HOLO Audio Spring DAC: Affordable discrete R2R Multibit Dac, could be a winner.


Many manufacturers are going back to R2R Multibit d/a conversion, a good portion of audiophiles are saying it sounds better than the cheaper d/a conversion of Delta Sigma, (1 bit), Bitstream, Saber. etc.
And it says it uses dual R2R’s Multibits to support DSD natively!!? 

Product Description:This new DAC.”Spring” is the first design of a new era, a milestone for HOLO Audio’s own Jeff Zhu. It’s a full discrete R2R type of audio decoder and does not have off the shelf-DAC chip! This is a bespoke custom-designed core DAC module and truly a breakthrough with technology for any DAC chip today. The Spring is here to achieve new heights, new dynamics and simply a full spectrum of audio to please the aural senses. This Dac has been called the poor mans Total Dac / MSB / Wavedream / Chord Dave Etc. It plays with the big boys.

https://kitsunehifi.com/product/springdacbase/

Looks amazing inside for $1,700. Schiit Yaggi better watch out!!!!



Cheers George
128x128georgehifi

Yes you are right JWM but that’s all we have at the moment and are still good reading if understood.
Good analytical sound reviews without any "hocus pocus" are a bit thin on the ground as of yet, just need some more buyers to take the plunge to give those reviews without knowing what their buying.
I hear there are 2 of this Holo dacs at the RMAF show can anyone confirm this?

Cheers George
I'll be curious to hear listening test of this vs. the new Oppo designs coming out...
Does anyone know if the Spring will support MQA later ? Can it be done by firmware upgrade ?
I do not stream my music so I couldn't give a rats a-s about MQA. MQA another concoction supported by the magazines that is not going to go anywhere.
I'll have a chance to compare a Spring L3 to my Exogal Comet Plus, Benchmark DAC2, and maybe a Mytek Brooklyn, and possibly the latest Benchmark DAC 3 with the latest Sabre chip. Probably early December.
The Exogal Comet Plus has been garnering a lot of nice reviews. Will be interesting to read your comparison. Have fun comparing the DACs you mentioned.
The Exogal Comet Plus has been garnering a lot of nice reviews.
Yes this would be interesting as the Comet+ is a different conversion topology, as it's bitstream Delta Sigma (PCM4104) geared towards DSD.

With PCM (Redbook 16/44 or 24/96 or DXD) media it will be interesting to see which one wins out, my bet's on the Spring being R2R Mulitbit.

Cheers George 
The Ace up Exogal's sleeve is the companion amp to the Comet, Ion, which makes the combo a PowerDAC, early reviews are stellar. Expect some comments mid December.
Stripped down Spring with first ever tube output!
http://dastereo.ru/t/holo-audio-spring-dac-r2r-dsd512/2075/2976?u=dmitre

WTF!!! Can someone who can understand Russian, say what just happened to that dac, with all the drilling and whatever.

Cheers George
George,
I was wondering about the initial excitement about Holo and then things simply died down. I would be more interested to find how the Holo compares against Bryston BDA-3. And I am not interested technology-wise, but sound-wise.
I am not interested technology-wise, but sound-wise.
Lots of initial excitment over at SNA forums.
New Holo Audio Spring Dac - R2R and DSD
  • By rocky500, August 28, 2016, 492 replies, 23,055 views
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/topic/110550-new-holo-audio-spring-dac-r2r-and-dsd/


This shoot out between the $10kaud Metrum Pavane and the $2k Holo, both are R2R ladder Mutibit dacs, so it may not interest you, if you prefer Delta Sigma based dacs, which the Bryston is.
http://earphiles.org/index.php/2017/02/04/metrum-pavane-vs-holo-spring-dac/

Cheers George