[inthere]

   
You should be very impressed. Listening to my GS-X MK2 with the Level 3 Spring DAC and a 192kbps Louis Armstrong...Satchmo has never sounded better!

 
Very hard to imagine a listening setup that's much better personally, I heard Dave and it doesn't impress me more than this combo

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
Very hard to imagine a listening setup that's much better personally, I heard Dave and it doesn't impress me more than this combo

 
It is pretty spectacular sounding that's for sure!

 

[T Bone]

Here's something you don't see that often - a Spring running at a 352.8k sampling rate.  I was experimenting with a "DXD" encoded file and thought I'd share a pix.  
As expected this is only possible over an I²S connection as AES tops out at 192Khz.   

 

[yates7592]

And how does it sound?

 

[T Bone]

And how does it sound?

Amazing, naturally!  

  
I guess high bit-rates are commonplace for the HQ Player crowd.  I haven't gone down that route yet.  
Here's a link to the files if you'd like to try it yourself.

 

[Tboooe]

  Here's something you don't see that often - a Spring running at a 352.8k sampling rate.  I was experimenting with a "DXD" encoded file and thought I'd share a pix.  
As expected this is only possible over an I²S connection as AES tops out at 192Khz.   

Man!  That display on the Holo is HUUUUUGE.  I can see it all the way from Socal!  I have my display turned off so I dont even know what sample rate is playing most of the time.  Ignorance is bliss right?

 

[Superdad]

  Here's something you don't see that often - a Spring running at a 352.8k sampling rate.  I was experimenting with a "DXD" encoded file and thought I'd share a pix.  
As expected this is only possible over an I²S connection as AES tops out at 192Khz.   

 
 
It does both 352.8 and 384 fine via USB as well.  But certainly sounds better with the SU-1 via I2S (due in large part to the superior clocks). 

 

[bluesaint]

   
 
It does both 352.8 and 384 fine via USB as well.  But certainly sounds better with the SU-1 via I2S (due in large part to the superior clocks). 

btw, i'm assuming all the supposed USB performance issues mentioned can be fixed with the likes of IFI iUSB3.0 or Any other USB decrypiefier of sorts reclocks/regen the signal while filtering out any USB noise from the PC ports right?  Or is there a fundamental issue with the holo usb input?

 

[Superdad]

  btw, i'm assuming all the supposed USB performance issues mentioned can be fixed with the likes of IFI iUSB3.0 or Any other USB decrypiefier of sorts reclocks/regen the signal while filtering out any USB noise from the PC ports right?  Or is there a fundamental issue with the holo usb input?

Hi:
Leaving aside that you referred only to my competitors product and not our original which coined the term REGEN. 

 
Also leaving said that USB "noise" (other than on the VBUS) does not really exist and that the mechanism by which hub-chip-based "regenerators" improve SQ is by improving signal integrity (as see on a eye-pattern) and impedance match--thereby permitting the DAC's own USB input PHY to generate less ground plane and packet data noise inside the DAC (the sort of stuff that sails past even internal isolators and modulates the DAC master clock).
 
The answer to you question is yes and no.  Sorry.
 
What I mean is:  
While my personal Holo Spring Level 3 sounds great via USB--with a pre-production unit of our new ISO REGEN in front of it--it still sounds better driven by the IS2 output of the SU-1 (also with my ISO REGEN proto in front).
I attribute that to the world-class Crystek CCHD-575 audio master clocks in the SU-1, which--and this important here--fully become the master clocks for the Spring ONLY when the I2S connection is used.  (For AES/SPDIF, these same clocks get embedded into the data and then the DAC uses PLLs to extract and reclock that--and I think its cheap clocks get back in the action with that connection.)
 
So while the Spring's USB>I2S input board  is neither terrible nor special (just pretty standard XMOS), the SU-1 is a good piece with fantastic clocks--which are best utilized via the I2S connection.
 
Hope that makes sense.  

 

[bluesaint]

 
Hi:
Leaving aside that you referred only to my competitors product and not our original which coined the term REGEN. 

 
Also leaving said that USB "noise" (other than on the VBUS) does not really exist and that the mechanism by which hub-chip-based "regenerators" improve SQ is by improving signal integrity (as see on a eye-pattern) and impedance match--thereby permitting the DAC's own USB input PHY to generate less ground plane and packet data noise inside the DAC (the sort of stuff that sails past even internal isolators and modulates the DAC master clock).
 
The answer to you question is yes and no.  Sorry.
 
What I mean is:  
While my personal Holo Spring Level 3 sounds great via USB--with a pre-production unit of our new ISO REGEN in front of it--it still sounds better driven by the IS2 output of the SU-1 (also with my ISO REGEN proto in front).
I attribute that to the world-class Crystek CCHD-575 audio master clocks in the SU-1, which--and this important here--fully become the master clocks for the Spring ONLY when the I2S connection is used.  (For AES/SPDIF, these same clocks get embedded into the data and then the DAC uses PLLs to extract and reclock that--and I think its cheap clocks get back in the action with that connection.)
 
So while the Spring's USB>I2S input board  is neither terrible nor special (just pretty standard XMOS), the SU-1 is a good piece with fantastic clocks--which are best utilized via the I2S connection.
 
Hope that makes sense.  

Thanks that makes perfect sense, and I guess is why a few folks mentioned the clocks in the Holo is being targeted to be upgraded in apr/may on this thread.
 
ps. I've no idea what product(s) you represent, was simply quoting you based on your mentioning of USB performance, and because I own a IFI usb3 and had a schiit wyrd in the past.  So by no means to avoid mentioning ur products on purpose, but its because I simply don't know it.

 

[mscott58]

Hi:
Leaving aside that you referred only to my competitors product and not our original which coined the term REGEN. 

 
Also leaving said that USB "noise" (other than on the VBUS) does not really exist and that the mechanism by which hub-chip-based "regenerators" improve SQ is by improving signal integrity (as see on a eye-pattern) and impedance match--thereby permitting the DAC's own USB input PHY to generate less ground plane and packet data noise inside the DAC (the sort of stuff that sails past even internal isolators and modulates the DAC master clock).
 
The answer to you question is yes and no.  Sorry.
 
What I mean is:  
While my personal Holo Spring Level 3 sounds great via USB--with a pre-production unit of our new ISO REGEN in front of it--it still sounds better driven by the IS2 output of the SU-1 (also with my ISO REGEN proto in front).
I attribute that to the world-class Crystek CCHD-575 audio master clocks in the SU-1, which--and this important here--fully become the master clocks for the Spring ONLY when the I2S connection is used.  (For AES/SPDIF, these same clocks get embedded into the data and then the DAC uses PLLs to extract and reclock that--and I think its cheap clocks get back in the action with that connection.)
 
So while the Spring's USB>I2S input board  is neither terrible nor special (just pretty standard XMOS), the SU-1 is a good piece with fantastic clocks--which are best utilized via the I2S connection.
 
Hope that makes sense.  

 


Awesome explanation!

Have you any thoughts on the upgraded KTE version of the SU-1?

Cheers

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Here's something you don't see that often - a Spring running at a 352.8k sampling rate.  I was experimenting with a "DXD" encoded file and thought I'd share a pix.  
As expected this is only possible over an I²S connection as AES tops out at 192Khz.   

Hey, did you break into my place and listen to my rig while I was off at work today? 

 Throw in a KTE SU-1 in that photo and move the black GS-X Mk2 up on a rack over the L3 Spring DAC and we've got identical setups (well except for a Cavalli LL2 for my stat headphones just to the right). Very impressive setup! Listening to Chesky's "Jazz Side of the Moon" on DSD and loving what I'm hearing. This DAC is not only physically BIG, but sounds even BIGGER! Incredible detail, texturing and sound-staging!
 
Mine has vinyl artwork per the photo here with the impressive innards of DAC (option is available from KitsuneHIFI...I love the way it looks):

 
My GS-X Mk2 is just above (my CDP is just below) and my DAC-3HGC is right in the shot too (moving this to my work setup soon).

 

[T Bone]

  Hey, did you break into my place and listen to my rig while I was off at work today? 

 Throw in a KTE SU-1 in that photo and move the black GS-X Mk2 up on a rack over the L3 Spring DAC and we've got identical setups (well except for a Cavalli LL2 for my stat headphones just to the right). Very impressive setup! Listening to Chesky's "Jazz Side of the Moon" on DSD and loving what I'm hearing. This DAC is not only physically BIG, but sounds even BIGGER! Incredible detail, texturing and sound-staging!
 
Mine has vinyl artwork per the photo here with the impressive innards of DAC (option is available from KitsuneHIFI...I love the way it looks):

 
Nice setup!  I like the vinyl decals that Tim had made up - they're unique.  
 
I listened to the preview of Dark Side of Jazz at Chesky's site.  ...intriguing!  
 
I've been working out my Spring with "Jazz at the Pawnshop" in DSD.  It's a classic album with a lot of great performances - and I don't even really consider myself a Jazz person.  It's engaging because the SU-1/Spring/HeadAmp all come together to deliver a dynamic, lifelike performance.  

 
I've got some new HDMI cables to test out.  I'm going to being pulling my entire rig from its current living space so that I can try out a couple of "shorty" HDMIs. 

 

[Energy]

I've got some new HDMI cables to test out.  I'm going to being pulling my entire rig from its current living space so that I can try out a couple of "shorty" HDMIs. 

Glad it got to you safe and sound!
Hope you'll find a significant improvement in sound quality with the shorter cable versus your current 1.5 meter.

---

Is there currently anything better than the Crystek CCHD-575 that can be swapped?

 

[T Bone]

  Hey, did you break into my place and listen to my rig while I was off at work today? 

It wasn't a break in, it was more like an uninvited, impromptu listening session.
BTW - You need to restock the bar - the topshelf liquor is empty!