Should I buy this ASAP? It’s the spring 1 kte but he also has the Singxer SU-1 for better input via usb. This is the best price used I’ve seen thus far.
Thoughts?
That’s a pretty great deal if it comes with the singxer imo
It’s an extra $150 for it
That’s still a really good deal then imo, I think if you wanted to get a good deal on a really good holo this is the play imo
Made an offer… been waiting for one of these to pop up for awhile now.
Good luck. My Holo Cyan arrives on Tuesday.
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Thanks man I’m a backup offer at this point… He did a price drop last night and received a pending offer. Trying to find this thing used for a decent price is like trying to find a pink unicorn in the wild.
I felt like that with the bf2, itll pop up right when it’s least expected. Then once you buy it 5 mote co.e out of the wood work.
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The Holo Cyan has arrived. It’s twice the size and weight of the Bifrost 2, but I suppose it does have an integrated amp. Haven’t had a chance to use it yet - will power it on and let it warm up when I get home. It’s in perfect condition for an ex-display model, and looks new. The build quality is exceptional.
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I’ve had a chance to spend some time in a quiet room with the Cyan, hooked up to my GS-X Mini via XLR and using the Arya via a balanced Periapt cable. My intention is to spend the next week or so with it as my daily driver, then I’ll hop back over to the Bifrost 2 and I’ll see how I feel.
Initial impressions of the GSX/Cyan combo are positive. It weighs perhaps three times as much as the Bifrost 2, and is twice the size. If I threw the Bifrost at you you’d bruise, but if I threw the Cyan at you it’d be murder. Not that I intend to put those theories to the test. Great build quality, is what I’m trying to say. Worth noting that using the volume knob to change inputs is a bit of a long-winded pain, but there’s a remote. What the remote can’t fix is that adjusting the volume takes a looong time - it goes up in tiny increments frustratingly slowly - though that’s only an issue if you’re using it as a DAC/amp. The impressions below are solely from using it as a DAC to feed the GS-X Mini.
I wrote on another thread that - when feeding a THX 789 with the Bifrost 2 and comparing it to the Modius, I could barely tell a difference. I can pretty safely say at this point that the THX was the weak link in that experiment, as the difference between DACs when feeding the Mini is certainly more evident. I’d go so far as to say that I noticed a difference in sound signature from the first few notes of the instrumental version of the Ghostbusters theme, which hilariously was the first random song that started playing when I opened Tidal. Please note that I listened to more than just Ghostbusters when assembling these early impressions. Please also note that it’s a great song.
The Cyan has neutralised my GS-X Mini. With the Bifrost, and with Schiit DACs generally, I feel like there’s a smoothness to them that almost presents itself as a very subtle veil over all frequencies, and then there’s a pleasing little boost to the low end for a bit of extra punch. It’s a very pleasant and distinctive sound - smooth and slightly warm - and it’s the reason that I’ve owned six different Schiit DACs/Amps. I noticed the absence of that subtle veil instantly with the Cyan.
The Cyan, to my ear, demonstrates a level of detail and clarity that is a level above the Bifrost 2. It’s super clean, precise, and almost three-dimensional - although it’s definitely not as bassy as the Bifrost, and that’s something I miss. Not as full or warm, but clearer and more detailed - or at least the presentation of detail is less congested-sounding, perhaps because of the relative absence of warmth. It’s a very neutral, very slightly sweet sound.
I’d have thought that the brightness of the GS-X coupled with the clarity and precision of the Cyan would be a recipe for fatigue, but it isn’t at all. It has actually taken the edge off of the the GS-X’s highs, which were a bit overwhelming at times. Soundstage is very similar to the BF 2, I didn’t notice a difference there.
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Glad things are going well so far 
Also just to check, you have it on nos mode right? And there is also a warm up for the unit, so I would suggest you just leave it on all the time
I was honestly suprised when I first tried the spring 2 kte with my gsx mk2, it ended up being a really nice match
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Yes, it’s in NOS mode. Read everywhere that it’s the only way to fly.
It’s only had a few hours to warm up and will be on all the time, but I figured since it’s been used as a display unit it’s not quite the same situation as if it was brand new. Would love to report back in a few days with news of the bass response having opened up like a glorious flower.
Should have got this in the first place, @M0N. You told me so. It’s dreamy.
OS mode can be interesting but generally imo it does preform much better in nos mode
I don’t know if there would be such a drastic change, but as you get used to it mentally and it gets fully warmed up (it is prob if you have had it on for like 3 hours or so) you might not find an issue with the bass anymore lol. But yeah it’s not going to be as smooth and bassy as the bf2, but there have to be some tradeoffs in this performance bracket lol
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Very nice setup!
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Thanks. If I keep going like this, my setup in three years will be a tin can hooked up to a rat.
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Analogue. I like it.
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Ok, so here I am enjoying the ZMF Verite, the GS-X Mini, and the Holo Audio Cyan. I’ve also still been occasionally using the BF2, and I’ve also tried a Topping D90 now too.
Now I’m wondering… What’s next?
There’s a possible deal on a V280, but I don’t want to just sidestep to an amp that’s not necessarily noticeably BETTER than what I already have. What’s next for me? What is the next tier of DAC/amp that I should be looking at that would constitute an upgrade?
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BTW what did you think of the d90?
Yes that would be a sidegrade, similar tier as the gsx
So this is for the verite correct for the most part? What do you like about your current stack, and what would you change?
I like the D90, though I’m still getting to know it. It sounds very detailed and all, but… There’s just something about the NOS Cyan that feels more engaging.
To be honest, I love my GS-X/Cyan stack. It’s great. It’s just that if there’s something out there that’s even better, I want it in my life. Also, it’s just a lot of fun trying this stuff out. Yes, principally I use the Verite for almost everything these days, but I do also use the Arya and the HD800S.
Personally not a fan of the d90 at all, think it’s pretty not great for the price, but that’s just me lol. Detail is there, but it lacks organicness, speed, dynamic range, spatial recreation that the cyan has (or bifrost has)
I mean if you wanted a direct upgrade, you could go for a spring 2 kte with a gsx mk2 lol, but if you want to try out something new there are a ton of options
In that case, perhaps now it’s worthwhile to explore a nice tube amp? In the 2k range you can get something that would be excellent with the 800s and the verite but prob not suited for the arya. Going up higher though you would be getting into the realm of tube amps that will power the arya without issue
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