HOLO AUDIO RED Audio Network Bridge, Digital to Digital Converter User Guide

October 30, 2023
HOLO AUDIO

HOLO AUDIO RED Audio Network Bridge, Digital to Digital Converter User Guide
HOLO AUDIO RED Audio Network Bridge, Digital to Digital
Converter

INTRODUCTION

This document describes the installation and configuration of the RED Digital to Digital Converter (DDC) / Audio Network Bridge.

PRECAUTIONS

Please turn off the power before plugging and unplugging the TF card. Hot plugging with power on may cause damage to the TF card and the chip!
PRECAUTIONS

QUICK START

  1. Unpack the Red
  2. Unpack the MicroSD card (Prepared with RedOS software)
  3. Before connecting the power cable Insert the SD Card into the Red (Card reader see picture)
  4. Connect the IEC power cable

Use Red as a Digital Converter (USB to I2S or S/PDIF) follow “Set up the Red in DDC mode”
Use Red as Streaming Endpoint follow: “Set up the Red as a streaming bridge”

Set up the Red in DDC mode:

  1. Power off the Red

  2. Unplug LAN cable from the RED

  3. Plug the USB cable into the Red and Roon Core

  4. Plug the HDMI cable into the Red and your (Holo) DAC.

  5. Power On the Red
    Following steps are for Roon setup only

  6. The Red should be available in Roon Core in Audio Setup

  7. Enable the Red on your Roon Core Audio Setup

  8. Play music from Roon to the Red

Set up the Red as a streaming bridge

Note: Please make sure you do not change settings in RedOS if you don’t know what you’re doing. USB redirector is configured correctly and no need to make changes to its config normally.

When LAN cable is connected (and USB-IN not connected), the RED will act as a network bridge.

  1. Power off the Red

  2. Unplug the USB cable from the RED

  3. Connect the LAN cable into the Red (and make sure the SD Card is properly inserted)

  4. Plug the HDMI cable into the Red and your Holo DAC.

  5. Power On the Red
    Following steps are for Roon setup only

  6. The Red should be detected in Roon Core in Audio Setup

  7. Enable the Red on your Roon Core Audio Setup

  8. Play music from Roon to the Red

Note: If you can’t find the Red it might not be available on your LAN. Check the IP address of the Red on on your network, open a web browser on your computer connected to the same (local) network and enter the IP address. It should open the RedOS page.

Find the IP address of your Red

Network scanner tools loop through every possible IP address on your network and try to detect any available hosts, like your Red. Remember, these tools will only work if your computer or phone is on the same network (i.e., connected to the same router) as your Red

Install one of the tools below. Run the tool from a computer on the same network as your Red.

This method has the advantage of finding every device on your network. Look for the result with a hostname that includes “Red”.

Download from the internet “IP Scanner” or “AngryIP” Both are free and open source programs.

The tool is available for windows, Mac OS, and Linux.

HARDWARE DESCRIPTION

RED is composed of multiple sets of ultra-low noise linear regulated power supplies, high-quality clocks, USB signal processors, USB DDC, Raspberry Pi CM4, etc.

The internal block diagram is as shown below
HARDWARE DESCRIPTION

DDC / NETWORK BRIDGE

DDC MODE

When USB-IN is connected, the USB DDC will be connected to the USB-IN and disconnected from the USB processor; I2S, COAX-1, COAX-2, OPT, AES will simultaneously output the audio signal from the USB-IN.

NETWORK BRDIGE MODE

When LAN cable is connected (and USB-IN not connected), the RED will act as a network bridge.

Supported audio services are: NAA HQPlayer, Roon Bridge, UPnP, AirPlay, Squeezelite, Scream*, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect

All services can be activated simultaneously*

Audio services can be enabled/disabled in the web-browser interface. The webbrowser interface can be accessed via RED’s IP address.

  • Scream (Virtual network sound card for Microsoft Windows) can only be activated in standalone mode

SPECIFICATIONS

DIGITAL OUTPUTS

COAX-1, COAX-2, OPľ, AES-EhU PCM 44.1-192KHz (24 oit)

KSK 64X (KoP)
I2S (HKMI)| PCM 44.1-76®KHz (24 oit)
KSK 64-512X (Nati:c), 641256 (KoP)

CHASSIS SPECIFICATIONS

Sizc 212×14«x42mm(WxLxH)
⭲ct wcio”t 2.4ko

POWER SPECIFICATIONS

Power input* 220~2«0V 50/60Hz – ľ1A (5x20mm)

*Configurable, see the bottom label
of the machine for details| 100~115V 50/60Hz -ľ2A (5x20mm)
Power consumption| 15W

ACCESSORY

TF Card| Micro SD Card x1
Pre-installed with custom bridge
system
---|---

FUNCTIONS & CONFIGURATION

FRONT PANEL
FRONT PANEL 

LED status indicator: the power indicator is green and steady, and the load indicator is red and flashing (it is normal to flash or turn off according to the load used)

REAR PANEL
REAR PANEL

From left to right (top to bottom) interfaces are: optical fiber, system TF card holder, I2S, AES, coaxial 1, coaxial 2, USB input, USB output, network port, AC power input

*1 Do not hot swap the TF card with power on! Please turn off the power before plugging and unplugging the TF card

*2 I2S adopts LVDS differential transmission mode, the line sequence can be configured, please refer to I2S output configuration for details. The form of the physical interface is the same as that of HDMI, HDMI cable can be used, but note that the electrical signal it transmits is I2S, which is not a conventional HDMI audio and video signal

*3 Coaxial 1 and coaxial 2 cannot be short-circuited00

I2S OUTPUT CONFIGURATION

Configure the I2S output line sequence through the DIP switch [1,2] at the bottom of the chassis.

Switch (1,2) I2S Configuration
00 Holo Audio
01 AIt 2
10 AIt 1
11 AIt «

DIP switch [3] to set I2S_DSD_ON enable;
DIP switch [4] sets the I2S_MCLK frequency, ON is 45.1584M/49.152M, OFF is 22.5792M/24.576M.

I2S LAYOUT

I2S LAYOUT

Pin HOLO ALT1 ALT2 ALT3
PCM DSD PCM DSD PCM
1 12S DATA- DSD_L- I2S_DATA+ DSD L+
2 GND GND GND GND
3 I2S DATA+ DSD L+ I2S DATA- DSD_L-
4 I2S_BCLK+ DSD_BCLK+ I2S_BCLK+ DSD_BCLK+
I2S_BCLK+ DSD_BCLK+
5 GND GND GND GND
6 I2S_BCLK- DSD_BCLK- I2S_BCLK- DSD_BCLK-
I2S_BCLK- DSD_BCLK-
7 I2S LRCK- DSD_R- 12S LRCK+ DSD R+
8 GND GND GND GND
9 12S LRCK+ DSD R+ I2S LRCK- DSD R-
10 I2S MCLK+ DSD MCLK+ I2S MCLK+ DSD MCLK+
MCLK+ DSD MCLK+
1 1 GND GND GND GND
12 I2S MCLK- DSD MCLK- I2S MCLK- DSD MCLK-
MCLK- DSD MCLK-
13 NC NC NC NC
14 NC NC NC NC
15 NC NC NC NC
16 RSV RSV NC NC
17 GND GND GND GND
18 NC NC NC NC
19 GND GND GND GND

HOLO AUDIO logo

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)

Read User Manual Online (PDF format)  >>

Download This Manual (PDF format)

Download this manual  >>

Related Manuals