[Triode User]

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.

You are right that our tastes are different and perhaps I have got too used to the Chord sound. I was really looking for a DAC in a second system to possibly replace the Qutest and I was intrigued by the reports that the May was better than the Dave + Mscaler. All that I can say is that to my ears and in my systems the May was not for me and the Qutest was retained in the second system as sounding better than the May.

You mention that to you, “May is not close to the MSB Select in soundstage coherence, macro dynamics, relaxed organicness, smoothness, cohesiveness or body and weight” and all I can do is agree with you regarding that quite long list of deficiencies but for me it applied when compared to Dave. I would also add that compared to the Dave I found the May incapable of resolving the music in complex orchestral crescendos such as in Holst’s Planets Suite, particularly those in the Mars movement. That was a killer thing for me and was a big reason why I originally changed to the Dave from the Bricasti M1 SE that I had at the time.

However just like you, there are clearly many people who love what the May does do and it is definitely worthy of a home demo in ones own system

 

[divertiti]

as

You are right that our tastes are different and perhaps I have got too used to the Chord sound. I was really looking for a DAC in a second system to possibly replace the Qutest and I was intrigued by the reports that the May was better than the Dave + Mscaler. All that I can say is that to my ears and in my systems the May was not for me and the Qutest was retained in the second system as sounding better than the May.

You mention that to you, “May is not close to the MSB Select in soundstage coherence, macro dynamics, relaxed organicness, smoothness, cohesiveness or body and weight” and all I can do is agree with you regarding that quite long list of deficiencies but for me it applied when compared to Dave. I would also add that compared to the Dave I found the May incapable of resolving the music in complex orchestral crescendos such as in Holst’s Planets Suite, particularly those in the Mars movement. That was a killer thing for me and was a big reason why I originally changed to the Dave from the Bricasti M1 SE that I had at the time.

However just like you, there are clearly many people who love what the May does do and it is definitely worthy of a home demo in ones own system

I must clarify that the long list of "deficiencies" of May is only in comparison against the MSB Select II, which was also leaps and bounds above the Dave+Mscaler combo as well as the Vivaldi stack in all those areas. I felt both the Dave+MScaler and Vivaldi were very analytical in presentation and lacked connective tissue between different elements in the music. I personally value coherence and liquidity without sacrificing detail, soundstage focus or imaging precision. Again these are in the systems I auditioned (Magico A5 and Wilson XVX) so I can only speak to those.

I should also point out a large part getting the right sound out of any component is synergy and also supporting cast. For example the the May is very sensitive to both power cables and input cables. When I tried switching to the well reviewed Snakeriver Cottonmouth Signature power cord on the May, it immediately lost that realism produced by the combination spatial imaging and accurate timbre, sound became vague. Even worse when I switch in Cardas clear beyond speaker cables instead of the Silversmith Fidelium, timing information gets even more smeared and the sound gains a bit of body from sounding more vague but loses its solidity and focus altogether. Lastly if I switch out the Nordost Valhalla 2 AES cable for another AES cable, the sound loses dynamic edge and transient definition, which again erodes the realism. Audio is very much like cooking, all the ingredients need to be in the right amounts and at the end it will still need to be fit to our individual taste.

 

[Thenewguy007]

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.

Would LOVE to hear a detailed review/comparison on all those DACs.

 

[OneEyedHito]

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.

My shipping costs (for my fiber company not Kitsune or HoloAudio) with FedEx alone have increased over 200% in the last 18 months. My incoming air freight has increased 300%. The freight charges are absolutely insane right now. I’m talking shipping costs of nearly $1M USD. Remember the big bad red guy who implemented the tariffs on products from Asia and how the blue guy was going to reverse that………they never give money back, ever. These costs are here to stay across the board. Supply and Demand will not ebb and flow these costs back down.

 

[eee1111]

Instead of spending 10k on the Dave buy the May and an amazing source to go with it. The extra 5k is a lot to ask when the May sounds so good.

 

[Roikyou]

My shipping costs (for my fiber company not Kitsune or HoloAudio) with FedEx alone have increased over 200% in the last 18 months. My incoming air freight has increased 300%. The freight charges are absolutely insane right now. I’m talking shipping costs of nearly $1M USD. Remember the big bad red guy who implemented the tariffs on products from Asia and how the blue guy was going to reverse that………they never give money back, ever. These costs are here to stay across the board. Supply and Demand will not ebb and flow these costs back down.

I know, it is what it is. We just have to deal with it. You already know I gave into temptation and made the move to the May.

 

[OneEyedHito]

I know, it is what it is. We just have to deal with it. You already know I gave into temptation and made the move to the May.

Good call on your part. It is a center piece that everything else can grow from.

 

[Roikyou]

Good call on your part. It is a center piece that everything else can grow from.

The Spring 3 KTE is so close to the May and it's also an amazing DAC. Along with the pre-amp for that price point, it's really good.

 

[vinceluth]

I recommend SAGRADAC

 

[remoss]

I recommend SAGRADAC

Thank you for this valuable contribution

 

[OneEyedHito]

I recommend SAGRADAC

Welcome to the Forum Vince. This is the Holo Audio May DAC thread. Have you listened to it?

 

[vonBaron]

I recommend SAGRADAC

It's "meh" DAC.

 

[eee1111]

I recommend SAGRADAC

Is it empty on the inside like the formula?

 

[Slim1970]

Is it empty on the inside like the amp they make

I can’t agree with this statement. The Sagra DAC is more complex than that. The sound of the Sagra, like any other product, is subjective in comparison to any other R2R DAC. I happen to like it.

 

[Womaz]

I think his intention was to cause a bit of commotion on this thread ….don’t rise to it.