[incredulousity]

New Spring 3 KTE owner here. Just hooked it up and it has me scratching my head about a few things.

First, I'm feeding it via a SoTM SMS200 Ultra Neo network streamer. The only output of the SoTM is USB. I'm running Roon on a M1 iMac and also running HQ Player 5.x on the same device. USB cable from SoTM to the Spring 3 is Audioquest Diamond. The Spring is replacing a Chord Hugo TT2 DAC.

The sound at PCM 352..8 is very good. That's not the issue. The issue is, if I change HQP to 768 the output is broken and stuttering. I expected more via the USB input. DSD at 48x128 works well but DSD 256 doesn't work at all. I set it at DSD512 and it rebooted the computer and the SoTM.

It's a used Spring 3, and I'm assuming it's working normally. Should I be seeing higher res output? The Hugo TT2 had no issues with PCM 768 via USB. Could this be a resource issue from my M1 iMac? OR..... ?

PS. I don't feel a complelling need to run above PCM 352.9 all that much. It's just a matter of expectation. I see folks running PCM 1,500 on these boards.

That’s a computer/HQP problem. Spring 3 KTE can take 1.5M PCM from HQP.

 

[Baci]

Remember SoTM only passes PCM 768 and DSD 512. Having said that with my M1/SoTM combo I can't get DSD512 without stuttering. It passes Sinc-MGa @ 768 fine.

 

[creativepart]

Remember SoTM only passes PCM 768 and DSD 512. Having said that with my M1/SoTM combo I can't get DSD512 without stuttering. It passes Sinc-MGa @ 768 fine.

Thanks! I worked on it today and after lots of trials and a few errors got this figured out. I now have PCM 768 working and DSD256 working well too. Just had to choose some “lighter” filters. Also in PCM I need to help the DAC resync if I’m changing resolutions. By cycling through the inputs from USB back to USB the DAC resyncs immediately rather than have to wait longer times brought on by slower/longer filters.

Like you DSD512 has stuttering. Though HQP developer, Miska says it could work with careful filter choices.

I am liking the Spring 3 quite a lot. And my Shanling ET-3 CD Transport is loving the I2S connection.

 

[creativepart]

After figuring out the settings for the Spring 3 yesterday. I spent the day listening to my favorites both on Qobuz and via my Shanling ET-3 CD Transport via i2S.

I set the CD Transport to DSD528 (!) and went back and forth between DSD256 and PCM 768 with streaming. I felt I got a pretty good idea of that sound. I was left with the impression that everything was a bit forward, a little shiny bright. I'm not sure how I felt about it.

So, at bedtime I was thinking about the Spring 3 and how it differed from my Chord Hugo TT2. It occurred to me that while upsampling was all fine and good, the Spring 3 is a NOS R2R DAC (acronyms to the max). But I had never done any listening in that mode. So, today, HQP is off. My SoTM is set to Roon Ready and I'm streaming from Qobuz at whatever resolution the Roon file is delivered.

My first choice is Steely Dan's Royal Scam. Most of Qobuz has higher res Steely Dan albums - but this one is 44.1/16. So, I'm really experiencing the NOS and R2R output today. I plan to bypass all upsampling in the ET-3 today as well.

I have to say... the sound is quite different. Much more mellow, thicker and almost warm. This should be interesting.

 

[idairyou]

After figuring out the settings for the Spring 3 yesterday. I spent the day listening to my favorites both on Qobuz and via my Shanling ET-3 CD Transport via i2S.

I set the CD Transport to DSD528 (!) and went back and forth between DSD256 and PCM 768 with streaming. I felt I got a pretty good idea of that sound. I was left with the impression that everything was a bit forward, a little shiny bright. I'm not sure how I felt about it.

So, at bedtime I was thinking about the Spring 3 and how it differed from my Chord Hugo TT2. It occurred to me that while upsampling was all fine and good, the Spring 3 is a NOS R2R DAC (acronyms to the max). But I had never done any listening in that mode. So, today, HQP is off. My SoTM is set to Roon Ready and I'm streaming from Qobuz at whatever resolution the Roon file is delivered.

My first choice is Steely Dan's Royal Scam. Most of Qobuz has higher res Steely Dan albums - but this one is 44.1/16. So, I'm really experiencing the NOS and R2R output today. I plan to bypass all upsampling in the ET-3 today as well.

I have to say... the sound is quite different. Much more mellow, thicker and almost warm. This should be interesting.

I prefer NOS 95% of the time, but the 1bit ladder on the Spring 3 is something special and I love it when playing back my ripped SACDs and DSD albums I've purchased off digital stores.

 

[mantraone]

After figuring out the settings for the Spring 3 yesterday. I spent the day listening to my favorites both on Qobuz and via my Shanling ET-3 CD Transport via i2S.

I set the CD Transport to DSD528 (!) and went back and forth between DSD256 and PCM 768 with streaming. I felt I got a pretty good idea of that sound. I was left with the impression that everything was a bit forward, a little shiny bright. I'm not sure how I felt about it.

So, at bedtime I was thinking about the Spring 3 and how it differed from my Chord Hugo TT2. It occurred to me that while upsampling was all fine and good, the Spring 3 is a NOS R2R DAC (acronyms to the max). But I had never done any listening in that mode. So, today, HQP is off. My SoTM is set to Roon Ready and I'm streaming from Qobuz at whatever resolution the Roon file is delivered.

My first choice is Steely Dan's Royal Scam. Most of Qobuz has higher res Steely Dan albums - but this one is 44.1/16. So, I'm really experiencing the NOS and R2R output today. I plan to bypass all upsampling in the ET-3 today as well.

I have to say... the sound is quite different. Much more mellow, thicker and almost warm. This should be interesting.

I tested many upsampling setting via Roon and HQplayer, but at the end I went back to NOS pure. If you like the acoustics music, this is the most similar, the fluidity of natural analog sound for me is the best.

 

[creativepart]

I'm quite happy with NOS and my Spring 3 KTE. I may eventually go back to HQP and upsampling for comparison sake, but we'll see. I'm still using Roon Ready output from my SoTM streamer, but I may spend a few days using Squeezelite for some other options. I suppose I could try Qobuz direct, too. Lots to discover. Lots of fun revisiting old favorites, too.

 

[spacecase25]

Just going to chime in here real quick. I, also, use my Spring 3 KTE in NOS mode 99.99% of the time. Truly fantastic sound.

 

[Sound Eq]

Greetings

Can I ask for some advise about using HQplayer, can you please share best settings that I should dial in in HQP

here is my set up

1- laptop specs:
i7, 24 giga ram, windows 11

2- holo red
3- holo spring 3 connected via usb to holo red
4- roon using holo red as endpoint

 

[genefruit]

Greetings

Can I ask for some advise about using HQplayer, can you please share best settings that I should dial in in HQP

here is my set up

1- laptop specs:
i7, 24 giga ram, windows 11

2- holo red
3- holo spring 3 connected via usb to holo red
4- roon using holo red as endpoint

The default SDM settings would be my first suggestion.

 

[Sound Eq]

The default SDM settings would be my first suggestion.

the problem is i messed up everything in the settings in both sdm and output so I do not remember how it was

 

[genefruit]

the problem is i messed up everything in the settings in both sdm and output so I do not remember how it was

If memory serves, there is an install with reset all settings option if you were to reinstall.

 

[jcn3]

the problem is i messed up everything in the settings in both sdm and output so I do not remember how it was

With that cpu you should be able to upsample to dsd256. I don't think you'll be able to do dsd512.

 

[Sound Eq]

greetings

I m experiencing issues using hq player in roon and tidal as I experience alot of stuttering

I am using red os

spring 3, holo red ( usb )

my laptop
Device name LAPTOP-9OO2CJT6
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz 2.21 GHz
Installed RAM 24.0 GB

I tired everything in hqplayer setting but I can not upsample to pcm 1.5, only upsampling to 756 works

would using a different software for red solve the issue, I rely on roon and tidal for my playback, using red as roon endpoint

 

[idairyou]

greetings

I m experiencing issues using hq player in roon and tidal as I experience alot of stuttering

I am using red os

spring 3, holo red ( usb )

my laptop
Device name LAPTOP-9OO2CJT6
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz 2.21 GHz
Installed RAM 24.0 GB

I tired everything in hqplayer setting but I can not upsample to pcm 1.5, only upsampling to 756 works

would using a different software for red solve the issue, I rely on roon and tidal for my playback, using red as roon endpoint

Well I can't speak to HQ Player since I don't use it at all these days.

I can speak to the laptop.

The device name does not tell us anything as that is just the name it was assigned out of the factory. Looks like it could be LAPTOP-(serial number).

The CPU was released in 2018 so this laptop is probably 5 to 6 years old. The specs say it's a 14nm with a TDP of 45W, and that is a power-hungry laptop. If a manufacturer tried to stick that CPU in a thin and light the CPU will thermally throttle under load. That CPU was made to be put in a big bulky laptop meant as a desktop replacement in its day. After 5 to 6 years depending on use the CPU performance may have degraded over time.

24gb of RAM is an odd number. That tells me it was installed with 16gb of RAM and someone installed another 8gb. RAM can be fickle, and for me as a rule I don't mix and match RAM. For example, my nephew put together a desktop with 16gb of RAM and wanted to upgrade to 32, so went out and purchased the exact same 16gb RAM kit. He put in into his machine. His PC would either not post or if it did get into windows would be unstable. I helped him troubleshoot and while both 16gb kits were good they did not play well with each other even though it was the same kit, same manufacturer, same timings.

To see if the PC is the source of your problems, I would ask myself how long it has been since Windows 10 has been refreshed. If you have never refreshed Windows since it was purchased, 5 to 6 years ago it's time to refresh the install. Meaning back up your data. After backing up your data go into Windows Update and under recovery reset the PC and choose to remove everything. Who knows what kind of leftover registry entries, or old .dll's could be messing with HQ player.

If this was a purchase from 2018 or 2019 there is a good chance it could be running a mechanical hard drive. Buy an SSD, clone it and swap it out. You will be amazed how much performance you gain by swapping from a mechanical to an SSD on older laptops.

Open up the laptop clean out all the dust from the fans and re-apply the thermal paste on the CPU and GPU if it has a dedicated GPU. There is a chance that after 5 to 6 years the thermal paste is starting to dry up.

Take out that 8gb stick of RAM and run it with 16.