Lake People

Founded in 1986 by engineer Fried Reim in Konstanz, Germany, Lake People got its start making limiters and noise gates for the pro audio world. Today, its lineup includes headphone amplifiers, microphone preamps, digital converters and more for studio and broadcast work. In 2009, the company introduced the Violectric brand, bringing its boutique headphone amplifier designs to the hi-fi market. I mention that connection to underscore that Lake People knows a thing or two about headphone amps and converters.

Two Mixes—One Compact Box

Physically speaking, the G103D4 is about as straightforward and understated as it gets. At roughly 1.65″ (h) × 4.13″ (w) × 6.42″ (d) and 1.28 lb, it is about the size and weight of a typical large direct box. The black anodized aluminum case has a matte finish with bright white laser-etched lettering.

The faceplate features two diagonally arranged channels, each sporting an aluminum volume knob, a ¹/₄” headphone socket, a 3.5 mm headphone socket and a status light that uses red, yellow or green to indicate the connection and configuration status within your Dante network.

Functionally, the unit accepts two stereo sends (four audio channels) over Dante, with one stereo pair assigned to each amplifier section. Nicely, both headphone sockets on each channel can be used simultaneously, accommodating four listeners sharing two mixes, with one volume control per pair.

Lastly, the volume knobs feel solid and firm, with a beautifully smooth yet nicely resistant glide. The quality is fantastic—even nicer than the controls on some boutique rackmount gear I own.

Around Back

Around back, a single RJ45 connector receives the Dante audio feed. With a suitable PoE source, the same Ethernet cable also powers the device, making setup and placement quite easy. This is also a good place to mention that Lake People offers a selection of mounting brackets and plates for installation on or under a desk or on a mic stand.

The rear panel also includes USB-B and USB-C sockets. The G103D4 receives audio exclusively over Dante; both USB connections serve only as alternative power inputs when PoE is unavailable. An external USB power supply must be purchased separately.

On the Inside

Inside, the G103D4 combines two high-quality 24-bit/192 kHz D/A converters (>105dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio). This is coupled to amplifier circuitry derived from the all-analog, XLR-based Lake People G103 MKII headphone amp.

The output impedance is below 1 Ω, with rated output power of 830 mW into 32 Ω and 115 mW into 600 Ω.

The G103D4 is designed to handle a wide range of headphones or in-ear monitors, both high- or low-impedance. Out of the box, that was certainly the case with almost every headphone I threw at it. Should you encounter a set that needs a bit more “juice,” two internal banks of four DIP switches—one per channel—let you add +6 or +12dB of gain independently to either amplifier. The only time I found this necessary was with my Audeze LCD-5, which benefited nicely from the extra gain.

In Use

For the past four or five years, I have used a Dante-based live sound system centered around an Allen & Heath Avantis, with ME-1 units on stage for the performers at the 1,800-seat house of worship where I serve as Technical Director and run front of house. While one person mixes the house sound, a second engineer mixes the livestream on an iPad using a dedicated aux mix on the console.

This means both engineers need the single headphone feed from the Avantis often at the same time. Our workaround was a very long headphone cable running from the Blackmagic video interface that feeds the stream. Unfortunately, its headphone volume is accessible only through software, and the sound is OK at best.

I connected the Lake People G103D4 to a PoE connection on our audio network, and its four audio channels instantly populated in Dante Controller. Two checkboxes and a green LED later, it was smooth sailing, with clean, clear sound to match. For this application, I routed the same livestream feed to both headphone amplifiers, giving us two separate volume controls to monitor the stream.

In my studio, I switched to a Dante-equipped Focusrite Red 16Line last year to take advantage of the brand-agnostic flexibility Dante offers when connecting devices from different manufacturers. Here again, the Lake People G103D4 did not disappoint. The sound was smooth and clear, with a very low noise floor, plenty of detail for mixing and monitoring, and ample power for tracking in closed-back headphones.

I also appreciated being able to create separate cue mixes for myself and the musicians using Control Room in Cubase 15. Sending those mixes over Dante meant I could leave the physical outputs on my interface available for other duties—a win all around.

Wrap Up

At $700, the Lake People G103D4 is a considerable investment, and there are certainly cheaper multichannel headphone distribution amps available. I use the word “cheaper” intentionally because, from its build quality to its sound and Dante connectivity, the Lake People G103D4 is simply in another league. It solved a longstanding problem in my live setup and proved equally, if not more useful in the studio.

My problem now is that I think I need at least three: one for live sound and two for clients in my studio. Well done, Lake People—the G103D4 has earned a place in both.

Price: $699

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