[OnlySoMany]

It was a huge jump between Gustard R26 and May...

Chicago was so busy, I didn't get to hear the holo stack. How does it differ from tt2? I have an alt setup I'm thinking of changing.

 

[roiosdona]

Chicago was so busy, I didn't get to hear the holo stack. How does it differ from tt2? I have an alt setup I'm thinking of changing.

I haven't heard the TT2 yet.. but we had the Luxman D-10X which is more than twice the price of the MAY KTE. I preferred slightly the Luxman over the MAY because it sounded more natural to me. But my friend preferred the MAY. I read on some forum about someone who sold his Dave and Mscaler immediately after hearing the Luxman... So it means the MAY KTE plays on a very high level!

 

[roiosdona]

Chicago was so busy, I didn't get to hear the holo stack. How does it differ from tt2? I have an alt setup I'm thinking of changing.

I think it's obvious the Holo stack would sound much better than a TT2...

 

[OnlySoMany]

I think it's obvious the Holo stack would sound much better than a TT2...

I supposed it'd help if I was more obvious. I am using a tt2 behind a NDX2 and in front of a DNA Stratus. What would the holo stack bring to that formula? I've heard good things about it's performance. How does the sound signature differ?

 

[roiosdona]

I supposed it'd help if I was more obvious. I am using a tt2 behind a NDX2 and in front of a DNA Stratus. What would the holo stack bring to that formula? I've heard good things about it's performance. How does the sound signature differ?

I haven't compared directly the TT2 to the Holo MAY... Like I said.. but I did compare it to a more expensive DAC.. The May sounds natural, with big 3D Soundtage, detailed and with good bass impact.

 

[TDinCali]

today was a very interesting day where I had the chance to meet up with a friend, and we had the following 2 amps to compare using susvara

1- the holo audio bliss ( my amp )
2- felix audio envy with upgraded tubes ( my freind's amp)

and we both liked the bliss with susvara way more than the envy

the bliss has bigger soundstage and better bass and better tonality with susvara, we were using the holo audio may kte and gustard r26 as dacs, one thing that I now need is the holo audio may as the gustard that i have is the weak link in my chain

We also had my caldera with us, and here we had a bit different opinion
he like the caldera more with envy and I liked them both so I was a bit indifferent

seriously the bliss is just an amp that is till now my fav amp period with all headphones I have

I wonder if the holo audio spring 3 is close to the may if I need it as a dac only as its cheaper than the may

Do you recall what tubes the Envy had?

 

[Rayon]

I supposed it'd help if I was more obvious. I am using a tt2 behind a NDX2 and in front of a DNA Stratus. What would the holo stack bring to that formula? I've heard good things about it's performance. How does the sound signature differ?

I didn't AB May and TT2 directly, but had multiple days in between. I did compare TT2 to Qutest and Dave directly though. My 2 cents with Utopia were:
1. TT2 was "better Qutest": bolder and bigger stage, less dry, more colorful. However the natue of the stage was the same, kind of ball-like.
2. Dave were completely in another league compared to TT2 when it comes to soundstage. It had more different shapes. Dave was also a bit more effortless. However I have described it "the least irritating sound I have heard". Everything was right, but it was kind of analytical. I remember thinking: "this is it"? I was surprised that this would be the pinnacle.
3. May is more the competitor of Dave. It has similar stage to the Dave and same effortlessness, but it has this draw. It's not analytical, but... analog? There is something in the sound that kind of makes the sound more realistic. I had never experienced the same before, but also May was the first R2R I had heard. Then of course the NOS and HQP opened a new world. There is no going back from that for me personally.

So my TL;DR; would be that when switching from TT2 to May, you would lose the "Chord sound" and trade it for more realism and Dave-like performance. May also has NOS and compatibility with really high sample rates, which opens up a lot of possibilities with HQPlayer.

But performance with the caveat that I didn't AB May and Dave directly. It's more an impression thing. However the realism of May is a real deal.

 

[SAMCL]

I didn't AB May and TT2 directly, but had multiple days in between. I did compare TT2 to Qutest and Dave directly though. My 2 cents with Utopia were:
1. TT2 was "better Qutest": bolder and bigger stage, less dry, more colorful. However the natue of the stage was the same, kind of ball-like.
2. Dave were completely in another league compared to TT2 when it comes to soundstage. It had more different shapes. Dave was also a bit more effortless. However I have described it "the least irritating sound I have heard". Everything was right, but it was kind of analytical. I remember thinking: "this is it"? I was surprised that this would be the pinnacle.
3. May is more the competitor of Dave. It has similar stage to the Dave and same effortlessness, but it has this draw. It's not analytical, but... analog? There is something in the sound that kind of makes the sound more realistic. I had never experienced the same before, but also May was the first R2R I had heard. Then of course the NOS and HQP opened a new world. There is no going back from that for me personally.

So my TL;DR; would be that when switching from TT2 to May, you would lose the "Chord sound" and trade it for more realism and Dave-like performance. May also has NOS and compatibility with really high sample rates, which opens up a lot of possibilities with HQPlayer.

But performance with the caveat that I didn't AB May and Dave directly. It's more an impression thing. However the realism of May is a real deal.

I was hesitated between tt2 and holo's gear.

 

[roiosdona]

Do you recall what tubes the Envy had?

The tubes we had are : Takatsuki TA-300B and Sylvania 6SN7Ws Metal Base

 

[Rayon]

I was hesitated between tt2 and holo's gear.

To me May is hands down better than TT2, but I can appreciate if someone has a different taste. TT2 is a great DAC as well. Also synergy is a real thing. I'm sure that there is a chain where I would prefer TT2 as well. Just not in a reference solid state chain.

 

[incredulousity]

The tubes we had are : Takatsuki TA-300B and Sylvania 6SN7Ws Metal Base

That is a nice, though by no means superlative set of tubes for Envy. On technicalities, it may not even match the stock performance tubes, and won’t match Bliss, though the comparison isn’t terribly bad for Envy. Try again with Elrogs and Melz 1578, GEC 6j5 quad, G73r or RFT 6SN7, and Bliss will be on par with Envy, but is clearly solid state. I have both, need both, and consider both endgame. DAC is May KTE. Streamer, cables, network tweaks, and power all matter when comparing stuff of this level or higher.

 

[roiosdona]

That is a nice, though by no means superlative set of tubes for Envy. On technicalities, it may not even match the stock performance tubes, and won’t match Bliss, though the comparison isn’t terribly bad for Envy. Try again with Elrogs and Melz 1578, GEC 6j5 quad, G73r or RFT 6SN7, and Bliss will be on par with Envy, but is clearly solid state. I have both, need both, and consider both endgame. DAC is May KTE. Streamer, cables, network tweaks, and power all matter when comparing stuff of this level or higher.

I didn't like Elrogs...

 

[incredulousity]

Interesting.

 

[roiosdona]

That is a nice, though by no means superlative set of tubes for Envy. On technicalities, it may not even match the stock performance tubes, and won’t match Bliss, though the comparison isn’t terribly bad for Envy. Try again with Elrogs and Melz 1578, GEC 6j5 quad, G73r or RFT 6SN7, and Bliss will be on par with Envy, but is clearly solid state. I have both, need both, and consider both endgame. DAC is May KTE. Streamer, cables, network tweaks, and power all matter when comparing stuff of this level or higher.

I have the Elrogs ER-300Bs , I think they lack bass slam.. My favorite driver tubes though are Tung Sol 6SN7GTs

 

[incredulousity]

Mo has better bass slam than ER, but ER don’t lack, after enough break in. Even the WE have great bass, after 500-600 hours. The 6SN7-equivalent rabbit hole goes very deep, as I am sure you know, and some drivers have very extended and well controlled bass/sub bass.