[T Bone]

The main reason for me keeping the Holo Spring 3 over buying a Schiit Yggy is the NOS feature. 

I have quite a bit of DSD content in my library.  Although I have had very good experiences with other Schiit products, the Yggdrasil's lack of DSD support was a deal breaker for me.  (before someone suggests it, I am very familiar with converting DSD to PCM)  
I was particularly intrigued with the Holo's NATIVE support for DSD.  It's nice to not have the overhead of DSD-over-PCM (DoP).  
Having an entirely separate R2R network just for DSD was a real bonus.  I like the fact that the Spring does not convert DSD to PCM like most DACs.  

I didn't have any preconceived notions about non-oversampling performance.  I hadn't any prior experience with an NOS DAC.  I familiarized myself with the approach and then whipped out my credit card.  

 

[Tboooe]

@T Bone are you still have issues with clicks between DSD tracks?  I dont have this problem using HQP and Roon.

 

[oneguy]

I have the same click issue using a MacBook Air and Audirvana. I'll have to see if BitPerfect does the same thing.

 

[T Bone]

  @T Bone are you still have issues with clicks between DSD tracks?  

Yes, the click between tracks has never gone away. 
I haven't tried HQPlayer (I use JRiver)     I wish I understood WHY it clicks like that and how the playback software and device firmware work together (or conflict) to cause the noise.

 

[joseph69]

Using BitPerfect in NOS-PCM my MBP does the same thing (sometimes) as well as JRiver but only when switching sample rates, not between tracks. iTunes by itself doesn't have any pops/clicks, though.

 

[Robert McAdam]

I've always found clicks/pops are computer audio software related(also its interaction with PC hardware) and nothing to do with DAC's. 
 
I have had minor issues with mine(XXhighend earlier versions using PCM files) but all solved either by me or others contributing(software developer mainly). 

 

[Robert McAdam]

To get the best out of NOS Dac's one needs to run in NOS and oversample from the software. In fact Miska, HQplayer designer has recently shown a graph in CA from the Musette which he owns, that it only works accurately in this mode. 
 

 For example I have Metrum Musette which is NOS PCM ladder DAC. It certainly needs software upsampling to 352.8/384k input rates in order to have decent output quality. Otherwise it's performance is extremely poor.

Metrum Musette, 19k sine wave at 44.1k sampling rate:


vs the same source file upsampled to 384k rate:

 
The consenus is if you buy a NOS Dac you run it in NOS. 
 
Another NOS dac from Holland, the Phasure NOSa is designed to run with oversampling software XXhighend (PCM only) and upsamples to 768. All music is upsampled to 768 and run at this. It can, not upsample if desired.
 
Would be interesting if this is also the case for the Spring and to subject the Holo spring to the same test above as performed by Miska.

 

[Superdad]

  Would be interesting if this is the case with the Holo Spring.
 
It can take upsampling to 768 but no one has commented on the sound of this state yet.
 

 
Actually, the Holo Spring won't run at 768.  I have one and use it with HQ Player.  When I send 768 to it the display just shows dashes.

 

[Robert McAdam]

Thanks for that Superdad, what will it run to? Actually I see on the latest spec sheet 32/384 using USB or I2s. Interesting I'm sure on the original release spec sheet it said 32/768. This has been replaced with a new one.
 
I asked Ted_b about this and he suggested it could take 24/768 in NOS last year. He didn't try it at this rate, though in his review he did take it to: "16/44 upsampled (via HQplayer) to 24/352.8k (via I2S) as it renders a more accurate (to my ears) upper extension and a slightly tighter bass"
His most recent update says he has used it to 32/384.
 
 
Shame as I just lost interest if only goes to 384. Mind you few players do go to 768.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

What ever happened to the good ol 24/192 days? Now everyone was to get close to fcpga #s but keep it in nos??

 

[Robert McAdam]

Nothing a lot of DACs still run at 24/192 my Benchmark DAC2 included. But even running 16/44 files upsampled to 24/192 in the software(XXhighend) sounds better to my ears as it does with Ted_b's experience in the Spring review.
 
The Phasure NOSa DAC has been running 24/768 since July 2011 so its not a new idea. All who own these swear by the sound at 24/768.

 

[rudra]

So much for NOS if one is up sampling in software.  In the wild west of the internet hard to separate fact from marketing.

 

[Robert McAdam]

  In the wild west of the internet hard to separate fact from marketing

It sure is but over time you usually get the right answer or the one you are looking for. The internet is the greatest invention. I'm just watching and waiting the Holo is very new but it certainly has upped the stakes in DAC's and other Chinese are producing some interesting Dac's. In terms of pricing if they can get the sound much better its going to be devastating for US and European manufacturers. 

 

[gr8soundz]

Upsampling can work well as long as it doesn't increase noise. Just look at all the Chord dacs (Hugo, Mojo, Dave) which upsample to over 2000 times.
 
I've upsampled (transcoded) lower quality stuff as high as 22MHz (DSD512) with an iDSD Micro and Foobar2K. The music did sound smoother but I also heard the clicks and pops mentioned earlier.
 

 

[rudra]

  It sure is but over time you usually get the right answer or the one you are looking for. The internet is the greatest invention. I'm just watching and waiting the Holo is very new but it certainly has upped the stakes in DAC's and other Chinese are producing some interesting Dac's. In terms of pricing if they can get the sound much better its going to be devastating for US and European manufacturers. 

I will eventually get the answer I am looking for rather than what is right/correct. Saying that I have Denafrips on it ways. Going to dip my toe in the R2R world. Not fussed at this stage if it NOS/OS. over time I will end up trying a NOS R2R dac once they become more affordable(relative)