[ChJL]

There are a few ways to compare 2 products.

1. Measurements (Audiosciencereview... there are DAC's that measure superbly well for around 1000 bucks; there are people who buy them purely based on these measurements.
2. A/B audition (a lot will depend on the rest of the actual system and auditors' personal preferences)
3. Carefully checking the PCBs and comparing, if you know electronics, what's going on inside, what is required and what constitutes outstanding digital audio reproduction design. It is also possible to figure out if the designer, apart from implementing something phenomenal, has also spent time to fine-tune the end result by ear.

I look at 1, try really hard to do 2 as well, but I definitely place the highest importance to 3 (because I can, and because I've been playing with High-End HiFi for the past 3-4 decades).

May is a product of outstanding engineering. A lot of fine-tuning whet into that DAC as well. It is the only DAC that has really great PCM R-2R conversion, AND (on the underside of those DAC modules) - a great DSD DAC as well.

Its supply rails' regulation to each IC, each stage (heck, each Vcc pin on each of those ICs), is pure art. Low voltage references, followed by a series' pass transsistors).

Its analog stage runs class A and dissipates 50-60W of heat.

Its PLL parts (low phase noise xtal oscillators) are one of the best that can be sourced at the moment (staying on the sane side of cost). Its PLL implementation is the best in the industry at the moment,

Its USB module will process everything.... PCM up to 1.536MHz / DSD up to 1024. Of course, the DAC modules will handle these frequencies as well.

But, most of all and what swayed me to buy May, was the fact that the designer used fine-tuning of parts combinations, and a lot of fine-tuning of the PCB tracks' layout/geometry/lengths (clearly visible on both, the PCM and DSD side of DAC modules), to get a beautiful sound and great measurements results.

Usually, these boutique components do not measure that well... apart from May which measures exceptionally well.

Also, you either get a DAC that does PCM well, or DSD well, or NOS well.

For 8-9-10k, May is unbelievable DAC.

Of course, there are DACs that have everything that May has and then some extras, cost 10x more.... but do not sound that much better, or not better at all if you like NOS and R-2R architecture.

I can tell you that May will do NOS exceptionally well, but will accept anything that HQPlayer can spit out, being PCM or DSD (if your PC is up to it) - for those who may think that overprocessing is the path to digital audio nirvana...

Then I looked at the insides of that other DAC you mentioned (and found its PS unit as well)... and thought to myself... move along, nothing to see here.

Of course, there are DACs that have everything that May has and then some... but cost 10x more. Do they sound better? Probably, if the status is important.

However, I have to see a DAC that will do NOS better and have better R-2R implementation.

For a sane price of 6-7k, May is an unbelievable product.

How much of your statement, facts apply to a Spring 3 KTE model? Pretty much the same except power supply..?

 

[dirtrat]

Evidently this was the wrong thread to ask for information. Ha

 

[ExtremeBoky]

How much of your statement, facts apply to a Spring 3 KTE model? Pretty much the same except power supply..?

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/58090-holo-audio-may-dac/?do=findComment&comment=1181804

furthermore, it is a slightly compromised layout because everything had to be squeezed inside a single unit.

one DAC module vs 2, consequently -> one "side" of the analogue stage as well -> performance hit exactly as expected and as shown in measurements

positive side - you can get a pre-amp board for Spring with a discrete relay volume control

 

[F208Frank]

Testing Testing 1 2 3....

Whoa.

 

[sahmen]

Testing Testing 1 2 3....

Whoa.

I guess that means "the eagle has landed" in head-fi-speak, right?

 

[F208Frank]

I do not know that phrase haha.

 

[F208Frank]

Something interesting to mention, when using HDMI I2S option via Antipodes server/streamer, when PLL is turned on the Holo May even when I switch songs from 44.1khz to 96khz it would have that 1 to 2 seconds of "locking" but when turning the PLL off, then there is no issue. I believe that all the "reclocked options" on the K50 or Antipodes device makes this happen.

I confirmed this by trying out the USB option, and whether PLL is turned on or off that locking is now gone.

Basically if you have reclocked options via your server/streamer, then turn your PLL on the Holo May off.

For USB users, turn the PLL on the Holo.

EDIT: I was told by distributor that USB is the only option that is instant for locking, and that other options will do that 1 to 2 second locking process even if the other inputs are not reclocked by the server, can someone please try their other unclocked inputs other than USB and confirm this?

 

[vonBaron]

USB input is not that good as coaxial in May.

 

[MatW]

USB input is not that good as coaxial in May.

Hopefully things will improve in June.

 

[F208Frank]

Hopefully things will improve in June.

What comes June?

 

[barbz127]

USB input is not that good as coaxial in May.

Curious to know more about this comment.

The USB on the may is supposed to be the cleanest (in terms of noise, jitter etc) but they may not make it the best sounding input.

 

[karlheinz147]

USB input is not that good as coaxial in May.

Please explain

 

[vonBaron]

Worse dynamics, resolution vs good USB convert. Only DAC i have listen who have very good USB implementation are Dave/TT2.

 

[dirtrat]

Worse dynamics, resolution vs good USB convert. Only DAC i have listen who have very good USB implementation are Dave/TT2.

Both of these DAC's are more money than even the May KTE with the Dave being TWICE as much. The USB sounds very good to me compared to my last DAC and this is streaming from my desktop computer. I would be interested in people's opinion who have a separate streamer using AES or USB and what their opinions are of the improvements of using a dedicated streamer versus a computer with the May KTE.

 

[ExtremeBoky]

Worse dynamics, resolution vs good USB convert. Only DAC i have listen who have very good USB implementation are Dave/TT2.

Did you, by any chance, had Dave and/or TT2 plugged into MScaler?