Holo audio Cyan DAC+Headamp Impressions thread

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For someone with a music library consisting mainly of Redbook files (classical music), is there a technical advantage in choosing the DSD version over the PCM one?

I'd be upsampling with HQPlayer.

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20 minutes ago, pkane2001 said:

 

In my experience, the main reason is sound preference. If you like the sound of upsampled DSD512 sound (many do) you'll want the DSD version. PCM DAC has a number of additional features, such as volume control and headphone output that make it a more feature-rich version.

 

With Holo Spring DAC (as well as with other DACs I've tried), I prefer upscaling to DSD512 for vocals and with smaller jazz groups. There's just a little bit of quality to the sound that makes voices sound more natural to me, more authentic. OTOH, I prefer PCM for large-scale classical orchestral music. Bass has more impact, the sound is fuller, it's... I don't know of a good way to explain this... PCM is not as subtly brittle as the sound I get with DSD. Mind you, this difference is very minor, but when I listen for it, I hear it. Perhaps it's my choice of HQP filters, or maybe it's my imagination (measuring frequency response, I don't see any differences between upscaled DSD and PCM).

 

If someone was to ask me to choose between keeping just DSD or just PCM (all else being equal), I'd probably keep DSD. But  sometimes I do find recordings where PCM sounds better, so I think I'll keep my Holo Spring DAC. Although, a volume control and HP output might almost be enough to convince me to go the other way! 

 

 

Thanks for your insight.

I doubt that I will be able to upsample to SDM512 (or even 256) with my old '09 MacBook Pro and this may end up being the deciding factor.

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Apparently it is possible to have both boards (minus the headphone amp?) at extra cost - "Joy" version:

 

https://www.magnahifi.com/en/webshop/product/holo-cyan

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Does anyone know if the Cyan has the same analogue out stage as the Spring?

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5 hours ago, barrows said:

Huh, it is a DSD DAC, single bit really.  As far as S/N goes, no DAC I am aware achieves better than 21 actual performance via its analog outputs.  Of course, no one's audio system in their room can even do 20 bits...  Unless you are willing to damage your hearing on peaks.

 

Very quiet room noise floor at 20dB, maximum SPL of large speakers at 115dB/1m, that's around 90dB at the listening spot.

But good luck finding a recording with such a wide dynamic range.

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3 minutes ago, barrows said:

Good example, and that 90 dB is about 15 bits.  They were pretty much spot on that the 16 bits of RBCD is adequate if we are just talking about playback.  But of course some headroom is nice, and, if you are mixing in digital then you are going to want to capture at 24 bits to have room for level adjustments.

If it is not windy, my room is very quiet at night, you can literally hear a pin drop (rural area). 

My current home is also in a pretty quiet area but when I was living in a busy street things were pretty dim.

 

Some recordings of unamplified music also take place at night, noise floor isn't just a problem for listening.

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4 minutes ago, barrows said:

Get one of the Stereophile test CDs which has the -90 dB 1kHz test tone, and play back that tone in your system at your normal reference volume level-it can be quite surprising how low in level -90 dB is.

 

Here's an online alternatively:

 

http://www.audiocheck.net/audiotests_dynamiccheck.php

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Does anyone know if the Cyan uses the same analogue line-out and PSU architecture as the Spring?

I am considering the former but I would rather get the best line-out performance because I don't listen with headphones.