[Tboooe]

Subscribed. Was going to get a Yggy but wanted a dac that could also do DSD since i upsample everything with HQ Player. Curious, what hdmi cables are people using?

 

[Stillhart]

I can't quite let go of my Spring Holo DAC Level 3 just yet. Needs 300 hours burn-in.

Perhaps Kitsune could get you one for your shootout. I too would love a compairison between HoloDac and Yggy. I was looking at the Menuet also.

 
I've contacted Kitsune so we'll see.  The Menuet will come my way for review, they only question is whether it'll be here at the same time as the Holo (if I get one  lol).
 

  That would be fantastic, especially when you include some 'non-Yggi' DACs. It looks as if the Yggi is the reference DAC to compare everything else to. I'd be particularly interested in the Metrum comparison, as Metrum has built quite a reputation over here in Europe. BTW, isn't the 2Qute a Delta Sigma DAC? Anyway, I'd be vastly interested!

 
The Chord stuff all uses custom FPGA chips, which I've been told aren't D-S.  *shrug* 

 

[biosailor]

   
I've contacted Kitsune so we'll see.  The Menuet will come my way for review, they only question is whether it'll be here at the same time as the Holo (if I get one  lol).
 
 
The Chord stuff all uses custom FPGA chips, which I've been told aren't D-S.  *shrug* 

As far as I know, FPGAs are used basically for filtering of the converted signal. I was under the impression that the conversion chip and the FPGA are different entities. The FPGA can be used for upgrading new firmware to shape the filtering process. Maybe the DAC techie guys can enlighten me?

 

[lukeap69]

IIRC in one of Chords thread, Rob mentioned his DACs are delta sigma.

 

[x RELIC x]

/OT

Spoiler: Waaaay off topic

The FPGA is used for the WTA filter (Watts Transient Aligned filter) among other tasks in the Chord DACs. That's where you find those loooong TAP length filters and excellent transient response algorithms. The actual digital to analogue conversion is done with the Pulse Array DAC (Rob Watts' DAC he invented some time ago, before the Hugo) which is different from traditional DS DACs. The Chord DACs are at their core principle DS, but they are taken to a degree no other DS design has gone before and they correct for many of the shortcomings of DS DACs. The theory of DS is a good one, but most implementations are mostly half-assed with cheap chips, yes, even Wolfson, ESS, AKM, etc., are inexpensive chips with far less processing capability.

I love me some good R2R so don't think I'm a DS fanboi. However, after reading threads like the DAVE thread it's quite obvious that Rob has taken his (theoretically DS) design to the Nth degree. In that sense it isn't like any other DS chip (or PWM DAC) out there. Quite different.

Apologies for posting this in the Holo Spring R2R thread, which looks like an amazing DAC by the way, but since there are some questions about it these links can provide some answers and hopefully help prevent this thread de-railing further from speculations about Rob's DACs. Rob talks a lot about his tech so the posts may be long winded.

Spoiler: Links to info from Rob on his DACs

http://www.head-fi.org/t/800264/watts-up/120#post_12586725

http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/735#post_12097191

http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/1965#post_12395944

http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/2685#post_12534363

bimmer100, if you think this post is inappropriate in the Holo thread I will edit it. Let's get back to the Holo Spring R2R DAC!!!

/OT

This Holo DAC looks very interesting.

 

[kazcou]

From what I understand : a FPGA is a programmable processor, and you can use it as well as the main processor in a R2R DAC or a Delta Sigma DAC.
If you do a search on the net you can see several projets using a FPGA as decoder in a R2R DAC or a Delta Sigma DAC.

 

[biosailor]

/OT
 

Spoiler: Waaaay off topic

The FPGA is used for the WTA filter (Watts Transient Aligned filter) among other tasks in the Chord DACs. That's where you find those loooong TAP length filters and excellent transient response algorithms. The actual digital to analogue conversion is done with the Pulse Array DAC (Rob Watts' DAC he invented some time ago, before the Hugo) which is different from traditional DS DACs. The Chord DACs are at their core principle DS, but they are taken to a degree no other DS design has gone before and they correct for many of the shortcomings of DS DACs. The theory of DS is a good one, but most implementations are mostly half-assed with cheap chips, yes, even Wolfson, ESS, AKM, etc., are inexpensive chips with far less processing capability.

I love me some good R2R so don't think I'm a DS fanboi. However, after reading threads like the DAVE thread it's quite obvious that Rob has taken his (theoretically DS) design to the Nth degree. In that sense it isn't like any other DS chip (or PWM DAC) out there. Quite different.

Apologies for posting this in the Holo Spring R2R thread, which looks like an amazing DAC by the way, but since there are some questions about it these links can provide some answers and hopefully help prevent this thread de-railing further from speculations about Rob's DACs. Rob talks a lot about his tech so the posts may be long winded.
 

Spoiler: Links to info from Rob on his DACs

http://www.head-fi.org/t/800264/watts-up/120#post_12586725

http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/735#post_12097191

http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/1965#post_12395944

http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/2685#post_12534363

@bimmer100, if you think this post is inappropriate in the Holo thread I will edit it. Let's get back to the Holo Spring R2R DAC!!!

/OT

This Holo DAC looks very interesting.

Thanks for your explanation! I am sorry if I went off-topic!

 

[biosailor]

  From what I understand : a FPGA is a programmable processor, and you can use it as well as the main processor in a R2R DAC or a Delta Sigma DAC.
If you do a search on the net you can see several projets using a FPGA as decoder in a R2R DAC or a Delta Sigma DAC.

Interesting! Thanks for your explanation!

 

[x RELIC x]

From what I understand : a FPGA is a programmable processor, and you can use it as well as the main processor in a R2R DAC or a Delta Sigma DAC.
If you do a search on the net you can see several projets using a FPGA as decoder in a R2R DAC or a Delta Sigma DAC.

Exactly. Field Programmable Gate Array - FPGA. It's a blank slate to mold to ones purpose, and they can pack some really heavy processing power. Use it for the filter in any DAC among many other things

 

[artur9]

  If I get a review unit in, I'll be comparing to the DAC-19, Yggy, 2Cute and possibly Metrum Menuet.  Might make a big shootout of non D-S DAC's...

That would be awesome.  Maybe make a comparison thread?

 

[ririeiman]

Soekries DAC OEM

 

[Stillhart]

  Soekries DAC OEM

 
Are you saying the Holo is based on the Soekris board?

 

[audiobill]

   
Are you saying the Holo is based on the Soekris board?

Looking at the circuit boards for each that does not appear to be the case. I believe the Soekris was just brought up as being a good candidate for any planned comparison.

 

[bimmer100]

   
Are you saying the Holo is based on the Soekris board?

 
 
The Soekris is NOT based on ANYTHING of the Holo Audio Spring DAC.
 
Jeff has commented on the architecture of the Soekris, and it's not a linear compensated dac.
 
 
 
And I have a dual mono Soekris dac project going on BTW. with quad parallel LT3042 psu's for each component/each board/ etc etc. and dediicated Otype transformers. I can't comment on it that much, but it's NOT something I sell, nor will I ever sell. So I guess I can mention it.  I do not plan on doing comparisons as I can't do such things as being MOT. 
 
But it's similarity is only that it's a discrete R2R dac. that's about it. 
 
Jeff Zhu has made some comments about many other dac's on the market and compared their architecture.
 
as the Soekris uses segmenting+R2R
 
the Holo Audio Spring is Linear compensated. 
 
very detailed descriptions are available online if you want to read more detail about it.
 
I think He just mentioned Soekris as a potential comparison. But don't confuse it as being in any relation or based on design.

 

[noro]

Looking forward to comparisons. Personally I would want to know how it compares against the cheapest Rockna