The 3 KTE version is very interesting. Wonder how close it’ll get to the May… Time will tell when we start seeing some reviews. Thanks for the drop info.
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That was exactly what I was wondering. I’ve kinda resigned myself to the fact that I’m going to get the May as my endgame. Even though it exceeds my arbitrary line I’ve drawn to not spend more than 3k on any one item. If this is say, 90-95% there, I think I might be satisfied. Certainly would be a lot less explaining to do to the Ms’s
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Yeah definitely, and I like the fact its just one chassis and not two. For my setup I like the smaller options, one reason I went with the tt2.
Just a better option for a desktop setup.
This could be a good option too.
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They must have really wanted an Independence Day drop - the manual isn’t ready. Do we know the return policy post 48 hours of ordering?
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Tim says it’s roughly 95% May performance. Of course, you should take it as a grain of salt coming from the one selling it to you. But who knows?
One advantage it has over the May is the optional pre-amp module which would definitely add some flexibility especially for 2-ch setups. The pre-amp btw uses an analog control instead of digital.
Via the website, it is not returnable past 48hrs because they labeled the Spring 3 as a “special order item.”
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Thanks. That doesn’t seem to be ideal from the customer’s perspective. I wonder if all Holo products are considered special order.
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Just wanted to add in that the cost right now can increase soon due to the increase in the cost of components. So, IF you want one it might be best to get it while it’s still at that price. It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.
From the website…
*these prices are introductory for very short time. We have tried keep prices low for as long as possible. however the usd has lost its value as well as and most importantly the cost if components has risen 30%! it is tonpir regret we are forced to increase our prices after this soft launch of this new product. multiple products will have their prices adjusted accordingly due to the major cost increases we have incurred. We truly thank all our customers who have help support our company and believed in our products. for us to continue to grow we must make this choice to increase our prices and ask our customers to please understand why this must be done. Thank you for this understanding.
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The gestalt I got from looking in to things was that the difference between the May and Spring 2 was greater than the difference between L1 and KTE within a product line. If this applies to the Spring 3 who knows.
If true that would be odd to have such little performance differences, might cannibalize May orders. However people thought the BF2 was close to the yggy, which I’ve been told by those who have heard both, isn’t really true.
Folks want cheaper to be just as good or close to the expensive variant, which might cloud perspective.
Either way that 5% difference might be a big deal depending upon the ears and system. I’m excited to hear the reviews. I know a few people who were waiting for this to drop.
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I wonder if there is a big sound quality difference between the different springs? It seems like the spring 1,2 and 3 are really just small modifications or revised versions and less of a big step up in overall sound quality.
It seems like the spring and May have very big differences and upgrades almost like comparing the mogwai to the nautilus. Everything is bigger and most isolated given each stage it’s own area to breath in circuitry.
Nautilus getting a power transformer for each channel similar to the May isolating the power supply to its own chassis.
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As audiophiles don’t we all try to get that last 10 to 15 percent in sound quality? I’ve really tried to dial things in for the last few years painstakingly and if the May can add 5 to 15 on top of the spring I feel that it fulfills its purpose as their reference Dac because where I’m sitting the spring1 I have is pure bliss and am very intrigued how anything could get a step above this.
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Im interested to see how big a difference Spring3 To May is. I think it hard to tell without having both but if its 10-15% that seems like a huge jump.
I am also curious, I would say the Spring 3 KTE is worth just for the USB module alone that it shares with the May
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Agreed. Right now it’s all we know that has trickled down from the May.
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Most of the time, up to wallet limits–you bet we do.
I have a DAC story that pertains. It’s not a HOLO story, but it’s thematically connected. I fell in love w/NOS sound 3-4 years ago, and in 2019 decided to up my game to an MHDT Labs Orchid. I considered one of the Spring DACs, but none of them fit my small space, so it was the Orchid.
When I installed it in place of the previous DAC, a solid but but unexceptional multibit (Audio GD DAC-19), I didn’t hear any noteworthy difference. Not surprising, given that I first heard the Orchid cold; burn-in takes time; then I rolled 2 successive NOS tubes in the DAC’s output buffer, each of which improved the sound slightly. The Orchid always sounded nice, but I really couldn’t compare it to the DAC-19.
Recently the Orchid needed minor repair, which was done quickly & inexpensively by the U.S. dealer. While it was out, I put the DAC-19 back in the system. It sounded fine. Then the Orchid came back; I put it in the system in place of the DAC-19, turned it on, and whammo–there it was. Exactly the ~10% better sound I planned for when buying the Orchid…I was finally able to fully hear it.
Differences between DACs tend to be subtle. But when you really hear the differences–and they’re positive–you realize it was worth upgrading in the first place.
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I sometimes characterize things as 95% of sonic elements or performance, which are distinct from 95% of enjoyment. A 5% increase in presence of sonic elements or performance can yield a 20% increase in enjoyment.
This is related to my earlier question on whether future Spring 3 batches will still be considered special orders.
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According to the website, it’s the USB module and the PLL…
Spring3 PLL is nearly the same design as our flagship dac, the May.
Based on the info on the page it looks like they took the May and got rid of 1 out of the 2 DAC modules, got rid of the power supply, and added an optional pre-amp. All other things look pretty similar.
I do not have an answer for you there…
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Ahh, very good, missed that. They have a lot of text to sort through on those DAC pages.
Kind of wonder if its really just a stripped down May now. Just not doing the dual mono thing and maybe a few other things here and there. Id still go May.
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You can say that about any spring whether it’s the 1,2 or 3. They all are stripped down versions of the May.
@dncnexus i combined my headphone setup into my 2 ch. and don’t use the usb input anymore so I think I’ll stick with my spring1.
If there was a lot more different I would expect them highlighting it a lot as it would be a great advertisement. I remember talking to kitsune about my usb and they said there were two different versions of it in the spring1 and the latest one had the same one as the May. I opened mine up and found I had the latest one and was stoked. I wonder if the May has had upgrades in the usb too? And that is the trickle down to the spring3 where the early May usb previously trickled down to the spring1(last productions) and spring2?
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Man 5% or 10% would that be even audible?
Is the power supply separate like the may?
Is that not off the bat going to tank the performance? If it isn’t.
If you never heard the may on your system/setup than this unit will be 100% equivalent.
On the second note, if you bought the May you probably won’t be buying this as it is “better”.
Tim is from Kitsune? Well the spring 3 kte is 5% different than the may lvl 1??? I mean there’s three versions of each
Is the level 1 spring and may 5 or X% different? Is it uniform by level?
I’m only asking these questions to give the consumer proper consideration and yet as mentioned you probably will never know without legit A/B testing for yourself.
Might as well just ask Zeos 
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I never thought about that but I totally agree, I am curious how the different levels of each compare. How big of a difference is the Spring 3 L1 compare to Spring 3 KTE and how does Spring 3 KTE compare to the May L1 or L2 or KTE? It is a bit convoluted and who really knows how wide or small a margin is in terms of performance not only between Spring 3 versions, but those each version with the May different versions.
Really interested things to think about, and probably is too hard to ever get a definitive answer tbh.
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Happy cake day @dncnexus! Team blue!
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