TOPIC:

Hey guys,

i'm trying to run my audio through SHD Studio, but i can't.. i'm just tired of trying, please help if you can..

First i can't loggin on Volumio, i know SHD ip address but still it's impossible i don't know what might be a reason..

Second, there is no connection between SHD and HoloAudio DAC signal went from Roon to SHD and then stopped, HoloAudio control pannel doesn't see any device connected, i tried connecting SHD with Holo through aes ebu and coax with no ressult..

And third, i tried to run Dirac 3 and Dirac also doesn't see any device connected

I'm stucked for good.. if you know what I can do next, I will be grateful for the hint, I have run out of ideas.

You have to many problems at the same time. Start with an easy set up. Connect SHD to your computer with USB. Disconnect Holo from your computer. Connect SHD spdif out 1&2 to the Holo with coax cable. Set SHD input to USB. See if you can get computer audio playing to SHD. This should work.

Thanks jaaptina, second problem is solved. It was silly, playing directly from Roon to Holo i could set the maximum volume that was bearable to 30/100 in windows and 20/100 in roon. After connecting miniDSP to hear anything i had to set the volume in windows to 100/100, in roon to 100/100 and in miniDSP at -48dB.

I still have to deal with this unfortunate network somehow.

Ok, i've got another problem, and this one is serious.

HoloAudio jams while playing music. This happens when the audio signal is supplied via aes-ebu and coax connectors, it looks like this on the display:
96K / LOCKING / 96K / LOCKING / 96K / LOCKING ..
music / silence / music / silence / music / silence ..
If a track is three minutes long, 2:30s is the pause and 30s is the music that plays.
This problem does not occur when i'm playing music via USB. To exclude the possibility of a fault on my part, i put the audio signal through the RME ADI-2 DAC (via aes-ebu and coax connectors) and the above problem did not occur:
When i'm playing PC >usb> HoloAudio there is no problem
When i'm playing PC >usb> miniDSP SHD > aes-ebu/coax> HoloAudio jams all the time
When i'm playing PC >usb> miniDSP SHD > aes-ebu/coax> RME ADI-2 DAC there is no problem
And now the best part: my source (PC) is not connected to the miniDSP SHD. I am connecting miniDSP with the aes-ebu/coax connector to HoloAudio and Holo starts locking...

The seller claims that it is miniDSP fault, that miniDSP generates a signal that causes HoloAudio blocking:
"...HoloAudio is very precise with its locking mechanism. Some sources do not sent clock signals all the time (while music is paused e.g.) and you will see "Locking" on your display when there is no signal output from the source."


Please tell me what do you think because I have already gone stupid...

Have you contacted miniDSP support yet @mushi? I think you should if you haven't.

Ultrasonic wrote:

Have you contacted miniDSP support yet @mushi? I think you should if you haven't.

Not yet, thanks for the hint @Ultrasonic. I'll do it right away.

Here's what I have discovered so far:

- HoloAudio has PLL to eliminate jitter from digital imput signal

- miniDSP has a JITTER??

And HERE is full amirm reviev.


? ??? ??? - ??? - ? ? ??? ?

@mushi the jitter shown in that review is not a problem. I suspect there's probably a fault with either your SHD or your DAC.

@Ultrasonic i've got info that this issue happens when a source spdif signal is out of standard clock tolerance(+-50ppm)

EDIT:
But if i were to bet, i would bet that HoloAudio is the troublemaker.

Hi mushi,

Please keep us updated with how you get on with getting your SHD Studio and the Holo DAC to talk together nicely.

I'm contemplating either an SHD or SHD Studio in my 2-channel system and would definitely want to keep my Holo Spring DAC in the chain for the main speakers (for the subwoofer/s I would use the internal DAC of the SHD or a second external DAC from the SHD Studio).

The Spring is a brilliant DAC in terms of sound quality, build quality and technology and although I've always used its I2S input I'd be surprised if its Coax or AES/EBU inputs would cause any problems if the incoming signal is a normal stereo digital signal.

I wonder if anyone else has tried SHD or SHD Studio with a Holo Spring DAC and whether they struck the same problem?

Good luck with getting it sorted as it would be a killer setup.

DSK wrote:

Hi mushi,

Please keep us updated with how you get on with getting your SHD Studio and the Holo DAC to talk together nicely.

I'm contemplating either an SHD or SHD Studio in my 2-channel system and would definitely want to keep my Holo Spring DAC in the chain for the main speakers (for the subwoofer/s I would use the internal DAC of the SHD or a second external DAC from the SHD Studio).

The Spring is a brilliant DAC in terms of sound quality, build quality and technology and although I've always used its I2S input I'd be surprised if its Coax or AES/EBU inputs would cause any problems if the incoming signal is a normal stereo digital signal.

I wonder if anyone else has tried SHD or SHD Studio with a Holo Spring DAC and whether they struck the same problem?

Good luck with getting it sorted as it would be a killer setup.

Hey @DSK, exchanging messages between miniDSP and HoloAudio is a drama:

KitsuneHiFi ignored me with this problem because I bought my HoloAudio from MagnaHiFi and they are now taking care of the support.

When I ask MagnaHiFi a specific question from miniDSP, I either don't get an answer or MagnaHiFi copied/pasted marketing nonsense for audiophiles about PLL circuit from the KitsuneHiFi home page.

miniDSP takes one week to reply to each message. So nothing has been decided yet.

Oh, both miniDSP and HoloAudio claim that this is the first time they have such a problem, and they pass all responsibility for it to the other side

I think a better solution for you is miniDSP SHD: less external DAC, less power cables, less problems.

Regards,
m.

mushi wrote:

Hey @DSK, exchanging messages between miniDSP and HoloAudio is a drama:

KitsuneHiFi ignored me with this problem because I bought my HoloAudio from MagnaHiFi and they are now taking care of the support.

When I ask MagnaHiFi a specific question from miniDSP, I either don't get an answer or MagnaHiFi copied/pasted marketing nonsense for audiophiles about PLL circuit from the KitsuneHiFi home page.

miniDSP takes one week to reply to each message. So nothing has been decided yet.

Oh, both miniDSP and HoloAudio claim that this is the first time they have such a problem, and they pass all responsibility for it to the other side

I think a better solution for you is miniDSP SHD: less external DAC, less power cables, less problems.

Regards,
m.

@mushi, thanks for this information. It might be enough for me to drop the whole idea of inserting any miniDSP into my system.

I would already be losing a high end tube pre-amp from the system to take the miniDSP path, I don't want to also drop the Spring DAC from the system as I can't believe that the SHD internal DAC would sound anywhere near as good as the Spring in NOS mode. I'm also a little concerned about the SHD digital chip volume control being able to drive the power amp as well as a dedicated high end pre-amp.

What I liked about the SHD Studio was that its power supply is external and could easily be replaced by a good LPS, it is purely digital (and hopefully transparent), it provides AES/EBU outputs to the DACs, it allows my choice of DACs and it would also eliminate the need for my Sonore SSR streamer. Of course, I also like the idea of being able to try a HPF on my main speakers and try room correction but from room measurements I've done in the past, I don't think I have significant room issues and the system is currently sounding the best it ever has.

I'm in Australia so it would be a risk to purchase the SHD or SHD Studio and hope that it would improve the overall sound of my system. If the SHD units are truly transparent and can adequately drive my tube power amp then it is a possibility, despite having to lose my tube pre-amp. But if forced to lose the Spring DAC as well, I have serious doubts and the whole idea becomes too high risk to contemplate.

Although cost isn't always a true indicator of sound quality, to me it seems unlikely that the SHD could replace and outperform well-matched gear (streamer, DAC & pre-amp) costing approx 9 times its sticker price, despite the possible benefits of room correction.

However, replacing the streamer and pre-amp with an SHD Studio (if transparent) and keeping the Spring DAC, would seem to improve the chances ... if the Studio and Spring can communicate properly.

It is strange that the PC>Studio>Spring caused problems (regardless of Spring input used) but equally strange that I've never heard of the Spring having issues locking on to a signal from any other device in the 4 or 5 years since it was released. Maybe one of the units has a fault or is somehow out of spec, or maybe more DACs will be found to have issues with digital outputs of SHD/SHD Studio when they have been around a bit longer.

I'll be keen to hear whether you are able to get any satisfaction on this issue from miniDSP or Holo and wish you all the best with it. Do you know anyone that could lend you their Spring to test, or perhaps miniDSP could send you a demo SHD Studio to test?

DSK wrote:

@mushi, thanks for this information. It might be enough for me to drop the whole idea of inserting any miniDSP into my system.

Do not drop this idea buddy, this is brilliant idea.

mushi wrote:

DSK wrote:

@mushi, thanks for this information. It might be enough for me to drop the whole idea of inserting any miniDSP into my system.

Do not drop this idea buddy, this is brilliant idea.

I've pulled the trigger on some additional room acoustic treatments and should receive them in a few weeks. Once installed I'll use REW and the miniDSP UMIK-1 I just bought, to assess room weaknesses that may benefit from DSP room correction.

The room is large-ish, the speaker baffles are 3 feet off the wall and I sit approx 4 feet from the back wall, slightly further from speakers than an equilateral triangle. The side walls are already well treated, there is a large thick floor rug between seat and speakers and large bass traps in each front corner. However, the front wall is currently untreated and the wall behind me is floor to ceiling glass windows (covered by thick curtains when listening but not ideal). Soundstaging and imaging are excellent and vocals are very real/organic but as my system has improved I have become aware of a slight residual "haziness" that seems to slightly truncate the depth of performers on the soundstage and possibly the soundstage depth itself. I believe the large new acoustic treatments on the front wall will clean this up and open up the soundstage even more. They may also enhance the effortlessness, dynamics and inner detail although I'm very happy with these aspects already.

Given how good the room/system is already sounding, the additional room treatments may reduce the need for DSP correction (I'm not currently conscious of any FR issues when listening) but I will continue to watch this space with interest and an open mind.

Have you managed to make any progress in respect to getting the SHD Studio to work properly with the Holo Spring DAC? Perhaps you could get together with an SHD or Holo owner from one of the forums to test another unit and determine whether you have a somehow defective unit or it is indeed a repeatable issue between the SHD Studio and Holo DAC?