Should SBAF buy a Holo Spring 3 KTE for a loaner?

Discussion in 'Loaner Requests' started by rhythmdevils, Feb 2, 2022.

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Should SBAF buy a Holo Spring 3 KTE for a loaner?

  1. Yes

    44.4%
  2. No, save the money for something more interesting

    38.9%
  3. Steal the money and buy myself new dildos

    16.7%
  1. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    I'm thinking the same. In my recent audition, I got a chance to hear it with usb, Pi-based streamer, and proprietary streamer. None sounded excessively laid back. I even feel very resistive to use the term "sleepy". USB loss was too subtle for me to bother. I might be more motivated to use non-usb solutions if I go for Spring 2. But I am not a usb-nervosa type of person.. so should digress.

    This is actually consistent with my comparison. Great insight.

    To my ears, Spring 2 might be a little less aggressive than Spring 3. Neither was sleepier or less snappy than BF2 or Gungnir A1 by any means to my ears.

    Spring 2 sounded quite euphoric without giving up sheer technicality (My unhappiness with BF2 was initiated from the audition of Spr 2, which eventually ended up with breakup). Spring 3 added it healthy amount of analytic nuance, effortlessness, and some dryness by comparison. All done in harmonic ways. I confirmed this delta by hearing Spring 2 again after Spr3 audition (both happened within one month and with Stax downstream). Spring 3 sounded a little more matured and generalist-ish to me. Price aside I might take 3 over 2 because it's closer to what I'm looking after. Realistic costs factored in, my verdict will flip. TBH I like them both for what they are respectively.

    All these comparisons were from NOS mode + software upsamplers. I do have a preference toward slow-min phase + upsampler combo even in OS r2r dacs.

    PS. Mods please move my post to impression thread if it derails the thread too much.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2022
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I'd say screw this if we can't get a discount. Considering the overall positive exposure* SBAF has given these Holo DACs, I'd expect some accomodation to the community. Otherwise, f**k 'em. I don't want to deal with cheapskate vendors who aren't interested in supporting a community supportive of them, this going on for years now. Regardless, as always, I will remain fair if I ever get my hands on one.

    Your benenolvent (or malevolent depending upon your point of view) dictator has spoken. I've also downed two old-fashioned and three shots of straight bourbon, so pardon my 200% unfiltered candor.

    There are lots of other great DACs, amps, and headphones. Let's consider moving on.

    *No, not everyone agrees, but this is what makes SBAF special and more believable than most other audio press.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2022
  3. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I have emailed them many times. They at first were supportive, but then stopped responding I don't know why. I offered to buy one at their cost and pay for shipping, but no response.

    I'm personally more interested in hearing an Abyss, but they're much worse. Said people here didn't have good enough gear to properly evaluate their headphones. I still want to hear them though because orthos.

    We could do both used and not loose anything or support either company.
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Let's move on then, from both, unless we can find deals on the used market. Eventually more folks will be able to get their ears on them. It's an inevitability.
     
  5. crenca

    crenca Friend

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    Just a suggestion, but what about moving on to a Burl B2 bomber DAC? I recall A year or two ago purr1n made an effort on the used market that did not work out, but that company does not strike me as unsupportive - maybe they would work with us? I admit I wonder if I would rate it as I am a microdetail whore, but it is interesting from several different angles.

    Or, if we really want to stretch, what about the bottom end SE ver. wavedream (forget the name)? Too crazy?
     
  6. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    How about we buy a couple of pi2aes or better yet a group buy of their upcoming Mercury streamers. Fling it around for all the members to try and get away from usbwhatevers.
     
  7. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I just noticed that the stock cable on the Diana Phi is a mini jack! What's this about SBAF not having good enough gear? WTF

    We already did a Pi2AES loaner courtesy of @loadexfa with good results and I think we exhausted the desire for this.
     
  8. Pancakes

    Pancakes Friend

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    Our gear is so shitty it doesn't even accommodate mini jacks :( so sad...
     
  9. Pancakes

    Pancakes Friend

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    How about a Lokius or Loki Max? Conceptually I'm not into EQ but these ones are analog and have knobs that would be fun to play with.
     
  10. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    I'd suggest Ferrum Audio things. To be specific Oor (head amp) and Hypsos (power supplier). I believe there are fairly many people who are very interested in super quality SS. Looking at favorable reactions from Jexby and a few others, I'm having some hope. But still largely unknown in this forum. I'll definitely sign up once their tour is conducted.

    https://ferrum.audio/oor-hypsos/
     
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  11. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    I'm also interested in the Ferrum gear, thanks to jexby's positive posts here. The versatility - driving sensitive IEMs, dynamic driver headphones, and power-hungry orthos - is appealing, and it would be good to read impressions of how well the devices pair with different headphones.

    The Rosson Audio RAD-0 also looks interesting. I know a couple of people who like theirs. We had an aborted loaner tour a few years ago, and I see these headphones are on @rhythmdevils' master thread. There are also positive impressions here from Purr1n, and E_Schaaf worked with Rosson Audio at one point. Used prices are now south of $2k, although they're often in lurid, awful colors (not that it matters beyond limiting the re-sale opportunities, perhaps).
     
  12. ufospls2

    ufospls2 Friend

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    I believe the Ferrum gear is made by the same designers as Mytek, but I could be wrong.

    https://hem-e.com/

    The reason I mention this is due to the reception of things like the Mytek Stereo192 on this forum. I don't mean the Ferrum gear is necessarily bad however, It might be super awesome (I haven't heard it.)

    EDIT: This thread explains the relationship more. I didn't know there were problems between the two companies, posting for clarity.

    https://community.roonlabs.com/t/a-situation-with-mytek/148949/8

    "
    WARNING about HEM Sp. z o.o. (HEM Electronics) of Poland:
    HEM was the contract manufacturer and distributor of Mytek products in European Union. As of Nov 1 , 2020 Mytek stopped doing any business with HEM and discontinued all Mytek products that have been made by HEM. The leading reason were dubious business practices of Mr. Marcin Hamerla, owner of HEM , spanning the last 3 years, which resulted in complete loss of confidence and made any future collaboration impossible.

    They include breach of contract, theft and illegal appropriation of Mytek intellectual property, illegal registration of Mytek trademark under HEM ownership in EU without Mytek permission, and concealment of financial transactions and business communications. It also includes a registration of a FAKE Mytek website (which is 1:1 copy of Mytek older website), now owned by Mr. Marcin Hamerla which appears to have been setup in attempt to sell counterfeit old Mytek products.

    Mytek considers all trade transaction of old Mytek products with HEM illegal, and any Mytek products made by HEM from now

    on, counterfeit.

    Mytek will use all legal means to defend Mytek brand and IP including restitution of damages against businesses and persons involved.

    Mytek has filed a number of legal action proceedings against Mr. Hamerla and HEM Sp. z. o.o.Mytek expects the legal matters with HEM to be resolved within next several months as the legal action runs its course.

    All new Mytek products are manufactured in the US and a new bigger ISO9001 factory in Poland Mytek setup in summer of 2020, which will also provide larger product output and improved product reliability.


    Michal Jurewicz, Mytek President and Founder, New York, January 15, 2021
    "
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2022
  13. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    f**k you all for making this complicated I’m buying dildos.
     
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  14. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Last edited: Feb 5, 2022
  15. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I just reached out to Rosson and Ferrum for demo units. I'll see how that goes before considering buying one. Thanks for the suggestions. Please don't forget my master loaner thread, where you can make suggestions for loaner gear like this. I don't know about everything out there.
     
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    Last edited: Feb 5, 2022
  16. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    I’d be happy to donate a couple of mercury’s to the loaner pool once we get production units in hand. Sometime in March it’s looking at this point.
     
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  17. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Talk to @ogodei and his librarian. Apparently they have an arrangement. :oops:
     
  18. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    That would be amazing, and would be great if we could have one make the rounds up in Canada. I've already been window shopping, so will change my plans if this is something that may happen in the near future (heck, I would tentatively say mark me down as interested in purchasing the Canadian loaner at the end).
     
  19. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Strange timing, but Holo reached out to me last night. It turns out my gut instinct about them was right and they've just been really busy with more orders than they can handle. They've been trying to get a loaner for us this whole time (a few months). They've got a Spring 3 KTE in the states that has no preamp module that they are going to send me now for a loaner tour, I'm just going to pay for shipping costs. I don't think we need the preamp module and he said it sounds a bit better without it anyways. So it sounds perfect.

    He was very kind and supportive and really wanted to get us a demo this whole time. So please harbor no ill feelings toward the people at Holo, they are good people. Know that if you are buying a Holo DAC you're buying from good people who fully support SBAF.

    Yay!

    :punk:
     
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  20. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    Exit stage left....
    SBAF folks who get on the Spring 3 KTE loaner-

    1. please post questions in the Loaner thread, or send PMs to me or winders, etc with questions about this great DAC.

    2. Folks should START by using USB as the Spring 3 internal implementation is superb.
    I find zero need to use I2S or AES into Spring 3 KTE.

    3. Roon folks at minimum should try upsampling into the Spring 3 KTE.

    4. Don't be afraid of trying HQPlayer Desktop + Roon feeding Spring 3 KTE via USB.
    others on SBAF can easily share a HQP Prefs file, with settings and/or recommendations.

    5. With this being DAC worthy of HQP tweaks, would recommend the loaner period allow for +2 days over normal for people to not feel rushed. and Day 1 is "Free" for warm up. ;)
     
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