Have you heard LTA Aero, Lab12 Reference, Denafrips Pontus 15th?

They had the LTA Aero's set up for headphone listening at Capital Audio Fest. Also had it integrated into a system with massive planar speakers. Sound was very smooth. I was also there to check out the Geshelli Dayzee - reviews of this put it up there to compete with the Aero and it has more connectivity. They hat that integrated into a system, but the system was so much different than the system that the Aero was integrated with that it is not a good comparison. They did not have the Dayzee hooked up for headphone listening either...I may re-visit, currently using my bluesound vault as my streamer DAC, it will do for now. I learned at the show that the biggest difference I can make in my system is to adjust the room...and get a turntable.

LTA Aero in house here. Sounding fantastic. Very nice build. Easy to use. Solid. 

Soundwise, I really dig it. Very clear, crisp, but has some nice glow and bloom.  Still breaking it in. I will not be return this guy!

Just a couple of quick things. First, on US Audiomart, I am seeing used Laiv's DACs being sold much more than I would have thought at this point. Leads me to believe there is an issue with that DAC. Second, there is a Holo May DAC L3 kte currently listed at that site and they usually go fast if anyone is interested. 

I got an Aero DAC on 4 April 2026. I did compare it to a Lab12 DAC1 Reference and the internal DAC in my Marantz SACD 30n. 

The interesting thing is that I ordered the Aero with stock tubes. (I like to do some tube researching and rolling, having a tube pre and a tube phono stage.) 

I was expecting the stock tubes to be GE 12SN7 tubes. (That’s what all the reviews had said.)

It came with RCA 12SN7GTA tubes. RCA tubes were the ones I was planning to get to roll in. 

I do not know if somehow I got really lucky and someone at the factory made a mistake, or if these are now the new stock tubes.

But they sound excellent—as does the DAC.  Everyone is correct:  the Aero is a keeper.  It is not going back. 

How would you say the Lab12 compared with the Aero?  It sounds as though your preference was the Aero, yes?