Holo Audio Red Streamer

[joseph69]

Correct me if I'm wrong -- does the Red and Spring3 KTE only accept USB 2.0 for streaming?
Thanks

EDIT: I know the Spring3 KTE uses the Enhanced USB Module w/Titanis 2.0 circuit -- but didn't see any info on the Red. Does the Red have USB 3.0 output? Am I just missing it in the description on the Kitsune site?

My reason for asking is because I'd like to try the Alpha USB 3.0 Cable which was posted by @rsbrsvp on another thread, but was said to need a 3.0 output to work and will not work with USB 2.0

 

[GoldenSound]

This confuses me more than ever!
There are 2 USB ports on the rear - USB in and USB out
I thought a DDC was a Digital to Digital Converter
In any case, the two outputs used would be AES and SPDIF

I suppose I don't really understahd what an Endpoint is meant to do. The dealer told me that the device could play music off a hard drive

I'm used to a LUMIN D1 which will stream and also play music off a HDD. I must say that listening to Tidal, the HOLO produces a much better sound with amazing clarity

The USB in port is so you can use it as a DDC. Ie: connect the red to your pc via usb and then output to your DAC via I2S/AES/SPDIF.

The USB output port is so that if using it as a streamer (connecting the red via the network instead of USB) you can output to your DAC via USB (the other outputs are also available)

To play music off a HDD you'd need a music server running on the device.
The RED isn't intended to be used as a server and is designed to be used either as a DDC or a streamer/endpoint. Meaning you have an existing roon server in your network and the RED provides a network connected extremely clean output to your DAC

 

[GoldenSound]

Correct me if I'm wrong -- does the Red and Spring3 KTE only accept USB 2.0 for streaming?
Thanks

EDIT: I know the Spring3 KTE uses the Enhanced USB Module w/Titanis 2.0 circuit -- but didn't see any info on the Red. Does the Red have USB 3.0 output? Am I just missing it in the description on the Kitsune site?

My reason for asking is because I'd like to try the Alpha USB 3.0 Cable which was posted by @rsbrsvp on another thread, but was said to need a 3.0 output to work and will not work with USB 2.0

Pretty sure the RED is usb 2.0 internally but not 100% sure.

There are no Dacs with USB 3.0 anyway though that I'm aware of so there wouldn't be a reason to have usb 3.0 and would needlessly introduce additional cost and challenges in terms of keeping noise to a minimum

 

[bodiebill2]

What do you use as a standalone player and is it connected to the USB port?
One reader said that USB input is not supported, which my dealer says is not correct
I'm intending to use the AES output

An Afterdark Rosanna streamer with clock input from Mutec Ref10 SE120, running moOde, and playing from a local M2 NVME SD USB drive (powered by Paul Hynes SR4T 5VDC). I use the USB output out into the Red in DDC mode, using two USB cables with a USB-fiber isolator between them.
Although the ethernet cable is still attached to send moOde playing commands and fill the (samba-shared) USB drive with off-line convoluted/upsampled files, no audio is streamed over the network. The network can be disabled using a smartplug that turns off the EtherRegen. This gives another subtle improvement.

 

[bodiebill2]

The RED isn't intended to be used as a server and is designed to be used either as a DDC or a streamer/endpoint.

Is this what Holo Audio told you? The manual gives very little guidance, and this thread shows that it is up to the users to find out the possibilities of this Chinese Army Knife.

Using the Red in streaming mode and playing music from a USB drive attached to the USB-A port is actually quite simple. Here it worked well with moOde.

 

[GoldenSound]

Is this what Holo Audio told you? The manual gives very little guidance, and this thread proves that it is up to the users to find out what is possible with this Chinese Army Knife... And using the Red in streaming mode with f.i. moOde playing music from a USB drive attached to the USB-A port is actually quite simple.

No, it's implied based on the design of the device and the fact that the RED OS is not a server.

As mentioned, since the compute section is using a CM4 you may be able to run a server if you really want using volumio or something instead. But you'll then lose access to features like being able to output to a DAC via USB as you only have one usb port connected to the CM4.

 

[chrisc2615]

The USB in port is so you can use it as a DDC. Ie: connect the red to your pc via usb and then output to your DAC via I2S/AES/SPDIF.

The USB output port is so that if using it as a streamer (connecting the red via the network instead of USB) you can output to your DAC via USB (the other outputs are also available)

To play music off a HDD you'd need a music server running on the device.
The RED isn't intended to be used as a server and is designed to be used either as a DDC or a streamer/endpoint. Meaning you have an existing roon server in your network and the RED provides a network connected extremely clean output to your DAC

Thank you, an excellent reply. I will update the dealer about this, as he had a misconception about how the device operates

 

[bodiebill2]

No, it's implied based on the design of the device and the fact that the RED OS is not a server.

As mentioned, since the compute section is using a CM4 you may be able to run a server if you really want using volumio or something instead. But you'll then lose access to features like being able to output to a DAC via USB as you only have one usb port connected to the CM4.

Agreed, every mode has its benefits and limitations. For instance, you cannot stream into the Red into DDC only mode with USB-B input. To each their own use case.
Actually I like how Holo have kept so many options open, including alternate OS'es.

I can now see the following modes:
(1) streamer only mode - Red OS | RJ45 in | USB out
(2) DDC only mode - no OS* | USB-B in | spdif, AES, I2S out
(3) USB redirect mode - no OS* | USB-B in | USB out
(4) streamer + DDC mode - Red or alternate OS | RJ45 in | spdif, AES or I2S out
(5) streamer + USB redirect mode - no OS | RJ45 in | USB out
(6) server mode - OS of choice (moOde and Volumio have been reported to work); USB drive attached to USB-A; RJ45 in; spdif, AES or I2S out
* Red OS used for setup only

Help to correct/augment this list would be appreciated... I am for instance not sure whether (1) would be possible with an alternate OS, or whether (5) is at all possible.

 

[Dandoudou]

Agreed, every mode has its benefits and limitations. For instance, you cannot stream into the Red into DDC only mode with USB-B input. To each their own use case.
Actually I like how Holo have kept so many options open, including alternate OS'es.

I can now see the following modes:
(1) streamer only mode - Red OS | RJ45 in | USB out
(2) DDC only mode - no OS* | USB-B in | spdif, AES, I2S out
(3) USB redirect mode - no OS* | USB-B in | USB out
(4) streamer + DDC mode - Red or alternate OS | RJ45 in | spdif, AES or I2S out
(5) streamer + USB redirect mode - no OS | RJ45 in | USB out
(6) server mode - OS of choice (moOde and Volumio have been reported to work); USB drive attached to USB-A; RJ45 in; spdif, AES or I2S out
* Red OS used for setup only

Help to correct/augment this list would be appreciated... I am for instance not sure whether (1) would be possible with an alternate OS, or whether (5) is at all possible.

1 is possible with any of the OSs that we commonly use.
5 is impossible.

 

[chrisc2615]

How would one implement (6)?

I got the unit to demo to an old friend who likes his sound to be as simple as possible to implement

The fact that streaming is not possible if a USB connection is in place when you switch on is a major drawback. It produces (slightly) better sound than a Lumin D1 with a linear power supply

Was using AES output to a Devialet 400. Proper cable using 110 ohm impedance. Tried SPDIF, marginally less detail

Its not expensive for the quality

 

[Dandoudou]

There's a mode 7 : A Server or a Host on the LAN for another streamer that is positioned as an endpoint

 

[Dandoudou]

How would one implement (6)?

You have to download another Linux distribution, and to configure it.

 

[1laraz]

What type of clock is installed in RED? When using with Holo May via I2S, should this clock be at least as good as Crystek 957 to be better than the USB connection?

 

[incredulousity]

Agreed, every mode has its benefits and limitations. For instance, you cannot stream into the Red into DDC only mode with USB-B input. To each their own use case.
Actually I like how Holo have kept so many options open, including alternate OS'es.

I can now see the following modes:
(1) streamer only mode - Red OS | RJ45 in | USB out
(2) DDC only mode - no OS* | USB-B in | spdif, AES, I2S out
(3) USB redirect mode - no OS* | USB-B in | USB out
(4) streamer + DDC mode - Red or alternate OS | RJ45 in | spdif, AES or I2S out
(5) streamer + USB redirect mode - no OS | RJ45 in | USB out
(6) server mode - OS of choice (moOde and Volumio have been reported to work); USB drive attached to USB-A; RJ45 in; spdif, AES or I2S out
* Red OS used for setup only

Help to correct/augment this list would be appreciated... I am for instance not sure whether (1) would be possible with an alternate OS, or whether (5) is at all possible.

3 is not possible.

 

[joseph69]

Pretty sure the RED is usb 2.0 internally but not 100% sure.

There are no Dacs with USB 3.0 anyway though that I'm aware of so there wouldn't be a reason to have usb 3.0 and would needlessly introduce additional cost and challenges in terms of keeping noise to a minimum

Thank you very much for the information -- I appreciate it.
Only wanted to try that USB cable due based on the opinion of @rsbrsvp and the cost wasn't as expensive as others.