A heads up to all who are using the Red. I had a momentary power glitch early this morning, and when I woke up and checked my source gear (which is always on and running - risky, I know, but that’s the way I do things) I saw the Red was not responding to my server. I rebooted it a few times, cycled power, but nothing. It turned out that from the Holo Red web interface I had to switch from the Audio output I was using (UPnP) to another (in this case LMS so I could at least check to make sure it was playing the requested music), then back to UPnP. Once I did that all was good in UPnP land with the Red. I guess doing that kind of “kicks” the Red’s audio management routine in the rear end, better than a hard power cycle or reboot. This may help others.
I’ve worked out all the glitches with the Red and have given it ample time to burn in, over 2 weeks sometimes running 24/7 for a couple days at a time and other times running 8-12 hours a day, 250-300 hours total.
The last few days I’ve been comparing the Red over I2S to the MK2 to the Mk2’s USB input from the computer. I’m running a 3M USB cable passing through the wall because the server is in an adjacent room.
In my system, USB is the superior sounding connection. The Red sounds veiled in comparison. With the MK1 and Bridge II, the Bridge was the superior sounding connection so I expected the same result from the Red but didn’t get it.
I also prefer the PST over the Red though I never intended for a streamer to replace the PST.
For me, the reason for using a streamer is to have the server in a different room, powered from a different circuit, and isolated from the rest of the system via an Ethernet connection to reduce noise as much as possible. All for the purpose of getting the best sounding signal I can. For me, the Red is not the answer.
Bring on the Air Lens, let’s see how it does.
Mike
Interesting. 
The PST in my system is superior as well, but by comparison I don’t detect any sense of veiling as part of the reason why.
That is very helpful for me to hear. Been wondering if it would be worthwhile for me to order a Red only to find out it does not beat my present USB cable in. The USB cable has already beaten some other more expensive streamers.
Have you tried using the Red as a USB DDC, with the Pi module off? So the USB cable that normally goes to the DAC goes to the Red, and then a different shorter cable goes to the MK2. Is not so easy to A-B test. But is not so so hard either.
I have been advised that the Conversdigital module in the AirLens will not support HQPlayer NAA. But I could use a Red either (a) as an NAA and streaming endpoint or (b) as a USB DDC. The AirLens is much more limited in configurations. But maybe it has some SQ advantages via its different bag of tricks…
Just checking it’s not the “pre-emphasis” on I2S problem - that caused a veiled sound (as described by a couple of folks if I recall) until it was resolved?
In my system, I find my Nucleus+ Ethernet to the Red I2S versus USB direct to be very close, but not identical. I am failing to clearly describe the differences, but perhaps the Red is a bit more… emphatic?
I can happily listen to either and I do, but I probably ever so slightly favor the Red setup.
Still, factoring in the cost of a nice AC cable (Shunyata) and Ethernet and HDMI (Wireworld Platinum 8), if you haven’t yet purchased a Red and all the acoutrements, I’d advise spending your money elsewhere (but by all means spend that money!).
Still and all, I bought the Red as an interim solution until the Airlens is finally released. We shall see…
Interesting…in my system the Red is superior going to the MK2 via I2S than from my Roon Rock via Inakustik USB. Not by much, mind you, but readily noticeable.
I’m also waiting for an AirLens to settle my setup.
Very strange. Maybe you have a faulty device somewhere in your chain or something is misconfigured.
Nope. Pre-emphasis is off in the MK2
Nope. The configurations are all correct. It took a number of emails back and forth to Kitsume to get everything correct.
I’m not saying the Red is bad. Just that in my system, which is extremely revealing, USB from the computer to the MK2 sounds better. Not by a lot, but enough to tell.
The difference might be in the computer servers. Mine is a custom PC with a quad core Xeon processor, 32GB of RAM, a 250GB SSD for the OS and a 2TB SSD for the music library. The OS is Windows 10 Pro and it also is running Fibelizer 8 Pro in Purist mode configured as a network player. Playback software is ROON.
FWIW, after weeks of listening, I can’t tell enough of a difference between the Red and the Bridge II Ethernet card (using I2S from the Red to the DAC and switching the same Ethernet signal path/cable back and forth into the Red and Bridge II for comparison) to currently justify keeping the Red instead of continuing to use “B II”.
I have yet to try the Red with the B II card removed to see if that results in materially better performance.
If it does, then I’ll move forward with the installation of a JK Richard’s power supply card and see if I can eke out even more performance improvement.
Also looking forward to putting the AirLens through its paces…
If removing the Bridge II card and adding the power supply card improves the performance of the DAC wouldn’t that make keeping the Red worth it. If not with Holo now being “out of stock” which means parts shortage you should have no trouble selling for pretty much what you paid.
Agreed…on both counts.
I’ll be very curious to find out what you hear when you do so. I enjoyed my Bridge II, but I have also read here strong statements from several people who found better SQ after removing the Bridge. I never was able to try this myself since I did not have another streamer available.
While I found it to make a difference I don’t think it was dramatic. What should make a difference though is the addition of the separate power supply board and LPS plus the addition of a more modern external streaming device.
In my experience, after installing 3M EMI / RFI absorption material (on key chips, and inside the casing) removing Bridge II would make little difference.
Interesting…thank you.
Hmm, I’ve been running the Red via I2S out all this time, so I decided to try USB. Is there anything specific that needs to be done to get that to work? I hooked by USB cable from the Red’s USB Out to the MkII, but I’m getting no sound.
Never mind. I figured it out. 
For others that might be lurking…
You had to activate DDC setting(s), correct?
Actually, no. So maybe I’m doing it wrong. But when I hooked the Red’s USB out to the Mk.II, I first had to reboot the Mk.II (per Ted’s suggestion). Once I did, on the Red’s Web page at the top I then saw ‘PS Audio Extended Resolution US’. I had to select that and not ‘HOLO Audio UAC2.0 Gen2 - RED’ in order to get the USB to work. Maybe that was a mistake? I do see ‘PS Audio Extended Resolution US’ under USB Redirector, but I wasn’t sure that was the thing to do.