Article: Holo Audio Spring Level 3 Kitsune Tuned Edition R2R DAC Review

[tboooe]

Thank you @ted_b. Not to get too off topic but did you find out anything more about why you couldn't play native DSD through the SU-1? I am thinking of getting the SU-1 as well as the Holo DAC, fed from HQP playing DSD256.

[tboooe]

Great to hear @ted_b. I'm pulling the trigger on the SU-1 today! I definitely want to take advantage of direct DSD playback without having to rely on USB input of the DAC.

[tboooe]

Btw @ted_b, where did you download version 3.4 of the driver from?

[tboooe]

Hi @ted_b, I sent you a PM regarding the 3.4 driver and SU-1.

[tboooe]

thank you @ted_b for the help last night. I must say I am very impressed with the Singxer SU-1. Right out of the box, it has a very tight and dynamic sound with lots of inner detail and nuance. I am hoping it softens just a tad as it burns it. That is the main difference between the SU-1 and my Mutec MC 3+. The Mutec is just a tad smoother sounding, perhaps because of its reclocking. Speaking of clocks, one thing I want to try out is the clock output of the SU-1.

 

Looking forward to your thoughts on HQP converting PCM to DSD native and played through the SU-1. Thank you for taking the time to do this review.

[tboooe]

Ted, do you know if Singxer's going to be able to do DSD512 via I2S?

 

I have heard from a reliable source that the Su-1 hardware is capable of DSD512.

[tboooe]

Thanks Ted,

this is a very interesting discussion, for both the Holo DAC and SU1.

I have the singxer on my system from more than one month now.

 

Best Regards,

Giuseppe

Giuseppe, thank you for the feedback. I too have an SU-1 for 3 days now. May I ask how long it took for the SU-1 to break in? So far, the music sounds very good even only after a few days.

[tboooe]

The most informative review on CA I've ever read, thanks Ted! Perhaps you could do a separate review/thread on the Singrex SU-1, very interesting...

 

I posted my quick review of the Singxer SU-1 here.

[tboooe]

Happy New Year. Part Three Continued added to the end of the review. Big changes with the Intona in place. Dunno why, frankly.

 

Ted, happy new year and thank you. I am waiting for my Spring Level 3 to be delivered in about a month. I know Ted at Kitsune really recommends using the Intona. Have you tried the SU-1 after the Intona, then HDMI to the Spring? I know from your previous post that you felt HDMI to the Spring was superior.

[tboooe]

Thanks Ted. I assume you must have a very short USB cable or adapter going from the Intona?

[tboooe]

I have Intona connected to SU-1 and I am trying to insert a picture here, but I am not been able to do that? Icon here wants you to insert from a url? Can you tell me how to attach or insert a picture here please.

 

The third icon from the right will allow you to insert an image.

@ted_b sorry I missed that point about using the Sonore adapters.

@sig8 did you figure out whye you cant do DSD512? Once I get my Spring DAC I will be trying it through my SU-1

[tboooe]

Realize the SU-1 only goes to DSD256. My DSD512 take is with USB directly in from either Windows NAA or microRendu NAA (both going through Intona). I know this is redundant but wanted it out there. Also, the microRendu will take direct (i.e not DoP) DSD soon, but still at DSD256.

 

Interesting about the SU-1. When I first run NAA, I would swear that DSD512 shows up as a supported format. I am going to need to double-check that

[tboooe]

Ok, so that explains it. I was going through SU-1, so only to 256. I will try direct, but doubt it will beat going through SU-1..

@sig8 and @ted_b I just checked my settings in HQP and I am able to select DSD512 as an option going through the SU-1. Unfortunately I do not have a DSD DAC until I take delivery of my Spring in about a month so I can't verify. I am using a PC running Server R2 Essentials in core mode as an NAA.

[tboooe]

Believe me, as a Spring and SU-1 owner, all it can do is DSD256 for now.

 

I absolutely believe you. I am just curious because @sig8 said he didnt even have DSD512 as an option in HQP whereas I do.

[tboooe]

I had a brief experimentation with Holo Spring and SU-1, and I think I was able to use two drivers (XMOS SU-1, and Holo Audio....) under HQP. I don't use HQP but that was just to experiment DSD256, 512, etc. on Spring. My question is has someone tried using both drivers, and if there is any difference. I see both drivers available under my 2-pc Jplay as well, KS: XMOS SU-1 and ASIO-Holo Audio...., haven't had much time to experiment much.

I messed around a bit with both. As for as I can tell here are the differences:

The SU driver will only allow DoP

The Holo driver has more features like buffer size adjustment

 

These features themselves may impact sound quality. I only use the Holo drivers.

[tboooe]

And I think the point I was trying to make was that, you could use Holo Audio Driver, even when SU-1 is in the chain (between PC and DAC).

 

Sorry for not being clear. That was the point I was trying to make as well saying that I use the Holo driver only. I've been using the Holo driver with my SU-1 for months now. I dont even have my Spring dac yet!

[tboooe]

Oh if XMOS and Thesycon knew--someone would be in trouble...

LOL! But at least I am a paying Holo Spring DAC customer (just another month to wait!) so I am only kind of temporarily cheating.

[tboooe]

1 minute ago, ted_b said:

Couple of updates:

1)  I will be getting firmware in the next couple of days to test DSD512 via the SU-1.  Stay tuned.  No promises. 

 

You must have been using the force on me!  I emailed Tim about 30 mins ago asking about this!  Hopefully it will work.  I really want to try 512 on the Holo.

[tboooe]

Thank you @ted_b.  So is the only difference the firmware? I am curious about your comments on the better clocks in the SU-1.  You were already using the HDMI output from the SU-1 previously when you stated that the I2S output was only a little better than the USB correct?  If so unless the firmware somehow changed the performance of the SU-1 clocks it seems to that is constant between your previous experience and today.  The improvement must be down to the firmware only since you report big improvements even when playing PCM which were doing before?? 

[tboooe]

8 hours ago, AmusedToD said:

However, since I am using the Sotm sms200Ultra (with the superior clock)

 

8 hours ago, AmusedToD said:

I am afraid the SU1 might "degrade" the signal quality since it probably uses an inferior clock. Or am I wrong?

Question...how do you know the SOTM clocks are the superior to the ones used in the SU-1?  I dont think any information has been provided yet.  If I am wrong, can you pls point to where this information is?

[tboooe]

On 6/15/2017 at 6:21 AM, Daudio said:

 

Alex,

I followed most of your post, but perhaps since I'm only lately catching up a bit with this whole SU-1/Holo Spring thing, I don't understand how the DDC's clock is overriding the one in the DAC ??  That seems to go against what I've learned about (USB) DACs so far... (I do get the jitter 'signature' effect of upstream clocks through)

 

TIA If you have time for a quick explanation... 

 

Just a point if clarification, only in the case if the I2S input does the Spring not use it's own internal clocks.  For all other inputs it does.