HOLO Audio MAY DAC

[oneguy]

20 minutes ago, lpost said:

I understand used May KTE or any 'level' are a rare breed. Lucky bastard.

Haha, yeah it was the first one that I had ever seen on the used market so I jumped on it. Right place and time with a wallet looking to be lightened.

[lpost]

SOLD https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649693249-holo-audio-may-dac-kitsune-tuned-edition-stereophile-digital-product-of-the-year/

 

For anyone looking. I wish I'd seen this before I ordered, with the wait. Oh never mind, it sold in two 2 days. 

[GoldenOne]

Holo Serene is now available to order it looks like!

Wildism and Magna both have it up. Nothing on kitsune yet but i'm sure it'll be up soon

https://magnahifi.com/holo-audio-serene-level-2-kte-kitsune-balanced-discrete-pre-amplifier/
https://www.facebook.com/wildismaudiohk/

 

[kdubious]

I'm getting an error running 

speaker-test

when connected to the DAC via USB in Linux. Is there a driver needed? Does it work on Linux?

[Dr Tone]

5 hours ago, GoldenOne said:

Holo Serene is now available to order it looks like!

 

No 12V trigger, too bad.

[lpost]

4 hours ago, Dr Tone said:

 

No 12V trigger, too bad.

That’s not good. I’m sure a workaround could be crafted but it shouldn’t be necessary. 

[Diavolo]

17 minutes ago, lpost said:

That’s not good. I’m sure a workaround could be crafted but it shouldn’t be necessary. 

Assuming the power "on" condition is retained after recovering from a power loss, you can use a Wemo or some other smart outlet and use your phone as a remote.  The ones I use on my Plex servers are part of group and I use Alexa or Google voice to turn my servers and raid array on and off simply by saying "Turn On/Off Server".  I used to use one with my single ended tube amplifier because I'm lazy.  The relays can typically handle ~13amps without any issues. 😁 

[lpost]

33 minutes ago, Diavolo said:

Assuming the power "on" condition is retained after recovering from a power loss, you can use a Wemo or some other smart outlet.

Sure, but I don't want my amp to run through a wifi controlled outlet and mine doesn't return to powered on state without the trigger or a button press (by the way I find the TP-Link wifi outlets far more reliable than the Wemo). I would prefer to take voltage from an unused single-ended output and trigger a relay that latches 12v for the amp to turn on as if there was a trigger out.

 

It's an oversight for sure. Shame as I was considering it to replace my hybrid tube preamp. I might still but this will cause me to hesitate.

[Diavolo]

3 hours ago, lpost said:

Sure, but I don't want my amp to run through a wifi controlled outlet and mine doesn't return to powered on state without the trigger or a button press (by the way I find the TP-Link wifi outlets far more reliable than the Wemo). I would prefer to take voltage from an unused single-ended output and trigger a relay that latches 12v for the amp to turn on as if there was a trigger out.

 

It's an oversight for sure. Shame as I was considering it to replace my hybrid tube preamp. I might still but this will cause me to hesitate.

😁 I was halfway being facetious, hence the lol emojii at the end, but what I said was true at the same time.  I totally concur regarding the TP-link vs Wemo.  I first used the wemo with my old tube amp, but found the tplink to be far more reliable for the servers and raid array.  I forgot tplink and wemo was what popped in my head.  

 

I'm not currently using any wifi-outlet devices in my current system.  I've been clean for years. One day at a time. 😁 

[oneguy]

The May has a remote labeled “RMT-1” and the Serene has a remote labeled “RMT-2.” I wonder if they are cross compatible. Same buttons on each. 

 

EDIT: They sell the RMT-2 as a replacement for the May so I guess that answers that question.

 

[lpost]

On 1/26/2021 at 1:21 PM, John Hughes said:

I leave me be running all the time.  

Has anyone measure the power consumption with the front panel button 'off'? Is the unit completely off like the rear rocker has been switched or is there some power consumed still?

 

Ideally, the front panel will switch off the power hungry devices but keep the temp sensitive devices on all the time. These may be one in the same in the May...

 

Just curious while I await delivery,

 

P.S. I messaged Tim about the lack of 12V trigger. He says it's not a common feature on preamps (less than 10%) but will talk to Jeff about the possibility in the future. The last 2-3 (all of them) preamps I've add over 20 years have had a trigger out...but I also looked for those that had them. For now I'll stick with my hybrid tube preamp.

 

Thanks

 

[GoldenOne]

17 hours ago, lpost said:

That’s not good. I’m sure a workaround could be crafted but it shouldn’t be necessary. 

Yeah its a shame that wasn't added.

Personally I use an ifi ipower 12v psu on a smart switch (cause I was using a passive stepped attenuator preamp from goldpoint before, which ofc doesn't have 12v trigger) as a 12v trigger so i'll just keep doing that. But would have been nice to see it included.

Regardless the rest of the preamp looks amazing

[lpost]

31 minutes ago, GoldenOne said:

Yeah its a shame that wasn't added.

 @GoldenOneare you GoldenSound on Youtube? If so, is your May DAC review pending?

 

The wifi outlet idea is a good one. I can see it working without issue just a minor inconvience. How about using one of the unused XLR outputs to latch a relay that will in turn latch a 12V supply to trigger the amp? Seems like a simple circuit but there could be more to it than I'm imagining...and certainly wouldn't want to damage the output stage of the May DAC.

[GoldenOne]

24 minutes ago, lpost said:

 @GoldenOneare you GoldenSound on Youtube? If so, is your May DAC review pending?

 

The wifi outlet idea is a good one. I can see it working without issue just a minor inconvience. How about using one of the unused XLR outputs to latch a relay that will in turn latch a 12V supply to trigger the amp? Seems like a simple circuit but there could be more to it than I'm imagining...and certainly wouldn't want to damage the output stage of the May DAC.

Yeah that's me :)

And yes, I have a may review coming soon^tm.
I've got a few products which friends and viewers have sent in which I need to do first though so that I can get their stuff back to them in a timely fashion. But i'll do the may review as soon as the queue has been worked through. I like to prioritise stuff which people have sent in so that I don't hold onto their gear longer than needed.

Sneak peak though is: May > Dave + MScaler

I also have the holo serene preamp coming so i'll do a review on that too. (I may actually do that one first as i'd like to try to get one of the first reviews of it up if possible).

The may review is likely going to be quite long, there's so much to talk about!
Will probably be in this sort of structure:

- Intro/overview
- Subjective review of 'stock' sound (redbook with NOS)
- Discussion of engineering/design elements. (Separate 1 bit converter, PSU, dual mono, R2R, measured performance, PLL, USB isolation, independent XLR/RCA output stages, custom I2S circuit etc etc. Lots to talk about1)
- Subjective review in alternative methods of use (DSD and HQPlayer, both with PCM and DSD)

Expecting it will be over an hour, but should hopefully be good! :D

[Holzohr]

On 2/18/2021 at 8:13 PM, Diavolo said:

Tim has the newer XE card to test, but I've not followed up again as the last time I waited like 2 months to see if it worked with the Holo May and he replied he frankly was so busy he hadn't even gotten around to trying it yet, so I let go.  It's been like 2 month since then. 

 

You should bug him 😁 

 

I have posted in the Spring thread. Special thanks to @StreamFidelity. Sometimes it helps when you live in the same city. 🙂

 

[lpost]

7 hours ago, GoldenOne said:

Yeah that's me :)

@GoldenOne

 

Interesting that you compared the Prozor to the Apple dongle.

 

I'm actually using the Apple dongle DAC with an old iPhone 7 and it has impressed me. It's not the last word in resolution but it's getting me by while I wait...

 

I toasted the analog board on my real DAC, PS Audio DS, and I've not received it back from repair yet (under warranty no less!)...and I await delivery of the May.

 

 

[GoldenOne]

1 hour ago, lpost said:

@GoldenOne

 

Interesting that you compared the Prozor to the Apple dongle.

 

I'm actually using the Apple dongle DAC with an old iPhone 7 and it has impressed me. It's not the last word in resolution but it's getting me by while I wait...

 

I toasted the analog board on my real DAC, PS Audio DS, and I've not received it back from repair yet (under warranty no less!)...and I await delivery of the May.

 

 

I felt it was the most apt comparison due to being very similarly priced (cheaper in fact), and quite popular.
It measures very well, and to my ears sounds very very good for the price.

I dislike that the reconstruction filter is minimum phase, but I believe the meizu dongle is linear phase and that's ~$25 so not much more

[lpost]

Impressive what can be done in such a small $8 package!

 

I’m 3 weeks into my May wait.

[Diavolo]

1 hour ago, lpost said:

Impressive what can be done in such a small $8 package!

 

I’m 3 weeks into my May wait.

Hopefully, it won't be much longer.  I got lucky 🍀 and received mine in less than 2 weeks luckily before they got slammed with orders.  I was actually pleasantly surprised it arrived without me even knowing it had shipped.  

Patience is a blessing, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Rest assured it will be totally worth it. 😊 

[fds]

On 2/25/2021 at 6:35 PM, GoldenOne said:

And yes, I have a may review coming soon^tm.

Looking forward to your May review. Saw your Qutest and DAVE/MScaler reviews today. Very nice work. Many thanks. Best wishes for your upcoming videos and your new channel!

[lpost]

1 hour ago, Diavolo said:

Rest assured it will be totally worth it. 😊

 

 

I’m old enough to remember waiting for mail order purchases to arrive. I enjoy the anticipation often lost in this ‘right now’ world. I ordered right at the start of Chinese New Year holiday so that will add a couple weeks.

[Solstice380]

 

[lpost]

1 hour ago, Solstice380 said:

 

Oh, Carly ;) Straight from the songbook of my youth!

 

Here's what the May is going into...

 

 

[oneguy]

Setup: 

-USB to Holo May KTE to KGGG to SR-009S

-Upgraded SU-1 vis I2S to Holo Spring 1 KTE to KGGG to SR-009S

 

Bottom line up front: The May will spoil you and you won’t be able to listen to anything at a lower tier

 

The Spring KTE is no slouch by any standard. I felt the Spring was the best DAC I had heard for headphones when I got it and second best for speakers (Yggy A2 beat it there). After listening to the May for the past few days I found the Spring kind of blah. Obviously the Spring didn’t magically dip out once the May arrived but my knowledge of what was possible with a DAC has just elevated. I won’t resort to the normal hyperbole used to describe things so I would say that what you get for your 2x price increase are substantially better separation in different voices and instruments as well as a more dynamic presentation. Sounds build and decay in a very clear and independent manor. By that I mean you can perceive the rise and decay of sounds different sounds at the same time vice those changes sometimes getting lost. Hallelujah by Straight No Chaser brought chills to me the when I listened it because the voice presentation seemed so personal like they were right in the room with me as the sound swept across the channels. Detail retrieval in Lose Yourself to Dance by Daft Punk revealed additional nuances in the sounds that accompanies the instrument heard in the first few seconds that I had no idea were there. The entire song seemed like it had more life than before due to the beat being better integrated with the vocals. Even though beat and get vocal were more distinct they also held more impact. 

 

Overall I’d characterize the improvement as more than incremental and a clear cut upgrade from the Spring 1 KTE. 

 

Anyway, I hope you found my babbling helpful. The Spring KTE will be going up for sale since I don’t have a need for 2 DACs. Next up will be evaluating the USB vs I2S input of the May to determine if I need to keep the the SU-1. First I need to rearrange things so that I have room to put the SU-1 on top of the May DAC section. 
 

 

[lpost]

I very much enjoyed reading your rambling. Thank you.

 

I’ve got a SU-1 KTE as well and will try with the May but I suspect it won’t do anything.

 

is the kggg a preamp?