[DecentLevi]

  ...Edit: looking over my past discussion about this topic, the level of isolation from the SU-1 is definitely not on the same level as the Intona and because I use a laptop as my source there could be some added benefit to having the Intona in play.  Desktop computers might not receive any extra benefit.  I knew this would be more of a slight tweak and maybe not noticeable at all depending on how much noise is coming from my Macbook USB port...

Do you mean to say the Intona or the SU-1 is on a higher level?

 

[WNBC]

Intona is on a higher level.  This was mentioned to me by someone more knowledgeable about the specs of each component, but still said with the caveat of a potential small "icing on the cake" type improvement by the Intona when also using the SU-1.  
 
 
Quote:

  Do you mean to say the Intona or the SU-1 is on a higher level?

 

[DecentLevi]

Well then it looks like the Intona USB component is more suited for other DAC's that accept mainly USB input, as it is only a USB-to-USB signal cleaner; and otherwise as you said it would only be "icing on the cake" if used with the Holo Audio Springs, seeing how its' USB input is its' weakpoint, meaning an Intona with the Holo Audio would likely necessitate double stacking it with the likes of another USB to I2S component such as the Singxer SU-1.
 
My SU-1 is due in tomorrow, for initial testing with my current DAC's anyway. Also Torq about said "USB nervosa" -  I just let you guys toy with that idea although I don't have it - but no problem. My USB implementation is quite good already, but the Wyrd + SU-1 concept was just another idea in the long exploratory journey of moving up the audio ladder

 

[WNBC]

I must say everything sounds good as is right now.  Not much nervosa on my end  I kind of just want to set it and forget it, but I will play around with the Intona later when the Spring is fully settled.  As a side note, my USB cable (B-side) is stuck in the Intona and I cannot remove it.  Maybe that's a sign not to remove it from the chain
 
 
Quote:

  Well then it looks like the Intona USB component is more suited for other DAC's that accept mainly USB input, as it is only a USB-to-USB signal cleaner; and otherwise as you said it would only be "icing on the cake" if used with the Holo Audio Springs, seeing how its' USB input is its' weakpoint, meaning an Intona with the Holo Audio would likely necessitate double stacking it with the likes of another USB to I2S component such as the Singxer SU-1.
 
My SU-1 is due in tomorrow, for initial testing with my current DAC's anyway. Also Torq about said "USB nervosa" -  I just let you guys toy with that idea although I don't have it - but no problem. My USB implementation is quite good already, but the Wyrd + SU-1 concept was just another idea in the long exploratory journey of moving up the audio ladder

 

[colour97]

got my spring. with jenson cap, silver transfomer and audionote transformer at aes upgrade.

 

[lukeap69]

got my spring. with jenson cap, silver transfomer and audionote transformer at aes upgrade.

Same specs as the 'Wild' edition?

 

[eschell27]

got my spring. with jenson cap, silver transfomer and audionote transformer at aes upgrade.

 
What is that sitting on top of the Spring?

 

[DecentLevi]

Today I got my Singxer SU-1 USB interface, and what a ride this has already been two hours in!! 

Excuse me for posting this on the Holo Audio Spring DAC thread, but the SU-1 are a pairing made for each other so thought you wouldn't mind. And just to clarity again, I've gotten this in anticipation of a future Holo Spring purchase, but am seeing what it can do for my current DACs in the meantime.
 
Initial listening impression from a cold first start with the SU-1 connected directly to my Mimby (Modi 2 multibit) DAC was that it sounded a little better than the Wyrd (Schiit Audio USB signal cleaner) into the Mimby. Slightly deeper into the scene and more organic... then... wait for it...
 
 +  + 
 
The floodgates of sonic bliss opened up when pairing the Wyrd with the SU-1! The configuration is:
laptop --> Wyrd via thick Pangea USB cable --> SU-1 --> Mimby DAC via RCA coax
 
With the above combination I am without a shadow of a doubt getting the most impressive / resolving sound I have ever gotten out of a home hi-fi setup!!! Absolutely riveting, totally engulfing and sensational!! This combination is mesmerisingly organic, snappy, flush with detail, dynamics that are proper and solid, weighty bass when called for and humongous soundstage.
 
Removing the SU-1 from the chain (Wyrd + Mimby) was like getting out of a warm, velvety lucid reality into a colder more sterile room that was much smaller and distant from reality... and mind you the Wyrd alone does a fantastic job at upping the fidelity. However it's no match at all for the Wyrd + SU-1 into my DAC, which is utterly lifelike and everything is totally engulfing and without a doubt as close to "the truth" of the recording I've ever heard with a setup at home.
 
Also it's worth noting the amp I have been using is a bit of a modern day marvel of an OTL tube amp called Elise from Feliks Audio; coupled with custom upgraded tubes (RCA 6080 powers + RCA 12AV7 drivers via adapter) and modded HD-650 headphones. This amp was surely doing a great deal of the 'heavy lifting', but with this configuration as my top of the hill after at least 100+ former tube combinations; the pairing shown to be the ultimate in linearity and transparency, I can assure you without any doubt how much of a difference the SU-1 makes, especially when fed with a USB signal cleaner the likes of the Wyrd.
 
Several weeks ago I also had the pleasure of trying the Holo Audio 3 DAC with several top flagship headphones (HEK v2, HD800, HD 650 and Focal Utopia via GSX MK2 amp), and also had done a critical A/B comparison and indeed the SU-1 USB interface made as large of an improvement on the Holo Audio DAC, as well as with my Mimby DAC. Not to mention I have yet to even try its' pairing with my Gustard X12 with native DSD via I2S, coax and AES connections I have - but with the way it has already performed with the above I'll have to admit being a little 'afraid' of how good this may sound... not to mention my future plan to try Wyrd + SU-1 + Holo Audio Spring (level not yet decided).
 
The above comparison was done with the already mentioned DAC components and headphones, using well mastered lossless files of various genres including rock, pop and electronic music via the bit perfect WASAPI drivers. Several A/B's were done to eliminate any traces of possible 'expectation bias', and the differences were clear and present. The Mimby + Wyrd sounded somewhat thin and artificial compared to with SU-1 in the mix, and the SU-1 + Mimby sounded fairly good but no match for the above three, which had the most organic and dynamic sound that was much "deeper into the scene" and with the biggest soundstage! 
 
It's amazing how much DAC's can 'scale' with USB components. Perhaps it shouldn't sound this much better, but to my ears, it most definitely does
 
PS - I was surprised at how solid and hefty the SU-1 is - somewhat heavy and built like a tank!

 

[colour97]

Same specs as the 'Wild' edition?

not include internal silver wiring.

i am still thinking to join focusrite club or usb club.

last night i went to retailer to audition my spring pairing with su-1.

with or without su-1 this is easy to hear the difference.

 

[sheldaze]

  The floodgates of sonic bliss opened up when pairing the Wyrd with the SU-1! The configuration is:
laptop --> Wyrd via thick Pangea USB cable --> SU-1 --> Mimby DAC via RCA coax

Interesting observation.
I would have assumed enough USB cleanup would be in the SU-1, so am looking forward to trying this.

 

[DecentLevi]

Frankly I think it's somewhat silly and ridiculous that the SU-1's internal USB isolater / enhancer is apparently lacking, as that's more/less it's whole purpose. But I must say I am so impressed with the Wyrd + SU-1 pairing that this is my end-game setup, as for pre-DAC components anyway. But at least the SU-1 works great directly into the Holo Audio Spring, and for those interested in further upping the fidelity, the likes of Wyrd, Gustard U12 and Intona are available to further isolate / improve the signal coming into the USB interface... and the Wyrd is still quite affordable
 

 

[BlakeT]

Thanks for taking the time to post your feedback DecentLevi.
 
Yes, in a "better" world, one would not need to resort to usb cleaner devices, external usb to spdif/AES/i2s converters, etc., much less the need to combine multiple cleaner products.  One would just use a usb cable directly to the DAC, but unfortunately, that will always be a sub-optimal setup.
 
IME, similar to your findings, combining these usb cleaner devices has always provided an improvement as compared to using just one usb cleaner device. Sometimes the improvements combining these devices are more subtle, sometimes more obvious.
 
I've been through 2 Standard Intona's, 2 Industrial Intonas, 2 Regens, 1 Wyrd Recovery, 2 Jitterbugs, 1 iUSB, multiple LPS powering devices and do find these devices very much worthwhile.  I also went into an obsessive usb to spdif converter period, buying, comparing and selling off various usb converters until I found my end game unit.  
 
Having said all that, if I could go back in a time machine, I would have held off on the above usb cleaner devices (but still using an external usb to spdif converter) and instead just wait and purchase the Sonore microRendu and Uptone Audio LPS-1 (the microRendu has a Regen incorporated into the unit).  
 
The improvements from the microRendu + LPS-1 exceeded the improvements from any combinations/stacking of the above-described cleaner devices by a significant margin.  The journey was fun though and eliminated my curiosity concerning these devices and I still use some of the cleaner devices in my office system.

 

[maxh22]

  Thanks for taking the time to post your feedback DecentLevi.
 
Yes, in a "better" world, one would not need to resort to usb cleaner devices, external usb to spdif/AES/i2s converters, etc., much less the need to combine multiple cleaner products.  One would just use a usb cable directly to the DAC, but unfortunately, that will always be a sub-optimal setup.
 
IME, similar to your findings, combining these usb cleaner devices has always provided an improvement as compared to using just one usb cleaner device. Sometimes the improvements combining these devices are more subtle, sometimes more obvious.
 
I've been through 2 Standard Intona's, 2 Industrial Intonas, 2 Regens, 1 Wyrd Recovery, 2 Jitterbugs, 1 iUSB, multiple LPS powering devices and do find these devices very much worthwhile.  I also went into an obsessive usb to spdif converter period, buying, comparing and selling off various usb converters until I found my end game unit.  
 
Having said all that, if I could go back in a time machine, I would have held off on the above usb cleaner devices (but still using an external usb to spdif converter) and instead just wait and purchase the Sonore microRendu and Uptone Audio LPS-1 (the microRendu has a Regen incorporated into the unit).  
 
The improvements from the microRendu + LPS-1 exceeded the improvements from any combinations/stacking of the above-described cleaner devices by a significant margin.  The journey was fun though and eliminated my curiosity concerning these devices and I still use some of the cleaner devices in my office system.

 
What usb to spidif converters have you used? Currently thinking about picking up the Ifi iLink and using it with a regen. What do you think will result in better SQ?
 
PC > Intona > Regen or
 
PC > Regen> Ifi iLink

 

[WNBC]

A couple months ago I wasn't thinking about going NAS, but might be worth it to switch over from my DAS.  Seems like the uRendu would be the last piece of the source journey.  Rendu > Spring > amp.  Anything upstream of the Rendu like a ifi u-iUSB3.0?    
 
 
Quote:

 
The improvements from the microRendu + LPS-1 exceeded the improvements from any combinations/stacking of the above-described cleaner devices by a significant margin.  The journey was fun though and eliminated my curiosity concerning these devices and I still use some of the cleaner devices in my office system.

 

[WNBC]

Do you think it was mainly to keep the cost of the SU-1 below a certain point or maybe Singxer conceded that others might be able to do it better, thus allowing other boxes like the Intona, U12, etc. to take the lead?  
 
USB > SU-1 > I2S > Holo is sounding as good or better than Coaxial > Holo.  Maybe it's my imagination and I always thought coaxial is king.  Could be that a higher end transport might be better than my transport, but I don't think I'll be spending more on CDs.
 
 
Quote:

  Frankly I think it's somewhat silly and ridiculous that the SU-1's internal USB isolater / enhancer is apparently lacking, as that's more/less it's whole purpose. But I must say I am so impressed with the Wyrd + SU-1 pairing that this is my end-game setup, as for pre-DAC components anyway. But at least the SU-1 works great directly into the Holo Audio Spring, and for those interested in further upping the fidelity, the likes of Wyrd, Gustard U12 and Intona are available to further isolate / improve the signal coming into the USB interface... and the Wyrd is still quite affordable.