LSA Voyager GaN 350 Review

 Today I am doing more testing of the LSA Voyager GaN 350 after having set with it for about a week in my system. I mentioned after the first couple of listening sessions that this was one of the best, if not the best amplifier pairing that I’ve made yet, and those aren’t words I take lightly, so more testing had to be done so I’m not shoving my foot in my mouth. I set up to do a serious review on the GaN and not just a blanket statement, my plan being to make head to head comparisons over a weeks time to 2 other amplifiers whose sonics signature I am very familiar with, the NAD 218, and the LSA Warp - 1. Reference speakers as always are my QLS 1 towers, preamp is Carver C-1 with upgraded op amps, DAC is my old and trusty Keces DA-151 USB.

With the first set of testing, I always start with the amplifiers only on the top end of the QLS. The top is a rather stable load and resolving enough to easily differentiate minute details, and without low bass this makes it all the more easy to detect, only judging the amplifier on detail retrieval, noise floor, and how well it rebuilds the sonic image. For objective purposes I was not able to gain match all of these amplifiers as only the Warp - 1 has the option of adjustment, the GaN and NAD are set. In instances like these I will take a familiar song with a whistle or singing that I can personally match and harmonize by ear to mark my volume settings on the preamp. Having my system of attack set up, I started my comparisons, taking a half hour or hour at a time to compare and switch. Short bouts allow for more accurate recollections and allow my ears to not get fatigued. If you sit and listen for long enough straining to notice every little thing, your mind starts to play tricks on you. Also different days bring a plethora of variables such as different levels of wall voltage, electrical noise, barometric pressure, and of course your own body chemistry that can affect how you listen and perceive music. 

I start with the NAD, my personal reference that has never let me down after years of service. This amplifier was carefully selected after much research and comparisons, effectively replacing the McIntosh MC2250 that had powered the QLS since purchased by the original owner in the late 70s.  The NAD 218 THX is high current capable, heavy grunt for the bass but a mellowed top end and musical in the midrange, just a pleasure to listen to and dependable. 

The Warp - 1 on the other hand has been referred to as a “straight wire with gain” and I’ve not found a better description myself. It doesn’t impart anything to the sound, very neutral and clean but not in a way that would come off as harsh, even with my more analytical leaning preamp and DAC combo. If I had a musical tube based preamplifier the Warp would absolutely sing, doing very well with anything I threw at it, but the rest of my system is too neutral to throw another neutral piece into the chain. It isn't musically involving wanting me to stay for hours in my seat, which is no fault of the amplifier, only a matter of synergy, or lack thereof. This made the Warp - 1 absolutely perfect however in comparing tonal qualities of the two other amplifiers, as my reference to true neutral. 

Head to Head 

Straight to the point, even after swapping and comparing on different days and conditions, I still stand by my conviction on this Voyager GaN 350. The NAD was very similar in tone and musicality, but the Voyager came out ahead in terms of top end clarity and overall speed. The NAD was more tube like in nature but that also means a roll off on the top end where some detail is lost, where the Voyager maintained treble accuracy with a smooth pleasing midrange that wasn’t as warm giving a more high end presentation. The NAD was more laid back and struggled to image as well, similarly to a tube amp where the edges are a bit more fuzzy compared to well defined and sharp. 

After thorough research to ensure that the GaN amp could handle a 2 ohm load, the last test was the full speaker, not just comparing the top end, but pitting the NAD against Voyager with the full complex and demanding load requirements of the QLS. When the QLS dips into the 2 ohm range it is the ultimate test for any amplifier, will it be able to keep up with current requirements without any audible strain or increase in intermodulation distortion? The answer was a resounding yes. There are parts where the NAD comes ahead being the powerhouse it is, this thing can shake the house apart when pushed, but this also comes with a bit more bass bloat where the QLS already has some integration issues with the woofers being louder than the top end. The Voyager doesn't have the same peak power as the NAD, but it had a much better grip on the woofers with better definition. Kick drums really have a nice resonance in the chest while I can clearly locate where it’s propagating from, compared to an overpowered thump that tended to linger, resonating about the room losing that part of the image and immersion. Regardless of what I threw at it, the Voyager handled it with aplomb, retaining all the qualities that originally drew me to it, and what made me endearing of my NAD. The speed is the biggest notable factor, bringing a more natural decay to instruments that allowed me to close my eyes and really zoom in on the whole presentation. The Voyager truly brings musicality and modern high end performance together where after a while of comparing and swapping, I just left the GaN amp in and listened for a good couple hours. My ears aren't lying to me, this is just a great amp and blows me away hearing a true high end class D product at an honest price. 

Plain Jane, Sound is the Feature

There are too many offerings today where the budget of the outside supersedes the budget to what actually matters, the internal components and how it sounds. The Voyager keeps it straightforward and simple with nothing that you don't need.

 No power indicator, and this I actually don't mind. I don't need my system to be RGB and flashy like a computer tower, my eyes are typically closed and lights usually impart noise. Speaker terminals are beefy, and very easy to use. My reference speaker cable is a Monster M Series bi-wire with removed terminations, that means two 14 gauge wires having to be connected to the back. This is an absolute struggle on the NAD with undersized terminals. I almost reconnected the wires on the Voyager just for fun for how much easier it was. The only other connections are your typical balanced and unbalanced, each having its own switch to choose your input type. Power is fed from a typical IEC outlet with integrated power switch and 2 main fuses.

 

Internally is similarly simple, but in audio that is a good thing as well. The center houses the large switch mode power supply and flanking it on either side are the individual amplifier channels. The chassis is uncontested with quite a bit of room inside, but in designs like this the case is also the heatsink. In my testing the amplifier was only warm to the touch after a couple hours of listening. I had heard mention about a cable upgrade that was done on these production units and it appears that all of the signal cables are at least silver plated. 

I’ve definitely enjoyed my time with the LSA Voyager GaN 350, and so far this is my favorite amplifier that I’ve had on the QLS. It handles them very well, showing the speed and capabilities that modern class D and gallium nitride have to offer while also showing what is still possible with my QLS.  When the time comes to upgrade or replace the trusty NAD... this may be the one to do it.