Holo Audio Spring R2R DAC

[rocky500]

I am also considering to try SR Orange in my Spring 3 KTE, but was told that Holo fuse is very good too. It is audible difference? Can you please explain what sound benefit has Orange fuse comparing to the original Holo fuse?

They have just released a new SR Purple fuse. I think it is $40 US more.
https://www.synergisticresearch.com/fuses/purple-fuse/

Whoops, I just realised Larry Man has already mentioned this.

 

[LarsNL]

Hi koso,

Yes, in my setup the sonic differences between SR Orange fuse and Holo Audio Nano Red fuse are very audible. The fuses Holo Audio picked for their products are excellent as well, but i am very used to the sound from SR's Orange and this could due to my own preferences. If i am not mistaken, the fuses Holo Audio uses is made by Aucharm and the specs are very similar to this one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000463109849.html I am not a technical guy and only a music lover+an "audio hardware geek", so i am not in the position to comment on fuse performance, but these are my feedbacks. To me, one particular area SR Orange fuse stands out is the ability to reveal more opened sound field and at the same time to retrieve the instrument details and effects in the music background. I feel that the difference it creates is like someone removed a set of enclosed speaker grills from your 2-channel speakers (i use speakers more than using headphone by the way). I installed SR Orange fuses in my Mcintosh solid state Preamp, Power Amp and the Linear Power Supply for my JCAT XE cards, the incremental sonic improvement are very enjoyable. I was in the beginning skeptical about fuse replacement could alter the sound of hi-fi gears, until my friend lend me his SR Blue fuse to try on my own system. I was amazed by the sonic improvement and have decided to make extensive tests on audiophile fuses for the last 3 months. I had tried many brands include some of the best rated ones like Power House Zero, SR Oranges and the made-to-order Audio Magic Ultimate Premier Beeswax fuses. I ended up keeping SR Oranges because the overall most suitable sonic characteristics with my system. Both the Audio Magic's and Power House's are nice but too warm and different dynamic as SR's for my like. So in the end i sold those fuses in Canuck's Audio Mart. I came from Asia and there is a huge market for audiophile fuses there compare to West Coast Canada. Nevetheless, both Holo Audio Red Nano fuses and SR Orange fuses are nice tweaks for my Spring 3. Just a matter of personal preferences. But i encourge you to try on your own Holo Audio DACs or preamp. The results should be favorable.

By the way, Synergistic Research has an even better performing fuse called SR "Purple" from mid-October. I bought my fuses from here: https://highend-electronics.com/collections/accessories/fuses
There are many customer's reviews you can read from this site under each fuse listing. And the owner Alfred can give you better technical advises.

Cheers !

Hello everyone,
Happy to join this forum, since I just received the Spring 3 KTE from Magna Hifi today. Burn in time has started..... 3 hours and ticking
I have compared the Spring 3 KTE at Magna Hifi (I live in the Netherlands) against the May KTE, Audio GD R8 MK2 and my own Audio GD Reference 5.32 (modified) a few weeks ago. And yes, the May is better in pretty much every way, however, the Spring 3 fits my budget and setup (Wharfedale Elysian 2, Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 600).
Since I still have a SR Orange fuse laying around (from my now sold Cayin CS-55A), I would like to know what the ampere etc of the Holo Audio Red fuse is? SR Orange fuses are very good in my opinion.

 

[cj3209]

Hello everyone,
Happy to join this forum, since I just received the Spring 3 KTE from Magna Hifi today. Burn in time has started..... 3 hours and ticking
I have compared the Spring 3 KTE at Magna Hifi (I live in the Netherlands) against the May KTE, Audio GD R8 MK2 and my own Audio GD Reference 5.32 (modified) a few weeks ago. And yes, the May is better in pretty much every way, however, the Spring 3 fits my budget and setup (Wharfedale Elysian 2, Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 600).
Since I still have a SR Orange fuse laying around (from my now sold Cayin CS-55A), I would like to know what the ampere etc of the Holo Audio Red fuse is? SR Orange fuses are very good in my opinion.

The fuses are somewhat confusing: size (0.75" or 1.25"), blow time (slow or fast), and amps. Which ones are best for the Spring 3 KTE?

 

[KenMan85]

The fuses are somewhat confusing: size (0.75" or 1.25"), blow time (slow or fast), and amps. Which ones are best for the Spring 3 KTE?

fast blow so the fuses blows up if theirs n issue before the over current hits later down the circuit path.

always the smaller size in electronics like this.

i dont know which amperage the fuse in the spring is though.

 

[koso]

The fuses are somewhat confusing: size (0.75" or 1.25"), blow time (slow or fast), and amps. Which ones are best for the Spring 3 KTE?

Here is official fuse ratings for Holo Spring 3:

For Europe: 220-230V 50/60Hz - Fuse Type 2A Slow blow 5x20mm
For USA: 110-115V 50/60Hz - Fuse Type 4A Slow blow 5x20mm

 

[LarsNL]

Here is official fuse ratings for Holo Spring 3:

For Europe: 220-230V 50/60Hz - Fuse Type 2A Slow blow 5x20mm
For USA: 110-115V 50/60Hz - Fuse Type 4A Slow blow 5x20mm

Thanks a lot for the quick reply Koso. Too bad the one I have laying around is 4A.... good for US but not EU ....

 

[koso]

Thanks a lot for the quick reply Koso. Too bad the one I have laying around is 4A.... good for US but not EU ....

If you are going to use SR fuse Orange or Blue or whatever, slightly higher rating is recommended (just one step abowe, 2,5A in this case). This is recommendation from official SR dealer, SR fuses are extremely sensitive. 4A is too much though.

 

[LarsNL]

If you are going to use SR fuse Orange or Blue or whatever, slightly higher rating is recommended (just one step abowe, 2,5A in this case). This is recommendation from official SR dealer, SR fuses are extremely sensitive. 4A is too much though.

That is what the supplier in the Netherlands told me too, when I bought the Orange fuse for my Cayin CS-55A. Its original fuse is 3.15A (slow) and they recommended the 4A. Therefore I have the 4A laying around.

 

[LarsNL]

Just go an answer from Magna Hifi, they state that 4A is still ok. According to them, many people in the hifi world put a higher rating fuse (read thicker) as they think this will improve the SQ just a little bit more. Since I have the 4A already, and I have a IFI Power Station (filter) and in the Netherlands we hardly every have power surges or blackouts, I might go for the 4A. Would prefer 2,5A though.....

 

[Mkoll]

Are there some instructions/videos of fuse installation for the Spring 3? I don't have my Spring 3 yet and I've never installed a fuse before.

 

[LarsNL]

Are there some instructions/videos of fuse installation for the Spring 3? I don't have my Spring 3 yet and I've never installed a fuse before.

Just pull out the fuse holder next to the power cable connector. Put the SR Orange fuse in with the “S” marking at the bottom and the “R” marking at the top. Magna Hifi has confirmed that a4A SR orange fuse is fine. So I just put my 4A SR Orange fuse in the Spring 3 KTE. Even though the S3 KTE has only 24 hours on it, I can hear a small difference in the fuses. Orange beats red Will compare both fuses again after I have burned in the dac.

 

[Larry Man]

Are there some instructions/videos of fuse installation for the Spring 3? I don't have my Spring 3 yet and I've never installed a fuse before.

Hi Mkoll,

This link offers instructions of audio fuse fitting in 3 common senarios: https://www.russandrews.com/us/fitting-internal-fuses/

Or if you don't mind this video is in Chinese, the contents are easily understood anyway:


The above video also mentioned the fuse orientation during installation. Please keep in kind that audiophile grade fuses are directional. Both the Holo Audio Red Nano fuses and Synergistic Research (SR) Orange fuses engaged the same physics. The regular Shurter fuses or Shurter gold fuses in the Spring 3 Level 1 & 2 are not that matter of fuse orientations. If you decide to also use the SR Orange fuse, when you look at the fuse, the "S" letter should follow the "Live" end of the AC power inlet. This is same as the instructions provided by the SR factory as well. Some may argue that but you can always simply try flipping both directions and see which one gives you more "detailed" sounding.

Please be advised that make sure you disconnect the AC power before you perform the fuse replacement, and this action is at your own risk ... risk of being too addited to the hobby

Happy Listening !

 

[Larry Man]

Just pull out the fuse holder next to the power cable connector. Put the SR Orange fuse in with the “S” marking at the bottom and the “R” marking at the top. Magna Hifi has confirmed that a4A SR orange fuse is fine. So I just put my 4A SR Orange fuse in the Spring 3 KTE. Even though the S3 KTE has only 24 hours on it, I can hear a small difference in the fuses. Orange beats red Will compare both fuses again after I have burned in the dac.

I have now 100+ hours in for my Spring 3 KTE teaming up with SR Orange fuse, the "clarity & detail retrieval" are improved further daily. Both the Spring 3 and the Orange are truly amazing audio inventions !

 

[KenMan85]

I have no idea if I installed my fuse correctly but it's been in there a year now lol

I think I made the power flow from R than out towards the S.

 

[Mkoll]

Thanks for the tips.

Just got my Spring 3 KTE in and I just gotta say, wow! I've never heard my music sound so good, it's not even close. This is the first really high-end DAC I've owned with the ADI-2 and Bifrost 2 being the two best DACs I've had. They don't hold a candle to the Spring 3 in any respect. I'm already super-impressed with the sound out of the box with just the stock cables. Really looking forward to how it sounds as it burns in and after a few smaller upgrades. Not to mention the build quality which is really outstanding.

Chain is USB > Spring 3 KTE > GS-X mini > Stellia.