HOLO Audio Spring DAC - R2R DSD512

[bibo01]

https://world.taobao.com/item/532896602859.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a1z3o.7695460.0.0.hon7WU

https://www.facebook.com/wildismaudiohk/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1723137457931602

Digital Audio Converter (DAC) – Kitsune HiFi

 

From their site:

"The Spring Dac is his newest product and is the first DAC in history to be capable of DSD native on an R2R dac! This spring is capable of DSD512 and actually running on his bespoke discrete ladder dac! this is not your run of the mill dac here, it’s full of unique and well thought out designs and implementations."

 

A few measurements are there too!

 

[bibo01]

Some extra info from US distributor KitsuneHifi:

 

"It's truly a unique DAC in that it's the first discrete DAC to be able to process both pcm and native dsd on the same DAC. How is this possible? I thought the same thing, but it does this with discrete resistor networks. There is one DAC module that consists of two separate dedicated discrete resistor network for pcm audio and a dedicated resistor network for dsd native audio. So it has multibit and delta sigma in one DAC module. And it's the first DAC that I'm aware of to ever implement this in one DAC and do it very well!

 

Currently the DAC supports native dsd512 in Linux and Mac and dsd256 with Windows. The drive is being finished for Windows to allow full native dsd512 and should be available 3-4 weeks according to HOLO Audio, designer, Jef Zhu. "

 

Let's wait to get some more info from the designer relative to DSD path, as I think the above has some imperfections.

[bibo01]

Yes, I2S is nice, but why uses this DAC an AK4137 Sample Rate Converter?

Is PCM converted to DSD or DSD converted to PCM?

This does not make sense at all!

 

Matt

 

May I remind you that it has also a NOS mode which bypass any digital oversampling.

[bibo01]

So do you think the AK4137 can be COMPLETELY bypassed for PCM AND DSD?

 

Matt

 

As I wrote somewhere else (you know where), I prefer waiting for extra info, without jumping to harried conclusions

[bibo01]

33 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

I measured mine with the USB input, and given the pretty good results I would be interested to see some real world measurements as proof of external clocks actually improving the situation...   At least I don't feel like having a pressing need to get one.

 

Are you talking about Holo Spring or SU-1?

[bibo01]

On 10/2/2017 at 11:27 AM, Bimmer100 said:

The HoloAudio Cyan will be released the end of this month. And will have a dsd only r2r module or pcm only r2r module. One or the other. Also will include a src in case you would like to listen to dsd converted to pcm. Or with pcm module would be pcm converted to dsd. Take note whatever is on the r2r module will sound at its best. 

This Cyan will include a balanced headamp built in, along with 1/4 output. It is finished in the same look as our spring Dac yet a smaller chassis overall. Pricing will be very affordable. Unlike the spring, there will be no linear compensation tech, and costs were cut to allow r2r of your choice for one of the two... pcm or dsd exclusive r2r.  Then USB module is with xu208 xmos. 

 

Preorders will be accepted very soon. 

 

So hope this answer your question. It's been a bit more work to finish this project and we are quite proud of how it's turned out. 

 

Will HoloAudio Cyan DSD only DAC have the same output filter of Spring DAC? Will it be cut higher than 50 kHz?

[bibo01]

12 minutes ago, ddetaey said:

Can you please reveal the verstond number of Amanero latest driver, supporting DSD512?

This will help me to contact T+A to inquire about a firmware upgrade for the DSD 8 dac.

Firmware is 2002be, however there are still some issue with DSD512 (and 256), which Amanero was trying to solve. So I am not sure T&A is willing to implement it yet.

[bibo01]

2 minutes ago, volpone said:

@bibo01Any new from Amanero ? ( Win asio driver etc ...) ?

I tried to call Amanero yesterday, but no reply. I will try again soon...

[bibo01]

1 hour ago, Em2016 said:

What's your SNR calculation for your Spring2 L2?

From THD+N: 0.00080%, I get -101.9dB ...but I might be wrong