Holo Spring 3 KTE W/volume control

[mresseguie]

About six weeks ago I ordered the above DAC after gobs (yes - gobs) of online research and some listening. I wanted a solid state DAC with DSD capability because my other DACs are NOS DACs. I nearly purchased a Nuprime Evolution DAC, but ultimately decided on the R2R Spring 3.

The Spring 3 arrived one week ago (after languishing at the DHL PDX facility for 5 days with no explanation why). That was tremendously frustrating. It’s the first and only time I’ve had a bad experience with DHL. I managed to burn it in for ~100 hours with the optical connection from my CDT. I briefly listened at this point and could hear that it sounded pretty sweet, but still needed more burn in. Then, I switched to my iMac via USB, and learned firsthand that the 100 hours on optical didn’t necessarily burn in the USB components. I had read about this before, so it wasn’t a total surprise.

That’s as far as I got because I had to pack it up with plenty of padding to take to Taiwan with me. You’ll just have to wait for an update till I get settled into our home in Taiwan.

To be continued….

Michael   

[mresseguie]

2nd installment space

A little update: It's Thursday afternoon @ 2:38 in Taiwan - that's 10:38 pm on Wednesday on the West Coast. The Spring3 is connected and burning in again. I think it's up to about 140 hours now, but I'm not counting closely. Time at Kitsune Audio told me 200 hours is a good starting point, but that as many as 500 hours are needed for a complete burn in. This room's acoustics are far different from my home in Oregon, so it's going to take me a while to adjust my hearing from what I'd gotten very used to in Oregon.

[Nick B]

About six weeks ago I ordered the above DAC after gobs (yes - gobs) of online research and some listening. I wanted a solid state DAC with DSD capability because my other DACs are NOS DACs. I nearly purchased a Nuprime Evolution DAC, but ultimately decided on the R2R Spring 3.

The Spring 3 arrived one week ago (after languishing at the DHL PDX facility for 5 days with no explanation why). That was tremendously frustrating. It’s the first and only time I’ve had a bad experience with DHL. I managed to burn it in for ~100 hours with the optical connection from my CDT. I briefly listened at this point and could hear that it sounded pretty sweet, but still needed more burn in. Then, I switched to my iMac via USB, and learned firsthand that the 100 hours on optical didn’t necessarily burn in the USB components. I had read about this before, so it wasn’t a total surprise.

That’s as far as I got because I had to pack it up with plenty of padding to take to Taiwan with me. You’ll just have to wait for an update till I get settled into our home in Taiwan.

To be continued….

Michael

Ok,  congrats on on the new unit! I really do want to try DSD one of these days and upsampling too. I ve heard so many comments over the years that I’d just like to make up my own mind. I’m kicking back and enjoying the Border Patrol SEi nos dac…the one that measures crummy but sounds great 👍