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HOLO Audio Spring DAC - R2R DSD512


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I wonder about the DSD512 implementation.

 

I'm not talking down and I think there's no way anyone can reasonably say no, but what I wonder is whether the 5-7 day turn around on making the DAC become native DSD512 compatible was optimal. Because before that it was relayed that the owner/designer didn't see a need for 512, then after some pushing it becomes available in 5 days.

 

I get that he was almost certainly working on it and checking it out before that.

 

What I'm saying is that I wonder whether it's optimised well enough and if there couldn't be some more time put in on it to refine it?

 

I'm hoping there're some revisions and updates to its DSD512 capability. Right now this is the most interesting DAC in the $2000-4000USD range and I hope it gets even better with some firmware revisions, like it already has.

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Any further information on its sound combined with your gear?

 

The Spring replaced an Ayre Codex which was a stand in for a DAC lost in the mail. I heard both DACs, different days & music, and the Evoke Eddies and LTA(Berning) tubes were great both days. Without a direct A/B I can't make a definitive statement, but pushed I think the Spring had a bigger soundstage and was perhaps more refined(smoother).

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I wonder about the DSD512 implementation.

 

I'm not talking down and I think there's no way anyone can reasonably say no, but what I wonder is whether the 5-7 day turn around on making the DAC become native DSD512 compatible was optimal. Because before that it was relayed that the owner/designer didn't see a need for 512, then after some pushing it becomes available in 5 days.

 

I get that he was almost certainly working on it and checking it out before that.

 

What I'm saying is that I wonder whether it's optimised well enough and if there couldn't be some more time put in on it to refine it?

 

I'm hoping there're some revisions and updates to its DSD512 capability. Right now this is the most interesting DAC in the $2000-4000USD range and I hope it gets even better with some firmware revisions, like it already has.

 

 

The Spring dac was originally designed and intended to have DSD512 from the beginning. Yet due to drivers and cost of getting signed drivers, the DSD512 was put on the back burner until Ted actually stirred up some interest again to get back to finishing the DSD512 release. So the hardware is more than capable of doing DSD512. It was simply enabling it in the firmware to allow for it. But we were hesitant to use evaluation drivers to allow for the use of it. And the cost for signed drivers that all well over 2grand a year! But we did it anyways so that we could offer the full DSD512 native via windows 7/8 and 10! and with the microrendu in linux. My personal opinion, it sounds best in windows.

Tim Connor

KitsuneHifi.com / HoloAudio USA

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The Spring dac was originally designed and intended to have DSD512 from the beginning. Yet due to drivers and cost of getting signed drivers, the DSD512 was put on the back burner until Ted actually stirred up some interest again to get back to finishing the DSD512 release. So the hardware is more than capable of doing DSD512. It was simply enabling it in the firmware to allow for it. But we were hesitant to use evaluation drivers to allow for the use of it. And the cost for signed drivers that all well over 2grand a year! But we did it anyways so that we could offer the full DSD512 native via windows 7/8 and 10! and with the microrendu in linux. My personal opinion, it sounds best in windows.

 

Thanks for the background on that, Tim. That's definitely reassuring, but strange to hear about its initial target, but then the change of course.

 

Regarding the evaluation driver, you really feel there's a difference in the execution of each drivers in how Windows handles the DSD512 with it? Great... Now I get to wonder about driver hot-rodding...

 

Well, I can only hope for more improvements none the less, as seems to be the trend on higher end DACs nowadays. Continued support and firmware/driver refinement over time.

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You can start following this thread (in Russian, learn Russian :D)

HOLO Audio Spring DAC - R2R DSD512 - Цифровые источники - DA Stereo

 

It's promo tour of HOLO Audio Spring DAC (Jensen, Silver Trafo, AN Trans) in Russia.

 

It's compared against

— Berkeley DAC 1 and Wadia 15 — HOLO Audio Spring DAC - R2R DSD512 - Цифровые источники - DA Stereo

— Naim DAC with Teddy PSU

— Today it will fight against Metrum Pavane

 

Various listeners will review it in their own system Hilo DAC, Rokna DAC

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Where is the website of the manufacturer?

 

Also Kitsune Hifi contact details on its website is not working......

 

I'd appreciate some contact info with pm with the company directly, need to find 230V version if it is available.

 

interesting, we have looked and tested everything and appears normal. we get contacts 20-30 a day and has been working fine. fields with asterisk needs to be filled otherwise won't submit. MAYBE? please test again, nobody else has let us know there is an issue with our contact form.

Tim Connor

KitsuneHifi.com / HoloAudio USA

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Does someone know if it's I2s input (HDMI connector) comply with the PS Audio standard?

 

yes, the HDMI i2s is PSaudio standard,

 

Hi, Distinctive!

 

If you are a DIY audiophile and you can accept a SD memory card media, I'd like to recommend this SD memory card player board kit,SDTrans384 designed by Chiaki,

GB: SDTrans384 - A micro SD card digital transport - diyAudio

sdtrans192r30-pcb1.JPG

 

The player has one PS-Audio compatible output with HDMI connector.

Its total performance depends on power supplies, memory cards you would prepare. If you are not any DIYer, it will not fit you.

 

Bunpei

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Hi, Distinctive!

 

If you are a DIY audiophile and you can accept a SD memory card media, I'd like to recommend this SD memory card player board kit,SDTrans384 designed by Chiaki,

GB: SDTrans384 - A micro SD card digital transport - diyAudio

[ATTACH=CONFIG]30056[/ATTACH]

 

The player has one PS-Audio compatible output with HDMI connector.

Its total performance depends on power supplies, memory cards you would prepare. If you are not any DIYer, it will not fit you.

 

Bunpei

 

Best digital source I have, bar none.

 

But don't believe me, Jonathan Carr of Lyra has said the same:

 

MicroSD Memory Card Transport Project - Page 8 - diyAudio

 

Greg in Mississippi

Everything Matters!

2 systems... Well-Tempered Refs->ET-2.5->DIY or Lounge LCR MkII phono stages

Standalone digital Sony HAP Z1-ES or SDTrans384/Soekris DAM DAC

Networked digital Zotac PI320-W2 LMS Server -> EtherRegen -> USBBridge Sig -> Katana / Ian GB / Soerkis / Buffalo-IIIPro DACs

Passive S&B TX102 TVC or ladder attenuators -> BHK-250 -> Eminent Tech LFT-VIII / IV / VI

ALL gear modified / DIY'd; cables MIT;  all supplies DIY’d or LPS-1.2s w/HUGE Ultracaps; Audio gear on DIY AC filters + PS Aud P15s; misc gear on separate AC w/filters

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Hi, Distinctive!

 

If you are a DIY audiophile and you can accept a SD memory card media, I'd like to recommend this SD memory card player board kit,SDTrans384 designed by Chiaki,

GB: SDTrans384 - A micro SD card digital transport - diyAudio

[ATTACH=CONFIG]30056[/ATTACH]

 

The player has one PS-Audio compatible output with HDMI connector.

Its total performance depends on power supplies, memory cards you would prepare. If you are not any DIYer, it will not fit you.

 

Bunpei

 

Bunpei (and Greg), very cool.

1) I assume by reading the DIY thread that the I2S HDMI is the PS Audio "standard"?

2) What would it cost (US$) to build one for me? :) ......seriously (I could care less about case, esthetics)

3) after doing more reading I now realize (doh!) that this is over 5 years old. Any changes since then? Any used ones on the market; not sure what its called in common parlance, and sdtrans 384? Any different uses of the sd card input (like daisy chaining or anything)?

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Dear Ted,

 

I refer the transport or player as "SDTrans384".

 

1) I assume by reading the DIY thread that the I2S HDMI is the PS Audio "standard"?

2) What would it cost (US$) to build one for me? :) ......seriously (I could care less about case, esthetics)

3) after doing more reading I now realize (doh!) that this is over 5 years old. Any changes since then? Any used ones on the market; not sure what its called in common parlance, and sdtrans 384? Any different uses of the sd card input (like daisy chaining or anything)?

 

1) Yes, signals that appear on HDMI connector of SDTrans384 are supposed to be "PS-Audio" compliant.

According to my understanding, PS-Audio "Standard" is something like this;

 

PS-HDMI.jpg

 

However, I'm afraid that the native raw-DSD output of SDTrans384 might not be tested with any original PS-Audio DAC product. (SDTrans384 uses LRCLK line of I2S for Left-DSD and SDOUT line of I2S for Right-DSD)

 

2) It costs less than 500 USD. Mr. Yamazaki of Tachyon in Tokyo can ship one for you. Please contact him by e-mail. His address is "cbl29291 <at> nifty <dot> com".

 

3) No big physical enhancement has given after the first roll-out.

However,

A. The current version is compatible to SDHX memory card formatted in FAT32

B. Mr. Yamasaki offers IR remote receiver option compatible for Apple Remote transmitter

 

If you post your "Wanted : Used SDTrans384 " message on such threads on diyAudio,

GB: SDTrans384 - A micro SD card digital transport - Page 11 - diyAudio

and/or

MicroSD Memory Card Transport Project - Page 96 - diyAudio

someone in the world may give you his offer immediately.

 

When you use that player, please prepare a good linear power supply for it.

 

Best regards,

Bunpei

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Bunpei (and Greg), very cool.

1) I assume by reading the DIY thread that the I2S HDMI is the PS Audio "standard"?

2) What would it cost (US$) to build one for me? :) ......seriously (I could care less about case, esthetics)

3) after doing more reading I now realize (doh!) that this is over 5 years old. Any changes since then? Any used ones on the market; not sure what its called in common parlance, and sdtrans 384? Any different uses of the sd card input (like daisy chaining or anything)?

I'll be curious to your opinion after trying SDXC card. Do be sure to use class 10. Also on the horizon is PCIE attached SSD, haven't seen any reviews yet to indicate if it can provide the same "lens quality" improvement for detail that USB3 attached SDXC has over SATA attached SSD.

Regards,

Dave

 

Audio system

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Dear Ted,

 

I refer the transport or player as "SDTrans384".

 

1) Yes, signals that appear on HDMI connector of SDTrans384 are supposed to be "PS-Audio" compliant.

According to my understanding, PS-Audio "Standard" is something like this;

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]30154[/ATTACH]

 

However, I'm afraid that the native raw-DSD output of SDTrans384 might not be tested with any original PS-Audio DAC product. (SDTrans384 uses LRCLK line of I2S for Left-DSD and SDOUT line of I2S for Right-DSD)

The native raw-DSD output of SDtrans384 perfectly works with Wyred4Sound Dac-2DSDse up to DSD256. It should be working fine with HOLO.

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  • 1 month later...

I don't think hardware manufacturers especially small start ups like Holo Audio Springs are willing to incorporate MQA because of expensive licensing deals. Besides, the over-sampling mode will simply destroy the MQA code render it undecoded in the end. Don't waste your time talking about MQA here. The whole ideas about this particular product here is this unique R2R can do NOS/OS PCM/DSD and ability to support high sampling rates both in PCM and DSD.

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The AKM SRC inside DAC can also upsample to max DSD256 by selecting OS DSD mode. Has anyone compare this with HQPlayer?

 

I did. A slightly metallic sheen covers the music versus the sq of HQPlayer (via Spring NOS).

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