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

[AmusedToD]

2 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Virtually all USB inputs on DDCs and DACs benefit from being fed with improved signal integrity, impedance match, and for reasons readily heard but still being explored, a source with a good clock.  Such clock is not the audio-related clock, rather just the USB (or other processor data clock).  That's what you get when running from a streamer with a great clock (such as the SMS-200ultra or the forthcoming Sonore ultraRendu), or a USB regenerator with a great clock (such as the SOtM tX-USBultra or the UpTone ISO REGEN).

 

But the Holo Spring DAC benefits from the use of the SU-1 DDC because, when driving the Spring via I2S (over HDMI cable using LVDS--low voltage differential signaling--drivers) the SU-1's superior AUDIO FREQUENCY clocks (Crystek 575s at 22.5792MHz and 24.576MHz) take over as the master clock for the DAC (the Spring does not reclock that).

 

More directly to your question: While your SMS-200ultra is a fine source, it will neither turn the Spring's USB input into a world-class input (it is fine as typical XMOS USB input boards go), nor will you be bypassing the quite average audio clocks of the DAC (Holo admits they put the money elsewhere in the product--it is not a high priced unit and compromises have to be made somewhere; as most here know, I own and enjoy the Spring for what it is).

 

So yes, even with your new streamer, the Holo Spring should sound better driven by the SU-1 through its I2S input.

 

 

Not really appropriate to say that the SU-1 is "reclocking" what it receives via USB.  An entire USB PHY/processor>I2S>isolator>LVDS>output conversion occurs (with S/PDIF and AES also output options)--and both a cheap data clock for the XMOS processor and the Crystek CCHD-575s for the rate clocking are involved.

 

So while yes, there are skeptics about the relevance of source data clocking, what you are asking about is the same for either direct to DAC or through the DDC.  To more clearly state that: A low jitter I2S/DSD signal into the DAC chips (or discrete R2R ladders in the case of the Holo Springs) is always the end goal.

Upstream clocks seem to put a fingerprint on the result, but the audio-rate clocks are the most crucial to focus on.  And the SU-1's are far better than what is in the Spring.

 

Hope that helps a little.

--Alex C.

 

Wow, thank you so much for taking the time and effort to reply in such detail!

 

I think I get the picture now, and I believe your post will help many others as well to understand the fundamental processes in the digital audio world.

 

Alex, you are the man!!!  

 

 

[Daudio]

7 hours ago, Superdad said:

But the Holo Spring DAC benefits from the use of the SU-1 DDC because, when driving the Spring via I2S (over HDMI cable using LVDS--low voltage differential signaling--drivers) the SU-1's superior AUDIO FREQUENCY clocks (Crystek 575s at 22.5792MHz and 24.576MHz) take over as the master clock for the DAC (the Spring does not reclock that).

 

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... 

 

[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.  

[guymrob]

Hi ted_b,

I've not been following this forum for a while, I'm now using ROCK to up-sample 44.1k to 705.6k and also 44.1k to DSD256 via DoP. However, with PCM 705.6/768k, the DAC shows blank and no sound. I'm using the built-in USB input. My question is ROCK/Roon reports 705.6/768k is ready. DSD256 via DoP works fine, this should imply that 705.6/768k is working but this is not case. My current firmware is 16.92.

 

Is there update to fix this issue? Thanks

[ted_b]

No fix, it's just not possible.  Nowhere in the specs does Holo claim 705/768 capability.

[guymrob]

On ‎18‎/‎6‎/‎2017 at 11:26 PM, ted_b said:

No fix, it's just not possible.  Nowhere in the specs does Holo claim 705/768 capability.

 

Does it works through I2S bus via SU-1?

[Superdad]

16 hours ago, guymrob said:

 

Does it works through I2S bus via SU-1?

 

768KHz to Holo Spring does not work via any input.  Period.

[jacobacci]

On 6/15/2017 at 7:43 AM, Superdad said:

But the Holo Spring DAC benefits from the use of the SU-1 DDC

 

It looks like the combination of Holo Spring DAC KTE and Singxer KTE SU-1 is very good. However there are a few aspects of this solution that bug me:

• Being a two box solution, it introduces added complexity (cables, sockets, RFI) that limits quality for a given cost
• or it results in higher cost for a given quality

As I see it (I may be wrong), the Singxer is an USB / I2S interface, functionally much like the one built into the Spring DAC but of higher quality. It basically bypasses quite a bit a functionality in the DAC via the I2S input on the DAC.

What I would much rather see than the current two box solution is a "Level 4" version of the Spring DAC with an improved USB / I2S interface and improved clocks (if the Singxer clocks are indeed better than the DAC's clocks).

This would have a number of advantages:

• much less complexity and much lower parts count (reuse of basic power supply in DAC, no additional case, no cables)
• much less error or interference prone (all in same case, shortest possible I2S link in a controlled environment)
• truly plug and play

In essence I think that for a given cost, an integrated solution would yield a much higher quality than a two box solution (or same quality as two box solution at much lower cost).

What do you think?

 

 

 

[doraymon]

On 7/30/2017 at 7:37 PM, jacobacci said:

 

It looks like the combination of Holo Spring DAC KTE and Singxer KTE SU-1 is very good. However there are a few aspects of this solution that bug me:

• Being a two box solution, it introduces added complexity (cables, sockets, RFI) that limits quality for a given cost
• or it results in higher cost for a given quality

As I see it (I may be wrong), the Singxer is an USB / I2S interface, functionally much like the one built into the Spring DAC but of higher quality. It basically bypasses quite a bit a functionality in the DAC via the I2S input on the DAC.

What I would much rather see than the current two box solution is a "Level 4" version of the Spring DAC with an improved USB / I2S interface and improved clocks (if the Singxer clocks are indeed better than the DAC's clocks).

This would have a number of advantages:

• much less complexity and much lower parts count (reuse of basic power supply in DAC, no additional case, no cables)
• much less error or interference prone (all in same case, shortest possible I2S link in a controlled environment)
• truly plug and play

In essence I think that for a given cost, an integrated solution would yield a much higher quality than a two box solution (or same quality as two box solution at much lower cost).

What do you think?

 

 

 

I fully agree with your analysis but following the many good reviews I decided to order the Spring KTE and now I am facing a big dilemma.

I recently invested a significant amount of money in improving the USB signal path being fed to my (at the time, now sold) Hugo DAC.

 sMS-200ultra  network player, tX-USBultra USB regenerator and sPS-500 power supply. We are talking $2500+.

Now that I ordered the Spring KTE I find out that its USB is not as good as its I2S so I should spend another $400 to 700 to add another box that will take the purified and reclocked signal from the tX-USBultra and again reclock it and transform it to I2S.

 

Does it mean that I'm better off selling the tX-USBultra or does the quality of the USB signal fed to the SU-1 make a difference?

[guymrob]

On 18/06/2017 at 11:26 PM, ted_b said:

No fix, it's just not possible.  Nowhere in the specs does Holo claim 705/768 capability.

Hi @ted_b

 

Someone at Roon community has some success when using Matrix X-SPDIF 2, not sure is SU-1 has some limitation here?

 

https://community.roonlabs.com/t/matrix-audio-x-spdif-2-usb-i2s-interface/29745/5

 

 

[catastrofe]

On 10/27/2016 at 11:53 AM, granosalis said:

Spring DAV Vs DirectStream, look forward to read some comments on this.

 

Has anyone compared the Spring Level 3 to the DS?

[sig8]

22 hours ago, catastrofe said:

 

Has anyone compared the Spring Level 3 to the DS?

I found Spring Level 3 to be better sounding in my system compared to DirectStream. I sold my DS.

[catastrofe]

1 hour ago, sig8 said:

I found Spring Level 3 to be better sounding in my system compared to DirectStream. I sold my DS.

Thanks. . .can you elaborate at all on how it sounded better?

[Jozurr]

On 12/26/2017 at 7:02 AM, sig8 said:

I found Spring Level 3 to be better sounding in my system compared to DirectStream. I sold my DS.

 

Also interested in this comparison please.

[sig8]

7 hours ago, Jozurr said:

 

Also interested in this comparison please.

I sold my DS more than a year ago, so could not tell you much details, but as I said, Holo sounds better, smoother.

[jjkale]

I have a PinkFaun streamer which features a MCH i2s bridge.  Unfortunately, PF doesn't support DSD over i2s.

So, the Holo Lvl 3 will already have its i2s slot taken by the PinkFaun (I have just taken delivery of the Holo).  I would like to experiment with DSD512, but I don't want to have to swap inputs on the Holo, if that makes sense.  I understand the Holo clocks somewhat limit the USB performance (prev. post by Alex).  Is there a way I  can improve the USB input to use it for 512? 

Most of my listening will be MCH PCM; so should I just accept the somewhat diminished USB 512 performance?  PinkFaun has a strong USB card (on par w JCAT/SOtM); is that the best I can do most likely?

Thanks for the help.