[T Bone]

I'm curious how Singxer SU-1 sounds compared to Holo Spring Audio DAC USB input

Thanks to @bimmer100, I will soon have a Singxer SU-1 to evaluate and will be able to compare USB to I2S performance
 

I'm reluctant to jump coz Singxer cannot do DSD512 natively via HQPlayer without Windows certified Thesycon ASIO USB driver. It can only do up to DSD256 via DoP.

I have a fair amount of SACD / DSD64 content in my library.  I have just a handful of DSD512 content - all just test/evaluation tracks.  Do you really have enough DSD512 content to hinge your purchasing decision on?  I love the really hi-resolution formats, but its kind of a novelty for me.  Native DSD support was a "must have" requirement for me and was a key factor in swaying me from a Schitt Yggdrasil to the Holo Spring DAC.  I don't know if native DSD512 support would sway from a Singxer SU-1 in light of its performance in just about every other criteria. 

 

[inthere]

So does delivery time from ordering reflect the 3 weeks time mentioned on the website?

 

[T Bone]

  So does delivery time from ordering reflect the 3 weeks time mentioned on the website?

Your best bet is to contact Tim @ Kitsune directly and see what their build pipeline looks like.  They have had issues with parts availability in the past and that has delayed orders before.  
I was pleasantly surprised to get my unit ahead of schedule.  

 

[Tboooe]

  I've been using the Holo Spring Audio R2R DAC for a while and was really impressed with the sound quality. I've wrote a short review and posted on the blog. Enjoy!
 
http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=245672.0
 
Cheer,
Guy

 
Thank you so much for the review.  The points you make about timbre really appeals to me.  I am pumped to get my Level 3 in a few weeks.

  Got my Singxer SU-1 today and hooked it up to the Holo Spring L3 and it's working first try! Thanks Tim for the instructions and links on the Kitsune site. More to come after listening and settling in for a while. Cheers 

 
I also have the SU-1. Are you using I2S connection to your L3?  What is your software playback?

 

[Benny-x]

 
I have a fair amount of SACD / DSD64 content in my library.  I have just a handful of DSD512 content - all just test/evaluation tracks.  Do you really have enough DSD512 content to hinge your purchasing decision on?  I love the really hi-resolution formats, but its kind of a novelty for me.  Native DSD support was a "must have" requirement for me and was a key factor in swaying me from a Schitt Yggdrasil to the Holo Spring DAC.  I don't know if native DSD512 support would sway from a Singxer SU-1 in light of its performance in just about every other criteria. 

guymrob can step in to correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe his mention of HQPlayer meant that he's doing the PCM or DSD whatever to DSD512 conversion that's been so hot in the forums since mid-summer 2016. With this, no one needs native DSD512 content or even DSD content, as HQPlayer and it's specialty algorithms are doing all the upsampling. 
 
So far the feedback on the jump to HQPlayer upsampled DSD512 has been pretty impressive from audio lovers of all walks, on the precious few DACs that can handle it. Something to think about and not your run of the mill, pointless upsampling. 

 

[mscott58]

  I also have the SU-1. Are you using I2S connection to your L3?  What is your software playback?

Yep, got the SU-1 specifically for the I2S connection to the L3. Using JRMC, and seems to be working well. Haven't gone about tweaking the settings yet though. Cheers 

 

[T Bone]

  I believe his mention of HQPlayer meant that he's doing the PCM or DSD whatever to DSD512 conversion

Ok - that would make sense then.  I'm not familiar with HQPlayer
Not sure why folks would want to do "software based" upsampling when the DAC in question offers a "hardware based" upsampling mode.  Do what 'ya like I guess - If it works him, rock on!  

 

[Torq]

  Ok - that would make sense then.  I'm not familiar with HQPlayer
Not sure why folks would want to do "software based" upsampling when the DAC in question offers a "hardware based" upsampling mode.  Do what 'ya like I guess - If it works him, rock on!  

The hardware up sampling on the Holo Spring is a bit primitive.  If I recall correctly it's a simple 4x implementation using CoTS silicon and when engaged it just sucks the life out of the music (for me).  
 
It's also just limited to on/off/DSD/PCM settings and doesn't have anything like the flexibility of HQPlayer.

 

[Benny-x]

  Ok - that would make sense then.  I'm not familiar with HQPlayer
Not sure why folks would want to do "software based" upsampling when the DAC in question offers a "hardware based" upsampling mode.  Do what 'ya like I guess - If it works him, rock on!  

HQPlayer is a specialty upsampling engine that has a lot of tweaks to dial in what you want as well as using highly advanced algorithms to output whatever format you want. It's basically state of the art and best of breed.
 
I'm not as familiar with it as I'd like to be, but the idea is to use a power house of a desktop processor to do a highly complex upsample on the computer, then feed the DAC a native bitstream where the DAC chip is only attenuating the output to the analogue outs. I haven't used it to be able to comment on it, but I think the idea is to let the DAC do the simple work it's supposed to do and let the workhorse, powerhouse PC do the complex work, then smile with the end result. At least, that's what a lot of the proponents say about it. 

 

[debjitg]

Are folks using the NOS mode and up-sampling everything to DSD512 in HQP when feeding the Holo ? What is the configuration that sounds best to your ears ? Is anybody using Daphile to up-sample instead of HQP ? In my setup I find Daphile to perform better up-sampling to DSD256.

 

[Tboooe]

  Are folks using the NOS mode and up-sampling everything to DSD512 in HQP when feeding the Holo ? What is the configuration that sounds best to your ears ? Is anybody using Daphile to up-sample instead of HQP ? In my setup I find Daphile to perform better up-sampling to DSD256.

That seems to be the consensus...use HQP to upsample or convert to whatever you desired then just run Spring in NOS mode.  I dont have my Spring yet but that is how i intend to do it too.  As I understand the Spring internal upsampling chip is nothing special so its best to avoid it.

 

[rafabro]

  Are folks using the NOS mode and up-sampling everything to DSD512 in HQP when feeding the Holo ? What is the configuration that sounds best to your ears ? Is anybody using Daphile to up-sample instead of HQP ? In my setup I find Daphile to perform better up-sampling to DSD256.

For me DSD64 sounds the best. DSD 128 & 256 sounds too soft.

 

[Superdad]

  Are folks using the NOS mode and up-sampling everything to DSD512 in HQP when feeding the Holo ? What is the configuration that sounds best to your ears ? Is anybody using Daphile to up-sample instead of HQP ? In my setup I find Daphile to perform better up-sampling to DSD256.

Even NOS mode fed PCM 384kHz sounds great (with filters courtesy of HQ Player or Audirvana+/iZotope).  And you don't have to feel compelled to do DSD256 or DSD512.  Such can take a lot of computing power and DSD512 on a machine that is not up to it does not sound as good as DSD256 or even 128 on a machine that handles such more easily.  Just IMHO. 

 
This DAC does need a LOT of time to begin to open up.  That is for certain.
 
--Alex C.

 

[T Bone]

  This DAC does need a LOT of time to begin to open up.  That is for certain.

Alex - can you elaborate on this a little more?  How long did it take for it to "open up" and what kind of changes did you notice? 

 

[Superdad]

  Alex - can you elaborate on this a little more?  How long did it take for it to "open up" and what kind of changes did you notice? 

Well honestly, I am still running it in and listening once in a while when I have time (which sadly is not that often--about once a week--just too busy!).  I am hoping it will gain more depth and air.  It is very well balanced and nicely dynamic.  But I am extremely spoiled by the discrete output stage of my 10+ year old Hovland/Swenson prototype PCM1704 DAC (there are 5 power supplies in this thing).
 

 
 
For a production DAC with terrific innovations (compensated R2R ladders, discrete DSD handling), beautiful chassis, flexible inputs (I2S, yay!), and a hard to believe great price, the HOLO Spring should be on everyone's short list.
Its USB input is just average, and that is all I have been using so far (but with some prototype advance USB "fixers"), so I do plan to feed it this year with I2S from a board with really good clocks.   Not that I encourage modding, but I do think the Spring screams for a serious clock upgrade.  Bet a pair of Crystek CCHD-575s would take it from great to out-of-this-world.