[joseph69]

I'm about to pull the trigger on the Spring L3, but i still have a few doubts though.
I understand its USB input is the worst of all in terms of SQ, too bad this is the one I'm going to use.

Where did you hear this? The USB isn't bad at all.

 

[doraymon]

Where did you hear this? The USB isn't bad at all.

In Another forum which I can't quote.
However the guy was stating that the USB input was the worst among the inputs of the Spring, not that it was bad in general.

 

[bflat]

I'm about to pull the trigger on the Spring L3, but i still have a few doubts though.
I understand its USB input is the worst of all in terms of SQ, too bad this is the one I'm going to use.
I just invested an arm and a leg on a SOtM trio (sMS-200ultra, tX-USBultra and sPS-500) to improve the USB signal being fed to the DAC.
Do you think this will work good with the Spring L3?
Or am I wasting my money?

Not necessarily. The Spring DAC has an I2S input and that is the recommended input. Unless you have a source with an I2S output, you will likely be converting USB to I2S. You can get an SU-1 from Kitsuni Hifi that does just that. The SU-1 only inputs USB, so your investment in USB signal integrity is still beneficial to your chain. I plan on adding a iFi iGalvanic to my SU-1.

 

[chaos215bar2]

In Another forum which I can't quote.
However the guy was stating that the USB input was the worst among the inputs of the Spring, not that it was bad in general.

Seriously, what's up with this one-sided feud of the audio forums? (I know it's not you, @doraymon.) It would be so much more informative to just be able to post a link so we could actually see the comments being referenced. Instead we have to guess. Because reasons.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I'm about to pull the trigger on the Spring L3, but i still have a few doubts though.
I understand its USB input is the worst of all in terms of SQ, too bad this is the one I'm going to use.
I just invested an arm and a leg on a SOtM trio (sMS-200ultra, tX-USBultra and sPS-500) to improve the USB signal being fed to the DAC.
Do you think this will work good with the Spring L3?
Or am I wasting my money?

I personally love it! The USB is very good (better than the Yggy to my ears; though I haven't heard Gen 5 yet for the USB implementation). I would still jump on a KTE SU-1 and use the i2S port to output from your computer. Really kicks things up a few notches too!

 

[AnakChan]

I'm getting my Holo Spring tonight (straight from HK with the upgrades that's akin to Kitsune's), and plan on using it with the iFI iUSB Micro 3.0. Would be keen on the SU-1 to go together too but it seems that the SU-1 also needs a PS upgrade - it never ends.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I'm getting my Holo Spring tonight (straight from HK with the upgrades that's akin to Kitsune's), and plan on using it with the iFI iUSB Micro 3.0. Would be keen on the SU-1 to go together too but it seems that the SU-1 also needs a PS upgrade - it never ends.

Congrats! I love this DAC and its the best R2R DAC I've heard. The KTE SU-1 has the PS upgrade, but I'm not sure if Tim ships to Japan (and does a 100V version)? But amen on the last comment..."it never ends"!

 

[doraymon]

Thanks for the replies, I will be getting the Spring first and will try without SU-1. I can't afford another $600+,i already spent $2500 in the SOtM USB chain (Network Player, USB decrapifier and linear PS).
I will leave the SU-1 as an upgrade path...
It never ends...

On another note, did anyone try the Spring with the Cavalli Liquid Carbon headphone amp?

 

[AnakChan]

Congrats! I love this DAC and its the best R2R DAC I've heard. The KTE SU-1 has the PS upgrade, but I'm not sure if Tim ships to Japan (and does a 100V version)? But amen on the last comment..."it never ends"!

The place in HK where I get the Holo Spring also has the SU-1 with the PS upgrade. I believe they have a similar variant of Kitsune's. Tim did ship to Japan before as another friend here got his HS/SU-1 package from Kitsune. However I thought I'd get closer to the source in HK.

So the HS I've got is also a Kitsune Level 3 variant - just with some different parts. This will replace my Invicta v1.0

 

[MacedonianHero]

The place in HK where I get the Holo Spring also has the SU-1 with the PS upgrade. I believe they have a similar variant of Kitsune's. Tim did ship to Japan before as another friend here got his HS/SU-1 package from Kitsune. However I thought I'd get closer to the source in HK.

So the HS I've got is also a Kitsune Level 3 variant - just with some different parts. This will replace my Invicta v1.0

Excellent! This is a brilliant DAC and when coupled with the SU-1, sounds very impressive! Please let us know what you think after you get it all setup.

 

[doraymon]

Order placed! 3.5 weeks to go...

 

[joseph69]

Congratulations, great move!

 

[doraymon]

Power cords ideas anyone?
Without going bankrupt?

 

[T Bone]

Power cords ideas anyone?
Without going bankrupt?

I like the Shunyata Venom power cords. I have them on all my headfi components. "Reasonably" priced by audiophile standards.

Audio Advisor sells the Pangea line of power cords. They're wallet friendly

 

[DSK]

I've also seen several people on various forums say they preferred the I2S input from the SU-1 over the USB input. In most cases the difference was described as small (though significant) and in most cases (but not all) they weren't using any "cleaning" on the USB path (eg. Regen, Intona etc). However, I have also seen a review by a respected member that tried the SU-1 via HDMI but actually preferred the USB input (and also preferred the SE output over the balanced output).

I have a Spring (Level 2) on the way which I will use in NOS mode, initially fed by my existing NAA setup ... an Aries femto (SBooster PSU with SR Black fuse, Curious USB cables, Intona Industrial isolator). The Aries is fed by a pair of optical media converters for ethernet isolation/cleaning and those converters are powered by super clean power supplies that are also plugged into a Thor C2 Smart Filter Duo 2 that plugs into a dedicated line.

I'm hoping I won't feel compelled to buy an SU-1 as I would really prefer not to add yet another box and signal cable between the NAA and DAC, as well as another power cable. In fact, I would really like to de-clutter!

Does anyone know of an NAA that has a high quality power supply, an HDMI output and handles DSD512 natively? ... Such a beast could replace my Aries and it's external power supply, as well as the 2 Curious USB cables and the Intona USB isolator, in one fell swoop.