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HOLO Audio MAY DAC


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I have the May since Jan. and feed it with a DI20HE and the PS Audio PWT (both I2S). The DI20HE sounds better imho than the USB direct input, the soundstage of the DI is slightly deeper in comparison. I also prefer the coffee USB against solid silver (i.e. Nimak black). PLL is always on, soundstage width and depths is more neat. The burn in process should not be underrated in my opinion and logging with the DI takes a few seconds when sample format is changed, the direct USB input is way faster. I came from an Audio GD R8 and the May is completely different game…

 

Papas Gear...

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  • 2 weeks later...

similar experience here, first "no preamp is like no preamp", than from different Preamps to Pass (XP-20). Imho good preamps open the Soundstage...and the May can prepair this Job excellent...

It is as always a question of personal taste and synergie... 

 

Papas Gear...

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I have not heard the Spring, and i think the PSU is already top. But i would not expect the Soundstage corners as delivered from the may. It might be close, but imho the separat oversized PSU of the May is the game changer. From what i heard (i.e. Herb Reichert) and budget wise i would buy a used Spring 2 (Level does not matter for me) or again a May...

Papas Gear...

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@Quadman thank you very much of sharing your method. This is very interesting and a large enrichment of this thread for me. Personally, I am not sure, how much added value i get from the cabling (and material) in front of the transformers, which are still plugged in and out. On the other hand, the vishay caps are specwise and technical very good caps. In this position, imho they do their job well. Your approach is very interesting for me, because i thought, I might tweak the May as you did...but soundwise i feel no need actually...and my technical reservations are the reason, why i bought the L1.

Papas Gear...

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i stack the PSU´s and the Pre on the Dac with no temperature issues, the may stays warm, but never hot,

and yes, it heats up the XP20 slightly, but also no issues here... Even 7*24, and the result is "warm", but never hot...and i can compare the temperature directly to the XA 100.5...

the left over flux on the MAY Board is very irritating indeed…is this factory style?

 

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Papas Gear...

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Thank you for your feedback, yes, maybe you are right. I have the Dac and the pre away from the PSU buzz...both are on an audioplan sicomin isolation plate (imho they are great for clock devices, preamps and Phono stuff). And there is sorbothane between the gear..also between the PSU´s...(10mm). if you tipp on them, they "swimm"...before i had the XP20 and the May stacked as a couple (each with PSU)...and i like this seperate setup more. What is your opinion of keeping the MAY dac away from the PSU?

Papas Gear...

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Yes, for me, some KTE things are technically really difficult to understand...

The KTE approach might be listenable…but beginning from the stickers on the transformers,

via the Fuse theme (incl. directionality in an AC environment), over on board soldered silver cables in front of plugged in, plugged out transformers, and Voltage switches…

In my opinion, the deal is not the KTE thing, the deal is the engineering and the separate and oversized PSU.

Does the KTE upgrade make a sonic difference, yes, it might be audible, is it worth the additional money…difficult…

Papas Gear...

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In my expirience R2R Dacs and the clocks are changing at least during the first hours, This was easy listenable for the AudioGD Dacs i had before and now also for the MAY. Ristrained highs, soundstage variations...but it might be an illusion in listening time with new gear...and don´t forget the power grid.

Papas Gear...

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That is a good discussion, maybe a DDC or an islolator can add an additional noise performance to the Titanis section...(the section befor the isolated handover to the Dac)...as mentioned above PLL should handle the jitter...

In my case the DI20HE sounded different compared to a direct connection via USB. I am using a noisy and old Laptop with Jriver. The direct USB connection is wider in soundstage, but has not the dephts as the di20he via I2S...thats why i think about a galvanic isolator to compare...maybe the DI is obsolete than...

Papas Gear...

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Imho the May is capable of full 3D, if the mastering/recording is 3D...

The reproduction of the Soundstage is the magic ability of this DAC, together with the tonal accuracy...If you are a soundstage freak, like me, and your system is already well setuped, this is the way to go...

but it does not replace my vinyl...

 

Papas Gear...

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@Hiker...but it is the first DAC in my audio chain, where i have similar light in the rear corners, as with vinyl...it is also as correct in sound colour, and i had different r2r Dacs before. I have no HQP experience and my upsampling results in dsd, pcm, with or without sox in jriver are not as good as redbook direkt and Nos, even under consideration of the outband noise.

Papas Gear...

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For those of you who are interested in, i bought an ifi igalvanic3 after your discussion. I am able to compare the DI20HE (i2s to the May, pll on) with the direct USB connection and the Igalvanic in between. The soundstage dephts with the DI is deeper as the direct USB connection. BUT with the Igalvanic in between, i get the same dephts with the USB input of the MAY as with the DI20HE and the I2S input of the May. So my setup is now: noisy laptop - ifi igalvanic3 - USB May, pll on. This sounds best to me soundstage wise so far....but this is a first impression.....

Papas Gear...

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in my point of view the technical engeneering is the same in all three levels, including the usb module....from an engeneering point of view, it is difficult to comprehend that the tuning will better the sound by the amount of money you have to pay for the delta. this startet with the kte selected board, which are all within a small tolerance anyway, and leads in silver wires befor pluged in transformers and voltage switches....i belive, that the sound might be different, but is it worth the money? you have to make your own decision here...

Papas Gear...

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  • 1 month later...

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