[Level5]

thanks for your impressions. could you elaborate on how the cyan pairs well with the utopia?

Like I mentioned in my previous post, the Cyan pairs very well with narrow soundstage headphones specially the Utopia due to its Holo's NOS 3d holographic effect. It just adds a feeling of space, air and ambiance that an average dac wont provide making for a pleasing listen.

The Cyan is not the most analytical DAC but when paired with a analytical headphone like the Utopia or an HD800, I found it to be a good perfect balance. It just adds a hint of sweetness, bass and natural pleasing tone that is perfect for the Utopia.

Cyan also has great control of sibilance making for a fatigue free listening experience in a way that you can only get if paired with a tube amp. I sometimes prefer to listen on the Cyan than my tube amp for a cleaner yet tube like sound.

Resolution wise, it wont fully use the full potential of the Utopia and that's when I feel the RME ADI-2 DAC comes in, but you'll sacrifice the Holo's NOS sounds for better transparency/layering and resolution.

I had no issues using the built in amp of the Cyan with the Utopia. I didnt feel like its handicapping it unlike the built in amp of the Soekris 1541, so no need for a discreet amp IMO.

 

[up late]

thanks for that. it looks promising. have you used it via a usb connection at all and if so, how does it perform?

 

[Collusion[FIN]]

Resolution wise, it wont fully use the full potential of the Utopia and that's when I feel the RME ADI-2 DAC comes in, but you'll sacrifice the Holo's NOS sounds for better transparency/layering and resolution.

Very interesting comparison! I too did own the Soekris dac1541 and found out it to be perhaps a tad too analytical and forward-sounding for my tastes. How would you rank the RME ADI-2, in terms of musicality/sweetness, compared to the Soekris?

 

[Lappy27]

Like I mentioned in my previous post, the Cyan pairs very well with narrow soundstage headphones specially the Utopia due to its Holo's NOS 3d holographic effect. It just adds a feeling of space, air and ambiance that an average dac wont provide making for a pleasing listen.

The Cyan is not the most analytical DAC but when paired with a analytical headphone like the Utopia or an HD800, I found it to be a good perfect balance. It just adds a hint of sweetness, bass and natural pleasing tone that is perfect for the Utopia.

Cyan also has great control of sibilance making for a fatigue free listening experience in a way that you can only get if paired with a tube amp. I sometimes prefer to listen on the Cyan than my tube amp for a cleaner yet tube like sound.

Resolution wise, it wont fully use the full potential of the Utopia and that's when I feel the RME ADI-2 DAC comes in, but you'll sacrifice the Holo's NOS sounds for better transparency/layering and resolution.

I had no issues using the built in amp of the Cyan with the Utopia. I didnt feel like its handicapping it unlike the built in amp of the Soekris 1541, so no need for a discreet amp IMO.

I have the Utopia and I'm looking to the Holo Cyan to replace my Audio gd Reference 10.32 (HDMI I2S modded) that I find a bit edgy with the Utopia. I tend to listen fairly loud. Is the Cyan easy drive the Utopia?

 

[Level5]

thanks for that. it looks promising. have you used it via a usb connection at all and if so, how does it perform?

Haven't really had any issues with it, but I'm looking to try the I2s soon just to see if there's a difference.

 

[Level5]

Very interesting comparison! I too did own the Soekris dac1541 and found out it to be perhaps a tad too analytical and forward-sounding for my tastes. How would you rank the RME ADI-2, in terms of musicality/sweetness, compared to the Soekris?

Its not really musical but not as dry either like the analytical 1541. What you get is a clean, neutral and reference type of sound sig and the ability to tweak it with either EQ or the DA filters. I personally use either Slow/Sharp or Sharp filter. The soundstage is not as wide however and not exaggerated.

The thing the impressed me right away its ability to resolve and utilize the full technicalities of my Utopia that I haven't heard before in a way that I'm not really thrown off by its analytical nature.

Again, I'm still waiting for my replacement DAC ver. and I feel like I haven't really evaluate it enough to give a thorough impression on it but I'll say it impressed the heck out of me out more than the 1541 or the Cyan.

 

[Level5]

I have the Utopia and I'm looking to the Holo Cyan to replace my Audio gd Reference 10.32 (HDMI I2S modded) that I find a bit edgy with the Utopia. I tend to listen fairly loud. Is the Cyan easy drive the Utopia?

Audio gd is known to be glarey and shouty with their non-r2r line up. I still have a nfb28.38 dac/amp that I permanently use as a headamp and there's no going back after using the R2R Cyan!

I listen pretty loud as well but I use all my headphones on balanced and I'm usually around mid 60s out of 100 on the volume pot. Utopia is not that really that hard to drive and you have option to switch to LO or HI gain on SE.

 

[up late]

Haven't really had any issues with it, but I'm looking to try the I2s soon just to see if there's a difference.

Good to know. Thanks again.

 

[Lappy27]

Audio gd is known to be glarey and shouty with their non-r2r line up. I still have a nfb28.38 dac/amp that I permanently use as a headamp and there's no going back after using the R2R Cyan!

I listen pretty loud as well but I use all my headphones on balanced and I'm usually around mid 60s out of 100 on the volume pot. Utopia is not that really that hard to drive and you have option to switch to LO or HI gain on SE.

Thanks. My Audio gd is R-2R (PCM 1704) in NOS mode and my cable is terminated with balanced 4 pins XLR. My source is the Mano Streamer link with HDMI I2S to the Audio gd. I do like the fact that the Cyan amp seems to have tubey sound. That should paired very well with the Utopia.

 

[Level5]

Just wanted to update that my Cyan is in the process of being rma by Kitsune. Using the built in amp, the left channel is only audible with excessive distortion and the right channel is dead, but with balanced/rca out both channel works but left channel still had some distortion.

 

[up late]

that's disappointing news

 

[Level5]

Pretty disappointed on how Holo Audio USA aka KitsuneHifi aka Jeff Zhu is handing my warranty/rma issues. A week gone by and I've yet to hear back from them. Also curious why its taking them so long to make more Cyan...

 

[doraymon]

Edited the title of the thread to adapt it to what it has become.

 

[doraymon]

Pretty disappointed on how Holo Audio USA aka KitsuneHifi aka Jeff Zhu is handing my warranty/rma issues. A week gone by and I've yet to hear back from them. Also curious why its taking them so long to make more Cyan...

Have you emailed Tim?
He is always submerged by emails and work but it never occured to me that if I clearly indicated some kind of urgency he didn't reply within hours!

 

[Level5]

Have you emailed Tim?
He is always submerged by emails and work but it never occured to me that if I clearly indicated some kind of urgency he didn't reply within hours!

EDIT: Nevermind, its now resolved.

Looks like there's some manufacturing issues and I'm shipping my defective Cyan back to Jeff Zhu to diagnose it further. I accepted an exchange for a Spring L1 instead since it looks like its going to take awhile.