An exploration of Chord DAVE, MScaler, Qutest, and Holo May, HQPlayer

[Triode User]

Well it turns out a friend of mine has ordered a Holo May as being the only realistic way of getting to hear one in his own system. I prefer not to assume how it sounds so he has offered to bring it to my house so I can hear it in my system to compare to a DC4 Dave (with Mscaler as well).

Things have moved on a bit. In order to give me the opportunity of getting the best tune out of the May I have bought it from my friend. Prime experiments will centre around using 32FS PGGB files but it is not impossible that I will take the top off the power supply and ask Sean Jacobs if he will make me a DC4 version of the May power supply . . . . . To be continued.

 

[tunes]

Didn’t you at one point think the DAVE/Mscaler sounded better than the HOLO MAY?

 

[Triode User]

Didn’t you at one point think the DAVE/Mscaler sounded better than the HOLO MAY?

If you mean me, I have always thought the Dave/Mscaler sounded better than the Holo May, especially with the DC4 power supply added to the Dave.

I have now sold the Holo May because other commitments mean that I do not have the time to devote to assembling a new system around it or to experiment with 32FS PGGB files. Also now that I have a prototype ARC6 upgrade to the DC4 power supply, the Dave sound quality has taken anther leap forward so I want to concentrate on fine tuning that.

 

[tunes]

Didn’t you at one point think the DAVE/Mscaler sounded better than the HOLO MAY?

 

[Mrc4U]

How does the Holo May compare to the dCS Bartok?

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

So wishes materialized in a listening session at @Ragnar-BY place.
Before I start everything it's only my opinion, my ears and my right to have my own feelings as always YMMV

Lately there was a lot of talk over the internet about Holo May.
Comparisons with Dave appeared so naturally I was also curious about the new Chinese dac - maybe I should pull the trigger and leave Chord in dust and it's time to move.
So did I jump on the bandwagon ?
No, to me Holo is no better than MScaled Dave - definitely not in absolute terms.

First of all I'll start that I was comparing more like a system vs system. So contenders were: MScaled Dave vs Holo + Wells Headtrip II.
Only headphones were used - no speakers this time. Dave was driving headphones directly.

First I heard Holo in NOS mode - and to me it was big no no. It sounded like I heard R2R NOS dacs. Congested, nervous/forced lacked separation depth, alas it had a lot of micro detail and body to the sound also bass seemed to be nice textured - pretty nice full sound but not my taste. After just two songs I know that without some kind of upsampling it's not a toy for me.

So it was time for using HQPlayer. The filter used was sinc-L, lns15, upsampling to 768max (adaptive, we tried upsampling to 1,536khz but couldn't get it to work so we sticked to 16fs max)
And now we are talking. Separation clarity vastly improved. Instruments weren't sounding so thick so bold everything seemed to be more controlled and flow was better. There was more air and depth to the soundstage. In NOS mode everything seemed to be flat and very close. That was the sound to listen.

But then came time to listen mscaled dave. And that was it.
Depth clarity, separation and that sharp transients are just on another level - also the decay is something to die for.
Holo system even with external upsampling couldn't touch m scaled dave in these areas.

I can agree that maybe Holo has more colors richer body of the instruments especially in NOS mode - and somebody could prefer that.
To me clearer sharper (in terms of transients) more transparent picture of Dave is more real and believable.

If you want just upgrade your current dac and you are thinking between Dave and Holo - then yes why not but without external upsampling (hqplayer) these two sound completely different and then it's not a matter of money/performance and more about taste/own preferences.
With HQPlayer Holo is closer to Dave sound but still there is a gap.
So if you are owning a Dave and thinking about switching to Holo - think twice.

As I said at the beginning YMMV, yes I was comparing two systems so everything could change with other equipment involved also there are maybe some better settings for HQPlayer and Holo but this is up to you, as this is only my opinion and my feelings.
Cheers

btw. OS on Holo is... let's say that it is there. Better stick to pure NOS or NOS + software upsampling (hqplayer)

oh one more thing came up during yesterday listening session.
Holo = kebab
Dave = steak

 

[TDinCali]

Did I miss it? Which version of the Holo May were you using?

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

Did I miss it? Which version of the Holo May were you using?

Kitsune - there is a sticker on top

 

[eee1111]

I can agree that maybe Holo has more colors richer body of the instruments especially in NOS mode - and somebody could prefer that.

This is exactly what the NOS R2R Holo May makes me feel.

And probably one of its best aspects.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

@alxw0w already described everything well. I have almost nothing to add.

HMS+DAVE sounds more realistic. Especially when it comes to transients and soundstage depth. However, considering the price of both DACs, I can say that May is a great option.

For me, this audition also turned out to be a revelation in a different way. I suddenly realized that although I can easily hear the difference, I can enjoy music with any equipment. I’m going to sell all expensive high-end boxes and start over from scratch.

 

[sajunky]

This is exactly what the NOS R2R Holo May makes me feel.

And probably one of its best aspects.

It could be better. A conclusion comes when looking at a reason why Chord fans take Holo Audio as a target, while there are other fine ladder DACs in the price range of a Dave plus Mscaller or even much cheaper. I say specifically 'ladder', as Holo DACs are not R2R type, but a segmented architecture plus added a separate compensation ladder.

NOS mode of Holo is questioned, due to the evident digital filtering (as seen in tests) and perhaps other processing in place in order to shape a noise in so called NOS mode. It makes Holo DACs more similar to Delta-Sigma (which all Chord DACs are) an easier comparison. As opposed to the conclusion in the review, a real NOS DACs do not lose much of NOS sound character when doing a quality upsampling on the PC. I made such tests personally and can stand on this issue firm.

 

[eee1111]

It could be better. A conclusion comes when looking at a reason why Chord fans take Holo Audio as a target, while there are other fine ladder DACs in the price range of a Dave plus Mscaller or even much cheaper. I say specifically 'ladder', as Holo DACs are not R2R type, but a segmented architecture plus added a separate compensation ladder.

NOS mode of Holo is questioned, due to the evident digital filtering (as seen in tests) and perhaps other processing in place in order to shape a noise in so called NOS mode. It makes Holo DACs more similar to Delta-Sigma (which all Chord DACs are) an easier comparison. As opposed to the conclusion in the review, a real NOS DACs do not lose much of NOS sound character when doing a quality upsampling on the PC. I made such tests personally and can stand on this issue.

oh

you're the dude that argued with GoldenOne

I knew I saw this before......oh snap....it was in this very topic

 

[TDinCali]

I appreciate the different opinions. I’ve owned the Holo May Kitsune for a while now and have been listening to it exclusively. This discussion made me bring my Chord stack out (Hugo TT2 and m-scaler) since it’s been a while since I compared the two. I easily prefer the Holo May now, but it wasn’t so clear to me initially when I first received it.

I’m very curious about the Dave, since I hear nothing but great praise. I called two different dealers today to try and purchase a Dave and no one has it.

 

[sajunky]

you're the dude that argued with goldenone

And I think I lost to @GoldenOne on the Ares II NOS issue, defending Denafrips to the end.
Holo Audio never was not his target, I wish it were.
Well, Holo Audio NOS feature is still an issue. The last review confirms it.

 

[Arnold Schwartz]

The problem is no one discusses their reference point which is relative to whatever “sound” they grew up listening to; in large part is a function of the technology available at the time.