Holo Audio Red

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by RestoredSparda, Jan 27, 2023.

  1. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    My Red was quite fussy with how the Supra Ethernet cable was inserted. Even though it was latched, I sometimes needed to push on the cable for the Red to pick up the network. I don’t think it’s the cable’s fault since it didn’t occur with the WDNET…
     
  2. 5bs5vuiz4

    5bs5vuiz4 New

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    I don't think it goes green, does it? I don't remember how it behaves with RedOS, I've been running gentoo player for a while now... It definitely does blink with "hard disk" activity.
     
  3. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Anyone know how clean the USB out of the red is in streamer mode? I didn’t realize it could even do that. I have been thinking of buying a zen stream just so I can compare my Hydra z to my red aes outputs.

    I assume clean since it’s Holo.
     
  4. RestoredSparda

    RestoredSparda Friend

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    The Red USB out sounds really good to me feeding Unison to Yiggy A2. Best I've heard Unison sound, but I still prefer AES from Red.

    Other USB I've heard was the USB signature thing with a shanti power supply, Pi4 USB, gaming PC, intel NUC. So, obviously I haven't heard that many other really good USB sources so grain of salt and all.
     
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  5. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    You’ve heard the Allo Usbridge with Shsnti LPS? Any thoughts on red vs that? It’s also one I was considering to test the hydra. Thank you!
     
  6. RestoredSparda

    RestoredSparda Friend

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    Yep! I actually sold it pretty quick as it didn't impress me much. Didn't keep it long enough to form much of an opinion besides, meh.
     
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  7. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    You just saved me so much time and money. [​IMG]
     
  8. zottel

    zottel Friend

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    I didn’t even test the other options (coax and optical) to feed my DAC as they don’t provide the speed required for HQPlayer. :)

    Yes, it’s very clean, see @GoldenOne ’s measurements above. EDIT: Sorry, that was over in the Streamers thread: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...ion-impressions-etc.13161/page-12#post-438214

    On the subjective side, I much prefer it over the iFi Zen Stream I used before, really a lot better. The difference from a Pi4 with stock PSU is “night and day” style; it becomes a bit better with a powerbank as power source (which doesn’t have to be very clean, though, as I learned above) and with an iFi iSilencer+.

    Zen vs Pi tested with an SMSL D-6 which I had then to try DSD with HQPlayer. Red vs Zen tested with an iFi iDSD Neo. Both DACs probably aren’t well isolated on USB. I don’t use an external power source for the iDSD, though the difference between the provided iPower PSU and the Red powering the DAC via USB was so tiny that I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t pass a blind test.
     
    Last edited: Dec 23, 2024
  9. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    What happens when you use two REDs on the same Wifi network? does anyone know? Is the number at the end of the RED as it shows up in BubbleUPNP unique to each RED, so it would just show up as RED-with a different number afterwards?

    And how would accessing it online work if I currently just go to red.local?

    Someone in my house is considering a RED and I don't know how that will work.

    I also haven't seen many impressions of the RED in DDC mode, does anyone have any sound impressions when it's used that way? I think all I've read was "more aggressive than in streamer mode".

    Someone told me that both modes use the same components so it only sounds different in DDC mode depending on what it's plugged into.
     
  10. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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    I can't speak specifically to the Red, but if there's somewhere in the OS where you can change each Red's name I imagine it should work the same way as other UPnP devices: if you have multiple Reds with different names on your wifi network, each should show up in the control point app (Bubble in your case) with the corresponding name.

    Or if accessed via a browser, name1.local, name2.local, etc. Or if you know the IP address of each, using that is another option.
     
  11. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Yeah that's what I do with my Pi2AES, but there's no place in the red OS to change the name of the device.

    The numbers that show up in BubbleUPNP at the end of red are an IP address I believe, so maybe that's how we can access each red's os to change settings.

    I'm also concerned about the other person playing music on my red. With the Pi2AES there was a way they could setup BubbleUPNP to ignore my Pi2AES so they couldnt' accidentally play to it, not sure if I can do that with the red.
     
  12. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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    Well that's annoying. Not an ideal solution, but if the Red OS doesn't allow renaming you could use a different OS for the second Red so you could give it a different name. That might also allow you to 'hide' yours.
     
  13. decompositions

    decompositions Facebook Friend

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    maybe try using the official raspberry pi imager if you have a second sd card to test it with (not sure if it would break anything). I don't own a red to test if it works, but when you're flashing images it gives you customization options including setting a host name and you can load the redos image into it.
     
  14. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I'd like to embrace my sanity :eek: and try using noise nukes with the FMC converters I'm using with my RED. Does anyone know what the barrel size of these FMC converters is? Or am I better off with better FMC converters or the iFI FMC device? I already have 2 noise nuke here not in use, so it's not an investment aside from some DC cables. I'm not realliy inclined to invest a lot in this idea.

    But. I did read someone I trust say that adding an LPS to each FMC converter in front of his streamer was a significant improvement. Seems nutty but I trust the guy.

    Thanks!
     
  15. internethandle

    internethandle Almost "Made"

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    The 10GTeks use 2.5mm barrel connectors. I had to use these 2.1mm to 2.5mm adapters to get an LPS I had to work with one of them:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07YWQ9N5S?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

    Can’t tell you if it’s an improvement over SMPS because I never used the wall wart that came with the units.

    I use one of the 10GTeks with a TeraDak OCXO/LPS-modified FMC. The difference between two 10GTeks and adding in the TeraDak was minimal, if any - I’d just do an LPS or noise nuke and call it a day, if I were you.
     
  16. flaviuvlaicu

    flaviuvlaicu New

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    I am in dire need of some help if anyone can test this out and has the same setup. Holo Red with Yggdrasil LIM via AES/EBU has some issues when switching bitrate from 16bit 44kHz to 24bit 174kHz and 192kHz. Instea of the normal two times relay click, it makes for clicks at the beginning of the song and one more after a few seconds in the song. The issue is not present on USB. It is only on COAX and AES/EBU. I have tested with other cables with no luck. Previously I has a Wiim that did not have this issue over COAX but also the Holo Red also does not have this problem for example with MMB2.
    I saw a few people on youtube that have the same config of streamer and DAC but don't seem to respond to their comments. Since I am still in the return window of both Yggdrasil and Holo would like to find out somehow if the issue is with the Yggdrasil or Holo. The guys from Schiit have asked me to send it for repair, but since I am in Europe it would be a pain in the ass to send it in US, not to mention prices.
     
  17. flaviuvlaicu

    flaviuvlaicu New

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    @Azimuth I saw a few of your conversations, are you by any chance having the same setup? If yes, can you please help me out testing this scenario?
     
  18. joch

    joch Friend

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    Are you using RedOS? Not sure if other OSes have the same
     
  19. flaviuvlaicu

    flaviuvlaicu New

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    I tested with RedOS, Volumio, Ropieee etc. I has the same behavior on all. Also on Roon. I have tried every combination possible. On USB there is no issue. Also Bluesound streamer and Wiim have no issue with COAX. So it's either HoloRed ( defective unit ) or Yggdrasil defective input card or the worst scenario is incompatibility between the two :( .Since I like both I would have to use it on USB only.
     
  20. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I have not had any issues with my A2+. Odd that it is happening with coax and AES. It sounds like you are doing all the right troubleshooting with cables, etc. Just make sure you are trying different high-res files. Hopefully it is not a network issue.
     

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