One of my friends also using Holo Red as NAA suggested to use a iFi Audio LAN Silencer in the Holo Red ethernet port. My first impression is that it makes the sound more natural and open. Also, there clear noticeable positive impact on soundstage. Maybe this is system dependent, but so far in mine, this is a cheap tweak that seems to do something positive to the performance of the Holo Red.
I know this device. Though the best tweak in that regard is the Network Acoustics Muon Pro or price wise even more attractive ENO2.
Anyone can help here.
I have an issue to make the Red to work with my Ferrum Wandla via I2S. I have already configure the dip switch to Alt 2, and I am using HQPlayer as well.
Roon>>Hqplayer>>Red>>Wandla
With this path, hqplayer output sees Wandla as output device. Stream is possible through USB connection from Red to Wandla. It is outputting DSD256. This set up seen to be working. The stream path appear in Roon is Roon >>Hqplayer, the Red is functioning as a streamer in this case.
Yet, if I switch input in Wandla to i2S, no signal of course no sound to the amp.
I can get the I2S connection to work only if I pick holo Red in Roon as endpoint in Roon. The stream in this case is RAAT, native Roon streaming. Hqplayer isnāt in the path anymore. The Red behave and function as DDC device, and yet I have not connect any USB cable input to Red, itās converting Ethernet stream to output in I2S.
I have tried many way and could not get the Red to function as a steamer with i2S connected.
Any idea folks. Welcome and appreciate for any suggestion.
If your DAC is receiving a signal via I2S then either your dip switch setting on the Red is incorrect or the Wandla is not a compatible DAC with the Redās options.
Not sure if this has been posted before. From a reviewer thatās had a lot of DACs and streamers āin the barnā for review and pairing.
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Thanks for your reply.
The issue is only when Roon >> Hqplayer >> wandla
Only works through USB. It plays normal this way. This is evident since I see this path Roon >> Hqplayer in Roon
If I choose I2S, no signal and no sound.
Itās frustrating
When youāre changing from ānormalā to Roon or from USB to I2S are you re-booting the Red when you make the changes?
I done more investigation, it does appear there is some kind of compatibility issue between Hqplayer and the Ferrum Wandla. Further observations:
With Roon streaming to Red ā Wandla
- There isnāt any issue be it USB, or i2S or other digital output
With Roon streaming to HQPlayer ā Red ā Wandla
- USB Output works perfectly ok
- Coaxial output works at DSD64 upsample or PCM upsample up to 192k which is the limit of Coaxial as a medium
- i2S output works at PCM upsample up to 384k, anything higher do not works, it plays on Roon but no sound output from Wandla
- i2S output didnāt work with DSD upsample at all, be it DSD64, 128, 256, and 512
Glad you figured it out.
Likely the wrong place to pose this question but how many of us have moved on from the Holo Red to an Airlens or other streamer? I know the Grimm has become a favorite.
I started with the āRed; and traded it in for an AirLens.
I found the sound and function of the AirLens to be ābetterā.
First, I did not need a DDC function since I donāt use USB as a means of music data transfer.
Second, I found that the AirLens sounded discernibly better in my system.
The better performance was an incremental improvement, not a ānight and dayā difference.
IIRC, better midrange and HF clarity were the areas of improvement.
FWIW/YMMV.
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I use the Red and it looks like I will be waiting a while to upgrade. I would like optical/SFP network connectivity and USB performance that can beat the Red (hard to do!). All options Iāve considered will cost several more times than the Red, which is money I could put elsewhere.
No interest in the Grimm boxes, MU1 has no USB output (AES/SPDIF only and downsamples all DSD to PCM). MU2 is a different beast altogether, though the Major DAC is sound from a math perspective it (should) replace(s) several boxes (DAC, Preamp, Streamer/Core). Neither offering makes sense to me to pair with a DirectStream DAC.
Zero interest in AirLens.
We found the Holo Red to be much better than the Lumin U1, at least from a SQ perspective.
Although the Holo Red is Pi-based, it comes with all the quirks we love about Pi-based streamersš¤£.
Pairing the Holo Red with my DS MKII worked fine, but the i2S pin match was not exact, and the MKII would not display the proper sample rate, which is no big deal really, but a little annoying. Someone here said you could snip or cover one of the pins, which would work perfectly. iirc
Overall, for the money, the Holo Red is a killer sub $1K streamer, and going to be HARD to beat in its price point. If you donāt mind Pi based streamers and something that can double as a fantastic DDCā¦ Good call.
Although the AirLens easily beats it on almost all fronts.
We also found the MBII to be much better overall than the Lumin U1.
But overall, the AL was the king of the hill at the end of the day, and pretty easily so.
Cheers. 
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I went through a period of having Rendu, Red, Airlens, stack audio MKII, and Eversolo A6. Not in that but had at least two of them at same time along the way. I used media convertible to optical to my Melco S100. So I had optical isolation for all of them along the way. I found all of them super close in sound. It was not until I got the Rose 130 where I noticed a significant improvement, but for 3k more, it should.
Now I am waiting for PGM DAC which has built in streamer. Which is better? Rose or use built in?
My guess is I will go more KISS and sell the Roseā¦
Anyone want a good deal on a Rose 130ā¦lol
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Just let us know, once you can compare both! In the meantime I will continue enjoying mine! Even at the risk of lower trade in dealsā¦ 
I had Matrix, then a Red, then got the Airlens, but now Iām all-in on the MU2 which replaced a ZENith Mk3, Airlens, Mk2 DAC and BHK pre and all the atendant cables which, when sold off, more than covered the cost of the MU2ā¦
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Having a lot of experience with the Holo Red, I can say this is an amazing piece. You can considerably improve its performance with an excellent power cord, also the SR Master fuse upgrade was incredible.
Regarding software there is also a lot to explore. When running the HQPlayer OS, so using as NAA endpoint you gain another level.
So when you do all the steps above you need to invest heavily into another streamer to beat that level.
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Almost similar HQPlayer setup here and totally agree!! Using custom NAA firmware developped by Signalyst really brings the Holo Red to another level.
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