I'm glad, then, that I was only vaguely aware of it. I'm old-fashioned (or just... plain, old) and think that if a company wants to make a product it should raise capital. Like the Schiit model of doing business. I'd rather buy off a company like that that.

I'm friends with the guys at LH and Schiit and respect the work they both do related to getting better sound. They both know each well too. One thing that I think Schiit had to it's advantage starting out was Jason's prior sales and marketing experience to know when to either say 'No' to the customer or just ignore them when it turns to ambient noise. Gavin from LH has acknowledged the same late last year but their ship was already full steam ahead down a different path.

I do agree that even I'm having a hard time keeping up with all the perks, projects, campaigns, updates, etc. It's become borderline noise at this point from the overload. That said, I know of people who have been inconvenienced or put off by something or other from both companies in the past but I feel confident in saying no one will be ripped off or taken advantage of by either company. It's okay for people to be upset or dislike a company but I think some people just need to take a deep breath and relax a bit. GO's have shipped, Pulse SE and XFi are shipping. I think we are past the point of vaporware concerns at the very least.

In response, I'm making a thread where people can recommend improvements and constructive criticisms about various vendors rather than just the usual ranting.

http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,2169.0.html

Beta tested it. Fit, finish, looks, all excellent, as expected. Nice that it can act as just an amp or DAC, compatible with a wide range of devices, and can charge mobile devices as well. About all the features I think you could want in a device like this. Bass boost is too strong and bleeds into the mids for my tastes, though.

I think the Leck UHA-6S Mk2 beats out the amp section of the HA-2, but the HA-2 works well with most headphones. Even the HD600/650 didn't sound half bad from it.

DAC section might be better than what you get from the Leck. No idea how it compares to the GO products in any regard, though, but those might be better. DAC portion on the HA-2 wasn't too bad for being Sabre-based, though don't expect it to be competitive with top-tier DACs subjectively. It's at least good on paper.

Again, I'd have to compare to the GO products, but HA-2 seems pretty solid and, IMO, is priced well when you consider the entire package.