The input array consists of AES, coax on both RCA and BNC, optical and USB with the addition of an HDMI socket for I2S connections. It means that there are no menu options to find with the relevant buttons on case and remote but that’s no hardship. The other appealing thing about it is that it’s a non oversampling (NOS) DAC, a feature that is rare among chip based DACs but optional, it’s an approach that many feel has an inherent musical advantage over those that use extensive oversampling. It means that the Spring 3 is a native DSD converter. Holo has managed to implement DSD conversion into the DAC with separate converters for PCM and DSD, another a rarity among DACs at this price where most convert DSD to PCM prior to making the change to analogue. Inside the black and copper anodised case lurks the discrete R2R or ladder DAC, a converter that is built out of separate components rather than a chip, an approach that gives the designer far more flexibility to tune it to his or her preference. It is available in standard line out form or with a fully discrete preamp module as an optional extra, this is not merely a volume control but a relay based gain stage that can add up to 6dB to the signal it sends output from single ended RCAs or genuinely balanced XLRs. The Spring 3 range of DACs are available in three levels with the Kitsune or KTE version representing the top of the tree, the Spring 3, Level 2 assessed here is the latest addition to the range.
Also number of Holo DACs share the casework seen on this model, the more ambitious examples being partnered with a second chassis presumably containing the power supply, this approach also helps to keep costs down. But before we look at performance it’s worth asking who Holo are, which is a small Chinese company headed by designer Jeff Zhu who partnered with KitsuneHiFi in the US and Magna Hifi in Europe who sell the products direct to end users, which is where some of the competitive pricing is achieved.
Happily not only is it true but the DAC delivers sound quality above expectations as well.
On paper this DAC looks too good to be true, nobody else makes a discrete ladder DAC with this sort of build quality for this price.
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