I ordered this 2 months ago, it finally got to me last Monday:
https://www.kitsunehifi.com/product/holoaudio-red-ddc-network-streamer/
Holo RED is a DDC that can be used as a network streamer, or USB.
This is the first DDC that's worked for my R26 in PCM (using i2s).
As a reminder, I posted this awhile back in this thread, but my DI-20HE and Hydra-Z DDC i2s did not work with R26, it forced the R26 into DSD mode.
I'm strictly a PCM listener (and yes I know I could have used HQP to reconvert any PCM stream to DSD, but I just didn't want to go that route).
To get past this limitation of R26, there was a gentleman that created a custom i2s cable to make R26 work with i2s in PCM mode... something I might have eventually tried...
Well, now I don't need to!
I'm going to write up a full review on RED in another thread eventually, but I'll let the cat out of the bag here.
DI-20HE and Hydra-Z using SPDIF were already better than the R26 built in ethernet (which is already super great!).
(note: I did not do the fiber hack, so that might bring R26 ethernet close or to same level as above DDC).
Anyway, DI-20HE and Hydra-Z are really top tier DDC, just excellent.
A huge step over other DDC I've used such as pi2aes/Singxer SU-6/Gustard U18.
Well, there's a new top dog, Holo RED!
So the difference between DI-20HE and Hydra-Z was: 20HE had better technical performance (resolution/micro-dyn), but Hydra-Z had a more analog sound, better timbre.
The RED is like smashing them both together. It's actually a touch better technical performance than the DI-20HE, while also having better tone/timbre than the Hydra-Z!
The fact RED can be used with network or USB is awesome too, should work for anybodies use case.
The chassis is solid milled aluminum brick, crazy nice. Imo for the price of RED, the performance, and features, it just nuked anything else on the market.
OH, and it uses pi4 compute board, so it should play nicely with HQP (as certain oversampling needs that CPU horsepower in the endpoint).
(No, I'm not a Holo salesman LOL)
As I mentioned, I had to wait 2 months for mine. Golden Sound is going to be putting out a review on this product in the next month or so too, giving it the highest endorsements.
You heard it here first, get yours before it's 6mo+ back ordered.
As I said, I had to wait 2mo myself.