As covered earlier, this DAP utilizes two R2R silicon wafer DAC chips to achieve a natural sound. There is little information on the R2R chips used in this player, upon asking Mr. Wan directly he answered, “it is secret ”. I pressed further and he mentioned “We have the ability to design our own chip. However, the amount is too small, the investment is high, and given the chip shortage situation it is economically inappropriate to manufacture and design fully custom chips”. LP6’s marketing material indicates R2R chips are off the shelf R2R chips which are then customized by L&P to their specifications (via laser and PVD), instead of fully custom chips.
However, the R2R wafer chip is just one part of the LP6 system architecture. Most curiously, the package of LP6 comes with an Intel sticker. When was the last time your DAP came with the same CPU sticker as your gaming PC? It turns out L&P worked with Intel to design a FPGA specific for the LP6 family to serve several key functions:
The custom nature of the LP6 exclusive Intel FPGA highlight L&P’s design intent with the LP6 line. Every decision and specification are in service to attain the best audio experience possible. For example, the FPGA is designed to operate within a specified power range, so the CPU does not interfere with other electronic systems. Furthermore, L&P have separated the power supplies to both the digital block and analog block to improve noise isolation. The power supply system for each block have been further discretized to each of their subsystems. For instance, the analog circuit power supply is separated into three separate servo power supply subsystems, designed to mimic a desktop DAC decoder, desktop preamplifiers and power amplifiers respectively. This extensive approach to power supply design highlights thoughtful circuit design to deliver the best audio quality possible. For instance, L&P have installed the analog power supply on the reverse side of the circuit board to improve noise isolation.
Moving to the built-in memory, we can observe more evidence L&P’s approach to no expense spared design. Built in memory is expected, however the onboard 64GB is quite low considering competing devices such as Astell&Kern’s S2000 is offering 256GB. What caught my eye was the type of memory used, error correcting code memory (ECC). This memory spec is generally found in workstations, mission critical servers and other professional equipment. As I’ve never seen the inclusion of such a high-grade component in a DAP before, I asked Mr. Wan about this and included his direct response below.
Question: Why use ECC memory in LP6 and only provide smaller capacity such as 64GB, whereas A&K S2000 include 256GB built in? Answer: Generally, NAND flash has ECC mechanism. The newer process flash requires the higher the number of ECC bits, otherwise it may not be able to be read. Contrary to most people’s intuition, the smaller number of ECC bits translates to better stability and quality of the flash memory. For instance, 24-bit ECC flash is better than 40-bit ECC flash. You mentioned A&K, well this is generally implemented as EMMC. This can be understood as flash with an additional card reader chip, instead of using the ECC mechanism of the machine's main control SOC. This additional card reader chip compatibility and larger capacity flash support will be better, but it will increase more power consumption and electromagnetic interference. The general design philosophy of our products is to maximize sound quality for our customer. The pursuit of this necessitates us to minimize the interference and power consumption caused by additional chips, so we prefer to support small memory capacity to ensure best sound quality possible.
Such well thought out design excites me and reflects thoughtful engineering one would find in this price class. When looking at the power supply diagrams, Intel derived custom FPGA and high-quality components such as ELNA SILMIC II Caps, one can see where the R&D has been spent.
Moving to the amplification stage, LP6 utilizes EXCELS-VO op amps with the EXCELS EP-A amplifier to provide the most aggressive power delivery I’ve ever experienced from a DAP. This introduces the first drawback to the ‘over the top’ approach to electronics. For instance, when I use Moondrop’s Illumination via 4.4mm (Low Gain) I only need 4-5 millimeters of volume movement to get to my listening level. I’ve noticed some IEMs require an inch of volume pot turn, others require just 10 millimeters. In the Illumination’s case, it can be tricky to achieve a comfortable listening volume without encountering channel imbalance due to how little the volume pot needs to be adjusted. My MDR Z1R headphones require slightly over an inch of volume wheel turn to reach loud listening levels. While the LP6 is a powerhouse, I have found the power delivery curve too aggressive, especially for iems that use 4.4mm connection. Using the unbalanced port does help things, however my cables are hardwired to 4.4mm, and I would prefer not to use adapters (as this introduces a conversion step in the signal chain). One should note, the Titanium LP6 introduces an extra gain level, akin to Turbo mode found on the Shanling M8 or Hiby R8. This extra gain level allows LP6 Titanium to drive headphones such as HD800 with ease, which the LP6 Titanium was designed for. As a temporary measure, I use Cayin C9 with LP6 to create a usable volume range with more efficient gear. This arrangement works quite well due to LP6’s low distortion at high volumes, the THD is less than .0005% at full power. I did not detect any audible distortion when running LP6 via 4.4mm to C9 during my many hours of listening.
In summary, the electronics and system architecture of LP6 demonstrate L&P are not leaving any stone unturned with their implementation of discrete power systems, customized ultra linear R2R chips, Intel derived FPGA, and an amplification system that allows maximum volume PO with minimal distortion. It is impressive to see what lengths Mr. Wan have gone to create a truly flagship device, its quirks not withstanding. This LP6 is clearly a passion project, drawing on L&P’s years of expertise to create the most sophisticated portable audio platform I’ve encountered (save for perhaps DMP Z1).
L&P eschews Android for their own OS. Some may prefer Android, but for a device as specialized as this, I prefer a non-Android option. Without the ‘bloat’ of Android, the CPU can be tuned directly for the OS to allow for a software experience which will not degrade over time. Those of us who use Android DAPs grow nervous with each successive Android OS release, waiting for the inevitable moment when the apps are rendered obsolete or slows down to becoming unusable. Such problems do not exist with LP6, as these products can be used for as long as the hardware remains viable. Instead of needing to upgrade constantly, users can hold on to devices for longer. This contributes to less e-waste which helps the environment and our wallets. I sincerely hope more manufactures consider the environmental impact of their products and factor product longevity into the device lifecycle.
Boot time takes only a few seconds and takes us to the main screen. At first, one may be dismayed to see the screen is bordered within the glass portion. However, this is a clever UI feature. Ordinarily, swiping from the top edge of a screen can be tricky especially if the screen reaches the borders of the device with a case framing the edges. For example, if a leather case is used with Hiby R8 or Shanling M8, swiping the Android drawer from the top becomes a delicate dance of the fingers with inconsistent results. With L&P’s bordered screen implementation, achieving full swipe down gestures occurs with better consistency than on my iPhone or Android DAP. I appreciate LP6’s bordered screen implementation, this is subtle and very useful.
The main menu offers standard options to access your music and clicking in and out of menus are quick and responsive. However, this is where I ran into a snag with L&P’s OS. Out of the box, the file system does not sort music correctly, even if tracks are numbered. For instance, if your music has numbered prefixes (1 – xxx, 2-xxx etc), the OS will not sort it according to numerical order. To ensure music is sorted in the correct order, one will need to download and run a script (Mac or PC) which tags every song on the SD card so the player can sort the files correctly. All music must be numerically labelled for the script to work, others music cannot be sorted. For a player not to have such a basic feature in the box is a significant oversight and running the script will need to be repeated whenever new music is added to the SD card. In addition, 1TB cards are not officially supported but have been reported to work by users.
At the home menu, one can access the pull-down menu which contains useful shortcuts to key features of the player. Due to the CPU being partitioned, with most of the CPU reserved for audio playback and EQ, OS GUI animations such as bootup logo and swipe down control panel will stutter in a slideshow like fashion. The control panel offers most functions are user would want to quickly access including NOS toggle, USB DAC toggle and Gain function among others. When accessing the file system and playing music, the OS is responsive. During music playback, swiping right on the album art reveals detailed song information. The advanced settings menu (from main menu) allows system level customizations such as sleep timer and media key map flipping. I do wish the panels on the main menu were customizable with function and placement, however like the players physical design, the software is utilitarian and just about gets the job done.
Disclaimer, LP owners have had issues pertaining to metadata, track sorting, with features such as track search or even gapless playback not yet available. The current state of the OS is the latest in a string of releases taking the LP6 from extremely limited functionality at launch to almost having basic functions we take for granted. Adding to this, CPU bottleneck becomes more apparent on lower tier devices such as P6 Pro, which many owners prefer to use in USB DAC mode due to poor software performance.
In conclusion, it seems clear from that L&P still has work to do with their OS. While the player can play music with some added steps, the end user software experience does not match the level of quality and attention L&P has given their hardware. While LP6 family of devices offer the ‘best’ L&P software experience due to the Intel FPGA, there are still some kinks that need to be worked out. I’ve observed several owners of P6 Pro and LP6 use them in USB DAC mode to bypass outstanding software issues. At this class of device, end users shouldn’t be subject to performing additional work (running scripts for instance) to accommodate poor software. There is some good news on the horizon. I inquired with Mr Wan about L&P’s priority with software and OS performance. Mr. Wan has noted software is the first aspect they approached to revise with the next generation of players, which are due early next year. The OS and CPU will be redesigned from the ground up to deliver a premium software experience befitting of a flagship.
As I was examining the design, electronics and software up to this point and taking tally of the number of the pros and cons of the LP6 there was a nagging thought in the back of my mind. What exactly does this DAP do that makes owners keep coming back to it, and even use it in dongle mode most of the time? In eager anticipation, I took out my gear and began my sonic adventure with LP6.
• Fall on Me by Andrea Bocelli
• Paganini 24 Caprices: Sueye Park
• We Are One by Yao Si Ting
• Sonorite by Tatsuro Yamashita Sonorite, Track 4 (忘れないで)
• Sugar by System of a Down
• Mozart Piano Concertos by Murray Perahia
• Essential Yo-Yo Ma by Yo-Yo Ma
General Signature
Thunderous.
The first thing to notice is the full, meaty and sheer power of the sound. This characteristic may be due to the amplification stage LP6 is using. At first listen, this thunderous and musical sound signature dominates everything. The sheer energy LP6 offers is somewhat similar to HiBy R8 in Turbo mode. However, R8’s Turbo mode increases treble energy and makes the music sound a tad ‘brighter’. This results in a presentation (relative to non-turbo mode) that swings closer to brighter side of ‘analytical’. The LP6 however manages to take the bass, midrange and treble, turn them each up to 11 and retain absolute control, a masterclass in density. This is a lively rendition and will give the listener a highly energetic and musical presentation. The sub bass in particular will impress, some may say it’s too sub bass emphasized, however LP6 balances this energy to other frequency bands to create a smooth yet highly engaging listening experience that makes other gear feel lacking. When evaluating the mids, I turn to a favorite song of mine, Fall on Me by Andrea Bocelli, a father-son duet. This song demonstrates how LP6 keeps the mids smooth and rich while presenting a level of energy that sounds natural and lifelike. Treble doesn’t stand out unpleasantly, details are effortlessly presented but without the edge of sharpness I get from this song with other gear at higher listening volumes. With string decay on Paganini Caprices, there is a sense of airiness but still retains overall highly energetic signature while LP6 works to extract every last detail from the music. LP6 is in service of natural sound decay, not just raw resolution. The key takeaway from LP6 is how dense yet natural and well balanced the sound is without fatiguing treble.
音质印象 试音曲
安德烈-波切利《落在我身上》。
Sueye Park《帕格尼尼24首随想曲》
姚斯婷《中国风》
山下达郎《Sonorite》曲目四（忘れないで）。
System of a Down《Sugar》
默里-佩拉希亚《莫扎特钢琴协奏曲》
马友友《马友友作品集》
总体印象
雷霆万钧。
首先要注意的是声音的饱满、肉感和纯粹的力量。这一特点可能是由于LP6所使用的模拟放大电路造成的。乍听之下，这种雷鸣般的音质特征主导着一切。LP6提供的纯粹能量感有点类似于海贝R8的Turbo模式。然而，R8的Turbo模式增加了高频量感，使音乐听起来更 "明亮"一些。这导致表现（相对于非Turbo模式）更接近于 "解析般"的明亮风格。然而，LP6设法将低频、中频和高频都调到11，并保持绝对的控制力，这是密度层面的大师级表现。声音表现出足够活生感，给听众带来相当强的活力和音乐感染力。尤其是低频，会给人留下深刻印象，有些人可能会说它太强调低频了，然而LP6将这种能量平衡到其他频段，创造出一种平滑而又高度吸引人的听觉体验，使其他前端感到乏味。在评估中频时，我切换到最喜欢的一首歌，即安德烈-波切利的《Fall on Me》，这是一首父子对唱。此曲展示了LP6如何保持中频的顺滑和丰富的音色，同时呈现出一种听起来特别的能量感，相当自然且逼真。LP6的高频不会令人不快地凸起，细节毫不费力地呈现出来，但没有我在其他前端上听这首歌时在较高音量下听到的尖锐毛刺感。在帕格尼尼随想曲的弦乐泛音中，有一种空气感，但仍保留了整体的高能量特征，同时LP6努力从音乐中提取每一个细节。LP6是为自然的声音衰减而服务的，不仅仅是原始细节的还原。LP6的主要特点是，它的声音密度很大，但又很自然，而且很平衡，没有令人疲劳的高频。
Pair Ups and Comparisons 耳机搭配和前端比较
Unique Melody Mason Fabled Sound
The Fabled Sound uses a Bone Conduction driver, which is dependent on the source gear. On 4.4mm, I can say Mason FS is the best match I’ve heard with LP6. LP6’s richness and musicality add just the right touch the Mason’s neutral tuning and complements it perfectly. What stood out immediately was the power to the sub bass and more engaging mids. While the treble on FS is still natural and restrained yet highly resolving with R2R air. The bass slams the out of the LP6, with added sub-bass even when comparing to Cayin C9. The midrange is where the FS varies in presentation according to the source gear, and LP6 injects enough energy into the midrange that squeezes every last drop out of the BC driver. The BC driver seems to be participating more in the music, this can be appreciated when listening to violin solos such as Paganini Caprices by Sueye Park.
Mason FS and LP6 is the most popular pairing amongst audiophiles in China with many purchasing LP6 specifically for Mason FS. This may seem excessive at the outset (it probably is haha), but after hearing this pairing I do understand why folks are doing this. It seems these two gears have a synergy that can only be compared to the MDR Z1R + DMP Z1.
Moon Drop Illumination
This is an efficient IEM and unfortunately is subject to one of LP6’s weaknesses. The volume pot only needs to be turned a few millimeters to achieve enjoyable listening levels, any further actuation may cause hearing damage to some. If the volume pot isn’t actuated enough however, there will be channel imbalance, so achieving the right positioning can be tricky. When dialed in, I cannot sense any tangible benefit of using LP6 with Illumination versus more affordable DAPs such as Shanling M8. While the Illumination is dead silent with zero hiss, the technicalities LP6 offers does not seems to translate effectively as the Mason FS. Given the issues of volume control and lack of synergy this is a combo that I cannot recommend.
MDR Z1R
This is an excellent pairing (requiring only 1/4 of volume pot turn), only beat out by the DMP Z1. The LP6 builds upon the Z1R’s characteristic bass boost, giving it excellent sub bass rumble while imparting the high energy on the signature. The result is a headphone listen that is even more fun than before, Track 4 on Sonorite by Tatsuro Yamashita showcases the LP6 giving the Z1R an edge in aggression with high density midrange and more rumble in the bass. DMP Z1 does almost the opposite, focusing on refinement instead of turning all the sonic characteristics to 11. LP6 is a showcase in in brute force and turns Z1R into a headphone I can headbang to rather than melt in my chair. These differences are quite subtle but are enough to push a song like Sugar by System of a Down, over the edge. The attributes LP6 brings to Z1R may be a negative for some, but if you wanted to know what ‘sixth gear’ of Z1R is, LP6 will squeeze every drop out of it. DMP Z1 on the other hand, gently guides Z1R into a sonic profile preferred by the engineers at Sony. This is a difference of philosophy, and I happen to prefer the DMP Z1 with the MDR Z1R. However, there is a strong case to be made for LP6 pairing as well.
Cayin A02+C9
Switching to other source reference gear such Cayin A02+C9 illustrate LP6’s unique sonic characteristics. Cayin A02 is neutral but doesn’t come off sounding linear either. This combination is a careful balance of Cayin house sound and neutrality. Music has a very slight emphasis in the bass with forward midrange and non-fatiguing treble. Compared to LP6 however, music sounds almost one-dimensional due to the lack of musicality and emphasis on detail retrieval. The A02+C9 is similar to the DMP Z1 in technicalities but without the smooth Sony house sound or the refined effortless airy treble. These are flavor differences, however when compared to players like LP6 or DMP Z1, A02+C9 seems robbed of engagement, instead offering a straightforward, no nonsense presentation. After listening to LP6 for a few hours A02+C9 in comparison sounds laid back, flatter with a ‘digital etch’ present throughout the music.
DMP Z1
Comparing to LP6 to the arguably the best DAP on the market, Sony’s DMP Z1 proved to be an interesting comparison. The DMP Z1 in comparison offers a very similar tonal character to the LP6 yet is restrained in delivery. DMP Z1’s superior volume control allows it to present the best dynamics I’ve heard across the spectrum of lower volume ranges. After close comparison, there is still a slight ‘digital’ character with DMP Z1 when compared to LP6. LP6 has a denser presentation, in contrast to DMP Z1 which seems to produce a wider, diffuse sound field. Note there is a difference between dense and intimate. Like DMP Z1, LP6 is not intimate. It will grow effortlessly with the music, but due to the high energy of LP6 (particularly in the mids), the music will appear to be closer. However, playing Murray Perahia’s Mozart Concerto’s will reassure the listener the technical staging of the LP6 is not to be put into question. Rather, due to the high energy nature of LP6, it will take a little while to get used to the staging if you’re coming from reference DS gear.
I do prefer the DMP Z1 technicality if only for the top-of-the-line dynamics for low volume listening. If the next generation L&P players addressed the LP6 limited volume range and aggressive power delivery, I would have a challenge picking one over the other. L&P did a tremendous job with LP6 tuning. The resolving nature and presentation of thunderous bass, energetic midrange and resolving yet natural treble trades blows with DMP Z1. I would call this a tie in the tonality department, but DMPZ1 gets the win with technicalities due to its superior dynamics across a lower volume range.
Conclusion
If I had to summarize LP6 in one word, it would be ‘potential’.
From the the Platinum exclusive Echizen lacquerware treated wood, to the advanced hardware, it is clear LP6 is designed for enthusiasts with a penchant for luxury. A portable player that can power full size headphones with absolute confidence, providing a desktop quality reference R2R DAC for external amplifiers and a world class USB DAC, a feature proving more useful than I surmised. LP6 provides a summit class audio experience, but the path to get there will require some work. What many DAP companies (not just L&P) need to realize is that software represents half of the product, as software is a major factor determining the quality of the user experience. I hope DAP companies learn that patching software to address basic issues after a customer takes delivery of a product is not acceptable (looking at you, Shanling M30). To this day LP6 doesn’t perform gapless playback and requires computer scripts for tracks to be sorted correctly.
There is a lot of potential in LP6, there is nothing else in the portable player market approaching this level of performance or level of hardware present in LP6. LP6 even trades blows with DMP Z1. LP6 can even be considered a better value proposition when compared to a DMP Z1 (which isn’t pocketable). The question you need to ask yourself, is it worth paying $4000 USD for ‘potential’? For those who desire the best portable audio quality and can look past the shortcomings, it is. For me however, I don’t mind waiting for L&P to get it right with the LP7 generation (early 2022). Until then, competition is coming with firms like Cayin looking to debut R2R players on the market soon. One can only speculate how these offerings will stack up to L&P’s new generation of devices. At long last, we’ll be able to witness the R2Renaissance in the headfi space and I’d like to extend my deepest thanks to our Asia-based headfi brothers in particular for driving the market to this point.
