[ericr]

It's been almost 7 months now and I'm still very happy with my Holo Spring lvl 1. I used it in the NOS mode for a long time, but I recently switched to the OS mode and I've found that equally as enjoyable. I thought my music sounded good with my old system, but when I replaced my AR3-a speakers with Vandersteen 5as, the DAC really showed off what it could do. I've never heard Helplessness Blues sound better. Orchestra recordings are phenomenal. The DAC measures great and sounds even better! I was worried that the DAC would fall off and be written off as another flavor of the month DAC, but the Stereophile review seems to have ignited a surge in popularity for this company again. The Cyan was a great addition to the Holo line of products, for people who only care about PCM or DSD but not both.

Have you guys ever considered making a CD or SACD player with NOS and OS modes, and digital inputs? I would buy one in a heartbeat to simplify my hi-fi a bit.

Vandersteen 5A Speakers with the Spring DAC as the source!

Please tell me you live somewhere near Seattle and that I can come hear this!

-Eric

 

[MichaelXX2]

Vandersteen 5A Speakers with the Spring DAC as the source!

Please tell me you live somewhere near Seattle and that I can come hear this!

-Eric

Nowhere near Seattle. Sorry bud.

 

[smodtactical]

How does Level 3 compare to yggy analog 2 ?

 

[eee1111]

How does Level 3 compare to yggy analog 2 ?

its right there

they both sound amazing

 

[earnmyturns]

How does Level 3 compare to yggy analog 2 ?

I own both, like both (see setup details on my sig). Spring in NOS mode (what I use) is a bit bolder, maybe slightly warmer in the low mids, slightly more rolled off on the highs. Instruments are broadly spaced, maybe sometimes too much. Yggy2 is a bit less romantic, but it slams hard where it needs. Instrument separation and staging feels a bit more natural. The above differences are more evident for Red Book (44.1/16) than at higher sample rates, which is to be expected because NOS has no digital filter, while at 44.1 the Schiit filter is interpolating 7 samples in between each of the original samples. Right now, listening to jazz pianist Stefano Bollani through the Spring and I notice a slightly more resonant, warmer tone from the piano than I'd hear live or through the Yggy2. I really like having this diversity with the Spring doing headphone duties, painting the music more boldly as if I were in a small jazz club, and the Yggy2 on my speaker system, getting closer to the feeling of a carefully tuned concert venue.

 

[jjk43]

Greetings to all,
I am interested in acquiring a Holo Level 3. If you are thinking of selling, please contact me.
Thanks very much.
jjk

 

[Maxx134]

its right there

they both sound amazing

I have side-by-side compared the yggy1 to the Holo Spring Lvl1 and I preferred the more emotional Holo Spring.

Although I felt the yggy was behaving more neutral or relaxed overall , and a bit further back in stage,
the level of realism of both were totally on par with each other, which says alot.

The deciding factor for me to stay with the Holo Spring was the ability to hear a nuance of detail which was a bit less noticed on the yggy which I had to got back and find out why because is was more integrated into the background details.
So I found the Holo a bit more involving.

I own both, like both (see setup details on my sig). Spring in NOS mode (what I use) is a bit bolder, maybe slightly warmer in the low mids, slightly more rolled off on the highs. Instruments are broadly spaced, maybe sometimes too much. Yggy2 is a bit less romantic, but it slams hard where it needs. Instrument separation and staging feels a bit more natural. The above differences are more evident for Red Book (44.1/16) than at higher sample rates, which is to be expected because NOS has no digital filter, while at 44.1 the Schiit filter is interpolating 7 samples in between each of the original samples. Right now, listening to jazz pianist Stefano Bollani through the Spring and I notice a slightly more resonant, warmer tone from the piano than I'd hear live or through the Yggy2. I really like having this diversity with the Spring doing headphone duties, painting the music more boldly as if I were in a small jazz club, and the Yggy2 on my speaker system, getting closer to the feeling of a carefully tuned concert venue.

You comments are very much similar to what I experience with Holo Spring Lvl1 vs yggy1.

 

[kingkikapu]

I had both spring level 3 fed i2s via SU-1 and Yggy A2 via USB. They are both excellent, excellent DAC’s and you cant go wrong with either. Fed into a gsx-mk2 and utopia I really don’t have a preference.

My choice to keep one over the other came down to other considerations: price, looks, output voltages, and input methods that worked best for my setup.

 

[Maxx134]

Yggy A2 via USB

IMHO that is a handicap for the yggy unless its from a server.
The USB input is not on level as any of its other inputs...

When I had upgraded to the latest USB (gen5), it achieved a very close level to its spdiff input I was using, but still not as good..
So to me, USB on yggy is a slight handicap.
The Holo Spring has a more modern USB implementation...

 

[kingkikapu]

I can’t say I agree with you at all on that one, but to each their own.

 

[earnmyturns]

IMHO that is a handicap for the yggy unless its from a server.
The USB input is not on level as any of its other inputs...

When I had upgraded to the latest USB (gen5), it achieved a very close level to its spdiff input I was using, but still not as good..
So to me, USB on yggy is a handicap.
The Holo Spring has a more modern USB implementation...

I've compared Spring KTE 3 USB (original, not upgraded) against S/PDIF and I2S. USB source was at the time a microRendu, used a Schiit Eitr to convert that to S/PDIF, and a SU-1 to convert USB to I2S. USB was quite a bit worse that S/PDIF, and I2S beats both. I've also compared Schiit Gen 5 against their earlier USB (on a Bimby, not Yggy2). Gen 5 was quite a bit better, and not distinguishable from S/PDIF. I also have the Yggy 2, but I've not bothered to compare because I've always had it on AES3. The only DAC I own where USB is not distinguishable from S/PDIF or AES3 is the Soekris dac1541.

 

[kingkikapu]

I tried the yggy A2 with AES via SU-1 and straight USB. My older yggy definitely benefitted from AES via su-1. Same story for Spring KTE with i2s via SU-1.

New Yggy I’ve felt the difference between AES and USB were so damn small I said screw it and just did away with the reclocker all together.

One fewer boxes to deal with. I can live with that.

 

[Maxx134]

I can’t say I agree with you at all on that one, but to each their own.

I edited my post as the difference was indeed small.

I've compared Spring KTE 3 USB (original, not upgraded) against S/PDIF and I2S. USB source was at the time a microRendu, used a Schiit Eitr to convert that to S/PDIF, and a SU-1 to convert USB to I2S. USB was quite a bit worse that S/PDIF, and I2S beats both. I've also compared Schiit Gen 5 against their earlier USB (on a Bimby, not Yggy2). Gen 5 was quite a bit better, and not distinguishable from S/PDIF. I also have the Yggy 2, but I've not bothered to compare because I've always had it on AES3. The only DAC I own where USB is not distinguishable from S/PDIF or AES3 is the Soekris dac1541.

I agree Holo Spring original USB is not up to par with newer USB, and I do not use the USB input because of this.
My other comments on spdiff over USB Gen5 are very slight but noticeable difference.

New Yggy I’ve felt the difference between AES and USB were so damn small I said screw it and just did away with the reclocker all together.

One fewer boxes to deal with. I can live with that.

You are absolutely correct the difference were very small with spdif still slightly better but very close.
Since I had my spdif setup already I felt it was a waste to upgrade to Gen5 unless you already have it.

 

[T Bone]

I think my time with the Holo Spring DAC is just about complete. I have really enjoyed my Holo but its upgrade time. I've got a deposit down on the new Chord Hugo TT2 - the specs look amazing and Rob Watts is probably one of the best audio engineers in our time.

Since acquiring my Holo Spring, I've really come to appreciate detail and nuance in my music. It really helped me step up my listening game. Once you know what things "should" sound like, it's hard to listen to anything less. I think the Holo Spring and Focal Utopia's have turned me into a "detail freak".

If you know anyone looking for a deal on Holo Spring, PM me!

 

[Mrstump5]

Does the Hd800S pair well with the holospring?