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HOLO Audio Spring DAC: Affordable discrete R2R Multibit Dac, could be a winner.

Many manufacturers are going back to R2R Multibit d/a conversion, a good portion of audiophiles are saying it sounds better than the cheaper d/a conversion of Delta Sigma, (1 bit), Bitstream, Saber. etc.
And it says it uses dual R2R’s Multibits to support DSD natively!!? 

Product Description:This new DAC.”Spring” is the first design of a new era, a milestone for HOLO Audio’s own Jeff Zhu. It’s a full discrete R2R type of audio decoder and does not have off the shelf-DAC chip! This is a bespoke custom-designed core DAC module and truly a breakthrough with technology for any DAC chip today. The Spring is here to achieve new heights, new dynamics and simply a full spectrum of audio to please the aural senses. This Dac has been called the poor mans Total Dac / MSB / Wavedream / Chord Dave Etc. It plays with the big boys.

https://kitsunehifi.com/product/springdacbase/

Looks amazing inside for $1,700. Schiit Yaggi better watch out!!!!



Cheers George
128x128georgehifi
milpai's avatar
milpai
2,402 posts
 
Read the review by Ted on computeraudiophile.com. Very interesting indeed, especially since it has I2S.
Bimmer,
It a blu-ray player with HDMI out is connected to this DAC with a HDMI cable, will this DAC be able to process the DSD stream via I2S? Or is the I2S completely different than a regular HDMI?
This DAC looks like a competition for Bryston BDA-3, since it also has separate paths for PCM and DSD and the Bryston also has HDMI "in".
bill_k
915 posts
 
The HDMI input on the Holo Spring DAC is not compatible with a conventional HDMI output like that from a blu-ray or dvd player. It is wired according to the I2S connection standard which is used by PS Audio and some others like the Singer SU-1. Any standard HDMI cable can be used for the I2S connection but the pins for I2S are used differently than the conventional HDMI connection standard.
pitomazogordo
3 posts
 
I’m very interested on this DAC, digital audio is very interesting, because the digital side advances too fast. Of course, the analog side is essential, but is very entertaining to see how digital products evolve.
Price/performance has nothing to do here.

I bought my Metrum Pavane because it sounds vastly better than: DCS Debussy with external clock, Bricasti M1, MSB Analog with power base and Playback Designs MPD-5. Yes, I’ve listened to all of them in my system, and the Metrum is 1/4 the price...why is better? Well, FPGA corrected bespoke R2R ladder chips and fully balanced, dual mono configuration :D

I want to try this Level 3 Holo Spring DAC and a Singxer SU-1 (to use the i2s connection, which is always the best) VS Pavane & Microrendu...maybe is worse than what I have but one never knows! :)
pixelplay
14 posts
 
Now that would be interesting! 
bill_k
915 posts
 
pixelplay - Do you have any comments to share about the Holo DAC yet? TIA
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