is a lot more complex to manufacture because of the spaghetti feature combinations they put out there.
> _*Question*: Why is it taking so long?_
> _*Answer*: Fair question. R&D on a project like this typically takes about two years. We have a pretty *fast *(liar!) R&D cycle, but it’s still 9-14 months for a brand-new product. We finished up the campaign in July of last year. So we’re at the 15 month mark. We’re sorry that we’ve had to add a few months to the R&D process, but we think it’s better to build it well rather than fast. The thing that’s taking the most time is the chassis. It’s my fault it’s being held up, but I have to insist on getting it right._


 
 Got it. 
  
 And while I applaud their desire to build AOS as a ground-up OS just for audio, I'm sure that the related software development is a challenge (and potential time-suck) as well. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## doctorjazz

zenifyx said:


> lord raven said:
> 
> 
> > THANK YOU!!!!  I read this name on couple of different forums, will get in touch.
> ...




Wondering if anyone out there was ever able to compare LPS's...there are really expensive ones out there, LH Labs, Uptown Audio, Mojo, and less expensive, like Jays. Have to say, didn't even know there WAS such a thing until the Pulse campaign, does it pay to go for the high priced spread?


----------



## bigbung

doctorjazz said:


> I have the Geek Out 1000, and the GO Special Edition. I don't know what, if any other improvements were made for the SE, but it does have the FEMTO clock, and I'm guessing that has the most to do with the better sound (and, it DOES sound much better). That should apply to using it in the DAC application. As far as balanced goes, that is very dependent on the implementation. I have the Pono, does sound much better balanced (to the point that it is a viable option for my HE-1000 in balanced mode), I have the Centrance Hifi M8, which has balanced outputs, but they are really for convenience, the internal electronics are NOT balanced, and it doesn't make any difference for SQ. The Liquid Carbon focuses very much on the balanced circuit, and, from reports (haven't heard it yet, have one on order), there is significant SQ benefit to the balanced outputs. And, some on Head Fi have looked at specs for the balanced Wave, and there is a suspicion that it may have more noise/sound worse than the single ended. Of course, since it doesn't exist yet, it is purely speculation based on info supplied by the LH folks. SO, femto should improve the sound, significantly from my experience and what I have read.


 

 Thanks a lot. That helps


----------



## bigbung

alucart1985 said:


> I can't speak for the vanilla Pulse as I have the balanced XFi version, but I would imagine that the lack of balanced outputs would make minimal difference if your setup involved single ended outputs to a headphone amplifier and single ended cable to your headphones.
> 
> I don't know how much a difference the naked resistors, upgraded op-amps and femto clocks have on the sound quality, but what I have heard is that the Infinity has the latest ESS9018AQ2M chip?


 

 Thanks


----------



## Audio Addict

If anyone located in the Central Illinois area is interested in listening to the Pulse X Infinity w/LPS4, drop me a PM and maybe we can set up a mini-meet.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Just Happy....


----------



## Lord Raven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Just Happy....


 
 Where were you when I needed help?  Me too, I just cannot believe it!
  
 Playing DSD from my phone is now possible.. LOL


----------



## Lord Raven

zenifyx said:


> Entirely up to you imo.
> I've heard that the LPS adds a greater level of fidelity than the upgrade from Pulse X to Xfi.
> The LPS would seem to be the most bang for buck incremental upgrade for your system right now, but if you are happy with it as it is, why change a thing?
> 
> If you do feel curious about how much an LPS can improve your enjoyment of music, the Jay's is probably one of the cheapest ones out there.


 
 Thank you for your response.
  
 Actually, I am using Geek as a stand alone DAC. This is what I got it for, I already had a tube amplifier sitting on my table. I was just wondering, adding an LPS would only help it's onboard amplifier's impact, isn't it?
  
 Please comment, I am sure I am doing the right thing by staying away from the LPS  It will only crowd the table..
  
 On a different note, onboard amplifier is so good that my tube amplifier is outperformed, which made me think about buying top tier tubes for it (was using stock tubes initially). Life sucks


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Naveed,
  
 Vacation Bro, vacation....But there is one other reason I am happy. ^_^
  
 Michael


----------



## Lord Raven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Naveed,
> 
> Vacation Bro, vacation....But there is one other reason I am happy. ^_^
> 
> Michael


 





 describe it in mixed car and audio terms..
  
 It's like cruising on premium petrol instead of regular


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Touche'


----------



## germay0653

A clean windshield, a shoe shine and a Pulse X Infinity!  Ah, the pause that refreshes.


----------



## Leondinas

oneguy said:


> This has not been the case for me. While I have had to send back items 3 or 4 times they did cover the shipping both ways.


 
 Are you local ? Cause i am oversea, and they did told me i need to cover shipping fee myself


----------



## oneguy

leondinas said:


> Are you local ? Cause i am oversea, and they did told me i need to cover shipping fee myself




I am in Japan but I have an FPO address which USPS treats as a US address. My situation does not embody the typical overseas backer but closer to a CONUS situation.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

I never backed the source or wave because it was too ambitious.  Look at how they struggled with the Pulse, which was more complicated than the Geek Out (their only product which most people seem to like).  I'd say at their current (or earlier stages) that's the most complicated device they can handle.  Creating an entire new OS for the Wave is a ridiculous notion for a small company with limited resources.  Look at all the other DAPs with crappy interfaces.  That's what's they have probably and you won't get better than that unless they get a ton more funds or decide to switch to Android (which probably also take a lot of resources to strip down properly like A&K did).


----------



## Leondinas

oneguy said:


> I am in Japan but I have an FPO address which USPS treats as a US address. My situation does not embody the typical overseas backer but closer to a CONUS situation.


 
 I live in Singapore ....


----------



## carz

oneguy said:


> I am in Japan but I have an FPO address which USPS treats as a US address. My situation does not embody the typical overseas backer but closer to a CONUS situation.


 
  
 What is an FPO address and how does it work ?    USPS will charge according to US rates ?
 How do i get one ?


----------



## mscott58

carz said:


> What is an FPO address and how does it work ?    USPS will charge according to US rates ?
> How do i get one ?




Try joining the US military (or other government service) and then get shipped overseas!


----------



## oneguy

mscott58 said:


> Try joining the US military (or other government service) and then get shipped overseas!



What he said.


----------



## atsq17

bigbung said:


> I have a question for you guys... I purchased a vanilla geek pulse on a good deal. I am planning to use it as a DAC only with a discrete amp yet to be decided. I have an option of buying a used pulse infinity on a deal. I am wondering whether I will notice any remarkable differences if using the pulse as a dac alone? I know the Xfi and infinity have balanced outputs etc and slightly better parts for the DAC(which I don't understand...) My only wonder is if it makes any difference if only being used for dac purposes. I have a hd650 and lcd2.2




Noticed a huge jump from vanilla pulse to xfi both as dac/amp and as dac alone. Xfi to infinity was noticeable too albeit not as big. Vanilla to infinity will be a big difference no matter how you use it. Even if single ended.


----------



## Ranza

....And now it delayed until December 2016....
 what's next ? I'm tired of LH Labs and their drama....


----------



## Panelhead

After reading about the last 20 pages of this thread I am going to keep the Infinitty in 2.0 chassis. For less than a 1,000.09 or is a great unit.
 Saw the tests shown here. The -160dB noise floor is DCS stack range. 22 bit resolution.
 Shipping all these in a month or so time period was no good for resale. So many are like me that wanted it 18 months ago. Moved on while waiting.


----------



## germay0653

panelhead said:


> After reading about the last 20 pages of this thread I am going to keep the Infinitty in 2.0 chassis. For less than a 1,000.09 or is a great unit.
> Saw the tests shown here. The -160dB noise floor is DCS stack range. 22 bit resolution.
> Shipping all these in a month or so time period was no good for resale. So many are like me that wanted it 18 months ago. Moved on while waiting.


 

 And it, the X Infinity, sounds wonderful!  Very detailed, no background noise and 3D soundstage.


----------



## Chikolad

miceblue said:


> The Schiit products tend to have some "bite" up on top, which I don't like too much. The Yggdrasil (and probably Gungnir Multi-Bit) is the only one I didn't get that feeling. For me, TCM mode sounds too bright compared to FRM mode.


 
  


chikolad said:


> I guess it depends on your other gear as well. I'm using an LCD-3F with a Burson Soloist so my system is already quite relaxed up top. I prefer TCM because of its improved soundstage and imaging.


 
  
 After some more listening and comparing, I now also prefer the FRM filter. TCM indeed has a weird sounding top end and sounds somewhat artificial, and FRM sounds more natural.
 But, I'm also still not happy with the sound of the vanilla Pulse even with FRM. For a lack of a better word, the sound is "dry" and a little analytical. What I like about the LCD3Fs is their musicality and creamy mid-range, and the Pulse negates that a little.
 I'm really hoping I'm imagining all of this and that in a few days I'll just enjoy the music again.


----------



## miceblue

Well then. I got a KabelDirekt Toslink cable from Amazon since it's pretty inexpensive and thought it would might be fun to try the Toslink input of the Pulse. I got a Monoprice mini-Toslink adaptor too so I can use my MacBook's headphone out for the optical connection.

Man the Pulse X Infinity sounds bright and lacking in layering with Toslink in....I'll go back to USB now. XD


----------



## rschoi75

LH Labs just post up their new production chart showing all Pulse 1.0 chassis levels as shipped. Congrats LH Labs! 
  
 Now where's my 1.0 chassis pulse Xfi that you supposedly shipped?


----------



## oneguy

rschoi75 said:


> LH Labs just post up their new production chart showing all Pulse 1.0 chassis levels as shipped. Congrats LH Labs!
> 
> Now where's my 1.0 chassis pulse Xfi that you supposedly shipped?  :rolleyes:




Sorry to tell you dude. You're in batch #34: rschoi75 only, lol. I couldn't resist, sorry.


----------



## atsq17

chikolad said:


> After some more listening and comparing, I now also prefer the FRM filter. TCM indeed has a weird sounding top end and sounds somewhat artificial, and FRM sounds more natural.
> But, I'm also still not happy with the sound of the vanilla Pulse even with FRM. For a lack of a better word, the sound is "dry" and a little analytical. What I like about the LCD3Fs is their musicality and creamy mid-range, and the Pulse negates that a little.
> I'm really hoping I'm imagining all of this and that in a few days I'll just enjoy the music again.


 
  
 I've got a brand new XFi I'm letting go of (I have 2 XFis and 1 Infinity unit (with one more coming)) for a pretty cheap price on the classifieds. The XFi destroys the Vanilla Pulse. I've owned one before. It's good for its price but it doesn't compare to the XFi.


----------



## germay0653

Has anyone had any issues using the Apple Remote with the Pulse, chassis 2.0, using MCU version 1.25?


----------



## rschoi75

oneguy said:


> Sorry to tell you dude. You're in batch #34: rschoi75 only, lol. I couldn't resist, sorry.


 
  
 LOL sad thing is you're almost right. I just got a reply from my ticket and they tell me November (last batch).


----------



## TopQuark

rschoi75 said:


> LOL sad thing is you're almost right. I just got a reply from my ticket and they tell me November (last batch).


 
  
 The last batch is December, Dude.  Also, make sure to have them specify the year.


----------



## Lord Raven

atsq17 said:


> Noticed a huge jump from vanilla pulse to xfi both as dac/amp and as dac alone. Xfi to infinity was noticeable too albeit not as big. Vanilla to infinity will be a big difference no matter how you use it. Even if single ended.


 
 Bro, what do you suggest in case of a stand alone DAC, do I need to add LPS?


----------



## Chikolad

atsq17 said:


> I've got a brand new XFi I'm letting go of (I have 2 XFis and 1 Infinity unit (with one more coming)) for a pretty cheap price on the classifieds. The XFi destroys the Vanilla Pulse. I've owned one before. It's good for its price but it doesn't compare to the XFi.


 
  
 Thanks for the offer. Have you listened to a vanilla Pulse long enough to compare? I believe the XFI could be much better than the vanilla, but I doubt that the tonality will be that much different. Isn't it a case of "same character of sound, but better at it"? It might be also a matter of taste, and maybe I just don't like the direction LH (or Larry really) took with it.


----------



## Shawnb

Yay Just got shipping notification for USB cable
  
 Damn thought it was for the Pulse at first.


----------



## Audio Addict

If anyone is interested in a Pulse X Infinity in the 2.0 case with LPS4 including a 2G and a 1G cable drop me a PM. I was going to use it at work but decided against that. I ordered 2 and am keeping one at home. 

Downside is there is no warranty on the transfer Pulse or LPS4. I did take the Pulse out and let it play for 12 hours and it seemed fine. The LPS4 is still in the box from when it came back in early April or late March.


----------



## atsq17

chikolad said:


> Thanks for the offer. Have you listened to a vanilla Pulse long enough to compare? I believe the XFI could be much better than the vanilla, but I doubt that the tonality will be that much different. Isn't it a case of "same character of sound, but better at it"? It might be also a matter of taste, and maybe I just don't like the direction LH (or Larry really) took with it.




I burnt pulse for 3 weeks to make sure that it was at its best. I found the sound to be dryish but yet decent quality. As a dac it wasn't able to beat my audio gd sa1.32 or nfb 1.32. 

The xfi on the other hand has solid weight to the sound after the customary 3 week straight of burn in. It is actually noticeably superior to the audio gd dacs that in my opinion were already excellent. Separation, soundstage, etc. All much better on xfi. I attributed it to the dual mono setup inside but i guess upgrading the components must have helped too.

I currently use one xfi at work with my jh13 pro fp ciem and I'm loving it. The nose floor is so low that i cannot hear any hiss that i normally get with portable players and to a small extent the geek out. The quality of sound also is two leagues apart from portables and geek out. The portables i used were shozy alien and hm700. Good but xfi destroys them. 

At home i use hd800 and ether. Hd800 via a souped up BottleHead Crack and ether sounds awesome plugged directly into headphone out. I will soon be getting auralic taurus and cavalli liquid carbon for ether.


----------



## hwlyall

@germay0653 Yes, I can't get the remote to pair on my Infinity 2.0.  I submit a ticket, they told me to do things like power cycle it and turn the remote option on the menu off and on.  Nothing worked so I figured I would be happy with what was working and get a little exercise by getting up to change the volume.
  
 Also, I was getting some small pops and clicks out of my raspberry pi (with Volumio), but after moving around the LS 2.0 plugs on the pi and powering the pi with the LPS it mostly cleared up.  Weird how those little things can affect it.  It seems really sensitive to the signal because the optical coming off of my tv isn't always great.  Laptop has always sounded the best.


----------



## Panelhead

Well, I hooked mine up tonight after listing it on Audiogon for 2 weeks without a nibble. Sorted out cabling, and inserted into the system. Sounds great cold. Using a Jay's LPS that has been running for six months or so.
   I like it. If it sounds better after 300 hours of playing, even better. 
   Running 96/24 files in. These are converted ISO files.
   Plan on running it for a couple days. Then play with the filters. And find better cabling. Running a 8 foot cable to the power amp where a 0.5 meter, or 2 foot would work. Think there is a little more to come with this much condemmed unit and company. 
   Also, fired right up on a Mac Mini. Using the gimme Lightspeed 1G. If there was an extra USB port I would try the 2G.


----------



## pedalhead

Just a random thought for Pulse owners.  I've been listening to my X Infinity extensively lately both via it's internal amp and a tasty external amp (with HE1000 headphones) and there are significant gains to be had from using a good external amp with the Pulse.  I do feel the built in amp is something of a weak point, although of course (in my experience) the HE1000 is a headphone that really benefits from oodles of refined power.
  
 Gotta say though, the flippin sample rate change POP from the Pulse is an accident waiting to happen. Just now I was using the Pulse as an active pre-amp whilst jacking up the output on my Wells Enigma (a *very *powerful amp). The POP from the Pulse isn't of course attenuated like the pre-amp signal but is fed to the power amp at full voltage. It momentarily hurt my right ear and naturally I immediately turned the volume to zero. I can tell you it was a nervous moment when I turned the volume back up...I would not have been surprised if my HE1000 was broken as a result of that huge POP. I still consider one of the biggest facepalm moments of the whole Pulse campaign to be the lack of a proper muting relay. I'm seriously considering getting a tame electronics nerd to add one.


----------



## Lord Raven

pedalhead said:


> Just a random thought for Pulse owners.  I've been listening to my X Infinity extensively lately both via it's internal amp and a tasty external amp (with HE1000 headphones) and there are significant gains to be had from using a good external amp with the Pulse.  I do feel the built in amp is something of a weak point, although of course (in my experience) the HE1000 is a headphone that really benefits from oodles of refined power.
> 
> Gotta say though, the flippin sample rate change POP from the Pulse is an accident waiting to happen. Just now I was using the Pulse as an active pre-amp whilst jacking up the output on my Wells Enigma (a *very *powerful amp). The POP from the Pulse isn't of course attenuated like the pre-amp signal but is fed to the power amp at full voltage. It momentarily hurt my right ear and naturally I immediately turned the volume to zero. I can tell you it was a nervous moment when I turned the volume back up...I would not have been surprised if my HE1000 was broken as a result of that huge POP. I still consider one of the biggest facepalm moments of the whole Pulse campaign to be the lack of a proper muting relay. I'm seriously considering getting a tame electronics nerd to add one.


 
 That is a horrendous mistake by LHL. I don't have this pop during changing over between sample rate change. Maybe your unit is faulty or something. And that is X Infinity, I think I shouldn't consider anymore upgrades over my SFi. I did not notice anything that would bother me about it. Thank GOD!!!


----------



## pedalhead

lord raven said:


> That is a horrendous mistake by LHL. I don't have this pop during changing over between sample rate change. Maybe your unit is faulty or something. And that is X Infinity, I think I shouldn't consider anymore upgrades over my SFi. I did not notice anything that would bother me about it. Thank GOD!!!


 
  
 The popping is only slightly audible and not an issue when using the Pulse as a standalone unit (headphones directly connected into the Pulse). But when feeding a powerful external amp...ouch.  I shall not be doing that again.  Nor shall I be hooking it up to my speaker system. I'm far from the first person to notice this issue. An early recipient of the reseller pack of Pulses blew a Magnepan with a Pulse pop IIRC, although I believe that was a power-on pop as opposed to a sample rate change pop. I'm not au fait enough with electronics to understand if the two might be related.


----------



## FayeForever

I haven't experience any pop from sample rate change yet, and I run it to Ragnarok then my speakers.


----------



## Joe-Siow

I didn't had pops with changes in bit rates with my former Pulse FI, but had the problem with the X-FI I bought used. Fortunately, the seller assisted with the RMA and the replaced set is all good and hasn't given me any issues since.
  
  
 Edit:
  
 I'm using the Pulse X-FI with headphones and also a dedicated DAC running a tube integrated amp and a pair of LS3/5A clones, and it's a case of so far so good. I'm pretty pleased with the sound quality this box produces.


----------



## mscott58

Remembering history, the lack of any type of power-on or change attenuation was an active decision by Larry to not include as he felt it would negatively impact the SQ. I've seen other manufacturers do the same thing, while others play it the safe route. Most important thing is to just be aware. Also I do have some sounds when changing sample rates, but nothing really loud at all - but can see how amplifying it powerfully could make it more noticeable, but at that loud I wonder how much damage just the music might do to your ears? Cheers


----------



## pedalhead

mscott58 said:


> Remembering history, the lack of any type of power-on or change attenuation was an active decision by Larry to not include as he felt it would negatively impact the SQ. I've seen other manufacturers do the same thing, while others play it the safe route. Most important thing is to just be aware. Also I do have some sounds when changing sample rates, but nothing really loud at all - but can see how amplifying it powerfully could make it more noticeable, but at that loud I wonder how much damage just the music might do to your ears? Cheers




If you're using the Pulse as a preamp with volume control to a power amp, the level at which you're listening is irrelevant. The pop in my case was WAY louder than the volume at which I was listening. Also, just being "aware" of it is ok (marginally) with the power on pop, but not the sample rate pop. The latter is simply unacceptable. 

I'm encouraged by others saying they either don't have the issue or have had it repaired. I've opened a ticket and we'll see what happens. Bit of a pain as I'll have to send it overseas for servicing.


----------



## FayeForever

Just tried changing sample rate and listening very carefully, there is a very small pop changing to/from DSD using HD800 but it is way lower than the music itself and I don't see it as a problem, it is inaudible from speakers.


----------



## mscott58

fayeforever said:


> Just tried changing sample rate and listening very carefully, there is a very small pop changing to/from DSD using HD800 but it is way lower than the music itself and I don't see it as a problem, it is inaudible from speakers.


 
 Same here. Very small pop/crackle in the background. 
  
 Pedal - it sounds like yours might have some issues. Sorry about that. 

 Cheers


----------



## miceblue

Yup, no large pops or clicks here either on firmware 1.5/Main 2.0.


----------



## frankrondaniel

Both my Vanilla Pulse and XFI had significant loud pops and other sounds when starting the Pulse and changing sampling rates. I sent both back to LH and they fixed them quickly. I now have just a very small background noise. I wouldn't hesitate to open a ticket with them regarding your issue. Hopefully you'll find them as equally responsive as I did.


----------



## germay0653

hwlyall said:


> @germay0653 Yes, I can't get the remote to pair on my Infinity 2.0.  I submit a ticket, they told me to do things like power cycle it and turn the remote option on the menu off and on.  Nothing worked so I figured I would be happy with what was working and get a little exercise by getting up to change the volume.
> 
> Also, I was getting some small pops and clicks out of my raspberry pi (with Volumio), but after moving around the LS 2.0 plugs on the pi and powering the pi with the LPS it mostly cleared up.  Weird how those little things can affect it.  It seems really sensitive to the signal because the optical coming off of my tv isn't always great.  Laptop has always sounded the best.


 

 Doing an RMA on mine.  Probably have a faulty IR sensor.  Other than that it's been stellar.


----------



## Panelhead

Well a power up pop is way different than a sample rate pop. There is an order to follow when powering up or down 
 Sources then amplifier powering up. Amplifier then sources when powering down. Most dacs I have will POP if selected as a source and then powered up. For a dealer to make this mistake shows lack of concentration. I am sure they knew better.


----------



## gikigill

Yup, same here, power up my Pulse and amps in sequence and same with headphones.


----------



## mscott58

I also leave my Infinity on at all times, but only plug in my headphones while I'm listening - just in case...


----------



## Chefano

Well I hear 2 pops when changing from PCM do DSD, but its a quiet pop. Is it an issue?


----------



## jbr1971

chefano said:


> Well I hear 2 pops when changing from PCM do DSD, but its a quiet pop. Is it an issue?


 
  
 The very quiet pops/clicks when changing sample rates are the relays switching, and are very normal.
  
 Jody


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Noob question here. If I use an external amp, will it automatically use the pulse as a preamp? If so, what volume and gain should it be set to?


----------



## Chefano

jbr1971 said:


> The very quiet pops/clicks when changing sample rates are the relays switching, and are very normal.
> 
> Jody


 

 So, no problems for me!
 Very quiet.
  
 Regards!


----------



## jbr1971

ethereal sound said:


> Noob question here. If I use an external amp, will it automatically use the pulse as a preamp? If so, what volume and gain should it be set to?


 
  
 If you are connecting the amp to the RCA outputs, the Pulse volume control will affect the output to the amp. The balanced connections MAY work the same, but I have not had a chance to test it myself.
  
 If your external amp has a volume control, set the Pulse at 0.0dB (maximum). If it does not have a volume control, set the Pulse volume very low and test what volume works best with your amp/speakers.
  
 The headphone gain selection has no effect on the RCA line out, so leave it at whatever works for your headphones.
  
 Jody


----------



## Ethereal Sound

jbr1971 said:


> If you are connecting the amp to the RCA outputs, the Pulse volume control will affect the output to the amp. The balanced connections MAY work the same, but I have not had a chance to test it myself.
> 
> If your external amp has a volume control, set the Pulse at 0.0dB (maximum). If it does not have a volume control, set the Pulse volume very low and test what volume works best with your amp/speakers.
> 
> ...


 
  
 So if I set my pulse to 0.0dB, will the amp I connected it to have room for volume adjustment or would it be super loud as soon as I adjust the volume?


----------



## snip3r77

ethereal sound said:


> So if I set my pulse to 0.0dB, will the amp I connected it to have room for volume adjustment or would it be super loud as soon as I adjust the volume?




You need to try. Start with min volume on your amp


----------



## mandrake50

ethereal sound said:


> So if I set my pulse to 0.0dB, will the amp I connected it to have room for volume adjustment or would it be super loud as soon as I adjust the volume?


 

 I am currently running the Infinity at 0 DB from the balanced out into a Gustard H10. The H10 runs between 10 and 1 o'clock on 0 DB gain setting.
 There is plenty of adjustment  available on the volume control of the H1 for even high sensitivity IEMs.


----------



## Lord Raven

I just did a little bit of test from going DSD to PCM, there is an inaudible pop, never noticed it. I am connected to my tube amplifier via RCA with DAC set at 0.0db. My amplifier works at around 8 to 10 O'clock. I only listen to Jazz and that's the maximum I go loud.
  
 Regarding hiss and noise, both my units are dead quiet. My headphones are Spirit One, HD600 are coming soon.
  
 Turn on and off, there is a pop but I normally turn off by removing my headphones, never noticed it either. It is not a headphone killer kind of a pop though. But why would I turn off DAC or Amp while wearing my HPs? I am too lazy to get up and switch off things, tube amplifier stays on and so does the DAC, at my service all times..


----------



## carz

hi pedalhead, 

did you connect to the amp via the dac balanced or se output? 




pedalhead said:


> Just a random thought for Pulse owners.  I've been listening to my X Infinity extensively lately both via it's internal amp and a tasty external amp (with HE1000 headphones) and there are significant gains to be had from using a good external amp with the Pulse.  I do feel the built in amp is something of a weak point, although of course (in my experience) the HE1000 is a headphone that really benefits from oodles of refined power.
> 
> Gotta say though, the flippin sample rate change POP from the Pulse is an accident waiting to happen. Just now I was using the Pulse as an active pre-amp whilst jacking up the output on my Wells Enigma (a *very* powerful amp). The POP from the Pulse isn't of course attenuated like the pre-amp signal but is fed to the power amp at full voltage. It momentarily hurt my right ear and naturally I immediately turned the volume to zero. I can tell you it was a nervous moment when I turned the volume back up...I would not have been surprised if my HE1000 was broken as a result of that huge POP. I still consider one of the biggest facepalm moments of the whole Pulse campaign to be the lack of a proper muting relay. I'm seriously considering getting a tame electronics nerd to add one.


----------



## pedalhead

ethereal sound said:


> jbr1971 said:
> 
> 
> > If you are connecting the amp to the RCA outputs, the Pulse volume control will affect the output to the amp. The balanced connections MAY work the same, but I have not had a chance to test it myself.
> ...




The Pulse outputs a standard 2v line out (4v balanced) when set at max volume on LOW gain. The amp will see it just like any other device. Note the low gain bit though.


----------



## pedalhead

carz said:


> hi pedalhead,
> 
> did you connect to the amp via the dac balanced or se output?




Good question. I used balanced output into the Enigma.


----------



## Hercules

Welcome, LH labs latest crowdfunding in China
  
http://z.jd.com/project/details/23760.html


----------



## germay0653

pedalhead said:


> The Pulse outputs a standard 2v line out (4v balanced) when set at max volume on LOW gain. The amp will see it just like any other device. Note the low gain bit though.


 

 I thought the gain setting only affected the headphone output and not the SE or balanced outputs.


----------



## pedalhead

germay0653 said:


> pedalhead said:
> 
> 
> > The Pulse outputs a standard 2v line out (4v balanced) when set at max volume on LOW gain. The amp will see it just like any other device. Note the low gain bit though.
> ...




Hmm I may be mis-remembering having tested the gain settings over the line out. Will check when I get a moment.


----------



## tvnosaint

I'm currently using the pulse with the lyr and rbs HGs. I find it amazing as a dac, but then I also enjoy it on its own more and more. It's just a little more upfront in the amp section compared to the lyr. The extra detail is nice but I prefer the tubes presentation over longer sessions. As a dac, it's trounces the parasound zdac I was using in imaging, clarity , bass response and detail ,and the staging appears to be opening a bit .The 560 and Q love it, the vibro not as much. I think I'm gonna put the old amperex 7308s in the lyr for them.


----------



## smial1966

It somewhat beggars belief that folks are already selling their Pulse Infinity's when overseas backers (that opted for the revised chassis) won't receive their units until December or even January 2016.

Are you listening LH Labs?!? By your own delivery estimations it will be 26 months that I've been patiently waiting for my Pulse Infinity. Yet despite the constant delivery setbacks this hasn't dampened LH Labs enthusiasm for releasing new products and quite literally crucifying the crowdfunding model by squeezing every last cent from backers with innumerable 'upgrade' perks. 

LH Labs your business model is corrupt and stinks of rapid cash accumulation without the responsibility and resources to fulfill backers perks in a timely manner. Such flagrant disregard for your backers is synonymous with the practices of a charlatan outfit. Shame on you.


----------



## atsq17

0.0db. 
  
 Gain is irrelevant.


----------



## Maelob

I sometimes lower the volume on my pulse to -2 to -4 db to have a little more extended volume control on my emotive mini x integrated amp.


----------



## coletrain104

*sigh* getting tired of them pushing back deadlines. My pulse XFi was supposed to be here by the end of October. Now it's supposed to be November. BUT IF I UPGRADE FOR $297 I CAN GET THE INFINITY SHIPPED IMMEDIATELY!!!! A patient backer shouldn't have to decide between waiting indefinitely and paying more money. That puts us in uncomfortable positions.


----------



## Jupiterknight

Around three weeks ago I posted about a comparison I did between two versions of the vanilla Geek Pulse that I have. One from a very early batch with the 1.0 chassis and the second one from a batch I received late September with the 1.1 chassis.  Just to briefly sum it up. The 1.0 chassis/version is much heavier than the 1.1.
  
 So at this point. My version 1.1, late batch, has now encountered above 200 hours of burn-in and still the differences that I encountered after 20 hours, comparing the two units using a a/b devise are pretty much similar. There's a 1.5-2.0 DB difference that I have adjusted for.  Otherwise they do not sound identical. As much as I want them to, they don't!  I have blindfolded myself upside down with the help of trustworthy people of course and I can still relative easily distinguish between the two units.  Maybe it would be a minor difference or none to others, that is absolutely very possible and usually my ears aren't really capable of noticing much difference between other audio gear units or at least pay much attention to it! 
  
 Anyhow, now I'm thinking if it is possible that lhlabs during this relative long process of designing/manufacturing, shipping as well, supplier issues etc. not only changed to a chassis design that probably didn't hit them financial by a significant loss but also that the internal components have been altered along the way and thereby more or less slightly altering the sound presentation? 
 Maybe not fully intentional but from a pure profit perspective and in the long run no one will really notice. So from my experience I certainly won't rule out that identical named units can sound rather different and who knows what else!
  
 I'll keep burning in!


----------



## kostaszag

jupiterknight said:


> Around three weeks ago I posted about a comparison I did between two versions of the vanilla Geek Pulse that I have. One from a very early batch with the 1.0 chassis and the second one from a batch I received late September with the 1.1 chassis.  Just to briefly sum it up. The 1.0 chassis/version is much heavier than the 1.1.
> 
> So at this point. My version 1.1, late batch, has now encountered above 200 hours of burn-in and still the differences that I encountered after 20 hours, comparing the two units using a a/b devise are pretty much similar. There's a 1.5-2.0 DB difference that I have adjusted for.  Otherwise they do not sound identical. As much as I want them to, they don't!  I have blindfolded myself upside down with the help of trustworthy people of course and I can still relative easily distinguish between the two units.  Maybe it would be a minor difference or none to others, that is absolutely very possible and usually my ears aren't really capable of noticing much difference between other audio gear units or at least pay much attention to it!
> 
> ...


 

 I have never before defended LHlabs, but I will do it now. It is possible that your two Pulses contain slightly different components. This is perfectly normal, or so I hear, for no assembly line can constantly, in the course of years ensure the supply of identical parts from the same manufacturer. Same specs yes, but identical parts no.
  
 Have you ever bought two pieces of an audio component bought some months or years apart and heard them side by side? Neither have I. If you do, you will probably find differences there too.


----------



## oneguy

Apple has two different companies making the A9 chip (with two different manufacturing techniques) that is inside of the iPhone 6s.


----------



## coletrain104

jupiterknight said:


> Around three weeks ago I posted about a comparison I did between two versions of the vanilla Geek Pulse that I have. One from a very early batch with the 1.0 chassis and the second one from a batch I received late September with the 1.1 chassis.  Just to briefly sum it up. The 1.0 chassis/version is much heavier than the 1.1.
> 
> So at this point. My version 1.1, late batch, has now encountered above 200 hours of burn-in and still the differences that I encountered after 20 hours, comparing the two units using a a/b devise are pretty much similar. There's a 1.5-2.0 DB difference that I have adjusted for.  Otherwise they do not sound identical. As much as I want them to, they don't!  I have blindfolded myself upside down with the help of trustworthy people of course and I can still relative easily distinguish between the two units.  Maybe it would be a minor difference or none to others, that is absolutely very possible and usually my ears aren't really capable of noticing much difference between other audio gear units or at least pay much attention to it!
> 
> ...


 
 does one sound obviously superior to you, or just different?


----------



## germay0653

Internal parts have tolerances/thresholds that the specs fall within.  For example, some resistors can have acceptable, within 5% to 10%, variances in performance that can affect the sound.  The higher up the product food chain you go, Vanilla Pulse, SFi, XFi, Infinity, SE the closer the tolerances are, because they're more closely matched by hand, and the performance will be better..  For to Vanilla Pulses you could, by chance, get lucky in getting components that are 0.1% in one Pulse and 10% in another causing them to sound different.


----------



## snip3r77

Received my FOC 2G USB Cable for my XFi Infinity Old chassis. All I can say there is an OVERALL improvement and it's significant 
Happy bunny


----------



## eliwankenobi

At this point, I have made peace with the delays. I did open a ticket asking them to please verify every aspect of my Infinity 2.0 before shipment. Test al inputs and outputs at different sampling rates, etc!  I just want it to work! No pops, no weird messages, etc! My HD600 and I just want to enjoy when it gets here!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Download and print....


----------



## Lord Raven

eliwankenobi said:


> At this point, I have made peace with the delays. I did open a ticket asking them to please verify every aspect of my Infinity 2.0 before shipment. Test al inputs and outputs at different sampling rates, etc!  I just want it to work! No pops, no weird messages, etc! My HD600 and I just want to enjoy when it gets here!


 
 Good luck  My HD600 are lost in transit :/ I trusted a friend who forgot to send them with my DAC, now they're laying in his closet


----------



## NigelJ

maelob said:


> I sometimes lower the volume on my pulse to -2 to -4 db to have a little more extended volume control on my emotive mini x integrated amp.



It would be best if you use multiples of -3 dB, rather than -2 dB or -4 dB, in order to minimise artefacts from the digital volume control on the Pulse. See this Larry Ho video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkHwQE8uYk from about 7:06. Although it is talking about connecting a headphone amplifier the same would apply for your integrated amp.


----------



## wingsounds13

Actually, the best volume increment is 6dB, as 6dB is a 1 bit shift in level. This may or may not have any real meaning for the volume level calculations in the Sabre DAC chips, as we do not know exactly how the level changes are calculated. Odds are that this level change is done in the PCM to multi-bit Sigma Delta modulator that appears to make up the actual D/A stage of these DAC chips. If this is true, and they use a sufficient number of bits in the calculations, then the amount of level change will have no effect on signal quality until it is low enough that it is being limited by the noise floor.

J.P.


----------



## Lord Raven

Why not keep the volume at 0.0db as Larry suggests everyone loves it? I am also using this setting but it only allows me to go 8 to 10 O'clock on my tube amplifier. 
  
 I don't understand why RCA output is linked to the volume control, shouldn't it be a fixed output like I have on my stereo with some fixed impedance and gain?
  
 Quote:


nigelj said:


> It would be best if you use multiples of -3 dB, rather than -2 dB or -4 dB, in order to minimise artefacts from the digital volume control on the Pulse. See this Larry Ho video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkHwQE8uYk from about 7:06. Although it is talking about connecting a headphone amplifier the same would apply for your integrated amp.


 
  


wingsounds13 said:


> Actually, the best volume increment is 6dB, as 6dB is a 1 bit shift in level. This may or may not have any real meaning for the volume level calculations in the Sabre DAC chips, as we do not know exactly how the level changes are calculated. Odds are that this level change is done in the PCM to multi-bit Sigma Delta modulator that appears to make up the actual D/A stage of these DAC chips. If this is true, and they use a sufficient number of bits in the calculations, then the amount of level change will have no effect on signal quality until it is low enough that it is being limited by the noise floor.
> 
> J.P.


----------



## miceblue

lord raven said:


> I don't understand why RCA output is linked to the volume control, shouldn't it be a fixed output like I have on my stereo with some fixed impedance and gain?



LH Labs opted to have a variable output for all line-outputs. I'm not quite sure why they did that since I'm guessing most people who use the line-outputs would use 0.0 dB volume anyway. Maybe it has to do with the fact that the volume control on the Pulse is a digital volume control, and it would be difficult to make a fixed 2 Vrms output for all values of digital attenuation?


----------



## wingsounds13

Several things to discuss here, but I'll try to keep it short.

1. The Pulse DAC uses the volume control built into the Sabre DAC chip. Any volume level change is going to affect all outputs of the DAC identically. The only way that they could have gotten around this would have been to use an analog volume control of some kind to control the output level of the headphone amp. Any implementation of this would have added to the cost of the DAC. A volume control of sufficient quality to approach that of the digital volume control within the Sabre chip would be very expensive and would have substantially increased the cost of the Pulse DAC.

2. It is my understanding that most preamps, or analog volume controls of almost any kind, sound best when operated at small levels of attenuation, or a high volume setting. This is not an absolute, but you *may* get better sound by reducing the output level of the DAC sufficiently to allow the volume control of your amp or preamp to be around 70-90% of maximum. Unfortunately, this comes down to a try it out and hear what difference there may be. Odds are that the difference will be subtle, but some may consider it to be significant. Some people love doing this kind of thing, others just want to plug it in and listen to the music. It's up to you to decide what you want to do, but the only cost involved in this is time. 

J.P.


----------



## miceblue

Aaaallrighty. My schedule turned out to be _much_ busier than I anticipated. As part of the LH Labs Demo Club, here are my impressions of the LightSpeed 10G and 2G cables.



I'll say it right now, I don't think one should invest in "audiophile" USB cables until they have a headphone, DAC, and amp they like. The differences are small compared to changing the above items in their audio system from my experience.



That being said, I do have an audio system that I really like:

 MacBook Pro + Audirvana Plus music player
 LH Labs Pulse X Infinity (FTM digital filter)
 STAX SRS-2170
 LH Labs Linear Power Supply 4 (powering Pulse X Infinity and SRM-252S)





In terms of objective testing, I find it difficult to do ABX tests with USB cables reliably since there's so much time spent between switching cables and getting the computer to recognise the DAC. What blind tests I do have, they might not be reliable given the conditions of the test.

Nonetheless, here they are (I've posted these results before):

 LightSpeed 10G cable split (powered by LH Labs LPS4; 1 m length I believe)
 Supra USB 2.0 cable (0.7 m length I believe)
 iPad Mini + Neutron music player playing 16/44.1 music I believe
 Lightning Apple Camera Connection Kit
 Pulse X Infinity (powered by LSP4)
 HE-560 with 4-ping XLR cable and modified grille






I did 10 blind-test trials total and I got around 5/10 correct. That's definitely a coin's flip chance of guessing, and I felt that way when doing the tests: most of the time I was guessing which cable I was listening to.

When doing non-blind A/B tests between the 1G and Supra cable, I thought the 1G sounded pretty similar to the Supra, which I later tested and failed to distinguish it from the 10G Split.

Also while doing non-blind A/B tests, I thought the 10G had better bass definition and instrument layering than the Supra.


Take it for what it is from these tests. LH Labs/Light Harmonic advertise their LightSpeed cables having high bandwidth, much more than typical USB cables. Supra advertises their cable's physical properties, matching the 90 Ω USB cable specification and having excellent noise rejection and insulation. Keep in mind that the LightSpeed 10G cable also came packaged with performance test results and its impedance was within 1.5% of the 90 Ω USB cable specification as well. At least from this test, I figured a well-made USB cable ought to perform pretty good in terms of audio.









In terms of direct objective measurements with the Prism Sound dScope III, the results between the 2G, AudioQuest Forest, and generic printer USB were also inconclusive (I've posted these results before as well):

 24-bit/44.1 kHz input
 Vaunix Lab Brick powered USB hub was used
 Pulse X Infinity was warmed up for about 3 hours before testing
 Measurements done using the RCA output of the Pulse X Infinity
 Silver Sonic Air Matrix RCA cables were used
 RCA to 3-pin XLR adaptors were used as inputs to the dScope (100 kΩ load measurements)
 0.0 dB output on the Pulse X Infinity (low gain if that matters, which I don't think it does)
 FTM digital filter since that's what I listen to when the Pulse is warmed up



Spoiler: Inferred Jitter Test Results



Full bandwidth (I believe the 15 kHz spike is an anomaly in the data)
Take 1


Take 2


Slightly zoomed-in
Take 1


Take 2



2 kHz bandwidth
Take 1


2 kHz bandwidth
Take 2




All measurements below have the 2 kHz bandwidth since that seems to be the most interesting part.

AudioQuest Forest (the same cable used for the above jitter tests)



LH Labs LightSpeed 2G (Demo)
Take 1


Take 2


Take 3



Generic printer cable
Take 1


Take 2





Evidently the different USB cables change something, but how significant that something is is unknown to me. I would actually venture to say the generic printer USB cable has better-looking measurements in terms of how clean the skirt is. These inconclusive differences may be due to:

 LH Lab's 3L buffer in the Pulse, which supposedly helps with some things on the USB-end
 http://lightharmonic.com/products/lightspeed-usb-cables/


> By isolating the USB power, re-clocking the signal, and buffering it with our patent-pending 3 layer buffer, Larry minimized the cable’s effect.



 USB cables don't make as large of a difference in inferred jitter measurements as we think
 44.1 kHz signals aren't really affected by most USB cables (I'm guessing that larger sampling rate/bandwidth signals would make more conclusive differences in measurements)





All else aside, listening to the 10G versus 1G+printer cable at home, I noticed a pretty nice difference in sound. Bass was more well-defined and brought out a bit more, the treble wasn't as grainy-sounding and it was smooth/harsh-free, the instrument separation layering was much better as it conveyed a better sense of depth to me, and the soundstage as a whole seemed more three-dimensional versus two-dimensional. Again, it's hard to directly compare cables because of how much time it takes to switch them around in the system, but I tried my best to keep the switching consistent in terms of amount of time (about 15 seconds).

These effects seemed to be more noticeable with music that was well-recorded and mastered, though the more well-defined bass response and instrument layering were still noticeable even in mostly synthesised music.

The combination of all of these differences made the music-listening experience pretty sublime on my system. Music just seemed more dynamic overall and the three-dimensional instrument layering was nice to hear in tracks where I didn't expect the layering to exist quite that much.

















With the 2G cable, the differences were definitely smaller compared to the 10G, but I noticed similar effects when switching between the 2G and 1G+printer cable. I had a hard time distinguishing the differences with 16/44.1 music actually, whereas I thought they were more distinct with the 10G cable. With 24/352.8 music, the instrument layering was more obvious to me compared to the 1G+printer cable, but still not as noticeable compared to the 10G.









^ I believe that's the power leg of the split USB-A connectors; one of the connectors is blocked there

















All in all, I'm still quite happy with my non-fancy-USB-cable audio system (1G+printer cable). Although I did find the 10G cable, and to some extent the 2G cable, to have a nice presentation in sound, I wouldn't say it's a necessary upgrade to a system that you already enjoy. I did get a better sense of music enjoyment with the 10G cable, but at a $999 price point, I would be pretty hard-pressed to spend that much for a cable given my current financial status. Personally, I'd rather spend that money towards a different transducer, the Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor, for a mobile listening setup. I must admit though, the guaranteed, transferable, no questions asked, lifetime warranty on the 10G cable is pretty nice.





Thank you to LH Labs for letting me be a part of the Demo Club! I didn't really know what to expect from these cable tests, and I'm glad to have been able to do so. It was interesting for me to test in more ways than one, so I am thankful for your generosity in giving me the opportunity to demo the cables.


Note: the cables used for these tests are demo cables and are not mine. The 2G cables might look different from the photos above. I actually just received the LightSpeed 1G Extender Cable today in the mail and it's a black-coloured cable.


----------



## pedalhead

Thanks @miceblue, particularly for doing a comparison that would be far too tedious for me to try 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.
  
 I agree that cable comparisons are tough due to the amount of time it takes to swap them over.  If I can't do a direct A/B, I'm unable to reliably tell any two similarish components apart (excluding headphones) unless the differences are significant. Everyone's MMV of course, and I certainly have far from golden ears. I think your early advice was spot on...it's only worth looking at cables if you've already invested in main components that work for you and you're now looking for those minor gains that can (arguably) be obtained from upgrading ancillaries in the system.


----------



## pedalhead

pedalhead said:


> germay0653 said:
> 
> 
> > pedalhead said:
> ...


 
  
 I just tested the (balanced) out on the Pulse X Infinity and @germay0653 is correct, the gain setting (low/med/high) has no bearing on the output.


----------



## oneguy

@miceblue

I was the next the lucky recipient in the LH Labs Demo club. I have the same 10G you had right now and after I put the kids to sleep I will do a listen and compare to my 2G and the Anticables USB cable that I have for 2 more days.


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Download and print....




LOL!!!


----------



## miceblue

pedalhead said:


> Thanks @miceblue, particularly for doing a comparison that would be far too tedious for me to try  .
> 
> I agree that cable comparisons are tough due to the amount of time it takes to swap them over.  If I can't do a direct A/B, I'm unable to reliably tell any two similarish components apart (excluding headphones) unless the differences are significant. Everyone's MMV of course, and I certainly have far from golden ears. I think your early advice was spot on...it's only worth looking at cables if you've already invested in main components that work for you and you're now looking for those minor gains that can (arguably) be obtained from upgrading ancillaries in the system.



Yeah, maybe for the Pulse it's a relatively small difference since it has the 3L buffer and all that jazz that Larry put into the XMOS/USB-side of things. Perhaps for other DACs it would make a bigger difference. Unfortunately I don't have another DAC that accepts a USB-B input to try it with.

The Yggdrasil didn't like the 10G cable for some reason.





oneguy said:


> @miceblue
> 
> I was the next the lucky recipient in the LH Labs Demo club. I have the same 10G you had right now and after I put the kids to sleep I will do a listen and compare to my 2G and the Anticables USB cable that I have for 2 more days.



Oh nice! I look forward to reading your impressions.


----------



## Clemmaster

Thanks for the comparison.
  
 Did you try the same blind test with a different DAC? After trying my Pulse Vanilla with and without the Uptone REGEN, I came away with the conclusion that the Pulse has a very solid USB implementation: it must be the only DAC where the REGEN didn't noticeably improve the sound.
  
 I'm using the supplied 1G cable from a cheap USB hub (which itself uses a cheap USB cable to the computer) and the sound is just fine. LH Labs nailed the USB interface!


----------



## miceblue

clemmaster said:


> Thanks for the comparison.
> 
> Did you try the same blind test with a different DAC? After trying my Pulse Vanilla with and without the Uptone REGEN, I came away with the conclusion that the Pulse has a very solid USB implementation: it must be the only DAC where the REGEN didn't noticeably improve the sound.
> 
> I'm using the supplied 1G cable from a cheap USB hub (which itself uses a cheap USB cable to the computer) and the sound is just fine. LH Labs nailed the USB interface!



I don't own any other DACs that use a USB-B connector unfortunately, so I couldn't test the 10G and 2G with a different DAC during my time with them.

I won an iFi micro iUSB3.0 from one of their contests here on Head-Fi. I wonder how that will affect my audio system. My particular Linear Power Supply 4 unit had some modifications done to it (as compared to a stock unit) since I sent it back to the Tech Support team to fix a buzzing issue I was having:

 Fixed buzzing issues.
 Fixed USB B grounding.
 Fixed competitions dac's syncing at power up. [has to do with the USB handshake]

I believe my LPS4 is grounded to chassis now instead of having a floating ground. The iUSB3.0 has the option to have a floating ground option so I'd be curious to try that out with the 1G+printer cable when it arrives. That plus the iUSB3.0 reclocks and regenerates the signal, which the LPS4 doesn't. As you suggested though, maybe the USB implementation of the Pulse is already pretty darn solid and it won't make much of a difference at all.


----------



## mscott58

Got my shipment notice for the "free perk" 2G!


----------



## Lord Raven

Hi Guys,
  
 Did anyone else try using playback from memory, is there any advantage over playing from the optical HDD? I do have an SSD but that cannot hold all my hi-res music library.
  
 Here's a screenshot of the setting in JRiver.
  

  
 Also, re WASAPi vs ASIO vs Kernel Streaming over DAC, I heard that during WASAPI I hear rare drop outs, these are very short, like 100th of a second and music keeps playing, What should I do? I am on Windows 10. I read a lot about it, on LH Labs only WASAPI configurations are given. I heard it is recommended to be used in Windows 7 onwards. I am afraid I would have to change from it, these occasional glitches are very rare, I tried to re-listen to them by rewinding but there was nothing wrong in the recording. Please suggest!
  
 Thanks in advance  
  
 Edit: Lastly, I am using the volume control in increments of 6db, I hear no difference in sound over 3db increments. I think only thing is, you get more analog volume control on your amplifier if you use lower volume on your DAC, which is good cause analog feels better and smooth. What is the best way to do it? I could not get Larry Ho or other responses here. I think it is probably irrelevant to use a certain volume level, hit and trial is the way to go.


----------



## Maelob

agree just use the volume you like. i like to use my analog volume on my integrated and by lowering a bit the digital i can raise the knob on my amp a little more


----------



## wingsounds13

As I suggested before, it is likely that the 6dB recommendation may not be valid for the Sabre DAC, as its actual D/A seems to be multi-bit (probably 6 bit) Sigma Delta with the volume control being applied in the Sigma Delta modulator. If this is a reasonably accurate description of the Sabre DAC and they use an adequate bit depth for the calculations, then it truly would not matter whether you use 6dB steps or not. That rule really only applies to doing the volume calculations in the PCM domain and/or having a PCM DAC.

Ultimately, just fiddle with the DAC level and preamp volume knob until you have the sound that you prefer, or just get bored or tired of fiddling.  Only you can determine what sounds best to you on your system.

J.P.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

I just received my 2G (split) lightspeed cable.  Without any ABing, and full placebo effect, these do sound beautiful LOL.  I have no idea.  I can quickly swap them out though since my regular USB cable is still plugged in.  Still pretty hard to A/B quick enough.  Will try later tonight.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

wingsounds13 said:


> Several things to discuss here, but I'll try to keep it short.
> 
> 2. It is my understanding that most preamps, or analog volume controls of almost any kind, sound best when operated at small levels of attenuation, or a high volume setting. This is not an absolute, but you *may* get better sound by reducing the output level of the DAC sufficiently to allow the volume control of your amp or preamp to be around 70-90% of maximum. Unfortunately, this comes down to a try it out and hear what difference there may be. Odds are that the difference will be subtle, but some may consider it to be significant. Some people love doing this kind of thing, others just want to plug it in and listen to the music. It's up to you to decide what you want to do, but the only cost involved in this is time.
> 
> J.P.


 
 I thought that most digital volume controls sound best with minimal attenuation (high volume) since it takes away resolution (at least old implementations, new ones seem to be very good).  Analog volume controls sound better at low volumes (turned down) compared to digital ones.  That's pure conjecture though, since I've never actually noticed enough of a difference to bother testing it out.


----------



## AlterSack

I received my 2G cable yesterday.
 Thank god LHLabs changed the colour to black!


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Looks just like mine!  I have it plugged in.  Doesn't really help out my Vega on exact mode.


----------



## carz

altersack said:


> I received my 2G cable yesterday.
> Thank god LHLabs changed the colour to black!


 
  
 How many variations of 2G cables are there ?    I see that this one has 3 connectors.  How is it to be used ?


----------



## Shawnb

I got my 2g cable yesterday as well. Kinda disappointed with the limited 1 year warranty. The 10g got a lifetime warranty, can even break the cable and it'll be replaced while the 2G gets a puny 1 year. 
1 year that will include many months more waiting for everything else.


----------



## AlterSack

carz said:


> How many variations of 2G cables are there ?    I see that this one has 3 connectors.  How is it to be used ?


 

 AFAIK the 2 G can only come in 2 Variations
 a) with 1 USB A connector
 b) with 2 USB A connectors
  
 The version with 2 connectors has one leg for the Data from the music source and one leg for the 5V power from the source or the LPS (which is was basically made for)


----------



## AlterSack

shawnb said:


> I got my 2g cable yesterday as well. Kinda disappointed with the limited 1 year warranty. The 10g got a lifetime warranty, can even break the cable and it'll be replaced while the 2G gets a puny 1 year.
> 1 year that will include many months more waiting for everything else.


 
 The discussion about the limited warranty for ALL their products is a separate story to my mind.
 I try not to think about it anymore and give up feeling frustrated. Anyway - to my mind it is a BIG SHAME that the warranty is not transferrable, especially when You look at the immensely long time span we all have to wait for the LHLabs products. 
 It would make selling the stuff MUCH easier for all backers - which is probably one of the reasons why LHLabs made it so difficult for all of us.
  
 Just imagine the number of Pulses that you could find on the classifieds and the pressure on the prices which would come along with it ....
  
 If I could transfer the warranty I would have given up on the WAVE long ago and plainly tried to sell it.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Without a warranty this is practically a no go if not LHLAbs accepted a change in ownership before they even deliver a product which they seem to have done in some rare cases but don't do anymore if I am correctly informed.


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm. I got the 2G with the 3 connectors, I had started out with a Pulse, but changed to a Vi Tube. I do have the Geek Out (connecte to a Regen), but not an LPS, as that was combined into the Vi, so I basically traded the Pulse and LPS in (with some dinero) for the Vi. Can't use this in my set up, I'd guess...


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> Hmmm. I got the 2G with the 3 connectors, I had started out with a Pulse, but changed to a Vi Tube. I do have the Geek Out (connecte to a Regen), but not an LPS, as that was combined into the Vi, so I basically traded the Pulse and LPS in (with some dinero) for the Vi. Can't use this in my set up, I'd guess...


 

 You can still use it with the Geek Out.  You just have to use two different USB out ports (Type A) on your source to the Regen USB in (Type B).  The Geek out plugs directly into the Regen.  No adapter needed.
  
 You could also try leaving the Power leg of the 2G unconnected as the Regen will power the Geek Out.  The Regen ignores/bypasses the power coming in from the 2G and uses it's own to power the Geek Out.


----------



## doctorjazz

germay0653 said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > Hmmm. I got the 2G with the 3 connectors, I had started out with a Pulse, but changed to a Vi Tube. I do have the Geek Out (connecte to a Regen), but not an LPS, as that was combined into the Vi, so I basically traded the Pulse and LPS in (with some dinero) for the Vi. Can't use this in my set up, I'd guess...
> ...




Thanks-so I just use the cable from the PC to the Regen (which I do have connected directly into the GO), and leave 1 leg unconnected, or connect to 2 USB ports of the computer (??). I'll give it a try when I get home, using some generic cable right now, I believe.


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> Thanks-so I just use the cable from the PC to the Regen (which I do have connected directly into the GO), and leave 1 leg unconnected, or connect to 2 USB ports of the computer (??). I'll give it a try when I get home, using some generic cable right now, I believe.


 

 The 2G has two male USB Type A connectors (flat rectangles), one for data and one for power (power leg should have a black piece of heatshrink to identify it).  You can plug them both into your PC or just plug in the Data leg (no black heatshrink) into your PC.  The other end has one male USB Type B (squared but somewhat rounded on two corners) plugs into the Regen on the same side as where the wall wart power supply for the Regen plugs in.  The Geek Out male USB Type A then plugs directly into the female USB Type A port on the other side of the Regen.


----------



## doctorjazz

Thanks, try it tonight.


----------



## Chikolad

Reporting back. A few pages ago I asked about break-in times for the vanilla Pulse. I was feeling that the sound was a little soft and quite dry.
 I've been putting the Pulse through aggressive break-in by leaving it playing almost 24/7 for a few days now. My conclusion is that, once again, break-in exists for the Pulse and it's quite a long one too. 
 Since my last post the pulse have gone from being soft to having harsh, sometimes painful treble, and then a few days later things mellowed a bit and now at last I'm starting to get a good sound out of it. It's not anything amazing yet, but it's still improving. There's more "sparkle" to the treble now without being piercing, the grain has reduced, and the sound is much less dry now. I think though that the bass was better out of the box, so I'm hoping there's still a road to go with the burn-in.


----------



## wingsounds13

Just to clarify for one AlterSack's earlier post above: The USB 2G cable come only in one flavor, two separate type A connectors and one type B. There is no 2G cable with only one type A source end connector. The only option is length: 1m, 2m or 3m.

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

vnmslsrbms said:


> I thought that most digital volume controls sound best with minimal attenuation (high volume) since it takes away resolution (at least old implementations, new ones seem to be very good).  Analog volume controls sound better at low volumes (turned down) compared to digital ones.  That's pure conjecture though, since I've never actually noticed enough of a difference to bother testing it out.




Thr difference comes with the way PCM and DSD (or more properly PDM for Pulse Density Modulation) carries the audio signal. PCM has its greatest resolution at its highest signal level. As the signal gets lower, you have fewer bits actually working for you as the high bits just become zeros. DSD/PDM (or a Sigma Delta DAC such as the Sabre) is sort of the other way around, its resolution is actually lower as you approach maximum signal level. DSD/PDM has its highest resolution at lower signal levels. Its signal resolution does again degrade slightly as you approach a level of 0, but the limiting factor long before that happens is the noise floor. This is the one advantage of analog volume control. With an analog volume control, as you reduce the level of the signal from the source, you also reduce the level of its noise floor. An excellent analog volume control will maintain a better dynamic range at low volume settings that a digital source with its playback level reduced. Still, analog volume controls produce their own noise, and this too limits their range. They also have issues with channel tracking and linearity, so even the best volume control, digital or analog, has its limits. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Regardless of all that, if you have both, I consider it easiest in most cases to set the analog control to around 85-90%, adjust the digital to as loud as you think you are likely to play, then use the analog or digital control to set the normal playback level, whichever is easier to use. Some adjustments to this procedure may be necessary, depending on your system. For example, if your system has very high gain, including high efficiency speakers, you may do better by keeping the digital attenuation below 25~30dB and setting the analog control lower.

J.P.


----------



## doctorjazz

Well, I did connect the PC to the Regen/Geek Out Special Edition with the 2G cable, then line out to the MicroZOTL2, then connected the HE-1000 (Norne Zoetic cable)...man, I haven't A-B'd it to my old, non descript cable, but I definitely hear improvements...could be placebo, I suppose, but I've listened to it a lot (trying to put together a review of the ZOTL, so have spent much time with this set up, switching the amp in and out), things more focused, stage depth more clear, highs more crystalline, the musical impact more immediate (the complaint on the HEK by some is that it is too laid back, the cable seems to make the system reach out and GRAB you). Listening th Hi Rez Live Ry Cooder, "Dark End of the Street", man, this is good s**t! Makes me wonder about the 10K, but don't think the bank account will allow me to play in that playground for a while...


----------



## nudd

Still not 2G shipped to me ...


----------



## doctorjazz

Would there be an advantage to plugging the unused usb cable into a Vaunix Lab Brick hub for power? Or both usb into the pc? Or both usb into Lab Brick?


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> Would there be an advantage to plugging the unused usb cable into a Vaunix Lab Brick hub for power? Or both usb into the pc? Or both usb into Lab Brick?


 

 Not if you're using the Regen. The Regen bypasses the power coming in on the USB cable and uses it's own supply to pass on to DAC. 
  
 From the Regen product page:
  
The USB REGEN's secondary function is that it disconnects the computer's noisy 5 volt bus power coming down the USB cable, and *provides clean 5VBUS on its output*--for DACs that need it—via a second ultra low-noise regulator.


----------



## bhazard

Once I take my vacation in a few weeks I'll do a full review of the Infinity 2.0 and V2+. They are easily the highest quality DACs I've purchased, and I love the new Sabre chip's sound.
  
 The delay in getting the product to retail now has LH Labs facing a lot of competition in similar equipment which didn't exist two years ago. If I didn't get in at the original reduced pricing, choosing between equipment nowadays would be much harder to decide on with my wallet.


----------



## doctorjazz

Thanks...I believe the Regen will have an upgraded power supply soon...some use our with an LPS. Interesting stuff.


----------



## Shawnb

What power slot does the Regen use? 1.2a or the 0.5a slots? 
I'll be powering mine from my LPS4 or LPS8


----------



## snip3r77

germay0653 said:


> Not if you're using the Regen. The Regen bypasses the power coming in on the USB cable and uses it's own supply to pass on to DAC.
> 
> From the Regen product page:
> 
> [COLOR=444444]The USB REGEN's secondary function is that it disconnects the computer's noisy 5 volt bus power coming down the USB cable, and *provides clean 5VBUS on its output*--for DACs that need it—via a second ultra low-noise regulator.[/COLOR]




With Geek Pulse and LPS and 2g , how do we connect the Regen? Any pics would be useful. Thanks


----------



## germay0653

shawnb said:


> What power slot does the Regen use? 1.2a or the 0.5a slots?
> I'll be powering mine from my LPS4 or LPS8


 

 You have to be careful when using the LPS(4 or 8) since it's 12V/1.2A.  It's safe if your DAC isn't using the +5V, from USB, to power itself.
  
 Two scenarios:

Using the Geek Out as a DAC.  The GO is powered by +5V/0.5A from USB so feeding the Regen from the LPS at 12V will cause the Regen to overheat and possibly damage it.  Both Alex and John from Uptone cautioned that this could damage the Regen. *NOT SAFE!*
Using the Geek Pulse as a DAC.  The Pulse does not use +5V/0.5A from USB to power the DAC so powering the Regen with 12V/1.2A from the LPS(4 or 8) will not overheat it. *SAFE!*
  
 The included SMPS with the Regen is 7.5V/2.93A.  Ideally, the Regen should be driven by a 6V - 9V/1.5A LPS or battery safely.  Use 12V ONLY if your DAC is not powered from USB.
  
 From the Regen web page:
  
*The USB REGEN kit includes:*
 a) the REGEN itself in an all black with silver-printed aluminum case (57 x 46 x 18mm); Input is USB 'B' jack, Output is USB 'A' jack, DC jack is 5.5mm x 2.1mm.
b) the best spec'ed and sounding 22 watt/7.5V/2.93A (overkill) tabletop (93 x 54 x 36mm) world-voltage-compatible SMPS we could find (_*use a nice linear if you want—in the range of 6-9V/1.5A is fine; or even 12V if you are certain that your DAC is not deriving much power from USB bus*_); If you own an UpTone JS-2 LPS, then you can consider using one of its outputs—set to 7V—to power the REGEN very nicely!


----------



## germay0653

snip3r77 said:


> With Geek Pulse and LPS and 2g , how do we connect the Regen? Any pics would be useful. Thanks


 

 You'd need an LPS4 or LPS8 to drive both the Pulse and the Regen.  If you only have an LPS then that only has one 12V/1.2A output which should power the Pulse.  Using the SMPS (Wall Wart power supply) that comes with the Regen to power it works very well and most people would be hard pressed to hear any difference between it and an LPS. 
  
 Since we're all pretty anal (detail oriented) here we tend to want the best for our systems.  If you want to eek out that small % of improvement and it's worth the price you have to pay then have at it but if not then the included SMPS works just fine.
  
 I'll work on getting together a diagram to help when time allows.  Probably by Monday.


----------



## Benny-x

miceblue said:


> I don't own any other DACs that use a USB-B connector unfortunately, so I couldn't test the 10G and 2G with a different DAC during my time with them.
> 
> I won an iFi micro iUSB3.0 from one of their contests here on Head-Fi. I wonder how that will affect my audio system. My particular Linear Power Supply 4 unit had some modifications done to it (as compared to a stock unit) since I sent it back to the Tech Support team to fix a buzzing issue I was having:
> Fixed buzzing issues.
> ...


 
  
 When you get to it, I'd really love to hear your feedback on the iUSB3.0. I've got an iUSBPower and I loved it, so I'm very eager to hear what the iUSB3.0 can do when used with the Pulse.
  
 Judging from the first few reviews over on CA it's as good as the Regen, which punches above it's price point for sure. I've got a Regen Amber and love it. Apparently using iUSB3.0->Regen Amber is a nice setup, but it's also a $600 setup and I bet a $600 pair of headphones would make a bigger difference


----------



## snip3r77

germay0653 said:


> You'd need an LPS4 or LPS8 to drive both the Pulse and the Regen.  If you only have an LPS then that only has one 12V/1.2A output which should power the Pulse.  Using the SMPS (Wall Wart power supply) that comes with the Regen to power it works very well and most people would be hard pressed to hear any difference between it and an LPS.
> 
> Since we're all pretty anal (detail oriented) here we tend to want the best for our systems.  If you want to eek out that small % of improvement and it's worth the price you have to pay then have at it but if not then the included SMPS works just fine.
> 
> I'll work on getting together a diagram to help when time allows.  Probably by Monday.




Thanks I hope to get the linear PSU that is meant for regen together from Uptone when it is released. Im enjoying the 2g at the moment.


----------



## doctorjazz

Man, the 2G is sweet, costing me sleep...


----------



## bhazard

doctorjazz said:


> Man, the 2G is sweet, costing me sleep...




Infinity+LPS+2G is doing the same thing to me right now. I'm missing out on sleep because I don't want to stop listening.


----------



## marflao

germay0653 said:


> You'd need an LPS4 or LPS8 to drive both the Pulse and the Regen.  If you only have an LPS then that only has one 12V/1.2A output which should power the Pulse.  Using the SMPS (Wall Wart power supply) that comes with the Regen to power it works very well and most people would be hard pressed to hear any difference between it and an LPS.
> 
> Since we're all pretty anal (detail oriented) here we tend to want the best for our systems.  If you want to eek out that small % of improvement and it's worth the price you have to pay then have at it but if not then the included SMPS works just fine.
> 
> I'll work on getting together a diagram to help when time allows.  Probably by Monday.




I use the LPS to power both: the Xfi via the umbilical cable for the 12v DC and the Regen via the 5V USB out (using this cable http://www.amazon.de/dp/B002B82NAO/ref=pe_386171_37038021_TE_3p_dp_1). 


Thanks to Rui again who mentioned this at CA a while ago.


----------



## germay0653

marflao said:


> I use the LPS to power both: the Xfi via the umbilical cable for the 12v DC and the Regen via the 5V USB out (using this cable http://www.amazon.de/dp/B002B82NAO/ref=pe_386171_37038021_TE_3p_dp_1).
> 
> 
> Thanks to Rui again who mentioned this at CA a while ago.


 

 I'm surprised the Regen works with only 5V/0.5A as it's spec'd for 6V - 9V/1.5A but I'm no engineer and happy that it works for you!!


----------



## uncola

I'm getting into speakers so selling some extra stuff I have.  Jay's Audio 12V LPS for sale
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/786187/jays-audio-12v-linear-power-supply-for-geek-pulse-preamps-etc


----------



## mscott58

marflao said:


> I use the LPS to power both: the Xfi via the umbilical cable for the 12v DC and the Regen via the 5V USB out (using this cable http://www.amazon.de/dp/B002B82NAO/ref=pe_386171_37038021_TE_3p_dp_1).
> 
> 
> Thanks to Rui again who mentioned this at CA a while ago.




This is brilliant!!! 

Now I don't have to use one of the 4 12V taps on the LPS4 to power my Regen. Awesome. Already ordered from Amazon here in the States. 

Cheers


----------



## kostaszag

altersack said:


> carz said:
> 
> 
> > How many variations of 2G cables are there ?    I see that this one has 3 connectors.  How is it to be used ?
> ...


 
 Is there some other USB cable that is similarly configured but not that pricey? I will need one but dont want to pay 200 dollars and taxes for it.


----------



## uncola

well there's this one http://www.audiocadabra.com/blog/optimus-handcrafted-dual-headed-usb-cables/


----------



## Benny-x

mscott58 said:


> This is brilliant!!!
> 
> Now I don't have to use one of the 4 12V taps on the LPS4 to power my Regen. Awesome. Already ordered from Amazon here in the States.
> 
> Cheers


 
 It's a sharp idea for sure. 
  
 I used to follow the Regen thread over on CA, so here's a TL;DR skiny on powering it:
  
 1. If your DAC doesn't need any USB power:
 - The Regen needs a minimum of 3.3V for full internal functions, so a 5V, 0.5A rail will work fine.
 - The lead designer said it's possible the Regen will sound better when warm, and with no current draw from your DAC(because it's not USB powered) the Regen can safely handle up to ~13V. 
  
 2. If your DAC needs USB power:
 - Use the supplied PSU or another 7-9V, +1A PSU. 
  
 That adaptor idea is good though and saves a 12V output if needed for something else. I'll be making a cable for my Regen to go from my LPS4 12V 1.2A output, though. I don't have any other use for the 2nd 1.2A output since I bought the LPS4 when they were saying it used custom OFC transformers vs. the standard transformers in the LPS1.


----------



## kostaszag

uncola said:


> well there's this one http://www.audiocadabra.com/blog/optimus-handcrafted-dual-headed-usb-cables/


 
 Thanks, but still a bit too much. It is good to know there are alternatives though.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

uncola said:


> I'm getting into speakers so selling some extra stuff I have.  Jay's Audio 12V LPS for sale
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/786187/jays-audio-12v-linear-power-supply-for-geek-pulse-preamps-etc


 
  
 Oh that's pretty great. Just wondering, how does the Jay's LPS compare to the geek lps?


----------



## uncola

I don't think anyone did a direct comparison but they are both below 10uv of noise.. or 10mv?  whichever is lower.  But the Jay's displays the output voltage and has a trimpot on the back so you can adjust it to exactly 12 volts.  But there's no usb port to clean usb power so that's a minus.  I think the Jay's looks cooler.  It's definitely more affordable


----------



## Ethereal Sound

uncola said:


> I don't think anyone did a direct comparison but they are both below 10uv of noise.. or 10mv?  whichever is lower.  But the Jay's displays the output voltage and has a trimpot on the back so you can adjust it to exactly 12 volts.  But there's no usb port to clean usb power so that's a minus.  I think the Jay's looks cooler.  It's definitely more affordable


 
  
 If I have a schiit wyrd, would that remedy the lack of usb port on the lps?


----------



## uncola

Yes, the wyrd performs the same usb power cleaning function and also does signal reclocking


----------



## nicolo

Ifi-Audio has released new DC power plugs. The specs look awesome with ultra-low noise levels. Check out the link below for details.
  
 http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower/
  
 It has 1uV of noise compared to the LPS's 6uV, and is also much cheaper to boot at 59 Euros along with a much smaller form factor.


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> This is brilliant!!!
> 
> Now I don't have to use one of the 4 12V taps on the LPS4 to power my Regen. Awesome. Already ordered from Amazon here in the States.
> 
> Cheers


 

 Thanks to Rui!!


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Can the schiit wyrd be safely plugged into the jays lps or the geek lps by any chance?


----------



## mscott58

benny-x said:


> It's a sharp idea for sure.
> 
> I used to follow the Regen thread over on CA, so here's a TL;DR skiny on powering it:
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for the info. I'd been following the Regen details as well. 
  
 I actually have a Geek Tube HPA and a Geek Source coming as well, so will need all of my LPS4 ports. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## uncola

the wyrd uses a 6 volt dc linear wall wart.. I think the wyrd then regulates it down to 5 volt dc for normal usb devices.. it wouldn't work plugged into a jay's or geek lps.. they both output 12 volts dc which is what the geek pulse uses for power...


----------



## mscott58

I'm so excited! I got my 2G split cable in the mail today. Woo-hoo! And why am I so excited? Well besides my cable, they included some amazing nigh-quality packaging and also (I'm so lucky) a coupon for 15% off HDTracks! Those are so incredibly rare! I think I might list it on eBay and see what I get for it. I might have bought a few extra cables if I could have gotten a few more of these coupons!





Okay, sorry for the snarkyness, but it's getting to be like the old days of AOL CD-ROMS with the flippin' HDTracks coupon codes. And seriously, the packaging was a dozen foam peanuts in a USPS small flat rate box. I know the cables were "free" perks and all, but at least maybe a baggie with some literature on the cable? And how many people are going to know to look for the black-on-black band to see which the power leg is? I knew from my 10G, but not even a piece of paper showing the use-cases of the cable?

Cheers


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm...have a source coming, gave up the LPS when I went for the Vi Tube DAC instead of the Pulse. Keep hearing about different places to use the LPS, may have to spring for one or another one of these days, darn...


----------



## Maelob

mscott58 said:


> I'm so excited! I got my 2G split cable in the mail today. Woo-hoo! And why am I so excited? Well besides my cable, they included some amazing nigh-quality packaging and also (I'm so lucky) a coupon for 15% off HDTracks! Those are so incredibly rare! I think I might list it on eBay and see what I get for it. I might have bought a few extra cables if I could have gotten a few more of these coupons!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Funny that you mentioned it, I think they must be feeling the pressure of shipping fast.  I received two 2g within 2 weeks.  One was packaged really professional with a nice box and literature on the cable.  And then received one yesterday just like you described with a crapy USPS box. 
  
 cheers


----------



## carz

Pedalhead, did you manage to get the sample rate change pop resolved? 

BTW, is yours a v1 or v2.0 chassis? 




pedalhead said:


> Good question. I used balanced output into the Enigma.


----------



## pedalhead

carz said:


> Pedalhead, did you manage to get the sample rate change pop resolved?
> 
> BTW, is yours a v1 or v2.0 chassis?




Mine's a v1 chassis. I've got a ticket open and have started a dialogue with LH Labs about it. Kinda slow going though tbh.


----------



## upsguys88

uncola said:


> I don't think anyone did a direct comparison but they are both below 10uv of noise.. or 10mv?  whichever is lower.  But the Jay's displays the output voltage and has a trimpot on the back so you can adjust it to exactly 12 volts.  But there's no usb port to clean usb power so that's a minus.  I think the Jay's looks cooler.  It's definitely more affordable


 

 I have both and will do a comparison this weekend!


----------



## oneguy

I get the sample rate pop as well. I don't think it will damage anything but kind of annoying if you are running a playlist with songs of different bit/sample rates. (Infinity 2.0)


----------



## dcpoor

Just starting using my X Infinity 2.0 tonight...
 Using headphones from the single ended out, as soon as I turn the volume knob in either direction the sound disappears. I have to disconnect/reconnect the USB cable or power-off/power-on to get sound to return. Same thing happens when I turn the volume knob again.
  
 Anyone else have this problem before and any solution?


----------



## leomitch

dcpoor said:


> Just starting using my X Infinity 2.0 tonight...
> Using headphones from the single ended out, as soon as I turn the volume knob in either direction the sound disappears. I have to disconnect/reconnect the USB cable or power-off/power-on to get sound to return. Same thing happens when I turn the volume knob again.
> 
> Anyone else have this problem before and any solution?


 
  
 Have you checked the menu under Volume Setting to Knob Control. I also use the Apple Remote to control the volume from a distance...works beautifully.
 I have had nil issues with the Infinity. I am sitting here listening to the Sibelius Symphonies by Paavo Berglund and the Bournemouth Symphony and am once again in awe of this wonder from Larry Ho and Light Harmonic Lab.
  
 Leo


----------



## dcpoor

leomitch said:


> Have you checked the menu under Volume Setting to Knob Control. I also use the Apple Remote to control the volume from a distance...works beautifully.
> I have had nil issues with the Infinity. I am sitting here listening to the Sibelius Symphonies by Paavo Berglund and the Bournemouth Symphony and am once again in awe of this wonder from Larry Ho and Light Harmonic Lab.
> 
> Leo


 

 I've tried that setting, when it's set to USB Control I can change the volume through windows/foobar2k. When it's in Knob Control the sound stops every time I try changing the volume by turning the knob.


----------



## leomitch

dcpoor said:


> I've tried that setting, when it's set to USB Control I can change the volume through windows/foobar2k. When it's in Knob Control the sound stops every time I try changing the volume by turning the knob.


 
  
  
 Hmmm, weird! May be time to fire off a message to support for a ticket. I have not heard many or even any serious problems with the Infinity, mostly settings confusion. Good luck my friend. I am sure they will help you quickly.
  
 All the best
 Leo


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Using Knob as volume control. Never had serious problems with my Infinity on v.1 chassis since late May.


----------



## Madeupword

Has anyone located outside of USA received his Lightspeed 2G USB cable?


----------



## leomitch

madeupword said:


> Has anyone located outside of USA received his Lightspeed 2G USB cable?


 
  
  
 Yup, I have up here in the frosty North Canada!
  
 Leo


----------



## kostaszag

Some questions on the 2G cable. Does the Data leg transmit any kind of power? i.e. is it possible to initiate handshake without power on the side of the PC/Mac? I am asking because I am toying with the idea of DIYing one myself or having it made by a friend.


----------



## snip3r77

madeupword said:


> Has anyone located outside of USA received his Lightspeed 2G USB cable?




I got it. I'm from Asia


----------



## Benny-x

mscott58 said:


> Thanks for the info. I'd been following the Regen details as well.
> 
> I actually have a Geek Tube HPA and a Geek Source coming as well, so will need all of my LPS4 ports.
> 
> Cheers


 
 I'm confused, when you said you've got a Geek Tube HPA and a Geek Source coming, do you mean that you're from the future? In this reality/time those 2 "products" are at least 2-3 years out. Hahahaha. 
  
 Sorry, as soon as I read that it was the only thing I could think of. 
  
 In fact, as much as I totally hate LH Labs for taking so damn long, unleashing Perkagedon, and scuttling their own forums (which had A LOT of info), the Pulse Infinity 2.0 looks pretty sweet and hopefully functions nicely too. And bypassing it's built in HPA for a dedicated LHL one, either tube or SS, sounds fun to me. Those "sound modules" that they were pitching sound fun too. Having the LPS4/8(in matching 2.0 chassis), Pulse Infinity, and HPA Tube/SS would be cool. 
  
 I'm actually just trying to enjoy audiophilia in general for now and let those other products come to fruition in their own sweet time. Then pick them up as they come up on For Sale forums so that I can see what the final result was. 
  
 The mystery one for me is the Geek Source. I'm really into the CA forums and have a Dual PC Jplay setup with 2 dedicated ATX LPSs, stripped down Windows Server 2012R2 + Audiophile Optimizer and a slew of other things. The sound is pure money, so I'm very skeptical about something beating them. The Antipodes DX Reference and Aurenders all fall into that category too. When the Geek Source finally makes it to market I'll be keeping my eyes open.
  
 *as a disclaimer to that entire post, I hope that no LHL people see it and take it as some form of praise or acceptance of the BS that's been going on for 2 years. It's not, I love audio, not LHL.


----------



## snip3r77

marflao said:


> I use the LPS to power both: the Xfi via the umbilical cable for the 12v DC and the Regen via the 5V USB out (using this cable http://www.amazon.de/dp/B002B82NAO/ref=pe_386171_37038021_TE_3p_dp_1).
> 
> 
> Thanks to Rui again who mentioned this at CA a while ago.[/quote
> ...


----------



## mscott58

snip3r77 said:


> marflao said:
> 
> 
> > I use the LPS to power both: the Xfi via the umbilical cable for the 12v DC and the Regen via the 5V USB out (using this cable http://www.amazon.de/dp/B002B82NAO/ref=pe_386171_37038021_TE_3p_dp_1).
> ...


----------



## snip3r77

For convenience's sake????


----------



## mscott58

snip3r77 said:


> For convenience's sake????




I'm getting it so I don't have to use one of the ports on my LPS4 to power the Regen.


----------



## marflao

snip3r77 said:


> For convenience's sake????




From my point of view (since i "only" have the Geek LPS) it's convenient and saves the money to buy an extra LPS/PSU if you want to power the Regen with a better supply than its included SMPS.


----------



## grizzlybeast

Hey so How come I can't play youtube or soundcloud with my Pulse X ∞?
  
 Edit: must be chrome not working right. not the dac


----------



## tvnosaint

^^grizz, you broke down and tried it huh? What do you think so far?


----------



## grizzlybeast

tvnosaint said:


> ^^grizz, you broke down and tried it huh? What do you think so far?


 

 Its fine. It's not wowing me or anything but its an upgrade for sure. I feel it needs a dedicated amp and my headphones are not terminated balanced yet. Nor do I have the LPS so I honestly feel like this all in one device is more like a rabbit hole for my wallet. I may just buy an LPS instead of another headphone to see what its got. 
  
 As is its a very balanced sound that isn't meaty and warm but fairly flat with a clean and articulate treble. Compared to the NFB28 I had this has a more natural sound out of the box.


----------



## tvnosaint

Me too, definite upgrade over my zdac. Bad pairing with vibro but good with 560. I'm using it as a dac only for the most part with the lyr. Amp stage too thin sounding but that could change over time. I have a monarchy nm24 coming in to compare it to. Upgraded tubes and theta caps. I should be done with dacs. My pulse in vanilla.


----------



## grizzlybeast

tvnosaint said:


> Me too, definite upgrade over my zdac. Bad pairing with vibro but good with 560. I'm using it as a dac only for the most part with the lyr. *Amp stage too thin sounding but that could change *over time. I have a monarchy nm24 coming in to compare it to. Upgraded tubes and theta caps. I should be done with dacs. My pulse in vanilla.


 
 yup...that exactly however I believe in brain burn in being more likely.


----------



## snip3r77

Like a lot of bros here.

Once you use 2g there's no heading back.

Not sure what tech or material they use, music is more 3D , details are popping like mad. It's like having another amp altogether.
Even using Spotify Premium is a huge improvement as compared to my previous 1g and Jriver Upsampled.

It's like LH labs should just a min 2g cable with their LPS and high end Geek Pulse ( read high end - at least giving an expensive cable free is justified ).

Pretty happy with my setup now.

2G + LPS + Geek Pulse Infinity = WINRAR / PROFIT!!!!


----------



## grizzlybeast

I wonder how the Jays Audio LPS compares to the LHLABS


----------



## grizzlybeast

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TALEMA-25VA-Linear-Power-supply-DC5V-DC9V-DC12V-DC15V-PSU-for-choose-L154-22-/191563585318?hash=item2c9a145726:g:~W8AAOSwqu9VNnNV
  
 is this the same jays audio lps?


----------



## wingsounds13

It looks a lot like it. The only significant difference that I can see between that one and mine is that mine has blue LEDs and the eBay one has green. Still could be the real thing, but I ordered mine through Alvin. It shipped directly from China, so that still does not mean this is a copy. The biggest difference is that mine was something like $183 shipped and the eBay version is $141 shipped. Maybe the advantage of ordering direct.

Alvin, are you listening? Do you have an opinion?

J.P.


----------



## grizzlybeast

wingsounds13 said:


> It looks a lot like it. The only significant difference that I can see between that one and mine is that mine has blue LEDs and the eBay one has green. Still could be the real thing, but I ordered mine through Alvin. It shipped directly from China, so that still does not mean this is a copy. The biggest difference is that mine was something like $183 shipped and the eBay version is $141 shipped. Maybe the advantage of ordering direct.
> 
> Alvin, are you listening? Do you have an opinion?
> 
> J.P.


 

 did you notice all of these differences mentioned in sound with yours? I was also told that since I use an iMac I may not need the usb option.


----------



## bigbung

Thought Alvin ships from singapore? I bought one from him for my vanilla pulse and it is shipping from singapore.....


----------



## wingsounds13

I got a response from Alvin and he has brought it to the attention of his supplier. Alvin is the only person authorized to sell the Jay's Audio LPS outside of China. They cannot guarantee that the unit on fleabay is the genuine article.

Grizzlybeast: I can't say, as I am still awaiting the arrival of my Pulse X∞ in the 2.0 chassis. They Jay’s is broken in, warm and waiting currently doing general purpose 12V duty. 

J.P.


----------



## grizzlybeast

wingsounds13 said:


> I got a response from Alvin and he has brought it to the attention of his supplier. Alvin is the only person authorized to sell the Jay's Audio LPS outside of China. They cannot guarantee that the unit on fleabay is the genuine article.
> 
> Grizzlybeast: I can't say, as I am still awaiting the arrival of my Pulse X∞ in the 2.0 chassis. They Jay’s is broken in, warm and waiting currently doing general purpose 12V duty.
> 
> ...


 

 Thank you so much for you help. I will just try and fish an lps in the FS section! Cheers


----------



## uncola

the early group buys of the Jay's Audio had a display that was white or green, I think.. the later revisions changed to blue.  mine was blue and shipped from alvin in singapore


----------



## grizzlybeast

uncola said:


> the early group buys of the Jay's Audio had a display that was white or green, I think.. the later revisions changed to blue.  mine was blue and shipped from alvin in singapore



Okay so I maybe able to get an LPS 4 for 439. It obviously has the usb cleaning abilities. I can also get the jays and the wyrd and save 100. Is there an audible difference with the wyrd or or lps USB? I have the 2g dual lightspeed cable already. 
Please help


----------



## greenkiwi

Speaking of the HPA, I hope they have some slots inside to hold the extra modules.


----------



## musicheaven

grizzlybeast said:


> Okay so I maybe able to get an LPS 4 for 439. It obviously has the usb cleaning abilities. I can also get the jays and the wyrd and save 100. Is there an audible difference with the wyrd or or lps USB? I have the 2g dual lightspeed cable already.
> Please help




You can also get the KECES-116 LPS which is a better finished LPS. Their bigger model has been used in some fancy audiophile setups. Ronald told me that they recently released their new LPS line with a completely covered toroidal transformer. This is bigger than the onboard toro of LHL LPS and LPS4. You can talk to Ronald and ask him to supply your with a two output 12V 3A rating that can power anything LHL can throw at you. It'll beat even having the LPS8 and it's way smaller than their latter one. You'll need a 12V splitter if you want to power more than one output but it's feasible and you would transform the unit from 2x outputs to 4x outputs of 1.5 A each, can't beat that. 

Here is Ronald website, just drop him a line and say it's Jon sending you there. Bargain with Ron, he's willing to let the unit go at a better price than one LPS (~350US I believe). They are build like tanks and are beautifully designed in Taiwan.

Talk to him about the new models as he has not updated their website yet.

Here is a review of the 116:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue65/keces.htm

Their website:

http://www.keces.com.tw/5_english/index_5_english.htm

Don't worry about it being in Taiwan, I'd be very surprised you'll need any support, their QC is top notch.

Send me a personal message if you need Ron's email.


----------



## doctorjazz

Also wondering about LPS, really wide range of prices. Often, but not always, you get what you pay for. Is there big sonic differences? I never even HEARD of LPS.before the LH Labs campaigns (lets you know what I know about electronics...)


----------



## musicheaven

doctorjazz said:


> Also wondering about LPS, really wide range of prices. Often, but not always, you get what you pay for. Is there big sonic differences? I never even HEARD of LPS.before the LH Labs campaigns (lets you know what I know about electronics...)




There is a huge difference, the idea behind it is feed a clean power signal and the internal electronics do not need to deal with transient issues generated through high noise ripple current lines which is what tends to dirty your inputs, but providing a clean signal to the chip sources, you are in a way asking less of the source circuitry to deal with spikes on their lines. It helps in keeping the noise signal to its lowest.

I went a step further and equip myself with a Torus Power TOT series main transformer with AC plugs feeding all of my audio equipment and I can say it'll be day and night differences. Those engineers have designed a transformer that can literally filter the high frequency noises from the main line and being an isolated secondary transformer type, it will cleanly supply AC to those LPSes so clean AC input with clean DC outputs, that will be the apogee of clean power. If you go onto their main site, those are the gents that feed AC to small and large studios including fancy home/studio owners who can afford their whole house/studio solution. They only problem is you need a crane to install it. Those units are heavy running at about 30 to 80 pounds a single unit so you need your brother and neighbors to haul your unit on your top floor. 

Now that's just my opinion and others can widely vary so take it for what's it worth.


----------



## grizzlybeast

doctorjazz said:


> Also wondering about LPS, really wide range of prices. Often, but not always, you get what you pay for. Is there big sonic differences? I never even HEARD of LPS.before the LH Labs campaigns (lets you know what I know about electronics...)




The pulse even infinity is super light weight. I think most companies build that stuff into the unit?


----------



## musicheaven

LHL do not include the toroidal transformer in their design, the wall brick is what they feed their unit with and those are noisy cheap power transformers with very high ripple noise voltages. By substituting with an LPS, you are replacing this noisy cheap transformer with one that has a better output with in the case of LHL LPS just a few micro volts ripple. It's very clean and hard to get at that level just imagine that ripple on a 12 v line. If they were to include the toroidal transformer in their box design, it would be a heavier box and would cost much more than the original design. The Vi-DAC has this kind of design and they are apparently quite heavy, enough that they have to double box them to avoid any shocks due to the weight constrain and sizes.


----------



## doctorjazz

So, this is different than the power conditioner I have my main stereo plugged into...


----------



## pedalhead

doctorjazz said:


> So, this is different than the power conditioner I have my main stereo plugged into...


 

 Yup, the LPS is putting out a cleaned-up and converted DC feed to the DAC, whereas your mains power conditioner is operating entirely in AC, ensuring a nice steady and clean 240v 50hz (in the UK), 120v 60hz in USA I think.


----------



## musicheaven

It's definitively different, look at their website for the explanation of how it's built and you'll understand what it does. The chief engineer has a blog on their website that explains the principle. I also had a few email exchanges with him to get further details and when I got their design principles, it just made sense. The TOT is actually their entry level in their isolating power transformer line. The other models allow for lan based remote administration so you don't have to walk to the unit to do any settings. Those are for automated studios. The price is also very different, the largest component being the heavy toroidal transformer weighing 30 and above pounds.

My point is you need the two to make it as clean as it can be.


----------



## doctorjazz

OK, don't quite get the electronic lingo, but get the concept. Now, I have a Regen, a Geek Out Special Edition, and a MicroZOTL2, all of which are said to benefit from adding an LPS. (have a Vi Tube DAC coming eventually, but they built the LPS in, had to trade in the LPS4/Pulse to go the the Vi). Is there any recommended LPS that could work for all these components, or would it require 3 different LPS units for each one?


----------



## musicheaven

doctorjazz said:


> OK, don't quite get the electronic lingo, but get the concept. Now, I have a Regen, a Geek Out Special Edition, and a MicroZOTL2, all of which are said to benefit from adding an LPS. (have a Vi Tube DAC coming eventually, but they built the LPS in, had to trade in the LPS4/Pulse to go the the Vi). Is there any recommended LPS that could work for all these components, or would it require 3 different LPS units for each one?




You don't need anything else with the Vi because of the internally designed LPS however the other units require one, the key is what voltage and amperage do they need plus do they need handshaking? 

The LPS will be providing you with a 1.1A, 0.5A 12V outputs plus a 5V 2.0 Amp outputs if I am not mistaken, that's three power feeding inputs to your gear. 

What's the requirements for all of your devices, meaning voltage, current and if it needs USB handshaking, without that it's impossible to tell you what you need.


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm, I know that people are using the Mojo LPS for the MicroZOTL, which is 12V. The Regen is supposed to use 5-7V if I remember correctly.


----------



## pedalhead

The Regen can take a higher voltage input, but *only *if your DAC doesn't require a power feed from the Regen. I think it's a potential overheating issue with the Regen. Check out their FAQ on the Uptone website.


----------



## musicheaven

The amperage is also important say you have a 5V 2A input, you can't use a 5 V 1A power supply you sure will flip the internal fuse or just plainly burn the PS.

I have seen people using the 5V supply from the LPS to power the Regen so you could do that with the LHL LPS and then use the 12 V output to power another 12V input device as long as it won't be more than 1.1 A, that should work. I poroposed another vendor up there with the ability to get couple of your own output voltages as ordered from the vendor. One unit can have it's voltage flipped from 5V up to 19V I believe, they use an internal switch to change the voltage but once you set it the other gets set to be set to one of the 4 possible voltage combinations. I think you can get 5V and 12V outputs, each with 6 A and 3 A respectively allowing you to power many devices. You get yourself an output splitter and can connect multiple devices in pararallel. Lots of combinations.


----------



## pedalhead

...and if @doctorjazz wasn't confused before, he sure is now


----------



## doctorjazz

Studying for the final, think I'm going to need a tutor 

(I'm sure they're written well, but I haven't understood a thing @musicheaven has posted. Think I'll stick to jazz...)
(Jets up in 10 minutes, need a win!!!!!)


----------



## smial1966

I use an SBooster Ultra - https://www.sbooster.com/sbooster-ultra/switch-mode-upgrade-for-the-regen - with my Regen and it runs a heck of a lot cooler using it. Sonically it appears to impart a marginal but positive impact, tightening up bass notes and adding a smidgeon more dynamism to the music. Though this may just be my positive purchaser bias. Anyhow, there's a white paper below the SBooster product listing verifying the 'positive' impacts of this gizmo, so it's worth reading if you're technically inclined. 




pedalhead said:


> The Regen can take a higher voltage input, but *only* if your DAC doesn't require a power feed from the Regen. I think it's a potential overheating issue with the Regen. Check out their FAQ on the Uptone website.


----------



## musicheaven

doctorjazz said:


> Studying for the final, think I'm going to need a tutor
> 
> (I'm sure they're written well, but I haven't understood a thing @musicheaven has posted. Think I'll stick to jazz...)
> (Jets up in 10 minutes, need a win!!!!!)




If you just can write down the voltage and current needed for each, I can help you pick, basically what I need is the max power (voltage by current) the devices are specified at. Sorry if that sounds technical, electronics always is.


----------



## miceblue

This is the Geek Pulse thread, isn't it?


----------



## Audio Addict

miceblue said:


> This is the Geek Pulse thread, isn't it?


 
  
 Sure is.  I wish I was more of a wordsmith to describe how the Pulse Infinity is really coming on its own.  For the most part I have been listening through Grado HP2 or GH1 and both have never sounded better.  I have been listening to all type of music from Blues, Vocals, Jazz, Rock and the combination has always envelop me into the music.  I can't remember when I have sat and listen to music as much as I have since the Pulse Infinity arrived.  
  
 It has been a long 2 year wait from those 2 am orders followed by all the disappointments along the way but in the end, the Pulse Infinities is definitely a very addicting piece of gear.  I have to give it a two thumbs up.


----------



## grizzlybeast

audio addict said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > This is the Geek Pulse thread, isn't it?
> ...


 
 I got an lhlabs lps incoming so I can't wait to join the fun.


----------



## Audio Addict

grizzlybeast said:


> I got an lhlabs lps incoming so I can't wait to join the fun.


 
  
 They are basically a must for the Pulse as the default power supply almost doesn't count.  I would suggest trying something other than the $3 power cord to it.  It doesn't have to be too exotic but I recently switched it out and didn't expect the change I experience.  YMMV.


----------



## grizzlybeast

audio addict said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > I got an lhlabs lps incoming so I can't wait to join the fun.
> ...


 
 You mean the lps cord? or the infinity cord?


----------



## Audio Addict

grizzlybeast said:


> You mean the lps cord? or the infinity cord?


 
 The Infinity standard delivery is pretty weak.
  
 The power cord is only on the LPS.


----------



## mscott58

audio addict said:


> The Infinity standard delivery is pretty weak.
> 
> The power cord is only on the LPS.


 
 Just to make it extra confusing you can also get an upgraded umbilical power cord between the LPS and the Pulse. There was a group buy a while ago of a nice custom cord - picked up one or two and have used them from the start. Well made cord and nice purple color. Cheers


----------



## musicheaven

mscott58 said:


> Just to make it extra confusing you can also get an upgraded umbilical power cord between the LPS and the Pulse. There was a group buy a while ago of a nice custom cord - picked up one or two and have used them from the start. Well made cord and nice purple color. Cheers




Actually with a little research and some wires and connectors you can easily make some that will beat the off the shelf variety for just few dollars and save yourself lots of money as long as you can solder and have steady hands and patience, everything's possible. I would push this a little further and build good AC cords with good wires and connectors again for very little. If you have a conditioner or better still an isolation transformer, you can build a good AC cord for the transformer and use custom low costs ones for the LPS, all that would make the entire system as clean as one can get for a low price.


----------



## eac3

So after playing some music through my infinity for about 2 weeks now (I am sure I have racked up 150hours on it), I decided to do a quick comparison to my Audio-gd NFB-28 (late 2013). 
  
 I have my Pulse Infinity hooked up with my LPS (supplying power only) but I am not using the 2G cable yet.
  
 I am having a difficult time noticing any differences. At times, I do feel the Pulse Infinity extends slightly deeper, and the soundstage seems to be more open/3d like feeling expands. However, it feels so close. I wasn't expecting a big improvement over the audio-gd, but a noticeable nonetheless.
  
*I currently don't own any balanced headphones, but for those that appreciate the sound coming out of the Pulse, do you feel the same way when using the SE headphone input?*
  
 I guess I feel underwhelmed after this long wait but perhaps I am doing something wrong.


----------



## miceblue

Audio-gd typically makes some pretty solid products, and usually are very competitive for the sound/performance ratio. I wouldn't be surprised if it sounded similar to the X Infinity, but I can't say for sure. Their dual-Wolfson DAC (I don't remember the model...their naming convention is confusing as heck) was still one of the best-sounding DACs I've heard.


----------



## grizzlybeast

eac3 said:


> So after playing some music through my infinity for about 2 weeks now (I am sure I have racked up 150hours on it), I decided to do a quick comparison to my Audio-gd NFB-28 (late 2013).
> 
> I have my Pulse Infinity hooked up with my LPS (supplying power only) but I am not using the 2G cable yet.
> 
> ...



I liked the 28 when I had it but found it powerful yet not as musical as I wanted. I am getting a sense of the infinity being clean but not musical from the hp out. But I dont have my lps and also I listen to better quality music now with an even better headphone. At the time it was the he500 and ZMF vibro. Now ita the ZMF Omni that I prefer over both. So I probably should just be quiet. I think my personal taste would be for a meetier sound with blacker space and a little darker. I hope the lps does that but I suppose it wont be any darker.


----------



## grizzlybeast

Im not saying its bright but I want a sweeter sound that will probably happen from a tube amp... Stupid phone is messing up my typing.


----------



## atsq17

eac3 said:


> So after playing some music through my infinity for about 2 weeks now (I am sure I have racked up 150hours on it), I decided to do a quick comparison to my Audio-gd NFB-28 (late 2013).
> 
> I have my Pulse Infinity hooked up with my LPS (supplying power only) but I am not using the 2G cable yet.
> 
> ...




The 2g cable is far superior to the 1g. Unfortunately it also needs burn in


----------



## snip3r77

mscott58 said:


> Just to make it extra confusing you can also get an upgraded umbilical power cord between the LPS and the Pulse. There was a group buy a while ago of a nice custom cord - picked up one or two and have used them from the start. Well made cord and nice purple color. Cheers




Anyone knows the part for the plugs???? Maybe I'd custom myself with beldens


----------



## grizzlybeast

Cable needs burn in? What the... 

Please explain that to me...I'm pretty gullible.


----------



## nudd

I had the same reaction. Burn in for Cables?!!!!!!


----------



## NinjaHamster

Take it to the sound science forum fellas.


----------



## atsq17

grizzlybeast said:


> Cable needs burn in? What the...
> 
> Please explain that to me...I'm pretty gullible.


 
  
 Not again.
  
 Look I'm trying to be helpful based on my experience. It could be all in my head. Do it, don't do it, I don't care. Just trying to be helpful. The advice may be ignored. Thanks.


----------



## germay0653

atsq17 said:


> Not again.
> 
> Look I'm trying to be helpful based on my experience. It could be all in my head. Do it, don't do it, I don't care. Just trying to be helpful. The advice may be ignored. Thanks.


 

 Even Larry mentions 2 weeks of burn-in for the 10G cable so it should follow suit with the other cables as well.  For what it's worth, the cable insulation, dielectric, acts as a capacitor which stores and releases energy from and back into the cable and, according to some, the interaction between the metal conductor and the insulation takes time to reach equilibrium.  I'm not looking to argue, just stating what others have indicated.  Believe what you will!


----------



## musicheaven

atsq17 said:


> Not again.
> 
> Look I'm trying to be helpful based on my experience. It could be all in my head. Do it, don't do it, I don't care. Just trying to be helpful. The advice may be ignored. Thanks.




I'd say thank you for helping, I know you did not mean bad but on this site the word burn-in is seen with a lot of sketisism so best is to avoid. 



germay0653 said:


> Even Larry mentions 2 weeks of burn-in for the 10G cable so it should follow suit with the other cables as well.  For what it's worth, the cable insulation, dielectric, acts as a capacitor which stores and releases energy from and back into the cable and, according to some, the interaction between the metal conductor and the insulation takes time to reach equilibrium.  I'm not looking to argue, just stating what others have indicated.  Believe what you will!




You guys are opening up a can of woop arse worms.


----------



## grizzlybeast

I just have a really tough time with the fact that burn in improves every problem you can think of with little evidence to support it. 
  
 I don't expect the infinity to improve with any kind of burn in much but with better upstream components and downstream synergy.


----------



## germay0653

grizzlybeast said:


> I just have a really tough time with the fact that burn in improves every problem you can think of with little evidence to support it.
> 
> I don't expect the infinity to improve with any kind of burn in much but with better upstream components and downstream synergy.


 

 As I indicated, believe what you will.  To my knowledge, there are no definitive tests to support or disprove the phenomenon so it's all subjective.  I respect your right to believe that it's placebo, and it may in fact be just that, but please respect my right to believe otherwise until it's definitively proven one way or the other.


----------



## mscott58

grizzlybeast said:


> I just have a really tough time with the fact that burn in improves every problem you can think of with little evidence to support it.
> 
> I don't expect the infinity to improve with any kind of burn in much but with better upstream components and downstream synergy.


 
 IME the Infinity does need some time to settle down. I like the phrase "power aging" versus "burn-in". Cheers


----------



## doctorjazz

Love those worms, especially with a bit of salt and ketchup, yum, yum, yum!!!
I know this is a controversial subject of course, like high resolution files, amps sounding different, things that cause much heat here on Head Fi.
What makes burn in different than Shakti Stones, special plugs for unused outlets, other audiophile add ons is that IT DOESN'T COST ANYTHING TO DO IT!. Even if there is a slight chance it may make a slight difference, what's the big deal about letting something run for a few days? I'll do it just so I don't feel like I'm missing something, and because there's no big down side to doing it!!!
just my $0.02...


----------



## musicheaven

snip3r77 said:


> Anyone knows the part for the plugs???? Maybe I'd custom myself with beldens




Check it out from here: that's the molex connector:

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/0430250200/WM1783-ND/252496L

The other end is a 5.5 mm to 2.1 mm 12 v DC barel connector, search the net with the provided dimensions and you shall find. As far as wires, I would suggest a good 2 wire with a sleeved copper based ground wire like a Mogami or Belden cable. Buy yourself some parachute cords to finish the outside and have some black shrink tubing to garnish each end. You cost should most likely be about 10 box max for each cable and most likely less. Good price for something you'd pay three to four times more somewhere else (group buys for example)


----------



## marflao

@ *snip3r77:*
  
 You need those Molex parts:
  
 http://www.tme.eu/de/details/mx-43025-0200/signalsteckverbinder-raster-300mm/molex/0430250200/
 and
 http://www.tme.eu/de/details/mx-43030-0009/signalsteckverbinder-raster-300mm/molex/0430300009/


----------



## Chikolad

Speaking of burn-in, my vanilla Pulse is continuing to change and smooth out, and right now it's just a tad aggressive but wonderfully detailed, smooth, with a quiet background and lush tonality. The bass is also back to being tight as it was out of the box.
 The difference between now to what I heard about 2 days after I received it is night and day to my ears. So for me burn in is a very real thing.


----------



## bhazard

eac3 said:


> So after playing some music through my infinity for about 2 weeks now (I am sure I have racked up 150hours on it), I decided to do a quick comparison to my Audio-gd NFB-28 (late 2013).
> 
> I have my Pulse Infinity hooked up with my LPS (supplying power only) but I am not using the 2G cable yet.
> 
> ...


 
  
 2G cable + LPS + balanced headphones makes quite a difference. The NFB has an excellent Sabre chip in it though, so it won't be a huge difference.
  
 If you found the NFB too bright, the Infinity tames it and adds some more detail.


----------



## ibs63

Hi I received my Pulse (vanilla version) about 1 month ago and I opened a ticket with LHLabs because the device seems so buggy that it almost is a paperweight for me.  I am posting what I am experiencing here in case anyone else has had the same issues.  I did try to search this thread and LHLabs forum but it was hard to find any combination of what I found. Forgive me if it sounds confusing but here is what I put in the ticket:
  
I have tried Toslink to Ak120, SPDIF1 to DX50 and X5, USB to a Windows 7 laptop and line out to various portable amps.  I also have used an HD650, Alpha Prime, SE846 and other iems and headphones of varying sensitivity and ohms.   I have a the following:
 - vanilla Geek Pulse - looks like the first chassis based on photos
-  Firmware is Main 2.0, MCU 2.4
- on windows 7 LH control Panel  I see Geek Pulse 1V4
- I don't have LPS but I have the 1G USB cable
 
The output for each combination seems sporadic.  Sometimes I hear sound and sometimes I don't.  The issue seems worse whenever I switch gain, input or volume.  If I change input from toslink to USB or spdif one of the others doesn't work when I switch back.  Sometimes they work if I power off the device sometimes not.  The gain sometimes works but there isn't always a change.  The volume only seems to work if i make the change then switch the device off and on but then sometimes the sound is gone when I do that.  In other words, in order for any combination of volume/gain/input  to work consistently, i have to play with changing them turning on and off and when one combination works 'NEVER POWER OFF THE DEVICE OR MAKE ANY CHANGES' otherwise at least one of the three (gain/volume/input) doesn't have any effect.  I like the sound but it is sometimes either too loud or too low (which I cannot change or something will go wrong) or the input doesn't work at all.  The device at this point is so buggy that I feel like I have a paperweight instead of a good dac/amp.


----------



## miceblue

Everything in audio is night and day these days. XD


----------



## frankrondaniel

ibs63 said:


> Hi I received my Pulse (vanilla version) about 1 month ago and I opened a ticket with LHLabs because the device seems so buggy that it almost is a paperweight for me.  I am posting what I am experiencing here in case anyone else has had the same issues.  I did try to search this thread and LHLabs forum but it was hard to find any combination of what I found. Forgive me if it sounds confusing but here is what I put in the ticket:
> 
> I have tried Toslink to Ak120, SPDIF1 to DX50 and X5, USB to a Windows 7 laptop and line out to various portable amps.  I also have used an HD650, Alpha Prime, SE846 and other iems and headphones of varying sensitivity and ohms.   I have a the following:
> - vanilla Geek Pulse - looks like the first chassis based on photos
> ...


 
  
 I know this probably won't make you feel much better at this point but there is hope.  I initially had issues with both my Vanilla and Xfi Pulses that rendered them unusable.  To their credit, LH was very responsive and I've since had units that work well.  Hopefully you'll have a similar experience.


----------



## nudd

There seems to be an issue with some Pulses where they either dont sync at all or have random sync issues I think you should open a ticket and get it returned for a replacement or repair.


----------



## Audio Addict

mscott58 said:


> Just to make it extra confusing you can also get an upgraded umbilical power cord between the LPS and the Pulse. There was a group buy a while ago of a nice custom cord - picked up one or two and have used them from the start. Well made cord and nice purple color. Cheers




I am working on another cable vendor and will let others know if it happens.


----------



## mscott58

audio addict said:


> I am working on another cable vendor and will let others know if it happens.


 
 Sweet. Thanks


----------



## musicheaven

I have actually ordered a few Molex connectors and a few 12 v DC barrel connectors with some 18 AWG power cable, I think I can build it for say less than 10 $ a cable so truly hard to beat. Most of the components come from DigiKey here in the US.


----------



## mscott58

musicheaven said:


> I have actually ordered a few Molex connectors and a few 12 v DC barrel connectors with some 18 AWG power cable, I think I can build it for say less than 10 $ a cable so truly hard to beat. Most of the components come from DigiKey here in the US.


 
 Very cool. Let us know how they turn out. Cheers


----------



## uncola

Don't forget the optional dc plug upgrade for fancypants people 
 http://www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/mains-plugs/499-oyaide-dc-25g-gold-plated-dc-power-plug.html


----------



## musicheaven

uncola said:


> Don't forget the optional dc plug upgrade for fancypants people
> http://www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/mains-plugs/499-oyaide-dc-25g-gold-plated-dc-power-plug.html




Wow I missed that mine are the chrome plated kind, this is gold plated :eek:

I won't work though it's 2.5 mm inside diameter, the LPS is 2.1 mm


----------



## musicheaven

mscott58 said:


> Very cool. Let us know how they turn out. Cheers




I'll do better, I'll show the cables along my 14 hand made XLR and RCA cables, hey LHL owe me big!


----------



## Audio Addict

musicheaven said:


> I'll do better, I'll show the cables along my 14 hand made XLR and RCA cables, hey LHL owe me big!




Looking forwarded as everything us just so small. It would have been nice if they had used more full size.


----------



## Audio Addict

Should you be able to off just the LPS4 instead of shutting off the Infinity? If I shut the LPS4 off, when I turn it back on my laptop doesn't see it and I have to power both the Infinity and LPS4 off and back to get the Infinity recognized. The rocker power switch on the Infinity is so small and tight fitted next to the power cable.


----------



## miceblue

Mmk I just tried the iFi Audio micro iUSB3.0 with the Pulse X Infinity and 2G cable. The difference is night and day! : D



It adds a sense of better instrument separation and layering with a blacker background, but to me it sounds a bit brighter and grittier than the 2G+LPS4, which sounds smoother in comparison. I'm not sure which one I like more as I think both still sound very good as a whole.

.....maybe I should let it burn-in for 10 000+ hours, get a better wall wart separate linear power supply, and get an audiophile-approved USB 3.0 cable before I make any more impressions. Clearly my audio chain is inferior. >: D


I've come to the conclusion that the MacBook Pro Retina Display's USB (3.0) ports are pretty darn good overall. Any "clean USB power" or iFi's "IsoGround" doesn't really seem to do a lot for me. I literally hear no difference when the IsoGround switch is on or off. As I mentioned in my 10G vs 2G Demo cable review, the differences between USB cables for me is pretty small with the X Infinity and I personally wouldn't recommend someone to go out of their way to upgrade their USB cables right away just because people on the Internet and audiophile magazines say it's a "night and day difference." Even the 1G cable still sounds great to me and I honestly wouldn't mind having only that cable connected to my computer chain.

If you want to know a "night and day difference," try switching between the K701 and SRS-2170, or even Geek Out (via LPS4, FRM filter) and Pulse X Infinity (powered by LPS4, 1G input, single-ended headphone output, FRM filter). Now _those_ are substantial differences in sound quality worth talking about and recommending to people. XD


----------



## ibs63

frankrondaniel said:


> I know this probably won't make you feel much better at this point but there is hope.  I initially had issues with both my Vanilla and Xfi Pulses that rendered them unusable.  To their credit, LH was very responsive and I've since had units that work well.  Hopefully you'll have a similar experience.


 
  


nudd said:


> There seems to be an issue with some Pulses where they either dont sync at all or have random sync issues I think you should open a ticket and get it returned for a replacement or repair.


 
  
 Thanks for the responses.  Yes I opened a ticket and they sent me firmware Geek Pulse version 1.5 build 2.29.0.  I updated the firmware and now I will test for a couple of days to see if it worked.  Hopefully I won't have a $450 (including shipping and 1G cable) paperweight anymore.


----------



## jbr1971

audio addict said:


> Should you be able to off just the LPS4 instead of shutting off the Infinity? If I shut the LPS4 off, when I turn it back on my laptop doesn't see it and I have to power both the Infinity and LPS4 off and back to get the Infinity recognized. The rocker power switch on the Infinity is so small and tight fitted next to the power cable.


 
  
 No. If the LPS is powered off and back on the connection between the computer and the Pulse is severed. The Pulse needs to be powered off and on as well in order to resend the USB handshake signal to re-establish the connection.
  
 Jody


----------



## digitalzed

audio addict said:


> I am working on another cable vendor and will let others know if it happens.


 

 I have one if anyone is interested. It's Ted at Headphone Lounge who also makes great headphone cables. I can get the info if anyone's invested. He made me one for my Pulse to LPS that is great.


----------



## atsq17

grizzlybeast said:


> I just have a really tough time with the fact that burn in improves every problem you can think of with little evidence to support it.
> 
> I don't expect the infinity to improve with any kind of burn in much but with better upstream components and downstream synergy.


 
  
 Both the creator of the DAC and Dan from MrSpeakers say otherwise; but what would they know?


----------



## Anaximandros

Both the creator of the DAC and Dan from MrSpeakers want to sell their products.
 There are two camps in general. Those who believe and hear the difference and those who don't regarding burn-in, cables and so on.
  
 It's up to each individual person to find it out on their own.


----------



## Audio Addict

jbr1971 said:


> No. If the LPS is powered off and back on the connection between the computer and the Pulse is severed. The Pulse needs to be powered off and on as well in order to resend the USB handshake signal to re-establish the connection.
> 
> Jody




Bummer. 

The switch on the Infinity is very small and hard to turn on / off. It should be on the front.


----------



## atsq17

anaximandros said:


> Both the creator of the DAC and Dan from MrSpeakers want to sell their products.
> There are two camps in general. Those who believe and hear the difference and those who don't regarding burn-in, cables and so on.
> 
> It's up to each individual person to find it out on their own.


 
  
 No actually Dan from MrSpeakers was a non-believer in burn in (and cables for that matter but that's another story) and recently experienced that very phenomenon with the Pulse infinity. He said he hated the Infinity initially and berated LH Labs for what he thought was a product that made his new Ether headphone seem poor. 
  
 However, he left it running for over a month with some background audio duties or something (can't remember the exact thing) and when he tried it again, he was astonished to discover that it sounded completely different to what he remembered and that it actually provided excellent synergy with his headphone. He then wrote to LH Labs complimenting them on their DAC and explaining what had happened. LH Labs told him (like they told us before - apparently to sell more DACS 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) that it was a known thing with the XFi and Infinity units and that what he experienced was indeed the burn in period. 
  
 This is also consistent with many user's experience but of course it's either a massive conspiracy or a bunch of quacks spouting nonsense. After all, if we can't explain it... it can't be real!


----------



## longbowbbs

+1.  I had the original review unit. I also have my personal Infinity and it required 200-300 hours of burn in to get to peak operational sonic bliss. BTW, my Simaudio Moon Neo 430HA required the same burn in time. This is not a unique thing.


----------



## AlterSack

Can anybody say if there is a recommended "burn in procedure" for the Pulse ?
 Just turn it on and have a radio or a streaming device connected ?
  
 Thx


----------



## musicheaven

altersack said:


> Can anybody say if there is a recommended "burn in procedure" for the Pulse ?
> Just turn it on and have a radio or a streaming device connected ?
> 
> Thx




You could keep your earphones connected at low level, as long as there is a load, there's a burn-in or better still put it on your ears and wait until they get red.


----------



## AlterSack

musicheaven said:


> You could keep your earphones connected at low level, as long as there is a load, there's a burn-in or better still put it on your ears and wait until they get red.


 
 Well that's nice - maybe i could also rub it until it glows ?  That could be classified as burn in as well I guess? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 But honestly - I was asking about burn in of the DAC?
  
 Should it be feeded with Music all the time or would it be sufficient to just leave it on for 200 hours. I don't have my infinity yet - but as even some top shots declared that burn in for it makes a real difference I want to be sure that it burns in properly.


----------



## mscott58

altersack said:


> Well that's nice - maybe i could also rub it until it glows ?  That could be classified as burn in as well I guess?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Burn in with music. I just plug in a cheapo set of headphones and turn the volume way down and leave an album playing with a wide dynamic range on repeat. Everyone has their own way of doing this. Some use white or pink noise, some people have published "burn-in" tracks. Just getting electrons flowing through is the key IMO. Cheers


----------



## doctorjazz

From what I've read, there is a particular burn in with the Femto clocks, and they like to be on all the time, need to warm up each time they are shut. Seems to be part of the design issue with the Wave, managing to keep it on all the time, not drain the portable's battery at the same time.


----------



## musicheaven

altersack said:


> Well that's nice - maybe i could also rub it until it glows ?  That could be classified as burn in as well I guess? :veryevil:
> 
> But honestly - I was asking about burn in of the DAC?
> 
> Should it be feeded with Music all the time or would it be sufficient to just leave it on for 200 hours. I don't have my infinity yet - but as even some top shots declared that burn in for it makes a real difference I want to be sure that it burns in properly.




I'd follow mscott58 advise. Under load meaning music on will heat up the board further in order to bring the internal temperature in equilibrium.



mscott58 said:


> Burn in with music. I just plug in a cheapo set of headphones and turn the volume way down and leave an album playing with a wide dynamic range on repeat. Everyone has their own way of doing this. Some use white or pink noise, some people have published "burn-in" tracks. Just getting electrons flowing through is the key IMO. Cheers




Great advise!


----------



## doctorjazz

Again, I don't get what the big deal is about break in, it's not like it costs anything to break in the gear, just leave music playing (get funny looks from my wife when I do it, but she's used to my mishuggas by now...). It's not a $1K interconnect, just takes a bit of time.


----------



## mscott58

doctorjazz said:


> Again, I don't get what the big deal is about break in, it's not like it costs anything to break in the gear, just leave music playing (get funny looks from my wife when I do it, but she's used to my mishuggas by now...). It's not a $1K interconnect, just takes a bit of time.


 
 Well said. And I use crappy cheap headphones just in case something goes wrong during the process (e.g. like a volume surge) so there's very little risk to letting things run for a while. Cheers


----------



## Maelob

Also remember brain break in and placebo effects are a huge part of break-in process. - bottom line do whatever you need to make the equioment sound better- if after that you dont like the product then move on.


----------



## Zenifyx

maelob said:


> Also remember brain break in and placebo effects are a huge part of break-in process. - bottom line do whatever you need to make the equioment sound better- if after that you dont like the product then move on.


 
  
 I agree.
 A lot of people tend to forget that the placebo effect is still, in effect, generally a positive effect.
 Its all about improving our enjoyment of music.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

At the end...ITS YOUR EARS,


----------



## Chikolad

miceblue said:


> Everything in audio is night and day these days. XD


 
  
 I'm guessing you're referring to my post about burn-in. Not many things I tweaked/changed in my system were a night and day difference to me. Oddly enough, this was. YMMV etc etc.


----------



## musicheaven

mscott58 said:


> Well said. And I use crappy cheap headphones just in case something goes wrong during the process (e.g. like a volume surge) so there's very little risk to letting things run for a while. Cheers




May I suggest the Verbs SE?


----------



## mscott58

musicheaven said:


> May I suggest the Verbs SE?


 
 Actually, you may not, as that is EXACTLY what I am actually using. Had to find some use for them...


----------



## doctorjazz

For 2, one still in the box, figured it'd make a good doorstop, nice to have another use for them!


----------



## coletrain104

So, in the lastest sets of emails, LH Labs has stated that all pulse units have shipped. I am still waiting for my XFi. What gives? anybody know whats going on?


----------



## gyx11

coletrain104 said:


> So, in the lastest sets of emails, LH Labs has stated that all pulse units have shipped. I am still waiting for my XFi. What gives? anybody know whats going on?




It's probably an honest mistake. The complexity of their multiple campaigns makes it more than likely that some orders might have slipped through the gaps unaccounted. I would advice dropping an email to support regarding your order details so they can check it for you. Whilst the Xfinity is still in the wild, the 1.0 chassis for all iterations are more or less complete so I'd imagine they'll ship you your unit soon as they sort things out.


----------



## mscott58

doctorjazz said:


> For 2, one still in the box, figured it'd make a good doorstop, nice to have another use for them!


 
 Yeah, I still have another one new in the box I found the other day and had forgotten about. Maybe my subconscious was actively repressing the memory?


----------



## snip3r77

coletrain104 said:


> So, in the lastest sets of emails, LH Labs has stated that all pulse units have shipped. I am still waiting for my XFi. What gives? anybody know whats going on?




Open a ticket 
You'd get a faster response/advice.

Cheers


----------



## Audio Addict

doctorjazz said:


> For 2, one still in the box, figured it'd make a good doorstop, nice to have another use for them!




I donated 2 pairs at a local meet before I read how wonderful they were.


----------



## snip3r77

musicheaven said:


> Check it out from here: that's the molex connector:
> 
> http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/0430250200/WM1783-ND/252496L
> 
> The other end is a 5.5 mm to 2.1 mm 12 v DC barel connector, search the net with the provided dimensions and you shall find. As far as wires, I would suggest a good 2 wire with a sleeved copper based ground wire like a Mogami or Belden cable. Buy yourself some parachute cords to finish the outside and have some black shrink tubing to garnish each end. You cost should most likely be about 10 box max for each cable and most likely less. Good price for something you'd pay three to four times more somewhere else (group buys for example)




thanks~~~~~~


----------



## AlterSack

snip3r77 said:


> Open a ticket
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Actually they did not send ALL Pulses. Larry said so in a comment on IGG yesterday:
  
 "Hi, Rich
 Thanks a lot. Yes, you are right. We have two more batches need to be done for Infinity in 2.0 Chassis. (But funny thing is: Now we have some Pulse Infinity in 1.0 Chassis waiting for someone would like to buy it)
 Production vs shipping status is a little bit dynamic during the middle of shipping. "
  
 So - No need for more worries - just more waiting ....


----------



## smial1966

SIGH. Yet more waiting for my Pulse Infinity 2.0 chassis, 24 months and counting... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


altersack said:


> Actually they did not send ALL Pulses. Larry said so in a comment on IGG yesterday:
> 
> "Hi, Rich
> Thanks a lot. Yes, you are right. We have two more batches need to be done for Infinity in 2.0 Chassis. (But funny thing is: Now we have some Pulse Infinity in 1.0 Chassis waiting for someone would like to buy it)
> ...


----------



## Benny-x

smial1966 said:


>


 
 I just got mine tonight, 24 months a 7 days after my initial contribution... Lucky though, it just landed in between business trips, otherwise it'd have been another 4-6mths just due to my schedule.
  
 Since I have both a 1.0 and a 2.0 chassis in hand, the 2.0 is quite a bit nicer. The 2.0 design is simple and feels good. The volume knob isn't sturdy enough, I've got a thing for that, but besides that I could see this being on a shelf in an audio store. I can't say the same for chassis 1.0. The face plate and form factor of chassis 1.0 components is good, but the overall impression to me is DIY.
  
 I'll have to see if I can do anything with the knob and shaft. I gave them a wiggle and the shaft also moves, so it's not due to the knob not being seated securely/correctly. I'm still going to have a look at surgery or some kind of "guide rails", that flex'll drive me bonkers in no time. 
  
 I don't know if any of you guys have ever used a DNA (Don North Audio) headphone amp, but his Sonett V1 still had the sturdiest and best seated volume knob I've ever owned or used. 
  
 Anyway, now a little more travelling and I'll have them back home and burning in for a few weeks. And by that I mean playing HDR audio 24/7, non-stop with headphones plugged in.


----------



## smial1966

Congratulations receiving your unit, I hope that it's glitch free and sounds superb, then at least the long wait will have been worthwhile. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


benny-x said:


> I just got mine tonight, 24 months a 7 days after my initial contribution... Lucky though, it just landed in between business trips, otherwise it'd have been another 4-6mths just due to my schedule.
> 
> Since I have both a 1.0 and a 2.0 chassis in hand, the 2.0 is quite a bit nicer. The 2.0 design is simple and feels good. The volume knob isn't sturdy enough, I've got a thing for that, but besides that I could see this being on a shelf in an audio store. I can't say the same for chassis 1.0. The face plate and form factor of chassis 1.0 components is good, but the overall impression to me is DIY.
> 
> ...


----------



## oneguy

benny-x said:


> I just got mine tonight, 24 months a 7 days after my initial contribution... Lucky though, it just landed in between business trips, otherwise it'd have been another 4-6mths just due to my schedule.
> 
> Since I have both a 1.0 and a 2.0 chassis in hand, the 2.0 is quite a bit nicer. The 2.0 design is simple and feels good. The volume knob isn't sturdy enough, I've got a thing for that, but besides that I could see this being on a shelf in an audio store. I can't say the same for chassis 1.0. The face plate and form factor of chassis 1.0 components is good, but the overall impression to me is DIY.
> 
> ...


 

 I can see this devolving into another "knob" conversation real  quick


----------



## georgelai57

We backers are the knobs


----------



## coletrain104

altersack said:


> Actually they did not send ALL Pulses. Larry said so in a comment on IGG yesterday:
> 
> "Hi, Rich
> Thanks a lot. Yes, you are right. We have two more batches need to be done for Infinity in 2.0 Chassis. (But funny thing is: Now we have some Pulse Infinity in 1.0 Chassis waiting for someone would like to buy it)
> ...


 
 Even so, I'm supposed to get an XFi (not infinity) in Chassis 1. Will open a ticket.


----------



## Benny-x

smial1966 said:


> Congratulations receiving your unit, I hope that it's glitch free and sounds superb, then at least the long wait will have been worthwhile.


 
 Thanks, I also hope it's trouble free. I don't have the time to screw with it over the next few months and that 1 year warranty is already counting down. Wasn't there a "+1 year" stretch goal in the campaign, though? I thought I remembered these Pulse DACs getting an additional year if you backed it during the first campaign? No?
  


oneguy said:


> I can see this devolving into another "knob" conversation real  quick


 
 I don't know if you were around for the old knob thread on Geekforce forums (the forum that got closed...?), but that used to kill me. It was really informative, but still, one can only handle knobs for so long. 
  


georgelai57 said:


> We backers are the knobs


 
 No relent in **** slinging about that, eh? I do it to when something touches on one of the many pain points, it just funny to see it always popping up.


----------



## oneguy

I do remember the old knob thread. It was always good for a laugh and I got a little chuckle to see it (the knob) pop up again, lol


----------



## NinjaHamster

Wiggling the shaft is even better.


----------



## ibs63

frankrondaniel said:


> I know this probably won't make you feel much better at this point but there is hope.  I initially had issues with both my Vanilla and Xfi Pulses that rendered them unusable.  To their credit, LH was very responsive and I've since had units that work well.  Hopefully you'll have a similar experience.


 
  


nudd said:


> There seems to be an issue with some Pulses where they either dont sync at all or have random sync issues I think you should open a ticket and get it returned for a replacement or repair.


 
  


ibs63 said:


> Thanks for the responses.  Yes I opened a ticket and they sent me firmware Geek Pulse version 1.5 build 2.29.0.  I updated the firmware and now I will test for a couple of days to see if it worked.  Hopefully I won't have a $450 (including shipping and 1G cable) paperweight anymore.


 
  
 So I updated the firmware and it seems like the device is more stable and I am not (currently) having the same issues when I make any changes to input/volume/gain.   I will keep monitoring for a bit so far my issue seems resolved.  
  
 Does anyone know how powerful the amp is?  I have the vanilla Geek Pulse (first chassis) and have to set the gain to high and the volume to -20 to -21.  Is the amp in the Geek Pulse strong enough for the HD650 (or simliar headphones).


----------



## frankrondaniel

Glad to hear that the firmware update helped! As for volume, I haven't had my Vanilla Pulse out for a while, put I recall using it in the 40-ish range with the HD6X0s. 20-ish would be too loud for me!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

ibs63 said:


> So I updated the firmware and it seems like the device is more stable and I am not (currently) having the same issues when I make any changes to input/volume/gain.   I will keep monitoring for a bit so far my issue seems resolved.
> 
> Does anyone know how powerful the amp is?  I have the vanilla Geek Pulse (first chassis) and have to set the gain to high and the volume to -20 to -21.  Is the amp in the Geek Pulse strong enough for the HD650 (or simliar headphones).


 
  
 Using the HD600 (balanced though). Volume depends on music. Using high gain, the dial doesn't go over -20.


----------



## ibs63

frankrondaniel said:


> Glad to hear that the firmware update helped! As for volume, I haven't had my Vanilla Pulse out for a while, put I recall using it in the 40-ish range with the HD6X0s. 20-ish would be too loud for me!


 
  


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Using the HD600 (balanced though). Volume depends on music. Using high gain, the dial doesn't go over -20.


 
  
 Thanks for the info.  I asked LH Labs in the ticket and they said that it outputs up to 1W of power.  I am usually between 20 to 35 depending on the song.  I was debating about the Massdrop Grace Design m9xx because I thought maybe the power output would be higher for m9xx.  I am not an engineer so most of the amp specs are confusing and when I try to understand the calculations, my eyes glaze over.


----------



## Maelob

Volume is  kind of tricky depending the source of the music and type of headphone.   I use my XFI with Alpha Dogs balanced on medium gain with Tidal via IMAC around -28 to -20 depending the genre. 
  
 For You Tube - normally -20.


----------



## wingsounds13

Just a little indirect shipping status update. I originally backed the Pulse X DAC on December 21, 2013. I added all the various perks through the infinity, and my last contribution was February 7, 2015 for the indinity AQ2M DAC chip upgrade. I elected to go with the 2.0 chassis, not anticipating an additional five month wait.

Today, I received a shipping notice email indicating that my Pulse X∞ is shipping. Since I initially backed the Pulse late in the initial campaign, this suggests to me that all units initially backed in the original campaign should be shipped very soon.

Just an FYI.

J.P.


----------



## atsq17

wingsounds13 said:


> Just a little indirect shipping status update. I originally backed the Pulse X DAC on December 21, 2013. I added all the various perks through the infinity, and my last contribution was February 7, 2015 for the indinity AQ2M DAC chip upgrade. I elected to go with the 2.0 chassis, not anticipating an additional five month wait.
> 
> Today, I received a shipping notice email indicating that my Pulse X∞ is shipping. Since I initially backed the Pulse late in the initial campaign, this suggests to me that all units initially backed in the original campaign should be shipped very soon.
> 
> ...




I backed it quite early but I'm international so still nothing for me. 
I'm also a 2.0 upgrade guy. I did appreciate the Lightspeed 2g they gave me with the Infinity upgrade though.


----------



## wingsounds13

Yes, they did say that initially they would be shipping to USA addresses. They were doing this so any early field failures or bugs could be corrected more quickly, with shorter shipping times. I would think that this process would have be done a while now and most shipping would be done by initial backing dates.

If your initial backing date was much before December 21, 2013 (that's 2013, not 2014) then I would open a support ticket with LH Labs asking why your Pulse infinite has not shipped, since someone who backed it well after you has.

It does seem that their shipping order is only loosely based on initial backing date, but more than a few weeks seems inappropriate. Some people have been lost in the system and have had to submit a support ticket to get LH Labs attention and get their products shipped.

Best of luck with this. As is, I think that Pulse infinity shipping should be pretty much completed by the end of November.

J.P.


----------



## carz

jupiterknight said:


> Around three weeks ago I posted about a comparison I did between two versions of the vanilla Geek Pulse that I have. One from a very early batch with the 1.0 chassis and the second one from a batch I received late September with the 1.1 chassis.  Just to briefly sum it up. The 1.0 chassis/version is much heavier than the 1.1.
> 
> So at this point. My version 1.1, late batch, has now encountered above 200 hours of burn-in and still the differences that I encountered after 20 hours, comparing the two units using a a/b devise are pretty much similar. There's a 1.5-2.0 DB difference that I have adjusted for.  Otherwise they do not sound identical. As much as I want them to, they don't!  I have blindfolded myself upside down with the help of trustworthy people of course and I can still relative easily distinguish between the two units.  Maybe it would be a minor difference or none to others, that is absolutely very possible and usually my ears aren't really capable of noticing much difference between other audio gear units or at least pay much attention to it!
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hi Jupiterknight,     Between the v1.0 and v1.1 , which one sounds better ?


----------



## Sopp

wingsounds13 said:


> Yes, they did say that initially they would be shipping to USA addresses. They were doing this so any early field failures or bugs could be corrected more quickly, with shorter shipping times. I would think that this process would have be done a while now and most shipping would be done by initial backing dates.


 
  
 They said "Batch two will *focus on international orders*. We’ll provide more info regarding a shipping date in a couple days." on Indiegogo around two weeks ago. I am one of the early backers (October, 2013) and have nothing from LH Labs so far. Not surprised that they fail to keep their word again.


----------



## gikigill

I'm international and I received mine in August. Pulse xfi with LPS4.


----------



## pedalhead

ibs63 said:


> Thanks for the info.  I asked LH Labs in the ticket and they said that it outputs up to 1W of power.  I am usually between 20 to 35 depending on the song.  I was debating about the Massdrop Grace Design m9xx because I thought maybe the power output would be higher for m9xx.  I am not an engineer so most of the amp specs are confusing and when I try to understand the calculations, my eyes glaze over.


 
  
 Hmm I recall a figure of 4W being claimed during the Pulse campaign.  I'd agree though that it seems more like 1W as imho it's not really capable of driving the HE1000 to it's best compared to a more powerful (generalising) amp.


----------



## Anaximandros

It was 3W @ 16 Ohm.


----------



## grizzlybeast

pedalhead said:


> ibs63 said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the info.  I asked LH Labs in the ticket and they said that it outputs up to 1W of power.  I am usually between 20 to 35 depending on the song.  I was debating about the Massdrop Grace Design m9xx because I thought maybe the power output would be higher for m9xx.  I am not an engineer so most of the amp specs are confusing and when I try to understand the calculations, my eyes glaze over.  :rolleyes:
> ...



Is it still the same 1 W going balanced with the lps? Isn't supposed to be nore powerful? Are you using your he1000 this way. If that is the case mine will go up in the fs section ASAP. That is some bull crap. I thought the lps helps its power out put. When I opened up a ticket this is what I was told. Edit: actually the specs say its more powerful that way.


----------



## RickDastardly

grizzlybeast said:


> Is it still the same 1 W going balanced with the lps? Isn't supposed to be nore powerful? Are you using your he1000 this way. If that is the case mine will go up in the fs section ASAP. That is some bull crap. I thought the lps helps its power out put. When I opened up a ticket this is what I was told. Edit: actually the specs say its more powerful that way.




Eh?


----------



## grizzlybeast

rickdastardly said:


> grizzlybeast said:
> 
> 
> > Is it still the same 1 W going balanced with the lps? Isn't supposed to be nore powerful? Are you using your he1000 this way. If that is the case mine will go up in the fs section ASAP. That is some bull crap. I thought the lps helps its power out put. When I opened up a ticket this is what I was told. Edit: actually the specs say its more powerful that way.
> ...




Lol i made no sense. I just re read it. 

I meant to ask... Isnt it more than 1 watt power output from the balanced headphone out. The specs day its more powerful balanced. 
I know the lps just gives it clean power but I was curious if his sentiments of it not powering his he1000 sufficiently was even with the lps in place(just eliminating all possible contributing factors)


----------



## doctorjazz

I don't believe LPS increases the power to the unit (but I really am no electronics expert), think it provides cleaner power, as noted, the output from the amp of the unit shouldn't be changed. I use a MicroZOTL2 for my HE-1000, seems to be enough power to drive it well (others using it also find the same), rated at 1W. Some have used LPS with the ZOTL, say it improves sound quality, but only by a very small amount, didn't get the sense that it increases power any. But, as I said, what to I know. (I do remember that WATTS and not WATTS, in other words, the watt measurement isn't the only determining factor in what it can drive, current can differ, tube watts are said to be different than solid state, etc...).


----------



## oneguy

I have a Pulse Infinity driving HE1000s and HD800s. For the HE1000 using the balanced output I usually use -dB in the 30's The HD800 fare about the same with about 10 less -db than the HE1000 if memory serves right. I power my Infinity through an LPS4.
  
 EDIT: on high gain setting


----------



## FayeForever

http://blog.livedoor.jp/clio9330/?p=3
  
 A Japanese backer posted some interesting stuff, including inside shots and power consumption for both Infinity and vanilla Pulse.


----------



## uncola

the xlr 4 pin port has double the voltage swing of the 1/4" headphone out.. it doubles it to 14Vrms.  not sure how current is affected.. might still be 3 watts at 16 ohms?  It should definitely be enough for most headphones on high gain
 edit:  I use my he-560 with geek out v2 on 100mw setting and it's loud enough at 70% volume for any non classical music


----------



## oneguy

fayeforever said:


> http://blog.livedoor.jp/clio9330/?p=3
> 
> A Japanese backer posted some interesting stuff, including inside shots and power consumption for both Infinity and vanilla Pulse.


 

 Solid find!


----------



## bigbung

oneguy said:


> Solid find!


 

 Can somebody give a summary of the post please. My google translate does a horrible job at translating the page and I cannot make sense of anything.


----------



## greenkiwi

sopp said:


> They said "Batch two will *focus on international orders*. We’ll provide more info regarding a shipping date in a couple days." on Indiegogo around two weeks ago. I am one of the early backers (October, 2013) and have nothing from LH Labs so far. Not surprised that they fail to keep their word again.


 
 My understanding was that they shuffled international orders that would have gone out in Batch 1 to Batch 2.  Which I think makes a lot of sense.  It gives them a chance to catch and fix issues locally w/o excessive shipping.  
  
 Sure everything should have gone out sooner... but the people screaming about not being in the first batch, would have been screaming about the excessive international shipping, if there were an issue with the product.
  
 At any rate, I hope that they get these batches out and then we can stop complaining and start listening to good music.


----------



## Greg121986

Sending my Pulse X back today for RMA. I've had a right channel signal lock issue since I first got it. All inputs have no sound coming from the _right channel_ when the sample rate changes. Sometimes there will be a static sound coming from the right channel. I have to select another input, then back to the input I want to use, then sometimes turn the volume up a few clicks in order for the right channel to begin playing. I'm hopeful it will arrive back soon and in perfect working order.


----------



## eliwankenobi

greg121986 said:


> Sending my Pulse X back today for RMA. I've had a right channel signal lock issue since I first got it. All inputs have no sound coming from the _right channel_ when the sample rate changes. Sometimes there will be a static sound coming from the right channel. I have to select another input, then back to the input I want to use, then sometimes turn the volume up a few clicks in order for the right channel to begin playing. I'm hopeful it will arrive back soon and in perfect working order.




Sorry to hear that dude... Hopefully the turn around is not long


----------



## Audio Addict

The comment earlier about the FEMTO clocks need to be at the right temperature for the best sound definitely makes sense. I have been shutting my Infinity off nightly. When I turn it back on the next day, everything seems very harsh. Give it roughly 1-2 hours and the sound signature returns.

I see why the Wave with FEMTO clocks is a challenge given the difference in sound between cold and warmed up.


----------



## doctorjazz

I believe they recommend not shutting them off.


----------



## Audio Addict

doctorjazz said:


> I believe they recommend not shutting them off.




With just the Infinity connected, the LPS4 seemed warmer than I would expect so I decided to shut it off at the end of the night.


----------



## germay0653

audio addict said:


> With just the Infinity connected, the LPS4 seemed warmer than I would expect so I decided to shut it off at the end of the night.


 

 Wow, my LPS4 stay cool, not even slightly warm, when powering the Infinity and Uptone Audio Regen.


----------



## llama_egg

So what was the general consensus of the Geek Pulse now that some time has passed? Still waiting on my X-fi (which is hopefully the December completion date on the production progress chart), basically just shoved all memory of it aside, but curious to see how people have felt about it.


----------



## atsq17

One word: Awesome. 
  
 Nah, just kidding. I'm quite long winded so I'll share a bit more. 
  
 It's an excellent DAC and the built in amp is also good enough to be a keeper. If you have a good amp to pair it with, it will do an amazing job as a DAC. 
  
 Even as an all in one, it is great. 
  
 I have one for my work , home and bedroom. Home and bedroom as a DAC. At work I use the headphone out with my JH13 PRO FP CIEMs. 
  
 I used to buy Audio GD DACs because of the amazing value for money they presented. I've owned the following:
  
 Audio GD DAC-19DSP, SA-1.32, SA-2, NFB 1.32, NFB-2, Reference 7 and I sold them all and kept the Pulse DACs. They all had something going for them but the Pulse was more versatile and in a straight up comparison, technically superior. Some may prefer the tone of the R2R DACs in that list for tonality but even with the controversy over how the Pulse looks, I think it looks much nicer than Audio GD's offerings. 
  
 Make sure you let current flow through the electrical/electronic components in your DAC for some time at the start (say 200+ hours at least) and the sound will improve somewhat as the brand new components start performing at their specs.


----------



## Audio Addict

atsq17 said:


> One word: Awesome.
> 
> Nah, just kidding. I'm quite long winded so I'll share a bit more.
> 
> ...




Ditto but I only have 2 Infinities not 3


----------



## llama_egg

atsq17 said:


> One word: Awesome.
> 
> Nah, just kidding. I'm quite long winded so I'll share a bit more.
> 
> ...


 

 Awesome to hear! I remember early on in the thread when a couple people got their Pulse' opinions seemed a bit cold at the time.


----------



## wingsounds13

My Infinity arrived yesterday, only 22 1/2 months after my initial campaign contribution. It arrived late and I only had time to unbox it and power it up, no signal applied, before I had to leave for the evening. This at least gave it six hours of warm up time before I gave it a listen. The downside is that I did not get to listen to it dead cold and brand new for reference and lifecycle comparison.

When I got back home from my usual friday night concert (http://www.unclecalvins.org), I moved the now warm Pulse to the computer desk and hooked it up to the system. My first listen was through headphones (ZMF Master model V1) with a balanced cable. Sounds REALLY GOOD. After a few tracks, or rather partial tracks, I doffed the 'phones and had a listen through the speakers (Magnepan MMG powered by a PS Audio GCC-500). Also really nice. A few switches back and forth for comparison with the previous DAC in the system (PS Audio NuWave DAC) showed that they both make great music, but there are differences. I don't have the most finely tuned ear, so I am not sure that I could reliably identify which DAC was playing, but they are still clearly if subtly different. I will say here that I am not prone to audiophile hyperbole. A Huge difference is something like a table radio and a good audio system. A big difference might be between good "computer" speakers and a good audio system. A subtle difference migt be something that I can hear but cannot specifically identify, at least not without an hour or more of comparison and study. I am not patient enough for that - I decide which I prefer and move on.

Anyway.. back to the DACs. I tried different filters and I do notice a difference between them. The clearest difference is between FTM and the other two - I don't count SSM as I am not sure that it is implemented yet. For now, I prefer FTM as it has good clean sound and the most clearly defined sound stage. At this point, with only an hour on the infinity, there are greater differences between the filters than between the two DACs that I have compared.

About an hour and a half into listening, I was reminded of an earlier post in this thread - this thing has no bass! I listened closely, and there IS bass, but it has no impact, no life. I seems to have no life in the 60~100 Hz range where much of the life in bass seems to come from. This is in clear contrast to when I first started listening to the infinity - initially it had this wonderful warm, lush but in no way bloated sound. The sound was now rather thin and unappealing. WOW! This is the most incredible demonstration of a burn in cycle that I have ever heard. At this point it was about 2AM, so I left the DAC running with my favorite burn in playlist: a variety of seashore and wave sounds that I also use for background / ambience. These sounds happen to be very similar to the output of the Hagerman FryBaby burn in device, so I use them for burn in as well as background.

10 hours and a good night's sleep later (no, not 10 hours sleep ), the Infinity is mellowing a bit. The bass is starting to come back, at least it is better than at the hour and a half mark. The mids are okay and at the moment the highs are a bit rough. I'll leave the burn in / ambience playlist running for at least a week, with occasional listening sessions. I expect the mids and highs to clean up and hope that that initial wonderful lush but not heavy sound quality returns. It may take a couple of weeks, but at least I do not have to be actively involved as it can just keep playing away as I go on with the rest of my life.

Just another report and non-review from another music aficionado and now happy Geek. 

J.P.


----------



## spyder1

J. P.
  
 It is great to see that your Pulse Infinity, has finally arrived and that you are content!
  
 Have fun!
  
 P. Novitt


----------



## Audio Addict

Glad your Infinity finally made it. Look forward to your chronicles with it.


----------



## gikigill

Anyone try the Philips A5Pro with the Pulse? One of the best dynamic driver pairings, very very clean sounding package.


----------



## musicheaven

J.P. Happy you got your Infinity, I know how anxious you were to get it. I wish you some great audition as your unit will be burning-in.


----------



## leomitch

J.P. my friend, I am so happy you finally have your Infinity. Be patient mate, the Infinity will come through and you will be ecstatic.
  
 Cheers
  
 Leo


----------



## wingsounds13

Thanks Leo and all. I have waited seemingly forever for my infinity and am happy to have it. I certainly can wait another month for it to truly come into its best performance. Still, I will enjoy it even before then. As I noted, it is already close in performance to the DAC that I have been using for several years. It also has the advantage of being able to do a wonderful job of driving a very nice set of headphones. Seems strange to be thinking of listening through headphones while sitting in front of a very nice set of speakers. 

I'll give it another listen in a few hours. It's already 21 hours in and I am curious to hear what it sounds like and if I can tell any difference from the 10 hour mark.

I will say that for a very long time I was a hardcore skeptic on the burn in concept, but direct experience has forced me to accept that it really does happen, even in solid state electronic equipment. It's still difficult to believe that it can change as much as I have already heard with my infinity.

J.P.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Wait until you hit the magic 50 and 100hrs...and beyond.


----------



## musicheaven

You guys are the Geek Pulse pioneers, you are charting the road to better listening enjoyment hopefully. On the burn-in time length with Femtos, wasn't Larry saying 200 hours were required for full body sound maturity/development?


----------



## alvin1118

Congrats J.P. 
  
 The sound quality you describe, was your Geek Pulse Infinity with Jay's Audio LPS, or was it with stock SMPS ?
  





  
 Alvin


----------



## uncola

congrats on finally receiving your pulse, wingsounds.  I remember reading your posts from the very beginning of the thread.


----------



## marflao

Good to hear, J.P.
Keep my fingers crossed that you don't encounter any hiccups.


----------



## wingsounds13

Thanks guys. 
uncola, that is pretty good... I don't remember back that far.
Alvin, I went straight to the Jay's Audio LPS. I will probably try the stock switcher out just for kicks, but after burn in has settled. At 168 hours / week, that will probably be about three weeks.

Current update: at 26 hours in the bass is back but is muddy. The mids and highs are kind of harsh. I had to pull the headphones off after about 45 minutes. I expect this all to mellow out over time, but am curious as to what it will sound like once burned in.

Maybe I need to find a safe load for the headphone amp to get more active load time on it, as I do not yet dare leave my good headphones connected. I'll see if I can scrape up a couple of 47 ohm 5 watt resistors and a spare XLR-4 connector to make up a dummy load.

Oh well... It's really late and I am tired. More listening tomorrow. 

J.P.


----------



## Lord Raven

Hi Guys,
  
 Can I power up a 12V heater of a pair of vacuum tubes and Geek Pulse SFi off of Jay's LPS?  How many inputs are there and their output rating? I think I might buy Jay's LPS since I got a new use of it together with the heaters LOL
  
 Thanks!


----------



## wingsounds13

Raven, you probably can power the tube heaters along with the Pulse. The Jay's LPS is good for 2A, the stock SMPS for the Pulse is 1.5A and the LH Labs LPS 12V outlets are rated for 1.2A. Any idea how much current the tube heaters will need?

The Jay's Audio LPS has only a single regulated supply but it has two power out jacks that are the common 5.5/2.5mm barrel connectors.

J.P.


----------



## Benny-x

I got my Infinity 2.0 and LPS4, but I RMA'd the LPS4 because I have one of the earlier units that has a grounding issue and missing resistor. When the issue was first spotted they said it happened when connecting improperly grounded competitor gear, but later it was found to be a defect. Good thing I used to frequent the old Geek Force forums so that I knew what to look for. Anyway, I didn't get a real chance to compare the sound, I just got to find out my unit was also affected.
  
 About the Infinity, though. I only used the included SMPS, but I thought it sounded great. The bass doesn't bloom, like it's not full sounding, but it is impactful and tight. If the song has a strong bass line in it, you're going to feel it punch. I tested it with my Emotiva Pro Stealth 8s via the back XLRs and thought the pre-amp functions worked well. 
  
 The verdict is still out for me on burn-in, but as someone else said, it's free so why not try? Once I get home I'll leave it to burn in for 3 weeks with something connected to it's back panel XLRs and then flip to its front XLR 4-pin. It'll be fun to see how it goes.
  
 I'll report back in on the sound in a few months, but I'd say I'm happy with the unit overall. I'm EXTREMELY happy I held out for Chassis 2.0, I hated 1.0. I do wish the knob and shaft felt better in hand, but the body looks good and feels sturdy.


----------



## Lord Raven

wingsounds13 said:


> Raven, you probably can power the tube heaters along with the Pulse. The Jay's LPS is good for 2A, the stock SMPS for the Pulse is 1.5A and the LH Labs LPS 12V outlets are rated for 1.2A. Any idea how much current the tube heaters will need?
> 
> The Jay's Audio LPS has only a single regulated supply but it has two power out jacks that are the common 5.5/2.5mm barrel connectors.
> 
> J.P.


 
 Thanks J.P.
  
 I just confirmed, one tube takes about 0.35A and two tubes will take 0.7A for their heaters. Two output jacks will help me power these tubes and the Geek DAC.
  
 Will there be any issue to run both the DAC and tubes? I don't want to buy cheap laptop power adapter that might cause HUM in the tubes. I got no noise, total dark background both on my DAC and tube amp even with any LPS.
  
 Also, I am sorry to ask, what does SMPS stand for?


----------



## RickDastardly

lord raven said:


> Thanks J.P.
> 
> I just confirmed, one tube takes about 0.35A and two tubes will take 0.7A for their heaters. Two output jacks will help me power these tubes and the Geek DAC.
> 
> ...


 

 SMPS = Switched-Mode Power Supply


----------



## miceblue

I just got back from a mini-meet.

The short:
X Infinity still sounds really great for a Delta-Sigma DAC, and even more so considering it uses an ESS Sabre DAC chip. Doing A/B tests (XLR line-output to Master 11/Master 9), a friend and I preferred a modded Audio-gd Master 11. Between the Master 11 and Yggdrasil, the Yggy was preferred overall.








The long:
The X Infinity with LPS4 is no slouch in terms of sound especially for a Sabre DAC (some may know of the infamous "Sabre glare" sound). My friend was surprised to learn it uses a Sabre DAC actually, and a mobile chip at that. It has great detail retrieval, pretty good dynamics, and good instrument separation.

However, compared to a modified (I think a replaced USB board, upgraded capacitors, added EMI shielding, 0.5-2 ps clocks, +22 dB gain) Master 11 (Master 7), which uses Burr Brown PCM1704UK DAC chips, we both thought the Master 11 did a better job in the treble region where it sounded much more natural and well-defined overall versus woolly and a bit steely with the X Infinity. Yes..the X Infinity was warmed up for some 5.5 hours before the testing session. The instrument layering, soundstage depth, and instrument separation were also better on the Master 11, being able to pick out instruments in more specific locations.

The Master 11 actually did sound a bit brighter than the X Infinity, so I preferred the X Infinity in that aspect.


Compared to the Yggy, the Yggy definitely sounds more natural overall: having a deeper, more authoritative bass response, smoother treble, even better instrument laying, soundstage depth, and instrument separation.


----------



## carz

What filters in the Infinity did you use during the comparison? 

Would a modded Infinity change the game?


----------



## carz

Yggdrasil don't support dsd. 

Have you tried similar tracks using dsd on Infinity vs pcm on Yggdrasil?


----------



## musicheaven

miceblue said:


> I just got back from a mini-meet.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Lol about the fan up there, I guess Class A does generate a lot of heat after all. 
Of all the ones displayed I liked the Master 11 look the best; classy and modern.


----------



## cbar

benny-x said:


> I got my Infinity 2.0 and LPS4, but I RMA'd the LPS4 because I have one of the earlier units that has a grounding issue and missing resistor. When the issue was first spotted they said it happened when connecting improperly grounded competitor gear, but later it was found to be a defect. Good thing I used to frequent the old Geek Force forums so that I knew what to look for. Anyway, I didn't get a real chance to compare the sound, I just got to find out my unit was also affected.


 
 Can you remind us what to look for on the LPS4 to identify grounding issue? Not sure the old forums are still available. Thx!


----------



## musicheaven

It's not that difficult, the music will be superimposed with a humming noise, stop the music and crank the volume and it will be there instead of the so called black background, I would do that with speakers preferably.


----------



## miceblue

carz said:


> What filters in the Infinity did you use during the comparison?
> 
> Would a modded Infinity change the game?



I was using the FTM filter.

I'm not really sure what kind of modifications one would do for the X Infinity other than add some extra EMI shielding on the inside and on top of IC components. It has internal op-amp upgrades, MELF resistors, hand-matched components, naked resistors, etc..










carz said:


> Yggdrasil don't support dsd.
> 
> Have you tried similar tracks using dsd on Infinity vs pcm on Yggdrasil?



No, but that would be a good test to try next time!

The first A/B test I did with the X Infinity and Yggy, I was using CD-quality rips like this one:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHwtFaK6CMk[/video]

Absolutely phenomenal track to test bass presence, timbre, and instrument separation. Your DAC should be able to pick up the recording hiss too.


During yesterday's session, we were using a Linn Records test album at 24/192.
http://www.linnrecords.com/recording-linn--selektions--the-surround-sound-sampler-sacd.aspx

_Black Coffee_ is a nice track to test the treble with the hi-hats as well as instrument separation. On the X Infinity, they sounded kind of splashy and steely in timbre in comparison to the Master 11, which sounded more like what I'm used to hearing when hearing a hi-hat.

_Salvator Mundi_ is great for instrument separation and soundstage. Or just about any well-recorded choir track really.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjlmnqDJvio[/video]


_Suite in A minor : Fantaisie_ is great for bass presence, timbre, and instrument separation again.






musicheaven said:


> Lol about the fan up there, I guess Class A does generate a lot of heat after all.
> Of all the ones displayed I liked the Master 11 look the best; classy and modern.



Yeah the room itself heats up pretty quickly since there's only 1 way in/out, and no ventilation (there was a small fan outside the doors blowing air into the room to help circulate airflow). When we were doing the A/B tests with the X Infinity and Master 11, we closed the doors and things got really hot. XD


----------



## uncola

"we closed the doors and things got really hot."  TWSS


----------



## oneguy

Lol, it never gets old


----------



## Sopp

greenkiwi said:


> My understanding was that they shuffled international orders that would have gone out in Batch 1 to Batch 2.  Which I think makes a lot of sense.  It gives them a chance to catch and fix issues locally w/o excessive shipping.
> 
> Sure everything should have gone out sooner... but the people screaming about not being in the first batch, would have been screaming about the excessive international shipping, if there were an issue with the product.
> 
> At any rate, I hope that they get these batches out and then we can stop complaining and start listening to good music.


 
  
 According to the information I got, LH Labs did ship out international units (2.0 chassis Pulse Infinity) in Batch 1. I asked the CS about this and they did not deny nor explain.
  
 In Batch 2, I believe domestic orders still have the priority. It is because I am one of the super early birds (backed in October, 2013) and the CS still have no idea when my units will be shipped. In the meantime, some US backers that ordered 50 days later than me got their units from Batch 2.
  
 The CS also said that units may been shipped out for various reason. Conclusively, they did not follow the general 'first come first serve' rule and their announcements can't be trusted in fact.


----------



## carz

Microblue,
 Why don't you try the FRM filter in your next shootout too ?    Quite a few people reported that they prefer this filter.
  
 DSD vs PCM.    A Good source of DSD music would be    bluecoastrecords.com, and Eric Bibb (Opus3)


----------



## DSlayerZX

Ran into an interesting problem this weekend, 
  
 I just put together a new PC over this weekend, the PC works well enough, the LH lab drivers downloaded and installed without too much trouble, how ever, I have encountered some problem in DSD play back.
  
  
 connecting to a USB 3.0 port, setting up 1XDSD over DoP, my Geek Pulse was able to play some files fine. 
  
 how ever, when I play a certain bit rate..... I encounter problem with stuttering music play back.
  
 The problem happens even if I set the latency to 250ms.
  
 And here is the weird part. it seems like this problem only happen on none-DSD native & None-mp3 files.
  
 This means that any files in native DSD & MP3 320 kBps, 256kBps plays just fine, but ones I started playing 44.1 KHz, 96 KHz, Flac files, etc...the stutter, cutting in and off of files occurs...
  
 Anyone encountered this problem before?


----------



## Arinko

Have you tried changing the Buffering Settings in the Light Harmonic control Panel?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have you installed driver 2.29?
  
 What Player do you use?


----------



## DSlayerZX

yeah, it's driver 2.29 since I just installed it over the weekend.
  
 The buffer setting in the LH lab driver is currently under safe mode already.
  
 the asio latency was defaulted at 50ms, it's now 250 ms (does seem a bit better at 250 ms though)
  
 Oh the player is Jriver. (tried to use the DSD guide on LH lab)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Never used ASIO as I prevered 32 bit KS (Kernel Streaming) with 750ms buffer. On testing ASIO I used the max value.
  
 Be sure to have: *Bitstreaming: Yes (DSD)* 
  
 If not, it will cause stuttering especially on higher bit rates because of reconversion to PCM (regardless of format). And another conversion to indicated output (as your case DSD). 
  
 My Settings in JRiver:


----------



## DSlayerZX

Alright, thanks for the suggestion Mickey, i'll give the setting a try when I get back home.


----------



## Benny-x

cbar said:


> Can you remind us what to look for on the LPS4 to identify grounding issue? Not sure the old forums are still available. Thx!


 


musicheaven said:


> It's not that difficult, the music will be superimposed with a humming noise, stop the music and crank the volume and it will be there instead of the so called black background, I would do that with speakers preferably.


 
  
 Yeah, that's pretty much it. What I meant by being happy I knew what to look for meant that when I heard the buzzing/humming I knew what it was from.
  
 I've never had a grounding issue in my system, so when introducing and properly connecting the Pulse X Infinity + LPS4 and then having one, I knew to peg that LPS4 as the cause. I also knew ahead of time so that I was listening for the problem as soon as I connected the new gear. It's gone back to LH Labs now and they're taking care of it. It's a known problem on their end now too, so they've already figured out the required fixes. Though some users have had to do multiple RMAs to actually get the issue resolved, so YMMV.
  
 I'm just hoping to get it back in time for my next return trip home. I'm really not sure what to think of the Pulse X Infinity 2.0 without the proper PSU. I'll be DIY'ing some DC cables with the really nice OYAIDE connectors that I picked up


----------



## upsguys88

fayeforever said:


> Just FYI my 1G/2G usb both come in original neon color.


 
 I wish my 2g was still the neon yellow :/


----------



## oneguy

upsguys88 said:


> I wish my 2g was still the neon yellow :/




PMed you about a trade.


----------



## eac3

atsq17 said:


> The 2g cable is far superior to the 1g. Unfortunately it also needs burn in


 
  
  


grizzlybeast said:


> I liked the 28 when I had it but found it powerful yet not as musical as I wanted. I am getting a sense of the infinity being clean but not musical from the hp out. But I dont have my lps and also I listen to better quality music now with an even better headphone. At the time it was the he500 and ZMF vibro. Now ita the ZMF Omni that I prefer over both. So I probably should just be quiet. I think my personal taste would be for a meetier sound with blacker space and a little darker. I hope the lps does that but I suppose it wont be any darker.


 
  
  


atsq17 said:


> One word: Awesome.
> 
> Nah, just kidding. I'm quite long winded so I'll share a bit more.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hello again,
  
*I thought I would ask again but for all of you enjoying the sound out of the Pulse, have you tried using the SE headphone out?*
  
 I am not sure what is going on but I have been burning in my Pulse Infinity+ LPS for about 3+ weeks now and the 2G cable for about 1 week.
  
 I can't tell the Pulse Infinity apart from my NFB-28.
  
 Then again, I am reading many of you pairing your Pulse with some sort of balanced configuration.
  
 I hope to hook up the Pulse Infinity and NFB-28 to my home theatre system since that offers balanced connections, but until then, it seems like I am thinking about getting rid of the Pulse+LPS+2G cable.
  
 Any suggestions would be appreciated.


----------



## miceblue

Oh speaking of the single-ended output, my friend, his wife, and I all agreed that we liked the single-ended output more for the HiFiMAN HE-560 than the XLR output. Likewise for me with the K701. I don't know why, but the XLR output just seems a bit too bright for me despite having better instrument separation and center-imaging. I like the single-ended output myself.


----------



## frankrondaniel

I'm of the same opinion with my HD800's! I much prefer the SE output.


----------



## carz

How about the Line Out,  which do you guys prefer ?     SE or XLR ?


----------



## Clemmaster

miceblue said:


> Oh speaking of the single-ended output, my friend, his wife, and I all agreed that we liked the single-ended output more for the HiFiMAN HE-560 than the XLR output. Likewise for me with the K701. I don't know why, but the XLR output just seems a bit too bright for me despite having better instrument separation and center-imaging. I like the single-ended output myself.



The balanced output - by design - has less second harmonic distortion. This is why people typically find it sounds clearer / sharper, compared to the SE output. Not just for the Geek Pulse, it's true for most designs.
Bright/sharp headphones like the HD-800 or HE-560 probably benefit from more 2nd harmonic distortion to go in the other direction (sweeter sound).


----------



## oneguy

Hmm, I may have to test this idea tonight...


----------



## miceblue

clemmaster said:


> The balanced output - by design - has less second harmonic distortion. This is why people typically find it sounds clearer / sharper, compared to the SE output. Not just for the Geek Pulse, it's true for most designs.
> Bright/sharp headphones like the HD-800 or HE-560 probably benefit from more 2nd harmonic distortion to go in the other direction (sweeter sound).



Does it though? Balanced lines and differential signaling reduce noise through common-mode interference. I'm not sure how that would affect harmonic distortion per se.


----------



## Lord Raven

miceblue said:


> Oh speaking of the single-ended output, my friend, his wife, and I all agreed that we liked the single-ended output more for the HiFiMAN HE-560 than the XLR output. Likewise for me with the K701. I don't know why, but the XLR output just seems a bit too bright for me despite having better instrument separation and center-imaging. I like the single-ended output myself.


 
 Does that mean I don't have/need to upgrade from my SFi?  I got it cause my headphone amplifier for SE, guess I got lucky LOL


----------



## ejong7

Just received my 2G cable and immediately hooked it up. Slightly more detailed but that's about it at least for now. I'll try to burn it in but I foresee no huge leap in performance (unless it goes all Pulse Infinity on me). But *FIRST* verdict would probably be you're paying to make your system look neater and something to show for a dinner conversation.
  
 "LOOK a weird twin headed USB cable!" (you wouldn't know how many people out there actually doesnt know it exists.)


----------



## pedalhead

Has anyone had a problem pairing an Apple remote with their Pulse?  Got a brand new remote today and it just won't pair 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.
  
 Edit - I'm a numpty.  Didn't realise there was an option in the menu to enable/disable the IR sensor!


----------



## Chikolad

Is firmware 2.29 good for the vanilla Pulse too?
 What are the differences between that and 2.23?


----------



## germay0653

pedalhead said:


> Has anyone had a problem pairing an Apple remote with their Pulse?  Got a brand new remote today and it just won't pair
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I could pair but it didn't work as expected.  Probably a bad IR sensor/receiver in the Pulse.  Had to RMA it and it's being fixed now.  Probably simple to repair.  No worries. I'll have it back soon enough.


----------



## jbr1971

chikolad said:


> Is firmware 2.29 good for the vanilla Pulse too?
> What are the differences between that and 2.23?


 
  
 The 2.29 audio driver is backwards compatible with all Pulse models.
  
 The main difference was adding support for Geek Out V2 models as the 2.23 driver will not work with the V2's.
  
 Jody


----------



## pedalhead

Received my 2G cable today. Did some listening comparisons against my printer cable & couldn't detect any differences (nor can I hear any difference with my Supra cable). Comparing cables isn't 100% reliable as it takes 30 seconds or so to swap them and restart the music app so it's possible I'm missing some very subtle differences but certainly in my system I'm not hearing this "revelatory" improvement that some attribute to the 2G. My DAC uses it's own power supply for the 5v feed so perhaps a better improvement is heard on a DAC that doesn't.


----------



## wingsounds13

Since we are talking about the 2G USB cable... My 2m 2G cable arrived several weeks ago, so I have been running it with my PS Audio NuWave DAC. I had been running this DAC with a 2m 1G cable for a couple of months now. I will say that when I changed from the cheap consumer USB cable to the 1G I did not note any differences - that could be because I just gave it a few minutes of reference listening before the change and a few after. I did not swap back and forth for listening tests, only the one change from the cheap cable to the 1G. I figured that since I didn't hear any major changes, it was at least not likely to be any worse.

A few weeks ago, my 2m 2G cable arrived. I did a similar change from the 1G to the 2G - no back and forth, just listen, change, listen. In this case, I do think that heard a tiny difference, but could not tell you what it was without serious listening and back and forth swaps. As I have said before, I don't have the patience for extended changes and critical listening. I make a change and decide which I prefer, at which point I leave it and just enjoy listening to the music.

All that said, I did make another small change. I had plugged the power leg of the 2G cable into a USB hub on my desktop. After a few minutes of listening, I unplugged the power leg. This time I did hear a difference. This was not earth shattering, however it was a subtle but clear difference. This time I did plug and unplug a few times over a couple of minutes to verify that the difference was an improvement. The most that I can say is that with the power leg disconnected there was less background noise (dare I say 'blacker' background?), less hash and better clarity. Everything was just a bit better defined yet smoother overall. Remember when reading this that I do not subscribe to the typical audiophile hyperbole. I speak as an average consumer with a good ear might see it.

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

And with that... back to my Pulse X∞. At 96 hours last night it was starting to sound pretty good. The bass is mostly back and is tightening up nicely. No longer muddy, pretty much all there but still does not quite have that 'power' back just yet. At this point, the infinity is very nice to listen to and by a small margin bests my NuWave DAC overall. The NuWave is a bit smoother on the high end, while the infinity is more three dimensional, has a slightly better focus in the image and has a quieter background. I think that this is what many people call 'more air' around the instruments.

I am overall happy with the infintiy at this point, and look forward to hearing what another ine or two hundred hours does for it. If there is any improvement (I hope... I hope... ) then it will turn out to be a very nice addition to my system, displacing an already very nice DAC. Time to think about selling something (not the infinity). 

J.P.


----------



## Zenifyx

Hey, with all these talk on cables, I'm wondering if anyone has tried using a power bank for the power leg on a split 2g/10g cable?


----------



## wingsounds13

Oh, by the way... In my listening and comparison between the NuWave DAC and the Pulse X∞ DAC, the NuWave is connected with the 2G USB cable and the infinity is connected with the 1G cable. This will be a late change in a few weeks, after the infinity has pretty much settled with several hundred hours of burn in time. I feel that this will give me the best opportunity to hear any differences with the cable swap.

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

A power bank is just another switching power supply, just supplied by a battery, so nowhere as clean as a good LPS and probably not as good as a good wall powered switcher. 

J.P.


----------



## germay0653

Good article taken from Core Audio Technology's website regarding the differences between Batteries and Linear Power Supplies.
  
 http://www.coreaudiotechnology.com/batteries-vs-linear-power-supply/
  
 There is also an interesting page on break-in theory. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 http://www.coreaudiotechnology.com/what-happens-during-break-in-our-theory/


----------



## wingsounds13

Nice read, thanks Gery.

J.P.


----------



## germay0653

Read the break-in theory one as well!


----------



## Chikolad

jbr1971 said:


> The 2.29 audio driver is backwards compatible with all Pulse models.
> 
> The main difference was adding support for Geek Out V2 models as the 2.23 driver will not work with the V2's.
> 
> Jody


 
  
 Thanks Jody!
  
 I realize now that it's a Windows driver and not a firmware... sorry, my mistake.
 Upgraded from 2.23 to 2.29 and everything works smoothly.
  
 Speaking of firmware though, how do I know that the firmware version on my device is the latest available for it?
 I read on this thread that some people got their units with outdated firmware versions and had to update, but on the LHLabs website it says that some batches have their own firmwares and that they shouldn't be "mixed up". So I'm a little bit confused about that.
  
 Thanks again


----------



## jbr1971

chikolad said:


> Thanks Jody!
> 
> I realize now that it's a Windows driver and not a firmware... sorry, my mistake.
> Upgraded from 2.23 to 2.29 and everything works smoothly.
> ...


 
  
 To check the firmware open the Light Harmonic Control Panel, Info tab and note the firmware version listed. If it is 1V5/1.5 it is good for the time being.
  
 If it is not 1V5/1.5 there is an update available. To get the update, please open a support case noting the model of your Pulse, as well as the current firmware, and we can send you the current firmware for that particular model.
  
 Jody


----------



## Zenifyx

wingsounds13 said:


> A power bank is just another switching power supply, just supplied by a battery, so nowhere as clean as a good LPS and probably not as good as a good wall powered switcher.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 Isn't batteries then a DC power source, which would be cleaner than most SMPS in general?
 I recall that Larry mentioned that LPS>Batteries>SMPS in general. (Here's another good read: http://lhlabs.com/blog/2015/07/power-supplies-and-noise/)
 Plus, I'm definitely not gonna use an wall wart to power the USB leg, that would be crazzzzy.
  
 Anyway, if it wasn't clear earlier, I was asking in the context of the Geek Pulse (which, as I understand, only needs the power leg for the initial handshake)
 Basically, the power bank would be turned off once the initial handshake is done
 (Similar to plugging out the power leg, but I'm not a fan of constantly plugging/unplugging cables from the back of my desktop)
 Now, would that setup be functional?


----------



## spyder1

If anyone is flow charting their complete Pulse Audio System, "Parts Connexion," is still running their (Cardas Legacy Cables), at 50% off sale. Just ordered a pair of .5m Cardas Golden Presence XLR. "Pulse Xfi - Pulse HPA Tube".


----------



## wingsounds13

I'll try another time. 

A power bank = battery→SMPS→load (DAC).
An SMPS wall wart or power brick = AC→SMPS→load (DAC).

Again, the output of a power bank IS an SMPS, simply fed from a battery instead of AC power. Having a battery as the power source instead of AC does not make the SMPS that provides the regulated power to the load any better or worse, that quality is strictly up to the design of the SMPS. Since power banks are all built to sell in great quantities in a competitive consumer market, just how good do you think that they are?

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

Also, as I said in my 2G quickie cable review above, I plugged the power leg into a USB hub on my desktop. Once the computer regiseters the DAC on that port, you can unplug the power leg as I did several weeks ago. You should only need to plug it in whenever you boot your computer or need to reconnect the DAC. Do you not have a USB hub on your desktop? Certainly you can use a power bank if you feel the need, but if you have ANY PORT available on your desktop you can use that just as easily as a power bank, if not more so. 

J.P.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

In the past had tested my LPS4 vs my Anker Astro Pro 2 and noted that LPS4 has bit more black background, definition, separation. However the degree is not that noticeable as compared to using only the provided SMPS.


----------



## Zenifyx

wingsounds13 said:


> I'll try another time.
> 
> A power bank = battery→SMPS→load (DAC).
> An SMPS = AC→SMPS→load (DAC).
> ...


 
  
 Firstly, the definition of an SMPS is pretty broad, in that it includes DC to DC, AC to DC and DC to AC converters under the definition. (Basically pretty much most modern power supplies are SMPS - including most applications of drawing power from a battery, except for LPS.
 However, in the context of head-fi, an SMPS is usually thought of as the wall-wart, the AC power supply.
 Note that the SMPS in a battery converts DC to DC, and is housed outside of the DAC, whilst a typical wall wart converts AC to DC, and is usually housed within the unit itself.
 For the conversion of DC to DC, the "Input rectifier stage" is skipped/not necessary.
 What's important to note here, is that one is a DC power supply, and the other AC.
  
 Also, not only power banks are built to sell in great quantities, batteries are too.
 And yet most battery powered applications are still superior to the typical wall wart SMPS in terms of noise level.
  


wingsounds13 said:


> Also, as I said in my 2G quickie cable review above, I plugged the power leg into a USB hub on my desktop. Once the computer regiseters the DAC on that port, you can unplug the power leg as I did several weeks ago. You should only need to plug it in whenever you boot your computer or need to reconnect the DAC. Do you not have a USB hub on your desktop? Certainly you can use a power bank if you feel the need, but if you have ANY PORT available on your desktop you can use that just as easily as a power bank, if not more so.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 I did already mention that I disliked the idea of plugging/unplugging the cable, especially since the back of my desktop is pretty out of the way for me.


----------



## Zenifyx

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> In the past had tested my LPS4 vs my Anker Astro Pro 2 and noted that LPS4 has bit more black background, definition, separation. However the degree is not that noticeable as compared to using only the provided SMPS.


 
  
 Thank you.
  
 Despite the various replies, you are the first to actually answer my initial question of "I'm wondering if anyone has tried using a power bank for the power leg on a split 2g/10g cable?"


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

You're welcome!
  
 However did not use my battery pack to power my 2G cable, but used it to power my Infinity DAC.
  
 Wanted to:
  
 1. Test the SQ difference between an LPS and Battery.
 2. If Infinity DAC works with an external battery pack to have a "transportable" option..
  
 Used my Android Phone (Samsung Note 3) as source.
  
 On the external battery pack on the power leg of 2G usb cable, don't know if its valid in your system. But on mine, I could literally pullout the power-leg cable after my system recognized my DAC. And since I seldom power off mine 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, in my case its moot.


----------



## eac3

I hooked up both my Pulse infinity+LPS+2G cable and Audio-gd NFB-28 (w/ TXCO upgrades) to my Emotiva XPA-3+Klipsch RF-7II last night.
  
 In short:
  
 I will be selling my Pulse and everything I received from LH labs, as it can't compete with my Audio-gd DAC/amp I have. As always, this is my opinion/ears.


----------



## wingsounds13

[edit] I was just reading back through the thread and saw that you have been burning in your infinity for three weeks now..  Oh well, there goes that theory.  That NFB must be pretty good then.  [/edit]
 
eac3, how many hours of run time do you have on your infinity?  If it is more than 1 hour and less than 200 hours, I would suggest letting it run (playing, not just sitting with power on) for at least 100 and preferably 200 hours before making a final determination.

The Pulse X infiinity has the most pronounced break in cycle that I have ever experienced.  When I first started playing music (after a 6 hour power on warm up with no signal) it sounded really good.  After about an hour things started going all to hell!  The bass went dead, then the upper mids and highs started sounding harsh.  You can read the progression over the last five days in my posts in this thread.  Listening right now after about 130 hours of playback the Pulse is finally coming into its own.  Bass energy was the first thing that started coming back and now it is whole and tight.  Mids and highs are smoothing out nicely and the soundstage is more clear and three dimensional than the PS Audio NuWave DAC that I have been using for several years.  Word is that significant improvements continue up through the 200 hour mark.  As I understand it, it takes this long for the femto clocks to fully settle in.  This would further tighten up the bass and smooth/clarify the highs.

Or... you can just sell the Pulse and not worry about it, in which case, I wish that I had $1000 spending money as I could use one of these things in my bedroom.  
 
Just saying...
 
J.P.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep If I have extra dough...would love to buy it and give it as a gift...


----------



## Chikolad

jbr1971 said:


> To check the firmware open the Light Harmonic Control Panel, Info tab and note the firmware version listed. If it is 1V5/1.5 it is good for the time being.
> 
> If it is not 1V5/1.5 there is an update available. To get the update, please open a support case noting the model of your Pulse, as well as the current firmware, and we can send you the current firmware for that particular model.
> 
> Jody


 
  
 Thanks again Jody, my version is 1V5/1.5 so I guess I'm all set!


----------



## grizzlybeast

eac3 said:


> I hooked up both my Pulse infinity+LPS+2G cable and Audio-gd NFB-28 (w/ [COLOR=222222]TXCO upgrades)[/COLOR] to my Emotiva XPA-3+Klipsch RF-7II last night.
> 
> In short:
> 
> I will be selling my Pulse and everything I received from LH labs, as it can't compete with my Audio-gd DAC/amp I have. As always, this is my opinion/ears.




Care to describe differences?


----------



## germay0653

wingsounds13 said:


> [edit] I was just reading back through the thread and saw that you have been burning in your infinity for three weeks now..  Oh well, there goes that theory.  That NFB must be pretty good then.  [/edit]
> 
> 
> eac3, how many hours of run time do you have on your infinity?  If it is more than 1 hour and less than 200 hours, I would suggest letting it run (playing, not just sitting with power on) for at least 100 and preferably 200 hours before making a final determination.
> ...


 

 J.P.,
  
 Regarding, "The Pulse X infiinity has the most pronounced break in cycle that I have ever experienced.", you should try some of the Odyssey Audio Khartago, Stratos or Kismet amps.  Same phenomonon, 200 - 400 hours of break in needed for the signal to find its path of least resistance.  Once reached, they're quite the bang for the buck and like others suggest, leave them on all the time.  Idle, they only consume 30 watts per amp.


----------



## eac3

wingsounds13 said:


> [edit] I was just reading back through the thread and saw that you have been burning in your infinity for three weeks now..  Oh well, there goes that theory.  That NFB must be pretty good then.  [/edit]
> 
> 
> eac3, how many hours of run time do you have on your infinity?  If it is more than 1 hour and less than 200 hours, I would suggest letting it run (playing, not just sitting with power on) for at least 100 and preferably 200 hours before making a final determination.
> ...


 
  
  


grizzlybeast said:


> Care to describe differences?


 
  
  
 I have had the pulse Infinity on and playing music through it for 3+ weeks. I would guess I have about 500 hours on it, but I know I have more than 300+ hours at the very least. The LPS and the 2G cable burn in is considerably less (at least 200 on the LPS and 75 hours for the 2G cable).
  
 When I turned the Pulse+LPS off to transfer downstairs to my home theatre system, I left it playing overnight and the next day. It had 10+ hours of "warm up" time.
  
 With much of the chatter on burn in time, I felt this was sufficient. Is it not?
  
 Both my wife and I agreed the Audio-gd sounded better. The Infinity  sounded "thin" (lacking bass). My wife's words were that the Audio-gd sounded rich and more detailed. I definitely  felt the audio-gd was "warmer" and sounded more full/had a more complete sound vs the Infinity, which I felt was missing something (definitely something in the bass for sure).
  
 These things came out when I hooked up to my external amp through XLR connections and listened over my speakers. I also have some sound treatment downstairs and it is quieter. These things did not come out when listening over my SE headphones. However, I remember quite well when I had balanced and non-balanced Mr. Speaker Mad dog headphones that the difference between those two connections was very significant for me. So perhaps I would enjoy (or at least notice a difference on) the Pulse Infinity over a pair of balanced headphones. I don't know. I do know that I originally backed this to replace my audio-gd to get something even better (upgrades anyone?).
  
 I was really hoping to be blown away. With so much hype and perks from LH and recent positive feedback, especially from reputable head-fi members such as yourselves, I was really hoping to have a big grin on my face at the end of the day.
  
 Perhaps I am the only one that feels this way. Or maybe I am doing it wrong.


----------



## wingsounds13

500+ hours should be pretty thoroughly broken in. The Audio GD sounds like a pretty good DAC, and of its character is just a bit warm then I can see how it would be very nice to listen to. While the Pulse X∞ is an excellent DAC, it is fairly neutral. It seems that you are trying to replace an already excellent DAC that has a character that you like. Good luck in this adventure and I am sorry that the infinity didn't do it for you. As you said, we all have our sonic preferences and the Audio GD seems to suit yours well. Sounds like I might really like it too. 

J.P.


----------



## upsguys88

eac3 said:


> I have had the pulse Infinity on and playing music through it for 3+ weeks. I would guess I have about 500 hours on it, but I know I have more than 300+ hours at the very least. The LPS and the 2G cable burn in is considerably less (at least 200 on the LPS and 75 hours for the 2G cable).
> 
> When I turned the Pulse+LPS off to transfer downstairs to my home theatre system, I left it playing overnight and the next day. It had 10+ hours of "warm up" time.
> 
> ...


 
 I can agree that my pulse infinity + LPS4 is considerably smoother with cleaner bass, mids and highs through my balanced headphones!


----------



## atsq17

eac3 said:


> I have had the pulse Infinity on and playing music through it for 3+ weeks. I would guess I have about 500 hours on it, but I know I have more than 300+ hours at the very least. The LPS and the 2G cable burn in is considerably less (at least 200 on the LPS and 75 hours for the 2G cable).
> 
> When I turned the Pulse+LPS off to transfer downstairs to my home theatre system, I left it playing overnight and the next day. It had 10+ hours of "warm up" time.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Well this is head-fi and I think most of the "positive feedback" was based on headphone listening. I think that pairing and matching your equipment from cable all the way to headphone or speakers do matter. I used the Infinity connected to my Rotel RA1570 amp and then to KEF LS50 speakers and it sounded completely different when I used Black Cat Lectraline silver RCA vs Crystal Ultra (also silver) XLR. My system sounded much nicer with the Crystal as the Lectraline caused the sound to be too "excitable". However, switching out the speakers for Boston Acoustics VS240 found that it sounded flat until I put the Lectraline in and it sounded fantastic. In both cases I used a subwoofer paired with my speakers to handle bass and there was no lack of bass or body in the sound. Just awesome clarity and soundstage. 
  
 I am just going to throw this out there but the 2G cable needs in excess of 200 hours as well. When I was using the 1G with the Pulse I found it flat and lacking bass. Using the 2G after (200+ hours burn in) felt just right. I had another Black Cat Silverstar Double Decker USB cable and it had superior bass at the expense of micro-details and soundstage. 
  
 I think that if you sell your infinity, it may be good for you as you already have a nice synergy with the Audio GD and someone else is going to get a good bargain if you sell it at a good price. 
  
 I've gone through almost every sub $1000 and two $1000+ Audio GD DACs and I sold all of them and kept the Infinity based on my tests. It's a matter of preference and equipment synergy.


----------



## deanderson

Has anyone used the Pulse with an iPad? I have them connected via a lighting to usb camera adaptor, and the pulse runs into a preamp to amp to speakers. The channels aren't balanced correctly and only one speaker sounds full and clean. I've done tests with different equipment and a source other than the iPad and it's not the preamp, amp, or speakers. I saw a video where lhlabs plugged an iPad into the geek out with the camera adapter and they used a usb battery hub in between the geek out and the iPad/camera adapter. I was wondering if anyone thought that might help both channels/speakers to sound equal and full and if the geek pulse might need a similar setup, and if yes, what usb power hub (definateley under $100) you would recommend.

Thanks!

Daniel

I just realized this is a stupid question because the pulse is connected to the wall. 

Well if anyone has any ideas anyways, I'd love to hear them!


----------



## jbr1971

deanderson said:


> Has anyone used the Pulse with an iPad? I have them connected via a lighting to usb camera adaptor, and the pulse runs into a preamp to amp to speakers. The channels aren't balanced correctly and only one speaker sounds full and clean. I've done tests with different equipment and a source other than the iPad and it's not the preamp, amp, or speakers. I saw a video where lhlabs plugged an iPad into the geek out with the camera adapter and they used a usb battery hub in between the geek out and the iPad/camera adapter. I was wondering if anyone thought that might help both channels/speakers to sound equal and full and if the geek pulse might need a similar setup, and if yes, what usb power hub (definateley under $100) you would recommend.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have connected my iPhone/iPad to my Pulse Xfi via the CCK and LightSpeed 1G and it worked properly.
  
 Have you connected your Pulse to the computer via USB to make sure it is working properly before connecting the iPad (you did not mention it specifically)?
  
 Jody


----------



## deanderson

jbr1971 said:


> I have connected my iPhone/iPad to my Pulse Xfi via the CCK and LightSpeed 1G and it worked properly.
> 
> Have you connected your Pulse to the computer via USB to make sure it is working properly before connecting the iPad (you did not mention it specifically)?
> 
> Jody




Yes, it worked perfectly when connected to my pc (in another room) after some driver trouble. That was with different speakers and amp, however. But as I said I'm pretty confident with the tests I ran that all the equipment I am using in the room the pulse is in now is working properly.

One thing that may or may not have an effect is that the preamp I'm using only has phono, cd, tape 2/video, and tape 1 inputs. The other amp I was using had an auxiliary and tuner input, which I was using - would that make a difference? I did notice that depending which of the three I used tape 1 sounded best.

One of the tests I did was run a CD player into the cd input on the preamp and that sounded even, although the quality was a lot worse than the pulse, so it is possible that one of the speakers is messed up, and the pulse shows it while the CD player does not. (I think I'm withholding that thought, because these are nice speakers).

It's good to know that it's possible though with the iPad. That checks ones potential issue off the list.

The preamp is twenty years old or so though and i just realized I have access to a much newer and nicer one, so I'll do some more tests with that when I get home.

Thanks for your help

Daniel



Turns out the preamp was the problem. The new one works great.


----------



## upsguys88

hey for burning in the pulse infinity, do i have to have headphones attached or just music flowing through the amp/dac and it attached to my computer?


----------



## mscott58

upsguys88 said:


> hey for burning in the pulse infinity, do i have to have headphones attached or just music flowing through the amp/dac and it attached to my computer?




Best to have it flowing to HP's IME. Also best to do not with $$$ HP's just in case something happens. Cheers


----------



## wingsounds13

As mscott says, it is ultimately necessary to have a load on the headphone amp to complete break in. With no load some break in will occur, but the current draw of a load is necessary for complete break in.

J.P.


----------



## upsguys88

Thanks fellas! That's what I thought but wasn't sure.


----------



## earfonia

Recently my Geek Pulse XFi gets faulty after working fine for about 5 months 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I opened a ticket to LH support, hopefully it can be solved without having to send the unit back to LH:
 https://support.lhlabs.com/support/tickets/18768
  
 I received it in June this year, and recently it doesn't output any sound from both headphone output and line output.
  
 The unit can be turned ON, but no sound at all (only some buzzing noise occasionally), and cannot be used to playback any sound or music.
 It can be detected by Windows, and from Windows audio device properties, I can switch the default sampling rate, and see the changes on the Pulse XFi panel. But when I click the test button, Windows reported:
 "Failed to play test tone."
  

  
  
 Using foobar to play music using Geek Pulse XFi, I got error message:
 Unrecoverable playback error: Unknown error (800700AA)
  
 What I have done:
 1. Power cycle the unit many times including unplugged the DC power connector.
 2. Tested both headphone output and line output.
 3. Tested both USB input and SPDIF1 input.
 No avail, still not able to play music or sound using Geek Pulse XFi.
  
 When I monitor the headphone output, and play test tone using Windows sound device properties panel, I can hear around 200 Hz buzzing noise for around 6 seconds, and then stop. So, most probably the headphone amplifier is working, and the fault could be around the DAC section.
  

  
  
 I have also Geek Pulse (basic) which is working fine. Only my Geek Pulse XFi is faulty at the moment.
  

  
  
 I've wrote some comparison of my Geek Pulse XFi with my other DACs in my review for Yulong DA8II.  Really like the sound signature of Pulse XFi, and feel bad now as it is suddenly muted.


----------



## oneguy

That is quite the tower of power! I'm sorry about your issues though. Hopefully they can get it sorted out.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Light Harmonic Audio Driver 3.26 Driver will be released soon


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Light Harmonic Audio Driver 3.26 Driver will be released soon


 

 How do you find these little tidbits out Michael?


----------



## Ethereal Sound

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Light Harmonic Audio Driver 3.26 Driver will be released soon


 
  
 Woah, really? Can we expect any major improvements in anything?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Will have Win 10 support but they dropped XP and Vista.
  
*See under Driver Installation in the Support page under Getting Started.*
  
https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000676572-pulse-driver-installation
  
*For changelog see this post:*
  
https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000633039-light-harmonic-driver-and-firmware-files
  
 Tried it and failed to make it work...maybe on the works, I don't know its 11pm here, time to bed.


----------



## uncola

weird, I also can't get it to work, using win 10 here.  it just opens a little window and disappears


----------



## germay0653

Same result here.  Guess it's not ready for prime time.


----------



## eac3

Hi guys,
  
 So I left my Audio-gd NFB-28 in the setup and switched between different USB cables (1G, 2G and the Audioquest Forest). 
  
 I was able to hear that the 2G cable resolves more detail or in photography terms, is able to capture more of a dynamic range.
  
 I asked my wife to listen to the Audioquest cable vs the 2G cable and it reminded her somewhat of the difference between open-back and closed back: the sound stage was bigger.
  
 I just wanted to share. I will be burning in the 2G cable some more per your suggestions.
  
 EDIT: I was listening over headphones, SE


----------



## flohmann

Can anyone explain the main firmware changes from 1V2 to the current 1V5? I still have the 1V2 that my Pulse xfi shipped with, and I don't have easy access to a Windows machine, so would love to know whether the changes are major enough to justify my trying to find an old Windows laptop to borrow so I can run the DFU utility. (I'm amazed LH opted for a Win-only update mechanism in 2015!)


----------



## atsq17

If it works fine. Don't change anything in my opinion.


----------



## deathson

Testef the new ver3.26 driver im my surface 3 running win10, it can't running in win10.
I also change compatible setting to win8 and win7, still can't make the driver installer running in normal.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yeah, sent them a ticket. Hope will clarify something..


----------



## earfonia

oneguy said:


> That is quite the tower of power! I'm sorry about your issues though. Hopefully they can get it sorted out.


 
  
Strange, I guess I'm lucky, my Geek Pulse XFi now works fine again 
I reinstalled the LH driver (v2.29) on my desktop, then after re-connection Pulse XFi suddenly works. That's very strange, as previously I tested using both desktop and laptop, re-connected to both desktop and laptop frequently, and XFi was muted on both. Now after driver re-installation on my desktop (only), it is ok on both desktop and laptop 
 
I tried to install the new driver v3.26 on my laptop, Windows 7 Pro 64 bits SP1, the driver failed to install.
 So using driver 2.29 now.


----------



## oneguy

That's awesome! Sometimes the trons door what they want. Hopefully this new found luck is sticking.


----------



## earfonia

oneguy said:


> That's awesome! Sometimes the trons door what they want. Hopefully this new found luck is sticking.


 
  
 Yup!


----------



## snip3r77

Regarding flashing the firmware if there's no problem, don't go and flash it. Drivers installation is fine.


----------



## wingsounds13

Pulse X∞ 250 hour report.

In short, veeeeerry nice! 

The bass is back. Not quite the rich, almost lush bass that I remember from the first half hour or so, but very nice. The bass is easily better than my PS Audio NuWave DAC - not a huge difference, but enough for me to hear fairly readily. Slightly richer and at least as tight as the NuWave.

Mids: very nice. I will have to see if I can make myself spend some time comparing the infinity and the NuWave, but for now I will say that the two are comparable, with the infinity _possibly_ having a very slight advantage. They are close enough that more listening will be required to make a final determination.

Highs easily go to the infinity. With the Pulse in FTM or TCM the NuWave is a bit brighter, or is that sharper? With the Pulse in FRM, they are similar, but the NuWave may be just a tad brighter. This may just be because the infinity is definitely smoother in the highs. This alone is worth the price of admission.

I will say here that the infinity easily has a cleaner, darker background. Perhaps this is just a lower noise floor, and perhaps there is something else involved here - I do not know and cannot say. Nor do I really care. What I can say is that I really like the presentation of the infinity.

Imaging / soundstage: Hands down, the Pulse X∞ takes the lead here. Better image definition, and an easily more three dimensional soundstage. This is clearly best with the FTM filter, but also true to a slightly lesser degree with the other filters. What more need I say?

A comment on how my ears (and system) perceive the filters... I prefer the FTM filter. The TCM is similar to the FTM, but not as well defined in soundstage, not quite as 'black' a background and perhaps a tad weak in the very top end. FRM has the top end, but not as smooth as TCM and similar in background and imaging. FTM does have the best characteristics of FRM and TCM, and even more so. I can see how some might prefer one of the other filters, and how other equipment combinations would influence this. To each his own, and I cannot tell you what you might prefer.

All of this is with the Pulse X∞ working with a possible disadvantage. The NuWave DAC is being sourced through the LightSpeed 2G USB cable, with the power leg disconnected (in my system easily better than with the power leg connected). The Pulse X∞ is being sourced through the LightSpeed 1G USB cable. I will give the infinity another couple of days to hit at least 300 hours before trying it out with the 2G cable. If this manages to improve the Pulse then it will surely be a joy and wonder to listen through.

As a reminder, the equipment involved is:

AMD 620e processor based computer running Windoze 8.0.
16GB RAM.
Foobar2000 as the library manager and player.
No particular audiophile system tuning or refinements.

LS 2G USB cable to
PS Audio NuWave DAC with thousands of hours of operation.
or 
LS 1G USB cable to
LH Labs Pulse X∞ DAC with a bit over 250 hours of operation.
Power is from a Jay's Audio LPS set to 12.00V.

Power cables to both are Cullen Cables Red Copper. 

Interconnects are Aural Thrills (I forget which model, but produced about three or four years ago).

Power amp is PS Audio GCC-500.

Speakers are Magnepan MMG with 12ga. copper magnet wire jumper replacing the original factory (steel?) tweater pad jumper.

Headphones are ZMF Master model V1 through ZMF 8 wire cable terminated with an XLR-4 balanced connector.

J.P.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

The 2G cable does gives a difference. Use it in your Infinity.

And yes, with all the filters I like FTM also the most.


----------



## Benny-x

upsguys88 said:


> hey for burning in the pulse infinity, do i have to have headphones attached or just music flowing through the amp/dac and it attached to my computer?


 


mscott58 said:


> Best to have it flowing to HP's IME. Also best to do not with $$$ HP's just in case something happens. Cheers


 


wingsounds13 said:


> As mscott says, it is ultimately necessary to have a load on the headphone amp to complete break in. With no load some break in will occur, but the current draw of a load is necessary for complete break in.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 Burn in is supposed to be the component getting run in and having all the the internal, operational components settle. How could that happen by not using the component completely, as it's intended to be used? I understand people looking for confirmation and wanting short cuts, but it's not to see how it has to work. 
  
 Anyway :-/
  
 *proceeding with burn in of my own unit, only on hour 1.5/400hrs. Unfortunately sans LPS4, which is out for repairs   Which of course will need to be burned in all when I get it back, putting me back at square 1.5? Maybe I can just leave it plugged in or put it besides the radiator and I'll be good? :~)


----------



## FayeForever

My Infinity has been on since I received it, so at least 500 hrs, the sound suddenly opened up a week ago, everything seems clearer.
 I didn't do critical listening though, I am not even sure if it is the Pulse that's changed or my Ragnarok..


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Anybody experienced and found a solution with this problem?
  
 Seldom touches my Pulse but the other day saw this on display MUTE (don't have a remote control) but still could adjust volume through the knob..


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

For the new 3.26 driver. Manny has re-uploaded it. It worked for me.
  
http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v3.26.0.exe
  
 1. Install
 2.  Click Yes to uninstall previous driver
 3.  After installation, turn off and on Pulse for the driver to kick in.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For the new 3.26 driver. Manny has re-uploaded it. It worked for me.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v3.26.0.exe
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks Michael!


----------



## germay0653

wingsounds13 said:


> Pulse X∞ 250 hour report.
> 
> In short, veeeeerry nice!
> 
> ...


 

 I definitely concur with your finding on imaging and soundstaging.  It truly makes it the most pleasurable DAC I've listened to.  Bass, for me, is tight, even with the Fostex TH900 cans which can be perceived as bloated by some.  Mids are very natural and highs just seem to be pristine with no etch or sibilance.
  
 Can't wait to get mine back from RMA of the infrared sensor.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For the new 3.26 driver. Manny has re-uploaded it. It worked for me.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v3.26.0.exe
> 
> ...


 

 What's your impression of the sound signature using the new driver?


----------



## grizzlybeast

...


----------



## Benny-x

grizzlybeast said:


> I will be getting my LPS tomorrow.
> 
> If it doesn't change drastically its leaving. I believe it can be a fine sounding unit and also think burn in will help BUT... The midrange is not full, its actually scooped to my ears and is very lean and unmusical.
> 
> I already expect the LPS to give it a blacker background and more defined bass but maybe the sabre chip is not for me, atleast in the DACs I have had so far with it in there. There is even that sabre glare in this one.


 
 Hmm, from reports LH Labs/Larry's SABRE implementation is supposed to be one of the mellowest. I have the GO1000 and it's not jumpy or glary by any means, and I'm also quite averse to this. If I were you I'd let it run in for a month 24/7 with the LPS and included 2G cable, then see what you think. It's not going to hurt it or the resale value, but it could save your wallet from the next adventure. That's just my take on it, though 
  
Also, my little feedback after running mine for a bit:
 The Infinity is alright and I'm going to let it keep burning in, but I don't think it's the giant killer and price/performance monster that the marketing gears had it pegged as.
  
 The mids were nice and smooth, the highs had air, bu weren't stingy, and the bass was tight. It doesn't have a fullness or bloom in the bass, which I would really like and will see what I can do to change, but overall it works well enough. It's not hard on the ears and does make music sound nice. The build quality is also nice, much more so than the Geek Pulse 1.0 units. I've got to keep burning it in before I can say what I really think of it, but I can say I won't be passing it on. It'll work well in the office and will probably have good technical support from here forward about drivers and the like. It's good and I like it overall, but could my money have been better spent elsewhere and gotten a product SIGNIFICANTLY sooner, probably. 
  
 I will give an update in a month or so after I've run it in with the 2G cable. Then like I mentioned above, I'll have to do it all over again when I get my LPS4 back.


----------



## earfonia

wingsounds13 said:


> Pulse X∞ 250 hour report.
> 
> .............





> Highs easily go to the infinity. With the Pulse in FTM or TCM the NuWave is a bit brighter, or is that sharper? With the Pulse in FRM, they are similar, but the NuWave may be just a tad brighter. This may just be because the infinity is definitely smoother in the highs. This alone is worth the price of admission.
> 
> I will say here that the infinity easily has a cleaner, darker background. Perhaps this is just a lower noise floor, and perhaps there is something else involved here - I do not know and cannot say. Nor do I really care. What I can say is that I really like the presentation of the infinity.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I suspect there is a bug on my XFi. First, I couldn't hear any different between all the filters setting. Second, there is no observable differences on the oscilloscope when playing 12 kHz square wave (24 bit - 48 kHz) on all filters setting. All other DACs I tested showing observable differences between the filter setting, but not on Pulse XFi.
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/779702/yulong-da8ii-in-depth-review#post_11884909
  
 Or probably it is normal for Pulse filters not showing any differences on oscilloscope?
  
  


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For the new 3.26 driver. Manny has re-uploaded it. It worked for me.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v3.26.0.exe
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks! Will try again later. Previous 3.26 installer didn't work on both Win 7 and Win 10.


----------



## Benny-x

grizzlybeast said:


> ...


 
 Impressive perseverance. I see your For Sale ad there XD
  
 Good luck with the next one, man


----------



## uncola

the new copy of the driver worked for me!  woo I'm up to date


----------



## Lord Raven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For the new 3.26 driver. Manny has re-uploaded it. It worked for me.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v3.26.0.exe
> 
> ...


 
 Hey hey,
  
 mickey thanks for the update, is it possible to go back if the new driver gives you problems?
  
 Thanks


----------



## snip3r77

uncola said:


> the new copy of the driver worked for me!  woo I'm up to date





Any SQ improvement ?????


----------



## bhazard

I haven't noticed any sq differences so far with the new driver.


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For the new 3.26 driver. Manny has re-uploaded it. It worked for me.
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v3.26.0.exe
> 
> ...


 
 So I went to download the new driver and Norton 360 said the .exe file was a Trojan threat and then deleted it! Doh. Anyone else have this?


----------



## miceblue

I use Windows Defender; I can't say I've used any other anti-malware software in years (since W7's release). No problems with 3.26 for me.

Sound quality wise, there _might_(?) be a little more instrument separation with my 24/352.8 test track, but it's not really something I would say is worth noting. Plus, it's near impossible to accurately A/B between drivers unless you have 2 identical computers since it takes at least 2 minutes to get things installed/uninstalled/reconnect peripherals.


----------



## grizzlybeast

benny-x said:


> Impressive perseverance. I see your For Sale ad there XD
> 
> Good luck with the next one, man


 
 Thanks for the luck. FWIW its got a lot of pros I will hear the LPS Tomorrow but Ultimately I know what I need... No Sabres right now.


----------



## goaliedad39

My Pulse XFI is heading back to LH for repair.  Volume knob became unresponsive and when trying to play Audirvana through USB, Audirvana wouldn't play and kept giving an error message.  When trying to play through iTunes, would on play on laptops speakers even though the Pulse was selected as the output.  Tried all of LH's recommended fixes and nothing worked, so it's heading back to them.
  
 While I have been quite pleased with the audio of the XFI, I am considering selling it along with the LPS4 when I get it back.  Thinking of replacing it with a Wyred 4 Sound Dac2.  Has anyone had experience with the W4S?  How does the sound compare with the xfi?  Currently a little frustrated with the reliability of the Pulse.  Of course once I get it back I might decide to keep it.  Still riding the fence.


----------



## johangrb

I'm fairly happy with my regular Pulse so far. Was thinking of getting a X/Infinty, but the reliability issues + no transferable warranty makes for 2nd thoughts. Plus low resale values -hmm.


----------



## audiolab1

I've been away from the lhlabs forums for some time now, and I'm wondering why there is so little activity over there. Anyone know?
 I have a standard Pulse and while it has been "okay", I have not found it to be overly special. Mind you, I am comparing it to a Bryston BDA-1, so maybe that's a bit unfair of me. I have recently been looking at the PiPo x8 and x9 to possibly use with my Pulse and either Foobar or Roon. Has anyone here tried the Pulse with a PiPo? Any issues with the lhlabs drivers on those units?
  
 Thanks!


----------



## grizzlybeast

johangrb said:


> I'm fairly happy with my regular Pulse so far. Was thinking of getting a X/Infinty, but the reliability issues + no transferable warranty makes for 2nd thoughts. Plus low resale values -hmm.


 
 yeah I saw you looking at my add...I have had the standard pulse myself
  
 The pulse x infinity is no comparison and the standard pulse flat out disappointed me. I recommend to get an LPS first if not sell it and buy a JDS LABS ELEMENT or Modi 2 Vali 2 stack...its no where near its MSRP and neither is the infinity for that matter. I would say the MSRP for the infinity should be 1499 at best no matter what chassis. I can't believe they would charge 2000+ for this... no way in desert island and a 40 cassette speaker as an alternative would I do that. 
  
 I have to admit that what I am selling mine for at 845 is an absolute steal but still that says something about the resell value. WTH LHLABS. If you guys did put out a giant killer it wouldn't have this effect. I paid 1400 dollars and will loose 600 to sell it after waiting over a YEAR....


----------



## Maelob

Totally agree resale value on them are going down the drain.  In my opinion thats a result of the indiegogo campaign and the over hyping the product.  I doubt many people will buy the unit at full MSRP. On the positive side the XFI has been getting really good reviews and comparing favorably with comparable MSRP DACs.  But I believe the damage is done - they are going to have to think hard about pricing and no kidding they need to be realistic about price performance but also about the reliability of their products.  The issue is that because there is a fair number of unhappy campers and the word is spreading out in the community.  They need to sit down and figure out their business models. Because all their potential high end customers are audiophiles.  Wish them the best. So far I am happy. no issues with my XFI although i mostly do rebook Tidal streaming via and IMAC and rarely i do hires. knock on wood.


----------



## Drsparis

Any international people get their infinity 2.0 yet? Kind of peeved that they are selling some on amazon for "black Friday" yet they haven't even fulfilled all orders yet.


----------



## grizzlybeast

maelob said:


> Totally agree resale value on them are going down the drain.  In my opinion thats a result of the indiegogo campaign and the over hyping the product.  I doubt many people will buy the unit at full MSRP. *On the positive side the XFI has been getting really good reviews and comparing favorably with comparable MSRP DACs.*  But I believe the damage is done - they are going to have to think hard about pricing and no kidding they need to be realistic about price performance but also about the reliability of their products.  The issue is that because there is a fair number of unhappy campers and the word is spreading out in the community.  They need to sit down and figure out their business models. Because all their potential high end customers are audiophiles.  Wish them the best. So far I am happy. no issues with my XFI although i mostly do rebook Tidal streaming via and IMAC and rarely i do hires. knock on wood.


 
 That is true....
  
 You are right.


----------



## nudd

Even if it sounds good their perceived reliability issues and lack of transferable warranty is enough put audiophiles off the Pulse.


----------



## leomitch

Sorry to hear you all having second thoughts about the Infinity. I love it and in concert with my new AudioQuest Nighthawks with a balanced 4 pin cable, they make remarkably wonderful music. But you are correct from a business point of view LHL is cutting themselves right out of the market. Too bad really. They need to sit down with a sharp pencil and rethink prices.
 Having said all that, I am glad I have my Infinity.
  
  
 Leo


----------



## johangrb

@ Grizzlybeast: I do run a LPS with my Pulse. An Uptone Regen also helps 
  
 I'll see what the Infinity's drop to in 2016 (also Fleabay auctions seem to have had some good deals on Geeks in the past).


----------



## FayeForever

The thing about the Pulse is the execution. The bug in the original Pulse was pretty bad and I am not entirely happy about the chassis build quality of the Infinity. People will have a feeling they have what they paid for during the campaign, but not at MSRP.


----------



## grizzlybeast

fayeforever said:


> The thing about the Pulse is the execution. The bug in the original Pulse was pretty bad and I am not entirely happy about the chassis build quality of the Infinity. People will have a feeling they have what they paid for during the campaign, but not at MSRP.


 
 Dude they could have made a wooden box. This thing looks down right cheap and the knob is rickity with its stupid ticks.


----------



## FayeForever

grizzlybeast said:


> Dude they could have made a wooden box. This thing looks down right cheap and the knob is rickity with its stupid ticks.


 

 Yeah for the Infinity I would say the 1.0 chassis is too simple and the knob is pretty cheap. That's why I opt for 2.0.
 But for my 2.0 chassis the side screws are loose and when I tighten them up the top acrylic won't come off because it is too tight. That was a What moment for me.


----------



## grizzlybeast

OUCH


----------



## audiolab1

fayeforever said:


> Yeah for the Infinity I would say the 1.0 chassis is too simple and the knob is pretty cheap. That's why I opt for 2.0.
> But for my 2.0 chassis the side screws are loose and when I tighten them up the top acrylic won't come off because it is too tight. That was a What moment for me.


 
  
 Not just for the Infinity, IMHO, the fit, finish, and overall quality and ergonomics are poor for the regular Pulse too. Just check out what iFi, Schiit, and others are doing for sub-$500. The whole attitude from lhlabs during the development phase was "this is what we can do, so this is what it will be", then the products were horribly late, and now they are "fixing" the bad design with a new chassis and saying we can upgrade for more $$$. The new design is what we should have had from the get-go...arrggg...don't get me started!


----------



## FayeForever

LOL


----------



## carz

In light of the concerns out there on the build reliability and competitor's warranty policies , one confidence builder is for LH to upgrade their warranty for all Indiegogo backers to at least 3 years. And for those earlier backers that already have 2 years to 3+1 years. And to remove the non transferrability. 

That's the very least LH can do to for backers who have pledged their money. They shouldn't be made to bear the risk of early reliability issues. For electronics boards, if it holds up well for first 2 years, statistically it'll be good from there on. 

And they shouldn't be *punished * with poor resale value due to this and the non transferrability of the warranty. 

They need to start thinking of ways of rebuilding customers confidence and goodwill, and to arrest the slide. 

The longer this goes on without any action on their part, the worse the word-of-mouth news will spread. 

This will not only affect the Geek sales, but that of their premium products as well. The brand name image is all important.


----------



## Audio Addict

carz said:


> In light of the concerns out there on the build reliability and competitor's warranty policies , one confidence builder is for LH to upgrade their warranty for all Indiegogo backers to at least 3 years. And for those earlier backers that already have 2 years to 3+1 years. And to remove the non transferrability.
> 
> That's the very least LH can do to for backers who have pledged their money. They shouldn't be made to bear the risk of early reliability issues. For electronics boards, if it holds up well for first 2 years, statistically it'll be good from there on.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Not to defend LH Labs as they have a lot of my money but I just received another manufacturers higher volume lower cost unit and their warranty is also not transferable and limited to 1 year with no shipping costs covered.  Also if you changed your mind, you can return it but are hit with a 30% restocking fee.  
  
 The point being at the cost structure of the Indiegogo campaign, I suspect there really isn't that much profit in this direct to consumer product model.  I look at what I have in my Infinity which included the shipping as well as a 1G and 2G USB cables and I can't see how they made any money from me or for that matter did not lose money.


----------



## grizzlybeast

audio addict said:


> Not to defend LH Labs as they have a lot of my money but I just received another manufacturers higher volume lower cost unit and their warranty is also not transferable and limited to 1 year with no shipping costs covered.  Also if you changed your mind, you can return it but are hit with a 30% restocking fee.
> 
> The point being at the cost structure of the Indiegogo campaign, I suspect there really isn't that much profit in this direct to consumer product model.  I look at what I have in my Infinity which included the shipping as well as a 1G and 2G USB cables and I can't see how they made any money from me or *for that matter did not lose money.*


 
 how much did you pay?
 I did get a free infinity upgrade but at 1400 out of pocket I am pretty sure they made their money back from me and others that paid what I did. We can't be naiive and think any company would sell something to someone they do not know for more than the cost of parts and marketing fees etc to atleast break even. 
  
 30% restocking fee?


----------



## carz

It is not so much about cost, but about smart marketing and damage control now.

Perception is everything and a smart manufacturer will respond to perceived reliability issue with a warranty upgrade response to allay fears, whether real or perceived. What's a better way to restore confidence and potential loss in sales. In an Internet world, this is all so important. 

The question, what is the cost of not doing anything ? Besides, what will it cost them? Very little versus the loss in market confidence, goodwill and future sales. 

And revoking the non-transferable warranty will help with the poor resale value, which again is a major grouse. A goodwill gesture like this which costs next to nothing, will go a long way to rebuild trust and confidence. Which is so difficult to gain back once lost. 

The reality is Schiit Yggdrasil has a 5 year warranty


----------



## carz

If you look at the retail price of the Pulse infinity @ $2500, you will get an idea of the manufacturing cost.


----------



## upsguys88

carz said:


> It is not so much about cost, but about smart marketing and damage control now.
> 
> Perception is everything and a smart manufacturer will respond to perceived reliability issue with a warranty upgrade response to allay fears, whether real or perceived. What's a better way to restore confidence and potential loss in sales. In an Internet world, this is all so important.
> 
> ...




I had this issue with me pulse LPS and after a few emails they agreed to fix my LPS which I had bought from one of the early backers and gave me an extended 1 year warranty.


----------



## nudd

upsguys88 said:


> I had this issue with me pulse LPS and after a few emails they agreed to fix my LPS which I had bought from one of the early backers and gave me an extended 1 year warranty.


 

 Also this, where if you are persistent and call the customer warranty people, apparently some people do get different treatment from their stated policies. Why not change the policy rather than leave it to some sort of discretionary rule where if you can get them on a good day, you get, for example, refunds, warranty transfer, rma shipping at their cost, etc. But on another day a person with the same sort of issues does not get the benefit of refunds, warranty transfer, free return shipping for rma, etc.
  
 It just makes the whole process more uncertain and adds to the perception of unreliability.


----------



## carz

Exactly, the discretionary approach does nothing to allay fear and gain the backer's goodwill. The point is, it cost them almost next to nothing to do it; it's a no brainer. 


Moreover, the delay plus the poor resale value as a result of all that has happened, probably about wiped out most of the discount gained.


----------



## Benny-x

It's sad/funny when you see people in hear putting their effort, thoughts, and emotion into figuring out a solution for the problem, but knowing that LHL doesn't come in to read anything. If they do, they're certainly being inconspicuous enough and and holding out long enough on making said changes that no one will ever suspect any of these posts to have had any connection to the solution...
  
 Griz really has the right idea with cutting the strings and jumping ship. You keep the Pulse/Infinity + LPS is you like it, but if you're having trouble you might as well leave because this isn't going to be a fun party to stay at. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping my Infinity keeps making nice music and hopefully the LPS4 works flawlessly when I get it back from RMA.


----------



## doctorjazz

Boy, hope the Vi Tube dac crew are happier campers when they start to ship.


----------



## Audio Addict

grizzlybeast said:


> how much did you pay?
> I did get a free infinity upgrade but at 1400 out of pocket I am pretty sure they made their money back from me and others that paid what I did. We can't be naiive and think any company would sell something to someone they do not know for more than the cost of parts and marketing fees etc to atleast break even.
> 
> 30% restocking fee?




I was early so Infinity with LPS4 roughly $1500 but I bought 2 along with 2 Blues which are still somewhere in development.


----------



## carz

My suggestion isn't meant to squeeze anything extra from them, but my motivation is to see them get of this quagmire. 

After all, if the dac works without a hitch, then what do we gain from it? 

Except that, because of renewed confidence, we get a better resale value if in future we decide to sell it. 

And what do they gain from it? A lot!


----------



## adrian0115

grizzlybeast said:


> Dude they could have made a wooden box. This thing looks down right cheap and the knob is rickity with its stupid ticks.


 
 I was one of the early backers and also called them out on the BS marketing here as well.  I can assure you guys I know exactly how you feel.  Thanks to Stephanie and the rest of the customer happiness team, I recently received all 3 of my Infinity 2.0s and I agree with you guys that the volume knob could be better since it's a bit too sensitive when trying to select things from the menu.
  
 Grizz, I'm not sure how you got a free infinity upgrade but these things all costed me more than $1400 (Infinity/LPS etc) for each setup as well.  To me, it's not small change.
  
 Just like when I called them out on the BS marketing, I wanna be objective and fair to say that the current customer happiness team has gone out of their way to assist me in a more than timely manner.  
  
 I've been running in the Infinity/LPS/2G (FTM filter) setup non-stop for about a week now and upgraded to the 3.26 drivers.  I did run into an unknown error during playback with Foobar/WASAPI like someone else posted earlier but it's been working ok so far with the 3.26 drivers.  I haven't run into any show stopping bugs yet and haven't had the popping noises due to the DAC chips resetting when changing sample rates (44.1/88.2/96/192).
  
 Since I haven't been in the position to listen to the diverse amount of equipment that everyone has I'd like to say that this setup driving my HD650's (single ended) sound pretty good and I really have no complaints about sound quality. 
  
 I'm an international backer and picked this up from HK and I first listened to the Infinity going into a pair of Clones Audio amps (single ended) and LS50s as well as a balanced pair of LCD-3s.  To be honest, I have no complaints about sound quality since all the music I tested sounded smoother without the harshness/sibilance of lesser equipment.  To me, this is a great DAC and the built-in headphone amp circuit is more than good enough for me.  Of course, I haven't been fortunate enough to listen to all the other better equipment that some of you guys have so this is all my personal experience.  
  
 It is unfortunate that it looks like everyone is dumping the Pulses and depressing the prices so that I can't even get back what I put in if I sell, but the sound quality is there IMHO.  
  
 I also understand everyone's concerns on reliability/RMA etc and I can assure you I've got all the tickets to prove my concerns regarding testing/extended warranties etc.  The warranty on my LPS's basically expired waiting for the Pulse and I didn't even know if they were faulty or not.  
  
 Therefore, I agree with you guys that LH Labs can improve in a lot of areas and also on the warranty due to the extended wait for the Pulse etc.  But to be fair, even high end brands that I've come across tend to have non-transferrable warranties as well as 20% or so restocking so LH isn't the only ones playing this game.  
  
 Bottom line is I know exactly how everyone feels since I'm right there with you since Jan2014 and now that I finally have the stuff I'm going to continue testing and come back to you guys after burn-in and report what my thoughts are and any issues.  So far, I have no complaints regarding the sound quality, but that could be because I don't have the reference gear that you guys have.  You guys have depressed the prices that it makes it difficult to sell.  LOL


----------



## grizzlybeast

adrian0115 said:


> I was one of the early backers and also called them out on the BS marketing here as well.  I can assure you guys I know exactly how you feel.  Thanks to Stephanie and the rest of the customer happiness team, I recently received all 3 of my Infinity 2.0s and I agree with you guys that the volume knob could be better since it's a bit too sensitive when trying to select things from the menu.
> 
> Grizz, I'm not sure how you got a free infinity upgrade but these things all costed me more than $1400 (Infinity/LPS etc) for each setup as well.  To me, it's not small change.


 
 I didn't get an lps. I got an upgrade from the xfi to infinity because they told me my unit would be ready and then they pushed it back again when I asked. 
  
 I paid 1400 then bought an LPS from someone here. You guys paid less than me if you got an LPS and infinity for 1400. 1400 for both actually sounds reasonable.


----------



## adrian0115

grizzlybeast said:


> I didn't get a free lps. I got an upgrade from the xfi to infinity.
> 
> I paid 1400 then bought an LPS from someone here. You guys paid less than me if you got an LPS and infinity for 1400. 1400 for both actually sounds reasonable.


 
 Hi Grizz,
  
 Yea, interested to know the story behind the free infinity upgrade.  It was less than 1500 but I can't remember exactly right now.  That price was for the Infinity/LPS/Cables since I backed in Jan2014.


----------



## AlterSack

drsparis said:


> Any international people get their infinity 2.0 yet? Kind of peeved that they are selling some on amazon for "black Friday" yet they haven't even fulfilled all orders yet.


 

 nope - still waiting


----------



## NigelJ

Also still waiting in the UK. Originally backed the Pulse on 14th December 2013.


----------



## RickDastardly

Another early backer from the UK here waiting on Infinity 2.0.


----------



## m17xr2b

End of December 2013 Infinity 2.0 UK backer also. I was told I would receve it by the end of the month but at this rate I guess it will be in 2016.


----------



## grizzlybeast

nigelj said:


> Also still waiting in the UK. Originally backed the Pulse on 14th December 2013.



Wow


----------



## adrian0115

nigelj said:


> Also still waiting in the UK. Originally backed the Pulse on 14th December 2013.


 
 Wow, open a ticket and see what's going on.  I received mine under extenuating circumstances even though I backed a couple weeks later than you.  I am currently in Shanghai and since China customs is a bigger pain than any of you guys can imagine, they decided it was best to send it to HK.  Therefore I flew to HK to pick them up.  Not trying to jump the queue but since I had to fly to pick it up, they did me a favor.


----------



## smial1966

I first backed for a Geek Pulse DAC on *29th* *October* *2013*. Though I knew that opting for chassis 2.0 would delay delivery I'd hoped to have received it by now.
  
 Contacting the LH Labs `Happiness Team' a week ago elicited this response -
  
This is Stephanie at LH labs, thank you for your time. Our second batch of Pulse Infinity units in the New Chassis are getting ready to ship out. Your unit will ship out in this batch  When your unit is ready to leave our facility you will receive a shipping notification with a tracking number.
   Best Wishes,
Stephanie
_Customer Happiness Agent_
 
- So hopefully international backers will receive our units soon, as goodness knows that we've waited long enough for them. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  
 Quote:


m17xr2b said:


> End of December 2013 Infinity 2.0 UK backer also. I was told I would receve it by the end of the month but at this rate I guess it will be in 2016.


----------



## bigbung

Has anyone had the opportunity to listen to both the XFi and infinity? I am wondering if the sound difference is significant between the 2?


----------



## AlterSack

adrian0115 said:


> Wow, open a ticket and see what's going on.  I received mine under extenuating circumstances even though I backed a couple weeks later than you.  I am currently in Shanghai and since China customs is a bigger pain than any of you guys can imagine, they decided it was best to send it to HK.  Therefore I flew to HK to pick them up.  Not trying to jump the queue but since I had to fly to pick it up, they did me a favor.


 
 WOW - I never had thought that anything could be a bigger pain in the a... than german customs. ....
  
 On a Lightspeed Externder Cable (49 USD on IGG plus 13 for shipping) I now had to pay an additional 39,08 EURO as import tax, customs  plus DHL handling fee just because the Commercial invoice doesn't include a number for shipping but the total 64 USD.
 Therefore german customs assume a shipping cost number and then the total (roughly 90 USD) is used to calculate tax and customs.
 All in all the price for the cable has doubled this way.
 That is ridiculous but it is reality.
 I can recover some of that money but I have to negotiate with customs and DHL and I have to do this for each and every package that LHL is sending me.
  
 I opened a ticket with LHL and asked them to change their routine how they are writing their commercial invoices - I hope they will listen.


----------



## adrian0115

altersack said:


> WOW - I never had thought that anything could be a bigger pain in the a... than german customs. ....
> 
> On a Lightspeed Externder Cable (49 USD on IGG plus 13 for shipping) I now had to pay an additional 39,08 EURO as import tax, customs  plus DHL handling fee just because the Commercial invoice doesn't include a number for shipping but the total 64 USD.
> Therefore german customs assume a shipping cost number and then the total (roughly 90 USD) is used to calculate tax and customs.
> ...


 
 Hehe, anything imported gets tripled here so that's why you see people buying up everything from everywhere else.  Don't want to get into it but there's a reason why I went to HK.


----------



## nudd

So some people say that DSD is more euphonic and I have been experimenting with PCM -> DSD real time conversion via Foobar2k.
  
 Now this works fine at multiples of 44.1khz (ie 44.1 and 88.2), which gives is the equivalent of DSD64 or DSD128 on the Pulse, but it doesn't seem to accept multiples of 48 or 96khz (playback defaults to PCM 48khz or 96khz). I am not sure if this is an inherent limitation of the Foobar asio dsd plugin or the Pulse firmware.
  
 Does anyone know if the Pulse accepts DSD equivalent sampling rates at those multiples and if so, how did you get it working? Apparently from what I could gather on Google, some dsd DACs just don't example rates that are the equivalent of multiples of 48khz in PCM-land. Is that right?


----------



## Arinko

Raised a ticket and was told there were 130 units before my order. Will take up to a week and a half before it would be sent out. Still waiting in Australia.


----------



## AlterSack

I also got an answer, basically saying that batch 2 is about to be shipped or shipping (good for all that are in) and that my infinity will probably be delivered in batch 3 which is planned to start shipping in January 2016...
  
 (I am an international backer and have backed the Pulse DAC in November 2014.)
 Here is the answer from Stephanie at LHLabs (she surely is doing her best on the customer "happiness" side - to my mind this word is a contradiction in itself regarding LHL)
  
 "The current estimate our production team has provided is that the 2nd batch of Pulse X infinity units will ship out within the next week and be completed in December. The third batch will begin shipment in the beginning of January and be completed by early February."
  
 So - don't expect too much guys - there is still  a looong waiting time  for many of us ..
  
  
 I must say that I am seriously thinking of selling every LHLabs bit as I won't  be needing it anymore when I receive it.
  
 Worst Situation of course is with the WAVE.  I had funded it in July 2014  - and look at how many really good DAPs that are way cheaper have come out since then.
  
 Crowddesigining definitely ONLY helped LHLabs - NOT the backers - my 2c, but we have all llearned this the hard way I guess.


----------



## nicolo

I am glad that i ordered the Cavalli Audio Liquid Carbon. Even though it was delayed by a couple of months due to parts shortage, will be receiving mine within this weekend. Also got a Emotiva DC-1 DAC to pair with it. I will be selling the Infinity the moment i get it.
  
 So utterly and absolutely sick of the constant delays, new campaigns, and frequent mails about discounts and sales. Sheesh.


----------



## smial1966

When received my Infinity will be blown up with explosives and the footage uploaded to YouTube. Wasteful? probably, but mentally cathartic given the BS that LH Labs have subjected backers to during the last 2 years+.
  
 Quote:


nicolo said:


> I am glad that i ordered the Cavalli Audio Liquid Carbon. Even though it was delayed by a couple of months due to parts shortage, will be receiving mine within this weekend. Also got a Emotiva DC-1 DAC to pair with it. I will be selling the Infinity the moment i get it.
> 
> So utterly and absolutely sick of the constant delays, new campaigns, and frequent mails about discounts and sales. Sheesh.


----------



## oneguy

I'll gladly take it off your hands


----------



## Leondinas

smial1966 said:


>


 
 I would love to get it from you as well. 

 Let me know if you plan to let it go !


----------



## johangrb

leondinas said:


> I would love to get it from you as well.
> 
> Let me know if you plan to let it go !


 
 Just be patient - a deluge of heavily discounted Geeks will be on the used market in 2016!


----------



## Leondinas

johangrb said:


> Just be patient - a deluge of heavily discounted Geeks will be on the used market in 2016!


 
 Totally agree on that !! 

 For my side, i still waited for bloody Geek Wave.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

I think we all learned that crowd funding only helps the companies that are backed.  People were led to think that they were getting good deals, but really the main benefit is helping the company.  People just get frustrated when a company either isn't responsive (which LHL thankfully is very responsive) and diversifying too much and too many unending perks (which LHL is more than guilty of).  That said, they've developed some products that should get them retail ready, and hopefully should be around to stay.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Backed my Infinity October 29, 2013 and was shipped May 28, 2015. 
 A 1.6 year of wait for a dual mono AQ2M DAC that cost me $900, realistically IMO is still a bargain.
  
 If I will spend that money now to get other present day DACs?
  
_No, I think with the sound I am hearing, I think I still got a great bargain._
_Not very pickey with looks and knobs. Its now under my desk anyway along with the LPS4_
  
 If LH Labs will have other nice ideas will you support it again.  
  
_And will wait again? No, I am good for now. Currently saving for other acquisitions._
_( Funded and In waiting: Geek Wave Signature, Pulse Tube HPA w/ modules,  Saving for__: A__udio Zenith PMx2, Uptone's USB Regen) _


----------



## Lord Raven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Backed my Infinity October 29, 2013 and was shipped May 28, 2015.
> A 1.6 year of wait for a dual mono AQ2M DAC that cost me $900, realistically IMO is still a bargain.
> 
> If I will spend that money now to get other present day DACs?
> ...


 
 Hi Mickey,
  
 Your story almost made me cry hehe Thanks for introducing me to both Regen and PMx2, now I have a purpose in life to live upto  LOL
  
 What do you think about this little bad boy while Regen is out of stock?
  
http://www.abt.com/product/93265/Audioquest-JITTERBUG.html?utm_source=pepperjam&publisherId=43737&clickId=1456516498&sid=ihgjnrbc81000k6o01b9i&utm_medium=aff&utm_campaign=43737


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Best bang for the buck bud.
  
 You can look at Schiit Audio's Wyrd also which is closer to Regen.


----------



## coletrain104

lord raven said:


> Hi Mickey,
> 
> Your story almost made me cry hehe Thanks for introducing me to both Regen and PMx2, now I have a purpose in life to live upto  LOL
> 
> ...


 
 I had an experience with a member at a meet who said is made sound sig changes, and didn't get rid of his jitter issues. I would be wary, as I believe there is talk of it not really doing what it is meant to do.


----------



## Chrome Robot

Today I give thanks that I came to my senses over a year ago and stopped any further purchases, perks, upgrades, or investments in vaporware from LHLabs. 
  
 My Xfi has been returned to LHLabs once already and it has the SQ of DACs that I could purchase now for ~ $600-800 (I paid about $900 for Xfi plus LPS). Even now it shuts down about twice a day and must be power cycled, I have no interest in wasting time by sending it back again. Also have a vanilla Pulse on the way (and well past the date that was originally promised), that was part of the HE-560 bundle. I know all the crowdfunding caveats, but (with the notable exceptions of dealing with Gina and Stephanie) this company is just bad. Can not sell or give away in good conscience, so it will be the backup of my backup.
  
 Good luck to all you Vi, Wave, Blue crowdfunders.
  
 BTW - stopped playback mid-song as I was writing this post.


----------



## Lord Raven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Best bang for the buck bud.
> 
> You can look at Schiit Audio's Wyrd also which is closer to Regen.


 
 Wyrd USB Decrapifier LOL I like its name already  haha Does it really do the USB decrapification ? I need to read about it


----------



## Lord Raven

coletrain104 said:


> I had an experience with a member at a meet who said is made sound sig changes, and didn't get rid of his jitter issues. I would be wary, as I believe there is talk of it not really doing what it is meant to do.


 
 This is my exact concern, are you specifically talking about the jitter bug or all the USB decrapifiers? LOL
  
 I heard about the iFi nano USB regen, then suddenly so many appeared in the sales threads, I knew it then that it wasn't working haha


----------



## Stealer

Does a Geek Pulse X needs a neW driver for Win10?
Sorry if this question had been asked.


----------



## snip3r77

No


----------



## coletrain104

lord raven said:


> This is my exact concern, are you specifically talking about the jitter bug or all the USB decrapifiers? LOL
> 
> I heard about the iFi nano USB regen, then suddenly so many appeared in the sales threads, I knew it then that it wasn't working haha


 
 Specifically the Jitterbug, and the member in question already had a Schiit Wyrd. He uses the Wyrd, and said that the Jitterbug didn't get rid of the jitter noise he has been trying to change (I believe the wyrd is working for him) but apparently the Jitterbug just colored the sound in some way. I tried to get more from him, but essentially, he just believes it sounds different, and now uses the wyrd, which solved his issues.


----------



## Benny-x

stealer said:


> Does a Geek Pulse X needs a neW driver for Win10?
> Sorry if this question had been asked.


 


snip3r77 said:


> No


 
  
 Well, I used my Pulse X Infinity and the GO1000 on my windows 10 laptop and it worked ~OK and the GO1000 barely worked worth a ****. I had actually given up on the GO1000 and was going to RMA it since it was so bad.
  
 Then 3.26 came out and now my GO1000 is working flawlessly. I haven't tried the Pulse X Infinity with 3.26 yet, but my friend who has it on loan has and says it's being a bit spotty, dropping out. So, who knows...


----------



## doctorjazz

Another reason not to upgrade to Windows 10...


----------



## johangrb

doctorjazz said:


> Another reason not to upgrade to Windows 10...


 
 Not necessarily. I run a Burson 160 and a PS Audio dac off 2 Windows 10 machines - zero problems. I tried with my Pulse - no go (Pulse works perfect with my Macbook though).
  
 Drivers makes a difference. Ymmv.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I tried Windows 10...
  
 1. since some of my old programs will not run anymore on Win 10
 2. since I still I don't like the half baked interface
 3. that they bury deep the advance controls 
 4. and after ABing i prefer the sound of Win 7 over Win 8.1 and 10...
  
 therefore
  
 Long live Win XP / Win 7!!


----------



## miceblue

As an OS X user, I like W10 far more than W Vista/7/8/8.1. XD


----------



## doctorjazz

Use the Geek Out Special Edition (1000 upgrade, whatever they call it), will stick to Windows 7 Professional for now, thanks.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

You're happy, I'm happy!


----------



## Lord Raven

I have no issues on Windows 10, or my Samsung Note 3 via OTG  

Still not sure if I should upgrade the new SW version on my SFi.


----------



## Lord Raven

The cheapest (so far) battery charger, I found it in UK but it is 79 in USA. I will be using it for charging and going mobile with my DAC.
  
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-20000mAh-Multi-Voltage-Portable-Technology/dp/B00GSLRKJO/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1448677440&sr=1-6&keywords=anker+astro+battery


----------



## Benny-x

doctorjazz said:


> Another reason not to upgrade to Windows 10...


 


johangrb said:


> Not necessarily. I run a Burson 160 and a PS Audio dac off 2 Windows 10 machines - zero problems. I tried with my Pulse - no go (Pulse works perfect with my Macbook though).
> 
> Drivers makes a difference. Ymmv.


 
  
 Yeah, I don't think this is an OS issue as much as it's a device issue. I also have a PS Audio DAC and Gustrad U12, both of which need drivers to overcome the built Windows sound stuff and they both work fine. I just hope the Pulse X Infinity 2.0 smiles, enjoys it's patched up LPS4 when I get it, and works seamlessly.


----------



## Audio Addict

benny-x said:


> Yeah, I don't think this is an OS issue as much as it's a device issue. I also have a PS Audio DAC and Gustrad U12, both of which need drivers to overcome the built Windows sound stuff and they both work fine. I just hope the Pulse X Infinity 2.0 smiles, enjoys it's patched up LPS4 when I get it, and works seamlessly.




I run my Infinity 2.0 with the 3.26 driver off a Dell laptop and WIN 10 without problems with Roon providing the music.


----------



## wingsounds13

The latest update on my infinity:

550 hour report. Still improving, but the changes now are subtle. The bass has settled in nicely and is getting just a slightly warmer character. Not the lushness of the first half hour or so, but very nice. The mids are quite clean, female voices such as Anne Hills are wonderful. The highs are a tad smoother yet. This and the deeper, more holographic imaging are the first things I now hear when comparing the infinity to the PS Audio NuWave DAC. In fact, in comparison, the NuWave is now a bit unpleasant to listen to due to the harsher highs.

I think that this DAC has pretty well settled in, and expect little change from here on. I do believe that it is about time to pull the LightSpeed 2G USB cable off of the NuWave and plug it into the infinity. I suppose that the NuWave will suffer a bit going back to the LightSpeed 1G USB cable, but I don’t care – I want the better cable in the infinity, which is now the primary DAC in my computer workstation system.

Yes, that’s right… The infinity is stomping the NuWave, even with the NuWave having the advantage of the 2G cable and the infinity running with the disadvantage of the 1G cable. 

J.P.


----------



## mscott58

wingsounds13 said:


> The latest update on my infinity:
> 
> 550 hour report. Still improving, but the changes now are subtle. The bass has settled in nicely and is getting just a slightly warmer character. Not the lushness of the first half hour or so, but very nice. The mids are quite clean, female voices such as Anne Hills are wonderful. The highs are a tad smoother yet. This and the deeper, more holographic imaging are the first things I now hear when comparing the infinity to the PS Audio NuWave DAC. In fact, in comparison, the NuWave is now a bit unpleasant to listen to due to the harsher highs.
> 
> ...


 
 Glad you're liking it J.P.!
  
 When you're ready to take the next step to hearing even more of the potential of Larry's DAC goodness then try hooking the Infinity up to something like Alex's Liquid Carbon. Really lets the wizardry show throw even more IMHO. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## wingsounds13

Dude... That's mean.  I really, Really, REALLY wish that I could afford to buy a Liquid Carbon. Somehow I doubt that there will be any available when I do have the money for one. Unfortunately, I am flat broke at the moment. 

I'll just have to enjoy the infinity as it is. 

J.P.


----------



## dclaz

wingsounds13 said:


> The latest update on my infinity:
> 
> 550 hour report. Still improving, but the changes now are subtle. The bass has settled in nicely and is getting just a slightly warmer character. Not the lushness of the first half hour or so, but very nice. The mids are quite clean, female voices such as Anne Hills are wonderful. The highs are a tad smoother yet. This and the deeper, more holographic imaging are the first things I now hear when comparing the infinity to the PS Audio NuWave DAC. In fact, in comparison, the NuWave is now a bit unpleasant to listen to due to the harsher highs.
> 
> ...


 
  
 550 hours...
 Issues of expectation bias aside, do you not just think you're just getting used to the sound?


----------



## germay0653

wingsounds13 said:


> Dude... That's mean.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Save your pennies for the NEW portable Alex is going to produce.  Hope you had a chance to enter the naming contest to win one for free.  I'm also enjoying my Infinity.  As you said, the level of detail and pinpoint accuracy of the soundstage is keeping me from spending time with my wife!


----------



## germay0653

By the way, I got a shipping notice for my Geek Blue last night.  Hopefully, it will integrate nicely with my system.  I'll being using a custom made VH Audio Pulsar Ag 75 Ohm coax terminated with Trompeter UPL2000-D1 BNCs and Black Cat BNC to RCA adapter for the S/PDIF connection.


----------



## wingsounds13

dclaz said:


> 550 hours...
> Issues of expectation bias aside, do you not just think you're just getting used to the sound?




Yes and no. Out of those 550 hours, my ears have experienced only a few hours of listening. Also, my acoustic memory is not so finely tuned as to pick out the small details. I have been comparing the infinity to the NuWave DAC as a reference. It is upon these comparisons that I base many of my qualitative comments. I do believe that equipment burn in is real, but also accept that becoming accustomed to the sound of a certain piece of equipment is probably also part of the equation - but only part. 

J.P.


----------



## TopQuark

Anyone still waiting for their Pulse Xf∞?  Amazon has 8 units in stock with version 2.0 chassis ready to ship!  I can't believe someone will get their unit before I did and I've been waiting for it for almost 2 yrs now.


----------



## smial1966

I think that most Pulse Infinity (chassis 2.0) European backers are still waiting too, which is downright ludicrous if LH Labs are supplying Amazon before fulfilling outstanding pledges. It just goes to show that this disingenuous company doesn't really give a crap about it's crowdfunding backers. :mad: 




topquark said:


> Anyone still waiting for their Pulse Xf∞?  Amazon has 8 units in stock with version 2.0 chassis ready to ship!  I can't believe someone will get their unit before I did and I've been waiting for it for almost 2 yrs now. :mad:


----------



## rdsu

topquark said:


> Anyone still waiting for their Pulse Xf∞?  Amazon has 8 units in stock with version 2.0 chassis ready to ship!  I can't believe someone will get their unit before I did and I've been waiting for it for almost 2 yrs now. :mad:



I'm still waiting... :mad:


----------



## Zenifyx

rdsu said:


> I'm still waiting...


 
  
 As am I.
  
 It just feels like LHlabs have no regard for their backers.
 Supplying the retail market over fulfilling pledges to backers that have been waiting for years (with promised delivery delayed for months on end), really shows how they place their priorities.


----------



## doofalb

zenifyx said:


> As am I.
> 
> It just feels like LHlabs have no regard for their backers.
> Supplying the retail market over fulfilling pledges to backers that have been waiting for years (with promised delivery delayed for months on end), really shows how they place their priorities.


 

 I too am still waiting. And I'm in the US (sort of), so there's no excuse for LHlabs re "foreign backer delay". Not tht that would be a good excuse in the first place


----------



## greenkiwi

I'm waiting too.  In this second batch...  I do hope that they aren't actually shipping those before backers.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

topquark said:


> Anyone still waiting for their Pulse Xf∞?  Amazon has 8 units in stock with version 2.0 chassis ready to ship!  I can't believe someone will get their unit before I did and I've been waiting for it for almost 2 yrs now.


 
 Placed my order on December 23, 2013 for US delivery, but still no shipping notice.


----------



## cbar

topquark said:


> Anyone still waiting for their Pulse Xf∞?  Amazon has 8 units in stock with version 2.0 chassis ready to ship!  I can't believe someone will get their unit before I did and I've been waiting for it for almost 2 yrs now.


 
 Me too... backed in December 2013 for US delivery, still waiting. As tempting as it is to rant, there's not much else to say at this point. I just hope it works... my vanilla Pulse is back at LH Labs on RMA.


----------



## wahsmoh

chrome robot said:


> Today I give thanks that I came to my senses over a year ago and stopped any further purchases, perks, upgrades, or investments in vaporware from LHLabs.
> 
> My Xfi has been returned to LHLabs once already and it has the SQ of DACs that I could purchase now for ~ $600-800 (I paid about $900 for Xfi plus LPS). Even now it shuts down about twice a day and must be power cycled, I have no interest in wasting time by sending it back again. Also have a vanilla Pulse on the way (and well past the date that was originally promised), that was part of the HE-560 bundle. I know all the crowdfunding caveats, but (with the notable exceptions of dealing with Gina and Stephanie) this company is just bad. Can not sell or give away in good conscience, so it will be the backup of my backup.
> 
> ...


 

 Before you leave Head-fi forever consider that there are some really good vintage DACs out there.. my Theta is 21 years old and plays better music than the Bifrost MB I also own. I bought it for a steal too before R2R craze went off at less than $300. Instant gratification, no waiting, no treble hash, just liquid bass and massive sound.


----------



## AlterSack

Also still waiting, backed it in Mid 2014.
  
 If we were not so accustomed to bad news from LHL this would probably trigger a ****storm ...


----------



## RickDastardly

EU (UK) backer here. Originally backed the pulse on 11th November 2013. Still waiting on my Pulse Infinity 2.0.


----------



## smial1966

So there are at least 10 of us that backed the Pulse Infinity (chassis 2.0) early on and yet we're still awaiting delivery. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 If I thought that LH Labs were reading this thread I'd call this an *UTTERLY* *DIABOLICAL* *FARCE, *but I seriously doubt whether they bother monitoring user forums anymore.


----------



## Arinko

I was told my Pulse Infinity is in the 2nd batch. So when will the shipping start?


----------



## smial1966

I received the fob off below on 16th November after enquiring about Pulse Infinity shipping - 
  
*This is Stephanie at LH labs, thank you for your time. Our second batch of Pulse Infinity units in the New Chassis are getting ready to ship out. Your unit will ship out in this batch  When your unit is ready to leave our facility you will receive a shipping notification with a tracking number*
  
*- *what I find annoying is that there's never any firm shipping dates mentioned but just generalised banality about "Getting ready to ship out". For Chrissakes LH Labs are not logistical behemoths like FedEx, so packing up a few units and shipping them should be darned easy. 



   
   
 Quote:


arinko said:


> I was told my Pulse Infinity is in the 2nd batch. So when will the shipping start?


----------



## Chrome Robot

wahsmoh said:


> Before you leave Head-fi forever consider that there are some really good vintage DACs out there.. my Theta is 21 years old and plays better music than the Bifrost MB I also own. I bought it for a steal too before R2R craze went off at less than $300. Instant gratification, no waiting, no treble hash, just liquid bass and massive sound.


 
  
 You mis-interpreted my Thanksgiving message. I'm not leaving Head-fi, just expressing thanks that I will have no further dealings with LHL including not going to the trouble of getting the intermittent and frequent issue with my Xfi repaired through their open-a-ticket, send-it-back routine. It is a decent sounding DAC, but I want to look forward and get a better sounding and more reliable one.


----------



## Audio Addict

Received shipping notices on my Pulse Blues. Will be interesting to stream to the Infinity.


----------



## Chrome Robot

audio addict said:


> Received shipping notices on my Pulse Blues. Will be interesting to stream to the Infinity.


 
  
 Cool. Let us know how (or if) it works and sounds.


----------



## cbar

arinko said:


> I was told my Pulse Infinity is in the 2nd batch. So when will the shipping start?


 
 Don't hold your breath. I was told the same thing, and worse, that mine would "be closer to the end of the second batch to ship. The second batch is expected to begin shipment within a week to week and a half."


----------



## germay0653

My Pulse Blue arrived today.  I have it hooked up via S/PDIF and am casually listening to music streamed from my phone via Tidal.  It's being upsampled by the Blue from 16bit/44.1kHz to 24bit/192kHz.  It's actually very good for Bluetooth.  I'll be listening more seriously after the work day is over but so far I'm pleased with how is sounds.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

if I have decideg for the Blue, I should have gotten it. But then the HPA came. 

Enjoy Gery!


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> if I have decideg for the Blue, I should have gotten it. But then the HPA came.
> 
> Enjoy Gery!


 

 Thanks Michael.  I hope you enjoy the HPA when it arrives.  Did you get the tube version?
  
 The Blue is more for the other members of the family to stream from their phones through the multi/two channel system.  I'm currently using the Pulse X∞ with my headphones and will be using the Vi Tube DAC with the Source and my own PC audio server for listening through the multi/two channel system when it arrives.


----------



## TeLight

I got my Blue today as well. It sounds great for a bluetooth component and the build quality of the chassis is MUCH better than my V1 Pulse Infinity chassis. Seriously, the look and feel of the Blue makes the Infinity seem like a DIY toy that's half the price.
  
 Since it took so long to get here I do not really need it anymore, I will be putting it up in the for sale forum if anyone is interested.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@Gery 
Yes! Can't wait. In mobile right now. Going to Naples. Brought my GO1K w/ my trusty HD-25. 

@TeLight
I could have opted to V2 chassis. But couldn't stand the wait. Besides have an LPS4 to pair.


----------



## FayeForever

Just received email from LHlabs asking nicely to write a review on their amazon page for the Pulse 2.0 chassis...


----------



## digitalzed

fayeforever said:


> Just received email from LHlabs asking nicely to write a review on their amazon page for the Pulse 2.0 chassis...


 
 wow...


----------



## greenkiwi

Do they think that asking backers who haven't received their Infinities to post reviews so they can sell in stock Infinities on Amazon is going to have good results? 

I wonder if anyone got that email who hasn't received their infinity yet?


----------



## wingsounds13

I have had my 2.0 infinity for several weeks now and will be happy to post a review on Amazon - once all backers have received theirs. I understand their need to get them on the market, but do not want them to screw over campaign backers, even if they appear to have released only eight units for retail sale. I know that I would be pissed as all hell if retail buyers were receiving units before I got mine. If they want to enter the market sooner, perhaps they should complete backer deliveries sooner.

And just in case you don't remember, I am still an LH Labs supporter. I want them to succeed, but some things just are not right!

J.P.


----------



## greenkiwi

Those echo my feelings.


----------



## AlterSack

Well - I had opened a ticket in which I complained about the Amazon Infinity Units while I and lots of other backers have not received ours.
  
 This is the answer that I have got - I will refrain from commenting it due to my constantly increasing and upwelling anger ...
  
  
 "Hello ...,
  
 I understand what you are saying and I do appreciate it. We thank you for your support as if it weren't for you and backers like you, LH Labs wouldn't be here.
    
 Gavin has said this was done:
 "One of the lessons we learned from the original Geek Out Kickstarter campaign was that if we get the devices into the channel too late, the product fizzles out. It’s like it reaches EOL a year and a half too early. So, with Pulse 2.0, we’ve been trying to strike a balance between delivering all campaign units and launching the product into the channel. Unfortunately, this overlap will naturally cause some consternation. I get it. And I’m sorry for it. But I hope you all, as original backers who really launched our company from the small four person crew we were, can understand that this is what’s best for the company long term.
 I’ll commit to you to push Diana and her team to make this overlap as short as possible."
    
    
 I'm not trying to justify the move with Gavin's words, but wanted to explain the motivation behind it. We're almost to the finish line and I ask for a little bit more patience. Once you receive your unit, I hope you'll think it was worth the wait. I'll do my best to get your unit out in the 2nd batch that will start shipping end of next week.
    
    
 Again, I do appreciate your patience regarding this."
  
 I have not left out anything but my name and have not altered any single letter.
  
 So - my interpretation which may be right or may be wrong is that (other than written above I cannot hold back my comments)
  
 1) LHLabs does no longer really care if their backers are angry and p.... off. That is when sweet words come into the game to soothe the crowd. The next step (learning from House of Cards) would be "self humiliation") 
  
 2) I understand that they need to sell units over regular channels for their MSRP at some Point in time. It seems as if this Point has come according to Gavin. (disregarding backers' Anger)
  
 3) Thinking about this makes me wonder how long the funds they have made through KS and IGG will last? They say they were 4 people before KS/IGG - now they seem to be around 20. So You can calculate how much money they will need just to pay the staff. I don't know how much money they have received from KS and IGG after all deductions - but I wonder how long these funds will last?
 I actually do not want to think this through completely - especially since I funded a WAVe and a HPA on top of the Infinity which seem to be still a Long waaay to go in the Pipeline.
 I seriously hope that they don't run out of money until they have delivered.


----------



## smial1966

LH Labs reply is utterly unbelievable as they're basically saying "Thanks for helping our company to expand, but now backers are a low priority as we're prioritising retail fulfilment first, so you'll just have to wait for your units until we ship them".
  
*LH Labs you need to get someone with authority here now to - *
  

  
*- as your contemptuous attitude towards backers UTTERLY STINKS! *
  
 Quote:


altersack said:


> Well - I had opened a ticket in which I complained about the Amazon Infinity Units while I and lots of other backers have not received ours.
> 
> This is the answer that I have got - I will refrain from commenting it due to my constantly increasing and upwelling anger ...
> 
> ...


----------



## oneguy

That is the most amazing response I have ever heard. Before this you pretty much hot the implied feeling that backer happiness wasn't their primary concern. I guess the feeling is now longer implied as that statement pretty much spells it. It basically says 
"I know we are having a hard time fulfilling order for our backers who have been waiting 1-2+ years but we squandered our cash so we need to seek more revenue by selling the units that should be earmarked for you"
The funny (not really funny) thing is is that the units they are selling are the ones that were paid for by their backers. So they sell your unit at twice the price so they have enough money to make the unit they intend to send you later. I am in the wrong line of work.


----------



## adrian0115

smial1966 said:


>


 
 The reply was posted in LH's own forum but I guess nobody visits there anymore so nobody noticed except for the hardcore diehards.  Supposedly the GO campaign backers were a money losing proposition.  The cost was considered as market research or something.  So the same deal is going on here and all the Pulse backers are a money losing proposition anyway.  I'm assuming LH might be heading into the red so they need to move kit at retail prices asap.  
  
 I was in the same state of mind everyone else is right now more than 6 months ago so I know how everyone feels.  I'm just lucky I got the stuff and can get off the bandwagon.  LH calls this crowd-design and it's the first and last time for me.  
  
 The only good thing I have to say is that the electronics don't disappoint.


----------



## pedalhead

Speechless.
  
 Actually I'm not.  I'd love to say I'm amazed by their attitude, but it's been clear for quite some time that original backers were becoming less and less of a priority and frankly this is consistent with the attitude (in public at least) of a certain individual in that company. The excuse that the Pulse "fizzled out" because it took too long to get to the market is disingenuous imho.  If they'd come out with a decent product, with a decent design, at a competitive price then it could have easily had a mature lifespan in the market of many years as plenty of other devices do.  The fact is, as a retail proposition the Pulse looked like crap compared to the competition, was overpriced, suffered too many failures, and was prematurely replaced with a new (slightly improved aesthetically) chassis. This was all compounded by the marketing-led approach of the company such that the Pulse was billed as the Second freakin' Coming when in actual fact it's just an ok sounding 9018 DAC just like the other two hundred on the market, except this one costs too much and looks like schiit.
  
 God help those people who've bought into other LHL campaigns.


----------



## AlterSack

pedalhead said:


> Speechless.
> 
> Actually I'm not.  I'd love to say I'm amazed by their attitude, but it's been clear for quite some time that original backers were becoming less and less of a priority and frankly this is consistent with the attitude (in public at least) of a certain individual in that company. The excuse that the Pulse "fizzled out" because it took too long to get to the market is disingenuous imho.  If they'd come out with a decent product, with a decent design, at a competitive price then it could have easily had a mature lifespan in the market of many years as plenty of other devices do.  The fact is, as a retail proposition the Pulse looked like crap compared to the competition, was overpriced, suffered too many failures, and was prematurely replaced with a new (slightly improved aesthetically) chassis. This was all compounded by the marketing-led approach of the company such that the Pulse was billed as the Second freakin' Coming when in actual fact it's just an ok sounding 9018 DAC just like the other two hundred on the market, except this one costs too much and looks like schiit.
> 
> God help those people who've bought into other LHL campaigns.


 
 Just  one little correction - Gavin didn't say the Pulse fizzled out but the GEEK OUT. And as far as I can tell this was a rather well accepted product in the market. 
 I can't imagine that anybody will buy a Pulse at MSRP though. There are way too many of these to be found in the "For Sale" department.


----------



## pedalhead

altersack said:


> Just  one little correction - Gavin didn't say the Pulse fizzled out but the GEEK OUT. And as far as I can tell this was a rather well accepted product in the market.
> I can't imagine that anybody will buy a Pulse at MSRP though. There are way too many of these to be found in the "For Sale" department.


 
 My bad, I misread the original post.  Still, I think it holds true that their excuse for pushing the Pulse 2.0 to retail ahead of fulfilling IGG back orders is disingenuous. It's all about the $$$, and we're no longer providing it.


----------



## AlterSack

pedalhead said:


> My bad, I misread the original post.  Still, I think it holds true that their excuse for pushing the Pulse 2.0 to retail ahead of fulfilling IGG back orders is disingenuous. It's all about the $$$, and we're no longer providing it.


 
 I am absolutely with You on this. I think it is even worse that they had to do this with the Geek Out! 
 The GO was well received within the market. The Pulse however is basically a Standard DAC with Standard Features and at best a mediocre build quality and looks and many have said so.
 I believe that the prices we paid (regardless of the specification of the Pulse) are the maximum that the product itself is worth.
  
 And if it was worth more at some point in time you can now buy it almost as new for much much less than the MSRP => which leads me towards thinking that they will not sell many through regular channels.
 This again will not help their financial situation and probably endanger or slow down production of all the Units that have not been developed and/ or produced yet.


----------



## Chrome Robot

Wow. The temerity of those guys is astonishing, especially as their products are nothing special and the MSRP is way overpriced.

I hope that commercial Darwinism plays its out for this lot.


----------



## doctorjazz

I hope not (unless it is in their favor)...still waiting for a Source, Wave, and Vi Tube DAC, would be very sad (for me) if they went under...


----------



## smial1966

Update: only Larry left reading this thread now (21:43 GMT) as neither Manny nor Gavin could be damned well bothered to explain to backers why Amazon is being prioritised over us. Pretty typically gutless behaviour in my opinion - though I'll gladly stand corrected if Larry decides to comment. 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So Larry Ho, Manny Torres and Gavin are all currently reading this thread.

Gentleman, do you consider it reasonable or indeed ethical behaviour for you to sell Pulse Infinity's via Amazon when backers are still waiting (over 2 years in my case) to receive their units?!?


----------



## gavn8r

wingsounds13 said:


> The latest update on my infinity:
> 
> 550 hour report. Still improving, but the changes now are subtle. The bass has settled in nicely and is getting just a slightly warmer character. Not the lushness of the first half hour or so, but very nice. The mids are quite clean, female voices such as Anne Hills are wonderful. The highs are a tad smoother yet. This and the deeper, more holographic imaging are the first things I now hear when comparing the infinity to the PS Audio NuWave DAC. In fact, in comparison, the NuWave is now a bit unpleasant to listen to due to the harsher highs.
> 
> ...


 
  
Hi everyone,
  
I’ve been watching this thread with great interest for a long time, but haven’t contributed to the conversation for many moons. I think now’s a good time to hop in.
  
First off, I’m glad, wingsounds (and hundreds of others), that you received your Pulse DAC Infinity and that you’re enjoying it. With the components we elected to use, it will continue to improve over time. We still have 103 left to fulfill, and that will be everything from the Pulse campaign.
  
Last week we rejected a batch of 2.0 chassis which were slated to be used for the last round Infinity shipments to backers. They all had a minor silkscreen smudge. Another batch will come in next week and we’ll resume shipping right away. We’ve shipped thousands of individual packages to our backers so far. We’re very close to the finish line and, I think you feel the same way, will be ecstatic when all shipments are out.
  
Guys, I know you’re unhappy with me over my decision to send 16 Pulse Infinity units to Amazon’s fulfillment center. As I said over on our website, we had decided to stage units in the channel so as to not jeopardize the future of the product (we learned a very expensive lesson with Geek Out). We already had a PO from Amazon for 20 units that had been delayed for over 30 days and they were about to cancel it. We also had the final batch of chassis coming, so I felt that all backers would be fulfilled at roughly the same time Amazon put their units on the site.
  
This whole experience, starting with crowdfunding, going all the way through channel sales, has taught me a lot about many things. Supply chain management has been an area of great personal growth for me. So has logistics (remember the port slowdown?). Every step of the way, you’ve all shown great patience with me and my team. I truly appreciate that.
  
When I posted my explanation over on our website, I was trying to express my acknowledgement and appreciation that without our backers, we would still be a small four person operation. If you stop to think about it, not counting our vendors, backers are directly responsible for employing dozens of people! Add in vendors, and you guys have positively impacted hundreds of families. Indeed, the roof over my family’s head and the bread on our table come from you. I know it, and I’m thankful for it. I think, after re-reading my post, that emotion didn’t come through at all. I hope I’m communicating it effectively now. THANK YOU!
  
Take care,
  
Gavin


----------



## Inotrope

First post here, and it's a moan 

 I have a 2 week old Pulse Infinity, powered via an LPS4. It sounds great.

 However, today the dot matrix screen is dead.
 The Volume knob doesn't do anything.

 Cycling the power, removing all the cables etc doesn't alter this.

 It is recognised by the Mac, and outputs music (but I cannot alter the volume).
  
 Any thoughts as to the dead DM screen / volume knob.
 Is there a way to hard reset it?

 I've logged a Support message with LHLabs, but wonder if any of you have had the same problem.

 I hope this isn't representative, as I'm waiting on quite a few more bits, and have "invested" significantly in their products thus far!
  
 Thx. Inotrope


----------



## LHMichael

Hello Inotrope, I'm Michael Rutledge, the new Community Manager at LH Labs. We haven't seen the problem you've described happening in other systems. Sounds like an isolated incident. Support should be in touch shortly to get to the bottom of the issue.
  
 Cheers,
 Michael


----------



## Inotrope

Thanks.
 Fingers crossed for a easy fix.

 I can do without the expense of sending it to you from the UK!


----------



## gavn8r

inotrope said:


> Thanks.
> Fingers crossed for a easy fix.
> 
> I can do without the expense of sending it to you from the UK!


 
 I just checked with Larry. It's a firmware fix. No need for it to cross the pond. Manny, Stephanie, or Gina should be able to get your problem sorted very quickly.


----------



## Inotrope

No it isn't, unfortunately.
 We've tried refreshing the MCU (although it already had v1.25).
 That has no effect (performed several times).
 The screen is still dead.

 Matt Luca is arranging an RMA.
  
 Very disappointing, I hope "customer happiness" can do something for an unhappy customer WRT transatlantic shipping!


----------



## gavn8r

inotrope said:


> No it isn't, unfortunately.
> We've tried refreshing the MCU (although it already had v1.25).
> That has no effect (performed several times).
> The screen is still dead.
> ...


 
   
I just hopped into the ticket to see what was going on. Looks like a new issue. I'm glad Matt got the RMA process going for you. Of course we'll cover shipping both ways in this case.


----------



## wingsounds13

Thanks for chiming in Gavin. 103 infinities left to ship? That's the first time we have been given a hard number, maybe EVER. That sounds like about three weeks to finish out the infinities, maybe all Pulse DACs. It has seemed like forever for many of us, I imagine it has for the LH Labs crew too.

J.P.


----------



## cbar

wingsounds13 said:


> Thanks for chiming in Gavin. 103 infinities left to ship? That's the first time we have been given a hard number, maybe EVER. That sounds like about three weeks to finish out the infinities, maybe all Pulse DACs. It has seemed like forever for many of us, I imagine it has for the LH Labs crew too.
> 
> J.P.


 
 Of course, I was told by the customer happiness team yesterday that there were 130 units in front of me, and I suppose odds are I'm not dead last in line. The numbers and dates seem to remain...uncertain.


----------



## coletrain104

So does "Pulse campaign" include the indiegogo segment of things? I'm supposed to get an XFi and was told it will be more than a week until the boards for them come in. Sounds like we XFi backers will still be a bit. I'm curious though, if boards aren't in, does that mean there are less than 103 XFi backers? seems odd to me.


----------



## wingsounds13

Hmmmm... An inconsistency in information from LH Labs. What else is new? 

J.P.


----------



## coletrain104

Maybe. Perhaps Gavin was only referring to Pulse Infinity? Its just weird because the XFi has disappeared from the update chart and it seems a bit like everyone jumped ship from XFi to Infinity except for me. Otherwise, I feel like the lack of information would be a big deal on forums and such.


----------



## Drsparis

cbar said:


> Of course, I was told by the customer happiness team yesterday that there were 130 units in front of me, and I suppose odds are I'm not dead last in line. The numbers and dates seem to remain...uncertain.


 
 What date did you originally back?


----------



## smial1966

Gavin, 
  
 So will you cover shipping both ways for ALL overseas backers that experience problems/glitches with their Pulse Infinity units that require returning to LH Labs?  
  
 Quote:


gavn8r said:


> I just hopped into the ticket to see what was going on. Looks like a new issue. I'm glad Matt got the RMA process going for you. Of course we'll cover shipping both ways in this case.


----------



## gavn8r

smial1966 said:


> Gavin,
> 
> So will you cover shipping both ways for ALL overseas backers that experience problems/glitches with their Pulse Infinity units that require returning to LH Labs?


 
  
 I always authorize the crew to pay both ways in cases like his.


----------



## smial1966

Good to know. Thanks. 
  
 Quote:


gavn8r said:


> I always authorize the crew to pay both ways in cases like his.


----------



## WCDchee

pedalhead said:


> Speechless.
> 
> Actually I'm not.  I'd love to say I'm amazed by their attitude, but it's been clear for quite some time that original backers were becoming less and less of a priority and frankly this is consistent with the attitude (in public at least) of a certain individual in that company. The excuse that the Pulse "fizzled out" because it took too long to get to the market is disingenuous imho.  If they'd come out with a decent product, with a decent design, at a competitive price then it could have easily had a mature lifespan in the market of many years as plenty of other devices do.  The fact is, as a retail proposition the Pulse looked like crap compared to the competition, was overpriced, suffered too many failures, and was prematurely replaced with a new (slightly improved aesthetically) chassis. This was all compounded by the marketing-led approach of the company such that the Pulse was billed as the Second freakin' Coming when in actual fact it's just an ok sounding 9018 DAC just like the other two hundred on the market, except this one costs too much and looks like schiit.
> 
> God help those people who've bought into other LHL campaigns.




I couldn't agree more. I had the infinity and was so looking forward to it, thought it was going to be a TOP class dac and all. Well I can't say it's bad for the Indiegogo pricing of 900-1k usd, it does sound nice. But to say that it's worth 3199usd, I'm sorry that's just not it. I think it's a good buy at the Indiegogo pricing, possibly can compete with products another 20-30% more expensive than the Indiegogo pricing but that's really about it.


----------



## Ranza

Welp, agree with pedalhead....no matter how much some guys in this thread sugarcoat this DAC, it's still just an ok sounding 9018 DAC like a bunch of other DAC, and their technology for this DAC is 2 years late already. I trust that some device may need a burn in, but I hardly put my faith into it if some guy show me an USB cable and tell me this cable need a burn in too, an-USB-cable for christ's sake.
 if anyone think I'm just a peasant without golden ears, read this below thread, or maybe in just 3 years gap they happen to invented some magic circuit and put it between the cable's layer, then it's my bad and sorry all.
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/557358/do-cables-burn-in
 Also, don't know why but those " I know your feeling, but trust me this DAC worth the wait " post getting _on my nerves_, yeah right....it's maaaaay be a great DAC, but as long as it's nowhere to be found on my desk, it's nothing.
 Infinity multiplied with zero is zero, it's a fact, and I doubt that we will get it in Q1 2016.
  
 Ah well, not attacking anyone, this is just my one sided opinion, cheer~
  
 This thread become a happy thread with few people who got their Pulse, and a load of unhappy people who are waiting for 2 years but get nothing but an empty promise.


----------



## rdsu

gavn8r said:


> I just hopped into the ticket to see what was going on. Looks like a new issue. I'm glad Matt got the RMA process going for you. Of course we'll cover shipping both ways in this case.



Hi Gavin,

I had to pay the shipping for LHLabs because my LPS has hum noise(right channel), when use both 12v and USB outputs, and now it seems that I need to send it back again because now it has hiss sound(right channel) using USB output with/without 12v output!

Should I request the money that I paid for shipping?

And I'm still waiting for my Pulse Infinity 2.0! 2 Years...

Regards


----------



## nudd

pedalhead said:


> Speechless.
> 
> Actually I'm not.  I'd love to say I'm amazed by their attitude, but it's been clear for quite some time that original backers were becoming less and less of a priority and frankly this is consistent with the attitude (in public at least) of a certain individual in that company. The excuse that the Pulse "fizzled out" because it took too long to get to the market is disingenuous imho.  If they'd come out with a decent product, with a decent design, at a competitive price then it could have easily had a mature lifespan in the market of many years as plenty of other devices do.  The fact is, as a retail proposition the Pulse looked like crap compared to the competition, was overpriced, suffered too many failures, and was prematurely replaced with a new (slightly improved aesthetically) chassis. This was all compounded by the marketing-led approach of the company such that the Pulse was billed as the Second freakin' Coming when in actual fact it's just an ok sounding 9018 DAC just like the other two hundred on the market, except this one costs too much and looks like schiit.
> 
> God help those people who've bought into other LHL campaigns.


 
  
 This. I think it sounds okay for the backer price. Probably would be good value and recommended at the price they originally wanted to sell it at when they started the campaign.
  
 At the MSRP they ended up at, nope.
  
 The headphone stage is okay (if a bit cold sounding and needs to be paired with warmer sounding headphones IMO).


----------



## cbar

Drsparis: I originally backed Pulse on December 10, 2013 (then like many, upgraded incrementally as campaign unfolded).


----------



## smial1966

I can beat your wait by 2 months as I initially backed in late October 2013. Good grief that's 26 months ago and still no sign nor firm shipping date for my Pulse Infinity (chassis 2.0).  

Surely we're all entitled to some compensatory gesture from LH Labs?!? Like a free cable or something! 




cbar said:


> Drsparis
> : I originally backed Pulse on December 10, 2013 (then like many, upgraded incrementally as campaign unfolded).


----------



## gavn8r

rdsu said:


> Hi Gavin,
> 
> I had to pay the shipping for LHLabs because my LPS has hum noise(right channel), when use both 12v and USB outputs, and now it seems that I need to send it back again because now it has hiss sound(right channel) using USB output with/without 12v output!
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, bring that up in your ticket.


----------



## smial1966

Gavin,

Regarding my post #10303 what about some form of compensation for backers who've waited 2 years or more for their Pulse Infinity's? As surely you'll concede that this wait time is unacceptable and that backers should be recompensed for their patience. 




gavn8r said:


> Yes, bring that up in your ticket.


----------



## wingsounds13

Unacceptable is your definition. It may be two years from your original contribution, but how long has it been since your LAST upgrade contribution? You are already getting an excellent product for a very good price. There are no guarantees for value or delivery time in a crowd funding campaign, so I don't think that any kind of compensation for long delivery times is going to happen.

All of us who _chose_ to wait for the 2.0 chassis _option_ have waited a long time to receive our infinity DACs. 

J.P.


----------



## gavn8r

smial1966 said:


> Gavin,
> 
> Regarding my post #10303 what about some form of compensation for backers who've waited 2 years or more for their Pulse Infinity's? As surely you'll concede that this wait time is unacceptable and that backers should be recompensed for their patience.


 

 No, I won't make that concession.


----------



## smial1966

So waiting 26 months (in my case) for my Pulse Infinity is perfectly acceptable in your opinion then? As there is clearly no need to make an appeasing conciliatory gesture to all those patient backers still waiting for their Pulse Infinity units. My goodness you must have no consumer conscience or sense of fairplay whatsoever. 




gavn8r said:


> No, I won't make that concession.


----------



## smial1966

Judging by the number of reported firmware and hardware issues identified by Pulse Infinity users I'd say that receiving an "Excellent Product" is highly unlikely. Frankly, it beggars belief that LH Labs are still shipping malfunctioning units to backers, but then do they really give a damn? Or have crowdfunding backers just been cash cows bankrolling their next scheme to squeeze more monies from gullible audiophiles?!?




wingsounds13 said:


> Unacceptable is your definition. It may be two years from your original contribution, but how long has it been since your LAST upgrade contribution? You are already getting an excellent product for a very good price. There are no guarantees for value or delivery time in a crowd funding campaign, so I don't think that any kind of compensation for long delivery times is going to happen.
> 
> All of us who _chose_ to wait for the 2.0 chassis _option_ have waited a long time to receive our infinity DACs.
> 
> J.P.


----------



## oneguy

The problem with your argument is that there is no clear place to draw the line. My fulfillment took 24 months. Should I be compensated? What about someone at 20 months or 18? The compensation based on time waited is too squishy of a subject because someone will always feel like they were cheated because they were just before a somewhat arbitrary cut off.



smial1966 said:


> So waiting 26 months (in my case) for my Pulse Infinity is perfectly acceptable in your opinion then? As there is clearly no need to make an appeasing conciliatory gesture to all those patient backers still waiting for their Pulse Infinity units. My goodness you must have no consumer conscience or sense of fairplay whatsoever.


----------



## smial1966

There is a clear demarcation at 24 months for numerous posters in this thread and this would seem to be an arbitrary point to begin seeking recompense from LH Labs for our long wait. 




oneguy said:


> The problem with your argument is that there is no clear place to draw the line. My fulfillment took 24 months. Should I be compensated? What about someone at 20 months or 18? The compensation based on time waited is too squishy of a subject because someone will always feel like they were cheated because they were just before a somewhat arbitrary cut off.


----------



## Arinko

This is the risk of Crowdfunding a product. If you expect it to be on time in your hands, which in most other cases will not complete on time or some never complete at all. If you want a fixed time line, then buying retail is your only choice or buy off someone 2nd hand.


----------



## m17xr2b

I for one do not want any kind of compensation just a firm date for shipping. Is that too much to ask for?


----------



## Arinko

Trust me I have been asking LH Labs through tickets and the IGG comments page when my Pulse Infinity X will be sent out. I will keep doing this until I get the product. I still have not got my product for another campaign (not LH Labs) eventhough the final product has already hit the cinema a year ago. There are risks, delays and whatnot.


----------



## Audio Addict

My 2 Pulse Blues in case 2.0 arrived today. Just installed it but needed to rearrange the LPS4 since it did not come with the extra long power candle to the LPS4. 

Have to track down the manual to figure out how it connects to phone or tablet.

It is a quick set up manual and now have it paired. Pretty quick pairing once I knew how.


----------



## Ranza

We had a firm date, it was 2 months ago, by the end of September....
 And risk of crowdfuning or whatsoever....I don't mind, but I hope that after 2 years wait, all I get is not a faulty product....and with the report with firmware error, right/left channel not working, hisss.....I doubt so.
 Even audio-gd's firmware seem more stable than LHLab.


----------



## Drsparis

ranza said:


> We had a firm date, it was 2 months ago, by the end of September....
> And risk of crowdfuning or whatsoever....I don't mind, but I hope that after 2 years wait, all I get is not a faulty product....and with the report with firmware error, right/left channel not working, hisss.....I doubt so.
> Even audio-gd's firmware seem more stable than LHLab.


 
 really.... you`re surprised they didnt make their deadline? lol as a Canadian backer I too am very scared of a defective product and having to ship this big item back and forth.... I won`t be tolerating much BS before I choose to sell it ...


----------



## wingsounds13

For those of us who chose to wait for the 2.0 chassis, this was our choice and we knew there would be a delay. We were even given an option to go back to the 1.0 chassis late in the game to avoid the increasing delay in delivery. It was your choice (and mine), so tough shirt, and I am sorry that you want it both ways.

As for the 'high failure rate' yes, LH Labs products do have a higher failure rate than anyone would like to see. Still, out of thousands of products shipped I would say that the failure rate is still below 1%. Of course we hear about a lot more reports about units with problems than ones without problems. To this end, I am not trying to gloat, but my Pulse X∞ 2.0 has about 700 trouble free hours on it now and I anticipate years of trouble free service, as most owners will receive and NOT report on.

J.P.


----------



## Ranza

How about you see it this way : about 1℅ get the product working just right without no problem, the rest have from minor to big trouble but not being around head-fi and bitching about it ? Not everyone have time to register an account and whining. And hey, if the product really that great, care to explain why lhlab website is literally dead and not flooded with praise and review except 1 or 2 review scattered around the audio community ? 
And one more thing, you have a product sit on your table, burn in 700 hours, you think " it's great, I can wait another one coming now " while we have NOTHING, that's the different between us.

Lastly, we contributed to 2.0 chassic thinking we will have it soon, not expected that some ******* amazon buyer will get it before us. Face it : Except some hardcore lhlab fan who clearly supported them and praise them like new Jesus, the rest was played like a fool. Crowfunding, risk or whatever, we are customers too, and customers never, ever get treated like **** like this. How about you take a look at the indiegogo site to see how people reply to lhlab now ?


----------



## wingsounds13

Consider yourself a fool if you wish. The evidence is that LH Labs is shipping, albeit slower than all would like. Yes, I waited 22 1/2 months from my first campaign contribution until I received my DAC. Yes, I was frustrated. I am still waiting for more LH Labs products and don't expect to receive the last of them until some time in the middle of 2016. I have even made a few pointed posts about LH Labs, their inability to calculate a reasonable development, production and shipping schedule and their sometimes poor customer policies. The difference is that I don't go around ranting and raving calling them liars, cheats, and thieves. I don't go around crying about having 'bought' product in their indiegogo crowd funding campaigns and never receiving it. Ranting and raving does nothing to speed up delivery, it just makes people look immature and impatient.

While I am thrilled to have my Pulse X infinity DAC, I am greatly disillusioned with LH Labs for releasing even a few into the retail stream before delivering all units to campaign backers. At the same time, I do understand their need to feed the retail supply chain even a few units as early as possible to start building that business and to satisfy contracts that were signed before they fully understood the production delays that they have obviously experienced. If I were still waiting, I too would be thoroughly incensed at this. Unfortunately, they have had to do some things that nobody likes due to some poor judgement and ambitious planning. This will hurt them in the long run, but they have forced themselves into having to choose a path that they think will cause them the least damage. Hopefully they will learn from this and do better in the future. This has been precipitated in part by having a company owned and operated by engineers and salesmen. They could really use some hardcore business managers at the helm who can properly predict development, production and shipping schedules. I suffer from the same poor ability to calculate the completion time of a project, and when a manager asks me how long I might think 'two weeks'. This could work if everything goes right, but it never does. If I catch myself in time, I will triple my guess and this is often close to the actual cycle. LH Labs has yet to learn this, although they are getting better at it.

Bottom line is - Yes, they have our money, and we will eventually get our toys. There is little we can do but wait and occasionally push for updates.

J.P.


----------



## adrian0115

I've been testing the Infinity 2.0's for just a little over 2 weeks now and yesterday I decided to try out the wall-wart/SMPS for fun.  I was a little surprised that the smps was DOA.  I'll gladly admit I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but I do know how to plug in a wall-wart.  
  
 I'm just glad that the LPS works since it's just been sitting around for so long and I had no way of knowing whether it would work or not.  I've got my fingers crossed that the Infinity/LPS continues to work.
  
 Sound quality wise, the Infinity/LPS is the best I've ever had but as I stated in a previous post, I don't exactly have other references/gear to compare with at the moment.  I'm going to try and get some time to compare this with my friends mytek/mdac/vega but that will take some time.  I don't have all the fancy lingo that most guys use to describe the sound but IMHO it sounds clean and I can hear the layering of tracks I'm familiar with.  I personally feel that the digital harshness/hash/glare is taken care of since I don't have a problem with hi-hat/cymbals like with lesser kit.  
  
 Anyway, I've got it on low gain -0.0dB and I feel it drives my HD650's pretty good.  
  
 Like everyone else, I know exactly how you guys feel but objectively, I need to thank Steph, Gina, Manny once again for making the delivery happen.  Despite all the marketing BS, I gotta give the customer happiness team 2 thumbs up.  
  
 Looks like it's time to open another ticket for the SMPS.  Will report back when I get some more time comparing it to other gear but the bottomline is I feel the sound quality is the best I've heard but you guys can take that for whatever it's worth since I've got limited kit to compare to at the moment.


----------



## adrian0115

wingsounds13 said:


> Consider yourself a fool if you wish. The evidence is that LH Labs is shipping, albeit slower than all would like. Yes, I waited 22 1/2 months from my first campaign contribution until I received my DAC. Yes, I was frustrated. I am still waiting for more LH Labs products and don't expect to receive the last of them until some time in the middle of 2016. I have even made a few pointed posts about LH Labs, their inability to calculate a reasonable development, production and shipping schedule and their sometimes poor customer policies. The difference is that I don't go around ranting and raving calling them liars, cheats, and thieves. I don't go around crying about having 'bought' product in their indiegogo crowd funding campaigns and never receiving it. Ranting and raving does nothing to speed up delivery, it just makes people look immature and impatient.
> 
> While I am thrilled to have my Pulse X infinity DAC, I am greatly disillusioned with LH Labs for releasing even a few into the retail stream before delivering all units to campaign backers. At the same time, I do understand their need to feed the retail supply chain even a few units as early as possible to start building that business and to satisfy contracts that were signed before they fully understood the production delays that they have obviously experienced. If I were still waiting, I too would be thoroughly incensed at this. Unfortunately, they have had to do some things that nobody likes due to some poor judgement and ambitious planning. This will hurt them in the long run, but they have forced themselves into having to choose a path that they think will cause them the least damage. Hopefully they will learn from this and do better in the future. This has been precipitated in part by having a company owned and operated by engineers and salesmen. They could really use some hardcore business managers at the helm who can properly predict development, production and shipping schedules. I suffer from the same poor ability to calculate the completion time of a project, and when a manager asks me how long I might think 'two weeks'. This could work if everything goes right, but it never does. If I catch myself in time, I will triple my guess and this is often close to the actual cycle. LH Labs has yet to learn this, although they are getting better at it.
> 
> ...


 
 I agree with most of what J.P. is saying but quite a while back I already saw the BS that the marketing guys were pushing and called them out on that.  There was an update saying that the 2.0 chassis was only going to add 4 days to the manufacturing lead time which sounded like total BS to me already.  This move was to get people to switch over to the 2.0 since the 1.0 was supposedly too expensive to manufacture.  Since the mechanical design was iterated a number of times, that added further delay.  I assume they realized the BS timelines weren't gong to sit well with people so the option to jump back 1.0 was given but at this late into the game, might as well wait for the 2.0.  
  
 This goes back to my main issue with LH.  I personally don't mind if engineering wants to take time to refine something and issues happen all the time.  The problem is the straight up BS from marketing.  I personally would like to see posting of actual project updates/problems rather than marketing BS.  I'm ok if you tell me we've got a problem and we'll update when engineering fixes it and actually following through with communications.  Anyway, I'm done ranting.
  
 LH is shipping but the QC can still use some work I feel.  Fingers crossed that the Infinity/LPS keeps working.


----------



## nudd

But not only the timelines are BS their policies are schizophrenic, discriminatory and infuriating. Off the top of my head:
  
 1. BS about refund policy
  
 Total BS. Indiegogo's policy says Indiegogo itself cannot refund because the money has gone to the company. Indiegogo then says it's up to the company and the backer to come to an acceptable result. The truth is that LHL itself decided internally not to refund and is trying to shift the blame on Indiegogo's policy.
  
 And then they go and refund certain people but not others.
  
 Total BS. Just be honest and say that it is you policy to do this and stop trying to blame indiegogo.
  
 2. BS explanations followed by radio silence
  
 Eg, cannot have a sanity check on flashing of firmware because the USB interface cannot detect what model of Pulse you are flashing? This was the explanation offered by Gavin and he said someone would follow up with a more technical explanation. BS. There is nothing preventing them from writing a wrapper that will detect what version of Pulse you are using before loading the firmware flasher. This is obvious from their control panel software which can tell whether you have an infinity or a normal Pulse.
  
 Another example - advertising the Geek Verb for audiophiles. Then saying nothing wrong with Geek Verb and sounds totally fine. Then claiming they tuned this deliberately for consumer friendliness and sounded exactly to taste.
  
 3. BS about transferable warranty
  
 First piece of BS was Larry who said there would be fully transferable warranties and Gavin over-riding him.
  
 Second piece of BS was then putting up the extended warranty perk for like half a day and then taking it down because they said nobody was interested.
  
 Third piece of BS - so some people do get transferable warranties! Well done LHL you preferentially treat certain customers over others yet again. What is your criteria for doing this?
  
 I could go on, but I have to go to work tomorrow ...


----------



## greenkiwi

The verb was disturbing.

I heard from someone directly at lhlabs that they didn't sound at all like the prototype, and that they were taking legal actions against the manufacturer... But they didn't then provide returns and or refunds to backers.

And what ever happened to the balanced verb?


----------



## doctorjazz

True, I forgot there was supposed to be another Verb sent out, balanced, we haven't heard anything about it, wonder if I'll ever get it.


----------



## hwlyall

Verbs are being sold on Amazon, though it doesn't say much about being from LH Labs. Just search "Verb Earbud."

http://www.amazon.com/Verb-LH-VRB-Earbuds/dp/B00V5JXGOW/

Hopefully they are selling a lot of them so they can develop the rest of our products quicker.


----------



## Audio Addict

hwlyall said:


> Verbs are being sold on Amazon, though it doesn't say much about being from LH Labs. Just search "Verb Earbud."
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Verb-LH-VRB-Earbuds/dp/B00V5JXGOW/
> 
> Hopefully they are selling a lot of them so they can develop the rest of our products quicker.




Interesting they are selling them less than sold to the backers. Surprisingly there are 57 reviews and overall shows 5 stars. I had 2 pairs I gave away for a meet raffle and no one wanted them.


----------



## wingsounds13

They are less than the indiegogo price and yet are still way overpriced for what you get. I don't know why they didn't reject and send the shipment back rather than selling them.

As for the Verb-X balanced version... It would be nice to hear where they are in the process, and get some idea of when they might ship. Seems like a couple of months ago now they were getting the final samples for production approval, then nothing heard since then.

J.P.


----------



## germay0653

Larry mentioned, in October, they were getting samples.  I guess they're weren't up to standards so I suppose no news rather than bad news.


----------



## one-eyed-xander

Hi - it's been hard to keep up with the latest on this thread. Can someone please summarize the general consensus, particularly regarding the Pulse X (non-fi)?
  
 Personally I'm reasonably happy with this device. It seems to work fine - although I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with a direct comparison to my previous rig (NuForce Icon HDP / Emotive m-100). In fact my cat decided that I needed to upgrade to a balanced cable termination for my HE-500s, so now it's a little difficult to go back and re-compare the old rig to the Pulse X.
  
 Reliability seems fine. I've had the occasional audio breakup when reconnecting the (LH labs) USB cable to the iPad/CCK, but nothing too frequent to be concerned about. The optical connection from my Mac Pro works just fine.
  
 Overall I'm happy with the relatively small amount of money I paid for this thing. $440, seems fine for that money.
  
 I share all the same concerns as others about the interminable delays and confusing upgrades and continual upselling. However now that the device has arrived and I've had some time to listen to it, I'm happy with it. Did I just get lucky?


----------



## doctorjazz

I think most people who got their units have had no problems, but one generally hears from people who are unhappy, much less often from people for whom everything went well. Plain human nature...


----------



## adrian0115

one-eyed-xander said:


> Hi - it's been hard to keep up with the latest on this thread. Can someone please summarize the general consensus, particularly regarding the Pulse X (non-fi)?
> 
> Personally I'm reasonably happy with this device. It seems to work fine - although I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with a direct comparison to my previous rig (NuForce Icon HDP / Emotive m-100). In fact my cat decided that I needed to upgrade to a balanced cable termination for my HE-500s, so now it's a little difficult to go back and re-compare the old rig to the Pulse X.
> 
> ...


 
 Indeed I had the same concerns as well.  I have received the Infinity and am now testing.  Apparently the smps/wall-wart is DOA so luckily the LPS that I had sitting around is working.  Things like the wall-wart/verb etc. are all vendor/supplier QC issues when dealing with China companies.  I know first hand a lot of them are a pain in the arse.  Personally it's not a big deal since I have an LPS but for someone that doesn't, it would appear that the Infinity is simply DOA since they wouldn't be able to tell whether the Infinity is dead or the wall-wart.  Thus I believe it's in LH's best interest to test these things as well before shipping out.  
  
 I had a few hiccups with unknown errors in foobar just like someone earlier posted as well.  Currently running the 3.26 driver under win7 and it seems ok now.  
  
 Leaving all the BS aside, I personally (and objectively) find the sound quality to be great with the HD650s since this is the best I've heard from the HD650s thus far.  I haven't had the opportunity to compare with gear in the same retail price range so I look forward to testing that sometime in the near future.   
  
 I hope everybody gets their units and post something positive/objective since I have friends that have pretty much gone all in with LH and I'd rather see them get their kit eventually than seeing their hard earned $ vanish.  A bit of a double-edged sword I know.
  
 Sorry for not posting up a pic earlier since I know some people think it didn't happen without a pic.


----------



## adrian0115

doctorjazz said:


> I think most people who got their units have had no problems, but one generally hears from people who are unhappy, much less often from people for whom everything went well. Plain human nature...


 
 Indeed.  That's why I hope people would post something positive once they get their kit.  The negativity doesn't do LH much good especially for people that are still waiting for stuff that's still in R&D.  
  
 Like everyone else, I've already been down the complaint/b*tch road at least half a year ago.  I got friends that have backed pretty much everything LH threw at them since the very beginning and have nothing to show for it yet except USB cables.  I can tell you guys, they're not happy campers right now.  
  
 I do want to point out that I am highly grateful and appreciative of the customer happiness team and again want to say thank you.  Hopefully you guys see this.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

Yeah they are far from perfect, but they are a new company, and have to work out their issues.  For all that's said and done, their products do seem to sound great.  Thing is there are so many readily available options out there that this market is pretty saturated.  And they are one of the few companies actually using the K2M (ESS mobile) chip in a desktop/full size device.  After hearing some NOS DACs with tubes, even I am switching over.  I think the Vi Tube is their killer product, but many companies have already produced similar products.  The Vi look however remains unique.


----------



## spyder1

I must be hallucinating. Am I seeing Pulse, "Positive Feedback"? What is happening to this thread? LH Labs doing something right? I need to print this page and pin to to my office wall!
  
 *Multiple Pulse, and LPS owner!


----------



## miceblue

Fostex TH-X00 sounded fan-freaking-tastic out of the X Infinity (single-ended output).


They complimented the SRS-2170 so well (X Infinity as DAC) that I might consider getting one.


----------



## adrian0115

spyder1 said:


> I must be hallucinating. Am I seeing Pulse, "Positive Feedback"? What is happening to this thread? LH Labs doing something right? I need to print this page and pin to to my office wall!
> 
> *Multiple Pulse, and LPS owner!


 
 LOL Indeed.  
  
 Multiple Pulse/LPS owner as well.


----------



## d1sturb3d

is a xfi and an lps a good buy at around 1,100USD? saw one here at our country..bnew but it is in 1.0 chasis


----------



## bigbung

I think that you can get an infinity + LPS 4 combo for less that that amount from LH labs at the moment... They had an offer running a while back.


----------



## d1sturb3d

^ thanks!


----------



## doctorjazz

I don't have a Pulse, but I have posted about the Geek Out Special Edition (the upgraded one with the Femto clock, V1). It is a bit of a pain to use (partly because I'm not too computer savvy, settings get me crazy), but it sounds better than some well regarded sub-$1k amp/dacs Out there, particularly, for me, the CEntrance Hifi M8. I am in for too much LH Labs stuff, the Source, Wave, and Vi Tube Infinity dac, fully tricked out. Hoping for no technical problems, expecting great sound (eventually  )


----------



## FayeForever

$1100 is less than the very early backer price, I would be very surprised if LHlabs offer even less.


----------



## germay0653

There were at least three of us (Leomitch, J.P. and myself) that have been quite impressed and happy with our Pulse X Infinities in either chassis.  To echo J.P.'s comments... Yes, it's crowdfunding, it's painful to wait, communication and estimated deadlines have been, polite sarcasm here, less than optimal.


----------



## gikigill

Another silent Geek Pulse x2 owner, LPS4 and Geek Out 1000. Everything works brilliant and waiting for the Wave.


----------



## frankrondaniel

I've been a happy Pulse Xfi/LPS4 owner as well. After some early hiccups that LH quickly addressed, they've been working flawlessly. So now just waiting on the headphone amp.


----------



## digitalzed

I have a vanilla Pulse, an Infinity, and two LPS's. I've posted over the last couple of years about both my dissatisfaction with the lack of viable information coming from LH and also impressions on the gear. I don't even remember now what the total costs were but I was in on the best pricing for all those units. I've had issues with the Pulse and the Infinity all of which were handled immediately and with minimal fuss by LH. The units have been working flawlessly for a long time now and I find the Infinity to be a terrific DAC for the price paid and it's the main unit in my desktop system. I'm pretty sure I paid $299 total for the vanilla Pulse and also can't complain at that price. I still disagree with many of the decisions the company has and is making when it comes to fulfilling orders and exhibiting any consistency in policy. And I completely understand the frustration many who haven't received their products are experiencing. I wont make any excuses for LH but I will say that the products you ordered should be tried and not sold out of frustration and disgust with the company. If you try it and don't like it, then sell it. But don't cut your nose off to spite your face, as the old saying goes.


----------



## leomitch

digitalzed said:


> I have a vanilla Pulse, an Infinity, and two LPS's. I've posted over the last couple of years about both my dissatisfaction with the lack of viable information coming from LH and also impressions on the gear. I don't even remember now what the total costs were but I was in on the best pricing for all those units. I've had issues with the Pulse and the Infinity all of which were handled immediately and with minimal fuss by LH. The units have been working flawlessly for a long time now and I find the Infinity to be a terrific DAC for the price paid and it's the main unit in my desktop system. I'm pretty sure I paid $299 total for the vanilla Pulse and also can't complain at that price. I still disagree with many of the decisions the company has and is making when it comes to fulfilling orders and exhibiting any consistency in policy. And I completely understand the frustration many who haven't received their products are experiencing. I wont make any excuses for LH but I will say that the products you ordered should be tried and not sold out of frustration and disgust with the company. If you try it and don't like it, then sell it. But don't cut your nose off to spite your face, as the old saying goes.


 
  
 Ditto! My Infinity has been working like a charm...makes beautiful music. Be sure you burn-in your equipment before you sell it. LH has had poor business practices for sure, but they are trying to improve. Technically, they are top notch providing the QC has been properly done. Don't sell just because you are pi**ed off with the company's poor business practice or your long wait. My wait was worth it!
  
 Cheers
 Leo


----------



## frankrondaniel

I agree that everyone should give the equipment a chance once they get it - nothing to lose and you may just end up liking it.


----------



## eac3

Wow, between my LPS and/or my 2G cable, it has surely made a difference for the Pulse Infinity. Much of a difference that I need to compare my Audio-gd and determine which I will keep again. I had the LPS and 2G cable burning in over 10 days while on vacation.
  
 Colour me surprised.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

What Auio-gd you have again bro? NFB-28 right?


----------



## eac3

Correct.


----------



## greenkiwi

Speak of the devil, they just posted an update for the verb x, though they have stopped the verb from the name. Probably a smart decision.

At any rate, I hope that they listen to a bunch of the actual production versions, and if they don't sound like they should, send them back... Rather than dumping them on backers.


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm guessing THEY don't want the same thing to happen with the Verbs this time around any more than we do.


----------



## adrian0115

digitalzed said:


> I have a vanilla Pulse, an Infinity, and two LPS's. I've posted over the last couple of years about both my dissatisfaction with the lack of viable information coming from LH and also impressions on the gear. I don't even remember now what the total costs were but I was in on the best pricing for all those units. I've had issues with the Pulse and the Infinity all of which were handled immediately and with minimal fuss by LH. The units have been working flawlessly for a long time now and I find the Infinity to be a terrific DAC for the price paid and it's the main unit in my desktop system. I'm pretty sure I paid $299 total for the vanilla Pulse and also can't complain at that price. I still disagree with many of the decisions the company has and is making when it comes to fulfilling orders and exhibiting any consistency in policy. And I completely understand the frustration many who haven't received their products are experiencing. I wont make any excuses for LH but I will say that the products you ordered should be tried and not sold out of frustration and disgust with the company. If you try it and don't like it, then sell it. But don't cut your nose off to spite your face, as the old saying goes.


 
 +1  This...can't agree more Jeff.


----------



## carz

+1 




digitalzed said:


> I have a vanilla Pulse, an Infinity, and two LPS's. I've posted over the last couple of years about both my dissatisfaction with the lack of viable information coming from LH and also impressions on the gear. I don't even remember now what the total costs were but I was in on the best pricing for all those units. I've had issues with the Pulse and the Infinity all of which were handled immediately and with minimal fuss by LH. The units have been working flawlessly for a long time now and I find the Infinity to be a terrific DAC for the price paid and it's the main unit in my desktop system. I'm pretty sure I paid $299 total for the vanilla Pulse and also can't complain at that price. I still disagree with many of the decisions the company has and is making when it comes to fulfilling orders and exhibiting any consistency in policy. And I completely understand the frustration many who haven't received their products are experiencing. I wont make any excuses for LH but I will say that the products you ordered should be tried and not sold out of frustration and disgust with the company. If you try it and don't like it, then sell it. But don't cut your nose off to spite your face, as the old saying goes.


----------



## Maelob

My XFI and LPS work great and i leave them on all the time - occasionally after my IMac goes to sleep for over 12 hours it might not detect the Geek XFi But a quick power off/on fixes the issue. I am asumming thats a normal behaivor if the IMac goes to deep sleep. But otherwise i am happy


----------



## jbr1971

maelob said:


> My XFI and LPS work great and i leave them on all the time - occasionally after my IMac goes to sleep for over 12 hours it might not detect the Geek XFi But a quick power off/on fixes the issue. I am asumming thats a normal behaivor if the IMac goes to deep sleep. But otherwise i am happy


 
  
 Yes, that is normal behavior.
  
 I have disabled the options for putting the computer to sleep, and putting the hard disks to sleep in the Energy Saver preferences.
  
 I now use the Control+Shift+Eject key combination to lock my computer (which also turns the display off) whenever I am away.
  
 I have not had any issues with disconnects since.
  
 Jody


----------



## foreverzer0

jbr1971 said:


> Yes, that is normal behavior.
> 
> I have disabled the options for putting the computer to sleep, and putting the hard disks to sleep in the Energy Saver preferences.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Why is this considered 'normal behavior'? I have to do this every day on mine.


----------



## jbr1971

foreverzer0 said:


> Why is this considered 'normal behavior'? I have to do this every day on mine.


 
  
 It is normal because anytime the computer goes to sleep it loses its connection to the Pulse, and a power cycle of the Pulse is required to re-send the USB handshake to re-establish the connection.
  
 Jody


----------



## greenkiwi

jbr1971 said:


> Yes, that is normal behavior.
> 
> I have disabled the options for putting the computer to sleep, and putting the hard disks to sleep in the Energy Saver preferences.
> 
> ...


 
 Wait, you are saying that it is "normal behavior" for the Pulse to not be found by the computer when the computer wakes up?  That hardly seems "normal".  None of my other USB DACs suffer from this "normal behavior"?  
  
 How about a "known bug" rather than "normal behavior"?
  
 Any chance that this improper behavior will get fixed in a future firmware update?


----------



## johangrb

I agree that this is not normal. Most of my recent dacs (e.g. PS Audio, Burson, Gustard etc.) does not have this problem.


----------



## greenkiwi

You can add Emotiva, schiit, odac and chord to that list


----------



## vnmslsrbms

yeah all my DACs have never had that problem (oppo HA-1, Auralic Vega, Vinnie Rossi RWA Bellina Pro RE).  Even my good ol' uDac2 doesn't have that problem.  It's a little bit annoying, since I usually turn my gear off.  Hm.  I guess I don't have a problem since I turn it off LOL.


----------



## AlterSack

This behaviour is "normal" because LHLabs declared that it is "normal" some time Long ago in the Forum - if I remember right Larry explained that this handshake process was crucial for some reason. (You can probably look it up in the Forum)
  
 I personally was never convinced about this "solution" and always hoped that LHLabs would Change it in the future, which will probably not happen. 
  
 Yet another "little" detail why I do not believe that MSRP can be achieved for any Pulse.


----------



## deathson

No one to care ESSTECH remove ES9018AQ2M data from their website (both US and TW) & Released a New Mobile DAC chip ES9028?

ES9028 chip New refer:
http://www.esstech.com/index.php/en/news/newsroom/ess-premieres-new-es9028-sabre-mobile-dac-es9603-headphone-amplifier/


----------



## adrian0115

deathson said:


> No one to care ESSTECH remove ES9018AQ2M data from their website (both US and TW) & Released a New Mobile DAC chip ES9028?
> 
> ES9028 chip New refer:
> http://www.esstech.com/index.php/en/news/newsroom/ess-premieres-new-es9028-sabre-mobile-dac-es9603-headphone-amplifier/


 
 How interesting...AQ2M around for less than a year and now the 9028 comes out.  Dual-DAC...hmm...the same marketing talk can be applied to the AQ2M since that was a "dual-dac" too.  The 129dB DNR/-120dB THD+N looks exactly like the AQ2M specs.  The marketing game never ends...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

For those who want to see int their current product page. 
  
http://www.esstech.com/index.php/en/products/dac/
  
http://www.esstech.com.tw/products_DAC.htm


----------



## deathson

I konw the DNR/-120dB THD+N spec same as both chip, but ESS still not released the detail (Package, Number of Pin foot, etc) of the new chip, if the New ES9028 not same as the ES9018AQ2M.
Now, all Pulse Infinity, GeekOut V2/V2+ maybe need to a new PCB design for a new chip And Geek Wave maybe got a big delay for this change~


----------



## mscott58

deathson said:


> I konw the DNR/-120dB THD+N spec same as both chip, but ESS still released the detail (Package, Number of Pin foot, etc) of the new chip, if the New ES9028 not same as the ES9018AQ2M.
> Now, all Pulse Infinity, GeekOut V2/V2+ maybe need to a new PCB design for a new chip And Geek Wave maybe got a big delay for this change~


 
 Not so sure they need to adopt this new ESS chip. Looking at the literature it seems as if this new version is focused on the mobile phone market, and if there are no better specs then why change? Cheers


----------



## pedalhead

Having to power cycle the Pulse to initiate handshake is even more undesirable considering the deliberate design "feature" of not having a muting relay.  This means a potentially headphone/speaker-damaging POP every time you power cycle the Pulse...which is quite often in the case of those of us using laptops as sources.  Every other dac I've owned has simply required removal & reinsertion of the USB cable, never a power cycle.


----------



## deathson

mscott58 said:


> Not so sure they need to adopt this new ESS chip. Looking at the literature it seems as if this new version is focused on the mobile phone market, and if there are no better specs then why change? Cheers



 


I also want to know that~ LOL


----------



## mtruong34

deathson said:


> No one to care ESSTECH remove ES9018AQ2M data from their website (both US and TW) & Released a New Mobile DAC chip ES9028?
> 
> ES9028 chip New refer:
> http://www.esstech.com/index.php/en/news/newsroom/ess-premieres-new-es9028-sabre-mobile-dac-es9603-headphone-amplifier/




Let the next round of perks begin! Perkopalypse here we come!


----------



## MikeyFresh

mscott58 said:


> Not so sure they need to adopt this new ESS chip. Looking at the literature it seems as if this new version is focused on the mobile phone market, and if there are no better specs then why change? Cheers


 

 Maybe a problem if, perhaps, the 9018AQ2M quantity needed for the Wave project were never actually ordered by LH Labs.


----------



## mscott58

mikeyfresh said:


> Maybe a problem if, perhaps, the 9018AQ2M quantity needed for the Wave project were never actually ordered by LH Labs.


 
 Good point. Let's hope not!
  
 Any input Larry?


----------



## wingsounds13

Pulse X∞ 700+ hour check-in.

I think that the Pulse has pretty much settled in. I can't say that there have been any noticeable changes in sound from the last report. Maybe the sound is subtly cleaner, maybe the bass is ever so slightly richer. At this point any differences are not that important, I am just enjoying listening to the music through this very nice DAC. Yes, still a clear improvement over the also very nice PS Audio NuWave DAC that the infinity has replaced. Now I have to figure out what to do with the NuWave. 

The LightSpeed 2G USB cable has been moved from the NuWave to the infinity. In my system and to my ears, the 2G cable makes only a very small difference. With the 2G power leg plugged in to a USB hub that I have on top of my computer desk, I am not sure that I could tell the difference between the 1G and 2G cables. Unplugging the power leg makes only a very subtle difference. The imaging _may_ be ever so slightly tigter, the sound _may_ be ever so slightly cleaner, the background _may_ be ever so slightly darker. I will have to spend some time doing some very critical listening to see if I can further define and clarify the differences... not exactly my favorite task - I prefer just listening to the music.

This actually speaks well for the USB input of the Pulse DAC. With the PS Audio NuWave DAC, unplugging the power leg of the 2G cable made a small but _easily detectable_ difference - everything was slightly tighter, cleaner, darker. It didn't take any significant effort to hear the difference and I think that I might be able to tell which is which in a blind test. With the Pulse DAC, I have to listen carefully to hear any difference. For now, I'll keep the 2G on the Pulse. If I change a setup in another system and it clearly benefits from the 2G cable, then I will have to consider carefully where to employ the 2G. Then again, I have two of them - a 1M still in the box and the 2M in use in the computer workstation system, so there may not be a conflict. 

J.P.


----------



## runningwitit

That sounds great Wingsounds and I'm happy you are enjoying your Infinity now! I'm excited because I finally received a shipping notification
 saying my S.E. unit is now in route,YAY !! This will be my first top tier desktop DAC and I'm crazy excited to hear how it will sound!! I have only
 owned one headphone amp and it is the Vamp Verza. Yes it gave a good boost in volume, but the sound quality to me wasn't that hot. It gave a
 loud muddy feeling to my music, but was indeed happy to have it! Any how. I just wanted to congratulate you for your happiness with LH Labs
 and share my excitement as you can totally relate. Take care!!!


----------



## mscott58

runningwitit said:


> That sounds great Wingsounds and I'm happy you are enjoying your Infinity now! I'm excited because I finally received a shipping notification
> saying my S.E. unit is now in route,YAY !! This will be my first top tier desktop DAC and I'm crazy excited to hear how it will sound!! I have only
> owned one headphone amp and it is the Vamp Verza. Yes it gave a good boost in volume, but the sound quality to me wasn't that hot. It gave a
> loud muddy feeling to my music, but was indeed happy to have it! Any how. I just wanted to congratulate you for your happiness with LH Labs
> and share my excitement as you can totally relate. Take care!!!


 
 Enjoy your SE! Just be sure to let it burn in (or energy-age) as it will take a while to settle into its best sound. That's been many of our experiences with the Infinity. Cheers


----------



## germay0653

runningwitit said:


> That sounds great Wingsounds and I'm happy you are enjoying your Infinity now! I'm excited because I finally received a shipping notification
> saying my S.E. unit is now in route,YAY !! This will be my first top tier desktop DAC and I'm crazy excited to hear how it will sound!! I have only
> owned one headphone amp and it is the Vamp Verza. Yes it gave a good boost in volume, but the sound quality to me wasn't that hot. It gave a
> loud muddy feeling to my music, but was indeed happy to have it! Any how. I just wanted to congratulate you for your happiness with LH Labs
> and share my excitement as you can totally relate. Take care!!!


 

 You're in for a treat with the SE!


----------



## doctorjazz

You guys are making me really want my Vi Tube dac...


----------



## greenkiwi

I'd have to say, the final case looks awesome!


----------



## eac3

So I got around to listening to the Geek Pulse Infinity (with 2G cable and LPS) a little more closely to my Audio-gd NFB-28 (Fall 2013), after burning in the 2G cable for at least another 100+ hours.
  
 First of all, it was very hard to distinguish immediately, but nonetheless, there were 1 or two differences I observed. I use Music Bee, and my only headphones at the moment are the Philips Fidelio X1. Last time I compared the two more closely, was through XLR out to my Emotiva amp and Klipsch floorstanding Speakers. These are just my opinions and in no way am I wanting to suggest that this was a very scientific comparison. Also, my head-fi vocabulary is limited and may not make any sense to you. Just thought I would share.
  
 Most of the reference music I see in listening impressions and reviews I am not very familiar with. I have included some songs I listen to (more instrumental type of music) to give you an idea of my music tastes and what I am looking for in equipment to highlight such tastes.
  
 The first song I listened to:

  
  
*Audio-gd NFB-28* with 1G cable: The opening high notes in this song gave a little hint of distortion/clipping and loss of detail. When the bass drops around 0:31, it is a little loose but not that bad. Soundstage  is very wide and open coupled with my warm-sounding Philips X1.
*Geek Pulse Infinity *with 2G: Detail throughout. Full stop. I am not sure where this has come from but the 2G cable definitely helps a little bit here when switching between the two. The bass that drops around 0:31 is very tight. Soundstage  is very wide and open coupled with my warm-sounding Philips X1.
  
  
  

  
 This next song is faster paced.
  
*Audio-gd NFB-28* with 1G cable: While doing a great job on this song, I noticed the small lack of clarity between this DAC and the Geek Pulse. It didn't sound muffled or like it lacked a wide soundstage. It felt like there was some loss of information as if the bit-width shrunk. The next song I chose for it's wide dynamic range (at least to my ears) will hopefully shed more light on this.
*Geek Pulse Infinity *with 2G: Again, detailed and clear throughout. Sparkly towards the upper end, which is what those chipmunk vocals call for I think. 
  

 Just because, starting at 3:00 
  
  

  
  
*Audio-gd NFB-28* with 1G cable: Hearing Alicia Keys through this DAC made it seem like the music file had undergone file compression. Her voice lost a little clarity and sounded warm in comparison to the Geek Pulse.
*Geek Pulse Infinity *with 2G: No comment.
  
  
 I would go on to play some Norah jones but I think I am seeing a pattern here.
  
  
  
*UPDATE (12/19/2015):* So I  have decided to keep both. While I find that the Geek Pulse no doubt, offers a very detailed sound in comparison to my audio-gd NDB-28, the audio-gd is very well suited for the type of laid-back, chillwave types of tunes I listen to. The Geek Pulse does very well if I am listening to say Alicia Keys or classical music.


----------



## wingsounds13

Thanks for that. A fully burned in infinity just sounds _really good_.

That said, I have finally found something that I don't like. My headphone listening has been with a set of ZMF Master model V1 with a ZMF 8 wire balanced cable. Early on, I did check out the different gain levels just to see that they worked. I can get as loud as I like with low gain, so I have been using that all this time. Yesterday, I tried out high gain to see if I could hear any difference. First, I wanted there to be no difference. Second, I wanted any perceived difference to be in the advantage of low gain, where there is less digital attenuation. Dammit!!! I lost on both counts. When I switched to high gain and dropped the digital attenuation another 14dB, I heard an _improvement _ in the depth of the sound stage. It is just more three dimensional in high gain mode. I can't say that it was more solid, stronger, clearer, tighter bass or anything like that, but definitely a deeper image. Low gain just flattens the depth of the soundstage. 

This poses an issue that I don't like: I now have to be very careful to turn the level down to about -25dB before plugging the headphones in. Previously, I listened to the headphones at about -11dB, and if I plugged them in with the level set to 0dB for speaker listening the headphones would be playing a bit loud, but not dangerous. 0dB on high gain is REALLY LOUD and probably hazardous to the headphones as well as the ears.

This brings up the thought that Larry implemented the headphone gain control in the amp's negative feedback loop. More negative feedback gives a lower maximum output level, but also messes with the sound. In a well designed amp, it is common for lower negative feedback to sound better, even though the steady state specs are not as good.

Oh Well... I guess that I will have to live with this until I can afford a good headphone amp.

J.P.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

High Gain between -25 and -18 dB depending on music are the settings I like for my HD600. And eagerly waiting for the tube HPA too.


----------



## oneguy

most of my listening is done between -33 and -42dB on my infinty. The HD800 generally require about 5 or 6 dB of less volume compared to the HE1000.


----------



## frankrondaniel

On my Xfi, I find most of my listening, on high-gain, in the 40-45 range with my HD600 and HD800. Anything in the 18-25 range would be much too loud for me.


----------



## Shawnb

Nice just found out I'll likely not make batch 2 so at least another month if not more before my Pulse ships.  
What a joke, yet I bet if I bought off Amazon I'd get it sooner


----------



## Drsparis

shawnb said:


> Nice just found out I'll likely not make batch 2 so at least another month if not more before my Pulse ships.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 How did you find out?  did you purchase before or after December 25Th


----------



## zerograin

shawnb said:


> Nice just found out I'll likely not make batch 2 so at least another month if not more before my Pulse ships.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I bought one off of amazon... While I wait for mine to ship. Let's just say, thank goodness it's on Amazon Prime and their generous holiday return policy.


----------



## Shawnb

drsparis said:


> How did you find out?  did you purchase before or after December 25Th


 
  
  
 Yeah i emailed support. i backed during the Wave campaign so like July 2014 or so.
  
 Told me the 2nd batch are to start shipping today and that should complete all 2013 backers, Since i backed in 2014 i'm near the end of the list and might end up in batch 3 and that will be delivered next month


----------



## kostaszag

Today I received my first real headphones, a pair of AKG K340.Oldies but goodies. I plugged them immediately in my Pulse Sfi. I found two things disconcerting. First they only sound loud enough with High Gain mode. I am no bass head, my amp volume knob is almost never beyond 9 o'clock, but only with High Gain at -17.5 was it half way acceptable. The other annoying thing was that when I plug the headphones the speaker output doesn't get silent. Is this normal behavior? It seems hard to believe...


----------



## wingsounds13

The line out on the Pulse does not mute when headphones are connected. This is by design. There are several reasons for this. One is that Larry did not want any relays or switches in the audio path, as this would degrade the sound quality. One substantial reason is that there is no good and reliable way to detect the connection of headphones to the balanced output. While 1/4" phone jacks usually do have a feed through circuit that disconnects when a plug is inserted, this is just another opportunity for signal degradation. Also, it is reasonable that both the balanced XLR and balanced phone jack be treated the same - the device should work the same regardless of which one is used.

If you are getting adequate volume in the headphones on high gain and 17.5dB attenuation, that seems quite reasonable to me. You generally want as little digital attenuation as possible, although circumstances such as mine dictate that I must run my rig around-25dB attenuation with the headphone amp set to high gain. For my setup, that does sound better than low gain and -11dB attenuation.

J.P.


----------



## NigelJ

kostaszag said:


> ...I found two things disconcerting. First they only sound loud enough with High Gain mode. I am no bass head, my amp volume knob is almost never beyond 9 o'clock, but only with High Gain at -17.5 was it half way acceptable.



As JP commented that should Allow sufficient volume control headroom. Having quickly checked the web I found that a Headfonia review of the AKG K340 BASS HEAVY VERSION stated:
_
'The headphone is highly innefficient, requiring only the most powerful kind of desktop headphone amplifiers, and definitely more suitable driven by a speaker amplifier.'
_
so the high power demand is not surprising.

Edit: The high demands that they place on amplifiers is also covered in the reviews, on this site, that are linked from the following page: AKG K340 Electrostatic-Dynamic Headphones Reviews.


----------



## Jupiterknight

wingsounds13 said:


> Thanks for that. A fully burned in infinity just sounds _really good_.
> 
> That said, I have finally found something that I don't like. My headphone listening has been with a set of ZMF Master model V1 with a ZMF 8 wire balanced cable. Early on, I did check out the different gain levels just to see that they worked. I can get as loud as I like with low gain, so I have been using that all this time. Yesterday, I tried out high gain to see if I could hear any difference. First, I wanted there to be no difference. Second, I wanted any perceived difference to be in the advantage of low gain, where there is less digital attenuation. Dammit!!! I lost on both counts. When I switched to high gain and dropped the digital attenuation another 14dB, I heard an _improvement _ in the depth of the sound stage. It is just more three dimensional in high gain mode. I can't say that it was more solid, stronger, clearer, tighter bass or anything like that, but definitely a deeper image. Low gain just flattens the depth of the soundstage.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Check out the Lycan/Burson headphone amp. Reasonable priced and "relativity" easily enhanced my Geek Pulse HO sonic presentation with (HD600 etc) + I can use the variable output of the Geek Pulse to adjust to the much high powered Lycan which at the same time gives me the headroom that I prefer instead of pushing any given amplifier to a four o' clock setting..


----------



## Audio Addict

jupiterknight said:


> Check out the Lycan/Burson headphone amp. Reasonable priced and "relativity" easily enhanced my Geek Pulse HO sonic presentation with (HD600 etc) + I can use the variable output of the Geek Pulse to adjust to the much high powered Lycan which at the same time gives me the headroom that I prefer instead of pushing any given amplifier to a four o' clock setting..




+1 especially with the their new V5 discrete opamp.


----------



## kostaszag

nigelj said:


> kostaszag said:
> 
> 
> > ...I found two things disconcerting. First they only sound loud enough with High Gain mode. I am no bass head, my amp volume knob is almost never beyond 9 o'clock, but only with High Gain at -17.5 was it half way acceptable.
> ...


 
  


wingsounds13 said:


> The line out on the Pulse does not mute when headphones are connected. This is by design. There are several reasons for this. One is that Larry did not want any relays or switches in the audio path, as this would degrade the sound quality. One substantial reason is that there is no good and reliable way to detect the connection of headphones to the balanced output. While 1/4" phone jacks usually do have a feed through circuit that disconnects when a plug is inserted, this is just another opportunity for signal degradation. Also, it is reasonable that both the balanced XLR and balanced phone jack be treated the same - the device should work the same regardless of which one is used.
> 
> If you are getting adequate volume in the headphones on high gain and 17.5dB attenuation, that seems quite reasonable to me. You generally want as little digital attenuation as possible, although circumstances such as mine dictate that I must run my rig around-25dB attenuation with the headphone amp set to high gain. For my setup, that does sound better than low gain and -11dB attenuation.
> 
> J.P.


 

 Thanks to both of you. Does anyone know the power outuput of a Pulse Sfi from a Headphones out at 600ohms? I can't find it on the Lhlabs page (not surprised).


----------



## wingsounds13

The single ended headphone output of the Pulse DAC is 7V RMS. 
Into a 600 ohm load that gives 81.66mW output power. 
Into 50 ohms, that would be 980mW, and into 16 ohms it would be 3.025W.

High impedance headphones really could do with using a medium power speaker amp, just to get enough output voltage todrive them hard.

J.P.


----------



## smial1966

Dear Santa Claus,
  
 My one Christmas wish is that my Pulse Infinity finally arrives whilst I still have a pulse left to use it!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Thanks,
 Andy.
  
*P.S. I first pledged for it in OCTOBER 2013. *


----------



## NigelJ

Let's hope that when we receive our Infinities they have had any issues resolved. I don't look forward to having to update firmware as I don't have access to a PC that allows installation of the software required for updates and having to send it back to the USA for hardware issues is something I prefer not to think about.

As a later backer than you, although still original campaign -December 2013, I wonder when in the new year we might receive the Infinities.


----------



## smial1966

LH Labs have failed miserably with every Pulse Infinity delivery target they've set - especially for overseas backers - so I'd take everything they say with a very large pinch of salt. 




nigelj said:


> Let's hope that when we receive our Infinities they have had any issues resolved. I don't look forward to having to update firmware as I don't have access to a PC that allows installation of the software required for updates and having to send it back to the USA for hardware issues is something I prefer not to think about.
> 
> As a later backer than you, although still original campaign -December 2013, I wonder when in the new year we might receive the Infinities.


----------



## woodcans

smial1966 said:


> Dear Santa Claus,
> 
> My one Christmas wish is that my Pulse Infinity finally arrives whilst I still have a pulse left to use it!
> 
> ...


 
  
 You had better hope Santa has Amazon Prime.


----------



## runningwitit

I received my SE Infinity yesterday and I must say this thing sounds great! I lack a good pair of resolving headphones, but it made my P7's sound like a new phone. *My question is, are there any equalizers I can use with the LH Labs software? *The LPS4 and Pulse has been playing music through it since it arrived and out of the box sounded clear. Thanks for any help received!!


----------



## wingsounds13

What player are you using? That is what will define what EQ software. you will need. 

J.P.


----------



## runningwitit

Currently I'm using Tidal.


----------



## nicolo

Would suggest using a parametric equalizer like Equalizer APO or Electri-Q. That way you get the sound signature you prefer irrespective of the playback software used.


----------



## kostaszag

wingsounds13 said:


> The single ended headphone output of the Pulse DAC is 7V RMS.
> Into a 600 ohm load that gives 81.66mW output power.
> Into 50 ohms, that would be 980mW, and into 16 ohms it would be 3.025W.
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks for your answer, but it seems hard to believe, since Schiit Magni for example provides with 1.8W at 16 Ohms and 300 mW at 600 Ohms. The Sfi seems pretty weak by comparison on high Ohm loads. Forgive my ignorance, I am not really tech-savvy. Still, this could all be avoided if LHlabs provided a simple list of specs, like Schiit (and everybody else for that matter) does for their products.


----------



## wingsounds13

The Magni II specs (130mW : 600 ohms) calculate out to appropriately 8.83V output. The whopping 1.8W : 16 ohms calculates out to a current limit of about 335mA, where the the Pulse output of 3.025W : 16 ohms is about 434mA. The Pulse provides a solid power doubling for every load impedance halving down to 16 ohms where the Magni II starts power limiting around 100 ohms load.

As an aside, 130mW into 600 ohms is only about 2.5dB more than 81.66mW into that same 600 ohms. This is only a little louder, and nowhere near the twice as loud as some think it should be.

As I said, high impedance headphones might be better served by a medium power speaker amp that can deliver the higher voltage required to drive them to a high power level. For example, an 80 watt into 8 ohm power amp would provide about 25.3V and be able to drive 600 ohm headphones to about 1.066W. Also, high impedance headphones are very well served by tube amps and are well suited to the Output Transformerless variety, as these naturally provide high output voltage but are limited in output current.

The ability of the Pulse to maintain its output voltage of 7V down to a 16 ohm load actually ranks it as rather sturdy. The ability to deliver the higher current to achieve this also means that it will have more control authority over all headphones than a more current limited amp such as the Magni.

If you need more power for high impedance headphones then you will need a specialized amp designed for this far end of the spectrum load. While there are some very fine headphones that have this (nowadays) unusually high impedance, the vast majority of headphones are in the range of 16 to 50 ohms or so. Specialty headphones often deserve and require specialty equipment to get the most out of them. 

J.P.


----------



## uncola

not to mention the magni is class AB and the pulse is class A


----------



## Arinko

Should I get a JDS O2 Headphone Amp when I get the Infinity and even for the Geek Out 450?


----------



## wingsounds13

The Pulse has a very nice headphone amp built in. I don't have any direct experience with the O2 amp, but do understand that it is pretty good. You might have to go to something noticeably better than the O2 to best the amp built into the Pulse. On the other hand, the O2 might be better, have a signature that you prefer, or possibly be a more synergistic match to your favorite headphones.

Similarly, the Geek Out 450 has a nice headphone amp, but would be a but easier to improve on and the O2 might well be a good choice here. 

J.P.


----------



## m17xr2b

Is there any difference between the single ended and balanced line out? Is one better than the other?


----------



## Semont

m17xr2b said:


> Is there any difference between the single ended and balanced line out? Is one better than the other?


 

 One is subjectively better than the other.


----------



## kostaszag

semont said:


> m17xr2b said:
> 
> 
> > Is there any difference between the single ended and balanced line out? Is one better than the other?
> ...


 

 Which one?


----------



## NigelJ

m17xr2b said:


> Is there any difference between the single ended and balanced line out? Is one better than the other?



The balanced output also provides twice the voltage and approximately four times the power, this is principally an advantage with high impedance or hard to drive headphones.

I say approximately four times the power as I am not certain if the Pulse is current limited when driving low impedance headphones in balanced mode.


----------



## nudd

It is current limited such that it will max out at 6W.

http://lhlabs.com/force/geekpulse/2146-pulse-x-output-levels-and-poweramp-stage-config


----------



## m17xr2b

I'm asking because some dacs have better sound quality(from what I have seen here) from balanced such as the Yggy and the single ended is more for convenience. I am planning to use the pulse with a DNA Stratus which only has rca inputs thus I need to know if I should go with something that has great quality from single ended such as a Hugo.


----------



## wingsounds13

I would say that the Pulse has the same quality from the balanced and unbalanced line outputs. As I understand they are separately buffered, but use the same type of components, just in balanced and unbalanced configurations as needed. This should be true of any kind of well designed source component, and one that delivers noticeably lesser quality from one or the other is not well designed or added the alternative output 'just because'.

The place where balanced has an advantage and should sound better is in the cables. Balanced cables are less prone to picking up EM and RF interference and are particularly preferred for long cable runs because of this.

J.P.


----------



## Shawnb

wingsounds13 said:


> I would say that the Pulse has the same quality from the balanced and unbalanced line outputs. As I understand they are separately buffered, but use the same type of components, just in balanced and unbalanced configurations as needed. This should be true of any kind of well designed source component, and one that delivers noticeably lesser quality from one or the other is not well designed or added the alternative output 'just because'.
> 
> The place where balanced has an advantage and should sound better is in the cables. Balanced cables are less prone to picking up EM and RF interference and are particularly preferred for long cable runs because of this.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 What is considered a long cable run for audio? For headphone cables you're generally under 10 feet, I've always gone by the assumption 25+ feet is a long run and would need better shielding and anything under not so much.


----------



## wingsounds13

In the audiophile world I would seriously consider balanced cables for anything over 2M. Also worth considering even at only 1-2M. The environment around our systems can be rather noisy, particularly around computer workstations.

J.P.


----------



## Semont

kostaszag said:


> Which one?


 

 Sorry, that was a bit of a joke lol.
  
 Objectively to the human ear, they won't sound any different. Of course, there will always be people who say otherwise.


----------



## Narayan23

Does anyone have further info on the DSD 256/Native DSD/Pure DSD  implementation timeline? Seems like we´ve been waiting eons for it.
  
 http://lhlabs.com/forum/topic/progress-on-native-dsd-dsd-via-asio-2-2-for-windows-lhlabs-pure-dsd-dsd-256/


----------



## WNBC

New Pulse owner here.  Took some time off from Head-fi and the Pulse (basic level) is my first DAC since returning.  Purchased the Pulse from a friend who did not use it so I got it new in box.  I previously had the iFi Micro iDSD, Ciunas, W4S DAC-2, Anedio D2, Fiio X5, etc.  I like trying new things so I figured I'd give the Pulse a chance, especially purchasing at crowdfunding price.     
  
 I still need to go through this thread in detail, but based on my thread searches, I must have chassis 1.0.  My LED is not blue like I see in the pictures, but more white/off-white and a very dim display at that.  Is that normal? Is there a setting for color and brightness that I am missing.  Not a deal breaker, but I like the brighter, blue display LED that I see in pictures by other Pulse owners.  I know many do not like bright LEDs, but this is very dim.
  
 Based on what I have read, there is burn-in with this unit and I'm only a couple hours into it.  If the sound doesn't change dramatically I probably will sell it as I have liked my previous DACs much better.  Or, do most of you feel the amp section is not that great and I should pair it with an amp?  I have a Liquid Carbon arriving at some point in the near future.     
  
 I will not give up on it yet, but I am curious to hear how dramatic the change in sound was for you all after burn-in and/or after pairing it with a good amp.


----------



## Narayan23

Hi WNBC! I have a Pulse XFI myself 1.0 chassis and yes the light is white and very dim. As burn in goes, the XFI started to sound better to me at around the 50 hour mark or basically after a week so I´d really let your Pulse burn in for at least that time before you give up on it.
  
 What USB cable are you using? I only mention it because I have both the Light Harmonic 1G and 2G and the latter sounds better and in my case although it might seem strange, the 2G sounds better with the power leg disconnected.


----------



## wingsounds13

What Narayan23 said, plus...

Yes, the display is white and dim. Definitely give it plenty of burn in time before deciding on how much you like it. I would say at least two weeks of continuous operation - actively playing, not just power on. Sound quality will continue to improve through four weeks or more, although I found the changes past the three week mark to be minor.

The headphone amp in the Pulse is very nice, and I am certain that it will take a pretty good amp to best it but I am certain that the Liquid Carbon will be better. 

J.P.


----------



## WNBC

Thanks Narayna23 and wingsounds13 for the responses.  I will definitely report back after a couple weeks of burn-in.  I am definitely ok with integrated HP amps.  My previous iDSD had a good internal HP amp.
  
 Do not have boutique cables at the moment.  Standard stuff, sold off my Wireworld cables a while ago.  Maybe I'll grab another one of their USB cables.  To be honest, I have capped cable purchases at around $100.  Never had a super high end USB cable.  Something I would like to audition before spending 200-300.   Same goes for the linear power supply.  Probably would have been much cheaper if I got in on the crowdfunding prices. 
  
 Macbook > Amarra > Vaunix Lab Brick USB hub > Pulse > Grado GH-1/Kam HP1/Savant


----------



## NigelJ

The blue colour of the display seen in photos is due to the different colour sensitivities of cameras and eyes. The dimness was as a result of requests by backers in the early campaign and on the old LH Labs forum who generally wanted a dim display.


----------



## doctorjazz

Don't have the Pulse, have the Geek Out Special Edition...agree with the above though (with absolutely no knowledge, never stops me...). Headphone amp in Pulse probably pretty good from what I have heard of LH Labs, also have the LC, probably be better with line out to the LC.


----------



## germay0653

semont said:


> Sorry, that was a bit of a joke lol.
> 
> Objectively to the human ear, they won't sound any different. Of course, there will always be people who say otherwise.


 

 And the earth was once considered flat and it was also thought the Sun revolved around it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Singled Ended cables have a low-level summation of the left and right channel which will generate low level cross-talk and distortion whereas fully balanced systems do not.  Some people notice it, others don't.  To dismiss it completely because you may not hear isn't objective.


----------



## doctorjazz

I was staying away from yet another cable discussion/argument,, definitely hear cable differences, though.


----------



## germay0653

Can't help it doctor.  Like I said, because one doesn't hear it doesn't mean it doesn't exist and it's not objective, it's subjective.  Subject to ones own personal experiences.  In single ended connections the L and R ground IS shared and introduces some level of cross-talk between channels at the drivers.  In a fully balanced connection L and R + and - signals are not shared therefore no low level cross-talk.


----------



## doctorjazz

I know....


----------



## Narayan23

wnbc said:


> Thanks Narayna23 and wingsounds13 for the responses.  I will definitely report back after a couple weeks of burn-in.  I am definitely ok with integrated HP amps.  My previous iDSD had a good internal HP amp.
> 
> Do not have boutique cables at the moment.  Standard stuff, sold off my Wireworld cables a while ago.  Maybe I'll grab another one of their USB cables.  To be honest, I have capped cable purchases at around $100.  Never had a super high end USB cable.  Something I would like to audition before spending 200-300.   Same goes for the linear power supply.  Probably would have been much cheaper if I got in on the crowdfunding prices.
> 
> Macbook > Amarra > Vaunix Lab Brick USB hub > Pulse > Grado GH-1/Kam HP1/Savant


 
 If you don´t want to break the bank Supra is a well regarded USB cable 
  
 http://www.futureshop.co.uk/product_info.php?currency=EUR&products_id=8131&osCsid=6frbtd4fktohlca503f3ie4e46


----------



## smial1966

Gosh, it must be nice for you guys having your Pulse Infinity (chassis 2.0) units when the vast majority of European backers are STILL WAITING to receive our shipping confirmations. Why this crowd funded project hasn't yet delivered my unit having first pledged in October 2013 beggars belief, especially as Amazon have stock of the very same unit that I'm (and many others) are still awaiting. LH Labs you should be ashamed of your lacklustre customer service and fulfilment regime.


----------



## Arinko

Was told in November there are about 130 units before my Infinity. Got a reply yesterday that there are still about 110-120 units before mine.


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> And the earth was once considered flat and it was also thought the Sun revolved around it!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Careful on the "once considered flat" comment as believe it or not there are some people, including some on HF, that _still_ believe the earth is flat...


----------



## m17xr2b

I'm now regretting upgrading to the 2.0 case. If they would have told me the truth in July that it will ship next year I would not have switched. Instead I got a quote for August. I'm wondering if they knew they wouldn't deliver.


----------



## smial1966

I too feel your angst. 

What's worse is that I was erroneously informed a month ago that my Pulse Infinity would be "shipping soon" which was obviously a blatant lie. 




m17xr2b said:


> I'm now regretting upgrading to the 2.0 case. If they would have told me the truth in July that it will ship next year I would not have switched. Instead I got a quote for August. I'm wondering if they knew they wouldn't deliver.


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Careful on the "once considered flat" comment as believe it or not there are some people, including some on HF, that _still_ believe the earth is flat...


 

 Thank you, Michael, for your support!


----------



## trung224

wnbc said:


> New Pulse owner here.  Took some time off from Head-fi and the Pulse (basic level) is my first DAC since returning.  Purchased the Pulse from a friend who did not use it so I got it new in box.  I previously had the iFi Micro iDSD, Ciunas, W4S DAC-2, Anedio D2, Fiio X5, etc.  I like trying new things so I figured I'd give the Pulse a chance, especially purchasing at crowdfunding price.
> 
> I still need to go through this thread in detail, but based on my thread searches, I must have chassis 1.0.  My LED is not blue like I see in the pictures, but more white/off-white and a very dim display at that.  Is that normal? Is there a setting for color and brightness that I am missing.  Not a deal breaker, but I like the brighter, blue display LED that I see in pictures by other Pulse owners.  I know many do not like bright LEDs, but this is very dim.
> 
> ...


 
  Hi WNBC, 
 Like you, I bought my Pulse SFi from a early backer at crownfunding price. Out of the box, the Pulse is not better than my older setup (iDSD nano + o2 amplifier). After burn in, about 100 hours, it sound better, more open, bass is tighter, but not so much. If you really want to take the best out of the Pulse, I suggest you to buy a LPS. I bought mine from Audiophonics.fr, It is identical to Jay's Audio LPS and trust me, it really transforms the Pulse to another level, and unlike burn-in, its benefit shows immediately after plugging. The LPS frees up soundstage, reduces the grain in treble, and improved bass resolution.
    With adding the LPS, my Pulse SFi is really on par with (and for me little bit better than) the Gungnir DS, and superior to some more expensive DAC like Yulong and Mytek DSD192. Considering I paid only 550 euro for Pulse and 150 euro for LPS, it is really a bargain.


----------



## WNBC

Thanks for the suggestion.  
  
 Quote:


narayan23 said:


> If you don´t want to break the bank Supra is a well regarded USB cable
> 
> http://www.futureshop.co.uk/product_info.php?currency=EUR&products_id=8131&osCsid=6frbtd4fktohlca503f3ie4e46


 
  
  
 Initially I wasn't going to seriously consider adding the power supply, but it does seem many are suggesting it, especially if I am not looking to add other DACs in the near future.  I have to get over the mental block that accessories like cables and power supplies should not end up costing more than the main unit.
  


trung224 said:


> Hi WNBC,
> Like you, I bought my Pulse SFi from a early backer at crownfunding price. Out of the box, the Pulse is not better than my older setup (iDSD nano + o2 amplifier). After burn in, about 100 hours, it sound better, more open, bass is tighter, but not so much. If you really want to take the best out of the Pulse, I suggest you to buy a LPS. I bought mine from Audiophonics.fr, It is identical to Jay's Audio LPS and trust me, it really transforms the Pulse to another level, and unlike burn-in, its benefit shows immediately after plugging. The LPS frees up soundstage, reduces the grain in treble, and improved bass resolution.
> With adding the LPS, my Pulse SFi is really on par with (and for me little bit better than) the Gungnir DS, and superior to some more expensive DAC like Yulong and Mytek DSD192. Considering I paid only 550 euro for Pulse and 150 euro for LPS, it is really a bargain.


----------



## Shawnb

arinko said:


> Was told in November there are about 130 units before my Infinity. Got a reply yesterday that there are still about 110-120 units before mine.


 
  
 I was told today I have about 190 units ahead of me. Rough estimate  is late February for me . At this rate I'll be lucky to get it by June


----------



## germay0653

But you'll be one happy camper when you do get it!


----------



## WNBC

I think I'm going to spring for the LH LPS over the Jay's Audio version.  Mainly for form factor and convenience of not having to do a bank transfer then the wait for international shipping.  Plus, if anything goes wrong with LPS I'll have some type of warranty from LH.  Does anybody think that the LH LPS is not worth spending $599 and I should wait for a sale or used one to show up?  Paid $350 for the Pulse and would be $600 for the LPS.  Lots of competition at the $1000 mark for new and used DACs so naturally I want to make sure there is no buyers remorse now since I missed out crowdfunding prices on LPS.  Seems to be in stock based on the website.  If I have to wait 6 months then I'd re-think everything and go with the Jay's Audio or KECES or do more research on LPS.  Anybody purchase one recently after the Indiegogo campaign?
  
 EDIT:  Got a fast response from Alvin that there is a paypal option.  Will try the Jay's Audio version first.  At $195 a pretty good deal.


----------



## kostaszag

I opened a ticket with Lhlabs asking them how much power the Headphones on my Pulse Sfi provides for a 400Ohm headphone set. That was the answer I got. 
  
 Quote:


> _Hello Kostas,_
> 
> _I have received your new case regarding questions about your Pulse power output._
> 
> ...


 
 That was the last straw. I am giving up on Lhlabs, I will unsubscribe all relevant Head-Fi threads and have no interest in buying something from them, neither new, nore used, not even as a gift. It is ridiculous enough that they dont publish the specs of their products, telling the customer to find out by himself is beyond ridiculous, it is embarassing. I wish to all the poor souls who have pledged their money the best of luck, me, I am getting off this train.


----------



## wingsounds13

Power = Voltage² ÷ Resistance.

Since the Pulse headphone amp is not current limited above 16 ohms, 
Power = 7² ÷ 400 ... 49/400 = 0.1225 Watts

This is so simple that a child can do it.

Not all companies publish specs for their equipment, including a number of high quality audio equipment manufacturers. Frustrating at times, but a fact of life and not legally required.

J.P.


----------



## kostaszag

wingsounds13 said:


> Power = Voltage² ÷ Resistance.
> 
> Since the Pulse headphone amp is not current limited above 16 ohms,
> Power = 7² ÷ 400 ... 49/400 = 0.1225 Watts
> ...





>





> A child perhaps. but not an LHlabs employee...
> 
> Not all companies publish specs for their equipment, including a number of high quality audio equipment manufacturers. Frustrating at times, but a fact of life and not legally required.
> 
> J.P.


 
 There are laws, and then there is common sense. And customer friendliness. Why am I supposed to hunt for the specs of my DAC? Why is it so difficult to upload a simple table with Power outputs at various resistance values? something like this:
  



> Maximum Power, 16 ohms: 1.8W RMS per channel
> Maximum Power, 32 ohms: 1.2W RMS per channel
> Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 1.0W RMS per channel
> Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 260mW RMS per channel
> Maximum Power, 600 ohms: 130mW RMS per channel


 
 From the Schiit website, BTW.

 
And why do I have to justify myself for demanding some Service?


----------



## vic2vic

wnbc said:


> EDIT:  Got a fast response from Alvin that there is a paypal option.  Will try the Jay's Audio version first.  At $195 a pretty good deal.


 
  
 I can definitely vouch for Jay's Audio LPS and Alvin amazing support.


----------



## m17xr2b

vic2vic said:


> I can definitely vouch for Jay's Audio LPS and Alvin amazing support.


 
 I think the concern is we don't know how it compares with the LH LPS. If the differences are hard to identify then Jay's is a solid deal. If the LH one is better then it's a tough choice.


----------



## wingsounds13

The Jay's Audio LPS is doing just fine with my infinity. I heartily recommend it. The LH Labs LPS may be superior, but probably by only a small margin.

As an aside, one Jay's LPS should be able to power a Pulse Tube headphone Amp or Pulse Tube Preamp. Two Jay's LPS are <$400 and equivalent to an LH Labs LPS-4 (minus the not always useful USB feedthrough), but for a fraction of the money. 

J.P.


----------



## Narayan23

wingsounds13 said:


> The Jay's Audio LPS is doing just fine with my infinity. I heartily recommend it. The LH Labs LPS may be superior, but probably by only a small margin.
> 
> As an aside, one Jay's LPS should be able to power a Pulse Tube headphone Amp or Pulse Tube Preamp. Two Jay's LPS are <$400 and equivalent to an LH Labs LPS-4 (minus the not always useful USB feedthrough), but for a fraction of the money.
> 
> J.P.


 
 If you recommend it I´m all ears, does a LPS really improve the Pulse sound in a noticeable way? Where could I find more info on where to purchase the Jay´s Audio LPS? I did a search but couldn´t find their website.
  
 Does anyone have any experience with this brand?    https://www.sbooster.com/botw-pp-eco-12v-132v/geek-pulse-xfi
  
 Thanks in advance.


----------



## wingsounds13

Truth is that I have not yet tried the switching power supply that came with the Pulse. I guess that it is about time to do so and report on what I hear between that and the Jay's LPS. The Pulse now has about 1000 hours on it (six weeks of almost continuous playback) and should be about as burned in as it is going to get. I am curious to hear whatever difference there may be between the SPS and the Jay's LPS.

I have never heard that SBooster supply and have no knowledge of it other than having seen the website before. The Jay's Audio LPS is less expensive and has a good reputation here on Head-Fi. Unless you are really in the mood for experimentation, I see no reason to not go for the Jay's.

J.P.


----------



## Narayan23

I´m interested in your findings if you get round to the comparison wingsounds, is this the person I have to contact if I would like to purchase a Jay´s LPS?
  
 http://alvinchc.blogspot.com.es/2014/11/jays-audio-linear-power-supply-lps25va.html


----------



## wingsounds13

That is correct, or you can PM him here on Head-Fi as Alvin1118.

J.P.


----------



## musicheaven

wnbc said:


> I think I'm going to spring for the LH LPS over the Jay's Audio version. Mainly for form factor and convenience of not having to do a bank transfer then the wait for international shipping. Plus, if anything goes wrong with LPS I'll have some type of warranty from LH. Does anybody think that the LH LPS is not worth spending $599 and I should wait for a sale or used one to show up? Paid $350 for the Pulse and would be $600 for the LPS. Lots of competition at the $1000 mark for new and used DACs so naturally I want to make sure there is no buyers remorse now since I missed out crowdfunding prices on LPS. Seems to be in stock based on the website. If I have to wait 6 months then I'd re-think everything and go with the Jay's Audio or KECES or do more research on LPS. Anybody purchase one recently after the Indiegogo campaign?
> 
> EDIT: Got a fast response from Alvin that there is a paypal option. Will try the Jay's Audio version first. At $195 a pretty good deal.




Jay's Audio seems to be a popular LPS. I spotted couple other ones but just be careful about the ripple noise voltage. LH LPS is among the lowest with 10 uVolts, you get what you pay for. The other two are from HD Plex with their 100W fan less LPS about 395$ per unit, link: http://www.hd-plex.com/HDPLEX-Fanless-Linear-Power-Supply-for-PC-Audio-and-CE-device.html

The other would be my preference, a Taiwanese company: KECES with similar price range than the HD Plex. The model: KECES DC Regulated Power Supply DC-116 very nice and well built LPS. Link: http://www.keces.com.tw Their power supply voltage is highly customizable so if you need a different voltage you can get it built for that. They have couple of larger LPSes and those are just amazing, you can power pretty much everything you can think of. Their showroom photos are just amazing. They also build isolating transformers which I highly recommend if you want to start cleaning up at the AC level.

For a higher price which you already quoted, you can get the LPS4 with 4 outputs.


----------



## hwlyall

@germay0653 when researching odyssey amps I think I saw some posts by you about some monoblocks.  Are you running your Infinity to them?  How does that set up sound?  I'm hoping the supposed smoothness of the khartago takes away any remnants of the 9018 harshness.
  
 After reading through all of those odyssey threads I ordered a Khartago-Kismet from Klaus for January.
  
 Sorry for the non-headphone talk.


----------



## germay0653

hwlyall said:


> @germay0653 when researching odyssey amps I think I saw some posts by you about some monoblocks.  Are you running your Infinity to them?  How does that set up sound?  I'm hoping the supposed smoothness of the khartago takes away any remnants of the 9018 harshness.
> 
> After reading through all of those odyssey threads I ordered a Khartago-Kismet from Klaus for January.
> 
> Sorry for the non-headphone talk.


 

 Have not hooked up the Pulse X Infinity to the Khartago Monoblocks yet.  I'm using them with the headphone system for now. I will probably do that next week or the week after as I finally have some time off.  Mine aren't quite Kismet caliber.  Half of my caps are SL's and I went for all the other upgrades available at the time (2010).  You will love them.  They're fast and detailed but not sterile plus Klaus will bias them specifically for your system and voltage coming from the wall.


----------



## uncola

Hwlyall grats on n the kismet in khartago cases. Odyssey was my top pick for class an. Ncore for class d. I when with emerald physics class d used. Got a great deal plus I'm using it near field so wanted lower power. In Hawaii with no ac in a small room so an makes it a bit too hot. Tell us everything when you receive them


----------



## greenkiwi

Ncores rock!


----------



## WNBC

In preparation for the unit from Alvin,
  
 When the description indicates "dual voltage output jacks", what does that mean in relation to using the Pulse?  Does that mean I have an available 12V jack to use with another device?  The "-" and "+" indicators below the jacks are throwing me off.  Don't want to fry the Pulse.  
  
 Do I need to purchase connectors/tips or will the package arrive with everything I'll need to hook up the LPS and Pulse via the supplied cable?  I couldn't find a google image with a LPS25VA hooked to a Pulse.  I probably have somewhere a bunch of connectors/tips but if Alvin sends the correct connector to hook up to the Pulse that would be sweet.
  
 Any recommendations on a power cord?  I have used the Shunyata Venom 3 in the past.  I can go with a cheap monoprice cable first and then compare to Venom.
  
 This will be an interesting experiment of the Pulse with and without the LPS.


----------



## wingsounds13

The Jay's Audio LPS has two output jacks, but is only a single power supply. It will support up to a 2 amp load and the Pulse is only about 1 amp. This means that you can power another device with it as long as the second device is less than a 1 amp load. The Jay's comes with one cable with a 5.5/2.5mm barrel connector that works just fine with the Pulse, as that is what I am using to power my infinity.

I would not worry about the power cord to begin with, just use whatever you have on hand. You can try different power cords once the DAC has several weeks of run time and you are accustomed to its sound signature. After that, you might try different cords.

Don't worry. when you have the Pulse and the Jay's LPS, there is nothing more that you have to buy. Just hook them up and enjoy listening to the Pulse.

J.P.


----------



## WNBC

Thanks for the info!  Very useful.  Once the LPS arrives, Pulse is burned in and Liquid Carbon arrives I'm thinking I'll have an amazing combo.  
  
  
  
 Quote:


wingsounds13 said:


> The Jay's Audio LPS has two output jacks, but is only a single power supply. It will support up to a 2 amp load and the Pulse is only about 1 amp. This means that you can power another device with it as long as the second device is less than a 1 amp load. The Jay's comes with one cable with a 5.5/2.5mm barrel connector that works just fine with the Pulse, as that is what I am using to power my infinity.
> 
> I would not worry about the power cord to begin with, just use whatever you have on hand. You can try different power cords once the DAC has several weeks of run time and you are accustomed to its sound signature. After that, you might try different cords.
> 
> ...


----------



## uncola

You should diy a power cable, literally the easiest cable to make.   just make sure you wire the correct conductors to the correct terminals


----------



## musicheaven

That's a very good suggestion, a power cable is quite easy to make using the right conductor size and male/female plugs. As uncola mentioned because you're dealing with AC, you have to be doubly careful when make it for proper polarity and to provide safe grounding.
  
  
 Here is my humble setup, still missing lots of contributed components but that should be coming up soon (or thereabout).
  

  
  
  
 Here are some cables I made in preparation for those components, needless to say that I guesstimate the length and the types of cables to make.  I have the common variety in different configurations, i.e. XLR, RCA 75-Ohm and 110-Ohm digital. It took me a little while however the saving is truly substantial. I also included some adapters I built for my HE-560 and Senn HD-600 headphones and Shure SE535 IEMS and the yet to come Wave using TRRS 4-pin connectors.
  
  

  
  
  
 Hand made cablesCable endsAdapters 
  

  
 As you can see, red is my favorite color or should I call it the default likeable one.






       
  
 Toughest part, the waiting but at least I got something to listen to and even if I did not, my portable setup has been very good to me.


----------



## mark5hs

Bloody hell. I ordered a standard pulse in 11/2014, was invoiced for shipping 2 months ago and STILL haven't gotten it. If I knew it was going to take 1+ year I would have just ordered a Schiit stack.


----------



## Drsparis

mark5hs said:


> Bloody hell. I ordered a standard pulse in 11/2014, was invoiced for shipping 2 months ago and STILL haven't gotten it. If I knew it was going to take 1+ year I would have just ordered a Schiit attack.


 haha, one year, that's nothing!


----------



## sujitsky

mark5hs said:


> Bloody hell. I ordered a standard pulse in 11/2014, was invoiced for shipping 2 months ago and STILL haven't gotten it. If I knew it was going to take 1+ year I would have just ordered a Schiit stack.




You might want to contact lh labs asap.. Good luck! (standard pulse, ordered Dec 2014... Received September 2015)


----------



## zerograin

mark5hs said:


> Bloody hell. I ordered a standard pulse in 11/2014, was invoiced for shipping 2 months ago and STILL haven't gotten it. If I knew it was going to take 1+ year I would have just ordered a Schiit stack.


 
 I really wished I never pledge either. I would have loved to buy the Schiit Yggdrasil.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

I ended up just buying stuff anyway.  1+ years is a lot of time to enjoy many different DAC/ Headamps before you try the LHL one!  It really is a long time though.  
  
 But the standard pulses should have finished shipping.  Definitely open a ticket to ask about it.


----------



## Chrome Robot

Personally I have never dealt with a more irresponsible, disingenuous, and poorly run company than LHLabs, even though I have crowd-funded a few things before.
 If you set yourself up as a company of some audiophile engineering genius, please have the production chops to fulfill the promise or get a new management.
 Stop misleading your customers with false marketing, endless hype, and seemingly endless delays. And please have some reliable quality checks ***. My Xfi requires daily power cycling to keep running properly and it has been sent back once already.
  
 I am still waiting for a standard Pulse, which I no longer need or want. Cannot sell or give it away in good faith since I would be skeptical of its reliability. Just want to close the books with them. Their last message to me in Oct15 was mid-Nov. delivery.  Ordered as part of the HE560 bundle in mid Nov 14. And please do not give me that "Open a ticket" BS. That is a total waste of time in this regard. Tick tock, muthaf#ckaz, tick tock.
  
 In my mind they deserve as much public shaming as we can heap on them.


----------



## Maurice

Dear Gavin,
  
 Your customer happiness agents are there to deflect the frustrations of your backers.  I have asked numerous times to speak to you only to be told you are to busy.  I wonder if you still even work there.  I have asked what recourse I have for a company that has continuailly over states its goals and under delivers and have received no response.  I was give this link by your happiness people and realized I am not  alone but one of many backers who would rather have their money back and forget about this bad experience.  What's up I am number 150 and still waiting?
  
 Yours truly,
  
 Maurice Gluckstadt
 917 400 6224


----------



## Chrome Robot

shawnb said:


> I was told today I have about 190 units ahead of me. Rough estimate  is late February for me . At this rate I'll be lucky to get it by June


 
  
 From Amazon web site five minutes ago regarding LHLabs Infinity:
  
 "Only 9 left in stock, (more on the way)"
 "Get it before Christmas"
 "Want it Tuesday, Dec. 22? Order within 9 hours and choose One-day Shipping"
 "FREE Shipping"
  
 What? Perhaps the Amazon review section would be a good place to educate potential customers about LHLab's unsavory and capricious business practices. I was smart enough to stop earlier and not waste my energy on the Infinity, so nothing to discuss about that device from me. If I was someone waiting on an Infinity, ordered over a year ago, was told it would be delivered (fill in the blank BS date), then saw units for sale for one day free delivery on Amazon, my usually calm temperament would go thermonuclear.
  
 ShawnB, perhaps a question that you should ask LHLabs is how many of those 190 units ahead of you will go to Amazon and when was the Amazon order placed with LHLabs.


----------



## smial1966

The LH Labs apologists will undoubtedly resurface soon and regurgitate their "But it's Crowdfunding" mantra as an excuse for this company and it's utter contempt for backers. *Waiting* *26* *months* (and counting) for my Pulse Infinity is bad enough, but the fact that LH Labs are still prioritising Amazon over fulfilling backers orders just beggars belief.


----------



## hemtmaker

smial1966 said:


> The LH Labs apologists will undoubtedly resurface soon and regurgitate their "But it's Crowdfunding" mantra as an excuse for this company and it's utter contempt for backers. *Waiting* *26* *months* (and counting) for my Pulse Infinity is bad enough, but the fact that LH Labs are still prioritising Amazon over fulfilling backers orders just beggars belief.  :angry_face:



Have you tried contacting Gina? I received my infinity 1.0 shortly after asking her directly. All the best!


----------



## adrian0115

smial1966 said:


> The LH Labs apologists will undoubtedly resurface soon and regurgitate their "But it's Crowdfunding" mantra as an excuse for this company and it's utter contempt for backers. *Waiting* *26* *months* (and counting) for my Pulse Infinity is bad enough, but the fact that LH Labs are still prioritising Amazon over fulfilling backers orders just beggars belief.


 
 Hard to argue with this.  I honestly feel really lucky that I got my stuff mid-Nov.  Sigh


----------



## miceblue

26 months is nothing. XD

Let's put this in perspective. I backed the Project Phoenix video game in September 2013.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1300298569/project-phoenix-japans-indie-rpg-feat-aaa-talent/description

Here's the news I saw last week:
http://www.destructoid.com/project-phoenix-kickstarter-slated-for-2015-pushed-to-2018-325845.phtml
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1300298569/project-phoenix-japans-indie-rpg-feat-aaa-talent/posts/1437738

Yah, 2018. 


> Refunds
> 
> We know a lot of people are disappointed with the delays and organization of Project Phoenix. We are not considering refunds at this time.


----------



## smial1966

The unfortunate delay is comparable but not the reward. A more apt comparison would be the crowdfunded PS Audio `Sprout' which arrived on time and with no glitches. So crowdfunding a DAC/Amp and fulfilling backer pledges on time is eminently doable.  
  
 Quote:


miceblue said:


> 26 months is nothing. XD
> 
> Let's put this in perspective. I backed the Project Phoenix video game in September 2013.
> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1300298569/project-phoenix-japans-indie-rpg-feat-aaa-talent/description
> ...


----------



## WNBC

Wow, I came late to the LH train.  I knew nothing about the DAC or company.  I needed a DAC/amp and my friend had one of these in standard edition that was new-in-box.  Probably waited a long time like you all based on the arrival in October 2015 and a backer price of $189.  Had I researched this company a bit more I would have probably hesitated as I'd rather support a company that respects their customers.  I don't know the full history of the company with its backers.  We all underestimate how long things will take to complete, whether at work or home.  My boss has a rule for grad students.  Ask the student how long something will take then double it and add one month.  If there are going to be delays then the company needs to keep backers current and not fulfill Amazon orders until all domestic and international backers have gotten their products.  With a good approach such as this one can expect a lifetime of loyal customers.  Look at me, I'm not one that has been burned by LH, but hearing these stories you can bet I probably would not back anything else they did.  There is so much good equipment out there (can you say Schiit and iFi) that one can pick a company that is good to its customers.  I consider myself a pretty big fan of iFi products.  Rather than just return to the iFi iDSD Micro I decided to try something new just for kicks.  Now, what would make me more positive about LH is we find out that 95% of people have received their items and though bad it is a small minority that have not.  Still bad, but I might buy something from them on Black Friday   
  
 One reason I don't get into crowdfunding is personal experience with non-audio equipment waiting periods.  I just don't have the patience.  However, I do recognize the phenomenal deal one can get as a backer.  Really amazing prices on amazing equipment.  Liquid Carbon and 1964 gear is a more recent reminder.  
  
 Good luck guys with the wait.   
  
 Now with that all said, I didn't like the Pulse out of the box.  I am now starting to dig it about 20 hours later.  Call it mental or mechanical burn-in.  Will be interested to hear how the sound improves with Jay Audio's LPS. 
  
  
 Quote:


chrome robot said:


> From Amazon web site five minutes ago regarding LHLabs Infinity:
> 
> "Only 9 left in stock, (more on the way)"
> "Get it before Christmas"
> ...


----------



## RickDastardly

hemtmaker said:


> Have you tried contacting Gina? I received my infinity 1.0 shortly after asking her directly. All the best!


 

 UK Infinity 2.0 backer from Nov 2013 here. I might contact Gina to see if I can get an update on my Infinity. I haven't been on the LHLabs site in ages. What's the best way to contact them these days?


----------



## Arinko

Raise a ticket.


----------



## smial1966

Having raised numerous tickets and been repeatedly misinformed about the imminent delivery (blatant lies from LH Labs) of my still yet to be shipped Pulse Infinity, I'd say that your best bet is PRAYING to every major deity and a number of the minor ones too. Though if you have an Amazon account you can easily circumvent your angst and order a shiny new Infinity Pulse and have it delivered next day (USA only). Because that's how much LH Labs don't give a damn about it's backers. 




rickdastardly said:


> UK Infinity 2.0 backer from Nov 2013 here. I might contact Gina to see if I can get an update on my Infinity. I haven't been on the LHLabs site in ages. What's the best way to contact them these days?


----------



## zerograin

Correct me if I'm wrong... Isn't this bad business?
 You have paid customers waiting for their products. Who are now pissed off and aren't going to spend another penny on your product if ever again.
 You can't start a new crowd source project to raise money because no one trust you.
 So no new money is coming in. At the same time you have overhead and payroll to pay each month.
 How long will it take before the profit that you would have made erode away by not delivering the product?
 And if this continues, how long before you're in the negative?


----------



## oneguy

Yup

EDIT: although from what I have seen on kickstarter even companies with bad names can still push out a crowd sourced funding campaign by cause enough people don't know their reputation. Hopefully the audiophile community is small enough for this not to happen.


----------



## wingsounds13

smial1966 said:


> The unfortunate delay is comparable but not the reward. A more apt comparison would be the crowdfunded PS Audio `Sprout' which arrived on time and with no glitches. So crowdfunding a DAC/Amp and fulfilling backer pledges on time is eminently doable.




Not comparable. The PS Audio Sprout Kickstarter campaign was simply to fund setting up and starting production of a completed and production ready product - precisely as described in their campaign. This was also from a long established audiophile product company.

The Pulse campaign may have been ambitious, but never suggesed that te product was ready to enter production.

Still... I, as a strong supporter of LH Labs am becoming more disillusioned with them even after receiving and thoroughly enjoying my Pulse X∞. I understand the need to fulfill a minimal first shipment commitment with a retail vendor, but restocking that before existing stock is depeleted and long before all campaign backers (who have already paid and have been waiting many months) receive their product is horrible management of one of their potentially strongest resources - the campaign backers and their powerful word of mouth free advertising.

I was going to post a positive review on Amazon - after all campaign backers had received their units. I am now considering posting a one star review of LH Labs stating the above reasons. A positive review of the infinity may follow - after all backers have been fulfilled. 

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

double post... somehow. oops.


----------



## miceblue

smial1966 said:


> The unfortunate delay is comparable but not the reward. A more apt comparison would be the crowdfunded PS Audio `Sprout' which arrived on time and with no glitches. So crowdfunding a DAC/Amp and fulfilling backer pledges on time is eminently doable.



Sprout was already made before the campaign even started though, which is entirely different from building from the ground up with the Pulse DAC. The prototypes of the Pulse seen in the original Indiegogo campaign video wasn't even close to what it is now....Perkageddon aside. XD

From their Kickstarter page:


> Pre-production prototypes have been built and the product is fully engineered.
> ...
> We are doing the Kickstarter program to fund the tooling costs of ramping up production, as well as the large inventory costs associated with building this product and keeping the costs where we need them to be.




Versus the Pulse:
https://web.archive.org/web/20131031002015/http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-a-digital-audio-awesomifier-for-your-desktop


> *Not Your Typical Crowdfunding Campaign*
> ...
> When we decided to create a product that was more consumer friendly, we knew that crowdfunding was the best way to gain market research and determine the demand for our new line of consumer electronics. What we didn’t expect, was our backers to become part of a force that helped us to build a better product.
> ...
> ...




Those are two very different ways to create a product. Like the Pulse, Project Phoenix (and partially why I brought it up) is not complete, is basically starting from the ground up upon being funded, and they're using community feedback to create the game.


----------



## swannie007

Still doesn't excuse the lack of communication with backers and fulfilling orders with a vendor before sending product to backers WHO HELPED FUND THE CREATION OF THE PRODUCT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!
 I wouldn't buy anything from these duplicitous a-holes if they were the last audio company in business. Their business practises are despicable!


----------



## Jimah

I have finally (after a long tedious battle) been able to get my hand on the Pulse X. When it arrive, the first thing I noticed when cycling through it's menu that the main firmware is showing 0.0, MCU 2.4. uh-oh, bad sign.
  
 And true enough, the pulse cannot be detected by mac and Windows (yes I did install the driver correctly for windows). Help me guys, any tips to make this Frankenmonster alive and kicking? I'm located in Malaysia so RMA will be costly (Though LHLabs should be the one covering both ways as this is straight out of box death).
  
 p.s: I did the keyhole check tips, and only the white LED is on, and yes, of course I've opened a support ticket and my case is being handled by Jody. But it has been 2 days since, so I figured the great people of Head-fi could help.


----------



## adrian0115

jimah said:


> I have finally (after a long tedious battle) been able to get my hand on the Pulse X. When it arrive, the first thing I noticed when cycling through it's menu that the main firmware is showing 0.0, MCU 2.4. uh-oh, bad sign.
> 
> And true enough, the pulse cannot be detected by mac and Windows (yes I did install the driver correctly for windows). Help me guys, any tips to make this Frankenmonster alive and kicking? I'm located in Malaysia so RMA will be costly (Though LHLabs should be the one covering both ways as this is straight out of box death).
> 
> p.s: I did the keyhole check tips, and only the white LED is on, and yes, of course I've opened a support ticket and my case is being handled by Jody. But it has been 2 days since, so I figured the great people of Head-fi could help.


 
 Jeez, I'm wondering if this is a recent Pulse X delivered by LH Labs?  I would've thought the QC/testing would be worked out by now.  I'm honestly thanking the powers that be since my Infinity is working so far.


----------



## Jimah

Yeah, super recent, like literally received it 2 days ago. Since then it has been a slow back and forth 1 question and answer per day with the support team T.T


----------



## RickDastardly

arinko said:


> Raise a ticket.


 

 Thanks. I went to their website and raised a ticket. Should I be concerned that I had to create a new user account to log in to their website? I am still using the same email address that I have used for Indiegogo and all the various surveys and LHLabs forums etc...I was sure I would have an account for their site, but apparently there was no account under that email address.


----------



## CingKrab

Have any international backers received their Inifnities in 2.0 chassis?  I sent a ticket yesterday and got the ol' "you have 40 units in front of you" and "boards have a high rate of failure" excuse.  Right -- they fail so often LH feels fine putting 15 of them on Amazon for 2.5 grand each?


----------



## oneguy

rickdastardly said:


> Thanks. I went to their website and raised a ticket. Should I be concerned that I had to create a new user account to log in to their website? I am still using the same email address that I have used for Indiegogo and all the various surveys and LHLabs forums etc...I was sure I would have an account for their site, but apparently there was no account under that email address. :confused_face_2:




If you haven't logged a ticket before then you would have to create a separate log in for their tech support site. I know their forums have gone through many iterations each requiring a new account but I believe their tech support site is still on the first iteration.


----------



## swannie007

So easy to do business with. Their after sales service is great. Yeah right! What a load of bull****!


----------



## vnmslsrbms

oneguy said:


> If you haven't logged a ticket before then you would have to create a separate log in for their tech support site. I know their forums have gone through many iterations each requiring a new account but I believe their tech support site is still on the first iteration.


 
 Yeah they don't have a way of automatically syncing the logins and passwords with indiegogo.  It makes sense and also is better for your privacy.  Though it would be nice if they just linked up the products ordered and just showed it all in one place under their website.  Instead they keep having us confirm what we ordered.  I think the support site is on the second iteration at least.  Which you had to create a new login for too (after the first iteration).  They're learning, slowly.  I think most importantly they are eventually rolling out products.  I hope their products start getting to retailers (which they say they have started to sign people up I think) so they can start creating some cash flow other than the funds they got from selling on IGG.


----------



## adrian0115

cingkrab said:


> Have any international backers received their Inifnities in 2.0 chassis?  I sent a ticket yesterday and got the ol' "you have 40 units in front of you" and "boards have a high rate of failure" excuse.  Right -- they fail so often LH feels fine putting 15 of them on Amazon for 2.5 grand each?


 
 I'm an international backer and received my Infinity 2.0 around mid-Nov.  Hmm....the high failure rate is concerning.  I just hope mine keeps working.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

adrian0115 said:


> I'm an international backer and received my Infinity 2.0 around mid-Nov.  Hmm....the high failure rate is concerning.  I just hope mine keeps working.


 
 I'd keep on using it to make sure it doesn't have issues.  Electronics for me usually work well if they work well initially.  They've had the issues with board suppliers before.  I'm surprised it's come up again.


----------



## adrian0115

vnmslsrbms said:


> I'd keep on using it to make sure it doesn't have issues.  Electronics for me usually work well if they work well initially.  They've had the issues with board suppliers before.  I'm surprised it's come up again.


 
 Agreed.  I've been keeping this thing on and playing since I got it.  Lucky the LPS that was sitting for so long works because the wall wart/smps was DOA.  
  
 The prices on this stuff is totally depressed that I can't even get back what I put in from looking at the 'for sale' sections so don't have much choice but to hang on to it for now.  I have a friend that seems to have a flaky Xfi as well since he needs to power cycle it a couple of times before DSD would play in foobar and some spdif issues.
  
 Fingers are crossed at this point.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

adrian0115 said:


> Agreed.  I've been keeping this thing on and playing since I got it.  Lucky the LPS that was sitting for so long works because the wall wart/smps was DOA.
> 
> The prices on this stuff is totally depressed that I can't even get back what I put in from looking at the 'for sale' sections so don't have much choice but to hang on to it for now.  I have a friend that seems to have a flaky Xfi as well since he needs to power cycle it a couple of times before DSD would play in foobar and some spdif issues.
> 
> Fingers are crossed at this point.


 
 We basically have no choice but to enjoy these units.  I'm still waiting for my Vi Tube, so not holding my breath.  Maybe their secondary market value of LHL products will have increased by then.  The Vi series does look pretty good.  Until people start complaining about it of course LOL.


----------



## adrian0115

vnmslsrbms said:


> We basically have no choice but to enjoy these units.  I'm still waiting for my Vi Tube, so not holding my breath.  Maybe their secondary market value of LHL products will have increased by then.  The Vi series does look pretty good.  Until people start complaining about it of course LOL.


 
 We live and learn.  Same thing with my buddy with the Xfi.  He's waiting on the Vi as well.  I'm genuinely concerned about QC with these guys.  If each and every one is tested as they claim, there shouldn't be DOAs like this.  This is the first time I've had a DOA wall wart as well.  If I didn't have an LPS (lucky it works), I wouldn't know whether it was a dead Infinity or the wall wart.  I know it's a cheap Chinese piece of kit and the Infinity works so I can let it slide.  I'm just thinking what if others don't have an LPS?  Not testing properly only costs them time/$ in support afterwards.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

adrian0115 said:


> We live and learn.  Same thing with my buddy with the Xfi.  He's waiting on the Vi as well.  I'm genuinely concerned about QC with these guys.  If each and every one is tested as they claim, there shouldn't be DOAs like this.  This is the first time I've had a DOA wall wart as well.  If I didn't have an LPS (lucky it works), I wouldn't know whether it was a dead Infinity or the wall wart.  I know it's a cheap Chinese piece of kit and the Infinity works so I can let it slide.  I'm just thinking what if others don't have an LPS?  Not testing properly only costs them time/$ in support afterwards.


 
 That's very true.  Clearly they cheaped out on the wall wart supplier.  Usually those are tested before coming off the production line I would think.  Choosing a supplier that doesn't mean corners were cut.  The Chinese factories are actually getting quite good.  But of course there are many different levels of competence out there.  As you can see from all the Chinese audio brands out there, they have actually gotten quite good at manufacturing these relatively simple electronics.  The software on the other hand is another story.  I don't think you really have a good interface out there for Chinese DAPs.  That said LHL stuff had problems with firmware too, so I really think it's how much effort you put in there to make sure you design a good interface and that it works 100% through thorough testing.  The testing that Larry does (at least shown in the videos is running it through a test bench that shows the DNR for channel balance).  I'm not sure what they do beyond that.  I definitely don't think they test out every input/output before/after assembly.  So when they say they test every single unit, it's really a question of is the testing sufficient.  And it's shown to be not sufficient.


----------



## smial1966

Would you mind informing us when you first backed your Pulse? As I initially backed in October 2013 and am still awaiting my Pulse Infinity 2.0 despite assertions from LH Labs `Customer Disservice' that shipping would be imminent six weeks ago. 
  
 Quote:


adrian0115 said:


> I'm an international backer and received my Infinity 2.0 around mid-Nov.  Hmm....the high failure rate is concerning.  I just hope mine keeps working.


----------



## swannie007

smial1966 said:


>


 

 Making people wait that long is just unforgivable! How they stay in business and continue to do this is beyond me! I guess there's one born every minute.


----------



## smial1966

International backers still awaiting their Pulse Infinity units are stuck between a rock and a hard place!
  
 As we can't get refunds from LH Labs, keep getting fobbed off with spurious shipping soon promises, hope that when our units eventually do arrive that they're not DOA and fully functional, lest we ship them back for repair and face another import duty surcharge of 30% (UK) when they're returned. 
  
 Oh and we can't even sell them on as the resale value is minimal due to the abundance of for sale Pulse's. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Quote:


swannie007 said:


> Making people wait that long is just unforgivable! How they stay in business and continue to do this is beyond me! I guess there's one born every minute.


----------



## adrian0115

smial1966 said:


>


 
 Hey smial1966,
  
 I PM'd you about this before remember?  I'm a backer from January 2014 and one of the original 1500ers (people that put up $1500 or more).  I think my situation is a little different since I'm currently in Shanghai and whoever thinks German/UK customs etcetc are a pain in the ass have never dealt with China.  I'll refrain from further comments.  
  
 As a result, the closest they can ship is HK so I got on a plane to HK to pick them up.  I was communicating with Stephanie from the Customer Happiness team and emailed her my itinerary and said the stuff better be there when I'm in HK.  
  
 She, along with Diana and Manny made it happen.  Thanks guys.
  
 Trust me, I know exactly how you, and everyone else, feel because I started b***ching about this situation more than half a year ago on head-fi.  I was banned from LH's own forums and I got a warning from Jude/head-fi mods too. Feel free to search my posts.
  
 I trust the customer happiness team is trying to do their best to keep people at bay.  It's the guys behind the scenes like marketing etc that's made all the great decisions to piss off all of us backers.  I know engineers and trust Larry is one of those painstakingly detailed guys coming up with an optimal solution with the best parts he's given to work with and I applaud him for it.
  
 The Infinity has been working ok for me and I've had it running basically since I got it.  I haven't run into the popping issue when changing sample rates (44.1/88.2/96/192/DSD128 back to back) but make sure you unplug headphones/turn off amps before switching off the DAC since there's the pop without a relay on the outputs.


----------



## adrian0115

smial1966 said:


>


 
 smial1966,
  
 I also agree with everything you've said and I still find it mind boggling how DOA Pulses are still being shipped out since they claim every unit is tested on AP.


----------



## RickDastardly

I got the following update from Gina in response to my ticket asking when my Infinity 2.0 would be shipped out:



> The Production Department has informed me the 2nd batch of Infinity boards that were received had such a high failure rate that they needed to be retuned to the vendor which has pushed back shipping times. They estimate shipping will begin again in February. I appreciate your patience and continued support as we work to get your items to you as soon as possible.




The wait continues.


----------



## doctorjazz

True, the waits are forever (still waiting on a Vi Tube Dac among other LH Labs stuff), I would much prefer to get one working properly, though.
Sorry, the wait DOES continue...


----------



## Zenifyx

At this point, I just hope the wait does not continue on to 2017.
 And that I receive a perfectly working unit.


----------



## doctorjazz

Amen brother!


----------



## mandrake50

I have been using the Pulse DAC section with either the H10 or more recently the Cavalli Liquid Carbon._  _don't have any R2R DACS to compare, but of the 5 Delta Sigma DACS that I have here I like the pulse the best.
 I do have an Infinity version. Not really sure of how significant of a difference that makes. I tend to think that for the price of a base Pulse, it is a very competitive DAC. Certainly give it a shot with your LC when it arrives. I feel sure that you will find a significant difference. The headphone out of my Pulse is quite adequate, but not spectacular.


----------



## doctorjazz

The Infinity is the version with the Femto clock...haven't compared the basic Pulse and the Infinity, but have the Geek Out 1000 and the Special Edition with the Femto clock, the Femto makes a big difference in SQ.


----------



## Roll

Just received this:
  
  
 Message from Larry and Production.
 Dear ,
  
 We know you have been waiting patiently for your Pulse Infinity and would like to extend our sincerest gratitude. Pulse Infinity DAC in 2.0 chassis alone has more than 500 backers in total. It has been quite the ride and we are continually pushing to get our Pulse Infinity DAC in your hands. And we're roughly half way through it.
  
 You are receiving this email because we just received PCBs from our assembly factory but according to our internal quality standard, this whole batch of board are not qualified. Needless to say this has caused a delay in shipping, and we already contacted another reliable PCB assembly factory to restart the work of this batch. We wanted to personally inform you of this matter, while production does everything in their power to resolve this issue in a timely manner. The expected impact of delivery schedule will be four weeks. Again, we want to express our gratitude for your patience. We will restart the Infinity DAC shipping towards the end of January.
  
 Hope you could support our decision of insisting on the best quality. If you have any particular question in mind, you are welcome to go to support.lhlabs.com to open a ticket for your Pulse Infinity order.
  
 Thank you so much,
  
 Larry & The Production Team


----------



## oneguy

I believe they had high PCB failure rates with a manufacturer while doing Pulse 1.0 chassis builds as well. I wonder whether it's the the companies they are choosing or something related to the PCB design? At this rate though they won't be able to satisfy all their backer requirements and build up retail stock until probably early spring next if I had to guess.


----------



## nudd

All this insistence on quality and yet Pulses are still shipped to customers DOA?


----------



## zerograin

Has anyone noticed audio delay with the Infinity?
  
 I finished putting together a movie/music room. Due to size, I kept it 2.1.
  
 Shuttle HTPC Skylake i5 --> Pulse Infinity --> Parasound P7 --> Parasound A23 --> Ascend Sierra 2.
 Onboard Intel Iris 530 --> LG OLED 9500
  
 It sounds great, but I had to adjust the audio delay in Kodi by .069ms and save it as default. Every movie syncs perfectly after.
  
  
 It will be annoying if I use something else besides Kodi that won't allow audio delay. Is there another place to adjust the delay system wide?


----------



## doublea71

nudd said:


> All this insistence on quality and yet Pulses are still shipped to customers DOA?


 

 I wonder how much of this will happen to Wave backers....I shudder to think!


----------



## vnmslsrbms

nudd said:


> All this insistence on quality and yet Pulses are still shipped to customers DOA?


 
 Where did you get that it was shipped to customers?  They caught the board issues during testing it seems.  Internal Quality Standard.


----------



## mandrake50

doctorjazz said:


> The Infinity is the version with the Femto clock...haven't compared the basic Pulse and the Infinity, but have the Geek Out 1000 and the Special Edition with the Femto clock, the Femto makes a big difference in SQ.


 

 I think that there were other upgrades in the SE other than the clocks...Being able to hear differences in the audio output based on a few parts per million in clock accuracy is not real likely.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

mandrake50 said:


> I think that there were other upgrades in the SE other than the clocks...Being able to hear differences in the audio output based on a few parts per million in clock accuracy is not real likely.


 
 Yeah but switching the clock modes in my Vega I was able to hear differences.  But only if I switch back and forth really quickly LOL.  It's not a big deal really.  But yeah the SE had many other pricey component upgrades.  I'm not sure how much better they will sound.  But they do look gold though!


----------



## Chrome Robot

I am amused at how Larry and the gang attempt to spin the further delays as a positive about their dedication on insisting on quality, particularly with the numerous faulty units of varying models that they have shipped. Just more BS and attempt to shift the perception of fault.

What temerity this lot has!


----------



## atsq17

Background: I'm still waiting on a unit I first pledged for in 2013. 
  
 In their defence, if you DID release stuff that are faulty, you'd work even harder to prevent future cases which is what they are sort of doing. 
  
 What they need to do better is communicate better and more often and acknowledge that we are technically being screwed over. 
  
 Pretending otherwise or that this is all part of the plan just fuels anger and dissatisfaction.


----------



## doctorjazz

vnmslsrbms said:


> mandrake50 said:
> 
> 
> > I think that there were other upgrades in the SE other than the clocks...Being able to hear differences in the audio output based on a few parts per million in clock accuracy is not real likely.
> ...




There was supposed to be other upgrades, in part quality and tolerances, but, while I have no way to prove it or isolate it from other improvements for the Special Edition, but I believe the Femto clocks are a big part of it. But, as I said, can't really prove it without having identical models with and without the Femto to compare.


----------



## snip3r77

Actually those guys that are still waiting is because most of you opt for the new chassis. Perhaps getting the old chassis is a good idea. Yeah.. I got the old chassis and I'm not waiting anymore.


----------



## Jupiterknight

vnmslsrbms said:


> Yeah but switching the clock modes in my Vega I was able to hear differences.  But only if I switch back and forth really quickly LOL.  It's not a big deal really.  But yeah the SE had many other pricey component upgrades.  I'm not sure how much better they will sound.  But they do look gold though!


 
 The various FW might make a difference as well, just to make it more complicated to compare.. I have two Geek Pulse vanilla in two different 1.0 chassis, both are totally burned in, so let's rule that out!  Anyhow, FW 1V4 sounds differently from FW 1V5. To my ears at least and I used a switch box, units volume matched, going back and forth it was fairly clear, although without this type of direct comparing I most likely wouldn't be able to tell or identify a difference.
  
 Anyhow, FW 1V4 sounded more smoother and better balanced than 1V5.  So IMO there could be more than component upgrades at stake when we compare units, have opinions on such without being able to compare directly..


----------



## vnmslsrbms

jupiterknight said:


> The various FW might make a difference as well, just to make it more complicated to compare.. I have two Geek Pulse vanilla in two different 1.0 chassis, both are totally burned in, so let's rule that out!  Anyhow, FW 1V4 sounds differently from FW 1V5. To my ears at least and I used a switch box, units volume matched, going back and forth it was fairly clear, although without this type of direct comparing I most likely wouldn't be able to tell or identify a difference.
> 
> Anyhow, FW 1V4 sounded more smoother and better balanced than 1V5.  So IMO there could be more than component upgrades at stake when we compare units, have opinions on such without being able to compare directly..


 
 But... are you able to test the firmwares on the respective machines?  Like swap them?  Maybe the units themselves are different too (just sounding, since they are the same vanilla pulse).  Oh so many variables.  Surprised the 1v5 sounded worse though.  Bummer.


----------



## Jupiterknight

vnmslsrbms said:


> But... are you able to test the firmwares on the respective machines?  Like swap them?  Maybe the units themselves are different too (just sounding, since they are the same vanilla pulse).  Oh so many variables.  Surprised the 1v5 sounded worse though.  Bummer.


 
 Yes, I can load 1v4 on one unit and 1v5 on the second unit and the other way around. I do use two different PC's so that could be another variable as well, but I have tried swapping/changing all combinations within the time frame I have and want to spend on this circus... and still came to the same conclusion that there was a difference. That I will keep 1v4 on both units.. 1v5 was to bright/digital sounding to my ears..


----------



## smial1966

True. Which we were erroneously informed would delay shipping by a couple of months at most, not by 6 months or more which is now the likely outcome and this presupposes that LH Labs delivery estimates are even accurate, when historically they've missed every shipping estimation by a wide margin.
  
 Oh well, I've been waiting *26* *months* for my Pulse Infinity, what's another... _add your own guess here. _






    
  
 Quote:


snip3r77 said:


> Actually those guys that are still waiting is because most of you opt for the new chassis. Perhaps getting the old chassis is a good idea. Yeah.. I got the old chassis and I'm not waiting anymore.


----------



## germay0653

mandrake50 said:


> I think that there were other upgrades in the SE other than the clocks...Being able to hear differences in the audio output based on a few parts per million in clock accuracy is not real likely.


 

 Have you heard a DAC with them?  I can tell you the Pulse X Infinity is leaps and bounds better than the vanilla V1 GO's.  Larry also matched internal components, not sure which ones, and personally tunes each SE model.


----------



## doctorjazz

The Geek Out SE V1 sounds much better than the GO 1000, and better than most other DACs I've compared it to (CEntrance Hifi M8, Denon's iPod amp/dac, the built in DAC in my Peachtree GrandPre Preamp). I can't tweeze out which improvement Larry made is the reason (likely all together), but I believe the clock is significant (I have absolutely NO way to prove my statement, of course, but doesn't stop me for a minute from making it, like a TRUE Head-Fi denizen).


----------



## mandrake50

doctorjazz said:


> The Geek Out SE V1 sounds much better than the GO 1000, and better than most other DACs I've compared it to (CEntrance Hifi M8, Denon's iPod amp/dac, the built in DAC in my Peachtree GrandPre Preamp). I can't tweeze out which improvement Larry made is the reason (likely all together), but I believe the clock is significant (I have absolutely NO way to prove my statement, of course, but doesn't stop me for a minute from making it, like a TRUE Head-Fi denizen).


 

 I have an Infinity and a GO 1000. Of course they are different. I very definitely prefer listening to the Infinity. I attribute that to the entire design and implementation. If I had to guess, maybe 10% of that is the clocks. As you say, in the absence of test data and critical listening of a like design with the only difference being the clocks, or better yet AB tests, I can't prove that. Knowing what the clocks do in the circuit, however, At least I have some basis for the statement. I am sure that better caps and resistors with a higher level of matching and precision, make a far more audible difference. The topology of the board and power supply also would be far higher on my list of difference makers. But this is a comparison (GO VS Infinity) that has little bearing on assuming any differences in sound that would be provided by simply adding one higher precision in a circuit that otherwise stays the same. In that case I doubt that neither the sound nor the measurements would change appreciably. That last is what the point here is, correct? Not comparing two completely different designs (GO and Infinity) that just happen to also have different clocks.


----------



## doctorjazz

I mostly get my Impressions on the Femto clock from Larry and the various updates. It always seemed to me the Femto clock was the main thing he stressed in the various upgrades. If course, alkyl the contents and matching and listening makes a big difference.


----------



## CingKrab

smial1966 said:


> True. Which we were erroneously informed would delay shipping by a couple of months at most, not by 6 months or more which is now the likely outcome and this presupposes that LH Labs delivery estimates are even accurate, when historically they've missed every shipping estimation by a wide margin.


 
  
 No, the current delays have nothing to do with the chassis.  The PCBs as I understand are the same between v1 and v2.  They clearly have enough cases to go around since that's not what they're blaming things on.  They've shipped, what, couple hundred of the Infinities out in the old and new chassis combined?  If what they're telling us is true about the PCBs failing there can only be, in my opinion, these conclusions to be made:
  
 1) They switched the PCB fabrication house to a cheaper one to save a couple of bucks (on a product that costs $2500, no less).  Clearly the new fab has QA issues, so most of them are going back and they're crawling back to their old fabrication house.  There would be no reason for this delay if they used the same fab that has worked for them manufacturing the exact same PCBs in the past.
  
 2) Some of the PCBs in the latest batches passed QA, and these made it to Amazon instead of to any backers.
  
 Pretty consistent with their behavior in the past to screw backers and to make an extra buck wherever they can.


----------



## Shawnb

Is it wrong this damn wait I'm already looking at buying another DAC to compensate until I finally get my Pulse?
  
 They "claim" my being whatever magical number they want to use this week is far back enough that I won't be affected with this new delay. So March is still the best i can hope for, being LH that means likely June. Part of me hopes that could mean other stuff might be ready then too and I can get multiple things at once, the rest of me knows this is LH so that delay likely means everything was delayed even more and It'll be the end of 2016 before this nightmare is over.
  
 Happy New year and it all maybe finally being over.....


----------



## FayeForever

My Pulse Infinity might be dead. I tried to turn it on after a power outage and it stuck at the startup screen "Pulse DAC". Computer won't recognize it so I can't update the firmware. I am running LPS to it and the LPS and everything else is working fine. Very disappointed during this time of the year, I don't have a backup DAC and the Pulse is connecting my PS4 and computer. Ticket sent and waiting for instructions, hope I don't have to send them back.
  
 EDIT: Just after I post this I was doing power-cycle desperately and suddenly my computer recognized it, and it is working again! The screen is still stuck at "Pulse DAC", but the knob works, I can adjust the volume. I may try update the firmware later.
 EDIT 2:Couldn't find the main firmware so I updated the MCU using a microSD and now everything is back to normal.


----------



## doctorjazz

Whew! Glad it worked out OK.


----------



## Utopia

What are the benefits of adding an LPS to a Pulse? I have a vanilla Pulse that works perfectly, but at times I feel that the headphone out is a bit bass-light.


----------



## greenkiwi

I believe that it cleans up the background... I think that it is unlikely to make a change and make it feel non-bass-light.


----------



## trung224

In my expericence with my Pulse Sfi, the LPS helps cleaning up background, expanding soundstage, improving resolution and details in both treble and bass, reducing grain in high mid. I can hear more detail, tight bass with better articulation with LPS but not more amount of bass.


----------



## germay0653

You'll need either a different pair of cans or an equalizer to get more bass.  The Pulse pretty much delivers what's on the recording.


----------



## wingsounds13

What Gery said: the Pulse is about as neutral as you can get without being 'dry'. Adding a LPS will make it cleaner, quieter, perhaps better definition and even sweeter highs and possibly tigher bass, but not more bass. If you want more bass then you need something after the DAC to deliver it, that or some DSP to add it digitally.

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

Oh, by the way... how much playing time do you have on your Pulse? On mine, from about 1 hour to 24 or so the bass really did seem to be missing. Between 1 and 12 hours the sound was really dreadful. The bass started coming back, but took a while to come in and settle down. It took several hundred hours before it really came into its own.

J.P.


----------



## Utopia

Thank you all. I have probably 50 hours on mine, and I think the sound is still gaining some body. I've been comparing Geek Pulse -> HD650 with Geek Pulse -> Crack -> HD650, and probably the Crack will always add more warmth and bass weight (without the Geek Pulse doing anything wrong in being a bit leaner than that). Either way it sounds like an LPS of some kind would be a worthwhile purchase.


----------



## coletrain104

snip3r77 said:


> Actually those guys that are still waiting is because most of you opt for the new chassis. Perhaps getting the old chassis is a good idea. Yeah.. I got the old chassis and I'm not waiting anymore.


 
 Pulse Xfi owners from the IGG campaign like myself did not have the option to opt for the new chassis, yet we have not received our units yet either.


----------



## Shawnb

coletrain104 said:


> Pulse Xfi owners from the IGG campaign like myself did not have the option to opt for the new chassis, yet we have not received our units yet either.


 
  
  
 When did you back your Pulse? If you're still waiting for a Pulse in the 1.0 chassis I'd get on emailing support and finding out where it is.


----------



## coletrain104

shawnb said:


> When did you back your Pulse? If you're still waiting for a Pulse in the 1.0 chassis I'd get on emailing support and finding out where it is.


 
 I did. XFi was pretty much ignored, I guess. They say they still didn't have the boards in for them, but according to their estimated response by customer service, they should've gotten them in almost a month ago. If you check their estimations and charts and timelines, none mention XFi. Infinity, X, and standard are all that is listed anywhere


----------



## MrMan

Just curious what headphones were these (Geek Pulse) designed to power? My friend sent me the pulse to try with my HD800. I have the amp set to -13.5 dB and the volume on my computer at 20% and its perfectly loud. The one time I set the amp to 0 it killed my ears from over-amping. 
  
 Also is 32/192 the max obtainable sample rate using usb? Its overkill to begin with but curious how one would get above this using usb.


----------



## wingsounds13

What gain level do you have the headphone amp set to? It seems like you could make good use of the low gain setting. Some experimentation is still in order, as I have found. My ZMF Master model V1 headphones are 50 ohms and medium/low sensitivity. From the balanced output, I can get plenty loud on low gain with most source material. Most listening is about -10dB. However... With my setup, I find that I get better sound on high gain and -24dB. Your results may be different.

The Pulse DAC headphone amp unbalanced output is 7V RMS and 3W into a 16 ohm load. This is sufficient power to drive almost any headphones to a potentially dangerous level. The HD-800 is a high impedance headphone and is fairly sensitive, so it does not need much power, but does need an amp with a reasonably high voltage output. 

J.P.


----------



## wingsounds13

As for sample rate, the Pulse is supposed to be capable of 32/384 PCM, DXD and eventually DSD 256, although the current drivers and firmware are limited to DSD 128 as DoP.

J.P.


----------



## mscott58

wingsounds13 said:


> As for sample rate, the Pulse is supposed to be capable of 32/384 PCM, DXD and eventually DSD 256, although the current drivers and firmware are limited to DSD 128 as DoP.
> 
> J.P.




There's also a working Beta for the 256 driver, so that should hopefully be out for public use pretty soon. Cheers


----------



## adrian0115

coletrain104 said:


> I did. XFi was pretty much ignored, I guess. They say they still didn't have the boards in for them, but according to their estimated response by customer service, they should've gotten them in almost a month ago. If you check their estimations and charts and timelines, none mention XFi. Infinity, X, and standard are all that is listed anywhere


 
 Jeez, this problem with PCB's have been there since the beginning and still haven't been solved.  I would've thought it would be in both parties best interest to figure it out since scrapping populated/unpopulated PCB's would get pretty costly...sigh.
  
 More surprisingly is the Xfi should outnumber the Infinities so it's interesting how the Infinity went from not being for retail to replacing the Xfi for retail.  
  
 Regardless, it looks like Xfi/Infinity all stopped now since there's impedance problems with the PCB's.  
  
 I wonder who is making the Vi PCB's and why not use them to run the Xfi/Infinity as well.


----------



## pedalhead

Incredible that original Xfi backers are still waiting.  Wow.
  
 On the topic of neutrality of sound with the Pulse....personally I've found my Infinity to have a bit of a boost around 8-10khz, which gives some additional air to snare drums etc but may perhaps contribute to a perceived corresponding dip in bass response.


----------



## NigelJ

mrman said:


> Just curious what headphones were these (Geek Pulse) designed to power? My friend sent me the pulse to try with my HD800. I have the amp set to -13.5 dB and the volume on my computer at 20% and its perfectly loud. The one time I set the amp to 0 it killed my ears from over-amping.
> 
> Also is 32/192 the max obtainable sample rate using usb? Its overkill to begin with but curious how one would get above this using usb.




Are you sure that the computer is is only outputting at 20%? As far as I have read, still waiting for my Infinity so can't confirm, the volume is controlled by either the computer or the Pulse volume knob, not by both. If you actually are using a 20% volume on the computer you are limiting the maximum quality as you are resampling the signal in the computer and then again in the Pulse; if you need to use a lower setting on the computer set a reduction that is exactly a factor of 2, ie 50% or 25% as this only requires a bit-shift not resampling.

(A similar situation applies to using the Pulse with an external amplifier - use a reduction that is a multiple of -3 dB, ie -3 dB, -6 dB, -9 dB, -12 dB, etc. This was discussed by Larry in one of the LH Labs HPA videos: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkHwQE8uYk&t=8m59s&feature=youtu.be.)


----------



## mark5hs

sujitsky said:


> You might want to contact lh labs asap.. Good luck! (standard pulse, ordered Dec 2014... Received September 2015)


 
 Yeah, just opened another ticket. I first opened a ticket in early November when an email proudly stated, "standard Pulse DACs have been shipped!", and was told that there were a few left to be shipped in the second half of November. Now, it's just about January and I'm still waiting...


----------



## MrMan

nigelj said:


> Are you sure that the computer is is only outputting at 20%? As far as I have read, still waiting for my Infinity so can't confirm, the volume is controlled by either the computer or the Pulse volume knob, not by both. If you actually are using a 20% volume on the computer you are limiting the maximum quality as you are resampling the signal in the computer and then again in the Pulse; if you need to use a lower setting on the computer set a reduction that is exactly a factor of 2, ie 50% or 25% as this only requires a bit-shift not resampling.
> 
> (A similar situation applies to using the Pulse with an external amplifier - use a reduction that is a multiple of -3 dB, ie -3 dB, -6 dB, -9 dB, -12 dB, etc. This was discussed by Larry in one of the LH Labs HPA videos: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkHwQE8uYk&t=8m59s&feature=youtu.be.)


 
  
 The pulse I don't think has a volume knob. It appears just to adjust the amount of amping.  
  
 I had both working and now neither the pulse nor my computer will adjust the volume. I can still adjust the amp amount with the knob but not the volume. 
  
 Now I have to listen to it @ 0dB volume to hear the music @ a decent level. 
  
 The difference between adjusting volume vs amping is volume doesn't affect pressure on the ear. 
  

  
 Adjusting this does nothing to the sound

  
  
 What version I own


----------



## miceblue

The volume knob, or your computer, adjusts the Pulse's volume in the digital domain through the ESS DAC's multi-bit Delta-Sigma stage...

Only the gain (low, medium, high) adjusts things in the analogue domain.

No matter which option you choose, you're adjusting the perceived volume level.


Try cycling the Pulse off/on to see if that does anything. The Pulse seems to have issues connecting to USB interfaces for some reason. It happens to me and another fellow Infinity owner, as well as another Xfi owner.


----------



## greenkiwi

wingsounds13 said:


> What gain level do you have the headphone amp set to? It seems like you could make good use of the low gain setting. Some experimentation is still in order, as I have found. My ZMF Master model V1 headphones are 50 ohms and medium/low sensitivity. From the balanced output, I can get plenty loud on low gain with most source material. Most listening is about -10dB. However... With my setup, I find that I get better sound on high gain and -24dB. Your results may be different.
> 
> The Pulse DAC headphone amp unbalanced output is 7V RMS and 3W into a 16 ohm load. This is sufficient power to drive almost any headphones to a potentially dangerous level. The HD-800 is a high impedance headphone and is fairly sensitive, so it does not need much power, but does need an amp with a reasonably high voltage output.
> 
> J.P.


 
 I'm trying this with my LCD-XCs, my comfortably loud level is:
 Low ==> -21dB  (24-27 is more of a long term listening level)
  
 I'm going to try it on High Gain to see if I can hear a difference.  (with an accordingly lower volume setting)


----------



## MrMan

miceblue said:


> The volume knob, or your computer, adjusts the Pulse's volume in the digital domain through the ESS DAC's multi-bit Delta-Sigma stage...
> 
> Only the gain (low, medium, high) adjusts things in the analogue domain.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I tried turning pulse on/off. I tried removing usb cable and trying it in other usb slots. I tried uninstalling the drivers, restarting computer and then reinstalling the drivers. None of these work. When I go to window's playback devices and then look at the LH audio icon the bars next too it show no audio movement despite audio coming out of the headphones. To make sure windows was displaying audio properly I tried this with my xda2 and sennheiser sound card and both show audio perfectly.


----------



## Audio Addict

It may be a function of your software. With Roon, I have it set for a fixed output so the volume is controlled by the Pulse Infinity. Using JRivers is not so clean. JRivers controls the volume as well as the Pulse. If I switch to using the Geek Out V2+, I have to pull up the LHLABS driver and control the volume through it.


----------



## miceblue

mrman said:


> I tried turning pulse on/off. I tried removing usb cable and trying it in other usb slots. I tried uninstalling the drivers, restarting computer and then reinstalling the drivers. None of these work. When I go to window's playback devices and then look at the LH audio icon the bars next too it show no audio movement despite audio coming out of the headphones. To make sure windows was displaying audio properly I tried this with my xda2 and sennheiser sound card and both show audio perfectly.



Then I'm not too sure what's going on. Audio plays through the headphones, but Windows doesn't recognise it. Strange.


----------



## mscott58

miceblue said:


> Then I'm not too sure what's going on. Audio plays through the headphones, but Windows doesn't recognise it. Strange.




Guess that's better than the other way around!


----------



## miceblue

Speaking of connection problems with the Pulse, my Infinity keeps losing its connection every few hours of use...it usually happens when I'm watching YouTube videos. I just wanna watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars!

Cycling the power off/on fixes the issue but that's supposedly bad for the femto clocks according to Larry.


----------



## wingsounds13

I doubt that a simple power cycle for reset is any worse for the femto clocks than for any other component in the Pulse. The thermal cycle of an extended power down is another issue. It seems to take the femto clocks half an hour to settle stabilize and perhaps several hours to fully settle down to optimum performance.

Sorry to hear that your infinity loses connection. This is not right. There are three likely factors working here: the Pulse, the cable and the computer. The computer and the cable are the easiest things to eliminate, assuming that you do not have another Pulse available for testing. Have you tried using a different cable? this is the easiest thing to do. My guess is that you are using the 2G cable that came with the infinity upgrade perk. If the 2G cable has some kind of matching issue between gour computer and the DAC, even the 1G cable might share the same issue, so I would not use it as the first choice for testing. I would try a good basic USB cable, such as Belden Gold or similar that anyone should have in their spares.

The second easiest item to test ismthe computer. Even if you have to take the DAC to another location, or a friend's house, try running it on another computer for several hours or days. Again, bring several USB cables, such as the 2G and the good quality printer cable. These things can be a nuisance to diagnose, but several different tests should help to narrow down the culprit.

It is also possible that the power supply is causing the problem. Perhaps a grounding issue, power or groud noise, or an intermittent glitch on the line. 

Still, I like the computer as the most likely culprit, as they are mass produced with an absolute minimum of profit margin, and a flaky USB chip or even some other loosely related component could cause issues with specific other products, such as an audiophile DAC.

Of coarse, odds are good that I am suggesting tests that you have already done. If so, sorry to not have been more help for you, but perhaps someone else can benefit from learning this kind of testing procedure. The key is to change only one thing at a time, determine its effect and only then move on to the next step. 

I hope that you eventually get it working (more) consistently.

J.P.


----------



## adrian0115

miceblue said:


> Speaking of connection problems with the Pulse, my Infinity keeps losing its connection every few hours of use...it usually happens when I'm watching YouTube videos. I just wanna watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars!
> 
> Cycling the power off/on fixes the issue but that's supposedly bad for the femto clocks according to Larry.


 
 This doesn't sound right.  I'm not on a Mac but have a similar setup (Infinity 2.0/LPS/2G) as yours.  I've been running this non-stop for *over a month* now and I haven't had any disconnects.  I'm using a Thinkpad X220 running win7 and Foobar 1.3.9/SACD 0.84 plugin to playback 44.1/88.2/96/192k/DSD128 with no connection problems so far.  
  
 I agree with J.P. on getting back to basics and see if you can isolate the problem.  Try connecting the Infinity directly using a quality generic usb2.0 cable and then add things back in one at a time.  One thing that stands out between our config is the ifi that you have.  Maybe try taking that out first?  My LPS is the original (floating ground) version and it's working ok with the Infinity with a 2G cable connecting everything.


----------



## pedalhead

miceblue said:


> Speaking of connection problems with the Pulse, my Infinity keeps losing its connection every few hours of use...it usually happens when I'm watching YouTube videos. I just wanna watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars!
> 
> Cycling the power off/on fixes the issue but that's supposedly bad for the femto clocks according to Larry.


 
  
 Check your USB cable.  I was experiencing similar issues and narrowed it down to a semi-DOA 1G cable.


----------



## Inotrope

Thanks Gavin / Stephanie _et al_ at LHL - got the Infinity back today (surprisingly quick given a transatlantic trip over Christmas!).
  
 Working now, and being warmed up as I speak 
  
 I've not found out what the problem is, but it does look like the MCU firmware has been updated (although I cannot find this version via the LHL website) 

 Main 2.0
 USB 1.0
 MCU 1.27
  
 I understand there was a bug in the MCU 1.25 firmware which caused display issues.
  
 Either way, I'm impressed with the timely customer support both on-line and via the RMA process.

 Looking forward to 2016 and a GO V2 Infinity, V2 LPS 8, HPA, Blue and Tube Buffer - I'll need a bigger desk!


----------



## adrian0115

inotrope said:


> Thanks Gavin / Stephanie _et al_ at LHL - got the Infinity back today (surprisingly quick given a transatlantic trip over Christmas!).
> 
> Working now, and being warmed up as I speak
> 
> ...


 
 Interesting.  So we can all expect a firmware update for the MCU then.


----------



## FayeForever

I recently updated the MCU using microSD and my version is 1.26.


----------



## gikigill

I have a Pulse Xfi, how do I update it and where's can I find the firmware to update it?


----------



## adrian0115

gikigill said:


> I have a Pulse Xfi, how do I update it and where's can I find the firmware to update it?


 
 If I'm not mistaken, I believe the Xfi is in the 1.0 chassis which has a display that cannot be updated by the end user.


----------



## gikigill

adrian0115 said:


> If I'm not mistaken, I believe the Xfi is in the 1.0 chassis which has a display that cannot be updated by the end user.


 

 Yup, you're correct. So how do the 1.0 Pulses get updated?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Send it to them

Happy New Year Guyz!


----------



## gikigill

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Send it to them
> 
> Happy New Year Guyz!


 

 Happy New Year Mickey.
  
 Is there no other way to update it?


----------



## oneguy

No other way.


----------



## Inotrope

fayeforever said:


> I recently updated the MCU using microSD and my version is 1.26.




Where did you find that version of the MCU? I'm have a v2 infinity, and all I could find online was 1.25, and that's what support sent during troubleshooting.


----------



## FayeForever

inotrope said:


> Where did you find that version of the MCU? I'm have a v2 infinity, and all I could find online was 1.25, and that's what support sent during troubleshooting.


 

 I had issue with my Pulse Infinity(see my post couple pages back) that I had to update the firmware under their support page.
 https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000675085-pulse-mcu-firmware


----------



## Inotrope

It would be useful if LHL notified users of these updates, or at least indicated the version number on those pages. I'd been blindly looking around the array of different bits and bobs there is.


----------



## Benny-x

inotrope said:


> It would be useful if LHL notified users of these updates, or at least indicated the version number on those pages. I'd been blindly looking around the array of different bits and bobs there is.


 
 That's been one of the main, of many, problems with LHL since the beginning. There's bits and bobs of information scattered all over the place. Then there's different info regarding the same topic from different LHL staff in different places. That's always been a challenge and prompted many of the "bring it all together in one place" threads over on the Geek Force V1 forums. 
  
 Anyway, looks like I was SUPER lucky to have gotten my Infinity 2.0 when I did in October... I thought I was just finally part of the wave of units coming out, but not it's showing that I was just lucky to have gotten one of the few that made it out. Still crossing my fingers that my unit doesn't just crap out on me like the LPS4 did. Looking forward to getting that back next month some time.


----------



## nicolo

I saw a couple of weeks back that ifi-audio had released DC power plug range called iPower, which had lower noise levels than even the LPS/LPS4 (5uV i believe). The iPowers are supposed to have 1uV! Think i will be getting one and sell the LPS if i like it.
  
 http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower/


----------



## zenpunk

I got one and it worked very well... for a week. After checking power requirement, I sadly realised that its amperage limit was lower than what the Pulse requires.


----------



## Utopia

I was looking at the iPower for my Geek Pulse as well and came across this new (not yet released) thing from iFi that's supposed to work with one's existing power supply and turn it into an iPower:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/761310/ifi-audio-ipower-universal-ultra-low-noise-ac-dc-adapter/75#post_12129268


----------



## alvin1118

Happy New Year Guys!
  
 I reacquired a Geek Pulse exactly one year later i sold the first one. My initial sound impression still hold, it has very good bass, lot of punch.
  
 Enjoy the music!
  
 Rgds
 Alvin


----------



## greenkiwi

utopia said:


> I was looking at the iPower for my Geek Pulse as well and came across this new (not yet released) thing from iFi that's supposed to work with one's existing power supply and turn it into an iPower:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/761310/ifi-audio-ipower-universal-ultra-low-noise-ac-dc-adapter/75#post_12129268


That looks really interesting


----------



## mattering

Hey guys, anyone know how to get a more stable power through my desktop USB plugs? Sometimes when I plug out a front panel USB device, my pulse X get louder and clearer and overall better (it kind of resets in terms of sound). My pulse X is connected directly to my motherboard's back USB plugs, any advice would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## wingsounds13

It seems that your computer has very poor USB power and no isolation between the USB ports. Two remedies come to mind.

1. Get a powered USB hub and only plug your accessories into that. You might also try plugging the Pulse into its own powered USB hub. One or both of those is likely to help, at least some. A powered hub, even a good one, is cheap enough to try, and a useful device to keep around your computer anyway.

2. If your budget is a bit greater, you might get a Schiit Wyrd ($99) or Uptone Audio USB Regen ($175). Ether of those would connect between the computer and DAC and isolate the DAC from the apparent computer nasties present in your USB ports in the computer. The powered hub mentioned in item 1 above would do much the same, but not nearly as well as these two devices.

J.P.


----------



## nudd

Or just keep using the front usb port for free?


----------



## doctorjazz

Use the Reven with my Geek Out Special Edition, really like it Replaced my Vaunix powered hub.


----------



## wingsounds13

nudd said:


> Or just keep using the front usb port for free?




So, you are suggesting that he do nothing to try to correct the issues that he is experiencing? 

J.P.


----------



## nudd

I thought he said the problem went away if he plugged through the front usb port?


----------



## mattering

wingsounds13 said:


> So, you are suggesting that he do nothing to try to correct the issues that he is experiencing?
> 
> J.P.


 
 no the problem is corrected when i unplug devices from my front panel usb ports (USB webcam, External HDDs, etc. etc.). I usually only have my webcam plugged into my front panel. 


wingsounds13 said:


> It seems that your computer has very poor USB power and no isolation between the USB ports. Two remedies come to mind.
> 
> 1. Get a powered USB hub and only plug your accessories into that. You might also try plugging the Pulse into its own powered USB hub. One or both of those is likely to help, at least some. A powered hub, even a good one, is cheap enough to try, and a useful device to keep around your computer anyway.
> 
> ...


 
 As I am currently out of town, I will try your solution when I get back and give an update. I still can't justify getting a 100 dollar powered usb hub though.
  
 Anyone know if the amazon basic / anker (looking more at the anker) with  one would be good enough?


----------



## wingsounds13

I don't have direct experience with any Anker hubs, but other products of theirs that I have bought have been very good. I would definitely prefer Anker over Amazon Basic. 

[edit] I looked at Anker and most of their hubs are bus powered, which is what you do not want. Their AC powered hubs are more expensive. I did see one hub that I can recommend, as I have been using it for several years. I bought it because it has separate translators for each port which allows you to mix USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 devices without slowing down the USB 2.0 devices. Since it is an older product it is now dirt cheap too. It would make an excellent hub for your desktop accessories.

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Hi-Speed-USB-4-Port-F5U234v1/dp/B000ERAOL4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451927933&sr=8-2&keywords=usb+hub+belkin

J.P.


----------



## zerograin

I initiated a refund for the Infinity through amazon. It was fun while it lasted. Now I'm back waiting for my Pulse XFi to ship while listening to an ancient DAC. Talk about a tease. Talk about frustrating. This was my first and will be my last crowd funding. I'm contemplating buying the Schiit Ygg, and washing my hand from this experience.


----------



## Jupiterknight

Today, I received a Emotiva CMX-2.  It's an AC line restoration filter module, which means it in theory should do much of the same as the LPS by taking "dirty" AC power from the wall outlet and delivering clean power the Pulse. 
  
 As an addition it got two outlets so one for the Geek Pulse and another one for my external Lycan amplifier.  I have heard/read a lot how the LPS improved on the various Geek Pulse units but I haven't had a chance or been able to afford to experience it with my own ears!   
  
 I think this the Emotiva CMX-2 might do something similar, except cleaning the USB line, and for much less. I was actually very surprised about the impact that the CMX-2 had on the Geek Pulse. Primarily by affecting the sound stage by kind of opening it up, depth/background seems "present" or blacker if you like. The bass also seems to have more impact and a tad more precise.  This is just initial impression. Since I have a second Geek Pulse somewhere else in the house, I will later this week compare them. One Geek Pulse without the CMX-2 and the other with the CMX-2.  It could all have been in my mind or maybe this house really suffers from "dirty power", although not something I have in any way noticed before...
  
 Anyhow, price for the Emotiva CMX-2 is atm around $80 and IMO very reasonable priced and one piece of rugged equipment. the cable as well! Thickest power cable I ever used with any kind of audio gear equipment...
  
 https://emotiva.com/products/accessories/cmx-2


----------



## nudd

Not quite the same thing as the emotiva still presents an AC power source and you are sticking the cheap AC to 12v power supply onto it?

Whereas the LPS takes the AC power source and converts it into very clean 12v power?

I think the iFi iPower thing is something much more like what we are after to feed the Pulse directly with very clean DC power.


----------



## greenkiwi

Yeah, the new ifi dc power cleaner looks quite just interesting


----------



## Benny-x

zerograin said:


> I initiated a refund for the Infinity through amazon. It was fun while it lasted. Now I'm back waiting for my Pulse XFi to ship while listening to an ancient DAC. Talk about a tease. Talk about frustrating. This was my first and will be my last crowd funding. I'm contemplating buying the Schiit Ygg, and washing my hand from this experience.


 
 Get the Yggdrasil and don't look back. These two DACs aren't going to be in the same league at all.


----------



## kostaszag

zenpunk said:


> I got one and it worked very well... for a week. After checking power requirement, I sadly realised that its amperage limit was lower than what the Pulse requires.


 
 Why? The specs for the ifi state amperages of 1.1A at 12V. The Pulse requires 1.2A at 12V. It does not seem like a great difference to me. But then again I am not very good at Physics...


----------



## greenkiwi

benny-x said:


> Get the Yggdrasil and don't look back. These two DACs aren't going to be in the same league at all.


 
 Reviews have put the Infinity pretty similar to the Yggy.
  
 If I were doing it now, I'd just get a Yggy...  but the Infinity was my gateway drug.  I hadn't spent more than $500 on a DAC (Emotiva DC-1), and wasn't thinking that I would ever pay more.  Then came the Infinity $820 or so... and I ended up with two.  And realized I should have just accepted that I should have gotten the Yggy.
  
 At any rate, I like my Infinity... though I might sell the second one.


----------



## foreverzer0

greenkiwi said:


> Reviews have put the Infinity pretty similar to the Yggy.
> 
> If I were doing it now, I'd just get a Yggy...  but the Infinity was my gateway drug.  I hadn't spent more than $500 on a DAC (Emotiva DC-1), and wasn't thinking that I would ever pay more.  Then came the Infinity $820 or so... and I ended up with two.  And realized I should have just accepted that I should have gotten the Yggy.
> 
> At any rate, I like my Infinity... though I might sell the second one.


 
  
 So would you say the Infinity is clearly superior to the DC-1? I hear great things about that as well, and it doesn't have the audiophile markup.


----------



## m17xr2b

I will give the infinity a chance once it finally arrives. As I didn't get the LPS I'm looking into other options(I'm not buying anything else from them). Jay's LPS looks nice but I think I might go with the HDPLEX 100W Linear Power Supply. Looks well build hopefully the same performance as the LH one and it has usb output although type C an adapter can be found.


----------



## greenkiwi

foreverzer0 said:


> So would you say the Infinity is clearly superior to the DC-1? I hear great things about that as well, and it doesn't have the audiophile markup.


 
 It has a considerably better headphone amp, the DAC is better... probably the equivalent of the $800 device it is.  All that being said, I wouldn't say that it was night and day different.  The DC-1 is very very good.
  
 Now, as for build/reliability/functionality?  The DC-1 is head and shoulders above the Infinity.  I've had two for 3+ years... and not a problem.  They don't forget their volume, they don't have weird glitches, they are ALWAYS seen by the computer.  They feel like a pro audio device.  Oh yeah, they still have another 2 years of warranty and it's transferrable.  So the resale value stayed high and I felt good selling one because I knew that if there were an issue, the unit would still be covered.


----------



## zerograin

benny-x said:


> Get the Yggdrasil and don't look back. These two DACs aren't going to be in the same league at all.


 
 Ordered, B-Stock Yggdrasil. Might as well save the $200.
 When or if the Pulse X-fi ever ships, I'll find a use for it or put it up for sale.
 Lesson learned, never again. LH lost me as a customer forever.
 Anyways, this nonsense in now behind me.


----------



## Benny-x

greenkiwi said:


> Reviews have put the Infinity pretty similar to the Yggy.
> 
> If I were doing it now, I'd just get a Yggy...  but the Infinity was my gateway drug.  I hadn't spent more than $500 on a DAC (Emotiva DC-1), and wasn't thinking that I would ever pay more.  Then came the Infinity $820 or so... and I ended up with two.  And realized I should have just accepted that I should have gotten the Yggy.
> 
> At any rate, I like my Infinity... though I might sell the second one.


 
 What reviews put them in the same league? I've got an Infinity and a GO and I don't find a massive difference in them... Certainly not the impression that I get from my PWD Mkii, and people have replaced those with Yggdrasils. 
  
 Since the 3 hours I spent with the Infinity 4 days ago that turned me off, after having had it run in for ~5 hours on 2 other occasions, I decided to hook it up to a thousand song playlist on repeat so that I could start getting burn in hours on it. I want to see if it's not just broken in yet or what. Either way, I wasn't very impressed by it. I'll put 400hrs on it and then see.
  
 It may also not have good synergy with my LCD 2.2s or my JVC HP-DX1000s. Anyone have feedback on them so far or any headphones they figure pair well with the Infinity? I also haven't separately amped it yet. But at this point, why am I struggling for ways to compensate for it when with my past components I just enjoyed them from the get go and storve to make them better, not storve to make them acceptible.
  
 As far as it being a gateway component, that's true. I also got lured into it as a cheap office component for a couple hundred. Ended up being around $1500 for it, the LPS which later became an LPS4, and all the upgrades. 2 years ago. For me it became the windfall to replace all my home audio gear and go crazy again. Though I didn't plan on including the Infinity in the home setup, it unlocked the wallet. I agree that I probably won't sell it though. Resale value has helped me with that one. But besides that I don't mind the overall DAC and amp, the looks, or the form factor. I also like that LH Labs seems to update the firmware and USB drivers somewhat timely. For retail prices I wouldn't touch it, at the backer discount it's still a stretch and I'd recommend an Audio-gd all in one. The Infinity at backer pricing isn't worth the money, or the effort.
  


greenkiwi said:


> It has a considerably better headphone amp, the DAC is better... probably the equivalent of the $800 device it is.  All that being said, I wouldn't say that it was night and day different.  The DC-1 is very very good.
> 
> Now, as for build/reliability/functionality?  The DC-1 is head and shoulders above the Infinity.  I've had two for 3+ years... and not a problem.  They don't forget their volume, they don't have weird glitches, they are ALWAYS seen by the computer.  They feel like a pro audio device.  Oh yeah, they still have another 2 years of warranty and it's transferrable.  So the resale value stayed high and I felt good selling one because I knew that if there were an issue, the unit would still be covered.


 
 So far my Infinity has been doing OK on the "seen by PC" front with 2 separate PCs. Knock on wood. I've also had it up for 3 days so far, no unlocks or drop outs. Knock on wood. But I know others have had their issues. In fact, I did with my GO1000, so much that I thought it was ready for an RMA until they updated the driver. Having dependable products is such a nice thing, just like you were saying about the DC-1.
  


zerograin said:


> Ordered, B-Stock Yggdrasil. Might as well save the $200.
> When or if the Pulse X-fi ever ships, I'll find a use for it or put it up for sale.
> Lesson learned, never again. LH lost me as a customer forever.
> Anyways, this nonsense in now behind me.


 
 Congrats. I wish I could have one here for a comparison.
  
 And for buying more LH Labs components, if I get a mad deal on something USED, 1-2 years after it's been out and proven not to just blow and have terribly dependability issues, I'd think about it. But LH Labs is certainly never getting a new component purchase from me again.


----------



## doctorjazz

[/QUOTE]
What reviews put them in the same league? I've got an Infinity and a GO and I don't find a massive difference in them... Certainly not the impression that I get from my PWD Mkii, and people have replaced those with Yggdrasils. 

I find this pretty hard to believe, the Infinity and the GO not sounding much different. I don't have an Infinity, but I got the GO 1K, then the GO Special Edition, which, if I understand correctly, has some of the upgrades that later went into the Infinity (but, with its small size, not all). The GO SE is SO much better than the GO, stopped using the GO 1K as soon as the SE came. Not sure what the issue on your end is, synergy with other components or headphones, or I understand it needs to be running all the time to sound its best, but I don't see how they can be close in sound, from my experience.


----------



## mtruong34

I have a GO450 and Pulse Xfi and there's definitely an audible difference in SQ between the two, of course the Xfi being better. But then again, I don't think I've seen any review saying the Pulse Infinity was in the same league as the Yggy either.


----------



## greenkiwi

benny-x said:


> What reviews put them in the same league? I've got an Infinity and a GO and I don't find a massive difference in them... Certainly not the impression that I get from my PWD Mkii, and people have replaced those with Yggdrasils.


 
 Here's one set of comments a while back.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/9165#post_11914373


----------



## zerograin

greenkiwi said:


> Here's one set of comments a while back.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/9165#post_11914373


 
 Not going to lie, the Infinity sounds awesome in my set up. But, my patience ran out plus Amazon return policy is about to expire.
 After reading various reviews and impressions, I am looking forward to the Ygg. If the Ygg is on par with the Infinity, I will be more than thrilled. For some reason, I think it will be better.
  
 I have until the 31st to return the Infinity. Which gives me close to two weeks to compare to the Ygg when it arrives. I don't have a reference headphone set up. I do have what I think without going mega dollar, the best bang for the buck 2.0 listening room. Parasound P7, Parasound A23, to Ascend Sierra 2. I do have a sub, but the Sierra 2 puts out enough bass, I haven't turned it on.


----------



## greenkiwi

zerograin said:


> Not going to lie, the Infinity sounds awesome in my set up. But, my patience ran out plus Amazon return policy is about to expire.
> After reading various reviews and impressions, I am looking forward to the Ygg. If the Ygg is on par with the Infinity, I will be more than thrilled. For some reason, I think it will be better.
> 
> I have until the 31st to return the Infinity. Which gives me close to two weeks to compare to the Ygg when it arrives. I don't have a reference headphone set up. I do have what I think without going mega dollar, the best bang for the buck 2.0 listening room. Parasound P7, Parasound A23, to Ascend Sierra 2. I do have a sub, but the Sierra 2 puts out enough bass, I haven't turned it on.


 
 I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the two.


----------



## Benny-x

doctorjazz said:


> I find this pretty hard to believe, the Infinity and the GO not sounding much different. I don't have an Infinity, but I got the GO 1K, then the GO Special Edition, which, if I understand correctly, has some of the upgrades that later went into the Infinity (but, with its small size, not all). The GO SE is SO much better than the GO, stopped using the GO 1K as soon as the SE came. Not sure what the issue on your end is, synergy with other components or headphones, or I understand it needs to be running all the time to sound its best, but I don't see how they can be close in sound, from my experience.


 
 That "auditory memory" thing probably comes into play about me comparing them. Maybe what we remember is the feeling vs. the sound? Anyway, find it hard to believe as you may, but I was pretty unsatisfied with the sound of my Infinity. It was really mediocre and costs 5x as much as my GO1K. I'll get the LPS4 back from RMA hopefully in the middle of February or so and then get it connected up in late March. Then I'll be able to compare the full Infinity stack as it was intended to be used. I hope to hear some difference.
  
 I haven't done a side by side A/B with the GO1K, so the "feeling" or memory of the sound was what I was basing that comparison off of.
  


mtruong34 said:


> I have a GO450 and Pulse Xfi and there's definitely an audible difference in SQ between the two, of course the Xfi being better. But then again, I don't think I've seen any review saying the Pulse Infinity was in the same league as the Yggy either.


 
 I'll wait for it to get all burned in and then have another go at it. Maybe even bring it into the office so I can do an A/B. I expect to hear differences, with the Infinity being better, but so far that's not what I'm getting. Fingers crossed.


----------



## doctorjazz

I haven't heard the Infinity myself, waiting on a Vi Tube Special Edition (or whatever they call it), can't say first hand. I do recall reading that Hifiman used the Infinity at a show to demo the HE-1000. They must have thought it sounded OK 
I do empathise with the difficulties dealing with LH Labs, with the frustration over technical glitches, and the feeling of "never doing this again". But, I do think Larry does good sound...


----------



## doctorjazz

zerograin said:


> greenkiwi said:
> 
> 
> > Here's one set of comments a while back.
> ...




Also looking forward to your impressions.


----------



## jbr1971

doctorjazz said:


> I haven't heard the Infinity myself, waiting on a Vi Tube Special Edition (or whatever they call it), can't say first hand. I do recall reading that Hifiman used the Infinity at a show to demo the HE-1000. They must have thought it sounded OK
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hifiman used a Vi DAC with the HE-1000, and Mr. Speakers used a 1.0 Infinity with the Ether's at RMAF in October.
  
 Jody


----------



## smial1966

That's nice! :rolleyes:

It'd be even nicer if Pulse Infinity (chassis 2.0) European backers who first pledged in OCTOBER 2013 had a definitive shipping date instead of having to endure this LH Labs protracted fiasco, as having to wait 27 months+ for our units just beggars belief and is downright shameful. :mad:




jbr1971 said:


> Hifiman used a Vi DAC with the HE-1000, and Mr. Speakers used a 1.0 Infinity with the Ether's at RMAF in October.
> 
> Jody


----------



## germay0653

I have a GO 720 and an Infinity, both fed by an LPS4 with the 10G cables, and the Infinity, by a large margin, has greater detail and a more expansive and precise soundstage.  I have never listened to the yggy so I can't comment on how it compares to the Infinity.  It has had nothing but great reviews and that's a good thing!!


----------



## woodcans

smial1966 said:


> That's nice!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 I remain amazed that LHL hasn't made right by you. 
  
 I am now sending my Pulse Xfi back to LHL for it's SECOND repair. Gotta be honest, LHL's service is actually good, but my patience is running thin. If this return/repair doesn't fix it for good, I will be done with this company. Forever.


----------



## Panelhead

I have been using mine as a dac. Sound from the XLR and RCA outputs has been great. Using a Jays LPS instead of wallwart.
 Tried a nice set of headphones and the sound is distorting from the 1/4" plug on the front. Have not tried the 4 pin XLR. 
 The three gain settings do not help and this is at all volume levels. Is a trip to LH required?
 This is a two month old Infinity in the 2.0 chassis. Do not use cans much. But surprised that this is not performing. 
 Tried a couple pair of headphones and then tried with another dac/headphone amp and the issue is the Infinity. Both sets of phones work fine with another amp and neither sounds right with the Infinity.


----------



## wingsounds13

Sounds like your Pulse is weak and irregular and needs to go visit the doctor. California... not the worst place to visit. 

The headphone output on my infinity is quite good from both balanced and unbalanced.

J.P.


----------



## Benny-x

benny-x said:


> That "auditory memory" thing probably comes into play about me comparing them. Maybe what we remember is the feeling vs. the sound? Anyway, find it hard to believe as you may, but I was pretty unsatisfied with the sound of my Infinity. It was really mediocre and costs 5x as much as my GO1K. I'll get the LPS4 back from RMA hopefully in the middle of February or so and then get it connected up in late March. Then I'll be able to compare the full Infinity stack as it was intended to be used. I hope to hear some difference.
> 
> I haven't done a side by side A/B with the GO1K, so the "feeling" or memory of the sound was what I was basing that comparison off of.
> 
> I'll wait for it to get all burned in and then have another go at it. Maybe even bring it into the office so I can do an A/B. I expect to hear differences, with the Infinity being better, but so far that's not what I'm getting. Fingers crossed.


 


germay0653 said:


> I have a GO 720 and an Infinity, both fed by an LPS4 with the 10G cables, and the Infinity, by a large margin, has greater detail and a more expansive and precise soundstage.  I have never listened to the yggy so I can't comment on how it compares to the Infinity.  It has had nothing but great reviews and that's a good thing!!


 
  
 So I've had my Infinity running for about 75-100 hours now and I had a quick listen last night. It did sound good. And yes, certainly better than my GO1000. Haha. 
  
 Who knows what it was? Was it not run in well enough, did it not have enough warm up time, was it the time of day? Who knows. But last night when I had a listen it was good and I was happy with it. I've still got to get my LPS4 to power it and the Regen, but the Regen is feeding it for now and I'm liking the combo. 
  
 I've still got another +300 hours to put on it before I'll feel comfortable in saying it's run in "enough". And then I'll make sure to leave it on all the time to make sure it's warmed up enough.


----------



## germay0653

benny-x said:


> So I've had my Infinity running for about 75-100 hours now and I had a quick listen last night. It did sound good. And yes, certainly better than my GO1000. Haha.
> 
> Who knows what it was? Was it not run in well enough, did it not have enough warm up time, was it the time of day? Who knows. But last night when I had a listen it was good and I was happy with it. I've still got to get my LPS4 to power it and the Regen, but the Regen is feeding it for now and I'm liking the combo.
> 
> I've still got another +300 hours to put on it before I'll feel comfortable in saying it's run in "enough". And then I'll make sure to leave it on all the time to make sure it's warmed up enough.


 

 You owe it to yourself to at least go listen to the Yggy somewhere before you make your final decision on what to keep but audiophile nervosa (feeling there is always something better you could have purchased) seems to have set in.  I suffer from that condition also!!


----------



## doctorjazz

Pretty common affliction around these parts...cured by death or bankruptcy, whichever comes first!


----------



## Benny-x

germay0653 said:


> You owe it to yourself to at least go listen to the Yggy somewhere before you make your final decision on what to keep but audiophile nervosa (feeling there is always something better you could have purchased) seems to have set in.  I suffer from that condition also!!


 
 Oh I'm TOTALLY going to find a place to have a listen of the Yggdrasil. In too many places around these forums, all from people how have similar components+views as me, I'm hearing the right things. It's definitely on the list of things to do. But I'll be keeping the Infinity, so no decision there, but the thing is whether I "need" an Yggdrasil in the future?
  
 Regarding Audiophile Nervosa; I thought the running definition of that was actually the nagging fear that your components need upgrading and need all those "support" products to sound better, like cable lift blocks, after market fuses, going fully balanced vs. stick with single ended when you're not experiencing noise issues, conditioning your power, removing all SMPS units in favour of linear power supplies, or upgrading your capacitor in your amps. All the questionable moves. I guess thinking about it, buying up a new DAC because you've got that nagging feeling that it's better counts too, I just never looked at it that way. I enjoy laughing about all the small tweaks being Audiophile Nervosa vs. buying new components, which almost definitely means the sound WILL change.
  
 For how I manage to combat the "do I need to replace this DAC, maybe I should have bought another one" feeling, I just grow new set ups :etysmile: The Infinity has found it's home in my "office set up", which didn't even exist before this... Now I've got a pair of office headphones (closed back, JVC HP DX-1000), after market USB cables(LH Labs LS 2G), USB Reclocker (UpTone Audio Regen), LPS(LPS4), and maybe an upcoming dedicated amp to make best use of the DAC in the Infinity. The Yggdrasil would maybe just find it's way into my "speaker set up", which currently shares all components with my "headphone set up". Then I'd navigate the "headphone set up" into the bedroom, and it'd becoming the "quite, because I'm concerned for my wife getting a good sleep, set up"... Oh ****, I've already started to fill in the blanks...


----------



## doctorjazz

Once it sets in, Audio Nervosa becomes chronic, possibly financially debilitating!


----------



## JoeDoe

Infinity 2.0 owner checking in! Had this thing is great after 10 hours! Looking forward to what the 50 hour mark does and also wondering if a Jays Audio PSU would seriously improve SQ?


----------



## m17xr2b

Honestly any LPS should be a big improvement over the stock noisy switching power supply.


----------



## Maelob

You can probably find a good deal on a used one in the for sale forum.  I believe I saw a Jays LPS which works great with the Pulse.


----------



## uncola

some cool pics of the pcb and inside of the 2.0 chassis on this page
 http://www.my-hiend.com/vbb/showthread.php?10141-2016%E5%B9%B4CES%E5%AF%A6%E6%B3%81%E5%A0%B1%E5%B0%8E-High-Perfomance-Audio-%E9%AB%98%E7%B4%9A%E9%9F%B3%E9%9F%BF&p=223948#post223948


----------



## Audio Addict

uncola said:


> some cool pics of the pcb and inside of the 2.0 chassis on this page
> http://www.my-hiend.com/vbb/showthread.php?10141-2016%E5%B9%B4CES%E5%AF%A6%E6%B3%81%E5%A0%B1%E5%B0%8E-High-Perfomance-Audio-%E9%AB%98%E7%B4%9A%E9%9F%B3%E9%9F%BF&p=223948#post223948


 
  
 Thanks.  LH Labs missed a great opportunity to include similar high quality pictures to its backers.  It doesn't make sense to me they could not take a few minutes and post the pictures on a GO update with a brief explanation.


----------



## doctorjazz

Had trouble finding those pictures with the link on my phone...lots of other nice pictures, though...


----------



## Shawnb

After looking at the pictures, is there a reason for the empty space in the Pulse and LPS4?


----------



## wingsounds13

The Pulse 2.0 chassis was designed to fit several products in the line, including the tube headphone amp. The height of the tubes defined the height of the chassis. The depth was originally made to fit the Pulse DAC board. I don't know what criteria they used to select the unnecessarily wide footprint for most of the Pulse products. They were going to use the same basic chassis for all Pulse products. This would have forced them to redesign the LPS, as its board is somewhat longer than the DAC, however they appear to have mde a separate chassis for the LPS that is longer to fit the LPS boards. I dind it unfortunate that they chose the wide and not deep footprint that they did. Also unnecessary is the same height for all components, just because one (the tube headphone amp) required a tall enclosure. There is a lot of wasted space in most of the units.

As for the current and apparently final design of the Source... Good lord, that thing is HUGE! I do like the large display, but the width most definitely takes it out of the desktop category.

J.P.


----------



## mscott58

wingsounds13 said:


> The Pulse 2.0 chassis was designed to fit several products in the line, including the tube headphone amp. The height of the tubes defined the height of the chassis. The depth was originally made to fit the Pulse DAC board. I don't know what criteria they used to select the unnecessarily wide footprint for most of the Pulse products. They were going to use the same basic chassis for all Pulse products. This would have forced them to redesign the LPS, as its board is somewhat longer than the DAC, however they appear to have mde a separate chassis for the LPS that is longer to fit the LPS boards. I dind it unfortunate that they chose the wide and not deep footprint that they did. Also unnecessary is the same height for all components, just because one (the tube headphone amp) required a tall enclosure. There is a lot of wasted space in most of the units.
> 
> As for the current and apparently final design of the Source... Good lord, that thing is HUGE! I do like the large display, but the width mkst definitely takes it out of the desktop category.
> 
> J.P.




Slap some legs on it and it could be the desk! 

JK


----------



## vnmslsrbms

audio addict said:


> Thanks.  LH Labs missed a great opportunity to include similar high quality pictures to its backers.  It doesn't make sense to me they could not take a few minutes and post the pictures on a GO update with a brief explanation.


 
 Maybe they will.  They are probably both at CES and both busy.  


wingsounds13 said:


> As for the current and apparently final design of the Source... Good lord, that thing is HUGE! I do like the large display, but the width mkst definitely takes it out of the desktop category.
> 
> J.P.


 
 It's large indeed.  The screen itself is monstrous.  I'm not sure you really need such a large screen when most people will be controlling it via iPad or other mobile devices with superior screens.  I agree with what others are saying that the height is just too tall.  I do think that the width is OK, since when you stack it, it looks nicer.  If they don't at least give it a little room for other devices, then they might be screwed.  Although at the speed that they are releasing products, I suspect that this form factor is here to say for a while.  Like for W4S, they have kept the same enclosure for a long while.  This makes me think that it's kind of contradicting since if it's going to be good for stacking, yet some of the products aren't actually for desktop use (I'm assuming most of us HT folk have nice stereo racks to put their equipment in), that their thinking isn't very well thought out.  They have now ended up with a product that is both too tall and wide to stack on a desk, and taking up too much space in audio racks.


----------



## TopQuark

Following the size and height of the case for the tube DAC or pre-amp is one of the worst decisions LH Labs made.  It made everything bigger, add costs, and discouraged users who wanted small desktop components.
  
 I lost interest in purchasing other components after they made the decision to increase the case significantly as it is today.  They are doing it again with the Source.  The size and design elements doesn't blend again with the other components with that partial "V" stripe instead of vertical.


----------



## WCDchee

I got myself an infinity from a backer, as well as a Jays LPS, thinking it was the ****. I tried very hard to be impressed. After running it on for 200 hours, I borrowed a Chord Hugo from a friend, and the moment I switched over, I made the decision to jump onto the Chord bandwagon, never looked back since. It was an easy decision for me, I just found the Chord to be so much better both musically and technically.


----------



## greenkiwi

I'd say that while I really like the new case, I really wish they had cut the width down to half the standard with. Then two could sit side by side in a standard rack.


----------



## marflao

Hmm... Does anybody know of a review/comparison of the X with the Xfi? 
Just curious if the Femtos are really an audible surplus or if it has only a measurable effect.


----------



## Narayan23

marflao said:


> Hmm... Does anybody know of a review/comparison of the X with the Xfi?
> Just curious if the Femtos are really an audible surplus or if it has only a measurable effect.


 
 Hi marflao, I haven´t compared them since I own an XFI, but what I can say is  I´ve compared the FRM (Frequency Response Mode) and FTM (Femto Time Mode) digital filter modes and FRM sounds "too digital" and not too pleasing for me, whereas Femto is simply fantastic, no contest.


----------



## doctorjazz

I have the Geek Out 1K, and the Geek Out Special Edition. The latter has the femto clock (there are other upgrades in components to the SE as well, but I think the biggest change is the Femto). It is no contest, the Femto version is MUCH better than the regular 1K (which I liked). I'd guess the Femtos do their magic in the other LH designs as well.


----------



## TopQuark

wcdchee said:


> I got myself an infinity from a backer, as well as a Jays LPS, thinking it was the ****. I tried very hard to be impressed. After running it on for 200 hours, I borrowed a Chord Hugo from a friend, and the moment I switched over, I made the decision to jump onto the Chord bandwagon, never looked back since. It was an easy decision for me, I just found the Chord to be so much better both musically and technically.


 
 Some say you have to go 500 hrs.  I'm still on my 12th hour so we'll see.


----------



## wingsounds13

greenkiwi said:


> I'd say that while I really like the new case, I really wish they had cut the width down to half the standard with. Then two could sit side by side in a standard rack.




Agreed. I do think that the width of the 2.0 chassis was a big mistake. It really should have been 8.5 inches, or possibly as much as 9 inches and still could be placed side by side and fit in with most rack equipment and on most racks. At 10.25 inches, there are many racks that you cannot place two units side by side on one shelf.

I brought this up here and in the Geek Force forums when they first published the size. Unfortunately, my comments were heard but ignored. Oh well... I tried, as did several other members.

J.P.


----------



## greenkiwi

My comments too...


----------



## marflao

narayan23 said:


> Hi marflao, I haven´t compared them since I own an XFI, but what I can say is  I´ve compared the FRM (Frequency Response Mode) and FTM (Femto Time Mode) digital filter modes and FRM sounds "too digital" and not too pleasing for me, whereas Femto is simply fantastic, no contest.


 

 Thanks Narayan23,
  
 I´m also a XFI user but hadn´t have the chance to compare it to another Pulse without Femtos yet.
 The reason why I asked about the "Femto effect" is that I also backed the Source with 2 Femtos and trying to figure out if I need the 3rd one.
  
 Guess some people can say if I already backed two Femtos why not the third.
 Valid point but over the time I´ve been "involved" with the LHL campaigns I "matured" a bit wrt my money and won´t spend anything based on a hype/bandwagon/lemming style I - i must admit - did in the past.
  
 Therefore I´m hesitating to give them another $109


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

wcdchee said:


> I got myself an infinity from a backer, as well as a Jays LPS, thinking it was the ****. I tried very hard to be impressed. After running it on for 200 hours, I borrowed a Chord Hugo from a friend, and the moment I switched over, I made the decision to jump onto the Chord bandwagon, never looked back since. It was an easy decision for me, I just found the Chord to be so much better both musically and technically.


 
  
 Was contemplating the Yggy + Raggy too when it was announced.  It was just the size that keeps me turning off (desktop use). But, taking aside the production/distribution woes, at 1K(total contribution), its hard to beat.


----------



## Benny-x

wingsounds13 said:


> The Pulse 2.0 chassis was designed to fit several products in the line, including the tube headphone amp. The height of the tubes defined the height of the chassis. The depth was originally made to fit the Pulse DAC board. I don't know what criteria they used to select the unnecessarily wide footprint for most of the Pulse products. They were going to use the same basic chassis for all Pulse products. This would have forced them to redesign the LPS, as its board is somewhat longer than the DAC, however they appear to have mde a separate chassis for the LPS that is longer to fit the LPS boards. I dind it unfortunate that they chose the wide and not deep footprint that they did. Also unnecessary is the same height for all components, just because one (the tube headphone amp) required a tall enclosure. There is a lot of wasted space in most of the units.
> 
> As for the current and apparently final design of the Source... Good lord, that thing is HUGE! I do like the large display, but the width most definitely takes it out of the desktop category.
> 
> J.P.


 
 When I was first reading your post I was thinking "well he's just being dumb, obviously they picked that chassis so that all their new and upcoming components will fit in the same one. Achieving volume purchases on the cases. Just like they more or less inferred" However, now that I see the LPS4(and LPS8, since they use the same chassis) is using a different shaped one, then I'm also like What, why? The Pulse Infinity(and entire Pulse DAC lineup) should be half the height it is now. Those could all be short, then the taller ones could be tall. 
  
 If I was really thinking about it they probably just worked out a deal with minimal alterations where they needed to be as a compromise with the manufacturer. That way they probably still get them for a similar price, but have the changes where they need them. I just guess now that I see how much is empty there, they could have maybe chosen differently. In the end if I had to pick V1 chassis or V2 though, it's V2 hands down. Maybe the extra width gives me some room for modding~~~
  
 Besides that, the Source is a lot wider and bigger than I expected. Again though, that's alright. Let's just hope it's packing everything it needs to be.


----------



## Narayan23

marflao said:


> Thanks Narayan23,
> 
> I´m also a XFI user but hadn´t have the chance to compare it to another Pulse without Femtos yet.
> The reason why I asked about the "Femto effect" is that I also backed the Source with 2 Femtos and trying to figure out if I need the 3rd one.
> ...


 
 I absolutely relate, I stopped at he XFI and didn´t go to Infinity because I was unsure if further investment would provide discernable sound quality improvements and to be honest I got REALLY tired of perk after perk after perk, what finally pissed me off  was I invested $160 in a Lightning 2G cable perk when in the end I could have spent that money towards an Infinity upgrade and goten the Lightning 2G for free with it, I told LHLabs this and was brushed away by Gavin Fish.
  
 Regarding the third Femto, initially from what I understand there were two Femtos in charge of re-clocking ALL the digital outputs, now a third one is offered "just for USB 3" which is what most people use and should have been included in the first place, $109 bucks doesn´t seem like much but when you do it two or three times it adds up. 
  
 Appologies for the rant by the way, it just pisses me off that some guys here are still waiting for their Pulse Dac´s more than two years after initial investment, I´ve also come to hate the word perk 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. I wish you good luck and may the Source be with you....


----------



## Shawnb

narayan23 said:


> Appologies for the rant by the way, it just pisses me off that some guys here are still waiting for their Pulse Dac´s more than two years after initial investment, I´ve also come to hate the word perk :bigsmile_face: . I wish you good luck and may the Source be with you....




No apologies needed. I'm sure everyone here has some anger towards LH, they brought it all on themselves and deserve all they get. 

What pissed me off the most was being sold on a desktop DAC so I pass on the Vi DAC only to have the Pulse and everything else get forced into the 2.0 chassis and ruining any chance of it being on a desktop, but of course no mention of this was made until it was to late and now we can't change or get a refund so some get screwed. It was the same with the Source, only find out that it needs a LPS4 once it was raised in price and then being vague as hell when we ask questions so we're forced to back stuff just to ensure we don't miss out. 

So rant away, they deserve all this and more


----------



## doctorjazz

So, wait, you need LPS for the Source? (I assume you don't "need' it, but it would make it sound better). That's a bit annoying for those of us who DID go for the Vi, which has built in LPS, so you gave up the LPS when you upgraded. Do I now need to buy an LPS?
(not that anything has arrived yet, Vi Tube seems to be at the end of the list, Source seemed to be imminent, but haven't heard any news about it shipping for a while). 
OH well...


----------



## Shawnb

doctorjazz said:


> So, wait, you need LPS for the Source? (I assume you don't "need' it, but it would make it sound better). That's a bit annoying for those of us who DID go for the Vi, which has built in LPS, so you gave up the LPS when you upgraded. Do I now need to buy an LPS?
> (not that anything has arrived yet, Vi Tube seems to be at the end of the list, Source seemed to be imminent, but haven't heard any news about it shipping for a while).
> OH well...


 
  
  
 Yep it's now recommended, and there's no more LPS's so it's etheir a LPS4 or LPS8 from them unless you buy one from the many unhappy with all that is LH Labs. The best part is they made is so vague at first so people didn't know if they'd need a LPS or a LPS4 thereby forcing them to grab the higher priced LPS4. Source now takes a 1.2a and a 0.5a slot on a LPS or LPS4.
 The trading in the LPS4 and the confusion they created and BS deadlines stopped me from backing the Vi, though they got me to buy a 2nd LPS4 later anyways so I should of stuck with the Vi... I'm getting frustrated just thinking about it all again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
  
 Source has it's own campaign page now if you wanna check it out
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-source-the-ultimate-hd-music-server/x/1729175#/story


----------



## doctorjazz

I guess that is how you "upgrade" to the third Femto, bugs me a bit as well. Think I'm already in for what was originally the TOTL Source, don't really want to spend more LH Labs money, but, but, but...


----------



## SiGiE

I like my Infinity. Had this for a number of months now. Enjoy it Everyday. 
  

  
  
 Behind it, is the LPS.  Vertical position traps less dust, and occupies less than half the usual footprint.  NICE! 
 Never had any problems/issues since I got it.  Swapped-out all caps for Mundorf and Blackgates, And working on adding 2 pairs of Duelund on the line-out.
  

  
  
 Brought the Infinity to a Mini Head-fi Meet last December.   Together with a Pulse Signature Edition and other fabulous DACs, to compare.  
 The Infinity got tons of praise and appreciation. Hoping to meeting you guys at the 2016 Singapore Canjam.


----------



## doctorjazz

Waiting on my Vi Tube Dac Signature, nice to hear the positive impressions.


----------



## Benny-x

sigie said:


> I like my Infinity. Had this for a number of months now. Enjoy it Everyday.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Amazing work, man, and smart thinking putting it vertical. That's an easy solution with the current 2.0 chassis that should work fine for most people.


----------



## rdsu

SiGiE,

What caps, and their specs, did you changed?

Thanks!


----------



## zerograin

Schiit Yggdrasil shipped. Unfortunately, I'm leaving out of town tomorrow. When I get back next Monday, I'll be able to compare the Pulse Infinity with the Yggy. It may not be a fair comparison, because I will not have enough time to properly burn in the Yggy.


----------



## doctorjazz

So, give it a few days to burn in (we'll still be here  )


----------



## nigel801

How is the comparison with Chord Mojo with Pulse? can Mojo drive power hungry cans like Hifimans?


----------



## doctorjazz

Haven't tried it myself, but from what I've read, most seem to use it for the dac into an external amp (the Mojo, that is).


----------



## mscott58

nigel801 said:


> How is the comparison with Chord Mojo with Pulse? can Mojo drive power hungry cans like Hifimans?





Depends which Hifimans. Probably good for all but the HE-6's. Cheers


----------



## JoeDoe

Any geek owners out there have experience with the Eastern electric minimax?


----------



## llama_egg

No chance anyone's heard head or tails over the shipment process on the X-fi's? Feel the longer the project goes on the less news you hear about process on the old projects.


----------



## vnmslsrbms

zerograin said:


> Schiit Yggdrasil shipped. Unfortunately, I'm leaving out of town tomorrow. When I get back next Monday, I'll be able to compare the Pulse Infinity with the Yggy. It may not be a fair comparison, because I will not have enough time to properly burn in the Yggy.


 
 Well the Vi Infinity has a similar makeup, and costs the same as the Yggy.  Would that be a fair fight?  I'm not sure.  The Vi DAC was exciting a year ago.  Now, not so much but I'm still waiting... tic toc.


----------



## SiGiE

rdsu said:


> SiGiE,
> 
> What caps, and their specs, did you changed?
> 
> Thanks!


 

 Swapped all caps (selecting exact value) for Blackgates. Then I added an extra BG cap for Power.   Added 2 pairs of Mundorf Evo Silver Gold Oil on the headphone-out. And planning on adding 2 pairs of Duelund Cast for the line-out.  
  
 Listening Experience is also nice with my HybridTube Amp populated with Mundorf Silver Gold Oil Caps and a pair of Telefunken.   THANKS!


----------



## rdsu

sigie said:


> Swapped all caps (selecting exact value) for Blackgates. Then I added an extra BG cap for Power.   Added 2 pairs of Mundorf Evo Silver Gold Oil on the headphone-out. And planning on adding 2 pairs of Duelund Cast for the line-out.
> 
> Listening Experience is also nice with my HybridTube Amp populated with Mundorf Silver Gold Oil Caps and a pair of Telefunken.   THANKS!



Looks really great!!!

Thanks!


----------



## Benny-x

zerograin said:


> Schiit Yggdrasil shipped. Unfortunately, I'm leaving out of town tomorrow. When I get back next Monday, I'll be able to compare the Pulse Infinity with the Yggy. It may not be a fair comparison, because I will not have enough time to properly burn in the Yggy.


 
 Is your Infinity in the 1.0(smaller) chassis or the 2.0(larger, revised) chassis? If it is in the 1.0 chassis, is it with the K2M or AQ2M ESS DAC chip?
  
 And I agree, let it burn in while you're gone. I've been doing this with me Infinity 2.0 and THANK GOD I have. I've put about 150-200 hours on it and it's sounding TOTALLY different than before. Before I thought it sucked, really. I was enjoying my GO1000 over it. But nowadays when I listen to the GO1000 at work I'm just disappointed in it. I can't wait to get my Infinity 2.0 into work in like March and jam out!


----------



## mscott58

benny-x said:


> Is your Infinity in the 1.0(smaller) chassis or the 2.0(larger, revised) chassis? If it is in the 1.0 chassis, is it with the K2M or AQ2M ESS DAC chip?
> 
> And I agree, let it burn in while you're gone. I've been doing this with me Infinity 2.0 and THANK GOD I have. I've put about 150-200 hours on it and it's sounding TOTALLY different than before. Before I thought it sucked, really. I was enjoying my GO1000 over it. But nowadays when I listen to the GO1000 at work I'm just disappointed in it. I can't wait to get my Infinity 2.0 into work in like March and jam out!




Believe all Infinities were made with the AQ2M chip. Cheers


----------



## JoeDoe

Sound science question from a woefully undereducated head-fier:
  
 90% of my music library is 16/44, maybe 5% mp3 320, and the remaining 5% is 24/48 or better. Is having a DAC as capable as the Pulse overkill for redbook files? I'll probably never own any DSD recordings and I can't imagine owning many recordings that are better than 24/48.
  
 Someone help a dummy out!


----------



## doctorjazz

Don't need hi resolution files to hear the benefits of a better DAC, good sounding red book will sound better on a good DAC. NOTHING IS OVERKILL (audiophile motto!)


----------



## wingsounds13

Some claim that the better the DAC the _less_ the difference between 16/44 and high res. That is to say that there is a lot of information in 16/44 tracks that lesser DACs do not render but better DACs do. My experience tends to validate this claim. That is not to say that high res music is not better, rather to say that it is more significant, and often more cost effective too to upgrade to a better DAC than to replace existing CD tracks in your library with high res tracks.

A better DAC is rarely overkill, although the price on many IS! 

J.P.


----------



## Narayan23

joedoe said:


> Sound science question from a woefully undereducated head-fier:
> 
> 90% of my music library is 16/44, maybe 5% mp3 320, and the remaining 5% is 24/48 or better. Is having a DAC as capable as the Pulse overkill for redbook files? I'll probably never own any DSD recordings and I can't imagine owning many recordings that are better than 24/48.
> 
> Someone help a dummy out!


 
 The Pulse does DSD extremely well, you owe it to yourself to give it a listen as you should a good vinyl rip in 24/96 or 24/192.
  
 Speaking of DSD, still no news of native playback or DSD 256 on the Pulse.


----------



## zerograin

benny-x said:


> Is your Infinity in the 1.0(smaller) chassis or the 2.0(larger, revised) chassis? If it is in the 1.0 chassis, is it with the K2M or AQ2M ESS DAC chip?
> 
> And I agree, let it burn in while you're gone. I've been doing this with me Infinity 2.0 and THANK GOD I have. I've put about 150-200 hours on it and it's sounding TOTALLY different than before. Before I thought it sucked, really. I was enjoying my GO1000 over it. But nowadays when I listen to the GO1000 at work I'm just disappointed in it. I can't wait to get my Infinity 2.0 into work in like March and jam out!


 
 I have the Schiit Yggy in my hands at the office, but really can't do anything with it until I get back, not even powering it on.
  
 I have until the end of the month to return the Infinity. I should be able to let the Yggy burn in and do a proper comparison. Though, I hate to wait until the last minute.
  
 I bought the Infinity from Amazon:
  
 The flagship of the Pulse DAC line, the Pulse Infinity is a dual mono design, utilizing two ESS9018K2M DACs, ultra-precise femto clocks, and premium audiophile parts throughout. Balanced and unbalanced headphone amplifiers, and both XLR balanced and RCA unbalanced line outputs. Five digital Inputs (USB, AES/EBU, TOSlink, and two coaxial digital). Four user-selectable digital filters. Supports up to 32 bit 384 kHz PCM and DSD128 Includes basic power transformer, add our optional LPS-4 linear power supply for even better performance.


----------



## mscott58

narayan23 said:


> The Pulse does DSD extremely well, you owe it to yourself to give it a listen as you should a good vinyl rip in 24/96 or 24/192.
> 
> Speaking of DSD, still no news of native playback or DSD 256 on the Pulse.




It's still in beta. I have it on my Pulse (am a beta tester) and it's nice (although it makes the LH driver not play as nicely with other LHL products). Still some bugs I guess. Cheers


----------



## Narayan23

mscott58 said:


> It's still in beta. I have it on my Pulse (am a beta tester) and it's nice (although it makes the LH driver not play as nicely with other LHL products). Still some bugs I guess. Cheers


 
 Thanks for the info mscott58 I guess no definite timeline for it´s arrival.


----------



## snip3r77

sigie said:


> Swapped all caps (selecting exact value) for Blackgates. Then I added an extra BG cap for Power.   Added 2 pairs of Mundorf Evo Silver Gold Oil on the headphone-out. And planning on adding 2 pairs of Duelund Cast for the line-out.
> 
> Listening Experience is also nice with my HybridTube Amp populated with Mundorf Silver Gold Oil Caps and a pair of Telefunken.   THANKS!




How difficult is it to swap the caps?
Do you have a BOM list?


----------



## miceblue

mscott58 said:


> It's still in beta. I have it on my Pulse (am a beta tester) and it's nice (although it makes the LH driver not play as nicely with other LHL products). Still some bugs I guess. Cheers



You know...I'm actually on the beta firmware too. I wonder if that's what's causing the Infinity to stop all audio like I mentioned earlier. I didn't think about the firmware at all. With or without the iFi iUSB3.0, and with or without fancy USB cables, I occasionally get audio dropouts from the Infinity and I have to cycle the power to get it up and working again.


----------



## Inotrope

My Pulse Blue arrived yesterday (15/01/16) in the UK - there must be more than just mine in the wild!

Anyone else got one yet?

It seems to do the job - interested to hear "expert" thoughts.


----------



## oneguy

There are a few of people on the forums with them now. I think 2 are in the for sale in the source for sale section


----------



## Inotrope

Any reviews?


----------



## Audio Addict

inotrope said:


> My Pulse Blue arrived yesterday (15/01/16) in the UK - there must be more than just mine in the wild!
> 
> Anyone else got one yet?
> 
> It seems to do the job - interested to hear "expert" thoughts.


 
  
 Mine came a few weeks back, I live in the Central US.  It seems to work fine.  What was a little surprising is using a SDPIF to connect into my Pulse Infinity so it uses the DAC on Infinity.  The front panel seems huge for the 2 small LED status lights.


----------



## Inotrope

Agreed - don't like the orange / green lights (would have preferred whit blue). And such a big chassis which is largely air!


----------



## Audio Addict

I just signed up on Tidal for 3 months last evening which was a perk from a different Indiegogo campaign (actually delivered first phase on time not like others we know) so I will have to see how well the Blue streams Tidal from my phone or tablet.


----------



## zerograin

Finally got to listen to the Yggy. Straight out of the box, it sounds better than the infinity, hands down. It's a B-Stock Yggy. So, I don't know if it's been used and is burn in or not. If it isn't, I can't wait for it to sound better.
  
 Few things things that stands out immediately, the bass.
 Sohn - Tremors, the bass has texture, and goes deep, The bass doesn't sound like it's coming from the speakers! The bass has life of it's own.
  
 Late Night Alumni - Moonwalking, her voice is more real and musical, breathtaking. I didn't know the meaning of air until today.
  
 Ok, so I'm not good at reviewing audio equipment. But you know when something sounds good. Right now, I love the Yggy!
  
 It's late, I have to sleep. I really can't wait to listen to more stuff tomorrow. It's that good!


----------



## zerograin

I was going to wait until later in the week to do a serious sit down. After listening to the Yggy for 30 minutes today and switching back to the Pulse, I realize why am I wasting my time comparing when there is no comparison!? The Schiit rules, every way possible. Everything sounds right and intoxicating.
  
 This is the best system I have had! Audio equipment come and go, but the Parasound have always stayed. The A23 is over ten years old, and I will never sell it. The Yggdrasil is here to stay. It's built like a tank and weighs as much as my amp? It's a beast, and has the sound to go with it.
  
  I'm done with LH Labs.


----------



## KetchupNinja

I just bought the standard Geek Pulse second had and I'm having some issues, wonder if you all have any input?
  
 I installed the drivers on one of my pc's and a laptop.  I set the primary audio source as the Pulse and set the input select to USB.  I don't get any sound from it at all.  It also seems to freeze any video playback using MPC, VLC, SMP, and even streaming Youtube video!  I've tried switching the cables, uninstalling/re-installing the drivers, changing usb ports and I still have not had any success. 
  
 The weird thing is, I can get sound if I use the TOSLINK input but the DAC seems to stutter quite a bit.  Both machines are running Windows 10 Pro and are very well capable (i7 desktop/laptop).
  
 I don't think I can send it to LH due to not being the original owner, is this thing DOA?


----------



## Benny-x

zerograin said:


> Finally got to listen to the Yggy. Straight out of the box, *it sounds better than the infinity, hands down*. It's a B-Stock Yggy. So, I don't know if it's been used and is burn in or not. If it isn't, I can't wait for it to sound better.
> 
> Late Night Alumni - Moonwalking, her voice is more real and musical, breathtaking. I didn't know the meaning of air until today.


 
  
 Yeah, so that's what I was expecting to hear if the two ever had a shoot out. None of this "they were surprisingly close" stuff.
  
 Look at the uproar the Yggdrasil has been causing since June, which show no signs of stopping, and look at how many Infinities have been for sale in the forums. I like my Infinity now, I won't be selling mine, but they aren't in the same league :-/
  
 Congrats on the purchase zerograin. Enjoy it, man


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm, wonder how my Vi Tube Dac will fare...basically the same DAC,


----------



## Arinko

ketchupninja said:


> I just bought the standard Geek Pulse second had and I'm having some issues, wonder if you all have any input?
> 
> I installed the drivers on one of my pc's and a laptop.  I set the primary audio source as the Pulse and set the input select to USB.  I don't get any sound from it at all.  It also seems to freeze any video playback using MPC, VLC, SMP, and even streaming Youtube video!  I've tried switching the cables, uninstalling/re-installing the drivers, changing usb ports and I still have not had any success.
> 
> ...


 

 Have you tried changing the buffer settings in the LHLabs control panel?


----------



## zerograin

benny-x said:


> Yeah, so that's what I was expecting to hear if the two ever had a shoot out. None of this "they were surprisingly close" stuff.
> 
> Look at the uproar the Yggdrasil has been causing since June, which show no signs of stopping, and look at how many Infinities have been for sale in the forums. I like my Infinity now, I won't be selling mine, but they aren't in the same league :-/
> 
> Congrats on the purchase zerograin. Enjoy it, man


 
  
 Thanks Benny-x!
 The Yggy was a hefty purchase, made more hefty having bough the Pulse XFI. But, what can you do?
 I have no regrets purchasing the Schiit. The music that comes out of it, did help me forget the pain of dealing with LHL. Hopefully, eventually, the XFI will ship. Not sure what I will do with it. I have no use for it.


----------



## TopQuark

Yggy, when it was still called Statement DAC, was my dream DAC but I got the Pulse XFi thinking it will ship first.  Duh!
  
 How about comparing Gungnir Multibit to Pulse XFi?  Gungnir is closer to the price we paid for the XFi.  Gungnir should be like 80-90% of Yggy.
  
 Gungnir Multibit+DSD vs XFi DSD?  Anyone?  This should get more interesting.


----------



## woodcans

topquark said:


> Yggy, when it was still called Statement DAC, was my dream DAC but I got the Pulse XFi thinking it will ship first.  Duh!
> 
> How about comparing Gungnir Multibit to Pulse XFi?  Gungnir is closer to the price we paid for the XFi.  Gungnir should be like 80-90% of Yggy.
> 
> Gungnir Multibit+DSD vs XFi DSD?  Anyone?  This should get more interesting.


 
  
 I would compare my XFi with my new GMB but the XFI has stopped working now for the second time. Awaiting my (second) RMA but was notified over a week ago that their RMA service was being revamped and was temporarily on hold. They estimated 7 days but has been longer. Haven't heard from them since. Thank goodness the Gumby sounds fantastic. Based upon memory, the Gumby will likely be the clear winner, but I'll have to get my XFi fixed first before I can confirm with certainty. There is one thing I can say with (almost) certainty, I won't be purchasing an LH Labs product again.


----------



## woodcans

zerograin said:


> Thanks Benny-x!
> The Yggy was a hefty purchase, made more hefty having bough the Pulse XFI. But, what can you do?
> I have no regrets purchasing the Schiit. *The music that comes out of it, did help me forget the pain of dealing with LHL.* Hopefully, eventually, the XFI will ship. Not sure what I will do with it. I have no use for it.


 
  
 x2.


----------



## Benny-x

topquark said:


> Yggy, when it was still called Statement DAC, was my dream DAC but I got the Pulse XFi thinking it will ship first.  Duh!
> 
> How about comparing Gungnir Multibit to Pulse XFi?  Gungnir is closer to the price we paid for the XFi.  Gungnir should be like 80-90% of Yggy.
> 
> *Gungnir Multibit+DSD* vs XFi DSD?  Anyone?  This should get more interesting.


 
 What's this "+DSD" bit about? Schiit is still against DSD, so how to you plan on swinging that besides DoP?


----------



## zerograin

Infinity is on it's way back to Amazon.
  
 I submitted a support ticket about the XFI shipping status, and received a generic response:
  
 "I apologize for the delay in your Pulse unit shipping out. The latest batch of boards that were delivered to us had a 88% failure rate. We do have you on file and will be able to ship your unit out once we receive our replacement boards in house. Unfortunately at this time our production team is behind schedule in delivering the units. They estimate that the boards will arrive around mid February. Once again I apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience as the production team works to get these units shipped out to the remaining backers as quickly as possible."
  
 If the replacement boards aren't coming in till mid Feb, that means Pulse probably won't be shipping until March. Damn!


----------



## gikigill

Trying out the HD800 and the HD650 with the XFi and getting some solid results. Very good pairing with the high impedance Sennheisers.


----------



## johangrb

topquark said:


> Yggy, when it was still called Statement DAC, was my dream DAC but I got the Pulse XFi thinking it will ship first.  Duh!
> 
> How about comparing Gungnir Multibit to Pulse XFi?  Gungnir is closer to the price we paid for the XFi.  Gungnir should be like 80-90% of Yggy.
> 
> Gungnir Multibit+DSD vs XFi DSD?  Anyone?  This should get more interesting.


 
 I've got a (used) X-fi infinity & (new) Gugnir Multibit coming in next week - I should be able to compare (no DSD on the Schiit though-  it doesn't bother me). 
  
 (As an aside - the Schiit Gumby was about <correction> 35% more expensive than my 'used' deal on the X-fi Infinity. That's what non-transferable warranties does).


----------



## zerograin

johangrb said:


> I've got a (used) X-fi infinity & (new) Gugnir Multibit coming in next week - I should be able to compare (no DSD on the Schiit though-  it doesn't bother me).
> 
> (As an aside - the Schiit Gumby was about 25% more expensive than my 'used' deal on the X-fi Infinity. That's what non-transferable warranties does).




I don't understand the logic behind non transferable warranty. Does any other company do this? It is just dumb.


----------



## greenkiwi

Actually, a number of companies have non transferable warranties. 

That being said, if you are a company that stands behind your product, your warranty should be transferable. Particularly when you said it would during the campaign.


----------



## AlterSack

zerograin said:


> I don't understand the logic behind non transferable warranty. Does any other company do this? It is just dumb.


 
 Non transferrable warranty is the rope that ties you to the maunufacturer - at least that is what LHL seem to think. Actually a transferrable warranty is not too hard to handle - but  you need good data of your sales. Now look at the mess that LHL has produced on this side of the business with 2 (or 3 ??) changes to their Website and customer "satisfaction" service....
  
 Considering the - to my mind often discussable - production quality of the Pulse they must be cheering loud with every sale on the classifieds as they get rid of any warranty.
  
 If you were  REALLY convinced of the quality of your products it would be a very good argument to employ a different policy on your products like: 
 "If You don't like them send them back to me (and maybe use a time limit of 4 weeks or so) and You will be refunded" - No "ifs" and "whens". _That _would be business behaviour that generates trust with your customers and - given the product is generally ok - would probably lower the rate of returns and definitely of "bad press" in the Forums. 
  
 I really wonder if LHL believe that their future Clients don't inform themselves in these forums ?


----------



## oneguy

You can always work the warranty return through the previous owner. Kind of a pain but it's better than nothing.


----------



## carz

If they did say they would have transferable warranty during the campaign, then we should fight for them to honor it. 




greenkiwi said:


> Actually, a number of companies have non transferable warranties.
> 
> That being said, if you are a company that stands behind your product, your warranty should be transferable. Particularly when you said it would during the campaign.


----------



## pedalhead

carz said:


> If they did say they would have transferable warranty during the campaign, then we should fight for them to honor it.


 
  
 That battle's been fought and lost already.  Essentially, Larry said they would have a transferable warranty, then later on Gavin changed the policy once we were all neck deep in the campaign. When challenged on it, the message that came back was a flowery version of "tough schiit".


----------



## smial1966

LH Labs take a perverse stance on many things and seem immune to acknowledging backer criticism.
  
 Case in point, read the comments section below this article -  http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2016/01/ces-2016-lh-labs-bring-geek-source-vi-dac-to-life/#comment-129632 - and note Manny's comment where he writes "Thank you for all your support" when most of the comments are complaints about LH Labs. DOH! 
  
 Quote:


pedalhead said:


> That battle's been fought and lost already.  Essentially, Larry said they would have a transferable warranty, then later on Gavin changed the policy once we were all neck deep in the campaign. When challenged on it, the message that came back was a flowery version of "tough schiit".


----------



## nicolo

johangrb said:


> I've got a (used) X-fi infinity & (new) Gugnir Multibit coming in next week - I should be able to compare (no DSD on the Schiit though-  it doesn't bother me).
> 
> (As an aside - the Schiit Gumby was about <correction> 35% more expensive than my 'used' deal on the X-fi Infinity. That's what non-transferable warranties does).


 
  
 Schiit only offers non-transferable warranties. What are you on about?


----------



## Narayan23

smial1966 said:


>


 
 Smial1966 are you still waiting for your pulse? If you are I´m really sorry, you might have the temptation to tell me to fcuk off but once you listen to it I´m sure you´ll feel rewarded. As a fellow customer/victim I can relate by the way.
  
 Hope you get it soon!!


----------



## Shawnb

narayan23 said:


> Smial1966 are you still waiting for your pulse? If you are I´m really sorry, you might have the temptation to tell me to fcuk off but once you listen to it I´m sure you´ll feel rewarded. As a fellow customer/victim I can relate by the way.
> 
> Hope you get it soon!!


 
  
 If you're still a victim then you can't feel that rewarded. After the rollercoaster everything has been it's hard not to feel anything but anger and resentment and a lot of regret. They have a lot to make up for.
  
 This endless wait isn't helping anything either


----------



## Inotrope

So I've been sent a new MCU firmware (1.29) to help resolve a problem with Apple Remotes not working (had 1.27).
  
 This firmware has a fatal flaw - any adjustment of the volume seems to kill the handshake between the device and my Mac, and I have to power-cycle the Pulse. WITH ANY VOLUME KNOB ADJUSTMENT!
  
 The work around is to use the USB volume control, but there isn't much granular with that.
  
 Do they test or QA this stuff?!


----------



## Inotrope

Fortunately a roll back to 1.26 (from the website) has restored the volume control.

 I wait to hear from support!


----------



## wingsounds13

Yes, at times their code testing seems to be little more rigorous than a light test: apply power, do the lights come on? Yes? Okay, it works, Next...

I do count myself lucky, I have experienced no anomalies with my infinity thus far. I will say Damn, it sounds good! The wait was painful, but the results are excellent.

J.P.


----------



## JoeDoe

wingsounds13 said:


> Yes, at times their code testing seems to be little more rigorous than a light test: apply power, do the lights come on? Yes? Okay, it works, Next...
> 
> I do count myself lucky, I have experienced no anomalies with my infinity thus far. I will say Damn, it sounds good! The wait was painful, but the results are excellent.
> 
> J.P.




Right there with ya. All of the stories of dissatisfaction and frustration seemed to have missed me. Knock on wood!


----------



## gikigill

Thirded, my original Geek Out, Pulse XFi and the V2+ Infinity are absolutely perfect. Except the Pulse looses USB if left on without music for a few days.


----------



## greenkiwi

I have had no significant problems... Except for doing the USB connection periodically


----------



## carz

They can't change policies like these unilaterally. No point taking it up with them directly. 

Gotta take the fight to a third party like the Better Business Bureau or something like this, that has the power to arbitrate on our behalf. Don't do it individually but on a collective basis 





pedalhead said:


> That battle's been fought and lost already.  Essentially, Larry said they would have a transferable warranty, then later on Gavin changed the policy once we were all neck deep in the campaign. When challenged on it, the message that came back was a flowery version of "tough schiit".


----------



## Benny-x

Hahaha, hahaha. That link killed me. They are SCHIIT slamming LH Labs about various issues, then Manny comes in and says "thanks for the support". I get the idea of deflection or not claiming responsibility of a problem and whatever. If the show any slack then they'd be in real trouble... So dumb. Anyway, you've got to do the deflecting with some degree of skill or it has the exact opposite affect. JUST like it did there.


----------



## Narayan23

shawnb said:


> If you're still a victim then you can't feel that rewarded. After the rollercoaster everything has been it's hard not to feel anything but anger and resentment and a lot of regret. They have a lot to make up for.
> 
> This endless wait isn't helping anything either


 
 Just relating my experience, most of the animosity I had was washed away when I finally heard the XFI, I still don´t forget certain things and don´t condone and understand many others but I wish all of the backers can eventually set aside this mess once they listen to their gear. I do confess to still getting pissed off when I read about someone who is still waiting for their Pulse though, I put myself in their shoes and I would need a PhD in anger management to cope. All the best guys.


----------



## kostaszag

narayan23 said:


> shawnb said:
> 
> 
> > If you're still a victim then you can't feel that rewarded. After the rollercoaster everything has been it's hard not to feel anything but anger and resentment and a lot of regret. They have a lot to make up for.
> ...


 
 Since I don't; live in the US I never understood why one should _manage_ anger. Anger is a natural emotion, nature has invested human beings with it for a reason. For example, being angry at LHlabs for the way they treated me and other backers I will never buy anything from them again, which will have a very positive effect on my wallet and my peace of mind.


----------



## nudd

Exactly which is why I refused to back and why i will not buy the GO v2.


----------



## doublea71

I wonder if the tipping point has been reached with LH. How much negative publicity can a company withstand before it goes belly-up? It seems they want to find out.


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm, that wouldn't actually be very good for people waiting for, or who have received LH Labs gear, would it?


----------



## oneguy

Nope but unfortunately it may be the corner they have painted themselves into.


----------



## Benny-x

Well, I've crossed 400 hours of burn in on my Infinity 2.0 and it's sounding good. I won't side with "psychoacoustics" wither becasue I listend to about 4 of those hours. 
  
 Hopefully over the Spring Festival/Chinese New Year break here I can find the time to test it against my PS Audio PWD MkII DAC. I love that DAC, but what I was hearing out of the Infinity last night with my JVC HP-DX1000s was pretty great. I also love those headphones, they're a great bargain. I've got an external amp, so when I compare the 2 DACs I'll only be comparing the DAC sections.
  
 Anyway, just wanted to step in to comment on that as a 3 week update. I still have yet to get my LPS4 back from RMA, so I don't know what my Infinity sounds like with a clean power supply yet. 
  
 I've also pulled the trigger on a pair of Pioneer SE Master1 headphones. It'll be a while before I get them paired up with my gear, but I'm pretty excited to hear what an Onkyo/Pioneer bankroll can do for a pair of statement headphones.


----------



## JoeDoe

Unfortunately, I'm posting to bid farewell to the Geek community. I've put both my Infinity 2.0 and GO SigEd up for sale. (If you mention this post I'll cut a deal for either item.)
  
 I think they're fantastic products, but it's time to clean up the head-fi budget, and I these are gonna have to go!


----------



## doctorjazz

joedoe said:


> Unfortunately, I'm posting to bid farewell to the Geek community. I've put both my Infinity 2.0 and GO SigEd up for sale. (If you mention this post I'll cut a deal for either item.)
> 
> I think they're fantastic products, but it's time to clean up the head-fi budget, and I these are gonna have to go!




I noticed the ads...sorry you have to sell. I already have a GO Special Edition, sounds great, good deal if anyone has need for something like it, I'd say.


----------



## zerograin

benny-x said:


> Well, I've crossed 400 hours of burn in on my Infinity 2.0 and it's sounding good. I won't side with "psychoacoustics" wither becasue I listend to about 4 of those hours.
> 
> Hopefully over the Spring Festival/Chinese New Year break here I can find the time to test it against my PS Audio PWD MkII DAC. I love that DAC, but what I was hearing out of the Infinity last night with my JVC HP-DX1000s was pretty great. I also love those headphones, they're a great bargain. I've got an external amp, so when I compare the 2 DACs I'll only be comparing the DAC sections.
> 
> ...




I didn't know about the pioneer master1 until you brought it up. Had no idea headphones can cost that much coming from pioneer! Can't wait to hear your impression of it. I thought i was splurging when I bought the hifiman he500.


----------



## Benny-x

zerograin said:


> I didn't know about the pioneer master1 until you brought it up. Had no idea headphones can cost that much coming from pioneer! Can't wait to hear your impression of it. I thought i was splurging when I bought the hifiman he500.




I didn't know they existed either until I saw some reference of a "master 1" against one of the other statement headphones and I went and did some digging. After reading about it I thought they sounded cool and praised some of the points I hold highly, but only having 1000 units world wide I figured that was that. Then a friend of mine and I were talking and he said a dealer he knew was selling a pair and things went from there. It totally came out of the blue and you're very right about the price. I'm still not sure how I feel about that. 

I haven't seen or touched them yet, which is a dangerous move given how personal headphones are, but we'll see how they sound. I'll give them their shot and definitely list my feedback in the SE Master-1 thread. That needs more feedback and comparisons against headphones people really own.

Man, there's a pair of HE-6 in the for sale during now that is really like to get, but I'm already stretched thin enough.


----------



## doctorjazz

The HE6 is tempting, but, from what I understand. It really needs POWER to hear what it can do...


----------



## MrMan

Is there a way to allow windows to control the volume ?


----------



## greenkiwi

mrman said:


> Is there a way to allow windows to control the volume ?




Yeah, there it... But I would be really careful as it resets to -0dB fairly regularly. 

You can use apps to control the volume.


----------



## Benny-x

doctorjazz said:


> The HE6 is tempting, but, from what I understand. It really needs POWER to hear what it can do...


 
 And that's why we have vintage integrated amps and receivers that you can get on the cheap that have that power you're mentioning


----------



## doctorjazz

Honestly, I have trouble believing a 70's Sansui SS amp or similar would sound good with the HE6. Now, my Krell KSA 150, on the other hand...


----------



## greenkiwi

I've heard people like the little Emotiva amps.


----------



## zerograin

greenkiwi said:


> I've heard people like the little Emotiva amps.




I've owned a few Emotiva amps. Sold all of them. The XPA-2,can't compare to the Parasound. Music sounded dry. I would love to try a Krell.

The best I have heard was a pair of Wilson Audio Sophia connected to Krell amp, processor, and CD player. All out of my reach. 

That has always been the reference of how I want my audio to sound.

I feel like I'm getting closer with the addition of the Yggdrasil.


----------



## greenkiwi

I'd like to get a yggy to go with my ncores. 

I have their mini amp, it is great for what it is... And one of their early IPS-1s (7 mono block blade design). It definitely want a dry amp... But none hold a candle to the ncores.


----------



## greenkiwi

That being said, I have seen a few people who have said the mini pairs well with the HE-6


----------



## gikigill

doctorjazz said:


> Honestly, I have trouble believing a 70's Sansui SS amp or similar would sound good with the HE6. Now, my Krell KSA 150, on the other hand...




A proper vintage amp like the AU-777 or an Onkyo A5100 will grab the HE6 by the scruff and make it dance. Speaker taps FTW.


----------



## doctorjazz

I haven't listened myself, but I'd be surprised if one of those "vintage", inexpensive SS amps, even though they may have enough juice to drive the HE6, sounds as good as a dedicated amp or high end amp that also has enough juice. But, it's speculation, and OT here anyway...


----------



## gikigill

doctorjazz said:


> I haven't listened myself, but I'd be surprised if one of those "vintage", inexpensive SS amps, even though they may have enough juice to drive the HE6, sounds as good as a dedicated amp or high end amp that also has enough juice. But, it's speculation, and OT here anyway...


 

 My Pulse does daily duty with a fully serviced 1976 Onkyo with perfect DC offset and has enough juice to power almost anything.
  
 Both the channels are dead silent until you hit 95/100 on the attenuator. A high quality properly serviced dual-mono vintage amp with a monster
  
 power supply is a thing of beauty.


----------



## doctorjazz

OK, I could be wrong (though that has never, ever, happened before  )


----------



## gikigill

doctorjazz said:


> OK, I could be wrong (though that has never, ever, happened before
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 You could spend some money on a nice Sansui G-22000 and be even more wrong
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Even Putin has a Sansui G-33000 and if its good enough for Vova, its good enough for me
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 http://www.classicaudio.com/forsale/san/G33K.html
  
 The amp is so huge, its built in 2 pieces.


----------



## doctorjazz

That's not one of the $100 receivers I used to see around back in the day, obviously. Nice looking beast!


----------



## MrMan

greenkiwi said:


> Yeah, there it... But I would be really careful as it resets to -0dB fairly regularly.
> 
> You can use apps to control the volume.


 
  
 So there is no way natively out of the box to get windows to control the volume? This is the first dac/amp I've owned that windows can't control the volume.


----------



## jbr1971

mrman said:


> So there is no way natively out of the box to get windows to control the volume? This is the first dac/amp I've owned that windows can't control the volume.


 
  
 You set the volume control option in the Pulse setup menu for USB Control and that allows Windows/apps to control the volume. It is set for Knob Control by default.


----------



## Madeupword

How to control volume using Windows built-in volume instead of the LH Control Panel?


----------



## zerograin

There's a little icon on your task bar, looks like speaker. If you click it you can use the slider to adjust the volume. Also on the LH control panel you can set how you want to control the volume. But as others have stated, I wouldn't recommend it. The Pulse and Geek likes to reset to max volume.


----------



## graham508

So some of us have waited an eternity on Pulse Infinity...
  
Well, the latest epistle from Gavin is that the new PCBs are tested 100% good, and "we will resume the *full speed* of the production of this last batch. Three weeks from now,  we will get the big batch of final assembled PCBs. And ship out speed will go back on track". 
  
 We'll just have to wait and see about this. I just hope the thing works when it finally arrives, and keeps working. All the reports of failure and malfunction have me as nervous about this unit as the eternal wait. I see Gavin and Larry are giving a talk “Delivering on the Promise of High Resolution USB Audio” at Brooks Berdan's Winter Event. Delivery has me more interested than promises....


----------



## digitalzed

graham508 said:


> So some of us have waited an eternity on Pulse Infinity...
> 
> Well, the latest epistle from Gavin is that the new PCBs are tested 100% good, and "we will resume the *full speed* of the production of this last batch. Three weeks from now,  we will get the big batch of final assembled PCBs. And ship out speed will go back on track".
> 
> We'll just have to wait and see about this. I just hope the thing works when it finally arrives, and keeps working. All the reports of failure and malfunction have me as nervous about this unit as the eternal wait. I see Gavin and Larry are giving a talk “Delivering on the Promise of High Resolution USB Audio” at Brooks Berdan's Winter Event. Delivery has me more interested than promises....


 
 It's interesting that all the updates lately have come from Larry, not Gavin. I really like the stuff I've received from LH Labs but their timelines have never been met. And methods of delivery on accurate delivery are horrible. Don't hold your breath, people. Just remember we all crowd sourced products and we get what we get.


----------



## cbar

graham508 said:


> So some of us have waited an eternity on Pulse Infinity...


 
 I kinda like that. I'll think of my (yet to be delivered) unit as the Pulse Eternity now. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Truth is, I am enjoying my vanilla Pulse quite a bit with the Liquid Carbon. Had to send it in once for repair, but been rock solid since.


----------



## Benny-x

digitalzed said:


> It's interesting that all the updates lately have come from Larry, not Gavin.


 
 I think LH Labs figured out that people like Larry more. He's more trust worthy and plays on our emotions of being a fellow audiophile vs. being a "business man". I don't mean that to sound like a dcik, I've just been noticing the same thing and wondering about it.
  


cbar said:


> I kinda like that. I'll think of my (yet to be delivered) unit as the Pulse Eternity now.


 
 I can't say in ANY way, shape or form that I like any part of the delays. There's no upside to it. Calling your unit the Pulse Eternity does make perfect sense now. Think you could make a little silkscreen for that and put it on the front? Haha.
  
 Good to hear the standard Pulse is working well with your Liquid Carbon. I'm trying to think of a VERY cost effective, truly balanced, not small but certainly no bigger than the Pulse Infinity, amp that I can connect to my Infinity 2.0 for office duty in the near future.


----------



## gikigill

Does anyone else prefer the Geek Out V2+Infinity over the Pulse XFi?


----------



## johangrb

gikigill said:


> Does anyone else prefer the Geek Out V2+Infinity over the Pulse XFi?


 
 Not quite your setup but I've had Geek Out V2 and I thought it was very close in sound quality to the Pulse/Pulse Fi.
  
 (I don't travel a lot, so I just found the Geek Out form factor 'not optimal' for a desktop setup. It would either hang off a USB port which put a strain on the assembly (I had to return mine twice - not sure if related) or use an interim hub/ extension cable).


----------



## kostaszag

I have been having issues with my Sfi lately. When I changed sampling rate it used to  give an intermittent "helicopter" noise from the left channel that ceased after a few turns of the volume knob. Now it makes the same noises from the right channel, but when I turn the volume knob the noise ceases, and I have no volume from the left channel. It comes back only after a power cycle. This is all very annoying, anybody facing the same problem?


----------



## eliwankenobi

Love the Pulse Eternity name! So true! 

To all the people complaining about warranties... It's the nature of the crowdfunded beast! Nobody even guarantees that you will even receive your unit.. Obviously, it's on LH Labs' best intentions to deliver... Even if it took 3 yrs almost


----------



## Shawnb

With this latest update I bet I won't see my Pulse Infinity before the start of summer  At this rate I'll get my Source before my Pulse. 
Glad I got my LC cause at this rate it'll be 2017 before the HPA ships


----------



## doctorjazz

LC should do fine...waiting for the Vi tube DAC, Source and Wave, the LC and MicroZOTL are doing fine, thank you!


----------



## MrMan

zerograin said:


> There's a little icon on your task bar, looks like speaker. If you click it you can use the slider to adjust the volume. Also on the LH control panel you can set how you want to control the volume. But as others have stated, I wouldn't recommend it. The Pulse and Geek likes to reset to max volume.


 
  
 This isn't just a pulse/geek issue. My Emotiva XDA 2 loves doing that too. I think its a USB class 2 issue.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## greenkiwi

mrman said:


> This isn't just a pulse/geek issue. My Emotiva XDA 2 loves doing that too. I think its a USB class 2 issue.



I don't believe that the xda-2 uses USB for volume.

So it could be Windows resetting the volume... Or does the physical volume setting on the xda-2 change?


----------



## MrMan

greenkiwi said:


> I don't believe that the xda-2 uses USB for volume.
> 
> So it could be Windows resetting the volume... Or does the physical volume setting on the xda-2 change?


 
  
 The XDA2 itself never controls the volume. It just controls the amount of amping. Like when amps have low/med/high switches the xda2 allows you to adjust exactly to the amount of amping you need. Windows volume is the only want to adjust it up or down.  Although I've seen different displays from others xda so I'm assuming in earlier or later firmwares this changed. 
  
 And going back to Class 1 and Class 2. The XDA2 has 2 sets of drivers. The Class 2 drivers can only be loaded at startup. Whereas the Class 1 drivers defaults when the device is turned on after the computer boots up. When the device goes from Class 1 to Class 2 drivers is when the volume for me can spike. Here is a video showing the difference. Class 2 maxes @ 32/192 and Class 1 maxes @ 24/44k. I am not sure if the Pulse/Geek has the same issue.


----------



## woodcans

Weeks and weeks. Still no word from the RMA team. I have lost complete faith at this point. Wouldn't be surprised if they are going under. Would actually make sense as to why they won't take my XFi back to fix it.


----------



## zerograin

woodcans said:


> Weeks and weeks. Still no word from the RMA team. I have lost complete faith at this point. Wouldn't be surprised if they are going under. Would actually make sense as to why they won't take my XFi back to fix it.




I think a lot of us have lost faith.


----------



## Larry Ho

woodcans said:


> Weeks and weeks. Still no word from the RMA team. I have lost complete faith at this point. Wouldn't be surprised if they are going under. Would actually make sense as to why they won't take my XFi back to fix it.


 

 Hi, Woodcans
  
 Please send your ticket number to info@lightharmonic.com and we will check it out ASAP.
 Also, we already finished up the RMA flow optimization which will link with ticket system better. IT people spent some more time then we expected. But the flow is back now.
  
 Thanks,


----------



## Larry Ho

shawnb said:


> With this latest update I bet I won't see my Pulse Infinity before the start of summer
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I fully understand. I really hope someday we could have our own PCBA facility. We use one of the best PCBA house in USA but still has issues. Different by different batches. 
 The latest Infinity DAC board we have now reaches the best pass rate. So we already resume the full speed of production.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

LH Labs take on USB Regen....*LIGHTSPEED REVIVE​*  
http://lightharmonic.com/revive/


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm, $300 smackers...already use the Regen with my Geek Out Special Edition, wonder if it is worth the extra dinero.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

The "Experience Program" has a 60 day return policy if you didn't liked it.


----------



## TopQuark

I just got the Intona USB isolator with full galvanic isolation and the difference in details is quite dramatic on my Pulse XFi.  It is like looking at a photo using f1.8 aperture with blurred and narrow depth of field.  The Intona makes it appear everything was shot on f22.  I wonder how Revive will compare with this.


----------



## Maelob

Not falling for that one!!!!! Learned my lesson. I will patiently wait


----------



## doublea71

Just another product to increase the wait time for unfulfilled orders...


----------



## Audio Addict

doctorjazz said:


> Hmmm, $300 smackers...already use the Regen with my Geek Out Special Edition, wonder if it is worth the extra dinero.




Like you, I have the REGEN so I don't see a need to bite on this. I still have a lot I am waiting on so I do not want to add to that.


----------



## johangrb

"*All orders will leave our warehouse to you by March 18th, 2016 ​*"
  
  
 I'll stick with my regen for now & maybe try a used Revive in 2017.


----------



## Benny-x

topquark said:


> I just got the Intona USB isolator with full galvanic isolation and the difference in details is quite dramatic on my Pulse XFi.




That's the one to check out, I think. The Intona has been on my radar for a while and it's the only solution out there now for that problem with USB. I think it'd be a good idea to check this out first, then compare it to the Revive, iUSBPower 2, or Regen if you still cared much. 

I haven't gotten one yet, but some time in the next year or so I hope to.


----------



## Shawnb

Already have a REGEN and 2 Jitterbugs. Plus If I'm going from Source to Pulse via USB would i even need any of that or the revive?
  
 There's no way this is 3 times better then a REGEN so I think I'll pass on this


----------



## Maelob

Question on connection to these devices. i currently have a 2g cable- one end goes to LPS and the other end to DAC. Where do i connect them- before the DAC right?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

USB - A with black marker -> LPS 5V USB socket
 USB - A with no marker -> SOURCE (PC, Media Player)
 USB - B -> DAC


----------



## oneguy

Or
USB - A with black marker -> any USB outlet then disconnect after USB handshake


----------



## germay0653

oneguy said:


> Or
> USB - A with black marker -> any USB outlet then disconnect after USB handshake


 

 Only if the DAC isn't powered via 5V USB.


----------



## Maelob

Where does a device like Regen fit into the system?


----------



## johangrb

maelob said:


> Where does a device like Regen fit into the system?


----------



## bigbung

Quick question to all the guys with the Geek Pulse XFi, what is the DAC recognised as by your computers? mine is recognised as Geek Pulse X Infinity not as Xfi, is this the same for everyone?


----------



## jbr1971

bigbung said:


> Quick question to all the guys with the Geek Pulse XFi, what is the DAC recognised as by your computers? mine is recognised as Geek Pulse X Infinity not as Xfi, is this the same for everyone?


 
  
 It should say "Geek Pulse X FI 1V5" (or similar).
  
 On the back panel of the physical box down at the bottom left, which model is "selected"?


----------



## bigbung

On the physical box and on the back of the dac pulse XFi is selected, but my computer recognises it as Pulse X Infinity.


----------



## bigbung

bigbung said:


> On the physical box and on the back of the dac pulse XFi is selected, but my computer recognises it as Pulse X Infinity.



To be precise, it says "Geek Pulse X Infinity 1V5"


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Hurray! You got an Infinity! At least the PCB is...


----------



## gikigill

I have an Infinity too but ordered a XFI. Not complaining about it though.


----------



## jbr1971

bigbung said:


> To be precise, it says "Geek Pulse X Infinity 1V5"


 
  
 Are you having any audio issues? If not, it could be an Infinity board in a X FI chassis.
  
 If you are having issues, it could be a X FI board that was flashed with the wrong firmware. If that is the case you should open a support ticket to get the correct firmware.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Use your phone camera and take a pic from the kensington lock hole at the back (not to break any warranty).  
 See if present those naked resistors.  If there are, its an Infinity.


----------



## kostaszag

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Use your phone camera and take a pic from the kensington lock hole at the back (not to break any warranty).
> See if present those naked resistors.  If there are, its an Infinity.


 

 If that is the case, then someone who ordered an Infinity and thinks he got one, actually has an Xfi.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

or the other way around...


----------



## bigbung

Thanks all, I wanted to celebrate that I got an Infinity instead of XFi but wanted to be sure before doing a happy dance. I am entertaining the thought about the XFi board having an Infinity firmware but I don't have any audio issues so maybe this is not the case(what issues should I expect?). I am not complaining btw just curious what could be going on...


----------



## greenkiwi

Isn't the only difference between the infinity xfi the upgraded components? 

So the firmware would really just be the same?


----------



## jbr1971

greenkiwi said:


> Isn't the only difference between the infinity xfi the upgraded components?
> 
> So the firmware would really just be the same?


 
  
 Each model has its own firmware. Mixing and matching firmware version between models can brick the Pulse. You have to be very careful.


----------



## greenkiwi

I'm not suggesting people should, but I was just commenting that the difference between the Xfi and Infinity are passive component upgrades and matching.  So there really isn't anything that _should_ be different in the firmware.
  
 I'm curious if the boards that might not have met Infinity specs still met or exceeded Xfi specs and were shipped out in Xfi boxes.


----------



## mscott58

greenkiwi said:


> I'm not suggesting people should, but I was just commenting that the difference between the Xfi and Infinity are passive component upgrades and matching.  So there really isn't anything that _should_ be different in the firmware.


 
 Good point.


----------



## miceblue

What firmware are Pulse X Infinity users using? I was a beta tester for v2.0, which has some support for DSD256 (though it never actually displayed DSD256 on my display board), but I just opened up a ticket to see if I could get the non-beta firmware and apparently that _is_ the current firmware. I am confused.

I was hoping to downgrade to the latest official firmware because of the audio dropout problem I was having. I think I have the v1.5 firmware on my hard drive somewhere...


----------



## SiGiE

Just an update on my Infinity-X Project
  

  
The Duelund are spectacularly HUGE. And a smart investment only if we can get them in.  There is this risk that things won't work - and I'll probably be banging my head on the wall, since the Infinity (at pre-Duelund stage), did genuinely deliver exceptional and delightful to my ears. and if I were to base it on the positive comments given by those that had tyjhe opportunity to audition.

The First Concern/Challenge was. "Is there a way to position and install these monster of a capacitor, given the limited space?"   Well, in theory, Yes!  Definitely NOT on the Infinity PCB as I can't find a nice spot for it close to the other caps. Well I can spread them out but it would most certainly look like a totally amateurish Hack.  Imagine those unsightly wires sprawling all over, Yikes!  

So I decided and planned for the Duelund to be behind the Infinity PCB. I needed to make sure and was extra careful that there would not be any short-circuits especial on the LPS side. Everything done, honestly can't believe that it worked and was quite amazed that all 4 sat nice & happy. I did not have to cut or extend the capacitor leads. Oh yeah FWIW, I did not have to make a single mm of adjustment to the Acrylic Housing Stand-offs, as well. Marvelous!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@SiGiE ,
  
 Your MOD is outrageuosly sick!
  
 So as I get it, the Elna Caps sounded more exceptional and delightful to you ears?


----------



## TopQuark

miceblue said:


> What firmware are Pulse X Infinity users using?


 
  
 Do you mean these?
  
https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000633039-light-harmonic-driver-and-firmware-files
  
 It should be 1.5.


----------



## SiGiE

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @SiGiE ,
> 
> Your MOD is outrageuosly sick!
> 
> So as I get it, the Elna Caps sounded more exceptional and delightful to you ears?


 

 ELNA Simlic 2 (like the MUSE) I found to be very likable/enjoyable, an excellent, choice indeed. With Blackgate & Mundorf SGO, superb.   Now PLUS the Duelund, nothing comes close. Thanks!


----------



## smial1966

I acquired a Mojo Audio Mystique DAC from eBay. The DAC chip is an old Analog Devices AD1865N R2R ladder chip and it has massive Duelund copper capacitors - see photo below. Doubt that this DAC is remotely linear but it sounds so good it doesn't really matter. 





  
  

  
  
  
 Quote:


sigie said:


> ELNA Simlic 2 (like the MUSE) I found to be very likable/enjoyable, an excellent, choice indeed. With Blackgate & Mundorf SGO, superb.   Now PLUS the Duelund, nothing comes close. Thanks!


----------



## SiGiE

smial1966 said:


>





> Are you attempting a comparison based on Pictures?


----------



## smial1966

Not at all, just posted the photo to show the Duelund capacitors as you seem to enjoy their sound. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Quote:


sigie said:


>


----------



## miceblue

topquark said:


> miceblue said:
> 
> 
> > What firmware are Pulse X Infinity users using?
> ...



Yup...I think that's it. I dunno why the tech support dude said the latest version is 2.0 since it's the exact same file I received from the beta test...


----------



## SiGiE

smial1966 said:


>


 

 it may be a long shot, but If your heading for 2016 Singapore Canjam (which btw is in two weeks), might be able to arrange an opportunity to audition. That's all.


----------



## mindnoise

Hi Folks,
 Long time reader, just joined!
 Looking for some advice from other Infinity owners.  Has anyone had any success in keeping this unit's USB connected with their computer.  I still seem to be losing connection about 3 times a month.  Is this a firmware issue or a computer issue?  In my mind turning the unit on and off is not a solution.
  
 Funny, I have 2 older DAC that I leave on and have been connected via USB for over 5 years without any issues at all.
  
 Thanks for your help.
 Jay


----------



## greenkiwi

I have had this problem too.

And never had it with other dacs.


----------



## wingsounds13

Not to brag, but to say that something is not right. I have had my infinity running continuously since I received it mid November, 2015. It has only ever had connection problems a few times, and every time it was because I was playing with settings in foobar2000 or the LH Labs driver control panel.

Two possibilities are computer issues, or power glitches. What power supply are you using? Is your mains power rock solid?

If you can truly eliminate those issues the next step would be to check your cables. Are both ends of the USB cable secure? Are your power cables secure? Can the cables be bumped or otherwise disturbed by you (or someone else) moving around the computer setup?

Lots of questions and places to look. Of course, there could be issues with your DAC that would require a trip to California for warranty service.

J.P.


----------



## greenkiwi

My Infinity is sitting on a reasonably AC line, and is the only device connected to my LPS4.
  
 It connects to my 2015 15" MBP, directly via Lightspeed 1G cable.
  
 About once a month, it fails to come up as an audio device. This certainly isn't reproducible enough to figure out if it a warranty issue.
  
 Note, if I connect it to my Thunderbolt display, it fails to connect weekly.  Which clearly isn't ideal.
  
 Now before I got the infinity, I had an Emotiva DC-1 connected.  It NEVER failed to show up as a device.  I have another DC-1 that is connected to a MacMini at home.  This machine follows a different usage pattern, it is just always on.  Similarly, it NEVER failed to connect or dropped the connection in 3 years of use.


----------



## Maelob

I have the same issue where once in a while it disconnects from my IMAC - I am using the 2g with LPS, however to be honest it does not really bothers me.  I thought it was a  normal thing.  I call it digital hiccups lol


----------



## oneguy

As stated above, once every few weeks i may have to cycle power pr restart the computer but I don't view it as a big deal.


----------



## mandrake50

oneguy said:


> As stated above, once every few weeks i may have to cycle power pr restart the computer but I don't view it as a big deal.


 

 Mine loses it's connection to my Win 7 laptop fairly regularly. I have to power cycle the Infinity, and/or disconnect the USB connection or sometimes reboot the PC AND do those other things to get it to reconnect.  It may not be a deal killer, but it is a PIA and I consider it a defect. Especially considering, as others have noted, that it is the only device out of 6 other DACs that does this. How hard can it be to get a simple handshake right and to keep a USB connection stable?
  
 BTW, this problem occurs with the Infinity constantly powered on.


----------



## greenkiwi

I think I'll be moving on to a yggy sooner rather than later


----------



## Madeupword

greenkiwi said:


> I think I'll be moving on to a yggy sooner rather than later


 

 Looking forward to your review against the Infinity!
  
 Are you still using it with the LCD-XC and 2?


----------



## greenkiwi

Yeah. And I have some ether Cs that are shipping now.

That will mean I have to save up again.


----------



## Benny-x

greenkiwi said:


> Yeah. And I have some ether Cs that are shipping now.
> 
> That will mean I have to save up again.


 
 So, are you telling us that you'll have an Infinity, Yggdrasil, Ether C, LCD-XC, and LCD-2 all in house at the same time??
  
 Can you do a mini-shootout with them all and post up some feedback? I don't have a lot of time for a lot of gear now and just passed on my LCD-2.2s, but having just one good set would be alright. Since I'd have both had the same headphones (2.2s) and same DAC (Infinity), your feedback on them all could really go a long way for me. 
  
 And congrats on the new gear, always a fun time :-D


----------



## adrian0115

As promised, I just want to update you guys since I've been using the Infinity since Nov.2015.  I have USB connectivity issues since the very first time I plugged this into my laptop.  In the beginning, I installed the LH 2.29 driver and then plugged the Infinity into my laptop (X220/win7/foobar+wasapi) and foobar would give me unexpected error problems.  Luckily the 3.26 driver came out so I installed that instead and power cycled the Pulse.  I got things to work eventually and just kept the Pulse playing 24/7.
  
 Last month (Jan2016), my friend came over to do a little comparison with his Audiolab M-DAC.  I noticed that when I was switching headphones (DT990/HD650) between the 2 DACs caused the Pulse to buzz/crash/die.  Unplugging headphones from the M-DAC I can hear a click which I assume shuts down the circuit preventing any shorts while plugging headphones into the Pulse causes it to short out.  I was simply unplugging headphones from the M-DAC and plugging it back into the Pulse.  I would need to power cycle the Infinity a few times to get it working again.
  
 A few people are staying this week so I shutdown the Infinity to move it to another area.  Once I turned it back on and connect it to my laptop again, Foobar gave me the unexpected error then a timing error message.  This also required multiple power cycles to get it working again with foobar again.  I then proceeded to plugging in my HD650's and realized there was no sound coming out until I adjusted the volume knob.  I also noticed a click so I scrolled through the menu and found that somehow the digital filter went from FTM to FRM.  I've always left it on FTM so somehow this thing resetted itself.  
  
 I'm really not sure what kind of testing *so called professional reviewers* etc are doing but really sitting down and using this thing has revealed that it is very finicky.  People can say what they want about Benchmark/Mytek/Audiolab but I've personally used those feel those are all more reliable than the Pulse.  Simply put, the Benchmark/Mytek/Audiolab all feel like a reliable tool and the Pulse feels faulty/finicky.  I simply need to cross my fingers hoping it works again if I power cycle it.  
  
 My use cases aren't very difficult.  The setup is an Infinity+LPS+LS 2G connecting to a Thinkpad X220 (8gb/240gb SSD) running win7 64bit+foobar (wasapi/asio).
  
 1.)  I expect the DAC to work when plugging it into my laptop after plugging in and handshaking with my laptop (LH control panel recognizes it) but foobar coughs up unexpected/timing error messages and I need to power cycle it multiple times until foobar works again
  
 2.) I expect the DAC to work when plugging in headphones but somehow it randomly causes a buzz and crashes the Pulse necessitating multiple power cycles again.
  
 I'm not someone that makes a big fuss out of nothing but my real world usage has shown me that this thing isn't very reliable.  I have friends that would also agree with me and that includes the Vi DAC (IR sensor overheat so remote doesn't work if more than 1m away etc).
  
 I'll be opening up a ticket to see what LH says.


----------



## jbr1971

adrian0115 said:


> As promised, I just want to update you guys since I've been using the Infinity since Nov.2015.  I have USB connectivity issues since the very first time I plugged this into my laptop.  In the beginning, I installed the LH 2.29 driver and then plugged the Infinity into my laptop (X220/win7/foobar+wasapi) and foobar would give me unexpected error problems.  Luckily the 3.26 driver came out so I installed that instead and power cycled the Pulse.  I got things to work eventually and just kept the Pulse playing 24/7.
> 
> Last month (Jan2016), my friend came over to do a little comparison with his Audiolab M-DAC.  I noticed that when I was switching headphones (DT990/HD650) between the 2 DACs caused the Pulse to buzz/crash/die.  Unplugging headphones from the M-DAC I can hear a click which I assume shuts down the circuit preventing any shorts while plugging headphones into the Pulse causes it to short out.  I was simply unplugging headphones from the M-DAC and plugging it back into the Pulse.  I would need to power cycle the Infinity a few times to get it working again.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Have you tried using a different audio player like VLC or JRiver to see if you get the same behaviors? There is a possibility it could be an issue with Windows and/or Foobar.


----------



## adrian0115

jbr1971 said:


> Have you tried using a different audio player like VLC or JRiver to see if you get the same behaviors? There is a possibility it could be an issue with Windows and/or Foobar.


 
  
 I have VLC but I don't use it for music.  I could try it next time.  When I power down and up, the Pulse handshakes, shows up in the LH control panel but under foobar (DS, wasapi, asio) doesn't work until I power cycle a few times.  Hard to believe it's foobars problem since other DACs work fine and my dragonfly has never skipped a beat (foobar/wasapi) since I got it in 2012.  I'm willing to test this a bit more as I want to figure out what is the problem as well.
  
 Now the other thing that surprised me is the apparent 'short circuit' when I plug in SE/unbalanced headphones.  The Pulse was powered on/working and just buzzed/died/crash however you want to put it when I plugged in a set of SE/unbalanced HD650/DT990.  I can only guess that it's a design decision/fault somehow for the argument of sound quality.  But I can tell you that no matter how many times I plugged/unplugged these headphones with the MDAC (music playing/not playing), there was never a problem since I can hear it click when unplugging the headphones to prevent any shorting I assume.  
  
 In case anyone is wondering, the headphones (HD650/DT990) themselves are not defective and works with the MDAC/dragonfly no problem.


----------



## jbr1971

adrian0115 said:


> I have VLC but I don't use it for music.  I could try it next time.  When I power down and up, the Pulse handshakes, shows up in the LH control panel but under foobar (DS, wasapi, asio) doesn't work until I power cycle a few times.  Hard to believe it's foobars problem since other DACs work fine and my dragonfly has never skipped a beat (foobar/wasapi) since I got it in 2012.  I'm willing to test this a bit more as I want to figure out what is the problem as well.
> 
> Now the other thing that surprised me is the apparent 'short circuit' when I plug in SE/unbalanced headphones.  The Pulse was powered on/working and just buzzed/died/crash however you want to put it when I plugged in a set of SE/unbalanced HD650/DT990.  I can only guess that it's a design decision/fault somehow for the argument of sound quality.  But I can tell you that no matter how many times I plugged/unplugged these headphones with the MDAC (music playing/not playing), there was never a problem since I can hear it click when unplugging the headphones to prevent any shorting I assume.
> 
> In case anyone is wondering, the headphones (HD650/DT990) themselves are not defective and works with the MDAC/dragonfly no problem.


 
  
 Are you using any adaptors, or aftermarket cables when connecting your headphones?
  
 I had a 1/8" to 1/4" adaptor that caused short circuits when connecting my iem's to my Pulse. I tried another of the same type (different brand) of adaptor and it worked fine.


----------



## adrian0115

jbr1971 said:


> Are you using any adaptors, or aftermarket cables when connecting your headphones?
> 
> I had a 1/8" to 1/4" adaptor that caused short circuits when connecting my iem's to my Pulse. I tried another of the same type (different brand) of adaptor and it worked fine.



 


You're kidding right? The HD650/DT990's don't need an adapter to plug into the 1/4" SE output on the Pulse.


----------



## jbr1971

adrian0115 said:


> jbr1971 said:
> 
> 
> > Are you using any adaptors, or aftermarket cables when connecting your headphones?
> ...


 
  
 For some reason I was seeing "unbalanced" as "balanced" while skimming through your reply, which made me think you might be using aftermarket balanced cables.


----------



## adrian0115

jbr1971 said:


> For some reason I was seeing "unbalanced" as "balanced" while skimming through your reply, which made me think you might be using aftermarket balanced cables.


 
  
 No, I'm using stock HD650/DT990s with the stock cables. ALL are 1/4" unbalanced/single-ended going directly into the 1/4" output on the Pulse.  So when the Pulse buzzes and dies when I plug my headphones in, I really feel there's a problem with this thing.  
  
 My friend with the MDAC was looking at it when it happened as was like What.
  
 I can plug/unplug these headphones into the MDAC all day long with foobar playing into it I've never seen it hiccup.
  
 Maybe this design is just so magical that I'm holding the plug wrong?


----------



## adrian0115

I'm going to try and upload a video of this thing when I get some time because I have other things to do than to keep screwing with this.  My honest opinion is that LH gear is just not robust enough.  
  
 I've been wanting to post about my experience since last month but didn't really have the time to deal with this.  I honestly regret trusting LH and backing this stuff only to end up with flaky hardware after the long wait.  First and last crowdfunding project I guarantee you.  LH has simply killed off the concept of crowdfunding/crowddesigning or whatever you want to call it.  The lesson has been learned.
  
 I simply don't have confidence or trust it because it's simply not bulletproof like with other DACs that I've experienced.  I don't consider myself to be a PITA user because my requirements are pretty straight forward.  
  
 Looks like somebody else has taken the time to post his experience with the flaky infinity/lps setup as well:
  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbtf6yhcAcU
  
 I guess I should consider myself lucky the Infinity/LPS/LS 2G even works together since it's obvious from the video that there's problems with the Infinity/LPS/2 x usb cable setup as well.
  
 Goldmund/Job here I come...again.


----------



## pedalhead

> Originally Posted by *adrian0115* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> [snip]
> 
> ...


 
  
 My Infinity also wobbles when inserting/removing 1/4" headphone plug that sometimes manifests in a loss of connectivity with my laptop.  It usually recovers immediately though.  There's clearly a brief short taking place.  I'm not an electrical engineer but seems to me to be another indication of flaky design.


----------



## doctorjazz

Interesting, that's what happens when I change headphones on my Geek Out Special Edition...using it line or into an amp now, solved the problem, but shouldn't be the case.


----------



## Maelob

pedalhead said:


> My Infinity also wobbles when inserting/removing 1/4" headphone plug that sometimes manifests in a loss of connectivity with my laptop.  It usually recovers immediately though.  There's clearly a brief short taking place.  I'm not an electrical engineer but seems to me to be another indication of flaky design.


 

 My old geek out use to do that too. I had one of the outputs connected to my integrated amp while the other one I would connect to the the headphones.  And like you occasionally when connecting headphones it would mess something up where I had to disconnect and reconnect. weird


----------



## m17xr2b

On my geek out 1000 if I use ASIO sometimes I get just random noise when switching from 41k to 48k and i have to power cycle it. Great QC.


----------



## zerograin

greenkiwi said:


> I think I'll be moving on to a yggy sooner rather than later


 
 You won't regret it. I've had the yggy for about a month now and am still amazed at the sound. Haven't looked back ever since.
 Looking forward to your impression against the pulse.
 For me, in my set up, there was no comparison.


----------



## travelfotografe

My Pulse X will consistently not connect properly via USB upon first power on; if i play a track, Foobar will report unable to change sample rate to 44.1kHz error. A power cycle will 99% of the time fix the problem. So for me, powering up the Geek Pulse X is always a power-on, power-off and power-on sequence.

Fortunately, I m able to plug and unplug single-ended and balanced headphones without problems (for now)

Sent from my INO-2 using Tapatalk


----------



## travelfotografe

Sometimes the error will be something about unable to set ASIO buffer.

Sent from my INO-2 using Tapatalk


----------



## adrian0115

travelfotografe said:


> Sometimes the error will be something about unable to set ASIO buffer.
> 
> Sent from my INO-2 using Tapatalk


 
 I've encountered the exact same problems as well.  As I stated, I had problems with it the VERY FIRST time I turned it on.  I've also encountered a problem where the sample rate on the Pulse gets stuck and doesn't change.


----------



## Benny-x

Though I've had several problems with my GO1000 and playback/connecting, today was the first day I experienced playback issues with the Infinity 2.0. That is, since discarding the 3 Lightspeed cables that consistently dropped connection and caused various issues. 

Anyway, I turned on my dedicated music laptop after having it off for a few weeks and tried to play a song in foobar, but it kept throwing up errors. First it said nothing was findable, then after restarting foobar it would play for about 1 second, then say the track was already in use by another program.

After reading all the comments on here i power cycled the Infinity, but left all cables plugged in. Reopened foobar and the same playlist, and all was well. Been playing fine since. 

Though my friend claimed he had playback issues while it was loaned to him for a month, this is the first major instance I've had with the Infinity. Let's hope it's the last.


----------



## miceblue

So apparently v2.0 is the current firmware for the Pulse X Infinity, and SSM mode has been finalised, according to the tech support team. That's news to me...


----------



## Inotrope

I have the following firmware on my Pulse Infinity:
  
 Main 3.0 (i think this is a beta, got it from support)
 USB 1.0
 MCU 1.27
  
 I had real problems with MCU FW 1.28 and 1.29 whereby there was a complete loss of sound output with any attempt at volume adjustment (knob or volume control) which necessitated a power-cycle.
  
 LHLabs Firmware engineer has finally managed to reproduce and identify the problem and hopefully fix for a future version.
  
 Support were very helpful regarding the (multiple) problems to date, and the device performs really well now (it just needs a power cycle if I turn my Mac off, to handshake again). I leave the Pulse on most of the time (fear of it not turning on again!).


----------



## Benny-x

miceblue said:


> So apparently v2.0 is the current firmware for the Pulse X Infinity, and SSM mode has been finalised, according to the tech support team. That's news to me...


 
 Interesting. I wonder if they're well enough together to email people when the new firmwares are released? 
  
 Anyway, what do you think of your finalized SSM vs. the mostly favoured FTM? And is SSM any better for streaming?


----------



## woodcans

Thanks to Larry for the VIP treatment. Looking forward to getting my XFi back. Will report back once received.


----------



## nudd

Is this for Infinity 2.0 in the new chassis or the original Infinity?

On the one hand it may be nice to have direct DSD, on the other hand, I am afraid it will blow up the Infinity ...


----------



## adrian0115

woodcans said:


> Thanks to Larry for the VIP treatment. Looking forward to getting my XFi back. Will report back once received.


 
 What VIP treatment?


----------



## miceblue

benny-x said:


> Interesting. I wonder if they're well enough together to email people when the new firmwares are released?
> 
> Anyway, what do you think of your finalized SSM vs. the mostly favoured FTM? And is SSM any better for streaming?



Yeah I dunno if they were actually planning to tell people about it....

I haven't tried it myself yet since I've been busy. I'll see if it helps with the audio dropout problem I've been having while listening to YouTube videos though.


----------



## Benny-x

miceblue said:


> Yeah I dunno if they were actually planning to tell people about it....
> 
> I haven't tried it myself yet since I've been busy. I'll see if it helps with the audio dropout problem I've been having while listening to YouTube videos though.


 
 Well, I'm on the email list and haven't received anything, so I guess no?
  
 And I'm really always on the fence about updates. On the one hand I do LOVE getting the latest, greatest, most updated features. However, on the other hand you risk new stability issues, incompatibility with other apps, and less knowhow in the tech support knowledge base, both by the company and communal. So, hmm....
  
 I'll wait it out a little, then upgrade to whatever in a month I suppose. Keep an eye on the various Pulse threads for issues.


----------



## oneguy

benny-x said:


> Well, I'm on the email list and haven't received anything, so I guess no?
> 
> And I'm really always on the fence about updates. On the one hand I do LOVE getting the latest, greatest, most updated features. However, on the other hand you risk new stability issues, incompatibility with other apps, and less knowhow in the tech support knowledge base, both by the company and communal. So, hmm....
> 
> I'll wait it out a little, then upgrade to whatever in a month I suppose. Keep an eye on the various Pulse threads for issues.




I'm in the same boat as you. At this point I would qualify my Pulse Infinity as operation nearly flawlessly and I don't want to chance it unless the juice is worth the squeeze.


----------



## woodcans

adrian0115 said:


> What VIP treatment?




Not really VIP treatment. He just facilitated my RMA. Which should have been a no brainer in the first place.


----------



## dclaz

Still haven't got mine


----------



## pauldgroot

I have talked with LHL through support last month, My inital Pulse order was in November 2014 and I upgraded to a Xfi in December 2014.
  
 Quote:


> I apologize for the delay in your Pulse unit shipping out. The latest batch of boards that were delivered to us had a 88% failure rate. We do have you on file and will be able to ship your unit out once we receive our replacement boards in house. Unfortunately at this time our production team is behind schedule in delivering the units. They estimate that the boards will arrive around mid February. Once again I apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience as the production team works to get these units shipped out to the remaining backers as quickly as possible.


 
  
 Then I asked how many people were in front of me and this was Manny's response.
  


> There are 26 orders in front of yours. This should ship out in the next few weeks. Again thank you for your time.


 
  
 So I hope I will get my Xfi this month or somewhere in March.


----------



## nudd

Didn't Larry say recently they tested new boards with a new provider and they had a 100% pass rate??????????


----------



## pauldgroot

Standards and companies change.


----------



## uncola

for anyone who has a Jay's Audio 12v LPS for their geek pulse.. the same guy is offering a group buy on an assembled soekris r2r dac with usb input, built in screen, preamp out, headphone amp built in.. http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=223862.0
 I know it's off topic but I think a lot of the jay's audio owners read this thread.  Miceblue you should hop on the group buy with me


----------



## foreverzer0

uncola said:


> for anyone who has a Jay's Audio 12v LPS for their geek pulse.. the same guy is offering a group buy on an assembled soekris r2r dac with usb input, built in screen, preamp out, headphone amp built in.. http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=223862.0
> I know it's off topic but I think a lot of the jay's audio owners read this thread.  Miceblue you should hop on the group buy with me


 
  
 A bit OT, but I wonder how the Soekris DAC compares with the similar priced Schiit Gungnir Multibit or even the Yggdrasil...


----------



## coletrain104

nudd said:


> Didn't Larry say recently they tested new boards with a new provider and they had a 100% pass rate??????????


 
 they did. what the heck? this is shady for sure. Maybe they still have the old message up as a default in the customer service responses.


----------



## greenkiwi

Reconnection woes... the infinity would not be recognized by my Mac.  It shows up as a device in the system info, but not in the sound system.
  
 It also causes the whole mac sound system to hang.
  
 So it is pure speculation, but the behavior would point to the device behaving in some unexpected way that causes the mac sound system to hang.


----------



## greenkiwi

Oh, and upon restarting, the volume knob does not effect the actual volume.  Buggy firmware.


----------



## alvin1118

uncola said:


> for anyone who has a Jay's Audio 12v LPS for their geek pulse.. the same guy is offering a group buy on an assembled soekris r2r dac with usb input, built in screen, preamp out, headphone amp built in.. http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=223862.0
> I know it's off topic but I think a lot of the jay's audio owners read this thread.  Miceblue you should hop on the group buy with me


----------



## nudd

greenkiwi said:


> Reconnection woes... the infinity would not be recognized by my Mac.  It shows up as a device in the system info, but not in the sound system.
> 
> It also causes the whole mac sound system to hang.
> 
> So it is pure speculation, but the behavior would point to the device behaving in some unexpected way that causes the mac sound system to hang.




This sounds like the previously reported failure of the Pulse to lock onto the audio stream for whatever reason. It is quite a commonly reported issue on this thread.

Some people have reported success with installing a firmware update and some cannot get it to work again without an RMA.


----------



## trung224

Seeing too many issues with the Pulse, I am so happy that my Pulse has been working for more than 6 months without any problems.


----------



## gikigill

Same here, GO1000, Pulse Infinity and V2+ Infinity all working flawlessly. The GO1000 is a great combo with the HD800. Mellows the sound a little bit and plenty of grunt to keep the drivers in control.


----------



## spyder1

All is quiet on the "Pulse Front." Time to relax, and listen to, Hoff Ensemble, "Quiet Winter Night," on Pulse Xfi, with Audeze LCD 2's.


----------



## woodcans

Copy and paste from Larry at LH Labs:
  
 Pulse Blue is ready to ship!
 
We know you have been waiting for your Pulse Blue and would like to extend our sincerest gratitude. It has been quite the ride and we are continually pushing to get The Pulse Blue in your hands. And we're ready to begin bulk shipping on this product.

 
You are receiving this email because when we started the Pulse Blue project we had a basic chassis design. This has now evolved into a re-designed re-imagined chassis that pairs wirelessly, but also isn't a sore to look at 

 The Pulse Blue in total grew three times the size and three times the weight to boot. It is for this reason that we would need to collect some additional funds for shipping and begin our bulk shipping. After collaborating with my shipping department an additional $20 for Domestic backers and $25 for International backers will be needed to ship your Brand new Pulse Blue. All domestic backers will be receiving an invoice from us via Paypal this afternoon for shipping and we will begin shipping! International will receive their invoice two weeks after. 

 
Hope you could support our decision of insisting on continuously improving our designs. If you have any particular question in mind, you are welcome to go tosupport.lhlabs.com to open a ticket for your Pulse Blue order.

 
Thank you so much,
  

 Larry & The Shipping department
  
 My repy:
  
 Larry, despite your personal help I can no longer respect much less recommend your company to any head-fier, ever. Your company's business decisions and continual request for ongoing donations are despicable. You honestly seem like a nice guy but for heaven sakes any normal person would have realized your last email was just over the top. If my Pulse Xfi ever returns to me in operable condition I will be surprised and amazed. And if you deliver on your bluetooth promises I will redact my current statement and apologize, but in the meantime I hope you can understand my position. And the fact that you sent me an invoice is just, well, wow.


----------



## mtruong34

@Woodcans. I concur with your sentiment. I backed 2 Pulse Blues and thus was invoiced for $40 (Although I'm sure they could do combined shipping for less). I feel that LHL benefited from getting a long term interest free loan from us backers plus taking a really long time to deliver the goods so the right thing to do is for LHL to eat any overages. But alas I feel compelled to pay the ransom because I won't get my devices otherwise. Signed backer held hostage.


----------



## pedalhead

Oh my God you couldn't make this schiit up.  They're delivering a product years late, with an oversized chassis that nobody wanted (re-design yes, over-size no) and have the balls to ask for more money from the customers who've been waiting all this time? My jaw is on the floor.


----------



## woodcans

mtruong34 said:


> @Woodcans. I concur with your sentiment. I backed 2 Pulse Blues and thus was invoiced for $40 (Although I'm sure they could do combined shipping for less). I feel that LHL benefited from getting a long term interest free loan from us backers plus taking a really long time to deliver the goods so the right thing to do is for LHL to eat any overages. But alas I feel compelled to pay the ransom because I won't get my devices otherwise. Signed backer held hostage.


 
  
  


pedalhead said:


> Oh my God you couldn't make this schiit up.  They're delivering a product years late, with an oversized chassis that nobody wanted (re-design yes, over-size no) and have the balls to ask for more money from the customers who've been waiting all this time? My jaw is on the floor.


 
  
  
 Pretty amazing, I agree. I am not giving them one more penny of my money, for any of their products. In the past I was interested in the Pulse Blue but no longer, and definitely not at a higher price.


----------



## AlterSack

woodcans said:


> Pretty amazing, I agree. I am not giving them one more penny of my money, for any of their products. In the past I was interested in the Pulse Blue but no longer, and definitely not at a higher price.


 
 This is down right f..ing unbelievable! 
 I am not sure if this behaviour by LHL complies with any rules that IGG has set up. 
  
 Factually this also implies that LHL hold their backers hostages!  This should definitely trigger a law suit of some kind to my mind.
 Unfortunately I have no idea if the whole crowdfunding business allows for such a suit but it should definitely be checked.


----------



## smial1966

Goodness me, do LH Labs have no sense of fair play or integrity?!? These charlatans are utterly shameless, as asking for an extra shipping fee is tantamount to rubbing backers faces in the doo-doo. If anything LH Labs should be compensating folks for their inordinate wait. This is terrible behaviour for a company and deserves an ensuing firestorm of negative publicity.   
 
Quote:


altersack said:


> This is down right f..ing unbelievable!
> I am not sure if this behaviour by LHL complies with any rules that IGG has set up.
> 
> Factually this also implies that LHL hold their backers hostages!  This should definitely trigger a law suit of some kind to my mind.
> Unfortunately I have no idea if the whole crowdfunding business allows for such a suit but it should definitely be checked.


----------



## doublea71

Their days are numbered. The excuses and questionable practices have crossed the tipping point with their backers and those wise enough to stay on the sidelines. If and when they fulfill all of their perks, they will just as quickly be persona non grata among head-fiers, and they have themselves to blame. I'd love to get my money back from those (edit) fine, upstanding businessmen.


----------



## Shawnb

The best part is after being held hostage with the updated shipping cost, a whole $60, 6 months later my ******* Pulse still hasn't shipped. 
I'm so sick of LH Labs and thier ********, and regret ever backing anything


----------



## doublea71

They're the Enron of audio.


----------



## AlterSack

doublea71 said:


> They're the Enron of audio.


 

 Honestly - that is my biggest fear! I mean that their "Business behavior" (if you may call that so) drives them into bankruptcy faster than I can get my stuff. 
 Can't sell it if I don't have it. 
 Anyway - I am going to get rid of anythng from LHL (if I ever will get some of the "products").  
  
 I am also wondering why I haven't read any complaint about them not giving any news or update on the HPA and their amps and other stuff? Is there another thread with all the associated ****storm?


----------



## Maelob

I wonder how much would If I sell my XFI and an LPS in the used market. Prices have been dropping and dropping. I sold my original infinity v1 and lps for about 1k.  Then I bought  a used XFI and LPS for 900.  I think I would be lucky if I get 500 for the combo now.


----------



## zerograin

maelob said:


> I wonder how much would If I sell my XFI and an LPS in the used market. Prices have been dropping and dropping. I sold my original infinity v1 and lps for about 1k.  Then I bought  a used XFI and LPS for 900.  I think I would be lucky if I get 500 for the combo now.


 
 It's infuriating, I could have bought a used XFI for a lower price than what I pledged. And I would have been enjoying it now! But, the wait continues.


----------



## foreverzer0

if anyone is still looking for a pulse blue, I have one available to ship right away.


----------



## r3v3r8

Sorry to read through this thread and see so many delays and problems! Feel bad for Larry who is a great engineer and awesome at what he does: design cool circuits. Probably he did not anticipate the hurdles involved in moving from boutique company to mass production and from few products to an extended line. I am sure he hates the current situation as much as every angry backer and maybe wishes he did not get carried away with he whole thing in the first place. Afterall, from the role dynamics I have seen, he delivered the his main intellectual part quite well and other people were more involved in implementing it.
I hope this will get resolved soon and everybody will enjoy their long awaited toys.

I for one, have no major complaints. Received my unit in October (true, with a significant delay compared to the initial campaign, but still earlier than most), my unit works without any glitches, and overall I like it (massive improvement compared with my previous Shiit modi and having a balanced amp is very cool).


----------



## spyder1

Light Harmonic went from a company that made few Da Vinci DAC's a year, to producing 1000's of consumer based products. With this type of scale up, there are bound to be delays. The patient backers will be rewarded with great sounding equipment.


----------



## Anaximandros

FYI I found a little piece of information which should be interesting for you all.
  
 Gavin is working for AudioEngine and is still a CINO/Advisory Board member at LH.
  

  
 I stumbled upon it by accident.


----------



## MikeyFresh

anaximandros said:


> FYI I found a little piece of information which should be interesting for you all.
> 
> Gavin is working for AudioEngine and is still a CINO/Advisory Board member at LH.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I actually don't like the sound of that, and not that I was some sort of big GF fanboy/cheerleader, hardly, but this is at least some cause for concern when one of the stated principals in the company jumps ship.


----------



## Benny-x

The amount of wasted space inside the Pulse Blue would be crazy. Inside the Pulse Infinity it's already bad. Asking for additional money for shipping due to that is bad, when everyone complained from about that point from day one. 

I only got a quick peek in the box, but I got my LPS4 today. I'll take some snappers next week when I get back home. It'll be late next month before I can pair it with my Infinity, but for now I've just got to pray it's in 100% working order.


----------



## Benny-x

mikeyfresh said:


> I actually don't like the sound of that, and not that I was some sort of big GF fanboy/cheerleader, hardly, but this is at least some cause for concern when one of the stated principals in the company jumps ship.




I don't know about that. Gavin was their public mouth piece, so of course I associate him with the negative marketing talk that went on, but he could also legitimately be the source of a lot of the headache. 

Maybe instead of looking at it as a primary player jumping ship and it indicating instability, we could see it as LH Labs removing a cause of the problems and getting back to making people happy? Maybe it's a strategic move by the founder to get the company to a good place? 

Gavin might still be in as an "adviser" only because he has shares and that's all that can be done with him.

Lots of maybes, but I can't say I'm unhappy to see him leave. Good luck to AudioEngine, until now they've always made pretty good, very price competitive, and dependable products.


----------



## doctorjazz

That explains why Larry has become the voice of the updates as of late...


----------



## MikeyFresh

benny-x said:


> I don't know about that. Gavin was their public mouth piece, so of course I associate him with the negative marketing talk that went on, but he could also legitimately be the source of a lot of the headache.
> 
> Maybe instead of looking at it as a primary player jumping ship and it indicating instability, we could see it as LH Labs removing a cause of the problems and getting back to making people happy? Maybe it's a strategic move by the founder to get the company to a good place?
> 
> ...


 

 I certainly hope your take is on the money, and not mine.
  
 In the meantime I have only the supposed "first two weeks of March" estimated ship date for my Vi DAC tube as a near-term barometer.
  
 I also did not mean to suggest any knowledge or certainty that GH in fact jumped ship.
  
 He might have been shown the door, or perhaps this was the business plan all along, GH there to launch and see through the company's crowd funding phase (which itself had been previously described as a make-no-profit R&D effort), then someone else takes the marketing reigns as LHL graduates to a mature product/retail channel sales type of operation.


----------



## Audio Addict

Interesting as it does seem to have gone quiet since CES. Their balanced IEM sounded like it was almost ready before CES and I have not seen anything since.


----------



## Larry Ho

Hi, There
  
 Recently we add two more RMA station around the world to accelerate the process. One in Germany, one in Singapore. 
  
 The IEM-X is in the production phase, factory is making it. We are finalizing a dedicated web page for this new IEM-X series. And we sent several good samples out there and see how they feel about it.


----------



## spyder1

Larry,
  
 Thanks for the quick response. I look forward to the arrival of the IEM-X, to use with GO V2.


----------



## spyder1

Larry,
  
 Is the development of, LightSpeed Revive, still moving forward?


----------



## doctorjazz

It's kind of weird, I've been in for the top version of many of the LH Labs offerings, but this is the first I'm hearing about the Revive...sounds interesting (though, not inexpensive for this kind of add on). Currently using the Regen into my Geek Out Special Edition, has gotten me curious. SHOOT!!!
(that's how I got into this hole in the first place... )


----------



## Audio Addict

doctorjazz said:


> It's kind of weird, I've been in for the top version of many of the LH Labs offerings, but this is the first I'm hearing about the Revive...sounds interesting (though, not inexpensive for this kind of add on). Currently using the Regen into my Geek Out Special Edition, has gotten me curious. SHOOT!!!
> (that's how I got into this hole in the first place...
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I had almost forgotten about the Revive as I recall telling myself why do I need it when I have the Regen.  Of course the Regen goes into my PWD MKII and not my Infinity, maybe I should reconsider.  The time frame suggested only like 2 months if memory serves me but there are a lot of things in the fire there.


----------



## doctorjazz

I don't know what the Revive does different than the Regen from reading the LH Labs post, but, on the other hand, I couldn't really say I understand what the Regen does either (I know, it cleans up the bits, and the usb power, I picture it scrubbing these little 1's and 0's...)


----------



## Maelob

How about the analog products - maybe next year!! i cant believe its been over a year since they announced tha analog products. Those amps better be out of this world good


----------



## Inotrope

I've found that my SPDIF 1 and 2 inputs don't work any more... rather they do only if I only just insert cables by a couple of millimetres with the steady hand of a master safe cracker....
  
 Oddly I also get cross talk between SPDIF 1 and 2.
  
 Tested with BLUE, a reference level CD player and a variety of digital and analogue cables from the high street to the cryogenic custom.
  
 Waiting to hear if this will be RMA number 2.
  
 I've never had this many problems with any other electrical device.


----------



## greenkiwi

larry ho said:


> Hi, There
> 
> Recently we add two more RMA station around the world to accelerate the process. One in Germany, one in Singapore.
> 
> The IEM-X is in the production phase, factory is making it. We are finalizing a dedicated web page for this new IEM-X series. And we sent several good samples out there and see how they feel about it.




I hope that if you find that the production version aren't what they should be, that you send them back, rather than dump them on us. Like was done with the regular verb. 

Casey said that they sounded nothing like the pre production version, and yet they were still sent out.


----------



## greenkiwi

WooT! 

I got a shipment notification for my Infinity


----------



## Chrome Robot

So far on my Xfi/LPS I have only used USB for music with a REGEN just before the DAC. The TOSLINK is connected to the TV.
  
 Thinking about trying a converter such as the MUTEC MC3 smartclock USB, but not clear how good the AES and SPDIF inputs are for my Xfi/LPS. 
  
 What are the experiences of others here in regards to sound quality using the AES or SPDIF inputs into the Xfi and Infinity DACs?


----------



## DiscoSmoke

greenkiwi said:


> WooT!
> 
> I got a shipment notification for my Infinity


 
 What was your order date?


----------



## greenkiwi

discosmoke said:


> What was your order date?




The first black Friday...

Though it could have been tied to my earlier order...


----------



## Larry Ho

spyder1 said:


> Larry,
> 
> Is the development of, LightSpeed Revive, still moving forward?


 

 Sure. I'm using the final prototype with Vi DAC from day to day.


----------



## Larry Ho

inotrope said:


> I've found that my SPDIF 1 and 2 inputs don't work any more... rather they do only if I only just insert cables by a couple of millimetres with the steady hand of a master safe cracker....
> 
> Oddly I also get cross talk between SPDIF 1 and 2.
> 
> ...


 

 Sorry to know that. But the cross talk between SPDIF 1 & 2 seems really odd here. Please PM your ticket number, I will let engineer get the thorough check.
  
 Thanks,


----------



## Larry Ho

spyder1 said:


> Larry,
> 
> Thanks for the quick response. I look forward to the arrival of the IEM-X, to use with GO V2.


 

 PO has been placed last week. And factory are making IEM-X now...


----------



## foreverzer0

larry ho said:


> PO has been placed last week. And factory are making IEM-X now...


 
  
 Hi Larry,
  
 Can you provide any characteristics of the intended sound?
  
 Thanks,
 Edward


----------



## trung224

Hi Larry,
 I want to ask if there is a solid firmware to play DSD256 in the Geek Pulse. I have very high hope for your PureDSD Mode, and really want to listen to my DSD256 albums on native mode without converting to DSD128
 Thanks,
 Mai


----------



## Larry Ho

trung224 said:


> Hi Larry,
> I want to ask if there is a solid firmware to play DSD256 in the Geek Pulse. I have very high hope for your PureDSD Mode, and really want to listen to my DSD256 albums on native mode without converting to DSD128
> Thanks,
> Mai


 

 We have one good firmware for Pulse Infinity to play DSD256. From our experience, DSD256 actually requires very low jitter clock to play it well. So we start this feature on Vi DAC and Pulse Infinity first.
  
 Thanks,


----------



## marflao

Guys,
Need some help.

Xfi is connected to a Mac Mini (late 2012 w/ OS X EL Capitan) via Atlas USB Cable.
Mac sees the pulse but although the mute button is unchecked in the system preference settings there is no sound at all.

Worked via Windows for instance.

Any help would be appreciated .


----------



## greenkiwi

What volume setting are you using on the Pulse?  Knob or computer control?


----------



## Larry Ho

foreverzer0 said:


> Hi Larry,
> 
> Can you provide any characteristics of the intended sound?
> 
> ...


 

 We have around 10 iterations for the sound fine tuning. Spent a lot of time there with our Acoustic board advisor there. 
 We set the goal for overall tone neutral with a little warmth in mid-high. And we wire the internal structure to take the advantage for balanced configuration.


----------



## Arinko

Hi Larry
  
 When would my Infinity be sent out to Australia?
  
 Thanks.
  
 J Loh.


----------



## Larry Ho

arinko said:


> Hi Larry
> 
> When would my Infinity be sent out to Australia?
> 
> ...


 

 Should be soon. Please PM me, I will let them check for you.


----------



## marflao

greenkiwi said:


> What volume setting are you using on the Pulse?  Knob or computer control?


 
I have tried both knob and USB Volume and neither work.


----------



## greenkiwi

marflao said:


> I have tried both knob and USB Volume and neither work.


 
 If you go into the menu system, what is the "volume control" option set to?  Try changing it to/from the various different options and see whether or not the volume starts being changeable again.


----------



## marflao

greenkiwi said:


> If you go into the menu system, what is the "volume control" option set to?  Try changing it to/from the various different options and see whether or not the volume starts being changeable again.


 
  
 Yep...tried this without luck.
 Hmm....I opened already a ticket. Let´s see.
  
 Thanks for your support, greenkiwi. Much apreciated.


----------



## adrian0115

marflao said:


> Yep...tried this without luck.
> Hmm....I opened already a ticket. Let´s see.
> 
> Thanks for your support, greenkiwi. Much apreciated.


 
 God does LH even realize that their reputation is in the toilet?  Their stuff cannot be trusted because everything is so flaky.  
  
 Between the QC/testing problems and the BS from that a**clown Gavin, this pretty much puts an end to LH for me.  It's a good thing Gavin is gone.  Good luck to Audioengine because I won't purchase anything from them for obvious reasons.   
  
 Larry, I know you're a good guy and seriously appreciate your work.  It was never about the SQ or your dedication but your supporting cast (ie. vendors etc.) simply aren't cutting it.  I know you had crowd funding campaigns in China and I'm not even sure how you're dealing with them right now because I have no time or even care to check.  But from experience, I highly doubt the Chinese are as tolerant.  
  
 I'm traveling right now so I can't even deal with the USB connectivity problems.


----------



## Drsparis

adrian0115 said:


> It's a good thing Gavin is gone.  Good luck to Audioengine because I won't purchase anything from them for obvious reasons.


 
 LOL wait what when did this happen? I've been out of the loop, last I checked everyone was getting their pulse by the end of october!!! YAHOOO... wait I still don't have my infinity


----------



## greenkiwi

My second infinity arrived.

You might want to contact their support.


----------



## RickDastardly

Anyone from the UK got their Infinity 2.0 yet? I'm still waiting on mine.


----------



## Lord Raven

Hi Guys,
  
 I need some help with configuring ASIO driver, I recently got a DSD 256 and I am unable to play it on my SFi, I heard ASIO driver can play it.
  
 Thanks
 LR


----------



## TopQuark

Good luck to Gavin in his next endeavor.  Larry made the right decision.


----------



## jbr1971

lord raven said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> I need some help with configuring ASIO driver, I recently got a DSD 256 and I am unable to play it on my SFi, I heard ASIO driver can play it.
> 
> ...


 
  
 From Larry's post the other day it looks like DSD 256 has only been implemented on the Vi DAC and Pulse Infinity so far:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/10890#post_12363815
  
 It is the Pulse firmware that enables DSD 256, not the ASIO driver


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

You cannot as reason stated above (for now I think) but you can downsample it...
  
 I use JRiver
  
 you can use this config:
  
_A.) Tools>Options>Settings>*Bitstreaming:NONE*_
  
_B.) Tools>Options>Settings>DSP & audio format>*Output Encoding: 2xDSD in DoP format*_
  
 With this settings all media will be upsampled to DSD128 and DSD256 downsampled to DSD128.
  
 If you choose _*DSD in DoP format, *_all  media will be converted to DSD64.
  
 Or in PCM by choosing *NONE *and choose your desired sample rate at the *Sample Rate* settings


----------



## Lord Raven

That is sad, even the ifi DAC can do DSD 256. Thanks for letting me know jbr1971 and Mickey. If this is the case then I'm going for an upgrade in future.


----------



## rdsu

Hi @Larry Ho,

Since September I'm trying that LHLabs fix my LPS.

First time, I sent it to LHLabs to remove hum noise, on my right channel, and after receive it, I notice that the hum noise was gone, but after I have hiss noise on right channel.

I sent the unit two times, and the problem persists, because it seems that nothing was done or the techs didn't even tried to reproduce the problem.

I am extremely displeased with your support and quality.

What can be done to resolve this?

Regards

P.S.: I'm still waiting for Pulse Infinity 2.0!!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

lord raven said:


> That is sad, even the ifi DAC can do DSD 256. Thanks for letting me know jbr1971 and Mickey. If this is the case then I'm going for an upgrade in future.


 
  
 According to LH, Pulse is DSD256 ready. 
  
@rdsu sorry to here it man... me didn't took the risk grabbed the 1.0.


----------



## Lord Raven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> According to LH, Pulse is DSD256 ready.
> 
> @rdsu
> sorry to here it man... me didn't took the risk grabbed the 1.0.




Bro, what do you mean? A Pulse can and a Pulse SFi can't?


----------



## Lord Raven

Hi Mickey,
  
 Bro, when I select the option _*Output Encoding: 2xDSD in DoP format*_, there is no sound and the Geek display keeps switching back and forth between DSD64 and 172k sampling rates.
  
 I am back to where I started, _*Bitstreaming: DSD*_
  
 I am hoping there will be a firmware upgrade that will solve this issue for me.
  
 Thanks again!
 LR
  
  
 Quote:


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> You cannot as reason stated above (for now I think) but you can downsample it...
> 
> I use JRiver
> 
> ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Can you screen grab your Options, Audio device, device settings and DSP & audio format? so I could help you better?
  
 I use KS not ASIO.
  
 About DSD256: Larry Ho said ALL Geek Pulses are DSD256 ready...


----------



## kostaszag

Is there a  new firmware for Pulse Sfi out there?


----------



## smial1966

I continue to be amazed at the tolerance and resignation folks here accept for belated product shipping and shonky component delivery. In any other sphere of electronic goods, they'd likely be uproar and TV consumer shows belating the abysmal performance of LH Labs to deliver a functional product in a timely fashion. So kudos to the silent backers for your patience and I sincerely hope that LH Labs deliver your perks soonest.


----------



## doctorjazz

I don't know anyone who wouldn't like to have gotten the LH Labs stuff ages ago. But, there has been no shortage of histrionics here and the other LH Labs threads. Screaming in anger! Has anyone gotten anything a day earlier because of it?


----------



## gikigill

Trust me, the ones with faulty products will always make the most noise and rightfully so. There are plenty of us with perfectly fine units who are too lazy to post. 

With regards to the Geek Wave, it was a DAP being developed from the grounds up and Jason from Schiit doesn't want to touch DAPs with a ten foot pole and we know why. If the Wave sounds as good as my V2+ Infinity, it would be doing a stellar job. 

Not defending LH Labs but just general crowd funding takes a lot of patience especially if there is no actual product. The Pono for example had been pretty much set in stone by Ayre when it entered crowd funding. Project management is a bitch I'm afraid.


----------



## Maelob

gikigill said:


> Trust me, the ones with faulty products will always make the most noise and rightfully so. There are plenty of us with perfectly fine units who are too lazy to post.
> 
> With regards to the Geek Wave, it was a DAP being developed from the grounds up and Jason from Schiit doesn't want to touch DAPs with a ten foot pole and we know why. If the Wave sounds as good as my V2+ Infinity, it would be doing a stellar job.
> 
> Not defending LH Labs but just general crowd funding takes a lot of patience especially if there is no actual product. The Pono for example had been pretty much set in stone by Ayre when it entered crowd funding. Project management is a bitch I'm afraid.


 

 Just to clarify the Geek Wave was not to be a DAP originally, remember it was going to be a phone DAC.  And later they changed it to a DAP without giving the people a chance for refund.   Also nobody ever mentioned crowd designing when they started the original campaign - It was later down the road that they started asking backer for opinions.  If I knew that they didnt have a finished concept I would have not contributed.


----------



## Lord Raven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Can you screen grab your Options, Audio device, device settings and DSP & audio format? so I could help you better?
> 
> I use KS not ASIO.
> 
> About DSD256: Larry Ho said ALL Geek Pulses are DSD256 ready...


 
 I am only able to use WASAPI, since the configuration guide is available on LH labs website.
  
 What codec will play the DSD256 on SFi? I can post pictures but this is what I have been following so far. JRive WASAPI
  
 Larry just said DSD256 is only available on Vi DAC and Infinity, couple of posts ago. I wish mine could play otherwise my DSD256 album go wasted, I just wanted to hear it  I am not a dog to pick up the difference between DSD128 and DSD256 though LOL


----------



## gikigill

maelob said:


> Just to clarify the Geek Wave was not to be a DAP originally, remember it was going to be a phone DAC.  And later they changed it to a DAP without giving the people a chance for refund.   Also nobody ever mentioned crowd designing when they started the original campaign - It was later down the road that they started asking backer for opinions.  If I knew that they didnt have a finished concept I would have not contributed.




It was the Geek Stream originally but pressure by backers led to the Wave since folks wanted a fully blown DAP.

The V2 is the replacement for the Stream so if you got the V2, it wouldn't affect you materially. 

The Wave is built upon the guts of the Stream.I got the V2+ Infinity and waiting for the Wave.


----------



## uncola

dsd256 is only working with the beta pulse firmware.  It's not a public beta.  didn't work with my vi dac.  To me it's not that big a deal, I only have one dsd256 test track.  All my dsd real music is dsd1 I think


----------



## mandrake50

doctorjazz said:


> I don't know anyone who wouldn't like to have gotten the LH Labs stuff ages ago. But, there has been no shortage of histrionics here and the other LH Labs threads. Screaming in anger! Has anyone gotten anything a day earlier because of it?


 

 Bitching does the soul good... regardless.
 Blow off some steam, get it out of ones system, go on down the road. Therapeutic, no doubt.


----------



## Roll

mandrake50 said:


> Bitching does the soul good... regardless.
> Blow off some steam, get it out of ones system, go on down the road. Therapeutic, no doubt.


 
 On another note:
 Have a Filthy Mouth? Good.
 Here’s How Swearing May Make You Smarter
  
 http://www.menshealth.com/guy-wisdom/benefits-of-swearing


----------



## gikigill

"However, using profanity works best among those predisposed to your point of view. 

If you’re trying to convince those who strongly disagree with you, bad language only reinforces their negative views, Stephens says. And that can cut your credibility. 

Just make sure every other word you use isn’t a four-letter one. The cleaner your typical speech, the more effective a well-placed piece of profanity. 

“A person who swears only occasionally commands more seriousness and respect when a swear word is used, versus the person who constantly swears,” says L.A.-based modern etiquette expert Maggie Oldham"

Clearly you never read the article...


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Can you screen grab your Options, Audio device, device settings and DSP & audio format? so I could help you better?
> 
> I use KS not ASIO.
> 
> About DSD256: Larry Ho said ALL Geek Pulses are DSD256 ready...


 

 I think it requires a version of firmware that is still in beta.


----------



## Roll

gikigill said:


> Clearly you never read the article...


 
  
 Clearly gikigill, your right again. I hope will do better. Thanks


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

germay0653 said:


> I think it requires a version of firmware that is still in beta.




Yep, you're right! Hardware is DSD256 ready... needs only a firmware upgrade to play.


----------



## rdsu

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @rdsu
> sorry to here it man... me didn't took the risk grabbed the 1.0.



If I know before what I know now...


----------



## Panelhead

I do not have any DSD256 files. I can wait for firmware. 
 The dac has been a mixed bag. The purchasing and wait period was a big letdown. The Infinity product is tremendous. Great functionality and sound quality.
 I have not heard the competition, but compared to what I have heard it is the best. 
 Buying one now at the current used prices would be a no brainer. Feel Larry will deliver over the long run.
 The job shops used for subcontracting have killed many companies. I think LH Labs will find the right suppliers and get the little issues resolved.


----------



## Chrome Robot

panelhead said:


> ....
> The job shops used for subcontracting have killed many companies. I think LH Labs will find the right suppliers and get the little issues resolved.


 
  
 Do you truly believe that subcontractors have been the major source of all the delays?
  
 It may be expedient for LHL to continually point to production plant problems, dock strikes, etc.
 These things seem to occur with regularity with them and offer convenient excuses for lack of proper internal management.


----------



## Lord Raven

Hi Geeks,
  
 I get a clicking sound on some DSD64 albums, it's like music keeps playing but there I can hear tiny clicks which sound like there is something wrong with the recording.
  
 I have recently updated my Windows driver to 3.26 and it did not help. My SFi is 1V5, Main is 2.0. What else can I do to enjoy these DSD64 albums with problem?
  
 Are there any other SFi owners out there with this problem?
  
 Thanks!
 LR


----------



## Panelhead

No I do not think that suppliers are responsible for the delayed delivery. The method used of designing new products and marketing them prior to delivering products marketed a year earlier is the culprit for most of the logjam. You have to complete projects to prevent this from happening. 
 I think suppliers have been responsible for most of the small issues found in the delivered product. Whether USB problems, crosstalk on SPDIF inputs, intermittent distortion, or other squirrelly issues the board construction is the most likely cause. If it was a design flaw all would exhibit the problem.
 A friend has the same board problems. Multi layer boards, surface mount construction, and high speed circuits are very intolerant of poor assembly. Batch to batch variations are common.


----------



## greenkiwi

And I would add that we are also partially to blame.

And time Larry asked us if we wanted this new shiny feature or that one, some percentage said yes... 

And lhlabs added the feature... But also had to keep the old version too.

The feature matrix for the wave is just scary. I hope that they cull it down.

That being said there is also blame for lhlabs in this process, since adding a child if they want a bit more candy will inevitably result in them saying yes.


----------



## trung224

lord raven said:


> Hi Geeks,
> 
> I get a clicking sound on some DSD64 albums, it's like music keeps playing but there I can hear tiny clicks which sound like there is something wrong with the recording.
> 
> ...


 
  I have this problem with my Pulse SFi before, and it is not the Pulse's fault. The problem lies on USB streaming mode from your computer to the Pulse. When you plays DSD files, because of high load from CPU to stream DSD signal, it cause pops, clicks even drop outs if your ASIO buffer settings is wrong. So, you shouldd go  to Light Harmonic Control Panel > Buffer Settings, and test which options doesn't have the problems, and choose them. That kind of option depends on each computer, for my case it is Relaxed on USB Streaming mode with 2048 samples  Buffer size, and I  have no problems streaming DSD128 and DSD64.


----------



## Lord Raven

trung224 said:


> I have this problem with my Pulse SFi before, and it is not the Pulse's fault. The problem lies on USB streaming mode from your computer to the Pulse. When you plays DSD files, because of high load from CPU to stream DSD signal, it cause pops, clicks even drop outs if your ASIO buffer settings is wrong. So, you shouldd go  to Light Harmonic Control Panel > Buffer Settings, and test which options doesn't have the problems, and choose them. That kind of option depends on each computer, for my case it is Relaxed on USB Streaming mode with 2048 samples  Buffer size, and I  have no problems streaming DSD128 and DSD64.


 
 Hi trung224, bro, I fixed my problem 
  
 Actually, WASAPI gives me clicking sound but when it is used then SFi display says DSD64. The problem was fixed when I used ASIO as output codec, but SFi display now says 176.4k and not DSD. 
  
 Can ASIO not play DSD? I need some real method to play my DSD64, 128, 256 albums :/ I am using JRiver, configs are done by following the LHL website.
  
 I am getting frustrated now, why can't I figure this out LOL
  
 Thanks
 LR


----------



## Zenifyx

Has anyone heard from lhlabs about the shipping of Pulse Infinity units?


----------



## greenkiwi

I contacted support and they said I had contacted right at the right time and mine was about to ship.

I have it now


----------



## uncola

LR yeah DoP works over asio, I have used it with my geek out v2 and vi dac so it definitely works with geek pulse.  just double check the settings and all the options panels in jriver.  I was using jriver too


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

lord raven said:


> Hi trung224, bro, I fixed my problem
> 
> Actually, WASAPI gives me clicking sound but when it is used then SFi display says DSD64. The problem was fixed when I used ASIO as output codec, but SFi display now says 176.4k and not DSD.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Maybe you have opted *Bitstream: NONE* under settings.
  
 Read this thread for info (PC): http://lhlabs.com/force/music-software/1462-jriver-media-center-for-pc?limitstart=0


----------



## Zenifyx

greenkiwi said:


> I contacted support and they said I had contacted right at the right time and mine was about to ship.
> 
> I have it now


 
  
 How long back was that?
 I sent in a support ticket asking when mine would ship about 3 days back, no reply. =((


----------



## coletrain104

Yeah this is weird. They said they got PCB in with 100% pass rate. I don't know the size of the PCB shipment, but shouldn't we see a bunch more people receiving their Pulse? I know many of us are STILL waiting. I wish things weren't this way


----------



## Zenifyx

I just got a response on my ticket. 
For those who are waiting for their unit as well, basically the gist of it is that the latest batch of boards only had a 88% pass rate and they expect to start the shipping process in the second week of March.


----------



## Larry Ho

greenkiwi said:


> And I would add that we are also partially to blame.
> 
> And time Larry asked us if we wanted this new shiny feature or that one, some percentage said yes...
> 
> ...


 

 I know I should not say "Yes" so many times.... But when I heard Geek Pulse Infinity DAC, I still believe that worth the whole thing and process.
 There is no perfect world. We need to choose from time to time.


----------



## greenkiwi

@LarryHo I actually don't really fault you for saying yes.  
  
 Though, I like your later choices where you stopped having backers make individual decisions about products.  I like bigger buckets of upgrades and trust your ability to figure out the best way to make stuff sound better.  I certainly cannot determine whether spending $XX on mu metal shielding improves the sound more than spending $XX on a different set of op amps... or better caps.  And once you make a commitment to one thing, it's very hard to renege on it later.  Particularly if only a small population picked feature X or Y.  And your latter projects went in this direction.
  
  
 And I would whole heartedly agree about the Infinity sounding very very good.  I listen to one at work with LCD-XCs or Ether Cs and it brings a smile to my face every day, without fail.  (Well, when there aren't volume glitches.  The DAC does not like being plugged into the thunderbolt display.)


----------



## ssshhh

Hi Guys, anybody with a Geek LPS4 could tell me how have to be placed the jumpers for the 110v?
  
 I saw the video explanation from Gavin on how to change voltage (my version was factory set at 220v but now i'm in USA), but my PCB (ver. PC-LPS-005) is a little different and i have 3 different jumpers positions for change voltage: 110V1, 220V1 and 110V3 for both the transformers. 
 I assume that the jumpers have to be placed in 110V1 position, but what is the 110V3 for? Anybody with a recent LPS4 could take a look under the front plate? *Please Note: if you open the LPS you will void your warranty!*
  
 @Larry: If you read me could you please give us a description about the 110V1 and 110V3 positions? What are the differences?
 Could be also possible to join together 2 output from the LPS4 to increase the Ampere output? Or this will increase the Voltage output? Or this will damage the LPS?
  
 Thanks


----------



## jbr1971

ssshhh said:


> Hi Guys, anybody with a Geek LPS4 could tell me how have to be placed the jumpers for the 110v?
> 
> I saw the video explanation from Gavin on how to change voltage (my version was factory set at 220v but now i'm in USA), but my PCB (ver. PC-LPS-005) is a little different and i have 3 different jumpers positions for change voltage: 110V1, 220V1 and 110V3 for both the transformers.
> I assume that the jumpers have to be placed in 110V1 position, but what is the 110V3 for? Anybody with a recent LPS4 could take a look under the front plate? *Please Note: if you open the LPS you will void your warranty!*
> ...


 
  
 For something like that you may want to open a support ticket to make sure you get the right answers as I have a feeling setting the jumper incorrectly could fry the LPS.
  
 Good luck.


----------



## zerograin

Woah!!! I got shipping confirmation.
 Pledged Nov. 2014.
 I already have the Yggy running at home.
 I guess I can clear off an area at my office.


----------



## Maelob

Be adviced, shipping notification does not mean shipping right away, it could be a few days before they actually ship.


----------



## mtruong34

maelob said:


> Be adviced, shipping notification does not mean shipping right away, it could be a few days before they actually ship.




Or sometimes those shipping notifications are another sales pitch just to get you to open the email. Over the top marketing spear-headed by Mr. Fish really soured me on LHL despite the high SQ gear.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

In my experience its around 2-3 days they actually ship...
  
 A notice is given first because if there are discrepancy in shipping addresses they can correct it. This is what they say, but on my case I haven't problems so far on actual shipping.


----------



## zerograin

mtruong34 said:


> Or sometimes those shipping notifications are another sales pitch just to get you to open the email. Over the top marketing spear-headed by Mr. Fish really soured me on LHL despite the high SQ gear.


 
 I clicked on the tracking number and guess what? No ads or promotions, took me to usps. But, I guess it hasn't left the facility yet. It's too early to tell. So, there is some hope.


----------



## jsiegel14072

zenifyx said:


> Has anyone heard from lhlabs about the shipping of Pulse Infinity units?


 
 i was asking the same question.
  
 here is there current status/plan
https://c1.iggcdn.com/indiegogo-media-prod-cld/image/upload/c_limit,w_620/v1455408225/rhfb1w9dbnevvgykjcc4.jpg


----------



## Maelob

zerograin said:


> I clicked on the tracking number and guess what? No ads or promotions, took me to usps. But, I guess it hasn't left the facility yet. It's too early to tell. So, there is some hope.




Normally it will be 2-3 days before you see some movement


----------



## runningwitit

I don't mean to get off of the subject, I know there are still people waiting on their products and I don't mean to cause anyone  any added anguish by this request. I see that Hifiman has a new style HE 560 which is @350 ohms and would like to know if anyone would be interested in a group buy? I'm hoping the guy's at LH Labs might be able to get us a good deal on it.  A simple yes or no will suffice, thanks guys!!


----------



## doctorjazz

Have they done any group buys in a while? They mostly did package deals, with their stuff, but there was the occasional cable or other group buy if I remember correctly.


----------



## runningwitit

doctorjazz said:


> Have they done any group buys in a while? They mostly did package deals, with their stuff, but there was the occasional cable or other group buy if I remember correctly.


 
 No, they haven't done any group buys in a good while. They may be able to squeeze in a package deal here and there (can you blame them), but there should be an option for just the headphones. I for one, would love to see this happen!


----------



## Audio Addict

runningwitit said:


> No, they haven't done any group buys in a good while. They may be able to squeeze in a package deal here and there (can you blame them), but there should be an option for just the headphones. I for one, would love to see this happen!


 
  
 I wouldn't suggest doing anything through LH Labs that could distract their current tasks at hand.


----------



## Audio Addict

runningwitit said:


> I don't mean to get off of the subject, I know there are still people waiting on their products and I don't mean to cause anyone  any added anguish by this request. I see that Hifiman has a new style HE 560 which is @350 ohms and would like to know if anyone would be interested in a group buy? I'm hoping the guy's at LH Labs might be able to get us a good deal on it.  A simple yes or no will suffice, thanks guys!!


 
  
 http://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/167
  
 What changed.  I don't see a 350 Ohm spec for the HE560?
  
 I did send a question into HiFiMan about what changes other than the connectors have been done to the HE560.  They did just open a new store on the Newegg marketplace so I suggested they should have a 3 day sale to celebrate the opening of the new store.  It was worth at least suggesting.  As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.


----------



## Larry Ho

zerograin said:


> I clicked on the tracking number and guess what? No ads or promotions, took me to usps. But, I guess it hasn't left the facility yet. It's too early to tell. So, there is some hope.


 

 We found that issue for wrong email title for mixing promotion and tracking information long time ago. And we stop that since then. 
 You won't see any confusing or mixing message from then or in future.


----------



## runningwitit

audio addict said:


> http://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/167
> 
> What changed.  I don't see a 350 Ohm spec for the HE560?
> 
> I did send a question into HiFiMan about what changes other than the connectors have been done to the HE560.  They did just open a new store on the Newegg marketplace so I suggested they should have a 3 day sale to celebrate the opening of the new store.  It was worth at least suggesting.  As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.


 Check Crutchfield, they sell the 350 ohm 560's... I hear they fixed the midrange curve and it sounds a lot smoother across the whole spectrum. I had a listen to a launch pair of 560's on YOUTUBE? through my Pulse SE and it was amazing! Of course it doesn't actually beat listening in person, but multiply what I heard by three and WOW!! I can't wait for LHLabs to make this one happen, I'm really excited!


----------



## runningwitit

audio addict said:


> I wouldn't suggest doing anything through LH Labs that could distract their current tasks at hand.


 This is something that they can handle as well as the current tasks at hand...No problem...


----------



## nudd

runningwitit said:


> This is something that they can handle as well as the current tasks at hand...No problem...


 
  
 LOL


----------



## doctorjazz

Just a quick comment...I know mentioning cables can stir up much emotion, but I've been auditioning Dana cables for the HE-560, and have used Norne Zoetic on my HE-1000, has a similar sound. For those who find the 560 to be too harsh or tizzy in the highs, I find these cables smooth this out without losing details.
Just my $0.02, ymmv, don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player...


----------



## coletrain104

jsiegel14072 said:


> i was asking the same question.
> 
> here is there current status/plan
> https://c1.iggcdn.com/indiegogo-media-prod-cld/image/upload/c_limit,w_620/v1455408225/rhfb1w9dbnevvgykjcc4.jpg


 
 DOESN"T IT BOTHER ANYONE ELSE THAT THE XFI IS NOT ON HERE? DOES MY XFI EVEN EXIST? WILL IT EVER? I FEEL LIKE I'M TAKING CRAZY PILLS 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 In all seriousness, what the heck is going on with the XFI shipping? I'm not sure when it is supposed to come, if it will be in the old chassis or new (better be the old, I didn't sign up for a giant brick on my desk) or are they even shipping XFI anymore? Is it possible that they're sending the XFI people the Pulse Infinity? Someone here said his XFI was actually an infinity, and was identifiable by the name in selecting its usb connection. I'm so confused


----------



## zerograin

coletrain104 said:


> DOESN"T IT BOTHER ANYONE ELSE THAT THE XFI IS NOT ON HERE? DOES MY XFI EVEN EXIST? WILL IT EVER? I FEEL LIKE I'M TAKING CRAZY PILLS
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 My order was for the XFI. Tracking did show that it left their facility. I should have it tomorrow.
 I can check all the other stuff for you when it arrives.


----------



## coletrain104

zerograin said:


> My order was for the XFI. Tracking did show that it left their facility. I should have it tomorrow.
> I can check all the other stuff for you when it arrives.


 
 yes, please let me know what the details are, either in this post or via PM. Really interested in the chassis and whether your computer identifies it as X Infinity or XFI


----------



## gikigill

I received my Xfi last year August.


----------



## coletrain104

After 2 years of waiting, my Geek Pulse shipping order just came in. Good lord, how I've waited. It better smother my ears with refined goodness. Hopefully I will not need to revisit this thread too much to find answers to bugs, fw issues, etc. I'm still interested about which chassis and design I'll be receiving.


----------



## runningwitit

F





coletrain104 said:


> After 2 years of waiting, my Geek Pulse shipping order just came in. Good lord, how I've waited. It better smother my ears with refined goodness. Hopefully I will not need to revisit this thread too much to find answers to bugs, fw issues, etc. I'm still interested about which chassis and design I'll be receiving.


----------



## mark5hs

jsiegel14072 said:


> i was asking the same question.
> 
> here is there current status/plan
> https://c1.iggcdn.com/indiegogo-media-prod-cld/image/upload/c_limit,w_620/v1455408225/rhfb1w9dbnevvgykjcc4.jpg


 
  
 OK this is just insulting. It says 100% delivered on the Pulse, yet I'M STILL WAITING for mine. I emailed them two weeks ago and was told, "your's should ship within a week". Still hasn't shipped.


----------



## zerograin

coletrain104 said:


> yes, please let me know what the details are, either in this post or via PM. Really interested in the chassis and whether your computer identifies it as X Infinity or XFI


 

It's a much smaller case than the infinity that I had from Amazon. In Windows Device Manager and Light Harmonics Control Panel, it registers as S-fi V5.

I can't listen to it at the moment because I don't have my headphones here.

When I first pledged, I thought the wait was going to be 6 months at most. I waited almost a year and a half. A lot changed include a new job and residence. And so many new products that caught my interested. I was excited for this. Now that the Pulse is here, I really have no use for it or even a desire to keep it.

Some of you have waited even longer, which sucks.
I will never do another crowd fund again. And as for LHL, they have lost me as a customer.

On a side note, the Schiit Yggy is far better now than when I bought it over a month ago, which I thought was better than the Pulse Infinity right out of the box. It is unreal the amount of details I am hearing, and my music are mainly crappy compressed mp3s.


----------



## Maelob

Now will see how long it takes for my wave and monoblock amps - Plus all fhe tub gear they promised- Why the hell they show working prototipes of stuff and a year later still waiting. I thought the mono amps were further along in devlelopment- any ideas on when they will be ready? Its been over a year since their las push... so tired


----------



## Roll

mark5hs said:


> OK this is just insulting. It says 100% delivered on the Pulse, yet I'M STILL WAITING for mine. I emailed them two weeks ago and was told, "your's should ship within a week". Still hasn't shipped.


 
 I am still waiting for my Geek Pulse Infinity- it does show on the schedule for the Week 4 of March (completion date estimate) - less than 180 Infinity to be ship..


----------



## graham508

Ok I admit I'm bothered too about having to wait this interminable length of time for Infinity.
  
 But I just noticed, looking back, that my most recent pledge, for $22 Pulse ESS DAC upgrade, was February 2015. That's about this time last year, which doesn't seem so long ago - nothing like if one compares it to the initial order, which for me was November 2013. I just reckon let's give Larry a go. He's trying to steady the ship. Hold the faith with him. We all jumped into this thing because he's on top of the game in DAC design. This thing has evolved the long way, yes, but we were part of it, in it together. 
  
 Just my thoughts...


----------



## coletrain104

zerograin said:


> It's a much smaller case than the infinity that I had from Amazon. In Windows Device Manager and Light Harmonics Control Panel, it registers as S-fi V5.
> 
> I can't listen to it at the moment because I don't have my headphones here.
> 
> ...


 
 I heard the Yggy with a liquid crimson amp while at a meet. It would be hard to beat that kind of sound, I was honestly really impressed. The changes were more obvious than for any other setup I'd heard


----------



## Maelob

I am sure the Pulse Infinity with a Liquid Crimson amp will sound amazing too.


----------



## gikigill

The Pulse has a fantastic DAC section while the amplifier is pretty average. I use it more as a DAC than as an amp.


----------



## nigel801

I am still not able to sort out the issue with Chrome browser with my Pulse X-FI, if I use Safari than sound does comes out on my Mac Mini, I also have chord Mojo and it doesn't have such problem with Chrome, so I suspect it is the issue with Pulse drivers and not Chrome. Can LHLabs or  someone help. I dont prefer to use Safari and for youtube on chrome it is a bummer !!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Sorry to hear, don't have a Mac. But in my Win7 X64 Ult. PC have no problems with using my Pulse Infinity on Chrome or Explorer.


----------



## jbr1971

nigel801 said:


> I am still not able to sort out the issue with Chrome browser with my Pulse X-FI, if I use Safari than sound does comes out on my Mac Mini, I also have chord Mojo and it doesn't have such problem with Chrome, so I suspect it is the issue with Pulse drivers and not Chrome. Can LHLabs or  someone help. I dont prefer to use Safari and for youtube on chrome it is a bummer !!


 
  
 No drivers are installed on a Mac to use a Pulse, so it cannot be driver related (unless if you have an issue with OS X itself).
  
 Is Chrome fully up-to-date? I am currently using OS X El Capitan and Chrome with my Pulse XFi with no issues. It also worked great with Yosemite aside from a couple of instances where I needed to update Chrome to get it working again.


----------



## nigel801

hi , thanks for your swift reply indeed you are right there is no driver requirements for Mac, I am not sure if my Chrome is update to date, I ran the Mac update and it didnt metion if I need to update chrome, I will check again.  Thanks.


----------



## jbr1971

nigel801 said:


> hi , thanks for your swift reply indeed you are right there is no driver requirements for Mac, I am not sure if my Chrome is update to date, I ran the Mac update and it didnt metion if I need to update chrome, I will check again.  Thanks.


 
  
 Open a new browser tab and enter the following address:
  
 chrome://help/
  
 This will open the About page within Chrome and it will provide information on the current version of Chrome, as well as whether or not it is up-to-date. If it is not, I believe it will give you the option to update.


----------



## nigel801

many thanks again, I uninstalled and isntalled chrome and it works with Pulse now, I am very happy. To be honest it sound better than Mojo but for portability,  price and size Mojo is untouchable.


----------



## doctorjazz

I'd hope it sounds better than the Mojo...never was intended to be pocketable.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Pocketable NO...Portable hmm....


----------



## Lord Raven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Pocketable NO...Portable hmm....




Exactly  I ran Geek with Anker, it works.. 

Mickey I still need to test those jriver settings :/


----------



## mark5hs

What would you guys think about pairing this with the Pulse? I like tube warmth, but it's got considerablely less power than the Pulse amp, so would it be a downgrade vs just using the Pulse? 
 https://www.massdrop.com/buy/littledot-tube-amp


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

lord raven said:


> Exactly
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sharing my JRiver Settings. These are the same I use Geek Out also.
  
 Normally I prefer Kernel Streaming:
  

  
 And upsample everything to DSD128..
  

  
 If you prefer ASIO these are the settings under Audio Device:
  

  
*Remember:*
  
 1. Setting Bitstreaming to NONE converts everyhing to PCM
  
 2. Output Encoding under DSP studio changes Output.
 NONE = leave as is
 DSD in DoP = converts/upsamples everything to DSD64
 2x DoP  = converts/upsamples everything to DSD128
  
 3. Sample Rate as the name imply changes PCM sample rates. This will work only if in Output Encoding section is NONE (no DSD convertion).
 NONE = leave as is 
 44100 - 384000 = respective sample rates that you can convert.
  
*Examples*:
 Bistreaming: NONE, Output Encoding: NONE, Sample Rate: All 384000
Meaning: All signals are converted to PCM at 384000 Hz
  
 Bitstreaming: DSD, Output Encoding: DSD in DoP, Sample Rate: NONE
Meaning: All signals are upsampled to DSD64. DSD128 is downsampled to DSD64
  
 Bitstreaming: DSD, Output Encoding: NONE, Sample Rate: NONE
Meaning: DSD are played/bitstreamed to their respective sample rates, and so does PCM.
  
 Happy tweaking...


----------



## zerograin

I'm using usb from windows 10 Surface Pro to the Pulse xfi out to Hifiman HE500.
 The pulse xfi has been running for 24 hrs.
 I'm hoping with more time it will sound better. So far, it's underwhelming borderline disappointment.
  
 And I hate the volume control. It feels cheap and the knobs barely turns up the volume.


----------



## Benfica1

mark5hs said:


> What would you guys think about pairing this with the Pulse? I like tube warmth, but it's got considerablely less power than the Pulse amp, so would it be a downgrade vs just using the Pulse?
> https://www.massdrop.com/buy/littledot-tube-amp


I have this pairing. I think it depends on your headphones. My T1's definitely sound better out of the Little Dot iii than straight from the pulse. Probably because the higher impedance headphones do better with OTL amps like the Little Dot iii.


----------



## mark5hs

benfica1 said:


> I have this pairing. I think it depends on your headphones. My T1's definitely sound better out of the Little Dot iii than straight from the pulse. Probably because the higher impedance headphones do better with OTL amps like the Little Dot iii.




I use he400 and denon ahd2000. Will probably get an lcd3 a couple years down the road. Think it'd be worth it at the massdrop price? Thanks


----------



## wingsounds13

zerograin said:


> I'm using usb from windows 10 Surface Pro to the Pulse xfi out to Hifiman HE500.
> The pulse xfi has been running for 24 hrs.
> I'm hoping with more time it will sound better. So far, it's underwhelming borderline disappointment.
> 
> And I hate the volume control. It feels cheap and the knobs barely turns up the volume.




You are just into the recovery period. My infinity sounded great for the first half hour or so, then went flat - really dead sounding. By 40 hours it was starting to sound okay again, but didn't start sounding really good until about 200 hours and still improving noticeably through 400 hours. Past that there is not much improvement, but from 24 to 400 hours the improvement is substantial.

The knob isn't a nice weighted and damped knob, but I don't find it to be bad. It is easy to turn just rolling a couple of fingers across the top and I have become accustomed to quick and easy changes this way. You are right, it is not too sensitive and takes some turning to make substantial volume changes. If you really need to, you can give it a quick spin for a big change - it seems to be speed sensitive and a fast turn gets you farther than a slow turn. Maybe not exactly what some people expect, but I don't find it to be an operational issue.

J.P.


----------



## nigel801

wingsounds13 said:


> You are just into the recovery period. My infinity sounded great for the first half hour or so, then went flat - really dead sounding. By 40 hours it was starting to sound okay again, but didn't start sounding really good until about 200 hours and still improving noticeably through 400 hours. Past that there is not much improvement, but from 24 to 400 hours the improvement is substantial.
> 
> The knob isn't a nice weighted and damped knob, but I don't find it to be bad. It is easy to turn just rolling a couple of fingers across the top and I have become accustomed to quick and easy changes this way. You are right, it is not too sensitive and takes some turning to make substantial volume changes. If you really need to, you can give it a quick spin for a big change - it seems to be speed sensitive and a fast turn gets you farther than a slow turn. Maybe not exactly what some people expect, but I don't find it to be an operational issue.
> 
> J.P.


 
 I have He-500 and with Pulse XFi it sounds great and volume output and improvements are significant if you use balanced  cable  with Silver quoted .


----------



## zerograin

nigel801 said:


> I have He-500 and with Pulse XFi it sounds great and volume output and improvements are significant if you use balanced  cable  with Silver quoted .


 
 I ordered balanced cables from Ebay... anything to improve what I'm hearing.


----------



## wingsounds13

I agree that using a balanced cable for headphones is an improvement, certainly in power and imaging. Overall sound quality improves too, but not substantially to my ear.

One thing that I find curious is the headphone gain settings. My primary headphones are the ZMF Master model which admittedly do like plenty of power. At that, they will play plenty loud enough for me on the low gain setting, but after experimenting I leave the gain setting on high. I wanted to run the DAC with less attenuation, expecting that the sound would be better with the DAC chip outputting a higher level and the amp having lower gain. What I found is that when I used the low gain setting the soundstage image flattened significantly, it had much less depth. I don't notice any sound quality loss with the additional digital attenuation, so high gain it is. 

As for break in... The Pulse X infinity has shown me the the most significant change in sound over the burn in cycle that I have heard to date. Fortunately, the end result is excellent. 

As always, your results may differ as setups and ears are different.

J.P.


----------



## greenkiwi

@wingsounds13 interesting, I need to experiment.  It seems that a number of people have found the same thing.
  
 I'd love to hear @LarryHo's thoughts on this.  I would have thought (like you) that you would have lost more information when you up the gain and increase your digital attenuation.  Maybe I'm wrong, but -24dB is effectively shifting the data out 4bits, and -48dB is shifting out 5bits.
  
 120dB --> 20bits
  
 I guess that as long as you are starting with 16bit data, shifting to the right by 4bits doesn't really effect the sound?  You'd only really hear it if you were starting with 24bit source (that actually had 16+bits worth of information)?


----------



## wingsounds13

PCM data is approximately 6dB/bit, so 24dB is 4 bits, but 48dB is 8 bits. However... this data loss does not hold true when using a Sigma-Delta DAC, which the final stage of the Sabre (and almost all other DAC chips used in audio products) is. In the case of Sigma-Delta DACs, as long as the bit depth of the calculations going into the Sigma-Delta modulator is sufficient (32 bits should do) then little resolution is lost in the attenuation process and the real limitation is the noise floor. As you attenuate the level in the digital domain, the noise floor of the DAC remains the same, thus the S/N and usable dynamic range are reduced.

J.P.


----------



## coletrain104

So I got my Pulse XFI yesterday. Wow, what a great sounding piece of gear. I've had it on for about 9 hours, and it sounds really good. I would be happy with it even if the sound doesn't change at all. Suddenly my planars have bass! the Vali must've been holding them back some. I did think it sounded a little funny with k7xx though, I'll probably listen to that more today. Maybe its just a little thin as a pairing. Now I have some audio things to investigate


----------



## uncola

For people who have a Lightspeed 2g or 10g cable.. is it best to use the data leg on your best usb port or should I be using the power leg on my best usb port?  a long time ago I tested them all and figured out which one had the lowest noise, mosquito noise etc when scrolling web pages.  I know the power leg is the one with the black heatshrink on it.  I just got my repaired vi dac back today and it works huzzah.  still has buzz on sample rate change but you can't win em all


----------



## MikeyFresh

uncola said:


> For people who have a Lightspeed 2g or 10g cable.. is it best to use the data leg on your best usb port or should I be using the power leg on my best usb port?  a long time ago I tested them all and figured out which one had the lowest noise, mosquito noise etc when scrolling web pages.  I know the power leg is the one with the black heatshrink on it.  I just got my repaired vi dac back today and it works huzzah.  still has buzz on sample rate change but you can't win em all


 

 I recommend using your best port on the data leg, as it is the only one that needs to stay plugged in.
  
 The power leg is only needed for the initial handshake process, once thats done you can and should unplug it for lowest noise.
  
 Buzz on sample rate change? I hope you mean a small tick or click, which pretty much all DACs do on sample rate changes. If it's truly a buzz or anything loud in level, thats very disturbing.


----------



## uncola

Thanks MikeyFresh, using the data leg on the best port makes total sense and is what I decided to do.  The buzz is just a very short high pitched buzz when switching between songs with different sample rates.  It's acceptable to me.


----------



## mark5hs

Anyone heard anything lately about the standard pulse? It's been 2 months since they told me mine would ship within a week and 5 months since I actually paid for the shipping. Bloody hell.


----------



## coletrain104

is it just me or is this thing extra bassy? like, everything sounds bassier. yet when I switch back to my Vali and Modi it also sounds bassier than I remember by quite a bit. Is it possible that the LH Labs audio driver makes everything bassier?


----------



## wingsounds13

I would look elsewhere. To my ear the Pulse is not bassy, rather quite neutral. If anything, the Pulse bass signature is fairly tight. Also, the LH Labs Pulse driver should have no effect on any other DACs. 

J.P.


----------



## Muinarc

coletrain104 said:


> is it just me or is this thing extra bassy? like, everything sounds bassier. yet when I switch back to my Vali and Modi it also sounds bassier than I remember by quite a bit. Is it possible that the LH Labs audio driver makes everything bassier?


 
  
 When I first used my pulse I saw in the device settings a bass enhancement was on by default. You might look in there, I turned it off then every new install I did the bass boost was off. Not sure if its a random thing or what.


----------



## coletrain104

Interesting. Going back and forth I found that I can listen to the Pulse louder than my old combo without fatigue, and it makes the sub-bass more tangible and audible. That's why I thought it was emphasized I think the last time I checked between them I was used to the louder volume and matched them. I do think the Geek still has more bass impact and control than the Vali/modi.


----------



## ssshhh

ssshhh said:


> Hi Guys, anybody with a Geek LPS4 could tell me how have to be placed the jumpers for the 110v?
> 
> I saw the video explanation from Gavin on how to change voltage (my version was factory set at 220v but now i'm in USA), but my PCB (ver. PC-LPS-005) is a little different and i have 3 different jumpers positions for change voltage: 110V1, 220V1 and 110V3 for both the transformers.
> I assume that the jumpers have to be placed in 110V1 position, but what is the 110V3 for? Anybody with a recent LPS4 could take a look under the front plate? *Please Note: if you open the LPS you will void your warranty!*
> ...


 
  
 Anybody?
   
 Quote:


jbr1971 said:


> For something like that you may want to open a support ticket to make sure you get the right answers as I have a feeling setting the jumper incorrectly could fry the LPS.
> 
> Good luck.


 
 Thanks for the advice jbr1971, probably i will open a ticket.


----------



## DSlayerZX

uncola said:


> For people who have a Lightspeed 2g or 10g cable.. is it best to use the data leg on your best usb port or should I be using the power leg on my best usb port?  a long time ago I tested them all and figured out which one had the lowest noise, mosquito noise etc when scrolling web pages.  I know the power leg is the one with the black heatshrink on it.  I just got my repaired vi dac back today and it works huzzah.  still has buzz on sample rate change but you can't win em all



 



If you have a light speed 2G or 10G, use the best usb for your data as someoen else suggest. 

But at the same time, don't plug in the power end into your computer. 

I simply bought a small USB battery pack, connect the power USB split end into the battery pack out put, and turn on the battery pack when ever I I start up the computer. 

This will make your computer think a hand shake has been registered and proceed to recognize the DAC. 

the battery pack it self will shut off after just a few min. (assuming it has the auto off feature) since the DAC wouldn't drain any battery, and effectively making the power split end pretty much an open circuit. 

so no noise will come will USB powers into your dac


----------



## uncola

thanks DslayerZX that seems like a good idea.  Unplugging my power leg from my pc every time I finish turning on my computer and dac seems like it would add wear and tear.  so that's a good solution.  Do you have a link to the type of battery you're using?


----------



## DSlayerZX

uncola said:


> thanks DslayerZX that seems like a good idea.  Unplugging my power leg from my pc every time I finish turning on my computer and dac seems like it would add wear and tear.  so that's a good solution.  Do you have a link to the type of battery you're using?



 


I"m using this one atm. 

You don't ever need something this big though, I just happen to be have one lying around and not being used....

a much smaller one should work just fine.


----------



## Lord Raven

uncola said:


> For people who have a Lightspeed 2g or 10g cable.. is it best to use the data leg on your best usb port or should I be using the power leg on my best usb port?  a long time ago I tested them all and figured out which one had the lowest noise, mosquito noise etc when scrolling web pages.  I know the power leg is the one with the black heatshrink on it.  I just got my repaired vi dac back today and it works huzzah.  still has buzz on sample rate change but you can't win em all


 
 How did you manage to check your USB ports for noise levels?


----------



## Lord Raven

Thanks once again mickey, Larry Ho liked your settings, I am definite sure these will work. I did not turn on my DAC for a while, having some tinnitus issues after a long haul flight :/
  
 Safe listening guys!
 LR
  
 Quote:


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Sharing my JRiver Settings. These are the same I use Geek Out also.
> 
> Normally I prefer Kernel Streaming:
> 
> ...


----------



## kostaszag

The IR sensor of my Pulse Sfi died yesterday. One moment it was working fine, the next: no reaction at all. I tried every trick, I changed the battery on the remote, power cycles, turned the IR sensor off and on from the menu. Nothing helped. The remote works fine, I tested it with a macmini.
  
 Opened a ticket, now waiting for a solution. Has anybody else faced this problem before?


----------



## jbr1971

kostaszag said:


> The IR sensor of my Pulse Sfi died yesterday. One moment it was working fine, the next: no reaction at all. I tried every trick, I changed the battery on the remote, power cycles, turned the IR sensor off and on from the menu. Nothing helped. The remote works fine, I tested it with a macmini.
> 
> Opened a ticket, now waiting for a solution. Has anybody else faced this problem before?


 
  
 First time I have seen anything about an IR sensor dying. Will probably need a RMA to get it fixed.


----------



## kostaszag

jbr1971 said:


> kostaszag said:
> 
> 
> > The IR sensor of my Pulse Sfi died yesterday. One moment it was working fine, the next: no reaction at all. I tried every trick, I changed the battery on the remote, power cycles, turned the IR sensor off and on from the menu. Nothing helped. The remote works fine, I tested it with a macmini.
> ...


 

 I will try to flash the firmware again, maybe that will help. BTW, you don't happen to have a new FW for Pulse Sfi, i.e. newer than 1v5, do you?


----------



## mark5hs

coletrain104 said:


> Interesting. Going back and forth I found that I can listen to the Pulse louder than my old combo without fatigue, and it makes the sub-bass more tangible and audible. That's why I thought it was emphasized I think the last time I checked between them I was used to the louder volume and matched them. I do think the Geek still has more bass impact and control than the Vali/modi.




Overall sound quality which do you prefer? Like, do you feel the Pulse is genuinely worth more than the Schiit stack?


----------



## Benny-x

Here's a little eye candy for y'all!

I finally got back from my trip and got time to hook it all up, so here is the Infinity Stack. Pulse X Infinity and Pulse LPS4 both in V2 chassis. As far as I've seen, I'm the only person I know of that has the combo. Eat it! Hahahaha!

Really though, who's eating it, me? It took nearly 2.5 years to get it and I had to live through Perkagedon... The real stepping stone were the several issues that my V1 LPS4 had which sent it in for an extended RMA with no estimated date of return. That then coincided with the release of the V2 LPS4 which has a totally new PCB and layout. 

After a slew of emails I got slotted in for a V2 LPS4 and now have a matching stack, which I am quite pleased about. That old LPS4 with the new V2 Infinity would have been horrible. 

As for sound, the blackness is what grabs me. The notes climb out of the darkness like I've never heard. There's also GOBS of detail. The plankton is much appreciated. With this and the new headphones it's made for a great night. 

Next step is to get a balanced cable for my headphones, then try an outboard amplifier with the X Infinity on dedicated DAC duties.


----------



## germay0653

benny-x said:


> Here's a little eye candy for y'all!
> 
> I finally got back from my trip and got time to hook it all up, so here is the Infinity Stack. Pulse X Infinity and Pulse LPS4 both in V2 chassis. As far as I've seen, I'm the only person I know of that has the combo. Eat it! Hahahaha!
> 
> ...


 

 No, you're not the only one that has the LPS4, Pulse X Infinity and Blue (Top of rack on right - pardon the wires)!  Had mine for quite some time now.  So, what are you serving up for dinner since I'm going to have to eat it?


----------



## Benny-x

germay0653 said:


> No, you're not the only one that has the LPS4, Pulse X Infinity and Blue (Top of rack on right - pardon the wires)!  Had mine for quite some time now.  So, what are you serving up for dinner since I'm going to have to eat it?




Nice setup, man. I can't wait to get my gear rack made. I'm totally jonesing for it. Having my sh!t scattered all over the place and on whatever is killing me. 

One thing I do have though is a V2 LPS4, which you don't. That's what i was talking about, not just any old V1 LPS4. Tons of people have those, you're right. So dinner is still severed, but it's the cockmeat sandwich variety! Ahhh, I loved that part of Harold & Kumar :-D

I'm just messing with you, I'm happy you've got the other gear. It's a nice sounding setup. The thing that held me back from the Geek Blur, even in its attractive V2 chassis, is that Bluetooth audio is still highly limited in fidelity. It can't even handle 16/44.1, let alone 24/192 like was pumped in the marketing. VB Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX sounds nice and close'ish to 16/44.1, but that's still just an "almost good enough".

Not until the recent acquisition of aptX owner CSR, by Qualcomm, has the technology been available to stream hi-res, 24/192 over Bluetooth to a coax out. So that's the one I'm waiting for this coming year. Too bad LH Labs wasn't a bit later to the game on that one.


----------



## germay0653

benny-x said:


> Nice setup, man. I can't wait to get my gear rack made. I'm totally jonesing for it. Having my sh!t scattered all over the place and on whatever is killing me.
> 
> One thing I do have though is a V2 LPS4, which you don't. That's what i was talking about, not just any old V1 LPS4. Tons of people have those, you're right. So dinner is still severed, but it's the cockmeat sandwich variety! Ahhh, I loved that part of Harold & Kumar :-D
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks Benny.  That V1 LPS4 will be used for trade-in towards the V2 LPS8.  Still Waiting on my Vi Tude DAC SE and Source.  Eventually, the Wave will come also and I'm liking the direction Larry is taking with the Wave and have no problem waiting for it.  BTW, the Blue actually sounds very good through the Pulse's S/PDIF input.  I was actually quite surprised at how good it sounded.


----------



## coletrain104

mark5hs said:


> Overall sound quality which do you prefer? Like, do you feel the Pulse is genuinely worth more than the Schiit stack?


 
 Yes. Though, the Pulse is much more expensive, so the real question is how much these little differences matter to the individual. I also found that my issues with sonic fatigue came from Modi more than Vali. I think the Pulse DAC and Vali is a very nice combo. I really don't have any issues with the Vali aside from sometimes audible noise floor. The Geek internal amp is better IMO, but its not a crazy amount of sonic difference. The difference is bigger when comparing the Vali to the balanced out. The geek amp is a little more solid and defines the sound better/is more articulate (the bass esp.). I also feel like separation is a tad better, and honestly the Geek is similarly musical. The balanced out has a bigger soundstage, the single endeds are close enough in size that I can't tell the difference and if one is bigger.
  
 I've been to meets and tried other gear, and I think for the early backer price my XFi is very nice, and it is actually built quite well and I've had no sort of functional issues with it. I also love the small footprint, which is harder and harder to find as we approach the higher end of audio. I think if someone is just in the market for a DAC and they only care about performance, the Yggy sounds so good, but this is an all in one with a balanced amp and a much smaller footprint, so I don't think they should be compared as much as they are.


----------



## HiFiRobot

Found some power supplies in a drawer.
12V DC 2000mA
12V DC 3000mA

A bit more mA than the Geek Pulse needs.
Any risk in trying them?


----------



## uncola

the pulse only draws what it needs.. as long as the dc plug barrel polarity is ok they should be safe.. center positive outer negative I think?  but double check


----------



## coletrain104

hifirobot said:


> Found some power supplies in a drawer.
> 12V DC 2000mA
> 12V DC 3000mA
> 
> ...


 
 That's funny, I found myself without my power supply after going away for a week with the Pulse, as I left it in my apartment. Only thing I have around is a 12V 750mA power supply. I feel maybe something is a bit off, was going to ask here lol


----------



## savaloco

I was one of the lucky ones to have received my LPS and Pulse Infinity 2.0 in early fall.  Since then I have been thoroughly enjoying it.  I love how detailed and neutral this dac is and how well it compliments the HE560.  Balanced cables are a must.  There is a perfect weight on the bottom end and there is absolutely zero background noise ... black as can be.
  
 Till now I have managed to stay away from the drama and headaches that have plagued some other customers.  Other than some initial issues where my PC did not recognise the unit, things have been great.  So much so that I have been considering adding a dedicated amp.
  
 Unfortunately this evening my Pulse became unresponsive to any dial input.  I went to adjust the volume but this had no effect.  The screen seemed frozen and the unit did not respond when the dial was depressed either.  Weird thing is the music was still playing.  After a power cycled, the Pulse's display stopped working and the dial remains unresponsive.  The unit still plays music though.  I'm listening to HDTrack's 24/96 release of Graceland as I post this message.  I've never heard this album sound better.
  
 I loath the idea of having to send this unit back to LH labs.  Perhaps support can come up with a solution which avoids this.
  
 I'll let you know how it goes. 
  
 Anyone else have a similar experience?


----------



## Arinko

I woke up this morning (Good Friday morning in Australia) and found a shipment email from LHLabs for my Pulse Infinity X unit, 1G and 2G cables. I wonder how long DHL will take to deliver this unit. I hope very much that there would be no issues with the unit when I receive it.


----------



## Inotrope

I had this exact problem with my infinity, which was apparently due to a a bug in the MCU firmware. I ended up returning for a fix, but it wis probably worth trying to update the MCU firmware (I'm using 1.27 - i found problems with 1.28 / 1.29 which made the volume knob unresponsive - a bug which should be fixed in later versions when released).
  
  
 My present issue is cross talk between SPDIF inputs making my BLUE useless, sadly despite initial personal contact with Larry and usual support requests I'm getting nowhere (it needs fixing!). Ticket #23685 has been open for more than a month Larry! Ignoring and merging my reminder tickets won't fix the problem!

 Perhaps all is not well in LH Labs towers?!


----------



## savaloco

inotrope said:


> I had this exact problem with my infinity, which was apparently due to a a bug in the MCU firmware. I ended up returning for a fix, but it wis probably worth trying to update the MCU firmware (I'm using 1.27 - i found problems with 1.28 / 1.29 which made the volume knob unresponsive - a bug which should be fixed in later versions when released).
> 
> 
> My present issue is cross talk between SPDIF inputs making my BLUE useless, sadly despite initial personal contact with Larry and usual support requests I'm getting nowhere (it needs fixing!). Ticket #23685 has been open for more than a month Larry! Ignoring and merging my reminder tickets won't fix the problem!
> ...


 
 It appears the latest display firmware is MCU 2.4.  And I believe it is what came with my unit. Is the firmware included with with the "app.BIN" file linked on LHL's site (https://support.lhlabs.com/helpdesk/attachments/5046756424) or do I need a separate MCU firmware file as well?  In addition to having an unresponsive dial, did your display go black?
  
 Sorry to hear about your crosstalk issues.  I haven't had a chance to use the SPDIF inputs on my unit nor do I have another source other than my PC to test it.  That sucks.
  
 Like most, my confidence in the unit and in LHL has indeed taken a hit.  I'm worried to send it out for warranty work for fear the company folds an I wont get it back.  Mind you if the unit isn't working there is not much point in worrying.  I'm really rooting for Larry and everyone at LH Labs and hope the company overcomes its mistakes.  Like many others however, I feel the company became too big, too fast, and released far too many products.  I never bought into Gavin's rhetoric or Casey's bravado.  No boutique or startup company is financially secure enough to not succumb to the many ways in which LHL can hemorrhage money.  It will be difficult from here on out for the company as they deal with lost momentum and the brand's tarnished image.  Larry and his team have fallen squarely on the double edge sword of crowd funding.  This is a real shame as this is a very nice sounding DAC/AMP.


----------



## mark5hs

Never thought I'd see the day. 
 My Pulse arrived! Along with a Lightspeed 2G cable.
  
 Very impressed with it. The signal is incredibly clean. Sound is very nicely detailed. Day and night difference vs my EF2A, which would get very muddy/distorted at louder volumes. Listening on my Hifiman HE400.


----------



## doctorjazz

Congratulations! Enjoy!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

What no Easter Eggs??? Enjoy!!


----------



## Larry Ho

savaloco said:


> It appears the latest display firmware is MCU 2.4.  And I believe it is what came with my unit. Is the firmware included with with the "app.BIN" file linked on LHL's site (https://support.lhlabs.com/helpdesk/attachments/5046756424) or do I need a separate MCU firmware file as well?  In addition to having an unresponsive dial, did your display go black?
> 
> Sorry to hear about your crosstalk issues.  I haven't had a chance to use the SPDIF inputs on my unit nor do I have another source other than my PC to test it.  That sucks.
> 
> Like most, my confidence in the unit and in LHL has indeed taken a hit.  I'm worried to send it out for warranty work for fear the company folds an I wont get it back.  Mind you if the unit isn't working there is not much point in worrying.  I'm really rooting for Larry and everyone at LH Labs and hope the company overcomes its mistakes.  Like many others however, I feel the company became too big, too fast, and released far too many products.  I never bought into Gavin's rhetoric or Casey's bravado.  No boutique or startup company is financially secure enough to not succumb to the many ways in which LHL can hemorrhage money.  It will be difficult from here on out for the company as they deal with lost momentum and the brand's tarnished image.  Larry and his team have fallen squarely on the double edge sword of crowd funding.  This is a real shame as this is a very nice sounding DAC/AMP.


 

 Hi, 
  
 Please message me your ticket number, I will let tech team to help you solve the issues ASAP.  We will get it fixed.


----------



## Shawnb

OMG i just got my shipment email from LH. Glad to finally get it, now i can use my Regen that's been sitting in the box for the past 6 months.
 Looking forward to trying it with the LC.


----------



## savaloco

Thanks Larry!
  
 I'll go through regular channels and put in a ticket with your support staff as I have had nothing but great service and feedback from your team.  There is no need to get involved at this point so keep your eye on the ball.  I just hope this is software related and I don't have to send the unit back to the US.  I live in Canada.
  
 This has become my de facto forum for all things LH Labs Pulse as many respected Geek Force forum contributors are active members of the Head-Fi Community.  I wanted to share my experiences both positive and negative with the group.  I am not trying to bash LH and  I haven't given up on you folk either.  I am looking forward to LH's future products and hope that the company's image better reflects the passions and efforts of the LHL team and its core founder.     
  
 Live, learn, and keep making beautiful music.
  
 Cheers


----------



## graham508

arinko said:


> I woke up this morning (Good Friday morning in Australia) and found a shipment email from LHLabs for my Pulse Infinity X unit, 1G and 2G cables. I wonder how long DHL will take to deliver this unit. I hope very much that there would be no issues with the unit when I receive it.


 

 Good to hear about that. I'm in Australia too but haven't received any word yet on my 2.0 Infinity or LPS. Also hoping there won't be any issues when it does arrive...


----------



## Arinko

It has cleared customs and is at the delivery depot since 6am this morning. Pity no delivery today.


----------



## Shawnb

arinko said:


> It has cleared customs and is at the delivery depot since 6am this morning. Pity no delivery today.


 
  
 Same, Mine just cleared customs. Oh well at least this means we'll get it tomorrow. Then starts the burn in, means by next week it'll be good to go!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Congratulations Guys!


----------



## Arinko

The box is sitting on my office desk unopened. Can't wait to go home to test it with my ATH-R70X headphones.


----------



## Shawnb

Pulse sounds pretty nice for the little time i got to test it today. Though for the life of me I can't figure out how to hook up my LC and have that work as well. Wondering if the XLR outputs aren't working as I've tried everything i could think of, nothing I do will let me listen from the LC. 
  
 Was in a rush before work so I must be overlooking something, will try it out more when i got off. Still for what I got to hear Pulse sounds pretty good


----------



## doctorjazz

From everything they say on the LC thread, if you can get single ended our to the LC, the splitter should work to give you a balanced out from the LC with minimal loss of quality. Use my Pono single ended line or for that.


----------



## nudd

shawnb said:


> Pulse sounds pretty nice for the little time i got to test it today. Though for the life of me I can't figure out how to hook up my LC and have that work as well. Wondering if the XLR outputs aren't working as I've tried everything i could think of, nothing I do will let me listen from the LC.
> 
> Was in a rush before work so I must be overlooking something, will try it out more when i got off. Still for what I got to hear Pulse sounds pretty good




There is a little button on the bottom front right that switches between SE imput and balanced input.


----------



## Shawnb

doctorjazz said:


> From everything they say on the LC thread, if you can get single ended our to the LC, the splitter should work to give you a balanced out from the LC with minimal loss of quality. Use my Pono single ended line or for that.




I knew there was something I was overlooking! Thanks I'll try that as soon as I get home, though I'm sure that was the problem.


----------



## mscott58

nudd said:


> There is a little button on the bottom front right that switches between SE imput and balanced input.


 
 Exactly right nudd. If the bottom right light is red it's in SE input mode (RCA or 3.5mm TRS), and if it's white it's in balanced input (XLR). Cheers


----------



## Shawnb

mscott58 said:


> Exactly right nudd. If the bottom right light is red it's in SE input mode (RCA or 3.5mm TRS), and if it's white it's in balanced input (XLR). Cheers




I completely forgot about that button. Thanks to all that helped 
That fixed it! Sounds very good, now to start the burn in. 

How long is recommended for the Pulse?


----------



## Thorbs

Shawnb - burn-in approx. 200 to 400 hours with little change after 200 hours. Enjoy!!


----------



## Shawnb

thorbs said:


> Shawnb - burn-in approx. 200 to 400 hours with little change after 200 hours. Enjoy!!


 
  
 Thanks I was figuring around there.
  
 I have to say looking at my LC sitting next to the Pulse, I can fit almost 10 LC's in that chassis. It's nice and all but I forget what reasons did they give to move it into such a massive chassis. Original design was great, this thing is just huge.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It will start singing after 100


----------



## wingsounds13

Agreed that it starts sounding good around 100 hours. My not so discerning ear was still hearing some refinement in the sound up near 400 hours, but beyond 400 I could not hear any more change. Really good DAC for $1000. Seems like good but not really special in its retail $2500 price class. 

J.P.


----------



## RickDastardly

Still waiting on Pulse Infinity 2.0, and I was an early backer. Anyone else from the UK still waiting?


----------



## m17xr2b

rickdastardly said:


> Still waiting on Pulse Infinity 2.0, and I was an early backer. Anyone else from the UK still waiting?



I was told mine will be shipping in March.


----------



## foreverzer0

wingsounds13 said:


> Agreed that it starts sounding good around 100 hours. My not so discerning ear was still hearing some refinement in the sound up near 400 hours, but beyond 400 I could not hear any more change. Really good DAC for $1000. Seems like good but not really special in its retail $2500 price class.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 Surprisingly when I compared the DAC sections of the Infinity versus the Ayre Codex using speakers in a treated room (hifi store demo room), the imaging was much more holographic/3d on the Infinity. The folks in the Codex thread claim it competes with $5k dacs, better than their own QB-9, and end-game performance for some. I thought the Codex amp section was more musical and less congested than the Infinity on a HD800, but the dac sections running to speakers sounded much better on the Infinity.
  
 My fiancee which knows nothing about hifi said the Codex didn't sound anything special, like just music coming from the speakers. The Infinity she said sounded more like the singer was in the room. To be fair, I've heard it takes also at least 200+ hours to burn in on the Codex, and I've no way of knowing how long the store demo Codex has been (though I would want to assume a hifi store would fully burn in before demoing it's performance). I was debating on whether it would be worth selling the Infinity for the Codex, but not anymore since I normally use my Infinity with speakers. The only comparison I'm still curious about is how it would compare to a Schiit Gungnir Multibit/Mjolner 2 stack.


----------



## CingKrab

Not in the 


rickdastardly said:


> Still waiting on Pulse Infinity 2.0, and I was an early backer. Anyone else from the UK still waiting?


 
  
 Not in the UK but international as well.  Still waiting on mine.  Sent a ticket for an updated ETA but no reply.


----------



## m17xr2b

cingkrab said:


> Not in the
> 
> Not in the UK but international as well.  Still waiting on mine.  Sent a ticket for an updated ETA but no reply.


 
 There is no point in asking for ETA. Over the past year I have received many estimations usually for one or two months. At least they should say they don't know so I can get something in the meantime instead of just getting my hopes up it will finally arrive. My biggest regret is upgrading to the infinity when they said it will ship in 2 months back in July.


----------



## ikkx

I just bought the GEEK PULSE basic version off ebay for $280, is this version crap? I thought it had two DACs, but apparently it's just one. Should I just resell this?


----------



## Maelob

If it works I think is a great deal. Listen to it to see if you like it.


----------



## WNBC

I paid $20 more than you for a brand new one, base model.  When I first received it I thought it was too light to have quality components and the chassis wasn't anything amazing to look at.  However, about 100 hours into using it, I do think it is a quality DAC and I've previously owned DACs ranging from $100-1,500.  The amp section is actually decent as well.  I can't say it is my end-game DAC, but it gets the job done and I can't really find any major faults.  It's probably more psychological that I don't rate it higher.  The cheap wall wart and the aesthetics aside, use it for a while and then decide.  Give it a little break-in period too.   
  
  
 Quote:


ikkx said:


> I just bought the GEEK PULSE basic version off ebay for $280, is this version crap? I thought it had two DACs, but apparently it's just one. Should I just resell this?


----------



## ikkx

Quote:
  


wnbc said:


> I paid $20 more than you for a brand new one, base model.  When I first received it I thought it was too light to have quality components and the chassis wasn't anything amazing to look at.  However, about 100 hours into using it, I do think it is a quality DAC and I've previously owned DACs ranging from $100-1,500.  The amp section is actually decent as well.  I can't say it is my end-game DAC, but it gets the job done and I can't really find any major faults.  It's probably more psychological that I don't rate it higher.  The cheap wall wart and the aesthetics aside, use it for a while and then decide.  Give it a little break-in period too.


 


maelob said:


> If it works I think is a great deal. Listen to it to see if you like it.


 
  
 It's essentially as new, I'm asking because I've only had the dragonfly before and it broke (got bent while USB was plugged in). Since I have no reference how something in the range 300+ should sound like, I'm asking if there are better things out there at that price point. I have the x2 headphones (WOOX version). If in your opinion a cheaper DAC sounds just as good i'll just resell it for the same amount of money and get that instead.


----------



## cbar

rickdastardly said:


> Still waiting on Pulse Infinity 2.0, and I was an early backer. Anyone else from the UK still waiting?


 
  
 I'm still waiting on mine in the USA. I've been told three times in the last two months that I should expect as shipping notice within a couple of days. Two weeks ago I was told "my" board was on the bench for a listening test, but no update since. Makes me wonder whether it didn't pass or whether it's just gathering dust in a soon-to-be-empty warehouse. I saw some recent posts here that suggest the Infinity units are trickling out, but it's hard to remain optimistic about ever receiving the unit.
  
 EDIT: Meanwhile, I listen through a vanilla pulse > LC > LCD2, which sounds great, so I definitely hope the Infinity will someday find it's way here.


----------



## WNBC

I'm not sure how good resale is on the Pulse, but I dare say that if you don't need portability, the Pulse is an excellent value at $300 and you might not find much better at that range.  My vote is for you to keep it.  The last sub-$300 DAC/amp I had was the iFi iDSD Nano and I prefer the Pulse over that.  After the Nano I had the iFi iDSD Micro and I would probably choose the Micro over the Pulse.  It's been a while since I've had the Dragonfly, but definitely I would pick the Pulse.  DAC preference is subjective, but you likely will be pleasantly surprised with your $300 Pulse.  If you really want to save money and didn't really want to spend $300 then that's a different situation and lots of sub-$200 USB DACs.          
  
  
 Quote:


ikkx said:


> It's essentially as new, I'm asking because I've only had the dragonfly before and it broke (got bent while USB was plugged in). Since I have no reference how something in the range 300+ should sound like, I'm asking if there are better things out there at that price point. I have the x2 headphones (WOOX version). If in your opinion a cheaper DAC sounds just as good i'll just resell it for the same amount of money and get that instead.


----------



## savaloco

Just heard back from LHL support and they indeed want me to try flashing the MCU.  
 Trouble is I can't seem to figure out how the top plate slides over to expose the microSD slot.
 Am I an idiot?  Probably.  
  
 Can anyone help?
  
 Cheers
 Sam 
  
 EDIT
  
 Never mind ... the top was just very tight.  I gave it some more elbow grease and it slid off.  Its only held in place with 4 magnets and whatever friction there is with the case.


----------



## ikkx

wnbc said:


> I'm not sure how good resale is on the Pulse, but I dare say that if you don't need portability, the Pulse is an excellent value at $300


 
 it'll be resold for $300 again, portability isn't an issue for me. The ifi Macro has been sold for $250, Nano for $100 on ebay before, geek out v2 at $160, Audioquest nighthawk for $350. ebay prices have not much incommon with retail, the only reason I paid that much for pulse is cause I thought it's $1000 retail. it's all about the timing on ebay.
  
 Is there a big difference between nano/micro, geek pulse and what kind of micro (ican/idac, etc)? and what do you think about the x2's, what's better than it?
  
 Thanks.


----------



## Benny-x

ikkx said:


> it'll be resold for $300 again, portability isn't an issue for me. The ifi Macro has been sold for $250, Nano for $100 on ebay before, geek out v2 at $160, Audioquest nighthawk for $350. ebay prices have not much incommon with retail, the only reason I paid that much for pulse is cause I thought it's $1000 retail. it's all about the timing on ebay.
> 
> Is there a big difference between nano/micro, geek pulse and what kind of micro (ican/idac, etc)? and what do you think about the x2's, what's better than it?
> 
> Thanks.


 
 I see that you're looking for advice, but what you're continuing on with is starting to get like asking what someone else's favourite colour is and whether you should change yours...
  
 WNBC has given you some pretty decent feedback/advice and certainly enough for you to firm up a personal decision with. In my opinion you seem to be wanting to sell the vanilla Pulse and that's skewing your interpretation of what he's telling you. 
  
 Just make a call, then follow through. Any of these DAC-amps are OK, but only as long as you accept that they could be. If component chasing is your thing, then move on up to spending some real money and there you can start to discuss the potential worthiness of the pieces vs. another. 
  
 That's my take.
  
  
*Regarding people waiting:*
 Yeah, I agree that opening a ticket and asking LH Labs for ETA is next to useless. Besides finding out that they just haven't forgotten about you or checking that they've still got enough money to pay someone to sit at a computer and answer tickets, whatever they tell you about an ETA doesn't hold any water. We all know that from getting "it'll be ready in1-4 months" answers for the past 3 years. 
  
 I'm happy with my gear and the more I read about this stuff the more I feel that the stars aligned to put the Pulse X Infinity V2 and LPS4 V2 in my hands...


----------



## ikkx

benny-x said:


> I see that you're looking for advice, but what you're continuing on with is starting to get like asking what someone else's favourite colour is and whether you should change yours...
> 
> WNBC has given you some pretty decent feedback/advice and certainly enough for you to firm up a personal decision with. In my opinion you seem to be wanting to see the vanilla Pulse and that's skewing your interpretation of what he's telling you.
> 
> Just make a call, then follow through. Any of these DAC-amps are OK, but only as long as you accept that they could be. If component chasing is your thing, then move on up to spending some real money and there you can start to discuss the potential worthiness of the pieces vs. another.


 
 I asked for clarification on those comments. Appreciate the money wasting advice though.


----------



## Shawnb

How were you able to get a LPS4 in the 2.0 chassis?


----------



## Benny-x

shawnb said:


> How were you able to get a LPS4 in the 2.0 chassis?


 
  
 Here's my post about it:


benny-x said:


> Here's a little eye candy for y'all!
> 
> I finally got back from my trip and got time to hook it all up, so here is the Infinity Stack. Pulse X Infinity and Pulse LPS4 both in V2 chassis. As far as I've seen, I'm the only person I know of that has the combo. Eat it! Hahahaha!
> 
> ...


  
 Basically I got my original LPS4 in the V1 chassis, but it was borked. I filed an RMA, but it fell through as I was never given the proper details to take care of it and then the case was auto-closed, unbeknownst to me. I then went on the road for several months and no progress happened. Once work calmed down and I got home I filed a second RMA that just happened to be just before they released the teasers of the LPS4/8 in chassis 2.0. When discussions started up about the repairs we were on the rocks for a while over a few issues, #1 being the non-included, custom wound OFC R-cores that were supposed to be in the LPS4 originally and what it was sold as as an ungrade to the regular LPS, but that were then not put in it. #2 being the "matching set" that it was also sold as, but that clearly wasn't happening with a V2 Infinity and an ugly V1 LPS4. Some how the trickled out remedy was to abort any work with my V1, chuck it, and send me a new V2 chassis with the redesigned and fixed PCB once available. And that's what happened and it seems to be working great, so far. 
  
 In the end I was happy with what they did as there wasn't really an alternative to making good on the custom wound r-cores this late in the game. I'm not happy I don't have probably the biggest selling point of the original upgrade, but I also had to understand it was basically this or nothing. They were also pretty great with emails and shipping out the LPS4 V2 on the dates I had to work with. I was on a tight schedule and flying out for another few months on the road, so they had to fit in the work they were doing and shipping lead time. 

  
 Edit: I'm pretty sure going forward the single rail LPS is discontinued and all retail units will be LPS4 or LPS8.


----------



## ikkx

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Sharing my JRiver Settings. These are the same I use Geek Out also.
> 
> Normally I prefer Kernel Streaming:
> 
> ...


 
 Hey I followed this guide and now I have no sound from my browser, media players. The windows default setting says it's LG geekPulse labs, but it doesn't show anything being played even when I am playing stuff in jriver (which sounds fine only there). Can you tell me how to fix this?


----------



## doctorjazz

I've been living for many months with sound only out of JRiver, and only through the Geek Out into headphones. Could use this advice myself...


----------



## ikkx




----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have you tried other browsers? How about using your browser prior JRiver?

When in chrome browser (say while playing YouTube) check sound mixer by clicking the speaker icon.

OR if not, Control Panel, Flash Player, Advanced Tab, Delete All browsing data and settings.


----------



## jbr1971

ikkx said:


> Hey I followed this guide and now I have no sound from my browser, media players. The windows default setting says it's LG geekPulse labs, but it doesn't show anything being played even when I am playing stuff in jriver (which sounds fine only there). Can you tell me how to fix this?


 
  
 What version of the driver did you install? What version of Windows are you using?
  
 What is the full name of the Audio Device you are selecting in the JRiver settings?
  
 Try uninstalling the driver, reboot the computer, and reinstall the driver just in case it did not initialize properly. Then power the Pulse off, then back on.


----------



## mark5hs

Anyone else have trouble with the volume control? On my standard pulse it doesn't work sometimes. It'll change the level on the screen but what I hear isn't changing. It tends to happen when I switch between that and my speakers in windows so it seems like a software issue.


----------



## Panelhead

mark5hs said:


> Anyone else have trouble with the volume control? On my standard pulse it doesn't work sometimes. It'll change the level on the screen but what I hear isn't changing. It tends to happen when I switch between that and my speakers in windows so it seems like a software issue.




 I had this happen once when I had swapped dacs in my system. When the Infinity was reinstalled it was not recognized by my computer. I swapped from USB to SPDIF several times and then rebooted the Dac. Then rebooted the computer. 
 The Dac was recognized, but the volume was showing as working, but did not change. 
 Cycled power to the Dac and it started to work again.
 I had another episode where I selected Integer mode in my playback software. Then reset sampling to 44.1/16. When swapped back to 96/24 it was all fouled up. This was definitely software. Cycling power to the Infinity and the Mac Mini has reset any issues. They have always occurred when changing settings.


----------



## audiolab1

Wow...I have not been on the LHLabs forums since fall of last year until today. Seems they really have self-immolated...there are NO users presently logged in! Anyway, I figured it might be more useful if I asked my question here. I have a standard Pulse DAC and I just purchased a small touch screen Windows 10 PC (PiPo x9) to use as a music player. I am using MediaMonkey with the output set to ASIO and it sounds great! I only have one issue: If I start playing an album that is 16/44.1 it plays great. If I then try to play a 24/96 or 24/192 album, it is all distorted, like the bit depth or sample rate is not correct. The DAC display shows the correct sample rate. If I skip ahead a track and then skip back the whole album will play fine. I can then play another album in any format and playback will be fine. It seems this only happens when going from playing 16/44.1 to 24/96 or 24/192. Has anyone experienced this issue? I'm not sure if it's the DAC or MediaMonkey that's causing the problem. Internet searches have not turned up anything.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Maelob

Does Media Monkey change the sampling automatically? If not you might have to manually change settings. I use a Mac with amarra and it automatically change the computer sampling audio setttings. Not sure how it works on a PC. sorry


----------



## jbr1971

audiolab1 said:


> Wow...I have not been on the LHLabs forums since fall of last year until today. Seems they really have self-immolated...there are NO users presently logged in! Anyway, I figured it might be more useful if I asked my question here. I have a standard Pulse DAC and I just purchased a small touch screen Windows 10 PC (PiPo x9) to use as a music player. I am using MediaMonkey with the output set to ASIO and it sounds great! I only have one issue: If I start playing an album that is 16/44.1 it plays great. If I then try to play a 24/96 or 24/192 album, it is all distorted, like the bit depth or sample rate is not correct. The DAC display shows the correct sample rate. If I skip ahead a track and then skip back the whole album will play fine. I can then play another album in any format and playback will be fine. It seems this only happens when going from playing 16/44.1 to 24/96 or 24/192. Has anyone experienced this issue? I'm not sure if it's the DAC or MediaMonkey that's causing the problem. Internet searches have not turned up anything.
> 
> Thanks!


 
  
 That sounds like an old firmware issue if I remember correctly. If you open the Light Harmonic Control Panel and go to the Info tab, what is the full name of the Pulse listed, and the firmware version?


----------



## Benny-x

maelob said:


> Does Media Monkey change the sampling automatically? If not you might have to manually change settings. I use a Mac with amarra and it automatically change the computer sampling audio setttings. Not sure how it works on a PC. sorry


 
  
 Does anyone else know the deal about this auto sampling rate switch in Windows 10, or more importantly 2012 R2? 
  
 I've never been able to just "set it and forget it", but I've also never looked into the auto sampling rate switch before. At least with the LH Labs control panel I can see that the Windows sampling rate is set at a certain number, and no matter what the sampling rate is on the playlist, it doesn't change on the DAC. So, since I've got some high resolution stuff, I'd like that to auto switch to the native sampling rate of the song. How's that work or what do I need to make it happen? 
  
 I currently use Fubar2000 as my player, but I'm open to other options such as JRiver.


----------



## uncola

install wasapi support for foobar and enable it
 https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_wasapi


----------



## valve5425

I'm having issues with my Pulse infinity and a Salas SSLV1.1 BIB shunt regulated 12V supply. The two of them just won't play nice together, the reg dropping voltage to around 7.6V when plugged into the Pulse.
  
 The Salas supply is fine into dummy loads of up to 1.2A and the maximum draw of my Pulse is only 925ma, so has anyone else had issues with any linear supplies other than the LH Labs LPS? 
  
 Thanks.
  
 Edit; Should have mentioned that the Pulse works OK with the SMPS wall plug and also with a basic LM317 linear supply.


----------



## sbradley02

Trying a PM to Larry....
 Hopefully I can get an RMA for my Pulse Xfi.


----------



## m17xr2b

I have given up hope that my infinity will ever be shipped. For two years I have been without a good DAC thinking it will ship in a few months so there is no point in buying something temporary.
Yggy time.


----------



## burakborhan

Very weird.. I got my SE months back being on the other end of the world..

Did you open a service car with them?



m17xr2b said:


> I have given up hope that my infinity will ever be shipped. For two years I have been without a good DAC thinking it will ship in a few months so there is no point in buying something temporary.
> Yggy time.[/quot]


----------



## m17xr2b

Yep. Every time it is one or two months from being shipped since last June. Original purchase was in 2013(UK)


----------



## cbar

m17xr2b said:


> Yep. Every time it is one or two months from being shipped since last June. Original purchase was in 2013(UK)


 
 My original purchase was mid Dec 2013 (USA). Have been told a number of times it will be days to ship. A month ago I was told it was on the listening bench nearly ready to assemble. Now once again being told it will be up to another 6 weeks.


----------



## miceblue

What are your guys' impressions of the balanced and single-ended headphone outputs of the Pulse?



Spoiler: My Impressions



I was comparing the outputs today with a hard-modded balanced K701.

Imaging: location of instruments around my head

Instrument Separation: how distinct instruments are from one another

Soundstage: size of room that the instruments are being played in


Though I find the balanced output to have a deeper soundstage with better imaging, I find the single-ended output to offer better instrument separation. For analysing music I tend to prefer the single-ended output since I can keep track of instruments better, but for overall music enjoyment I find the balanced output more pleasing here.


----------



## Drsparis

cbar said:


> My original purchase was mid Dec 2013 (USA). Have been told a number of times it will be days to ship. A month ago I was told it was on the listening bench nearly ready to assemble. Now once again being told it will be up to another 6 weeks.


 
 What? another 6 weeks...  mine was end of december and was told second week of april. Not that I am surprised but I can't wait to try my infinity!!!


----------



## doctorjazz

One needs Infinity patience


----------



## Benny-x

Well, whenever anyone does get their Infinity, and as pleasant and decent as it all sounds in one package, make your way to an outboard amp. It really livens things up and makes them that much more engaging.

I just tried my X Infinity V2 feeding my Audio-gd Phoenix for the first time at a mini-meet last night and got to hear first hand that the DAC abilities of the X Infinity really are pretty good. And certainly better than the amp section.


----------



## musicheaven

I did not want to add a quick Revive impression but since I received it, it has not been disconnected for more than few times at the very beginning when I tested it. As far as I am concerned, in trying to put numbers where numbers are hard to provide, I can say that the sq has improved by about 5% (keep in mind I have an SE) and it's related to how clear the USB signal seems to have improved. I can hear better defined and hard bass, clearer mids and highs, specially female vocals. 300$ seems to be high for an improved signal but truly when you hear the difference, the cost slowly vanishes. At this point, I do not want to take the revive off the USB network, that for me says a lot.

Thanks Larry for trying your best to get the ball rolling, not an easy thing when faced with so many components and systems to build, all that with a small firm.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Don't have Regen, Intona or the likes to compare?


----------



## musicheaven

No I don't and frankly I get two USB-A from one device so good enough for me. Setting it up is very simple and the enclosure itself looks pretty good, enough to leave it in plain view.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thanks for the quick impressions again bro.  A quick pic would be also appreciated...


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Thanks for the quick impressions again bro.  A quick pic would be also appreciated...


 

 Hi Michael,
  
 I have both the Revive and the REGEN and used both to feed USB to the Pulse X Infinity.  I find the Revive to be a bit more resolving, more detail with a quieter background than the REGEN.  I've powered the REGEN from my LPS4 and used the Revive while plugged in with the LPS4 and on battery alone.  Soundstage seems to better as instrument and voice localization on stage is more precise.  I used a split Lightspeed 10G from both devices to the Pulse.  You can see my comments on the LH Labs forum under the Revive topic.
  
 I don't have the Intona device so I can't offer a comparative subjective opinion on that.


----------



## Benny-x

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Don't have Regen, Intona or the likes to compare?


 
 That's what I was wondering too.
  
 UpTone Audio - Regen
 Intona - USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Isolator (Industrial version)
 Wyred 4 Sound - Recovery USB Reclocker
 iFi - Micro iUSBPower 3.0
  
 LH Labs Revive vs. those 4.


----------



## Maelob

Does anybody have any info on whats going on with their analog products - I have not received any updates in a long time.


----------



## MikeyFresh

benny-x said:


> That's what I was wondering too.
> 
> UpTone Audio - Regen
> Intona - USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Isolator (Industrial version)
> ...


 

 I've got two of those units, and find them very similar sonically though different functionally.
  
 The W4S Recovery is a very fine sounding unit, though I've never actually used it's included power supply and instead have always powered it with the iFi iPower 9v. Perhaps the stock supply wouldn't yield quite the same result.
  
 The iUSBPower 3.0 is also a clear winner in the area of sonics, and offers the additional functionality of use with dual head USB cables, and also has an additional pair of USB outputs enabling use as a hub, for instance with both a USB DAC and an external USB storage device.
  
 I won't go into great detail here about the sonic differences, again I find both units do easily improve system performance, not a difficult to hear type of thing. But each end-users' mileage will of course vary, and be at least somewhat system configuration dependent, as well as subjective.
  
 So there's really no such thing as a shoot-out with one clear winner that all can hang their hat on as "best".  In my opinion the choice between the two above mentioned units would come down more to use case (more ports on the iFi), and price.
  
 In the area of price/performance ratio, the W4S Recovery is a veritable bargain at the $199 introductory rate, assuming you don't need more than one output port /are already using a nice single head USB cable you don't want to replace/upgrade.


----------



## germay0653

mikeyfresh said:


> I've got two of those units, and find them very similar sonically though different functionally.
> 
> The W4S Recovery is a very fine sounding unit, though I've never actually used it's included power supply and instead have always powered it with the iFi iPower 9v. Perhaps the stock supply wouldn't yield quite the same result.
> 
> ...


 

 Were those comparisons (iFi and Wyrd) vs the Revive or just between the iFi vs Wyrd?


----------



## MikeyFresh

germay0653 said:


> Were those comparisons (iFi and Wyrd) vs the Revive or just between the iFi vs Wyrd?


 

 Just compared between the iFi and W4S, I don't have the Revive.


----------



## digitalzed

maelob said:


> Does anybody have any info on whats going on with their analog products - I have not received any updates in a long time.


 
 I've been wondering too. I have an SS100 on order which I "think" (who can keep track?) is now a year later than it's original estimated due date. No surprise it's still vapor ware or this late. SOP for LH Labs. I opened a ticket back in January on this and was told it would ship in February. So tired of waiting I bought a Rega Brio-R to do my desktop duty. Helluva an amp. If/when I get the SS100 I'll give it a shot.


----------



## Maelob

digitalzed said:


> I've been wondering too. I have an SS100 on order which I "think" (who can keep track?) is now a year later than it's original estimated due date. No surprise it's still vapor ware or this late. SOP for LH Labs. I opened a ticket back in January on this and was told it would ship in February. So tired of waiting I bought a Rega Brio-R to do my desktop duty. Helluva an amp. If/when I get the SS100 I'll give it a shot.


 

 I sold a Bel Canto amp (bad idea) to help finance the LH Labs, and ended up buying a cheap Emotiva mini x, and guess what for 199 I am really happy.  No sure if I even want the amps anymore.  Lesson learned for me  to not spend more money on future campaigns.  I hope they recover and bounce back since we all want our products.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

My present Geek Pulse Infinity runs with Android on my smartphone either natively (without special app) upto 24/192 or with Apps w/ built in USB driver like UAPP/Oknyo HF (current using Neutron).

Past months was (and still) looking for a media server/player and found this baby:

HiMedia Q10 Pro

http://www.futeko.com/products/MP068.php
http://www.himediatech.com/q10pro.html

Thoughts??



Was torn in between with this little monster...Its 6x more expensive BUT its a PC. More freedom, compatibility, JRiver, Foobar etc.

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/desktops/thinkcentre/m-series-tiny/m900/




And it has the same width as the Geek Pulse 1.0

Ideas??


----------



## germay0653

Why not build your own Michael?
  
 Case: HD-PLEX H5 Gen 2
 MB: ASUS MAXIMUS VII GENE
 CPU: Intel i7-4785T
 Memory: 16 GB G.Skill TridentX PC3-21300
 Disk - OS: Plextor M6e Series 256GB M.2 PCIe
 Disk - Music: Samsung 840 EVO 1TB
 USB: PPA Studio 3.0 V3
 Power Sources: HDPLEX 100W LPS with 250W ATX Converter, 2 - TeraDAK X1 LPS (1 for PPA USB Card, 1 for Music disk)
 Cables: ModDIY Red sleeved Silver Plated Copper for MB, Light Harmonic Lightspeed 10G USB
 Software: OS - Win 10 Pro, Fidelizer (Free version), Roon, JPLAY













  
 Quote:


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> My present Geek Pulse Infinity runs with Android on my smartphone either natively (without special app) upto 24/192 or with Apps w/ built in USB driver like UAPP/Oknyo HF (current using Neutron).
> 
> Past months was (and still) looking for a media server/player and found this baby:
> 
> ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thanks Gery! Can go to that route too. 

But for PCs... Internals are all but the same. The only difference is the USB card w/c I can throw a PPA Studio or JCAT. 

But if I place an Intona or Revive on it, the effect would be the same more or less right? Of course PPA Studio/JCAT + Regen/Revive/Intona would be slightly better. 

Of course there's also those reclocked PPA MBs. But have read some reliability issues...

Ahhhh... those things that complicates our pursuits for the ultimate relaxation... 

At the end just want it to be KISS (keep it simple stupid).


----------



## kostaszag

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> My present Geek Pulse Infinity runs with Android on my smartphone either natively (without special app) upto 24/192 or with Apps w/ built in USB driver like UAPP/Oknyo HF (current using Neutron).
> 
> Past months was (and still) looking for a media server/player and found this baby:
> 
> ...


 
 I have a Beelink X2 running android 4.4.2. Every attempt to run on it UAPP, Hiby or Neutron via USB failed. Kodi however works fine for files up to 192khz. If you dont want to play native DSD or DXD that is all you really need.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yeah, problem with Android its a hit or miss...my fear is buying a $200 media player and that doesn't work with my Geek Pulse Infinity... 
 And I need it to run my DSD and DXD materials.


----------



## kostaszag

Have you considered a Tablet? If you are willing to spend $200 on an Android device it is a much safer bet, you can use those free or almost free apps and they will certainly work. BTW, I noticed that my smartphone (a SonyXperia Z2 running Android Lollipop 5.1.1) can mount my Geek Pulse Sfi, but not when the Geek Lps is plugged in between. Have you noticed a similar problem?


----------



## doctorjazz

Have an HTC M8 phone, was never able to for otg to work.


----------



## kostaszag

doctorjazz said:


> Have an HTC M8 phone, was never able to for otg to work.


 
 There is a whole thread on the subject
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/595071/android-phones-and-usb-dacs


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, my Geek Pulse Infinity + LPS4 runs natively on it @ 24/192khz. With UAPP/Hiby/Neutron/Onkyo HF @ DSD128, tried playing DSD256 it stutters (my unit is flashed with the beta DSD256 firmware).
  
 Tried it with battery and it works also w/ my Note 3.
  
 My setup right now (moved to my bedside table):
  
  Anker USB 3.0 Hub (Geek Pulse Infinity, Samsung Portable M3 2TB drive) -> Samsung Note 3  (As player controller)
  

  
  
 Wanted to add video to the mix.
  
  
@doctorjazz
  
 Android and USB DAC is a hit and miss thing.


----------



## doctorjazz

So I see, I gave up on the HTC a long time (after purchasing a few otg cables, installing usb Audio Player Pro, contacting the help desks of the various people I purchased from).
Now, I just use Bluetooth (to Peachtree DeepBlue2), or my iPad 3/camera connector, just use the Geek Out for the PC. All this computer stuff gets too much for me to manage at some point...just going to put on an LP, LOL.


----------



## CarterBro

Curios if anyone has tried the $50 ifi iPower supply with their Geek Pulse? I saw some defenses to it in this thread from 2015, but they were worried the supply was underpowered, but the specs for the iPower are now 12v/1.8A which sounds fine.

http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower/


----------



## cbar

My Infinity finally arrived today! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 (Dec 10, 2013 orig order). Weird flickering display though, and when selecting Firmware Version the display goes completely dead. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sigh.
  
 Upside: It did sound nice right out of the box with just wall wart and old Senns.


----------



## BaTou069

*Value Question*
  
 How much should a Geek Pulse SFi be worth now, considering that it's very limited since it was an Indiegogo device only?
  
 Thanks


----------



## Audio Addict

Probably less than you paid.


----------



## Benny-x

batou069 said:


> *Value Question*
> 
> How much should a Geek Pulse SFi be worth now, considering that it's very limited since it was an Indiegogo device only?
> 
> Thanks


 
 I don't know, aren't they all Indiegogo only? The only ones that made it on to Amazon were just pulled from IGG backers XD
  
 About your question, that's a tough one. You can take a look at the Infinity ones that have been constantly for sale this past year, then you're looking at less than that.
  
 I like my unit, it's pretty looking in the V2 chassis and I've got a matching LPS4, which has an extra DC outlet for my Regen. It'll do good in the office and when I pair it with an outboard amp it's a great unit (as I recently tested it this way and scared myself with no music because I stupidly had the preamp volume too low ). If it ever comes to a time that I'm replacing it, I wouldn't sell it. You'd never get back near what it's worth or what it's sound quality is, so you might as well keep it for a second/third/fourth system or give it to a family member/friend. Unless you unit is buggy, but then you're in a different boat.
  
 Resale is NOT good on the LH products. This was even the case with the first GeekOut units. I got my GO1K for the limited, early backer only, non-retail $225 (or whatever), but then just after receiving it I saw them in the For Sale section for like $185-200. Now things have went down hill since then for LH Labs' rep and resale isn't good at all.


----------



## Maelob

Last year I bought a used xfi/Lps v1 together for around 900. I believe now is even cheaper. I am happy with the performance. But I believe LH lab company reputation has taken a big hit affecting resale value.


----------



## zenpunk

My Pulse SFi has been in the sale forum for weeks, and I am only asking $420 for it, still, not one party interested. I believe the MRSP was $2400...lol. Shame, because it really sounds very good
 As previously said LH Lab marketing campaign has been a success...


----------



## Maelob

wow, Thats a great deal! hopefully you sell it soon.


----------



## Lord Raven

zenpunk said:


> My Pulse SFi has been in the sale forum for weeks, and I am only asking $420 for it, still, not one party interested. I believe the MRSP was $2400...lol. Shame, because it really sounds very good
> As previously said LH Lab marketing campaign has been a success...


 
 I have an SFi as well, never thought of selling it cause of the same reason haha


----------



## kostaszag

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> My present Geek Pulse Infinity runs with Android on my smartphone either natively (without special app) upto 24/192 or with Apps w/ built in USB driver like UAPP/Oknyo HF (current using Neutron).
> 
> Past months was (and still) looking for a media server/player and found this baby:
> 
> ...


 
 You could also try a Raspberry Pi3 or Odroid  with the Archphile distribution. Costs less, is very small and definitely works
  
 .http://archphile.org/


----------



## Maelob

And now they are coming up with the Revive USB power. Wow I guess they ddint get the memo....LH please stop making new stuff up and complete your delivery of the multiple products that you promised such as Wave and analog products. Sorry but not contributing anymore...


----------



## oneguy

Or you could look at it as this is there attempt to gain more money to complete the projects that they are running low on funding. You can't keep your people on payroll forever without any new revenue and as far as I can figure they aren't selling the crowdfunding stuff all that well.
So while the Revive, their sound bar/sub and their Tesla audio systems are extra projects hopefully they allow them to keep the doors open longer to fulfill the indiegogo items.


----------



## musicheaven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> My present Geek Pulse Infinity runs with Android on my smartphone either natively (without special app) upto 24/192 or with Apps w/ built in USB driver like UAPP/Oknyo HF (current using Neutron).
> 
> Past months was (and still) looking for a media server/player and found this baby:
> 
> ...




Never thought about buying the JRiver Id? It's a simple solution for someone who does not want to get into building your own server. A plus is it's quite inexpensive even with their 2 TB option.

Here is how it looks like : 

Here is the link for buying it (including specs): http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Id#Ordering

As for the Revive, Larry has been working on it for quite some time so not sure all of the edginess with them being able to work on other stuff, granted they tend to stretch themselves thin but like the famous saying: life goes on. As far they are concerned, the business goes on and frankly we should wish them well otherwise how else are we going to get what we paid for and what they promised?


----------



## Maelob

Agree- I guess we are stuck- wish them the best. but I would like to know who is going to pre-order - definetly not me.


----------



## musicheaven

You're free to order or not but this device has already been deployed in the wild, I have one of the first units and to be honest, it works so well that it's now permanently attached to my system so if you're not buying, you're only going to be sorry you did not get it. Mind you you can go for a Regen which is cheaper but the specs are not quite the same so not sure you can compare due to one being battery operated and the other not. I have not tried the Regen so I can't comment on it but what I can tell you, I played my DAC without the Revive and with it and can only say that I wish Larry would have added this circuitry in any devices requiring USB, it makes such a distinctive difference that it's scary and being naturally curious, I opened up the unit to see what the hell in there makes anything connected to it sound so good. I can only conclude that the signal is re-generated and re-clocked by the time it gets to the USB out (you get two by the way so you can connect two DACs if you chose too) it's clean like a wisttle. Kudo Larry, great device to complement the line. My only complain, why the hell have you not added it to the DAC in the first place and save anyone grief and money?


----------



## germay0653

musicheaven said:


> You're free to order or not but this device has already been deployed in the wild, I have one of the first units and to be honest, it works so well that it's now permanently attached to my system so if you're not buying, you're only going to be sorry you did not get it. Mind you you can go for a Regen which is cheaper but the specs are not quite the same so not sure you can compare due to one being battery operated and the other not. I have not tried the Regen so I can't comment on it but what I can tell you, I played my DAC without the Revive and with it and can only say that I wish Larry would have added this circuitry in any devices requiring USB, it makes such a distinctive difference that it's scary and being naturally curious, I opened up the unit to see what the hell in there makes anything connected to it sound so good. I can only conclude that the signal is re-generated and re-clocked by the time it gets to the USB out (you get two by the way so you can connect two DACs if you chose too) it's clean like a wisttle. Kudo Larry, great device to complement the line. My only complain, why the hell have you not added it to the DAC in the first place and save anyone grief and money?


 

 I agree that it definitely makes a difference.  Increased detail, quieter background and better localization of instruments and voice on the stage.  IMHO, it just a bit better than REGEN with the increase in detail and transient response.  The REGEN is great but the Revive just seems a little bit better.  It's also nice that it's portable and can be run on battery when you're away from home.


----------



## Maelob

Thanks for the comments -good to see it is a finished product.


----------



## uncola

hey germay I see you got your revive.  coupla questions.. what's the purpose of the second usb output port?  and what's the optimal type of wall wart to charge the battery?  must be 5v 1 amp?  or can it charge faster with say an ipad charger 5v 2.4amp?  and how long does the battery last?  I'm not planning on getting another lps unless I really need to


----------



## musicheaven

The Revive has two separate USB output ports configured in a One in - Two Out, therefore you can plug up to two DACS from the same PC USB source.
 As far as charging is concerned, mine is plugged to a Diamond USB 3.0 super speed controller (active USB bus) and the power comes out of a wallwart rated 5V, 4A pretty sure it does not consume the full 4A. 
 I can easily charge the Revive with an iPad power adapter rated 10W (anything at least equal or better will charge it relatively fast). Not sure how long the battery last since I keep it plugged permanently and not using it in a portable way.
  
 As far the LPS being needed, the USB connection would be a big help, in my case the 5 Volt power from the PC and/or Controller is actually not being used. I instead use a LHLabs LightSpeed 2.0 split cable with the 5 Volt connected to my Toroidal isolation power conditioner which will be replaced by the LPS USB 5 volt output when I eventually get it.


----------



## germay0653

uncola said:


> hey germay I see you got your revive.  coupla questions.. what's the purpose of the second usb output port?  and what's the optimal type of wall wart to charge the battery?  must be 5v 1 amp?  or can it charge faster with say an ipad charger 5v 2.4amp?  and how long does the battery last?  I'm not planning on getting another lps unless I really need to


 

 Regarding the  second port, you can hook up a second DAC or use it with a split cable for separate power leg and data leg.  To charge the battery you can use any USB port from your computer or another battery that supplies 5V @ a minimum of 0.5A.  Higher amperage shouldn't make a difference as it will only use what it needs to charge.


----------



## Maelob

Please correct me if i am wrong- I have a 2g cable thats goes from Imac -power end to geek LPS and other end to the Geek xfi. So i am asumming I would put the revive just before DAC. right? Or does this thing completly elimitates the need to connect USB to geek LPS.


----------



## doctorjazz

So, this begs the question...are people who use the Regen (like myself) chucking them and getting the Revive?


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> So, this begs the question...are people who use the Regen (like myself) chucking them and getting the Revive?


 

 Boils down to your subjective impression and whether it's worth it to you.  To me it sounds better but that is my subjective impression.  YMMV!


----------



## germay0653

maelob said:


> Please correct me if i am wrong- I have a 2g cable thats goes from Imac -power end to geek LPS and other end to the Geek xfi. So i am asumming I would put the revive just before DAC. right? Or does this thing completly elimitates the need to connect USB to geek LPS.


 

 There is a supplied short (6 inch) cable, Type A to Type C, that you would use to connect from iMAC (Type A output) to the Revive (Type C input) for data.  It also comes with a 6 inch Type A to Type Micro B cable which is used to charge the battery and it could come from the LPS.  It has two separate Type A 3.0 USB outputs that you could use with the 2G cable to feed the DAC.
  
 Type A to Type C - data signal from your music source to the Revive
 Type A to Type Micro B - Power from your music source or the LPS used to charge the Revive's battery.
 Two Type A outputs - used to feed one or two DACs or a slplit cable, like the 2G, from the Revive to feed your DAC.  Both ports supply identical power and data signals.


----------



## uncola

thanks guys I feel like I know how to use it now.  strange that it doesn't come with a charge method but I guess everyone has 5v wall warts from their smartphones


----------



## germay0653

uncola said:


> thanks guys I feel like I know how to use it now.  strange that it doesn't come with a charge method but I guess everyone has 5v wall warts from their smartphones


 
 What do you mean it doesn't come with a charge "method"?  Anything that will charge an Android phone, as you stated, will work with the Revive.  They even provide you with a lengthy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, 6 inch, cord (USB Type A to Type Micro B).  One assumes you have some USB ports available on your PC, a phone wall wart adapter or some other source for 5V @ 0.5A.


----------



## uncola

germay yeah that's why I mentioned the phone charger thing.  But I still want to know what the optimal power for charging is..500ma, 1amp or what


----------



## germay0653

uncola said:


> germay yeah that's why I mentioned the phone charger thing.  But I still want to know what the optimal power for charging is..500ma, 1amp or what


 

 Minimum required, and I assume it needs no more, is 0.5A.


----------



## musicheaven

Let's tell it how it is, no documentation came with the unit, just plain shipping material and couple of very short cables. I did ask support about the documentation but was said it's under construction so we can only assume things as far as specifications. Even the shipping packaging was very simplistic, no special marked boxed describing the Revive unit. I gather this is going to change when they'll ship the retail units.


----------



## ikkx

I connected the geek pulse to the power adapter while it wa son power on, now it makes a clicking sound internally after being turned one (not immediately but after a short delay), is this a hunk of junk now?


----------



## uncola

musicheaven but with the two provided cables I can basically just leave it plugged into my laptop with two usb ports forever and it turns on automatically and I don't even have to do anything with the revive and it just enhances my vi dac right?  that's my main deal.  I guess I could unplug the charge cable every morning when I wake up if the battery lasts all day but I don't unplug the power leg of my Lightspeed 2G from my laptop after turning on my vi dac so I doubt I'll do that heh
 edit:  it's pretty genius that the revive has that auto-on when it detects the source device is on.. that's a huge convenience for lazy people.. it's what made me click the buy it now link.  I'm too lazy to turn on my wyrd but the revive doesn't have that issue


----------



## Boban85

Hello guys, have been really busy the last few months, moving to a different country, changing jobs, etc... Only two things have remained unchanged: the wife, and the wait for the chassis 2.0 Pulse Infinity  What have I missed in 2016? When will the Forever funding campaign Infinities be delivered to international backers?

 Thanks!


----------



## CingKrab

boban85 said:


> Hello guys, have been really busy the last few months, moving to a different country, changing jobs, etc... Only two things have remained unchanged: the wife, and the wait for the chassis 2.0 Pulse Infinity  What have I missed in 2016? When will the Forever funding campaign Infinities be delivered to international backers?
> 
> Thanks!


 
  
 Last time I checked with LH (end of March) they said my Infinity was slated to ship 3rd week of April due to more production delays.  Needless to say, I'm not holding my breath.


----------



## musicheaven

uncola said:


> musicheaven but with the two provided cables I can basically just leave it plugged into my laptop with two usb ports forever and it turns on automatically and I don't even have to do anything with the revive and it just enhances my vi dac right? that's my main deal.




That's pretty much how I have it wired and I certainly don't like to have to turn it on or off, as you said it's automatic. It might be portable but that's not the reason why I bought it.




boban85 said:


> Hello guys, have been really busy the last few months, moving to a different country, changing jobs, etc... Only two things have remained unchanged: the wife, and the wait for the chassis 2.0 Pulse Infinity  What have I missed in 2016? When will the Forever funding campaign Infinities be delivered to international backers?
> 
> Thanks!





Good things don't change  but again some changes are slow to come.  Consult the individual campaign to get the latest updates and read the prior thread comments on this site for a better understanding of where things are. Good luck for your new home and job!




ikkx said:


> I connected the geek pulse to the power adapter while it wa son power on, now it makes a clicking sound internally after being turned one (not immediately but after a short delay), is this a hunk of junk now?




Mine does that too but I believe it's just the startup process, I can hear the slight clicking sound going on but it just works fine once my source is applied. Doesn't yours work ok after that short delay? I'd be worried if it was not working on any inputs/outputs. Check every input/output if you can and conclude on its working status.


----------



## jaywhar

I raised a support ticked to ask - was told 3rd week of May


----------



## ikkx

musicheaven said:


> Mine does that too but I believe it's just the startup process, I can hear the slight clicking sound going on but it just works fine once my source is applied. Doesn't yours work ok after that short delay? I'd be worried if it was not working on any inputs/outputs. Check every input/output if you can and conclude on its working status.


 
 The inputs are working and everything else is fine, but I'm not sure it sounds fine. I think it sounds a bit odd now, but i'm not even sure. I think there's some distortion now.


----------



## musicheaven

ikkx said:


> The inputs are working and everything else is fine, but I'm not sure it sounds fine. I think it sounds a bit odd now, but i'm not even sure. I think there's some distortion now.




Raise a support ticket if you think it's gotten worst, they should be able to diagnose the problem or at least allow you to get it fixed but only if you think the sound quality has truly deteriorated. Good luck with finding a solution and let us know how you did.


----------



## Benny-x

ikkx said:


> The inputs are working and everything else is fine, but I'm not sure it sounds fine. I think it sounds a bit odd now, but i'm not even sure. I think there's some distortion now.


 

You've got that clicking sound now? I think it's bricked. If it's passing at all I don't think it's gonna be sounding right.


----------



## ikkx

benny-x said:


> You've got that clicking sound now? I think it's bricked. If it's passing at all I don't think it's gonna be sounding right.


 
 is it a common thing with it? It used to not do it, but it started after the adapter was accidentally unplugged, replugged while the power switch was on. I think it sounds fine though, looks like everything is working. 
  
  


musicheaven said:


> Raise a support ticket if you think it's gotten worst, they should be able to diagnose the problem or at least allow you to get it fixed but only if you think the sound quality has truly deteriorated. Good luck with finding a solution and let us know how you did.


 
 Have you always had that sound? I bought it off ebay so I'm not sure i'm covered by the warranty.


----------



## NigelJ

ikkx said:


> I bought it off ebay so I'm not sure i'm covered by the warranty.




I can't help about the noise as I am still waiting to receive my Infinity. However, the warranty is non-transferable so I believe that you are correct in thinking you are not covered.


----------



## Benny-x

ikkx said:


> is it a common thing with it? It used to not do it, but it started after the adapter was accidentally unplugged, replugged while the power switch was on. I think it sounds fine though, looks like everything is working.


 
 I'm just yanking your chain a bit.
  
 I'm surprised no one else has chimed in about the clicking sound, though. 
  
 The sound is 10000% normal and a function of the Pulse. It's the relays for the 2 different sample rate clocks clicking upon start up. There are 2 sample rate groups, 44.1/88.2/176.4kHz and 48/96/192kHz. All of 1 set are derived from 1 clock and all of the other set are derived from 1 other clock. If you guys listened to different resolution music within the same playlist, say a 44.1kHz song and then a 192kHz hi-res song, you'd also hear a click. But a lot of times your software is set to 1 sampling frequency, so it up/down-samples all songs to that one, and thus the click never makes a sound once music starts. So, start up clicks, normal stuff and happens on a lot of gear. 
  
 And just as the other poster said, the warranty is 100% non-transferable. I'm not sure what the warranty work is really like though, so it's worth opening a ticket if you're having issues and seeing what's up. It'd be your call whether you'd mention right from the get go that you're not the original owner or not. I believe in the early days of the Pulse Campaign the warranty was supposed to be transferable, but in the end it's 100% not, and that really annoyed a lot of backers because it sacks the resale value. There are many other things sacking the resale value too, unfortunately.


----------



## zerograin

All this talk about adding a USB filter, and buying a better power adapter, use balance cables, or adding another amp doesn't give me much confidence. This was supposed to be the end all, all in one, or that's how it was billed to me.
  
 I've had the XFI for over a month, burning it in without powering off, and was hoping the sound would improve... but it's still underwhelming.
  
 I can't quantify the sound, but to me it doesn't have any life or meaning. With every audio device before this, I would get lost in the music. Like at home, when I play any song, I'm listening for hours. I can't stand this thing for more than 30 minutes. I would literally put my headphone down and do work... at the office. Like real work! I guess the X-FI is great for the company I work for, but not for me.
  
 All this wait, and to me it didn't deliver. If I can return it I would.


----------



## jbr1971

zerograin said:


> All this talk about adding a USB filter, and buying a better power adapter, use balance cables, or adding another amp doesn't give me much confidence. This was supposed to be the end all, all in one, or that's how it was billed to me.
> 
> I've had the XFI for over a month, burning it in without powering off, and was hoping the sound would improve... but it's still underwhelming.
> 
> ...


 
  
 What kind of headphones are you using?
  
 Which Headphone Gain mode?
  
 Which Digital Mode?


----------



## zerograin

jbr1971 said:


> What kind of headphones are you using?
> 
> Which Headphone Gain mode?
> 
> Which Digital Mode?


 
 Dell Xeon Workstation, the USB cable (that came with the XFI) connected to the Geek Pulse XFI, out to the Hifiman HE500 with the stock headphone cable.
 I don't want to buy extra things to improve the sound of something that should sound... good. Especially while at the office, I only have so much space. I also don't want to complicate things. I already get enough questions with the "big" headphone.


----------



## jbr1971

zerograin said:


> Dell Xeon Workstation, the USB cable (that came with the XFI) connected to the Geek Pulse XFI, out to the Hifiman HE500 with the stock headphone cable.
> I don't want to buy extra things to improve the sound of something that should sound... good. Especially while at the office, I only have so much space. I also don't want to complicate things. I already get enough questions with the "big" headphone.


 
  
 One answer out of 3, & I wasn't suggesting buying anything.
  
 Those headphones shouldn't need a lot of power to drive them, so Low or Medium gain should be plenty.
  
 Which Digital Mode are you using? I use FTM all the time, but to each their own. Changing the mode may change the sound enough for you to get it where you like it.
  
 The version of the audio driver on your computer, or the port you are connecting your USB cable to could potentially play a role in the sound you are getting. Try connecting the cable to another port & power cycling the Pulse.


----------



## zerograin

jbr1971 said:


> One answer out of 3, & I wasn't suggesting buying anything.
> 
> Those headphones shouldn't need a lot of power to drive them, so Low or Medium gain should be plenty.
> 
> ...


 

 FTM did improve the sound. Thanks for that.
 I'll play with it a little more tomorrow.


----------



## jbr1971

zerograin said:


> FTM did improve the sound. Thanks for that.
> I'll play with it a little more tomorrow.


 
  
 I'm glad it helped.
  
 The audio player and settings you are using could also have an effect on the sound.


----------



## wingsounds13

It is not just the Pulse that can benefit from one of the many USB cleaners/stabilizers/reclockers that are available. Seemingly every DAC, $100/$1000/$10000+ can be improved by these tweaks. In the world of audio there seems to be nothing that cannot be improved. Don't blame it in the Pulse... which does seem to have a better USB implementation than many or even most in its price class.

As far as sound: you have found out about the FTM and other filters, so that is a good start. Also, I suggest using the high gain mode for the headphone amp - at least I find it to be noticeably better than low or medium gain. 

You mentioned leaving the power on and that is a good move too. During this time have you also had an active signal, music or some kind of sound playing, or just sitting idle when you are not listening to it? It is necessary to have an active signal for break in. Just sitting idle with the power on will do very little. It takes several hundred hours of active playback for the Pulse to approach its best. In my case it was at its worst from 1 through 50 hours or so and continued improving up to around 400 hours, after which I could no longer detect any changes. The Pulse has the most profound burn in changes that I have experienced in any piece of audio equipment.

While I have an infinity rather than the Xfi, I am sure that the differences are small and I find the Pulse X Infinity to be an excellent DAC. 

J.P.


----------



## carz

I makes me wonder if you are trolling. The Pulse can't be that bad. 

What other audio devices are you comparing it against? 





zerograin said:


> All this talk about adding a USB filter, and buying a better power adapter, use balance cables, or adding another amp doesn't give me much confidence. This was supposed to be the end all, all in one, or that's how it was billed to me.
> 
> I've had the XFI for over a month, burning it in without powering off, and was hoping the sound would improve... but it's still underwhelming.
> 
> ...


----------



## WCDchee

zerograin said:


> All this talk about adding a USB filter, and buying a better power adapter, use balance cables, or adding another amp doesn't give me much confidence. This was supposed to be the end all, all in one, or that's how it was billed to me.
> 
> I've had the XFI for over a month, burning it in without powering off, and was hoping the sound would improve... but it's still underwhelming.
> 
> ...






carz said:


> I makes me wonder if you are trolling. The Pulse can't be that bad.
> 
> What other audio devices are you comparing it against?




I actually had the infinity, with an LPS, and trust me I had the same findings as you did. I borrowed a Chord Hugo, and within 10 minutes, put the infinity up on sale and went for a Hugo. The Infinity got one thing right, the amp is dead quiet, barely any hiss, but the sound of the amp and dac sections just didn't measure up to the Chord Hugo at all. To me at least. The level of resolution, transparency, just wasn't quite there despite its ridiculous MSRP.


----------



## carz

@WCDchee, May I know how many hours of active run-in have you logged in for the Pulse? Did you compare the dacs on speaker setups too?


----------



## adrian0115

wingsounds13 said:


> It is not just the Pulse that can benefit from one of the many USB cleaners/stabilizers/reclockers that are available. Seemingly every DAC, $100/$1000/$10000+ can be improved by these tweaks. In the world of audio there seems to be nothing that cannot be improved. Don't blame it in the Pulse... which does seem to have a better USB implementation than many or even most in its price class.
> 
> As far as sound: you have found out about the FTM and other filters, so that is a good start. Also, I suggest using the high gain mode for the headphone amp - at least I find it to be noticeably better than low or medium gain.
> 
> ...


 
 I find it interesting that people can hear "burn-in" changes.  I guess my hearing isn't as good as you guys since I have found no discernable difference whether it's 1hr or 1500hrs.  The funny thing is, I can hear no difference between  Amazon/Belkin Gold/QED/Lightspeed 1G/Lightspeed 2G USB cables either.  Looks like I'm deaf or my HD650's are crap.


----------



## WCDchee

carz said:


> @WCDchee, May I know how many hours of active run-in have you logged in for the Pulse? Did you compare the dacs on speaker setups too?




Mine at over 200 at that point, and yes I did compare them both as dac/amps, and as dacs for both headphone and speaker setups. The step up when i went to the Hugo was very clear in my opinion.


----------



## zerograin

carz said:


> I makes me wonder if you are trolling. The Pulse can't be that bad.
> 
> What other audio devices are you comparing it against?


 
 I hesitated sharing my thoughts for a long time.
  
 As it stands right now, I'm not impressed...
 The sound to me is thin and lifeless... I'm never engaged in the music. It is clean, but dead. Maybe I have bad combo? 
  
 I thought about using the Minimax amp for the tube sound. I also thought about buying a new tube amp. But why should I? The reason and purpose I bought into the campaign was to do away with the cluster - one simple box.
  
 The whole delay thing only adds to my frustration. It would be washed over if the sound was there - but it's not.
  
 It's been one bad experience for me... Take it for what it is, I'm just sharing my experience. I may be the black sheep. Others enjoy their pulse, I'm happy for them.  I just wish I had the same experience. I don't. And, I'm a little upset.
  
  
  
 To answer your question, at home in my bedroom, I have Shuttle PC -> Ygddrasil -> Parasound P7 -> Parasound A23 -> Sierra Ascend 2. I absolutely love this setup! Just a great 2.0 system, no sub needed.
  
 Previous to that I had, Asus i7 motherboar in a server chassis ->Xonar SPDIF out -> Yulong D18 -> tube buffer -> Parasound P7  -> A23 -> SVS MTS-01.
   
Other dacs I've own, a Geek 450, heavily modified Asus Xonar d2x, Burson Dac, modified Beresford Caymen, Dacmagic.

 The only headphone amp I've own is the Millet Hybrid Minimax.
 One audio equipment I regret losing, was Harmon Kardon Signature 2.0. It's an ancient processor, but the sound was unbelievably smooth out to Vandersteen 2CE, later replaced by a Magnepan.
 Other headphones I own(ed), Beyerdynamics 990, 880 and 770, AKG 702, Shure SE425, SE215, Klipsch x10, Zero Audio DXW10, DX200. Because of the gym I go through a lot of IEM. They just get destroyed.
  
 I haven't done a direct comparison to the other dacs, I'm not a reviewer. But I do know what I like hearing, and Geek Pulse XFI is not one of them.


----------



## WCDchee

zerograin said:


> I hesitated sharing my thoughts for a long time.
> 
> As it stands right now, I'm not impressed...
> The sound to me is thin and lifeless... I'm never engaged in the music. It is clean, but dead. Maybe I have bad combo?
> ...




I couldn't agree more. The infinity just didn't do it for me.


----------



## nudd

This is the thing I never understood.
  
 So What is this triple buffer, clock regeneration technology for if not to get rid of the need to use Regen-like devices?
  
 So are they now admitted that their triple buffer watever is not actually so **** hot in the first place?
  
 Reminds me of the ad where they got people gushing about how much better the GOV2 sounds compared to the Pulse ...


----------



## germay0653

Everybody hears differently and have their subjective preferences.
  
 I, personally, have never found the GO 720's I have or my Pulse X Infinity lifeless, without tone color or body. I have not had an opportunity to listen to any Chord products so I can't compare. 
  
 I have used a JKDAC32, which uses a Burr-Brown chip, and a Burson Conductor, which uses the ESS Sabre chip and I find the GO to be close, but not quite as refined as compared to the Burson and the Pulse X Infinity surpasses it in level of detail/resolution, voice/instrument localization (soundstage) and tone color (Timbre) but the same with regard to transient response (attack and decay). The JKDAC32 is what some would refer to as musical, not quite as detailed/resolved and not as quick (attack and decay) but pleasant to listen to, as the others.  Timbre/Tone color seems accurate with the Pulse.  The ESS family of chips does present more detail/resolution but I wouldn't call it lifeless and it's not just the chip itself but rather the entire implementation that characterizes the sound.


----------



## musicheaven

Same experience here, definitively not lifeless. Very satisfied with the DAC but more with Revive. I do agree that it would have been better to integrate the reclocking technology however the DAC was designed prior to using reclocking designs, in a sense it's audio evolution. Even in the case of using femto clocks to reduce jitter, some of those have been added as a result of experiments. Design in general is an evolution and if you keep waiting until no more progress can be done, you'll never release anything. At one point you got to call it quit.


----------



## Maelob

I am happy with my XFI driving my Alpha Primes balanced mode. - I use the mid gain and still have plenty of juice left.  Also I have it connected to an affordable Emotiva mini x driving my Audience the Ones with a sub, and I have no complains.  But totally respect others opinions when they don't like the product.  We all have different tastes and also all kinds of different equipment connected to it that might respond in a different manner.


----------



## cbar

savaloco said:


> Just heard back from LHL support and they indeed want me to try flashing the MCU.
> Trouble is I can't seem to figure out how the top plate slides over to expose the microSD slot.
> Am I an idiot?  Probably.
> 
> ...


 
 Um, I was instructed to flash the MCU also and am experiencing idiocy myself. So HOW does the lid come off? Which direction? Does it slide front to back? Pry upward?
  
 Thanks!


----------



## oneguy

If this is the V2 chassis you are referring to the lid is just held on by magnets. A simple lift up will suffice.


----------



## cbar

Got it: a FIRM lift up. Thanks!


----------



## savaloco

cbar said:


> Um, I was instructed to flash the MCU also and am experiencing idiocy myself. So HOW does the lid come off? Which direction? Does it slide front to back? Pry upward?
> 
> Thanks!


 
 Sorry to hear you are having issues as well.  My lid is very tight and I had to pull it up from the back.  Take your time it will lift out exposing the card slot.
  
 I unfortunately have not been able to get the unit working and have for the first time found customer support somewhat lacking in both response time and helpfulness.  I was initially instructed to follow the re-flashing instructions on LH's website and I felt I had except what I wasn't clear on was that the mSD card you use must be formatted with FAT or FAT16.  The problem is FAT16 can only be used on cards 2gb or smaller.  The smallest card I could buy in my area was 4gb and though I selected the FAT16 Windows used FAT32.  At least that's what made sense to me at the time because I could still see all 4gb of space.  I then downloaded a 3rd party software (Active Partition Manager) to force a 2GB/FAT16 partition but that did't seem to work.  I was finally asked to repeat the process but to also re-flash the main firmware as well as the MCU ... and to disconnect the unit from the LPS and use the wall wart.  Just received a 2gb msd card earlier today from amazon ... repeated everything and still no luck.
  
 Hey ... when you tip your unit towards the ceiling and then the floor do you hear a slide/clicking sound?  
  
 I do.  Wonder what that is.
  
 Cheers
 Sam 
  
 Rest In Paisley Prince


----------



## nudd

musicheaven said:


> Same experience here, definitively not lifeless. Very satisfied with the DAC but more with Revive. I do agree that it would have been better to integrate the reclocking technology however the DAC was designed prior to using reclocking designs, in a sense it's audio evolution. Even in the case of using femto clocks to reduce jitter, some of those have been added as a result of experiments. Design in general is an evolution and if you keep waiting until no more progress can be done, you'll never release anything. At one point you got to call it quit.



 


But they have been advertising their triple buffer tech as being the proprietary bees knees that gets rid of jitter by buffering the input and presumably reclocking to the femto clock as the master clock. 

Otherwise, what is the point of the triple buffer proprietary stuff?

Power conditioning is another issue, but the LPS was designed to get rid of that problem.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Other manufacturer's (not only LH Labs) have marketed their various ways on confronting jitter to their products.
  
 It is only recently newer more different and effective ways came in...
  
 Like say the coming of finger math.


----------



## TopQuark

Just dropping by after not posting in a while.  I am one of those pissed by LH Labs because of continuous perks and delay of Pulse X-Infinity V2.  I got my unit back in December.
  
 The Pulse X-Infinity is a great sounding device. I am referring to the DAC output.  Great job by Larry.  I continue to listen to mine for the last couple of months.  I'll stop further investments from here.  I'm surprised some are not happy with their unit. I would say it is either defective or wrong combination of components. 
  
 My set-up looks like this:  PC (signal only) ► SotM PCIE (fed with external LPS power) ► LH Labs split cable for signal ► LH Labs Pulse LPS4 ► Intona (signal from SOtM) ► Pulse X-Infinity (fed by LH Labs LPS4)
  
 My end game set-up will likely look like this now that Cantata MPD v2.0 is out: Jay's Audio LPS ► CuBox I4-Pro ► LH Labs split cable for signal ► LH Labs Pulse LPS4 ► Intona ► Pulse X-Infinity (fed by LH Labs LPS4)


----------



## Benny-x

topquark said:


> Just dropping by after not posting in a while.  I am one of those pissed by LH Labs because of continuous perks and delay of Pulse X-Infinity V2.  I got my unit back in December.
> 
> The Pulse X-Infinity is a great sounding device. I am referring to the DAC output.  Great job by Larry.  I continue to listen to mine for the last couple of months.  I'll stop further investments from here.  I'm surprised some are not happy with their unit. I would say it is either defective or wrong combination of components.
> 
> ...


 
 A fellow ribbon fan. Don't they make vocals sound nice? I got in some time a few nights ago on my EmotivaPro Stealth 8s and damn did they ever sound nice. 
  
 Anyway, as far as your combo goes and saying the DAC section is stellar, have you tried an external/dedicated amp yet? If not, track one down, feed it balanced, and have a listen. I didn't for a long time, but finally did a couple weeks ago and it's unquestionably better. It has much better control on the music and really got me into it. I did it at a mini meet where we compared several components and everyone said the external amp with the LH DAC was nice sounding and better than Pulse X Infinity V2 only.


----------



## TopQuark

benny-x said:


> A fellow ribbon fan. Don't they make vocals sound nice? I got in some time a few nights ago on my EmotivaPro Stealth 8s and damn did they ever sound nice.
> 
> Anyway, as far as your combo goes and saying the DAC section is stellar, have you tried an external/dedicated amp yet? If not, track one down, feed it balanced, and have a listen. I didn't for a long time, but finally did a couple weeks ago and it's unquestionably better. It has much better control on the music and really got me into it. I did it at a mini meet where we compared several components and everyone said the external amp with the LH DAC was nice sounding and better than Pulse X Infinity V2 only.


 
  
 I have the relative of the Emotivas. I got the Adam A5X way before the Emotiva's showed up. Yes, these heil ribbons are very nice with the Pulse X Infinity. So transparent. Feels like 3D music right in front of you. Their imaging is just superb. I have not tried an external amp.  Did you use passive speakers then or bypass the internal amp of the Emotiva's?
  
 I didn't see an Intona in your chain. I think you will like it with your active speakers.


----------



## wingsounds13

For those questioning the need for or effects of USB signal processing devices such as the Regen, and the efficacy or lack thereof of the Triple Buffer: It is not all about USB signal jitter, although that is part of the equation. A significant part of the effect of these devices seems to come from removing noise (a separate issue from jitter) from the USB signal lines and the power and ground lines. Removing this noise BEFORE it gets inside the DAC chassis and into the single board that contains all of the digital and analog audio circuitry seems to be of great significance. Removing these artifacts after they enter the chassis would seem to require a separate and isolated (possibly including a separate power supply) board for the USB input. Not that it cannot be done, but so far no DAC manufacturer has seen sufficient value added for all potential customers in doing so. We are early in the game in this type of USB input management, so some makers may yet integrate such input management into (some of) their DAC products.

In the audiophile game everything counts and everything is subject to tweaking to satisfy the desires of those who are truly dedicated to the ultimate result.

J.P.


----------



## doctorjazz

It's not that unusual in the high end world to have a separate power supply, but less common in the headphone world (my RSA HR-2 amp has a separate power supply). I think the extra cost and lack of portability argues against it, but more and more the high end headphone world is looking like and being priced like the rest of the audio world. 
(I use a Regen with my Geek Out Special Edition, it does make a difference there).


----------



## CingKrab

Regarding shipping for international backers -- what's everyone's experience regarding DHL?  I received a shipping email on Wednesday for the Infinity, but there's been no activity on the tracking period.  I called DHL on Thursday, and it turns out that only a waybill number had been created and nothing was actually picked up.  I sent a ticket after the call, and they said it would be shipped within 48 hours of the shipping email (in case of last minute address corrections), but still nothing has been picked up.  Just wondering what other people have seen with regards to this?  Why even send out a shipping email at all in this case?


----------



## Benny-x

topquark said:


> I have the relative of the Emotivas. I got the Adam A5X way before the Emotiva's showed up. Yes, these heil ribbons are very nice with the Pulse X Infinity. So transparent. Feels like 3D music right in front of you. Their imaging is just superb. I have not tried an external amp.  Did you use passive speakers then or bypass the internal amp of the Emotiva's?
> 
> I didn't see an Intona in your chain. I think you will like it with your active speakers.


 
 For me it went down like this.
  
 I scouted out the Adams for a LONG time. They are the real leaders in the active ribbon market, but the A7X and A8X are pretty pricey. I wanted the larger woofer as I like my bass and wouldn't be getting a sub for a while (though I plan on getting 2x SVS SB13 Ultras whenever I can figure out how to get them to China). Then it also didn't help that the Stealth 8s didn't get much review love. I was looking at paying a pretty penny for the A7X or getting the 8" Stealth 8s for less, but taking a risk on them. After a while I'd pretty much given up on the idea and started looking locally as QMS Audio (the OE for Emotiva's ribbon Airmotiv/Stealth lineup), but they turned out to be d-heads to communicate with. The plan had stalled and I was done. 
  
 Then all by chance a fellow head-fi'er listed his like new Stealth 8s. Not only do these never hit the used market, he could also deal with my delayed timing, payment, and shipping demands. I couldn't refuse it, so I went for them. They are beasts of speakers, which makes me happy in its own right   Then sound wise, on first listen they showed me the best vocals I have ever heard. They're so clear, so airy, and so life like that as soon as I close my eyes I can feel the singer and band there with me. Their imaging is the real deal. They also seem to have fantastic synergy with the Pulse X Infinity V2, who'd have thought?
  
 And amping, I run the Infinity balanced outs into my Audio-gd Phoenix at -10db, then set the Phoenix over to pre-amp mode, then balanced outs into the Stealth 8s. So the Phoenix is acting as the attentuator for the Stealth 8s, the internal amps on the Stealth 8s still in full swing. That's for the speaker system.
  
 For using the actual amp as is, I flip the Phoenix back into headphone amp mode, connect my Pioneer SE Master1, and go from there. So the Infinity is feeding the Phoenix amp balanced at unity gain (-0.0db) and all attentuation is done with the Phoenix. This sounds quite nice. It's still just thrown together without any optimization done to gain, software sampling, or the laptop I'm running it all off of, but it ads depth and texture to the music that the standard Infinity amp can't. I look forward to fine tuning the whole system and seeing how it sounds.
  
 Right now it's all at home, but in the end the Infinity is office station bound, so at some point I'll be breaking up the team. When it comes to that I'll have to see how it pairs up with my other gear and if I'll really follow through.


----------



## Narayan23

No news yet on DSD 256/Pure DSD? This was announced a year ago:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/764639/lh-labs-announces-puredsd-mode#post_11556389


----------



## Benny-x

cingkrab said:


> Regarding shipping for international backers -- what's everyone's experience regarding DHL?  I received a shipping email on Wednesday for the Infinity, but there's been no activity on the tracking period.  I called DHL on Thursday, and it turns out that only a waybill number had been created and nothing was actually picked up.  I sent a ticket after the call, and they said it would be shipped within 48 hours of the shipping email (in case of last minute address corrections), but still nothing has been picked up.  Just wondering what other people have seen with regards to this?  Why even send out a shipping email at all in this case?


 
 It's par for the course.
  
 The email is automatic, most courier companies do it. I in fact got one from USPS 2 weeks ago when my DHC gear was "shipping". Then like 3 days later I started to see some action on the tracking updates, like the package being picked up from XYZ and bound for local sorting centre. It's annoying, but normal nowadays.
  
 Now in the case of LH Labs and their shipments, unfortunately lots of people have gotten those waybill emails and then nothing ever shipped at all. And then they contacted LHL and were told "within 48 hours", and again nothing. So, that's the boat you're in. It may well be being prepared for shipping, and it may well be cycling the innards of LHL and not coming your way at any time you'd ever be able to know about.
  
For your pain and amusement:
 One guy I remember got the waybill email, then did the same as you and found out what it really was and that "It'd ship within 48hrs from LHL", then nothing. Waited weeks, more tickets, nothing. Then a couple months later he found his Pulse on his doorstep. The tracking info on the box wasn't what he'd been first provided and the package had shipped only 10 days before. He was happy to have his Pulse, but left going What just happened...?


----------



## Benny-x

narayan23 said:


> No news yet on DSD 256/Pure DSD? This was announced a year ago:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/764639/lh-labs-announces-puredsd-mode#post_11556389


 
 DSD 256 made it to the beta firmware, but there hasn't been a firmware update in a while and regular Joes don't have it. There's also no talk about new firmwares coming any time soon. 
  
 Pure DSD, well my friend, many things were talked about a year ago, and many things were talked about 2 years ago. Not so many things, but many dollars later, there are many people still waiting and hoping for some things...


----------



## CingKrab

benny-x said:


> It's par for the course.
> 
> The email is automatic, most courier companies do it. I in fact got one from USPS 2 weeks ago when my DHC gear was "shipping". Then like 3 days later I started to see some action on the tracking updates, like the package being picked up from XYZ and bound for local sorting centre. It's annoying, but normal nowadays.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sigh... I should have known not to expect anything else from LH.  It's sad even at this stage they're resorting to chicken**** tactics like this.  I'm sure they know it's a lost cause to try and retain anyone as a customer at this point so they're just having a laugh at everyone's expense.


----------



## Benny-x

cingkrab said:


> Sigh... I should have known not to expect anything else from LH.  It's sad even at this stage they're resorting to chicken**** tactics like this.  I'm sure they know it's a lost cause to try and retain anyone as a customer at this point so they're just having a laugh at everyone's expense.


 
 That last part reminds me a lot of @fishyee and his "new LHL excuse" that he'd beat them to the punch on and just make up himself. But now LHL is trying to get in on it, so they're jamming people with waybill creation auto-emails, only to string them along and laugh as the new glimmer of hope in their eyes dies out. And those auto-emails probably don't cost them any money, they could do that to the same person 100 times. Hahaha.


----------



## fishyee

New one for the LHL excuse book! 

Btw, a balanced DAC to active studio monitors is some of the best sound & best value that I have come across. Enjoy your toys.


----------



## carz

An independent review of the XFi by audiostream 

http://www.audiostream.com/content/lh-labs-geek-pulse-xfi-linear-power-supply-4-lps4#FLRKDkooLfeHPLl5.97


----------



## doctorjazz

Wow positive, I'd say...


----------



## cbar

savaloco said:


> Sorry to hear you are having issues as well.  My lid is very tight and I had to pull it up from the back.  Take your time it will lift out exposing the card slot.
> 
> I unfortunately have not been able to get the unit working and have for the first time found customer support somewhat lacking in both response time and helpfulness.  I was initially instructed to follow the re-flashing instructions on LH's website and I felt I had except what I wasn't clear on was that the mSD card you use must be formatted with FAT or FAT16.  The problem is FAT16 can only be used on cards 2gb or smaller.  The smallest card I could buy in my area was 4gb and though I selected the FAT16 Windows used FAT32.  At least that's what made sense to me at the time because I could still see all 4gb of space.  I then downloaded a 3rd party software (Active Partition Manager) to force a 2GB/FAT16 partition but that did't seem to work.  I was finally asked to repeat the process but to also re-flash the main firmware as well as the MCU ... and to disconnect the unit from the LPS and use the wall wart.  Just received a 2gb msd card earlier today from amazon ... repeated everything and still no luck.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I tried flashing the MCU, but it didn't appear to do anything. When selecting firmware version to check, the display totally dies (though power still on), which was one of the original symptoms. Sending back for repair. Sorry to hear about the sliding/click sound. I don't hear that but it does seem like an undesirable mystery.


----------



## musicheaven

savaloco said:


> Sorry to hear you are having issues as well. My lid is very tight and I had to pull it up from the back. Take your time it will lift out exposing the card slot.
> 
> I unfortunately have not been able to get the unit working and have for the first time found customer support somewhat lacking in both response time and helpfulness. I was initially instructed to follow the re-flashing instructions on LH's website and I felt I had except what I wasn't clear on was that the mSD card you use must be formatted with FAT or FAT16. The problem is FAT16 can only be used on cards 2gb or smaller. The smallest card I could buy in my area was 4gb and though I selected the FAT16 Windows used FAT32. At least that's what made sense to me at the time because I could still see all 4gb of space. I then downloaded a 3rd party software (Active Partition Manager) to force a 2GB/FAT16 partition but that did't seem to work. I was finally asked to repeat the process but to also re-flash the main firmware as well as the MCU ... and to disconnect the unit from the LPS and use the wall wart. Just received a 2gb msd card earlier today from amazon ... repeated everything and still no luck.
> 
> ...







cbar said:


> I tried flashing the MCU, but it didn't appear to do anything. When selecting firmware version to check, the display totally dies (though power still on), which was one of the original symptoms. Sending back for repair. Sorry to hear about the sliding/click sound. I don't hear that but it does seem like an undesirable mystery.




Guys don't bother flashing, I went through the same non-sense and the fat16 limitation is one of the most idiotic requirements ever seen in a 2013 and above firmware requirements. I guess they were trying to save themselves money when building the unit but without thinking about the support nightmare they were going to generate. Get them to have a look at the unit and flash the hell of it if they so choose.

As far as the tight cover, you can unscrew a few screws from the top, that will release the pressure on the plexiglass. Be careful when inserting the micro card since the slot is larger than the receptacle and you can easily drop it in the enclosure that is if you insist flashing the beast 

This is one support strikes against them that will cost them and us major headaches and money when the unit will have issues.


----------



## cbar

The space around the MicroSD slot is definitely disconcerting. It FEELS way too easy to drop the card into the case (even if it might not actually fall through.)


----------



## Inotrope

Well the INFINITY has finally died.

 Started with a dodgy SPDIF 1 & 2, then with further testing I discovered that TOSLINK doesn't work.
  
 This evening, it won't handshake and connect to my Mac despite power cycles / new USB cables.
 Finally connected for a few seconds before randomly disconnecting.
  
 The BLUE needs to go back, as the dodgy PCB assembly means the SPDIF only protrudes by 4mm (vs the 6mm for RCA) - meaning that cables don't connect properly.
  
 Back to the GO1000 for a bit, and hoping to hear from Larry & Co, and that they'll cover the S&H for the SECOND RMA of this stuff.
  
 Not impressed at all, and still have money tied up with GO V2, LPS 8, HPA and PULSE TUBE...


----------



## Benny-x

inotrope said:


> I still have money tied up with GO V2, LPS 8, HPA and PULSE TUBE...


 
  
 Good god...


----------



## doctorjazz

Could be worse...I'm waiting for the fully tricked out Wave, Source, and Vi Tube Dac...came to my senses when the amps were being funded, a bit late, but better than nothing.


----------



## carz

Wonder what's the cause of all this. 
Poor soldering, components or pcb boards ? 





inotrope said:


> Well the INFINITY has finally died.
> 
> 
> Started with a dodgy SPDIF 1 & 2, then with further testing I discovered that TOSLINK doesn't work.
> ...


----------



## carz

In the overall scheme of things, it would have cost them a whole lot less if they went for a better manufacturing & assembly house.


----------



## Shawnb

doctorjazz said:


> Could be worse...I'm waiting for the fully tricked out Wave, Source, and Vi Tube Dac...came to my senses when the amps were being funded, a bit late, but better than nothing.




Tell me about it. I'm waiting for a fully tricked out Wave, Source, LPS4, LPS8, PTP and the Tubed HPA.


----------



## doctorjazz

Oy..., so sorry!


----------



## oneguy

I am getting an Audio-gd Master 9. Will the Pulse have an issue with the amp shorting the output from the Pulse?

"Nowdays a lot high and middle range preamps, headphone amps and integrated amps had applied the input short design .
Without the input short design , if the amp connect to multi-ply sources and all source had playing , different sources will had the signal crossing cause the sound quality degrade .
For example, the input 1 connect to a DAC and the input 2 connect to a CDP, while both had playing, the CDP signal will crossing to the input 1 , mix with the DAC signal cause the sound degrade.
In world there are more than 99% DACs and the sources had allow the outputs short , if your DAC decalre can't short the output , please custom order the amp without input short , but in the case , while you connect multi-ply sources, you are better only let one power on and others power off for avoid the signal crossing ."

http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-9/Master-9EN.htm


----------



## zerograin

I finally got the Pulse XFI sounding much better. Using FTM digital filter makes a huge difference, and also, setting the Headphone Gain to low helped as well. Medium and High sounded way harsh on the Hifiman He-500.


----------



## carz

Good to hear that. Headphone gain=low is the recommended setting. 

You need to further put the DAC through maybe 400 hours of active burn-in with music playing and a connected output


----------



## carz

Pulse infinity would sound even better


----------



## oneguy

I submitted a trouble ticket asking about shorting the output from the Pulse. Hopefully I will get a response soon.


----------



## Benny-x

oneguy said:


> I submitted a trouble ticket asking about shorting the output from the Pulse. Hopefully I will get a response soon.


 
  
 I'm not sure how my Audio-gd Phoenix (predecessor to the Master 5/6, the predecessor to the Master 8, which is the predecessor to the current production Master 9) deals with this, but I have 3 sources hooked up to it now (one being the X Infinity V2), and it's working fine with no cross talk and no burnt DAC. That doesn't help exactly, but should lead to some assurance on either the Audio-gd product or the LH Labs one. 
  
 I'd love to have them side by side, I've always wanted to see what the difference between the Phoenix and Master 9 really was, besides overall power output.


----------



## zerograin

carz said:


> Good to hear that. Headphone gain=low is the recommended setting.
> 
> You need to further put the DAC through maybe 400 hours of active burn-in with music playing and a connected output




I took it a step further and sliced up the stock cable HE500 cable and added a balanced Neutrik connector. It is noticeably louder and cleaner.


----------



## Drsparis

carz said:


> Pulse infinity would sound even better


 
 Wish I could confirm but I am stilll waiting lol


----------



## foreverzer0

carz said:


> Good to hear that. Headphone gain=low is the recommended setting.
> 
> You need to further put the DAC through maybe 400 hours of active burn-in with music playing and a connected output


 
  
 I've once read low gain is recommended as well from Gavin, however there are a few folks here beside myself feel that medium (and sometimes high) gain has better control and soundstage; even if the volume on medium is several notches lower than low. Maybe that's at the point where our headphones can take advantage of the higher gain?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I like High Gain for my HD600. It gives more slam/authority.


----------



## Benny-x

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I like High Gain for my HD600. It gives more slam/authority.




Larry also said high gain was best, if you could handle it


----------



## wingsounds13

I accept that listening to music is a personal experience and we all hear a bit differently and have different sensitivities. What sounds better to me may not sound better to you. That said, I really wanted low gain to sound better, as less digital attenuation does have mathematical advantages and intellectually should sound better. However, to me with my equipment combination (Pulse X∞ through ZMF Master model V1 w/ balanced cable) high gain sounds best. The sound quality _may_ be better with less digital attenuation, but if so it is imperceptible or at least overshadowed by the effects of the amp gain control. To me and in my setup, low gain flattens the soundstage, as does medium gain to a lesser extent. I will happily take the much improved soundstage over aome subtle sound quality improvement. I do not notice any difference in impact, slam or whatever dynamic characteristics. If these are present my perception of the soundstage differences overwhelm them.

Just one experience with one setup.

J.P.


----------



## gabbabe

Hi,
  
 Received my geek pulse infinity.
  
 I have a pair of powered speakers (with the xlr cables) and a pair of Beyerdynamic T1 (XLR balanced) to connect to the Geek Pulse.
 If the connect the powered speakers and the headphones into the DAC concurrently, but have the speakers are powered off,  would the headphone quality output be affected?
  
 Thanks


----------



## wingsounds13

Having the line outs connected should not affect the sound of the headphone output. The line outs have their own buffers and these are always connected and thus isolated from the headphone amp, so having cables connected should have no effect. Interestingly enough, as I understand it the balanced and unbalanced outputs each have their own buffers as opposed to the common technique of just tapping the positive side of the balanced output to make the unbalanced output. This means that connecting to both balanced and unbalanced outputs should not have any deleterious effects either.

*However... * this being the world of audiophilia, SOMEONE will hear a difference! This may actually be possible due to the cables working as an antenna bringing RFI/EMI into the DAC. I am not saying that this happens, has an effect in most situations or is audible to most users, just hypothesising on what may happen or be significant for a few.

J.P.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Ok friends, 
  
 Fiiiiiinaaaaallyyyyy!!!  
  
 It sounds awesome!!  Very happy!!  My HD600s never sounded better!  They definitely benefit from the more powerful amplifier.  Now I am very conflicted... As I really need money and may need to sell it.. but man, so awesome. Don't know what I'm gonna do...Waited so long for it. I will decide that later... for the moment, I'm gonna keep enjoying this thing. So far it's been about 2 hours non stop. I really should go to bed... 
  
 The unit currently has firmware
  
 MAIN = 3.0
 USB = 1.0
 MCU - 1.27


----------



## musicheaven

eliwankenobi said:


> Ok friends,
> 
> Fiiiiiinaaaaallyyyyy!!!
> 
> ...




Congrats! Similar setup and same headphones. Did the same thing could not go to sleep. The DAC and HD600 work extremely well but my best combo so far HE-560 not sure why but it's as if the LH Labs crew use their own pair when tuning it. Now for me I got the last ounces of best resolving sound with the Revive. It's interesting to see that just some little USB signal rebuild circuitry can make such a marked difference. What a shame you'll have to sell it after such a long wait. 

Be careful not to scratch the top smoked plexiglass, it's rather easy to mark. 

Enjoy your gear!


----------



## gabbabe

Thank you Wingsounds13 and MikeyFresh!  Very useful and clear feedback


----------



## eliwankenobi

musicheaven said:


> Congrats! Similar setup and same headphones. Did the same thing could not go to sleep. The DAC and HD600 work extremely well but my best combo so far HE-560 not sure why but it's as if the LH Labs crew use their own pair when tuning it. Now for me I got the last ounces of best resolving sound with the Revive. It's interesting to see that just some little USB signal rebuild circuitry can make such a marked differences. What a shame you'll have to sell it after such a long wait.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yes, I am still very conflicted... Haven't listened anymore since last night and can't wait to get home tonight to listen some more! I feel the need to go through more albums to make a better assessment of the DAC... but man... it's hard to find fault for now. Definitely on honeymoon phase... less than 10 hrs use, let's see if what they say about 100 hrs is true


----------



## musicheaven

eliwankenobi said:


> Yes, I am still very conflicted... Haven't listened anymore since last night and can't wait to get home tonight to listen some more! I feel the need to go through more albums to make a better assessment of the DAC... but man... it's hard to find fault for now. Definitely on honeymoon phase... less than 10 hrs use, let's see if what they say about 100 hrs is true




If you haven't clocked that many hours I'd suggest you sell it now otherwise once you reach it, you won't. 

Do try different music genres when it's burned in, it's quite interesting to see how well it handles them all. One thing you need to do early if you can, try all the connections on your DAC, this way if you have any issues you can get that fixed early on before you sell. But really if you want to call it quit, it's a nice DAC you can make your own TOTL.

I just got home and you can bet what I'll do.

Have fun!


----------



## mscott58

benny-x said:


> DSD 256 made it to the beta firmware, but there hasn't been a firmware update in a while and regular Joes don't have it. There's also no talk about new firmwares coming any time soon.
> 
> Pure DSD, well my friend, many things were talked about a year ago, and many things were talked about 2 years ago. Not so many things, but many dollars later, there are many people still waiting and hoping for some things...


 
 Also the DSD256 beta (which a number of us tested and I currently still use) my sources tell me that it turns out to only be stable on certain variants of the Pulse (specifically the Pulse X Infinity and the Vi) so they've not realized it more widely as they don't want people with different Pulse models loading it and having issues. Still in the works to get it more stable. Cheers


----------



## Lord Raven

Is SFi getting this beta firmware?
  
 Thanks
 LR


----------



## agisthos

zerograin said:


> I've had the XFI for over a month, burning it in without powering off, and was hoping the sound would improve... but it's still underwhelming.
> 
> I can't quantify the sound, but to me it doesn't have any life or meaning. With every audio device before this, I would get lost in the music. Like at home, when I play any song, I'm listening for hours.


 
  


wcdchee said:


> I actually had the infinity, with an LPS, and trust me I had the same findings as you did.


 
  
 I had the Pulse Infinity and LPS and gave it good amount of break in. Same experience here. I found the sound was clean, low noise, black background, good bass, good soundstage e.t.c but it was lifeless and lacked realism. It sounded like hi-fi, not a high end sound.

 There are plenty of people who have the opposite experience. I put it down to these possible reasons...
  
 1. Equipment matching / compatibility - This is always a factor, perhaps only certain equipment really gels with the Pulse
  
 2. Product variants - There are so many design variants of the Pulse, perhaps certain input and outputs combinations used work better than others with certain downstream equipment
  
 3. Bad manufacturing batch - This is certainly a possibility considering what has happened with LHLABS suppliers.
  
 4. Experience - How to put this delicately... perhaps some people have not experienced real high end audiophile sound. Many people here on Head-Fi deal in the low price bracket. This is not to say expensive is always better, i have heard plenty of 20k systems that sound garbage, but once you hear true realism in audio its hard to go back to a hifi type of sound.


----------



## agisthos

I think the Pulse Infinity + LPS struggles even in its $1500 purchase price range. I would hate to think how average the lower end Pulses are. The hype of this DAC competing with those in the 3-5k price bracket was not true.
  
 After the fundraising finished I got a bit worried viewing when Larry Ho's forum comments. It was apparent to me from early on that he was designing from theory, not experience, and that the Pulse and all its design variants were essentially an R&D exercise in finding out what would be the best sound. But at the end we as customers got stuck with these designs.

 Maybe his next go at designing a Sabre based DAC will be better, but i do not appreciate being used as a guinea pig and waiting 2 years for product delivery.


----------



## zerograin

agisthos said:


> I think the Pulse Infinity + LPS struggles even in its $1500 purchase price range. I would hate to think how average the lower end Pulses are. The hype of this DAC competing with those in the 3-5k price bracket was not true.
> 
> After the fundraising finished I got a bit worried viewing when Larry Ho's forum comments. It was apparent to me from early on that he was designing from theory, not experience, and that the Pulse and all its design variants were essentially an R&D exercise in finding out what would be the best sound. But at the end we as customers got stuck with these designs.
> 
> ...




Thanks for your input. At first I thought it was just me and I held my criticism. 
It does sound better with minor adjustments I've made and using balanced cable. I respect others opinion. But I still feel that it's not worth the amount I paid and time waited. If I could do it again, I wouldn't. 
They were good at marketing and they got us good. Never again.


----------



## WCDchee

zerograin said:


> Thanks for your input. At first I thought it was just me and I held my criticism.
> It does sound better with minor adjustments I've made and using balanced cable. I respect others opinion. But I still feel that it's not worth the amount I paid and time waited. If I could do it again, I wouldn't.
> They were good at marketing and they got us good. Never again.




I think with the LPS, the most I would consider paying for this sound is 1k. Then again I'm not too certain either, because the mojo just sounds so much better to my ears for so much less.


----------



## walfredo

I've being moving and my Pulse was off for a long while.  I connected it back today.  
  
 I connected to my work Mac for convenience.  Apparently the Mac upsamples to the highest frequency the DAC can take.  In the case of the Geek, this is 384K.  Well, much to surprise, the Geek sounds way nicer this way.   I've went back to my PC and, yes, upsampling is clearly better and sending the original sample rate to the Pulse.  The music is smoother, no digital fatigue at all.  Organic and natural.
  
 If you have not tried upsampling, give it a try...


----------



## Narayan23

agisthos said:


> I think the Pulse Infinity + LPS struggles even in its $1500 purchase price range. I would hate to think how average the lower end Pulses are. The hype of this DAC competing with those in the 3-5k price bracket was not true.
> 
> After the fundraising finished I got a bit worried viewing when Larry Ho's forum comments. It was apparent to me from early on that he was designing from theory, not experience, and that the Pulse and all its design variants were essentially an R&D exercise in finding out what would be the best sound. But at the end we as customers got stuck with these designs.
> 
> Maybe his next go at designing a Sabre based DAC will be better, but i do not appreciate being used as a guinea pig and waiting 2 years for product delivery.


 
 I understand the frustration with delays and the exasperation over waiting as I too have been there, but to say Larry Ho was designing from theory is rather far fetched, Larry had already designed the Da Vinci DAC well before the Pulse campaign start  http://www.whathifi.com/news/light-harmonic-da-vinci-dac-costs-ps18000  and of course there was R&D, how else can you find what the best sound is? Larry was constantly evaluating clocks, opamps etc. and chose the components he deemed better. We as customers got stuck with the designs we chose, nobody forced me to buy an XFI over a Vanilla Pulse, plus the case work and design was voted for by the backers...I don´t wish to start an argument since LHLabs is not free from fault but I think your criticism regarding Larry is unfair.


----------



## agisthos

I knew Larry designed the Davinci, that what made the Pulse project exciting. But that does not mean he designed all of it, or that he knew what he was doing with a Sabre based design.
  
 I followed every forum post be made at LHLABS. He did sound tests with op-amps. But when it came to the analog output stage designs, he even admitted he did not know which would sound best, and that this was a big learning exercise. This part was a paper design. How much of the rest was also a paper design?

 The fact the Pulse is not a very good sounding DAC, in the end confirms everything for me.


----------



## Maelob

SQ is relative- sounds wonderful to me driving Balanced alpha primes.


----------



## germay0653

agisthos said:


> I knew Larry designed the Davinci, that what made the Pulse project exciting. But that does not mean he designed all of it, or that he knew what he was doing with a Sabre based design.
> 
> I followed every forum post be made at LHLABS. He did sound tests with op-amps. But when it came to the analog output stage designs, he even admitted he did not know which would sound best, and that this was a big learning exercise. This part was a paper design. How much of the rest was also a paper design?
> 
> The fact the Pulse is not a very good sounding DAC, in the end confirms everything for me.


 

 Just can't agree with your assessment that the Pulse is not a very good sounding DAC.  I also own the original Burson Conductor  for which I have both the Sabre and the PCM versions of the internal DAC boards and it's a fine sounding DAC with either board but I feel the Pulse X Infinity is a much better DAC than the Burson.
  
 It's your and a few others, not many mind you, opinion, not fact, that feel it's lifeless and there are many more that don't feel that way.  Let's agree to disagree.  If it doesn't work you, so be it, purchase something else that suits your needs and move on.


----------



## agisthos

I should also mention - all my comments RE Pulse sound are the Line stage, not the headphones. Perhaps the phones output is a lot better.


----------



## germay0653

agisthos said:


> I should also mention - all my comments RE Pulse sound are the Line stage, not the headphones. Perhaps the phones output is a lot better.


 
  
 agisthos, you're more than welcome to your opinion and if you feel the Pulse doesn't cut it then that's fine.  I've used the headamp and line outs, both balanced and single ended, and it sounds great to me.  Maybe it's just synergy with my equipment and not so with yours.  What I'm really trying to convey is just don't unequivocally state it as fact that it sounds lifeless.


----------



## agisthos

germay0653 said:


> agisthos, you're more than welcome to your opinion and if you feel the Pulse doesn't cut it then that's fine.  I've used the headamp and line outs, both balanced and single ended, and it sounds great to me.  Maybe it's just synergy with my equipment and not so with yours.  What I'm really trying to convey is just don't unequivocally state it as fact that it sounds lifeless.


 
  
 I stated this clearly in post 11224, which is on this same page, and gave multiple reason why my opinion may be wrong. Your comments act as if this does not exist.


----------



## germay0653

agisthos said:


> I stated this clearly in post 11224, which is on this same page, and gave multiple reason why my opinion may be wrong. Your comments act as if this does not exist.


 

 That is not what I was referring to and, yes, I did read it .  In post 11230 you state "The fact the Pulse is not a very good sounding DAC, in the end confirms everything for me."  That's really what my last comment was directed towards.


----------



## Benny-x

germay0653 said:


> That is not what I was referring to and, yes, I did read it .  In post 11230 you state "The fact the Pulse is not a very good sounding DAC, in the end confirms everything for me."  That's really what my last comment was directed towards.


 
  
 Haha, yeah I also read it as "paper tiger, paper tiger, paper tiger, FACT, it's not good"  
  
 Maybe, according to his last reply that's not the angle he was going for, and indeed he was trying to say that "IMO, I don't like it, don't think it's worth anything I had to put into it, and not worth owning now". Maybe.
  
 As for me, I'm happy with my Infinity V2 + LPS4 V2. I'm rolling them in the system now to see what I think synergy wise and what I think vs. my PWD MkII. What I'd really like to get would be an Yggdrasil and see how they all fare in relation to one another. There's no "best at everything" DAC, so I'd be interesting to listen to.


----------



## gikigill

Try balanced for best results. No point running single ended as the gap between SE and XLR is immense. 

The SE sounds flat and lifeless while the Balanced is the life of the party. More punchy and musical to put it simply.


----------



## Lord Raven

Guys, is SFi getting the new firmware for DSD256?


----------



## Benny-x

lord raven said:


> Guys, is SFi getting the new firmware for DSD256?




Nobody knows. Even the Infinity V2 didn't "get" in en masse, it's still in limited beta. I don't have it. 

This is LH Labs deal and I don't know any comms on it


----------



## mscott58

benny-x said:


> Nobody knows. Even the Infinity V2 didn't "get" in en masse, it's still in limited beta. I don't have it.
> 
> This is LH Labs deal and I don't know any comms on it


 
 Word I got is that the DSD256 firmware is stable on the Pulse Infinity, but not on some of the other Pulse variants, and that they don't want to release it widely until they get the bugs out so that it is more broadly stable. Seems like they don't want people going ahead and flashing the firmware upgrade even if they clearly mark it "for Infinity ONLY" or such. Cheers


----------



## zerograin

germay0653 said:


> Just can't agree with your assessment that the Pulse is not a very good sounding DAC.  I also own the original Burson Conductor  for which I have both the Sabre and the PCM versions of the internal DAC boards and it's a fine sounding DAC with either board but I feel the Pulse X Infinity is a much better DAC than the Burson.
> 
> It's your and a few others, not many mind you, opinion, not fact, that feel it's lifeless and there are many more that don't feel that way.  Let's agree to disagree.  If it doesn't work you, so be it, purchase something else that suits your needs and move on.


 
 If only money grows on trees.
 I bought the Yggrasil while waiting for the XFI.
 Now that I have the XFI, I feel it doesn't meet my expectation for the price.
 But you're correct, if you don't like it get, something else. The XFI is up for sale on Amazon. I'll put it on Craigslist as well.
 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017VY2V18


----------



## NigelJ

@zerograin. Not good to see that you are trying to con potential backers with your Amazon sales description - the Pulse Xfi is *NOT* the same as a Pulse Infinity. It was a cheaper lower performance version.

Update: Comment withdrawn as zerograin has modified the description. Apologies for any offence.


----------



## zerograin

nigelj said:


> @zerograin. Not good to see that you are trying to con potential backers with your Amazon sales description - the Pulse Xfi is *NOT* the same as a Pulse Infinity. It was a cheaper lower performance version.


 
 I changed the description. But, I highly doubt it will sell on Amazon.


----------



## Lord Raven

benny-x said:


> Nobody knows. Even the Infinity V2 didn't "get" in en masse, it's still in limited beta. I don't have it.
> 
> This is LH Labs deal and I don't know any comms on it


 
 Thanks, I will never risk upgrading my SFi, I don't want to brick it and throw it out of the window.. :/


----------



## Benny-x

mscott58 said:


> Word I got is that the DSD256 firmware is stable on the Pulse Infinity, but not on some of the other Pulse variants, and that they don't want to release it widely until they get the bugs out so that it is more broadly stable. Seems like they don't want people going ahead and flashing the firmware upgrade even if they clearly mark it "for Infinity ONLY" or such. Cheers


 
 Cool, thanks for the clarification.
  
 So what happened with that PureDSD thing? I didn't catch the development of that and if that's what the Pulse X Infinity is actually doing with its DSD256 or if it's just normal, bog standard DSD256 in there?


----------



## foreverzer0

I've noticed with the gain settings, it's pretty proportional to the amount of bass IMO. Low gain sounds a bit anemic and not quite that musical or warm. Even IEMs I'm starting to use medium gain to give me a warmer sound. With my DT1770's, medium has the best balance of impact and tightness while high has uncontrolled sub-bass. With my HE-400S, only high gain has enough balance of warmth to not be a treble happy can.


----------



## dclaz

Apparently my Pulse X Infinity is shipping in June. 
  
 Has anyone had any luck in requesting a refund? I really don't need the thing at this point.


----------



## Roll

dclaz said:


> Apparently my Pulse X Infinity is shipping in June.
> 
> Has anyone had any luck in requesting a refund? I really don't need the thing at this point.


 
  
 I was hoping that it was this month. Oct. 29 2013 was my first payment. I should have 'stay' with the smaller box.


----------



## Panelhead

dclaz said:


> Apparently my Pulse X Infinity is shipping in June.
> 
> Has anyone had any luck in requesting a refund? I really don't need the thing at this point.




 They do not accept returns. Give it a listen for a while. It is a very nice Dac.


----------



## m17xr2b

dclaz said:


> Apparently my Pulse X Infinity is shipping in June.
> 
> Has anyone had any luck in requesting a refund? I really don't need the thing at this point.


 
 Mine should be shipping this month... I doubt the pulse would have the same success if the campaign was done in 2016.


----------



## Panelhead

Think everyone would have stayed way. The LONG wait, upgrade path, and motherboard issues are known now.
 The board problems are the most concern. A Dac/preamp/headphone amp should be stone reliable. No moving parts. Same with the power supplies. These should be 20 year life expectancy. 
 I never expected that company viability was an issue because dacs never fail. With a Mac there are no driver issues to obsolete connectivity.
 My current Dac was designed in 2009. Works fine with all releases of OS. 64 bit was a new driver many years ago. 
 It may be that with 384k and DSD 512 functionality there will be more issues. 20.00 dacs can run 96/24.


----------



## dclaz

panelhead said:


> They do not accept returns. Give it a listen for a while. It is a very nice Dac.


 
 The thing is I just don't need it now. I bought one while waiting ages ago :/


----------



## carz

See review below:-
  
 http://lhlabs.com/forum/topic/so-did-anyone-get-a-pulse-s-infinity/
  
 BUNN077 wrote:-
 I bought one secondhand with LPS1 from another guy here in Australia. He only had it for 2 weeks.
*The SQ and soundstage is brilliant*. I work in a HIFI store and have compared it to Primare, Cambridge Audio, Audio Research, Plinius, Rega etc and the *only one that was a decent jump ahead was the AR CD9 USB input which is $21K here.*


----------



## carz

agisthos said:


> I had the Pulse Infinity and LPS and gave it good amount of break in. Same experience here. I found the sound was clean, low noise, black background, good bass, good soundstage e.t.c but it was lifeless and lacked realism. It sounded like hi-fi, not a high end sound.
> 
> There are plenty of people who have the opposite experience. I put it down to these possible reasons...
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hi *agisthos,*
  
 Thanks for sharing your input.
  
 If you read Michael Lavorgna review below (Jul 23, 2015), i'm sure he has ample experience with real high end audio.    Not sure if what you are experiencing is due to the other factors.
  
 http://www.audiostream.com/content/lh-labs-geek-pulse-xfi-linear-power-supply-4-lps4#dg65d4VxSwbUMqW7.97
  
  
 I do agree with you that true realism in audio is the holy grail.   Would you mind sharing with us the DACs and other components , especially speakers and headphones that you think is really up there in terms of true realism?     Really interested to know.


----------



## agisthos

carz said:


> I do agree with you that true realism in audio is the holy grail.   Would you mind sharing with us the DACs and other components , especially speakers and headphones that you think is really up there in terms of true realism?     Really interested to know.


 
  
 As stated previously, I am not a headphones guy so that makes me an outlier here. I auditioned the Pulse in my stereo setup.
  
 Speakers are Reference 3A MM DeCapo Monitors (latest version), power amplifier is Luminance Audio KST 150.

 Both these components are high bandwidth, tending towards ultra neutrality in sound, which allow you to hear everything upstream, easily hear cable differences, amp differences e.t.c
  
 Recent DAC's tried are Calyx DAC with battery supply, about 3 different Audio-GD DAC's, Cyenne 3100, and the TeddyDAC-VC. The single box Teddy blew the Pulse away direct connected to my amp. But this could very well be an equipment mismatch.
  
 The TeddyDAC is not a product you will see talked about here, because it has no headphone output. It has a true analog type realism to the sound. This is possibly due to its use of 11 Teddy super regulators to power the various bits on the PCB. In turn, these low noise regulators allow the use of a JFET zero feedback unity gain buffer stage. This discrete output stage has a vacuum tube characteristic and linearity.

 I am giving you the sales pitch there, but that's exactly what I hear with the TeddyDAC.


----------



## ColtMrFire

I currently have the LH labs 1G USB cable, and it made a major improvement over my stock cable.  My question is how much better is the 2G?  Is it worth the money to upgrade?


----------



## runningwitit

carz said:


> See review below:-
> 
> http://lhlabs.com/forum/topic/so-did-anyone-get-a-pulse-s-infinity/
> 
> ...


WOW!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Because most compared it in conjuction by using its internal headphone amp (w/c is a plus/addition, but the weak link). Not that many uses it as intended to be... a dammed excellent DAC.


----------



## Audio Addict

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Because most compared it in conjuction by using its internal headphone amp (w/c is a plus/addition, but the weak link). Not that many uses it as intended to be... a dammed excellent DAC.




I use it 3 ways. I use both the single ended and balanced outs as well as its own headphone amp.


----------



## germay0653

audio addict said:


> I use it 3 ways. I use both the single ended and balanced outs as well as its own headphone amp.


 

 Same here.  The headamp isn't that bad.  Is it top tier? Certainly not but it's not LowFi either.


----------



## runningwitit

audio addict said:


> I use it 3 ways. I use both the single ended and balanced outs as well as its own headphone amp.


How does the balanced output sound and what kind of headphones do you mainly use?


----------



## Audio Addict

runningwitit said:


> How does the balanced output sound and what kind of headphones do you mainly use?


 
  
 It sounds very good.  I run it out into a Liquid Carbon.  The key is getting the output right on the Pulse Infinity.  The output is variable so the volume controls.  For the Liquid Carbon you need to be basically at 0.0 which is the fixed output.  That doesn't work well if you are trying to use a single ended amplifier, like the Lycan with the SSA v5D.  Then it is way too much.
  
 I have used a variety of headphones balanced out through the Liquid Carbon such as my HE6, Grado HP2 or HE560. 
  
 I will say that on straight CDs,  the Pulse is not on the same level as my Meridian CD player but the Meridian doesn't play anything above redbook.


----------



## nudd

audio addict said:


> It sounds very good.  I run it out into a Liquid Carbon.  The key is getting the output right on the Pulse Infinity.  The output is variable so the volume controls.  For the Liquid Carbon you need to be basically at 0.0 which is the fixed output.  That doesn't work well if you are trying to use a single ended amplifier, like the Lycan with the SSA v5D.  Then it is way too much.
> 
> I have used a variety of headphones balanced out through the Liquid Carbon such as my HE6, Grado HP2 or HE560.
> 
> I will say that on straight CDs,  the Pulse is not on the same level as my Meridian CD player but the Meridian doesn't play anything above redbook.



 


That's a bit weird, coz on the LC, the output on at low gain is essentially unity gain with the balanced output. The balanced outputs have actually about double the voltage output than the single ended output. 

Unless the SSA has some massive fixed gain.


----------



## germay0653

audio addict said:


> It sounds very good.  I run it out into a Liquid Carbon.  The key is getting the output right on the Pulse Infinity.  The output is variable so the volume controls.  For the Liquid Carbon you need to be basically at 0.0 which is the fixed output.  That doesn't work well if you are trying to use a single ended amplifier, like the Lycan with the SSA v5D.  Then it is way too much.
> 
> I have used a variety of headphones balanced out through the Liquid Carbon such as my HE6, Grado HP2 or HE560.
> 
> I will say that on straight CDs,  the Pulse is not on the same level as my Meridian CD player but the Meridian doesn't play anything above redbook.


 

 Looking forward to getting my second run LC for use with the Pulse X Infinity and eventual Vi Tube DAC SE.


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> Looking forward to getting my second run LC for use with the Pulse X Infinity and eventual Vi Tube DAC SE.


 
 Yep, the Pulse X Infinity is great with the LC. 
  
 And I'm a little spoiled right now as I just got a Liquid Gold to play with for a while!


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Yep, the Pulse X Infinity is great with the LC.
> 
> And I'm a little spoiled right now as I just got a Liquid Gold to play with for a while!


 
 Lucky you!  I wish i had the cash flow to get a Liquid Gold but I don't so the LC will have to do and I'm sure it will do just fine.


----------



## nigel801

has anyone experience of runing hifiman HE1000 on Pulse Xfi? I am interested in buying HEK as upgrade to HE500 but not sure demanding headphone like HE1000 are good match for Pulse Xfi. Thanks in advance for any help advice.
  
*HE1000 Specifications are:*
 Impedence 35ohm +- 3Ohms
 Sensitivity 90db
 Frequency Response 8hz - 64Khz


----------



## oneguy

nigel801 said:


> has anyone experience of runing hifiman HE1000 on Pulse Xfi? I am interested in buying HEK as upgrade to HE500 but not sure demanding headphone like HE1000 are good match for Pulse Xfi. Thanks in advance for any help advice.
> 
> *HE1000 Specifications are:*
> Impedence 35ohm +- 3Ohms
> ...




Not exactly what you are looking for But I run the HE1000 on an Infinity and love it.


----------



## nigel801

oneguy said:


> Not exactly what you are looking for But I run the HE1000 on an Infinity and love it.


 
 Thanks OneGuy, I am not familiar with Inifinity but I guess it has same power output as Pulse Xfi only the ESS dac is newer so guess Pulse Xfi should be able to drive HE1000, just one more clarification, are you runing via SE or Balanced XLR connector. At what volume you listen do you need to switch to high gain or not. 
  
 Thanks.


----------



## oneguy

nigel801 said:


> Thanks OneGuy, I am not familiar with Inifinity but I guess it has same power output as Pulse Xfi only the ESS dac is newer so guess Pulse Xfi should be able to drive HE1000, just one more clarification, are you runing via SE or Balanced XLR connector. At what volume you listen do you need to switch to high gain or not.
> 
> Thanks.




Nigel,

I run it with an XLR connector. Typical volume levels are in the mid to high 30 range on high gain. I have one song that requires low/mid 20's.


----------



## nigel801

oneguy said:


> Nigel,
> 
> I run it with an XLR connector. Typical volume levels are in the mid to high 30 range on high gain. I have one song that requires low/mid 20's.


 
 Thanks for your feedback and help


----------



## oneguy

No problem


----------



## Suopermanni

Anyone tried the Ipower with the Pulse? I have with a recently aquirred Infinity X. It looks like it has a love-hate relationship with it.


----------



## spyder1

*


----------



## FayeForever

Anybody have problems with their infinity under Windows 10? After changing the input source or power cycle, the computer sees the infinity but simply cannot play any sound. I'll have to power cycle multiple times or change the USB port until it works. I guess this is "drop out"?
 It was fine few months ago so I wasn't sure if it has something to do with infinity or some stupid Windows 10 update.
  
 Thanks.


----------



## bhazard

fayeforever said:


> Anybody have problems with their infinity under Windows 10? After changing the input source or power cycle, the computer sees the infinity but simply cannot play any sound. I'll have to power cycle multiple times or change the USB port until it works. I guess this is "drop out"?
> It was fine few months ago so I wasn't sure if it has something to do with infinity or some stupid Windows 10 update.
> 
> Thanks.


 
 I use foobar2000 with wasapi. The ASIO driver gives me trouble at times. Wasapi works great.


----------



## FayeForever

bhazard said:


> I use foobar2000 with wasapi. The ASIO driver gives me trouble at times. Wasapi works great.


 
 Thanks, I was indeed using ASIO, however youtube wont playback either(the video just freeze at the beginning). I'll try the infinity with my mac tomorrow.
  
 EDIT: Just tried with my mac, it can also be recognized but it won't play back any sound,
 I've even reverted the BIOS of my PC still the same.
 TBH Pulse is probably the most unreliable audio product I've ever used.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Tried my Infinity with W10 in Kernel Streaming months ago. Forgot if I tried also in ASIO, but anyway it worked. Don't liked the sound though, too "liquid". Its like having a high-res picture with too much noise reduction.   
  
 Never touched F2K for a long time, too complicated for my m45tur84t3d mind.
  
 As regards to HW problems on GP,  they did have many many problems on a batch.
  
 Glad mine is trouble free. Having bliss time thru my 4K Android Box (http://www.futeko.com/products/MP068.php). Using Neutron MP or HibyMusic, it has better SQ when using my PC.


----------



## Lord Raven

Guys, how many of you are using LPS? I got some spare funds, and might throw at it, having second thoughts..


----------



## mscott58

lord raven said:


> Guys, how many of you are using LPS? I got some spare funds, and might throw at it, having second thoughts..


 
 LPS does really help. I've had an LPS4 for a long time, even before I got my Infinity to be honest, so I've always kind of taken it for granted. However, a month ago or so my LPS4 had some issues so I had to send it back to LHL for repairs. While I was gone I then got used to the Infinity without it, and it wasn't as good, but again I got used to it. Just got the LPS4 back yesterday and put it back in the system and the Infinity is noticeably better - smoother, blacker background, etc. Definitely bumps it up a level or two. If you look through the "for sale" threads you can probably get a used LPS. Cheers


----------



## Suopermanni

Hello Head-Fi,
  
 I got a rather good deal of a Geek Pulse Infinity X off atsq and was just wondering what the output power of the single and balanced headphone outs are. I forgot what they are, sorry! And I don't actually know how to convert measurements in volts into Watts. I learnt it but I keep forgetting it. LOL.
  
 I tried using the balanced out of the DAC to a Oppo HA-1 and learnt I couldn't get as much volume out of the Oppo as I could using the headphone outs of the Infinity X.


----------



## germay0653

suopermanni said:


> Hello Head-Fi,
> 
> I got a rather good deal of a Geek Pulse Infinity X off atsq and was just wondering what the output power of the single and balanced headphone outs are. I forgot what they are, sorry! And I don't actually know how to convert measurements in volts into Watts. I learnt it but I keep forgetting it. LOL.
> 
> I tried using the balanced out of the DAC to a Oppo HA-1 and learnt I couldn't get as much volume out of the Oppo as I could using the headphone outs of the Infinity X.


 

 If you are using the line outs (Balanced or SE on back of Infinity) you need to set the volume to 0 db (max) using the Light Harmonic Control Panel if you are using Windows.  Then you can control volume on the HA-1 to get comparable volume as if you were using the headphone outs on the Infinity.


----------



## Maelob

Just want to clarify, so you were just using the Infinitys XLR analog outputs to an OPPO HA-1 analog inputs to listen to headphones?  I would try to just listening to the Infinity headphone out just by itself and then compare it to the OPPO.


----------



## Suopermanni

maelob said:


> Just want to clarify, so you were just using the Infinitys XLR analog outputs to an OPPO HA-1 analog inputs to listen to headphones?  I would try to just listening to the Infinity headphone out just by itself and then compare it to the OPPO.


 
  
 Yes, I could do that. I just wanted to see what the HA-1 was capable of as a Headphone amplifier only, not as a DAC/Amp.


----------



## greenkiwi

lord raven said:


> Guys, how many of you are using LPS? I got some spare funds, and might throw at it, having second thoughts..


 
 I would also look pretty seriously at this:
 http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-dcipurifier/
  
 For $99, you likely get most, if not all, the benefit of the LPS.


----------



## taz23

How about this: http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower/
 It is $49.


----------



## greenkiwi

It also looks like it has active cancellation and is a power supply and costs less.

It would be interesting to know how they compare


----------



## Chrome Robot

my Xfi seems to have lost volume control after restarting after I returned from a three week trip.
  
 i use balanced out, nothing in the wiring has changed. I verified that the volume is under knob control. the display on the volume changes, just not the volume for balanced speaker out or headphones. 
  
 No reply from LHL after over 50 hours from contact.
  
 any ideas how i can fix this? Power cycled and rebooted in various sequences with no luck.


----------



## mscott58

chrome robot said:


> my Xfi seems to have lost volume control after restarting after I returned from a three week trip.
> 
> i use balanced out, nothing in the wiring has changed. I verified that the volume is under knob control. the display on the volume changes, just not the volume for balanced speaker out or headphones.
> 
> ...




Try reloading the firmware. Might help. Cheers


----------



## Chrome Robot

Thanks, mscott58, but I have old chassis and Mac based system, so this requires sending back to LHLabs.
 Fortunately U have a two year warranty and live not too distantly from their site.
  
 Methinks this is the time to buy a new and reliably built DAC, and retire the Xfi once I get it repaired.


----------



## Panelhead

Mine did that once. Cycling the power and rebooting fixed it. Never did it again. It is firmware related I think.


----------



## Chrome Robot

panelhead said:


> Mine did that once. Cycling the power and rebooting fixed it. Never did it again. It is firmware related I think.


 
  
 Tried it several times in many differing power up / power down sequences. No luck.
  
 Still no reply from the LHL people.


----------



## FayeForever

Mine have the opposite problem when I adjust the volume, the sound will go off. 
 I flashed the firmware a Rep provided me today after several days waiting and the problem persists. 
  
 EDIT:
 After this post, I power-cycle a few times and see what happened. Voila now I have the exact same problem, instead of going into mute the volume stayed the same! How lovely.
 I'll flash the firmware again and see what will happen next time.
  
 After flashing the MCU a few times it seems to be working now. I will probably just put a 1G microSD there permanently so it can load up firmware every time it bootup instead of giving me headache every a few months.


----------



## Chrome Robot

^ Not an ideal operational situation, but easier than sending back.


----------



## Lord Raven

OMG guys, what a product, I'm sold. 2uV noise floor? Seriously? 

Can you guys comment on it? Thanks Tax 23, are you using it? For 49$, it's worth a shot.
Combine it with DC purifier and you get best results ever. 



taz23 said:


> How about this: http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower/
> It is $49.


----------



## musicheaven

lord raven said:


> OMG guys, what a product, I'm sold. 2uV noise floor? Seriously?
> 
> Can you guys comment on it? Thanks Tax 23, are you using it? For 49$, it's worth a shot.
> Combine it with DC purifier and you get best results ever.


 
  
 I would be very wary about peak to peak noise floor claim values. As most people are aware, those transformers (since that is what these are) and the DC purifier which is really composed of active and passive components inherently produce noise that is more or less a coefficient of temperature than input/output levels and I am not talking about any amplification yet (Johnston, white noise). Suffice to say that unless you have the required equipment to measure those values, you can claim anything you want. I'd be very surprised for 49$ you can get the same effect than a carefully designed linear power supply. In any events, the onus will be on you the buyer and no one else. So like they say "an informed consumer is a smart one".


----------



## Lord Raven

I heard, even NASA couldn't make a regulator that could do 5uV low noise floor, how the **** did they do 2uV with 49$ adapter? This is some crazy ****! LOL   



musicheaven said:


> I would be very wary about peak to peak noise floor claim values. As most people are aware, those transformers (since that is what these are) and the DC purifier which is really composed of active and passive components inherently produce noise that is more or less a coefficient of temperature than input/output levels and I am not talking about any amplification yet (Johnston, white noise). Suffice to say that unless you have the required equipment to measure those values, you can claim anything you want. I'd be very surprised for 49$ you can get the same effect than a carefully designed linear power supply. In any events, the onus will be on you the buyer and no one else. So like they say "an informed consumer is a smart one".


----------



## musicheaven

lord raven said:


> I heard, even NASA couldn't make a regulator that could do 5uV low noise floor, how the **** did they do 2uV with 49$ adapter? This is some crazy ****! LOL




If you read their page, according to them, it's the military radar technology that they got the idea plus automagically using dynamic noise suppressing components, they sure have those things working in reverse of what I thought things were going to but again kudos to them if they can reduce this variable to vanishing lows.


----------



## taz23

Hi Lord Raven, no, I don't have the iFi one. I have Jay's Audio LPS, and I am happy with it. 

I am no engineer, but it seems that the performance of power supply under load may be different when there is no load. So it depends on what the manufacturer is reporting.


----------



## runningwitit

Totally off subject here, but can anyone tell me if the Pulse driver is compatible with Microsoft Windows server 2012 r2 Essentials? I’ve opened a ticket and haven’t received a response and I REALLY NEED TO KNOW! Thank you in advance for anyone who answers!!!


----------



## trung224

The answer is yes. I have a Pulse and it is compatible with both Gui and Core Mode in Windows Server 2012 R2.


----------



## runningwitit

Dude, thank you very, very, very much!


----------



## RickDastardly

2013 UK backer still waiting on Pulse Infinity 2.0 here....anyone else in the same boat? I'm moving in August, so starting to worry about needing to get my delivery address changed.


----------



## m17xr2b

rickdastardly said:


> 2013 UK backer still waiting on Pulse Infinity 2.0 here....anyone else in the same boat? I'm moving in August, so starting to worry about needing to get my delivery address changed.


 
 Same here, I've moved three times since then. You need to open a support ticket with them and let them know about the new address. Ask them about the delivery estimate to see if you get the standard next month answer.


----------



## kostaszag

Is anyone here using a Raspberry Pi as a streamer? I am having some issues lately. First, I used the Archphile Distro. It worked nice, except for the "thud", the one you hear when you power up the Geek Pulse. With the Archphile on the Raspberry I heard the thud every time I touched a button on the Geek, when I changed volume, when I changed sources, even when it (automatically) changed sampling rates. I changed to the MoOde distro 2.6 TR3 and the problems ceased. Or so I thought. A few days ago I "upgraded" to Moode 2.6 TR5 and there it was again, the good old thud. 
  
 Anyone facing the same problems?


----------



## NigelJ

rickdastardly said:


> 2013 UK backer still waiting on Pulse Infinity 2.0 here....anyone else in the same boat? I'm moving in August, so starting to worry about needing to get my delivery address changed.




Another UK backer waiting on the Infinity, originally backed the Pulse on 14 December 2013 and have had the LPS4 for about a year!


----------



## greenkiwi

It is worth picking pinging then... There is a reasonable chance they aren't it to the wrong address... Without any shipping notification.

And if not. A reasonable chance they will say "oh, it just happens that we are syncing your unit or right now"


----------



## Benny-x

nigelj said:


> Another UK backer waiting on the Infinity, originally backed the Pulse on 14 December 2013 and have had the LPS4 for about a year!


 
  
 I hope you've tested out your LPS4. I was the same as you, got my LPS4 WAY AHEAD of the Infinity, but my LPS4 had some buzzing and hum issues. Luckily my friend had an amp I could test out the LPS4 on not long after I got it, so I got to find out about the problem and get the support train moving while I waited on my Infinity. Could save you some tears when your 3 year old component finally arrives.


----------



## pauldgroot

Did anybody ever measure the idle power consumption of the Pulse with or without an LPS? Because of the temperature I'm hesitant to keep it turned on all the time.
  
 (btw: My XFI came in this week, ordered in November 2014. Loving the sound with my Jays Audio LPS-25VA and HE-560 balanced so far.)


----------



## Lord Raven

pauldgroot said:


> Did anybody ever measure the idle power consumption of the Pulse with or without an LPS? Because of the temperature I'm hesitant to keep it turned on all the time.
> 
> (btw: My XFI came in this week, ordered in November 2014. Loving the sound with my Jays Audio LPS-25VA and HE-560 balanced so far.)


 
 How is Jay's Audio LPS?  I wanted it but on one is selling it, used preferred.


----------



## pauldgroot

The LPS is working fine, starts off at 12.03V and falls to 12.0V after around 15 min of warm up on the Pulse and LPS. Don't really know what more to say. It looks and feels very nice!


----------



## runningwitit

It's beautiful combination, the Pulse and HE 560, they sound so good together!I


----------



## Lord Raven

pauldgroot said:


> The LPS is working fine, starts off at 12.03V and falls to 12.0V after around 15 min of warm up on the Pulse and LPS. Don't really know what more to say. It looks and feels very nice!


 
 Ah, I don't want to say it but Alvin did not help me with his LPS. This is why I am looking for a used model and not asking him to build me one. 
  
 There are several LPS available on eBay, do you mind to suggest one just as good as this one?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

IF you are in europe try this: http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/hi-fi-power-supply/linear-power-supply-double-2x-12v-2a-p-10252.html

Practically the same as Jays Audio.


----------



## greenkiwi

I think that the iFi iPower  might be another alternative...  And for $50, it's reasonably easy to try.


----------



## wingsounds13

I have read elsewhere of the iPower failing after a few weeks powering the Pulse, as it is running very close to its rated limit which it does not seem to like.

I am using a Jay's Audio LPS and like it a lot. I have not compared it to any other power supply, not even the stock switcher that comes with the Pulse so I cannot report any comparisons.

J.P.


----------



## BaTou069

Audio issue here:
  
 Is anyone experiencing short dropouts of sound while playing music?
 It's like if someone presses very very fast pause and play, as in a fraction of a second. It's very annoying. I'm mostly in safe mode so it happens less, and in low latency mode it happens a lot (both with the geek out and Pulse Sfi)
 What I really want to do, Is to get to the source of the problem and being able to play in very low latency mode, of course 
  
 Any ideas?
  
 Thanks


----------



## m17xr2b

Do you have Windows 10? 
 I've had dropouts as well with my geek out v2 especially with Tidal on Win10. Turns out it was because of my antivirus, once that was stopped everything was normal.


----------



## BaTou069

m17xr2b said:


> Do you have Windows 10?
> I've had dropouts as well with my geek out v2 especially with Tidal on Win10. Turns out it was because of my antivirus, once that was stopped everything was normal.


 
  
 I use Windows 7 Enterprise (Work Laptop) but I have the same issue with my Win10 Home Desktop. Thought it might be an issue with settings, or USB performance or something like this. 
 Both PCs are very strong performer, especially the home desktop...


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> IF you are in europe try this: http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/hi-fi-power-supply/linear-power-supply-double-2x-12v-2a-p-10252.html
> 
> Practically the same as Jays Audio.


 

 Michael, do you know if this unit has an internal switch to change between 220V and 115V?


----------



## Lord Raven

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> IF you are in europe try this: http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/hi-fi-power-supply/linear-power-supply-double-2x-12v-2a-p-10252.html
> 
> Practically the same as Jays Audio.




Thanks mickey,looks exactly the same. Unfortunately I'm not in Europe. EBay is my only option.


----------



## DiscoSmoke

pauldgroot said:


> Did anybody ever measure the idle power consumption of the Pulse with or without an LPS? Because of the temperature I'm hesitant to keep it turned on all the time.
> 
> (btw: My XFI came in this week, ordered in November 2014. Loving the sound with my Jays Audio LPS-25VA and HE-560 balanced so far.)


 
 Your November 2014 order was filled? I'm waiting on a Pulse X Infinity from December 22, 2013.


----------



## m17xr2b

discosmoke said:


> Your November 2014 order was filled? I'm waiting on a Pulse X Infinity from December 22, 2013.


 
 I had the same surprise and because of this I am done with LH labs. I ordered the Yggy yesterday and now I am listening to it.
 I will make sure to post all the negative reviews I can on all the websites I find that sells LH labes gear. I will suggest the same to all my friends who are waiting for their gear as most of them have gone in a different direction and purchased something else.
 At this point I am happy to have something else. My Geek Out 1000 and V2 have had problems and I don't think the Infinity would do any better if it would have arrived. Too bad I spent money of an LPS which I no longer need.


----------



## Lord Raven

m17xr2b said:


> I had the same surprise and because of this I am done with LH labs. I ordered the Yggy yesterday and now I am listening to it.
> I will make sure to post all the negative reviews I can on all the websites I find that sells LH labes gear. I will suggest the same to all my friends who are waiting for their gear as most of them have gone in a different direction and purchased something else.
> At this point I am happy to have something else. My Geek Out 1000 and V2 have had problems and I don't think the Infinity would do any better if it would have arrived. Too bad I spent money of an LPS which I no longer need.




I need your LPS


----------



## Angular Mo

I am one of the very few who purchased an Sfi because I wanted the femto clocks, and have not made the leap to balanced audio. At age 55 with newly acquired tinnitus in my right ear, I likely won't be. Keep the volume down in headphones, especially notoriously sibilant one like the DT 990.

Even still, the Pulse Sfi is way underpowered, and I don't use hard to drive headphones, mostly the DT 770 80s.

I waited years for the Blue, but in the interim purchased two Auris Bluetooth receivers and have been happy with them.

The huge Blue sits on a shelf.

A glutton for punishment, I even ordered a Revive in January, having fallen for the bait of a March 18 ship-date. The idea of a battery-powered Regen or Wyrd4Sound Recovery USB Reclocker was appealing to me and would alleviate the need for my Anker battery to power either of them.

But alas, as typical of LH Labs, they had announced another new product (I forgot which it is) shortly after I sent them money for the Revive.

That was the last-straw, as I just "knew" the Revive would not make that ship date.

So I cancelled my Revive order and received a refund.

No more.


----------



## m17xr2b

It's not the LH labs one. I didn't want to give them any more money and I opted for HPPlex instead.


----------



## Lord Raven

angular mo said:


> I am one of the very few who purchased an Sfi because I wanted the femto clocks, and have not made the leap to balanced audio. At age 55 with newly acquired tinnitus in my right ear, I likely won't be. Keep the volume down in headphones, especially notoriously sibilant one like the DT 990.
> 
> Even still, the Pulse Sfi is way underpowered, and I don't use hard to drive headphones, mostly the DT 770 80s.
> 
> ...




I'm using SFi with Anker and I'm struggling with newly acquired tinnitus, hope it's not life long, I took two long haul flights and screwed my hearing. 

I feel for you bro


----------



## marflao

angular mo said:


> I am one of the very few who purchased an Sfi because I wanted the femto clocks, and have not made the leap to balanced audio. At age 55 with newly acquired tinnitus in my right ear, I likely won't be. Keep the volume down in headphones, especially notoriously sibilant one like the DT 990.
> 
> Even still, the Pulse Sfi is way underpowered, and I don't use hard to drive headphones, mostly the DT 770 80s.
> 
> ...


 
 Interesting that you could cancel your order and received a refund.
  
 Would love to get a refund for my Geek Source.


----------



## Maelob

He probably got a refund because it was just a pre-order and not a campaign. My XFi is working great and drive my Alpha Primes beautifully but like others here I would not buy LH labs again. I believe their mystique is totally gone. I hope I get my amps and wave someday.


----------



## germay0653

angular mo said:


> I am one of the very few who purchased an Sfi because I wanted the femto clocks, and have not made the leap to balanced audio. At age 55 with newly acquired tinnitus in my right ear, I likely won't be. Keep the volume down in headphones, especially notoriously sibilant one like the DT 990.
> 
> Even still, the Pulse Sfi is way underpowered, and I don't use hard to drive headphones, mostly the DT 770 80s.
> 
> ...


 

 Curious as to why you think 3W max headphone output would be considered way under powered?  Have you cycled through the Menu for "HP Gain settings" of (Low, Medium and High)?  I fully understand why you're upset but to say it's under powered is misleading.


----------



## Lord Raven

germay0653 said:


> Curious as to why you think 3W max headphone output would be considered way under powered?  Have you cycled through the Menu for "HP Gain settings" of (Low, Medium and High)?  I fully understand why you're upset but to say it's under powered is misleading.




I put T1 600 Ohms in to SFi and the sound was dull, under powered, even had gain at high. I think it was just a marketing gimmick to sell stuff.


----------



## germay0653

lord raven said:


> I put T1 600 Ohms in to SFi and the sound was dull, under powered, even had gain at high. I think it was just a marketing gimmick to sell stuff.


 

 Wow, that's unfortunate.  I use low impedance, 25 ohm, TH900's.  I set gain at medium and I find the Pulse at -30db somewhat loud. I guess the very high impedance cans need substantially more headroom/power.


----------



## foreverzer0

Unfortunate to hear, maybe a bad pairing? I hear the amp isn't the strong suit of the Pulse, more so the DAC. Perhaps if you had a balanced version you could have gone that route for more power. However, since the amp isn't the strong suit you can always use a standalone/discrete amp and use the Pulse for it's strength, as a DAC only.


----------



## Lord Raven

foreverzer0 said:


> Unfortunate to hear, maybe a bad pairing? I hear the amp isn't the strong suit of the Pulse, more so the DAC. Perhaps if you had a balanced version you could have gone that route for more power. However, since the amp isn't the strong suit you can always use a standalone/discrete amp and use the Pulse for it's strength, as a DAC only.


 
 This is what I am doing, amp side is just an extra for me. I used it for travels with my Anker batter, thanks to mickey for his suggestion. I listened to music at an airport through SFi


----------



## miceblue

Does anyone know if LH Labs intends to update the Pulse to allow decoding of MQA?

I received an e-mail from David Elias saying that he now has a track available in that format, so I'm curious to see what it sounds like compared to his usual offerings.


----------



## Angular Mo

I was able to cancel my Revive because it was a pre-order
Directly with LH Labs and not a crowdfunding, correct.

I do have the Sfi on high-gain, is it really a 3w output amp ?

I get more volume out of my Mojo.


----------



## germay0653

angular mo said:


> I was able to cancel my Revive because it was a pre-order
> Directly with LH Labs and not a crowdfunding, correct.
> 
> I do have the Sfi on high-gain, is it really a 3w output amp ?
> ...


 

 This was taken right off the Pulse product page.  http://lhlabs.com/products/pulse-dac/
  
  
 "Pulse DAC is the world’s most powerful 32/384 kHz + DSD128 desktop DAC and *3,000 mW* headphone amplifier."


----------



## gikigill

It's 3 watts from the Balanced out, single ended is a lower figure. 

I use it more as a DAC then as a combo and as a DAC, it's very musical with all my amps. Pretty much done when it comes to DACs unless I step up to 5k and above. 

One notable trait is the lack of glare from both Sabre based DACs, the Geek Out and the Pulse. The Geek Out is more capable as a combo than the Pulse but loses as a DAC only. 

It's the perfect complement to the HD800 as a portable solution.


----------



## germay0653

gikigill said:


> It's 3 watts from the Balanced out, single ended is a lower figure.
> 
> I use it more as a DAC then as a combo and as a DAC, it's very musical with all my amps. Pretty much done when it comes to DACs unless I step up to 5k and above.
> 
> ...


 

 The vanilla Pulse (SE only) was spec'd at 3,000mW.  On high gain setting (0.47 ohms and 7V)


----------



## coletrain104

germay0653 said:


> The vanilla Pulse (SE only) was spec'd at 3,000mW.  On high gain setting (0.47 ohms and 7V)


 
 All I can say is that I get way more than enough volume on anything, even DT880 600 ohm on SE. I can't imagine power being a problem. Maybe there's something wrong?


----------



## Lord Raven

coletrain104 said:


> All I can say is that I get way more than enough volume on anything, even DT880 600 ohm on SE. I can't imagine power being a problem. Maybe there's something wrong?


 
 We all have different ears, what is loud for you might not be loud for others LOL


----------



## miceblue

My volume is usually at -50 - -30 dB at low gain. At local meets I only get to around -6 dB still on low gain. XD


----------



## s82223

Has there anyone audited the geek pulse infinity (2.0 chassis) ,I found it just cost 900 usd(second handed).Is this DAC/amp worth for that price?


----------



## greenkiwi

That is pretty much the backer price for the infinity... At least the early backer price.

I really like mine. I creatable would not pay more than that.... I have been only using it with the built in hpa, so I can not comment on it as a pure DAC. Which is actually how people say it shines even more.

I find it a good deal better than my emotiva dc-1, for driving headphones.

If I were doing it again, I'd just save up for a yggy and be done.


----------



## s82223

So you think 900bucks is a fair price for geek pulse infinity?

Because I saw the geek pulse infinity cost about 2500usd on amazon, I thought it would've been a bargain for 900.

I saw lots of positive reviews for YGGY,but the price just over my budget,plan to get a soekris dam1021(seems a very good choice for R2R DAC)


----------



## Angular Mo

Folks, i dont have the Xfi, nor an Infinity.  I am one of the few who purchased a single-ended Sfi.
  
  
 I think my Sfi (single-ended) may be defective if high-gain is 2w (I doubt it though); however, I do recall Z Reviews as saying the unit was underpowered too, IIRC.


----------



## germay0653

angular mo said:


> Folks, i dont have the Xfi, nor an Infinity.  I am one of the few who purchased a single-ended Sfi.
> 
> 
> I think my Sfi (single-ended) may be defective if high-gain is 2w (I doubt it though); however, I do recall Z Reviews as saying the unit was underpowered too, IIRC.


 

 3W, not 2W.  Open a ticket with them!  It can't hurt and will only take some of your time.


----------



## kostaszag

germay0653 said:


> angular mo said:
> 
> 
> > Folks, i dont have the Xfi, nor an Infinity.  I am one of the few who purchased a single-ended Sfi.
> ...


 

 It can't hurt but it won't be of any use either. I had the same issue with my Sfi, opened a ticket asking them how much power it delivers at 400ohm (the resistance of my vintage AKG K340) and got the following non-answer 
  



> Hello Kostas,
> 
> I have received your new case regarding questions about your Pulse power output.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Good luck with your ticket


----------



## germay0653

https://robrobinette.com/images/Audio/*Headphone*_*Power*_*Calculator*.xls
  
  
  
*Beyerdynamic T1  -  600 ohms impedance @ 102 dB/mW sensitivity*

 Headphone Impedance 
 600
  ohms Ω
 _Enter either Headphone Sensitivity: dB/mW *OR* dB/V_
 dB/mW Headphone Sensitivity 
 102
  *dB/mW * (dBSPL at 1 milliwatt)
 *OR* dB/V Headphone Sensitivity 
  
  *dB/V*  (dBSPL at 1Vrms)
  
  
  
 Calculated Headphone Sensitivity 
 104.22
  dB/V  (dBSPL at 1Vrms)
 Power 
 1.67
  milliwatts at 1Vrms
 Current 
 1.67
  milliamps rms at 1Vrms
  
  
  
 *What's Required to Reach a Loudness Level*
 Target Headphone Loudness 
 95.0
  dB Sound Pressure Level
 Power Required 
 0.20
  milliwatts
 Voltage Required 
 0.3460
  Volts RMS
 Current Required 
 0.58
  milliamps rms
  
  
  
 *How Loud Will an Amp Drive Your Headphones*
 Amplifier Vrms Rating 
 *7.0000*
  Volts RMS
 Amplifier Power 
 81.67
  milliwatts
 Amplifier Current 
 11.67
  milliamps rms
 Headphone Loudness 
 *121.12*
  dB Sound Pressure Level
  
  
 _ *120 dbSPL is threshold of pain*_

  
  
*Beyerdynamic DT(880 & 990) Pro  -  250 ohms impedance @ 96 dB/mW sensitivity*

 Headphone Impedance 
 250
  ohms Ω
 _Enter either Headphone Sensitivity: dB/mW *OR* dB/V_
 dB/mW Headphone Sensitivity 
 96
  *dB/mW * (dBSPL at 1 milliwatt)
 *OR* dB/V Headphone Sensitivity 
  
  *dB/V*  (dBSPL at 1Vrms)
  
  
  
 Calculated Headphone Sensitivity 
 102.02
  dB/V  (dBSPL at 1Vrms)
 Power 
 4.00
  milliwatts at 1Vrms
 Current 
 4.00
  milliamps rms at 1Vrms
  
  
  
 *What's Required to Reach a Loudness Level*
 Target Headphone Loudness 
 95.0
  dB Sound Pressure Level
 Power Required 
 0.79
  milliwatts
 Voltage Required 
 0.4456
  Volts RMS
 Current Required 
 1.78
  milliamps rms
  
  
  
 *How Loud Will an Amp Drive Your Headphones*
 Amplifier Vrms Rating 
 *7.0000*
  Volts RMS
 Amplifier Power 
 196.00
  milliwatts
 Amplifier Current 
 28.00
  milliamps rms
 Headphone Loudness 
 *118.92*
  dB Sound Pressure Level
  
  
 _ *120 dbSPL is threshold of pain*_


----------



## germay0653

kostaszag said:


> It can't hurt but it won't be of any use either. I had the same issue with my Sfi, opened a ticket asking them how much power it delivers at 400ohm (the resistance of my vintage AKG K340) and got the following non-answer
> 
> 
> Good luck with your ticket


 

  
  
*AKG K340  -  400 Ohm impedance @ 94 dB/mW sensitivity*

 Headphone Impedance
 400
  ohms Ω
 _Enter either Headphone Sensitivity: dB/mW *OR* dB/V_
 dB/mW Headphone Sensitivity
 94
  *dB/mW * (dBSPL at 1 milliwatt)
 *OR* dB/V Headphone Sensitivity
  
  *dB/V*  (dBSPL at 1Vrms)
  
  
  
 Calculated Headphone Sensitivity
 97.98
  dB/V  (dBSPL at 1Vrms)
 Power
 2.50
  milliwatts at 1Vrms
 Current
 2.50
  milliamps rms at 1Vrms
  
  
  
 *What's Required to Reach a Loudness Level*
 Target Headphone Loudness
 95.0
  dB Sound Pressure Level
 Power Required
 1.26
  milliwatts
 Voltage Required
 0.7096
  Volts RMS
 Current Required
 1.77
  milliamps rms
  
  
  
 *How Loud Will an Amp Drive Your Headphones*
 Amplifier Vrms Rating
 *7.0000*
  Volts RMS
 Amplifier Power
 122.50
  milliwatts
 Amplifier Current
 17.50
  milliamps rms
 Headphone Loudness
 *114.88*
  dB Sound Pressure Level
  
  
 _ *120 dbSPL is threshold of pain*_

  


kostaszag said:


> It can't hurt but it won't be of any use either. I had the same issue with my Sfi, opened a ticket asking them how much power it delivers at 400ohm (the resistance of my vintage AKG K340) and got the following non-answer
> 
> 
> Good luck with your ticket


----------



## germay0653




----------



## kostaszag

germay0653 said:


> kostaszag said:
> 
> 
> > It can't hurt but it won't be of any use either. I had the same issue with my Sfi, opened a ticket asking them how much power it delivers at 400ohm (the resistance of my vintage AKG K340) and got the following non-answer
> ...


 

 Thank you, I found a  similar calculator on the net and got the same results. It would be nice though if LHlabs themselves published a table of power output at various, typical impedances, like other manufacturers do, instead of letting the customer figure it out by himself. Thanks again.


----------



## Benny-x

kostaszag said:


> It can't hurt but it won't be of any use either. I had the same issue with my Sfi, opened a ticket asking them how much power it delivers at 400ohm (the resistance of my vintage AKG K340) and got the following non-answer
> 
> 
> Good luck with your ticket


 
  
 I'm just quoting this response as one of the many discussing this above.
  
 Whether the Pulse X Infinity, Sfi, Xfi, or vanilla make 3W or 2W, it doesn't matter much, the musical details that amp produces are underwhelming. The DAC is a nice DAC, it's very enjoyable to listen to, but the amp brings it down a few pegs. Or it doesn't allow it to reach it's full potential, however you wish to look at that. 
  
 I've compared my Pulse X Infinity alone, on my amp, and since on a friend's amp and both were better than the internal amp. Not that it was a NIGHT AND DAY difference, but the dedicated amps presented a more enjoyable musical presentation. I tried them with several headphone to check for system synergy, and at least for the ones I tested, the Infinity 2.0 in pure DAC mode was always better sounding with a dedicated amp.
  
 Also, last time I commented on this Larry himself "liked" my comment, so I can't help but think the support of the component's creator regarding the very topic you're discussing is some show of agreement that the Pulse DAC has more performance under the lid if you're willing to let it feed something more capable. 
  
  
 New topic:


s82223 said:


> So you think 900bucks is a fair price for geek pulse infinity?
> 
> Because I saw the geek pulse infinity cost about 2500usd on amazon, I thought it would've been a bargain for 900.
> 
> I saw lots of positive reviews for YGGY,but the price just over my budget,plan to get a soekris dam1021(seems a very good choice for R2R DAC)


 
  
 Though the PS Audio PWD MkII isn't the be all end all of DACs, it is a very favourably reviewed and compared DAC. It is currently $1000 used, last year $1600 used, the year before $2000 used, 4 years ago $3000 used, and $4000 MSRP DAC. It's also my other DAC. I've compared them at length and the Pulse X Infinity DAC on it's own (not the on board amp) is no loser to the PWD MkII. The flavour is a bit different, and in some areas it's better. In some areas the PWD MkII is better. In the end, I'm not selling the Infinity, it's a keeper. As a DAC.
  
 Mine is EXTENSIVELY run in, my Infinity 2.0 has ~1500hrs on it, the LPS4 feeding has ~1000hrs on it, and they're both feed from an isolation transformer, for whatever that's worth.


----------



## Lord Raven

Hence, my SFi DAC is good, but the amplifier is under powered, not broken or faulty as previously someone commented. I never used the amp section, unless I am going mobile with it.


----------



## germay0653

As others have stated numerous times, everyone hears differently and your mileage may vary.  The amp in the Pulse is not a bad amp nor is it a stellar amp.  It's middle of the road.  I have a Burson Conductor, original version, and the Pulse's amp is close in some respects but not quite as good.  I recently ordered (14 - 16 week wait) a Cavalli Liquid Carbon and am looking forward to listening the Pulse X Infinity through it as compare to the others (Pulse internal and the Burson).
  
 Has anyone paired the Pulse X Infinity with an LC and could you offer some comments on the experience, as compared to the Pulse's internal amp?


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> As others have stated numerous times, everyone hears differently and your mileage may vary.  The amp in the Pulse is not a bad amp nor is it a stellar amp.  It's middle of the road.  I have a Burson Conductor, original version, and the Pulse's amp is close in some respects but not quite as good.  I recently ordered (14 - 16 week wait) a Cavalli Liquid Carbon and am looking forward to listening the Pulse X Infinity through it as compare to the others (Pulse internal and the Burson).
> 
> Has anyone paired the Pulse X Infinity with an LC and could you offer some comments on the experience, as compared to the Pulse's internal amp?


 
 I have the Pulse X Infinity and run it through the LC and it definitely is an upgrade over the Pulse's internal amp IMO. I've also been lucky enough to try the Cavalli Liquid Gold and that's clearly an even larger upgrade!


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> I have the Pulse X Infinity and run it through the LC and it definitely is an upgrade over the Pulse's internal amp IMO. I've also been lucky enough to try the Cavalli Liquid Gold and that's clearly an even larger upgrade!


 

 Thanks Michael, you Lucky Dog in that you got to at least listen to the LG!   I wish I made enough $$$ to have afforded the LG when it was still available but, alas, that wasn't in the cards for me.


----------



## atsq17

s82223 said:


> So you think 900bucks is a fair price for geek pulse infinity?
> 
> Because I saw the geek pulse infinity cost about 2500usd on amazon, I thought it would've been a bargain for 900.
> 
> I saw lots of positive reviews for YGGY,but the price just over my budget,plan to get a soekris dam1021(seems a very good choice for R2R DAC)




It's a good price. Fantastic value in my opinion. Yggy is better but at more than twice the cost


----------



## Maelob

For me it works as an all in one solution for my alpha primes in balanced mode and as preamp. Now please if somebody heard anything better under a thousand that could be used as preamp and headphone amp i would be open for options. would love to hear how it compares to Ifi Micro Isd2, or Moon Audio 230HAd for example. For me the less amount of boxes the better. also a possible solution for me would be replacing my emotiva power amp with a Ragnarok and then I could get a better amp and headphone amp without adding extra components


----------



## AlterSack

I am really envious that You guys have the chance to even listen to your Infinity. That means you HAVE IT at home .... 
 I  and many others though are still waiting for the day X to happen when LHLabs finally see themselves fit to deliver what i have funded in 2014. (and then made the mistake to change to chassis 2.0)  
 Has anyone heard or read any news on the production chain of the Infinity? Did they start production again?


----------



## TopQuark

altersack said:


> I  and many others though are still waiting for the day X to happen when LHLabs finally see themselves fit to deliver what i have funded in 2014. (and then made the mistake to change to chassis 2.0)


 
  
 Sad to hear there are many others who still didn't get it from those funded from 2014! Just curious, did you order it early or late 2014?  What month?
  
 This is just ridiculous. I don't know how LH Labs can run a successful business if one has to wait ~2 years to get hold of the product while selling the item in Amazon ready to ship since November. Contrast that to Schiit who will only announce a product if it is ready to ship!
  
 This is definitely loss of focus, procrastination, and don't care attitude on the part of LH Labs. Material and manufacturing issues are just excuses. Classic bait and switch masked as crowdfunding.


----------



## NigelJ

>2 years - originally backed in Dec 13 and still waiting.


----------



## bhazard

topquark said:


> This is just ridiculous. I don't know how LH Labs can run a successful business if one has to wait ~2 years to get hold of the product while selling the item in Amazon ready to ship since November. Contrast that to Schiit who will only announce a product if it is ready to ship!


 
 They can't. I was a big supporter back during the funding, but 2 years later and people still don't have their product? Huge slap in the face.
  
 The same people who crowdfunded the first time will not give them a dime for any future crowdfunding. They would need to emulate Schiit or they will eventually fold.


----------



## Lord Raven

Running Geek DAC with LPS vs DC Battery, what is better?


----------



## nudd

lord raven said:


> Running Geek DAC with LPS vs DC Battery, what is better?




I would have thought tgis will depend on the battery but accirding to Larry previously LPS will almost always be better because for battery you are actually getting a pretty uneven power delivery that drops as the battery discharges over time while lps is designed to give clean power from the start.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

O


lord raven said:


> Running Geek DAC with LPS vs DC Battery, what is better?


 
  
 On my ears, SQ wise, LPS is slightly better.


----------



## Lord Raven

Guys, what should I use with my SFi, do you guys recommend Uptone Regen, or something else? Is it really necessary? I heard about Intona, is it absolutely necessary to add 300 dollar equipment before your DAC?


----------



## atsq17

lord raven said:


> Guys, what should I use with my SFi, do you guys recommend Uptone Regen, or something else? Is it really necessary? I heard about Intona, is it absolutely necessary to add 300 dollar equipment before your DAC?


 
  
 I have the Intona. Not necessary but it does help. 
  
 Mostly with imaging and a blacker background. Soundstage might have be ever slightly deeper and wider but I can't say for certain. The imaging improvements on placement of sound sources was definitely perceivable.


----------



## spyder1

lord raven said:


> Guys, what should I use with my SFi, do you guys recommend Uptone Regen, or something else? Is it really necessary? I heard about Intona, is it absolutely necessary to add 300 dollar equipment before your DAC?


 
  
  
 Light Harmonic is offering their LightSpeed Revive www.lightharmonic.com/revive. I'm still waiting 3.5 months for the delivery of mine.


----------



## atsq17

Waiting for some neutral (users whom I believe to be neutral) reviews.


----------



## oneguy

I may not be whom you are looking but I like my Infinity and Blue even if I don't like LH Labs. The LPS4 has been somewhat troublesome. Finally, the Geek Out 720 and v2 have been pretty good although my v2 was dead on arrival and had to be RMAed thr first time I received it.


----------



## atsq17

oneguy said:


> I may not be whom you are looking but I like my Infinity and Blue even if I don't like LH Labs. The LPS4 has been somewhat troublesome. Finally, the Geek Out 720 and v2 have been pretty good although my v2 was dead on arrival and had to be RMAed thr first time I received it.


 
  
 I didn't mean LH Labs. I  meant the Revive.
  
 I had 1 x Vanilla Pulse, 3 x XFi, 3 x Infinity, 1 x Geek Out, 1 x Geek Out v2 Signature, 2 x LPS4, 5 x Lightspeed 2G, 2 x Lightspeed 10G (1 split, 1 normal), 3 x Lightspeed 1G. 
  
 I still have coming 1 x Source, 1 x Station X, 2 x Wave XD, 1 x Dual Dac Wave, IEM-X, Geek HPA. 
  
 So I have a fair bit of experience with their stuff. 
  
 I've bought enough based on hype alone. I'll buy in future based on merit. I am fully aware LH Labs do make great sounding products despite the furore over the long time it takes for the crowd funded stuff to arrive.


----------



## germay0653

lord raven said:


> Guys, what should I use with my SFi, do you guys recommend Uptone Regen, or something else? Is it really necessary? I heard about Intona, is it absolutely necessary to add 300 dollar equipment before your DAC?


 

 I've used the Uptone REGEN and the LH Labs Revive.  Both offer improvement with better detail and resolution and more pinpoint localization of sound source (better soundstaging).


----------



## Lord Raven

germay0653 said:


> I've used the Uptone REGEN and the LH Labs Revive.  Both offer improvement with better detail and resolution and more pinpoint localization of sound source (better soundstaging).


 
 Awesome, I am going to get it soon. What about people using two Regen units? Is that an overkill? And the Intona USB Isolator? Looks like computer audiophilia is very hard  
  
 PS Then there are curious cables..


----------



## hwlyall

lord raven said:


> Awesome, I am going to get it soon. What about people using two Regen units? Is that an overkill? And the Intona USB Isolator? Looks like computer audiophilia is very hard
> 
> PS Then there are curious cables..


 
  
 I have the basic Intona.  It did wonders for detail and imaging between a raspberry pi and my infinity.  Made up for all sins of the $35 streamer.  Haven't tried anything else, I went straight to the intona based on reviews and comparisons elsewhere.


----------



## Lord Raven

hwlyall said:


> I have the basic Intona.  It did wonders for detail and imaging between a raspberry pi and my infinity.  Made up for all sins of the $35 streamer.  Haven't tried anything else, I went straight to the intona based on reviews and comparisons elsewhere.


 
 The Intona is 300$  You actually bought Streamer? 
  
 I think I should start with Regen and work my way up to the top.. Thanks/LR


----------



## Lord Raven

Guys, Intona Standard and Uptone Regen Amber, both do the same thing? I might start hunting on any..


----------



## hwlyall

lord raven said:


> Guys, Intona Standard and Uptone Regen Amber, both do the same thing? I might start hunting on any..


 
  
 The intona also is a digital isolator whereas the regen just reclocks and cleans up the power.  You can see in the intona that the chips that provide the isolation are the only pieces that bridge the gap between the two parts of the PCB.


----------



## Lord Raven

hwlyall said:


> The intona also is a digital isolator whereas the regen just reclocks and cleans up the power.  You can see in the intona that the chips that provide the isolation are the only pieces that bridge the gap between the two parts of the PCB.


 
  
 Intona does not re-clocks and cleans the power? That unit looks like made out of cheap plastic


----------



## spyder1

There is a Intona review at www.audiostream.com/content/intona-technology-usb-20-high-speed-isolator#68DsJjsbGTK1QKgT.97.


----------



## atsq17

I was about to get a regen but some people in Australia who owned regen had a shootout with the wyred4sound recovery and threw in the Intona. They also tried combos. 
  
 In the end they said Intona alone sounded best. I read that another place too so I bought the Intona. Keep in mind this is just forum hearsay. You should try yourself if you have the chance. 
  
 Curious about people's impression of the Revive.


----------



## noshortcuts

It may be the best but I agree, it is ugly and cheap looking. For the price, and considering the more or less stark interior, they could do better on the aesthetics.


----------



## atsq17

I think it was first and foremost a USB signal cleaner. It was only later people used it for audio. 
  
 Their next iteration should seriously consider looks too.


----------



## taz23

lord raven said:


> Intona does not re-clocks and cleans the power? That unit looks like made out of cheap plastic




The Intona achieves galvanic isolation, which is not done by Regen or Revive. Intona does do basic reclocking according to what I have read, but it is hard to say how good is that since one cannot isolate the effects of the reclocking from that of the isolation. 

But the Intona does not clean up the power. In fact, it reduces the current from 500mA to 300mA and that may pose as a problem for some DACs that needs power to work or for the handshake.


----------



## Laseng

Hi,
  
 I also waiting for a Pulse Infinity with chassis 2.0
  
 I was probably one of the first to back Geek Pulse 29 October 2013 just hours after Geek Pulse first was Announced.
  
 My Pulse Infinity is now postponed five times.
  
 I was told in December that Pulse Infinity would be sent at the end of the month.
 Then it was postponed to February and then to April and so the beginning of June.

 Today I was informed that it is again postponed to July.


----------



## m17xr2b

Are you from the US? I'm curios if this problem is mostly with international backers.


----------



## Laseng

m17xr2b said:


> Are you from the US? I'm curios if the this problem is mostly with international backers.


 
  
 I am an international backer from Norway.


----------



## mscott58

m17xr2b said:


> Are you from the US? I'm curios if the this problem is mostly with international backers.


 
 Just what I was wondering...


----------



## Lord Raven

spyder1 said:


> There is a Intona review at www.audiostream.com/content/intona-technology-usb-20-high-speed-isolator#68DsJjsbGTK1QKgT.97.


 
  
 Awesome review, according to it, if you buy Intona then you don't need to buy expensive cables or anything like an LPS. I think I will get this instead of Revive/Regen. 
  
 Do I really need power cleaning if the USB is isolated after Intona and I put my SFi on an LPS?


----------



## Lord Raven

True, it hurts a little to spend 300 on this piece of plastic.
  
 Quote:


noshortcuts said:


> It may be the best but I agree, it is ugly and cheap looking. For the price, and considering the more or less stark interior, they could do better on the aesthetics.


 
  
 They did mention audio in an interview, read the review posted above. I hope next iteration is not 600$ LOL
  


atsq17 said:


> I think it was first and foremost a USB signal cleaner. It was only later people used it for audio.
> 
> Their next iteration should seriously consider looks too.


----------



## Lord Raven

atsq17 said:


> I was about to get a regen but some people in Australia who owned regen had a shootout with the wyred4sound recovery and threw in the Intona. They also tried combos.
> 
> In the end they said Intona alone sounded best. I read that another place too so I bought the Intona. Keep in mind this is just forum hearsay. You should try yourself if you have the chance.
> 
> Curious about people's impression of the Revive.


 
  
  
 Thanks, this is one of those little pushes I needed


----------



## Lord Raven

taz23 said:


> The Intona achieves galvanic isolation, which is not done by Regen or Revive. Intona does do basic reclocking according to what I have read, but it is hard to say how good is that since one cannot isolate the effects of the reclocking from that of the isolation.
> 
> But the Intona does not clean up the power. In fact, it reduces the current from 500mA to 300mA and that may pose as a problem for some DACs that needs power to work or for the handshake.


 
  
 What do you mean by this *"since one cannot isolate the effects of the reclocking from that of the isolation"*
  
 The question is, will my SFi have issues with lower current output? Will it drop the connection or keep it running? If there is no issue with lower currents on an SFi then I am getting one soon.


----------



## hwlyall

lord raven said:


> What do you mean by this *"since one cannot isolate the effects of the reclocking from that of the isolation"*
> 
> The question is, will my SFi have issues with lower current output? Will it drop the connection or keep it running? If there is no issue with lower currents on an SFi then I am getting one soon.


 
  
 My Xfi doesn't have an issue with the drop in current.  I use a lightspeed 2G into the intona with the power leg drawing from an LPS4 (and a 1G going from the RPi to the LPS4 for the handshake), haven't tried any other configurations because it works so well.


----------



## taz23

hwlyall said:


> My Xfi doesn't have an issue with the drop in current.  I use a lightspeed 2G into the intona with the power leg drawing from an LPS4 (and a 1G going from the RPi to the LPS4 for the handshake), haven't tried any other configurations because it works so well.


 

 With the 2G, the 5V power is taken from the LPS and thus the drop from 500mA to 300mA will not be experienced.  When using the Intona, I was not able to use any of my longer USB cables (> 1m), including the Lightspeed 1G cable.  I had to use a generic 30 cm long USB A to B cable.  I understand that Curious makes short cables for the Regen too.


----------



## taz23

lord raven said:


> What do you mean by this *"since one cannot isolate the effects of the reclocking from that of the isolation"*
> 
> The question is, will my SFi have issues with lower current output? Will it drop the connection or keep it running? If there is no issue with lower currents on an SFi then I am getting one soon.


 

 I meant that the Intona does both galvanic isolation and reclocking at the same time, and there is no way to enable/disable one of those two functions.  So I am not able to pinpoint whether it is the isolation or the reclocking that gave rise to the pleasant effects I am experiencing.  Thus, I am unable to comment which is the more important feature.
  
 I hope this clarifies.
  
 From my experience, once you have established the connection, there will be no dropouts.  I am using the XFi and a short 30 cm cable after the Intona, if that helps.


----------



## germay0653

hwlyall said:


> My Xfi doesn't have an issue with the drop in current.  I use a lightspeed 2G into the intona with the power leg drawing from an LPS4 (and a 1G going from the RPi to the LPS4 for the handshake), haven't tried any other configurations because it works so well.


 

 The only thing the Pulse, in any configuration, uses the power leg for is the handshake (to let the source of data being sent know it's present and available to receive data).  The Pulse does not use the USB +5V to power itself so the drop from 0.5V to 0.3V should not have an effect on it functioning properly.


----------



## pauldgroot

A lot of times when I turn on my Pulse I don't have sound. Windows sees the Pulse in sound settings but no sound is playing. I have to turn off and on the Pulse several times and/or change samplerate in order to make it work properly. Does anybody know why?


----------



## Lord Raven

hwlyall said:


> My Xfi doesn't have an issue with the drop in current.  I use a lightspeed 2G into the intona with the power leg drawing from an LPS4 (and a 1G going from the RPi to the LPS4 for the handshake), haven't tried any other configurations because it works so well.


 
 Sorry to ask, but what is an RPi? I don't have 2G cable or the LPS. I am going to be extremely lucky if this Intona will work for me.


----------



## Lord Raven

taz23 said:


> With the 2G, the 5V power is taken from the LPS and thus the drop from 500mA to 300mA will not be experienced.  When using the Intona, I was not able to use any of my longer USB cables (> 1m), including the Lightspeed 1G cable.  I had to use a generic 30 cm long USB A to B cable.  I understand that Curious makes short cables for the Regen too.


 
 Do you mean Intona has to be closer to the DAC or the PC?


----------



## Lord Raven

taz23 said:


> I meant that the Intona does both galvanic isolation and reclocking at the same time, and there is no way to enable/disable one of those two functions.  So I am not able to pinpoint whether it is the isolation or the reclocking that gave rise to the pleasant effects I am experiencing.  Thus, I am unable to comment which is the more important feature.
> 
> I hope this clarifies.
> 
> From my experience, once you have established the connection, there will be no dropouts.  I am using the XFi and a short 30 cm cable after the Intona, if that helps.


 
  
 Awesome, thank you. What is your version, standard or industry? Also, I am guessing your Intona is closer to the DAC. 
  
 Where did you get such a small cable? I looked at the entire monoprice website but all they have is 1.5 feet.


----------



## Lord Raven

germay0653 said:


> The only thing the Pulse, in any configuration, uses the power leg for is the handshake (to let the source of data being sent know it's present and available to receive data).  The Pulse does not use the USB +5V to power itself so the drop from 0.5V to 0.3V should not have an effect on it functioning properly.


 
 Awesome, I am getting closer to Intona  I just need one more push away from Regen and Revive hehe


----------



## germay0653

lord raven said:


> Awesome, I am getting closer to Intona  I just need one more push away from Regen and Revive hehe


 

 Do not pass on the REGEN or the Revive.  They are very good at what they do, especially for the price.  I have not had the Intona to try so I cannot comment on how it compares to the REGEN or Revive but I am very pleased with the improvement from both the REGEN and the Revive as I have both.
  
 I do not think you would be disappointed with ANY of them.


----------



## MikeyFresh

germay0653 said:


> Do not pass on the REGEN or the Revive.  They are very good at what they do, especially for the price.  I have not had the Intona to try so I cannot comment on how it compares to the REGEN or Revive but I am very pleased with the improvement from both the REGEN and the Revive as I have both.
> 
> I do not think you would be disappointed with ANY of them.


 

 +1, and I would add both the iFi iUSB3.0, and the W4S Recovery to that list.
  
 Those are the two I have, and each does it's job as advertised, improving the sound with every DAC and source I have excepting the Sonore microRendu, which seems better by itself due to it having the REGEN technology built-in, though I haven't yet tried it with every available DAC/cable combination on hand as yet.


----------



## taz23

germay0653 said:


> The only thing the Pulse, in any configuration, uses the power leg for is the handshake (to let the source of data being sent know it's present and available to receive data).  The Pulse does not use the USB +5V to power itself so the drop from 0.5V to 0.3V should not have an effect on it functioning properly.


 

 Theoretically, that is the case.
  
 But I cannot get the PC to detect the Pulse when using a longer cable due to the weaker current.  The Pulse is only detected with a shorter cable.  So I assume it is due to the drop in current.  But once detected, there is stable connection throughout the entire use.


----------



## taz23

lord raven said:


> Awesome, thank you. What is your version, standard or industry? Also, I am guessing your Intona is closer to the DAC.
> 
> Where did you get such a small cable? I looked at the entire monoprice website but all they have is 1.5 feet.


 

 Mine is the standard version, and the Intona is closer to the DAC.
  
 I found the cable at a local computer store in Singapore.  I am sure Curious makes short one, but I do not have their cables due to the shallow pockets of mine.  (A friend is making a short one for me right now.)


----------



## kostaszag

lord raven said:


> hwlyall said:
> 
> 
> > My Xfi doesn't have an issue with the drop in current.  I use a lightspeed 2G into the intona with the power leg drawing from an LPS4 (and a 1G going from the RPi to the LPS4 for the handshake), haven't tried any other configurations because it works so well.
> ...


 

 A Raspberry Pi.


----------



## kostaszag

lord raven said:


> taz23 said:
> 
> 
> > I meant that the Intona does both galvanic isolation and reclocking at the same time, and there is no way to enable/disable one of those two functions.  So I am not able to pinpoint whether it is the isolation or the reclocking that gave rise to the pleasant effects I am experiencing.  Thus, I am unable to comment which is the more important feature.
> ...


 

 Try Aliexpress,


----------



## oneguy

You may already know this but if not have you tried turning the volume knob? I don't say this to be a dick. My Pulse is muted on start up and requires me to change the displayed volume and then it's good to go. No minimum turn necessary as long as the volume changes atleast 0.5 dB



pauldgroot said:


> A lot of times when I turn on my Pulse I don't have sound. Windows sees the Pulse in sound settings but no sound is playing. I have to turn off and on the Pulse several times and/or change samplerate in order to make it work properly. Does anybody know why?


----------



## eron

I backed a Pulse in Nov 2014. Given new ship dates over and over again, and is starting to worry. LHlabs can certainly just run away with our money.
  
 I've created a simple survey to help us understand how widespread the problem is. Please kindly input your order dates, or if you have received it, your ship dates.
  
  
*Survey on Pulse Ship Dates*
 ​


----------



## spyder1

Lord Raven,
  
 A link to a review of the Uptone Regen, www.audiostream.com/content/uptone-audio-usb-regen#LtWUaVlYt2oFJ6Pv.97


----------



## Lord Raven

spyder1 said:


> Lord Raven,
> 
> A link to a review of the Uptone Regen, www.audiostream.com/content/uptone-audio-usb-regen#LtWUaVlYt2oFJ6Pv.97


 
  
 Great review, a lot of technical terms, I have to read it again sometime but the conclusion is, Regen improves the sound and it does not change character or anything. But what about Regen and Intona both in line to your DAC, is there a review on this combo? Thanks/LR


----------



## spyder1

lord raven said:


> Great review, a lot of technical terms, I have to read it again sometime but the conclusion is, Regen improves the sound and it does not change character or anything. But what about Regen and Intona both in line to your DAC, is there a review on this combo? Thanks/LR


 
  ​I have never seen a review that combines the effect of LightSpeed Revive, Uptone Regen, and Intonia USB Hi-Speed Isolator. This is a experiment for Dr. Frankenstein's Sound Lab.


----------



## TopQuark

lord raven said:


> Great review, a lot of technical terms, I have to read it again sometime but the conclusion is, Regen improves the sound and it does not change character or anything. But what about Regen and Intona both in line to your DAC, is there a review on this combo? Thanks/LR


 
 I have the Regen and Intona.  I lose details if both are in the chain although some who have both decided to keep them.  I like mine open, transparent, has defined sound stage, and with clear instrument separation since I my setup is through desktop speakers (Adam A5X).  As such, I only kept the Intona.  My chain uses the SOtM PCIe USB out from the PC so that could have account for the difference.


----------



## Lord Raven

topquark said:


> I have the Regen and Intona.  I lose details if both are in the chain although some who have both decided to keep them.  I like mine open, transparent, has defined sound stage, and with clear instrument separation since I my setup is through desktop speakers (Adam A5X).  As such, I only kept the Intona.  My chain uses the SOtM PCIe USB out from the PC so that could have account for the difference.


 
  
 So you preferred Intona over Regen? Top Quark  
  
 Standard or Industrial?


----------



## Lord Raven

spyder1 said:


> ​I have never seen a review that combines the effect of LightSpeed Revive, Uptone Regen, and Intonia USB Hi-Speed Isolator. This is a experiment for Dr. Frankenstein's Sound Lab.


 
 You wouldn't believe but a lot of people have multiple recovery units in their chain, I talked to a guy in Beyerdynamic headphone thread, he had 2 Regen, one after the usb port, then intona, and another closer to the DAC, he put all the curious cables in this chain, and says it gave him the best result. I was like, What!!!


----------



## TopQuark

lord raven said:


> So you preferred Intona over Regen? Top Quark
> 
> Standard or Industrial?


 

 On the type of music and set-up that I have, yes.  The effect of Intona is also more pronounced.  I have the standard version.


----------



## Lord Raven

What do you think about SPDIF?
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/F-1-XMOS-USB-Digital-Interface-Module-XU208-U8-upgraded-version-/111961717820?
  
 Anyone used this unit to feed Geek DAC?
  
 I heard someone say, he used Regen and Intona and this unit gave him the best results!!


----------



## atsq17

I read that Audiophilleo to the LH Labs Pulse units provides excellent quality. Superior to USB. I have the Audiophilleo but haven't A-Bed with USB. It sounded slightly better when I first used it but I hadn't had the Intona back then. A bit lazy to try now LOL.


----------



## savaloco

Hey folks, 
 Thought I'd follow up on my Pulse Xfinity 2.0 ... 
  
 Recap:
 - Display went dead and the dial did not respond ... unit still functioned on the last settings it was on before it went black.
 - Firmware flash via mSD was painful due to FAT restrictions and finding small enough card.  Didn't work.
 - Unit had a weird slide/click sound when tipped toward the ceiling then to floor.
 - I found support to be quick and generally helpful ... as has always been the case when dealing with hardware.
 - Larry also offered to intervene if needed but I felt that was not needed as normal channels had worked fine for me up to this point.
 - Unit could not be fixed so had to send it in for repair at a cost of $32 from Canada.
  
 Outcome:
 - Unit was repaired and returned within 2 weeks ... pleased with the speed.
 - Unit had 2 resistors and the MTX had to be replaced.
 - Mated it all back up with the LPS and PC running Foobar.
 - Sounds FANTASTIC compared to the XFi I've been using ... wow didn't realise what I was missing.
  
 I am very happy to have the Xfinity back and very satisfied with LH's customer service and turn around speed.  
  
 Now on to mating the DAC up to a better headphone amp 
  
 Happy listening all !


----------



## Panelhead

This good to see. I think they are good people. The products seem to offer great value. But the reliability issues are a huge concern. A dac should last forever.


----------



## Maelob

I really want them to succeed, I am sure all the stuff that have happened have hit them hard and probably humbled them a little.  I think they need to go back to meets and shows and just show their products without hype and let their products due the talking.  I am really happy with my XFI and before with the GO. I wish Larry and his folks the best, i am patiently waiting for a stereo amp, 2 mono amps and Geek Wave.  This was a classic case of too much too soon.


----------



## Inotrope

Received the Infinity and Blue back following RMA no.2. There is a Service Centre in Germany, which saved a bit of ££ in postage.
 Turn around about 3 weeks.
  
 The Infinity needed a new board (I think) which had to be shipped from LH Labs.
 The Blue was apparently at specification (although the problem was the protrusion of the SPDIF jack; sadly this hasn't been improved so holding out little hope 
  
 I did have to chase support a few times to get updates, and there was no active acknowledgment of receipt, repair or shipping.
  
 Either way, the Infinity is back and working (for how long..?)
  
 Quite enjoyed the GO1000; hopefully 2016 will be a better year as like many I'm waiting on a load of gear!
  
  
 Quote:


inotrope said:


> Well the INFINITY has finally died.
> 
> Started with a dodgy SPDIF 1 & 2, then with further testing I discovered that TOSLINK doesn't work.
> 
> ...


----------



## Orky261

I have burson soloist and NAD 1050, would this be a major upgrade from those? I'm trying to complete my desktop setup right now and compliment my Ether.


----------



## mscott58

orky261 said:


> I have burson soloist and NAD 1050, would this be a major upgrade from those? I'm trying to complete my desktop setup right now and compliment my Ether.


 
 I like my Pulse X Infinity much better than my old Burson Conductor, especially the DAC portion. Cheers


----------



## Orky261

mscott58 said:


> I like my Pulse X Infinity much better than my old Burson Conductor, especially the DAC portion. Cheers


 
  
 Concerning the reliability issues, is it already resolved in the more recent units? I'm already eyeing stuff in the classifieds but I don't want another lemons especially when I already have trouble with the mk1 T8ie


----------



## johangrb

mscott58 said:


> I like my Pulse X Infinity much better than my old Burson Conductor, especially the DAC portion. Cheers


 
 +1. I went from a Soloist+DA-160 dac to an Xfi Infinity - big improvement.


----------



## mscott58

orky261 said:


> Concerning the reliability issues, is it already resolved in the more recent units? I'm already eyeing stuff in the classifieds but I don't want another lemons especially when I already have trouble with the mk1 T8ie :angry_face:




I had an issue with my LPS4 that LHL handled quickly but no problems with the Pulse Infinity. Cheers


----------



## Orky261

I'm based in SEA region, I heard there's a repair center in Singapore, how long does it take for yours to get done?


----------



## mscott58

orky261 said:


> I'm based in SEA region, I heard there's a repair center in Singapore, how long does it take for yours to get done?




In the US from East coast to West and back was about 1.5-2 weeks. Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Arrived my LH Labs Revive two days ago. Don't have a Regen, Intona or the likes to compare, BUT IMO it increases the SQ of my setup by around 30% overall.
  
 Even late on its promised delivery BUT still a VERY HAPPY MONKEY.


----------



## TopQuark

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Arrived my LH Labs Revive two days ago. Don't have a Regen, Intona or the likes to compare, BUT IMO it increases the SQ of my setup by around 30% overall.
> 
> Even late on its promised delivery BUT still a VERY HAPPY MONKEY.


 
  
 Keep the Revive. At least from our experience with Pulse, Larry does design his units well and we know he takes measurements 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Don't touch Regen for now. There is an ongoing ruckus on Regen and microRendu both from the same designer so better stay away until that one is clear. Now I know why my Intona improved my system while Regen did not.
  
 Now that I mentioned microRendu, I placed an order for SOtM SMS-200. It is cheaper than microRendu and also came from a company that likes clean power just like Larry. Best thing is, it takes 12Vdc input power which is perfect for us Pulse LPS4 owners who don't have a use yet on the outlets other than the Pulse.


----------



## doctorjazz

I am using the Regen with v1 Geek Out SE, I did find it improved the sound significantly (the LH Labs version hadn't come out, hadn't even heard it was planned).


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It Works!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am not touching others....for now.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 i


----------



## doctorjazz

Going to get me one (darn, this site is going to put me in the poorhouse...)



just to cheer me up


----------



## Eruditeswine

Hello! Which DACs are comparable to the Pulse Infinity with the linear power supply, and which DACs are logical upgrade to it? Thank you.


----------



## jsiegel14072

For those still waiting, latest news from may 18, 2016 (even though print says Feb 10, 2016
  
  
 per LHLabs "
  
 Here is the latest update released May 18, 2016 by Larry (it still says Feb though):"


----------



## doctorjazz

That was in honor of my birthday!


----------



## Orky261

Okay guys, aside from the good sound quality this produce and the form factor, convince me so I could pull the trigger on the classifieds especially regarding reliability?


----------



## spyder1

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Arrived my LH Labs Revive two days ago. Don't have a Regen, Intona or the likes to compare, BUT IMO it increases the SQ of my setup by around 30% overall.
> 
> Even late on its promised delivery BUT still a VERY HAPPY MONKEY.


 
 In R&D scientists(Engineers) look for 10% positive result, as a statistically significant result. m-i-c-k-e-y, 30% shows that the Revive works great in your sound system. I like the effect the Revive has when used with GO V2, but need more listening time, to come up with % difference.


----------



## doctorjazz

You guys are better than I am...I can't come up percent improvements for gear...


----------



## atsq17

eruditeswine said:


> Hello! Which DACs are comparable to the Pulse Infinity with the linear power supply, and which DACs are logical upgrade to it? Thank you.


 
  
 Comparable - Gungnir Multibit, Metrum Hex? Auralic Vega?
  
 Upgrade - Yggdrasil, Vi? Metrum Pavane/Menuet


----------



## foreverzer0

atsq17 said:


> Comparable - Gungnir Multibit, Metrum Hex? Auralic Vega?
> 
> Upgrade - Yggdrasil, Vi? Metrum Pavane/Menuet




I've seen a few folks say the new Gustard X20-U has dethroned the almighty yggdrasil. And for only $900!!


----------



## Panelhead

That might be some early adopter enthusiasm. Have not heard the Gustard. 
 I have concerns about all USB connected dacs. So many band aids to fix the connectivity.
 I am ALMOST ready to try the coax output from the Mac Mini to compare. 
 My Day Sequerra tuner has AES output and considering this is red book format with MP3 resolution it is very nice. Better than I get from streaming the radio station websites.
 I may try a USB to AES converter. Or start purchasing the flavor of the month USB dongle. The use of multiple devices is a concern to me.
 The Itonna and Revive look good to me. But am yet to purchase any. I saw people comment the Revive makes an audible improvement in the Infinity. If so, that combinatuon must be very good. The Infinity sounds very good as Dac standalone.


----------



## foreverzer0

panelhead said:


> That might be some early adopter enthusiasm. Have not heard the Gustard.
> I have concerns about all USB connected dacs. So many band aids to fix the connectivity.
> I am ALMOST ready to try the coax output from the Mac Mini to compare.
> My Day Sequerra tuner has AES output and considering this is red book format with MP3 resolution it is very nice. Better than I get from streaming the radio station websites.
> ...


 
  
 Actually the cheaper X20 without the "-U" is without the XMOS USB daughter card, so you could use that with I2S input or Coax. Also, it's even cheaper at $800!


----------



## Orky261

Pulled the trigger on this, the unit had good running time, I hope I get the proper ones. Cheers.


----------



## atsq17

foreverzer0 said:


> I've seen a few folks say the new Gustard X20-U has dethroned the almighty yggdrasil. And for only $900!!


 
  
  
  
 I'm sure it's excellent value but a 9018 DAC besting a yggdrasil? I'm sceptical to say the least.


----------



## foreverzer0

atsq17 said:


> I'm sure it's excellent value but a 9018 DAC besting a yggdrasil? I'm sceptical to say the least.


 
  
 I agree, but apparently this person thought they were really close which says a bit: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?20090-DACs-Galore-and-Expectation-Bias
  
 However, there's too many factors involved to make a determination off that.


----------



## doctorjazz

Interesting reading...almost signed up for the site, but seems like it could be financially dangerous (Head Fi is already killing me...)


----------



## atsq17

foreverzer0 said:


> I agree, but apparently this person thought they were really close which says a bit: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?20090-DACs-Galore-and-Expectation-Bias
> 
> However, there's too many factors involved to make a determination off that.


 
  
 Interested to hear if this has been further corroborated elsewhere. 
  
 Sounds promising from my reading but it sounds like yet another hype train with one comparison done. 
  
 It would be better if different people had compared it to their DACs. Apparently it smashes a NAD M51 which is good considering that has not been the gold standard for quite some time. 
  
 If there were a few more convincing corroborations I'd be tempted to pull the trigger to try it. I can compare it to my Infinity units and my Gumby. Even if it was better than the Gumby and Infinity units I'd be impressed.


----------



## foreverzer0

atsq17 said:


> Interested to hear if this has been further corroborated elsewhere.
> 
> Sounds promising from my reading but it sounds like yet another hype train with one comparison done.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I think if my Infinity ever fails out of warranty in the future (I don't even recall if it's still in warranty tbh), I think I would look into the Gustard DACs myself. How does your Gumby and Infinity compare? I was also considering the Gumby before I saw the review about the X20-U.


----------



## mscott58

Just got my repaired Regen back from Alex at Uptone (thanks again for the great customer service Alex!) and put it back in service in front of my Infinity and I had forgotten how much it helps. It's not night and day, but it definitely cleans things up a noticable bit. And as a bonus you can use the USB port on the back of the LPS to power the Regen (and yes, I know the Regen is spec'd for higher voltage, I've talked to Alex about it). Cheers


----------



## foreverzer0

mscott58 said:


> Just got my repaired Regen back from Alex at Uptone (thanks again for the great customer service Alex!) and put it back in service in front of my Infinity and I had forgotten how much it helps. It's not night and day, but it definitely cleans things up a noticable bit. And as a bonus you can use the USB port on the back of the LPS to power the Regen (and yes, I know the Regen is spec'd for higher voltage, I've talked to Alex about it). Cheers


 
  
 I used the 5V USB output of my LPS4 to power the Regen I had, since the Pulse DACs are self-powered. The Regen will just disable its own power supply on the output end. I thought it sounded even better this way due to less heat and strain than when I used the 12V LPS ports.


----------



## atsq17

foreverzer0 said:


> I think if my Infinity ever fails out of warranty in the future (I don't even recall if it's still in warranty tbh), I think I would look into the Gustard DACs myself. How does your Gumby and Infinity compare? I was also considering the Gumby before I saw the review about the X20-U.




Gumby sounds more raw and infinity more refined. Both sound great. Nice to have both. Wondering if I should complete the high value DAC set with a gustard. If there's a well priced one for sale second hand I'd consider.


----------



## foreverzer0

atsq17 said:


> Gumby sounds more raw and infinity more refined. Both sound great. Nice to have both. Wondering if I should complete the high value DAC set with a gustard. If there's a well priced one for sale second hand I'd consider.




A guy at the San Francisco head-fi meet told me he thought a gumby sounded extremely close to his yggy and thought it sounded better on some songs. Said that if he started over he would've prolly gotten the gumby it's so close. I guess these dac differences are more subtle than "night and day".


----------



## Benny-x

atsq17 said:


> Interested to hear if this has been further corroborated elsewhere.
> 
> If there were a few more convincing corroborations I'd be tempted to pull the trigger to try it. I can compare it to my Infinity units and my Gumby.


 
 There's a whole thread on the Gustard amps and DACs. Since the X20 came out, that's what most of that talk has been about. I stopped following it a while ago, but it's been favourably compared to a few DACs in there. Have a search and a read, it might be the motivation you need.
  


mscott58 said:


> Just got my repaired Regen back from Alex at Uptone (thanks again for the great customer service Alex!) and put it back in service in front of my Infinity and I had forgotten how much it helps. It's not night and day, but it definitely cleans things up a noticable bit. And as a bonus you can use the USB port on the back of the LPS to power the Regen (and yes, I know the Regen is spec'd for higher voltage, I've talked to Alex about it). Cheers


 
 I've got an LPS4, so I power my Regen off the extra 12V 1.2A output. Sounds great to me and is super convenient since sort of cuts down on extra  cables lying around   The Regen isn't officially spec'd for it, but there was extensive discussion of where the Regen can be implemented with higher voltages and this 12V LPS->Pulse X Infinity setup is well within those additional specs. Just in case anyone is searching on Google or whatever.
  


foreverzer0 said:


> I used the 5V USB output of my LPS4 to power the Regen I had, since the Pulse DACs are self-powered. The Regen will just disable its own power supply on the output end. I thought it sounded even better this way due to less heat and strain than when I used the 12V LPS ports.


 
 Yeah, this swings both ways. Some people like the Regen on as low and close to 3.3V as possible, others like warming the Regen/clocks up and getting closer to the 16-18V limit. As long as the USB input of the DAC you're feeding doesn't take ANY of the 5V power, then it's fine to try this all out. 
  


foreverzer0 said:


> A guy at the San Francisco head-fi meet told me he thought a gumby sounded extremely close to his yggy and thought it sounded better on some songs. Said that if he started over he would've prolly gotten the gumby it's so close. I guess these dac differences are more subtle than "night and day".


 
 Schitt themselves have said that depending on the person and sound signature likes, there's a high possibility someone will like the Gungnir over the Yggdrasil. It's not like the Yggdrasil is a 100% better DAC than the multibit Gungnir. It does do some things better, but can be fatiguing and not "enjoyable". I like that Schiit is open to talk about those things about their DACs and aren't doing the hard sell for the more expensive item. Audio-gd I've always found is good like that too, not talking about huge improvements in their products, more about differences. 
  
 I have, however, noticed a big enough difference between my Pulse X Infinity V2 + LPS4 V2 vs. my PS Audio PWD MkII that it's put me in a tough spot. The Infinity has noticeably better detail retrieval, imaging, and soundstage consistency. The PWD has more bass and feels good, but it's seeming to be out classed by the Infinity. This was noticeable enough that once I found it, I couldn't not think about it every time I listened to my PWD MkII. After that I KNEW I was missing things :-/


----------



## foreverzer0

Benny-x maybe try EQ or tone controls on your pulse?

I used to like everything bit perfect until I started using system wide cross feed. To me it's a more natural sounding presentation of being in the audience versus next to the instruments like you're in the band (unless that's what you're used to).


----------



## Arinko

My Pulse Infinity X has been repaired for nearly 2 weeks and it is still waiting to be sent back to me from Singapore. No one looks at the support tickets which I think they read once a week per ticket. My warranty is decreasing and my unused time with my Pulse is increasing. I didn't have it for a month before I sent it off be repaired.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Quick update on my Himedia Q10 Pro (Android Box) setup...
  
 - Lightharmonic Revive Works!
  
 - Installed a WD Red 8tb WD80EFZX HDD and it works! Quite too... Now I have ALL my videos and music locally.
  

  
 My current setup...


----------



## doctorjazz

Nice set up! Does it sound better than using the PC directly? 
I'm getting a Revive, curious how it sounds compared to the Regen out of my PC. Can one use both?
now, I have my music on my PC or on a hard drive connected to the PC in my guest room, and do my streaming in the bedroom with a Roku and a ZVOX speaker base for video (don't really love the ZVOX, bought it after hearing much hype, but it's "good enough"), or an iPad 3 and a Peachtree DeepBlue2 for music, either (mostly) TiDAL or internet radio (love my WFMU.org), but do have some apps on the iPad for streaming from my PC. kind of a kludge of a system



m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Quick update on my Himedia Q10 Pro (Android Box) setup...
> 
> - Lightharmonic Revive Works!
> 
> ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

On my ears SQ is better in Android than my Pc. Couldn't do DSD256 though. It stutters...


----------



## doctorjazz

OK, my Revive came today (hoping to review it). I connected it to my PC, Power to a Powered USB hub (Vaunix Lab Brick, which I used for both signal and power through the 2 cables). When I connected it to the PC, it installed drivers on the PC. LED is on. Go to JRiver, click on some music, no sounds. Go back to the old setup (DAC is Geek Out Signature Edition v1), with Regen, music is back. What am I doing wrong?

Never mind, not sure why, just took it all apart and reconnected it again, don't think I did anything different, but it seems to be working. Now, some time for burn in, then will have to get some impressions.


----------



## doctorjazz

Left it to burn in overnight, quick listen this AM (the Revive)
lots of detail, too much? Not sure yet, let it burn more...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So the money question: Initial thoughts, Revive vs Regen?


----------



## foreverzer0

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So the money question: Initial thoughts, Revive vs Regen?


 
  
 vs Intona


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I think doc has Regen only for comparison.


----------



## germay0653

Depends on your SQ tastes.  Personally, I like both and really depends on my mood and ancillary equipment.
  
 REGEN using Curious Cable USB USB cable with Pulse Infinity (Speakers - Paradigm Studios, Headphones - Fostex TH900)

Lots of detail - great separation of instruments and
Great soundstage
A little more forgiving of recordings that have sibilance and sharpness - what some refer to as musical but certainly does not exhibit the blurring of different instruments or voices.  Separation is still very good
Transient Speed - good but not as fast or delineated as the Revive/LightSpeed 10G combo
Very low noise floor
Without the REGEN, when I move my mouse I can hear noise being generated as a result.  With the REGEN in play there's just dead silence.
 *Note: I used the REGEN with the LightSpeed 10G but I was not as emotionally engaged with the music but really can't determine exactly why (Yet)!!
  
 Revive using LightSpeed 10G USB cable with Pulse Infinity (Speakers - Paradigm Studios, Headphones - Fostex TH900)

Lots of detail
Great Soundstage
It portrays the recording with all it's faults as opposed to smoothing it out a little (The Emperor is naked)
Transient speed - sounds just seem to come at you much quicker, they're sharp but not in a bad way plus decay seems more defined, easier to identify.
Without the Revive, when I move my mouse I can hear noise being generated as a result.  With the Revive in play there's just dead silence.
 *Note:  I've yet to try the Revive with the Curious Cable and will try to get to that after our Independence holiday.
  


m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So the money question: Initial thoughts, Revive vs Regen?


----------



## doctorjazz

Still sorting it out...I only have the Revive and the Regen in the house.
Letting the Revive break in a bit, so I haven't pulled it and put back the Regen for direct comparison yet. My quick feeling, though, was different, felt Less engaged using the Revive, kept changing tracks. I'll give it a chance and to some head to head.
I don't have a PC connected to my speaker system, my PC drives a headphone system (LH Labs 2G Usb cable, LH Labs Geek Out Signature Edition v1, usually a MicroZOTL2 into HE-1000 (but was using the Omni quite a bit as well).
More to come, maybe a review...


----------



## doctorjazz

Some further listening...the Revive does indeed improve detail retrieval, still haven't done a direct comparison, but I do think with burn in (or brain burn in if you believe that's what really happens), it is sounding better indeed, though I think I am also hearing some of the defects in the less than pristine recordings, the "warts" being more obvious, which can make it hard to listen. But, still very early in the process, my mind/impressions certainly have a ways to go. Listening right now to "The Thompson Fields" by the Maria Schneider Orchestra, a beautiful album, and really enjoying it. Will have to burn some more, and then do some head to head comparisons.


----------



## TopQuark

doctorjazz said:


> Some further listening...the Revive does indeed improve detail retrieval, still haven't done a direct comparison, but I do think with burn in (or brain burn in if you believe that's what really happens), it is sounding better indeed...


 
 I trust units from only those who does their own measurements. Larry is maniacal about power noise so I expect Revive to perform.  Lower noise expounds details.
  
 Although this is not part of your comparison, Intona also does provide huge gains measurement-wise and aural impact to Pulse Xα producing deeper and wider sound stage.  Link here.
  
 Regen, however, is doing something different. It got many fans but measurements says otherwise. My googling produces results where the designer, John Swenson, does not use AP or equivalent measurement or have access to it.  Debate continues.  Link here.


----------



## doctorjazz

I have gone back and forth quite often with the Regen in and out of my system, I find it sounding better with it in. I don't know for sure what it does either, but it did improve things, and I left it in. The Revive is a new arrival, still sorting out what it does to the sound in my computer system. Initial impressions is that it improves good sounding files, especially acoustic music. Not so much with much pop/rock stuff, may be revealing grunge. I use HEK and MicroZOTL2, which are both also very revealing/detailed. I changed headphones for a short listen to Omni, which is warm in the mids and lows, and my experience is that it makes not so great recordings sound better, and, indeed, the sound on some of the recordings that were not so great was more enjoyable with the Omni. 
My $0.02 at a very early stage of listening (still haven't had a chance to A-B)


----------



## TopQuark

doctorjazz said:


> I have gone back and forth quite often with the Regen in and out of my system, I find it sounding better with it in. I don't know for sure what it does either, but it did improve things, and I left it in. The Revive is a new arrival, still sorting out what it does to the sound in my computer system. Initial impressions is that it improves good sounding files, especially acoustic music. Not so much with much pop/rock stuff, may be revealing grunge...


 

 The impression I had from Regen is it employed some kind of sound shaping schemes that makes it pleasing on some notes.  It was good for pop and rock. Since my main criterion is realism, 3D, separation, and soundstage, the Intona did worked better for me.  Too bad I do not have a Revive to compare.  I expected Revive to be closer to Intona than Regen for its overall characteristics from Larry’s design philosophy.


----------



## Stealer

i had recently setup my Pulse to function as a DAC with a tube power amp, connected via the XLR.
 since there is a phone jack on the Pulse, i thought i can listen to some music without the amp...same as my previous setup on Teac
 surprising it don't seem to work for the Pulse
 when I attempt to play a song using foobar, an error msg popped up after 3 secs of play.
  
 I was wondering it this normal because previous Teac UD501 can work with my power amp connected to it..
  
 Did Pulse has the phone jack disconnected when its detect and analogue output is connected?


----------



## wingsounds13

The Pulse headphone jack and line out jacks are always active, neither one can be disabled. The Pulse also seems to be a sensitive little beast and occasionally misbehaves for no apparent reason when doing perfectly normal things such as connecting both headphones and line out. Power cycle everything and try again.

J.P.


----------



## Stealer

wingsounds13 said:


> The Pulse headphone jack and line out jacks are always active, neither one can be disabled. The Pulse also seems to be a sensitive little beast and occasionally misbehaves for no apparent reason when doing perfectly normal things such as connecting both headphones and line out. Power cycle everything and try again.
> 
> JP


 
 wouldn't believe it, after power cycle it works..
 Previously, I had power cycled a couple of times, even  to the process of re-starting the PC too.
 wingsounds13, you were right to say it is sensitive....
 thanks


----------



## uncola

My Revive got delivered today.. This is replacing a schiit wyrd.  With the wyrd, I have to re-insert my geek out 450 every time I turn on the wyrd or it doesn't get recognized.  Another issue with the wyrd, it seemed like it didn't have enough current for the GOV2 in balanced headphone amp use.. gov2 would malfunction connectred to the wyrd when I used balanced headphones with dynamic music and loud volume.  I assume this won't have that issue since it's direct from lh labs.  The revive is also cool because of the auto turn on feature.  Also it lets me use my fancy 5V LPS.  So far I have a hard time telling the differences, it seems pretty subtle.  But music with the revive instead of the wyrd seems less harsh and there's less grain.  There's no noise when I move my mouse around just like when I use the wyrd.  There is a mouse mosquito noise when I use my geek out 450 directly with no wyrd or revive in the chain on the noisy usb port near the laptop's power input socket.  So it seems to be working great.  The Revive metal case is pretty nice, I love the soundwave pattern on it.  I have a prebuilt Soekris dac coming soon which I'll be using with this.


----------



## bhazard

Contact LH Labs for a firmware update if your Pulse is having issues.
  
 My Pulse X Infinity was having issues and was erroring out in foobar very often. Apparently I was still on firmware 1.5, even though I couldn't see that via the led panel. Updated to 2.0 that they sent me and I haven't had a dropout or needed to power cycle since.


----------



## TopQuark

bhazard said:


> Contact LH Labs for a firmware update if your Pulse is having issues.
> 
> My Pulse X Infinity was having issues and was erroring out in foobar very often. Apparently I was still on firmware 1.5, even though I couldn't see that via the led panel. Updated to 2.0 that they sent me and I haven't had a dropout or needed to power cycle since.


 

 Are you referring to the USB drivers here:

  
 ...or the firmware in the Pulse itself?  For example, mine shows:
  
 Main: 1.0
 USB: 1.0
 MCU: 1.26
  
 Are there new versions more recent than the above?


----------



## bhazard

topquark said:


> Are you referring to the USB drivers here:
> 
> 
> ...or the firmware in the Pulse itself?  For example, mine shows:
> ...


 
 I believe so, as my main on my Pulse X Infinity is 3.0.
  
 I'm not referring to the USB driver. It's a DFU flashable .bin file they send you.
  
 Take a pic of your serial number and open a support ticket asking if a new firmware is available, They'll check by your serial number and send a new one if there is with instructions.


----------



## Arinko

arinko said:


> My Pulse Infinity X has been repaired for nearly 2 weeks and it is still waiting to be sent back to me from Singapore. No one looks at the support tickets which I think they read once a week per ticket. My warranty is decreasing and my unused time with my Pulse is increasing. I didn't have it for a month before I sent it off be repaired.


 

 Well my Pulse Infinity X arrived back from Singapore yesterday morning at my office but I was working from home for the last few days since I was flu-ish. Anyways I went down to the city to pick up the unit after work today (yeah, went to the office after everyone left for the day). I have been running it for the past 4 hours. I power cycled it at about the 1 hour-ish mark to test to see if it will continue working after, which it did.
  
 My Geek Out 450 in it's spongy case.


----------



## uncola

Hmm I DO have to re-insert my geek out 450 into the revive every time I turn on my pc.  oh well.  Might be a laptop issue.. haven't tried with my desktop


----------



## eron

If anyone is still waiting for his or her shipment of the Pulse, please kindly fill up the survey below:
  
 http://goo.gl/forms/ML9iJcBU56qKoSzA2


----------



## Orky261

Decided to pair Infinity v2.0 and Burson Soloist instead of going just infinity only, this is really an excellent DAC! The amp section is too tame for me though even when balanced, definitely a big improvement from NAD D1050, I even bought Schiit Wyrd to accompany it.


----------



## vincent215

Hi guys,

Can you please help me to set up AISO in my foobar. I am having the troule as shown in 2nd picture.





And my SN is not displayed in the software, is it normal?
Thanks.


----------



## travelfotografe

SN not displayed is normal.
  
 Follow the instructions on this page, starting from "*Configuration – DSD Playback":*
  
 https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000556094-using-foobar2000-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide


----------



## Stealer

travelfotografe said:


> SN not displayed is normal.
> 
> Follow the instructions on this page, starting from "[COLOR=333333]*Configuration – DSD Playback":*[/COLOR]
> 
> https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000556094-using-foobar2000-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide




Good procedure but outdated from the step after u download the sacd decoder. Took me a day to figure out with trial and error.
Lhlabs shld update this...


----------



## Stealer

Where in the setup can we adj the vol on DSD playback. My DSD playback is too loud when compare to other pkayback.


----------



## Amnesia87

eron said:


> If anyone is still waiting for his or her shipment of the Pulse, please kindly fill up the survey below:
> 
> http://goo.gl/forms/ML9iJcBU56qKoSzA2


 
 is this just something people are doing on their own or what? A Geek Pulse Infinity is among the 4 devices I am still waiting for from LH Labs after two years, yes. But asking for my information with no context of why you want it or who you are is less than ideal.


----------



## eron

amnesia87 said:


> is this just something people are doing on their own or what? A Geek Pulse Infinity is among the 4 devices I am still waiting for from LH Labs after two years, yes. But asking for my information with no context of why you want it or who you are is less than ideal.


 

 Thank you for replying to my post. I have yet to check on the poll. The purpose of the poll is to understand if there's any logic to the wait. You don't have to give any personal information.
  
 ----
  
 Here's the result of 27 responses as of 13 Jul'16. From the survey, we can assume that most of the waits are Infinities, though there are still some of the more 'common' products backlogged. Also that international orders are more likely to have a longer wait.


----------



## Benny-x

Cool survey.


----------



## vincent215

stealer said:


> Good procedure but outdated from the step after u download the sacd decoder. Took me a day to figure out with trial and error.
> Lhlabs shld update this...




can you please help me by posting here your setting?
Thanks.


----------



## Stealer

here the settings I have for my foobar2000
  
 installed components

  
  
 preference/ouput device

  
  
 preference/ SACD


----------



## savaloco

I have had my Pulse Infinity V2 back from repair for a month now and I'm pleased to say I'm really enjoying this DAC.
 Well that is I was until the LPS V1 died this morning.
  
 What the heck is going on?!


----------



## oneguy

My Revive that I have had for a little over a week stopped allowing any of my external drives to connect through it. Of the 6 LH Labs products I have owned (Infinity, LPS-4, GO v1, v2, Blue and Revive) so far only three have never needed to be returned (Infinity, Blue and GO v1). Not a good track record. Makes me wonder about the more complicated Source and Wave.

Edit: added the Pulse Blue


----------



## uncola

oneguy so you were using it with a phone and had your music on an external drive connected through the 2nd usb port on the revive?  interesting use, I feel like the revive was made for portable use as much as desktop.. but I just use it as a desktop usb fixer with an external lps


----------



## mscott58

IME the LHL stuff can be a bit like a British sports car. They can sometimes need to be repaired (maybe more often than others) but when they're running well they really run well!!! Cheers


----------



## oneguy

uncola said:


> oneguy so you were using it with a phone and had your music on an external drive connected through the 2nd usb port on the revive?  interesting use, I feel like the revive was made for portable use as much as desktop.. but I just use it as a desktop usb fixer with an external lps




The Revive is connected to my computer. 

I forgot that I do have Pulse Blue which I got second hand and it hasn't given me any issues. That would put me at a 50% success rate overall with their products. I'll edit my post above.


----------



## oneguy

mscott58 said:


> IME the LHL stuff can be a bit like a British sports car. They can sometimes need to be repaired (maybe more often than others) but when they're running well they really run well!!! Cheers




The repairs bother me but not as much as the cost of these repairs outside of warranty. Does anyone have any data on that? I feel like we are at or near the point where the Pulse products that were initially shipped with a 2 year warranty will have their warranties expire. I received my first Pulse product (LPS4) in Jan of 2015.


----------



## gikigill

Any idea on how to update Pulse software?


----------



## savaloco

mscott58 said:


> IME the LHL stuff can be a bit like a British sports car. They can sometimes need to be repaired (maybe more often than others) but when they're running well they really run well!!! Cheers


 
 As a car guy ... I buy an Alfa expecting to tinker under the bonnet. It is part of the love/hate relationship you know your getting into and as long as the car can be easily and quickly repaired .... so be it.  With stereo equipment the sentiment is completely different altogether.  While I can solder well and have an above average knowledge of electrical engineering ... I have no desire to tinker even if it is only to see how swapping components alters the sound signature of the unit.  In this case I am prohibited from investigating what has happened and have to now wait to ship out a second unit back to LH at my cost.   
  
 I do appreciate the "look for the silver lining" or "cup half full" sentiment but at this point I am completely uninspired.
  
 Cheers


----------



## savaloco

Under the Pulse heading on LH's Support page you will find what you are looking for.
 https://support.lhlabs.com/support/home
  
 Pulse driver is installed on your PC.
 You flash the Pulse firmware using your PC.
 You flash the MCU firmware by lifting the lid, inserting a mSD card into the reader slot, and power cycling the Pulse.  (Assuming of course you have the second version Pulse).
 Note that you must format the mSD card using the FAT file system NOT FAT32 as is more typical today.  FAT can only address at most 2GB of data.
  
 Good luck!


----------



## gikigill

Thank you for your answer. 

I have the original shape Pulse Xfi. What's the procedure for that? Exactly the same as you mentioned I suppose.


----------



## Benny-x

savaloco said:


> .
> Note that you must format the mSDmto FAT or *FAT16*. FAT max volume size is 2GB.
> 
> _Good luck!_



So, I found that out quick... And ha, what a fcuking escapade it becomes to get a 64mb-2gb mSD card... I had my order cancelled by 4 sellers on 3 different platforms because "no one needs a <2gb mSD card anymore". I had one seller offer me a 16gb one at the original cost of the 2GB one because he said he doesn't even have a supplier for them anymore... I eventually found one, then had to wait 4wks for it to arrive.



gikigill said:


> Thank you for your answer.
> 
> I have the original shape Pulse Xfi. What's the procedure for that? Exactly the same as you mentioned I suppose.



Unfortunately you need to send yours back to LH Labs or possibly to an authorised repair facility if you're not in the US. The first units have no user/owner upgradeable method. This was changed on the V2 units, but even there it's still a bit flaky. 

So, you've gotta contact LH Labs and get a ticket to send it in for upgrading, especially before your warranty runs out like oneguy was mentioning above. As a V1 owner your warranty may be close to expiration, and that's IF you didn't pick it up used since the original warranty was non-transferable.


----------



## jbr1971

benny-x said:


> So, you've gotta contact LH Labs and get a ticket to send it in for upgrading, especially before your warranty runs out like oneguy was mentioning above. As a V1 owner your warranty may be close to expiration, and that's IF you didn't pick it up used since the original warranty was non-transferable.


 
  
 You only have to send it back if you want to upgrade the display firmware (which you really do not need). You can upgrade the main board firmware (the one you definitely need) yourself following the instructions on the support site.


----------



## foreverzer0

benny-x said:


> So, I found that out quick... And ha, what a fcuking escapade it becomes to get a 64mb-2gb mSD card... I had my order cancelled by 4 sellers on 3 different platforms because "no one needs a <2gb mSD card anymore". I had one seller offer me a 16gb one at the original cost of the 2GB one because he said he doesn't even have a supplier for them anymore... I eventually found one, then had to wait 4wks for it to arrive.


 
  
 Would it work if you reformat the larger 16gb mSD card with 4 x 2gb FAT volumes?


----------



## greenkiwi

I was told it could be 4gb or less. So I got a 4gb card.

Formatted as fat16 and it didn't seem to work.

Mine is going in for an RMA


----------



## musicheaven

oneguy said:


> The repairs bother me but not as much as the cost of these repairs outside of warranty. Does anyone have any data on that? I feel like we are at or near the point where the Pulse products that were initially shipped with a 2 year warranty will have their warranties expire. I received my first Pulse product (LPS4) in Jan of 2015.




I don't think they've got a great track record with dying items, my Revive just died yesterday, sent the Pulse DAC once and the Go V2+ twice. Their QC process stinks, they should burn those properly before shipping. DACs faulting is a very rare occurrence but not with them. The Geek Blue fortunately still works. I find their 12 Volt supply without proper grounding a bit disconcerting. Once in a while just waving close to those two units creates interference. Weird. I am very worried about more complicated hardware like the Source and Wave. So far their failure rate seems to be too high, likelihood of failing passed the warranty is disconcerting. I don't have a lot of faith in their viability if they keep this high failure rate.


----------



## marflao

musicheaven said:


> I don't think they've got a great track record with dying items, my Revive just died yesterday, sent the Pulse DAC once and the Go V2+ twice. Their QC process stinks, they should burn those properly before shipping. DACs faulting is a very rare occurrence but not with them. The Geek Blue fortunately still works. I find their 12 Volt supply without proper grounding a bit disconcerting. Once in a while just waving close to those two units creates interference. Weird. I am very worried about more complicated hardware like the Source and Wave. So far their failure rate seems to be too high, likelihood of failing passed the warranty is disconcerting. I don't have a lot of faith in their viability if they keep this high failure rate.


 
  
 Wow...reading this from you surprises me since you were always one of the most vocal "fan boys". This is really not meant to offend you but LHL should use this also as food for thought if even their loyal "backers" start turning their backs on them .....
  
 I was told once from LHL that their failure rate is very, very low...minimal. Well....my Pulse Xfi was RMA'ed twice followed by one for my ViDac SS.
 So maybe I was one of the unluckies who faced this low failure rate but honestly I doubt it.
  
 From my point of view it would be really interesting to know who from the current/past LHL backers/owners would buy anythinig again from them. 
 Based on my experience I won´t. Can´t complain from the sound but the bugs hit my nerve.
  
 My nightmare is still not over because I also backed the Source and the Wave. And I´m with you, musicheaven, I´m worried again and expect the worst (UI feeling for instance).


----------



## musicheaven

marflao said:


> Wow...reading this from you surprises me since you were always one of the most vocal "fan boys". This is really not meant to offend you but LHL should use this also as food for thought if even their loyal "backers" start turning their backs on them .....
> 
> I was told once from LHL that their failure rate is very, very low...minimal. Well....my Pulse Xfi was RMA'ed twice followed by one for my ViDac SS.
> So maybe I was one of the unluckies who faced this low failure rate but honestly I doubt it.
> ...




I look at it as a wake up call, I still believe in their ability but things will have to change since other vendors seem to be better at releasing more reliable hardware. I can't say much about their software ability since I don't have much from them. By the way the failures are not drastic they are just annoying since you have to be disabled music wise for a little while.

By the way Larry is a brilliant engineer but what I think he's good with are one off. Doing it on a large scale is more complicated, there are a lot of moving parts and some of those parts they have very little control. It requires master mind manufacturing gurus to drive a tight and reliable ship.


----------



## Maelob

+1 Ive been lucky I have not had any issues with their products, but would not buy from them again. Not so much for the reliability, but for all the wait and wait and wait....I am also waiting on the wave and 2 mono amps. I saw the email on the revive and I just deleted.  In my opinion LHL reputation took a nose dive but hopefully over time they get things right.  I am really happy with my XFI.  Does anybody know about their analog line. My god it is crazy, how much longer?


----------



## ambchang

I bought my Pulse Infinity from another member here a few months ago, and it arrived DOA.  Either of us thought it was no big deal because the equipment was under warranty.  I reached out to LHLabs and they said to send it back, and they will even cover shipping up to $40USD, so I did.
  
 I sent it in, had it fixed, and sent back to me, and I asked them about the $40 shipping.  It turned out that since I bought mine off somebody else, the warranty is voided, and since they didn't ask the first time, they just waived the fees and fixed it for free for me on a one time exceptions basis (grateful for that).
  
 But because of how fragile their equipment seemed to be, especially after reading about the experiences of others here, I will be handling the Infinity with velvet gloves from this point on, and won't even bring it to meets.  It's a shame because the Pulse Infinity sounds really good, especially on my HE500 and even as a DAC/preamp to the KGSS-->SR007, and can really open this brand to my local area headphone enthusiasts (not in US, so I haven't really seen any LHLabs equipment in any of the meets before).
  
 They sound great, but given how expensive it is, I am sort of nervous using the equipment now.


----------



## Orky261

I bought my infinity v2.0 from another head-fi member too but I guess this one is one of the better units out there. It was sent from Canada to SF and I brought it to the plane from SF to Jakarta. It runs perfectly without any problem whatsoever, hopefully it will stay like this for many years to come.


----------



## mscott58

My Infinity has been fine, it's my LPS4 that had to be repaired. Wouldn't have guessed that given the relatively simpler circuitry of a PS...


----------



## spyder1

maelob said:


> +1 Ive been lucky I have not had any issues with their products, but would not buy from them again. Not so much for the reliability, but for all the wait and wait and wait....I am also waiting on the wave and 2 mono amps. I saw the email on the revive and I just deleted.  In my opinion LHL reputation took a nose dive but hopefully over time they get things right.  I am really happy with my XFI.  Does anybody know about their analog line. My god it is crazy, how much longer?


 
  
 Latest Analog Update: https:www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-pre-order#/updates


----------



## Benny-x

greenkiwi said:


> I was told it could be 4gb or less. So I got a 4gb card.
> 
> Formatted as fat16 and it didn't seem to work.
> 
> Mine is going in for an RMA




Check out the FAT specs, <2gb only. As for partitioning a bigger drive, I don't think that'd work. It could,b it we'retalking simple FAT here, not a PC


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

mscott58 said:


> My Infinity has been fine, it's my LPS4 that had to be repaired. Wouldn't have guessed that given the relatively simpler circuitry of a PS...




Sorry for those who have constant issues, but mines yet to fail. Except for the 2 GO1K, I'm using my Infinity+LPS4+Revive almost everyday.


----------



## oneguy

LPS-4 (DOA twice, transformer issue the third time) -I now have a new unit

GO V2(RMA'ed once)

Revive (no longer allows external drives the connect)


----------



## miceblue

Hm, an interesting comparison.


I'll write up my impressions later, but I slightly prefer the iDAC-6 over the Pulse X Infinity+LPS. The AK4490 implementation in this DAC makes the 9018AQ2M Sabre glare pretty apparent when compared next to one another. They're both really good DACs though, among the best I've heard in my years of this hobby.


----------



## uncola

sabre glare?!


----------



## adrian0115

It's been over 8 months since I've written off this company and it's products but a friend has brought my attention back to this thread in light of all the defects going on.  Mr. Ho says the failure rate for his products are extremely low but from personal experience and what everyone else has posted, I really beg to differ and I'd like someone from LH to define what 'extremely low failure rates' actually mean.  As a backer from the 2013 campaign and part of the original 1500er group, I'd like to know why my 3 infinities all don't work.  *That is a 100% failure rate.*
  
 Problems:
 1) Infinities don't work until you power cycle it X number of times
*2) Infinity buzzes/crashes randomly when you plug in a single-ended headphone (I'm glad my headphones still work because the manual says to plug in headphones with the unit ON)*
*    *Maybe this is a feature for the sake of sound quality since the signal path is unprotected and killing headphones is acceptable since this is head-fi.  Sorry about your wallet. 
 3) Display doesn't update even when using a 1GB microsd card formatted with FAT16 (yes I still have a 1GB microsd card)
 4) Infinity firmware update fails even when following the instructions exactly as stated and needed a number of tries to get the upgrade to work (lucky I didn't brick the thing)
 5) Even with the latest firmware, power cycling the unit randomly mutes the volume and there's no sound until you turn the volume knob 
*6) Lack of mu-metal shield over the clocks which is unacceptable since this was something that replaced the spdif out*
  
 It'd be interesting to know how many of the original backers are kept in the dark without the mu-metal shield.
  
 More importantly, I don't trust LH engineering/design because the Pulse has too many show stopping bugs/problems from my personal experience.  I'd like to refer all the LH supporters/fanboys back to problem #2 if they think I'm crazy.
  
 For everyone else that's waiting for their stuff, I'm honestly praying for you guys and wish you the best of luck.  As for me, I paid for an expensive lesson since like everyone else, I believed Mr. Ho knows how to design a working DAC.  Three years later, I don't believe he does.
  
 P.S. Even the 12V wall wart was DOA.  If I didn't have an LPS that was sitting as a paperweight, I would've thought the Infinity itself was DOA.


----------



## bhazard

It's a shame to hear of the failed units, but my Pulse X Infinity, LPS, and GOV2+ Infinity have been rock solid. Easily the best sound from any DACs I've owned, and with the newest mobile Sabre chips (which are still hard to find in units, especially portable balanced ones).
  
 I would not crowdfund again though. The wait is entirely too long. I've written off the Wave at this point, and would probably sell it if I ever do get it.


----------



## travelfotografe

Which pulse models did not have mu-metal shields over their clocks?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk


----------



## MikeyFresh

travelfotografe said:


> Which pulse models did not have mu-metal shields over their clocks?
> 
> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk


 

 If memory serves me, only those models equipped with the femto clocks were supposed to have the mu-metal shields.
  
 So any model with an "F" in it's name should have them.
  
 I wonder if my SFi actually does? Of course to physically check would void the warranty in the eyes of LH Labs, pretty convenient.
  
 In their defense, they aren't the only manufacturer who claims opening the chassis cover voids the warranty. But that's no alibi, I always thought that was complete BS (from any manufacturer) to claim you can't even open the chassis.


----------



## travelfotografe

Oh... I thought all models from the campaign got the mu-shield, and only the higher models from retail got the mu-shield.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S7 edge using Tapatalk


----------



## doctorjazz

bhazard said:


> It's a shame to hear of the failed units, but my Pulse X Infinity, LPS, and GOV2+ Infinity have been rock solid. Easily the best sound from any DACs I've owned, and with the newest mobile Sabre chips (which are still hard to find in units, especially portable balanced ones).
> 
> I would not crowdfund again though. The wait is entirely too long. I've written off the Wave at this point, and would probably sell it if I ever do get it.




Still waiting on a Vi tube dac, Wave. And Source...wouldn't crowdfund again either, though I had a good experience with the Pono and Peachtree Deepblue2 (and even with the Geek Out Special Edition). I think crowdfunding differs from crowd designing. The former is a finished product waiting for financing, then manufacture. Crowd design (at least as done by LH labs) is much more difficult, slow, and has more potential for problems. My $0.02


----------



## TopQuark

The only issue I have with my Pulse X Infinity is the remote control. It runs very very slow to a point where it doesn't work at all.
  
 The other is customer support.  I have an open ticket requesting for the latest firmware since mine is still 1.0. I sent a follow up once but still hasn't gotten any reply. It's been open for over 2 weeks now.
  
 Same here.  No more crowd funding and Indiegogo for me.


----------



## NinjaHamster

New 20g Lightspeed Cable/Box



> “And that ‘20G Box’ correctly separates the necessary space between signal and power leg of the USB cable. Our beautifully designed acrylic bridges are well installed before it ships out.”



Looks like your photographer doesn’t care too much for the acrylic spacers, or the correct space between the signal and usb legs!!


----------



## uncola

Looks like similar shaped box to the revive.. I kind of wish we had the same femtos in the revive 
 On the other hand, hey my revive has the same case as a 2k msrp product


----------



## Audio Addict

.


----------



## Eruditeswine

Hello! Physical disparities aside, how does Chord Mojo compare to a Pulse Infinity with LPS, both as a DAC and a DAC/AMP combo?


----------



## oneguy

eruditeswine said:


> Hello! Physical disparities aside, how does Chord Mojo compare to a Pulse Infinity with LPS, both as a DAC and a DAC/AMP combo?




Here's my comparison of the the two as a DAC/Amp combo:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/795235/chord-mojo-loaner-program-signup-and-review-thread#post_12318465


----------



## Mannytorres

I am sorry to hear about your fails, I also show you have not responded to your ticket in two months now. It would seem the MU shield was simply missed when work was done on your unit. Yes you must turn the knob to engage volume as a safety precaution to your amp and headphones (that was embedded in the firmware update). typically from when computer sleeps then turns back on, we have gotten feedback from our customers to mute the system until the volume knob is engaged to avoid loud system sounds etc. like your windows boot on sounds and so you can see where your dB is currently set to and adjust your amp accordingly before turning the knob.
  
 Please respond to your ticket so we can have your issue addressed.


----------



## Mannytorres

adrian0115 said:


> It's been over 8 months since I've written off this company and it's products but a friend has brought my attention back to this thread in light of all the defects going on.  Mr. Ho says the failure rate for his products are extremely low but from personal experience and what everyone else has posted, I really beg to differ and I'd like someone from LH to define what 'extremely low failure rates' actually mean.  As a backer from the 2013 campaign and part of the original 1500er group, I'd like to know why my 3 infinities all don't work.  *That is a 100% failure rate.*
> 
> Problems:
> 1) Infinities don't work until you power cycle it X number of times
> ...


 
 I am sorry to hear about your fails, I also show you have not responded to your ticket in two months now. It would seem the MU shield was simply missed when work was done on your unit. Yes you must turn the knob to engage volume as a safety precaution to your amp and headphones (that was embedded in the firmware update). typically from when computer sleeps then turns back on, we have gotten feedback from our customers to mute the system until the volume knob is engaged to avoid loud system sounds etc. like your windows boot on sounds and so you can see where your dB is currently set to and adjust your amp accordingly before turning the knob.
  
 Please respond to your ticket so we can have your issue addressed.


----------



## slodyn

@Adrian0115  
 I have that over expensive Pulse SE and it is recognised by PC/Mac/ Android only after I power cycle it once. I dont trust these guys to send it back to repair from Europe because I dont think that I will see the unit back again so I have to live with it.  There is no way that this unit was as Larry promissed carefully tuned and tested. They have put some Cardas connectors in and overpiced a nomal infity, at least they could make the minimal effort to test it for that premium price. About the SQ : it sounds lifeless, artificial a real "digital " sound, exactly the contrary of what they have advertised.  I had to buy another Dac, the Chord 2qute, at the half of the price that I have payed for the SE and there a change like night and day: the Chord have a analog beautifull sound and worth every penny.
 Let say it by the name, these guys are crooks and we have been cheated.


----------



## Benny-x

slodyn said:


> @Adrian0115
> I have that over expensive Pulse SE and it is recognised by PC/Mac/ Android only after I power cycle it once. I dont trust these guys to send it back to repair from Europe because I dont think that I will see the unit back again so I have to live with it.  There is no way that this unit was as Larry promissed carefully tuned and tested. They have put some Cardas connectors in and overpiced a nomal infity, at least they could make the minimal effort to test it for that premium price. About the SQ : it sounds lifeless, artificial a real "digital " sound, exactly the contrary of what they have advertised.  I had to buy another Dac, the Chord 2qute, at the half of the price that I have payed for the SE and there a change like night and day: the Chord have a analog beautifull sound and worth every penny.
> Let say it by the name, these guys are crooks and we have been cheated.


 

 Can you post a picture of your Pulse SE? I've never seen one in the wild.
  
 Sorry to hear about the other stuff though. I hope your new Chord DAC treats you well.


----------



## runningwitit

Sorry 





slodyn said:


> @Adrian0115
> I have that over expensive Pulse SE and it is recognised by PC/Mac/ Android only after I power cycle it once. I dont trust these guys to send it back to repair from Europe because I dont think that I will see the unit back again so I have to live with it.  There is no way that this unit was as Larry promissed carefully tuned and tested. They have put some Cardas connectors in and overpiced a nomal infity, at least they could make the minimal effort to test it for that premium price. About the SQ : it sounds lifeless, artificial a real "digital " sound, exactly the contrary of what they have advertised.  I had to buy another Dac, the Chord 2qute, at the half of the price that I have payed for the SE and there a change like night and day: the Chord have a analog beautifull sound and worth every penny.
> Let say it by the name, these guys are crooks and we have been cheated.


Sorry you don't like your SE, but I simply love mine! You should send it in for repair, they have an AVERAGE two week turnaround!


----------



## Benny-x

runningwitit said:


> Sorry
> Sorry you don't like your SE, but I simply love mine! You should send it in for repair, they have an AVERAGE two week turnaround!



Post some pictures of it! I'd like to see some internals, see if anything is different, though I guess there won't be any names eye differences


----------



## dclaz

Anyone got their Pulse Infinity recently? I had my shipping date of W2 June confirmed, but I'm still yet to receive it.


----------



## m17xr2b

dclaz said:


> Anyone got their Pulse Infinity recently? I had my shipping date of W2 June confirmed, but I'm still yet to receive it.



Don't hold your breath. I have 2.5 years and counting. My delivery estimate was a year ago.


----------



## gikigill

Now my pulse needs multiple reboots to connect with Windows? Anyone else in the same boat?


----------



## travelfotografe

Did you recently changed something in your windows machine?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S7 edge using Tapatalk


----------



## Panelhead

Mine has been working fine with a Mac. Have the latest firmware installed.
 I have considered a Revive or other USB bandaid. The Infinity sounds a lot better using the AES input. All my other dacs have FW buss. That sounds better than the coax input on them. 
 May just switch back to using a FW connected unit instead of "fixing" the USB. I thought USB had gotten a lot better.


----------



## Panelhead

Is it hard to open up the V2 case? I would like to see the mu-metal shields over the Femto clocks and take a video of the naked resistors.


----------



## Benny-x

panelhead said:


> Is it hard to open up the V2 case? I would like to see the mu-metal shields over the Femto clocks and take a video of the naked resistors.


 

Super easy.

1. Loosen the side panel screws first
2. Then remove the magnetic top panel
3. Then unscrew the top side panel screws on both sides
4a. Then unscrew the bottom screws on the back
4b. Make sure to suction cup/stick grip your hand to the metal lid as you unscrew the last screws or else the lid/metal top panel will fall into the component. It's not heavy, but no need to let that happen if you know it will.

Post up some pics if you open it, always fun to see actual gear pics vs. staged/marketing ones. Even if I already own it


----------



## pauldgroot

gikigill said:


> Now my pulse needs multiple reboots to connect with Windows? Anyone else in the same boat?


 
 I only had this when I turned on the Pulse before the power supply (LPS in my case), turning on the LPS first and the Pulse after solved that problem for me.


----------



## musicheaven

gikigill said:


> Now my pulse needs multiple reboots to connect with Windows? Anyone else in the same boat?




Try just disconnecting/reconnecting the USB cable from your PC . I don't think you need the shut it down, somehow when you turn on the unit and you PC is already on, the Pulse seems to need a handshake from the PC USB port. If you start the computer and the Pulse is already on, it gets the appropriate handshake from the PC and then no need to disconnect. 

Hope this helps


----------



## gikigill

I use the LPS4 too but still needs multiple reboots to start. Windows and Linux don't see it until then.


----------



## savaloco

Speaking of LPSs ... mine blew the fuse!  Could anyone confirm the value?  1A @ 250V .... slow burn?
 Any online recommendations? 
 https://www.amazon.ca/250V-1000mA-Delay-Glass-Fuses/dp/B00X77C6GO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469766866&sr=8-2&keywords=1a+250v+fuse
  
 Cheers
  
  
 Update ... 
 Hey here's a deal  .... LOL !!!
 https://www.amazon.ca/BARGAIN-PRICE-Heavy-Ceramic-Business/dp/B00JFC54SW/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1469767025&sr=8-25&keywords=1a+250v+fuse


----------



## oneguy

I bought 100 F1AL250v fuses off of eBay for $4.50 when my LPS4 melted the board (didn't know that at the time).
eBay auction #301993742942


----------



## miceblue

miceblue said:


> I'll write up my impressions later, but I slightly prefer the iDAC-6 over the Pulse X Infinity+LPS. The AK4490 implementation in this DAC makes the 9018AQ2M Sabre glare pretty apparent when compared next to one another. They're both really good DACs though, among the best I've heard in my years of this hobby.





uncola said:


> sabre glare?!



http://www.head-fi.org/t/797583/cayin-idac-6-a-killer-new-dac-with-tons-of-options-on-board/105#post_12754876


----------



## gikigill

Blame the Pulse for anything else but Larry Ho definitely knows how to keep the Sabre glare out of the Geek range.


----------



## savaloco

oneguy said:


> I bought 100 F1AL250v fuses off of eBay for $4.50 when my LPS4 melted the board (didn't know that at the time).
> eBay auction #301993742942




I'm not sure if my board is damaged either but if not and the fuse blew perhaps going with a slow blow fuse on the mains is more desirable than the fast type?

I guess the safe bet is to go with F type and get lots of them


----------



## mscott58

savaloco said:


> Speaking of LPSs ... mine blew the fuse!  Could anyone confirm the value?  1A @ 250V .... slow burn?
> Any online recommendations?
> https://www.amazon.ca/250V-1000mA-Delay-Glass-Fuses/dp/B00X77C6GO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469766866&sr=8-2&keywords=1a+250v+fuse
> 
> ...


 
 Just be careful. If a piece of electronics blows a fuse there's usually a reason. Simply replacing a fuse often will then lead to more blown fuses as the core issue hasn't been addressed. Sometimes a blown fuse is just the fuse, but in my experience that's a minority of the time. Cheers


----------



## savaloco

mscott58 said:


> Just be careful. If a piece of electronics blows a fuse there's usually a reason. Simply replacing a fuse often will then lead to more blown fuses as the core issue hasn't been addressed. Sometimes a blown fuse is just the fuse, but in my experience that's a minority of the time. Cheers


 
 C'mon ... its an LH Labs product!  Do you really need any other reason?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I wholeheartedly agree with your words of caution however I am following LH Labs suggestion to replace the fuse and see what happens.  With my luck this will be the second unit that will have to go back for repair.  Come to think of it ... I was not reimbursed for the shipping the first time.
  
 The odd thing is that I had put the fuse in my pocket before heading out to purchase a new one only to find that the one end cap had fallen off completely.  Couldn't find it. Perhaps it was just a bad fuse.


----------



## oneguy

savaloco said:


> C'mon ... its an LH Labs product!  Do you really need any other reason?
> 
> I wholeheartedly agree with your words of caution however I am following LH Labs suggestion to replace the fuse and see what happens.  With my luck this will be the second unit that will have to go back for repair.  Come to think of it ... I was not reimbursed for the shipping the first time.
> 
> The odd thing is that I had put the fuse in my pocket before heading out to purchase a new one only to find that the one end cap had fallen off completely.  Couldn't find it. Perhaps it was just a bad fuse.




I don't think the end cap would cause the fuse to blow as a loose end cap would just cause the circuit to be open.


----------



## savaloco

oneguy said:


> I don't think the end cap would cause the fuse to blow as a loose end cap would just cause the circuit to be open.


 
  
 I was optimistically hoping that the failure was due to a poorly manufactured fuse and not to something more serious.  There are a slew of possible explanations for a failed fuse to be sure.  It has been quite the trip watching LH go through its growing pains.  They have made mistakes at just about every possible level from product design, customer relations, business execution, parts sourcing, product fabrication etc etc..... but Larry and LH are still in business and fighting through the mess they made.  I really like my DAC ... more so with the LPS powering it but I continue to see the gear as being fragile and quirky.  Characteristics I can do without.


----------



## mandrake50

gikigill said:


> Now my pulse needs multiple reboots to connect with Windows? Anyone else in the same boat?


 

 Mine has to be cajoled about 80% of the time. It is worse when it has been off for a while. At various times I have had to reboot it several time, swap USB ports, reboot the computer... etc.
 No  nothing changed with the computer. It is the same machine with the same software (other than MS patches) that I have used with it since I got the pulse. I would be happier if one process would work every time, but that is too easy. I have written down what works on one occasion, did the same thing the next time it screws up, and it doesn't work.
  
 A PIA... I don't get time to listen to music that much. When I want to listen  it is quite an aggravation to have to beat on the thing for 15 minutes in order to get it recognized by the OS.
  
 I do like the way the Infinity sounds though.  What firmware versions are on yours gikigill ?


----------



## gikigill

The original version from May last year.


----------



## foreverzer0

Has anyone heard this alongside a Gustard X20?


----------



## Mannytorres

savaloco said:


> I was optimistically hoping that the failure was due to a poorly manufactured fuse and not to something more serious.  There are a slew of possible explanations for a failed fuse to be sure.  It has been quite the trip watching LH go through its growing pains.  They have made mistakes at just about every possible level from product design, customer relations, business execution, parts sourcing, product fabrication etc etc..... but Larry and LH are still in business and fighting through the mess they made.  I really like my DAC ... more so with the LPS powering it but I continue to see the gear as being fragile and quirky.  Characteristics I can do without.


 

 I would suggest opening a ticket and I can take care of you from there. I do apologize for that. If a fuse keeps blowing there typically is another embedded issue. I would put it under a thermal IR and see if any hotspots come up. please PM me.


----------



## savaloco

mannytorres said:


> I would suggest opening a ticket and I can take care of you from there. I do apologize for that. If a fuse keeps blowing there typically is another embedded issue. I would put it under a thermal IR and see if any hotspots come up. please PM me.


 
 Thanks Manny!  PM sent.
  
 Something went wrong with my reply to Matt so I have been waiting in vein for an answer.  That is entirely my fault.  
  
 Cheers


----------



## ejong7

Anybody has any previous experience in regards to the Geek LPS suddenly have its yellow light shut down, thus no flow to the Pulse, shutting it down? I'm getting that quite a few times recently.


----------



## shsh

Anyone received the shipping notification for the last batch of Geek Pulse Infinity?
  
 I sent a ticket to their customer service but did not get any reply.


----------



## Thorbs

shsh said:


> Anyone received the shipping notification for the last batch of Geek Pulse Infinity?
> 
> I sent a ticket to their customer service but did not get any reply.


 
  
 Nothing at all. Of course I also don't have my Pulse Infinity yet either. Some deliveries are without notification. Hope you see yours soon and me too.


----------



## wfen

Wanted to bring everyone's attention to a post by Gavin Fish on the Indiegogo updates area... It was from around July 24th...
  
 If you’re awaiting Chassis 2.0, they’re scheduled to arrive at the office on August 5th. Then they need to be silk-screened and assembled. At that time, we’ll ship all of them to their new homes by the end of August.
  
 Of course... if you've been playing along... that's his post from LAST YEAR. By that point, the infinity upgrades and chassis discussion had been ongoing for at least 7 months. I was weary then... now, like almost anyone who is still waiting, I've fully lost my patience. I got jacked on the Geek Out 720 with them blowing out their inventory at prices lower than the campaign without my unit having been shipped yet (purchased in the indiegogo campaign as a bundle). By that point they had also eliminated our color selections.
  
 Each week I get less and less confident that any of our purchases are to be fulfilled.


----------



## Benny-x

foreverzer0 said:


> Has anyone heard this alongside a Gustard X20?



I would also like to know about this. The X20 is well designed and well made, the price is also much lower than the Infinity. Given what people have said about the X20 so far, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that it's a better sonic, let alone dependable, performer than the Infinity. 

I can't say that I'm going to go find out, though. That will have to be up to someone else.

Also as noted above, I had my Infinity and LPS4 V2 off for about a month, and when turning them back on, to the exact same computer and system, I had quite a time getting either of them to power on. And when I finally did, it was still a few more cycle before I got music playing.


----------



## Eruditeswine

gikigill said:


> Now my pulse needs multiple reboots to connect with Windows? Anyone else in the same boat?


 
 Yes. It appears on Playback devices but is unable to play audio hence requiring multiple reboots of the DAC/AMP/LPS. Attempted multiple troubleshoot to no avail, only multiple reboots appear to be constant.


----------



## travelfotografe

eruditeswine said:


> Yes. It appears on Playback devices but is unable to play audio hence requiring multiple reboots of the DAC/AMP/LPS. Attempted multiple troubleshoot to no avail, only multiple reboots appear to be constant.


 
  
 I have the same problem with my Pulse X but a single power off-on step will consistently solve the problem
  
 Power on PC
 Power on Pulse X
 Can see Pulse X in sound devices but cannot play audio
 Power off and on Pulse X
 Can see Pulse X in sound devices and can play audio
  
 The above was with firmware version 1v5.
  
 I recently reported the problem to LHLabs support and was provided with firmware 2v0. The good news is with firmware 2v0, my Pulse X will always be recognized on first power on and can play audio without the need for the power off-on cycle. The bad news is DSD playback is now broken with firmware 2v0 loaded.
  
 I am still waiting for LHLabs support to get back to me on this.


----------



## foreverzer0

On my lps4/infinity if I leave it powered off after a while, I do see some of those symptoms. However, I've noticed that switching it all on and leaving it for a minute or two it will turn on. I think the lps needs some time to stabilize.


----------



## foreverzer0

benny-x said:


> I would also like to know about this. The X20 is well designed and well made, the price is also much lower than the Infinity. Given what people have said about the X20 so far, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that it's a better sonic, let alone dependable, performer than the Infinity.
> 
> I can't say that I'm going to go find out, though. That will have to be up to someone else.
> 
> Also as noted above, I had my Infinity and LPS4 V2 off for about a month, and when turning them back on, to the exact same computer and system, I had quite a time getting either of them to power on. And when I finally did, it was still a few more cycle before I got music playing.




Some say stock already exceeds the yggy for them. Then a lot of people are modding it and saying this has pushed it much higher; one modder now offers to do it in "stage" packages. Some are foregoing USB altogether and using i2s over HDMI, and others putting in a dsd512 capable component and converting all playback to dsd512 from hqplayer.


----------



## Shawnb

eruditeswine said:


> Yes. It appears on Playback devices but is unable to play audio hence requiring multiple reboots of the DAC/AMP/LPS. Attempted multiple troubleshoot to no avail, only multiple reboots appear to be constant.


 
  
  
 Yep I have the same problem. Always got to reboot and cycle through the power multiple times before the ******* thing works.
 I only have the Pulse atm but I'm dreading getting everything else if this what I have to look forward to. I've just stopped using the Pulse because of this, rarely if ever bother to turn it on, don't want to deal with the headache.
  
 Sounds nice when it does work but god what a headache.


----------



## jbr1971

@gikigill @Shawnb
  
 Are you connecting your Pulse directly to the computer USB port, or is it going through a LPS or USB hub?
  
 If it is directly connected, try connecting to a different USB port. Sometimes the port on the computer can be flaky. If it is connected to a LPS or hub, try connecting directly to the computer to see if it fixes the behavior. Might be an issue with other devices in the chain.
  
@travelfotografe 
  
 Some software players need to have their settings reset after a firmware upgrade because the device is enumerated differently. Make sure the 2V0 Pulse is selected in your player settings, and the DSD settings are still set properly.


----------



## gikigill

I have an LPS4 and the Pulse routes through the LPS4. I'll try connecting directly and get back to you.


----------



## graham508

thorbs said:


>


 

 Same. I sent a ticket five days ago asking delivery date, but no response. In the past I've had quick, effusive replies from Gina. 
 The silence is worrying me - will I ever receive this mythical beast?


----------



## travelfotografe

jbr1971 said:


> @travelfotografe
> 
> Some software players need to have their settings reset after a firmware upgrade because the device is enumerated differently. Make sure the 2V0 Pulse is selected in your player settings, and the DSD settings are still set properly.


 
  
 I am using Foobar. After the update to 2v0 fimware. I can play PCM audio files (44.1, 88.2, etc) alright. This means Foobar is seeing the 2v0 Pulse fine. No changes were made to my ASIO and DSD settings in Foobar between the firmware updates. The problem is after updating to 2v0, playback of DSD files only give a soft white noise through the headphones. This is indicative that my Pulse X played the DSD_over_PCM data as PCM and did not switch over to decode the DSD data. 
  
 Reinstalled back to 1v5 firmware, and everything is working as it was (PCM and DSD_over_PCM playback working). But the need for one time power-cycle to get the Pulse X recognized by the PC is back.
  
 I wonder if 2v0 firmware is not compatible with Pulses in V1 chassis.


----------



## jbr1971

travelfotografe said:


> I am using Foobar. After the update to 2v0 fimware. I can play PCM audio files (44.1, 88.2, etc) alright. This means Foobar is seeing the 2v0 Pulse fine. No changes were made to my ASIO and DSD settings in Foobar between the firmware updates. The problem is after updating to 2v0, playback of DSD files only give a soft white noise through the headphones. This is indicative that my Pulse X played the DSD_over_PCM data as PCM and did not switch over to decode the DSD data.
> 
> Reinstalled back to 1v5 firmware, and everything is working as it was (PCM and DSD_over_PCM playback working). But the need for one time power-cycle to get the Pulse X recognized by the PC is back.
> 
> I wonder if 2v0 firmware is not compatible with Pulses in V1 chassis.


 
  
 I am able to play DSD files fine from JRiver on my Mac with 2V0 on my Pulse XFi (v1 chassis).
  
 I only have Foobar setup in a Windows VM, but I have had trouble playing DSD files from it even before 2V0 (used to work fine before), so unfortunately I am not sure what could be going on.


----------



## foreverzer0

travelfotografe said:


> I am using Foobar. After the update to 2v0 fimware. I can play PCM audio files (44.1, 88.2, etc) alright. This means Foobar is seeing the 2v0 Pulse fine. No changes were made to my ASIO and DSD settings in Foobar between the firmware updates. The problem is after updating to 2v0, playback of DSD files only give a soft white noise through the headphones. This is indicative that my Pulse X played the DSD_over_PCM data as PCM and did not switch over to decode the DSD data.
> 
> Reinstalled back to 1v5 firmware, and everything is working as it was (PCM and DSD_over_PCM playback working). But the need for one time power-cycle to get the Pulse X recognized by the PC is back.
> 
> I wonder if 2v0 firmware is not compatible with Pulses in V1 chassis.




Mine can play dsd with v2.0 firmware and I'm on the old chassis.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep mine too.. have you tried JRiver? 2V0 is NATIVE DSD.


----------



## eac3

Hi guys. It's been awhile. Looking at the past few posts, it seems some of you are having playback problems. Is it normal for support not to answer your ticket for 10+ days? 
  
 Turning on/off the pulse infinity multiple times does not work for me.


----------



## MikeyFresh

eac3 said:


> Hi guys. It's been awhile. Looking at the past few posts, it seems some of you are having playback problems. Is it normal for support not to answer your ticket for 10+ days?
> 
> Turning on/off the pulse infinity multiple times does not work for me.


 

 Tomorrow is day 16 for my current ticket regarding firmware for the SFi.
  
 No response at all as yet.


----------



## taz23

mikeyfresh said:


> Tomorrow is day 16 for my current ticket regarding firmware for the SFi.
> 
> No response at all as yet.




I am only at day 4, and it looks like I am in for a long wait.


----------



## oneguy

Day 11 since my Revive was returned and I haven't been refunded yet...


----------



## hemtmaker

eac3 said:


> Hi guys. It's been awhile. Looking at the past few posts, it seems some of you are having playback problems. Is it normal for support not to answer your ticket for 10+ days?
> 
> Turning on/off the pulse infinity multiple times does not work for me.




Are you on 2V0? My com issues went away after I upgraded


----------



## eac3

hemtmaker said:


> Are you on 2V0? My com issues went away after I upgraded


 
  
 Main firmware is 2.0. Using the last drivers (3.26/Nov 2015) that are publicly available.


----------



## greenkiwi

My Infinity is back in the LHLabs shop... the display stopped working.


----------



## jbr1971

eac3 said:


> Main firmware is 2.0. Using the last drivers (3.26/Nov 2015) that are publicly available.


 
  
 Firmware 2V0 is reported as Main 3.0 in my XFi


----------



## hemtmaker

eac3 said:


> Main firmware is 2.0. Using the last drivers (3.26/Nov 2015) that are publicly available.



Not the main firmware but the USB one. Check under the LH control panel. I was on 1V5 when I got the issues


----------



## eac3

jbr1971 said:


> Firmware 2V0 is reported as Main 3.0 in my XFi


 
  
 cool
  


hemtmaker said:


> Not the main firmware but the USB one. Check under the LH control panel. I was on 1V5 when I got the issues


 
  
 According to the Light Harmonic Control Panel, I am on 1V5.


----------



## Drsparis

Came here wondering about aupport tickets as i havent recwived a response in regards to shipping. I hope they don't blindly ship to the address as i have moved... twice since first purchassing this unit lol... :'(


----------



## Audio Addict

drsparis said:


> Came here wondering about aupport tickets as i havent recwived a response in regards to shipping. I hope they don't blindly ship to the address as i have moved... twice since first purchassing this unit lol... :'(


 
  
 You should have received a Survey Monkey survey to finalize your shipping address.


----------



## Drsparis

audio addict said:


> You should have received a Survey Monkey survey to finalize your shipping address.




Wow just checked, i did. Never opened it though as it had a "spammy" title... very much unlike the big green button on the inside of the email asking me to confirm my address. 

Anyways thanks for the quick response, i will now pray.


----------



## Audio Addict

drsparis said:


> Wow just checked, i did. Never opened it though as it had a "spammy" title... very much unlike the big green button on the inside of the email asking me to confirm my address.
> 
> Anyways thanks for the quick response, i will now pray.


 
  
 no problem but the surprise being it was from Gavin.


----------



## eac3

hemtmaker said:


> Not the main firmware but the USB one. Check under the LH control panel. I was on 1V5 when I got the issues


 
  
 You *were *on 1.5? Is there a page to get 2.X? I have the new chassis. Thanks.


----------



## hemtmaker

eac3 said:


> You *were* on 1.5? Is there a page to get 2.X? I have the new chassis. Thanks.



I sent a ticket to LH with my infinity serial number and they got back to me with the instructions and firmware the next day.


----------



## oneguy

oneguy said:


> Day 11 since my Revive was returned and I haven't been refunded yet...




I am now at 2 weeks since my Revive arrived at their company for refund. 3 messages sent through their support page and a PM sent to Manny, all with no response. I had the initiate a credit card dispute today so that I could get my money back.


----------



## doctorjazz

What was the issue with the Revive, if I may ask?


----------



## oneguy

It stopped allowing any of my external hard drives to connect through it. The Pulse Infinity connected through it fine. I am using a Mac OS.


----------



## kostaszag

mikeyfresh said:


> eac3 said:
> 
> 
> > Hi guys. It's been awhile. Looking at the past few posts, it seems some of you are having playback problems. Is it normal for support not to answer your ticket for 10+ days?
> ...


 

 if you ever get a response would you mind posting it here? I own one of these rare beasts too and would like to know if there is a firmware upgrade available.


----------



## Greg121986

I have a pretty good offer for my stereo amp so I am thinking of selling my Geek Pulse X-FI and Jay's Audio LPS and just starting over completely. I really love the sound of this setup and for the price I cannot imagine anything will match it. However, I just have a bit of upgradeitis and I want to play with new gear. 
  
 What is the Pulse X-Fi and Jay's Audio LPS worth together?


----------



## Maelob

There is a difference of whats worth and what are people willing to pay- I sold mine with lps for 1200 but Ive seen it around 1k. But that was a while ago.


----------



## Audio Addict

I tried to sell an Infinity with LPS4 and Pulse and did not get a single offer and all three as $1450 shipped in the US.  These were all NIB as I had purchased 2 complete sets one for home and one for the office but decided against the office. 
  
 Not much interest in LH Labs products due to all the delays and sporadic problems.  Knock on wood, but my home set up has not any problems.
  
 I am still waiting on the Wave, Source and HPA.


----------



## Drsparis

Good to know... as an international backer who is still waiting ( in july they told us they would all be shipped by the end of the month, now they just told us that some units would be shipped by mid september... have they not learnt their lesson in regards to promisses? What they didint even use their go to excuse this time lol anyways i am not surprised at all!)

Sorry for the rant but as an international backer i am scared about the unit breaking and having to pay a lot to get it fixed... i am strongly considering selling it but on the other hand 1000 doesnt seem like much vs investment and apparant praise.


----------



## taz23

taz23 said:


> I am only at day 4, and it looks like I am in for a long wait.


 

 My ticket #31500 is still open and no replies after 8 days.  Sigh...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

oneguy said:


> It stopped allowing any of my external hard drives to connect through it. The Pulse Infinity connected through it fine. I am using a Mac OS.


 
  






 You're connecting your external HD from it?? It might be under powered?  Since Revive is intended for DACs/ADCs (handshaking) not for powering periferrals.


----------



## oneguy

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> :blink:  You're connecting your external HD from it?? It might be under powered?  Since Revive is intended for DACs/ADCs (handshaking) not for powering periferrals.




The External HDs were powered from their own power supply and they didn't work after it glitches. My SSD external draws power from the USB connection and it worked for a week then decided to stop connecting. If I remember correctly, the power light for the SSD was on as well. The support team seam shocked that it stopped working which leads me to believe that it should have continued working.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well that is interesting...Had mine in June and its on and working 24/7 powered from my LPS4. My Pulse Infinity is attached to it and haven't have issues until now.
  
 Haven't tried connecting my Portable HD in to it though. Have a dedicated powered hub for it if it needs be.


----------



## oneguy

My Revive was powered from the LPS4 as well. With ought the Revive present I use a powered hub to connect all my hard drives.

I still haven't revived my refund which has me pretty pissed off! It's been two weeks since it arrived back in their hands...


----------



## miceblue

audio addict said:


> I tried to sell an Infinity with LPS4 and Pulse and did not get a single offer and all three as $1450 shipped in the US.  These were all NIB as I had purchased 2 complete sets one for home and one for the office but decided against the office.
> 
> Not much interest in LH Labs products due to all the delays and sporadic problems.  Knock on wood, but my home set up has not any problems.
> 
> I am still waiting on the Wave, Source and HPA.



Dang...I'm sorry to hear about that.

That's rather unfortunate, but true at the same time.

Aside from sound, my X Infinity has been having dropouts again while trying to watch YouTube videos or movies via VLC and it's really annoying to have to restart the device mid-way through a good scene. This happens with or without the 2G cables, with or without a USB regenerator (iFi micro iUSB3.0). I was considering opening a ticket, but my schedule is really tight right now and I don't think I'll be able to send it to them in the timeline I have in mind. I'll just have to wait 6 months...

Speaking of Wave, I was just about to ask in the respective thread when people think it'll actually be released. I was hoping to have it in my hands before I went back to school, but that won't be happening. Maybe I'll have it in my hands next year during my second year of school. It would have been nice to have it for the plane trip, walking around campus, in the dormitories, etc., but alas I guess I was being too optimistic.


----------



## savaloco

miceblue said:


> Dang...I'm sorry to hear about that.
> 
> That's rather unfortunate, but true at the same time.
> 
> ...




I used to have similar problems but found that ensuring that the Pulse was set as the default device the issues went away. My Infinity with LPS is connected to my PC running Windows 10 64bit. I use both headphones and desktop speakers and have to swap between the devices in my sound settings depending on what I want to listen to. 

Perhaps this may help. 


As for my LPS... it is still dead and I have not heard back from LH since Manny reached out a week ago. Basically waiting for fuse type confirmation so I can replace the blown fuse. If it blows again it will have to be shipped back. 

Miss the LPS


----------



## germay0653

savaloco said:


> I used to have similar problems but found that ensuring that the Pulse was set as the default device the issues went away. My Infinity with LPS is connected to my PC running Windows 10 64bit. I use both headphones and desktop speakers and have to swap between the devices in my sound settings depending on what I want to listen to.
> 
> Perhaps this may help.
> 
> ...


 

 ​1 Amp, 250 Volts, Type slow blow.


----------



## miceblue

savaloco said:


> I used to have similar problems but found that ensuring that the Pulse was set as the default device the issues went away. My Infinity with LPS is connected to my PC running Windows 10 64bit. I use both headphones and desktop speakers and have to swap between the devices in my sound settings depending on what I want to listen to.
> 
> Perhaps this may help.
> 
> ...



Ah I actually use OS X. The X Infinity makes the default device selection program freeze up when this problem occurs, so the hard reboot is required.

I haven't had any problems with it in W10 whenever I use it for gaming and whatnot.


----------



## spyder1

savaloco said:


> I used to have similar problems but found that ensuring that the Pulse was set as the default device the issues went away. My Infinity with LPS is connected to my PC running Windows 10 64bit. I use both headphones and desktop speakers and have to swap between the devices in my sound settings depending on what I want to listen to.
> 
> Perhaps this may help.
> 
> ...


 
 ​In the last week, my computer would freeze up during music playback (J River 22)  Pulse Xfi, and I spent time trouble shooting the problem.  "This thread tends to blame everything on Pulse problems," but I believe that the Sound Default setting was changed during Windows 10 updates. I reset the default to Pulse Xfi, and the freeze ups stopped! {Computer, LightSpeed Revive, Pulse Xfi, Pulse LPS4}
  
 savaloco, I upgraded my Pulse LPS4 fuse a year ago {1A F, (fast blow) small fuse} original value, with HiFi Tuning fuse from www.partsconnexion.com


----------



## germay0653

spyder1 said:


> ​In the last week, my computer would freeze up during music playback (J River 22)  Pulse Xfi, and I spent time trouble shooting the problem.  "This thread tends to blame everything on Pulse problems," but I believe that the Sound Default setting was changed during Windows 10 updates. I reset the default to Pulse Xfi, and the freeze ups stopped! {Computer, LightSpeed Revive, Pulse Xfi, Pulse LPS4}
> 
> savaloco, I upgraded my Pulse LPS4 fuse a year ago {1A F, (fast blow) small fuse} original value, with HiFi Tuning fuse from www.partsconnexion.com


 
*5mm x 20mm (small) , 1 Amp, 250 Volt, slow blow*
  
*From:* Technical Support Team <support@lhlabs.freshdesk.com>
*To:*
*Sent:* Wednesday, March 23, 2016 1:04 PM
*Subject:* Re: LPS4 & Future LPS8
  
  
 Hello Gery
  
 This is Matt from Technical Support. I greatly apologize for the delayed response. The fuse rating/amperage is 1A , voltage is 250V and it is *slow blow*. Unfortunately we don't have the specs set in stone for LPS 8 so we cannot release any information regarding that.
  
 If you have any further questions, do let me know. If not, I will go ahead and mark this ticket as "Closed".
  
 Hope this helps!
  
 - Matt
  
 Ticket: https://support.lhlabs.com/helpdesk/tickets/25163


----------



## pbear

spyder1 said:


> savaloco, I upgraded my Pulse LPS4 fuse a year ago {1A F, (fast blow) small fuse} original value, with HiFi Tuning fuse from www.partsconnexion.com


 
  
 Did you notice a significant difference with the HiFi Tuning fuse, and did you replace the fuse in your Pulse Xfi as well?


----------



## spyder1

germay0653 said:


> *5mm x 20mm (small) , 1 Amp, 250 Volt, slow blow*
> 
> *From:* Technical Support Team <support@lhlabs.freshdesk.com>
> *To:*
> ...


 
 Gery,
  
 I examined the orginal fuse installed in the Pulse LPS4 (1st ED), with a 10X Jewelers Loupe, and the fuse value I read was 1A F (Fast Blow). If it was a slow blow fuse it would read 1A T. My LPS 4 works with no problems.


----------



## spyder1

pbear said:


> Did you notice a significant difference with the HiFi Tuning fuse, and did you replace the fuse in your Pulse Xfi as well?


 
  
 I have used Hi-Fi Tuning Fuses in different applications, AMP's, Subwoofers, LPS4. Silver has an effect on SQ, but with LPS's the effect would be minimal. You are replacing a fuse with a quality fuse. IMOP. Opening the Pulse case would void the warranty. Replacing the LPS 4 fuse is easy.


----------



## mulveling

OMG, this madness still goes on, years later. Sadly seems you guys have all been hoodwinked 
  
 Most other manufacturers-gone-bad would have had the decency to drop off the face of the earth by now (I've seen it a number of times now in head-if history, and experienced it personally). But this LH Labs nonsense goes on, like a recurrent nightmare. They've done a lot of damage to the goodwill of this community. And they should be held accountable for that.


----------



## germay0653

spyder1 said:


> Gery,
> 
> I examined the orginal fuse installed in the Pulse LPS4 (1st ED), with a 10X Jewelers Loupe, and the fuse value I read was 1A F (Fast Blow). If it was a slow blow fuse it would read 1A T. My LPS 4 works with no problems.


 

 Spyder1,
  
 I have no doubt it works fine.  I wonder why they put in a fast blow in yours but tech support advised slow blow.  Regardless, they both seem to work fine.


----------



## oneguy

My LPS4 came with a fast blow as well.


----------



## NinjaHamster

oneguy said:


> My LPS4 came with a fast blow as well.


----------



## oneguy

Damn, I walked right into that one

Well played sir, well played.


----------



## Benny-x

oneguy said:


> Damn, I walked right into that one
> 
> Well played sir, well played.



Haha, nice!


----------



## TopQuark

ejong7 said:


> Anybody has any previous experience in regards to the Geek LPS suddenly have its yellow light shut down, thus no flow to the Pulse, shutting it down? I'm getting that quite a few times recently.


 
  
 I'm having exactly the same problem.  I have the LPS4 and using other outputs didn't help.  I initially thought it was just a firmware issue with the Pulse Infinity.  After firmware upgrade and downgrade, it was not resolved.  How were you able to resolve it?  RMA?
  


inotrope said:


> First post here, and it's a moan
> 
> I have a 2 week old Pulse Infinity, powered via an LPS4. It sounds great.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Same exact problem here.  At first it was the LPS4 that just quit but it turns back on after power cycle, then, the screen of the Pulse Infinity disappeared and didn't come back after power cycle.  Music continues to play and volume knob does not respond.
  
 It appears that both issues are related like LPS4 causing the Pulse Infinity to fail.  Looks like I am returning both units.  Very sad here since I do not have any back-up.


----------



## jbarrentine

mulveling said:


> OMG, this madness still goes on, years later. Sadly seems you guys have all been hoodwinked
> 
> Most other manufacturers-gone-bad would have had the decency to drop off the face of the earth by now (I've seen it a number of times now in head-if history, and experienced it personally). But this LH Labs nonsense goes on, like a recurrent nightmare. They've done a lot of damage to the goodwill of this community. And they should be held accountable for that.


 
  
 Yeah I thought I was going crazy on realizing this thread was 775 pages long when everyone said the product sucked. Thought for sure I was missing something.


----------



## adrian0115

mannytorres said:


> I am sorry to hear about your fails, I also show you have not responded to your ticket in two months now. It would seem the MU shield was simply missed when work was done on your unit. Yes you must turn the knob to engage volume as a safety precaution to your amp and headphones (that was embedded in the firmware update). typically from when computer sleeps then turns back on, we have gotten feedback from our customers to mute the system until the volume knob is engaged to avoid loud system sounds etc. like your windows boot on sounds and so you can see where your dB is currently set to and adjust your amp accordingly before turning the knob.
> 
> Please respond to your ticket so we can have your issue addressed.


 
  
 It's been a while since I visited these forums.  I'm assuming you guys have no idea what a hassle it is to deal with RMA's on an international level.  I don't have the time to deal with flawed design and broken hardware especially when I'm currently in the process of relocating back to the Bay Area.  
  
 1.) I have multiple units that failed.  One unit is in HK and I can't ship it to your China RMA depot without showing a proper invoice and insurance because the Chinese govt wants their $.  
 2.) I have NO confidence in your China service center being able to fix the problem 
 3.) Given that you guys can't seem to finish delivering the remaining Pulses along with all the other people reporting how long it takes you guys to respond or fix things, I wonder when you guys can even RMA these things.
  
 I was one of your early backers backing 3 x pulse+lps putting my faith in Larry by voting with my wallet.  What I got for my $3k+ is junk.  Really it's just junk right now.  
  
 I want YOU guys to pay and fix these things back in the US because couriers in HK aren't willing to take it to China without an invoice.   
  
 I really wonder if you guys even realize that you don't have much of a reputation or goodwill with original backers like me.  Furthermore, you've lost future/potential customers because people like me have made it my mission to make sure everyone that I know stay away from you guys.
  
 Comparing the Pulse head to head with a Mytek, M-DAC, Benchmark DAC2 made it painfully obvious just how flaky/broken the Pulse really is.  Again, I really would like to know how you guys can claim to have such high testing standards when I can find so many problems/flaws with it *right out of the box*.  From the videos I shared with your techs, all these are considered 'ghost' issues but they're very real to me when I almost thought my HD650s were destroyed simply by plugging it into the damn Pulse.  Being fed up with this thing, I opened up the damn thing and found out its missing the shields.  Look at the photo.  That QC passed sticker is a joke to me.
  
 I have an idea, why don't you/Larry etc put yourself in my shoes feeling like a complete fool when you give up $3k+ of your hard earned money.  I guess I just might have it all wrong because for you guys and all the other big spending audio guys, money grows on trees and $3k+ is really nothing.  
  
 I'd like to call out all the so called reviewers that praised this thing like it's the second coming of Christ because I question how you guys are testing, if at all.  If someone like me can find so many problems right out of the box, I don't know what you guys are doing.  Luckily, I actually know of a reviewer that agrees with me and have the evidence of that conversation but I don't think it's prudent to post that at this point.
  
 Of all the gear that I've actually used, (Mytek, Benchmark, Audiolab, Gryphon, Goldmund, Job), the Pulse is the only piece of kit that has caused me problems right from the get go.  This thing isn't a Tesla/rocket.


----------



## Laseng

I backed Geek Pulse 29 October 2013 just seven hours and twelve minutes after Geek Pulse Campaign start.
  
 I was told in December that Pulse Infinity would be sent at the end of the month.
 Then it was postponed to February, April, June, Juli and now first week in August.
  
 I was told by Gina at LH LAB in late July that I will receive a shipping notification within the next week or so,
 but no shipping notification came.
  
 Now I've got a new message that there are about 100 Pulse Infinity left and about 20 units that are currently ahead of me in their shipping queue.
  
 I can not understand that I have ended up so far back in the queue of 735 bakers of Pulse Infinity.
  
 Is there anyone else here who has backed Pulse Infinity 29th October 2013 and not yet received it?


----------



## adrian0115

slodyn said:


> @Adrian0115
> I have that over expensive Pulse SE and it is recognised by PC/Mac/ Android only after I power cycle it once. I dont trust these guys to send it back to repair from Europe because I dont think that I will see the unit back again so I have to live with it.  There is no way that this unit was as Larry promissed carefully tuned and tested. They have put some Cardas connectors in and overpiced a nomal infity, at least they could make the minimal effort to test it for that premium price. About the SQ : it sounds lifeless, artificial a real "digital " sound, exactly the contrary of what they have advertised.  I had to buy another Dac, the Chord 2qute, at the half of the price that I have payed for the SE and there a change like night and day: the Chord have a analog beautifull sound and worth every penny.
> Let say it by the name, these guys are crooks and we have been cheated.


 
@slodyn
 Been busy with life and haven't really been on the forums.  I couldn't have said it better myself because the Pulse simply didn't work out of the box.  Power cycling this thing multiple times to get it to work is ridiculous.  Having it randomly try to blow up my headphones simply pisses me off.  I travel between US/Canada, HK, China and I have problems sending to China.  Not to mention I DON'T TRUST China.  
  
 Regarding SQ, I stand by my original posts/statements that I don't have a problem with it but it doesn't stand out because I honestly can't tell the difference between the Pulse, Mytek 192, Benchmark DAC2, Audiolab M-DAC.  I tested all these units head-to-head using HD650s, DT990s.  It was also during this test that I found out the Pulse randomly tries to blow up my headphones.  If this isn't a design flaw, I'm not sure what is.  All other DACs were rock solid no matter how many times I plugged/unplugged the headphones.
  
 What I can say is that after all this time, I'm still relying on a Dragonfly 1.0 that has worked flawlessly since 2012.  Hooked up to a Cubox (powered USB hub in between) running Volumio, I can hit play on my phone as soon as I walk in the door and my music plays.
  
 I really don't have time to mess around with voodoo and rituals just to get LH gear to work.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Does it read "POTATO"..
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  


>


----------



## adrian0115

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Does it read "POTATO"..


 
 Yes.  Potato Semiconductor.  It's for clock and signal distribution.
  
 There's another quad differential translator by Potato as well.


----------



## dclaz

laseng said:


> I backed Geek Pulse 29 October 2013 just seven hours and twelve minutes after Geek Pulse Campaign start.
> 
> I was told in December that Pulse Infinity would be sent at the end of the month.
> Then it was postponed to February, April, June, Juli and now first week in August.
> ...


 
 Same situation here.
  
 I pretty much backed the Pulse and all its upgrades all the way to the Infinity immediately. Was told it would ship numerous times, but still no shipping notification.


----------



## Panelhead

I wonder about what is inside mine. Going to open up to look. 
 I think my old Dac sounds better. At least fuller on the low end.
 The problems related to the Linear Power Supply is a concern. I can build low noise, low impedance, and wide bandwidth power supplies that are anvil solid. I would hope LH can also.
 How many of the failures are units powered from the LPS? I have always used a Jay's LPS. Maybe not SOTA, but has been reliable.


----------



## eac3

Is LH labs running another crowdfunding or something?
  
 Ticket going for 22 days.
  
 Is LH labs personally sending FW updates instead of releasing them online?


----------



## Panelhead

They require the serial number to verify the compatibility of the firmware update. It may be either no one has evaluated or notified you that it is not recommended. 
 Firmware is tricky. You can accidentally brick the unit. I bricked one of my old dacs by trying to rollback the firmware to use with old computer. Luckily the manufacturer replaced on their nickel. They had multiple versions on line for download.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Well USB Audio Player Pro have released their update to support Native DSD...
  
 Now my Android Box with Geek Pulse Infinity (w/ updated firmware) sings DSD256!!!


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Well USB Audio Player Pro have released their update to support Native DSD...
> 
> Now my Android Box with Geek Pulse Infinity (w/ updated firmware) sings DSD256!!!


 

 Michael, what is the version number of the firmware you are using?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

2V0 bro!


----------



## taz23

eac3 said:


> Is LH labs running another crowdfunding or something?
> 
> Ticket going for 22 days.
> 
> Is LH labs personally sending FW updates instead of releasing them online?


 
  
 I was just wondering the same thing: where's all the staff at LH Labs?  My ticket is at 15 days already...


----------



## TopQuark

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> 2V0 bro!


 

 I have 2 versions of 2V0, can you tell which filename you are using from the following?
  
 1.  GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_INF.bin
 2.  GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_INF_D1.bin


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

First one i think...its so long already...


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> 2V0 bro!


 

 Grazie fratello!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Figurati!!


----------



## eac3

panelhead said:


> They require the serial number to verify the compatibility of the firmware update. It may be either no one has evaluated or notified you that it is not recommended.
> Firmware is tricky. You can accidentally brick the unit. I bricked one of my old dacs by trying to rollback the firmware to use with old computer. Luckily the manufacturer replaced on their nickel. They had multiple versions on line for download.


 
  
Why doesn't the Pulse and/or their FW update utility have the functionality to check?
  
  
 This ride never ends.


----------



## greenkiwi

Yeah, that is the part that is most disappointing. (well, maybe not as much as not getting your Infinity... or having it break down and having to send it back.)


----------



## senorx12562

My experience has been interesting, to say the least. It is something of a crapshoot whether the thing will work or not (base model w/o lps) and god forbid I should have a power failure. I leave it on 24/7 just to avoid having to uninstall/reinstall the firmware and go through some magical and everchanging power down and up incantation involving various components in various different orders to get it to work again. Sometimes, out of the clear blue, it just doesn't show up as an option in my sound devices menu, after having worked without a hitch for a month or two. I have shelved the thing out of frustration on more than one occasion when I can't make it work again, then put it back in my system and it works. It's like intermittent magic. I must say i do really like how it sounds though. It may be the best 9018 implementation I've heard. 
The toslink input has never worked, it has never played dsd natively (the ASIO output has never worked at all), and the amp is mediocre, but these issues aren't huge for me, as I only have 4 albums in dsd, don't use toslink, and use the line-out to a headphone amp. I also didn't pay that much, as i bought a bundle with lcd2s for $1k, which I later sold for $700. For $300, the thing sounds great, when it works. I've never had a piece of consumer electronics with this level of unreliability though. Since it is now out of warranty, (lh has already replaced the board once under warranty), when it quits, it really is done. 
I am still waiting for another item from lh, and am curious whether the fact that i received an email survey confirming my address a couple weeks ago means shipping should be happening soon. Anybody have a clue? I'm not gonna ask them because, well, you know how that works out. Good luck to all.


----------



## Panelhead

There are several mysteries here. Some deficiencies are not a mystery. 
  1. The non-shipping of equipment is rob Peter to pay Paul. As the revenue comes in for a new product, older products get built and shipped. 
  2. The original idea for Pulse design was flawed. It is impossible to build low cost/high value products with an ever changing number of options. There should have been a basic and maybe an upgrade. This would simplify hardware and software. 
  3. The unreliability may be tied to point 2.
  4. The support issue is point one and two.

  The board failures are amazing, I have purchased several dacs, none had any history of main board issues. I never worried about warrenty or long term support with a Dac. Should last until replaced with something better, cheaper, and more features.
  The linear power supply problems are even more amazing. There must be a million people capable of designing a reliable, low cost, good performing 12 DC volt power supply. Another 1000 suppliers capable of building these in any quanity. I did not buy one due to cost, I can build one out of parts I have. Instead I purcased a Jay's LPS for 100.00. For me the machining work on a Bud Box or similiar was too time consuming. I Would use a three pin reg with a current source on the output. Set at 13 - 14 volts. Maybe 15. Then when unit failed I could blame myself for over powering.


  I have had mine for a while now. Cannot believe others are still waiting. 

  I do like it as a dac/preamp. The volume control is fantastic. Like the seperate output circuits for balanced and for single ended. Like the ability to play all the really hi-res files that I do not own. Might keep using if it had a Firewire, Thunderbolt, or Ethernet connection.
 USB is as bad as LH. A new widget every week to get "perfect sound forever" even with the latest stock hardware.


----------



## mark5hs

How well would the hd650 pair with the standard pulse? At the moment, I'm using it with hifiman he400 and denon ad2000 but I can get an hd650 for under $300, which is really tempting. I know I dont really need them, since from what I can tell it wouldn't be an upgrade from the he400, but I kinda want a pair just for the comfort level and a bit of variety. Think they'd sound good with the pulse?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have an HD600 to my Infinity. It has great synergy.


----------



## germay0653

Great synergy with the Fostex TH900 also!


----------



## Panelhead

Quote: 





benny-x said:


> Super easy.
> 
> 1. Loosen the side panel screws first
> 2. Then remove the magnetic top panel
> ...


 

   I finally got around to opening it up. The mu-metal is in place, the naked resistors all seem to be behaving themselves. There are eight more screws ro remove, they secure the back panel connectors.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Are you kidding me???
  
 Look at those beauties....THANKS BRO!!


----------



## NigelJ

panelhead said:


> ..I finally got around to opening it up. The mu-metal is in place, the naked resistors all seem to be behaving themselves...




Panelhead, are those your photos because they do not show the mu-metal shield. Did you remove the shield before taking the photos, as I thought it was meant to be soldered in place. See https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2enmDDzVKww&feature=youtu.be for details of the shield just before one minute into the video.


----------



## greenkiwi

Yeah. I thought that the mu metal shield was the little box that covers all of those components.


----------



## mscott58

Yeah, should be a rectangular cube box that covers the femto clocks and related circuitry. Should sit over the outlined rectangle in the center left of the first picture in the post above. Wonder if anyone got one? Cheers


----------



## nudd

Hmm now this makes me curious and want to open my original chassis infinity...


----------



## Panelhead

mscott58 said:


> Yeah, should be a rectangular cube box that covers the femto clocks and related circuitry. Should sit over the outlined rectangle in the center left of the first picture in the post above. Wonder if anyone got one? Cheers


 

   Guess Idid not know what to look for. I have the locating holes for the mu-metal box, just no box.  I doubt if anyone got one.  I looks like it would come loose and bounce around inside. 
   There is a XTAL on the front display board. Another dac I have has a crystal mounted on the display board also. Shows how little I know, why do you need a clock on a display board?


----------



## adrian0115

panelhead said:


> I finally got around to opening it up. The mu-metal is in place, the naked resistors all seem to be behaving themselves. There are eight more screws ro remove, they secure the back panel connectors.


 
 Looks like I'm not the only one to be surprised by the missing mu-metal shield.  For early backers and original campaigners, this was explicitly stated as a replacement for the spdif out that Mr. Ho decided to drop.  LH labs, you guys are shipping out dysfunctional/unfinished kit as well as not delivering to spec.
  
 Again, I have question the testing and evaluation procedures/process of so called reviewers.  
  
 The mu-metal shield should look as follows:


----------



## carz

Panelhead, can you take a closeup picture of the barcode and serial number?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Popped my cellphone camera on the kensington lock hole at the back (got me worried).
  
 Pwew! There it is (Mu shield) at the bottom left!


----------



## marflao

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]





m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Popped my cellphone camera on the kensington lock hole at the back (got me worried).
> 
> Pwew! There it is (Mu shield) at the bottom left!




If you wouldn't have posted a proof of an existing mu shield I would have thought that all others were only be able to see one if they had backed the "mu shield hologram glasses" for $168.


----------



## mark5hs

germay0653 said:


> Great synergy with the Fostex TH900 also!




Yeah I'm actually planning on getting an Emu Teak, which shares the driver, when massdrop releases the detachable cable version around November.


----------



## Inotrope

Same here, no mu-metal shield on either of the infinity motherboards I've had.
 I'll be disappointed if this is something some have, some not.
  
 Is there an official line on this apparent downgrade?


----------



## greenkiwi

This had it for all..
http://lhlabs.com/geekpulse3/images/Geek_Pulse_Soul_Technology_Breakdown.pdf


----------



## mscott58

According to Larry himself: "All the backers in 2013 will get the shield."

Hope that helps. 

Cheers


----------



## Chrome Robot

Can anyone confirm whether or not LHLabs is still in operation or has folded? 

I have another 6 months of warranty left and malfunctioning unit. No responses to communication.

Of course i consider myself lucky/smart since no other products due.


----------



## Panelhead

I received an email about the upcoming amplifiers this weekend. 995.00 for a stereo unit.


----------



## nudd

Their support seems to have gone awol for me too. Ticket not answered for almost 2 weeks now


----------



## FayeForever

Another missing Mu shield infinity 2.0 report in.
  
 I am one of the early backers in 2013 that got the infinity in the earliest batch (last Sep/Oct).
 Right now I am just disillusioned. This unit hasn't been very reliable, but I think they just did a really lousy job. As I opened it and found out the shield to be missing, I think they are now deceitful. It is funny I was excited watching Larry's video where he talked about how much effort they put into making the Pulse.
  
 EDIT: I also opened my vanilla Pulse a year ago and it has Mu shield. Oh the irony.


----------



## runningwitit

fayeforever said:


> Another missing Mu shield infinity 2.0 report in.
> 
> I am one of the early backers in 2013 that got the infinity in the earliest batch (last Sep/Oct).
> Right now I am just disillusioned. This unit hasn't been very reliable, but I think they just did a really lousy job. As I opened it and found out the shield to be missing, I think they are now deceitful. It is funny I was excited watching Larry's video where he talked about how much effort they put into making the Pulse.
> ...


Sorry you're disappointed, but I seriously love my Pulse! I couldn't imagine life without it, now that I've tasted it!!


----------



## adrian0115

fayeforever said:


> Another missing Mu shield infinity 2.0 report in.
> 
> I am one of the early backers in 2013 that got the infinity in the earliest batch (last Sep/Oct).
> Right now I am just disillusioned. This unit hasn't been very reliable, but I think they just did a really lousy job. As I opened it and found out the shield to be missing, I think they are now deceitful. It is funny I was excited watching Larry's video where he talked about how much effort they put into making the Pulse.
> ...


 
 Couldn't have said it better myself.  I think everyone should check their Pulse.  
  
 LH Labs, us backers are not deliberately trying to make life difficult for you but these are your mistakes and they need to be addressed.
  
 Again, to reiterate my comments from over a year ago, I believe this clown Gavin played everyone and treated this like a game.  I had this discussion with a friend when the Pulse campaign was still running!  
  
 I believe Larry's life as well as everybody else at LH Labs was made unnecessarily difficult in the process as well which has led to the faults and mistakes we see to this day.  
  
 We are closing in on 2017 from a 2013 DAC campaign which still isn't fully delivered.  For the Pulses that I've received, they are faulty from Day 1 and this is simply unacceptable after forking over $4k+.  First and last time I crowdfund anything and LH Labs reputation to me is beyond negative to me.     
  
 Since LH Labs seems focused on Tesla these days, it's funny how Mr. Musk can put a damn car on the road in less time than it takes for LH Labs to deliver a DAC to backers.


----------



## runningwitit

adrian0115 said:


> Couldn't have said it better myself.  I think everyone should check their Pulse.
> 
> LH Labs, us backers are not deliberately trying to make life difficult for you but these are your mistakes and they need to be addressed.
> 
> ...


Respect!


----------



## Eruditeswine

I have the mu-metal shield installed in the Pulse Infinity (Original Chassis). Support ticket regarding firmware update was answered after 17 days. USB Control Panel 2V0 appears to solve the need for multiple reboots for audio playback.


----------



## greenkiwi

They have been responsive to my support tickets... And they are going to check my infinity for the shield while they are fixing my display.


----------



## Panelhead

I hate to bring this up, for clock shielding I would think a Faraday shield would be much more effective than a mu-metal.
 Cannot see these Femto crystals emitting significant magnetic fields. The may stream RF.


----------



## NigelJ

panelhead said:


> I hate to bring this up, for clock shielding I would think a Faraday shield would be much more effective than a mu-metal.
> Cannot see these Femto crystals emitting significant magnetic fields. The may stream RF.




I think it might be shielding the clocks from external magnetic fields, also I believe that it is soldered in place and this is probably to a ground plane so that it also acts as a Faraday cage. Obviously the shield in the video hadn't yet been secured.


----------



## wingsounds13

Correct on all points Nigel. When properly installed, the Mu Metal shield is (supposed to be) soldered down which bonds it to the ground plane and creates a Faraday cage. This shield helps to isolate the clocks from EMI/RFI generated within the DAC, as well as shield the DAC from any EMI radiation from the clock circuits.

Now I feel the need to check my Pulse X infinity V.2 for the presence of the shield. If absent, I hesitate to do anything about it, as my infinity sounds wonderful as is and is working quite reliably. Heck... I even hesitate to consider any firmware upgrades for fear of upsetting the balance and joining the ranks of misbehaving Pulse DACs.

J.P.


----------



## ghiglie

Oh oh, shield missing here too! 



btw, reassembling the unit was quite a job. Beside I had the wrong screwdriver (and now you can see someone worked on screws!  ), the top panel won't fit easily, I had to slide it in and press to get the side screws fit.
Hope this unit will work for long time... can't imagine how long (and expensive) it would get to have it back :blink:


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Ok found this on IGG:
  
 =======================================================
  
Adrian Leung1 month ago

 To all of those that actually have a pulse, it’d be interesting to know whether you guys have a mu-metal shield as promised. For those that don’t have the thing yet, might wanna consider it as $ spent to buy a lesson and move on.








Larry HoCampaigner​1 month ago

 Hi, Adrian We put Mu metal on all 2013 backers DAC and Infinity backers. We know your units missed these mu metal shield due to our production process error in the very beginning, please contact us and we will add it for you.


----------



## nudd

greenkiwi said:


> They have been responsive to my support tickets... And they are going to check my infinity for the shield while they are fixing my display.




Hmm wish they would respond to mine


----------



## dclaz

I wish it was possible to get a refund for an as yet undelivered unit.


----------



## nudd

How can they stick a QC passed sticker without checking such an obvious thing on the infinity (pretty much their top offering in the campaign) ... Crazy ...

I do think it sounds good if a little bit cold for the early bird price ... I am going to spring for a schiit multibit one day ...


----------



## FayeForever

nigelj said:


> I think it might be shielding the clocks from external magnetic fields, also I believe that it is soldered in place and this is probably to a ground plane so that it also acts as a Faraday cage. Obviously the shield in the video hadn't yet been secured.



At least in the vanilla Pulse, the shield is just clipped on the PCB, and I don't remember seeing metal traces that can touch and ground the shield.


----------



## adrian0115

fayeforever said:


> At least in the vanilla Pulse, the shield is just clipped on the PCB, and I don't remember seeing metal traces that can touch and ground the shield.


 
 +1
  
 Larry said it himself that the shield just clips onto the PCB.  There's no electrical grounding happening.


----------



## adrian0115

nudd said:


> How can they stick a QC passed sticker without checking such an obvious thing on the infinity (pretty much their top offering in the campaign) ... Crazy ...
> 
> I do think it sounds good if a little bit cold for the early bird price ... I am going to spring for a schiit multibit one day ...


 
 +1  I was wondering EXACTLY the same thing myself.  How can these things pass QC.


----------



## adrian0115

ghiglie said:


> Oh oh, shield missing here too!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Hmm...using a simple Philips screwdriver was all it took for me to take it apart/reassemble.  I believe you can loosen the side screws so that it takes the pressure off the plexiglass top so it comes off easily.  The metal cover is basically held in place by the screws on the back of the unit.  Not a single scratch to the screws themselves when I took it apart.


----------



## adrian0115

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Ok found this on IGG:
> 
> =======================================================
> 
> ...


 
 Mickey,
  
 Thanks for re-posting this for me.


----------



## ghiglie

adrian0115 said:


> Hmm...using a simple Philips screwdriver was all it took for me to take it apart/reassemble.  I believe you can loosen the side screws so that it takes the pressure off the plexiglass top so it comes off easily.  The metal cover is basically held in place by the screws on the back of the unit.  Not a single scratch to the screws themselves when I took it apart.




Hi Adrian! That's what I did, but it seems the plexiglass is a bit too large to fit on the front side, or the U is not large enough, so I'll have to take off the side screws to put the cover apart.


----------



## MikeyFresh

adrian0115 said:


> +1
> 
> Larry said it himself that the shield just clips onto the PCB.  There's no electrical grounding happening.


 

 My Pulse SFi which was delivered in May 2015 does have the Mu-metal box shield over the clocks, and it is not soldered but clipped into place as others have described.
  
 Those clips still could potentially make electrical contact with the board's ground plane I would imagine, depending on how their mounting holes were executed. Or maybe not.


----------



## adrian0115

ghiglie said:


> Hi Adrian! That's what I did, but it seems the plexiglass is a bit too large to fit on the front side, or the U is not large enough, so I'll have to take off the side screws to put the cover apart.


 
 Yea loosening the side screws makes it easier to take off the top cover.


----------



## travelfotografe

My Pulse X as a 2013 backer has no mu-shield installed too, just checked.
  
 This Pulse X was originally DOA and had to be sent back for repair. So they didn't install one even though it was with the LHLabs twice.
  
 And I got a Geek Out 450 that was fitted with ES9010K2M instead of the ES9018K2M, which was silently done for some batches and Larry only admitted and explained it was due to parts shortage when confronted with photographic evidence of Geek Outs fitted with ES9010K2M. Is this is a dictionary definition of bait-and-switch? 
  
 I can only conclude this manufacturer cares nothing about quality, and worse, sell a product that claimed it have part A and knowingly installed part Z instead.


----------



## foreverzer0

travelfotografe said:


> My Pulse X as a 2013 backer has no mu-shield installed too, just checked.
> 
> This Pulse X was originally DOA and had to be sent back for repair. So they didn't install one even though it was with the LHLabs twice.
> 
> ...


 
  
 So shady, now it makes me want to open mine up. I just got my GOV2A back, I wonder if they even changed the internals of the analog side like they claimed.


----------



## Panelhead

I doubt we will see any missing my-metal shields. I would prefer a copper or brass. Then real grounding, soldered to backplane. 
 With the stamped steel chassis the clock circuitry should be magnetically shielded. RFI may be high inside.


----------



## FayeForever

mikeyfresh said:


> My Pulse SFi which was delivered in May 2015 does have the Mu-metal box shield over the clocks, and it is not soldered but clipped into place as others have described.
> 
> Those clips still could potentially make electrical contact with the board's ground plane I would imagine, depending on how their mounting holes were executed. Or maybe not.



I think you are correct, now that I remember the mounting holes should connect to the ground plane that the clip touches.


----------



## mscott58

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Popped my cellphone camera on the kensington lock hole at the back (got me worried).
> 
> Pwew! There it is (Mu shield) at the bottom left!


 
 Same here, mu metal shield present and accounted for. In fact my iPhone photo looks very similar (which I guess should not be surprising), although your shield appears to be a lot more shiny. 
  
 Note to anyone trying to do this on their Pulse, be sure to hold your iPhone camera right up against the "LOCK" hole, turn the phone's flash to off, and make sure the Pulse is plugged in and on, as the internal LED's are what provide the illumination you need to be able to get the photo.
  
 Cheers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I told the CS guyz to have it polished!


----------



## wingsounds13

I don't have an iPhone, can I use an Android to take the picture? 

J.P.


----------



## mscott58

wingsounds13 said:


> I don't have an iPhone, can I use an Android to take the picture?
> 
> J.P.




Yes, but you'll need a special adapter!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I used my Samsung Note 3 (Android) to take that pic of mine. Just place your phone's main camera on the key hole while your Pulse is turned on. Be sure the phone is flat with the case. My camera settings are Night Mode w/ no flash.


----------



## Chrome Robot

Looks like no mu metal on my Xfi. Initial order on 31 Oct 2013.
 Not sure if there is any noticeable difference in sound quality, but, still, What ?!


----------



## nudd

chrome robot said:


> Looks like no mu metal on my Xfi. Initial order on 31 Oct 2013.
> 
> 
> Not sure if there is any noticeable difference in sound quality, but, still, What ?!



 


Depends on whether it needed shielding in the first place I guess. May be affected by how noisey the external environment is too ?


----------



## Chrome Robot

nudd said:


> chrome robot said:
> 
> 
> > Looks like no mu metal on my Xfi. Initial order on 31 Oct 2013.
> ...




True. My main point is that it should be there. Part of me thinks that i should hold them to their promises (although shipping back and forth is a hassle. Most of me says f#ckall, get a new DAC from a reliable and honest manufacturer.


----------



## mscott58

chrome robot said:


> Looks like no mu metal on my Xfi. Initial order on 31 Oct 2013.
> Not sure if there is any noticeable difference in sound quality, but, still, What ?!




Could try reaching out to Larry to see if he might ship you one. Probably easier that shipping your unit all the way back. Cheers


----------



## nudd

Finally heard back from LHL on my ticket after just over a week.

Apparently they have been flat out because if the GO2A upgrade offer (no idea what that is about)


----------



## travelfotografe

Hello to folks using 2v0 firmware,
  
 Does your Pulse support:
 1) only native ASIO DSD, or
 2) both native ASIO DSD and DoP (DSD over PCM)
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

#2

DoP only upto DSD128
Native upto DSD256. 

Have chassis v1. Geek Pulse displays the last bit rate when playing DSD256 in native mode using the 2V0 firmware.

But no complaints here. The SQ is just so good to. my ears.


----------



## adrian0115

panelhead said:


> I doubt we will see any missing my-metal shields. I would prefer a copper or brass. Then real grounding, soldered to backplane.
> With the stamped steel chassis the clock circuitry should be magnetically shielded. RFI may be high inside.


 
 Panelhead you definitely need to reach out to these guys and get what is rightfully yours.  The original spdif out goal was switched to this shield and we should hold them to this.


----------



## adrian0115

chrome robot said:


> True. My main point is that it should be there. Part of me thinks that i should hold them to their promises (although shipping back and forth is a hassle. Most of me says f#ckall, get a new DAC from a reliable and honest manufacturer.


 
 Chrome Robot, you should contact these guys and get this thing done properly.  I can't sell these things because nobody will buy them so I'm not going to let them go until they fix them to spec.  That is unless they close up shop and disappear which is a real risk of crowdfunding.


----------



## Panelhead

I am not sure how to proceed here. Opening the chassis voids warrenty. Do you think they will ship shields out to owners of Infinity 2.0 that did not have the mu-metal box installed?


----------



## adrian0115

panelhead said:


> I am not sure how to proceed here. Opening the chassis voids warrenty. Do you think they will ship shields out to owners of Infinity 2.0 that did not have the mu-metal box installed?


 
 Larry said he would do it.  I've already made it pretty damn clear I don't care about the BS claim about warranty/opening the case.  It's just a few damn screws.  I honestly had a bad feeling about these guys and unfortunately I was right.  I really don't give a damn about the excuses either since I find it pretty difficult to understand how this can be missed.  All the units should have it because they're still not done shipping to backers.
  
 Suggestions from backers to pay some bloody attention to QC has fallen on deaf ears.  If people at LH cared about QC, they'd be able to find problems/faults with these things pretty easily.  These aren't niche/corner case problems but straight up faults/problems under normal usage.  
  
 LH Labs, if anyone there reads this, try getting your house in order for once and try testing and producing something that works.  From my experience, everything you guys cough up is faulty.  That includes cables etcetc.  
  
 A DAC should be stone cold solid.  Period.


----------



## Chrome Robot

I will contact them about the missing shield. They have gotten away with so much BS already that I want to hold them to this.


----------



## FayeForever

An LH rep replied my ticket a few days ago regarding my Pulse won't adjust the volume, and I told him the issue seemed to be fixed after power-cycles because my computer suddenly won't recognize the Pulse and the Mu-shield in my Pulse is missing. He seems to be helpful and said we will receive the shield, even though he wasn't clear how to do that. My best and most reasonable guess would be that LH send the shield to us and we open the Pulse, take down the PCB and clip on the shield ourselves. Still waiting for his further instructions.


----------



## Panelhead

fayeforever said:


> An LH rep replied my ticket a few days ago regarding my Pulse won't adjust the volume, and I told him the issue seemed to be fixed after power-cycles because my computer suddenly won't recognize the Pulse and the Mu-shield in my Pulse is missing. He seems to be helpful and said we will receive the shield, even though he wasn't clear how to do that. My best and most reasonable guess would be that LH send the shield to us and we open the Pulse, take down the PCB and clip on the shield ourselves. Still waiting for his further instructions.


 

   Thank you! Let us know the process.
   BTW, mine did that once. Before I updated the firmware. I would show the volume was changing but it was not. Cycled power to computer and dac a couple of times to reset. Only did this one time.


----------



## ghiglie

So, I got a very fast reply to my ticket, asking about the missing shield and my random pops and clicks. Not a mention about having it, but I got the firmware to update, plus a not that I might have lost warranty...


----------



## Narayan23

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Well USB Audio Player Pro have released their update to support Native DSD...
> 
> Now my Android Box with Geek Pulse Infinity (w/ updated firmware) sings DSD256!!!


 
 Is this firmware only available for the Pulse Infinity? Would love my XFI to sing the same way


----------



## TopQuark

ghiglie said:


> So, I got a very fast reply to my ticket, asking about the missing shield and my random pops and clicks. Not a mention about having it, but I got the firmware to update, plus a not that I might have lost warranty...


 

 Is that the firmware for the matrix display or for the Infinity?  If the latter, which of these did you get?
  
 1.  GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_INF.bin
 2.  GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_INF_D1.bin


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

narayan23 said:


> Is this firmware only available for the Pulse Infinity? Would love my XFI to sing the same way




For now, Geek Pulse Infinity... And it's still not official.


----------



## marflao

ghiglie said:


> So, I got a very fast reply to my ticket, asking about the missing shield and my random pops and clicks. Not a mention about having it, but I got the firmware to update, plus a not that I might have lost warranty...




Ehhhhh...let me get this straight:
They haven't said anything about the missing shield but it instead saying you would might loose your warranty (I assume due to opening the case?!?)?

Is my understanding correct?


----------



## Narayan23

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> For now, Geek Pulse Infinity... And it's still not official.


 
 Thanks a lot mickey, I guess the promise of DSD256 playback and PUREDSD MODE http://www.head-fi.org/t/764639/lh-labs-announces-puredsd-mode#post_11556389
 won´t be available for XFI users in my lifetime.


----------



## ambchang

Sigh. Bad news. Took photo through keyhole and seems like no my shield.


----------



## Chrome Robot

ambchang said:


> Sigh. Bad news. Took photo through keyhole and seems like no my shield.


 
  
 If your order was placed before the end of 2013, they should resolve this. 
 Many are in the same situation - expecting a mu metal shield (whether you can hear a difference is another issue), and through LHLabs' negligence, willful or due to incompetence, it is not delivered as promised.
  
 Thanks to those who showed us how to tell with the keylock photo and without potentially voiding our warranties by opening the case.
  
 Now to get LHLabs to do the right thing.....


----------



## oneguy

I have a v2 case so I can't verify without potentially voiding the warranty  On the bright side I haven't had any issues with this DAC so I guess "if it ain't broke don't fix it," applies but I hate feeling like I may have been shortchanged by LHL.


----------



## graham508

I'm sorry, but I've finally lost patience... I guess it is all the reports of flakey/failed Infinities that really bothers me. I'm willing to hang out for something really special, but the numerous posts about how unreliable this thing is kind of kills it for me. Digital playback via Audirvana and Amarra (my favourites) is so troublesome anyway. 
 If my Infinity does finally turn up I think I will pack it in cotton wool and display it behind glass with not even a fingerprint on the case - a monument to crowd funding for my audio friends to scoff at. I just want to play music. But I've learned to do without this thing anyway. Life is too short.
 I hope LH Labs is benefitting nicely from the big downpayment we've all given them, months/years ago.  
 Back to CD and vinyl guys for me. Easy, simple, enjoyable. 
 Call me next century when things change......


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Come on...give it chance!


----------



## graham508

Im sorry Mickey, but I don't share your sense of humour atm.
 When may I ask did you receive your XFI?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yes Bro, Pulse Infinity. I opted for the older chassis and received it since end of May last year.
  
 I' m sorry for the the other guyz of having various problems. Mine has some bit of issues at the beginning (got an old X58A motherboard) . But when I identified the problem, bought an USB 3.1 card for it, it was rock solid since then.  
  
 Right now its attached to my Android Box for listening music and watching movies.


----------



## uncola

I see a revive hiding in the background!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

uncola said:


> I see a revive hiding in the background!


 
 Yes Bro! Had it during the middle of May this year. Feeding it from LPS4 (Larry says Revive will bypass charging/battery if you plug it in to an LPS).
  
 And say what? It Works! Upped my SQ by say 10 - 15% (even 20 on some).


----------



## uncola

Yeah I was super surprised just how noticeable a difference my revive made after owning a wyrd which didn't impress me.


----------



## greenkiwi

My Infinity should be coming back to me next week with a new display and updated firmware. (And mu shield confirmed)


----------



## oneguy

greenkiwi said:


> My Infinity should be coming back to me next week with a new display and updated firmware. (And mu shield confirmed)




You better re-confirm with your eyes. Seeing is believing!


----------



## greenkiwi

No kidding.  Tried to check my pulse, but there isn't enough light inside it, so I can't get a pic to check it.


----------



## FayeForever

After few email exchanges with LHlabs, obviously you must send the Infinity back to them for them to add the shield back, and opening the Infinity will just void the warranty (luckily they didn't ask me how did I find out the damn shield is missing), and they will cover up to $40 for shipping. It is reasonable, but if I am an international backer I will surely be pissed.


----------



## mscott58

greenkiwi said:


> No kidding.  Tried to check my pulse, but there isn't enough light inside it, so I can't get a pic to check it.


 
 Was it plugged in and turned on?


----------



## doctorjazz

Makes me nervous when I read about folks not able to check their pulses..


----------



## hemtmaker

doctorjazz said:


> Makes me nervous when I read about folks not able to check their pulses..



And thats coming from someone with the word doctor in their names...LoL


----------



## greenkiwi

Yeah.  even playing music...


mscott58 said:


> Was it plugged in and turned on?


----------



## nudd

greenkiwi said:


> No kidding.  Tried to check my pulse, but there isn't enough light inside it, so I can't get a pic to check it.




I have been able to look inside visually in bright daylight if you hold the lock up to your eye with some space so you dont totally cover up the hold (enough light goes in to be able to see the board layout).

Unfortunately this means turning off the Pulse and it is alwayaba crapshoot whether it will sync or lock to a signal and play stuff back again


----------



## Benny-x

nudd said:


> I have been able to look inside visually in bright daylight if you hold the lock up to your eye with some space so you dont totally cover up the hold (enough light goes in to be able to see the board layout).
> 
> Unfortunately this means turning off the Pulse and it is alwayaba crapshoot whether it will sync or lock to a signal and play stuff back again


 
  
 No joke.
  
 There must have been an outage over night at work last night because when I came in this morning my Infinity v2 wouldn't properly sync to the PC. It froze and made all my videos choppy. Then on YouTube it wouldn't let any videos play. Switched to onboard soundcard, all worked perfectly. Back to Pulse, frozen. Then I shut if off for a power cycle. HA! Took me 45mins of different hocuspocus, combination power cycling and connecting to get it to register in the LH Labs control panel again. After that I couldn't get the sound to work right, same freezing video and no audio deal as before. Turning that thing off is THE DEVIL. It had stayed on for a month, straight, not a single issue...
  
 Anyway, just fired off a support ticket, so we'll see how long that takes. I'm also going to push my luck and update to the new MCU and firmware... My warranty is about to run out anyway, 1 year's almost up.


----------



## TopQuark

topquark said:


> Same exact problem here.  At first it was the LPS4 that just quit but it turns back on after power cycle, then, the screen of the Pulse Infinity disappeared and didn't come back after power cycle.  Music continues to play and volume knob does not respond.
> 
> It appears that both issues are related like LPS4 causing the Pulse Infinity to fail.  Looks like I am returning both units.  Very sad here since I do not have any back-up.


 
  
 Just responding to my own post here.  My problem on the LPS4 and Pulse Infinity was resolved without returning both units back!  It was the damn fuse!  It took me and LH Labs tech a month to troubleshoot the issue.
  
 So to those who are having intermittent light showing in the LPS or the Pulse display went blank and volume knob is dead but there is sound going out of it, replace the fuse on the LPS, then update the firmware of the matrix MCU to version 1.27.
  
 Quickie get fast acting glass fuse with 1A, 250V, 5x20mm from your local hardware store and replace them later on with ceramic slow blow you can buy for $3.98 for 5 pcs from eBay.  Of course you have the option of replacing them with "audiophile grade" to your liking.


----------



## greenkiwi

topquark said:


> Of course you have the option of replacing them with "audiophile grade" to your liking.


 
 I'd love to see the double blind test for this...


----------



## Audio Addict

greenkiwi said:


> I'd love to see the double blind test for this...


 
  
 This is what you should do if you really want.  
  
Thermistor


----------



## MLGrado

Hi all
  
 I am set to buy a Geek Pulse Infinity 2.0
  
  
 I was doing some more reading, though, and it seems the reviews, especially the quality of the RCA outputs, is kind of being trashed.  Over at Part Time Audiophile more than just kind of... the RCA analog output was completely trashed.  
  
 Well, I have an unbalanced tube headphone amp to connect to.  
  
 So my question to the forum is exactly how bad are the RCA outputs?  Is it possible to use an XLR-RCA adapter on the balanced outputs instead?
  
  
 Thanks!


----------



## germay0653

mlgrado said:


> Hi all
> 
> I am set to buy a Geek Pulse Infinity 2.0
> 
> ...


 

 My SE RCA outputs on the Pulse X Infinity 2.0 work just fine.  What article on PTA are you referring to?


----------



## MLGrado

germay0653 said:


> My SE RCA outputs on the Pulse X Infinity 2.0 work just fine.  What article on PTA are you referring to?


 
  
  
 Here.
  
 https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2016/01/30/review-aune-s16-dac/


----------



## Audio Addict

mlgrado said:


> Here.
> 
> https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2016/01/30/review-aune-s16-dac/


 

  My Infinity 2.0 RCA outs are fine.  The review references the XFi rather than the Infinity but I wouldn't think that would be an issue for the RCA outs.


----------



## nigel801

Anyone has done compare with caval carbon against Xfi need to see if they can efficiently drive HE1K


----------



## MLGrado

audio addict said:


> My Infinity 2.0 RCA outs are fine.  The review references the XFi rather than the Infinity but I wouldn't think that would be an issue for the RCA outs.


 
  
  
 True!  I wouldn't think there would, nor should be a MAJOR difference in the quality of the RCA output in the XFi versus the Infinity, though.  
  
  
 So far so good... couple of you are finding the RCA outs to be fine.  Anyone else had a chance to compare the quality of the RCA out versus XLR on their Infinity?
  
  
 Thanks so much!!


----------



## germay0653

mlgrado said:


> Here.
> 
> https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2016/01/30/review-aune-s16-dac/


 

 Mr. Karavitis may have had a malfunctioning XFi as I've not heard any complaints regarding the SE RCA outs on that model or the Infinity.


----------



## Panelhead

The circuits are totally separate and not just one leg of the balanced output. 
 My amp has both RCA and XLR, it can pick up hum sometimes with RCA. Think it is emitting noise that the cables pick up. It sounds better balanced no matter what Dac/preamp is used. 
 I use another amp that only has SE inputs. It seemed fine with the RCA connection.


----------



## chengs1965

Sorry, if this has been discussed here before.... 783 pages are a lot to even flip through. Saw one Pulse X for sell and would like to know how everyone think. And the first page of specs caught my eyes.
 Is the *The 3D Awesomifier (crossfeed)* any good?
 I just don't get the point of being dual mono and balanced outputs for the maximum channel separation posssible and then you mix in a little bit of left and right for "magic"? Please help me understand this.
 Personally, I can't stand any headphone output that has even any hint of crossfeed. They sound unnatural to me.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Sorry Bro need to update the first page.
  
 On their honest attempt to provide a reliable crossfeed the designer decided later to drop it in favor of digital filters.
  
 It was first implemented on the Geek Out line and WE as part of crowd designing fealt that this was a better option (take away crossfeed and implement digital filters).
  
 And thus was implemented too on the Geek Pulse (as I have remembered).
  
 Will update the first page on these days..


----------



## doctorjazz

Not to disagree, but I think the actual reason for the change on the 1st Geek Out was because of volume issues...if I remember correctly (and I may not, these days  ) the original reason for the buttons was as a volume control, but there was the GO issue of getting blasted by full volume periodically (which I don't think was ever fully resolved, LH says it is a Windows issue). I think the filters were added on as a sort of compensation for the problems we were having (and to get some use out of the buttons, now that they were no longer controlling volume). Still, it was a nice addition (not that I change them a whole lot, or could even tell you what they are set to now...)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep Doc, thanks for reminding me....IT WAS those volume issues on GO.


----------



## Benny-x

nigel801 said:


> Anyone has done compare with caval carbon against Xfi need to see if they can efficiently drive HE1K




Well, I have the Infinity 2.0 version and I don't like it with my HEK. I used 2 separate amps and kept the Infinity in DAC only mode and as a set it sounded much better. 

That's not exactly what you're asking, but I'm saying the Pulse isn't a great DACamp combo, but it is a very decent DAC if you use a separate amp.


----------



## Orky261

My Xfinity 2.0 display just went out and I want to change gain setting and I'm navigating blind, can anyone please help me through the steps? I mean how many turns to reach HP gain setting etc? Thanks.
  
 EDIT: Turns out my dial and display died, anyone from SEA region got any idea what should I do? Is there any way to change gain setting through software means?


----------



## jbr1971

orky261 said:


> My Xfinity 2.0 display just went out and I want to change gain setting and I'm navigating blind, can anyone please help me through the steps? I mean how many turns to reach HP gain setting etc? Thanks.
> 
> EDIT: Turns out my dial and display died, anyone from SEA region got any idea what should I do? Is there any way to change gain setting through software means?


 
  
 Unfortunately no, there is no way to change the headphone gain settings without the dial.
  
 Are you connecting the Pulse directly to the computer and wall outlet, or is there a LPS in-between? If there is a LPS, try connecting the Pulse directly on the slim chance it is not getting enough power from the LPS.


----------



## greenkiwi

orky261 said:


> My Xfinity 2.0 display just went out and I want to change gain setting and I'm navigating blind, can anyone please help me through the steps? I mean how many turns to reach HP gain setting etc? Thanks.
> 
> EDIT: Turns out my dial and display died, anyone from SEA region got any idea what should I do? Is there any way to change gain setting through software means?


Bummer

Happened to me... Had to send it back. Apparently some resistors blew or had to be replaced. Hopefully they fixed the real problem. Not just replaced the failed part, only for it to fail again.

I've heard about a few failing this way.


----------



## savaloco

greenkiwi said:


> Bummer
> 
> Happened to me... Had to send it back. Apparently some resistors blew or had to be replaced. Hopefully they fixed the real problem. Not just replaced the failed part, only for it to fail again.
> 
> I've heard about a few failing this way


 
 Same thing happened with mine as well.  It had to go back.  Now I am waiting for Matt from LH support to issue an RMA number to deal with my dead LPS.  It has been over a month since I started the ticket and I have not heard back from LH in over two weeks.
  
 I feel your pain.


----------



## adrian0115

savaloco said:


> Same thing happened with mine as well.  It had to go back.  Now I am waiting for Matt from LH support to issue an RMA number to deal with my dead LPS.  It has been over a month since I started the ticket and I have not heard back from LH in over two weeks.
> 
> I feel your pain.


 
 I have 3 infinities that I'm waiting for an RMA on since March.  MARCH!!!  
  
 Not surprised that their so called China service center is a total joke because theres nobody there to receive anything.  
  
 LHL I hope you guys drop dead.


----------



## Panelhead

All these issues are hard to understand. The display cratering is not a common failure. Same with LPS problems. 
 Hope mine keeps working.


----------



## doublea71

This thread has convinced me to sell my Wave as soon as I get it.


----------



## dclaz

doublea71 said:


> This thread has convinced me to sell my Wave as soon as I get it.


 
 I'd love to sell my yet to be delivered and now redundant Pulse Infinity when I get it, but who'd buy it?


----------



## hemtmaker

Just want to share my positive experienc with LHlabs. I had an headphone issue on my Pulse infinity 1.0 about 3 weeks ago. It made continuous poping noise whenever my headphone was inserted. I didn't notice it previously as i was only using it as a DAC. Anyways, i opened a support ticket and after 3 days i heard from Matt. Things then went really quickly. I sent it to their Singpore support center, a new board was installed and the whole process only abt 2 weeks. Thanks Matt


----------



## adrian0115

hemtmaker said:


> Just want to share my positive experienc with LHlabs. I had an headphone issue on my Pulse infinity 1.0 about 3 weeks ago. It made continuous poping noise whenever my headphone was inserted. I didn't notice it previously as i was only using it as a DAC. Anyways, i opened a support ticket and after 3 days i heard from Matt. Things then went really quickly. I sent it to their Singpore support center, a new board was installed and the whole process only abt 2 weeks. Thanks Matt


 
 I find it this to be ridiculous.  Absolutely ridiculous.  The issues I discovered when I first received this thing was last November and they're not isolated issues.  I tried to open an RMA since March 2016 and until this moment, I have not received an RMA nor have I received a response from Matt in over 2 weeks since I last inquired about this.  
  
 What's more incredible are the fanboys still trying to defend these guys pretending that there's no problems with these things.  I have multiple units that say otherwise and from the issues I've encountered, the *design is defective*.  I stand by this accusation/assumption or whatever you want to call it until it can be proved otherwise.
  
 In case anyone is wondering, I emailed support again yesterday and just now but still have no response.  I have left my direct contact number but nobody there gives a damn.


----------



## adrian0115

LHL, if anyone is alive there, I left you guys a scathing voicemail.  I want my stuff fixed.  You have my contact and phone numbers.  When I checked the date of opening the RMA, my blood started to boil because I can't think of a reason why an RMA takes 6 months and still pending.  I've had enough of your bulls****.


----------



## oneguy

adrian0115 said:


> LHL, if anyone is alive there, I left you guys a scathing voicemail.  I want my stuff fixed.  You have my contact and phone numbers.  When I checked the date of opening the RMA, my blood started to boil because I can't think of a reason why an RMA takes 6 months and still pending.  I've had enough of your bulls****.




I think yours may have fallen through the cracks. I have completed 1 RMA with them in the last 6 months and it did take about 2 weeks. Then I had to raise a dispute with my CC company to get my money back after they stopped responding to my requests for reimbursement, but what they are doing to you is beyond absurd!


----------



## oneguy

oneguy said:


> I think yours may have fallen through the cracks. I have completed 1 RMA with them in the last 6 months and it did take about 2 weeks. Then I had to raise a dispute with my CC company to get my money back after they stopped responding to my requests for reimbursement, but what they are doing to you is beyond absurd!




I meant to say "refund" not "reimbursement"


----------



## hemtmaker

adrian0115 said:


> I find it this to be ridiculous.  Absolutely ridiculous.  The issues I discovered when I first received this thing was last November and they're not isolated issues.  I tried to open an RMA since March 2016 and until this moment, I have not received an RMA nor have I received a response from Matt in over 2 weeks since I last inquired about this.
> 
> What's more incredible are the fanboys still trying to defend these guys pretending that there's no problems with these things.  I have multiple units that say otherwise and from the issues I've encountered, the *design is defective*.  I stand by this accusation/assumption or whatever you want to call it until it can be proved otherwise.
> 
> In case anyone is wondering, I emailed support again yesterday and just now but still have no response.  I have left my direct contact number but nobody there gives a damn.



Your bad experience is just as valid as my positive experience. No need to call me a fanboy and i am not. End of discussion


----------



## adrian0115

hemtmaker said:


> Your bad experience is just as valid as my positive experience. No need to call me a fanboy and i am not. End of discussion


 
 hemtmaker, 
  
 First off, my apologies as my comment was not directed at you.  I'm seriously pissed off at these guys and was calling them directly while typing.  
  
 With that out of the way, the actual fanboys know who they are since they will defend LHL regardless.


----------



## adrian0115

oneguy said:


> I meant to say "refund" not "reimbursement"


 
 Honestly, I hope things worked out on your end.  I still need to deal with this BS.


----------



## hemtmaker

adrian0115 said:


> hemtmaker,
> 
> First off, my apologies as my comment was not directed at you.  I'm seriously pissed off at these guys and was calling them directly while typing.
> 
> With that out of the way, the actual fanboys know who they are since they will defend LHL regardless.



No worries. I can understand your frustration. In any case, LHLab should have designed their products better in the first place, especially considering the delays.


----------



## oneguy

adrian0115 said:


> Honestly, I hope things worked out on your end.  I still need to deal with this BS.




They refunded my money about a week after the credit card dispute was initiated.


----------



## savaloco

My experience with the DAC repair earlier this year was actually quite good but my current LPS failure is another story.  It blew over two months ago and I've been waiting for an RMA now for over three weeks.  The only contact I've had within those three weeks was from Manny who PMd me on this site to assure me he would place my RMA request higher in the list.  That list is apparently unmanned and/or very large.  Whatever the reason the response time is unacceptable.


----------



## nudd

adrian0115 said:


> hemtmaker,
> 
> First off, my apologies as my comment was not directed at you.  I'm seriously pissed off at these guys and was calling them directly while typing.
> 
> With that out of the way, the actual fanboys know who they are since they will defend LHL regardless.



 


Some people have found that flashing the latest firmware can fix an otherwise non-functioning Pulse (especially due to the dreaded fail to lock on signal and no sound problem). Have you tried that?

PS I am not defending them (if you see from my posts, like 70% of them are like how frustrated I am with their annoying BS), but just a practical diagnostic query.

The failure to install mu-metal shields and then saying we void warranty if we check (even though they have a PROVEN track record of either lying or simply being wilfully blind) is also very annoying and total BS and cannot be solved by a software flash, unfortunately


----------



## adrian0115

Already been through the whole song and dance.  Recorded video and uploaded to dropbox for them.  They already said this crap needs an RMA but the so called China service center is a joke.  Nobody there.  
  
 My units are in Shanghai/HK at the moment.  I'm dont feel like paying for shipping anymore.  LH needs to pickup the tab but looks like they cant finish delivering on the campaigns since they need to order/wait for more parts blah blah blah.   
  
 Gavin is so full of crap its not even funny.  I hope you read this because I wanna give you the bird in person if I could.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

LH Labs too busy dancing in their piles of money to care. I am so happy that I did not back a wave on top of the pulse. Legitimately the most ridiculous wait I have ever seen.


----------



## MikeyFresh

*Wow*.
 Lots of things going through my mind regarding the QC on all Pulse DACs ever shipped, as well as the fate of the Vi DAC and the Wave after reading the *IGG update posted tonight*, none of it good.


----------



## walfredo

Wow indeed, Mike!!  
  
 It does not inspire much confidence.   
  
 I cannot help to wonder what is the back story for Gavin to come back in scene like this.  I thought he had left.  How strange is an update for him!?!  And a pretty bad/disturbing one.


----------



## MikeyFresh

walfredo said:


> Wow indeed, Mike!!
> 
> It does not inspire much confidence.
> 
> I cannot help to wonder what is the back story for Gavin to come back in scene like this.  I thought he had left.  How strange is an update for him!?!  And a pretty bad/disturbing one.


 

 I guess Gavin is the "campaign owner" in the eyes of IGG, regardless of whether he works there or not. So apparently he can still post updates.
  
 I'd also guess Gavin is owed money, not that I'm shedding any tears for him, but it stands to reason he might only be able to lay claim to any remaining funds potentially owed him after the campaign has been fully shipped/fulfilled.
  
 But Gavin had left LH Labs some time ago, by all accounts. He now works for Audioengine I believe, and is likely nervous and ashamed to see people at RMAF given the current state of affairs at LH Labs, and rightfully so.


----------



## mscott58

Strange things are afoot at the Circle K...

(and for those of you too young to know the reference: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CVgjH_auRH4)


----------



## MikeyFresh

mscott58 said:


> Strange things are afoot at the Circle K...
> 
> (and for those of you too young to know the reference: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CVgjH_auRH4)


 

 You managed to make me smile with that.
  
 Then I poured some Canadian Club in a rocks glass... tomorrow is another day after all.


----------



## mscott58

mikeyfresh said:


> You managed to make me smile with that.
> 
> Then I poured some Canadian Club in a rocks glass... tomorrow is another day after all.




My job here is done. 

Cheers


----------



## doctorjazz

It feels like Gavin hijacked the updates... And like he wants to shift all the blame for whatever mess exists on Larry. The narrative here had generally been, "good design guy Larry was misled, led down the path of unrealistic exuberance by the manipulative, over-promising Gavin. This seems to by an effort to reshape the narrative. Of course, we have no idea what really went on there, who was responsible for what. It doesn't bode well for a successful end to this saga


----------



## MikeyFresh

doctorjazz said:


> It feels like Gavin hijacked the updates... And like he wants to shift all the blame for whatever mess exists on Larry. The narrative here had generally been, "good design guy Larry was misled, led down the path of unrealistic exuberance by the manipulative, over-promising Gavin. This seems to by an effort to reshape the narrative. Of course, we have no idea what really went on there, who was responsible for what. It doesn't bode well for a successful end to this saga


 

 Agreed, and Gavin has his immediate future with Audioengine if not his ultimate viability in the industry at stake, reshaping that narrative in the near term is in his best interest.
  
 But Larry certainly doesn't get off scot-free here, and the lack of honest and timely updates on the Vi DAC are evidence of that. Chassis production speed discussions with the CNC vendor at this late date? I call BS.
  
 It would appear this LH Labs debacle will not end well. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Prove me wrong Larry Ho.


----------



## Panelhead

The Geek was my first crowd funded project. The Infinity the last. Getting something for nothing. Or at least getting it deeply discounted. 
 The risk of getting nothing for something was always a concern. 
 I am not in Adrian's position. I have a working Infinity. 
 I wonder if the my-metal shields are what caused the failures?


----------



## Maelob

Knock on wood my XFI has been working great but now I am concerned that something will go bad sooner or later.  I am pleased with the performance but the minute something goes wrong will toss it in the trash.  And still waiting on power amps.  So tempted to sell them as soon as I get them. tired of the whole thing.


----------



## savaloco

Oh boy ... not good when they start to turn on each other.  I'm not sure it can get worse.
  
 My sincere condolences for those of you who have backed heavily into this company and are still waiting for product.
  
 There is so much more to good business than a great idea as this soap opera of an experience clearly demonstrates.  Even if everything Gavin has said is true, you don't throw the company you help build under the bus like that.  Unless you are looking for revenge and to inflict maximum damage. Perhaps Friday's meeting started with "Where's my f'n money Larry".   While I am in no way defending Larry or the rest of the LH team, Gavin has his finger prints all over this debacle and he's nuts if he thinks he can wipe them clean by leaving the company or by his feigned concern for those of us who placed our belief and money in the two of them.  Now I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop to bring this **** show to an end.  
  
 And I was so hoping to get my LPS repaired before this day.  Oh how I could use a little "Awesomeification" right about now.
  
 Wonder what kind of reply we'll get from LH.


----------



## MikeyFresh

panelhead said:


> The Geek was my first crowd funded project. The Infinity the last. Getting something for nothing. Or at least getting it deeply discounted.
> The risk of getting nothing for something was always a concern.
> I am not in Adrian's position. I have a working Infinity.
> I wonder if the my-metal shields are what caused the failures?


 

 Crowdfunding = potentially getting nothing for something. Never thought about it quite exactly that way.
  
 Wish that I had.
  
 Geek Out also my first project, and possibly my last in terms of delivery, as Vi DAC and Wave seem more unlikely than ever at this juncture.
  
 Larry Ho, prove me wrong.


----------



## Shawnb

I wish i never had heard of LH Labs and I totally regret ever giving them money.
 At this stage I doubt I'll ever see anything else now.
  
 What a compete and utter ****show.


----------



## superachromat

savaloco said:


> Oh boy ... not good when they start to turn on each other.  I'm not sure it can get worse.
> 
> My sincere condolences for those of you who have backed heavily into this company and are still waiting for product.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Agree. I would think Gavin looks bad on what he did. Even worse than Larry.


----------



## Chikolad

Oh boy, I read the email update and immediately came here to see the reaction after not visiting this thread in ages.
 I have a vanilla Pulse which I received 11 months after I backed it, about 7 months later than what was promised in the campaign. And I feel like I'm one of the lucky ones. I'm so glad I wasn't tempted to make any upgrades too...
  
 My sincere condolences to everyone who didn't get their units. That company is a joke.
  
 *Edit* wow, I totally used the same words as savaloco, lol. I wonder if it was subconscious suggestion after skimming this page


----------



## kostaszag

I had some dealings with Gavin Fish in the past, in the now defunct Geek Temple. His behavior can only be described as arrogant and rude, so the fact that he is trying on purpose to harm his old firm does not surprise me at all, as a matter of fact I expected as much. BTW, good to know he works for Audioengine, I will avoid all products from that company in the future.


----------



## dclaz

No official response from LH labs on this yet?


----------



## MikeyFresh

dclaz said:


> No official response from LH labs on this yet?


 

 Not yet, and that too is puzzling.
  
 Wouldn't you want to set the record straight, or use this as an opportunity to "come clean" in some way and provide a new honest status update on not just the Pulse, but also the now very delayed Vi DAC if you were Larry Ho?
  
 Doesn't a delay in LHL responding/providing a rebuttal to this just make everyone think that time is being used to dream up more stories and non-truths with regard to the actual status of these projects?


----------



## Chrome Robot

mikeyfresh said:


> ...
> Doesn't a delay in LHL responding/providing a rebuttal to this just make everyone think that time is being used to dream up more stories and non-truths with regard to the actual status of these projects?


 
  
 A delay from LHL?
  
 Their delay in response will likely be blamed on a dock strike or production house issue.


----------



## doctorjazz

Delays have been the name of the game... A quick response would be shocking!


----------



## savaloco

Well.... it is an official response technically.


Edit:
That is Gavin's post is technically an official LH statement.


----------



## mandrake50

We all have known that Gavin is a liar for years now. Can we trust anything that he says? Really !  Now even if he is reporting things that happened, he is doing it from his perspective, which we also know does not meet any criteria for reality !!
  
 In any case, we now know that he is not only a liar, but a back stabber as well. I think we should get a couple of hundred people that go to RMAF to approach him and demand that drink... or 5. I hope his expense account will not cover it.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Don't worry it will be all Audioengine's tab....


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Don't worry it will be all Audioengine's tab....


 

 You are so subtle Michael!


----------



## travelfotografe

Some positive developments for my Pulse X:
  
 1. Used to experience random dropouts. Installed LatencyMon and found that my gigabit network driver was causing USB latency issues. Updating my network driver seem to have eliminated the audio dropouts, but I now disable my gigabit network as this is a notebook on wireless network anyways. Now, audio dropout problem solved!
  
 2. Used to have to power cycle my Pulse X to get my notebook to handshake with my Pulse X. Was on firmware 1v5. Contacted support and was provided 2v0 firmware, which eliminated the need for power cycling but broke DSD playback. Turned out support assumed my Pulse X was a X-Fi or X-Infinity and provided me with the wrong firmware (although I repeatedly mentioned my Pulse as "Pulse X" and provided my serial number). Support finally understood my Pulse is a "Pulse X-STD" and provided the correct 2v0 firmware. Now, no more power cycling and DSD playback works!
  
 (Recommend all Pulse users to contact support to get latest 2v0 firmware if yours is not already on 2v0. Make sure you indicate clearly the model of your Pulse, e.g. Pulse X-STD, or X-Fi or X-Infinity)
  
 3. Used not to have mu-metal shield, even though it was from 2013 crowdfunding batch. Obtained RMA to install mu-metal shield. Luckily there is a LHLabs service center in Singapore where I am located. Service center staff responded within an hour of contacting, dropped off my Pulse X in the evening and mu-metal shield was installed and ready for collection the next morning! Kudos to the Singapore service center for fast and friendly service!
  
 Finally, my Pulse X is fully functioning and with all components as it should have 1.5 years after it was delivered to me. While I am disappointed by all the hoops I had to jump over to finally have a reliable product, I have to say LHLabs did provide support to resolve the issues I faced with my Pulse X.
  
 I hope I will eventually see my Geek Wave delivered...


----------



## savaloco

I have also received good news in the form of an RMA which was issued two days ago. LH appears to be still kicking and honouring their warranty. Much relief after going AWOL for over a month and Gavin's last post. 

Cheers


----------



## mark5hs

What an awful company. I got my Pulse standard after about a year and thankfully no issues with it. Still waiting on a GO V2+ which they said would ship 3 months ago. After this, I'm sure as heck never going to buy a crowdfunded product ever again. I'll wait until it actually exists and has reviews. 
  
 Paid $400 for the Pulse and it's good for the price, but by the time it finally shipped, I could have gotten the new Schiit Jotunheim for not much more and gotten a balanced device free from sketchy Chinese vendors.


----------



## germay0653

mark5hs said:


> What an awful company. I got my Pulse standard after about a year and thankfully no issues with it. Still waiting on a GO V2+ which they said would ship 3 months ago. After this, I'm sure as heck never going to buy a crowdfunded product ever again. I'll wait until it actually exists and has reviews.
> 
> Paid $400 for the Pulse and it's good for the price, but by the time it finally shipped, I could have gotten the new Schiit Jotunheim for not much more and gotten a balanced device free from sketchy Chinese vendors.


 

 Yes, the delay sucked but you do realize that the Jotunheim is only a headamp/preamp and not a DAC, correct?


----------



## uncola

also LH Labs is in the USA


----------



## nudd

germay0653 said:


> Yes, the delay sucked but you do realize that the Jotunheim is only a headamp/preamp and not a DAC, correct?




Jotunheim has optional dac board or phono pre installable in the chassis. I think ak4490 based


----------



## savaloco

Tomato tomato .... I'm sure Mark means the Schiit Jotunheim with $100 addon DAC.  He may even be referring to Larry's nationality as an untrustworthy American\Chinese vendor.  Let's give the man some slack regardless.  I share his sentiment regarding purchasing current LH gear or other any crowd funded initiative.  This is not to say that I will never buy LH or Larry Ho gear.  Only that LH will have to survive its current struggles, mature, and establish itself as a viable company.  If this happens and the gear sounds good represents good value ... I will seriously consider it.
  
 Now ..... wonder how my Infinity will pair with the Schiit Jotunhei?!


----------



## gikigill

Who do I contact to get the updated firmware for my Pulse Xfi?


----------



## hemtmaker

gikigill said:


> Who do I contact to get the updated firmware for my Pulse Xfi?



Send them a support ticket with your serial number


----------



## gikigill

Email or their website?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Normally, I issue a support ticket through their website.

@savaloco
Tempted also... but Waiting for an LH Labs HPA. That or save for a new HP.


----------



## noshortcuts

As is Schitt, in the USA, to the one who likes LHL being here. And Schitt knows a lot more about proper business and customer relationships.


----------



## germay0653

gikigill said:


> Who do I contact to get the updated firmware for my Pulse Xfi?


 

 Tech Support at LH Labs.  You'll need to submit a ticket!


----------



## kostaszag

I submitted a ticket requesting the newest firmware for my Pulse Sfi. I got the FW very quickly but the results were nothing to write home about. I opened another ticket which reads thus: 
  


> Hello, A few days ago I requested the newest firmware for my Geek Pulse. It wasn't sent to me alright, I installed it easily, but it rendered my dac all but unusable. The left channel was usually gone or giving a loud motor boat noise. Music reproduction was possible only after turning the volume up or down, and even that trick didn't work every time. Today I downgraded to v1.5 and it seems to be working. I can't put it any other way, that firmware is a disaster,


 
 I am curious to read the answer to that, if I ever get one.


----------



## Panelhead

I put mine back in the box. The seven year old KRK Ergo sounded better.
 Purchased a Focusrite Clarett 4Pre for 500.00. Much better. Two headphone amps. Something inside draws serious current, comes with a 2000ma power supply. 
 Thunderbolt connectivity too. Software based Control panel routing. Rock solid so far. 
 A little concerned with longevity, the case is very warm. Feels like it pulls two amps idling.


----------



## MikeyFresh

kostaszag said:


> I submitted a ticket requesting the newest firmware for my Pulse Sfi. I got the FW very quickly but the results were nothing to write home about. I opened another ticket which reads thus:
> 
> I am curious to read the answer to that, if I ever get one.


 

 I have the same issues with the exact same SFi and firmware V2.0, except for one end-result difference.
  
 After initially seeing the matrix display read "Main 0.0, MCU 2.4" it finally after multiple reboots and power cycles at some point revised to read "Main 3.0, MCU 2.4".
  
 This is despite the fact that the Windows DFU said the firmware update was successful, and the LH control panel had confirmed the version as "Pulse S FI v2.0".
  
 In my main HiFi system, the pops/clicks/static were as you describe, unbearable and a clear step backward from the occasional descent into motor boating and loss of left channel on sample rate changes with v1.5.
  
 Sounds like a total repeat of your scenario Kostas, right? Except that upon removing it from my main HiFi system which uses a Sonore microRendu streamer as the source, I put it in my bedroom system and connected it directly to a Mac mini via USB, and also an HDTV via Toslink. 
  
 Shockingly, it actually worked!
  
 Is it perfect? No, there is still a short burst of noise in between tracks when the sample rate changes, not the typical small "click" that most any DAC would make, louder and longer in duration than that, but it then ceases when the new track starts and it plays music.
  
 Also, the old firmware was very sketchy with the Toslink input when connected to an Apple Airport Express. I am having no such problem with the HDTV connected to Toslink. I don't know yet whether the improved Toslink performance is due to the new firmware, or just because it is a different source connected to it.
  
 At some point in the next couple of days I will bring it back into the HiFi room and see if perhaps the whole problem was rectified when the unit finally decided it wasn't running firmware version "Main 0.0".
  
 In the meantime it is working fine in my bedroom system, and the ironic part is thats where the hell this unit is supposed to call home. The HiFi room should have by now long been running the often promised but never delivered Vi DAC Tube, WAAAAY overdue relative to the original IGG "estimated ship date" of April 2015.
  
 If LH Labs would just ship me my long delayed (barely even status updated in months) Vi DAC Tube, I wouldn't even RMA this stupid Pulse SFi, I would just leave it in my bedroom and hope it continues to work there. Or hit it with a sledge hammer (trust me I will).
  
 Did any other members have their Pulse exhibit these same issues and have the ultimate solution be a replacement of the display matrix board? I seem to remember that but I no longer recall which forum or what thread those posts might have been in. I thank anyone in advance for some help there.


----------



## Greg121986

mikeyfresh said:


> I have the same issues with the exact same SFi and firmware V2.0, except for one end-result difference.
> 
> Did any other members have their Pulse exhibit these same issues and have the ultimate solution be a replacement of the display matrix board? I seem to remember that but I no longer recall which forum or what thread those posts might have been in. I thank anyone in advance for some help there.


 
  
 I had a similar issue with my Geek Pulse X. The right channel would not lock onto the audio signal. Most of the time it would output only static. Occasionally I could turn the volume down and back up and it would work again. Or, I could choose a different source then back to my desired USB source and it would work again. After many frustrating weeks of this intermittent working and not working, it began to not work in the right channel at all. I sent it back to LH Labs and they could not fix the DAC. They replaced it entirely. In fact, they did not have any Geek Pulse X at all so they provided me with a Pulse XFI. It has been running great.


----------



## Shawnb

I've just about had it with my Pulse Infinity. Having to power cycle it over and over again till it actually works is getting really frustrating.  Just once I wish I could turn it on and have it work without a headache. It's going to go out the window soon. It's always been a pain and never worked without a few power cycles but now it doesn't want to play audio at all so hopefully support can fix this POS.
  
 I really regret ever backing anything LH Labs.


----------



## foreverzer0

shawnb said:


> I've just about had it with my Pulse Infinity. Having to power cycle it over and over again till it actually works is getting really frustrating.  Just once I wish I could turn it on and have it work without a headache. It's going to go out the window soon. It's always been a pain and never worked without a few power cycles but now it doesn't want to play audio at all so hopefully support can fix this POS.
> 
> I really regret ever backing anything LH Labs.


 
 In my experience, you might have to let it stay on for a few minutes -- especially if you have a LPS/4.


----------



## Shawnb

foreverzer0 said:


> In my experience, you might have to let it stay on for a few minutes -- especially if you have a LPS/4.


 
  
  
 No LPS's yet, I'm awaiting the always delayed 2.0 chassis. 
 It just stopped playing audio, Though it never worked great before now it's just not working at all.
 I've done countless power cycles on it, unplugged and plugged USB and everything else back in ever way. Rebooted, tried different media players and all no sound. 
  
 I've barely used it since I got it cause I can't stand the cycle of rebooting the damn thing just to get it to work. Finally made a support ticket so I hope they can fix it.
  
 I'm just going to leave it off until support can fix it


----------



## spyder1

It has been 6 days since I contacted LH Labs w/ a support ticket question about Pulse S100 AMP subwoofer outputs. I pointed out that I paid $450 (1.5 years ago) for a 2G 1m USB cable that was never sent. Why do I feel that I am dealing with a group of "Scary Clowns"?


----------



## jsiegel14072

spyder1 said:


> It has been 6 days since I contacted LH Labs w/ a support ticket question about Pulse S100 AMP subwoofer outputs. I pointed out that I paid $450 (1.5 years ago) for a 2G 1m USB cable that was never sent. Why do I feel that I am dealing with a group of "Scary Clowns"?


 
 So i ask about update, since it has been 2 months from last production schedule and a few weeks from the Gavin posting.
  
 here is the response:
_Yes, we are over due for some updates. I can tell you that Larry is working on updates for all campaigns to be released in the next few weeks. I do apologize for all the delay._
  
_All the Best!_
   
 

_Take care,_
_*Gina Stewart*_
  
_*Customer Happiness Agent*_
  
  
 so how do you run a manufacturing operation when you don't even have a production schedule in place thru the end of the month.
  
 i hope that this means they are working on getting everything out for this month, then will plan for next month.


----------



## noshortcuts

"due for some updates" and "working on it" likely means "we are delaying updates until we have at least one positive thing to report" - which could be anything (from "all usb cables have been delivered" to "all Pulse chassis' have arrived so we can ramp up production" to who knows what. We just get to wait. And wait. And...


----------



## Panelhead

I had forgotten the amps had shipped. How is it as a 2 channel amp?


----------



## spyder1

panelhead said:


> I had forgotten the amps had shipped. How is it as a 2 channel amp?


 

 ​The AMPs have not shipped. November, was stated as the production month.


----------



## valve5425

Well, it had been ages since I'd checked this thread, so the week before last I caught up on things. Hmmmmm! Glad I got my Infinity when I did. I lost patience with the new chassis debacle and just got them to send mine in the original. Got to say that I feel really sorry that so many backers are still waiting. I guess we were taken in, hook, line and sinker. (Yes, that is a Fish ing analogy.)
  
 This was my 1st DAC, and I have to say that I like the way it sounds. A bit of a pain in the butt getting it to work with Foobar on Win 10, but it usually only takes a few minutes of power cycling and pulling my 2G USB cable in and out to get it up and running.
  
 Anyway, I notice new firmware came out earlier this year, and I'm guessing that maybe this could make connection easier. I've put a ticket in for the firmware (8 days and still waiting!) Am I wasting my time with either the new firmware, or with LH Labs support, or both?
  
  
  
 Here's my Infinity with Hdplex H1.S Win10 PC and KGST electrostatic head amp.


----------



## jbr1971

valve5425 said:


> Well, it had been ages since I'd checked this thread, so the week before last I caught up on things. Hmmmmm! Glad I got my Infinity when I did. I lost patience with the new chassis debacle and just got them to send mine in the original. Got to say that I feel really sorry that so many backers are still waiting. I guess we were taken in, hook, line and sinker. (Yes, that is a Fish ing analogy.)
> 
> This was my 1st DAC, and I have to say that I like the way it sounds. A bit of a pain in the butt getting it to work with Foobar on Win 10, but it usually only takes a few minutes of power cycling and pulling my 2G USB cable in and out to get it up and running.
> 
> Anyway, I notice new firmware came out earlier this year, and I'm guessing that maybe this could make connection easier. I've put a ticket in for the firmware (8 days and still waiting!) Am I wasting my time with either the new firmware, or with LH Labs support, or both?


 
  
 If I remember right the new firmware is supposed to help with/fix those kinds of connection issues. Definitely pursue it.


----------



## valve5425

jbr1971 said:


> If I remember right the new firmware is supposed to help with/fix those kinds of connection issues. Definitely pursue it.


 

 Nice one, thanks for that. Just have to wait for a response to my ticket.


----------



## doublea71

valve5425 said:


> Nice one, thanks for that. Just have to wait for a response to my ticket.


 

 Oy the tickets. They love their tickets.


----------



## spyder1

valve5425 said:


> Well, it had been ages since I'd checked this thread, so the week before last I caught up on things. Hmmmmm! Glad I got my Infinity when I did. I lost patience with the new chassis debacle and just got them to send mine in the original. Got to say that I feel really sorry that so many backers are still waiting. I guess we were taken in, hook, line and sinker. (Yes, that is a Fish ing analogy.)
> 
> This was my 1st DAC, and I have to say that I like the way it sounds. A bit of a pain in the butt getting it to work with Foobar on Win 10, but it usually only takes a few minutes of power cycling and pulling my 2G USB cable in and out to get it up and running.
> 
> ...


 

 ​If it works, why fix it! Nice equipment rack set up!


----------



## mandrake50

spyder1 said:


> valve5425 said:
> 
> 
> > Well, it had been ages since I'd checked this thread, so the week before last I caught up on things. Hmmmmm! Glad I got my Infinity when I did. I lost patience with the new chassis debacle and just got them to send mine in the original. Got to say that I feel really sorry that so many backers are still waiting. I guess we were taken in, hook, line and sinker. (Yes, that is a Fish ing analogy.)
> ...


 
 Because it is a PIA. Every time I turn off the PC it is an adventure (or maybe better, a nightmare)  and frustration to get the Infinity to be recognized by  the PC (Win 7) and therefor Foobar.
 I keep thinking that I need to get the newer firmware. I think that I also will open a ticket. I have been avoiding doing it just do to the aggravation factor.
  
 Judging by reports here, this will be another exercise in frustration. The ticketing system has always been less than adequate, now it seems to have gotten even worse.


----------



## valve5425

I always thought it was just me being a bit numb when I couldn't get the DAC to connect. You've made me feel a whole lot better now! Adventure? It's certainly been one trip I wouldn't like to go on again.


----------



## mandrake50

valve5425 said:


> I always thought it was just me being a bit numb when I couldn't get the DAC to connect. You've made me feel a whole lot better now! Adventure? It's certainly been one trip I wouldn't like to go on again.


 

 I have read about quite a few people with the same problem. This says the problem is not unique to my unit, but is sure doesn't make me feel any better about it.


----------



## spyder1

spyder1 said:


> ​If it works, why fix it! Nice equipment rack set up!


 
 valve5425, 
  
 I have a similar set up as you except I have a Pulse Xfi-LPS4 combo. I use laptop w/ Windows 10, JRiver 22, Lightspeed Revive, w/ Lightspeed 10G cable. I have a startup sequence of (1. laptop, 2. LPS4, 3. Pulse Xfi, w/ original firmware). The computer handshakes w/ Pulse Xfi 1st time, every time. This is the same sequence before adding Lightspeed Revive, and it worked every time.


----------



## oneguy

Are any Mac users having these problems too? I have an Infinity v2 and it's always been easy to connect to my MacBook Air. The DAC should be designed to work with both Windows and OSx but I wonder if the Windows OS is giving the Pulse the finger.


----------



## gikigill

I requested a copy of the new firmware and was given one for my specific Pulse in 48 hours. Send a ticket folks with your serial number at the back.

Windows doesn't like playing with the Pulse but Mac and Android have been plug and play.


----------



## mandrake50

gikigill said:


> I requested a copy of the new firmware and was given one for my specific Pulse in 48 hours. Send a ticket folks with your serial number at the back.
> 
> Windows doesn't like playing with the Pulse but Mac and Android have been plug and play.


 

 If this is something fixed by flashing new firmware onto the Pulse, it is not a Windows problem. They had lots of time to develop firmware that works with any OS that the Pulse is supported on. They did not.
 Oh well, a ticket it is.


----------



## mandrake50

gikigill said:


> I requested a copy of the new firmware and was given one for my specific Pulse in 48 hours. Send a ticket folks with your serial number at the back.
> 
> Windows doesn't like playing with the Pulse but Mac and Android have been plug and play.


 

 OK. I submitted a ticket for the updated firmware. I will let everyone know when I get a substantive response... or get the firmware and drivers in hand.
  
 BTW gikigill, hoe long ago did you make this transaction ?


----------



## Shawnb

gikigill said:


> I requested a copy of the new firmware and was given one for my specific Pulse in 48 hours. Send a ticket folks with your serial number at the back.
> 
> Windows doesn't like playing with the Pulse but Mac and Android have been plug and play.


 
  
  
 I'm going on 2 weeks awaiting the new firmware. First ticket I made the mistake of asking 2 questions, they answered one and closed the ticket. Never got any new firmware, so had to make a 2nd ticket. Going on a week for this one so maybe this time I'll actually get an answer. I just love when they don't answer your question and close the ticket. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Glad to hear it works in Macs cause in Windows it's a POS


----------



## gikigill

mandrake50 said:


> OK. I submitted a ticket for the updated firmware. I will let everyone know when I get a substantive response... or get the firmware and drivers in hand.
> 
> BTW gikigill, hoe long ago did you make this transaction ?




My Pulse was delivered last year May and I ordered in January 2014.

The different versions of the Pulse have different firmware. The USB problem disappeared after the update and I must admit that the Pulse is a fine piece of kit once properly setup or else it sounds very thin and lifeless.


----------



## valve5425

spyder1 said:


> valve5425,
> 
> I have a similar set up as you except I have a Pulse Xfi-LPS4 combo. I use laptop w/ Windows 10, JRiver 22, Lightspeed Revive, w/ Lightspeed 10G cable. I have a startup sequence of (1. laptop, 2. LPS4, 3. Pulse Xfi, w/ original firmware). The computer handshakes w/ Pulse Xfi 1st time, every time. This is the same sequence before adding Lightspeed Revive, and it worked every time.


 

 ​Just tried that sequence and it didn't work for me. In fact it was particularly stubborn to get going this morning. I usually end up switching Foobar on and off a few times, having various ends of the 2G plugged in with the Infinity powered on or off, whilst standing on one leg, singing "Rule Britannia". I've still not found a consistently reliable sequence. Still, I find that listening to music through the Pulse does actually relax you after the trauma of turning it on.
  
 9 days and still no response to my ticket! (I'd sent my serial number together with a request for the latest firmware.)
  
 I shouldn't tempt fate, but one good thing is that my Geek Out 720 has been faultless from day 1. Glad I've not got a Da Vinci.


----------



## spyder1

valve5425,
  
 Do you think a software problem exists between Foobar 2000 and Pulse Infinity? I switched from MediaMonkey to JRiver 19 when I got my Pulse Xfi in order to play DSD.  I noticed that JRiver beat MediaMonkey In SQ playback of PCM. I never had problems w/ JRiver recognizing LH Labs DACS.


----------



## valve5425

spyder1 said:


> valve5425,
> 
> Do you think a software problem exists between Foobar 2000 and Pulse Infinity? I switched from MediaMonkey to JRiver 19 when I got my Pulse Xfi in order to play DSD.  I noticed that JRiver beat MediaMonkey In SQ playback of PCM. I never had problems w/ JRiver recognizing LH Labs DACS.


 

 ​I think it's a possibility. I've an old laptop with Vista, which I sometimes use to watch catch-up TV. Connecting to that (without Foobar) is a lot easier, though not 100% perfect. I appreciate that Foobar may not be the best, but it's free. I keep looking for an alternative player that would be worth paying for, but there seems to be so much conflicting opinion that I can't decide which way to go.


----------



## Panelhead

What is the ticket to get it set up properly? Mine sounds a little thin.


----------



## foreverzer0

panelhead said:


> What is the ticket to get it set up properly? Mine sounds a little thin.


 
  
 Try upping the gain levels. Even though some headphones have sufficient volume, it can sound thin. Upping the gain levels for me brought back some lower richness imo.


----------



## walfredo

panelhead said:


> What is the ticket to get it set up properly? Mine sounds a little thin.


 
  
 Try upsampling on the PC.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

On Windows/JRiver, before flashing to DSD256 firmware (Infinity), i have great results using KS (Kernel Streaming). To my ears more grit/body.


----------



## uncola

Any of you guys use a revive and geek out with an Android phone? What cable do I need? USB on the go male to female?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yes, mine runs on Note 3 (Android 5.0) and Himedia Q10 Pro (4k media box, Android 5.1.1). Both GO1k and Infinity + LPS4. Tested on UAPP, Neutron MP, Onkyo HF, HibyMusic and Poweramp.


----------



## nudd

Also try foobar with the asio driver?

I managed to get my infinity from being completely non functional ( refuse to sync) to working 100% by flashing the new firmware. Agree also it is lacking in body and verging on cold. I use warm headphones like the Th-x00 to compensate.

Eventually i will get a Yggy or Gumby ...


----------



## uncola

mickey so you connect the revive to the phone with a usb micro male to usb c male cable?  a special OTG one?  that's the cable I'm not sure of.. my phone uses usb c already


----------



## doctorjazz

I have an HTC 10, uses usb c. Bought some cables that I think are OTC (not sure), haven't tried them yet. A cable recommendation would be great! Thanks.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

uncola said:


> mickey so you connect the revive to the phone with a usb micro male to usb c male cable?  a special OTG one?  that's the cable I'm not sure of.. my phone uses usb c already


 
  
 Connected Revive's supplied Micro USB C to A Male to my phone's OTG cable and a USB B female to A female to GO1K.
  
 Not ideal but just was curious if it works, And it indeed.
  
 If your phone has a USB host feature just a micro C to micro C cable will do. 
  
 Better for branded stuff. Some cheap chinese cables are out of specs (either too short or too thine - wobbles).


----------



## uncola

Thanks Mickey!  But instead of trying a go2a sig for portable use..  I am gonna get the stereo speaker amp!  I am more of a listen at home guy than a portable user
  
 this was the cable I was going to use.. for my oneplus two which has built in usb host mode.
 usb c to usb c 3.0 cable to connect phone to revive.  then geek out directly into revive.  
  
 http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15100


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep saw your post on the "other side".
  
 That might just work. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I have success also attaching a powered USB hub from my phone. And a portable drive, QI charger, Revive on the hub.
  

  
 Revive is not in the picture but it works. USB drive for your music files.
  
 Using UAPP in Bitperfect mode is just too good.


----------



## spyder1

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> On Windows/JRiver, before flashing to DSD256 firmware (Infinity), i have great results using KS (Kernel Streaming). To my ears more grit/body.


 

 ​+1


----------



## mandrake50

spyder1 said:


> valve5425,
> 
> Do you think a software problem exists between Foobar 2000 and Pulse Infinity? I switched from MediaMonkey to JRiver 19 when I got my Pulse Xfi in order to play DSD.  I noticed that JRiver beat MediaMonkey In SQ playback of PCM. I never had problems w/ JRiver recognizing LH Labs DACS.


 

 My pulse is not even recognized as existing by the LHL drivers. At that point Foobar is not running. I have checked, no services, no Trace of Foobar.
 Pretty hard to imagine that it is causing a problem if it is not even running.


----------



## mandrake50

gikigill said:


> mandrake50 said:
> 
> 
> > OK. I submitted a ticket for the updated firmware. I will let everyone know when I get a substantive response... or get the firmware and drivers in hand.
> ...


 

 I meant, how long ago did you submit the ticket to get the upgraded firmware?  I think at one point they were doing a better job of responding to tickets... if not actually resolving them in a satisfactory manner. I have an idea that they have reduced there "customer happiness" team.


----------



## mscott58

mandrake50 said:


> My pulse is not even recognized as existing by the LHL drivers. At that point Foobar is not running. I have checked, no services, no Trace of Foobar.
> Pretty hard to imagine that it is causing a problem if it is not even running.


 
 So it doesn't show up in the "LHL Control Panel"?


----------



## mandrake50

mscott58 said:


> mandrake50 said:
> 
> 
> > My pulse is not even recognized as existing by the LHL drivers. At that point Foobar is not running. I have checked, no services, no Trace of Foobar.
> ...


 

 Nope.. No sign of it. Once it connects to the driver, Foobar has no problem playing through it.


----------



## mscott58

mandrake50 said:


> Nope.. No sign of it. Once it connects to the driver, Foobar has no problem playing through it.


 
 Assume you've tried the old "uninstall/reinstall the driver" trick?


----------



## wingsounds13

Just one report here, but I have no problem with foobar2000 and my Pulse X infinity. Windoze 8.1, latest drivers, infinity 2.0 firmware V1.5. I am almost afraid to upgrade ye firmware version because my Pulse is working just fine as is. The only thing that I am missing is DSD256, which I only have a couple of sample tracks downloaded.

Try replying or adding to your service ticket, that may get their attention. I hope that a new firmware version fixes your issues.

J.P.


----------



## mandrake50

mscott58 said:


> mandrake50 said:
> 
> 
> > Nope.. No sign of it. Once it connects to the driver, Foobar has no problem playing through it.
> ...


 

 Yes Sir I have. I spent a few years as a PC tech...Though quite a few years ago now,  I know how to beat Windows into submission..

  
 Remove>reboot>reinstall is the credo . Besides, I have three Win 7 laptops that do the same things connecting to the pulse.
 Unplugging cables, plugging them into different USB ports, turning the pulse off and back on, rebooting the machine... in some inconsistent combination usually will get it connected. Still it is a PIA.
  
 Interestingly, more often than not, if I do not turn the pulse off, all is good. I know some say to never do this, but I go some long periods between using the Pulse. I just can't justify leaving it running all of the time.
  
 BTW I use several other USB DACs with no issues using the same cables and ports on the same machines.


----------



## gikigill

mandrake50 said:


> I meant, how long ago did you submit the ticket to get the upgraded firmware?  I think at one point they were doing a better job of responding to tickets... if not actually resolving them in a satisfactory manner. I have an idea that they have reduced there "customer happiness" team.




I got my firmware in 48 hours. I made sure I put in all the details before sending a request.


----------



## Shawnb

gikigill said:


> I got my firmware in 48 hours. I made sure I put in all the details before sending a request.


 
  
 I'm waiting over 2 weeks now. Though I did make the mistake of asking more then one question in my first ticket, got no response about firmware. 
 Been waiting since the 14th on my second ticket, Until then I'm done with my Pulse. Nothing but a headache getting it to work


----------



## mandrake50

gikigill said:


> mandrake50 said:
> 
> 
> > I meant, how long ago did you submit the ticket to get the upgraded firmware?  I think at one point they were doing a better job of responding to tickets... if not actually resolving them in a satisfactory manner. I have an idea that they have reduced there "customer happiness" team.
> ...


 

 When did you get the firmware, as in about what date (like year and month maybe)?
  
 BTW, it has been three days since I put in my ticket. Not a huge deal as I have been living with this for quite a while now. But they definitely did not make the 48 hour mark.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Make some noise...bug them to death!!


----------



## jbr1971

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Make some noise...bug them to death!!


 
  
 In cyberspace no one can hear you scream...


----------



## pbear

jbr1971 said:


> In cyberspace no one can hear you scream...


 
  
 Well, I'm screaming now in response to the Indiegogo update sent today about the HPA. I'm waiting on both an HPA SS and an HPA Tube, originally perked in February 2015, so at least it was good to finally hear something about them after more than 3 months since the last update.
  
 Here's the problem: Larry announced that the HPA is now going to require a 15V supply, but LH Labs previously told LPS owners to upgrade to the LPS4 in order to drive both the Pulse Infinity and the HPA. Now I'm stuck with two LPS4 boxes, having paid $170 each to get 3 additional 12V outputs that are now totally useless.
  
 I already submitted a ticket complaining about this and asking what they plan to do to fix the mess this decision creates. Converting some of the outputs of the yet-to-be-released LPS8 does absolutely nothing for existing LPS4 owners.


----------



## spyder1

pbear said:


> Well, I'm screaming now in response to the Indiegogo update sent today about the HPA. I'm waiting on both an HPA SS and an HPA Tube, originally perked in February 2015, so at least it was good to finally hear something about them after more than 3 months since the last update.
> 
> Here's the problem: Larry announced that the HPA is now going to require a 15V supply, but LH Labs previously told LPS owners to upgrade to the LPS4 in order to drive both the Pulse Infinity and the HPA. Now I'm stuck with two LPS4 boxes, having paid $170 each to get 3 additional 12V outputs that are now totally useless.
> 
> I already submitted a ticket complaining about this and asking what they plan to do to fix the mess this decision creates. Converting some of the outputs of the yet-to-be-released LPS8 does absolutely nothing for existing LPS4 owners.


 

 ​They sold us LPS4's, with he promise of completing a Pulse based music system. Then they change the design parameters (Voltage Requirement)of the HPA Tube. Is there anything we can do about it?


----------



## doublea71

Wow, they're just openly bending over their backers at this point. Sorry for the bad news.


----------



## uncola

Sometimes amps can use any PSU within a voltage range like I know the uptone audio regen uses 7 to 12v or something like that. Si maybe the lh labs headphone amp will work with 12 OR 15 volts?


----------



## Shawnb

Also, since LPS8 backer will have 8 routes of 12V output originally. We will upgrade two of these 8 to become 15V. And I got few requests to lower one of its output to 7 ~ 9V in order to power up the other devices. We will try to put this consideration too. Once it is confirmed 100% doable, will make a quick update as well
  
What does this part mean? Does this mean the LPS8 doesn't work for the Pulse, Source or PTP?
I'm getting so tired of these confusing updates that only lead to more questions and frustration


----------



## oneguy

It means LPS8 will have 2 x 15v outputs, 6 x 12v outputs and there is a chance on converting one ov those 12v outputs to a 7-9v output. I think the HPA is the only item that they have explicitly stated as going to 15v.


----------



## oneguy

spyder1 said:


> ​They sold us LPS4's, with he promise of completing a Pulse based music system. Then they change the design parameters (Voltage Requirement)of the HPA Tube. Is there anything we can do about it?




This whole situation is f'ed up. I submitted a trouble ticket about this too. I think they should allow HPA backers with LPS4s to upgrade to the LPS4 in 2.0 chassis with the 15v tap for HPA.


----------



## Benny-x

mandrake50 said:


> Interestingly, more often than not, if I do not turn the pulse off, all is good. I know some say to never do this, but I go some long periods between using the Pulse. I just can't justify leaving it running all of the time.
> 
> BTW I use several other USB DACs with no issues using the same cables and ports on the same machines.




Firstly, this thing is a bit flaky and doesn't work as well as other USB DACs I've had. I think that's a common understanding across the Pulse threads. 

On your long duration, though, I often go 2-4 weeks without using my Pulse, but I leave it on and connected all the time. The parts inside aren't going to wear out in its lifetime and thermal stability is good, so why not? Leaving the AC for a couple hours uses more power.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I have too have an HPA Tube in line with a LPS4 (of like the rest of you the same reason I opted right now...bought some tubes also for some rolling in the future) and fuming  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
  
 At *least* have an IGG exclusive 12V HPA before they hit retail. There they could have their 15v.
  
 Or why create LPS4 in the first place and not back it up...


----------



## spyder1

I look forward to the arrival of the HPA Tube, and Tube Pre-Amp. Rolling the ACX modules, and vacuum tubes should be fun!


----------



## Yviena

If anyone needs a sub 1uv noise lps the long dog audio one is a good choice,the actual noise is 250nv and the 1.25a version is only around £235 excluding shipping.


----------



## mandrake50

benny-x said:


> mandrake50 said:
> 
> 
> > Interestingly, more often than not, if I do not turn the pulse off, all is good. I know some say to never do this, but I go some long periods between using the Pulse. I just can't justify leaving it running all of the time.
> ...


 

 I consider it to be quite wasteful .. for energy use, and ageing of the electronics (heat kills micro devices.. check test data).
  
 I can't understand why ..given adequate driver compatibility, it should not be able to be turned off and restarted ..and still talk to the source.
 In any case, I do not think that what you do has anything at all to do with my situation and my expectations. Not to be harsh, that is what is.
  
 If it can't do this, fine, I get rid of it. But it really should be able to, as large numbers of other DACs, some lots less expensive accomplish this regularly.
  
 IOW, no excuses. It sucks!
  
 The common wisdom (often not at all accurate) was that it needed to be left on to stabilize the clocks... and supposedly sound "better" . Doubtful at best.
 There is no reason to require it be left on just so I can connect it to my source... None! If the thing is designed correctly and has working drivers, that is.


----------



## germay0653

mandrake50 said:


> I consider it to be quite wasteful .. for energy use, and ageing of the electronics (heat kills micro devices.. check test data).
> 
> I can't understand why ..given adequate driver compatibility, it should not be able to be turned off and restarted ..and still talk to the source.
> In any case, I do not think that what you do has anything at all to do with my situation and my expectations. Not to be harsh, that is what is.
> ...


 
_"The common wisdom (often not at all accurate) was that it needed to be left on to stabilize the clocks... and supposedly sound "better" . Doubtful at best."_ 
  
 Really?  Clocks are crystal structures that oscillate/vibrate at their target/designed frequencies only when brought to the proper temperature. It's called stabilization for a reason. If the temperature is to low or to high the crystal will not vibrate at the proper frequency and timing may be off as a result.  It's not just common wisdom and is accurate, it's the law of physics that can be tested and repeated!


----------



## MikeyFresh

germay0653 said:


> Really?  Clocks are crystal structures that oscillate/vibrate at their target/designed frequencies only when brought to the proper temperature. It's called stabilization for a reason. If the temperature is to low or to high the crystal will not vibrate at the proper frequency and timing may be off as a result.  It's not just common wisdom and is accurate, it's the law of physics that can be tested and repeated!


 

 +1, and at the risk of sounding like I'm defending LH Labs or their shipment of defective Pulse DACs (I'm certainly not), _every single_ DAC I've owned beginning with the circa 1993 Altis 'Lil Bit, has sounded it's best not just after hours of being powered on, but _days_ of being powered on.
  
 Most DACs don't even have an on/off switch, and there is a reason for that, they are meant to be left on at all times.
  
 Not seeking any kind of of thread war, nor providing any excuses for the poor QC of the Pulse DAC, but what I've said above and the post by @germay0653 aren't wild conjecture open for huge debate. Rather, they are facts.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

On 15v HPA, Larry gave an answer on another forum:
  
_LPS4 users with HPA. We will help them to change voltage to 15V! _



>


 _Actually 12V will work as well. I just hope to give the best to HPA._


----------



## mandrake50

germay0653 said:


> mandrake50 said:
> 
> 
> > I consider it to be quite wasteful .. for energy use, and ageing of the electronics (heat kills micro devices.. check test data).
> ...


 

 Yes Really !
 I have yet to hear any difference in the Pulse either having been on for weeks versus an hour. The physics is not the question, the audible results are.
 So, granted there can be a certain amount of variability to the clock frequency based on ambient temperature (inside the case), but case temperature should stabilize easily within an hour. Then we need to understand the variability of the frequency relative to temperature. For the Crystek clocks in the Infinity, chosen specifically for accuracy and stability, this is measured in parts per million. Here are specs on one of their clocks, this is midrange for them: In parts per million and degrees Celsius,

±20 to ±100(0 to 70)±25 to ±100(-20 to 70)±25 to ±100(-40 to 85)
  
  I think that 0.0125% MAX change in the clock frequency in the digital section of the DAC is not going to change the sound out of the unit significantly.. or even audibly. The physics says that the MAX change would be about plus *OR* minus 193 hertz at a 1,544,000 HZ clock speed (the *lowest* frequency that this part is rated for).
 Think about that... then do explain to me how this level of variability will change the audio output of the DAC.
  
 My experience, AND the physics do not support this level of difference translating to any audible changes in the sound out of the unit. This includes from stone cold to an hour, or an hour to several weeks of run time.
  
 I am sure that there are other components in the Pulse that have some level of temperature sensitivity, but again this should easily stabilize within an hour of on time.
  
 Likely I am wasting the time it took to write this. Physics and specifications seldom make any difference in discussions of this kind.This stuff is quite like religion. It is quite impossible to change peoples minds about it. It doesn't matter much to me, as I know what I hear.
  
 Really though, this is not about how the thing sounds, it is about it's connectivity problems... for me anyway


----------



## Benny-x

germay0653 said:


> _"The common wisdom (often not at all accurate) was that it needed to be left on to stabilize the clocks... and supposedly sound "better" . Doubtful at best."_
> 
> Really?  Clocks are crystal structures that oscillate/vibrate at their target/designed frequencies only when brought to the proper temperature. It's called stabilization for a reason. If the temperature is to low or to high the crystal will not vibrate at the proper frequency and timing may be off as a result.  It's not just common wisdom and is accurate, it's the law of physics that can be tested and repeated!




Yeah, after I read his reply I didn't feel it worth correcting due to his "educating the masses" on an oddly not disputed territory of Hifi... 

100% agree with your writings.

EDIT, to Mondrake:

I have tested my Pulse Infinity and do find differences in sound quality vs. just turning it on and it having been on for +2 days. No question, and have done it unfortunately more times than I would like due to a spoty generator feeding my office's power. 

I also tested this with my PS-Audio PWD MkII and found the same results. I did several shootouts with it and other DACs and found the PWD needed at least a day's warm-up to start singing its best and to actually compete in a comparison. 

Anyway, to each his own. If Mike feels otherwise then all the power to him, I've just found different results, across different DACs, in different places, numerous times.


----------



## doctorjazz

I assume the issue is with the femto clocks. no? I believe these are a big part of the LH Labs sound, at least in the higher models, but they may be very sensitive (I of course have no knowledge in this area, let me know if I'm in the ballpark...)


----------



## Laseng

Today, it is three years since I ordered my Pulse.
 Is there anyone else out there that booked Pulse on first campaign day who have not yet received it?
  
 Two weeks ago there was only one Pulse Infinity left on Amazon and now it’s six.
 I see that every time they start to run out of Pulse Infinity on Amazon they get a few new.
  
 Is there anyone out there who have gotten their Pulse Infinity the last six months?


----------



## gikigill

I received my Pulse last year May.


----------



## greenkiwi

laseng said:


> Today, it is three years since I ordered my Pulse.
> Is there anyone else out there that booked Pulse on first campaign day who have not yet received it?
> 
> Two weeks ago there was only one Pulse Infinity left on Amazon and now it’s six.
> ...


 
 I got my infinities last october and then the second one in March.


----------



## germay0653

mandrake50 said:


> Yes Really !
> I have yet to hear any difference in the Pulse either having been on for weeks versus an hour. The physics is not the question, the audible results are.
> So, granted there can be a certain amount of variability to the clock frequency based on ambient temperature (inside the case), but case temperature should stabilize easily within an hour. Then we need to understand the variability of the frequency relative to temperature. For the Crystek clocks in the Infinity, chosen specifically for accuracy and stability, this is measured in parts per million. Here are specs on one of their clocks, this is midrange for them: In parts per million and degrees Celsius,
> 
> ...


 

 I couldn't agree more that it has connection initiation/handshake issues.  Regarding the clocks, I wish you were able hear the difference.  I and many others do.  To me the sound's tonal color is more accurate, not as harsh, transients are smooth and not as sibilant in the high frequencies and that has to due with the timing of the signal, being made more accurate, when fed to the DAC.  It's what the clocks controls.  If you don't hear a difference then so be it but to my point don't state, based only on your own personal listening experience, that the clocks coming up to temperature to improve the sound is "not at all accurate and doubtful at best".


----------



## gikigill

I can hear the difference between the filters but no difference based on how long my Pulse has been running. 

Wouldn't most femto clocks stabilize within an hour?


----------



## Benny-x

germay0653 said:


> If you don't hear a difference then so be it, but to my point don't state, based only on your own personal listening experience, that the clocks coming up to temperature to improve the sound is "not at all accurate and doubtful at best".




Yeah, there's a lot of debated areas in HiFi and what kind of "rabbit's foot" type items or procedures we all believe in in our pursuit to better sound. But that one there isn't one of them. That's the deal, proven from basically all sides


----------



## Chrome Robot

germay0653 said:


> _"The common wisdom (often not at all accurate) was that it needed to be left on to stabilize the clocks... and supposedly sound "better" . Doubtful at best."_
> 
> Really?  Clocks are crystal structures that oscillate/vibrate at their target/designed frequencies only when brought to the proper temperature. It's called stabilization for a reason. If the temperature is to low or to high the crystal will not vibrate at the proper frequency and timing may be off as a result.  It's not just common wisdom and is accurate, it's the law of physics that can be tested and repeated!


 
  
 I believe that the relevant point is that you should be able to turn off the Pulse and have it work properly when you turn it back on,
 While I have not really tried to listen critically for possible improvements in SQ after hours/days/weeks, I have experienced numerous difficulties when I turn the device on after being off. Decisions about turning off when I am away for a while are mine to make based on my own personal reasoning. But when I turn on any device that I have ever owned of any type, they always work the way that they did when I turned them off..... other than my Pulse Xfi.


----------



## germay0653

gikigill said:


> I can hear the difference between the filters but no difference based on how long my Pulse has been running.
> 
> Wouldn't most femto clocks stabilize within an hour?


 

 Yes, the clocks should stabilize after and hour or two.  Larry, and many engineers, have that opinion.


----------



## gikigill

chrome robot said:


> I believe that the relevant point is that you should be able to turn off the Pulse and have it work properly when you turn it back on,
> While I have not really tried to listen critically for possible improvements in SQ after hours/days/weeks, I have experienced numerous difficulties when I turn the device on after being off. Decisions about turning off when I am away for a while are mine to make based on my own personal reasoning. But when I turn on any device that I have ever owned of any type, they always work the way that they did when I turned them off..... other than my Pulse Xfi.




Request the firmware update. Fixes the problem nicely.


----------



## hemtmaker

gikigill said:


> Request the firmware update. Fixes the problem nicely.



+1 same here


----------



## marflao

Don't understand that one has "to ask" for the latest firmware (which means raising a ticket).

Why can't the latest FWs be uploaded and shared?
Would simplify things for all involved parties.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Because it still have bugs (won't display bit rate properly). But the rest is quite solid IME.


----------



## RickDastardly

laseng said:


> Today, it is three years since I ordered my Pulse.
> Is there anyone else out there that booked Pulse on first campaign day who have not yet received it?
> 
> Two weeks ago there was only one Pulse Infinity left on Amazon and now it’s six.
> ...


 

 I backed Pulse (Infinity) in the first campaign and I'm still waiting. I'm a UK backer. I believe they were promising shipment sometime in November if I am not mistaken.


----------



## kostaszag

gikigill said:


> chrome robot said:
> 
> 
> > I believe that the relevant point is that you should be able to turn off the Pulse and have it work properly when you turn it back on,
> ...


 
 Not in my case, it made my Pulse Sfi practically unusable.I had to downgrade to the previous firmware.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Probably a different firmware.. 

Problem is, the DFU program could not tell if it is the right firmware for the unit or not. It just upload right away with out any warning.


----------



## kostaszag

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Probably a different firmware..
> 
> Problem is, the DFU program could not tell if it is the right firmware for the unit or not. It just upload right away with out any warning.


 
 Well, it was sent to me by LHlabs, after I told them exactly what kind of a Geek I have. BTW. Mikey Fresh had the same experience with his Sfi.


----------



## Panelhead

It seems the problem is the firmware is not the same for all the models. Larry may not know the matrix. I think the Infinities work with the latest firmware. The other models may not.
 The real answer is a firmware that works with every model, version, and vintage. I have an old (2009) FireWire Dac. They supported Windows and Mac. When Windows updated and broke the drivers it was two years before there was a fix. The Mac drivers were supported by Apple.
 Small companies waste a lot of resources updating even USB drivers when supporting Windows.


----------



## valve5425

Still waiting for latest Infinity firmware! 15 days since my 1st ticket, 3 days since my 2nd ticket went in. How long are you folks waiting for LH Labs to respond? I guess it's not the 24 hrs they promise.


----------



## mandrake50

valve5425 said:


> Still waiting for latest Infinity firmware! 15 days since my 1st ticket, 3 days since my 2nd ticket went in. How long are you folks waiting for LH Labs to respond? I guess it's not the 24 hrs they promise.


 

 It is a week today since I requested the firmware for my infinity. No response yet at all.


----------



## NigelJ

Well, at least those with issues have got their Pulses , I am still waiting for my Infinity having originally backed on 14 December 2013, my LPS4 has been sitting in its box gradually corroding since May 2015, and I am already doubting if I will get the Infinity this year. I have no idea whether I will get my Tube HPA before the end of the decade.

Despite what I said above I am sorry for those with issues and hope thay are quickly resolved. I also hope that LL Labs have learnt from their software issues and that they aren't repeated in the other projects such as the Wave and Source.


----------



## mandrake50

mikeyfresh said:


> germay0653 said:
> 
> 
> > Really?  Clocks are crystal structures that oscillate/vibrate at their target/designed frequencies only when brought to the proper temperature. It's called stabilization for a reason. If the temperature is to low or to high the crystal will not vibrate at the proper frequency and timing may be off as a result.  It's not just common wisdom and is accurate, it's the law of physics that can be tested and repeated!
> ...


 

 We pretty much all say this over and over. It is all about perception. There are no facts, there is only consensus. The way we hear things is determined by our brains and what we perceive as reality.  This is not conjecture or opinion, but statistically  (really) proven by numerous studies
 I have seen it over and over again in the 10 years plus that I have been around these forums. A few people say that they hear something. then it becomes a "proven: fact. It is not a fact, it is a widely shared opinion. Just possibly because we want to hear  what we are told that we should hear. None of us can escape  the power of suggestion when we want to be part of the cognoscenti. It is even harder when people are put down when they express diverging opinions and are slighted (or worse) for disagreeing.
  
  That is all quite fine, it is part of the human condition, but it does not  constitute any level of any  definition of  the term "proof".
  
 When I say highly doubtful, I can only say that from my perspective. I know the specs of the clocks. I know that the variability should not be significant to the audio  output of the device. I do not hear a difference. It is not because of my audio acuity nor my ability to perceive nuances in sound. It is because I do not expect there to be a difference.
 Guys, I have been here for a long time, I have been listening to music critically with significant training longer than a lot of you. I certainly do not seek  to be considered a guru on any level. I do ask that my thoughts are accepted, even if not agreed with.
  
 So what, well I am not sure why it is not accepted that in my perception, from my point of view, the reported results are doubtful at best. To me they are  extremely doubtful....  I stop at saying  BS, only to not get flamed any further. So what? I don't mean to threaten anyone's established conceptions. If you are not threatened by my thoughts, this will not hut your feelings. Please don't let it, nor let it trigger the "fight or flight" reaction!
  
 SO I have electronic performance date and circuit performance analyses ...and what I hear on my side of the discussion. Many others have the "common wisdom" on their side. Who is *right* I can't say
  
 If I try to change you mind on this.I will lose that one every time. That is not may intention.  Please don't feel threatened by someone disagreeing with you. I have a different view and my brain hears things differently from yours. I am also an engineer who understands The give and take of audio circuit design. This is not a subjectivist versus objectivist discussion. I buy into both. When the real physics and rules of electronic devices performance disagree, I question them.  You might  also... or not.
  
 I agree that there are changes in component performance with temperature. Usually small changes, but nonetheless changes. I don't think that high performance "nano" clocks such at the Crystek clocks change enough to make any audible difference. If there is a difference it would more likely be attributable to changes in passive components. Resistors, capacitors, even ICs change values with temperature, this is well documented. Nano clocks with specs this tight, simply do not... unless they are defective. That being said, once thermal equilibrium is reached in the device (stabilization of the temperatures INSIDE all of the components), this can not make the circuit performance change. I believe, due to infrared measurements on many circuits, with stable ambient temperature, will occur within an hour. It seems real strange that it would take two weeks... ?
  
 I also think that looking at electronic circuit performance  that is well documented is worth considering in these conversations. If there are changes in sound over time, it is much more likely to come from passive components changing with time and temperature than it is from changes in high precision  crystal oscillators changing with time.
  
 In the end it really doesn't matter. You hear what you hear I hear what I hear... just don't. please, feel   thereatened when somone doesn't buy into you personal perception. I don't think you are wrong, please don't judge me ... or put me down based on the fact I think differently.
  
 That is what I think. I truly hope my thoughts are not threatening enough to people to make them upset. They are simply my thoughts. Aren't everyone's thoughts welcome here?
  
 You hear what you hear, I hear what I hear. I am backed up by electronics circuit performance data, "you" (indefinite "you") are backed up by "common wisdom" .
  
 I don't claim to be right, nor "you" wrong. I think I have a point of view worth considering...


----------



## MikeyFresh

mandrake50 said:


> We pretty much all say this over and over. It is all about perception. There are no facts, there is only consensus. The way we hear things is determined by our brains and what we perceive as reality.  This is not conjecture or opinion, but statistically  (really) proven by numerous studies
> I have seen it over and over again in the 10 years plus that I have been around these forums. A few people say that they hear something. then it becomes a "proven: fact. It is not a fact, it is a widely shared opinion. Just possibly because we want to hear  what we are told that we should hear. None of us can escape  the power of suggestion when we want to be part of the cognoscenti. It is even harder when people are put down when they express diverging opinions and are slighted (or worse) for disagreeing.
> 
> That is all quite fine, it is part of the human condition, but it does not  constitute any level of any  definition of  the term "proof".
> ...


 

 Fair enough and yes everyone's view is both valid and welcome, it's what makes these forums go. No I wasn't flaming you at all.
  
 The point I was making is as you said, only from my experience, and so my choice of words was poor when I said they were facts.
  
 However I've spoken directly with many EE design engineers who absolutely all agree that something like warm-up for a product to sound it's best is pretty much universally accepted. Now exactly how much warm up? That varies by product and of course it's a subjective thing when someone decides any particular unit has fully warmed up or "come on song" as the British like to say.
  
 The LH Labs position that the clocks need warm-up is only part of that topic, it seems that when you shut a product down it then needs time once re-powered to have the dielectric properties of the capacitors or indeed any insulator including wire jacketing to "re-stabilize". So it's not only a warm-up of the clocks, really it's everything.
  
 My point about the lack of a power switch on any of a half dozen or more DACs I've owned is valid. I had asked the product designers some years ago why DACs did not have on/off switches like amps, preamps, CD players did, and they all said because the units are meant to be left on at all times, and they sound their best that way. Is that a clock thing? Perhaps.
  
 The Pulse is the only DAC I've ever owned (excepting portable battery powered units) that even has an on/off switch. The fact the Pulse's on/off switch is tiny and on the rear panel suggests it is not meant to be used as a matter of course, otherwise it would be on the front panel where it's easy to see and reach.
  
 Yes, we all hear what we hear, and no one can change that just by posting something to the contrary.
  
 Again, no flame war intended, I just found it odd that anyone on an enthusiast forum like this hasn't heard the difference between a cold and warmed up product, or found that difference to be significant. To me it is, so much so that I shamefully admit that my main system is left on 24/7, unless I'm going away for a period of days. Waste of electricity? Yes, but it's all solid-state so no vacuum tube life span to worry about.
  
 Ever notice a light bulb burns out only when you flip the switch and never while just at a steady-state of being on? Thats due to the surge at start-up, an old filament will eventually no longer be able to tolerate that surge. Conventional wisdom suggests that many/most circuits behave in a similar fashion, too many on/off cycles actually age the circuit more than if it were just left on at all times, due to that inrush of current at start-up.
  
 Those cycles of surge at start-up can eventually lead to circuit failure. Thats the real reason I leave my system on at all times, as warm-up in my circumstance only takes about 30 minutes or so to be mostly complete, with much smaller incremental gains in sound quality over many hours of run-time.
  
 But of course thats just my system and personal experience, other's mileage can and will vary.
  
 Finally, I in no way mean to give LH Labs a pardon for the Pulse's sketchy behavior on power up, thankfully mine doesn't exhibit that particular issue though I don't use Windows. My firmware nightmare involves loud audio glitches when switching between USB and Toslink, as well as lack of smooth glitch free changes in sample rate. 
  
 The whole "give me your model and serial # so that we can figure out what batch you were in so we can give you custom firmware" is absurd, and I can only conclude that large numbers of defective non-QC passing boards were sent to customers.
  
 GF's missive in the last Pulse campaign IGG "update" points further in that exact direction, but his contention that there was only a problem with the last 80 Infinity boards falls well short of the reality.


----------



## kostaszag

nigelj said:


> Well, at least those with issues have got their Pulses , I am still waiting for my Infinity having originally backed on 14 December 2013, my LPS4 has been sitting in its box gradually corroding since May 2015, and I am already doubting if I will get the Infinity this year. I have no idea whether I will get my Tube HPA before the end of the decade.
> 
> Despite what I said above I am sorry for those with issues and hope thay are quickly resolved. I also hope that LL Labs have learnt from their software issues and that they aren't repeated in the other projects such as the Wave and Source.


 
 Sorry, but what you are stating is not correct.You didnt back an Infinity on December 2013, there was no Infinity at the time. You backed a* Geek Pulse*. Had you left it at that you would be enjoying the Pulse now (or not). But you added more perks to your initial backing, the product you are waiting for has little to do with the product of December 2013. I am not saying that everything is OK and you should not be complaining, just that it is not as bad as you make it look.


----------



## thewatcher101

I was wondering if we leave this unit on 24/7 and that I will be paring this unit with a tube amp?


----------



## greenkiwi

Well they said that the infinities would ship in order of your pulse order that was updated to an infinity. 

So if you ordered your original pulse in December of 13, you should get your infinity before someone who ordered it in Jan 14. (With the exception of the first batch that were sent to us customers, since any warranty returns would be easier.)

You need to file support tickets and ask what is going on... You should have received your infinity a while ago.


----------



## Incognito73

Hi there,

I was using Geek Pulse X hapilly for few months and then move it on for sale to fund the new project. Now, new user is claiming that USB connection is pretty much unusable as endless ammount of nursing is needeed for DAC to be recognised or used. It will just dissappear as device itself or just stop working.

Is Geek Pulse X (or Pulse in general) reactive to specific USB chipsets (hosts) and could anyone kindly share any specific firmware to resolve this problem?

Thanks!


----------



## jbr1971

incognito73 said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I was using Geek Pulse X hapilly for few months and then move it on for sale to fund the new project. Now, new user is claiming that USB connection is pretty much unusable as endless ammount of nursing is needeed for DAC to be recognised or used. It will just dissappear as device itself or just stop working.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Is their computer Windows or Mac? If Windows, does it have the latest driver?
  
 How are they connecting it? Directly to the computer? Through a LPS? Through an external USB hub? If it is not direct, have them try connecting directly to the computer.
  
 If it still does not work, have them try a different USB port. The port could be having issues. Also check if it is USB 2.0 or 3.0. Have them make sure it is moved from one bus to the other in case there are bus speed issues.


----------



## Incognito73

It's Windows machine and the guy evaluated Pulse on two laptops, changed USB cable etc. I was using my own linear PSU and USB cable with the Pulse, so never tested the bundled ones but I believe that PSU wouldn't not cause such issues as, for example, other inputs are fine. He mentioned that he never had a DAC before behaving like that before. In my case, Pulse would occasionally drop the connection but really far away from anything serious. Doesn't make sense the it's not reliable on other system.
  
 One would expect that DAC should work reliable in-line with the USB spec... so I'm starting to suspect that it's a firmware issue. 
  
 Accidentally stumbled across this Roon thread:
 https://community.roonlabs.com/t/lhlabs-geek-pulse-no-longer-works/14990
  
 It's very much the same behaviour as reported to me and user, curiously enough,  got the firmware update and fixed the problem. I wonder from where or who?!


----------



## Laseng

greenkiwi said:


> Well they said that the infinities would ship in order of your pulse order that was updated to an infinity.
> 
> So if you ordered your original pulse in December of 13, you should get your infinity before someone who ordered it in Jan 14. (With the exception of the first batch that were sent to us customers, since any warranty returns would be easier.)
> 
> You need to file support tickets and ask what is going on... You should have received your infinity a while ago.


 
  
 Its clear that Pulse infinities would not ship in order of your pulse order, even though it was promised.
 I know about international backers who ordered Pulse as late as January 2014 and received Pulse Infinity 2.0 as early as November 2015.
  
 I backed Geek Pulse 29 October 2013 just seven hours and twelve minutes after Geek Pulse Campaign start.
  
 In august I submitred a support tickets to LH Labs and told them that It should be those who backed Pulse first that get it first.

 The answer i get back was that there are about 100 Pulse Infinity left and about 20 units that are currently ahead of me in their shipping queue.


----------



## foreverzer0

this is the lh labs support & vent group lol.


----------



## jbr1971

incognito73 said:


> It's Windows machine and the guy evaluated Pulse on two laptops, changed USB cable etc. I was using my own linear PSU and USB cable with the Pulse, so never tested the bundled ones but I believe that PSU wouldn't not cause such issues as, for example, other inputs are fine. He mentioned that he never had a DAC before behaving like that before. In my case, Pulse would occasionally drop the connection but really far away from anything serious. Doesn't make sense the it's not reliable on other system.
> 
> One would expect that DAC should work reliable in-line with the USB spec... so I'm starting to suspect that it's a firmware issue.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have seen where moving from one USB port to another on a computer, taking the LPS out of the chain, or switching the cable(s) will fix dropouts. Multiple players in the chain increase the odds of issues exponentially.
  
 Make sure he tries running it connected directly to the computer to rule out LPS issues.
  
 My XFi is fully updated and it still drops from my Mac from time to time. I have to power it off for 20 seconds, and as soon as it powers back on it is recognized and functioning properly.
  
 Firmware updates come from the tech support team. To get it you will need to open a support ticket as the original owner (warranty is not transferable, do not mention it was sold), and provide the exact model version, along with the full serial number (including numbers off to the side).


----------



## Incognito73

OK ... I've been sniffing around a bit and it seems that there is a V2 firmware in the wild and that helped with USB stability. As I'm not sure if firmware files are interchangeable between Pulse/X/Xfi models, could some kind soul share or PM the Pulse X V2 firmware? LHlabs is not responding for a few days.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Careful, incompatible firmware will brick your unit. DFU utility have no way of telling if the firmware being flashed is the correct one or not.


----------



## Incognito73

Well, yes, sort of. Difference between the X and Xfi is just femto clocks and capacitors,resistors, op-amps PCB upgrade but baseline (XMOS USB control chipset namely) is the same. With X I can select femto digital filter form the display apart form the fact that femto clocks are not physically there. In that respect, I'm suspecting that  X and Xfi firmware files may be interchangeable.
  
 Just to be on the safe side, I may wait for someone to share Pulse X V2 firmware. I've got Xfi V2 firmware with me at the moment from someone (file is named GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin


----------



## jbr1971

incognito73 said:


> Well, yes, sort of. Difference between the X and Xfi is just femto clocks and capacitors,resistors, op-amps PCB upgrade but baseline (XMOS USB control chipset namely) is the same. With X I can select femto digital filter form the display apart form the fact that femto clocks are not physically there. In that respect, I'm suspecting that  X and Xfi firmware files may be interchangeable.
> 
> Just to be on the safe side, I may wait for someone to share Pulse X V2 firmware. I've got Xfi V2 firmware with me at the moment from someone (file is named GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin


 
  
 DO NOT use a XFi firmware with a X Pulse. The firmwares ARE NOT interchangeable.
  
 It is not a guarantee it would brick your Pulse, but it would be an extremely high amount of risk. Bricking Pulse units this way is not a warranty covered fix.


----------



## wingsounds13

Nahhhh.. Go ahead and update with the wrong version, then come back and tell us how long it too for LH Labs to fix it and how much it cost.

It doesn't seem like the same basic design with some different parts on the board would make any significant difference in the firmware but it sure seems to.

J.P.


----------



## mandrake50

I just got the new firmware via email. 11 days for them to respond. The file is the same one that you mention.
  
 GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin
  
 I have an Infinity V1. I think it was called a _Pulse X_ Infinity.
  
 It would seem that, although perhaps not universally interchangeable, one firmware version is applicable to more than just a single model.


----------



## jbr1971

mandrake50 said:


> I just got the new firmware via email. 11 days for them to respond. The file is the same one that you mention.
> 
> GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin
> 
> ...


 
  
 It depends on the model. The Infinity is much closer in spec to the XFi than the X.
  
 If you have not already, double-check with them that that file is truly Infinity compatible.


----------



## Shawnb

mandrake50 said:


> I just got the new firmware via email. 11 days for them to respond. The file is the same one that you mention.
> 
> GEEK_PULSE_2V0_GPX_FI_D1.bin
> 
> ...


 
  
 You post made me wonder What happened to my ticket. Seems they closed it without replying.


----------



## Greg121986

shawnb said:


> You post made me wonder What happened to my ticket. Seems they closed it without replying.


 
 After a period of time with no activity from either side, their ticket system automatically closes the ticket. I think it's 48 or 72 hours.


----------



## Shawnb

greg121986 said:


> After a period of time with no activity from either side, their ticket system automatically closes the ticket. I think it's 48 or 72 hours.


 
  
 Just one more reason I wish I never heard of this ******* company.


----------



## Incognito73

OK ... got the Pulse X V2.0 firmware from this very forum. Thanks Leon! Surely, compared to dreadful LHLabs (direct) one, quite more efficient support going on here.
  
 *** Forgot to mention. If any users of this DAC are interchanging the firmware files between themselves (on this forum or elsewhere), I would strongly recommend md5sum so that checksum is validated on the receiving end. Just precausion so that one is assured that file arrived intact and/or unmodified as crucially you don't want to mess up with corrupted firmware files! Extension .bin may have problem with some upload sites, so, zip variant is usually safer bet.


----------



## greenkiwi

Not activity from either side, if they have marked it "needs customer reply" and you don't reply in 48 or 72 hours, it closes... and you have to open a whole new ticket.


----------



## Incognito73

Ha! That's a bit harsh. I do wonder though, if there are any automated-repercussions on other side of the fence, if LHLabs themselves don't sideline with 48-72 rule!


----------



## greenkiwi

I think that their rule is not to look at a ticket until it has been at least 48-72h.


----------



## mandrake50

jbr1971 said:


> mandrake50 said:
> 
> 
> > I just got the new firmware via email. 11 days for them to respond. The file is the same one that you mention.
> ...


 

 I gave them the specifics of my unit... mode, l serial number... actually I sent ALL of the numbers on the label. The file name that_  posted is what they sent me..._
 Will run checksum on it.


----------



## Audio Addict

Could I ask if anyone has the Geek Pulse Blue and if they tried it with any other DAC other than a LH Labs product.  I recently tried it with an Exogal Comet Plus.  I could get the Analog connections to work but not the digital out into the Comet.  Exogal thought it was possible LH Labs tweaked the bluetooth so it was optimized for their equipment.


----------



## germay0653

audio addict said:


> Could I ask if anyone has the Geek Pulse Blue and if they tried it with any other DAC other than a LH Labs product.  I recently tried it with an Exogal Comet Plus.  I could get the Analog connections to work but not the digital out into the Comet.  Exogal thought it was possible LH Labs tweaked the bluetooth so it was optimized for their equipment.


 

 It should be just 75 ohm SPDIF digital out and analog stereo out.  Digital works to a Pulse X Infinity but I haven't tried the analog outs.


----------



## spyder1

audio addict said:


> Could I ask if anyone has the Geek Pulse Blue and if they tried it with any other DAC other than a LH Labs product.  I recently tried it with an Exogal Comet Plus.  I could get the Analog connections to work but not the digital out into the Comet.  Exogal thought it was possible LH Labs tweaked the bluetooth so it was optimized for their equipment.


 
 If I remember correctly, the Pulse Blue out puts Digital Coax 192/24. If a external DAC maxes Digital Coax in put at 96/24 it cant play digital from Pulse Blue.


----------



## Muinarc

Quote:


spyder1 said:


> If I remember correctly, the Pulse Blue out puts Digital Coax 192/24. If a external DAC maxes Digital Coax in put at 96/24 it cant play digital from Pulse Blue.


 

 That shouldn't be the problem in his case unfortunately.


----------



## Audio Addict

Unfortunately it was not compatible with the Comet. I worked with the CEO of Exogal and could get it to recognize the digital output from the Pulse Blue.


----------



## germay0653

audio addict said:


> Unfortunately it was not compatible with the Comet. I worked with the CEO of Exogal and could get it to recognize the digital output from the Pulse Blue.


 

 Does it work with other DACs you have?  If no, put in a ticket.


----------



## thewatcher101

After spending a weekend with the Geek Pulse X-Fi,
  
 I am pretty impressed. In terms of sheer value it is hard to beat.
  
 I think most people under estimate how hard it is to build a good piece of hardware, I also think this is where LH Labs fell short, it tried to do too much. If the unit was only simpler.
  
 Other then the bugginess of the whole unit, the DAC part of the unit is wonderful implementation of the Sabre chip, having own other Sabre chips, I know people find some parts of it harsh. but LH Labs tuned all the harshness out, but it did cost them detail in the process. There is still plenty of detail but you lose maybe like 10% compared to other Sabre chips.
  
 The understate aspect of this unit is the amp section. The amp sounded exactly the same as my pathos aurium with telefunken 60s ULM 6922 which is like a 2 grand set up.
  
 In the end the amp and dac pairs very well together, and it is one of the biggest deals currently in the audio world. It was a pleasure to listen to.


----------



## gikigill

I prefer the Pulse as a DAC more. It's pretty good too and does hold its own against some bigger names.


----------



## Shawnb

gikigill said:


> I prefer the Pulse as a DAC more. It's pretty good too and does hold its own against some bigger names.


 
  
  
 If I didn't know any better I might actually like it, but after living this never ending nightmare the name on this DAC will NEVER compare to any of those names


----------



## Audio Addict

germay0653 said:


> Does it work with other DACs you have?  If no, put in a ticket.


 
  
 I do not know as it would be a pain to try move other dacs to where the Blue is at or try moving the blue around the house to other systems as spaces is tight.


----------



## dsound

I had a similar issue occur with my Geek Pulse X where it would no longer talk to my Mac.  Submitted a ticket on 10/14, received a response on 11/8.  Thankfully I had read about the wait-times on support tickets so I knew they were severely backlogged and didn't expect a quick turnaround.  
  
 To their LH Labs credit, the customer-service rep who responded was apologetic for the wait and got me up and running again (sent me the new Firmware, works great now).
  
 Anyone have a feature list of the new Firmware?  (v.3.0)  I've tried to find it online but cannot.


----------



## oneguy

I think this is the first Mac related connection issue that I have heard of.


----------



## Panelhead

How many here are running the 3.0 firmware. Mine shows 2.0 after update at few months ago. It is an Infinity X.


----------



## Panelhead

Just submitted a ticket for the latest driver for the Infinity X. Works fine with 2.0. Maybe 3.0 will flesh out the sound a little. Clearity is a strength, not as warm as I prefer as is. Hesitant to upgrade firmware, works fine with current firmware.


----------



## spyder1

panelhead said:


> Just submitted a ticket for the latest driver for the Infinity X. Works fine with 2.0. Maybe 3.0 will flesh out the sound a little. Clearity is a strength, not as warm as I prefer as is. Hesitant to upgrade firmware, works fine with current firmware.


 
  
 The newest  Windows driver 3.26, is available for download on LH Labs Support site. 3.26 works with Geek Outs, and Pulses, and Windows 7-10. Geek Out V2 Driver instillation, has a download link for Driver 3.26. No ticket needed!


----------



## foreverzer0

dsound said:


> I had a similar issue occur with my Geek Pulse X where it would no longer talk to my Mac.  Submitted a ticket on 10/14, received a response on 11/8.  Thankfully I had read about the wait-times on support tickets so I knew they were severely backlogged and didn't expect a quick turnaround.
> 
> To their LH Labs credit, the customer-service rep who responded was apologetic for the wait and got me up and running again (sent me the new Firmware, works great now).
> 
> Anyone have a feature list of the new Firmware?  (v.3.0)  I've tried to find it online but cannot.




Where did you even hear of a new firmware?


----------



## dsound

foreverzer0 said:


> Where did you even hear of a new firmware?


 
 Good question, I had never heard of the firmware or seen it on their website.  LH Lab's email to me was the first I had heard of it.


----------



## travelfotografe

my understanding:
  
 The latest firmware is referred to as 2v0 or 2.0. The firmware is different from the driver software for Windows PC, which the lastest is version 3.26.
  
 After flashing the 2v0 firmware, (in Windows) the LHLabs control panel app will show firmware version 2.0 installed. The control panel app will also show the driver version in use on your windows PC.
  
 If you check the firmware version number on your Pulse unit itself, it will say "Main 3.0" and "MCU 2.4", at least that is for my Pulse.
  
 So, the 2v0 firmware file is the latest, and after flashing the Pulse with it, the Pulse will report Main 3.0 on its on-unit display.
  
 If you have the previous 1v5 firmware, the Pulse unit will report Main 2.0 on its on-unit display.


----------



## oneguy

I believe this firmware allows DSD256 playback, I could be wrong though.


----------



## foreverzer0

So when is SSM ever going to be implemented? I think I listen to streaming almost all of the time now.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

oneguy said:


> I believe this firmware allows DSD256 playback, I could be wrong though.


 
  
 In my case (Infinity), yes 2.0 firmware supports Native DSD/DSD256 playback.


----------



## oneguy

hmmm....tempting


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

IME, it's only minor drawback on my v1.0 Infinity is that it can't display DSD256 properly. But together w/ the 3.26 driver, it is rock solid. No connection issues, hiccups whatever.


----------



## jbr1971

travelfotografe said:


> my understanding:
> 
> The latest firmware is referred to as 2v0 or 2.0. The firmware is different from the driver software for Windows PC, which the lastest is version 3.26.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yes, the Pulse firmware is a totally different animal from the Windows driver.
  
 The last I heard the firmware can still only be had by opening a support ticket, and providing the model and the serial number on the bottom of the unit, along with the 3 numbers off to the side.


----------



## Panelhead

I guess I still have v1.5 firmware. My unit shows 2.0 Main. I need to look at my windows laptop to see what the firmware is downloaded on it. I use with a Mac.


----------



## ciman

Hi all,
 
I have just got PULSE DAC couple days ago.
 
My PULSE DAC (stardard version) has the firmware versions as follows:
 
- Main: 2.0
- MCU: 2.0
- USB control panel: 1V2
 
It is having the issue with the volume adjustment. When i access the menu options and select one thing (e.g. input select) then the volume adjustment will not work until i restart the DAC. Some function (filter, gain...) also cannot adjust / affect until retarting the DAC.
 
From website of lhlaps, i know that the current firmware versions are  2.0 - 2.4 - 1V5.
 
Should I update the MCU and USB firmware versions? how to do that? May such updating solve such issues?  
 
Thanks all.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Firmware and driver updates always (not all) solve issues. 

-Go to lhlabs.com support and sign up 
-Issue a ticket and present them your unit's s/n (number sticker bottom of unit) 
-play other stuff, forget what you did, but do check from time to time...


----------



## ciman

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Firmware and driver updates always (not all) solve issues.
> 
> -Go to lhlabs.com support and sign up
> -Issue a ticket and present them your unit's s/n (number sticker bottom of unit)
> -play other stuff, forget what you did, but do check from time to time...


 
 Thanks for your sharing. I have opened a ticket 3 days ago but not yet received the respond.
  
 Please detail for me what is the unit's s/n? Is it the figures written in a piece of paper sticked on the bottom of DAC? when i opened the ticket i do not provide such s/n (since it is not required). My ticket therefore may not be valid?
  
 Thanks for you help again.


----------



## spyder1

ciman said:


> Thanks for your sharing. I have opened a ticket 3 days ago but not yet received the respond.
> 
> Please detail for me what is the unit's s/n? Is it the figures written in a piece of paper sticked on the bottom of DAC? when i opened the ticket i do not provide such s/n (since it is not required). My ticket therefore may not be valid?
> 
> Thanks for you help again.


 

 ​You may need time learning, and using all your Pulse functions. My Pulses took many hours of use to sound its best. Glitches went away with use, and burn in.


----------



## MikeyFresh

ciman said:


> Thanks for your sharing. I have opened a ticket 3 days ago but not yet received the respond.
> 
> Please detail for me what is the unit's s/n? Is it the figures written in a piece of paper sticked on the bottom of DAC? when i opened the ticket i do not provide such s/n (since it is not required). My ticket therefore may not be valid?
> 
> Thanks for you help again.


 

 Yes the Pulse's s/n is on that paper sticker on the bottom of the unit.
  
 You can put a follow-up note on your ticket with the s/n, it is needed according to LH Labs.


----------



## valve5425

Updated my Infinity to firmware version 2V0 and all my connection woes have gone away! Now works as I would expect it to. Did have to wait 21 days for support to respond to my ticket, but all sorted now.
  
 Wish I'd spotted this firmware when it came out months ago. I'm still on LH Labs mailing list, so why can't they let owners know?


----------



## foreverzer0

valve5425 said:


> Updated my Infinity to firmware version 2V0 and all my connection woes have gone away! Now works as I would expect it to. Did have to wait 21 days for support to respond to my ticket, but all sorted now.
> 
> Wish I'd spotted this firmware when it came out months ago. I'm still on LH Labs mailing list, so why can't they let owners know?


 
  
 I think they initially provided it out when they were unofficially supporting or testing with DSD256 and gave a chance to all the X and Infinity owners? I don't know but it's not months, I've had 2.0 since 10/23/2015.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

valve5425 said:


> Updated my Infinity to firmware version 2V0 and all my connection woes have gone away! Now works as I would expect it to. Did have to wait 21 days for support to respond to my ticket, but all sorted now.
> 
> Wish I'd spotted this firmware when it came out months ago. I'm still on LH Labs mailing list, so why can't they let owners know?




Glad it was sorted out bro. Now have a treat of some DSD256 music!


----------



## oneguy

foreverzer0 said:


> I think they initially provided it out when they were unofficially supporting or testing with DSD256 and gave a chance to all the X and Infinity owners? I don't know but it's not months, I've had 2.0 since 10/23/2015.


 

 I know there were people talking about it on the forums but I don't think LH Labs pushed this out to the masses.


----------



## ciman

mikeyfresh said:


> Yes the Pulse's s/n is on that paper sticker on the bottom of the unit.
> 
> You can put a follow-up note on your ticket with the s/n, it is needed according to LH Labs.


 
 Over a week from the date of my ticket and still wait respond from LH;(


----------



## MikeyFresh

ciman said:


> Over a week from the date of my ticket and still wait respond from LH;(


 

 In August they took over 3 weeks to respond to my request for a firmware update to the Pulse SFi.


----------



## Panelhead

I submitted a ticket last weekend and received the firmware yesterday. So five business days. This is a good trend. Hopefully all the open tickets will be addressed soon.
 All I included is it is an Infinity and serial number.


----------



## Audio Addict

I just had to do a fresh WIN10 install on my laptop the Infinity connects through.  I could not get version 3.26 of their Windows driver to be recognize between the laptop and the Infinity.  Could I ask what driver is being used with the Infinity and Windows 10


----------



## Audio Addict

audio addict said:


> I just had to do a fresh WIN10 install on my laptop the Infinity connects through.  I could not get version 3.26 of their Windows driver to be recognize between the laptop and the Infinity.  Could I ask what driver is being used with the Infinity and Windows 10


 
  
 I just tried the earlier version and it interfaces.  Weird the latest driver doesn't work with Windows 10.


----------



## jbr1971

audio addict said:


> I just had to do a fresh WIN10 install on my laptop the Infinity connects through.  I could not get version 3.26 of their Windows driver to be recognize between the laptop and the Infinity.  Could I ask what driver is being used with the Infinity and Windows 10


 
  
 As far as I know 3.26 is supposed to work with Win 10 and add stability improvements from 2.29. Weird that a fresh install is having issues with 3.26.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Depends on what version of your Win 10. Drivers that are not digitally signed will not work on newer Win10 versions.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Depends on what version of your Win 10. Drivers that are not digitally signed will not work on newer Win10 versions.


 
 I don't seem to have any problems with 3.26 and the latest Win 10 version.  Are you referring to a fresh/new install with the latest version of Win 10?


----------



## Benny-x

germay0653 said:


> I don't seem to have any problems with 3.26 and the latest Win 10 version.  Are you referring to a fresh/new install with the latest version of Win 10?




I don't know where it was discussed, but the gist was if you had an unsigned driver in W7/8.1, the upgraded up W10, the unsigned driver basically got grandfathered in. W10 doesn't have issues. 

But if you do a fresh install of W10 and then try to install 3.26 or if you've never had and upgrade where the drivers existed pre-W10, then it fails. 

Microsoft really has the push on for driver signing now, so that's kinda where both sides stand :-/


----------



## Audio Addict

benny-x said:


> I don't know where it was discussed, but the gist was if you had an unsigned driver in W7/8.1, the upgraded up W10, the unsigned driver basically got grandfathered in. W10 doesn't have issues.
> 
> But if you do a fresh install of W10 and then try to install 3.26 or if you've never had and upgrade where the drivers existed pre-W10, then it fails.
> 
> Microsoft really has the push on for driver signing now, so that's kinda where both sides stand :-/


 
  
 Curious about why 2.29 would work as I wouldn't expect LH Labs to have done 2.29 with a driver signature but not 3.26?


----------



## Panelhead

My laptop is only used for OBII diagnostic software and updating software. Plan on sticking with 8.1.
 The Main firmware now shows up as 3.0. Seems to work fine.


----------



## Shawnb

benny-x said:


> I don't know where it was discussed, but the gist was if you had an unsigned driver in W7/8.1, the upgraded up W10, the unsigned driver basically got grandfathered in. W10 doesn't have issues.
> 
> But if you do a fresh install of W10 and then try to install 3.26 or if you've never had and upgrade where the drivers existed pre-W10, then it fails.
> 
> Microsoft really has the push on for driver signing now, so that's kinda where both sides stand :-/





I just did a clean install of Windows 10 and driver 3.26 and no issues


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Latest version? Or before the Anniversary Update?


----------



## Shawnb

Latest version


----------



## valve5425

​


audio addict said:


> I just had to do a fresh WIN10 install on my laptop the Infinity connects through.  I could not get version 3.26 of their Windows driver to be recognize between the laptop and the Infinity.  Could I ask what driver is being used with the Infinity and Windows 10


 
  
 Using driver 3.26 with Windows 10 Pro Version 1607​. No issues on my Infinity.


----------



## Yviena

I​ thought Geek Pulse can't do native DSD256? i've just put 4x DSD in native format in jriver and it actually plays it.
 Though in the geek dac the samplerate is now gone but in the lh labs driver it correctly says 11289600hz.
  
 Weird because i can only use DoP and DSD128 with HQplayer.


----------



## esimms86

HQPlayer is limited by the power of your computer system. I had the same issue with HQPlayer until I upgraded to a 6th generation i7 laptop with 32 Gb of RAM(not that you necessarily have to upgrade to that degree).


----------



## Yviena

Nah my 





esimms86 said:


> HQPlayer is limited by the power of your computer system. I had the same issue with HQPlayer until I upgraded to a 6th generation i7 laptop with 32 Gb of RAM(not that you necessarily have to upgrade to that degree).




Nah my CPU is more than enough processing power, it's just that i don't even get the option for DSD256 in HQplayer and, i can only use it with DoP while with Jriver i can play native and DSD256.


----------



## Audio Addict

valve5425 said:


> Using driver 3.26 with Windows 10 Pro Version 1607​. No issues on my Infinity.




I just tried again but 3.26 will not show up in the Control Panel under Manage Audio Devices. It needs to be there to get selected. I disconnected and reconnected the 2G cable and evendors restarted a couple of times but it would not show up.


----------



## JackDiesel

The last several pages reads like a horror story. I'm interested in a new desktop DAC and the used prices on these are appealing but I'm wondering if the majority of people are having firmware issues or if this DAC can run reliably while connected to a Win10 PC or DAP.


----------



## gikigill

Just update the firmware and that's all. One email and that's pretty much about it. 

I'm enjoying mine for more than an year and a half and not upgrading anytime soon.


----------



## mscott58

Have to admit I used to have drop-out issues fairly often. Got used to turning my Pulse Infinity off and on to make it work again. However those days are (hopefully) over. I recently got a new computer and therefore had to reload the software/drivers and haven't had an issue since. Seems like those bugs have been worked out (at least for my setup - Infinity & Windows 10). Cheers


----------



## Yviena

The newest firmware is not completely bug free, seems it still have problems with sample rate switching, with one channel dropping out. It doesn't really bother me much I just use a different filter than closed form for 48khz pcm/dsd


----------



## oneguy

Cork top added. It was an easy change before I create a wood top out of purpleheart or wenge.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Cool!


----------



## ciman

> I will go ahead and attach the latest firmware version for your unit in the email below. The online step-by-step procedure for updating your unit can be found here.   If the Pulse refuses to connect, try disconnecting the USB cable from the back of the Pulse, wait for about 3 seconds, then reconnect. The Pulse should then connect and update.
> The MTX on the other hand cannot be updated from he field unfortunately. However, 2.0 was a very stable firmware and I can proudly tell you that from my experience with working alongside these dacs. Let me know if the MAIN firmware update resolves the issues you've been experiencing with your unit.


 
  
 Hello everyone!
  
 I just received the email and attached lasted firmware from LHLabs for my Pulse Dac. I will do such updating upon Im back my home (from my office now).
  
 However, I really dont know the meaning of the sentence "The MTX on the other hand cannot be updated from he field unfortunately". Could you advise me what the MTX mean? I did google such but cannot find the meaning thereof.
  
 Thanks & regards,


----------



## mscott58

ciman said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> I just received the email and attached lasted firmware from LHLabs for my Pulse Dac. I will do such updating upon Im back my home (from my office now).
> 
> ...


 
 Believe they're talking about the firmware for the display, which shows up as MCU in the menu. For the original (V1) Pulse chassis the display firmware could only be changed at the factory. For the updated (V2) chassis they included a card slot to allow that part to be updated in the field as well. 
  
 However, if someone know "MTX" as something different, please let me know. 
  
 Cheers


----------



## MikeyFresh

ciman said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> I just received the email and attached lasted firmware from LHLabs for my Pulse Dac. I will do such updating upon Im back my home (from my office now).
> 
> ...


 

 MTX refers to the matrix display.
  
 Only the newer Pulse 2.0 units are able to have their display board firmware flashed in the field (by you), the Pulse 1.0 units have a matrix display board that can only be firmware updated by LH Labs. 
  
*EDIT:* my post crossed in cyberspace with that of @mscott58 above.


----------



## oneguy

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Cool!



Thanks!


----------



## ciman

mscott58 said:


> Believe they're talking about the firmware for the display, which shows up as MCU in the menu. For the original (V1) Pulse chassis the display firmware could only be changed at the factory. For the updated (V2) chassis they included a card slot to allow that part to be updated in the field as well.
> 
> However, if someone know "MTX" as something different, please let me know.
> 
> Cheers


 
  
  


mikeyfresh said:


> MTX refers to the matrix display.
> 
> Only the newer Pulse 2.0 units are able to have their display board firmware flashed in the field (by you), the Pulse 1.0 units have a matrix display board that can only be firmware updated by LH Labs.
> 
> *EDIT:* my post crossed in cyberspace with that of @mscott58 above.


 
 thank you all. I have just completed the updating. And now my DAC works well. The volume issue is totally solved@@


----------



## mscott58

ciman said:


> thank you all. I have just completed the updating. And now my DAC works well. The volume issue is totally solved@@Con


 
  
 Congrats!


----------



## uncola

you guys notice the go2a reserve now link doesn't work?  hopefully lh labs gets back from their thanksgiving vacations soon..  so they can process my go2a signature cancellation refund


----------



## Panelhead

Does anyone have the updated Matrix firmware on a stick?


----------



## Audio Addict

audio addict said:


> Curious about why 2.29 would work as I wouldn't expect LH Labs to have done 2.29 with a driver signature but not 3.26?


 
  
 Below is what they told me to do:
  
_The new Windows 10 update has changed the way it accepts digitally signed drivers so if it doesn't like the way one of the drivers is signed, it will block it from being used with the computer. You will need to disable that feature and all should work then. _  
_Here is what I've found, "Many programs which use driver files do not have digital signature authentication, such as the phone drivers or other USB drivers. To receive verified certificates, manufacturers or developers have to pay Microsoft, and this makes lots of drivers are not accessible in Windows. To install the unsigned drivers on your computer and make them work properly, you need to disable driver signature enforcement." Link  _


----------



## Audio Addict

audio addict said:


> Below is what they told me to do:
> 
> _The new Windows 10 update has changed the way it accepts digitally signed drivers so if it doesn't like the way one of the drivers is signed, it will block it from being used with the computer. You will need to disable that feature and all should work then. _
> 
> ...




Received a follow-up email they were able to recreate the problem and looking and updating the driver. They suggest staying with 2.29 for now.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Read that one of the tricks for running unsigned drivers on newer Win10 is: install older build (before anniversary update). Once all programs and drivers are installed, update to newer. 

Have still Win7, and won't migrate. First it works, second have older programs I use that will not work on Win10.


----------



## doofalb

Does any of you guys who HAVEN'T received the Pulse got any info on delivery status? I submited a ticket more than a week ago and, surprise surprise didn't get an answer.


----------



## RickDastardly

doofalb said:


> Does any of you guys who HAVEN'T received the Pulse got any info on delivery status? I submited a ticket more than a week ago and, surprise surprise didn't get an answer.




November 2013 backer here. Still no sign of my Pulse X Infinity 2.0. I submitted a ticket a couple of days ago but not had any response from LHLabs yet.


----------



## doofalb

rickdastardly said:


> November 2013 backer here. Still no sign of my Pulse X Infinity 2.0. I submitted a ticket a couple of days ago but not had any response from LHLabs yet.


 

 Please let me know if you hear from them, I'll let you know too.


----------



## Thorbs

From LH Labs four days ago:
  
LH Labs Customer Happiness TeamCampaigner​4 days ago

  Here is the latest update from Larry regarding the Pulse units:
 By the end of November we will ship another 5 Pulse Infinities out to you guys according to the original orders timeline. In the middle of December we will ship out another 100 units. After that we will do a clean sweep on the final orders to see if anyone is left there. Due to the nature of this campaign, please understand many upgrades and changes on configurations make the final order confirmation more complex that usual.

  

 Yep, still waiting on mine too.


----------



## shsh

thorbs said:


> From LH Labs four days ago:
> 
> LH Labs Customer Happiness TeamCampaigner​4 days ago
> 
> ...


 
  
 so now where do we contact lhlab support when the website is merged?
  
 I have not received my pulse infinities yet. 2013 backer here


----------



## Thorbs

shsh said:


> so now where do we contact lhlab support when the website is merged?
> 
> I have not received my pulse infinities yet. 2013 backer here


 
  


shsh said:


> so now where do we contact lhlab support when the website is merged?
> 
> I have not received my pulse infinities yet. 2013 backer here


 

 Not sure how this actually works, but the latest Customer Management System from LH Labs:
  
As we have been merging our back end online, we have been informed by some of our backers of difficulty accessing our customer management system. We would like to encourage everyone again to attempt to login to their account to make any updates necessary and or desired updates. Below is our previous update as a reminder of what we request from you. 

 
Please visit: marketplace-lhlabs.com and log in to view your order and shipping address.

 Sent November 23rd: 

  _Per the last update, we have updated our customer management system. If you had already done this in the previous system and are having to set up your password again, we deeply apologize for the inconvenience.

 Our new order management system is based on BigCommerce and we believe it is the best option out there currently for our customer service and management needs. In the new system, you could change your shipping address and track your shipping status all the time from that system directly.

 Now, we need your assistance in updating your password by using your campaign email address, updating your mailing address and verifying your source purchase. By clicking the following URL: marketplace-lhlabs.com



 We also encourage you to complete all desired Source upgrade purchases before December 9th as we will be making the final production order for Source units around 10 working days after. If you’re not too sure on upgrades, our RAID 0 and the 5TB are the #1 upgrades so far.

 If you have any concerns about your account on our new platform, please open a ticket with subject line “BigCommerce.” This will help us sort out the tickets from the rest.

 Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at LH Labs! Have a lovely (and delicious) day with your family and friends._


  
 LH Labs Team


----------



## Zenifyx

thorbs said:


> From LH Labs four days ago:
> 
> LH Labs Customer Happiness TeamCampaigner​4 days ago
> 
> ...


 
  
 I hope this means I will get my Infinity by the end of this year.
 However, knowing them, it may still get delayed by a year or so.


----------



## doublea71

From LH Labs four days ago:
  
LH Labs Customer Happiness TeamCampaigner​4 days ago

 Here is the latest update from Larry regarding the Pulse units:
 By the end of November we will ship another 5 Pulse Infinities out to you guys according to the original orders timeline. In the middle of December we will ship out another 100 units. After that we will do a clean sweep on the final orders to see if anyone is left there. Due to the nature of this campaign *company*, please understand many upgrades and changes on configurations make the final order confirmation more complex that usual.

  

 Fixed it for you, LH.


----------



## mandrake50

thorbs said:


> shsh said:
> 
> 
> > so now where do we contact lhlab support when the website is merged?
> ...


 

 Real cute... but it does not even recognize the email address that I have been using since the very beginning of this whole painful process.
  
 Their data migration process obviously sucks... kind of like the rest of this entire experience.
  
 Oh well, live and learn. I just want to be able to get the high dollar  DAP that I paid for.. now what, They now seem to not even know that I exist.
  
 Fortunately I opted for the V1 Pulse and got it almost a year ago... thanks for small favors LHL. They are still owing me a few grand worth of Wave and HPA equipment


----------



## Drsparis

doublea71 said:


> From LH Labs four days ago:
> 
> LH Labs Customer Happiness TeamCampaigner​4 days ago
> 
> ...


 
 LOL funny how one little word changes the meaning so much.... December '13 backer here, I'm both relieved and mortified that there are still people in front of me that do not have the unit... Did they really go in chronological order? Are all reports of infinity backers that have their units people who ordered before november '13 ???


----------



## Laseng

drsparis said:


> LOL funny how one little word changes the meaning so much.... December '13 backer here, I'm both relieved and mortified that there are still people in front of me that do not have the unit... Did they really go in chronological order? Are all reports of infinity backers that have their units people who ordered before november '13 ???


 
  
 They did not follow chronological order as they promised.
  
 I backed Geek Pulse 29 October 2013 just seven hours and twelve minutes after Geek Pulse Campaign start, and i still waiting.
  
 I was told 17/8 by Gina at LH LAB that there are about 100 Pulse Infinity left and about 20 units that are currently ahead of me in their shipping queue.


----------



## Hercules

all you guys just behind the retail queue, and all problem free unit goes retail in order to avoid return and refund, while salvaged unit will ship to backers after intensive care and uncountable hour of mount and unmount of parts to became workable for awhile..because backers got no refund just able to accept what lhlabs sent to you guys.


----------



## graham508

I'm still waiting on my Infinity too. Original order placed Nov 2013. 
 My question concerns Linear Power Supply, which I ordered Dec 2013 - still no signs of that either, but that seems way further down the queue. What do others know of the situation on LPS 2.0 chassis delivery?


----------



## greenkiwi

@graham508 I'd really push to get the v2 LPS.


----------



## Shawnb

graham508 said:


> I'm still waiting on my Infinity too. Original order placed Nov 2013.
> My question concerns Linear Power Supply, which I ordered Dec 2013 - still no signs of that either, but that seems way further down the queue. What do others know of the situation on LPS 2.0 chassis delivery?


 
  Last update was for the LPS8 and how they are now changing it again and adding 15V rails in place of 2 of the 12V rails.
  
 Last update mentioning the LPS4 is over 5 months ago and that they were awaiting transformers but not a single word since then.
  
 From the sounds of the update they are still a few months away from even starting production so I wouldn't hold my breath for a LPS anytime soon.
  
 I'm waiting on one of each and as with everything LH labs I'm in a for a long long wait


----------



## blkmagik98

I received my Infinity today, and snap crackle pop. I can't believe after waiting this long and how much of a **** show this whole thing has been that they didn't check it before sending it out.
  
 michael


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

explore other usb ports
firmware v2.0
if your using Windows, driver 3.26


----------



## blkmagik98

I'll check on the firmware when I plug it back in but I'm running driver 3.26 already. What's funny is that I have an Oppo BDP-105 that I was using to stream before I bought a PS Audio DirectStream DAC while I was waiting forever for this Infinity to come in. They don't snap, crackle and pop regardless of which USB port that I use.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

firmware 2.0 w/ driver 3.26 is more or less stable. Had no more of those crackles/pop etc. 

What program are you using?


----------



## blkmagik98

JRiver Media Center 22


----------



## blkmagik98

The firmware is 3.0


----------



## blkmagik98

Hooked up to my laptop now and using Foobar on it- no snap crackle pop, so I'm going to have to sort it out.


----------



## oneguy

shawnb said:


> Last update was for the LPS8 and how they are now changing it again and adding 15V rails in place of 2 of the 12V rails.
> 
> Last update mentioning the LPS4 is over 5 months ago and that they were awaiting transformers but not a single word since then.
> 
> ...




Benny-x has had an LPS-4 in the 2.0 chassis for probably 8+ months now.


----------



## germay0653

oneguy said:


> @benny-x has had an LPS-4 in the 2.0 chassis for probably 8+ months now.


 

 Would love to know what's up with the LPS8.  I asked in a ticket but no response.  Guess I'll be powering the Source, when it arrives, with it's wall wart.


----------



## doctorjazz

Seems like the Source it coming soon, but we'll see...


----------



## Shawnb

oneguy said:


> @benny-x has had an LPS-4 in the 2.0 chassis for probably 8+ months now.


 
  
 How?


----------



## oneguy

shawnb said:


> How?




I'll let Benny-x chime in with details as I don't want to steal his thunder. He has a few pics of it. I believe they are in the thread around the end of March this year.


----------



## blkmagik98

Only had the Infinity for 24 hours and it's dead already. Tried it on three different computers and none of them will see it. Pulled the power on it for 15 minutes, then reconnected it to the LPS-4 and no dice. Awesome quality, Light Harmonic!


----------



## oneguy

My LPS-4 arrived DOA twice in a row so I feel your pain.


----------



## blkmagik98

They're obviously not burning in anything before they ship it, and maybe not even listening to it either. If it lights up, ship it.


----------



## germay0653

shawnb said:


> Last update was for the LPS8 and how they are now changing it again and adding 15V rails in place of 2 of the 12V rails.
> 
> Last update mentioning the LPS4 is over 5 months ago and that they were awaiting transformers but not a single word since then.
> 
> ...


 

 @Shawnb, what product was this update posted under and was it the IGG page or on head-fi?
  
 "Last update was for the LPS8 and how they are now changing it again and adding 15V rails in place of 2 of the 12V rails."


----------



## mattering

blkmagik98 said:


> Only had the Infinity for 24 hours and it's dead already. Tried it on three different computers and none of them will see it. Pulled the power on it for 15 minutes, then reconnected it to the LPS-4 and no dice. Awesome quality, Light Harmonic


 
  
 So I think there is some real problem with the driver and windows 10, something related to memory. So what you have to do is disable it through your device manager, not your sound properties, and re-enable it through device manager again. They will probably prompt you to restart when you disable, follow it. Also when my pulse is not recognized but is plugged in, it either will make a weird constant buzzing noise through my speakers/headphones or no noise at all but its not broken and I just know it.I have my Geek Pulse X for i think close to a year now and it always requires troubleshooting but its never broken. It's a pain in the ass. That or it is just mine that requires me to do all that? But i really think its the driver and windows having some sort of error with each other in windows 10. Windows 8.1 was fine for me in terms of recognizing the device. It's a shame though cause this DAC/AMP sounds good.


----------



## blkmagik98

I screwed around with it and did get it back working. It seems to be really sensitive as to which USB ports it is plugged into as well. I have a PS Audio Directstream DAC and it never has any issues, doesn't disappear, and no snap crackle pop, but you can tell it's built and designed way better than the Infinity. A tank could run over it and it would still work.


----------



## jbr1971

blkmagik98 said:


> I screwed around with it and did get it back working. It seems to be really sensitive as to which USB ports it is plugged into as well. I have a PS Audio Directstream DAC and it never has any issues, doesn't disappear, and no snap crackle pop, but you can tell it's built and designed way better than the Infinity. A tank could run over it and it would still work.


 
  
 Yes, sometimes there are issues with the USB connections/ports and moving it to another port might fix the issue.
  
 I have been having a lot of intermittent drops on my Mac Mini and finally had a chance to move the cable to a different USB port. So far it has not dropped again, but I will need to run it for a few days without any issue before I am convinced it is fixed.


----------



## blkmagik98

For the amount of time that it took LH to get these out, there seem to be a lot of issues. The driver is pretty half baked also. When it's running fine, it sounds pretty good though. I have an Oppo BDP-105 also, and it sound pretty equal to it. Different, but I can't say it's any better. The PS Audio Directstream is quite a bit better than both.


----------



## germay0653

blkmagik98 said:


> For the amount of time that it took LH to get these out, there seem to be a lot of issues. The driver is pretty half baked also. When it's running fine, it sounds pretty good though. I have an Oppo BDP-105 also, and it sound pretty equal to it. Different, but I can't say it's any better. The PS Audio Directstream is quite a bit better than both.


 

 At  3 - 4 times more in price it should be!


----------



## blkmagik98

The PS Audio stuff is seriously well built. I also have a NuWave Phono Converter to do needle drop vinyl rips and it is built like a tank also, and pre-ordered a DirectStream Memory Player....I kind of like PS Audio.


----------



## germay0653

blkmagik98 said:


> The PS Audio stuff is seriously well built. I also have a NuWave Phono Converter to do needle drop vinyl rips and it is built like a tank also, and pre-ordered a DirectStream Memory Player....I kind of like PS Audio.


 

 Agreed!  Bought my son a Sprout and I was quite impressed at the value/$


----------



## Shawnb

germay0653 said:


> @Shawnb, what product was this update posted under and was it the IGG page or on head-fi?
> 
> "Last update was for the LPS8 and how they are now changing it again and adding 15V rails in place of 2 of the 12V rails."


 
  
 It's under the Pulse Analog page. 
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-pre-order-headphones/x/1729175#/updates
  
 It seems they moved all info for the LPS's, HPA, PTP and Amps to that page. 
  


oneguy said:


> I'll let @Benny-x chime in with details as I don't want to steal his thunder. He has a few pics of it. I believe they are in the thread around the end of March this year.


  

 Yeah I see him mention. It'd be nice to know how he got one and no one else has yet. I kinda remember this being discussed before but with LH it's been so long and such a headache it's to easy to forget.
 Haven't heard a word about them in forever. 
 Just made a ticket so hopefully I can get an answer on what happened to the LPS's


----------



## Mannytorres

blkmagik98 said:


> I screwed around with it and did get it back working. It seems to be really sensitive as to which USB ports it is plugged into as well. I have a PS Audio Directstream DAC and it never has any issues, doesn't disappear, and no snap crackle pop, but you can tell it's built and designed way better than the Infinity. A tank could run over it and it would still work.


 

 Glad to hear your ticket was taken care of. Please let tech support know the status. Thank you!


----------



## blkmagik98

What seems to be the driver of choice with the Infinity, ASIO or WASAPI?


----------



## gikigill

Either seems to be fine. I use WASAPI in Foobar.


----------



## graham508

@greenkiwi

This just now from Gina Stewart:

Hello,

The LPS4 2.0 and LPS8 are currently in production and estimated to ship around Q2 2017. Updates can also be found on Pulse Analog Components campaign page here:https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-pre-order/x/12653888#/updates

Again we appreciate your support and if you have any additional questions or concerns, or if I missed anything, please let me know.

Thanks!


----------



## jbr1971

After getting a ridiculous number of connection drops per hour between the XFi and my Mac mini for far too long, I finally had a chance to reflash the 2V0 firmware, and it appears to have fixed it so far.
  
 Each time the connection dropped I had to power cycle the Pulse to get it to reconnect.
  
 In the last few hours I have not had any drops. Hopefully it is fixed for good and I can get back to enjoyable, frustration free, listening sessions.


----------



## blkmagik98

Once I got my Xfi sorted out, all has been good. No more snap crackle pop! I also guess that I had been living in a cave for a while as I had missed out on Blu Ray players having the Mediatek chips MT8580 and MT8560 will do SACD rips. I have an Oppo BDP-105 which has the MT8580, so I have been ripping my SACD collection and streaming them through the Xfi.


----------



## blkmagik98

Once I got my Xfi sorted out, all has been good. No more snap crackle pop! I also guess that I had been living in a cave for a while as I had missed out on Blu Ray players having the Mediatek chips MT8580 and MT8560 will do SACD rips. I have an Oppo BDP-105 which has the MT8580, so I have been ripping my SACD collection and streaming them through the Xfi.


----------



## jbr1971

blkmagik98 said:


> Once I got my Xfi sorted out, all has been good. No more snap crackle pop! I also guess that I had been living in a cave for a while as I had missed out on Blu Ray players having the Mediatek chips MT8580 and MT8560 will do SACD rips. I have an Oppo BDP-105 which has the MT8580, so I have been ripping my SACD collection and streaming them through the Xfi.


 
  
 Nice. I have a bunch of SACD ISOs extracted to DSF files and they sound great from JRMC through the XFi with FTM mode


----------



## Benny-x

shawnb said:


> How?



Luck, apparently. I had no idea when I got it that I'd be one of only a small handful to get it in the 2.0 chassis.



oneguy said:


> I'll let Benny-x chime in with details as I don't want to steal his thunder. He has a few pics of it. I believe they are in the thread around the end of March this year.



Haha, had you asked me if have said November, but you're right, that's actually when I sent my defective LPS4 1.0 in. I got the 2.0 in mid-March this year, just in time for my trip back to Asia. 

As for anyone wondering how, I detailed how it went down after I got it because I still think all is LPS4 owners got screwed with that.

The deal was, after I sent the defective unit in they published the info on the new 2.0 chassis. I complained and said I paid primo for the matching chassises of the top tier units, then I ended up with a 2.0 Pulse Infinity and a 1.0 LPS4. Now there's a matching one and they owe that to me, along with the fixes. And even worse than that, I only use one of the outputs. I only upgraded from the LPS to the LPS4 because Larry said it'd have a custom wound, OCC copper transformer, an upgrade over the regular tranny in the LPS. They called my bluff on that and said they couldn't recollect any time Larry said such a thing. And thank God some dear soul had quoted the Perkagedon madness on another forum and I could provide proof of Larry saying that. And that's because the original forum and the original posts by the LH Labs team were all gone by the time I was bringing this up. So, they said there was no chance I could get the custom wound tranny, but what they could do was comp me a chassis upgrade or refund me. The refund was no good and the matching 2.0 set sounded about the best overall solution, so I bit and said I'd wait X months to get it. 5 months later it arrived at my door, been working ever since, though I'm looking forward to upgrading to the 2.0 firmware on the Pulse Infinity when I find time. 

And little did I know, that would bascially be the last product LH Labs ever shipped out to a paid customer ;-P


----------



## blkmagik98

jbr1971 said:


> Nice. I have a bunch of SACD ISOs extracted to DSF files and they sound great from JRMC through the XFi with FTM mode


 
 I just left mine as ISOs and also use JRMC through the XFi with FTM.


----------



## gikigill

Anyone else find the Pulse Xfi sounding better with time. I have put on a lot of hours since the V2O upgrade and it seems to be getting better and better.

I even delayed getting a R2R DAC for Christmas as I was tossing up between a few options like the Holo, Yggy etc.


----------



## Shawnb

benny-x said:


> And little did I know, that would bascially be the last product LH Labs ever shipped out to a paid customer ;-P


 
  
  
 So it's all your fault eh?


----------



## wingsounds13

@gikigill, how many hours do you have on your Pulse? My experience with my X infinity ws that after the first few hours where the changes were varied and rarely good, I heard continuous improvements up to about 400 hours. After 400 or so hours of active operation, my mediocre ears could no longer detect any change. This DAC has been (in my opinion) excellent ever since.

J.P.


----------



## gikigill

Yup, I would say I'm around that figure too. It sounds more fuller, more textured and the music seems to be more fuller. Vocals seem to have more authority too. 

The single ended headphone out is still lacking punch though but the balanced out is brilliant.


----------



## jsiegel14072

graham508 said:


> @greenkiwi
> 
> This just now from Gina Stewart:
> 
> ...


 
 How do you miss guess shipping dates by 6 + months?  and there are no updates on the indiegogo site.
2 months ago  Dear LPS8, HPA backers,

 In two weeks, we will get the preproduction board for the HPA. And in order to give more headroom of analog circuit. We decided to upgrade the bipolar power supply trail to +15V and -15V. And rest of design didn't change but with higher voltage supply here. It really sound better in our prototype.

 Also, since LPS8 backer will have 8 routes of 12V output originally. We will upgrade two of these 8 to become 15V. And I got few requests to lower one of its output to 7 ~ 9V in order to power up the other devices. We will try to put this consideration too. Once it is confirmed 100% doable, will make a quick update as well. 

 The second to third week of Nov will be a busy week. We will have HPA 15V version working with LPS8 for full test in the lab. And if tests goes as its expected. Test results will be published, then design is frozen and we go into production.

 Cheers,

 Larry

  

 I guess testing went very bad.  Time to update all the campaigns:

 Pulse - infinity 100 are due now

 Source - have been collecting all the shipping information and configurations still aren't right

 Vi- some hand crafting artisans are forging each tube vi by hand only during the full moon

 LPS - adding 3v to the rails by some artisan process

 HPA - what ever a pre-production board that needs new voltages means in the process

 Power Amp - pretty picture

 Wave - will that even be a reasonable product after all this time

  

 If they would just sit down and map out the schedule of production, the information would be helpful to people who bought and might even help them plan what they are going to do.


----------



## blkmagik98

benny-x said:


> They called my bluff on that and said they couldn't recollect any time Larry said such a thing. And thank God some dear soul had quoted the Perkagedon madness on another forum and I could provide proof of Larry saying that. And that's because the original forum and the original posts by the LH Labs team were all gone by the time I was bringing this up.


 
 Do you think they pulled the original forum and posts because of this very issue? I mean so people wouldn't have any proof of statements that were made by the LH Labs team?


----------



## Shawnb

graham508 said:


> @greenkiwi
> 
> This just now from Gina Stewart:
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hmm interesting I got that same email almost word for word. R&D or production? It's not like clarity matters.
  
 The* LPS4 2.0* and *LPS8* are currentl in R&D and an update will be released by Larry. I estimate they'll most likely ship around Q2 2017. Updates can also be found on  Pulse Analog Components campaign page here:https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-pre-order/x/12653888#/updates 
  
 Again we appreciate your support and if you have any additional questions or concern.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## noshortcuts

Gina sometimes relies on "cut and paste" responces. Manny tends to complicate things with half thoughts or unintelligible responces. At least Larry made sense when he took over communications. But now that he's MIA AFAICT, we're left with the "happy" team that was of late MIA for an extended and unexplained period. There's just no end to the drama and lack of delivered promises and products by LHL folks.


----------



## jsiegel14072

noshortcuts said:


> Gina sometimes relies on "cut and paste" responces. Manny tends to complicate things with half thoughts or unintelligible responces. At least Larry made sense when he took over communications. But now that he's MIA AFAICT, we're left with the "happy" team that was of late MIA for an extended and unexplained period. There's just no end to the drama and lack of delivered promises and products by LHL folks.


 
 Of course if they just published the production plan once a month for the next month everybody would know what was in the queue and stop asking questions.


----------



## oneguy

jsiegel14072 said:


> Of course if they just published the production plan once a month for the next month everybody would know what was in the queue and stop asking questions.




Yeah but that's way too easy and exactly what the customers have been asking for. Why would they do a silly thing like that?


----------



## noshortcuts

jsiegel14072 said:


> Of course if they just published the production plan once a month for the next month everybody would know what was in the queue and stop asking questions.


 

 They have done that on and off but often it showed things as done or almost done when they must not have been.
  
 While I don't respect or trust their communication, they sure are faster and more clear when they are actively selling items and upgrades or otherwise collecting money.


----------



## ForSure

Let's me know if anyone want a LP4. I am still waiting for my infinity. They shipped the LP4 to me last year and the whole box seat under my office desk since then. I am tired of waiting and going to purchase Schiit DAC now. Please let me know if you want to buy a never been use LP4, thanks.


----------



## hydesg

forsure said:


> Let's me know if anyone want a LP4. I am still waiting for my infinity. They shipped the LP4 to me last year and the whole box seat under my office desk since then. I am tired of waiting and going to purchase Schiit DAC now. Please let me know if you want to buy a never been use LP4, thanks.




It may not be working though...
I had to send in my lps4 three times to get a working one..
Somehow after a year its failing, it occasionally shuts down and stops powering the geek pulse


----------



## Benny-x

forsure said:


> Let's me know if anyone want a LP4. I am still waiting for my infinity. They shipped the LP4 to me last year and the whole box seat under my office desk since then. I am tired of waiting and going to purchase Schiit DAC now. Please let me know if you want to buy a never been use LP4, thanks.




It's true, man. Try to find something you can test all the outputs on and the USB power; you've gotta check it out and see if it works before you pass it on. 

Mine was faulty upon arrival and so have serval other people's been.


----------



## graham508

So another year, ho hum... Infinity taking infinitely long to appear.


----------



## TopQuark

hydesg said:


> It may not be working though...
> I had to send in my lps4 three times to get a working one..
> Somehow after a year its failing, it occasionally shuts down and stops powering the geek pulse


 

 I just received my RMA'd LPS4 with similar failure. One of the statement they had was they do not know why it is shutting down. No detail was provided for the fix. Scary thought now knowing yours went back 3 times.


----------



## hydesg

i have totally given up on LH.


----------



## hydesg

topquark said:


> I just received my RMA'd LPS4 with similar failure. One of the statement they had was they do not know why it is shutting down. No detail was provided for the fix. Scary thought now knowing yours went back 3 times.


 
 i suspect it was overheating. I left it to cool, and it works after a while.


----------



## spyder1

iPower DC power supply, that works w/ Pulse, HPA, PTP, Pulse Blue. With a few of these who needs an LPS? ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower.


----------



## oneguy

spyder1 said:


> iPower DC power supply, that works w/ Pulse, HPA, PTP, Pulse Blue. With a few of these who needs an LPS? ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower.




You don't but the LPS4 (and presumably the LPS8 when released) offer the ability to run multiple devices with only one plug going to the wall which saves money and electrical socket space. Many people prefer to connect direct to the wall electrical socket and this allows a substantial amount of your gear to run and still have free sockets. I use my LPS4 to run my Infinity, Blue, phono pre-amp, and charge my 20G box. The plugs for all those alone would max out a normal 4 socket outlet instead I use only one with the ability to still run one more device from the LPS4. 

Some may not care about this as much as they run extenders with multiple outlets. I run a large surge protector because whatever sound improvements may arise from connecting to the wall do not outweigh even the slightest chance me losing the thousands of dollars of equipment I have due to a lightning strike.


----------



## spyder1

oneguy said:


> You don't but the LPS4 (and presumably the LPS8 when released) offer the ability to run multiple devices with only one plug going to the wall which saves money and electrical socket space. Many people prefer to connect direct to the wall electrical socket and this allows a substantial amount of your gear to run and still have free sockets. I use my LPS4 to run my Infinity, Blue, phono pre-amp, and charge my 20G box. The plugs for all those alone would max out a normal 4 socket outlet instead I use only one with the ability to still run one more device from the LPS4.
> 
> Some may not care about this as much as they run extenders with multiple outlets. I run a large surge protector because whatever sound improvements may arise from connecting to the wall do not outweigh even the slightest chance me losing the thousands of dollars of equipment I have due to a lightning strike.


 

 ​4 ifi power supplies = $200.00, add a surge protector, and you save $400.00 over an LPS4.


----------



## oneguy

spyder1 said:


> ​4 ifi power supplies = $200.00, add a surge protector, and you save $400.00 over an LPS4.




Oh I agree from a price perspective this isn't a competition. I would never buy and LPS4 at their new price but many of us got our LPS4 for $429 through crowd funding which I feel is the price that is more inline with what is reasonable. But some people may not have been that fortunate and may prefer to connect directly to the walls and an LPS4 or 8 at their current price may be worth it to them.


----------



## spyder1

oneguy,
  
 I will be trying out the 12v version w/ wifi router, for music streaming, Pulse Xfi, Pulse Blue. Ordered only 1 for experimental purpose.


----------



## oneguy

Solid choice! I ran my Geek Out v2 from a 5v
iPower in my bedroom for a while. For $50 it's a pretty low threat gamble especially given the astronomical prices of other equipment. Right now my 5v iPower isn't being my used but it will get thrown back into the mix when my Spring Level 3 DAC gets here and I use the 5v to power the 20G cable/box.


----------



## graham508

An update re remaining Pulse Infinity orders.
 It seems things have been held up while LHL have been talking to component manufacturers for Geek Wave. It now might mean they can get back to fulfilling our very overdue orders. 
 I received this response from Gina:
  
 Hello,
  
 Larry has just gotten back from a long business trip in China and is currently working on a new update for all remaining Pulse backers. I'll keep your support ticket open until an update regarding shipping is released. I apologize for this delay.
     
 All the Best


----------



## jaywhar

I have a similar ticket. So Larry doesn't have access to email while he's on the road?
  
 This update better be a good one - they've removed Gavin's updates from 3mths ago from the Indiegogo page


----------



## marflao

jaywhar said:


> I have a similar ticket. So Larry doesn't have access to email while he's on the road?
> 
> This update better be a good one - they've removed *Gavin's updates from 3mths ago from the Indiegogo page*


 
  
 Lol...censorship 3.0....
  
 here´s the text again (in case someone is interested):
  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
Dear Pulse Backers,

As I think you are mostly aware, I am no longer employed by LH Labs. I am still, however, profoundly interested in making sure that every single backer receives what s/he contributed toward.

I've been reading the comments on this campaign with great concern these past several months. To my disgust, I'm aware that there are still some of you who haven't received your perks. Because of this, I can't hold my tongue any longer.

I called a meeting with Larry last Friday to discuss with him at his office his reasons for not delivering your Pulse DAC's as he has promised multiple times. This is what I found out that, for reasons known only to Larry, he and his team has not been willing to share with you:

There is a batch of boards that were manufactured and stuffed with hundreds of dollars worth of components on each one that had a 98% failure rate. Because of this perceived screw-up on the part of the PCB manufacturer, Larry fired that vendor. Then, because he didn't want to loose hundreds of thousands of dollars in components that couldn't be un-soldered and used again, and because he felt that he couldn't wait months for some of the long lead time components he'd have to re-order, he decided to go about the process of troubleshooting and repairing the failed boards so he could deliver them to you in a timely fashion.

Ultimately, after months of work, the boards couldn't be salvaged and he came to grips with the fact that he needed to bite the bullet and re-manufacture and assemble the boards.

He tried a couple different vendors and never got a board from them that worked. Upon further troubleshooting, though, he found out that the problem wasn't solely with the PCB after all, but there was also a problem with a specific batch of one of the active components in his design. He has talked with that vendor, brought the problem to their knowledge, and worked with them on the fix.

You probably don't care (I wouldn't if I were in your shoes), but Larry feels awful and sincerely wants to deliver what he committed LH Labs to deliver. He told me that he is going to include something in these last units that will make up for all the lost time; a monolithic ceramic capacitor with an interposer substrate from Murata on the output that is even quieter than what he'd been using. I advised him not to change anything (I don't want any design change that would further delay shipments) and to get the units shipped as quickly as possible. I can never tell when he will or will not take my advice, but I hope he does this time.

From my understanding, he has reordered the problematic active components and is waiting for them to arrive. New boards are also ordered and on the way, he reported. He estimated to me that he'd be able to ship the outstanding Pulse DAC units in mid October.

On a personal note, let me say that I've never known Larry to purposefully lie. He is, however, often guilty of being terribly over-optimistic, which in the past caused me and a handful of others to report things to you the ended up not being true. This has weighed heavily on me.

To my satisfaction today, I believe Larry is working hard to get things finished and shipped as quickly as possible. Having said that, I wouldn't hold my breath for mid October.

Very sincerely,

Gavin

PS - On behalf only of myself, I'm sorry to all of you for the way in which this campaign was handled. I'm sorry for all of it, and hope for your forgiveness. If you're going to be at RMAF, I'd love to meet any and all of you face-to-face to deliver my deepest apologies. Maybe we can meet and let me buy you a drink. If you'd like to take me up on the offer, please email me at rmaf@gavin.fish and let's arrange a time to all get together.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: IGG Pulse campaign mail [Sep 27th, 2016]


----------



## jsiegel14072

update today, suddenly they have 200 to make rather than the last 80-100.
 I hope they get the new order system loaded with all campaigns, so they know what they have to make.
  
13 hours ago Dear Pulse Backers,  Happy New Year to all our backers!

 We would like to address a couple of points that have been brought up in recent weeks.

 1. Some backers are asking why there are few Pulse Infinity units for sale on Amazon while there are still backers waiting. These units were purchased by Amazon from our company in late 2015 and they hold the control of it. We have reached out to Amazon to pull them back and ship to backers but they have not responded. They are units owned by and sold through Amazon.

 2. Regarding outstanding Pulse Infinity units, due to most of these units are actually the upgraded and upgraded version. Indiegogo's simple text based export on different perks made the data integrity hard to 100% correction. In the end, we found that the amount of units we believed were outstanding was incorrect. We have been combing through the data, and our originally estimated numbers of remained wrong, the actually number is 197. To concur that problem, we have upgraded to a new eCommerce system and are entering the remaining Pulse Infinity orders there. You will get the email notification when we done the orders import. And you could update your shipping address there and confirm if the order listed inside are 100% correct.

 Product wise,  since we decide to abandon the remaining last batch of PCBs.  We would make one good round of PCBF+PCBA. Our target is to complete the remaining Pulse Infinity orders by mid to end of March.

 3. During the past few months, we collect all RMA logs vs different serial numbers and PCB batches we have on hand. The majority of units that has issues are out-of-sync on internal signal lines and sometimes will cause USB input interrupted or volume control disabled. We found the real reason behind is the I2C signal transmission is not stable. And I2C signal lines needs to change two resistors from original 2000R to 500R, and whole issue is gone. And after this modification, units sent out and been played for months without any problem. It took us a long time to dig out this reason, which even PCB factory don't have a full explanation why only few batches with our thousands of Pulse DAC will have this issue on the condition we didn't change the design at all. 

 Anyway, from three months ago, all our ship out units has this part fully tested again and again to make sure no similar issue happened. Now, we are confident this tech issue has been solved.

 Thanks and best regards,









 LH Labs


----------



## Drsparis

marflao said:


> ...
> 
> You probably don't care (I wouldn't if I were in your shoes), but Larry feels awful and sincerely wants to deliver what he committed LH Labs to deliver. He told me that *he is going to include *something in these last units that will make up for all the lost time; *a monolithic ceramic capacitor with an interposer substrate from Murata* on the output that is even quieter than what he'd been using.


 
  
 So do you guys think this is going to happen?
  
 and omg, I can`t believe suddenly, months after ``they only had about 100 left`` and ``would be done by mid december`` they have double that anount left lol.... wait I do believe it. I just hope I get it one day....


----------



## smial1966

No way, seriously, surely there can't STILL be unfortunate backers waiting for their Pulse Infinity units. Hells teeth, this is beyond shameful and is tantamount to anally ******** backers and then charging them for their pain. Larry Ho you are a thief for taking folks hard earned cash and delivering nothing to backers. How many more excuses can you make for failing to fulfill backers pledges?!? LH Labs stinks of wrongdoing and deceitful pledge fulfilment. 




jsiegel14072 said:


> update today, suddenly they have 200 to make rather than the last 80-100.
> I hope they get the new order system loaded with all campaigns, so they know what they have to make.
> 
> 13 hours ago
> ...


----------



## Soundizer




----------



## Drsparis

smial1966 said:


> No way, seriously, surely there can't STILL be unfortunate backers waiting for their Pulse Infinity units. Hells teeth, this is beyond shameful and is tantamount to anally ******** backers and then charging them for their pain. Larry Ho you are a thief for taking folks hard earned cash and delivering nothing to backers. *How many more excuses can you make *for failing to fulfill backers pledges?!? LH Labs stinks of wrongdoing and deceitful pledge fulfilment.


 
 They aren`t even good at making excuses either!!! They have been blaming ''the boards'' for... well at least a year now lol...


----------



## dclaz

Why did Amazon get a shipment before the backers? :/


----------



## jbr1971

For people that are having issues with Pulses dropping connections to computers while audio is playing, what are you listening to when it happens? Audio from a dedicated audio player application (JRMC, Tidal desktop app, etc), or audio through a web browser (what browser?)?
  
 I was having severe issues with connection drops between Pulse XFi and Mac Mini, and after re-flashing the firmware, the disconnects stopped for a couple of weeks. Now they are back, but only happening once every couple of days.
  
 I send audio to my Pulse a few different ways, and I think I have narrowed down the issue.
  
 Usages are:
 - TOSLINK from PS3 to watch movies and play games, listening through headphones
 - USB from Mac Mini, listening through headphones:
           - listening to lossless ALAC and DSF files from JRiver Media Center
           - listening to Tidal HIFI from Tidal desktop app (very recent, currently testing)
           - watching downloaded movies/tv shows from VLC
           - watching movies/tv shows from Netflix and Plex server through Google Chrome
  
 I am listening to music, or watching movies/tv, the majority of the time I am at home and awake, so I have a lot of experience with the issue.
  
 From what I have found, the connection drops appear to be an issue only when using Google Chrome to watch Netflix/Plex, and power cycling the Pulse gets it working again. I am testing Safari as of this morning to see if it holds up (so far it does), but it is far from definitive. I need to run it for a few more days to be more confident.
  
 Has anyone else noticed this behavior? Or getting drops during different playback scenarios?
  
 p.s. An interesting side note on something I just found out while troubleshooting...Chrome does not output 1080p, it is limited to 720p. Safari and Microsoft Edge/Internet Explorer do output 1080p.


----------



## jsiegel14072

jbr1971 said:


> For people that are having issues with Pulses dropping connections to computers while audio is playing, what are you listening to when it happens? Audio from a dedicated audio player application (JRMC, Tidal desktop app, etc), or audio through a web browser (what browser?)?
> 
> I was having severe issues with connection drops between Pulse XFi and Mac Mini, and after re-flashing the firmware, the disconnects stopped for a couple of weeks. Now they are back, but only happening once every couple of days.
> 
> ...


 
 Do you have one of the problem units?
 from the last update:
  
  
3. During the past few months, we collect all RMA logs vs different serial numbers and PCB batches we have on hand. The majority of units that has issues are out-of-sync on internal signal lines and sometimes will cause USB input interrupted or volume control disabled. We found the real reason behind is the I2C signal transmission is not stable. And I2C signal lines needs to change two resistors from original 2000R to 500R, and whole issue is gone. And after this modification, units sent out and been played for months without any problem. It took us a long time to dig out this reason, which even PCB factory don't have a full explanation why only few batches with our thousands of Pulse DAC will have this issue on the condition we didn't change the design at all. 

Anyway, from three months ago, all our ship out units has this part fully tested again and again to make sure no similar issue happened. Now, we are confident this tech issue has been solved.


----------



## Daroid

Just browsed the past few pages of this thread since I was wondering why it was so long - I'm on the lookout for a good DAC/amp combo myself, so obviously the amount of pages caught my attention 
  
 I couldn't help by smile a little bit at the third solution regarding the I2C bus, because it's real cause isn't determined from that wording. The only resistors in I2C they can be talking about are the two pull-ups used for data and clock lines (SDA/SCK). 2k is more than fine, unless the overall capacitance of the line is vastly too high, which is something the PCB manufacturer should be able to verify. Other than that, it could also be damaged SDA/SCK ports that don't properly work in open-drain/open-collector any longer, or severely slew-rate limited.


----------



## jbr1971

jsiegel14072 said:


> Do you have one of the problem units?
> from the last update:
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 No, not that I have been made aware of.
  
 So far all of my testing points toward the Chrome (and/or maybe the Mac to a small degree). Still nothing definitive though.


----------



## kyokushin

Sent my pulse back due to a problem, after the long winded process of arranging a return at my cost as it was out warranty I bite the bullet and decided to have it upgraded to xfi. Subsequently I paid the money after being told the unit was ready and guess what now they have a problem with it lol. It's been back a month any idea's on their usual time frame to complete stuff?


----------



## nicolo

You do now that time exists only as a concept to human beings so that we can get things done. To the universe the concept of time is meaningless. LH Labs understands this and practices it. How can you even ask for a time-frame when time doesn't exist. They're trying to show you and all of us this. We should thank and bless them for this, instead of insulting them by asking for banal things/concepts such as time-frames. Seriously?


----------



## kyokushin

Well that made me smile, Having had a speed read through this thread I see where you get your undoubted optimism


----------



## Hercules

they're timing is shortly is 3 months or more (inspire 5 update https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/inspire-5-huge-tv-sound-power-bass-in-new-design/x/3498741#/updates
Manny Torres3 months ago​
 We are working to get this product finished. An update will be provided shortly.), very soon is 2 months, next week maybe a month, simply don't truth any firm date LH Labs given..... or make it 4 to 8 times longer will make you less upset for waiting.


----------



## kyokushin

Considering some poor buggers have still to receive stuff that was paid for 2/3 years ago, I can't really complain. YET! !


----------



## digitalzed

I waited *SIXTY THREE DAYS *for my LPS/4 to get fixed. The process was so painful, with such limited and cryptic communication, that if something goes wrong with any of their products, I'll probbly trash it rather than send it in and beg them for information and timely responses to my inquiries.


----------



## Narayan23

nicolo said:


> You do now that time exists only as a concept to human beings so that we can get things done. To the universe the concept of time is meaningless. LH Labs understands this and practices it. How can you even ask for a time-frame when time doesn't exist. They're trying to show you and all of us this. We should thank and bless them for this, instead of insulting them by asking for banal things/concepts such as time-frames. Seriously?


 
 I really don´t understand all the complaints LH Labs clearly follows the Geologic Time Scale   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_time_scale#Table_of_geologic_time
  
 the sooner you familiarize yourselves with terms such as Supereon, Eon, Era etc the better


----------



## Narayan23

Joking aside, could any power supply connoisseur point me in the direction of a linear power supply for the Pulse XFI that doesn´t break the bank? I´d be very grateful for suggestions.


----------



## spyder1

spyder1 said:


> iPower DC power supply, that works w/ Pulse, HPA, PTP, Pulse Blue. With a few of these who needs an LPS? ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower.


 
 Narayan23,
  
 I purchased the 12V Ipower to use with wifi router and Pulse Xfi. I have used it w/ router for 1.5 weeks, and my home wifi system has never worked better. The 5V, 12V, 15V versions will work with all LH Labs products. $50 Music Direct, Amazon.


----------



## Narayan23

Thanks for the info spyder1, I was aware of the iFi but was thinking maybe a product like this would bring more discernable sound quality improvements?
  
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221873423925
  
 I´m power supply illiterate so that´s why I´m asking for opinions / experiences.


----------



## doctorjazz

I haven't tried the Pulse/LPS units as a team, but I have a MicroZOTL2, which uses an external power supply, and I've used it with the stock switching power supply, and optional LTA LPS units, a more expensive/better LPS from Mojo audio (Joule V5),and I'm currently auditioning Mojo's TOTL Illuminati power supply. It all adds up to lots of extra cash, you get diminishing returns, yada yada yada, but, yes, upgrading the LPS does make a difference sonically, at least with the ZOTL.


----------



## teamrushpntball

Wow, was considering buying a pulse.  After reading the last few pages, even if the product is excellent (Which doesn't seem to be the case) this company is awful.  Is there any redeeming feature to all this?


----------



## doctorjazz

I like the sound of my Geek Out Special Edition, which should be similar to some of the Pulses with Femto clocks, that's a plus.


----------



## kyokushin

Sound quality wise I think the pulse stacks up well. Reliability in my case not clever others have had no issues so it really is the luck of the draw. Customer support well what can I say


----------



## spyder1

teamrushpntball said:


> Wow, was considering buying a pulse.  After reading the last few pages, even if the product is excellent (Which doesn't seem to be the case) this company is awful.  Is there any redeeming feature to all this?


 

 ​I own a Pulse Xfi, and Sfi, w/ 2 LPS 4's for 1.7 years with out problems. They replaced my original Pulse Xfi (popping sound issue) early on. They do have querks (computer-pulse start up sequence, only w/ LPS4), you learn it, then no further problems.


----------



## TopQuark

teamrushpntball said:


> Wow, was considering buying a pulse.  After reading the last few pages, even if the product is excellent (Which doesn't seem to be the case) this company is awful.  Is there any redeeming feature to all this?


 
 I have the Xfi and LPS4. I had RMA the LPS4 but it is working fine now.
  
 The products are excellent. It's just too much enthusiasm and optimism by those running the company.  Communication is quite bad. Over 3 years to get an item shipped on a crowdfunded project?  That is just too long.  This affected the resale value of the units that are supposed to be high up there.  Those getting a used working unit are getting a bargain.


----------



## bhazard

topquark said:


> I have the Xfi and LPS4. I had RMA the LPS4 but it is working fine now.
> 
> The products are excellent. It's just too much enthusiasm and optimism by those running the company.  Communication is quite bad. Over 3 years to get an item shipped on a crowdfunded project?  That is just too long.  This affected the resale value of the units that are supposed to be high up there.  Those getting a used working unit are getting a bargain.


 
 While it works.
  
 I've been in love with my Pulse X Infinity.... until it died after more than a year the other day.
  
 Support ticket, over 9 days later, no reply after the initial "flash this firmware to try to fix".
  
 Not cool. I need this thing back up and running for reviews. Luckily I have the V2+ Infinity too


----------



## kyokushin

You have to return it ! that's where the entertainment really starts. Good luck.


----------



## greenkiwi

teamrushpntball said:


> Wow, was considering buying a pulse.  After reading the last few pages, even if the product is excellent (Which doesn't seem to be the case) this company is awful.  Is there any redeeming feature to all this?


 
 I wouldn't unless you're getting it at a really really good price. 

 There are so many other options from more reliable companies that sound as good or better.  I'd go for any of the Schiit products... or the Emotiva DC-1.  Or anything that isn't going to have USB connectivity issues... or volume controls not working... or sync issues.


----------



## Narayan23

I emailed LHLabs´s customer happiness 10 days ago to ask about DSD 256 (yeah I know I´ve mentioned this before but I don´t understand why some guys can do this and most of us can´t) and MQA support...they´ve done a Simon & Garfunkel on me because all I´ve got is the sound of silence, is customer support still active? I know they follow the Geologic Time scale but over 10 days to answer a simple question has me wondering.
  
 http://www.careeroverview.com/blog/2011/the-25-most-difficult-jobs-in-the-world/   I´d put LHLabs Customer Support Representative right in at number 3 before Alaskan Crab fishing


----------



## kyokushin

12 since my last communication, raised another ticket on Friday questioning the lack of a reply which was closed for some reason. I opened another today and this process will continue until something happens or I just charge back the repair cost and cut my losses.


----------



## adrian0115

I've been waiting for a bloody RMA since March of 2016.  I'm sick and tired of LHL.  I really believe this thing is a flawed design and I really doubt they even understand the root cause or really fixed this thing.  
  
 I'm an international backer and in my experience, so called China service center/office is non-existent.  Larry/Matt/LHL, I don't know if you guys will see this since I've been keeping quiet long enough but I just sent you guys another email and I'm going to reach out to TV stations to do some investigating into your business practices.  I'm sick and tired of your constant lies.  
  
 From missing mu-metal shields, random buzz/crashes while plugging in headphones, dropouts, USB connectivity problems since day 1, this is junk and I'm just glad it didn't kill my headphones.
  
 I posted my initial impressions when I received this thing back in Nov.2015 and it's been a doorstop waiting for an RMA from March 2016 until now.  
  
 LHL, I doubt you guys will survive since whatever you're doing isn't feasible from a business standpoint.


----------



## jsiegel14072

midnight update:
  
  
Hello All Pulse Backers,
We are happy to inform you that all outstanding orders have been entered into our order management system and the order for production has been placed. We still expect to complete all outstanding orders like original plan. Please go into your account and verify/update your shipping information and let us know if you have any corrections or concerns on the inputed order. Thank you again for your patience and we will keep you updated biweekly on the status of production

Thank you,


----------



## kyokushin

What about RMA enquiries, paid for repairs


----------



## noshortcuts

The last time they promised bi weekly updates they all but went silent for 6 months. Holding our breath is not advised.


----------



## kyokushin

Large lungs required


----------



## Hercules

​How can you not to laugh when seeing this?
  
  
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/inspire-5-huge-tv-sound-power-bass-in-new-design/x/3498741#/updates
4 months ago  Dear Backers who order the sub with sound bar,
 After we sent out the pilot run examples of subwoofer, the feedbacks we got clearly let us know we need to improve few important parts. And we are working with factory for a solution.
 Inspire 5 soundbar only on the other hand, got a very nice feedback. So now we are focusing on subwoofer part.
 And we expect to make another update for this one within next 7 days.
 Thanks a lot of your patience and will get back to you shortly.
 Elemental Audio

  
  


noshortcuts said:


> The last time they promised bi weekly updates they all but went silent gor 6 months. Holding our breath is not advi


----------



## mscott58

hercules said:


> ​How can you not to laugh when seeing this?
> 
> 
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/inspire-5-huge-tv-sound-power-bass-in-new-design/x/3498741#/updates
> ...


 
 Why do they keep doing this to themselves?!?


----------



## noshortcuts

mscott58 said:


> Why do they keep doing this to themselves?!?



That's one of the million dollar questions. ... or, the answer is the millions of dollars amassed?


----------



## mscott58

noshortcuts said:


> That's one of the million dollar questions. ... or, the answer is the millions of dollars amassed?


 
 But the speaker bar and sub is something that only a handful of people pledged to, and that a ton of companies already make in that price range. Why try to compete there? And what's with the "Elemental Audio" thing? Worried that the LHL brand might drag the project down? And their website (www.elemental-audio.com) doesn't even seem to work. Ugh. Lessons need to be learned - not good to keep touching the hot stove over and over again...


----------



## noshortcuts

mscott58 said:


> But the speaker bar and sub is something that only a handful of people pledged to, and that a ton of companies already make in that price range. Why try to compete there? And what's with the "Elemental Audio" thing? Worried that the LHL brand might drag the project down? And their website (www.elemental-audio.com) doesn't even seem to work. Ugh. Lessons need to be learned - not good to keep touching the hot stove over and over again.


 
 I was thinking of the millions as a total from all the shenanigans combined, successful or not at bringing in money. Ugh, for sure.


----------



## mscott58

noshortcuts said:


> I was thinking of the millions as a total from all the shenanigans combined, successful or not at bringing in money. Ugh, for sure.


 
 And for some reason Gavin's name came up in my LinkedIn account and here's what his tag-line under his name now says: _"If I guaranteed you I could deliver you 50 **QUALIFIED** plastic surgery patients every month, would you be interested?"_  What? Used to say "_speaker purchaser leads_" or something, but now it's plastic surgery?


----------



## doublea71

mscott58 said:


> And for some reason Gavin's name came up in my LinkedIn account and here's what his tag-line under his name now says: _"If I guaranteed you I could deliver you 50 **QUALIFIED** plastic surgery patients every month, would you be interested?"_  What? Used to say "_speaker purchaser leads_" or something, but now it's plastic surgery? :confused_face(1):




https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5SqDm0_GgfQ


----------



## kyokushin

[quote name="jsiegel14072" url="/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics/12105#post_13202531"
Out interest where would you find this fiction as I only have an invoice number for my repair upgrade costs? 


[COLOR=000001]Hello All Pulse Backers,[/COLOR]
[COLOR=000001]We are happy to inform you that all outstanding orders have been entered into our order management system and the order for production has been placed. We still expect to complete all outstanding orders like original plan. Please go into your account and verify/update your shipping information and let us know if you have any corrections or concerns on the inputed order. Thank you again for your patience and we will keep you updated biweekly on the status of production[/COLOR]

[COLOR=000001]Thank you,[/COLOR]
[/quote]


----------



## jsiegel14072

i made an account at 
http://marketplace-lhlabs.com/
 with the same email as indiegogo and have been using tickets to correct the entries as they are entered.
  
 it is a slow process.
  
 i went back to indiegogo and copied each of the upgrades to a spreadsheet to track them all.
  
 hope this helps!
  
 i am hoping that once they get the orders in, they will know what they have left to ship as the Pulse number as climbed from less than 100 to 197, but i am not sure if this count is from anaylsis of indiegogo data or these orders in the new system
  
  
 But i guess we have to keep the ball moving forward down the field.


----------



## kyokushin

You know this pulse thing is the worst case of customer service I have ever encountered. As my issue was with a return/upgrade I have decided to raise the issue through PayPal to see if I get a response from them. I understand I am in a fortunate position as I only recently paid, I feel for others less fortunate. This clowning around really needs to stop and would urge others not to line the charlatans pockets anymore . Damn shame as sonically it really wasn't bad for the cash, who knows can they remedy this?


----------



## kyokushin

Apparently asking PayPal to look into this means your ability to ask questions via the forum and ticket system is suspended. One assumes this is for daring to question their integrity.


----------



## marflao

kyokushin said:


> Apparently asking PayPal to look into this means your ability to ask questions via the forum and ticket system is suspended. One assumes this is for daring to question their integrity.


 
  
 So when did you pay via Paypal? Not during the campaign? I thought they refund only within 180 days? No?
  
 Edit: just saw in your earlier post that you "recently" paid. Well....keep my fingers crossed that it works out for you.


----------



## kyokushin

I am lucky I am a UK resident who returned a knackered unit for repair asked for it to be upgraded. It was ready to ship I paid then it miraculous developed a fault and haven't heard a thing since. It isn't worth the cobblers involved they can keep the thing. Paid the beginning of January.


----------



## ssshhh

Hello everybody, i partially quote myself from 1 year ago for ask if anybody can reply to this my old question:
  
 Quote:


ssshhh said:


> Hi Guys, anybody with a Geek LPS4 could tell me how have to be placed the jumpers for the 110v?
> 
> I saw the video explanation from Gavin on how to change voltage (my version was factory set at 220v but now i'm in USA), but my PCB (ver. PC-LPS-005) is a little different and i have 3 different jumpers positions for change voltage: 110V1, 220V1 and 110V3 for both the transformers.
> I assume that the jumpers have to be placed in 110V1 position, but what is the 110V3 for? Anybody with a recent LPS4 could take a look under the front plate? *Please Note: if you open the LPS you will void your warranty!*
> ...


 
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## TopQuark

Pulse X Infinity + SOtM sMS-200 + Intona + Roon 1.3 + Tidal is so nice.  All works in perfect harmony with each other.  I was never fond of upsampling but doing everything at 384k with Roons new DSP, convolution room correction, and Parametric EQ is a definite challenge to HQP.
  
 Those who haven't gotten their Pulse yet need not worry. Pulse is still beating a lot of the best out there.


----------



## kyokushin

I'm sure that news has given the people waiting month after month a warm glow inside, In my own case still no reply even to PayPal requesting information regards the escalation, says it all about lh labs I think.


----------



## doctorjazz

I heard a Pulse at the Philadelphia meet last Sunday, thought it really sounded good.
(makes the wait for my Vi Tube DAC _slightly_ better...:rolleyes: )


----------



## kyokushin

They do sound good that's the annoying thing


----------



## doctorjazz

kyokushin said:


> They do sound good that's the annoying thing




I suppose, but it would probably be worse if it were a PIA _And_ it sounded *bad!*


----------



## kyokushin

doctorjazz said:


> I suppose, but it would probably be worse if it were a PIA _And_ it sounded *bad!*





You have a point.


----------



## dclaz

I take it no one has successfully got a refund from LH labs via an means?


----------



## Maelob

Of the IGG campaign may be a few people but for the most part no refunds.  I contributed to a mono amp by mistake and they would not give me a refund claiming it was IGG policy. However, I should have fought it through PayPal or credit card but I didnt want to deal with all the hassle and ended up contributing to the matching amp.


----------



## kyokushin

Well deadline day for lh labs to respond to PayPal for information regard non receipt of goods , guess what not a word. I really don't understand their stance, surely they must realise everyone considers them arrogant beyond belief.


----------



## uncola

I've been waiting over 3 months for one of my two refunds for non crowdfunded things to go through.. multiple tickets open reminding them.  At this point I'm pretty disappointed in lh labs


----------



## kyokushin

And the crazy thing is people are still buying from them, absolutely bonkers.


----------



## oneguy

kyokushin said:


> And the crazy thing is people are still buying from them, absolutely bonkers.




I will say in their defense when they do finally get a product out the door and it has no hiccups it generally sounds nice. I bought the 20G after having to go my credit card company to get my refund on my Revive because if LH Labs ignored my requests. The reason I did that is because I wanted to give the 20G a shot because I liked the idea and I had LH Labs espoused 30 money back garuntee to show to my credit card company if LH Labs ignored my refund request again.


----------



## Narayan23

uncola said:


> I've been waiting over 3 months for one of my two refunds for non crowdfunded things to go through.. multiple tickets open reminding them.  At this point I'm pretty disappointed in lh labs


 
 I opened a ticket weeks ago asking some simple questions and no reply either, I think LHLabs customer service is now defunct which is a sign of a sinking ship. I remember back in the day Gavin Fish giving confrences about LhLabs´ enormously successful crowdfunding model/campaign...how what could have been a bright future has turned into this fiasco is beyond me.
  
 I´d also like to add that my Pulse XFI sounds rather nice and especially so with DSD material.


----------



## wingsounds13

LH Labs customer service is not defunct, but is severely dysfunctional. This may suggest that they are overloaded with tickets due to their incomprehensible and ignorant attitude of insisting that all questions be entered as a ticket for their "Customer Happiness" (Ha!) team rather than answer even the most basic questions in public, or better yet produce a FAQ or otherwise post this information publicly. 

They are setting themselves up for these unnecessary difficulties and ultimately failure. LH Labs may continue to operate (and I truly hope that they do) but with substantially less growth and success than could easily be achieved by keeping their customers happy.

J.P.


----------



## kyokushin

uncola said:


> I've been waiting over 3 months for one of my two refunds for non crowdfunded things to go through.. multiple tickets open reminding them.  At this point I'm pretty disappointed in lh labs




PayPal obviously found in my favour today and the money has been returned. I don't expect to see the pulse again possibly a good thing considering they brought a product to market that was so floored they have been swamped with failures. Good luck everyone i'm out of this thread.


----------



## Benny-x

maelob said:


> Of the IGG campaign may be a few people but for the most part no refunds.  I contributed to a mono amp by mistake and they would not give me a refund claiming it was IGG policy. However, I should have fought it through PayPal or credit card but I didnt want to deal with all the hassle and ended up contributing to the matching amp.


 
 They are very clever business people.


----------



## Panelhead

Any sightings of the two mono amplifiers?


----------



## kyokushin

Fook me I think i'me out then I receive an email from technical informing me the unit was shipped on the 3rd . Right my original lasted 18 months the one coming back is xfi with a2qm sabre. Anyone had one with no significant problems . Cut to the chase I either pay on receipt or refuse it , advice welcome, lh labs should really read their mail to avoid this kind of nonsense.


----------



## marflao

kyokushin said:


> Fook me I think i'me out then I receive an email from technical informing me the unit was shipped on the 3rd . Right my original lasted 18 months the one coming back is xfi with a2qm sabre. Anyone had one with no significant problems . Cut to the chase I either pay on receipt or refuse it , advice welcome, lh labs should really read their mail to avoid this kind of nonsense.


 
  
 You got already the PP refund, right?
 Then refuse the delivery and let it be shipped back.


----------



## foreverzer0

So post-pulse life, what would you replace your desktop setup with instead (e.g if it were to not work or sold)? A yggy, gumby or bimby with the corresponding amp? A metric or mytek? Maybe a bimby with a Jotunheim would be killer value but doesn't stack nicely on a desk. Perhaps without bias, the dual ak4490's on the Jotunheim would be enough for most folks. I've been debating this for a while should anything ever happen to my Xfinity with lps4...

If funds allowed, I think I would just go Holo spring dac kitsune edition with like an ifi iCan pro and call it a day for years.


----------



## doctorjazz

Heard the Mytek Brooklyn this past weekend (wanted to hear the Yggy, but too crowded to check it out). Also heard Mojo Audio Mystique (CanJam NY).
Both of the ones I heard (in good systems) made beautiful music, would go for one of these if I weren't into LH Labs for my first born...


----------



## kyokushin

Considering whether to accept it, they surely must have sorted all the issues this far down the line. And the vanilla was okay so this has to be better with the lps .


----------



## doctorjazz

I did hear the vanilla Pulse at the Philly area meet 2 weekends ago, thought it actually sounded pretty nice, have to say.


----------



## foreverzer0

I used to use the vanilla for my work setup and it sounded fine (not the most musical), however I consolidated and using my GOV2A as a dedicated now. The vanilla was rock solid though, no issues whatsoever.


----------



## kyokushin

Was going to buy a chord mojo as that was getting good reviews,also in the UK if there was a problem . But I saw somewhere where the xfi was considered better. Currently using a m2tech EVO 2 as a stopgap .


----------



## ambchang

Guys, I am looking to sell my Geek Pulse Infinity in V1 Chassis now.  No issues with it whatsoever during the time I have owned it (after having a cap replaced by LH Labs).  Sounds great, but it's just overkill for me as I don't really need something this extravagant.  Also, I got a Sansui AU717 as an amp and no longer need the 4 pin XLR output.
  
 PM me if interested, we can work out the price.


----------



## kyokushin

What do xfi's fetch used. This is effectively brand new.


----------



## oneguy

foreverzer0 said:


> So post-pulse life, what would you replace your desktop setup with instead (e.g if it were to not work or sold)? A yggy, gumby or bimby with the corresponding amp? A metric or mytek? Maybe a bimby with a Jotunheim would be killer value but doesn't stack nicely on a desk. Perhaps without bias, the dual ak4490's on the Jotunheim would be enough for most folks. I've been debating this for a while should anything ever happen to my Xfinity with lps4...
> 
> If funds allowed, I think I would just go Holo spring dac kitsune edition with like an ifi iCan pro and call it a day for years.




I went with the Holo Level 3. I should have it in 2 weeks


----------



## mscott58

foreverzer0 said:


> So post-pulse life, what would you replace your desktop setup with instead (e.g if it were to not work or sold)? A yggy, gumby or bimby with the corresponding amp? A metric or mytek? Maybe a bimby with a Jotunheim would be killer value but doesn't stack nicely on a desk. Perhaps without bias, the dual ak4490's on the Jotunheim would be enough for most folks. I've been debating this for a while should anything ever happen to my Xfinity with lps4...
> 
> If funds allowed, I think I would just go Holo spring dac kitsune edition with like an ifi iCan pro and call it a day for years.




I went from an Infinity to a Cavalli Liquid Gold and a Holo Spring L3 with a Singxer SU-1. Bit of an upgrade! However, the Infinity was nice. Cheers


----------



## Audio Addict

mscott58 said:


> I went from an Infinity to a Cavalli Liquid Gold and a Holo Spring L3 with a Singxer SU-1. Bit of an upgrade! However, the Infinity was nice. Cheers




Were you actually able to sell the Infinity? I had a totally extra one w LPS4 and Pulse Blue and not a single inquiry.


----------



## mscott58

audio addict said:


> Were you actually able to sell the Infinity? I had a totally extra one w LPS4 and Pulse Blue and not a single inquiry.




Haven't tried. I still use the Infinity as part of my reference comparisons when I'm testing, and the LPS4 still is in use. Cheers


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Haven't tried. I still use the Infinity as part of my reference comparisons when I'm testing, and the LPS4 still is in use. Cheers


 

 Jealous of your Liquid Gold!


----------



## doctorjazz

Got to hear the Liquid Gold at CanJam NYC, it did sound really nice...


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> Got to hear the Liquid Gold at CanJam NYC, it did sound really nice...


 

 Liquid Carbon amazes me for the price so I can only imagine how much better the Gold is!  In my dreams.


----------



## doctorjazz

germay0653 said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > Got to hear the Liquid Gold at CanJam NYC, it did sound really nice...
> ...




I have the LC...the Gold is just another animal entirely. Of course, it was part of a system, I believe at Mr. Speakers table, digital source Mojo Audio Mystique, and one of the Dan's Mr. Speakers Flows (forget which). Great sounding pairing.


----------



## mscott58

Yeah, I had the LC for a while before getting the LAu. The LC is really a chip-off-the-block from the LAu, same house-sound and great performance per price ratio, but it's not in the same league (and price-point!) IMO. In fact I had the LC to start, then the LAu for a review, then back to the LC while my LAu was on order, then got my LAu and sold my LC. Both are great pieces of gear, but regarding the LAu (as Ferris Bueller would say) - "It's so choice - If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up"! Cheers


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> Yeah, I had the LC for a while before getting the LAu. The LC is really a chip-off-the-block from the LAu, same house-sound and great performance per price ratio, but it's not in the same league (and price-point!) IMO. In fact I had the LC to start, then the LAu for a review, then back to the LC while my LAu was on order, then got my LAu and sold my LC. Both are great pieces of gear, but regarding the LAu (as Ferris Bueller would say) - "It's so choice - If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up"! Cheers


 

 Can't pick one up anytime soon.  Just moved my son back to Tampa and my daughter is getting married in July so funds are already used and accounted for.


----------



## mscott58

germay0653 said:


> Can't pick one up anytime soon.  Just moved my son back to Tampa and my daughter is getting married in July so funds are already used and accounted for.



 


Well congrats on the kids and the wedding! Sounds like a valid thing to spend money on.  Cheers


----------



## doctorjazz

Wedding...Audio Gear...
Man, you got your priorities backwards (just kidding, congrats!)


----------



## ssshhh

Hi Guys, anybody have tried an aftermarket cable with the Pulse?


I have an Infinity V.2 powered by the LPS 4, so far so good . I'm thinking to replace the stock power cord of the LPS with something different. I'm oriented to the Signal Cable MagicPower Digital Reference or the Shunyata Venom 3. Anybody have some experience with those cables and the Pulse?


----------



## jsiegel14072

wingsounds13 said:


> LH Labs customer service is not defunct, but is severely dysfunctional. This may suggest that they are overloaded with tickets due to their incomprehensible and ignorant attitude of insisting that all questions be entered as a ticket for their "Customer Happiness" (Ha!) team rather than answer even the most basic questions in public, or better yet produce a FAQ or otherwise post this information publicly.
> 
> They are setting themselves up for these unnecessary difficulties and ultimately failure. LH Labs may continue to operate (and I truly hope that they do) but with substantially less growth and success than could easily be achieved by keeping their customers happy.
> 
> J.P.


 

 It seems that indiegogo gives them text files for all the orders and they added to the confusion will Gavin throwing all these upgrades into the campaign.
 I believe their customer service team (is there anybody but Gina) are trying to get the new order system cleaned up so they know what they have to build.  every order they uploaded for me needed some corrections processed by Gina, to get it to match the Indiegogo orders. If you have to touch each order, i imagine that they are working full time on that.


----------



## adrian0115

jsiegel14072 said:


> It seems that indiegogo gives them text files for all the orders and they added to the confusion will Gavin throwing all these upgrades into the campaign.
> I believe their customer service team (is there anybody but Gina) are trying to get the new order system cleaned up so they know what they have to build.  every order they uploaded for me needed some corrections processed by Gina, to get it to match the Indiegogo orders. If you have to touch each order, i imagine that they are working full time on that.


 
 Unbelievable how anybody still wants to defend LHL.  What customer support?!  I have an outstanding RMA request from March 2016.  It is mid-February 2017 and after all the back/forth bulls**t they're still not doing anything about it.  In January, Larry said he will get this fixed but that's more bulls**t.  
  
 I'm beyond pissed off at this point.


----------



## Panelhead

Not sure you will hear an improvement. I like cables that are just long enough to reach. No extra length. Tried several and really never heard any changes. 
 Volex, Eupen, and a couple generic cables. The medical grade Eupen are nice for digital gear.


----------



## ssshhh

Thank you Panelhead, i appreciate your opinion. I had some experiences in the past with other electronics and some good results replacing the power cords. Nothing incredible but small refinements in terms of better detail and towards a more dry/analytic or more rich/smooth sound (i prefer the last one) depending of the type of cable.  I just not have any experience with these 2 cables on a digital source, both received good reviews but i never read a comparison between them and i was wondering which one could be the best fit for the Pulse and my tastes.


----------



## kyokushin

Well my xfi arrived and has been on for 50hours, no connection problems or anything thus far. Sound is pretty good through the mastersound dueventi vandersteen 2csigs. Primarily I use the dac section, occasional headphone use but for once on here I can report it works well. Considering I have a brand new xfi 290 dollars plus the intial 200 I paid it's pleasing , only paid 200 dollars for the lps as well so sound wise good value. Let's just hope it continues to work. Atb Chris (I may keep it after all but then I will be wondering about the infinity )


----------



## Panelhead

I paid around a grand for my Infinity. It works too. 
   There seems to have been some issues with circuit boards. But the multiple firmware requirements made this project so difficult for them. Not sure they are certain what firmware is needed for all the Pulse, Pulse SE, xdi, Inifinti, and others. I think if there were one or two versions life would have been much better for LH and all the backers.


----------



## llama_egg

So, I checked market-lhlabs, and there's no mention of my xfi, it's now been a week and they still haven't responded to my ticket, last time I shot them a ticket months, upon months ago, on the main site, I'm pretty sure I got a response within a couple days.
  
 Are they just bogged down, or am I just unlucky lol.


----------



## Shawnb

llama_egg said:


> So, I checked market-lhlabs, and there's no mention of my xfi, it's now been a week and they still haven't responded to my ticket, last time I shot them a ticket months, upon months ago, on the main site, I'm pretty sure I got a response within a couple days.
> 
> Are they just bogged down, or am I just unlucky lol.


 
  
 Waiting on 2 weeks now without a reply.  This is normal for them, need support and wait forever but make a ticket to buy something and they respond right away


----------



## llama_egg

shawnb said:


> Waiting on 2 weeks now without a reply.  This is normal for them, need support and wait forever but make a ticket to buy something and they respond right away


 

 Well, that's a bummer. Well, at least we should be, hopefully, nearing the the light at the end of the long, cthuluien horror tunnel that is LH.
  
Hopefully.
  
Just be over.
  
I just wanna wake up.


----------



## kyokushin

6 weeks before I received a reply 4 months to get a conclusion . Got there in the end.


----------



## Boban85

Has someone tested all the inputs on the Infinity and which one sounds the best? I would like to know how does the optical in compare with the USB when using the LPS, not sure if I should invest in a cable? Also, anyone tried the AES/EBU input?


----------



## Panelhead

I only used the AES, RCA, and USB. In my setup the AES was the better sounding. Did not try optical.
 Did not mesh with USB, seemed a little light weight. I blamed the Sabre Dac chip and USB. I think the Infinity may benefit from one of the USB "bandaids" available. 
 The Intona is what I wanted to try. Ended up with a Focusrite Clarett 4Pre for a little more.


----------



## runningwitit

mscott58 said:


> I went from an Infinity to a Cavalli Liquid Gold and a Holo Spring L3 with a Singxer SU-1. Bit of an upgrade! However, the Infinity was nice. Cheers


I will bet my Pulse Signature will give that Liquid Gold a big run for its money, however, I'd really love to hear the L.G. !!


----------



## oneguy

runningwitit said:


> I will bet my Pulse Signature will give that Liquid Gold a big run for its money, however, I'd really love to hear the L.G. !!


 

 Is the amp section of the Pulse Signature that much different than the Infinity? I wouldn't think that it could compare to an amp such as the Liquid Gold.


----------



## runningwitit

oneguy said:


> Is the amp section of the Pulse Signature that much different than the Infinity? I wouldn't think that it could compare to an amp such as the Liquid Gold.


 Before I answer your question, how big of an upgrade is the L.G. from the Infinite? From my experience, the Sig vs the Infinite are different beasts as far as sound is concerned!


----------



## oneguy

runningwitit said:


> Before I answer your question, how big of an upgrade is the L.G. from the Infinite? From my experience, the Sig vs the Infinite are different beasts as far as sound is concerned!


 

 I have never heard the Liquid Gold but I heard an improvement adding a Master 9 amp to my chain and I have heard that the LG is a step above that from some people. I can't corroborate this but if true that would mean it is a substantial improvement from the Infinity's amp section and thus the question about the Signature's amp section being different than the Infinity's amp section.


----------



## runningwitit

oneguy said:


> I have never heard the Liquid Gold but I heard an improvement adding a Master 9 amp to my chain and I have heard that the LG is a step above that from some people. I can't corroborate this but if true that would mean it is a substantial improvement from the Infinity's amp section and thus the question about the Signature's amp section being different than the Infinity's amp section.


As far as technical differences my man, I haven't a clue! As far as sound wise ZX the Pulse Signature Edition is totally on THE NEXT LEVEL. Everything on the Sig is more, more soundstage, more space, more clarity,more everything! I need another Sig. owner to add more clarification to my findings. Like you, I've never heard the Liquid Gold,but besides it having more power, sound wise I feel would be a battle !


----------



## oneguy

runningwitit said:


> As far as technical differences my man, I haven't a clue! As far as sound wise ZX the Pulse Signature Edition is totally on THE NEXT LEVEL. Everything on the Sig is more, more soundstage, more space, more clarity,more everything! I need another Sig. owner to add more clarification to my findings. Like you, I've never heard the Liquid Gold,but besides it having more power, sound wise I feel would be a battle !




I would love to hear the SE. It sounds awesome.


----------



## mscott58

To my ears, and many that I know who have deep experience with these types of products, the amp section in the Cavalli Liquid Gold is far superior to the amp section in the Pulses. The Pulse is really a DAC that happens to have an amp section in it. The LAu is a purpose-built headphone amp, and is world class. Larry at LHL is building a purpose-built headphone amp, and that's to pair with the Pulse. Also, as far as I know, the SE version upgrades are primarily, focused on the DAC section. Cheers


----------



## germay0653

mscott58 said:


> To my ears, and many that I know who have deep experience with these types of products, the amp section in the Cavalli Liquid Gold is far superior to the amp section in the Pulses. The Pulse is really a DAC that happens to have an amp section in it. The LAu is a purpose-built headphone amp, and is world class. Larry at LHL is building a purpose-built headphone amp, and that's to pair with the Pulse. Also, as far as I know, the SE version upgrades are primarily, focused on the DAC section. Cheers


 

 Even the Cavalli Liquid Carbon, purpose built headamp, is leaps and bounds above the Pulse X Infinity's internal headamp section.  It's a discrete design, like the Gold in that respect, and the Infinity's is built around an IC chip.  Larry did a great job getting an IC chip headamp to sound as good as it does but I'm sure there were budgetary constraints that limited the Pulse in that respect.


----------



## runningwitit

germay0653 said:


> Even the Cavalli Liquid Carbon, purpose built headamp, is leaps and bounds above the Pulse X Infinity's internal headamp section.  It's a discrete design, like the Gold in that respect, and the Infinity's is built around an IC chip.  Larry did a great job getting an IC chip headamp to sound as good as it does but I'm sure there were budgetary constraints that limited the Pulse in that respect.


You make me want to go out and buy the Liquid Gold, I'll have to do more research on it. If it does indeed out perform my Signature, it's definitely worth looking into !


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Me I am itching for an ifi iCan pro. Right size/features for my Pulse. But I might go to upgrade my HD600 for a PMx2. Since I have still a Tube HPA (IDK when, but will be redundant when it comes. However the ican Pro is now).


----------



## Shawnb

runningwitit said:


> You make me want to go out and buy the Liquid Gold, I'll have to do more research on it. If it does indeed out perform my Signature, it's definitely worth looking into !




I'd like to know what difference in amps is there between the Infinity and the SE. 
I don't remember any amp upgrade in the SE perk


----------



## oneguy

Nor I


----------



## germay0653

runningwitit said:


> You make me want to go out and buy the Liquid Gold, I'll have to do more research on it. If it does indeed out perform my Signature, it's definitely worth looking into !


 

 Are you sure?  It's cost is $3,999!


----------



## germay0653

shawnb said:


> I'd like to know what difference in amps is there between the Infinity and the SE.
> I don't remember any amp upgrade in the SE perk


 

 Just that a number of components were to be hand matched meaning their specs would be much closer to being the same.


----------



## runningwitit

germay0653 said:


> Are you sure?  It's cost is $3,999!


All together, my Signature Edition ran me $3250.00.


----------



## doctorjazz

Curious how this all plays out, as I'm waiting on a Vi Tube Dac signature myself (but, who knows when that will arrive). Nice to know that you love the Pulse Signature (hey, I really like my Geek Out Signature v1, that's how I got caught up in all this LH Labs craziness in the first place). I did get to hear the Liquid Gold at CanJam NY, it was indeed a great sounding unit (as part of a system, of course, I believe it was Mr Speakers headphones, and a Mojo Audio Mystique DAC).


----------



## runningwitit

doctorjazz said:


> Curious how this all plays out, as I'm waiting on a Vi Tube Dac signature myself (but, who knows when that will arrive). Nice to know that you love the Pulse Signature (hey, I really like my Geek Out Signature v1, that's how I got caught up in all this LH Labs craziness in the first place). I did get to hear the Liquid Gold at CanJam NY, it was indeed a great sounding unit (as part of a system, of course, I believe it was Mr Speakers headphones, and a Mojo Audio Mystique DAC).


How close is your Geekout Signature to the L.G. sound wise? I know they're in different league's as far as hardware, but how do they compare?


----------



## doctorjazz

@runningwitt, that's so hard to answer! As you note, you're comparing a portable, usb amp/dac for about $700 to a dedicated headphone AMP ONLY that sold for, what $2.5-3K or so? (I'd hope the LG would do better than the GO SE). Next it was driven by the well regarded Mojo Audio Mystique (not sure which version he was using, (V2 ,which I believe is being upgraded and discontinued in the v2 version, listed for $3k). So now we're comparing this little usb amp dac to a unit that lists for about 10 times as much. To make it harder, I was using Mr Speakers new AEON headphones, which are very nice, but not a sound I'm acclimated to. And, just to belabor the point, it was in show conditions, noisy, using open cans. Now, if I had the stuff at home, I'd be comparing the amp sections using the same dac, the dac sections using the same amp, different headphones, with no time pressure or distractions. I'll just say, I'm very happy with my current PC system, which uses the GO SE line out into the MicroZOTL2 amp, (and some knowledgeable folks have told me I did OK staying put), but, at CamJam, I had a twinge of regret for not going for the Liquid Gold when I had the chance.


----------



## runningwitit

doctorjazz said:


> @runningwitt, that's so hard to answer! As you note, you're comparing a portable, usb amp/dac for about $700 to a dedicated headphone AMP ONLY that sold for, what $2.5-3K or so? (I'd hope the LG would do better than the GO SE). Next it was driven by the well regarded Mojo Audio Mystique (not sure which version he was using, (V2 ,which I believe is being upgraded and discontinued in the v2 version, listed for $3k). So now we're comparing this little usb amp dac to a unit that lists for about 10 times as much. To make it harder, I was using Mr Speakers new AEON headphones, which are very nice, but not a sound I'm acclimated to. And, just to belabor the point, it was in show conditions, noisy, using open cans. Now, if I had the stuff at home, I'd be comparing the amp sections using the same dac, the dac sections using the same amp, different headphones, with no time pressure or distractions. I'll just say, I'm very happy with my current PC system, which uses the GO SE line out into the MicroZOTL2 amp, (and some knowledgeable folks have told me I did OK staying put), but, at CamJam, I had a twinge of regret for not going for the Liquid Gold when I had the chance.


My friend, now, how much clearer can one be ! Lol, it looks like once I get LH Labs out of the way, that will be my next purchase! I decided to upgrade my Source to the Signature Edition also and it will be a very nice combination provided the recent upgrades made to the amp section of my Signature Edition Pulse!


----------



## doctorjazz

@runningwitt, I went for all the upgrades to the Source, but is there a separate "Signature" edition?


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> @runningwitt, I went for all the upgrades to the Source, but is there a separate "Signature" edition?


 

 Yes!


----------



## doctorjazz

germay0653 said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > @runningwitt, I went for all the upgrades to the Source, but is there a separate "Signature" edition?
> ...




Didn't see that...
OUCH!!!

I've been going for TOTL LH, do I really want to dig myself into an even deeper hole...?


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> Didn't see that...
> OUCH!!!
> 
> I've been going for TOTL LH, do I really want to dig myself into an even deeper hole...?


 

 I'll PM you about the differences between adding all the options and what you get with the SE version.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Mea culpa.. wrong thread..


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Mea culpa.. wrong thread..


 

 Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea MAXIMA culpa!   I was an alter boy way back in the day.


----------



## spyder1

Any body waiting on Pulse AMPS, Pulse Tube Pre-AMP, Pulse Tube HPA? I have been quietly waiting a long time! I hope my Pulse Xfi is still operational when they arrive.


----------



## uncola

I was waiting for the pulse stereo speaker amp but cancelled.. still waiting for refund despite tickets with gina saying she'd ask accounting to double check on the delay


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I have a tube HPA in waiting. 

Itching now for a Pathos Aurium w/ a 200€ discount. Or skip later for ifi iCan Pro.

@Gery, hey I was w/ the choir!


----------



## greenkiwi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I have a tube HPA in waiting.
> 
> Itching now for a Pathos Aurium w/ a 200€ discount. Or skip later for ifi iCan Pro.
> 
> @Gery, hey I was w/ the choir!


 
 I know the feeling. I had ordered the HPA just before Cavalli had a huge discount on the Liquid Crimson.  Wish I'd bit and bought it...


----------



## oneguy

Assuming they go in the order pledged, I am somewhere between 5 and 7 inline for an HPA Tube with all the modules.


----------



## Shawnb

spyder1 said:


> Any body waiting on Pulse AMPS, Pulse Tube Pre-AMP, Pulse Tube HPA? I have been quietly waiting a long time! I hope my Pulse Xfi is still operational when they arrive.




I ordered a PTP, Tubed HPA, Source SE, LPS4, LPS8 plus my TOTL Wave  I have a long wait


----------



## mscott58

runningwitit said:


> All together, my Signature Edition ran me $3250.00.



 


I am pretty sure the amp section of the Pulse SE will be bettered by the LAu, but remember that the Cavailli is just an amp, so you'll still need a DAC. I'd recommend adding something like the LAu after your SE. Cheers


----------



## runningwitit

mscott58 said:


> runningwitit said:
> 
> 
> > All together, my Signature Edition ran me $3250.00.
> ...


 I'm still contemplating this upgrade and I do believe it will be killer! Thanks MScott!!


----------



## Shawnb

runningwitit said:


> I'm still contemplating this upgrade and I do believe it will be killer! Thanks MScott!!


 
  
  
 The website lists them as sold out so you might be out of luck unless you find someone willing to part with theirs.


----------



## Audio Addict

runningwitit said:


> I'm still contemplating this upgrade and I do believe it will be killer! Thanks MScott!!




I would think very long and hard before upgrading and forking out more $$$$.


----------



## mscott58

audio addict said:


> I would think very long and hard before upgrading and forking out more $$$$.




Even better is to try it before you buy it!


----------



## Audio Addict

audio addict said:


> I would think very long and hard before upgrading and forking out more $$$$.







mscott58 said:


> Even better is to try it before you buy it!




How would you do that with a LH Labs product?


----------



## mscott58

Think they were referring to upgrading to the LAu to pair with their Pulse SE?


----------



## runningwitit

mscott58 said:


> Think they were referring to upgrading to the LAu to pair with their Pulse SE?


That is correct. If I decided to do any upgrades, it wouldn't be anytime soon. I'm up to my eyebrows in LH Labs with my Signature Source and Wave, I'm still working to free up money for these!


----------



## Boban85

After more than 2 years, 2 changed jobs, moving abroad 3 times, finishing A Song of Ice and Fire's 5 books, 2 language courses, Breaking Bad and the American version of The Office, after 3 mild winters, 2 presidents, David Bovie passing away, my best friend getting married, after 6256 hours of sleep, 825 breakfasts, 4 pairs of shoes, a new Rush documentary, 2 new Star Wars movies, 11 LhLabs tickets, Conan O'Brien doing a show in Mexico, after NASA discovering 3 planets that could potentially support life, my Pulse Infinity has been shipped. 

This is one of the advantages of LHLabs crowdfunding, a person can take a step back and reflect: how have I used my time? Have I bettered myself? Have I helped others and worked to improve our community and the environment? 

If you cannot answer an honest yes to these questions, well, there's a worthy goal until the next Geek product arrives.

Cheers!

P.S. I actually do appreciate the guys working at LHLabs for bearing with all my complaints and sending me my unit. I am sure the wait will soon be over for all those still waiting for their Pulses.


----------



## llama_egg

Well, actually got a reply from them;
  


> Our web development team has yet to add the Pulse XFIs to our system. Once we do add the remaining Pulse XFIs you will be notified.


 
 :\


----------



## runningwitit

llama_egg said:


> Well, actually got a reply from them;
> 
> :\


 LMAO


----------



## Benny-x

boban85 said:


> After more than 2 years, 2 changed jobs, moving abroad 3 times, finishing A Song of Ice and Fire's 5 books, 2 language courses, Breaking Bad and the American version of The Office, after 3 mild winters, 2 presidents, David Bovie passing away, my best friend getting married, after 6256 hours of sleep, 825 breakfasts, 4 pairs of shoes, a new Rush documentary, 2 new Star Wars movies, 11 LhLabs tickets, Conan O'Brien doing a show in Mexico, after NASA discovering 3 planets that could potentially support life, my Pulse Infinity has been shipped.
> 
> This is one of the advantages of LHLabs crowdfunding, a person can take a step back and reflect: how have I used my time? Have I bettered myself? Have I helped others and worked to improve our community and the environment?
> 
> ...


 
 That was a great reply. Thanks for the laugh and putting in perspective how the world has changed, but how one point has remained constant; you don't have a Pulse in your hands yet   I wish you the best of luck in receiving a fully functioning unit. Another guy a few pages back posted a similar kind of "it's been ages, but I finally got it" and then his Pulse died like 3 days later and he had to RMA it. Not trying to be a Debbie Downer, just sayin' you gotta keep them fingers nice and crossed.
  
 For me, I am contemplating adding an Auralic Taurus MkII to my Pulse X Infinity in the next couple months. I've used an external amp with the Infinity before to great effect, and I was a HUGE fan of the Taurus MkII when I tried it out last year for a bit, so I'm hoping together they might be a happy couple.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

There is one $850 at the FS thread....
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/824855/auralic-taurus-mk2-price-reduced


----------



## Benny-x

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> There is one $850 at the FS thread....




Bunch of enablers around here, eh?

That's a pretty good deal. Looks like the guy is even in Canada... 

A few weeks ago I saw one that was in good condition, but missing a screw in the lid; it went for $850-900, that was hilarious. By that math, I've got to switch jobs to be an Auralic screw supplier...

Anyway, this one at $850 with some dents and scratches seems like an alright deal. I don't think I could bite the bullet in the dents for that price, though. Have to be about $750, some of those are half deep and I wouldn't want to see it on my shelf. 

The real motivator for me is that I can get a new one over here for about $1000, factory sealed with warranty. When I do buy, that's what I'll be getting.


----------



## pbear

llama_egg said:


> Well, actually got a reply from them;
> 
> :\


 
  
 Good for you! That's extremely rare these days.
  
 I received my Pulse Infinity 1.0 in July 2015 (much earlier than some folks here, I know). Unfortunately, on Friday the 13th in January, it died and hasn't worked since. I filed a ticket for an RMA the following Monday, and there's been absolutely no response now for 6 weeks. Three subsequent tickets trying to escalate this were summarily closed without even the courtesy of a one line response.
  
 So glad I paid extra to extend an apparently useless warranty for an extra year. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Maybe if I'm very lucky they'll finally issue an RMA sometime before my 3 year warranty expires next year.
  
 Worst customer experience ever. Again, and again...


----------



## runningwitit

pbear said:


> Good for you! That's extremely rare these days.
> 
> I received my Pulse Infinity 1.0 in July 2015 (much earlier than some folks here, I know). Unfortunately, on Friday the 13th in January, it died and hasn't worked since. I filed a ticket for an RMA the following Monday, and there's been absolutely no response now for 6 weeks. Three subsequent tickets trying to escalate this were summarily closed without even the courtesy of a one line response.
> 
> ...


Have you tried emailing the technician directly?


----------



## kyokushin

Keep hounding the clowns that's was my approach.


----------



## pbear

runningwitit said:


> Have you tried emailing the technician directly?


 
  
 The only internal email address I have is for Gina. I tried sending an email to her, but the email was simply redirected to the ticket system, and the ticket was closed with no response.
  


kyokushin said:


> Keep hounding the clowns that's was my approach.


 
  
 I promised in my latest escalation ticket to continue pestering them every week until they respond. In a couple of weeks, it will be every day.


----------



## runningwitit

pbear said:


> The only internal email address I have is for Gina. I tried sending an email to her, but the email was simply redirected to the ticket system, and the ticket was closed with no response.
> 
> 
> I promised in my latest escalation ticket to continue pestering them every week until they respond. In a couple of weeks, it will be every day.


pm'ed


----------



## pbear

runningwitit said:


> pm'ed


 
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Boban85

Guys, is 3.26.0 the latest Pulse Windows driver?


----------



## kyokushin

Yes mate.


----------



## Boban85

kyokushin said:


> Yes mate.


 
  
 Thanks. Cheers!


----------



## Boban85

What is the optimum setting for the buffer, USB streaming mode and ASIO buffer size? Does it affect the sound? Default setting is 'Safe' for the USB and 'Auto' for the ASIO.


----------



## kyokushin

Think it depends on your computer.


----------



## Benny-x

I just updated the firmware on my Pulse X Infinity, but now the display has gone all squirrelly :-/

I've got:
Main-3.0
USB-1.0 (I have the 3.26 driver installed for a long time and whatever inside updated to 1v5 or something)
MCU-1.25

Can anyone PM me about the app.bin file to update the MCU? I don't want to bother with LH Labs support and I tried the "app.bin" file on the site, but nothing happened.

EDIT:
In back reading, it seems MCU 1.25 is buggy, 1.27 is sort of safe, and there are versions all the way up to 2.4 or 2.5 now?


----------



## kyokushin

Xfi replacement arrived here February, main 3.0 mcu 2.4 ,3.26 2vo whatever that is.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have an Infinity (have exactly as yours). 2V0 means you can do DSD256 native.


----------



## kyokushin

Ok , thought that was only infinity versions but useful none the less. Thanks Chris


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Sorry, haven't seen the Xfi thing... But nonetheless why not give it a try. 

Received an updated firmware 2V0 for my Infinity a year ago and it plays DSD256 native.


----------



## velvet undergrd

Hi Guys, apologies if i'm a little off topic. My Pulse is on the fritz and i raised a support ticket with LH Labs bout three weeks ago but havent got a reply from their support team yet.
  
 Any idea how i might contact somebody from LH Labs regarding this?


----------



## Boban85

Hmm, I got the Infinity this week and MCU is 2.0.
  
 Is it normal for the Pulse's display to only show 44.1k even if you play higher res, like 96k? I am not sure if it downsamples everything, or the screen just freezes into one res...


----------



## jbr1971

velvet undergrd said:


> Hi Guys, apologies if i'm a little off topic. My Pulse is on the fritz and i raised a support ticket with LH Labs bout three weeks ago but havent got a reply from their support team yet.
> 
> Any idea how i might contact somebody from LH Labs regarding this?


 
  
 Open another ticket referencing the previous ticket number. The first one may have gotten lost in the shuffle.


----------



## jbr1971

boban85 said:


> Hmm, I got the Infinity this week and MCU is 2.0.
> 
> Is it normal for the Pulse's display to only show 44.1k even if you play higher res, like 96k? I am not sure if it downsamples everything, or the screen just freezes into one res...


 
  
 No. What playback software are you using? Some playback software requires specific settings to interact with the Pulse properly.


----------



## velvet undergrd

jbr1971 said:


> Open another ticket referencing the previous ticket number. The first one may have gotten lost in the shuffle.


 
  
 Thanks, i'll try that and see if it works.


----------



## wingsounds13

@Boban85: What jbr said. While there is a remote chance that there is a problem with your DAC, there is more like a 99%+ probability that your player software or your computer's audio system is resampling the music. If you can't find the issue on your own, come back and tell us what software and Operating System you are using and we can help you to get it playing the way that it should be.

J.P.


----------



## Boban85

jbr1971 said:


> No. What playback software are you using? Some playback software requires specific settings to interact with the Pulse properly.


 
  


wingsounds13 said:


> @Boban85: What jbr said. While there is a remote chance that there is a problem with your DAC, there is more like a 99%+ probability that your player software or your computer's audio system is resampling the music. If you can't find the issue on your own, come back and tell us what software and Operating System you are using and we can help you to get it playing the way that it should be.
> 
> J.P.


 
  
 Thanks to jbr1971 and J.P.

 I am using Foobar2000 for music and BSplayer for video. After playing around with foobar, trying to setup DSD playback, now the Pulse recognizes the Khz when playing music through foobar. All video files are 44.1k with BSplayer and VLC player, when they should be 48k.

 Also, DSD files show 352.8k on the display. Is this correct, or it should say DSD? In Preferences/Tools/SACD/Output mode - when I select DSD, there is no sound when playing DSD. When I select PCM or DSD+PCM I get sound and the display says 352.8k. I am doing something wrong, or this is it?

 A apologize for the million questions...


----------



## jbr1971

boban85 said:


> Thanks to jbr1971 and J.P.
> 
> I am using Foobar2000 for music and BSplayer for video. After playing around with foobar, trying to setup DSD playback, now the Pulse recognizes the Khz when playing music through foobar. All video files are 44.1k with BSplayer and VLC player, when they should be 48k.
> 
> ...


 
  
 When playing DSD files it should say DSD64 or DSD128.
  
 Did you use the Foobar setup guide on the LH support site to setup Foobar? If not, go to the following page and check your settings against the guide in case there is something you missed:
  
 https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000556094-using-foobar2000-with-geek-pulse-setup-and-user-guide
  
 The guide is a couple of years old, but should still work for you.


----------



## ghiglie

My Pulse Infinity is working strangely from yesterday. I really was enjoyning it... sob!
 It's quite strange: it keeps sound flowing (from any input), but "Pulse DAC" stays blinking on front display but nothing going on. No one replying to Support tickets, but I'm sure that if they do I'll to send back to factory.
 This crowfunding was definitely a failure...


----------



## Boban85

jbr1971 said:


> When playing DSD files it should say DSD64 or DSD128.
> 
> Did you use the Foobar setup guide on the LH support site to setup Foobar? If not, go to the following page and check your settings against the guide in case there is something you missed:
> 
> ...


 
  
 I followed the guide, but some options are very different than shown in the guide. Seems that when in Preferences/Output, I select Device: ASIO : foo_dsd_asio (as recommended in the guide) DSD does not work. When I select DSD: ASIO : foo_dsd_asio, DSD playback does work, but Foobar volume control is not functional. What do you have as Device?


----------



## Shawnb

jbr1971 said:


> Open another ticket referencing the previous ticket number. The first one may have gotten lost in the shuffle.


 
  
 All that did was get my 2nd ticket merged into the first one. Still didn't answer my RMA request.


----------



## mark5hs

So the volume control on my standard pulse frequently stops working. It'll show the decibels changing on the screen when I turn the knob but the volume won't actually change. I also cant control the volume in windows settings so I just have to do it in the specific program I'm using.

Anyone have this issue? Control will come back if I restart the unit and the computer but goes away randomly after (happens most often if I change the deafult output in windows but sometimes without doing anything). Any ideas? It's quite annoying,as itll be stuck in the level I use for my hd650 and then blow my ears out if I switch to my Nighthawks...


----------



## Panelhead

My unit did that once. Volume control did not change volume. 
 If somehow Dac is in integer mode the upsampling and attenuation will not work.


----------



## pbear

shawnb said:


> All that did was get my 2nd ticket merged into the first one. Still didn't answer my RMA request.


 
  
 I had the same problem, six weeks with no response to my RMA request, and multiple escalation tickets were closed or merged into the orginal RMA ticket. @runningwitt was nice enough to pm me the direct email for the technician, who responded right away. In my case, upgrading the firmware to the latest version fixed the problem.
  
 Passing it forward, you have a PM.


----------



## marflao

This FW desaster is another thing I don´t really understand: why can´t LHL upload the latest drivers/firmwares on their support site?
  
 It`s not rocket science, or?


----------



## pbear

marflao said:


> This FW desaster is another thing I don´t really understand: why can´t LHL upload the latest drivers/firmwares on their support site?
> 
> It`s not rocket science, or?


 
  
 There are supposedly different firmware versions for different models, and the firmware installer isn't smart enough to check that the firmware version is compatible with the hardware you're trying to install it on. I think LH Labs is afraid a lot of people would brick their Pulses if they posted all the different firmware versions on their site because of that.


----------



## jbr1971

pbear said:


> There are supposedly different firmware versions for different models, and the firmware installer isn't smart enough to check that the firmware version is compatible with the hardware you're trying to install it on. I think LH Labs is afraid a lot of people would brick their Pulses if they posted all the different firmware versions on their site because of that.


 
  
 Exactly. It has happened more than once.


----------



## kyokushin

Be interested to know people's thoughts on the headphone amp especially the balanced option . I have a pair of old hd565 ovations and wondered if a balanced cable would be an upgrade for occasional listening. Cheers Chris.


----------



## ukeyoner

I would stay away form LH Labs. I own a Geek Out, a Geek Pulse XFI and an LPS 4. Of the 3 products, only the Geek Out hasn't been sent back for repairs. The Pulse XFI, I had send back again a second time, because then sent it back to me nonfunctioning, AFTER A REPAIR! This has been going on for over 2 months. And this is after they had my unit for 3 months the first time. No one answers the support tickets. Worst company I've ever had to deal with. Worst money I've ever spent on audio gear.


----------



## foreverzer0

kyokushin said:


> Be interested to know people's thoughts on the headphone amp especially the balanced option . I have a pair of old hd565 ovations and wondered if a balanced cable would be an upgrade for occasional listening. Cheers Chris.


 
  
 It's going to be a larger soundstage than SE, potentially more control over the frequency range -- depending on the price of the cable, you could also look into using that money on a discrete amp for further upgrade.


----------



## bhazard

ukeyoner said:


> I would stay away form LH Labs. I own a Geek Out, a Geek Pulse XFI and an LPS 4. Of the 3 products, only the Geek Out hasn't been sent back for repairs. The Pulse XFI, I had send back again a second time, because then sent it back to me nonfunctioning, AFTER A REPAIR! This has been going on for over 2 months. And this is after they had my unit for 3 months the first time. No one answers the support tickets. Worst company I've ever had to deal with. Worst money I've ever spent on audio gear.


 
 Sent my Pulse X Infinity in for an RMA a month ago. No response in the tickets after multiple status requests from me. This tells me the company is in trouble, doesn't care, or both.
  
 Even though there aren't many DACs with the newer Sabre chip in them like this, I would far prefer the Aune S6 or some other balanced DAC at this point. I'm not even sure I could resell this after it ever does get repaired. I still have a Geek Wave on the way even, and not really sure I want to even keep or open it.


----------



## kyokushin

foreverzer0 said:


> It's going to be a larger soundstage than SE, potentially more control over the frequency range -- depending on the price of the cable, you could also look into using that money on a discrete amp for further upgrade.



Thanks for the information, will try this hpa section first.


----------



## marflao

jbr1971 said:


> Exactly. It has happened more than once.




Guys,

providing firmwares works with other companies. 

I find it absolutely annoying to request the latest fw especially if you then have to wait ages for a reply/the fw.


----------



## oneguy

Well at least one Indiegogo project won the lottery.


----------



## Boban85

I managed to set-up the Pulse with the LPS4. Using it balanced with the Jotunheim as an dedicated amp and boy, it sure sounds great. Much better than the Jotunheim's internal DAC. Provided you got your Pulse and it works fine, there is nothing to scoff at concerning the sound quality. LPS4 & Pulse + Jotunheim - all balanced out to HE-560 = goosebumps...
  
 I am not sure that I would say it was worth the wait at this point, after 2 and a half years, but the product does sound great and it makes you wonder if they organized the campaign better, focused on one product at a time, knew when to stop with the perks, the campaign could have been a huge success for them.


----------



## mark5hs

panelhead said:


> My unit did that once. Volume control did not change volume.
> If somehow Dac is in integer mode the upsampling and attenuation will not work.


 
  
 Hmm how would I check that?
  
 Also, the gain select isn't affecting volume level either.


----------



## snip3r77

Can anyone advise which software should I use for the Raspberry so that it can be detected by the app? Runeaudio? Volumio ?
I'd be using it with Spotify ( connect ) .

Thanks.


----------



## johangrb

boban85 said:


> I managed to set-up the Pulse with the LPS4. Using it balanced with the Jotunheim as an dedicated amp and boy, it sure sounds great. Much better than the Jotunheim's internal DAC. Provided you got your Pulse and it works fine, there is nothing to scoff at concerning the sound quality. LPS4 & Pulse + Jotunheim - all balanced out to HE-560 = goosebumps...
> 
> I am not sure that I would say it was worth the wait at this point, after 2 and a half years, but the product does sound great and it makes you wonder if they organized the campaign better, focused on one product at a time, knew when to stop with the perks, the campaign could have been a huge success for them.


 
 I agree. I've had my Pulse X infinity + LPS4 running for about a 18 months now and it still sounds awesome. (I pair it with a Cavalli LC, Uptone regen and run it off a PS Audio P300).


----------



## Suopermanni

boban85 said:


> I managed to set-up the Pulse with the LPS4. Using it balanced with the Jotunheim as an dedicated amp and boy, it sure sounds great. Much better than the Jotunheim's internal DAC. Provided you got your Pulse and it works fine, there is nothing to scoff at concerning the sound quality. LPS4 & Pulse + Jotunheim - all balanced out to HE-560 = goosebumps...
> 
> I am not sure that I would say it was worth the wait at this point, after 2 and a half years, but the product does sound great and it makes you wonder if they organized the campaign better, focused on one product at a time, knew when to stop with the perks, the campaign could have been a huge success for them.




I have a very similar setup except I have my own lps. It is a very good sounding setup, isnt it?


----------



## snip3r77

snip3r77 said:


> Can anyone advise which software should I use for the Raspberry so that it can be detected by the app? Runeaudio? Volumio ?
> I'd be using it with Spotify ( connect ) .
> 
> Thanks.




Need help if Geek Pulse is able to be detected by Raspberry and also if HiRes is possible


----------



## hwlyall

I use Moode with my RPi after switching from the old version of Volumio.  It plays anything supported by MPD including Hi-Res no problem.  Getting something like an intona or regen in the chain will make a world of difference though.


----------



## snip3r77

hwlyall said:


> I use Moode with my RPi after switching from the old version of Volumio.  It plays anything supported by MPD including Hi-Res no problem.  Getting something like an intona or regen in the chain will make a world of difference though.




Is detecting geek pulse an issue ? 
Have you tried installing "Spotify connect" ?


----------



## Benny-x

I got an answer from tech support with the latest (v1.27............) MCU app.bin file, loaded it onto my freshly formatted in FAT microSD, popped it in my phone to confirm it worked, then powered down the Pulse X Infinity, loaded the SD card, powered on again, no change. Did it all from scratch again, no change. Reformatted the microSD card, no change. 
  
 The problem with my display glitch isn't the end of the world and the 2V0 firmware does seem more stable USB handshake wise than the 1V5 I was using before, BUT it's killing me that I "upgraded" to the X Infinity in 2.0 chassis so that I wouldn't have to send my unit in in case it needed an MCU upgrade, and now that's exactly how it'd have to go down... 
  
 I won't be sending mine in. I'll use it, maybe mod it and try to use up some of that empty space inside the nice looking chassis, then eventually if it breaks I'll move onto a new component. No more money going to LH Labs for me. Not even for shipping.


----------



## hwlyall

Quote:


snip3r77 said:


> Is detecting geek pulse an issue ?
> Have you tried installing "Spotify connect" ?


 
  
 I haven't had any issues since the new firmware came out but did prior to that.  I am not a spotify user, sorry.


----------



## rdsu

After more than 3 years waiting, tomorrow I will get my Pulse Infinity DAC 2.0...

Can you advice about what driver and firmware should I use?

Thanks


----------



## runningwitit

rdsu said:


> After more than 3 years waiting, tomorrow I will get my Pulse Infinity DAC 2.0...
> 
> Can you advice about what driver and firmware should I use?
> 
> Thanks


Your Pulse will have the latest software installed when it arrives.I' m not too sure about the driver friend,but enjoy !!


----------



## rdsu

runningwitit said:


> Your Pulse will have the latest software installed when it arrives. Enjoy !!



And driver for Windows?


----------



## spyder1

rdsu said:


> And driver for Windows?


 
 You can download windows driver 3.26 from the LH Labs Pulse Support page, "Pulse Driver Installation."


----------



## germay0653

rdsu said:


> After more than 3 years waiting, tomorrow I will get my Pulse Infinity DAC 2.0...
> 
> Can you advice about what driver and firmware should I use?
> 
> Thanks


 

 Wow, that was a long wait Rui, however, I believe you will enjoy the sound quality and hopefully you will not have any problems with it.  You may sometimes have trouble with the initial handshake but powering the unit off and on again tends to solve the problem for me.  Worst case, you power the unit off and on then reboot Windows.  Once up and running it does sound very good!


----------



## gikigill

Update the firmware and the handshake problem disappears.


----------



## germay0653

gikigill said:


> Update the firmware and the handshake problem disappears.


 

 Hi gikikill, it is updated but I believe it may be related to the having a REGEN, a Revive and sometimes both in the signal path.


----------



## doctorjazz

Does putting a Revive and a Regen in line make improvements?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have a Revive in my chain. Yes, it has improved my SQ.


----------



## snip3r77

gikigill said:


> Update the firmware and the handshake problem disappears.




I did a self upgrade and the unit bricked and requires me to send back.
hence, now I'm a bit apprehensive to do it since it's our of warranty :/


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

As on previous threads problem with firmware upgrade is that the DFU (Dead Fu#@ing Unit) utility doesn't have checks if what you are flashing is compatible to the unit.
  
 You need to double/triple check the .bin  and pray Hail Mary when doing.
  
 I let my GP Infinity left on for the most part. Once in a while I have connection issues. A simple restart will resolve the issue. Don't know if its is caused by Power management in part of Android TV. But it seldom occurs.


----------



## Shawnb

germay0653 said:


> Wow, that was a long wait Rui, however, I believe you will enjoy the sound quality and hopefully you will not have any problems with it.  You may sometimes have trouble with the initial handshake but powering the unit off and on again tends to solve the problem for me.  Worst case, you power the unit off and on then reboot Windows.  Once up and running it does sound very good!


 
  
 Worse case is when you need support cause there isn't any.


----------



## germay0653

doctorjazz said:


> Does putting a Revive and a Regen in line make improvements?


 

 It does in my setups (Home Theater/Stereo and personal headphone).  Details are sharper, more focused, but less strident and a quieter background too.


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> As on previous threads problem with firmware upgrade is that the DFU (Dead Fu#@ing Unit) utility doesn't have checks if what you are flashing is compatible to the unit.
> 
> You need to double/triple check the .bin  and pray Hail Mary when doing.
> 
> I let my GP Infinity left on for the most part. Once in a while I have connection issues. A simple restart will resolve the issue. Don't know if its is caused by Power management in part of Android TV. But it seldom occurs.


 

 Nice definition for the DFU acronym and not enough mea culpa's, Michael!


----------



## doctorjazz

germay0653 said:


> doctorjazz said:
> 
> 
> > Does putting a Revive and a Regen in line make improvements?
> ...




I have one of each at home, haven't really compared, just alternate, just now I did a quickie comparison, seems to me the Revive is sharper, quieter, more open than the Regen (this is a really quick back and forth). I have to try them together.
(I had just upgraded my MicroZOTL2 through Mojo Audio, and gotten their Illuminati LPS for it; was feeling things were not quite right until I changed from the Regen to the Revive. Using Geek Out Special Edition v1 out of PC, HEK v1 at the end)


----------



## doctorjazz

(Now if they could only get it together and get gear to their backers...)


----------



## TopQuark

doctorjazz said:


> I have one of each at home, haven't really compared, just alternate, just now I did a quickie comparison, seems to me the Revive is sharper, quieter, more open than the Regen (this is a really quick back and forth). I have to try them together.
> (I had just upgraded my MicroZOTL2 through Mojo Audio, and gotten their Illuminati LPS for it; was feeling things were not quite right until I changed from the Regen to the Revive. Using Geek Out Special Edition v1 out of PC, HEK v1 at the end)


 
  
 I hope I can try Revive.  Between Regen and Intona, Intona makes a huge impact to Pulse Infinity in terms of clarity and transparency.


----------



## oneguy

topquark said:


> I hope I can try Revive.  Between Regen and Intona, Intona makes a huge impact to Pulse Infinity in terms of clarity and transparency.




I only had Revive for a short time before it stopped working properly. I remember hearing a small but noticeable difference in the positive direction with it. I didn't like the way the Regen sounded with the Inifinity. No experience with the Intona however.


----------



## rdsu

Finally, I tried my Pulse Infinity DAC v2, but when I use the Toslink input it stops every 5 secs...

For Toslink input I'm using an Android Box, and it's working fine on my other DAC.

Do you also have this issue?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Rudy, I am using an Android box too through UAPP. No problems for me on toslink nor rca spdif. 

If you are using UAPP, try increasing buffers to 16384. And enable Bitperfect.


----------



## rdsu

Thanks mickey!

Do you know if all inputs use the Digital Filter selected?


----------



## upsguys88

Are there any good 3.5mm se to 3.5 balanced adapters so I can connect my alpha prime headphones to the balanced output on my GOV2+ infinity balanced output?


----------



## Suopermanni

upsguys88 said:


> Are there any good 3.5mm se to 3.5 balanced adapters so I can connect my alpha prime headphones to the balanced output on my GOV2+ infinity balanced output?




Don't think you will find one, as far as I've been told, you cant go unbalanced to balanced.


----------



## doctorjazz

That's what I've been told-I use adaptor to go into my MicroZOTL2's single ended input from my balanced cable, but I don't think you can do it the other way.


----------



## wingsounds13

You can't (or most certainly should not) connect a SE headphone to a balanced output. This will short the L- and R- legs of the amp and will quite possibly smoke your amp. If you are lucky and don't kill the amp, the next most likely result is distorted sound. Not good either way.

J.P.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Have somebody tried to issue a ticket in support lately? I can login in support. But when I wan't to issue a ticket it will say my account is suspended.


----------



## Boban85

Logged in as usual, no problems.

 P.S. Lol, but when trying to open a new ticket I got the same response, your account has been suspended, contact an administrator...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep thats the one...


----------



## rdsu

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Have somebody tried to issue a ticket in support lately? I can login in support. But when I wan't to issue a ticket it will say my account is suspended.



I had the same issue, some weeks ago, and after talked with Larry, my problem was solved...


----------



## marflao

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Have somebody tried to issue a ticket in support lately? I can login in support. But when I wan't to issue a ticket it will say my account is suspended.


 
  
 Yep...just checked it and have the same situation.


----------



## Benny-x

Is it finally the fall of LH Labs? Systems closing down and no more contact? We've all feared the company was on the edge for ages now, maybe it's finally tipped and everything is coming crashing down???


----------



## doctorjazz

Oh No, there goes lots of buck invested if that's what's happening...


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Have somebody tried to issue a ticket in support lately? I can login in support. But when I wan't to issue a ticket it will say my account is suspended.


 

 I just tried and got the same message Michael.  Not sure what's going on but hopefully, they're just doing some maintenance and we not really suspended.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yep, just want to check if it is just only me...


----------



## doublea71

Not a good sign. If anybody is in their neck of the woods in California, we would all appreciate a little detective work. Hell, I'll paypal you gas money.


----------



## germay0653

Still can't enter a new ticket or even make comments on existing open tickets.  Sure hope it just a system glitch.


----------



## jsiegel14072

germay0653 said:


> Still can't enter a new ticket or even make comments on existing open tickets.  Sure hope it just a system glitch.


 
 Sent a message to the new site, no reply yet.
 is larry back from the Singapore show?   Did he head on to China to find suppliers?


----------



## uncola

I think you guys can relax, they've had glitches with their forum and ticket software before I think.. no need to start stockpiling canned goods for your bunkers


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Youre right, ITS BACK!


----------



## doctorjazz

I'm stockpiling goods anyway, lots of good reasons these days :rolleyes:


----------



## germay0653

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Youre right, ITS BACK!


 

 Indeed it is!


----------



## germay0653

uncola said:


> I think you guys can relax, they've had glitches with their forum and ticket software before I think.. no need to start stockpiling canned goods for your bunkers


 

 How're you liking your Odyssey Audio amp(s)?


----------



## uncola

Amazing amps, taught me what hifi speaker sound is.. all my previous amps are what I think of as mid-fi now.  But they do take up a lot of shelf space!


----------



## Larry Ho

uncola said:


> I think you guys can relax, they've had glitches with their forum and ticket software before I think.. no need to start stockpiling canned goods for your bunkers


 
  
 Thanks for clarification. In the past 6 months, we have two times of e-Commerce platform error. And in the end, we switch to BigCommerce platform. Seems better. (So far so good)
 We used fresh desk as ticket system for two years. But their credit card charging gateway really sucks. Our company credit card reject its charging two times in past 6 months and then
 the system need us to make a lot of calls to recover. And plus there are their system maintenance time as well.
  
 Any way, the internet/web/software platform. We do our best to keep service level availability at 99.99%. 
  
 Thanks.


----------



## Benny-x

uncola said:


> I think you guys can relax, they've had glitches with their forum and ticket software before I think.. no need to start stockpiling canned goods for your bunkers


 
 One man's "glitch" is another man's "sign". I think this is a sign of the downfall to come. Servers being down for several days, no rack space in the world allows that kind of down time as part of their end user agreement. That only happens when people aren't paying the bills and the service provider says "here's a sign, buddy, pay up" and shuts down a section of your package. 
  
 We'll see, but I don't have a good feeling about where LH Labs is headed anymore. Too many "signs"


----------



## runningwitit

benny-x said:


> One man's "glitch" is another man's "sign". I think this is a sign of the downfall to come. Servers being down for several days, no rack space in the world allows that kind of down time as part of their end user agreement. That only happens when people aren't paying the bills and the service provider says "here's a sign, buddy, pay up" and shuts down a section of your package.
> 
> We'll see, but I don't have a good feeling about where LH Labs is headed anymore. Too many "signs"


 Larry and LH Labs will fly through the storm, they need their people to stick with them through their times of trouble. Larry is too much of a genius to be slept on ! Stay tuned !! Lol !!!


----------



## Shawnb

runningwitit said:


> Larry and LH Labs will fly through the storm, they need their people to stick with them through their times of trouble. Larry is too much of a genius to be slept on ! Stay tuned !! Lol !!!


 
  
 As if we had a choice. We're stuck with them, it's not like we can get a refund or even hope to resell our gear for anything close to what we paid for it, so we don't have a choice but to stick by them and hope for the best.
  
  
 They don't need me to stick by them, I'm stuck. With a Wave, 2 LPS's, HPA, PTP, Source SE still to come I have no choice but to stick by them for many more years to come, many many years at the rate they are going. They better fly through the storms
 So much more I want to say but really what's the point it's all


----------



## runningwitit

shawnb said:


> As if we had a choice. We're stuck with them, it's not like we can get a refund or even hope to resell our gear for anything close to what we paid for it, so we don't have a choice but to stick by them and hope for the best.
> 
> 
> They don't need me to stick by them, I'm stuck. With a Wave, 2 LPS's, HPA, PTP, Source SE still to come I have no choice but to stick by them for many more years to come, many many years at the rate they are going. They better fly through the storms
> So much more I want to say but really what's the point it's all


You know they will come through, that was a big campaign and like you; still waiting. When we receive our items they will be up to date and sounding great ! I'm going to support them unconditionally, I love what I've received this far and couldn't dream of parting with them!


----------



## Benny-x

runningwitit said:


> Larry and LH Labs will fly through the storm, they need their people to stick with them through their times of trouble. Larry is too much of a genius to be slept on ! Stay tuned !! Lol !!!


 
 Who are "their people"...? 
  
 None of us work for LH Labs and none of us are here because we got something 3 years ago and have stayed on because it was so great. No, the rest of us, we didn't sign up any of this. We all bought into a product 3 years ago, then got towed along for this ride while our dollars were there, our stable performance was there, and for many of us, our products are still there... I don't think any of us count as "LH Labs' people", but I'm starting to wonder about you...


----------



## runningwitit

benny-x said:


> Who are "their people"...?
> 
> None of us work for LH Labs and none of us are here because we got something 3 years ago and have stayed on because it was so great. No, the rest of us, we didn't sign up any of this. We all bought into a product 3 years ago, then got towed along for this ride while our dollars were there, our stable performance was there, and for many of us, our products are still there... I don't think any of us count as "LH Labs' people", but I'm starting to wonder about you...


I don't work for them, I'm a customer just like the rest of you! You are an LH Labs customer just like me and that's what I mean by their people. No one signed up to be on hold this long, but so far everything I've received has been A-1. I have my V2+ and Pulse Signature and to my ears, they both sound great! My point is that I have something to pacify​ my hunger for great sounding music right now and it's helping me to withstand this long wait time until the rest of my gear comes! I'm not worried about it being out dated because it won't be ! That's all I have to say !!


----------



## Shawnb

runningwitit said:


> I don't work for them, I'm a customer just like the rest of you! You are an LH Labs customer just like me and that's what I mean by their people. No one signed up to be on hold this long, but so far everything I've received has been A-1. I have my V2+ and Pulse Signature and to my ears, they both sound great! My point is that I have something to pacify​ my hunger for great sounding music right now and it's helping me to withstand this long wait time until the rest of my gear comes! I'm not worried about it being out dated because it won't be ! That's all I have to say !!


 
  
  
  
 At this point I think it's better to just write them off and consider my money lost. If we even get our gear it's just going to be another headache after headache and I'm sick of being feed the same BS over and over again nor is it fun seeing what excuse Larry can come up with this week to explain the latest LH **** up.
  
 Even if I do get my gear I have little faith it'll sound great or work if the experience with my Pulse is anything to go by. The support is a joke, 43 days to even get a reply and probably just as long before they admit there is a problem and I can send it back. It's not worth this headache. I'm not the first to experience this, nor will I be the last. 
  
 Just stop subscribing to this thread, stop visiting their so called forum, stop looking at the scam site Indiegogo. Consider my money lost since I'm never getting it back and forget LH Labs exists.
 If I get my stuff great, if it actually works and sounds good even better, and if not then oh well. Can't get a refund or hope to resell it so better off to just write it off and consider this an very expensive lesson. 
  
  
 I could of put up with the waiting, it's the complete lack of support that has finally done it for me. There never has been any and nothing shows that there ever will be. 
 I'm glad for some everything works and sounds great, but just wait till it doesn't and you actually need their support but there isn't any and then you come back here and tell me how great LH are.
 When it works I'm sure it's great but it's when it doesn't that I'm worried about. I have so much coming, I dread it now cause god forbid one thing doesn't work and I have to go through this BS again
 What you should really worry about is how it can take months to get a reply and even longer to ever get an issue resolved. It's only going to get worse as more gear comes out, just wait for the Wave. If you think this is a storm just wait, this is nothing yet.
  
 I could go on but it's all just 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




just easier to walk away


----------



## ukeyoner

Larry Ho has no honor.


----------



## foreverzer0

Anyone have comparisons with the TEAC UD-503?


----------



## WhiskeyJacks

I dont have a lot of time soc cannot read through all these pages, but I know about some of the hardships people have gone through and been going through with LH Labs, and they have my best wishes with their situation
  
 That being said, I know that many people that did get the LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity 2.0 really seemed to like it. I have one main headphone right now the ZMF Omni planar headphones and wanted to know spur of the moment that I can purchase a bnib pulse x infinity for 1k is it worth it for an ortho headphone as both a DAC and an amp?


----------



## Benny-x

whiskeyjacks said:


> I dont have a lot of time soc cannot read through all these pages, but I know about some of the hardships people have gone through and been going through with LH Labs, and they have my best wishes with their situation
> 
> That being said, I know that many people that did get the LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity 2.0 really seemed to like it. I have one main headphone right now the ZMF Omni planar headphones and wanted to know spur of the moment that I can purchase a bnib pulse x infinity for 1k is it worth it for an ortho headphone as both a DAC and an amp?


 
The quick answer:
 NO. Go buy other stuff and be happy.
  
Longer answer:
 Buy a $500 DAC (DENAFRIPS Ares, Schiit Bifrost Multibit, etc.) and a $500 amp (MANY amps here, solid state or tube) and be a MUCH HAPPIER person. Leave LH Labs and all their schiit to use poor souls to deal with. And if the time comes that you want to move or upgrade, at least you'll be able to resell your equipment and not take such a hit on the journey to the next stage, unlike all of us. The X Infinity has a nice DAC section, but without the LPS4, I wouldn't bother at all. And 3 years later, there are MUCH better DACs around for $500 (DENAFRIPS Ares, Schiit Bifrost Multibit) that easily compete with or beat the X Infinity. The amp in the Infinity is just a packaged bundle, I've been wanting to buy a dedicated amp and bypass mine ever since I got it. 
  
 Move on, and prosper.


----------



## WhiskeyJacks

benny-x said:


> The quick answer:
> NO. Go buy other stuff and be happy.
> 
> Longer answer:
> ...


 
 You know what, thank you for  your opinion I will. I hope you guys find karma coming back to you for this bs you had to deal with


----------



## oneguy

benny-x said:


> The quick answer:
> NO. Go buy other stuff and be happy.
> 
> Longer answer:
> ...




Very well said my friend


----------



## wingsounds13

I hate to say it, but I agree with the above​ opinion. I have a Pulse X∞ 2.0 and love it. It sounds great and I have no desire to sell it. However... Given the opportunity to buy one today for $1000 or even my campaign cost which was a little less, I would pass. I am sure that there are other similarly excellent DACs selling for this or significantly less. Lately, I have been reading about the Schiit Jotunheim and would probably buy that as my headphone amp. There are also a number of amps , including good tube amps, in a similar price class. Likewise, I am tempted to check out the Schiit multibit DACs. I don't know if they are better or worse than the Pulse, but they are readily available, most are cheaper, and all are resellable for a small loss. Who knows what you could get for your used LH Labs products next week. That, and I am still not entirely comfortable with the possible reliability of the Pulse. While mine has been entirely trouble free (only one driver issue experienced) the number of reports of failures, slow repairs and repeated failures are unsettling.

J.P.


----------



## greenkiwi

@wingsounds13 I completely agree! 

I'd go elsewhere... Too many other good options that don't have funky issues and dropped USB.


----------



## pedalhead

Ironically, I'm about to put my X-Infinity and LPS (240v) up for sale, though I think I'm being realistic with the price @ £500. I'm flabbergasted there are still people who are yet to receive their Pulse...let alone all the other LH gear many people are in for. Terrible situation, created by either a highly incompetent, extremely greedy, or plain crooked company (or all three!)


----------



## runningwitit

pedalhead said:


> Ironically, I'm about to put my X-Infinity and LPS (240v) up for sale, though I think I'm being realistic with the price @ £500. I'm flabbergasted there are still people who are yet to receive their Pulse...let alone all the other LH gear many people are in for. Terrible situation, created by either a highly incompetent, extremely greedy, or plain crooked company (or all three!)


I'm not making excuses,but maybe it got to deep for them. I see he's still working.Extra slow process...


----------



## foreverzer0

I've always ran my infinity via XLR to my studio monitors, but I wanted to compare with my Mojo so I tested it on SE, and for some reason holds a much more defined image. Is my balanced out defective? That shouldn't be the case if the balanced has to be converted to single ended right?


----------



## Panelhead

The SE and XLR outputs are separate. I like the balanced better.


----------



## graham508

Good news at long last - this to all remaining Infinity backers, including a couple of upgrades.
  
 Dear Pulse Backers,
 Two good updates here. And we are very happy to share that with you.
 (1) The remaining Infinity version of Pulse DAC PCB Assembly is almost done. Sorry that it is 2 weeks late than our original schedule. But we are seeing it coming soon. And we will start the full speed test
 (2) All chassis and other components are the double check in house. So after PCBA, we will assemble the chassis and rest of the stuff. 
 (3) We really appreciate your patience. So all the new ship out units will include the latest *ZERO acoustic noise capacitors *on headphone analog output stage. Also we include the enhance precision *MELF* resistors in analog path too which definitely will make your Infinity better. 
 (4) We continue the best effort to make your Pulse DAC sound even better. After we complete the firmware update for Vi DAC. We expect to have the newer version of firmware on May. Which include the new algorithm for digital filter/modes (we call it version 2.0)
 Final words, if you haven't updated your shipping address. Please do so in next two weeks and till now we still have around 1% of "wrong shipping address" especially on international ship outs. We truly hope we could let the long waiting backers get the units without any unnecessary delays.
 We commit to continue support all Pulse DAC units to make it sound at its best! 
 Thank you


----------



## MJLavelle

I stumbled on this story from 2014. The conclusions made seem laughingly tragic at this point. I'm sure the author regrets writing this now, especially since he invested in a Geek Pulse himself, based on his own conclusions. 
http://thehighfidelityreport.com/death-of-a-salesman-lh-geek-out-campaigns/


----------



## oneguy

mjlavelle said:


> I stumbled on this story from 2014. The conclusions made seem laughingly tragic at this point. I'm sure the author regrets writing this now, especially since he invested in a Geek Pulse himself, based on his own conclusions.
> http://thehighfidelityreport.com/death-of-a-salesman-lh-geek-out-campaigns/




Staggeringly unfulfilled prediction. The sad thing is that it could have all been true if LH didn't poop in the punch bowl the way they did...repeatedly...


----------



## ukeyoner

*RMA Product In Technician's Queue *since 61 days 15 hours, PLUS the month that it took to get in the tech's queue. Not to mention this is the second time being repaired because they sent the unit back to me broken.


----------



## Narayan23

oneguy said:


> Staggeringly unfulfilled prediction. The sad thing is that it could have all been true if LH didn't poop in the punch bowl the way they did...repeatedly...


 
  
  


mjlavelle said:


> I stumbled on this story from 2014. The conclusions made seem laughingly tragic at this point. I'm sure the author regrets writing this now, especially since he invested in a Geek Pulse himself, based on his own conclusions.
> http://thehighfidelityreport.com/death-of-a-salesman-lh-geek-out-campaigns/


 
 I have to agree oneguy, LH were destined for greatness and Larry Ho & Gavin Pish turned a fairytale into a nightmare, I hope they rise from their ashes for the sake of fellow backers.


----------



## MJLavelle

narayan23 said:


> I have to agree oneguy, LH were destined for greatness and Larry Ho & Gavin Pish turned a fairytale into a nightmare, I hope they rise from their ashes for the sake of fellow backers.




I never understood why they went from selling generally low cost/high quality products that were a few hundred $'s at most, to almost overnight selling 4 and 5 digit priced DAC's, and abandoning their lower cost customer base. I understand expanding into higher priced models, but they basically dumped their market base for high end, high dollar equipment. 
Sure, they found an audience of people willing to pay a relatively low price for a DAC that bloats into multiple versions to meet the crowds never ending wish lists and selling them for the cost of materials at best, if not a loss. Then the few products that actually transitioned to a production product, the costs were stratospheric and do not sell well. Even worse, the majority of these crowd sourced products suffered from so much feature bloat that they still have not been produced, and will be overpriced and a generation or two old as far as their specs, hardware, and feature set if they ever do get made.
Worse yet, one of the two company leaders posts an article on their website that not only defends this method of product development, he also raves about how he prefers this method and that crowd sourcing assures that customers get the product they want. Sure, the ones who paid a relatively small price for a product that will end up costing 3x more when or if it moves to retail production may have been happy, but even they have grown tired of the long wait for products that suffer from terminal feature additions that drag out development into a multi-year slog with the company content to keep burning through their free cash loan that has become a make-work program for their engineering team. 
This was a good idea that failed to put boundaries on what can realistically be added to the features list while still developing a product than can be produced in a one year development cycle, and can move into production without nosebleed level prices and outdated tech. As it stands, they seem to have killed a company that has practically no products to sell at this point, and customers who are so pissed that they are on the verge of taking legal action. It is like a formula for driving a company into oblivion.


----------



## jsiegel14072

graham508 said:


> Good news at long last - this to all remaining Infinity backers, including a couple of upgrades.
> 
> Dear Pulse Backers,
> Two good updates here. And we are very happy to share that with you.
> ...


 
 Last update said there was 200 units to go, so does this answer the question of "when will my unit ship"?


----------



## MikeyFresh

jsiegel14072 said:


> Last update said there was 200 units to go, so does this answer the question of "when will my unit ship"?


 

 Definitely not.
  
 Don't forget they were stating only 87 Pulse units left to ship as long ago as summer 2016.


----------



## wingsounds13

This update is vaguely interesting. I wonder if any of these upgrades will be made standard in production units? Probably so, because it makes no sense to develop these upgrades and source the parts for only a short production run.

As for the production and shipping information... nothing new here. How many times have they posted that the final batch is entering production and all backers will be shipped soon? I have lost count. It has been 16 MONTHS since I received my much delayed Pulse X∞, I am absolutely dumbfounded that the last 80, 100, 200, however many, have not long been in the backer's hands. I can only read this kind of delay as gross mismanagement. I hope that LH Labs lasts long enough to ship all crowdfunded products. In truth, I hope that they last at long enough to support all of these products through their warranty period, as LH Labs product reliability seems to be sub-par. 

J.P.


----------



## EElegances

LHL invented fake news.


----------



## jsiegel14072

mikeyfresh said:


> Definitely not.
> 
> Don't forget they were stating only 87 Pulse units left to ship as long ago as summer 2016.


 
"We have been combing through the data, and our originally estimated numbers of remained wrong, the actually number is 197. " from the 1/13/17 update, seems strange that after 2 months they still don't know how long it will take.


----------



## MikeyFresh

jsiegel14072 said:


> "We have been combing through the data, and our originally estimated numbers of remained wrong, the actually number is 197. " from the 1/13/17 update, seems strange that after 2 months they still don't know how long it will take.


 

 Yes beyond strange, I feel very badly for those still waiting for the Pulse, I received mine in mid-April 2015, nearly 2 years ago.


----------



## RickDastardly

November 2013 backer here.....still waiting.


----------



## EElegances

rickdastardly said:


> November 2013 backer here.....still waiting.



No excuse 4 that - just plain f'd up!
Then crazy people like me got caught up in all the other offerings ... just a Wave, Source, Vi, IEMs, and over priced USB cable. Just. LOL. I narrowly escaped the power supply and definately knew better when the Amp came around. Nothing like spending money on a passion and then having to spend money again to actually enjoy the passion (by purchasing from reputable manufacturers of quality audio components).


----------



## Benny-x

wingsounds13 said:


> This update is vaguely interesting. I wonder if any of these upgrades will be made standard in production units? Probably so...


 
 I had to laugh when I read that... The thought has never crossed my mind that there will be a "regular production" run of anything coming out of LH Labs. Those guys are **** up and only running on fumes now.


----------



## germay0653

mjlavelle said:


> I never understood why they went from selling generally low cost/high quality products that were a few hundred $'s at most, to almost overnight selling 4 and 5 digit priced DAC's, and abandoning their lower cost customer base. I understand expanding into higher priced models, but they basically dumped their market base for high end, high dollar equipment.
> Sure, they found an audience of people willing to pay a relatively low price for a DAC that bloats into multiple versions to meet the crowds never ending wish lists and selling them for the cost of materials at best, if not a loss. Then the few products that actually transitioned to a production product, the costs were stratospheric and do not sell well. Even worse, the majority of these crowd sourced products suffered from so much feature bloat that they still have not been produced, and will be overpriced and a generation or two old as far as their specs, hardware, and feature set if they ever do get made.
> Worse yet, one of the two company leaders posts an article on their website that not only defends this method of product development, he also raves about how he prefers this method and that crowd sourcing assures that customers get the product they want. Sure, the ones who paid a relatively small price for a product that will end up costing 3x more when or if it moves to retail production may have been happy, but even they have grown tired of the long wait for products that suffer from terminal feature additions that drag out development into a multi-year slog with the company content to keep burning through their free cash loan that has become a make-work program for their engineering team.
> This was a good idea that failed to put boundaries on what can realistically be added to the features list while still developing a product than can be produced in a one year development cycle, and can move into production without nosebleed level prices and outdated tech. As it stands, they seem to have killed a company that has practically no products to sell at this point, and customers who are so pissed that they are on the verge of taking legal action. It is like a formula for driving a company into oblivion.


 

 Actually LH started out with selling the 5 digit Da Vinci DAC, not the other way around, but in context, I believe you are referring to the progression of selling the original Geek Out to the Vi Tube DAC.   I believe it was the crowd, us, that clamored for the better performing, more expensive, units.  We were basing our enthusiasm on the reviews and reputation earned from the Da Vinci DAC and what we heard, SQ wise, from the original Geek Out. 
  
 Unfortunately, growing from a small to a large production output company was a lot harder than they imagined.  One could definitely say they were also enthusiastic about the growth potential but bit off more than they could chew.


----------



## Laseng

rickdastardly said:


> November 2013 backer here.....still waiting.


 
  
 First campaign day backer here and still waiting.
 Backed Pulse 29 October 2013.


----------



## Shawnb

jsiegel14072 said:


> "We have been combing through the data, and our originally estimated numbers of remained wrong, the actually number is 197. " from the 1/13/17 update, seems strange that after 2 months they still don't know how long it will take.


 
  
 If 10 people asked them that question they would get 10 different answers and then 5 different excuses on why they made the "mistake".


----------



## wingsounds13

benny-x said:


> I had to laugh when I read that... The thought has never crossed my mind that there will be a "regular production" run of anything coming out of LH Labs. Those guys are **** up and only running on fumes now.




Agreed that "regular production" is a huge question, since they have yet to build enough to satisfy their crowdfunding backers from over three years ago even though the Pulse has been "shipping" for almost a year and a half. In the past year they appear to have shipped *maybe* a dozen Pulse Infinities. 

One question that I have is just how many have actually been sold through Amazon. Somehow I suspect that they have sold more than the ?10 that they claim to have shipped to Amazon and requested return to help satisfy their crowdfunding backers. I am beginning to question the truth in any LH Labs statement almost as much as any statement from the current Emperor of the United States. LH Labs credibility is in the toilet and I don't see it improving any time soon - if ever.

J.P.


----------



## rdsu

The problems of LHLabs are:


 Tesla
 Too much different products to deliver, with a lot of options, etc...
 Unrealistic delivery dates...
 Don't really care about their clients, from these campaigns, because we are always at the end of the chain for them...


----------



## ambchang

I recently sold my Pulse x Infinity.  It was really good as a DAC, but I just can't really enjoy my music knowing that I have no where to go if it ever dies.
  
 Got a CXN network player instead, jury is still out, but the CXN seems to be funner, but I would still say the Pulse is technically superior.  More balanced, better imaging, better staging.


----------



## hemtmaker

Does anyone remember what's the pulse infinity line out voltage for single ended? Thx


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Line out RCA: 2Vrms max variable
Line out XLR: 4Vrms Max variable


----------



## hemtmaker

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Line out RCA: 2Vrms max variable
> Line out XLR: 4Vrms Max variable




Thanks mate


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Help: Somebody tested the Geek Pulse's balanced output w/ Orthos or Planars? How is it? Contemplating to take the plunge on AZ PMx2s (heavily modified Oppo PM2s) this month.


----------



## hemtmaker

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Help: Somebody tested the Geek Pulse's balanced output w/ Orthos or Planars? How is it? Contemplating to take the plunge on AZ PMx2s (heavily modified Oppo PM2s) this month.




Comparing between pulse infinite balanced out to liquid carbon balanced out, Ether C flow sounds much better on liquid carbon (both low gains). He1000v2 on the other hand doesn't suffer as much on the pulse (both high gains)


----------



## ambchang

I tried using the infinity balanced out to drive the he500 and he6. Both sounded lifeless and dull. This is compared to a beta22 driving the he500 and the sansui au717 driving the he6 through speaker outs.


----------



## Audio Addict

ambchang said:


> I tried using the infinity balanced out to drive the he500 and he6. Both sounded lifeless and dull. This is compared to a beta22 driving the he500 and the sansui au717 driving the he6 through speaker outs.


 
  
 I have my HE6 connected right now with a WyWires balanced Red and I am finding that at -9 to -12 the volume is comfortable to on the loud side.  The gain on the Pulse Infinity is set to Medium. I am using Roon out of my laptop with the LH Labs 2G cable with the power leg terminated into the LPS4.
  
 I agree with the LC comments as I have that amp as well.  It is a little more musical but with the Pulse Infinity 2.0 set at the -6, the LC level needs to be with the 3x gain at roughly 12 to 1.


----------



## Maelob

I am happy with my Xfi driving my alpha primes plenty of juice left- however thinking of getting a jotunheim


----------



## coletrain104

ambchang said:


> I tried using the infinity balanced out to drive the he500 and he6. Both sounded lifeless and dull. This is compared to a beta22 driving the he500 and the sansui au717 driving the he6 through speaker outs.


 
 FWIW the 400i sounds incredible balanced from the XFi. Not every headphone does though, its a fairly direct and intense sound.


----------



## coletrain104

Maelob said:


> I am happy with my Xfi driving my alpha primes plenty of juice left- however thinking of getting a jotunheim


Why would you buy a jotunheim when you have an XFi? seems like moving backwards, IMO.


----------



## Shawnb

coletrain104 said:


> Why would you buy a jotunheim when you have an XFi? seems like moving backwards, IMO.



Have you not read this thread?  At this point I jump on the chance to get anything non LH Labs. 
Dealing with anyone else is like light at the end of a long dark scary tunnel that still has no end in sight.


----------



## m_i_c_k_e_y

Well Soekris have some interesting up on their sleeves this June and not breaking the bank: http://soekris.dk/dac1541.html

Arr....


----------



## Maelob

I meant Jotunheim as Headphone amp without a DAC- from what I read Jutt amp is really good- I would still use the Dac portion of XFI until it dies


----------



## ForSure

I still haven't receive mine!


----------



## Laseng

ForSure said:


> I still haven't receive mine!




It's now 3 years, 6 months and 6 days since I backed Pulse, and i still waiting.


----------



## marflao

Laseng said:


> It's now 3 years, 6 months and 6 days since I backed Pulse, and i still waiting.



wow....but you made them (LHL) aware that you´re still awaiting a Pulse, or?


----------



## Laseng (May 5, 2017)

marflao said:


> wow....but you made them (LHL) aware that you´re still awaiting a Pulse, or?



I backed Geek Pulse October 29 2013 just seven hours after Geek Pulse Campaign start.

LH Labs is aware of me.

Pulse Tickets to LH Labs with shipping estimation from LH Labs

Sun, 13 Dec, 2015 [Current shipping estimation for all 2013 backers is by the end of Dec]
Tue, 29 Mar, 2016 [Current estimations in regard to your date of purchase is W4 April 2016]
Tue, 10 May, 2016 [Current shipping estimation is W1 June 2016]
Thu, 9 Jun, 2016 [Current shipping estimation is W2 July 2016]
Tue, 5 Jul, 2016 [Current shipping estimation is end of July 2016]
Tue, 26 Jul, 2016 [You will receive a shipping notification within the next week]
Tue, 16 Aug, 2016 [Current shipping estimation is by the middle of September]
Fri, 9 Dec, 2016 [Current shipping estimation mid to end of March]
Sun, 5 Mar at 9:02 [Current shipping estimation by the end of March and first in the queue]
Thu, 4 May [Still waiting for reply]


----------



## marflao

Unbelievable... so much to "first come, first serve".


----------



## earfonia (May 6, 2017)

FYI, below is measurement of my Geek Pulse XFi headphone output, comparing different digital filters.

Geek Pulse XFi Firmware Version:
Main: 3.0
MCU: 2.4

Measurement equipment: QuantAsylum QA401 Audio Analyzer @ 24/192 mode.
Load on headphone output: 33 ohms.
Output level: 500 mV

*Playback of 300 Hz Square wave, 24 bit - 48 kHz flac file generated by Audacity:*

FTM (Femto Time Mode):





TCM (Time Coherence Mode):




FRM (Frequency Response Mode):




SSM (Stable Streaming Mode):





*Playback of 300 Hz Square wave, 24 bit - 96 kHz flac file generated by Audacity:*

FTM (Femto Time Mode):




TCM (Time Coherence Mode):




FRM (Frequency Response Mode):




SSM (Stable Streaming Mode):


----------



## miceblue (May 6, 2017)

What exactly are we looking at here? You're inputting a 300 Hz square wave, yet you're measuring signals up to 75 kHz, and your THD+N measurement is over 48%.


----------



## earfonia

miceblue said:


> What exactly are we looking at here? You're inputting a 300 Hz square wave, yet you're measuring signals up to 75 kHz, and your THD+N measurement is over 48%.



Square wave measurement is not about THD+N. Digital Filters observation is about how the digital filter cut off the high frequency. So what you see is the characteristic of the low pass filters. Easier to use square wave since square wave has infinite harmonic frequencies, so we can see where it starts to roll off. Different filter different roll off characteristic.

Similar to this observation:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/ifi-micro-idsd-black-label-in-depth-review.833933/#post-13221621


----------



## miceblue (May 7, 2017)

earfonia said:


> Square wave measurement is not about THD+N. Digital Filters observation is about how the digital filter cut off the high frequency. So what you see is the characteristic of the low pass filters. Easier to use square wave since square wave has infinite harmonic frequencies, so we can see where it starts to roll off. Different filter different roll off characteristic.
> 
> Similar to this observation:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/ifi-micro-idsd-black-label-in-depth-review.833933/#post-13221621


Hm I see. I guess I'm just used to seeing the white noise measurement like what Stereophile does, and it makes more sense intuitively. White noise is the same power at all frequencies and when played back, you should see the flat line get chopped off at the Nyquist frequency, depending on the filter.

*atomicbob*, who I'm sure you're familiar with, did such a measurement for my Pulse X Infinity using his PrismSound dScope III.

RCA -0 dB FS output with the FTM filter using a 24-bit, 44.1 kHz white noise USB input signal


----------



## earfonia

earfonia said:


> Square wave measurement is not about THD+N. Digital Filters observation is about how the digital filter cut off the high frequency. So what you see is the characteristic of the low pass filters. Easier to use square wave since square wave has infinite harmonic frequencies, so we can see where it starts to roll off. Different filter different roll off characteristic.
> 
> Similar to this observation:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/ifi-micro-idsd-black-label-in-depth-review.833933/#post-13221621



Yes similar observation. The reason i use square wave is to observe the pre and post ringing as well, and try to see the correlation between the frequency roll off, sharp or slow, and the pre and post ringing characteristic. Besides that, with square wave, sometime i see the even order harmonic distortion that is not suppose to exist for square wave, as it only has odd order harmonics. So another thing that can be observed besides the roll off characteristic.


----------



## rickyleelee

Laseng said:


> I backed Geek Pulse October 29 2013 just seven hours after Geek Pulse Campaign start.
> 
> LH Labs is aware of me.
> 
> ...


----------



## rickyleelee

Was at the recent Shanghai Show a few weeks ago. Larry Ho was there marketing a new DAC. About $6k price point.  I don't go to the US much, does Larry Ho go to any more USA show?  i don't even see LH advertising anywhere like here on head fi. i might have missed with the new head fi web platform. To me he should have delivered on the crowd funding guys by now. it has been quite a lot of months. my partner who controls the purse did not let me crowd fund as I nearly droppped $2k into larry's pocket.


----------



## doctorjazz

What was the DAC called if you recall, @rickyleelee? Aside from the Pulse, there is also a crowdfunded Vi DAC that some of us are waiting for. Could they really be starting up on a 3rd crowdfunded DAC without supporters receiving the previous items?


----------



## MikeyFresh

doctorjazz said:


> What was the DAC called if you recall, @rickyleelee? Aside from the Pulse, there is also a crowdfunded Vi DAC that some of us are waiting for. Could they really be starting up on a 3rd crowdfunded DAC without supporters receiving the previous items?



Don't forget they had already some time ago announced a new DAC called Sire, though they never at any point suggested that one would be crowd funded.

Does anyone remember whether or not Sire was supposed to be at the $6k price point mentioned in Post #12383?

@rickyleelee do you recall if it was Sire DAC, and can you clarify whether or not LH Labs was trying to crowd fund this new DAC, or simply showing it in Shanghai?

Thanks.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

On the middle stages of the Geek Pulse campaign. Larry was talking of a possible baby DaVinci.Maybe this is it?


----------



## germay0653 (May 8, 2017)

The Sire was to replace the Da Vinci itself at >= $120,000.00 and definitely was not the baby Da Vinci.  The Sire had a full page advertisement in TAS (see below).  
Unfortunately, I don't think it will see the light of day, at least for the foreseeable future.


----------



## graham508

I'm still waiting for my Infinity, ordered Oct 2013
and my LPS, ordered Dec 2013


----------



## rickyleelee

Wasn't the sire as it was not $120,000. Just $6,000. I can't remember the name only it was red like blood red so caught the eye


----------



## doctorjazz

Only in the audiophile world would the description for a DAC be, "it's only $6000..."


----------



## rickyleelee

I feel sorry for gavin fish because it now seems larry was the brains and gavin took the fall for the crowd funding.  hard to stomach with so many people he is not trying every thing to deliver on the product but flying around the world to raise even more money by pushing new product on others who don't read English much and aren't aware of his history. I nearly gave him my money but thank my wife she banned me.


----------



## marflao

rickyleelee said:


> I feel sorry for gavin fish because it now seems larry was the brains and gavin took the fall for the crowd funding.



Not sure... have you been involved in any of the Pulse/Wave/Source campaigns? 
From what I read from your post I doubt that otherwise you wouldn't be sorry for Gavin Fish. 
He is by far not the "good" guy and Larry "only" the bad one. 

He was the marketing head who threw in more and more perks which,  at the end, weren't able to be produced. 

Hence I react a "bit sensitive" when this guy is positioned as the "white knight". 
My view...


----------



## Narayan23

marflao said:


> Not sure... have you been involved in any of the Pulse/Wave/Source campaigns?
> From what I read from your post I doubt that otherwise you wouldn't be sorry for Gavin Fish.
> He is by far not the "good" guy and Larry "only" the bad one.
> 
> ...



Gavin (rickyleelee) is that you? I completely agree marflao, Gavin is equally responsible and jumped from the boat before the biggest fiasco in audiophile history ended his career...Gavin Fish doesn´t deserve an ounce of sorrow when three and a half years later some of our brothers are yet to receive their products.


----------



## mtruong34

Narayan23 said:


> Gavin (rickyleelee) is that you? I completely agree marflao, Gavin is equally responsible and jumped from the boat before the biggest fiasco in audiophile history ended his career...Gavin Fish doesn´t deserve an ounce of sorrow when three and a half years later some of our brothers are yet to receive their products.



Yup. Gavin was the one who brazenly assured all that piling on new perks and new campaigns one on top of the other in a massive perkopalypse would in NO WAY impact their ability to deliver in a timely and quality manner. He also marketed many campaigns like the Wave and Power Amp as R&D almost done but 3 years later it's apparent they were starting from scratch and still ongoing. He was also the one who over-ruled transferable warranties after Larry (the freaking CEO) stated warranties were transferable. I think even Larry believed the hype generated by Gavin and was left holding the bag while Gavin jumped ship.


----------



## EElegances

mtruong34 said:


> Yup. Gavin was the one who brazenly assured all that piling on new perks and new campaigns one on top of the other in a massive perkopalypse would in NO WAY impact their ability to deliver in a timely and quality manner. ....


"... NO WAY impact their ability to deliver ..." And yet here we are after ~3 forums, ~3 commerce sites, ~3 surveys, and ~3 years gone by.
So many bad memories. The hangover / PTSD may be with me until death.


----------



## tRuE008

HELP

So about two months now, my Xfinity has become a pain to deal with. It's connected to windows 10. Every time I turn on the Pulse, I get a buzz through my headphones. If this happens, I can't get any music or noise through to the headphones from the computer. I have to keep turning the Pulse on and off until I don't hear the buzz. Now, even if I don't hear the buzz, no music can go through. At this point, I have to reconnect the usb that is connected to the computer. After reconnecting, if I hear the buzz, then I have to start over by turning on and off the Pulse. 

Only by luck, if I happened to turn on the Pulse without any buzz, and reconnect the usb without any buzz through the headphones, only then can I listen to music. If I hear a buzz any time through this process, then basically, I have to reset the Pulse and start over. I spend about 15-30 minutes doing this whenever I want to use the Pulse. 

Has this happened to anyone? If so, is there any fixes?

I have emailed Lh lab support about a month ago and still no reply.


----------



## miceblue

That actually happened to me this last week after not using it for like 6 months while I was away for school.

I let it physically warm up overnight and everything was a-okay the next morning.


----------



## jbr1971

tRuE008 said:


> HELP
> 
> So about two months now, my Xfinity has become a pain to deal with. It's connected to windows 10. Every time I turn on the Pulse, I get a buzz through my headphones. If this happens, I can't get any music or noise through to the headphones from the computer. I have to keep turning the Pulse on and off until I don't hear the buzz. Now, even if I don't hear the buzz, no music can go through. At this point, I have to reconnect the usb that is connected to the computer. After reconnecting, if I hear the buzz, then I have to start over by turning on and off the Pulse.
> 
> ...



How are you connecting to the computer? Directly to the USB port? Through a LPS? Through a different type of USB hub?

Have you tried a different USB port? Have you tried a different USB cable?

Do you have access to a different computer to see if the issue continues after the move?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

When something happens I usually test it on my Android phone via an OTG cable, using UAPP as my music app.


----------



## jbr1971

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> When something happens I usually test it on my Android phone via an OTG cable, using UAPP as my music app.



Good call. It has been so long since I have done it, I forgot that you can also connect an iPhone using the Camera Connector Kit.

I was using the Onkyo player, but I cannot think of a reason why iTunes music would not work as well for testing.


----------



## tRuE008

jbr1971 said:


> How are you connecting to the computer? Directly to the USB port? Through a LPS? Through a different type of USB hub?
> 
> Have you tried a different USB port? Have you tried a different USB cable?
> 
> Do you have access to a different computer to see if the issue continues after the move?




I have the LPS powering the pulse, but the pulse is directly connected to the computer via the 2g light speed usb cable that was provided by LH labs. I have tried different usb ports, but still the same results. I have not tried different cables nor have I tried a different computer, and I have not tried my phone. 

 Is there a reason to test the pulse on a different computer or phone? Because I don't plan on using the pulse on a different computer or phone.


----------



## miceblue

tRuE008 said:


> I have the LPS powering the pulse, but the pulse is directly connected to the computer via the 2g light speed usb cable that was provided by LH labs. I have tried different usb ports, but still the same results. I have not tried different cables nor have I tried a different computer, and I have not tried my phone.
> 
> Is there a reason to test the pulse on a different computer or phone? Because I don't plan on using the pulse on a different computer or phone.


Have you tried leaving the X Infinity on for a while as I suggested above? I'm using the LPS4 and LightSpeed 2G cable as well.


miceblue said:


> That actually happened to me this last week after not using it for like 6 months while I was away for school.
> 
> I let it physically warm up overnight and everything was a-okay the next morning.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (May 22, 2017)

Testing it from my phone gives me the idea if the problem is coming from my computer or not. Since the phone has different OS and USB port.


----------



## jbr1971

tRuE008 said:


> I have the LPS powering the pulse, but the pulse is directly connected to the computer via the 2g light speed usb cable that was provided by LH labs. I have tried different usb ports, but still the same results. I have not tried different cables nor have I tried a different computer, and I have not tried my phone.
> 
> Is there a reason to test the pulse on a different computer or phone? Because I don't plan on using the pulse on a different computer or phone.



I have seen issues where some computer updates cause problems with the USB ports (mostly Windows updates, sometimes motherboard/component driver updates), and a lot of issues where the LH driver does not install properly.

Being able to test with a phone/tablet would take those potentials out of the equation and help with narrowing down the issue to either the Pulse or the computer.

However, try using a different USB cable first. It is the easiest troubleshooting step to try (if you have an extra cable), and potentially the easiest fix.


----------



## tRuE008

jbr1971 said:


> I have seen issues where some computer updates cause problems with the USB ports (mostly Windows updates, sometimes motherboard/component driver updates), and a lot of issues where the LH driver does not install properly.
> 
> Being able to test with a phone/tablet would take those potentials out of the equation and help with narrowing down the issue to either the Pulse or the computer.
> 
> However, try using a different USB cable first. It is the easiest troubleshooting step to try (if you have an extra cable), and potentially the easiest fix.




So, I've tried different usb cables and still the same results. I've also tried connecting the pulse to my macbook pro (2011 snow leopard), but the mac would not recognize it.

I can try using my iphone and my brother's samsung galaxy tomorrow to see if they'll work. I'll try my brother's laptop, since he has windows also. 

I will also try leaving it on to warm it up, and see if that'll work on first try. However, I don't really like leaving my electronics on without usage, even though it would be ideal for the dac.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (May 24, 2017)

Later you could:
1. Ask support from LH Labs.
2. Or, but BE CAREFUL: _Reflash the firmware of your unit._


----------



## jbr1971

tRuE008 said:


> So, I've tried different usb cables and still the same results. I've also tried connecting the pulse to my macbook pro (2011 snow leopard), but the mac would not recognize it.
> 
> I can try using my iphone and my brother's samsung galaxy tomorrow to see if they'll work. I'll try my brother's laptop, since he has windows also.
> 
> I will also try leaving it on to warm it up, and see if that'll work on first try. However, I don't really like leaving my electronics on without usage, even though it would be ideal for the dac.



Unfortunately Snow Leopard is too old to trust as a test platform. If you have access to a newer Mac that would be ideal.

With your brothers Windows laptop make sure it has the latest driver version for the test.


----------



## thomaspf

The shop as well as the page to look up your delivery status have disappeared from the LHlabs web site. Are they still in business?

Cheers

   Thomas


----------



## marflao

thomaspf said:


> The shop as well as the page to look up your delivery status have disappeared from the LHlabs web site. Are they still in business?
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Thomas



Hmm... not sure which URL you are using but when I login at http://marketplace-lhlabs.com I'm still be able to see my outstanding orders.


----------



## graham508

graham508 said:


> I'm still waiting for my Infinity, ordered Oct 2013
> and my LPS, ordered Dec 2013





marflao said:


> Hmm... not sure which URL you are using but when I login at http://marketplace-lhlabs.com I'm still be able to see my outstanding orders.



On Apr 3 LH Labs sent backers an update saying:
"The remaining Infinity version of Pulse DAC PCB Assembly is almost done."
"We truly hope we could let the long waiting backers get the units without any unnecessary delays."

Well I'm still waiting. I submitted a ticket 12 May asking further on delivery but no answer. 
This has been like waiting for the second coming. 
I would appreciate hearing back from LH Labs on what is going on.


----------



## Laseng (May 31, 2017)

graham508 said:


> On Apr 3 LH Labs sent backers an update saying:
> "The remaining Infinity version of Pulse DAC PCB Assembly is almost done."
> "We truly hope we could let the long waiting backers get the units without any unnecessary delays."
> 
> ...



I submitted a ticket on May 4th and have not heard anything more from LH Labs.
It may now seem that they have stopped responding to our tickets.

From Larry Ho on LH Labs forum mai 16.
The assembled PCBA has been sent back to us. And we are using Audio Precision to do few more test here then we will resume the shipping for the last batch by the end of this month.

Our Pulse Infinity does not seem to be sent in the end of this month.
Will there soon be a new update where Pulse Infinity will be delayed again until the end of June?
Will our Pulse Infinity ever be done or will it be delayed forever?

If only Larry Ho could show us pictures of the last batch that they now have almost finished.

It's now 3 years, 7 months and 0 days since I backed Pulse, and i still waiting.


----------



## mandrake50

Laseng said:


> I submitted a ticket on May 4th and have not heard anything more from LH Labs.
> It may now seem that they have stopped responding to our tickets.
> 
> From Larry Ho on LH Labs forum mai 16.
> ...



I really feel for you folks that still do not have their Pulse.
From my perspective, deciding to take my Infinity in the old case while they had some in stock appears to have been the right way to go.
But, I am still waiting for a decked out Wave and a solid state (may never be produced) HPA.  So while I do feel the pain, at least I have gotten something from these people.


----------



## markrw

I also opted for the old case for my Pulse Infinity and I am glad I made that decision as the unit has been working flawlessly (I keep it powered on at all times). I have a tube HPA and 3 additional ACX modules on order and I am very pessimistic that this order will ever be received. LH Labs are no longer responding to tickets and no update has been provided on the projected delivery date.


----------



## greenkiwi

On a positive note, I did have my infinity successfully serviced a few weeks ago.  Display went out, but it's good now.


----------



## thomaspf

marflao said:


> Hmm... not sure which URL you are using but when I login at http://marketplace-lhlabs.com I'm still be able to see my outstanding orders.




Thanks, you are right. They seem to have removed the link that site from www.lhlabs.com.


----------



## graham508

I am gradually resigning myself that I will never see my Pulse Infinity and LPS. 
That despite sinking $1.8K into this campaign, now getting on 4 years ago.


----------



## Maelob

Same with me - still waiting on a set of mono amps


----------



## graham508

Maelob said:


> Same with me - still waiting on a set of mono amps


It is profoundly depressing. No word anymore from LH Labs, no tickets answered. 
The end game seem to be now.


----------



## uncola

Yeah no answer to my tickets, I have a cancelled preorder refund coming to me.. I cancelled in october and I reminded them once a month starting a few months ago.  No replies   I miss my $1149..  I called him Greeny and he lived in my wallet


----------



## Laseng (Jun 7, 2017)

graham508 said:


> It is profoundly depressing. No word anymore from LH Labs, no tickets answered.
> The end game seem to be now.



The end of Pulse Infinity v2?
Looks like Pulse Infinity v2 has gone out of production.
Pulse Infinity v2 is now removed from products on LH Lab's pages.

I'm closed from making new tickets.
LH Labs has now deleted all my old tickets from before March 5th,  
Thought this could happen, so I have backed up all my tickets.


----------



## ambchang

I would imagine some type of fraud or small claims would be appropriate in a case like this.

This is just depressing.


----------



## skablin

FWIW - I just got a response to a support ticket. Submitted 17 days ago and got no response, reached out again this morning and got a response this afternoon.  Assume they are just understaffed/overwhelmed.


----------



## Laseng (Jun 7, 2017)

graham508 said:


> It is profoundly depressing. No word anymore from LH Labs, no tickets answered.
> The end game seem to be now.



It seems that Gina Stewart does not work at LH Labs more.
This may be the reason why LH Labs no longer responds to our tickets.

From Facebook:
Gina Stewart Uybungco
Work LH Labs
Customer Happiness · December 6, 2014 to May, 2017 · Roseville, California


----------



## Narayan23

Laseng said:


> It seems that Gina Stewart does not work at LH Labs more.
> This may be the reason why LH Labs no longer responds to our tickets.
> 
> From Facebook:
> ...



This has me picturing Larry doing a one man show and running everything himself, not an awesomifying thought at all.


----------



## EElegances

I've been imagining a one man show for a long time. It seems they've said very little in the past year and delivered almost nothing. The real proof is they haven't started any more campaigns, lol.


----------



## Maelob

If my wife ever finds out about my wasted money, I am in big trouble LOL


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

...one of the reasons of my silence...


----------



## uncola

haha Maelab, I have to hide my audio purchases too so I feel your pain.
LH Labs responded to my ticket about my refund never going through!  whoah.  the one where I noted they said they'd check on it multiple times between october and now
their response was "we'll ask the billing department to check on it" :|
but I guess that's really all they can say..  
So guys this thread has basically become the general LH Labs thread about all their products that aren't geek out usb dacs.  
I hope the geek source and geek wave come out soon.. I guess they share software platforms
geek source is pretty cool looking.. I like the gold spikes


----------



## Audio Addict

Personally I think we are basically at the SoL stage.  I have the Wave, Source and HPA unfulfilled and pretty much do not think there are any options left.  Really a disappointment.


----------



## Shawnb

Don't give up hope yet. 
Got an email direct from Larry.
“I just want to make an direct update to you for your Signature Edition of Source. And PCB Fab and Assembly are done. We are waiting for the Chassis to complete on the 4 week of this month then we will start the assembly then send it out. So the ship out date is set on first week of July plus or minus 5 works days.”

We all have heard this song and dance before so I don't believe until I get a shipping notice, so we'll see. At least it's a sign of life and at this stage that's the best I can hope for


----------



## bhazard

Got a Geek Wave email today. Things are still progressing, just slowly.

I've been lucky, as I've had my Pulse X Infinity and V2+ Infinity for a long time now. I feel for others still waiting.


----------



## Audio Addict

Shawnb said:


> Don't give up hope yet.
> Got an email direct from Larry.
> “I just want to make an direct update to you for your Signature Edition of Source. And PCB Fab and Assembly are done. We are waiting for the Chassis to complete on the 4 week of this month then we will start the assembly then send it out. So the ship out date is set on first week of July plus or minus 5 works days.”
> 
> We all have heard this song and dance before so I don't believe until I get a shipping notice, so we'll see. At least it's a sign of life and at this stage that's the best I can hope for



I never even saw a signature version of the Source.  I ordered everything but the SSD.  Not a good sign working on a one off signature when they don't have any communication on anything else.

My Wave has every option which now a large amount are standard if they ever deliver.


----------



## dclaz

Good to hear that some people are still receiving updates...I've pretty much given up all hope.


----------



## graham508

Laseng said:


> The end of Pulse Infinity v2?
> Looks like Pulse Infinity v2 has gone out of production.
> Pulse Infinity v2 is now removed from products on LH Lab's pages.
> 
> ...





tRuE008 said:


> So, I've tried different usb cables and still the same results. I've also tried connecting the pulse to my macbook pro (2011 snow leopard), but the mac would not recognize it.
> 
> I can try using my iphone and my brother's samsung galaxy tomorrow to see if they'll work. I'll try my brother's laptop, since he has windows also.
> 
> I will also try leaving it on to warm it up, and see if that'll work on first try. However, I don't really like leaving my electronics on without usage, even though it would be ideal for the dac.


Well there might be some good news...
They've got a new 'Happy Customer & Technical Support' person, Kevin, who says: 
"We should have the Geek Pulse ready shortly meanwhile we are waiting on the PCBA production. We will send you an update once your unit is ready." 
So it seems LH Labs is experiencing yet more delays in getting the remaining boards manufactured. It's obviously a short production run that has to wait for bigger vendor jobs - again. But hopefully, these new boards will meet spec and won't be consigned to landfill, like last time.


----------



## uncola

Yah, the response to my ticket about no refund and waiting since october was from Kevin.. but today the ticket autoclosed since they haven't responded in 7 days since they said they'd check and get back to me


----------



## stuck limo

There's over 800 pages here --- if I have a Geek Out 2A Infinity, how close does that sound to the Pulse X-Fi? I have an opportunity to buy the Pulse but not sure if it's worth it.


----------



## greenkiwi

Are you interested in it as a DAC or the headphone amp? 

I'd put your money elsewhere, unless you are getting a really really good deal.


----------



## Tim Le

As a standalone DAC, how would you rate the Geek Pulse XFI (given the innovations of a multibit DAC like the Mimby for $250)?



greenkiwi said:


> Are you interested in it as a DAC or the headphone amp?
> 
> I'd put your money elsewhere, unless you are getting a really really good deal.


----------



## Orky261

Anyone tried fixing dead dial and display by themselves? I mean like soldering out old broken components for a new ones? I never opened my unit but the dial and display is dead since September because of slight power surge, the only solution they give me is to flash firmware which is software, not hardware.


----------



## NinjaHamster

Are LH Labs still solvent? I have opened a couple of support tickets about a Pulse I have owed to me and getting gift certificates consolidated however there has been no response in ages ...


----------



## AlterSack

I have given up on it - I am losing a completely specc'd Wave a V2 Infinity Pulse and A Tube HPA. I had received a LPS which is sitting around completely unused and getting dusty.
As so many who do not even check at their homepage or IGG any more I had let myself been pulled into the Marketing and buying frenzy that they were so good in building up.
We should all get together and sue their a....   off. But unfortunately I have been told that we would have not many chances against IGG and LHLabs.
So I do hope that everyone of them who should turn up at a meeting (like this Gavin) will have to face the anger of his victims on a very personal level.


----------



## mandrake50

They probably do not have enough money to make the lawsuit attractive for attorneys working on a contingent basis. A settlement would likely not net each user a significant portion of the money that have lost. Besides, a win would likely push LHL into a situation where they would just declare bankruptcy. This would, of course, end any possibility of anyone ever seeing anything that they paid for.


----------



## Maelob

I don't care anymore- I will use the products if they ever get delivered- but what makes me mad with the mono amps contribution was that I was led to believe they were in final stages of development and obviously they were not. I believe it was RMAF 14


----------



## uncola

hah maelob I remember your dilemma because you ordered one and didn't realize you needed two.  I put the deposit down on the stereo amp and then cancelled and never got a refund been waiting like 10 months.  I open a new ticket every couple months but I've given up hope


----------



## lakej (Jul 7, 2017)

tRuE008 said:


> HELP
> 
> So about two months now, my Xfinity has become a pain to deal with. It's connected to windows 10. Every time I turn on the Pulse, I get a buzz through my headphones. If this happens, I can't get any music or noise through to the headphones from the computer. I have to keep turning the Pulse on and off until I don't hear the buzz. Now, even if I don't hear the buzz, no music can go through. At this point, I have to reconnect the usb that is connected to the computer. After reconnecting, if I hear the buzz, then I have to start over by turning on and off the Pulse.
> 
> ...



Is this the XFI? I have the XFI.

Windows 10 creators upgrade makes is pretty much unuseable. I'll look into selling mine as I don't trust it won't blow my grado up with popping and noise.
I have to put the bitrate down to 44 to make it run. I can then upscale it but after some times it stops again. The LHM don't do anything to help. I realise this might be to the "native" usb dac support in Creators Upgrade of Winows 10. But when sometimes the device stops and starts popping.. Yeah, no good for my low impendance phones.

I have an Asus Formula VIII motherboard with a cable that works for every other dac.

I have many other "Low-end" dacs and none of them have given me problems like this.

Piece of crap really.


----------



## mandrake50 (Jul 7, 2017)

lakej said:


> Is this the XFI? I have the XFI.
> 
> Windows 10 creators upgrade makes is pretty much unuseable. I'll look into selling mine as I don't trust it won't blow my grado up with popping and noise.
> I have to put the bitrate down to 44 to make it run. I can then upscale it but after some times it stops again. The LHM don't do anything to help. I realise this might be to the "native" usb dac support in Creators Upgrade of Winows 10. But when sometimes the device stops and starts popping.. Yeah, no good for my low impendance phones.
> ...


 Did you reinstall the driver for the Pulse... after the upgrade?  Is the Pulse detected in the driver control panel?

Actually I have read around here that the native support in Founders edition for Class 2 audio is spotty at best.


----------



## lakej (Jul 8, 2017)

mandrake50 said:


> Did you reinstall the driver for the Pulse... after the upgrade?  Is the Pulse detected in the driver control panel?
> 
> Actually I have read around here that the native support in Founders edition for Class 2 audio is spotty at best.



I did reinstall them but then it stopped working... like nothing worked.

At least i can do 41K bitrate with windows native ones...

Maybe I got the wrong file this time though. 

Edit: did get it working now. Anyone else here running their Pulse on 24/7 so you avoid popping? 
Thinking it might die sooner.


----------



## mandrake50 (Jul 8, 2017)

lakej said:


> I did reinstall them but then it stopped working... like nothing worked.
> 
> At least i can do 41K bitrate with windows native ones...
> 
> ...


Even though many have said it makes a sonic difference, I do not leave it powered all of the time. My listening sessions with the Pulse are to few and far between. I try to do some planning when I want to use it. If possible I turn it on an hour or so before listening. I may do this on a Friday afternoon for a weekend where I hope to listen. If I listen an hour or two after turning it on, I think it is fine. I really can't tell any difference after it has been on for 24 hours. I believe that in that amount of time, it has had plenty of time to stabilize any components that require this. Including the clocks.

Electronics don't like heat, period. The Pulse does get warm. I am sure that leaving it on long term will effect its longevity. Things like capacitors will definitely deteriorate faster when at constantly elevated temperatures. The pulse is notorious for QC issues. I say, Why push it if it is not required.


----------



## lakej

mandrake50 said:


> Even though many have said it makes a sonic difference, I do not leave it powered all of the time. My listening sessions with the Pulse are to few and far between. I try to do some planning when I want to use it. If possible I turn it on an hour or so before listening. I may do this on a Friday afternoon for a weekend where I hope to listen. If I listen an hour or two after turning it on, I think it is fine. I really can't tell any difference after it has been on for 24 hours. I believe that in that amount of time, it has had plenty of time to stabilize any components that require this. Including the clocks.
> 
> Electronics don't like heat, period. The Pulse does get warm. I am sure that leaving it on long term will effect its longevity. Things like capacitors will definitely deteriorate faster when at constantly elevated temperatures. The pulse is notorious for QC issues. I say, Why push it if it is not required.



I have the cheaper version and bought it used so I wouldn't really mind if it died on me - as long as it don't bring my Grados with it.

Everytime I turn it on There's that loud popping noise which I have to unplug the headphones for (i guess)... 

I also use it with gain set on the PC. Would this strain it less or does it actually push it harder than it would if I were to set the volume on the device?


----------



## mandrake50 (Jul 8, 2017)

lakej said:


> I have the cheaper version and bought it used so I wouldn't really mind if it died on me - as long as it don't bring my Grados with it.
> 
> Everytime I turn it on There's that loud popping noise which I have to unplug the headphones for (i guess)...
> 
> I also use it with gain set on the PC. Would this strain it less or does it actually push it harder than it would if I were to set the volume on the device?


I can't see why it would hurt anything. I have been using mine exclusively as a DAC. I leave the attenuation set at 0. I use a combination of the digital gain in Foobar and the volume control on the amp. I usually have the digital gain maxed for peace of mind... no lost bits.

In this configuration...and always leaving it on for an hour or more before use, I never hear any startup noises.

In your case, just let it start without the headphones plugged in. I do this with every amp and DAC/amp that I use. It is the safe thing to do.
If you really don't care if it dies early, I am not sure what the question is. Just let it run 24/7.

Doing either or both would solve your problem. But I suggest getting into the habit of NOT plugging headphones into any amplification until the device has fully started and hopefully stabilized.


----------



## jbr1971

lakej said:


> I have the cheaper version and bought it used so I wouldn't really mind if it died on me - as long as it don't bring my Grados with it.
> 
> Everytime I turn it on There's that loud popping noise which I have to unplug the headphones for (i guess)...
> 
> I also use it with gain set on the PC. Would this strain it less or does it actually push it harder than it would if I were to set the volume on the device?



The manual has explicit warnings in it to unplug any headphones, or turn off any amps/preamps prior to powering on/off to mitigate damage to other equipment, so it is definitely a good habit to get into.

To my knowledge having the Volume Setting setup one way or the other does not cause the Pulse any undue strain, it just uses different logic for processing.


----------



## Maelob

For 2 years my XFI has been constantly on- no issues so far


----------



## Yviena

If anyone still have problems with left or right channel only working i fixed it by upsampling to 384khz only glitch left is that i need to turn volume knob sometimes to get rid of crackles.


----------



## Drsparis

skablin said:


> FWIW - I just got a response to a support ticket. Submitted 17 days ago and got no response, reached out again this morning and got a response this afternoon.  Assume they are just understaffed/overwhelmed.



Just checking to make sure I am at the right place to pray for support, did you contact them through ( https://support.lhlabs.com/support/home ) ?


----------



## Laseng

have anyone received a answers to their tickets lately?

I have an unanswered Pulse ticket at LH Labs, which is now 70 days old.


----------



## uncola

I've had a ticket open for 8 months waiting for a refund..  multiple open tickets reminding them over the months but they just say they'll check, then no follow up and the ticket auto closes


----------



## greenkiwi

I had a ticket opened and support received a couple weeks ago... and a unit shipped back and fixed a month back.


----------



## FayeForever

I had my infinity sent back almost three months ago for adding Mu shield and fixing the drop-out problem. They added the shield and allegedly replaced two resistors. They said they kept the unit playing for few days and it was working flawlessly. I received the infinity a week later. The communication with Kevin was pretty good and fast. 
However, they also promised me my shipping reimbursement after I got my infinity back but it never happened, I emailed them/opening a ticket and no response. The infinity also started to have the drop-out problem again a week ago.


----------



## Audio Addict

My Infinity v2.0 died.  It was not connecting with the laptop.  Laptop indicated it saw the Infinity but the driver was not available.  Rebooted everything once, no change.  The second try the Infinity did not come back up.  It was dark and not registering with the laptop.  LPS4 seems to be working fine.

Dropped an email to them so we will see what I hear if anything?


----------



## Maelob

If my XFI dies, I will throw it in the trash and forget this whole campaign ever happened.


----------



## oneguy

Audio Addict said:


> My Infinity v2.0 died.  It was not connecting with the laptop.  Laptop indicated it saw the Infinity but the driver was not available.  Rebooted everything once, no change.  The second try the Infinity did not come back up.  It was dark and not registering with the laptop.  LPS4 seems to be working fine.
> 
> Dropped an email to them so we will see what I hear if anything?


I call dibs on your LPS4!


----------



## llama_egg

Good to see this is still a dumpster fire. My ticket just got closed after four plus month's of inactivity. Literally just asked to make sure I was still on a list for my xfi, being that the site doesn't have me listed with any open orders.

So time for anothet ticket, maybe they'll actually respond this time.


----------



## miceblue

I get signal dropouts while playing audio that isn't through hog-mode (e.g. YouTube, VLC media player, etc.). Does anyone know why this happens? At one point I contacted customer support about it and they sent me an earlier firmware version (when SSM filter wasn't completed) to see if it would fix the issue and it didn't. I have to turn the Pulse X Infinity on/off and it's really annoying.

I still love its sound though. It really pairs well with the SRS-2170, and having balanced outputs is really nice for flexibility.


----------



## Drsparis

What do you guys think the chance of me ever seeing my pulse infinity is?


----------



## jonbernard

Drsparis said:


> What do you guys think the chance of me ever seeing my pulse infinity is?



I put in a ticket asking this same question a few days ago, but haven't heard back.


----------



## DSlayerZX

miceblue said:


> I get signal dropouts while playing audio that isn't through hog-mode (e.g. YouTube, VLC media player, etc.). Does anyone know why this happens? At one point I contacted customer support about it and they sent me an earlier firmware version (when SSM filter wasn't completed) to see if it would fix the issue and it didn't. I have to turn the Pulse X Infinity on/off and it's really annoying.
> 
> I still love its sound though. It really pairs well with the SRS-2170, and having balanced outputs is really nice for flexibility.



Miceblue, I got the same issue. 
When ever I play a youtube video, or any sound clip on the PC. 
it seems like the signal is dropped right after the audio is dropped. 

I have to replug-in my usb cable to make it work again....Tried everything, reboot, uninstall, reinstall, different usb cable... none solves the issue, anyone has any clue on how to solve the issue?


----------



## Maelob

Was so close to sell my XFI for a Benchmark DAC3 but decided to hold on until it dies. I am probably one of the few,  but I've been satisfied with the performance as a DAc/amp combo- ocassionally i loose connection but so far no major issues. But as soon as something happen it's going to the trash.


----------



## mandrake50

My Infinity is still going. I had problem getting it to connect to the laptop for quite awhile. A later version of the firmware fixed that about 90%.
I also like the sound. I have been using it with the Liquid Carbon in one of my systems and it is quite nice all in all.
I use it almost exclusively with Foobar as it is in a system I have dedicated to music playback. I will have to fire up you tube and see what it does. I will report back if I find anything interesting.

I guess Miceblue is pretty lucky. At least they engaged him in a conversation. It seems many if not most people don't even get that.

I wrote them a couple of months ago about trueing up my Wave perks. I have heard absolutely nothing back...

I guess I agree, the first time the Infinity does something that I can't fix, out it goes. It is not worth the frustration of trying to deal with the LHL folks to try to get them to fix it.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

3 months ago, I had a fixed volume issue. Surprisingly, customer care was quick on helping with a bios flash fix and was up and running after a week. 

Still using it. Hopefully this year will upgrade it.


----------



## djmj24

_My Infinity is still going. I had problem getting it to connect to the laptop for quite awhile. A later version of the firmware fixed that about 90%._

For almost a year I stopped using my good sounding Infinity because I cannot connect it to JRMC22 (or Audirvana or iTunes): as soon as I start playing a track it disconnects.
I see that I should update the firmware.
I hope that's easy.


----------



## mandrake50

Not difficult, but I was using a PC. I am not sure they ever have provided an updater for the MAC. At one time that was not available.
On a PC, an updater program is installed ( I don't remember it may get installed with the LHL driver package. I am not around the PC that I used to update so I can't immediately check). With the Pulse connected you run the application, then select the firmware to be flashed... a little while later it is done.


----------



## DSlayerZX

djmj24 said:


> _My Infinity is still going. I had problem getting it to connect to the laptop for quite awhile. A later version of the firmware fixed that about 90%._
> 
> For almost a year I stopped using my good sounding Infinity because I cannot connect it to JRMC22 (or Audirvana or iTunes): as soon as I start playing a track it disconnects.
> I see that I should update the firmware.
> I hope that's easy.



Except my firm ware is already the latest version shipped from factory (mine was the 2.0 with new chassis)...  So I dont' think updating firmware will do anything for me.

Hopefully it will work for you though.


----------



## mandrake50

I have a V1 that had  the original firmware. I wrote to them about the connecting problem... in "only" 12 days I had the more recent firmware in hand. Installing it did help in my case.
It might be good to write and ask if there is anything newer for the V2. Who knows, maybe in the last year plus they might have fixed something...


----------



## markrw

I received my Pulse Infinity 1.0 in June, 2015. Luckily, it has been running stable connected to the LPS4 on 24/7. I have never updated the firmware. Are there any advantages to updating the firmware if my infinity is running stable?


----------



## DSlayerZX

markrw said:


> I received my Pulse Infinity 1.0 in June, 2015. Luckily, it has been running stable connected to the LPS4 on 24/7. I have never updated the firmware. Are there any advantages to updating the firmware if my infinity is running stable?



To be honest, if it's stable and happy, leave it...

I wouldn't risk it.

btw. ticket sent out already, let's see how long it will take to get a response.


----------



## markrw

DSlayerZX said:


> To be honest, if it's stable and happy, leave it...
> 
> I wouldn't risk it.
> 
> btw. ticket sent out already, let's see how long it will take to get a response.



Yes, I was thinking the same. Did they add any new features?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

DSD256 thru DSD Native. And some SQ tweaks.


----------



## markrw

Do you find the SQ tweaks were an improvement? I am not very concerned about native DSD256. However, if the sound is improved, I will likely request the updated firmware from LH Labs. Thanks!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Just a tiny improvement. If you don't care going to DSD256. I suggest stick to your originall FW. It's solid.

I had an issue 3 months ago (see previous post above), never happened with the original FW.


----------



## djmj24

DSlayerZX said:


> To be honest, if it's stable and happy, leave it...
> 
> I wouldn't risk it.
> 
> btw. ticket sent out already, let's see how long it will take to get a response.



I sent a ticket 3 weeks ago, no answer.
Very frustrating to have a good sounding dac you cannot use. I really would like to find a solution: it seems problems came when I updated my macbook OS last year.
So if anyone has a solution for macbook pro/geek pulse, please tell me. THKS


----------



## graham508

Is there anyone else out there who has not received their Pulse Infinity and LPS? 
I'm really angry about this. 
Theft - that's what it's called. 
I want my money back from LH Labs and will not rest until I have it.


----------



## wingsounds13 (Aug 17, 2017)

A year and a half ago there were about 200 outstanding deliveries.  I am not sure that they have shipped any in that time.  If so, I would guess less than half that 200 still waiting.  It beats the heck out of me that they could deliver ~2000 over about a year, then almost none of the last 200 in a year and a half. 

It's a near certainly that you are not getting your money back.  You may eventually receive the products that you backed, but will it be this year, next year or 2019 (if LH Labs is still in business by then). 

I suggest that you submit a support ticket as they were telling people to do for years.  Maybe add a reply every week, keeping count until you get a response.  I think that responses to the ticket bumps it on their list, and that is why I suggested that.  

J.P.


----------



## graham508

Thanks J.P. 

I've submitted 2 tickets this month, neither answered. 

Pulse Infinity has been off their product line for a while now, along with various other products, which shows LH Labs are in strife. Paying out their original backers would be the most expeditious solution, but they are obviously suffering serious cashflow problems. For their own credibility, they must either do this or fulfil their final batch of orders. However, their reputation has already been severely damaged by this fiasco. 

G.S.


----------



## wingsounds13

I agree that they appear to be operating on a shoestring budget.  Living week to week, month to month sucks.  It also makes it difficult to buy parts and pay for production.  They have been selling a few products (Geek Out, a few cables and Tesla speaker upgrades).  I guess that these pay for themselves and part of product development.  They need another high volume and/or high profit product on the market.  I am guessing that they think this is the Wave.  I don't know how well the Source will sell, but I suspect that it is also a high profit product.  Once these are selling (and shipping to indiegogo backers) perhaps they can pay for the last batch of Pulses.  I don't know where the Pulses will go after that because they seem to be a slow moving product these days.  If they could have delivered all backers, I still don't know where it could have gone in the market at their initial pricing.  The current Amazon price seems closer to reality, though possibly a bit low.  

In spite of them driving their own reputation deep into the cesspool, I do wish them well in the long term.  If they can fix their management problems, their products sound plenty good enough to be competitive in the market - given reasonable pricing.  

I do have high hopes for all Pulse and Vi DAC backers receiving their products.  Same for Wave and Source backers such as myself and thousands of others.  My confidence is beginning to wane, but the hope is still there.  Larry has too much money and self invested to let LH Labs go down without a fight.  

J.P.


----------



## graham508

I hold out hope too, despite it all.


----------



## djmj24

oneguy said:


> Are any Mac users having these problems too? I have an Infinity v2 and it's always been easy to connect to my MacBook Air. The DAC should be designed to work with both Windows and OSx but I wonder if the Windows OS is giving the Pulse the finger.



Hi oneguy,
For almost a year I cannot use my pulse infinity on my macbook pro: as soon as I start playing a track the pulse disconnects from the output list...
is it due to the os change to Sierra? I am looking for help, tickets are never answered...


----------



## FBFA

I also own a pause infinity. Mine had the same problem. I called them and wrote them and ultimately sent an email to Mr Fish that it was on the way back. I gave him the tracking information on UPS as well. What I learned was the problem stemmed from a defective relay. They fixed the relay and sent the DAC back to me. It has worked perfectly ever since. I had to go well above every one's head to get this done but persistence pays off. 

I am also short a source which the messages tells me is in the que for shipping. That has been for six months now. The product exists as it has continually been shown at hifi shows to rave reviews. Now the only thing left is to release it.


----------



## jbr1971 (Aug 20, 2017)

djmj24 said:


> Hi oneguy,
> For almost a year I cannot use my pulse infinity on my macbook pro: as soon as I start playing a track the pulse disconnects from the output list...
> is it due to the os change to Sierra? I am looking for help, tickets are never answered...



I am running JRMC on a Mac Mini with Sierra 10.12.6 on it and have no playback issues at all with my Pulse Xfi. I am not sure if there is much of a difference between the Infinity and Xfi firmwares.

What playback software are you using? Are you able to configure the software for exclusive access to the Pulse? If so, do you?

EDIT: I just saw your post from earlier in the week stating you are using JRMC22, and that there is a firmware update available for your Pulse.

Definitely update the firmware if possible as that should fix your issue.


----------



## oneguy

djmj24 said:


> Hi oneguy,
> For almost a year I cannot use my pulse infinity on my macbook pro: as soon as I start playing a track the pulse disconnects from the output list...
> is it due to the os change to Sierra? I am looking for help, tickets are never answered...



I've always updated my OS when the new one became available so it's hard for me to say at this point if Sierra is the culprit. I haven't connected my laptop to my Infinity in about two weeks since my laptop is on permanent server duty and I have microRendu coming for the Pulse. I have used my iPhone as a source and streamed content via JRiver and it's been successful almost all of the time.


----------



## Audio Addict

My Infinity v2.0 will have been sitting at LH Labs 4 weeks on Monday.  They responded quickly when I first contacted them but have gone dark after shipping it to them as they told me to do.


----------



## DSlayerZX

Audio Addict said:


> My Infinity v2.0 will have been sitting at LH Labs 4 weeks on Monday.  They responded quickly when I first contacted them but have gone dark after shipping it to them as they told me to do.



At least you got a reply. my ticket is 2 weeks in and I got no response so far. =___=


----------



## wingsounds13

Unfortunately, two weeks is nothing unusual these days.  About the only way to get a quick response is to offer to give them money.  Need an upgrade on an existing order?  you will probably get a response in only a week.  

J.P.


----------



## MikeyFresh

wingsounds13 said:


> Unfortunately, two weeks is nothing unusual these days.



Unfortunately two weeks was nothing unusual not just these days, but pretty much always.

I sent an LPS-4 for a warranty authorized modification way back in 2015 and it took 35+ days to get any response/status and fully 6 weeks (including shipping time coast to coast and back) for a resolution.

After many promises of addressing the issue over time I'd like to think LH Labs would have improved their service performance by now, but sadly I won't be surprised if it is worse than ever.


----------



## Drsparis

graham508 said:


> Is there anyone else out there who has not received their Pulse Infinity and LPS?
> I'm really angry about this.
> Theft - that's what it's called.
> I want my money back from LH Labs and will not rest until I have it.



I have been impatiently waiting for years as well.... i write to them about once every couple months but havnt gotten a reply in about a year... a freaking year....


----------



## NinjaHamster (Aug 29, 2017)

Let’s face it. The company has been dead for a couple of years now: They just haven’t closed the doors yet.

At least Larry is still there bellowing at the worker OmmpaLoompas who are, by now, cowering in the corner trying to avert their eyes and waiting for a path to the exit to clear.


----------



## foreverzer0

NinjaHamster said:


> Let’s face it. The company has been dead for a couple of years now: They just haven’t closed the doors yet.
> 
> At least Larry is still there bellowing at the worker OmmpaLoompas who are, by now, cowering in the corner trying to avert their eyes and waiting for a path to the exit to clear.



Just tried to contact support to inquire about new Geek Out firmware, but looks like their support portal and email no longer works -- I wonder if they never renewed or didn't pay their invoice for Fresh Desk.. Hopefully it's due to Larry being in China getting the Wave underway and forgot to pay the invoice..


----------



## mandrake50 (Aug 31, 2017)

Regardless, this is not a very encouraging development. I have been holding out hope that I may actually get something for the few thousands of dollars they took from me...


----------



## graham508

Yes I found the same. 
I wanted to ask them about my unanswered tickets but could not log on: 
"Your account has been suspended and the customer portal will not be accessible. Please contact your account administrator."

This is just great. The company is teetering, in debt to hundreds of backers.


----------



## purk

So did LH actually deliver anything beside Geek Pulse and Geek Out?  How about those portable player?


----------



## spyder1

Purk,

LH Labs delivered, Geek LPS, Pulse Blue, Lightspeed Revive, Vi DAC Solid State, and USB cables. Many are waiting for the Wave DAP.


----------



## doctorjazz

I think some Vi DACs are out there in the wild (the solid state version, maybe a few of the tubes), I'm still waiting for mine. Then there is the stuff that wasn't crowdfunded (Revive) which is out there as well.


----------



## llama_egg

I mean, some of us, including me, still don't have their geek Pulse, and they avoid the subject whenever it's asked.


----------



## doctorjazz

Waiting on a Vi DAC Tube SE, Wave, and Source (and assorted accessories)...


----------



## purk

I hope u guys got what u order soon.  Honestly, I wish them to stay in business because if they to be folded then out products will tank with them.  I saw that they are also working with Tesla on the optional premium audio right?


----------



## foreverzer0

I'm reclaiming desk space and giving up my infinity + lps4 if anyone is interested.


----------



## Shawnb

Waiting on Source SE, Wave, LPS4, LPS8, Tubed HPA and PTP.
It's going to be a long long wait


----------



## mandrake50

I guess I am lucky. I am just waiting for a near maxed out Wave and an SS HPA (with a couple of modules). At least I think this is all. It has been so long I may have forgotten something.


----------



## Audio Addict

I am just waiting for a maxed out Wave 256XD, Source SE and SS HPA with additional op-amp boards.  Almost forgot, waiting on an Infinity v2.0 sent for repair they have now gone dark on communicating with me on.


----------



## purk

Wow guys...  good lucks.  I really hope they can stay afloat to fufil all the order and perks.  Plus warranty servicing is ultra important as well.


----------



## NinjaHamster

It has gotten to the stage now where I feel embarrassed for Larry with every hopeful update he sends out, wondering whether he actually realises he is lying or whether he is actually that delusional. I think we may be witnessing a major mental illness in action, unfortunately. I hope they wind down the company soon, the embarrassing charade will stop, and people can go off to get the help they require in private.


----------



## bhazard

You may actually get your repair. One guy was doing mine (Pulse Infinity) and it took 3 months with no communication, but they finally did inform me and sent it out. This was before the ticketing system shut down though. Maybe, just maybe the person handling payments is away for the holiday weekend.


----------



## purk

Well, Larry is fairly wealthy guy so hopefully he is an ethical man.


----------



## mandrake50

That is going a bit too far. Obviously some bad decisions have been made. I think many made by the hyper sales puke Gavin. Lots of people and companies make bad decisions, but accusing the principals of mental defects is not usually warranted.

I also think that Larry is reporting what he believes and hopes will happen.
I also believe that he has a great mind for circuit design and audio in general.
He obviously has placed his trust in some of the wrong people. So perhaps he should not be in charge of running the company. That does not indicate that he has some kind of mental disorder. It is more of a competency problem. An example perhaps of the "peter principal" perhaps.

Personally, I hope that they can survive to meet their commitments. Part of that is selfish, part concern for all of the others that have their money invested.


----------



## NinjaHamster

Yes, but lets not forget that whilst it MAY be that “Larry is reporting what he believes and hopes will happen”, he is doing so knowing full well what hasn’t transpired (delivering paid for items etc.) in the past and he knows what is not happening at the moment. In NOT allowing this past and the present to factor into his assessment of the future, Larry is either being a) dishonest or b) irresponsibly delusional.
Does it matter if someone is a great engineer when they are also the CEO of a company which is failing to deliver items? I paint GREAT pictures in my head, but my hands can’t bring that to paper; I therefore don’t paint or call myself a painter, nor will I try to sell you a future painting - if I did, I wouldn’t be blaming the easel and brushes for the crappy results. I’ve been an apologist for Larry. That time is long gone.


----------



## mandrake50

I guess you don't have mental issues.. or.. maybe making oneself out to have a doctor in psychology does qualify... unless you are ???
If not that does not make you a definer of those characteristics.
I don't find him guiltless by any measure. I still think your post was out of line.
I also think that hoping that he fails...just because YOU think it is just, is very, very selfish.

BTW, if you check my post history here and on the LHL sites, you will know that I am anything but a defender... They banned me over there more than once.


----------



## spyder1 (Sep 1, 2017)

mandrake50 said:


> They banned me over there more than once.



+1


----------



## NinjaHamster (Sep 1, 2017)

I DO have mental issues. However, as I am not holding any of your money, this is none of your concern.
However, your implicit point that people with a mental illness cannot assess or discuss other people’s mental health was well made.
As to “hoping he fails” where the Heck did you get that from?? Read the message again. The failure has already occurred. I hope he “winds the company down” not “so he fails” (good grief!), but rather so that he doesn’t lure new people into this Ponzi scheme - so that the current failure doesn’t become a bigger failure.


----------



## wingsounds13

I happen to be hoping that he succeeds.  Claiming that he has already failed either has unstated constraints on the definition of 'failed' or is an exaggeration of the current conditions.  He has not yet failed, not until LH Labs officially ceases operation.  Until then, there remains the possibility of delivering everything that has been purchased through the market, and everything that has been backed in their far too numerous and rambling crowd funding campaigns.  

As Mandrake suggests, hoping that he fails is telling everyone who has given them money and not yet received product a big FU.  This point amongst others is a reason that I hope that Larry and LH Labs ultimately succeed.  That and the selfish little point that I am awaiting delivery of a Source and two Waves.  

There is no doubt that the company has been spectacularly mismanaged.  It is being run by an engineer, who should find a truly competent manager to run the company while Larry does what he does best - designing audio equipment.  Right now, I consider that to be highly unlikely, as they appear to be operating on a shoestring budget while trying to finish and start producing a couple of products that may (hopefully will) pull them out of the hole that they appear to be in.  I don't see Larry giving up any time soon, as he has too much money and his own psyche invested in LH Labs and its products.  I anticipate that he will keep pushing until recovery, or he is pushing bankruptcy himself.  

J.P.


----------



## doctorjazz

Amen to the above-got lots of moolah invested, really hoping to get SOME product out of it, don't want to see failure. It ain't over until LH Labs folds.


----------



## Audio Addict

I dropped Larry an email directly and just asked directly.  He had engages in emails with me earlier in the repair of my Infinity.  If I hear anything I will post.


----------



## Shawnb

Audio Addict said:


> I dropped Larry an email directly and just asked directly.  He had engages in emails with me earlier in the repair of my Infinity.  If I hear anything I will post.



I tried that when he first emailed us with the Source SE.  First response was quick, now it's back to the normal non-communication. Going on 3 weeks without a response now.
Only going on 6 weeks on a 2 week delay for the Source SE.  Only response I want or trust is the shipping notice. Everything else is meaningless.


----------



## purk

I honestly think all those perks were probably dream up by his marketing team rather than Larry.  Of course, as a engineer/designer he should have known his limits.  I thought it was very unethical when they kept coming up with more products when they can't even fufil initial orders in the first place.


----------



## mandrake50

I think he probably was swept along with the Gavin Hype and seeing all of that money rolling in. It took awhile for reality to set in. The money is now gone and they have a big problem delivering anything.
Such a shame. For the investors primarily, but also for what may have been a real player in the market, LHL.


----------



## jaywhar

Regardless of who you hold responsible, Larry has to own this. He dodges updates for months at a time (5 since last update on the campaign site) and doesn't respond to questions on his own forums. When he does provide an update, it is inevitably horribly vague and worthless in terms of providing a reliable estimate of when the remaining Pulse units will ship. It took Gavin (as an ex-employee) to actually post an explanation of what has gone on - we've never had such communication from Larry.


----------



## jaywhar

Case in point.... the update that just dropped including gems such as...
"We are not moving fast for the past few months, honestly".
No mention of what's actually happening - no mention of when items are likely to ship


----------



## NinjaHamster (Sep 9, 2017)

Actually my favourite part was the “100% delivered” and “Shipping complete” sections which shows LH Labs has 100% delivered most things - including the Geek Pulse I’m still awaiting.

You can find his latest chart/graph/presentation/representation at https://www.instagram.com/p/BY0GWb2nbw3/


----------



## Mike-WI

NinjaHamster said:


> Actually my favourite part was the “100% delivered” and “Shipping complete” sections which shows LH Labs has 100% delivered most things - including the Geek Pulse I’m still awaiting.
> 
> You can find his latest chart/graph/presentation/representation at https://www.instagram.com/p/BY0GWb2nbw3/


Agreed. Nothing like avoiding saying years behind and over-committed and then showing a graph that has false information as part of a new communication plan.

Mike


----------



## jaywhar

And what's with hosting an image of the doc on Instagram? I'll admit it's much better than using YouTube like they did in the last wave update, but they do realise they have a website of their own, right?

Actually, given the frequency with which anyone from lhLabs posts there, maybe they have actually forgotten it exists...


----------



## NinjaHamster

jaywhar said:


> And what's with hosting an image of the doc on Instagram? I'll admit it's much better than using YouTube like they did in the last wave update, but they do realise they have a website of their own, right?
> 
> Actually, given the frequency with which anyone from lhLabs posts there, maybe they have actually forgotten it exists...




Due to the “expense of maintaining a website” (and the fact that you can retrieve data off it to remind you of what perks you purchased 3 years ago), all LH Labs communications will henceforth take place in Snapchat.


----------



## m17xr2b

I love how with every update the shipment dates are just one or two months away. I'm close of 4 years of waiting on the damn Pulse


----------



## mandrake50

Perhaps a step in the right direction. Now let's see if it leads to actually resolving some of the serious problems people are having.


----------



## graham508

One tiny good thing, LH Labs ticket service is no longer blocking my account. 
Wooppee, I can ask them again about my undelivered Pulse Infinity and LPS. 

This has been the biggest headache of my hi-fi life.


----------



## Ebonyzer

Does anyone know if the Pulse Xfi has balanced DAC-only output? If I wanted to use the DAC portion but route that to another amplifier, can that be done? I apologize, I'm not super up on all routing particulars or best practices. I figure I probably don't want the amp coloring the sound though if I want the DAC signal going to a different amp.


----------



## pbear

Ebonyzer said:


> Does anyone know if the Pulse Xfi has balanced DAC-only output? If I wanted to use the DAC portion but route that to another amplifier, can that be done? I apologize, I'm not super up on all routing particulars or best practices. I figure I probably don't want the amp coloring the sound though if I want the DAC signal going to a different amp.



Yes, it does. I'm using my Pulse Infinity as the DAC with a Cavalli Liquid Carbon (v1) as the amp right now, with XLR line-level connections between the two.


----------



## upsguys88

pbear said:


> Yes, it does. I'm using my Pulse Infinity as the DAC with a Cavalli Liquid Carbon (v1) as the amp right now, with XLR line-level connections between the two.



How's the sound?


----------



## Ebonyzer (Sep 15, 2017)

So the RCA out and the XLR out are both line-level? The manual makes it sounds like the RCA is line level but is unclear on the two XLR left and right outputs on the back.

I ask specifically cause I'm interested in that Massdrop Liquid Carbon X and wanted to know if the Pulse Xfi would be a suitable DAC for it. Do you dig that combo? Any other info or take on all that?


----------



## snip3r77

pbear said:


> Yes, it does. I'm using my Pulse Infinity as the DAC with a Cavalli Liquid Carbon (v1) as the amp right now, with XLR line-level connections between the two.



How is the synergy? I'm tempted to get the Massdrop LC-X and I'd be using it with the LCD-X.
Will it provide some warmth to the DAC? Thanks


----------



## wingsounds13

Yes, the RCA and XLR output on the back are both line level outputs.  Better yet, they each have their own output buffers so you can use both at the same time with no ill effects or interaction.  One caveat is that the volume control affects the line outputs the same as it does the headphone outputs, however, the headphone amp gain selection does not affect the line outs.  

I rather like the sound of my Geek Pulse X infinity and would highly recommend this DAC for the sound quality, HOWEVER...  I don't recommend any Geek Pulse because of their less than excellent reliability record, or any LH Labs product because of the poor management and business practices of LH Labs, and their potential longevity (for servicing products that do fail in the future).  Perhaps the business will turn around with their new communication person Jarek and (hopefully) the release and shipment of the Source and Waves.  

J.P.


----------



## Maelob

+1 loving the Liquid  carbon with my XFI - but would never recommend this DAC because of the issues J.P. mentions above.


----------



## snip3r77

Maelob said:


> +1 loving the Liquid  carbon with my XFI - but would never recommend this DAC because of the issues J.P. mentions above.


Considering to combo it with my geek infinity also. How doesn't LC differs from geek xfi amp portion ? Does it add some warmth and also enhances the bass slam ?


----------



## Maelob

snip3r77 said:


> Considering to combo it with my geek infinity also. How doesn't LC differs from geek xfi amp portion ? Does it add some warmth and also enhances the bass slam ?


yes and yes - with some refinement  and quieter background- for sure it is an upgrade


----------



## greenkiwi

@Maelob I'm also curious about the LC (and through it, the LCX)... is it an improvement over the HPA in the XFi?  

If so, I'd be very tempted to get it. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts/experiences either way.


----------



## foreverzer0

I eventually used a Matrix HPA-3B full balanced amp with the X Infinity and it worked better than the internal amp. More analog (laid back, warmth) and more bass slam/authority. I'm contemplating selling the amp since I've switched to another system that has a decent enough amp.


----------



## Maelob

greenkiwi said:


> @Maelob I'm also curious about the LC (and through it, the LCX)... is it an improvement over the HPA in the XFi?
> 
> If so, I'd be very tempted to get it.
> 
> I'd love to hear your thoughts/experiences either way.



I just recently got the amp - so far running single ended until I get some xlr cable for my HIFIMAN Edition X.  They don't really need a lot of power but I heard the balanced connection is better.  But even single ended sound better than the Geek xfi.  Once i get everything connected I will report back in a few weeks.


----------



## mandrake50

The LC is  one of the amps where the balanced output is actually superior to the SE. Looking at the specs, it puts out at MAX, 4 times as much power balanced versus SE.
It is obvious to me that it was designed to be used balanced. I can't say that the sound is hugely different between the two outputs, but the amount of power available certainly is.
Of course, for most headphones the 700 mw available SE should be more than enough.


----------



## purk

jaywhar said:


> Case in point.... the update that just dropped including gems such as...
> "We are not moving fast for the past few months, honestly".
> No mention of what's actually happening - no mention of when items are likely to ship



Power doesn't equal to quality though.  Amplifier with better parts and power supply will sound more open and resolving than the LC.  The old 2006 Headamp GS-1 is a great choice if you run into one.


----------



## Ebonyzer

purk said:


> Power doesn't equal to quality though.  Amplifier with better parts and power supply will sound more open and resolving than the LC.  The old 2006 Headamp GS-1 is a great choice if you run into one.



What about the Little Dot IV SE? I have one of those but haven't yet run the xfi's DAC to it yet. I was considering the MassDrop Liquid Carbon because of it's balanced section.


----------



## purk (Sep 19, 2017)

Ebonyzer said:


> What about the Little Dot IV SE? I have one of those but haven't yet run the xfi's DAC to it yet. I was considering the MassDrop Liquid Carbon because of it's balanced section.


The LCX from MD is a great choice if you think of it.  Assuming the same internal parts, but possibly a better outboard PSU in the future.  Still to be able to offer at that price, they have to skip on part costs.  Lower grade parts usually will yield slightly harsh sound for solid state amplifiers.  I have not auditioned the LD so I can't comment on those but they have been around for awhile so they have to be good to be in the business this long.  Also don't count out older amplifiers.  You can easily buy used solid state Headroom amps with better parts for around $300 to $500 and those amps used to retail for $1500.


----------



## Ebonyzer

Yeah I was wondering about the cost reduction. I thought maybe some savings on account of a bigger order and using some borrowed parts (case), and is being manufactured in China rather than here could save a bit. Assuming the QA/QC is decent, hopefully they'd be putting together a similar unit with some decent cost savings?


----------



## greenkiwi

mandrake50 said:


> The LC is  one of the amps where the balanced output is actually superior to the SE. Looking at the specs, it puts out at MAX, 4 times as much power balanced versus SE.
> It is obvious to me that it was designed to be used balanced. I can't say that the sound is hugely different between the two outputs, but the amount of power available certainly is.
> Of course, for most headphones the 700 mw available SE should be more than enough.



It could also be that they designed the outputs with different purposes in mind.  When using the balanced, you are more likely to have headphones that need more power.  On the other hand, if they have that much gain on the SE output, it might be noisier for IEMs.


----------



## mandrake50 (Sep 20, 2017)

I suppose it could be lots of things, but that was never mentioned by Alex during the design and development stages of the project for the LC. Over 6 months or so that the early adopters were waiting for the V1, we had plenty of time to discuss such things with Alex. I don't recall your hypothesis coming up in the conversation. I am sure it would have been were it fact.

The reason of the power discrepancy is that only half of the amp is used in SE. It also turned out that some people experienced higher noise levels on the SE output, but it is not due to gain levels, but rather power supply issues.


----------



## AxelCloris

If you want to reach LH Labs, we suggest you contact them directly at the following email address: lhcommsquad@gmail.com


----------



## greenkiwi

I get the half amp for SE, except that when you look at the listed specs:
> Balanced 2.8W RMS into 50 ohms, single-ended 0.7W RMS into 50 ohms

It's 1/4.  Or is my voltage to RMS power not right, and when you half the voltage, you quarter the power output?


----------



## miceblue

I just switched to a Windows PC coming from a MacBook (after many years I decided to build my own [AMD Ryzen/Vega]). Oddly enough, the Pulse X Infinity seems to be behaving more stably than in OS X; as in, it doesn't cut out audio randomly and I need to restart the device.

I'll be attending CanJam at RMAF this year and I hope to visit the folks at Audio Precision again. Hopefully I can get the Pulse X Infinity measured.


----------



## Audio Addict

AxelCloris said:


> If you want to reach LH Labs, we suggest you contact them directly at the following email address: lhcommsquad@gmail.com



They do not respond to that either.


----------



## mandrake50

At least not within two days... it has just been that since the address was posted. If they respond in two weeks it will beat what people have been seeing for months.
Not making excuses for them or justifying anything,
Just sayin'


----------



## wingsounds13

As far as I know, lhcommsquad is not LH Labs, it is just Jarek.  He is not in California and works remotely.  He can only forward requests to personnel within the LH Labs offices and hope that they respond.  There, we are stuck with the near total lack of communication from within.  If those within do not communicate (quite possibly because they have been abused by irate custmoers) they must either start communicating or be replaced.  

Many not good things within LH Labs which need to be addressed.  

J.P.


----------



## sweet_audio450

Audio Addict said:


> They do not respond to that either.





mandrake50 said:


> At least not within two days... it has just been that since the address was posted. If they respond in two weeks it will beat what people have been seeing for months.
> Not making excuses for them or justifying anything,
> Just sayin'





wingsounds13 said:


> As far as I know, lhcommsquad is not LH Labs, it is just Jarek.  He is not in California and works remotely.  He can only forward requests to personnel within the LH Labs offices and hope that they respond.  There, we are stuck with the near total lack of communication from within.  If those within do not communicate (quite possibly because they have been abused by irate custmoers) they must either start communicating or be replaced.
> 
> Many not good things within LH Labs which need to be addressed.
> 
> J.P.



Hi everyone, it's still Jarek here. That is my personal email address I created for the job. I do respond to those emails and I do forward information to LH Labs personnel. The communication within the organization (at least back and forth to me) is extremely hit or miss. I'm trying to work as best I can within the framework/culture there. I'm trying to impart to Larry the importance of changing that culture. We need to wipe the slate clean and start again. 

On that note, we are hiring at least one more CS agent, and I personally handpicked her. Nothing is finalized yet, but hopefully by tomorrow night we'll have something finalized. That should speed up the ticket response time a lot. I was actually in the ticket system tonight working for about 9 hours, so we could get a head start on those before she arrives on the team. (again, due to some circumstances, nothing is finalized yet, and there may be a waiting period before she can actually start)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

sweet_audio450 said:


> On that note, we are hiring at least one more CS agent, and I personally handpicked her.



Ok, as a potential member of the CS team she should be beautiful... CS right? Customer Satisfaction...


----------



## Audio Addict

sweet_audio450 said:


> Hi everyone, it's still Jarek here. That is my personal email address I created for the job. I do respond to those emails and I do forward information to LH Labs personnel. The communication within the organization (at least back and forth to me) is extremely hit or miss. I'm trying to work as best I can within the framework/culture there. I'm trying to impart to Larry the importance of changing that culture. We need to wipe the slate clean and start again.
> 
> On that note, we are hiring at least one more CS agent, and I personally handpicked her. Nothing is finalized yet, but hopefully by tomorrow night we'll have something finalized. That should speed up the ticket response time a lot. I was actually in the ticket system tonight working for about 9 hours, so we could get a head start on those before she arrives on the team. (again, due to some circumstances, nothing is finalized yet, and there may be a waiting period before she can actually start)



Could you respond to my emails to you?


----------



## sweet_audio450

Audio Addict said:


> Could you respond to my emails to you?



As far as I'm aware, I've responded to every single email I've received. What is the topic of the email you sent me or the email address/name in the email?


----------



## snip3r77

Maelob said:


> yes and yes - with some refinement  and quieter background- for sure it is an upgrade


 An 


Maelob said:


> yes and yes - with some refinement  and quieter background- for sure it is an upgrade


is it a significant upgrade? Can you provide more comparison info? Still sitting on the fence to lcx or not


----------



## Audio Addict

sweet_audio450 said:


> As far as I'm aware, I've responded to every single email I've received. What is the topic of the email you sent me or the email address/name in the email?



9 weeks this coming Monday and not one word on my Infinity status.  I do not understand.  It could be a simple fuse but that isn't user accessable.


----------



## Maelob

snip3r77 said:


> An
> 
> is it a significant upgrade? Can you provide more comparison info? Still sitting on the fence to lcx or not



Still waiting on my balanced headphone cable, right now I have my XFI connected via cheap amazon xlr cables to the LC, but using just single ended out. I notice a slight improvement but not really that much.  A little more detail and more relaxing highs but not a huge change, bass is similar on my HIFIMAN Edition X2.  Not too much of a difference to be honest.  I am still waiting on my impact audio balanced cable and audience ohno xlr cables. I think I would still get the LCX if you can, so freaking cheap, I bought my LC for 600 just 3 month ago, not cool. I was planning to sell it before, but now I may as well use it. But I think overall the XFI has been a good DAC/AMP.  I just recently added the IFI galvanic with defender and really made it sound even better.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Sep 29, 2017)

I have an LH Revive on my chain and made my Infinity sound better too.


----------



## JoeyGS

My Geek pulse is connected to an iFi IUSB and an iFi iPurifier 2 and made a huge improvement in the sound.  iFi says the iFi iUSB3 is its equivalent.



Maelob said:


> Still waiting on my balanced headphone cable, right now I have my XFI connected via cheap amazon xlr cables to the LC, but using just single ended out. I notice a slight improvement but not really that much.  A little more detail and more relaxing highs but not a huge change, bass is similar on my HIFIMAN Edition X2.  Not too much of a difference to be honest.  I am still waiting on my impact audio balanced cable and audience ohno xlr cables. I think I would still get the LCX if you can, so freaking cheap, I bought my LC for 600 just 3 month ago, not cool. I was planning to sell it before, but now I may as well use it. But I think overall the XFI has been a good DAC/AMP.  I just recently added the IFI galvanic with defender and really made it sound even better.


----------



## Angular Mo

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I have an LH Revive on my chain and made my Infinity sound better too.



The Revive is the only way I can possible okay my Geek Out 1000 v1 from my iPhone.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

GO 1000 requires much juice that other phones (like iPhone, my V20) have problems connecting to it. Good thing LH Revive has batteries.


----------



## doctorjazz

Hmmm, never thought to try that. I do use the Revive with the Geek Out SE v1, but always plugged in (line out to MicroZOTL2 as desktop system). Does improve the sound.


----------



## mark5hs

Anyone ever try a Pulse with Elears?


----------



## skablin

mark5hs said:


> Anyone ever try a Pulse with Elears?


That’s my combo and love it


----------



## greenkiwi

I'm excited about the Clear + Infinity... or Infinitely clear...


----------



## graham508

I'm still waiting for Pulse Infinity and LPS ordered in 2013. 
I received this response from Jarek 16 days ago, but it gives no specific information on these items. The old Indiegogo pages are certainly not helpful. 
I have submitted another ticket asking for more specific information on expected delivery dates. 

Hello 

We appreciate your interest in campaign product delivery dates. At this time, all current information regarding delivery dates and product updates can be found by visiting our Facebook, IGG and LH Labs Solutions pages. The links for all are below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geekbylhlabs/?ref=br_tf

Geek Wave IGG: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-wave-a-no-compromise-portable-music-player/x/798192#/

Geek Pulse IGG: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-dac-high-rez-desktop-dac-system-audio--4/x/798192

Vi DAC IGG: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/vi-dac-ultra-high-end-dac-with-unique-design/x/798192#/

Geek Source IGG: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-source-the-ultimate-hd-music-server-sound/x/798192#/

Pulse Analog IGG: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-headphones/x/798192#/

Solutions (Product Update Directory): https://support.lhlabs.com/solution/categories

Again, we do appreciate your continued interest in our products and we're excited to get them into your hands. We'll keep updating these places as more information becomes available! 

Thank you again for opening this ticket.  At this time, we're considering it closed.  Please feel free to open a new ticket if you have any other questions.

Jarek


----------



## graham508 (Oct 13, 2017)

Further to my Pulse Infinity and LPS situation: I received a detailed and helpful response from Jarek, saying they are trying valiantly to get their various campaign products completed and out to customers - excerpt below. The wait is certainly not over, but Pulse customers still waiting can have some peace of mind: we are on the map. Thank you Jarek. 

“At this point, those items are still in production. I cannot give you any sort of date on them. If we provided you a date previously with a guaranteed shipment or some other type of guaranteed ship confirmation, I could review that. But if you purchased the items and are just waiting on a shipping confirmation or date, I cannot provide any sort of date. When we have that information over your shipment, you will be emailed directly or we will publicly announce that information.

Beyond that, I have no timeline or date on any type of shipments for you or any other customers. I am really sorry about that and I totally get the frustration. We're working hard on producing these units (across all campaigns), but it will unfortunately take more time. I appreciate your patience and understanding on this.”


----------



## Maelob

Every time I read an update, I loose more hope.  They appear to be working on fumes right now, I wish they survive and deliver, but at this point don't think is going to happen. It  just amazes me how crazy they were in thinking that they could deliver all they promised, and how we all fell into the hype train. It is just crazy all the wasted thousands of dollars we spent. Even if they deliver the promised products, nobody in the community will dare to buy their products even if they get amazing reviews. just my two cents, so mad.


----------



## Eruditeswine

Hello Pulse X Infinity users! What Main and USB firmware/drivers are you using? Are you using Windows 10 native USB Audio 2.0 driver?

I have the following;
Main: 3.0
USB Control Panel: 2V0
Windows driver: 3.26.0


----------



## Mannytorres

This is Manny (sticking my head above water in a pond of itchy trigger fingers). 
I had to leave the company due to some issues.


----------



## m17xr2b

Are these issues an indications that we will never receive our productions?


----------



## Mannytorres

Hey guys its Manny, I thought I should jump in and post. 
I have been receiving many calls about products and to tell you the truth I really have no idea. I had to leave the company quickly and haven't heard anything since. I am willing to answer questions from what I know. But it is coming from a single perspective who no longer works with Light Harmonic. 

Thank  You!


----------



## pedalhead

Hi Manny, I'm sure everyone here would appreciate (and arguably deserves) a brief synopsis of what is going on at LH.  Thanks.


----------



## Mannytorres (Oct 19, 2017)

Driver 3.26 was the last Driver i had worked on, with a USB compoany out of Germany ( If you remember our early years, It was suggested). 
Last thing i remeber doing is checking compatibility with windows 10 with driver 3.26 and found no issues. \

Hey PedalHead, 

Trust me I know the name. We had a blacklist of customers that bypassed all Customer Service Agents and went directly to me. ( you were one of them). Can you please be a little more specific with what you are asking. thank you!

arueably, not so much with the driver but software like older Foobar would not seem to work well with our driver on WIN10 systems. There wasn't much we could do about that.


----------



## pedalhead

Lol yes I'm not surprised. After being a vigorous supporter of LH (I even applied to be an ambassador), once it was clear that things were going south I was pretty vocal about it.

I guess what people would like to understand is just what kind of situation LH/Larry is in?  Is the company simply a one man band now?  Did you see any progress being made on the products people backed? Thanks.


----------



## Mannytorres

Yes i Know, back to our kickstarter days, (man that was a vigorous experience). Such a simple idea, with great minds behind it!
I have read the final posts from Gavin Fish, and was tasked with many of his duties when he had to leave the company. Larry is a brilliant mind when it comes to Audio Electronics. But needs to let his collegues run what he hired them for. I think the major downturn was that, He did not trust in me to turn the customer's mind around, and didn't find me indispensible to make sure my check cleared. I fought tooth and nail to make sure that this would not be another failed startup. I vstill have hopes that they can some day deliver on the products.


----------



## pedalhead

Thanks. I guess the two big questions are... Does LH still have any staff beyond Larry and the new part-time comms chap (sorry I forget his name)?  Is there any money left?


----------



## oneguy

Manny,

From what you remember, what’s causing the Pulse campaign fulfillment’s to drag on? I feel bad for those people as the campaign closed out 4-ish years ago. 



pedalhead said:


> Thanks. I guess the two big questions are... Does LH still have any staff beyond Larry and the new part-time comms chap (sorry I forget his name)?  Is there any money left?



Jarek


----------



## stuck limo

pedalhead said:


> Thanks. I guess the two big questions are... Does LH still have any staff beyond Larry and the new part-time comms chap (sorry I forget his name)?  Is there any money left?



It's Jarek. We have about 15 people in the company from what I've been told.


----------



## pedalhead

Thanks Jarek. 15 people. Does Larry allow any of them to actually work on getting products out?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Manny always delivers! 

Always  my best wishes bro on your undertaking.


----------



## Hercules

Mannytorres said:


> We had a blacklist of customers that bypassed all Customer Service Agents and went directly to me. ( you were one of them).



Hi Manny, nice to see you again, you are helpful when you still active, I'm always using Ticketing system, latter stage I got a vip email address for direct communication hopefully it's not bypassing the CSA, and Larry, Matt and Diana jumped in directly for technical support and shipping, hopefully I'm not in not in the blacklist.....


----------



## Mannytorres

Alli know is I had to file a claim with the state to get my last two paychecks. From what i was told directly from other co-workers is that they are following in my steps too.


----------



## doctorjazz

That is NOT encouraging!


----------



## pedalhead

Sorry to hear this, Manny. I hope you and your colleagues are able to move on to other jobs quickly. Not unexpected, but on the surface at least, this has serious implications for those still waiting for LH Labs product.


----------



## doctorjazz

On the other hand, they DID come up with the money (when forced to)... Companies going into bankruptcy try not to pay, as they will get out of many obligations once they get protection, so maybe they can still pull it out. It still seems to me they wouldn't keep updating if they were closing up shop. They would just take the money and go away (many crowd funded companies have done this).
I never thought it would go on this long, though, had almost written this stuff off (and the other LH Labs gear I tied up big bucks in...)


----------



## stuck limo (Oct 26, 2017)

doctorjazz said:


> On the other hand, they DID come up with the money (when forced to)... Companies going into bankruptcy try not to pay, as they will get out of many obligations once they get protection, so maybe they can still pull it out. It still seems to me they wouldn't keep updating if they were closing up shop. They would just take the money and go away (many crowd funded companies have done this).



I just had very long discussion with Matt (tech support) and Larry. They are definitely not closing up shop or taking the money and running. They're still fully in business and we're hopefully in November going to post an update on the state of the offices. Right now they're moving offices so we don't have anything, but I'm in talks with Matt and Larry to get me data and pictures and descriptions and maybe some videos.

It looks bad on the outside, but on the inside things seem to be going extremely well in the Light Harmonic division. Lots and lots of activity on that end and there's also a bustle of activity on the software development side of LH Labs. People are being paid, the employees are excited and happy for the projects being worked on, the overall mood is positive, and I also found out the truth behind some stories that have been told and whispered/rumored about.

So hopefully, we can shed some light on the inner workings of the company and LH can show customers what's really going on in the offices.


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> They're still fully in business and we're *hopefully* in November going to post an update on the state of the offices.



We don't "hopefully" want a November "update" topic on the moving of offices, and incidentally, that story had also been used previously at least once if not twice, where it has been stated that LH Labs had moved offices. 

We want and are quite frankly owed a real update with actual numbers of units produced and shipped to backers, timelines, and challenges on delivering the remaining Pulses, and Vi DACs that were paid for years ago.



stuck limo said:


> It looks bad on the outside



It looks much worse than just bad, and that's been the prevailing theme now for easily 2 or more years, nothing good at all.



stuck limo said:


> I also found out the truth behind some stories that have been told and whispered/rumored about.



Please elaborate if there is anything positive there to report.



stuck limo said:


> So _*hopefully*_, we can shed some light on the inner workings of the company and LH can show customers what's really going on in the offices.



There's that word again, but so far there has been no reason at all for anyone to have any real hope, because nothing at all tangible has been delivered, nor even any news specific to production, shipping, timelines etc... has been provided.

Please don't bother wasting more time with another grand story about offices and "inner workings" carefully designed to divert attention and change the subject: we've seen that movie a dozen times now... MQA, Apt-X, chassis tooling, port closures, etc... it's a very old and beaten dead path.


----------



## stuck limo (Oct 26, 2017)

MikeyFresh said:


> We don't "hopefully" want a November "update" topic on the moving of offices, and incidentally, that story had also been used previously at least once if not twice, where it has been stated that LH Labs had moved offices.
> 
> We want and are quite frankly owed a real update with actual numbers of units produced and shipped to backers, timelines, and challenges on delivering the remaining Pulses, and Vi DACs that were paid for years ago.



I'm working on those. I know, I get it, I understand. I can only update what information I'm given.



> There's that word again, but so far there has been no reason at all for anyone to have any real hope, because nothing at all tangible has been delivered, nor even any news specific to production, shipping, timelines etc... has been provided.
> 
> Please don't bother wasting more time with another grand story about offices and "inner workings" carefully designed to divert attention and change the subject: we've seen that movie a dozen times now... MQA, Apt-X, chassis tooling, port closures, etc... it's a very old and beaten dead path.



Any update I provide on the general state of the company is not designed to divert any attention. My job is to communicate and show transparency. My role isn't *only* related to LH Labs products. If we have a bunch of people wondering what people do in the offices all day, or if we're open or closed, or thinking that Larry and Co. are running away with the money, the job I have is to show and provide information for the backers. If we have an update posted you're not interested in --- simply don't read it. There will be other updates more along the lines of what you you'd like. But we've had lots of people request general interest type updates, and in our duty to those backers, we intend on delivering the type of content they are wanting to see.


----------



## WoodyLuvr

stuck limo said:


> If we have an update posted you're not interested in --- simply don't read it. There will be other updates more along the lines of what you you'd like. But we've had lots of people request general interest type updates.


As much as your time and postings (updates) are appreciated you nor LH Labs are in any position to be "defensive" or "flippant" in responding to upset customers who are rightfully demanding answers and challenging information being given to them.  

General interest type updates should be the least of your's and LH Lab's concerns at the moment don't you think?  Your track record does not warrant much leeway nor wiggle room at the moment.  Nothing that can not be corrected by best business practices and forthright explanations followed by fair, timely actions. 

Best to weather this one with teeth clinched and a big smile.  Take it on the chin as it is well deserved with more than legitimate reasons behind it (e.g. non-delivery of goods being one of the biggest ones).

Respects.


----------



## wingsounds13

People have been asking for communication and more information from LH Labs and Jarek was hired for this very purpose.  He is working remotely and has only the information that he can gather.  We are getting far more communication this past month or so than in the last couple of years.  Are people REALLY complaining about getting more communication than we have had since Gavin (the used car salesman) left?  I get that certain people want specific information and nothing else.  Sorry, but that's not happening.  Updates are tailored for the general population, not individuals.  Even direct responses in forums are limited to what he has access to and what can be presented in public.  Many people are interested in a variety of information and at least we are now getting some.  At least the flow of information is improving, let's work with that for now.  Hopefully communication will continue to improve.  

Yes, it's frustrating and we all want more.  I certainly would like to know more.  I am willing to bet that Jarek would like to get far more than he currently gets from his remote access, and is telling us pretty much everything that he gets.  We can work on getting more, but fer crap's sake, don't shoot the messenger!

Seriously, how many of your questions would be answered by Sony, A&K or other big players in the market?  Even small and fairly open companies such as Schiit would not answer many of the questions being posed to LH Labs.  Keep asking questions, but don't expect an answer to every one.  That, and Think...  What would your response would be to someone *demanding* answers from you, particularly answers that you don't have?

While I have received my Pulse, I am still awaiting delivery of several other LH Labs products. I'm as curious as anyone as to what is taking so fracking long, but trying to practice patience.  Obviously something is royally screwed up at LH Labs and hopefully it is improving rather than getting worse.  Only time will tell here.

J.P.


----------



## marflao

wingsounds13 said:


> Seriously, how many of your questions would be answered by Sony, A&K or other big players in the market?  Even small and fairly open companies such as Schiit would not answer many of the questions being posed to LH Labs.  Keep asking questions, but don't expect an answer to every one.  That, and Think...  What would your response would be to someone *demanding* answers from you, particularly answers that you don't have?
> 
> 
> J.P.



Apples and Oranges... those companies don't offer wrongly advertised devices just with the purpose to get the customers money first. Hence the flood of questions towards LHL are their own fault. 

And that's one of the dilemma LHL has put themself in. 

I still think it's a lame excuse to say it was a mistake or misunderstanding between the  marketing and design team (for instance the aptx topic). If this would be a huge company I would understand that marketing always demands more than the design team can deliver (and align too late with the design team). But LHL is a few people company where Larry and Gavin sat side by side. Hence I doubt they were not discussing and aligning the perk descriptions.


----------



## spyder1

Since Larry Ho, and Team are designing audio equipment for competitive markets, you can't expect highly descriptive responses. *I bet other audio companies would love this!* At best we should expect simple Yes or No responses, w/ easy explanations. Up dated timelines would be helpful.


----------



## stuck limo

marflao said:


> Apples and Oranges... those companies don't offer wrongly advertised devices just with the purpose to get the customers money first. Hence the flood of questions towards LHL are their own fault.
> 
> And that's one of the dilemma LHL has put themself in.
> 
> I still think it's a lame excuse to say it was a mistake or misunderstanding between the  marketing and design team (for instance the aptx topic). If this would be a huge company I would understand that marketing always demands more than the design team can deliver (and align too late with the design team). But LHL is a few people company where Larry and Gavin sat side by side. Hence I doubt they were not discussing and aligning the perk descriptions.



Larry did not charge for a perk, then publicly declare that the perk didn't exist, and then hope that backers wouldn't lose their minds [especially with the already toxic nature of this campaign reaction], only to add it at the last second when they did. There were lots of issues between the marketing team and Larry and I hope one day we can touch on them in an update. The buck stops with Larry, and he knows this was a screw-up. But it wasn't malicious in any way by Larry. Just mismanagement of the marketing team and he's hyper-aware of the issue now.


----------



## marflao

stuck limo said:


> Larry did not charge for a perk, then publicly declare that the perk didn't exist, and then hope that backers wouldn't lose their minds [especially with the already toxic nature of this campaign reaction], only to add it at the last second when they did. There were lots of issues between the marketing team and Larry and I hope one day we can touch on them in an update. The buck stops with Larry, and he knows this was a screw-up. But it wasn't malicious in any way by Larry. Just mismanagement of the marketing team and he's hyper-aware of the issue now.



Jarek, 
you're doing a great job here being the facilitator between the both worlds (backers and LHL). And seriously,  I really appreciate what you have achieved so far: more information have been provided to us since a loooooong time. 

Nonetheless we have the facts that we were bombed with perks in the past, jumped on them based on their description and out off a sudden were told "sorry guys, this or that feature can't be realized because of various reasons" (examples: GW32,  various Pulse models, Source chassis, missing mu-metal in some Pulses ..). 
Or some perks backers had paid for perks and others received them for free. Of course this led every time to a big shitstorm with high pressure on LHL resulting in refunds in some cases (GW32).

And now the same situation again with the aptx topic. If someone from us backers hadn't brought it up to LHL attention, "supported" with proofs that it was mentioned /discussed (and promised to be part of a dedicated perk) earlier I'm not sure if we would have got the aptx feature. 

It really can't be from my point of view to tell you guys what features you have to implement based on the perks you advertised and received our money for. This is something which had to be in scope of the design team. 
And three years ago I really doubt that there was no communication /alignment on the perk description between Larry and Gavin. 

Hence I react a bit sensitive that now the relationship between Marketing and Larry is mentioned the root cause.


----------



## stuck limo (Oct 26, 2017)

marflao said:


> Jarek,
> you're doing a great job here being the facilitator between the both worlds (backers and LHL). And seriously,  I really appreciate what you have achieved so far: more information have been provided to us since a loooooong time.
> 
> Nonetheless we have the facts that we were bombed with perks in the past, jumped on them based on their description and out off a sudden were told "sorry guys, this or that feature can't be realized because of various reasons" (examples: GW32,  various Pulse models, Source chassis, missing mu-metal in some Pulses ..).
> ...



I can't speak to past experiences with this campaign; I'm also not here to excuse bad business decisions. But I was on the phone with Larry at the moment I told him and he literally didn't know aptX was supposed to be on there.  He even told me I was wrong and to double check the IGG to verify. Then I did right there on the phone and he was stunned. The guy absolutely didn't know and was pretty upset and confused over it. (as I stated on IGG, Zero Trans Jitter has nothing to do with aptX, and he stated this to me over the phone and was pretty exasperated) 

Then we immediately started making plans to implement the aptX for the units. 

SHOULD Larry have known? Yes. I also found out I need to check (myself) on all the perks to make sure there's no confusion in the future. There's an entire story Larry told me about the marketing team going nuts and not verifying with him on things. This was one of them, apparently. Is that a valid excuse? No, it should have been managed by Larry --- but that's what happened. It was simply mismanagement, and it never got caught until the backers said something. Not malicious. Just sloppy management.

Anyway, I'm glad we caught that and I think learned an important lesson and I believe Larry learned a valuable lesson as well.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 27, 2017)

WoodyLuvr said:


> General interest type updates should be the least of your's and LH Lab's concerns at the moment


Thank you, well said and exactly the point I was trying to make.


wingsounds13 said:


> Many people are interested in a variety of information and at least we are now getting some. At least the flow of information is improving, let's work with that for now. Hopefully communication will continue to improve.



No we aren't Wings, not on the Pulse or Vi DAC campaigns. No information of any substance has been provided in 2 years, and you know it. If you like the recent updates provided on the Wave campaign so be it, but don't extrapolate that to somehow suggest there has been all new and good communication on the Pulse and Vi DAC, because there hasn't.

I stand by what I said and we are free to disagree here, perhaps it was better stated by @WoodyLuvr above, general interest "updates" and BS about moving offices (again) is not of interest, really amounts to nothing, and can be construed as a diversion both of LH Labs' scarce communication resources for meaningless purposes, as well as a diversion of attention from the real issues at hand. A broken record if there ever was one, and no, neither I nor anyone else was suggesting this is Jarek's fault, it is of course the fault of @Larry Ho.


----------



## wingsounds13

You do have a point.  While I still casually follow the Pulse DAC and analog campaigns, I do not follow them closely.  Similarly, curiosity leads me to look in on the Vi DAC campaign occasionally, perhaps as often as twice a year.  Of course, the Wave and Source campaigns keep my attention, as I am awaiting delivery of both of those products.  I don't know about the Vi DAC as I have not checked recently, but you are correct that there have been no updates of any substance on the Pulse DAC and analog campaigns.  I admit that I am curious as to what happened to stop production and delivery of Pulse infinity DACs for almost two years.  

The ultimate question is:  Are we getting the products that we backed in crowdfunding campaigns.  At this point I still say Yes, we will _eventually_ get what we backed.  Of course we want information, and frequent updates along the way so that we know that the campaigner is still around and working on our new toys.  Yes, toys, as nothing that LH Labs produces is essential for life.  Also, as a reminder, backing a product in a crowdfunding campaign is NOT buying a product.  There is no guarantee that the project will be completed and product shipped.  Although a significant percentage of these campaigns fail to deliver, I will say again that I still believe that the LH Labs campaigns will deliver... eventually. 

Yes, we are ALL frustrated about LH Labs taking forever to deliver, particularly in the case of the Pulse infinity DACs, as something like 80 percent of backers had received their DACs as of about two years ago, and essentially none since then.  What!  Cashflow?  Design updates/changes?  Production problems?  Mismanagement?  I doubt that even Larry could answer those questions to the satisfaction of those still awaiting delivery.  At least we have somewhat of a story on why the Vi DACs are so painfully slow to deliver - A chassis that was not designed for quantity manufacturing, rather more like a low production boutique product like the Light Harmonic DaVinci DAC.  The only answer that really holds any meaning IS actual delivery, and at that point even this will not satisfy some.  Unfortunately, that is about all that we can expect. 

Now, when is LH Labs going to get back on its feet?  We must watch and wait to see.

J.P.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 27, 2017)

wingsounds13 said:


> ...no updates of any substance on the Pulse DAC and analog campaigns. I admit that I am curious as to what happened to stop production and delivery of Pulse infinity DACs for almost two years.



That has to be the most glaring failure and biggest mystery among many. Like you, I received my Pulse a long time ago, I have trouble imagining any scenario where that campaign wouldn't by now have been completely fulfilled. I feel very badly for those that are still awaiting a Pulse, really unconscionable.

The Vi DAC campaign is unfortunately fast approaching the ugly status of the Pulse campaign, and it could turn out worse in the end as unlike with the Pulse, it appears that no appreciable amount of Vi DAC backers have received anything. The chassis story has had a solid 2 year run by now, even if only a tiny handful of chassis were produced each month there should by now be 25-50 happy Vi DAC owners out there. But it looks more like there are just about zero happy Vi DAC owners out there.

Pulse analog campaign? Wow... somehow I managed not to back that one.


----------



## Maelob

MikeyFresh said:


> That has to be the most glaring failure and biggest mystery among many. Like you, I received my Pulse a long time ago, I have trouble imagining any scenario where that campaign wouldn't by now have been completely fulfilled. I feel very badly for those that are still awaiting a Pulse, really unconscionable.
> 
> The Vi DAC campaign is unfortunately fast approaching the ugly status of the Pulse campaign, and it could turn out worse in the end as unlike with the Pulse, it appears that no appreciable amount of Vi DAC backers have received anything. The chassis story has had a solid 2 year run by now, even if only a tiny handful of chassis were produced each month there should by now be 25-50 happy Vi DAC owners out there. But it looks more like there are just about no happy Vi DAC owners out there.
> 
> Pulse analog campaign? Wow... somehow I managed not to back that one.


I did and it sucks


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> I can't speak to past experiences with this campaign; I'm also not here to excuse bad business decisions. But I was on the phone with Larry at the moment I told him and he literally didn't know aptX was supposed to be on there.  He even told me I was wrong and to double check the IGG to verify. Then I did right there on the phone and he was stunned. The guy absolutely didn't know and was pretty upset and confused over it. (as I stated on IGG, Zero Trans Jitter has nothing to do with aptX, and he stated this to me over the phone and was pretty exasperated)
> 
> Then we immediately started making plans to implement the aptX for the units.
> 
> ...



From the Indiegogo page, scrolled through the whole history on posts regarding aptx and the Bluetooth perk and the forums and while aptx has been asked about for well over a year this is the only reply I've seen from Larry on Bluetooth. 


1 year ago
@larry, any chance that the Wave will have bluetooth transmit function, for those of us who prefer to use wireless speakers or headphones? I have a feeling that this will produce lower quality sound overall vs IEM-X direct into the Wave, but may be more convenient at times at least. I am impressed with your commitment to getting everything right but also getting impatient re; the long wait for Wave to actually ship.






Larry HoCampaigner1 year ago
Yes. Bluetooth output is in our feature list. But we will implement the bluetooth "input" first... 

And on LH Labs own forums
http://lhlabs.com/forum/topic/clari...nd-wifi-upgrades-for-geek-wave-dadxdf256-sku/

The info was there for Larry the whole time. It he bothered to read his own forums he wouldn't of been surprised 8 months later. I'm glad we caught it as well. Keep up this level of communication and maybe we can all prevent it from happening again.


----------



## doctorjazz

Waiting for Vi Tube SE, Source  and Wave (with all the upgrades during the campaigns, but didn't go SE afterwards). Man, when I think of what I could be listening to all this time, instead of stewing, makes me stew more. Of course, this does me absolutely no good at all...


----------



## stuck limo

Shawnb said:


> From the Indiegogo page, scrolled through the whole history on posts regarding aptx and the Bluetooth perk and the forums and while aptx has been asked about for well over a year this is the only reply I've seen from Larry on Bluetooth.
> 
> 
> 1 year ago
> ...



I think it comes down to being stretched too thinly and not enough organization. Which I'm attempting to work with him on a sidebar apart from this media job. I hope we can improve the situation.


----------



## Greg121986

If @stuck limo is still around, are there still repair and warranty services available? I have a Pulse that hasn't worked in almost a year. I posted this ticket 3 months ago and have not gotten any response. Can you help?



Spoiler: #41825 Relay clicking - Unit powers on/off constantly






> Hello,
> I have a Pulse SN 00228. When powering on the unit and connecting to USB I can hear a relay clicking and the display goes blank for a fraction of a second, then the unit comes back on. Basically, the DAC is power cycling itself over and over again. I thought the stock power brick was bad so I bought an iFi low noise power brick. The problem is still the same.
> I thought maybe the USB connection was causing the issue. I disconnected the USB from the PC and the unit stayed powered on for a little while longer. It stabilized for about 5 minutes, but now the power on/off cycling still happens with no USB connection and no other digital inputs connected.
> So, with only power (iFi 12V brick or stock LH Labs brick) the unit will constantly power on and off.
> Your quick response is appreciated. Please help!


----------



## stuck limo

Greg121986 said:


> If @stuck limo is still around, are there still repair and warranty services available? I have a Pulse that hasn't worked in almost a year. I posted this ticket 3 months ago and have not gotten any response. Can you help?



Thanks. I let Matt know to investigate this for you and contact you back.


----------



## Audio Addict

Greg121986 said:


> If @stuck limo is still around, are there still repair and warranty services available? I have a Pulse that hasn't worked in almost a year. I posted this ticket 3 months ago and have not gotten any response. Can you help?



With @stuck limo help, I finally got mine fixed and returned.


----------



## Hercules

Light Harmonic landed Japan with new earphone with Campfire (no more Vibrato and IEM-X?)

https://www.phileweb.com/review/article/201711/02/2784.html
https://www.phileweb.com/news/d-av/201711/03/42516.html
http://www.fujiya-avic.jp/blog/?p=34448


----------



## mattering (Nov 10, 2017)

Gonna post this here for if anyone is experiencing the same problem as me and my deduction and solution to the problem. Hopefully LH Labs also revamp their support system cause it makes it seem like they are abandoning their current line of products and their customers if they can't get any form of support through their own website.

Problem:
My Geek Pulse, in the past few months, started intermittently drop out in sound when in use with my windows 10 desktop or laptop via the USB interface. I was using LH Labs 3.26 drivers and 1V5 firmware. When the sound drops, the device is still recognized in windows 10 but NOTHING is playing out of the Geek Pulse. Also, changing settings via the knob would not do anything (gain/volume/digital mode/input). It was able to scroll around the menu but even after changing the gain setting from medium to high, it doesn't make a "tick" noise that it usually does and the gain setting remains at medium. This problem only did not occur on windows 8 and did not occur when windows 10 initially came out, only after a certain windows 10 update.

Deduction/Solution:
Now, my deduction all comes from my own situation and my own understanding of how computers work. I am a PC enthusiast and have been working with computers through my hobby for the past 10 years. Anyway, I think there is some driver conflict happening with the Windows 10 USB 2.0 audio interface drivers and LH Labs own audio drivers. Windows 10 now recognizes the Geek Pulse X without the need for any drivers and if you have LH Labs drivers, there might be some conflict there. I uninstalled ALL LH Lab related drivers through the device manager and now my Geek Pulse X has been working properly again for the past few days. (I stopped using it for 2 months lol)

Hopefully this helps with some people that are having troubles with their Geek Pulse and their windows PC. I may be wrong and this might not work for you but this is what worked for me.

EDIT: It just froze up and dropped again. Nevermind.... I guess it just hates me. It won't change any settings again. Gain setting set on High but the actual gain setting is medium. Seems like unit itself keeps on freezing.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Nov 10, 2017)

When there was something wrong with my Geek Pulse Infinity on my PC. I usually disconnect it and hooked it up with my android smartphone via OTG using UAPP. If it worked, then PC was the problem.

Never had problems w/ the Android OS. In fact it was better sounding compared to my then PC on Win 7 w/ JRiver. So what I did,  I shifted OS.

Its been 2 years now running solid on an Android TV box w/ Hdd + LPS + LH Labs Revive.


----------



## mattering

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> When there was something wrong with my Geek Pulse Infinity on my PC. I usually disconnect it and hooked it up with my android smartphone via OTG using UAPP. If it worked, then PC was the problem.
> 
> Never had problems w/ the Android OS. In fact it was better sounding compared to my then PC on Win 7 w/ JRiver. So what I did,  I shifted OS.
> 
> Its been 2 years now running solid on an Android TV box w/ Hdd + LPS + LH Labs Revive.



Dam, my home audio setup is all connected through my desktop though my setup is just simple DAC/AMPs and I am what people would call a "casual" audiophile (I dont care for lossless formats and I stream a lot of music).  Also my Geek Pulse X crapped out again. I don't wanna switch to android because I just like having everything in one central system for home use and it also seems like the unit itself keeps on freezing or something as when I change gain settings (or ANY settings), the actual gain settings remain the same. I actually like the sound of the Geek Pulse X, I'm sad this had to happen. What is weird is that the Pulse is actually playing music through my laptop but not my desktop, but my issue of the Pulse being in a "frozen" state still remains. Argh, will they repair the pulse? I don't even know if mine is still under warranty =\.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Test your unit first w/ a smartphone via an OTG cable. Install HibyMusic and play some music. If it works. The culprit is in your PC. 

If not, a bit risky for it might damage your unit, try a BIOS reflash (be sure to have the right one).


----------



## Shawnb

I'm having the same issues as I did before with my Pulse. Have to turn it on and off endless number of times before it'll show up in Windows even then it's crap shoot for it to work.
I'm hoping it works with my Source SE otherwise I'm giving up on it. It's nice when it works 1% of the time, otherwise it's a useless POS paper weight. Not worth it to go through the purgatory of making a "support" ticket. Still have a ticket *Open *since 181 days 17 hours.


----------



## pauldgroot

Does anyone here have the 2V0 firmware bin for a Pulse X FI that he/she can upload here? I've also been experiencing having to reboot my Pulse (sometimes several times) in order to have it work correctly over USB and I'm hoping a firmware reflash might solve the problem. 

Also, if I remember correctly I've read somewhere in this thread that Larry posted something about some resitors and a USB handshake issue a while back but I can't seem to find the post anymore. Does anybody have a link?

My unit:
Geek Pulse X FI
Firmware: 2V0
Main: 3.0
MCU: 2.4


----------



## Greg121986

stuck limo said:


> Thanks. I let Matt know to investigate this for you and contact you back.



11 days later and nothing. So much sadness and heartache.


----------



## doctorjazz

I sent in a ticket about some errors in my listing at the site for what I ordered about 10 d ago, haven't heard back.


----------



## Shawnb (Nov 14, 2017)

I have you all beat. I made a ticket asking to use my "Marketplace Credits" and can't get a reply to save my life
*Open *since 185 days 18 hours

What an utter joke


----------



## stuck limo

Shawnb said:


> I have you all beat. I made a ticket asking to use my "Marketplace Credits" and can't get a reply to save my life
> *Open *since 185 days 18 hours
> 
> What an utter joke



Replied to this.



Shawnb said:


> I'm having the same issues as I did before with my Pulse. Have to turn it on and off endless number of times before it'll show up in Windows even then it's crap shoot for it to work.
> I'm hoping it works with my Source SE otherwise I'm giving up on it. It's nice when it works 1% of the time, otherwise it's a useless POS paper weight. Not worth it to go through the purgatory of making a "support" ticket. Still have a ticket *Open *since 181 days 17 hours.



I let the tech team know of this ticket again.


----------



## Shawnb (Nov 14, 2017)

stuck limo said:


> Replied to this.
> 
> 
> 
> I let the tech team know of this ticket again.



Thanks. On second thought, maybe not.


----------



## doctorjazz

What am I, chopped liver?
(kidding, but it would be nice to hear back, didn't order 2 Waves, just 1 fully tricked out...)


----------



## stuck limo

Greg121986 said:


> 11 days later and nothing. So much sadness and heartache.



I put this into Matt's box for you.



doctorjazz said:


> What am I, chopped liver?
> (kidding, but it would be nice to hear back, didn't order 2 Waves, just 1 fully tricked out...)



PM sent.


----------



## Shawnb (Nov 14, 2017)

Forget it. What's the point.... I give up.


----------



## stuck limo (Nov 15, 2017)

doctorjazz said:


> What am I, chopped liver?
> (kidding, but it would be nice to hear back, didn't order 2 Waves, just 1 fully tricked out...)



This appears to have been resolved and you were emailed back on Nov. 12.


----------



## doctorjazz

I didn't see the response.


----------



## doctorjazz

I never saw a response.


----------



## doctorjazz

OK, I went through all my emails. I did get one this morning, 1:58 AM Eastern time, telling me my ticket is closed. I searched through the 11/12 emails for a response BEFORE my ticket closed, as you say I got, nada, nothing, just the closed ticket today 9nothing on 11/11 either). So much for opening a ticket...


----------



## Mike-WI

doctorjazz said:


> OK, I went through all my emails. I did get one this morning, 1:58 AM Eastern time, telling me my ticket is closed. I searched through the 11/12 emails for a response BEFORE my ticket closed, as you say I got, nada, nothing, just the closed ticket today 9nothing on 11/11 either). So much for opening a ticket...


Right. A "closed" ticket is not the same as a satisfactorily resolved ticket.
There is a difference in checking a box on a "to do" list versus customer service.

Mike


----------



## Shawnb

Nothing ever changes, just more reasons to get angry

Easier to just write it off, just admit they won and move on....  It's not worth it


----------



## stuck limo (Nov 15, 2017)

Mike-WI said:


> Right. A "closed" ticket is not the same as a satisfactorily resolved ticket.
> There is a difference in checking a box on a "to do" list versus customer service.
> 
> Mike





Shawnb said:


> Nothing ever changes, just more reasons to get angry
> 
> Easier to just write it off, just admit they won and move on....  It's not worth it



Again, his issue as stated in the tickets was resolved completely. He was emailed after the issue was resolved. The ticket was closed after the issue was resolved and the email was sent. I've now sent him 2 receipts of resolution, both via PM and via email. I don't know why he didn't see it, since we used the email address he provided on the ticket/order.



Shawnb said:


> Easier to just write it off, just admit they won



Sorry, what exactly did LHL win? Angry customers who swear they'll never do business with LH again? Loss of revenue? Loss of face and credibility? An ongoing campaign that hasn't ended yet? Loss of staff? Mountains of support tickets that have gone unanswered?

There are no winners here on either side.


----------



## doctorjazz

As I said, I did not receive the email informing me about my order. I also didn't receive anything more specific from you via PM, except something to the effect that "your issue was resolved". Great, but a bit more info would have been helpful. I did just get the PM (with the info on my Wave) a few minutes ago, thanks for getting it to me. But, as I said, I didn't get any information BEFORE this PM a few minutes other than "it has been resolved". And, you do have the correct email. And, I did get the email notice (15 minutes ago) from you as well. But, I got no answer before, so putting this on me is a bit off putting to say the least (customer happiness, huh?)


----------



## Mike-WI

stuck limo said:


> Again, his issue as stated in the tickets was resolved completely. He was emailed after the issue was resolved. The ticket was closed after the issue was resolved and the email was sent. I've now sent him 2 receipts of resolution, both via PM and via email. I don't know why he didn't see it, since we used the email address he provided on the ticket/order.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'd be happy to get a refund on all my undelivered products and move off this forum.
Can you make that happen?
LHL got money. Trying to create a symmetrical "no winners" argument isn't logical.
We (collectively) paid, and (for the most part) that contractual agreement was not respected.

Mike


----------



## stuck limo (Nov 15, 2017)

doctorjazz said:


> As I said, I did not receive the email informing me about my order. I also didn't receive anything more specific from you via PM, except something to the effect that "your issue was resolved". Great, but a bit more info would have been helpful. I did just get the PM (with the info on my Wave) a few minutes ago, thanks for getting it to me. But, as I said, I didn't get any information BEFORE this PM a few minutes other than "it has been resolved". And, you do have the correct email. And, I did get the email notice (15 minutes ago) from you as well. But, I got no answer before, so putting this on me is a bit off putting to say the least (customer happiness, huh?)



That was never aimed "at" you. That was aimed at everyone else who was chiming in on your ticket supposedly not being resolved. If I say it's resolved, and others (who have no first-hand knowledge of the situation) claim otherwise, I make it clear that I'm true to my word. It really had nothing to do with you at all. Sorry for any confusion.

EDIT: doctorjazz and I cleared this up and no hard feelings.


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> I'd be happy to get a refund on all my undelivered products and move off this forum.
> Can you make that happen?



No, sorry, I am unable to get anyone refunds for IGG campaign purchases. Crowd-funding falls under a different set of guidelines, and this has been explained multiple times in the past by various parties. From what I am understanding, LH also made it clear from the beginning that no refunds were possible. So even if I wanted to get everyone refunds, I am unable to do so. I apologize for the inconvenience and I understand your frustration, I really do.


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> Again, his issue as stated in the tickets was resolved completely. He was emailed after the issue was resolved. The ticket was closed after the issue was resolved and the email was sent. I've now sent him 2 receipts of resolution, both via PM and via email. I don't know why he didn't see it, since we used the email address he provided on the ticket/order.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I was talking more about my issues but as I said it's not worth the stress. It's easier to just walk away, if my stuff comes great, if not then whatever. If it doesn't work oh well, throw it away.


----------



## snip3r77

Shawnb said:


> Nothing ever changes, just more reasons to get angry
> 
> Easier to just write it off, just admit they won and move on....  It's not worth it


Maybe write it off and follow up when you have the time.
Black Friday buy another DAC for cheaps and sell it off when you receive the Geek


----------



## Shawnb

snip3r77 said:


> Maybe write it off and follow up when you have the time.
> Black Friday buy another DAC for cheaps and sell it off when you receive the Geek



By the time I get a response from my ticket I'm sure it'll be well past it's warranty.


----------



## Greg121986 (Nov 21, 2017)

I am receptive to the notion that my DAC might be out of warranty. It could have been out of warranty when I created my ticket 95 days ago, or the warranty may have expired during the time I have been waiting for a response. I would have paid to have it fixed if that was the case. I really did want to keep using it. At this point all hope is lost for me. I've still received no response from this ticket and the input from someone on Head-Fi who claims to represent LH Labs has been ineffective. At the very least an acknowledgement that the ticket was received and action was considered is a requirement. The automated email that the ticket was entered into the software system is not a valid solution here.

I worked as an Application Engineer for a company that sold Chinese technology in the USA for 5 years. This is a glorified title that means technical support. The systems we sold did what they were intended to do, but initial quality was poor and long-term reliability was questionable. The systems would often break within a year or two after the 3 or 5 warranty expired in addition to several early life failures. We had the common courtesy to remain in contact with our customers when they reached out to us in need of support. If the product was out of warranty we still had an obligation to work with the customer to determine if they need to purchase parts or service in the end. LH Lab's policy of not responding to a customer's request for support has no place in the commercial market place.

I implore LH Labs and their employees to consider how shameful their operation is, and recognize that their management is insufficient and untrustworthy. I do not know which one holds the blame, but I do know I will never again support a company that has ties to Larry Ho or Gavin Fish. They are incapable of managing a company and this thread is a documentary that proves that point. I'm saddened by this realization because I believed in what Larry Ho was doing and his engineering was inspiring. His designs were exceptional. It is an absolute shame that the endeavor of LH Labs was such a failure.


----------



## uncola

jarek any progress on my ticket?  Last activity was lh labs asking me if I paid via crowdfunding and I responded that I ordered via email/lh labs.com and sent screenshots of emails, then no reply for 2 months

https://support.lhlabs.com/support/tickets/40967


----------



## stuck limo

uncola said:


> jarek any progress on my ticket?  Last activity was lh labs asking me if I paid via crowdfunding and I responded that I ordered via email/lh labs.com and sent screenshots of emails, then no reply for 2 months
> 
> https://support.lhlabs.com/support/tickets/40967



No, but I'll ask again for you. Sorry about that situation.


----------



## stuck limo

Shawnb said:


> By the time I get a response from my ticket I'm sure it'll be well past it's warranty.





Greg121986 said:


> I am receptive to the notion that my DAC might be out of warranty. It could have been out of warranty when I created my ticket 95 days ago, or the warranty may have expired during the time I have been waiting for a response. I would have paid to have it fixed if that was the case. I really did want to keep using it. At this point all hope is lost for me. I've still received no response from this ticket and the input from someone on Head-Fi who claims to represent LH Labs has been ineffective. At the very least an acknowledgement that the ticket was received and action was considered is a requirement. The automated email that the ticket was entered into the software system is not a valid solution here.
> 
> I worked as an Application Engineer for a company that sold Chinese technology in the USA for 5 years. This is a glorified title that means technical support. The systems we sold did what they were intended to do, but initial quality was poor and long-term reliability was questionable. The systems would often break within a year or two after the 3 or 5 warranty expired in addition to several early life failures. We had the common courtesy to remain in contact with our customers when they reached out to us in need of support. If the product was out of warranty we still had an obligation to work with the customer to determine if they need to purchase parts or service in the end. LH Lab's policy of not responding to a customer's request for support has no place in the commercial market place.
> 
> I implore LH Labs and their employees to consider how shameful their operation is, and recognize that their management is insufficient and untrustworthy. I do not know which one holds the blame, but I do know I will never again support a company that has ties to Larry Ho or Gavin Fish. They are incapable of managing a company and this thread is a documentary that proves that point. I'm saddened by this realization because I believed in what Larry Ho was doing and his engineering was inspiring. His designs were exceptional. It is an absolute shame that the endeavor of LH Labs was such a failure.



Don't panic; I'm working on something right now with Larry. When we get it sorted out, I'll let you know.


----------



## uncola

Heh it’s ok.  My bedroom is an audio gear warehouse with things coming in and going out.  Just got a new dac and amp and I’m paying to have the dac modded and I have another dac and an amp kit that should ship end of December!  And I quit the audio hobby earlier this year


----------



## doctorjazz

"you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave..."


----------



## Laseng (Nov 23, 2017)

Update from LH Labs Nov 23:

1. We have the factory who is building Da Vinci boards working on the Pulse boards. The same quality Da Vinci owners are used to will come directly installed in your Pulse.

2. The orders have been sent to the factory. We are just waiting on the production schedule to open up. We have the components all gathered and ready to go at the factory. They will begin production right after after the Da Vinci boards are done (which are next in line).

3. Literally everything else involved in the chassis/packaging/shipping/etc. is ready to go. There are no expected delays. We just need the boards.

We'll update more when it's available. Gobble gobble!


Update from LH Labs Apr 4:
(1) The remaining Infinity version of Pulse DAC PCB Assembly is almost done. Sorry that it is 2 weeks late than our original schedule. But we are seeing it coming soon. And we will start the full speed test

(2) All chassis and other components are the double check in house. So after PCBA, we will assemble the chassis and rest of the stuff.


It looks like LH Labs has to create a new PCB Board again.
What happened to Pulse PCB Board Assembly that was almost done Apr 4?
Have they had another PCB Board production that has failed?

It looks like we have to wait a long time before we get our Pulse Infinity DAC.
For those who can't wait, a new Pulse Infinity DAC only costs $ 617.80 on Amazon.


----------



## oneguy (Nov 23, 2017)

I’ll sell you mine for $475 and throw in a Blue for an additional $75 all including PayPal and shipping.


----------



## rdsu

Laseng said:


> It looks like we have to wait a long time before we get our Pulse Infinity DAC.
> For those who can't wait, a new Pulse Infinity DAC only costs $ 617.80 on Amazon.


After all the problems, lies, everything with LHLabs, seeing this DAC being sold for this price...


----------



## doctorjazz

I understand you can buy a Vi  Dac from them and get it in a few weeks, crazy making!


----------



## stuck limo (Nov 23, 2017)

Laseng said:


> It looks like LH Labs has to create a new PCB Board again.
> What happened to Pulse PCB Board Assembly that was almost done Apr 4?
> Have they had another PCB Board production that has failed?]



Direct from Larry:
"On that batch. It has PCBA soldering problem in first 5 pilot run board after that batch. So we tell them to stop. That is before this Taiwan PCBA vendor. BGA is the hard point of Pulse board. We must miss one campaign update there in May."


----------



## Audio Addict

stuck limo said:


> Direct from Larry:
> "On that batch. It has PCBA soldering problem in first 5 pilot run board after that batch. So we tell them to stop. That is before this Taiwan PCBA vendor. BGA is the hard point of Pulse board. We must miss one campaign update there in May."



I am not sure what he is saying from that quote.


----------



## stuck limo

Audio Addict said:


> I am not sure what he is saying from that quote.



The April batch failed and then LH never informed the backers about the failure. The failure issue is now resolved.


----------



## Audio Addict

Given the issues with the boards, what is the long-term life of the existing Pulses / Infinities out in the wild?  Is this one it fails fast or by slow usage?


----------



## jaywhar

stuck limo said:


> The April batch failed and then LH never informed the backers about the failure. The failure issue is now resolved.


Typical.

To be clear, not informing the backers wasn't a simple case of forgetting to send an update when the production issues were discovered - questions were repeatedly raised here and elsewhere as to the status of the boards.

Three things are obvious
   - LHLabs' default solution to any problem is to go into hiding
   - LHLabs feels no need to apologise either for failure to communicate or the ridiculous length of time this campaign is taking
   - LHLabs are really, truly, astoundingly terrible at finding PCB vendors? I mean... really... how many batches have failed? (assuming that we're being told the truth about this)


----------



## WoodyLuvr

Makes one wonder what else has not been "disclosed"


----------



## Laseng

Pulse Infinity has now become even cheaper on Amazon.
A new Pulse Infinity costs now just $ 587.

How much have we paid for Pulse Infinity with all the updates?


----------



## Shawnb

Laseng said:


> Pulse Infinity has now become even cheaper on Amazon.
> A new Pulse Infinity costs now just $ 587.
> 
> How much have we paid for Pulse Infinity with all the updates?



Geek Pulse xfi
New Geek Force members, if you missed the previous campaign. Here is your chance to get the best desktop DAC. Geek Pulse X (fully balanced) + Femto Clock + Best internal Amp upgrades. International backers, please add $40 for shipping.
Total
$656 USD
THD Performance Upgrade Pkg
With this upgrade, we’ll fine tune your Geek Pulse Xfi with hand-matched components and precision bias control, which will give your Geek Pulse Xfi less than half the THD (distortion) of the standard Geek Pulse Xfi. This perk is only available on Geek Pulse Xfi. If you have a Geek Pulse model other than Xfi, you’ll need to upgrade first. Please see the “Movin’ On Up” perk for details on how to upgrade. We’re limiting this perk to 100 due to the overhead in hand optimizing each unit.
Total
$168 USD
Geek Pulse Xfi Naked Resistors
Replace four of Geek Pulse Xfi’s current to voltage resistors with TX2725 discrete “naked” resistors. These bad little mamma-jamma's are known by audiophiles to provide the most transparent sound due to the fact that they're completely non-inductive. Each pair will be hand matched and attached to the board using WBT Silver solder.
Total
$129 USD
Pulse X∞ 2015 ESS DAC Upgrade
If you’ve selected a Geek Pulse X∞, we’re offering you a chance to upgrade your DAC chip from the ESS Sabre 9018M to the 9018AQ2M, which is brand new for 2015! If we can sell more than 95% of the quantity that’s available by the end of the day on Friday, Feb 13, then we’ll make a new PCB so it can accommodate the new chips. If we don’t sell out, then we’ll continue with the previous chip and will donate the money to the Sacramento Youth Symphony. 
Total
$22 USD
Total $975

Here's what I paid. What a sad joke. Paid more for the Geek Pulse xfi then Amazon.


----------



## oneguy

^ have you received yours yet?


----------



## Shawnb

I got my mine back in Mach, 2016. Not sure how I got mine while others are still waiting, I didn't back mine till they offered it in the Wave campaign.
.


----------



## smial1966

I commend those Pulse backers still awaiting their units for being so darned patient and forgiving of LH Labs for their obfuscation and downright lies. Personally I’d be apoplectic if Amazon sold ostensibly the same unit as my backed device at around half of the cost that Larry Ho Ho Ho (he definitely ain’t Santa) charged me via crowdfunding. I’ve given up on the Wave as vapourware despite the so called progress updates, as they contain nothing but vacuous promises and damned lies. As an aside, I asked an electrical engineer friend how many iterations a PCB should take to get right from inception to final production, he said “Given suitable CAD and virtual emulation software, allow one early prototype for debugging and testing, another for refining the data received from the initial board and a last test unit for confirmation of what’s already known”. Asked for a timescale of the aforementioned process he quoted 3-6 months depending upon the PCB complexity and components used. LH Labs are thus even more damned incompetent than backers suspected and/or they don’t give a flying f*ck about backers.


----------



## wingsounds13

My question is:  Are those 5 units on Amazon the same 5 that have been there for 2+ years?  This would explain the low-low price.  They just are not selling.  This is a really good DAC for that price, but the incompetence of the company and debatable reliability of the DAC blow the legs out from under this deal.  

Against the questionable reliability, mine is still working just fine after two years, one week and a few days, as are a good many units out in the wild.  My only real issue is getting the drivers working again after a power failure with the computer powered up.  This usually takes about an hour!   

Overall, I have less and less faith in this company surviving.  Management seems to be totally incompetent and the staff seem to be just showing up for the paycheck.  Too bad, because there WAS such promise in their products and business concept.  I would like to burn off the remainder of my marketplace credit, but there are precious few items in stock on their website.  Not having stock to sell is not the way to run a company.  Now all I am waiting for is to see IF they ever deliver the Source and Waves.

J.P.


----------



## jaywhar

smial1966 said:


> ... LH Labs are thus even more damned incompetent than backers suspected and/or they don’t give a flying f*ck about backers.



Definitely 'and'


----------



## Laseng (Nov 25, 2017)

Shawnb said:


> I got my mine back in Mach, 2016. Not sure how I got mine while others are still waiting, I didn't back mine till they offered it in the Wave campaign.
> .



It was around Mach, 2016 that the last batch of Pulse was sent out.
I think there are very few Pulse that has been sent out after this.

LH Labs promised just after the campaign started that those who backed Pulse first should get Pulse first.
Unfortunately, LH Labs never followed what they had promised.

I backed Pulse seven hours and twelve minutes after Geek Pulse Campaign start and I still waiting.
It's hard to believe that this is 49 months ago.

The closest I've been to get a Pulse was 16 months ago when I was promised that they would send me a Pulse within a week.


----------



## Mike-WI

Laseng said:


> It was around Mach, 2016 that the last batch of Pulse was sent out.
> I think there are very few Pulse that has been sent out after this.
> 
> LH Labs promised just after the campaign started that those who backed Pulse first should get Pulse first.
> ...


Agree.
I wondered why Amazon was getting supply before crowdfunders like us.
Opposite of the idea of funding and getting early.

Mike


----------



## wingsounds13

Amazon only got 10 or so units.  Yes, not a popular move but I do understand that they needed to enter the market while it was still new.  Unfortunately,  it was poorly marketed and few outside of LH Labs followers know about this DAC.  Worse yet, their extreme slowness in product development,  production and fault correction has soured the community that should be spreading accolades and that most effective form of advertising: Word of mouth.  This very effective word of mouth has turned against them and we who should be telling our acquaintances about these great DACs that we have are telling about our concerns about possible reliability issues, USB connection issues and the near absolute inability to get service and support from a totally dysfunctional company.  

Unfortunately,  the board appears to be not well designed for manufacturing.  It is probably very precisely designed and the degree of precision does not allow for manufacturing tolerances.  This is just a guess, of course, but it does seem to suffer from a high reject rate and more than normal early failures in the field.  Fortunately it would seem that in most cases if these DACs live through their first few months that most will continue to operate as normal for a long time.  

J.P.


----------



## mandrake50

stuck limo said:


> No, but I'll ask again for you. Sorry about that situation.


 I have one too. It has been open for 2 months. Maybe not super important now but it will be if they ever ship anything.
We have been asked on a few occasions to update our purchase lists. I don't understand how to do it if tickets are ignored.

#42215 Not all perks listed on order page
*Open * since 61 days 19 hours


----------



## oneguy

mandrake50 said:


> I have one too. It has been open for 2 months. Maybe not super important now but it will be if they ever ship anything.
> We have been asked on a few occasions to update our purchase lists. I don't understand how to do it if tickets are ignored.
> 
> #42215 Not all perks listed on order page
> *Open * since 61 days 19 hours



I’m in the same boat with my order page not listing anything.


----------



## stuck limo

oneguy said:


> I’m in the same boat with my order page not listing anything.



Ticket #?


----------



## oneguy

stuck limo said:


> Ticket #?



Ticket #42269
Unresolved since 29 Sep 17.


----------



## stuck limo

mandrake50 said:


> I have one too. It has been open for 2 months. Maybe not super important now but it will be if they ever ship anything.
> We have been asked on a few occasions to update our purchase lists. I don't understand how to do it if tickets are ignored.
> 
> #42215 Not all perks listed on order page
> *Open * since 61 days 19 hours



I resolved this ticket and emailed you. For the Head-Fi community, please understand: tickets are not being "ignored". It is literally just me doing tickets at this time. They are delayed, but NOT ignored. 



oneguy said:


> Ticket #42269
> Unresolved since 29 Sep 17.



This was taken care of and emailed as well just now. If there's issues, please add to the ticket and I'll be happy to work on it for you.


----------



## oneguy (Nov 25, 2017)

stuck limo said:


> This was taken care of and emailed as well just now. If there's issues, please add to the ticket and I'll be happy to work on it for you.



All is correct. Thank you for ensuring this was done properly.


----------



## mandrake50

stuck limo said:


> I resolved this ticket and emailed you. For the Head-Fi community, please understand: tickets are not being "ignored". It is literally just me doing tickets at this time. They are delayed, but NOT ignored.
> 
> 
> 
> This was taken care of and emailed as well just now. If there's issues, please add to the ticket and I'll be happy to work on it for you.


Jarek,
Now that is the kind of customer service that is very appreciated. If they had a few more people like you doing this, everyone would be smiling.
Good job, I really appreciate it!!


----------



## Roll

Laseng said:


> LH Labs promised just after the campaign started that those who backed Pulse first should get Pulse first.
> Unfortunately, LH Labs never followed what they had promised.
> 
> I backed Pulse seven hours and twelve minutes after Geek Pulse Campaign start and I still waiting.
> It's hard to believe that this is 49 months ago.



And I backed her like an hour when the campaign started, Order ID 22

At least,  Jarek : The only thing I know is that the remaining Pulse Infinities are going to be manufactured at some point. I don't have any timeline to share. Sorry. =( When I have an update, I'll share it with everyone and we'll make an official update..... They will begin production right after after the Da Vinci boards are done (which are next in line). 

Still LH Labs should know when the boards will be in production..a week, month, month and a half....and if the boards do 'pass'...will we get the Geek Pulse this year, 2017? And did they make them usb cables too..


----------



## stuck limo (Nov 26, 2017)

Roll said:


> Still LH Labs should know when the boards will be in production..a week, month, month and a half....and if the boards do 'pass'...will we get the Geek Pulse this year, 2017? And did they make them usb cables too..



It's true; we have been given some lead times by them. However, as we all know from our past history, delays can happen so until we know for sure, we won't be announcing the dates/timeframes they told us. However, I have been told the Da Vinci boards are set to begin on Monday. I don't have any information over delivery timeline on the Pulse units at this point. When we do, we'll announce that.


----------



## Shawnb

oneguy said:


> I’m in the same boat with my order page not listing anything.



I don't even remember how to check my order page. Last I remember it listed my Wave and Source SE but nothing else. Should list a PTP, Tubed HPA, LPS4, and a LPS8 but since I don't expect to see any of that for years I never bothered following through on getting all that listed on my order page.


----------



## stuck limo

Shawnb said:


> I don't even remember how to check my order page. Last I remember it listed my Wave and Source SE but nothing else. Should list a PTP, Tubed HPA, LPS4, and a LPS8 but since I don't expect to see any of that for years I never bothered following through on getting all that listed on my order page.



You should see this on your orders now and you should be receiving an invoice to your email. If there's anything else missing or whatever, let me know.


----------



## stuck limo

2 of the Pulse Infinities on Amazon got sold --- there are now 3 left in stock and they jumped about $300 in price. Now back up to $877.


----------



## jaywhar

so we would expect that number to never go above 3?


----------



## stuck limo

jaywhar said:


> so we would expect that number to never go above 3?



According to my understanding of the situation.


----------



## wingsounds13

It'll be interesting to see what does happen with the Amazon stock count.

J.P.


----------



## marflao

Amazing that people still buying them...


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> You should see this on your orders now and you should be receiving an invoice to your email. If there's anything else missing or whatever, let me know.



Thank you for all your help. Thank you for being the light in the black hole that is LH Labs


----------



## upsguys88

Anyone see this crap from Gavin Fish?

“Hey there,

*Where do I begin?*
I'm reaching out to you today because in the past you supported one of my campaigns either on Indiegogo or Kickstarter, and I thought I'd send you this email and let you know what I'm up to now.

Before I go too much further, I know you may be one of many backers who are still waiting for the perks you were promised by LH Labs. For this, I'm very sorry. Unfortunately, I don't have a status update for you beyond what Jarek has posted. It's because of the terrible experiences many of you have had with crowdfunding that I've been very apprehensive about reaching out to you. I'm also apprehensive about taking on a client that can't prove to me that they can deliver on their promises quickly. It's taken me over a year of searching, but I found one that I'd like to tell you about.





*This is DOQ+Powerwallet.*
DOQ+Powerwallet is a creation of the team at OnHand, based in Boston, MA. They've been in business since 2010 and distribute their products into more than 700 campus stores throughout the US. They're looking to expand their ecommerce business, and have developed DOQ+Powerwallet for this exact purpose.

So, what is DOQ+Powerwallet? Well, it's a sleek aluminum docking station with two built-in wireless chargers and a place for your Apple Watch charger _*plus*_ a stylish, thin, and lightweight wallet made from the finest grade leather with a built-in 3000 mAh battery. Together, they make your life easier.

Check out the video to the right to learn more. If you'd like to get on the list for early access, go here and sign up.

*Thank you.*
Thanks for taking the time to read this email. While I'm sending it to you through an email-sending machine, I'll see and personally respond to each reply I get. So please click reply if you'd like to talk. I'm happy to answer any questions that you have about projects old or new.

Sincerely,

Gavin

PS - Because I know you're into audio gear, I also thought I'd let you know about Lendi. It's a mobile app that will be launching soon. It gives you access to a library of personal audio gear that you can borrow. Check it out!”


----------



## doctorjazz

Now, don't you just want to immediately sign up and send this guy money?


----------



## pbear

More than we already threw at him? 



doctorjazz said:


> Now, don't you just want to immediately sign up and send this guy money?


----------



## upsguys88

He’s like a crappy used car salesman


----------



## stuck limo

I let Larry know of the situation with Gavin harassing the customers. Don't think he can do anything about it though.


----------



## greenkiwi

I love that he's selling a wallet for you to put your money into.


----------



## marflao (Nov 30, 2017)

stuck limo said:


> I let Larry know of the situation with Gavin harassing the customers. Don't think he can do anything about it though.



That´s what i assume, too.
Even after Gavin´s famous last "Goodbye" IGG update Larry hasn´t responded in any way. Hence I don´t expect much of a reaction from him.
Sad, sad.....


----------



## stuck limo

I talked to Larry, and officially, he is not happy and will talk to Gavin about it. He wants me to make very clear: this has NOTHING to do with LHL and we were not informed in any way this would happen.


----------



## pedalhead

Wow, that guy has a nerve. Trying to peddle a new crowdfunding venture to people he's already scammed via crowdfunding.


----------



## marflao

upsguys88 said:


> Anyone see this crap from Gavin Fish?
> 
> ----



Can´t really understand that they team up w that guy. Don´t they check his background/reputation???

Can´t Larry sue him for taking the email list? Just asking since suing seems so easy in the US ..even if the pickle on a burger is rotten a multi million sue will happen 
So go for it, Larry!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Sue him! And free Sire DAC for everybody!


----------



## Shawnb

He mentions he'll respond to every reply he gets, I surely hope so. I haven't told him off enough.

I sent an email to his new company telling them he's a lying POS and they should never do business with him. Also that I'll never back their product since he's involved and I'll be letting everyone I know not to back them as well.


----------



## stuck limo

Full pics of the Source. There are some screws missing and since I know certain people will ask if the screws will be missing when they receive that unit, no, your units will ship with all screws included. 

The gold feet got a very bad response, so they switched to shorter silver feet which were not installed for the picture. 

Also, note this the SE version, so the regular units won't have the red color, LH logo or diamond shape on the sides.


----------



## wingsounds13 (Dec 9, 2017)

Cool.  Glad to hear that the regular Sources will not have The ugly and unnecessary cosmetic details that the SE units will have.  Outside of these details, it looks good.  A basic box, but good. 

Now..  When will they ship?  Have any more than the first few SEs shipped?  What about the rest of us?  Yes, I know that these are unanswerable questions.  LH Labs is so screwed up that they don't even know when the ones that are already out the door will ship.  

J.P.


----------



## Shawnb

The gold feet got a bad response? I loved those feet


----------



## wingsounds13

I do have one quibble with the labeling on the back.  Unless there was a recent major design change, that HDMI connector is NOT HDMI.  It is almost certainly an I²S output using HDMI cabling, as PS Audio and a few others use.  This label really should be corrected to say I²S.  

J.P.


----------



## ValeryPaul

I just sold my infinity on ebay for $275...In all I spent over 2 grands for this. What a crappy company full of con artists. Their IEM is worth $3 and I fell for it! I can't believe that Head Fi keeps this thread alive...Please shut it down for Christ sake. Gavin is a wanna be Made off, Larry is an idiot who can't walk the walk. Where is my source idiots!


----------



## Drsparis

Let me get my pulse first, then we worry about your source...


----------



## marflao (Dec 9, 2017)

@Larry Ho
Larry,
guess you are already aware that Jarek (@stuck limo) is doing a great job for you.
Not that he fixed my order status issues very fast, he also tries to get our questions answered.

I sincerely hope you and the rest of your team recognize how valuable he is for your company. Saying that pls "feed" him with the required information therefore we get "our" answers.. and get back our trust in you!

Hope not that this is just a momentum as we have seen it so often in the past: crap storm towards you => short-term involvement from you => back to silence/submarine mode.... until it escalates again.

Hence keep us/him posted with valuable information.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## runningwitit

Shawnb said:


> The gold feet got a bad response? I loved those feet


I loved the gold feet too! I really loved the all black version with the gold feet, to me it really stuck out with class! I think y'all are tripping with that gaughty red...That just shows no taste.. Tastless... I'm extremely sure it will sound great despite its looks, on the positive side! Sorry about being so blunt!!


----------



## ValeryPaul

Drsparis said:


> Let me get my pulse first, then we worry about your source...


I pity the people who are still waiting for their pulse! It's been a long while...


----------



## stuck limo

Just an FYI, if anyone's order is screwed up and you email us, don't go in assuming the worst. We'll fix your order and make sure we do absolutely everything we can to get you what you paid for. One of the fellow HF members here was very worried he wouldn't get what he paid for, and it just so happened his order existed but it was under a different email he used. And if anything had been messed up on the order, I would have fixed it. 

So no one panic over their order until there's actually a confirmed reason to panic.


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> don't go in assuming the worst.


In the _Pulse_ thread, you suggest not to assume the worst? Really? How can that be rationalized?


----------



## m17xr2b

@stuck limo Do we have a delivery date for the 2013 pulses?


----------



## stuck limo

m17xr2b said:


> @stuck limo Do we have a delivery date for the 2013 pulses?



The remaining Pulse orders are going to be produced after the current Da Vinci board run ends. When we have information over production and delivery, we'll let you know.


----------



## marflao

stuck limo said:


> The remaining Pulse orders are going to be produced after the current Da Vinci board run ends. When we have information over production and delivery, we'll let you know.



Don't really understand what the Da Vinci boards have to do with the Pulse boards. Why is there a dependency? 
Did "Light Harmonic" receive a big order for their Da Vinci Dacs and hence share the same board manufacturer? 
Otherwise my understanding was so far that: Da Vinci = Light Harmonic = no relation to any IGG campaign (which were run under the "LHlabs"  umbrella). 

Or do you mean ViDac boards?


----------



## stuck limo

marflao said:


> Don't really understand what the Da Vinci boards have to do with the Pulse boards. Why is there a dependency?
> Did "Light Harmonic" receive a big order for their Da Vinci Dacs and hence share the same board manufacturer?
> Otherwise my understanding was so far that: Da Vinci = Light Harmonic = no relation to any IGG campaign (which were run under the "LHlabs"  umbrella).
> 
> Or do you mean ViDac boards?



Light Harmonic uses a certain manufacturer. LH Labs hired the Light Harmonic manufacturer to produce LH Labs gear. So now the manufacturer is focused on building the new Light Harmonic Da Vinci order. After the manufacturer is done with that board, they will focus on the Pulse boards.


----------



## ValeryPaul (Dec 12, 2017)

stuck limo said:


> Just an FYI, if anyone's order is screwed up and you email us, don't go in assuming the worst. We'll fix your order and make sure we do absolutely everything we can to get you what you paid for. One of the fellow HF members here was very worried he wouldn't get what he paid for, and it just so happened his order existed but it was under a different email he used. And if anything had been messed up on the order, I would have fixed it.
> 
> So no one panic over their order until there's actually a confirmed reason to panic.



Some people are still waiting for their Pulses and I am still waiting for my Source and it's almost 2018...How long do we need to drink your kool aid?


----------



## stuck limo (Dec 12, 2017)

Just to give everyone a progress report: On the BigCommerce tickets, right now we're now closing in on (by tomorrow) 150 tickets that are "Open" which means that we haven't responded to yet. BUT: we were around 400 earlier, so that means we've been cranking through these and getting them answered/resolved. There are "Pending" BigCommerce tickets in the system, which just means that we are waiting on the customer response. So either way, if your BigCommerce ticket hasn't been answered yet, it will be soon-ish. Again, we've hired Natalie and we have another guy helping out as a volunteer, so these should go fairly quickly.

Any negative comments about any of ^ won't be responded to by me, as I'll be too busy working on tickets. (or at a Clutch concert, whichever comes first)

Edit: After an 16 hour day on this, we're now at 149 "Open" tickets. As the song goes: I've done it, I've had it, I'm ready for bed.


----------



## ValeryPaul (Dec 12, 2017)

stuck limo said:


> Just to give everyone a progress report: On the BigCommerce tickets, right now we're now closing in on (by tomorrow) 150 tickets that are "Open" which means that we haven't responded to yet. BUT: we were around 400 earlier, so that means we've been cranking through these and getting them answered/resolved. There are "Pending" BigCommerce tickets in the system, which just means that we are waiting on the customer response. So either way, if your BigCommerce ticket hasn't been answered yet, it will be soon-ish. Again, we've hired Natalie and we have another guy helping out as a volunteer, so these should go fairly quickly.
> 
> Any negative comments about any of ^ won't be responded to by me, as I'll be too busy working on tickets. (or at a Clutch concert, whichever comes first)
> 
> Edit: After an 16 hour day on this, we're now at 149 "Open" tickets. As the song goes: I've done it, I've had it, I'm ready for bed.



Seriously? Whooaa!!! What an idiotic response! "Soon-ish". I laugh so hard that for a moment I forgot that I threw away over $2000 of my hard earned money down the drain on little Made off wanna bes.


----------



## Laseng (Dec 12, 2017)

wingsounds13 said:


> Unfortunately,  the board appears to be not well designed for manufacturing.  It is probably very precisely designed and the degree of precision does not allow for manufacturing tolerances.  This is just a guess, of course, but it does seem to suffer from a high reject rate and more than normal early failures in the field.  Fortunately it would seem that in most cases if these DACs live through their first few months that most will continue to operate as normal for a long time.
> 
> J.P.



It seems to be just LH Labs that has these PCB-board issues.
Can all the instability come from a design issue with the Pulse PCB-board?
LH Labs have had problems with their PCB board since 2015.
All batches of Pulse PCB board have failed in recent years, I'm afraid that the next batch will do the same.
I wonder how many PCB assembly factory that have tried to make Pulse PCB board the last two years?

Does anyone remember this from December 23, 2015?
Note that Pulse delay by switching the PCB assembly factory was only four week.
The other reliable PCB assembly factory also failed to make PCB board for the Pulse.


Message from Larry and Production.

We know you have been waiting patiently for your Pulse Infinity and would like to extend our sincerest gratitude. Pulse Infinity DAC in 2.0 chassis alone has more than 500 backers in total. It has been quite the ride and we are continually pushing to get our Pulse Infinity DAC in your hands. And we're roughly half way through it.
You are receiving this email because we just received PCBs from our assembly factory but according to our internal quality standard, this whole batch of board are not qualified. Needless to say this has caused a delay in shipping, and we already contacted another reliable PCB assembly factory to restart the work of this batch. We wanted to personally inform you of this matter, while production does everything in their power to resolve this issue in a timely manner. The expected impact of delivery schedule will be four weeks. Again, we want to express our gratitude for your patience. We will restart the Infinity DAC shipping towards the end of January.
Hope you could support our decision of insisting on the best quality. If you have any particular question in mind, you are welcome to go to support.lhlabs.com to open a ticket for your Pulse Infinity order.
Thank you so much,

Larry & The Production Team


----------



## Shawnb

2.0 Chassis was such a colossal mistake. Really should of stayed with the original chassis, might of even had everything shipped by now


----------



## mandrake50

I agree. Though I like the 2.0 chassis better, I elected to go with the original when people changed their orders and there were some available. I am glad I did, because I have had use of the device while they have been struggling with a different board. It was a nice "upgrade" but not for those still waiting.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

When they we're soliciting for chassis 2.0 backers to revert to 1.0. Smelled something not right. And since my LPS4 was already delivered in the ver 1.0 chassis, I sent CS a ticket. Glad also that have done it.


----------



## Benny-x

Well, I took the big gamble, opted for both Pulse X Infinity and LPS4 in 2.0 chassis and received them?! It did take until November 2015... Still terrible, but I think I may be the only person to ever receive an LPS4 in the 2.0 chassis... Talk about absolute, outlandish luck on that one...


----------



## stuck limo

stuck limo said:


> 149 "Open" tickets.



Down to 100.


----------



## stuck limo

stuck limo said:


> Down to 100.



Down to 40.


----------



## m17xr2b

What will happen when your reach 0?


----------



## stuck limo

m17xr2b said:


> What will happen when your reach 0?



Lots and lots of drinking.


----------



## m17xr2b

Will I get my pulse?


----------



## stuck limo

m17xr2b said:


> Will I get my pulse?



The Pulse production is happening after the Da Vinci production is done. So if you're on the list, you will get a Pulse. I don't know when and I have no timeline. If you want me to review your order and make sure it's all correct, I'd be happy to do that if you give me your information.


----------



## jaywhar

stuck limo said:


> I don't know when and I have no timeline.



Not helpful, but at least honest. 3/10 for effort.


----------



## stuck limo (Dec 25, 2017)

I am sure this is no surprise to most people but:

if you have an LPS and a Geek Out, you can use the Geek Out with the LPS. That way you can still at least have use for the LPS without the Pulse (if you’re still waiting on that). I imagine it would work with other DACs such as a Dragonfly as well, but maybe someone else can confirm.


----------



## tmaxx123

Just got the pulse infinity from Amazon, was purchased during the recent price drop. Went into it with extremely low expectations and was hoping to return it after reading everything about it. After listening last night for over 8 hours straight , I am blown away. At first , figuring out how to hook it up to my pc, was a bit of a hassle. But basically you only need one driver (usb 2.0) from windows. My pc hates the lightspeed 2.0 cable though. Had to use a standard one. Now I’m using it in host mode off my iPod and listening to onkyo hf player and iTunes on it. Sounds incredible. Rca outputs are running to a sub stage amp and that signal is clean and strong. Hopefully the pulse holds up and doesn’t randomly poop out on me!!! Can anyone recommend a lps for it? Or is the lh labs lps the best one for it?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Dec 25, 2017)

Any 12V 2A LPS will do.

Burn in to 100 hrs helps.

Like the FRM filter. Seconded by FTM. 

Enjoy!


----------



## tmaxx123

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Any 12V 2A LPS will do.
> 
> Burn in to 100 hrs helps.
> 
> ...



Thanks! I’ve been listening on FTM so far With my ath-a900x on low gain. Hearing how good things can sound is dangerous for my wallet. 

And I can’t help but feel terrible for the people who are still waiting for their order from years ago. Yikes, hopefully lh labs goes above and beyond to make those customers feel appreciated for waiting this long. 

I’m new to the lps world and its tough now days to find the lh labs lps. Any suggestions on where else to find a solid lps?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Dec 25, 2017)

12V 2A Teddy Pardo at $369

Teradak is good too.

If you go the cheap, Ifi iPower 12V.

PM the guy if he is still selling:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lh-labs-lps-4-linear-power-supply.798912/


----------



## tmaxx123

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> 12V 2A Teddy Pardo at $369
> 
> Teradak is good too.
> 
> ...





m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> 12V 2A Teddy Pardo at $369
> 
> Teradak is good too.
> 
> ...



Awesome I’ll do some research and see which of those supplies works best for my application. I appreciate the help!

I just wonder if the lh labs lps would provide any benefit to the others solely because of the fact that it was designed for the pulse? Or should any of the mentioned lps be able to do the job just as well?

Pm has been sent lol


----------



## greenkiwi

You might also look at the iFi power supplies, they claim to do active noise reduction on the power to significantly clean it up.

https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower/
12V 1.8A -- which is likely enough

And I think they are in the $50 range.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Dec 27, 2017)

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> If you go the cheap, Ifi iPower 12V.



I use this with a Pulse SFi, it sounds quite good. I sold the LPS4 to recoup some amount of funds in this LH Labs IGG debacle.

That said, I find the iPower 12v to be wholly adequate/really good with the Pulse. A LPS can be better depending on the partnering system, but at usually MUCH higher cost. The "JSGT" shunt to ground of AC leakage current transforms the iPower IMHO, other's mileage may vary.

The non-DIY'er can do much the same with the newly released iFi AC iPurifier's ground socket, and their Groundhog, but at a relatively higher cost.


----------



## tmaxx123

Really appreciate the tips! The ifi seems like the easy choice but I’ll keep researching. I don’t like to settle


----------



## Narayan23

tmaxx123 said:


> Just got the pulse infinity from Amazon, was purchased during the recent price drop. Went into it with extremely low expectations and was hoping to return it after reading everything about it. After listening last night for over 8 hours straight , I am blown away. At first , figuring out how to hook it up to my pc, was a bit of a hassle. But basically you only need one driver (usb 2.0) from windows. My pc hates the lightspeed 2.0 cable though. Had to use a standard one. Now I’m using it in host mode off my iPod and listening to onkyo hf player and iTunes on it. Sounds incredible. Rca outputs are running to a sub stage amp and that signal is clean and strong. Hopefully the pulse holds up and doesn’t randomly poop out on me!!! Can anyone recommend a lps for it? Or is the lh labs lps the best one for it?



I feel the same about my XFI, it does DSD really well, a pleasure to listen to.


----------



## tmaxx123

Narayan23 said:


> I feel the same about my XFI, it does DSD really well, a pleasure to listen to.



You don’t happen to use a lps or any aftermarket power supply do you?


----------



## Narayan23

tmaxx123 said:


> You don’t happen to use a lps or any aftermarket power supply do you?



I don´t use any external power supply, the only tweaks I´ve done are disconnecting the power leg of my Lightning USB cable when listening to music and using Fidelizer in extremist mode, both gave noticeable albeit not life changing improvements. 
Power supplies are a different world, one I will probably have to discover sooner or later to see if the sound quality improvements warrant the investment.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Dec 29, 2017)

It's just a $50 investment (iFi iPower 12V). Buy it and say Happy New Year!

USB regen/reclocks work. If you find a deal,  take it also.

Of the two, what's more  immediate is the first.

If you have the two pronged usb Lighting cable 2.0, attach the power leg (USB cable with black band) to your USB battery pack (cellphone), and the data leg (no black band) to your computer.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Happy New Year!


----------



## stuck limo (Dec 29, 2017)

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Happy New Year!



Thanks man! That pic makes me laugh. You too! (and everyone else)


----------



## Laseng (Dec 29, 2017)

Today, it's 50 months since the Geek Pulse campaign started.

Is there anyone who still believe that we will get our pulse, or any of the other things we have backed?

We can still hope, but I have stopped to believe.


----------



## miceblue

Welp, I think my X Infinity's USB input is dead. I plug in headphones and all I hear is a brrrrrrrrrrr sound and no audio plays back. Flashed the latest version of the firmware, reinstalled the latest Windows drivers, nothing. Turned off/on the unit, nothing. Tried using it with OS X, nothing. Restarted all computers and tried plugging it in, nothing. Tried a different USB cable, nothing. Tried other USB ports, nothing.

Plug in my PS4 via TOSLINK, and magically it works.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Mice, try usb via OTG on your smartphone if it works.


----------



## miceblue

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Mice, try usb via OTG on your smartphone if it works.


I don't have a USB type C to male USB B cable unfortunately.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Even Type C OTG (USB A) + Printer Cable?


----------



## miceblue

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Even Type C OTG (USB A) + Printer Cable?


I used to have one but it broke.


----------



## tmaxx123

miceblue said:


> Welp, I think my X Infinity's USB input is dead. I plug in headphones and all I hear is a brrrrrrrrrrr sound and no audio plays back. Flashed the latest version of the firmware, reinstalled the latest Windows drivers, nothing. Turned off/on the unit, nothing. Tried using it with OS X, nothing. Restarted all computers and tried plugging it in, nothing. Tried a different USB cable, nothing. Tried other USB ports, nothing.
> 
> Plug in my PS4 via TOSLINK, and magically it works.



Wow that sucks! What do you think may have caused it? Or was it Just random failure?


----------



## miceblue

tmaxx123 said:


> Wow that sucks! What do you think may have caused it? Or was it Just random failure?


Seems like just a random failure. It was working just fine last week. :/


----------



## mattering

miceblue said:


> Welp, I think my X Infinity's USB input is dead. I plug in headphones and all I hear is a brrrrrrrrrrr sound and no audio plays back. Flashed the latest version of the firmware, reinstalled the latest Windows drivers, nothing. Turned off/on the unit, nothing. Tried using it with OS X, nothing. Restarted all computers and tried plugging it in, nothing. Tried a different USB cable, nothing. Tried other USB ports, nothing.
> 
> Plug in my PS4 via TOSLINK, and magically it works.



Happened to mine too. When I left mine alone for 2 to 3 months, it worked again for a couple hours but then it happened again. The pulse gets stuck in a frozen state as I cant change any settings for the time it was outputting sound. So you are pretty much crap out of luck when it comes to USB. Are you using windows or mac? For my case I'm using windows 10. Dont know if this applies to any other OS.


----------



## stuck limo

miceblue said:


> Seems like just a random failure. It was working just fine last week. :/



Sorry to hear that! Submit a ticket and I'll get Matt to set you up an RMA if you'd like.


----------



## mattering

stuck limo said:


> Sorry to hear that! Submit a ticket and I'll get Matt to set you up an RMA if you'd like.


My ticket has been left hanging since september =\


----------



## miceblue

stuck limo said:


> Sorry to hear that! Submit a ticket and I'll get Matt to set you up an RMA if you'd like.


Will do!

Where are support tickets being actively monitored? Is it still at:
http://support.lhlabs.com/


----------



## stuck limo

miceblue said:


> Will do!
> 
> Where are support tickets being actively monitored? Is it still at:
> http://support.lhlabs.com/



Yes, just label the ticket indicating Pulse USB Failure / Head-Fi Customer or something on the subject line so I can quickly identify that.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Only issue I had with my Infinity was with the volume knob. There was a time it won't work. A support ticket and new BIOS reflash did the trick. YET now I have some connection issues and have to turn on/off my Infinity.

Saving right now to have a Chord Dave


----------



## miceblue

stuck limo said:


> Yes, just label the ticket indicating Pulse USB Failure / Head-Fi Customer or something on the subject line so I can quickly identify that.


Got it. Thanks! Hopefully this can get repaired fairly quickly. I didn't realize until now how essential it is for my day-to-day activities.


----------



## tmaxx123

My pulse always takes one shut off and restart to get it to sync with my iPod Touch. How were you guys getting it to sync on the first try?

Also I hear it’s best to leave the pulse on but after awhile it freezes like people are saying ,and I have to restart it for it to recognize the usb input.

My setup is an iPod Touch -> lightning usb camera adapter-> powered usb hub->
Lightspeed 2.0->
Pulse x inf

Didn’t really think much of it until you guys mentioned it haha


----------



## stuck limo

miceblue said:


> Got it. Thanks! Hopefully this can get repaired fairly quickly. I didn't realize until now how essential it is for my day-to-day activities.



Updated that ticket for you.


----------



## tmaxx123

I was able to remedy my little issue with the usb connection timing out. I have the lightspeed 2.0 signal leg going straight into my iPods camera adapter USB port and the power leg going to a powered usb hub. 

Connects everytime now without issue. I’ve been able to leave on the pulse for the last couple days and hasn’t frozen yet. Sounds even better now somehow! Keeping the pulse on/warm does actually make a difference


----------



## Shawnb (Jan 4, 2018)

To anyone with a Source SE or even a Source

I'm getting sick of the endless silence from Larry. Time to flood his inbox and demand some answers.

Enough of the hiding and let us know what the hell went wrong this time and why we aren't getting our SE's


larry@lightharmonic.com


I'd like everyone to flood his inbox demanding answers. Enough of this silence.

Maybe if enough of us make noise he'll actually give us some answers


I'm not doing another year of this.


----------



## Drsparis

Can I write about my pulse? Lol been even longer


----------



## Shawnb

Drsparis said:


> Can I write about my pulse? Lol been even longer



Yeah that's just a disgrace and I have no words.


----------



## Drsparis

Shawnb said:


> Yeah that's just a disgrace and I have no words.


At least we have updates... every 6 months ... and it's always the same thing, the PCB's are out of spec/ not up to par, next batch coming up soon!!!  (seriously this excuse has been going on for like over 2 years....)


----------



## marflao

Shawnb said:


> To anyone with a Source SE or even a Source
> 
> I'm getting sick of the endless silence from Larry. Time to flood his inbox and demand some answers.
> 
> ...



.... I'm almost at the stage to agree to @bernardperu 's proposal to set up a webpage which "addresses our concerns and explains why we feel cheated out of our money".


----------



## Shawnb

it’s so hard to make a post that won’t get flagged
Larry is just as bad if not worse then Gavin.
At least Gavin would of shown his face by now while Larry hides and dodges everyone.

I’d go off more but what’s the point. Not like it’ll make a difference, Larry is deaf to Our complaints and his silence shows just how much he cares...... not at all


----------



## stuck limo

@Shawnb I have been informed that movement is now happening with the SE units. I'll post more when I have it.


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> @Shawnb I have been informed that movement is now happening with the SE units. I'll post more when I have it.



Jarek have I told you you're the best this year yet? Cause you are!


----------



## tmaxx123 (Jan 10, 2018)

Got my hands on a lps-4 and am very surprised at how big of a difference it made. No longer snake oil , in my eyes. Sound stage and imaging has vastly improved. Impact and quality of bass is much better as well.
Also, a huuuge improvement to the rca output that I have running a subwoofer/transducer. The frequency output is more linear. Not sure if the output voltage is increased with lps or if it’s just more stable, but I had to turn down my amplifier a notch.

Hopefully everyone else has their orders fulfilled soon.

Btw, do all you guys with both lps and pulse, leave both on at all times? Or do you turn them off when not in use?


----------



## bernardperu (Jan 10, 2018)

marflao said:


> .... I'm almost at the stage to agree to @bernardperu 's proposal to set up a webpage which "addresses our concerns and explains why we feel cheated out of our money".



Above all else, I believe we should question LH Labs' very late or non-existant deliveries. We should ask questions like: What % of products purchased over 3 years ago have you delivered? What we need is a big picture of this firm so we know whether they are a functional company or not.


----------



## bernardperu

Shawnb said:


> Jarek have I told you you're the best this year yet? Cause you are!



So Jarek's use of language makes us all happy and I agree. He is a polite and well articulated individual.

We ask Jarek. Jarek asks Larry Ho. Jarek gets back to us. Kudos to Jarek.

Now, allow me to ask Jarek: What % of Geek Pulses has LH Labs actually delivered after 3-4 years of receiving payment?


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 10, 2018)

bernardperu said:


> So Jarek's use of language makes us all happy and I agree. He is a polite and well articulated individual.
> 
> We ask Jarek. Jarek asks Larry Ho. Jarek gets back to us. Kudos to Jarek.
> 
> Now, allow me to ask Jarek: What % of Geek Pulses has LH Labs actually delivered after 3-4 years of receiving payment?



I have no information over any percentages of Geek Pulses. I know there's about 100 left for delivery. I think the percentage I heard was around 80 percent delivered. But I have no solid figures to share. I have no timeline on when I will get that information. I am still waiting on percentage/delivery figures for the Vi DAC.


----------



## stuck limo

bernardperu said:


> Now, allow me to ask Jarek: What % of Geek Pulses has LH Labs actually delivered after 3-4 years of receiving payment?



Official answer: 94%. We have about 130 (approximately) left to deliver.


----------



## bernardperu

stuck limo said:


> Official answer: 94%. We have about 130 (approximately) left to deliver.



Thanks for your reply. Seems like a good % have already been delivered and now there is only 6% left to deliver. Congrats!

Now, would you please let us know what the deadline is for that 6% left? I am positive the firm you represent should have planned deadlines, just like any other ethical firm. 

When can that 6% expect to receive the remaining Geek Pulses?

Thanks for your ongoing cooperation, Jarek! You are the best!


----------



## FBFA

I suppose we should open up a new thread for this but Jarek, I was told that deliveries on the SOURCE would begin in December of 2017. 

I was also told mine would ship then by the person in charge of my ticket. With that response they closed my ticket and I have heard no more. 

JAREK-- Can you give us any information on the SOURCE as many of us would like to get these music servers we paid for 3 years ago in service. 

Please let us know 

Randy Hart


----------



## stuck limo

bernardperu said:


> Thanks for your reply. Seems like a good % have already been delivered and now there is only 6% left to deliver. Congrats!
> 
> Now, would you please let us know what the deadline is for that 6% left? I am positive the firm you represent should have planned deadlines, just like any other ethical firm.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the very nice words, it's very encouraging to me to hear. I do what I can for you guys under the system I'm in. After the Da Vinci boards are completed, we will work on the Pulse Infinity boards. At this point, I've heard nothing regarding the estimated timeline. Honestly, everyone wants timelines from us but I and Larry are extremely hesitant to give those out, because a) we can't ever seem to hit them and b) people demand an answer, then get extremely upset when we can't hit the timeline.

If I get an estimated timeline, I'll post it as soon as I get it. I'm asking around right now for that answer so I can maybe give an approximate timeline. But if you get it, keep in mind, it is a VERY rough approximation, and absolutely no guarantee, especially based on our previous history.


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 11, 2018)

FBFA said:


> I suppose we should open up a new thread for this but Jarek, I was told that deliveries on the SOURCE would begin in December of 2017.
> 
> I was also told mine would ship then by the person in charge of my ticket. With that response they closed my ticket and I have heard no more.
> 
> ...



That was me who responded to that ticket. The information I had at the time was that deliveries would begin in December. We shipped 2 of them from Singapore to Japan. The rest of the SE boards got delayed because they were in the same batch as the Wave beta boards, which the factory just handed over to us the other day. So the SE boards and Wave boards and 20G boards will be shipping to the Roseville, CA headquarters hopefully within a week. The SE units will be assembled and shipped out. Then the new factory (we no longer use the original) will build the regular Source boards. I have no timeline on the regular Source boards but they are in the pipeline for production soon. I'll keep everyone updated literally as soon as I get information.


----------



## bernardperu

stuck limo said:


> Thanks for the very nice words, it's very encouraging to me to hear. I do what I can for you guys under the system I'm in. After the Da Vinci boards are completed, we will work on the Pulse Infinity boards. At this point, I've heard nothing regarding the estimated timeline. Honestly, everyone wants timelines from us but I and Larry are extremely hesitant to give those out, because a) we can't ever seem to hit them and b) people demand an answer, then get extremely upset when we can't hit the timeline.
> 
> If I get an estimated timeline, I'll post it as soon as I get it. I'm asking around right now for that answer so I can maybe give an approximate timeline. But if you get it, keep in mind, it is a VERY rough approximation, and absolutely no guarantee, especially based on our previous history.



Jarek, to be honest, 94% delivery rate is just a claim by LH Labs. We, the waiting customers, do not know the real figure. Even you do not know it, you just pass on what you hear from ownership.

After over 3 years, it is more than fair to request a delivery rate. An appropriate answer that gives you plenty of time to deliver would be: "We will deliver ALL Pulses by June 2018 or else refund your money."

All we are asking for is an honest and appropriate answer. You have to back up your words with factual information. I say this kindly and in high appreciation of your efforts.


----------



## stuck limo

bernardperu said:


> Jarek, to be honest, 94% delivery rate is just a claim by LH Labs. We, the waiting customers, do not know the real figure. Even you do not know it, you just pass on what you hear from ownership.
> 
> After over 3 years, it is more than fair to request a delivery rate. An appropriate answer that gives you plenty of time to deliver would be: "We will deliver ALL Pulses by June 2018 or else refund your money."
> 
> All we are asking for is an honest and appropriate answer. You have to back up your words with factual information. I say this kindly and in high appreciation of your efforts.



I fully understand and I've shared your post with Larry. If there's any other information I get, I'll let everyone know.


----------



## jaywhar

bernardperu said:


> Jarek, to be honest, 94% delivery rate is just a claim by LH Labs. We, the waiting customers, do not know the real figure. Even you do not know it, you just pass on what you hear from ownership.
> 
> After over 3 years, it is more than fair to request a delivery rate. An appropriate answer that gives you plenty of time to deliver would be: "We will deliver ALL Pulses by June 2018 or else refund your money."
> 
> All we are asking for is an honest and appropriate answer. You have to back up your words with factual information. I say this kindly and in high appreciation of your efforts.



I would really like to see this.

I want LHLabs to publicly write down an absolute date by which they commit to have either shipped all pulses or refund. If that date needs to be something ridiculous like 'May 2037', then by all means make that the date and let the world see (again) what a ridiculous and incompetent bunch of charlatans LHLabs are.

I have recently seen Pulse Infinity units (v2 case) WITH LPS showing up in the second hand market for LESS than I paid for just the Infinity. Even if I get it at some point and it's wonderful, I am losing.


----------



## bernardperu

jaywhar said:


> I would really like to see this.
> 
> I want LHLabs to publicly write down an absolute date by which they commit to have either shipped all pulses or refund. If that date needs to be something ridiculous like 'May 2037', then by all means make that the date.
> 
> I have recently seen Pulse Infinity units (v2 case) WITH LPS showing up in the second hand market for LESS than I paid for just the Infinity. Even if I get it at some point and it's wonderful, I am losing.




I believe all we are asking for is "ethical business practices." It is a well established business practice to provide a deadline or offer a refund. We look forward to Larry Ho's response. Thanks!


----------



## Drsparis

jaywhar said:


> I have recently seen Pulse Infinity units (v2 case) WITH LPS showing up in the *second hand market for LESS than I paid for just the Infinity.* Even if I get it at some point and it's wonderful, I am losing.



Seriously this pisses me off soo much, especially that "94% have been delivered"... I don't have it and won't ever have anything worth it... I doubt I'll even be able to sell it... Being Canadian it's even worse... when it does screw up it will cost me and arm and a leg just to send it in and get it back... so either I get peanuts for it, or wait til it becomes a paperweight...


----------



## Laseng

stuck limo said:


> Official answer: 94%. We have about 130 (approximately) left to deliver.



LH Labs had 197 Pulse left to deliver on Jan 13, 2017.
Have LH Labs delivered about 67 Pulse in the last year?


----------



## MikeyFresh

Laseng said:


> Have LH Labs delivered about 67 Pulse in the last year?



Of course not, I wouldn't be surprised if that number is actually zero.


----------



## Laseng

MikeyFresh said:


> Of course not, I wouldn't be surprised if that number is actually zero.



I think you're right, the correct number is probably zero.
That means that LH Labs still has about 197 Pulse to deliver and not 130 as they say.

Why does not LH Labs give us the correct number of Pulse left?


----------



## wingsounds13

Why?  because their information systems are so AFU that they can't figure those numbers out without days (or weeks) of work sorting through their oh so poorly designed systems.

J.P.


----------



## bernardperu

Laseng said:


> I think you're right, the correct number is probably zero.
> That means that LH Labs still has about 197 Pulse to deliver and not 130 as they say.
> 
> Why does not LH Labs give us the correct number of Pulse left?



I think we should not doubt Jarek/LH Labs regarding the 94% delivery rate. Only 6% left! That is great!

What we want to know is: When will that 6% be shipped at the latest. As a group, we should aim on June 30th, which gives them plenty of time considering their historical delivery rate.

Let's not get angry, but let's get our stuff!

Thanks!


----------



## Shawnb

bernardperu said:


> I think we should not doubt Jarek/LH Labs regarding the 94% delivery rate. Only 6% left! That is great!
> 
> What we want to know is: When will that 6% be shipped at the latest. As a group, we should aim on June 30th, which gives them plenty of time considering their historical delivery rate.
> 
> ...



June 30th, 2025 it is!!


----------



## Laseng (Jan 16, 2018)

bernardperu said:


> I think we should not doubt Jarek/LH Labs regarding the 94% delivery rate. Only 6% left! That is great!
> 
> What we want to know is: When will that 6% be shipped at the latest. As a group, we should aim on June 30th, which gives them plenty of time considering their historical delivery rate.
> 
> ...



I am angry with LH Labs.
I don't think we will get our stuff.

I have invested around $ 3000 in equipment from LH Labs.
I see that I do not get anything left for everything I've invested.

I was one of the first to back Geek Pulse on the first campaign day.
It's now over 50 months since I backed Pulse.

Since December 2015, it appears that all batches of Pulse have failed.
LH Labs has only delivered a few Pulse since December 2015.

It's strange that they managed to make several thousand pulses and then the last batch
failed every time due to constant faulty PCB board.
I see no reason why the next batch should not fail like all the others.

It's now almost three years since I backed Pulse Tube HPA with all Op-amp.
LH Labs has not yet made a final prototype of either Pulse Tube HPA or Pulse HPA.
Expected delivery was Feb 23, 2015.

LH Labs is extremely slow to respond to tickets.
I have two faulty Geek Out v2 that I have tried to sent in for repair the last 7 months.

Unfortunately, It looks like LH Labs is struggling on all fronts.


----------



## bernardperu

Laseng said:


> I am angry with LH Labs.
> I don't think we will get our stuff.
> 
> I have invested around $ 3000 in equipment from LH Labs.
> ...




I believe there are few steps we have to take via this forum in order to clarify first how serious LH Labs is when it comes to delivery. There are some key questions to ask them and some key commitments for them to make, meaning deadlines and potential refunds.

As of now, Jarek is just a name and text. Jarek is "real" just because we choose him to be real, despite the fact that we have not met him and he has provided no proof of identity.

Let's just be a little patient and try to negotiate/get our stuff over the forums. A real representative of LH Labs with real solutions to our issues would do no less than make the commitments I mentioned above.


----------



## stuck limo

Laseng said:


> LH Labs is extremely slow to respond to tickets.
> I have two faulty Geek Out v2 that I have tried to sent in for repair the last 7 months.
> 
> Unfortunately, It looks like LH Labs is struggling on all fronts.



Sorry about that. Send me the ticket #s and I'll work on this for you.


----------



## jaywhar

6% left (if that is actually true) is not great, it is an abomination

Let's settle for being angry AND getting our stuff


----------



## Stealer

Anyone here have a copy of firmware for Geek Pulse X.
Now it seem that LH had removed all the firmware from their support site.
My X after power cycle failed to output any sound. There is sound when I switch to toslink..
So far I had installed new window driver, change USB cable, try another uSB port.
All failed to produce any sound.

thanks in advance


----------



## tmaxx123

You guys have an insane amount of patience to be waiting for 3 years with that much money invested. I can’t imagine waiting nearly that long...


----------



## bernardperu

tmaxx123 said:


> You guys have an insane amount of patience to be waiting for 3 years with that much money invested. I can’t imagine waiting nearly that long...



I can see what the vast majority of people would perceive our waiting time as "insane." I personally purchased 5-6 different products from LH Labs, so I am pluri-"insane." We are hoping LH Labs will fly us out of the cuckoo's nest by giving us deadlines they can honor.


----------



## Shawnb

tmaxx123 said:


> You guys have an insane amount of patience to be waiting for 3 years with that much money invested. I can’t imagine waiting nearly that long...



Kinda don't have much of a choice. Throwing a tantrum only gets you so far, So all we can do really is wait. Refunds are never going to happen so all we can do is keep up hope that someday we may get everything.

I'm in for 7 products myself. Got 1, only 6 to go. I've all but given up on the HPA and PTP though.


----------



## stuck limo

bernardperu said:


> As of now, Jarek is just a name and text. Jarek is "real" just because we choose him to be real, despite the fact that we have not met him and he has provided no proof of identity.


----------



## bernardperu

stuck limo said:


>



Haha. Good one, my Unknown friend!

Met LH Labs long time ago and that pic looks like me waiting for my items


----------



## doctorjazz

Looking dapper!


----------



## Laseng (Jan 17, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> Sorry about that. Send me the ticket #s and I'll work on this for you.


https://support.lhlabs.com/support/tickets/40777
Ticket #40777 from 25 Jun, 2017.


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 17, 2018)

Had an interesting, lengthy discussion with a backer last night. Informal survey here: would you rather LH Labs provides dates of delivery (and possibly miss them), or would you rather we refrain from giving dates so we don't miss targets we possibly can't hit? And why?

Note: the answers of this survey won't necessarily mean our course of action either way. This is just a quick, informal survey for internal data and to gauge the community's general feelings.


----------



## graham508

Shawnb said:


> June 30th, 2025 it is!!


+ 1


----------



## spyder1 (Jan 17, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> Had an interesting, lengthy discussion with a backer last night. Informal survey here: would you rather LH Labs provides dates of delivery (and possibly miss them), or would you rather we refrain from giving dates so we don't miss targets we possibly can't hit? And why?
> 
> Note: the answers of this survey won't necessarily mean our course of action either way. This is just a quick, informal survey for internal data and to gauge the community's general feelings.



Jarek,

You might refrain from provoking a angry, and hostile response. It is better that LH Labs give infrequent updates, than give production timelines that will not be met.IMOP

**Best to produce and ship product.


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> Had an interesting, lengthy discussion with a backer last night. Informal survey here: would you rather LH Labs provides dates of delivery (and possibly miss them), or would you rather we refrain from giving dates so we don't miss targets we possibly can't hit? And why?
> 
> Note: the answers of this survey won't necessarily mean our course of action either way. This is just a quick, informal survey for internal data and to gauge the community's general feelings.



After 3 years time of doing nothing but missing every singe date, it is high time LH Labs both provide the backers with timelines and then abide by them.

There are no more excuses, deliver that message to @Larry Ho . No more delays, stories, or endless changes that kick the can down the road. Produce and ship product or the entire company is just a fraud. No one believes for one second all of the previous assertions of "we are working hard" and "things are now speeding up with production but will be slow at first" etc... no one is that grossly incompetent, those were outright lies.

Start telling the truth, and provide us with reasonable timelines for delivering the products that were backed years ago.


----------



## miceblue

stuck limo said:


> Had an interesting, lengthy discussion with a backer last night. Informal survey here: would you rather LH Labs provides dates of delivery (and possibly miss them), or would you rather we refrain from giving dates so we don't miss targets we possibly can't hit? And why?
> 
> Note: the answers of this survey won't necessarily mean our course of action either way. This is just a quick, informal survey for internal data and to gauge the community's general feelings.


I'd say don't mention dates at all unless you know you can reach it. There's no point in giving false hope like what LH Labs has already been doing.

That being said, giving no updates about anything about the product at all is just as bad, which is exactly why people are so upset. No one from LH Labs says anything about the status of development and/or delivery except for the occasional update of "all blah hundred of PCBs failed."


----------



## wingsounds13

We all know that LH Labs time estimates are worse than worthless.  Don't bother giving dates that everyone knows will be missed.  I still feel that frequent updates with the smallest, simplest, most insignificant things that have ACTUALLY BEEN DONE would be well received.  At least we could see that SOMETHING is being done.

Then again, with the aparent level of fiction that has come out of LH Labs over the last 45 months (that's only a few months shy of four YEARS) about the Wave, Source, Headphone Amp, Vi DAC and whatever other projects, and the Pulse DAC campaign still not completely fulfilled well over four years since its inception, it would be reasonable to assume that few would believe anything that is reported to us.  Case in point is the recent report of the Wave beta boards and Source SE boards finally being pried from the hands of the factory, more than six months after they (or at least the Wave boards) were supposedly assembled.   There are certainly doubts that these actually exist.  If they do, why are they not at LH headquarters already, now about a week after being sprung from their captors.  If it were me, I would have shipped them second day air immediately upun obtaining their release from the factory, even though this might have cost a horrendous amount of money, on the order of a hundred dollars or so.  Larry himself has said that Time is Money, yet he is burning time like (and thus money) like trees in a forest fire.  What???

Oh Well, maybe some day soon somebody will make a mistake and actually DO something.   Until then, LH Labs appears to be a tax write-off scheme.  

J.P.


----------



## marflao

stuck limo said:


> Had an interesting, lengthy discussion with a backer last night. Informal survey here: would you rather LH Labs provides dates of delivery (and possibly miss them), or would you rather we refrain from giving dates so we don't miss targets we possibly can't hit? And why?
> 
> Note: the answers of this survey won't necessarily mean our course of action either way. This is just a quick, informal survey for internal data and to gauge the community's general feelings.



I would like to see another option: refund. 
Since LHL thinks that only a few people are complaining on the different fora maybe you can convince Larry to give them their money back. 
So those guys will be happy and Larry can be assured that he has the endorsement from the rest,  the majority. 

Maybe this is worth to have a second thought and put away your (LHL) non-refund-politic attitude. 
Try to convince Larry that this is best for all. 

Give him an example how to deal with unsatisfied customers. 
For instance this (from Mike Moffat, Co-founder of Schiit, posted on a different forum) :

_"Firing customers– it all started back at Theta Digital back in the 1980’s and was an unusual, in fact almost non existent occurrence back then - “The customer is always right”. Theta had a receptionist/customer service lady back then who was genuinely nice. (In that era, all biz was transacted by phone.) There was no way to conceal yourself completely from those you interacted with such as email or anonymous fora as we have today.

From time to time Azita (that was her name) would be reduced to tears when dealing with one dealer in particular, and occasional end users. I felt that there were not enough dollars per hour to pay anyone who considered it their right to be nasty enough to bring our Theta ladies to tears. (It was a different world back then.) It turned out that it was one dealer and about three or four customers were disrupting Theta’s business; a nasty client experience has a productivity hangover which persists after the fact. In all fairness, there were customers who could not deal with problems that were genuinely Theta’s fault without ire and dyspepsia, but in those cases it is up to us to make it right. It is just there were so many cases which were NOT our problem. We were NOT shrinks – that should have been the dealer’s responsibility. That is the only thing I miss about dealers from the Theta era.

So I had one dealer I had to fire and several end users to fire along the way – the customers were all refunded in full (sometimes way in after the fact of purchase), bypassing the dealers if necessary, and all equipment (including demos) was repurchased from the one dealer I had to get rid of. Guess what! Life at the Theta shop became much better for everyone. I made firing Theta customers who were problems policy and factory life greatly improved. This was the genus of practice at Schiit today.

This was before I realized I was dealing with Pareto’s principle. The 80/20 law. 20% of the clients are 80% of the customer service. The principle is also extensible; 4% are 96%, and 0.8% is 99.2%. It is the 0.8 percent who are the big burden – not just for us but for all other clients as well. It does consume resources which can ultimately affect prices. There are a very few who will never be happy and transfer that responsibility to their wives, their dwindling friends, or at the end of the road to customer service. Thank God such clients are rare."_

Hope not you become like poor Azita.


----------



## bernardperu

stuck limo said:


> Had an interesting, lengthy discussion with a backer last night. Informal survey here: would you rather LH Labs provides dates of delivery (and possibly miss them), or would you rather we refrain from giving dates so we don't miss targets we possibly can't hit? And why?
> 
> Note: the answers of this survey won't necessarily mean our course of action either way. This is just a quick, informal survey for internal data and to gauge the community's general feelings.



This is a very interesting post. LH Labs is basically telling us: "Sorry, guys, we are a dysfunctional firm and cannot remotely honor deadlines nor commitments. We suck and we know it" Answers by forum members to Jarek's questions seem to be acknowledging the former fact (just look at LH Labs' clients trust in your firm!). "We understand you suck, do not give us deadlines that suck." Personally, I cannot recall ever buying a product for which I would be willing to accept a non-delivery date. 

So I want a delivery date. I am willing to listen to one that is very generous in favor of LH Labs. 

Your final Note only adds to your surreal post, Jarek: "Note: the answers of this survey won't necessarily mean our course of action either way." haha


----------



## bernardperu

marflao said:


> I would like to see another option: refund.
> Since LHL thinks that only a few people are complaining on the different fora maybe you can convince Larry to give them their money back.
> So those guys will be happy and Larry can be assured that he has the endorsement from the rest,  the majority.
> 
> ...



I second this approach! I am willing to accept 75% of my money and consider it a full refund.


----------



## Laseng

bernardperu said:


> This is a very interesting post. LH Labs is basically telling us: "Sorry, guys, we are a dysfunctional firm and cannot remotely honor deadlines nor commitments. We suck and we know it" Answers by forum members to Jarek's questions seem to be acknowledging the former fact (just look at LH Labs' clients trust in your firm!). "We understand you suck, do not give us deadlines that suck." Personally, I cannot recall ever buying a product for which I would be willing to accept a non-delivery date.
> 
> So I want a delivery date. I am willing to listen to one that is very generous in favor of LH Labs.
> 
> Your final Note only adds to your surreal post, Jarek: "Note: the answers of this survey won't necessarily mean our course of action either way." haha




*Indiegogo may now call a collection agency if backers aren’t kept informed about delays.*

https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/7/1...-backer-updates-may-call-collections-agencies


----------



## marflao

Laseng said:


> *Indiegogo may now call a collection agency if backers aren’t kept informed about delays.*
> 
> https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/7/1...-backer-updates-may-call-collections-agencies



The response I got from IGG support is that we backers should get in touch with the campaigner, Larry, directly to request status updates and/or refunds due to the fact that the campaigns are already "in demand" status. 

IGG definitely does not get in touch with Larry/LHL to mediate etc.


----------



## Laseng

Where are all the updates that was promised Sep 10, 2017?
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-headphones#/updates/all


Larry and I are going to work extremely hard on timely, accurate updates. We realize how important they are and that you placed your trust in us to deliver a product. You deserve to know what is happening with your money. We hope to be timely and are looking at simplifying the updates as well instead of doing targeted emails (we understand the complaints). Our goal for each is below:

Geek Wave: Bi-weekly (Sundays)

Geek Pulse: Monthly (date tbd)

Vi Dac: Monthly (date tbd)

Geek Source: Monthly (date tbd)

Pulse Analog: Monthly (date tbd)

Please note: there are some theories floating around that the new monthly updates coming from LH Labs are only due to new IGG rules. This isn't true – this was in the works right after I came on board, before the new IGG rules were unveiled.


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 18, 2018)

Thanks for the responses, guys.


bernardperu said:


> Your final Note only adds to your surreal post, Jarek: "Note: the answers of this survey won't necessarily mean our course of action either way." haha



We have a few certain members who like to twist anything I say, so now I can't say basically literally anything without some sort of disclaimer.



bernardperu said:


> So I want a delivery date. I am willing to listen to one that is very generous in favor of LH Labs.



At this point no dates are being given, but the products are coming. Unfortunately, with the delays we face in manufacturing, it's very hard to give any sort of date/promise, unless you're wanting something like "June 1, 2025".  I'll give all the responses to Larry though and we'll discuss them.

The main reason I asked is because I get tons of people demanding "exact dates of delivery" (including the conversation I had the other night) and it's impossible to give those, and I've stated multiple times in the updates, forums, etc. that there are no exact dates, but people seem to think our past history of providing dates and not meeting them doesn't exist.

These are products in development. There are delays, even on fully designed projects. These are not "finished" products. These take longer. I will let Larry know that people would like more updates and more general timelines, but I can't guarantee anything that will be guaranteed or released on timelines.

And refunds aren't going to happen (no matter how many times people ask). If we gave refunds to one person, we'd have to refund everyone else. According to my information, we also stated at the beginning of the campaign and IGG did too that refunds were not available. If we were to refund, then these projects would indefinitely delayed and that would be completely unfair to the people who do want these products finished at the fastest rate possible. Unfortunately, that's a reality of crowd-funding.

I do know Larry and the team are working on getting these projects done and shipped. When I get information regarding the status of the projects, I'll keep everyone updated.



Laseng said:


> Where are all the updates that was promised Sep 10, 2017?



I post them as I get them. Sometimes there's not a lot of information to even post, sometimes there is. I am asking for more updates.


----------



## Laseng (Jan 18, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> I post them as I get them. Sometimes there's not a lot of information to even post, sometimes there is. I am asking for more updates.




That's the big problem, nothing is happening.
There is no real progress on any of LH Labs products.
All products appeared to be closer to delivery for two years ago than they are today.

Example:
When I backed Pulse Tube HPA, it was almost ready for production, Expected delivery was Feb 23, 2015.
The only thing I have seen in these three years is an AutoCAD image of the PCB.

From update Jan 13, 2017.
The screen capture is the headphone amplifier PCB design we are about to send to PCB factory.

I can see no big Mundorf MCap EVO Silver Gold Oil on headphone amplifier PCB.
Does not seem to be space for two Mundorf MCap EVO Silver Gold Oil on PCB.
All PCBs must have conductive tracks, but it is missing here.
Can you get Larry Ho to show us a real picture of the PCB board in a update?
It is now about a year since it was send to PCB factory.


----------



## Shawnb

Laseng said:


> Where are all the updates that was promised Sep 10, 2017?
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-headphones#/updates/all
> 
> 
> ...




Geek Wave: Last update 7 days ago

Geek Pulse: Monthly: Last update 2 months ago

Vi Dac: Monthly: Last update 2 months ago

Geek Source: Monthly: Last update 2 months ago

Pulse Analog: Monthly: Last update 3 months ago

Geek Wave is the only one that's had updates for awhile and 2 of those were just updates about the BigCommerce stuff. So it was actually 3 months between actual updates.


----------



## bernardperu

stuck limo said:


> We have a few certain members who like to twist anything I say, so now I can't say basically literally anything without some sort of disclaimer.



This whole issue is really becoming larger than fiction. Mike Moffat should read us and put together a piece. Perhaps, deep down, that is the main reason why all these posts keep me engaged: I love literature! (I am not kidding)


----------



## bernardperu

stuck limo said:


> These are products in development. There are delays, even on fully designed projects. These are not "finished" products. These take longer. I will let Larry know that people would like more updates and more general timelines, but I can't guarantee anything that will be guaranteed or released on timelines.



This campaign by a competitor of yours delivered my item on time https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hifi-skyn-iphone-case-made-for-music#/

The whole Indiegogo, Kickstarter, etc platform is based on "products on development." Do you think every other campaign is delivering 4+ years late? Come on, Jarek! Reply and entertain us with the surreal


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 18, 2018)

bernardperu said:


> This campaign by a competitor of yours delivered my item on time https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hifi-skyn-iphone-case-made-for-music#/
> 
> The whole Indiegogo, Kickstarter, etc platform is based on "products on development." Do you think every other campaign is delivering 4+ years late? Come on, Jarek! Reply and entertain us with the surreal



Many many other campaigns are late. How late, I don't know. But this is a common situation with IGG and Kickstarter campaigns. The previous linked article even refers to late campaigns.

I was even discussing this with Larry - he is under the impression crowdfunding is going to die off, and crowdfunding is going to move to pre-orders. Part of the problem is the delays that other campaigns (not just us) are facing with hardware/manufacturing delays and failures. So this campaign is not alone in this. This is happening across the whole spectrum.

My honest advice is to not join any more crowdfunding campaigns if this is a concern. I personally only buy things after they're fully developed. I joined a campaign on Kickstarter for a travel bag, but they were ready to manufacture and ship immediately. I essentially just pre-ordered it. There were no issues, luckily.


----------



## marflao

But Pulse and Wave campaigns were both advertised with existing prototypes if I recall correctly. 

Yeah... now somebody will mentioning the "crowd design" mayhem...


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 18, 2018)

marflao said:


> But Pulse and Wave campaigns were both advertised with existing prototypes if I recall correctly.
> 
> Yeah... now somebody will mentioning the "crowd design" mayhem...


Wave was redesigned like twice. There are no Pulse issues according to my knowledge and understanding. We're just waiting for factory production. Obviously, when we discuss issues and delays, we're talking about overall all the campaigns.


----------



## jaywhar (Jan 19, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> Had an interesting, lengthy discussion with a backer last night. Informal survey here: would you rather LH Labs provides dates of delivery (and possibly miss them), or would you rather we refrain from giving dates so we don't miss targets we possibly can't hit? And why?.



it's not missed dates that are the problem per se - it's that they're missed by truly astounding amounts and we're not given any information as to why (or even that something has gone wrong).

Obviously things can't be guaranteed to hit an exact date, but it seems reasonable to be in the general vicinity. eg: if you say I'm getting my delivery within weeks, then being off by one or two weeks is ok. If the timeframe is in months, and you're a month or two late, then that's also ok. When you say in April that I'll be receiving my pulse in the 3rd week of May and I still don't have my pulse more than two years later then there's a problem. The occasional catastrophic event might happen, but LHLabs has done this too many times - to get a delivery date horribly wrong once might be misfortune, twice (or more!) is gross incompetence or deceit.

So I'd like dates. They don't need to be specific (a month will do), but they need to be realistic and if something does go wrong we need to be told and why. I think the 'why' is really important now - this whole experience means I can't really trust LHLabs much and I need to see if their actions are reasonable.


----------



## jaywhar (Jan 19, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> If we were to refund, then these projects would indefinitely delayed and that would be completely unfair to the people who do want these products finished at the fastest rate possible. Unfortunately, that's a reality of crowd-funding..



If you're talking about other backers who still want their pulse, I don't believe it would make much of a difference - the economics of a batch of 100 boards vs a batch of 200 wouldn't be that far off.

If you're talking about backers of other LHLabs projects - pledges for the Pulses are for development of the Pulses.




stuck limo said:


> ... crowdfunding is going to die off, and crowdfunding is going to move to pre-orders.



I really fail to see the practical distinction between this campaign and a pre-order. I selected a perk that was for delivery of a product, and subsequently additional perks for specific upgrades. The fact that hundreds of backers have received their units indicates that design and manufacturing are possible, and LHLabs still clearly has money.


----------



## Hercules

stuck limo said:


> Wave was redesigned like twice. There are no Pulse issues according to my knowledge and understanding. We're just waiting for factory production. Obviously, when we discuss issues and delays, we're talking about overall all the campaigns.



I believed Geek Source have a prototype and scale down from so call Da Vinci Source, and development cycle won't take too long, but I was wrong again, shame on me.....

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/20340-lh-labs-geek-source/ 

We've utilized technology from Light Harmonic's Da Vinci Source, a project that we began working on in 2012 and unveiled at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, pairing it with our world-renowned Da Vinci DAC. The results were stellar.

Just like Geek Pulse's relationship with Da Vinci DAC, Geek Source's core design is directly derived from our soon to be released ultra high end music server: Da Vinci Source (MSRP $12,999). Same concept, same core technology, same development team, dramatically different price.


----------



## Hercules

jaywhar said:


> If you're talking about other backers who still want their pulse, I don't believe it would make much of a difference - the economics of a batch of 100 boards vs a batch of 200 wouldn't be that far off.
> 
> If you're talking about backers of other LHLabs projects - pledges for the Pulses are for development of the Pulses.
> 
> ...



My problems was while I'm waiting my pledges from LH Labs and tired by all missing deadline, I can't wait anymore and I have to buy another pieces of equipment, turn out I spent much more money than I planned, if I don't ever invested into LH Labs Projects, even LH Labs products arrived (if) sound superior, I still have to sell extra equipment away with discount. People asking for refund not ready totally lose of faith but really I don't need a extra equipment anymore with the time.

IGG/KS platforms were aimed to help startup with good ideas to raise up funding for realizing their ideas, but people abused the crowdfunding platform, turned into pre-order site, it's very irresponsible move,  as if taking pre-order at their own webshop, it's purely a purchase action, refund is a must, but taking pre-order on KS/IGG just blurring the difference from crowdfunding, so call pseudo-crowdfunding to refuse any refund requests under KS/ISS Terms of uses.

Jarek maybe you are totally correct, Crowdfunding is dead, because of abusers.


----------



## agisthos

As soon as I got my Pulse S Infinity (there were only 20 made of that spec) I sold it in 2015 and have not thought about LHLABS in years.

I come on here, and despite it being the current year, it seems like 2014 all over again-- bad PCB production runs causing delays, products failing e.t.c
Is there really people still waiting for a Pulse to be delivered from the crowdfund campaign? Amazing. I feel for you guys, but it looks like LHlabs has run out of money. 

I want to defend Larry Ho a bit... he was given an almost impossible, herculean task; to design 7-8 products at once. The Pulse alone had about 10 different variants. This would be a huge undertaking even for the larger audiophile manufacturers, but for a company like LHlabs they bit off more than they could chew.


----------



## bernardperu

agisthos said:


> he was given an almost impossible, herculean task; to design 7-8 products at once.



Larry Ho was not given. He gave himself.

I agree on impossible, which only means premeditation, as in purposely enaging in an endeveour that would end with empty handed clients and his full pockets. That would be a federal crime.


----------



## bernardperu

Here is an article on Federal authorities dealing with crowdfunding excessive lack of delivery. 

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/11/feds-regulate-crowdfundin_n_7565952.html


----------



## Shawnb

agisthos said:


> I want to defend Larry Ho a bit... he was given an almost impossible, herculean task; to design 7-8 products at once. The Pulse alone had about 10 different variants. This would be a huge undertaking even for the larger audiophile manufacturers, but for a company like LHlabs they bit off more than they could chew.



He wasn't given an impossible, herculean task. He got greedy and took it upon himself to design so different products at once. It wasn't just 7-8. 
2 Geek out versions, Pulse sold 2 different times, LPS's, Vi Dac, PTP, Wave, HPA, Amps, Revive, Geek Blue, Source, Headphones, Tesla Speakers,  I'm likely forgetting a few items as well
All of this he took upon himself to produce all the while people where still waiting for the Pulses from the first campaign. I have no sympathy for them nor do they deserve any. They created this mess, they ignored all of us when we pointed out they couldn't handle this, They have no one but themselves to blame.


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> Wave was redesigned like twice. There are no Pulse issues according to my knowledge and understanding. We're just waiting for factory production. Obviously, when we discuss issues and delays, we're talking about overall all the campaigns.



Pulse got redesigned into the 2.0 chassis. Thereby turning it from a desktop item to something that needed a rack to hold it. Of course all this was done well after we had the chance to trade in our Pulses and LPS for the Vi Dac.
Wanted the Vi Dac but didn't want to buy a rack to hold it so I held off and stuck with the Pulse only for them to come out of no where and redesign into a new bigger chassis that doesn't fit on any desktop.

There hasn't been anything LHL has done that has been issue free. All issues they themselves created.


----------



## hotteen

stuck limo said:


> Many many other campaigns are late. How late, I don't know. But this is a common situation with IGG and Kickstarter campaigns. The previous linked article even refers to late campaigns.
> 
> I was even discussing this with Larry - he is under the impression crowdfunding is going to die off, and crowdfunding is going to move to pre-orders. Part of the problem is the delays that other campaigns (not just us) are facing with hardware/manufacturing delays and failures. So this campaign is not alone in this. This is happening across the whole spectrum.
> 
> My honest advice is to not join any more crowdfunding campaigns if this is a concern. I personally only buy things after they're fully developed. I joined a campaign on Kickstarter for a travel bag, but they were ready to manufacture and ship immediately. I essentially just pre-ordered it. There were no issues, luckily.



Where is the dislike button?


----------



## stuck limo

bernardperu said:


> Larry Ho was not given. He gave himself.
> 
> I agree on impossible, which only means premeditation, as in purposely enaging in an endeveour that would end with empty handed clients and his full pockets. That would be a federal crime.



This conspiracy theory was answered and debunked before you even said it by Gavin and Diana and Larry:


----------



## spyder1

Shawnb said:


> There hasn't been anything LHL has done that has been issue free. All issues they themselves created



Larry Ho, and Team have been "Careless, and Sloppy," in managing multiple projects. They need to prioritize completion, and shipment of product, My Motto, "The on going Project Comes First," should be adopted. Finnish 1 product, then move on to the 2nd!!!


----------



## spyder1

Stuck  Limbo,

Where does LH Labs revenue come from? What are they selling, and are they making a profit?


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 21, 2018)

spyder1 said:


> Stuck  Limbo,
> 
> Where does LH Labs revenue come from? What are they selling, and are they making a profit?



They are selling Tesla and Light Harmonic gear. We recently got Tesla speakers in and we've had people lined up buying them, with more people lined up to buy other Tesla gear when we have it in stock. Other than that, I have no access to their financial records. Larry has stated in various places that he is paying for much of LH Labs products out of his own pocket. <--- Keep this in mind for anyone thinking a refund will happen or would be possible. Again, I have no access to their financials but the answer is there if you think about it. (refunds won't happen)


----------



## hotteen (Jan 21, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> They are selling Tesla and Light Harmonic gear. We recently got Tesla speakers in and we've had people lined up buying them, with more people lined up to buy other Tesla gear when we have it in stock. Other than that, I have no access to their financial records. Larry has stated in various places that he is paying for much of LH Labs products out of his own pocket. <--- Keep this in mind for anyone thinking a refund will happen or would be possible. Again, I have no access to their financials but the answer is there if you think about it. (refunds won't happen)



Two responses:

1. Maybe Larry should consider gifting backers some Tesla speakers and "other Tesla gear", since he apparently has the capacity to manufacture those, while having such a big problem securing even just five boards for beta testing. 

2. So Larry "is paying for much of LH Labs product out of his own pocket". Is that right? Just curious why he has to do that, given the tens of millions he has collected from the multiple crowdfunding campaigns. All used on R&D already, or on making the five boards for beta testing? Hard to believe, isn't it?


----------



## bernardperu

stuck limo said:


> They are selling Tesla and Light Harmonic gear. Again, I have no access to (LH Labs) financials but the answer is there if you think about it. (refunds won't happen)



Now...I wonder...What would Tesla do if Larry Ho did to them what he did to us?


----------



## stuck limo

bernardperu said:


> Now...I wonder...What would Tesla do if Larry Ho did to them what he did to us?



I'm fairly certain our project has nothing officially to do with the Tesla organization.


----------



## ValeryPaul

stuck limo said:


> This conspiracy theory was answered and debunked before you even said it by Gavin and Diana and Larry:




Nothing debunked Sir. The ONLY conspiracy is the one perpetrated by Larry and Co (Ho?) and the coward Gavin to steal money from innocent and unsuspected hard working people. 

You seem to insinuate that he makes tons of $$ from Tesla. Now it probably is time for him to move his behind and fulfill his promise made to his FIRST backers without whom LHlabs would not exist. 

By the way where is my source?


----------



## bernardperu

stuck limo said:


> I'm fairly certain our project has nothing officially to do with the Tesla organization.



It has A LOT to do with Tesla, Inc for the following reasons:

1) Larry Ho used his "successful" Indiegogo campaigns to sell his project to Tesla. He raised MILLIONS and had several campaigns at once. "Successful" campaigns for him and terrible for the rest of us.

2) Larry Ho has neglected the development of our projects because he is busy with the Tesla big fish. 

and last but not least ...

3) If Tesla found out what really happened with the LH Labs Indiegogo campaigns, they would very likely terminate their relationship with Larry Ho due to the potential bad publicity backfire, not to mention the future mess between LH Labs and Federal Authorities due to enormous lack of delivery.

So we should keep talking about how LH Labs has moved on from us to Tesla.


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## stuck limo (Jan 22, 2018)

ValeryPaul said:


> Nothing debunked Sir. The ONLY conspiracy is the one perpetrated by Larry and Co (Ho?) and the coward Gavin to steal money from innocent and unsuspected hard working people.



Your accusation itself is a conspiracy, and even people who are waiting for their units on this forum don't agree with you.



> You seem to insinuate that he makes tons of $$ from Tesla.



I don't know how much LH makes from Tesla. They're a decent seller, but I cannot comment and I don't know how much they truly make from it. That is purely speculation from your side. Not confirmation from my side.



> By the way where is my source?



When I have more information over Sources, I'll let you know.


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## stuck limo (Jan 22, 2018)

bernardperu said:


> So we should keep talking about how LH Labs has moved on from us to Tesla.



I assure you, this didn't happen. And I happen to know that for a 100% fact, because I'm directly involved in the Tesla sales and with their customers and I know what's going on in the program.  Customers of the Tesla products are much in the same boat as the IGG campaigns. In some cases, possibly worse off. There are delays on both campaigns, and Tesla is not superceding the IGG development. 

You're welcome to believe me or not. I'm back to work now.


----------



## agisthos

The fact that Larry Ho is paying out of pocket to finish the production runs of this stuff, means LHLabs ran out of money, probably years ago. Not good. I hope it eventually gets done.

A small defence of Larry, again - when the crowdfund campaigns were started Larry was the technical product designer. He wasn't running the books, or marketing, or general operations. That was Gavin Fish, the marketing manager, and whoever was the CFO at the time (if they even had one).

So I'm not sure directing your full ire at Larry is entirely warranted, as at the time of those decisions he had his head down doing product design.

But then again I got my stuff, and no doubt would be murderously furious if I was still waiting...


----------



## ValeryPaul (Jan 22, 2018)

I am tired of this. Mods please shut down any threads that have anything related to the thieves from Ho&Co.

How can you even let thieves have a forum. All it does is open old wounds. This is beyond my comprehension.


----------



## ValeryPaul

stuck limo said:


> I assure you, this didn't happen. And I happen to know that for a 100% fact, because I'm directly involved in the Tesla sales and with their customers and I know what's going on in the program.  Customers of the Tesla products are much in the same boat as the IGG campaigns. In some cases, possibly worse off. There are delays on both campaigns, and Tesla is not superceding the IGG development.
> 
> You're welcome to believe me or not. I'm back to work now.



Didn't you reply to me saying that you don't know anything about the Tesla side of LHlabs' business and now you are saying that you are directly involved in their Tesla business...Blowing hard hey! And you want us to believe that Tesla's customers are in a much worse situation than us, the early backers? You see blowing again! You gonna run out of breath soon...


----------



## wingsounds13 (Jan 23, 2018)

There is NO relationship between Tesla and Light Harmonic or LH Labs, other than the fact that LH Labs sells independently developed third party products designed to fit (sort of) in Tesla automotive products.

Yes, LH Labs did collect several million dollars from several indiegogo campaigns, largely orchestrated by the master used car salesman Gavin Fish.  Unfortunately,  time is money, and the time that has elapsed since the indiegogo campaigns has entirely consumed the monies collected therein.  I don't really understand the extremely slow rate of LH Labs product development cycles, but that slow rate is extremely expensive.  Larry's apparent refusal to pay for quicker turnaround from his vendors has proven to be a false economy.  This seems to be a lesson that he still has not learned, and I really cannot fathom the extreme lack of urgency on the part of LH Labs to complete these projects and fulfill their campaign commitments.

I am under the impression that Larry was generally steamrollered by Gavin, as Gavin is a very effective and assertive salesman and Larry is (as are others of us) conflict averse.  This does not mean that Larry is entirely without fault, but was not the prime party driving the crowd funding campaigns.  Unfortunately,  Larry is absolutely not a manager and has totally failed to manage the disaster that was dropped entirely in his lap when the gravy train started to dry up and Gavin abandoned the now sinking ship of LH Labs for greener pastures.

Thus is the story of LH Labs and their crowd funding backers.  We are stuck waiting for products that aill likely be shipped - eventually.   I do not believe that Larry has ever had any intent to defraud the campaign backers, and consider the continuied presence of LH Labs to be evidence of that.  I don't even think that Gavin has any intent to defraud, he is just the consummate salesman and has little if any interest in the products that he sells, only the commission collected from the sales.  If theft were the intent then they would have claimed failure on he campaign projects and disappeared a long time ago.

Thus ends yet another long post..........

J.P.


----------



## spyder1 (Jan 23, 2018)

wingsounds13 said:


> This seems to be a lesson that he still has not learned, and I really cannot fathom the extreme lack of urgency on the part of LH Labs to complete these projects and fulfill their campaign commitments.



LH Labs has not established itself as a Co. that sells competitive, reliable, and marketable products. With 5-7 unfinished projects, in 3.5-4 years, what direction is LH Labs Management leading the Co., and it's IGG backers?


----------



## m17xr2b

stuck limo said:


> Many many other campaigns are late. How late, I don't know. But this is a common situation with IGG and Kickstarter campaigns. The previous linked article even refers to late campaigns.


This really boils my blood since it wasn't promoted that way in 2013. 

I just noticed something. Most of the pulse backers are on head-fi and I can't for the life of me remember anyone in the past year...maybe more receiving anything. Larry I do really hope to meat you someday so I can give you the respect you have me. Time to go on trade shows.


----------



## hotteen

wingsounds13 said:


> There is NO relationship between Tesla and Light Harmonic or LH Labs, other than the fact that LH Labs sells independently developed third party products designed to fit (sort of) in Tesla automotive products.
> 
> Gavin is a very effective and assertive salesman and Larry is (as are others of us) conflict averse.
> 
> We are stuck waiting for products that aill likely be shipped - eventually.   I do not believe that Larry has ever had any intent to defraud the campaign backers



1. How can you be so sure? Are you ITK (in the know)?

2. Larry Ho is the person in charge, and LH Labs is not the first company he started. So can't attribute all these to his inexperience.


----------



## AxelCloris

Keep posts within the guidelines, please.


----------



## stuck limo

hotteen said:


> 1. How can you be so sure? Are you ITK (in the know)?



He actually is (much moreso than most other people who just think they are), and if anyone thinks we have a relationship or partnership with Tesla, please call them up and report back your findings. Their number is 1 (888) 518-3752 or 1 (650) 681-5100. We eagerly await.


----------



## FBFA

OK group let us review?

1. Some of us got involved in one or more of the startup campaigns as far back as late 2013
2. A large number invested in more than one (1) product
3. Some of us have gotten delivery on one (1) product or more but after 2 or more years in the pipeline
4. Many of us did not get delivery on our Geek Pulse even though some were sold on Amazon
5. Other products that were part of the start up have gone through the same delivery pattern as 4 above
6. No one to my knowledge has received a Source music server
7. The Source has seen design changes as well as branding revisions
8. The same holds true for the Tesla products as well as Geek Out products and some LH Labs products

My assumption is that every one on this blog has skin in this game in the way of investments in product that they have not received shipment on
I also believe that many are correct in that the communication channel between the vendor (LH Labs--) and its customer base - us - has been less than satisfactory.

Having summarized our plight I want to make a couple of suggestions

A. Flame mail is not the way for any of us to get what we want. It is allegorically akin to hitting someone in the mouth just before you ask them to do you a favor. I suggest that the flame mail ends and civil discourse begin allow someone to speak for you if you can not contain your impulses
B. Speculation about the motives or financial acumen does us no good either so we should not use that as an excuse to berate the people who appear to at least have some interest in addressing our problems 
C. Realize that the kind of harping we have engaged in only drives down the desirability of the products we have received should we elect to sell them and seek a relationship with another vendor for these products.
D. When we do find some successful communication avenue that renders a favorable result lets share it with the group and try to keep that line open in a civil manner so as not to shut the communication portal down due to some unpleasant name calling 

As for me -- I have been waiting for my product for three years plus and certainly would like to be rewarded with the product I bought for my patience.
          Jarek -- I hope you have not taken to heart a lot of what has been shared on this blog. It appears to me that you are working hard and may be at your wits end in trying to solve some of the problems handed you. I hope you will find the grace to continue to work with us.
          Larry -- It appears to me that you have a lot of balls in the air right now. My assessment is that you are handling the role of 1)lead designer, 2) Quality Control testing and lead engineer, 3) Purchasing Manager and 4) Chief Decision Maker. If I am correct that is a mind bending process control you have undertaken. May I suggest that you try to see your way -- only if I am correct -- to delegating some of this responsibility to your colleagues? It would make your life a little less stressful and would make you operation more efficient.
         Matt -- I have only  had to deal with you a couple of times. I came away satisfied with the result-- and I thank you for that
         Gina -- I have had a couple of dealings with you and have been somewhat satisfied. You have been prompt to return my inquires. I would like to suggest that when you hand off an inquiry that you follow up a few days later to make sure that question does not drop off the radar through no fault of your own. 

It is my desired outcome for all of us to get delivery of the products we sponsored, as we configured them and to enjoy them for a long time.  
Regards
FBFA


----------



## marflao

I’m usually with most of the people here that “yelling” doesn’t work.

But on the other hand I ask you if we really should be quiet, tolerate Larry’s behavior and keep our fingers crossed that he delivers whenever he is ready. Really?


----------



## FBFA

marflao said:


> I’m usually with most of the people here that “yelling” doesn’t work.
> 
> But on the other hand I ask you if we really should be quiet, tolerate Larry’s behavior and keep our fingers crossed that he delivers whenever he is ready. Really?


Of that is the message you got then I missed the mark! My admonition was that when "Yelling" et al, we should be civil in our approach. Name calling is counter productive. I will grant you that we have not go anything near an acceptable level of behavior from LH Labs but on the other hand I don't want our legitimate complains to be drowned out by the name calling I have seen during the last 14 months or so. It hurts every one here and it hurts the ultimate resale value of any of these product that we do get delivered and some day want to sell. 

Your point is well taken'

Regards
FBFA


----------



## dclaz

Can't wait to receive my Pulse guys, any day now....


----------



## wingsounds13

hotteen said:


> 1. How can you be so sure? Are you ITK (in the know)?
> 
> 2. Larry Ho is the person in charge, and LH Labs is not the first company he started. So can't attribute all these to his inexperience.



I'v been following LH Labs closely for about 49 months now, ever since I backed the Pulse DAC campaign on indiegogo.   While I have had a bit of inside contact, almost everything that I post in forums has come from public information...  accumulated from other posts in various places.  Yes, I do post some speculation based on rational and logical interpolation and extrapolation of this public knowledge.   For example,  Larry has published (directly and through Jarek) that he is pursuing deals with various overseas entities.  To the  best of my knowledge,  nowhere has anyone from LH Labs commented in any degree about having or even discussing any relationship with Tesla.  From this, I think it reasonable to state that there is no such relationship.

As for Larry's management abilities, I said nothing about his experience.  I did comment on his apparent (lack of) management *abilities*. I know that he has been party to several startups, including Light Harmonic and LH Labs.  I have no details on his enterprises before Light Harmonic, so cannot comment on those.  What I can see is that Light Harmonic has been successful and LH Labs not so.  There is a major difference between the two.  Light Harmonic is a boutique audio equipment company with essentially one product (the DaVinci DAC), shipping only a handful of essentially hand built units a month.  This is an entirely different management challenge than that of LH Labs which is trying to mass produce more general consumer goods.  The expected volume of production and (entirely too large and too soon) array of products poses a far different management challenge.  

This is all a matter of accumulation of publicly available data and reasonable interpretation of such.  I may well be wrong in my interpretation, but at least I try to stay in the realm of rational, as opposed to various off the wall accusations and conspiracy theories being presented here and elsewhere. 

J.P.


----------



## marflao

FBFA said:


> Of that is the message you got then I missed the mark! My admonition was that when "Yelling" et al, we should be civil in our approach. Name calling is counter productive. I will grant you that we have not go anything near an acceptable level of behavior from LH Labs but on the other hand I don't want our legitimate complains to be drowned out by the name calling I have seen during the last 14 months or so. It hurts every one here and it hurts the ultimate resale value of any of these product that we do get delivered and some day want to sell.
> 
> Your point is well taken'
> 
> ...



My response was not directly addressed to your post but your example with your little boy was a good one.

But on the other hand someone is responsible for this whole mess we are in.
And it’s definitely not Jarek. He acts just as a mediator between us and Larry.

Hence Larry is the bottleneck and it’s unbelievable - after all that years - that he still can’t delegate certain topics.

From my point of view he is disrespectful and dishonest. Sorry....but I don’t believe at all that he is the innocent guy who didn’t know what bad Gavin did.
Not with a company of this (small) size.

Hence it makes me really angry that he someway gets away with this kind of behavior.
IGG doesn’t do anything, so it seems that he can continue as he does.

Regarding the value of any of the products I don’t have high hopes.

Besides the Vi Dac I sold all my stuff (Pulse Xfi, GO2A SE, LPS, cables) way under the campaign price I paid (not to mention the MSRP they want to have for them).

So by the time I receive my Source and Wave I definitively know I make a loss when I would sell them.

And honestly: who would pay the campaign price again knowing LHLs history with dealing with customers, their lack of decent quality assurance and the non-transferable warranty?


----------



## wingsounds13

Selling used equipment is almost always a loss, so that is a strawman argument.  Also, selling it is your choice, so.... what? 

I think that Larry is more clueless than dishonest.  His secretive and evasive nature doesn't help, but I do understand his absence from the forums.  When he was here he would frequently get beat up when he did post, so in response he just quit even reading the forums.  An abusive minority chased him off, now, we get nothing from him, and very little through Jarek.

J.P.


----------



## marflao

Yes....selling is - especially used stuff - in most cases with a loss.

But even for brand new stuff the prices are pretty low.

So buyers are in a comfortable situation as long as they don’t face any issues (RMA won’t most likely not be feasible since they bought it “second hand”.)


----------



## purk

My Pulse X with LPS have been sitting unused despite working perfectly.  For the price of an early backer, I did get a great deal.  However, it still mostly mid-fi sounding at the very best.  The headphone amp portion is the weak part of this unit and my other DACs do give better sound.  Of course, this is just a Pulse X and not X-ft or X-infinity.  Some used equipment do have good resale value, but I don't my Geek Pulse will have that given the average performance and less than stellar reliability rating.


----------



## agisthos

I had a Pulse S Infinity + LPS. The S Infinity was one of a small number (20 or so units) which used a summed SE output stage instead of XLR like the normal X Infinity.

Given this, it was very average sounding. It sounded like an 700-1000 DAC, which was its price. I gave it 200 hours burn in, but there was no giant killing magic there. I quickly sold it.


----------



## hotteen

stuck limo said:


> He actually is (much moreso than most other people who just think they are), and if anyone thinks we have a relationship or partnership with Tesla, please call them up and report back your findings. Their number is 1 (888) 518-3752 or 1 (650) 681-5100. We eagerly await.


^

Then why did Jarek say @wingsounds13 IS ITK? Wingsound13 clearly isn't.

The degree to which Jarek interprets things liberally concerns me. If negatives (e.g., non-ITK) can be interpreted as positives (e.g., ITK), then many things Larry has purportedly said and done could be interpreted liberally as well...


----------



## spyder1 (Feb 1, 2018)

spyder1 said:


> LH Labs has not established itself as a Co. that sells competitive, reliable, and marketable products. With 5-7 unfinished projects, in 3.5-4 years, what direction is LH Labs Management leading the Co., and it's IGG backers?



Backers, this means that if LH Labs completes, and ships 1 IGG Perked product every 3 years, 15-21 years total time to complete all IGG backed projects. Being optimistic, and LH Labs delivers 1 IGG perked product every 2 years, that is 10-14 years before all IGG Perked Projects are completed.IMO

**This projected timeline is based on the performance of LHL during the past 3.5 years.

Unfinished Projects: Geek Pulse, Vi Dac, Geek Source, Geek Wave, Pulse Tube Headphone AMP, Pulse Tube Pre-AMP, Pulse Stereo AMPs.

Larry Ho must be busy with Tesla S Stereo Systems.


----------



## Shawnb

spyder1 said:


> Backers, this means that if LH Labs completes, and ships 1 IGG Perked product every 3 years, 15-21 years total time to complete all IGG backed projects. Being optimistic, and LH Labs delivers 1 IGG perked product every 2 years, that is 10-14 years before all IGG Perked Projects are completed.IMOP
> 
> **This projected timeline is based on the performance of LHL during the past 3.5 years.
> 
> ...



Don't forget the LPS's that no one has seen in almost 2 years now


----------



## jsiegel14072

Don't forget that 95% of Pulses were supposedly shipped and Vi SS models were shipped.  So how do you still have development work to do, if you have been shipping?
Are the first products shipped prototypes, or did you learn that the designs were flawed?


----------



## spyder1 (Feb 1, 2018)

jsiegel14072 said:


> Don't forget that 95% of Pulses were supposedly shipped and Vi SS models were shipped.  So how do you still have development work to do, if you have been shipping?
> Are the first products shipped prototypes, or did you learn that the designs were flawed?



All Pulses, and Vi Dac's have not been delivered. A project is considered finished, when all IGG Perks have been delivered, and retail sales begin. IMO

In studying LHL performance the past 3.5 years, lack of updates, attitude of Larry Ho and Team. I have come to the conclusion that we are being "Strung Along."


----------



## purk

Being take an advantage off is more like it


----------



## jsiegel14072

spyder1 said:


> All Pulses, and Vi Dac's have not been delivered. A project is considered finished, when all IGG Perks have been delivered, and retail sales begin. IMOP
> 
> In studying LHL performance the past 3.5 years, lack of updates, attitude of Larry Ho and Team. I have come to the conclusion that we are being "Strung Along."



That was my point, why make 95% of the production then stop.  and suddenly everything is into redesign


----------



## agisthos

They ran out of money, so could not afford to do another production run to finish delivery.


----------



## dclaz

How did they burn through MILLIONS?....


----------



## wingsounds13

Obviously you have no idea how much it costs to run a business.  Payroll for 15~30 people, rent, utilities,  equipment,  development materials, lots of stuff to soak up loads of money.  Easily $1M / year.  

J.P.


----------



## agisthos

Not to mention they had to build and ship thousands of products, not hundreds. The profit margin always ends up being smaller than you think. 
The failure of LHLabs is on who costed all these items, and what the expenditure over time was going to be to deliver them.
Selling 4 DaVinic DAC's per month to dealers is a totally different business than selling 1000 Geek Outs direct to consumer.


----------



## bernardperu

Hi everyone, I agree we should not resort to name-calling. I apologize if I have made the members of this forum uncomfortable in the past by putting some heavy pressure on LH Labs. I have not resorted to name-calling and everything I state are just observations.

Above all else, we should embrace disagreement on our quest to getting LH Labs to ship our stuff or refund our money.

We should observe the following facts:

1) LH Labs has raised approximately 6 million dollars of our money.
2) LH Labs refuses to provide deadlines of delivery.
3) LH Labs refuses to provide refunds (even to those who would settle just for a portion of their initial investment).
4) LH Labs refuses to provide updates on % of delivered items for all products (5-8 in total), except for the Pulse which they claim has a 94% successful delivery rate. 
5) Most backers have not received their items and most items have not been delivered.
6) Larry Ho seems to be the Director of the company that has his initials (what a coincidence!). 
7) We are unaware of how this company is actually formed and they refuse to provide data on their actual structure. The owner of LH Labs corporation is Yuan He (who is this person who is legally responsible for all this fiasco?) 
8) Larry Ho aims on staying in the audio industry. 

I really feel we backers are lost and we do not have any clear clues on whether our items will be ever delivered or not.

Anyone has any more facts to add?


----------



## hotteen

bernardperu said:


> 1) LH Labs has raised approximately 6 million dollars of our money.



Does your number include the "perks" that were pushed so shamelessly by LH Labs?


----------



## bernardperu

hotteen said:


> Does your number include the "perks" that were pushed so shamelessly by LH Labs?



It is an approximate number that does not include the little Geek Outs, but includes everything else I have found.

Last but not least, I was looking into Indiegogo campaigns and for the following products: Wave, Pulse, and Vi Dac they have raised 30 times more money than what they needed in order to fund the development of the products we purchased. 30 times more!

It is my opinion that LH Labs planned from the very beginning not to deliver most products, as the only possible alternative for miscalculating the crowdfunding goal by a % of 3,000% equals total business planning inefficiency. Looks like we bought the Brooklyn Bridge.


----------



## m17xr2b

I don't believe they were planning not to deliver, at least not from the beginning, but when I saw the headphone and power amp stuff it was pretty clear those will not be delivered.


----------



## Zenifyx

dclaz said:


> How did they burn through MILLIONS?....


Big fat bonuses maybe, that would explain it


----------



## purk

Yes, it cost $$$$ to run the business but it is illegal to not deliver the products.  Plus many pulse units are not reliable and having issues.


----------



## Hercules

LH Labs also moved facilities and extra office in US and overseas after Crowdfunding, the fund partially used to their expansion but not delivering our products, using below-par PCBA instead of their trusted PCBA for Da Vinci, eventually can't save any money but scrapped a lot assembled PCB with components, manual re-works also proven fruitless, wasting time and more money.

It's totally 100% LH Labs sole responsibility how their collocate the fund  and resource, and how to use it, none of our backers responsible, but we are the one suffered.


----------



## bernardperu

Many Hi End Audio manufacturers and publications are very angry at LH Labs and the owner with the LH initials. The reason of this anger is obvious: LH Labs has single handedly caused a large damage to the industry by crippling the level of trust and the industry's ability to find new venues of raising capital thru crowdfunding, not to mention the possibility of web sites such as Head-Fi to find advertisement thanks to these advertisement campaigns that will never happen. Everyone has to pay for this 6 million dollar fiasco. Sooner or later the media and the Federal Authorities will have no choice but to pay attention to this story. 

Here is a very interesting quote by an angry "colleague" of Larry Ho:

"
Interesting that when asked about plans to exhibit at 2018 audio shows, LH Lab's rep Stuck Limo on Head-Fi replied:



_CES, CanJam in RMAF. Three shows in Japan and two in Hong Kong. One in Singapore. And one in Bristol. Hopefully showing the Wave, Tesla, and something else LH hopes will excite people. 

No guarantees on any of these, and Larry is still deciding on what best ones to visit. Right now the Asian market is absolutely exploding with headphone and audiophile gear, while the US market seems to be stagnating or shrinking, so obviously that's a consideration. CanJam is definitely being heavily eyed though for the States. CES is being debated._



Now, in a former role (as co-founder and  VP Sales & Marketing for Hovland Company, 1999-2009) I did a lot of trade shows.  Mostly CES, but also attended as guest with our overseas distributors in Japan and Germany.

Let's say LH Labs is going to be conservative and send just 3 people to each of these shows.  Consider freight costs, the shows own drayage and exhibit fees, hotels, airfare, meals, entertaining, marketing materials, etc.

I would estimate that if they exhibited at all 9 of the above mentioned shows, they would be spending a total of  between $375,000 to $475,000.

And he mentions they might preview another new product.  It would be an understatement to say that there are a lot of folks waiting on long overdue products who would prefer that LH Labs put those funds and the time into producing and delivering the goods.



BTW, I can recall at least one year at Hovland when we cancelled our CES room (even forfeiting our deposits) to stay home and put all hands on deck to get promised amps and preamps out the door.  It is called responsibility to ones' stakeholders. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





"


----------



## spyder1 (Feb 1, 2018)

bernardperu said:


> BTW, I can recall at least one year at Hovland when we cancelled our CES room (even forfeiting our deposits) to stay home and put all hands on deck to get promised amps and preamps out the door. It is called responsibility to ones' stakeholders.



LH Labs should generate profit through the sale of products, instead of living off the interest from our money in their bank accounts.IMO


----------



## stuck limo

spyder1 said:


> LH Labs should generate profit through the sale of products



We do, but whenever we state that, we get bashed for supposedly too much time on those products. (I am sure LH will get bashed on this post as well)


----------



## stuck limo

bernardperu said:


> Many Hi End Audio manufacturers and publications are very angry at LH Labs and the owner with the LH initials. The reason of this anger is obvious: LH Labs has single handedly caused a large damage to the industry by crippling the level of trust and the industry's ability to find new venues of raising capital thru crowdfunding, not to mention the possibility of web sites such as Head-Fi to find advertisement thanks to these advertisement campaigns that will never happen. Everyone has to pay for this 6 million dollar fiasco. Sooner or later the media and the Federal Authorities will have no choice but to pay attention to this story.
> 
> Here is a very interesting quote by an angry "colleague" of Larry Ho:
> 
> ...



LH is unfamiliar with this person. If you can provide a name, a source for the quote, and any other information, that would be helpful. 

The figures this person you quoted are not entirely accurate, as at many of the shows, only one person attends (not the "conservative" number of 3). As for the pricing of the exhibits, we don't have those prices yet, so we can't comment, and we haven't even locked down which events we are attending. On a third note, most or all of the exhibits are paid for with non-IGG money, from our other products we sell to generate income.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 2, 2018)

He's welcome to PM it to me. EDIT: I found out who it probably is, 99% sure. I'd still like to know the source.


----------



## marflao

stuck limo said:


> We do, but whenever we state that, we get bashed for supposedly too much time on those products. (I am sure LH will get bashed on this post as well)



The problem i have is that Larry's putting in that" innoncent role unaware of certain things who gets bashed whenever he wrotes something". 

Pretty lame excuse to hide and don't share Infos (and I don't mean Infos regarding the sale of products).


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> He's welcome to PM it to me.



But for what purpose? No one owes LH Labs any justifications, or the ability to vet the posts of others. Quite frankly, you aren't owed that level of respect with the way you've treated the IGG backers, your credibility is zero, no one cares what LH Labs' take is on that very accurate post referenced.

The fact is that post comes from a well respected industry veteran, one who certainly feels no real competitive pressures from the likes of unsuccessful ventures such as LH Labs. He speaks the truth, LH Labs should not be spending time and money on trade shows when so much of the IGG funded campaign products remain unfulfilled. There can be no debate on that, the time, money and other resources of LH Labs need at this point to be _solely_ dedicated to making things right with the IGG backers. The author of that post has a long track record in delivering product, without any crowd funding, thats called proper business planning and execution.

Larry attending CES, yeah, right. CES is a trade oriented show that involves the choosing of importers, distributors, and dealers. There is no such business for LH Labs to conduct right now, maybe not ever again. Don't be delusional about this, no one will believe that LH Labs can actually attend CES and sign on dealers, distributors or importers with the absolutely _horrendous_ track record you have in NOT delivering product. They wouldn't stake their name/reputation on your brand at this point, simple as that. Any opinion to the contrary is spin, or flat out delusional.

LH Labs name is mud, and no amount of trade show attendance, or forum spin, or anything else can do anything to alleviate that problem short of delivering the products promised in the IGG campaigns in short order. You know, those products for which LH Labs gladly received _millions_ of dollars in crowd funding, and then delivered essentially nothing?


----------



## marflao

Or in case they attend shows their devices cannot be checked out by users (e. g. one of the last trade shows in Asia where the Source was presented).


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 2, 2018)

MikeyFresh said:


> But for what purpose?



It's very simple: I personally like to keep abreast of what people are saying about us, and where they're saying these things. Especially when they're "angry" and "colleagues". (also, it's kind of my job to know these things and report back)



MikeyFresh said:


> No one owes LH Labs  the ability to vet the posts of others.



It's not anyone else's job to vet anyone's post, but it is my job to review and respond to those posts to the best of my ability.


----------



## bernardperu

stuck limo said:


> LH is unfamiliar with this person. If you can provide a name, a source for the quote, and any other information, that would be helpful.
> 
> The figures this person you quoted are not entirely accurate, as at many of the shows, only one person attends (not the "conservative" number of 3). As for the pricing of the exhibits, we don't have those prices yet, so we can't comment, and we haven't even locked down which events we are attending. On a third note, most or all of the exhibits are paid for with non-IGG money, from our other products we sell to generate income.



Hi Jarek, I admire your thoroughness when asking me for details. Time after time, you have proven to me your intelligence and the fact that you are always one step ahead. I am truly hesitant to believe that you buy into Larry Ho's business history and it is my guess that you have chosen to be a part of it to its full extent. You are anything but sloppy and naive. 

I have no problem sharing with you the forum thread quoted. I would truly appreciate it if you returned us the favor by answering one simple question: *How come LH Labs raised 30 times more money than they originally needed for the Vi Dac, Pulse, and Wave and they have not delivered the vast majority of them?  *

You can find the forum thread by Googling the contents of the quote or "LH Labs. No delivery after 2.5 Years"

I wish you good luck with the highly educated and business savvy audiophiles and industry players in that forum. They await you. Many of them are waiting for their LH products.


----------



## hotteen

bernardperu said:


> It is an approximate number that does not include the little Geek Outs, but includes everything else I have found.
> 
> Last but not least, I was looking into Indiegogo campaigns and for the following products: Wave, Pulse, and Vi Dac they have raised 30 times more money than what they needed in order to fund the development of the products we purchased. 30 times more!
> 
> It is my opinion that LH Labs planned from the very beginning not to deliver most products, as the only possible alternative for miscalculating the crowdfunding goal by a % of 3,000% equals total business planning inefficiency. Looks like we bought the Brooklyn Bridge.



So you number (6 million dollars) do not include the money LH Labs collected from their Geek Source and Geek HPA campagins! Plus the "perks" they got from their backers! The second bit is important, because the amount they got from the multitude of "perks" is probably even more than the corresponding campaigns themselves!


----------



## wingsounds13 (Feb 3, 2018)

hotteen said:


> So you number (6 million dollars) do not include the money LH Labs collected from their Geek Source and Geek HPA campagins! Plus the "perks" they got from their backers! The second bit is important, because the amount they got from the multitude of "perks" is probably even more than the corresponding campaigns themselves!



Really???

The "Perks" ARE THE PRODUCTS AND UPGRADES SELECTED AND PAID FOR BY THE BACKERS (us).  The separate Geek Source and HPA campaigns were broken out well after the other campaigns were completed and they collected very little additional money.  Also, nowhere do I read BernardPeru mentioning NOT counting those campaigns. 

Perhaps you do not understand how indiegogo campaigns work?  I believe that the approximately six million dollars mentioned is pretty close to the actual amount collected in all campaigns.  Maybe by "Perks" you mean additional upgrades purchased directly from LH Labs after and outside of the indiegogo campaigns.  These are not "Perks", merely direct transactions between customers and LH Labs,  and these likely amounted to a few percent of the funds collected wjthin the campaigns.

J.P.


----------



## hotteen

wingsounds13 said:


> Really???
> 
> The "Perks" ARE THE PRODUCTS AND UPGRADES SELECTED AND PAID FOR BY THE BACKERS (us).  The separate Geek Source and HPA campaigns were broken out well after the other campaigns were completed and they collected very little additional money.  Also, nowhere do I read BernardPeru mentioning NOT counting those campaigns.
> 
> ...


You are quite right. I actually don't. Never participated in any Indiegogo campaigns, and never would. 

I admit I was tempted like you, too. When I received emails after emails from LH Labs about their "incredible price", I almost backed them. But then I saw them pushing perks like "DAD upgrade", "Best Geek Wave 128 upgrade" and "Geek Wave XDF 256" -- along with the USB cables that cost $1,000 plus -- I smell something fishy. Too bad you didn't smell that.


----------



## oneguy

hotteen said:


> You are quite right. I actually don't. Never participated in any Indiegogo campaigns, and never would.
> 
> I admit I was tempted like you, too. When I received emails after emails from LH Labs about their "incredible price", I almost backed them. But then I saw them pushing perks like "DAD upgrade", "Best Geek Wave 128 upgrade" and "Geek Wave XDF 256" -- along with the USB cables that cost $1,000 plus -- I smell something fishy. Too bad you didn't smell that.



To their credit, I rather enjoy their 20G cable/regenerator. Too bad few will get to experience it due to the company’s reputation.


----------



## Case

stuck limo said:


> The figures this person you quoted are not entirely accurate, as at many of the shows, only one person attends (not the "conservative" number of 3). As for the pricing of the exhibits, we don't have those prices yet, so we can't comment, and we haven't even locked down which events we are attending.


It's irrelevant if the numbers are slightly off. Trade shows exist across a huge range of industries and are always a very large expense. A lot of us have experiences with the costs involved for attending a trade show in our respective field. 

How about providing some concrete proof that at least a small bit of time and effort is being spent on building the remaining Geek Pulses that me and others are waiting for?


----------



## hotteen

oneguy said:


> To their credit, I rather enjoy their 20G cable/regenerator. Too bad few will get to experience it due to the company’s reputation.



You should write a review, for your lightspeed "no-holds-barred USB cable that boasts the bandwidth to 20G"!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B06XYVHJ37/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new


----------



## agisthos

Even if going to an audio show only costs 20k, that money should instead be spent on a PCB run for Pulses and LPS's, as there are still people who have not received theirs.


----------



## oneguy

hotteen said:


> You should write a review, for your lightspeed "no-holds-barred USB cable that boasts the bandwidth to 20G"!
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B06XYVHJ37/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new



Not a bad idea. I may do this if I have free time next week.


----------



## hotteen (Feb 4, 2018)

agisthos said:


> Even if going to an audio show only costs 20k, that money should instead be spent on a PCB run for Pulses and LPS's, as there are still people who have not received theirs.




Not to worry. Larry just needs to sell 10 Light Harmonic LightSpeed 20G USB Audio Cable (1.6m), and he'll have your 20k covered. Too bad my Macbook's USB port is not even 3.0 -- and the latter max at 5 Gbit/s. 

That being said, my library is largely consisted of mp3 and 44.1 flac tracks that are around 10mb each, so I probably should not worry to much?


----------



## Roll

We might received the Dac/amp: OHHH

https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000044371-pulse-production-update-2-10-18


Mfg: Da Vinci board factory
Production: 3rd week February
Run #: 50
Run time: 15 days
Shipping to LH: 5 days

Build time: 30 days (approximately)


----------



## jaywhar

Roll said:


> We might received the Dac/amp: OHHH
> 
> https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000044371-pulse-production-update-2-10-18
> 
> ...



Good to hear - mystifying (why only 50? how does it take 15 days to make only 50? how does it take 30 days to build 50 once boards are received?) - but good.


----------



## m17xr2b

Are the 2013 pulses included in this batch? Would make sense as they are the earliest yet to be delivered no?


----------



## Roll

m17xr2b said:


> Are the 2013 pulses included in this batch? Would make sense as they are the earliest yet to be delivered no?



God, I hope so. I put money on Oct. 29 2013


----------



## stuck limo

LPS and LPS4 are all done already. We only have left the new chassis of LPS4 and LPS8 which fit with Pulse Infinity. These will be taken care of after we finish Pulse Infinity DAC.


----------



## m17xr2b

This is just silly, you have quite a talent of not answering a direct question thus perpetuation this little circle of missing deadlines. *Are all the remaining 2013 pulses included in the batch?* You want us to have confidence in LH? This is the chance for redemption.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 11, 2018)

m17xr2b said:


> This is just silly, you have quite a talent of not answering a direct question thus perpetuation this little circle of missing deadlines. *Are all the remaining 2013 pulses included in the batch?* You want us to have confidence in LH? This is the chance for redemption.



1. I didn't ignore the question; I was checking with Larry.
2. This includes or should include ALL orders that haven't been received, regardless of year.
3. If you have a 2013 unit (apparently the source of contention here), please PM me your order information so we can verify you're receiving the unit or what your situation is.


----------



## jaywhar

Make sure those mu metal shields are on!


----------



## Drsparis

stuck limo said:


> LPS and LPS4 are all done already. We only have left the new chassis of LPS4 and LPS8 which fit with Pulse Infinity. These will be taken care of after we finish Pulse Infinity DAC.


What about if I have a LPS on order... do I get a LPS 4 upgrade? haha, you know, if I wanted to purchase more LH Labs products ... 



jaywhar said:


> Make sure those mu metal shields are on!


please! as a Canadian I don't want to be shipping this back and forth...


----------



## Shawnb

hotteen said:


> You are quite right. I actually don't. Never participated in any Indiegogo campaigns, and never would.
> 
> I admit I was tempted like you, too. When I received emails after emails from LH Labs about their "incredible price", I almost backed them. But then I saw them pushing perks like "DAD upgrade", "Best Geek Wave 128 upgrade" and "Geek Wave XDF 256" -- along with the USB cables that cost $1,000 plus -- I smell something fishy. Too bad you didn't smell that.



If you haven't backed anything LHL then why are you in this thread? I smell something fishy in posting here.
We don't need to be mocked cause we couldn't smell the fish.


----------



## stuck limo

Shawnb said:


> If you haven't backed anything LHL then why are you in this thread? I smell something fishy in posting here.
> We don't need to be mocked cause we couldn't smell the fish.



Likewise, the poster m17x2b, for being so aggressively concerned with his 2013 order, hasn't contacted me yet regarding his 2013 order to confirm it's still on the list for being sent.

An indication of other things at play?


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> The poster m17x2b, for being so aggressively concerned with his 2013 order, hasn't contacted me yet regarding his 2013 order to confirm it's still on the list for being sent.
> 
> An indication of other things at play?



I knew there was a reason I couldn't smell any fish.... It was manure!!


----------



## m17xr2b

Oh dear, what's the point in sending you my details? Are they going to help in any way except a new delivery date?
But if you are so keen, you should have better visibility of my case so here is my contact with LH labs support, and my thoughts at the time.



Spoiler: 3 years ago #9765



Hi,
I am a backer of the initial pulse campaign as I made the payment for the pulse Xfi in December 2013. Let me know when you estimate to ship my order as I should be in the first batch of shipping.
Thank you.

Hi Daniel,
Yes you are in the first batch, but since you ordered your Pulse in the last days of the campaign, there are about 250 Pulse XFIs that need to be built and shipped before yours will come up as next in the shipping queue. The current estimate is that *by the end of May* we should have all first batch backers completed, but I see that it will more likely be by the end of June.

_Nice so not too long to wait, end of June, this will be great_





Spoiler: 3 years ago #12363



Hi, I just saw the new chasis and I would like to upgrade to it. This being the case let me know when you estimate the delivery considering I backed the pulse in December in the initial campaign. Regards, Daniel

Hi Daniel,
You should be getting yours shipped *mid September or October*. I have updated your account to reflect that you would like to receive the new chassis for your Pulse X Infinity. 

_New chassis, good I didn't get it earlier so I could upgrade. Also upgraded for infinity. *Good that I could pay with paypal on my credit card well after the campaign was over.It's a risky move but it's worth it. *But if I could upgrade after what was the point of limiting the perks and pushing so hard on limited numbers._





Spoiler: 2 years ago #17202



Hello,
I'm Daniel and I currently have a Pulse Infinity in the new case on order. Could you tell me if upgrading to ViDac is an option and if so how much will it be depending on the option? I remember there is a tube and a solid state one. 
Thank you.

Hi Daniel,

If you would like to trade up to a Vi DAC Infinity or Vi Tube DAC Infinity  here are the calculations as follows:

Since you purchased the *Pulse XFI *unit in *2013* you receive *120% *credit on the unit with upgrades. 
Cost of *Pulse $299 + $140 X upgrade + $119 Femto Clock + $88 Instant $1M upgrade = $646 used for trade-up 
$ 646 *X 120% = *$775.20*
Price of Vi DAC: $1699.00
Cost paid thus far: *$775.20
Remaining Balance: $ $923.80 for Vi DAC (Infinity)*

Price of Vi DAC: $1969.00
Cost paid thus far: *$775.20
Remaining Balance: $1193.80 for Vi Tube DAC (Infinity)*
Please be aware that the above calculation does not include shipping costs previously contributed for your Pulse unit. If you opted to have us hold your shipment until the ViDAC is ready, we will use the unused shipping paid to ship your ViDAC.
The trade up options are only for your LPS/4 and or Pulse DAC with applicable upgrades. Trade up upgrades we can apply to your Vi DAC XFI would be what you paid for your Pulse, X upgrade, Femto Clocks, and Internal Amp. We give you credit for this because these components are already in the Vi DAC XFI and we want to give you credit because you are purchasing the Vi DAC XFI at *early bird pricing* of $1699.
Any upgrades you have purchased for your Vi DAC such as Infinity upgrade are considered "add ons" because those upgrades do not come in a standard Vi DAC that you are purchasing, you would now have a Vi DAC Infinity.
Please let me know if you have any questions regarding these calculations.

_Hmmm, this is a bit too much and I haven't heard to original yet. Not a good idea.
For current me this is a "you aholes" moment. I don't think it's hard to image they knew at that point they wouldn't deliver but still pushed out of the campaigns hard._





Spoiler: 2 years ago #18401



Hello,
I would like to know when the 2013 backed geek pulse will be shipped as I keep getting update emails that everything has been shipped.
Thank you.

Hi Daniel,
Thank you for opening a support ticket regarding your order. We have completed the 1st batch of Pulse X Infinity shipments: http://lhlabs.com/downloads/updates/dianas_production_progress_chart.pdf
You are confirmed to receive a Pulse X Infinity with a 2G x 1 m and 1G x 1 m cable.
12/26/2013 
Pulse X Infinity 2G x 1m
1G x 1m D
The 2nd batch of Pulse X Infinities are due to start the shipping process by the *end of November*. Once your unit is ready to leave our facility, you will get an email with tracking information from our shipping department. I appreciate your patience regarding this and look forward to shipping your unit very soon.

_Finally, should get them this time, it's been a while but I'm getting all my other gear ready just waiting for the dac. Good thing I bought a custom LPS._





Spoiler: 2 years ago #23827



Hello,
Let me know if you have an estimation of when my Pulse Infinity will ship?
Thank you

Hello Daniel,

Thank you for your time, 
I apologize for the delay in your Pulse unit shipping out. The latest batch of boards that were delivered to us had a 88% failure rate. We do have you on file and will be able to ship your unit out once we receive our replacement boards in house. Unfortunately, at this time our production team is behind schedule in delivering the units. They estimate that the boards will arrive around mid *February and will begin shipping in March*. Once again, I apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience as the production team works to get these units shipped out to the remaining backers as quickly as possible. 
Best regards

Manny Torres
*Customer Happiness *Manager/ Tech support Supervisor

_Ah, got my HEK,a couple of amps but still running on the GO1000. If this thing doesn't pan out I need to find a new dac. screw this is ruining my first hi end system, I've spent years picking each component._





Spoiler: 2 years ago #28003



Hello,
I will move to a new address next week so please update your records for the Infinity shipment.
**************************************************************.
Let me know if you require my old address.
Do you have an estimated ship date for my order(Geek Out Infinity first backed in December 2013)?
Regards,
Daniel

Hello Daniel,


First and foremost I wanted to thank you for all your support and patience. *I know its been a long wait, but wanted to assure you that there is light at the end of the tunnel! *
I have updated your shipping address for you. Thank you for letting us know of your new shipping address.

Pulse X Infinity 2G x 1m

I apologize for the delay in your *Pulse X Infinity* unit shipping out. We do have you on file and will be able to ship your unit out. Unfortunately at this time our production team is behind schedule in delivering the units. The batch of boards from our new vendor have passed QC and more are on it's way for mass production. Once again I apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience as the production team works to get these units shipped out to the remaining backers as quickly as possible. 


Current estimations in regard to your unit and your date of purchase as to where you are in our shipping queue is *W4 May 2016*. We appreciate your patience as we work to deliver you a quality product.
Again we appreciate your support and if you have any additional questions or concerns, or if I missed anything, please let me know.

_Nice dacs are expensive, even more so that this one. Got a GOV2. Maybe there's a chance..._





Spoiler: 1 year ago #32247



Hello,
Can you give me an estimate on when this will ship? I have backed it in 2013.
Thank you,
Daniel

Hello Daniel,


Thank you for your time. Here is the latest update released by Larry regarding the pending Pulse units:
On Thu, Aug 11, 2016, Larry and LH Labs Team. <cs@lhlabs.com> wrote:
Message from Larry Ho and the LH Labs Team.
View this email in your browser














It's been a month since last update. And I know all the remaining Infinity backers are eagerly waiting for their units. Some of them supported and helped us from long time ago and we truly appreciated. In the past four weeks, we did ship out some Pulse Infinity DAC but not enough. In the end, we decide to increase the PO number to 100 and push few key component providers to give us more components than original plan to buffer any potential QC process delay. 

Currently, we aim to finish around 100 units by the *middle of September*. And in the mean while, we won’t stop shipping. 

And we just updated the production progress chart.

http://lhlabs.com/forum/topic/overall-campaign-shipping-status-update-december-5-2015/

As you could see. We finished quite a lot of “smaller” units in past two months. And we are keep delivering. 

Thank you so much for your patience.  

Cheers,

Larry and LH Labs Team.

_Yep it was a scam. But a valuable lesson not to thrust people by default when making medium to big claims without a solid backing. This will not happen again._





Spoiler: now, #tbd



Hello Larry,

Let me know if you have any updates on my unit. It's been a while since 2013, I've grown a beard, changed three jobs and one country, bought two houses but I'm still eager to get my Pulse Infinity and see how it competes with my Pavane. I bet the femto clocks will do great against R2R. Please make sure the mu metal shields are attached like I asked on the head-fi forum in 2015.
Or as I have written this off since most likely my money was spent on tesla research or showroom cost please donate it to anyone who needs a doorstop.

Regards,
Daniel

_Let me know what your reply is._


----------



## bernardperu

Shawnb said:


> If you haven't backed anything LHL then why are you in this thread? I smell something fishy in posting here.
> We don't need to be mocked cause we couldn't smell the fish.



I agree with the fact that there should be no place for mockery on this forum. 

Having said that, it is my strong opinion that LH Labs (particularly Larry Ho as he is the single owner of the company that has his initials) has caused a lot of damage to the Hi Fi Industry, including consumers, manufacturers, and businesses that need advertisement. The $$ size of this fiasco and the resulting loss of trust by consumers means real damage. I will give you an example: Centrance is an ethical firm that makes great and affordable products and has used Indiegogo in order to raise funds. Who will trust Centrance now? Even if they are trusted, they will get far less funds. Consumers who will never get to enjoy their Centrance products (because they have lost trust in the crowdfunding system) will also be hurt to a less extent. Potential recipients of advertisement? Also hurt!

We should perceive "level of trust" as a very valuable commodity. If there is anything I admire about the Hi-Fi industry is their level of passion, commitment, and ethics. I wish all other industries were just like this one.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Feb 13, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> An indication of other things at play?



No it's the exact same garbage at play, LH Labs has screwed this backer with story after story for 3+ years. No wonder he's in no hurry to provide you with his details, look at his post above.


----------



## stuck limo

If anyone wants their 2013 Pulse, contact me with your information. If you don't want to provide that information, we understand but we cannot guarantee your unit will get shipped. It is completely your decision and we understand either way.


----------



## Mike-WI

If our information hasn't changed are you still suggesting we re-contact you.
It seems that the customer database changes or gets lost about yearly.
Also, your tone suggests a passive-aggressive be nice to me or you won't get your product.
All output from LH Labs should be humility and apologies.
If somehow all the LH Labs products eventually get shipped Larry should still view this episode (years) as the lowest time point of his career.

Mike


----------



## Hercules

stuck limo said:


> If anyone wants their 2013 Pulse, contact me with your information. If you don't want to provide that information, we understand but we cannot guarantee your unit will get shipped. It is completely your decision and we understand either way.



Sent a new ticket to you via Freshdesk


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 13, 2018)

Mike-WI said:


> If our information hasn't changed are you still suggesting we re-contact you.
> It seems that the customer database changes or gets lost about yearly.
> Also, your tone suggests a passive-aggressive be nice to me or you won't get your product.
> Mike



Forum friend MikeyFresh suggested very clearly that at least one person did not want to verify their information when we requested it so we could make sure they get their merchandise. If there's anyone else that feels the same way as Mikey seems to think at least one person did, that's fine --- I just cannot guarantee our records will be correct. Do YOU trust our records?

On that note, yes, we are requesting that if anyone has ANY 2013 Pulse units that have not been delivered, contact me/us with your information, even if that information has not changed. We will review your records and make sure everything on our end is correct, and then work to ship you your Pulse.


----------



## Mike-WI

Contact by DM here or email?
Why re-contact every year?
Can I get a refund instead?

Mike


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> Contact by DM here or email?
> Why re-contact every year?
> Can I get a refund instead?
> 
> Mike



You can email us via Freshdesk or PM me here. It's up to you. It all goes to the same place/person. Probably a *bit* easier to PM me here. 

Hopefully this is the last year we have to set up re-contacts. We had system changes in the past, and a lot of records are not accurate. That's why we have people verify their information. 

If you paid for a Pulse through an IGG campaign, refunds are not available. I am sorry about any inconvenience.


----------



## Mike-WI

stuck limo said:


> You can email us via Freshdesk or PM me here. It's up to you. It all goes to the same place/person. Probably a *bit* easier to PM me here.
> 
> Hopefully this is the last year we have to set up re-contacts. We had system changes in the past, and a lot of records are not accurate. That's why we have people verify their information.
> 
> If you paid for a Pulse through an IGG campaign, refunds are not available. I am sorry about any inconvenience.



If your records aren't accurate but prohibits people that didn't pay from saying you owe them product?
Why change record keeping systems frequently and now the system is emailing?
What happened to the prior emails I sent?


----------



## Mike-WI

This email?

Tried on 9/1/17   
*Message not delivered*
Your message couldn't be delivered to support@lhlabs.freshdesk.com because the remote server is misconfigured. See technical details below for more information.


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> If your records aren't accurate but prohibits people that didn't pay from saying you owe them product?
> Why change record keeping systems frequently and now the system is emailing?



We're kind of on the honor system. I don't believe most backers are insincere or trying to scam us. I think most everyone just wants whatever they paid for, and are as honest as possible in letting us know what they paid for. Obviously you'll get some bad eggs, but generally speaking, my experience with backers letting me/us know what they paid for has been pretty trustworthy. 

We hopefully won't change the record system any more.


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> Forum friend MikeyFresh suggested very clearly that at least one person did not want to verify their information when we requested it so we could make sure they get their merchandise.



That isn't what I said, more twisting of words Jarek.

Rather, I said no wonder *he's in no hurry* to (again) provide his details, and I referenced his subsequent post which shows 3 years+ of futility in trying to get a real status from LH Labs. Instead of providing such, LH Labs has flat out lied to him repeatedly. Just read the trail he provided, it's clear, he's been entirely misled on the Pulse status, over and over, in writing.

So yeah, I understand why he wasn't in a massive hurry to once again engage in that process. 

The post of mine you are mocking was a response to your suggestion that someone waiting 3 years had now vanished, and so probably he wasn't a backer at all and it's just more fake news, and hey, haters gonna be haters... blah blah blah.

Turns out that was a ridiculous summation on your part, he's very real, and he has a 3 year trail of BS from LH Labs to prove your dismissive attitude towards him wasn't right.


----------



## spyder1 (Feb 15, 2018)

I think Larry Ho should be looking for new CS reps, when 1 goes on "Witch Hunts," against IGG backers, and is continually proven wrong!


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> This email?
> 
> Tried on 9/1/17
> *Message not delivered*
> Your message couldn't be delivered to support@lhlabs.freshdesk.com because the remote server is misconfigured. See technical details below for more information.



As far as this, I have no idea. I can double check to see if you're in the ticket system.

As far as everyone else's Pulse 2013, don't worry, Larry and I discussed these orders. Larry wants everyone to know to not worry, we'll make sure you get your units. I'm personally working with the front office right now to verify our records and make sure you guys are happy.


----------



## Shawnb

I would hope any 2013 Pulses are bumped to the front of the line and sent express mail. It's a disgrace that there are any of those outstanding. Chassis redesign or not they should of always had priority.
If it's any constellation you should get a more reliable unit then we got and hopefully never again have to deal with the black hole that they call support.


----------



## hotteen

stuck limo said:


> Larry wants everyone to know to not worry, we'll make sure you get your units.



Guys, you should feel reassured now -- words of Larry, relayed by a customer service rep.


----------



## Roll

Wonder how many are in the Oct 2013 that have not receive the Pulse such as meeee.


----------



## stuck limo

Roll said:


> Wonder how many are in the Oct 2013 that have not receive the Pulse such as meeee.



Very small number so far.


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> Very small number so far.



Do you realize your answer is so vague that it isn't an answer at all?


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 15, 2018)

MikeyFresh said:


> Do you realize your answer is so vague that it isn't an answer at all?



I'm not authorized to give out that information and you're not authorized to know that information. Regardless of the number we do or don't have left from the 2013 Pulses, we know you won't be happy with any answer or figure I give you. If someone in management wants to release that information, we will make an announcement.

I will say, though, that the 2013 backers I have spoken to about their units have been incredibly gracious about the entire thing (moreso than others on the forum who do NOT have a missing 2013 Pulse in play) and Larry and I are working to make sure we get them their units in a timely manner.


----------



## Roll (Feb 15, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> I'm not authorized to give out that information and you're not authorized to know that information. Regardless of the number we do or don't have left from the 2013 Pulses, we know you won't be happy with any answer or figure I give you. If someone in management wants to release that information, we will make an announcement.
> 
> I will say, though, that the 2013 backers I have spoken to about their units have been incredibly gracious about the entire thing (moreso than others on the forum who do NOT have a missing 2013 Pulse in play) and Larry and I are working to make sure we get them their units in a timely manner.



woops....Thanks


----------



## Roll

Please, before Summer comes out...and the cables too.
Than I will nag about the Wave next


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> we know you won't be happy with any answer or figure I give you.



No I'm quite sure everyone would be pleased to finally hear the real answer, you know, the TRUTH? It's been years in the making.



stuck limo said:


> Larry and I are working to make sure we get them their units in a timely manner.



Timely in comparison to what? Timely defined how? That timely ship sailed a good long time ago.


----------



## stuck limo

MikeyFresh said:


> Timely in comparison to what? Timely defined how? That timely ship sailed a good long time ago.



We'll update those 2013 backers individually with that information.


----------



## Laseng

Roll said:


> Wonder how many are in the Oct 2013 that have not receive the Pulse such as meeee.



Hi,

We are at least two.
I backed Pulse 29 October 2013.


----------



## Roll

Laseng said:


> Hi,
> 
> We are at least two.
> I backed Pulse 29 October 2013.



Me too, October 29, 2013 when it just posted after the heads up from them on the other campaign site re the Geek Out

Wonder why we did not receive the Pulse while others who join later, did?


----------



## Mike-WI

Roll said:


> Me too, October 29, 2013 when it just posted after the heads up from them on the other campaign site re the Geek Out
> 
> Wonder why we did not receive the Pulse while others who join later, did?


I wondered why Pulse was for sale on Amazon before crowdfunding backers got theres.

Mike


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> I wondered why Pulse was for sale on Amazon before crowdfunding backers got theres.
> 
> Mike



That was explained by Gavin - it was to try and get awareness of the product in the normal market. They found by the time the campaigns finished to normal backers, the product was DOA in the retail market, so they released some to the retail market before then. They tried to get the units back from Amazon but Amazon wouldn't release them.

Someone can probably post that update or video or email he sent out with that information.


----------



## hotteen

stuck limo said:


> That was explained by Gavin - it was to try and get awareness of the product in the normal market. They found by the time the campaigns finished to normal backers, the product was DOA in the retail market, so they released some to the retail market before then. They tried to get the units back from Amazon but Amazon wouldn't release them.
> 
> Someone can probably post that update or video or email he sent out with that information.



So, in short, it's for self-interest, then -- interest of LH labs and the pockets of Uncle Ho, while ignoring the interest of backers whose hard-earned cash were already taken.


----------



## stuck limo

hotteen said:


> So, in short, it's for self-interest, then -- interest of LH labs and the pockets of Uncle Ho, while ignoring the interest of backers whose hard-earned cash were already taken.



This topic of crowd-funding vs pre-order was already beat to death earlier in the thread. You can Google it for more information as well.


----------



## hotteen (Feb 16, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> This topic of crowd-funding vs pre-order was already beat to death earlier in the thread. You can Google it for more information as well.



"Already beat to death", ok.

Then I assume you should be able to tell me this very concisely --
What good does it do for backers, by making Geek Pulse available in the Amazon marketplace before fulfilling their orders? I don't recall any backer asking LH Labs to "get awareness of the product in the normal market", as you said.


----------



## m17xr2b

Not sure it's actually worth remembering what they did with the amazon orders. Some say it's because they didn't have enough cash and wanted something quick. Doesn't matter if it's this or the Gavin story. The past is not important, the future is. When are the 2013 orders expected to ship with a +-?


----------



## FBFA

hotteen said:


> "Already beat to death", ok.
> 
> Then I assume you should be able to tell me this very concisely --
> What good does it do for backers, by making Geek Pulse available in the Amazon marketplace before fulfilling their orders? I don't recall any backer asking LH Labs to "get awareness of the product in the normal market", as you said.


Let's stop living in the past and get on with the present.  We know that question exists. It appears to be a strategic move that did not work and yes we got hurt from it. Get over it and move on


----------



## MikeyFresh (Feb 16, 2018)

FBFA said:


> Let's stop living in the past and get on with the present.  We know that question exists. It appears to be a strategic move that did not work and yes we got hurt from it. Get over it and move on



I agree with this sentiment but with one caveat, LH Labs may not have learned any lessons in that debacle and instead just shifted the units entering the retail channel to other continents, namely Asia, where it would be harder for U.S. backers to become aware of.

There was a recent LH Labs post in I believe the Vi DAC thread that looked both like spin and potentially a smoking gun, a rather guilty sounding mention of "gear" available at retail in China through "unauthorized dealers". Really? Exactly what gear would that be and where did those unauthorized dealers get it?


----------



## bernardperu

MikeyFresh said:


> I agree with this sentiment but with one caveat, LH Labs may not have learned any lessons in that debacle and instead just shifted the units entering the retail channel to other continents, namely Asia, where it would be harder for U.S. backers to become aware of.
> 
> There was a recent LH Labs post in I believe the Vi DAC thread that looked both like spin and potentially a smoking gun, a rather guilty sounding mention of "gear" available at retail in China through "unauthorized dealers". Really? Exactly what gear would that be and where did those unauthorized dealers get it?



Do you any evidence that LH Labs is selling products to the Asian market? Any products they are supposed to ship to backers? Any products that would be using our collective 6 million USD?

Thanks!


----------



## stuck limo

MikeyFresh said:


> Exactly what gear would that be and where did those unauthorized dealers get it?



We'd like to know that too. Unfortunately, we weren't given that information, upon repeated requests. I did see a picture though, and 100% was not an authorized LH dealer.


----------



## Hercules

Vi DAC SS, Pulse X in stock, Source standard can be order and lead time of one month


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 17, 2018)

Hercules said:


> Vi DAC SS, Pulse X in stock, Source standard can be order and lead time of one month



Who is the retailer? Vi DAC and Source for a one month lead time? And we're still only on the Source Signature Edition? The office guys would love to hear about this development.

Edit: Below is a "shadow dealer". Very common in Asia. 

Anyone want a Da Vinci? Plenty in stock from this dealer. Like 20.


----------



## hola

Either it is a strategic move, or it is Gavin Fish. 

That being said, I would not be surprised if it is something else given LH labs' history, including how they sell Geek Plus when multiple 2013 backers still have not received their units, and how they recently promoted Campfire Audio's creation as their own in this December's Tokyo e-earphone show -- even though their deal with the latter was called off, and even though Larry Ho should have returned that prototype he used in the show to Campfire Audio's Ken Ball.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 16, 2018)

hola said:


> Either it is a strategic move, or it is Gavin Fish.
> 
> That being said, I would not be surprised if it is something else given LH labs' history, including how they sell Geek Plus when multiple 2013 backers still have not received their units, and how they recently promoted Campfire Audio's creation as their own in this December's Tokyo e-earphone show -- even though their deal with the latter was called off, and even though Larry Ho should have returned that prototype he used in the show to Campfire Audio's Ken Ball.



Old news, and we already addressed it:

"Here is the whole background of this co-brand earbud. In 2017 Feb, Campfire and LH Labs had a contract that LH Labs will develop a product for Campfire. We are still respecting the original agreement so this product won't be mentioned in any details. In order to compensate 80% of the development cost (NRE) for us, and in good faith, we didn't want Campfire to spend too much cash in up front. Both parties agreed to use another co-branded earbud for the major portion of that product's NRE. And we will work together on both end. That is how and where this co-branded earbud came from.

We put in a lot of engineering effort to design the schematics and PCB for that product and Campfire also provided us few samples of this co-branded earbud. Emails and communications were good and smooth on both ends. We expected nothing but a win-win relationship.

In the early of Nov., our Japanese distributor did the first time branding introduction to Japan since we didn't have any Japan distributor or partner before. The major purpose was to launch the brand and show some good products we have which include Da Vinci DAC, Vi DAC, GO2A and GO2Pro and so on. This also included the pre-launch of this co-branded earbud. They are not selling any of our products or collect any money of that co-branded earbud in that show. The whole purpose is to make a good introduction of the whole product line.

At the last day of the Nov. 3-5 Japan audio show, after our Japan distributor already put a lot of effort on marketing. Ken Ball told me they decided to terminate the original product development project and also this co-branded earbud.

This was out of the dark and I'm super surprised and not clearly understanding the decision process. Regardless, since we didn't release any news or want to launch this co-branded earbud in any other countries besides Japan, the only thing left we want to do is the make sure our partner in Japan don't get into a very bad situation for this sudden one-sided decision.

During the past few weeks, we tried to use email to communicate about how to fix the situation in Japan. And we will continue to do so.

To be super clear, we don't have any intention to get involved with this co-branded earbud anymore with Campfire. Nor want to infrige any IP they have. This would be the best result. The only problem which now seems sadly beared on our side is how we could prevent the damage of our Japanese partner. There is no users or buyers paid any money yet but our partner already spent a lot of money and effort on it. We can not just simply said "Sorry, you got screwed".

Just to be super clear: we are not selling this unit. We are not bringing it to market. It is a dead product.

We will keep communicate with Japan and Campfire to find the best solution. And I think this statement will be also clarify if there is any confusion. We are also working to get the product back to Ken Ball."

And Ken and Larry have been in contact over this since this was posted, so very old news, and currently a non-issue.


----------



## hola

stuck limo said:


> Old news.



LH labs' unfulfilled crowdfunding campaigns are even older, and they still owe thousands of backers six millions dollars' worth of products.


----------



## Hercules

stuck limo said:


> Who is the retailer? Vi DAC and Source for a one month lead time? And we're still only on the Source Signature Edition? The office guys would love to hear about this development.
> 
> Edit: This is a "shadow dealer". Very common in Asia. They're charging what appears to be $300 in US funds for Vi DAC. Larry wants one too at that price.
> 
> Anyone want a Da Vinci? Plenty in stock from this dealer. Like 20.



Yosemite, LH Labs authorized dealer in Shenzhen, China


----------



## stuck limo

Hercules said:


> Yosemite, LH Labs authorized dealer in Shenzhen, China



Link?


----------



## marflao

Hercules said:


> Yosemite, LH Labs authorized dealer in Shenzhen, China



Ooops....probably also a kind of misunderstanding as with the Campfire Audio earphone.


----------



## marflao

stuck limo said:


> Link?


C'mon Jarek... LHL should have the links to their official resellers, don't you agree? Aren't they listed on the lightharmonic site?


----------



## stuck limo

marflao said:


> C'mon Jarek... LHL should have the links to their official resellers, don't you agree? Aren't they listed on the lightharmonic site?



No, actually, I don't believe we do, and also, a Google search reveals nothing.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 17, 2018)

So let's address this and put this to bed:

1. Sales to dealers are different than IGG. They have different items, different channels of payments. IGG merchandise does NOT go to dealers. The only two that shipped at the same time were Vi Dac SS (which most or all should have already received) and the Pulse DACs. Some dealers were also IGG backers, we have some special new dealer's perk in the campaign, and we stated that before.

2. We never stated to anyone, anywhere, that all backers would receive all merchandise before dealers. That's not how the audio business runs. We lost loads of money on IGG merchandise, so we have to make it up elsewhere. This has been discussed before. We won't stop shipping to backers just because some dealer thinks Indiegogo backers got too good of a price. Also we won't stop dealers to sell our products. Pulse totally got to dealers plus Amazon less than 30. And we totally ship 2000+ Pulse DAC to backers. See the ratio?

3. The IGG Source is different than the retail version of Source, the retail version is "Source Pro" which is being sold through retailers.  The retailers DO NOT WANT IGG merchandise, they want to separate too. They want their own, special, unique version.For example, one of dealers request the 256G SSD capacity with NO HDMI output and get rid of all the special jitter removal stuff. And they plan to sell dedicatedly. They want absolutely nothing to do with the IGG market. Frankly, we got lots of complaints from dealers that IGG price is conflicting with their channel.

For anyone else who is concerned about dealership sales:

4. Yosemite has 0 Vi Tube. We are sending the incredibly vast majority of Vi Tube to backers. Maybe a few to a few dealers. We need to stay in business. We're losing money on IGG. We will continue to operate as a business so we can continue to bring in funds to build IGG gear so our backers can receive their merchandise. At no point did we state we would never ship or sell to anyone but backers. To anyone who was confused or not understanding how this company/business stays afloat and pays our bills, we apologize for the confusion. We will not apologize for staying in business to bring backers the gear they expect. It takes time, research, money, and resources. We are working incredibly hard on getting you what you paid for. We are thankful for the support of our backers who appreciate our products and the extra perks they received.


If anyone can buy, for example, the Indiegogo Source from any place in the world, including Yosemite in the same price he got from IGG, in the same form he got, we'll eat our $#*t. Otherwise, please stop misinformation and inflammatory postings.


On that note, LH as a company is considering taking a sabbatical from the forum. Unfortunately, generally speaking, there are about 5 people who cause all sorts of inflammatory postings and issues (like tonight) and it's becoming incredibly difficult to even try to conduct normal Q&A or commenting or discussion here. To be clear, it's definitely not because of normal questions over how we conduct business or regular questions over the campaign. It's the inflammatory, bullying, rude, over the top, conspiracy theory type postings that choke and stranglehold all manner of reasonable discussion.

My advice to the community who are NOT these 5 members (and you know who you are and who you are not): police your fellow members better. I don't mean Mods censoring discussion or criticism. I do mean the community who would like to engage in friendly, reasonable, non-over the top dialogue (including criticism) needs to shut down the unruly members who ruin the experience for everyone else.

On that note, I am fully aware of how these things happen, and why they happen due to our business practices, and I am aware of our shortcomings as a company. I've discussed these with Larry tonight in-depth, and I hope we can make a hard positive change. We certainly are not blameless in this situation and we accept that responsibility. I hope we can do better.

Anyway, I'm sure we'll be back at some point. In the meantime, we invite you to visit our Freshdesk forum, and keep watching our IGG updates. I am always around, and those who know me personally or who have dealt with me privately know how to get in touch with me if need be.

Thank you, and we really do appreciate everyone who supports us.


----------



## Hercules (Feb 17, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> Link?



https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...13213952706.11.524a3efcyqSNkW&id=564578005919


----------



## Hercules (Feb 17, 2018)

Then I think LH better not to involved in Crowdfunding anymore, if their don't obey IGG Terms

https://www.indiegogo.com/about/terms

"Campaign Owner eligibility is subject to Indiegogo’s review of the fulfillment status of prior crowdfunding obligations. Indiegogo reserves the right to prohibit or remove a Campaign if the Campaign Owner is delayed by three months or more in fulfilling a prior crowdfunding project on Indiegogo or another platform."


----------



## hola

stuck limo said:


> Who is the retailer? Vi DAC and Source for a one month lead time? And we're still only on the Source Signature Edition? The office guys would love to hear about this development.
> 
> Edit: Below is a "shadow dealer". Very common in Asia.
> 
> Anyone want a Da Vinci? Plenty in stock from this dealer. Like 20.



Although Larry Ho is from Asia, this is harsh, Jarek, to call you own employer "shadow".

Well, may be he is, but the word you want is "shady", anyway.


stuck limo said:


> So let's address this and put this to bed:
> 
> 1. Sales to dealers are different than IGG. They have different items, different channels of payments. IGG merchandise does NOT go to dealers. The only two that shipped at the same time were Vi Dac SS (which most or all should have already received) and the Pulse DACs. Some dealers were also IGG backers, we have some special new dealer's perk in the campaign, and we stated that before.
> 
> ...



I am quoting you in so people could see how unapologetic you / LH labs are, after being caught red handed.

Amazing.


----------



## singlung

stuck limo said:


> You can email us via Freshdesk or PM me here. It's up to you. It all goes to the same place/person. Probably a *bit* easier to PM me here.
> 
> Hopefully this is the last year we have to set up re-contacts. We had system changes in the past, and a lot of records are not accurate. That's why we have people verify their information.
> 
> If you paid for a Pulse through an IGG campaign, refunds are not available. I am sorry about any inconvenience.



2013 backer here, just sent you a PM.


----------



## Drsparis

Are 2013 backers getting preference now? Because I am a 2013 backer... not October like some but I have been waiting long as F%$k.


----------



## singlung

Drsparis said:


> Are 2013 backers getting preference now? Because I am a 2013 backer... not October like some but I have been waiting long as F%$k.



Yes, PM user stuck limo your info. I sent a message to him yesterday and he replied quickly.


----------



## miceblue

stuck limo said:


> Yes, just label the ticket indicating Pulse USB Failure / Head-Fi Customer or something on the subject line so I can quickly identify that.


Will there be any update regarding this ticket? I was hoping to have it patched up before CanJam SoCal in April.
Ticket #43790
Pulse X Infinity serial number is: 7CAA2AZ20 and the barcode is: 0656727801255 (also labeled with the number 186)

Thank you in advance.


----------



## swapper

I have the ticket #42120 opened since September 2017...


----------



## stuck limo

miceblue said:


> Will there be any update regarding this ticket? I was hoping to have it patched up before CanJam SoCal in April.
> Ticket #43790
> Pulse X Infinity serial number is: 7CAA2AZ20 and the barcode is: 0656727801255 (also labeled with the number 186)
> 
> Thank you in advance.





swapper said:


> I have the ticket #42120 opened since September 2017...



I updated both these tickets for you again.


----------



## graham508

hi bros, I am exasperated by this as anybody but I feel we’re only beating ourselves up over this. I strongly adivse pm’ing Jarek over your situation. In my experience he listens and acts - he’s by far our best asset.


----------



## Roll

There is movement, posted on Indiegogo

LH Labs Campaigner, 5 hours ago:
The factory is starting the production process now.


----------



## dclaz

Roll said:


> There is movement, posted on Indiegogo
> 
> LH Labs Campaigner, 5 hours ago:
> The factory is starting the production process now.


I won't hold my breath....


----------



## pauldgroot

Ticket #43167 open since 126 days so far, please.. My Pulse XFI has a hard time getting recognized by my pc and often needs several reboots for it to work properly.


----------



## stuck limo

pauldgroot said:


> Ticket #43167 open since 126 days so far, please.. My Pulse XFI has a hard time getting recognized by my pc and often needs several reboots for it to work properly.



Hey, sorry about that. We're still backed up on tech tickets and I have no way of knowing when any particular ones will get looked at. I'm sorry about that. I've let the tech team know about the individual tickets. I apologize again for the situation.


----------



## stuck limo (Mar 22, 2018)

Larry is in Asia again as of tonight, working on wrapping things up with the Wave components (battery, screen, etc.) and manufacturers. When I have more information, I’ll be sure to share it with everyone immediately. Not sure how long he's planning to stay over there, maybe a month? I am actively working on getting updates, and will post those when I have them. 

He is also working on visiting and/or checking the Pulse factory and making sure their production run is good for the new Pulse units. I have not been given any updates on the current run yet. I am actively working on obtaining them. When I have more info on this, I'll update that as well.


----------



## Mike-WI

Any updates on the Pulse S100 Power Amp and related amps?
Seems like an amp shouldn't be as difficult.
I am using a tiny Fii0 A1 (discontinued, not the headphone amp) in one of my office settings (I use Emotiva DC-1 DAC w/ powered speakers or other amp in other settings).
I was thinking of getting a Schiit Audio pre-amp and amp if I don't have a more definitive timing for the Geek amp.

Mike


----------



## Hercules

Mike-WI said:


> Any updates on the Pulse S100 Power Amp and related amps?
> Seems like an amp shouldn't be as difficult.
> I am using a tiny Fii0 A1 (discontinued, not the headphone amp) in one of my office settings (I use Emotiva DC-1 DAC w/ powered speakers or other amp in other settings).
> I was thinking of getting a Schiit Audio pre-amp and amp if I don't have a more definitive timing for the Geek amp.
> ...



I may not see my Amp before 2020.....maybe I retired from Audiophile or ....

https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000044374-analog-campaign-update


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> Any updates on the Pulse S100 Power Amp and related amps?
> Seems like an amp shouldn't be as difficult.
> I am using a tiny Fii0 A1 (discontinued, not the headphone amp) in one of my office settings (I use Emotiva DC-1 DAC w/ powered speakers or other amp in other settings).
> I was thinking of getting a Schiit Audio pre-amp and amp if I don't have a more definitive timing for the Geek amp.
> ...



I was told "before 2020 for sure." If you need something in the meantime, you may want to look at another alternative of your choosing.


----------



## Mike-WI

Really?
Before 2020.
Why do amps take so long?
That's crazy.

Mike


----------



## AxelCloris

I think the "before 2020" line was meant to have a dash of humor in it. There were significantly less configuration options for the amps compared to the Pulse or Wave, so hopefully the amps won't take as long to release once LH has finally caught up with the previous campaigns.


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> Really?
> Before 2020.
> Why do amps take so long?
> That's crazy.
> ...



On the plus note, Larry was working on the Analog campaign just last month, so progress was made. I don't know exactly "what" was being done on them. But progress just the same....


----------



## runningwitit

I pulled my Signature Edition Pulse and LPS4 out yesterday and played it for a couple of hours and WOW! I totally forgot how great sounding this thing is! I recently acquired some iems from Bob Trinity of IMR called R1 and man, what an astounding match up! All is crystal clear!! Big smiles on my face.


----------



## runningwitit

I tried three different iem adapters in my single ended output on my Pulse and I feel an electric shock. I haven't used this thing in months! So, it's some that just started. Has this happened to anyone else? Maybe someone can point me in the right direction in troubleshooting the issue because I don't want to send it back in for repair...

Thanks in advance!!


----------



## Shawnb

AxelCloris said:


> I think the "before 2020" line was meant to have a dash of humor in it. There were significantly less configuration options for the amps compared to the Pulse or Wave, so hopefully the amps won't take as long to release once LH has finally caught up with the previous campaigns.



2020 wasn't humor, it was likely the only honest answer we've ever had from them. Sad part is they won't even come close to making 2020.


----------



## runningwitit

runningwitit said:


> I tried three different iem adapters in my single ended output on my Pulse and I feel an electric shock. I haven't used this thing in months! So, it's some that just started. Has this happened to anyone else? Maybe someone can point me in the right direction in troubleshooting the issue because I don't want to send it back in for repair...
> 
> Thanks in advance!!


I found out it was a static problem and the solution was to unplug it, toggle both switches (Pulse/LPS4) on & off a few times. Plug everything back up and it will be resolved.  I answered this just in case some else had this issue!


----------



## jaywhar

so according to the last meaningful update (https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000044371-pulse-production-update-2-10-18),  production for the next batch of 50 Pulses was meant to begin on the 3rd week of Feb, then take around 50 days until completion by LHLabs.

It's now mid April, and if everything had gone to plan the units should be winging their way to backers. 

But of course this hasn't happened and again there's not been a peep from LHLabs about what has gone wrong. I can't even get confirmation that the batch of boards were received from the fabled 'Da Vinci Production Factory', which should have been completed some time in the middle of March. The best I can get from Jareck on the LHLabs forums is that 





> Larry is in Asia and is working with that manufacturer to make sure the boards were properly made and to place the new order for the second batch, assuming the first batch is fine.


 That was more than 2 weeks ago and still there's no info on what's actually going on.

the garbage-train that is LHLabs continues...


----------



## Drsparis

jaywhar said:


> there's not been a peep from LHLabs about what has gone wrong.


Oh that's simple! I can answer that one! The pcb batch did not live up to expectation/spec and they are looking for an alternative source of pcbs!


----------



## jaywhar

<sacrasm>but if not the DaVinci factory, then where?</sarcasm>

It's pretty clear there's a serious design flaw in the pulse if no-one can actually fabricate the pcb to spec.


----------



## jaywhar

3 weeks since I asked for confirmation that the boards had been produced - nothing


----------



## miceblue (Apr 15, 2018)

Coming up on 3 months for me now since I opened my ticket regarding the USB input. I've received not even an acknowledgement from the engineering team. CanJam SoCal has come and gone.

Guess I'll try out the Schiit Eitr for the time being. I'll be vising the Schiitr tomorrow to compare products.


----------



## singlung

jaywhar said:


> 3 weeks since I asked for confirmation that the boards had been produced - nothing


I live in China, not far from Shenzhen (I’m guessing the factory is located there?) - want me to go over there and ask?


----------



## Mike-WI

miceblue said:


> Coming up on 3 months for me now since I opened my ticket regarding the USB input. I've received not even an acknowledgement from the engineering team. CanJam SoCal has come and gone.
> 
> Guess I'll try out the Schiit Eitr for the time being. I'll be vising the Schiitr tomorrow to compare products.


I ordered a Schiit Jotunheim Multibit last night.
Ordered a Fiio X5 gen 3 for a DAP a few days ago.
Ordering all of the stuff I already paid LH Labs for years ago.
The great concepts of 4 years ago have already been a consumer reality for a while now.

Mike


----------



## jaywhar

singlung said:


> I live in China, not far from Shenzhen (I’m guessing the factory is located there?) - want me to go over there and ask?


That would be just lovely - I don't see how we're getting any info otherwise.

Ask them what's up with the design that makes them impossible to manufacture.

Also find out if the batch size was really 50 - that seems ridiculously small to me


----------



## stuck limo

jaywhar said:


> <sacrasm>but if not the DaVinci factory, then where?</sarcasm>
> 
> It's pretty clear there's a serious design flaw in the pulse if no-one can actually fabricate the pcb to spec.





jaywhar said:


> 3 weeks since I asked for confirmation that the boards had been produced - nothing



We just confirmed the PCB factory is in the final stages of production. We expect to get the boards within the next 15 working days for assembly.


----------



## stuck limo

As far as the Source goes: 
The Source production is moving along and I will be gathering information over how many we shipped at the end of the month. I’ll announce that information when I have it.


----------



## jaywhar

stuck limo said:


> We just confirmed the PCB factory is in the final stages of production. We expect to get the boards within the next 15 working days for assembly.



so what happened? why weren't we told about the delay?

the last update had board production starting in the 3rd week of Feb and taking 15 days. It's now the 3rd week of April and board production is going to take 15 days?


----------



## Seph Haley

Perhaps someone could help me, I have been searching for an hour now for a spec sheet of the Geek Pulse X, but I can’t find one anywhere. I’m mainly just looking for the power put out by the amp, does anyone have the spec sheet they could link or post?


----------



## miceblue (Apr 18, 2018)

Seph Haley said:


> Perhaps someone could help me, I have been searching for an hour now for a spec sheet of the Geek Pulse X, but I can’t find one anywhere. I’m mainly just looking for the power put out by the amp, does anyone have the spec sheet they could link or post?


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lBMMP7mtO4sC0HnxTo-_0crmsaTLVUkqBizSmINeuMs/htmlview#

To calculate power, you'd do:
RMSvoltage^2 /impedance

So for a 50 ohm planar magnetic headphone with the XLR output at low gain:
3.6 Vrms^2 = 12.96 Vrms^2
12.96 Vrms^2 / 50 ohm = 0.2592 W, or 259.2 mW.


----------



## miceblue

Mike-WI said:


> I ordered a Schiit Jotunheim Multibit last night.
> Ordered a Fiio X5 gen 3 for a DAP a few days ago.
> Ordering all of the stuff I already paid LH Labs for years ago.
> The great concepts of 4 years ago have already been a consumer reality for a while now.
> ...


I tried the Multibit Jotunheim at the Schiitr. It doesn't quite have the fidelity as the Bifrost Multibit, but it's very close. The Schiit rep at the Schiitr said it's just a Modi Multibit board essentially, so that makes sense. 

I plugged in the Eitr yesterday and did coax input comparisons between the Bifrost Multibit and the Pulse X Infinity. The Pulse X Infinity sounds way more transparent and clear to me compared to the BiMB.


----------



## Mike-WI

miceblue -

Thanks for the info.
I'm going to use the Schiit Jotunheim MB for listening to headphones at home office desk and connecting up whole house system. 
Just using computer default audio RCA outs now.
Should be an improvement from that.

Mike


============
I tried the Multibit Jotunheim at the Schiitr. It doesn't quite have the fidelity as the Bifrost Multibit, but it's very close. The Schiit rep at the Schiitr said it's just a Modi Multibit board essentially, so that makes sense. 

I plugged in the Eitr yesterday and did coax input comparisons between the Bifrost Multibit and the Pulse X Infinity. The Pulse X Infinity sounds way more transparent and clear to me compared to the BiMB.


----------



## runningwitit

jaywhar said:


> <sacrasm>but if not the DaVinci factory, then where?</sarcasm>
> 
> It's pretty clear there's a serious design flaw in the pulse if no-one can actually fabricate the pcb to spec.


There are no flaws in my Pulse (not meant to be a tub in the face). My Signature plays beautifully!!


----------



## m17xr2b




----------



## Laseng

More delay from LH Labs.
It does not look like we will get any Pulse in May.

From LH Labs:
We ordered a small amount of LPS4 units, so the factory is finishing those up. When we get those done, the factory will move onto finishing the Pulse units. I’ll post more information when I have it.


----------



## jaywhar

I really don't understand how a batch of only 50 gets interrupted mid way to build a different product.

... Unless of course there were again issues with producing the pulse boards again.

Again the issue is that we were given a schedule and not told about delays despite specific assurances that we would be.

The *new* lhlabs support is at least more responsive, but if Larry isn't bothering to give him the info then what's the point?


----------



## Shawnb

Laseng said:


> More delay from LH Labs.
> It does not look like we will get any Pulse in May.
> 
> From LH Labs:
> We ordered a small amount of LPS4 units, so the factory is finishing those up. When we get those done, the factory will move onto finishing the Pulse units. I’ll post more information when I have it.



LPS4's are being made now?


----------



## MikeyFresh

Shawnb said:


> LPS4's are being made now?



Of course not, just another BS story to explain why Pulse backers won't be receiving anything (again).


----------



## Shawnb

MikeyFresh said:


> Of course not, just another BS story to explain why Pulse backers won't be receiving anything (again).



Business as usual then


----------



## Audio Addict

A recent WIN 10 update deleted the LH Labs driver intentionally I would say and now no USB connection.  I will to try and find a driver.


----------



## snip3r77

Audio Addict said:


> A recent WIN 10 update deleted the LH Labs driver intentionally I would say and now no USB connection.  I will to try and find a driver.


Occured to me too. Pls share with us. Thanks


----------



## Audio Addict

snip3r77 said:


> Occured to me too. Pls share with us. Thanks


I had the 3.26 driver and even though it installed, WIN 10 said it had an ERROR and would not let it be functional.  When I installed the 3.26 driver it said it was uninstalling the 2.29 driver.  I found I also had this driver and after uninstalling the 3.26 driver tried to install this driver which is really a WIN XP driver but it would not install.  It appears the Geek Pulse is now a boat anchor unless LH Labs fixes the drivers for WIN 10 or distributes new firmware that would let it run with the default WIN10 audio driver.  I sent mail to Jared but no response.  I have not seen him post for awhile either so it makes you wonder if he no longer is associated with LH Labs.  Can't say I would blame him.  I copied Larry when I reached out to Jared but didn't hear from him either.


----------



## miceblue

http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/


----------



## snip3r77

Audio Addict said:


> I had the 3.26 driver and even though it installed, WIN 10 said it had an ERROR and would not let it be functional.  When I installed the 3.26 driver it said it was uninstalling the 2.29 driver.  I found I also had this driver and after uninstalling the 3.26 driver tried to install this driver which is really a WIN XP driver but it would not install.  It appears the Geek Pulse is now a boat anchor unless LH Labs fixes the drivers for WIN 10 or distributes new firmware that would let it run with the default WIN10 audio driver.  I sent mail to Jared but no response.  I have not seen him post for awhile either so it makes you wonder if he no longer is associated with LH Labs.  Can't say I would blame him.  I copied Larry when I reached out to Jared but didn't hear from him either.


Pity those that didn't receive the Pulse yet , they will not be able to use it with the new Windows .

I did PM Jared, he replied and asked me to send a trouble ticket but I'm not sure if it goes through because their system said that I have no access


----------



## snip3r77

miceblue said:


> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/


Does it work with new windows patch?


----------



## miceblue (May 14, 2018)

snip3r77 said:


> Does it work with new windows patch?


I can't test it with my Pulse X Infinity unit; the USB input is dead. : (
I'm using the Schiit Eitr for S/PDIF input.

USB works now!


----------



## snip3r77

miceblue said:


> I can't test it with my Pulse X Infinity unit; the USB input is dead. : (
> I'm using the Schiit Eitr for S/PDIF input.
> 
> USB works now!



Yeh.. the following drivers works

LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v3.26.0.exe


----------



## snip3r77

Audio Addict said:


> I had the 3.26 driver and even though it installed, WIN 10 said it had an ERROR and would not let it be functional.  When I installed the 3.26 driver it said it was uninstalling the 2.29 driver.  I found I also had this driver and after uninstalling the 3.26 driver tried to install this driver which is really a WIN XP driver but it would not install.  It appears the Geek Pulse is now a boat anchor unless LH Labs fixes the drivers for WIN 10 or distributes new firmware that would let it run with the default WIN10 audio driver.  I sent mail to Jared but no response.  I have not seen him post for awhile either so it makes you wonder if he no longer is associated with LH Labs.  Can't say I would blame him.  I copied Larry when I reached out to Jared but didn't hear from him either.



Hi bro, it's fixed, pls see my post above. Cheers


----------



## snip3r77

miceblue said:


> http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/



Just checking if anyone is using the LCD-X with the Infinity. I felt that the bass is light and too punchy. Any suggestion for for an upgrade.


----------



## stuck limo

Audio Addict said:


> I sent mail to Jared but no response.  I have not seen him post for awhile either so it makes you wonder if he no longer is associated with LH Labs.  Can't say I would blame him.  I copied Larry when I reached out to Jared but didn't hear from him either.



I'm still around. There's just nothing really to report. Sorry about that. Also, I went back through my email and it turns out I missed that email completely from May 6. I apologize about that.


----------



## miceblue

snip3r77 said:


> Just checking if anyone is using the LCD-X with the Infinity. I felt that the bass is light and too punchy. Any suggestion for for an upgrade.


I don't have a lot of experience with headphones with the Pulse X Infinity since I mostly use it as a DAC with my STAX amp, but really liked the Focal Clear/Clear Professional from it, even from the unbalanced output. If I didn't have the STAX setup already, I'd actually be quite content with the Clear.


----------



## Audio Addict

stuck limo said:


> I'm still around. There's just nothing really to report. Sorry about that. Also, I went back through my email and it turns out I missed that email completely from May 6. I apologize about that.



Any recommendations since the drivers for the Pulse don't work on WIN 10 now?


----------



## snip3r77

Audio Addict said:


> Any recommendations since the drivers for the Pulse don't work on WIN 10 now?





snip3r77 said:


> Yeh.. the following drivers works
> 
> LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v3.26.0.exe



There you go bro


----------



## Audio Addict

I tried installing and I received the same installation error.  I am going to remove all aspects of the drivers and try to start fresh.   He is to hoping it works with the May WIN10 update.


----------



## hemtmaker

If LHlabs had patched the driver, why would it still be called 3.26? How about 3.27 to reduce confusion?


----------



## Audio Addict

I still can't get it to be recognized.  I cleaned all versions and previous installation of LH Labs drivers.  Did a fresh download and install but still get a driver error with WIN10 showing an error.  It sounds like it connects and disconnect when you turn off the Pulse or remove the USB cable but JR Rivers nor Roon sees the driver, which makes sense since wIN10 says it has a driver error.


----------



## snip3r77

Audio Addict said:


> I tried installing and I received the same installation error.  I am going to remove all aspects of the drivers and try to start fresh.   He is to hoping it works with the May WIN10 update.


For me, I just ran the driver and I didn't reboot too. Maybe I'm lucky


----------



## Audio Addict

snip3r77 said:


> For me, I just ran the driver and I didn't reboot too. Maybe I'm lucky



Maybe I am just unlucky as I still have not been able to get the new driver recognized.  It indicates a driver error.  I am not sure what else I can try.  The Pulse has always been touch and go with the driver.


----------



## jsiegel14072

stuck limo said:


> I'm still around. There's just nothing really to report. Sorry about that. Also, I went back through my email and it turns out I missed that email completely from May 6. I apologize about that.



JAred;
any chance anything is shipping this month?  it has been 6 months for progress on anything.


----------



## stuck limo

jsiegel14072 said:


> JAred;
> any chance anything is shipping this month?  it has been 6 months for progress on anything.



The only thing shipping would be the LPS4 units at this point.


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> The only thing shipping would be the LPS4 units at this point.



This include my LPS4 or am I still SOL?

Not getting my Source SE anytime soon I guess


----------



## stuck limo

Shawnb said:


> This include my LPS4 or am I still SOL?
> 
> Not getting my Source SE anytime soon I guess



At this point I have no information as to who will receive their LPS4 equipment.


----------



## jaywhar

Ummm.... so when are the pulses actually going to get made?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

@Audio Addict 

Try this old trick:
1. Plug in the device, windows fails to load the driver.
2. Open up device manager.
3. Find the listing for the device (clearly marked with the dreaded yellow exclamation mark)
4 Right-Click and choose "Disable" (NOT Uninstall) _The device will still be in the list but sort of grayed-out_
5. Leave Device Manager open and unplug the device. (it will disappear from the list)
6. Plug the device back in. It will re-appear but still disabled. 
7. Right click on it and choose "Enable"


----------



## tmaxx123

No telling when the new dsd firmware update for the pulse x infinity will roll out?


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> At this point I have no information as to who will receive their LPS4 equipment.



What happened to the Source SE's?


----------



## Shawnb

How many people here are waiting on a LPS4? Wanna bet none of us will be a shipping notice for our LPS's?  If anyone does get a shipping notice please post it so we can know if this is just another one of LHL's lies.


----------



## Mike-WI (May 16, 2018)

Shawnb said:


> How many people here are waiting on a LPS4? Wanna bet none of us will be a shipping notice for our LPS's?  If anyone does get a shipping notice please post it so we can know if this is just another one of LHL's lies.


I own an LPS4 (and GO Infinity) but haven't been able to use the LPS4 since no DACs, etc.
I've already been buying other gear since waiting 4+ years for my Wave, Source, Amp, DAC x2, etc.
The Geek Out does sound great and I like the streaming filter. I've just replaced it with a Schiit Jotunheim multibit DAC/headphone amp. Schiit Ragnorak integarated amp and Yggy v2 DAC on order.
What LH Labs offered in 2014 was great. It didn't deliver and 4 years later what was exceptional then is now commonplace.

Mike


----------



## Shawnb

Mike-WI said:


> I own an LPS4 (and GO Infinity) but haven't been able to use the LPS4 since no DACs, etc.
> I've already been buying other gear since waiting 4+ years for my Wave, Source, Amp, DAC x2, etc.
> The Geek Out does sound great and I like the streaming filter. I've just replaced it with a Schiit Jotunheim multibit DAC/headphone amp. Schiit Ragnorak integarated amp and Yggy v2 DAC on order.
> What LH Labs offered in 2014 was great. It didn't deliver and 4 years later what was exceptional then is now commonplace.
> ...




I had a LPS4 once. I made the mistake of shipping it back to get upgraded to the 2.0 chassis. I haven't seen it since 

No matter what I say I always end up back 

Why does LHL hate horses so much?


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> I own an LPS4 (and GO Infinity) but haven't been able to use the LPS4 since no DACs, etc.
> I've already been buying other gear since waiting 4+ years for my Wave, Source, Amp, DAC x2, etc.
> The Geek Out does sound great and I like the streaming filter. I've just replaced it with a Schiit Jotunheim multibit DAC/headphone amp. Schiit Ragnorak integarated amp and Yggy v2 DAC on order.
> What LH Labs offered in 2014 was great. It didn't deliver and 4 years later what was exceptional then is now commonplace.
> ...



I think I posted this before:


----------



## Mike-WI

stuck limo said:


> I think I posted this before:



What is your message?
I have the LPS4 but not my two Pulse Infinity DACs, so it doesn't help me much.

Mike


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> What is your message?
> I have the LPS4 but not my two Pulse Infinity DACs, so it doesn't help me much.
> 
> Mike



You had stated that you couldn't use the Geek Out Infinity with the LPS unit you had. The video shows a method to do so [I assume it applies to both LPS and LPS4], if you're so inclined. (not sure it's necessary for you though)


----------



## Mike-WI

stuck limo said:


> You had stated that you couldn't use the Geek Out Infinity with the LPS unit you had. The video shows a method to do so [I assume it applies to both LPS and LPS4], if you're so inclined. (not sure it's necessary for you though)


Thanks.
I get it now.

I did try that initially with the $229 GFO: LightSpeed 2G Cable.
Notably:  "You will receive your free 2G cables with each of your Pulse X Infinities when they're shipped to you."

I also had installation instructions (below).
However, when using this with my laptop and a Microsoft Surface Dock it was fairly tedious to set up.
It was a cool idea -- that I obviously bough into heavily -- four years ago, but now I'm using more user friendly options that will have headphones options as well as speaker capabilities -- Yggy/Ragnorak combo.

I may use my GOV2A for mobile/travel settings but I have subsequently purchased the Oppo HA-2SE also.


Mike



https://support.lhlabs.com/support/...lps4-linear-power-supply-setup-and-user-guide

*Installation*

Unbox the Geek LPS/LPS4 and remove it from the plastic wrap.
Remove the AC power cable, umbilical power cable(s), and plastic feet from the box.
Peel the rubber feet from the strip and attach them to the bottom corners.
Connect the AC power cable to the Geek LPS/LPS4, and plug into wall outlet.
Connect a USB cable (preferably LightSpeed 1G/2G/10G) to the source and USB Source input on the back of the Geek LPS/LPS4.

If using the Geek LPS/LPS4 with a Geek Pulse, connect a USB cable (preferably LightSpeed 1G/2G/10G) to the USB DAC output of the Geek LPS/LPS4, and the other end to the Geek Pulse USB input.
       - OR -

If using the Geek LPS/LPS4 with a Geek Pulse, along with a split USB cable, connect the signal/data leg of the cable to the source, the power leg to the USB DAC output of the Geek LPS/LPS4, and the other end to the Geek Pulse USB input.

Also, connect an umbilical power cable to a 1.2A power connection on the Geek LPS/LPS4, and the other end to the Geek Pulse. DO NOT power on the Geek Pulse until after the Geek LPS/LPS4 is powered on.
      6.  Power on Geek LPS/LPS4.

If using the Geek LPS/LPS4 with a Geek Out, connect the Geek Out directly to the USB DAC output (some USB extender cables will work between the Geek LPS/LPS4 and the Geek Out, but not necessarily all).


----------



## Laseng (May 16, 2018)

Something is serious wrong with LH Labs.

LH Labs has not produced anything for us Indiegogo backers for over two years.
Every time they promise to deliver, they break their promises with new postponements.
I think it's unlikely that any of us ever will get what we're waiting for.

LH Labs has long stopped responding to tickets.
I have two defective Geek Out v2. The ticket was submitted 11 months ago.
The ticket is still open and waiting for response from LH Labs.


----------



## stuck limo (May 16, 2018)

Laseng said:


> LH Labs has long stopped responding to tickets.
> I have two defective Geek Out v2. The ticket was submitted 11 months ago.
> The ticket is still open and waiting for response from LH Labs.



We currently have one tech guy (Matt) who wears a lot of different hats in the company. He is spread thin and most tickets cannot be responded to at this point. Warranty expiration dates are on hold right now for our customers. If you have a tech ticket in there, you aren't being ignored; we just don't have the time/manpower to get to them at this point. Hopefully that changes in the future.

However, the order tickets...all or most of them should be taken care of.


----------



## jaywhar

so among the things seriously wrong with LHLabs is the fact that they don't employ enough support staff.

...and they release products with too many issues

...and they continually fail to follow through on their promises

...and they don't communicate in a timely fashion

...


----------



## bernardperu

Jared, for full disclosure purposes, and in all honesty, you should let us know what Larry Ho is doing these days audio business wise. Is he a shareholder in any other audio firm? What audio products is Larry Ho selling? What quantity of products is he selling? Can you confirm to us, to the best of your knowledge, that he is not selling any stuff which was manufactured with our investment? 

We need to know if our hard earned money is being used for any other purpose but the items we purchased over 4 years ago.

It is a moral imperative for you, Jared, to address these questions to Larry Ho and figure out whether you are being part of a series of unethical business practices or not.

*Does anyone else on this forum know if Larry Ho is currently selling any audio products anywhere in the world?*


----------



## jaywhar

Yes... I'm sure lots of us have been wondering about this.

it really comes down to the question of whether LHLabs are rampantly dishonest or just incredibly incompetent (or both???).

(of course, asking LHLabs about this seems pointless - but I understand the need to ask)



bernardperu said:


> Jared, for full disclosure purposes, and in all honesty, you should let us know what Larry Ho is doing these days audio business wise. Is he a shareholder in any other audio firm? What audio products is Larry Ho selling? What quantity of products is he selling? Can you confirm to us, to the best of your knowledge, that he is not selling any stuff which was manufactured with our investment?
> 
> We need to know if our hard earned money is being used for any other purpose but the items we purchased over 4 years ago.
> 
> ...


----------



## mulveling

Maybe he's busy changing his identity, and maybe afterwards he'll start a new audio company with Mikhail of Singlepower infamy - both are geniuses of the money-before-product game. It's pretty clear the resources necessary to complete any of these projects have long since evaporated.


----------



## Mike-WI

I was going through my LH Labs files and saw this...

RE: $22 per Xfint to new DAC (9018AQ2M)

Bold added:
"If you’ve selected a Geek Pulse X∞, we’re offering you a chance to upgrade your DAC chip from the ESS Sabre 9018M to the 9018AQ2M, which is *brand new for 2015!*"

We were paying in 2014 for "hot" chips for 2015.
The A&futura SE100 DAP has a "new for 2018" ESS SABRE ES9038PRO 8channel.

Many newer DAPs have the '28 chips, so we pre-paid for old tech.

Mike


----------



## greenkiwi

My understanding is that the 28 chip is identical, just relabeled.


----------



## Mike-WI

greenkiwi said:


> My understanding is that the 28 chip is identical, just relabeled.


Interesting.

And I am aware that implementation is as important as the DAC.


Mike


----------



## stuck limo (May 17, 2018)

bernardperu said:


> Is he a shareholder in any other audio firm?



I would have no information over that and that would be completely irrelevant to any IGG campaigns. Also, I would not be allowed to state that if I did know.



> What audio products is Larry Ho selling?



Larry owns both Light Harmonic and LH Labs. They're different divisions, selling different items, and some same items under different configurations, as they are from different divisions.



> What quantity of products is he selling?



I have no information over that, and that is not relevant to IGG campaigns, nor would I be allowed to state that if I did know.



> Can you confirm to us, to the best of your knowledge, that he is not selling any stuff which was manufactured with our investment?



*LH Labs is not funding any other projects outside of their respective campaigns. 

edit: sorry guys, this won't let me put my response outside a quote box for some reason*


----------



## stuck limo

greenkiwi said:


> My understanding is that the 28 chip is identical, just relabeled.



That is correct.


----------



## jaywhar (May 17, 2018)

LHLabs should have been wound up ages ago - they've clearly been effectively insolvent for quite some time with no prospect of repaying their creditors (us).


----------



## tmaxx123

So unfortunate what’s occurring in this thread.... lh labs needs to step up.


----------



## AxelCloris

Mod comment: Things are starting to get a bit too personal in here. It looks like Jarek has been answering many of your questions, but please keep them related to LH Labs and their products, not individuals.


----------



## Audio Addict (May 18, 2018)

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> @Audio Addict
> 
> Try this old trick:
> 1. Plug in the device, windows fails to load the driver.
> ...



Thank -you for the suggestion but the driver does not show up in the Sound Manager through the control panel.  Through devices on the win10 settings it shows as a driver error.  I can remove it and the unplug and reconnect the USB cable and it sounds like it connects but it says driver error again.

I can at least connect through the Pulse Blue.


----------



## runningwitit

m17xr2b said:


>


Lol !!


----------



## Mike-WI

I just received my Schiit Audio Yggdrasil v2 today after waiting for my two DACS (one for home, one for office).
Just getting it set up and enjoying what I should have had access to years ago.
Jotunheim MB -> Sys will go to home.

Mike


----------



## runningwitit (May 23, 2018)

Can anyone here tell me how to make my Onkyo DP-X1A dap (using as source) work with my Pulse through an otg cable? The LH Labs site says," there is no need for installing software in Mac or Android". Mine, of course is Android.

 Help, Please Help?? (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Test trial mode if works. Purchase it in Playstore. Can access  built-in DAC or in otg. Forgot if works on your unit, but please try. Check bitperfect on app settings. 

http://www.extreamsd.com/index.php/uapp-trial


----------



## runningwitit

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Test trial mode if works. Purchase it in Playstore. Can access  built-in DAC or in otg. Forgot if works on your unit, but please try. Check bitperfect on app settings.
> 
> http://www.extreamsd.com/index.php/uapp-trial


Hey Mickey and thanks for your reply! Currently, I'm using USB Audio Player Pro and it recognized my V2+ with no problem. I will check the bit perfect in the software to see if this helps and will update you!!


----------



## runningwitit

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Test trial mode if works. Purchase it in Playstore. Can access  built-in DAC or in otg. Forgot if works on your unit, but please try. Check bitperfect on app settings.
> 
> http://www.extreamsd.com/index.php/uapp-trial


I got it to work by disconnecting the Revive and plugging it straight into the Onkyo. Another question I have is, if the Revive worked between the V2+/Onkyo player and works between my desktop/Pulse; why wouldn't it not work between my amp/Onkyo player?
I tried it while connected to a power source (battery charger) and without the charger. By the way, the Revive's  battery was fully charged. Any input is greatly appreciated and I will follow all suggestions I haven't tried! Thank you!!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Android is still a hit or miss. It might work on one but miss on the other.

Bitperfect is for SQ (like it very much). If you want about connectivity please try/experiment usb tweaks on usb settings.


----------



## runningwitit

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Android is still a hit or miss. It might work on one but miss on the other.
> 
> Bitperfect is for SQ (like it very much). If you want about connectivity please try/experiment usb tweaks on usb settings.


I will play around with those tweaks to see what happens with it....   Thanks Mickey!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

No problem Bro.

I use an Android TV (Himedia Q10Pro) w/ built in HDD (WD Red 8Tb) -> Revive -> Geek Pulse as seen in my sig via UAPP as app.

So in my case Revive/Geek Pulse works w/ Android. 

In your case I think there might be a problem w/ UAPP. Since they incorporated the HiRes Driver (for built in DAC), it might have problem distinguishing both (on the settings.>usb audio tweaks check  "Use USB DAC").

How about:

1. Disinstall and reinstall UAPP w/ Geek Pulse + Revive attached  
2. Try installing other software HibyMusic, Neutron MP if ti works.


----------



## runningwitit

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> No problem Bro.
> 
> I use an Android TV (Himedia Q10Pro) w/ built in HDD (WD Red 8Tb) -> Revive -> Geek Pulse as seen in my sig via UAPP as app.
> 
> ...


Dude! How about while trying to get my Revive recognized through the UAPP, my freakin' single ended connection on my Pulse is frying my ear like bacon in a pan! I just can't get a break!!! I tried swapping cables, different adapters and troubleshooting static problems. Just at a loss now and pissed, lol.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (May 25, 2018)

Access menu by pushing the volume knob. Cycle and change gain to LOW from Gain Control.


----------



## runningwitit (May 27, 2018)

Ok, I finally got the Revive to work in my equation! It was due to a connection problem.
I found that the problem I'm having is not with the Pulse, but my LPS4. I hear a humming noise in my iems, in which are still shocking the heck out of me! I'm probably going to find someone local to repair it... I'm thinking it's a ground issue, has anyone had a similar experience ?


----------



## Mike-WI (May 29, 2018)

I was organizing some A/V files and folders and found this from 2014 era...


----------



## m17xr2b

Schiiiit, has it been 4 years since then? What was Einstein's quote about expecting a different result? LhLabs, when will the pulse units ship?


----------



## Mike-WI

m17xr2b said:


> Schiiiit, has it been 4 years since then? What was Einstein's quote about expecting a different result? LhLabs, when will the pulse units ship?


https://www.quora.com/Did-Einstein-...nd-over-again-and-expecting-different-results


----------



## hola

stuck limo said:


> So let's address this and put this to bed:
> 
> 1. Sales to dealers are different than IGG. They have different items, different channels of payments. IGG merchandise does NOT go to dealers. The only two that shipped at the same time were Vi Dac SS (which most or all should have already received) and the Pulse DACs. Some dealers were also IGG backers, we have some special new dealer's perk in the campaign, and we stated that before.
> 
> ...



Larry Ho copying Ken Ball's design and market the product, after he/Jarek publicly said that they would not:
https://passport.weibo.com/visitor/...p-sso_sdk_client-0.6.28&_rand=1528073613.7894


----------



## stuck limo (Jun 4, 2018)

hola said:


> Larry Ho copying Ken Ball's design and market the product, after he/Jarek publicly said that they would not:
> https://passport.weibo.com/visitor/...p-sso_sdk_client-0.6.28&_rand=1528073613.7894



The Campfire IEM and the LH Stella IEM are completely different products. The IEM you're linking to has been in development since 2016 and is an LH design, not a Campfire design. The Campfire IEM was a collaboration, meant to introduce the market to the idea of LH IEMs. Stella is a different design, made by Light Harmonic.

It is a Light Harmonic product, which is the flagship division, responsible for the Da Vinci DAC, Tesla amps and speakers, etc. The LH Labs is a crowd-funded division.

If you have proof that the designs are the same IP (instead of just confused speculation), please post exact information.


----------



## Shawnb

First review of the Source is up, though it's a model none of us even knew about. The Source Pro, the retail model was reviewed 
http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/light-harmonics-source-pro/

It's better if I don't comment at all....


----------



## Mike-WI (Jun 5, 2018)

Shawnb said:


> First review of the Source is up, though it's a model none of us even knew about. The Source Pro, the retail model was reviewed
> http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/light-harmonics-source-pro/
> 
> It's better if I don't comment at all....


Thanks for posting.
It think the review is factually inaccurate:

"This is the very campaign that was of much unhappiness and allegations of late delivery in LH Labs over the 2 years."
More than 2 years

"It is out of my scope here to examine these issues in detail, but suffice it to say that I am reliably informed LH Labs is bending over backwards to deliver the Geek Source to its backers as promised, also Light Harmonic as a separated company is continuing contribute more monetary resource to make the delivery process faster."
1) Producing a new product while initial backers wait is not prioritizing backers
2) If an owner makes multiple corporations (similarly named or not), that doesn't give him or her complete legal protection


Mike


----------



## ufospls2 (Jun 6, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> _*The Campfire IEM and the LH Stella IEM are completely different products. *_The IEM you're linking to has been in development since 2016 and is an LH design, not a Campfire design. The Campfire IEM was a collaboration, meant to introduce the market to the idea of LH IEMs. Stella is a different design, made by Light Harmonic.
> 
> It is a Light Harmonic product, which is the flagship division, responsible for the Da Vinci DAC, Tesla amps and speakers, etc. The LH Labs is a crowd-funded division.
> 
> If you have proof that the designs are the same IP (instead of just confused speculation), please post exact information.



Of course they are. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't design cues or things learnt from working with Campfire Audio that might have been tweaked and put into this _Light Harmonic_ IEM.

I like the effort to push the Light Harmonic name now instead of LH Labs "division" due to all the negativity surrounding LH Labs.


----------



## oneguy

Anyone else notice that photos are all stock photos. Well I know at least 2 of the 3 definitely are recycled photos from months if not a year+ back. I don't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist but it is interesting...


----------



## rdsu

Do you know if we will have future driver updates?

Or now all of these is dead and buried?


----------



## tmaxx123

I hope so, I’m waiting on the dsd firmware for my pulse infinity.


----------



## rdsu

tmaxx123 said:


> I hope so, I’m waiting on the dsd firmware for my pulse infinity.


Unfortunately, all of us are waiting for something from LHLabs...


----------



## AxelCloris

We've removed some personal discussion from the thread. Please keep the discussion about LH Labs, Light Harmonic, and their products. This is not the place to discuss individuals.


----------



## hola

tmaxx123 said:


> I hope so, I’m waiting on the dsd firmware for my pulse infinity.



Of course firmware upgrade can work wonder, but if your unit is working fine, I would just use it as it is even if new firmware is available, given this is LH labs / Light Harmonics we are talking about. 

Just my two cents.


----------



## tmaxx123

hola said:


> Of course firmware upgrade can work wonder, but if your unit is working fine, I would just use it as it is even if new firmware is available, given this is LH labs / Light Harmonics we are talking about.
> 
> Just my two cents.



That’s actually a good point haha not a good time to brick a system, that’s for sure


----------



## pauldgroot

I've had my Pulse XFI sit in a box for the past year waiting for an update. It has a hard time getting recognized by any pc when turned on. Sometimes it doesn't get found at all, other times it is found but refuses to play anything with Windows throwing an error when trying to play a test sound and other times nothing is wrong. I've switched to an Audio-GD NFB28 2016 and would like to use the Pulse XFI as a DAC for my living room audio system but with it being so unreliable I just can't. I've posted a ticket about this issue asking for a firmware file to maybe restore it but it has been 7 months and no answer except:



> We will let our IT team know of the situation and they'll contact you back when more information is available.
> Jarek



I'm unable to use nor sell this unit in the state it's in and would love to fix it because the DAC section was very enjoyable and probably and upgrade over my Dragonfly Red currently in use in my living room setup.


----------



## hemtmaker

pauldgroot said:


> I've had my Pulse XFI sit in a box for the past year waiting for an update. It has a hard time getting recognized by any pc when turned on. Sometimes it doesn't get found at all, other times it is found but refuses to play anything with Windows throwing an error when trying to play a test sound and other times nothing is wrong. I've switched to an Audio-GD NFB28 2016 and would like to use the Pulse XFI as a DAC for my living room audio system but with it being so unreliable I just can't. I've posted a ticket about this issue asking for a firmware file to maybe restore it but it has been 7 months and no answer except:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm unable to use nor sell this unit in the state it's in and would love to fix it because the DAC section was very enjoyable and probably and upgrade over my Dragonfly Red currently in use in my living room setup.


Have you tried updating the firmware?


----------



## pauldgroot (Jun 14, 2018)

How am I able to when I can only get the updater files from LHL?



> *Why aren't the Pulse Firmwares available for my unit?.*
> 
> During each batch of Pulses, there is a firmware that is associated to this unit. During some batches we created a firmware that is solely for that batch and serial number.
> It is not recommended to change the firmware for these units. We will have updated firmware that can be associated to your unit's serial number. If you would like to check the status of your
> ...


----------



## hemtmaker

pauldgroot said:


> How am I able to when I can only get the updater files from LHL?


Have you try send a pm to stick limo?


----------



## pauldgroot

No, I will try this.


----------



## hemtmaker

Good luck!


----------



## Shawnb

pauldgroot said:


> it has been 7 months and no answer



Just a total disgrace.


----------



## pauldgroot

Shawnb said:


> Just a total disgrace.



Just to add, Jarek responded very promptly and sent me the firmware files to test. I will test if this solves my Pulse not getting recognized by Windows a lot of the times I power it up.


----------



## Mike-WI

Why isn't the firmware online and accessible to everyone?


----------



## bhazard

Mike-WI said:


> Why isn't the firmware online and accessible to everyone?



Different boards used per serial number set requiring different firmware. It should be posted regardless.

Some lucky person just got my Pulse X Infinity that I sold on ebay for a great price. It's a shame others still haven't gotten theirs at all.

I've given up on the Wave. No interest in it anymore. Goes right to veterans as a donation or selling it if I ever get mine.


----------



## pauldgroot

The firmware files I got are for all Pulse models and are version 2V0 dating April and September 2016. I assume no further work has been done on these since.


----------



## stuck limo

pauldgroot said:


> The firmware files I got are for all Pulse models and are version 2V0 dating April and September 2016. I assume no further work has been done on these since.



That is my 100% complete and total understanding.


----------



## greenkiwi

bhazard said:


> Some lucky person just got my Pulse X Infinity that I sold on ebay for a great price. It's a shame others still haven't gotten theirs at all.



I'd sell mine, but I'm worried that I'd feel bad because it would break or have an issue for the new buyer and they could never get it serviced 

The Infinity does sound good...


----------



## bhazard

greenkiwi said:


> I'd sell mine, but I'm worried that I'd feel bad because it would break or have an issue for the new buyer and they could never get it serviced
> 
> The Infinity does sound good...



Mine was already serviced, so it is probably better than the original delivered units.


----------



## snip3r77

greenkiwi said:


> I'd sell mine, but I'm worried that I'd feel bad because it would break or have an issue for the new buyer and they could never get it serviced
> 
> The Infinity does sound good...



Yes the dac portion is damn good less mqa support but the amp portion can be improved as it doesn't really sing with my LCD-X perhaps other headphones are better


----------



## hemtmaker

snip3r77 said:


> Yes the dac portion is damn good less mqa support but the amp portion can be improved as it doesn't really sing with my LCD-X perhaps other headphones are better


I agree. From my experience, it drives heKv2 well but so so for Ether flows


----------



## Maelob

I can't believe that my XFI is currently my oldest component, Ive change headphones, speakers, amps, and this DAC has been running steady on my IMAC. Ive been waiting for something to go wrong so I can dump it in the trash, but the sucker is still going.  It is a really good sounding product, but I feel bad for all the people that are still waiting or have gotten crappy support.


----------



## graham508

I'm enjoying my Chord Hugo 2 in lieu of a Pulse Infinity still on order from 2013. It is technologically more advanced and no doubt better sounding. Have put behind a bad chapter.


----------



## Roscoeiii

stuck limo said:


> The Campfire IEM and the LH Stella IEM are completely different products. The IEM you're linking to has been in development since 2016 and is an LH design, not a Campfire design. The Campfire IEM was a collaboration, meant to introduce the market to the idea of LH IEMs. Stella is a different design, made by Light Harmonic.
> 
> It is a Light Harmonic product, which is the flagship division, responsible for the Da Vinci DAC, Tesla amps and speakers, etc. The LH Labs is a crowd-funded division.
> 
> If you have proof that the designs are the same IP (instead of just confused speculation), please post exact information.



Does the below public comment (posted on another audio site) by Ken Ball at Campfire count as proof? 

_Hi all,

I was going to let all this go but the whole thing just keeps burning and making me angry. I was really trying to let it go but, ugg.

So yeah, I will tell you my take here folks... First, flat out it is a total rip off, in fact even down to the promotional materials, use of the night sky background and fonts wording etc...Some time ago we sent LH Labs ONE DD BA hybrid sample for him to try out during our brief period of communication as we were going to do some collaboration. After we split due to reasons that are too much for this post (but would also make people pretty pissed) the one sample was never returned, despite us asking LH Labs repeatedly to return the sample. LH Labs asked us to continue the collaboration (supply LH Labs with the cobranded IEMs) we declined. Fast forward several months later and LH Labs announces the "Stella". Which remarkably is a DD BA hybrid with a "rectangle" "Hexagonal Acoustic Chamber" or (HBCC). Clearly LH Labs did a tear down and copied the one sample I had sent them. For LH rip off our design and to charge $1500+ for copied IP is pretty scummy, low life, bad taste and should be an insult to anyone who enjoys this hobby.

I urge the moderators not to delete my post please, everything I state here is 100% true and should be known for the sake of the customers (you) Of course you can decide for yourself here but honestly, lets pull up the history and known shenanigans of LH.

Ken_


----------



## hola

tmaxx123 said:


> That’s actually a good point haha not a good time to brick a system, that’s for sure



Or perhaps no one needs to worry. As @stuck limo stated over five times in the past three days at IGN, "LH labs still exists". 

Very reassuring thing to hear, I'd say.


----------



## Mike-WI (Jun 18, 2018)

Roscoeiii said:


> Does the below public comment (posted on another audio site) by Ken Ball at Campfire count as proof?
> 
> _Hi all,
> 
> ...


Interesting. I was just researching Campfire Audio today as I was getting antsy waiting for the iBasso IT04.
(Looks like the Orion's are backordered)

Seems like a pattern of behavior.

Mike


----------



## ufospls2

Stolen from reddit because I laughed way too hard. Full props to the creator.


----------



## alphanumerix1 (Jun 18, 2018)

stuck limo said:


> The Campfire IEM and the LH Stella IEM are completely different products. The IEM you're linking to has been in development since 2016 and is an LH design, not a Campfire design. The Campfire IEM was a collaboration, meant to introduce the market to the idea of LH IEMs. Stella is a different design, made by Light Harmonic.
> 
> It is a Light Harmonic product, which is the flagship division, responsible for the Da Vinci DAC, Tesla amps and speakers, etc. The LH Labs is a crowd-funded division.
> 
> If you have proof that the designs are the same IP (instead of just confused speculation), please post exact information.



Right...

"_HI all,

I was going to let all this go but the whole thing just keeps burning and making me angry. I was really trying to let it go but, ugg.

So yeah, I will tell you my take here folks... First, flat out it is a total rip off, in fact even down to the promotional materials, use of the night sky background and fonts wording etc...Some time ago we sent LH Labs ONE DD BA hybrid sample for him to try out during our brief period of communication as we were going to do some collaboration. After we split due to reasons that are too much for this post (but would also make people pretty pissed) the one sample was never returned, despite us asking LH Labs repeatedly to return the sample. LH Labs asked us to continue the collaboration (supply LH Labs with the cobranded IEMs) we declined. Fast forward several months later and LH Labs announces the "Stella". Which remarkably is a DD BA hybrid with a "rectangle" "Hexagonal Acoustic Chamber" or (HBCC). Clearly LH Labs did a tear down and copied the one sample I had sent them. For LH rip off our design and to charge $1500+ for copied IP is pretty scummy, low life, bad taste and should be an insult to anyone who enjoys this hobby.

I urge the moderators not to delete my post please, everything I state here is 100% true and should be known for the sake of the customers (you) Of course you can decide for yourself here but honestly, lets pull up the history and known shenanigans of LH.

Ken_"


----------



## rschoi75 (Jun 19, 2018)

How on earth is a dumpster fire of a company like Light Harmonics still in business?

The blatant box art rip off is hilarious.


----------



## hola

The man himself has spoekn. 

@KB just commented on the other saga LH labs' thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/light-harmonic-geek-wave.713829/page-300#post-14313367


----------



## stuck limo

Hi everyone, here is our official response to Ken's post: 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/light-harmonic-geek-wave.713829/page-300#post-14313952


----------



## Laseng (Jun 25, 2018)

Has anyone received any LPS lately?
The production of a lot of new LPS is well done now?

What happens to Pulse Infinity?
We never knew why they suddenly stopped the production of Pulse Infinity in April.
Was it again problems with the production of the PCB board?
When will they start production of the PCB board again?


Today, it's a year since I opened a ticket about fault with two Geek out v2.
LH Labs says they do not have the time to fix the fault.

Now I have bought a Topping NX4 DSD while I wait.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Good luck with that.


----------



## graham508

Laseng said:


> Has anyone received any LPS lately?
> The production of a lot of new LPS is well done now?
> 
> What happens to Pulse Infinity?
> ...


stuck limo, can you please update us on these - holdups in production and expected delivery dates?


----------



## Drsparis

Lol seriously? expected delivery dates? There are just going to be "issues with the PCB" again... same thing I have been waiting for like 4 years lol, seriously, don't get my hopes up lol.


----------



## Nando1970 (Jul 15, 2018)

My Geek Pulse has suddenly stopped being recognized by Windows10 (USB) and also doesn't play from the TOSLINK input.
It has been there for years, working from USB + TOSLINK without a glitch and now just died...
Screen is ok, it is responsive to the knob, but firmware appears to be 0.0
anything I could try?


----------



## greenkiwi

Pray


----------



## jaywhar

you've dealt with LHLabs - I assume you're used to disappointment



Nando1970 said:


> My Geek Pulse has suddenly stopped being recognized by Windows10 (USB) and also doesn't play from the TOSLINK input.
> It has been there for years, working from USB + TOSLINK without a glitch and now just died...
> Screen is ok, it is responsive to the knob, but firmware appears to be 0.0
> anything I could try?


----------



## snip3r77

Nando1970 said:


> My Geek Pulse has suddenly stopped being recognized by Windows10 (USB) and also doesn't play from the TOSLINK input.
> It has been there for years, working from USB + TOSLINK without a glitch and now just died...
> Screen is ok, it is responsive to the knob, but firmware appears to be 0.0
> anything I could try?


You may need to update the Drivers


----------



## Hercules

Nando1970 said:


> My Geek Pulse has suddenly stopped being recognized by Windows10 (USB) and also doesn't play from the TOSLINK input.
> It has been there for years, working from USB + TOSLINK without a glitch and now just died...
> Screen is ok, it is responsive to the knob, but firmware appears to be 0.0
> anything I could try?



Firmware corrupted so Main FW version became 0.0

Try power cycle a few times, no harm to try.


----------



## mandrake50

Re-flash the firmware (if you have it)? Or see if you can get them to send you the latest firmware for your particular unit?


----------



## Nando1970

Thank you for all the suggestions.

I tried few on/off: will try a couple of more prolonged power-cycle, disconnectiong power for up to 1 day.

As for update drivers: mmm... Windows 10 should support Geek Pulse natively. I had drivers for Windows 7, never installed a driver for windows 10. Moreover, I don't think it can be a driver problem: it was working and now it is not recognized as USB peripheral, not even by other PCs

Re-flash the firmware: how can I do that? Can it be performed even without USB connection?

LHLabs: waiting for their feedback...

I might be looking for a new DAC/AMP: TEAC 503 looks interesting...


----------



## bernardperu

Nando1970 said:


> Thank you for all the suggestions.
> 
> 
> 
> LHLabs: waiting for their feedback...




I would suggest that everyone who has a warranty issue with LH Labs contacts LH Labs. I believe that at some point we will need their unanswered contact forms, so we can get our money back or our products. A case against them has to be built up. A lawsuit is a no-go, but an agency such as the FBI might help.


----------



## Mike-WI

bernardperu said:


> I would suggest that everyone who has a warranty issue with LH Labs contacts LH Labs. I believe that at some point we will need their unanswered contact forms, so we can get our money back or our products. A case against them has to be built up. A lawsuit is a no-go, but an agency such as the FBI might help.


Why do you say a lawsuit is a no go?


----------



## bernardperu

Mike-WI said:


> Why do you say a lawsuit is a no go?



Because it is too expensive. No lawyer will take us unless we pay for the entire bill, which will be in the range of 200K-400K USD$  (I have been there, trust me).

The FBI will do it for free and force them to comply (or else, LH will have to do the time). Put yourself in the shoes of LH. Which one would you prefer if you were LH?


----------



## Mike-WI

bernardperu said:


> Because it is too expensive. No lawyer will take us unless we pay for the entire bill, which will be in the range of 200K-400K USD$  (I have been there, trust me).
> 
> The FBI will do it for free and force them to comply (or else, LH will have to do the time). Put yourself in the shoes of LH. Which one would you prefer if you were LH?


Thanks for clarifying that it would be pragmatically difficult, but not impossible.
Mike


----------



## bernardperu

Mike-WI said:


> Thanks for clarifying that it would be pragmatically difficult, but not impossible.
> Mike



Why a lawsuit if the Federal Authorities can take care of the issue for free?


----------



## m17xr2b

Yeah, so for example when they happily took 500$ or so extra from me a year later when I foolishly upgraded from the X to infinity and Gina told me it would ship in like two months. Nothing shipped since so did you knowingly take my money when you knew it was over? Did you instruct Gina to do so on extra money incoming from outside the campaign? What about when you would have taken 1K extra for the Vi upgrade? I haven't heard of a Vi shipped in quite a good while...Speculation of course.


----------



## bernardperu

I believe the following facts should be observed:

1) LH Labs has raised approximately 6 million dollars of our money.
2) LH Labs refuses to provide deadlines of delivery.
3) LH Labs refuses to provide refunds (even to those who would settle just for a portion of their initial investment).
4) LH Labs refuses to provide updates on % of delivered items for all products (5-8 in total), except for the Pulse which they claim has a 94% successful delivery rate. 
5) Most backers have not received their items and most items have not been delivered.
6) Larry Ho is the Director of the company that has his initials. 
7) Larry Ho aims on staying in the audio industry. 

And, stunningly: 

8) Geek Pulse raised 3090% of their original goal. So 31 times over what they needed to actually develop and deliver the Geeks.

How naive can we be?


----------



## jaywhar

for those that missed it... there's an update on the indiegogo page.

well... not an 'Update', rather a comment - which means that no-one gets a notification email.



> We will resume the PCB production of remaining units on the first week of Aug. So if everything goes smoothly as planned from PCB factory, we will have the board ready by the end of Aug. Then we can start the assembly process of the Pulse DAC and start shipping.


----------



## m17xr2b

Apr 15, 2018 at 9:36 AM


stuck limo said:


> We just confirmed the PCB factory is in the final stages of production. We expect to get the boards within the next 15 working days for assembly.


----------



## stuck limo

jaywhar said:


> for those that missed it... there's an update on the indiegogo page.
> 
> well... not an 'Update', rather a comment - which means that no-one gets a notification email.



Wasn't going to blast that out until I get confirmation 100% that we have those boards.


----------



## MikeyFresh

jaywhar said:


> well... not an 'Update', rather a comment - which means that no-one gets a notification email.



In other words, yet another lame BS story, just like all the rest.


----------



## Roll

m17xr2b said:


> Apr 15, 2018 at 9:36 AM



Great news. Or am I dreaming it is April 1st?


----------



## alphanumerix1

why people still deal with this company is beyond me.


----------



## snip3r77

alphanumerix1 said:


> why people still deal with this company is beyond me.



Those that are dealing is because of the crowdfunding. I got my XFI 4 years ago. So far so good


----------



## hemtmaker

I was extremely lucky. When they asked if people wanted to have v1 chassis instead of waiting for v2. I put my hands up and got the pulse infinity and lps. It did have trouble later on but they replaced the motherboard for me and even paid for shipping both ways. It has been rock solid since. I feel really sorry for backers who are still stuck in there...... come on LH labs, get your acts together!


----------



## snip3r77

hemtmaker said:


> I was extremely lucky. When they asked if people wanted to have v1 chassis instead of waiting for v2. I put my hands up and got the pulse infinity and lps. It did have trouble later on but they replaced the motherboard for me and even paid for shipping both ways. It has been rock solid since. I feel really sorry for backers who are still stuck in there...... come on LH labs, get your acts together!



I was in the same batch as you. Went for the v1 casing


----------



## Roll

Man, I hope this get produce and send out...and not delay for what ever the new reason, such as new firmware to play Tidal MQA


----------



## Maelob

Bye bye LH Labs just traded my XFI. It performed great for the last 4 years but it’s was time. Stil waiting on the power amps and Wave- who knows if they will ever get delivered


----------



## FayeForever

Oh man, I still visit this thread from time to time to see if there are any firmware updates to improve the reliability.


----------



## Drsparis

Oh man, I still visit this thread from time to time to see if there are any updates to improve the I-don't-have-my-pulse-yet.


----------



## graham508

m17xr2b said:


> Apr 15, 2018 at 9:36 AM


So wow, not sure if I can hold my breath...


----------



## m17xr2b

stuck limo said:


> Wasn't going to blast that out until I get confirmation 100% that we have those boards.


15 working days have passed.


----------



## m17xr2b

Can I inquire at least what happened to the boards?


----------



## jsiegel14072

you mean these boards?

posted by LH Labs Apr 4, 2017 • 2:37AM
over 1 year ago
Dear Pulse Backers,

Two good updates here. And we are very happy to share that with you.

(1) The remaining Infinity version of Pulse DAC PCB Assembly is almost done. Sorry that it is 2 weeks late than our original schedule. But we are seeing it coming soon. And we will start the full speed test

(2)* All chassis and other components are the double check in house. So after PCBA, we will assemble the chassis and rest of the stuf*f. 

(3) We really appreciate your patience. So all the new ship out units will include the latest *ZERO acoustic noise capacitors *on headphone analog output stage. Also we include the enhance precision *MELF* resistors in analog path too which definitely will make your Infinity better. 

(4) We continue the best effort to make your Pulse DAC sound even better. After we complete the firmware update for Vi DAC. We expect to have the newer version of firmware on May. Which include the new algorithm for digital filter/modes (we call it version 2.0)

Final words, if you haven't updated your shipping address. Please do so in next two weeks and till now we still have around 1% of "wrong shipping address" especially on international ship outs. We truly hope we could let the long waiting backers get the units without any unnecessary delays.

We commit to continue support all Pulse DAC units to make it sound at its best! 

Thank you

Or these boards


*Pulse Update Status - 11/23/2017*
Modified on: Thu, 23 Nov, 2017 at 3:41 AM

1. We have the factory who is building Da Vinci boards working on the Pulse boards. The same quality Da Vinci owners are used to will come directly installed in your Pulse. 


2. The orders have been sent to the factory. We are just waiting on the production schedule to open up. We have the components all gathered and ready to go at the factory. They will begin production right after after the Da Vinci boards are done (which are next in line). 


3. *Literally everything else involved in the chassis/packaging/shipping/etc. is ready to go. There are no expected delays. We just need the boards. *


We'll update more when it's available. Gobble gobble! 


which turned into:


*Pulse Production Update 2/10/18*
Modified on: Sat, 10 Feb, 2018 at 4:16 AM

We expect the Pulse boards to begin production the third week of February. We will run a batch of 50. The lead time for the factory building the boards is 15 days. Shipping is about 5 days to Roseville. Once we receive them back from the factory, we approximate 30 days to build, and then we will begin shipping. So recap:


Mfg: Da Vinci board factory

Production: 3rd week February

Run #: 50

Run time: 15 days

Shipping to LH: 5 days

Build time: 30 days (approximately)


We will make an announcement when we actually start production. We'll continue building the Pulses until everyone has their units. We have delivered about 94%. We have about 130 (approximately) left to deliver. After this initial run of 50, we'll build, ship, regroup and double check our order numbers and make preparations to start the next batch. We'll update you when we have more information over the second batch starting. We have no exact dates or timelines on the time between runs at this point. 


We've had a lot of questions over why the production was stopped, and the quality control. Here is the answer:


We had a problem with the previous PCB manufacturer we used in the States. The soldering was a main issue for a lot of the boards; it would fail. So we stopped using that manufacturer. 


The new manufacturer is the Da Vinci PCB factory (our flagship DAC) so the quality control on the board work will be much tighter and better. The previous issues we had with boards and firmware are fully expected to be fixed on these next runs.


When we have more information, we'll update everyone again!


Jarek



But Don't worry we will be kept informed
posted by LH Labs Sep 10, 2017 • 12:41AM
11 months ago
Hi everyone,

I'm Jarek and I'm the newest member of the Customer Service / Communication team. I have 10 years of Customer Service oriented background, and I'm eager to help out here.

I'm an LH Labs fan and I've got several of their Geek Out products. Larry asked for someone who was well versed in communication and so I volunteered my time and he excitedly accepted. I do live in the midwest and so I'll be helping out remotely in CST. I'm here to help you guys and grease the flow of communication.

I'm well aware of the issues facing the communication aspect between LH and the community. I'm also aware of the Customer Service issues the community has spoken up about. I've addressed at length with Larry the situation, and I'm hopeful we can build ways to help restore confidence in this company and help bring a sense of relief and confidence to the community.

We are exploring options to provide better channels of customer communication. We're also looking to revamp our activity and participation on our Facebook and the LH Forums. I am fully aware that efforts in the past to direct communication to these avenues have not been met with very much success. We hope to change that immediately, and we hope you give us the opportunity to show we're serious. We are going to actively monitor (and respond!) to our Facebook page and our forum. Hopefully in the future we can speak to you guys in other, more immediate ways as well!

Larry and I are going to work extremely hard on timely, accurate updates. We realize how important they are and that you placed your trust in us to deliver a product. You deserve to know what is happening with your money. We hope to be timely and are looking at simplifying the updates as well instead of doing targeted emails (we understand the complaints). Our goal for each is below:

Geek Wave: Bi-weekly (Sundays)

*Geek Pulse: Monthly (date tbd)*

Vi Dac: Monthly (date tbd)

Geek Source: Monthly (date tbd)

Pulse Analog: Monthly (date tbd)

Please note: there are some theories floating around that the new monthly updates coming from LH Labs are only due to new IGG rules. This isn't true – this was in the works right after I came on board, before the new IGG rules were unveiled. As long as I was employed, this was going to happen regardless. We are actively working on making this project better because we want to and it's what the backers deserve and are demanding. Obviously, we also welcome the new IGG rules for us and all campaigns on the platform.  (next post)

" ng-if="truncated">
Hi everyone,

I'm Jarek and I'm the newest member of the Customer Service / Communication team. I have 10 years of Customer Service oriented background, and I'm eager to help out here.

I'm an LH Labs fan and I've got several of their Geek Out products. Larry asked for someone who was well versed in communication and so I volunteered my time and he excitedly accepted. I do live in the midwest and so I'll be helping out remotely in CST. I'm here to help you guys and grease the flow of communication.

I'm well aware of the issues facing the communication aspect between LH and the community. I'm also aware of the Customer Service issues the community has spoken up about. I've addressed at length with Larry the situation, and I'm hopeful we can build ways to help restore confidence in this company and help bring a sense of relief and confidence to the community.

We are exploring options to provide better channels of customer communication. We're also looking to revamp our activity and participation on our Facebook and the LH Forums. I am fully aware that efforts in the past to direct communication to these avenues have not been met with very much success. We hope to change that immediately, and we hope you give us the opportunity to show we're serious. We are going to actively monitor (and respond!) to our Facebook page and our forum. Hopefully in the future we can speak to you guys in other, more immediate ways as well!

Larry and I are going to work extremely hard on timely, accurate updates. We realize how important they are and that you placed your trust in us to deliver a product. You deserve to know what is happening with your money. We hope to be timely and are looking at simplifying the updates as well instead of doing targeted emails (we understand the complaints). Our goal for each is below:

Geek Wave: Bi-weekly (Sundays)

Geek Pulse: Monthly (date tbd)

Vi Dac: Monthly (date tbd)

Geek Source: Monthly (date tbd)

Pulse Analog: Monthly (date tbd)

Please note: there are some theories floating around that the new monthly updates coming from LH Labs are only due to new IGG rules. This isn't true – this was in the works right after I came on board, before the new IGG rules were unveiled. As long as I was employed, this was going to happen regardless. We are actively working on making this project better because we want to and it's what the backers deserve and are demanding. Obviously, we also welcome the new IGG rules for us and all campaigns on the platform.  (next post)


----------



## Shawnb

How many of those 50 boards went out?


----------



## graham508

Well I didn't get mine.


----------



## MikeyFresh

Shawnb said:


> How many of those 50 boards went out?



Seeing as those 50 boards were very likely imaginary/fictitious, probably none, and that would be par for the course over the last 3+ years time.


----------



## m17xr2b

I'd still like to know how long has this been going on.


----------



## graham508

Any word Jarek?


----------



## Juffa (Aug 28, 2018)

Hi All,

Does anyone here have a LPS4?  I'm trying to confirm that jumper / pin configuration needed to convert the LPS4 from 110-130v to 220-240v.  Note that the PCB board design changed around April 2015.  I have attached some photos of my LPS4 for reference.

Thanks
Jeff.


----------



## Shawnb

Are Pulses & Vi Dac's even being shipped out or is it a complete standstill now? When was the last time ANYTHING even went out..... Confirmed by someone here and not a parrot of the latest lie.


----------



## m17xr2b

A couple of years I would guess since no one on the other forums reported getting their gear like Wave,Source and let's not forget the amp stuff. Most likely they put their remaining eggs in the regen stuff which went belly up soon after and their source pro or whatever it was.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Aug 28, 2018)

Juffa said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Does anyone here have a LPS4?  I'm trying to confirm that jumper / pin configuration needed to convert the LPS4 from 110-130v to 220-240v.  Note that the PCB board design changed around April 2015.  I have attached some photos of my LPS4 for reference.
> 
> ...



There was a video but could not find it anymore.

This was a snapshot from the old forum.


----------



## alphanumerix1

Garbage company.


----------



## Mike-WI

(also posted in LHL Wave thread)
Food for thought...

Well, I finally googled this.
This would be a reason to continue saying something is available in 4-6 weeks and repeating that...
(I'm not a lawyer and am not aware of prior litigation in the crowdfunding space)


*California Contract Law Statute of Limitations*
_by Grygor Scott_
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/california-contract-law-statute-limitations-15480.html

California law requires a plaintiff to file a lawsuit arising from a contract within a certain period after a defendant's alleged breach of contract or other occurrence that establishes the basis of the plaintiff's lawsuit. One defense available to defendants in a contract case is to show that the statute of limitations has expired, which bars the plaintiff from filing the lawsuit. California statutes specify the statute of limitations periods for contract-related lawsuits.

*Statute of Limitations*
Nolo's Plain-English Law Dictionary defines a statute of limitations as the "legally prescribed time limit in which a lawsuit must be filed." Legislatures establish time limits for initiating lawsuits primarily because evidence becomes less trustworthy as time passes. California attorney Ralph Warner observes, "memories fade, witnesses die or move away, and once clear details become blurred." California and other states have a public interest in ensuring fair trials, and a statute of limitations for contract lawsuits supports that goal.

*Oral Contracts*
Section 339 of California's Code of Civil Procedure establishes a two-year statute of limitations for oral contracts. It requires a plaintiff to file a lawsuit within two years of the alleged breach, or similar event, of an oral contract. California courts will enforce an oral contract unless a statute requires it to be a written contract. For example, Section 7159 of California's Business & Professional Code requires home-improvement contracts between an owner and a contractor to be in writing. Proving the terms of an oral contract at trial, however, typically requires witnesses or other compelling evidence.

*Written Contracts*
Section 337 of California's Code of Civil Procedure establishes a four-year statute of limitations for most written contracts. It requires a plaintiff to file a lawsuit within four years of the alleged breach, or similar event, of a written contract. This section, however, specifies that a two-year statute of limitations applies to certain written contracts involving real-estate titles and title insurance.

*Tolling*
Even if the California statute of limitations appears to have expired, certain circumstances suspend, or toll, it for a period. If one of the parties has been in prison, Section 352.1 California's Code of Civil Procedure suspends the statute of limitations up to two years. California law also suspends the statute of limitations if a party leaves the state or is a minor. Courts will also suspend the statute of limitations in rare circumstances if suspension is required to ensure justice in the case.

*Contracts Stipulating a Statute of Limitations*
California courts allow contracting parties to include a term in the contract that shortens the state's statutory statute of limitations period. California attorneys Allyssa J. Holcomb and Henry R. Stiepel assert, "any provision shortening a statute of limitations ... is valid if it is reasonable---i.e., the shortened period still provides sufficient time to effectively pursue a judicial remedy."


----------



## Juffa

Thanks Mickey.
Unfortunately those instructions for changing the voltage settings don't apply to iteration of the LPS4 that I have. The earlier LPS units only had two sets of pins. 1 x 110-130v and 1 x  220-240v. Whereas mine has 4 x 110-120v and 2 x 220-240v 

Jeff


----------



## m17xr2b

oooo, so when did the campaigns end? What is T time?


----------



## Mike-WI

m17xr2b said:


> oooo, so when did the campaigns end? What is T time?


I'm not sure.
I would love to see a linear timeline for each product.
I'm sure LH Labs knows very well.
However, as noted above:
(bold added)
"Even if the California statute of limitations *appears to have expired*, certain circumstances suspend, or toll, it for a period...Courts will also *suspend the statute of limitations in rare circumstances if suspension is required to ensure justice in the case*."


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Sorry Bro, but IDK if they still exist. Have asked support? 



Juffa said:


> Thanks Mickey.
> Unfortunately those instructions for changing the voltage settings don't apply to iteration of the LPS4 that I have. The earlier LPS units only had two sets of pins. 1 x 110-130v and 1 x  220-240v. Whereas mine has 4 x 110-120v and 2 x 220-240v
> 
> Jeff


----------



## Juffa

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Sorry Bro, but IDK if they still exist. Have asked support?


no worries.  Have reached out to LH Labs support but no response, and based on the general information in this thread, that is not unexpected. 

Jeff.


----------



## ssshhh

Juffa said:


> Thanks Mickey.
> Unfortunately those instructions for changing the voltage settings don't apply to iteration of the LPS4 that I have. The earlier LPS units only had two sets of pins. 1 x 110-130v and 1 x  220-240v. Whereas mine has 4 x 110-120v and 2 x 220-240v
> 
> Jeff



Hi Juffa,
the guide posted by Mickey is valid for your LPS4.

I have the same LPS4 as you. I received it configured for Europe because i was living in Italy at that time, with just one jumper per transformer inserted in the 220V sockets. Basically you need to remove all the 4 jumpers and then insert just 2 of them in the sockets 220V1 and 220V2. Please note that i received mine LPS4 configured by LHLabs in this way but i never plugged and tested it in Europe.

I'm actually worried how i'm using the LPS now in the US because i moved the jumpers from the sockets 220V1 and 220V2 and put them in 110V1 and 110V4 (i received only 2 jumpers). Luckily i only connected the Geek Pulse on the output 1 only and nothing else, otherwise, i understand from your photos, i would have probably caused serious damages to other electronics connected to the other outputs. Is there anybody that lives in the US that can confirm that the LPS4 is configured with 4 jumpers?


----------



## Juffa

ssshhh said:


> I have the same LPS4 as you. I received it configured for Europe because i was living in Italy at that time, with just one jumper per transformer inserted in the 220V sockets. Basically you need to remove all the 4 jumpers and then insert just 2 of them in the sockets 220V1 and 220V2. Please note that i received mine LPS4 configured by LHLabs in this way but i never plugged and tested it in Europe.



Thanks for the Information ssshhh.  I have a work colleague that used to work as an electrical engineer.  I gave him my LPS4 before I saw your update,  He is going to confirm for me,

Jeff.


----------



## Juffa (Aug 29, 2018)

ssshhh said:


> I'm actually worried how i'm using the LPS now in the US because i moved the jumpers from the sockets 220V1 and 220V2 and put them in 110V1 and 110V4 (i received only 2 jumpers). Luckily i only connected the Geek Pulse on the output 1 only and nothing else, otherwise, i understand from your photos, i would have probably caused serious damages to other electronics connected to the other outputs. Is there anybody that lives in the US that can confirm that the LPS4 is configured with 4 jumpers?



I can confirm that the US LPS4 is configured with 4 jumpers. You should be able to buy some online.

Jeff.


----------



## snip3r77

I might be moving to Mac OS, can the geek be detected by a Mac? Thanks


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yes, plug and play without any drivers.


----------



## Roll

Pulse Board Update 9/5/18:

https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000054665-pulse-board-update-9-5-18

These PCBs should have been done by the end of last month. Currently, our PCBA factory has 80% of the components and empty boards. They are still waiting for us to send the rest of components. 
Unfortunately, we need some more time to buy these components. After they receive all components, they can finish all the boards up in 25 working days. The boards will be finished in one shot. 

As mentioned, due to the nature of crowdfunding and production costs associated with these campaigns, much of our cash flow to finish these projects comes from our parent company, Light Harmonic. Light Harmonic pushes cash flow to LH Labs whenever possible. 
At this point, we have no exact date on when the rest of the boards will be completed, but we are working on obtaining funding to complete the campaign. We'll update you whenever possible over developments.


----------



## Shawnb

So more excuses as to why they crap the bed again. 

I guess that answers my question if DaVinci DAC buyers are waiting and of course they’re not. 
Can’t even afford to buy the components to make 5 beta boards, that explains so much....

Just declare bankruptcy already and end this farce. We’re NEVER seeing anything.


----------



## Mike-WI

I don't understand this:
Pulse Board Update 9/5/18:
https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000054665-pulse-board-update-9-5-18

"...our parent company, Light Harmonic. Light Harmonic pushes cash flow to LH Labs whenever possible."

I thought they were trying to say they were two separate companies and now blaming the "parent company" -- which is of course the same people.


----------



## m17xr2b

A picture is worth a thousand words. There must be a whole heap of pulse 2.0 chassis waiting for these boards. Or are those not ready either? Pics or it didn't happen.


----------



## Shawnb

Mike-WI said:


> I don't understand this:
> Pulse Board Update 9/5/18:
> https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000054665-pulse-board-update-9-5-18
> 
> ...



The lie.... I mean story changes depending on who they're telling it to. When you tell so many lies it's hard to keep track so you end up contradicting yourself.


----------



## jaywhar

I think it's a pretty transparent attempt to keep people hanging on and hoping for eventual delivery while being very deliberate in not saying in any way that Light Harmonic is actually obligated to provide the money.

Any investors are only interested in Light Harmonic - the carrying value of LHLabs is less than nothing - so they're going to make sure that Light Harmonic has no official debt to backers.


----------



## Maelob

Who in their right mind would buy a Light Harmonic whatever at this point? Unless they come from another planet off course.


----------



## spyder1

*ACCOUNTABILITY:* the quality or state of being accountable; _especially_ : an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions. (Merriam-Webster)
Light Harmonic, LH Labs, Larry Ho & Team lacking accountability.


----------



## Mike-WI

In crowdfunded money squandering news...

Sep 7, 2018

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...lure-damico?bftwnews&utm_term=4ldqpgc#4ldqpgc

"...police have searched the home of Kate McClure and Mark D'Amico, the couple behind the GoFundMe campaign who have been accused of squandering the money."


----------



## spyder1 (Sep 7, 2018)

IMO, the Tesla S, Di Vinci DAC2's, Tesla Speaker Systems, on list for seizure.

100's of updates, years waiting w/o factual explanations, and Light Harmonic is working on Tesla Model X, AMP and Speaker systems. Where is accountability?


----------



## graham508 (Sep 7, 2018)

This has been the most depressing episode in my hi-fi life.
A crook company has taken my money and same for dozens of others.
Shame on them.


----------



## Narayan23

graham508 said:


> This has been the most depressing episode in my hi-fi life.
> A crook company has taken my money and same for dozens of others.
> Shame on them.



I´m one of the lucky guys who got his Pulse XFI, but I keep coming back here in hope of being able to read the good news that you guys are finally receiving what you payed for such a long time ago. It really is heartbreaking to read posts like yours, is there really nothing that can be done about this?


----------



## Maelob

That's one of the negative aspects of Indiegogo, no accountability since it is all "contributions", they dont have to deliver anything . I think LH is done, I would take a miracle to get them out of the whole that they dig themselves into.


----------



## bernardperu

Maelob said:


> That's one of the negative aspects of Indiegogo, no accountability since it is all "contributions", they dont have to deliver anything . I think LH is done, I would take a miracle to get them out of the whole that they dig themselves into.



I dont think LH is done. He is still in Asia marketing and selling. I believe the reviews of their awful business ethics are not loud enough and, furthermore, these poor reviews have not properly reached the Asian market.

It is a big world and Mr. LH knows it (not to mention that the USD$6 Million he got from us will last him a few years.

If we wish to protect future customers of LH, we have to spread the word on LH more and in more languages.


----------



## Laseng (Sep 9, 2018)

I think all the updates we've got in the last 2.5 years are untrue.
LH Labs can wait until nobody wants their Pulse, they know Indiegogo will not do anything to help us.

Stuck limos post below may indicate they are trying to wait us out.





Already now I wonder if I want to pay over $ 300 in VAT and customs for a Pulse Infinity.
How many are willing to pay VAT and customs for a Pulse Infinity in a couple of years?

LH Labs have problem with delivery on all of their Indiegogo backed products.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-wave-a-no-compromise-portable-music-player#/comments
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pulse-analog-audio-components-headphones#/comments
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-source-the-ultimate-hd-music-server#/comments
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/vi-dac-ultra-high-end-dac-with-unique-design#/comments
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/geek-pulse-dac-high-rez-desktop-dac-system#/comments


----------



## spyder1

bernardperu said:


> I dont think LH is done. He is still in Asia marketing and selling. I believe the reviews of their awful business ethics are not loud enough and, furthermore, these poor reviews have not properly reached the Asian market.
> 
> It is a big world and Mr. LH knows it (not to mention that the USD$6 Million he got from us will last him a few years.
> 
> If we wish to protect future customers of LH, we have to spread the word on LH more and in more languages.



Bernard, looking back 4+ years, do you believe that it was LH'S intent to SHAFT Indiegogo backers, and fund sales and marketing of products in Asian countries?


----------



## m17xr2b

I for one don't think that it was their intention to scam everyone but I'm sure it went belly up a bit over a year later. My guess is they've been stringing us along from 2015.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Sep 10, 2018)

They over stretched their product matrix (inspite of our pleadings). Multiple and overlapping campaigns, problems on IGG data, product quality etc. At the end, they just couldn't handle the volume and all that goes with it (dev, prod, logistics, support etc.).

I think after the success of Geek Out and and during middle of the sensational campaign of the Geek Pulse, they just got overly greedy and optimistic (Gavin and Casey). For a small company that is, they thought that they could just design and outsource everything to some electronic manufacturer period. I too sensed red flags at the middle of 2015: when there were delays on the Geek Pulse, personnel changes, were asking if we were contended with the old casings. What @m17xr2b had noted. But had still hopes that time. And plus there's Larry's perfectionism on mix.

At the end, it's one great balls of fire.


----------



## spyder1

LH Labs, and Larry Ho had no right to be crowdfunding in the first place. Multiple campaigns, millions of dollars flowing in, and no idea of how to begin (design and production). 100's of updates, 4+ years waiting, and no delivery dates. Larry Ho as owner and president of Light Harmonic, and LH Labs is responsible for everything.  Look at Light Harmonic developing Tesla Auto Speaker Systems, "Elon Musk," is CEO of Tesla. Enough Said.


----------



## Mike-WI

From Facebook *Light Harmonic:*
"Light Harmonic has a new office space! We've relocated to Rocklin, CA, just a short drive away from the original Roseville location"


----------



## spyder1

Mike-WI said:


> From Facebook *Light Harmonic:*
> "Light Harmonic has a new office space! We've relocated to Rocklin, CA, just a short drive away from the original Roseville location"



Is it 3 or 4 times Light Harmonic moved offices in 4+ years?


----------



## Mike-WI

spyder1 said:


> Is it 3 or 4 times Light Harmonic moved offices in 4+ years?


I'm trying to recall how many times they changed customer databases for "improvement" aka hiding.


----------



## graham508

Stuck Limo's absence from this thread spells doom, pretty much the end of this whole godforsaken story. 
He used to give us updates and assurances. Alas no more.


----------



## Mike-WI

graham508 said:


> Stuck Limo's absence from this thread spells doom, pretty much the end of this whole godforsaken story.
> He used to give us updates and assurances. Alas no more.


Likely perception about statute of limitations in CA moe than anything.


----------



## stuck limo (Sep 20, 2018)

Mike-WI said:


> Likely perception about statute of limitations in CA moe than anything.



No. 

In truth, there's nothing really to report and anything that can be reported has been reported in the IGG updates, which are usually discussed at length here. If I had anything to report to you guys, I would. In truth, I'm always around, but without anything to report, I'm really unsure what to say at this point. And usually anything we do report, people badmouth us for or don't believe us, generally speaking. So.....I do my best to keep you guys in the loop. Things are still happening, albeit very very slowly.


----------



## Juffa

hey all,

I have a Pulse X-Fi, with LPS.  I bought it BNIB from someone that had been part of the original funding program. 

I am having an issue that I hope you can assist with.  If I run the Pulse off a CD player using toslink connection, or off my desktop PC using USB connection I find that the output sound from the pulse dies after 20 to 40 seconds.  I have to boot the pulse to get the sound back, but it dies again shortly after.  I have upgraded the firmware to v2, which made no difference.  I have used the wall wart Power supply and the LPS, which made no difference. 

In the  past week I attached the Pulse to my company laptop via USB, and was surprised to find that I was able to play two tracks without the output dying.  The main difference between my desktop and the laptop is the desktop runs Win7 professional and the laptop runs Win10 Enterprise.  

Has anyone come across this before?

TIA
Juffa


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> And usually anything we do report, people badmouth us for or don't believe us, generally speaking.




Can you really blame us? When most if not ALL updates turn out to be false if not outright lies. It’s 4 years of delays and excuses, anything good to say about LHL expired a long time ago.


----------



## Laseng

It's only a month to it's five years since I backed Geek Pulse.

LH Labs will continue to ignore anyone who has backed them via Indiegogo.
As long as they can delay forever, they do not have to deliver us any things.
We will never get the goods we have backed.


----------



## JWizzlez

Mac user who needs help with the Geek Pulse Xfi. It shows up as "Geek Pulse X FI 1v5 Output" but doesn't actually process any sound. Doesn't register any sound coming into it in the midi control app and doesn't play anything across a series of apps. It says it's the latest firmware and software. Would appreciate anyone who can provide guidance. I've scoured the forum here and on LH's website and can't find anything of my specific problem with the audio just never working.


----------



## tmaxx123

JWizzlez said:


> Mac user who needs help with the Geek Pulse Xfi. It shows up as "Geek Pulse X FI 1v5 Output" but doesn't actually process any sound. Doesn't register any sound coming into it in the midi control app and doesn't play anything across a series of apps. It says it's the latest firmware and software. Would appreciate anyone who can provide guidance. I've scoured the forum here and on LH's website and can't find anything of my specific problem with the audio just never working.



Typically only thing that works in this case is powering off and on the pulse until it finally plays


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Try different USB ports. Turning off and on.

Usually I test it first with my android smartphone via UAPP/Neutron/HibyMusic. If it works, therefore the computer is the problem.


----------



## Laseng (Oct 29, 2018)

Almost a month since last post.

Today, it's the five-year anniversary of the Pulse campaign.
It's also five years ago today since I backed the Pulse campaign.

I dont think this is a jubilee that anyone wants to celebrate.

I still Waiting for a Pulse infinity that never comes.
That's why it's called Pulse Infinity therefore we have to wait in infinity before it comes.


----------



## Drsparis

Laseng said:


> That's why it's called Pulse Infinity therefore we have to wait in infinity before it comes.


Hahahaha....hahah.... ;(  God d@%it does it piss me off to have paid so much and see a lot of people with their devices and realize that i will most probably won't get mine. It is worse (for me) than nobody getting theirs and the crowdfund just fail.... Like a personal slap in the face lol....


----------



## Hercules

Getting the Geek Pulse infinity is even harder than Thanos getting all Infinity Gems!


----------



## Laseng

It's not just that they do not manage to deliver any products more to their backers.
Service on defective products is not existing.

It's now over 15 months since I submitted a ticket to LH Labs on two defective Geek Out V2.
If I get an answer, it may seem that it is risky to spend money sending them in for repair.


From BBB
Complaints: LH Labs Corporation
Complaint Type: Guarantee/Warranty Issues
Status: Unanswered

06/08/2018

I purchased a ***** ******** for ***** system and the amplifier stopped working while in the warranty period. I returned the amplifier in early December 2017 and know they received it. Since then, I have been without my amplifier. There has been absolutely zero communication between them despite multiple emails, call, website inquiries, etc.


----------



## bernardperu

Laseng said:


> It's not just that they do not manage to deliver any products more to their backers.
> Service on defective products is not existing.
> 
> It's now over 15 months since I submitted a ticket to LH Labs on two defective Geek Out V2.
> ...



You should try reporting your experience in forums or sites where LH Is actually trying to sell their products. If you do not speak the language of such forums, perhaps you cab get the assistance of a fellow poster. Good luck!


----------



## Juffa

I recently sold a Geek LPS to a guy here in Australia. I asked him what he was going to use it for.

He told me that he has a working Geek pulse. Shock/horror.

I told him that I was selling the LPS because I don't have a working Geek Pulse. 

The moral of the story being that there are some working Pulse units out there...scarse as hens teeth though


----------



## MAPgeekdad

Hi All,

I have two "working units" Pulse XFI.  That is, one works fine, the second just died on USB input, device is not recognized.  The DAC part seems to be working fine as it works with a USB-SP/DIF converter into the Pulse coaxial input.

I am using JRiver and WASAPI.  Was thinking of trying it wit ASIO.  Through USB, the device is "not recognized" by Windows 10 when turned on , however, in JRiver, "Light Harmonic (ASIO)" is still a choice in playback options, no WASAPI.

Can anyone point me to a good source for setup of JRiver and ASIO "drivers" to give it a try?


Thanks!


----------



## tmaxx123

Do you guys leave your pulse/lps powered on at all times? Or do you fully power down?


----------



## runningwitit

tmaxx123 said:


> Do you guys leave your pulse/lps powered on at all times? Or do you fully power down?


I turn mine off after use..


----------



## rdsu

Hi,

Do you know if there is a way to use the drivers on Windows 10, and use Kernel Streaming?

Thanks


----------



## tmaxx123

runningwitit said:


> I turn mine off after use..



Just want to make sure Im doing it right so mine doesn’t crap out too.... haha 
I wonder what component of the pulse is most likely to fail, and under what conditions?


----------



## JWizzlez

Drsparis said:


> Hahahaha....hahah.... ;(  God d@%it does it piss me off to have paid so much and see a lot of people with their devices and realize that i will most probably won't get mine. It is worse (for me) than nobody getting theirs and the crowdfund just fail.... Like a personal slap in the face lol....



I bought the x-fi on ebay for $500 and the LPS4 for $100 and once I upgraded the firmware it worked like a charm. For any of you still waiting for yours I encourage you to just buy it third party and go from demanding your product to demanding your money back from LH Labs. I'm really happy with it, although frankly it hasn't blown me away yet. I'm really satisfied for a $600 investment but would be disappointed if I dropped several grand. But I'm using the Senn HD660s, Senn HD650, ZMF Ori and Hifiman HE560 on it. I haven't tried any endgame cans on it yet, but will do so at the New England headfi meet in a few weeks and then know if the xfi + LPS4 really is worth it.


----------



## Mike-WI

JWizzlez said:


> I bought the x-fi on ebay for $500 and the LPS4 for $100 and once I upgraded the firmware it worked like a charm. For any of you still waiting for yours I encourage you to just buy it third party and go from demanding your product to demanding your money back from LH Labs. I'm really happy with it, although frankly it hasn't blown me away yet. I'm really satisfied for a $600 investment but would be disappointed if I dropped several grand. But I'm using the Senn HD660s, Senn HD650, ZMF Ori and Hifiman HE560 on it. I haven't tried any endgame cans on it yet, but will do so at the New England headfi meet in a few weeks and then know if the xfi + LPS4 really is worth it.


Why do you think we haven't demanded refunds?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Nov 1, 2018)

Hi Rudy! Como estão as coisas?

Regarding the driver issue. I *recalled *I got problems w/ a clean install of their anniversary release. *But *not if update it from an earlier version.

I have version 1809 now. And the driver is still installed. Let me check it. Since my Pulse is now, for sometime, attached to my Android TV box using UAPP.

Michael



rdsu said:


> Hi,
> 
> Do you know if there is a way to use the drivers on Windows 10, and use Kernel Streaming?
> 
> Thanks


----------



## JWizzlez

@Mike-WI I’m not??? I’m just saying to those who I’ve seen dismayed that they haven’t received theirs yet that, if you still want it, you can get it for a reasonable price and I think it’s worth getting for that price.


----------



## Mike-WI (Nov 1, 2018)

JWizzlez said:


> @Mike-WI I’m not??? I’m just saying to those who I’ve seen dismayed that they haven’t received theirs yet that, if you still want it, you can get it for a reasonable price and I think it’s worth getting for that price.


That is what you said:
"...and go from demanding your product to *demanding your money back* from LH Labs."

We have all demanded money back. They haven't provided it.
I posted the California statutes relevant to this and had the post deleted and was reprimanded by the moderators.


----------



## Drsparis

Mike-WI said:


> I posted the California statutes relevant to this and had the post deleted and was reprimanded by the moderators.


This sickens me.


----------



## rdsu

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Hi Rudy! Como estão as coisas?
> 
> Regarding the driver issue. I *recalled *I got problems w/ a clean install of their anniversary release. *But *not if update it from an earlier version.
> 
> ...


Hi, estou bem, e contigo? 

What anniversary release are you talking about?

What version are you using?


----------



## MAPgeekdad

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Try different USB ports. Turning off and on.
> 
> Usually I test it first with my android smartphone via UAPP/Neutron/HibyMusic. If it works, therefore the computer is the problem.



Thanks for this bit of info. I just switched from W10M to Android (just couldn't take it anymore). I found the Nuetron app and it works great, with my Razer Phone DAC cable and with the Geek out.

Will try playing with it through the Pulse DAC.


----------



## snip3r77

Juffa said:


> I recently sold a Geek LPS to a guy here in Australia. I asked him what he was going to use it for.
> 
> He told me that he has a working Geek pulse. Shock/horror.
> 
> ...



Mine is still going strong.


----------



## Juffa

Wanna swap?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Mine too. I have one of the early Infinity models w/ LPS4 in the original casing. Still going strong.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Nov 2, 2018)

Hello Rudy,

Tudo está bem, obrigado!

I had problems accessing my drivers when I installed the Anniversary update of August 2016. Had a work around by giving adminstrator priviledges on the Pulse Driver.

Was fixed on Creator's Update of April 2017. Since that time I was using exclusively my Pulse using an Android TV Box via UAPP.

I have now the latest Windows update, version 1809.

My Pulse Infinity w/ firmware 2v0 using driver 3.26 on JRiver 24.0.60. Here are my findings:

IT WORKS! Both as a system sound device and on JRiver.

- KS works only upto DSD128
- ASIO Native in DSD256
- Can upsample upto DSD256 Native using ASIO
- Can upsample upto DSD128 in DoP using KS
- KS and ASIO will play DXD.

Hope it helps.

Michael


rdsu said:


> Hi, estou bem, e contigo?
> 
> What anniversary release are you talking about?
> 
> What version are you using?


----------



## Mike-WI

I have an unused LPS4


----------



## kostaszag

I have an SFi with LPS, works like a charm for the last 2 years. Only had problems when tried to upgrade to 2.4 F/W. It started making a strange chopper-like noise all the time. Downgraded to 2.0 and had no problems since.


----------



## rdsu

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Hello Rudy,
> 
> Tudo está bem, obrigado!
> 
> ...


Hi Michael,

Thanks a lot for all these information... 

I will to try again, and will let you know...

Cheers


----------



## ardgedee

Can anybody PM me a copy of the 2v0 or later firmware for the Pulse X Infinity? My DAC no longer works, the firmware is not available on LH Lab's support site, and I've had a service ticket open for literally a year waiting for a response.


----------



## greenkiwi

Which firmware?  the display or the main board?


----------



## ardgedee

greenkiwi said:


> Which firmware?  the display or the main board?


For now I think I only need the main board firmware and the DFU, since the display is about the only thing that seems to work.


----------



## stuck limo

ardgedee said:


> For now I think I only need the main board firmware and the DFU, since the display is about the only thing that seems to work.



PM'd you.


----------



## ardgedee (Nov 10, 2018)

Thanks all, I'm good on the firmware now, but I think I need the DFU utility. I've got everything now. You all are great!


----------



## Juffa

Mike-WI said:


> I have an unused LPS4



As do I


----------



## MAPgeekdad

stuck limo said:


> PM'd you.



Also in need of the firmware for Pulse XFI.  Thanks.


----------



## m17xr2b

So, can we just confirm it's dead? Or are you guys waiting on some statute of limitation before kicking the bucket?


----------



## spyder1

Happy December, LH Labs IGG Backers!

I don't recall any Pulse, Vi Dac, Source, LPS,  Wave, AMP, Pre-AMP, Headphone AMP, being delivered in 2018. At the start of 2018, Larry Ho, and Team announced the re-birth of LH Labs. What happened?


----------



## upsguys88

Wow are those all still I delivered?


----------



## Shawnb

spyder1 said:


> Happy December, LH Labs IGG Backers!
> 
> I don't recall any Pulse, Vi Dac, Source, LPS,  Wave, AMP, Pre-AMP, Headphone AMP, being delivered in 2018. At the start of 2018, Larry Ho, and Team announced the re-birth of LH Labs. What happened?



Just another lie among many. They tell so many in the hopes we won't remember them when found out.


----------



## stuck limo

What "rebirth" announcement. We never died in the first place. I don't know what announcement you're referring to, tbh.


----------



## Maelob

Do you have any updates on the wide range of products that were offered? I am still waiting on two mono amps


----------



## stuck limo (Dec 1, 2018)

Maelob said:


> Do you have any updates on the wide range of products that were offered? I am still waiting on two mono amps



Things are happening on Wave which I cannot discuss yet, but hopefully the update will be soon...ish. I am still waiting on Vi DAC and Source updates.


----------



## Hercules (Dec 3, 2018)

Maelob said:


> Do you have any updates on the wide range of products that were offered? I am still waiting on two mono amps



I don’t think I will ever see my Mono Amp and other as well.....I hope I can be more optimistic but sour taste in my mouth tell not......


----------



## greenkiwi

Don't forget the tube headphone amps.


----------



## stuck limo

spyder1 said:


> Source



@Shawnb 

We received 20 Toradex SOM boards for the Source SE. Official update will come soon, as soon as I get all facts together and typed up.


----------



## Drsparis

Get any pulse boards too???


----------



## stuck limo

Drsparis said:


> Get any pulse boards too???



Not at this time.


----------



## stuck limo

Hercules said:


> I don’t think I will ever see my Mono Amp and other as well.....I hope I can by more optimistic but sour taste in my mouth tell not......



After Vi and Source campaigns are cleaned up, those are next on the list. Wave will not affect progress on the Analog campaigns. Everything is designed already. Just waiting to be manufactured.


----------



## markrw

stuck limo said:


> After Vi and Source campaigns are cleaned up, those are next on the list. Wave will not affect progress on the Analog campaigns. Everything is designed already. Just waiting to be manufactured.


Will the Tube Headphone Amps be completed by 2020? I'm not getting my hopes up for 2019.


----------



## stuck limo

markrw said:


> Will the Tube Headphone Amps be completed by 2020? I'm not getting my hopes up for 2019.



Depends on how fast Vi and Source get completed. Probably budget factors in there as well....but I don't know for sure.


----------



## rdsu

And about pulse campaign rewards?


----------



## stuck limo

rdsu said:


> And about pulse campaign rewards?



My understanding is that those are coming after Pulse campaign gets completed.


----------



## rdsu

stuck limo said:


> My understanding is that those are coming after Pulse campaign gets completed.


After 5 years  what do you need to finish it!? 

We will "get" the rewards after all campaigns are completed!? 

What will us do with outdated products then!? 

What a mess... Unbelievable...


----------



## stuck limo

rdsu said:


> After 5 years  what do you need to finish it!?



Per our previous update on the Pulse, the company needs funds to purchase the boards to complete the fulfillment.


----------



## Drsparis

Serious question... Why is money being spent on other projects ( see picture above of the source PCBs ) when the original pulse isint even finished... ?


----------



## stuck limo

Drsparis said:


> Serious question... Why is money being spent on other projects ( see picture above of the source PCBs ) when the original pulse isint even finished... ?



Good question. I'll see if I get an answer.


----------



## m17xr2b

Big question is, why are you guys out of money?


----------



## stuck limo (Dec 2, 2018)

m17xr2b said:


> Big question is, why are you guys out of money?



I'll see if I can get an official answer. I could give a very rough breakdown according to my understanding of the situation, but if I get an "official" answer, I'll post that instead.

Really, if you look around the forums, you'll see the answer. (the answer that LHL gave the money to Light Harmonic is NOT accurate) Various people (including Larry and Gavin) have touched on the management and R&D issues that LHL faced.


----------



## Maelob

To be honest, i am surprised the company is still afloat. I dont think there is a market for LH labs products, at least in the U.S audiophile and headphone market.


----------



## Hercules

stuck limo said:


> My understanding is that those are coming after Pulse campaign gets completed.



I still not getting my Pulse and LPS4 from rewards referral......


----------



## Hercules

stuck limo said:


> Depends on how fast Vi and Source get completed. Probably budget factors in there as well....but I don't know for sure.



Pulse Campagin still not completed......So Vi and Source.....


----------



## Shawnb

m17xr2b said:


> Big question is, why are you guys out of money?




Larry spent it all on gas driving his white van around finding people to swindle and scam.


----------



## jsiegel14072

m17xr2b said:


> Big question is, why are you guys out of money?




Most likely spent too much money on R&D and not shipping product.
You need   research grants to play around forever, with out solving problems and shipping products.

i expect if they concentrated on one product and got it going at a time they would have been fine.

Most businesses can only spend 5% of income on R&D, the rest gets eaten up by markets, overhead, materials and people to produce, ship and support a product.

Look at Schiit audio, they have grown to the 21 products in the same time Larry has been messing around, and they are on the 3rd generation of some products.

So it looks like a total management failure.


----------



## Maelob

jsiegel14072 said:


> Most likely spent too much money on R&D and not shipping product.
> You need   research grants to play around forever, with out solving problems and shipping products.
> 
> i expect if they concentrated on one product and got it going at a time they would have been fine.
> ...


Spot on, great comparison


----------



## jaywhar

They made some bad decisions and had some production issues early on with the Pulses and discovered they were in a hole.
They then decided to keep it quiet and try to dig their way out of the hole - this did not work.
After 5 years of digging said hole, they are now closer to Asia than the entrance of the hole where they started - so they are pivoting to the Asian market.


----------



## Shawnb

jaywhar said:


> They made some bad decisions and had some production issues early on with the Pulses and discovered they were in a hole.
> They then decided to keep it quiet and try to dig their way out of the hole - this did not work.
> After 5 years of digging said hole, they are now closer to Asia than the entrance of the hole where they started - so they are pivoting to the Asian market.



The complete redesign of the chassis in the middle of everything didn't help anything.


----------



## tmaxx123 (Dec 16, 2018)

Is lh labs answering tickets? I am looking for firmware....

Edit. Thanks for the response Jarek.

While I wait for my ticket to be answered, does anyone have firmware for the pulse x infinity , new chassis, 1v5 is what I was running before.


----------



## snip3r77

Can I check if the RCA/Balanced out are variable? Meaning  can adjust the volume as I might be wanting to connect to an active speakers which has no vol. control.

Thanks


----------



## hemtmaker

snip3r77 said:


> Can I check if the RCA/Balanced out are variable? Meaning  can adjust the volume as I might be wanting to connect to an active speakers which has no vol. control.
> 
> Thanks


Yes, you can selecting any non-zero negative volume values


----------



## Hercules

snip3r77 said:


> Can I check if the RCA/Balanced out are variable? Meaning  can adjust the volume as I might be wanting to connect to an active speakers which has no vol. control.
> 
> Thanks



Just one very important reminder, always switch off your active speaker before power down Pulse DAC, discharging POP can kill your speaker and headphone


----------



## rdsu

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Hello Rudy,
> 
> Tudo está bem, obrigado!
> 
> ...


HI Michael, 

Happy new year!

I installed the drivers 3.26 on Windows Server 2019  and worked well. Great! 

Do you know how to avoid to restart the DAC everytime I restart the computer? 

Regards


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Happy New Year Rudy! 

Am here right now in my last leg in the Philippines escaping the cold (vacation).

During my quick test on my PC w/ Win 10 Pro X64, I did not notice any resets.

Sorry.


----------



## rdsu

Almost every time I start the computer, I had to turn off and on the DAC...

It has something to do with the handshake...


----------



## runningwitit

rdsu said:


> Almost every time I start the computer, I had to turn off and on the DAC...
> 
> It has something to do with the handshake...


I always turn my computer on and let it completely load, then turn on my Pulse.... Hope that helps!!


----------



## rdsu

runningwitit said:


> I always turn my computer on and let it completely load, then turn on my Pulse.... Hope that helps!!


Yep, that works, but I would like to have the DAC always on... 

I think I have the solution for this on my setup....

Thanks


----------



## graham508

stuck limo said:


> Good question. I'll see if I get an answer.


Waiting in eager anticipation ... another year, let's see what happens...


----------



## greenkiwi

@stuck limo I have a couple questions regarding the balanced output for the Pulse.

1. Does the balanced output have different gain when the headphone gain is adjusted?
2. What is the Vmrs for the balanced output on the back at -0dB for the three gain levels?

Thanks


----------



## rdsu

About LH Labs LPS, do you remember what is the max amperes for the USB output?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I think it's 0.5A?


----------



## rdsu

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I think it's 0.5A?


You are right.

I searched for the update post about it, at Indiegogo, and saw that...

It also the max for USB2.0.

Thanks


----------



## stuck limo

We have 2 Signature Editions actually built and being finalized right now, 3 others are being worked on. This came from the US headquarters just now.


----------



## Mike-WI

How many DACs remain to be delivered?


----------



## Drsparis

At least one here lol. Glad to see something coming out of this company...


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> How many DACs remain to be delivered?



About 20 Signature Editions to USA/Canada. Roughly. Maybe slightly less.The records aren't great. But that's what I'm seeing.


----------



## Mike-WI

What about Pulse Infinity?
Why aren’t records great?


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> What about Pulse Infinity?
> Why aren’t records great?



I am going to assume the Signature Edition records are good, at least on my end (can't speak to any other end of the equation with LHL) due to the low number involved. But, as always, everyone who has an order should double check to make sure all the details are correct on their end/invoices. 

Why aren't the records great? As I've discussed before, LHL switched systems 3 different times, so records had to be moved. Things got lost in the shuffle, items from previous teams were entered wrong, etc. It's been touched on before by myself and various other forum members, but IGG was a terrible platform to host this type of crowdfunding campaign on, simply due to the nature of how it's set up. It doesn't work for this type of thing. The amount of editing and fixing and switching and comparing and cross-referencing and double checking and triple checking and conversations I had with backers to make sure everything was proper that I had to do to make records/orders match would blow you away. I'm pretty sure I personally got everything I did correct, but I was working within a defective system, so I did whatever I could, within those limitations. Mistakes may still exist. Everyone should check their invoices to be sure. 

As far as the Pulse.....I honestly have no idea. Whatever my records show on my side, I wouldn't trust. The office has other records I don't have access to, which may be more accurate. But whatever I'm seeing, I'm going to assume they're not accurate. Wave should be very accurate in general. Source should also be fairly/very accurate. But again, everyone check their invoices.


----------



## jsiegel14072

stuck limo said:


> We have 2 Signature Editions actually built and being finalized right now, 3 others are being worked on. This came from the US headquarters just now.







Harrah!!!!!!!  Happy New Year    !!!!!!   Let This be the start of a good year.


----------



## snip3r77

stuck limo said:


> We have 2 Signature Editions actually built and being finalized right now, 3 others are being worked on. This came from the US headquarters just now.


It is very cool. I already have the infinity


----------



## greenkiwi

This looks like the Source... definitely cool to see something.


----------



## stuck limo

We received a nice email from Vincent in Taiwan regarding his new Source Signature.


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> We received a nice email from Vincent in Taiwan regarding his new Source Signature.



Well isn't that nice, a satisfied customer in Asia, who just so happens to be patiently waiting on a Vi DAC.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Seeing the towel, I assumed the Source and Utopia had a nice workout....


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> We received a nice email from Vincent in Taiwan regarding his new Source Signature.



What is mine?


----------



## Maelob

At this point, nobody is going to get excited unless we see hundreds of products been delivered, not one at a time. Especially the ones that's have been waiting the longest.


----------



## m17xr2b

this is the pulse thread, not the source one.
Offtopic: Ah, ok, I get it. So Light Harmonic is a separate company but it uses money funded from the Geek LH Labs campaings for R&D for a product now marketed in the light harmonic website.


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 13, 2019)

m17xr2b said:


> this is the pulse thread, not the source one.


There is no Source thread. Everyone has been using this one to discuss Source. If you can point out a Source thread, please let me know.



> Offtopic: Ah, ok, I get it. So Light Harmonic is a separate company but it uses money funded from the Geek LH Labs campaings for R&D for a product now marketed in the light harmonic website.



This is false and has been gone over many many times. If you have proof this actually happens or happened, please share it.

https://support.lhlabs.com/solution...use-wave-s-funding-to-sponsor-other-products-

Also, at this point, the reactions to the updates are comical. First we get slammed for not providing proof that Sources were delivered in Asia. Then we provide (at least some) proof of delivery. Then we get slammed for providing that proof and/or not delivering other units to other places.

Anyway, it's looking like none of the Europe units were delivered yet. It appears to be Asian units only that were delivered so far. I'll update more when I have it.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Jan 13, 2019)

stuck limo said:


> Anyway, it's looking like none of the Europe units were delivered yet. It appears to be Asian units only that were delivered so far. I'll update more when I have it.



Comical? Right, it certainly is.

Look at what you are saying here, that Source units were delivered to Asia but not to Europe.

Why on Earth would deliveries be geographically doled out when IGG backers were assured repeatedly during perkageddon that they needed to rush to commit and pledge funds, so that they would have their delivery spot in line safely secured? Now all this time later there is no actual delivery queue whatsoever, apparently you need to live in Asia to receive anything, and it doesn't matter where your supposed spot in line was.


----------



## Maelob

Stuck Limo I would just thread lightly and not get in any arguments justifying anything. I recommend that you just provide whatever update and just take the heat and continue doing your best apologizing for LH past fiascos. I think you have done a good job given the mess you were given. Just do your best, but bear in mind that after what contributors experienced, we will never be happy unless we see a major shift in production, deliveries, customer support, customer service- basically your company is not starting from 0 but from -100. Even after we get our products I think most of us lost our faith in Larry’s company. Hope I am wrong but that’s how I see it.


----------



## stuck limo

We posted this elsewhere, but we can also leave it here for everyone: Here are the breakdowns for countries we are shipping Source SE units to:

According to my records: 

Japan 1 
Dubai 1 
Hong Kong 2 
Taiwan 1 
Singapore 1 
US/Canada...about 20. 
Europe/UK 4


----------



## marflao

What really puzzles/scares me is that even for this few units the precise numbers can’t be said (see US/Canada).

Even this topic (“precise orders”) should have been accomplished after all those years.

I know ..IGG was not appropriate for it, switch to different databases...still..very scary especially if you have the Wave orders in mind.

Again...nothing personal, Jarek, just pointing out the incompetence of the rest of Lhl/LH.


----------



## MikeyFresh

Right... "about" 20 N. American Source SE owners? So that's "approximate" then.

But not one that has posted anywhere about having received their unit. I call bull (again).


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 14, 2019)

MikeyFresh said:


> Right... "about" 20 N. American Source SE owners? So that's "approximate" then.
> 
> But not one that has posted anywhere about having received their unit. I call bull**** (again).



Correct. None for North America have shipped yet. I don't know why. When the first two get theirs, I'll have them post it or email me. They know who they are.


----------



## Anaximandros

@stuck limo 

Do you perhaps have any updates regarding the headphone amp SS and Tube version?

It has been awfully quite on those. There was an update regarding the priority being Wave at first place and the analog components being last place.


----------



## Mike-WI

stuck limo said:


> We posted this elsewhere, but we can also leave it here for everyone: Here are the breakdowns for countries we are shipping Source SE units to:
> 
> According to my records:
> 
> ...


What is "SE (Signature Edition)" vs other editions and how many of each are owed?

My old records on different Source updates
$64 - Geek Source Plus 
add 64 GB SSD for OS, so HDD storage is music only

$147 - Geek Source ONLY Femto Clock
Upgrade the two audio clocks inside Geek Source to customized, lowest-jitter, USA-made Crystek TCXO clocks. Your SPDIF, AES/EBU and TOSLINK output will thank you for that. For more information, reference our update section.

$159 - Upgrade Geek Source 2T to 4T
Upgrade the internal hard drive of your Geek Source Music server from 2 terabytes to 4 terabytes. It'll fit over 10,000 384 kHz PCM music files, over 30,000 DSD64 music files, or over a million MP3's!

$399 - Source 2T Upgrade to 750GB SSD
Pledged for a Geek Source 2T and want to upgrade to a SSD? Here's your chance! With this perk, we will swap out the existing 2TB HDD and replace it with 750GB of SSD goodness. 
On top of that, if SSD prices drop before we go into production of Geek Source, we will upgrade everyone's Geek Source to a higher capacity SSD (e.g. 768GB or more) for FREE!

$669 - Geek Source Lite
Every feature of the original Geek Source minus the HDD. Geek Source Lite comes standard with 32GB of ultra high speed flash storage for system boot up and all software related storage while allowing you the option to load in your own HDD or SSD. Int'l buyers, please add $55 for shipping.

$799 - Geek Source 2TB Music Server

$858 - Last Chance GFO Geek Source 4TB


----------



## marflao (Jan 14, 2019)

Mike-WI said:


> What is "SE (Signature Edition)" vs other editions and how many of each are owed?
> 
> My old records on different Source updates
> $64 - Geek Source Plus
> ...



In addition to the above ones (some of them were also offered with different prices) don't forget the following Soure perks:

$699 - Early Bird Geek Source
$89 - Source Power and Cap Upgrade

I doubt that anybody from LH/LHL has the precise # of orders for them.


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> We posted this elsewhere, but we can also leave it here for everyone: Here are the breakdowns for countries we are shipping Source SE units to:
> 
> According to my records:
> 
> ...



And how many shipped from those numbers? How many still to ship?


----------



## Shawnb

I’m starting to suspect there aren’t any Source SE’s


----------



## graham508

So. Since this is the Pulse thread, I am wanting to know when my Pulse Infinity will be delivered. 

I paid Light Harmonic $1,800 for Pulse Infinity and Linear Power Supply in crowdfunding campaigns that ran Oct 2013 - Feb 2015. 
This was when Barack Obama was US president, before the Paris shootings, and before Britain voted to leave the EU. 

Still nothing received. 
Amazing, what more world history do I have to live through to see my orders honoured. 
What does this say about this company...

Please LH, give me some idea when my items will be delivered, or whether I've lost my money. 

Be honest, be upfront. No lies, no excuses, no obfuscation. 

Disenchanted, from Australia.


----------



## stuck limo

graham508 said:


> Be honest, be upfront. No lies, no excuses, no obfuscation.



Honestly, at this point, I have no information over when we'll get more in. I've heard no estimated timelines. When I hear something, I'll let you know.


----------



## graham508

Stuck limo, thanks for your words but please do push the case. Can you promise that?


----------



## stuck limo

graham508 said:


> Stuck limo, thanks for your words but please do push the case. Can you promise that?



I push and advocate for all customers and campaigns. I will push for this as well and report back if I hear anything.


----------



## Shawnb

graham508 said:


> So. Since this is the Pulse thread, I am wanting to know when my Pulse Infinity will be delivered.
> 
> I paid Light Harmonic $1,800 for Pulse Infinity and Linear Power Supply in crowdfunding campaigns that ran Oct 2013 - Feb 2015.
> This was when Barack Obama was US president, before the Paris shootings, and before Britain voted to leave the EU.
> ...



Being honest and upfront... You’ll never see your LPS and you’ll need a miracle to see your Pulse.


----------



## stuck limo

Shawn's Source shipped to him.


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> Shawn's Source shipped to him.




I’m still having trouble believeing it. 
It’s actually real!!!


----------



## wingsounds13

I don't believe it.  It's all lies.  Show us proof.  

J.P.


----------



## hemtmaker

Shawnb said:


> I’m still having trouble believeing it.
> It’s actually real!!!


Congrats! Please share pics and impressions when you receive it. This is an impression thread afterall


----------



## Shawnb (Jan 22, 2019)

wingsounds13 said:


> I don't believe it.  It's all lies.  Show us proof.
> 
> J.P.



I’ll post a picture with the current days newspaper as proof of life when I get it.

I’m find it hard to believe it myself

DHL shows shipping info recived but no movement yet.


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 23, 2019)

DHL shows Friday 1/25 delivery for Shawn, and 1/24 delivery for the other guy.


----------



## pauldgroot

So my Pulse XFI has been collecting dust every since I got an Audio-GD NFB-28 over a year ago. Reason I got that is because I had to repeatedly power cycle the Pulse in order for Windows to be able to output audio to it. It did get detected but couldn't play anything. I didn't feel comfortable selling it since it was partially not working.
I've tried the Pulse on several pc's and an Android phone and it seemed like the Android phone didn't really have any problems with it so I was hoping it might've been a software thing.

Anyway, two weeks ago I thought: "What the heck, I'll give it another go." So I plugged in the Pulse and my Jays Audio power supply and it's been working great ever since! I have no idea what has changed but I get a solid connection every time and only had a dropout of audio once which was fixed instantly by turning it off and on. Aside from all the negativity surrounding LH they did make a very good sounding DAC/AMP combo and I think I enjoy it as much if not more than I do the Audio-GD combo.


----------



## Mike-WI

stuck limo said:


> DHL shows Friday 1/25 delivery for Shawn, and 1/24 delivery for the other guy.


Why is a company spokesman telling the public about the deliver date and vendor for a consumer.
Seems like a privacy violation.
Fine if he tells us, but that doesn't seem like information you should share without permission.
Did he give you permission to tell everyone his shipping information?


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> Why is a company spokesman telling the public about the deliver date and vendor for a consumer.
> Seems like a privacy violation.
> Fine if he tells us, but that doesn't seem like information you should share without permission.
> Did he give you permission to tell everyone his shipping information?



He's cool with it.


----------



## stuck limo

pauldgroot said:


> So my Pulse XFI has been collecting dust every since I got an Audio-GD NFB-28 over a year ago. Reason I got that is because I had to repeatedly power cycle the Pulse in order for Windows to be able to output audio to it. It did get detected but couldn't play anything. I didn't feel comfortable selling it since it was partially not working.
> I've tried the Pulse on several pc's and an Android phone and it seemed like the Android phone didn't really have any problems with it so I was hoping it might've been a software thing.
> 
> Anyway, two weeks ago I thought: "What the heck, I'll give it another go." So I plugged in the Pulse and my Jays Audio power supply and it's been working great ever since! I have no idea what has changed but I get a solid connection every time and only had a dropout of audio once which was fixed instantly by turning it off and on. Aside from all the negativity surrounding LH they did make a very good sounding DAC/AMP combo and I think I enjoy it as much if not more than I do the Audio-GD combo.



Thank you for the very kind words. I've passed them onto the office.


----------



## Hercules (Jan 24, 2019)

stuck limo said:


> Thank you for the very kind words. I've passed them onto the office.



Indeed my Vi DAC Tube Sig sounds very good and cool looking but without signature tube output stage and CCX I backed, I can expect more from my Vi DAC


----------



## MikeyFresh (Jan 24, 2019)

Hercules said:


> Indeed my Vi DAC Tube Sig sounds very good and cool looking but without signature tube output stage and CCX I backed, I can expect more from more Vi DAC



Indeed, my Vi DAC Tube is total vapourware, non-existent, as with most every other IGG backer not residing in Asia.


----------



## Shawnb

It’s real, it’s actually real


----------



## stuck limo

Shawnb said:


> It’s real, it’s actually real



I'm glad we could make that happen for you! Post a video or something showing how it works.


----------



## m17xr2b (Jan 24, 2019)

Yes, take over the pulse thread, I won't mind. Will you start T-shirts and mugs?

Did the source actually materialise because Larry is selling it on his main website as well? Doesn't sound good for us waiting on other things does it? At this rate I'll have to get another dac.


----------



## Shawnb

Sounds very nice so far. Won’t get much time with it as I need to get to sleep but am very pleased with it so far


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 24, 2019)

m17xr2b said:


> Yes, take over the pulse thread, I won't mind. Will you start T-shirts and mugs?



There is no news about the Pulse at this time, so there is no harm in posting about the Source here, which everyone was doing anyway, because no one ever started a Source thread.



> Did the source actually materialize because Larry is selling it on his main website as well?



No, and we aren't selling it on the site either.



> Doesn't sound good for us waiting on other things does it? At this rate I'll have to get another dac.



I personally wouldn't advise holding off on your audio journey for LH/L gear to materialize. If you need something NOW, there's lots of excellent DACs on the market which perform and sound amazing and are at decent prices.


----------



## m17xr2b

> I personally wouldn't advise holding off on your audio journey for LH/L gear to materialize. If you need something NOW, there's lots of excellent DACs on the market which perform and sound amazing and are at decent prices.


So what's at the same level as a Pulse Infinity X fully loaded etc.?


----------



## Mike-WI

m17xr2b said:


> So what's at the same level as a Pulse Infinity X fully loaded etc.?


Schiit Audio Yggdrasil
http://www.schiit.com/products/yggdrasil

B-stock: http://www.schiit.com/b-stocks


----------



## m17xr2b

It's as good as the Yggy? you have to be joking...


----------



## stuck limo

m17xr2b said:


> So what's at the same level as a Pulse Infinity X fully loaded etc.?



Depends on your budget(?)....


----------



## Mike-WI

m17xr2b said:


> It's as good as the Yggy? you have to be joking...


That is not what I meant or said.
I thought for someone waiting for a LH Labs DAC that they could look at the Yggy.
I don't know of anyone that has compared the two.


----------



## MAPgeekdad

m17xr2b said:


> So what's at the same level as a Pulse Infinity X fully loaded etc.?



Check out the Wyred 4 Sound DACs.  W4S has some good deals on new and B-stock.

Also, there are some great deals on used units on Audiogon and eBay.


----------



## Eruditeswine

m17xr2b said:


> So what's at the same level as a Pulse Infinity X fully loaded etc.?



Hello all, I'm curious too. 1. What's comparable to the Pulse Infinity with LPS? What's a logical upgrade? Two years ago atsq17 & oneguy felt it's comparable to Schiit Gungnir Multibit, Metrum Hex, Auralic Vega and Chord Mojo. With Schiit Yggdrasil and Metrum Pavane as logical upgrades.

2. How does the Pulse Infinity with LPS hold against Benchmark DAC3 HGC or RME ADI-2 DAC/Pro FS?

3. What firmware & driver are you using? I have the following:

Main: 3.0
MCU: 2.4
USB Control Panel: 2V0
Driver: Windows 10 native USB Audio 2.0


----------



## tmaxx123

Can anyone share their firmware with a fellow pulse infinity 2.0 user please?

Thanks!!


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> I personally wouldn't advise holding off on your audio journey for LH/L gear to materialize.



Thanks for that advice Captain Obvious.


----------



## snip3r77

tmaxx123 said:


> Can anyone share their firmware with a fellow pulse infinity 2.0 user please?
> 
> Thanks!!


I think one has to be specific enough to know your hw content before upgrading the firmware else it will turn into a brick. Better check with stuck limo


----------



## greenkiwi

The Holo Spring DACs get good reviews too... and the Hugo2.  They could at least be in the list.  

I tend to find that once you get able a certain level, there's more "flavor" involved, then purely X is better than Y.


----------



## hemtmaker

m17xr2b said:


> So what's at the same level as a Pulse Infinity X fully loaded etc.?


I remember reading impressions saying that it edges out the Hugo 1 slightly


----------



## Eruditeswine

@stuck limo removed their post, but I vaguely recall they mentioned Chord Hugo 2, RME ADI-2 DAC and SPL Director as upgrades to Pulse Infinity with LPS. Are they minor upgrade/sidegrade or worthy upgrade?

What is the latest driver version, still 3.26 from 2015? Thesycon, developer for both LH Labs' and Microsoft's USB Audio 2.0 Class driver for Windows, are on version 4.54.



greenkiwi said:


> The Holo Spring DACs get good reviews too... and the Hugo2.  They could at least be in the list.
> 
> I tend to find that once you get able a certain level, there's more "flavor" involved, then purely X is better than Y.



Hello! Yes I saw some mentions for the Kitsune Holo Spring line too, but always wary of R-2R and possibility of "Flavor of the Month".

I agree with the notion of flavors upon a certain cost level, but may not measure or sound objectively better. More so with converters where product life cycles are short.


----------



## stuck limo

@Eruditeswine 3.26 and 2.29 are the latest. Depending on your OS, one or the other may work better for you.


----------



## rdsu

@stuck limo , When will LH release a new driver version?


----------



## stuck limo

rdsu said:


> @stuck limo , When will LH release a new driver version?



I don't know they ever will at this point. I'm leaning towards "no" from the various chatter I've heard from the office.


----------



## rdsu

stuck limo said:


> I don't know they ever will at this point. I'm leaning towards "no" from the various chatter I've heard from the office.


So where is the support!?


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 27, 2019)

rdsu said:


> So where is the support!?



I'm not saying there's zero support, but there is extremely limited support for now and probably going forth, due to the LHL situation overall. (funding, manpower, other campaigns, the fact the Pulse/Geek Out is a dead end financially for company growth, etc.)


----------



## Mike-WI

stuck limo said:


> I'm not saying there's zero support, but there is extremely limited support for now and probably going forth, due to the LHL situation overall. (funding, manpower, other campaigns, the fact the Pulse/Geek Out is a dead end financially for company growth, etc.)


The Geek Out seemed to work (in latest iteration at least) well and sound good at a lower price.
I can't remember why that was dropped.

I'd like to get a refund or my promised equipment from LH/LHL, but I don't understand how the DAC is not a viable business model but the DAP (Wave) is?
There are now many DAPs from a range of prices from hundreds of dollars to many thousands.
That seems like a much tougher market to get into


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 27, 2019)

Mike-WI said:


> I don't understand how the DAC is not a viable business model but the DAP (Wave) is?



There are two versions of the Wave....one is the LHL which will come first, the Light Harmonic version is scheduled for release AFTER the LH Labs Wave and/or campaign has been finished. The LH Labs version is a financial dead end but Larry is compelled to finish it and many backers are waiting on it to be delivered.

I think there's so many irons in the fire now, releasing the Geek Out 3 (or whatever) is on the backburner and it would not be sold under LH Labs. I'd love for them to release it (told Larry so) but it's not happening yet. We've had lots of requests from people to release it.


----------



## Mike-WI

stuck limo said:


> There are two versions of the Wave....one is the LHL which will come first, the Light Harmonic version is scheduled for release AFTER the LH Labs Wave and/or campaign has been finished. The LH Labs version is a financial dead end but Larry is compelled to finish it and many backers are waiting on it to be delivered.
> 
> I think there's so many irons in the fire now, releasing the Geek Out 3 (or whatever) is on the backburner and it would not be sold under LH Labs. I'd love for them to release it (told Larry so) but it's not happening yet. We've had lots of requests from people to release it.


I'm confused by the almost identical names.
Are you saying the crowdfunded DAP will be released after the new version of the Wave?


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 27, 2019)

Mike-WI said:


> I'm confused by the almost identical names.
> Are you saying the crowdfunded DAP will be released after the new version of the Wave?



First release: LH Labs crowdfunded Wave DAP
Second release: Light Harmonic DAP (different name, components, pricing than Wave)
3rd (?) release: Light Harmonic branded Geek Out 3 release date undetermined


----------



## marflao

I have my doubts that this "project plan" will be realised in that order. 

Why should it be different this time? Source SE reseller models were first sold/shipped before the ones from the IGG campaign. 
Hence why is Larry still distributing this piece of crab info? 
How will LH/LHL survive if he doesn't sell his pricey $6k IEMs, Source or Waves to some people who don't care what ethics he has?

Hence i can't believe that after so many lessons learnt he should have done in the last years he still gives us that b*lls**t.


----------



## rdsu

stuck limo said:


> I'm not saying there's zero support, but there is extremely limited support for now and probably going forth, due to the LHL situation overall. (funding, manpower, other campaigns, the fact the Pulse/Geek Out is a dead end financially for company growth, etc.)


When the pulse campaign rewards will be send, since Pulse/Geek Out is dead!?


----------



## stuck limo

rdsu said:


> When the pulse campaign rewards will be send, since Pulse/Geek Out is dead!?



I was informed it would be after the rest of the Pulse are delivered. But knowing LHL, it could be even later.


----------



## rdsu

stuck limo said:


> I was informed it would be after the rest of the Pulse are delivered. But knowing LHL, it could be even later.


Why LHL still didn't delivered the rest of Pulse after all this time, years, and are developing other products, etc, etc, etc?

Please, give us a logical answer! 

And how can you work in a company like that!?

I would like that Larry Ho came here, and have the courage to explain all this, like he and Gavin Fish did in the beginning to get all the support from the community, that now, better say years ago, felt betrayed and deceived...


----------



## rschoi75 (Jan 29, 2019)

Stuck Limo,
I've noticed you listed a few products Larry has decided are "Financially dead ends". With all due respect, I don't think the products themselves are financial dead ends. In all honestly I believe your CEO is a financial dead end.

I think LH Labs could have been very successful under different leadership, or if Larry had enough self awareness to realize that he was the one killing the delivery schedules, company's capital, and all the goodwill LH Labs created by going off on his R&D tangents. You had a few successful products at the start, but you guys never allowed them to have a full product life cycle before you started marketing the "next big thing". There were too many small upgrades and design changes through out the Pulse process, and it completely ruined your ability to deliver within your promised timeline. Your R&D team kept burning through all the money you guys needed to finish production of the products already sold. No business can survive like that.


----------



## tmaxx123

https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/5000675085-pulse-mcu-firmware

Anyone know what firmware this link supposedly provides?

Is is specific to a certain model?


----------



## Gubretti

I just purchased the Geek Pulse (base) + LPS, but it didn't come with any cords. Where can I get a replacement umbilical power cord? Also, I plan on using the pulse via USB, so how do I connect them together. Computer -> LPS (USB source) and LPS (USB DAC) -> Pulse (USB)? Please help!


----------



## marflao

Gubretti said:


> I just purchased the Geek Pulse (base) + LPS, but it didn't come with any cords. Where can I get a replacement umbilical power cord? Also, I plan on using the pulse via USB, so how do I connect them together. Computer -> LPS (USB source) and LPS (USB DAC) -> Pulse (USB)? Please help!



Regarding the connection have a look at this:
https://support.lhlabs.com/support/...lps4-linear-power-supply-setup-and-user-guide

Regarding the umbilical cable....not even sure this can be bought separately because of the fancy plug. 

Anyway ..hard to believe that LHL stuff is still bought.
Don´t take it personal


----------



## Gubretti

Yeah I did the many pages of reading and failed promises and buggy firmware, but I also saw that people that actually had the units enjoyed them. I won't know until I can find a replacement cord tho lol.


----------



## stuck limo

The LPS cord has to be ordered directly from LH Labs. If anyone needs it, they should PM me.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Feb 1, 2019)

Found this also in Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC24-Oyaid...able-for-LH-Labs-LPS4-Liner-PSU-/223092712940


----------



## marflao

Mike-WI said:


> If you want to buy my LPS4 I'll send everything it came with.



LOL... I have an USB extender cable left... touched by the hand of Larry... Will let it go for $125..cheap..cheap...good bargain... for those who will connect their Oscars to a GO


----------



## MikeyFresh

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Found this also in Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC24-Oyaid...able-for-LH-Labs-LPS4-Liner-PSU-/223092712940



Ghent makes extremely high quality cables for relatively low cost.
This is undoubtedly a great solution if in fact the LH Labs generic cable is actually expensive in any way, which it very well could be given their cash-poor situation. Plus Ghent will actually ship you what you pay for.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 1, 2019)

MikeyFresh said:


> Ghent makes extremely high quality cables for relatively low cost.
> This is undoubtedly a great solution if in fact the LH Labs generic cable is actually expensive in any way, which it very well could be given their cash-poor situation. Plus Ghent will actually ship you what you pay for.



We already boxed up @Gubretti's replacement cable and sent him the tracking number with 2 Day delivery at no cost.


----------



## MAPgeekdad

Gubretti said:


> Yeah I did the many pages of reading and failed promises and buggy firmware, but I also saw that people that actually had the units enjoyed them. I won't know until I can find a replacement cord tho lol.



Didn't Revelation Audio Labs make upgrade power cords and umbilical cords for a group buy?
If so, you might be able to get them to make you one.
RAL is a bit expensive but I have bought cables from them in the past and was happy with the quality and performance.


----------



## Leondinas

Hi,
My Pulse X Infinity is V1.5 and running on V1.5 firmware. Beside, It run on:
Main 2.0 
MCU 1.27
USB 1.0.
It used to work but now, I cannot make it work with the USB input. Toslink still work though. I have tried all method and driver version. Do i need to upgrade the firmware for the unit ? If i need, can i have the download link ?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

If you have an Android smartphone w/ otg I'll try this first.

1. Download HibyMusic or UAPP trial
2. Connect unit to smartphone via otg
3. Use app and play some music to test. 

Done this sometimes to confirm my connection. Sometimes it was my PC as the culprit.


----------



## Gubretti

So I read that there is a power up "pop" that has a chance to damage headphones or anything connected via the RCA out. Is that just a disclaimer they put, or is this a real issue that I need to work around. I usually do keep my headphones plugged into my amp, and I will have the RCA out connected to a pair of powered monitors. I didn't see anyone that actually mentioned they personally had issues within this thread, but just wanting to double check.


----------



## Gubretti

So I got my Geek Pulse (vanilla) + LPS up and running today. Thank you to Jarek for providing the missing link for me (Umbilical power cord for the LPS -> Pulse) at no charge! After spending about an hour trying to set it up, I understand peoples issues regarding buggy software. The LH Labs website is outdated and the driver I needed was a bit buried within their site.

My Suggestions: I know LH Labs is way behind on their product deliveries and a lot of people are pissed, but I see that their are 2nd hand Pulses out there (That's where I got mine) and I see some being sold on Amazon. LH Labs should update/clean up the website to display 3.26 driver as the main driver as most people these days are using Windows 10 vs XP/Vista. Keep the 2.29 under a legacy post or something, it'll save time/energy for other people out there, especially people that aren't as tech savvy to keep checking device manager to uninstall/reinstall drivers to ensure they are working properly.

My Expectations: I took a gamble on buying this unit, and I read hundreds of pages of this thread **** on LH so I quite expected the Pulse to be dog S#@!, but I also saw a few people who already had their gear and were pretty happy with it.

My Experience: I already put that the drivers to get it working with Windows 10 was a pain, but once I had found that I needed to use 3.26, everything worked without issue. Just in case someone else is looking ( http://lhlabs.com/downloads/Drivers/LightHarmonic_DriverSetup_v3.26.0.exe ). Comparing the Pulse setup to my El Dac + La Figaro 336 out of a pair of Amirons, I was quite surprised at how good the Pulse sounds. Obviously I lose some of the lushness and warmth from the tubes, but the sound isn't as cold and analytical as I would of thought. There is plenty of juice in the amp to power the Amirons, and I have the gain set to MEDIUM. I need to spend more time with the Pulse but right now I'm definitely feeling that this unit is going to be a keeper and I'm going to sell off the other setup.

I just wanted to end this with a shout out to Jarek aka Stuck Limo. I know a lot of people got burned from LH Labs, but at least one person there is trying to help out. If you guys need some help, be sure to reach out to him! Obviously he is just an employee and can't promise you your gear or anything, but at least there is someone there to get you answers.


----------



## pauldgroot

Why would you use the LHL driver if Windows 10 supports it natively?


----------



## Gubretti

It didn't recognize it for me. When I plug it in it just says USB device had an error installing driver. So I tried to manually install the native USB audio driver, and it wouldn't install.

Under device manager it would sometimes show an error on a USB device and sometimes it would show up as an error for "LH Labs DFU". I had to install the 3.26 driver to get it to work. Did yours work plug and play(natively)? If so, do you have a Geek Pulse vanilla too?


----------



## pauldgroot

I'm running the Pulse XFI in original chassis, didn't install anything. I'm running driver version 10.0.17134.1 dated 11-4-2018 made by Microsoft.


----------



## Leondinas

Gubretti said:


> It didn't recognize it for me. When I plug it in it just says USB device had an error installing driver. So I tried to manually install the native USB audio driver, and it wouldn't install.
> 
> Under device manager it would sometimes show an error on a USB device and sometimes it would show up as an error for "LH Labs DFU". I had to install the 3.26 driver to get it to work. Did yours work plug and play(natively)? If so, do you have a Geek Pulse vanilla too?


I got the same result here. I cant use the windows 10 native driver.
Now i can't even play test sound on USB. Only the Toslink is working.


----------



## runningwitit

How do I connect a Pulse to the computer with a split config cable?

Can I use any power adapter to power my Pulse, as I didn't receive a  wall art to power my unit without the lps4?

Thanks!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Feb 5, 2019)

Any 12v 2A wall wart will do.

Socket A plug w/ black jacket on clean power (try a powerbank, if non any other usb port of your PC). The other to source (PC). Socket B (printer plug) to Pulse.


----------



## marflao (Feb 6, 2019)

In case some of you are still waiting for a Pulse, amp, headamp etc. pls have a look at the following posts:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/light-harmonic-geek-wave.713829/page-334#post-14761306 and https://www.head-fi.org/threads/light-harmonic-geek-wave.713829/page-336#post-14762322

Cheers


----------



## Shawnb

MAPgeekdad said:


> Didn't Revelation Audio Labs make upgrade power cords and umbilical cords for a group buy?
> If so, you might be able to get them to make you one.
> RAL is a bit expensive but I have bought cables from them in the past and was happy with the quality and performance.



I wasted money on that. Doubt I’ll ever see my LPS. Just another LHL thing that collects dust


----------



## graham508

stuck limo said:


> There is no news about the Pulse at this time, so there is no harm in posting about the Source here, which everyone was doing anyway, because no one ever started a Source thread.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well, I want to hear news about Pulse, Stuck Limo. 
The fact that this is turning into a Source thread indicates Light Harmonic has no intention of honouring remaining Pulse orders that go back 5 years. It has decided to forget it all and let go of remaining customers. 
I am one of those customers, and I am infuriated. Light Harmonic willingly took my money and has failed to deliver. 
I, along with others, have repeatedly asked for updates, but all you can do is offer empty token promises. 
No-one believes you anymore. 
Give me back my money Light Harmonic.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 7, 2019)

graham508 said:


> Well, I want to hear news about Pulse, Stuck Limo.
> The fact that this is turning into a Source thread indicates Light Harmonic has no intention of honouring remaining Pulse orders that go back 5 years. It has decided to forget it all and let go of remaining customers.



Tentative schedule or plan is:

1. Finish Vi DAC campaign next
2. Finish Pulse campaign after (includes Pulse and LPS units)
3. Do Wave campaign after Vi and Pulse

I REPEAT: this is TENTATIVE. The Vi DAC and Pulse may (or may not) run concurrently alongside each other. I am still talking with the office over the best option here and how to handle this. Unfortunately, the Pulse records are jacked up, so we may need another survey to actually get everyone we need to get and make sure all is correct on our end. Regardless of how you feel about another survey or the LH Labs incompetence or whatever, that's probably the best option at this point to see what the next step regarding Pulse would be.


----------



## Leondinas

Leondinas said:


> Hi,
> My Pulse X Infinity is V1.5 and running on V1.5 firmware. Beside, It run on:
> Main 2.0
> MCU 1.27
> ...


Stuck Limo, can you help on this ?


----------



## stuck limo

Leondinas said:


> Hi,
> My Pulse X Infinity is V1.5 and running on V1.5 firmware. Beside, It run on:
> Main 2.0
> MCU 1.27
> ...



If I find something out from the office, I'll let you know.


----------



## marflao

stuck limo said:


> Tentative schedule or plan is:
> 
> 1. Finish Vi DAC campaign next
> 2. Finish Pulse campaign after (includes Pulse and LPS units)
> ...



Hmm.. where are the Source SEs on your list?
Are they now skipped after @Shawnb  's early impressions? 

Not to forget the "normal" Sources and the rest (amp, headamp... anything else I forgot?).


----------



## MikeyFresh

marflao said:


> Hmm.. where are the Source SEs on your list?



Oops, they forgot about that. Easy to do when so many lies are told, at some point it is difficult to keep track of what's been said previously, even by the liars themselves. 

What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.


----------



## m17xr2b (Feb 8, 2019)

stuck limo said:


> Unfortunately, the Pulse records are jacked up, so we may need another survey


Is LH Labs complete and utterly stupid? How can you not have records at this point? It's _insert into PeopleWeTookAdvantageOf(_ID,email,amount,productWillWillNeverDeliver) _values _(...). Larry is a big shot at electronics but can't do a simple database a toddler could.

*Build the god damn things first* then have your survey.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 8, 2019)

m17xr2b said:


> *Build the god damn things first* then have your survey.



We have a very good estimate of what we need to build, based on the existing records. We're trying to narrow it down so we know more in an exact fashion how many to tell the factory to build. Unfortunately, I don't control the funds, or your suggestion would be taken into heavy consideration and maybe even put into practice.



m17xr2b said:


> Larry is a big shot at electronics but can't do a simple database a toddler could.



There were others who worked there who were in charge of the database. It wasn't Larry sitting around working the databases and customer service angles.


----------



## marflao

stuck limo said:


> We have a very good estimate of what we need to build, based on the existing records. We're trying to narrow it down so we know more in an exact fashion how many to tell the factory to build. Unfortunately, I don't control the funds, or your suggestion would be taken into heavy consideration and maybe even put into practice.
> 
> 
> 
> There were others who worked there who were in charge of the database. It wasn't Larry sitting around working the databases and customer service angles.



But Larry is accountable for it since he is the CEO...hence I don't understand he is put again in the "innocent role".


----------



## Shawnb

m17xr2b said:


> Is LH Labs complete and utterly stupid?



Yes, yes they are


----------



## runningwitit

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Any 12v 2A wall wart will do.
> 
> Socket A plug w/ black jacket on clean power (try a powerbank, if non any other usb port of your PC). The other to source (PC). Socket B (printer plug) to Pulse.


Oops!!I meant to type, how do I connect the Pulse using a split config cable (without the lps)?
Sorry and thanks!!


----------



## runningwitit

I think we should try and do a go-fund-me for Larry, to help him get these products to Everyone ...
Don't chop my head off, I'm waiting too!!
What do you think?


----------



## hemtmaker

runningwitit said:


> Oops!!I meant to type, how do I connect the Pulse using a split config cable (without the lps)?
> Sorry and thanks!!


Option 1: connect the music(data) end to your pc, and connect the power end to your pc also for handshake. Once the pulse has been detected, you can simply unplug the power end.
Option 2: Same as option 1 but leave the power end connected to pc, or connect it to the 5V output of the UPS


----------



## graham508

So stuck limo, if a new survey is needed as you say for Pulse orders, how do we actually do this? 
Will you conduct this survey, or are you wanting us to contact you individually? Please advise. 
Thanks at least for what looks from your words to be a commitment by Light Harmonic to deliver on these orders.


----------



## stuck limo

graham508 said:


> So stuck limo, if a new survey is needed as you say for Pulse orders, how do we actually do this?
> Will you conduct this survey, or are you wanting us to contact you individually? Please advise.
> Thanks at least for what looks from your words to be a commitment by Light Harmonic to deliver on these orders.



Unsure at this point. We have over 300 boards in stock and all or most of the parts to build them [like screws, nuts, bolts, etc.] (besides the chassis). There are less than 250 Pulses left to deliver [according to my records]. Give or take an undetermined number of Pulses not in the records, which is where the survey would come in.

From what I've heard, all the bugs have been ironed out and all the future Pulses should work fine now. 

Trust me, I want this campaign finished and delivered just as much as Larry has indicated to me he does. I've been grinding for it for a long time and now it appears it's possible. So when I have more information over it, I'll announce it and we'll discuss internally what to do regarding the survey or how to handle it vs what we show in our records. Based on LH Labs history though, I wouldn't hold your breath for any sort of announcement fast though. I'll continue to discuss with the office on Monday/Tuesday and see what is happening and what we can do to get it actually initiated. 

Again, I apologize for the lack of updates on the Pulse. I know people have been waiting and upset with the delay and hopefully the result will make people satisfied.


----------



## Drsparis

That's reasonable, hopeful and yet the same all at the same time. Lol. Are the boards functional? Can we get them sans chassis lol?


----------



## Maelob

This probably is the longest crowd-funding campaign in history.  I wonder when the amps will be delivered,  I am guessing by 2022 or 2025. I am surprised they are not declaring bankruptcy yet. Rooting for you LH Labs  I think LH crowdfunding campaign would make a great "case" study on how not to run a campaign and a business.


----------



## marflao

stuck limo said:


> Unsure at this point. We have over 300 boards in stock and all or most of the parts to build them [like screws, nuts, bolts, etc.] (besides the chassis). *There are less than 250 Pulses left to deliver [according to my records]. Give or take an undetermined number of Pulses not in the records, which is where the survey would come in*.
> ...



Hmm... but if LHL hasn't reached those "undetermined" backers in the earlier survey waves what makes you think you will be successful the next time?


----------



## stuck limo

I have been informed the Pulse boards AND the chassis units are in stock. The next step will be to purchase the minor parts we're missing, such as bolts/screws/screens. 

I will announce more when I have information.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Feb 12, 2019)

stuck limo said:


> I have been informed the Pulse boards AND the chassis units are in stock. The next step will be to purchase the minor parts we're missing, such as bolts/screws/screens.





stuck limo said:


> Tentative schedule or plan is:
> 
> 1. Finish Vi DAC campaign next
> 2. Finish Pulse campaign after (includes Pulse and LPS units)
> 3. Do Wave campaign after Vi and Pulse



So which is it, "Finish" the Vi DAC campaign (actually start it would be a more appropriate description), or has the Pulse suddenly now jumped to the very front of the line with a miraculous discovery of boards and chassis in stock, just need the fasteners and a few other minor items and those long suffering Pulse backers will be all set then?

Or haven't we heard versions of both of those stories previously? Yes, we have.

I'll take a stab at the next chapter of the story:

Oops, we didn't realize the long lead times on some of the parts needed to finish the Pulses, so I have no further information there at this time however we are going to refocus on finishing the software for Wave/Source and we've hired a new team there.

Plus, Larry will be visiting the Vi DAC chassis manufacturer soon to see what can be done to increase the production speed there to 10-15 units per month, no... make that 20-25 units per month once we're fully up to speed.


----------



## m17xr2b

stuck limo said:


> I have been informed the Pulse boards AND the chassis units are in stock. The next step will be to purchase the minor parts we're missing, such as bolts/screws/screens.
> 
> I will announce more when I have information.


Pictures please, if they have 2018/2019 on the boards I'll believe you.


----------



## Leondinas

stuck limo said:


> Unsure at this point. We have over 300 boards in stock and all or most of the parts to build them [like screws, nuts, bolts, etc.] (besides the chassis). There are less than 250 Pulses left to deliver [according to my records]. Give or take an undetermined number of Pulses not in the records, which is where the survey would come in.
> 
> From what I've heard, all the bugs have been ironed out and all the future Pulses should work fine now.
> 
> ...




Can you fix the old Pulse ? XFi is super ex and this kind of bug is unacceptable.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 14, 2019)

EDIT: As promised, here are photos of the existing Pulse components LH Labs has: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ty2_dSupN2uLcLO3wCcIS7VH-28ugann

The chassis parts are in pieces: L = Left side, R = Right side, T = Top side, B = Bottom side as listed on the boxes.

I will post pictures tonight of the materials we have in stock for Pulse. We have:

1. The PCB (naked boards)
2. The chassis (unassembled)

We need: some various components (screens, nuts, bolts, the top acrylic part, shipping boxes, etc.) and the PCBs to become PCBAs. I will post when they're ordered.

https://www.sbcinc.com/blog/pcb-vs-pcba-what-s-the-difference

*PCB vs. PCBA: What’s the Difference?*

A PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is a board that electrically connects electronic components using conductive traces, pads, and other features etched from copper foil laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. PCB’s can be _single sided_ (one copper layer), _double sided_ (two copper layers), or _multi-layer_ (outer and inner layers). Conductors on different layers are connected with vias (plated-thru. holes). Multi-layer PCB’s allow for much higher component density and design complexity.

A PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) is the board after all the components and parts have been soldered and installed on the PCB and now can accomplish the electronic function it was designed for.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 14, 2019)

As promised, here are photos of the existing Pulse components LH Labs has: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ty2_dSupN2uLcLO3wCcIS7VH-28ugann

The chassis parts are in pieces: L = Left side, R = Right side, T = Top side, B = Bottom side as listed on the boxes.


----------



## m17xr2b

Can't see the date on those boards. Mind uploading the full resolution pictures? I'd like to know when those were manufactured. 
Also these are not the rejected batch of boards that I believe has happened multiple times?


----------



## jsiegel14072

m17xr2b said:


> Can't see the date on those boards. Mind uploading the full resolution pictures? I'd like to know when those were manufactured.
> Also these are not the rejected batch of boards that I believe has happened multiple times?



Not to mention that PCB's have a shelf life - they pick up moisture and contaminants that cause problems down the line.
i would guess that the PCB is less than 30% of the cost of the finished assembly.  How long till they have enough money to buy the surface mount components and pay the assembly house?

so we were told on 11/23/2017 that the factory was producing da Vinci boards and that Pulse boards would follow.


we were also promised that 

 1 - we would be told when production of the pulse boards starts

 2 - we would be told if there was any hold up on starting the pulse boards

are they moving to a domestic PCB stuffing house?  If not, why being the boards here?


----------



## stuck limo

Post your questions you'd like to see answered in a Q&A session. Keep in mind: 
Any questions you submit may or may not be edited (or included) for brevity, clarity, and for civility.


----------



## stuck limo

@jsiegel14072 For those bare PCB boards, we have a good seal on production PCBs. (for photos, we opened up a few) And after assembly, all will be tested. So if any bare PCB is NOT functioning, it would be excluded in the pre-test and post-test. When I get more information, I'll let you know.


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> Post your questions you'd like to see answered in a Q&A session. Keep in mind:
> Any questions you submit may or  since you may not be edited (or included) for brevity, clarity, and for civility.



1. Why should we believe a word you say?
2. How do you account for all the lies told and what will you do to ensure we’re told the truth?
3. What assurances can you give us we’re getting what we paid for since you refuse to let us open our cases
4. What year can I expect my HPA, PTP and everything else?
5. Will Larry ever come out of hiding?
6. What is needed to complete each project?
7. Why should I believe a word you say?
8. How many updates were pure lies, can you tell us?
9. How do you translate White Van Scam in Mandarin? “Light Harmonic” ??
10. How many actual units have you shipped each year, what are the real numbers.

And lastly has been repeated a few times but is the most important question. Why should we believe a word you say when you’ve lied to us so often?

A Q&A session is just stupid when you can’t trust the answers.
Will you take a polygraph during the Q&A?


----------



## m17xr2b

Not a question but I want Larry to admit sending bogus updates. From the number of pulse shipped(was it 95% or something?) to the factory chassis blaming where the last 5+ updates were straight up lies. Humility is the first step to redemption. 

And I second the audit of funds.


----------



## chimney189

Has anyone tried this amp with the HE-1000 V2: https://www.amazon.com/LH-Labs-LH-GP-GPX-001-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B018M8L906/

I'm looking for the power output at 32 Ohms and can't find it..


----------



## Anaximandros

chimney189 said:


> Has anyone tried this amp with the HE-1000 V2: https://www.amazon.com/LH-Labs-LH-GP-GPX-001-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B018M8L906/
> 
> I'm looking for the power output at 32 Ohms and can't find it..



It's this amp here. https://www.audiostream.com/content/lh-labs-geek-pulse-xfi-linear-power-supply-4-lps4

I think it was 3000mW into 32 Ohm single ended and 6000mW into 32 Ohm balanced.


----------



## chimney189

Anaximandros said:


> It's this amp here. https://www.audiostream.com/content/lh-labs-geek-pulse-xfi-linear-power-supply-4-lps4
> 
> I think it was 3000mW into 32 Ohm single ended and 6000mW into 32 Ohm balanced.



Does one need the linear power supply?  I was hoping to just get the amp.  Will it have less power as just a stand-alone amp?


----------



## Anaximandros

You don't need a linear power supply.


----------



## Sentinel92

Need a little help. 

Background : I own a Geek Pulse XFi DAC from the campaign, and used to use it with my older PC running on Windows 7. Due to circumstance, I'm now running a new PC with Windows 10, and I haven't use the Pulse for nearly a year. The previously downloaded drivers were all gone and dead with the old PC. 

So, do I still go back to the old LH Labs website and download the driver, last dated June 2017? Is it capable of working with the latest version of Windows 10?

Just wanna double check before I do anything.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Mar 11, 2019)

Yes it should be. Mine worked. Provided Windows is the latest version. Earlier Win10 had problems giving rights to legacy drivers.


----------



## Sentinel92

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Yes it should be. Mine worked. Provided Windows is the latest version. Earlier Win10 had problems giving rights to legacy drivers.



Awesome. Thank you so much for replying. Good to know.


----------



## Roll

As reported on Head Fi: Light Harmonic Geek Wave

Comments are disabled on Geek Wave IGG page as our-  Geek Pulse DAC: High-Rez Desktop DAC System

- the comment section says "You must Contribute to this campaign to post a comment."


----------



## valve5425

Sentinel92 said:


> Need a little help.
> 
> Background : I own a Geek Pulse XFi DAC from the campaign, and used to use it with my older PC running on Windows 7. Due to circumstance, I'm now running a new PC with Windows 10, and I haven't use the Pulse for nearly a year. The previously downloaded drivers were all gone and dead with the old PC.
> 
> ...



My XFI works fine with Win 10 pro 64, version 1803 and driver 3.26. I always power the PC on before the DAC, otherwise it's a bit hit and miss!

It's a while since I've been here and I've got to say that I'm disgusted that folks are still waiting for Pulses. I thought the 19 months that I waited was bad enough. The Geek Pulse was my first and last crowdfund!! Not an experience I wish to repeat.


----------



## mark5hs

Hey guys. So I get pretty frequent disconnects in windows with the standard pulse. I'll be using it and the audio will randomly cut out- Windows will still recognize it but no sound goes through until I turn it off and on. I find it happens much more often on 96 or 192khz than it does on 44. Firmware is updated. Any ideas?


----------



## cageman

mark5hs said:


> Hey guys. So I get pretty frequent disconnects in windows with the standard pulse. I'll be using it and the audio will randomly cut out- Windows will still recognize it but no sound goes through until I turn it off and on. I find it happens much more often on 96 or 192khz than it does on 44. Firmware is updated. Any ideas?



Can you share your firmware versions?  I used to have the disconnect problem when I had a broken USB connector/port.


----------



## dclaz

Has there been any thorough reviews with measurements comparing the pulse to other DACs in the 1k + price range?


----------



## ctbarker32

The Pulse Dac was a nice little Dac/Headphone device five years ago but things have moved on.

When you can get a Khadas Tone Board Dac for as little as $83 it's hard to justify Dacs at $1k. Pair the Tone Board with any of the most recent $99 headphone amps from JDS Labs (Atom) or Monoprice (Cavalli) and you are pretty dang close to 2019 state of the art. The Khadas Dac has been measured and it is within a whisker of things like the Benchmark Dac3. Pretty compelling.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Does anybody know if they finally released firmware for DSD256? They were supposed to improve femto clock performance as well..


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Assumed for your Pulse X Infinity. PM Stucklimo.

One little drawback, it won't properly display DSD256. But it works.


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Assumed for your Pulse X Infinity. PM Stucklimo.
> 
> One little drawback, it won't properly display DSD256. But it works.



Well Hello Mickey !

Long time no see! Still believe you should’ve won the Pulse design contest, LOL!

Any other improvements other than dsd256?
How about the Femto clock 2.0? Don’t even know what they imply with that.

Will ping Stucklimo. Thanks


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Apr 29, 2019)

Hello Eli! Thanks!
Yeah it was just out for pure fun.

Don't know (or forgot) about Femto clock 2.0. FTM filter implementation?

The DSD256 firmware (native mode) will not display "DSD256" on your DAC when playing but instead the info. of your preceding non DSD256 file. 

Playing w/ DSD256 materials for 3 yrs now on my X Infinity (so it works!).


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Hello Eli! Thanks!
> Yeah it was just out for pure fun.
> 
> Don't know (or forgot) about Femto clock 2.0. FTM filter implementation?
> ...



3 years?! wow, I've been away for far too long. Was so happy with the DAC that I just forgot about everything else.... 

My current firmwares are these 

Main 3.0
USB 1.0
MCU 1.27

Have they all changed?  I went to the support website, but many articles have the last update be from 2015 and the DSD256 update from 2017 and femto 2.0, etc... but no download link.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Apr 30, 2019)

Was one of the early beta testers for the DSD256 firmware back in October 2015.

Mine is Main 3.0, MCU 2.4 forgot USB...

Here is my DSD256 X Infinity firmware. Please use as a last resort if stucklimo could not provide you one. Incorrect flashing might brick your unit. And support now is inexistent. Haven't got feedbacks to persons I have shared my firmware with if it worked. Nobody got angry also so maybe...

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pdRTaiK5FRCGDSX0Vrkpw6AStoRKFC8w

When flashing use the DFU utility that comes from your windows driver. If you don't have one, use that is found on this driver:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=112gnZ1jiGZez9ttERBU-SBQ_kvf0nZ7C

DSD256 works only on NATIVE mode NOT in DoP.


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Was one of the early beta testers for the DSD256 firmware back in October 2015.
> 
> Mine is Main 3.0, MCU 2.4 forgot USB...
> 
> ...



Thank You!

If I'm not mistaken, you have the original design model right? I have the refreshed design that it's a little bigger. I would have to check if the firmware is compatible with it. It might just be!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yes, I have the original design model. 

Please ask if its compatible. It might brick your unit.

You're welcome!


----------



## kostaszag

I was wondering how Pulse Sfi might compare to a Aune X1S. I might be able to get one for a very good price and wonder if the change would be worth it.


----------



## Mike-WI

kostaszag said:


> I was wondering how Pulse Sfi might compare to a Aune X1S. I might be able to get one for a very good price and wonder if the change would be worth it.


If you don't currently own LH or haven't already paid for it and are waiting, why would you try to own one given the known customer service (lack)?
There are many competing DACs with intact and functional companies.


----------



## kostaszag

Mike-WI said:


> If you don't currently own LH or haven't already paid for it and are waiting, why would you try to own one given the known customer service (lack)?
> There are many competing DACs with intact and functional companies.



I forgot to say, I already have a Pulse Sfi. It works alright so far but I am worried about what might happen in the future if it ever needs a repair and was considering a replacement.


----------



## Mike-WI

kostaszag said:


> I forgot to say, I already have a Pulse Sfi. It works alright so far but I am worried about what might happen in the future if it ever needs a repair and was considering a replacement.


Ah. That makes more sense.
If it works, you are fine (for now).
I think any upgrade or sidegrade is just standard upgraditis.
Not sure if there is a big market for selling used LH products.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I'm planning on keeping my Pulse Infinity until the day it DIES. It was expensive enough even with the early bird prices I paid and subsequent upgrades which for me were well received. I like mine and thankfully it hasn't failed so far, and hopefully it will stay like that for a looooonnng time.

Still waiting on the answer to my question regarding the firmware update though.


----------



## greenkiwi

eliwankenobi said:


> Still waiting on the answer to my question regarding the firmware update though



If it's working, I wouldn't touch the firmware.


----------



## snip3r77

greenkiwi said:


> If it's working, I wouldn't touch the firmware.


Yeah same


----------



## graham508

stuck limo said:


> Tentative schedule or plan is:
> 
> 1. Finish Vi DAC campaign next
> 2. Finish Pulse campaign after (includes Pulse and LPS units)
> ...



Stucklimo, in February you gave us this update on delivering outstanding Pulse orders. Nothing has happened. 
I demand you give us the gear we paid for, or refund us. 
You seem to think Light Harmonic can get away with this scam. 
No, you took our money and clearly have no intention of honouring your obligations. 
What a rubbish company.


----------



## Shawnb

graham508 said:


> Stucklimo, in February you gave us this update on delivering outstanding Pulse orders. Nothing has happened.
> I demand you give us the gear we paid for, or refund us.
> You seem to think Light Harmonic can get away with this scam.
> No, you took our money and clearly have no intention of honouring your obligations.
> What a rubbish company.



You’re never getting a refund, get that out of your head right now. Refunds of ANY amount will NEVER happen.

They have already gotten away with this scam. All we can do is wait and hope that maybe they will sell something and afford to make what is owed. In reality we’re never seeing anything and Larry will get off scott free.


----------



## m17xr2b

You're never getting any kit, get that out of your head right now. Components of ANY type will NEVER happen.

Do you really believe the _LH will fund the remaining campaigns _bull? Larry already got off scott free, only karma remains.


----------



## Drsparis

Please don't way things like NEVER, i still have about 2% hope that my 1000+$ was not sent to someone who used it to fuel a fire lol.....


----------



## eliwankenobi

It’s the risk of an indiegogo/kickstarter campaign.  

Too bad they had sooo many troubles with actual production and delivery. They could have really made a big splash in the market.

So Larry Ho is no longer associated with LH LABS?????


----------



## graham508

eliwankenobi said:


> It’s the risk of an indiegogo/kickstarter campaign.
> 
> Too bad they had sooo many troubles with actual production and delivery. They could have really made a big splash in the market.
> 
> So Larry Ho is no longer associated with LH LABS?????


Larry Ho is still listed as the company's founder on its website, but who's running the business is far from clear. Things are ghostly quiet at Light Harmonic, tt has the smell of death. 
Stucklimo is not replying on this forum, where he used to do so regularly - so it looks like he has shipped out. 
So IMO it is time to give up all hope. 
Light Harmonic was a bunch of crooks, starting with that fast-talking avaricious Gavin Fish, and concluding with that totally negligent and equally greedy Larry Ho. 
Jail them both.


----------



## Maelob (May 21, 2019)

I gave up hope two years ago. Over 2k gone


----------



## Shawnb

I still hope for karma’s payback. I want nothing less than both companies in flames 
Almost 9k gone


----------



## doctorjazz

I have a recurrent problem with my Geek Out SE (v1) and JRiver. I often get an error with JRiver where it says settings ASIO are incorrect and it won't play the file. I don't know if the firmware has gone bad, not easy to find it for download. Any suggestions?


----------



## stuck limo (May 22, 2019)

graham508 said:


> Stucklimo is not replying on this forum, where he used to do so regularly - so it looks like he has shipped out.



I was on vacation. I'm still around, though judging by some of the personal comments I've gotten from various individuals, some people wish I wasn't.

No updates yet. When I hear something I'll post.


----------



## runningwitit

stuck limo said:


> I was on vacation. I'm still around, though judging by some of the personal comments I've gotten from various individuals, some people wish I wasn't.
> 
> No updates yet. When I hear something I'll post.


My DOGG!


----------



## snip3r77

Should be all done deal


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Driver here it is:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=112gnZ1jiGZez9ttERBU-SBQ_kvf0nZ7C


----------



## jsiegel14072

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Driver here it is:
> 
> https://drive.google.com/open?id=112gnZ1jiGZez9ttERBU-SBQ_kvf0nZ7C



can we install without hardware????????


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yes


----------



## ValeryPaul

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Driver here it is:
> 
> https://drive.google.com/open?id=112gnZ1jiGZez9ttERBU-SBQ_kvf0nZ7C


Do you or anyone know how to fix the signature issue? I was able to download and install the driver but I was unable to get it started due to error "52"


jsiegel14072 said:


> can we install without hardware????????


I got the  "digital signature error"....


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Don't know it will work, never tried it.

1. On Command prompt type and hit enter:
bcdedit /set testsigning on
2. Restart and install driver.
3. After Installing driver, open Command Prompt and type thhis command and hit enter:
bcdedit /set testsigning off

If you see a message saying the value is “protected by Secure Boot policy”, that means Secure Boot is enabled in your computer’s UEFI firmware. You’ll need to disable Secure Boot in your computer’s UEFI firmware (also known as its BIOS) to enable test signing mode.


----------



## Roll

Any news on our unit being made at all?????


----------



## stuck limo

Roll said:


> Any news on our unit being made at all?????



Nothing that I've heard.


----------



## Roll

stuck limo said:


> Nothing that I've heard.



Thanks again for a reply..

Try a friend's version a few months ago with a planar headphone. I actually like her. 
I even PM the person above,ValeryPaul for his unit that he posted to sell - but no answer

It is almost 6 years when I drop a deposit on October 29, 2013 for the Pulse on Indiegogo, just after receiving the Geek Out

Can u at least ask the 'boss', what his plan on the remaining owing Pulse.


----------



## ValeryPaul

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Don't know it will work, never tried it.
> 
> 1. On Command prompt type and hit enter:
> bcdedit /set testsigning on
> ...


Looks very complicated to me! LOL! Anyway, my unit is still on sale. It turns on fine and the knob is working perfectly. Though it has the old chassis. For dirt cheap and I include the LPS4. Both cost me around $1800 if I remember correctly. Damn you Indiegogo!


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Just curious, aside from the horrible wait times and god awful support, does this DAC still hold up to other new DAC's today? I might be able to snag one at a great price and am wondering if they are still good compared to the competition.


----------



## m17xr2b

Who the heck knows, very few received them. I've got one on order for 5 years and still don't know how it sounds, even from reviews. It's too bad, I'd have liked to know what it sounded like at least.


----------



## Mike-WI

Ethereal Sound said:


> Just curious, aside from the horrible wait times and god awful support, does this DAC still hold up to other new DAC's today? I might be able to snag one at a great price and am wondering if they are still good compared to the competition.


You can get a great price on something without support?
There are many DACs available with intact companies.
Check out Schiit Audio for instance - Bifrost 2
https://www.schiit.com/products/bifrost-1

Many of us are following thread because we already have sunk money.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Mike-WI said:


> You can get a great price on something without support?
> There are many DACs available with intact companies.
> Check out Schiit Audio for instance - Bifrost 2
> https://www.schiit.com/products/bifrost-1
> ...



Yeah I get that and honestly wouldn't mind no support considering the installation seems pretty easy and it doesn't seem like many people have had units that broke down or anything. But yeah, I'm still curious as to how it sounds compared to other DACs.


----------



## eliwankenobi

I wonder how Light Harmonic is doing today.  They still selling DaVinci DACs?


----------



## stuck limo

eliwankenobi said:


> I wonder how Light Harmonic is doing today.  They still selling DaVinci DACs?



Yes, they're still being made/developed. I don't know their sales numbers though.


----------



## ValeryPaul

stuck limo said:


> Yes, they're still being made/developed. I don't know their sales numbers though.


I pity the people who would buy any of their products! Let only I be the one sucker for all!


----------



## Drsparis

ValeryPaul said:


> I pity the people who would buy any of their products! Let only I be the one sucker for all!



Me too, I will stand by you for the sake of anyone else looking here.


----------



## stuck limo (Oct 23, 2019)

ValeryPaul said:


> I pity the people who would buy any of their products! Let only I be the one sucker for all!



I mean, from what I've heard, the people with Da Vinci are very happy with theirs. YMMV shrug

I would also assume that most of the people who are looking for Da Vinci would only hang out in the Summit Fi forum, not the regular forum.


----------



## jaywhar

I assume the people who paid their money for a Da Vinci actually received the product?



stuck limo said:


> I mean, from what I've heard, the people with Da Vinci are very happy with theirs. YMMV shrug
> 
> I would also assume that most of the people who are looking for Da Vinci would only hang out in the Summit Fi forum, not the regular forum.


----------



## stuck limo

jaywhar said:


> I assume the people who paid their money for a Da Vinci actually received the product?



Yeah, they did.


----------



## Drsparis

They paid for a product, we invested in a business venture gone so so wrong. Sadly there's an important difference...


----------



## purk

Just sad all around.  I have the Pulse X that seem to be working okay most of the time.  However, from time to time it will take several reboots for it to lock on to any USB digital signal and not emitting very loud static noise.   It does sound nice however with my HD800.


----------



## ValeryPaul

stuck limo said:


> I mean, from what I've heard, the people with Da Vinci are very happy with theirs. YMMV shrug
> 
> I would also assume that most of the people who are looking for Da Vinci would only hang out in the Summit Fi forum, not the regular forum.


Of course, of course, we are not enough wealthy to hang out in the summit fi forum. Poor us, the suckers who got this company called LH Labs rolling. Little did we know that we were the big fat juicy suckers who were deceived into bankrolling this awesome summit fi DA VINCI, the END GAME, the MOTHER of audiophilia!!! Poor us! A few thousands of our hard-earned money won't give us access to that summit fi DA VINCI! What were we thinking! And yet the LH Labs minion raves about the summit fi DA VINCI meanwhile how many of us suckers didn't get their low-end product, the Pulse after only a few years of wait? See we can build this AWESOME da vinci, yet we can't get the low-end pulse right! A little respect for the suckers who got you your job and Larry Ho his nice vacation home, please! That AWESOME DA VINCI!!!!


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> I mean, from what I've heard, the people with Da Vinci are very happy with theirs. YMMV shrug
> 
> I would also assume that most of the people who are looking for Da Vinci would only hang out in the Summit Fi forum, not the regular forum.


Dur


----------



## eliwankenobi

purk said:


> Just sad all around.  I have the Pulse X that seem to be working okay most of the time.  However, from time to time it will take several reboots for it to lock on to any USB digital signal and not emitting very loud static noise.   It does sound nice however with my HD800.



I wanted to add to this.  The Pulse is a sweet sounding DAC/AMP.  My Pulse X Infinity drives my HD600 balanced beautifully. It does sound better than my OG Geek Out 450 (I bought in fully into LH Labs)

I also have had issues with USB connection loss. It seems there is an issue with it although intermittent. I usually never turn it off and the connection losses seem to be very few and far between. I would have bitched about it a lot more had this been a retail product, but nope! It’s Indiegogo campaign and you get what you get.

 Sad that there is still people waiting for their units. I hope they get their products soon and without issue. It is a pretty good unit although with all the new stuff available today, there is a lot more competition plus the discounted group buys from Drop.com.... hard to say how the Pulse fares against them in price/performance

back to the GO450, it is rock solid though.


----------



## Hercules

LH Labs still owe me Pulse and LPS4 till now....


----------



## ValeryPaul

Hercules said:


> LH Labs still owe me Pulse and LPS4 till now....


What does the LH Labs minion have to say about this? Oh well, the DA vinci is awesome! Forget your pulse!


----------



## stuck limo

Someone asked a question I can answer here:



> Three or four weeks back there were a couple of updates showing the latest version of the Vi DAC Tube which, except for tubes, appeared to be fully assembled.
> Was that a fully working model and if so has production and shipping commenced? If not, can you please advise why there is further delay?
> Also, I note that the model shown was branded "Light Harmonic". Will those that are shipped to backers be branded "Light Harmonic"? No drama, just curious.



Good questions. Since LH Labs is basically not funded at this point by crowdfunding, any remaining LH Labs product will probably be shipped as Light Harmonic products/branding. It may vary by model/unit/campaign, but that's essentially the plan at this point. Yes, the model is a fully working unit which should theoretically be finished early next week. Tests will be done on these early models, and then the rest of the units will be produced and shipped.


----------



## graham508

Ok Stuck Limo, time to ask again: when are our Pulse Infinity and LPS orders arriving? 
A rhetorical question, of course. Because from time to time LH Labs still gives assurances about delivery of outstanding orders, but nothing happens. 
I would prefer if you had the courage and honesty to tell us the truth - that delivery won't happen. 
It's been lie upon lie, starting in 2013 when we placed our original orders. LH labs is a company that took our money, is totally inept, and deserves to be rebuked by the entire audio community.


----------



## ascension278

My Geek Pulse Xfi recently stopped working. Whenever I turn it on, there is a loud constant spinning sound. It is audible even without plugging in headphones. I can choose it as an output in Windows 10, but it doesn't work. I am hoping that it is a simple wiring issue, and I can get any headfi repair specialist to fix it


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Stuck Limo, I've been looking around for some info but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Can you please tell me the Xfi's output impedance and voltage on the XLR outputs? NOT the headphone outputs, but the ones on the back.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

4.2Vrms  (47 * 2 Ohm)


----------



## Ethereal Sound

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> 4.2Vrms  (47 * 2 Ohm)



Thank you, for some reason that info is impossibly difficult to come by. When you say 47 * 2, do you mean it's 94ohms or is it 47ohms? Not entirely savvy when it comes to electronics, I was just advised to get a balanced DAC with low output impedance for a new amplifier that I'll be receiving


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Nov 20, 2019)

I am the same with you. Got it from an old data. After many years I can't remember what it meant. Maybe its 94 ohms since SE output is 2.1Vrms @ 47 ohms.


----------



## eliwankenobi

That’s actually a good idea.

A specs page for the different Pulse Models


----------



## eliwankenobi

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I am the same with you. Got it from an old data. After many years I can't remember what it meant. Maybe its 94 ohms since SE output is 2.1Vrms @ 47 ohms.



I’m saving this chart!


----------



## savaloco (Dec 3, 2019)

I was one of the fortunate to have recieved my Infinity Pulse with LPS.  I had to return my unit for repair within the first month of ownership but it has been great ever since (knock on wood).  I just recieved Drop's THX AAA 789 amp and I must say the sound improvement is immediately evident.  I've been listening to my HE560s for about an hour now and the detail, separation, and bottom end control are fantastic.  Many have suggested that the DAC on the Pulse is held back by its amp and I would enthusiasticaly agree.  I currently have the Pulse on low gain @ 0dB and the THX on gain 2 with the vol at 1 o'clock.  All XLR cables.  I'm going through some of my fav rock stuff  now and love how the percusion and strings are coming through.  I was looking considering new cans but opted for the amp upgrade and so far I'm very pleased.  The HE560s have found some new life.  For now!

For those of you burned by this failed experiment of a company ... I'm sincerely sorry for your misfortune.  Don't let it spoil the music!

Cheers

Edit:
Here are some pics as requested.  I like the new knob as you can better see the vol level and the unit is sturdier than I expected.  Frankly I don't care much for the asthetics but I am regretting getting the 'new' Puse chasis as the pair don't fit under my monitor.  I may have to the Pulse under the desk with the LPS.  Did I mention the additional detail and separation this thing is providing .... fawk me!!!

Edit2:
Notoriously simbilant recordings .... James Vincent McMorrow's Cavialier .... Kate Bush's Rocket's Tail are significantly improved.  The sound is still bright but much more acceptible.  There is less modulation with the improved separation and control.  The brightness is much more tollerable because you can cognitively make out what is being recorded and the sounds don't mush together.  Don't get me wrong the recordings are still on the bright side.  Perhaps its the sound engineers fault, perhaps the sabre chip in the DAC ... perhaps the HE560s ... likely all three.  Ultimately the sound is much improved.  I'm looking forward to messing with the filters all over again to see if I change my current setting.  OK ... that's enough from me.


----------



## graham508

graham508 said:


> Ok Stuck Limo, time to ask again: when are our Pulse Infinity and LPS orders arriving?
> A rhetorical question, of course. Because from time to time LH Labs still gives assurances about delivery of outstanding orders, but nothing happens.
> I would prefer if you had the courage and honesty to tell us the truth - that delivery won't happen.
> It's been lie upon lie, starting in 2013 when we placed our original orders. LH labs is a company that took our money, is totally inept, and deserves to be rebuked by the entire audio community.


O dear, Stuck Limo has gone AWOL again. 
In the past he has been so full of promises about delivery. But now that it's become a total joke, I just want to see what he's got to say about outstanding LH Labs deliveries - if he is listening.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Does anyone here have a link to the 3.26 firmware? It appears the link on their official website is dead


----------



## eliwankenobi

Ethereal Sound said:


> Does anyone here have a link to the 3.26 firmware? It appears the link on their official website is dead



3.26 was the latest driver

grab it here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4XSrkjTR5UUOXhTMTlRejhOc1E


----------



## Ethereal Sound

So I've downloaded the latest firmware and can now play DSD128 natively just fine but my Jrivermedia center (v20.0.132) keeps crashing when I try to play DSD256. Anyone have any clues as to why this might be? I am running it via ASIO


----------



## eliwankenobi

3.26 is the ASIO driver for the computer to connect to Pulse, not the Pulse itself

DSD256 needs a custom firmware on the Pulse itself. I sadly dabbled in doing so when it was not recommended.  On the website there is a note that Pulse Infinity units have a custom firmware by serial number. So I can play dsd256 but there is a loud pop right before playing a file. USB stability overall is very bad. I’ve had to stop using it because it disconnects.  I would’ve loved to have a backup of my unit’s original firmware but I dont.

.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

eliwankenobi said:


> 3.26 is the ASIO driver for the computer to connect to Pulse, not the Pulse itself
> 
> DSD256 needs a custom firmware on the Pulse itself. I sadly dabbled in doing so when it was not recommended.  On the website there is a note that Pulse Infinity units have a custom firmware by serial number. So I can play dsd256 but there is a loud pop right before playing a file. USB stability overall is very bad. I’ve had to stop using it because it disconnects.  I would’ve loved to have a backup of my unit’s original firmware but I dont.
> 
> .



I actually realized I can't even run DSD128 natively. I can only do DoP. Oh well, I guess. I don't want to tinker with the unit and risk bricking it.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Dec 9, 2019)

eliwankenobi said:


> 3.26 is the ASIO driver for the computer to connect to Pulse, not the Pulse itself
> 
> DSD256 needs a custom firmware on the Pulse itself. I sadly dabbled in doing so when it was not recommended.  On the website there is a note that Pulse Infinity units have a custom firmware by serial number. So I can play dsd256 but there is a loud pop right before playing a file. USB stability overall is very bad. I’ve had to stop using it because it disconnects.  I would’ve loved to have a backup of my unit’s original firmware but I dont.
> 
> .



Sorry to hear that Bro..



Ethereal Sound said:


> So I've downloaded the latest firmware and can now play DSD128 natively just fine but my Jrivermedia center (v20.0.132) keeps crashing when I try to play DSD256. Anyone have any clues as to why this might be? I am running it via ASIO



The problem I think is with JRiver. It crashes when playing higher DSD files (say DSD512) to the ones your DAC supports (say DSD128). If I remembered correctly.

Need to upgrade to latest version (MC 25). Where you can tell JRiver to bitstream DSD at your DAC's highest supported file / or to a particular value (say DSD128) when playing higher DSD rates (say DSD256).
The configuration would be: Bitreaming -> Custom-> DSD -> up to DSD128 (max supported by Geek Pulse w/o custom firmware).

A work around on your version is to configure Bitsream to NONE. And configure DSP Output Format on higher rates to 384KHZ (max supported by Geek Pulse).

Yes it will convert DSD to PCM, BUT it will let you play higher sampled files.

Just trying to help.

[merged]


----------



## Ethereal Sound

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Was one of the early beta testers for the DSD256 firmware back in October 2015.
> 
> Mine is Main 3.0, MCU 2.4 forgot USB...
> 
> ...




Just curious, if I don't absolutely don't need DSD, is it worth updating the Pulse firmware? Not sure if there are any other sonic improvements with the firmware update. Also, how do I even install it?


----------



## eliwankenobi

If it is working good, DO NOT TOUCH THE FIRMWARE

Leave your player to send all to PCM. If using JRIVER that is their prefer option, and what I do with my GeekOut.  DSD I convert to PCM 352.8 KHZ


----------



## Ethereal Sound

eliwankenobi said:


> If it is working good, DO NOT TOUCH THE FIRMWARE
> 
> Leave your player to send all to PCM. If using JRIVER that is their prefer option, and what I do with my GeekOut.  DSD I convert to PCM 352.8 KHZ



Roger that, last thing I want is a brick


----------



## jsiegel14072

Ethereal Sound said:


> Roger that, last thing I want is a brick



Some of us would be happy to see them ship bricks about now.


----------



## graham508

Yup, give me a brick LH Labs, you've given me nothing yet.


----------



## m17xr2b

Next week it will be six years since my original pledge.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Hey guys, so considering it's pretty much impossible to get a LPS4 now, I've been on the hunt for a LPS that can supply power for the X Infinity as well as have the USB power for it (since I'm using the lightspeed 2g cable). Would something like

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1PC-HiFi-L...5V-Output-OFC-R-Core-Transformer/283712432780

or this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/28-34V-12V...ply-for-HiFi-Power-Amplifier-DAC/273596847157

 or this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25W-HiFi-F...-XMOS-Raspberry-CM6631-USB-phone/112472513838

be safe to use? If there are other good options, I'd love to hear any input. Thanks


----------



## Shawnb

Ethereal Sound said:


> Hey guys, so considering it's pretty much impossible to get a LPS4 now, I've been on the hunt for a LPS that can supply power for the X Infinity as well as have the USB power for it (since I'm using the lightspeed 2g cable). Would something like
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/1PC-HiFi-L...5V-Output-OFC-R-Core-Transformer/283712432780
> 
> ...



I believe this is said to work with all the Geek line.

https://uptoneaudio.com/products/js-2-linear-power-supply


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It depends on your budget. 

Pulse needs a 12v 2A source with a 5.5mm/2.5mm (not sure or 2.1?) plug.

You could buy a 12v iFi power supply and get decent results. 

Want a good one? This. 
https://faradpowersupplies.com/shop...rutech_rhodium_ac_inlet-no/83-fuse_upgrade-no

Better than Uptone, Keces, Sbooster...


----------



## oneguy

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> It depends on your budget.
> 
> Pulse needs a 12v 2A source with a 5.5mm/2.5mm (not sure or 2.1?) plug.
> 
> ...



The LPS-4 only outputs 1.2A and Canada fun the Pulse. 2A is not required and it’s the 2.1mm barrel.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Thanks Bro... Maybe it was the brandy..







Belated Merry Christmas!


----------



## Ethereal Sound

Thanks for the suggestions. Since I'm using the 2g lightspeed cable, I was hoping to find one with a usb port so that I don't have to use a computer usb port. Not sure if there will be a big difference


----------



## graham508

I'm not wishing Stuck Limo or LH Labs happy Christmas. He's no longer replying to my posts. I knew they were crooks. They stole my money. Then they laced it with lies.


----------



## stuck limo

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> You could buy a 12v iFi power supply and get decent results.



The iFi works great on mine. Highly recommended.


----------



## graham508

hi there Stuck Limo, I see that you are back. 
Maybe you have seen my repeated posts asking for updates on Pulse Infinity and LPS? I would like to know what is going on - if delivery is ever likely to happen, or are we wasting our time asking about this. If the latter, I demand a refund. 
Answer me please.


----------



## Maelob

graham508 said:


> hi there Stuck Limo, I see that you are back.
> Maybe you have seen my repeated posts asking for updates on Pulse Infinity and LPS? I would like to know what is going on - if delivery is ever likely to happen, or are we wasting our time asking about this. If the latter, I demand a refund.
> Answer me please.


You will never get a refund, that’s why they used indiegogo and will hide behind that- off course you can start a legal battle. It is not just the Pulse but all the products that they planned and never even produced. I gave them money for two mono amps- and that will never come to fruition but I already learned my lesson on never again contribute to anything unless willing to loose my money. Mr Ho lost all credibility in the community


----------



## savaloco

Unfortunately our demands carry zero weight as LH is dead.  The lesson here for me had less to do with LH and more to do with crowdfunding in general.  Many, if not most, of the hyper successful crowdfunded campaigns ended in failure.  That's the gamble we each took when we fed two dreamers who lacked the business knowledge, skill, and vision needed to leverage what was an excellent opportunity.  There have been outright crowdfunding scams but I this is not the case here.  Larry and Gavin were lousy business men but not crooks.  I attribute any and all broken promises or questionable campaign extensions as the acts of desperate men trying to keep their goals afloat.  I will likely be flamed for this, but who in their right minds would give an untested company large sums of money for products that don't even exist?!!!  We did!!!  That's on us and we are complicit in the this failed experiment. After more than six years it is time to let go and move on.  

I am thankful for this thread and its contributors.   I am pleased to see continued posts from folks like Stuck Limo, Mickey, Shawnb, etc ... as they represent the ONLY active knowledge base and support network for whatever LH products there are remaining in the wild.  While we are certainly justified to hound Stuck Limo with demands and questions (he does/did represent LH), I'm not sure how productive this ultimately is.  This community is represents a silver lining in what is otherwise a crappy situation.


----------



## marflao

savaloco said:


> ...  *There have been outright crowdfunding scams but I this is not the case here*.  *Larry and Gavin were lousy business men but not crooks.* ....



I'm not with you on this.
Just one example is the fact that they charged for shipping although the device was not even in the state of being shipped.


----------



## Shawnb

savaloco said:


> There have been outright crowdfunding scams but I this is not the case here.  Larry and Gavin were lousy business men but not crooks.




What flavour is that kool-aid you’re drinking?


----------



## savaloco

marflao said:


> I'm not with you on this.
> Just one example is the fact that they charged for shipping although the device was not even in the state of being shipped.



Not sure you can differentiate between the product and the cost to ship.  I believe at one point they even asked for more money than they originally quoted to ship product to customers.  Even here I'm not sure they were intentionally trying to con us.  I would argue that LH's additional campaigns for media servers, DAPs, headphones, amps, and preamps were fare more nefarious.  I'm in no way suggesting that Mr. Ho did not do wrong by us ... just that I believe that entered this venture with a goal to make a name for himself.  To this end he succeeded.  Though not the way he planned.  LOL

@Shawnb  Mango brother!  With gin or vodka it goes down nice.  We gave these clowns millions.  That's on us man.  I didn't mind when the pulse expanded into a desktop dac/am but the flags started flying with ViDac, and the DAP.  I totally turned my back on LH when they introduced their line of stereo gear.  What?  New building, new staff, new systems, new suppliers,  but LH foolishly kept expanding unable to get off the crowdfunding tit.  Our community warned them early ... Gavin arrogantly dismissed our concerns then subsequently bailed on LH throwing Larry under the bus like his crap didn't stink.  Total joke, but even then we still threw money at them.  DId they do wrong? HARD YES. Did things get shady as the company burned through whatever  crowd funding money was left? Absolutely.   Was there criminal intent?  I don't believe so.  I see the acts of a desperate men and a failed business.


----------



## valve5425

Larry wasn't the businessman in this scheme. He was the product. His Da Vinci DAC was the dog's nuts at the time, so he did have pedigree. Gavin was the front man who had the charm and the speel to suck people into this, and I think he was the one pushing Larry to come up with more and more products. In my opinion, he's the one to blame for this mess.

My original pledge in Nov 2013 was for a Geek Pulse + Geek Out Bundle.
Dec 2013.Instant upgrade of active components.
Jan 2014 upgrade to LIghtspeed 2G.
Apr 2014 upgrade GO to the GO750.
July 2014 a Geek Pulse Femto Clock Upgrade.
(Oct 2014 the Geek Soul was announced and a part exchange available for Pulse backers! I passed on that one.)
Dec 2014 Geek Pulse Xfi Naked Resistors upgrade.
Feb 2015 Geek Pulse X∞ new ESS DAC. This was only $22 but I figured "what the hell" and went for it.

I think a lot of you will see a familiar pattern here! The promise of something for very little money was an addiction, and Gavin's slick marketing, together with the enthusiastic posts on the forum cast a fog over common sense. I became concerned at the amount I'd put into the campaign, but fortunately managed to bale out with my GO 750, Pulse Infinity and Lightspeed 2G back in May 2015, just around the time they were promising the fancy new case. It just didn't smell right and seemed like more delaying tactics, so I settled for the Pulse in the old case.

I actually got a $30 refund on the shipping at the time, as they'd overcharged me, and at the end of 2016 I even managed to rack up $134 on their gift card for posts made on the LH Labs forum, which I used towards a $155 Geek Out 1000. I'm not saying that was it was easy getting the products, but persistence paid off, and I did feel at the time that they were at least trying to get the orders out. (Admin wasn't their strongest attribute!) I definitely wasn't 100% confident though!

I guess their downfall was the roll out of more and more products too soon. Easy to say with hindsight, but if they'd stuck with maybe a single ended and a balanced Pulse, then all may have been well.

The Pulse and GO were my first DACs and to be fair they've kept me happy since they arrived. The GO software volume issue is a pain in the butt, and it's caught me out a few times, but it's still used every day.

I realise that my experience isn't going to make anyone who's lost out feel any better, but I think their original intentions were genuine and honest. Unfortunately, as demands to actually produce the many products came around, everything seemed to fall apart. Posts, even back in Dec 2013, were predicting chaos! "......_In my opinion, there do seem to be rather too many options becoming available and I wonder if LH Labs will find this difficult to manage from a production point of view................"
_
This was my first crowd fund and I haven't had the courage to do another since. I sincerely hope that you all receive the products you've paid for and wish you luck in that respect.


----------



## stuck limo

I've been working behind the scenes on Pulse and HPA campaigns. That's all I can say at this point until something concrete happens. (hopefully it does, and soon)


----------



## m17xr2b

You have been working on the Pulse? In what capacity, or are they taking anyone at this point, cleaner there too on assembly? 

You said you're unpaid, how come you're doing everything for LH Labs?


----------



## Shawnb

How are there still Pulses to be made? 

You can crowdfund a new 60K DAC but you still can't ship out Pulses in the 7 years it's been?

What a joke, no wonder Larry hides out in Asia and won't show his face at any NA shows.


----------



## m17xr2b

Still waiting on my 2013 pulse...


----------



## runningwitit

Shawnb said:


> How are there still Pulses to be made?
> 
> You can crowdfund a new 60K DAC but you still can't ship out Pulses in the 7 years it's been?
> 
> What a joke, no wonder Larry hides out in Asia and won't show his face at any NA shows.


What new crowd fund?
Where?


----------



## Shawnb (Jan 11, 2020)

runningwitit said:


> What new crowd fund?
> Where?



https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-126#post-620410

Also when you click about us on the Light Harmonic website "The company started with USD$15K paid-in capital with USD$100K annual revenue in first year. "

Yet they somehow don't have any money to produce the Pulse or anything else.


----------



## savaloco

Unfortunately for those who lost out on the LH Labs campaigns, Light Harmonics is a different company owned both owned by Larry.  Get used to is folks ... he aint going anywhere.


----------



## m17xr2b

Light Harmonic sells crowdfunded gear paid by us in the LH Labs campaigns.  You may say they're different companies but Larry does have any such scrupules. 

 

Also, I almost puked, they now sell a 5000$ IEM.


----------



## stuck limo

Shawnb said:


> https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-126#post-620410.



That's not a crowdfund item.


----------



## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> That's not a crowdfund item.



Fine.

How do you justify crying poverty when your website states "The company started with USD$15K paid-in capital with USD$100K annual revenue in first year. In 5 years, it grew 1200% and became a USD$ 200M market valuation business."

How can you justify designing a 60K DAC when you still have Pulses from 7 years ago still not shipped?


----------



## savaloco

@Shawnb Larry is an audio engineer who designs audio products for a living.  Many can argue that he's good at this.  He leveraged the buzz his high end audio boutique company to start a separate company LH labs which raised money via crowd funding.  This did not go well and burnt through all the cash raised.  Problem is under a crowd funding model the money you contribute is ultimately speculative... some of us still don't understand this OR choose to ignore this critical point.   While Larry may have an ethical responsibility to get product to all who have paid, he is not legally bound to.  This sucks and why I recently argued the real culprit here is crowd funding in general.   Indiegogo should have stepped in and refused to process additional campaigns or should have policies in place to protect the public from poorly run companies or scammers.  

Larry is financially justified if not obligated to walk out LH Labs and its backers if he can not service the debt and orders.   Especially if it puts his established boutique business in jeopardy.  

Larry is also justified in wanting to continue to remain in the audio business and make a living doing so.  This means he must continue to develop the products which sell and make him money.   Assuming his reputation here doesn't get in the way and he focusses on other markets he'll likely do fine. 

Larry may continue to eek out product for LH Labs customers as time and disposable money permit.... until he finally realises how fawked that idea is and finally pulls the plug entirely.   Then stuck limo can go back to being an ordinary headfi contributor and not a lightning rod for all the anx Larry and friends have caused. 


@stuck limo... giving those of us a glimmer of hope that we will get product... even if true... is cruel.  Perhaps it would best to reach out privately if and when product is delivered.  LH Labs cannot recover from this mess... the damage is done.   Even if all product were miraculously delivered tomorrow.


----------



## purk

I am one of the lucky ones who got the Geekpulse  X back in 2015 but it doesn’t work right most of the time.  So I am out of money too.  It is very pity to learn that others are still wait for theirs too after 7 years.  Larry may not be liable to deliver the products but His lack of ethical values are pretty evident.  He is such a noob really.


----------



## Shawnb

He should of walked out years ago. I agree dragging this on is just cruel. Just end the farce already. Larry should walk away and keep on walking.


----------



## stuck limo (Jan 16, 2020)

LH Labs is announcing an exchange program for those of you who no longer want to wait for Pulse or Analogue components to ship to you:

https://support.lhlabs.com/a/solutions/articles/13000071394  (Pulse)

https://support.lhlabs.com/a/solutions/articles/13000071397  (Analogue)


----------



## Shawnb

Offer the Oscar XXI's as well. Really should offer exchange for anything LH actually sells


----------



## Drsparis

Wow, I'm very impressed that (fingers crossed) I might actually get something for my money. I have no use for another pair of headphones though, a dac/amp is what I need... Alas I probably will accept anyway, what do you guys think?


----------



## singlung

Same here. No need for headphones, but that’s probably better than nothing. Finally I can put this behind me and have a physical reminder that I shall not use crowdfunding ever again.


----------



## ForSure

I have been waiting for 64 months and counting. Like most of you, I spent $2K on LH campaign.  Now should I wait longer .......


----------



## rdsu

stuck limo said:


> LH Labs is announcing an exchange program for those of you who no longer want to wait for Pulse or Analogue components to ship to you:
> 
> https://support.lhlabs.com/a/solutions/articles/13000071394  (Pulse)
> 
> https://support.lhlabs.com/a/solutions/articles/13000071397  (Analogue)


Can this also apply to the Geek Pulse rewards!?


----------



## stuck limo

rdsu said:


> Can this also apply to the Geek Pulse rewards!?



If you do the exchange, just mention that in the ticket with your Rewards balance and we can review and see if that can be applied. I know the Rewards were originally expected to be fulfilled after the campaigns but that's really all I know about them.


----------



## rdsu

stuck limo said:


> If you do the exchange, just mention that in the ticket with your Rewards balance and we can review and see if that can be applied. I know the Rewards were originally expected to be fulfilled after the campaigns but that's really all I know about them.


I already opened a ticket with that info...


----------



## Mike-WI

stuck limo said:


> LH Labs is announcing an exchange program for those of you who no longer want to wait for Pulse or Analogue components to ship to you:
> 
> https://support.lhlabs.com/a/solutions/articles/13000071394  (Pulse)
> 
> https://support.lhlabs.com/a/solutions/articles/13000071397  (Analogue)


In the past we have had multiple systems to "track" or not track our orders.
Does LH Labs have an accurate summary of all order?


----------



## stuck limo

Mike-WI said:


> In the past we have had multiple systems to "track" or not track our orders.
> Does LH Labs have an accurate summary of all order?



It's the same systems we've always had (cleaned up massively now). If there's any major issues with identifying what you ordered or $$ spent, we'll go by the honor system.


----------



## MAPgeekdad

stuck limo said:


> It's the same systems we've always had (cleaned up massively now). If there's any major issues with identifying what you ordered or $$ spent, we'll go by the honor system.



mybigcommerce was the last link that I had saved, but it does not work.  Would be helpful if you could post the link where we could check orders.  Thanks!


----------



## stuck limo

MAPgeekdad said:


> mybigcommerce was the last link that I had saved, but it does not work.  Would be helpful if you could post the link where we could check orders.  Thanks!



There's no way for customers to check BigCommerce at this point. We would have to do it from our end. We did that to save money due to the nature of the LH Labs division financial resources.


----------



## Audio Addict

Where does the Pulse Source fit.  There has not been any formal updates for a long long time.


----------



## stuck limo

Audio Addict said:


> Where does the Pulse Source fit.  There has not been any formal updates for a long long time.



In discussion mode. We'll see how this current one plays out and see how business is with Light Harmonic. If or when more plans are made, we'll announce them.


----------



## dclaz

If I can get anything for my money at this point is consider it a huge win...

It's there any trusted, legit reviews of the Stella iems?


----------



## Mike-WI (Jan 16, 2020)

dclaz said:


> If I can get anything for my money at this point is consider it a huge win...
> 
> It's there any trusted, legit reviews of the Stella iems?


Stella FR looks great here:
http://lightharmonic.com/stella/








But is different from this:
https://crinacle.com/graphs/iems/lh-stella/







There are reviews googleable...
(not sure if trusted or legit...)

https://theheadphonelist.com/elegance-and-thoughtfulness-a-review-of-the-light-harmonic-stella/

2019 Jan 1 - Headphonia - https://www.headfonia.com/review-light-harmonic-stella/
2018 Dec - Pinky Powers - The Headphone List - Elegance and Thoughtfulness – A Review of the Light Harmonic Stella - https://theheadphonelist.com/elegance-and-thoughtfulness-a-review-of-the-light-harmonic-stella/

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Light-Harmonic-Monitors-Balanced-Detachable/dp/B07NY4J1BS


----------



## graham508

LH Labs have announced an exchange program for undelivered Geek Pulses. It involves opting for their Stella or Mera IEMs.  
Go here: https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000071394
I've put my form in. There are 10 days to get this done.


----------



## Maelob

By the way there was a lot of controversy between LH and Campfire on the Stella design, but at this point I don't care - Ill get whatever I can get. Read one of the reviews and looks like it is a good IEM.


----------



## purk

How about those of us who got the unit but it has been some what faulty from the first day?  I mean....I stop using it for that reason alone and the resale value on these Geek Pulse units are next to nothing.


----------



## stuck limo

Lots of people have contacted us asking us to participate. Overall impression seems to be fairly positive. The spreadsheet is being built and loaded now. When you're entered into the system, you'll get an acknowledgment note back and the ticket will be "closed".


----------



## gikigill

stuck limo said:


> Lots of people have contacted us asking us to participate. Overall impression seems to be fairly positive. The spreadsheet is being built and loaded now. When you're entered into the system, you'll get an acknowledgment note back and the ticket will be "closed".



Is it possible for you to find out how much I paid for the Wave. I assume its $1400 but not sure.


----------



## Shawnb

gikigill said:


> Is it possible for you to find out how much I paid for the Wave. I assume its $1400 but not sure.



check your indiegogo contributions


----------



## stuck limo

We shipped out some exchange IEMs today from the in-stock inventory. Those people were notified by me personally and/or should have received an email stating their tracking information. When we start shipping more on a bigger scale, we'll make a more formal announcement.


----------



## Hercules

stuck limo said:


> We shipped out some exchange IEMs today from the in-stock inventory. Those people were notified by me personally and/or should have received an email stating their tracking information. When we start shipping more on a bigger scale, we'll make a more formal announcement.



How long the Warranty will be ?


----------



## stuck limo

Hercules said:


> How long the Warranty will be ?



One (1) year warranty on these.


----------



## rdsu

stuck limo said:


> When we start shipping more on a bigger scale, we'll make a more formal announcement.


Any idea when?


----------



## stuck limo

rdsu said:


> Any idea when?



Hopefully this week. We have about 50 Stella in stock right now. Waiting on Mera shipments. So the Stella should be able to shipped first for those who exchanged for it.


----------



## sas

The LH exchange program is definitely up and running. I received my products (Oscar, Stella Mera) today. Very fast service from LH and Jarek.


----------



## Drsparis

sas said:


> The LH exchange program is definitely up and running. I received my products (Oscar, Stella Mera) today. Very fast service from LH and Jarek.


well color me impressed!


----------



## marflao

sas said:


> The LH exchange program is definitely up and running. I received my products (Oscar, Stella Mera) today. Very fast service from LH and Jarek.



Hmm...just curious ......did you forget some devices in your "About" section or did you pay the difference?


----------



## sas

That equipment list is dreadfully out of date. I should update it.


----------



## spyder1

sas said:


> The LH exchange program is definitely up and running. I received my products (Oscar, Stella Mera) today. Very fast service from LH and Jarek.


Post pictures! Interested in seeing what they look like.


----------



## stuck limo

sas said:


> I can confirm that the exchange program is up and running, as I received my IEMs (Oscar, Stella, Mera) today. Everything happened promptly, so thanks to Jarek and LHL.



I'm live watching on the spreadsheet and talking with the office right now as the boxes being prepped/shipped are being marked off and tracking numbers are being generated. Probably do an update this week on the progress.


----------



## graham508 (Jan 29, 2020)

No reply for me yet.

And I replied Day 1 in this exchange program. But then, I'm in Australia.
[merged]


----------



## stuck limo

Hi all,

Just to let you know, we have started to ship out the IEMs for the exchange program. We've had a lot of interest in the program and are still entering names and information into the database. We started on Friday (1/24) and as of today (1/28) we have shipped boxes to 17 customers throughout the world. We will continue shipping throughout this week and beyond if need be. 

We have about 50 Stella in stock; we are expecting more in stock soon. We are running low on Mera; we are waiting on a Mera shipment (expected to ship early February), so that should cover everyone. 

If you don't get an email right away regarding shipping, don't worry; we're getting to all orders and are taking care of inventory so everyone gets what they requested. When these ship, you should be receiving emails with the tracking information. 

When more information is available, we'll let you guys know via announcement or via private email. 

- LH Labs team


----------



## sas

spyder1 said:


> Post pictures! Interested in seeing what they look like.


----------



## Shawnb (Jan 29, 2020)

My Oscars


----------



## spyder1

"Oscars," look like women's earings. IMO


----------



## graham508

Keen to hear how they sound.


----------



## Hercules

stuck limo said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Just to let you know, we have started to ship out the IEMs for the exchange program. We've had a lot of interest in the program and are still entering names and information into the database. We started on Friday (1/24) and as of today (1/28) we have shipped boxes to 17 customers throughout the world. We will continue shipping throughout this week and beyond if need be.
> 
> ...



I opened tickets exactly 2 weeks ago without any activities and you never response to email, why?


----------



## dclaz

graham508 said:


> No reply for me yet.
> 
> And I replied Day 1 in this exchange program. But then, I'm in Australia.
> [merged]


Same here.


----------



## stuck limo

The office is expecting about 8-10 shipments per day on these. The past 2 days the office was deep in another project, so nothing got mailed Wed. and Thurs. but I'm told Friday should be back to normal.


----------



## ForSure (Jan 31, 2020)

Is the stella a good set of IEM, yes. 
Does stella worth $900 - I don't know.

My go to (and only) IEM is these radius TWF41 from Japan.  Each one had two (2) Diaphragm Drivers and I paid $400 USD for these back in 2016.

I wasn't planning to spend any money on IEM but took "advantage" the exchange program. Like most of the people here, I give LH Labs $2K USD 65 months ago (about 2000 DAYS) for the pulse dac.  I give them all my Christmas bonus and overtime for a "state of the art" headphone amp back in 2015.  And like most of you, I am frustrated for the "beginning 3 years".  I haven't check in with Head-Fi "Geek Pulse" forum for the past 2 years.

Geek Pulse is not the only Kickstarter/Indiegogo fail I ever encountered but it is my biggest lost.  Now I treat all Kickstarter/Indiegogo like an investment which it may go up or down. 

Am I "OK" with the exchange program - Yes, because I got something back.
Do I "feel" these stella worth $900 USD - No.
Am I "Happy" with the exchange program - No, because I am looking for a DAC not an IEM.
Do I let my emotion direct me to accept the exchange program - Yes.

Do I feel been cheated on -  YES.

Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.


----------



## stuck limo

graham508 said:


> No reply for me yet.
> 
> And I replied Day 1 in this exchange program. But then, I'm in Australia.
> [merged]





dclaz said:


> Same here.



Check your emails for shipment information which should be arriving this afternoon or already arrived there.


----------



## graham508

Thank you Jarek. Shipment information received.


----------



## stuck limo

stuck limo said:


> Lots of people have contacted us asking us to participate. Overall impression seems to be fairly positive. The spreadsheet is being built and loaded now. When you're entered into the system, you'll get an acknowledgment note back and the ticket will be "closed".



Changed "closed" to "Resolved". Too much confusion over backers why their ticket was "closed".


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> Changed "closed" to "Resolved". Too much confusion over backers why their ticket was "closed".


You blame backers for being confused as to why LHL/LH has routinely closed tickets for years now with no attempt at any resolution?


----------



## stuck limo

MikeyFresh said:


> You blame backers for being confused as to why LHL/LH has routinely closed tickets for years now with no attempt at any resolution?



To answer your question: no. 

Thanks!


----------



## MikeyFresh (Jan 31, 2020)

stuck limo said:


> Too much confusion *over* backers why their ticket was "closed".



I see your repeated misuse of the word "over" is likely the problem with any confusion, you don't seem to understand the meaning of that word or it's correct usage in English.

I couldn't even begin to count the total number of posts where you've misused the word "over", and any backer confusion about closed tickets was caused by the arbitrary and premature closing of those tickets by LHL/LH with no actual attempt at resolution.

This has been true for years now Jarek, so don't try to blame previous staff members thinking that's an easy out.


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 1, 2020)

MikeyFresh said:


> I see your repeated misuse of the word "over" is likely the problem with any confusion, you don't seem to understand the meaning of that word or it's correct usage in English.
> 
> I couldn't even begin to count the total number of posts where you've misused the word "over", and any backer confusion about closed tickets was caused by the arbitrary and premature closing of those tickets by LHL/LH with no actual attempt at resolution.
> 
> This has been true for years now Jarek, so don't try to blame previous staff members thinking that's an easy out.



That was a typo, it meant to say "from" backers, "over" why their ticket was closed. Like so:



stuck limo said:


> Changed "closed" to "Resolved". Too much confusion *from* backers *over *why their ticket was "closed".



Thanks though, you're thinking very deeply over these things!


----------



## dclaz

stuck limo said:


> Check your emails for shipment information which should be arriving this afternoon or already arrived there.


Great! Thank you!


----------



## Sibre

stuck limo said:


> Check your emails for shipment information which should be arriving this afternoon or already arrived there.



I haven't received a shipment notification yet  Ticket resolved 12 days ago. Hope the Stellas will be shipped soon


----------



## ForSure

Have anyone review the Stella in this forum?


----------



## Maelob

I just got them, but to be honest I have to play with the fit, my initial take is that the provided tips are not that great.  I got so used to the Campfire Comets that Stella seems so big and not the most comfortable earphones. The provided foam tips are not memory foam definitely not Comply level. But I will play with them more once I order some aftermarket tips


----------



## graham508

NEVER thought I’d see the day. My Stella arrived today, and frankly I am astonished to have received anything at all. Was it pangs of conscience that drove them to it? Or business liabilities stemming from the unfulfilled Indiegogo orders, or perhaps an oversupply of these earphones?
It doesn’t really matter to me anymore. I gave up three years ago and bought a Chord Hugo 2, which easily outperforms Geek Pulse Infinity anyway, as do  obviously hosts of other DACS out there now. 
Yet I have to say I feel happy and more than a little relieved to get these devices. IEMs were not on my radar, but they might have a use for me, and actually I think they’re pretty good. From my Astell & Kern SE100’s balanced output, I am startled by the amount of HF coming through. Sound is detailed and hot in that region, without being fatiguing. Bass is full and rich but highly dependent on seal - obviously as with all IEMs. I’ll need to experiment with that. There’s a decent range of tips in the presentation box to try out. 
How good these IEMs ultimately are I cannot say, as I can only compare them to my HiFiMan HE-560 planar headphones.  Driven also by AK SE100, the latter are a lot tamer in the high end and offer a rounder, more composed overall listen. But I like them both. The Stellas are impressively incisive. The main thing for me is that getting this box of tricks puts a degree of closure to a real horror story in the annals of audio. Thank you Jarek et al. 
BUT…! never again.


----------



## Drsparis

graham508 said:


> NEVER thought I’d see the day. My Stella arrived today, and frankly I am astonished to have received anything at all. Was it pangs of conscience that drove them to it? Or business liabilities stemming from the unfulfilled Indiegogo orders, or perhaps an oversupply of these earphones?



Glad to hear! thanks for the update, I hope they will ship out to everyone and not just tease people with a few shipped out IEM's. I really really hope I get to write a message similar to yours, but I have not heard from them for 3 weeks, and assume I will see messages resembling "sorry, they will be shipped next month" every few months haha .

I really hope you prove me wrong Jarek!!!  Any updates ???


----------



## markrw

Jarek, my ticket was closed just under 3 weeks ago and I was told I was put on a list for the Stella. Will I ever receive a shipping notification?


----------



## stuck limo

graham508 said:


> Yet I have to say I feel happy and more than a little relieved to get these devices. IEMs were not on my radar, but they might have a use for me, and actually I think they’re pretty good. From my Astell & Kern SE100’s balanced output, I am startled by the amount of HF coming through. Sound is detailed and hot in that region, without being fatiguing. Bass is full and rich but highly dependent on seal - obviously as with all IEMs.



Glad you like them. You're welcome! Happy listening!  



Drsparis said:


> Glad to hear! thanks for the update, I hope they will ship out to everyone and not just tease people with a few shipped out IEM's. I really really hope I get to write a message similar to yours, but I have not heard from them for 3 weeks, and assume I will see messages resembling "sorry, they will be shipped next month" every few months haha .
> 
> I really hope you prove me wrong Jarek!!!  Any updates ???





markrw said:


> Jarek, my ticket was closed just under 3 weeks ago and I was told I was put on a list for the Stella. Will I ever receive a shipping notification?



They've shipped out a bunch but the guy in charge of the office/shipping had to take some unexpected personal leave so shipments are behind. I know they just got shipped some Mera as well for additional supply/shipments. I think they're going to try to start shipping again on Monday, but no guarantees yet. I wish I was in the office overseeing everything, but unfortunately that's not the case.


----------



## ed45

Just found out this was happening.  I was an early Indiegogo backer who opted to receive the original style LHLabs Pulse Infinity - and in fact did receive one along with an LPS and Lightspeed 2G.  I was happy with it until my ninth month of ownership when it went dead after a custom connector (that was promoted in the LHL forums) between the Pulse and LPS broke.  I heard a pop, and that was the last time I heard a peep out of the Pulse.  Since I was an early backer I had a two year warranty and I opened a ticket. The rep was friendly and helpful, but the only solution offered was to update the firmware, which I was not able to do.  I offered to ship the unit to them at my expense or even drive it down to their office (I was less than 100 miles away) but was rebuffed on both offers. The Pulse Infinity and LPS have sat in their shipping boxes in my closet for almost four years.  Do I have any kind of recourse or should I just sell the LPS and cables and film a roof-drop of the Infinity for Youtube?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

I had this issue a few days ago. I heard a click and thought saw a flash. No power on DAC. My LPS4 have one LED off. Turned off and on, same thing. Thinking of changing the connection to where it is "good" and saw my RAL power connector has loosened at the end. Recconected to another connection but no power.

On the next day, with the standard connector, my LPS4 turned on with ALL lights green. And my Pulse Infinity came to life. BUT now, using USB, after playing for a bit it stops with a click and reverts to 44.1K. This is true using PC and Android. Grrrr.... For now using SPDIF. 

Flashing FW might brick it. Maybe I could finally close this chapter...


----------



## Drsparis

stuck limo said:


> They've shipped out a bunch but the guy in charge of the office/shipping had to take some unexpected personal leave so shipments are behind. I know they just got shipped some Mera as well for additional supply/shipments. I think they're going to try to start shipping again on Monday, but no guarantees yet. I wish I was in the office overseeing everything, but unfortunately that's not the case.



Thanks for the update. any other updates on the 1 guy in charge of shipping out orders?


----------



## stuck limo

Drsparis said:


> Thanks for the update. any other updates on the 1 guy in charge of shipping out orders?



He's back and he's shipped out some more packages to customers. There's some office projects going on so the shipments are slow right now. But they are continuing to trickle out to customers.


----------



## ed45

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> I had this issue a few days ago. I heard a click and thought saw a flash. No power on DAC. My LPS4 have one LED off. Turned off and on, same thing. Thinking of changing the connection to where it is "good" and saw my RAL power connector has loosened at the end. Recconected to another connection but no power.
> 
> On the next day, with the standard connector, my LPS4 turned on with ALL lights green. And my Pulse Infinity came to life. BUT now, using USB, after playing for a bit it stops with a click and reverts to 44.1K. This is true using PC and Android. Grrrr.... For now using SPDIF.
> 
> Flashing FW might brick it. Maybe I could finally close this chapter...



Thanks for the info Mickey! I remember you from the old (original) LHL forums. It never occurred to me to try a different input.  I have an older iMAC, but I can try using an optical cable instead of USB.  After the incident the Infinity was still recognized by my iMac, but absolutely no sound comes out of any of the outputs, headphone or preamp when I use USB. I'll obtain and try an optical cable and see what happens.


----------



## MikeyFresh

stuck limo said:


> he's shipped out some more packages to customers.



Plural? How many packages, five? Ten packages? Please elaborate.



stuck limo said:


> There's some office projects going on



What possible "office project" could conceivably take precedence or priority over (supposedly) shipping product to customers that have been waiting for many years? What office staff are dedicated to these "projects"? Not you of course, and that makes perfect sense too, as off-site manpower allocation is such an efficient use of limited resources in satisfying LH's obligation to backers. Unfortunately you're just not even there to oversee it, otherwise things would be different, right?



stuck limo said:


> the shipments are slow right now.



As opposed to when? These "slow shipments" sound quite familiar, but how slow are we talking about here, slow as in completely non-existent? Slow as in this too is a charade?



stuck limo said:


> But they are continuing to trickle out to customers.



Trickle out? You must know the count, or can request a tally, right? Unless there is nothing to tally.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

ed45 said:


> Thanks for the info Mickey! I remember you from the old (original) LHL forums. It never occurred to me to try a different input.  I have an older iMAC, but I can try using an optical cable instead of USB.  After the incident the Infinity was still recognized by my iMac, but absolutely no sound comes out of any of the outputs, headphone or preamp when I use USB. I'll obtain and try an optical cable and see what happens.



Yup try and look if your MAC has optical Toslink or RCA SPDIF. Geek Pulse have both. On your Pulse menu (when pushing the volume knob). Change to the desired input.


----------



## markrw

stuck limo said:


> He's back and he's shipped out some more packages to customers. There's some office projects going on so the shipments are slow right now. But they are continuing to trickle out to customers.


Hi Jarek,

I filled out my information for the exchange 1 month ago. 10 days ago my ticket was marked as resolved, yet I still have not received a tracking number. Please let me know why tickets are getting marked as resolved when the shipments have not yet gone out the door?

Mark


----------



## m17xr2b

I've said I want a Stellia a few weeks ago to get something out of my 2013 contribution, no response whatsoever. Seems like another typical LH labs shameless scam. Send a few out, say you've covered everyone, the show goes on, lie cheat steal and repeat.


----------



## stuck limo

markrw said:


> Hi Jarek,
> 
> I filled out my information for the exchange 1 month ago. 10 days ago my ticket was marked as resolved, yet I still have not received a tracking number. Please let me know why tickets are getting marked as resolved when the shipments have not yet gone out the door?
> 
> Mark



As I have clearly explained before, the ticket system is different than the shipping system. Your ticket for the request is marked as "resolved" because you were put into the shipping list. That clears out the ticket queue so we don't have tons and tons of tickets clogging up the system. Once your ticket is resolved (and you should know this from the message I sent you when the ticket was "resolved"), that means you're on the list for shipment. You'll be notified when the package leaves the office.


----------



## MikeyFresh

Those all-important "office projects" still slowing shipments to a trickle then?


----------



## markrw

stuck limo said:


> As I have clearly explained before, the ticket system is different than the shipping system. Your ticket for the request is marked as "resolved" because you were put into the shipping list. That clears out the ticket queue so we don't have tons and tons of tickets clogging up the system. Once your ticket is resolved (and you should know this from the message I sent you when the ticket was "resolved"), that means you're on the list for shipment. You'll be notified when the package leaves the office.


Hi Jarek,

Thank you for the information. Regarding the list for the shipment, how long does one have to be on the list before they receive a shipping notice? It would be beyond fantastic to finally get something for my money 5 years after giving it away to LH Labs!!!


----------



## stuck limo

markrw said:


> . Regarding the list for the shipment, how long does one have to be on the list before they receive a shipping notice?



There is no set timeframe. It just depends on what the office can get to, when they can get to it. You're on the list, it will go out to you, you'll get it.


----------



## ed45

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Yup try and look if your MAC has optical Toslink or RCA SPDIF. Geek Pulse have both. On your Pulse menu (when pushing the volume knob). Change to the desired input.


 I ordered and recieved a Toslink cable and tried it with two different iMacs.  As you directed, I made sure to change the Infinity's selected input to Toslink.  In both cases, the optical connection was recognized, and in both cases not a peep came out of the headphone or preamp outputs.  It was definitely worth trying though, and thank you for the suggestion.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Mar 9, 2020)

Sorry for that. I too now running on Toslink/SPDIF. My current Android TV device have these connections.
The Pulse's USB died a month ago. It will now lose conncction after sometime, and revert to 44.1k after a loud click.

Now saving for a long overdue upgrade.


----------



## markrw

Jarek,

Can you please provide some actual numbers from the shipping department? How many Stellas went out this week? How many are planned to be shipped next week? Simply being on a list does not provide much comfort given the circumstances...


----------



## stuck limo (Mar 11, 2020)

markrw said:


> Hi Jarek,
> 
> Thank you for the information. Regarding the list for the shipment, how long does one have to be on the list before they receive a shipping notice? It would be beyond fantastic to finally get something for my money 5 years after giving it away to LH Labs!!!



*You should have the shipping notice in your email now.* Like I said, anyone on the list will get theirs. It will take time though and there is no exact/expected/given timeframe for shipping at this point. They're continuing shipments this week as they can/time allows. There's one guy doing it and he's juggling LH/L and LH projects at the same time.


----------



## markrw

stuck limo said:


> *You should have the shipping notice in your email now.* Like I said, anyone on the list will get theirs. It will take time though and there is no exact/expected/given timeframe for shipping at this point. They're continuing shipments this week as they can/time allows. There's one guy doing it and he's juggling LH/L and LH projects at the same time.


I just received a shipping notice today. Thanks for following up!


----------



## Roll

stuck limo said:


> *You should have the shipping notice in your email now.* Like I said, anyone on the list will get theirs. It will take time though and there is no exact/expected/given timeframe for shipping at this point. They're continuing shipments this week as they can/time allows. There's one guy doing it and he's juggling LH/L and LH projects at the same time.



Still waiting for my swap

Must be a big list

Thanks for the update


----------



## stuck limo

Roll said:


> Must be a big list
> 
> Thanks for the update



It's a big list. You're welcome.


----------



## stuck limo

Roll said:


> Still waiting for my swap
> 
> Must be a big list
> 
> Thanks for the update



Yours is shipping today.


----------



## stuck limo (Mar 12, 2020)

Just FYI everyone, priority right now is getting out the USA shipments first due to the coronavirus and potential shipment issues to foreign countries. If we can ship from Asia to the rest of the world, we will, but right now the US office is focused on US orders. Thanks. 

We did ship various Exchange Requests out to various countries as well before now.


----------



## Roll

Just received notice today:

from:
LH Labs Corporation <tracking@shipstation.com>

Your order has been shipped!

Dear

Thank you for your order from LH LABS. We wanted to let you know that your order was shipped via ...
You can track your package at any time using the link below. 
If for any reason you need to change the shipping address below, please email shipping@lhlabs.com.

Your customer experience is extremely important to us. 
This applies not only to the quality of our products and your personal satisfaction with it, but also with how you will be treated as one of our customers.
Should you have any problems with your product, please contact us at www.lhlabs.com/support immediately and allow us to earn your loyalty.

Shipped To:

This shipment includes the following items:

Stella exchange program 



Sincerely,
LH Labs Team


----------



## stuck limo (Mar 17, 2020)

We have shipped (almost) all of the US exchange orders we have on file. If you didn't get your request in, now's a good time. We only have a few left to do.

International shipments are being shipped from China. If you're an international customer, you will probably receive an email asking to verify the shipping address.

We have put out updates regarding this in both Pulse IGG and Analog IGG campaign pages.


----------



## alltunedup

Recevied my Stella and also a Mera a week ago....I am enjoying the Stella very much!...The different ear tips made for a great fit...I to was not expecting to get anything but was surprised that a pair of Mera's were shipped along with the Stella....I gave My wife the Mera's to use with her phone and she LOVES them!...And the Stella's ..once you get the right tip on..(The large tips worked well for me and made a great seal)...are outstanding...detail...high end...mids and Bass are all there and the comfort is very good..again its all about the right tip and learning how to put them in....So THANK you Jarek!...you have taken alot of Bullets for a situation that you did not CREATE...So Once again..Thanks and may you Prosper and stay safe!....Peace


----------



## coletrain104

Hey everyone, I have a Geek Pulse Xinfinity that suddenly seems to have died on me during regular use. The display still comes on, but the screen says OVF instead of a volume level. Wondering if I may need to reinstall firmware, and if anyone has a copy of the firmware for the Xinfinity in chassis 2.0. Or if anyone has other advice to deal with this, since I'd hate to lose such a nice DAC/amp.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

OVF = OVer Fatigued?

Sorry....


----------



## coletrain104

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> OVF = OVer Fatigued?
> 
> Sorry....


Haha, no problem. Better to laugh about it, right? Really have no idea if firmware can even save this but if anyone has it I'd be happy to give it a go. Unfortunately I don't think LHL is servicing units.


----------



## MikeyFresh

coletrain104 said:


> Haha, no problem. Better to laugh about it, right? Really have no idea if firmware can even save this but if anyone has it I'd be happy to give it a go. Unfortunately I don't think LHL is servicing units.


If you hadn't already tried a full power cycle, try that. Switch it off, unplug the AC cord and leave it out a few seconds, then plug-in and switch on.

Hopefully that clears the issue, as there is no good reason why you'd suddenly need to reload the firmware (if you could even get it from LH labs). Don't forget they tried to explain away the largely malfunctioning and defective Pulses by saying each "batch" used a slightly different firmware. So you had to give them a serial number in order to get a firmware said to work with a unit in your "batch".


----------



## coletrain104 (Mar 26, 2020)

MikeyFresh said:


> If you hadn't already tried a full power cycle, try that. Switch it off, unplug the AC cord and leave it out a few seconds, then plug-in and switch on.
> 
> Hopefully that clears the issue, as there is no good reason why you'd suddenly need to reload the firmware (if you could even get it from LH labs). Don't forget they tried to explain away the largely malfunctioning and defective Pulses by saying each "batch" used a slightly different firmware. So you had to give them a serial number in order to get a firmware said to work with a unit in your "batch".


attempted with a power-cycle, same issue persists. I wouldn't take to the forums without a power cycle. I can get the serial number, but I thought the firmware was identical for all Xinfinity in chassis 2.0


----------



## MikeyFresh

coletrain104 said:


> attempted with a power-cycle, same issue persists. I wouldn't take to the forums without a power cycle. I can get the serial number, but I thought the firmware was identical for all Xinfinity in chassis 2.0



Understood, and they may have claimed the X Infinity in chassis 2.0 was not prone to the same issues as other versions, I don't really recall, however that's moot unless they will actually provide you with the proper firmware and it can actually be reinstalled.

I wish you luck.


----------



## coletrain104

Does LH have any form of customer support as it is? If so how can I reach them? all I can find is the now-defunct website. I'd really like to get the firmware fixed on my unit


----------



## Maelob (Apr 24, 2020)

https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000071397

On top right of screen I believe you can open a new ticket - hope it works, if not send a PM to "Stuck Limo"


----------



## coletrain104

Maelob said:


> https://support.lhlabs.com/support/solutions/articles/13000071397
> 
> On top right of screen I believe you can open a new ticket - hope it works, if not send a PM to "Stuck Limo"


So many of the posts were old, I didn't think they were still operating. Looks like they are though, thanks! thought I had no contact to them. I figured I was stuck with an expensive box


----------



## Maelob

Did you try to log in? I just got my headphones from them not long ago.


----------



## coletrain104

Maelob said:


> Did you try to log in? I just got my headphones from them not long ago.


Yeah I sent a ticket, I just thought that I heard news that they dissolved or something, since apparently Gavin and Larry are out of it now. I didn't realize they might still have staff supporting their product.


----------



## jrkong

Has anyone had any luck with installing the USB Audio Class 2.0 drivers? When I uninstall my current drivers and install the USB Audio Class 2.0 drivers Windows says it fails to start my Pulse.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

It worked for me but able to get only 24/192. So I stopped. I unistalled it and been using Driver 3.26 on my Win 10 pc since.

Link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ajIYWhQ8A3UbPUVImR4WmBmBhUmqLSEP


----------



## Eruditeswine

jrkong said:


> Has anyone had any luck with installing the USB Audio Class 2.0 drivers? When I uninstall my current drivers and install the USB Audio Class 2.0 drivers Windows says it fails to start my Pulse.


Hello, no issue. Recently took them out from the storeroom and it was plug & play with a clean Windows 10 PC. Maybe a different USB port might help.


Hi all! With today's choices, where does the Pulse Infinity with LPS stand?


----------



## kostaszag

That would be my question too. I have a Pulse Sfi, works well enough, but I would like to try something newer. BTW, is there a new firmware for my Sfi?


----------



## Shawnb

kostaszag said:


> That would be my question too. I have a Pulse Sfi, works well enough, but I would like to try something newer. BTW, is there a new firmware for my Sfi?



No. There will never be new firmware. Consider the Pulse as dead, there will be no updates for it.

Only been waiting over 2 years for firmware so my Source SE can work but can’t even get that so no don’t ever expect any new for the Pulse.


----------



## bozoskeletonz

I have a Revelation Audio Labs umbilical cable to connect my geek pulse to the LPS and it just broke.  Ironically, I think the very heavily reinforced caused the separation.  

Anyways, does anyone know where I can get a replacement umbilical cable?  Thank in advance!


----------



## stuck limo

bozoskeletonz said:


> I have a Revelation Audio Labs umbilical cable to connect my geek pulse to the LPS and it just broke.  Ironically, I think the very heavily reinforced caused the separation.
> 
> Anyways, does anyone know where I can get a replacement umbilical cable?  Thank in advance!



PM me and we may have one we can send you.


----------



## jsiegel14072

Time for the monthly- quarterly delay notice


----------



## coletrain104

Still no response as to the issues with my X infinity DAC. It seems to have some issue with the software, as the display shows "ovf dB" instead of "-33 dB" for an example of volume. The volume cannot be adjusted and it is so low it is just slightly audible. I basically have a useless box here that has some issue that would seem to be firmware related. It is a shame I have no response from LH Labs or Stuck Limo in regards to my firmware. I would really like this to be a DAC/amp, not just a box.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

With busted USB receiver, it's now official ...

Now have a new toy to play.


----------



## germay0653

coletrain104 said:


> Still no response as to the issues with my X infinity DAC. It seems to have some issue with the software, as the display shows "ovf dB" instead of "-33 dB" for an example of volume. The volume cannot be adjusted and it is so low it is just slightly audible. I basically have a useless box here that has some issue that would seem to be firmware related. It is a shame I have no response from LH Labs or Stuck Limo in regards to my firmware. I would really like this to be a DAC/amp, not just a box.



The right half of the display of my Infinity X has faded to the point of being unreadable and has been that way for over a year.  The engineer really settled on some very inferior parts.  That individual has lost all respect from multiple perspectives.


----------



## coletrain104

germay0653 said:


> The right half of the display of my Infinity X has faded to the point of being unreadable and has been that way for over a year.  The engineer really settled on some very inferior parts.  That individual has lost all respect from multiple perspectives.


I have been told again and again by their representative that they are waiting on a response in regards to my problem from their office. I am essentially being told my $1000 DAC is not worth making an actual call, instead we wait on a response email for multiple months, even as I reach back out, and am given the same response. When I get the money to get some other gear I will gladly do so. I'm pretty damn disappointed. QC and customer service is much more questionable than the engineering IMO, since I think these units do sound really excellent.


----------



## Maelob

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> With busted USB receiver, it's now official ...
> 
> Now have a new toy to play.


Man if they would have done things right, by now we would be in like a 3rd Generation Pulse, I really liked mine, but I used it as trade in for a PS audio DAC before it went bust.


----------



## Maelob (Jul 20, 2020)

coletrain104 said:


> I have been told again and again by their representative that they are waiting on a response in regards to my problem from their office. I am essentially being told my $1000 DAC is not worth making an actual call, instead we wait on a response email for multiple months, even as I reach back out, and am given the same response. When I get the money to get some other gear I will gladly do so. I'm pretty damn disappointed. QC and customer service is much more questionable than the engineering IMO, since I think these units do sound really excellent.


I would not waste any time in dealing with the company, don't think Mr. Ho will be able to comeback to the Hifi U.S. market. Maybe in Asia, but even there I think his reputation has taken a fatal blow, and the "developer of the greatest DAC in the world" won't work anymore.  So sad for all of us that were fooled.  And for the mastermind  Gavin ummm he should find another industry to work on.


----------



## Flognuts (Jul 21, 2020)

How good is the actual dac and headphone amp in this?

I got my hands on one, before I even knew about this thread or problems with it.....just bought it on a whim.

Paid $480 (us) brand new for it.

I been playing with the filters TCM is cold and sterile and FRM (which I prefer) isn't amazing either. A normal linear filter would have been nice.

Not sure to keep it or sell it.


----------



## hemtmaker

Flognuts said:


> How good is the actual dac and headphone amp in this?
> 
> I got my hands on one, before I even knew about this thread or problems with it.....just bought it on a whim.
> 
> ...


For what it’s worth,  I think it’s the DAC part that excels. Mine is the infinity version with a linear power supply. I personally quite like that system as a balanced DAC


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

So I retrieved my USB fried Geek Pulse Infinity from the trash can....

REASON...I have a problem with my new Audiobyte Hydra.Vox + Zap stack.  It's giving me these occasional loud pops/crack during PCM->DSD / DSD->PCM transitions.
The developer said that it needs a firmware update + a DC offset adjustment (don't know what it means). Anyway since its summer, so things are on hold.

For the meantime I have a Singxer F-1 to connect it to SPDIF 2  (SPDIF 1 is fried too). 






So continue the beautiful music!

For those are curious why "fried": An assumption when one afternoon I saw and heard a pop/spark at the back of my LPS4. And noticed my custom Revelation Labs cable wire was loose at its socket connector. Tried powering my Geek Pulse Infinity with a regular cable but its USB disconnects after some time. Same as its SPDIF 1.


----------



## germay0653 (Aug 14, 2020)

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> So I retrieved my USB fried Geek Pulse Infinity from the trash can....
> 
> REASON...I have a problem with my new Audiobyte Hydra.Vox + Zap stack.  It's giving me these occasional loud pops/crack during PCM->DSD / DSD->PCM transitions.
> The developer said that it needs a firmware update + a DC offset adjustment (don't know what it means). Anyway since its summer, so things are on hold.
> ...




Oh, if Mr. Ho had only used the standard, round 2.1mm, DC connectors at both ends, that might not have happened.  Unicorns and rainbows would have been nice too, but I digress.  Those tiny molex connectors, used on the LPS4 side, are just too small and problematic and the same thing happened to my Revelation cable too, only it was not plugged in at the time.  The wire Revelation used is pretty stiff and with such a small connector, it is the weak link.


----------



## ed45 (Aug 23, 2020)

LHL deploying the Molex was a head scratcher from the beginning.  Like some others who have posted to this thread, my Revelation Audio connector breaking correlated with my Xfi amp going dead. 

After my Xfi broke, my experience with the Geek Pulse campaign soured me on computer audio, and for years I just used the headphone out on my iMac to connect my headphones and studio monitors. I'm now ready to create at least a nice office system. Some questions for those of you who also had their Xfi die:

1) What did you replace it with?
2) Can the LPS be repurposed with another Amp? Is 12V a fairly common DC voltage for such devices?
3) Has anyone tried to use the LHL split 2G USB cable with the LPS and another AMP?
4) IF the LPS can still be used, anyone know of a source for a longer Molex/Power cable?

Thanks for any input.



germay0653 said:


> Oh, if Mr. Ho had only used the standard, round 2.1mm, DC connectors at both ends, that might not have happened.  Unicorns and rainbows would have been nice too, but I digress.  Those tiny molex connectors, used on the LPS4 side, are just too small and problematic and the same thing happened to my Revelation cable too, only it was not plugged in at the time.  The wire Revelation used is pretty stiff and with such a small connector, it is the weak link.


----------



## germay0653

ed45 said:


> LHL deploying the Molex was a head scratcher from the beginning.  Like some others who have posted to this thread, my Revelation Audio connector breaking correlated with my Xfi amp going dead.
> 
> After my Xfi broke, my experience with the Geek Pulse campaign soured me on computer audio, and for years I just used the headphone out on my iMac to connect my headphones and studio monitors. I'm now ready to create at least a nice office system. Some questions for those of you who also had their Xfi die:
> 
> ...


----------



## ed45

Sorry for the ambiguity.  I've seen "Xfi" used as shorthand for the Balanced Geek Pulse Infinity, at least it was years ago back when the Indiegogo campaign was in full blast.  My Balanced Pulse Infinity died at the same time that my Revelation power cable broke, (like yours also at the molex connector), the warranty wasn't honored, and I ended up storing all of my LHL gear for over four years.  After seeing this thread on Head-Fi, I applied for compensation and submitted my old payment documents, and with a lot of help from Jarek of LHL I ended up receiving a Stella.  Now I'd like to resurrect my desktop system, and I was wondering which amps & dacs. (combos or separates) were purchased as replacements for or upgrades from Pulse Infinities by previous owners. 

I still have the original molex connector supplied by LHL. I don't have an LPS4, just the standard LPS. I also have two Lightspeed 2G split USB cables, one which I paid a ridiculous price for during the campaign, and one which was given for free to all Infinity backers.

Thanks for your reply!


----------



## germay0653

Well


ed45 said:


> Sorry for the ambiguity.  I've seen "Xfi" used as shorthand for the Balanced Geek Pulse Infinity, at least it was years ago back when the Indiegogo campaign was in full blast.  My Balanced Pulse Infinity died at the same time that my Revelation power cable broke, (like yours also at the molex connector), the warranty wasn't honored, and I ended up storing all of my LHL gear for over four years.  After seeing this thread on Head-Fi, I applied for compensation and submitted my old payment documents, and with a lot of help from Jarek of LHL I ended up receiving a Stella.  Now I'd like to resurrect my desktop system, and I was wondering which amps & dacs. (combos or separates) were purchased as replacements for or upgrades from Pulse Infinities by previous owners.
> 
> I still have the original molex connector supplied by LHL. I don't have an LPS4, just the standard LPS. I also have two Lightspeed 2G split USB cables, one which I paid a ridiculous price for during the campaign, and one which was given for free to all Infinity backers.
> 
> Thanks for your reply!



Thanks for the clarification.  Regarding the USB cables, unfortunately, unless whatever DAC, AMP or DAC/AMP combo derives it's power from the USB cable, which is only 5V @ 0.500A BTW, you'll probably be SOL.  I don't believe the Xfi sources it's power from the USB connection.


----------



## ejong7

Anybody know what the power cable between the LPS and Pulse is called? I lost my original cable, trying to look for a replacement.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Nov 23, 2020)

Difficult to find better go on a DIY route.


----------



## ejong7

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Difficult to find better go on a DIY route.


Thanks for the tip. Any idea what the special connector is called?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Nov 23, 2020)

Its a 2 pin molex pcie connector to a barrel 5.5mm x 2.1mm.

The 2 pin molex pcie connector you can get it as 6 + 2 pcie power extentions from your computer power supply. They are also sold as piece.

And attach a 5.5mm x 2.1mm barrel connector at the end.


----------



## Mike-WI

ejong7 said:


> Anybody know what the power cable between the LPS and Pulse is called? I lost my original cable, trying to look for a replacement.


I found these old notes:

*LPS / LPS4 Cable*
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC24-Oyaid...able-for-LH-Labs-LPS4-Liner-PSU-/223092712940

*DC24 --- Oyaide to Molex 2pin Canare 4S6 DC Cable for LH Labs LPS4 Liner PSU
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/gee...light-harmonics.687851/page-891#post-14753649*


----------



## ejong7

Thanks for the information everyone. Much appreciated.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Nov 23, 2020)

Thanks Bro!
He he he  Must be getting old...


----------



## MikeyFresh

ejong7 said:


> Anybody know what the power cable between the LPS and Pulse is called? I lost my original cable, trying to look for a replacement.


It does not have any official name, it's a DC umbilical with a standard 5.5 x 2.1mm barrel connector on one end, and a 2-pin Molex connector on the other end. There are various companies that wil make that cable for you, but you are unlikely to find any off the shelf or generic version. I think your best bet is probably the *Ghent DC24*.

You can also make one, but you'd need the Molex pin crimping tool, along with the pins and plastic housing. Not worth doing unless you already own the tool.


----------



## kryptoz

Found a used pulse x infinity + lps for 500 cad. Is it worth? If not, what are some amp/dac combos that are easy to get in Canada for around the same price?


----------



## savaloco

I wouldn't go for it.  I still have mine and its running great.  Purchased a THX AAA 789 to amp the DAC (the one that comes with the xfinity is fine but it can sound better.  When my unit dies I will be done with LH.  You could look at Shciit, Topping, iFi,... any other company that is reputable and still in business to support you. 

Good Luck with whatever you choose.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

As he  said. Support is inexistent. Go for newer and companies that can support you. Thinking SMSL SU-9, Audio-gd R2R 11, Musical PAradise MP-D1 MK3 on that price range. Haven't heard them, just read good reviews.


----------



## Flognuts

kryptoz said:


> Found a used pulse x infinity + lps for 500 cad. Is it worth? If not, what are some amp/dac combos that are easy to get in Canada for around the same price?


Biggest piece of rubbish ive ever owned. 
Don't do it


----------



## coletrain104

Support can't get me a response after many many months. I have an X infinity that is stuck at such low volume you can't hear anything. I bug them again and again, and am told an email has been sent to their support. I'd honestly call them myself if they would just give me a phone number, the damn thing probably just needs a firmware flash, but I don't have the firmware files and they are no longer on their site. I had an Xfi before the infinity and it has worked well. Still, can't wait to move on.


----------



## savaloco

coletrain104 said:


> Support can't get me a response after many many months. I have an X infinity that is stuck at such low volume you can't hear anything. I bug them again and again, and am told an email has been sent to their support. I'd honestly call them myself if they would just give me a phone number, the damn thing probably just needs a firmware flash, but I don't have the firmware files and they are no longer on their site. I had an Xfi before the infinity and it has worked well. Still, can't wait to move on.


PM me I'll send you a link to what I have.  
Cheers


----------



## bozoskeletonz (Dec 30, 2020)

Just wanted to add to the question is it worth it, I’ve owned an sfi, an xfi and infinity and enjoyed each one, in fact loved the xfi so much I felt compelled to get the infinity.

BUT, as others have said, it may not be worth the stress of having absolutely 0 support if something goes wrong.

I would think about getting another one if the deal was great, but at the price you’re looking at, it’s not a great deal.  For me it’s not cheap enough to gamble with the reliability.

Finally, after reading about this and a few other amps using an lps, I think lots of units were getting messed up because they weren’t being powered on/off correctly. If you read about the liquid platinum amp, improper power on/off procedure easily fried stuff in the amp. I didn’t realize how harmful this could be until I sold all the previous units. So be careful if you do go for it, be meticulous about the on/off procedure!


----------



## kryptoz

Sounds like it's definitely not worth the headache lol. Thanks everyone


----------



## blueangel2323

I've been out of the loop for years now. What happened to Light Harmonic? They seemed to have been a very well respected audio company, and they just completely disappeared. Their website doesn't even exist anymore to download drivers for their old products.


----------



## Carlsan

They took everyone's money than ran.


----------



## savaloco

blueangel2323 said:


> I've been out of the loop for years now. What happened to Light Harmonic? They seemed to have been a very well respected audio company, and they just completely disappeared. Their website doesn't even exist anymore to download drivers for their old products.


LH Labs is dead.  Those unfortunate to not have received product from the crowd funding ventures and also managed to stay up on what whas going were given a chance to accept other products from the Light Harmonics company (high priced IEMs) in exchange for their missing gear.  This was the final gesture of goodwill before closing LH Labs down.  Light Harmonics (parant company Larry leveraged to make LH Labs credible) seemed to try its hand at building audio systems for Tesla (I don't think this was lucrative), Is now pedalling higher end IEMs (seems very niche), and I believe he will still build you a Davinci Dac.  Seems Larry is focussing on the Chinese market and given the condition of the Light Harmonic website it seems to suggest things aren't great.


----------



## savaloco

kryptoz said:


> Sounds like it's definitely not worth the headache lol. Thanks everyone


Offer him $200.  Great performance for that money.  If it works!!!


----------



## runningwitit

savaloco said:


> LH Labs is dead.  Those unfortunate to not have received product from the crowd funding ventures and also managed to stay up on what whas going were given a chance to accept other products from the Light Harmonics company (high priced IEMs) in exchange for their missing gear.  This was the final gesture of goodwill before closing LH Labs down.  Light Harmonics (parant company Larry leveraged to make LH Labs credible) seemed to try its hand at building audio systems for Tesla (I don't think this was lucrative), Is now pedalling higher end IEMs (seems very niche), and I believe he will still build you a Davinci Dac.  Seems Larry is focussing on the Chinese market and given the condition of the Light Harmonic website it seems to suggest things aren't great.


Yep.

I really hate this happened to Larry, I think he has real talent in what he does.  If he were to ever get back on his feet and stay credible, I would definitely support him still.

My Signature Pulse is holding up greatly and sounds good compared to the other equipmemt I have!


----------



## upsguys88

Not sure if anyone is still reading this thread, but just curious if anyone knows any amps or dacs that can be used with the LPS4? or is the Pulse really the only thing I can power with my LPS4?


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Jan 18, 2021)

Thing that are attached to my LPS4 aside from Pulse.
1. Beelink GT-King (12V) and Android TV device I use for streamer/music player.
2. LH Revive (5V) as USB reclock/regen.


----------



## runningwitit

Still enjoying my S. E. Pulse!
Just purchased some old school King Cobra cables connected to the Max and still sounds great!

The lps4 needs to go to the shop as it has grounding issues.. I know I'm one the lucky ones who received most of his products..

Does anyone have another desktop amp that sounds better? Especially one with dual xlr inputs, tube preferred.

Thanks!


----------



## oneguy (Jan 18, 2021)

upsguys88 said:


> Not sure if anyone is still reading this thread, but just curious if anyone knows any amps or dacs that can be used with the LPS4? or is the Pulse really the only thing I can power with my LPS4?


I’m powering the following
Pulse Blue
Emotiva XPS-1
EtherRegen
LH Labs 20G cable

the XPS-1 and Blue kind of fall into the DAC or amp categories


----------



## antonio.saraiva

Hi,

I had to reinstall Windows 10 and from there I couldn't hear any from mGeek Pulse Xfi sound from the computer ...
I have JRiver version 27 installed on my computer.
I've tried in the settings with the Asio driver, Wasapi, Kernel, several bit sample rates and nada ... I installed the driver version 3.26.0, the firmware version is 2.0, MCU 2.4. Someone who can help please?
Thanks a lot.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Jan 28, 2021)

Does Geek Pulse is showing in your Sound Properties? Cable problem?

If you have an Android smartphone, try using it as player thru a OTG USB cable using HibyMusic (free) or if you have it UAPP.

If it works meaning the problem is in your windows setup.


----------



## antonio.saraiva

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Does Geek Pulse is showing in your Sound Properties? Cable problem?
> 
> If you have an Android smartphone, try using it as player thru a OTG USB cable using HibyMusic (free) or if you have it UAPP.
> 
> If it works meaning the problem is in your windows setup.



Hi Mickey, I remenber your name on LH Labs forum  Still waiting for my Geek Wave ...
Yes, Geek Pulse is showing on Sound Properties. The cable is the same like before - LH Labs Ligthspeed 1 G USB.
I can't stream music from my smartphone (Xiaomi Mi A1) to Geek Pulse through OTG cable USB to Ligthspeed USB ... The music only plays on smartphone ... Maybe not powerful enough.

From time to time I had several problems with Asio driver with JRiver to play to Geek Pulse ... 
I think the problem is on the Asio driver implementation with Geek Pulse.
I remember heard several problems with Geek products with the drivers on LH Labs forums. And now we haven't literally no kind of support ...


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Yeah! Waiting for mine too. Sorry for some. They are far more deeper. 

Can you play a "Test" sound under Sound>Properties>Advance tab?

...Meaning music literally plays on your phone's speaker? If that is the case, there is no connection. Try changing cables. Are there any printer cables around to swap?


----------



## antonio.saraiva

Played "test" sound, and nothing ...  Yes, music literally plays on my phone's speaker ... Changed the USB cable, no sound ... Reboot the DAC and Jriver , nada ... various sample rates and devices on Jriver player (Geek Asio, Wasapi, Kernel ... ), nothing, but the waves of Jriver equalizer moves ... don't think the problem is on the LPS4 either, because it drives normally an external hard drive I have.

Ok, problem solved !!! On computer, on Sound Preferences, I had to choose on JRiver Media Center  27what the program by predefinition to output the sound from JRiver ... Well, by now solved ...
By the way, do you know the best setting on JRiver for the memory playback ?
Thans for the help m-i-c-k-e-y, take care and we still waiting our Geek Wave ... !!!


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

Mine is: _load decoded file in memory_


----------



## antonio.saraiva (Jan 30, 2021)

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Mine is: _load decoded file in memory_



Hi m-i-c-k-e-y, can you give me a advice on good budget network streamer to connect to Geek Pulse without connecting Geek to the computer ?
Thx for the advice and take care !! 👍🙏


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y

An Android TV device (mine is a Beelink GT King). Preferably 12V so that you could connect to your LPS (if you have one) and with SPDIF (for added bonus).
Connect via USB. Install USB Audio Payer from Google Play.  And use at as music player using Bitperfect option (esp for Qobuz and Tidal). Spotify and the rest need to install their respective apps.

Doing this for years..Better SQ. Don't need rocket science to configure and run.


----------



## antonio.saraiva

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> An Android TV device (mine is a Beelink GT King). Preferably 12V so that you could connect to your LPS (if you have one) and with SPDIF (for added bonus).
> Connect via USB. Install USB Audio Payer from Google Play.  And use at as music player using Bitperfect option (esp for Qobuz and Tidal). Spotify and the rest need to install their respective apps.
> 
> Doing this for years..Better SQ. Don't need rocket science to configure and run.



Thx my friend for the advice !!!


----------



## kostaszag

Can anyone tell me where I can download the 3.26.0 Windows driver for Geek Pulse? Not the firmware, just the Driver.

I have a problem with sound dropouts for about a second every  minute or two and Im afraid I will have to reinstall the firmware for it...


----------



## stuck limo (Feb 2, 2021)

kostaszag said:


> Can anyone tell me where I can download the 3.26.0 Windows driver for Geek Pulse? Not the firmware, just the Driver.
> 
> I have a problem with sound dropouts for about a second every  minute or two and Im afraid I will have to reinstall the firmware for it...



PM sent with driver info. 

Try restarting your PC. Also, I used to have problems with dropouts. Sometimes it happened every 25 minutes, sometimes it happened every 3 days. It was really random. One day fairly recently I restarted the PC and it ended up stopping the problem.  Try restarting Windows and see if that fixes it.


----------



## runningwitit (Feb 11, 2021)

I compared my Pulse connected to the lps4 vs. wall outlet and to my ears, the outlet had more air and sparkle.

Question?

If I purchase a high current power cable for the lps4, will it sonically change its sound characteristics?


----------



## stuck limo

Hi guys, I am no longer with LH Labs/Light Harmonic. There's no drama involved; I am simply too busy with my own projects/businesses to continue. I don't know any further information over the crowdfunded projects other than what I have shared. Best of luck and wishes to everyone.


----------



## m17xr2b

So is it dead as far as you know since you have no affiliation with LH labs? Some of us back-up LH labs in 2013 and it's 2021 so now that the statue of limitation has passed when is Larry going to admit it's gone belly up?


----------



## stuck limo

m17xr2b said:


> So is it dead as far as you know since you have no affiliation with LH labs? Some of us back-up LH labs in 2013 and it's 2021 so now that the statue of limitation has passed when is Larry going to admit it's gone belly up?


I have heard nothing on the project in months. I keep hearing it's in the works and they're just waiting for the correct time/factory situation/etc. Other than that, I have no information over the projects other than what I already posted. I know the office staff is taking care of exchanges and that sort of stuff.


----------



## eliwankenobi (Apr 16, 2021)

Can anybody share pictures of the inside of the original chassis?

I have the V2 larger chassis... and now it is too big for my setup. Though I am pretty sure the boards are the same size... I wonder if the board on my unit would fit inside the original chassis...


----------



## MAPgeekdad

I'm not able to open mine up right now, but based on what I remember from previously opening one, the pcb is the full size of the v1 chassis, which is 7" wide x 8" deep. 

The chassis slides into and is held in place by groove guides inside the chassis, meaning the pcb is the full size of the chassis.

I've always been interested in the v2 chassis as I have the bluetooth receiver unit (whatever that was called) and inquired about buying the v2 chassis, but that never materialized. Unfortunately, I'm outside the US and shipping would likely be expensive.

Hope that helps.


----------



## HiFiRobot (Apr 17, 2021)

I can open mine and take some
photos. But last time I tried I couldn't get the chassis off or the pcb out. Should be more than the 4 screws on the backplate right?


----------



## eliwankenobi

HiFiRobot said:


> I can open mine and take some
> photos. But last time I tried I couldn't get the chassis off or the pcb out. Should be more than the 4 screws on the backplate right?


Possibly... I’ve never seen how to open the original one.



MAPgeekdad said:


> I'm not able to open mine up right now, but based on what I remember from previously opening one, the pcb is the full size of the v1 chassis, which is 7" wide x 8" deep.
> 
> The chassis slides into and is held in place by groove guides inside the chassis, meaning the pcb is the full size of the chassis.
> 
> ...


It would be nice if we could do a chassis trade.  Where are you located? Is your model at least a Pulse X?  I would need the cutouts for the balanced output


----------



## HiFiRobot

eliwankenobi said:


> It would be nice if we could do a chassis trade.  Where are you located? Is your model at least a Pulse X?  I would need the cutouts for the balanced output


Sorry I like the chassi and what's inside so not interested in switching.


----------



## clarus

Since lhlabs.com website is now offline, does anyone here has the last version of Geek Pulse firmware available to share? I have an old unit that has 1V48 that keep dropping one channel when sample rate change.  Appreciate your help.


----------



## Ethereal Sound

I sent in my defective unit to be "repaired" last year, was in sparse correspondence with whoever runs their FB page and they've gone dark on me for about 8 months. Literal thieves lol.


----------



## purk

Ethereal Sound said:


> I sent in my defective unit to be "repaired" last year, was in sparse correspondence with whoever runs their FB page and they've gone dark on me for about 8 months. Literal thieves lol.


You have the SuSy Dynahi....forget about the Geek Pulse man!


----------



## Ethereal Sound

purk said:


> You have the SuSy Dynahi....forget about the Geek Pulse man!



Oh I no longer care, just putting this out there in case anyone had any doubts for whatever reason!


----------



## Benny-x

Ethereal Sound said:


> I sent in my defective unit to be "repaired" last year, was in sparse correspondence with whoever runs their FB page and they've gone dark on me for about 8 months. Literal thieves lol.


I've wanted to send mine in for some bugs here and there, but what you just said it's exactly what I fear. Sorry to hear about that one.


----------



## Flognuts

Biggest piece of crap I ever owned. 

Felt bad selling it off second hand as it probably deserved to go in the bin.


----------



## MAPgeekdad

Eruditeswine said:


> Hello, no issue. Recently took them out from the storeroom and it was plug & play with a clean Windows 10 PC. Maybe a different USB port might help.
> 
> 
> Hi all! With today's choices, where does the Pulse Infinity with LPS stand?



Thanks.  Playing around with this on a clean install and no luck, one channel only.  I kind of remember that the Pulse is a USB 2 device, only, meaning not USB 3.0.  With the USB Class 2.0 drivers and Pulse, does it matter whether the USB port is 2 or 3?

Pardon my incomplete understanding.

Thanks!


----------



## purk

Mine has been sitting unused for a few years now.  Wish I didn’t buy it.


----------



## watchpocket

Zenifyx said:


> [...]





m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> According to LH, Pulse is DSD256 ready.



Does "ready" mean anything in 2021? 

Question:  I have a *Geek Pulse S fi*.  Its firmware versions are *Main 2.0* and *MCU 2.4.*
I'm using it with the Geek Linear Power Supply (not the LPS 4) and with two of the LH yellow one-meter-length USB cables.

With this setup, does (or should) my Geek Pulse S fi currently handle *DSD 256*?
Thanks.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Aug 30, 2021)

watchpocket said:


> Does "ready" mean anything in 2021?
> 
> Question:  I have a *Geek Pulse S fi*.  Its firmware versions are *Main 2.0* and *MCU 2.4.*
> I'm using it with the Geek Linear Power Supply (not the LPS 4) and with two of the LH yellow one-meter-length USB cables.
> ...


Native DSD yes, but definitely not DoP.
DSD256 over DoP requires the DAC to support a PCM sample rate of 705.6kHz, but the Pulse tops out at 384kHz.

EDIT: I'm not sure it does DSD256 at all, DSD128 yes for sure, but I no longer recall if I even had any DSD256 files at the time I was using my Pulse SFi, I don't think I ever tested it. Even native DSD might very well top out at DSD128.


----------



## watchpocket (Aug 31, 2021)

MikeyFresh said:


> Native DSD yes, but not DoP.
> DSD256 over DoP requires the DAC to support a PCM sample rate of 705.6kHz, but the Pulse tops out at 384kHz.
> 
> EDIT: I'm not sure it does DSD256 at all, DSD128 yes for sure, but I no longer recall if I even had any DSD256 files at the time I was using my Pulse SFi, I don't think I ever tested it.



Question 2:  I'm running USB Audio Player Pro on an Nvidia Shield Pro connected to a large TV.  If I select, in UAPP, *native DSD*, the Geek Pulse S fi DAC display reads _"384 kHz"_ (meaning it's in PCM mode ((or perhaps no mode)), not DSD).

If I select _*DoP *_in UAPP, the DAC's display says _DSD 64 (or DSD 128)_.

So right now DSD seem to be working in DoP mode, but not in "native DSD" mode.  *How do I activate native DSD? * Is *ASIO* something I should be able to install in the Shield? [_*Edit:*_ I'm not _entirely_ sure but I believe ASIO is strictly a Windows thing.]

I gather that I need the ASIO "driver" but (at the moment) I understand little of where to get it, or how to effectively get it functioning. I THINK I'd need to install it as an .apk on the Shield.

Just as an FYI, I don't use Windows and I don't use Mac.  I run Ubuntu Linux 18.04 (on my desktop workstation, not my Shield).

Thanks for any tips.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Aug 30, 2021)

watchpocket said:


> Question 2:  I'm running USB Audio Player Pro on an Nvidia Shield Pro connected to a large TV.  If I select, in UAPP, *native DSD*, the Geek Pulse S fi DAC display reads _"384 kHz"_ (meaning it's in PCM mode, not DSD).
> 
> If I select _*DoP *_in UAPP, the DAC's display says _DSD 64 (or DSD 128)_.
> 
> ...


Good question, the specs for the Nvidia Shield Pro only state up to 192kHz PCM over USB, if accurate that would limit you to DoP64 (176.4kHz), as DoP128 would require a 352.8kHz sample rate.

I don't believe you can install an ASIO driver for that DAC on anything but Windows. UAPP, like many software players, will automatically transcode to PCM when you select Native DSD in settings, and the DAC reports itself in the USB handshake as incompatible.

Because LH Labs was such a crap company with atrocious support, I'm not even sure where you'd find specific specs about its native DSD capability, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if the only native DSD support was via the Windows ASIO driver.

@m-i-c-k-e-y most likely knows, he has used such an Android/Linux box with the Pulse.


----------



## watchpocket (Aug 31, 2021)

MikeyFresh said:


> the specs for the Nvidia Shield Pro only state up to 192kHz PCM over USB, if accurate that would limit you to DoP64 (176.4kHz), as DoP128 would require a 352.8kHz sample rate.


Would this necessarily be true when using USB Audio Player Pro, since UAPP states it can _"completely bypass"_ Android's audio system.

From the UAPP download page on the Google Play store:

_"• Plays natively up to 32-bit/384kHz or any other rate/resolution your USB DAC supports *by completely bypassing the Android audio system*. Other Android players are limited to 16-bit/48kHz, even on Android 5 and higher."_


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## watchpocket

MikeyFresh said:


> UAPP is still bound by the device's hardware and firmware limitations however, so if the Shield Pro is actually limited to 192kHz as the specs state, then UAPP will not likely output anything above that. In other words, UAPP cannot use a sample rate that is unsupported by the device.


That would certainly seem to be true, but for what it's worth, my Geek Pulse S fi, playing a DSD 128 file in UAPP, does have _DSD128_ showing on the Pulse's display.  

This would lead me to believe that UAPP might in fact somehow be bypassing the Shield's limitations, or, the _"DSD128"_ display on the DAC may simply be a misleading error. Or that the current version of the shield has gone above and beyond a 192kHz sampling rate, though I haven't seen anything that would indicate such.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## M3NTAL

Just remember that us Vi DAC people have a bigger paper weight than the Pulse people.  Headphone out on mine went out a long long time ago and it sends noise through the outputs also. LH doesn't repair, so it's a paper weight until I open it up and see what's going on in there.


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Aug 31, 2021)

Sorry for the late reply. Hey! It's summer!

AFAIK, Native DSD256 support/capability was given only too Pulse Infinity (EX and Signature) thru a *FW update*. All other Pulse variants are upto DoP 128 @ USB and DoP 64 on other conncections only.

So correct on setting UAPP at DoP.


----------



## watchpocket

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Sorry for the late reply. Hey! It's summer!
> 
> AFAIK, Native DSD256 support/capability was given only too Pulse Infinity (EX and Signature) thru a *FW update*. All other Pulse variants are upto DoP 128 @ USB and DoP 64 on other conncections only.
> 
> So correct on setting UAPP at DoP.


Thanks!  

Any idea on how to set "native DSD" in UAPP and make it work when running UAPP on an Nvidia Shield Pro android TV box with the Pulse (and when not on Windows (so can't use ASIO))?  

(Though I may not need to set "native DSD" in UAPP if I can get DSD128 over DoP (which I *seem* to be getting now).


----------



## m-i-c-k-e-y (Sep 1, 2021)

Geek Pulse is native DSD 256 capable. But for it to workl it needs to be activated thru a FW update.  Manipulating thru playback software settings will not work AFAIK.

In your case, selecting "native DSD" in UAPP results to upsampling hence the display on your Pulse "384khz". One way to confirm this is thru UAPP (see below).

On me, as I have remembered before the FW upgrade, I set UAPP always in DoP. NEVER in native DSD. Since it was my understanding that DSD implementation WAS ONLY in DoP.

However, when Native DSD FW was introduced, DSD256 could not be displayed properly during playback on Geek Pulse. Especially coming from PCM. It will display only 384khz. Only way to confirm it is thru software. For UAPP its is displayed under file information during playback: Output: "USB DAC or Direct" following what UAPP "thinks" the bit rate DAC is playing. And the information found in the file.





For example in this picture UAPP is playing a DSD256 file on a USB DAC. So it displays the following information:
*Output:* onthis case USB DAC *Data/Bit Rate:* DSD 11.2MHZ *File Information: *DSF DSD 11.2 Mhz 1bit

But who knows! Try tickering the settings and see the display. But my advice is, stick with DoP in UAPP.


----------



## watchpocket

Thank you for this info.  I'm guessing that at this point it might be difficult (or impossible) to get the firmware update that would enable my Geek Pulse S fi to handle native DSD 256.  If there _is _a way to get the update, I'd love to apply it to my Pulse.  

I seem to recall also that the updates can only be applied through the use of a windows machine, and I'm guessing that's still true today.

Do you (or does anyone) know how I might get the native DSD256 firmware update?


----------



## watchpocket

Yviena said:


> I thought Geek Pulse can't do native DSD256? i've just put 4x DSD in native format in jriver and it actually plays it.
> Though in the geek dac the samplerate is now gone but in the lh labs driver it correctly says 11289600hz.
> 
> Weird because i can only use DoP and DSD128 with HQplayer.


I realize I'm responding to a post that was made five years ago, but might I ask exactly which Geek Pulse you're getting *native DSD256* on?

Can native DSD 256 be attained on a *Geek Pulse S fi*, which is what I have? (I would have to be using the jriver software for this, obviously.) 

Also, could you say which firmware versions you're doing this with.  Thanks!


----------



## MikeyFresh

watchpocket said:


> Thank you for this info.  I'm guessing that at this point it might be difficult (or impossible) to get the firmware update that would enable my Geek Pulse S fi to handle native DSD 256.  If there _is _a way to get the update, I'd love to apply it to my Pulse.
> 
> I seem to recall also that the updates can only be applied through the use of a windows machine, and I'm guessing that's still true today.
> 
> Do you (or does anyone) know how I might get the native DSD256 firmware update?


The problem you will have is LH Labs ceased as an entity, and the firmware they were handing out were said to be specific to only certain "batches" of serial numbers, with no further clarification as to why, or which version belonged to which batch of serial numbers.

So you'd never know if a particular firmware that you might get your hands on was the correct one for your "batch".

Yes the firmware updates were only available through the use of a Windows computer, and that is still true today.



watchpocket said:


> I realize I'm responding to a post that was made five years ago, but might I ask exactly which Geek Pulse you're getting *native DSD256* on?


I would guess he was referring to the use of a Windows ASIO driver for that.


----------



## watchpocket

MikeyFresh said:


> The problem you will have is LH Labs ceased as an entity, and the firmware they were handing out were said to be specific to only certain "batches" of serial numbers, with no further clarification as to why, or which version belonged to which batch of serial numbers.
> 
> So you'd never know if a particular firmware that you might get your hands on was the correct one for your "batch".
> 
> Yes the firmware updates were only available through the use of a Windows computer, and that is still true today.


So basically you're saying there's no way to get a working firmware today that will upgrade a Geek Pulse to DSD256, given that LH Labs went belly-up long ago.  No wonder so many folks have been selling off their various Geek DACs.  Thanks for the clarifications.


----------



## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


----------



## watchpocket (Sep 3, 2021)

Presto-Change-o:  My Geek Pulse S fi appears to have up and died on me.  At least I think it died.  When I turn it on, it displays only "96kHz" (though I can go through the menu settings), and does not go through its standard start-up routine a few seconds after power-up.  Also it doesn't take over the audio from the Nvidia Shield Pro Android TV box that is its audio source.

I still have a working LH Labs Linear Power Suppy, however, and if in fact the Pulse is bricked, *I'd like to be able to use the LH Labs Geek LPS with a new DAC*, which would have to run off of 12-volt power, and would have to have a 12-volt power plug that I can plug the 12v LPS cable into. (Unless there might be some reason why using that LPS with a new DAC wouldn't be a good idea.)

Is anyone aware of quality DSD DACs out there that would fit this bill?  Thank you one and all for any tips.


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## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


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## watchpocket (Sep 3, 2021)

MikeyFresh said:


> If you haven't tried to fully power cycle that POS, give it a go, it may manage to reset. Do that with the power to your amplifier off or volume turned to zero.
> 
> In looking at different DACs that accept 12vdc, you'd also need to be sure their current consumption is within the spec of the LH Labs LPS, which is 1.2 amps max.


Just tried that (left it off and unplugged for awhile, then plugged it directly into a power strip (avoiding the LPS) and switched it on.  No luck.  Actually I can still use the LPS with my Geek Out (on my computer; the Pulse was for use with an Nvidia Shield Pro and my TV).  Thanks for the suggestion.


----------



## eliwankenobi

Announcing here I just gave up and bought a SMSL SU-9n. Received it on 2016 and enjoyed it as much as I could until 2021. Sound quality was always fantastic in my experience, and when I added the amp, it got better.  It still works but now the display stopped showing sampling rates and I am basically trusting on JRIVER that it's doing what it's expected for it to do. I wish I could replace the XMOS chip and write the firmware code for it as I feel that would eliminate 99% of the performance stability issues I've experienced so far. Then replace the failing display that doesn't show sampling rate anymore and has uneven brightness, and it would still be a decent performing DAC. Sounds like a nice project to tackle if I had the skill, parts and tools to do so.


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## glatzj

Geek Pulse Xfi with no Knob volume control.  I have lost Knob volume control after my Geek Pulse Xfi was turned off for a few weeks.  I was able to use it before that using Driver 2.29.  I can get the Geek Pulse Xfi to play using Music Bee with Win 10 64bit and both Drivers 3.26 and 2.29 by setting the Geek Pulse Xfi as the Sound default and setting the driver to 16bit 44 and Exclusive use - after a settings change in Music Bee and a reboot.  However, I can only change the volume in Music Bee.  Changing the Geek Plus Volume setting using its dial allows me to toggle between Knob Control and USB control. The Knob Control setting, while it changes (including using the Apple Remote) on the Xfi's display, does not make any volume change for the headphone volume.  Music Bee's volume control works with either the USB or Knob Control set on the Geek Pulse Xfi. The volume isn't loud enough for my high Ohm headphones via the Music Bee volume control - but it used to be way more than enough.  Any recommendation for the correct settings or procedure to get the Knob control back would be appreciated.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Try also the volume slider on the LH Control Panel on your WIN 10..


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## glatzj

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> Try also the volume slider on the LH Control Panel on your WIN 10..


Thanks.  I got the Geek Pulse Xfi working correctly with driver 3.26 in Win 10 64 on a Lenovo Yoga 260 - but I'm not sure exactly what worked.  Likely it was turning it on twice once it had warmed up for a long time with a volume setting of +0 db (full power).  There was a low "pop" on my headphones when it reset.  There also appears to be some interaction between Win 10's other software like Smart Audio and the Geek Pulse USB interface.  The process I used to get it all to work was to load the driver 2.92 onto another laptop and start the Geek Pulse Xfi with it.  I played with those driver settings in the control panel and got the Sound Control icon for the Geek Pulse on the taskbar to play a louder or softer tone over my headphones while moving the volume slider.  This implied the Sound Control panel was working with the Geek Pulse.  I then moved the USB connection to my primary laptop running the 3.26 driver - and it still worked.  This implied the Geek Pulse itself had been reset properly.  To run Music Bee through the Geek Pulse, I had to disable all music enhancements and match 44khz in the settings in the Geek Pulse control panel settings.  I also turned on the two options for Exclusive application control use below the music frequency settings in the Advanced controls.  Music Bee won't work unless the Geek Pulse display matched the khz of the music file being played, it would not autoswitch without restarting.  In Music Bee Preferences, I set the Player to WASAPI Exclusive with the Geek Pulse as the source and turned on "Increase the Buffer size" check box.  After an "Apply" and "Save", I then exit and reload Music Bee.  It then all works until you change something.  If you make an Xfi setting change (such as change the gain), you have to reboot or remove the USB cable (see below).   If it is not working - you get an Error Message in Music Bee which can be solved by resetting the Preferences, exiting Music Bee, removing the USB cable from the computer, reinserting the USB cable, then restarting Music Bee.  Weew! Seems difficult but once you get it to work, it works.  This resolved problems with the Geek Pulse Xfi appearing to be "bricked" or stuck on Mute (also solved by using the Apple TV remote), the khz on the display being stuck, the Volume Knob not working correctly, and the volume from the Geek Pulse not being loud enough from Music Bee despite the Control panel settings.  I hope this info helps somebody whose Geek Pulse Xfi appears "bricked".  Using the Xfi's balanced XLR output with FTM (femtoclock setting) to good headphones (balanced cable HifiMan HE560 planars) with 16 bit 44khz CD WAV files in unadulterated "bit perfect" WASAPI exclusive mode is the best sound I personally have ever heard on any equipment, including much higher end systems.


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## haquocdung

Hi, is there anyone keep a copy of the latest driver can share?
I think the lhlab website it down permanently and I can't find it anywhere.
Thanks.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

What I have: LightHarmonic Driver Setup v3.26.0


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## haquocdung

m-i-c-k-e-y said:


> What I have: LightHarmonic Driver Setup v3.26.0


thanks a whole lot.


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## Ethereal Sound

I have lps4 and was wondering if anyone knew how much DC it can output. I am considering powering the cavalli cth with it but want to make sure it would work. Cavalli cth is 28V DC and 1.25a whereas the geek lps4 has a slot for 1.2a but idk about the 28v


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## m-i-c-k-e-y (Dec 15, 2021)

All four connectors are 12V. USB type A (USB DAC) gives 5V @ 500ma


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## Mike-WI

Ethereal Sound said:


> I have lps4 and was wondering if anyone knew how much DC it can output. I am considering powering the cavalli cth with it but want to make sure it would work. Cavalli cth is 28V DC and 1.25a whereas the geek lps4 has a slot for 1.2a but idk about the 28v


Here were some old notes I had...

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/light-harmonic-geek-linear-power-supply-lps-and-lps4-impressions-discussion.750577/page-1


*LPS4 outputs

Geek LPS4:* 
This is just like Geek LPS, but it has four 12 volt DC outputs instead of just one. 
It's perfect for other audio gear you might have that uses 12V DC power.

0.5 A
1.2 A - Pulse Xfi +N+T + DAC upgrade
0.5 A - Pulse Tube HPA
1.2 A - Pulse Tube HPA


Pulse Headphone Amplifier comes with low noise 12VDC switching power supply. 
And we recommend you use Pulse HPA and Pulse Tube HPA with our Geek LPS4. 
Pulse HPA needs one 1.2A 12V output from LPS4. 
And Pulse Tube HPA needs *one 1.2A 12V*, *one 500mA 12V* output from *LPS4*.


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## Ethereal Sound

Gotcha, thanks for the quick responses. Looks like it's definitely not enough for the 28V needed. Back to being a paperweight it goes!


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Mine I am using the 12V 1.2A to power my Android device (as source/streamer via UAPP). The 5V to power my USB regen/reclocker. 

.


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## kostaszag

I found a Benchmark DAC1 in good condition for a moderate price, has anyone compared it to the Geek Pulse Sfi or something similar?


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## greenkiwi

I used one for quite a while, I think that how _moderate_ the price was, would really determine whether or not it was worth it.

I will say that the Benchmark DAC1 I was using is still functioning without issue for my brother, which the same cannot be said for many many Geek Pulses.

If it were me, I'd probably be looking for a newer DAC.  The DAC 1 came out in 2005 or so.


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## gritzcolin

I was just given a geek pulse, its on the final versions of the firmware but the 3.26 driver install fails on a windows 10 laptop because of an error.


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## glatzj

Hi, what was the error - and did you do the install without the Geek Pulse attached via USB?  Try uninstalling the 3.26 and reinstalling it - after a fresh reboot and without the Geek Pulse attached - until the Driver installation asks for it.  You may need to look in the Device Manager settings of the Windows 10 Control Panel to do the uninstall in several different listings, including Sound Devices.
Some other notes below for a Music Bee utilization.  Some of it may be relevant to your Foobar setup:
The newest driver (3.26) works only with a workaround: Otherwise Music Bee just shows a BASS_ERROR message when play is attempted.  

In the Sound Control Panel,  Speaker Geek Pulse Xfi must be set as Default Application.
In the Geek Plus Xfi Properties, in Advanced Tab, the Default Format needs to be set to 16bit,  44K and in Exclusive Mode, the first box "Allow applications to take     Exclusive Control of the Device" needs to be checked.  2nd Box works unchecked - status if the box is checked is unknown
All changes to the Geek Pulse  Xfi have to be done outside of Music Bee. Computer has to be shut down, USB Cable removed, changes made,     computer reboot.  After Xfi changes     made, plug in the USB cable before Music Bee startup.  Plugging in the USB port from the  already on Geek Pulse xfi apparently loads its settings into the driver as     the USB port is recognized
If the power goes out on Geek  Pulse xfi, you may have to first change the 96K to 44K setting, by trying     to run a file in Music Bee.  This     will change the display to 44K, if that is the default setting in the Sound Control Panel Geek Pulse Xfi driver.     See 2) above.  Once the setting changes and all other changes on the Geek Pulse xFi are reset,     then reboot and go to Step 3.


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## kostaszag

greenkiwi said:


> I used one for quite a while, I think that how _moderate_ the price was, would really determine whether or not it was worth it.
> 
> I will say that the Benchmark DAC1 I was using is still functioning without issue for my brother, which the same cannot be said for many many Geek Pulses.
> 
> If it were me, I'd probably be looking for a newer DAC.  The DAC 1 came out in 2005 or so.


Thanks. The reliability issue is what really bugs me. I have been lucky so far, my Sfi is still working after all these years, but apparently this is the exception, not the rule.Who knows when my luck will run out? The item in question is on offer for 350 Euros, about $400US. Yes, the DAC1 came out in 2005, but was discontinued in 2011, so it is not _that _old.  Just out of curiosity, did you ever make a comparison with some Geek Pulse?


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## greenkiwi

Unfortunately, I didn't have them both at the same time.  My brother has the BM and I have had the pulse XFi.  My current DACs are a Chord Mojo and Hugo 2.  ( I can definitely recommend both of them.)

If it were me, I'd probably get a newer dac.  2011 is still 10+ years old at its newest.


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## Thomas91170

Hi everyone I wanted to know is this separate power supply compatible with the dac light harmonic geek pulse please?

 and if so take which model which voltage?

https://www.univers-hightech.com/al...p#/130-tensions_de_sortie-9v_12v_8a_usb_5v_1a


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## MikeyFresh

Thomas91170 said:


> Hi everyone I wanted to know is this separate power supply compatible with the dac light harmonic geek pulse please?
> 
> and if so take which model which voltage?
> 
> https://www.univers-hightech.com/al...p#/130-tensions_de_sortie-9v_12v_8a_usb_5v_1a


That DAC requires 12 volts DC, however it only draws 650-950ma of current depending on the sample rate being played. So a 1 amp PSU will actually work, and a 2 amp PSU would provide a very safe margin for continuous operation.

The Keces P8 is huge overkill in that regard, it can deliver 8 amps of current, you don't need such a high current PSU for that DAC.


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## musicheaven

Thomas91170 said:


> Hi everyone I wanted to know is this separate power supply compatible with the dac light harmonic geek pulse please?
> 
> and if so take which model which voltage?
> 
> https://www.univers-hightech.com/al...p#/130-tensions_de_sortie-9v_12v_8a_usb_5v_1a


Keces power supplies are well made, as long as you choose 12 v at least 2 A you should be covered. I would pick multiple voltage outputs, that would be useful if you add new equipments with different voltages in the future.


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## Thomas91170

Hi I just received the keces p8, the difference is just huge, the sound seems much more tangible the accuracy is just amazing

and the most unexpected I am on monitoring speakers, the sound seemed tiring and analytical

this is literally the opposite I am shocked, the geek pulse lps power supply gave me a lot, but it is very far from the keces p8

it's crazy how just a power supply can transform a system, sorry for my english but i am french


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Hello! Nice to hear that its working.

Tiring since its more tangible and "accurate" as you say. Please give more time to let your ears adapt to the new sound.


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## Thomas91170 (May 12, 2022)

yep it's really cool especially since in hifi the changes are of the order of a few % or even almost not at all sometimes, but with the power supplies I often find the evolution more obvious, it's a pleasure

I may have expressed myself badly


I said that on the contrary the sound is not at all tiring with the keces p8 unlike before, it is much softer and less analytical


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## MikeyFresh (Oct 29, 2022)

.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y (May 16, 2022)

Don't know where to post this but...

I decided to buy and send to my teenage niece a Coach shoulder bag. She was very happy obviously, first serious bag for her.

Along with the bag, I sent my LH Stella w/c just picking dust..."Hey sending my earphones that's just picking up dust!" I say...

Today she received the package and saw the box...

Niece: "Hmmm what is this.? Why it is boxed and presented nicely?...Let me check what it is in the internet!" (followed Amazon link)...Saw the price and her jaw dropped...Whoa!


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## flipper2gv

I really got to be one of the last people with a functioning Geek Pulse (SFI). It sounds good, but it's buggy as all hell. But, when you know how to deal with its quirks, it works well enough.


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## ukeyoner

I‘m still using an xfi. Everything works except the headphone outputs. I use it as my dac from my computer to some powered monitors.


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## doctorjazz

Wish I'd at least gotten a Stella....


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## savaloco

Infinity with LPS and XFI both working and used almost daily... XFI less so.  I'm running mine through a THX789 to power HE560s. 

Satisfied...for now. Headphones will be my next upgrade assuming both DACs keep working.


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## MAPgeekdad (Jun 26, 2022)

Same here.


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## MAPgeekdad

XFI and Infinity each powered by an LPS.

XFI usb input from my desktop PC setup with JRiver.

Infinity usb in from JRiver on a laptop, out to my main setup, XLR to W4S preamp and amps. Also feeding CD transport digital coax to the Dac.


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## Shawnb

Infinity still works as well for me. The Source SE is a POS though, won't reconoize the Infinity at all and is mostly useless. Been a dust collector since I got it.

Should of exchanged that when I had the chance. The Stella and Oscar are the only good things they ever made even if the Stella looks like cheap crap


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## kyokushin

Xfi and lps working, volume control is dodgy though. Use it fixed with an allegri + pre . Would an rme adi be an upgrade on the xfi


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## glatzj

kyokushin said:


> Xfi and lps working, volume control is dodgy though. Use it fixed with an allegri + pre . Would an rme adi be an upgrade on the xfi


I have both a Geek Pulse Xfi and RME ADI-2 FS.  In my opinion, when it is working correctly, the Geek Pulse Xfi, used fully balanced with my headphones, is better sounding then the RME, which has a weaker single-ended internal amp and lower quality (single AKM 4493) DAC.  However, I overcome this by using my RME just as a DAC via XLR output with other balanced amps (THX 789 and Xduoo MT-604 4 Tube amp). Sound is as good as the Geek xFi then.  I love the newer RME's remote, which lets me control left and right side volume balance, increases or decreases base and treble, and turns EQ for individual headphones on and off.  I can really tailor the sound easily.  I don't know of any other setup that will do this.


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## kyokushin

Thanks  for that I use the pulse as just a dac , so a switch to usb vol control  hence no issues. I'll probably  not bother with the rme for now.


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## Ninja Theory

Hi which drivers would I need for the Geek Pulse X-Fi to use it on Windows 10?


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## m-i-c-k-e-y (Jul 27, 2022)

What I have.
Install driver first before attaching DAC.
Just incase, disable power management on your USB ports.


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## mryeknom

hi all
the board controls screen and volumn in my LH Geek Pulse Infinity is not working now, where could I buy the board to replace? or who have Geek Pulse not working but the board still works could share with me.
Thank you in advance


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## ghiglie

Hi there!
I'm still using my Pulse X with satisfaction, so since I have around lots of LPS electronics, I'd try to upgrate the stock PSU... getting near to the Geek LPS.
Anyone got it open and took a pic?


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## FBFA

Does anyone know who repairs these desktop amps. My Volume won't change the volume level -- X-fi balanced version. It also no longer allows selection of outputs. The DAC works fine. If I can't get it fixed I want to take the headphone amp and DAC out of it and find someone who can work out a new front end. The sound is really good through my HiFi man HE 1000v2. 

Need help


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## glatzj

I have the same basic issue.  My Volume won't change the volume level -- X-fi balanced version.  I now have it running Toslink Optical input (via a Topping D10S) to avoid driver issues.  This works well with the following caveats. I have to leave it powered on permanently.  If it is turned off, such as after a power outage, nothing works.  I leave it without the power plugged in for a few days and then turn it back on and leave it on for a few days to fully warm up.  Then I hooked it up to my Music Player (Music Bee) and switched the Geek Pulse Xfi power switch off and on, setting the input to Toslink (optical).  After doing this several times, I got to a state where I had no Geek Pulse Xfi knob control (including volume), but both DAC and amp would work through all outputs.  I can control the Geek Pulse volume via the Music Player volume control via the optical input.  Volume control is not very fine in control, but the sound quality of WAV files bit-perfect into the Geek Pulse and out of the balanced XLR to Focal Clear headphones is outstanding.  I'm  not sure whether this will be repeatable when the next power outage happens.  I think that by having it hooked up optically when you initially turn it off then on, it tries to sort itself out and saves those settings.  Then when you quickly turn it off and on again the 2nd time, it tries to implement those settings.  that's my best guess......


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## AlterSack (Oct 15, 2022)

I know this is not the right place for classifieds, but does anyone know where LHLabs stuff can still be sold? is lhlabs still a name on the Asian Market?
I still got new LHLabs In Ears and a sps4, but I don#t want to pay customs for importing it to Europe when I can#t sell it afterwards.

thx


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## Shawnb

AlterSack said:


> I know this is not the right place for classifieds, but does anyone know where LHLabs stuff can still be sold? is lhlabs still a name on the Asian Market?
> I still got new LHLabs In Ears and a sps4, but I don#t want to pay customs for importing it to Europe when I can#t sell it afterwards.
> 
> thx



If you ever find out let me know. I'd love to offload my LH gear but their name is crap here


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## AgentXXL

Shawnb said:


> If you ever find out let me know. I'd love to offload my LH gear but their name is crap here


Don't pawn off your LH Labs crap to anyone. That's just passing eventual problems to a purchaser. If they (LH) had remained in business and delivered on their promises, then their gear might be worth selling, if you no longer use it.


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## Shawnb

AgentXXL said:


> Don't pawn off your LH Labs crap to anyone. That's just passing eventual problems to a purchaser. If they (LH) had remained in business and delivered on their promises, then their gear might be worth selling, if you no longer use it.



Not everything they touched was crap. Not looking to pawn off anything. They did deliver on the Oscar XXI's, Stella's and Mera's. So it should be worth reselling.


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## AgentXXL

Shawnb said:


> Not everything they touched was crap. Not looking to pawn off anything. They did deliver on the Oscar XXI's, Stella's and Mera's. So it should be worth reselling.



I doubt anyone would take any of their products seriously these days. Regardless of what you think of them, they way they treated us is atrocious and many of us would prefer to never hear them mentioned again.


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## Shawnb

AgentXXL said:


> I doubt anyone would take any of their products seriously these days. Regardless of what you think of them, they way they treated us is atrocious and many of us would prefer to never hear them mentioned again.



As I said their name is crap and well deserved, I've been here from the beginning I'm well aware of all that went down. Doesn't change the fact that they did make some very good gear. Hence why it was and is a shame that it all had to happen.


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## stuck limo

AlterSack said:


> I know this is not the right place for classifieds, but does anyone know where LHLabs stuff can still be sold? is lhlabs still a name on the Asian Market?
> I still got new LHLabs In Ears and a sps4, but I don#t want to pay customs for importing it to Europe when I can#t sell it afterwards.
> 
> thx


You can sell it anywhere online where audio gear is sold. Someone either will want it or not.


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## stuck limo

I have a Source Pro SE custom made unit available for free if anyone wants it. Just pay shipping.


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## mryeknom

stuck limo said:


> I have a Source Pro SE custom made unit available for free if anyone wants it. Just pay shipping.


hi bro, could you share its link, more info about Source Pro SE, could it good for my LH Geek Pulse X Infinity? thank you


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## Shawnb

stuck limo said:


> I have a Source Pro SE custom made unit available for free if anyone wants it. Just pay shipping.



I’ll take it.


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## AlterSack

I agree that the name LHLabs has a bitter taste. Nevertheless - I still use my geek out and also use the Oscar InEars. I still think they are very good in ears (disregarding the name). 
I still have a Brandnew Stella and Mera - I guess at some price point someone might be interested. 
We will see…. I had already written off every cent I have funded, so anything I can sell is a positive Developement from my perspective.


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## runningwitit

Anyone have 3.26 working on Windows 11??


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## purk (Dec 9, 2022)

AlterSack said:


> I agree that the name LHLabs has a bitter taste. Nevertheless - I still use my geek out and also use the Oscar InEars. I still think they are very good in ears (disregarding the name).
> I still have a Brandnew Stella and Mera - I guess at some price point someone might be interested.
> We will see…. I had already written off every cent I have funded, so anything I can sell is a positive Developement from my perspective.


I still have the Pulse X model with the power supply.  It still work but very very glitchy.  I didn’t pay much for it (less than $500) but I wish their products and company have turned out differently.  So much potential.


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## runningwitit

If Shawnb misses somehow, make me choice two....for Source...


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## runningwitit

Does anyone have the original 3.26 v3 file they send me??
Thanx!!!


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## merysoft

Hello! I have a Pulse X with LPS. Unfortunately I cannot use this set, as at most of the time, the handshake fails, and the DAC is not recognized, or just partially (e.g. the name displayed in UAPP is "null" and no sound is made). First I was thinking it is about the USB cable, and it has definitely some effect on it, but even with the shortest, high quality A-B, plugged directly into the DAC (not into the LPS) it mostly fails. Sometimes - and I haven't found a pattern I could repeat to make it work - it just works, and then it is fine in every aspect. Firmware is 2.0 / MCU 2.4. Some more symptoms also exist, like popping noise when turned on/off and I often hear a loud buzz (varies slowly around 1kHz) when the connection fails. I have also noticed that when the USB goes haywire (buzzing, or simply the display goes off on its own), the green LED on the LPS goes off too for a while. Does anyone have any idea what I could check / try to replace to make it (more) reliable? Soundwise, it seemed to be very pleasant for me - at a longer listening session I was lucky enough to gave when I got it connected once to my speaker system. The devices I have been using are: 2 modern laptops with Windows 11, Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 / S5e tablets and a Galaxy S21 mobile phone. Thanks!


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## doctorjazz

I still use a Geek Out Special Edition, with the LH Labs LPS and the LPS "digital decrapifier" (don't recall what they called it). Soun2 ampds nice out of my computer, into a MicroZOTL amp.
But, yes, lost a lot of money on the higher end gear they were supposed to make and I bit on.


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## runningwitit

3.27 file anyone???


----------



## glatzj

runningwitit said:


> 3.27 file anyone???


For this and some of the other recent posts, I have been able to keep my Geek Pulse xFi working somewhat by bypassing the 3.26 driver and using a Toslink optical input.  I use a Topping D10s and its driver as a Toslink/Coax bridge to the Geek Pulse.  It works well - but my Geek Pulse xFi's volume control does not work.  I have to control it from Music Bee, the software music app I use.  I have had to turn off the Geek Pulse for a long time (overnight) and then turn it on and off repeatedly (usually twice) to get some sort of Toslink response.  Might work with Coax input also and likely another USB to Toslink/Coax bridge would also work.  Darko in one of his videos recommends the use of a Topping D10s to clean up the USB signal.  Seems to work for me.  Still absolutely love the xFi sound - originally with an Hifiman HE-560 planar magnetic headphone, but now with a Focal Clear headphone, which is even better and needs no EQ.


----------



## Pableau

My Geek Pulse xFi stopped working after recent BIOS & Windows updates.  The 3.26 driver which has served me well for years is "unsigned" and can no longer be installed (with Secure Boot enabled).  I've searched for Windows generic or alternative drivers, with no luck.  Has anyone found a workaround for this problem?  This seems like such a minor reason to brick such an excellent DAC.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

Try this hack. The second option worked for me. When I installed WIN 10.


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## Pableau

Thanks m-i-c-k-e-y, but I tried both methods, and neither one worked for me.  The 1st works, but has to be repeated with each boot, and the 2nd was not permitted with Secure Boot enabled.


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## m-i-c-k-e-y

There is another 3.26 driver that has been patched by LHLabs on the signed driver issue. It's out there. Unfortunately I don't have it.


----------

