[unnome]

I (and pbly many others) did, search button is your friend as well as taking the time to read this thread over

That‘s a 6kUSD product so, unless your more than flush, you ought to search for this info.

Did you watch goldensounds videos of both on YouTube? He goes into great detail for both.

Thanks to both, I did.

Indeed, sounds like May KTE wins any comparison against Spring KTE.

As far as I know, both have the same internals, with the difference that May comes in two cases. I struggle to understand where the difference in performance comes from, but it probably is a "me" thing.

Luckily I live in NL, I will pay a visit to MagnaHifi.

 

[Baten]

As far as I know, both have the same internals, with the difference that May comes in two cases. I struggle to understand where the difference in performance comes from, but it probably is a "me" thing.

"The same internals" is really a stretch. It's hardly the same product. Of course there will be similarities.
But yes, May has a separate PSU per channel in the second chassis/case. Spring does not.

 

[CopperFox]

May has a complete dual mono construction meaning it has also separate dac modules and output stages for each channel - more than twice the number of components. I have spent some time looking at the circuit boards (as I have both) and there is a higher number of power filtering components for each channel than the Spring has for two channels and also some components that are not present on the Spring that I wasn't able to identify.

 

[unnome]

May has a complete dual mono construction meaning it has also separate dac modules and output stages for each channel - more than twice the number of components. I have spent some time looking at the circuit boards (as I have both) and there is a higher number of power filtering components for each channel than the Spring has for two channels and also some components that are not present on the Spring that I wasn't able to identify.

You're right indeed. I took a couple screenshots from @GoldenOne's youtube videos and indeed, it looks like the internals are quite different.

May KTE

Spring KTE

________________________________________

Still have to figure out the opening times of Magnahifi to arrange the visit, but I now can see how the May is both probably better performing and certainly more expensive.

Thanks all

 

[Roikyou]

Now the only thing I want is a good Roon endpoint with i2s out and support for DXD and DSD256.

Have you looked into wired4sound that has i2s, roon server and I'm assuming roon endpoint?

 

[zen87192]

I’m about to order a May KTE Kitsune Edition. Can’t quite get to the Serene just yet as funds are somewhat exhausted. I’ve got a Singxter SA1 Headphone Amplifier en route. Is this a good combo to keep me going?

 

[GoldenSound]

I’m about to order a May KTE Kitsune Edition. Can’t quite get to the Serene just yet as funds are somewhat exhausted. I’ve got a Singxter SA1 Headphone Amplifier en route. Is this a good combo to keep me going?

Sa1 is a pretty great amp

 

[zen87192]

Sa1 is a pretty great amp

Thanks GoldenOne…. Your brilliant YouTube informative reviews were what convinced me to go for the ‘May’. I will see how the SA1 performs and in the meantime keep an eye out for that new addition of the Serene pre amp you mentioned. Looking forward to joining the owners club and exchanging views with all.

 

[Roikyou]

Really tempted to move from the Spring 3 KTE to the May KTE. Every time I look, some kind of price increase. Shipping has gone up by 50 us.

 

[zen87192]

Been in touch with an official dealer and was about to place an order for the May KTE. They actually recommended that I choose the Level 2 instead of the KTE (they have all available, so it’s not because of what they have or have not) due to the very little difference between Level 2 and KTE. Sign of a good Retailer/Dealer. Interesting. I will need to read up more on reviews and watch more video reviews as well. Almost there…

 

[thecrow]

Really tempted to move from the Spring 3 KTE to the May KTE. Every time I look, some kind of price increase. Shipping has gone up by 50 us.

You can probably do that when it’s the flavour of the month based on a couple of reviews on youtube that has everyone (rightly or wrongly) talking about these.

It seems there is one main review that has everyone talking.

And when these couple of reviews are saying that the dacs are worth so much more than the asking price then it’s easier to pass on the increase in costs of production on to the consuner rather than absorb them yourself.

Just sayin’. As an observer.

Having said that I certainly am interested to demo the May

 

[Triode User]

You can probably do that when it’s the flavour of the month based on a couple of reviews on youtube that has everyone (rightly or wrongly) talking about these.

It seems there is one main review that has everyone talking.

And when these couple of reviews are saying that the dacs are worth so much more than the asking price then it’s easier to pass on the increase in costs of production on to the consuner rather than absorb them yourself.

Just sayin’. As an observer.

Having said that I certainly am interested to demo the May

An owner relates here his journey from Dave to May and how he is now going back to the Dave (possibly with his tail between his legs).

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/an-...olo-may-hqplayer.952934/page-56#post-16620313

 

[thecrow]

An owner relates here his journey from Dave to May and how he is now going back to the Dave (possibly with his tail between his legs).

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/an-...olo-may-hqplayer.952934/page-56#post-16620313

Yeah i read that.

being curious about these, the May and the dave of will be quite different to what they offer.

and the other thing that scares me reading the Dave thread is the “journey”:
Dave (twice the price of May kte), then add m scaler (price of May) then the upgraded BNC cables then the power supply for both. Ouch!! That ends up being a total spend that ends up a few dollars more than the May so maybe not a fair comparison.

and I don’t want to start down that Dave spending hole (because I can’t) as good as it may sound. The Bartok would be cheaper.

mmm……Bartok

what ever happened to my first dac - the jds labs made odac. The simple days

 

[OM hawk]

Can anyone comment on the May's performance via optical compared to usb? I mean besides the obvious limitations of optical, 192khz, etc. Would I be missing out on any of this DAC's magic if I use optical all the time?

 

[divertiti]

An owner relates here his journey from Dave to May and how he is now going back to the Dave (possibly with his tail between his legs).

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/an-...olo-may-hqplayer.952934/page-56#post-16620313

Yeah i read that.

being curious about these, the May and the dave of will be quite different to what they offer.

and the other thing that scares me reading the Dave thread is the “journey”:
Dave (twice the price of May kte), then add m scaler (price of May) then the upgraded BNC cables then the power supply for both. Ouch!! That ends up being a total spend that ends up a few dollars more than the May so maybe not a fair comparison.

and I don’t want to start down that Dave spending hole (because I can’t) as good as it may sound. The Bartok would be cheaper.

mmm……Bartok

what ever happened to my first dac - the jds labs made odac. The simple days

I've come to learn everyone's taste in sound is is different. I've auditioned the Dave with Mscaler, the Bartok and the Vivaldi stack, Berkeley Alpha Dac Reference 2, all in 6 figure systems, and I find May KTE to be more engaging with some intangible realism than any of them. They are all great in one area or another, but May has some qualities that gets me one step closer to my ultimate reference which is the MSB Select II. Of course May is not close to the MSB Select in soundstage coherence, macro dynamics, relaxed organicness, smoothness, cohesiveness or body and weight, but there is something about the texture, timbre and micro dynamic detail of May that reminds me of it...which at its relatively low price, it's quite a feat.