# HOLO Audio - Official Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Headphones\ **Created:** [January 22, 2021, 7:26pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325 "2021-01-22T19:26:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![GoldenSound](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/goldensound/32/41046_2.png) [@GoldenSound](https://forum.headphones.com/u/GoldenSound)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 8:41am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/413 "2022-07-26T08:41:12Z")
> [@Torq](#): > > Strictly speaking, just having the pre-amp in the signal chain means there will be some degradation, and it’ll be measurable, but it should be so far down below audibility as to not matter at all. Worth noting that this might not be true in the case of the spring 3 due to how the preamp inside it works. They’ve not given full details of course, but it _seems_ that instead of being attenuation done in/after the output stage, the preamp module is part of the DA converter itself. It’s actually altering the reference voltage fed to the resistor ladder, which then affects the amplitude of the converted result. It’s quite a clever way of doing it to be honest which could only be done in an R2R DAC. The preamp is technically BEFORE the signal path in a way. I don’t think there have been any direct measurements or subjective comparisons of a pre vs non-pre Spring 3 though so can’t know for certain whether performance is affected and in what way ---
**Author:** ![Essentials](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/essentials/32/28942_2.png) [@Essentials](https://forum.headphones.com/u/Essentials)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 9:50am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/414 "2022-07-26T09:50:18Z")
At what volume range did you run your Spring 3 KTE on most amps for your testing/listening? ---
**Author:** ![Torq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/torq/32/16384_2.png) [@Torq](https://forum.headphones.com/u/Torq)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 10:50am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/415 "2022-07-26T10:50:51Z")
> [@GoldenSound](#): > > It’s actually altering the reference voltage fed to the resistor ladder, which then affects the amplitude of the converted result. If that’s how they are implementing the pre-amp, that’s great. The Metrum Adagio does it that way. In which case, the only issue with where to set the output level would be in finding the optimum value for the amplifier it was feeding. ---
**Author:** ![GoldenSound](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/goldensound/32/41046_2.png) [@GoldenSound](https://forum.headphones.com/u/GoldenSound)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 1:10pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/416 "2022-07-26T13:10:03Z")
I set it to 94 as this is equivalent to the regular spring 3 output level without pre. I believe 92 is ‘normal’ line level (4V XLR 2V RCA) ---
**Author:** ![NordicDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ebca7d/32.png) [@NordicDave](https://forum.headphones.com/u/NordicDave)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 8:52pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/417 "2022-07-26T20:52:17Z")
I’ve had a variety of nice DAC’s and the Holo Spring 3 KTE is the by far the best so far. Really remarkable equipment for the money. The biggest variable now for me is quality of the software. The recording material is far more of a limitation than the hardware and especially this Spring 3 KTE. ---
**Author:** ![AceofSpades](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/aceofspades/32/19697_2.png) [@AceofSpades](https://forum.headphones.com/u/AceofSpades)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 1:07pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/418 "2022-10-02T13:07:07Z")
![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/3X/b/3/b3d61f698472d88e4025195814f22803b02b4762.jpeg) [https://www.instagram.com/p/CjKbjGZu078/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CjKbjGZu078/) ---
**Author:** ![chrisnyc75](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/chrisnyc75/32/41282_2.png) [@chrisnyc75](https://forum.headphones.com/u/chrisnyc75)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 10:26pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/419 "2022-10-02T22:26:50Z")
Has anyone been following Holo long enough to know their release history? I understand they’ve only been around for a few years, but notice they’ve released incremental upgrades to the Spring twice already while the May seems to still be the OG. Why would that be? It seems unlikely they’re making incremental upgrades to their mid-tier dac that they aren’t making to their flagship. Did the Spring come first and chronologically it’s been something like Spring 1 \> Spring 2 \> May \> Spring 3 (as a pared down version of the May)? ---
**Author:** ![Torq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/torq/32/16384_2.png) [@Torq](https://forum.headphones.com/u/Torq)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/420 "2022-10-02T22:47:06Z")
Rough release dates, from memory (so may be off by a month or two here and there): - Spring - August, 2016 - Spring II - January, 2019 - May - August, 2020 - Spring III - April, 2021 Time between the first Spring release and the 2nd is longer than the May has been available. And it’s harder to find meaningful upgrades the higher up the performance ladder you go (empirically speaking). So, not very surprising that it hasn’t been updated yet. The Spring III can be thought of as a trickle-down May, with the biggest differences being in the PSU and the fact the Spring III has **no on-board OS capability**. If you want OS replay via the Spring III it’s HQPlayer, PGGB, Roon, SoX, r8brain, an M-Scaler or some other oversampling tool. ---
**Author:** ![chrisnyc75](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/chrisnyc75/32/41282_2.png) [@chrisnyc75](https://forum.headphones.com/u/chrisnyc75)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2022, 10:56pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/421 "2022-10-02T22:56:55Z")
Perfect - that’s what I suspected, but I haven’t really followed them long enough to know if I was right. Thanks for the info. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AceofSpades](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/aceofspades/32/19697_2.png) [@AceofSpades](https://forum.headphones.com/u/AceofSpades)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 2:44am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/422 "2022-11-05T02:44:41Z")
she’s out in the wild… 🔥 🔥 🔥 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/3X/0/d/0ddddcc544870f64503d4acedfa1de3dc9ea7d84.jpeg) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/3X/c/4/c4fbfb0ecfc39fff0323f64ca292251b88ccfb13.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![GoldenSound](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/goldensound/32/41046_2.png) [@GoldenSound](https://forum.headphones.com/u/GoldenSound)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 6:10pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/423 "2022-11-05T18:10:43Z")
12 Watts @ 32 Ohm, full class A 👀 This is gonna murder my power bill but damn I can’t wait to hear it. The Serene was the best sounding headphone amp I’d heard behind only the HM1. If this basically sounds like Serene (or better) but with more power I’m hyped ---
**Author:** ![AceofSpades](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/aceofspades/32/19697_2.png) [@AceofSpades](https://forum.headphones.com/u/AceofSpades)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 6:52pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/424 "2022-11-06T18:52:38Z")
Interesting… I would imagine this will be a dramatic step up from the serene for hp amp stage and a downgrade on the pre. Soloist 3X GT, Volot, Niimbus US5. Mass kobo 394 ii, Vio V550, HM1, and this all have to be in running GOAT SS Hp amp: > **[OJI Special BDI-DC44B-R Tuned EX Limited 2 | eBay](https://www.ebay.com/itm/185443601298)** > > I want to see your happy face. I want to serve you. However, I learned that there are many people who need Japanese goods all over the world. I earlier, I was a white-collar worker in Japan. I deal mainly with Japanese fashion, audio, and books. Super excited to see your review of initial thoughts of the bliss. ---
**Author:** ![orrman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@orrman](https://forum.headphones.com/u/orrman)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 7:10pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/425 "2022-11-06T19:10:10Z")
> [@AceofSpades](#): > > Soloist 3X GT, Volot, Niimbus US5. Mass kobo 394 ii, Vio V550, HM1, and this Plus Enleum and Bakoon and maybe CFA3 (haven’t heard it personally but hear it’s up there) ---
**Author:** ![Lars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lars](https://forum.headphones.com/u/Lars)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/426 "2022-11-06T19:31:02Z")
Still enjoying that Enleum??? ---
**Author:** ![chrisnyc75](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/chrisnyc75/32/41282_2.png) [@chrisnyc75](https://forum.headphones.com/u/chrisnyc75)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/427 "2022-11-06T19:33:32Z")
I just added a Bliss + May to my cart to see what it would cost, just for argument’s sake. 😳 My wallet is going to HATE me next year. ---
**Author:** ![orrman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@orrman](https://forum.headphones.com/u/orrman)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2022, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/428 "2022-11-06T19:34:07Z")
Hey you! I sold it a few weeks ago, so miss it more than enjoy it these days lol but got some different gear I needed. Still my favorite solid state ever. ---
**Author:** ![headdy094920](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e7dd6/32.png) [@headdy094920](https://forum.headphones.com/u/headdy094920)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 11:45am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/429 "2022-11-07T11:45:14Z")
R2R relay volume control? Any info on output impedance specs? Is it 4.4mm balance output on front left ? ---
**Author:** ![GoldenSound](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/goldensound/32/41046_2.png) [@GoldenSound](https://forum.headphones.com/u/GoldenSound)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 12:42pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/430 "2022-11-07T12:42:38Z")
It’s relay controlled attenuator volume, using resistors, though ‘R2R’ is a DAC topology not used for preamps. No info on output impedance specs other than that it has a configurable high or low output impedance setting. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/3X/9/2/923bc5b2ee689549c5c11b781b642b893fc02fcd.jpeg) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/3X/8/0/801f42244d545983ab7efa85a908d3b9175ed912.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![headdy094920](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e7dd6/32.png) [@headdy094920](https://forum.headphones.com/u/headdy094920)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 12:57pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/431 "2022-11-07T12:57:50Z")
Not sure why they include 2 different output impedances. For a small portable product I can understand. For a desktop/hifi rack product, just have lowest output impedance possible - single option. ---
**Author:** ![GoldenSound](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/goldensound/32/41046_2.png) [@GoldenSound](https://forum.headphones.com/u/GoldenSound)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2022, 1:09pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325/432 "2022-11-07T13:09:25Z")
Because its a nice feature to have. Many people enjoy the effect that higher output impedances can have with dynamic driver headphones due to how it alters the frequency response Other products like the Singxer SA-1 and Cayin IHA6 have had similar options [Previous page](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325.md?page=20) [Next page](https://forum.headphones.com/t/holo-audio-official-thread/10325.md?page=22)